thy children the desire of whole Souls is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee yea whose souls desire thee in the night and whose spirits within them seek thee early in the morning but thy Kingdom outwardly seemeth like a tottering state a broken Nation a people ready to be destroyed by a common enemy I confess Lord that it hath been so in former Ages Jerusalem was brought to great ruine Lam. 1.5 and their enemies were Lords over them and adversaries the chief by occasion of their dismal divisions yea the Romans Titus and Vespatian destroyed that City The Eastern churches falling into Error and Heresies were desolate by that false Prophet Mahomet and the Turkish Tyrants as the Western were by the strong delusions of an Antichrist in Rome and what will become of thy Churches in these Nations if thou delay to heal our breaches and to give Grace Ps 60.2 the Graces of union and peace amongst thy people O most blessed Lord Rom. 8.34 Ephes 1.17 James 1.17 wilt thou not intercede for us to thy Father the Father of glory from whom cometh every good and perfect gift for thy merits and righteousness sake to enlighten the minds and move the hearts of thy chosen ones to see and consider the great evill of that sin of fad Divisions and Schisms in the Churches or among them that pretend at least that they fear thy Name and the great evill and misery that hangeth over all our heads if thou in thy infinite mercy be not our Protector and preserver O that thou wouldst discover the plots and designs of Antichrist Psal 37.12 13 Mat. 1.16 Psal 124.6 7. 1 Cor. 4.13 and the abettors of that Kingdom of Darkness and make thy children though harmless as Doves yet wise as Serpents to escape the destructive traps and snares they have and do daily lay for thy servants Remember O blessed Saviour the reproach and scorn that is cast upon thy Ministers thy Ambassadors whom thou hast sent to the people of these Nations to turn them from darkness to light Acts 26.17 18 and from the power of Satan to God We confess O Lord too many of us have by our unfaithfulnâ—ss in our places justly provoked the eyes of thy glory Isai 3.8 and because we have not been more careful to separate the pretious from the vile Mal. 2.9 thou maist in justice cause us to appear vile base and contemptible before the sons of men yet Lord remember that although some unworthy ones have dishonoured thy name and that holy and honourable calling yet thou hast many that are faithful in the Land 1 King 19.18 that have not bowed their knee to Baal for their sakes therefore and for thy own glory sake and the honour of thy great name remember thy servants and remember I most humbly pray the enemies of thy Church and of thy painful holy Ambassadors Remember and rebuke O Lord the sacriledg that is committed in the Nations Rom. 2.22 Luke 10.7 robbing thee of thy reserved part which thou hast kept for the maintenance of thy faithful Labourers Move the hearts and touch the consciences of all thy servants in Power and Authority and put it into the hearts of the Parliament to reform what thy all-seeing eye seeth amiss in the Land and give Repentance to all estates that thy Judgements which hang over our heads may be removed Psal 39.10 John 1.3 and thy great mercies continued if it be thy blessed will and work such a gracious union in the hearts of all thy Saints here that walking in thy truth and love one with another we may all enjoy a blessed communion in Grace in this life John 17.20 21 24. and in the end that most glorious union and communion with thy own glorious Majesty yea with God thy Father the Blessed Spirit and all blessed Saints and Angels for ever in Glory This is the most Humble Petition of June 12. 1659. Thy most unworthy Servant and Ambassador for thy Majesty Immanuel Bourne FINIS Books sold by John Allen at the Rising Sun in Pauls Church-yard Mr. Caryl's 5th Vol. 7th Vol. 8th Vol. 9th Vol. on Job Several Cases of Conscience concerning ASTROLOGY and seekers unto Astrologers answered both from the VVord of God and from the Testimony of our most godly and eminent Divines published by a Friend to the Truth in which Book Judicial Astrologie is proved to be 1. Expresly forbidden by the VVord of God as a grand offence and ought not to be practised countenanced and tollerated Deu. 18.10 11. Lev. 20.6 Isai 47.13 14. Jer. 10.2 The Reasons why it is so expresly forbidden are 1. It is a practice whereby men do assume to themselves that which is peculiar unto God viz. Judgement concerning future events either concerning Kingdoms or Persons Isai 41.22 23. 2. Because it draws the heart of men from God the Father and Christ his Son from considering the VVorks of the one hearkning to the words of the other Isai 5.12 Col. 1.8 18 19. Deut. 18.10 16. 3. Because it is false delusive and uncertain Isa 44.15 4. Because it nourisheth vain and forbidden hopes and fears Jer. 10.2 All which Considerations published are to this end 1. As an alarum that the Consciences of those that study it may be awakened that they may be fully convinced of the great evill that is in it that abhorring such an abominable evill that is so hateful to God and a reall trouble to the Consciences of good men by leaving the sin they may avoid the punishment 2. That Conscientious Magistrates may know how nearly it concerns them to do their duties in vindicating the Glory of God by putting a period to the study of Judicial Astrology a practise indeed that brings the honour of God into so much contempt in the world 3. Lastly That all those that have a desire to learn it and those who enquire of Astrologers what good or ill Fortune as they term it shall happen to them in the course of their lives may through Gods Grace stifle such unlawful desires all which through the Grace of God shall be the prayers and supplications of him put up in the name of the Lord Jesus who is their friend to his power JOHN ALLEN He that converâ—eth a sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins James 5.20
them away from God and the right use and end the Donor gave them what can it be less then the sin of sacrilege And upon this ground and reason I believe was the gift of King Lucius Lucius king of Britain Dr. Vsher his British Antiq. and his endowment of Churches both with Glebe-lands and Tythes within or near two hundred years after Christ besides all the practice of holy men converted to the faith then and in succeeding ages And what other can we conceive of that Donation of Pipin King of France the son of Charls Martel that Church-robber certainly out of conscience they were Gods due and belonging to the Ministers of the Gospel he did restore those tythes which he and Charls his father had taken away Dr. Tilsley his Animadvers p. 64 65 66. So Dr. Tilsley in his Record of the History of Charls Martels Sacrilege and Animadversions upon Mr. Selden's History of Tythes observes This King Pipin lived about eight hundred years after Christ Molanus de sanctis Belgii In 18 Octo. bris in vita Monen and royally gave the tythe he had between Lesche and Ourt to Monon that blessed man who was slain for his profession of Christ But what need I travel beyond sea for proof That excellent example of King Ethelwolph the Son of King Egbert a King of this land of the Saxon race who brought the Heptarchie or Sevenfold