him for his maintenance at their pleasure Because if he will not take their allowance What they be disposed to giue him though it be not woorth the taking vp not the twentieth happily not the 40. part of his due hee shall haue nothing at all seeing by lawe as they account and will handle the matter hee shall or can recouer nothing of them 7. It is such a course as if it hold a while longer and be not speedily by due law reformed will it may iustly be feared bring the Ministers of diuers places to very beggery or the Ministrie of such places to be dissolued My reason is many such are resolued already that they owe the Minister nothing or at least that he can recouer of them nothing at all but their accustomed offerings that is two pence a peece at Easter And if they come once generally as already many doo to practise it we may soone coniecture what the sequell must needs be And this is a common thing whatsoeuer any hath vsed of his voluntary to pay howsoeuer their wealth increase scant one of an 100. will augment any thing to the minister but contrariwise in maner all bee ready vpon any light occasion to abate giue lesse And abatement once made it is neuer bettered againe So that by all likelihood in a little time it will come to nothing at all 8. It is such a course and kind of dealing as if it should which God forbid bee practised generally were the readie way to ouerthrow the Gospell to beate downe the preaching of the word and to banish religion out of the land Goe throughout the land from Dan to Beersheba and looke what maner of ministers and ministerie there are in such places specially where the minister depends vpon mens goods wills and finde one place or parish almost if it bee possible where the minister liues not in great needines and the people perish not for want of teaching Wee haue at this day God bee thanked a great number of learned and excellent teachers in the land but if they should be all brought to such a kind of mainteinance And how can that hee good for some which is nought for all Doo you thinke within a few yeares there would bee found halfe the number that now is Where are able teachers at this day most wanting and where bee the simplest and meanest ministers commonly found is it not where the best need to bee in townes and Cities I see no greater nor almost no other cause then this for that in such places The minister hath little or nothing prouided him to liue vpon but is inforced to take like a begger what men will give him And therevpon none of any learning of any gifts delight to come into such a place or alighting on such as it were by chaunce or vppon some necessitie when hee once sees his entertainment will long tary there Such be the effects that come of this kinde of course now iudge of the tree by his fruites 9. Lastly if it bee a good course commendable or but tollerable in the land why dooth not some Machiuillian head or other suggest vnto the highe Courte of Parliament how necessary and profitable it were to bee planted throughout the land what land and reuenues it might bring to the Crowne what profits and treasures to the Kings coffers what inheritance for gentlemen younger brothers what possessions and habitations for many people in our so populous country what wages for souldiours c. if all the tempoâ—alities and other certaine emolumentes of the Church were seazed vpon and the Cleargie left vnto the curtesie and beneuolence maleuolence indeed the offering and good willes of the people which as may bee seene in diuers places already were prouision ynough for them and would well ynough content them For why might not all as well as some liue on that fashion and rest vpon the kindnes of their hearers who would not of conscience see them perish for want c. If this were not to bee endured maruell not much good Christian and godly Reader though I seeme vehement against that pestilent practise in few which were intollerable in all For speaking from some experience I haue seen so much euill inconuenience thereby that I cannot but from my heart detest it and desire and labour what lyes in mee the vtter extirpation thereof And I doo hope that by this little Anatomie thereof layd before thine eyes thou wilt bee moued to confesse and conclude with mee That a voluntarie contribution for the ordinarie maintenance of the Minister is no where tollerable and that it is the duetie of all Christians as they make conscience of their duetie to God respect equitie haue any loue to the ministerie of the Gospell and desire the prosperitie thereof to yeeld the minister a certaine paie one way or other that so both themselues may know what they ought to pay and hee what to demaund how to recouer it if it bee withheld Though this voluntary maintenance bee as I haue shewed a course that Gods word dooth not approiue that agrees not with the rule of equity and reason that neither Iewes nor Christians did euer generally practise a course whereof comes to the Church of God no good but many euills and perills yet it is not vnlikely but that many vnles there bee soome good lawe to inforce them thereunto will hardly bee reclaymed from it and will say what either I or any else can sticke to it still To direct such therefore the while to vse if it bee possible a bad thing well and to keep themselues from sin in so dangerous a course I will for their sakes bestow a little labour adde yet a few lines more to shew them what measure proportion they should in reason and equitie keep in this case that so in some measure they may satisfie their duety to God and content the minister of his Church to whom though they will giue but what they will yet they are bound in conscience to giue that that is somewhat tollerable and reasonable Reason must take place though law doo not and conscience gouerne our actions where compulsion is not A heathen man being asked what good hee had gotten by his Philosophie Aunswered I haue saith hee gotten this good thereby that I can doo those things vnbidden which other men doe for feare of the lawes Religion ought to preuaile no lesse with vs. Wee should not need humane lawes to compell vs to our duties whose consciences are informed by the rule of equitie That euerie man of his owne accord ought to doo to others as hee would if the case were his bee done vnto If this bee but right and equal as I thinke euery reasonable and religious man will graunt it is Let vs presupposing for a while that there is no positiue law either to direct or compell vs to any thing in this case consider accordingly when the minister hath laboured for thee
wast c. how grieuously and offensiuely he tooke it and how wrathfully and extreamely he did reuenge it Let vs not thinke but that God doth tender as much as euer Dauid did the cause of his seruants and if their beards be clipt and their coatâ—s cut short I meane their liuings gelded and their mainteiance taken from them if they be made to eate the sheâ—â—s and take the straw when other haue the kernells and the corne he both can and will in due time reuenge it He hath testified that it shall be easier at the day of iudgement for them of Sodome and Gomorha then for such as will not receiue his messengers whom he hath commanded departing to shake off against such the very dust of theâ—r fecte for a testimonie Wherofâ— of their extreame ingratitude and contempt of God and his worde and of Gods wrath and indignation against such contemners Secondly concerning himselfe fearefull and notable euen to this purpose is the example of Ananias and Sapphira his wife Act. 5. who making a shew to lay downe at the Apostles feete the full price of their land when indeed they kept backe a great part thereof are by Saint Peter reprooued in this sort Why hath Sathan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie vnto the holy Ghost and Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God and againe verse 9. Why haue yee agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord and thereupon by and by for a perpetuall monument of his indignation against such sinnes are smitten horresco referens I euen tremble to tell it both of them with suddaine and terrible death with whom in sinne how neerely doe they concurre that keepe away that which for many ages past is consecrated to God and his Church by the lawes of equitie of God of the Church and of our land and therefore is not now in their owne power and cannot without great and apparant sinne be now conuerted or rather peruerted to any prophane and common vse and to couer their shame and sinne withall come into the Church and presence of the eternal God and there protest to their minister that they haue nothing to pay that they owe him of right but this and that that they doe not nor will not deceiue him of a peny c. but God is not mocked Hitherto of these words in generall tearmes which being briesly thus run ouer I will now more largely touch also certaine speciall obiections particularly Them for orders sake being many I will sort into 4. ranks as vnto certaine heads wherunto all such may be referred and they are these Personal Generall Local and Speciall Personall I terme such obiections as may be pretended against the persons themselues that should receiue such maintainâ—nce Against whom their vnworthynesse sometimes is obiected And that is twofolde either in life if they be such as be not of Good conuersation but giuen to some or other notorious vices or for learning if they bee such as can not preach at all or not so learnedly and excellently as some others doe To which one aâ—nswere may serue viz That notwithstanding any such defects yet the maintenance the ordinary maintenance of the minister for of that do I speake altogether ought to be in such sort setled vnto him that it may not be lawful not easily possible for any priuate persons personall vnworthines to withdraw it or anie part thereof People must know it is not lawfull to requite one wrong with another not fit that they bee at libertie to withdraw their pay from anie vppon supposed vnworthinesse least they take libertie to pretend vnworthines where there is none and vnder colour of fault in some offer iniurie to all and abuse vpon light occasions euen the best They must yeelde the minister his due howesoeuer If hee be such a one as deserues it not the fault beeing not theirs but his hee must answere for his faults other waâ—es No reason euery man be his owne iudge in his owne cause least malice or auarice become parties What is punishable or reformeable must be referred to superiours on earth or to God in heauen God neuer permitted anie such libertie to his owne people Whatsoeuer the Priests or Leuites were in their desert yet the people without any exception are coÌ„manded to bring in their tithes and oblations The Priests are reprooued by the Prophets and termed Dumb dogs Deceiuers Sleepie watchmen c. but the people are not aduised and taught by the prophets therefore to withholde from them their appointed legall maintenance neuer was there greater corruption among them neuer more wickednesse and all kinde of vnworthines then in our Sauiours time yet he sendeth the leper cleansed to the priest bids him offer as was appointed And sitting ouer the treasurie and there beholding how men cast in their gifts commendeth the poore widowe for her riche mite and approoueth the fact of all calling it the Offerings not of the Priests but of God Luk. 21. 4. It is also forefended by ancient lawes ordinances of our Church land Among which one is notable made in the time of King Hen. the 8. An. Dom. 1538. the words whereof are these Foras-much as by lawes established euery man is bound to pay his tithes No man shall by colour of duety omitted by their ministers deteine his tithes or be his owne Iudge but shall truly pay the same as hath bene accustomed without any restrainte or Diminution and such lack or defalt as they find in their Pastouts and Curates to call for reformation thereof at the Ordinaries or other superiors hands To this effect we read also in the Decrees lib. 3. cap. 20. De dec Tua nobis Nonnulli vitam clericoruÌ„ tanquam abhominabilâ—m detestontes Decimas ijs ob hoc subtrahere non verentur Verum si c. that is manie detesting the life of Cleargie men as abhominable feare not for that cause to withdrawe from them their Tithes But if such parties had due respect vnto God from whome all their goods do come they would not offer to diminish the right of the Church nor presume to deâ—eine their Tithes And a little after Seeing that God whose is the earth and the plentie thereof the whole worlde and all that dwell therein ought not to bee of worse condition then a temporall Lord that lets out his land to others It seemeth truely too vnequall if Tithes which God in token of his vniuersall Soueraigntie hath commaunded to bee payed vnto himselfe affirming Tithes to bee his vppon occasion premised or rather by purposed fraude should bee diminished And againe Whereas no man may giue away that which is anothers without the good will and consent of the owneâ—â— Because therfore we wil not suffer that the right of Churches and churchmen vpon any presumption bee diminished we commaund you That you doe compell all such as either in respect of their persons or of their possessions ought to pay tithes
