euer I should vse my tongue in perswading men to pull downe Churches who haue neede to incite them all I can to build more True it is this request and this repulse prooued fatall to both for the Emperour bearing splene to the Patriarke for this the Patriark ioyned with Leontius to depose Iustinian and Iustinian after much hurly burly recouering the diademe first blinded then banished the Patriark It is too wel known with what animositie S. Ambrose resisted Theodosius in like case which elswhere remembring he vseth these words Meministis ipsi quoties aduersus regales impetus pro viduarum imò omnium depositis certamen subierimus You remember how often I haue been put to my plunges in the behalfe of the Churches the common banke of the widowes and all the word against the great assaults and impetitions of the Emperour The like he recordeth of another whom he calleth Episcopus Vicinensis Oh that there were the like spirit in our moderne Bishops in your honorable Senators that when any sacrilegious bill or mercenarie tongue shal rise vp to perswade to like dishonourable courses he may by your learned speaker or religious members be quashed silenced committed Howeuer you shall please to humour any in like sute may it please you out of the greatnes of your place and seriousnes of your imployments to consider your priuate estates your houses honour your Empires glorie your Sauiours worship nequid Ecclesia detrimenti capiat For further perswasion hereof vouchsafe to heare this wholesome aduise which though for the author ye are to repudiate yet because it is an Oracle not to calumniate What time Camillus was banished to Capua and the French vnder Bremus were possessed of Rome L. Clarius the Consull was sent by the Senate to Apollo Delphicus to demaund counsell what they might doe where he remained 40. daies together in humble supplication before the shrine without once being heard or vouchsafed answeare and so after 6. weekes expence of time and losse of much treasure he returned as he came Then the Senate thought it good to send the Priests out of euery Temple in Rome two who ariuing there were presently answeared in this manner Maruell not yee Romanes that I haue thus long refused to answeare for foolish people vse neuer to seeke to God till men doe saile them but therefore doth God refuse to counsell such in their extremitie because they neuer come at them but in extremitie Take this of me neuer leaue God to flie to men for it more auaileth to hold league with God then loue with all the men aliue be warie how you offend God for he can damage you more then men can doe God forgets not men except he be much and oft forgot of them and therefore suffereth he them to persecute one another because they all ioyne to persecute him or his if then if you will looke to haue him fauourable to you in time of warre you must be sure to serue him in the time of peace and know this that extreame chastisements are for extreame sinnes These are the Mementoes I send to the Romans and as to L. Clarius I vouchsafed to make no answer to so euill a messenger for take this from me and if you find my counsell ill then take no more In forren ambassages send alwaeis your most eloquent Orators in Senate at home put alwaies the wisest men your wars abroad commit alwaies to the most valiant Commanders and in the negotiations of god put alwaies the most innocent Priests for god will neuer appease his iust ire against vniust actions but if your solicitours be most holy and righteous As for the French they cannot be driuen from Rome till Camillus and all the guiltlesse citizens that are now in banishment are recalled home these wars doe but warne you of your offences past for looke what euil wicked men doe to the good in diuerse dayes by other as euill they shall be sure to bee repaid in one This was the answer which Apollo gaue the Flamines that were sent vnto him an answer to say no more that might haue befitted a farre better author but it is not speaking but doing that saues wherein we haue the start of the wisest Atheist or Deuil in the world Consider I beseech you of the matter and apply it if you please To conclude as they recommended all their State to the wisedome and prouidence of their Senate so doe wee the poore and despised Ministers of this Kingdome in the behalfe of the Church recommend the care of God and his Gospel to your wisedoms and deuotions our Consuls and Senators not as finding defect in your diligence but as he Qui monet vt facias quod iam facis ipse monendo Laudat hortatu comprobat acta suo And so in all humble dutie recommending your consultations to the spirit of wisedome and the great Counsellour and your liues and spirits to the God of spirits and life I ende CHAP. V. Consolation to my Reuerend Fathers and Brethren of the Clergie against the iniuries of the times MY Honoured Lords Reuerend Brethen and beloued fellow-labourers in the Gospel of God Considering the daily and dangerous in iustice which the