A Gospel Plea for Maintenance of the Ministers, Chapter 2 · Floating text

A Gospel Plea for Maintenance of the Ministers · Chapter 2 · Floating text

p. 72Of the TITHES of the Church.

Of all Corn the tenth Sheaf is given to God, and therefore to be paid. If any ſhall have a herd of Mares, let him pay the tenth colt; he who ſhall have only one or two, let him pay a penny for every colt. Likewiſe he who ſhall have many Kine, let him pay the tenth calf; he who ſhall have but one or two, let him pay a penny for every calf: and he who ſhall make cheeſe, let him give the tenth to God, and if he ſhall make none, the milk every tenth day: Likewiſe the tenth Lamb, the tenth Fleece, the tenth Butter, the tenth Pig.

Of BEES and all leſſer TITHES.

In like manner alſo of Bees, the tenth of the profit, and alſo of Wood, of Meadows, Waters and Mills, and Ponds, and Fiſhings, and Copſes, and Orchards, and Gardens, and Negotiations; (wherein Souldiery and all other Profeſſions are included) and all things which the Lord ſhall give the Tenth part is to be tendred to him who giveth the Nine parts together with the Tenth: And he who ſhall detain it ſhall be compelled to render it by the Iuſtice of the Biſhop, and of the King if néed be: For theſe things St. Augustine hath preached and taught, and theſe things are granted by the Kings and Barons and People. But afterward (let our Tith-oppugners, and detainers mark who is their original Tutor) By the inſtinct of the Devil, many have detained Tithes; and rich negligent Prieſts do not care to proſecute them, becauſe they had ſufficient neceſſaries for their life; for in many places now there are three or four Churches, where at that time was only one, and ſo they began to be diminiſhed.

p. 73This is that William the Conquerour, whom our Officers, Souldiers (with the Levellers and Anabaptiſts) moſt virulently reproach and rail againſt in their Diſcourſes, and ſilly ignorant ſcurrilous (h)(h)Royal Tyranny diſcovered: A defiance againſt Arbitrary uſurpation. Englands Birthright; and many late Pamphlets elſe.Pamphlets, for an Invader, Ʋſurper, ROBBER, TYRANT and ſubverter of our native Lawes and Liberties, &c. when as he claimed the Crown onelyonly by Giſt and Title, confirmed all our antient Lawes, Liberties, Civil and Eccleſiaſtical, without any alteration or diminution; put never a Noble man but one, or other perſon to death who rebelled or took up Armes against him all his reign, but ſuch who were actually ſlain in Battel; was the gallantest Souldier, and beſt Juſticiary of any in his age (as ſome(i)(i)Will. Malmesbury De Geſtis Regum Angl. l. 2. p. 93. &c. and Naucl. Speeds Hiſtory p. 451. Daniel in his Life.Hiſtorians then living atteſt) and not only much devoted to Religion, daily frequenting the Church both morning and evening, but likewiſe very induſtrious and bountiful to promote it; honouring and richly endowing the Clergy that lived according to their rule and profeſſion, but being very rough and hard-hearted to the licentious and ſcandalous, degrading his own Ʋnkle Malgerius Archbiſhop of Rhoan, and many Engliſh Biſhops for their diſſolute lives; founding no leſſe then three Churches and Abbies of chief note (whereof that of Battel. was one) endowing them with large Poſſ…ſſions and Privileges (according to the piety of thoſe times) out of his Conqueſts, and confirming all the Clergies Tithes, Rights, Privileges by the recited Lawes. If thoſe Officers, Souldiers, who now pretend themſelves Conquerors, and us a Conquered (or rather couſened) Nation, will really imitate his Juſtice, Piety, Bounty, in theſe recited particulars; no man will thenceforth beſtow on them ſuch reproachfull termes, of Invaders, Ʋſurpers, Robbers, Tyrants, Subverters of our Lawes, Liberties, &c. as they do uſually on this firſt Norman King; but repute them real Saints, Patrons of Religion, Miniſters and the Church, yea Sons of faithfull Abraham, who gave the tenth of the ſpoyls of war to God; whoſe example, with all the reſt here recited, in juſtice, conſcience rather oblige them to imitate his and their footſteps (as the premiſes; evidence) than to ſpoyl our Miniſters, Churches of their Tithes and Materials. And ſo much in Anſwer of the firſt Evaſion, reſpecting our Army-Officers and Souldiers only.

p. 74Object.The ſecond Evaſion of Abrahams Precedent, is made by Country Farmers, Tradeſmen, and their Advocates: who allege, That Abraham gave the tenth only of his ſpoyls gained in War to M…lchiſedec, but not of his Corn, Wine, Cattel and other Goods; therefore this example bindes only Souldiers to pay perſonal, but not them or any others to pay any ſuch predial, mixt or perſonal Tithes, as now they do by coercive Lawes and Ordinances, againſt Law and Goſpel, as they pretend.

To which I anſwer,

Anſw.1. That the expreſſe words of Moſes, Gen. 14.20. are: And he gave him Tithes OF ALL. Which being univerſal, not confined by him to the ſpoyls taken in war, muſt be taken and intended in the **See Calvin and others on the place.largeſt ſenſe, that is, of all his Substance, or Encreaſe, as well as of the ſpoyls then won: as the Syriack and Arabick tranſlations, Solomon Jarchi and others interpret it.

2. The Apoſtle reciting the Hiſtory Heb. 7.2. uſeth the ſelf-ſame general expreſſion: To whom alſo Abraham gave a tenth part OF ALL, without reſtraining it to the Spoyls of War: which muſt be intended in the beſt and liberaleſt ſenſe, for Tithes of all his Subſtance and gain, being mentioned both to expreſſe his Piety and Bounty. True it is, the Apoſtle in the 4. verſe uſeth this expreſſion, Ʋnto whom the Patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the ſpoyls; which **Mr. Seldens Hiſtory of Tithes and Survey, ch. 1.ſome oppugners of Tithes, would have to be the Interpretation of the two former univerſal phraſes; Tithes of all: But the Spoyls being not Abrahams all, nor in truth any part thereof, he refuſing ſo much as to take a thred or ſhoe-latchet thereof to his own uſe, Gen. 14.23, 24. and the word all, being not ſo much as once uſed in the latter clauſe, which recites, he gave the tenth of the (not all the) Spoyls; and the two firſt general expreſſions, neceſſarily including in them the tenth of the ſpoyls; I conceive the latter expreſſion is rather a particular ſpecification of one memorable thing he paid Tithes of in a new caſe not formerly happening, even of the Spoyls taken in this firſt Battel he ever waged, or any other that we read of (included in the general) rather than a full comprehenſive expoſition of all that is or was intended, p. 75by the Tenth, or Tithes of all, in the two precedent Texts.

3. It is moſt probable, that Abraham paid Tithes of all his own ſubſtance to Melchiſedec, as well as of the ſpoyls; there being the ſelf-ſame, if not a ſtronger ground, for him to pay Tithes of all his other goods, encreaſe, as of theſe caſual ſpoyls, out of which no conſtant maintenance could be raiſed for any Paſtor, or Miniſter, as there might be out of the Tithes of his Cattel and Subſtance encreaſing every year. Now Tithes being intended for the Prieſts and Miniſters conſtant maintenance by God and Man, and this Precedent of Abraham, recorded for that end; we cannot without an abſurdity, reſtrain his paying Tithes of all, only to the ſpoyls then, and then only unexpectedly gained from the enemy by Abraham, and reſtored by him to the right owners, the tenths of them only excepted; but, of the Tithes of all his Subſtance principally, whence a conſtant livelihood for the Prieſt could only ariſe, and of the ſpoyls of Warr only by reaſon of his occaſional meeting of Abraham then returning from the Warrs, and bleſſing him at that time.

4. This preſident of his, was in all probability, the ground of Gods appointing Tithes, by a ſpecial Law, for all the Prieſts and Levites MAINTENANCE amongst the Iſraelites, Abrahams Posterity, and the Apoſtle intimates as much, Heb. 7.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, &c. that they receive Tithes of their Brethren in the ſame manner by the Law, as Melchiſedec did of their Father Abraham. Now they received Tithes of Corn, Wine, Oyl, Cattel, all ſorts of herbs and fruits, for their ſtanding maintenance and Inheritance too; Num. 18.20, to the end, Levit. 27.30, 31, 32, 33, 34. Deut. 14.22, 28. Therefore it is moſt probable, if not infallible, that Abraham paid Tithes to Melchiſedec of all thoſe things which the Levites and Prieſts afterward received from their brethren, not of the ſpoyls alone, out of which no certain Maintenance could be raiſed, not ſpecified therefore in thoſe general precepts concerning Tithes.

5. The Apoſtle arguing the natural juſtice of Miniſters maintenance, Rom. 15.27. and 1 Cor. 9.11. uſeth this expreſſion. If we have ſowen unto you ſpiritual things (in the plural p. 76number) is it a great matter if we ſhall reap your CARNAL THINGS, in the plural number too; and ſuch things as ſeem commonly to grow and multiply; as the word reap imports. And Gal. 6.6. he uſeth this general precept, Let him that is taught in the word, communicate to him that teacheth IN ALL GOOD THINGS: Therefore to reſtrain Abrahams giving Tithes of all, only to the ſpoyls, and not to all his carnal and good things, is a very improper expoſition, diſſonant from the ſcope and ſenſe of theſe parallel Texts, which ſeem aptly to interpret it.

6. The very Phariſee in the Goſpel, boaſting of his Juſtice and Piety, uſed this expreſſion, parallel with that of Abraham, Luke 18.12. I GIVE TITHES OF ALL THAT I POSSESSE; and to confine Abrahams giving Tithes of all, to the Tithes only of the ſpoils, and not to extend it, with the Phariſee, to all that he poſſ…ſſed beſides, is to make this Father of the Faithful, leſs righteous, liberal, devout than this hypocritical Phariſie.

7. That which ſeems to put all our of queſtion, is the parallel Text of Gen. 28.20, 21, 22. Where Jacob after his travelling viſion, makes this vow to God, even before the Levitical Law for Tithes; If God will be with me, ſo that I come again to my Fathers houſe in peace; Then ſhall the Lord be my God, and this ſtone which I have ſet up for a pillar, ſhall be Gods houſe: and of all that thou ſhalt give me, I will ſurely (without diminution, ſubſtraction, or failing) give the Tenth unto thée: Whence ſhould godly Jacob take his pattern of ſurely giving the Tenth of all (not of ſpoils alone) that God ſhould give him, unto God, but from the practice of his Grand-father Abraham, who gave M…lchiſedec the Tenth of all God gave him, as well as of the Spoils? Honouring God with all his Subſtance and increaſe: according to that precept of Solomon (having relation to his practice and this Vow of Jacobs) Prov. 3.9. Honour the Lord with thy Substance, and with the first fruits of all thy increaſe. And ſo much in refutation of this ſecond Evaſion, which ſome armed men much urge.

The third Objection,Object: 3. which ſome would make fatal to all Tithes under the Goſpel, is from the cloſe of the Apoſtles p. 77forecited words: Heb. 7.12. For the Prieſthood being changed, there is alſo a neceſſity of a change of the Law, &c. From whence William Thorp, (one of our Martyrs) thus reaſoned againſt Tithes, and others now, kkFox Acts & Monuments vol. 1. p. 700.Saint Paul ſaith, That Tithes were given in the old Law to Levites and to Prieſts, that came of the linage of Levi; but our Priests come not of the linage of Levi, but of Juda, to which Juda no Tithes were promiſed to be given: And therefore Paul ſaith, ſince the Prieſthood is changed from the generation of Levi to Juda, its neceſſary that changing alſo be made of the Law: So that Prieſts muſt live now without Tithes and other Dues that they claim, following Chriſt and his Apoſtles in wilfull poverty, as they have given them example.

I Anſwer 1.Anſwer. That the Apoſtle in this, and the three following Chapters, concludes and proves by ſundry Arguments, That the Levitical Prieſthood and the Ceremonial Law, given the people under Moſes (the llsee Hemingius & others on this place.Covenant of this Prieſthood) were both changed and aboliſhed by Chriſt, and his everlaſting Prieſthood, ſhadowed to us by them; and by conſequence the maintenance of the Levitical Prieſts by Sacrifices offered by them at the Altar, by firſt fruits and Tithes themſelves, ſo far as they were Ceremonial, preſcribed by the Ceremonial Law, for the maintenance only of theſe aboliſhed Levitical Prieſts and Levites; which is all this Scripture proves, when preſſed to the uttermoſt. But can any rational man hence conclude, The Levitical Prieſthood, the Ceremonial law, and all the tithes, maintenance due to the Jewiſh Prieſts and Levites by this Law are aboliſhed by Chriſt, a Prieſt for ever after after the order of Melchiſedec, to whom Tithes were due and paid by Abraham, before this law and Prieſthood inſtituted: Therefore all Tithes, maintenance due and paid to Melchiſedec, (and in him to Chriſt, and the Miniſters of the Goſpel under him) are eternally aboliſhed as Jewiſh and Levitical? Surely this is a mad inference, both beſides and againſt this Text; from which all Orthodox Protestant Commentators, as well as Papiſt and Jeſuites, conclude the quite contrary, and learned Nicholas Hemingius in his Commentary on it, p. 805. thus determines, It is ſubjoyned, p. 78that Melchiſedec received Tithes from Abraham, which Tithes Abraham verily gave of his own accord, following without doubt the cuſtome of Conquerors (Let our Conquering Officers, Souldiers obſerve and do the like) who were wont to conſecrate the tenths of their Spoyls to their Gods, or to give them to their Prieſts. But this collation of Tithes, **See Walafridi Strabi de Rebus Eccleſ. c. 27.Sir 27multo meliori Jure Christo Sacerdoti debetur; is due by much better Right to Chriſt our Prieſt; who as he gives all things to us out of méer bounty; ita viciſſim illi non ſolum Decimas, verum etiam omnia nostra debemus; ſo we owe to him again, not only Tithes▪ but likewiſe all we have. Whether the Objectors or Hemingius ſpeak moſt Goſpel Divinity and Reaſon from this Text, let every Chriſtians conſcience judge.

2. The Apoſtles words concerning the change and abrogation of the Ceremonial Law, have no coherence with or relation to the precedent diſcourſe, concerning payment of Tithes to Melchiſedec and the Levites; recited only to prove the dignity and excellency of Melchiſedecs Prieſthood above Aarons; and of the Levitical Prieſts and Levites above their Brethren, from whom they received Tithes. The force of the Argument, reduced into a Logical form, being thus. He who receives Tithes for the execution of his Prieſtly Office, is better and greater tha… he who payes Tithes; But the Patriarch Abraham himſelf, the very Father of the Faithfull, and Prince of the Fathers, paid Tithes to Melchiſedec; and likewiſe the Levitical Prieſts (then in his loyns) in and by him; who yet receive Tithe of their Brethren, but not of their Father Abraham or Melchiſedec: Therefore Melchiſedec is better and greater than Abraham and them, and they than their Brethren who paid them Tithes. And by conſequence, Christ being a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedec, who was but a type of him, muſt be better and greater than Abraham, (Joh. 8.55, 56.) or the Levitical Prieſts, or than Melchiſdec himſelf, who did but typifie him. This excellency and precedency of Chriſts Prieſthood before Aarons, he proves by other Arguments drawn from Melchiſedec, not pertinent to our preſent buſineſſe; after which he largely argues the change and abolition of the Levitical Law and Prieſthood by p. 79Chriſt, (a theam of a different nature from the former) to which the objected words refer; therefore the total and final aboliſhing of all Tithes, to which theſe words have no relation, can never be inforced from them; being ratifyed by the former clauſe, as appurtenances to Chriſts everlaſting Prieſthood, as well as to Melchiſedecs; Therefore as due to his Miniſters under the Goſpel, as to any Prieſts and Levites under the Law, which were likewiſe Types of Chriſt, the true high Prieſt, expiring at and by his death.

3. The Prieſts and Levites under the Law had Cities, Glebes, Houſes ſetled on them for their habitation, families, Cattel, as well as Tithes, by the Ceremonial Law, for their better maintenance, accommodation; and that in a large proportion, Lev. 25.32, 33, 34. Num. 35.1, to 12. Joſh. 21.1, to 43. 1 Chr. 6.54, to the end, ch. 9.10, to 35. 2 Chr. 11.13, 14. Ezra 2.70. Neh. 11.26. ch. 13.10. Ezec. 45.1, to 6. ch. 4.8, 9, to 15. If then this Text proves the Total Abolition of all our Miniſters Tithes, root and branch, as Jewiſh and Antichristian; as ſome impudent Scriblers and Petitioners againſt them, now affirm: It likewiſe proves the abolition of all their Rectories, Glebes, Houſes likewiſe, as well as of their Tithes, as Jewiſh and Antichristian: And ſo Miniſters of the Goſpel now ſhall neither have Tithes nor Glebes to ſupport and feed them, their families and Cattel; nor yet ſo much as an Houſe wherein to lodge and put their heads; and be inforced to complain as our Saviour once did of his forlorn condition, Mat. 8.20. and Luke 9.58. the Foxes have holes, and the Birds of the air have Neſts, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head. A condition to which ſome Jeſuitical, Anabaptiſtical, Athieſtical, uncharitable beaſts of Prey, worſe than any Foxes or Harpies, would now gladly reduce all our faithful Miniſters and their Families, whiles ſome of them Lord it, and lodge themſelves in our Kings, Princes, Biſhops, Deans and Chapters new acquired royal Palaces, and not content therewith, would ſpoyl all our Miniſters of their more contemptible Glebes, Rectories, Tithes, to enrich themſelves and their Poſterities, and make our Miniſters like our Saviour in his voluntary Poverty, both Houſeleſs and Harborleſs. They may with as much p. 80Juſtice (like the hard-hearted bloudy Jews, Souldiers) evenmmMat. 27.35. Luke 23.32, to 46. Joh. 19.18.Matt 27:35Luke 23:32–46John 19:18 crucifie them on croſſes, between ſuch thieves as themſelves, to make them like our Saviour, even in his voluntary ſufferings; as part their Glebes, Lands, Rectories, Tithes among them, and caſt Lots upon their veſtures, even before their death, when as the Souldiers who crucified our Saviour, did not part his raiment amongst them, nor caſt Lots on his veſture till after his crucifixion by them, **John 19.23, 24. Mat. 27.35, 36.John 19:23John 19:24Matt 27:35Matt 27:36there being as much Authority, Conſcience, Law, Juſtice, Reaſon for the one, as other: ſeeing none by any Laws can loſe or forfeit their Lands, Livelihood, but ſuch who firſt forfeit their Lives to publick Juſtice.

4. The Iſraelites were enjoyned by the Levitical Law, Deut. 12.17, 18, 19. ch. 14.26, 27, 28, 29. to harbour, entertain the Priests, and Levites within their gates, and not to forſake them ſo long as they ſhould live upon the earth, but freely to permit and invite them to come, eat, drink, feast, rejoyce, and be ſatisfied with them and their Families before the Lord; as well as to pay them Tithes. But this Law (as they argue) is now aboliſhed by Chriſt with the Prieſthood; Therefore when our Miniſters are ſtript of all their Tithes, Glebes, Rectories, Houſes, maintenance by our new Reformadoes; it muſt be Jewiſh and Antichriſtian for them or any others ſo much as to lodge, entertain, or give them any thing to eat or drink within their gates, or ſo much as to admit, invite them to a Feaſt, or meal within their Houſes; and then they, with all theirs and other poor widows and orphans, muſt all preſently ſtarve, periſh by **See his voyce from the Temple p. 2.John Cannes and theſe uncharitable mens new Goſpel Light and Charity, becauſe Hoſpitality and Alms to ſuch, are Levitical and Jewiſh, aboliſhed with the Levitical Law and Prieſthood; which abrogated all Charity and Humanity out of the world, as well as out of theſe Tithe-Oppugners hearts, if this their Objection be Orthodox Goſpel truth.

5. Meer Freewill Offerings and voluntary unconſtrained Contributions were preſcribed by the Levitical and Judicial law, both for and towards the maintenance of Gods Priests, and worſhip; for the building, and repairing of the Tabernacle, and of the Temple afterwards, towards which the godly Kings, Princes, p. 81Generals, Captains, Officers, Souldiers, and all the pious people of God contributed moſt joyfully, liberally, and in ſuch abundance upon all occaſions, that they gave far more than was ſufficient; and thereupon were prohibited by ſpecial Proclamation to give or bring any more (as in the caſe of Materials of all ſorts, for the building and furniture of the Tabernacle of the congregation) and of the Temple, towards which many Heathen Kings, and their Officers contributed freely, and the very captive Jews, Exod. 35.20, to 30. chap. 36.2, to 9. Levit. 22.18, 21, 23. chap. 23.38. Num. 15.3. chap. 29.39. chap. 31.48, to the end, 1 Chron. 26.26, 27, 28. chap. 22.1, to 17. chap. 29.1, to 17. 2 Chron. 24.4, to 15. chap. 27.3. chap. 29.3, to 20.31. chap. 34.8, to 15. Ezra 1. throughout, chap. 3.5. chap. 7.16. chap. 8.28, 29. Therefore Miniſters under the Goſpel muſt not be maintained, nor Churches, Houſes for publick Aſſemblies built or repaired by Free-will offerings, and voluntary contributions, being Levitical, Jewiſh, and ſo abandoned; and if not by Tithes nor forced Rates as they allege, then the Miniſters muſt utterly ſtarve, and all our Churches fall to ſudden ruine, as many now do. And is this Goſpel Saintſhip and Chriſtianity?

6. The Prieſts and Levites by the Levitical Law, were preſcribed what wives they ſhould marry, and what not, Levit. 21.7, to the 14. will it therefore follow (as the Papiſt Votaries conclude) Therefore Miniſters of the Goſpel muſt not marry? and muſt all now be divorced from their wives, as well as from their Tithes and Benefices, becauſe the Levitical law is aboliſhed, and Prieſts wives Jewiſh, as well as their Tithes? Our beaſtly Ranters then may ſeize upon Miniſters wives, as well as the brutiſh Anabaptists, Quakers, Swordmen on their Tithes and Glebes.

