then themselves witnesse that passage which was betweene Abraham and Melchisedech For though when Melchisedech was King and Priest of Salem Abraham also was King and Priest over his owne family yet Abrahams office yeelded and gave place to Melchisedech because hee was of an elder house and so greater then Abraham For this Melchisedech was Sem Hier. tradit in Genes as the Hebrew Doctors also witnesse and made the First-borne not by birth but by his Fathers †Gen. 9.26.27 blessing And indeed seeing that Iaphets sons (*) Act. 2.5 fetch their religion from Salem whom God would perswade to (†) Gen 9.27 fetch it from Sems tents who should rule †Or Ierusalem as in Psal 76.2 Salem where God his Tabernacle should bee rather then Sem Wherein wee may also note that although there were Priests and offerings before yet is Melchisedech the first who is directly said to be a Priest and the first also that in direct termes is said to take Gods portion by the name of tythes Yea no sooner is hee said to be a Priest of God but tythes are * Abraham gave him tythes of all Gen. 14.19 20 not by voluntary contribution but by necessary injunction witnesse both Melchisedechs superiority as also the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heb. 7.6 paied to him and those even as was afterwards mentioned in the written Law for the service that hee did And what was that speciall service As a (†) For thut doe Iosephus Rabbt Solomon among the Iewes and Cajetan among the the Papists understand the place Num. 6.23 Num. 8.16 King hee brought forth Bread and Wine to comfort both Abraham and his souldiers but as a Priest hee blessed him namely Abraham and then tooke tythes thesa cred due belonging to his holy function It was no Ceremoniall but Substantiall part of the Priests office It was among the Levites afterwards who were chosen in stead of the First-born Yea and hath stil followed the Priesthood from the times of Christ and his Apostles to our very dayes It was done by Christ himselfe Marke 10.16 Luke 24.50 It was by him commanded and a promise granted to second it upon such as readily received them that he sent Luke 10.5 It was also practised by the blessed Apostles and hath as I said still followed the Priesthood ever since For according to that forme in the 2. Cor. 13.14 the Ministers of the Gospel in all ages thereof have continued to blesse the people or if otherwise 't is according to what is else where taught them as in Phil. 4.7 Rom 15.33 Shall then the wages for this service be abolished it cannot it may not it must not be For to whom the selfe same power and duty of blessing belongeth as did to Melchisedech before the Law and to the Priests and Levites under the Law to them from the blessed ought the same dutie to be performed that is the tithes of all but the Ministers of the Gospel have as hath beene shewed the same power and right of blessing the people Therefore tythes are their due as well as the due of the Priests before them Thus then as I said before Priest-hood and Tythes are Relatives Quorum uno posito ponitur et alterum et uno sublato tollitur et alterum For hee blessed Abraham and received tythes of all that for Melchisedech Gen. 14 19.20 Heb. 7.1.2 Deut. 10 9. Numb 18.22 And againe to blesse in his name Wherefore the Lord is their Inheritance and hath given them all the Tenth in Israel That for the Levites Object Object 1 But it is objected that Abraham paied the tythes of his spoyles and not of his other goods and therefore was not necessarily bound to the performance of this duty perpetually at other times and out of his other substance Answ It is answered that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answ in Heb. 7.4 translated The spoyles of warre doth signifie the Top the Chiefe the Principal or best of anything as well or rather then the spoyles of warre And therefore as hee gave Tythes of all which is mentioned at the second verse so de praecipuis of the best of all 〈◊〉 that learned Authour speaketh Hee give him the best of all for tythe pag. 〈◊〉 But say wee should grant that at this time Abraham gave onely the tythes of the spoyles yet is it so farre from hindring the right of tythes that it rather confirmeth all more fully For if Abraham gave tythes of the spoyles much more then of his owne goods ordinarily and at other times The vow of Iacob doth well confirme it where I am sure is nothing spoken concerning spoyles For of all saith he which thou shalt give me I will give the Tenth unto thee Gen. 28.22 out of which words it appeareth how generall this practise was of paying tythes It is most manifest that when hee spoke them Gen. 32.10 hee had not wherewithall to performe the duty of such a payment howbeit because hee knew the equity of it and had ordinarily seene the zealous performance of it hee voweth not to be deficient in it whensoever it should please