speaking of those words silver gold have I none said Behold the Riches of those who were Priests of Christ but let us quickly apply these things to our selves who are prohibited by the Law of Christ if we have any regard thereunto to have Possessions in the Country and Houses in the City What do I say Possessions or Houses No not to multiply Coats or Money if we have Food and Rayment let us therewith be content Orig. Hom. 15. on Levit. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage about the year 250. testified That the Church maintained many Poor and that her own Diet was sparing and plain and all her Expences full of Frugality Cypr. Epist 27 34 36. Prosper testified further That a Minister able to live of himself ought not to participate of the Goods of the Church for saith he they that have of their own and yet desire to have somewhat given them do not receive it without great Sin Prosp de vit contemplat lib. 21. In these dayes all Necessities of Indigent Ministers of the Poor of the Banished of such as were condemned by the Heathen Emperors to work in Mettal-Mines c. were supplied and relieved by Free and Voluntary Contributions distributed by the Deacons for that end appointed The said Cyprian about the Year 250. speaking familiarly of this thing called the Brethren that cast in their Monethly-Offerings Fratres Sportulantes from the Word Sportulae which the Heathen Romans used for Salaries Wages Fees for Judges and Ministers of Courts of Judicature This they borrowed from the Heathen Romans and applied to their Monethly-Collections Selden In the Apostles dayes Satan tryed the Ship of the Church Teachers and Hearers and as many as he found unsound Leeking as I may say he spouted into their Hearts the stinking Stream of Covetousness but in succeeding Ages the Devil that infernal Sea-Monster Physeter swallowed up the Ship of the Church in the whirle-Pool of Apostacy Ignorance Pride Covetousness as the Apostle foretold About the Year 310. one Lucina a devout Maid of Rome dying made Marcellus Bishop of Rome her Heir and gave him all her great Substance From that time forth saith Polydor lib. 6. the Bishops of Rome were greatly enriched and then came to be puft up with Pride Which Riches the Apostles denyed Sylvester was Bishop of Rome about the Year 314. When Constantine the first Emperor that embraced the Christian Faith the Son of Constantius and Helene offered him a Golden Scepter he refused it as a thing not fit for a Priests Function Sabel Euseb Chron. While the Church was under Persecution by the Roman Emperors it remained in much Purity of Doctrine and Conversation a time of Sufferings is a time of Seriousness But Constantine the Great embracing Christianity his Empire turned Christians by the Lump whether Nominal or Real let the Wise in Heart judge the Fan being over Carnal security Ease Pride Covetousness and Ambition grew up in the Garden of the Church After the Church came under Christian Princes saith Jerom in Power indeed and Riches she became greater but less in Virtue Tom. 2. in vita Malchi Constantine saith Hospinian gave great Gifts and Donations to Churches Of which thing Mantuan said Caesar hic in nostram gestaus pia pectora gentem Immensas donavit opes vasa aurea fundos Vnde Sacerdotes magnis proventibus ancti Through Constantine the Clergy grew most Wealthy Possessing Lands and Gold also in Plenty This Constantine gave to Sylvester Bishop of Rome the City Rome and great Lands and Dominions thereabouts also a Triple Crown in token that he made him Supream Head over all Churches in Asia Africa and Europe as some of their own Writers mention though others question it At the time of this Donation a Voice was heard from Heaven Hodie venenum funditur in ecolesiam This Day Poyson is poured into the Church Hermannus Gigas Napier Bishop Jewel on Hag. And the same Words were written in the presence of many upon a Wall in the Lateran Palace as saith Maleolus Nauclerus Napier 'T was a true Saying of Aug. Marl. on Acts. 20.35 Religio peperit divitias et filia devoravit Matrem that is Religion brought forth Wealth and the Daughter devoured the Mother Sylvester was the first if Histories may be credited who let in a Deludge of Mass-Priests Orders Ornaments Temples Singing-men Sacrifices Sanctuaries Vestiments Oyntments Surplices Miters embroidered Garments under this pretence 1. That Christian-Religion might not seem inferiour to Heathenism in outward Lustre and Pomp. 2. That the Pagans by the likeness of these Rites with theirs might be the more easily drawn to Christianity Pareus on Rev. 8. Must Evil be done that Good may come of it Was letting in Streams of Babylon the Way to lead others out of Babylon Had it not been more Christian-like if he had said I must not go to them they must come to us Yet all was not hereby quite spoiled the Star called Wormwood fell but upon the third part of Rivers and Fountains Rev. 8. All were not Imbittered thereby nor Corrupted This Constantine the Great demolished Pagan Temples caused Churches so called to be built enriched them with great Gifts and Possessions and gave to Sylvester and to his Successors as several testifie the City Rome and the Lordship of Italy and translated his Imperial Seat to Bizantium from his Name called Constantinople Sylvester advised that the Revenues of the Church should be divided into four Parts whereof one was to go to the Maintenance of the Bishop the Second part to the Priests Deacons and to the rest of the Clergy the Third part to the repairing of places of publick Worship the Fourth part to the Poor Impotent and Strangers But in all this there was no mention of Tythe which the Clergy now hath seized on and People are forced to maintain the Poor and to Contribute to Repair their Churches so called and upon denyal greatly Suffer for the same Honest Wickliff having his Eyes in measure opened to see the Evil that spread as a Leprosie in the Church through Constantines bounty bare Testimony saying Constantine the Emperor and Bishop Sylvester committed great Error through their enriching the Church For this and other Articles the Council of Constance a City of Helvetia under Pope John the Twenty fourth pronounced this Wickliff a Heretick and commanded his Bones to be digged out of the Earth and Burned Sum. Conc. et Pontif. Though in this Sylvester's Day much was amiss in the Church yet little in comparison of after Ages for the bottomless Pit was but as I may say beginning to smoke his Day was but as the drop of a Bucket to the main Ocean to ensuing Dayes the Mid-night of Apostacy wherein Doctrinal Errors and Covetous Practices darkned Sun and Air spoiled the Glory of the Primitive Church If I should Particularize what vast Sums of Money went out of England in the Dayes of Popery to the See of Rome it would seem incredible As
Jewish Priests and Levites Perfection could not be by the Levitical Priesthood made by a Law which because of its weakness and unprofitableness was dissanulled so to give way to the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah whose Priesthood is unchangeable who perfects forever such as are sanctified yea and the upholding of the first Priesthood Work or Wage is Antichristian but something I have spoken to shew how far they are from the Requirings of the Levitical dispensation though they run thither for shelter in the case of Tythes though in Gospel dayes CAP. XV. The Clergies Evangelical Title to their Exaction of Tythes Examined and Considered I Have formerly touched that the Maintenance of the Gospel was free and voluntary and that neither Christ who was Heir of all things nor the Apostles who had his Mind ever received Tythe or taught the People to receive the same there was no mention thereof while the primitive Church kept the Faith and the heavenly Doctrine received from his Mouth Antonius the learned Bishop of Spalato saith Christ himself though Lord of Heaven and Earth and the fulness thereof yet would not he be possessed of great Lands and Incomes he demanded not Tythes though a Priest after the order of Melchizedec but while he went through Cities and Countries preaching the Gospel and his Disciples with him several Woman that believed in him as Mary Magdalen Joanna Susanna and others did minister to him of their Substance Luke 8. And in sending out his Disciples he bad them not to receive Tythes nor did he teach People to pay them but he taught them to rely on their Converts for necessary Supplies saying The Labourer is worthy of his Meat De Repub. Eccles lib. 9. This Testimony is true and savoury Now if you will have Tythes to be yours jure divino by divine Right you must prove your Authority from Christ shew a Gospel Ordinance for it such as pretend to be Ministers of Christ ought to be content with what Christ allotted his Ministers for their Service if his Wages content you not you are not his Servants you are his Servants whose Wages you receive If you receive Moses Wages you are Moses Servants so must do his Work Ministers of Christ abide in the Doctrine of Christ being Wisdom's Children they justifie Wisdom both her Call Work and Wage Christ for Gospel Work ordained a Gospel Wage he that will justly claim the one must of necessity do the other all Equity to the Title of one is founded in the Labour of the other He that pretends Title to an Estate by virtue of a civil Qualification making his Claim from the Ground of Purchase Heirship Free-Gift Civil-Office 't is requisit that he make good prove maintain his Claim by Humane Laws being suitable to the Nature of his Claim So you that make claim to Tythes by virtue of a spiritual Capacity or religious Qualification as being Ministers of Christ Jesus you ought to prove and maintain your Claim by divine Laws as being suitable to the Nature of your Claim The Disciples Apostles influenced from above to the Discharge of their living Concern were to teach all that and nothing but that which Christ commanded them both in Relation to the Call Work and Maintenance peculiar to the Gospel Dispensation So prove Tythes and your Co-ercive Settled Maintenance by the Doctrine of Christ else you transgress the royal Charter of Christ's Commission to this Disciples Apostles c. Obj. Christ told the Scribes and Pharisees That they ought to pay Tythes Mat. 23.23 Answ The Scribes and Pharisees were Jews under the Levitical Ministration and they were bound to the payment thereof while the Law that commanded the same was in force when Christ spoke that he was not then offered up nor the Hand-writing of Ordinances blotted out nor nailed to the Cross Now to entroduce to be read what Câ—rist blotted out or to go about to enliven what he nailed to the Cross 't is Antichristian When Christ was offered up and the Hand-writing of Ordinances was blotted out and he was revealed by his spiritual appearance in his chosen Vessel Paul this was his Doctrine The Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a Change also of the Law Heb. 7.12 Here is an express Repeal of that Law by which the Assignation of Tythes was made to the Priests and Levites Further Paul testified saying There is verily a dissanulling of the Commandment going before vers 18. Here 't is evident the Priesthood that took Tythes was changed and the Law was repealed and the Commandment dissanulled by which Tythes were assigned to them and by which they received them Now it remains that you that would be accounted Gospel Ministers do prove an Assignation of them by Christ hic labor hoc opus est do this and the work is done In the mean time consider the pregnant Testimony of Pareus on Gen. 28.22 who having said That Tythes