and Put them in fear that they may know themselves to be but Men. Defend also thy servant who putteh his trust in Thee And if he desire before All things Thine Honour The stability of thy Gospel has been his chief and onely aim nor has Any line here but been meant to tend as directly as guided by humane frailty it could to that point to end in that Center O give thou Not Him then over into the Will of his adversaries that if any Hate they may obtain Lordship over Him Make good Thine Own Cause in standing by Him that laboureth for that Cause Thy Truth and Thee Stretch forth the right hand of thy Power evermore mightily to succour and defend Him Deliver him from the gathering together of the froward and from the insurrection of Evil Doers Let the ungodly or unjust fall into their own Nets together but let him ever escape them Give also Good Lord Merciful and Gracious unto All that love thy Truth eyes to see it Hearts to embrace it Affections to cherish it and a good will to Do accordingly and vouchsafe likewise Prudence against the subtil Serpent that Any who bear good will to Sion may never procure her Hurt but stablish these due Means on Earth thy Providence looks upon and has appointed as necessary to accomplish their just and holy ends what they meant to establish by no improvidence ever disturbing or destroying Finally Grant Victory to Truth Progress to Justice Stability to thy Church Perpetuity to Thy Gospel and that no Lovers thereof Here may take up lower then with That the Light thereof may continue shining Ever and Over All the world to All ages and generations Thus let thy Name be Hallowed O our Father which art in Heaven Let thy Kingdome come O Saviour and Blessed Redeemer Let thy Will be done Most holy and blessed Spirit in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us Forgive us and preserve us from Evill For Thou only O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most high in the glory of God the Father To which God One and Three be All Honour and Praise for ever and ever Amen Grace be with all those that Love the Lord Iesus Christ in Sincerity POST-SCRIPT Courteous Reader FOR so I style thee and hope to finde thee or have need to Make thee and the most bountiful dilatation of thy Courtesie drawn forth to Cover or Pardon those many imperfections this my first-born hath brought with it into the world Some doubtless both in matter and form for Who ever Spake that Erred not Much in More then a little In multiloquio nunquam deerit Vanitas This at the least as the Wise man assured from Shortness of Inquiry Dimness of Understanding Weakness of Judgement Distraction of Business Inadvertency or some fruitful Cause of Errour or other Most men being forced to number their mistakes by their Pages Onely as to purposedly Erroneous Deceiving or being Deceived I Sacredly and Seriously disavow At the Press also Poor Mephibosheth caught some mischance Blemished in his face nay crippled in his limbs lamed at least in his feet and complaining oft he can hardly go right forth for want of sense which bruises require thy Healing Correcting hand Some of Many are collected and annexed The rest like our daily slips almost innumerable Thou art to be 1. Remembred that In multis labimur omnes None below goes so sure but he slips sometimes None so firm and upright but he steps a little awry and Thy selfe wilt Matth. 7. 12. I trust ask pardon for thy daily failings 2. Intreated to Do as thou wouldst he Done to Ib ver 1. Judge or Judge not as thou wouldst or wouldst not be judged Gal. 6. 1. in the spirit of meekness Considering Thy self lest Thou also be tempted 3. Informed That a purpose was of attempting satisfaction of those many whether frivolous or more weighty and substantiall doubts that usually occurre about this established Course the frame whereof was likewise contrived and divers of the materials brought together As that This proportion is too much The Receivers are Ill Men Good Men take offence at Both Exactions throng in with Suits and Injuries with Exactions The bottome of all is in Canaan some Jewish Laws The people shrink under the Heaviness of the Burden Iure Divino is declined by Many and Here The Supream Power may alter all Humane Constitutions c. But because These would both lead toward the footstool of the Throne whether save in my Devotions I constantly decline to look That which Is is Much These might make Too Much And here are Principles especially from the Main of Civill Right made unquestionable and the Morall and Indispensable duty of Justice in paying which must needs follow thereon upon which common reason may work out satisfaction to the Most I therefore Suppress or Delay as Accepts of what is here may further encourage or disswade Be requested 4. and lastly not to take Causeless exceptions at any of those things which as they come from us and in our Humane frailty cannot but afford those that are Material Reall Weighty and Substantiall enough I speak of most things As They Were and as in the Times When They Were How else should I reach home as Churches Clergy Royalties Rights Jurisdictions Princes Peers Powers Priviledges and Preeminencies c. Not that I am willing to engage for All another may think good to oppose about them Philip. 3. 13. Or stand in Defensive of Any thing howsoever since altered But. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle suggested with much quickness in another case One Thing I doe That I am about I keep to and so that be Secured would not willingly intromix draw or be drawn in to other accidentall by-Quarrels So I may have leave to conveigh my Parlee to the World in the language of the World best understood by the World I would not willingly inwrap my self in controversie about any other of Those Things they yet stiffely enough maintained and in a rigid import who took up the words and gave them Us in their first and full sense Nor hast thou reason to be offended that I balk not the publick tone to conform to thy Singularity for the Many are to be regarded in A Multitude and the Most in most large by diffusive Communication to All But if thou remain obstinate and undeniable in thy expectation or otherwise satisfaction I conform to Thy desire Change what thou wilt so thou keep the matter Retain the substance and vary the phrase Hold to the Body New-shape my outward form of Expression conform to thine own will judgement or fancy At thine own charge I approve or if thou wilt Suppose the thing Already done Thou shalt but wrong thine own Discretion to thy judging friends if thou quarrel with shadows or take advantage of that I confess to take licence and scope enough in a free and plentiful use of Tropes and Figures Allusions or
to the Glory of God since I received your paper you did affirm in the hearing of not few that God might at first have made an Angel or some other creature and by it have made all things How to reconcile one with the other is a thing unfeasible and therefore you must confess that you are not always infallible yea that sometimes you differ from your self and so 't is no wonder if you disagree with others But what shall I take from your present judgement Must your last words stand If so then you have weakned your cause and I may save a labour in returning an answer to that which follows in your paper If the former then you must recant what you last said and I must not here make an end of my Reply to your Major The truth is I honour Reason so much that I should rather prostrate my self to its shadow and appearance then to the best mans testimony and assertion wherefore I shall honour Reason so much as not to pass by without examination that which appears in your paper with Reasons dress on it Your Reason thus runs Now because Creation is a making of all things out of nothing and required an infinite power God can make use of no Instrument inasmuch as God cannot derive and give an infinite power to any creature because no creature is capable of such a Divine Attribute for it would make him God to be Almighty or to be infinite in power Answ I shall not answer to all in this Reason which seems