abroad and at home in England The Ecclesiastical Laws of King Edgar An. 967. c. 1 2. The Council of Eauham under King Edgar An. 1010. and his Laws near that time c. 14. and the Council of London under Archbishop Hubert An. 1200. 15 years before this of Lateran All which enjoyn the people to pay their Tithes to their own Mother-Churches where they heard divine Service and received the Sacraments and not to other Churches or Chapels at their pleasures unless by consent of the Mother-Churches Hence Petrus Blesensis Archdeacon of Bath about the year 1170. 45. years before the Council of Lateran in his 62. Epistle writes thus to the Praemonstraticatian Monks who procured an Exemption from paying Tithes out of their Lands That their Lands were obnoxious to Tithes before they became theirs and were paid hitherto not with respect of Persons sed ratione Territorii but by reason of the Territory and Parish Precincts And Pope Innocent the 3d. his Decree dated from Lateran An. 1200. mistaken for the Council of Lateran cited in Cooks 2 Instit p. 641. was but in confirmation of these precedent Authorities 2ly The abuses complained against and reformed by this Council was not the lay Parishioners giving away of their Tithes from their own Ministers and Parish-Churches at their pleasures not a word of this but a New minted practice of most covetous Monks Religious Houses and some secular Clerks to rob the Parish-Churches and Ministers of all the Tithes of the lands held of them by compelling their Tenants and Lessees by special covenants in their Leases and Bonds to pay their Tithes arising out of their Lands only to themselves and their Monasteries not to their Parish Churches as formerly which the Pope and this great General Council resolve to proceed merely from the root of Covetousness let Canne and his Comrades observe it who pretend Conscience to be the ground whereupon they condemn reform this practice null the Covenants Bonds Deformations and decreed Restitution of all profits by these Frauds to the Parish-Churches And was not this a just righteous and conscionable Decree rather than an Antichristian and Papal as Canne Magisterially censures it 3ly Admit the Parochial Right of Tithes first setled in and by this Council which is false yet being a right established at 438. years since confirmed by constant use Custom Practice ever since allowed by the Common law of England ratified by the Great Charter of England ch 1. with sundry other Sâ—atutes Acts of Parliament Canons of our Councils and Convocations and approved by all our Parliaments ever since as most just expedient necessary Yea setled on our Parish Churches by original Grants of our Ancestors for them their Heirs and Assigns for ever with general warranties against all men with special Execrations and Anathemaes denounced against all such who should detain or substract them from God and the Church to whom they consecrated them for ever and that as sacred Tribute reserved commanded by God himself in the Old and New Testament as a badge of his Vniversal Dominion over them and their Possessions held of him as Supream Landlord as the Council of London under Archbishop Hubert in the 2d year of King John with another Council under Archbishop Replain 3 E. 3. The Council under Archbishop Stratford with others resolve There neither is nor can be the least pretext of Iustice Reason Prudence Law or Conscience for any Grandets in present Power by force or fraud to Null Repeal Alter this Antient Right and unquestionable Title of our Ministers to them now and set every man loose to pay no Tithes at all or to dispose of them how and to whom they will at their pleasure to destroy our Churches Ministers Parishes and breed nothing but Quarrels and Confusions in every place and Parish at this present when all had now need to study to be quiet and to do their own Business and not to disturb all our Ministers and others Rights without any lawfull call from God or the Nation Which unparalleld incroachment on our Ministers and Parish-Churches Rights if once admitted countenanced all the people in the Nation by better right and reason may pull down all the Fences and Inclosures of Fields Forests or Commons made since this Council deny substract all Customs Impositions Duties Rents Payments publick or private imposed on or reserved from them since that time by publick Laws or special Contracts and pay all their Rents Customs and Tenure-Services to whom and when they please which our Grandy late Army-Purchasors of Kings Queens Princes Bishops Deans and Chapters Lands with other Opposers of Tithes may do well to consider for their own Advantage and Security their Titles to them being very puny crazy disputable in comparison of our Ministers to their Tithes Now whereas Thomas Walsingham Randal Higden a Monk of Chester in his Polichronicon and Henry Abbot of Leycester write that the general Council of Lyons in France under Pope Gregory the tenth An. 1274. Decreed what others ignorantly attribute to the Council of Lateran aforesaid An 1215. Vt nulli homini deinceps liceat decimas suas ad libitum ut antea liceat assignare sed matrici ecclesiae omnes decimas persolverent Which seems to imply that before this Council every man might give his Tithes from the Mother Church to whom he pleased notwithstanding the Council of Lateran and Innocents Decrees I answer 1. That there was no such Canon made in this Council as these ignorant Monks mistake which is undeniable by the Acts and Canons of this Council printed at large in Binius Surius and other Collectors of Councils but only one Canon against Clergy-mens alienation of the Revenues of the Church and another against the Vsurpation of the Churches Revenues by Patrons in time of their vacancy which have no affinity with that they mention which if true then that which Canne and others object that the Council of Lateran made this Inhibition and took away this Liberty of disposing Tithes at pleasure from the Parishioners is false as I have proved it Secondly That from this mistake of these Monks it was as Mr. Selden probably conjectures that William Thorp ignorantly affirmed that one Pope Gregory the tenth first ordained new Tithes first to be given to Priests now in the new Law John Canne to manifest his great Ignorance both in History and Chronologie in his Second Voice from the Temple p. 13 14. Writes thus Before the Council of Lateran which was under Innocent the third any man might have paid his Tithes to any Ecclesiastical person he pleased but by that Council it was decreed That Tithes should be paid to the Parochial Priest which I have proved a grosse Forgerie and then he addes William Thorp saith That Pope Gregory the tenth was the first that ordained Tithes to be paid to Priests in the year 1211. Fox p. 494. Wherein 1. He mis-recites Thorps words who speaks not of Tithes in
out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the People of the Jews the Jesuits and Popish Priests who marched freely abroad not only preaching but printing and dispersing no lesse then 19. grosse Popish Books in defence of their Religion and condemning ours for Heresie whiles I their chief oppugner was shut up so close in three remote Castles that I could neither write against nor discover their Plots to undermine our Church State Religion nor yet send Letters to my Imprisoners to demand my liberty unless I would first give Copies of them to my Gardians and then trust them to send them when and by whom they pleased nor have admission to thy publick Ordinances for above two years space In thankfull Commemoration of which my late and great deliverance from this Aegyptian Bondage I do here presume in all humility to prostrate at thy feet and Dedâ—cate to thee the Great GAOLE-DELIVERING PRISONER-LOOSING GOD who saiest to the Prisoners GOE FORTH and to them that are in darknesse SHEVV YOUR SELVES this mean and unworthy Gospel Plea for the lawfulnesse and continuance of the Antient setled Maintenance and Tithes of thy Ministers of the Gospel reserved to and by thy self AS THY DEVOTED PORTION DEBT DUE whereof many now by FRAUD and VIOLENCE endeavour Sacrilegiously TO ROB BOTH THEE and THEM as the first fruits of my enlargement a Second EBENEZER Hitherto hath the Lord HELPED ME and a lasting Monument to Posterity of my gratitude and thankfulness to thee my God for my late restitution to so much Liberty and Freedom as to be able thus once more publickly to plead thine own and thy Ministers cause against Jesuits Anabaptists Quakers and all other open Oppugners Subverters of our Church State and secret Underminers of the true Preachers and Preaching of the Gospel who now like Gebal Ammon Amalek Edom Ismael Moab the Hagarens Philistines Inhabitants of Tyre and armed Assur of old have consulted together with one consent and are confederate against thee and have said Come and let us cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance Beseeching thy Majesty most graciously to accept it most powerfully to protect and so effectually to blesse prosper it and thy servant against all these combined Confederates that they may be no way able to resist thy Truth Wisdom Spirit appearing pleading in it by it but either like convicted Seducers or Seduced persons fall down flat on their faces before it worship thee and report that God is in it and in thy servant of a truth Or in case of wilfull malicious obstinacy against thee and thy faithfull Ministers Houses of publick worship Truth and Gospel Do unto them as unto the Midianites as to Sisera and to Jabin at the brook of Kison which perished at Endor and became as dung for the earth Make their Nobles like Oreb and Zeeb yea make all their Princes as Zebah and as Salmunna who said as these do now LET US TAKE TO OUR SELVES THE HOUSES OF GOD IN POSSESSION O my God make them as a wheel as the stubble before the wind As the fire burneth the wood and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire so persecute them with thy tempest and make them afraid of thy storm fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy name O Lord let them be confounded and troubled for ever yea let them be put to shame and perish That men these men may know that thou whose name alone is JEHOVAH art the most high over all the earth So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever we will shew forth thy Praise to all generations And thy servant Davids resolution Whiles I live will I praise the Lord I will sing praises unto my God WHILE I HAVE ANY BEING shall through thy Grace be both the Resolution and Practice of Swainswick 1 Sep. 1653. Thy unworthy unprofitable Redeemed Preserved and frequently enlarged Servant and Vassal William Prynne To the unprejudiced Christian Reader KInd Reader the 80. Psal in my weak judgement is both a lively Character of the deplorable condition of Gods Church of late years and likewise a most