before the Law were Free and Arbitrary and that a man might give them vow them or not as he pleased he added further That Tythes under the Law were commanded of God to be given to the Priests Levites and to the Poor therefore faith he the Levitical Priesthood ceasing their Right to Tythes ceased Further faith he The Clergy now receive Tythes not by a divine but by a humane Law The same say we that Tythes appertaining to the Jewish Priesthood ended with that Priesthood as other its Appurtanances Tythes were proper and essential to the Tribe of Levi so to assign them to the Ministry of Christ who sprang from â—udah is to recall the Legal Service and in effect to make Christ of the Order of Aaâ—on The whole Tribe of Levi saith Aug. Marl. on the before alledged Scripture received no Possessions in the Land of Canaan wherefore God ordained that the other Tribes should give them Tythes therefore during their Service the other Tribes paid them Tythes according to the Law but that Priesthood being changed the Law was changed also This said Aug. Marl. who taught that necessaries should be ministred to all that were in need The most candid Writers have born testimony that Tythes were proper and essential to the first Priesthood and ended with the same The Law forbad the outward Jew to wear a Garment mingled with Linnen and Woollen Lev. 19. Now such as plead for Tythes in Gospel dayes they confound the Ordinances of the first and second Covenant together not keeping Tythes within the Bounds of its proper Ministration but would have it in the second Covenant unto which it belongs not Obj. They which minister about holy things that is the Levites live of the things of the Temple that is of Tythes And they which wait at the Altar that is Jewish Priests are partakers with the Altar that is Sacrifices and Oblations Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.13 14. Answ From this EVEN SO Tything-Ministers
Thus Israel was guilty of forsaking the Fountain of Life of Living Mercies and of having recourse to broken Cisterns The labour of the Apostles and their living concern was to bring People to Shilo the Store-house of heavenly Wisdom Knowledge and sound Understanding the Fountain of Life the Well-spring of pure Wisdom spiritual Treasures Virtue Peace Joy Consolation and Spiritual Refreshments in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells Bodily of whose plenitude that is fulness his receive Grace for Grace Now after the Apostles dayes the Star being fallen Smoke arisen Sun and Air darkned the Purity of the Primitive Church spoiled in a word upon the encroachment of the Apostacy the golden Cup of Abomination and Fornication was received by Christendom which became as Waters in this smoke evaporating out of the bottomless Pit the pure Fountain of Life was lost the truly impowering Call of the Lord of the Harvest was lost then in the Apostatized Roman Church Schools and Colledges were erected into which were received Heathen Poems Comedies Tragedies Fables spoiling Philosophy Heathen Metaphysicks and in and through learning of these Youth was qualified for the Gospel Ministry as they say and these Universities were called by the Apostatized Roman Church Well-springs of Divinity Fountains of the Gospel Ministry Thus the Fountain of Life being turned from broken Cisterns were entertained Luther on 2 Pet. 2.1 spake freely of Apostatized Popish Universities The whole World saith he is of this Opinion that these are Fountains or Well springs from which proceed such as ought to teach the People This is a horrible Error saith he forasmuch as nothing so detestable proceeds from any thing or place as from Universities c. The Roman Popish Religion being brought into this Nation by Austin the Monk and others in process of time Cambridge and Oxford came to be founded and made Universities and were called Well-springs of Divinity c. And though Protestantism and a great share of Reformation be pretended and professed yet the divine Call into the Ministry is denyed and altogether or in a high measure ascribed to Schools of Humane Learning yea and Cambridge and Oxford are still termed Well-springs of Divinity the two Fountains and the two Eyes of the Nation The Almighty is opening an Eye to see the Living Fountain the Well-spring of Life and to press after the same and to deny the Idolatrous use and abuses of Man made Well-springs and Fountains though Schools teaching the knowledge of the Creation of useful and necessary Accomplishments are to be contended for but out of their place Idolatrous as in setting them in the room of the Lord of the Harvest William Tindall in his Parable of the wicked Mammon saith Many are not ashamed to rail and blaspheme saying How should he understand the Scripture seeing he is no Philosopher hath never seen his Metaphysicks and how can he be a Divine who knows not what is Subjectum in Theologia Nevertheless as a man without the Spirit of Aristotle or Philosophy may by the Spirit of God understand Scriptures even so by the Spirit of God understands he that God is to be sought c. and yet knows not what meaneth Subjectum in Theologia that is the Subject in Divinity because it is a term of their own making Drawing to a Conclusion let me say that to confine the Ministry to Natural Tongues Arts and Sciences is contrary to the Lords Call in the Patriarchal Mosaical and in the Morning of the Evangelical Dispensation yea and contrary to the Call promised after the Apostacy after the three dayes and an half wherein the Beast and the Locusts Anti-christ and his apostatized Ministry should be bred fitted and qualified in the Smoke of the Pit earthly and fallen Wisdom Rev. 11.11 Besides this my Testimony take the Testimony of our Country-man Gell who said I do not here confine the Gifts of God unto mans Approbation or Ordination Surely saith he the Lord may fill whose Hand he will speak by whom he will In all Ages saith this Gell God raised up Priests and Prophets without the Authority yea against the Authority of Men Amos 3.8 Acts 4.18 19 20. 'T is unreasonable saith he to confine the Spirit of God unto certain Theses Articles Confessions and Opinions of mens making they seem to dare and provoke the wise God in that they cannot say that their Dictates proceed from an infallable Spirit yet would they limit and bound the infallable Spirit of the God of Truth by their presumtuous humane Spirit which as themselves confess is Fallable and subject to Error We stay so long saith Bishop Hall upon the Shell of Tongues that we can hardly have time to chew the sweet Kernel of Knowledge So may I say Natural Tongues Arts Sciences and Endowments are so doted upon and concluded to be the enabling qualification for the Gospel Ministry as that the heavenly Anointing the real ability for the Gospel Ministry is not waited for but by most of the Worldly wise Linguists and Sophisters derided CAP. III. Of the Original of Bishops in Gospel dayes and of the Identity that is Oneness and Sameness of Bishops and Elders in the Primitive Age. THe Apostles in the Power of the Lord laboured and were livingly concerned to turn the Jew from Judaism and the Gentile from Gentilism to Christ in whom Oneness and the new Creature is witnessed After visiting the Churches before gathered and in the Spirit of discerning observing a Care begot in some particular Members for the good prosperity growth and decent order of their fellow Members the oversight care and charge of particular Assemblies were commended to such and they were called Elders because chosen for the most part of the elder sort of People and the same were also called Bishops that is Overseers or Superintendents because of their Office of overseeing and taking care of the rest They were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Presbyters or Elders for that they were so in Age the Law having so provided that no man should be promoted to that Dignity till he was thirty five Years old or else because they ought to be such in Manners and circumspect Carriage saith Sr. Thomas Ridley in his view of the Civil and Eccleslastical Law Pope Boniface the First thought good that not any under thirty Years of Age should be ordained a Presbyter that is an Elder Afterward it was decreed by the Authority of the Lateran Council that one might be made an Elder at twenty five Years old Polydor. de Invent. lib. 4. But this limiting to a certain Year savours of the Will of Man not of the Spirit Now 't is my Judgment that the same Individuals particular Persons that in the Purity of the Primitive Age were sometimes called Elders they were also called Bishops that is Overseers as the same Person may be sometime called a Minister sometime a Teacher this Doctrine in the Beauty of the Primitive Church was not called Heretical but
of the holy Ghost and of Wisdom who out of this Stock and Treasury were to supply and relieve the Necessities of all Indigent and Wanting Brethren Hereby all the Services and Necessities of the Church were supplied Poole Zegerus Grotius Thus the Maintenance of the Gospel Ministry was Free and Voluntary by such as received them And this was Christ's Ordinance by the Mouth of his chosen Vessel Paul for the Supply of poor and indigent Brethren and other Uses and Services of the Church even of Paul who had the Mind of Christ who said to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus That he had kept nothing back that was profitable to them and that he had declared unto them the whole Counsel of God Yet no man reads that he ever taught or ordained any other Maintenance of the Gospel Ministry Indigent Brethren than by Free Spontaneous and Voluntary Contribution this he preached up who kept back nothing profitable but declared the whole Counsel of God So that he left no place of divine Right for any other Maintenance than what he had already declared Now the Locusts crawling out of the Smoke of the Pit Man-made Ministers having nothing but natural Qualifications and Accomplishments they account this Gospel Maintenance by Free and Voluntary Contribution as Beggarly and Base as Contemptible and Dishonourable so kicks Paul's Ordinance out of place and countenance as I may say and introduces and constitutes a more Stately Authorative Commanding Ordinance of their own exacting and extorting a Maintenance by Compulsion not sparing their own Flocks nor others contrary to Christ's Doctrine Now I am herein confident and bold to affirm That these taking away this Ordinance of VOLUNTARY Contribution and in the room thereof forcibly intruding the Compulsive exaction of Tythes and any other Anti-evangelical Maintenance are liable to the Curse pronounced by the Mouth of Paul who said If any man preach any other Gospel than that ye have received let him be Anathema Accursed Gal. 1. Wilson in his compleat Christian-Dictionary bears full lively and pregnant Evidence hereunto saying The Ministers of the primitive Church were maintained by the Free and Voluntary Benevolence of the People whose zeal and love to the Gospel were so fervent that they were ready to part with all for the Maintenance of it But the zeal of these later dayes saith he if any at all is so cold that most men will not part with a Nut-shell unto the Ministers but what they are forced unto He bears a true Testimony to the primitive Practice and Institution and likewise implies That the necessity of forcing a Maintenance is among such and only such whose zeal and fervency to the Gospel is quenched through the prevailing power of Iniquity streams of Babylon Yet Man-made Ministers now are so fired with the Love of the Wages of Unrighteousness as that