vse them soberly and without excesse if they get keep them without the detriment iniury of others specially if they goe one degree farther I meane if they bestow some small contemptible portion to some charitable vses they haue discharged their dutie to the vttermost and God requireth no more at their hands But indeed wee must know yet farther That as wee cannot honour God rightly vnlesse both our bodies soules bee imployed sometimes meerely in his seruice and as wee cannot with our bodies and soules religiously duly serue God vnlesse some part of our times as the seauenth day bee taken cleane away from our wordly busines vses and imployed wholly in his so wee doo not and cannot truely and throughly honour him vnles wee giue vnto him likewise a part of our substance For are not our goods his aswell as our daies and as our selues why should wee not then honour him with a speciall part of the one as well as of the other And vnles with part thereof we acknowledge his supreame Dominion by whose beneuolence wee haue the whole how doo wee giue honour to whom honour belongeth or how hath God the things that are Gods I would know what nation in the world did euer honour God and did not thinke it a point of their duetie to doo him honour with their goods So that this we may blodly set downe as a principle cleare in nature an axiome which ought not to bee called in question a truth manifest infallible That men are eternallie bound to honour God with their substance in token of thankefull acknowledgement that all they haue is from him To honour him I say with their worldly goods not onely by spending them in lawfull maner by vsing them without offence in the world but also by alienating from themselues some reasonable part or portion thereof and by offering vp the same to him as a signe that they gladly confesse his sole and singular Dominion ouer all as a dutie which all men are bound vnto and a part of that very worship of God which as the Law of God and nature it selfe requireth so wee are the rather to thinke all men no lesse strictly bound therevnto then to any other naturall dutie inasmuch as the hearts of men doo so cleaâ—e to these earthly things so much admire them for the sway they haue in the world impute them so generally either to nature or chance so little thinke vpon the grace and prouidence from which they come That vnles by a kinde of continual tribute men be inured to acknowledge Gods Dominion it may bee doubted that in short time men would learne to forget whose tenants they are and imagine that the worlds is their owne absolute free and independant inheritance Thus it appeareth by the Testimonie of God himselfe and of godly men from time to time that as God out of the whole masse of mankind hath reserued to himselfe some whom he calleth his elect out of the habitations of the sâ—nnes of men their earthly buildings some which he calls his temple his house of times seasons some his Sabbaths his solemne feasts of seruants attendants some his Priests ministers So likewise of the goods wealth that meÌ„ enioy vpoÌ„ the earth soe portioÌ„ vnto himself viz. his Tithes oblations as his proper right portion and inheritance That God ought to haue some parte of our goods sanctified and offered vnto him wil happely be soone graunted of the most part to be but necessary iust reasonable But may it be possible to shew any reason or cause why God should vouchsafe to make choise of the tenth part rather theÌ„ soe other either greter or lesser The maine surest reason of al is his will against which he hauing once reuealed that his will is to reserue the tenth part as his owne who may dispute He is not bound alwaies to giue vs a reason of his will which wee know cannot but be iust and wise what euer it be Of daies and times why he hath sanctified to himselfe the seuenth day we haue the reason and cause euidently taught vs viz. because on that day herested froÌ„ al his work which he had created GeÌ„ 2. 3. Exo. 20 therfore it behoued that day not the 6. or 8. or any other to be celebrated If we haue not y â— like for our goods yet that it is no lesse reasonable and iust we may not doubt 2 And reason it selfe must needes teach vs that it is no reason if we must giue to God some part of our goods that it should bee any contemptible portion as if it were fit to honor God as we relieue the poore of the parish With some cold beneuolence and therfore that Centesima an hundreth or which is worse though oft practised Millesima the thousandth parte of our goods were enough for him We shame to bring vnto a Noble man a prince a king any other then some royall and notable present the best and goodliest we can get such as may wel beseeme vs to giue and him to receiue such as may argue our affection toward him and procure win his liking toward vs. How much more then being to come into the presence of God and to offer to him of our goods should both reason and religion mooue vs to the end it may be the better accepted to offer to him no beggarly nor niggardly parte but such as may shew a thankfull hearte and liberall mind nor of the worst and scruffe but of the fattest fayrest and best of our goods according as God did by expresse law require of his people Leuit. 22. 19. Deut. 15. 21. 17. 1. Exech 43. 22. and being not performed did in them sharpely reprooue as yee may read Mal. 1. 8. Wherefore seeing reason teacheth this it cannot but conclude withall That must be a tenth or thereabout 3 But the likeliest reason that I can coniecture is the end speciall vse whereunto God assigned intended to depute this his portion which is as after I shall shew at large the maintenance of his ministers for whom it seemeth he accounted the tenth to be a portion so coÌ„petent as by which ordinarily together with his offerings they might in some sufficient and fit measure be able liue which they could not do vpon a lesse as the 15. or 20. parte And this reason I thinke the whole world in manner heathen Iewish christian hath in all ages as if not obeying at least yet imitating God approued respected in condiscending to yeeld as a portion to that vse so competent that any other more coÌ„petent it were not possible for the wit of man to deuise that parte to the maintenance of the priests and Ministers of God and his Church The farther froÌ„ reason religion I wil not say this present age which dissenting froÌ„ the iudgement of God of ancient best Christians besides Iewes and heathen account the hundredth yea many
Tithes haue from time to time beene paid Farther I answere that in diuers parts of our land they are paid in one or other manner namely in the citties of London Canterburie as both by practice and by the statute for that purpose extant in print is euident 2 Besides London these kind of Tithes are also paid in diuers other places in some other manner as I doe gather by the very words of the statute touching such tithes wherein is this Prouisâ— That in al such places where handiecrafts 〈◊〉 haue vsed in some other manner viz. otherwise then by computation of the tenth the expenses diducted or by compositioÌ„ for the tenth proportionably with London to paie their tithe that there the same CustoÌ„e of paymeÌ„t of tithes shall be obserued continue stil. For these words do plainly signify that there be such places in the laÌ„d wherby some ancient custome artificers trades-men c. haue vsed to pay such Tithes though in other manner then either by the statute generallie is prouided or in London c. particularly is vsed otherwise that Prouiso were superfluous 3 Also in fisher townes the fisher-men doe pay tithe of their fish and so doe fowlers of their fowâ—e both which are a kind of personall tithe as by the manner of payment thereof and custome of euery place may easily be coniectured Now seeing personall tithes are paid in fisher townes likewise in London some other places else after one sort and in diuers other places after another and in all other places of like nature ought to be paid it is superfluous to aske where they are paid and who doe pay any personall tithes Rather they shew themselues apparrantly worthy blame that mooued neither by the example of husbandmen that pay predial tithes nor of the best of our townes and citties such without all exception is London being the head cittie of the whole kingdome which doe in one or other manner pay personall tithes and so yeelde the minister a certaine maintenance will looke onely vpon those which regarding neither law nor good example doe not their duetie and account they doe not amisse so long as they doe but as such the worst not the best doe 5 But this were a great charge to townes and citties where people already though they doe pay the minister nothing toward his maintainance yet haue inough to do to liue And were it not a great benefit to them if they might continue as they doe in many places that is giuing that way but what they lust Answere 1. Why should any account that to be a charge and burthen ouer heauie which others do easily beare and that I say not without any griefe but euen with desire to continue Be there not diuers places in the land where prediall tithes being paid to the Church the minister receiueth yearely more pounds then shillings in some townes that yet are the more populous which neuerthelesse doo not count it a matter of charge nor repent that euer their predecessors condescended thereunto but may count themselues and are indeed of all other therby most happy because they haue those notable meanes which others want to obteine the best and most learned teachers to reside with them And what charge what burthen is it to the Citizens of London to pay as they do by the house Doe they complaine thereof Doe they finde it a beggering vndooing vnto them and see that they haue cause to curse the time that euer such a course was taken betwixt them and their ministers Nay rather doo not many of them of their owne liberalitie and loue to the Worde augment and enlarge it And dooth not infallible experience shew manifest manifold reasons conuince That it was an happy thing for them that euer so iust necessary a law was enacted and so excellent good indifferent a course prouided and planted for their ministerie And that the ministerie of our land specially in places of like condition will neuer stand in good estate nor the people thereof haue due and necessary teaching till the same or some other like course for personall tithes bee generally and duely planted and setled among vs. 2. Men ought not to count that a charge a burthen not to bee admitted beeing yet absent nor endured beeing present without which they cannot well bee But except men will maintaine a minister they cannot haue nor indeed are not worthie to haue a minister among them Wherefore as a tenant counts it no charge to pay his rent because vnlesse hee pay it â—start he knowes hee cannot dwell in the house so neither ought the parishioner who ought to account himselfe no lesse bound to pay to the Church the rights thereof and bee as willing to yeeld his ministeâ— that is due as hee would him to be to performe the office and duetie of a minister 3. It is certaine euident That our predecessours ancient best Christians did not account it a charge ouer-great to paie their personall Tithes and maintaine liberally their ministers nor a benefit to tradesmen c. to pay them nothing and giue them but what they lust For then they would neuer haue condescended as it appeareth generally they did to the payment and establishment of personall aswell as of prediall tithes And it had been an easie matter for them while yet no such thing was in practise and not so much as the name of personall tithes deuised and knowne to haue admitted no such kind of imposition but to haue held fast such a priuiledge and benefit but that besides reason it selfe religion had rightly enformed them that which couetousnes will not suffer vs to learne That such freedome was bondage such ease the worst burthen and such a benefit the greatest detriment and therefore it was as necessary for them to impose personall tithes on tradesmen c. as prediall on husbandmen no more benefit for those to bee free of the one then these of the other 4. I appeale to their owne consciences that thus obiect what benefit it is to any parish where prediall tithes are due to haue them taken from the Church and nothing there to be left except it bee some peeld Vicaridge scant woorth the taking or some beggerlie stipend worse then it I am sure vnlesse they will speake against their owne consciences all reason vnlesse they bee of that minde of which it is likely that some are viz. That so they might haue their tithes other profits which now the Church dooth or should enioy into their owne hands they cared little whether they had any minister any publike seruice of God or any teaching at all they must answere That howsoeuer the case now stand that is not benefit to the place but an extreame miserie plague seeing by that meanes they of the place must needs haue such teachers not as are fit but as they can get rest contented for the most part with the dregs and refuse of
