Selected quad for the lemma: reason_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	day_n	law_n	sabbath_n	3,352	5	9.6183	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91192	A Gospel plea (interwoven with a rational and legal) for the lawfulnes & continuance of the ancient setled maintenance and tenthes of the ministers of the Gospel: proving, that there is a just, competent, comfortable maintenance due to all lawfull painfull preachers and ministers of the Gospel, by divine right, institution, and expresse texts and precepts of the Gospel: that glebes and tithes are such a maintenance, & due to ministers by divine right, law and Gospel: that if subtracted or detained, they may lawfully be inforced by coercive laws and penalties: that tithes are no reall burden nor grievance to the people; the abolishing them, no ease or benefit to farmers, husband-men, or poor people, but a prejudice and losse. That the present opposition against tithes, proceeds not from any reall grounds of conscience, but base covetousnesse, carnall policy, &c. and a Jesuiticall and Anabaptisticall designe, to subvert and ruin our ministers, Church, religion. With a satisfactory answer to all cavils and materiall objections to the contrary. By William Prynne of Swainswick, Esq;	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1653 (1653)	Wing P3971; Thomason E713_12; ESTC R203238; ESTC R26600	128,273	175

them likewise in the due and just maintenance of their Ministers by Tithes and Glebes reserved to and prescribed by that true holy just and righteous God who is not only the God of the Jews but of the Gentiles also Rom. 3. 19. Let any rational Christian now resolve his own Conscience and mine from friends or Scripture Reason or equity if he can God having given us a Land flowing with milk and honey and as fit as able to render Glebes and Tithes of all things in kinde as he did unto the Jews It is a received maxime in our Law Quod venit in loco alterius est de natura Prioris If this be Gospel as it hath been h●ld both Law and reason under the Gospel I need add no more to this Aphorisme to prove the lawfulnesse and equity of our Ministers Glebes and Tithes and to continue as well for the future as heretofore by a divin● Right 8. That all Christian Churches and pious Christians generally throughout the world from the Apostles dayes till now have unanimously resolved both in point of Piety Justice Conscience and right Reason that they are bound to consecrate and render unto God the sel●same weekly portion of time for his publick worship as the Israelites and Jews under the Law were obliged to do to wit one day in seven though they differ in the circumstance onely of the day they observing the seventh day from the Creation every week in memory of the Creation and Gods rest thereon for their Sabbath prescribed by speci●ll Lawes and we the first day of every week in memoriall of our Saviours Resurrection thereon by the Generall Morall Equity of these Laws warranted by Apostolicall practise only without any special Gospel-precept Let then the whole Army of Tithe-Oppugners render me one dram of Reason or shadow of answer if they Canne why all Christian Realms Churches Nations in the world may not should not by the self same rule of Piety Justice Equity and proportion continue and render the like proportion of Glebes Tithes to God and his Ministers under the Gospel as the Jews did to him his Priests and Levites under the Law as well as they render to him the self same Proportion of time for his Weekly publick Service and why payment of Tithes under the Gospel to God who gives us both them and the residue of our Estates and encrease out of his own meere free grace for the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel and support of his publick Worship on the Lords Day should be more Judaicall Vnchristian Antichristian Superstition as Canne and others stile it than the dedicating and appropriating of the Lords Day to Gods publick Worship and Honour who hath given and allowed us the other fix for our imployments when as he might have justly reserved the nine parts of our Lands and goods to himself had he pleased instead onely of the Tenth as well as the six dayes in lieu of the seventh wherrewith he is content which Divines usually urge men to induce men to the more chearfull Sanctification of the Lords Day and some Scribler● against Tithes as well as others 9. That Christians under the Gospel are bound in Justice Equity and Conscience to give their hired Servants Labourers their due and deserved Wages and not to detain it from them even under the Gospel and that by vertue of Gods command recorded in the Leviticall and Judiciall Law Levit. 19 13. Deut. 14. 14 15. approved in the Gospel Col. 4. 1. and to allow their Beasts and Oxen that plow and tread out their Corn Straw and Provender without muzling up their mouths by vertue of a like precept recorded Deut. 25. 4. twice repeated and urged by the Apostle in the new Testament to prove the lawfulnesse of Ministers maintenance under the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 8 9 10. 1 Tim. 5. 18. and that without the least suspition of Judaisme or Antichristianisme therefore they may and are also bound in Justice equity Conscience not onely to settle Glebes upon but likewise to pay Tithes to the Ministers of the Gospel as a due Wages Hire and Reward for their Labour in the Ministry as well as the Jews did to their Priests and Levites without the least tincture of Judaisme or Antichristianisme since Christ in the Gospel resolves Math. 10. 