they Dispute Jangle and Contend against the primitive Ordinance of Free and Voluntary Contribution and corrupt Scriptures by the intermixture of their carnal Reason false Translations Glosses colourable and pleasant Commentaries manifold artificial Deceits to defend a Co-ercive Compulsive Forced Maintenance by Tythes and other unwarrantable Wages King Agbarus as Ecclesiastical Histories Report being grievously diseased in his Body and incurable by the skill of man was cured by Thadeus one of Christ's Disciples without Medicine for the which King Agbarus commanded Gold coyn'd and uncoyn'd to be given him he refused it saying We that have forsaken our own how shall we receive other mens Words savouring of heavenly-mindedness not like the Language of Man-made Ministers This primitive Institution and Practice of the First Daye 's Free and Voluntary Collections for the general Necessities Uses and Service of the Church continued till about two Hundred Years after Christ as Histories mention About two Hundred Years after Christ Weekly Collections ordained by Paul ceased and Monethly Collections were introduced and instituted but yet there was no Degeneration from the Nature of the thing as from Free and Voluntary Contribution to Co-ercive Exaction Turtudian a Latin Father who lived about that time saith thus Modicam unusquisque stipem menscrua die vel cum velit et si modo velit et si modo possit apponit nam nemo compellitur sed sponte confert haec quasi deposita pietatis sunt Apologet. Cap. 39. that is Every one Monethly or when he pleases and if he please provided he be able gives a competent portion for no man is compelled to this or that Quantity but gives of his own accord c. Poole on 1 Cor. 16. And these their Collections Contributions and Offerings were put into the hands of Deacons for the aforesaid Christian Uses This Word saith Selden they borrowed from the Heathen who called their Collections for their Temples and Dieties Stipes This same Turtullian upbraiding the Gentiles with the Piety and Devotion of Christians said in this manner Whatsoever we have in the Treasury of our Churches it is not raised by Taxation as though we put men to Ransom their Religion but every man once a Moneth or when he pleaseth bestoweth what he thinks good and not without he listeth for no man is compelled but left Free to his own Discretion And what is thus given is not bestowed in Vanity but in relieving the Poor and Fatherless Children and in maintaining of Aged and Feeble Persons and such as have suffered Ship-wrack and such as are condemned to Mettal-Mines banished into Islands or cast into Prison for the Christian Faith Apologet. cap. 39. Vrsin Bishop of Rome about the Year 227. taught That it was lawful for Ministers to receive Possessions and Lands offered by the truly Religious not for their particular use but for the Common good Polydor de Invent. The Revenue of them was put in the Common Stock out of which all Necessities Uses and Services of the Church were answered This way of Monethly Collections or Contributions for the aforesaid Use and Service of the Church continued as appears by the Writings of Eusebius Tertullian Origen Cyprian and others till the great Persecution under Maximinian and Diocletion about the Year 304. Vrban Bishop of Rome declared That the Church might receive Lands and Possessions offered by the Faithful but not to any Particular Mans Use or Benefit but that the Revenues thereof should be distributed as other Offerings as need required Origen said expresly It is not lawful for any Minister of the Church to possess Lands given to the Church to his own Use Further he said to the Ministers Let us depart from the Priests of Pharaoh who enjoy earthly Possessions to the Priests of the Lord who have no Portion in the Earth Further this Origen said in another place It behoveth us to be faithful in disposing the Rents of the Church that we our selves devour not those things which belong to the Widows and the Poor and let us be content with simple Diet and necessary Apparel 16. Homil. on Gen. Further Origen
Error Heresie and Traditions are excluded Augustin Marlorat said on this place Christ sent out his Apostles with this Exception That they should not press upon others their own Inventions but that they should purely and faithfully distribute what he commanded that they should gather Disciples unto him not unto themselves Yea and Poole our Country-man saith on this place Christ commands no other thing to be taught than what he had commanded hereby excluding the Traditions and Inventions of Apostatised Men. Paul said to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus I have not shunned to declare unto you all the Counsel of God Acts 20.27 So Ministers of Christ are to teach the Will and Counsel of God not their own But Man-made Ministers are guilty in this case who neither know the Call nor do the Work nor are content with the Wage of Gospel Ministers though for Lueres sake they are pretenders thereof Paul writing to the Saints at Ephesus mentions the Work and End of the true Ministry saying When Christ ascended he gave Gifts unto men to Apostles to Prophets to Evangelists to Pastors to Teachers To what end were these Gifts given For the Perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the Body till we all come in the unity of the Faith c. unto a Perfect Man unto the Measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ Ephes 4. Yea and the Apostle writing unto the Hebrews mentions their precious Growth and high Attainment in the Life of Righteousness saying Ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable Company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the First Born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect Heb. 12. Now Man made Ministers deny Perfection in this Life so deny the end of the Ministry of the truly Gifted Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers Yea and they exclude themselves from the precious Attainments of the believing Hebrews Yea and they deny the Substance of the Aaronical Vrim and Thummius What is that Aaron was to have a Breast-plate of Judgment in which was put the Vrim and Thummim by Interpretation Light and Perfection or Lights and Perfections Exod. 28.15 30. A Type fulfilled in the Substance Christ Jesus This implies that in the Evangelical Dispensation the Breast-plate of Righteousness with Urim and Thummim Light and Perfection should be received Christ the Breast-plate of Judgment and Righteousness the Urim and Thummim Light and Perfection said to his Disciples Be ye Perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is Perfect Mat. 5.48 Yea and the Apostles having received the Breast-plate of Righteousness the Urim and Thummim Spiritually Light and Perfection they preached Perfection as before is touched So that Urim and Thummim spiritually that is Light and Perfection was witnessed and preached in the Morning beauty and purity of the Evangelical Dâ—spensation Now the Aaronical Urim and Thummim were lost in the Babylonian Captivity Ezra 2. So after the Apostles dayes the Star fallâ—ng from Heaven such a weight of Smoke evaporated out of the Bottomless Pit as that it darkned Sun and Air so spoiled the Glory of the Primitive Church as that the Christian Church became Babylon Mystery Babylon In this Babylon spiritual Captivity the heavenly Urim and Thummim Light and Perfection was lost and the Smoke of the Pit during this Captivity was and is preached up for Gospel Truths Nehemiah foretold the Restoration of the Aaronical Vrim and Thummim Nehem. 7. So Christ Jesus the Son of Righteousness the heavenly Nehemiah by interpretation The Consolation of the Lord by the Breath of his Mouth and by the Brightness of his Coming is chasing away Smoke out of a Remnant the Carnal Exhalations of Mystery Babylon and the Spirit of Life from God is entring into Witnesses and the true Breast-plate of Judgment with Urim and Thummim Light and Perfection is restored and restoring Now the Locusts Man-made Ministers which come out of the Smoke are bred and formed in the Smoke of Earthly Wisdom they cannot endure to hear of the finding of them plainly discovering they want the Breast-plate of Righteousness for where it is Urim and Thummim Light and Perfection is witnessed and contended for The Dispariety of the Ministers of Christ and of such as come by the Will of Man in several Particulars 1. Christ's Ministers were not to be called Rabbi Masters he forbad it they were Obedient Paul called himself a Servant but never pleaded for Mastership James Peter and Jude stiled themselves Servants but no where Masters Mat. 23.8 James 3.1 Zuinglius on Mat. 23. said Thou hears here that the Titles of Masters and Doctors are not of God because Christ forbids this thing Further Wilson in his Christian-Dictionary said That Ambitious seeking after Titles ought to be eschewed But Man made Ministers plead for the Title of Rabbi Masters having let in the Poyson of Ambition Pride and Arrogancy 2. The Apostles preached against such as were in the Way of Cain and in the Error of Balaam affecting Gifts and Rewards 2 Pet. 2.15 Jude 11. The Apostles walked not in the Wayes of these Now Man-made Ministers shew themselves to be in the Way of Cain Drunk with the Wine of Envy Murder Persecution in the Error of Balaam pursuing the Wages of Unrighteousness which Christ the Branch of Righteousness ordained not Suing men at Courts of Judicature Assizes in Courts Temporal and Ecclesiastical Imprisoning men neither sparing their own Flocks nor others not content with Gospel Maintenance taking Money for Funeral Sermons taking or forcing Mortuaries Smoke-Money Money for Churching of Women for burying the Dead for Bread and Wine Easter-Reckonings Midsummer-Dues making their Gospel chargeable Are not these Hearts exercised with Covetous Practices 3. Paul preached That the true Church was in God made up of Living Stones fitted prepared polished for their Places in that heavenly Building offering up a Spiritual Sacrifice 1 Thes 1.1 1 Pet. 2. But Man-made Ministers have taught and do teach That a House of Lime and Stone is the Church founded by Papists for the Popish Service and such as deny their Doctrine herein are branded aâ— Heretical Schismatical Heterodox 4. The Apostles preached God to be the Word and that it became Flesh by it the Prophets prophesied it grew and multiplied John 1.1 14. Acts 12.24 Man-made Ministers say The Scriptures are the Word The Scriptures were not in the Beginning it became not Flesh it was not the Ground of the Prophets prophecying Such as got the Scriptures without the Word such ran unsent The Scriptures contained in the Bible grow not 't is no greater now than a Thousand Years ago is not the Saviour 't is a true Declaration of the Engrafted Word which is able to save the Soul Luke 1.1 James 1.21 5. The Ministers of Christ preached up Christ to
