publick entertainment to the persecuted Christians resorting hither as to a safe and peaceable Sanctuary when they were forcibly expelled out of all other Kingdoms and Countries throughout the world and Roman Empire by bloody Persecutors bestewed Lands and a comfortable Maintenance on the Preachers of the Gospel at Glastonbury where they built the first Christian Church in the world and were the first Kings and Kingdoms in the world who gave publique Reception Protection Countenance Maintenance to the Preachers and Professers of the Gospel as not only our own Historians but two forein Writers namely Polydore Virgil Hist Angl. l. 2. and Cardinal Baronius himself Annal. Tom. 1. An. 95. n. 5. with Spondanus in his Epitome of him records 2ly With the first Christian King we read of publickly baptised professing and establishing the Christian Faith builded endowed Churches and Ministers with Glebes and other Maintenance to wit our famous King Lucius who about the year 187. as Matthew Paris Matthew Westminster the History of Rochester and others record Possessiones et Territoria Ecclestis et viris Ecclesiasticis abundanter conferens Chartis Munimentis omnia communivit Ecclesias vero cum suis Coemiteriis ita constituit esse Liberas ut quicunque Malefactor ad illa confugeret illaesus ab omnibus remaneret a good Policy at that time to draw Pagans to frequent the Church and hear the word to convert them both from their Paganism and evil Lives He not only giving all the Lands and Possessions belonging to the Pagan Temples and Priests to the Churches and Ministers of the Christians Seâ— quia majorem honorem illis impendere debuerat augmentavit illas amplioribus agris et mansis omnique libertate sublimavit as Galfridus Monmuniensis and Gervasius Tilburiensis affirm Here was a true Nursing Father indeed to Gods Church and Ministers 3ly With the first Christian Queen we read of in all the world to wit Queen Helena Daughter and Heir to King â—oel and Mother to Constantine the Great who was a carefull Nursing Mother and Bountifull Benefactor to the Church and Ministers of Christ as Eusebius in the life of Constantine Ambrose Oratiâ— in Obitum Theodosii Baronius in his Annals and Speed in his History of Great Britain p. 156. record Whence she was stiled in antient Inscriptions Venerabilis ET PIISSIMA AUGUSTA both for her extraordinary Piety and her converting of Constantius her Husband to the love and protection of the Christian Religion and the Professors of it who by her means creeping out of the Dens and Caves where in they were hid began to exercise their Devotions publickly and TO REEDIFIE THE OLD RUINATE CHURCHES which Dioclesian the persecuting Emperour had levelled to the very ground in all places and TO ERECT NEW She herself at her own cost erecting a Stately Church over our Saviours Sepulchre at Jerusalem famous till this very day 4ly With the first Christian Emperor in the world even that famous Constantine the Great born and elected Emperour in this Island educated in the Christian Faith by his pious Mother the best the Greatest Nursing Father the Church of God ever yet enjoyed in the world For first He destroyed the two Grand Persecutors of the Christian Religion Maxentius and Licinius with their Adherents and demolished all the Idol-Gods and Monuments of Idolatry throughout his Dominions 2ly He reduced all the exiled Christians driven out of their Countries into desolate Islands Caves Dens Desarts restored them their lost Possessions established Christian Magistrates throughout his Empire encouraged protected the Christians in all places in the publick Profession of their Religion and suppressed the Heresies and Schismes that sprung up amongst them by Councils and publick Edicts 3ly He caused all the Churches in this Isle and elsewhere which by the Decrees of Dioclesian were levelled in all places to the very ground which some Atheistial Anabaptists and Jesuitical Incendiaries even in these pretended glorious times of Piety and Reformation endeavour to do again to be re-edified and new ones to be founded throughout his Dominions himself erecting most Magnificent Temples to Gods honour as King David did out of holy zeal and love to God not Popish superstition as some now censure it 2 Chron. 22 5. c. 29. 1 2 3. both in Rome it self Ierusalem Hostia Neapolis Hirapolis Constantinople and other Cities endowing them with ample possessions and all other Churches with convenient Glebes Mansions and Revenues 4ly He encouraged protected advanced Godly Ministers Learning and Religion by setling a competent maintenance on them both for their livelihood and encouragement most preferring esteeming rewarding the best deserving of them And by this means so laid the soundation of the Christians security and the Churches maintenance that the same hath stood under the Protection of Christian Kings and Princes ever since And albeit many Caesars his Successors have often attempted to shake it by their Authorities and the sharp Instruments of Heretiques have dangerously undermined it yet hath it born out the storms of all their boisterous assayes and stood in the sirength that this Emperor first laid it as Speed and others observe And for these blessed fruits of this prime Nursing Father of Gods Church he had then and ever after these most Glorious Titles conferred on him by the Christians and Ecclesiastical Writers Most Blessed Emperour most Pious Sacred Divine Most happy Redeemer and Restorer of Romes City and the whole World from Paganism Tyranny Persecution and founder of the Churches Peace Which those shall never enjoy who labour to demolish and extirpate what hâ— thus founded and established 5ly God hath blessed our Church and Isle as Io. Capgrave in his Prologue Sir Hen. Spelman in his Epist Dedicatory to his Councils and the Author of Fasciculus Temporum record with more Kings Queens who for their extraordinary Piety incredible Zeal liberal Alms manifold works of Mercy incomparable Humility and contempt of the World their munificent magnificent and admirable Bounty to the Ministers and Saints of God and in building adorning endowing Churches with Tithes and Glebes and some of them for suffering Martyrdome for defence of Religion by Pagan Invaders were justly Reputed and Kalendred in the Church of God for Saints though infected with some superstititions of those blinder times which the age wherein they lived may excuse and their other vertues over-ballance and delete than any other Isle Region or Kingdom throughout the world how Great or Populous soever There being no less than Twelve of our antient Saxon Kings Crowned with Martyrdom by Infidels and Ten of them Canonized for Saints for their transcendent Holiness and no less than thirty Kings and Queens within 200 years space who laying down the Height of their worldly Power Crowns and Glory that they might gain beaven by force betook themselves to a devout retired religious Life according to the devotion of those times in some private Monasteries for the most part builded and
ERRATA PAge 68. l. 11. r. luent p. 141. l. 31. Solemanum r. Salmurum Rothingue r. Rothomag p. 142. l. 20. Trovomala The REMAINDER or SECOND PART of A GOSPEL PLEA Interwoven with a RATIONAL and LEGAL FOR THE LAWFULNESS CONTINUANCE Of the Antient Setled MAINTENANCE and TITHES Of the Ministers of the Gospel WHEREIN The DIVINE RIGHT OF OUR MINISTERS TITHES is further asserted The Magistrates Inforcement of the DUE PAYMENT OF THEM BY COERCIVE PENAL LAWS when substracted or detained vindicated That they are no REAL BURDEN or GRIEVANCE to the People the abolishing them no Ease Benefit to Farmers Tenants or Poor-People but a Prejudice rather and a gain to None but Rich Land-Lords cleared That the present Opposition against them proceeds not from any true Grounds of Conscience or Real Inconveniences in Tithes themselves but only from base Covetousness carnal Policy want of Christian Love Charity to and professed Enmity against the Ministers of the Gospel Yea from a JESUITICAL and ANABAPTISTICAL DESIGN to subvert ruine our Church Ministry Religion and bring a Perpetual Infamie on our Nation and the Reformed Religion here professed By William Prynne of Swainswick Esq a Bencher of Lincolns Inne 1 Cor. 9 14. Even so hath THE LORD ORDAINED that those who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Cyprian de unitate Ecclesiae Domos tunc Fundos venundabant thesauros sibi in Coelo reponentes at nunc de Patrimonio nec Decimas damus cum Vendere jubeat Dominus Emimus potius augemus Petrus Blesensis Epist 82. Per Prophetam praecepit Dominus Decimas inferri in horreum suum vos ab ejus horreo jubet is auferri c. Quid interest Equos rapiatis an Decimas Nisi quia Decima res spiritualis est ideo enormius SACRILEGIVM in Decimis committitur quam in Equis Cum Dominus praecipit Decimas solvi quis contra ejus praeceptum potuit dispensare London Printed by T. Childe and L. Parry for Edward Thomas and are to be sold at the Adam and Eve in Little Britain 1659. THE REMAINDER OR SECOND PART OF A GOSPEL PLEA FOR THE Lawfullness and Continuance of the antient setled Maintenance and TITHES of the Ministers of the GOSPEL KIng David a holy Zealot after Gods own heart who fulfilled all his will records this to Posterity in sacred Writ as the most transplendent Character of his own real Saintship in a Divine Appeal to God himself Psal 69. 