order you may know there the Apostle speaks of prophecying one by one and therein order and decency ought to be observed yet not restraining the liberty of any from speaking but being a member of a true Church and gifted by the Spirit of God he may speak to edification The Apostle did not monopolize the work of the Ministery but exhorted all the Church to covet to prophesie 1 Cor. 14.31.39 and saith Ye may all prophesie one by one and Moses wished all the Lords people were Prophets But to come to your answer Numb 11 29. seeing this Scripture makes not for your purpose in that particular whereas you hold forth to the eye of the world that you would do nothing but what may be according to the order of the Gospel We should have liked your argument well if you would have declared an order from the Gospell for tythes but if you cannot prove from the Gospel your practise you will like those who are ready to sink catch hold of a straw to keep your head above water you will run to the lawes of man so from humane precepts infer Gospel-institutions So you bring the vindication of the Presbyterian Government as undeniable to prove your examining of persons But what rule have you from the Gospel for this your practice that we must search mens works and leave the Word of God which is the onely means of salvation Our Saviour sends the Jews to search the Seriptures not any learned Father or Treatise made by Synods The Bereans would not receive the doctrines or teachings of the Apostles before they had searched in the Word of God to know whether those things were so or no for which they were called more noble then those of Thessalonica but as it hath been held forth by the See of Rome that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion See if you can perswade men to believe the worship you hold forth as to pay Tythes and come to be examined by a few ignorant men such who are chosen many times for your Elders who have more need of examination themselves oftentimes then many poor souls which you debar from that which you call the Supper of the Lord. Again we wonder you are not ashamed to charge us with scandalous sins as to tearm us Thieves and Robbers and that of God but we hope your Kingdome is falling and now seeing your time is short you begin to rage with open mouth yet all you can say will not adde one day to your continuation you have not in the least proved your selves Gods Ministers neither have you proved a command from God to pay Tythes how then can you call us robbers you learn not these rash censures of the Apostle who was free in the dispensation of the Gospell and thirsted more after the gaining of poore souls to the knowledge of the truth then after their moneys or inheritance it was not Tythes or great living that opened their mouths but love to the promulgation of the Gospell of Jesus Christ where is there that love in any of you that will rather leave whole Parishes destitute of meanes we mean of that which you call labouring in the Gospell and seek for greater livings Is this the right doore by which a true Pastor ought to come into the sheepfold but you are ratther indeed right thieves and robbers which rob not onely God of his glory by attributing to your selves the Priesthood but you also rob the people First of their souls benefit which they might receive from a true Minister Secondly of their moneys to which you have no right by the Law of God How many poor men are there in this Nation that groane under the great bondage of Tythes who have not so much as wil maintain their own charge with their great pains and industry and you will rack the tythe of all their labour the whole yeare and also of the fruit thereof think you not that the cry of this oppressing sin doth cry for vengeance and certainly the avenger of bloud will in his time avenge their cause and when that false Prophet spoken of Rev. 19.20 is taken he shall with all his false Teachers be judged and think you that then the Tythe-hunters shall escape what are their deserts we dare not judge though you are so rash as to judge poor tender consciences to hell fire Further to proceed to the third reason and to examine what weight or shew of truth is in it for the former he that hath but an eye of reason may discerne that covetousnesse hath so choaked them of your judgement that truth cannot be received by them Your third reason It is a complicated sin wherein fraud or cheating is added to theft for the Landlord lets his house to the Tenant upon this accompt namely that he shall pay the duties to the Minister As for example if the house be worth 21. l. per annum the Landlord lets is for 20. l. per annum on purpose perhaps that the Tenant may pay 20.5 to the Minister per annum the Tenant notwithstanding payes nothing but keeps it back from the Minister by frand and puts the Landlonds money into his owne yocket here is frand with a Witnesse Here take notice how you charge a duplicated sin we confeffe if you were as you look upon your selves to be a true Teacher of Instructer of a people it were your duty to inform them and dehort