the Lord to enable him for the performance of it as well as others of his kindred Besides if there were no other tythes given by Abraham to Melchisedech but of those spoyles onely why is this compared with Leviticall tythes which were payed yeerely It was therefore a common practise as well then as under the Law to pay their tythes to Gods Priests and so what was done before the Law in these duties can no more cease now after the Law then Christ ceaseth to be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Object Object 2 And secondly whereas some object that vowes are onely to be made of things indifferent and not of things necessary Mr. Perrot Append. to Iacobs vow pag 5. It is answered very fitly that to forsake the Devill and all his workes is a duty necessary but wee may not onely vow this in Baptisme but take the Sacrament afterwards of the Lords Supper to bind us to the performance of the same vow Object Object 3 Oh but say some Iacob vowed tythes with condition therefore they are not such as are contained in the Law of Nature Answ It is answered Answ that albeit wee are bound without a vow to the performance of Morall duties See Doctor Carlt. of tythes 6.2 pag. 8. yet neverthelesse it is nothing unlawfull to vow them that thereby wee may be stirred up to the performance of them with the more exact care and fervent zeale For beside that a vow serveth to shew a resolved and willing mind it also serveth to stirre up a diligent care And so though David was bound without an oath or vow to keepe the righteous judgements of the Lord yet hee (*) See also concerning the vowing of morall duties in 2 Chron. 15.12.13 bound himselfe by a
they were taught not the duty for Nature it selfe could teach them that but the proportion of Gods due this being as I said before concerning the particularity of a seventh day for Gods publike worship a thing morall not in respect of nature dictating but in regard of Nature informed by the divine instruction or angelicall Illumination of God Almighty and so the very particular part is Morall although not Ratione naturae yet Ratione Disciplinae Thus then you see that Ratione originis or by right Originall Tythes are the Lords For all the Tythe of the Land is the Lords Levit. 27.30 And therefore in Malachie thus wee reade Malac. 3.8 Will a man rob God yet yee have robbed me saith the Lord in Tythes and offerings Now this was knowne before but not recorded and how knowne I have already shewed For better proofe whereof marke well the manner of the words It is not said Thou shalt pay all Tythes to the Lord for such a Precept might argue an Institution of Tythes as Dr. Carleton wel observeth Dr. Carlt. of tythes c. 3. But it is said All Tythes are the Lords which words doe not expresse any new Institution but declare that ancient Right which God had alwayes in them long before the Law But how are they his not as all things else are his but by a speciall propriety Otherwise when hee gave them to the Levites because he chose them into the priesthood he had given them althe Cattell upon a thousand hils Psal 50.10 as well as the tenth And indeed so ought men to thinke of whatsoever it is that here they enjoy They hold what they have from the Lord and in token of subjection thankefulnesse and obedience hee expecteth back againe one part of ten as a sacred tribute to himselfe And therefore saith Solomon Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 Nam qui nobis totum dedit a nobis decimum dignatus est recipere For hee who hath given us the whole vouchsafeth to receive backe againe a Tenth as in the doctrine of the Canonists is fitly affirmed And so Saint Austine also makes his descant Vide Winchest in Posthum de Decimis pag. 156 Aug de temp Serm. 219. Quid enim si diceret Deus Meuses ô homo mea est terra quam colis measunt Semina quae spargis mea animalia quaefatigas Meaesunt pluviae mens solis hic ardor Haec cum omnia mea sint tu qui manum tantum accommodas solam decimam merebaeris sed servo tibi novem da mihi decimam Si non dederis decimam auferam novem Si dederis decimam multiplicabo novem That is what if the Lord should say Thou art mine O man mine is the earth which thou plowest mine are the seeds which thou sowest mine are the beasts which thou toylest Mine are the drops of raine mine is this heate of the Sunne Seeing all these things are mine thou which dost only lend thy hand deservest onely a Tenth But I keepe for thee nine parts give mee a Tenth If thou wilt not give a Tenth I will take away the Nine But if thou wilt give a Tenth I will then increase thy Nine And again Nolite de cuncta substantia vestra fraudare Decimam ne vobis novem partes aufer antur et sola decima remaneat And again Idem Serm. 219. de teusp Quod si decimas non habes fructunm terrenorum quod habet Agricola quod cunque te pascit ingenium Dei est et inde Decimas expetit unde vivis Besides which the Lord is also well pleased with the Free-wil-offrings and oblations of holy men and although hee require both Exod. 25.2 chap. 35.5 1 Chron. 29 9. yet not both alike He left the one free to the pious considerations of the godly but not the other For offerings (*) Psal 36.8 are but as his Presents but tythes †Levit. 27.30.32 are his Rents or speciall portion reserved to himselfe And verely it is even a shame to Christians if wee consider how forward the Heathens were in these duties For as nature taught them to acknowledge a God or gods so it also taught them to bee open handed and to consecrate unto them both Tythes and Offerings insomuch that they who denied the one were accounted as if they denied the other also Namely that if they with-held to give of their increase to their gods they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheists Irreligious people not serving God without piety and the like which is enough to shew it cannot bee avoided that generally they practised the paying of tythes as a necessary duty I shall nee◠therefore to say little of that which might be alledged out of Herodotus Xenophon Plutarch Macrobius Diodorus Siculus Livie Plinie and others concerning either the Egyptians Persians Grecians Sabaeans Ethiopians Carthaginians or Romans with many more besides who gave to their gods both tythes and offerings For beside their ordinary payments they offered likewise in token of thankefulnesse gifts and sacrifices Vpon recovery of health they remembred to gratifie Esculapius If they had successe at sea they sacrificed to Neptune If their Vintage was good they made their offerings to Bacchus If their flocks thrived they payed their vowes to Pan and Faunus or if their harvest was plentifull they were thankefull to Ceres And al this because Nature taught them that upon the receit of every benefit there is a tribute due to the Author and Donour of it By this very light it was that the Heathen Emperour Alexander Severus could say Emperator respondit quoquo modo esse satius in illo loco Deum colero quam cauponariam ibiexercert Diez Sumne Tom 1. ex Baptisla Fulgosie in a case of contestation between the pagans the Christians concerning a piece of ground employed to a religious use that it was honest and fit to have God served before Ale-houses And the Athenians likewise bad Phidias hold his peace and talke no more of cheanesse for in such things as belonged to Gods service they could not endure to have cheapnesse or saving of charges named Doe wee not also reade that the Heathens beleeved Prometheus to be chained to Mount Caucasus and tormented by an Eagle for coosening Iupiter in his sacrifices It is no shame for us to gather good out of their examples It were a shame rather that a false God should bee more honoured than the true Wee may avoid their superstition but imitate their zeale otherwise they walke better by the dimme light of Nature than wee who have both the light of Nature and of Scripture to direct us I doe not say or thinke that in the payment of their tythes Nature taught them the just portion of a Tenth For though the substance of this duty was Lex inscita yet the other was by way of imitation taken from the example of the ancient Patriarkes to whom the will of
solemne oath Psalme 119. Verse 106. In like manner Iacob shewes his resolved and willing mind desiring to be prompted forward to this duty by making of a vow And whereas it was conditionall how could it bee otherwise for hee that shall make a vow for the payment of his tythes repairing Gods House or giving almes to the poore whilst hee wants meanes to performe these duties cannot make his vow de presenti but de futuro and that but sub conditione neither namely that when God shall blesse him with goods he will then performe what now hee voweth And thus I am sure it was with Iacob for when he fled from his Fathers house by reason of his brothers hatred what had he more then his staffe that he caried with him Gen. 32.10 Hitherto then it well appeareth that tythes belong not either to the Ceremoniail or Iudiciall Laws for tythes were long before them and are therefore due by the Morall Law which bindeth all men at al times And though perhaps Captivity War or Persecution may sometimes put all things out of square and cause them to be as it were suspended for a while de facto yet the Ins or right remaines in it selfe inalterable Which ought therfore to teach that in setled times the fact be reduced again to his true Sic as abinitio Obiect Object 4 But 't is objected that tythes were Ceremonies before the Law as well as sacrifices Answ To which I answer Answ that if tythes be compared with sacrifices they cannot bee compared with any but with such as were meerely Eucharisticall nothing relating to Christ as types of his great Sacrifice upon the Crosse They come neer indeed