9. The zeal of THINE HOUSE hath eaten me up And when our Saviour Christ the Son of David according to the flesh out of an enflamed zeal against the Sacrilegious Prophanation of Gods Temple in Jerusalem made a scourge of small Cords wherewith he drove all that sold Sheep and Oxen with their Cattel out of the Temple powred out the Changers Mony overthrew their Tables and said unto those that sold Doves Take these things hence Make not my Fathers House an House of Merchandize His Disciples upon this occasion remembred and applyed this very Scripture to him The zeal of thine House hath eaten me up John 2. 15 16 17. But the preposterous zeal of many Iesuited Anabaptistical qua king pretended Saints Souldiers Zealots in our degenerated dayes is diametrically contrary to this of David and our Saviour Christ even to devour and eat up Gods House it self with all his faithfull Ministers remaining Tithes Rectories Glebes Maintenance at one meal which of late years and now again they have prosecuted with such eager Appetites and hungry Stomacks that they make it their very prime main only Businesse endeavouring to effect it with such Post-hast as might anticipate all new printed Pleas for their just defence and fore-judge most Ministers Patrons Peoples Rights throughout our Nation even out of Term in a long Vacation as in August 1653. and now again without any Legal Summons Process Tryal by their Peers before competent lawfull Judges meet to decide such a universal Right Title publike Interest which more or lesse concerns every particular County City Parish Minister Patron Person throughout the Realm and therefore ought not to be drawn into Question much lesse Decision without their General consent desire petition and a full deliberate hearing of all Parties interessed before a full Legal Parliamentary Tribunal duly elected entrusted by all the People according to our Laws This being an undoubted principle of Nature Law Equity common Justice and Reason Quod tangit omnes ab omnibus debet approbari Et Populi minor pars Populum non obligit This their preproperous speed and preposterous proceeding necessitated my Stationer at the importunity of some Ministers in September 1653. to thrust out and publish to the World an imperfect Piece and beginning only of my Gospel-Plea for the Lawfulnesse and Continuance of the Antient setled Maintenance and Tithes of the Ministers of the Gospel without this Remaining part then sent up together with it or any Errata to it or Notice given to the Reader if its incompleatnesse some few dayes before the great Debate of our New Legifers Septemb. 1653. concerning the future standing or down-fall of Tithes which would have been finished and quite past before the whole could possibly be printed and so have rendered the entire Plea lesse seasonable serviceable beneficial to our Church and Ministers than the publishing of a Fragment of it in that nick of time proved to them through Gods blessing on it This unexpected sodain publication thereof upon that inevitable occasion as it caused an Omission of some part of the second Chapter in confirmation of the second Proposition touching the Divine Right of Ministers Tithes and of the 3. ensuing Chapters So it hath necessitated me to publish this Subsequent Appendix to that Chapter by way of Supplement as a necessary Introduction to the Remaining Part here printed with it for the Readers better satisfaction in this publique Controversy and stopping the clamorous Mouthes of all Gain-sayers Which had been published soon after the former in the year 1653. had not my former Stationers long Infirmity Sicknesse Death retarded its progresse at the Presse and enforced me to seek out another Midwife to bring it into the world at this instant time I hope not as an Abortive out of Season the former Opposites to our Ministers and their Tithes being ever since and now again as Malicious against them as ever waiting only for a fresh oportunity to suppress them ever since their then sodain defeat in this their Impious Sacrilegious Designe when almost ripened to accomplishment in their Hopes and Votes unexpectedly dashed in a moment There being since this their disappointment a new disguised Antichristian sect of Quakers introduced by Jesuits and Franciscan friers as I have elswhere evidenced sprung up amongst us more virulently opposite to our Ministers and their Maintenance by TITHES than any other which they not only decry in all their Pamphlets but totally substract and detain from
the Apostle interprets it Hebr. 7. 2. being by Interpretation KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESSE and after that also King of SALEM which is KING OF PEACE which Souldiers who make a gainfull Trade of War and Rapine delight not in 10ly I do affirm and will abide by it that since the time some disguised Popish Priests Jesuits Sectaries Hereticks Anabaptists and other Seducers rather than the Lord drew ouâ— the heart of some Souldiers and other Mechanicks in truth or disguise publickly to preach the People of this Common-wealth have had more abominable false damnable atheistical Antichristian Heresies Errors Blasphemies New Opinions and old exploded Heterodox Heresies and Tenents of all sorts whatsoever against the very Essence Nature Attributes of God himself the three sacred Persons in the Trinity the Old and New Testament Law Gospel all the fundamental Articles of Faith and Salvation the Sacraments Ministers Ordinances of God and practical publick private Duties of Piety and Christianity under the Names and specious Titles of New Lights and glorious Discoveries of Christs Kingdom broached by Souldiers and Lay-Preachers than in all the times since the Gospel was first preached in this Island and more than ever any one Age Church Nation or all our Ministers put together since the Creation till now were guilty of and these publickly averred both in Presse and Pulpit and the Authors of them exempted from any corporal or pecuniary punishments by the Civil Magistrates by the avowed printed Positions and Proposals of the General Council of Army-Officers and Souldiers in sundry Papers For full and infallible proof whereof I shall remit the Reader to Mr. Edwards Gangrenaes the Catalogues of the Heresies Blasphemies Errors collected by the London and Devonshire Ministers the Stationers Beaconfired and New Law p. 78 97. Which stiles Heaven Hell the resurrection of the Flesh a Dream of our Preachers The History of the Scripture an Idol c. And all this by the malice of Satan the underhand practices of Jesuites and our Popish Adversaries to defame ruine our Church Ministers Religion seduce thee to Popery Atheism and reduce us back to the Antichristian Tyranny of the Sea of Rome as I have largely manifested in the fifth Chapter Whereas Canne cannot charge our Parochial Ministers and Presbyterians with any such Blasphemies Heresies Errors as those he pleads for are guilty of in the highest degree nor with those Jesuitical treacherous perfidious sacrilegious unclean beastly ranting unrighteous prophane atheistical Innovations Practices Rapines Usurpations as they have plunged themselves into over head and ears without any Conscience or dread of God or Man 11ly What that more true Light and glorious Discoveries of Christ and his Kingdom made known to the people of this Common-wealth within these 10 or 12. years by the publick preaching of some Souldiers and Laymen exceeding all the Nations Ministers ever made known unto them before are is concealed by Canne and unknown to me or others unless it be the flat atheistical denyal of God of Christ and all his Offices of the Holy Ghost Scriptures Sacraments all publick Ordinances in the Church of all Kings Princes Parliaments lawfull Magistrates Laws Oaths Vows Covenants Protestations Engagements by many of them in their words writings and most of them in their works with their Jesuitical positions plots