any sort of people denie or withhold it They that will haue spirituall things must render temporall Otherwise a man hath no reason to account himselfe bound to labour for them as his hearers that will not intertaine him as their teacher They that contrary to the law which saith Forsake not the Leuit all daies of thy life forsake the minister Keeping from him his appointed maintenance leaue him to seeke the bread of his body where he may haue no wrong done them if they be forsaken and left without Ephod and without Teraphim to seeke for the foode of their soules where they wil and are little to be pitied though they wander from sea to sea from the north to the east running to and fro to seeke the worde of God and yet finde it not because they haue brought such famine vpon themselues and reap but such fruites as their owne hands haue sowne Their owne bloud bee vpon their owne heads that will prefer riches before Religion earth before Heauen the world before God the welth of their body to the health of their soul. From proofe let vs come to practise to which purpose if enquirie and search be made all ages and times will affoord vs record sufficient when where by whoÌ„ such tithes haue bin paid The first Tithes that euer wee reade to haue beene paid were those that Abraham paid to Melchâ—zedec And what kind of tithes were they If the common translations of the Bible deceiue vs not the text of holy Scripture Heb. 7. 4. telleth vs They were tithes of the spoiles the tenth of the bootie taken in battell that is Personall tithes 2 Concerning the Isralites whether they paid theÌ„ or no I wil not contend It is as probable yea as no. First by the words of the law which after an enumeratioÌ„ of some particulars vseth this general terme al the teÌ„th in Israel Tithes of al things NuÌ„ 18. 21. 2. Chro. 31. 5. Secondly by their certaine and knowne practise in other things namely in al kind of offerings sacrifices to be performed vnto the Lord. In those there was no difference among them betwixt one and other but the one sort were bound to performe them as wel as the other The law is plaine for it Exod. 12. 49. but specially NuÌ„ 15. 13. Al that are borne of the countrie shall do these things thus and one law and one maner shall serue for both They that had not beasts of their owne for sacrifice must buy them of others c. Now as they were to prouide theÌ„ offerings for the Lord by such goods as they had likely it is they were also to pay tithes for the maintenance of the Leuits and priests of God of such goods as they had Thirdly we do read Num. 31 That being returned from battel the Lord did expressely require by the name of The Lords tribute a certaine parte of the bootie as one of 50. of 500. one lesse indeede a great deale then a tenth yet bearing proportion to a tenth And whether it may be accounted a right personal teÌ„th that is diductis expensis the expenses diducted let others iudge It doth shew vs at least thus much That God would by some part of that which was gotten be acknowledged to be the giuer of the whole and authour of the victorie And that such custome continued in Israel we may not obscurely gather 1. Chro. 26. 26. where we read That of the battailes and spoiles taken in warre Dauid the king the chiefe Fathers the captaines ouer thousands hundreds and all the captaines of the armie and besides them Samuel the Seer Saul that had bin King Abner the son of Ner Ioab others had dedicated according as the Lord commanded Nu. 31. say some expositors such an abundance of treasure that there were treasurers men of great name elected deputed for keeping therof Fourthly The Leuits themselues hauing none inheritance of lands c. yet did pay to the priests the tenth of their tenth that was accounted vnto theÌ„ as we read Nu. 18. 27 as the corne of the barne abundance of the winepresse If the Leuits themselues that receiued tithes of others must did pay tithe of that they had is it not probable that others of what condition soeuer they were for whom the Leuits serued did pay of that they had which might be acounted vnto theÌ„ as the corne wine to the husbaÌ„d-maÌ„ as the tenth of the tenthto the Leuits doth it not intimate that by such meanes as a maÌ„ hath doth himself liue by he ought to coÌ„fer to the maintenance of the minister who must liue by him because hee laboureth for him Fifthly Luk. 18. 12. our Sauiour brings in a Pharisie speaking proudly I graunt yet truely thus I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse Herevpon I aske first whether in the person of this one Pharise bee not expressed vnto vs the actions of them all and in this point of the whole nation then whether all Pharisies were husbandmen onely or whether â—t bee not probable That some of them were artificers as Paul Lawiers as Gamaliel townesmen as they that dwelt at Ierusaelem c And thirdly if beeing townesmen tradesmen and artificers they did giue tithe of all that they possessed whether it must not necessarily follow That they gaue Tithes of their trades labours stipends c. seeing goods gotten that way bee part of that a man dooth possesse aswell as cattell corne c. and is the same to him that the field the tree the beast c. is to the husbandman Sixtly Admit contrary to so euident probabilities that the Iews did not pay any personall tithes yet it followes not by and by that therefore Christians ought not For the case is not altogether like Because their priests and Leuits dwelt together either at the house of God or in other their owne Cities assigned them as their peculiar possession by the lot of God vnder the hand of Iehoshuah and did not dwell so dispersed as the ministers of the Gospell doo and must viz. in euery Citie towne and village Our maner of habitation therefore dooth necessarily require that which theirs did not that is That the minister of euerie place haue his maintenance according to the place viz. by prediall tithes where are prediall and by personall tithes where are personall Otherwise seeing in Lawe and equitie too there is no compartition betwixt ministers of the Gospell as was among Leuits for their tithes either such places where prediall Tithes are not must bee without ministers for lacke of maintenance or else the ministers hauing little or nothing must as commonly they doo but woe bee to them by whom it commeth liue not like their brethren that haue prediall tithes minister like but as if they were the drudges and dregs of the world deseruing no reward beggarlike And to this agree the words of the Apostle who
to the careful and due performance of this duety To which purpose â—t furthereth much As we haue already seene who and what persons are commaunded So to consider likewise who it is that thus commaundeth For that in any law and precept is a matter of moment and specially respected All scripture is by diuine inspiration and hath not man but God the author thereof It is not therefore Paul but the Lord aboue not man but God that maketh this lawe The person is such as hath authorithy to commaund power to compell such as of whose Iustice in decreeing and equity in prescribing without extreame impiety none may doubt Such consideration of the person commanding may serue vs to diuers vses instructions For First it dooth well confirme that already sayd touching the persons that must pay shewing That seeing God requireth this duety of euery man that is a hearer of the word therefore from performance thereof no man can bee free and exempt For who can discharge a man from obedience to God As for the lawes that men doo make beeing but meere humane ordinances ciuil constitutions they that make them may revoake them or except and exempt from the penalty of them whom they will or a higher power may dispense therewith but what man may revoake that with God dooth enact or dispense with those whom God doth bind â—t is a ruled case amongst Diuines graunted euen in time of greatest ignorance that against Gods law no dispensation or decree of man can hold shal wee thinke or practize otherwise in our greatest knowledg Who can giue thee power or leaue to commit murther or adultery to breake the sabboth or dishonour thy parents to steale to oppresse c. or make if how dooest any of these things that it shal not bee sinne vnto thee neither can any man giue thee power to breake this law of God or acquit thee of sinne if thou dooest breake it Let men pretend custome lycence dispensation pardon priuiledge or whatsoeuer els of like nature in this behalfe it helps not For as in the Law it is a Maxime Nullâ—mtempus occurrit Regi Against the king Prescription of time holds not so in Diuinity is this another Neque Tempus neque consuetudo c. Neither time nor custome nor priuiledge c. can bee a barre against God Men may aswel say That by custome by licence by priueledge c. they may bee discharged from seruing of God and hauing any Church any Sacraments any publike seruice and so any religion amongst them For doubtlesse so farre and so long as they are bound to honor and serue God publikely to haue the Sacraments administred amongst them orderly to haue the word preached vnto them effectually so long and so farre are they and euery one of them bound necessarily iure diuino by the expresse Law of God by th' eternal and inuiolable decree of the highest whose law is surer then that of the Medes and Persians with altereth not to contribute and yeelde a part of their goods toward the maintenance continuance the vse and exercise of that Religion and Ministery among them Which whoso neglecteth and refuseth to doo hee dooth thereby so farre as lyes in him hindeâ— the seruice of God shut vp the Church doores and roote out from among them the Ministery of the Church of God by which alone those things can bee and are to bee performed Secondly it sheweth vnto vs the equity of the law God being the law maker this law must therefore bee most equall and iust For who should make a iust lawe if not Iustice it selfe decree that which is equal and right if not equitie it selfe or order a thing wisely and excellently if not wisedome it selfe Shal not the Iudge of all the world doe right Genes 18. 25. Rom. 3. 5. Thirdly it warranteth vnto the ministers themselues their right title to their maintenance God commanding the people to pay doth allow them to receiue that which is their due And therefore they may lavvfully and with good conscience take it bee it much or little as their owne because God who hath authoritie ouer all and whose is the earth all therein hath assigned it vnto them They challenge not their maintenance by warrant of mans law onely or onely by the rule of equitie but also iure diuino by the law of God who as hee made lawes for the Priests Leuits that serued at the altar in the time of the law so hath for his ministers in the time of the Gospell Which thing this our Apostle plainly testifieth 1. Corint 9. 13. where he telleth vs That as by Gods ordinance They which ministred about holie things did eate of the things of the Temple and they which waited at the altar were partakers with the altar So also hath the Lord ordained for the time of the Gospel that they which preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospel Wherefore if at any time they preaching the Gospell haue not thereof whereon conueniently to liue it is not because God hath not allowed allotted them sufficient for their labour but because men iniuriously wickedly withhold from them one vvay or other that which is indeede their due This should aduise men to make conscience hovv they deale with the minister seeing it is God that hath interessed him to that whereby hee is to liue For they cannot debarre him of his due or defraud him of any part of his right without an open breache of Gods lawe and manifest infringing of diuine ordinance Were it not great iniury and sinne to denie a noble mans seruant or withhold from one of the Kinges officers the reuenues the lands the pension or other maintenance which his Lord and Maister hath out of his landes possessions lawfully giuen him But no noble mans seruant no officer of any king or potentate can haue greater right or better interest vnto any lands reuenues pension or other incomme giuen him by his Maister then the minister hath to that with is his due because hee hath it not from man but from God and holds in right of the truest and highest owner the Lord of all In the law of God there is a curse against him that remooueth his neighbours landmarke which his sore-elders had set Deut. 27. 17. If he bee accursed that remooueth the bounds that men haue laid out is not hee nigh vnto cursing and in daunger of Gods great indignation that remooueth the bounds of the Church and altereth the right of the minister which the father of vs all hath for many generations past fixed to stand for euer This is the principall reason why euery man should pay of his goods to the minister namely which I obserued to be the second branch of the first general part of this verse Because hee is taught in the worde by the minister The minister dooth teach the word and religion of God and so ministreth to his hearer the food of
