namely Tythes Secondly to whom it was giuen to Melchizedech Thirdly by whome they were gyuen by Abram and Fourthly whereof these Tythes were which are set down by the holye Ghost in the epistle to the Hebrewes 7. to be of the spoyles which Abram had gotten in the Warres as appeareth in the fourth verse Tythes were a portion which the Lorde reserued to him selfe to be paide to himselfe by them to whome he gaue the possession of the earth and the enioying of Earthlye blessings so Moises saith Leuit. 27.30 The tith is the Lords it is holy to the Lord. So Iacob said Gene. 28.22 Of all thou shalt giue me I will giue the tenth to thee which thing was yeelded as a testimonie of their gratefull thankefull minds to him that bestowed those benefites vppon them and as an acknowledgement that all they had was the Lordes and they held the same of him in chiefe For the second part to whom it was giuen it is here noted that it was to Melchizedech an axcellent person a figure of Christ the sonne of God a choyce man placed by the Lord as it were in his own roome to take homage of Abram for the Lords right and thus the Lord hath delt in sundry places of the scripture appointing diuers sonnes of men to bee his deputies to receaue reliefe of those outward signes of the inwarde honour due vnto him selfe of which sortes there bee principally foure First the Leuites appointed to teach Gods people who being first cursed by Iacob for the bloodinesse of the handes of Leui and left wythout any tribe or inheritance but to bee deuided in Iacob and scattered in Israell Gen. 49.7 their handes were after sanctified of the Lord for shewing their loue zeale to the Lord in killing the idolaters which had worshipped the calfe The curse of deuiding scattering the Lorde applied as a meanes that his law might be taught in euery corner of Israell and the losse of their inheritance hee recompensed by feeding them wyth his owne portion and promising them that hee himselfe would be their lot and their inheritance Nomb. 18.20 The second sort are the poore the straunger the fatherlesse and the widow Deut. 26.12 The third sort are kings whome the Lorde hath placed in his owne roome to guide and gouerne his people as Samuell sayde when the people would needes haue a King he will take the tenth of your sede and of your fieldes and giue it to his Eunuches and to his seruants 1. Sam. 8.15 The fourth sort were the children of the Prophetes trayned vp at schoole at Rama and such other places as Vniuersities that they might be the apter for the matters of the Lord as may bee gathered by sundry places of the scripture Next commeth to be considered who payd Tythes namely Abram wherin the author to the Hebrewes noteth what an excellent man Melchizedech was to whom Abram the Patriark paid tithes but farre more excellent is the Kingdome and Priesthood of Christ figured by Melchizedech he also doth teach vs that the end and abolishing of the priesthoode of Leui was figured in this that Leui in the loines of Abrahā paid Tithes to Melchizedech This also was figured in that the priestes Leuites paid tithes of those Tythes which were brought them to the high priest who was also a figure of Christ Num. 18.26 Lastly in this text we are to note whereof he payd tythes which the holy Ghost to the Heb. 7.4 answereth to be of the spoyles gottē by his handes There were sundrie sorts of Tythes payed as of the fruites of the ground of the gaines of their handes of the encrease of their Cattel whereby we see the great care that God had for the Leuites in prouiding for them that had no inheritance of their owne so that as the people of Israel had encrease of any fruites the Leuites attending vpon religion had their portion of the same As these tithes were of diuers sorts so were they diuersly paid of some they paide the first fruites of some the third of some the tenth some were paid in mony some otherwise whereby we see that the holy ghost speaking of tythes is not alwaies to be vnderstod of tenths some do take it but these Tythes were of the fruits gotten by Abram his hands Thus haue you heard the summe of this text But now it is conuenient this being the first time that we finde the mat-of Tythes spoken of since wee began this booke of Genesis that we should enter deeper into these wordes and learne somewhat out of them for our selues Which matter I would gladly passe ouer for the auoyding of false surmises sinister reports but that our Sauiour in that commission giuen in the latter end of the 28. after Mathew giueth commandement saying Teach them to doe al that I haue commanded you And the Apostle Paul in the Act. 20. cap. 26. 