General Reasons Against the Defalcation of a Fifth of Ministers Maintenance, To the reader – Table of contents
TO THE UNPREJUDICED READER.
READER,
IF ſuch a one as I wiſh and ſtile thee, I ſhall not doubt to be believed by thee, in that I now ſeriouſly profeſſe (as in his preſence, who doth most exactly diſcern the difference betwixt pretences and intentions) 1. That in the penning of theſe reaſons againſt the paiment of a fifth part of Sequeſtred Benefices, it is ſo farre from my thoughts to preclude any juſt way of ſuccour or ſuſtenance, to any that want (much leſſe would I do it to the Wives and Children of Miniſters (though contrary minded to me) that I wiſh them a better means of Maintenance then that is like to be in moſt places. 2. That I have ſo much deſire to rectifie the errour (both in opinion and practice) about it, and to relieve my Brethren (the Incumbent Preachers) oppreſſed by it; that, if it did not concern my ſelf at all, I ſhould be willing to act and appear on their behalf, as in the former part of this Treatiſe, I have done. 3. That (but for the common Intereſt of the Reformed Miniſtry) I had never made a publick Buſines of the particular paſſages, betwixt Dr H and me, though he have been too openly injurious againſt me, to ſuffer me to be ſilent toward him, or to make my defence in a meer private manner; nor would I (but for this occaſional inducement) clear my ſelf in print, from a greater change, which he hath laid againſt me (as much greater, as the whole exceeds a fifth part) for he hath often ſaid it to my face (more often I doubt not behinde my back) and once he gave it me under his hand in a Letter, That I ſnatched his Benefice out of his hand, before he was outed by the Committee at R. If he can prove this ſuggeſtion, I give it under my hand, that not a fifth Part onelyonly, but the other four (ſo farre as lieth in me) ſhall be all his again: for that done, I will give up all to him, if he can procure the repoſſeſſion of it to himſelf. But in diſproof thereof, I averre, and ſhall (if occaſion require) confirm what I ſay upon Oath.
Firſt, That I never (to my beſt remembrance) heard of him, or of his Benefice, untill he was outed by the Committee of R.) and ſome means was made for it to the Committee for Plundered Miniſters at Weſtminſter, by Mr T.G. a learned and godly Miniſter (then of R. and well acquainted with all the preceedings againſt the Doctor for a friend of his) who received anſwer from him (who beſt knew the minde of the Committee) that it was the meaning of the chiefeſt of them, to reſerve it for me, and from him I had the firſt news of the vacancy of the Church of Br. and of that kinde intention towards me: whereupon Mr G. deſiſted from all further ſollicitation for his friend, and offered his beſt aſſiſtance to me, for mine accommodation upon acceptance of the place, which he performed accordingly.
Secondly, When the Committee had made their Order, for mine Admiſſion to it, I came not to take Poſſeſſion of it, though I were within a dayes journey from Br. untill about a month after.
Thirdly, And when I did come, I did not require any haſty removal of him, or his houſhold, but gave him as long a time as he deſired, for their continuance there: which was from October 13th 1649. untill April 1. 1650. reſerving not ſo much as one chamber for my ſelf, though I began my Reſidence and Miniſtry, with my firſt coming thither, and went on with it, without any thing but labour and charge for almoſt a whole year.
Fourthly, From October 13. to April 1. he (being yet in Poſſeſſion, which (as the Proverb hath it is an eleven Points of the Law) had time enough to have ſetled himſelf where he was, if he could have done it, and he uſed all the means he could, to have the Order againſt himſelf, and for me, reverſed (without any oppoſition at all from me) and when he was out of all hope of prevailing he wrote to me, That he would give me poſſeſſion of the houſe, as he had done of the Church, and in his Letter profeſſed, That (ſince himſelf might not be permitted to hold the living) he was contented I ſhould have it before any other man. This I have yet to ſhew under his own hand.
For other things which he hath ſaid, or can ſay againſt me, I ſhall care the leſſe, becauſe
1. I am confidently and chearfully conſcious of mine own innocence, and clearneſſe from any charge of injuſtice that he can take up againſt me.