7. The ſeventh day Sabbath it ſelf, though preſcribed by a nnExod. 20.8, 9, 10. Deut. 5.19.Exod 20:8Exod 20:9Exod 20:10Deut 5:19Moral law, was in ſome ſenſe ceremonial, and enjoyned by ooExod. 31.14, 15, 16. c. 35.2, 3. Lev. 24.8. Num. 28.9, 10. Deut 5.14, 15. Levit. 23.3.Exod 31:14Exod 31:15Exod 31:16Lev 24:8Num 28:9Num 28:10Deut 5:14Deut 5:15Lev 23:3Ceremonial laws too; therefore (as ppDr. Bound, Dr. Twiſſe, Dr. White, and others, of the Sabbath. Biſhop Andrews, Mr. Downham Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Dod on the fourth Commandement, and all other Commentators on it.moſt affirm) abrogated by Chriſts death as Jewiſh, as to the preciſe ſeventh day from the Creation, and the Jewiſh rigidities, Sacrifices on it; will it therefore follow, that it is Jewiſh and unlawfull for Chriſtians under the Goſpel, to obſerve the Lords day every week, and render unto God the ſame p. 82weekly proportion of time for publike worſhip, as the Jews did, or to keep any publike Faſts, or Feaſts to God at all, as the Jews by the Levitical law were bound to doe? If ſo, then farewell all Lords-dayes, Faſts, Feaſts, publike Aſſemblies for Gods worſhip, all Miniſters, Churches, (and God himſelf together with them) as well as Tithes; let Gain, Money be the only Deities henceforth adored among us, as the Motto ſtamped upon our new State-coyn, God with us, and moſt mens practices ſadly proclaim, to Gods diſhonour, and Religions intolerable defamation. Theſe Anſwers, I preſume, will for ever ſatisfie or ſilence theſe Objectors, with qqHis ſecond voice from the Temple.John Canne, their new Champion, who may now diſcern their groſſe miſtake; and learn this for a general certain truth: That whatever is not in its own nature and Original, meerly Jewiſh and ceremonial, but hath a kind of natural juſtice, equity, conveniency, morality or neceſſity in it, and had a divine original, inſtitution before the ceremonial Law given, or the Levitical Prieſthood inſtituted; That thing, though afterwards given, limited, preſcribed to the Levitical Prieſts or Iſraelites by a general or ſpecial Levitical Law abrogated by Chriſt, doth neither ceaſe its being, nor become unlawfull in its primitive, or proper uſe unto Chriſtian Miniſters or Believers under the Goſpel, by the aboliſhing of the Levitical Law and Prieſthood; but may, and muſt neceſſarily be continued, practiſed, perpetuated among them without the leaſt ſin, ſcandal, or Judaiſm, according to its own primitive inſtitution, or natural, neceſſary, divine, moral or civil uſe; elſe Bread, meat, drink, wives, clothes, religious Sabbaths, Faſts, Feaſts, Edifices and Aſſemblies for Gods publick worſhip, Houſes for Hoſpitality, Charity to Miniſters, to poor diſtreſſed Saints, People, (yea reading, prayer, preaching of the word of God, Magiſtracy and Government it ſelf) ſhould be utterly unlawfull unto Chriſtian Miniſters and People, as well as Tithes; becauſe given, preſcribed to be uſed by the Levitical Prieſts and Jews, by the Levitical Law. Therefore ſeeing meat, drink, food, raiment, Lands, Houſes, and a competent proportion of all worldly neceſſaries, are as ſimply needfull for the preſervation, ſubſiſtence of the Miniſters p. 83of the Goſpel and their Families now under the Goſpel, as for the Prieſts, Levites before and under the Law, or all other ſorts of men in the world, who cannot live without them: And ſeeing Tithes, Lands, Houſes, both before and under the Law, were originally given to and ſetled by God and Men upon Prieſts and Levites firſt, and Miniſters ſince, not as meer Types, Shadows, Ceremonies, but as a juſt, fitting, convenient recompence of their Labour, neceſſary maintenance, Livelihood, habitation, reſidence for them and their Families, to provide them meat, drink, Books, clothes, and other neceſſaries to live by: Why our Miniſters under the Goſpel ſhould not ſtill enjoy them in this kind and Nature, without the leaſt ſhadow of Judaiſm, as well as Melchiſedec before the Law, or the Jewiſh Prieſts and Levites under it, or their Predeceſſors before them, even from the firſt ſettlement of the Goſpel amongſt us, or as well as any other Men, or the Objectors do enjoy their Lands, Goods, Houſes, and the other nine parts of their Tithes encreaſe, for their Livelihood and ſubſiſtence, as well as the Jews without any ſin or Judaiſm, tranſcends my capacity to apprehend, and the ability of all armed or unarmed Enemies of Tithes or Glebes to demonſtrate from Scripture, Law, Reaſon, or the objected abuſed Text, over-long inſiſted on, to clear it from all ignorant or wilfull wreſtings. And ſo much for the payment of Tithes by **Decimas Deo & ſacerdotibus Dei dandas, Abraham factis, Jacob promiſſis inſinuat; deinde Lex Statuit, & Omnes Doctores sancti commemorant walafridi Strabi De Rebus Eccleſiaſticus. c. 27.Sir 27Abraham, and vowing them by Jacob, before the Law, to juſtifie the lawfulneſſe and continuance of them under the Goſpel, againſt all cavilling Exceptions.

Secondly, I ſhall make good the Propoſition from the Maintenance of the Prieſts and Levites by Glebes, Tithes, and Oblations under the Law, urged as the ſtrongeſt, if not only Reaſon againſt them: and thus form my Argument.

That which God himſelf, who is infinitely and only wife, juſt, holy, did by his ſpecial Laws, Edicts inſtitute, preſcribe, as the moſt expedient, equal, fit, juſt, rational, convenient maintenance of all other for his own Prieſts and Levites to receive and take from his own People (when once ſetled in the promiſed Land) for the execution p. 84of their function; muſt queſtionleſſe be, not only a lawfull, but the moſt expedient, equal, fit, juſt, rational, convenient maintenance of all other for his Miniſters of the Goſpel to receive, and take from all believing Chriſtians in any ſetled Chriſtian Kingdome, State, Church under the Goſpel; eſpecially, if he hath neither poſitively prohibited this kind and way of maintenance, nor ſpecially preſcribed any other way or kind of ſetled maintenance for them in and by the Goſpel.

But God himſelf, who is infinitely and rrRom. 16.27. Pſal. 147.5. Iſa. 45.21. Zeph. 3.5. Acts 3.14. Joſh. 24.19. Iſa. 6.3. Rom. 4.3. chap. 15.4.Rom 16:27Ps 147:5Isa 45:21Zeph 3:5Acts 3:14Josh 24:19Isa 6:3Rom 4:3only wiſe, juſt, holy, did by his ſpecial Laws, Edicts inſtitute, preſcribe Houſes, Lands, Glebes, T…thes, and Oblations, as the moſt expedient, equal, fitting, juſt, rational, convenient maintenance of all other for his own Prieſts and Levites to receive and take from his own people, when once ſetled in the promiſed Land, for the execution of their Functions; and hath neither poſitively prohibited this kind or way of maintenance, nor ſpecially preſcribed any other way or kind of ſetled maintenance for them in and by the Goſpel.

Ergo, It muſt queſtionleſſe be, not only a lawfull, but the moſt expedient, equal, fit, juſt, rational, convenient maintenance of all other for his Miniſters of the Goſpel from all believing Chriſtians in any ſetled Kingdome, State, Church under the Goſpel.

The Major, I ſuppoſe no rational Chriſtian can or will deny, except he thinks himſelf (as King Alphonſo, the proud Atheiſtical ſelf-conceited Aſtronomer did) more wiſe, juſt, holy than God himſelf; and abler to carve out a more expedient, equal, juſt, fitting, rational, convenient maintenance for Gods Prieſts, Levites, Miniſters, than God himſelf hath done; and dare bid defiance to this Goſpel precept, Eph. 5.1. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children: The Minor I ſhall thus confirm in order.

1. That God did by ſpecial Laws, Edicts inſtitute and preſcribe Cities, Suburbs, Lands, Houſes, Glebes, for the Prieſts and Levites habitation, and the better maintenance of them and their Cattel, and that in a liberal proportion, is apparent by Num. 35. from v. 1, to 12. where we find recorded; p. 85That the Lord ſpake unto Moſes in the plain of Moab, by Jordan near Jericho, ſaying; command the Children of Iſrael that they give unto the Levites of the Inheritances of their poſſeſſion, Cities to Dwell in; and ye ſhall give alſo unto the Levites Suburbs for their Cities round about them. And the Cities they ſhall have to Dwell in, and the ſuburbs of them, ſhall be for their Cattel, and for their Goods, and for all their Beaſts. And the ſuburbs of the Cities which ye ſhall give unto the Levites, ſhall reach from the wall of the City and outward, a thouſand Cubits round about. And ye ſhall meaſure from without the City on the Eaſt ſide two thouſand Cubits, and on the South ſide two thouſand Cubits, and on the Weſt ſide two thouſand Cubits, and on the North ſide two thouſand Cubits, and the City ſhall be in the midſt; this ſhall be to them the ſuburbs of the Cities. And among the Cities which ye ſhall give unto the Levites, there ſhall be ſix Cities for refuge, which ye ſhall appoint for the Manſlayer, that he may fly thither; and to them ye ſhall adde forty and two Cities. So all the Cities which ye ſhall give to the Levites ſhall be forty and eight Cities, them ſhall ye give with their Suburbs. And the Cities which ye ſhall give ſhall be of the poſſ…ſſion of the Children of Iſrael: from them that have many, ye ſhall give many; and from them that have few, ye ſhall give few: Everyone ſhall give of his Cities, according to his inheritance which he inheriteth. This poſitive just command of God was given before the Iſraelites entrance into, and conqueſt of the land of Canaan: And this further poſitive law then likewiſe made againſt the ſale and alienation of theſe Glebes and Poſſeſſions. Levit. 25.32, 33, 34. Notwithſtanding the Cities of the Levites, and the Houſes of the Cities of their poſſeſſion, may the Levites redeem at any time, which others could not doe, v. 30, 31. And if a man purchaſe of the Levites, then the Houſe that was ſold and the City of his poſſeſſion ſhall go out in the year of Jubile; for the houſes of the Levites are their poſſeſſion among the children of Iſrael: but the field of the Suburbs of their City may not be ſold, for it is their perpetual Poſſeſſion. After this, when the land of Canaan was fully conquered by the Iſraelites and divided amongſt the Tribes by bounds and limits, we read, Joſh. 21.1, to 43. Then came near the heads of the Fathers of the Levites unto Eleazer p. 86the Prieſt, and unto Joſhua the ſon of Nun, and unto the heads of the tribes of the Children of Iſrael; and they ſpake unto them at Shilo in the land of Canaan, ſaying, The Lord commanded by the hand of Moſes (in the text forecited) To give us Cities to dwell in with the Suburbs thereof for our cattel. And the children of Iſrael gave unto the Levites, at the commandment of the Lord (mark it all enemies of our Miniſters, Rectories, Lands, Glebes, Maintenance) theſe Cities and their Suburbs. Then follow the Names and Places of the Cities allotted to the Levites proportionably out of every tribe, and how they were divided by lot amongst them: which you may read in the text it ſelf, over large to tranſcribe. After which enſues this cloze of the ſtory, v. 8.41, 42. And the children of Iſrael gave by lot unto the Levites theſe Cities and their Suburbs, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moſes, all the Cities of the Levites within the poſſeſſion of the children of Iſrael, were forty and eight Cities, with their Suburbs: Theſe Cities were every one with their Suburbs round about them: Thus were all the Cities. In 1 Chron: 6: We have a recital of the Sons and Families of Levi, and the Office of the Prieſts and Levites, with the names of all the Cities and Suburbs alloted to them out of every Tribe, agreeing with this of Joſhua, where thoſe who pleaſe may read them at their leiſure. Theſe fourty eight Cities and their Suburbs (as ſome conceive) amounted to the tenth, or at leaſt twelfth Part of the Cities and Land of Canaan; the Prieſts and Levites according to their number, enjoying in proportion as large a ſhare of the promiſed Land, as any of the other Tribes, for their Habitation and Glebes: beſides their Tithes, firſt-Fruits, Offerings and other Dues.

All which (as ſſIn his Sermon, April 17, 1608. in defence of the Honourable Function of Biſhops.Dr. George Downham, and ttIn his Pilgrimage, l. 2. c. 7. p. 133. the firſt Edition.Mr. Samuel Purchas obſerve) amounted to a far greater proportion for the maintenance of that ſmall Tribe, than all the Biſhopricks, Deaneries, Benefices, Cathedral and College lands, Revenues, Glebes, Tithes, and whatſoever Eccleſiaſtical Profits, endowments of the Clergy, and Scholars in our whole Kingdom and Nation. After this, when the Temple of Jeruſalem was built, where the Prieſts and Levites were to wait in their ſeveral Courſes ſucceſſively, by Davids appointment (1 Chron. chap. 23, to chap. p. 7827. 2 Chron. 8.14, 15. chap. 23.8. and ch. 13 10, 11. ch. 29.4. chap. 31.2. chap. 35. 2. Levit. 1.5, 8, 9.) they had Houſes, Chambers, lodgings provided for them at Jeruſalem, near the Temple, (where ſome of them conſtantly dwelt and attended,) and likewiſe for the Tithes, first-fruits and oblations brought thither to them, 1 Chron. 9.10, to 35. chap. 23.28. chap. 28.11, 12, 13. 2 Chron. 2, to 13. Ezra 8.29. Neh. 10.37, 38, 39. chap. 12.44, 45, 47. chap. 13.4, to 15. Ezech: 40.4, to 45. chap. 42.1, to 19. chap. 44.19. chap. 46.19. Theſe Cities, Suburbs, Habitations, Chambers, the Prieſts and Levits conſtantly enjoyed without interruption til the revolt of the ten tribes from Rehoboam: when Jeroboam the uſurper erected two Golden Calves in Dan and Bethel, to keep the people from going up to Jeruſalem to worſhip God there, out of carnal fear and ſuſpition; ſaying in his heart, Now ſhall the Kingdom return to the houſe of David, if the people go up to Jeruſalem to do Sacrifice in the Houſe of the Lord there, then ſhall the heart of this people turn back again to their Lord, even unto Rehoboam King of Judah, and they ſhall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam King of Iudah, 1 Kings 12.26, to 33. and then we read 2 Chron. 11.13, 14, 15, 16. The Priests and the Levites that were in all Iſrael reſorted to Rehoboam out of all their Coaſts; For the Levites left their Suburbs and their Poſſeſſions, and came to Judah and Jeruſalem; for Jeroboam and his ſons had caſt them out from executing the Prieſts Office unto the Lord; and he ordained him Prieſts for the High Places, uu1 Kings 13:33. 2 Kings 17.32.1 Kgs 13:332 Kgs 17:32of the loweſt of the People, and for the Devils, and the Calves which he had made: which King Abijah warring with him after his Fathers death, (when he claimed the right of his uſurped Crown,) thus objected againſt him, and the revolted Tribes, 2 Chr: 13.4, to 14. Hear me thou Jeroboam and all Iſrael: Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Iſrael gave the Kingdom over Iſrael to David for ever, even to him and to his Sons by a Covenant of Salt? Yet Jeroboam the ſon of Nebat, the ſervant of Solomon, the Son of David, is riſen up, and hath rebelled againſt his Lord. And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have ſtrengthened themſelves against Rehoboam the Son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, p. 88and could not withſtand him. And now ye think to withstand the Kingdom of the Lord, in the hand of the ſons of David, and ye be a great multitude, and there be with you Golden Calves, which Jeroboam made you for Gods. Have ye not caſt out the Prieſts of the Lord, the ſons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you Prieſts after the manner of the Nations of other lands; ſo that whoſoever cometh to Conſecrate himſelf, with a young Bullock and ſeven Rams, the ſame may be a Prieſt of them that are no Gods? But as for us the Lord is our God, and we have not forſaken him; and the Prieſts which miniſter unto the Lord are the Sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their buſineſſ: &c. For we keep the Charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forſaken him: And behold God himſelf is with us for our Captain, and his Prieſts with ſounding Trumpets, to cry allarum againſt you. The iſſue of this Atheiſtical State-policy, and Sacrilegious deprivation, ſpoliation of Gods Prieſts and Levites of their Suburbs, Poſſeſſions, Miniſtry by Jeroboam and his Sons, is very remarkable.

1 It brought ruine upon his whole Army, though double the number of Abijah his hoſt, of whom they had a great advantage by an ambuſhment; God himſelf ſmiting him and his hoſt, ſo that they fled before Judah; and Abijah and his people ſl…w them with a great ſlaughter, ſo that there fell down ſlain of Iſrael five hundred thouſand choſen men, 2 Chron. 13.13, to 20. The greateſt ſlaughter in one battel, that ever we read of in Sacred or prophane Stories before or ſince.

2. It brought Captivity on his Adherents and people, who were brought under at that time, purſued, and had their Cities taken and plundered, v. 18, 19.

3. It drew down this miſery and fatal Judgement on himſelf, v. 20. Neither did Jeroboam recover ſtrength again in the dayes of Abijah; and the Lord ſtrook him and he died.

4. It became ſin to the houſe of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to deſtroy it from the face of the earth, 1 Kings 13.33, 34.

5. It made all the ſucceeding Kings of Iſrael profeſſed Idolaters, and moſt of them bloudy Murtherers, Ʋſurpers, Perſecutors, and produced perpetual ſucceſſive civil warrs between Judah and Iſrael, 1 Kings 14.30. chap. 15.6, 7, 16, 32. 2 Chron. 28.4, to 12.

p. 896. It brought final captivity, ruine and deſolation in concluſion to the whole kingdom of Iſrael, and the ten revolting Tribes, 2 Kings 17.20, 21, 22, 23. where this ſad ſtory is recorded. And the Lord rejected all the ſeed of Iſrael, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of ſpoilers, until he had cast them out of his ſight. For he rent Iſrael from the houſe of David. And they made Jeroboam the Son of Nebat King, (of which God thus complains, Hoſ. 8.4. They have ſet up Kings, but not by me, they have made Princes and I knew it not) and Jeroboam drave Iſrael from following the Lord, and made them ſin a great ſin: for the children of Iſrael walked in all the ſins of Jeroboam which he did, they departed not from them, untill the Lord removed Iſrael out of his ſight, as he had ſaid by all his ſervants the Prophets: So was Iſrael carried away out of their own Land to Aſſyria, till this Day; when as the Kingdom of Judah xxDr. Uſher. annales Eccleſ. veteris Teſtamenti. p. 132.continued above 134. years after in Davids royal poſterity, enjoying Gods Prieſts, Levites, Prophets and Ordinances, till their captivity for their ſins, in mocking, abuſing his Meſſengers, Prophets, and deſpiſing his words, 2 Chron. 36.16, 17. And then yySee the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah.after 70. years captivity, they were reſtored again to their Country, re-edified Jeruſalem and the Temple; and with them, the Prieſts, and Levites returning from bondage, were reſtored likewiſe to their Cities and Glebes (of which the Kings of Judah never deprived them, as Jeroboam and his Sons, and the Kings of Iſrael, who were all Idolaters did) whence thus we read Ezra. 2.70. So the Prieſts and the Levites, and the Singers, and the Porters, the Nethinims dwelt in their Cities, and all Iſrael in their Cities; Thus ſeconded, Neh. 11.18, 20. All the Levites in the holy City were 284. and the reſidue of Iſrael, of the Prieſts and Levites, were in all the Cities of Judah, every Man in his Inheritance; and Neh. 13.10. The Levites and Singers that did the work, were fled every one to his field. In the Prophecie of Ezechiel (written during the Jews Captivity, in the Land of the Chaldeans, Ezech. 1.1, 2, 3.) propheſying of the re-edifiing of the Temple, the dimenſions and whole fabrick thereof, ch. 40.1, to 45. we find frequent mention of holy Chambers therein, provided for the Prieſts, and their veſtments. And ch. 45.1, to 5. God enjoyns the Iſraelites by this Prophet p. 90upon their reſtitution to their own Land, when they ſhould divide it by Lot for an Inheritance; That they ſhould offer an holy portion of the Land, an oblation unto the Lord: the length thereof twenty five thouſand reeds; and the breadth ten thouſand; This ſhall be holy in all the borders thereof round about. Of this there ſhall be for the Sanctuary 500 reeds in length, with 500 in breadth ſquare round about; and fifty Cubits round about for the Suburbs thereof. Then he addes: The holy Portion of the land ſhall be for the Prieſts, the Miniſters of the ſanctuary; which ſhall come neer to miniſter unto the Lord, and it ſhall be a place for their Houſes, and an holy place for the Sanctuary. And the 25000. of length, and 10000. of breadth, Shall alſo the Levites, the Miniſters of the Houſe have for themſelves, for a poſſeſſion for twenty Chambers. In the 47. Chapter verſe 13. to the end of the Prophecy, he writes of the bounds and diviſion of the land of Canaan (after their reſtitution) according to their ſeveral tribes, in relation to and imitation of the bounds and diviſion of it formerly made and recited by Joſhua: out of which there was a ſpecial portion reſerved for the Prieſts and Levites, as there was in Joſhua's diviſion forecited: Thus expreſſed, Ezeck. 48.8, to 15. And by the border of Judah, from the East ſide unto the West ſide, ſhall be the offering, which they ſhall offer of 25000. reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, from the Eaſt ſide unto the Weſt ſide; and the ſanctuary ſhall be in the midſt of it: The oblation ye ſhall offer unto the Lord, ſhall be of 25000. in length, and 10000 in breadth: And for them, even for the Prieſts ſhall be this holy Oblation; toward the North 25000. in length, and toward the Weſt 10000. in breadth; and toward the Eaſt 10000 in breadth, and toward the South 25000 in length, and the ſanctuary of the Lord ſhall be in the midſt thereof. It ſhall be for the Prieſts, that are ſanctified, of the ſons of Zadock, which have kept my charge, which went not astray, when the children of Iſrael went aſtray (after Jeroboam and his calves) as the Levites went astray. And this oblation of the land that is offered, ſhall be unto them a thing moſt holy by the border of the Levites. And over againſt the border of the Prieſts, the Levites ſhall have 25000. in length, and 10000. in breadth: all the length ſhall be 25000, and the breadth 10000. reeds. And they p. 91ſhall not ſell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firſt fruits of the land, for it is holy unto the Lord.

From all theſe Scriptures (here recited at large for the Readers fuller ſatisfaction, conviction, and eaſe in turning to them) theſe concluſions undeniably ariſe,

1. That the Prieſts and Levits had by Gods ſpecial command, precept (oft repeated) both Cities, Houſes, Suburbs, Lands, Glebes deſigned to & ſetled on them by their brethren out of all the other tribes of Iſrael, for their habitation, and the keeping, feeding of their Cattel, Goods, Beaſts, and that in a very large and bountifull proportion. And likewiſe neceſſary, convenient houſes, chambers, lodgings neer the Temple, when firſt built, and when re-edified afterwards; which refutes the common errour of thoſe ignorant Simpletons and illiterate New-lights, who from Numb. 18.20. Deut. 10.9. chap. 18.1, 2. The Prieſts, the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi ſhall have no part nor inheritance with Iſrael: they ſhall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance: Therefore ſhall they have no inheritance among their brethren, the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath ſaid unto them; Conclude: That the Prieſts and Levites amongſt the Iſraelites, had no Cities, houſes, lands, ſuburbs or poſſeſſions of their own belonging to their Office, and were expreſly forbidden by God to receive or enjoy any among their brethren: And hence inferr; That Miniſters of the Goſpel ought not to enjoy any Rectories, Houſes, Lands or Glebes: Whereas all the forecited Scriptures directly record the contrary; and the meaning of theſe ſeeming repugnant texts, is only this; zzHeylins Coſmography, p. 564.That they ſhould have no inheritance amongſt their Brethren in ſuch ſort and manner as they had; ſet out altogether in one parcel by Joſhua and the reſt who divided the land amongſt the tribes by lot (which would have hindred them from their duties) but only a ſubſequent aſſignment of certain Cities, houſes and ſuburbs ſeattered and divided one from another, in and out of every tribes inheritance; that ſo they might perform their offices with more eaſe, and be alwayes ready at hand in every tribe, to teach and inſtruct the people upon all occaſions.