him for his maintenance at their pleasure Because if he will not take their allowance What they be disposed to giue him though it be not woorth the taking vp not the twentieth happily not the 40. part of his due hee shall haue nothing at all seeing by lawe as they account and will handle the matter hee shall or can recouer nothing of them 7. It is such a course as if it hold a while longer and be not speedily by due law reformed will it may iustly be feared bring the Ministers of diuers places to very beggery or the Ministrie of such places to be dissolued My reason is many such are resolued already that they owe the Minister nothing or at least that he can recouer of them nothing at all but their accustomed offerings that is two pence a peece at Easter And if they come once generally as already many doo to practise it we may soone coniecture what the sequell must needs be And this is a common thing whatsoeuer any hath vsed of his voluntary to pay howsoeuer their wealth increase scant one of an 100. will augment any thing to the minister but contrariwise in maner all bee ready vpon any light occasion to abate giue lesse And abatement once made it is neuer bettered againe So that by all likelihood in a little time it will come to nothing at all 8. It is such a course and kind of dealing as if it should which God forbid bee practised generally were the readie way to ouerthrow the Gospell to beate downe the preaching of the word and to banish religion out of the land Goe throughout the land from Dan to Beersheba and looke what maner of ministers and ministerie there are in such places specially where the minister depends vpon mens goods wills and finde one place or parish almost if it bee possible where the minister liues not in great needines and the people perish not for want of teaching Wee haue at this day God bee thanked a great number of learned and excellent teachers in the land but if they should be all brought to such a kind of mainteinance And how can that hee good for some which is nought for all Doo you thinke within a few yeares there would bee found halfe the number that now is Where are able teachers at this day most wanting and where bee the simplest and meanest ministers commonly found is it not where the best need to bee in townes and Cities I see no greater nor almost no other cause then this for that in such places The minister hath little or nothing prouided him to liue vpon but is inforced to take like a begger what men will give him And therevpon none of any learning of any gifts delight to come into such a place or alighting on such as it were by chaunce or vppon some necessitie when hee once sees his entertainment will long tary there Such be the effects that come of this kinde of course now iudge of the tree by his fruites 9. Lastly if it bee a good course commendable or but tollerable in the land why dooth not some Machiuillian head or other suggest vnto the highe Courte of Parliament how necessary and profitable it were to bee planted throughout the land what land and reuenues it might bring to the Crowne what profits and treasures to the Kings coffers what inheritance for gentlemen younger brothers what possessions and habitations for many people in our so populous country what wages for souldiours c. if all the tempoâ—alities and other certaine emolumentes of the Church were seazed vpon and the Cleargie left vnto the curtesie and beneuolence maleuolence indeed the offering and good willes of the people which as may bee seene in diuers places already were prouision ynough for them and would well ynough content them For why might not all as well as some liue on that fashion and rest vpon the kindnes of their hearers who would not of conscience see them perish for want c. If this were not to bee endured maruell not much good Christian and godly Reader though I seeme vehement against that pestilent practise in few which were intollerable in all For speaking from some experience I haue seen so much euill inconuenience thereby that I cannot but from my heart detest it and desire and labour what lyes in mee the vtter extirpation thereof And I doo hope that by this little Anatomie thereof layd before thine eyes thou wilt bee moued to confesse and conclude with mee That a voluntarie contribution for the ordinarie maintenance of the Minister is no where tollerable and that it is the duetie of all Christians as they make conscience of their duetie to God respect equitie haue any loue to the ministerie of the Gospell and desire the prosperitie thereof to yeeld the minister a certaine paie one way or other that so both themselues may know what they ought to pay and hee what to demaund how to recouer it if it bee withheld Though this voluntary maintenance bee as I haue shewed a course that Gods word dooth not approiue that agrees not with the rule of equity and reason that neither Iewes nor Christians did euer generally practise a course whereof comes to the Church of God no good but many euills and perills yet it is not vnlikely but that many vnles there bee soome good lawe to inforce them thereunto will hardly bee reclaymed from it and will say what either I or any else can sticke to it still To direct such therefore the while to vse if it bee possible a bad thing well and to keep themselues from sin in so dangerous a course I will for their sakes bestow a little labour adde yet a few lines more to shew them what measure proportion they should in reason and equitie keep in this case that so in some measure they may satisfie their duety to God and content the minister of his Church to whom though they will giue but what they will yet they are bound in conscience to giue that that is somewhat tollerable and reasonable Reason must take place though law doo not and conscience gouerne our actions where compulsion is not A heathen man being asked what good hee had gotten by his Philosophie Aunswered I haue saith hee gotten this good thereby that I can doo those things vnbidden which other men doe for feare of the lawes Religion ought to preuaile no lesse with vs. Wee should not need humane lawes to compell vs to our duties whose consciences are informed by the rule of equitie That euerie man of his owne accord ought to doo to others as hee would if the case were his bee done vnto If this bee but right and equal as I thinke euery reasonable and religious man will graunt it is Let vs presupposing for a while that there is no positiue law either to direct or compell vs to any thing in this case consider accordingly when the minister hath laboured for thee
first words of the precept Let him that is taught with the later of the same verse viz. make him partaker c. we may gather euidently That all and euery person whatsoeuer which being a hearer of the word doth owe and possesse to his owne proper vse any kinde of goods whatsoeuer is liable to this pay subiect to this precept within compasse If I may so speake of this statute and law of God This statute and commaundement I say reacheth vnto all singular parishioners as we tearme them yea to all hearers of the word whosoeuer both rich and poore yong and old maried and vnmaried housekeeper or not maister and seruant merchant and mariner officer and artificer tradesman and husbandman townesman and countryman or whosoeuer els by profession he be they all and euery of them being hearers of the word and owners or possessors of any kinde of goods whatsoeuer are lyable to this course payable to this purpose and must contribute more or lesse according to their seuerall abilities to their teacher As they haue a benefit by him in spirituall things so must he by them in things temporall This may plainly appeare vnto vs by the words of the Apostle in that he doth set downe the precept in the singular number For when as he doth not say Let them that c. but let him that is taught c. he declareth manifestly that the precept extends to euery one in particular No one is or can be exempted from this dutie but is necessarily to be charged therewith He onely is excepted which possesseth no kinde of goods hath nothing proper to himselfe deales not as we say for himselfe any way but liues altogether either vnder or by others as children prentizes c. which are yet wholly vnder the tutele keeping finding of parents maisters and other like or such as be extreame poore and so doe liue not by their owne goods but by the goods and almes of other men This precept is very like vnto that law which God of old had by Moses giuen vnto his people Israel as appeareth Exo. 23. 15. in these words None shall appeare before the Lord emptie and is both repeated explaned Deut. 16. 17. thus Euerie man shall giue according to the gift of his hand according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath giuen thee That is euery man shal giue according to his abilitie more or lesse the rich man shall giue according to his riches a great liberall portion and the poorer sort of his tenuitie a little also euery man something None shall come without any thing at all Like to this was the lawe of tithes vnto which euery man was subiect that possessed ought The tenth was the Lords and must be paide vnto the Lord wheresoeuer and with whomsoeuer it was to be founde as appeareth Numb 18. and otherwhere Wherevnto we may finde the practize both of the Iewes in time of the law and of Christians aswell in the infancie as flourishing estate of the Gospel to haue bene very cōsonant as may appeare sufficiently for the one by the hystorie of that poore widowe Luc. 21. who offered of her penurie somewhat into the treasurie of God aswell as did the rich and wealthy much of their abundance and superfluities And yet neither is she blamed by our Sauiour as doing more then her dutie more then she needed but highly commended as dooing her duetie and but her duetie cheerefully and liberally nor are the priests that receiued the offrings reprehended for taking an offering of a widow so poore themselues beeing rich And by the words of the Pharisey Lu. 18. 12. who speaking no doubt according to the generall practise of al protesteth That he gaue tithe of al that he did possesse whereto accordeth our Sauiour Math. 23. 23. acknowledging for them That tithed euen the very mint and annis Rue and Cummin et omne olus and euery other herbe and saying That they howsoeuer they ought to haue done also greater things yet those they ought not to haue left vndone As for the times of the Gospell Act. 2. 