world doth practise vpō the Church I need not tell you that the same doth concerne all you that are the deputies of God in this case as from God to men in matters of grace and internall benediction so of men to God for temporall tribute and thankefull retaliation If then we finde our charges ingrate our Superiours sinistrous our neighbours iniurious our auditors sacrilegious not respecting our labours nor requiting our cares neither reuerencing our persons nor abstaining from our pensions what remaines for vs to be done but to descend into our selues and examine our consciences in the sight of God and his holy Angels whether it be the guerdon of our sinnes or the gaging of our graces which he lookes should be reall and eminent in vs. And albeit we must truely agnize that such vsages are the portion of our cup and the inheritance of our profession which our Master hath left vnto vs yet it cannot be denied but we shall finde sufficient cause within our selues to ascribe the same to our deserts and aberrations It is written in the late histories of the Indian people that if they finde in their Temples and Sacraries of their superstitions any horrid or abhorred creatures as owles or backs or toads or serpents which men account as hatefull and ominous they dispose themselues to all the shewes of humilitie that their holiest ceremonies can declare to expiate the anger of their displeased Zemes and furious Deities which they hold presaged by such impurities The like I take it are we to doe and make collection of these vnclean vermine in the sanctuaries of God that God is most highly offended with vs and that these impure monsters and prodigious Harpies doe really prognosticate the threats of heauen as
Christ or his Apostles name Tithes and put the matter out of controuersie let me first retort this argument as he did who when his aduersarie had said Si satis est negare quis erit nocens replied Si satis est accusare quis erit innocens but I will shew why First verie many matters that touch the foundation passe vnmentioned but not vnmeant the consubstantialitie of the Sonne which the Arrians did oppose particular faith which the Papists pedobaptisme which the Anabaptists and the Sabbath which the Antisabbatarians do obiect are not named of which it is heresie to doubt or deny therfore the reason is rotten to say they are not named therfore are not Secondly the Synagogue was yet standing wherto by diuine prescriptions Tithes were tied which though by the death of Christ she receiued her deaths wound yet then was not dead when dead not presently buried but with reuerence and honour as the Fathers say to be put into the graue so that till after her funerals there was no paying of legacies Thirdly the state of the new Church was such as yet had neither peace nor prince so that this was no time to put in her claime but to expect till God should stirre her vp some foster Fathers to order her right Fourthly and lastly for feare of scandall for as Christ did forbeare a time to tell of his passion and at his death I haue many other things to say vnto you quae non potestis portare modò which you are not able to beare as now so did the Apostles somewhile conceale the point of the resurrection till the world was better acquainted with their doctrine The like reason was of this least they might be thought as out of couetousnesse to prouide for themselues which modestie as it was in them commendable so it hath beene in vs preiudiciall the world seruing their own turn vpon our ingenuitie thinking we need nothing because we say nothing And this may be sufficient for the silence of the new Scriptures What a cloud of witnesses both of the Fathers Councels heathen schoolemen late writers all writers D. Carlton and other haue collected I omit to touch least I should actum agere or put my sicle in others haruest I will adde a few reasons that ioyned to their authorities may make it plaine after I haue named the writers that are direct in this point 1. For Fathers 1. Origen in Numb 11. 2. Cypr. Epist 66. 3. Chrys hom 4â— in Mat. 4. Ambr. serm 40. 5. Hierom. in Mat. 3. 8. 6. August hom 48. 1. Malisconens cap. 5. 2. Cabitonens cap. 18. 3. Mognatin cap. 38. 4. Rotomag cap. 10. 5. Triburtin cap. 13. 6. Anglican cap. 17. 1. Hug. de san vie par 12. c. 4. 2. Aqu. 2. â— q. 87. ar â— 3. Carthus in Mat. 22. 4. Rabanus in Mat. 23. 5. Bed in scintille 6. Pererius in Gen. 14. 1. Brent in Leuit. 27. 30. 2. Iunius in parall 3. 7. 3. Gual in Matth. 23. Luc. hom â—8â— 4. Nansea hom 75. de temp 5. Zanch. de oper redemp lib. 5. c. 18. 6. Hospinian de orig decimar 1. Plutarch in Lucul 2. Diodor. Siâ—ulus 5. 2. 3. Pausanias lib. 5. 