not to be sound doctrine but only so far as the matter in hand requires 1. Though it be true that Gods infinite power was manifested in the work of Creation yet was not the Infinity of his Power manifested fully in that or any other work for he hath more power then ever yet he had need to use or then could in any work be fully declared 2. Your assertion plainly denies the man Christ Jesus to be God Almighty or Infinite in power for you say that God could not give or derive an infinite power to any creature and that a creature cannot be God Almighty c. The man Christ Jesus was a creature how then can that Person be God 3. The ground of your Argument is straw and stubble For infinite power may be manifested by them to whom 't is not communicated and so their proper power As is evident in those that wrought miracles and raised the dead in which infinite power was manifested and yet the instruments thereof were not in power infinite The like might be said of Gospel-Preachers whom God makes his Instruments in mens conversion as great a work as the worlds Creation The same might be said of Christ in his work of our Redemption But enough of this I shall now examine your Minor which was That all things were made by Iesus Christ. This is true Christ being excepted of whose Creatural being I have already spoken Obj. But you will say that in Iohn 1. 3. it is said That all things were made by him and without him was nothing Made that was Made Sol. The words are to be restrained to all those things which by the use of an instrument were made and created In the first verse of this Chapter the creation of Jesus Christ is included and in this third verse he is spoken of as the instrument of God in creating all things and therefore is here to be excepted As when John the Baptist speaking of Christ John 3. 32. said What he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony it is evident that Iohn was to be excepted Persons are sometimes segregated from others of the same kinde in way of eminency being chief amongst them Thus in Psal 18. 1. where 't is said that David sang that song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul What was Saul none of Davide enemies he was the chiefest and therefore segregated from the rest Thus having taken off the Charet wheels of your Argument the Conclusion cannot advance up by its assistance I Come now to Heb. Heb. 7. 3. 7. 3. I perceive you are willing to gather from this Text the Eternity of Iesus Christ Answ but on this tree grows no such fruit You say that Christ is here resembled in reference to his Eternity to Melchisedek without beginning of days or end of life Pray Sir was Melchisedek Eternal If so then he was God But he was neither the Father nor the Son nor the Holy Ghost whatever some have conceived I hope you will not allow a quaternity of Persons in Unity of Essence And therefore will allow that the words be taken in a figurative sense Quod non narratur ponitur quasi non sit Melchisedek was without beginning of days or end of life in that there is no mention made either of his birth or death in the History of Moses or especially in reference to his Priesthood the time of its beginning and ending being not certainly known So our High Priest Jesus Christ is without beginning of days or end of life YOur next Scripture is Prov. Prov. 8. 22. 8. 22. Answ The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from Everlasting from the Beginning or ever the Earth was The meaning is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sept. The Lord who is Possessour of Heaven and Earth obtained or created me when he began to work before all his ancient works And I was set up or anointed to have the dominion of all things and that from Everlasting that is from the Beginning before the Earth was The Septuagint have the words thus The Lord created me the beginning of his ways for his works Dominus acquisivit me principium viae suae ante opera ex tunc A saeculo principatum habui à capite ab initiis terrae Mont. He founded me in the Beginning before the Earth was made Montanus thus The Lord obtained me the beginning of his way before his works from thence I had dominion from Everlasting from the Beginning from the beginning of the Earth The thirtieth verse speaks of Christ as having a being before Gods works of old yet so as that it was created one THE Scripture which follows next in your Paper is Zach. Zach. 13. 7. 13. 7. Awake O Sword against my Shepheard against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts Answ I suppose that you would infer hence the coequality of Jesus Christ with the Lord of Hosts whose words those are But doubtless when you drew up this Conclusion you hearkned to the sound not the sense of our English word Fellow which doth not always note equality as from Psalm 45. 7. and Heb. 1. 9. you may be informed where the Saints are called the Fellows of Christ from which none acquainted with Reason
domicilia Si autem incertū fuerit habeat illa Ecclesia totam decimam infra cujus limites tempore tonsionis inveniantur De lacte vero volumus quod decima solvatur dum durat videlicet de Caseo tempore suo de lacte in Autumno hyeme Nisi parochiani velint pro talibus facere competentem redemptionem hoc ad valorem decimae ad commodum Ecclesiae De proventibus autem molendinorum volumus quod decimae fideliter integrè solvantur De pasturis autem pascuis tam non communibus quam communibus statuimus quod decimae fideliter persolvantur hoc per numerū animalium dierum ut expedit Ecclesiae De piscationibus apibus sicut de omnibus aliis Bonis juste acquisitis quae renovantur per annū statuimus quod decimae solvantur exigantur debito modo Statuimus etiam quod decimae personales solvantur de artificibus mercatoribus sc de lucro negotiationis Similiter de Carpentariis Fabris Cementariis Textoribus Pandoxatricibus omnibus aliis Stipendiariis Operariis ut videlicet dent decimas de Stipendiis suis nisi Stipendiarii ipsi aliquid certum velint dare ad opus vel ad lumen Ecclesiae si rectori ipsius Ecclesiae placuerit Sed quoniam inveniuntur multi decimas sponte dare nolentes statuimus quod parochiani moneantur primo secundo tertio ut decimas Deo Ecclesiae fideliter solvant Quod si se non emendaverint primò ab ingressu Ecclesiae suspendantur sic demum ad solutionem decimarum per censuram Ecclesiasticam si necesse fuerit compellantur Si autem dictae suspensionis relaxationem vel absolutionem petierint ad Ordinarium loci mittentur absolvendi debito modo puniendi Rectores autem Ecclesiarum seu Vicarii aut Capellani annui qui praedictas decimas praedicto modo propter formidinem hominum seu favorem timore Dei postposito ut praedictum est cum effectu non petierint poena suspensionis innodentur donec dimidiam marcam argenti Archi-Diacono loci persolvant Whereas by reason of divers ways of tything in divers Churches strife and contention are wont to arise between the Church-Governour and his people we will and appoint that through the Province of Canterbury there be this uniform way of Tything First wee will that Tythes be paid of Fruit without any deduction of charge intirely and without diminution so reaching in an order about the charge of Fermage spoken of before and preventing that exception and of fruit of trees likewise and of all seeds and garden hearbs unless the Parishioners will make some competent exception for them Also we will and appoint that Tythes be required of hay or green grass if it be cut to spend says Lyndewood in his Glosse wherever it grow in greater Meadows or lesser or in the High-ways and that it be paid as is best for the Church For breed of Cattle as touching Lambs we appoint that for sixe and below so many half pence if there be seven the seventh shall be tythe yet so that the Church-Govenour receiving the seventh shall pay 3 half-pence to the Parishioner He that takes one of eight a penny one of nine a half-penny or let the Rector stay for the tenth if he had rather to the following year And he that so stays let him alwayes have the second or third best of the following yeare and this for his stay And so is it to be understood