but of peace and order The seventh and last is the envious hearer not so much against the Priest as against his neighbour Ye may easily know him for he sits like a malecontent very sad and sorrowfull as if he were a deafe man and heard not untill he thinketh that the Preacher hath a speciall ayme at some one or other whom he himselfe hateth upon thought of which he cheeres up his spirits begins to looke like a willing hearer and is exceeding well content to drinke up with greedinesse such a passage thinking it no small happinesse to have his eares blessed with the vineger and gall of that particular But if this be hearing I am much deceived Luk. 8.8.18 For he that hath an care to heare saith our Saviour let him heare yea and take heed likewise how he heareth Not turne aside and stop his eare for then he doth not heare at all Nor heare as himselfe pleaseth for then he hears amisse But heare as he ought that thereby he may heare indeed and so at the last he shall be one day taken to that happy and joyfull place of seeing yea and sing that song Psal 48.8 As we have heard so have we seene in the City of our God SECT III. THis therefore brings mee unto a third thing propounded viz. That the people obey as well as heare The obedience is two-fold Deut. 30.14 Heb. 13.17 concerning Doctrine and Government 1. That of Doctrine is first and is no more but the submitting unto and practising of what their Pastors teach them For except it manifestly appeare Ezek. 33.31 that the Doctrine delivered be false thou art bound to reverence to receive it and to obey it as the word of God Jam. 1.17 Yea though the preacher have much out of humane writers and ancient Fathers for what saying soever is agreeable to the word of God and fitly applyed is to be received as the word because if it be truth it must needs come downe from God who is the fountaine 1 Cor. 4.7 not only of every perfect gift but of every good gift For what good is there in man which he hath not received To which purpose Saint Austin speaking of such truths as are many times delivered even by Philosophers themselves saith Aug. de Doct. Christ lib. 2. Si quae vera Philosophi dixerunt ab eis sunt tanquam ab injustis possessoribus vendicanda in usum nostrum meaning that what truths soever Philosophers have spoken are to be taken from them into our use as from unjust possessours Nay further should the life of the Minister distaste thee yet flye not his doctrine For when the wicked Scribes and Pharisees satin Moses his chaire Math. 23.2.3 they said but did not In which case it was Christs owne advice That what they taught should bee observed but what they did should be avoided Dicunt enim quae Dei sunt faciunt quae sua sunt Aug. contra liter as Petil l. 2. c. 6. as Saint Austin speaketh Whereto I adde that an Eagles eye anâ— an Adders eare are badly chosen for who is there among the sonnes of Men that can acquit himselfe from humane frailties But why doe I talke of frailties The world especially in looking on us is not so charitable as to put a difference between grosse offences and infirmities Nay should we live like Angels Math. 10.24.25 or like Christ himselfe there would not bee wanting some or other to traduce us If we suffer not our selves to be defrauded but seeke for our owne we are accounted covetous and seeke not you but yours although in this we doe but call you backe from that blacke sinne of foule Sacriledge wherein you doe not so much rob us as God Malac. 3.8 Or if we will not suffer our selves to be contemned we are proud and ambitious although in this God's honour and the dignity of our callings be defaced Or if we endeavour to have things rectified that be amisse we are accounted busie and troublesome although in this we goe about to discharge the duties of our places For thus can the world extract something out of nothing and multiply molehils into mountaines concerning the steps of our proceedings I excuse not all but rather teach you to be cautelous and well advised in accusing those who bee your Pastours Nor doe I thinke all to be free from scandalous living Howbeit even in this sport not with accursed Cham at your Fathers nakednesse but rather pray with the Church that both by our life and doctrine we may set forth God's true and lively word and rightly and duly administer his holy Sacraments For indeed they preach most who live best and why is that but because such is the nature of fraile mortall men that they are more prone to be led by example than by precept howbeit our Saviours rule directeth otherwise as a little before hath been declared Let it therefore be that you heare and not only so Math. 7.26 Jam. 1.22.24 but that ye heare and doe For he that heareth and doeth not is like unto him who built his house upon the sands or like unto one who beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse who when he hath considered himselfe goes his way and forgets immediately what manner of one he was Therefore