just and agreeable to reason that there be a yeerly sacred tribute wherewith we should sacrifice to God for the increase of our estate as we use to keep anniversary solemnities in thankfulness And there is all the Reason in the world for it but whether should this be out of the profits of the grounâ— or by a pecuniary reward Reason would the former For in all created things there is the image and as I may so speak the superscription of God as there is in Coins of the King The tribute is distinguished by the inscription Wherefore the Kings fifteens and subsidies as they call them have the Royal impression The Divine tribute is not silver or brass stampt with the image of a man but of God himself as there is in all Creatures a Character of the Divine power wisdom and mercy Of that therefore let the sacred tribute be Would you have another Reason will that the Minister of the Gospel should receive his reward that way wherein there may be equality of fortune wherein the mutual participation of plenty and want of joy and grief in common with the people may redound to him It is expedient it be so For is he sustained with the annual profits Is it fair weather He is glad he rejoyceth he sings praise to God no less willingly then any husbandman for he hath his share in that fair weather Is it tempestuous He sighes he groans he falls to his prayers no less fervently then any husbandman for he hath his share too in that tempestuous weather Sympathy and Communion that great bond of nature of the Common-wealth and of the Church is conserved and maintained On the contrary Is he sustained by an yeerly stipend Be there seasonable showres the people rejoyce he rejoyceth not for as we said in the begining their sowing or their mowing is nothing to him Comes there an unseasonable drought The people mourn he mouâ—â—eth not for their sowing or their mowing is nothing to him Sympathy that great bond of nature of the Common-wealth of the Church is dissolved This ought not to be so Wherefore that Reason is the better which pleadeth for the fruits of the earth I proceed to the third What part The tenth They say that the Positive Law for that is their expression is the determination of the Law of nature The Law of nature determineth the death of a murtherer but the Positive Law the kinde of death Again they say the Law of nature determineth a stipend to him that ministreth about holy things but the Positive Law the measure of the Tax Yes haply in things pertaining to the Common-wealth there is a limitation by the Positive Law But in Divine in Taxing for the Churâ—h we grant it not God is as careful for our sustenance as he was for the Levites there was nothing then reserved to the Positive Law nor therefore now This whole point may be dispatched by Reason The Levites had right to Tithes But the Ministry of the Gospel as it is more excellent in nature and more eminent in dignity so is more profitable in its use then was theirs Our people receive more and greater benefits from us therefore they ought to pay more Reason presently insinuates What a shame is it that Christians who owe more should not pay as much If therefore men would hearken to Reason we might possibly receive more ample fruits not likely less For Tithe hath all the points of Equity in it It was chosen by God and so not without great reason and therefore not without great reason to be rejected What is alleaged to the contrary One or two I know not what scarce worth the name of reasons not so much as a shadow of what we may call great reason nay indeed not of any poor and mean Most equal and reasonable it is in respect of the constitution Excellently Saint Augustine For what if God should say Thou art mine O man this Earth which thou tillest is mine these Seeds which thou sowest are mine these Beasts which thou imployest mine the Rain and Showers mine the Sun and heat mine all mine thou which lendest onely thy hand deservest onely the Tithe but I grant nine to thee give me the Tithe If thou wilt not give me the Tithe I will take away the nine If thou wilt give me the Tithe I will multiply the nine Could a more reasonable Speech possibly be made Most equal and reasonable in respect of the payment Out of the second to the Corinthians the eighth Chapter and the thirteenth Verse For then is any thing most equally disposed when one is not eased and another burthened when it is not too loose for one too straâ—t for another By this there is a most exact equality the Rich are not spared the Poor are not opprest which is the common complaint of the Edicts of Princes the Crow there better then the Dove Most equal and reasonable even by the very light of nature I say by the very light of nature such as the very Gentiles had that is by that lost rased deformed not renewed Law By what Law did â—braham pay Sure by no politike constitution who can possibly perswade that no nor by any ceremonial law For there is no congruity betwixt a ceremony and the eternal Priesthood such as was Melchisedeks Therefore by the law of nature But to return to the Gentiles Votive Tithes are frequent in their Histories Not onely by prime men in their several Common-wealths Pausanias the Atheniâ—n Agesilaus the Spartan as Xenophon reports