Kings dale Rom. 4.13 Parties Royall Melchisedec a King and Abraham heire of the world Melchisedec a Priest of the most high God All pâ—sse on Royall points and Abraham Patriarch of all the Faithfull Witnesse Royall The King of Sodom vers 21. Recorder or Clerke Royall viz. Moyses Gouernour of all Gods people Reuiued by a Royall Prophet Dauid Psal 110.4 and re-established in the most Royall dayes of the Gospell Hebr. 7.1 c. May wee not iustly say heere then that Heauen and Earth entred a league When as the true Melchisedec Possessor of Heauen and Earth first King of Iustice then King of Peace blessed Abraham and all his seede the heires of the world When shall this bargaine haue an end On whose part shall it faile So long as Earth is inhabited and by Abrahams of-spring manured so long must God haue his Inheritance Tithes Two Lessons heere not to be neglected in the order § II of this Historie Melchisedec Iustice Peace Religion and Tithing goeth before King of Salem that is Iustice and Righteousnesse goe before Peace and both goe before Tithes that is without Peace no setled Religion Then Peace is the daughter of Iustice and Religion the Garland of Peace Wheresoeuer then the Iust God procureth vs Peace wee ought to settle Religion in all points peaceably And where the Power and Peace is greatest there should Religion be purest not Poorest For Religion once rent Peace is violated and Peace violated breaketh the rod of Iustice This course began heere Abraham our Patriarch and patterne with Melchisedec so soone as by Gods Iustice he was made peaceable from those Kings his enemies he heareth Melchisedec Gods Messenger reuerently he rendereth him his due Tithes thankfully which two points paint out to vs generally the substance of all Religion This before the Law This course kept Moses at Gods command giuing a Law that when they should by Gods Iustice become peaceable in Canaan they should then haue Religion peaceable onely one worship of one God and pay to his Officiars his inheritance Tithes And this course followed all the good Kings vnder the Law So wee would know why this course may not also hold after the Law For heere haue wee the Corner-stone of all our building viz. That how soone a Priest is named so soone are Tithes named for his maintenance So Tithes and Priest-hood in generall not Legall Priest-hood are twins of one time They are of Nature Reciprocate that is the one cannot be without the other whereupon these two things will follow Tithes and Seculars neuer matched First That no marriage can be betweene any Secular person and Tithes Secondly That so long as God hath Officiars of his worship on Earth so long must Tithes be their Inheritance § III Obiect Against all this is obiected That before this Historie of Melchisedec our first right the world was some two thousand yeeres old and all this while was God worshipped yet all this while not a word of Tithes And why may not the last age of the world worshippe God without Tithes as well as the first And so Tithes bee onely the Lords Inheritance during the Law that first and onely named them so Sol. Resp First heere is a double question One concerning Tithes another concerning their title Inheritance A generall answere for both all things beginning together The Decalogue came with the Law but must not end with it See part 2. cap. 7. ad fin are not bound to end together and touching the Law it holdeth but in things Ceremoniall for Quod Morale est Mortale non est reade lib. 2. cap. 7. Secondly concerning Tithes wee must marke two things First As they are the goods of men generally Secondly The precise number in quoto as they are a Tenth of their goods And so these first two thousand yeeres though the quota pars Tithes for the first two thousand yeeres was not nominatim defined yet Res ipsa were to the same end employed and so God still worshipped Otherwise wee may also conclude against all the other foure generall points of Diuine seruice viz. God was not for two thousand yeeres worshipped because no Priest named no times affixed no place designed and no speciall forme prescribed and so by a like consequence wee may liue after the Law without all these as before it But we say all fiue were then re ipsa though more confused according to the time The first-borne then discharged the Priests office and the best of all their goods serued them for Tithes Gen. 18.19 So Cain and Abel the Church being then as in her cradle were taught by Tradition before Law Lib. 2. cap. 7. ad fin or by the Law of Nature that whatsoeuer the Earth yeelded vnto them a part yea a chiefe part thereof was due to the Lords peculiar worshippe And so each of them brought out vnto the Lord according to his labours Their Labours euen at first went as large as did Church maintenance vnder the Law out of all the fruits of the ground from Cains tillage And of all the bestiall of the field from Abels pasturage Now he who can discerne in these two brothers the Priest from the Laick may as easily sequestrate their portions Morall and Ceremoniall heere went all in a manner confusedly Tithes then are in quoto precisely named as soone as the Officiar on whom they euer depend is precisely named and both long before the Law And so for Tithes Now touching this title How Tithes may bee held § IV Gods Inheritance during the first two thousand yeeres Haue Inheritance seeing the Law only calleth them so To this we answer It followeth not A thing is not that which it is because it is not named as it is As to say Abraham was no Priest because he is not called by the name of Priest for whosoeuer sacrificed as first borne were Priests It is vsuall in Scripture sometimes to name things peculiarly before they be indeed so as the wandring Tabernacle and the Stone which Iacob erected as a piller Gen. 28.20.21.22 1. Sam. 1.7.9 were both named House of God but were not so till Salomon built there the Temple And sometime againe things are in effect that which they beare no name of till long after as Melchisedec heere was a Priest of an Order but yet not named of an Order till Dauid rose and also Tithes or that which supplied their roome were not called Inheritance til the owne fit time Yet that same right which God had from al beginning in mens goods was euer in effect Gods Inheritance And as the Mysteries of saluation began to be more cleared as heere where God presented to Abraham a Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he maketh Abraham to offer his goods also Orderly calling them at first Tithes And againe at such times as the Land was to be diuided and Iustice had begotten perfect Peace and that the name of Inheritance could