of the tenth of Wooll But if the Sheep depasture one where in Winter another where in Summer the tythe is to be divided In like manner if any one shall buy them in the middle of the year and it be known from what Parish the sheep come the tythe is to be divided as of a thing belonging to several places but if it be not known let the Church have the benefit where they are at shear-time Concerning Milk we will that the tythe be paid as it ariseth that is of Cheese so long as it is made and of milk in Autumn and Winter unless the Parishioners will make due compensation according to the value of the tythe and to the Churches advantage As concerning the profits of Mils we will that tythes be faithfully intirely paid As for pasture and feeding grounds as well Common as other we appoint the tythe be fully paid and this with regard to the Beasts and time of going as shall be best for the Church For Fishings and Bees as of any other goods honestly gotten which renew yearly we appoint that the tythe be paid and required duly We decree also that personal tythes be paid by Handy-crafts-men and Merchants that is of the gain of their trading the like of Carpenters Smiths Masons Weavers and all other hired Labourers that they give the tythe of their wages unless they will give any thing certain toward the Light in the Church and this at the Church-governors choice Then after some words of Mortuaries But because there are many that refuse to pay their tythes we will that Parishioners be warned once twice and thrice which was the number of essoyns allowed in the Conquerours Charter as before to pay their tythes to God and the Church truly Or if they refuse they be first suspended from entring into the Church and so bee compelled by Ecclesiasticall censure if need be to pay Or if they require release or absolution from suspension let them be sent to the Ordinary of the place for it and duly punished And as to the Church-Governors themselves or Vicars or Chaplains by the year who for fear or favour of men setting a side their awe to Heaven do not effectually require their tythes aforesaid let themselves be suspended till they pay a mark to the Archdeacon of the place for their disobedience I have both transcribed at length and translated this as I said because it is the chief Law whereupon immediatly the dueness of tythes is grounded and known by the Canon as to the Regulation of the manner of collecting this prevailing though not as to the dueness it self for this as hath been shewed was secured before and therefore the law begins with supposition and blame that men did not Pay as they ought which was here intended to be remedied And for the sufficient authority hereof we need not much doubt for Lawyers and Men were awaked both then and ever since would not through ages and generations have been frighted or cheated with meer empty shews of Paper Canons into a foolish childish awe of what was but terrible They knew no doubt from time to time there was strength enough with help of former grounds to carry things on and force them if any rub of opposition were laid in the way which made them pick a vertue out of that was indeed a kinde of necessity and doe with seeming willingness what if they would not they must and might have
the Church have all her Rights that is Tythes with others intire and all her Franchises that is Jurisdiction Decimal as for other things to bring them in Inviolable no less then which could be meant by any likely construction Or otherwise Thus and the strength of this title may here have received two ways augmentation 1. As Tythes were a Right and so warranted and intended to remain such 2. As they came within the compass of Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction which if they were given before and any Law had assured them as many had doubtless This was then here allowed to bring them in And so were it personall or praediall lamb or wooll sheaf or heap must not now then have been withholden but were due and must be paid yea by the great Charter yea while that Charter was in force could not be denyed for that herein were confirmed to the Church all her Rights Tythes intire All her Liberties Jurisdiction Decimal inviolable and Wrong must have been to deprive her of those Rights of these Tythes of this Franchise of that Jurisdiction Or otherwise lastly Thus Let but the Jurisdiction that Liberty be supposed to have remained and this would bring in all the rest For let the Church but have been heard to speak out in that which some accounted then doubtless as things were in a qualified sense the voice of God which was the voice of the Law and this could have spoken out nothing but roundly and home for Tythes For they were Due then Due and so Due Let that dead letter be then but thus have been quickned by lively sentence and the Law be heard speak out according to truth and righteousness and the voice could be nothing else but for desired Justice Truth and Them Of what estimation this Charter yet is and duly ought to be with all the good people of England much need not be said Magna fuit quondam magnae reverentia Chartae as one said It used to be looked upon with no other but an eye of reverence It cost the subject both wealth and treasure and blows and bloud before it could be obtained And after at the rate of the lives of thousands and by the prudent and successfull intercession of some Church-Ministers who perswaded and prevailed with the King to pass it as well as any other it was granted it had the most 1 The Archbishop Bishops and the rest of the Prelates pontifically apparelled pronounced that curse with tapers burning which when they had thrown away upon the pavement where they lay extinguished and smoaking the King having laid his hand on his breast all the while sware to keep all Liberties upon pain of that execratory sentence As he was a Man a Christian a Knight and a King anointed and crowned Speed Hist li. 9. c. 9. sect 82. What the curse was who was present against whom thundred that should either break it or bring in another or observe it being brought with the signing and sealing may be seen in the old Edition of the statutes printed 1543. at the end of Hen. 3. and in Flat lib. 2. cap. 42. pa. 93. solemn present confirmation that it now appears any publick Instrument of this state ever had It has had 2 The Lord Cooke has computed to thirty two in the Proeme to Iust 2 I beleeve more sc twice in Hen. the thirds time that is Anno 9. at Westminster and Anno 52. at Marleborough cap. 5. Also 25 Edw 1. cap. 11. 28 Edw. 1. cap. 1. 1 Edw. 3 cap. 1. 2 3 Edw. 3 cap. 1. 4 Edw. 3 cap. 1. Memorand And beside these ratifications of the Charters and thereby the Churches Râ—ghts and Liberties in them Tythes in the way shown with the rest There were many distinct Ratifications in severall either Chapters or Clauses besides of the same Churches Rights and Liberties As in the Statute for the Clergy in 27 Edw. 3. chap. 1. in 50 Edw 3. chap. 1. 1 Rich 2. 1. 2 Rich 2. 1. 3 Ri. 2. 1. 5 Rich. 2. 