Apology for the Ministry and its Maintenance, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. The Anabaptists Objections are answered and their Arguments refelled.
Obj. THey object and say, true, Tythes were commanded often in the old Testament, but his doth not bind us under the new, because there is no expresse command.
Ans. The same Argument will hold against the Lords day, against the Baptisme of Infants, against all Taxes and dues, because they are not expresly and by name commanded in the new Testament.
2 Those Tythes which were commanded under the old Testament, are continued still under the new, as to their spirituall and moral use; and that upon a threefold account. 1. VponUpon the the account of piety▪ because they are given to God and his Service. 2. VponUpon the account of thankfullness▪ For Tythes are a Sacrifice of praise to God for his mercies towards us, and for the good things which he bestows on us, Gen. 28. 22. 3. VponUpon the account of commutative justice, for if we have sowed unto them our spirituall things, it is no great matter if we reap their carnal things. Now then although Tithes be not expresly and explicitly enjoyned in the new Testament, yet we are as expresly engaged to piety, thankfullnesse, and justice now as ever.
3. Neither doth Christ in the new Testament expresly abolish the payment of Tythes, when the Pha…isees boasted of their care in paying even their smallest Tythes, he is so farre from reproving them for it, that he commends and doth countenance it, Luk. 11. 42. Mat. 23. 25. These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. He gives no commission to neglect the payment of Tythes. Ye ought not to leave that undone.
Tythes therefore or fixed stipends are due to the Ministers of the Gospel by a trebble right. First by a divine morall right, not ceremoniall or judicial: For it is …it and just that a Minister, who feeds the peoples souls, should be fed by the people, that he that preaches the Gospel, should live of the Gospell. The old Law concerning the Sabboth and concerning Tythes, at least shews thus much (saith Grotius de jure belli lib. 1. cap. 1.) that Christians are bound to set apart no less than the seventh part of time, and to give no less than the tenth part of their encrease to Gods Ministers. It shews at least thus much, that however they be maintained, whether out of Lands, Houses, Moneys, Tythes, &c. yet that they ought to be maintained honestly and liberally, not sordidly and sparingly. Estius speaks clearly and learnedly. That which the Law of God and Nature command in the generall, that doth the ecclesiasticall Law determine specifically, whilst it app…inteth some certain stipend to be given by the people to their Ministers▪ as Tythes or the like. Tythes therefore are not precisely commanded in or absolutely necessary under the new Testament, neither are they unjust, where they are established by the Magistracy, whose duty it is to take the most convenient way for maintaining the Ministry, as may best consist with the edification of the Church, and dignity of the sacred function. Secondly, They are due by a naturall right. Even the very Heathens gave the tenth part to their Gods, as the Grecians, the Carthaginians, the Romans, &c. who gave the Tythe of the spoyl to Iupiter. And if the Tythe of such things, how much rather the Tythes of more certain revenues. Thirdly, By the Law of nations▪ and by the positive Law of our nation, Tythes were given by Off… the Saxon king in the year 793. afterwards encreased and confirmed by Ethelwolf in the year 855. who gave the tenth part of his owne revenues and of the kingdome to God: binding them with this prayer, VVhoever shall adde to this our gift, let allmighty God adde to his life many prosperous days, and if any one shall presume to change or diminish them, let him know that he must give an account before the tribunal of Christ. After him King Athelstone confirmed them in the year 930. In a word they have been confirmed, together with magna charta, thirty times by Parliament.
By all which it is plain, that the Preachers of the Gospel have a better title to their tythes than any Nobleman, Knight, or Gentleman to their proper Inheritances. For. 1. They were given by our Ancestors to God and his service, and therefore cannot be taken away without sacriledge; but the Estates of Noblemen may be taken from them without sacriledge. 2. God hath commanded that a sufficient▪ honourable, and fixed maintenance be given to his Ministers, as hath been already proved. But such a special command hath he not given concerning any other men. Therefore tythes and things which are so God's, are twice God's. 1. By a divine right primarily. 2. By a humane right secundarily, as being dedicated to him and his worship.
Obj. 2. But the people cry out and rayl, saying, Tythe… are burdensome, they are Antichristian, Iewish &c.
Answ. 1. So do the people cry out of taxes, excize, customs &c. that they are burdens: therefore shall we say, Away with taxes, customs, excise. All things are common amongst friends?
2. It little matters what the many headed multitude say, Seneca could say▪ argumentum pe…simum esse turbam, that the common people were the worst argument in the world: Neither matters it how many they are, but how rational, how good. The multitude of sinners doth not patronize a sinne
3. This is not the cry of the wisest, soundest and best of the people, they do not declame against Tythes.
4. Neither are Tythes Jewish: For first, before the Law given by Moses, Abraham gave Tythes to Melchisedech of all that he had, Gen. 14. 20. Heb. 7. 2. Iacob also vowed to God the Tythe of all that he had, Gen, 28. 22. And secondly, they are not payed to the Ministers of Christ by a ceremonial right, but a moral right, and by a positive Law of the Nation, as was proved before. See Repper. de. lege Mosis l. … c. 10.
