wherein as such I may do nothing for Christ But leaving expostulations however most just let 's see upon what principles this power and duty stands To begin with the beginning we find Adam a King and Priest Melchizedech a King and a Priest the Priesthood annexed to the Primogeniture Hebr. 12.16 which made Esau a profane person in selling his birth-Right Regal and Sacerdotal power went together for many ages of the world All that while their Constitutions for the well ordering of Worship had the force of binding Laws if there were any such Constitutions as such there must be God then propagating his revealed truths through their hands by tradition not as now by Scripture I know him that he will Command Gen. 18.19 belongs to Abrahams Princely and Paternal power both in delivering down the Ordinances of Gods Worship as Laws to his Children and Servants And sure God did not joyn those two Offices in one person but that the Authority of the Prince might winne more awe from the then rude world then if meaner persons were employed in the Priestly Office Hitherto the whole power about holy things was in the Princes hand and this from the beginning a good Argument that with such Alterations as God was pleased to make at several times it is to continue to the end the Magistrate hath power in Gods holy things from the beginning it was so Matth. 19.8 Not but that the Offices were distinct though the person was the same and the Acts several and each deriving its functions immediately from God but being in one they joyned hands and mutually strengthned each other by their several Interests the Prince the Priest by all Actions of a Prince the Priest the Prince by all Actions of a Priest so it should be now they are in several hands and there is need both wayes we need not inquire which way most though it be easy to guesse So it was then and it is most unnatural to think it otherwise every Authority will do it utmost to preserve it self So they run in one Stream till they came to Moses then they divide and what is parted with at that division So much will be removed to other shoulders the rest abiding where it was the time and manner of doing this is found Lev. 8. where we find Moses the Magistrate executing the whole Priestly Office in the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons which Act was done by him as a Magistrate aswel as a Prophet for then the Magistrate devested himself of that power which had rested upon him from the beginning of the world till now and communicating to another Order the Government as to both duties growing now too heavy to rest in one hand through the multitude of those that were governed and the variety of Laws they were governed by and what is now parted with The exercise of the Priests function in all the duties of that place the intrinsecal power of that holy ministration but no more the extrinsecal power of ordering both the people and his Sons in matter of Worship commanding all to do their respective duties tithing encouraging c. Lev. 10.3 4 12 16. This Moses parted not with but exercised often afterwards as the Story represents it to us even quickly after the Consecration though he never offered up Sacrifices with his own hands more if any say these after-attempts of Moses â—ere meerly Prophetical and that the Princely power did not at all put forth it self in them he will say so gratis and without proof it appeares no more was devested the rest then was retained and when we see it put forth why should we doubt whither to referre it Moses Prophetical Spirit was not necessary to direct about what God had already revealed but about what was further to be received from God But this was a power anciently communicated long used yea in new injunctions from God the receiving and communicating them were Actions of the Office Prophetical but the binding people to the observance of them by a legal establishment is the Action of the Office Princely and its legislative power had by Moses indeed after a manner extraordinary but belonging to that power however Lawfully had and held of God And this difference is altogether the same in the Laws against Murder and Adultery Moses otherwise forbids them as a Prophet otherwise as a Prince and although my Neighbour unadvisedly limit civil Laws to things indifferent P. 11. yet I hope this upon second thoughts will not be stood upon And this reserved power of Moses does yet further appear a certain and perpetual branch of his Princely Government in that all succeeding Magistrates after him Judges and Kings had it and used it both those that were Prophetically inspired and those that were not the good ones to establish good things for the House of the Lord the evil ones to neglect Gods House and draw people to Idolatry the Priests never medling with this matter none but Jehoida appearing upon this Stage and he in a time of great distresse as by right his wife next of kindred to the crown the seed Royal being all destroyed in the Kings Minority as Guardian 2 Kin. 11.17 18. 2 Chro. 23.18 24.15 16. Tutor and Protector to the King in his Infant State yet even he for all his age Authority doing good in Israel both towards God and his House yea and towards the House of the King too yet the King grown up is under command even about the affaires of the Temple he was High Priest in hath matters put into his hands is called to account reproved 2 Kin. 12.4 7 8. and business otherwise ordered consents to all that 's done without any contradiction as in a thing belonging not to his office but to the Kings If this had been an encroachment no person so fit as Jehoiada no season so opportune as under a young King so highly obliged for his life and Crown to attempt the recovery of this power and restore it to its proper place he that had Authority and courage enough to keep in the Spirits of King Princes and People 2 Chro. 24.17 18. 2 Kin. 12.2 so strongly addicted to Idolatry all his dayes would not have likely failed in a meaner business that had belonged to his trust But this not the work of one King or two but of every one that was good no way disallowed in them by God but extoll'd and the best Reformers having this constant Character that they did that which was good in the sight of the Lord. And whereas there was but one of them that presumed to execute the Priests Office 2 Chro. 26.17 18. the Priests valiantly resisted him here they knew what was within the Kings Commission and what not seldom do men a whole rank Society of men Generation after Generation want courage to lay claim to and vindicate their just powers yea and God himself presently testifies his dislike
great weight and obstinacy in any evill to preserve the reputation of our wisedome will be an hainous crime in any Cause much more in this As a Conclusion of this Discourse I shall adde some general Answers to other mens Exceptions against the Magistrates making Laws in matters of Religion and then I shall have done with the second Plea The first Pretence is the difficulty of defining to the Magistrate his due bounds in such matters All yield some infirmities of mind as to the belief of Truth allowable as well as some infirmities of heart as to the practice of Duty And where shall we set the bounds why such a difficulty now more then under the Old Testament Hath Christ given us the Gospel to obscure the Truths of God or to make them more illustrious At least fix there this at first sight is reasonable let the bounds that then were as to matters moral and perpetual be now 2. May we not agree thus far to restrain men from trampling under their feet that blood which must save them and from doing despite to the Spirit of Grace keep men from committing that sin which shal never be forgiven them 3. Can we punish an Adulterer with death and yet tolerate those filthy Principles through which he was led to commit it 4. If men hold principles formally destructive of Civil Government shall these by that Law be tolerated by which Civil Government is upheld For my part I professe though I am not so self-conceitedly cruel as to wish nothing tolerated yet I cannot but tremble at an Act of Toleration for any thing that is evil For what is that but to make a State-allowance for men to sin Should I hear of an Act of Toleration to but an officious lye I should think it an evil greatly to be lamented yet I would not have every such a one haled to the tribunal of publick Justice for it If any thing be to be declared in the matter of Toleration it were more proper to declare severely what they will not tolerate then what they will But this Conscience is a tender thing and may not be forced Religion is not to be beaten but perswaded into men Gen. 9.27 that 's the way of the Gentiles Conversion Prophesied of Why Lawes Politick have for their end to revenge the evil done by executing wrath upon the doer to the terrour of others the recovery and salvation of the offendor onely so far as is consistent with this So in other matters why not so here too Rom. 13.4 Must Conscience be made a sacred Asylum for all manner of villanies to have a refuge to and there defie the justest Lawes that are made against them Thou shalt take him from my Altar that he die saith God Every Malefactor may escape thus But are Poenal Lawes no helps towards the conversion of him that suffers them unadvisedly sure God whips men so often into pure Consciences by several chastisements A power indeed there goes with the Rod but it would be a power alone if the Rod did nothing Nor so fitly sure is chastening children so often commanded unto Parents All other Parents come to their children with a Rod heavenly and earthly and they suppose and finde it to their childrens good profit Shall the publick Father alone either have no Rod or his an unprofitable one Rods do not change the heart but they may awaken the secure quiet sinner unto a consideration of his wayes they may soften the hearts stubbornness Eccl. 7.14 though then 't is another hand must set to the seal when the wax is softened when they doe least they may restrain the impudent profession of sin though they cannot remove the love of sin in the heart Laws against Murder and Adultery cannot take away the inclination of the heart to such sins yet are they not in vain We cannot by law change a sinners heart but we may change his place by Law Our Our Brethren in New-England can banish them whom they cannot reclaim We cannot by Law change mens hearts yet we may by Law encourage them who by Christ are imployed for that very purpose and remove from them those that seduce and pervert them and this will go very far towards the changing of their hearts If conscience be a thing that cannot be forced why fear we making Laws about it If Lawes are good they may direct warn draw a bad conscience and it were not much harm if they could force it better is a forced good then a free evil If Lawes are bad what fear we they may discover a bad conscience but they cannot force the good But here is another sore Objection Few men are good and great too Not many mighty Buchanans message to King James when he lay upon his death-bed is too true He was a going to that place whither few Kings would follow him Will not this rather hazard the persecution of the good conscience rather then the punishment of the evil Were it not better that known Malefactors should be spared now that hereafter if ungracious Magistrates be set up in wrath Gods people may be spared under them Doubtless a very subtil device and pity that Hezekiah did not wisely foresee what the conditon of Gods people might be under his Son Manasses and tolerate Idolaters under his Reign that so Manasses might tolerate the true worshippers under his Nay let us enlarge the politick counsel too If Parents and Masters that are godly should suffer sin in their children and servants in hopes that the many Parents and Masters that are wicked will doe the like to their children and servants that are godly would it not be deep designe too especially the good Parents and Masters being so few and the bad so many What care doe men take sincere Christians may never feel the Crosse Yet that was one of Christs Legacies to his it was the Apostles glory is that to which all they that will live godly are appointed and the first Christians counted them happy that endured but with us how effeminate and worldly and ambitious a thing is the profession of Religion grown to be Grace shal spare sin that sin hereafter may spare grace Have we this league within us too or are we sure sin will stand to the terms never look that wicked ones will deale so gently with the good conscience as we expect they should Papists never yet gave us any such instances to hope so and if the witnesses be not yet slain by them and far wiser men then I think they are not there is a sea of blood more to be added to what is under the Whores skirts already Pray how long is it since the Lion turned Lamb Blood is an essential ingredient in the Religion of a Papist and let those who have received the most deadly principles that Popery hath in the Doctrinal part of it already adde but the open profession of Popery yea let them but hold the same things