Cartalon the Carthaginian Camillus the Roman as Plutarch But also by every Commoner Stichus in Plautus by every housholder as we read in Plutarch How so who declared to them the measure of the Divine portion who was his Accountant who so exactly registred it in his Notes that eight parts belonged to the family six whereof were to be imployed two to be laid up that the ninth was for Seed against the next yeer and the tenth was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Divine Tribute But indeed they did not onely Vow them neither was their Tâ—â—hing onely by Vow or but ever and anon but it was their annual â—olemn Rite and Custome Alexander ab Alexandro no contemptible Author reports that the ancient Romans were wont to pay Tâ—thes of Corn out of their fields and new broken up grounds Theophrastus saith as much of the Egyptians that they had the like usage Diodorus Siculus as much of Sicilâ—a when she was her own Mistress and not a Provincâ— And that this was the very maner of the Athenians we may be convinced from this because the poorest Citizens were called Thetes and that from the letter Theta the note of the number Nine because having by estimation but nine parts onely they were exempted from paying Tithe Finally it may be collected from the same Authors that those Tithes were never imployed to discharge their wages who executed any
Of the Right of TITHES A Divinity Determination in the Publike Divinity Schools of the University OF CAMBRIDG By the Right Reverend Father in GOD Lancelot Andrews Late Lord Bishop of WINCHESTER When he proceeded Doctor in Divinity Translated for the benefit of the Publike 1 COR. 9. 13. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple And they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Vers. 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel London Printed for Andrew Hebb at the Bell in S. Pauls Church-yard 1647. TITHES Ought not to be abrogated THat such anciently were the manners of men and such the times wherein the condition of the Priesthood was sumptuous and most flourishing not onely with those truly excellent Ornaments of Learning but also with those of Riches and Preferments History the witness of Truth is a sufficient evidence Among the Heathen Theophrâ—stus is my Author That in stead of the Tithe wherin notwithstanding we take our selves to be very bountiful the thirds were paid Among the Iews Philo reporteth That the wealth of the Câ—rban was oftimes the object of envy to the neighboring Kings Among the Christians as in other Nations so truly in this our it is certain That the desire to increase the Revenue of the Clergy proceeded to such a height that it was greatly to be feared lest the Church should swallow up the Common-wealth That therefore it was seasonably taken into consideration then and so is now when there is little need of caution that no Lands should be bequeathed in Mortmane i. e. to sacred uses without the Royal Patent Such anciently were the manners of men and such the times While mens manners and the times were such a disputation touching the right of Tithes was nor doubtful nor necessary But at length in this our age when as commonly old men so the world growing old is wholly set upon money there is a general chiragra an epidemical Gout in the hand There are no improvements to the Clergy would that were all there are frequent impairings I say frequent impairings and I wish it might onely be said there are and that there might never be cause of using the future tense But to this humor of the present age wherein what for that unholy hunger after gold there is nothing esteemed Holy we may adde another Error That those Worthies not to be named without all honorable respect whose help God made use of for the Reformation of Religion were very solicitous for the Reformation of Doctrine but less attended the Churches Patrimony and almost said what the King of Sodom did to Abraham Give us the souls and take the rest to you But as they who thought they should finde the Baptist in Kings Courts so they who thought they should finde Abraham there were both deceived Which Error though a small one and a small one indeed it is if we compare it with those great and famous acts performed by them yet we may justly fear will lie heavy upon succeeding Ages an which true-hearted honest men from that of Solomon Where no oxen are the crib is clean presage Barbarism or somewhat worse which I will not speak of falsly perchance and I pray God it prove so but not rashly I am sure not without cause And indeed they ought to have withstood the beginings as we say and have snatched this sweet bit from this eating and drinking Age which perverts all to most detestable use and have taken care not onely of increasing the light but also of allowing oil Which because not done this evil spreds daily more and more and the devourers of Church-Revenues whisper up and down in corners as most an end the maner is that the Church may be impleaded and sued for the remainder of Tithes and thereupon finde out new quirks to put Her in a worse condition then talk of a stipend Finally so turn themselves on all sides that the Clergy may at last say it to their sorrow Their sowing or their mowing is