practices recited in the fifth Chapter And if these be not true infernal Darknesse and clear inglorious Discoveries of Antichrist and his Kingdom in the highest Degree that ever yet appeared amongst the people of this Common-wealth let the fifth Chapter with the positions and practices themselves compared with the Old and New Testament determine 12ly The decrying of our Vniversities Colleges Schools of human Learning Innes of Court and some mens endeavouring to seise upon their Lands and Revenues for the Armies use is no doubt a Jesuitical Papal plot to extinguish the light of our Knowledge both Divine and humane by puting out the Eyes of our Nation that so Jesuitical Popish darkness might over-spread our Church and State and so the blind leading the blind in both they must fall into the Pit of Destruction in a moment It is storied of Julian that blasphemous Apostate and professed Enemie of Christ and Christian Religion That he suppressed all the Schools of Christians prohibiting by general Laws and Decrees that any should profess practice or study any Arts or Sciences in any Schools that so they might become and remain Ideots without learning and so be insufficient and unable to preach the Christian Faith oppose or refute any Pagan or other Errors Blasphemies against the true God and his worship devising by all means possible whereof this was one of the Principal TO MAKE WAR AGAINST JESUS CHRIST and extirpate Christianity without shedding any Christian blood finding by experience that the Christian Faith and Christians were greatly increased by the torments and blood of the Martyrs So that bloody Apostate from and Persecutor of the Christian Faith Lucius the Emperour as he ruined the Churches Temples he commanded to be built for Christ cast out of his House Service and all Offices and place of Command whatsoever he that was a Christian commanded all those Christians to be slain who would not adore his Idols prohibited all Assemblies of Christians either for worship or consultation so he was such an Enemy to Learning that he named the same as some do now A Poyson and common Pestilence and the Overthrow of Common-wealths and especially the knowledge of the Laws And thought no vice worse became a Prince than Learning because he himself was unlearned and thereupon prohibited Schools and Meetings for Instruction Whereas on the contrary Constantine the Great and all other Godly prudent Christian Emperors Kings and Princes founded Schools of Learning and Universities in all places encouraged and advanced learned men of all Arts and Professions especially Divines Lawyers and Philosophers well knowing that Learning was the principle means to promote Religion and the glory honour wealth and greatness of any Nation more necessary than any Arms or Souldiers and the chief means to preserve them from Idolatry Superstition Confusion ruine We may therfore clearly discern whence the present Outcries against our Vniversities Inns of Court Schools of Learning and all human learning proceed even from desperate Apostates from true Religion and Gods Church and those who would erect a New Babel of Confusion amongst us in Church State and thereby build up the demolished walls of the Romish Jericho within all our Dominions For proof whereof I shall transcribe this notable passage of our famous learned Bishop Jewel in his Sermon on Joshua 6. in his works in Folio p. 167 168. which is very pithy learned and satisfactory omitting all others Now to stay the restoring of Jericho many good waies may be devised The 1. maintenance of Schools and Learning That Learning and Knowledge is able to hinder the Building of Jericho is so plain that it needeth no
Learning Religion Ministers Scholars Lands Estates Tithes that they placed them in the very front of all those antient Laws Liberties Customs which they claimed enjoyed and presented to William the pretended Conqueror upon Oath in the 4th Year of his Reign who ratified them in Parliament without the least Alteration or Diminution to his eternal Honour and the great contentment of the whole Nation whose affections else he would have lost to the endangering of his new acquired Royalty as I have proved in the 2d Chapter Which our New pretended Conquerors may do well to consider And so I proceed to my concluding Assertion CHAP. V. I Am now arived at the fifth and last Proposition That the present opposition and endeavoured abolition of Tithes and all other coercive maintenance for Ministers proceed not from any real grounds of Piety or Conscience or any considerable real Inconveniences or Mischiefs arising from them but merely from base covetous carnal Hearts want of Christian Love and Charity to and professed enmity and batred against the Ministers and Ministry of the Gospel and from a Jesuitical and Anabaptistical design to subvert and ruine our Ministers Church and Religion the probable if not necessary consequence of this infernal Project if it should take effect Which would prove the eternal Shame Infamy and Ruine of our Nation not its Glory and Benefit The first part of the Proposition is sufficiently manifested by the premises wherein I have answered all Objections from pretended Grounds of Piety Conscience and surmised Inconveniences or Mischiefs made against Tithes discovering them to be mere Impostures and false Surmises and the principal Objections against them are that they are Jewish Popish And Iohn Canne in his Second Voyce from the Alehouse for surely it came from thence not from the Temple to shew his skill in Divinity most impudently asserts That payment of Tithes is a Sin two waies against the second Commandement 1. In it self as being Iewish and Superstitious giving honour to the wayes and devises of Antichrist This way of Maintenance by Tithes being a Popish Custom imposed by the Popes Authority c. 2ly As paid to an unlawfull and Antichristian Ministry c. Surely a Lyer ought to have a good Memory He confesseth p. 15. That Tithes were paid by Abraham vowed by Iacob and prescribed by God himself in the Ceremonial law Therefore neither Jewish nor Popish nor Superstitions nor a Sin against the 2d Commandement else Abraham in paying Iacob in vowing God in prescribing the Israelites in paying them should transgresse this Commandement and commit a Sin against it I would demand of this Canne how he can reconcile these his palpable Lyes and Contradictions unbecomming him who professeth himself a true Minister of the Gospel 1. How Tithes can be merely Jewish since paid by Gods direction and approbation by Abraham the Father of the Faithfull and that to Christ himself in the shape of Melchisedeâ— and prescribed by Gods own special Precept 2ly How any thing commanded by God even when the 2d Commandement was given recorded in the same Canonical Books of Scripture with it practised by Gods special command by all his true Saints under the Law and generally in all Christian Churches under the Gospel as I have proved can possibly be a Sin against the 2d Commandement in it self and whether it be not direct Blasphemy in him thus confidently to aver it in making Gods very Commandements to fight one against another and to command one thing as a Duty in some Texts and condemn it as a Sin and damnable Superstition in another 3ly How Tithes if truly and orignally Iewish can yet be truly and originally Antichristian Popish and the Popes device many thousand years after Tithes first Institution and customary payment Till he can satisfactorily reconcile these apparent contradictory Assertions or publickly recant them if he cannot all the world must accompt him for an Antichristian Minister and Lying Impostor his Voyce the Voyce of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth both God and Men Psal 44. 16. and confess there is no ground at all in Piety or Conscience against Tithes or their payment but grounds both of Piety and Conscience for them as I have proved especially for our Godly Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel for whom I only plead whose Calling being of unquestionable Divine Institution notwithstanding all Cannes Alehouse Arguments against them not worth a Canne and to continue in the world to the very end thereof and the consummation of all things by Christs own resolution Matth. 28. 20 Ephes 4. 