all or the most that truly fear and love God And notwithstanding what by the perfidious and treacherous dealing of some particular persons that have beene employed about great works in our dayes who like Absolon or Achitophel to David or like Shemaiah to Nehemiah or Judas to Christ have proved false and what by discouragements of the honest party and disappointments of expectations in the losse of fair opportunities which we in England are not strangers unto And what by over-acting of others before dispensation to each particular gave the call And what by conjunction with such as have not beene reall hearted to the cause of God this truth and some others seeme to be slaine with the two witnesses for a time yet I am perswaded it will not be long before God will returne to his work that hath beene of late upon the wheele and either make some to remember themselves and do their first work or lay them aside that peoples eyes may be removed from instruments to himself and casheere them that have casheered themselves out of their imployments for God and his people and of stones raise up children to Abraham and bringers to passe of his minde and will for the setting up of Christian worship and throwing downe that carnal Ministery which is chiefly kept up by this irregular paying of tythes in this Nation to such as Gods people can see no mark of or call from God upon The result of all is clearly this that if great men will not meaner men shall Christ was borne of meane parentage came out of Galilee which could not but be a cloud over him and a great trial to the faith of the godly who were told that he was to come out of Bethlehem If professed Ministers out of fear distrust of God will give an uncertain sound tradesmen fishermen tentmakers blew-apron-men shall speak plainer I say if these with the Scribes Pharisees should be silent or enemies rather the stones shall cry out The little stone hewed out of the mountain without hands will throw down all that belongs to the fourth beast in either shape or forme We were wont to say in the times of the Prelacy that Homilies and the Service-Book were the two legges of a dumb Ministery in England Consider I pray you whether the compelling of payment of Tythes now as they are paid be not of great use for the continuance of a formal artificial outside carnal Ministery in this Nation But methinks I hear some say the Ordinance whereby Commissioners are appointed for the approbation of publik Preachers together with that whereby diverse are appointed for the ejection of scandalous and insufficient Ministers being duly and carefully executed will quickly make a riddance of many that are now imployed and so the last discourse before-going will be uselesse I acknowledge there is very much in those two Ordinances had we such spirited men as those actings call for which are in them required And were that way the way of Christ so clearly to all as perhaps it may be to some But the declared dissents and discontents of a very religious party do seeme to say something is wanting Besides raine to lay corne that should be cut downe is out of season And Barbers that cut off the haire and let the head alone that should rather be so used are insufficient to be executioners Consider what I say There is further this one thing generally complained of for I hear many things more then many that can do much more good then I can if they would that this tends very little in many places to the propagation of the Gospel or saving of souls For as a great man in the Ministery said in publike that he knew not which was the best death poisoning or starving so say many if such vacant places were filled with godly experienced Saints apt to teach 't were something but ancient men are found scandalous and so ejected and youths that will be any thing for a quiet life are found to be made use of or none at all to my knowledge Patrons and young men can agree about Livings and the Commissioners for Approbation never hear of either the Patron or his Clerk Blessed be God that hath so farre put it into the heart of those that have power to prepare Christs way before him as to do so much as hath beene done in this perverse froward and untoward Nation yet it is humbly conceived that notwithstanding the multiplied sentences of death upon Church work yet grace and mercy that are by dark dispensations usually ushered in are wrapped up and a coming all this while I wish none of my Brethren-would give way to envious grudgings against the persons of such as are now in power but rather pray for them which I am sure of they more stand in need of then give cause of envie And for them my prayer is that they will cast downe that foul Idol Discretion falsely so called My meaning is that they would not be too much given to fears and forecastings as Jonah was whereby he was put out of Gods way To make an end of my Appendix My hope is that the time is not far off in which truths will be better seene and agreed upon by and among the Saints As for fond Familists Quakers Ranters and such kinde of poore seduced be witched souls let them be looked upon with pitie as we are Saints and dealt withall by Magistrates as Gods Word doth warrant For my part I know no odds now betweene the power of our Governours and the Kings of Israel and Judah 'T is true their Kings were typical and their Land Sacramental but their power within Church and without was the same that now it is concerning both the Tables of the Morall Law But I