be the true Light the Way to the Father the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God and Paul was sent to turn People from Darkness to Light from the Power of Satan unto God Peter exhorted To take heed unto the sure Word of Prophecy as to a Light shining in a Dark Place until the Day did dawn and the Day-star did arise in their Hearts John 1.9 John 8.12 Acts 26.18 2 Pet. 1.19 But Man-made Ministers say The Scripture is the Light Such walk in the Region of the Shadow of Death the Scripture was given out by the Eternal Light a Declaration of it of God whence it came 6. The Apostles preached up the Baptism by one Spirit into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 as the permanent Baptism of the Evangelical Dispensation the Heart-cleansing and Soul-saving Baptism the Substance 1 Pet. 3.21 Man-made Ministers Sprinkle Infants saying thereby they are made Members of Christ Children of God Inheriters of the Kingdom of Heaven Thus the Visible is inthroned and the Invisible is dis-throned which truly makes Members of Christ Paedorantism that is Sprinkling of Infants came not in till Hundreds of Years after the Apostles dayes 7. The Apostles knew Christ to be the Bread of Life the Soul's Food heavenly Manna here they fed at the Table of the Lord had fellowship one with another were written in one anothers Hearts these knew the Table and Supper of the Lord. Man-made Ministers tell of a Sacrament for which there is no Scripture 't was the old Heathen Roman Military Oath their Communion is in visibles Meat that perishes Christendom Professing this Communion is become as Golgotha a Place of Skulls as Aceldama a Field of Blood 8. True Minsters knew the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World to be the Everlasting Covenant Glad Tidings to Captive Souls to Prisoners of Hope this Gospel was preached to Adam Gen. 3.15.10 Abraham Gal. 3.8 Man-made Ministers say Matthew Mark Luke and John is the Gospel Their Writings are a Declaration of the Everlasting Gospel Luke 1.1 9. The Apostles preached Christ the Fountain of Life the Treasury of Wisdom and Knowledge in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells Bodily Man-made Ministers say That Oxford and Cambridge are the Fountain Well-spring or Well-head of Divinity the two Eyes of the Nation Though founded in Popish Times for the Propagation of their Doctrine and Religion 10. The Apostles preached the Word which was in the beginning to be the Original which was before Babel many Languages by which the Prophets and Apostles were called and drew others into the one pure Language to know the Virtue of the Everlasting Gospel Man-made Ministers say that Hebrew and Greek is the Original The Hebrews persecuted Christ the Greeks accounted the Cross of Christ Foolishness Pilate who had Latin Greek and Hebrew the World 's Original he crucified Christ Alpha and Omega the Beginning and Ending the First and Last the Original the Author of the pure heavenly Language 11. The Apostles preached the Saints to be the Temple of the Living God Christ the Anti-type reigning in their mortal Bodies Man-made Ministers say That a House of Lime and Stone is the Temple An Imitation of Solomon's Temple a Type fulfilled and ended in Christ the Substance Stephen was stoned to Death for witnessing against the Temple the Figure when Christ the Substance was manifested 12. The Apostles preached Christ the one Offering perfecting forever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. They preached Christ the end of that Priesthood that took Tythe the end of the Law that gave Tythe Heb. 7.12 Man-made Ministers preach up Tythe the Heave-offering Numb 18. the Shadow so deny Christ the One Offering And by the same Rule they may introduce and uphold all the other Offerings of the Aaronical Priesthood 13. The Apostles as Freely they received so they Freely gave Mat. 10. 1 Pet. 4.10 Buy the Truth but sell it not saith Solomon Prov. 23. The Wine and Milk of the Kingdom is to be bought but how Without Money and Price Isa 55.1 Man-made Ministers say They are gifted men but will not part with their Gift but for a certain yearly Sum Wisdom the Gift of God is Free and cannot be bought and sold for Money Wisdom saith Job cannot be ' gotten for Gold nor Silver nor for Coral Pearls nor Rubies cap. 28. Who think to purchase it they are in the Gall of Bitterness in the Bond of Iniquity as Simon was Acts 8. 14. Such as Christ sent they preached That every one had a measure of Light in him leading to Life such as received it the Condemnation of such as received it not Joh. 1.5.9 Joh. 3.19 Rom. 1.19 Luke 17.21 Man-made Ministers deny this Doctrine saying 'T is a Natural Light and belch out Approbious Language against it and that the Improvement of it advantages nothing And all this to keep People in a Reliance and Dependance upon them never to witness the new Covenant the Law written in the Heart the Spirit put in the Inward Parts 15. Paul told the Corinthians That they might all Prophesie that all might learn and be comforted and if any thing was revealed to him that sate by the first was to hold his Peace 1 Cor. 14. This was Order in the true Church Man-made Ministers accounts this Confusion and Disorder for if any should come in and speak while the publick Minister is speaking or when he hath done how cruelly such have been used I need not mention shewing that their Church-members are Branches of that old putred stock that they were of who stoned Stephen to Death Acts 7. 16. The Apostles preached Freedom from Sin Rom. 6.6 7 18. Freedom from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 A Sanctified State 1 Cor. 6.11 A Cleansing from all Sin by the Blood of Jesus 1 John 1.7 Man-made Ministers teach another Doctrine That there is no Freedom from Sin in this Life and that a man must carry a Body of Sin and Death about with him while upon Earth 17. The Apostle James owned Christ's Doctrine who said Swear not at all Mat. 5. James 5. But Man-made Ministers plead for Swearing saying The Denyal thereof is an old Heresie yea and many eminent in the Church since the Apostles dayes have born faithful Testimonies against Swearing as Christ did who spake with Authority 18. The Apostles owned Revelation without it God is not known Mat. 11.27 Till this was witnessed Paul was Saul a grand Persecutor Gal. 1.16 Who are of God now they bear witness to this But Man-made Ministers say Revelation is ceased So conclude all to be excluded from the Knowledge of the Living God 'T is true who are in the Will of Man Night and Darkness is upon them the Sun is set Vision and Revelation such know not 19. The true Ministers of Christ preached Present Salvation Ephes 2.8 By Grace they were saved Tit. 3.5 1 Pet. 3.21 Man-made Ministers preach Christ and Salvation at a Distance telling
that while he trod out Corn for one man another should be forced to maintain him 'T was the Custom of the East and of Grecce to use Oxen to tread out the Corn before the Invention or Use of Flails Niggards muzled them that they might not eat thereof this the Law forbad What implies all this That Gospel Ministers may expect and according to Christ's Ordinance receive a Gospel Maintenance from such as receive them and their Doctrine but not from such as receive them not nor their Ministry that were all one as if while the Ox trod out the Corn for one man another man should by Laws Force Penalties have been compelled to feed the same The premises duly understood and consider'd aford no ground for Man-made Ministers to force Tythe or other Maintenance from such as receive them not such are not of their Flocks such receive not their Teaching nor Sowing nor Treading as I may say they come in another Name Power and Virtue who separate and thresh out the pure Grain The Office of one truly called into the Ministry saith Aug. Marl. is expressed by threshing that thou mayst not think that Ministers ought to live in Idleness and that thou mayst not judge that the Church is bound to maintain those that are idle who do not profit the Church So let your own Flocks maintain you Force not a Maintenance from such as receive you not if you do you transgress Christ's Ordinance and the Apostles Practice Remember the Saying of one Id quod nostrum est sine facto nostro avelli non potest that is That which is our own may not be taken from us without our own Act. Paul writing to the Church at Corinth said I robbed other Churches taking Wages of them to do you Service 2 Cor. 11.8 Though Paul had power to eat and to drink to receive carnal things of the Corinthians seeing he had sown spiritual things unto them yet he used not his Power for some Reasons but preached the Gospel Freely unto them and had a Free and Voluntary supply from the Brethren of Macedonia while he was in the Corinthian Service Thus he received of the Macedonians to whom he had formerly preached that he might not be chargeable to the Corinthians This proves not Tythes nor a forced Maintenance from those that received him not but quite the contrary This proves receiving Freely of them to whom he had preached Freely When I was present with you and wanted saith he the Brethren that came from Macedonia supplyed me vers 9. And though he calls it Robbery yet he received nothing but from such as had received him and his Doctrine and in this he transgressed not Christ's Ordinance for the Maintenance of the Gospel Ministry the Brethren of Macedonia of Corinth and of all the gathered Churches made up the Family of God and for this Family to minister carnal Things to them from whom they reaped spiritual things the Royal Law requires it Aug. Marl. said on this place As Conquerers pillage those whom they conquer so whatsoever Paul received of the Churches which he had gained to Christ it was the prey of his Conquests although saith he Paul never received any thing but what they Freely ministred and what they Freely ministred it was as it were a Due or Debt by reason of his spiritual Warfare So Paul receiving Necessaries from those that received him is no ground for Man-made Ministers to force Tythe and other Maintenance from those that receive him not these Robbers are of another Nature than Paul was Yea and this Self-denying Apostle said further to these Corinthians That he would not be burthensom unto them for saith he I seek not yours but you 2 Cor. 12. 'T was their Souls not their Wealth their Salvation not their Gold that he sought after Aug. Marl. said on this place That it is the concern of a true Teacher not to seek Gain from his Sheep but the Welfare of the Sheep But Man-made Ministers have not the Mind of Paul regard the Fleece more than the Flock A Cloud of Examples might be produced out of the Writings of the Apostles shewing their exact walking according to Christ's Command in referance to Free and Voluntary Contributions practised by the Primitive Churches Further 't is evident that at Jerusalem and thereabouts Believers were so influenced in the Apostles days and such Openness and Unity was among them that all things were in Common such as were Possessors of Lands or Houses sold them and laid the Prices thereof at the Apostles Feet Acts 4. For what end was that done Not to enrich the Apostles but that Distribution might be made to every man according as he had need that there might be no want in the Family of God Jerom saith That the Church gathered at Alexandria in Aegypt by Mark follow the same Rule as the Saints did at Jerusalem through mutual Love established in that Nearness Openness and Unity as to have all things Common Hieron in vita Marc. The Apostles and such as received them through the Cross of Christ grew up in the alforming Word of Life they blustered not about Meum and Tuum earthly Things as Worldlings do they knew the End of the World a blessed Knowledge surmounting the Knowledge of Spoiling Philosophers Philojudeus reports That not only at Jerusalem and there-abouts and at Alexandria but in many other Provinces also Christians lived together in Societies Aug. Marl. entertaining a serious Consideration of the Primitive Unanimity Oneness of Mind and of the great Degeneration of his Age brake out into these Expressions Now our Hearts are harder then Iron who are no more affected with the reading of this History than the faithful gave liberally of their own We at this day are not content niggardly to keep in what we have of our own but we cruelly greedy after other mens In Acta 4.35 A Disease too Epidemical in this Age. Christ Jesus as I said before ordained a Maintenance for his Ministers which was Free and Voluntary from such as received them by his Ordinance they neither could neither ever did force a Maintenance from those that received them not Mat. 10. Luke 10. Now Paul who had the Mind of Christ in pursuance of Christ's Ordinance seeing many convinced and converted the Family of the Lord much increased through the Labour of true Witnesses to the uttermost parts of the Earth and seeing Necessities arising and through the Enmity of the Dragon encreasing he ordained a Weekly Collection saying Now concerning the Collections for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye upon the First day of the Week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him 1 Cor. 16.1 2. wherein every man was to give according as he purposed in his Heart 2 Cor. 9.1 5 7. And these Free and Voluntary Collections and Contributions were put into the hands of the Deacons men of honest Report full