them from any known sin which they live or continue in but if the foregoing reasons with the Proposition have no force to prove the non-payment of tythes to be a sinne then of necessity this aggravating reason or conelusion must in like manner fall to the ground For our parts we are so far from conceiving it a sinne of such a nature that we should sin in so saying But to come home to your reason tearming it acheat or defrauding pray what is your intention in that you say they defraud First you say it is the Landlords money that he puts in his pocket though it was the Landlords intention he should pay the Minister his due First this is that which ever before we were ignorant of but if it be as you affirm the Landlord must also comply with the Parson and so are both as Simeon and Levi brethren in evill and what do you else then defraud the poor Tenant by ensnaring of him to do that which is a direct sin against his light and do as much as in you lye cause him to deny Christ come in the flesh in imposing upon him a ceremoniall Law which were all one as if you would teath Circumcision and burnt Offering but as the Apostle demanded in Gal. 3. who had bewitched them from the love of the truth So may we say who hath bewitched you O ye foolish Presbyterian Priests that you are so fallen into such a contrariety to truth that is that which God hates for men to halt between two opinions If the
Ministery and of the successe thereof but no hinderance of those that are true Gospel Ministes neither of the successe of it Again have you any ground for this reason from any of the Apostles When was the Gospel so free in its progresse as in the Apostles time who taught us that the Ceremoniall Law was abolished and tythes being part of the Ceremoniall Law if that comes in being again it must needs hinder the successe and progresse of the Gospel Therefore of necessity that part of your reason must needs fall to the ground having not so much as the face of truth to uphold it Thirdly In that you say such men do as much as in them lies extinguish the light by taking away the oyle that feeds it Here we do also admire at the weakness of your argument to make tythes to be the oyle that gives light to the Gospel But to the first we answer on the contrary that such men do as much as in them lies discover the true Gospel-light from that darkness and obscurity which tythes would shadow the light of the Gospel withall by unvailing it from that which Christ hath put an end unto we mean all ceremoniall Rights c. But pray what light is it you mean Is it the light of your understanding which in this particular is already darkened therfore cannot be extinguished or the light of the Gospel which is the light of truth but by your foregoing reason we conceive rather the later if then observe that is is by this light out eye are in lightened to discover the darkness of this opinion that The non-payment of tythes doth extinguish the light of the Gospel Fourthly whereas your inference is that it takes away the oyle that feedth it we answer do you count tythes or the payment thereof the oyle that feeds the light of the Gospel Pray was that the oyle the foolsh virgins lacked so that their lamps went out We think rather it is the Spirit of God which giveth light to the Gospel and this lieth beyond the reach of any man to take away We read of many oyles in Scripture as the annoiting oyle c. and the oyle wherewith Christ was annoyted even the oyle of gladnesse above his fellows but we never yet read that tythes were called by the name of oyle nay such oyle as feeds the light of the Gospel Pray when was the light of the Gospel more darkeded then when the Bishops of our later dayes had so many spirituall livings or tythe oyle as you call it Did that oyle which they had in such abundance add anything to the light of the Gospel Nay rather did it not suffocate it So now may we truly say of you that are Priests of tythe by imposing or receiving of tythes ye do as much as in you his take away the true oyle that feeds this light by reason that you do not discover the spirituall sense and meaning of the Gospel but cloud the glorious light of it by re-edifying of the Leviticall ceremony of Tythes But we shall take a view of that saying of yours concering fulian the Apostate who by your affirmation did more harm by taking away tythes then the persecuting Emperors did by taking away of the Ministers If you have no stronger argument to prove his Apostate then the bare taking away of tythes the cannot in that be proved an Apostate but if he did this action from a right principle he was more a friend to the profession of the Gospel then an enemy and we hope and heartily with that the Parliament of this Commonwealth would unburthen this Nation from this superstitious ceremony of tythes O that the profit which the first fruits and tythes do yeeld were not so much esteemed by them as to make it an hinderance of their proceedings in this partitular It is very observable that many of the Kings of Israel did that which was right in the sight of the Lord yet this is charged upon them that the high places were not taken down untill God raised up that good King Josiah who pulled them down to the ground and burned the bones of them that offered sacrifices on them but we hope there are many amongst our Worthies we mean those of the Parliament and Arny whom God in his time will make like unto Iosiah who shall root up this grand idol of imposition of tythes which so blasphemously is called the oyle that feeds the light of the Gospel Therfore we hope by this time you may see clearly that the non-payment of tythes doth not hinder the progresse of the Gospel but on the contrary doth further it For if the intruding enemies of the Gospel we mean those false teachers spoken of by the Apostle Galat. 