2. That the inheritance of the Cities, houſes and ſuburbs, p. 92which they enjoyed, were not reputed their own proper inheritance, though they enjoyed the poſſeſſion and profits thereof, but Gods inheritance, as a thing devoted and dedicated unto God himſelf; and therefore ſtiled by Ezekiel, an Oblation unto God, and an holy portion; as aaSee Spelman. Concil Ingulphi Hiſtoria: Mat. Weſtm. Antiq. Eccleſ. Brit. M. Seldens Hiſtory of Tithes, ch. 1. and our Kings and others antient Charters of Donations to Abbies and Churches.Hiſtories, Divines, Common, Civil and Canon Lawyers ſtile all our Rectories, Church-lands, and Glebes, with the Charters that firſt ſetled them, being given and conſecrated, Deo et Eccleſiae, an oblation unto God, and the Church.

3. That theſe endowments and Glebes of theirs, were called, reputed Gods own Portion and Inheritance.

1. Becauſe given by his ſpecial command and appointment by all the tribes.

2. Becauſe originally conſecrated, devoted to God and to his Prieſts and Miniſters onelyonly in Gods right, for his ſake.

3. Becauſe given to promote Gods worſhip, ſervice, glory, and for an habitation, ſupport to Gods own Prieſts and Levites, imployed wholly in his immediate ſervice.

4. That they were expreſly prohibited to be ſold, exchanged, or alienated by the Prieſts, Levites, or any others; becauſe they were reſerved by and given unto God himſelf, as an holy Portion and Oblation, and to the Prieſts and Levites for a perpetual poſſ…ſſion, in regard of the perception of the profits, the inheritance of them reſiding only in God himſelf: Therfore not poſſible to be juſtly and lawfully ſold, exchanged, or alienated by, the Prieſts, Levites, or any other mortal Powers whatſoever, who could claim no power, right, property, or diſpoſing intereſt in or over them againſt Gods own Soveraign and ſacred title.

5. That theſe Cities, Suburbs, Glebes, were ratably ſet out in and by every tribe in an equal proportion, according to the multitude or paucity of their Cities, as a Tenth of their Cities and lands, to which their 48 Cities and Suburbs amounted as ſome probably conceive. And yet beſides theſe 48 Cities, there were Houſes and Schools of Prophets, and Prophets children (in nature of our Univerſities) in Bethel and in Jericho, 2 Kings 2.3, 4, 5, 7, to 24. chap. 6.1, 2, 3, 4. which were none of theſe 48 Cities.

p. 936. That none of the Kings and Princes of Judah, (though many of them were Idolatrous, wicked, and put to great extremities to raiſe monies to pay their Armies, and Tributes to forein Invaders and Conquerors) did yet ever attempt to ſell or alienate the Cities, Suburbs, or revenues of the Prieſts and Levites to maintain their warrs, or pay publike Debts or tributes, though King Aſa, Jehoaſh, Hezekiah (by way of loan) made bold with the Silver and Gold in the treaſure of the Lords houſe, in caſes of publike extremity (which might be, and was afterwards re-paid,) 1 Kings 15.18. cap. 18.15. 2 Chron. 16.2. Yea, the Scripture expreſly records, that in the great famine in Aegypt, when all others ſold their lands, to buy bread, to King Pharaoh, only the Lands of the Prieſts bought he not: For the Prieſts had a Portion aſſigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them; wherefore they ſold not their Lands Gen. 47.20, to 27.

7. That the Idolatrous uſurper Jeroboam, out of a carnal fear and policy to keep the people from returning to their rightfull Soveraign, and eſtabliſh the crown on himſelf and his Poſterity, was the firſt man we read of, and his Idolatrous ſons and ſucceſſors after him, who caſt out Gods Prieſts and Levites out of their offices, and then, out of their Cities, Suburbs and Poſſeſſions, which he enforced them to deſert, (though we read not, that they ſold them to maintain their Warrs or pay Soldiers arrears;) who thereupon repaired to Jeruſalem, to Rehoboam the right heir, and after them out of all the tribes of Iſrael, ſuch as ſet their hearts to ſeek the Lord God of Iſrael, came to Jeruſalem to enjoy Gods Ordinances, & ſtrengthned Rehoboam and his kingdom, againſt this perſecuting uſurper, 2 Chron. 11.13, to 18.

8. That this his casting out of the Prieſts and Levites from their Offices and P…ſſ…ſſions, making Prieſts of the loweſt of the People, and ſuffering every one that would to conſecrate himſelf a Priest without a lawfull call, is objected againſt Jeroboam by Abijah as a very high crime, and provocation againſt God; and the maintaining, encouraging of Gods lawfull Prieſts and Levites in their Offices and ſetled poſſeſſions, alleged by him as a certain argument of Gods preſence p. 94with him, and ſo with any other King and people, and of victory, ſucceſſe in concluſion, againſt ſacrilegious Uſurpers.

9. That when Gods lawfull Prieſts and Levites are deprived of their Glebes and Poſſeſſions, we muſt preſently expect, a baſe, contemptible, time-ſerving, Idolatrous, ignorant Prieſtood, Jeroboams Golden Calves, with their new Feaſts and Sacrifices, and a univerſal inundation of Idolatry, wickedneſs, prophanneſs to enſue, with all the forementioned calamities, which befell Ieroboams Army, adherents, ſubjects, Perſon, Family, Kingdom: which the Lord now ſet home on all our hearts, that we may never be guilty of ſuch a ſacrilegious, ruinating, God-provoking, Realm-deſtroying, Church-ſubverting practice in the leaſt degree, as ſome would now perſwade us to, in ſtripping our Miniſters of all their Glebes, Rectories, Tithes and ſetled maintenance at one blow, (which even Pharaoh himſelf, and godly Joſeph refuſed to do towards the very Idolatrous Priests of Aegypt, allowing them an extraordinary daily portion to preſerve their lands from ſale in time of famine, Gen. 47.22, 26.) whereto they have as lawfull, as juſt, as Divine a right, as theſe Prieſts and Levites had to their Cities, Suburbs, Houſes and Poſſeſſions, as I ſhall prove anon.

2. That God only wiſe did by ſpecial Laws and Edicts inſtitute and preſcribe Tithes, as the moſt expedient, equitable, fitting, juſt, rational, convenient Maintenance and Reward of all other for his own Prieſts and Levites, is undeniably proved by Levit: 27.30, 31, 32. Deut: 12.17, 18, 19, 31. ch. 14.22. to the end, ch. 26.7, 12, 13, 14, 15. Num: 18.21, to 32. Neh: 10.37, 38, 39. ch. 12.44. ch. 13.5, 11, 12, 13, 14 Prov: 3.9. 2 Chron: 31.3, to 15. Mal: 3.8, 9, 10. Luke 18.12. Heb: 7.5, 8, 9. which Texts all may read at leiſure, and are needleſſe to tranſcribe at large, this truth being confeſſed by all Oppoſites to Tithes, who hence condemn them as Iewiſh and Ceremonial Rites now aboliſhed. That which I ſhall obſerve from them, is briefly this.

1. That the payment of Tithes to the Prieſts and Levites, was poſitively preſcribed by Gods ſpecial Precepts and Commands, frequently recited, inculcated.

p. 952. That Gods own People were ſpecially commanded by him to pay **Walafridi Strabi De Rebus Eccleſ. ch, 27.Tithes of the ſeed and increaſe of all their Land; of all Corn, Wine, Oyl, Fruits, yea, of Garden-Herbs, Seeds, Matth. 23.3. Luke 11.42. and likewiſe of the increaſe of all their Cattel, Herds, Flocks.

3. That God gave theſe Tithes, and all the tenth in Iſrael, to the Priests and Levites for an Inheritance, as a due Reward for their Service which they ſerve, even the Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation; which all Iſraelites elſe were prohibited to come into, or do Service in; Lest they bear their Sin and dye; And this was to be a Statute for ever throughout their Generations. Nam. 18.21, 22, 23, 26, 31. Heb. 7.5.

4. That All the Tithes of the Land, Seed, Fruit, Herbs, Flocks, and of whatſoever Annually increaſed, or paſſed under the Rod, are expreſſely ſaid to be the Lords, to be holy unto the Lord, conſecrated unto the Lord, and an Heave-offering unto the Lord, which he gave unto the Prieſts and Levites, for an inheritance, Levit. 27.28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33. Num. 18.24. 2 Chron. 31.6.

5. That God enjoyned all the Iſraelites, Truly to tithe all the Tithes of their Increaſe, and not to eat or embeſle, detain or exchange any of it, eſpecially for the worſe, Deut. 14.21. ch. 12.17. Levit. 27.33. Mal. 3.8. And if any man would redeem his Tithes, he was to give the full price, and adde a fifth part over to it. Levit. 27.31.

6. That all theſe Tithes were to be brought by the people to the places and Treaſuries appointed for them, (the Corn ready threſhed, winnowed, and the Wine, Oyl, Fruits in Veſſels) at the peoples own coſts, without any trouble to the Prieſts or Levites; and if the place, whither they were to be brought, was too far off, then, that they called the ſecond Tithe, ought to be turned into money by the Owner, and the money paid to the Prieſts and Levites in lieu thereof. Deut. 12.17, 18, 19. ch. 14.22, to 28. ch. 26.12, 13, 14. 2 Chron. 31.6, 12, 13, 14. Neh. 10.38, 39. ch. 12.44. ch. 13.5, to 12. Amos 4.4. Mal. 3.10.

7. That the detaining of theſe Tithes from the Prieſts and Levites, was a great ſin and Sacrilegious robbing of God himſelf, accompanied with his Curſe, and puniſhed with p. 96**Si non dederis mihi decimam, auferam novem, Walafridi Strabi De Rebus Eccleſ. c. 27. See Calvin in Mal. 3. Auguſtin de Tempore Sermo 219. Bochellus Decret. Eccleſiae Gal. l. 7. Tit. 8. c. 28, 31.Sir 27Mal 3ſcarcity, barrenneſs, devouring locusts, blasting of the fruits of the earth, &c. Mal. 3.8, 9, 10. (a place worthy the ſaddeſt conſideration of all Tithe-Oppugners and Subſtracters) Will a man rob God, yet ye have robbed me: But ye ſay, Wherein have we robbed thee? In Tithes and Offerings: (Here is the Sacrilegious Sin; pray mark the juſt deſerved puniſhment:) Ye are curſed with a Curſe: For ye have robbed me, even this whole Nation (what this Curſe was, follows) THE DEVOURER, (that is, devouring Creatures, as Locuſts, Caterpillars, Palmer-worms, Canker-worms, and the like) did destroy the fruits of their Ground, their Vines did caſt their Fruit before their Times in the Field; And God blaſted and deſtroyed all their Corn and fruits with blaſting and Mildew, and Hail; Amos 4.9. Joel 1.4. yea, They ſowed much and brought in little; they did eat, but had not enough; they did drink, but yet were not ſatisfied with drink: they did cloth themſelves, but there was no warmth: and he that earneth wages, earneth it to put it into a bag with holes. They looked for much, and lo it came to little, and when they brought it home, God did blow upon it; yea, the heaven over them was ſtayed from Dew, and the earth was ſtayed from her fruits, and God called for a drought upon the Land, and upon the Mountains, and upon the Corn, and upon the new Wine, and upon the Oyl, and upon that the ground brought forth, and upon Men and Cattel, and upon all the labour of their hands: when one came to an heap of 20. meaſures, there were but ten; when one came to the Preſſe-fat for to draw out fifty Veſſels, there were but twenty; and the Wine, and the figs, and Pomegranate tree, and the Olive tree, did not bring forth, Hag. 1.6, 9, to 11. ch. 2.16, 17, 19. O that all hard-hearted, covetous, hypocritical, atheiſtical detainers of, and Declaimers againſt Tithes, and Miniſters Juſt ſetled Maintenance, would lay theſe Judgements and curſes of God cloſe unto their hearts, that ſo they might therby be reclaimed from their robbery and Sacrilege againſt God, and prevent, divert theſe Judgements, Curſes from themſelves, and our whole Nation, which they have cauſe to fear, and will doubtleſſe feell them to their ſmart and loſſe, if they rob God and our Miniſters of their Tithes, and maintenance in ſuch ſort as many now ſtrenuouſly endeavour!

p. 978. That God himſelf annexed many gracious **Aug, Serm. 219. Walafridi Strabi de Rebus Eccleſ. c. 27. Synodus Lingon. 1404. Bochellus Decret. Eccleſ. Gall. l. 6. Tit. 8. c. 31.Sir 27Promiſes of giving abundance of all earthly and ſpiritual bleſſings, to the chearfull, conſcientious due payment of Tithes to his Prieſts and Levites for their Maintenance; which I ſhall recite, to excite men chearfully to this practice now, Deut. 14.22, 23, 28, 29. Thou ſhalt Truly Tithe all the increaſe of thy ſeed, corn, wine, oyl, herds, flocks; that thou mayeſt learn to fear the Lord thy God alwayes; And that the Lord thy God may bleſſ thee in all the work of thy Hand, which thou doeſt, Deut. 26.12, 13, 14, 15. When thou hast made an end of tithing all the Tithes of thine increaſe, the third year, which is the year of Tithing, and haſt given it unto the Levite, &c. Then thou ſhalt ſay before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the Hallowed things out of mine Houſe, and alſo have given them unto the Levite, &c. According to all thy Commandements which thou haſt commanded me, I have not tranſgreſſed thy Commandements, neither have I forgotten them. I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for my Ʋnclean Ʋſe, nor given ought thereof for the dead, but I have hearkened to the Voice of the Lord my God, And have done according to all that thou haſt commmanded me: Look down from thy Holy Habitation from Heaven, And bleſs thy people Iſrael, and the Land which thou haſt given us, a Land that floweth with milk and honey. Such a conſcientious true payment of Tithes as this, according to all Gods Commandements, without the leaſt Subſtraction or embezlement, emboldens, enables every particular man to make ſuch a Prayer to God, as this, not only for himſelf, but for the whole Land; brings a bleſſing upon himſelf and all the Realm, yea makes it a Land flowing with milk and honey, and abundance of all rich bleſſings. Beſides, we read in 2 Chr. 31.1, to 15. That when godly King Hezekiah had destroyed Idolatry, and appointed the Courſes of the Priests, and Levites after their Courſes, every man according to his ſervice, he brought …urings, and Peace-offerings, to miniſter and to give thanks, and to praiſe in all the Gates of the Tents of the Lord: He appointed alſo the Kings portion of his Subſtance for the burnt-offerings, for the morning and evening; for the Sabbaths, the new Moons, and ſet Feaſts; moreover he commanded the people that p. 98dwelt in Jeruſalem, To give the Portion of the Prieſts and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord. And as ſoon as the Commandement came abroad, the children of Iſrael brought in abundance, the firſt Fruits of Corn, Wine, Oyl and Honey, and of all the encreaſe of the field, and the Tithes of all things brought they in abundance. And concerning the children of Iſrael and Judah, that dwelt in the Cities of Judah, They alſo brought in the Tithes of Oxen, and Sheep, and the Tithe of holy things, which were dedicated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps. In the third monethmonth they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finiſhed them in the ſeventh monethmonth, and when Hezekiah and the Princes came and ſaw the heaps, they bleſſed the Lord and his People Iſrael. Then Hezekiah queſtioned with the Prieſts and Levites concerning the heaps; And Azariah the chief Prieſt of the Houſe of Zadok, anſwered him, and ſaid; Since the People began to bring the Offerings into the houſe of the Lord; We have had enough to eat, and have left Plenty: (But did the people grow poor thereby? no, but much richer than before) for the Lord hath bleſſed his people, and that which is left, is this great ſtore. Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare Chambers (or ſtore-houſes) in the houſe of the Lord, and they prepared them, and brought in the Offerings and the Tithes, and the dedicate things faithfully; over which Cononiah the Levite was Ruler. How different was this practice of all the people and godly Saints in thoſe daies, in a chearfull bringing in their Tithes and Oblations to the Prieſts and Levites in abundance for their encouragement; which cauſed King Hezekiah, his Princes, the Prieſts, Levites, and God himſelf to bleſs them; from the ſacrilegious practice of Tith-detaining Hypocritical Saints, Anabaptiſts, Quakers, Sectaries and Chriſtians in our daies: who ſhall never receive ſuch a bleſſing as this from God or good men, but their curſes? If theſe Texts and Preſidents will not move ſuch hard-hearted men, let them conſider both this … cept and promiſe of God, Prov. 3.9, 10. Honour the Lord with thy Subſtance, and with the first fruits of thine encreaſe: So ſhall thy Barns be filled with Plenty, and thy Preſs ſhall burſt out with new Wine: And Mal: 3.7, 10, 11, 12. p. 99Return unto me, and I will return unto you, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, but ye ſaid Wherein ſhall we return? Bring ye all the Tithes into the Store-houſe, that there may be meat in mine houſe, and prove me now herewith, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, If I will not open you the windows of heaven, and **Si dederis mihi Decimas. multiplicabo novem: Ideo ergo dandae ſunt Decimae, ut hac devotione Deus placatus, largius praeſtet quae neceſſaria ſunt Walafridi Strabi de Rebus Eccleſ. c. 27. Auguſtin. Sermo. 219.Sir 27powr you out a bleſſing, that there ſhall not be room enough to receive it; And I will rebuke the devourer for your ſakes, and he ſhall not deſtroy the fruits of your ground, neither ſhall your Vine caſt her fruit, before her time in the field, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts: And all nations ſhall call you bleſſed, for ye ſhall be a delight ſome land, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. What Chriſtians heart (though never ſo covetous and worldly) ſhould not theſe ſacred promiſes of God, (the laſt of them recorded in the laſt of all the Books and Prophets in the Old Teſtament, they being not meerly Levitical and Judaical, but of eternal verity, uſe, and evangelical too) excite and engage, moſt cheerfully to pay and bring in all their Tithes and Dues to Gods Miniſters now, as well as to the Prieſts and Levites heretofore; Chriſt himſelf having made like parallel promiſes of bleſſings and rewards for relieving and maintaining his Miniſters in the Goſpel, Mat. 10.40, 41, 42. Mark 9.41. Phil. 4.18, 19?

9. That the due payment of Tithes to Gods Prieſts and Levites, was a great encouragement to them in the law of the Lord, and in the diligent execution of their duties, 2 Chron. 31.3, 4, 5, 10. And on the contrary, The with-holding of them from them, a great diſcouragement, neceſſitating them to deſert their duties and functions: witneſſe that memorable Text, Neh. 13.10, 11, 12. And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them (mark the conſequence) For the Levites and the Singers, that did the work were fled every one to his field. Then contended I with the Rulers, and ſaid; Why is the houſe of God forſaken? and I gathered them together, and ſet them in their place. Then brought all Judah the Tithes of the Corn, and the new Wine, and the Oyl unto their treaſuries; And I made treaſurers over the treaſuries, Shelemiah the Priest, and Zadock the Scribe, and of the Levites Pedajah, &c. for they were counted faithfull; and their office was to diſtribute unto their Brethren. Which reaſon ſtill continuing under the Goſpel in relation to the Miniſters p. 100and Preachers thereof (Heb: 13.16, 17. Phil. 4.10, to 21.) is a ſtrong argument to engage all true Chriſtians deſiring the propagation of the Goſpel, and a painfull able Miniſtry duly to pay their tithes and portions to them.

10. That it was the bounden duty, care of **See Gulielmus Stuckius Antiqu. convivalium l. 1. c. 19.Religious Kings and Governours amongſt Gods own people, when the people were backwards to pay and bring their Tithes and duties to the Prieſts and Levites, to command, and enforce them to do it by ſpecial Covenants and Oaths, ſealed, ſubſcribed by the Princes and people (Neh. 9.38. cap. 10.1, to the end) and likewiſe by poſitive Ordinances, Injunctions, and to be earneſt and zealous in it, as the two laſt recited examples of King Hezekiah and Nehemiah evidence; And this was ſo far from being an unjuſt, oppreſſive action and grievance to the people, as ſome now term it; that it is recorded by God himſelf for their Honour, and others imitation, yea ſo well-pleaſing unto God, that Nehemiah clozeth up the hiſtory of his acting in this kind, with this memorable addreſſe and prayer to God himſelf, Neh. 13.14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out the good déeds that I have done for the Houſe of my God, and for the Offices thereof. And will not God remember their ill Deeds in wrath and vengeance, who ſhall do the contrary to what he and King Hezekiah acted, in robbing God and his Miniſters of their Tithes and ſetled dues?

bbHieron Super Ezech. Joſephus Scaliger Diatriba de Decimis. Druſius Pro. ad Mat. 13. Purchas Pilgrimage, l, 2. c. 7. M. Seldens Hiſtory of Tithes Gulielmus Stuckius Antiqu. Convivalium l. 1. c. 19.Matt 13St. Hierom with others affirm: That the Iſraelites had four ſorts of Tithes.

1. That which the people paid to the Levites, being the Tenth of every thing that was food for man, not ſo much as Herbs excepted, and whatever received increaſe from the earth.

2. That which the Levites paid to the Prieſts, being the full tenth of their Tithes.

3. That which they received for expences in their ſolemn feaſts, when they went to the Tabernacle or Temple, whereof the Owner and his family were to eat in thoſe Feaſts as well as the Levite, Deut. 4.26, 27. ch. 12.17, 18.