of this attempt by smiting the Intruder with a Leprosy while he had a Censer in his hand Verse 19. Verse 21 23. and was wroth with the Priests and this never cured upon him to the day of his death though a good King repenting doubtlesse and pardoned and many prayers offerd up for him by all the Faithful God would make him a standing example to after Princes that they should not stretch beyond their commission in matters of Religion Now if what was done and that so generally were an usurpation as well as this likely God would have been jealous here too and not have suffered himself to be perpetually nosed in matters he is so exceeding tender of yet this never done they not once blamed but alwayes commended and the Neglecters ever branded with a Note of Infamy for their neglect yea the thing so pleasing to God that he delights to speak of the doing of so acceptable a thing and will make mention of the name of that blessed Instrument he intends to make use of for this purpose above three hundred years before he was born 2 Kin. 13.2 yea and an Heathen Cyrus shall be honoured with the like favour about two hundred years compute the uttering of that Prophecy Is 44.28 and the beginning of the seventy years how you please before he was born for this very thing not only for saying to Jerusalem Thou shalt be built but for saying also to the Temple This Foundation shall be laid and God sure would never set so large a Character of honour so long before upon that Action which if an unwarrantable exorbitancy from mens bounds of duty could never have pleased him Nay in this very thing we treat of Ministers maintenance till Hezekiah's time it seems there needed no Laws under the raign of good Kings and the malice of bad ones afforded none though like enough there needed then but then what an expresse one do we find 2 Chro. 31.4 this before the captivity after the captivity another Neh. 13.10 11 12. These I proposed to my Neighbour as appeares to which he addes P. 5. Is 49.13 a place never once by me mentioned to him and this which I mentioned not he frames an answer to such as it is but to that I did indeed alledge he sayes nothing if this be fair dealing Neighbour in your serious howrs for conscience to conferre with it self do you judge yet this must not serve your turn either therefore show us that these had no such power it was a meer usurpation or show us plain evidence of Scripture for the revoking of this power or yeeld to the unanswerable conviction of truth for you may not slyly carry away such a matter as this is by saying nothing to it After Nehemiah's time the Priestly and Princely power meet again not as at first Princes becoming Priests but Priests becoming Princes so it was for a time before under the Government of Eli and so it continued â—ill the Romans a third party 1 Machab. 14.41 between Brethren contending swallowed up all whatever Authority those times may afford it is wholly ours in this cause Plain Resolutions these for such a power in Magistrates once had how came they so considerable a Pearl in the Crown of Princes to drop out thence a plain expresse revoking is not pretended to and consequences had need be very manifest in a matter of this weight 't is easy to daily with such kind of proofs as he that found out a repeal for this power in Matth. 5.38 39. and Gen. 49.10 such manner of proofs men may alledge by the scores but to do this soundly clearly and convincingly will be an hard thing This is the usual plea that the power of Magistrates in making Laws about Church matters was typical and to cease upon the coming of Christ Typical and Ceremonial are two words that help us at a dead list many a time when we have nothing else to say but pray Sirs were Cyrus and Artaxerxes types of Christ too Ezra 7.27 And how is it proved that all the Kings of Judah were Types of Christ And if so in any respect how appears it they were so as Law-makers in matters of the Church and if so why not asmuch in matters of State Matth. 28.18 Eph. 1.22 Rev. 2.23 all power is given to Christ and he is the head of all things to the Church what else is killing Children with death but an execution of such a power Spiritual Weapons cut off after another manner yet if Typical must it needs therefore be repealed Melchizedech's benediction was Typical most of any thing in his Ministery yet I hope not repealed therefore I have my Neighbours Testimony with me in this business who pleading for free will-offerings P. 17. finds them out in the old Law and addes This was Typical Therefore I suppose to continue under the Gospel because Typical if nothing else hinder not therefore to be abrogated that Type of Christ whose fulfilling was mysterious let that be abrogated by Christ but that Type whose fulfilling was literal may and I suppose must abide still Be it then Typical yet as Christ blessed Abraham the Father of Believers by Melchizedech his Type and now blesses Believers the Children of Faithful Abraham by Ministers who are in his stead so Christ may provide for the Church by Magistrates his Types under the Law so now may he do the same by Magistrates who in the Acts of their office are in Christs stead too I ask now whether the meer consideration of a Type can overthrow this In fine therefore whatever things are contained in this shift are uncertain vain empty all and grant as much in courtesy as they can ask yet then unconcluding too I shall now see what may be said for the affirmative that this power duty still continues in Magistrates hands now under Gospel times Matth. 5.17 1 Tim. 1. I hope it will not be denied that the moral Law is of force now as ever as a rule of duty out of that there are two Commandments which resolve this power to be in the Magistrate The fourth wherein the Stranger is Commanded to keep the Sabbath-day and who shall engage him to this but the civil Magistrate every Stranger within their Gates was not a Proselyte to be kept in by the Authority of the word Nehemiah's Example is a good exposition upon the Law in this thing 11. In the fifth Commandment none doubts but the Magistrate is concerned and that what a private Father hath to do in his Family that the publick Father hath to do in the Common-wealth so much at least and more and that man is a sad Father who thinks himself not engaged to Command his Children in first Table duties aswel as in second Table ones they are not worthy to be called the Children of Abraham Eph. 6.4 and have not learnt what the Apostles nurture and admonition means why not the same
of others that our trust in Christ for our necessary preservation must be in the use of honest means that we may not tempt God if God set Meat before us we must not say when we need it We will not eat it for we will trust God Indeed to leave the Lawful means of our preservation and fly to unlawful means that we may secure our welfare is indeed not to trust God we look for a proof that it is thus in our present case but we find it not here Go on then Would you have Governours to do that which God never commanded them nor us to do P. 4. What the Vs hath to do in this matter where the question is about civil Laws I could not readily find out I will suppose the best sense of it I can imagine your meaning may be thus much Would you have our Governours impose that which God never commanded them to impose nor us to pay Then this begges the question on both sides of Gods command to us to pay we have spoken in the first Sect of Gods command to the Magistrate to see those Laws of his obeyed in this present Ministers maintenance is holy P. 4 6. and Magistrates have power only in civil things Suppose Ministers maintenance determined particularly by God then it is holy as appointed by God and as appointed to God both yet even then would Magistrates have a power though not to make any original Laws to make them de novo due which is done to their hands by the Law of God yet to see Gods Law executed and obeyed and to redresse the neglect of it why not this aswell now as under the Law What reason drawn precisely from the Holiness of the maintenance to the contrary Again suppose Ministers maintenance not determined particularly but only in general then holy it is as generally determined and as separated to God and his service not to be alienated without Gods consent but the particular determination whether by private devotion or by publick Sanction is not holy as such only as it is the execution of a Law in general about maintenance and as it now respects an holy use both which were not in it before the consecration else that would not be arbitrary this then is civil and therefore by force of this Argument belongs to the Magistrate Is 5.4 it not being holy till after the consecration as in the case of Ananias and Saphiras sacrilege it is plain And I would know what reason there is from this Argument against a Magistrates determination which may not be applied to a private Christians aswell the handes of a Christian Magistrate may be as fit to make a civil thing holy as of an Heathen Magistrate yea as of a private Christian for what does Magistracy â—ake men profane who were not so before Show me a reason of this difference why a private Christian by his own Voluntary determination may make a civil thing holy when a Christian Magistrate may not and rest within the bounds of this Argument if you can If then the proportion determinate be not appointed by God then before and in its determination it is civil after its determination alone it becomes holy till then by your own reasoning 't is fit for any hand publick aswel as private to meddle with But what if the principle on which this unconcluding reason is built be unsound also I shall now try the strength of what you bring for the proposition That the Magistrates power is only in civil things therefore it was but in civil things therefore Notes an Argument let 's see now what it is P. 4. Because when Peter and Paul gave this command there was not one Christian King upon Earth they knew not Christ therefore what that the commanded obedience is only in civil things why civil and holy are termes contradistinct not civil and Christian It is knowable without Gospel light that there is a God that this God is to be Worshipped that some persons are to be employed in his Worship as Ministers of his holy things that to these an honourable maintenance is due from those for whose sakes they Minister Heathen Magistrates might be bound to take care of these things though Christ had never been Preached to them and these things are holy too so your conclusion will never be drawn from your premises were they never so faultlesse unlesse you will say that the Magistrate hath nothing to do to see that the name of God himself be not openly and professedly blasphemed if you think so speak out But consider your therefore once again if it be well inferred from the premises it must be thus what the Mgistrates in Peter and Pauls time did not meddle with they have no power to meddle with now but they did not meddle in matters of Christian Religion to establish any Laws for it and its Ministers therefore c. A rare Argument for Papists and Sectaries to glory in let them add too carelesse Gallios Speech 18.15 who professed he would be a Judge of no such matters yea and if