4. Herodotus in Clio. 5. Plin. de Sabae Ethiop 6. Purchas of the Turks and Alarbes in Affrica beside Zenophon Festus c. And now to the reasons 1. To the ende that neither the giuer may brag nor the receiuer blush saith one that is the people should not vpbraid the Minister with their bountie nor the Minister bee ashamed to take his dutie therefore in old time they were to doe both in the Temple therefore where tithes are not paid in kind the Minister must sooth his Masters or hee shall be sure to sigh for his means So Philo and Thephylact 2. The Apostle commands and the world expecteth that the Minister bee giuen to hospitalitie although S. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differs much from that keeping good houses which men expect of their Minister which cannot be done by them that liue vpon a drie stipend and therefore tithes in kind are the most conuenient for the Minister 3. Tithes of all other kind of maintenance as our men are enforced to confesse that thinke they are but of humane constitution are the most naturall conuenient wise safe indifferent of all other therefore rightest way to maintaine the Minister except we will say that God hath not prouided so meetely for those that preach the Gospel as might be done 4. The first intendments of appointing Tithes in all the iudgements of reuerent antiquitie by God to the old Priesthood was to serue for an acknowledgement of his Vniuersall power and right of the creatures graunted to their comfort In which regard the learned Calvin calls tythes proprium Dei ius regium vectigal his peculiar right and regall tribute now the equitie of this remaines in the Church no lesse then in the Synagogue Ergo. 5. The Ministers as they are in their callings the meanes of Gods blessing subordinate to Christ and types of his dealing to all the people so it is equall they haue equal share in the mercies and iudgments of God that they may both wayes sympathize with their people and serue their turne with their sensible praiers which is not done in a set stipend neither singing at the haruest nor weeping in times of dearth neither winning nor loosing how euer the world goeth 6. And lastly for the parishioners owne particular he cannot haue so comfortable a fruition of the creatures of God nor satisfie his conscience any way so soundly as by sacrificing a portion of his corne and increase vnto his God and communicating with his Minister in all his goods These I take it may serue in this matter to prooue that Tithes are due I meddle not exprofesso with that question my purpose is onely to shew that these things beeing holy whether by diuine ordination or humane constitution they should be inuiolable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and should not haue been prostituted by the vnholy fathers as they haue been In which case I can say no other but that the deuill hath done like Anytus one of the 30. tyrants that vsurped vpon the State at Athens who finding Socrates to stand in his way and hinder his conclusions deuised this meanes to be rid of him he hires the idle-headed Poet Aristophanes to traduce the good man openly vpon the stage both to worke him that way some open disgrace and to sound the peoples liking of his worse intreating The matter sorted so well to the tyrants minde that the Poet for gaine and the people for game gaue way to the cup of hemlocke and Socrates death The enemie of our saluation doth beare the like splene to the ministers of the Gospel thorough whose sides he seekes to wound and worke out true religion as men that indeed do marre his markets The Pope in the deuils
whom God will one day repaie in like kinde punishing their sinne of greedines with the greedines of sinning 4. An other maine obiection is laid hold vpon either by gentlemen that haue trauailed or Ministers that relish a little too much of the Geneua fashion that other Countries doe not mainetaine their Ministers by Tithes but contributions poore salaries such as the pollicie of men or the iniquitie of times haue left vnto them But wee are here to dispute not de facto but de iure not what is but what should be done Viuendum legibus non exemplis it is not the deedes of men but the doctrine of God that should be our guide for the same Countries allow of tolerations shall I say or commixtions rather of all kinde of religions But whatsoeuer other doe either vpon errour or necessitie non fuit sic à principio the syncerest times and primest Churches haue better presidents For many haue enthralled theit liuings and liberties together to the importunities of their troubles or abitrement of their Kings as the French to Carolus Martellus saith Gaguine and the Churches of Saxonie saith Aventine who to redeeme their liues gaue all the Church demeanes vnto the Turke though they were redeemed by Arnulphus Duke of Bauoir And some haue thought that what the Bishops in that case haue done is good against themselues but it is to childish to change the most naturall and wise order of the world for an idol of a trauellers braine seeing it can neither be bettered nor paralled with the like some in inequalitie must be confessed which might be redressed which is accidentall no deformitie that is substantiall And so much of Lay mens vsurpations which needed not so much proofe as