45. we read how the Church at first being not otherwise prouided for So manie as had either possessions or goods that is either lands or moueables for so the wordes in the iudgement of learned interpreters doe signifie sold them laid downe the price at the Apostles feete that thēce distribution might be made to euerie man poore and rich hearer teacher according as he had neede And so euery man that was taught in the word did that way make him that taught him partaker with him of all his goods The Gospell once throughly planted and by the cōuersion of Constantine and other Emperours and Kings vnto the faith of Christ setled in peace this law was more generally and fully as practized so established and confirmed For vpon due notice and consideration thereof euen then vniuersally in all nations kingdomes and countries that had receiued the faith landes were giuen and consecrated and tithes restored to the Church in such a generall vniforme godly and goodly sort both for the maner the measure thereof as is yet admirable to as many as note either the action then or the disposition of people now To which course how had it beene possible euer people could so generally so vniformely and so readily haue beene drawne vnlesse Christians then with one minde and one mouth had acknowledged this doctrine here taught them by the Apostle viz. That it was euerie mans duetie to make his minister partaker of all his goods and thereupon consented as it were by diuine inspiration That for the better successe of the Gospell then and auoyding of contentions in time to come such course should be taken as might once for euer yeeld settle it to the Church Some may happily thinke That the Church got these thinges in time of blindnes and popery when men in superstitious zeale did they knew not what but I am fo farre from their opinion that I assure my selfe and with great probabilitie can gather and make demonstration That those things which are the Churches in right and properly belong to the maintenance of her ministers were all graunted and established in their largest best and vprightest forme before popery was planted euen in the purest and most flourishing time of the Gospell and that in time of Popery little was added thereunto but rather much thereof was then and thereby taken from the Church And am readie to prooue and shew That the very forme it selfe dooth plainely and plentifully argue true zeale great piety much wisedome with sound knowledge and not blind zeale and foolish superstition to haue beene the founders thereof But of these more hereafter The doctrine and sense of the words beeing thus laid downe it shal not bee amisse now to consider somewhat withall of such motiues as the words themselues may farther affoord wherby to moue euery man
tell But hath not common reason preuailed there against so farre that now a dayes there is scarce any that wil either accept or offer it If very conscience reason can see it requisite to alter the pay for other men what lets it should not for the minister too vnlesse it bee that of all other wee respect them least Lastly nor doo I mooue other then that which long since was by law intended attempted to bee donc as may appeare in the abridgement of statutes in the title Appropriations by these words Because that much hurt hath come to Parishes by Appropriation of Benefices c. Bee it enacted c. That hence foorth in euery Church so appropriated a secular person bee ordeined Vicar perpetuall canonically instituted and inducted in the same Couenably endowed by the discretioÌ„ of the Ordinary to doo diuine seruice and to informe the people and to keep hospitality there c. And that the said statute viz. a statute of An. 15. Ric. 2. Cap. 6. shuld be kept put in execution all Appropriations made since the statute coÌ„trary thereunto to be reformed before a certain time or else to be voyd An. 4. Henr. 4. cap. 12. Where wee may note That euen then in time of grossest Poperie and greatest blindnes the Appropriations of benefices was accounted as indeed it is a great hurt and not a benefite to the people So necessarie to be reformed and restrained what might be that the estates of the land feared not to oppose themselues against the Pope the onely cause and cocatrice of those euills and thought the same not to bee in any measure sufficiently reformed vnlesse there were a perpetuall Vicar there endowed and that so conuenably that hee might bee able to readâ— diuine seruice 2. to preach and also 3. to keepe hospitalitie neither of which much lesse all is it possible for him well to doo that hath but such a stipend as wee speake of or such Vicarage as many at this daie are in the land Thus it is manifest That it is a thing but iust and reasonable that there should in such cases an alteration be made 2. That it were best to bee doone by things in kinde is also as apparant By which meanes a thing that ought not little to bee respected the minister each seueral Church beeing endowed should not liue in that seruilitie vnto lay-men as now a daies many doo to their pay-maisters Nor should so many bad and vnworthy men as there are things standing as yet they doo needs must bee bee thrust into the ministery Such places beeing now capable of none but such as bee most vnworthy and vnlearned would then as others are bee able to entertaine such as for learning and other gifts required in a minister were worthy maintenance CHAP. V. That toward the ministers maintenance euery man ought to contribute proportionabely and not voluntarily onely what euery man will That is tollerable onely in somâ— cases But generally or ordinarily it is a course very euill and perâ—itious Yet how it might be somewhat tollerable is noted Text. Make him partaker of all his goods HAuing in the former Chapters spoken of the qualitie of the things whereof the minister is to haue part wee are now to consider of the quantitie and examine out how much or how great a part of euery mans goods hee ought to haue The hardest indeed but the chiefest and most necessary point of all the rest On which if I dwell somewhat longer then in the other I haue done I trust the curteous reader considering how necessary and how difficult a point it is will easily beare with my prolixitie This that wee way finde out a two fold quantity must be considered of that is how much in proportion how much in number c. For the former The very words of our Apostle doo at least intimate vnto vs That there must a certaine Proportion bee obserued by them that giue of their goods to their teacher For requiring euery man to giue a part of all his goods hee shewes plainely enough that men must giue profacultatuÌ„ ratione according to their ability and the quantity of the goods they haue some more some lesse Not euery one like much arithmetically but euery man alike geometrically that is proportionable ratably As men doo differ in ability and wealth one hauing more another lesse as God hath and dooth blesse men some with one or two sortes of goods some with diuers and sundry sorts so they must blesse God againe by imparting to their minister a part of their few or many sortes so that of all and of each sort of goods euery man may returne a part This accordeth well with the course which God appointed vnto his owne people the Iewes for maintenance of their Priests and Leuits then Their principall maintenance was a tenth part of all things Now who knows not that where a certaine equall part as the tenth twentieth or xxx part is allotted there must needs bee a most equall and exact proportion among all one paying no more then another dooth according to his abilitie 2. They had a Law That three times a yeare all their males should appeare before the Lord none must appeare emptie but euery one must bring somewhat of his owne voluntary goodwill yet with this Prouiso Deut. 16. 17. Euery man shall giue according to the gift of his hand and according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which hee hath giuen thee that is according to his estate and abilitie 3. And in their ordinary offerings for cleansings for attonements c. the richer sorte were appointed their offerings of greater worth as a bulbocke a â—am a goat the meaner sorte a lambe a payre of turtle doues or two young pigeons So as a proportion according to the ability of the persons was still obserued And this course so liked all wisemen of former ages that they resolued none fitter then it for the maintenance of the ministers of the Gospel As if wee doo but looke vpon the maner thereof obserued for the most part all Christendome ouer for many hundred yeares past viz. That a certaine parte of euery thing bee payd to that vse may euidently appeare That thus it should bee wee may reason and gather First from the rule of equity which requireth that euery one bee dealt with indifferently and equally Now as in other payments of rents of customes of subsidies and the like taxations to Lord and King to this and that vse all men will graunt that there is no indifferency vsed if men bee not rated and taxed according to their seuerall estates as their abilities are in regard of others that are rated aswel as they so neither in this Then onely is the matter caried with equalitie when that rule which the Apostle prescribed in another case is obserued also in this that is That Some bee not burthened that others may bee eased but vpon like condition
Pharisies that payd Tithe of their Rue annis mint cummin and of euery other herbe all garden hearbs as euery woman can tell saith expresly that as they ought to haue done weightier matters So this though a small thing they ought not as they did not to leaue vndone Which speach of Christs as I haue already shewed in the iudgement of S. Origen containes a precept for Christians now as well as an approbation of that the Pharisies in that point did then And as we doe spie day at a little hole and try how good the tree is by the taste of one of the fruites So by this little tryall may be made and notice taken how good or how euil a payer of tithes thou wouldest be if thou hadst possessions and great store of lands and cattell as the husbandman hath It is our Sauiourâ— owne rule and therefore currant Luk. 16. 10. Hee that is faithfull in the least he is faithfull also in much and hee that is vniust in the least is vniust also in much If therefore thou haue not great and many tithes to pay yet pay thou thy few and smaller tithes faithfully As Zachariah and Elizabeth are commended for iust in that they walked in all both precepts and ordinances that is both greater and smaller obseruances of the law of the Lord without reproofe so is it the part of a iust mâ—n to make a conscience of euery duty small and great Secondly be it that thou haue no fields nor lands nor cattell and such like that yeeld such kinde of tithes yet if thou haue other kinde of goods there is a kinde of tithe marke well what I say there is a kind of tithe to be paide of those kind of goods that thou hast as of fish of foules of spoiles in warre of money gayned by trade by art and labour S. Augustine as hee wrote of this matter de decimis most of any of the Fathers so is he playnest of all other Serm. de Temp. Ser. 219. de dec he saith directly Quodsi decimâ—s non habes c. But saith hee if thou haue not tithes of the fruites of the earth as the husbandman hath yet whatsoeuer meanes thou hast to liue by it is of God of that whereby thou doest liue he demandeth tithes Pay thou therefore tithes of thy warfare of thy trade and of thy handy-craft Thus preached and wrote S. Augustine for 12. hundred yeares agoe and therefore it is no new opinion he goes farther and giues reason why this kind of tithe should be payd as well as the other Aliud n. pro terra dependimus aliud pro vsura vitae pensamus that is The one kinde of tithe we pay for the vse of the earth which we possesse the other for vse of our life vpon the earth Pay therefore O thou maÌ„ whatsoeuer thou be thy tithes because thou dost possesse the earth and because thou art vouch safed thy life his proofe is For thus saith the Lord Euery man shall giue a redemption of his life and so shall there not bee among them any plague or sicknes The place of scripture he alleadgeth is Exod. 36. 