be ye hearers of the word Rom. 2.13 and not hearers only but doers also for not the hearers of the Law but the doers shall be justified Deut. 7.12.13 Or as it is in Deuteronomy If thou hearken to my Lawes and observe them then the Lord shall keepe with thee his covenant he shall love thee and blesse thee Nor againe may the nature of the Doctrine distaste thee For in case thou hadst rather have sugar than salt honey than gall oyle than vineger liberty than restraint know that God hath sent his Spirit to rebuke the world of sinne Iohn 16.8 And therefore being reproved out of the word of God neither despise nor murmure but rather remember your obedience shew your thankfulnesse acknowledge your sinnes bewaile your iniquities abstaine from your wickednesse Heb. 3.8 â—8 slack not your conversion nor put it off from day to day lest by delaying your danger be past recovery Ye may vow perhaps to sacrifice your Minister upon the unsanctified Altar of your owne scorne for speaking as you thinke too home unto your soules But doe ye not know that obedience was preferred in a farre better sacrifice than this and rebellion branded withan hellish marke It is divellish sure to disobey 1 Sam. 19.22.23 Disobedience is coupled to the sinne of witchcraft And in Physicke ye also know it is not required that it should please but rather that it should helpe and heale Wherefore although the word to flesh and blood be not tooth some yet let it suffice that in it selfe 't is wholesome For conclusion therefore with that of Saint Bernard and that of Saint Hierom let
above their Minister is more then can may or ought to be granted The subordination rests in them and not in him at whose hand I dare say they ought to bee alwaies ready to do and to take advice as occasion shall require For although no private Pastor be a Prelate yet I take it to be without doubt that hee is a kind of Rectour in his owne Parish by way of reference to the higher powers and not to bee a meere cypher among his people Ignatius I suppose knew it well enough in the subordination before mentioned And yet now adayes there is a generation to be found who would bee very glad for the disrespect they beare to the Clergie to see the Church-wardens made superiour to their Priest and he to be but a dull spectator in all matter of businesse to stand with his finger in his mouth and not dare to meddle with any thing but be gainsayed over-topped and not suffered to beare any sway at all whilst they goe on as they list and rule all the rost as the common proverbe speaketh 'T is sure that such a generation there is But I dare not be he that should maintaine such doctrine for good divinitie for if it be not in them that doe a tricke to please the people or a sowing of pillowes under their Elbowes I am certainly much deceived But let them tell me if they can for I would bee glad to know it what Canon in our Church or Rubricke in our Liturgy will serve any whit to countenance such a proud and ambitious faction The 113. canon giveth Ministers power to present for feare if all should be left to the Churchwardens there would be nothing done to rectifie things amisse The 89. canon makes it lawfull for the Minister to choose one of the Churchwardens and sidemen and to take notice of their accounts The 91. cannon alowes him and not the Church-wardens to niake choice of the Parish clerke Also he not the Churchwardens is a Can. 26. Rubr. before Communion allowed to be a judge betweene two offenders and whom he findes to be obstinare in malice not to admit him but the other to the holy Communion It is also left to his b Rubr. after the Commu discretion to judge whether the number bee sufficient to bee administred unto Also the Churchwardens c Can. 20 and Rubrick after the Commu are to take advice from him and not he from them receiving his direction for the providing of Bread and Wine for Communions Also the time for baptizing of children whether in the Morning or in the Afternoone is d Rubr. before publick Bapt. left to his discretion It is likewise left to his discretion to determine whether the e Rubr. before private Bapt. excuses alledged by Parents for not bringing their children to holy Baptisme on the next Sunday or Holy-day after they bee borne bee just and reasonable Also if he shall perceive any to come to the Font who never received the Communion to answer for a child hee shall not f Can. 2â— suffer the said party to be an undertaker He shall also g Can. 28. put backe strangers from the Communion and hath h Rubr. after Confirmatiâ—… it also in his power to order such as shall be catechised according to his discretion He is also to have a key of the almes-box and other chest and to be imployed in taking a Terrier of Glebe lands and other possessions belonging to the Church For which see canon 84 70. and 87. And againe by vertue of the 88. cannon he may either forbid the ringing of Bells or give leave to have them rung as he thinketh