reproofe CHAP. IIII. Against the exemptions that some Cities and great Townes doe clame in Church duties THere is an other sort of men that albeit they lurch not the Church lands nor count them Antichristian yet enfranchise themselues with a false priuiledge that they are as free from the commandement of God in this case or any other ordinance of man concerning that matter as from the rescripts of the Sheriffe of the out-shiere to pay nothing for the maintenance of the Minister more then their owne mind shall voluntarie condescend vnto or order taken vpon their agreement at the Hall shall make them liable vnto And therefore it seemes a thing most absurd and verie vnreasonable that Personall Tithes of Artificers trades-men and Merchants should be demaunded By which meanes they sad and dull the hearts of their Ministers by a couetous and vnconscionable prescription to allow him nothing but his two-pennie offrings at Easter and a verie small quillet not to be accounted of beside But they must vnderstand that first at least a personall Tithe is due which that poore portion no way doth counteruaile by a thousand part Secondly if not in act yet in equitie some proportionate summe vnto that which God and man hath indifferently set downe And of this assertion I haue these reasons beside those I haue set downe in generall 1. It is the dictate of nature and positiue law of God to honour God with our riches and the good things of this life as is Gods ordinance and as the holy men of God haue done Abraham Iacob and all the holy nation and all our countrie beside What charter then or charitie what custome or conscience can be pretended to free vs from that which all the Christian world nay all the Vniuersall world are bound vnto They may obiect that one man may serue that turne for a whole Citie or Towne and for one man their maintenance may be sufficient First it is not credible or possible that any one should feed more thousands with a morsell of bread then euer Christ fedde with 7. loaues and 2. fishes Besides what Stentoâ—s voice or Eolus lungs or iron sides may be sufficient to stretch to so many thousands but that is as grosse as all the rest that he that should take so much paines should haue no more then that slender reward 2. Will not God at his generall Audit obiect this vnto such that labourers in the Countrie and fishermen in poore Townes of the coast whom he neuer honoured with the tenth of their ease the twentieth of their opportunity the hundreth part of their happines yet returne him by Tithe a couuenient portion of their labours his blessing but these that ought to haue been manie miles before them in godlines come short of them many leagues in gratefullnesse The parable of the talents is well knowne and remembred but not euer practised and therefore God many times sends vs other remembrancers Pirats at sea and prowlers at land to consume our substance bringing men ofttimes from the wealth and pride of the Cittie to the want and drudgerie of the Countrie for such forgetfullnesse and contempt 3. The seruice vnder the law was a costly seruice where men were to allocate the third part of their estate to the ministration of the Tabernacle what by sacrifices of all sorts what by peculiar charges rising on some occasions but vnder Poperie this charge was doubled and trebled where the third part of the land went to the blinde and the lame Clergie From the first we are freed by Christ from the second by Christian Princes What to be exempt as by a Magna Charta from all suit and seruice that belongs to God No but wee are still tied to performe to God an honorable seruice that his Gospel may be continued his praier perpetuated his ministers maintained his houses repaired his members comforted his infanterie nursed his seruants saued What pittie is it then to see so many sheep without shepheards so many shepheards without meanes that of so many parishes as are many times found in such places all the wages of single and double halls together not able to amount to one sufficient stipend of a good Minister that is to say where the most housholders shal giue a matter of two shillings two pence to his Minister by the yeare and the best but fowre shillings fowre pence I speake within compasse vnder 5. shillings and yet some of these men by their owne esteem and other mens worth many thousands and as they are merchants may gaine many hundreds of pounds that yeere And where I may be challenged that euen this in all the Towne and Citie through may rise to more then a competent liuing for one man though I spake of no more then the parish maintenance I will put all the Lecturers wages in beside it will not so bee more then enough or competent when all can accrew hardly to 200. pounds by the yeare and that to such a man as I speak of and they should labour for yet scarce competent for why should we not value a godly learned well borne man and Minister in equal ranke with the best merchant when as in such an one the