they please the riot suffered by him before the very judgement seat Acts 18.15 most worthy Examples for believing Magistrates to take pattern by But meddle they did not belike out of tendernesse of conscience Nero good man was afraid to invade the Churches privileges or to touch Christs Royalty to prepare for his Ministers what an over-sight was this before Gallio and Nero reformed the world in it what meant David to make such provision for the Temple when Pharaoh meddled with no such things when Israel was in Aegypt Davids inspirations about these things were Prophetical but his Sanctions about them were regal nay and Nehemiah too stroke upon the same Rock of errour as all the good kings of Judah had done before him notwithstanding Pharaohs Example for he also ventured to make Laws about the Worship of God when Nebuchadnezzer had done no such thing when the people were in Babylon Much in the same manner was Constantine guilty who durst make Laws for the Church of Christ whâ—ch none of his predecessours ever did Despise the laudable Examples of Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzer Nero an high insolence I assure you pitty we make not Neros commissions exemplary as well as his omissions and so engage Magistrates to persecute Ministers as well as not provide for them Oh how many are the things those men never meddled with not only towards Christ but also towards God and their own subjects which it was their duty to have meddled with It should be such things belonged not their Office therefore they did well in not meddling with them whereas you conclude strangely they meddled not with it therefore it belonged not to their Office We reverence the Examples of holy men of God approved in Scripture but the Examples of Heathen not appoved yea condemned in Scripture as I have already proved abundantly such Examples we desire may not be
those two examples were given 12. When I asked you whether you did demand it by the Law of God you answered no. I did not say so only I waved that question as being unwilling to trouble him with it 13. He addes immediately as from me you were no Jew nor Levite c. This was not in answer to the question about the Law of God in general as he relates it falsely but in answer to the question of the Law of God as it made Tithes due to the Levitical Priesthood as such for I was no Jew Aug. 25. 1656. c. This he wrote out of the Narrative of the Conference word for word from whence he might have related the rest with faithfulness for it was before him 14. When I asked you Do you require it by the gift of Indulgent Princes you say no. The quite contrary is most true I alwayes pleaded it to him by the gift of Indulgent Princes and people and never used to him any Argument but that and my similitude to make things plain to him was this A Testatour dies and leaves me a Legacy his Executor refusing to pay is constrained to it by order of Law the Law here does not ground the Title but the Testators will P. 13. it only confirmes the will and affords a remedy to the injured person This he knows and hath confessed was my Language to him see what he Prints 15. Yet to deceive the simple you plead both I challenge him to name the person to whom I have said otherwise in this or in any other point then I have said to him and then it will appear whether this be a slander or no. 16. Your Predecessor takes 20. l. per an of you to let you have the living and cometh once or twice a year for his money and Preacheth a Sermon to colour it over Untrue and incredible both through the grace of God I am what I am I hope they that know me do not believe that I need lay our money to purchase a living I was sought to from London at that very time from a people there after a free and full Election as I have to show under their hands this in the midst of my relations and acquaintance and was it likely I should wound my Conscience so deep without cause that I might place my self in the dirt far from my Friends among a company of meer strangers or if I were so vain as well as wicked could not this money matter be carried closely as such manner of purchases are want to be were we all so many of us such sots as to proclaim our wickedness in the face of the Sun No no there was no such matter if ever I saw Gods hand in any particular providence all my life it was in his over-ruling hand disposing me for Staplehurst and bringing me to it it was Gods work I am most undoubtedly assured of it and not the Devils had I not seen it most apparently I had never staid here what was done between me and my Predecessor was done before many witnesses it was but this Two Ministers consenting to Preach to the same people by consent likewise share the proportion both of time and maintenance which each should have that there might be no difference about these things afterwards a thing not only lawful to be done but in a manner necessary on my part with all sincerity undertaken and performed God is witness as for my truely honoured Predecessor his integrity needs not my defence he is able to do it himself in a season and manner convenient if need be 17. More might be said from experience in this Parish but I spare a most merciful Reviler we are guilty in things it seems not to be named such is the modesty and tender-heartedness of the man For my part where I walk out of the way of my duty I desire not to be spared let him or any man reprove me in a way of Gospel Charity he that spares my sins does not spare me is cruel to me I desire for ever so to think But if the concealed matters be of the same nature as this which is expressed and one would think impudent lies should not be uttered and things true hid oh that he would at last learn to spare his own soul use no more false and uncharitable reproaches and repent of these even the Saints God is a consuming fire 18. They presently prepare war Mic. 3.5 P. 19. there is no presently in the Text either in word or sence but it s put in that I after above three years patience may be the more deeply wounded by a false accusation how often have I been thanked by this man and commended for my long forbearance 19. Like the Priests Boyes 1 Sam. 2.15 16 17. had my Neighbour pleased I might have had that name of scorn put upon me without changing the translation he uses into a worse from a visitation Sermon the Levites that Ministred unto the Priests in holy things did begin their service from 30. years age Num. 4.3 I have attained through Gods patience some years above that and yet can well enough bear that Title without any injurious reflexions upon the infirmities of old age Alas how childish are such Contests as these in Print and how unbeseeming the honour of Religion 20. P. 7. I adde one more drawn from the very cause all these are personal a thing more then once we are told of and it tends to weaken the force of our civil constitutions in the behalf of Tithes That those Princes Laws that first established Tithes in England did also establish the Catholick Faith of the Church of Rome and all Traitors that denied it whether this be a truth or no Though with an impudence to amazement he bring it in with Be it known to you I am sure he knows it not to be a truth for being desired where thee Laws might be found now he tells me of Henry the eighth no great Establisher of Tithes I think to be sure not the first by and by he tells me of Magna Charta wherein Tithes are not at all mentioned but included in general among the rights of the Church And whether ever there were any Law that makes it treason not to be of the Religion of Rome let the skilful in the Law judge heresy likely More of this nature hereafter but treason not likely These uncharitable Censures and plain Falsehoods I have privately demanded satisfaction for and offer'd a fair debate of them before indifferent men matters of Fact coming most of them within the compass of an ocular demonstration may admit of a speedy decision if men will but see what is before their eyes and this I did that I might prevent this ungrateful narrative had it been accepted and now I am still ready by the same means to make good the narrative I have given to prevent unnecessary replyes to this part of the
Churches of the Gentiles the Jewish had all things in common and yet it will not help the cause it is produced for by him and may be by others for though payed both at once they are payments distinct in nature having several grounds and several measures to direct and determine conscience by asmuch as if they were paid never so much asunder P. 18. Yet this instance is made a Rule for all Churches to walk by and to this purpose 1 Cor. 7.17 and 1 Cor. 4.17 are produced neither of which speak to the matter of maintenance particularly if at all Now to see the unhappiness of this man in all his reasonings be all this granted that the Ministers maintenance is no otherwise determined by God then the Poors and that the Apostles Ordinance about this in one Church is a Rule for all Churches it will then deserve an inquiry to know what that Ordinance was this we must take at the first Original Law about it not upon an after-Act upon special reasons varying in one particular from the first general constitution That we find a punctual Law indeed and pretty general 1 Cor. 16.1 2. but this runs quite in another strain the Rule is determinate and a very strait one too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arian Epict. l. 4.15 Proclaim that thou art at peace with all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatever they do to thee not as God hath prospered him in yet that is not the proportion of the heart and mind of the Giver but whatever he hath thriven in the whole increase of their stock in trading that week uncertain you will say that and whether we will or no we must leave it to mens wills and consciences unius cujusque arbitrio conscientiae what shall we leave so most Excellent Capel not the Law that 's determined in the Text it must be his obedience to the Law and that the Apostle left indeed not to mens wills that 's unhansome that word arbitrio but to their consciences that they deal faithfully in obedience to his Command to the utmost of their knowledge and for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a caveat sufficient indeeed Answer this to that learned mans exception about personal Tithes for which he brings those words This being the Laws in Corinth it met with a proud sturdy covetous people with whom the whole increase of a great gainful trading that City flourished in would have amounted to too great a summe for an evil eye contentedly to part with the Apostle having notice of it and their proneness upon every occasion to division through the influence false Teachers had among them takes quite another course in the second Epistle from what he used in the first not commanding them peremptorily without a reason nor appointing them what to give in any sense of the words but because of the hardness of their hearts leaving them free in the summe and endeavouring to raise them up another way by many most melting Arguments in two whole Chapters which course he had omitted altogether before so it appeares this was a special indulgence upon special causes relaxing the rigour of a severe Canon to the Corinthians and to them only as to all other Churches remaining in its full force vertue You will say this could not last long for men to bear all the losses in trading themselves and others to carry away all the gain true no more it did not the order it self expresses its own expiration when the Apostle came to carry away their charity to Jerusalem and for what I can see to the contrary it was but one weeks burden so far is it from being a perpetual Law for Ministers maintenance that it was not so much as a perpetual Law for Collections for the Poor so exceeding inconsiderable is this allegation to the purpose in hand yet one place there is which speaks to the Ministers maintenance indeed Phil. 4.17 18 19. we find diverse such in the Old Testament to Prophets especially which were never therefore pleaded Rules that so it ought to be done alwayes and no otherwise yet this is plainly and fully to the instance Payments to Ministers are