Sodom did to Abraham though in another sense Give us the Soules and take the rest to You. But as they who thought they should find the Baptist in Kings Courts so they that think they shall find ABRAHAM there are both deceived Which Errour though a small one and a small one indeed it is if we compare it with those great and famous acts performed by them yet we may justly feare if not seasonably withstood will lie heavy upon succeeding Ages in which true-hearted honest men from that of Solomon Pro. 14. 4. Where no Oxen are the crib is cleane presage Barbarisme or somewhat worse which I will not speake of falsly perchance and I pray GOD it prove so but not rashly I am sure not without cause So that in very truth unlesse we would have the Universities to be broken up the Clergy to be trampled on and all that is called HOLY come to ruin there lyes a necessity upon us to plead for the Churches Patrimony That which is left of it let us aneil and rub over with this bitter juice let us shew them the Snare in which they take paines to trap themselves and that it is not lawfull for them to do what dayly they attempt unlesse it be lawfull for them to blot this Verse out of the Holy Scriptures And indeed to confesse the truth this blur upon our Age that Holy Things are so Devoured much troubles me though there were there were indeed in Solomons time such whose teeth itched to be at them But this troubles me more that we Divines see these things and are lukewarme nay silent that we put up and Devoure these Devourings that which the Apostle complaines of 2. Cor. 11. 20. We suffer if a man devoure us if a man bring us into beggery But this most of all that we our selves so it is dayly expose our selves to be eat and drunk up as I may so say by these Devourers of the Clergy This is not the way believe me to effect what we desire 'T is the wish of many and mine among the rest that we may have a Learned and a Teaching Clergy Grant it Lord IESUS grant it speedily It is a Holy and a wholsome wish But if wee suffer the Churches Meanes to be thus gnaw'd and shav'd eaten and devoured a Vaine wish This was one peice of Pharaohs madnesse He would have them sacrifice to the Lord but not a Sheepe or Oxe to be allowed Exod. 10. 24. And this is our Errour our Madnesse rather Commanders of Armys are a great deal wiser first they take care for Victuals then for Souldiers But we dayly list many strong good Souldiers we bring them in no Provision nay wee suffer that they have to be taken from them And which I have not seldome wondred at in these men wee are ever talking of increasing the Light seldom or never of allowing Oyle But we must preach for one as well as the other the Oyle as well as the Light We must often and vehemently call upon men to remember the Threasury of GOD Wee must labour to bring them to that passe Solomon brought his to esteeme it a part of Religion not to touch any thing set apart for Religion to fast rather then make their meales upon Holy Things to give themselves for choaked and strangled if they should even unwittingly swallow down that which is Holy This if accomplished I shall hope for dayes as good as SOLOMONS If not But I will not presage any thing greivous I goe on to my purpose The Verse I shall divide as it divides it selfe into 2. Parts The One concerning Holy Things not to be Devour'd 2. The Other concerning Vowes not anxiously to be inquir'd into The First for my more distinct progresse J shall part into 3. Members 1. What Things those are which Solomon calls HOLY 2. Who they are that Devoure them 3. They that do ingage themselves in a great sin catch themselves in a Snare 1. OF the first By Solomon in this Chapter that part of our substance is called Holy wherewith chap. 3. ver. 9. Hee told us God ought to be honoured For not Augustus alone hath power to tax the world God hath also His power of Taxing and that out of His full right over our Goods Of which to take away all obscurity or doubt from any Vnder the Law He commanded two diverse Coines of money 1 One stamped with the Sword and Scepter of the Prince 2 The other with the Pot and Rod of Aaron By the One allotting to the Prince his Tribute for his Protection of us by his Scepter against Injustice and Contention by his Sword against Hostility By the Other allowing the Priest his due by whose labour it is Gods pleasure of dry Trees to make us live and flourish and living to Feed Vs with Heavenly Manna to Eternall life God the Father commanded both God the Son paid both Doves to the Temple Tribute to the Prince That First is the sacred Tribute Of which to take a little more exact knowledge Four things there are which in Holy Scripture are called Holy 1 1. Among them that is the first and principall for which the other are sanctified I meane the first Fruits of the Spirit namely Holinesse it selfe with which they must bee adorned who looke to enter into that holy and heavenly Hierusalem It is the Encomium given to God by the Holy Angells so by them so by us P. Esay 6. 