27. verses protesteth that he is free from the bloude of all men for that he kept nothing backe but had shewed them al the counsel of God the minister therefore must teach al that Christ hath commanded euen all the councels of God reuealed in his word and hee that keepeth them backe shall be found guiltie both of the breach of the commandement of Christ and also of the bloud of his flocke The Pastor must teach threefore and you must learne not onelye to know the duetie of a Minister to his people but also of the people towardes their minister Howsoeuer therefore the doctrine deliuered shall be mistaken or wrested yet the truth must bee deliuered let men take it as they wyll the Lord will giue it such successe as he shall thinke best Some peraduenture will aske what this matter of tythes appertaineth to the ministerie now and will to saue their goods say that these were ceremoniall lawes and so were abrogated by Christes comming To whome I answere that the Lorde of that portion reserued vnto him selfe appointed some part to the Leuites for the mayntenance of the ministery about the Lords worke and some part of them for the sacryfices of meate offeringes drinke offeringes sinne offeringes trespasse offerings and peace offeringes this last part for the sacrifices was ceremoniall and so Christe the body being come the shadowes are ended But this that homage bee done to the King of all Kinges and that the mynystrye be maintained for the setting forth of the true worship of GOD and suppressing of all false worships is not ceremoniall but morall and shall so long continue as any face of a Church or religion shall be vpon the earth Hee therefore that shall say that this is altogither ceremoniall and ended by Christ saith the Christ is a hinderer and lesse carefull for the ministry of the Gospell then he was for the exercise of figures shadows vnder the law But many of these men which so willinglye woulde haue this lawe for the maintenance of the ministrie to be disanulled as ceremonyall
A GODLIE AND FRVITEFVLL Sermon made vpon the 20. 21. verses of the 14. Chapter of the booke of Genesis Wherein there is taught what prouision ought to be made for the mynister Very necessary to be learned of all Christians By Eusebius Paget VBIQVE FLORET LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Wolfe for Thomas Man dwelling in Paternoster rowe at the signe of the Talbot 1583. Genesis 14. 20 Abram gaue him Tythe of all 21 Then the King of Sodome sayde to Abram Giue me the personnes take the goods to thyselfe THE last time beloued that I was in this place which was the fourth day of this last weeke you heard that this thirde and laste parte of this chapter The repetition contayneth the tryumph of Abram after the victory In whose returne from the battel he was met of 2. Kinges the one King of Sodome the other was the King of Salem Wherein we considered first the dealings of Abram the king of Sodome in the first part secondly the dealings betweene Abram and Melchisedech in the second part In the first part whereas the King of Sodome came forth to meete Abram We did note that aduersity teacheth many good lessons which men in prosperitie will neuer learne namelye the King of Sodome who before this time wold neither pitie Abram being a stranger nor reuerence him for his religion which hee professed euerye where and set vp badges and Ensignes of the same in euery place where hee came but in his prosperity had his whole delight in wantonnesse and pride and is nowe by aduerssite taught humilitie and hee commeth forth to meete and salute Abram Secondly that this king now saw what profite he got by pride and what the waye of wickednesse had brought him vnto and that the estate of Abram howe troublesome mad and foolish soeuer it seemed to him yet to be farre better and more glorious then his soe there is not so wicked a man but that he once acknowledgeth his owne estate to bee miserable and the estate of Gods chyldren to be most happye and blessed Next the historie of Melchizedech followed inserted as in a parenthesis Wherein wee considered First what he was 2. what he did 3. what he sayde Out of the first part which is at large described in the seuenth to the Hebrewes we considered first his name to wit Melchizedech which signifieth righteousnes and that he was king of Salem that is peace wherin the holye ghost noteth the righteousnes is king of peace that righteousnes gouerneth in the kingdome of peace no peace where vnrighteousnes raigneth as the prophet Isa 57.21 saith ther is no peace saith my God to the wicked Secondlye in that first part wee noted that he was without Father and Mother For that the holy Ghost doth make no mention of them Wherein I shewed how vainly they deale that would haue him to bee eyther Shem or an Angell or the sonne of God and brought foorth reasons to confute those fancies Thirdly wee considered that hee was King and Prieste noting in all these things that he was a figure of Christ First in his name for that Christ is righteousnesse it selfe raigning in mens conscyences bringing peace to the soule secondly in his parents Christ is without father in respect of his manhood without mother in respect of his godhead Thirdly in his offices Christ is a King to raigne and a prieste to offer vp sacrifice to God his father for euer Then we considered the deedes of Melchizedech which was the bringing forth of bread and wine to relieue the wearied army of Abram where in I confuted the fancy of the Papistes that would haue this bread and wine of Melchizedech to be a fygure of theyr Masse First shewing that if there had beene anye such matter in it the holye Ghost woulde haue noted it in the 7. to the Hebrewes where he descrybeth him so largely For if it had figured so greate