finde not that they that ruled well did meddle with matters of Church cognisance purely so otherwise then to protect the Priests and Levites and people of God and punish evil-doers Ye cannot be ignorant of the ground of that catching question moved to our Lord Jesus Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar If it had not beene Gods it had scarce beene worth the answering If one should aske of me Is it lawfull to pay Tythes to my Lord or Master such a one I have learned of my Lord and Master to answer Give and unto God the things that are Gods If Magistrates will not or cannot though they would redeeme or rescue the Lords portion out of the hands of the spoyler and sacrilegious Tenant and make way for the Saints observance of this Moral duty of giving God his due with more ease and disburden their consciences that are vexed for not sinning against it which yet may be their ignorance I say if this cannot be yet for I acknowledge many clouds of darknesse are about this truth which I hope the Sunne of righteousnesse will shortly dispel yet deride not slight not my counsel let the Sabbath day Ordinances whereof
the publike meeting-house but do only baptize the children of such as are received and allowed members of the Church and admitted to the Lords Table And therefore this question notwithstanding I conceive taking away of tythes as now payable will no way hinder the teaching of the world but rather as I have shewed further it when Church-members shall be enabled to pay their tythes to their proper Churches CHAP. IV. In this last Chapter you have the Conclusion with humble submission to the Churches of Christ and to the Ministers of the Gospel IT is not my purpose to be either peremptory or prolix I will therefore summe up all Whether they shall read these subitaneous collections that hold that tythes are meer almes which was the opinion of those who were called the Waldenses which doubtless they were drawne to hold upon the abuse of tythes which they saw under the Church of Rome which opinion afterward came to be received and taken up by John Wickliffe and his scholars as you shall finde it to be the 18 Article amongst those against him condemned in the Councel of Constance and by John Hus a Bohemian William Thorp an Englishman as appeareth by their examinations recorded by Mr. Fox which hath also since beene taught by Anabaptists and Trinitaries as may be seene in a book de antithesibus veri falsi Christi Anno Domini 1568. Albae Juliae and is followed by many now that would have Ministers and Church-officers to have right to nothing Or whether they shall peruse what I have written that hold for a reasonable and competent maintenance as due by Divine authority which is the opinion of them of the Church of Rome as Bellarmine declareth Tom. 1 contr 5. lib. 1. and is much received among our Writers of the Reformed Churches cap. 25. Or whether they look upon these lines that hold tythes due by the expresse Word of God which is the judgement of the ancient Fathers from the beginning without contradiction untill the Supreme Authority of the Pope took them away by meanes of impropriations This is the conclusion that as now they are payed by the Lawes and usages of this Nation they cannot be warranted to be well paid which to prove I provoke any Divine Lawyer or other to make good by sound arguments out of the Word of God and therefore that they ought to be taken away notwithstanding all that hitherto I have heard to be alledged for the keeping of them on foot If tythes be due at all it must be either by the Law of God or men if of men either by Princes constitutions or by the Canon Law as I have said in chap. 2. They were paid before the Canon Law was invented and better then since And few plead Princes constitutiōs for their ancient payment in the Church for they are held due in all the Christian world over which no one Prince ruleth And for our late paying of them by Lawes and Ordinances if the Common Law were well applied it would be found to be Malus usus and therfore abolendus Wherefore seeing all that can be said for continuance of tythes is declared to be of no force seeing it is so injurious to the Churches so oppressive to the people of the Land so unwarrantable by the Word of God the taking of them away so much defired by all that are the most considerable that this is the way to have them paid regularly by such as see that truth are so judgemented or else to help them that are for a liberal maintenance for Ministers to be able to do their duty according to their light Seeing wayes may be easily found out for preventing all inconveniences that will come by their taking away I conclude as Cato did his Orations semper diruendam esse Carthaginem So that by any means tythes as now payable of all sorts root and branch are by Authority to be taken away in the judgement of T. L. An APPENDIX to the former discourse by way of Apology for the seasonablenesse of it which some do or may suppose to be otherwise I Am very sensible Christian Reader that I shall be looked upon with diverse sorts of eyes and the most I have cause to think will cast ill aspects upon these few lines I have written touching the Moral duty of giving the tenth of our estates to God the Lord Paramount of all that we enjoy as tenants at will by and under this as it were reserved rent But forasmuch as I judge it to be not only a duty as I am a Minister to bear witnesse to every truth in due time and place but especially