excellent Morning and Evening Prayer for it in publick or private The Psalmist thus complains That God by the OPPRESSING SWORD of combined enemies as Psa 83. imports had broken down his Churches hedges so that all they that passed by the way did pluck her the Boar out of the forrest did waste it and the wild beasts OF THE FIELD devour it The antient hedges of the Church here planted and spread in our Nation to wit Gods divine protection and Law the Patronage Rights Franchises Privileges Immunities granted confirmed to our Churches by the manifold great Charters Lawes Statutes of such bountifull devout Kings and Queens as God himself predicted should be NURSING FATHERS and NURSING MOTHERS UNTO HIS CHURCH under the Gospel and bring their Glory and Honour to it and Kings of Iles amongst others having been of late years very much broken down and almost levelled to the dust by arbitrarie Committees Sequestrations and the oppressing all-devouring Sword of War which God hath kept so long unsheathed without returning into the Scabberd these many years for the just punishment of our manifold sins and enormities all they that go by the way or in by-wayes taking advantage thereof have so plucked and the wilde-boares out of the wood and wilde-men and wilde-beasts of the field have so wasted devoured the best and richest part of our Churches Patrimony originally designed by the Parliament by a special Bill tendered to the late King at Oxford April 1643. when Arch-bishops Bishops Deans and Chapters were first voted down and extirpated as none of our Heavenly fathers plants or planting for the encrease of the Crown-Revenues to ease the people in their future Taxes and the Augmentation of our Ministers Maintenance and incompetent livings that there is little or none of it now remaining undevoured by them for either of these two publick ends And many new highway men wilde-boares and Beasts as well as old encouraged by former rich Church-plunders in stead of imitating faithfull Abraham whose heirs and children they professe themselves who gave THE TENTH OF ALL HIS SPOYLS OF WARRE to Melchisedec Priest of the most high God a type of our Saviour Christ if not Christ himself as some probably assert they most eagerly and violently attempt to spoyl plunder all the Evangelical Priests and Ministers of God throughout the Nation at one blow without any lawfull Tryal by their Peers due processe of Law or Legal conviction of any Capital crimes which cannot forfeit their Churches inheritance which is not so vested in them as either to forfeit or alien by the Law of God or the Realm of all their inconsiderable remaining Tithes Glebes and setled antient Maintenance and of their very Ministry too as JEWISH and ANTICHRISTIAN as John Canne the old Anabaptist
among the Thessalonians labouring night and day because he would not be chargeable to any of them when he preached unto them the Gospel of God 1 Thess 2.8 9. 2 Thess 3.8 From whence they conclude that all other Ministers ought to preach the Gospel freely and to labour with their hands day and night in some other calling to supply their necessities and maintain themselves and families that they may not be chargeable to the people To which grand argument requiring the fullest reply I answer that this general inference from Pauls particular practice in these two Churches is very lame and unsound For 1. Paul expresly resolves that all Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel have a just right power to receive a competent maintenance as wages from the people and most strongly proves it to be an ordinance of Christ himself in some of the objected Texts as I have at large demonstrated 2. He likewise declares with a salvo jure as Lawyers speak that himself had such a just right power to receive wages and maintenance from the very Corinthians and Thessalonians themselves as well as others though he made no use of his power witness 1 Cor. 9.4 11 12. where thus he expostulates Have we not power to eat and to drink and to reap your carnal things for sowing unto you spiritual things If others be partakers of this power over you Are not we rather Nevertheless we have not used this power And 2 Thess 3.8 9. Neither did we eat any mens bread for nought but wrought with labour and travel night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you Not because we have not Power but to make our selves an example for you to follow us c. We have much talk and crying up of late Have we not Power Power and present Power in most Grandees mouthes and publick Papers especially Souldiers who carrie it by their sides instead of our old Language Have we not Law Liberty Right Fréedom the things they say they fought for on the peoples behalf who pay them which words things the greater cry of Have we not Power c. hath made us not to have and quite swallowed up amongst us I wish all such Officers Souldiers Grandees who press these Texts against Ministers Tithes and most use these words Have we not Power if derived from God or the Apostle who thrice mentions it in these Texts would only use and speak them in the Apostles sense language in not assuming usurping but utterly disclaiming the real practice and abuses of their power in his self-denying words worthie to be written in Capitals that all persons of or in Power may now read and practise it Nevertheless we have not used this power but wrought with labour and travel Night and Day that we might not be chargeable to any of you to make our selves an ensample for you Ministers to follow us Then we should be no longer over-charged with endless Taxes Excises c. by for or from any who have power nor grieved with any fresh changes of Laws Civil or Church-Government or Ministers setled maintenance but be a Free State and Nation indeed as some have long promised to make us but still the quite contrarie way in direct opposition to the Apostles Nevertheless we have used and will still use this armed Army tyrannical arbitrary power that we might be chargeable yea very chargeable to every of you Therefore no wonder our Ministers in their objected sense do the like by their example in exacting their Tithes Dues which they may justly do till they disclame the use of their Iron Power in imposing levying New Taxes Excises on Ministers as well as people in strange untrodden waies to pay their own and Souldiers salaries to support their self-created lawless Power in the highest strain of Exercisse which they condemn in Ministers in a far more inferiour degree who questionless may as lawfully make use of it as Paul himself might have justly done as he resolves though he suspended its actual exercise for a time 3. Paul records 4. special reasons why he made no use of this his Evangelical power amongst the Corinthians but laboured with his hands 1. That he might not hinder the Gospel of Christ among the Corinthians 1 Cor. 9.12 they being then most of them Pagans the rest but newly converted to the Gospel by his preaching and all of them very worldly covetous as he insinuates 2 Cor. 4.12 13 14. ch 7.30 31 32 c. 11.7 8 9. 2 Cor. 12.10 to 21. 2. That he might not seem to abuse his power in the Gospel in the opinion of these covetous worldlings 1 Cor. 9.18 3. That he might adde to his glory in undergoing necessities for Christ wherein he gloried and adde to his future reward 1 Cor. 9.15 to 27. 2 Cor. 12.10 to 13. 4. And principally To cut off occasion of slander and reproach from some false Apostles and deceitfull workers and Ministers of Satan transforming themselves into Angels of Light who sought occasion to slander him accounting his preaching very contemptible and him to be none of Christs but a very reprobate 2 Cor. 10.7 10 12. c. 13.6 7. as some now esteem our Ministers seeking a proof of Christ speaking in him c. 13.3 as they doe now in our Ministers glorying as some of the same Tribe do now that they preached the Gospel freely and wrought with their own hands whereupon he addeth that wherein they gloried they might be found even as he 2 Cor. 11.12 13 14. Which false Apostles and dissembling Hypocrites for all their braggs did yet enslave take of them fleece and abuse them more than any faithfull Ministers and yet they patiently endured it as he there affirms and insinuates v. 20. For ye suffer if a man bring you into Bondage if a man devour you if a man take of you if a man exalt himself if a Man smite you on the Face taxing their wisdom and pusillanimitie for this their Asinine sottish stupiditie when as neither Paul himself nor Titus nor any other of those Ministers he sent unto them did either burden or catch them with guile or make a gain of them as these false Apostles domineering Hypocrites and Ministers of Satan did 2 Cor. 12.16 17 18. These were the reasons expressed by him why he took no wages of the Corinthians and supported himself with his own labour But this is not our Ministers case after our so long enjoyment of the Gospel and their enjoying of a setled maintenance by Tithes and Glebes above 800 years space so long since setled on them by our devout Saxon Kings and continued ever since When our Ministers have the self-same reasons as Paul had amongst the Corinthians to move them to pursue his objected practice I doubt not but they will chearfully imitate it for the advancement of the Gospel and winning souls to Christ 4ly The reason why Paul exercised not this power among the Thessalonians labouring amongst them