beneficed Church-men No Iosephs in her and all Iobs with vs And in stead to hold of the Church we hold all from the Church Both much amisse But wee returne to our Possession of Melchisedec in which men may yet Iustly aske vs what proofe we giue of these two Heb. 7.14 That Melchisedec was of an Order and that Order Euerlasting for no such matter in Moses Historie Psal 110.4 Take both then from Dauids Prophecie The Lord hath sworne and will not repent Thou art a Priest for Euer after the order of Melchisedec And heere we haue more That another must rise from that same order as farre aboue Melchisedec as he was aboue Abraham who therefore must performe all things of Melchisedec more at full both Blessing and Tithing as Priest feeding and Defending as King But because this Prophecie is an obscure Commentary of Moyses History we refer both to their due Interpretation where plainer Scripture shall chaine all together and that in the Worlds last age This for our first writ CHAP. VIII Gods second right to Tithes from Iacobs Vow Vowes not all Legall Tithes in Quoto due by his Vow SVCH then is our Possession in this re-encounter § I between Melchisedec and Abraham where al things passed vpon such a reciprocall readinesse and ripenesse as ruled both by one Spirit both in rendering and receiuing that men would rather thinke they practised points by custome or performed duties of Law then any matter thus emergent de nouo Abraham receiued reuerently the Lords Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham returned thankfully to him the Lords Inheritance Tithes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Abraham saw the Lords Day Our second writ was our Contract and Indenture past between God and Iacob Iacob saw as much if not more as Abraham for the Mysterie of Saluation encreased alwayes and so he returned more then did Abraham Iacobs Vision Behold there stood a Ladder vpon the Earth and the top of it reached vp to heauen and loe Gen. 28.12 c. the Angels of God went vp and downe by it And behold the Lord stood aboue it and said I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac the Land whereon thou sleepest will I giue thee and thy seed c. Whereupon Iacob vowed a Vow saying Iacobs Vow Vers 20. If God will be with mee c. Then shall the Lord bee my God And this stone which I haue set vp as a piller shall bee Gods house Vers 21. Vers 22. And of all that thou shalt giue mee will I giue the Tenth vnto thee Not to his sonne Leui. Marke this Iacob vowed Tithes for him and his whole Seed to God and in Abraham was Leui Tithed saith Paul Hebr. 7. and God gaue them to Leui. Now this Ladder was Christ as all confesse euen that via veritas and vita Heere Iacob goeth a point beyond Abraham To build houses to God § II But because this beareth the name of a Vow men would turne all ouer to the Law Vowes not all Legall We answer Al Vowes are not euer of that Law but euen of Morall duties also as Esai 19.21 And this Vow now in hand concerneth all ages both vnder the Law and after in all the points of it But to answer briefliest and best out of this same text I aske might not Iacob as well vow for euer Tithes to God as that God should be his God Further God giueth Iacob special approbation of all the points of this Vow chap. 31.13 I am the God of Bethel for the first point Where thou annointedst the piller for the second of Gods house And for the thiâ—d Where thou madest a Vow vnâ—o mee viz. to pay Tithes So as Iacobs Vision was true his Vow was lawfull and these doubts bee but idle dreames of Sacrilegious slumbers To our purpose then Whom Iacobs Vision concerned his Vow concerned But his Vision concerneth all his posteritie Ergo So doth his Vow § III The equitie of the Proposition is this That as God dealt with Iacob in graces Iacobs Vow bindeth his seede so hee should meete God in gratefulnesse The Assumption is many wayes cleare in the Text but chiefely heere And in thee and thy seede shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed a promise as proper to the seed of Iacobs Faith as of his flesh a mysterie meerely Euangelicall All the Families of the Earth Iew and Gentile A promise of blessing as ample and as farre reaching as that first promise of the seede of the Woman Gen. 3.15 immediately after the fall of Adam All then that thinke to rise by faith from that fall or claime life by climbing this Ladder of Iacobs Vision must bee tyed to Iacobs Vow This Vision then is heritable the Vow heritable and therefore so long as any one point of the Vision is to be performed so long shal Tithes be Gods Inheritance viz. till Christs second comming Heere then is this Vow the very grand-childe of Abrahams Possession to Melchisedec an action heretably descended for doubtlesse Isaac failed in nothing Heere also haue wee a longer iourney for Iacob and his seede then from Beershebah to Haran and so backe againe yea a longer then from Aegypt to Earthly Canaan Our true Canaan the end of our iourney is the Kingdome of Heauen Iacobs iourneyes are types of our afflictions by which wee must goe and come thither as said Paul Act. 14.22 And because our iourney is dangerous long and wearisome therefore is our Ladder Christ sent downe to the Earth by and vpon which we must walke climbe and bee drawne to that God aboue it The Angels goe beside vp and downe to draw and conduct vs. God himselfe aboue readie to receiue vs great Moderator of the whole matter O high and heauenly Heere some Hebrew writers include a mystery of the § IV holy Trinitie but howsoeuer Iacobs Vow applied to his Vision this whole action between God and Iacob keepeth a Trinall Harmonie God calleth himselfe first the God of Abraham secondly the God of Isaac thirdly the God of Iacob Three things he promiseth first To giue him the Land he slept on secondly To multiply his seede as the dust of the earth thirdly In that seed to blesse all the Families of the earth Iacob meeteth these three by a three-pointed Vow First That the Lord shall be his God heere is a generall foundation of Religion for all his seed and for all ages Secondly He setleth the Circumstances Place That piller should bee Gods house a generall ground also for all ages for that typicall Temple and Iewish Synagogues vnder the Law and for our Churches Thirdly He annexeth Tithes Gods Inheritance to his worship and Religion Now seeing all men will admit the first two points to bee perpetuall and bind Iacobs posterity to worship God and to build houses thereto how shall they bee exempted from the third point in giuing the maintenance