4. The third years Tithes, which were then laid up for p. 101the Levites, and likewiſe for the ſtranger, the fatherleſſe, the poor widdow within their gates, in the Husbandmans own Barns and Store-houſes, and not then carried to Jeruſalem, as the other Tithes were. Deut. 14.28, 29. ch. 26.12, 13. Their firſt and ſecond Tithes every year (as they affirm) amounted to 19. in the hundred; So as the Husbandmans clear Lay-Chattel, the Tithes firſt deducted, came but to eighty one buſhels of Corn, or eighty one Pipes or Tuns of Wine, or Oyl, in every hundred; which conſidering the coſts the Husbandman was at in threſhing and fanning the Corn, barrelling up the Wine and Oyl, and carrying them to Jeruſalem, and the Prieſts treaſuries at their own coſts, amounted to double the Tithes we pay now and more; beſides the firſt fruits paid out of them in kind before the Tithes; their Free-will Offerings, Sacrifices, Oblations and other charges of Gods worſhip preſcribed by the Levitical law, together with half a ſhekel every poll for the ſervice of the Tabernacle, Exod. 30.12, 13, 14. yet the Iſraelites were obliged by God to pay all theſe Tithes, which all the godly amongſt them chearfully did without murmuring, notwithſtanding every ſeventh year amongſt them was Sabbatical, and free from tillage, and the voluntary fruits of the earth then growing were to be for the poor, and the beasts of the field were to eat the reſt, Exod. 23.10, 11. Lev. 25.3, &c. What would our Anabaptiſts, Quakers and tithe-oppugners have ſaid and done, had they been born Iſraelites, under the law, and clogged with ſo many Tithes and expences, who now grumble at and refuſe to pay half ſo much Tithes as they conſtantly did, though they pay no firſt-fruits, Sacrifices, and other coſtly Oblations of ſeveral ſorts to God, as the Iſraelites did, beſides all theſe Tithes? I fear their covetous, Sacrilegious hard hearts would have induced them to caſt off, not only Gods Prieſts and Levites (as now many of them do our Miniſters) as ſuperfluous creatures, but even all Gods chargeable Ordinances and Levitical forms of worſhip, as intollerable grievances, oppreſſions, yea renounced God himſelf to ſave their purſes, and turned Atheiſts out-right: Let them therefore reform this their Sacrilegious tithe-detaining practices and opinions, p. 102leſt whiles they pretend to avoid Judaiſm, they prove worſe than the very Jews themſelves; yea worſe than the very Jewish Phariſees, (the worſt of Jewes) who paid tithes even of Rue, Annis, Mint, Cumin, all other Herbs, and of all they had. Mat. 23.23. Luke 11.42. cap. 18.12. Whoſe righteouſneſs all Chriſtians righteouſneſs must exceed by Chriſts own verdict, elſe they ſhall never enter into the kingdom of heaven, Mat. 5.20. Nay worſe than the very Idolatrous Jewes under Jeroboam and his ſucceſſors, who paid their Tithes duely even to the baſe Idolatrous Prieſts at Bethel and Gilgal, who waited on the Service of the golden Calves, and brought all the Oblations to their very Calves, which God reſerved to his Prieſts, Levites, and himſelf, as is evident by Amos 4.4, 5. Come ye to Bethel and tranſgreſſe, at Gilgal multiply tranſgreſſion; and bring your Sacrifices every morning and your Tithes after thrée years, and offer a Sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publiſh the free offerings, for this liketh you, O ye children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord of Hosts. Let thoſe Phariſees, idolatrous Jews and Iſraelites practice then ſhame all our Anabaptiſts, Quakers, Soldiers, Sectaries, and other Tith-oppugners now, leſt they riſe up in judgement and condemn them, at the laſt day.

Theſe forementioned Cities, Suburbs, Houſes, Glebes, Tithes, thus ſetled on the Prieſts and Levites for their Habitation, maintenance and reward of their Miniſterial Function, had nothing properly typical or Ceremonial in them; and being aſſigned to them by God himſelf only, for their neceſſary Habitation and competent Livelihood, may and ought to be continued, and imitated in a fitting proportion under the Goſpel, for the Habitation, maintenance, livelihood, reward of the Preachers of the Goſpel, who are to live by the Goſpel, as well as they did by the Temple and Altar, 1 Cor. 9.13, 14.

3. There was another ſupplemental maintenance, beſides theſe Glebes and Tithes, preſcribed by God in the Levitical law for the Prieſts, which was properly Ceremonial, Levitical, and quite aboliſhed with that Prieſthood by Chriſts death; and that was the Priests ſhare out of every meat-Offering, p. 103made of fine flower, oyl and frankincenſe, unto the Lord by the people; a ſmall part whereof the Prieſts were to offer up to God upon the Altar, and the remnant which was left, was to be Aarons and his ſons, with the breaſt and right ſhoulder of every Peace-Offering, offered by the people, called the Wave-breaſt, and the heave-ſhoulder, given by God to the Prieſt, who offered the bloud and fat of the Peace-offering at the Altar, together with the skin of every burnt-offering, Levit: 2.3, 10. chap. 7.6, to 11. and 28, to 38. Exod: 29.26, 27, 28. chap. 9.21. Numb. 6.19, 20. And from them that offered a Sacrifice, whether it were Ox or Sheep, this was the Prieſts DƲE likewiſe from the people; they were to give unto the Prieſt the ſhoulder and the two cheeks and the maw, by Gods ſpecial appointment, Deut: 18.3. Ezech: 44.29, 30. which Fee Eli the high Priests Sons exceeding, and exacting more than was due by violence, it exceedingly provoked God, made men to abhor the Sacrifice, of the Lord, and proved the ruine of Eli and his Family, 1 Sam: 2.12, to the end. Theſe Dues and Fees of the Prieſts ſerving onelyonly at the Altar, had no affinity with the forementioned Glebes and Tenths, belonging as well to the Levites as Prieſts, and therefore are diſtinctly preſcribed by themſelves. Now for any to argue that Tithes and Glebes, which were no wayes properly Ceremonial, Levitical or Typical, are quite aboliſhed by Chriſt, and incompatible with the Goſpel, becauſe thoſe meat-offerings, Peace-offerings and Sacrifices, (which were meerly Ceremonial and Typical, and by conſequence the Fees due unto Prieſts out of them) are quite aboliſhed by Chriſt, the onelyonly true **Hebr. c 9. & 10. throughout. Eph. 2.14, 15. 1 Cor. 5.7.Heb 9Eph 2:14Eph 2:151 Cor 5:7meat-offering, peace-offering and Sacrifice for us unto God; is a meer Non ſequitur, they being things of a different nature; the one eternally aboliſhed by Chriſt, as the whole Epiſtle to the Hebrews teſtifies, but the other not, as the ſaid very Epiſtle atteſts, Hebrews 7.1, to 9. compared with 1 Cor: 9.4, to 16. 1 Tim: 5.17, 18. Gal: 6.6. And here I ſhall beat our Sword-men and other Tithe-oppugners with their own weapon. They tell us for an unqueſtionable Goſpel-Truth; That Miniſters of the Goſpel ought to have no certain or coercive Maintenance, but only voluntary Free-will-Offerings, ſuch as the people ſhall willingly give them without p. 104any Law or conſtraint (though their own unordained Chaplains in the Army and Garriſons have conſtant pay each month out of the peoples Purſes, to whom they do not ſpeak, and are not maintained by the Souldiers free, but the peoples enforced Monthly Contributions; which practice they ſhould firſt reform, if repugnant to the Goſpel:) Now ſuch Maintenance as this, is more properly and purely Levitical and Ceremonial than Tithes; ſince all Meat-Offerings, Peace-Offerings and Sacrifices, out of which the Levitical Prieſts were to have their Share and Maintenance, were only Frée-Will-Offerings voluntarily offered to God, without any coercion, when they pleaſed, Levit. 2.1. ch. 3.1. ch. 22.81, 19, 22, 23. Numb. 19.3. ch. 29.39. Deut. 12.6, 17. ch. 16.10. ch. 23.23. Pſal. 54.6. Ezra 3.5. ch. 7.16. 2 Chron. 31.14. If then Tithes, Glebes, and all coercive, ſetled Maintenance for Miniſters be aboliſhed and unlawfull under the Goſpel, though not primarily, and purely Levitical, but of divine, Moral, and natural Right, by the Dictate of natural reaſon; as Tyndarus, Rebuffus, and many others affirm in their Treatiſes of Tithes; then much more muſt their maintenance by Levitical Free-will-Offerings, Oblations, and Sacrifices be ſuch; being more purely Levitical and Ceremonial that Tithes, as theſe Inſtances manifeſt, and 1 Cor. 9.13. Heb. 7.12, 13. And if Miniſters of the Goſpel muſt have neither a ſetled nor inforced Maintenance, by Glebes, Tithes or otherwiſe, as ſome now plead, nor yet an uncertain one by voluntary Free-will-Offerings and Contributions, they ſhall have no maintenance at all allowed them under the Goſpel; whereas the Prieſts of God under the Law had both a certain ſetled Maintenance, reward by Glebes and Tithes; and likewiſe an arbitrary and uncertain, by their Fees, Dues out of the peoples Free-will-Offerings, and Sacrifices; And why Miniſters of the Goſpel may not have a like ſetled, coercive Maintenance, both by Glebes and Tithes, and likewiſe an honorary ſuper-additional reward according to their pains and merits, by the voluntary benevolences, and Free-will-Offerings of the People, as well as the Prieſts under the Law, or as well as Servants and all publick Officers, Military or Civil; Let their Oppoſites render me a p. 105reaſon, when they are able; the Apoſtle reſolving thus of Miniſters of the Goſpel in oppoſition to the Preiſts under the Law, Heb. 13.10. We have an Altar, whereof they have no right to eat which ſerve the Tabernacle; which text compared with 1 Cor: 9.13, 14. Do ye not know, that they which miniſter about holy things, live of the things of the Temple; and they which wait at the Altar, are partakers with the Altar? Even ſo hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Goſpel ſhould live of the Goſpel; and with Phil. 4.18. But I have all, and abound, and am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things (or voluntary Contribution) ſent from you, an odour of a moſt ſwéet ſmell, a Sacrifice acceptable well pleaſing to God: will warrant this Concluſion; that as the Goſpel in theſe Texts retains the old legal Terms of Altar and Sacrifice, in a real Evangelical ſenſe, in relation both to the Office and Maintenance of the Miniſters of the Goſpel; So Chriſtians under the Goſpel in the ſelf ſame ſenſe, may and ought to allow them the like ſetled Maintenance by Glebes, Tithes, and likewiſe an Additional Reward by voluntary Evangelical Sacrifices and Oblations for attending on the new Goſpel-Altar, Jeſus Chriſt, and preaching of his Goſpel, adminiſtring his ſacraments to them, as the Prieſts under the Law received from the people, by Gods own inſtitution.

4. There was another Additional way of Maintenance for the Prieſts under the Law, both certain and conſiderable by Gods ſpecial appointment; even the firſt-born of Man and unclean beasts, which were to be redeemed, at a ſet value given by God to the Prieſts; the firſtlings of all their herds, beaſts, flocks that were clean, payable in kind; the first-fruits alſo of their Ground, Corn, Wine, Oyl, of all manner of Trees, fruits, and likewiſe of their dough: which God peculiarly reſerving and conſecrating to himſelf as his own, and holy to himſelf ; did yet transferre them to his Prieſts, and enjoyns the People to give and bring unto the Prieſts, That they may cauſe the Bleſſing of God to reſt in the Peoples Houſes; as you may read at leiſure, Exod. 13.12, 13. ch. 22.29, 30. ch. 23.16, 19. ch. 34.19, 20, 22, 26. Levit. 2.12, 14. ch. 23.10, 20. ch. 27.26, 27, 28. N…m. 28.26. Deut. 12.6. ch. 14.23. ch. 15.19. ch. 26.2, 16. compared p. 106with Num. 18.11, to 20, 2 Kings 4.22. 2 Chron. 31.5. and Neh. 10.35, 36. ch. 12.44. ch. 13.12. Prov. 3.9. Ezech. 20.40. ch. 44.30. ch. 48.14. Theſe firſt-fruits moſt hold to be meerly Ceremonial and Types of Chriſt, the firſt-born of God, Heb. 1.6. Pſal. 89.27. The firſt-fruits from the dead, 1 Cor. 15.20, 23. and Types of Chriſtians under the Goſpel, who are called a kind of firſt-fruits of his creatures, Jam. 1.18. yea the firſt-fruits unto God, and to the Lamb, Rev. 14.4. Therfore aboliſhed by Chriſt as Ceremonial and Levitical. But yet notwithſtanding, ſeeing all true Chriſtians are and ought ſtill to be even Spiritual firſt-fruits unto God under the Goſpel; To preſent themſelves, their ſouls and bodies a living Sacrifice, and Oblation, holy, acceptable unto God through Jeſus Chriſt; in the firſt place, Rom. 12.1. 2 Cor. 8.2, 3, 4, 5. To ſeek firſt the Kingdom of God, Mat. 6.33. and then afterwards to be ready to conſecrate not only themſelves but all their Goods and Estates to God and his Service, ſo far forth as there is occaſion or neceſſity, Acts 4.32, 33, 34, 35. I cannot yet diſcern, but that all Chriſtians by a proportionable kind of Goſpel and natural Equity, are ſtill obliged to render a kind of firſt-fruits out of their Eſtates, beſides their Tithes, for the maintenance and propagation of the Goſpel when and where there is occaſion; there being far more Equity and Goſpel-juſtice for it, than that our Miniſters, out of their ſmall, ſcarce competent, and many very incompetent livings, ſhould pay the firſt-fruits and firſt years profits of their livings to the King or State (as formerly they did unto the Pope through Papal Ʋſurpation onelyonly) by the Statutes of 26 H. 8. c. 3.27 H. 8. c. 8.1. & 1 Eliz. c. 4. and almoſt or above the tenth of all their livings to the Souldiers (amounting to treble their Tenths to the King or Pope) without any Grant at all by them or their Proxies in the uſual, legal, juſt, Parliamental way, **Cl. 9. E. 2. m. 17. Exact Abridgement p. 18, 189. A Brief Regiſter, Kalendar, and Survey of Parliamentary Writs. p. 3, 4, 7, 8, 34, 35, 40, 54, 61, 70, 72, 73, 120, 154. Raſtals Taxes, and Tenths.against all their Rights, Privileges and our Laws: The Jewiſh Prieſts and Levites under the Law being never burthened with ſuch firſt-fruits or taxes, by their Soveraigns, and exempted from them even by a heathen Conqueror, Ezra 7.24. Which thoſe, who now endeavour to deprive them of their Tithes, Glebes, and yet exact both firſt-fruits, Tenths and Contributions from them, may do well to conſider.

p. 107Having thus related at large, what a liberal, various, full, and competent maintenance God ſetled on his Prieſts and Levites under the law, by Glebes, Tithes, Oblations, Sacrifices, Poll-money, firſt-fruits, beſides the Tenth and Tribute out of the very ſpoyls of war formerly inſiſted on, I ſhall now apply it home to the Miniſters of, and Chriſtians under the Goſpel, in theſe ſhort Aphoriſms.

1. Miniſters and Preachers of the Goſpel inwardly qualified with ſufficient Gifts, Graces, and lawfully called, ordained, are Gods and Chriſts own inſtitution, and Miniſters, as well as Prieſts and Levites under the Law. Mat. 10.5, 6, 7. ch. 28.19, 20. Luke 10.1, 2, &c. ch. 24.47, 49, 53. Mark 6.7, 8, &c. ch. 16.15, 20. Acts 11.2, 3, 4, &c. ch. 14.23. ch. 19.1, 6, 7. ch. 26.17, 18, 28. Rom. 12.6, 7, 8. 1 Cor. 12.4, 8, 9, 28, 29, 30. ch. 14.29, 30, 31, 32, 40. Epheſ. 4.8, to 17. Col. 4.17. 1 Tim. 3.1, 2. ch. 4.14, 15, 16. ch. 5.21, 22. Tit. 1.5, 6, 7. Heb. 13.17. Jam. 5.14, 15. 1 Theſ. 5.13. 1 Cor. 4.1. 2 Cor. 3.6. ch. 11.23.

2. That their Miniſtry and Calling is far more Honorable, Glorious, neceſſary, beneficial to mens ſouls, than that of the Prieſts and Levites, under the Law. 2 Cor. 3.6, to 12. Heb. 7.1, to 14.

3. That it is far more painfull, laborious, than the Miniſtery of the Prieſts and Levites under the Law. Acts 8.4. 2 Cor. 11.23, to 30. 1 Tim. 4.13, 14, 15. 2 Tim. 4.1. 1 Theſ. 5.2. 2 Pet. 1.12. Rom. 15.19, 20. ch. 12.7, 8.

4. That therefore there is as juſt, as competent, as full, as honorable and ſetled a maintenance, and as much honour, reverence, obedience, love, as great recompence due unto them, for their very work and calling ſake from all Chriſtians under the Goſpel, as there was from Gods people to the Prieſts and Levites under the Law; as I have already proved in the firſt Propoſition; and that by divine inſtitution, 1 Cor. 9.13, 14. 1 Tim. 5.17, 18, 21. From whence ccComment. in 1 Theſſ. 5.13. p. 547.1 Thess 5:13Hemingius (with moſt Orthodox Proteſtant Divines, I have ſeen beſides, as well as Papiſts and Jeſuites) concludes thus. Admoniantur igitur Pii, quod Iure Divino Eccleſiae Miniſtris debeant Stipendia; That all the godly are to be admoniſhed, that by Divine Right they owe wages to the Miniſters of the Goſpel. And if ſo, then

p. 1085. It follows inevitably, that there being no other ſetled way of maintenance particularly preſcribed for them in or by the Goſpel; and convenient Houſes, Glebes for them, their families, and neceſſary Cattel; with Tithes of the increaſe of the fruits of the earth, and Cattel of all ſorts, being as neceſſary, as requiſite for the habitation, food, clothing, ſupport of them, their families, Miniſtry, and ſupply of all their neceſſaries with as little charge, trouble,**Walafridi Strabi De Rebus Eccleſ. ch. 27.Sir 27 diverſion from their ſtudies, functions as may be, as for the Prieſts and Levites under the Law: that Godly Chriſtians, Kings, States, Parliaments, cannot pitch upon any equaller, fitter, juſter, better, wiſer, rationaller, convenienter, diviner way of maintenance for them, than that of neceſſary Houſes, Rectories, Glebes in every Pariſh and Tithes and Oblations of all things needfull for food, raiment, hoſpitality, it being the conſtant ſtanding ſetled maintenance which the moſt wiſe, juſt, and holy God himſelf invented, preſcribed for his own Prieſts and Levites maintenance amongſt his own people, when ſetled by him in the land of Promiſe, and that which all ſetled Chriſtian Empires, Kingdoms, States, Churches generally through the Chriſtian world have in all ages pitched upon, as moſt agreeable to Gods will and word, under the Goſpel, which no ways repeals nor contradicts his own former preſcriptions of this kinde in the old Teſtament.

6. That the Glebes, Tithes of the Prieſts and Levites under the Law, were reſerved by God himſelf (the Supreme Land-lord of all Kingdoms, Countries, Nations, Churches, People in the world, and the ſpecial God, Lord, King, Father, Saviour, Preſerver of his own people) as **Auguſtin. de Temp. Serm. 210. Walafridi Strabi de Rebus Eccleſ. c. 27. Bochellus Decreta Eccleſ. Gal. l. 6. Tit. 8. c. 4.31.Sir 27a Sacred, Holy Tribute, Rent, Portion, and Homage due unto Himſelf from poor Creatures, Servants, Vaſsals (who are no true Proprietors, but only Stewards and Tenants at will of all the lands, goods, earthly bleſſings and poſſ…ſſions they enjoy; The earth being the Lords, and the fulneſſe thereof, and the Corn, Wine, Cattel, fruits and earthly creatures we poſſeſs, not really ours, but Gods own, 1 Chr: 29.11, to 17. Pſal. 24.1. Pſal. 97.5. Pſal. 50.9, 10, 11, 12. Ezech: 16.18, 19, 20. Hoſ. 2.8, 9. Dan. 4.32, p. 10935. Mat: 6.10, 11.) The uſe and poſſeſſion of which tribute, He allotted to the Priests and Levites under the Law for their maintenance, ſalary and reward of their labour in his ſervice, for the advancement of his worſhip, glory, honour, and his peoples ſpiritual good: reſerving the inheritance and right thereof alwayes to himſelf; as the premiſes ſufficiently evidence: Now God himſelf to whom alone Tithes and Glebes were originally impropriated; (not to the Levitical Prieſthood) being unchangeable, without any variableneſs or ſhadow of turning, Jam: 1.17. Pſal: 102.26, 27. Mal: 3.6. and Jeſus Christ (to whom Tithes were firſt paid by Abraham in the perſon of Melchiſedeck) having an unchangeable Prieſt-hood, and being a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedeck, the ſame yeſterday and to day and for ever, Heb: 7.8, 16, 11, 24. c. 13.8. And all Chriſtians whatſoever under the Goſpel, being as much his abſolute Creatures, Vaſſals, Servants, Stewards and Tenants at will, as the Iſraelites under the Law; and all their Lands, Goods, Earthly bleſſings, Corn, Wine, Cattel, wealth, imployments, his in right, and not their own, as well as theirs too; why they ſhould not all render to him the ſelf-ſame ſacred Tribute, holy Portion, Rent, Homage of Glebes and Tithes of all they have, as well as they (though the Levitical Prieſthood be aboliſhed) they being ſo ſpecially reſerved and conſecrated to him…elf, for the ſupport, maintenance, reward, encouragement of his faithfull Miniſters under the Goſpel, imployed in his Service for his honour, glory, and their everlaſting ſalvation; Let John Canne, and all preſumptuous peremptory Tith-oppugners, anſwer me; yea, this their Soveraign Land-lord and Creator, if they can; who will one day call them to a ſt…ict accompt, for detaining this due Rent, Tribute, Homage from him, and may juſtly diſpoſſeſſe and ſtrip them naked of all they have for this their ingrate, contemptuous carriage towards him, as he hath done many of late, by fearful fires, blaſts, droughts, and other judgments, as well as heretofore, Mal. 3.8, 9, 11.

7. That as the Goſpel it ſelf ſucceeded the Levitical law, Baptiſm and the Lords Supper, Circumciſion and the Paſſeover: So the **Bochellus Decret. Eccleſ. Gal. l. 6. Tis. 8. c. 42.Apoſtles and Miniſters of the Goſpel, ſucceed p. 110the Prieſts and Levites under the Law in their Miniſterial function in the Church of Chriſt, by Gods appointment: their Miniſtry and Office being both the ſame in ſubſtance (even to worſhip, praiſe, ſerve, honour God according to his revealed word, will, and inſtruct, exhort, direct, guide his people in the way of ſalvation, and bring them to eternal glory) though differing in ſome circumſtances of leſſer moment, aboliſhed by Chriſts death. It is therefore moſt reaſonable, juſt, equitable, convenient, they ſhall receive, enjoy the like ſetled maintenance by Glebes, Tithes, Oblations as their predeceſſors did, God having preſcribed none other kinde of reward or ſubſiſtence for them in the Goſpel that any can ſhew me. It is uſual in all Kingdoms, States, Nations, where there are any publick ſetled offices and Officers, for any perſons who ſucceed others in thoſe Offices, to enjoy the ſelf-ſame Salaries, Houſes, Lands, Fees, Revenues as their predeceſſors lawfully received, unleſſe there be ſome ſpecial Laws to alter their Stipends: This we ſee verified in all Civil, Military and Eccleſiaſtical Officers; yea, in the times of greateſt publick changes, revolutions that ever befell the Nation, thoſe whom moſt yet call Judges, Sheriffs, Majors, Generals, Colonels, Captains, Governors of Forts, Regiſters, &c. though their Commiſſions be altered in ſome things, and themſelves in more, do yet receive the ſelf-ſame Salaries, pays, Fees, maintenance annexed to their Offices, as their lawfull Predeceſſors did; yea, to come cloſer home, All our Proteſtant Miniſters, ſince the reformation of Religion, have generally enjoyed the Glebes and Tithes (as the Pariſhioners enjoy, frequent the Churches, poſſeſſe the Houſes, Inheritances,) which their Popiſh predeceſſors did before them; though the one of them (juſt like the Levitical aboliſhed Prieſts) made it their chiefeſt buſineſſe and part of their calling to ſay Maſſe, and offer an unbloody Sacrifice (as they falſly termed it) on their Altars both for the quick and dead; and the other, who ſucceed them, make it their principal work to preach the Goſpel, and adminiſter the Sacrament according to Chriſts inſtitution. Since then the Miniſters of the Goſpel p. 111ſucceed the Levitical, as well as the popiſh Prieſts, as the Goſpel doth the Law, and the Chriſtian Sacraments the Jewiſh; and we, with all converted Gentiles engraffed into Jeſus Chriſt and the Church of God, ſucceed the Jews, who were broken off from their own Olive Tree, that we might be ingraffed in their places, who now partake of the root and fatneſſe of their Olive Tree; as the Apoſtle reſolves, Rom. 11.16, to 25. Why the Miniſters of the Goſpel ſhould not likewiſe ſucceed the Levitical Prieſts (as well as the popiſh) in the enjoyment of their ſetled Maintenance by Glebes, Tithes, (being not meerly ceremonial, as I have proved, nor yet ſo papal as Biſhops, Deans, and Churches Lands, in which our Anabaptiſts, Army-Officers, and Tithe-oppugners will yet ſucceed them without any ſcruple) and all believing Gentiles, who ſucceed the believing Iſraelites in Gods Church, ſucceed them likewiſe in the due and juſt maintenance of their Miniſters by Tithes and Glebes, reſerved to and preſcribed by that true, holy, juſt and righteous God, who is not only the God of the Jews, but of the Gentiles alſo, Rom. 3.19. Let any rational Chriſtian now reſolve his own Conſcience and mine, from grounds of Scripture, Reaſon or Equity, if he can; God having given us a Land flowing with milk and honey, as fit, as able to render Glebes and Tithes of all things in kinde to his Miniſters, as he did unto the Jews. It is a received maxim in our Law, Quod venit in loco alterius eſt de natura Prioris. If this be Goſpel, as it hath been ever held both Law and reaſon under the Goſpel; I need adde no more to this Aphoriſm, to prove the lawfullneſſe and equity of our Miniſters Glebes and Tithes (and their continuance as well for the future as heretofore) by a divine Right.