to look after and eye Gods call to a work of the time when it should be done more eminently and universally and conceiving this to be such a one I trust I shall not be mis-judged by all nor the most of them that truly fear the Lord if in any competent measure they stand loose disingaged from private interests For otherwise truly I shall be in danger of deep censure such of snares and slurs to the drawing of them perhaps to oppose yea persecute this work of mine though intended for the relief of tender consciences and to make a beginning by breaking of the ice in this thing which taske God hath bin pleased all along my life as I could shew in many particulars to lay upon me Interests are diverse of honour some some of profit of friends othersome and ease and peaceable sleeping in a whole skin as we say will be very techy at such things as cause troubles and stirs in places and countreys as the effectual prosecuting of this truth by the hand of power in regard of the practick part is like enough to do But interests are never so dangerous as when coloured over with pretences of piety justice Religion As we read in Samuel of Saul's sparing of Agag and the best of the flock in order as he pretended to the worship and service of God or in pity to that King but this proved a cause of casheerment to Saul by God and another must take his place The Gadarens upon an interest of profit sent Christ away for they were loath to lose their pigs And Diotrephes upon the interest of honour and preeminence opposeth John and the work of Christ in his Churches Interest of friendship was a great blur and scourge to good King Jehosaphat to wit his joyning with Ahab and Ahaziah I might tell you of the interest of relations which was such a cause of folly in King Solomon who by his wives upon this account was drawn to Idolatry Also do we not see that many publike Preachers like the Pharisees oppose Christ in many of his servants because they are not made as it were little Gods as once they were thus many upon the interest of honour miscarry much that promised better when time was But yet truth at last will profligate all that stands in its way and
as it is written of the Governors of Judah Zach. 12.6 Will be like a heath of fire among wood and like a torch of fire in a sheaf and devoure all that stands against it on the right hand and on the left But to the matter in hand For the point of taking away tythes as now they are required and many molested and grieved in spirit some even precious ones for being unwilling to pay them as now made payable and yet made by force so to do I say for this I suppose I shall have many approvers of what I write among such as pretend to the exactest Reformation But the other branch of my assertion will not so easily go down with them Well if it will not yet I hope yet they will not be uncharitable of me that write what I judge to be true and what I think more Saints will see to be a truth shortly In the meane time however I trust that all that have the face of Religion will be loâ—th under a Gospel dispensation shining as the Sun in its strength to be worse and more backward to Minister to the Lord of their substance then the Jewes were who lived under such dark Typical and umbratical administrations And in the meane time I hold forth no other compulsories to be made use of but such as are to work upon conscience for these are the weapons Ministers and Churches must make use of judging such for my part as can finde in their heart to neglect expresse commands of Scripture concerning Ministers maintenance and distributing to the necessities of the Saints yea of any that are in want to be unmeet for communion in Church-Ordinances And let such as will not hear the Church know that the Lord is coming Doubtlesse did Ministers and Saints wield and look upon spiritual weapons with faithful hands and awful eyes there would more be done in souls I meane borne of the spirit incomparably then by all the force of an arme of flesh can ever be expected But I am afraid many Ministers had rather serve the State for visible shpends then Jesus Christ upon Scripture pay which is one maine cause I am perswaded though they shall surely answer for it that so use us that we are so vile and contemptible among the people But some objections are to be answered Obj. 1 Obj. 1. As first that this Nation is uncapable of this way and work there being so many in it whose estates are upon the matter made up of tythes c. and therefore it is at least unseasonable though possibly taking away of tythes as now payable may be effected in time to come Sol. Sol. To which I answer that the Scripture gives us many examples of such as have acted by halves about necessary works upon reasons of State and grounds of policy who have alwayes found at last it had been better for them to have walked exactly and to have done to the utmost what God would have had them to do A grave wise counsel was led into a very ill practice to wit to Vote the Son of God to death upon a reason of policy John 11.47 onward in divers verses And besides we have had experience that some have let slip opportunities and nicks of time wherein they might have done great things which they could never recover again Now therefore while the spirits of the most of the godly in the Land are and have beene upon this point of extirpation of this root of mischief which lieth in the way of advancing Gospel-reformation paying of tythes I mean as they are now required