1. c. more then 30 other confirmations in Parliament since For for divers 3 Sc. in Edw. 1. time Edw. 3. Rich. 2. Hen 4. till about the end of Hen 5. Where it occurs often Kings Raigns after successively till by repetition that reverence before spoken of was bred and rooted in all mens hearts toward it one of the first things still done in that most honourable meeting was to confirm This and the Charter of the Forest with no less regard of care and love then in Councels and Synods had been wont to be shewed to the doctrine of Unity and Trinity in a Deity by keeping the belief thereof in faith fresh memory by some of the first Articles In present severall draughts were 4 Cook Vbi Supra pa. 4. taken forth and the exemplifications sent under the Great Seal to the great men of the Realm one of which yet is or lately was at Lambeth and 5 25 Edw. 1. c. 1 after renewed under the same Signature again as well to the Justices of the Forest as to the Sheriffs and other publik Officers and to all the Cities of the Land with Writs to have them published and order to 1 Ib. cap. 3. every Cathedral to read them twice every year to the people And not onely their Effata or most reverenced contents equalled by Parliament to the Oracles of the Common Law But whereas Judicia are Iuris dicta and should binde if any thing yet all sentences given in Court 2 Ib. cap. 2. and M. Charta ca. ult Quae contra jus fiunt debent utique pro infect is haberi Reg. Iur. Canon 64. contrary hereto are declared null and of no force and that by sentence of Parliament as soon as they are given In present all were Excommunicate that were infringers therof even with severe and bitter devotion all the 3 Authoritate Dei Patris Omnipotentis Filii Sp. Sanct c. Flet Vbi sup powers that men on earth could devise or implore from Heaven being used to procure and work terrour And for the future it was appointed 4 And that all Archbishops and Bishops shall pronounce the sentence of Excommunication against all those that by word deed or councell do contrary to the foresaid Charters or that in any point break or undo them And that the said curses be twice a year denounced and published by the Prelates as aforesaid 25 Edw. 1. cap. 4. With another curse at the end to bind things as fast as might be and Excommunication announced against those that should 〈◊〉 the seven Articles of that Concession of which that was the fourth In the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost c. in the said old Edition of 1543. this Excommunication should be renewed twice a year in every Cathedral and 5 Artic. Super Chart cap. 1 28 Edw. 1. Proclamation twice as often as that made by the Sheriffe
despised the day of small things says the Lord in the 1 Zach. 4. 1. Prophet Or who can deny but small things may be of great use and consideration in the greatest sith by Divine appointment Badgers skin and Goats hair 2 Exod. 25 4 5. were offered acceptably to the building of a holy Tabernacle whereby was intended the great God of All should be honoured and sanctified That Lord Dominus 3 Psal 24. 1. cujus est terra plenitudo ejus who 4 Matth. 21. 3. despised not a convoy of the meanest and simplest of beasts for his person on earth seems Still to Need the vile things of this lower world to set forth his glory in this vile and lower world and if any one say ought to the contrary or in froward opposition say still as then the Lord not onely useth but hath need of them His servants though His live yet by bread if men as well as by every word that proceedeth out of His mouth their Lord and God And sith Though Jehovah could not be pulled out of Heaven by extinguishing any of those Lamps that burned to his honour in the Temple of the Lord at Ierusalem yet his wise old servants knew that unless their care cost and love did procure profane oile from Syria and Arabia Those Lampes with his honour would go out on Earth which made them contrive purpose and do accordingly Even so sith the nature of things is still the same unless there be left such loving and discreet followers of his now by whose vigilance industry and care some constant supply may be apportioned and issued forth for the maintenance of the outward part of his honour and support of his Gospel and those servants of his that do his pleasure in holding it forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13. 6. Ministers that attend this very Thing It is not without the compass of manly and Christian fear to be jealous lest the light and brightness of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ now shining in the faces of all men though not reaching to their hearts it is much to be doubted much less returning fruit in their answering upright lives should which God forbid be extinguished upon Earth by our negligence and parcimony though his Deity we trust shine now in Heaven and shall and ever above the brightness of the Sun and beyond all Eternity Wee hold God to be the end of the soul Truth the way leading to it and Him The Church the pillar and ground of truth to hold it out in view to the world this we are sure of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. 16. the Apostle tels it us and the publick Ministers are the Churches servants If then these servant shall do that work in holding forth this truth to guide to that end They being Men must not have their daily allowance of Bread withheld from them which keeps them hayl and strong that they may live and be Able to follow their business or if it be the bottome foundation fails and the whole frame must be left to sink and ruine with it for want of sustenance or undersustentation Unless by an unhallowed presumption we dare go on Tempting God in stead of Trusting him still urging him to do and expecting he should do even ordinary miracles for our extraordinary preservation and then daily miracles would scarce be any wonders putting him upon more work yet after his Consummatum est to multiply loaves for his improvident Disciples and leading him once more out of the way into the Wilderness to lead us out of the path of his ordinary course of Providence to expect food from Heaven when there is plenty enough upon Earth Which if and the boldness of our unreasonable presumption rather then well-instructed Christian faith could be content to put upon Him Whether yet his servants who are to do the work and being party to the whole had need of some liberty of choice for refusal of the conditions could be content to accept for enough for their parts and hardy enough to trust to as their sufficient Viaticum for this convoy and their journey may not considering their humane frailty be without some doubt I have led you forty years in the Wildernesse your cloathes are not waxen old upon you and thy shooe is not waxen old upon thy foot Deu. 29. 5 As in the space of forty years to hope for no reparation of cloaths nor to put on a new shooe in half an age and go provided with nothing but naked poverty to carry them through a dry and barren Wilderness where no water is Hungry and Thirsty their souls fainting in them Yes They will questionless This and more if they be called and compelled thereto See Chap. 8. 4 Ne. hem 9. 21. if the enemies of God will deny them the way and the condition of things in an orderly Dispensation of Providence lead them to want as well as to abound But all the friends of God will rather guide and help them in the direct right way to their Canaan Neither denying them bread and water for their money as 1 Deut. 2. 27 28. 30. the cursed Amorites did but were after sufficiently plagued for it nor money if needfull to buy them what they want for their comfort in the way It being one of the most reasonable things in the world that they that give Heaven should not want Earth and They that sow to us Spiritual Things should not but reap our Carnall To all which things answering and well agreeing it was therefore religiously piously and prudently as well as justly resolved by those Councels guided Hen. 8. to diminish nothing here but to keep this settled and ancient Revenue of Gods honour free from the touch of sacrilegious profane and imprudent as well as unjust hands That no covetous Gehezi that loved his gain more then godliness should meddle with that belonged not to him nor greedy unconscionable Israelite with this portion of his Brother Levi due 2 Numb 18. 21. for his service he serves in the Tabernacle of the Congregation and as necessary for the Common-wealth of Israel as Judahs Simeons or Benjamins but when every one has enough he should be free from want and by as good security as any other claims his Right by his Tribe have its Own also not by benevolence but by Right and so have occasion to bless the Lord his God for the good land he has given him with the rest of his Brethren It being among our Divine Oracles agreeable to the Laws of Nature Equity Reason and Civill Commutative Justice that He that gives should receive 1 Matth. 10. 10. Luk. 10. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 18. The labourer is worthy of his reward 2 1 Cor. 9. 7. No one going on warfare is to march at his own charge He that feedeth a flock should eat of the milk of the flock And as He 3 Ver. 14.