10 11 12 13. they may and ought by Divine and Human Laws to enjoy their Glebes and Tithes so long continued maugre all the malice power of their violent Oppugners and will do so when they and their Posterities shall not have so much as a Name or Being upon Earth or in Heaven unless they repent notwithstanding they were justly taken from Popish Fryers Abbots Priors Lordly Prelates of mere popish Antichristian Institution not Divine when their very Orders were suppressed as mere Vsurpers Encroachers of the Ministers Rights Rewards alone for their pains in preaching exercising their Ministerial Function in their respective Parishes not in Abbies Cathedrals no Parish Churches for the people to resort unto to which by the Popes Bulls they were unjustly appropriated heretofore To clear this Proposition more fully in all its branches I have observed that there are five sorts of persons of late very busie active both against our Ministers tiths and callings too The first are Souldiers The 2d Anabaptists Dippers Quakers with other late blasphemous Sectaries and Hereticks The 3d. prophane covetous Earth worms and Atheistical Wretches who say in their Hearts and sometimes boldly profess not only by their Lives but with their Tongues in this lawless Age There is no GOD. The 4th prophane ignorant cheating Prognosticators and Astronomers The 5th Jesuitos popish Priests and Romish Emissaries sent from all pâ—rts to ruine our Ministers and Religion For the first they are either Officers and Common Souldiers and those either such who have gained or purchased Lands since the Wars lyable to Tithes for such who have no Lands at all and so not of present Ability Capacity to pay Tithes Those who have any purchased Lands lyable to Tithes are now so fierce against them for ought I câ—n discern not out of any grounds of piety or Conscience but either out of an unworthy covetous degenerous fordid disposition to ease themselves and their Heirs from this just antient Debt yea a charge of Tithes upon their New cheap Purchases and gain them as an Over-plus into their Bargains to improve their Purchases to an higher value the case of such of them who approve of our Ministers our publick Ordinances and are no Speakers Anabaptists Sectaries Or else a like avaritious Disposition mixed with and heightned by a professed Enmity Malignity against the very Persons Calling of our Ministers whom they usually revile
hast kept me this day from coming to shed bloud and to avenge my self with my own hand But if they shall by Gods permission cast me again bound hand and foot into another fiery Fornace for this my faithfull Service or not falling down and worshipping that Golden or rather Wooden Image which they have or would now set up I doubt not but that Gracious God who hath so miraculously preserved me in delivered me out of so many fiery Trials and Fornaces heretofore will do the like again hereafter and that in such a visible eminent manner as shall enforce them at last to use those words unto me as Nebuchadnezzar did unto Shadrac Meshac and Abednego after their miraculous preservation in the midst of the fiery Fornace into which the most valiant men of his Army cast them bound by his unrighteous Command to their own immediat destruction by the flame without the least hurt to them Dan. 3. 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said Blessed be the God of Shadrac Meshac and Abednego who hath sent his Angel and delivered his Servants that trusted in him and have changed the Kings word and have yielded their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any God or Idol except their own God This being an undoubted Truth which I have ever hitherto found experimentally true from and in my former causelesse Oppressors whose Erronious Practices vices I have reproved recorded by God himself and the wisest of all Mortals Prov. 28. 23. He that rebuketh a man for his faults plainly shall afterwards find more favour than he that flattereth him in them with the Tongue And that saying of the truth it self in such cases of difficulty and concernment to the reprover will ever prove an experimental verity wherewith I shall conclude my Plea which I desire may be deeply engraven in the Hearts Spirits of all timorous base unworthy Christians who dare neither speak nor write their Consciences nor Discharge their Duties in these times of danger and will wrong both their Consciences Country Posterity yea shame their God Nation Religion to save their Estates Lives as they fondly conceit when they will lose all with their souls to boot by their base carnal fears Math. 16. 24 25 26. Luke 17. 33. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Crosse and follow me For whosoever will Save or shall seek to Save his life so Luke records it shall Lose it and his Tithes Lands Liberties with it and whosoever will Lose his Lise for my sake shall find it For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole World and Lose his own Soul Or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul I shall cloze up all with this notable Passage of our own learned Writer John Sarisbury against such Religious Hypocritical Cistersian Monks who in his age sought exemption from payment of Tithes and seised upon the Ministers Dues about the year 1170. Joannis Sarisburiensis De Nugis Curialium l. 7. c. 21. De Hypocritis qui ambitioâ—is labem falsae Religionis imagine nituntur occultare Hi sunt qui potestatibus persuadentes ut propter vitia personarum jure suo priventur Ecclefiae Decimationes et Primitias Ecclestis subtrahunt et Ecclesias ipsas accipiunt de manu Laicorum Episcopis inconsultis Hi sunt qui praedia avita subtrahentes indigenis vicos pagos redigunt in solitudinem in suos usus vicina quaeque convertunt Ecclesias diruunt ut in usus revocant seculares Quae Domus Orationis fuerat aut efficitur stabulum pecoris aut opilionis aut Ianificli Officina Et ut se possunt plenius exhibere charitatis implere manus ne decimas dent Apostolico privilegio muniuntur Miror tamen ut Fidelium pace Ioquar quidnam sit quod Decimas et Iura aliena usurpare non erubescunt Inquient fortè Religiosi sumus Planè Decimas solvere Religionis pars est Et eas a Deo populus duntaxat religionis solvere exigitur Hi adeo religiosi sunt quod in Decimis dandis derogare possunt constitutioni Divinae in eo licenter minus grati sunt gratiae Dei quo eam amplioribus beneficiis experiuntur FINIS A POSTSCRIPT IT is storied of Canutus the 4 th the 77 King of Denmark an eminent professor of Piety and Religion and great lover of Justice that perceiving his Subjects to stick at many things pertaining to Christian Religion and not to conform to other Christians throughout the world in Laws and Ceremonies specially in the due payment of Tithes to their Ministers he urged them out of religious Piety ut ritu aliarum Nationum Christianam Religionem prositentium Decimas Sacerdotibus suis soluerent that after the custome of other Nations professing Christian Religion they would pay Tithes to their Priests remitting to them a great fine imposed on them for their Rebellion and contempt in refusing to accompany him in an Expedition against the English to induce them thereunto But they being perswaded the contrary by his Brother Olaf thereupon rose up in Rebellion against him specially the Northern Jutes frequently perfidious whom he could never induce to pay Tithes and pursuing him to Othense cruelly murdered this their just and pious King in the Church of St. Alban Anno 1088. whom Olaf succeeding God presently sent such a great scarcity of Corn and provision in Denmark for 7. years space together the intemperatenesse of the air blasting all their Corn that many families not only of the poorer but richer and nobler sort died of famine the people fighting with one another even for grasse to eat At last the famin invading King Olaf his Court he prayed to God that if he had conceived any anger against his Subjects for not paying Tithes and murdering their King he would satisfie his wrath upon him not them and the same night Esurientem parricidii pâ—nitentem animam efflavit he died of hunger repenting of his paricide O that all English Tithe-Oppugners and Regicides would seriously meditate on this memorable president of Divine Justice upon such Delinquents and be brought to timely repentance thereby to prevent the like National and Personal Judgements upon our Nation themselves and their posterities ERRATA COurteous Reader correct these mistakes and omissions of the Presse occasioned by the Authors absence in the Country Page 2. l. 34. if r. of p. 8. l. 24. r Wagria p. 14. l. 20. r. inservierat pietati l. 26. r. Wilfrid p. 21. l. 39. these those p. 25. l. 11. Decima l. 15. 17. aliendis alienandis p. 27. l. 27. r. 17 E. 4. c. 7. l. 37. Parliament l. 38. sommoneri p. 28. l. 6. Heu licet quod eo r. Quod licet de l. 13. dele ut l. 16. indulgere r. inducere l. 19. quamplurimum p. 29. l. 19. superlors p. 30. l. 3. Lord God p. 34. l. 4. form r. former l. 6. last r.
