A New Discovery of Personal Tithes, Title page – To the reader
A NEW DISCOVERY OF PERSONAL TITHES: OR The TENTH PART of Mens CLEERE GAINES Proued due both in CONSCIENCE, and by the LAWES OF THIS KINGDOME BY C. BVRGES.
LONDON, Printed by I. L. for William Sheffard, and are to be ſold at his Shop, at the entring in of Popes head Alley, out of Lumbard ſtreet. 1625
APPROBATIO.
HVnc Librum de DECIMIS PERSONALIBVS, à CORNELIO BVRGES Regiae Majeſtati à Sacris editum, perlegit, expendit, & vt Pium, Orthodoxum, Vtilemque, approbavit
TH: WORRAL, S S. Theologiae Profeſſor, GEORGIO Domino Epiſcopo LONDIN. a Sacris Domeſticis, Librorum que Cenſor Deputatus.
READER, Some Aduertiſements.
1. REade All, or reade nothing.
2. Pardon me that I take not vp that Principal Weapon of this Warfare: viz. Ius Diuinum My Betters hauehave often done that; but, Heu! (ſuch is the hardneſſe of mens hearts,) with a Satis parum of fruit.
3. To that Tenet J ſubſcribe affirmatiuely, ex animo: but with Cautions. 1. Tithes (J ſay not, ought elſe) are due by Diuine Right to Ministers of the Goſpel. 2. I neuer was, nor (J thinke) euer ſhall be of opinion, that, All Tithes within ſuch, or ſuch a circuit of Ground, now by Poſitiue Law made but one Pariſh, are abſolutely, and without al exception, due by Diuine Right to the Perſon of one ſingle Incū bent there, but to the Church, in whoſe name he receiueth them.
4. The Reaſon of forbearing that Argument, he…, is bec…uſe Joam to deale with men, that elſe would complaine of Begging the Queſtion, and that I diſpute ex non conceſſis. No diſputation will yeeld good fruit, vnleſſe ſome Principles vndeniable on all bands bee held, to cut off all Difficulties which all Diſputes will produce.
5. Though the Concluſion vndertaken be properly mine, …et the Premiſſes bee as properly theirs with whom J diſpute. Nothing therefore can be left to deniall, vnleſſe the Concluſion And who ſo denieth that, denies obedience both to God and Man. This (being proued) will take off the asperſion of Couetouſneſſe, vniuſtly caſt vponupon the Miniſter by the Mammoniſts; and iuſtly cauſe it to fall vponupon himſelf for denying payment of what the Lawes both of God and Man hauehave made due to his Paſtor; wherein he breakes ſixe of the Ten Commaundements at once: viz. The ſecond Commandement, by Sacriledge: the fourth Commandement, by denying the meanes of ſanctifying the Sabbath: the fifth Commandement, by diſhonoring his Spirituall Father: the ſixth Commandement, by cauſing (as much as in him lies) his Minister to periſh for want of maintenance: the eighth Commandement, by robbing the Miniſter of his iust dues: and the ninth Commandement, by bearing falſe witneſſe against his neighbour; vniuſtly accuſing the Miniſter of Couetouſnes, which is indeed the proper ſinne of himſelfe.
6. Jf J be not ſo preſſe; and Sylogiſticall throughout, as ſome may expect, conſider that J intended this Worke principally to Ʋulgar Capacities, whom it chiefely concernes. And in dealing with ſuch, the Palme is better thē the Fiſt.
7. Jn ſtead of Incumbent, J often vſe the word, Paſtor; not as better, ſimply, or including therein an Epiſcopal Authority; but as more distinct, facile, and plaine to ſome Ʋnderſtandings that J write vntounto.
8. Jf the Diſtinction of Perſonall, and Prediall Tithes, ſeem heathen Greek, take notice; That Predial Tythes are ſuch as ariſe out of the Ground; as Corne, Hay, increaſe of all kinds of Cattle, Fowles, Fruit, &c. Perſonal, are ſuch as grow out of the lawfull gaines gotten by any Art, Science, Manuall Occupation, Trade, Merchandize, &c. of any Perſon or Perſons.
9. That J fall to Moo…ing, and expoſition of S… tutes, is not wholly incongruous. The Subiect is mixt. And though the Roofe, and Battlements be of Law, yet the Ground-cell, and Foundation is Diuinity. No man can finiſh this Pile, without ſome help from both Profeſsions. The Lawyer cannot doe it, without encroachmēt vponupon our ground: Nor wee, without the like vponupon His. He hath begun; therefore let him allow the ſame liberty to vsus, to build a Buttreſſe or two vponupon his Free-hold, the better to ſupport our Building.
Why not? HaueHave not Two Great Masters, one of Ciuill, the other of C…non Law, amongst vsus, taken their pleaſure in our Walkes, and handled Subiects meerely Theologicall? Such Precedents will, J hope, make that pardonable to me, which ſome thinke, is matter of Praiſe to them. Yes: (will you ſay,) if you come off well. Goe to, then. Conſider, and Cenſure:
—Sed magis acri
Iudicio perpendé, & ſi…b I vera videtur,
Dede manus: aut, ſi falſa eſt, accingere contra.
Some letters and points omitted, tranſplaced, …t redundant; correct, or pardon.