12. Whence this father gathers that euery man is to pay to god a tribute of his goods such as hee liues by S. Ambrose writeth to like effect in a Sermon he hath de quadrages Qâ—icunque recognouerit inse quod fideliter non dederit decimam c. Whosoeuer saith he shall call to minde that he hath not faithfully paid his tithes let him now amend that wherein hee hath failed What is it to pay faithfully but that he offer and bring at no time neither lesse nor the worser sorte of his graine or of his wine or of the fruits of his trees or of his garden or of his trade or of his very hunting With these agreeth S. Gregory saying as in the decrees he is alleadged Extra de dec cap. 23. Ex transmissa Fidelis homo de omnibus quae licitè potest acquirere decimas erogare tenetur â— Euery faithfull man is bound to pay tithes of all such goods as he can lawfully get According hereunto whereas the first and most auncient lawes as well temporall as Ecclesiasticall run in general tearmes Decimae de rebus omnibus Tithes of all things the Canonists and other Lawyers as well of former as of later ages willing and endeuouring to explane the same by specialities haue inueÌ„ted approued hitherto continued that vulgar knowne distinction of Tithes prediall and personall By prediall meaning such as arise of the increase of the earth by personall such as arise of goods gotten by labour and industry whether they be gotten saith a very famous Lawyer by handicraft industry science warfarre trafficke or any other lawfull act And so doe all agree vpon the point That euery man is to pay one kinde of tithe or other viz. prediall if hee be a husbandman personall if hee be and quatenus as he is a tradesman artificer c. Of such goods as a man hath and liues by himselfe they determine that God and his Church must still haue some or other parte Hee that is taught of what vocation and course of life soeuer he be must make his teacher partaker with him of all such goods as hee hath Reason and equitie doe consent it should be so For as in the common-weale it is but reason that in subsides and other dueties to the King c. one sorte of subiect bee taxed as well as another So in the Church for the seruice of God It is a weake plea for a trades-man an artificer a townesman a cittizen that is of wealth competent to say I haue no lands therefore I ought not to bee seazed to subsidy it suffiseth that hee bee found worth thus much in landes or in goods And as bad and weake a reason it is to say I haue no lands no corne nor cattell therefore I ought to pay no tithe If thou haue other kinde of goods pay of those thou hast God requires a parte of that a man hath and not of that hee hath not Giue therefore to God that which is Gods as well as to Caesar that which is Caesars 2 Further looke vpon the vse whereunto the tithes are assigned by God and man what is it but the maintainance of the minister now haue not townesmen vse and neede of the Gospel of the ministerie of teachers as well as husbandmen Why then is it not reason they yeelde thereunto the due and appointed maintenance as well as they Haue they other meanes equiualent wee know of none the ministers find none The very law of nature saith The laborer is worthy of his hire for whomsoeuer it be that he doth labor Why should any then looke that men should labour for them gratis The law of God and man hath appointed this Tithes to be the hire of the Minister his wages for his worke in the Gospell Why then should
is no reason by reason of his much charges and many casualties hee should pay an entire tenth which no body dooth demaund noâ— affirme is it reason therefore he should pay no tithes at all honour God with none of his goods reward the minister that giues him spirituall things with none of his temporall What nothing but his accustomed offerings For so some sticke not to stand vpon it That they which haue no lands cattell c. ought to paâ—e nothing but their offerings except forsooth they will of their owne good wills as if their minister were their almesman giue him anie more A speach so deuoide of sense and reason that I wonder it can come out of the mouthes of such as will seeme to guide their words by reason and their action by religion For is there any law that saith None shall pay Tithes but such as haue lands cattell c Doth not our owne Statute law which yet of all other is most fauourable to the people in this case and the Canon Law speake directly of 2. sorts of tithes Prediall Personall And whereas the accustomed offerings are so small that it is not possible they alone might be able to maintaine a minister in any sorte no not in the greatest parish in England may it bee imagined that any lawmakers should but intend such a thing viz. To exempt all such from payment of Tithes as haue not lands c. knowing that there bee many hundred parishes in the land where if personall tithes bee not payd the minister hath and can haue in maner nothing to liue by There is none I thinke of so little knowledge and experience in the world but knowes well enough That in all places the land ouer wheresoeuer men pay tithes of corne cattell c. to the vttermost yet they pay these accustomed offerings too Now mee thinkes people knowing this should of themselues conceiue that tradesmen c. pay not their offerings in lieu of those tithes and other emoluments which husbandmen paye but that as husbandmen pay the like offerings notwithstanding their Tithes payd in the largest maner so themselues should besides those offerings pay some thing or other which might bee somewhat equiualent to the husbandmans Tithes That so it might appeare by their deedes That they loue the Gospell ministers thereof no lesse then the husbandman dooth are as worthie thereof as hee Which thing without all question our forefathers and auncient lawmaters carefully did intend and respect in appointing personall tithes and is only then performed when they in one or other maner are yeelded CHAP. VII Yeeldeth some reasons and speciall causes why God vouchsafeth to haue as his owne some part of all mens goods Why the tenth And why so great a portion as tithes offerings c. are hee hath assigned vnto his ministers Where the Reader shall finde diuers weightie causes why ministers ought to haue not a beeggerly sparing but ample and liberall maintenance HItherto I haue shewed what right the Church hath vnto Tithes proued by sundry arguments drawne from the scriptures fathers lawes of nations rule of equitie and consent of times That Tithes both prediall and personall are still due to the ministers of the Gospell and ought now in the time of the Gospell by diuine right ordinance to be payd Now I hope it will not seeme to the good Reader time ouerlong nor labour superfluous to consider somewhat also more specially of the end reason wherefore it hath pleased God to sanctifie and set apart vnto himselfe as a continuall inheritance any part or such a part of our temporall goods Such a consideration can not but bee a profitable and necessarie motiue and incitation to the true better performance of this kinde of dutie Of this point I conceiue that there be 2. principall causes one that respecteth directly immediately God himselfe another that respecteth the Church of God That which respecteth God himselfe is the acknowledgment of Gods sole and souereigne Dominion ouer all God will by by some certaine portion of our goods returned backe and offered vp againe vnto him bee acknowledged to bee Lord of all I say againe As God is the giuer of all our wealth and he onely who blesseth the workes of our hands so for acknowledgement of his vniuersall Dominion he will haue a part thereof set apart for himselfe This is it the Lord meaneth when making claime vnto Tithes offerings vowes other hallowed things hee calleth them his speaking of them tearmeth them Mine offerings my hallowed things the Lords tribute his inheritance c. as we read in sundry places of the law namely Numb 18. Leuit. 27. c. that Salomon meaneth when as a morall dutie written in the hearts of men by nature he teacheth euery man To honour the Lord with his substance Prou. 3. 9. that the Prophet insinuateth when on Gods behalfe he chargeth the people that in withholding their tithes and offerings they had robbed and defrauded not so much the Priests and Leuits as the Lord himselfe Yee haue spoiled me saith the Lord wherein in Tithes offerings Accordingly auncient Diuines counted it currant Doctrine and a kind of speech very agreeable to pietie trueth to speake after this maner Wee offer vnto God our goods as tokens of thankefulnes for that wee receiue Iren. lib. 4. Cap. 34. Hee which worshippeth God saith Origen in Numb 18. Homil. 11. must by gifts and oblations acknowledge him Lorde of all S. August tract de Rectitud Cath. conuers hath these words Vnusquisque de quali ingenio vel artificio viuit c. Euery man of that meanes whereby hee liueth thereof let him pay to God the Tenth Let him consider that all is of God that he liueth by whether it be the earth or the waters or seeds or all things that be vnder heauen or aboue if he God had not giuen it vnto him he had had nothing And in the decrees as a Maxime vndeniable such like preambles and assertions are to be read Cum autem in signum vniuersalis Dominij c. forsomuch as in signe of his vniuersall souereignitie as it were by a speciall title the Lord hath reserued Tithes vnto himselfe auouching clayming them to be his owne c. And some of our owne later writers very iudiciously vpon like consideration haue tearmed tithes and other holy things appropriated vnto God Sacrum vectigal a sacred Tribute or rent Sacred both in regard of the person God to whom properly it is due of the vse vnto which God hath assigned it to bee payd There cannot bee a clearer trueth then this yet so are mens eyes now a-daies blinded with couetousnes or their minds daseled with ignorance that a great part of men euen of men professing godlines and knowledge seeme to account it a straunge doctrine Many would faine perswade themselues that for their wordly goods if they
wast c. how grieuously and offensiuely he tooke it and how wrathfully and extreamely he did reuenge it Let vs not thinke but that God doth tender as much as euer Dauid did the cause of his seruants and if their beards be clipt and their coatâ—s cut short I meane their liuings gelded and their mainteiance taken from them if they be made to eate the sheâ—â—s and take the straw when other haue the kernells and the corne he both can and will in due time reuenge it He hath testified that it shall be easier at the day of iudgement for them of Sodome and Gomorha then for such as will not receiue his messengers whom he hath commanded departing to shake off against such the very dust of theâ—r fecte for a testimonie Wherofâ— of their extreame ingratitude and contempt of God and his worde and of Gods wrath and indignation against such contemners Secondly concerning himselfe fearefull and notable euen to this purpose is the example of Ananias and Sapphira his wife Act. 5. who making a shew to lay downe at the Apostles feete the full price of their land when indeed they kept backe a great part thereof are by Saint Peter reprooued in this sort Why hath Sathan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie vnto the holy Ghost and Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God and againe verse 9. Why haue yee agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord and thereupon by and by for a perpetuall monument of his indignation against such sinnes are smitten horresco referens I euen tremble to tell it both of them with suddaine and terrible death with whom in sinne how neerely doe they concurre that keepe away that which for many ages past is consecrated to God and his Church by the lawes of equitie of God of the Church and of our land and therefore is not now in their owne power and cannot without great and apparant sinne be now conuerted or rather peruerted to any prophane and common vse and to couer their shame and sinne withall come into the Church and presence of the eternal God and there protest to their minister that they haue nothing to pay that they owe him of right but this and that that they doe not nor will not deceiue him of a peny c. but God is not mocked Hitherto of these words in generall tearmes which being briesly thus run ouer I will now more largely touch also certaine speciall obiections particularly Them for orders sake being many I will sort into 4. ranks as vnto certaine heads wherunto all such may be referred and they are these Personal Generall Local and Speciall Personall I terme such obiections as may be pretended against the persons themselues that should receiue such maintainâ—nce Against whom their vnworthynesse sometimes is obiected And that is twofolde either in life if they be such as be not of Good conuersation but giuen to some or other notorious vices or for learning if they bee such as can not preach at all or not so learnedly and excellently as some others doe To which one aâ—nswere may serue viz That notwithstanding any such defects yet the maintenance the ordinary maintenance of the minister for of that do I speake altogether ought to be in such sort setled vnto him that it may not be lawful not easily possible for any priuate persons personall vnworthines to withdraw it or anie part thereof People must know it is not lawfull to requite one wrong with another not fit that they bee at libertie to withdraw their pay from anie vppon supposed vnworthinesse least they take libertie to pretend vnworthines where there is none and vnder colour of fault in some offer iniurie to all and abuse vpon light occasions euen the best They must yeelde the minister his due howesoeuer If hee be such a one as deserues it not the fault beeing not theirs but his hee must answere for his faults other waâ—es No reason euery man be his owne iudge in his owne cause least malice or auarice become parties What is punishable or reformeable must be referred to superiours on earth or to God in heauen God neuer permitted anie such libertie to his owne people Whatsoeuer the Priests or Leuites were in their desert yet the people without any exception are coÌ„manded to bring in their tithes and oblations The Priests are reprooued by the Prophets and termed Dumb dogs Deceiuers Sleepie watchmen c. but the people are not aduised and taught by the prophets therefore to withholde from them their appointed legall maintenance neuer was there greater corruption among them neuer more wickednesse and all kinde of vnworthines then in our Sauiours time yet he sendeth the leper cleansed to the priest bids him offer as was appointed And sitting ouer the treasurie and there beholding how men cast in their gifts commendeth the poore widowe for her riche mite and approoueth the fact of all calling it the Offerings not of the Priests but of God Luk. 21. 