a mystery as they account their masse to bee the holy Ghost woulde not haue set so light by it as to haue sayde neuer a word of it Melchizedech brought foorth bread but they deny their sacrifice to bee bread but the body of christ In denying their wafar cake to be bread they saye truely for it is a paltry thing not mouing the senses of the receauers to that consideration it should Besides that it hath beene made as many wright of bad confections as dogs grease And some of their auncestors before tyme made their stuffe with infants blood and some with more filthy abhominable things then are here to be named Melchizedech brought forth bread and wine to refresh the feeble souldiars wherein was noted that the Lorde doth alwaies prouide for those that trauaile in his busynesse and take paines to deliuer the oppressed as Abram aduenturing to deliuer his brother Lot receiueth comfort by a stranger Melchizedech blessed Abram from the lord in which his words were noted that blessings came from God that they are the Lordes blessings and not mans that stande and his curses that take effect Next they that comfort the afflicted are blessed of God and they that greeue the Spyrite of GOD in his children by adding afflictions to afflictions are cursed of God commyng from that to the title wherein he called him possessour of Heauen and Earth I noted he gaue God these titles beeing onely possessour of Heauen and that the Pope can not open and shut it with his pardons at his pleasure for heauen is the Lordes and next in that he nameth him possessour of earth I noted that he will take account of vs whether wee vse it as he hath directed vs or abuse it contrary to his will and therein we see what a happye and blessed thing it is for Gods children whose kingdome and inheritance is not vpon the earth but in heauen where no tyrannous oppressours can trouble and annoy on the other side what a wofull chaunge shall these oppressing tyrants make which say now the earth is theirs to serue their lusts and then they must answere to the professor of it and must flit to hell from the earth for their abusing it So Melchizedech ended his speech with thanksgiuing and yeelding the glorye of that triumph vnto God for the victorye as to him was due and these were the Principall notes which I gaue then as I remember Now it resteth before wee enter into the historie of the king of Sodome that we consider what Abram did to Melchizedech The holy Ghost saith Abram gaue him Tyth of all wherein he giueth vs to consider that Abram being lightened by Gods spirite sawe in Melchizedech some more excellent thing then is ordinarilye found in men and therefore he gaue him an extraordinarye entertainment and presented him with such a present as we reade not of in the Scriptures vntill we come to this place therefore that we may the better vnderstand it let vs obserue First what it is that is giuen
amongst thē by his worde that the ministers be sufficiently prouided for as they will answere for it to the king of kings of whome they holde their crownes in chiefe but it is left at libertie to thē to raise it either by tenths of fruits of the earth or of cattel or of mony or by what means they shal in their godly wisedome thinke most conuenient the more certaine they make this portion the mo mischiefes they do preuent for the leauing of it vncertaine doth often cause the minister eyther to make merchandize of the worde or for gaine to flatter the welthy or with shame for want to beg or for néed to starue all which subtil practises Satan dayly putteth in execution séeking thereby either to ouerthrow the ministrie or to make it by such blemishes to loose the force and bewtie of the same But though magistrates should be carelesse in these matters yet the people of God must be careful to do their duetie in this respect There was no king of Canaan that be law cōpelled Abram to pay these tithes neither was there any Christian prince in the primatiue Church that by law appointed maintenance for the ministers yet Abram paid the Apostles bishops after them were prouided for But to come nerer to sée how they must be paid This must be paid religiously readily and liberally religiously as to God for the enlarging of his kingdome the defence of the trueth and maintenāce of his true worship It must be done readily in time conuenient of a willing minde It must be done liberally that the minister be not driuen to slack his calling and to employ his time in other thinges thereby to get his liuing by this liberallitie I mean not that they should be glutted vp with dainties maintayned pompously for that is as great a mischiefe on the other side For when Satan can not stop the preaching of the gospel by pennury scarcitie then he tryeth to choake smother it with the glory of the world and this way alas he doth too much preuaile But thogh there be some either made slow of speach or altogether tong-tied by this God Mammon so bewitched that they can like better of ministers that liue as Athiests drunkerds wantons old doting priestes then they do of paineful sincere preachers yet it is a wonder to sée with what cursing swearing how slackly slowly with what pinching and sparing the rest haue their portions vnlesse they had all conspired to ouerthrowe the ministry Abram was riche yet paid tithes the rich now a daies that should giue most liberally wil for the most part take tithes there are verie few of them that will pay any The ministers are driuen to liue of that they can haue of the poorest which are oft times so scraped that they are more meete to take almesse then to pay tithes In the booke of Nehem. 