to that of Cain and Abel who payed to the supreme Lord of all a part of what he gave them as formerly hath bin shewed But to ranke them among the Figures or Types of Christ is altogether beside the scope of any thing intended in them For first they are Gods then by him assigned and in that if wee marke their end there is no cause to dream of Ceremonie For â—s wee have already heard their end of payment to the Priests was for the maintenance of Gods worship being due principally to the Service and not to the Men but for their Service sake Insomuch that so long as God hath his Church and Officers belonging to it tythes are due to those who exercise therein the functions of their office For why else were they paid to the Priests before the Law as well as to the Priests under the Law at which time in expresse words it was thus written I have chosen them in the stead of the first-borne I have given the tythes for the service that they doe And albeit some would make ten to be a number of perfection Aquin. sum 2.2 q. 87. art 1. resp ad 1. Argument and so a type of Christ yet why it should be a more perfect number then seven I cannot see Aquinas himselfe cannot say that it is any other then Quodam modo perfectus and yet the Lambe which was indeed a type of Christ was to be without any blemish And as for seven Lib. 1. Moral c. 11. as in Lip in Gen. 2 in ancient times it was reckoned to bee the very summe of perfection Certis simè scimus sayth Saint Gegorie quod Septenarium numerum Scriptura sacra pro perfectione ponere consvevit c. We know for certaine that the holy Scripture useth to put the Seventh for a number of perfection For sixe daies were spent before the workes of Creation were perfected and on the Seventh God rested Hinc etiam est quod septimus dies in requiem hominibus id est in Sabbatho datus est Hinc est quod Iubileus annus in quo plena requies exprimitur septem heb domadibus consumatur Saint Austine likewise sayth De septenarij numeri perfectione dici quidem plura possunt c. Sed hoc satis sit admonere De civit Dei lib. 11. c. 31. quod totus impar primus numerus ternarius est totus par quaternarius ex quibus duobus Septenarius constat Thus he by which it appeareth that Seven rather than Ten was held to be the most perfect number Besides all that perfectnesse which is sayd to be in Ten is not so much as it is a number but as Art hath taught us how to write our numbers or how to divide them into Simple and Compound which I take to bee for plainnesse of teaching and reckoning rather than for any thing else Men I confesse may straine their wits if they please to bring a Quidlibet ex quolibet and yet may be farre enough from the thing aymed at which in this case is plaine enough because the end mentioned in Gods assignation sheweth why Tythes were paid although we invent no new causes never read nor heard off till the corrupt times of the Church Oh but though they were no ceremonies Object 5 yet they might be judicialls that is they might be paid in their proportion of a Tenth by determination of the judiciall Law Whereto I answere Answ that this also must needs be false as is apparent even in what hath beene said to prove that they are not ceremoniall Beside which this may be added namely that the judiciall Lawes of Moses were onely concerning things common or outward actions wherby the civill societie of the Israelites ought to be governed It was a Law medling onely in things appertaining to men not at all belonging to any other than to things of common use And if so then Tythes are beyond the reach of such a Law for they are seperated from common use Levit. 27. Numb 18. they are holy to the Lord and devoted to the Priests for the service that they doe And againe the newnesse of these two last opinions overthrow them For first that Tythes are ceremonies no man ever thought till about an hundred yeares agoe or little more Secondly that they are judicialls was first broached by one of our owne Countrimen Alexander de Hales the Master of Bonaventure and of Thomas Aquinas He flourished about the yeare of our Lord * Or 1230. as some others reckon 1240 and dyed in the tenth yeare after to wit in the yeare 1250. In which passage I cannot but take up D. Carletons observation Namely that after the Pope had through corruption made Tythes away from their proper Churches by Impropriations then to salve up this corruption least it might have been thought open sacriledge these devices were first invented being as pat for the Popes purpose as could be imagined of which more shall bee spoken afterwards Oh but some perhaps will say Object 6 that the civill Magistrate may deale in matters of Religion and may therefore set downe the quotitie or stint of the Priests maintenance I answer here with Master Robarts Answ that the Magistrate may provide that God may receive what he hath required but may not