nothing to us To pass by other things as lost and gone by prescription I shall make bold to plead for Tithes and shall thereupon challenge them who are otherwise minded and prove that the Tithes of the yeerly comings in are by the highest equity due to the Clergy and that no Parliaments no Lords or Commons can settle that affair more wisely then it was of old provided for by the Sacred Law then God the Lawyer himself so absolute that Iustinian is no body to Him had proclaimed many ages since I am to treat of a hard point nor is there any by whose candle I shall light mine wherefore it will be your part Reverend Brethren if I shall compass my designe to do as you do but if I shall fail or come short of it to vouchsafe your pardon as is meet to me the first that make experiment Tithes ought not to be abrogated I Need not explain terms Who knows not what the Tithe is one part of ten Or who doubts what it is to abrogate Either to unsettle what is settled by Law or in stead thereof to appoint a stipend Let us therefore set about the businesse What Christ did in the cause of Divâ—rcâ— I conceive to be of great conâ—ernment First of all to inquire how any matter stood in the begining In the flux of time many things are changed The begining is the most certain Rule and Iudg. I demand therefore who was the first that received Tâ—â—he That great man Melchisedek to whom Abraham gave the Tâ—he of all Melchisedek received Tithe from Abraham but were they free or due Voluntary or by Law If free and voluntary the Argument is of no force and the Apostle puts a trick upon the Hebrews when he compares the Levites with him For the reason is not alike The Levites require their Titbe by Law for they have a commandment to take Tithe of the people Melchisedek his because Abraham would not because he ought Again if this service were voluntary and free Melchisedek were no with better then Abraham For what hindereth but that I may debase my self and do voluntary honor if I please even to my inferiâ—â— My civility indeed would be the more commended But if upon both these considerations this were absurd it follows that he paid Tithe not as a voluntier but as they were due by Law Concerning the Law then I demand again By what Law Not of Sacrifice for he offered none of Blessing then it 's clear For there is a coherence betwixt these two Melchisedek blessed and Abraham paid Tithe Now I assume Tithes are due to Melâ—hisedek blessing The same right remaineth under Christ How can that be made to appear Out of the 12. verse of the 7. Chapter to the Hebrews There is no change of the Law but by the change of the Priesthood But
there is the same Priesthood of Christ and of Melchisedek for which if need be God himself will give us his oath Therefore there is the same right under both Tithes therefore are due to Christ in whom and from whom and by whom we are all blessed He himself blessed for ever Which it is but equal that they should receive in the name of Christ who bless us in the name of Christ For even Melchisedeks blessing was but from man though in the person and name of Christ Therefore the right of Tithes remaineth under Christ I had not thought there had been any born with so unfortunate a genius under so unhappy a planet as to say that Tithes were paid to Melchisedek as a King But I have found one that saith so see you how without all reason 1. The Levites have right to Tithes They have as Gods Vicars 'T is true they are But are they Gods Vicars as God is a King O what a multitude of Kings should we have 2. Moses saith not that Tithes were paid to him as making a royal banquet but as blessing which not with standing should have been said if they had been paid to him under that notion as symbols of that power 3. The Apostle upon that payment of Tithes grounds not his Kingdom but his Priesthood 4. Lastly there are as many Adversaries to that opinion as Interpreters even the Râ—bbins themselves whose that gloss is because he was a Priest therefore Abraham gave him Tithe You see the force of the Argument And this you likewise see that whatever is brought against it comes miserably short I shall pass from Abraham and yet not far My next reason shall be from â—â—â—ob who was also the Father of the faithful from whom we received the sirname of the Israel of God and of whom I doubt not but what Saint Peter concerning Sara as she obeved the like will you conclude He therefore vows a vow If the Lord will be with me and keep me and will give me bread to eat and taiment to put on Then of all that he shall give me I will surely give the Tithe to him You will grant I know that this was no Will-worship for then Iacob should have vowed what the Lord had disavowed Therefore doubtless he relied upon the Divine Will the command is the interpreter of that will Moreover the reason of the command must necessarily be this On whom the Lord shall bestow such favors as he did on Iacob he must be bound to the Lord by the same law For unless it were so the reason of the command would be uncertain and so the command and so the consequence and so finally the vow it self But if this reason be full of reason and the equity thereof as is meet extend it self to all is there any man will deny this Law