the Cleargie whereby the blinde leading the blinds both fall into the Pittâ— whereas if the minister as in other places had the whole they might haue some learned very able teacher to their Pastour who carefully attending them might saue both himselfe them that heare him Now if the matter be well lookt into what difference is there twixt the one and the other I meane if in the one place the minister hath all the prediall tithes kept from him and in th' other all the personall and thereby as well the one as the other is a fit receptacle for only the worst and vnworthiest Pastour And what is this but as that a kinde of Impropriating vnlesse happely it bee of the two the more wicked and intolerable First because in the other that the minister hath though it bee but little yet is certaine Hee knowes what to demaund of euery man and hath good Lawe for recouery of it if it bee deteined in this not 2. For the most part it is more in quantitie then the personal tithe is the number of parishioners or communicants one with the other compared 3. The other is taken away by Law this by very fraud and nothing else but abuse or at most vnsufficiency and weaknes of Law 4. In the other euery parishioner payes his full tithes if not to whom of right yet to whom by Lawe it ought to bee payd and so is quod ammoâ—â— discharged of his debt and dutie to God and the Church but in this the parishioner without so much as any cloake or coâ—uert of Law to hide his sinne withall deteines his tithes to himselfe and so conuerteth to his owne prâ—uate vse that which the other either directly or indâ—â—ectly paâ—es to God and his Church 5. Finally what benefit it may bee to any people to vsuâ—p this libertie I know not vnlesse this bee a benefit That by this meanes they may at their pleasure abuse wrong impouerish persecute weary out and driue awaye their minister whensoeuer they list For by this meanes if a companie of them shal but lay their heads together vpon any conceipt they haue against the man to hold him short for his maintenance and to pay him no more then perforce they must and both he they know how muchsoeuer in very deed his due bee hee is able by anie lawe â—et in force to recouer then it is easie to coniecture what will within a while become of the poore minister And whether this be not a kinde of persecuting of the Gospell and therefore vnfit to bee tolerated where the Gospell is professed let all men iudge For if in warres as experienceâ— dooth shew it bee possible to assault and ouerthrow the enemy aswell by famine and secreat vnderminings as by open battaile in the field and it be true which Diuines haue obserued that there is a kinde of persecution that is priuy and wrought by subtilitie and policie and it no lesse dangerous then that which is open by planie force and violence then out of all question this is as fine a pollicâ—e as notable a subtilitie whereby men may persecute the minister of God at their pleasure keep him and driue him from them wheÌ„ they list yet be reputed in the face of the world for none other then good and honest men yea religious and good Protestants as any lightly the deuill can deuise And therefore knowing the whynes of Sathan I will not maruell if any such as are secreat enemies to religion and indeed despise and contemne the ministers thereof what shew soeuer they make vnto the world shall labour and stand vp with tooth and naile to hold fast this supposed priuiledge benefit But I shal more then marueil if this diuelish Stratageme being thus disâ—â—uered any that sincerely feares God vnfcinedly loues the Gospell of Iesus Christ in trueth veritie affects the ministers thereof shall but open his mouth to haue it continued such an aduantage ready meanes for the diuell and his members to persecute the ministers of the Gospel at their pleasure suffered among Gospelling Christians I haue shewed sufficientlie that it is no benefit to any whatsoeuer some account it to be freed of personall tithes Now will I also shewe for the farther satisfying of all that indeed it is diuers waies a great benefit and the right way to do themselues good to paie them and so their owne great harme that they doo not 1. By that meanes they shall honour God with their riches as God hath commaunded Prou. 3. 9. as did Abraham Genes 14. Iacob Genes 28. the Israelites Numb 31. their neighbours and brethren that are husbandmen round about them doo and all men by the Law of God and nature are bound as already is proued and declared in the 6. and 7. Chap. of this treatise at large 2. They shall procure vnto themselues able and good teachers one of the most principall benefits that God can bestow on men in this life and not bee subiect as commonly they are vnto the worste and vnworthiest of all other Maintenance for learned men once setled had learned men will easily bee had also to accept it not had it is vaine to expect or hope for such to come among them I denie not but that sometime learned very worthie and able men doo accept of very meane places But it is either for very necessitie making of such as it were a stay till they can bee better prouided for Or it is for a supplie and by way of augmentation hauing some better preferment otherwhere And then not seldome it so falls out that delighting to be most with them that best maintaine them these are left to vnlearned Curates and so haue indeede learned men rather in name then in deede to their Pastors according to the measure they offer them which is a liuing in name and not in deed a maintainance in shew but not in proofe 3 They shall procure the blessing of God vpon them their goods euen in regarde of their outward estates For as after I shal shew more fully Cap. 9. following God doth blesse theÌ„ with pleÌ„ty increase of wealth that duelie pay their tithes as well personall as prediall and liberally maintaine theâ—r ministers whether in towne or countrie as contrarywise hee 〈◊〉 them with losses shipwrackes scarcenes barrennes pouertie and neede of all things that deale otherwise 4. They shall procure much vnitie amitie and good liking betwixt them and their ministers wheras now there is continuall dislike grudge discontent griefe and murmuring on both sides They think him a man couetous vnreasonable one that will neuer be satisfied he againe counts as the trueth is them vnreasonable and vnconscionable in their dealing toward him that look he shuld rest satisfied with their offerings only those other scraps that now and then fall out togither with what they lust besides to giue him Which is in truth a kind of
to the careful and due performance of this duety To which purpose â—t furthereth much As we haue already seene who and what persons are commaunded So to consider likewise who it is that thus commaundeth For that in any law and precept is a matter of moment and specially respected All scripture is by diuine inspiration and hath not man but God the author thereof It is not therefore Paul but the Lord aboue not man but God that maketh this lawe The person is such as hath authorithy to commaund power to compell such as of whose Iustice in decreeing and equity in prescribing without extreame impiety none may doubt Such consideration of the person commanding may serue vs to diuers vses instructions For First it dooth well confirme that already sayd touching the persons that must pay shewing That seeing God requireth this duety of euery man that is a hearer of the word therefore from performance thereof no man can bee free and exempt For who can discharge a man from obedience to God As for the lawes that men doo make beeing but meere humane ordinances ciuil constitutions they that make them may revoake them or except and exempt from the penalty of them whom they will or a higher power may dispense therewith but what man may revoake that with God dooth enact or dispense with those whom God doth bind â—t is a ruled case amongst Diuines graunted euen in time of greatest ignorance that against Gods law no dispensation or decree of man can hold shal wee thinke or practize otherwise in our greatest knowledg Who can giue thee power or leaue to commit murther or adultery to breake the sabboth or dishonour thy parents to steale to oppresse c. or make if how dooest any of these things that it shal not bee sinne vnto thee neither can any man giue thee power to breake this law of God or acquit thee of sinne if thou dooest breake it Let men pretend custome lycence dispensation pardon priuiledge or whatsoeuer els of like nature in this behalfe it helps not For as in the Law it is a Maxime Nullâ—mtempus occurrit Regi Against the king Prescription of time holds not so in Diuinity is this another Neque Tempus neque consuetudo c. Neither time nor custome nor priuiledge c. can bee a barre against God Men may aswel say That by custome by licence by priueledge c. they may bee discharged from seruing of God and hauing any Church any Sacraments any publike seruice and so any religion amongst them For doubtlesse so farre and so long as they are bound to honor and serue God publikely to haue the Sacraments administred amongst them orderly to haue the word preached vnto them effectually so long and so farre are they and euery one of them bound necessarily iure diuino by the expresse Law of God by th' eternal and inuiolable decree of the highest whose law is surer then that of the Medes and Persians with altereth not to contribute and yeelde a part of their goods toward the maintenance continuance the vse and exercise of that Religion and Ministery among them Which whoso neglecteth and refuseth to doo hee dooth thereby so farre as lyes in him hindeâ— the seruice of God shut vp the Church doores and roote out from among them the Ministery of the Church of God by which alone those things can bee and are to bee performed Secondly it sheweth vnto vs the equity of the law God being the law maker this law must therefore bee most equall and iust For who should make a iust lawe if not Iustice it selfe decree that which is equal and right if not equitie it selfe or order a thing wisely and excellently if not wisedome it selfe Shal not the Iudge of all the world doe right Genes 18. 25. Rom. 3. 5. Thirdly it warranteth vnto the ministers themselues their right title to their maintenance God commanding the people to pay doth allow them to receiue that which is their due And therefore they may lavvfully and with good conscience take it bee it much or little as their owne because God who hath authoritie ouer all and whose is the earth all therein hath assigned it vnto them They challenge not their maintenance by warrant of mans law onely or onely by the rule of equitie but also iure diuino by the law of God who as hee made lawes for the Priests Leuits that serued at the altar in the time of the law so hath for his ministers in the time of the Gospell Which thing this our Apostle plainly testifieth 1. Corint 9. 13. where he telleth vs That as by Gods ordinance They which ministred about holie things did eate of the things of the Temple and they which waited at the altar were partakers with the altar So also hath the Lord ordained for the time of the Gospel that they which preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospel Wherefore if at any time they preaching the Gospell haue not thereof whereon conueniently to liue it is not because God hath not allowed allotted them sufficient for their labour but because men iniuriously wickedly withhold from them one vvay or other that which is indeede their due This should aduise men to make conscience hovv they deale with the minister seeing it is God that hath interessed him to that whereby hee is to liue For they cannot debarre him of his due or defraud him of any part of his right without an open breache of Gods lawe and manifest infringing of diuine ordinance Were it not great iniury and sinne to denie a noble mans seruant or withhold from one of the Kinges officers the reuenues the lands the pension or other maintenance which his Lord and Maister hath out of his landes possessions lawfully giuen him But no noble mans seruant no officer of any king or potentate can haue greater right or better interest vnto any lands reuenues pension or other incomme giuen him by his Maister then the minister hath to that with is his due because hee hath it not from man but from God and holds in right of the truest and highest owner the Lord of all In the law of God there is a curse against him that remooueth his neighbours landmarke which his sore-elders had set Deut. 27. 17. If he bee accursed that remooueth the bounds that men haue laid out is not hee nigh vnto cursing and in daunger of Gods great indignation that remooueth the bounds of the Church and altereth the right of the minister which the father of vs all hath for many generations past fixed to stand for euer This is the principall reason why euery man should pay of his goods to the minister namely which I obserued to be the second branch of the first general part of this verse Because hee is taught in the worde by the minister The minister dooth teach the word and religion of God and so ministreth to his hearer the food of