to be paid it seems to me to be the duty of all so farre as in them lieth to promote this work before the door be fully shut and God disowne the present actors for want of faith courage diligence and sincerity And although a sentence of death seem to be passed already upon Christs cause in this particular yet we should not flinch or be discouraged as long as there is any the least possibility of doing good And lastly the procrastinating of a work which God hath marked our to be now to be done by the votes of his sealed ones in all places is a very great offence As in Haggai's time the work of building of the Temple was put off under pretence the time was not come Hag. 1.2 for which they are sharply reproved Obj. 2 Obj. 2. But it may further be objected that the greatest wisest and most learned in the Land cry shame of such motions and some that have beene forward this way have now learned more wit and are as much against it as ever they were for it c. Sol. Sol. True it is Gods works though in their season have seldome found the friendship of great ones Truths of God especially touching upon interests are a continual offence to the great men of this world Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees believed in him was thought a good plea in Christs time Not many wise not many mighty not many noble in Pauls time It is not long agone I taught out of this Scripture But their Nobles put not their neck to the work of their God I confesse this is a great discouragement to many Men of princely race noble blood great parts are not usually saved first The Lord shal save THE TENTS of Judah first Zach. 12.7 And therefore I am not utterly cast down to see many great and learned ones withdrawing their hands from Gods work But I humbly propound two things First whether Moral precepts are out of date I hope none think so that resolve that Christ is Lord and King of his Church and that Morals are of eternal verity 'T is true I confesse that neither this Law of Decimation or tythes nor yet that of a Septimarian Sabbath are primarily Moral but that they are secundarily and positively Moral I have formerly proved for the one and judge so of the other though it be not my present work now to meddle with it And I am perswaded many that dislike my way of handling this matter are yet clear enough of the same judgement with me viz. that tythes are the Lords portion and due Jure Divino Then secondly I humbly demand whether there can be greater evidence that this is a truth of God about removing what hindereth the practising of it I meane then have beene in our age when the spirits of men are raised to obey Christ in all things and to follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth For although it be true that much darknesse is among the godly party about the latter part of my Thesis that tythes are holy to the Lord Morally yet for the catching and snatching of them which is now in use and the compelling of people to give not to Caesar only but to Nobles Lawyers persecutors of the power of godliness and I know to whom else that which is Gods I am perswaded it is generally condemned in the hearts and spirits of
A Discourse OF PAYING OF TITHES By T.L. M.A. Pastour of the Church of Christ at Tavistock in Devon Together with an APPENDIX by way of Apology for the seasonableness thereof LONDON Printed by T.R. E. M. and are to be sold by Francis Eglesfield at the signe of the Marygold in Pauls Church-yard 1656. TO HIS Highness THE Lord PROTECTOUR OF The Common-wealth of ENGLAND SCOTLAND and IRELAND May it please your HIGHNESSE THAT Gods Holy Morall Law may be duly observed Christian Liberty not encroached upon the inward Man commanded by Trueth and Toleration tolerable be tolerated is the designe of this short ensuing discourse It had its conception many Moneths ago and was intended for the late Supream Authority of this Common-wealth of England but now it casts it self before your Highness whom God hath raised up and into whose hands power and opportunities are put to bring great designes into action This is your day to honour him eminently by whom Kings Reign and Princes decree judgement The brood of Travellours returned Exlies must be served too for Christ's sake who is their Lord and yours That it is a piece of your work to take away Snares that have been spread in the way of Saints and yet ly unremoved I humbly suppose you know much better than I can tell These Lines rightly understood refin'd and observed may be a Cloud like a Mans hand for further fruitful Rain that your day may not slip to you or slide too fast for us is the prayer of your Highness humble servant THOMAS LARKHAM CHAP. I. Containeth the Preface or Introduction IT is and hath been often in my thoughts to communicate mine Apprehensions touching that Ball of Contention and rock of offence and snare to tender Consciences the payment of Tithes as now they are payable and required by Law of the Inhabitants of Towns and Villages within this Common-wealth This is looked upon by some as a very great burden to the people of these Nations and not only so but as a great Let to the People of God whereby they are kept from or disabled in the doing of their dutie to them that teach them in the Word and in doing good to all especially to the Houshold of Faith as Stewards of what the Lord hath entrusted them with especially as some hold of the Tenth of their Estate judged to be the Lords portion by a moral Law though not primarily as neither is