there is occasion there being far more Equity and Gospel-justice for it than that our Ministers out of their small scarce competent and many very incompetent livings should pay the first-fruits and first years profits of their livings to the King or State as formerly they did unto the Pope through Papal Vsurpation onely by the Statutes of 26 H. 8. c. 3.27 H. 8. c. 8.1 1 Eliz. c. 4. and almost or above the tenth of all their livings to the Souldiers amounting to treble their Tenths to the King or Pope without any Grant at all by them or their Proxies in the usual legal just Parliamental way against all their Rights Privileges and our Laws The Jewish Priests and Levites under the Law being never burthened with such first-fruits or taxes by their Soveraigns and exempted from them even by a heathen Conqueror Ezra 7.24 Which those who now endeavour to deprive them of their Tithes Glebes and yet exact both first-fruits Tenths and Contributions from them may do well to consider Having thus related at large what a liberal various full and competent maintenance God setled on his Priests and Levites under the law by Glebes Tithes Oblations Sacrifices Poll-money first-fruits besides the Tenth and Tribute out of the very spoyls of war formerly insisted on I shall now apply it home to the Ministers of and Christians under the Gospel in these short Aphorisms 1. Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel inwardly qualified with sufficient Gifts Graces and lawfully called ordained are Gods and Christs own institution and Ministers as well as Priests and Levites under the Law Mat. 10.5 6 7. ch 28.19 20. Luke 10.1 2 c. ch 24.47 49 53. Mark 6.7 8 c. ch 16.15 20. Acts 11.2 3 4 c. ch 14.23 ch 19.1 6 7. ch 26.17 18 28. Rom. 12.6 7 8. 1 Cor. 12.4 8 9 28 29 30. ch 14.29 30 31 32 40. Ephes 4.8 to 17. Col. 4.17 1 Tim. 3.1 2. ch 4.14 15 16. ch 5.21 22. Tit. 1.5 6 7. Heb. 13.17 Jam. 5.14 15. 1 Thes 5.13 1 Cor. 4.1 2 Cor. 3.6 ch 11.23 2. That their Ministry and Calling is far more Honorable Glorious necessary beneficial to mens souls than that of the Priests and Levites under the Law 2 Cor. 3.6 to 12. Heb. 7.1 to 14. 3. That it is far more painfull laborious than the Ministery of the Priests and Levites under the Law Acts 8.4 2 Cor. 11.23 to 30. 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15. 2 Tim. 4.1 1 Thes 5.2 2 Pet. 1.12 Rom. 15.19 20. ch 12.7 8. 4. That therefore there is as just as competent as full as honorable and setled a maintenance and as much honour reverence obedience love as great recompence due unto them for their very work and calling sake from all Christians under the Gospel as there was from Gods people to the Priests and Levites under the Law as I have already proved in the first Proposition and that by divine institution 1 Cor. 9.13 14. 1 Tim. 5.17 18 21. From whence Hemingius with most Orthodox Protestant Divines I have seen besides as well as Papists and Jesuites concludes thus Admoniantur igitur Pii quod Iure Divino Ecclesiae Ministris debeant Stipendia That all the godly are to be admonished that by Divine Right they owe wages to the Ministers of the Gospel And if so then 5. It follows inevitably that there being no other setled way of maintenance particularly prescribed for them in or by the Gospel and convenient Houses Glebes for them their families and necessary Cattel with Tithes of the increase of the fruits of the earth and Cattel of all sorts being as necessary as requisite for the habitation food clothing support of them their families Ministry and supply of all their necessaries with as little charge trouble diversion from their studies functions as may be as for the Priests and Levites under the Law that Godly Christians Kings States Parliaments cannot pitch upon any equaller fitter juster better wiser rationaller convenienter diviner way of maintenance for them than that of necessary Houses Rectories Glebes in every Parish and Tithes and Oblations of all things needfull for food raiment hospitality it being the constant standing setled maintenance which the most wise just and holy God himself invented prescribed for his own Priests and Levites maintenance amongst his own people when setled by him in the land of Promise and that which all setled Christian Empires Kingdoms States Churches generally through the Christian world have in all ages pitched upon as most agreeable to Gods will and word under the Gospel which no ways repeals nor contradicts his own former prescriptions of this kinde in the old Testament 6. That the Glebes Tithes of the Priests and Levites under the Law were reserved by God himself the Supreme Land-lord of all Kingdoms Countries Nations Churches People in the world and the special God Lord King Father Saviour Preserver of his own people as a Sacred Holy Tribute Rent Portion and Homage due unto Himself from poor Creatures Servants Vassals who are no true Proprietors but only Stewards and Tenants at will of all the lands goods earthly blessings and possâ—ssions they enjoy The earth being the Lords and the fulnesse thereof and the Corn Wine Cattel fruits and earthly creatures we possess not really ours but Gods own 1 Chr 29.11 to 17. Psal 24.1 Psal 97.5 Psal 50.9 10 11 12. Ezech 16.18 19 20. Hos 2.8 9. Dan. 4.32 35. Mat 6.10 11. The use and possession of which tribute He allotted to the Priests and Levites under the Law for their maintenance salary and reward of their labour in his service for the advancement of his worship glory honour and his peoples spiritual good reserving the inheritance and right thereof alwayes to himself as the premises sufficiently evidence Now God himself to whom alone Tithes and Glebes were originally impropriated not to the Levitical Priesthood being unchangeable without any variableness or shadow of turning Jam 1.17 Psal 102.26 27. Mal 3.6 and Jesus Christ to whom Tithes were first paid by Abraham in the person of Melchisedeck having an unchangeable Priest-hood and being a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb 7.8 16 11 24. c. 13.8 And all Christians whatsoever under the Gospel being as much his absolute Creatures Vassals Servants Stewards and Tenants at will as the Israelites under the Law and all their Lands Goods Earthly blessings Corn Wine Cattel wealth imployments his in right and not their own as well as theirs too why they should not all render to him the self-same sacred Tribute holy Portion Rent Homage of Glebes and Tithes of all they have as well as they though the Levitical Priesthood be abolished they being so specially reserved and consecrated to himâ—elf for the support maintenance reward encouragement of his faithfull Ministers under the Gospel imployed in his Service for his honour glory and their everlasting salvation
Let John Canne and all presumptuous peremptory Tith-oppugners answer me yea this their Soveraign Land-lord and Creator if they can who will one day call them to a stâ—ict accompt for detaining this due Rent Tribute Homage from him and may justly dispossesse and strip them naked of all they have for this their ingrate contemptuous carriage towards him as he hath done many of late by fearful fires blasts droughts and other judgments as well as heretofore Mal. 3.8 9 11. 7. That as the Gospel it self succeeded the Levitical law Baptism and the Lords Supper Circumcision and the Passeover So the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel succeed the Priests and Levites under the Law in their Ministerial function in the Church of Christ by Gods appointment their Ministry and Office being both the same in substance even to worship praise serve honour God according to his revealed word will and instruct exhort direct guide his people in the way of salvation and bring them to eternal glory though differing in some circumstances of lesser moment abolished by Christs death It is therefore most reasonable just equitable convenient they shall receive enjoy the like setled maintenance by Glebes Tithes Oblations as their predecessors did God having prescribed none other kinde of reward or subsistence for them in the Gospel that any can shew me It is usual in all Kingdoms States Nations where there are any publick setled offices and Officers for any persons who succeed others in those Offices to enjoy the self-same Salaries Houses Lands Fees Revenues as their predecessors lawfully received unlesse there be some special Laws to alter their Stipends This we see verified in all Civil Military and Ecclesiastical Officers yea in the times of greatest publick changes revolutions that ever befell the Nation those whom most yet call Judges Sheriffs Majors Generals Colonels Captains Governors of Forts Registers c. though their Commissions be altered in some things and themselves in more do yet receive the self-same Salaries pays Fees maintenance annexed to their Offices as their lawfull Predecessors did yea to come closer home All our Protestant Ministers since the reformation of Religion have generally enjoyed the Glebes and Tithes as the Parishioners enjoy frequent the Churches possesse the Houses Inheritances which their Popish predecessors did before them though the one of them just like the Levitical abolished Priests made it their chiefest businesse and part of their calling to say Masse and offer an unbloody Sacrifice as they falsly termed it on their Altars both for the quick and dead and the other who succeed them make it their principal work to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacrament according to Christs institution Since then the Ministers of the Gospel succeed the Levitical as well as the popish Priests as the Gospel doth the Law and the Christian Sacraments the Jewish and we with all converted Gentiles engraffed into Jesus Christ and the Church of God succeed the Jews who were broken off from their own Olive Tree that we might be ingraffed in their places who now partake of the root and fatnesse of their Olive Tree as the Apostle resolves Rom. 11.16 to 25. Why the Ministers of the Gospel should not likewise succeed the Levitical Priests as well as the popish in the enjoyment of their setled Maintenance by Glebes Tithes being not meerly ceremonial as I have proved nor yet so papal as Bishops Deans and Churches Lands in which our Anabaptists Army-Officers and Tithe-oppugners will yet succeed them without any scruple and all believing Gentiles who succeed the believing Israelites in Gods Church succeed 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 grounds of Scripture Reason or Equity if he can God having given us a Land flowing with milk and honey as fit as able to render Glebes and Tithes of all things in kinde to his Ministers as he did unto the Jews It is a received maxim in our Law Quod venit in loco alterius est de natura Prioris If this be Gospel as it hath been ever held both Law and reason under the Gospel I need adde no more to this Aphorism to prove the lawfullnesse and equity of our Ministers Glebes and Tithes and their continuance as well for the future as heretofore by a divine 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 self-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 only 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 special Laws and we the first day of every week in memorial of our Saviours Resurection thereon by the General Moral Equity of these Laws warranted by Apostolical practice 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 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 Oblations under the Gospel to God who gives us both them and the residue of our Estates and encrease out of his own meer free grace for the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel and support of his publick Worship on the Lords Day should be more Judaical Vnchristian Antichristian Superstitious as Canne and others stile it than the dedicating appropriating of the Lords Day to Gods publick Worship and Honour who hath given and allowed us the other six 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 daies in lieu of the seventh wherewith he is content which Divines usually urge to induce men to the more chearfull Sanctification of the Lords Day and some Scriblers against Tithes as well as others St. Augustin in his 229. Sermon de Tempors thus enforceth this very argument and let Canne and all his confederates reply to it if they can Hear O indevout mortality know that all things thou possessest receivest