5. Neither are they Antichristian as many vain men object, who whilst they are hearers, decry Tythes to save their money, but turning preachers take Tythes, dispute for them and contend for additions to be made to them. Tythes are not Antichristian, that are by the Law of nature, by the moral Law, by the positive Law of the nation, and not by any canonical or pontifical Law. How can they be popish, which were paid thousands of years before any such beast as a Pope did spring up?
6. If Tythes be unjust, burdensome, wicked things, then is God the authour of injustice, oppression, wickedness (which were blasphemy to conceive) for he gave the Tythes to his Levites under the Law by a special command for their subsistence. Neither doth the Gospel, as I said before, abrogate or abolish Tythes in general, but rather establish and confirm them specifically, as may appear, Mat. 23. 23. Luk 11. 42. Gal. 6. 6. 1 Cor. 9. 13, 14. Heb. 7. 1. 5, 6, 8. And if the wise God thought this way the best to maintain his Ministers, who shall reprove him?
7. They are not burthensome impositions, because they were freely given to the Church by pious and well affected Princes, They are not the peoples burden, for they are none of theirs; Neither they nor their pro parents ever purchased them, and why should they repine to part with that which is none of theirs.
8. Let there be found out a more sufficient and certain and honourable maintenance, and who will contend for Tythes? But since it appear… to all wise men, that a more just and stated maintenance cannot be found out, why should the impor…unity of wild and unreasonable men prevail? that this epidemicall disease may be cured, there seems to remain this and this only remedy. Let Tythes be got out of the hands of those that have eng…ost them to private uses: I mean those Tythes which the Lawyers call impropriate, more truly improper▪ and indeed to many unprosperous, as the holy coal to the Engls nest. Of such Harpyes Luther sadly complains, In these and many other Countryes there are a company of Harpyes, …o wit Prefects and Questors, who have devoured the liberalities of Princes given for the maintenance of the Ministers of the Church, and such is their envy and malignity▪ that it can hardly …e wrung out of their clutches▪ And indeed this is a hard taske, but it is a Princely, a Parliamentary undertaking: And I doubt not but all godly men will do all they can to bring to pass so gracious an enterprize. It commended the excellent and worthy spirits of some Londoners, that bought impropriate Tythes, and restored them to the Churches. Many know by whose fault this good work was hindered, and what became of them that hindered it.
Obj. 3. They argue from Mic 3. 11. the Priests teach for hire, and the Prophets divine for money.
Ans It is one thing to receive hire, and another to be an hireling; one thing to be hired to teach, another to teach for hire. The true Prophets received a reward of their pains, and that by Christs allowance, Mat. 10. 10. but the false Prophets whom God here reproves, prophesied false things, and that for hire onelyonly, and preached pleasing things onelyonly, that they might have a more liberall reward. The Ministers of the Gospel do receive Salaries, not as a reward of their Ministry, but that they may provide the necessaries of life, and may persist in their sacred function.
4. Obj. Their great argument is fathered upon (for I cannot say gathered from) Mat. 10. 8, 9, 10. Freely ye have received, freely give▪ Provide neither Gold nor Silver, nor brasse in in your purses &c▪
Ans. The Anabaptists are deceived in this late figment of theirs. For Christ himself unties the knot, v. 10. The workman is worthy of his meat, and appr…ved it by his owny example, taking something of the substance of his rich followers Luke 8. 3. Iohn 12. 6. and 13. 29. Neither did the Apostles ordinarily refuse Salaries from the Churches, 1. Cor. 9 4, 5, 6. Phil. 4. 18.
2. Christ here speaketh concerning working of miracles, as appears v. 8. and he forbids his Apostles to sel their miraculous cures for mony, because that gift was freely given them by God, & they ought therefore to use it freely. As Elisha refused the reward offered him by Naaman the Syrians 2 King 5. 15. 16. These words (ye have freely received) doth not so much respect the work of preaching, as the working of miracles, which is not so laborious as the other.
3. This command of Christ to his Apostles was onelyonly temp… rary, a precept for the present time, not a moral commandment; neither can it or ought to be made a perpetual Law. It onelyonly related to that first Embassy of theirs to the Iews, which, was to be dispatched with all speed, and they were to avoid whatever would retard them in their journey. This is plain from our Saviours owne words, Luke 22. 35. where speaking of this first mission of theirs, and the charge he gave them then: He says; Before I sent you without purse, &c. but now he that hath a purse, let him take it &c. As much as to say, the former precept that I gave you is valid, Now I give you a new charge.