was made for him who shall confess both that he received all from Godâ— and ought to return them to God again And this reason may satisfie any private man why he should pay and that assigned by God why the Clergy should receive Tithe Ye â—hall eat it in every place ye and your housholds Because it is your reward for your service As also that of King Hezekiâ—h That they might be incourageâ— in the Law of the Lord The conclusion in both places is this Let them receive Tithe which in both places would be weak if the major proposition be not universal Tithe is the reward of service Tithe belongs to them who attend the explication of the Law Otherwise the Patriarch Iacobs If and the Prophet Moses's Because and King Hezekiahs That would all totter But if they do not then doubtless Tithes are the reward of the Priesthood Let all that give themselves to the exposition of the Law receive Tithes The reason is evident I adde this further Since Gods blessing of his goods is the medium that Iacob the reward of the Priests service the medium that Moses the study of the Law the medium that Hezekiah useth and these three are perpetual nor circumscribed by place nor defined by time but belonging as well to Christians as to â—ews there will be the same condition of the precept For it is truly and wisely determined by the Lawyer As is the reason of the precept such is the precept it self The third reason is taken from the Prophet Mâ—lachy where the observation of this Precept is established with a solemn blessing and the violation with a severe and bitter curse And indeed if Tithes were ceremonial as some are very earnest to have them the Prophets would cast them away would never urge them so carefully they would suffer them to wax cold would never speak of them so highly This is not their usual maner but if the ceremonies were never so carefully looked to not to promise so great happiness nor if neglected to threaten so sore judgements And least any should think this reason to no purpose the Fathers used no other in the Councel of Tribur Tithes are to be paid that God being appeased by this our devotion may more plenteously bestow those things that are necessary The Fathers in the Synod of Mentz no other Tithes are to be paid for it is to be feared that if any take away what is due to God God will for his sin take away necessaries from him Saint Augustine a substantial Author no other Our forefathers abounded with wealth and it is not perfunctorily to be passed by that he saith our forefathers Tithes therefore are ancienter then Saint Augustines time because they paid their Tithes to God but now because our devotion to God is decreased the comings in to the Exchequer are 〈◊〉 eased We would not part with the Tithe to God therefore now all is taken away The Exchequer takes away that which Christ doth not receive I pass by Saint Ierome as too prolix who yet was the first who prosecuted this Argument in his Annotations on the Prophet But because it is an easie matter to finde Tithes under the Law and the credit of the Old Testament is in this point suspected go to let us seek in the New and set our foot on that ground which seems most slippery to contest on And first of all I object that place of Saint Matthew the words of Christ himself These ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone This place I do not for why should I assume that to my self which is none of mine the ancient Church urgeth thus Tithes which Christ himself hath commanded not to leave undone the decrees of Princes ought not give order to leave undone Now who knows not the assumption But this Reason hath the greater strength because when in some places before the discourse first and afterward the practise of washing of hands of rubing the ears of Corn and other ceremonies had been faln upon Christ not unwarily omiteth those particulars
defendeth their omission of them and which is more to be wondred at doth himself authorize the people to omit them But concerning this of Tithe his words are express Ye ought not to leave them undone Nay which is of more weight yet when the discourse was of matters of greatest importance of mercy and judgement and that in the same Paragraph as I may say he makes a law as for the doing of the one so for the non-omission of the other What seek ye more No man can easily imagine in how great esteem this Argument was with the Primitive Church I shall give you two of many One whereof shall speak for the Greek Church the other for the Latine Saint Chrysostome his words are these Worthily doth our Saviour adde These things ought ye to do for Alms is a Tithe Now Alms cannot hurt possibly For we ought not to do them as observers of the Law neither doth he say we ought But these things ought yet to do For when formerly he disputed of clean and unclean He added not there these things ought ye to do but manifestly he overthrew them Wherefore Brethren he speaketh of Tithe These things ought ye to do but concerning their Washings he speaketh not so The words as you see are a little differing the sense is not differing Now hear Saint Augustine in his Enchirid to Laurentius cap. 76. Wo be to you Pharisees who Tithe every Herb As if he would say Indeed I exhorted you