Learned Gulielmus Stuckius Antiquitatum Convivalium l. 1. c. 19. De Decimis Stipendiis atque Salariis eorum qui Ecclesiis praesunt proves from the example of Abraham and vow of Jacob Consuetudinem Decimas dandi etiam ante legem fuisse usitatam Veresimile etiam est Ethnicos ab illis commemoratis exemplis tritum illud suum et usitatum praedae spoliarum et quicquid ab hostibus captum est Decimam Jovi caeterisque Diis vovendi solvendique morem traxisse cujus multa sane illustria exempla extant apud Alexand. ab Alex. l. 3. Genial c. 22. Then he shews how God prescribed them to the Levites and Priests that the payment of them continued in Christs time and was revived by Christian Emperors and Magistrates as Constantine Charles the Great Concluding thus Ut ergo impie agunt illi Magistratus qui bona Ecclesiae dicata ad se rapiunt vel ad alios usus transferunt ita Impii et Sacrilegi sunt privati Homines qui non modo nihil pro suis facultatibus conferunt ad Ministri Ecclesiastici et Scholarum conservationem sed Decimas et Census devitos jam antea Ecclesiae dicatos vel omnino non solvunt vel non ea qua par est fide c. Itaque mirum non est multa quotidie cum privata tum publica mala annonae praesertim caritatem ingruere Cum Decime aliâ—que Census ad Ecclesiarum Scholarumque conservationem pertinentes vel negantur vel maligne persolvantur For our own Domestick Councils Parliaments and Writers Judgements herein Egbert Archbishop of York in his Excerptions about the year of Christ An 750. c. 4.99 100. The National Council of Calchuth under King Oswald and Offa ann 787. c. 17. forecited The famous Council of Grateley under King Athelstan ann 928. cap. 1. De Decimis sollicite reddendis Odo Archbishop of Canterbury in his Constitutions ann 943. c. 10. De Decimis reddendis The Canons under King Edgar about the year 967. Can. 54. The Ecclesiastical laws of King Aethelred ann 1012. cap. 4. The Ecclesiastical laws of Edward the Confessor c. 8. confirmed by William the Conqueror The Popish Schoolmen Canonists and Commentators on the Texts forecited whose names I pretermit the Convocation of England an 5 H. 6. and the Petition of the English Clergy in Parliament 50 E. 3. rot Parl. n. 199. resolve in positive terms That Tithes are due to God and his Ministers under the Gospel by Divine Right The same is asserted by divers of our Protestant Divines particularly by Dr. George Carleton in his Treatise intituled Tithes proved to be due by a Divine Right printed at London 1606. By Dr. William Sclater his Ministers Portion By Richard Eburne his Maintenance of the Ministry London 1609. By Richard Mountague in his Diatribe on the first part of the History of Tithes London 1628. by Robert Tileslee his Animadversions on Mr. Seldens History of Tithes London 1619. Mr. Samuel Purchas in his Pilgrimage l. 2. c. 7. with sundry others And though one or two English Writers are of a different opinion yet they all accord that being setled by our laws they are duely to be paid even in point of justice and conscience that they are not simply unlawfull but a just and fitting maintenance under the Gospel which Mr. Selden in his History of Tithes Review thereof doth affirm and no wayes oppose Seeing then all these with the laws of sundry other Kings Nations and Authorities of all sorts conclude them to be of Divine Right and conclude it both a grievous Sinne and Sacrilege against God to substract or abolish them and those who oppugn their Divine Right under the Gospel do affirm it is no sin but a bounden Debt and Duty to pay them as settled by humane Grants Donations Vows Laws Canons Constitutions Prescriptions time out of minde how any bearing the name of Christians can or dare with open face oppugn detain or attempt their total abrogation now as Jewish or Antichristian I referre it to their own consciences and others resolutions to determine I shall answer one grand Objection against Ministers Tithes under the Gospel and so cloze up this Chapter Neither Jesus Christ himself nor his Apostles nor the Ministers of the Primitive Church for two or three hundred years after them received Tithes for preaching the Gospel but lived onely upon the peoples alms and voluntary contributions Therefore the Ministers of the Gospel likewise after them ought to receive no Tithes of the people for preaching the Gospel but to live upon Alms and voluntary contributions as they did This was William Thorps chief Argument against Tithes Fox Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 699 700. who addes That those Priests who will challenge or take Tithes deny that Christ is come in the flesh and do the Priests Office of the Old Law for whom Tithes were granted for else Priests take now Tithes wrongfully citing this not as his own but a Doctors opinion whose name he remembred not but thought it was St. Jerome or rather St. Canne in his New Voyce p. 13 14 15. who delivers this for Orthodox Doctrine which St. Jerome directly contradicts with all other antient Doctors I have read Answ To this I reply 1. That Christ and his Apostles lived amongst the Jews who at that time were obliged by Gods own Law to pay their Tithes only to such Priests and Levites as were of the Tribe of Levi of which Tribe Christ and his Apostles were not therefore they challenged not Tithes from them Heb. 7.5 to 15. 2. They then paid their Tithes duly to their Priests and Levites mentioned John 1.19 for which Christ commended them resolving they ought not to omit it Mat. 23.23 Luke 11.42 ch 18.12 Therefore it was no reason they should pay them over again to Christ or his Apostles no more than Papists who pay Tithes in kind against their wills unto our Ministers though not to their own Priests but only voluntary Contributions whiles their Priesthood stood in force which they generally submitted to 3. The total abrogation of the Levitical Priesthood and Ceremonies by the death of Christ was not certainly known to nor resolved by the Apostles and believing Jews or Gentiles till some years space after our Saviours Ascension as is evident by Acts 15. in the great case of Circumcision about which there was a Synod assembled by Pauls circumcising Timothy after this because of the Jews Acts 16.3 his purifying himself and shaving his head after the Jewish manner many years afterward Acts 21.20 to 28. which he being a Jew was obliged even then to observe to avoid scandal but not the Gentiles Therefore Tithes amongst the Jewes upon this account were then still paid to their Levitical Priests not to the Apostles 4. Though Christ whiles on earth received no Tithes from the Jewes yet he had a just Right Title to Tithes from Abraham and all his Posterity yea from the
6. c. 3. 5 E. 6 c 2. 7 E. 6. c. 11.1 Phil. Mar. c. 6.5 Eliz. c. 3.14 Eliz. c. 3.18 Eliz c. 3.22 Eliz. c. 11.23 Eliz. c. 3.31 Eliz. c. 10.35 Eliz. c. 7. 43 Eliz. c. 2. as Dalton and other Justices of Peace Tit. Poor Maimed Souldiers Therefore admit Tithes mere Alms as some would have them yet when and where detained they may be as justly levyed and recovered by coercive Laws and Statutes as Alms to the Poor and those who condemn coercive Laws for Tithes as unbeseeming the Gospel must Tax and Repeal all Laws for the Poor and for Maimed Souldiers too as such which I presume they will not do 5ly I suppose neither Canne himself who receives pay as a Chaplain to the Army out of publick Contributions from the people not from voluntary contributions of the Souldiers and all other Officers and Swordmen oppugning the coercive Maintenance of our Ministers by Tither or otherwise will maintain even unto death that the People even against their wills and Consciences too may be enforced to pay Monthly Taxes and Excises amounting to twenty times more each year than all the Ministers Tithes in England by coercive Orders and Ordinances though not made in a full free or old English Parliament nor warranted by so many indisputable Acts of Parliament as Ministers Tithes and Dues and levyed by Imprisonments Distresses Forfeitures armed violence and free quartering of Souldiers on the people though adjudged High Treason in Straffords Case in full Parliament for which he lost his Head our Ministers therefore being real Spiritual Souldiers of Jesus Christ even by the Gospels Resolution and not to go a warfare at any time on their own free cost but upon the Peoples pay wages as due to them as any Souldiers which I have formerly proved they must by the self same reason acknowledge the levying enforcing of the payment of their less Burdensom and more legal necessarie Tithes for the defence and preservation of the very Gospel Religion Gods Glory and Mans Salvation once a year by penalties forfeitures imprisonments or distresses when obstinately detained or else disclaim their own coercive Contributions first to maintain unchristian bloodie wars between Christians of the same Religion in firm unity and amity with us which are not so necessarie or commendable amongst Christians who should live peaceably with all men not make a last Trade of war Love as Brethren Lay down their Lives one for another Yea love and pray for their Enemies not murder or destroy them and beat all their Swords into Plowshares and their spears into Pruning Hooks not lifting up Sword Nation against Nation as now they do to the peril of the Gospel reproach and slaunder and learn war no more as is the Spiritual warfare of our Ministers against the World Flesh Sin Devil and all Errors Blasphemies Corruptions for the eternal Salvation not Destruction of mens Souls and Bodies too 6ly We find it long since prophecied in the Old Testament in relation to the calling to the Gentiles by and under the Gospel Isay 49.23 That the KINGS of the Gentiles should become Nursing-Fathers and their Queens Nursing-Mothers to the Church Isay 60.9 10. Surely the Isles shall wait for me and the Ships of Tarshish first to bring my Sons from far their Silver and their Gold with them And the Sons of Strangers shall build up the walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee Psal 72.10 11. The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring Presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer Gifts yea all Kings shall down before him and then all Nations shall serve him Thus seconded in the New Testament Rev 21.24 where it is prophecied of the Heavenly Jerusalem the Church of Christ the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory unto it Which Prophecies concerning Kings and likewise Kings of Isles in particular and no other sorts of Governors which is observable have been most eminently verified of the Kings and Queens of this Isle and Realm of Britain beyond all the Kings Queens Regions Isles and Kingdoms in the world besides to the eternal Honour of that late rejected abjured form of Kingly Government derived from Gods own form of