13.4 there is a story recorded how Tobiah the Ammonite kinsman to Eliashib the priest had gotten by his fauour into the chamber made for the prouision of the house of God and of the Leuites so that they fled to their land left the house of God voyd but whē Nehemiah heard of it he obtayned libertie of king Artahshasht came to Ierusalē with griefe he found the same to be true he cast out all Tobiah his stuffe and resorted those things to their former vse If that our noble prince wold now send forth some godly zealous Nehemiah to looke to these matters now he might find a nūber of Tobiahs entred into the chambers appointed for the prouision of the ministrie First hee should find that the Abbeys kinsmen to the high priest of Rome began to make this spoyle got into their hands the best benefices by impropriating them they are ouerthrowne these spoiles are not restored but many men liue of that they stole from the ministry Secondly he should find a number of bishops equal in this sinne with Eliashih or with that high priest of Rome for they haue spoyled many benefices by confirming leases to their kinsmen by power or by bloude or by the purse yea I know one bishop in this realme that hath confirmed I thinke nere 20. of the best benefices in his diocesse some to his children some to his kinsmen some to his officers some for mony to diuers that are as badde as Ammonites in religion Thirdly he shal finde a number of patrones that will bee so nigh kinsmen to the ministers that they will haue all the house and profits alowe them scraps with the seruing men when they haue wayted on their patrones trencher or they will cosin them of the house and gleabe it is parte of their inheritance it standeth as conueniently for them as Nabothes vyneyard did for Ahab let our cosins the pield priestes dwell in some bad cotages these houses are meeter for gentle men or they will for cosinage haue the tith corne for prouision for their house leaue their poore cosin tithe goose and tith calfe with the egges at Easter at least they will haue their owne tithes Neuer a chaplaine of them all shall put them besides it Some what there must be giuen to the mystresse their wiues or to finde a childe at Schoole Fourthly he shall finde many wealthy and mightie men to be so neere kinsmen to the ministers that they will pay either nothing or very litle they will pleasure them some other way But if they may not haue it as they list they will bee neither their cosins nor friends the preacher nor gospeller must not harbour there he were better to be many a mile frō them To be short I am not able to recken vp the practises that thys good commissioner shoulde find deuised by satan and put in execution by men for the cosining spoyle of the ministry prophane mē haue delt better with their idle priestes then we with our ministers Pharao that heathenishe king in whom was no religion toke this order when the great famine was in Egipt as appeareth in Gen. 47.22 that his idoll priestes were maintained of his own charge Iezabel that Qeeene so full of wickednes mayntained Baals priestes at her owne table 1. King 18.17 Michah as it is in the booke of Iudges 17.5.10 made him an Idole got him a prieste and prouided for him his handfull to wit very liberally equall with Pharao with IeZabell and with Michah were our forerunners in the time of popery who crammed both the bellies the pursses of Satans hirelings the chapplaines of Antichrist who coulde do nothinge but say a Masse or mumble vp a mattins but nowe in the time of the Gospell to get any thing for the maintenance of the ministery of the same is as I said before as greeuous to them as the pulling of their bowels out of their bellies yea they seeke to put awaye euen that which is lesse Here I might take occasion
to shew both how religion iustice godlines and honesty are made shipwrack of by the spoile of the ministery for thereby eight commandements of the ten are broken For neither the knowledge of God nor the true estimation and loue of him commanded in the first commandement nor the auoiding of Idolatrye and setting forth of the true worship of God prescribed in the second commandement nor the reuerence of the name of God set foorth in the thirde nor the obseruation of the sabboth established in the 4. Nor the honor of the ministery appointed in the fift Nor the auoiding of bloudguiltines preseruation of life giuen in charge in the 6. Nor the giuing to euery man his right required in the 8. Nor the hauing of a contented hart without any motion coueting or desiring that which is another mans straitly exacted of vs in the tenth are any whit at all regarded so that by violating all the commandements in the first table it sheweth that there wanteth godlines in him that spoileth the ministery by breaking 