fitting where though the Church wardens as in some other things be also mentioned yet sure we find it not The Churchwardens and the Minister but the Minister and the Churchwardens Hee in the first place they in the next So that now it well appeareth that every Minister is more then a dull spectator in his parish for the ordering and disposing of things there and that the Churchwardens are so farre from being superiour to their Minister as that they be his servants rather and at his command in the absence of the ordinary to whom they are bound to present that which cannot bee amended or ordered otherwise for there be indeed those courts to which offenders must bee cited and from whence the censure for their faults must be received But I hasten for all hitherto is plaine enough especially against those who would have the Church governement committed to the Layty or if to the Priests in a confused parity Neither last of all shall I neede to speake much of some others who whilst they decline the name of Bishop retaine the office under other names which they doe I dare say in hatred of tyrannicall proud papall Bishops For what other colour can they have But alas what harme is there in the name seeing the Tyrannie resteth not in the name but in the person otherwise every King should be no better then a Tyrant because Tarquin and many other Kings haue used Tyrannie The Hierarchie of Bishops is as ancient you see as Christ and his Apostles The institution was not Apostolicall but divine in a more high alloy Christ first founded it and the Apostles tooke it up from him in their administration of the publique governement and so it descended to the succeeding times of all ages as formerly hath beene shewed And therfore to be stubborne disobedient rebellious or dis-respective towards it is to fight against Gods ordinance to trouble the peace of the Church with fond fiery factions and to joyn with that generation who curse their Father and doe not blesse their Mother CHAP. III. THE next thing considerable is the Reverence Obedience and Honour which the people owe to their spirituall Fathers not to some but to all in every order ranke or degree amongst them And herein five things are considerable First that the people have a reverent respect toward the persons of such as are Ministers Secondly that they disdaine not to heare their Preachings Rebukes and Exhortations Thirdly that they obey both Doctrine and Discipline conforming themselves to the orders rites or ceremonies of the Church under which they live Fourthly that they be peaceable towards them Fiftly that they robbe them not but render to them their true and just dues out of all their goods SECT I. AND why I begin first with this viz. that the people are bound to shew a reverent respect toward the very person of a Minister is not because their persons are more honourable then their doctrine but because their doctrine cannot profit where their persons are despised Cujus persona despicitur ejus doctrina contemnitur sayth Saint Bernard Bern. Serm. 2. deresur Demini And the reason is plaine for whil'st men are so wicked as to slight mocke contemne and despise our persons they forget that we are the
obey the officers of his Church whom they have seene For as judicious Hooker truly speaketh It doth not stand with the duty which we owe to our heavenly Father who is the universall Father of us all that to the ordinances of our mother the Church we should shew our selves disobedient Let us not say wee keepe the Commandements of the one when we breake the Lawes of the other for unlesse wee observe both we obey neither And againe seeing Christ saith he hath promised to be with his Church untill the end of the world her Laws and Ordinances cannot be contemned or broken without wrong and despight to Christ himselfe Neither doe the words of Solomon but tend to the same purpose For he doth not only say Prov. 1.8 Heare thy fathers instruction but addeth also and forsake not thy mothers teaching By Father meaning either God who is the universall Father of all creatures or the Pastours of the Church who are sent of God as Ghostly Fathers to teach and instruct the people And by Mother meaning the Governours of the Church as even the Genevae note declareth Or more plainly thus They who teach and instruct thee in the Word must be heard and not only so but even the laws and directions of the Guides and Rulers who sit to governe may not be neglected And what our Saviours doctrine likewise is concerning this you have heard already and may heare more afterwards when you have read a little further In the mean time if I be desired to speak more plainely concerning the word Church What is meant by the word Church and of changing the phrase from Father to Mother whose lawes must be obeyed My answer is that here is not meant the whole popular or collective company of beleevers but the Church in her Officers which is differing from the popular and promiscuous