and notorious This then laid in to the former I infer What hath been said of possession what can be more said of it hath it not All force here Doth it give right right alone full and natural right the most natural the Law looking on approving and consenting and shall it have no operation here Shall the Churches case be singular the Ministers of Jesus Christ have no benefit of common axioms no fruit of those are to all other fruitful operations Shall they have no favour by that All have favour no benefit by that All have benefit the Having their Own in their own hands and shall that helps others many ways advantage them no ways Shall men look upon securing enriching Possession shall wise men look upon it Shall the quintessence of wisdome in most reverenced Laws and those diffused all abroad have consideration of it Nay shall that little measure of knowledge imparted to tame Beasts inable them to espy the good and prompt them to observe the Law and order of it And shall onely in one case the poor Servant of God that secludes himself from all the world to wait on his Lord in the Temple nor for his own sake nor for his Masters sake partake of the common benefit of the Sun-beams as it were that shine cheap to all others to their comfort and benefit To keep him in that he has to preserve him from injury and spoil to secure his dear Owne to render him but so much regard from his fellow as one brute creature gives another whith will not lightly snatch the prey ravenously out of his fellows mouth yet more unreasonable men will Will they and plot to undo those that dare but mutire contra take away or keep away I say from their Brother Neighbour fellow-Christian-subject and Gods Minister his rightfull possession without regret without mercy casting him out of the vineyard and as good as slaying him for to strip is next to starve and that worse then to kill not dreading to act over again the mighty mans part against poor Naboth who had but a little yet he must not keep that He that has nine for one already must have his Tenth also to make elbowroom for his pleasure or content perhaps for his Riot and Sensuality Can this look like good Christian or well-pleasing in the sight of God or man Is any unrighteousnesse and this not unrighteousnesse Is any thing unequall and this not unequall Is any thing with impious rude and uncivil and is not this of the worst sort of impiety joyned with incivility and barbarous cruelty Every man claims his Property Every one owns his Own and shall not Ones Must he alone be excepted Every one has benefit by it comfort from it with expectation well enough agreeing of joy in the world to come Shall one sort onely be pent up to fast or feast himself with his spiritual apprehensions comforting no higher then with the expectation of the world to come denyed his own bread here in a Land flowing with milk and honey to all other the joy of all Lands If there be no due I say nothing If there be I could say no less There is something of Justice due to Truth and the seriousnesse of things sometimes calleth for sober vehemency The Law is every ones birth-right The Husbandmans the Labourers the Tradesmans the Beggars Soli ex omnibus Clerico commune jus clauditur as spake S. 1 Ambros li 2. Epist 12. tom 5. pa. 98. Ambrose upon like occasion shall they alone that wait on the King of Heaven have no benefit by Imperial Constitution The tenderly regarded Church was wont and even by judgement of the Law to be compared to a 2 See before p. 61. Britâ—n Ecclesia fungitur vice minoris meliorem potest facere conditionem suam deteriorem nequaquam fol. 143. cited by Cook Instit 1. fol. 431. vid. Bract. de acquirendo rerum dominio l. 2. c. 5. sect 5. c. 15. s 1. In proximis infanciae propter utilitatem eorum benignior juris interpretatio facta est Inst l. 3. de inutilibus stpulation bus sec sed quod diximus Pupil under age and subject to wrong As much religious Charity or demonstration of true Christian piety to be helpful to her weakness as to relieve a fatherless childe wherein 3 Pure Religion and undefiled before God is to visit the fatherless and widow c. Chap. 1. ult S. James placeth the power of that Religion that is Pure Are things so much changed No they remain the same Or are wise mens pious thoughts so much altered their Pure Religion corrupted themselves set upon Pelf and Mammon yea spoil and wrong not declined for conscience sake that they dare invade anothers Religion instructs or permits them to take from Religion strip this Orphan-Church withdraw from her Ministers force from their hands and extort and wrench their very meat out of their mouths I mean in their rightfull dues held back grudged or squeezed from them by fraud or force Must not Gods bright honour be darkned if his Lights goe out Must they not goe out if the oile be taken from the Lamp Can it bee there put without the Levites help and how can they attend to do it if that which the Laws of God and man have settled upon them to live on in equality of strength for right with all other Tribes be surreptitiously or violently taken or withheld from them for He may starve me as well that gives me not my allowance of meat being appointed so to do as he that takes it away from me and they have no benefit of Law no not of that whereof all the world hath benefit and by Law I may keep mine Own that I have in Possession Heed every syllable of which proposition striking in with the interest in common of every One man in this Nation and if it be a very small thing now that Possession may not be stood upon by some but they turned out of theirs or it be questioned whether it may be withholden who knows how long it may be ere others c. But I forbear I ominate no ill I wish nothing but good I pray they may enjoy their Own who grudge or quarrell or want but leave to withhold other mens Onely I fear that Circular Curse which hath 1 For it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a demonstration of Heaven a â—stice or a sign or example of it thus to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to return Affliction to the Afflicter or One for Another 2 Thess 1 5. used to come about which also I invert into a hearty prayer Let not O Lord the Extortioner consume all that They have 2 Psal 109. 10. Nor the stranger spoil their Labor Hoc avertat Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Absit Amen Amen Object But here comes a great Objection to be answered How the Churches Person or Man in the sense before can
separate from the Nine But it seems somewhat farther was aimed at and meant or implyed which was the cause why these things were parted and the face of things seems to represent that there was an apprehension and supposition that it was because they were thought to draw near the things of God and were as far as any toward Beyond this world and Therefore they were sorted with a scene accordingly and had their trail and discussion where the things of Religion and Christianity were inquirable onely sc in the Court-Christian Farther by onely which kinde of Supposition the crime can be aggravated of taking them away to that heighth it commonly is and men for purloining be accounted in the number of more then unjust Impious and Sacrilegious For it seems at least unto me that it is not so much the violation of any Command or Law humane or Divine from earth or above heaven if it were possible can denominate and specifie this sin if that Law were as plain as another Divine Command Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not Steal But something else and growing in the Nature of the sinne below that must advance the crime so high as to change kinde and become of Wrong and Injustice Impiety and Sacriledge To rob Heaven must offer violation to Heaven and that be more then to offend in transgressing a Law of Heaven For the Morall Commandements above come thence and are in force for us and yet No one says Adultery or Theft are Sacriledges Sins they are but that their full latitude