not of Confusion doing all things in order number and due proportion hath amongst all other Numbers specially fixed upon a TENTH And thereupon the Antients heretofore both Natural Legal Pagan and Christian led by a natural and divine instinct thereunto have ever principally insisted on a TENTH in all their divine sacred Rites Mysteries Dues reserved by or rendered of them to their Gods and in all their publick civil Taxes Tributes Customes Duties imposed by or paid to their Emperors Kings Princes and Supreme Magistrates Hence God saith expresly All Tithes are the Lords Levit. 27. 30 c. And how his Not by Couetesie or Tolleration not by Purchase or Stipulation not by Compensation or Annexation not by Benevolence or mens free Donation but by original Right of Creation in proâ—ucing every thing in its kind and of absolute Soveraign Dominion expressed in the word LORDS as a universal Rent service or acknowledgement reserved by God himself the Supreme Land-lord of all the Earth from Adam and all his Posterity to the end of the world when he gave them the Earth to inhabit and manure as mere Tenants at will under him He that is I AM himself Qui cepit nunquam desinet numquam being vitae essentiae interminabilis tota simul perfecta possessio in aeterno suâ— consummato EVER POSSESSED TITHES as well as the seventh day which he saith is HIS SABBATH SINCE THEY HAD BEING which are indeed his ab aeterno suo inchâ—ato In this Tithes were Gods not only at the time when he first challenged them by an expresse written Law and Reservation Levit. 27. 30 31 32 c. but long before even when Abraham paid them and before that ever since the time of the Creation that God made any thing tithable to increase out of the earth for the use of mâ—n The time never was that Tithes were not Gods nor shall ever be that they shall cease to be his and his Priests and Ministers in and by him by his special Donation and Institution not mans for the constant support of his continual publick worship and that by a Divine Right God in those things which are direct points of Piety and necessary appurtenances for his solemn worship such as are Tithes for his Prieâ—â—â— and Ministers competent standing maintenance in all Aâ—â—â— places and weekly times for his worship never leaving men free to their own wiâ—ls inventions or arbitrary pleasures no more than Land-lords their Tenants or Kings their Subjects but confining them to a certainty himself by his word as well as he doth it in all parts and duties of his worship That Abraham knew this Divine Right of God to Tithes when he paid Tithes of all to Melchisedeâ— not arbitrarily but of due right by vertue of some Divine Precept else Melchisedeâ— had been inferiour to Levi who received Tithes from his Brethren by a Divine Law and Command Hebr. 7. 4 5 6 c. he receiving this Precept of paying Tithes by Tradition from Heber who learned it of Sâ—m who was so taught of his Father Nâ—ah he by succession RECEIVING IT FROM ADAM who as he was wrought and fashioned by God so was he herein taught and instructâ—d by God And therefore not only amongst the Sons of God such as called rightly upon the name of thâ— Lord but even amongst thâ— Giants of the Daughters of Mâ—n worshipping invented Godâ— by themselves and dedicatinâ— their TITHES unto them as the Premises evideâ—câ— THERE NEVER WAS NUMBER THAT DID INTRUDE UPON THE TENTH MUCH LESSE SHOULDER IT OUT OF DOORS This Number of Tâ—â— writes Philo the learned Jew that most sacred Wâ—â—â—â—â— Mâ—ses hath not a little commended because the best Duties of Man are by him couâ—hed under that number as God TEN COMMANDEMENTS Vows Prayers First-Fruits perpetual Offerings pardoning Debts and reducing all things unto their First estate every Fiftieth year of Jubilee made up of Tenths the Fur niture of the Tabernacle with a thousand such like in the old Testament besides other things of like nature expressed under this Number of TEN in the New by which we may know that TEN IS THE NVMBER OF PERFECTION as â—ivers style it and hath near affinity with God in sacred things That from Gods own Original Reservation of TENTHS to himself and his Ministers this number became sacred and universal afterwards in all publick civil Taxes Dues reserved to Kings and Supream Magistrates For the First-born and chief of the Family from Adam till the Levitical Priesthood instituted being for the most part King as well as Priest thereof as Melchisedec who received Tithes of Abraham was Gen. 14. 18. Heb. 7. 1 2. when these two Offices came afterwards to be centred and settled in two distinct persons thereupon the antient TENTHS reserved by God and assigned to his Priests and Ministers in perpetuity for their subsistence and maintenance of his publick worship from the Creation to the end of the world by a Divine Law which no humane powers could repeal both amongst Gods own people and most Heathens Nations were appropriated to and received only by the Priests and Ministers though divested of the Royal dignity and a NEW TENTH by way of Tribute Tax Custome or Subsidy amounting commonly to the Tenth part of the people 's tithed increase and estates in all Kingdomes and Republiks was by Common consent imposed on and reserved received by Emperors Kings Princes and Supreme Magistrates from the people for their support defraying the charges of the Government and their peoples necessary defence upon all occasions Hence Tributes Taxes Customes and publick impositions were usually called TENTHS as well as Ministers Tithes both amongst Gods own people 1 Sam. 8. 15 17. amounting To the tenth of their estates and increase as also amongst the antient Romans Grecians and most other Pagan Nations of old as Mr. Mountague proves at large in his Diatribae c. 3. by sundry Authors as they were anciently and at this day so stiled both amongst the Turks Moors Spaniards Germans Italians French Danes Swedes Poles Scots Irish and most other Pagan and Christian Nations at this day especially in England as you may read at large in Rastals Abridgments of Statutes Title Taxes and Tenthes Brooks Abridgement and Ashes Tables Title Quinzime Disme Tax and Tallaâ—e and our Parliament Records And from this number of Ten their Officers as well of State as Religion were usually stiled Decemviri Decuriones Decumani Decani Decadarchae Decatutae Decatologi Decatorii and the like our Names of Offices of Deans Tithingmen Collectors of Tenths c. proceeding from the self-same Number Sacred every way even amongst Pagan Nations both in their Duties of Piety and Policy by constant tradition they knew not why nor wherefore and likewise amongst Gods people upon the premised grounds Hence Doctor Tillesley thus concludes in his Epistle to King James before his Animadversions on Mr. Seldens History Surely the Number Tenth or Tithe is Sacred and very
of the Tithes of some Thousands of our best Benefices unto Abbies and Monasteries and robbing the Ministers of them to whom only they were given by God himself and the first Donors for their Maintenance to the great prejudice both of the Ministers and People was one principal cause that by a Divine Judgement and Providence beyond all mens expectation the Pope and they were both suppressed together on a suddain even by him who not long before had justified his usurped Supremacy against Luther and for which he had received this ominous Title from the Pope DEFENDER OF THE FAITH God grant our New Defenders of the Faith do not as ill â—â— quite those Persons Powers who first commissioned them with their Arms to defend our Faith Church Religion against Iesuites Papists and their Confederates in the Field as King Henry did the Pope after this new Moâ—â—o 7ly That ouâ— God blessed honoured us with the first incomparable Protestant King in the world no Papist but a REAL SAINT beyond any of his years in this or former Ages even young KING EDWARD THE SIXT the first King I read of who by publick Laws and Statutes suppressed banished all Popish Pictures Ceremonies Superstitious Monuments Practices Abuses throughout his Dominions and established the true worship Service Sacraments Ministers and Ministry and Gospel of Christ throughout his Dominions for which all Ages shall call him blessed no waies embesselling or diminishing the Churches Glebes Tithes or Revenues and enacting a New excellent Law for Tithes recovery when detained But God taking him suddenly from hence to a better Kingdom and his Successor Queen Mary defacing deforming his blessed Reformation and restoring both the Pope and Popery again almost