bodie thereof For the Church is either representative or collective By the first is meant onely the spiritualitie and chiefely the governing Fathers or highest Priests By the second all others as well as the former them and all who live within the compasse or pale of one the same Church And because the whole Church together is oftentimes resembled to a woman bringing forth and nourishing up of Children unto Christ we sometimes alter the phrase from Father to Mother although we speake but of the Church in a representative bodie where by a Synecdoche one part is put for the whole But I proceed A twofold objection And here some object that the Church officers either bring in rites and orders at which their conscience stumbleth Or secondly that Bishops ought not to have any Courts Ecclesiastical for the correction of those who break such lawes as are sayd to be the lawes of the Church Answer â— Answ to the first objection Who can speake more like loose Libertines then these But I answere more distinctly First See the Conference at Hampton Court pag. 66. that it is an ordinarie thing for those who affect singularitie to turne all into a subtill inquirie rather then into an harmelesse desire of being satisfied and under an outward cloake of religion and conscience hypocritically to cover the grossenesse of their disobeience which is as Christ sayd of the Pharisees They doe things under pretence For it is to be feared that some of them which pretend weaknesse and doubting are as King Iames observeth strong enough and such as think themselves able to teach the King and all the Bishops of the Land In which case there is I thinke no better way to cure them then that Aarons rod should devoure their Serpents otherwise they will not only hisse against but also sting where they can the bosome of the Church Now in this perhaps as their custome is they will be ready to complaine of cruelty and persecution But doe they not know Non est crudelit as pro Deo pietas as saith Saint Hierom Zeale for God and the Churches peace is no cruelty neither are they persecuted whom the hand of Justice punisheth for breaking the Law They may beare the world in hand that they suffer for their conscience and abuse the credulity of the simple herein but wise and moderate men know the contrary For as Seminary Priests and Jesuites give it out that they are martyred for their Religion when the very truth is they are justly executed for ther prodigious treasons and felonious or treacherous practices against lawfull Princes and Estates So the disturbers of the Churches peace pretend they are persecuted for their consciences when they are indeed but justly censured for their obstinate and pertinacious contempt of lawfull authority Could they well remember it 't is they who be the true Ismaels not ceasing to infest their better brethren making head against their Heads and crying out like unto Libertines that all their Christian liberty is destroyed And why but because in these matters of order the private fancies of every idle head or addle braine may not countermand the warrantable authority of a publike Law nor set downe such Rites as shall better please them or in their judgements be thought more fitting then such as the Church ordaineth This were indeed to invade anothers right to give Lawes to our Law-givers an Husteron Proteron and therefore may not be Nay were it so that every man should be left to his owne liberty then look how many Congregations so many varieties There would be I dare say little or no concord but in diversities and disagreements and so the Church of God in one and the same Kingdome should be rent and torne most miserably The fourth Councell of Toledo had an eye hereunto Symson hist of the Church lib. 4. pag. 527 and did therefore in the second Canon thereof enjoyne one uniforme order in their Church service And surely seeing Christ's coat was without seame there is no reason why in one and the same Kingdome the orders should be different It were rather to be wished that the whole Catholicke Church throughout the Christian world under her several governours in every Kingdome or Church Nationall were ordered after one and the same manner but because this cannot be in every respect either in regard of the places times or conditions of the people it is left to the discretion of every Church to appoint such as shall best serve them for decency order and edification For if they be destitute of these properties they are but brutish and insignificant altogether unfit to stirre up the dull minde of man to the remembrance or expression of his duty to God For as it is with Tongues so with Ceremonies if they be darke and obscure or not understood they cannot edifie Many such are at this day in the Church of Rome and I thanke God that we of this Church are free enough from them It were well therefore that what appertaines unto us were better observed for in the generall their institution is divine