3. did bewitch them from the love of the truth by urging of Circumcision and the observation of the Ceremoniall Law which made the Apostle fear he had laboured in vain forasmuch as Christ was not yet formed in them then certainly the urging of the necessity of paying tythes doth hinder the free progresse of the Gospel and eclipse the light of it and keeps a poor soul under that Schoolmaster which was to bring us to Christ but now Christ is revealed he is the end of the law for righ cousnesse to every one that believeth and consequently no longer need of that to be our Schoolmaster But in your last Reason your cry may well be called outragious as if you were bereft of your senses It is sin that will not he pardoned upon repentance unlesse there be a restitution as well as repentance according to that of Augustine Non remittitua peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum Thy sin shall not be pardoned unlesse that which thou with-holdest unjustly be restored We know our Saviour faith that all sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men save the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and such a one certainly that sinneth that unpardonable sin hath his heart shut up from repentance and a sin committed against God is of a higher nature then any sin against man but in all that thou have said you cannot prove the non-payment of tythe to be a sin but on the contrary we have proved it to be a in to pay tythes and consequently the non-payment of tythes cannot lay any such burthen upon the conscience of any man as to make your reason in this particular of any force but you may well be compared to the Scribes and Pharisees which laid heavy burthens upon mens shoulds and would not feel the weight of them themselves Again if this your Argument should stand that any may hath unjustly with-holden your right or due we hope you wll grant that many times God gives a man a heart to repent when he hath not wherewithall to make restitution But we never read of any sin to be unpardonable except it was the sin against the Holy Ghost but the non-pryment of tythes cannot be proved a sin much lesse of that nature Then
Tythes no Maintenance FOR Gospel-Ministers OR A seasonable Discourse concerning Tythes Wherein it is fully proved That those who urge the payment thereof for their maintenance are no true Gospel-Ministers but Antichristian and do concur with Prietsts of the Leviticall Order and Institution Occasioned by a PROPOSITION with nine Reasons laid down for the proof thereof which was lately printed and published holding forth the dreadfull danger of Sacriledge and sin even in the highest nature in the with-holding of Tythes Which said PROPOSITION with the Reasons therein contained at large are hereunto annexed the grosse absurdities thereof briefly discussed and confuted and the Truth vindicated and cleered from those mists and foggs of Judaism and Antichristian darknesse which the Proposer bath darkened it withall By T. H. and T. R. 1 John 4.1 Beloved believe not every spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world Rev. 2.9 I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan Jer. 6.13 For from the least of them even to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousnesse and from the Prophet even unto the Priest every one dealeth falsly LONDON Printed by R. A. for William Larnar at the Black-Moore neer Fleet-bridge and Thomas Heath in Martins is Grand 1652. To all who love the Lord Iesus Christ in sincerity IF the mystery of iniquity did Login to work in the Apostles time 2 Thes 2.7 2. Cor. 11.13 14 15. if there were false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ If there were the Ministers of Satan who were transformed as the Ministers of righteousnesse whose end should be according to their works And if we are exhorted to try the Spirits whether they are of God 1 Joh. 4.1 upon this accompt because many false Prophets are gone out into the world Then no marvell is it that the factors and agents for Antichrist are so encreased and the Mystery of Iniquity grown to such maturity and ripenesse nay may we not rather say to such boldnesse and impudency that they are not ashamed to open their pack of Romish Trumpery we meane their unwritten Traditions and humane Constitutions in the sight and view of the whole world