4. commaundements of the second table it declareth the honesty hath suffred a very dāgerous shipwrack At a word it giueth an euideth testimony that there remaineth in the man a very small remnant either of religion or else of righteousnes Now we are to cōsider to whō these tithes stipends or maintenance cal thē as you please are to be paid They are to be paid to such as are ensigne berers in the Lords wars they that preach the gospell must liue of the gospell Abram paid tithes to Melchizedech who had applied him selfe to comfort Abram to giue thankes to God to preach shewe forth the praises of God Our sauiour commands that the hier shoulde be paide to the labourers the Apostle appointeth the double honor to them that trauel in the word doctrine and he commandeth 2. Thes 3.10 that if there were any which would not work that they should not eat so that the masse men the idle shepheards the dumb dogs the blind sleepy watchmen the wine prophets the foolish ignorant shepheards the idle loiterers the slowbellies haue no part of this allowance allotted vnto thē either by the law the prophets our sauiour or his Apostles their allowance is woe the pryce of blood for the guiltines of the people of god Yet these the preach least fleece most and if they procure a quarter sermō for their people this must be one principall caueat to the preacher the people are slacke in paying their tithes they must be stirred vp to féede the idle flatterer and some preachers are so simple as to serue the greedy chapleins humor for his Noble Lorde in thy good time remooue these loiterers scraping sléecers time seruers and place in their roome such painfull labourers as wil bear the weight of the burdens and abide the brunt and heat of the day be estemed worthy to that honor thou hast appointed for them Now it resteth that we proceede with the history of the king of Sodome wherin is set down first the supplication which the king of Sodome made to Abram expressed in the 21. ver next the answere of Abram to the same which foloweth in the 3. last verses In the king of Sodoms supplication Giue me the persons take the goods to thy selfe is shewed great equitye charitye equity towards Abram in that he would take neither men nor mony without Abrams leaue for that by his painefull trauels endangering his own life he had gotten them as spoiles in the wars crauing the men he desireth not the goods but is willing to leaue them with him on the other side he sheweth great charity pitye fowardes his subiects in that he sueth so earnestly to haue thē set at liberty This surely is a notable supplication and a very rare example of a singular sute If we consider all circumstances First he is very poore then his countreye is spoiled next his goods are caried away he is left very bare why doth he not rather in respect of him selfe seeke the riches and aske the goods then craue the men Why doth he not consider that he hath nothing to keepe them on no not for himselfe All these considerations are swallowed by the loue he beareth to his subiects his mercy to his men ful of miseries calamities causeth him to regard none of those things but he saith Giue me the persons take the goods to thy selfe This example is seldome folowed to the shame I speak it of the miserable worldlings that liue in these daies that this prophane king not professing God dwelling at the vile place Sodom shewed more mercy towards men thē many called christians dwelling in the body of Christian realmes do to their Christian brethren Few are those maisters that tender not their beasts more then their seruants few are the Landlords that regard not the goods more thē men as the oppressing of the poore by rackinges of rentes by excessiue fines by extraordinary payments gnawing frō them the bread gottē with paineful hands before it can come into the childrens bellies and the vnharbouring of the harbourlesse when they haue scraped them to the bones doth witnesse and the cry of the same doth come to the eares of the Lord of hosts by the pitiful cōplaints of men women and children widowes Orphans yea the fatherlesse infants are driuen to waile because that mercilesse Landlordes craue the goods haue no compassion vppon christians To be short few are those ministers the care more for the soules then for the stipends tithes as the couetous heaping vp of many benefices togeather the number of none residentes the carelesse setting ouer of soules to iourney men and hirelings that will serue best chepe the greedy scraping for tithes the seldome preaching yea many great Rabbyns which would be counted ioly preachers will preach no oftener then shame law or iniunction compell thē Yea some that should spur others forward may be presented in their seuerall charges for defaulte of their quarter Sermons This testifieth that they seeke not the soules but the goods Thus in these fewe wordes we see the course of the world in generall which is to be cōdemned by this example of the king of Sodom I feare it wil not be amended til God consume vs our corruptions with fire as he did the Sodomits The time is past the answere of Abram I defer to the 4. day of this weke Let vs pray that we may profit by that wee haue now heard FINIS