though in many of the particulars they be but humane And yet not altogether humane neither For even the particulars are partly humane partly divine as being a part of that order and decorum which God hath commanded in generall leaving the particulars to the discretion of the Church to be framed according to that generall rule in holy Scripture which being observed they cannot but be good true holy and pleasing unto God Adde moreover that there be some particulars warrantable from Text as wel as Canon as uncovering of the head bowing at the name of Jesus kneeling c. 1 Cor. 11.4 Philip. 2.10 Exod. 20.5 Psal 95.6 To which may be added many such customes as were of old in the Primitive times as Saint Paul insinuateth against all Innovatours saying We have no such custome nor yet the Churches of God 1 Cor. 11.16 So that from hence we have a plain Text in confutation of those who love to contend against the old ancient customes of the Church as bowing towards the Altar praying towards the East standing up at the Creed Gospell and at Gloria Patri with such other like Yea and may from hence also gather that the restoring of ancient Canons and practices of the best times such as are some of those already mentioned may better be revived than sottish devices of I know not whom especially such customes as the circumstances of our times and places will best permit or be as well for decent order and edification to us as to them For even Beza himselfe confesseth Bez. Confess Christ sidei c. 5. sect 22. that particular Synods called by the Metropolitan of a place are of singular use as amongst other things so to reduce matters of Ceremony to edification Vt omnia ad aedisicationem referantur saith he That all things may be referred to edification And if all things then also Ceremonies Veteribus ipsis Canonibus ad hunc finem revocatis The ancient Canons themselves being called backe againe for the same purpose If therefore either our or any other Church shall have officers which endeavour to revive ancient orders let not the ignorant either cry out of Popery or accuse them for troublesome Innovatours For as they may appoint new ones if occasion so require in like manner they may revive old ones and for both have warrant from the Scripture Or secondly A second answer to the first objection be it so that what some of the Brethren pretend is true namely that their conscience is indeed tender doth truly stumble and that they stand in doubt ought they therefore to persevere in their disobedience ought they not rather to have their weake consciences better informed and that as soone as they can Surely yes For conscience not grounded upon sure knowledge is a meere Bug-beare or as one better expresseth it is either an ignorant fantasie See M. Iames in Basilie Doron lib. 1. pag. 18. or an arrogant vanity Neither may private scruples in particular parties against a generall Law bee accounted sure grounds to give warrant to any mans actions Master Hooker in the Preface to his workes speakes to the full concerning this affirming that when publike consent of the whole hath established any thing every mans judgement being thereunto compared is private howsoever his calling bee to some kinde of publike charge And againe as for the thing pretended There is Conscience and there is an errour of Conscience for conscience may and doth erre many times for want of due information and so becommeth over strict counting that to be evill and unlawfull which indeed is both good and lawfull And although this be an ignorance yet no invincible ignorance there is meanes sufficient whereby such a conscience both may and ought to be better informed It is rather a supine negligence a neglected or affected ignorance which misleads both it selfe and others too and therefore sinfull to persevere or continue in it Peccat Aug lib 3. c. 15. de lib. arbitr saith Saint Austin qui damnat quasi pectata quae nulla sunt And in another place speaking concerning needlesse scrupulosity he well affirmeth that it is Superstitiosa timiditas a superstitious fearfulnesse Epist 118. ad Ianuar. c. 2. for it tyes a man so strictly not to offend against his owne private opinion as that it will not afford him so much Religion as shall lead to a dutifull and Christian obedience And yet the Scripture teacheth that where the authority of the superiour goeth before there the conscience of the inferiour ought to lead him after Whereto agreeth that of Tertullian Tertul. lib. de coron cap. 2. saying Laudo fidem quae ante credit observandum esse quà m did cit And what doth Saint Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.10 but beseech them as brethren in the name of the Lord Iesus that they all speake one thing that there be no dissentions among them that they be knit together in one minde and in one judgement For the tying of which knot the consciences of a few must not oversway the rest nor the foot usurpe authority over the head but bee