8. That all Chriſtian Churches, and pious Chriſtians generally throughout the world, from the Apoſtles dayes till now, have unanimouſly reſolved, both in point of Piety, Juſtice, Conſcience, and right Reaſon, that they are bound to conſecrate and Render unto God the ſelf-ſame weekly portion of time for his publick worſhip, as the Iſraelites and Jews under the Law were obliged to do; to wit, one p. 112day in ſeven: though they differ in the circumſtance only of the day, they obſerving the ſeventh day from the Creation every week (in memory of the Creation, and Gods reſt thereon) for their Sabbath, preſcribed by ſpecial Laws; and we the first day of every week in memorial of our Saviours Reſurection thereon, by the General, Moral Equity of theſe Laws warranted by Apoſtolical practice only, without any ſpecial Goſpel-precept. Let then the whole Army of Tithe-Oppugners render me one dram of Reaſon, or ſhadow of anſwer, if they Canne, why all Chriſtian Realms, Churches, Nations in the world, may not, ſhould not by the ſelf-ſame rule of Piety, Juſtice, Equity, proportion continue and render the like proportion of Glebes, Tithes to God and his Miniſters under the Goſpel, as the Jews did to him, his Prieſts, and Levites under the Law; as well as they render to him the ſelf-ſame Proportion of time for his Weekly, publick Service, and why payment of Tithes, Oblations under the Goſpel to God, (who gives us both them and the reſidue of our Eſtates, and encreaſe out of his own meer free grace) for the maintenance of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, and ſupport of his publick Worſhip on the Lords Day, ſhould be more Judaical, Ʋnchriſtian, Antichristian, Superſtitious (as Canne and others ſtile it) than the dedicating, appropriating of the Lords Day to Gods publick Worſhip, and Honour, who hath given and allowed us the other ſix for our imployments; when as he might have juſtly reſerved the nine parts of our Lands and goods to himſelf, had he pleaſed, inſtead onelyonly of the Tenth, as well as the ſix daies in lieu of the ſeventh, wherewith he is content; which ddDr. Bound, Mr. Dod, Cleaver, Dr. Twiſſe, Downham, Practice of Piety and othersDivines uſually urge to induce men to the more chearfull Sanctification of the Lords Day, and ſome Scriblers againſt Tithes as well as others.

**See Gratian. Canſ. 16. qu. 1. Walafridi Strabi de Rebus Eccleſ. c. 27.Sir 27St. Auguſtin in his 229. Sermon de Tempors, thus enforceth this very argument; and let Canne, and all his confederates, reply to it if they can. Hear O indevout mortality: know, that all things thou poſſeſſeſt, receivest, are Gods, and wilt thou not render to the Creator of all things, that which is his own? The Lord God doth not want; he requires not a reward, but honour, he exacts not any thing of thine, which thou ſhouldeſt reſerve p. 113fund: He vouchſafes to demand, only the First-fruits, and Tithe of things: (which are his) and doest thou, O covetous wretch, deny him? What wouldeſt thou doe, if reſerving the Nine parts to himſelf, he had left only the Tenth to thee? This he hath already done, when as thy harveſt for want of rain, mildew, and thy vintage through hayl or frost is diminiſhed into a Ninth part: O covetous Varlet, how doſt thou reckon? The Nine parts are withdrawn from thee, becauſe thou wouldeſt not give the Tenth. It is most apparent, that thou haſt not given them; but yet God hath exacted them. For this is the moſt juſt cuſtom of the Lord, that if thou wilt not give the Tenth to him, he will recall the Nine, and leave only a Tenth part to thee. What if God ſhould ſay unto thee: Man is mine whom I have made; the earth is mine which thou tilleſt; the ſeeds are mine which thou ſowest; the cattel are mine which thou wearieſt; the ſhowrs, and the rain, and the gales of wind are mine; the heat of the Sun is alſo mine. And ſeeing all the Elements by which the ſeed, fruits do live and grow are mine, and thou only lendest thy hand, thou deſervest only a Tenth. But becauſe Almighty God feeds, deals moſt liberally with us, he hath given a moſt ample gift and reward to him that laboureth, challenging the Tenth only to himſelf, and pardoning all the reſt to us. And wilt thou then ungratefully and perfideouſly deprive him of it, when the year is ended, and the crop reaped? If any ſhall preſume to doe ſo, let them read what followes in that Sermon, and then ſleep quietly if they can.

9. That all Chriſtians under the Goſpel are bound in Juſtice, Equity, Con…cience to give their hired Servants and Labourers their due and deſerved Wages, and not to detain it from them, even under the Goſpel, and that by vertue of Gods command recorded in the Levitical and Judicial Law: Levit: 19.13. Deut. 14.14, 15. approved in the Goſpel, Col. 4.1. and to allow their Beaſts, Oxen that plow and tread out their Corn, Straw and Provender, without muzling up their mouthes, by vertue of a like precept recorded, Deut: 25.4. (twice repeated and urged by the Apoſtle in the New Teſtament, to prove the lawfullneſſe of Miniſters maintenance under the Goſpel: 1 Cor: 9.8, 9, 10. 1 Tim: 5.18.) and that without the leaſt ſuſpition of Judaiſm or p. 114Antichristianiſm; Therefore they may, and are alſo bound in Juſtice, Equity, Conſcience, not only to ſettle Glebes upon, but likewiſe to pay Tithes to the Miniſters of the Goſpel, as a due Wages, Hire, Reward for their Labour in the Miniſtry, as well as the Jews did to their Prieſts and Levite…, without the leaſt tincture of Judaiſm or Antichristianiſm: ſince Chriſt himſelf in the Goſpel expreſly reſolvs, Mat. 10.10. Luke 10.7. and 1 Tim. 5.18. That Miniſters being Labourers are worthy of their M…at, Hire, and a competent Maintenance ſuitable to their pains and function; as well as any other hired Servants or Labourers in the fields, or as our labouring Oxen or Horſes are of Straw and Provender.

10. We read it recorded, 1 Sam. 8.11, 15, 17. That this would be the manner of the King that ſhould reign over the J…ws, that amongſt other things, He will take the Tenth of your Seed, and of your Ʋineyards; and the Tenth of your Sheep, and give them to his Officers and Servants; In imitation whereof, the Kings of England in antient Parliaments, and of late times have uſually demanded and received by Grant in Parliament, a D…cime or Tenth of the Goods and Eſtates of their Subjects for their Supplies, and likewiſe a Tenth of their Merchandiſe exported and imported for Tonnage and Poundage, as our Parliament Records, Hiſtories, and Rastal in his Abridgement of Statutes, Tithes, Taxes and Tenths, atteſt. If then our lawfull Kings, Princes and Governours under the Goſpel, may juſtly demand and receive by Grant in Parliament, the Tenth of all our Goods, Corn, Wooll, Sheep, Eſtates, Merchandiſe, for their neceſſary ſupplies, and the defence of the Kingdom; and ſome who are no Kings, and have engaged againſt Kingſhip as Tyrannical, do the like, without a Parliament, taking (beyond the preſidents of the worſt of all our Kings) not only a Tenth of all our Eſtates, but a double or treble Tenth of all mens yearly Revenues, Eſtates, & of Miniſters Tithes beſides, for the Maintenance of themſelves and the Army, without the guilt of Iudaiſm, Antichriſtian Tyranny, Oppreſſion▪ or Superſtition; Why our faithfull Miniſters may not likewiſe demand, receive, enjoy their Glebes and p. 115Tithes, not only granted, but confirmed to them by our Anceſtors in ſucceſſive Parliaments, from the firſt planting of the Goſpel in this Nation till the Reformation, by all our Proteſtant Parliaments ſince the Reformation, and by ſundry Ordinances in the very laſt Parliament, (to which ſome now in higheſt Power gave their cordial Votes) for the Preaching, propagating of the Goſpel, and ſaving of mens Souls, without the like Brand of Judaiſm and Anti-chriſtianiſm, let eeIn his second Voice from the Temple to the Higher Powers, p. 1, 2, 7, 11. and elſwhere.John Canne reſolve me when he can; who moſt falſly, ſcandalouſly, unchriſtianly brands both the last and all Proteſtant Parliaments confirming Tithes, for Popiſh, Idolatrous Parliaments, acting againſt the Lord Jeſus, and our Ministry, for an Antichriſtian Miniſtry; Who certainly was in his Cannes or Cups, when he writ and publiſhed ſuch palpable, ſcandalous untruths, to the diſhonour of our Church, Parliaments, Nation, Religion: But ſuch Cretians are alwayes Lyars, Evil Beaſts, Slow Bellies: wherefore they need a ſharp rebuke, that they may be ſound in the ſaith, Tit: 1.12, 13. He might have done better to excite thoſe to whom he dedicates his Pamphlet againſt thoſe Popiſh Prieſt, Monks, Friars, Jeſuits, ſent from the Pope and Rome into England of late, to root out our Miniſtry, and their Maintenance, as moſt oppoſite to Antichristianiſm, his Papal Soveraignty and Errors, under the Notion of Anabaptists, dipped Jews, Gifted Brethren, New Lights, Seekers. But againſt theſe he hath not one word; and why ſo? Becauſe the Dominican and Franciſcan Freers, (as **ch 7. p. 166, 167, 170, 171, 172, 173.Mr. Selden relates in his Hiſtory of Tithes) were the firſt, who made it a gainfull doctrine to teach Laymen, that they were not bound to pay their Tithes to their Miniſters, as to whom by any Law of God that portion belonged, teaching them to be due only as Alms, or as what ex debito charitatis, not ex debito juſtitiae was to be diſpenſed; By this doctrine The Mendicams eſpecially often got them to themſelves (like the old **Vide Zonar. in Concil. Gangr. Can. 7.Euſtathians) as Alms to be arbitrarily diſpoſed of to ſuch as took any ſpiritual Labour, as alſo made their own detaining of them in lands, out of which they were parochially due, to ſéem leſſe wrongfull. They poſſeſſing the people with an opinion; (to gain them from the p. 116Secular Prieſts to themſelves) That the Command of Tithes was not Moral but Ceremonial, and not to be performed by conſtraint of Conſcience, to the Miniſter: and that out of whatſoever (Lands) at leaſt was given to any of the four Orders of Fréers Mendicants (as now to Anabaptiſts and Quakers their diſciples) no Tithe was in conſcience to be deduced for the Miniſter; as he proves out of the **Clement in Tit. de Decimis, c. 1. Religioſi.Council of Vienna held An. 1340. ‖‖Ad Extrav. Tit. de Paroch. c. ult. ſignificavit.Pope Innocent the 4th, and Richard Archbiſhop of Armagh in Defenſ. Curatorum: Alex. l. 4. Conſil. 60. and William R…ſſel a Franciſcan Freer his Doctrine condemned in the Convocation of the Clergie Anno 5 H. 6. as Haeretical, and publikely recanted by him at Pauls Croſs as ſuch; That Tithes (eſpecially perſonal) fall not under divine precept, at leaſt that they ſhould be paid to the Parochial Curate as a due unto him of right, unleſſe there were a Custom to the contrary; but that every one might lawfully give them to pious uſes at their pleaſure; Whereupon theſe N…w Masters and Preaching Freers, preaching and teaching thus againſt the Old and N…w Teſtament; were enjoyned by **Bochellus Decret Eccleſ. Gall. l. 6. Tit. 8. c. 7, 8, 12, 14, 19, 30.ſeveral Councils and Synods in their Sermons to exhort, inform, and inſtruct the people without any fraud, to pay their Tithes faithfully to their Miniſters, as DƲE by the Lawes of God and the Church, under pain of being deprived of the power of abſolving the people from their ſins. Therefore John Cannes, with his confederate Anabaptiſts and Quakers new Doctrines, Invectives, Petitions againſt our Miniſters Tithes, derived from theſe old and new Franciſcan Mendicant Freers now ſwarming amongſt them, is far more truly, really Antichriſtian, than our Miniſters and their Tithes, of which more in its due place.

11. That God in the Levitical and Judicial Law preſcribed Laws for Warr, and Souldiers in the Wars, Deut. 20. throughout, and amongſt others, v. 2, 3, 4. It ſhall be, when ye come nigh unto the Battel, that the Prieſt ſhall approach and ſpeak unto the people, and ſhall ſay unto them (for their encouragement) Hear O Iſrael, you approach this day unto battel againſt your enemies; let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified becauſe of them, for the Lord your God is he that goeth with you againſt your Enemies to p. 117ſave you. After which, v. 8. &c. The Officers are commanded to make Proclamation, that every man, who was fearfull and faint-hearted ſhould go and return to his houſe, lest they ſhould diſcourage their brethren; that they ſhould proclaim Peace to every City they came nigh, before they beſieged or ſtormed it; and if they won it by force, the Souldiers ſhould take the ſpoil thereof unto themſelves, and eat the ſpoil of their enemies, which the Lord their God had given them. And by another Levitical Law the Prieſts were thus enjoyned by God, to pray for, and bleſs his people, Num: 6.23, 24. &c. On this wiſe ye ſhall bleſſe the children of Iſrael, ſaying to them; the Lord bleſs thee and keep thee; the Lord make his face ſhine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up his Countenance upon thee, and give thee Peace: and they ſhall put my name upon the Children of Iſrael, and I will bleſs them. If then it be neither Jewiſh nor Antichriſtian, nor ſuperſtitious, nor unlawfull for Miniſters of the Goſpel to encourage Chriſtian Souldiers going to battel in the ſelf ſame manner and form, or to bleſs them and the people in theſe very Levitical words, as ffChaplain to Sir Arthur Haſlerigs Regiment and Gariſon heretofore.Iohn Canne, and all Anabaptiſtical, Independent Chaplains of the Army (and Mr. Peters eſpecially) will grant, who have frequently uſed the ſelf ſame or like encouragements and exhortations to the Army, receiving good, conſtant pay for their pains. And if it be neither Jewiſh nor Antichriſtian, nor unchriſtian for our Saintlike Officers and Soldiers under the Goſpel, to make like Proclamation to cowardly perſons, or to proclaim peace to Cities, and gariſons, ere they beſiege or ſtorm them, and if obſtinat and won by force to take the Spoil and Plunder of ſuch Cities, Enemies to themſelves, and eat therof, which I am certain all our Officers, Soldiers, and their Anabaptiſtical Tithe-oppugning Chaplains will grant and ſubſcribe to, though thus preſcribed by the Levitical law, aboliſhed (as they ſay) by Jeſus Chriſt: Then queſtionleſs our Miniſters of the Goſpel may ſtill receive and enjoy their Glebes, Tithes, Oblations, by like reaſon, without the leaſt guilt or reproach of Judaiſm or Antichriſtianiſm, though preſcribed to the Levitical Prieſts and Levites, by the Levitical law; elſe John Canne and others of his fraternity (profeſſing p. 118themſelves the only Miniſters of the Goſpel, and rejecting all others as Antichriſtian) muſt give over their Chaplains places in the Army, Navy, Garriſons, and no more encourage nor accompany any Soldiers in the wars, or bleſs the people as aforeſaid; becauſe it was a part of the Levitical Prieſts Office (who were alſo to blow the Trumpets in the wars, Num. 6.1, to 10. Joſh. 6.4. &c.) preſcribed by an aboliſhed Levitical law.

12. That all Iſraelites, Jews, both Prieſts and people, were by the Levitical law frequently commanded inviolably to perform, keep, pay, execute the ſolemn Oaths, Vows, Covenants they made to God or men, and no wayes to infringe them, or prevaricate in them, Levit. 19.12. Num. 21.2, 3. cap. 30.2, to 16. Deut. 12.11 cap. 23.21, 22, 23. Joſh. 2.11, 12, 13. cap. 6.22, to 26. cap. 9.15, to the end. And among other things, we finde their Tithes (vowed to God by Jacob, Gen. 28.20, 21, 22.) coupled with their Vows, as things devoted by them to God by **See Mr. Seldens Hiſtory of Tithes, and Review, ch. 3.Vow, as well as reſerved by Law: Deut. 12.11. Yea, all the Jews were obliged by a Solemn Covenant to bring, pay their firſt fruits and Tithes to God, his Prieſts and L…vites, Nen. 10.31, to 39. Will or dare John Canne then, or any other Tithe-leniers averr, that it is both J…wiſh, Antichriſtian, unlawfull for Miniſters and Chriſtians under the Goſpel, in…iolably to obſerve and perform all thoſe juſt, lawfull Oathes, Vows, Covenants they have ſolemnly made to God and men, with hands liſted up to heaven (as ſome of their perſidious horrid violations of them without bluſh or check of late ſeems to proclaim before God and all the world) and to pay thoſe Tithes, Dues to our Miniſters, which our Anceſtors and we by Solemn Vows and Covenants too, have dedicated unto God and his Miniſters, and never intended by our Covenant to aboliſh or diminiſh in the leaſt degree, (as Canne perjuriouſly and abſurdly aſſerts) but to eſtabliſh and perpetuate, as the late Ordinances for Tithes and A…gmentations made by the very Preſcribers and Subſcribers of the late Solemn League and Covenant (which it ſeems John Canne never took, though he preſſeth it on others, as his words Many have ſworn, who I hope will now obſerve it, import) both p. 119at the time, and ſince the making, taking of the Solemn League and Covenant, with the Aſſemblies Exhortation for the better taking thereof, authorized by the late Parliament, infallibly evidence? If ſo; John Canne with his perfidious Oath-Vow-Covenant-breaking, Tithe-abjuring diſciples muſt renounce that true and only God, they ſay they worſhip in greateſt truth and ſincerity; as a Jewiſh, unchriſtian, antichriſtian God likewiſe (I ſpeak it with reverence and horrour too, for their fuller conviction) becauſe he alwayes hath been, now is, and will be, a most true, faithfull, Oath-obſerving, Covenant-keeping, Vow-performing God, who reputes his Oathes, Vows, Covenants, aaHeb. 5.17, 18.Heb 5:17Heb 5:18Immutable things, and will never violate, falſifie, forget, or neglect them in the least degree, though made to ſinfull, treacherous and perfidious men, Pſal. 89.3, 4, 28, to 38. Pſal. 120.4. Neh. 1.5. cap. 9.32. Pſal. 111.5, 9. Iſa. 54.10. cap. 55.3. Jer. 33.20, 21. Luke 1.72, 73. and 2 Chron. 21.6, 7. (a memorable Text) 2 Cor. 1.18. whom all thoſe, who own or challenge him to be their God, are peremptorily obliged to imitate herein, elſe they ſhall never enter into his holy hill, or dwell with him in his Tabernacle, Pſ. 15.1, 2, 14. Pſal. 24.3, 4. Rom. 1.31, 32. 1 Tim. 1.10. Rev. 22.15. and that in this very caſe of Tithes. If not, then why ſhould not Tithes, Glebes, Oblations which our anceſtors and wee have vowed and devoted to God, continue and ſtill be paid under the Goſpel without ſuperſtition, ſin, antichriſtianiſm or Judaiſm, as well as other Vows, Oaths, and the religious obſervation of them?

Upon theſe Conſiderations all or moſt Chriſtian Kingdoms, States, Churches upon the very fi…ſt preaching and embracing of the Goſpel amongſt them, not only edified Churches, Chapels for Gods worſhip and publike Aſſemblies, but likewiſe endowed the Miniſters thereof with convenient Glebes, Tithes, Oblations, as E…ſebius, Socrates, Scholasticus, Theodoret, Nicephorus, Caliſtus, the C…ntury Writers, Baronius, Spondanus, with other Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtorians, and Hoſpinian De Origine Templorum, prove at large for forein Parts; and our own antienteſt Annaliſts, with Antiqu. Eccleſiae Britanicae, Sir Henry Spelman Conciliorum p. 120Angl. Tom. 1. and learned Dr. Ʋſher, in his Britanicarum Eccleſiarum Antiquitates, manifeſt for our own Nations and Realms.

Now becauſe John Canne, out of his learned ignorance, hath newly publiſhed in his aaPage 13, 14.Second Voice from the Temple (or Ale-houſe rather, for which Cannes are more proper) That Pope Gregory the tenth was the firſt that ordained Tithes to be paid to Prieſts, in the year 1214. and that the Customs for paying Tithes at this day, were ſetled upon the Kingdom by the Popes Legates in Provincial and Synodal Constitutions about the time of Henry the third, and Henry the fifth; Vouching Thorp and Ridley the Civilian to prove it; I ſhall give you a brief touch concerning the Original of Churches, Glebes, Tithes in this our Iland.