either out of duty to supply them as God hath Commanded them to be supplied these have their measures bounded and not left arbitrary to the discretion and will of the people Other payments are out of courtesy as Testimonies of that love and kindness which is comely good people should and many do bear to their Ministers these are altogether arbitrary a little signifying love aswel as much Which of these two sorts the Philippians were does depend upon the knowledge of the Apostles then state if not necessitous we may admit the free will-offering in this place it being an Act of courtesy and Christian care if necessitous as it seems by Verse 14. and 16. the Gift was not free but a matter of plain duty will any deny this bounded as hath been forementioned and smelt never the worse in Gods nostrils for being Commanded and having an other Rule and measure besides mans own will See v. 10.14 The summe of this is Contribution to the Apostle in a necessitous condition was in it self a duty in its measure so far as it had a correspondency with Gods bounds then pointed out and known as hath been declared that was a duty too if in any thing their bounty exceeded this will be referred to their courtesy and was indeed a free Gift and as then so it is now the Stint does not thrust out the free Gift if men have hearts to exceed P. 2. P. 18. But these are the Sacrifices alone which are accepted with God that only and God accepts no other it must needs be so then indeed we have cause to look to that see what 's brought to convince us 1 Chro. 28.9 Again that What will not serving the Lord be accepted unlesse without a Command if will-worship become the only acceptable worship in your account how at randome do you write 1 Chro. 29.5 6 9. Accepted no doubt these were but the word only is wanting there were other Laws acknowledged at that time and were these snares to men they must obey them because Laws but they could not be accepted in their obedience to them because Laws too Oh do not write so reproachfully to the goodness of God 2 Cor. 9.14 and 8.1 Contribution is called a grace and that to their power Verse 2. was a grace enabling them to do their duty if the Apostle reason well Rom. 15.27 beyond their power was grace enabling them to an uncommanded Act of mercy obedience to just Commands is of grace Where there is a Ye must needs be subject Rom. 13.5 this done for conscience sake is a grace and accepted too is it not so still here wants the only Phil 4.17 18 19. The free Gift is an odour phy P. 2. P. 18. why put you in the word free 't
Judas saying thus much I will have as if we may not be Masters of our own courtesies and define how much lesse then a due we will take without being worse then Judas the Priests Boy and the taking by force when a peaceable appeale to them who by God and man are appointed to end strife is only used Judas furnishing his table with what they freely gave not what will you give me should he so for what for selling of Christ all these are Ravings which become not a sober Christian Pen so men write when anger makes them weigh nothing but how they may bite deepest and most vex an Adversary But I am not angry at the indignity of your comparison much lesse shall I requite you railing with railing I tell you truely how I am affected with it I grieve at your sin and pity your inconsiderateness so I end your first reason only requesting you to remember that a Stinted maintenance is acknowledged by you to have been Gods own maintenance and you should take heed how you say that is a snare to coveteousness Second Reason P. 23. Because compulsion should not be an obstruction or hinderance to the Gentiles embracing the Gospel The Gentiles why not the Jews too put them both in the reason is the same but it touches not the cause The question is about a summe Stinted as you terme it not about the Ministers exacting the said summe and compelling the unwilling to pay men must first understand what the unsearchable Riches of Christ are before they be perswaded to part with their riches for Christ by any law general or particular of God or of man this is well expressed by you that Ministers must forbear their own power and lose their own right and all to make the people in love with the ways of Christ and this in challenging free contribution yea and any other maintenance 't is all one a commanded Stint unseasonably required would hinder the Gospel no more then a commanded free Contribution unseasonably required under penalty of damnation Put me in the Apostles case and if I then obey not the Apostles Example let me lye under reproof it were strange this to hear of Master Edgot and Master Preachers to the newly converted Indians that they converted maintenance from those they Preach to what is done for the support of such Ministers must come from other Churches and I hope does to them should I professedly forbear you in order to the making you in love with the wayes of Christ you are turned aside from would not you scorn the motion I did it to you for above three years and to many others to this day yet I see not that you are the nearer to repentance for it Third Reason Because that should be a badge by which Christ will have his Church known even their willingness this with all its proofs is answered already the willingness of Christs Subjects consists not in having no Command but in a free ready obedience to the Command for the other to call that the badge of Christs Subjects is no reason is the very question between us P. 24. Fourth Reason Because it should be a band of love still between Ministers and people it will be hard to prove that a maintenance determined breaks love no though by the Laws of man but of that hereafter and as hard to prove that the maintenance undetermined would remedy all by no means for will not the charging them with their duty in general that the Minister have a portion under the penalty of damnation telling them else they have not that Faith that works by love and that their Faith will not availe to Salvation and this continually urged upâ—n them till they repent anger them that love their money too well aswel as if we Preached yea sued for any maintenance determinately Let this present maintenance be taken away and people left to maintain their Ministers by free Contribution out of the nine parts remaining this being diverted to other publick uses then suppose me but in a low degree covetous and what will they do what contentious questions about what Ministers may live upon what apparrel he his Wife and Children must wear what services his Children must be put to to ease the Church what Servants he must keep in his Family what Diet at his Table what he may lay out upon Books what Portion he may give with a Child what to the Poor A hundred such contentious questions which when they shall come to be scanned by the Church will make as much work for strife as the heart of the Devil can wish For when the matter is brought before the Church what must they do why they are according to God to determine it and according to rule so the reverend and holy Hooker this is not according to the mind and heart of the Giver Survey St. 3. P. 31. no though Church Contribution be a free will-offering in regard it should willingly and with a ready heart be tendred unto God yet neither in the Old Testament P. 37. nor under the New the thing it self nor yet the measure of it was left to a mans own dispose or liberty then according to the heart of God it must be determined and not according to the heart of man but what is that proportion that is according to God and according to the Rule if a tenth the cause is ended if any other we would gladly see it if none how is this like to be determin'd according to God and according to the Rule general bounds are hardly hit at when it comes to particulars in defining either to the Minister his double honour or to the Brother his ability and this will be much more difficult when we consider what the end of this Church proceeding must be to the peremptory Refuser excommunication for refusing this particular proportion defined by the Church but now here defined by God It is safely therefore advised to prevent such a Scandal that it may not come by each mans knowing his proportion what he should do before he do it and it is as safely practised in most of the Churches Boston excepted that when these proportions will not be taken notice of that the Town determines the matter by destraining not the Church by excommunicating and well that too only it would more cut off all contradicting strife to bottome the destraint upon a determination of Gods not of mans it would doubtless if it were so determined in all 〈◊〉 the lesse is left to mens private determinations the more are al doors to strife stop'd all men know their own and all are contented or must be whether they will or no. And indeed that we may close this third Proposition by confronting reason with reason even for a special particular determination and not onely a general one opposite to the mind and heart of the giver It seemes hard to be believed that ever God should now at last
2 Cor. 8.3 yet it is beyond doubt they paid a tenth and more the number of Believers being for the greatest part of the poorer sort and they often sending relief to the Saints at Jerusalem and doing it to their power and beyond their power if this was not done in kind neither is it so with us in many places only with this difference then they paid much more in money then if they had paid the tenth in kind now they pay much lesse yet what is this to the change of the way there is a special reason for it they were then in a moving condition through manifold persecutions and though the Apostles in planting of Churches and ordaining of elders in every City did endeavour to bring them to a seâ—ed fixed State yet the rage of the Dragon gave them little rest first by the angry Jewish little Dog then by the fierce Heathen Mastife worrying them out of their goods and lives too Cruel edicts doing them much mischief and the Licentious Plundering Souldiers much more In such extremities there was no time of orderly Gathering and laying up Tithes in kind what they had was for the service of the Church no man looked for more then from hand to mouth all preparing for present Martyrdom yet even then as there was any breathing some instances are of payments in kind even of Tithes though I suppose not in the bulke but by Peice-meales as the necessity of those times required nothing then is to be drawn from these instances to prove Gods relinquishing his right to Tithes they paying more then a Tenth in valew other reasons being abundantly given why they did not pay a tenth in kind What the great Lud. Capel addes out of Matth. 