Kingdom of the Saxons into a Monarchy this King Ethelwolph having received the Christian Faith he had by his conquest all the lands in England for his Demesn as is acknowledged by that learned Judge and judicious Lawyer Sir Edward Coke in his Commentary upon Littleton and conferred the Tythes of all his Kingdom upon the Church by his Royal Charter Sir Ed Coke his com on Littleâ—on Sir H. Spel. com 85. dated in the year of Christ Eight hundred fifty five related in these words King Ethelwolph by the consent of his Prelates and Princes which ruled in England under him in their several Provinces did enrich the Church of England with Tythes of all his lands and goods by his Charter Royal c. Adding in the end That whoso should increase that gift God would please to prosper and increase his days But if any should presume to diminish the same An item against Sacriledge or sundry Queries concerning Tythes printed 1653. that he should be called to an account for it at Gods Judgement seat c. And this he did not onely as Lord Paramount but as Proprietary of the whole land the Lord and great men having no propiety or estates of permanency but as accountants to the King whose the whole land was and yet they also gave their free consents which the King required that thereby they might be barred from pleading any Tenant right as also to oblige them to stand in the maintenance of Tythes against all pretenders that might come in after-time Here you see was a free and full donation of all the Tythes of England unto God and to the Church of Christ for the maintenance of the Gospel and Gospel-Ministery and this no doubt out of conscience informed by the word of God that they were due to them by Divine Right Now if all the Tythes of England be be God's First by reservation as his own proper right Secondly God's by dedication and consecration unto him for his service Rev. 20.12 Then I desire that men would enquire into the Book of Conscience which one day shall be opened and be fully resolved whether to take away Tythes from their proper use for which God and good men did give them be not horrid Sacriledge Mal. 3.8 that dreadful sin which subjects men to the wrath and curse of God To quicken your meditation upon this case of Conscience now consciene hath so much liberty and to move it to look within doors and truly to see if it know its own face let me mind you of some few examples of Gods direful Judgements against this sin of Sacriledge First Gen. 3.132 3 4 5 c. We have all cause to remember the sacriledge of our first parents in taking of Gods reserved part the forbidden tree for which they were driven out of Paradise and they and all their posterity subject to death and the curse of God yea Gen. 3.15 all miseries in this life and the life to come had not God given the seed of the woman Christ our Savior to break the serpents head and make our peace with the blood of his cross Col. 1.20 had not God in his unspeakable love in Christ reconciled us unto himself as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5.19 yea by the death of his son Rom 5.10 without which we were all the children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2.3 Eph. 2.3 Secondly And what need I rehearse that judgement of God that fell upon sacrilegious Achan Josh 7.1 2 3 4 c. yea that great affliction that fell upon the Army of Israel for Achan's sin First the Army of Israel did flie before the men of Ai vers 4. And Achan his sons his daughters Jos 24 25 all he had were stoned with stones and burnt with fire for that sin Thirdly Sacrilegious Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar his son 2 Chro. 38.18 Dan. 5.1 2 3 c. the Father took away all the consecrated Vessels of the house of God and brought them to Babylon and the Son Belshazzar he repented nor of his Fathers sacriledge but prophaned those holy vessels in his drunken Feasts and what was his punishment God smites him on a sudden with trembling terror and amazement his knees smite one against another and the joynts of his loyns are loosed the hand-writing upon the wall witnesseth an end of his life and Kingdom he was weighed in the ballance and found wanting and that night was Belshazzar slain and Darius the Median took the Kingdom Dan. 5.31 Fourthly How sudden and fearful the death of Ananias and Saphira was Act. 5.1 2 3 4 c. I related before Fifthly King Herod committed Sacriledge in robbing God of his honor taking that glory to him him which was due to God and you may read both his sin and judgement The Angel of God did strike him that he was eaten of wormes and gave up the ghost Act. 12. Act. 12.23 Sixthly In particular the sin of Sacriledge in taking away of the Tythes the tenth part which is Gods part Mal. 3.8 it was to be cursed with a curse a fearful curse Mal. 3. Seventhly If we proceed to the antient History of the Church and Records of latter times wherein the acts of Gods providence and his works of Judgement are registred we may finde too great a number of sacrilegious persons and fearful judgements to be their portion 1. I shall onely name that wicked Emperor that Apostate Julian Socrat. Ecel Hist lib. 3. cap. 12 14 16 â—7â— â—8
Christ and the Petitions delivered to many Parliaments by that Generation of men poor deceived souls confirm this to the full But the Lord hath yet put it into the heart of the Parliament not to destroy but to defend the Faithful and Godly Ministers of the Gospel and their just Maintenance established both by the Laws of God and the Land for which let us praise God and pray to the Lord still to be so present with them as to guide and rule their hearts that our wise Senatours may rather establish and increase the maintenance of the Godly and Faithful Ministers of Christ in the Nation than take away or diminish any part of it for this will be not only for the honour of the Parliament but for the Glory of God and good of the Nation whatsoever seduced Spirits would perswade to the contrary for whom let us pray as Christ did for his Persecutors Father forgive them they know not what they do And my beloved Brethren let us who are the Lords remembrancers give God no rest nor day nor night till he establish his Gospel and Faithful Ministers and their just maintenance and by enabling us by the assistance of his blessed Spirit to perform constantly our duties in our several places that his and our Jerusalem may be made a praise in the earth But if our adversaries the adversaries of the Gospel should prevail against us all should be taken away though they cannot take Christ away nor Heaven away Let us labour to live by Faith and depend upon God who hath provided for many of us when we had lost all preserved our lives when we were in eminent dangers and will preserve us to his Heavenly Kingdom In the mean time Honoured and Reverend Brethren let us labour by wisdom and power from Christ to fulfil our Ministry which we have received from the Lord to preach the Word in season and out of season to Catechise and instruct our people in the first Principles of the Oracles of God and this both publickly and from house to house often to confer with them and to build them up and confirm them in the knowledge of Christ that if it please God they may know the Lord as the truth is in Jesus that they may walke as becometh the Gospel of Christ and manifest the truth of their Faith by fruitfulnesse in all good works that they and we may by our holy and righteous lives put to silence the malevolent spirits of all our adversaries and bring forth abundantly like trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that God may be glorified And for our selves especially let us by the Grace of God endeavour the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and although our light be not equal in all respects yet let it be far from us by our divisions to rent in pieces the seamlesse coat of our Lord and Saviour but rather in love enlighten and by our frequent communion strengthen one another that though they speak evil of us as the wicked and deceived souls have done of the Prophets and Apostles yea of Christ himself yet seeing our holy lives faithful performance and discharge of our duties in our Ministerial Office they may be convinced and glorifie God in the day of visitation knowing that if we fight the good fight of Faith and keep the Faith and be faithful to the death there is laid up for us the Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give us at that day and not to us only but to all them that love the Lord Jesus and wait for his appearing Which that we may persevere to do and enjoy is the most humble hearty and daily prayer of London June 18 1659. Your most unworthy Brother and Fellow-Labourer in the work of Christ Immanuel Bourne A Defence Justification OF Ministers Maintenance by Tythes Humane Learning Infant Baptism and The Sword of the Magistrate In a Reply to the Answer of some Anabaptists or Antipedobaptists Declaring their Grounds of Separation For John Darker and Tobias Watson and the Thirty Congregations of Antipedobaptists The blessing of Truth with freedom from Errors and false foundations if it be the will of God in Christ Jesus FRIENDS FOr so I desire you may be in and for Christ hoping better things of some of you and such as accompany salvation although for the present too many of you appear to be Adversaries if not Enemies to the Truth of the Gospel and to the Godly faithful Ministers of Christ in England and in other parts of the Christian world Unto the Paper I sent Novemb. 11. 1658. unto one of you living within the limits of the Town and amongst the People to whom God in his Providence hath called me to preach the Gospel I received your Answer in writing Decemb. 8. in one sheet of paper with a Confession of thirty Congregations and I conceive you have consulted with your Church as you esteem it and other Congregations of your opinions to give answer unto my Demands and it was my desire you should so do that I might know your strongest Arguments or Grounds of your Separation from our Reformed and Reforming Congregations that if it be the will of God I might convince you by the help of the Spirit of Truth of the weakness and error of your Grounds and your eyes might be enlightned to see you have been deceived and now be perâ—waded to return and joyn with our Reformed and Reforming Congregations for your edification in the Truth of the Gospel and good of your Souls which I pray for And friends I have read your Answer and am sorrowful to see such pride of spirit self-conceit and vain boasting That your foundation-principles of the Church of God as you esteem your selves have Scripture proof as clear as the Sun at noon day without the help of Consequences or Illustrations with such rash censurings and uncharitable unchristian expressions telling me I alledge Scripture out of ignorance or weakness and that I am like the Tempter who brought Scripture against Christ and that the old Romish principle groweth still in the hearts of many of us to make Reason to be our Rule and cast away the Scriptures And your comparing me to Popish D. Story in his plea against Philpot the Martyr But whether your vain boasting be a truth or falshood Thil. 1.27 and whether your rash censurings and unchristian charge be as becometh the Gospel of Christ I leave to God and your own better enlightned consciences to judge and the Christian Reader to consider Anabaptists Answ First you say You have received some lines of my writing which I sent you upon the Eleventh of Novemb. and having weighed them in the ballance of the Sanctuary you find them very light Mr. Bourâ—â— Reply To which I reply Certainly you were mistaken it was not the Ballance of the Sanctuary in which you weighed my lines for God requireth his people should have
weak in the Faith receive but not to doubtful Disputations Besides there are several Disputations in print already enough to satisfie Yet if you John Darker would write your Arguments drawn out of the holy Scriptures to prove what you affirmed yesterday as I apprehended you That the godly preaching Ministers in England are all Antichristian and our Reformed and Reforming Churches Babylon and to be departed from and our preaching not to be heard with your hand and the hand of your cheif Teacher I should God willing give you my Answer And to this I subscribed my name Immanuel Bâ—urne For your wresting and misrepresenting my words and opprobrious terms you give me and false consequences you put upon me I have learned not to give reviling speeches for reviling But I may tell you That you raise a false position like a man of straw and then you will father it on me and fight against me for it when it is a Bastard of your own begetting I pardon this also The Anabaptists Answer Then you proceed in a magesterial way and with a high vapour But Sir say you we must let you understand that those foundation-Principles of the Church of God which we suppose you well know would have been the matter of our discourse hath Scripture as clear to prove them as the Sun at noon day without the help of your consequences or illustrations and you set down divers of your grounds or foundation-principles as that God made the Heaven and the earth Gen. 1.1 That all men are sinners Rom. 3.23 That God made men upright Eccles 7.29 That God sent his Son to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 The Resurrection from the dead Joh. 5.29 Mr. Bourns Reply For Reply These are plain Truths and full proof without consequence But these Truths are not in controversie between us But now you come to shuffle in matters of controversie amongst the rest like a man that mingles corrupt wares among good the more easily to sell them and deceive the people As it follows in your Answer The Anabaptists Answer If I would dispute say you that the subjects of baptism are men and women and Repentance and Faith go before to fit them for it it is clear without dubiousness Act. 8.12.37 and 2.38 And you further tell me The Ana ∣ baptists Grounds of Separa ∣ tion That to satisfie my desire to know the grounds of your Separation and why you look upon us as none of the Church of Christ or Ministers of the Gospel for which in the whole you give three Reasons First Reason 1 Because as you conceive we frame not our Church of right materials that is as you explain your self not of men and women of riper years converted but of Infant children who can make no profession of Faith or Repentance Secondly Reason 2 A second ground is Because as you dream we walk in parallel with those the Scripture speaketh of who make merchandise of the word of God for which