the Year 1274. Constituted that thenceforth it should not be lawful for men to give their Tythes where they would as it had been before but that they should pay all their Tythes to the Mother-Church Hence 't is evident that People might dispose of their Tythes as they pleased till they were restrained by Popes and Popish Councils The Council of Trent under Pope Pius the Fourth about the Year 1560. commanded that all Men of what degree and condition soever who were lyable to pay Tythes should justly pay the same after that time to the Cathedral Church or to any other Church or Person to whom the same was of right due This is the Magna Charta as I may say the great Decree directly constituting Tythes all or most of what was before supposed them as due by some former right The Ecclesiastical state abroad in order to Tythes being in some measure touched some what concerning our own Nation may be spoken Philip the Apostle as Histories report sent Joseph of Arimathea and others with him into this Nation antiently called Brittain in the Reign of Arviragus they also tell us of King Lucius Converted to the Christian Faith What Footing the Christian Religion had in the Brittish dayes among the Brittains I forbear to touch having never read any thing of their payment of Tythes or any other forced Maintenance This Lucius was the first of the Kings of Europe as 't is said whose Diadem was brightned with the Heavenly Gleames of Christianity Verst About the Year 290. in the Dayes of Dioclesian the Emperor began the first Persecution of Christians in Brittain There was one Alban a Brittish Pagan who received into his House one Amphibalus a Christian who fled from his Persecutors this Alban was convinced by the sweet Conversation of Amphibalus so was to be Beheaded in going to the place of Execution his intended Executioner was smitten in his Conscience and threw down his Sword at Albans Feet desiring to dye for him or with him he was put to death with Alban the manner of Alban's Death was Engraven upon a Marble Stone and was set up in the City Verulamium or Verulam for a terror to Christians This City after was ruined and of the Ruines of it a Town was built to this very Day called St. Albans in memory of the Martyrdom of Alban in that place not long after the same Romans caught Amphibalus put him to Death near the same place where Alban had suffered Of this Alban one wrote Albanum egregium faecunda Brittannia profert Brittain fertill of all Good Wash't with glorious Alban's Blood The barbarous Saxons over-ran this Brittish Nation exercising Cruel Persecutions upon them till the very Name of Christian was blotted out and those Saxons erected a Heptarchy that is a seven fold Kingdom in this Land As they say saith Bede About the Year 600. or soon after one Gregory Arch-Deacon of Rome saw two Northumbrian Youths exposed to be sold he demanded Whence they were It was answered by some by standers That they were Angli of the Province Deira called now Houlderness and that they were Subjects of Alla King of Northumberland and by Religion Pagans Gregory framed this Allusion that the Angli like unto Angels should be snatcht Dei ira from the Wrath of God and should be taught to sing Hallelujah This Gregory obtaining Licence of Benedict the Pope resolved to come and Preach among the English but the Romans through their desire to his presence recalled him from his Purpose and Journey This Gregory after succeeding in the Papal Seat sent Abbot Augustin and some zealous Monks with him to preach the Faith of Rome to the English Nation who safely arrived at the Isle Tanet this Augustin sent a Message to Ethelbert a Saxon King of Kent That he was come from Rome to proffer Heaven upon their reception of his Evangelical Message Ethelbert gave him and them a Meeting who advanced for their Standard a Silver Cross and the painted Image of Christ singing the solemn Litanies c. Ethelbert said unto them Fair and ample are the Promises which you bring yet such as being new and uncertain I cannot hastily assent unto Nevertheless because you are Strangers and are come afar to impart unto us the Knowledge of things which doubtless you judge the truest and best we will not recompence you with any Molestation but will Friendly entertain you nor do we forbid whom you can by Preaching to gain to your Belief He allotted them a Residance in Canterbury his chief City Milton The Example of their Holy Life saith my Author spent in Prayer Fasting and continual Labour in the Preaching of the Gospel gained many on whose Bounty and the King 's receiving only what was necessary from those that received them they subsisted Pope Gregory clearly held out to Augustin that he and his Assistants should live according to the Primitive Order among whom none said any thing was his own of the things he possessed but all things were common among them Where I observe that although they were almost smothered at Rome with the Smoke of the Pit yet they had a sight into the Primitive Order as to live of the Free and Voluntary bounty of such as received them which Augustin at first observed Venerable Bede saith Thâ—â— Augustin and his Companions first coming to King Ethelbert in Kent began there to imitate the way course of the primitive Church receiving only Necessaries from such as received them and their Doctrine Bed Hist Here was no preaching up of Tythes no mention of a Compulsive Maintenance Now how long this course of living of the Free and Voluntary Bounty of the People according to the primitive Institution and Practice continued History gives me not much Satisfaction yet Conjectures there are from the Testimony of Bede till the time of Henry the third no Tythes as Tythes were generally paid but only a Decree was made That for every twenty Shillings Rent a Farthing a Sunday so call'd was to be paid which came to fifty two Farthings yearly This was given by way of Offering but was supposed as Due and the Tenth part of the yearly Rent of their Houses Bede Lingwood Ethelbert the King of Kent being drawn by Augustin to embrace the Faith Doctrine and Worship of Papal Rome multitudes of his Subjects framed a Conformity thereunto Upon this Augustin informed Pope Gregory of his Success whereupon Pope Gregory ordained him Arch-Bishop of the English Milton Pope Gregory sent others as Melistus Justus Panlinus Rufinian and others who brought strange stuff with them into this our Nation as Vessels Vestiments for the Altar Coaps Reliques and a Fall for Austin the Arch-Bishop to say Mass in Milton A great part of the Nation being in a little time brought to the Romish Faith they began to with-draw from their Dependance and Reliance upon the Free and Voluntary Contributions of their Converts and began to preach up the old Roman
having driven out and overthrown these barbarous Nations performed not his promise with the Clergy but divided their Benefices to such of the Nobility as had done Valiantly in that Enterprize and assured the same to them and their Heirs forever in Fee The Example hereof passed over the Alpes into Italy and mounted above the Pyrenean Hills into Spain and shortly failed over into England Thus Tythes came out of the Hands of the Clergy and became the possession of the Laity This Fact of Martellus was committed about the Year 660. and for it is confidently Damn'd in the Legend the Story of his Damnation is fastened upon Euchere Bishop of Orleance who is said to have seen in a Vision this Martellus in Hells Torment and that Euchere might believe what he saw an Angel instructed him to seek for Martell in his Sepulchre so he did but found him not but the place he found all black and instead of Martell a direful Serpent This Story is to be read in the Legend and the whole passage is Recorded by Sr. Thomas Ridley in his view of the Civil and Ecclesiastical Law Further how it came to pass that Tythes appointed by man for the Maintenance of the Clergy for the use of the Poor for the building and repairing of places of publick Worship came into the Hands of Lay-men as they are called Albius Krantzius relates Carolus Magnus the Son of Pipin and King of France through his compliance with the See of Rome he first got the Title of Most Christian-King he Conquered the Saxons and drew them from Gentilism to the Profession of Christianity and made Provision for the Clergy But 't is said saith this Krantzius that Tythe at first was not assigned to the Saxon Clergy but to the King's Lievetenants that out of the same they might pay their Souldiers and answer the Charge of the frequent expeditions against that Nation For this end saith his Chronicle in Saxony and other places much Tythes were in the Hands of Lay-men This same Krantzius renders anothers Cause the Clergy fearing that Princes would not secure them in their Possession of Tythes he supposes the Clergy gave them part of Tythe thereby to obliege them to secure them in their Possession of their respective parts chusing rather to lose part thereof then the whole and that the things are true which Krantzius relates 't is evident from that Oration which Frederick the first Emperor made saying As touching you O Bishops the Pope judges it an unfitting thing that Tythes which are dedicated to Altars and Church-men should be in the possession of Lay-men neither will he understand that Churches of Old suffering great afflictions were defended by Lay-men than Church-men as a recompence to Lay-men gave them part of their large Possessions of Tythes Kran Lib. 1. and Lib. 6. Novissima Polyanthea And in our Nation King Henry the eighth shaking off the Pope denying his Supremacy he dissolved many Monasteries which had many Tythes and Rectories appropriated unto them so kept part in his own Hands part he sold to others to be held as Lay-Possesssions thus they dropt into Lay-mens hands and these Lay-men having no Law to recover them the Popes Law not reaching to Lay-persons so called this Henry made new Laws in behalf of Lay-men that they might be capacitated to enforce the aforesaid payment of Tythes Thus it appears what jumbling and Confusion hath been in the Night of Apostacy to introduce and continue Tythes granted only to the Levites for their Service under that Ministration which Law which Service and which Maintenance Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah put an end unto and such as introduce what he put an end unto notwithstanding their gilded Colours and specious Pretences being seen in Gods Eye and weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary they are found