the Law of a seventh dayes Sabbath Now say many when men are enforced to pay Tithes to Nobles Gentlemen Colledges or such Ministers as are thrust upon them by corrupt Patrons or otherwise and whom they cannot look upon as their Pastours sent of God and set over them regularly hereby they are put out of their way and the Lords portion goeth not the right way but is diverted out of its proper chanel in the judgment of such as hold Tithes due by divine Right which are not inconsiderable either for number judgment and learning or piety And say others otherwise judgemented it is a burden which we hoped the shedding of so much blood and expending such summes of money would long before now have freed us from but we are as we were alas an old penny for a new and scarce that Now I shall humbly propose a few considerations in order to the removal of these inconveniences and for direction or advice to the giving of content to all considerable Complainants being for my part one of them that do judge the Tenth part of Estate and Seventh of time to be holy to the Lord And that those confusions which Antichrist his followers have brought upon the face of the Christian World may be taken away and Gospel-worship be ordered in moral duties thereunto belonging according to the will and mind of God and our Father whose rules we ought to walk by in all observance both to him and our neighbours And if this be a trueth which I know no learned Man to doubt of that the subject matter of Church-admonitions and Proceedings is Bonum malum rectum iniquum pium impium that is to say Good to be observed and evil to be avoided why should not Christs own way be walked in for the effecting of these things in his Church and the particular Congregations thereof throughout the Common-wealth And if it be a sin even for Magistrates and Sword-men Vzzah-like to cart the Ark of God and pretend to keep it from falling without call and rule how much more to protect sacriledge and countenance Antichristian disorders or at least as others that are not of my mindhold to continue to force the People of God to pay Tithes unto them that may as well by a civil Law require Bullocks Goats and Lambes c. for sacrifices or instead thereof or any such thing of Religious off-spring from Christians Jewes or Heathens We find in the stories of the Church that this wicked practice of diverting Tithes out of their due course was first practised by Romane Popes when they were come to that incorrigible pride and liberty to do all things as they pleased Then began they by all oppressing power to grant first exemptions and afterward impropriations transferring Tithes from one to another And so in processe of time when althings were ready merchandise for them that brought most no marvel that the portion of the Lord which was to be payd by divine Rule to Church-officers in their particular Congregations and disposed of by them in relation to the particular charges were taken from them as now they are kept from them and either bestowed upon the Popes kinsmen the lazy Monkes or else some such as could make best friends with any of the Popes creatures were exempted from paying any thing at all And upon the dissolution of those irreligious houses you cannot be ignorant how many filled their Mawes and rode up to the very Horse bridles into those spoils when those dens of theeves were routed Now because the Lords portion seized upon as I said before lay among the devoted things all was taken together and made good prize And because 't was so it must be so or else say our wise Men Children of these Ancestours Purchasers of these Tithes will be wronged if they may not enjoy that which they or their Fathers purchased But in other things they have a proverb Caveat Emptor and a man may seize on his stollen Horse wheresoever he find it and sometimes an honest mao may be in danger of his life for buying it though meaning no harm Why then should not the Lords portion berescued and restored to him And yet other things I shall briefly lay down in order to the making this good That Tithes as now payd are sinfully exacted and received and that the payment of them this way is injurious burthensome sacreligious or at least an hinderance to the performance of Christian dutie according to Gods Law CHAP. II. The main argument is taken from referring
now paiable by Law and custome and to parish Ministers and Lay-proprietaries as they are called or to Colledges and so forth From all these I must crave leave to dissent from the first sort with detestation of their delusions and irreligiousness from the second and third with a protestation that I will yield when mine ensuing reasons are soundly answered which keep me from closing with either opinion And here I shall as I am able set down my present perswasion concerning paying of Tithes in these ensuing particulars 1. That the present payment of Tithes is a grievance to this Common-wealth a propagating of Antichristian sacriledge in regard of impropriations an oppressing of Saints and ensnaring of the consciences of some that are unsatisfied touching their Parochial Ministers and touching the thing it self viz. of paying Tithes an hinderance to orderly members of gathered Churches in many places from doing their duty towards such as are their Officers orderly set over them a strengthening of Christs enemies prophane and scandalous and proud Ministers by giving or paying that to them which by God is appointed for such as are sent by him