23.23 from Christs opposing Tithing Mint and Anise and Cummine to the weightier matters of the Law which would not be if the Law were Moral is of small moment the opposition being not between the weightier matters and Tithe simply would the Learned Man say that to pay Tithes simply under the Law was not a weighty thing but between the weightier things and Tithes of mint c. so on the other side Christs ought here is insufficiently alledged for the morality of them because at this time all three Laws were standing so this Scripture may be let alone on both sides Adde we now for a close for all that Tithes are Christs Portion given P. 2. Hebr. 7.8 saith my Neighbour but I say paid by Abraham to Melchizedech and in him to Christ Levi a Tith-taker that dies Christ a Tith-taker that lives and so is Eternally due as long as such things are to be paid on Earth if Christ be not a perpetual taker of Tithes the Opposition is of no advantage on Christs side but Levi had it for he was a Tith-taker many ages of Generations together how then shall Christ take this due being now in Heaven but by those that are in his stead on Earth 2 Cor. 5.20 so he ever received Tithes even when he was in Earth and much more so now he is in Heaven This and 1 Cor. 9.14 upon the supposition that Tithes are no part of the Ceremonial Law have we as positive evidence that the particular determination of a tenth is still in force besides all that hath been said to answer the pretences for a repeal And what 's the issue of all are Tithes still of Divine right and to be resolved so by the force of these reasons I humbly submit them and my self to the censure of them that are able to Judg and will do it as becomes Christians without bitterness disdain As for you my good Friend truely loved Neighbour however I am dealt with by you I only say thus much do not scorn the question of the Divine right till you have distinctly and plainly answered what is here pleaded for it I shall readily and thankfully receive any light may be given me by them that can see further then my self even by you or any communicated by word or writing but meer words and confident assertions will not do it much lesse bitterness and wrath and clamours and evil speaking I may without arrogance affirm that nothing but plain Scripture demonstration must carry it against the reasons given and such I hope I shall freely acquiesce in there will be no need of reviling terms as long as I am ready to lay down my errour and my Tithes with it assoon as it is proved to be a Levitical Ceremony and so a sin to take it and not only nakedly affirmed one clear Scripture ground will go further with me then a thousand empty affirmations waspes without stings make an angry noise to fright Children but they hurt them not The Ministers second Plea for his Portion The Magistrates Power and Duty in making Laws for the Church I Am now to begin a new Webbe but that which I hope we shall see come about sooner the power and duty of Magistrates to see Gods Laws for the maintenance of his Ministers put in execution A question wherein Magistrates have many Adversaries but it is a great cause of grief to see some Magistrates their own Adversaries The grand Adversary here is the Papist whose usual reproach it is that our belief followes the State and that our Religion is Parliamentary but we can bear with such reproaches it is more comfortable to see a Papist raile against the truth then trample over it but that within those walls there should be found so many that think Religion an unfit thing to determine of is a thing greatly to be lamented May Papists for ever fear the name of a Parliament under what cunning disguise soever they dresse themselves and may Parliaments never turn their feares into despisings by making themselves Vile in their eyes what are Magistrates lesse under Christ in the New Testament then they were in the Old Does not reason tell us that the scope of Politick Societies is not meerly to live but to live well and is there any living well without the Soul be provided for Hath God declared and done so much against the Idolatry of the people of Israel and do we not yet think that the care of Gods Worship is of main concernment to the temporal welfare of a people Do such Magistrates think themselves keepers of swine whose care is only that they have Meat and Drink that they gore not one another and be not a prey to them that invade them Have not we Souls to provide a well-being for as well as bodies What a torture and plague would it be for a man of a Spirit Zealous for Christ to be a Magistrate if he must have great power put into his hands enabling him to do much and yet withal his hands bound that he shall do nothing I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of God in the meanest Office wherein as such I may Act for Christ then in the highest Office of State
in second Table duties The heart must be changed before an acceptable obedience can be yeelded to these and paternal Laws can as little change the heart in one as in the other Instrumental causes must not be laid aside because they can do nothing without the concurrence and guidance of the principal Isa 60.10 Ps 2. 2. Due regard I hope will be had of Old Testament Prophesies that describe the state of the New Testament to us among many others take we that for instance that which of your own accord Neighbor you set up to frame an answer to as supposing your self best able to deal with Is 49.13 P. 6. They shal bow down that is they shall submit to Christ well but what is the nursing Fathers nursing Mothers They shall bring them in the Arms of love let that be it a man would look to find good Law in a Kings Arms wholesom Ordinances well duly executed making it a dangerous thing to offend or wrong one of Christs little ones You adde not scourge them with the rod of power what in no case though they offend and deserve it You have many such Anarchical expressions I hope they droped from you unadvisedly Christians are for the Magistrates armes his love care protection defence from his person State Laws Forces every thing he hath he is not to count any thing too dear for them not his life but he hath a Rod to chastise their wantonness yea and a Sword to cut off their temporal life if they so deserve it They shall wait for the Lord not make the Lord wait for them very pretty and Rhetorical But where are the words that this interprets it must be the last in that Verse for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me But this is not spoken of Magistrates but of Christians who lay under heavy persecutions from Heathens and waited for deliverance and exaltation from Christ these have a promise not to wait in vain Emperours that formerly sucked the blood of Christians shal now hold out the breast to them did you not see this or would you not Why do you apply the words to Kings and Queens well as it is what sense hath your exposition They shall wâ—â—â— for the Lord attend to the movings of the Lord in themselves 〈◊〉 in their people is it thus But how without the use either of Ministery or Laws or the Laws only excluded but the Ministery admitted It may be so you say but good Laws may have a subordination in their place under the Lords moving aswel as good Preaching then what is the not making the Lord wait for them is it not hindering the Lords motions in themselves and their people a good sense this the Lord make all men aswel as Magistrates do so but this hath no oppositon to what is said by us and you but must hit us or you shoot besides the mark You would mean I suppose they must wait for the Lords movings in their people and not constrain them by Laws before the Lord make them willing but this is quite contrary to making the Lord wait for them for all the Musicalness of the words therefore it mistakes the sense of the place it interprets and it is hard to find what design is in it contradictory to us But all this while my very Elegant Neighbour the Nurse is forgotten the Armes are not the only things make a Nurse yet this is fair towards our cause from your own exposition Nurses are wont to have brests too and they are indeed the essentials of a Nurse now let our Magistrates have Armes by wholesome Laws to defend from injuries and let them have breasts too by wholesome Laws to provide sustenance for the Nurseling we will think he play the Nurse well and not otherwise yet we will allow him a Rod and a Sword too for bad Christians and for good ones also behaving themselves as the bad though you dare not trust him with edged tools Well the Milk and the maintenance have a very near correspondence we may think them the same but may not this â—ow from private devotion constraining themselves not from penal Laws constraining others otherwise then as so good an Example may provoke them not so the private devotion of Princes may reach far but this Nursery is too numerous to be provided for so and such as the Armes are such are the breasts a Prince both wayes rules when he rules by his Laws Besides it is not comely to straiten a promise without manifest reason promises love to be understood in the largest sense they may especially when we have the History of those Prophesies fulfilled so largely interpreting them as we have most amply when the Roman-Empire became Vassal to the Throne of Christ the Nurse then was very flush of Milk in both Breasts that of free Gift and that of Laws too and if promises be doubtful let the History expound them So in other cases we are wont to say with good acceptance how far it will be admitted here I cannot tell The next of our evidences is from several constitutions in the Gospel it self they are Matth. 28.18 Prov. 8.15.16 1. The Sovereignty of the whole world put into the hands of Christ Whence it follows That all earthly powers are by and under him By him Kings reign and so are to rule for him their Supream Soveraign John 17.2 Eph. 1.22 as all inferiour Offices are for the safety honour and welfare of the Superiour and are bound as much to preserve the dignity of the power above them as inferiours are bound to preserve their dignity And as this power of Christ over all flesh is with a peculiar reference to the good of his Elect so all officers under him are reasonably thought engaged to eye these peculiarly and tender them in their lawes and government whom their great Head and Soveraign particularly eye's and tenders so far as they are able to know them from other men I durst not omit this Reason because some friends in this cause are unsatisfied with it though did not the weight of the whole Conclusion lie much upon it I should have forborne Now 't is enough to say that this principle hinders not our Assâ—â—tion against the truth against whoever that defend the Erastian way the Ministers of Christ having from Christ as immediately and solely the power of Censure Mark 16.19 1â— 18 John 20.23 1 Cor. 5.12 13. as they have the power of Preaching and Administring the Sacraments as to which acts no man can ever prove the Magistrate Vice Christi we may safely then allow him to be so as to acts that are in his owns Sphere And as the principle is not to the hinderance of our Assertion for Church-government so neither is it to the furtherance of the Erastian unless it were proved that this Vicegerency is in the acts of government controverted Here that cause sticks and I think will doe
useful for the Publick even as the day laborers this will be enough to ground a provision for a just subsistence for one as well as for the other if our way of life be such as may be allowed they must see that we may live and not perish in iâ— A very Heathen tolerating the Christian Religion within his Dominions may and ought to tell Christians If you will be of this Religion and have Ministers wholly attending on this very thing to me they are so many droâ—es bring nothing to the hive yet seeing â—o you they are necessary you shall maintain them to you they are Ministers to me they are subjects if you will use them you shall keep them they shall live among you This would be reasonable language honourable and of right to be expected from a very Turk But we have no Histories of any such thing done by Magistrats in the New Testament for the Religion of Christ Admit this yet our cause stands more firmly upon the forementioned pillars of right then it could upon any examples of fact we have the best plea. The Magistrates neglect here was their sin and prayed against by the Church Yet that nothing may be wanting which might be desired in this cause we have Magistrates favourers of the Gospel and the Apostles using them and submitting to them though not Supream ones indeed yet subordinate ones and the consequence from these to them is good à majore if the Rulers of the Synagogues were such God never appointed any such Officer to minister in holy things neither ever did they and scourging the punishment they used is no Church-punishment Luke 4.16 17. Acts 13.15 18.8 Now Christ submits to this power never gainsaying them but when they executed their Office amisse The like we finde the Apostles to have done after him and we may well think that Crispus and other chief Rulers converted to the Faith had no lesse authority in their respective Synagogues then they had before it being no more then what the Kings of Judah had anciently practised and now could not so fully and with that authoritie be practised in Judaea the government now being in the hands of Heathens And in the several Plantations of Jewes it could not possibly be otherwise the power of Kings thus parcell'd and weakened as it wont to be in the declinings of every Government Such there must be if any thing done in these