you name divers places of Scripture Micah 3.11 Ezek. 22 26 c. Jer. 5.30 31. and 23.14 15. Phil. 3.18 All which you wrest and most falsly apply to the godly faithful Ministers of Christ in England which most truly may be applied to your selves as I have proved at full and made ready to have sent you though now I shall not trouble the Press with it being nothing but your fals Quaking scandal and the like to be retorted upon you which I conceive is unchristian like Reason 3 Your third Reason or Ground of Separation is Because as your opinion is our Church standeth upon these four sandy Pillars or Popish foundations Four sandy Pillars 1. Humane Learning 2. Say you Baptizing as you call it but Rantizing or rather cousening of Babes in their cradles take away that say you and you would have no Church 3. Your Tythes or forced Maintenance the wages of unrighteousness say you after which you all run astray take away that and preach who will 4. The Magistrates sword which the Priests have run to in many Generations take away that say you which hath ever been the fundamental of your livelihood and then you would be in danger of starving amongst them whom you call Christians Mr. Bourâ—â— Reply Now I see friends you have changed your method for before your first ground was admission of Infants to be members by baptism of our Churches And in your four sandy pillars you put Humane Learning before Infant Baptism I shall in like manner take liberty to change your method and for my Reply begin first with that which is your third sandy Pillar or popish Foundation as you may please to term it and this is our Tythes or forced maintenance which you call the wages of unrighteousness Because it is so much opposed and spoken against by too many in these times who are not onely adversaries to Ministers Maintenance by Tythes but to the Ministery it self First let us look into the Book of God even from the Creation read Genes ch 1. 2. and you shall find That howsoever the Lord the Creator of heaven and earth the chief Lord of all the world did and hath entrusted Adam and Eve and their sons and daughters with the keeping and possession of inferior creatures and dominion over them and with the fruits of the earth and the increase thereof yet the Lord hath reserved a twofold right yet in the creature First general over all the world and the kingdoms of the earth and goods therein to dispose of them when and where and to whom he pleaseth This the Scripture witnesseth at full He gave the land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham Gen. 15.18 And Hanna tells us that the Lord maketh poor and maketh rich he bringeth low and lifteth up 1 Sam. 27.8 And the Psalmist tels us The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Psal 24.1 So the Psalmist again bringeth in God himself speaking All the beasts of the forrest are mine and so are the cattel upon a thousand hills and if I were hungry I would not tell thee for the world is mine and the fulness thereof as is expressed Psal 50.10 12. And the word of the Lord to Jeremiah from the Lord Thus shall ye say I have made the heaven and the earth the man and the beast that are upon the ground by my great power and by my outstretched arm and have given it to whomsoever it seemed meet unto me And now I have given all these lands into the hands of the king of Babylon my servant as you may find recorded Jer. 27.5 6. This Daniel declares in the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the high tree in the midst of the earth which was decreed to be cut down The decree was for bringing down Nebuchadnezzar himself till he did know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will Witness Daniel ch 4.25 Thus hath God a general right over all the world and
thought more acceptable I should not have remembred these Religious and conscientious payments of Tythes by these Heathens these Gentiles children of Japhet or Ham but to answer a proud peremptory Quaker who called me Old Jew because I justified that it was lawful for the Ministers of Christ to take Tythes and that they were justifiable by the written Word of God Jos B. when as he thought them to be onely a Jewish Ceremony But it is evident that Tythes are not onely Jewish or paid by the Jews onely For antient History tells that the Gentiles paid Tythes as well as the Jews And although these Histories are not to be received with a divine faith as well as Scripture yet they are to be credited as well as our Chronicles which testifie there was a King William the Conqueror or King Henry the Eighth that pulled down or dissolved the Abbies or a King Edward the Sixt Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth or as after ages may believe there was a King Charles and a dismal War in England upon which hath followed these sirange and wonderful changes we have seen with our eyes I might add more but who are not satisfied Dr. Carleton Tythes examined and prov'â— to be due by Diviue right I leave them to those learned men who have writ and proved the Divine right of Tythes and to other Histories which record the practises of Painims This that you have read may suffice to witness that the payment of Tythes was acknowledged a due to God amongst the Gentiles to that God they did know Dr. Tillesley his Animadvers upon Seldens Hist of Tythes Dr. Slater Mr. Prynn c. and this even by the Law or light of Nature or Tradition of Gods Law acknowledged by a common consent that Tythes were due to God to that God they did know and worship and certainly this custom could not be so common amongst or in so many Nations had there not been some Divine instinct from the Law of Nature or knowledge of some divine law from their forefathers that Tythes were due to God from all nations by a divine right for his worship and service as an owning of a Divine Power Ps 40.10 11 12. who is chief Lord and owner of all we have But of the tenth God's own part he is owner of that in a special manner as his own reserved portion for his worship and service for this the Lord challengeth in a special manner for his own portion witness God's servant Voses that great Prophet All the Tythe of the land Lev. 27.30 31. of the seed of the land and of the fruit of the tree it is the Lords Lev 27.30 He doth not say it is the Priests or the Levites or the peoples but it is the Lords And thus the Lord himself by the Prophet Malachi doth many hundred years afters challenge the Tythe as his own And when the people did not pay their Tythe as his due the Lord calleth them thieves and robbers and tells them they had robbed him Will a man rob God Mal. 3.8 9. yet ye have robbed me saith the Lord. But ye say wherein have we robbed thee And he answers In Tythes and Offerings And he concludes v. 9. Ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed me even this whole nation So that the Tythes were the Lords his own part and portion to be disposed of at his pleasure all the time of the Old Testament from Adam to Moses and from Moses to Malachi the Lord had a reserved part due to him as chief Lord of all But the Quakers and some of these Anabaptists will object Objection What is this to the Priests and Levites either before or since Christ If Tythes be the Lords portion what have the Priests and Levites to do with it or how come they to challenge any right in them or title to them The Answer is easie Answer When the first-born in the family were the Lords Priests and Prophets to offer sacrifice to God as Adam and Cain and Abel did or to teach their families Gen. 18.18 19. Gen. 20.7 Gen. 26.25 as faithful Abraham and the Patriarchs and their first-born did as we read Gen. 8.18 19. Num. 8.17 Then the Lord needed not his part of his Tenths for maintenance of his Priests and Levites but what part he had was chiefly for his sacrifices and services But when he took to him the Levites in stead of the First-born as Num 8.18 then you may read the Lords Deed of gift of his part of the Tythes to Levi for an inheritance Num. 18.20 21. Behold saith the Lord to Aaron I am thy part and thy inheritance amongst the children of Israel and behold I have given the children of Israel all the Tenth in Israel for an inheritance for the service which they serve even the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Lev. 18.21 And thus you may see what title the Levites and Ministers of God have to the Lords part even by a Deed of gift from the Lord himself And this is a Deed or Great Charter enrolled and recorded in sacred Scripture the written Word of God himself Object 2 I know the common Objection We will grant say they that the Lord did give part of the Tythe to Levi and his posterity that taught the people as Nehemiah Nehem. 8 7 8 9. But he did not give all to them for part was to be eaten before the Lord in the place which the Lord did choose to put his name there they the children of Israel were to bring their tythes and their sacrifices and their choise vows and to eat them before the Lord with their families they and their sons and daughters and men-servants and maid-servants and Levite within their gates yea the poor stranger and widow and fatherless as we may read Deut. 12.11 12. Deut. 14.29 Therefore the Tythes were not all given to the Levites as their portion as is said by the Ministers that plead for Tythes For Answer If you read Answ Vltra duas Decimas quas quotannis pendere jam jussi 1. Alteram Levitis 2. Alteram in sacras epulas 3. Tertia tertio quoque anno est conferenda quae in egenos vicinos pupillos distribuatur Joseph Antiq. lib. 4. cap. 8. you may find there was a threefold Tythe which the children of Israel did pay The first Tythe was the tenth of the whole increase which was first tythed and this was the Levites portion and might be eaten every where with their houshold because it is a reward unto them for their service But first they were to give the Heave-offering the tythe of that tythe to Aaron the High-Priest as you may read Numb 18.26 And this Tythe hath a Morality in it as after we shall shew Again there was a second Tythe of the Nine parts that were tythed before And this Tythe might not be eaten in any place as the first Tythe which
was the Levites portion might but at Jerusalem Thus you may read Deut. 14. Deut. 14.22 23 c. Tything thou shalt tythe or thou shalt truly tythe all the increase of thy seed which thy field bringeth forth and thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God in the place he shall chuse to place his name there and if the place be too far thou shalt turn it into money and buy what thy soul liketh and shalt eat there before the Lord thy God and thou shalt rejoice thou and thy houshold and the Levite within thy gates Ainsworth in Deu. 14. This second Tythe might not be eaten any where but before the Lord in Jerusalem as the Hebrew Doctors affirm and is evident from the text This might be Levitical and to end with that Temple-worship Thirdly besides these two Tythes there was in the place or stead of this second Tythe a third Tythe every third year Amos 4.4 Tythes after three years c. which was for the Levite the stranger the fatherless and the widow within their gates as you may read Deut. 14.28 29. This may cease in part as a Tenth but the substance is moral But the first Tythe was wholly for the Levites for their maintenance as the Lords wages or reward the Lord alloweth them for their service in the Sanctuary to continue in the Gospel as after will appear Yea besides the Tythes the Lords portion the Lord commanded that the Levites should have their Cities to dwell in Num. 35.3 4 5 6 c. and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattel and for their goods and for all their beasts and the suburbs of the city shall reach from the wall of the city two thousand cubits round about Num 35. Rich conveniences besides extraordinaries which were very many This was the Levites lawful gain due unto them by Divine right by the law of God and law of Nature as a reward for their labor in the Lords service And this gain they might lawfully seek after every one for his gain from his quarter And this they did when their just portion and maintenance was not brought them by the people Nehem 13.10 11 12. The Levites went every one to his field for his just gain or portion as you may find Neh. 13. Thus did the Levites seek every one for his gain from his quarter to live of his portion of land and tythes at his field when the second tythe was not brought into the treasury as it ought to have been And this was just and lawful for them to do as the Ministers of Christ may lawfully do at this day There is another Objection Object 3 Though the Lord had a part in every mans estate the tenth of every increase which the Lord did give to the Levites the Lords Ministers before the coming of Christ yet now since Christ is come and is not only dead as the High-Priest of our profession having offered himself to God for us once for all Heb. 3.1 2. and is not only risen again and ascended into heaven and liveth for evermore Rev. 1.18 but maketh intercession for us to God his Father and the Levitical Priesthood is ended Now what evidence is there that God hath any part or portion in mens estates or the increases of them for himself or to be disposed of as his own or that the Ministers of Christ have either Tythes or any Maintenance due unto them by Divine right since Christ And then how can it be lawful for them to seek after every one his gain as they do For answer Answer First if it be granted that the Lord had a reserved part of the earth and increase thereof for himself yea that the Tythes or Tenths were the Lords excepted and reserved portion which he had not given to the sons of Adam or to Noah's posterity and that this was the Lords for his service until Christs coming in the flesh Gen. 3.17 c. which I conceive none will deny that truly believeth there is a God that created the world and gave part only not all to Adam or that truly believes the Holy Scriptures to be the written word of God Question Then I desire to know by what Deed of gift the Lord hath given these Tythes his own portion from himself or from his Ministers and servants who once had them Whether he hath released his right and title which in a special manner he had in the earth and the increases thereof to any man and to whom Hath God released his special right in the tenth part the Tythes of all which were once yea which are the Lords own if none can shew a better title to them Let us search the Records in the New Testament and first see if we can find any such Release or Deed of gift from God and his servants and to whom Secondly see what is