and these their musty and putrified wares for sound and substantiall commodities would they force upon tender consciences whom God hath inlightned to discover the slights and cunning craftinesse of these grand Impostors Eph. 4.14 whereby they lye in wait to deceive One piece of which their Merchantable stuffe most cunningly and artificially woven together with Scriptures absurdly applied and others as lamentably perverted is here presented unto your view whose eyes the Lord hath annoynted with his eye-salve to discern the wiles and workings of Satan in these men Rev. 3.18 And although evill men and seducers shall wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3.13 deceiving and being deceived yet the righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 And although many deceivers are entred into the world 2 John 7. who confesse not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and such are all they who would bring us back again unto Moses and presse the Observation of Leviticall Rites and Ceremonies upon the conscience which are altogether abolished and done away by the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh And although Antichrist by his Sorceries hath deceived the Nations Rev. 8.22 19.20 Esa 44.20 and a deceived heart hath turned many aside that they cannot deliver their soul nor say Is 〈…〉 ot a lye in my right hand yet it is not possiâ—…e Mat. 24. â—4 that the Elect shall be deceived by them Beloved you are those who are taught of God Esa 54.13.1 Iohn 2.21 those to whom he hath revealed his secrets Psal 25.14 who have the gift of trying and discerning the Spirits 1 Iohn 4.1 and therefore we could not but recommend unto you this ensuing Treatise wherein we hope we have discovered the grosse absurdity of that Proposition and have vindicated the truth from that error and darknesse which the Proposer hath clouded it withall and truly our consciences do beare us witnesse that it was not out of any prejudice to the person of the Proposer but the love which we beare unto Truth that did stir up our spirits to this undertaking and the rather so that the Author of the said paper who being a chief man of the Presbyterian Sect and pretends himself a Minister of the Gospell hath said such high accusations against the most conscientious people charging them with sin in the highest aggravations thereof with temporall and spirituall judgements accompanying it threatning also no lesse then eternall death against them in a case where no Law is transgressed And to inforce his accusation and charge of sin and judgement how notoriously hath he wrested and perverted the Scriptures dishonoring the Lord and falsifying his truth which was so great a trouble unto our spirits that we could not be silent Nor would we be thought to be disobedient to that authority which God hath set over us and under which we live and through his blessing do enjoy much freedome protection and preservation We professe our subjâ—ction to Magistracy in all lawfull things that are commanded by them only in the matters of God and of his Christ our Lord and Saviour and wherin the glory of God is so highly concerned it is our desire to keep our consciences pure and undefiled remembring alwayes that the Laws of God must have the preheminence and all humane Lawes and Ordinances must and ought to be subordinate thereunto And in reference unto his House which is spirituall we can acknowledge no other King or Law-giver save Christ alone We look not to receive honour from men Joh. 5 44. but we seek the honour that cometh from God onely And if the Lord will vouchsafe to honour his Truth by such poor and unworthy Instruments as we are we shall account it honour enough Thomas Heath Thomas Rosewell The dreadfull danger of Sacriledge held forth in this one Proposition Namely The with-holding of Tythes from a Minister that labours in the Word and Doctrine or denying those accustomed rates upon houses which have been paid to the Ministers successively time out of mind is a great and grievous sin highly displeasing to Almighty God as appears by these Reasons 1. Reas BEcause it is a direct breach of the eighth Commandement which saith That thou shalt not steal and directly contrary to the Rule of the Apostle Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their dues Custome to whom Custome c. Yea Tythes are due to the Minister by the Law of the Land and the Minister hath as legall a right to the rates set upon houses as the Landlord hath to his rent therefore to deprive the Minister