to give Alms by which all things would be clean unto you But wo to you who Tithe Herbs For these I knew to be your Alms think not that I admonished you concerning then And a little after for it would be troublesome to put in all But lest he should seem to refuse those Alms which are given of the fruits of the earth These saith he ye ought to do that is Judgement and Charity and yet neverthelesse not to omit the other that is Alms of the fruits of the Earth I need adde no gloss I study brevity and put you in minde of one thing though there be no need I know ye observed it that Tithes both by S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine are refered to the common-place of Alms. Some are of another opinion I will not greatly contend for I had rather it should be accounted a sacred Tribute then Alms. But this place is safe enough And by it they gain thus much that Tithes ought not to be abrogated I proceed now to the fifth And or I am much deceived it may be concluded from S. Paul That Tithes are to be retained even under Christ In the sixt chapter to the Galathians verse sixt Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things Which words seem to me to sound like those in the seventh chapter to the Hebrews verse the second He gave the tenth of all like those Gen. 14. 20. of all in all what difference that it may be no light conceipt that the Apostle doth allude to that of Genesis and that he doth covertly insinuate that communication which was used by Abraham who is to be imitated in all things as much as may be by the children of his Faith But what if so That precept which doth best provide for communication in all good things is not to be antiquated And there is no question to be made but that was a Law for Tithe For by that there is a true and if by your leave I may I will say a 〈◊〉 communication of all good things both of Fruits and of all other productions of the Earth of Plants of Beasts you may by your selves make up the rest of the Induction Substitute in place thereof a stipend payment by the Poll or a rate upon Houses there will be many Errors part will be concealed part will be substracted I dare say there will be no communication in all good things Lastly though all possible caution be used the communication of a Pension will be onely Analogical But I have learned long since and nature law and reason perswade thus much that where we may have the Thing it self we should not trouble our selves about the Analogy Wherefore in the communication betwixt the Pastor and his Flock if the truth it self of the Thing of the Communication may be had in all good things and it may be had those stipendiary proportions are not to be sought after or rather for that is too little a great deal are utterly to be rejected Further Let this be a sixt Argument That Political Law concerning Tithes did sometime binde the Church it cannot be denied But it was never made voide Therefore it bindes now too What things were abolished the Apostle sheweth Ephes. 2. 14. Those things which were the middle partition wall first betwixt God and man secondly betwixt man and man i. e. the Iews and Gentiles We are excluded from the first member of the Division for God commanded Tithes therefore they do not displease him And also from the latter for there was peace on all hands in the point of Tithes which the Heathen did pay annually to their as I shall shew anon as well as the Iews to their Priests But that the other part of the Political Law was excepted this may be an Argument because it is esteemed by King David Psal. 147. 19 20. a great blessing And I shall hardly be brought to beleeve that the death of Christ deprived us of any blessing Besides if it were wholly cancelled Saint Paul offended against the Rules of Law when in the 1 Cor. 9.13 he brought a testimony from Deut. 18. 1. that is from an antiquated Law But that controversie runs into another I will not prosecute it But this I will out of the seventh to the Hebrews verse eighteenth which shall be my seventh Argument And it is if I mistake not as a most fair place so most apposite to this Controversie There is verily a disanulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof So that no Law is to be antiquated or disanulled which is not either weak or unprofitable The Law concerning Tithes is a Law going before an ancient Law Let any man shew me either the weakness or unprofitableness thereof I will joyn hands and grant the cause let this Thesis pass the sponge for me But this Law hath strength as much as any Law ever had is like to have can possibly have from the Author consent multitude custome and that lastly not the mute or silent but the express and clear approbation of all Ages And its use too for it hath a long time been imployed without complaint of any to that use to which it was appointed and unless the sinews of it had been cut by certain Improper Proprietaries it had been better imploy'd neither would the Church have ever complained in that point On the other side which shall be my eighth