§ V They say that this Vow doth but bind vs to a maintenance in generall Tithes in quoto are not of the Law but not the same in quoto I answere Such Analogicall equities hold euen from the most Ceremoniall things of the Law to the Gospell But such things as are neither Ceremoniall nor clearely institute ad tempus or arbitrium binde the things themselues vpon vs and we haue shewed that neither Type Ceremonie nor temporall condition fell vpon Tithes That they were not onely nor first Legall Indeed if the only Law and first the Law had designed quot â—mpartem this dispute had been more doubtfull But seeing this Melchisedec that most Euangelicall Priest gaue vs the quote seeing Iacob before the Law as in a perpetuall Law Vowed the quote We see the Law is but a confirmer and Leui but an obseruer of that which was long before freely doted and for euer deuoted to Gods seruice The Law gaue but the same quote to a Priest of another Order for his time and shall that first that Euangelical that Euerlasting Priest-hood now reuiued againe come with dish in hand and say Quod vultis mihi dare And this for our Trinall harmonie in Iacobs Vision and Vow Now are some men much sollicite both heere and in the former point of Melchisedecs Possession What forme of Tithing it was Of what goods Yeerely or no As for Melchisedec the second part of this Treatise shall cleare him As to Iacobs Vow which heere we will end § VI to whom or how he payed it We say Gods promises and Iacobs performances alike Such was Iacobs Vow as was his Vision and such were the performances on his part as were the performances of Gods promises made to him Now God performed not all the points of that Vision to Iacob in his own person because not in that nature promised So Iacob performed not all his Vow in his owne person for the like reason God performed to Iacob himselfe the best part of that Vision viz. the heauenly Canaan and Iacob returneth in his owne person the best part of his Vow viz. The Lord was euer his God So his only seede enioyed the Earthly Canaan and therefore his onely seed payed Tithes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thence is it clearely proued Who are Iacobs Seede That Iacobs Vow concerned as much if not more his seed as himselfe And if they will yet a strict his seede to his onely flesh vnder the Law because after this Iacob was called Israel Gen. 32.28 and the Israelites as Iaacobs seed performed all Let them remember first that the heauenly Canaan was the principall end of Iacobs iourney and so his Vow must stand till his seed goe thither Secondly Seed heere is more of his Faith then of his flesh for all the Families of the Earth which heere are blessed in Iacobs seede were not all of Iacobs flesh Rom. 9.6 but euen Iaphets seede comming home to the tents of Sem The Gentiles called therefore all subiect by Iacobs Vow to Tithing Such as refuse let them renounce both the ends of Iacobs Ladder Heauen and Earth and goe to their owne habitation And this for our Indenture CHAP. IX The Edict of Tithes though in Leuiticus yet proued to be no part of the Leuiticall Law and so Tithes in all points as the Lords Inheritance exempted from the Law § I NExt commeth our last Writ our Edict and that very orderly For God being possessed in Tâ—thes by Abraham contracted by Iacob good beginnings for a promise onely of the Land which must pay all Now after some foure hundred yeeres peregrination for their Faithes triall by the fiery afflictions of Aegypts fornace God intimateth vnto them this publike Edict Leuit. 27.30 Also all the Tithes of the Land both of the seed of the ground and of the fruit of the trees IS not shall be the Lords All in Leuiticus not Legall or Ceremoniall Though this be in Leuiticus yet is it not of the Leuiticall Law because it containeth no Precept and therefore no Law yea it is a plaine exception from that Leuiticall Law For Moyses treating heere of the nature of Legall Vowes and of what things the people might Vow he telleth them Tithes were alreadie the Lords long agoe and therefore they might Vow none of their Tithes For to what end Iacob vowed them alreadie yet was not his Vow Legall or Ceremoniall as is said but Morall as was his vowing God should be his God Further Vowes of the Law here are voluntary at mans option to doe or not to doe Tithes not so And as this place of Leuiticus is but an Edict of Gods right so is it no right for Leui for Leuies right came not till Num. 18. In which also hee keepeth euer the same method first telling them Tithes are the Lords vers 20. and then giuing them to Leui vers 21. § II And though vers 26. he vseth the like phrase of the first borne as he doth heere of Tithes forbidding to vow any such for it is the Lords yet that same IS is relatiue to a preceding precept Exod. 13.2 Sanctifie vnto me all the first borne c. But no such Law for the ground of Gods Inheritance but Euangelicall Libertie and liberality proceeding from the instinct of God in man or tradition to and from the first man because Vt fides ita fidei opera ex auditu But the very Ethnicks as Paul saith not hauing the Law by nature did the things of the Law So they doted Tithes to their Gods And thus farre for our Possession Indenture and Edict prouing clearely Tithes to be the Lords before the Law with such euident conclusions drawne from the perpetuall equitie thereof teaching Tithes must also reach after that Law as also the title that God had from the beginning in all mens goods containing the two first ages Followeth the last age of the word SACRILEGE FOR THE GOSPELL THE SECOND PART CHAP. I. Christ and his Apostles concerning Tithes They did abrogate all Ceremoniall things GOD thus hauing from all beginning § I an heritable title to all mens goods and that by Natures light Transitio as is said not Moyses Law two thousand yeers And this his right by nature also defined euen In quoto to be a tenth part foure hundred yeeres before the Law And these same both Right and Quota by Commandement and Law continued til Christ came some two thousand yeeres Now are we to examine the Worlds last age vnder the Worlds onely Blisse Christ whether he hath yet any right in our goods or not and if a right whether the same in quoto or not The first will no man deny 1. Cor. 9.13.14 The last maketh most men adoe The Apostle cleareth the first That the one Minister must liue of the Gospell as the other did by the Law But whether hee did intend the same quota in saying Galath 6.6 Make him
