Sermon on Genesis 14:20-21, Sermon
A GODLIE AND FRVITEFVLL Sermon, made vponupon 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. GiueGive 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, ye dealings of Abram & the king of Sodome in ye 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 eueryevery 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 vntounto, 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, yt is peace, wherin the holye ghoſt noteth ye 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave ſet ſo light by it, as to hauehave 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 onelyonly 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 vsus whether wee vſe it as he hath directed vsus, 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 vponupon 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 ye 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 vntounto 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 vsus 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 vsus obſerue. Firſt, what it is that is giuen, 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 ye 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 giuegive me, I will giuegive 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 vntounto 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 louelove & zeale to the Lord, in killing the idolaters which had worſhipped ye calfe. The curſe of deuiding & ſcattering, the Lorde applied as a meanes that his law might be taught in eueryevery 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 hauehave a King, he will take the tenth of your ſede and of your fieldes and giuegive 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 vsus 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 vponupon 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 giuegive 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 vntounto 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 vponupon the earth. Hee therefore that ſhall ſay that this is altogither ceremoniall and ended by Chriſt, ſaith ye Chriſt is a hinderer, and leſſe carefull for the miniſtry of the Goſpell, then he was for the exerciſe of figures & ſhadows vnderunder the law. But many of theſe men which ſo willinglye woulde hauehave this lawe for the maintenance of the miniſtrie to be diſanulled as ceremonyall, and yet do like inough, & to much of other ceremonies, not onelye Iewiſhe, but Antichriſtian and Popiſh, euen taken from the heathen, do hereby declare that it is not the ceremony, which they would hauehave buried, but the preaching of the Goſpell that they can not abide, for that it rippeth vp their conſcience, it rubbeth iuſt where they are galled, and diſcouereth their ſinnes: It is not a ceremonye, it is this that greeueth them. On the other ſide, ſatan (ſeeking to bring the miniſters either to ſlacke their dilygence in Gods matters, and to get their bread by other meanes, or by pouertie to runne into debt, contempt and ſhame) haith raiſed vp a ſort of couetous men, which pul from the miniſters what they can, and will as willingly hauehave their guts drawne out of their belly, as they wil part from any of their goodes for the maintenance of the miniſters. And theſe men will ſeeme to hauehave ſcripture for their purpoſe, yea they hauehave this at their fingers end out of Mat. 10.8. Freely ye hauehave receyued, freely giuegive, ſo far they hauehave learned, but no further, for that it ſerued not their purpoſe: For our Sauiour left not his Apoſtles without their prouiſion in this their painefull iourney, but in the ſame chapter appointed in eueryevery citie where they ſhould come, that they ſhould be receyued into the houſes of them that were worthie. and that prouiſion ſhould be ſet before them for their maintenance, but if they found not places fit for that peace they brought, they ſhould ſhake the duſt from their feete to bee a witneſſe of greater vengeance to that place, then that which light vponupon Sodom and Gomorrhe: But few are thoſe houſes that ſuch men holde and keepe, where the miniſter may be receiued with his wife and children, & hauehave maintenance ſet before them with ioy: yea fewe they are in deede where the ſincere miniſter may eate his meate with ioy, but that the aboundance of ſinne ſhall make him thinke his breade to be as grauel betwene his teeth, and his drinke to bee as wormewood to his taſte, and ſo with greefe they would ſoon make the miniſter with ſhame to go & begge his breade. But as our Sauiour that gaue that former particuler charge, to giuegive freely, and to take neither bag nor ſcrip nor money, ſo afterwards in the 22. of Luke 35. he doth aſke his Apoſtles whether they wanted any thing or no, when he thus ſent them forth and added therewithall, now he that hath a ſcrippe, let him poſſeſſe it, and he that hath not a ſword let him ſell his coate and buye one, that is, the world will growe to ſuch miſery, and the miniſtery to ſuch afflictiō, yt eueryevery one will be readie to ſcratch & pul from you. Therefore vſe ye the meanes that are lawfull in the feare of the lord for your maintenance.