About the year of our Lord 48. (as our aaJoan. Capgrave in vita Joſephi: Chr. Glaſtonienſ. Vincentius Spec. Hiſt. lib. 23. c. 147. with ſundry others, cited by Dr. Uſher Britan. Eccleſiarum Antiquitates. c. 2. p. 973, 974 Spelman Concil. p. 12, &c. with the Authors quoted by them.Historians record) Joſeph of Arimathea, who interred our Saviour, with XI. more Diſciples, were ſent into Britain to preach the Goſpel by Philip the Apoſtle, in the raign of Arviragus; who arriving here were courteouſly entertained by this Pagan King, and preached the Goſpel to him, and his people; he perceiving the purity of their Doctrine, and the holin…ſſ… of their Converſation, gave them twelve Hides of land in the Iſle of Avalon (ſince called Glaſtenbury) for to build a Church and to ſupport them, (till this day called and known by the name of the twelve Hides of Glastenbury) where they built the firſt Church, erected for Gods worſhip in this Iſl…, made of Wattle and Reed, and there continued together preaching the Goſpel, living upon this their Glebe (now of great value) which was afterwards confirmed to them, and the Miniſters of the Goſpel the…e ſucceeding them, both by King Marius and Coilus, next ſucceſſors to Arviragus, whom they inſtructed in the Chriſtian Religion, to which they w…re well aff…cted, albeit neither of them, nor Arviragus himſelf proceeded ſo far as to be baptized, for fear of diſpleaſing their Pagan ſubjects; though Harding in his Chronicle, chapter 48. (againſt the ſtream of our other Hiſtorians) writes, that King Arviragus himſelf was Baptized by Joſeph of Arimathea. After this bbDr. Vſher Brit. Eccleſ. Antiq. Spelmanni Concil. p. 12. &c. with the Authors quoted by them.Lucius King of Britain being converted to the Christian faith and Baptized with his Subjects and many other p. 121petty Britiſh Kings by his Example about the year of our Lord 176. by Faganus and Damianus, ſent to him at his earneſt requeſt by Elutherius then Biſhop of Rome (long before Pope or Popery were there erected, or known in the world) he upon the reception of the faith built and endowed Churches throughout his Dominions with Glebes and Tithes, to ſupport the Miniſtry, whence our antient Poets thus write of him,

Lucius in Chriſtum credit, Chriſtoque dicatas

Eccleſias dotat, diſtinctas ordinat Vrbes.

Many of our antient Hiſtorians adde, that in his time there were 28 Flamins, and 3 Arch-Flamins in Britain endowed with great Revenues for the ſervice of their Idol gods, to whom they had erected ſo many fair Temples; and that Lucius after his converſion, Turned theſe into 28 Biſhopricks, and three Arch-Biſhopricks, and purging theſe polluted Temples from their Idols and heatheniſh poll…tions, dedicated them to the ſervice of the true God; which Sir Henry Spelman, Bp. Ʋſher, Godwin, and the moſt judicious of our later Antiquaries, juſtly reject as fabulous. After Lucius, Churches were here and in other places endowed with Glebes, and Biſhops with rich Lordly poſſeſſions by Conſtantine the great: And about the year of Chriſt 312. the Christians being here and elſwhere reſtored to peace, and freed from perſecution by Conſtantine, aaGildas, Ep. Vſher, Brit. Eccleſ. Antiq. p. 193. Spelmanni Concil. p. 36.45.began to build and repair thoſe Churches which Diocleſian and other perſecutors had raſed to the ground, and to endow them with maintenance for the Miniſtry. In ſucceeding times, the Engliſh Saxons, who at their firſt arival (being bloudy Pagans) cruelly waſted the Britiſh Churches, and butchered their Miniſters, Scholars, Saints, being converted to the Chriſtian Faith by Auguſtine, ſent hither for that purpoſe by Pope Gregory the firſt, (who diſclaimed that Papal Supremacy his Succeſſors ſince challenged) Aethelbert King of Kent, and his Saxons being baptiſed by Auguſtine about the year of Chriſt 603. thereupon they began to repair the old ruinated Churches, and to build new throughout his Dominions; this bbSpelman. ib. p. 112, 113. de antiquitatibus Eccleſ. Brit. Dr. Vſher.King turning his Royal Palace at Canterbury, into the Church of Christ, and that City, the ſeat of his Kingdom into a p. 122Biſhops See, and beſtowing them on Auguſtine who converted him and his ſubjects to Chriſtianity, whom he made Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and endowed wiih large Poſſeſſions: Not long after divers other Saxon Kings and their ſubjects being converted and baptized, built and endowed ſundry other Churches, both with Glebes and Poſſeſſions of good value, and likewiſe with Tithes. And in Anno 854. ‖‖Malmsbury de Geſtis Regum Angl. l. 2. c. 2. Mat. Weſt. Anno 854. Florent. Wigornienſis, An. 855. Spelmanni Concil. p. 348, 353.Aethelwolf King of the Weſt-Saxons, conſidering the perillous times then fallen upon him and his Realm, by reaſon of the burnings of the Wars, the Plunders of the Goods, the devaſtations of the Territories of his Kingdom by the most cruel depredations of barbarous Enemies, and Pagan Nations, and the manifold Tribulations afflicting him and his people, even to their destruction; he thereupon ſummoning a General Council or Parliament at Wincheſter, in which himſelf, Beorredus King of Mercia, and Edmund King of Eaſt-Angles, with all the Prelates and Nobles of England, were preſent, did by their wholeſom Counſel, for redreſs of theſe evils, by his Charter (ratified in and by this Council) give the Tenth part of all his own Lands in perpetuitie to God and his Servants, free and exempt from all Secular ſervices, and alſo from all Royal Tributes, and Taxes, Great and Small, and from all Military Expedition, Building of Bridges, and guarding of Caſtles; that ſo they might the more diligently powr forth their prayers unto God for him without ceaſing, who had in ſome part thus eaſed them of their ſervitude: from which Grant of his, Sir Henry Spelman conceives, the Parſonage-Houſe, Rectory and Glebes in every Pariſh of his Realm, had their Original, though afterwards increaſed by the munificence of the Patrons. And this ſhall ſuffice touching the true Original and progreſſe of our Churches, Rectories and Glebes, in the beginning of Chriſtianity, both amongſt the Britains and Saxons of this Realm.

The firſt Law I find yet extant amongſt us, for the due payment of all kind of Tithes (in uſe and being as the Law imports, before its promulgation) was made in the **Spelmanni Concil. p. 292.293, 298, to 302. Cent. Magd. 7. cap. 9.National Council, (or Parliament) at Calchuth in the year of our Lord 785. in the Reigns of King Oſwald and King Offa, who by the unanimous conſent of all their Princes, Nobles, and Senators, (as well as Prelates,) preſent therein, made this p. 123memorable Decree, touching the payment of Tithes, as a Right and Duty, which they were bound to render to God himſelf, by his own Sacred Law, originally given to the Iſraelites, which they deemed Obligatory likewiſe unto them: Cap. 17. ut Decimae juſtè ſolvantur, uſura, iniqua Pondera & Menſurae prohibeantur: Thou ſhalt bring the Tenth part of all thy Corn (or increaſe) into the Houſe of the Lord thy God, as it is written in the Law, (viz. Levit. 27.30. Numb. 12.17, 18, &c. Deut. 12.17, 18. chap. 14.22, 23. Neh. 10.38. not in the Popiſh Canons.) Again by the PROPHET (not Pope) (Mal. 3.10. &c.) Bring, ſaith he, all the Tithes into the ſtorehouſe, that there may be meat in my Houſe, and prove me now therewith, if I will not open the Doors of Heaven, and powr you out a Bleſſing, that there ſhall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the Devourer for you, which eats and corrupts the fruit of your grounds, and the Vine ſhall be no more barren in the field, ſaith the Lord. As the Wiſeman ſaith in the Book of Wiſdom, (not the Pope) No man can give any juſt Alms of thoſe things which he poſſeſſeth, unleſſe he ſhall first ſeparate to the Lord that which from the beginning himſelf hath appointed to be rendred to him. And by this for the moſt part it happens, **See Auguſtin de Temp. Serm. 219.that he who payes not Tithes is reduced (by Gods Juſtice) to the Tenth part of his former Estate; whereupon (not by any Command from the Pope, or by his Authority) We Command, even with an Obteſtation, that all be studious to give Tithes of all things they poſſ…ſſe, quia ſpeciale Domini Dei eſt, Becauſe it is the peculiar portion of the LORD GOD: and let him live himſelf, and give Alms, of the Nine parts; and we perſwade him rather to doe it in ſecret, becauſe it is written, When thou giveſt Alms do not blow a Trumpet before thee, Matt. 6.2. After which follow Laws againſt Uſury, Falſe Weights and Meaſures; for the faithfull performance of Vows; and aboliſhing the very Reliques of all Pagan Rites; warranted by the very words and Preſidents of the ſacred Scripture. Which Decrees being recited in a publick Council before theſe Kings, and all their Prelates, Dukes, Senators, and the People of the Land: Illi, cum omni devotione mentis, juxta poſſibilitatem virium ſuarum, adjuvante ſuperna clementia, ſe p. 124in omnibus cuſtodire devoverunt: they with all Devotion of mind, according to the uttermoſt of their power, by the aſſiſtance of Gods Grace, vowed that they would obſerve them in all things; which they all did with an unanimous Ʋoyce, a chearfull minde, and moſt ready Will, ratifying this Council with the Subſcriptions of their Names, and the Sign of the Cr…ſſ… (the uſual form of thoſe times, before Seals were in uſe.) This is the firſt Law I finde (extant in our Realm,) for the due payment of Tithes, grounded only on Divine precepts, cited in it, not on the Popes Decree…. True it is, that Gregory Biſhop of Oſtia, Legat to Pope Adrian, an Engliſhman born, was Preſident in this Council, and had a chiefhand in making theſe Laws, by this Popes direction, to whom he returned them: but are they therefore Popiſh and Antichriſtian Laws, which ought to be now aboliſhed (to gratifie the preſent Pope & his Emiſſaries the Jeſuits) as made againſt Jeſus Chriſt, as **In his ſecond Voice from the Temple.John Canne moſt Magiſterially determines? if ſo, then theſe and our other Laws then made againſt Vſury, falſe Weights, Meaſures (which too many cheating Anabaptiſts uſe) Heatheniſh, Pagan Cuſſtoms, muſt be Popiſh & Antichriſtian too, with the Law for performing our Vows, Covenants to God and men, with the very Scriptures cited in them, wheron they are grounded, which Impudency and Atheiſm it ſelf dares not affirm: If he ſay they are Jewiſh Laws, then the Scriptures cited in them muſt be Jewiſh too; yea, the very Title, and every page of hi… new Pamphlet, muſt be rejected as Jewiſh, as well as Jeſuitiſh; being Intituled, and Superſcribed in every page, A S…cond Voice from the Temple: The Temple being Jewiſh, and aboliſhed as well as Tithes, 1 Cor. 9.13. John 4.20, 21. Which I wonder this blind Zealot againſt Judaiſm and Tithes, had not Eyes to ſee, or Brains to conſider. Now theſe our Predeceſſors, and many others ſince, obliging themſelves both by Vows, Laws, and Covenants, to pay Tithes of all to God and his Ministers, as Gods peculiar Right, and God himſelf not only enjoyning men in the Old Teſtament, not to remove the antient Land-marks their Fathers have (duly) ſet, Prov. 22.8. and to make good their Anceſtors Oaths and Vows, (which oblige their Poſterity, p. 125as Gen. 50.24, 25. Exod. 13.19. Joſh. 24.32. ch. 2.12, to 22. chap. 6.21, to 26. chap. 9.15, to 27. chap. 10.1, to 12. 2 Sam. 21.1, to 15. 1 Sam. 20.14, 15, 16, 17, 23, 42. chap. 23.8. chap. 24.21. 2 Chron. 16.3. compared together reſolve) but likewiſe informing them in the new, as a Goſpel-Truth, Gal. 3.15. That if it be but a mans Covenant, if it be confirmed (by many ſucceſſive Laws, Statutes, Curſes, Excommunications denounced againſt the infringers thereof in all ſucceeding ages, as this of Tithes, and the Churches Rights and Liberties have been) no man diſannulleth it: By what Authority, Right, Law, Reaſon, Juſtice, Conſcience or power from God or Men, any preſuming Mortals, at the ſollicitations of Anabaptiſts, Ieſuits, Quakers, or Atheiſtical wretches, can ſacrilegiouſly attempt to rob God himſelf, and plunder his faithfull Miniſters of this their ancient, juſt, hereditary, ſacred, ſetled Maintenance (to which our Miniſters have a far ancienter, better Right, Title, by all Laws of God and Man, than they have to their new acquired Purchaſes and Powers,) eſtabliſhed, ſetled on them by particular Donors and Benefactors out of their own private Inheritances and Eſtates, not the Republicks, which neither the Patrons themſelves, nor any others, nor yet the Miniſters themſelves can alienate from the Church, (as their own conſciences, judgements muſt acknowledge, unleſſe ſtrangely cauterized:) Let them and Canne anſwer to that **Gen. 18.25.Gen 18:25Soveraign Judge of all the Earth; who will probably judge them here, and ſhall certainly judge them eternally hereafter for all ſuch deteſtable Robberies, and violent Rapines, if wilfully perpetrated and perſevered in without repentance after timely admonition, who can quickly ſtrip both them and theirs naked of all their temporal Powers, Honours, Poſſeſſions, Enjoyments, as he did Jeroboam and his Sonnes for their turning the Prieſts and Levites out of their Poſſeſſions; and King Ahab with his Family for ſeiſing upon Naboths Vineyard, in a violent and unrighteous manner, though coloured over, to delude the people, with an hypocritical Faſt, and feigned, legal proceedings, 1 Kings 21. We read it recorded of our Saviour, Luke 12.13, p. 12614. that when one of the company ſaid unto him; Maſter, ſpeak to my brother that he divide the Inheritance with me: He returned him this anſwer, Man, who made me a Iudge or Divider over you? Let every perſon now ſollicited by croaking Anabaptiſts, Jeſuits, Quakers, Souldiers, or others, not only to judge and divide, but utterly to aboliſh and take away our Miniſters neceſſary Maintenance, (not unneceſſary Abbots, or Prelates, Lordly ſuperfluities long ſince diſſipated) by Glebes and Tithes, return them the ſelf-ſame anſwer; leſt Chriſt himſelf at the laſt day condemn them for over-bold intruders into ſuch a Supream Juriſdiction over his, and his Miniſters, Rights and Callings too, as neither God nor Man ever yet conferred on them. God himſelf prohibiting the ſale, alienation, ſubſtraction of his Prieſts and Levites neceſſary Glebes, Tithes, and by conſequence of our Miniſters (as I have formerly obſerved) and further informing all his, that it is a ſnare to a man to devour holy things, and after Vows to make enquiry, Prov. 20.25. But of this ſecond Argument enough, the Negative part whereof I ſhall prove more fully hereafter by way of anſwer to an Objection.

13. I ſhall make good the Propoſition by arguments drawn from the New Teſtament it ſelf, which no wayes contradicts, but confirms the lawfullneſs of Tithes. This I have already proved from Heb. 7.1, to 12. to which I ſhall refer the Reader, and proceed to other Texts. I ſhall begin with Mat. 23.23, 24. & Luke 11.42. Woe unto you Scribes and Phariſees Hypocrites, for ye pay Tithes of Mint, and Anniſe, and Cummin, and all manner of Herbs, and have omitted the weightier things of the Law, Judgement, Mercy, and Faith, and the love of God: Theſe ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone: Ye blind Guides, which ſtrain at a Gnat, and ſwallow a Camel. In which words our Saviour himſelf, though he denounceth a Woe againſt the Hypocritical Phariſees, in beeing juſt and carefull in paying Tithes, even of Herbs and Seeds of all ſorts, of meaneſt value, and yet in the mean time neglecting works of Righteouſneſs in matters of greater worth, of Charity towards man, and of Faith and Love toward God himſelf, p. 127ſtraining at a Gnat, and ſwallowing a Camel: yet he poſitively reſolves, that they ought not to omit the due and conſcientious payment even of theſe leſſer Tithes of ſmalleſt value, much leſſe then of their Corn, Wine, Oyl, Flocks, Herds, which were of greater worth. And if the Scribes and Phariſees were no Saints, but Hypocrites for omitting theſe weightier duties, though they paid theſe ſmalleſt Tithes; what are theſe Anabaptistical and other Sectarian Scribes and Phariſees, who, not only againſt all Rules of Juſtice and Charity towards men, but of Faith and Love to God (which they even renounce) rob God and his Miniſters, not onelyonly of all their own Tithes, ſmall as well as great, but of thoſe Tithes which others would willingly pay them, and endevour totally to deprive them of thoſe ſmall Rectories, Glebes they yet enjoy, and of their Miniſtry too; and when they have **John Canne, His Second Voice from the Temple, p. 2.ſtript them stark naked of all they have, would eat their very fleſh, and burn them with fire? Certainly ſuch are worſer and greater Hypocrites, than the Scribes and Phariſes, pretending Conſcience it ſelf, for their moſt unconſcionable dealing in this kinde. Such mens throats are ſo wide, that they can ſwallow not only Camels, but whole Rectories, Churches, Steeples, with their Lead, Timber, Bells, Stone, (to ſay no more) for a Breakfaſt; all Tithes in two or three Pariſhes and throughout the Land for a Dinner, and the publick Lands, Revenues of the Crown (which ſhould defray all ordinary publick charges for the peoples eaſe) for a Supper, that they may be Supreme, and every one of them like our Saviour Chriſt himſelf, both a Prieſt, Prophet, and a King, executing a Plurality of theſe three and other Offices, and their Callings too all at once, to enrich themſelves faſter than all other men. This Text was much inſiſted on by ‖‖Fox Acts & Monuments Vol. 1. f. 602, 603, 604.John Hus to prove Tithes under the Goſpel to be pure Alms, coupling it with the former verſe, Luke 11.41. But rather give Alms of ſuch things as you have, and behold all things are clean unto you; But certainly the Text it ſelf proves, that this referrs only to the waſhing mentioned in the precedent verſes; not to this ſubſequent clauſe concerning their payment of Tithes, never ſtiled Almes in any Text; and recorded by Matthew, as a diſtinct Woe, and p. 128Sentence of it ſelf; without any mention of Almes, in the Antecedent or Subſequent verſes: and John Hus himſelf, together with Auguſtine, Chryſostom, Hierom, and Aquinas, (there cited by him) from hence conclude; That Tithes are lawfull under the Goſpel, as well as alms, forſomuch as the Gift thereof unto the Priest, did not ceaſe in the time of Christ: and Saint Auguſtine in his 219 Sermon, of Paying Tithes, preſſeth the payment of them under the Goſpel, as a Duty, by many enforcing arguments, before any Popes Decretals for payment of them, or that we now call Popery, was known in the world. Saint Ambroſe before him doing the like, In Serm…ne Quadrageſimae, cited by Gratian, Cauſa 16. qu. 7. and St. Cyprian before them both. Which had John Canne either known or conſidered, he would not, with ſo much miſtaken Ignorance and Impudence, have damned Tithes as POPISH, &c. And the pleading for them, as a pleading for Babylon, and for BAAL: in his New Second Voice from the Temple of Babylon, or Baal, which he pleaſeth, not of Old or New Jeruſalem.

The next Goſpel Text, I ſhall cite, is that of Gal. 6.6. Let him that is taught in the word, communicate to him that teacheth him in all good things ; To which I ſhall ſubjoyn, 1 Cor. 9.11. If we have ſowed unto you ſpiritual things, is it a great matter, if we ſhall reap your carnal things? Rom. 15.25. And their Debtors they are: for if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their ſpiritual things, their duty is alſo to miniſter unto them in carnal things. All theſe three Goſpel Texts reſolve, That Miniſters of the Goſpel, have a juſt due and right to a competent, comfortable ſhare in all the goods things, Temporal bleſſings and neceſſaries for the ſupport of this life, which the people inſtructed by them, and receiving ſpiritual things from them, enjoy. And that the people are bound both by expreſſe precepts in the Goſpel, and by the rules of common, moral equity and juſtice, chearfully to communicate and miniſter ſuch a fitting ſhare of all their good things, and temporal bleſſings, as a debt and due, unto them, for their miniſtring to them in ſpiritual things: which I fully proved in the firſt Propoſition; and Impudency it ſelf cannot deny. The ſole p. 129queſtion then is, what this ſhare or portion ought to be, and who ſhall determine it in point of difference? I confeſſe the Apoſtle doth not decide either of theſe in terminis, theſe Texts being general, all in the plural number; All good things; your carnal things; compriſing all ſuch things out of which Tithes, predial, mixt or perſonal (as **See Auguſtin de Temp. Ser. 219. Gratian Cauſ. 16. qu. 1.Canoniſts and Lawyers diſtinguiſh them) are or may be paid: Wherefore every faithfull Chriſtian, every ſpiritual ſon of God, and of faithfull Abraham, (whoſe footſteps, preſidents they are to follow, in all doubtful caſes, admit this one) to ſatisfie his conſcience and judgement in this caſe, muſt and will reſort to the preſidents of the Eminenteſt Saints in former ages, and Gods own preſcripts in other expreſſe Texts; Where finding the very Father of the faithfull, Abraham himſelf giving, his Grandſon Jacob vowing, and God himſelf ſpecially reſerving, preſcribing the payment of a Tenth of all good things from and by his own people, for the maintenance of his Prieſts and Levites, under the Law; which they cheerfully rendred until and in Chriſts own time; that the very Phariſees and Scribes (though Hypocrites) were ſo juſt, as to pay Tithes of all; that Chriſt reſolved they ought to do it, and not leave it undone; and that none before the Apoſtles dayes ever gave leſſe than a Tenth part: (as the premiſes largely evidence) he muſt and will neceſſarily conclude from all theſe ſacred Directories, precepts, preſidents; that the ordinary conſtant ſtanding portion and proportion of all his goods and carnal things here preſcribed, and intended by Gods Spirit, is the tenth part: and in extraordinary caſes more, when Gods glory, the Miniſters neceſſities, the Defence or Propagation of the Goſpel require it: And when he ſhall further read in the Goſpel it ſelf, that ſpeech of Zacheus, the converted Publican, Luke 19.8. Behold, Lord, the Half of my Goods I give to the poor: And how the firſt converted Chriſtians and Jews in the Apostles dayes, ſold their Lands, Houſes, and brought and laid the money at the Apoſtles feet, Acts 4.5. His conſcience (which muſt not guide the Word and Spirit of God, as moſt mens conſciences do now, but the Word and Spirit it and him too) will and muſt from thence conclude, p. 130that he muſt not give his faithful Miniſter leſſe than a Tenth part of all; and in caſes of extraordinary neceſſity, ſhare even half his goods, yea, the price of all his Lands and Houſes, between the Miniſters and poor Saints of God, ſpecially in times of perſecution, when as he ought to hide, and feed them too, as godly Obadiah did an hundred of the Lords Prophets in the dayes of Jezebel, at his own charge, with the hazard of hi… Office and Life, 1 Kings 18.4.13. If any mans conſcience in a ſetled Chriſtian Realm, State, be ſo obſtinate or froward, as not to ſubmit to the loweſt proportion of a Tenth, which all ages, and moſt, or all ſetled Chriſtian Realms have unanimouſly agreed upon, and confirmed by publike Edicts, as well Civil as Eccleſiaſtical, whereof there are neer thouſands in print; the Chriſtian Kings and Magiſtrates are to determine all controverſies of this nature, and ſtate the juſt proportion of this Debt and Duty between the Miniſter and people, where it is not publikely decided, and may juſtly enforce the due payment of it (when and where it is determined by poſitive publick Laws) as a juſt Debt, as they do in all other civil Debts, Duties, Accompts in controverſie before them, (as I ſhall prove in due place) even by theſe very Texts, though John Canne denies it, in his VOX praeterea NIHIL, p. 14.