registred for the maintenance and continuance of Gods right unto them That so we may better answer the Anabaptists who call Tythes the wages of unrighteousness or the Quakers who accuse the Ministers of Christ as if they did seek for unlawful gain the gain of Tythes of that which is neither God's nor theirs every one for his gain from his quarter or people I have searched the New Testament and can find Tythes mentioned but only in four places and in none of these doth Christ deny or give away or release his right to his tenth part or forbid his Minfsters to receive Tythes yea rather Tythes are approved by Christ and his Apostles that speak of them First place The first place is that of our Saviour Mat 23.23 where he pronounceth that woe against the Scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisie Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye pay tythe of mint and annise and cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the law judgment mercy and faith These things ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone It is evident our Saviour doth not reprove them for their paiment of Tythes but for their omission and neglect of the weightier matters of the Law judgment mercy and saith For he tells them plainly it was their duty to pay their tythes even of the smallest things mint and annise and cummin these things ought not to be left undone Thus both the payment of tythes even in the time of Christ and Christs approbation of tythes is witnessed at full in this place No prohibition of tythes evidenced no cessation of tythes declared no denying of Christs Ministers to receive tythes 2. Again a second place we find Tythes spoken of in the New Testament is that of our Saviour recorded Luke 11.42 to the same effect with the former Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees for ye tythe Mint and Rue and all manner of Herbs and pass over judgement and the love of God these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone You see our
and his Ministers by Divine right and this was two hundred years before the Pope or Antichrist of Rome was born But I might go on with a long Catalogue of antient Writers to the rising of Antichrist yea and since that Antichrist of Rome did exalt himself and give evidence from many godly men in several ages who have witnessed and confirmed by divers arguments the Divine right of Tythes as due to Christ's faithful Ministers in the Gospel by Divine right But I commend those that desire to see many more testimonies D. Tillesley in his Animad on M. Seldens hist of Tythes to that excellent Catalogue composed by learned Dr. Tillesley wherein he produceth about Threescore witnesses that assert the Divine right of Tythes or give arguments to that purpose That they have been and ought to be so paid And I might add the judgement of the godly learned of later times But these before Antichrist's time are sufficient to witness Tythes are not Antichristian nor any popish invention whatsoever the Quakers or Anabaptists or others imagine to the contrary But when did Antichrist arise Object 1 Joh. 2.18 may some demand Doth not St. John say there were many Antichrists in his time 1 John 2.18 I answer It is true the Apostle doth witness that there were then many Antichrists and so there are now many Antichrists many adversaries to Christ and his Ministers now in the world Those malignant Quakers who plot and labor the overthrow of the Gospel established Ministery what are they but the spawn of Antichrist Rev. 16.13 and creeping frogs out of the mouth of the Beast of the Dragon and the false Prophet But the Apostle in the same Chapter and the same verse 1 Joh. 2.18 he spake of another Antichrist that Antichrist that principal Antichrist whom St. Paul describes 2 Thess 2.3 4. The man of sin the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God or as if he were God we may say suffering himself by his flatterers to be called God as some Popes have done that scarlet coloured Beast full of names of Blasphemy As Jewel against Harding proveth to whom the ten Kings give their power and strength to fight against the Lamb Christ as Antichrist and the whore of Babylon is decyphered Rev. 17. Rev. 17.1 2 c. This Antichrist did not arise until about six hundred years after Christ Gregory the Great 600 years after Christ We read of Gregory the Great who was Bishop of Rome about the year six hundred that he foretold whosoever he was that should take unto him the name and title of Universal Bishop he was either Antichristus or praecursor Antichristi Antichrist or the forerunner of Antichrist and this was fulfilled in his next Successor Boniface the Third For when that peremptory proud Centurion Phocas Phocas killed Mauritius the Emperor about 600 years after Christ The papacy began as the great Autichrist had wickedly and treacherously killed his Lord and Master the Emperor Mauritius then Boniface the Third being Bishop of Rome by the countenance of the Murderer Phocas did take upon him that Antichristian name and title of Universal Bishop So fulfilling the the Prophesie of Gregory the Great his Predecessor And this pride of papal dignity his successors imbrace as well as he then laboring by all means to exalt the Papacy yet many hundred years after yea and to this day God preserved some holy men to preserve the Truth and to defend Gods right and the right of his servants As in the days of Ahab and Jezabel God had seven thousand in Israel which had not bowed the knee to Baal Divers Councils confirmed and good Laws were enacted to maintain the Divine right of tythes I shall omit the Councils and give you an antient Law or two for this purpose First King Ethelstan a King of this land about nine hundred and thirty years after Christ by the advice of his Council at that time I do command all my chief Officers saith he in all my Kingdom in the name of the Lord that first of my own proper estate they give the tenth to God as well in my living goods as in the dead fruits of the earth and the same he requires his Bishops Aldermen and others to do Thus he doth as out of conscience acknowledge Gods due And that Law of King Edward the Confessor The Laws of K. Edw. the Confescited pag. 224. 1050 years after Christ who lived about a thousand and fifty years after Christ six hundred years since De omni decima garba Deo debita est ideo reddenda c. Of all the corn the tenth sheaf is due to God and therefore to be paid And if any one hath a flock of Mares he is to give the tenth Foal and if he have but one or two he shall give for every one a penny and he that shall have many Kine he shall give the tenth Calf and he that hath but one or two he shall give for every one a half-penny And he that maketh cheese let him give God the tenth and if he make none then the milk the tenth day likewise the tenth Lamb the tenth Fleece and of Bees the tenth of the profit and so of lesser Tythes of Boss Gardens and other things And this Law you see doth witness Tythes due to God by divine right many hundred years since to let pass Statutes made of later years but I cannot pass over that of Sir Edward Coke that learned Judge and famous Oracle of the Law who affirms That in the very body of the antient Common Law of England Tythes are due Jure Divino by Divine Right and we have declared they were so judged for the first six hundred years after Christ and after that again until the time of King Edward the Confessor about a thousand and fifty years after Christ When the Pope would appropriate Tythes to Abbies ben began the opinion that Tythes were not due by Divine Right the same opinion continued in the Church But after that the Popes of Rome began to be more politick to maintain their own greatness by enlarging the maintenance of their Abbots Monks and Fryers in the Monasteries of several orders devised to maintain the Popes great ness not content with those Lands which out of fair pretence were given to them by men and women religiously Gratian c. 3 q. 2. Leo 4. Cited by D. Carleton in Tythes examined and some superstitiously affected but seeking also to get the Tythes from the particular Parish Ministers to whom they were antiently setled as their proper right which was done in part by Dionysius Bishop of Rome about two hundred and seventy years after Christ Mr. Hanmer his Cronography pag. 577. Jo Canne his second voice from the Temple which was many