2. I believe it lieth not in the power of his tongue or pen, to leſſen my eſtimation, in the Judgement of thoſe good men, with whom I am beſt acquainted, nor with any good man at all, to whom both he and I are throughly known: though it may be ſome who were mine intimate Familiars, before our late troubleſome Mutations, and after long intermiſſion of mutual entercourſe (whereby they may not know how farre, nor upon what grounds, I have been conſtant or changeable with the viciſſitude of affairs and times) may (haply) be as credulous as mine adverſary is clamorous againſt me: for there are ſome men whoſe paſſionate prejudice, will admit of no pauſe to take in any true intelligence againſt miſ-information: and it is no marvel, if ſuch do ſacrifice not only common charity, but ſpecial friendſhip, to diverſity of opinion and partiality of intereſt: from which (whether levity or iniquity) I hope my practice ſhall always prove my diſpoſition, to keepa juſt and religious diſtance.
3. For ſuch as know me not (if they be wiſe) they will not lend too open an ear, to the accuſations of an open mouthed adverſary, ſince they may very well think it is more like that (out of envy, becauſe I poſſeſſe what he hath loſt) his ill will would not ſuffer him to ſay well, then that I, out of avarice or any other corrupt motive, ſhould do ſo ill, as he ſuggeſteth; and if they be not wiſe, their folly muſt be allowed the priviledge of a patient permiſſion, and of free pardon.
4. That which I have now publiſhed, as it will (I truſt) give full ſatisfaction to the particulars objected, ſo it will be an earneſt of the like ſatisfactory returns to other Objections, (if the Doctor have any) to bring in againſt me. But
5. That on which (as upon a rock of ſureſt refuge) I ſet up my reſt is, the precept and promiſe of the Lord by the Pſalmiſt, Commit thy way unto the Lord, truſt alſo unto him, and he ſhall bring it to paſſe; and he ſhall bring forth thy righteouſneſs as the light, and thy judgement as the noonday, Pſal. 37.5, 6.
I bleſſe his Name (for it) he hath given me grace to obey the Precept, and faith likewiſe to believe, I ſhall receive the Promiſe: and if his Providence make uſe of thy wiſdome and goodneſſe (good Reader) to ſuch a purpoſe, it will engage me the more affectionately to remain
Thine in all Chriſtian Obſervance JOHN LEY, Brightwell in Berks Octob. 17. 1654.
THE CONTENTS.
GEneral Reaſons againſt the Paiment of a fifth Part.
SECT. I. Some Cautions and Diſtinctions premiſed, before the Reaſons, p. 1.
SECT. II. The firſt Reaſon, taken from the Neceſsity of Miniſterial Service, in the Sequeſtred Benefite, and from the Parity of the Miniſters Caſe with others, on whom no Paiment of a fifth Part is impoſed. p. 4
SECT. III. The ſecond Reaſon taken from the Preheminence of that Authority (which appointed us to be Incumbents) above that of private Patrons. p. 5
SECT. IV. The third Reaſon taken from the manner of our Admiſsion into the Paſtoral Charges of the outed Ministers compared with theirs. p. 6
SECT. V. The fourth Reaſon taken from the Aphoriſm of our Saviour, The Labourer is worthy of his hire, Luke 10.7. p. 7
SECT. VI. The fifth Reaſon taken from a compariſon of the condition of the Wife and Children, of the outed Miniſter, when he is alive, and when he is dead. p. 8
SECT. VII. The ſixth Reaſon taken from the ill Uſe our Adverſaries make of the Allowance of the fifth Part. p. 9
SECT. VIII. The ſeventh Reaſon taken from the Oppreſsion of the Labouring Miniſters, by paiment of a fifth Part, with Objections againſt them, and Anſwers for them. p. 10
Particular Reaſons againſt the paiment of a fifth Part to Dr E. H.
SECT. I. Reaſons againſt Doctor H. his claim of a fifth Part, in Particular of the Rect. of Br. p. 15
SECT. II. Reaſons why I ſhould not pay a fifth Part to the Doctor, p. 18
SECT. III. The Doctors claim of my promiſe to pay him a fifth Part anſwered, p. 22