To theſe I ſhall ſubjoyn that noted Text in the 1 Cor. 9.13, 14. (which John Canne cites by piece-meal, as the Devil did Scripture, leaving out the principal branch, Mat. 4.6.) Do ye not know, that they which miniſter about holy things, live of the things of the Temple, and they that wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar? Even ſo hath the Lord ordained (this Canne omits) that they which preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel. I have urged this Text before for proof of the firſt; I ſhall here apply it only to the ſecond Propoſitions confirmation, as to Tithes.

1. Then we have here A Divine Goſpel Ordinance made by the Lord of Hoſts himſelf, (not repealable by any Army or Powers on Earth) as well as Parliamentary Ordinances, for the Maintenance of the Preachers of the Goſpel: and let Canne (the pooreſt Preacher of the Goſpel I ever yet knew in England, (except one of his fraternity,) p. 131who heard him once preach an Aſſize and Faſt Sermon too at Chard) deny our Miniſters to be able Preachers of the Goſpel, at the peril of his Soul, though he denies them to be lawful Ministers of Chriſt, and cenſures them as Antichriſtian and Popiſh: But why ſo? Becauſe (forſooth) they had their Ordination from Rome; and by conſequence are TRAYTORS and FELONS too, by the Statute of 27 Eliz. c. 2. for which they might be legally executed for Treaſon and Felony, if the State were not pleaſed to interpret the Statute contrary, as he conceives, to the Letter and form of it: (the words whereof he both curtals and miſrecites, juſt as he did this Text) p. 5. To doe him and his beſt friends a kindneſs, vindicate the lawfulneſs of our Miniſters calling againſt this ordinary ſlander, and convince him of his groſſe miſtake, I ſhall truly recite the Statute, Thus intituled: JESUITES and PRIESTS, in England ſhall depart, and NONE SHALL COME INTO THIS REALM. If ſo, then many Dippers, Speakers, Administrators, Members in Anabaptiſtical Congregations; many New-lights and Gifted-brethren in ſeparate Congregations; many Shakers, Quakers, Ranters, Broachers of new Notions, Errours, Blaſphemies, throughout the Realm; many new Politicians, Levellers, Agitators, Soldiers in the Army, if not ſome Officers; all the late converted pretended ††See the falſe Jew diſcovered at Newcaſtle for a cheat & Jeſuit p. 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13. dipped by M. Tillam at Hexam, a like Prieſt, now Adminiſtrator of the Anabaptiſts there. And Eliazer Bar Iſrael, his Vindication of the Meſſiah, a pretended converted Jew, but ſprinkled and baptized by the Jeſuits, dipped by our Anabaptiſts, and a Jeſuit in truth.Jews, dipped in Anabaptiſtical Congregations (diſcovered and known to be diſguiſed Ieſuites, purpoſely ſent from Rome, and the greateſt ſticklers againſt our Miniſters Tithes and Calling) muſt preſently depart, and none of them return into the Kingdom (as many have lately done) or elſe be executed for Traytors; But why ſo? what is their crime, work, imployment here; and by what marks or fruits ſhall we know, diſcover both them and their confederates? Let the words of the Statute (compared with all our late troubles, changes) reſolve the ignorant and incredulous, that there are many ſuch amongſt us, and of Iohn Cannes fraternity. Whereas divers perſons called or profeſſed JESUITES (theſe Canne wittingly conceals, though the firſt in the Bead-roll, and therfore is a Felon by the law) Seminary Prieſts and other Prieſts, which have been, and from time to time are made in p. 132parts beyond the Sea; by, or according to the Order and Rites of the Church of ROME, (and when Canne can prove that all or any of our Miniſters were thus made, as he hath confidently averred in print to thoſe, he calls, the Higher Powers and Supream Authority of the Nation, Let them be hanged for Traitors and Antichriſtian Miniſters in good earneſt, elſe let him be hanged in their ſtead, for this his impudent ſlander of them all, as well Independents as Presbyterians:) Have of late years come and been ſent into this Realm of England (and were any of our Miniſters ſuch, and not rather Canne himſelf, coming hither from Amsterdam for the purpoſes following) and other the Queens Dominions OF PURPOSE (AS IT HATH APPEARED, as well by ſome of their own examinations (now out of date) as by divers other Manifest means and proofs (more viſible of late years than ever) not only to withdraw her Highneſs ſubjects from their due obedience to her Majeſty, but alſo to ſtir up and move Sedition, R…bellion, and open Hoſtility within the ſame her Highneſs Realms and Dominions, to the great endangering of the ſafety of her moſt Royal Perſon, and to the utter ruine, deſolation and overthrow of the whole Realm (now effected as a Realm) if the ſame be not the ſooner (and now pray God it be not overlate) by ſome good means foreſeen and prevented. For reformation whereof, be it ordained, &c. That All Prieſts and Jeſuits (Canne cannot ſpy ſuch good friends within the Act, but deletes them out of it) Seminary Priests, and other Priests whatſoever, made and ordained out of the Realm of England, &c. ſhall depart the Realm under the penalties therein mentioned. Had Canne preſſed this Statute to thoſe he dedicates his Pamphlet, for the ſpeedy execution of it againſt thoſe many Jeſuits and Seminary Prieſts now in England, for their traiterous Practices and Deſignes therein mentioned, of late, and now driven on and almoſt compleated by them, it had been a commendable zeal; but not to write one word or ſyllable againſt theſe Romiſh Vermine, Arch-Engineers and Janizaries of the Romiſh See, now ſwarming among us, to ruine our Proteſtant Kings, Kingdoms, Parliaments, Laws, Liberties, Church, p. 133Miniſters, Miniſtry, Religion, and foreign Proteſtant Kingdoms, States, Churches now engaged by them in bloody Warres, both by Land and Sea; and to omit the very name of the Jeſuits (the firſt Popiſh Agents mentioned and chiefly intended in this Act) and preſſe it only againſt our Miniſters Calling, Miniſtry, Tithes, Maintenance, of purpoſe to ruine them and theirs, and by conſequence our Church and Religion (the Deſigne and ſcope of his whole Pamphlet) is ſuch a malicious, unchriſtian, Antichriſtian Practice, as proclaimes him to all the world, either a new converted Jeſuit, or Romiſh Factor, under the Garb of an old Anabaptiſt, or an over-grown cankered Anabaptiſt, void of Piety, Honeſty, inſpired by the very **John 8.44.John 8:44Father of Lyes. For not one of our Engliſh Miniſters I know or hear of (except two or three Jeſuits, and Popiſh Prieſts crept into livings in Staffordſhire and elſewhere very lately, I know not by whoſe favour or negligence) was ever ordained by any ſuch Juriſdiction or authority, as is here mentioned; which all our Miniſters (and their Ordainers too, whether Prelates or Presbyters) particularly and publickly abjured, both at the time of their reſpective Ordinations and admiſſions to their Benefices, and likewiſe when they took any Degree of learning in our Ʋniverſities, by the two known famous Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance, purpoſly made and ratified by **1 Eliz. c. 2. 5 Eliz. c 1. 3 Jac. c. 4, 5. 7 Jac. c. 6. 17 Car. The Act for Triennial Parliaments.Jas 4:5Jas 4:7ſundry, zealous, Proteſtant Parliaments againſt the uſurped Papal Jurisdiction and authority of the See of Rome, and the Popes, Jeſuits, Papists practices, to blow up, deſtroy our Proteſtant Kings, Parliaments, Laws, Liberties, Religion, and ſubvert our Kingly Government, whole State and Commonwealth, and for the better diſcovering of them; yet lately ſuſpended, abrogated, as dangerous unlawful Oathes, by ſome of Cannes good friends, who would be reputed Zealots againſt the Popes Iuriſdiction and his Creatures too: Now how thoſe Miniſters of our Church, who thus abjure the Iuriſdiction of Rome, at the time of their very Ordination, (and their Ordainers too, before them) and ſince have done the like in their Solemn League and Covenant, can without the higheſt ſlander be ſaid to derive their Ministry from it; (and that by Canne and p. 134his Ieſuitical, Anabaptiſtical Fraternity, who never took one of theſe Oathes, or the Covenant; and revile, repeal them as unlawful out of love to the Popes Juriſdiction, Jeſuits, Prieſts, their Jeſuitical, Treaſonable Conſpiracies, Treaſons, Practices, or for want of zeal againſt them,) Let the world and this ſlanderers own Conſcience (if he have any left) now determine. Beſides, who knows not (but this Ignoramus) that the Rites and Ceremonies of Ordination in the Church of Rome, recorded at large in Ceremoniale, & Pontificiale Pontificum Romanorum, and the ends of Ordination likewiſe (viz. to ſay Maſſe, create their Creator, offer up Christ in Sacrifice at the altar to his Father, Invocate Saints, adore Images, yield Canonical obedience to the Pope and his Supremacy, &c.) are far different from the form and ends of our Ministers Ordination in the Church of England, preſcribed by the Parl. of 5. & 6. Ed. 6. c. 1. ratified by the Statutes of 1 Eliz. c. 1, 2. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 8 Eliz. c. 1. and 39 Eliz. c. 8. (made only by Proteſtant Parliaments) which as they particularly condemn, renounce the Popes Power and Juriſdiction; ſo they declare and reſolve, our Miniſters Ordination to be lawfull; and them **8 Eliz. c. 1: and Book of Ordination.in very deed to be Miniſters, and rightly made, ordained and conſecrated, according to Gods word, without any derivative power or Ordination from the Church of Rome? Therefore for this New old pander for the Whore of Rome to averre, they receive their Miniſtry and ordination thence, is a Notorious Ly. Yea, but ſaith he, Francis Maſon of Conſecration, and Mr. Yates in his Modell of Divinity prove and confeſſe, That the Ministry of the Church of England (eſtabliſhed by the Law of the Land) is derived from the Pope and Rome. True, but in what ſenſe? onelyonly by way of Succeſſion, as his own Miniſtry and Faith (if he hath any) were derived from John of Leyden: or juſt as our Bibles, Religion, Baptiſm, Churches were derived thence, and all now living with Canne himſelf, derived from Popiſh Anceſtors, (many even from Popes, Popiſh Prieſts, Prelates, Friars,) by natural generation, as their ſurnames diſcover. God uſed the **See Antiqu. Eccleſ. Brit. Spelmanni Concil. Bp. Uſher Eccleſ. Brit. Antiqu. c. 1, 2, 3. &c. Beda Eccleſ. Hiſt.Popes of Rome and their Inſtruments to convert the Britains and Saxons from their Paganiſm to the Chriſtian (not Papal or Roman) p. 135Faith; which through Gods mercy hath continued amongſt us ever ſince; yet mixed of later times with manifold Popiſh Errors and Superstitions. Theſe Errors, Superſtitions, our godly Martyrs, and by them our Kings and Parliaments diſcovering, did thereupon by ſpecial Acts of Parliament aboliſh, as derived from the Church of Rome, together with the **See Raſtals Abridgment, Tit. Proviſion, Premunire, Rome, Crown, Service and Sacraments, Mr. Fox Acts and Monuments. Biſhop Jewels Apology.Popes uſurped power, and Gain, which they ſerved only to ſupport; retaining only the Scriptures, Sacraments, Soul-ſaving Doctrines, thence derived by ſucceſſion onelyonly (but authoritatively, originally from God and Chriſt himſelf) with ſuch Godly, Orthodox Biſhops and Miniſters, who though firſt ordained in the Church of England when Popiſh, did yet renounce all her Popiſh Errors, Corruptions, with the Popes Supremacy, and all Popiſh additional Rites to the form of their Ordination and Baptiſm: (which made neither of them void in Subſtance, no more than their annexing of the Apocrypha to the Canonical Scriptures, made them uncanonical.) Theſe afterwards ordained other Biſhops, Miniſters without any Popiſh Rites, in ſuch manner as the Goſpel preſcribes: which Mr. Maſon, Mr. Yates and others prove againſt the Papiſts, to be a lawful Ordination, though not made by the Popes Authority, nor according to former Popiſh Ceremonies. In this Senſe onelyonly, they write the bare Succeſſion, not the Office and Calling of our Miniſters (as this woodden Canne miſtakes) was derived from the Church of Rome; but their Miniſtry it ſelf from Christs own Institution. And if this makes them Popiſh and Antichriſtian, then all our Proteſtant Kings, Parliaments, Magiſtrates, Judges, Officers of all ſorts muſt be Popiſh too, if not Paganiſh, becauſe their Predeceſſors were ſuch: and all Officers, Souldiers of the Army, and Anabaptiſtical Saints too, who have purchaſed any Lands, Rents, Revenues of Abbies, Priories, Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Deans, Chapters, Archdeacons, muſt likewiſe be both Antichriſtian and Popiſh; becauſe their Predeceſſors, who firſt enjoyed, and from whom they do derive them, were ſuch, at leaſt in their and Cannes repute. I hope therefore, they will all now renounce theſe their Purchaſes to avoid the Guilt and high ſcandal of Popery and Antichriſtianiſm; or p. 136diſclaim this Second, Loud-lying Voice againſt our Miniſters and their Miniſtry, as a Voice only from a prophane empty Canne; not from a Sacred Temple, or Gods holy Spirit.

But to return from this neceſſary digreſſion, touching the Lawfulneſs of our Ministers Calling, unto their Tithes; We have ſecondly in this Text, 1 Cor. 9.13, 14. a Goſpel Ordinance for their very Tithes, confirmed by the old Levitical Law, and grounded on its Equity. But how doth this appear? By theſe emphatical words; Even ſo hath the Lord Ordained (in the Preterperfect Tenſe) That they which preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel; But where hath the Lord ordained this? The Apoſtle thrice reſolves expreſly, that he hath done it in the Levitical Law, v. 9. For it is written in the Laws of Moſes (Deut. 25.4.) Thou ſhalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn; doth God take care for Oxen? Or ſaith he it altogether for our ſakes? For our ſakes no doubt this is written: that he that ploweth ſhould plow in hope, and he that threſheth in hope, ſhould be partaker of his hope ; Which he again recites, 1 Tim. 5.18. If this Precept concerning the meat and maintenance of Oxen only in the Letter, though part of the Levitical Law, was doubtleſs written for, and really intended of the Miniſters of the Goſpels food and maintenance, and in full force under the Goſpel, as the Apoſtle clearly reſolves; then a fortiori, the Precepts of the Law concerning the food and livelihood of Gods Prieſts, and Levites under the Law, by Glebes and Tithes, not purely Ceremonial (as I have already proved) muſt doubtleſſe be intended of them, and be in full force likewiſe in their natural, equitable Sence and Proportion, in relation to their Livelihood for preaching of the Goſpel; there being a greater Analogy, Proportion between them and Preachers of the Goſpel, than betwixt them and Oxen. To put it out of doubt, he ſubjoyns; Do not ye know, that they which minister about holy things, live of the things of the Temple? and they which wait at the Altar, are partakers with the Altar? To wit, by Gods expreſſe Ordinance in the Levitical Law, which ye know, and therefore I need not particularly cite the words, as I did the other, of not p. 137muzzling the Ox, &c. which were more obſcure, and needed my former Paraphraſe on them; but thus mind you of them in the general: And then he inferrs and ſubjoyns: Even ſo hath the Lord ordained (to wit, by the very natural, moral Equity of the Lawes, Ordinances he made for the Prieſts and Levites Maintenance by Tithes, Glebes, and Free-will-offerings, for officiating in the Temple, and at the Altar under the Law) that the Preachers of the Goſpel (who now ſucceed, and ſupply their places, though in different ſervices in the Churches of Chriſt under the Goſpel) ſhould live of the Goſpel; even ſo fully, comfortably, and in ſuch ſort, as they did under the Law: Or at leaſt by this Goſpel text, ſuperadded to them by Gods Spirit. To make this out more fully, and clear it from the cenſure of Judaiſm, take notice of theſe four particulars.

1. That in the Holy Ghoſts Goſpel phraſe and language, there is a Temple among and for Chriſtians under the Goſpel, as well as among and for the Jews under the Law, (elſe Cannes Voice from the Temple, if there be no ſuch place, muſt be thus amended in his next Edition: A Voice from the Canne or Alehouſe) and that this Temple is nothing elſe, but the Church and Saints of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 6.16. 1 Cor. 3.16, 17. chap. 6.19. Epheſ. 2.21. 2 Theſſ. 2.4. Rev. 3 12. chap. 7.15. chap. 11.1, 2, 19. chap. 14, 15. chap. 15.5, 6, 8. chap. 16.1, 17. compared together.

2. That Chriſtians under the Goſpel, have likewiſe an Altar as well as the Jews, though different from theirs, Heb. 13.14. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which ſerve the Tabernacle; oft mentioned, Rev. 6.9. chap. 8.3, 5. chap. 9.13. ch. 14.18. yea coupled with the Temple, Rev. 11.1. Riſe, meaſure the Temple of God and the Altar.

3. We have Sacrifices to be offered in this Temple on the Altar, as well as the Jews in theirs. 1. The Sacrifice of Prayer, Rev. 8.3, 4, 5. 2. The Sacrifice of Praiſe, Heb. 13.15. 3. The Sacrifice of Charity, alms and good works, Heb. 13.16. 4. Our own bodies, which we muſt preſent as a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, by ſerving him according to his word, as rational men, not beaſts, that were both ſlain p. 138and ſacrificed under the Law, Rom. 12.1.

4. We have Prieſts likewiſe to offer up theſe ſpiritual Sacrifices, 1 Pet. 2.9. Rev. 1.6. chap. 5.10. chap. 20.6. And theſe are three. 1. Every ſanctified Chriſtian, who muſt offer up the Sacrifices of Prayer, Praiſe, alms, and his own body to God, in his private Cloſet and Family. 2. The Miniſters of the Goſpel, who muſt continually offer up theſe Sacrifices in the peoples behalf, in publick here on earth, in the Temple, for which we are to render them, not only Tithes and Glebes, but a Free-will-offering of bounty and charity beſides, a ſacrifice acceptable and well-pleaſing to God, Phil. 4.16.3. Chriſt Jeſus himſelf, our Altar and High Prieſt too, now ſitting in heaven, Heb. 13.15. cap. 2.17. c. 4.14, 15. c. 5.10. c. 6.20. c. 7.17, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28. c. 8.1. c. 10.21. And if Chriſtians have thus even under the Goſpel a Temple, an Altar, ſpiritual Sacrifices, Prieſts to officiate in, at them, and offer up theſe Sacrifices to God in publike, as well as the Jews; Why the Prieſts, who minister about holy things in this Evangelical Temple, wait continually at this ſpiritual Altar, offer theſe ſpiritual ſacrifices publikely unto God thereon, adminiſter the Sacraments, bleſſe the people, and preach the Goſpel likewiſe to them (as the Jewiſh Prieſts and Levites did teach, inſtruct and bleſs the people in the Law, and kill the Paſſeover, 2 Chron. 27.7, 8, 9. c. 30.15, 16, 17. cap. 35.2, 3. cap. 15.3. Ezra 7.25. Neh. 8.5, to 12. Numb. 6.23, 24, 25.) ſhould not receive both Glebes, Tithes, and voluntary Oblations from the people, as well as the Prieſts and Levites did under the Law, by vertue of the ſelf-ſame Levitical law of God, by which they claimed them (they being both the Prieſts of the ſelf-ſame God, and both executing the ſelf-ſame Prieſtly office in a different manner, and that by the Apoſtles own Argument, intention, and poſitive reſolution in this Goſpel text) let Canne and all other oppugners of their Tithes reſolve me and others, from as clear Goſpel texts as theſe I have here alleged, and others formerly inſiſted on in the firſt Propoſition, or elſe yeeld their cauſe for ever loſt.

I ſhall cloze up all with two other Goſpel texts, moſt urged and abuſed by thoſe now in power in their own caſes, who moſt of all forgot, tranſgreſſed, oppugned them heretofore p. 139in other mens. The firſt is, 1 Pet. 2.13, 14. Submit your ſelves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords ſake, whether it be to the King as Supreme, or unto Governours, &c.

The Second, Rom. 13.1, 2. Let every ſoul be ſubject unto the Higher powers, for there is no Power but of God: The powers that are, are ordained of God; whoſoever therefore reſiſteth the power, reſiſteth the Ordinance of God; and they that reſiſt ſhall receive to themſelves Damnation. That theſe two Scriptures extend only to lawful hereditary, or elective Kings, Governours, Higher powers, and that in their lawfull commands, alone; not to Uſurpers, Tyrants, Invaders of the peoples Rights, Laws, Liberties, Properties, Lives, (who may and ought to be reſiſted, as well as any other Theeves, Robbers, Invaders, Murtherers whatſoever) I have largely proved in My Second Part of my Soveraign Power of Parliaments and Kingdoms (Authorized by the Commons Houſe of Parliament) p. 102, to 131. to which I ſhall referr the Reader for ſatisfaction, not being the point in iſſue, to which alone I ſhall apply them. In the former Text laſt inſiſted on, we had an Ordinance of God himſelf for the Maintenance and Tithes of the Preachers of the Goſpel: here we have, two Goſpel commandements to ſubmit to every Ordinance of our lawfull Governours, and Higher Powers (agreeable to Gods Ordinances, or not repugnant to them) for the Lords ſake, & not to reſiſt them: for though the Ordinances themſelves be made but by men, and in that ſence ſtiled, every ordinance of man; yet the Powers that make them, are ordained of God; therefore thoſe who reſist them in their humane ordinances, though but in humane things, do therein reſiſt the very Ordinance of God, eſpecially in things divine, commanded by and approved in Gods own ſacred Word. Now the Maintenance of Gods Miniſters by Tithes, is an expreſſe Ordinance of God himſelf, both before and during the law, and under the Goſpel too, preſcribed, warranted by all the forecited Texts: And there are infinite **See Mr. Seldens Hiſtory of Tithes, c. 5, 6, 7, 8, 10. Bochellus Decr. Eccleſ. Gal. l .6. Tit. 8. de Decimis.Laws, Statutes, Decrees, Canons, Ordinances of juſt and lawfull Chriſtian Emperours, Kings, Governours, Parliaments, States, Councils, Synods, and all higher Powers, p. 140as well Civil as Eccleſiastical, in all Christian Kingdoms, States, Churches, eſpecially in our own, for the eſtabliſhment and due payment of them to the Miniſters and Preachers of the Goſpel: Therefore they are duely, conſtantly, chearfully to be paid unto them by all Chriſtians and Profeſſors of the very Goſpel, and cannot, may not be oppugned, detained, ſubſtracted, reſiſted by John Canne or any of his Confederates, nor abrogated by any pretending to Power Ordained by God, without reſisting the Ordinance of God himſelf, yea fighting against him; as theſe Texts and Acts 5.39. reſolve. For which they ſhall receive to themſelves damnation, though they dream (as many now do) they ſhould merit heaven and ſalvation too, by ſubſtracting, ſubverting both Tithes and Miniſters, even by open armed violence, if they cannot accompliſh it by Jeſuitical Policy, and pious frauds. And thus much for the confirmation of the Second Propoſition by Scripture Texts and Preſidents.