Antichristian Now you Teachers of what Denomination soever who strive struggle and wrestle to maintain a property in your delicate and dainty Morsell Tythes and that jure divino aut humano by divine or humane Right give me leave soberly and modestly to make tryal of your Right to or Property in the same in your most Foundamental pretences and to the end I may Methodize the ensuing discourse let me lay the Ax to the Root of the Tree try your pretended Tenure of right unto the exaction of Tythes and that from a four-fold Authority Patriarchal Mosaical Evangelical and Humane for all Grounds Reasons and Arguments that are or can be alledged for the exaction of Tythes are naturally reducible to one or other of these four Sourses or Springings and if these main Pillars Cathedral props cannot bear up that Building of the exaction of Tythes in Gospel Dayes and that by Divine right it will and ought to tumble down as the Reformation of the great Gospel-Reformer prevails in Churches professing Christianity and as you learn the sound wholsom and savoury Lesson of Self-denyal you will be glad and rejoyce for the Reformation of Christ and for the increase of his Government notwithstanding your loss of Antichristian Provision CAP. XIII The Clergies Patriarchal Claim of Tythes considered NOw you that say That the Divine Right of Tythes is derived from Melchizedec and not from Levi. To this I Answer 'T is then inquirable whether or no Tythes were ever the due and property of Melchizedec that which could make them his Property must be a Command they were no more the property of the Levites then of any other of the Tribes till there was an Assignation of them to the Levites after the command issued from the Court of Heaven they became due and while the command stood in force and the Law was unrepealed 't was a transgression of the divine Law to be found in non-payment thereof Now where is the Command that Tythes should be paid to Melchizedec Where is the Law of the Assignation of them to him 'T is not groundless Conjectures and Suppositions will serve the turn positive Precept is called for No right could be derived from Melchizedec to another which was not first in Melchizedec himself Vlpians Judgment is found Nemo plus juris ad alium transferre potest quam ipse haberet that is No man can make a better Title to another then he himself hath Obj. Tythes were paid to Melchizedec after whose Order Christ was High Priest forever therefore due unto the Evangelical Order Answ 'T is neither said by Moses nor by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews that Abram paid him Tythes but that he gave him Tythes and betwixt a Payment and a Gift there is a difference the one imports a Due or Debt the other a free and Voluntary Act. Now if Tythes had been properly due from Abram to Melchizedec 't is not probable that both these holy men who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely inspired would have said he gave but he paid Tythes The Geneva notes on Heb. 7.5 say The Levites had Commandment to receive
that which Abram gave freely to Melchizedes What Abram did it was Free and Voluntary Melchizedec had no Law to require it neither had Abram a Law enjoyning him to pay it neither is it apparent that ever Abram gave the Tythe but this once upon this accidential or providential occasion which may be taken for a thankful acknowledgement and a return of kindness to Melchizedec who had given him Bread and Wine for the Refreshment of him and his Souldiers after the Fight A voluntary Promise only binds the promiser and the free Gift of one is not obligatory to others no binding Example for future Generations a feeble Ground for such as would be accounted Gospel-Ministers to claim Tythe if Abram's free and voluntary Gift must be a binding Rule in Gospel-dayes then may every man require Bread and Wine of their Priest for the refreshment of themselves and Families every Officer require the same for himself and Souldiers the one Example is as obligatory as the other in Gospel-Dayes both being Voluntary Again let us consider what Abram gave him the Tenth of Chederlaomer and the Kings with him Conquered the King of Sodom and took all the Goods of Sodom and took Lot Abram's Brother's Son Prisoner upon this Abram armed his traned Servants and pursued them rescued Lot and the Goods in his return Melchizedeck met him gave him Bread and Wine as before and blessed God for his Success then Abram gave him Tythes of all Gen. 14. Of all what Not of the Increase of his Lands and Flocks Abram did not carry every Tenth Sheaf Lambs Piggs Geese Chickins with him but rather Sword Spear Battle-Ax Battle-Bow or such like Weapons of War he had other things to carry with him than Tythe Corn Hay Lambs Piggs c. Abram gave him Tythe of all Of all what The Apostle answers thee Consider how great this man was unto whom even the Patriarch Abram gave the Tenth of the Spoils Heb. 7.4 So that of the Goods belonging formerly to Sodom plundered by Chederlaomer rescued and recovered by Abram Abram gave to Melchizedec the Tenth thereof And what if he had given it all to him seeing he was resolved not to keep the least of it for his own use Gen. 14. Now besides the Apostle Erasmus Crysostom Jerom upon several accounts as also our Country-man Poole say expresly That Abram gave him Tythes not of his own Lands and Flocks but of the Spoils taken from the Enemy Poole on Heb. 7.4 saith This place cannot be understood of all Abram's Possessions but of all the Spoil taken in that Battle Abram was not then at Home but in his Journey in his return from the pursuit of his Enemy Now if you will have Tythe from this Example you must go to the Souldiers and make your claim after Victories obtained for Abram gave not the Tythes of his own Lands and Flocks nor ever but this once as far as appears How then proves this a yearly payment of Tythes to Gospel-Ministers And how can an annual payment be justly derived to others from the free and voluntary Gift of one and that but once Again if from the Gift of Abram to Melchizedec you will enforce any thing to that Order it can but be free Gift which we deny not in the Wisdom of God being ordained of Christ practised by the Apostles and Churches while a pure Virgin to Christ so that your Antiquity of Tythes to the Gospel-Ministry is vanished into the free Gift of the People Obj. To give and to pay is all one in this Case So the Apostle not only said he gave the Tenth Heb. 7.4 but also Levi paid Tythe in Abram verse 9. Answ To give and to pay is not all one in this Case the Apostle in the Wisdom of God varied his Expression according to the Persons he treated of and the different Times and Seasons he related to speaking of Abram in the Anti Levitical dayes before Tythes were commanded in whom it was a free voluntary spontaneous Act Gift to Melchizedec he says He gave but speaking of Levi of the Levitical Priesthood who lived after Tythes were assigned and commanded to be paid he expresses himself by the word Paid vers 9. Abram Gave Levi Paid That Abram came thither with an intention to Pay or Melchizedec with an expectation to receive Tythes I cannot receive Now that Tythe was not Paid to Melchizedec but Given and that not Yearly but once and that not of the Increase of his Lands and Flocks but of the Pillage of Sodom rescued and recovered from the Plunderers the Fruits of War-like performances 't is very evident the Scripture is not dubious but clear in this point So they may be judged Irrational who claim a property in and plead for Tythes upon such crazy and feeble grounds Jacob's Vow considered Gen 28.22 being stoutly alledged for the continuance of Tythes in Gospel-dayes Jacob in his Journey from Beersheba to Haran tarried all Night in a certain place and laid down to sleep with his Head upon a Pillow of Stones and from the Lords glorious appearance unto him and sweet comfortable Promise of his presence with him and preservation of him and that in him and in his Seed all the Families of the Earth should be blessed he called the Name of that place Bethel by Interpretation The House of God in the fence of these things and in confidence of the Lord's Promise and faithful performance he vowed saying If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me Bread to eat and Rayment to put on c. And this Stone which I have set for a Pillar shall be God's House and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the Tenth unto thee Gen. 28. This Jacob performed after twenty Years as Josephus saith in these Words By Offering unto the Lord the Tenth of all his Substance which he got at Haran After that he returned unto that place where God's appearance unto him was This Vow of Jacob was Voluntary in being unrequired Let such as would squeeze a Divine right to the exaction of Tythes from this or from any Ante-diluvian or Post-diluvian Patriarch shew a command for the same before the Levitical Assignation the known Maxime is Affirmanti incumbit probatio that is He that affirms must prove being Voluntary 'T is no binding Example to future Generations though 't is true Jacob's Vow was obligatory to him after he had vowed but not to his Posterity the eleaven Tribes paid not Tythes to Levi by reason of the Example of Abram and Jacobs voluntary Gifts but by vertue of the Lord's command thereunto enjoyning That the Patriarchal Age was without a Divine command for the payment of Tythes Pareus on the aforesaid Scripture clearly demonstrates shewing and saying Decimae ante legem liberae erant arbitrariae exemple Abrami Jacobi licebat dare vovere aut non that is Tythes before the Law were free and
Sin-Offering Burnt-Offering Trespass-Offering Wave-Offering as for the Heave-Offering in Gospel-days I have shewed my Judgment that Tythe was a legal Type Figure or Shadow peculiar unto the Ministration of Moses and that it terminated with that Ministration I might add the Judgment of many several of whom have been eminent in the Protestant Church who have spoken to the same purpose The payment of Tythes saith Fulke as it was a Ceremonial duty it is abrogated with other Ceremonies by the Death of Christ On Heb. 7.4 Further neither did Christ our high Priest ever make claim unto Tythes nor his Apostles Minister of the Church but only to a sufficient living by the Gospel to be allowed of their temporal Goods to them from whom they had received Spiritual things Fulke on the same Walter Brute a valiant opposer of Popery shewed that Tythes were Ceremonial and that the Law was abrogated by which they were due to the Levites his Testimony is I marvel that you learned Men do say That Christian Folk are bound to this small Ceremony of the payment of Tythes For a Conclusion he saith Seeing that neither Christ nor any of the Apostles commanded to pay Tythes 't is evident neither by the Law of Moses nor by Christ's Law Christian People are bound to pay Tythes but by the Tradition of Men they are bound Fox Acts and Mon. The Quota or tenth part saith Melaneton is founded on the Ceremonial and Judicial Law which Laws are proper to Moses Polity and belong not to us seeing God hath utterly destroyed it De Lib. Christian pag. 303. Epiphanius about the Year 380. intimated that Tythes and Circumcision were a like Ceremonial He mentions Tenths for one of his instances of legal Shadows making them equal with Circumcision Lib. 1. Ord. 8. Oecolampadius on Ezek. 44. ranks Sacrifices first Fruits and Tythes altogether making them equal with Circumcision and calls them expresly Ceremonial The Bohemians sound Protestants in their Testimony against the Popish Clergy said thus They receive Tythes of men and preach that