to its former height except in point of Monkery which the defacing of the Monasteries prevented 8ly God then blessed our Church and Kingdom with an unparallel'd Protestant Princesse Queen Elizabeth a Nursing Mother to the Church who demolished the whole Body of Popery with the Popes revived usurpations again by publick Acts established the reformed Religion again in greater beauty and purity than at first banishing all Jesuites and Seminary Priests as Traytors restored the exiled Ministers of the Gospel suffering for Religion rewarding them with the rechest Bishopricks and Church-Preferments and planting a faithfull painfull preaching Ministry by degrees in most dark corners of her Dominions endowed them with a setled competent maintenance which our subsequent Protestant Kings continued to them and their Successors without diminution All which considered we of this Isle may with much thankfulnesse to God and honour to our Princes without flattery averr before all the world That the forecited Prophecies of Kings being Nursing Fathers and Queens Nursing-Mothers to the Church and specially Kings and Queens of this Isle have been more really accomplished in the Kings and Queens of this our Island than in the Kings and Queens of any other Isle Kingdom or Nation whatsoever throughout the world and God grant that those who shall succeed them in any other New modelled-form of Government may not prove such Step-Fathers and Step-Mothers to our Churches and Ministers as to demolish the one and strip the other quite naked of all that former Livelihood and remaining small Revenues which they yet enjoy by our Princes Grants Gists Charters Laws and Favours only and thereby give all Godly Ministers and people too in our Nation just cause to cry out with wringed hands weeping eyes and bleeding hearts in the Prophets words Hosea 10. 3 4. For now they shall say We have no King because we feared not the Lord What then should a King do to us or amongst us They have spoken words Swearing falsely in making a Covenant Thus Iudgement springeth up as Hemlock one of the deadliest Poysons to destroy men in the fields Or else to speak in Solomons language to the same effect Prov. 28. 2. For the transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof as our Land had never so many Transgressions and Princes too as now But by a Man of Vnderstanding and Knowledge and where is such a one to be found to stand up in a Gap the state thereof shall be prolonged Now the Lord raise up such a Man or Men lest God say to our Nation and all Grandees in Power as he did once to the prophane wicked Prince of Israel whose day was come Ezech. 21. 25 26 27. Remove the Diadem and take off the Crown this shall not be the same Exalt him that is Low and abase him that is High I will overturn overturn overturn Church State Laws and it shall be no more untill he come whose Right it is and I will give it him To prevent these treble fatal over-turnings with the wiping and turning of our Jerusalem UPSIDE DOWN like a Dish a certain Fore-runner of a Churches Nations ruine 2 Kings 21. 13. Psal 146. 9. I shall now in the last place present the whole Nation with a brief Catalogue of those manifold Laws Statutes which our Kings have successively made in their Great Councils and Parliaments almost from the very first establishment of Religion in our Island for the due payment of Ministers Tithes by coercive Means Forfeitures Penalties in case of willfull detaining or neglect in paying all or any part of them at the times appointed which those who please may peruse in Câ—ronicon Johannis Brompton Mr. Lambards Archaiâ—n Sir Henry Spelmans Councils Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments John Bridges his Defence of the Government of the Church of England Book 16. p. 1350. Our Statutes at large and Mr. Rastals Abridgement of Statutes Title Tithes which Laws being well known to most learned men are therefore needlesse fully to transcribe The first of them is the forecited Law Decree of the Council of Calcuth under King Oswald and Oâ—â—a An. 787. of famous King Alfred Anno 787. of King Alfred and Gutburn the Dane cap. 9. De Decimis Deo Debiâ—u about the year 890. of King Edward the elder and Gutburn Anno 905. or 906. as some Cap. 6. in some c. 9. DE DECIMIS ET CENSU ECCLISLE RETENTIS of King Aethelstan made in the famous Council of Gratelean An 928. cap. 1. DE DECIMIS REDDENDIS tam ex Animalibus quam de fructibus terrae which this King himself duly paid and then enjoyned all his great Officers and People duly to render of King Edmond An. 944. c. 2. concluding Qui non solverit ANATHEMA ESTO Of famous King Edgar Anno 967. c. 3. DE DECIMIS Canon 54. of the Kings and Presbyters of Northumberlana made a little after that time Lex 51. of King Aetâ—elred An. 1012. c. 1 4. of King Knute the Dane An. 1032. c. 8. but 15. in some Copies De Decimis reddendis c. 11 17. and a Statute law against obstinate Detainers of Tithes there stiled JURA ET DEBITIONES DIVINAE of King Edward the Confessor about the year 1060. confirmed verbatim by William the
speech In the time of Moses Law Aaron the great Bishop and High Priest had written in a Tablet before his Breast Doctrin and Truth not only Learning but also Truth whereby was meant that neither ought to be without the other For as Learning is dangerous and hurtfull in some cases without Religion So is Religion unable to defend it self to convince the Gain-sayers without Learning For this cause the Heathen when they erected Temples in honour of their Gods they did also build Libraries that is places to keep Books that by such means their Priests might grow in Knowledge and be better able to perswade others to their Religion Strabo of the Sinprincians that they built a Temple in honour of Homer and joyned thereto a Library Augustus the Emperor built a Temple and also a Library in the honour of Apollo Trajanus in like manner built a Library and called it Vlpia after his own name At Rome in the Capitol where all the Gods had a Solemn place for to be worshipped in there was also placed a Library Athens was a famous Universitie and had many Colleges and Schools of Learning Academia Stoa Lycaeum Canopus Prytanneum Tempe Cynosura in which places were divers Sects of Philosophers Such were in Persia the Wisemen whom they called Magi in Babylon the Chaldees in India Brachmanes in Aethiopia Gymnosophistae in France and England Druides and others in other Countries In all times the Kings and Princes which did set forth Religion were also Builders of Schools and Colleges and Advancers of Learning The people of Israel were never in better state as P. Phagius a learned man noteth out of their Story than when they had in every Town and Village Bathe chenesioth and Bathe medraschoth that is Synogogues wherein they assembled together and places to preach in The same Phagius relateth of Hierusalem that there were in it more than four hundred common Schools and Synagogues wherein the Law of God was taught The Patriarch Jacob was called A Minister of the House of Learning because he applyed himself to the knowledge of the Law of God and to Godliness The Prophets of God had their Schools to breed up under them such as might after their death draw the people from Idolatry and resist the false Prophets They which were so taught by them were called the Sons of the Prophets Samuel taught in such sort at Rama Elias and Elizeus the Prophets taught the Law of God besides Jericho St. John the Evangelist taught at Ephesus and Eusebius reporteth out of Philo that St. Mark had at Alexandria sundry Scholars which gave themselves to reading and reasoning and expounding of the Scriptures Others did the like at Antioch and at other places Out of such Schools it pleased God to take many excellent men and place them in his Church as Origen Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Arnobius Basilius Nazianzenus Chrysostomus Hieronimus Ambrosius Augustinus c. who were brought up in all kind of Learning and became shining Stars and brought Lights in the House of God notable Defenders of Religion Over-throwers of Idols and Confounders of Hereticks Christian Princes herein have witnessed their Zeal in setting forth the Glory of God After Charles the Great had made his notable Conquests let our Conquerors remember it he erected five famous Universities one at Paris another at Tolouse another at Papia another at Padua and another at Prague to which our King Alfred founder of out famous Universitie of Oxford with the founders of all the Colleges