Kingly Government over the whole world and of Christs Royal Government over his Church both Militant and Triumphant and of this our Isle where God blessed our Church and Kingdom 1. with three such worthy Heathen Kings in Succession Arviragus Marius and Coylus who though they embraced not the Christian Faith here preached soon after our Saviours Ascension by James the Son of Zebedee Simon Zelotes Peter Paul Aristobulus and Philips twelve Disciples wherof Joseph of Aramathaea who honourably interred our Saviour was chief Yet they courteously entertained them permitted them freely to preach the Gospel to their people gave publick entertainment to the persecuted Christians resorting hither as to a safe and peaceable Sanctuary when they were forcibly expelled out of all other Kingdoms and Countries throughout the world and Roman Empire by bloody Persecutors bestowed Lands and a comfortable Maintenance on the Preachers of the Gospel at Glastonbury where they built the first Christian Church in the world and were the first Kings and Kingdoms in the world who gave publique Reception Protection Countenance Maintenance to the Preachers and Professors of the Gospel as not only our own Historians but two forein Writers namely Polydore Virgil Hist Angl. l. 2. and Cardinal Baronius himself Annal. Tom. 1. An. 95. n. 5. with Spondanus in his Epitome of him records 2ly With the first Christian King we read of publickly baptised professing and establishing the Christian Faith builded endowed Churches and Ministers with Glebes and other Maintenance to wit our famous King Lucius who about the year 187. as Matthew Paris Matthew Westminster the History of Rochester and others record Possessiones et Territoria Ecclesiis et viris Ecclesiasticis abundanter conferens Chartis Munimentis omnia communivit Ecclesias vero cum suis Coemiteriis ita constituit esse Liberas ut quicunque Malefactor ad illa confugeret illaesus ab omnibus remaneret a good Policy at that time to draw Pagans to frequent the Church and hear the word to convert them both from their Paganism and evil Lives He not only giving all the Lands and Possessions belonging to the Pagan Temples and Priests to the Churches and Ministers of the Christians Sed quia majorem honorem illis impendere debuerat augmentavit illas amplioribus agris et mansis omnique libertate sublimavit as Galfridus Monmuniensis and Gervasius Tilburiensis affirm Here was a true Nursing Father indeed to Gods Church and Ministers 3ly With the first Christian Queen we read of in all the world to wit Queen Helena Daughter and Heir to King Coel and Mother to Constantine the Great who was a carefull Nursing Mother and Bountifull Benefactor to the Church and Ministers
DECIMAS Primigenia adulta tua DEO DATO O that all those Militarie victorious Commanders who boast of like victories as he obtained would imitate him in these his Vertues Bounty Liberalitie both to our Universities Scholars Ministers and promulging Edicts for the due payment of their detained Tithes and Dues and then they should be Chronicled for SAINTS INDEED as well as the forenamed Kings of which there was not one in three in former Ages as Sir Henry Spelman observes WHO DID NOT ADORN AUGMENT ENRICH THE CHURCH IN SOME THINGS even during their very wars instead of making a mere prey and spoyl of her as some late SAINTS have done to maintain the warres and enrich themselves In which Sacrilegious Rapines if any shall persevere to the utter ruine of the remaining Glebes Tithes Maintenance of all our Ministers and Churches too the prime Honour of our Nation ECCLESIA Faemina Lana as some have designed and would engage them to do to render our Religion Nation and those who shall give their Votes thereto for ever execrable Let them take heed that instead of inducing the Ministers and godly people really fearing God throughout our three Nations to forget Monarchy and be in love with their New Military Government they do not necessitate them and most others too thereby by comparing their Irreligious Church-Robberies and Sacrilegious Rapines against the very Laws even of War and Conquest it self in an Enemies Country and detestable to very Heathens as Grotius proves at large to love and honour Kings and Monarchs more than ever as the only Nursing-Fathers to Gods Ministers Church People under the Gospel and to esteem others not comming in by the Door into the Sheep-fold but climbing up by Storm some other way to be but Theeves and Robbers who come not but to Steal Kill and to Destroy whatever the Bounty Piety and Munificence of these and other our Kings have built and setled on the Clergy for Gods Honour and maintenance of his worship and thereby engage them so to act speak and peremptorily resolve as all the Israelites and Godly Levites Priests People twice did in a like case 2 Chron. 11.13 14 15 16 17. 1 Sam. 8.3 5 19 20. If any here object these Kings and Queens were more Popish Superstitious than really Religious Admit they were in some things as too much doting upon Monkery not Monarchy or worldly wealth or Power which some condemn in others when most guilty of and applauding it in themselves yet their very Bounty and profuse munificent Building Monasteries and Nunneries whereof King Edgar alone built no less than 47. endowed them with large Revenues and intended to make them up 50. had he lived besides what they bestowed in building adorning endowing maintaining all Cathedral and Parish Churches and Chapels for the support and honour of their superstitious Religion should eternally shame all those pretended Saints who will be at no cost at all to maintain and propagate what they now call the True Religion and the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel but instead thereof will by mere Force and Rapine against all Rules of Law Justice Piety Equity and war it self plunder if they can the remaining Materials and Fabricks of our Churches which those Kings or their Successors and other antient Benefactors built for Gods Honour and the small surviving Lands Rectories Glebes Tithes Pensions Dues which our Ministers yet enjoy by their sole Bounty Piety Gift Laws without any real charge injurie oppression or obligation to any Mortals now surviving them But to take off the stain of Popery wholly from our Kings which was no disparagement to their commendable Charity and Bounty Consider in the sixth place that God hath honoured us with the first Christian King in the Universe Henry the 8 th who durst not only question but by Publick Laws and Statutes abolish and renounce the Popish usurped Antichristian Power and with it all Popish Shavelings Abbots Priors Monks Nunnes and many Popish Doctrines Ceremonies and restored the People to the use of the Holy Scriptures in their own Native Language Whose example encouraged other Kings Princes Churches to do the like Who though he seised upon Abby Lands as given to mere Superstitious Persons Orders Vses repugnant to Gods word and the Popes mere Creatures and Supporters yet he continued the Lands Glebes Tithes and Maintenance of the Bishops and other Ministers and augmented it and our Vniversities Revenues also out of the Abbies Spoyles which yet could not exempt him from the publick censure of some Protestants for selling or rteaining most of their Lands and Impropriations for his own use which say they he should have rather converted to other lawfull sacred uses according to the will of the first Donors And Mr. Purchas writes That the Monks unrighteous coveting and the Popes appropriating of the Tithes of some Thousands of our best Benefices unto Abbies and Monasteries and robbing the Ministers of them to whom only they were given by God himself and the first Donors for their Maintenance to the great prejudice both of the Ministers and People was one principal cause that by a Divine Judgement and Providence beyond all mens expectation the Pope and they were both suppressed together on a suddain even by him who not long before had justified his usurped Supremacy against Luther and for which he had received this ominous Title from the Pope DEFENDER OF THE FAITH God grant our New Defenders of the Faith do not as ill requite those Persons Powers who first commissioned them with their Arms to defend our Faith Church Religion against Iesuites Papists and their Confederates in the Field as King Henry did the Pope after this new Motto 7ly That our God blessed honoured us with the first incomparable Protestant King in the world no Papist but a REAL SAINT beyond any of his years in this or former Ageâ— even young KING EDWARD THE SIXT the first King I read of who by publick Laws and Statutes suppressed banished all Popish Pictures Ceremonies Superstitious Monuments Practices Abuses throughout his Dominions and established the true worship Service Sacraments Ministers and Ministry and Gospel of Christ throughout his Dominions for which all Ages shall call him blessed no waies embesselling or diminishing the Churches Glebes Tithes or Revenues and enacting a New excellent Law for Tithes recovery when detained But God taking him suddenly from hence to a better Kingdom and his Successor Queen Mary defacing deforming his blessed Reformation and restoring both the Pope and Popery again almost to its former height except in point of Monkery which the defacing of the Monasteries prevented 8ly God then blessed our Church and Kingdom with an unparallel'd Protestant Princesse Queen Elizabeth a Nursing Mother to the Church who demolished the whole Body of Popery with the Popes revived usurpations again by publick Acts established the reformed Religion again in greater beauty and purity than at first banishing