his cradle till well-neere 30. yeares of age stil wearying himselfe with many studies and wasting the wealth of his friends with great and excessiue charges Is it not thinke you a great labour and an hard to imploy his ministery attend his study and execute from time to time those things that appertaine to his charge They that are any thing acquainted with these kind of exercises can somewhat tell how it incombreth their sences troubleth their mindes breaketh their sleepe wasteth their goods weakneth their bodies impaireth their health and sometimes shortens their daies And as it is a great labour and painfull to them so is it exceeding good profitable to their people These watch but for their soules These fight but to defend them from their spirituall enemies These are pastors but to feed them shepheards to keepe them from the wolfe lights to direct them salt to season them These are ministers to doo them seruice messengers to bring vnto them the glad tidings of saluation Embassadors on the Lordes behalfe to intreat them that they would bee reconciled vnto God These are Gods labourers and they are Gods husbandry these are Gods builders they are Gods building Suffer mee a little to magnifie the office By the Labours of the minister wee are begotten vnto the Faith brought froÌ„ darknes vnto light from the power of Sathan vnto God stirred vnto repentaunce when wee haue sinned exhorted vnto our duetie beeing slacke reprooued when wee offend confirmed beeing strong strengthned beeing weake comforted in heauines humbled in prosperitie instructed beeing ignorant and in a word saued in the day of the Lord Without them wee could neither know God nor our selues eschew vice or ensue vertue abandon errour nor follow trueth shake off infidelity or receiue the faith to be short neither auoyde hell nor attaine heauen Wherefore their worke labour being so great vnto theÌ„selues and so profitable vnto vs if others bee worthy of wages for their worke they rather of hire for their labour much more they of liberall recompence for their paines they most of all of loue for their diligence they of singular loue of any honour for their indeuours they of double honour that labour in the word and doctrine There must bee an equalitie They to receiue of our labours as wee of theirs and seeing they doo enrich vs in spiritual things wee to keep them from pouertie needines at least in temporal things that so they may labour and euer bee ready and able to labour with ioy and not with griefe for that is as vnprofitable for vs as grieuous vnto them If any take my words as of no moment let him heare yet how the Apostle himselfe 1. Corinth 9. 11. speaketh in the same maner saying If wee haue sowen vnto you spiritual things is it a great thing dooth it seeme such a burthen to your shoulders such a charge to your purses if wee reape your carnall things For is the exchange bad to receiue gold for copper siluer for drosse pearles for stones celestial treasures eternal for worldly and temporary trash Other men looke to reape more then they doo sow for haruest naturally dooth exceed the seed time but wee are content to reape both worse and lesse then wee sow and shall it yet bee thought ouermuch yea where other men sow in teares and reape in ioy shall wee bee inforâ—ed to sow in ioy and reape in teares or more rightly to speake both to sow and to reape in teares Thow seest now Christian Reader a farther interest the minister hath vnto his maintenance It is not only an inheritance and annuitie giuen assigned him by God and so due to him because the Lord hath passed it ouer vnto him by assignation as also wee shal hereafter see but it is also due to him by the Law and rule of equitie because of his labour Hee deserues it at our hands and earnes euery penny thereof dearely before hee hath it And therefore looke what right the seruant hath to his wages the labourer to his hire the very like as great right and interest hath the minister to his maintenance and whatsoeuer is his due As his right is great and the cause why it ought to bee payd him iust and equall so is the fault great and the course very vnequall if it bee not performed In the common opinioÌ„ euen of wordly men hee is counted very vnreasonable and of a bad conscience that will keep away wages from a seruant or not pay a workman and labourer his hire Iudge then what reason or conscience is it to keep backe the ministers maintenance which is his wages to deny or debarre him his due which is his hire God dooth so exactly require the performance of that dutie toward hm that worketh in thy field that in his law hee sets an houre by which it must be payd Leuit. 19. 13. The workemans hire shal not abide with thee vntil the morning Hee must bee payd ouernight the very same day at euen that it is due Deut. 24. 15. Moses addeth a reason why least saith hee hee crie against thee vnto the Lord and it bee sin vnto thee And in Malac. 3. 5. the Lord laies an heauie curse and threatens to be swift in Iudgement against them that keep backe the hirelings wages The Lord beeing thus prouident for the good vsage of the poore labourer in thy barne or field lookes hee not for as good dealing and as due payment vnto those that labour in his owne vineyard and whom he hath sent foorth into his owne haruest or will he not as speedily and seuerely reuenge their cause and right their wrongs when they shall cry vnto him for the iniuries that are offered vnto them and for the wrongs and oppressions they receiue and sustaine at the hands of such as keepe backe their hire pay not theÌ„ their wages but deny them their iust appoynted portions The bread of deceit saith Salomon is sweete to a man but afterward his mouth shal be filled with grauell It is goods cleare gayned so much well saued some may thinke that is gotten from the Church and kept from the Minister but if any proue the richer thereby at length or such goods doe long prosper I am much deceyued For sure I am that there is a God that iudgeth the earth Thus farre of the principall cause why viz. in regard euen of desert people ought to yeelde vnto their Ministers due maintenance Besides which the same wordes of this parcell of scripture in hand viz. let him that is taught and him that teacheth may yeelde vs yet another reason or cause thereof and that is in regard not of that they doe but as I may say in regarde of that they doe not I meane for that they doe not intermeddle for so they should not in the trades occupations and professions of other men but as they are consecrated to god do giue themselues wholly 〈◊〉 the Ministerie and seruice of
generally and ordinarilie for that is the question to turne all into stipends must needes bee generallie and absolutely the worst course As for that that may bee obiected touching the toile and labour that the minister must haue to receiue his things in kinde by meanes whereof they will say hee is faine to worke and labour specially at haruest time otherwise then befitteth his calling I say first That alwaies needeth not For hauing family and keeping house hee may haue those to labour for him which can performe such things better and fitter then himselfe and hee needs not except it bee for pleasure or recreations sake put one finger to that burthen Secondly in smaller parishes where the profits of the place are so slender that hee is inforced to take more paines then others need or doo the matter is not so great but that it may without offence bee tolerated nor so tedious but that it may soone bee dispatcht And it were very hard there that others should doo it for him and not hee or his because it is not probable but that hauing already very little to liue by hee should by that meanes haue lesse For his gatherer or pay-maister would looke to haue ashare with him for his paines And that is the marke I thinke and it behooues the Cleargie to consider of it that many doo shoot at that would haue ministers brought to stipends that so their Lay-farmers or pay-maisters might get yet more of the ministers profits into their hands whereof they haue already too much 2. Againe wheras others may obiect against the receiuing of things in kinde that it breeds much trouble wrangling contention betweene the minister and his parishioners the like may bee more iustly feared in the leuying imposing collecting demanding and paying of stipends 3. Lastly whereas the corruption of patrons and others that haue interest in the bestowing of liuings vpoÌ„ Cleargie men is at this day exceeding great and doth not a little daily impouerish the ministerie and spoile our Churches by stipends that pest would nothing bee stayd but rather increased For whereas now the minister receiuing all things in kinde whatsoeuer the patron or others receiue of the minister directly or indirectly must bee in secret knowne to God and them alone because the patrone cannot take away any part of the gleeb or tithes but that the worlde also will see know it then hauing all in his hands and being to pay onely a stipend it is easie to gather how easily hee might finde the meanes to share what part thereof hee lusted with the minister of the place and yet vnlesse it bee by the poore mans threed-bare coate or thin cheekes the matter neuer bee espied All which things considered I am so farre from liking that stipendary maintenance that I wish rather the number of stypends in our Church might not bee increased but diminished and if it were possible wholly taken away I meane specially That whereas there bee diuers Church-liuings in our land â—eazed into lay-mens hands on which onely a set stipend of ten pounds or there about is reserued for the Curat of the place that that course might bee vtterly cut off and in steed of that stipend such a competent parte of the gleeb tithes and other profits of the place beeing allotted for a perpetuall Vicar as might bee fit and able in some tollerable sort to maintaine a sufficient teacher there That my motion is very godly iust and necessary I doubt not but that all indifferent men will easily graunt But it will perhaps seeme a matter hard to bee effected I graunt that to enforce any to surrender the whole because it is their proper inheritance were Summum ius but yet I cannot bee perswaded but that if power perswasiue bee all in vayne that power coactiue may with great equity reason and piety too bee vsed to inforce such to surrender so much of that they possesse as may in lieu of that beggerly stipend bee a competent maintenance for one that is though not excellently as the whole would haue bene yet competently learned and able in some measure to discharge the duetie of a Pastor to the people This were not to straine the Law but to put in execution the very true sense and meaning thereof which by ouer-strict obseruing of the letter is abused For it is out of all question that when such stipends were allotted it was intended That the Churches should still be prouided for of able ministers then thought The condition of ministers who were then all singlemen the sâ—ate of these times wherein all things to liue by were foure times at least better cheap then now they are the disposition of people in their voluntary offerings beeing much more liberall then now it is c. beeing considered that ten pound a yeare or thereabout was a sufficient and schollerlike maintenance But that things beeing so much altered as now they are the pay it selfe should stand without alreration is an open certaiâ—e peruerting of the mind and sense of the Law And therefore no breach of Law no wrong to the possessour no contrarietie to reason if men will not of their own accord vpon very conscieÌ„ce of what is necessary doo that is fit that they bee ouer-ruled and enforced thereunto And I speake herein no more then what our Sauiour did in another case Math. 12. against such of his time as ouerstrictly stood vpoÌ„ the very letter of the Law of the Sabboth telling them that the Sabboth was made for man not man for the Sabboth and therefore it were not an obseruation but an abuse of the Law to let a man perish on the Sabboth for want of present help And is it not worse in this case when through ouerstrict straining of words that had a meaning good enough many soules are suffered daily to perish many ministers of the word are dishonoured the Sabboth from time to time prophaned and God made offended No more then what the lawes themselues doo affirme For in the ciuil Law Cod. lib 1. Tit. 17. Deleg conf 5. thus wee read Non dubium est in legem committere â—um c. that is There is no doubt but that hee offends against the Law which retayning the words of the Law dooth contrary to the meaning thereof Neither shall hee auoid the penalties set downe in the lawes who contrary to the minde of the Law dooth by a strict prerogatiue of the words fraudulently excuse himselfe No more then what is practised diuers wayes in other things There bee auncient statutes concerning the wages of seruants labourers c. agreeable no doubt to those times but will any reasonable body affirme that it were fit they should bee vrged now And haue not the rates therein set downe iustly vpon due consideration beene made alterable by later statutes as of An. 5. Eliz. Cap. 4 What the common pay of schoole-maisters where no schoole was founded was wont to bee few but can