4. It is also forefended by ancient lawes ordinances of our Church land Among which one is notable made in the time of King Hen. the 8. An. Dom. 1538. the words whereof are these Foras-much as by lawes established euery man is bound to pay his tithes No man shall by colour of duety omitted by their ministers deteine his tithes or be his owne Iudge but shall truly pay the same as hath bene accustomed without any restrainte or Diminution and such lack or defalt as they find in their Pastouts and Curates to call for reformation thereof at the Ordinaries or other superiors hands To this effect we read also in the Decrees lib. 3. cap. 20. De dec Tua nobis Nonnulli vitam clericoruÌ„ tanquam abhominabilâ—m detestontes Decimas ijs ob hoc subtrahere non verentur Verum si c. that is manie detesting the life of Cleargie men as abhominable feare not for that cause to withdrawe from them their Tithes But if such parties had due respect vnto God from whome all their goods do come they would not offer to diminish the right of the Church nor presume to deâ—eine their Tithes And a little after Seeing that God whose is the earth and the plentie thereof the whole worlde and all that dwell therein ought not to bee of worse condition then a temporall Lord that lets out his land to others It seemeth truely too vnequall if Tithes which God in token of his vniuersall Soueraigntie hath commaunded to bee payed vnto himselfe affirming Tithes to bee his vppon occasion premised or rather by purposed fraude should bee diminished And againe Whereas no man may giue away that which is anothers without the good will and consent of the owneâ—â— Because therfore we wil not suffer that the right of Churches and churchmen vpon any presumption bee diminished we commaund you That you doe compell all such as either in respect of their persons or of their possessions ought to pay tithes
personall or prediall to the Churches and cleargie-men of your Diocesse to pay them to the vttermost I will adde to these a notable saying of a later writer that is of R. Gualter Tig. in his Homilies vpon S. Mathew Homil. 269. They obiect saith hee that manie doe filthily abuse Tithes and therefore they are vnwoorthie to haue them But this is a bald excuse For of such abuses they shall yeelde an account to God which doe commit such things not who paye the Tithes And what reason will excuse him that with-holdes from the needy his necessarie Liuing least happely hee abuse it to surfetting and drunkennâ—s It is the parte of euerie Christian man to paye to euery man that which is his due and not to goe about to excuse his owne iniquitie by anothers fault hitherto hee Thus it appeareth neither the law of God nor of the Church nor yet anie equitie doe permit anie vpon a conceit of the ministers vnworthines any way to with-holde from him his due but that they are bound to pay it to him as hee is their minister and not-as he is so or so worthie a minister The principall reason why expressed also in some of the former allegations is worthy to be noted and that is Because the ministers maintenance is not properlie his but Gods part The Tithes are Gods as hath bene before shewed If he therefore be not worthy of them yet God to whom they are principally due is not vnworthie And therefore as it cannot be but a great fault to withholde rent from a Land-lord or denie tribute to a Prince for the persons sake that is his receiuer so it cannot but bee an open sinne to denie to God his right for his sake into whose hand it is to be paid I haue insisted vpon this point a little the more because howsoeuer it bee a thing vnlawfull yet it is too vsuall with vs in case of personall tithes There are not a fewe which abusing the weakenesse of the Statute that should restraine them doe take what libertie they lust vpon any occasion to wrong the minister Which being a practise so apparantly contrarie not onely to reason and equitie but also to the word of God and all good practize I trust as a thing not tollerable in a Christian common-wealth among them that carry any zeale to the Gospel or loue to them that bring the glad tidings thereof shall not long continue being so apparantly discouered without due reformation 2 General Obiections I tearme such as may bee made against tithes in generall or against the whole maintenance of the minister as this The Tenth is a portion too great for the minister and a burthen too grieuous for the people Lesse a great deale as a 20. or 40. or but an hundreth parte seemeth to manie might be enough if not too-much But who shall bee iudge in such a case what is too-much or or what but enough what euery priuate person or onely this present age Then indeed Vae vobis woe to you ministers Your staie is bad already and daylie worse and worse it wil bee There will be then no ende of oppression and crueltie of fraude and deceit of Symonie and Sacriledge And why but because all you haue is thought nowe a dayes of manie to be too-much And that though there be in places too many but little left yet lesse were enough But if God if our forefathers if all Antiquitie may giue Iudgement and obtaine Audience sentence is already long agoe past on your side viz. That the Tenth is but a competent portion and not too much For 1. First God assigned not it onely to his Leuites and Priestes but together with it well neere as much more in other things For as appeareth in the bookes of Moses Besides the Tithes of all things They had first 8. Citties with their Subburbs of a mile circuit at least for their habitation Num. 35. losh 21. Secondly theirs were the first fruites of all things both annuall and naturall Leuit. 23. 10. and 19. 24 Thirdly of diuers sortes of sacrifices and offerings either the whole or a great and euer a certaine part was theirs as Exod 29. 32. Leuit. 7. 31. and 8. 31 10. 14. 24. 8 9. and Num. 18. doth appeare Fourthly of all coâ—secrated things whether it were man or beast house or grouÌ„d either the thing it selfe without redemption or the redemption thereof at a full and certaine value was the priests Leuit. 27. Fifthly in cases of restitution if neither he to whom the goods belonged nor any of his kindred could be found the goods to bee restored was the Lords and the priests had it Num. 5. 8. 6. And lastly Their inheritance could neuer be diminished but notwithstanding any sale returned still in this Iubile increased it might be by Dedication c. Leuit. 25. 30. 2. As for the Church of Christ it hath bene generally so farre from accouÌ„ting the Tenth too much for the ministers of the gospell That Suasponte of her owne voluntary and free heart it hath added therevnto to the ende they might honorablie and condignely be maintained no small nor few augmentations Of Constantine the great that worthie Emperour it is recorded That ouer besides Tithes of all things which hee first of all by lawes Imperiall confirmed to the Church to enriche it withall First all such lands liuings houses and fields c. as in former times had beene giuen to the Church and in times of persecution taken away againe he restored 2. Of the heathen images which were of purer metall he made much money and gaue that money vnto the Church treasuries 3. Out of the publike tributes throughout euery cittie he deducted a certaine portion assigned the same to the Churches and Cleargie of euery place 4. If anie had dyed in martyrdome without heires or others of their bloud left any goods behinde them he decreed the same being enquired out should be brought into the treasurie of the Church c. 5. Whose munificence other Emperours Kings Queenes Princes and sundry other rich but deuout Christians following by sundrie meanes The goods and treasures of the Church saith one were wonderfully augmented 3. If we come neere home and by that which remaineth and the ruines of the rest iudge of the whole who so wil but cast his eie vpon that vniforme general goodly godly course which once our land-ouer was throughly planted for the maintenance of our ministerie here in England shall be not see That our ancient predecessours did account the tithes alone to be euen with the least And therefore beside the tithes To the ende the ministers of God the Leuites of the Gospel might haue wheron to liue as becommeth the Gospel of Iesus Christ they did as it were imitating the best God I meane in his law for the Leuites lot endow euerie seuerall Church with some reasonable portion of land called The Gleebe and 2. ordained likewise that euerie
beggarly condition so vnseeming a minister of the Gospel that I hold him worthy much reproofe that shall accept and approoue it 5. They shall auoid the grudge and enuy of their neighbours husband-men and others that pay in good sorte who as I haue heard oft with mine owne eares doe repine and grieue that they should paye so much yet but their due to the maintainance of their ministers when others better able a great deale in wealth and worth though not in lands paye in manner nothing not the fortieth nor manie times the hundreth parte that they doe They ask not without reason why one husbandman his liuing beeing not worth aboue 10. or 20. pounds by the yeare should yearely paye 20. or 40. shillings a peece at the least and a Merchant a Clothier a Trade or handicrafts-man dispending by his trade or science an huÌ„dreth pouÌ„d a yeare at least esteemed worth 500. happely a 1000. poundes shall paye scant so manie pence Or when the husband-man payes somewhat either in Specie OF by custome and composition for euery thing hee doth possesse why these shall not pay of anie one thing almost the tenth For they be not so blinde but they can see nor so bad accountaÌ„ts but they can tell That if trades-men paid but the teÌ„th of their gaines for anie one commoditie that oft they deale in it would must needes be more then that they commonly giue for the whole Such inequalitie vn-indifferency seene betwixt them that be of one parish one church one countrey and one kingdome and therfore should be as equally and indifferently dealt with one as another how can it but offend and grieue them that be still pressed and beare euer the heauier burthen And so much the more when they see That by this meanes many times it is that they are ill taught haue had Ministers and their Ministers liue in need and beggerie whereas they know well that if the rest of their neighbors did maintaâ—ne them and allow them as much a peece or but half so much according to their ability as they do in al reasoÌ„ equity besides religioÌ„ so they ought they might haue as able good teachers as in other places parishes there bee 6. Whereas now it oft falleth out That where the place consisteth not of trades-men c. some of the wealthier sort are faine they seeing by the with-drawing and ill payment of the greatest number their Minister else not able to liue among them to pay more then is their due hereby a due certaintie setled by law all shall alike according to their estates be lyable to the Ministers maintenance and so he better maintained then before and yet they that before were ouer-charged much eased 7. Whereas now in diuers places some well disposed people considering their want of teaching haue of late yeares dâ—uised a remedy by surcharging themselues that is by maintaining a preacher besides their Minister by this meanes they shal be eased of a great part of that charge For their owne Minister being condignely sustayned would oftentimes performe that the other doth 7. 