reciprocal But this is more yet That they wholly subscribe to the Council of Chalcedon in which Tithes are confirmed Which two things do sufficiently prove That both the payment of Tithes and the division of Parishes were anciently among us and that they are not such upstarts as some fondly have imagined About the same time also was a Council summoned at Mentz in the seventh Chapter whereof we read thus We admonish and command that Tithes which God hath appointed to be paid to him be in no case omited to be paid and they adde this Penalty Whosoever shall after due admonition neglect to pay Tithes let them be excommunicated The second at Matiscon almost 200 yeers before that Cap. 5. The Divine Laws have commanded Tithes to be paid which Laws all Christians have a long time kept inviolate And it concludes thus We do therefore ordain that the ancient custome of the faithful be restored But if any shall be obstinate let him be for ever separated from the Members of the Church Before that the first at Aurange cap. 17. Concerning Tithes thus we ordain that every yeer the Fourths or every Fourth yeer the whole Tithe be paid to the Bishop I pass by the second at Toledo and the third at Arles I come to that at Chalcedon one of the Four first and principal Touching which we read thus in the fourteenth Chapter of the Council at Tribur It hath pleased this Council That Tithes and all other their possessions be preserved to the ancient Churches as was decreed in the Holy Council at Chalcedan cap. 17. You have heard the Councils speak and that upon mature deliberation disputation determination that they did establish not define confirm not appoint Tithes that they were formerly granted by private consent and suffrage of the Fact as they speak before they went to the Councils For subscription in the first Council Admonition in the second Prescription of long time in the third Conservation and penalties in the fourth do import rather an approving and ratification then an indiction or appointment of them But now forsooth all the Question is about the Ius or Law and thence we must derive either the Institution or the Abrogation of them thither therefore they betake themselves and truly I will not bâ—lk the Law nor the Policy of either Body Canonical or Civil For even from thence I have collected a few passages to this purpose sparingly indeed as becomes a Divine but abundantly enough to our purpose Nor indeed shall ye need to fear that we will take any from the Decretals we shall be very scrupulous how we meddle with those dregs Onely some few passages we shall make use of from the more sound Decrees and those too before the yeer 400. The Decree of Symmachus the first Whosoever shall dispose of the Tithes without the consent of the Bishop let him be Anathemâ— Again of Anastasius the first Whosoever shall detain his Tithes let him be suspended from the Communion In the 29. Chap. of the Decrees of â—â—â—â—sius it is meet that there be Four parts made as well of the Revenues of the Tithes as of the Oblations of the Faithful as was long since decreed with great reason But if Parishes and Tithes Bishops Stipends and Tithes Clergy and Tithes be reciprocal as the experienced in those Laws are of opinion then we may carry up this point a great deal higher even to the second Epistle of Calixtâ—s the first to the first Epistle of Urban the first up to the very times of Iustin Martyr Although were there none of all these yet the Canon which is Dist 12. Let that Câ—stoâ—e which is not known to â—surp any thing against the Catholike Faith stand firm Especially being supported with the judgement of Saint Augustine and Saint â—erome whose opinion it is that as the prevaricators of the Divine Laws so the contemners of Ecclesiastical Customes are to be curbed may be strong enough against the Abregation of Tithes As for the Civil Law that we may satisfie our Polititians that is so far from the opinion that they may be abrogated that it frees them from all injury by Prescription which nevertheless by it self alone in other cases cancels Laws For so we have it in the seventh Book of the Code Tithes by the command of God are set apart for the priests that they who are accounted of the Lords Inheritance should live of his inheritance They cannot therefore by Privilege of any be granted to Lay-men lest the authority of the supreme Magistrate should prejudice the Divine command And also in the Authenticks in the same Title Thus â—ustinian But if any Private man shall possess Tithes either without Title or with Title he cannot be secure by any prescription of time For those things cannot be strengthened by tract of time which by Right could be of no effect at the begining I have other Testimonies at hand but I promised brevity The Emâ—erors as you have heard are of opinion that the things which belong to God may not be abdicated The Scriptures the Fathers the Councils both Laws are with and for us Now unless Reason be against us we are safe To that therefore we come in the thirteenth place But there to proceed distinctly I shall divide this one Question into three Members First Whether Reason will that there be a câ—rtain allowance to the Ministers of the Gospel Secondly Whether this â—â—t of the â—eerly profits Thirdly Out of what part For the first The business is long since brought to this pass by Saint Paul The Ministers of the Gospel have a power to eat and