regulated by the wisedome of the Church wherein they live which may be proved as well by example as by precept For when certaine brethren at Antioch varied from the rest about Circumcision Act. 15.1 they were overswayed by the censure of the Councell held at Ierusalem and not the Councell overswayed by them Whereto in generall agreeth the doctrine of Saint Peter 1 Pet. 2.13 that we submit our selves not only to the Law of God but also unto the ordinances of men and that for the Lord's sake Or as Saint Paul speaketh Rom. 13.5 for conscience sake And in more particular as it relates to Church officers 't is still the same not thinke it warrantable to cherish and nourish your owne peccant humours but obey and submit as in the Text above mentioned out of the Hebrewes is declared To which also joyne that which is written in Act. 15.28 and then be rather fearfull to offend the Law than your owne opinion For Act. 15.28 It seemeth good say the Apostles to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burthen Where note that what some thought burthen some was rather good and necessary and therefore to slip downe this bitter pill of disobedience and to give way to an erroneous conscience is to straine at a Gnat and swallow a Camell Eccles 7.16 But be not righteous over much neither make thy self over wise for why shouldest thou destroy thy selfe as the Scripture elsewhere speaketh In which words mee thinkes it is as if a finger were pointed from thence to the Precisians of our times whose very doubting is dangerous for it corrupts their obedience and so makes them guilty of a certaine sinne Wherefore it is more safe to obey doubtingly than to disobey doubtingly for wee may not by disobeying commit a certaine sinne in seeking
take no care for the matter because he would defend his owne Church as he did by throwing part of an hill upon the Host by a strange earth quake terrifying the rest that remained with tempests of haile thunder and lightnings wherein Brennus was also so sorely wounded that like one impatient of his sufferings hee slew himselfe with his owne hand I will not therefore stand to tell you of Cambises Xerxes or the gold of Tholouse Nor will I speake of Pyrrhus who with his whole Fleet perished in the waters even whil'st the prize of his sacriledge was heavie in his ships But I will rather proceed to that which I first intended namely to shew the divine right of Tythes and to declare that where they are impropriated there God and his Church are robbed For can it be thought that man is wiser to order these things better than God hath done Or is it reasonable that the rewards of our labours should bee imbezeled into the hands of Lay-possessours for doing nothing What is become of Conscience or true pietie if in maintaining that they may men tremble not at it It is not enough to vouch prescription for the infeofment of Lay-patrons for if nullum tempus occurit Regi that is if no custome can prescribe against an earthly King much lesse against the King of Heaven and earth For first by right originall Tythes are the Lords And secondly by way of assignation they appertaine to the Church in the officers thereof and this for the service that they doe To put us therefore off with stipends courtesie and benevolence is to alter Gods order and to tye us to such meane modicums as are commonly both scant and uncertaine which is a thing miserable and not honourable And yet sayth the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.17 He that ruleth well is not onely worthie of honour but of double honour Wherefore let mee tell you in a storie what I have read in print to the same purpose There was once a certaine Seigniour who came to one of the Images of our Ladie and threw into the bason an angel of gold at which the Image made a low humble courtesie Now his manstanding by and seeing this did much admire the matter and because hee also would have a curtesie hee purposed to throw in something whereupon hee put in sixe pence and tooke out his Masters angell So also they that robbe the Church of what was once her ancient revenews if they leave her but any thing be the moitie never so small they looke for curtesie and observance and would that the Clergie should thinke themselves well that they have any thing left But be not deceived For as Malachie saith Malach. ◠Galat. 