10. Luke 10. 7. and 1 Tim. 5. 18. That Ministers being Labourers are worthy of their Meat Hire and a competent Maintenance suitable to their pains and Function as well as any other hired Servants or Labourers in the Fields or as our labouring Oxen or Horses are of Straw and Provender 10. We read it recorded 1 Sam. 8. 11 15 17. That this would be the manner of the King that should reign over the Jews that amongst other things He will take the Tenth of your Seed and of your Vineyards and the Tenth of your Sheep give them to his Officers and Servants In imitation wherof the Kings of England in ancient Parliaments and of late times have usually demanded and received by Grant in Parliament a Decime or Tenth of the Goods and Estates of their Subjects for their Supplies and likewise a Tenth of their Merchandise exported and imported for Tonnage and Poundage as our Parliament Records Histories and Rastall in his Abridgement of Statutes Tithes Taxes and Tenths attest If then our lawfull Kings Princes and Governours under the Gospel may justly demand and receive by Grantia Parliament the Tenth of all our Goods Corn Wooll Sheep Estates Merchandise for their necessary supplies and the Defence of the Kingdome and some who are no Kings and have engaged against Kingship as Tyrannicall do the like without a Parliament being not only a Tenth of all our Estates but a double and treble Tenth of all mens yearly Revenues and Estates and of Ministers Tithes besides for the Maintenance of themselves and the Army without the guilt of JVDAISME or ANTICHRISTIAN TYRANNY OPPRESSION OR SVPERSTITION Why our faithfull Ministers may not likewise demand and enjoy their Glebes and Tithes not onely granted but confirmed to them by our Ancestors in successive Parliaments from the first planting of the Gospel in this Nation till the Reformation all our Protestant Parliaments since the Reformation and by sundry Ordinances in the very last Parliament to which some now in highest Power gave their cordiall Votes for the Preaching and propagating of the Gospel and saving of mens Souls without the like Brand of Judaisme and Antichristianisme let John Canne resolve me when he can who most falsely scandalously and unchristianly brands both the last and all Protestant Parliaments confirming Tithes for Popish Idolatrous Parliaments acting against the Lord Jesus and our Ministry for ANTICHRISTIAN MINISTRY Who certainly was in his Cannes or Cups when he writ and published such palpable Scandalous untruths to the dishonour of our Church Parliaments Nation Religion But such Cretians are alwayes LYARS EVIL BEASTS SLOW BELLIES wherefore they need a sharp rebuke

to him for this very reason BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN A MAN OF WARRE and MADE GREAT BATTELS and SHED MUCH BLOUD UPON THE EARTH IN HIS SIGHT And the 12000. Israelites who by Gods speciall command went up to war against the Midianites and slew them retu●ning with victory and great spoyle without the losse of one man though treble their numbe● when as they came backe from the war were all of them whosoever had killed any person or touch●d any slain enjoyned by God and Moses to remain without the Camp seven dayes and to purifie themselves on the third and seventh day as unclean and polluted persons Numb 31. 1 17 19 20. and all the Officers and Captaines of hundreds and thousands in the host brought an oblation what every man had gotten of Jewels of Gold Chaines Bracelets Rings Ear-rings and Tablets TO MAKE AN OBLATION FOR THEIR SOULS BEFORE THE LORD v. 48 49 50. Such a stain and guilt was there adhering to their War-like calling in this best of Wars against Gods professed idolatrous enemies And may not all Officers and Souldiers then justly fear and find a deeper guilt of sin and stain of bloud then was in David or those Officers and Souldiers adhering to their persons and profession in our unnaturall uncivill Wars even with and against their very Christian nearest dearest Brethren Friends Kindred Neighbours of the self-same reformed Religion and thereupon make the like or a far richer oblation then they did not of their spoyles and gaines by War as atonement for their Souls in stead of provoking God and encreasing their guilt by seeking to spoil his faithfull Ministers of their long enjoyed maintenance In all these 6. particulars wherein the calling of Ministers excels in merit that of common Souldiers Captaines and Officers of War both in respect of time study costs labour diligence parts danger honour excellency use profit and necessity to which I might add that the Ministers frequent teares and prayers in times of War and Judgements are far more prevalent beneficiall a●d victorious then the Souldiers Armes besides their constant use and benefit in dayes of peace when Souldiers are needlesse uselesse I refer it to the unprejudiced judgements and consciences of all rationall Christian men and Souldiers themselves whether our faithfull preaching Ministers be not worthy of as large as liberall as constant setled honourable and coercive a maintenance from the people as any Souldiers Officers Captaines Collonels Majors or Major Generals whatsoever if not a better and larger salary and reward then they enjoy for the premised reasons when as yet some ordinary Souldiers and Troopers receive as much or more pay by the year as many of our godly Ministers and every Ancient Serjeant Lieutenant as much as the most and best beneficed Ministers and most Captaines Collonels and Majors five or six times more then our ablest best deserving Ministers and some generall Officers have received gained more in few months or years at least then hundreds of our meritorious Ministers put together can gain in all their lives by their Ministry How then can they tax them as covetous oppressive caterpillers of the people by their Ti●hes and Duties for receiving only 30. 