coupleth heere holy things to the Temple as Tithes were Numb 18. with the Tabernacle because these places were then the chiefest where both seruices were done though not the sole places as we haue said at large Lib. 1. cap. 5. The Ceremonial seruice Paul painteth out in their owne termes Waite at the Altar and Partaker with the Altar Now Waiting and With are notes of expiring as is the Altar And to say that Paul heere by both these members meaneth only the Ceremonial Maintenance were a double absurditie First A Tautologick description of one thing Secondly A neglect of the chiefest point he speaketh of Inheritance Ministring then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Word and Sacraments is onely proper to the Gospel 1. Cor. 9.1 Rom. 15.16 Are yee not saith Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my worke in the Lord And therefore onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inheritance is his due Heb. 13.10 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to waite at the Altar for we haue an Altar whereof they haue no authoritie to eate which serue in the Tabernacle § VI Pauls next phrase comes in his Application So also the Lord hath ordained in the preterit time we only aske heere where when was this ordinance giuen Paul giueth no precept heere but onely intimateth the Lords alike ordinance for both Law and Gospell one and the same Lord gaue it at first to Melchisedec a Priest for euer he gaue it To Leui for the Law he gaue it from Leui to Melchisedec againe he giueth it Then As Leui liued by the Law must we liue saith Paul by the Gospell Leui liued by a certaintie of holy things by the Law Ergo So must we by the Gospell haue certaintie Holy things must be certaine Things namelesse are nothing and voluntary almes vncertaine they cannot be Inheritance to the Lord and his Leuites Giue God therefore his Tenth or giue him a lesse number and a greater matter and aboue ten is no simple perfect number Paul then is wrong quarrelled for his vnplainenesse He speaketh like his Master when Iohn sent to know if it was he or no Matth. 11.2 3. Tell Iohn saith hee what things yee haue heard seene So while they aske Paul Doest thou meane Tithes or no He answereth They that ministered in the holy things liued euer of the holy things and so must we liue of the Gospel Such as are Christs or Pauls may easily discerne their affirmatiue meaning But wee shall heare better newes anon and euen from Paul Cap. seq Only remember that Paul had nothing to do here to speak in the Quoto of the Maintenance but onely to iustifie that he and Barnabas might liue vnlabouring as well as other Apostles Now remaineth their second assault from the Ceremonie § VII of the number and so any other number of new to be appointed Wee answere two wayes First Giue vs any other instance in any of these fiue generall points of Gods worship where the matter and number are of different natures It was Moral you say to giue Maintenance but Ceremonial in that it was a Tenth But let vs trie them briefly Person the Leuites were all Ceremoniall and so were their nūbers Classes Courses all temporal or ceremoniall Numbers not alwayes Ceremoniall Time The Sabbath or seuenth day Moral yet euen quoad numerum But the Sabbaths thence deriued of seuen yeeres and the Iubile Ceremonial and gone with their Nouilunes and so forth Formes of worship as pares of beasts or fowles for sacrifices Ten parts of measures of fine flower and such like Ceremonial and gone Place Where it was sole and vnique Ceremoniall and gone Maintenance Tenths for Feasts Ceremonial and gone both number and matter Tithes Inheritance Moral in both Not one instance we see to the contrary Secondly say that the Quota were yet in ballance what would we doe Is not whole mankinde heere diuided All are either Leuites or Israelites All must take or giue Who then shall bee Iudge The parties cannot for who shall make all of one minde So many kingdomes so many different conceits as many Prouinces as many different proportions Referre it to the Church-men they may proue couetous To the people they may be auaritious yea say further that God had left his portion without proportion could man proportion it better for his owne behoofe Ten is the last simple full and perfect number and so the smallest proportion in simple numbers as is said So we see we shall sooner diuide Totum then decide Quotum But God only hath iudged and that by his only Word and his Word onely Tithes for Inheritance And this for Pauls Doctrine and meaning in general Followeth his speciall of Tithes CHAP. IIII. Moyses Historie and Dauids Prophecie of Melchisedec applied by the Apostle to Christ How and how farre Types are to be matched with their Verities by the example of Melchisedec and Aaron with Christ § I BVT shall we haue no more in all the new Testament for Tithes but onely Allegories Examples and Circumlocutions Truely it needed not seeing they are sufficiently grounded alreadie Yet one Author whose writs some men could wish to bee as Non ens as himselfe is namelesse beginneth once more to talke and euen of Tithes and not to talke onely but Melchisedec Abraham Moyses are to him euen as this day Many suspect Paul and it is not impossible But howsoeuer his title is To the Hebrewes But our Sacrilegious Segniours may iustly deny themselues to be Hebreans for the word Sacrilege is seldome or neuer read in Hebrew Yet Paul found out a fit Greek word for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.22 Act. 19.37 to spoile or robbe holy things But what is all this They will deny themselues to be Grecians too and I feare to be Christians before they yeeld they vnderstand not Paul he wrote not to them Heere now begin our matters of Melchisedec hard to be vttered of that euerlasting Priest-hood in his Order by Moyses nakedly propounded by Dauid but obscurely expounded heere are all repeated and to our owne dayes applied by this new Ioseph interpreting all Hee therefore that hath eares let him heare HISTORIE Gen. 14.18 ANd Melchisedec King of Salem broughtforth bread and wine and hee was a Priest of the most high God Therefore hee blessed him saying Blessed art thou Abraham of the most high God possessor of heauen earth And blessed bee the most high God vvhich deliuered thine enemies into thine hand and Abraham gaue him Tithes of all PROPHECIE Psal 110.4 The Lord sware and wil not repēt Thou art a Priest for euer after the Order of Melchisedec INTERPRETATION AND Application FOr this Melchisedec was King of Salem Priest of the most high God Heb. 7.1 who met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him To whom also Abraham gaue the Tithe of all things who first is by interpretation King of Righteousnesse after that also King