of the Tithes hauing for many ages past consecrated them vnto God Whereby it commeth to passe That howsoeuer at the first Tithes might probably haue seemed mens owne and men haue had some colour to vse them as they saw good yet now beeing made Gods by dedication beeing giuen vp and yeelded vnto him for the seruice of the Church they are become his proper inheritance And therefore can not now without open iniury to God and his Church without transgression of his Law bee alienated from God taken from his Church and put againe to common vse Hee I say hauing thus long time beene in such sorte inuested with the possession of them it is now altogether vaine and superfluous to enquire wether they bee a matter of diuine right Thus Quodammodò after a sort in this sense and in these respectes the point controuerted is graunted But because this concession doth not satisfie the question it selfe let vs examine the other sense also Now searching the scriptures for this matter Gen. 14. 28. wee shall finde that Tithes were payd by holy and godly men as by Abraham and Iacob before euer there was any law written in the time of Nature WheÌ„ce wee may not obscurely gather I thinke That to paie the Tenth is a parte of the morall law a dutie which God from the beginning required of man as His sacred Right For those holy Pâ—triarkes no doubt did nothing in that point but what it was all mens dutie to performe and are set foorth as examples and Presidents in whom wee are to see what other godly men of those auncient ages and former times did accustome And herein I am the more confirmed for that in prophane histories I doo finde That the very heathen of those elder yeares the time of Nature vsed almost euery where to pay the very same portion The tenth vnto their imagined Gods Some to Iupiter as the Persians some to Hercules or Apollo as the Romanes and Grecians the Sabees and Aethiopians to the sundrie gods which their countries worshipped And in a word as Festus an auncient Storie-writer doth report generally decimam quaeque veteres dijs suis offerebant All nations of former times offered to their gods the tenth For how could it be that all people euen those that knew not the true God yet should herein consent with the true worshippers but that either by the light of nature or by auncient tradition receiued euen from Noah and other Patriarks they had learned that The tenth was Gods part If any will obiect that the heathen did it by instigation of their gods diuels indeed for such a thing doth a certaine Chronographer of those times relate as opening the reason how that custome Vouere decimam Herculi To vow and pay the tenth to Hercules tooke his beginning saying that Hercules a diuell appearing in such a likenesse being on a time friendly entertained by Potitius and Pinarius promised a happy life and increase of wealth to all such as should offer to him the tenth of all their goods This is so farre from ouerthrowing that which I infer that it helps not a little to the proofe thereof For why else should it be that the diuell should claime precisely that part but because being an enemy to God and desirous as enuious of his honour and as the Ape and imitator of God to transfer vnto himselfe Gods worship and to rob him of his glory and due euery way as in sacrifices and oblations so in tenthes likewise he did assume and vendicate this part of Gods worship as if not God but he had beene the maker and owner of the world and giuer of prosperitie and riches vnto men vpon earth The story of Iacobs payment of tythes carieth a greater shew of repugnancy because it reporteth that he paide them vpon a vowe Gen. 28. 20. saying If God will bee with mee in this iournie which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and clothes to put on so that I come againe vnto my fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I haue now set vp as a pillar shall bee Gods house and of all that thou O God shalt giue me I will giue the tenth vnto thee Whereupon it is obiected by some that Iacob paide them not as a morall duetie but as a vow But that is easily aunswered First that Iacob had a respect to the couenant made with Abraham namely I will bee thy God and of thy seede Gen. 17. 7. By vertue of which hee was bound to shew himselfe thankefull as Gods seruant by outward seruice whereof tithes were a part and secondly seeing it is manifest by manifold examples practise of godly men that it is no new thing nor vnusuall with the godly by vowing to binde themselues to doe that which by the law of God and former duetie they are bound to performe so to stirre vp their owne slacknesse and enkindle their zeale to necessary obedience what letteth but that wee may conceiue the like of Iacob in this case Hee knew it no doubt to bee his duetie to paye to God the tenth yet partly to stirre vp his owne care and zeale partly to testifie more apparantly his thankefull heart which euen before blessings receiued bethought it selfe what to render to the Lord for the same receiued partly as abhorring and disclayming the prophanenesse of the world which likely euen then began euery where to cast away the feare of the almightie and to detaine to themselues as their owne Gods part of their riches he bindeth himselfe by speciall vow to performe that which hee knew to be though he vowed it not his duety to doe That I straine not his words from his meaning he himselfe by his former words being also a part of his vow doth beare me witnesse For if you note the words well he voweth three seuerall things First that the Lord shall bee his God that is That hee would worship and serue none other God And it is out of al doubt saith a very iudicious interpretour that therein hee comprehended the summe of his pietie and religion Secondly that that stone shall bee Gods house that is that there where he had pitched the stone hee would as in Gods Tabernacle serue God build an altar and offer sacrifices c. as Cap. 35. 1. 7. verse Thirdly that of all that God should giue him hee would giue the tenth to God as the proper maintenance that belonged to the house of God for the sustenance of the priests that should attend on the altar Here no man I suppose will say but that it was Iacobs duetie euen without a vow to serue and worship God onely to offer to him Sacrifices c. Yet doth he by vow promise to performe it And therefore as because hee vowes those dueties it followes not else hee was not bound to haue done them so neither doth it follow because hee vowed tithes therefore to
Turne wee backe therfore to 1. Cor. 9. where vpon another occasion hee dooth insist vpon this doctrine of the ministers maintenance There ver 13. taking an argument a simili from them that ministred in the temple about holy things and waited at the altar how dooth he conclude Ita etiam Dominus constituit c. So also hath the Lord ordeined that they which doo preache the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Here it seemeth vnto mee the Apostle plainely teacheth That the same measure and the same maner of maintenance which they had that once serued in the temple and attended at the altar is now allowed assigned to them that serue in the Church and preach the Gospell They were maintained in very liberall cōpetent sort so must these Their maintenance was sealed certaine not voluntary so must these They were maintained by tithes oblations so must these Their portion was of holy things that is of Gods part of things consecrated to God so must the portion of these bee Neither is it a matter of equitie onely that it were fit thus it should be or a humane constitutiō supposing it were best so to bee but ita Dominus constituit or as others read mandauit it is the constitution ordinance or commaundement of the Lord that this ought to bee The Lord who hath a peculiar right to a certaine part of euery mans goods hath thus appointed As once God assigned ouer his tithes other duties to the seed of Leui because hee had separated them to serue in his Tabernacle so now their seruice beeing ended hee hauing substitute in their roomes for the worke of the Gospell not some certaine families of the earth but Pastors and Teachers whō it pleaseth him to call To these to the end they may liue by their ministerie as the former did by theirs bee incouraged to the worke they haue in hand hath bee assigned ouer that which the former had viz. his Tithes and Offeringes In a word the Apostle speaking of a kinde of maintenance that is of Gods ordinance not mans established by the Lord not deuised by man allotted the preachers of the Gospel to liue vpon such a one as they had that ministred in the temple and serued at the altar let such as bee contrary minded prooue vnto vs That their maintenance was not tithes and then neuer tell then will wee yeeld nor shall they bee able to prooue That ours ought to bee not Tithes but some other thing For it is euident by this place of the Apostle That such as theirs was ours must bee From this place of the Apostle let vs proceed to another that is Heb. 7. where hee maketh mention very often of Abrah his paying tithes to Melch which though he do to another end yet by those his wordes beeing about another matter he sheweth withall That Tithes pertaine vnto the ministerie of the Gospell as once they did to that of the temple First of all it is euident by the Apostles words that Melchizedec was a figure of Christ whence it followes that Christ in the person of Melchizedec receiued tithes of Abrahā that they are due no lesse to his priesthood then to that of Melch. But if Christ had right to tithes before the law hath he not the same right also since the law in the time of the Gospell For his priesthood being perpetuall so must his right bee too Farther if wee consider of Melch. in his owne person that is not as a figure of Christ but as the priest of God if Melch. had right to receiue them in the behalfe of God whose priest hee was how much more Christ who is a priest for euer after the same order that Melchizedec was Touching Abraham wee may consider of him either as a priuate man or as a Patriarke As a priuate person in paying tithes what other thing did he but what was euery godly mans dutie to doo which saith a certaine learned writer is so reported that thereby it may sufficiently appeare that it was a custome or ordinarie thing among the godly of those times And who can shew vs that the godly are freed from that dutie since the law which they owed to God before Or that God which accepted Tithes as his sacred Right then hath reiected it now As a Patriarke and father of the faithfull if wee consider him dooth not hee the father by performing that duetie shew in what steps his children ought to walke whose ofspring wee are not according to the flesh but by that which is the surer side by faith But what is all this to vs that be ministers of the Gospell very much euery way For seeing we are in Christes steed 1. Cor. 5. 20. hee that receiueth vs receiueth Christ Math. 10. 40 as Melch. beeing Dei subrogatus Gods deputie lawfully receiued at Abrahams hand what was due to God so wee on Christes behalfe doo as lawfully claime receiue of the hand of Christians what is Christes right Which thing is not improbable that our Apostle respected when 1. Cor. 9. the place before alleadged he saith The Lord hath so ordeined as it were giuing vs thereby to vnderstand That such maintenance as the Leuits receiued in the Law as Gods right for their seruice at the altar such ought the ministers of the Gospell receiue now in Christes behalfe for their seruice to him in the worke of the Gospell because as God assigned it vnto his Leuits then so hath Christ who in the new Testament by that title of Lorde is commonly distinguished from God the father vnto his ministers now And as Abrah the father of the faithfull was then to pay the tenth to the priests of God as to God himselfe so all the faithfull now are to pay them to the ministers of Iesus Christ as to Christ himselfe Now that I haue shewed warrant and proofe for this point out of scripture I will adioyne also the testimonie and iudgement of the learned and ancient fathers and others of the Church who wheresoeuer they speake any thing of tithes so speake thereof as generally in their times acknowledged to bee of diuine institution no man for well nighe a 1000. yeares the depth of all corruption and blindnes after Christ gainsaying them This I do◠aswell to confirme more fully that I haue auouched as also to take away all pretext from such as shall thorough ignorance imagine this to bee but mine owne priuate opinion They shall perceiue that I teach none other thing in this matter then the auncients for many ages past haue done S. Origen liued within 200. yeares after Christ not aboue 90. yeares after the death of S. Iohn the Apostle of the Lord. Hee writing vpon the booke of numbers Hom. 11. and speaking of the Law of Tithes saith plainely Hanc ego legem This Law of Tithes as also some other I saith hee doo thinke necessary to bee obserued still according to