4. It is plain that the Apostles afterwards lived of the Gospel Acts 4. 5. chapt. The primitive Believers offered them all their goods, they sold lands and goods for the Apostels use, Heu quantum distamus ab illis, but now we had rather take the Apostles lands and goods for our owne use, or at least are so farre from selling all for them, that we grudge miserably to give unto them a tenth part.
5. This precept, as to the substance of it doth still bind. It engageth us to have hearts free from covetousness, to be a pattern of holinesse, of the contempt of riches, and of noble and heavenly minds.
6. The Apostles wer… sent to heal all manner of diseases.
Now our Saviour foreseeing that men would be ready to give any thing for Health, forbids them to make a private gain of the gift of healing, as Simon Magus thought to have made of the Gift of the Holy Ghost.
Obj. 5. The haters of the Ministry urge the unsuitable Example of Paul, Act. 18. 3. 20. 34. 2 Thes. 3. 8. Paul got his living by his own Hand-labour; Therefore ought all the Ministers of the Gospell also.
Ans. 1. It does not follow. A particular and singular Action does no… make an universal rule. Neither does the Apostle here go about to take away from Christs Ministers that which elsewhere he doth allow them. Now he allowes them a right to be maintained of the Publick, in many places, 1 Cor. 9. 14. Gal. 6. 6. 1 Ti…. 5. 17. He approves of them that lived of the Gospel, 1 Corinth. 9. 5, 6. Nay himself received maintenance of other Churches▪ Phil. 4. 18. 2 Cor. 11. 8.
2. Suppose the Case be now as it was then, caeteris paribus, and we will also allow the Apostle Pauls example to be binding▪ 1. If the Preacher be furnish'd with Extraordinary Gifts, that he can perform his work without study and medita…ion; so could the Apostle. 2. If Ministers can live otherwise, and it be necessary by reason of the Churches poverty; in such a cafe of necessity the Minister ought to deny his right, that he prejudice not the Gospel, and be a burden to the Church, 1 Thes 2. 9. 2 Thes. 3. 8, 9, But the case is not so now, neither respective to the Ministers of the Church, nor respective to the Church. For 1. Ministers have not that extraordinary and supernatural Gil…. 2. The Church enjoys, through the bounty of pious Princes, and Progenitors, Chruch-Revenues, dedicated to the maintenance of its Ministry, that they need not be burthensome to the Church. Moreover in the Apostles time there was a community of Goods▪ which did abundantly make up the want of …ythes. We must therefore distinguish of a Church. 1. The…e is a Church to be constituted, or in constituting which; for the most part, is made up of poo… and inferiour members, not headed by powerfull Princes, or rich Magistrates, in whose …and it might be …o appoint settled stipends. Such was the estate of the Church in the Apostles time: and here we must decline our own right. Moreover, the Apostles preach'd to Heathens▪ who knew not the worth of the Gospell, nor the necessity of a Ministry. 2. There is a Church constituted, adorned with Magistrates, and Lawes, and endued with certain Revenues and Immunities appointed by those Magistrates for the Ministers: these Revenues are by Divine Right due to these Ministers: therefore Paul acknowledged, that he did receive things necessary of some Church, as form the Church at Philippi▪ Phil. 4. 16. and others, 2. Cor. 11. 8. though he did not of the Church of Corinth, nor Thessalonica. In a word, Stipends are different according to time and place; doubtless the richer Congregations both may and ought to maintain their Pastors more liberally than the poorer; neither is it equall, that the Stipends of all Ministers should be equal▪ because of their different Gifts, different Labors, different Families, and different quality of their people.
Object. 6. Many Ministers are rich, and are single men, therefore they ought to preach freely, and live of their own.
Ans. 1. That does not follow; For our Saviours Proposition is universal, Luke 10. 14. The Labourer is worthy of his hire, that is, Every Labourer, be he rich or poor, single or double, or what else. Melchizedeck was a rich king▪ and yet Abraham payes him tythes, Gen. 14. 20. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne, be he fat, or be he lean. Moreover, if a rich Minister receive nothing of his people, he will expose his poorer brethren to the envy and malice of their people: and not onelyonly so, but be a means to starve his Successour; wherefore let him receive his due Stipend, and let him give to the poor, and convert much to publick uses. Our Saviour Christ could easily have maintained himself, and the family of his Apostles, after a miraculous way; his Godhead could easily have provided for his manhood, yet he received of those things which were brought him, Luk 8. 3. to instruct us by his example. The Lord hath not ordained, that they that preach the Gospel should live of their own private Estates, that I know of; but he has ordained, that they should live of the Gospel, 1 Cor 9 14.
2. Would this be a good Argument▪ Many Souldiers are rich, therefore let them fight freely, spend and be spent, without expectation or acceptation of pay, and live of thier own: The richer men grow, the less commonly they care for fighting, (lest they should loss their rich lives) much less would they fight for nothing; For VVho goeth, saith the Apostle, to war, at his own charges.