6. God in so doing is robbed So Paul affirmeth that he is mocked Shels will not serve where the kernell is due nor a small something acquit you my Bretheren from doing of wrong For as you are bound to communicate to your teachers so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all good things Gala. 6.6 And if in all good things or in every thing of the best and highest esteeme then much more in things of a lower and meaner reckoning For Omne magis continetin se minus the lesser is comprehended in the greater This first And secondly as there is nothing too good to bee dedicated to God and his service so nothing so meane which wee can possibly have without his blessing All comes from the bounty and goodnesse of Almightie God To be thankfull therefore for every thing is to pay a tribute out of all as Iacob did Gen. 28. Cunctorum quae dederis mihi Decimas offer am tibi saith that blessed Patriarch Sed omnia quae homo habet sunt ei data divinitus ergo de omnibus debet Decimas dare Aquin. Sum. 22. q. 87. art 2. sayth Aquinas Yea and sayth the Scripture also in another place Remember the Lord thy God it is he that giveth thee power to get riches Deut. 8.18 And so some following the true sence of the place translate it Communicate to thy teachers in all thy goods although it be litterally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all good things Neither thirdly doth that of our Saviour formerly mentioned but speake as much For it is most certaine that he did well approve of those smaller Tythes of Mint Annise and Rue thereby * Mr. Rob. Revenue of the Gospell c. 12. intimating that whereas the Providence of God doth order and bring forth as well the least branch of little hearbes as the whole vallyes of Corne and whole heards of Cattell so it is good reason that the Lord be payd his Tribute or tenth out of those smaller and tender cropps as well as out of those more plentifull encreasings Yea so exactly doth the Lord require his Tenth as he cannot in any case endure the diminishing thereof Encreased it may be by the more zealous and thankefull but not diminished Whereupon the people of Israel were strictly charged that no man should exchange or make composition for his Tythes except he would give for them a sist part more then the price thereof Levit. 27.31 The Apostle therefore meaneth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he who is taught in the Word should make him that taught him partaker in all his goods It is proved then that we may claime a part in all and if a part in all why not that part or portion which in all ages hath beene paid untill the Church was robbed For though in those words of the Apostle formerly mentioned there be no expresse mention of a tenth part yet if Scripture may be expounded by Scripture wee shall find no other part assigned than a tenth No not now For First were the law of Tythes abrogated then he would have shewed some other way how the people might make their Teachers to communicate in all their goods but seeing hee sheweth no other way it must needs be as it was before for no positive sanction can reverse Gods appointment If he hath once spoken thus or thus it shal be shew me then I pray you who can alter it but himselfe Si princeps causam inter partes audierit et sententiam dixerit lex est in omnibus similibus which rule doth much more hold as it is appliable to the King of Heaven And therefore what hath beene once commanded in the Old Testament doth remaine a Law for ever except as Mr. Robarts truly speaketh it hath beene since repealed which is no where to be shewed concerning tythes either directly or indirectly Never was this right disclaimed nor removed to a new rate And therefore whereas the Lord having formerly both challenged and received under the Law and before the Law not only a part but specially and by name a tenth part as I shall afterwards shew you it is our duty still to acknowledge and performe for Gods due not a part wee know not which but even this knowne particularly described Tenth
appoint him what he shall require For when hee tooke the Levites to himselfe and for his service instead of the first-borne no man might be suffered to proportion the quota pars of their allowance Numb 18.21 what they were to have was by Gods appointment For I sayth he I have given c. The Lawes therefore which have beene made insundry places of the Christian world concerning the paying of Tythes are not to be reckoned as the fountaines from whence wee claime our right but rather to bee taken as good and wholesome Laws made in favour of the Church for the maintenance of divine right and for restrayning the filthie wickednesse of such devourers as would not have payd them had not the feare of humane Lawes beene more powerfull with them than the Law of God Audi ergo indevota mortalitas for this is the true and onely end of such Christian Lawes as will better appeare if I mention some which I shall do and those of no farre fetcht proceedings neither but of the ancient Kings Bishops and Nobles of our owne Land I. And first in the yeare 786 with the full consent of the Lords both spirituall and temporall there was a generall Synod held under Elfwold King of Northumberland and Offa King of Merceland where among other words to the same purpose thus we reade Therefore we adjure all men that they studiously endeavoure to pay the Tenth of all that they have quia speciale domini Dei est because the Tenth is God's speciall part II. In the yeare 855 King Ethelulph made a Law concerning Tythes Totam terram suam ad opus Ecclesiarum