men are bound to pay them but therein they say falsly for they cannot prove by the New Testament that Jesus Christ commanded it nor the Apostles neither did they receive them This Precept of the Law say they had an end by Christ as the precept of Circumcision Christ said Give Alms of those things that remain but he said not Give the Tenth of the Goods which ye possess This is the sum of their Testimony on that account Andrew Willet a stout opposer of Popery in the reign of King James called the Law of Tythes Ceremonial acknowledging That men are not necessarily bound by the Law of God to pay Tythes now Further he saith That the payment of Tythes was a wise and politick Constitution and might conveniently be retained yet it is not now of necessity imposed upon Christians as though no other Provision for the Church could serve but that Willets Synops Papismi pag. 314 315. He acknowledges Tythes to be Ceremonial and proves them ended with the legal Priesthood So that though Maintenance it self be Moral yet the mode or manner of that Maintenance as by Sacrisices Oblations Tythes first Fruits c. may be Ceremonial Hebrews 7.5 12. An absolute Repeal of that Law which gave Tythes as of the Priesthood to whom by that Law they were given To conclude Hales Aquinas Henricus de Grandavo R. de Media Villa Cardinal Cajetan John Mayer Suarez Malder and others said That the tenth part paid by the Tribes to Levi was rather Ceremonial then Moral and wherein the Ceremoniality of it lies the clearly seeing Eye cannot but discern CAP. XVII Of the Clergies Humane Title unto the Exaction of Tythes THe Patriarchal Levitical and Evangelical Claim not securing in order to the property of Tythes not a few betake themselves to a humane Claim as unto an impregnable Fortress and such as have recourse unto man for a ground to justifie them in the Possession thereof their pleas are various Some plead the Decrees Canons and Constitutions of General Councils Popes Bishops Convocations saying That Tythes are due jure Eeclesiastico Others plead the Gifts of Kings and Princes Others plead the temporal Laws of Kings Parliaments c. Others plead the perticluar Gifts Appropriation or Donation of the former Owners of the Land Others plead a Right by purchase I Answer These Claims have been perticularly answered and that again and again So I say in the general How can humane Laws made for the payment of Tythes since Christ came in the Flesh bind the Conscience of any man Seeing the end scope purpose intent and tendency of those Laws are for the establishment of that which Christ put an End unto whose prerogative it is to have Rule Regiment Government in all where the Mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience Gods own Law for the payment of Tythes to the Levites being dissanulled by Christ and its burden of typical Appurtenances abolished Who is Man that makes a Law in that place where God dissanulled his own Who hath impowered man to raise a compulsary Maintenance it being Christ's Maintenance for his Ministry was free and voluntary After Austin brought the Romish Faith and Doctrine into this Nation upon what strange accounts Tythes came to be set up and established I have in some measure touched and further and. Athelstane King of the West Saxons about the Year 940 to pacifie the Ghost of his murthered Brother Edwin to whose Death he is said to have consented underwent seven Years Penance built certain Monasteries and made a Law for the payment of Tythes hoping thereby to expiate his Sins Fox Acts and Mon. King Edgar cruel to Citizens a deflowrer of Virgins concerned in the Act of shedding the Blood of Earle Ethelwold that he might enjoy Elfrida his Wife to expiate his Sins about the Year 959. he confirmed the payment of Tythes built and prepared several Monasteries and Nunneries Canutus the first Danish King being guilty of the Blood of Edward and Edmund Sons of Ironfide Heirs to the Crown about the Year 10.6 confirmed Tythes and built the Abbey of St Bennet in Norfolk and in Suffolk and the Monastery of St Edmund whom he dreadfully feared being often affirighted by the apparition of his Ghost for which cause as also to expiate the Sins of his Fathers he Confirmed Tythes See Osburns Case of Tythes Upon such accounts as these and other Idolatrous ends the grand Oppression and Antichristian exaction of Tythes had entrance into our English Church professing Christianity and such Donations as these are pleaded yea and by such as would be accounted Reformers from the Delusions of mystical Babylon from the Dregs of the apostatized seven-hilled City and her Adherents yea and such Donors were and are reckoned as Nursing Fathers to the Christian Church And such as strengthen themselves for the maintaining of that grand Oppression have the Language of Peter in their Mouthes against such as
are Witnesses against the same Submit your selves unto every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake 1 Pet. 2.13 I Answer If Obedience should have been given to all Ordinances of men without limitation Idolatrouâ— Consequences would have followed as Histories Ecclesiastical and Civil inform us Then had the Children of Israel been oftner found guilty of Idolatry through actual Obedience to the apostatized Kings of Israel and Judah Then had Shadrach Meshach and Abednego forsaken the living God and have worshipped the Golden Image of Nebuchadnezzar Then had Daniel committed Idolatry in making his application to the Heathen King Darius instead of the living God Then had the pure Current of the everlasting Gospel been stopped For the Apostles were commanded not to teach in the Name of Jesus Acts 4. Then had not the Woman that fate upon the Scarlet-coloured Beast been made drunk with the Blood of Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus For if these Saints and Martyrs had and should yield actual Obedience to the Ordinances of men they had and should cut off the occasion of Suffering for their Testimonies Then had not the two Witnesses Prophesied one Thousand two Hundred and Sixty Days cloathed in Sack-cloth I say Obedience is to be given to those Ordinances of man for the Lords sake which are of a Civil nature and concern for the punishment of Evil-doers and for the Praise of them that do well but when Civil Authority usurps the Power of Christ the Law-giver to of and in the Church and imposes Laws and Ordinances contrary to Truth and Conscience herein not active but passive Obedience is to be yielded The said Peter clears this point who the Rulers commanding them not to teach in the Name of Jesus answered boldly to this purpose They were to hearken to God rather then to men Acts 4. On this Scripture our Country-man Poele saith well We are bound by the Command of God to speak what we have seen and heard yea and the truly re-born of Water and of the Spirit are to contend for the Call Work and Wage of the Primitive Ministry when men do or would set up the contrary Polyearpus in the Morning of Christianity said We have learned to give that Honour to earthly Powers which is meet and which hinders not our Salvation Musonius said well If any one obey not his Father or his Prince commanding unlawful things he is neither Disobedient nor Injurous nor a Sinner herein When Julian gave orders to his Souldiers that were Christians to take up Arms against Christians they would not obey as Ambrose hath related Oh that the Professors of Christianity now would consider this How far they are degenerated how the Spirit oâ— Meekness Love and Gentlâ—ness is dis-throned and the Spirit of Envy Cruelty and Bloodshed is inthroned wherein such as profess Christianity fall by the Hands of one another as Leaves from Trees at the approach of Autumn Now you that reject and dispute against the Evangelical Ordinance of free and voluntary Contribution and violently intrude the Co-ercive exaction of Tythes and other things and that from the Laws Canons Decrees Decretals and Constitutions of men let me in soberness Reason a little with you Jacob in the Word of Prophecy fore-told of the coming of Shiloh saying Vnto him shall the gathering of the People be Gen. 49.10 Or as some render it To him shall the Obedience of the People be Or as the Septuagint renders it He shall be the expectation of the Nations Now you that plead for Tythes in Gospel-days and that from the Ordinances of man your gathering is not unto Shiloh nor your Obedience neither is your reliance upon him but your gathering and obedience is unto man your reliance is upon the Sons of men from whom you have your Tythes Easter-Reckonings Midsummer-Dues Mortuaries Money for Funeral Sermons Burials Marriages Churching of Women Peter-Pence now called Reek-pennies Smoke-pennies c. Again Moses the man of God Prophesied of the coming of the great Prophet saying Vnto him shall you hearken in all things Deut. 18. who taught a free and voluntary Maintenance Now the before-mentioned things shew that you hearken not to him but to the Canons Constitutions Decrees and Decretals of men from whom you have received your manner of Maintenance Again Christ said Learn of me Matth. 11. But he giving no Lessons for the aforesaid you have learned them of men and plead for the same Again Christ said of the Scribes and Pharisees In vain they do worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Matth. â—5 9 You are found in their Steps vain Worshippers making void the Gospel-Ordinance of free and voluntary Contribution preaching up the Commands Canons Decrees Constitutions of men from which muddy Lake you derive your Tythes and compulsary Maintenance Again Christ sending forth his Disciples said Go ye therefore and teach all Nations c. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Matth. 28. Consider this they were to teach all that Christ commanded them and nothing else not what apostatized Powers should command or impose Here the Decrees Canons Laws and Constitutions of men setting up that which Christ put an end unto and forcing a Maintenance are excluded Again the Apostle Paul preached that Christ should have Preeminence in all things Col. 1.18 If in all things then in the concern of the Maintenance of the Gospel Ministry Now such as slight the free and voluntary Maintenance of the Gospel and plead for Tythes and a compulsary Maintenance such would have man to have Pre-eminence such are Ministers of man Christ said to the Jews If you were of Abraham you would do the Works of Abraham So may I say If you were of Christ you would do the Works of Christ and be content with his allowance John bare record saying Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God 2 John 9. And such as are without God they are Hetrodox Heretical yea Atheistical and such as stand to man's Maintenance and not Christ's they are in Transgression Did not Christ say that all Power in Heaven and in Earth was committed to him Is not he indued with Soveraign Power Was not he appointed of the Father to be Law-giver to of and in the Church Did not Paul foretell of a departure from the Faith an Apostacy and that the man of Sin should be revealed that he should sit in the Temple of God in the Church and shew himself to be God This is the great Antichrist Now they that deny the Gospel-Ordinance which was free and voluntary and plead for Tythes and for a compulsary Maintenance introduced by man such deny Christ to be Law-giver to of and in the Church And what is that Spirit that introduces a Maintenance contrary to the Gospel-Maintenance Of the man of Sin of Antichrist who is against Christ his Call Work and Wage and hath a Call Work and Wage of his own Do