6. We do pay personall tithes as they are due so they are not denyed Answ. I do not denie but that diuers trades-men artificers c. doe pay their Ministers somewhat aboue 2 pence a peece as 4. pence 12. pence 2. shill. ten groates or it may be a crowne c. but howsoeuer they may account that ouerplus to be their personall or as they call it their priuie tithes and pay it in name thereof yet for my part I am altogether of another minde and do verily thinke and take the same to be but a meere offering onely My reasons are 1. If Tithes be Decima pars a tenth part of that a man doth possesse or of a mans gaines or increase for so the word doth sound men haue defined Tithes and the law of God doth determine then in no sense can such a scantling or pittance iustly be termed or counted for any Tithe seeing many times it is so farre from the tenth that is not Centesima the hundreth happely vix millesima pars scarce the thowsandth part of that yeares increase and cleare gaines and so no way proportinable to tithes either as gods law or as mans law doth lay them out 2. They which pay it do pay it not as a thing due and accountable as tithes are but as a matter voluntarie such are offerings which they may as they account and indeed vpon the least spleene in the world against the Minister do deny to pay thinking 〈◊〉 a man may beleeue them that by law he hath right to nothing but his two penie offerings and that whatsoeuer they pay him more it is their curtesie forsooth as a gifte or almes and not their duetie or his desert 3. It comes neerer to the quantitie and nature of an offering which commonly is and hath bene a thing voluntarie far lesse then the tenth part variable according to mens minds as well as their estates c. 4. Otherwâ—se the right payment of offerings cannot be seene among vs. For that 2. pence which alone they account to be their offering is enforced by lawe which requireth not so much onely but as I take it and els it is wrong somuch at the least of euery one and therefore is not voluntarie Secondly that is as they account it equall to all whereas gods lawe whence the custome of offerings hath his chiefest ground required it should be more or lesse according to euery mans abilitie Deut. 16. 17. And it were a shame and discredit to the richer sort that they should offer not like rich men much but as poore widowes euerie man his mite or as one tearms it wel micas their â—rums as if they reconed of the minister in the Ch. as of Lazarus at their doores 5. It was the custome once of our Church of England to make their offerings 4. times in the yeare at the least Which though now by a worse custome they be brought all to once presupposing it were yet invse if a rich man shuld offer but 4. times a yeare I would but aske what might be expected from him what but an halfe-peny at a time Could he for very shame setting aside Deuotion or Religion though he did pay his tithes besides in the largest maner cast downe lesse then a groate sixe pence or twelue pence at a time which cast in all at once comes to a like reckoning So that euery way this matter considered make of it what they can they can make no Tithes of it At the most it is but an offering and that a poore one too if it be compared with the aboundance which some of those offerers doe possesse or with the little which it selfe is in respect of that the husbandman doth pay or with the maner of offering among the people of the Iewes who I doubt not by way of voluntarie offering alone besides their tithes their
in regard of the very words of the statute concerning the quantitie prescribed For I do not yet find it agreed nor explaned by any what is to be accounted Cleare games The common opinion is That only to be Cleare gaines and so titheable which a man putteth vp as they say in his purse at he yeares ende aboue all charges and expenses whatsoeuer Or which a man at the yeares end findeth his last yeares stocke to be increased aboue that at the beginning of the yeare it was But though I know that neither this way after this so large a sense do any almost now a daies satisfie the law that this neither is nor can be the true sense of the law I haue many and those apparant reasons as 1. So might the Ministers maintenance proue exceeding small nothing happely some yeares For it is probable that many trades-men c. may gaine well and yet lay vp nothing at the years end but spend all in housekeeping gaming drinking c. 2. So there should be no maner proportion betwixt predial and personall tithes Because where as the husbandman how smal soeuer his increase be yet paies somewhat the trades-man though he gaine indeed verie much yet if he haue occasion thereunto or but will spend all shall pay nothing And then wheras among husbandmen the maintenance of the Minister lies equally vpon them all both poore and rich euery one paying more or lesse according to that he hath among trades-men it shall lie onely vpon some few and those the honestest and thriftiest onely 3. So should the practize of that law for personall tithes vtterly differ from the practize of the same law in places exempt as in London in fisher townes c. In which euery man rich or poore that hath either house or fish paies accordingly euerie man spending but his owne and not the Ministers parte likewise 4. By this meanes the Minister stands still at an vncertaintie and the curtesie of his parishner the thing principally disclaimed For the parishner what euer hee gaine is still at his choise if he list to spend all and may handle the matter so that though another gaining but 20. pounds yeeld the Minister 10. or 20. shillâ— yet he gaining an 100. pouÌ„ds may not yeeld him twentie pence All which absurdities and inconueniences weighed it is probable that is not the true sense of the law vpon and from which they doe arise Another therefore if we seeke that I take it must needes be this That euery such person shall pay the tenth part not of his gaines absolutely aboue his first stocke or principall but of his cleare gaines that is of that which hauing diducted and abated all such charges expenses as besides the first penie that he had occasion to lay out surmounteth towards house-keeping and increase of stocke So that wheras in prediall tithes the husband-man is not allowed for his seede ploughing weeding reaping mowing shearing carriage or any other like charges in personal tithes it is otherwise The trades-maÌ„ c. shal be allowed besides his principal for his expenses in tools rent reparations for carriage cellerage custome and other like and pay Tithe onely of that which ariseth cleare aboue all such charges and is lefte him when hee hath made his full and absolute returne toward his houshold necessaries or to bee newely imployed as a stocke This sense as any man may easily perceiue first is very consonant to reason secondly beareth some proportion betwixt prediall and personall tithes in that wel-nigh all trades-men artificers c. may be found lyable more or lesse to such a kinde of paye thirdly admitteth some knowne certainety the thing specially intended in euery mans estate fourthly it is confirmed by the vsuall practize of the payment of such tithes in such cases as are out of question as in London where paying by the house euery man whose house is 10. shill. or aboue of yearly reÌ„t paies accordingly of fish wherof in most places the tithe is paid not of the iust Tenth but of the twelfth in some places but of the fifteenth part 2. or 5. parts as the expenses may appeare to be more or lesse being allowed for boate and Sayne c. Which doth plainly argue That the expenses mentioned in the statute should be vnderstood not of all kind of charges whatsoeuer that a man may bee at for himselfe and his Trade the whole yeare thorough but those onely which are imployed about the very thing it selfe as instruments and meanes or as the principal or a part of the principal to bring it the gaines to hand Which kind of charges or expenses once deducted the remainder being cleare gaines is to be shared betwixt the gainer thereof and his minister toward the maintenance of them both euen as the husbandman doth his whole increase as naturally it doth arise without any such deduction These things considered that is the time of payment the persons exempted the meanes for recouery and the ambiguitie of the words I hope I may without any daÌ„ger wrong or scaÌ„dal at al iustly conclude and affirme that the statute for personal tithes is not hard but exceeding fauourable vnto the parishioner That the ministers rather haue great cause finding by iust long experience how men abuse those fauours and peruert that law to their great preiudice the hurt of our ministery hindrance of the Gospel and decay of learning to complaine thereof with all earnestnes to craue desire the magistrats of the land al those in whose hands it lies to redresse such euills that weighing the matter more thoroughly and considering more seriously of the cause for the righting of their wrongs for furtherance of the gospel learning for increase of preachers in the land they would either alter this statute wholly and settle in steed of it a perpetuall composition betwixt the incumbent his parishners for personall tithes either after the maner of the citie of LondoÌ„ or some other like or else at least so explane amplifie and perfit a common practise in sundy cases euen of â—inal moment the present stâ—tute that al ambiguities and euasions being taken away and stopped the minister might plainly and directly know what to demand and how to recoâ—er it and the parishioner what and how to pay Wherein the case being so doubtfull ambiguous apt and open to contention as now it is any reasonable certaintie were much more beneficiall to the ministerie then that which now can bee had And it could not but be a meanes of much peace and concord betwixt pastour and people a thing worthy to be bought with som loss who now in this case wil yeeld in maner nothing without continual contention which moueth the greater number of ministers rather to lose in manner the whole then to be litigious and accounted contentious for a part The statute was made in such a time when it was thought a vertue to nip and