extremities to bee auoided are Hunger and Surfet Want killeth the Prophet and Riches makes his graces roust But to speake at home now Say that our Leuites § IX should fast as too many of them doe Shall our people faire the better No for if Leui charge not Laickes ouercharge A shame of shames Our Pulpits preach Christ Our Parliaments forfeit Christ and our poore Commons pilled vnder colour of paying to Christ The tricke of it was Christ and the King both cosened That Tithes were vpon the sudden found vnfit for the Church but very fit for the King for the time as yong as our Reformation All must be annexed to him So was he but not long both King and Priest a new Melchisedec He Tithed once if once but neuer more For as they scorned Christ they scoffed the King conueying straight from his one hand what they put in his other So they found the King Minor they made the Church-men Minor and shutte them both vp in the Order of Fratres minimi Now the Tithes being gone we must haue for the fashion Lords of the Plot Lords Modefears booked stipends but nothing like Gods booke Gods book gaue Leui substance for shaddowes our Lords giue Leui shaddowes for substance God commanded such Leuit. 27.31 as would redeeme their Tithes from Leui to adde a fifth part more aboue the Priests valuation Our Lords giue Leui a fifth part of his owne Tithes according to their valuation Abraham gaue Tithes of all the Spoiles and we make Spoile of all the Tithes And these fortie yeeres by-past haue not sufficed to tell vs Quotum quantum nor quomodo Christs Ministerie may be maintained Tithes being abstracted A confusion arising onely from reiecting Gods conclusion and so much the more confirmed that their trauels are still turned vpon Tithes Tithes they will not giue yet out of Tithes they must giue what they list giue So we haue pro Sacri-lege Sacrilege legittimated 2. Chron. 31. And now our Hezekiah whose age and knowledge informe him vnto reformation of those their errors while his Highnesse beginneth to question with his Leuites touching their heapes or rather hopes of heapes and would willingly remoue these Tobiahs from the Church-chambers Alas he findeth Achan the best part of Israel Nehem. 13.4 many Ierosylites few true Israelites Robbers not Restorers of Leuies portion Rom. 2.22 Heare O Heauens and hearken O Earth Esai 1 2. Ier. 5.9.29 2. Chro. 24.22 Shall I not visite them for these things saith the Lord Or shall not my soule be auenged on such a Nation as this Doubtlesse The Lord looke vpon it and require it Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AN APPENDIX ADDED OF NEW ANSWERING SOME OBIECTIONS moued namely against this Treatise and some others I finde in later Writers as that noble learned SCALIGERS Diatribe de Decimis and Mr. IOHN SELDENS Historie of Tithes THIS Appendix Deare Reader ariseth from two Reasons First diuers doubts mooued by a Religious and learned Gentleman vnto my selfe after hâ—e had long agoe perused this Treatise Secondly from some other doubts which I haue read in that Noble and learned SCALIGERS Diatribe de Decimis and in Mr. IOHN SELDENS History of Tithes published this present yeere Of both which I was bound to take notice for loue of the Truth and all that loue it holding still for my End Edification and Charitie as my way to it for he that walkes not so he may well speake Truth but not Truely The first were sent me in these words as followeth Sir I haue perused your Sacril ge wherein I reuerence great Learning iudgement quicknesse and dexteritie such as I know not if any shall come after to handle that subiect better so that I maruell not that *** became superstitious touching it Yet for my better satisfaction and to quicken your quicknesse yet further I haue obserued some things to be recommended to your consideration and resolution as doubts to mee chiefely in the second part which many wayes imports the first as relatiue to it CHAP. I. §. II. In the second part Galath 4.9 WHy say you had these Beggerly Rudiments and that perishing Priest-hood of the Law so rich a Patrimony and the glorious and rich Reuelations of the Gospell so beggerly a Ministery Obiect Because their riches and formes are very diuers if not flat contrary as consisting the one in shew the other in substance the one altogether spirituall the other much earthly And Beggerly is spoken by the Apostle in another sense for they were that way not poore Answ I take Beggerly iust as you doe with the Apostle there but on the part of the Gospell I take it for Pouertie But what reason can be drawne from their rich shewing Rudiments and rich assured maintenance to make the substance of the Gospel be shut vp in vncertainty of sufficient maintenance Againe their rich Rudiments that is Typicall glories had the owne rich and like maintenance too but their Patrimonie in this Treatise being onely Tithes Inheritance was also rich and certaine and more due to them for their scattered seruices abroad in their Synagogues then their Ceremoniall and Typicall Temple-rites as we haue proued Part. 1. cap. 5. § 2. and 3. Should the Gospell also be frustrate of this So as it can neither tell what nor whom to craue As for example Some Parishes with vs doe yeeld for Parsonage Tithes some fiftie chalders of victuall which we may value at fiue hundred pound sterling Such a Lord or Laird forsooth must be Parson by vertue of that Vile Act of Annexation as his Maiestie termeth it Basilicon Doron So Tithes are still made Inheritance but by Gods Law to Leuites by Mans to Lord and Laicks But what and whom now shall the Lords Parson the Leuite craue Surely the Lord-Parson will perhaps giue the Lords Parson a tenth part of the Lords Tithes and this he assigneth him to be leuied of such a tenth part of his flock as they may agree vpon and so the lesse benefit the more credit for he makes the poore Parson halfe an High-Priest and giues him in lieu of Decimam Decimarum DecimaÌ„ And as his Lordship diuideth with him the profits so doth he proportionally his Flock for he receiueth this tenth part but froÌ„ the tenth part of his flock whereas by Pauls doctrine 1. Cor. 9. Galath 6. the Parson is to eat of the milke of his whole flocke And He who is Catechized must make him who Catechiseth partaker of all his goods So such as pay their Tithes to their Pastor hold themselues more properly his Flocke then such as pay him none and yet all pay to the full Is not this a Beggerly Ministery both in meanes and manners If then we will haue Tithes why not as the Lord ordained them They will say by Positiue and Nationall Lawes But such Lawes aâ— first gaue them to holy Church till this Vile Act came If we will haue no Tithes then