all humane Laws and Penalties so long as they wear their swords by their sides for defrauding our Ministers of their lawfull Tithes and Dues let them then chew the cudd upon this Evangelical Precept backed with the strongest coercive power both in Heaven and Earth 1 Thes 4.6 Let no man go beyond or defraud his brother much less then his Minister in any thing therefore not in Tithes due by Divine and humane Right mark the reason Because that the Lord is the avenger of all such things as we have forewarned and testified And what vengeance God will take of such who defraud their Brethen and Ministers of their debts and necessitate them to sue them at the Law to recover their Rights he resolves in the 1 Cor. 6 7 to 11. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you because you go to Law to wit before Heathen Judges or without just cause one with another the greatest if not only fault being in the Defrauder and Detainer why do ye not rather take wrong why do ye not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded Nay why do you wrong and defraud and that your Brethren and which is more rob your Ministers yea but what harm or punishment will follow on it Mark it O all ye Saint-seeming Hypocrites who are guilty of it Know ye not That the unrighteous who thus wrong and defraud their Brethren and Ministers which is worse shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Theeves nor covetous and such are all those who rob and defraud their Ministers of their Tithes and Duties shall not inherit the Kingdom of God no more than Fornicators Idolaters c. with whom they are here coupled Let all those then who are guilty of this damning sin which disinherits them of Gods Kingdom now seriously repent and reform it with all such who have abetted or confederated with them herein that so I may adde with the Apostle in the next words And such were some nay all of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And now to cloze up this Chapter I shall desire all Anti-Tithers who have already in their heady Resolutions resolved to abolish not only all our Ministers Tithes and antient Dues established by the Lord himself in the Old and New Testament with all the forecited Laws Statutes Ordinances for the true and due payment of them but all other coercive maintenance for their future subsistence if not their very Rectories Glebes and Fabricks of our Churches devoted for a prey by divers sadly and seriously to consider these ensuing particulars 1. That herein they shall shew themselves not only worse by thousands of Degrees than our forementioned Kings and Queens who built and endowed our Churches with Glebes Tithes and a liberal Maintenance and worse than the most of all their Ancestors Protestants or Papists who have hitherto continued confirmed established them by successive Laws but even worse than the worst of Turks and Infidels who alwaies heretofore and at this very day have and do allow their Mahometan and Pagan Idolatrous Priests in all places a liberal competent setled Salarie and erect magnificent Temples to Mahomet and their Idols exceeding most of our fairest Christian Churches both for beauty and number as you may read at large in Pulchas Pilgrimage Alexander ab Alexandro Hospinian De Origine Templorum and others And to give you one instance for all There are no lesse than 700 Moschees or Saracinical Temples in Fesse a Mahometan City in Barbary the chief whereof is Carven being a full mile and an half in compasse It hath 31 Gates great and high the Roof is 150 yards long and 80 broad the Steeple very high the Ornaments rich and stately Round about it are divers Porches containing 40 yards in length and 30. in breadth About the Walls are Pulpits of divers sorts wherein the Masters and Priests of their Law read to the People such things as they think pertain to their Salvation The Revenue of this Temple alone Anno 1526. was no lesse than 200. Duckets a day of old rents The chief Church in Morocco is bigger though not altogether so fair as that of Fesse and hath a Tower so high that the Hills of Azâ—fi being 120. miles distance may be seen from thence as Leo Purchas and Heylin write These Temples and others are adorned with marble Pillars and curious Mosaicks carved works of all sorts Their Priests and Readers of the Law have a liberal Stipend with Books and lands likewise allowed them and are had in very high estimation and Reverence both with their Kings Magistrates People the Califfs there receiving likewise the tenth Measure of Corn yearly from the People Besides which Tenths they have many Colleges and Schools of Learning very Majestically built and richly endowed Those therefore who pretend themselves Saints of the highest New-form and yet would deface the beautifull Churches our pious Ancestors erected for Gods worship strip our Ministers naked of all Glebes Tithes setled Maintenance so as they shall not be able to live comfortably and provide for their Families have in truth denyed the Faith and are worse than these Turks and Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 2ly That hereby they shall make both our Religion and Nation to stink in the Nostrils of all forein Protestant Churches Papists Turks Infidels who by the very light of Nature have condemned Sacrilege and Church Robbers Acts 19.37 Give extraordinary advantage to Jesuites Papists and other Atheistical Seducers to reduce the People either to Popery or mere Atheism Give all the Enemies of God and our Religion occasion both to rejoyce and blaspheme and extraordinarily scandalize and grieve the hearts of all true Godly Ministers and Protestants really affected to our Religion throughout our three Nations 3ly That they will herein exceed all our late suppressed Prelates and their High Commission Courts in Tyranny Cruelty Injustice by undoing all or most of our Godly Ministers and their Families at one fatal blow instead of relieving them in their present Necessities under which many of them sadly groan by depriving them of their Livelihood without any legal Conviction of the least crime but only that they are Ministers of the Gospel and receive Tithes and thereby draw upon their Heads not only the cryes and clamours of these oppressed ones here with all the formentioned Curses and judgements denounced against Tith-Detainers but also that sad irrevocable sentence of Condemnation before Christs Tribunal at the last day Matth. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels for I was hungry and ye gave me no Meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no Drink I was not a Stranger but your Minister and ye took me not in but cast me and mine out of those Rectories and Benefices your Ancestors gave and setled on me
naked and ye cloathed me not nay stripped me naked of all my cloathing and Livelihood and would neither relieve nor maintain me your selves nor permit others to do it in an antient legal way And then what can you answer or to whom can you resort for protection from this inevitable just Charge and Doom of Damnation for all eternity 4ly Consider seriously the exemplarie punishment executed upon Ananias and Saphyra Acts 5.1 c. with that fearfull judgement of retaliation denounced against all plundering Enemies of the Church of Christ Isay 33.1 Wo unto thee that spoylest and thou wast not spoyled and dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee when thou ceasest to spoyl thou shalt be spoyled and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously they shall deal treacherously with thee Seconded by Obadiah 15. As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee thy reward shall return upon thine own head And if any fondly conceit as many do that the Swords and Power of an Army shall bear them out against the Lord of Hosts himself let them consider that of Psal 33.16 There is no King saved by the multitude of an Host themselves have seen it by late experience neither is any mighty man delivered by great strength Jeroboam the Idolatrous Usurper had an Army of no lesse than eight hundred thousand chosen men to make good his usurped Title against Abijah Davids right Heir yet when he had cast out the Priests of the Lord from their Suburbs and Possessions and made him Priests for his Calves of the lowest of the people he was vanquished by a far smaller Army and no lesse than five hundred thousand of his forces slain in one dayes battel and the Lord soon after smote him that be dyed 2 Chron. 13 Oreb Zeba and Salmunna the Princes and Generals of the Midianites when they entred into the Land of Israel to destroy it had an Army like unto Grashoppers for multitude and they and their Camels were without number Judges 6.5 6. Yet when they said Let us take to our selves the Houses of God in possession they were totally routed by Gideon and his 300. men having only Trumpets and Lamps and perished at Endor and became as dung for the earth Judg. 7. 8. Psal 83.9 10 11 12. Senacherib invaded Judah with a victorious and numerous Army above treble the Number to any Army in our daies Yet when he trusted to the strength of his Army and bid defiance to the God of Heaven as those do now who oppugn and spoil his Ministers of their inheritance God sent his avenging Angell which cut off all the mighty men of valour and the Leaders and the Captains and one hundred fourscore and five thousand of his souldiers in one night and when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead corps so he returned with shame of face into his own land and when he was come into the house of his God his own Sonnes that came out of his own bowels slew him there with the sword 2 Kings 19.35 36 37. 2 Chron. 32.21 The two proud surly Captains with the fifty armed troopers at their heels who came in a violent manner but to fetch down Elijah the man of God from an hill to King Ahaziah were destroyed with fire from Heaven and the third Captain only saved who fell on his knees before him and besought him for his own and his fifties lives and used him like a man of God without any rudeness or plunder 2 Kings 1.9 10 c. To lesson all souldiers and Captains now to reverence Gods Ministers and do his Prophets no harm in their Persons Callings or Estates Else he who rebuked Kings and miraculously slew those Captains and their Troopers for their sakes will avenge their quarel now as well as in former ages And if former victories and successes have and do puff them so far up with pride or security as to think they may now reduce our Ministers like Conquered vassals to such poverty as to enforce and make them eat the very crumbs under their Tables insteed of feeding at their own let them remember that one memorable President wherewith I have quelled many usurping souldiers of the greatest Conqueror and Abuser of Kings I ever yet read off in the world and Gods retaliation upon him for his Tyranny and inhumanity after the Conquest of no less then 70. Kings and who now living hath conquered the tenth part of that number thus recorded to all Posterity Judg. 1.5 6 7. And Iudah fought against Adonibezeck in Bezeck and they slew the Canaanites and Perazites And Adonibezeck fled and they pursued after him and caught him and cut off his Thumbs and great Toes And Adonibezeck said threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs and great toes cut off have gathered their meat under my Table As I have done so God hath requited me and they brought him to Ierusalem and there he died It is very dangerous for any Conquerers to make ill Presidents of Tyranny or Rapine because they have power in their hands to do it Mark what a Wo and judgement God denounceth against such Mich. 2.1 2 3 4 Wo to them that devise iniquity upon their beds when the morning is come they practise it Because it is in the power of their hand And they covet fields and they take them by violence and houses and take them away So they oppress a man and his house even a man and his heritage Nay Ministers now and their Heritage as well as other mens But mark what follows immediately Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold against this family do I devise an evil from whence they shall not remove their necks neither shall they be hauty for this time is evil In that day shall one take up a Parable against you and lament with a dolefull lamentation and say we be utterly spoiled He hath changed the portion of my people as some now would change our Ministers How hath he removed it from me turning away Lord It is most perilous for any by meer Arbitrary Votes will and violence to seiz on change divide any other mens lands houses inheritances especially Gods Ministers it will prove as bad as a cup of poison to them they shall vomit them up again with a vengeance And though their excellency mount up to the Heavens and their Head unto the Clouds yet their triumphing shall be but short and their joy but for a moment They shall perish for ever as their own dung They which have seen them shall say Where are they They shall fly away as a dream and shall not be found The eyes which saw them shall see them no more neither thall their place any more behold them mark the reason because they have oppressed and violently taken away an House which they builded not Job 20.4 to 20. How much more the Houses Glebes Tithes of God and his Ministers Let this sad consideration then