decumavit propter amorem Dei redemptionem sui In the conclusion of which grant this is added Qui autem augere voluerit nostram donationem augeat c. That is But if any will be willing to augment this our donation the Lord Almightie make his dayes prosperous Si quis vero minuere vel matare praesumpserit c. But if any shall presume either to lessen or change the same let him know that he shall give an account for it Ante Tribunal Christi nisi prius satisfactione emendaverit that is Hee shall give an account for it before the Tribunall of Christ unlesse before that time he make satisfaction for the same III. In the yeare 930 or thereabouts King Athelstan made a Law for Tythes and grounded it upon the example of Iacob and athoritie of certaine Texts in the holy Scripture whose words concerning his owne goods to his Stewards and Overseers be these Vt imprimis de meo proprio reddant Deo decimas IV. About the yeare 940 in a great Synod held under King Edmond it was strictly enacted That all Christians should pay their Tythes upon forfeitur of their Christendome V. Neere about the same time were certaine Constitutions made by Odo Arch-bishop of Canterburie in the tenth Chapter whereof we reade the same adjuration which we read before in the lawes of Elfwold and Offa. VI. And in a Councell held under King Etheldred about the yeare 1010 Declmationes frugum vitulorum agnorum c. Domino per singulos annos temporibus rependantur congruis VII Also in some of the Lawes of the sayd Etheldred thus Et nemo auferat Deo quod ad Deum pertinet the words being spoken concerning Tythes VIII And in the Lawes of King Knout thus we reade Reddantur Deo debitae rectitudines annis singulis that is let God have his dues yearly payd him IX And againe in the Lawes made by King Edward the Confessour concerning Tythes this is written Decima garba Deo debita est ideo reddenda that is The tenth sheafe is due to God c. And againe Decima pars ei reddenda est qui novem partes simul cum decima largitur that is The tenth part ought to be payd unto him who giveth the nine parts together with the tenth X. And in the 21 yeare of King Henry the Second among other things this was decreed as in a Synod at Rosne viz. Omnes Decimae terrae sive de frugibus sive de fructibus Domini sunt illi sanctificantur All the Tythes of the Land whether the increase of the Earth or of Trees are the Lords and sanctified to him By all which Tenne testimonies beside other which might be gathered it well appeareth that these godly Kings grounded their Lawes for the performance of this dutie of paying Tythes upon the Law of God and did not declare that by vertue of their Lawes they were first of all due but that by vertue of their Lawes the jus divinum was upheld and the obedience thereunto commanded Wherfore where such lawes are enacted the Clergie may take up that old Grace and say Deo gratias quod nos satias bonis Rusticorum contra voluntates eorum Which I English thus The Lord be thanked for this good banket Which comes from the Hinds against their minds And sure mee thinks hitherto the passages are all cleare and nothing to the contrary but that the Tenth is stil the Churches due Lesse cannot because the Ministery of the Gospel is in it selfe farre more glorious than the Ministery of the Law When we therefore speake unto Lay-men concerning these things wee may fitly say unto them as Pilates wife said unto her husband For as shee said Have thou nothing to doe with that just man so may wee say Have yee nothing to doe with these holy things They are separate and set apart from common use which separation of such a portion in case it had beene made but by men yet were it dangerous to alter it witnesse that direfull judgement in the fatall storie of Ananias and Saphira of which I have spoken a little before Oh but say some Object 7 the Clergy doth but betray their covetousnesse in pleading thus strongly for outward things And is it so indeed Answ why then have Lay-men the more their honour wrote in defence of what wee claime * See his reports in Bp. of Winch. case Sir Edward Cook Sir Henry Spilman Sir Iames Sempill those men of note have laboured to expell this sinne of Sacriledge have bent their forces point blanke against it and shal Clergy-men whom it more neerely concernes to rebuke the world of sinne bee forced to hold their peace and stay their pens or else be covetous Wee plead indeed but doe not strive immodestly when wee demand by an orderly proceeding that portion which the word of God assigneth to us Nor secondly is hee to bee accounted covetous who asketh but his own They are indeed covetous and injurious too who detaine the good from the owner thereof who rob Aram Dominicam to furnish Haram Domesticam Or in a word thus some who thus object are covetous others are prodigall and some are proud The very covetous are scarce content to allow themselves things necessary and convenient and therefore no marvell to see them grudge