drink and not to work the Reason Every Laborer is worthy of his hire Whether he cut his own Vine or feed his own Flock and the Ox must not be muzzled that treadeth out the Corn This is one degree Secondly But if any Laborer much more Laborers in the Common-wealth Every Souldier warreth at the publike charge not at his own They that assist the Common-wealth are to be assisted by the Common wealth But a Minister of the Gospel is a Laborer and assistant of the Common-wealth This is a second degree Thirdly But if he must be maintained who is any way profitable to the Common-wealth He whose help she useth in spiritual and eternal things much more and if it might be with such additions of Fortune as they use to be honored with who have deserved well of the Republike For all Reward is beneath the merit of this and there is no comparison betwixt Spiritual sowing and Carnal reaping Wherefore without doubt Carnal things are due to them who sow spiritual I come to the second Member Whether out of the yeerly profits Postellus a man of great learning is of this opinion That this is a common principle engrafted in all by nature viz. That a certain portion of the yeerly profits be paid to the Ministers of the Holy things For it is
Temporal or Lay Office in the Common-wealth that at first and as long as any thing was held religious or holy they were so too but afterward were swallowed up in the stomach of the Common-wealth Of what crediâ— it is I know not but I remember that Musculus relates that in the first beginings of the Church the right and use of Tithes was taken away from the Idol-Priests and instated on the Presbyters of the Church But this is most certain that the places of Payment and Accounts of Tithes though in declining times they fell into the power and possession of Kings and Princes did at first belong to the Priests For when in the begining the same men were both Kings and Priests as Plato reports of the Kings of Egypt and Virgil of Anius King Anius King of men Apollo's Priest the Priesthood being afterwards as too hard and troublesome a companion transfer'd from themselves to others they did notwithstanding retain the Tithe as a dowry to themselves But that rather by Custome then Law that a corrupt Custom too For that in the Prophet Samuel is no description of a good King but a Tyrant Which makes me wonder the more at them who would have the Levites Tithe to be part of the Kings Inheritance and that Kings did part with their own Right when Tithes were confer'd upon the Church But this falls to the ground by the example of Melâ— hisedek who surpasleth the antiquity and faith of all Histories who both persons of King and Priest meeting in him did not receive Tithes by right of his Kingdom but his Priesthood I should offend against the time and against you if I should produce any more of these mens trifles in this presence nor would any pleasure accrue from thence to you nor advantage to the cause Nor do I alleage any new Writers because they for the most part do rather touch upon some heads and not apply themselves home and strongly to the cause Any even the most learned Author is otherwise to be esteemed of when he doth but salute a Question and touch it lightly otherwise when he takes it to task and thorowly disâ—usseth it And in truth if I would never so fain bring them forth yet the scales would hang even in suspence For to my thinking Luther Melancthon Brentius would be for us Calvin Martyr Bucer go another way Wherefore I will dismiss and leave you to your selves Here shall be an end Two Patriarchs as many Prophets CHRIST his Apostles the whole Church Fathers Councils History both Laws Civil and Canon Reason the imperfect pieces and fragments of the Heathen and finally Experience it self have brought in their evidence for Tithes Which if they seem to you to deserve your vote and suffrage and to have spoken home and good Reason be you if you please with me of the same minde and judgment That Tithes ought not to be abrogated S. MATTH. 23. 23. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye pay Tithe of Mint and Anise and Cumin and have â—mited the weightier matters of the Law Iudgment Mercy and Faith these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone FINIS Decemb. 15 1646. Imprimatur JOHN DOWNAME L. 9. de Plantis c. 4. Gen 14â— 21. Luke 7. 25 Prov. 14 4 Argu. I. Gen 14. 20 Heb 7. 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heb. 7. 5. Ps. 110 4. Argu. 2. 1 Pet. 3. 6. Gen 28. 20 21 22. Num. 18. 31. 2 Chron. 31. 4. 〈◊〉 Argu. 3. Cap. 3. v. 9 10. Cap. 13. Cap. 11. Hom. lib. 50. c. 48. Argu. 4. Matth. 23. 23. Homil 73. in â— Matth. Argu. 5. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Argu. 6. Argu. 7. Argu. 8. Argu. 9. P. 2. C. 1â— Q. 2. 7. Homâ— â—â— in Episâ—â—â—dâ— phâ—s Eâ—ist 66. â—d Fâ—rnit â—om 11. in 18. Num â— Stromat 2. Edâ—â— Vâ—roneâ—s â—ol 155. Arg. 10. Argu. 11. Cap. 16. Q. 1. Ad Casulan Ad Luciâ— Arg. 12. Tit. de praesâ—riptione â—â—ge Anâ—staâ— sâ—â— 1 Arg. 13. â— Cor. 9. In Prytanaeo De Orbis concordia l. 3. c. 10. 2 Cor 3. 8 9. â— 3. rerum Graecarum {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Q 18. Geniâ—l dierum liâ— 4. cap. 10. De Plantis 8. sub inâ—t In Gen. c. 14. 1 Sam. 8. 15.