are very much comforted and incouraged considering that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses the Truth will receive the greater establishment TYTHES No Maintenance for Gospel-Ministers OR A seasonable Discourse concerning TITHES c. WE shall omit to insert any thing as touching the name of the Author of the said Proposition by reason that he is either afraid to own it or ashamed to publish it remembring what our Saviour saith John 3.20 21. That every one that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved but he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God But to the â—roposition it self P. The witholding of tythes from a Minister that labors in the word and doctrine or denying those accustomed rates upon houses which have been paid to Ministers successively time out of mind is a great and grievous sin highly displeasing to almighty God as the Author or Publisher of the said Paper would make it appeare by the Reasons laid down in the said Paper The Proposition holds forth sin displeasing to God therefore we shal reply somwhat as touching it the grounds laid down to plead the force of his Proposition which are two First Here he sheweth the weaknesse of his argument having no Scripture but ancient custome which was from a Popish institution which are not rules for Christians to observe his being a Minister that labors in the Word Doctrine and secondly accustomed rates set upon houses which have been paid successively to such Ministers time out of mind Concerning the first it would be very requisite that he would prove himself a true Minister set apart by God for that work and chosen by a true Church which hath approved of his gifts and then secondly for custome we do affirm that they are not to be obeyed without they are grounded upon a command from God or example out of the Word of God But grant he were a true Gospel-Minister yet ought he not to plead custome or antiquity to force men to pay Tythes which were due only to the Priests that served at the Altar Numb 18.24 26. under the Ceremoniall Leviticall Law And as all types and ceremonies pointed to their anti-types so the antitype being produced the type ceaseth But Tythes were a ceremony of the Leviticall Law and Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth and we hope that none of them that call themselves Gospel-Ministers will be called Priests of the Leviticall Law and presse Tythes for their maintenance or rather as their wages which was the wages of the Priests Num. 18.31 Heb. 7.12 which offered up sacrifices and burnt-offerings but Christ hath put an end to all Priesthood and sacrifice under the Law and the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law except you will shew us a command or precept under the Gospel But you will say shall not your person be maintained We answer if one that truly labours in the Word and Doctrine would lay down a precept for his maintenance let him shew what the Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 but Tythes are not Gospel-precepts Again whereas you say it is a sin of that nature as to term it sacriledge or robbing of God we hope you will be more calm in the censure of men who through tenderness of conscience desiring to do nothing but what they may have a word for their rule refuse the payment of Tythes But we think it may be safer said that you rob God of his glory in setting your self in the seat of God for by demanding of Tythes you take the Priesthood upon your self Heb. 10. from 1. to 15. vers which is now ceased Tythes typified the great High-Priest of our soules Christ Jesus who hath by one offering put an end to all Sacrifices and Priesthood and hath also paid the debt that was due for sin how then can we rob God except it be of his glory For matter of debt he is fully satisfied but if it had been before the time of our delivery by Christ and we had been Jews and you had been of the Tribe of Levi and ordained to serve at the Altar then under that dispensation if we had not paid you Tythes you must have said that we had robbed God But the Lord be praised those dayes of bondage are ended Oh that the Lord would open your hearts and convince your consciences of this your blind zeal But we shall leave this your rash censure and reply further in that you plead accustomed rates set upon houses which have been paid time out of mind We demand first whether you are ignorant of the time when it began that Tythes were first imposed upon the Tenants by the Landlord We fear your great predecessor the Man of sin and the See of Rome were the first institutors of that superstitions Idol as imposition of Tythes who teach for doctrines the traditions of men and so make the commandement of God of none effect by their traditions Mat. 15.6 7. Secondly What reason have you to plead antient custome when as you live under the Gospel and say you are labourers in the word and doctrine of what of the Law then indeed you may urge custome from antiquity but if of the Gospel why not a Gospel-precept But we blame you not to seek to blind the eys of the ignorant by your antient customs What greater arguments have the Jesuites to maintain their corrupt principles then Antiquity as if men under the Gospel seek for rules elswhere then the Word of God But we fear that the love of money hath blinded your eys that you cannot see or discover the true meaning of that which the Apostle meaneth that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 though the Apostle used it not but rather laboured with his hands But why should we speak of laboring w th the hands so long as you plead the law customs of men for then you have strength enough on your side but god is to be obeyed before men But to leave this While God shall put it into the hearts of our Rulers to search whether or no this ancient Law and Custome hath its foundation from the Gospell which is and ought and we hope thorough Gods mercy ever shall be our rule But now to come to the Reasons you alledge to maintain your Proposition P. First you say It is a breach of the eighth Commandement which saith Thou shalt not steal and directly contrary to the rule of the Apostle Rom. 13.7 Render therfore to all thier dues tribute to whom tribute is due c. R. You think you have somthing now on your side but pray consider whether or no the Apostle speaks there concerning Tithes his junction is for paying