That this matter may bee the playner layde open, and made more manifeſt to the capacitie of our vnderſtanding. Let vsus conſider, firſt whether there be any ſtipend appoynted for the miniſtry or no? 2. How the ſame ſhould be paid? 3. to whom it ſhould be paid? For the firſt, the law of nature taught it them that had not the law of God to direct them, ſundry godly kinges hauehave executed it, the Fathers directed by Gods ſpirit before the law was written vſed it, God by his law eſtabliſhed it, Chriſt hath ratified it vntounto vsus in the new teſtament, and the Apoſtles hauehave in ſundrie places taught it, & becauſe the Apoſtle Paul made a large diſcourſe of this matter, and vſed ſundrie reaſons to proue the ſame, let vsus leaue all other, and rippe vp thoſe in the 1. Cor. 9. where he vſeth foure principal reaſons to confirme the ſame. The firſt gathered of the example of the Apoſtles, The ſecond by compariſon. The third of the law writtē, the fourth of ye authority of Chriſt. Firſt he ſaith it is lawfull, yea the other Apoſtles hauehave power to take maintenance of you for them and their wiues, and may not I and Barnabas hauehave it? His reaſon of compariſon he followeth thus. The ſouldier hath his coſtes borne in his warfare, the huſbandman eateth of the fruits of his labours, the ſhepeheard feedeth of the milke of his flocke. The Oxe hath his mouth open to feed of ye corne he treadeth out. They that wayted of the altar were fed of ye ſame, we the miniſters are the ſoldiers and enſigne bearers in your chriſtian wars, we are Gods huſbandmen, you are Gods huſbandrie, we are the ſhepheardes, you are the ſheepe, we treade you out & deuide vntounto you the breade of life, the word of God, we miniſter not vntounto you figures and ſhadowes as the Leuits did, but the goſpel, the power of God to ſaluatiō, why ſhould not we then be maintayned as ſoldiers? why reape we not of our labours as huſbandmen? why are we not fed as ſhepheards? Why hauehave we not the libertie of Oxen? Why liue we not of our calling as the Leuits did? Is our calling more vile then any other occupation? Are not our labours worthie meat and drinke? Yes, yes, your gaine is great by exchaunge with vsus, for droſſe you hauehave golde, for carnall thinges, ſpiritual. And for earthly things, heauenly. Yea further, you can finde nothing in the world to be laid in equal ballāce to weigh againſt the worde of God: from reaſoning thus by compariſon, he procéedeth to his argument of authoritie of the law written, & therein he ſtandeth not long, for he ſaid it is ſufficient, his word is a reaſon of force, and his will is a perfect rule of righteouſnes. Then he goeth forward to his 4. argument, and proueth that Chriſt alowed & ratified the ſame in the goſpel, ordeyning that they which preach the goſpell ſhould liue of the goſpell. And the Apoſtle to the Gal. 6.6.7. vſeth ye ſame reaſon vſed before in the law, for there the Lord challenged it as a law due vntounto himſelfe, & here he ſaith, that he which defraudeth the miniſter, deceyueth himſelfe, & mocketh God: for as he was king before ye law, & in the law before the cōming of Chriſt in the fleſh, ſo is he king ſtil, the preaching of the goſpel is the ſcepter of his kingdome, the miniſters are his ſcepter bearers, & therefore he ſheweth by the Apoſtle. 1. Tim. 5.17. that they which labour in the word & doctrine, are worthie of double honour, that is, a liberall allowance of the maintenance of him and his. For the ſecond part, how the ſame ſhoulde be paide, or whereof raiſed, the holy Ghoſt hath not appoynted, therfore to ſay that the tenthes belong to the miniſters as cōmanded by the Lord, we hauehave no warrant for it, neyther dare I ſay that the magiſtrate may not appoynt ye tenthes for the mainetenance of the miniſtrie, except I ſaw the ſame forbidden by the lord. As kings hauehave receyued their kingdomes & ſcepters from the Lord, ſo muſt they endeuour that the kingdome of God may hauehave place in their dominions, that he may rule 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 ye 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 ye 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 yt 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 ye 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 hauehave their portions, vnleſſe they had all conſpired to ouerthrowe the