abate the height of the Cleargy and therefore if it do seeme â—o fauour rather the parishioner then the Pastor â—and giue the one aduantage to pay little rather then the other to recouer much it is not much to be wondered at or greatly misliked But now that time it selfe and truth her daughter haue discouered the defects thereof and the present time affecting as is necessarie and iust a learned and able ministerie it were requisite and a very godly act if it might so be lookt into that it might appeare we are no lesse respectiue of our times then they of theirs as willing to restore to the Church and ministerie what wee finde wanting and needfull as they to take from them what they thought superfluous and needlesse Thow mayest maruell happely good Reader why in vrging this matter of personall Tithes I doo so often mention the custome and order of the Citie of London but both that thow maist not bee ignorant of my meaning and bee mooued the sooner to be of my mind I will not conceale from thee the causes thereof which are as followeth First long and good Experience hath prooued that course beeing duely and without fraud and corruption practised to bee very equall and good Such indeed as it is hardly possible for the wit of man to deuise in the like case a better 2. It is a thing desired of the greatest part of the ministers of our land whom the case concernes as which if it might in case of personall tithes bee generally planted would as already appeares by the practise therof in that one place make our land our Church our ministerie and people much the happier 3. What course disclayming that which is found by too long and too much experience to bee very preiudiciall and vnsufficient should any rather looke vnto then vnto that which the head Citie of our Church and kingdome hath as a spectacle and example to the whole if men had as great desire to imitate the best as the worst vpon due and mâ—ture deliberation established and planted in it selfe and for the good it findes therein without any desire of change or alteration hitherto continued 4. It could not but bee a thing praiseworthy and goodly if as there is one Law for prediall tithes the whole land thoroughout so there might bee likewise for personall tithes 5. It is a rate so small a pay so tollerable for the people yet where the parish is any thing populous reasonably competent for the minister also that a lesser or easier cannot with any reason or equitie bee desired For it is nothing so much as either the husbandman dooth vsually pay or as the tradesman artificer some yeares otherwise of right ought to pay 6. Seeing it cannot bee denied but that by meanes thereof the ministers of London liue in very good Scholer-like sorte in so much that to the praise thereof bee it spoken There is not a poore and needy minister among them The people also seeing thereby their ministerie to bee good and the Gospell to flourish among them yeeld it with greate contentation what haue the ministers of the places townes and Cities speciallie offended that they may not bee as well prouided for as they of London Are not their labours and studies as deare vnto them Are they not Pastours in the same Church and members of the same kingdome Or what haue the people of other places townes and Cities specially committed that they also should not bee as duely prouided for of a good ministerie and of able teachers as they of London Are they not members of the same Church and kingdome their soules redeemed with the same price but that the one as if they were the ofspring of Eli should bee faine to crouch for a peece of siluer and a morsel of bread and the other like the people of our Sauiours time but none taking compassion vpon them should bee left dispersed and scattered abroad to seeke here and there for the word of God as sheep hauing no sheepheard 7. If that course planted in London so long time since euen in time of Poperie while yet the Law for personall tithes stood in his greatest strength and the offerings other deuotions of the people to the Church were 7 I might say infinite times more then now they are was found euen then to bee most necessarie and fit for both sides to bee a meanes of great agreement and content betwixt the people Pastour and more beneficiall for the Church it selfe beeing at a certaine composition then the vncertaintie of those tithes No man is able to shew any reason why now the statute for personall tithes beeing very weake and vnsufficient the deuotion and offerings of the people beeing come as it were to nothing such a compsition and certaintie should not be fittest and most necessarie the whole land ouer 8. Last of all Imagine the Londoners did deale at this present with their ministers as the tradesmen artificers of many places doe that is did yeeld vnto the minister but two pence a 〈◊〉 at Easter and if any thing ouer yet but what themselues lift no certaintie lesse for his whole yeares labours and for all dueties commonly then the country minister besides his gleebe and besides his great and smaller tithes receiueth for his Eâ—ster booke onely is it probable or is it possible there would notwithstanding be in London as many learned and worthy preachers as now there are of the Gospel of Christ and the preaching of the word flourish and abound therein as now it doth no man I thinke will be so sencelesse as so to conceiue and affirme for vâ—i cadauer â—bi aquilae Why then is it not easie for men to conceiue If they will not be blinâ— how expedient it were for other places to be prouided for as it is and how dangerous and hurtfull for them that they be not The onely thing that I see can here against be obiected is The state and condition of other places is not like vnto the Cittie of London And why Because in London there is no meanes in the world in diuers of their parishes personall tithes being not paid by Computation how to raise any maintenance but by the house but in other places there are some prediall tithes or other kind of personall tithes which are and easily may be paid in their kinde 1 This helpe and augmentation is but in some places only For diuers places there are where the state of the Citie of London and of them in this respect is all one 2 Though in some places there are more prediall tithes then in London yet the parishes being not so populous nor the rent of houses so great by a great deale the personall tithes though rated according vnto London must needs be lesse and so the maintenance one thing considered with another not much different 3 Be it as in some countrie market townes
and the scope whereunto I haue had respect did require And haue plainly prooued by apparant reasons euidence of the word of God the iudgement of the Fathers and pactise of al times That the minister of God to the end he may be enabled and not discouraged in his Ministry ought to haue such maintainance allotted assured him as is liberal sufficient and the same certaine not voluntarie that so he may as well know what to receiue for his maintenance as to doe and performe for his office To this euery one that is a hearer of the word must for his part without respect what others doe according as God hath enabled him yeeld and contribute out of such goods in general and out of all such goods in speciall as God hath blest him with with Wherein no vaine pretenses no idle excuses can take place for God will not be mocked This being Gods rule and measure that what a man soweth that also shall he reape Touching the practise of this doctrine He that reades aduisedly what I haue written shall plainly perceiue That the auncient and vsuall practise of our Church was agreeable hereunto For so long as our Ministery enioyed wholly her endowments her offerings and her tithes in a word so long as there were in the land none other then Rectories so long as each sort of Tithes Personal as well as Predial were duely paid vnto the Church so long our ministers could not but be condignely mainteined From which looke how farre the estate of our ministery at this present is declined so farre doe we come short of the due and right practise of this doctirne The principall cause that hath moued me to handle this argument hath beene the loue I beare vnto the Church of God and feruent desire I haue to see the Ministerie thereof in our land at length to flourish or at least to be competentlie prouided for redeemed from that seruile condition needines contēpt wherein a great part thereof doth dwel The sight and notion wherof cannot but moue the harts of all such as sincerely loue learning and religion to lament it to desire and what in them is indeuour the redresse thereof To bring this throughly to passe the right and best way is That the true and ancient practize of our Church in this behalfe which yet continues God be praised in the greatest part of our land and in most parishes might be restored into all and firmely setled againe throughout the same But of that seeing there is little hope the next way is That the state of our Ministerie for maintenance might be reduced as neere vnto that best and absolute course as possibly and conueniently might be How this might be effected may be perceyued by that I haue written Which I haue published to the world in hope thereby to occasion such of the lay sorte as are godly minded of their owne accord so farre as lies in thē to put the same in practise those that be of the ministerie better to consider of its estate and miserie with mee to open their mouthes in so good and necessary a cause Neither am I altogether without hope that the same may be some motiue and inducement vnto such as be in place of authoritie to prouide for it by holesome and effectuall Lawes The causes and motiues that haue bred and confirmed in mee this hope and expectation are these 1. For the matter handled the whole treatise throughout I haue deliuered nothing but the truth nothing but what is consonant to the word of God to reason equitie and to all auncient and good practise For though I dare not assume vnto my selfe let no man so vnderstand mee that euery sentence euery reason and argument euery answere is such yet for the maine points and more generall positions themselues I hold them to bee so agreeable to trueth consonant to reason that I doubt not to affirme That therein I haue spoken nothing but the trueth nothing but what is agreeable to reason and equitie and therefore ought where wee faile to be put in practise aswell as where already we are in the right be continued 2. In regard of the persons whō it concerneth namely the ministers those not a few of our Church the ministers I say of the Gospel and Preachers of the word of God Their cause it is that I doo handle their greeuances that I doo make knowne And it semeth vnto mee That seeing there is regard had of men of all other professions vpon due suggestion conuenient relief remedies graunted affoorded from time to time for their wants distresses there is great reason cause why we should hope that they also may obtein the like fauour benefit the like or greater cause once appearing For for my part I can not nor will not conceiue so euill of those thorough whose hands these things must passe and by whose meanes principallie this kinde of redresse must come that they will be vpright indifferent to all sorts of persons else partiall hard vnto the ministers of the Gospell only Though it be true that The Laytie is alwaies offended with the Cleargie ready to hurt them what they can yet my perswasion is that this shal be found true but only in the vulgar sorte of thē that the better worthier sort specially they who are chosen singled out from all the rest as men of an vpright hearte fearing God wil shew themselues euery way indifferent to one as wel as to another and howsoeuer any passion or affection may sway them this or that waye at home in their priuate affaires yet beeing in place where only the Commune Bonum of Ch. or countrie is to be respected they will with the heathen man emploied for his common wealth Simultates deponere lay aside all grudges passions looke only to that which their place and calling equitie and pietie requireth at their hands 3. The present time In which religion being now throughly setled Heresies extirped Schismes suppressed all contentions about doctrine or discipline wel quieted also knowledge learning aboūding the vse necessitie of a learned ministerie more then heretofore appearing that opportunitie is offered to prouide for the externall state good of the Church and ministerie thereof which in former times was not to bee had 4. The present estate of our ministerie which differing farre from that some 30. or 40. yeares agoe it was necessarilie requireth a better regard to be had thereof For then the ministerie was filled vp with Tag rag such as the time would yeeld Taylers Weauers Coblers c. and whosoeuer else but would was made a priest Whose desert commonly was such That if they had but x. pounds a yeare lesse if their maint should be proportioned to their merit was enough for them But now God be thanked our ministery either is or if due prouision for them were