on the contrary if as hath been sufficiently proved that to demand tythes under the dispensation of the Gospel by any that are Gospel-Ministers or pretend so to be is a sin against the Gospel for tythes were never injoyned by our Saviour for believers to observe and to presume to make an injunction for any duty where there is no precept nor example is highly displeasing to God and comes under the reprehension of the Holy Ghost in the last of the Revelation he that addeth to the words of this book c. Therefore it behoveth you that stand so much for tythes to examine well and seriously your own hearts and repent of this your evill practice lest the sin you charge upon others be not one day laid to your charge But the last refuge you have is this that it is a sin will cry for vengcance when the sinner on his death-bed is crying for mercy as appcars by that remarkable Scripture James 5.3 Now if the hire of the labourers in mans vineyard kept back by fraud cryeth how dreadfull will the cry be of the hire of Gods labourers in Gods Vineyard kept back by robbers and defrauders I tremble to think of it We hope by the time you have read read over the replies to your former reason and Proposition your spirit will be more calm then here you have shew'd your self but that it is usuall with many of you to thunder out hell and damnation against all those that cannot through conscicure truly inlightened obey your humane traditions and legall ceremonies and forget and leave out judgement and the love of God as if the worship of God consisted in those abolished legall rites and ceremonies but in this you seem to shew little of the spirit of him that is the good Shepheard of the Sheep but rather like ravening Wolves you seek to devoure them But indeed as you have well said to that purpose that you are defrauded of your hire do you not herein demonstrate you selves to be hirelings therefore in Joh. 10. The Hireling is no good Shepheard but comes in as the wrong door and is a thtefe and a robber and how many of these hirelings both in Company and City have for a time cominaed in a Parish but when they have heard of a greater living or parsonage have relinquished their flock and given it over to stranges or left it destiture Will not this sin at that day rise up in judgement against many of you Tythes-Priests Ye can be contented to call your selves Gospel Ministers which if you were ye would not strive so much to set up the rites and ceremonies of the Leviticall Law ye would rather preach Jesus Christ and that freely from a principle of love and as long as you continut thus in your outragious cry and censorious judgings which are but the passions of the mind which the people of God have learned to crucifie with Christ you do but the more make out the truth of the Word that the strength of your Kingdome is going down and the fear thereof makes you cry out for help and use all unlawfull means to make good your argument even to the wresting of the Scriptures as that in Luke 11.42 upon which is built all your whole Fabrick which appears like all the rest to be built upon a sandy foundation which is falling and shall fall to the ground and God will put it into the hears of his people that they shall vindicate the truth in this particular O that the Rulers of this Nation would discharge their Vow to Almighty God in setting this Nation at liberty from this great and unsupportable burthen of tythes which is not only as hath been proved Anti-christian but a bondage even like that of the Aegyptians over the children of Isael for as they set Taskmasters over them so these Priests more like Aegyptians then Christians do set Taskmasters over the people to enforce them and that against their consciences to pay and are there not some now in prison upon the same accompts and others under prosecution also and will not their cry ascend up into the ears of the Lord for vengeance Oh that particular interests into unlawfull gain were not that which doth blin the eyes of many of this Nation that they cannot make use of the opportunity which God hath put into their hands But it is our hope that as the putting down of Bishops who were as Lords over Gods Heritage was one of the first of the Worthtes in Parliament so the taking away of Tythes shall not be the last which shall be acted by them FINIS