matters at all others playing the careless Gallios and resolving not to be Judges in any such matters And all this may be well allowed without clashing of their Authority of whose warfare the weapons are spiritual We acknowledge more in the Kings of Judah then ever can be proved to have been in the Rulers of the Synagogues and yet no diminution to those powers which Christ hath immediately stated upon the Ministers of his holy things Adde now for a close of all Rev. 17.12 16. that the Magistrates are they that shall haâ—e the whore and make her desolate and naked and this not only as a bloody Whore but as a Whore a Spiritual Fornicator from God every one of them jointly in a most just engagement against her and severally in their respective dominions and he that hath power to punish hath power to protect he who is to pull down Antichrist is to set up Christ if for Christs sake he meanes to pull him down Now why should this Whore say to Kings what have you to do with my Idols Your Commission is but in civil things hardly in them neither a reference to Spirituals may hook them in too leave me to the Lords time t is no wonder she knows they are the persons appointed by God to make her desolate and naked and to eat her flesh and burn her with fire could she perswade them to let her alone with her Adulteries she were safe then But for those who would be thought the onely through enemies of the Whore in the world all having some confederacy with her more or lesse but they who hate her and petition for things purposely as they say that the Whores Flesh may be eaten and she burnt with Fire these men if they mean as they speak deserve to be wondred at indeed O ye Rulers pull down Tithes that Antichristian yoke and impose nothing upon mens consciences in the room of them let every one Worship God in his own way that so you may eat the Whores Flesh and burn her with Fire let her alone that you may destroy her touch her not that you may make her naked the most effectual means to ruine Antichrist this they plot against us with all their wit and malice continually and put their plots in execution unweariedly sparing neither cost nor industry and we are perswaded the best course against them is to let them alone and take their course tamely to give up our throats to be cut by them and this not only a duty from us but the most effectual means to ruine them I shall not wish these mens Daughters may play the Harlots that they may learn by an home experience whether let them alone be the only effectual means to reclame them But such reasonings we must expect from men when they are appointed to destruction Quos Deus vult perdere dementat prius Now my good Friend and Neighbour what is it you have to lay in the Ballance against these many so strongly concluding reasons one would expect nothing lesse then down right New Testament Laws against us who shall read your peremptory conclusion This is the period of all P. 16. the Gospel must be free and kept free from mans power for this is an Ordinance of God An Angel of God let down from Heaven charging mankind to fear God and believe in Christ could speak no otherwise yea and we are threatned too who every one the Protector P. 7. if he find not out the old Romish Laws that have commanded Tithes his sin will find him out who else the whole Nation and Nations It is no wonder that Gods Judgements do impend Nations whose Princes and Teachers hinder this odour the free will-offering Marvailous confidence especially if we adde the magnificent conclusion More of this strain P. 12. as if it were an old Oracle out of Christs own mouth he that hath ears to hear let him hear A man would think nothing lesse then the Denyal of Christ came in the Flesh even the expresse Denyal were threatned thus in these dreadful words but 't is no more then this That Princes may make no Laws to command the people to give the Spiritual Labourer his wages they must do it of their own accord or the Labourer must have nothing and be contented too for they owe him no more then what they please to give him if this be all we are pretty well pacified no great cause for such an out-cry yet if the evidence produced of Gods mind in this thing be
very plain and undenyable that may do much to bring us all into the danger of that dreadful and universal curse as we shall answer the contrary at the day of judgment P. 12. We are pretty well used to bug-bear words and have observed where men speak most weakly they speak most confidently I shall therefore take the boldness to examine your reasons as I can pick them out of that confused heap where they lie Your reasons are either such as conclude against a command of God or man in general or such as conclude against a command of mans in particular the Scriptures concluding generally are Ps 110.3 Exod. 35.5 21 22 29. Phil. 4.17 18 19. 2 Cor. 8.1 1 Chron. 28.9 2 Cor. 9.7 14 18. These have been answered distinctly and plainly above P. 23 24 25. Thither I shall referre you for those reasons that are particularly directed against the Magistrates power and duty I shal answer them now 1. It does dishonour Christ in his prerogative whose royalty it is to prepare for his Ministers Matth. 28.19 20. P. 3. To prepare you mean food subsistence for them among many other things Christ prepares for his Ministers that indeed is one and we blesse him for his Faithful preparing he hath done according to his promise by stirring up the hearts of Princes and people to contribute and then by stirring up Magistrates his Servants on earth to establish and secure as Vigilant Feoffees what is so contributed to the use of the Gospel and we believe it is Christs prerogative Royal to chastise them that withhold from his Ministers the Meat which he hath thus prepared for them Will this serve your turn No it must be another exercise of prerogative by which he is supposed to prepare for his Ministers only by stirring up peoples hearts without any establishment of mans but does that Scripture prove such a thing or any Scripture or reason or experience or any thing I have thought it the safest way to understand promises in the same sense wherein we have seen them fulfilled and we have found in all ages Ministers provided for some this way some another way some in part this way Act. 27.43 44. some in part another way as the promise to Paul of the lives of all in the Ship with him was fulfilled to some one way to some another way to all fulfilled so here the promise is I will be with you and that includes comfortable provisions for life in their Ministery but he does not tell them how whether this way or that whether by Magistrates or without whether by contributions in diem or for ever whether ordinary or miraculous any of these wayes or the like he is as good as his word It should therefore be demonstrated that Christ hath reserved this royalty to himself solely and only and that he will have no Instruments so serve in it under him but why is this matter of money so sacred a thing that none but Christ may touch hath he not committed greater matters then this to Instruments under him Surely the matter is lesse in the eye of Christ then it is in the eye of man Atheistical mā loves that the business of the purse should be heard only by the hearing of Christ let him scape till then he will venture that but let it not be so with you my Neighbour I would have you more afraid of the hearing of Christ alone then so and not to count it a desirable priviledge that your purse matters may be reserved to that dayes Tryal pray does Christ work upon the hearts of people to regeneration mediately and is the parting with a little money so choise a business that this alone he should work immediately why such a sole immediate preparation would exclude Church discipline from meddling in this matter aswell as civil Laws yea and the Ministers Authority commanding it in his place aswell as the Magistrate in his if those two wayes be admitted then t is not altogether immediately and it will rest to show how the interposing of Magistrates under and for Christ in the executions of his commands does more entrench upon the Soveraign Royalty of Christ then the enterposing of a Church or Minister if any say these do it by Christs Authority Magistrates not so this is to beg the question and the meer Royalty of Christ here alledged will not conclude it against us we must see what is further said for that P. 2. The Lord will have no service but what himself chuseth Well if this be a part of service God may have chosen this but be it that a Tenth is not determined by God yet this reason fights equally against a determination made by our own mind and heart as by another mans you suppose I hope that the Creatures will be it whose it will be ours or another mans makes will-Worship did ye not consider this we must both answer it in case a Tenth be not of Divine right nor any other portion determinately I should answer it thus that God hath made a portion due if he have left the proportion undetermined he will never charge men with sin our selves or any others for medling with that which he hath imposed a necessity for them to meddle with yea though it were nearer to the Worship of God then Ministers maintenance is if you say that mans own will may determine this undetermined thing of God but the Magistrates may not still this is the question and the meer consideration of will Worship will not conclude against the Magistrate follow on then further That procuring Laws from the Magistrate for our maintenance and using them this is the utmost I suppose of what you would say though you expresse it not is not to trust Christ to provide for us said without proof very easy disputing this but though you think us P. 4. bound to take your word I shall not so impose upon you I say therefore we dare we do trust Christ to provide for us he hath done so and we thankfully accept it acknowledging it to his praise and so long as he is pleased to continue this provision of his we shall endeavour to use it in Faithfulness to his honour and not count our lives dear unto our selves that we may finish our course with joy and if ever he shall alter this provision or permit it to be altered whether by setting up another in its room or by setting up none in its room doubt not but there will be found both Faithful Ministers who will dare trust Christ still and Faithful people whose Faith will work by love in communicating out of al their goods unto him that teacheth whatever remisseness there be in the Laws of men and whatever faigned pretences there are of necessity c. to excuse from the duty Gal. 6.6 7. yet God is not mocked In the mean time it is a principle of Religion not to be unknown to a Teacher