saith 1. Cor. 9. That the minister should eate as the sheepheard of the milke of his owne flocke drinke as the husbandman of the fruit of his owne wine be fed as the oxe of that corne which himselfe dooth thresh out and as our text declaâ—â—â— plainely â—ee made partaker of all his goods whom hee dooth teach in the word Which is not obserued vnlesse as the husbandman yeelds him tithe of his corne of his cattell of his fruites c. so the fisherman yeeld him tithe of his fish the fouler of his fowles the Soldiour of his pray the hireling of his wages the tradesman and artificer of their monny gotten by their labour art industrie c. 3. From the Iewes if we goe to the heathen to search for this matter their stories doo abundantly testifie that touching their bootres pray taken in warre it was an ordinary thing with them to pay Decimas the tithes thereof as Abraham had doone to the true God to some or other of their imagined Gods As 〈◊〉 Generall among the Greeks hauing gotten a notable victorie against the Persians Decimae seposuae the Tithes of the pray were layd aside to sacred vse employed part vnto the honour of Apollo part of Iupâ—ter part of Neptune Sabellic Aenead 3. lib. 2. pag. 339. Camillus Dictator amoÌ„g the Romanes subduing the Veians Tithes were payd vnto Apollo Liui. Decad. pri lib. 5. The Carthiginians payd vnto Hercules the tenth of their Sicilian pray Dauell pag. 464. Of other goods to pay the tenth was happily not so vsual among them yet not altogether without example For as Plutarch in Lucullo reporteth of Lucullus a Romane Citizen and a rich that he obserued the vse of paying tithes to Hercules so Diodor. Sicul. Biblith lib. 5. Cap. 2. dooth testifie That not Lucullus one he but also many Citizens of Rome not onely those of meane wealth but likewise they that were esteemed the richest of them all vsed to pay Decimas the tenth of their goods to Hercules Thus it appeareth that the heathens also vsed to pay personall tithes aswel as prediall 4. Descâ—nd wee lastly vnto our selues that is vnto Christians And what hath beene accustomed all Christendoome ouer for many 100. of yeares together is not obscure to perceiue nor difficult to gather by the number infinite almost of Decrees Lawes constitutions discourses writings that are extant at this day to bee read of all men touching this sorte of tithes aswell as other Among the which our owne English Statutesâ— made since the abaÌ„doning of Popery in the daies of the worthy renowned Kings of most famous memorie King Henrie the eight and K. Edward the sixt deserue remembrance In the preamble wherof all such as shal attempt to withhold their tithes either prediall or personall are branded with the note of euill disposed persons and in the body wherof is at large expressed the neâ—ner how such kind of tithes ought to bee payd And what Shall wee offer that vnto the makers of such lawes and constitutions to imagine that they enacted such things as they either knew ought not or they intended should not be put in practise Or that vnto our forefathers other auncient Christians That they liued vnder lawes lawlesly gaue theâ—r superiors leaue to decree what they would but tooke libertie to themselues to obserue what they listed made no conscience to pay such Tithes as the lawes both of the Church and land informed and required them to pay If wee would yet the memorie of former times wil conuince vs to our faces seeing it is not vnknowne vnto the present age in what wealth and good estate the ministers of the Church in former daies as well in towne as country did liue For how could that bee except that people then had made a conscience to pay all maner of Tithes acknowledge personall tithes to bee no lesse due then prediall 5. For our owne time it can not bee denied That in London and some few other places that are tyed therevnto by auncient composition And happie were our land and blessed shall hee be that effects it if the like were established the whole land ouer they are still yearely payd to the glory of God great good of the Church content both of pastour and people If in other places where such composition lies not they bee not payd either by computation or other reasonable composition yet that they ought to bee payd is a case most cleare And the withholding of them can bee none other but a most grieuous sinne to God wrong to his Church preiudice to learning hindrance to religion decay of our ministery Of which there is no hope it may bee furnished with learned and able teachers in townes and Cities specially where at this day they are most wanting yet most needfull to bee had vnlesse people be drawne either by instinct of conscience or strength of good able lawes to the due or at least much better performance of this dutie Thus scripture fathers reason lawes and practise affirme that there are two sortes of Tithes to bee payd viz. 〈◊〉 and Personall That the tradesman artificer c. must pay a kinde of Tithe of such goods and profits as 〈◊〉 hath aswell as the husbandman dooth of his But what kinde of Tithe for that I willed before to bee noted what a full Tenth of all hee receiues as dooth the husbandman of all that which to him increaseth herein I acknowledge some difference Neither will I about it dissent from them in whâ—se steps I haue traced hitherto The common determination of the learned and Lawes in this behalfe both is and hath beene That the tradesman artificer c. shall pay the tenth of his cleare gaines that is Expensis dâ—ductis his ordinary and necessary charges from the whole beeing first deducted By which aduantage it must came to passe That whereas the husbaÌ„dman payeth intâ—gram Decimam an entire Tenth one of euery Tenne it may so fall out according to the greatnes or smalnes of the expenses that the other shall pay but one of xij or xv of xx or xxx happely of fifty which yet is still called rather I thinke for the relation it hath to that number then for the proportion or quantitie it selfe and for auoiding confusion a tithe or Tenth See now good Reader This is that Durus Sermo that hard saying that vnreasonable motion whereof who can abide the hearing But let no man bee offended without cause Let all things bee considered well and weighed in equall ballance and what hardnes what extremitie is there in this wheÌ„ as the tradesman the artificer c. in regard of his charges labours aduenture c. is so much fauored more then the husbandman that where the one bath but nine parts for his labour and charges whatsoeuer it bee th' other may haue 2. 3. 4. or 5. times so many parts or more to himselfe for his charges What because it
Christian of yeares both man and woman should of his free accord at certaine times in the yeare offer vnto God something more or lesse according as either God had blest him or his deuout heart mooued him 3. vnto which if we adde the worthie those not a fewe dignities prefermeÌ„ts without cure of sundry name title a great part wherof God be praised remaineth vnto this day what was there more to be desired whereby they might testifie their zeale to religion loue to learning regard to the ministerie and the scope we aime at That they in the abundance of their loues vnto their teachers thought not the Tithas alone to be a reward or maintenance sufficient much lesse too much for them How therefore commeth it to passe that degenerating from the steps of our owne auncestours from the example of the primitiue Christians yea from the patterne of all perfection God himselfe any should account the tenth nay the tenth alone to be too much either for the minister or rather God at their hands to receiue or the people to pay As S. Paul said once speaking of God 1 Cor. 10. 22. What are wee stronger then hee so may I say What are wee wiser then he and then all they which for so many ages past as it were vno ore animo with one minde and one mouth agreed The Tenth to be but enough Doth knowledge and vnderstanding dwell onely with vs And hath our age alone the lucke to espye Nodum in Scirpo an ouersight that had escaped the eyes of God and men before 4 Last of all practize and experience doth shew that the tithes euen with other emolumeÌ„ts besides are many times not enough For so it ofte falleth out That either by the smalnes of the place or greatnesse of desert in the person the ordinarie maintenance though yeelded in the best and largest manner is found manie times to be farre too little needeth supplie by other places and meanes And therefore that is a friuolous obiection That the Tenth is too much which God himselfe the Church of Christ generally the Church of England particularly and our daylie experience affirme to be with the least It is too much in their eye onely that sincerely loue not the Church nor the Gospell that delight to see the ministers therof to the end they might be contemned in Contempt rather then in honour in shame then in credit and desire to make a prey of that which is Gods and his Churches and to bee inriched with that which is not their owne 2. Of the same nature I take their Obiection to be that pretend the estate of the minister Hee hath no neede of these or those profites say some For he hath enough besides his liuing without these is sufficient A speeche both wicked and absurd Who hath made them iudges aboue others what is a sufficieÌ„t liuing for the minister or giuen them power to pare off the superfluitie thereof All men will acknowledge I thinke that it were an open wrong and manifest sinne to refuse to pay a rent or other debt to a riche man because he is otherwise in his conceit rich enough and able to spare it And I see not but the case is all one if vpon like pretence a man deteine ought from the minister Againe what is this but to enuy at another mans prosperitie why should anie grudge the minister his liuing for the greatnesse more then he doth the greatnes of his owne charge in generall or the wealth of anie of them of his charge in particular It is not in their power to disburden him of his charge any way why then should they presume or attempt to abridge him of his due anie way If the place bee so spatious and populous that it may arise yearely to any round Summe what is that to anie particular persons who are no lesse bound to paye their due to the vttermost then if it were 5. times lesse For the question is not what may in mens sparing conceits suffice such or such a man but what in duety and conscience euery man or any man ought to paye in which respect the payment of one thing and not of another of one person and not of anoaher of one part of a parish and not of another standes not with equitie If one part of a parish contribute towards the maintenance of the minister well and as is fit and another little or nothing if one bodie paye his whole duety another deteines the whole God is dishonoured the minister defrauded the Church wronged That which one payes is no discharge for another but for himselfe And as he that payeth doeth but his duety so he that payes not doeth not his duety Neither is hee freed by that which another doeth for himselfe but condemned the one hauing indeede no more libertie then the other Parishes were sorted with inequality at first not for easing of some more then others in maintenaÌ„ce of their minister but that by such inequalitie of diuisions there might be such inequalitie of maintenance as might be fitting to the inequality of the ministers desert or charge Which godly and necessary purpose they doe directly crosse who vpon their owne priuate conceit of a sufficiencie of Lining without their paye doe attempt to enforce vpon the ministers a kinde of equality in maintenance with others twixt whom there is no paritie of desert or charge Neither do I see the state of our ministery for maintenance standing as now a dayes it doth how the minister himselfe can be excused from blame and sinne if hee vpon any occasion or meanes hauing otherwise sufficiently to liue vpon doe refuse or neglect to receiue of any or of all that which is his due or any part thereof For by such meanes hee shall cause those of other places to be enuyed and euill spoken of that doe receiue or demaund the like and so hinder the course of the Gospell among them 2. Hee shall maintaine Auarice if not Sacriledge in his owne people And 3. which is not lightly to be regarded hee shall by such meanes as manifolde experience doth testifie preiudice for the time to come both himselfe and his successours or at least sowe the seeds of dissention which will break out whensoeuer any such omitted or neglected duties shall be required To which purpose I doe remember that I haue read a certaine ancient Constitution Ecclesiasticall of this our Church of England wherein after due Censure pronounced against all such as shall vppon anie colour detaine the Tithes and other maintenance of the minister the ministers likewise are censuredâ— that shall the feare of God set aside for feare or fauour of men â—mit effectuallie to demaund and seeke to obtaine those rights which vnto themselues and their churches of right doe appertaine 3. From these let vs come to some other obiections as to such as be locall that is such as concerne some speciall places