and gifted and called according to rule 2. That with humble submission it is the Magistrates duty to take away al these burdens and shares that lie on the states and consciences of the godly of the Land and make them unable to discharge their moral duty in their proper Churches which is to communicate unto them that teach them in all good things as the Lord hath ordained compare 1 Cor. 9.14 with Gal. 6.6 3. That Church members ought to be looked upon as a willing people Psal 110.3 and to be severely dealt withall for neglect of duty herein as in other disorderly walkings and not otherwise I mentioned but now three sorts and rejected the first as not worth the taking notice of for why should I look on them that deny the use of a Gospel-Ministery and Church-Ordinances seeing they are not so much as out-side Christians The second sort that would have Ministers to have an honourable and comfortable maintenance allowed to them and setled upon them by Parliamentary power do seeme to many to be far more commendable then the latter sort of which I am to speak by and by but for my part I cannot agree to this opinion for these reasons 1. Because it dispenseth with the performance of that which is most probably at least a Moral duty to wit paying of tythes where they are due 2. Because it supposeth that Christians ought not to chuse their owne Church-Officers or there to joyne and so to give tythes where they enjoy the benefit of labours from him or them to whom they pay their tythes 3. It forceth out from people money whether they will or no which is not suitable to a Gospel spirit 4. It is not so honourable a way as to share and share like in all sorts of blessings that God shall be pleased to bestow upon his people But for the last opinion and cry for the continuance of tythes as now they are payable I much wonder that it hears so well from so many that seeme so wise and godly Let me not seeme to be one of those that would perswade people to rob God for that is farre from my thoughts Nor am I against Universities Schooles Towne Divines or Teachers of the ignorant but do wish that out of such lands and estates as have beene forfeited to the Common-wealth some might be imployed for these pious uses and also do humbly present this to be considered whether it may not be fit by rates and taxes to enforce such as walk not with well-ordered Churches to maintaine such as are set by the Magistrate about any of the forementioned imployments Methinks there should be wisdome enough in this present Government to finde out fit wayes and courses for these things But that which I aime at is 1. That we may not according to the Proverb Rob Peter to pay Paul as the Pope hath done by robbing Parish Churches to maintaine Abbies and Priories c. which hath beene high sacriledge and the cause of much confusion in the Christian world 2. That members of well-ordered gathered Churches be not compelled to pay tythes which belong to their proper Ministers unto such as either Patrons thrust upon them or the prophane multitude get in by an over-ruling Vote or even unto such as being godly Divines appointed by Authority to teach all sorts ought to be cared for some other way Lastly That only spiritual weapons be made use of to deale with Saints in matters that do purely belong to Religion forasmuch as all do not see this truth of the Jus Divinum of tythes and will be offended if they should be enforced by the Civil power to do that as a part of Divine worship which they cannot see so to be CHAP. III. In this Chapter following Objections against this that hath beene said are answered BUt some may say that this taking away of tythes by a Law will be very injurious to Ministers who will be exposed to poverty and want and what justice can there be to inflict such punishments upon those who never deserved it To which I answer that pious and true Ministers of Gods sending have the Lord for their portion and although they should have nothing yet they do possesse all things 2 Cor. 6.10 and yet further the Lord hath provided a liberal maintenance for them as I have shewed before He hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Christ hath declared that the Labourer is worthy of his wages Luke 10.7 And James the Apostle threatens them that keep back c. chap. 5.4 and many arguments are used by Paul 1 Cor. 9.7 c. to confirme this truth but what 's all this to continuing of tythes as they are now payable by Law to Noblemen Gentlemen Colledges Parish Priests or any very unworthy men who yet make the greatest cry by this meanes godly people are disabled from rather then holpen to do their duty to their godly Pastours and Teachers And further I answer that Gods works are most beautiful when they are done in Gods way and not according to the humoroussuperstitious brabling contentious customary wayes of men If paying of tythes be a Moral duty as it is supposed to be at least secundariò and it be confirmed to be in force at least by consequence or equivalence in the writings of the New Testament Why should not Christians be left in this duty to Scripture rules and Church weapons which are not carnal but mighty c. as in other parts of worship But it may be replied that then people will break bonds and cast away Christs cords and make little account of word or censure c. Will they so Why then let our Ministers that are for promiscuous administrations see their errour in that opinion and the sinfulnesse of their practice and learne hereafter