this part 7. cap. 5. § 2. adding from Nehem. 11. how they brought by lot but one man of ten to dwell at Ierusalem the nine parts liuing alwayes abroad in their Cities Seeing then onely the tenth man stayed at Ierusalem and that Tithes were their Inheritance why should this Inheritance be all carried vp and so nine parts againe downe like Post-wages according as they came and went by their courses Leuite then Num 18. from vers 20 to 25. hauing no cleare limitation nor distinction in the text must include the whole Tribe in their gift to Tithes Vers 20. He first debarreth Aarons Inheritance with Israel vers 21 and 24. are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causals as all translate For For saith he I haue giuen the children of Leui euen Aaron and all another Inheritance All the tenth of Israel Therefore seeing one and the same reason debarred all by exprâ—sse name heere from that Ciuill inheritance the same reason that is this Sacred inheritance must bee alike one and the same to all And I pray you marke the course and coherence of these texts Thou Aaron shalt haue no Ciuill Inheritance in Israâ—l vers 20. For vers 21. I haue giuen the children of Leui all the tenth of Israel What was this to Aaron that Hee must want his Inheritance because the onely inferiour Leuites had got an Inheritance vnlesse Aaron goe as a childe of Leui in that reason And Ioseph is plaine That Tithes were giuen for Leuites Antiq. lib. 4. cap. 4. C. Engl. in Vita Ios and Priest and Tribe Neither tooke I Tithes that were due to me as Priest from such as brought me them If men apply these to decimarum decimae first Ioseph was not now at Ierusalem whither these Tithes must beene brought Secondly Ioseph was no High-Priest Thirdly I neuer read those Tithes vnder one single name but still Tenthes of Tithes Otherwise the Priests had no Tithes Inheritance at all in Israel For their Decimarum decimae were not Tithes of Israel but of Leui and Leui in these accounts is no more an Israelite Indeed the Materia prima of both is one to wit the Tenth of Israel g uen to Leui whereof they againe gaue the other tenth but in Person Place and End they wholly differ and in these onely differences standeth the true difinition of what is M ral or Ceremonial Perpetual or Temporal in them Then the text giueth vs those two Syllogismes first All Tithes inheritance are payd by Israel to Leui. ver 21.24 Tenth of Tithes are not payd by Israel to Leui but by Leuie to Aaron 26. Ergo Tenth of Tithes are not Tithes-inheritance Againe The children of Leui had this inheritance giuen them All Priest were the children of Leui. Ergo All Priests had this Inheritance giuen them And for confirmation Deut. 18.1 The Priestes of the Leuits and all the Tribe of Leui shall haue no part nor inheritance with Israel but shall eate of the offerings of the Lord made by fire and his inheritance And Ezech 44 28. The Priesthood is their Inheritance And Iosu 13.14 Onely to the Tribe of Leui gaue he no inheritance Ergo as the whole Tribe was frustrate so the whole Tribe was supplied by this new inheritance Tithes But if we distinguish not according to other Scriptures those Offerings from the proper Inheritance we shall confound all for many oblations might the Priests and their males onely eate of and no inferior Leuit some might not remaine vneaten till to morrow but all tied to the Temple onely and Ierusalem So such Priests to wit nine for one as liued dispersed could not liue by those oblations So those oblations were not their inheritance They must haue no inheritance with or among Israel sayth the text yet must they liue mixed with and among Israel therefore their proper Inheritance must run dispersed with and among Israel and not confined to so small a part of Israel as onely Ierusalem But saith not Paul plainly Heb. 7. The sonnes of Leui receiuing the Priesthood haue a command to Tithe the people Is not here the command of Tithing directly giuen to the sonnes Priests and to take from the people Ergo Tithes are inheritance to Priestes as well as Leuites And yet Master Selden Reuiew pa 454. in it would proue from this same place of Paul that Priests were not partners in these first Tithes But what if this decima decimarum were not properly primò due to the Priests as Mr. Selden seemeth to auouch but to the high Priest The text bids directly giue it to Aaron the high Priest Numb 18.26 28. The beginning of the Chap from ver 8. to 20. he ioineth euer Aarons sons with himselfe as partners of all the oblations of the other Tribes but in this offering of decima decimarum we read no such compartnership not that I doubt but the sonnes of Aaron this Ceremony being performed might thereafter partake in and by him of this offering but the reason and Analogie of this in my iudgement is That as all the Tribes hauing Barne wine-presse must pay first that first Tith inheritance to the tribe of Leui before they durst put hand in their nine parts remaining so the Tribe of Leui must out of his inheritance giue a tenth also answering his Barnes and Wine-presses But to exempt all Priests from this were first to exempt the best though not the greatest part of that Tribeâ— from acknowledging God by an Offering as did the rest Secondly It giueth Leui a prerogatiue aboue all the rest of the Tribes voyd both of precept and reason The Earth is the Lords the fulnes thereof So the possessors of it acknowledge God by giuing their Tithes Tithes are yet a degree more holy to the Lord being made the generall Inheritance of his Ministers and Leuits but Their Tenths againe holiest of all proceeding from an holy Person the Tribe of Leui out of Holy Barnes and wine-presses the Tithes to holiest persons the High-priests at onely holy Place the Temple Now if it be asked how Aaron shall passe here who is still the Receiuer I answere Vltra Summum Nihil And as Aaron had that transcendent power onely he to offer that yeerly expiatory sacrifice for Prince people and himselfe too so by the same power might hee receiue in name of God the offrings of all subordinat to him and for them and himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulfill and perfect all those points in his owne person And so albeit the other Priests all those points being duely performed might eate and partake of this Offering in the prerogatiue of Priesthood and Sonne-ship of Aaron yet prima instantiâ and in mounting the scale of this precept they are but Offerers not Receiuers You see Reader how loath we are to loose our interest in Tithes euen from the Law but remember still the law is neither our whole nor sole ground Then let mee aske Who gaue Tithes to Melchis dec Abraham