miniſtry. Abram was riche & yet paid tithes: the rich now a daies that ſhould giuegive 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 hauehave 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 ye 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 yt 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 hauehave 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 hauehave all the houſe and profits, & alowe them ſcraps with the ſeruing men, when they hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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, yt they will pay either nothing, or very litle, they will pleaſure them ſome other way. But if they may not hauehave 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 hauehave 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, ye 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 louelove 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 eueryevery man his right required in the 8. Nor the hauing of a contented hart without any motion, coueting or deſiring yt which is another mans, ſtraitly exacted of vsus in ye tenth, are any whit at all regarded, ſo yt by violating all the commandements in the firſt table, it ſheweth yt there wanteth godlines in him yt ſpoileth the miniſtery: & by breaking 4. commaundements of the ſecond table, it declareth ye honeſty hath ſuffred a very dāgerous ſhipwrack: At a word it giueth an euideth teſtimony yt there remaineth in ye 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 ye Lords wars: they yt preach the goſpell muſt liue of the goſpell. Abram paid tithes to Melchizedech, who had applied him ſelfe to comfort Abram, to giuegive thankes to God to preach & ſhewe forth the praiſes of God. Our ſauiour commands yt the hier ſhoulde be paide to the labourers, & the Apoſtle appointeth the double honor to them yt trauel in the word & doctrine, and he commandeth 2. Theſ. 3.10. that if there were any which would not work yt they ſhould not eat, ſo yt the maſſe men, ye idle ſhepheards, the dumb dogs, ye blind & ſleepy watchmen, the wine prophets, ye fooliſh ignorant ſhepheards, ye idle loiterers, & ye ſlowbellies, hauehave no part of this allowance allotted vntounto 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 ye preach leaſt, fleece moſt, and if they procure a quarter ſermō for their people, this muſt be one principall caueat to ye 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 ye brunt and heat of the day, & be eſtemed worthy to yt honor yu haſt appointed for them. Now it reſteth that we proceede with ye 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 ye king of Sodoms ſupplication. GiueGive 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 yt he ſueth ſo earneſtly to hauehave 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 yt he hath nothing to keepe them on, no not for himſelfe. All theſe conſiderations are ſwallowed by ye louelove 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, GiueGive me the perſons, take the goods to thy ſelfe. This example is ſeldome folowed (to ye ſhame I ſpeak it of the miſerable worldlings that liue in theſe daies) yt this prophane king not profeſſing God, dwelling at the vile place Sodom, ſhewed more mercy towards men, thē many called chriſtians, dwelling in ye body of Chriſtian realmes, do to their Chriſtian brethren. Few are thoſe maiſters yt tender not their beaſts more then their ſeruants, few are the Landlords that regard not the goods more thē men, as the oppreſſing of ye 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 hauehave 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 & hauehave no compaſſion vppon chriſtians. To be ſhort, few are thoſe miniſters ye care more for the ſoules, then for the ſtipends & tithes, as the couetous heaping vp of many benefices togeather the number of none reſidentes, ye careleſſe ſetting ouer of ſoules, to iourney men and hirelings that will ſerue beſt chepe, ye greedy ſcraping for tithes, ye 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 yt they ſeeke not the ſoules but the goods. Thus in theſe fewe wordes we ſee ye 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 vsus & 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 vsus pray that we may profit by that wee hauehave now heard.
FINIS.
End of the text · Eusebius Pagit, Sermon on Genesis 14:20-21 (1583)