3. Holy Holy Holy So hath God commanded us under the Law Be yee holy for I am holy So under the Gospell 1 Thess. 4. 3. This is the will of God even your holinesse This is the will of God ought to be ours Since a God the Father hath chosen his Church which we are before the world b God the Son Redeemed from the world and c God the Spirit annointed in the world You have the first our Sanctification 2. But for the begetting of Holinesse first and then increasing it in us Hee hath sanctified a second sort of Holy things To wit Foure Meanes 1 The Word 2 Prayer 3 Sacraments 4 Censures 1 The Word principally d Sanctifie them by thy Truth thy Word is Truth 2 To which Prayer is coupled e Sanctified by the Word of GOD and Prayer 3 Then the Holy Sacraments 1 Of Baptisme Ephes. 5. 2 Of the Eucharist Hebr. 13. 4 Lastly Censures These Christ calleth f Holy not to be cast to dogs Sanctified by himselfe both to retain us in and recall us to our duty This the Second Holy Meanes 3. Further for the exercising of these Meanes and applying them to that use to which he hath ordained them Hee hath sanctified a third sort of Holy things Which is threefold 1 Of the Place where 2 Of the Time when 3 Of the Persons by whom they ought to be administred 1. Of the Place Which He therefore calleth Holy and the Sanctuary S. Matth. 24 15. 2. Of the Time Which
Lawyers the Bar-Locusts Because Devotion to God decreased the commings in to the Exchequer increased One devourer follows another either a Brigade of Souldiers or a swarm of Lawyers There will be a Snare for certain or a Snare of Law or a Snare of Taxes or a Snare of War doubtlesse God will raine down Snares upon such a Nation Now breifly touching the Church But there when the Holy Portion is devour'd all that is Holy is devoured with it For by weakning the hands of the present Clergy and alienating the minds of others for the future either there will be no Prophet at all or he that shall be will himselfe be a Snare in the waies of Israel The People will become the prey of the Dragon of that Dragon who standeth before the woman now ready to bring forth that when she hath brought forth he may Devoure it For certainely a greater sin then Sacrilege lyes under this and what I admonished at the first these men are not only Sacrilegious but to be taken for Enemies to all that is called Holy For whereas these foure kinds of Holys cleave and are as it were bound up together 1 Holy Manners 2 Meanes 3 Persons 4 Revenues There is but one bit of all and it cannot be but he that shall swallow one must needs swallow all the rest at the same draught 1 Let there be no Revenue there wil be no Levite H. Nehe. 13.10 Do you see al this great Assembly Every one of them will betake himselfe to the Country and give over the House of God unlesse order be taken for their sufficient mantenance 2 Let there be no Prophet there will be no Prophecy no Law If those be but once gone there will be no learned Preist to teach the people The Holy Spirit joynes these two together 2 Chro. 15,3 Without 1 a Teaching Preist and without the 2 Law 3 Let there be no Prophesy and there shall be no People K. Solomons word for it Prov. 29. 18. The issue of all is those men who Devoure Holy things Devoure also the Prophets as they did their Iudges But they who devoure the Prophets devoure Soules They that devoure Soules devoure the People of GOD as it were bread Whosoever then swallow down Holy things are the gulfs not only of Revenues and Mantenance but also of the Prophets of Sermons of Soules of Kingdoms Let no man deceive you with cunning words as salvation is not without the Word nor the Word without a Prophet so most certain it is that there will be neither Prophets nor Schooles for the PROPHETS long without liberall mantenance Say I these things after the manner of men Say not the Holy Scriptures the same also What all Heathen writers inculcate that Honour is the Nurse of the Arts the same doth St. Paul thrice in a verse affirme to be the Nurse of Divinity That we must plow sowe thresh in Hope that without this Hope of Carnal things we may bid adieu to the harvest of Spiritual K. SOLOMON said where the Crib is empty the Oxen faile He said it for us who in vaine expect well manag'd Oxen unlesse we store up Provender for them A wiser then K. Solomon said though not of this matter yet not beside it unlesse there be a Carcass there will be no Eagles He said it to us who in vaine expect Eagles if we take away the Carcass The study of Divinity must have its incouragements For CHRIST and His College were not begging Fryers as