peradventure they held the payment of Tithes to Ministers in kind a Divine Moral Duty and in some places and at some times when and where they could did voluntarily pay Tithes as a Duty for their Maintenance without any coercive Laws or Canons upon the bare demand or exhortation of their Ministers by vertue of Gods own Divine Laws as is undeniable by Irenaeus l. 4. c. 34. who records That the Christians in his time being but 180. years after Christ did not give lesse to their Ministers than the Jews did to their Priests by the Law of Moses who received the consecrated TITHES of their people but more Designing omnia quae sunt ipsorum all they had to the Lords use Hilariter ac liberaliter ea quae non sunt minera Giving chearfully and freely those things which were not lesse than Tithes as having greater hope than they And further confirmed by Origen Homil. 11 in Numeros Saint Cyprian lib. 1. Epist 9. De unitate Ecclesiae the words of Saint Augustine Hom. 48. Majores nostri ideo copiis abundabant quia Deo Decimas dabant And the second Council of Mascin An. 586. Can. 5. Leges Divinae Consulentes Sacerdotibus ac Ministris Ecclesiarum pro Haereditaria portione omni populo praeceperunt Decimas fructuum suorum locis sacris praestare ut nullo labore impediti per res illegitimas possint vacare Ministeriis Quas leges Christianorum Congeries legis temporibus custodivit iutemerata Which prove a long continued Custom and Practice of paying Tithes to Ministers as a Divine Right and Duty used amongst Christians long before St. Augustins dayes and this antient Councel And no sooner were the times of Persecution past but the Divine Right of Tithes was asserted pressed and the due payment of them inculcated by St. Hilary Nazianzen Ambrose Hierom Chrysostom Augustine Eusebius Cassian Cyril of Jerusalem Isiodore Pelusiota and Caesarius Arelatensis all flourishing within 500. years after Christ as Dr. Tillesly proves at large And the people during that space paying their Tithes freely without any compulsion in all places there needed neither Laws nor Canons to enforce their payment whence Agobardus writes thus about the year of our Lord 820. when Laws and Canons began to be made for their payment of the precedent times Nulla compulit necessitas fervente ubique religiosa devotione amore illustrandi Ecclesiae ultro aestuante That there was no need of Canons or Laws to compel the payment of Tithes whiles fervent religious Devotion and love of illustrating Churches every where abounded But in succeeding degenerating times when according to Christs prediction the love and zeal of many Christians to God Religion and Ministers began to grow lukewarm and colder than before so as they began to detain their Tithes and Ministers dues then presently Christian Kings and Bishops in Ecclesiastical and Temporal Synods and Councils began generally in all places to make Laws and Canons for the due payment of them declaring in them only the Divine Right Laws and Precepts of God to the People both in the Old and New Testament as a sufficient obligation seconded by their bare Canons and Edicts without any coercion or penalty to oblige them to their due payment The first unquestionable Canon for the payment of Tithes I find extant is that of the second Council of Mascin forecited An. 586. cap. 5. The first Law extant made by any General Council or Parliament for the payment of Tithes is that of the Council of Calcuth in England under Offa and Alfred An. 786 declaring their Divine Right and enjoyning their payment without any Penalty After which Charles the Emperour about the year of our Lord 813. by Canons made in sundry Councils and in his Capitulars or Laws enjoyned the payment of Tithes under pain of being enforced to render them by distresse upon complaint and some small penalties Since which time many Laws and Canons were made in our own and forein Realms till our present times for the due payment of Tithes under sundry penalties which because collected by Sir Henry Spelman in his Councils Mr. Selden in his History of Tithes Bochellus Decret Eccles Gal. l. 6. Tit. 8. De Decimis Fridericus Lindebrogus Codex Legum Antiquarum Surius Binius Crab Lindwood in their Collections of Councils and sundry others I have therefore only given the Reader a brief Catalogue of the principal Civil laws both at home and abroad for the due payment of them reciting more at large but what others for the most part have omitted and are not vulgarly known giving only brief hints upon some of the rest in my third Chapter Whither I refer the Reader for further satisfaction in this Objection and shall conclude of penal Laws as Seneca doth of Fates Fata volentes ducunt Nolentes trahunt those who will not willingly pay their Tiths must and ought to be compelled thereunto by penal Statutes The second Objection is That the payment of Tithes is against many mens Judgements and Consciences Therefore it is both Vnchristian Tyrannical and Vnjust to enforce them thereunto I answer 1. That the payment of Tithes being not only warranted but commanded in and by the Old and New Testament and the constant practice of Christians in all Ages Churches there neither is nor can be the least pretence of Conscience for the non-payment of them Therefore this pretext of Conscience is in truth nought else but most desperate Vnconscionableness Malice Obstinacy Peevishness Covetousness Impiety or secret Atheism worthy to be reformed by the severest Laws and penalties 2ly All that Conscience can pretend against their payment as Tithes is only this Anabaptistical Devise and loud Lye of Canne and others That the payment of a precise Tenth part of mens increase to their Ministers is Jewish or Antichristian and so unlawfull both which I have unanswerably refelled Therefore this can be no ground or Conscience for any to detain them But if any scrupulous Consciences be not satisfied in this point let them either pay their Ministers the Moitie or 9. parts or the 5 6 7 8 or 9. part of their annual encrease neither of which is Jewish or Antichristian or else let them sell all their old or new purchased Lands Houses Possessions Goods they have and bestow them on the Ministers and Poor as the forecited Primitive Christians did whom they pretend to imitate and then they may satisfie both their Consciences and Ministers too without the least difference coercion sute or penalty of our Laws 3ly Many of these very Objectors pretending Conscience as Souldiers or Sequestrators have made no Conscience to enforce thousands of Parishioners of late years throughout the Nation to pay their Ministers Tithes to themselves for pretended Arrears or sequestred Goods and exacted Monthly contributions out of Ministers Tithes to pay the Army without any scruple of Conscience levying them by distress and armed violence when detained If then they can enforce others thus
general but only of New Tithes not antiently paid by the Jews nor prescribed to them by God And is this square dealing 2ly He subjoyns the time which Thorp and Master Fox do not referring this Decree of Gregory the tenth to the year 1211. which was four years before the Council of Lateran by his own Confession and falls within the Popedom of Innocent the third and is no less than 63. years before the Council of Lyons under Gregory the Xth. and his Papacy there being no less than seven Popes intervening between this Innocent and Gregory as Platina Onuphrius in their Histories of Popes lives and Binius Spondanus Oxenetius Matthew Westminster the Centuries of Magdenburg Mr. Fox himself and Heylin affirm And most certain it is that neither this Pope Gregory nor the Council of Lyons under him nor of Lateran under Innocent made any such Decrees concerning Tithes as Canne here boldly asserts and with these two Forgeries he most impudently concludes The payment of Tithes is Popish nothing more certain when as nothing is more false or fabulous and so within the 2d Article of the Covenant of the two Nations nothing more untrue both in the intentions and explanations of the Makers and Takers of that Covenant as their several Ordinances for Tithes both before and after it demonstrate which many have sworn not he nor his Consederates or else perjured with a Witness if they have done it in every clause thereof to endeavour the extirpation of Superstition and all kind of Popery therefore of all Monkish Popish Substractions of and exemptions from payment of Tithes to their Parochial Ministers fore-recited invented granted by Popes and real Popery And therefore as it is a case of Conscience for those who have taken the Covenant to pay Tithes not for any man whatsoever especially Covenanters to retain them so men ought to be carefull either how they press it or practise it So this Father of Lyes and Forgeries concludes against all Truth and Conscience and dares aver to those he stiles let himself determine QUO JURE The Supream Authority of the Nation The Parliament of the Common-wealth wealth of England to engage them sacrilegiously to rob all our Ministers both of their Rectories Tithes Ministry at once to starve and famish they are his own uncharitable Anabaptistical words p. 1 2. These Antichristian Idols which if they neglect speedily to do he more than intimates in his Epistle to them and let them and all others observe it the Lord you may guess whom he means shall lay them aside as despised broken Idols and Vessels in whom his Soul hath no pleasure like those who sate there before them just John of Leydens Doctrine and practice It is storied of Sacrilegious Philip of Macedon by Polybius and others In aras et templa saeviit ipsos etiam Lapides infringens ne destructas aedes posthac restitui possint and that to raise monies to pay his all-devouring Army and of Dicaearchus his Atheistical General as impious as his Soveraign that returning victoriously from Sea he built two Altars one to Impiety the other to Iniquity and sacrificed to them as to Gods Certainly John Canne who would have all our Churches razed to the ground and not a stone of them left upon a stone unthrown down that they might never be built again the true Voyce of a Son of Edom and Babylon and all our Ministers Rectories Tithes Food and Maintenance whereby they are fed and kept alive taken away by the Magistrates and that to maintain the Army and Souldiers as some design would be a very fit Chaplain for such a Sacrilegious King and General and a fit Priest or Minister for these two infernal Deities of Impiety and Iniquity the only Gods which too many pretended Saints and Anabaptists really serve worship in their practice But let Canne with all his impious unrighteous seduced Disciples Patrons remember that Blessing which dying Moses that man of God a better President General for Christians to follow than these Pagan Atheists bestowed on the tribe of Levi extending to all true Ministers of the Gospel now with his bitter imprecation against all who invaded their Substance Function or rise up against their Office recorded thus for their shame and terror Deuter. 