the Divine Precept does not new specifie the nature of the offence These or Any So heretofore when Jus divinum undoubted had bounded every ones own The tribes at least if not the families were parted by sure and immediate Commission from Heaven yet the unjust invasion of any part even then was not counted I believe more then Unjust 1 Qui rapit pecuniam proximi sui iniquitatem operatur qui autem pecuniam vel Res Ecclesiae abstulerit Sacrilegium facit Cau. 17. qu. 4. c. 18. Wrong or Injury when any part of the second Table was broken whereunto yet the seal of Divine Authority had been affixed in every part No more Even so here to raise this aggravation and cause this change by new specification of the nature of this sin from Theft to Sacriledge seems not to me so properly to grow from any authority of any sort of power and command above as here below from 2 Porrò à sacris fures Eorum vel violatores propriè sacrilegi dicti Pet. Gregor Tholos Syntagom lib 33 cap. 14. sect 8. something in the very heart and nature of the offence which makes it 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacred Spoliation not from the Law but from the Thing when either Sacrum de Sacro or Sacrum de non Sacro or non Sacrū de Sacro is taken still hovering Here below and as the 4 Zouch descript Iur. Eccles par 2. sect 8. Pet. Gregor 1. Tholos ubi supra Lawyer speaks through whose spectacles we are like to see clearest in this case And accordingly the 1 Cujacius in parat ad legem Iul. Peculatus Civilian defined it Sacrilegium est furtum Rei aut pecuniae Sacrae ex loco vel religiosae ex religioso and they are Sacrilegious who 2 Tit. eod L. 9. sect 1. Qui publica Sacra compilavêrunt that have medled with somewhat Sacred still relating to the Thing from the Command And the word also imports that way for 3 Apud Ioan. Calvin Lexie Iur. pa. 824. Sublegere is Furari says Servius unde Sacrilegus dicitur qui Sacra legit id est furatur so Another Still dwelling below and conversant about That Is Not Who says as we do not read that Ananias and Sapphira had any order at all to bring or sinned against any Prohibition in revoking and yet with Achan they usually march transgressing in what had come under divine precept no way in the head of the Sacrilegious We have no strict Command for a Chalice or diverse other Utensils of the Church nor the Church it self yet few I believe will allow but transgressions aggravated by being conversant about these Things are worse then others and of 4 Locus facit ut idem vel furtum vel Sacrilegium sit capite luendum Claudianus li. 48. Digest tit 19. L. 16. sect 4. extraordinary Guilt in this world and they are Things I promised not to meddle with any Theological Discourse Nor do I here but as it has dependance of and derivation from yea necessary complication with what was Civil Our such Laws say That Tythes are Given to God which I say does well infer their surreption sacriledge as on the contrary they that say 't is sacriledge to take them give argument they think they belong to God Forasmuch as not so much Gods Command or Divine Right for dueness makes this sin as something in below with the Act it self and indeed Correlatively they infer or remove one another for if a thing be bequeathed to Gods hand as the Law says plainly here it cannot but be sacriledge Sacra legere to take them Holy from him as on the contrary if it be sacriledge to take them They that say so must first imply and suppose they were made over and given to God I have in the prosequution of this point omitted what Epithites or Paraphrasing Descriptions I finde of them given abroad where they are styled Res Dominicae Dominica substantia Patrimonium Christi Dos sponsae Christi Dei census and the like all which must needs advance them high and joyn them near in with better then meer worldly things In usum pietatis concessae as is properly said in the 1 Caus 16. qu 7. ca 1. Canon Or Decimas Deo dari omnino non negligatur quas Deus sibi dari constituit quia timendum est ut quisquis Deo debitum suum abstrahit ne fortè Deus per peccatum suum auferat ei necessaria sua as in the 2 Cited by M. Selden Hist ca. 6. sect 6. Councel of Mentz But these are without the Circle of our Own to which I promised to confine my self Much less may I take scope to look abroad into the profane world for their Oblations even of Tythes and to God to whom they vowed and thought they payed As Agis in Xenophon and Agesilaus in the same who both brought their Tythe to Delphos to their god and offered it him which 3 Agis Delphos profectus est ac decimam Deo obtulit Xenoph. ac rursum Hostium verò ita fruitus agro est ut duobus annis centum talenta ampliùs Deo apud Delphos decimam dedicaret Id vid. Baron ad an Christi 57 sect 74. tom 1. col 607. Baronius having remembred and many more concludes with At verò non immorabor
erat demonstrandum CHAP. XXXIII IT remains for inference and application to the just conscience that every sober and well-meaning Honest man quietly and orderly compose himself then to his duty in obedience and if this burden be duly and fitly laid on on Him to take it up and go away with it as contented not wrangling or quarrelling to his due shame abominable sin as well as manifest injustice dangerously seditious disturbance But be satified with his own give out to others with willingness what is theirs He acknowledges and must acknowledge and not His. My Lot may be of the Receiving part If it be I may justly expect mine own require it demand it and unless my Christian perswasion be against going to Law for any thing which has colour from 1 Cor. 6. 1 6 7. if it be denied as for any other Right sue for it Or if my lot be on the paying part here I have both leave and duty not to 1 Do all things without murmurings and disputings that ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom ye shine as Lights in the world holding forth thus the word of life that I may have comfort of you in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain Phil. 2. 14 15 16. See also 1 Cor 10. 10 and Iude ver 16. Sure this is a Gospel sin murmure or complain shift or evade but meekly gently and Christianlike do what belongs to me reckoning my self no Honest man unless I have thus much Honesty to be Content to give every man his Due yea not as the Ox or the Slave meerly for fear of the whip but from forwardness and readiness quickned by the inspiration of my Religion whatsoever I do as unto the Lord or unto Men doing it Heartily and willingly as knowing I am bound to keep my rank 2 Rom. 13. 1 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely for wrath but for Conscience sake For 3 2 Cor. 6. 7. God loveth a chearfull Giver and a chearfull Doer and it is the great commendation of Christian Religion that it makes or leaves none slow or indifferent in any good Duty but adds wings to the weary or heavy doubting soul more readily effectually and chearfully to do every thing ought to be done for the Lords sake 'T is said there are some whose Consciences will not give them leave to issue forth these Dues according to legal Obligation and and all just expectation even as just as any is in the world But I ask almost in the same words whether their Consciences will give them leave to pay their Dues A Just Assesment Stated Rights A Quit Rent a Fine a Releif or any Just Imposition Set aside Leviticus Malachi the Epistle to the Hebrews yea the whole Bible This Rent-charge as it were is so due by Civil Justice will they now be Honest Men If they answer but Roundly and home to this I have as much as I desire Will their Consciences give them leave to pay their Debts what is doomed such If this be not a Debt to the due Receiver a yearly profit issuing out of their Lands to anothers use by Law Nothing is due here in England and for this is the strength of the whole Treatise going before Thou sayest I cannot prove Tythes due by the Law of God I went not about it but if I can by the Law of Man this is enough for thee thou repliest