golde a memorable testimonie of their gratefull mindes They thought it not enough to giue to God as others did and as was ordinarilie required but because they had tasted of Gods mercie aboue others they account it their dutie as euery godly man should to giue to God more then others For nature much more religion teacheth all that The more a man receiueth the more hee is bounden The greater benefits the greater thankfulnes is required at his hands True But cannot we be thankfull to God though we offer vnto him none of our goods we can praise him with our hearts and with our tongues declare the wonders that he had done we can exalt his name in the congregation of the people and tell out his workes with gladnesse Or To be plaine we can be content to offer vnto him the oblations of our hearts and our lips but not of our hands We can be content as S. Bernard very aptly to this purpose speaketh to goe with the wise men to seeke Christ yea we will with them fall downe and worship him too but we be growne too wise with theÌ„ to open to him our treasures That is the very renting of our hearts we cannot endure to be tied vnto it If Paul will make Agrippa a Christian he must except these bands too But be not we deceiued God is not mocked He requires that we honour him with our goods as well as with our bodies and our spirits for both those and these are his Which the man after Gods owne heart Dauid well considered when as we read Psal. 116. hauuing bin in such distresses and troubles that standing vpon the brincke of the pit of dispaire he said All men are lyars and vtterly deceiued that say or account of me that euer I shall esâ—ape these daungers and be exalted to sit vpon the throne and yet at length finding Gods mercies so vnmeasurablie heaped vpon him that he was not able to expresse them bethinking how to shewe himselfe not vnmindfull thereof nor vnthankfull therefore hee did enquire within himselfe saying Quid retribuam Domino c. What shall I render to the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done vnto me He resolueth not onely I wili take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord but also this verse 15. I will offer a sacrifice of thanks-giuing according to the law and I will pay my vowes euen now in the sight of all his people that is I will with my goods performe such ordinarie duties as the Lord in his law doth require and I will besides render of my goods such other things as in my trouble I vowed extraordinarilie to giue or offer vp vnto my God if he should deliuer me out of them Now if men be so farre from Dauids minde that because they haue beene in trouble and danger they will not onely not vow nor giue any thing extraordinarily but refuse likewise therefore to render euen that which God doth ordinarily require let them take heede least pretending to draw neere vnto God with their lips their hearts whatsoeuer they pretend be as farre from him as their hands and insteed of shewing thanfulnesse they do not openly bewray manifest vnthankfulnesse and so make themselues vnworthy of future blessings that be so vngratefull for former 3 But it is not fit that the minister should receiue personall tithes because so he will from time to time be acquainted with mens seuerall estates and know as well as they in manner what they gaine or lose from yeare to yeare Answere But why is it not fit he should know in some generall sort at least how god doth blesse or not blesse prosper or not prosper his people For how they do rise or fal what their states alwaies are hee cannot know because he is nothing the more acquainted thereby with their expenses and spending of that they haue God thought it to be fit enough among his own people the Iewes as may appeare by appointing them 1. To pay the tenth of euery thing 2. to bring 3. times a yeare euery man his offering according as God had blessed him In diuerse of their offerings to offer an offering of greater or lesser valew according as they were either riche or poore Againe we doe see that the husbandman at this day euery where doth account to the minister of God how God hath blessed inriched and increased him or otherwise diminished and brought hâ—m low in euery thing he hath both great and small And why shall tradesmen c. thinke that not fit for them to doe which God did iudge to be very fit for his owne people and which husbandmen neither refuse nor think vnfit Let others thinke what they will I doe verily think it to be not onely fit but also expedient and necessary too that euery man whether he be husbandman or tradesman doth liue by by land or sea by natures increase or by his â—rte and labour should let his minister know how God doeth either blesse or not blesse him that so he the minister may be the more occasioned the rather for that it so neerly toucheth himselfe either to praise God for plentie and abouÌ„dance sent or to pray to God where his hand is heauie for the remoouing therof and sending of better successe Farther But where som composition lies vnlesse the minister be made acquainted with the Income increase or decrease of his parishioners estate by Computation which way is it possible he shall know what certaintie to demand or depend vpon but must the thing that it most disclaimed indeed vtterly intolerable stand stil to the curtesie beneuolence of the parishioner Wherfore sith it is most vnfit and vnreasonable that the minister be left to mens curtesies coÌ„scieÌ„ces which now a daies be but short let such as think it not fit that he should be acquainted with their gains and losses from time to time condiscend at least to that which neither parte hath any iust cause to except against that is some reasonable Composition as in London alreadie there is which one yeare with another may be indifferent for both sides 4 But where is any such Tithe payd who is there that paies them Therefore why should we doe otherwise then others doe Hereunto though I might answere in a word We ought to liue by lawes not by examples And therefore though it were true that this kind of Tithe were now no where paid yet this being prooued as it is that of right it ought to be paid such examples of non-paiment doe not iustifie but make more euill the facte For The more trangressors the greater the sinne The farther the disease is spread the more intolerable and needing speedy care ne pars syncer a trahatur least al be mard yet if the willing Reader will vouchfafe but to turne a little backeward he shall there find it sufficiently declared how long by whom where those kind of
these are the course afore mentioned may be tollerable but that this is not a fit course ordinarily the thing wherevpon I stand and for continuance any where to bee practised nor it that God prescribeth which wee sâ—eke after I shall I doubt not make it appeare by many arguments First of all There is no such thing taught vs in the word of God wee are I say no where in the scripture taught That euery man should giue to the maintenance of his minister but what hee will asmuch or as little as pleaseth himselfe This is the way to mainteine reliue the poore of the parish not the Pastour Concerning the poore saith our Apostle 2. Cor. 9. 7. As euery man is disposed in his heart so let him giue But concerning the minister neither S. Paul nor any Apostle else so speaketh They alwaies vse such phrases of speech as import not a beneuolence but a dutie not an vncertaine almes but a certaine reward as in our text hee must bee made partaker that is haue a part of all a mans goods a maner of speech neuer vsed concerning the poore So 1. Cor. 9. Who gooes a warfare at anie time of his owne cost c. Whence wee may gather That as the souldier knowes his paye the sheep-heard his wages c. and depends not on a meere vncerteintie so must the minister For To releiue the poore is a worke of charitie but to maintaine the minister is a worke of Iustice duety the one must begge the other demaund the the one craueth the other challengeth th' one hath it by fauour of pitty th' other by right and of desert If any wil obiect the times of the Apostles primitiue church My aunswere is There was no such practise then They did not maintain their ministers then as it were by almes But as we read Act. 2. and 3. They that had lands goods sold them and laid downe the price at the Apostles feet and so distribution was made by whom by the Apostles themselues Act. 4. 35. 5. 2. and afterward by the Deacons Act. 6. To whom to euery man hearer aswel as teacher In what sorte or measure as euery man had need and was fit and sufficient for him Were ministers tyed to mens good wills here when as they were the treasurers for the whole Church had all at their owne disposition and had like part as any other had Let it bee graunted that then it was so Dooth it follow it must bee so now There is a difference I take it twixt a Church vnder persecution and a Church in peace a time of trouble and a time of rest as also betwixt a Church planting and a Church planted In time of persecution as then men must doo as they may and not as they would and take if their right cannot safely bee had insteed thereof what the time will affoord And yet that no more proueth or maketh such dooing to bee a Lawe for vs that liue in better daies then Dauids eating of the shewbread in a time of need dooth argue that any man might haue doone the like at any time as well as hee or S. Paules working with his owne hands while hee preached at Corinth Ephesus that all ministers must follow some occupation liue of themselues not taking of the people any thing either of duetie or beneuolence 2. The affections and mindes of people bee not such toward their ministers of the Church as in those times they were Then they thought nothing too much that was giuen to such vses Churches had their common treasuries euery man striued who might exceed others in enriching the Churches in augmeÌ„ting the treasure thereof so that as before I haue noted Moses was forced Exod. 36. to make proclamation That none should bring any more stuffe for the worke of the Tabernacle So there was rather cause to restraine the people and to disswade them from giuing so much then either to complaine of them as now for giuing too little or vrge compell them to giue more But now quite contrary many thinke all too much that the minister hath diuers striue to pull from theÌ„ vijs modis what they can as if they accounted those the sweetest morsels that are pluckt out of his mouth and those goods best gotten that are wrung from the Church And therefore if the liberall disposition that was in people then did mooue the ministers of the Church to rest satisfied with the voluntary oblations of the people for they were abundantly enough yet now as the vncharitable pittiles affection of many toward the poore in these daies hath inforced the rulers of our land to draw the wealthier sort to a rate coÌ„pâ—ll them to giue not what euery man will though indeed all almes should be voluntary but what is meet necessary so and more then so because this I speake of hath greater warrant the illiberalitie of the people to the ministers their vnconscionable dealing toward them for their labours dooth require That a certaintie should bee appointed for them 3. The maner of oblations voluntary contributions then was farre other then now it is with vs. For as the auncient fathers that liued neerest vnto the times of the Apostles doo report it was the custome of Christians then both men and women somewhere euerie Sunday somewhere menstrua die euery month sunday to make oblation By which often dooing thereof though they offered neuer so little at once but as one of them calls it modicam scipem a smal beneuolence it could not bee but that it must rise in the whole yeare to some reasonable quantitie For as the old saying is Marie a little make a great The custome of our Church once was to offer 4. times a yeare at least but that is now come through a worse custome to once a yeare at Easier onelie then how little it is it is a thing lamentable and almost incredible to relate as little lesse happely as in auncieÌ„t times they did offer at once that offered euery month or euery sunday So that the times the disposition of people the maner of offering being so much altered as they are it is no reason that that course should bee pressed vpon the minister now which was in practise then The cases and causes are nothing like Secondly it is against the rule of equitie Equitie requires that as hee that paies knowes what worke to receiue for his pay so hee that worketh should know what to receiue for his labour That is As the parishioner doth know certainly what hee is to require at the ministers hand as that hee preach thus often at least minister the Sacraments read Diuine seruice in this and that sort c. so the minister should know as certainly what hee is to demaund and haue of his parishioner in recompence of his labours not hee to bee tied to conditions for his dutie