teach if they will have any Again if the Tythes be Gods reserved part and belong to the Ministers of Christ who preach the Gospel to the people by Divine right as we have proved out of the Word of God sufficiently then as Anthony Peirson confesseth the Popes dispensation or acquitting of any Lands from payment of tythes was utterly unlawful and sacrilegious as was all his improper Appropriation or tythes to Abbies Monasteries or any such popish inventions sacrilegious also certainly it was and was not King Henry the Eight his taking and selling of tythes from the Church sacriledge also certainly it must needs follow it was a robbing of God and of the Ministers of Christ and so sacriledge and then is it not sacriledge in them that withhold them this God hath witnessed by many examples his wrath against such as detain them from the faithful Preachers of the Gospel as I have declared in my Justification of Ministers maintenance by tythes and as might be proved by many sad examples of Gods judgements against Sacriledge both in this and other Nations therefore it is very good all the Impropriators should part from them yea upon reasonable considerations since many bought them as Anthony Peirson intimates for little or nothing but it is not that tythes should be taken away from the faithful Ministers of Christ but restored to them as their just due both by the law of God and the most antient laws of the Land The Lord grant the Parliament may lay these things seriously to heart and provide a remedy that the danger of Gods curse may be removed from the Nation and Gods blessing be upon them and the people till Shilâ— the Saviour Christ our Lord come again Amen Amen I. B. I Shall add but a little concerning our Gleab-lands and haste to a Conclusion Anthony Peirson or at least many of his Society or erring way have cryed out against our Houses and Gleab lands also yea would have all our Meeting-places our Churches our Steeple-houses as they call them pulled down to mend High-wayes so Churches and Parish-Ministers all must be cast away together And would not this prove Sacriledge If you read Numb 34.13 c. the Land of Canaan was commanded to be divided by Lot and Numb 35.2 3.4 the Lord commands the Children of Israel that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession Cities to dwell in and shall give also for the Levites suburbs for the Citysround about them and their Cities shall they have to dwell in and the suburbs of them shall be for their Cattel and for their Goods and for all their Beasts and the suburbs of the City which ye shall give to the Levites shall reach from the wall of the City and outward a thousand Cubits roundabout A Cubit was from the top of the point of the elbow to the top of the middle finger as learned Weames affirms Doctor VVeams his Christian Synagogue p. 192. And the Cubit of the Sanctuary was a hand-bredth more than the common Cubit was so that here it is evident the Lord had not only given the Levites Tythes but convenient Houses to dwel in and gleab-Gleab-lands for their Beasts and Cattel and our Godly and Learned Countryman Mr. Ainsworth upon that affirms that the equity of this Law both for honouring the Lord with our substance Prov. 3.9 and for maintenance of his Ministers Gal. 6.6 is perpetual Josh 21. and these Lands were set out to the Levites according to Gods command and they taught the people by office as Nehem. 8.8 and these Lands were never to be sold or alienated from the Levites and certainly the equity of this remaineth still that the faithful Preachers of the Gospel should have not only Tythes or value of them by redemption but convenient Gleab also the taking away of these what is it but Sacriledge Caveat Emptor Again you seem to be charitable to the Poor and would be profitable to the Common-wealth to pay the Souldiery and provide for the Poor and it is with our Tythes and Gleab-Lands as many of you profess You would have us robbed that others may be relieved is this your charity and piety like a Thief that steals to give Alms robs by the High way and giveth liberally to the Beggars and poor Cripples that are there waiting for an Alms certainly this charity is not Christian charity but abominable iniquity In our Honourable Army I know there are many truly religious and godly Gentlemen who would not be pay'd with that which belongs to Christ but with the Money and Estate of the Common-wealth and good reason they should For who goeth a warfare at their own charge saith that great Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 9.7 I have done with this also But a word to your word to the Parish Ministers Anthony Peirsons case Thirdly say you to the Parish Ministers With these I desire to expostulate the matter First as touching the end of their work Secondly as to the way of their maintenance c. Mr. Bourn's answer I answer to your quarrel why in Market-towns and other places where there is small Maintenance there is but a poor Vicar or poor reading Curate and the people untaught you mean why do not Ministers preach there without Maintenance or take such small places is this your meaning I answer that there is not maintenance in such places see where the fault is I am sure it is none of ours we must live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 And Secondly for Preaching if your eyes be not blind or your ears deaf and refuse to hear you might hear and know that many godly Ministers do preach in Market-Towns and many other places freely witness weekly Lectures and monthly Exercises in which commonly two Ministers joyn together and preach to the great comfort of Christian souls whose hearts God moveth to attend at wisdoms gates Prov. 8.34 this is the practice in London in Derby-shire where I lived and is in Leicester-shire where I now live and in Lincoln-shire and Rutlandshire Northampton-shire and in many other places and this I have known near this fifty year and have Preached my self in many places but you would fain find some fault with the Ministers of Christ that you like other Antichristian enemies might root us out if it lay in your power But this I shall and do tell you that if Ephesus judgement fall upon England for the loss of our first love if God remove the Candlestick of the Church and Gospel then England is undone Rev. 2.3 4. as was Ephesus and those Eastern Churches I have said enough to answer your quarrel against our Tythes enough to satisfie any godly undeceived man whatsoever and spoken sufficient concerning our Gleab-Land at which it seemeth you have an evill eye Anthony Peirson's case There is a way say you page 41. which would establish the Nation upon a sure foundation of true freedom and give satisfaction to some separated