Leviticus is abrogated the Hebrews dark Abrahams and Jacobs but examples But wilt thou pay a Custome or Toll or Tribute or legal Taxation Is a Rent-charge due or Relief or Quit-Rent By what Obligation soever thou shalt confess There by the same and of equal strength I will make good my Plea here Where art thou now Wilt thou pay both or none What but English Sacred Law gives the one and the same gives the other Pay or deny both or neither the equity is of equal measure strength and evidence for both together O Christian let not the World deceive thee Let not the God of this World blinde thine eys If thy Covetousness hinder not thy Conscience may well serve thee to pay thy Dues yea would Constrain thee that is more then Permit for true Religion does more then Give leave Command and Injoyn men to be Just and Righteous Nor let any one say These are Trifles far below the height of Heaven May not a man keep a good Christians Conscience to God without troubling himself with these Levitical Ceremonies Hearken man This is a part of our Moral Righteousness as things are Now with Us a part of Necessary Justice A man can be with Us No more Unrighteous or Unhonest then he can here make light of this part of his legal Duty Nor let him say I have given my name to Heaven I have weightier things in consideration Must I interrupt or pull down my higher thoughts from devotion faith and Spirituals to these which when a Pharisee boasted exact obedience of he remained but a Pharisee O Good Man value things as they are Thou wilt not neglect Earth I hope in order to Heaven or suffer thy Religion to leave thee Not Honest or Unjust Must thou not deal Truly in these lower things before thou art fit to be trusted in higher Or is Moral Justice an Heathen vertue meer stranger to the power of Godliness and Not regarded at all by the God of the Christians Does not thine own Saviour say Believe not me but believe Him and believe me but as I do with fidelity and trust dispense the the Truths of for and from Him that 1 Luc. 16. 10 11. He that is faithfull in the least is faithfull also in much He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much If therefore ye have not been faithfull in the Vnrighteous Mammon who will commit to your Trust the True Riches Nor let any further excuse with the pretence of the Nature of Things He hath weaned himself from these lower to better Faith hope praise and prayer c. do so take him up that meaner things have less regard justly He is for the Heighth of Holiness And I will believe him as soon as that He hath climbed the Pinacles of Solomons Temple who is scarce got up the steps of Solomons Porch That he that is Unjust can be Holy or that Good man fitted to be a Citizen of the new Jerusalem a Free-man of the Kingdom of Heaven Who wants necessary qualifications to live in an honest well-governed Common-wealth on Earth Shall Heaven be furnished out with Dishonest men or the legal Members of that Citie be Defrauders and Deceivers Does not the 2 1 Cor. 6 9. Apostle say What can be plainer Be not deceived Some are apt to think so That the Vnjust Idolaters thievesor covetous shal ever Inherit the Kingdom of God
And such were some of you But ye are now washed or else had no hopes there but ye are cleansed but ye are purified Apoc. 22. 15. but ye are justified Without are Dogs and evil Doers Thou art apt to condemn a Thief or a Robber the cry of the whole Countrey is against Him What! He that grows Rich by spoil takes another Mans Goods I confess his crime is something more but that a part and his whole sin and wilt thou take the cross to that of the Apostle Rom. 14. 22. Blessed is He that condemneth not himself in the thing that he alloweth Chap. 2. 3. Thou that Judgest another Iohn 16 9. Doest Thou the same thing We are bid to make us friends with the Mammon of Vnrighteousness that when need is we may finde Everlasting succour Sure this by Just dealing at least I believe more by unjust or unnecessary Giving Is not Unrighteousness sin among Christians or True dealing to Give every One his own onely a superfluous part of Goodness Welfare then Achab and Judas 2 Sam. 12. 4 5. That Oppressour had too severe a censure in Nathans Parable for taking away the poor mans Lamb Luk. 23. 42. and the Thief upon the Cross committed a work of supererogation in repenting his theft in the way to his Paradise Phil. 2. 18 19. Saint Paul needed not have cared for Onesimus debt nor the sons of Jacob excuse the stealing of the 1 Gen. 42. 35. Plate if it had been so 2 Luk 19. 8. Zacheus stood forth and out of superstitious piety Gave to the poor and if I have wronged any I restore him four-fold Ono. These vile things of the Earth have Heaven at one end We may make us bags that waxe not old Chap. 12. 33. or lay up treasure in Hel with them as we use or abuse them Mat. 25. 35. c. Christ will pronounce sentence upon Those Dispensations at the last day and if we shall be punished for not being mercifull what farther if we be unjust and injurious Is the Word our Rule Brother Christian Believest thou the Scriptures Act. 26. 27. If thou do stand fast to thy ground 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the form of sound words as they were delivered and thou didst receive them Make good thy faith also in thy works seen before men let thy life be a justification of thy belief a counterpart or exemplification of Thy book of Religion Be assured of this there is not held forth any where in the world a better picture of An honest Just man then in those sacred leaves is described and painted out to the life Which every believer is bound to be by his Religion Obedience or Exhibition of himself Such must render him the Childe of God such a Just Dealer therewith And thy necessary conformity to that Law shall make thee A Pattern to all the world for Heathen Honesty This is a part of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Transformation in difference from that Conformity to the unjustsinful world before Rom. 12. 2. Dress thy self by this glass and thou wilt not count thy self ready without this habit Adorn thy self by these directions and thou must put on this Moral qualification 'T is a part of the putting on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13. ult nay shine bright in it 1 Cor. 15. 58. abounding in this work of the Lord or thou art no warrantable Christian Shall this be now disputed or doubted Shall I stain the reputation of Christian Doctrine by this that it has not as clear as day that every Proselyte thereof must give every man his due or it may leave me as wilde and conscience less as a Thieving Tartar or wilde Arabian that takes what he can get and parts not with what he can keep I may not sit down with Being just onely for the power of my faith brings about and should bring in all parts of Civil Justice by a Stronger Spring then is to be found again in the world I must doe Right for Conscience sake I must do No Wrong for fear of Heaven seeing me Gen. 39. 9. how should I do this Evil and sin against God as Joseph I must not take or withhold or retain or not give out what belongs to another sub poeuaâ—ignis gehennae under the most intolerable penalty of assured and believed Hel fire Come home yet more near we pretend to our age of Light Have we heard so many Sermons waited upon God so long in his Ordinances Sanctified every returne of his holy Sabbath Wrestled with him as Jacob in daily long Prayers set aside so many whole speciall days for Fasting and Humiliation to seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is not utterly gone to the Indians Tartars or other Nations that yet know not God and shall we arrive at the last with all this pains at this point of persection that we are now come to doubt whether wee may do right or wrong Prov. 23. 