therein and of the Universities of Cambridge Dublin and those in Scotland to omit those Universities in Germany Spain Portugall Poland Denmarke Sweden Hungary and other Parts of Italy and France mentioned by Heylen and others might be added Suidas reporteth of Leo the Emperour That when Leâ— on a time commanded Eulogius a Philosopher should have his Princely reward a Noble man of the Court sayd as some do now of our Universities and Colleges Lands and Revenues that that money would be better imployed for the maintenance of Souldiers Nay saith he and so all wise men now I would rather it might be brought to pass in my time that the wages which are now bestowed upon Souldiers might be given to maintain Philosophers Alexander Severus so highly esteemed that notable famous Lawyer Vlpian that when certain of his Soldiers â—an feircely upon Vlpian to slay him the Emperor stept forth and set himself between the body of Vlpian and the fury of his Souldiers and covered him with his own Robes that the Souldiers might know how carefull he was for the good estate of Vlpian Let our Souldiers who hate and study to suppress Philosophers Scholars Lawyers consider these two last Stories And also for the contrary such as have practised cruelty upon learned men and have hated knowledge were worthily discommended in the Stories of all ages He instanceth in the wicked Apostates Julian and Licinius forecited examples The like is reported of Caligula Caracalla and Domitianus that either they utterly hated all manner of Learning or had some special malice against the writings of some one notable man and therefore sought to destroy them Such was the policy of Satan so thought he to get the upper hand and to restore again his wicked Iericho And were these the Practices of Heathen Princes only may not we remember the like attempts wrought in our dayes who will call â—o mind the time that is not far past shall find that this ignorant Iericho had many friends and hath it not now as many and the same who by all means drew men from knowledge they gave Liberty rather to do any thing than to seek understanding and yet suffered rather the use and reading of fabulous and unclean writers than of the Holy Scripture and Books which carried fruitfull instruction Good Letters to increase knowledge are not to be neglected Such as presume of Gods Spirit over-boldly that without endeavour to use the wholsome means which God hath left unto his Church they shall and doe by special inspiration understand his will do tempt God He adds much more In brief learning knowledge in Arts Tongues Histories of all sorts and in the Laws Governments of former ages are so absolutely necessary for the right understanding and interpretation of the Scriptures and good Government of all Common-wealths and Kingdoms that without them there neither will nor can be any true Religion sound Knowledge of God his word or works nor orderly Government Humanity Civility Navigation or Commerce almost in the world and men deprived of it will be little different from Beasts as appears by the brutish Sottishnesse Barbarousnesse Savagenesse ignorance of the illiterate Indians in America and of some other African and Northern Nations voyd both of Religion Government and Humanity it self because destitute of Learning as Purchas his Pilgrimage Mr. Hackluits voyages Peter Martyrs Indian History Mercator and others record Hereupon our antient Ancestors were so carefull of
divided by upholding the weakest party that the other might not make it self too powerfull Reducing the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland to be divided by one of these two means or both either by nominating new Kings or by reducting them to a Common-wealth Yet with this Caution that when they are reduced to a Common-wealth So to order it that it may not be intirely one but divided For Republiques ever enemies to Poteut Neighbours and Iealous of their Liberties ought to be Suspected by the State of France How punctually this advice hath been pursued by the French as well as Parsons and Campanellaes Plots of like nature by the Spaniards those who please to peruse the Lord George Digbies Cabinet Letters printed in the Collection of all the Publique Orders Ordinances and Declaration of Parliament in folio by the Commons Order 1646. p. 849 858 862 863 866 867. and my Speech in Parliament p. 118. 106 to 114. may read at leisure and every mans observing experience can sufficiently attest The Lord now at last give us hearts to be deeply sensible of it and grace zeal courage to make timely use of it for the Preservation of our Kingdoms Nations Churches Ministers Religion from impendent ruine Having given the world this brief Accompt of the principal Promoters Prosecutors of the present Grand Plot against our Ministers their Tithes and Rectories I cannot upon serious consideration of it but foresee and divine that if all or any of these Projectors through Gods heavy Judgment on us for our sins and detestable violations of all Oaths Vows Covenants Trusts Protestations Promises Declarations Divine and Human Laws should by power fraud policy or armed force so far prevail with our present Legifers or Swaying Grandees as totally to take away and abolish the Rectories Tithes and present setled Maintenance of our Ministry for the Souldiers pay or other ends or else secretly to bring them all into a Common Treasury and reduce all our Ministers to set arbitrary Stipends out of them to dispossess them of the future actual possession of them and make them wholy dependent on the arbitrary discretions of new intruding Land-Lords into their Churches Patrimonies Freeholds from whom they never received them at first as it would inevitably produce a world of mischiefs and Inconveniences both to all Patrons and Parishioners throughout the Nation without the least Ease or Benefit to the People so it would certainly either totally ruine our Ministers making them all poor Fryers Mendicants neglecting their Callings Studies to get their living by begging from door to door and as Peter Martyr observes to be ventris potius quam Ecclesiae Ministros ostiatim validè Mendicare non Mendicantes sed Manducantes appellari and thereby subvert our Church and Religion with them in very few years space open such a wide door for the Pope and whole body of Popery to flow in upon us again with an impetuous irresistable Deluge that we should no waies be able to resist their progress till they were re-estated in their former Supremacy and Prevalency amongst us And then rhose very Romish Factors who are now so violent against Tithes and Rectories of purpose to starve our Ministers out of them and their Ministry for the present will not only forthwith resume as they did in Queen Maries daies their pristine abolished Pontifical Power and set up their Ecclesiastical Consistories High Commissions and bloudy Inquisitions amongst us higher than ever they were in former ages to the utter extirpation of our Protestant Ministers and Professors too but likewise presently resume into their hands all those Rectories Tithes and antient Dues whereof they now endeavour to deprive our Ministers with all our late Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans Chapters Cathedrals Lands and Revenues as Sacrilegiously alienated from the Church against the Lawes both of God and Man as well as against their Popish Canons by those who had no right to dispose of them if they proceed to resume all Abby Lands too in Protestant hands at least And then all late or antient Purchasers of such Lands now confederating with them out of Covetousness Ambition Rapine or other respects will repent too late of their inconsiderable unrighteous unchristian complyance with them against our Ministers Glebes and Tithes and have as ill a Bargain in conclusion as divers old Projectors had in the purchase of our Crown Revenues when resumed or setled in the Crown again by many special Acts of Resumption for the publick weal and ease of the people in their Taxes as being the constant standing Revenue of the whole Kingdom to defray its ordinary publick Expences which none can or ought to Alien or purchase from the Republick to enrich themselves by the publick Losse Wherefore I shall now refer it to their saddest thoughts to consider whether it will not be far safer for all such Army-Officers and others who have purchased Church Lands to joyn together with all such zealous Protestants who desire the continuance of our Ministers antient Tithes and Maintenance more aimed at than