40. 50. 80. 100. 200. or 300. l. a year and very few of them more or so much from the people by an ancient right paid once a year when as they receive ten times more from the impoverished people and at least the tenth part or more of all our poor Ministers livings by mon●hly enforced contributions and y●t will neither give them the Tenthes of their pay and spoyles of War as Abr●ham and others did Gen. 14. 10. Heb. 7. 4 6. 1 Chron. 26. 26 27 28. nor many of them pay their own Tithes and endevour to hinder others though willing from paying them any Tithes or Dues to which they have a juster right then they have to their pay and enforced contributions against all aneient Lawes and Statutes as now imposed and levied esp●cially on the Clergy who were never Taxed or Charged either by Lords or Commons in former ages but only by themselves by their o●n free Grant● in Parliament and Convocation by speciall Acts as our Records and Printed Seatutes manifest Or with what face reason or con●cience they can seek to deprive them of all their Tith●s Glebes and other legal setled coercive Stipends amounting to so small a value as now they do when as themselves receive far more setled constant pay levyed with the greatest rigour and extremity on the exhausted peoples every Month or Quarter and some of them have many Military besides civill gainfull Offices and imployments and that in severall Kingdomes amounting to thousands and tenne thousands by the year when few Ministers now enjoy one or two hundred pounds a year de claro and most not sixty all Taxes deducted and must hardly be suffered to hold two adjoyning petty Benefices to make up 80. or 100. l. a year without much clamour censure and danger of deprivation when as they can hold so many gainful incompetent Pluralities in these necessitous times and when as Popish Pagan Mahomitan and Aegyptian Priests enjoy far more then our best deserving Clergy at this day without their Officers Souldiers Clamours or opposition Having thus made good the proposition by these Scriptures and Reasons to which I could never yet hear the least colourable Answer given I now proceed to answer such Objections as have been or may be made against it Object 1 The first Objection is from Mat. 10. 8. Where when Christ sent out his 12 Apostles to preach he saith unto them Heal the sicke cleanse the Lepers raise the Dead cast out Devils FREELY YE HAVE RECEIVED FREELY GIVE Whence some inferre That Ministers and Apostles of Christ are here enjoyned by him to preach the Gospell freely without receiving any wages reward or recompence for it because they freely received their power and commission to preach the Gospell without giving money or price for it To which I Answer Answ 1. That this clause of Freely ye have received freely give it relates not to their preaching of the Gospell but is annexed only to the precedent words Heal the sicke cleanse the Lepers raise the Dead cast out Devils which they are commanded to do freely without any wages hire or reward having freely received this miraculous power of healing the sicke c. from Christ who did it freely and that to gain credit to the truth of the Gospell which was confirmed credited propagated by these free miraculous workes Marke 16. 17 18 20. Act. 31. 1 to 12. 9. 38. to 43. 5. 14 15 16 17 18. 13. 11 12. Which power of working miracles when Simon Magus would have bought for money of Peter he said unto him Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money Thou ●ast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not

his rejoycing an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing unto God and wages in the self-same Text therefore no unlawfull robbery 5. Though the niggardly Co●inthians saved their purses by Pauls labour and free preaching yet they gained no honour but disgrace and sharp censures from him for it witnesse 1 Cor. 4. 11 12 14. Even unto this present houre we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place and labour working with our own hands c. I write not these things TO SHAME you but as my beloved sonnes I admonish you of their harsh ingrate despitefull carriage towards me which makes my condition so uncomfortable which he thus seconds 2 Cor. 11. 7 8. Have I committed an offence in a●asing myselfe that you might be exalted because I have preached the Gospell of God freely I robbed other Churches taking wage● of them to do you service And ch 12. 