allotted presently might bee stoared with able learned men And were it not lamentable what if I sayd intollerable That such men graduates Preachers c. should be faine to serue as oft they doo like those hedge priests for x. pounds a yeare And that men hauing spent their friends wealth their owne patrimonie their golden time best daies in great and sundry studies should be inforced to accept of a peeld Benefice not worth aboue 20. pounds or 30. pounds a yeare Is this condigne reward for such studies expenses fit maintenance for such men Surely in mine eye it is an indignity so great That with lesse sin a great deale might we continue and keepe still those vnworthie men in the ministerie then not prouiding due and competent maint for them procure in these considering that to contemne and abase them that are worthy contempt is in it selfe no great fault but to make them contemptible that deserue honour and debase them that for their learning excellent gifts are worthy double honour and great preferment can be no small offence 5. Whereas the reuerend fathers of our Church haue by their late Canons prouided and will no doubt to their vttermost carefully respect the obseruation thereof viz. that hencefoorth none be admitted into the ministerie but such as in some tollerable measure be fit therefore I see not how they can to the full performe this vntill all their Churches be duely prouided for of some tollerable competent maintenance which in many 100. Churches is yet wanting but must will they nill they now then lay their hands on some vnfit vnlearned persons least else such poore ransacked and impayred Churches be left wholly destitute Wherfore it behooues that better prouision be made then yet in many places is til which be done the fault cause in mine opinion is rather to be imputed vnto those that rather then they will duely prouide for Churches will haue such then vnto those that such necessitie compelling ordeine such to be in the ministerie 6. This also doth not a little encourage mee for that I doo not as affecting innouation and singularitie broach any straunge new difficult and vntried course but against all such as affect newfangled confused and deformed platformes doo vrge only A Reducing and that but in some measure where wee haue by corruption of times digressed Vnto that course which alreadie planted in the land since Popery vnder Popery and before Poperie hath continued in most places is still practized and for the particulars is such of such sorte as I am assured no reasonable and religious man but will easily graunt that it were to bee wished might in all places bee setled 7. The things in particular that I intimate to need redresse are so few so reasonable so necessary so easie to be effected and had that is to say 1. An endowment of all Churches all those Beggerlie stipends that many where yet doo stand being wholly remooued doone away 2. A larger endowment of some Churches which hitherto are very sparely badly and vnreasonablie endowed 3. A mitigation of some vnreasonable and ouerhard Customes prescriptions and Compositions 4. A due prouision for recouerie of personall tithes either in kinde by Computation or more likely to be obteined not in kinde by some reasonable real composition These things are I say so few so reasonable so necessary and so easie to bee effected that verely I doo hope few or none will oppose thereagainst 8. Ad to these the effects and vse of these things namely the increase and condigne reward of learning the furtherance of the Gospell the bettering of our ministerie the planting of able worthy teachers where now they are most seldome found in the greatest congregations and by consequence the peoples owne saluation eternall good c. All which with other like laudable effects cannot but ensue of the practise hereof if it were in all places in some good measure setled There is great desire pretended at this daie of a learned ministerie not a few doo see that the greatest in maner the only let thereto at this present is want of maintainance If the desire thereof be as great and sincere as the meanes to procuremaint is ordinarie and easie to be had the thing desired will with great facilitie and readines be accomplished 9. It doth also appeare that there is great care had much desire expressed to weed popery out of the land reduce the fautors therof into a better course To which purpose former lawes haue lately bene much and worthily explained enlarged corroborated This can by no one means better â—e effected then by encreasing by means of good maintenance the number of good able teachers Where doe such commoÌ„ly desire to nestle themselues but in some obscure and blind places where is little or no preaching And what Ministers of our Church doe they more fauour then such as bee ignorant and simple which argues The more preachers the fewer papists The better Ministerie the lesse poperie Light and darknes preaching and papistrie will neuer dwell together So that this is one principall way indeed Sine vi et Sanguine to root out and expell from among vs this pestilent religion 10. Moreouer I doe see that the performance heereof will tend much to the credit of the Gospell and praise of vs that professe it as contrariwise the neglect and omission hereof is to the reproach of the one and shame of the other For how can it be other then a reproach and dishonour to our land that God hauing blest it aboue other lands with varietie and plentie of all things yet no small nuÌ„ber of the ministers of God therein should liue as if it were some hungry barreÌ„ soile in neede penurie of al things that professing religion and pretending a zeale vnto the Gospel we should yet hold in conteÌ„pt vile account the Ministers of the Gospel should suffer them as hitherto in many places to liue by the curtesie of the people no due maintenence prouided for them And how can it be but a reproach discredit to our towns Cities to our trades-me artificers if they could see their owne shame that whereas the Ministers that liue in the countrie parishes among husband-men doe commonly liue in very good sort equall with the wealthier of the place such as liue in townes and citties among trades-men c. liue commonly in very poore and needie estate like vnto the poorer sort and that among the former though the parish be not aboue 30. or 40. housholdes the Minister liues better then among the later though the parish be an 100. yea 200. housholdes On the other side would it not be a great praise vnto vs and singular testimonie of our sincere zeale vnto the Gospell if the Ministers thereof were so well respected and so duely prouided for that in euery parish there were such tollerable
maintenance at the least for the Minister of the place prouided and setled that generally the whole land through aswell as in London it might truely be said That vnles it be through their owne default There is not one needie and very poore Minister therein These with some other which here for very breuities sake I omit be the Considerations which I oft reuoluing in my minde and pondering vpon haue wrought in me that hope and expectation before mentioned The issue and euent whereof I referre to God alone in whose hands are the hearts of all men and whose is the cause I haue in hand The God of all grace authour and giuer of euery good gift so worke in all those that professe the name of Christ and desire the prosperitie of his Gospell by the inward operation of his holy spirit That they may alwaies doo those things that be well pleasing in his sight and yeeld such Christian vnfeined obedience to his holy word ordinance as may be to the edifying of his Church furtherance of his Gospel the good example of others the euerlasting comfort of their owne soules aboue all to the eternall praise and glory of God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ. To whome with the Father and the holy spirite bee all honour and glorie both now and for euer Amen FINIS Cod. lib. 1. tit 5. leg 16. See also our owne statutes of Mortmaine A Christian motion Rom. 10. 15. Gal. 4. 4. Luc. 10. Psal. 119. 19. Math. 13. 45. That is taught Too often practized Prouerb 20. 19. 9. 17 Act. 17. Of his goods * WhereupoÌ„ S. August ser. de temp 219. Si tardius dare peccatuÌ„ est quanto peius est non dediâ—â—e Deut. 16. 17 EccluÌ„s 35. 10. Act. 10. 34. Hinc caput maliâ— Mat. 12. 1. 1. Sam. 21. 6. Act. 20. 34. 1. Cor. 4. 12. 2. Thess. 2. 9. Cap. primo Exod. 36. Note this Note this well And see in what miserie many of our ministers doo liue By this rate where now of an hundred houshoulds the minister hath scantten pounds then of euerie 40. housholds hee could not but haue more 2. Tim. 3. 2. 3. 1. Tim. 5. 17. 1. Tim. 3. 2. 1. Cor. 9. 14 A godly and necessarie motion Demosth. in Philip. Willet in Synop. cont 5. qu. 6 err 79. Hooker Eccl. pol. lib. 5. § 79. Diod. Sicul. Bibl. lib. 5. cap. 2. Why the diuel desired to haue the tenth Origen Cyprian Hierome Ambrose August An. 420. Gregorie Beda Caesar Arela Strabo Concil Matisc. Duriens Synodus Synod Mogunt Concil Rothomag Concil Tribur Krantius Dionisius Iuâ—ius Guâ—lter Zepperus Obiection Answere Small Tithes Personall tithes S. August S. Ambrose The same in Pag. 73. Pet. Rebuff tract de dec Deut. 12. Hos. 3. 4. Amos. 8. 12. viz. 2. pence â—â—eece at â—aster * Phil. Iud. lib. de praeâ— hon sacerd Victus sacerdotum lautior argumentum esse potest pietatis publicâ— Ireâ—aeus Origen August Decret Greg. lib. 3. Tit. De Decimis W. Lindewood Prouinc lib. 3. Tit. De Dec. oblat See before fol. Marlor in Heb. 7. 4. 1. Chro. 29. 12. Plautus Heb. 5. 4. Exod. 28. Num. 3. 17. Ephes. 4. 11. 1. Cor. 12. 28 Philo. Iud. lib. de praem 〈◊〉 Sacerd. Sed ne quis ex conferentibus exprobret accipienti suum Beneficium iubentur prius in templuÌ„ deferre munera vt tum demuÌ„ inde sacerdotes deâ—umant Theophi in 1. Cor. 9 Nec sanâ— dixit vt ex oblationibus ederenâ— sed ex lacrario ne uel qui aliquid caperent puderet accepti perinde ac si ab hominibus alerentur vel qui impartirentur his suâ— insolese erent Idem Manducandum afferit non ex discipulorum facultatibus sed de Euangelio ne fortè fâ—perbiant quod apostolos sustentarent Neque n. inquit tu his alimoniâ—â—â— subministras sed propriâ— quadam industria hoc est Euangelij â—nunciatio ipsos alit S. August Ser. de tem 219. Conc. Trib. Iac. 2. 2. Aul. â—ell Tullâ—e Duaren desacr eccl minist lib. 1. cap. 25. 1. Sam. 13. 19. Lunae radijs non maturescit Botrus 2 Reg. 4. 8. 13. Act. 10. Rom. 10. Ioh. 4. Grego in Pastoral Egentis mentem doctrinae Sermo non penetrat si hunc apud eius animum maâ—ns misericordâ—ae non commendat Phil. 4. Philâ—m v. 13. 19. Lower de pa. Eccl. lib. 1. cap. 25. Vide totâ—â— Hist. tripart lib. 6. Cap. 1. 27. The Leuites lot Euâ—eb de vit Coâ—stan lib. 2. â—â—p 36. 39. Sâ—zomen Hâ—â—t eccles lib. 2. c 4. Zancâ— de Red. lib. 1. cap. 19. in 4. precept Lindewood Prou. ecâ—l Angl. lib 3. Tit. de Dec. Oblat Aug. cont Donat. lib. 4. Cap. 7. Tertul. de virg vel pag. 491. Decret lib. 1. Tit. 4. De Consu cap. vlt. Ciprian Epist lib. 2 ep 3. ad Caecili Genes 47. 1. Reg. 18. Math. 12. Numb 31. Obiection Answere S. Bernard Note thâ—â— well Dionisium Corinthi pag. 54. Inre circarem extrarem 〈◊〉 lib. 3. fol. 99. Stop not your eares at the crie of the afflicted 1. Sam. 2. 36 Math. 9. 36. Amos. 8. 11. Aquilanon câ—pit muscas Obiection Answere 2. Obiect Answ. Mat. 16. 26. Act. 10. Hierom. Augâ—st August Aiacens 1. Reg. 20. 23 Concil Tribur Synod Arelat Ioan. Andrad Hostien in C. propter stâ—ril de Locat C. Reuertim 16. q. 1. Perus lib. 6. de Decim cap. 1. c. Obiect Answ. Gen. 39. 2. Sam. 6. 12. 1. Reg. 17. See the sense vse of this Phrase Iob. 1. 9. Phil. Iud. lib. de praem Sacerd hon Alâ—ae gentes gâ—meates coactae vix taâ—dem conferunt peroâ—ae quaestores câ—u pestem publicam nunc has nuÌ„c illas causas fin endo â—ead praesâ—itutuÌ„ tempus tributa repraesentent At haec gens Sacerdotib debiâ—am pecuniam libeÌ„s gaudensque depromit quasi noÌ„ daret sed acciperâ—t addeâ—s faustas ominationes gratiar actiones populariter idque quotannis nec viris cessantib nec mulierib sed alacritâ—te spontanea quanta nullis verbis exprimi potest conferentibus August Hom. 48. Serm. de temp 219. de Decim Prou. 3. 9. Exod. 30. 12 Conc. Trib. cap 13 S. August The sum of the whol treatise Phil. Iud. of the leuiticall priests Nemo Sacerdos tam pauper quin diues videatur