and comprehend not Herbs vnder that name They deliuer indeede that by Tradition from their Fathers all things growing out of the earth and fit for mans meat are Titheable c. But it seemeth saith Selden well that for this paiment of Herbs the Pharisees were of the truer side from Luke and Mathew allowed by Christ Here now is proued our Historia fallax by M. Seldens owne consent Therefore Out of M. Seldens iust obseruation here against Talmud would I aske leaue to affirme that the proofes from Talmud in others points of Tithing alleadged by him or Scaliger are not to goe for sure grounds seeing himselfe hath found them so erroneus in this And that it is no sure course of arguing the true intent of Precept by the sinistrous extent of Practise For although we had not here Christs latter approbation of that Tithing against the records of Rabbins yet the very Precepts themselues being well pondered will include all such Herbs and much more For euen that place Deut 26.12 Thine encrease Who taught the Talmudists that encrease here must signifie onely Mans meate Why should not Tithing be extended in this Text to all Encreasing And Leuit 27.30 All the Tithe of the Earth of the seede of the Earth of the fruite of the Tree is holy vnto the Lord Is there not much seede of the Earth that is not mans meat Seede here is not onely what by our Sowing commeth but also whatsoeuer by Gods firsts Blessing of all Creatures bringing foorth the kinde History of all times confirmeth this for Hay Hempe Oates Mines Quarries and the like haue beene subiect to Tithing as Selden hath obserued yea euen his Ruticilia Ruta caesa Chap 1. § 1 et chap 4. § 2. And true Analogie warranteth History For the Tribe of Leui was to bee supplied in euery their necessitie out of all that the Earth yeelded the other Tribes for their necessities This made Ierom interpret that of Num 18. In vsus et necessaria eorum separaui All the Tithe of the Earth againe may well enough include all Trade-encrease euen where no Seede-encrease is The Earth beareth All both vs and for vs. So whatsoeuer the Earth bringeth vs by way of Encrease yeerely of that wee owe a yeerely portion to God out of a tenth proportion And in this sense may we say Vbi Nummus nummum gignit nummus nummum soluet as Selden hath well obserued in the State of Venice where no Prediall Tithes are and therefore Selicha 7. §. 3. pag. 164. Chap. 7. §. 3. Personall due Now come we to M. Seldens Historie of the Opinions touching the Right of Tithes the third Article of his title handle in his seuenth Chapter § 3 c. and concerneth most our purpose The chiefe question saies Selden among the Diuines comes to this Whether by Gods immediate Morall Law the Euangelicall Priesthood haue a right to Tithes as to their Inheritance in equall degree as the Laie man hath to his Nine If euer Tiths were due by Gods immediate Morall Law they must be euer so this is sure Then our recourse must still be in examining by what Law Tithes were at first due All Priesthood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had euer Tithes Before Law by Practise Tradition Instinct of Gods Spirit Vnder Law by written Law agreeable to the former practise Whether both those were Morall Iudiciall or Ceremoniall wee shall heare anone And so what euer prerogatiue those Lawes gaue the Priesthood aboue the Laitie the same still remaineth The Tenth was euer first to be paied else the nine parts were not the Lay-mans Ibid. Or if saies Selden they haue Tithes onely as by humane Positiue Law and so giuen them for their spirituall labours that is in briefe Whether by originall distributiue iustice or by commutatiue they are payable How Kingdomes are by their owne Lawes Positiue seetled in Tithes is one thing and how they should be another thing And their so great differences among themselues argueth infallibly that they haue varied from the true foundation As to Iustice Distributiue and Commutatiue they hold alike also from the beginning euen in Leui vnder the Law all had the tenths for their Spirituall labour distributed vnto them and so hath the Gospell now As for that Title Humane Positiue Law we must haue a good ground to proue how Diuine Positiue Law which onely doted Tithes to Leui did resigne them vnder the power of Humane Positiue Law for the Gospell Here be strange odds Ibid. But the first opinion was sayes Selden That the Tenth considered quoad quotam partem c. is due onely by Law Positiue and Ecclesiasticall but quoad substantiam suam or Cleri sustentationem c. it is due by the Diuine Morall Law And to the purpose of this distinction they interprete the Leuiticall commandements of Tithes quoad substantiam and quoad quotam The quota being but a Iudiciall or as some will a Ceremoniall Law c And what a strange Distinguo is this to diuide the Tenth and quota as if both were not one The strongest Mathematicall imaginary abstraction cannot seperate them Maintenance indeed generally and so is their meaning may be free of a quota but a Tenth cannot But who taught them that Maintenance was Morall Diuine and the quota but Positiue and Ecclesiasticall Finde they any such trickes in the two Testaments What Positiue Law gaue Tithes to Melchisedec M. Seld ib. pag. 157. ad finem Because forsooth the Maintenance say they of the Ministerie in Generall is Morall or Naturall there being according to consideration of it se farre the very Character of it written in the Tables of mens hearts that is that Spirituall labourers are to be rewarded with temporall bountie as euery labourer is worthy of his hire But quoad quotum it is but a Iudiciall or Ceremoniall Law c. Heere haue wee three Lawes to ponder and to couche our Tithes vnder some one of them Tithes to be Ceremoniall is but a Ceremonie and as soone done as spoken no man euer durst offer a proofe for it To be Iudiciall they cannot First because that practise of Abraham and Vow of Iacob can neuer bee brought within the compasse of the Iewish Iudiciall Law no I say further within no Law meerely or onely Iewish Consider it well Yea Tithes Legally enacted as I doe thinke cannot bee properly Iudiciall For their Iudiciall Lawes properly so called and without mixture did concerne chiefly their Ciuill Common-wealth and so all the Tribes alike But the Law of Tithes went in fauours of onely Leui a Law proper and peculiar to the Priest-hood before and then to to All Priest-hood Melchisedechicall and Aaronicall Euangelicall and Legal Now how can either Melchisedec or Aaron come vnder the Iudiciall Law It is more then I haue yet obserued if the Iudicial Law gaue any order for the Priest-hood yea the Change of the Priest-hood made a change of the Law Heb. 7.12 Melchisedec