not Protestant Writers say That the Beast and his ten Horns is the Pope and Popish Kings And by what hath been spoken it may appear how Tythes came into Churches professing Christianity and a Compulsary Maintenance Now is it honourable for or besseming such as pretend to be Ministers of Christ to have no Command nor Example from Christ for what they act but from the Beast and his Horns the Pope and his Auxilliaries Do they not offer great affront to Christ who establish that which he dissanulled Now if every Ordinance of man of what Nature so ever must be submitted to strange Consequences might follow then if one and the same Individual Person should remove into twenty several Nations of different Religions he is bound to hoist up his Sails to all these Winds to comply with the Worship of every respective Nation if the Supream Authority command it Having touched that no Patriarchal Act nor the Levitical nor Evangelical Dispensations nor Ordinances of man can assure Tythes to Gospel Ministers as truly such I may subjoyn a few Testimonies of men eminent in the Church since the Apostles dayes who in their Respective Ages bare Testimony against the grand Oppression of Tythes and other things The Teachers of the Waldenses saith a certain Inquisitor are Weavers Taylors they encrease not Riches but are content with Necessaries Vsher de Succes Eeclesia These Waldenses were a People of great Sincerity and Godly Simplicity in their day and endured fiery Tryals storms of Persecutions for their Testimony against the Romish Faith Gildas speaking of the Brittish Clergy being Locusts come out of the Smoke said They are Pastors in name but indeed Wolves not called to but seizing on the Ministry as a Trade not as a spiritual Charge seeking after Preferments and Degrees in the Church more than after Heaven and so gain'd make it their whole study to keep them by any Tyranny And what sufferings are in this our day for the Denyal of Tythe what Imprisonments what Havock and Spoil is and hath been made I need say nothing the Statute of Tâ—ible Damage hath been leaned to as if it were from Heaven and not of men The Waldenses saith Bishop Vsher gave Testimony That Ministers ought to be poor content with the free Benevolence of the People The Papists saith this Vsher judged this a pestilent and damnable Opinion And many that would be accounted Reformed Churches approve not of it Primitive Christianity had other thoughts of it their Maintenance being free and voluntary These Waldenses on a certain account testified saying We are not ashamed of our Ministers in that they labour with their hands seeking a Maintenance according to their Ability because the Doctrine and Example of the Apostles allows of this thing Vsher de Succes Ecclesiae Further this Vsher affirms That these Waldenses condemned all the Clergy because of their Idleness saying They ought to labour with their Hands as the Apostles did Robert Abbot of Molisme in Burgundy perswaded his own Disciples To live with their handy Labour and to forsake Tythes and Oblations The Bohemians descended from the Waldenses professed That all Ministers ought to be poor and to be content with the Free Gift of the People Aen. Syl. in his Bohemian History The Dominicans and Franciscans taught That Tythe was not due by Divine Right nor a necessary duty to Gospel Ministers but that they might be detained and disposed of at the Owners pleasure especially if the Pastor did not well perform his Office 'T was generally the judgment of the Wickliffians as of the Waldenses and Bohemians being all Protéstants That Ministers ought to be poor and content with the free Gifts of the People Aen. Syl. his Bohemian History John Wickliff whose works are much esteemed by Protestants in England and Bohemia whose Bones were taken up and burnt by Papists forty one years after his Death gave Testimony in this manner That Tythes were and are a free Gift as among the Christians and only pure Alms and that Parish oners might for the Offence of their Curates detain and keep them back and bestow them upon others at their own Will and Pleasures Fox Acts and Mon. John Hus burnt at Constance for his Testimony said thus The Clergy are not Lords and Possessors of Tythes and other Ecclesiastical Goods which are freely given but only Stewards and after the necessity of the Clergy is once satisfied they ought to be bestowed on the Poor and if the Clergy do abuse the same they are Thieves and Robbers and Sacriledges Persons and except they do Repent by the just judgment of God they are to be condemned Fox Acts and Mon. At the Reformed Church in Geneva they live upon free Gifts and Tythes of all sorts are taken up for the use of the State and said up for the publick Treasury William Thorp Martyr being complained of by the Popish Clergy was brought to Examination in the year 1407. being accused before Thomas Arundel Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England as against divers other abuses crept into the Church so also against Tythes he gave faithful Testimony saying In the New Law neither Christ nor his Apostles ever took Tythe of the People neither commanded they the People to pay Tythe And Christ and his Apostles preached the Word of God to the People and lived of pure Alms or free Gifts and after Christ's Assention when the Apostles had received the Holy Spirit they travelled labouring with their Hands not to be Chargeable Further saith he Tythes were given in the old Law to Levites and Priests but our Priests come not of Levi ergo by the Law our Priests cannot challenge Tythes for as the Priesthood is changed so is the Law but since Christ in the time of his Ministry and also his Apostles lived by pure Alms or else by the Labours of their Hands for the Servant is not greater than his Lord. At which words the Bishop said unto him God's Curse have you and mine for thus teaching Further William Thorp said Those Priests that do take Tythes they deny Christ to be come in the Flesh Further bearing Testimony against the Covetousness and Pride of the Priests The Bishop answered By God I deem him more meek that goes every day arrayed in his Scarlet Gewn than thou in thy Thred-bare blew Gown Language not savouring of a primitive Bishop but of an Apostate Lording Bishop Fox Acts and Mon. William Swinderby testified to this purpose If Parishioners pay Tythes to wicked Priests or Curats they are guilty before God of upholding them in their Sins and Evil Deeds Further saith he Christs Law commands to minister freely to the People the Pope with his Law â—ells or Money Christs Law teaches his Priests to be Poor the Pope justifies and maintains Priests to be Lords Fox Acts and Mon. Walter Brute testified as appears by the Articles charged against him 1st That no man is bound to pay Tythes in Gospel times 2dly If any Priest
receive any thing by way of Bargain or yearly Stipend in so doing he is a Schismatick and accursed 3dly That if we be bound to pay Tythes in Gospel times then are we Debtors to keep the whole Law for he that was the End of one part was the end of the whole 4thly Seeing that neither Christ nor any of his Apostles commanded to pay Tythes 't is manifest and plain that neither by the Law of Moses nor by the Law of Christ Christians are bound to pay Tythes but by mans Traditions Fox Acts and Mon. A Sound Testimony and true but opposed by Man made Ministers About the year 1431. Lodovicus a man much praised for Constaney and Wisdom said to the Clergy If you were true Bishops and true Pastors of Souls you would not doubt to put your Lives in hazard for your Sheep neither be afraid to shed your Blood for the Church in the Cause of Christ but at this present saith he 't is too rare to find a Prelate which doth not prefer his Temporalities before his Spiritualities with the Love whereof they are so withdrawn that they study rather to please Princes than God c. Aen. Syl. his History of the Council of Basil Pareus speaking of the drying up the River Euphrates brings in the judgment of his Anonymus that is Nameless Author which he approves of which is That the preaching of the Gospel doth shall cause men to take away all Temporal Things that is Possessions and Earthly Dominion from the Clergy and they shall no more be given them Herein I accord with him that as far as the Virtue and Power of the Gospel truly renews transforms and changes men so far 2 Faithfull and Living Testimony shall be born to the Free and Voluntary Maintenance of the Gospel and against the Antichristian Maintenance by Tythes and other Groundless Scriptureless Co-ercive Maintenance Truth prevailing this shall be scoured away It is against the holy Scripture saith Wickliff for Church-men to have Possessions Gerardus Sagarellus who lived before Wickliff's time denyed a divine Right to Tythes in Gospel days Erasmus boldly affirmed That the common exacting of Tythes by the Clergy in his Time was no better than Tyranny In Augustin's time it was no general Law nor Custom in the Church that Tythes should be paid Willet's Synopsis of Popery When the Disciples saith Walter Brute said to Christ Behold we have left all and have followed thee what shall we have He answered not thus Tythes shall be paid you neither did he promise them a Temporal but an Everlasting Reward in Heaven for Food and Apparel he taught his Disciples not to be careful Paul right-well remembring his Doctrine gave Timothy this Instruction Having Food and Rayment let us therewith be content Fox Acts and Mon. Primitive Non-payment of Tythes saith one is a pregnant Argument that they did not understand Tythes to be appointed by Christ for his Ministers He that knows his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many Stripes Had it been saith Selden of Tythes the Apostles Ordinance or the Use of the Church in the Primitive Times Origen Tertullian and Cyprian could not have been so silent in it Is it likely saith he that all the old Councils from thence till near six Hundred Years after Christ which have special Canons for the Lands and Goods possest by the Church c. could have omitted the Name of Tenths if either such Use or Apostolical Law had preceeded Some of the aforesaid for their Testimony against Tythes as against other Errors Heresies Superstition and Idolatry of Italian Babylon suffered in Flames as Histories demonstrate To draw to a Conclusion By what hath been said 't is apparent to all seeing Eyes that according to Christ's Doctrine the Apostles were not to receive any thing but from such as received them and their Doctrine from such as reaped their Spiritual Things But now all that are found within the Limits Precincts Bounds of such or such a Parish first set up by the Pope and his Emissaries after ratified by Earthly Princes whether Believers or Unbelievers Prophane Schismaticks Hereticks Excommunicated Persons yea such as they 'l Curse and give up to Satan of these they 'l have Tythes Easter-Reckonings Midsummer-Dues Mortuaries Oblations Smoke-Money which they claim as Due being introduced by Apostatized men bringing for a Cloak He that preaches the Gospel must live of the Gospel when as the Gospel warrants no such thing In the Apostles time they had places of Worshop where Jews gathered from Jewdaism and Gentiles from Gentilism met together to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth yet no man was limitted to this or that Place nor to pay to such or such a Place or minister so much per annum these Anti-evangelical Antichristian Customs crawled out of the Apostolical Womb Honorius who succeeded Austin at Canterbury about the Year 630. divided his Province into Parishes as Selden of Tythes chap. 9. saith THE END