stand at curtesie for his maintenaÌ„ce they allowed to commaund him for that hee is to doo hee inforced to intreat for that he is to haue Thirdly It is contrary to the practise of all times Before the lawe Genes 47. wee doo read of the Egyptian priests that they had their lands certaine reserued vnto them to liue vpoÌ„ oh that heathens should bee more righteous then Christians besides that in time of famine they had an ordinarie of Pharaoh ver 22. And before that wee doo read cap. 14. of the same booke That Abrah payd to Melch. Priest of the high God and in him is expressed to vs no doubt the common practise of all the godly of those times hee payd I say not what he lusted at aduenture but thus much a certaine portion of all that hee had In time of the Law the Priests sonnes and seed of Leui stood not to mens curtesies but had their tithes certaine and knew their parts of euery kinde of offering that came to the altar And in time of the Gospell howsoeuer some particulars haue failed The general practise in all ages nations countries whatsoeuer hath been and is that the minister should know for the principal part of his maintenance what to demaund and the people what to pay The same course holds currant in all trades sciences professions else Goe into all Courts of iudgement haue not euery one their knowne and seuerall fees Goe into the City haue not all officers their certaine salaries Goe out into the field hath not euery Captaine Lieutenant Sergeant Soldiour c. his knowen pay Goe into the country hath not euery labourer his ordinary wages Come home into thine owne house will thy seruant trust to thy curtesy for his seruice will any workman worke with thee either by the day or at taske without agreement what to haue And is it not a straunge thing That should bee thought to bee a course fit and good enough for the minister which is good for no bodie else and hee bee inforced to that kinde of dealing which all others disclaime and vtterly refuse Plutarch a worthie Historiographer writes of Licurgus that famous Lacedemonian Lawmaker That beeing aduised by one to plant in the Citie Democracie that is popular gouernement in steed of Aristocracie that is the gouernement of the chiefe men hee made only this answere Begin saith hee that thy selfe Plant thou first a Democratie in thine owne house His meaning was That kind of gouernement would neuer prooue good in a common-wealth that was so bad that no man would endure or admit it into his owne house The like answere and no more I might haue shapen to this obiection Let them that thinke it good for the minister to stand at mens curtesies practise it in their owne houses a while and bring vs word after a while how it frameth The wiser sort would thereby haue coÌ„ceiued enough But hauing to doo with the vulgar sort for it is their opinion that I am in hand with let wise men beare with me though I bestowe more wordes then one or two to stop the mouthes of a multitude In euery thing how good or euill it is is commonly perceiued by the effectes thereof it is not a good tree that bringeth foorth bad fruite If wee goe this way to worke what good comes there of this course of this I meane That the minister should stand to euery mans curtesie take as they tearme it their good wills as if he were their alâ—â—esman For mine owne part I can see none what others can shewe I long to see or heare Indeed as in building of the tabernacle in the wildernes in the daies of Moses the people there beeing left for that once to doo euery man what he would according to the willingnes of his heart they performed it in such sorte as testified the exceeding loue and zeale they had to the seruice and house of God so people coÌ„tinuing the like course for the maintenance of the ministerie house of God in these daies this good might come of it They might thereby take occasion to shew their great loue and zeale to the house of God to the ministerie and ministers thereof by offering and giuing thereto of their owne accord without Law or compulsion as much and as plentifully as others doo happely against their wills by force and constraint of lawe But it experience may speake her knowledge in this matter If by mens dealings in this case by that many doo giue and would of their owne accord but giue to this so holy so good and so necessary a vse in such places where they stand vpon it That they neither ought nor will doo otherwise a man shall iudge of their loue to God his ministers of their zeale to his Church and the Gospell surely we must iudge it to be very colde and small very backward and bad Now as there comes no good of this course for ought that I can see so on the contrary side I know it and see too often that much euil and hurt comes of it As first It disables the minister vtterly to doo his duetie For wanting as that way hee cannot but doo all necessaries both for his life and his study how can hee possibly be able either to study that hee may preach or preach when hee hath studied 2. It is the ready way to discourage him from dooing his duety to make him timerous and fearefull in reproouing of sinne and wickednes as knowing before hand that liuing vpon the courtesie and good will of his hearers if hee but once crosse them as they tearme it that is but once touch the sinne that such and such do liue in they will be euen with him for it Displease any in word or deed and of them ye get nothing 3. It is the ready way to induce the Minister of God to flatter and soothe the richer sort in hope of the greater reward and better Beneuolence at their hands Both which vices flatterie and fearefulnes how pernitious they be in a Minister who of all other men shuld be most free from respect of persons no man but may easily conceiue 4. It discourageth and disables him vtterly from any good house-keeping and hospitalitie as who liuing himselfe like a begger rather then an house-keeper knowes not how he shal be able to keepe house and giue entertainment to others beeing certaine of nothing himselfe 5. It is the sure way to keepe the Minister of God in extreame pouertie then which there is not any mischiefe more dangerous to the Church of God For such is the charitie and good deuotion of the most part this way that if they may hold the Minister at that bay not one among 20 I speake within compasse and that a great deale too I say not one among 20. will by his good will deale with the minister Ministerlike 6. It emboldens euery man against the Minister to vse
pay them was else no parâ—e of his dutie It is more probable a great deale that being a most religious and wise man knowing that God delights not in rash and vnlawfull vowes and knowing the payment of Tithes to bee acceptable vnto God vpon mature deliberation resolueth to the end his vow might please God that should be a part thereof Thus notwithstanding any thing that can bee obiected it appeareth by payment thereof before the Law that to paie the tenth is a part of the morall law deriued from the very law of Nature Whence it followeth That such payment is in force still for the morall law is perpetuall as a duetie taught vnto man from the beginning to continue to the end so long as there remaineth a man vpon the earth Which standing firme this also must stand for firme That such Tenth is now due to the ministers of the Gospell because they are to vs as Gods Substitutes as were the priests then And therefore as one saith of Abraham paying Tithes What Abraham owed vnto God hee payd it vnto Melchizedec as vnto God himselfe So what people owe vnto God viz. Decimam they ought to pay vnto the ministers of the Gospell as vnto God himselfe To say it is a morall precept To maintaine the minister or to giue God some part of our goods is but a weake euasion forsomuch as it euidently appeareth that the Tenthe and not any other or any vncertaine part hath beene from the beginning payd vnto God receiued by his Substitutes accounted Gods part and that God himselfe so soone as hee maketh claime to his right and once nominateth what it is claimeth and calleth it by the name of the Tenth as Leuit. 27. 30. Numb 18. 20. saying The Tenth is mine 2. From the time of Nature if wee come to the time of the Lawe all doo know That from Moses till Christ the tenth of all things was accounted Gods part that the Lord made challenge therevnto as to his owne proper right and peculiar portion The Tenth of the lande is mine All tithes are holie vnto the Lorde and I haue giuen the Tithes vnto Leui and his seed And herevpon it is that hee saith that Hee is their inheritance and that Malac. 3. 10. hee doth charge the people that in withholding their Tithes and offerings they had robbed him c. In these speeches and their like wee must note two things First the Lords right vnto Tithes Hee claimeth that parte and none other not an viij or xv or a xx but the tenth precisely as his owne proper inheritance The tenth saith he is mine True it is that all wee haue in a sense is the Lords because All thinges are of him 1. Chronicles 29. 14. And in that sense it is saide Psaâ—me 24. 1 The earth is the Lords and all that is therein the round world and they that dwel in it Ps. 50. 10. All beasts of the forrest are mine and so are the cattell vpon a thousand hilles And saith our Apostle what hast thou O man what euer thou bee and whatsoeuer thou haue which thou hast not receiued But in this case God dooth claâ—me the tenth to bee his in a more peculiar sense and sort and that is not Iure Creationis because hee hath made all nor Iure Potestatis because hee hath the disposing of all for in these senses the other nine partes are also the Lordes but Iure Proprietatis siue Reseruationis in respect of the very proprietie thereof or by way of reseruation because hauing giuen all the rest vnto the sonnes of men he hath reserued vnto himselfe to bestowe where hee will the tenth as his owne immediate right and portion euen in a like manner as a Lord passing away his land to a tenant reserueth yet for his owne vse a certaine rent out of it The notice and consideration whereof no doubt moued some very learned and iudicious expositors to intitle tithes by the name of a sacred and holy rent or tribute as it were insinuating thereby that as the land of Egypt Gen. 47. being sold into the hands of Pharao there was reserued vnto Pharao the first part of the increase thereof as a rent or annuitie thereof and the people allowed to take the other foure parts for the seede and for their labour and for prouision for them and theirs So the whole earth being Gods and hee giuing it to the sonnes of men hee hath notwithstanding for a token and acknowledgement of his soueraigntie reserued vnto himselfe as a rent and sacred tribute for the whole the tenth of all The other thing I note out of the words is the bestowing of tithes Tithes saith God areâ—â—ine But to what vse I haue giuen them saith he vnto the Sonnes of Leui for an inheritance And why to Leui his sonnes for the seruice which they serue mee in the tabernacle Num. 18. 1. And this teacheth vs that in Israel so long as Leui serued at the altar and wayted in the Tabernacle so long he had right to Tithes How right Not Proprio iure not by his owne proper right but in the Lords behalfe and by way of assignation from the Lord who had to speake after our fashion passed them ouer vnto Leui and his heires so long as their seruice did continue These things being obserued that is first the Lords right vnto Tithes which cannot but bee perpetuall then his assignation of Tithes to Leui which was but temporary and herewithall that the ministers of the Gospel are to God now in the steed of Leui do minister vnto him not in the same but a more excellent forme we may with great and I think vndeniable probabilitie gather that forsomuch as the Lords right vnto the tenth holdeth still he hath Leâ—its to serue him still his temple and seruice to be attended still that stil they ought to receiue that right on the Lords behalfe which haue succeeded in the steed of those that receiued it heretofore To say that the law of tithes ceased when Leuies seruice ended is an argument of no force First because they were assigned not so much for the persons sake as for the office the Seruice of God which continuing though in another forme doth necessarily require the continuance of the maintenance vnlesse a better come in place which is already graunted cannot bee Secondly because the right and so the law of Tithes tooke not his beginning at Leui for the payment of Tithes was not then first instituted but assigned onely to whom for that time and in that land they should bee payd It is therefore improbable that the payment of tithes should end with Leuies seruice which took not beginning thereat but were Gods and belonged to the priests of God when as yet Leui had not the office but reason equity doth rather yeeld that as the priests of God in time of nature had them before Leui and the law So the Ministers of the Gospel should haue