the question de iure should haue beene equally related The alleadging of so weake grounds as this Chap 10. pa. 273. and that Tale of Austen the first Bishop of Cantâ—rbury in Coniuring at a Masse of two dead persons for the none paiment of Tithes made the Clergy and many fauourers of Ius Diuinum suspect M. Seldens iudgement therein Whatsoeuer reasons moued him to silence in the stronger arguments himselfe best knoweth but what he of himsel e ingeniously protesteth herein I charitably beleeue and haue therefore more boldly added to his History my opinion de iure both which being mixed I hope shall both satâ—sfie him and setle others in the trueth But to say some thing for this Penitentiall if it find but a fauourable construction the matter in the maine touching Tithes being a Trueth though it be not in each point Demonstrable yet in many it is very Probable and so neither wholly ly Impudent nor blindnesse To trode Tithes then vp as neare as may be euen to Adam from the Law Consider first Tithes are giuen Leui by precept Numb 18.21 God gaue them as His of before for in the twentie verse hee said I am his inheritance How then finde we them in God Leuit 27.30 All the Tithe of the earth c. I S not shall be the Lords IS importeth yet a former Title And wee finde long before Tithes of All Vowed by Iacob This was no Legall Vow that is pendens ex arbitrio but Morall as he euen then Vowed God should be his God then Iacob must yet deriue it from a former Morall ground This found Iacob of three Generations standing in his Grandfather Abrahams paiment to Melchisedec See how neare we creepe to Adam Wee are like Ianus already on both sides of the world before and after the flood if Sem was Melchisedec as Selaens selfe seemes to hold But how came Abraham by this Either sure by a present instinct and Reuelation with Melchisedec or either by Education and Tradition from God and his forebears For as in the destruction of Sodom God said Gen. 18.17.19 Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I doe c. For I knowe him that he will command his sonnes and his household after him that they keepe the way of the Lord c. Now seeing God here in this present action against that same Sodom whose King Abraham had of late deliuered and paied Tithes on the point of his victory professeth that hee taught Abraham how to behaue himselfe and how to instruct others in matters of Gods seruice What Impudency or Blindnesse is it to ascribe also that Tithing after that victory to proceed from Gods instruction and Fatherly Education from Family to Family And if God taught Abraham so farre now come in the world shall we thinke he neglected to teach his immediat son Adam Or that Cain and Abel brought foorth In processe of time their sacrifices as by a present Reuelation and not either by a preceeding Instruction doubtlesse that same Processe of time argueth euidently a Training and Education in Gods worship Fides ex auditu euer Ordinarily Neither was this Penitentiall the first nor onely warrant ascribing this to that time M. Selden cap. 1. §. 3. For M. Selden had obserued euen from Tertullian that Cains Offering was not regarded because quod Offerebat non rectè diuidebat The Text giueth vs a sure warrant that Cains offering was wrong but whither in quoto or modo or both we haue freedome of Coniecture I would thinke he erred in all He was a stiffe-necked lewe in his manners a Niggard-hearted Iewe in his portion And seeing euen his Septuagints whom else where he so much vrgeth in this question read that of Gen 4.7 in that same sense of not diuiding aright the quantitie let vs either trust them so farre here or not be tied to them hereafter in other Scriptures Things then being so I had rather partake of this Penitentials alleadged Impudency and Blindnesse in vrging a Truth for the Church then of such Diuines Impudent and Imprudent boldnesse in purging the Church of Tithes without either Law or example of Scripture And so much for M. Seldens Historicall relation of the Diuines opinion touching Ius diuinum in Tiâ—hs The next thing I find coÌ„siderable concerning my grounds is a Counsell he giueth by way of two questions in his Reu. his 1. question thus Now me thinkes saith he Hee that argueth for Tithes from the Mosaicall Lawes of Tithing had neede more specially M. Selden Reuiew pa 455. lin vlt then any I haue yet seene hath neere done examine which of the two kindes are due in the Euangelicall Priesthood Why not the second as well as the first If by First and Second hee meanes as I take it the first Tithes due for Leui his maintenance the second Tithe due for the Feasts according to his owne diuision then the reason is cleare why the first must be due the second not to the Gospell The First Tithe not from onely vertue of Mosaiâ—all Law as often hath beene said but taking it in with better company we may well make vp this Syllogisme Whatsoeuer was giuen as maintenance of both the Melchisedecian and Leuitical Priesthood must be also the maintenance of the Euangelicall Priesthood But Tithes were giuen as maintenance of both the Melchisedecian and Leuiticall Priesthood Ergo. Tithes must bee also the maintenance of the Euangelicall Priesthood The assumption is cleare for Melchisedec Gen. 14. and Heb. 7. and by the whole course of the Law for Leui. The Proposition is strongly connected because the Melchisedecian Priesthood directly includeth the Euangelicall Otherwise we ouerthrow the whole Tipe and Veritie both Wee turne all to a naked History of Gen. 14. We belie Dauids Prophecy Psal 113. We disclaime Pauls Aitiologie Allegory and Anagogicall application of all to Christ Heb 7. But that that second Tith cannot now haue place is cleare because Principio Obiecto Fine that is in all respects they were meerely Ceremoniall hauing for End these typicall Feasts abolished by Christ for Place onely the Temple at Ierusalem For Persons the Iewish householders were the chiefe eaters All these are not onely mortua but euen mortifera for our times M. Selden Ibid. His second question is And futher to consider also how the payement of Tithes from the Laity to the Priests of the Gospell succeeds the payment from the Leuites to the sonnes of Aaron To this I haue I hope proued That Tithes are giuen for Inheritance to the whole Tribe of Leui as well Priests as Inferiour Leuites and so though the Inferiours might be the seruile receiuers leauiers yet the whole Priesthood was partner in the maine so the Iewish Laitie paied their Tithes euen to the Leuiticall Priesthood As for the point of Succession in this First the Leuites paied onely decimam decimarum the Tenth of Tithes to Aaron not to Aarons sonnes as wee haue proued