10. And Therewith câ—mpare what before pa. 37. pa. 244. whether we may equall the injustice of Entring the field of the fatherless whose revenger is Mighty whether we may not invade covet take hold or withhold what has been shewed to belong in Right to another If it Do we will yet have it and hold it and not part with it though if we believe our Bible we know we shall be burned in the soul for it with a coal of Ignis fortis or rather of Ignis inextinguibilis that fire of Hell will never be quenched Do we continue to boast of light from Heaven the Sun shining clear in the Firmament by the allowed use of Scripture and the bright beams thereof dispersing and darting their full power daily from the Pulpit such a long day as has outlasted the years of many generations with so many repeated impressions and dispersions of Numberless Numbers of English Bibles that it hath been an amazement to some that live neare the well-head whence those waters of the Sanctuary flow and others conjecture the Enemy buyes them up to burn them in private sith in publick and for Heretical yet he cannot And shall the English fruit of all this promising seed time be our doubts come out seriously in any of the scandalous ways before or our carnall hearts have admitted no operation to obedience in such clear and undoubted evident matters But alass some part of our Neighbours Due inclosure we would take in and hedge to our own though we make bold with the hedge of Gods Law for it His corruptible wealth we cover His silver or gold we take or withhold or what has equall right His Mammon of unrighteousness as we account we tantùm non sacrilegiously seize upon for our selves and to prevent his idolatry we put it into a private place as it were that we Our selves may worship it We love it we desire it
but must abuse his own Credit and his Masters trust the expectation from a Servant and interest in a Master both together for a Talent of Silver perhaps some spending money to his former means and two changes of Garments the superfluities of a Ward-Robe and how ended the business The Leprosie of Naaman cleave unto thee and thy posterity an hereditary plague and he went from the punishers presence a Leper white as snow Achan 3 Iosh 7. could not let the golden wedge and the Babylonish garment go in the Due way God had appointed but must be filching for his private use what had been publickly Devoted and the whole Army yea the whole Nation yea all Gods people sped the worse for it In deed it was a Cherem 4 Chap. 6. 17. 18 19. Chap. 7. 1. Religion had laid her sacred hande upon all that spoil for God and thence the severity of worse then ordinary indignation 5 Hebr. 10. 31. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God for 6 Chap 12. 29. Our God is a Cousuming fire Ananias and Sapphira their offence lay not altogether beyond the things of this life they did but take back what of Earth they had devoted to Heaven and yet how does the wrath of God fall upon them to the utmost We finde them gasping and dying at once and presently both as terrible Examples of divine severity as we finde any where and yet the meek Apostle inflicted it by his power from another World and I hope we believe it because we pretend to believe the Bible Generally observe there and in Vzzahs and Vzziahs Case the poor wood-gatherer the men of Bethshemesh or wheresoever in the least Religion has been touched to be profaned Gods Jelousie has been up and his quick hand reached home to revenge with sharpness of fury any such violation Nor may we forget the poor man in 7 Nathans Parable 2 Sam. 12. Alas poor man he had not much but one poor Lamb for plenty abroad and that the Rich miser must have to spare his own fold But shall it goe so No saith David in another Mans case He shall feel my Angry Hand By a great oath his own life shall expiate an offence with these circumstances and the lamb he shall restore fourfold beside because He did this and had no pity O pity pity is still a great part of the Bible goodness Oppression and wrong Nothing More the merits of Hell fire by our Religion the Law and the Prophets the Old and the New-Testament joyn in to have justice to all and Mercy to those in need a necessary qualification No hopes of religion without them because their want is a transgression of Religion and what then of those who cannot be content with their Own who will not give other men Theirs who having Nine for One already grudge and complain that they may have that One for Nine also from Gods service to sacrifice to their own greediness covetousness insatiable bellies or lusts and voluptuousness The laws of the twelve tables or Mahomets Alcoran the Bannyans 1 The title of the law of sâ—mâ— Easterlings whose eighth Morall commandment is Thou shalt not steal Herberts Travels page 43. Shaster or the 2 Some other Easterlings who call their law by this name One of there Morall precepts is Not to covet what belongs to another man Id. page 51. Persees Zundavastaw may teach them or us as much Religion as this Nay the tables of the bosome afford it clear and fairly legible that Every one must have his Own or else there is no living and this is the very outside I know mine own bosome of that I did intend to contend for Nor Therefore Throughout the world Doe or can I fear any just man mine enemy But I will not now divert Hitherto we have kept promise and made our walk through the Groves of Paradise Onely Gods blessed Book from the Sacred leaves of whose Holy and heavenly Oracles have these amplifications been drawn which it would be our wisdom to heed as it is in our Faith to believe and must be our Righteousness to Obey and this directing in what we should doe or what we should not doe about Civill Justice by rule or example Methink somewhat should stick I hope it will I pray it may and None be the favour of death unto death but as it will work some way of life unto life and that of the Soul and Everlasting All 3 1 Tim. 3. 16. Scripture is given of God S. Paul tels us this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his word or Breath and 4 Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoever was there written aforetime was written for our instruction that we through patience and comfort thereof might have hope and Light Now among the heavenly contents of those Divine inspirations are these Rules given 1 Cor. 10. 6. c. these examples recorded 1 That we might not lust as those then set up for an Example lusted Nor Covet as they Coveted nor Murmure as they murmured Nor yet be destroyed as they were neither of the destroyer For these things happened to them for such Examples but are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Thou hast Christian thine own light shining in them which thou beleevest came down from heaven of the same kinde with that outshined the brightness of the sunne with 2 Acts 9. 3 4. Saul Saul Take heed Take heed Venture not too far why persecutest thou me Believest thou wilt thou not obey If thou wilt not He that 3 Rev. 22. 11. is holy let him be holy still and He that is righteous let him be righteous still and He that is unjust let him be unjust still and He that is filthy let him be filthy still He that will Covet let him Covet still He that will have his neighbours Goods let him at least grasp after it still But withall know 4 Eccl. 11. ult That God will bring thee to Judgment 5 Col. 3. 25. He that does wrong shall receive for the wrong he hath done and with Him will be no respect of persons Iniqui regnum Dei non possidebunt 6 Psalm 15. 1. Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle or inhabite in thy holy Hill Not he that leadeth a Corupt life or doth the thing is not right to his Neighbour God 7 1 Thess 4. 7. is the avenger of all such things as is every where testified but sweareth or giveth to him and disappointeth him not though it be to his own hinderance Remember Him that 8 2 Pet. 2. 15 16 loved the wages of iniquity and Judas 9 Mat. 26. 15. who sold his innocency for thirty pieces of silver and 10 Daniel 5. Belshazzar who must have the Temple-bolls to carouse healths in to his Kings Concubines He would hardly have forborn at the perswasion of a prophet