some have determined No but He had a bag and that so largâ— that He could buy with it not only what was needfull but also give unto the Poore And St. PAUL will's that there be an abundance not only in Almes but much more in Offerings for we must understand him to speak of both as I formerly acquainted you bountifully not sparingly not only supplying want but also abundant Besides he that will have a Bishop to be given to Hospitality as well as apt to teach and indeed if there be any prejudice against it he puts in the first place given to Hospitality would have him to be not only well furnished from his Study for Doctrine but also from his Chest for Hospitality And lastly he is of opinion that they wither in the Faith who are so tenacious such holdfasts And that if at any time their Faith increase our condition and fortune will be mended The condition of the Clergy ought to be such as should be nearer Envy then Mercy Look upon the Old Canon One part of Consecration was Annointing another Filling of the hand and where the last failes the first is also wanting So under H. Moses Dathan envyed at it The Levits must have Asuppim their gatherings and Parbar their store So under K. David There must be heapes great heapes enough to eate plenty great store So under K. Hezechiah Nor was there ever a merrier world then under those Kings who have been bountifull to the Levits Nor ever a more dismall face of the State then under those Kings who look'd with a Malignant envious eye upon the Levits Look upon that Anarchy of the Iudges See the Levits wandring up and downe the Reason why their wages were Ten Shekels Look on Saul's time the Ark was not sought to in those dayes the Reason why their fortune was to bow themselves for a piece of silver and a bit of bread Doeg was in more esteem then was Ahimelech Look on Ieroboam's Whosoever would was consecrated Preist even of the lowest of the people the Reason why the lowest are fit enough for the lowest condition And with Us Fathers and Brethren if we would fling away our paines at so low a price as some now they have bras'd their foreheads sticke not to say any that can but weare a long Gowne and prate by the houre-glasse and huddle out much no matter what to the purpose or beside shall bee a fit PROPHET for Vs What remaineth I shall give you in a word Consider wee how GOD in the Prophet Zachary Chap. 11. v. 12. when hee had thoughts of forsaking Israel forsooke them upon this very point because they requited His paines with too cold and beggerly a reward Doe you heare quoth He if you think good give mee my price and if not forbear When they had weighed him some money viz. Thirty pieces He in indignation flyes out into these words surely a glorious Reward a goodly price that I am prised at of you And he broke the Staff of the Pastorall Office and made voyd whatsoever good he had purposed to that people This example was not given in vaine Believe me this happens dayly to Excellent Spirits and full of GOD unlesse there be perchance one or two an Eldad or Medad who sometimes have these thoughts and tacitly speake thus to themselves Alas this of its owne nature is a weighty burthen but by the
He calleth the Holy day of the Lord P. Esay 58. 13. 3. Of the Person Whom He therefore calleth his Holy One Deut. 33. 8. You have the Third 4. But to these Persons thus imploy'd in Divine Offices and making little account of their own in respect of Holy things a fourth kinde viz. of Holy Tribute was appointed for their mantenance and lively-hood Ezechias the best of Kings hath very well comprised the whole businesse appointing a fit portion to the Priests Levites that they might more couragiously attend the study of the Law Which portion that it should be deemed Holy there was an expresse command by GOD Himselfe Both under the Law where the People was taught to say I have brought away the hallowed things out of my house which was to acknowledge that which was payd to the Levite as a Holy Tribute and also under the Gospell where not only those things we are exercised in but those also which we live upon are termed by Saint Paul the Holy things of the Temple So you have a fourefold sort of Holy things one issuing from another and appointed for the conservation each of other 1 Holy Manners 2 Holy Meanes 3 Holy Persons 4 Holy Revenues Our busines is about this fourth For no man gapes after or fastens his teeth upon those three This last this this it is upon which they set their teeth and stomack Though indeed as I shall shew anon there is but one bit one draught of all Truly they are ty'd in a close and strong knot together Holy Revenues Holy Persons Holy Meanes Holy Manners Nor shall we be ever able to keep up Holy Manners without due Meanes nor due Meanes without fit Persons nor fit Persons without