12 13 14 15. T●uly the signes of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience in signes and wonders and mighty deeds For what was it WHEREIN YE WERE INFERIOR TO OTHER CHVRCHES except it be that I my self was not burdensome to you FORGIVE ME THIS WRONG Behold the third time I am ready to come to you and I will not be burdensome to you for I seek not yours but you c. And I will very g●adly spend and be spent for you though the more aboundantly I love you THE LESSE I BE LOVED Whence all may learn that it is a great disparagement stain and certain signe of want of love both to the Ministers and Ministry of the Gospell for any Church or people to suffer or enforce their Minister to hunger thirst be naked and to have no certain dwelling place and to labour working with his own hands that he may preach the Gospell freely to them and such kinde of ungratefull ungodly people who cause Ministers thus to spend and be spent for them will be so far from loving or respecting them for it that the more they love them in this kinde the lesse they will probably love them again as the Corinthians did Paul who traduced and slandered him as no true Apostle a weake contemptible Preacher and a very Reprobate in stead of commending him for his extraordinary paines and cost in preaching freely to them 2 Cor. 10. 10. 12. 11 12. 13. 6 7 9. Who then would hearken to or gratifie such perverse Beasts and unthankfull Hypo●rites though appearing in the shapes of Saints and notion of the godly party or rather un●odly faction against our Ministers and their maintenance 6 Though Paul thus laboured night and day with his own hands to maintain himself and preach the Gospell freely yet it followes not hence that all other Ministers now should do it 1. Because he being an inspired Apostle and able to preach by immediate inspiration and revelation from God without study or premeditation as is probable his labour in this kinde was no hindrance to his diligent constant powerfull preaching But no Ministers now being thus immediately inspired must study and meditate day and night for what they preach and examine their Doctrines seriously by Gods word before they vent them whence Paul enjoynes even Timothy himself 2 Tim. 3. 13 15 16. To give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine to meditate upon these things and give himselve WHOLY TO THEM that his profi●ing might appeare to all men and to take heed unto his doctrine which he could not do if he should labour night and day with his hands as Paul did to support himselfe and preach gratis wheresore he tels him 2 Tim. 2. 4. That no man that warreth a spiritual warfare as he and other Ministers do intangleth himself with the affaires of this life that he may please or serve him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier A direct inhibition to Ministers to follow Pauls Precedent who cannot serve and please God in their Ministry if they labour day and night in Mechanick trades for their living And upon this ground which is very observable the very Apostles themselves Act. 6. 3 4 5 6. Calling the multitude to them said IT IS NO REASON pray marke it that we should leave the Word of God and serve Tables much lesse worke day and night at a Mechanick trade wherefore br●thren looke ye out seven men of honest report full of the holy Ghost and wisdome whom ye may appoint over this businesse BVT WE WILL GIVE OVR SELVES CONTINVALLY TO PRAYER and TO THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD And THE SA●ING PLEASED THE WHOLE MVLTITVDE From which Texts it is clear 1. That the Apostles themselves resolve that they could not exercise the very antient office of a Deacon in serving Tables and attending on Widowes and other poor aged impotent Saints without neglecting or giving over preaching of the Word much lesse then can Ministers labour day and night with their hands at some Trade to maintaine themselves and Families without neglecting and desisting the Ministry 2. That the Apostles and Ministers ought to give themselves wholly and continually to prayer preaching meditation reading and their Ministeriall duties and must not therefore attempt or intermeddle with secular Imployments and Callings 3. That the Apostles themselves have punctually resolved and all the primitive Christians unanimously assented to it that IT IS NOT REASON that they should leave preaching the word of God so much as to wait upon Widowes and poor people at their tables whereupon they elected seaven Deacons to discharge that office Therefore it is far lesse reason and they are most wicked and unreasonable men without faith or charity from which God deliver us and all his Ministers 2 Thess 3. 2. who urge it to enforce all our Ministers to neglect and forsake their Ministry Preachings Studies now to follow handicraft Trades to get their livelihood that so they might preach freely to the people without any recompence 2. All godly Ministers and people in all ages and the very Objectors themselves of late years have extremely condemned censured our Bishops and Prelaticall Clergy together with Popes Popish Prelates and Clergy men for intermedling with and executing civill Offices Imployments and worldly affaires which necessitated them to neglect the preaching of the Gospell and their Ministeriall duties whereupon not only many ancient and late Councels Synods but Acts of Parliament have specially prohibited them to be Privy Counsellers of State Judges Justices of the Peace Lord Chancellers Treasurers Keepers of the Privy Seal Stewards of Courts Commissioners and our very last Parliament by severall late Acts disabled all Bishops from sitting as Peers in Parliament and them with all other Clergy men to execute any temporall Office as incompatible with their spirituall Function and an impediment to their Ministry according to the old proverbiall verse Pluribus intentus minor est adsingula sensus Which I have proved at large by testimonies in all