Impropriators Tithes against these Jesuites and Romish Emissaries now oppugning them and to us their utmost endeavours to detect apprehend prosecute execute all our former good Laws against them to prevent their mischievous present and future Designs against our Ministry Church Religion Nation than ignorantly or wittingly to confederate with and assist them to accomplish their present Sacrilegious Projects to ruine us and themselves with their Posterities in conclusion and thereby incur the self-same Crime Charge of High Treason which themselves and the whole Parliament of England so lately prosecuted against Canterbury in the 7 8 9 11 12 13 14. Articles of his original Charge for which he lost his head on Tower Hill To draw to a cloze of this Proposition I shall desire all truly fearing God throughout the Nation and Army too sadly to consider these particulars 1. That those who are the chiefest Sticklers against Tithes and our Ministers setled coâ—rcive Maintenance especially Jesuites and Anabaptists are the greatest professed open Adversaries to our Ministery Church Religion of all others desiring nothing but their utter ruine as their late printed Pamphlets and Petitions manifest Therefore to gratify them in their Designs herein is to ruine all at once for whose defence we have spent so much Christian Bloud Treasure pains of late years against the Common Enemy and Jesuited Popish Party 2. That many of those who in their printed Papers have decryed our Ministers Tithes and coercive Maintenance as inconsistent with the Peoples Liberties and a great Bondage to them have as earnestly declaimed against all Inclosures Coppy hold Tenures Land-Lords old Rents Services antient Customes Imposts which being not so antient nor ratified by so many Statutes Charters Muniments of all sorts as Tithes are will not be able to stand before their Opposition and Arguments against them if our Tithes and Ministers Glebes should once fall before
gon astray following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse These are wells without water Clouds carried with a Tempest to whom is reserved the mist of darknesse for ever 3ly That although God should miraculously preserve a faithfull able Ministry and his true Religion still amongst us through the bounty and charity of other well affected Christians yet they have done their uttermost endeavours to destroy them and the peoples souls with them both for the present and succeeding ages 4ly That this unrighteous violent act will in all probability bring in a world of Confusion Atheism Schisms Heresies Divisions Contentions Blasphemies disorders amongst us in all places a famine of the sincere preaching of Gods word a neglect and contempt of Learning and Piety a dilapidation Spoliation of all or most Parish Churches Chapels a confusion of the bounds of all Parishes and Parochial Congregations and bring all those Calamities on our Nation as it did upon the Israelites when Jeroboam thrust out the Priests and Levites from their Glebes Suburbs Ministry thus registred 2 Chron. 15. 3 5 6. Now for a long season Israel was without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law as some would have us now And in those days mark the consequence there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexation upon all the Inhabitants of the Country And Nation was destroyed of Nation and Citie of Citie for God did vex them withall Adversity In which condition they continued till King Asa and the people renued repaired the decayed Altar House and worship of the Lord Gathered all the people to Jerusalem to worship God and enter into a Solemn Covenant and Oath to serve the Lord God of their Fathers with all their hearts and with all their soul And that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great man or woman Offred Sacrifices to the Lord of the Spoyl they had taken from the Enemy 700 Oxén and 7000. Shéep and brought into the house of God the things that his Father had dedicated and himself had dedicated Silver and Gold and Vessels formerly taken thence and then there was no more war in divers years v. 8. to the end of the Chapter And probably our Wars Taxes Vexations will never end till we give over our late irreligious Sacrilegious Rapines Church Robberies and do the like as this pious King and his people here did 5ly That this discouraging robbing abusing despising mocking misusing of Gods Messengers Prophets sent amongst us and of all his and their words against our wicked Atheistical Sacrilegious Rapines is the High way to provoke the wrath of God to rise against us till there be no remedy yea to bring in a powerfull Foreign Nation upon us to pillage waste destroy enslave our whole Nation extirpate us out of the Land of our Nativity and carry us Captives to a Foreign Nation as it did Gods own people heretofore 2 Chron. 36. 15 to 22. Sufficient motives to deter us from such a dangerous practice 6ly I must inform our Army Officers and Souldiers that it is expresly against the very Laws and Rules of War even in a Foreign Enemies Country won by Conquest to rob destroy pillage Churches Temples or things devoted for the Maintenance of Gods publique Worship which not only the best Christian Generals and Souldiers but many Heathen and Mahometan Generals Princes Commanders made conscience not to plunder deface demolish or substract as Grotius proves at large by many instances in his Book De Jure Belli l. 3. c. 2 12. sect 6 7 8. Annotata on them How much more then is it against the Law of War and Armes it self to make a prey plunder of Churches Rectories Glebes Tithes in their own native Country against their own Consciences Covenants Commissions to defend them Yea such Generals Souldiers and whole Armies who have made no Conscience to observe it have been frequently destroyed for their Sacrilege as many Heathen Historians observe as well as Christian Herodotus in my Edition p. 7 8 44 167 168 169 170 187 349 350 460 461 568. Diodorus Siâ—ulus Bibl. Hist p. 622 781 782. Dion Cassius Rom. Hist p. 589. Justini Historia â— 8. p. 87. l. 24. p. 227 to 231 269 271 308. Caelius Rhodiginus Ant. Lect. l. 18. c. 29 Eutropius Rer. Rom. Hist p. 175 228 334. Paulus Diaconus p. 417. Nicetus Hist p. 48 50. Laurentius Begerlink Chronogra p. 137 189 263. record sundry examples of this kind both among Pagans and Christians to deter others from this dangerous destructive sin which if they neglect scorn I shall then desire them to remember that saying of Euripedes an Heathen Poet in his Troadibus that he shall receive the like exemplary punishment Homo quisquis urbes vastat Dis Manibus Sedes Sacratas Templaque haud recte sapit Nam similis ipsum Pestis Excidii manet 7ly It is the Resolution of Seneca the Philosopher Quisquis id quod Deorum est sustulerit consumpsit atque in usum suum vertit sacrilegus est and all Canonists Casuists Schoolmen Divines whatsoever accord That it is Sacrilege for any Persons or Powers whatsoever to invade or take away any thing which our Ancestors or any others have solemnly vowed dedicated for the necessary maintenance of Gods publique worship and Ministers under what specious pretext soever it be done Therefore to take away or abolish our Ministers Tithes Glebes Rectories and other Dues conferred on them by our pious Ancestors and make spoyl havock of the Churches Edifices erected by them for Gods publique worship must questionlesse be Sacrilege as God himself expresly defines Mal. 3. 8 9. With all commentators thereon old and new and Gratian Caus 16. qu. â— This the famous Emperor Souldier Charles the Great and Ludovicus surnamed the Godly and most Christian joyntly resolve Capit. Caroli Ludovici l. 6. cap. 285 295 296 115 305. l. 7. c. 104. where they thus conclude Scimus res Ecclesiae Deo esse sacratas Scimus eas esse vota Fidelium pretia peccatorum Quapropter si quis eas ab Ecclesiis quibus a Fidelibus collatae Deoque Sacratae sunt auâ—ert proculdubio Sacrilegium committit Caecus enim est qui ista non videt c. Si ergo amico quippiam râ—pere furtum est Ecclesiae vero fraudari vel abstrahi indubitanter Sacrilegium est Omnes enim contra Legem facientes Resque Ecclesiae dirimentes vel Ecclesias Sacerdotesque contra Divinas Sanctiones vexantes Sacrilegi vocantur atque Indubitanter infames Sacrilegique Habendi sunt c. What Penalties have been inflicted upon such who were guilty of this sin by Christian Princes in foreign parts I shall briefly inform this Sacrilegious age Theodoricus King of the Gothes in his Edict c. 125. enacted That if any man should