with such jeers as this or which they please to gnash their teeth I say no more to this businesse then thus much That Ministers and Subjects are the same persons though under different Relations both in the duties that belong to each agreeing very well together and no good subject can from the supposition of the one infer the denial of the other It is the very Argument upon which Papists ground the Exemption of their Priests from the Jurisdiction of Princes Pray do you forbear it lest you make your self as bad a subject as they P. 17 13. If it be Civil or Common it may be done or left undone till the Magistrate compell it and then it must be done What strange work have we here a Civil or common thing who would joyn those two words together to signifie one and the same thing but my Neighbour especially when the common thing is explained by a thing indifferent which may be done or undone till the stamp of Authority set upon it make it necessary What are all Civil things such that Ministers maintenance must needs be such among the rest if it come under a civil Sanction Well fare your heart however when you acknowledge that the stamp of the Magistrates power added to indifferent things makes them necessary But hath the Magistrate no power to set the stamp of his Authority upon things necessary Are all things that come within his reach such as may be done or left undone till he make Lawes about them I had thought that the great work of the Judicial Lawes was to be a fence about the Moral and that the main work of Magistrates was To be a terrour to evil doers and to be for the praise of them that doe well the Rule of which doing well or ill is the Law of God The best excuse for these things is that you wrote at random and mended not what you wrote And that will further appear if we take notice that this very foul mistake does most dangerously wound that very cause for which it is asserted For is it not your Doctrine That the determinate proportion of what is to be paid to Ministers is nowhere commanded by God if so then though a maintenance is due yet this or that proportion is indifferent may be done or left undone and another chosen Will not now the resolution of this quota pars according to your very rule belong to the Magistrate as a thing indifferent The Consequence then to be heeded will not be if Magistrates please Christs Ministers shall have a maintenance and if they so please they shall have none But if Magistrates please they shall have this maintenanance in particular or if this please not another the determination of which indifferent thing supposing it so to be some men think will better become a faithful upright Magistrate then the very best of our people who are the persons must pay what is so determined I hope we shall hear of this Argument no more which is apparently false and destructive to civil government in the proposition and in the consequence cuts the throat of that cause for which it is produced P. 11. In the last place Scriptures are produced against compulsion as they which hinder the Gospel and make it chargeable to which purpose are alledged 1 Cor. 9.15 16 17 18. 2 Cor. 9.7 and 2 Thes 3.8 9. All which places speak not of the Magistrates power in making Lawes P. 23. but of the Ministers duty of remitting his maintenance due any how from a people whether by a Law of mans or by the free contribution of the people your self acknowledge they do immediatly concern this so are not at all material to our persent question for they are two things The stating of a mans right by Law which we speak of now And the recovery of those rights so stated by him whose they are They are just Lawes by which a Landlord may recover his Rent of his Tenant yet there may be many cases wherein the Landlord may abuse his power in the use of it to the hinderance of the Gospel So is it in an higher degree here Yet he that would make Pauls example even as himself commends it to the Elders of Ephesus who were not so far as we know extraordinarily gifted nor did receive help from other Churches so far as we know both which are considerable differences in Pauls example had need consider well that he make the cases alike Acts 20.34 35. He must suppose a people newly brought to the Faith of Christ a Minister contesting with false Apostles whose glory it was to preach freely Where note Neighbour That it is the character of a false Apostle to Preach taking nothing and of it to glory and a Minister enabled by skill in an ingenuous Trade to earn his bread without destroying his bodily health 2 Cor. 11.12 Where no publick maintenance is already set apart for this Service which is the Ministers propriety and no mans else this is our case but was not Pauls P. 9. Acts 18.3 nor the Elders of Ephesus We covet no mans silver but allow every man to take a moderate share in what is ours and allow it most contentedly without grudging it them For my part God knowes my sincerity Whether this be not beyond Pauls Example let others judge And yet then when the cases are made the same if it were possible what would Pauls Example binde to onely thus much to deny our selves in the possession and use of our Right upon weighty considerations for the Gospel sake not in the right and title that was eagerly stood to by him and not denied by them Now it hath been the matter of Right hath been in question between you and I not the exacting of the use of this right where it is acknowledged and this is none of mine the Apostle durst not give up his right to a maintenance neither dare I to this Adde as the Close of all that whereas 2 Cor. 8. and 2 Cor. 9. are chiefly alledged against a constrained maintenance by the Civil Magistrates Authority they doe directly belong to provisions for the poor onely by consequence if at all of that above provisions for Ministers Now if the Magistrate determine any thing as to us whom the places concern not but by consequence you obey not whereas if the Magistrate determine any thing as to the poore of whom the places alledged speak directly you resist not so far as ever I heard none of you Now what perversness is this Consider your wayes I have with most punctual exactnesse considered all that hath the least shew of a reason against the Power and Duty of the Civil Magistrate The Lord help you to a clear understanding to discern the exceeding emptiness and insufficiency of them and to an humble heart that you may be willing upon so plain and full a discovery to lay aside your Errour The matter is of very
of it written in Scripture let him adde the help of all the great Masters of Nature that ever wrote in the world Rom. 7.7 Paul was of our mind in this thing when he tels us he had not known sin but by the Law And Scripture is clearer in that which is knowable onely by revealed light then it is in that which in part is also knowable by the light of Nature if in any thing it exceed its self in clearness True but men know not Scripture so well as they might and they must be acquainted with this greater Light else it will not condemn them Not know Scripture we know them that scorn to be pleaded for thus they will tell you none know Scipture but they But what do they not know Not that there is but one Christ that we are purchased by the blood of God that to lye against the Holy Ghost is a lye against God c. We speak not of things doubtfully defined or of tolerable differences in the less vital parts of Religion Men here may be ignorant of Scripture and God forbid we should stir up Magistrates against them if they would hold peaceableness and unity but are they ignorant of such things as these how dare they how can they will God take this at their hands for a sufficient answer and in their ignorance will they venture to blaspheme too May not some Ranter with as good Arguments plead that Adultery is no sin and Levellers that to overthrow all propriety is no sin and Traitors that to assassinate Magistrates is no sin will ignorance excuse here They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them We are under the highest dispensation for the attaining of knowledge and by it eternal life already If therefore men hear not these we may well conclude Neither will they be saved though one rise from the dead But these are innocent creatures hurt no body with their evil 't is to themselves and there is none the worse for it Most false this of the smallest Errour that is much more of those soule enormous ones against the first Principles of the Gospel Why should God be provoked and his vengeance brought upon the Nation Is it not evil that the Word loseth its Authority upon sinners to their eternal undoing through the perpetual violent clamours of contradicting men That Gods worship is visibly and professedly despised with that impudence as no Turk almost durst doe the like That thousands of well-meaning people are drawn aside to the hazard of their soules That mutual evil speakings estrangements oppositions heart-burnings boiling up the more for a State-connivance prepare for civil Combustions and letting one another blood That all offices of mutual love are forgotten The great gospel-Gospel-law of Unity broken and we that live but two fields asunder should be as far from one another when call'd to assist in any work of mercy for common good as if we liv'd at a hundred miles distance Pray why was Hymenaeus delivered to Satan I would they were even cut off that trouble you 1 Tim. 1.20 Gal. 5.12 What a word is this against false Teachers Surely Paul was too surly he was not merciful enough to tender Consciences What need all that art in 2 Cor. against false Teachers good men they were for Christ as well as he only for Heresie and Division too Why should Christ threaten the 7 Churches of Asia so sharply Teaching Jezebel a Prophetess what harm had she don that her children should be killed with death See pray False Doctrine was the sin of those Churches Christ himself was the Threatner he hath executed those threatnings long since Laodicea is not to be found upon the face of the earth 't is swallowed up under ground so spewed out of the mouth of Christ too So great an enemy to tender Consciences is Christ himselfe To teach us all what a kind of mercy it is to spare Jesuits and such Malefactors as are worse then Jesuits for the whole Nation to be involved in the curse of God and Christ The Ministers third Plea for his Portion The Right of Donation I Am now at last arrived at the last of our Pleas for the right of Tithes my Neighbours own beloved free will-offering the Plea I have alone insisted upon to him it being with me a Rule that if the same things may be obtained upon pâ—inciples not controverted I would never trouble men with those that were I have found successe in so doing with other persons in other matters blessed be God but have been extreamly unhappy with my Neighbour in this he it seems interpreting my peaceable forbearance of things controverted to be from an inward conviction of the badness of the cause I was engaged in and for filthy lucres sake was resolved to persist in and defend as well as I could however the relieving of him from those uncharitable thoughts hath been the design of what hath been said upon the two former Arguments that he may know there is enough from both to bottom a good conscience on it what I have done and do I have little to say to this third because there is little said against it P. 10. if it were so sayes my Neighbour I must resign it and yet himself shows us not one word to prove it was so 〈◊〉 â—â—mself gives us some instances publick and private to prove at was so yea the most part of that little answer he gives runs upon the supposition that it was so as that it was out of a Popish perswasion that they were given by the Law of God c. yet he resignes not though himself acknowledge he must if it be so which he contradicts not by one Argument to the contrary nay he supposes nay he proves To what purpose then my Christian Friend that wild extravagant discourse of Tyrant Kings giving away what 's none of their own yet conquest upon a righteous War is a just Title though William was no Conquerour held not his Crown by that Title much lesse does Oliver Protector The Beast Rev. 13. and the Whore c. 17. what come they in for Do they prove themselves the Beasts off-spring by freely giving their own and the Whores by taking what is freely given Remember man 't is the Right of Donation is now stood upon which you reply to Why should I mind King Henry VIII suppressing the Popes supremary and taking it to himself or our reverend Fathers the Bishops the Lords Bishops What 's all this to the Title of Free Donation and what is this better before God think you then the hood c. This what Free Gift Is this also from that Holy Father the Pope What have we here to do with Henry the VIII P. 11. P. 11. taking of Parsonages with Princes Laws or Popes workings Our Flock if Faithful will be a willing people they have been so have freely given it is not left to the Magistrates pleasure Princes and people have freely