of these those duties are not required to be admitted Infant-members of the Church But when they grow up in the knowledge and faith of Christ then a declaration of their faith and repentance is necessary before they be admitted to the Lords Supper that great and distinguishing Ordinance of Christ in which there is a sweet communion of members with Christ their Head 1 Cor. 10 16 17. My Book pr. 1646. Mr. Marshall pr. 1646. M. Blake pr. 1653. Mr. Bâ—xter print 1656. and one with another I refer you further to my own Book recited before and to the labours of so many Learned and Godly men who have writ of this Subject to godly and learned Mr. Marsha his Sermon for proof of Infant-Baptism learned and laborious Mr. Blakâ—'s Treatise of Birth Priviledge and Covenant Holinesse of Believers in answer to Mr. Tombes Learned and laborious Mr. Bâ—xer's â—lain-Scripture-Proof for Infant-Baptism â—r Cook 's Font Uncovered And the Reformed Churches in their Harmony of Confessions and Profession of pure and holy Faith in all the Kingdoms Nations and Provinces of Europe Allowed by publick Authority and Imprinted by Tho. Thomas Printer to the University of Cambridge 1586 now about 72 years since The Anabaptists Doctrine denying Infant-Baptism is condemned and Infant-Baptism is approved as lawful in the Churches of Christ Thus the Churches of Helvetia we condemn say they the Anabaptists who deny that young Infants born of faithful Parents are to be baptized for according to the Gospel theirs is the Kingdom of God and they are written in the Covenant of God and why should not the sign be given to them Thus the Church Reformed in Bohemia confesseth they baptize their children And the Reformed Church in Belâ—ia Commending Baptism they conclude Therefore here we do detest the errour of the Anabaptists who are not content with one only Baptism and that once received but do also condemn the Baptism of Infants yea of those that be born of faithful Parents Thus the Reformed Churches in France The English Confession The Reformed Church in Saxony We baptize Infants because Christ saith Suffer little children to come to me for to such pertaineth the Kingdom of God And Origen writeth upon the sixth to the Romans that the Church received the custom of Baptizing Infants from the Apostles and say they Many things are written and published in our Churches by which the Anabaptists are refuted I let pass the Confession of the Reformed Churches of Wittenberge and others of the same Judgment By which it is evident that the Opinion of the Anabaptists then springing out was condemned in all the Reformed Churches now above threescore and ten years ago And these are but a spawn of that horrid sect which did work mischief in Germany and have been long since condemned by the Churches of Christ And whatsoever is written to the contrary either by your chief Teachers or by other your miserable ignorant and scribling later Pamphlets it is already answered or replyed unto by such Reverend Learned and Godly men before mentined and others of our Judgment and that with sufficient Scripture-proof and full evidences from the voice of the Spirit of God speaking in the holy Scriptures far better than your false and non following consequences you have brought against Infant Church-membership and Baptism although you find fault with us for consequences Read your best Teachers and see if you can find one proof or shew of proof against Infant-membership of Believers children or their Baptism without a Consequence or Illustration This is the proof of your writers against it by consequences Read Mr. Tombes Mr. Haggar Mr. Gosnold and the rest And if you use consequences against Infant-Baptism and consequences which will not follow why may not we use consequences to prove the lawfulnesse of Infant-Baptism Pr. by J. S. 1657. Read your late friend Mr Gosnold as honest and learned as any of you his discourse of the Baptism of water and of the Spirit read his first Chapter to prove a Truth That water-Baptism is to continue he proveth by a consequence That which was once commanded by Jesus Christ and never repealed by him is still in force and to continue but water Baptism was once commanded by Christ and never repealed by him therefore it is still in force and to continue Thus I may argue against you for Infant-Baptism That which was once commanded by Christ and never repealed by him is still in force and to continue But an outward sign and seal of the righteousness of Faith and priviledge of Church membership was once commanded by Christ and appointed for Believers and their infant-children Gen. 17.7 viz. circumcision to Abraham Isaac at eight daies old and never repealed by Christ Therefore a sign and seal of the righteousnesse of Faith and priviledge of Church-membership is still to continue to Believers and their children And if children must have the same sign with their Parents then what but Baptism but you cast off our consequences though you make bold with them your selves I urged this argument twelve years since therefore I leave it off Again read John Gosnold his second Chapter where he labours to prove the manner of Baptizing that it was by dipping the whole body in water his seeming proof is by consequence 1. From mens testimony And 2. From the nature of the word signifying to dip though the word doth not only signifie to dip and no Scripture saith that they did dip the whole body in water And if they had yet a circumstance in Baptism may as lawfully be changed as the time of celebration of the Lords Supper was changed which was a circumstance Read his third Chapter in which if he could he would prove the subjects of Baptism to be grown persons fitly qualified and not Infants His seeming proofs are by consequences and false consequences too like those it seems you borrowed of him requiring those qualifications for Baptism all which are only requisite in men and women of ripe years not of Infant-children of Believers to admit them to an Infant-membership in the Church And what are his arguments and answers in his Book but consequences not one place of Scripture as clear as the Sun at noon-day as you boasted in your answer And if both use consequences and agree in the use of these wherfore is there such bitterness of spirit because we cannot agree in Opinion Wherefore are you so violent to deny us to be Ministers of Christ to affirm us to be Ministers of Antichrist and our maintenance Antichristian as if you would destroy us and our Calling out of the Nation If you have such liberty to live â—uietly in the Land wherefore do you think us unworthy of it The Lord heal our breaches and unite our spirits in Christian love if it be his blessed will A DEFENCE OF Humane Learning I Come now to another sandy Pillar and Popish Foundation as you term it Third sandy pillar The