33.1 8 9 10 11. This is the Blessing wherewith Moses the MAN OF GOD blessed the Children of Israel before his death And of Levi he said Let thy Vrim and thy Thummim be with thy holy one for they have observed thy word and kept thy Covenant They shall or let them teach Jacob thy Judgements and Israel thy Law They shall put Incense before thee and whole burnt Sacrifice upon thine Altar Blesse O Lord his Substance and accept the Work of his hands Smite through the Loyns of them that rise up against him and of them that hate him that they rise not again Which I shall recommend to John Canne for his next Text when he preacheth before his Fraternity of Anabaptistical Tithe-Oppugners and Church-Robbers to all injurious Substracters of their Ministers Tithes and professed Enemies to their Calling And so much for the third Proposition CHAP. IV. I Now march to the 4th Proposition That our Ministers Tithes are really no Burthen Grievance or Oppression to the People but a just antient charge debt annuity or duty as well as their Landlords rents or Merchants poundage That the abolishing of them will be no real Ease Gain or advantage to Farmers Lessees and the poorer sort of People as is falsely pretended but only to rich Landlords and Landed-men and a loss and detriment to all others There have been divers clamorous Petitions of late against Tithes subscribed by many poor People Labourers Servants Apprentises who never were capable in their Estates to pay any not by the Nobility Gentry and Freeholders of the Nation or the generality of those whose Estates are most charged with them who repute them no Burden nor Grievance and desire their continuance as if they were the very Bonds of Wickednesse the heavy Burdens and Yoak which God himself by an extraordinary Call hath called forth some in present Power speedily to loose undo and break Isay 58.6 7. to which they allude and much insist on when as it is most clear That this perverted Text was never once intended of Tithes which God himself imposed on his people as a just reserved Rent and Tribute due unto himself and his Ministers and adjudgeth it plain ROBBING OF GOD to substract much more then to abolish and those who press the abolishing of Tithes from this Text may with much more colour urge it against all Landlords Rents Annuities Tonnage Poundage the antient Customs of Wool Woolfels Leather Tinne Lead which they and their Ancestors by their Tenures and our known Laws have paid time out of mind and presse those in power to expunge these Texts out of the very Gospel as Apochryphal and burdensom Mat. 22.21 Render
Canne and unknown to me or others unless it be the flat atheistical denyal of God of Christ and all his Offices of the Holy Ghost Scriptures Sacraments all publick Ordinances in the Church of all Kings Princes Parliaments lawfull Magistrates Laws Oaths Vows Covenants Protestations Engagements by many of them in their words writings and most of them in their works with their Jesuitical positions plots practices recited in the fifth Chapter And if these be not true infernal Darknesse and clear inglorious Discoveries of Antichrist and his Kingdom in the highest Degree that ever yet appeared amongst the people of this Common-wealth let the fifth Chapter with the positions and practices themselves compared with the Old and New Testament determine 12ly The decrying of our Vniversities Colleges Schools of human Learning Innes of Court and some mens endeavouring to seise upon their Lands and Revenues for the Armies use is no doubt a Jesuitical Papal plot to extinguish the light of our Knowledge both Divine and humane by puting out the Eyes of our Nation that so Jesuitical Popish darkness might over-spread our Church and State and so the blind leading the blind in both they must fall into the Pit of Destruction in a moment It is storied of Julian that blasphemous Apostate and professed Enemie of Christ and Christian Religion That he suppressed all the Schools of Christians prohibiting by general Laws and Decrees that any should profess practice or study any Arts or Sciences in any Schools that so they might become and remain Ideots without learning and so be insufficient and unable to preach the Christian Faith oppose or refute any Pagan or other Errors Blasphemies against the true God and his worship devising by all means possible whereof this was one of the Principal TO MAKE WAR AGAINST JESUS CHRIST and extirpate Christianity without shedding any Christian blood finding by experience that the Christian Faith and Christians were greatly increased by the torments and blood of the Martyrs So that bloody Apostate from and Persecutor of the Christian Faith Lucius the Emperour as he ruined the Churches Temples he commanded to be built for Christ cast out of his House Service and all Offices and place of Command whatsoever he that was a Christian commanded all those Christians to be slain who would not adore his Idols prohibited all Assemblies of Christians either for worship or consultation so he was such an Enemy to Learning that he named the same as some do now A Poyson and common Pestilence and the Overthrow of Common-wealths and especially the knowledge of the Laws And thought no vice worse became a Prince than Learning because he himself was unlearned and thereupon prohibited Schools and Meetings for Instruction Whereas on the contrary Constantine the Great and all other Godly prudent Christian Emperors Kings and Princes founded Schools of Learning and Universities in all places encouraged and advanced learned men of all Arts and Professions especially Divines Lawyers and Philosophers well knowing that Learning was the principle means to promote Religion and the glory honour wealth and greatness of any Nation more necessary than any Arms or Souldiers and the chief means to preserve them from Idolatry Superstition Confusion ruine We may therfore clearly discern whence the present Outcries against our Vniversities Inns of Court Schools of Learning and all human learning proceed even from desperate Apostates from true Religion and Gods Church and those who would erect a New Babel of Confusion amongst us in Church State and thereby build up the demolished walls of the Romish Jericho within all our Dominions For proof whereof I shall transcribe this notable passage of our famous learned Bishop Jewel in his Sermon on Joshua 6. in his works in Folio p. 167 168. which is very pithy learned and satisfactory omitting all others Now to stay the restoring of Jericho many good waies may be devised The 1. maintenance of Schools and Learning That Learning and Knowledge is able to hinder the Building of Jericho is so plain that it needeth no speech In the time of Moses Law Aaron the great Bishop and High Priest had written in a Tablet before his Breast Doctrin and Truth not only Learning but also Truth whereby was meant that neither ought to be without the other For as Learning is dangerous and hurtfull in some cases without Religion So is Religion unable to defend it self to convince the Gain-sayers without Learning For this cause the Heathen when they erected Temples in honour of their Gods they did also build Libraries that is places to keep Books that by such means their Priests might grow in Knowledge and be better able to perswade others to their Religion Strabo of the Sinprincians that they built a Temple in honour of Homer and joyned thereto a Library Augustus the Emperor built a Temple and also a Library in the honour of Apollo Trajanus in like manner built a Library and called it Vlpia after his own name At Rome in the Capitol where all the Gods had a Solemn place for to be worshipped in there was also placed a Library Athens was a famous Universitie and had many Colleges and Schools of Learning Academia Stoa Lycaeum Canopus Prytanneum Tempe Cynosura in which places were divers Sects of Philosophers Such were in Persia the Wisemen whom they called Magi in Babylon the Chaldees in India Brachmanes in Aethiopia Gymnosophistae in France and England Druides and others in other Countries In all times the Kings and Princes which did set forth Religion were also Builders of Schools and Colleges and Advancers of Learning The people of Israel were never in better state as P. Phagius a learned man noteth out of their Story than when they had in every Town and Village Bathe chenesioth and Bathe medraschoth that is Synogogues wherein they assembled together and places to preach in The same Phagius relateth of Hierusalem that there were in it more than four hundred common Schools and Synagogues wherein the Law of God was taught The Patriarch Jacob was called A Minister of the House of Learning because he applyed himself to the knowledge of the Law of God and to Godliness The Prophets of God had their Schools to breed up under them such as might after their death draw the people from Idolatry and resist the false Prophets They which were so taught by them were called the Sons of the Prophets Samuel taught in such sort at Rama Elias and Elizeus the Prophets taught the Law of God besides Jericho St. John the Evangelist taught at Ephesus and Eusebius reporteth out of Philo that St. Mark had at Alexandria sundry Scholars which gave themselves to reading and reasoning and expounding of the Scriptures Others did the like at Antioch and at other places Out of such Schools it pleased God to take many excellent men and place them in his Church as Origen Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Arnobius Basilius Nazianzenus Chrysostomus Hieronimus Ambrosius