reforming restoring Repentance not only of your Brothers goods but your Brethrens good names more precious to us then our goods For my part I had rather impute this to the craziness of your head then to the malice of your heart But these six lines are full of weight however and strike the matter dead at a stroke See what they are fraught with P. 8. I know no such thing and therein you goe beyond my memory and understanding and I now must take your word for it Your Landlord will expect you should take his word for his Title to the rest and I may as well expect you should take my word for my Title to the Tenth Tenants are not wont to enquire into Titles if no stop according to Law they pay their rent where it is pretended to be due Yet I shall not engage you to take my word you had time enough given you to search into the truth of my Plea What if it be beyond your memory that makes the Title the better in all Law and Reason if possession be held by vertue of that gift all along and why cannot you understand this Is it so hard in other cases as to the poor to Hospitals to Colleges to Schools Can you understand how gifts should be perpetually bequeathed to these and is the like to Ministers only not to be understood Can you understand how a man may by Will passe over his Estate to his children and their posterity for ever and is it not as easie to be understood how he may give gifts to other persons out of those Lands either for a time or for ever what thing more ordinary How hard is man to understand what he would not should be true But you know no such thing Before you withheld your payment you ought to have known the contrary It seems for what you know you have wronged me and as it is certainly none of your so it it may possibly be mine by as good a Right as ever man enjoyed a Legacie for ought you know P. 10. This may be then and if it be you must resign your self hath said it Now what have you done to quiet Conscience in not resigning have you consulted with those Records which might give light about such ancient things Have you enquir'd of one able Lawyer to know the truth of this pretended Right Shew me one among so many friends and adversaries that will give it under his hand that the pretended Donation of Tithes in England is a meer forgery a Constantine's Donation Oh Neighbour surely conscience hath been much asleep if you can withhold a payment due upon the supposition of such a gift by your own confession without so much as once examining whether there were such a gift or no. Is it possible that a tender conscience should not tremble to keep goods in his hands which for ought he knowes belong to another man is or may be sure they belong not to him and that with so much eagerness of contention I hope you are not altogether without such motions of fear I would not have you past feeling But it concerns me to prove such a gift who claim by it By no meanes no owner of Land who hath enjoyed possession by descent for many generations would think it equal to be forced to shew how they came first into the Family No Purchaser of Lands troubles himself with such a question above 60. years uninterrupted possession is enough How many are able to shew how their Estates come to them from 450. History of Tithes c. 10. P. 235. years Even Mr. Selden whose grant is counted most sparing yields us so much for Parochial Tithes and for Tithes paid at large much sooner And must Ministers be put to that which no man else is are we persons uncapable of common Justice the benefit of that which a Turk having possessions here might enjoy are we wilde beasts that may be destroyed any how per fas nefas Surely others will count it enough to justifie a Title long enjoyed against any thing may be alledged by any man to the contrary yea and others will provide they bring their plea within the memory of man otherwise they expect it should not be admitted at all no man being supposed to be so long negligent in his own matters if he be currit lex contra negligentem and there must be an end of strife But so shall not I deal with you do you shew how a Right to the goods questioned hath descended to you by any Lawful meant from any person whosoever the owner of Spillshill farme either within or without the memory of man and if I do not prove mine a better Title I will give over my right Suppose a Landlord altogether unacquainted with the Lawes of the Land cannot at all prove his Title to his goods or land he holds must he therefore forfeit them to him that uses the land who hath no title at all to them Examining old deeds of gift belongs to another profession not to yours and mine How many deeds of gift were never enter'd upon Record how many Records are worn away by the injury of time or consumed by several casualties May we not verily believe that to be true which is verily affirmed by all knowing men friends and enemies and that in a matter of fact without further enquiry I know no man that ever denied that such Donations have been no not those those that prefessedly write against them Me thinks in a business that belongs to another calling it might be a fair Argument to suppose such a thing done when we see things that are not likely to have come to pass otherwise Imagine the thing to be done now if one or two might be gull'd or forced might al men be cheated out of so considerable a part of their estates let it go they know not how or if this generation could be so stupid would the next be in so deep a sleep too so universal a violence upon that which our Forefathers were as tender of as we their estates pass away in silence ages after ages no man among the many thousand covetous persons haters of God his Word and the Ministry of it to this day not opening his mouth to the contrary especially when we finde such tugging about the manner of enjoying these deeds of gift as about wood-land new-broke ground c. They that had courage enough to question the manner would they not much more have questioned the thing if any just cause had been found Lesse matters then this would satisfie me that the thing was done by consent as their own act and deed I know not what will you Yet I shall try a little further Donations are either publick or private we have both if both will serve Of the former you may peruse a Book entitled The Civil Right of Tithes by C.E. sent down to me by the name of Elderfield among which the very first
and most ancient hits our present Case A deed of gift related in that famous Law of Edward the Confessor about Tithing made long before under the first Saxon Christian King Ethelbert Concessa sunt a rege Civill Right P. 62. About the year 600. Baronibus populo they are granted by King Barons and people this you see not by tyrant Kings that thought every foot of land their own but very orderly King his Barons theirs and peoples theirs and this in Kent too and that I hope includes Spillhills Farm What need we now look for private Donations since made they were indeed more truly restitutions of what was sacrilegiously withheld through the calamity of those hard times under the Danish and Norman Invasions The long uncertain fluctuating of Tithes till they setled in a fixed Parochial Right demonstrates the first payments as to any Laws of men were arbitrary a thing can truly be given but once We have the Record for above 1000 years confirmed since restored pleaded used had recovered since to this very day will not this alone constitute a Right Yet Selden in his History of Tithes and â—illesly in his Animadversions upon the History in both C. 8. deinceps give a reasonable number of such instances for private Donations out of several Records and the late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury had many such transcribed for him out of the Records of the Tower of London as you may see in the Diary of his life set out by Mr Prynne From whence and other places of Record more may be fetched though with some trouble I suppose and charge to him that shall be so scrupulously inquisitive into that which no man almost doubts of but my Neighbour But admit these many arbitrary private Consecrations or restitutither of what was long before consecrated yet Staplehurst and Spillshill Farm will not be included in them as if men were not priviledged here to bestow their own goods if yet they were their own by free consent as well as others were by troops in other places Did others freely elsewhere and were men here forced done it was possession hath been delivered up to the Rectors of Staplehurst by them enjoyed many generations none contradicting who will say though all Records should have perished or nothing ever Recorded at all but that the Consecration here was of the same nature as all elsewhere were free and voluntary yea so far were men from being forced to doe it that they were forced to get leave to do it and to sue that their said free donations might be secured by regal confirmation such need was there thought to be that bounds should be set to mens superaboundant bounty in those times Be not contentious Neighbour pray be not let this satisfie you that such a thing was done it remains now to examine how well it was done This more modest adversaries in this Cause are contented with and why not well done No man can lawfully give away the labours of another that is yet unborn as if it were lawful for men by Will to make slaves of their posterity for ever Pray look back to p. 2. Abraham gave it and Jacob vowed it the free vow of the Parent did binde the children Yet children are not mentioned in either Abrahams gift or Jacobs vow 〈…〉 with us have expressed their will to stand for ever many of them with solemn imprecations against them that should ever alienate what they have so consecrated yet neither of them were owners of much Land all their life-time were not owners of a foot of Land at the time of those Dedications yet they might binde their children to pay Tithe out of what they never gave them As for our Fathers if they binde their children to pay Tithe out of the Land they give them they make their children slaves I suppose without labour no Tithe-corn was true then as well as now I would you would see how your pleading against our Donation confounds it self Well this was a slip in your memory that I say not in your conscience to write any thing as it fits your present turn which will you now part with that Observation or this Argument The Observation is one of the main Sinews in your Book P. 14. Abraham and Jacob gave and vowed it freely then God commanded it justly and gave it to Levi graciously The Free gift going before made the reason of the equity of the command following after which would have no force but upon this supposal that their posteritie was bound by the Free-gift of their Ancestors What you will do here I know not I should advise you to let go rather this Argument for all your confident conclusion upon it I hope you will now desist For pray tell me in seriousness should your Land-lord by a deed of gift pass over to you your heirs all his right and title to Spillshill and the Land about it free from all incumbrances even this of Tithes to the Minister only charging it with a rent-charge of Tithe to the poor of Staplehurst for ever would you cry out upon your Landlord as one that meant to make a slave of you you would think there was you know how much given you by the year for ever and a good penyworth to him that uses it paying him well for his stock and labour upon it besides If the Rent-charge you are bound to should be a 9 or 8. you would count so much less given you as the Rent-charge is increased if he should set the Rent-charge higher then the land is worth so much as when it is paid there will not remain enough to pay the user for his paines then I suppose you would intreat your Landlord to keep his gifts to himself and be contented to be his Tenant still This would not be to make you a slave for here would be no violence if you did not like his gift you might let it alone you know how to apply I hope you will desist your using this Argument any more And here 's all I finde against our Donation where it is purposely spoken to But I shall â—â—ean up out of the whole Book what is to be found to invalidate our plea. The next Exception is against the badness of the principles upon which it is supposed to have been done they indeed amiss iâ— will weaken the acceptance of such things with God but not a good title among men But see what is said P. 6. Acts and Monuments Charter of England Tithing Table of England P. 10. They fetch all their ground for it out of the Mosaical Law of God And again A King on his death-bed did give the tenth of all his Land to the Priests that then were but it was out of a Popish perswasion that they were due by the Law of God and all was Popish then If this be not true surely you have overlashed too much Examine we now the particulars Were all Popish then what