ample Revenues and comings in This therefore which Solomon calleth Holy is the Tribute of the Sanctuary But what is that or how so called I shall tell you that too The Holy Scripture is plentifull about it but it may be reduced to two heads 1 Of Oblation 2 Of Indiction 1. Of Oblation either by Vow or Freewill that the Hebrews call a Neder this b Nedabah These will fall into the second member I will not prosecute it Only this I say The Church had a Patent granted her by vertue whereof every one had leave to alienate and set apart what he would of his own to holy uses and that either by way of Freewill offering or by Vow whether it were Person or Beast Cleane or uncleane of the Flock or of the Herd whether Houses or Lands of inheritance or purchase The same gracious Licence remained under the Gospell for any to lay downe what how much hee would of his own at the Apostles feet that is to give bestow dedicate consecrate his Goods to God 2. I come to the Indiction that which is set and determined And sure there was a necessity for this lest if those Freewill offerings should come in coldly and the Threasury of the Church should be as it is often empty for want of a constant showre of Manna the Priests should well nigh starve I am to treat of a hard point and that which grieves mee most but briefly It is certain that in every ones estate there is a sacred part This is more obscure what that is or how much Abraham the father of the Faithfull wholly to bee imitated by his Children for the Place and Measure of their donation layd upon himselfe the Tith the Leviticall Law being not then written How so who declared to him the measure of the Divine portion no doubt but the Holy Spirit to so holy a man That same Spirit who before had tacitely dictated it to Abraham did afterward by an expresse Law take order for that and no other portion to bee payd to Persons consecrated by Him Indeed to some this seemes wholly ceremonial as all things doe now a dayes that touch the purse Others will not allow any portion to be by Natural Right nor so great by Positive That GOD was indeed as carefull for our sustenance as He was for the Levits That there was nothing then reserved to the Positive Law nor therefore now and to this purpose they urge that in the 23. of St. Matth. Ye ought not to leave the other undone I came hither to Preach not to dispute and therefore betake my self to the more received opinion that Tithes have their force from the Imposition of the Church For the same power which the Church had of old to make Ordinances and to charg it self with a Shekel or the third part of a Shekel for the Service of the House of God remaineth still the same under the Gospel in which you shall meet with {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Decrees and Ordinances and those not only as St. Paul testifieth for Almes to the Poore but also for Offerings When therefore the Primitive Church would take order for a set allowance for such as attended the Divine Service turning her selfe on all sides and casting up her thoughts she found out no equaler Portion which she could ordaine then that known old one and appointed by the Law Viz. the Tith of the yeerly comings in the most equal in respect of GOD and Man In respect of GOD so St. Augustine in the person of GOD Thou art mine ô man this Earth which thou tillest is mine these Seeds which thou sowest are mine these Beasts which thou imployest mine the Raine and Showers mine the Sun and heat mine all mine thou which lendest only thy hand deservest only the Tith but I grant Nine to thee give me the Tith Could a more reasonable speech possibly be made In respect of Man that must needs be most equal which is not too loose for one too strait for another By this there is a most exact equality the Rich are not spared the Poore are not opprest which is the common complaint of the Edicts of Princes the Crow there better then the Dove This Portion therefore the Church hath hallowed and given that honor to God the author of this Imposition to beleive that He best knew the Measure of His own Tribute and that no Councils of the Church no Assemblies of the Kingdome could settle that affaire more wisely then it was of old provided for by the Sacred Law then the Lawyer himselfe so absolute that Iustinian is no body to him had proclaimed many ages since But then you 'l say She who imposed it may when She will forbid it I think not but however would not perswade her to it and that upon this ground both because a dangerous custome might thence arise to hold for Sacred what we list how much we list as long as we list if we grant that and also because the rights of inheritances ought to be most holy and God calleth His Covenants Covenants of salt therefore not to be made and unmade incroach'd upon exchang'd