For humane Authorities, that Tithes are lawfull and due to Miniſters by a Divine Right even under the Goſpel, I could cite very many, were I **This was penned at Swainſwick in the long Vacation 1653.near my Library and Books as heretofore, but being far diſtant from them, I ſhall trouble you onelyonly with a Catalogue of ſuch as I have by me, or remember: **See Dr. Tilleſſee his Animadverſions on Mr. Seldens Hiſtory of Tithes, where moſt of the Fathers & antients are cited at large.Fathers of this Judgment and opinion you may peruſe Origen Homil. in Numeros, c. 18. St. Ambroſe in Sermone Quadrageſimae, cited by Gratian Cauſa 16. qu. 7. St. Hierome on Mal. 3. and St. Auguſtine De Tempore Serm. 219. De Reddendis Decimis Tom. 9. both cited by Gratian Cauſa 16. qu. 1. For Councils, you may peruſe Concilium Rothomagenſe & Magotienſe in Gratian Cauſa 16. qu. 7. Concilium Matiſconenſe 2. Anno 588. Concilium apud Solemanum Anno 1266. Synodus Rothingue Anno 1581. Concilium Trecenſe Anno 1427. (which reſolves, Decimae fuerunt à DEO primitus Inſtitutae; & Praecipiuntur ſolvi tam de veteri, quam de Novo Teſtamento) Synodus Lingonenſis Anno 1404. Synodus Turonenſis Anno 1588. Concilium Tridentinum & Tholoſanum, Anno 1591. which decree, That the payment of Tithes, Divino jure cautum eſt, ſacriſque utriuſque Teſtamenti libris confirmatum. All theſe Collected together by Bochellus Decreto Eccleſiae Galicanae l. 6. p. 141Tit. 8. De Decimis, Concilium Tridentinum, ſeſſio. 25. c. 12. The Council of Orenth An. 1549. with many more recorded in Binius, Surius, Crab, Caranza, Merlin, Syrmond, and other Collectors of the Decrees of Councils, reſolve, Tithes to be due to the Ministers of the Goſpel by Divine Right, ratified both by the Old and New Teſtament. For forein popiſh aaBochellus Decret. Eccleſ. Gal. 6. Tit. 8. c. 8. p. 904.Gal 6Authors, Aimericus Biſhop of Poitiers in France in a Synod there held, Anno 1367. Enjoyned all Chaplains on Lords-dayes and Holy-dayes diligently to declare to the people in time of Maſſe, and likewiſe in their Sermons under pain of Excomunication, Qualiter Ex praecepto Divinae Legis, quilibet Catholicus tenetur ſolvere Eccleſiae decimas de omnibus licitè acquiſitis: Gratian the Canoniſt Cauſa 16. qu. 1. & 7. with John Thiery, and other Gloſſers on his Text; The Clergie of the Dioceſſe of bbEdicts & Ordenances, Tom. 4. p. 493.Paris & Troyes in France, mentioned in an Edict of H. the 2. of France, An. 1542. & of the Clergy of Poiſſy, recited in an Edict of Charls the 9. An. 1562. for payment of Tithes, as introduced & inſtituted by divine right. Hoſtienſis in his Summa Aurea, Angelus de Clavaſio in his Summa Angelica: Baptiſta Tuvomala, in his Summa Roſſella, Tit. Decimae; Innocentius, Reſ. de Decimis, Albertus Pius Carpenſis, Rebuffus de Decimis, Tyndarus in his ſpecial Tract de Decimis, printed at Colen Anno 1590. and generally all other Canoniſts. Alexander Alenſis Summa Theol. parte 4. qu. 2, 3, 4. Richardus de Media villa in lib. 4. Sentent. Diſtinct. 17. and moſt other ccThomas Waldenſis Doctr…nalis Fidei l. 2. Artic. 3. c. 64, 65.Schoolmen on that place. Aquinas 2.2. quaeſt. 87. with moſt Commentators on him, there aſſert, That Tithes are even at this day due to Miniſters, Iure Divino, in quantum ſunt à jure Naturali & Morali, but not as they were Ceremonial. Popiſh old and New Expoſitors, Commentators on Gen. 14. & 28. Levit. 27. 2 Chron. 31. Neh. 10. & 13. Mal. 3. Mat. 10. Luke 10. Rom. 16. 1 Cor. 9. Gal. 6.6. 1 Theſ. 5. Heb. 7. 1 Tim. 5. are all of the ſame opinion, and moſt Proteſtant Expoſitors likewiſe. Yea St. Briget in her Revelationes Extravagantes, cap. 83, 84. will reſolve our female Quakers (who now pretend to immediate Extravagant Revelations as well as ſhe) That thoſe do ſpoil Christ himſelf of his Right, who do not pay Tithes to him and his Miniſters; and that by a revelation from Chriſts own mouth. Therefore the Jeſuits, popiſh Prieſts, Papiſts activity, buſineſs now in declaiming againſt p. 142Engliſh Proteſtant Miniſters Tithes as popiſh and antichriſtian, againſt the Decrees, Reſolutions of all their own Councils, Canoniſts, Caſuists, Schoolmen, Expoſitors, Popes, can proceed from no other ground but a malicious deſign to ſubvert, ſtarve, ruine our Proteſtant Miniſters for want of maintenance, and thereby to extirpate our Religion to advance their own in its place, and then they will cry and ſet up Tithes again as much as ever. The judgement of Forein Proteſtant Divines concerning the Divine right of Miniſters maintenance, and that by Tithes where ſetled, and the Sacrilegious impiety of thoſe, who would rob them of it, you may read in their Commentaries and Expoſitions on the Texts forecited. Let learned Nicholas Hemingius ſpeak for them all in his words already cited; and in his Expoſition on Gal. 6.6. p. 175. Dicit Scriptura, Bovi trituranti non obligabis os. Et dignus eſt Operarius mercede ſua: Indigniſſimus igitur Chriſtiano nomine cenſendus eſt, qui Miniſtros Evangelii totius Eccleſiae curam gerentes negligit. Beſtia quavis immanior eſt (Let Canne and his Confederates remember it) qui eos odio proſequitur & proſcindit, quorum Miniſterio ad ſalutem, & immortalitatem invitatur. Sed proh dolor! bona pars mundi (and never ſo much as now) huc incumbit, ut potius aliquid adimat Miniſterio, quam addat, tanta est ingratitudo & perverſitas, etiam illorum, qui ſacrilege audeat gloriari de Chriſtiano nomine. Horum ſanè factum, nihil differre arbitror à ſacrilegio & latrocinio, cujus poenas olim luent architecti et fabri hujus mali. Non eſt quod quiſquam quaerat ſubterfugia, quibus ſe excuſet, cur minus ſit Liberalis erga Miniſtros Evangelii: Oculos quidem hominum fallere poteſt; ſed Deus non fallitur, in cujus contemptum alia atque alia praetexunt ingrati. Hic tres Loci obſervantur: Primus, Quod victus et alia Officia debeantur oeconomis myſteriorum Dei, ſeu Catecheſis. Secundus, Quod pernicioſus error fit, non prudentia, defraudare miniſtros ſua debita mercede. Tertius, Quod Spiritus Sanctus in Paulo interpretetur, Deriſionem Majeſtatis divinae eſſe negare victum et alia officia verbi doctoribus.

I ſhall ſubjoyn to him theſe memorable ſeaſonable Paſſages of ‖‖Operum Tom. 1. Tiguri. 1581. f. 273.Huldricus Zuinglius, in his Brevis Paſtorum Iſagoge; where he reſolves thus. Quotquot ergo hac tempeſtate noſtra p. 143divini verbi patrocinio, et falſo praetextu confiſi debitos Cenſus et Decimas, et alia hujuſmodi quae juſtis Legibus ſolvere jubentur, negare inſtituunt, omnes hi hujus praecepti ſententia damnantur, quo monemur, Ne quis furtum faciat: quin hoc ipſo Reliquis furibus pejores ſunt, quod furto ſuo praetextum quendam et patrocinium ex Chriſti doctrina adducere conantur. Quod ſi eo res redigatur, ut debita ſingulis impune negare liceat, et nulla legitimi Magiſtratus cura ſit et ratio, nullus denique honeſtarum legum reſpectus, quis non videt quanto tutius fuerit cum immaniſſima Turcarum Gente, quam cum hujuſmodi Hominibus omnis aequitatis et juſtitiae negligentibus converſari? Nec enim ulla poteſt in Deum dici Blaſphemia atrocior, nulla enim re magis ipſius nomen infamari, quam ſi hujuſmodi Fraudes et Impoſturas nequiſſimas, nominis illius praetextu, et Religionis Titulo Defendere conemur. Let our Anabaptiſts, Quakers, Tith-detainers, conſider and tremble at it. In his Book **Operum Tom. 1. f. 319. b.De Duplici Juſtitia, Divina & Humana: treating of Tithes and their diverſe kinds, he concludes thus. De iſtis vero Decimis, quae Spiritualium vel Clericorum (ut vocant) ſunt, vel illorum aere redemptae, conſtanter affirmo, eas omnino reddendas eſſe, quamdiu Magiſtratus has ſolvere jubet. Quin et illud Magiſtratui licere dicimus, ut ſi inobedientes, et has ſolvere nolint, juſto Imperio ad harum ſolutionem cogat. Decimarum enim tranſlatio communi Magiſtratuum conſenſu inſtituta eſt, et juxta Decimam aeſtimationem omnes fundi, agri et praedia vel vilius vel carius quoque divendita et empta ſunt. Quiſquis vero contra communem illum legitimi Magiſtratus conſenſum ex proprio animi ſui arbitrio et conſilio privato Decimas negaverit, Magiſtratui reſiſtit quiſquis talis eſt, qui vero Magiſtratui ſeſe inobedientem exhibet, Deo quoque reſiſtit, ut ſuperius abunde ſatis demonſtratum eſt. He concludes thus, Singulorum Officium eſt decimas juxta Magiſtratus Sententiam et Decretum exolvere ; nec enim quiſquam hominum privato et violento conſilio quicquam hic tentabit niſi furum et raptorum Iudicium ſubire cupiat.

Learned Gulielmus Stuckius, Antiquitatum Convivalium p. 144l. 1. c. 19. De Decimis, Stipendiis, atque Salariis eorum qui Eccleſiis praeſunt; proves from the example of Abraham and vow of Jacob, Conſuetudinem Decimas dandi etiam ante legem fuiſſe uſitatam. Vereſimile etiam eſt Ethnicos ab illis commemoratis exemplis tritum illud ſuum et uſitatum praedae, ſpoliarum, et quicquid ab hoſtibus captum eſt, Decimam Jovi caeteriſque Diis vovendi ſolvendique morem traxiſſe, cujus multa ſane illuſtria exempla extant apud Alexand. ab Alex. l. 3. Genial. c. 22. Then he ſhews how God preſcribed them to the Levites and Prieſts, that the payment of them continued in Chriſts time, and was revived by Chriſtian Emperors and Magiſtrates, as Constantine, Charles the Great. Concluding thus. Ut ergo impie agunt illi Magiſtratus, qui bona Eccleſiae dicata ad ſe rapiunt, vel ad alios uſus transferunt: ita Impii et Sacrilegi ſunt privati Homines, qui non modo nihil pro ſuis facultatibus conferunt ad Miniſtri Eccleſiaſtici et Scholarum conſervationem, ſed Decimas et Cenſus devitos, jam antea Eccleſiae dicatos, vel omnino non ſolvunt, vel non ea, qua par eſt fide, &c. Itaque mirum non eſt multa quotidie cum privata, tum publica mala, annonae praeſertim caritatem ingruere, Cum Decime ali…que Cenſus ad Eccleſiarum Scholarumque conſervationem pertinentes, vel negantur, vel maligne perſolvantur.

For our own Domeſtick Councils, Parliaments and Writers Judgements herein; **Spelman. Conc tom. 1. p. 259, 268, 396, 347, 402, 418, 554, 620. Gulielmi Lambardi Archalon.Egbert Archbiſhop of York in his Excerptions about the year of Chriſt, An: 750. c. 4.99, 100. The National Council of Calchuth under King Oſwald and Offa, ann. 787. c. 17. forecited. The famous Council of Grateley, under King Athelstan, ann. 928. cap. 1. De Decimis ſollicite reddendis. Odo Archbiſhop of Canterbury in his Conſtitutions, ann. 943. c. 10. De Decimis reddendis. The Canons under King Edgar, about the year 967. Can. 54. The Eccleſiaſtical laws of King Aethelred, ann. 1012. cap. 4. The Eccleſiaſtical laws of Edward the Confeſſor, c. 8. confirmed by William the Conqueror. The Popiſh Schoolmen, Canoniſts, and Commentators on the Texts forecited, (whoſe names I pretermit) the ‖‖Seldens Hiſtory of Tithes c. 7. p. 171Convocation of England, an. 5 H. 6. p. 145and the Petition of the Engliſh Clergy in Parliament, 50 E. 3. rot. Parl. n. 199. reſolve in poſitive terms, That Tithes are due to God and his Miniſters under the Goſpel, by Divine Right. The ſame is aſſerted by divers of our Proteſtant Divines, particularly by Dr. George Carleton, in his Treatiſe intituled, Tithes proved to be due by a Divine Right, printed at London 1606. By Dr. William Sclater his Miniſters Portion. By Richard Eburne his Maintenance of the Miniſtry, London 1609. By Richard Mountague, in his Diatribe on the firſt part of the History of Tithes, London 1628. by Robert Tileſlee his Animadverſions on Mr. Seldens Hiſtory of Tithes, London 1619. Mr. Samuel Purchas in his Pilgrimage, l. 2. c. 7. with ſundry others. And though one or two Engliſh Writers are of a different opinion, yet they all accord, that being ſetled by our laws, they are duely to be paid, even in point of juſtice and conſcience; that they are not ſimply unlawfull; but a juſt and fitting maintenance under the Goſpel, which Mr. Selden in his Hiſtory of Tithes & Review thereof doth affirm, and no wayes oppoſe: Seeing then all theſe, with the laws of ſundry other Kings, Nations, and Authorities of all ſorts, conclude them to be of Divine Right, and conclude it both a grievous Sinne and Sacrilege againſt God to ſubſtract or aboliſh them; and thoſe who oppugn their Divine Right under the Goſpel, do affirm, it is no ſin, but a bounden Debt and Duty to pay them, as ſettled by humane Grants, Donations, Vows, Laws, Canons, Constitutions, Preſcriptions time out of minde; how any bearing the name of Chriſtians, can or dare with open face oppugn, detain, or attempt their total abrogation now, as Jewiſh or Antichriſtian, I referre it to their own conſciences, and others reſolutions to determine.

I ſhall anſwer one grand Objection againſt Miniſters Tithes under the Goſpel; and ſo cloze up this Chapter.Object. Neither Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, nor his Apoſtles, nor the Miniſters of the Primitive Church for two or three hundred years after them, received Tithes for preaching the Goſpel, but lived onelyonly upon the peoples alms and voluntary contributions. Therefore the Miniſters of the Goſpel likewiſe after them ought to receive no Tithes of the people for preaching the Goſpel, but to live upon Alms p. 146and voluntary contributions, as they did. This was William Thorps chief Argument againſt Tithes, Fox Acts and Monuments, vol. 1. p. 699, 700. who addes, That thoſe Prieſts, who will challenge or take Tithes, deny that Chriſt is come in the fleſh, and do the Prieſts Office of the Old Law, for whom Tithes were granted, for elſe Prieſts take now Tithes wrongfully; citing this, not as his own, but a Doctors opinion, whoſe name he remembred not, but thought it was St. Jerome; (or rather St. Canne) in his New Voyce, p. 13, 14, 15. who delivers this for Orthodox Doctrine; which St. aaSee Gratian Cauſ. 16. qu. 1.Jerome directly contradicts, with all other antient Doctors I have read.

Anſw. Anſw.To this I reply, 1. That Chriſt and his Apoſtles lived amongſt the Jews, who at that time were obliged by Gods own Law to pay their Tithes only to ſuch Prieſts and Levites as were of the Tribe of Levi, of which Tribe Christ and his Apoſtles were not; therefore they challenged not Tithes from them, Heb. 7.5. to 15.

2. They then paid their Tithes duly to their Priests and Levites (mentioned John 1.19.) for which Chriſt commended them, reſolving they ought not to omit it, Mat. 23.23. Luke 11.42. ch. 18.12. Therefore it was no reaſon they ſhould pay them over again to Chriſt or his Apoſtles (no more than Papiſts, who pay Tithes in kind againſt their wills unto our Miniſters, though not to their own Prieſts, but only voluntary Contributions) whiles their Prieſthood ſtood in force, which they generally ſubmitted to.

3. The total abrogation of the Levitical Prieſthood and Ceremonies by the death of Chriſt, was not certainly known to, nor reſolved by the Apoſtles and believing Jews or Gentiles, till ſome years ſpace after our Saviours Aſcenſion, as is evident by Acts 15. in the great caſe of Circumciſion, about which there was a Synod aſſembled; by Pauls circumciſing Timothy after this, becauſe of the Jews, Acts 16.3. his purifying himſelf, and ſhaving his head after the Jewiſh manner, many years afterward, Acts 21.20, to 28. which he being a Jew, was obliged even then to obſerve to avoid ſcandal, but not the Gentiles. Therefore Tithes amongſt the Jewes upon this account, were then ſtill paid to their Levitical Prieſts, not to the Apoſtles.

p. 1474. Though Chriſt whiles on earth, received no Tithes from the Jewes, yet he had a juſt Right, Title to Tithes from Abraham and all his Poſterity, yea from the Levitical Prieſts themſelves (eſpecially after their abolition) as he was a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedeck, to whom Abraham himſelf and the Levites then in his loins paid Tithes of all, Heb. 7.1, to 15. (of which at large before:) Therefore he had a juſt Right to receive Tithes from them, both before the inſtitution, and after the abolition of the Levitical Prieſthood, which he might have lawfully claimed, exerciſed, and his Apoſtles likewiſe in his Right, though they did it not. We read that Chriſt had a juſt Right, Title by Inheritance, and lineal deſcent from his Father King David, to the Temporal Crown and Kingdome of Judah; being therefore ſaid by the Wiſe men, Mat. 2.2. to be born King of the Iews (an unanſwerable Argument for the lawfullneſſe, Excellency of Hereditary Titles to Crowns and Kingdomes, before that of Election only, wherewith I frequently ſilenced vapouring Souldiers againſt Hereditary Kingſhip, being the very Title of Chriſt himſelf, both to his aaLuke 1.32, 33. Rev. 22.16. Iſa. 9.6, 7. Jer. 25.5. c. 30.9. c. 33.17, 21, 26. Ezech. 37.24, 26.Luke 1:32Luke 1:33Rev 22:16Isa 9:6Isa 9:7Jer 25:5Ezek 37:24Ezek 37:26Spiritual and Temporal Kingdome, and that which bbGen. 49.10. Deut. 17.20. 2 Sam. 7.12, to 24. 1 Kings 2.4. c 8.20. c. 9.5. c. 15.3, 4. Pſ. 89.3, 4, 28, to 39. Pſ. 132.11, 12, 13. 2 Chro. 6.10, 16, 17. c. 2.11. c. 13.5. c. 7.18. c. 21.7. c. 23.3. Jer. 17.24, 25, 26. c. 22.3, 4. c. 33.17, 22.Gen 49:10Deut 17:202 Sam 7:12–241 Kgs 2:4Ps 89:3Ps 89:4Ps 89:28–39Ps 132:11Ps 132:12Ps 132:132 Chr 6:102 Chr 6:162 Chr 6:17Jer 17:24Jer 17:25Jer 17:26God instituted amongſt his Church, people, as the beſt, ſureſt of all other, cc2 Sam. 10.1. 1 Chro. 19.1. 2 Kings 3.26, 27. c. 13.24. c. 14.37. Iſa. 19.11. c. 37.38.2 Sam 10:11 Chr 19:12 Kgs 3:262 Kgs 3:27Isa 19:11taken up by moſt Heathen Nations;) Now though Chriſt neither claimed nor exerciſed this his Temporal Right, but avoided it, when the people would have made him King by force, John 6.15. who yet after cryed him up for the King of Iſrael, John 12.13, 15. which even Pilate himſelf acknowledged, when he ſaid unto the Jews Behold your King: demanded of them, Shall I crucifie your King? and wrote, fixed this Title on his Croſſe, Ieſus of Nazareth King of the Iews, John 19.14, 15, 19. will, or can John Canne, or any other of his antimonarchical confederates, hence juſtly infer; that it was unlawfull for Chriſt himſelf, Right Heir by Deſcent to his Hereditary Temporal Kingdome, kept and thruſt out thereof by uſurping Herod (who murthered all the infants in Bethlehem, and the Coaſts thereof that were two years old and under, and would have murthered our Saviour himſelf to ſecure his own uſurped Power, Mat. 2.13, 16. ſuch is the bloody p. 148cruelty, Jealouſie of Uſurpers,) to have claimed or exerciſed this his juſt, Hereditary Right to the Crown? or unlawfull for the people to have thruſt out this bloody Intruder Herod, by force from his uſurped Authority, and made Chriſt King as they intended? or becauſe Chriſt did then voluntarily forbear, relinquiſh his Temporal Right to Herod, will it thence neceſſarily follow, that it is therefore unlawfull, for any other Hereditary Chriſtian King, or Right Heir to a Crown, kept from, or thruſt out of his Throne, Kingdome by armed violence, againſt the generality of his peoples deſires, by any aſpiring, uſurping Herod, to lay claim to his Crown, Kingdome, or for the faithfull, natural born Subjects, according to their duty, Oathes, Allegiance, to endeavour by all lawfull means, and open force to expell, dethrone ſuch Herods, and Crown, ſet up their lawfull Soveraign on the Throne of the Kingdome? Doubtleſſe they cannot be ſo abſurdly ſtupid, to affirm it; ſeeing Jehoiadah the high Prieſt, the Captains of Hundreds, Levites, Souldiers and people too, thruſt out and ſlew with the ſword Athaliah (the bloody Uſurper of the Kingdome and Throne of Judah) in the ſecond year of her Uſurpation, crowned Joaſh the Kings Son, King, as the Lord had ſaid of the Sons of David, and ſet him upon the Throne of the Kingdome: whereupon all the people of the Land rejoyced, and the City was quiet: as is recorded at large to their eternal Honour by God himſelf, and for others imitation in the like caſe, 2 Chron. 23. and 2 Kings 11. The rather, becauſe all other men by our Laws may juſtly lay claim to, and repoſſeſſe themſelves of ſuch Lands, Houſes, Goods, as others forcibly detain or take from them againſt all Law, Right, notwithſtanding Chriſts Non-claim to his Rightful Crown: Therefore by the ſelf-ſame Reaſon our Miniſters of the Goſpel now may lawfully challenge and take Tithes from the people, though Chriſt and his Apoſtles did it not, albeit they had a juſt Right and Title to them, which they might have exerciſed had they pleaſed without Sin, or Judaiſm, as our Miniſters do now, as Paul reſolves in 1 Cor. 9.4, 5, 6, 15, 18. To clear which Right from Judaiſm and all other cavils p. 149beyond all contradiction, I ſhall cite only two Prophecies, relating joyntly to Christs Kingdom, and Miniſters under the Goſpel. The firſt is Jer. 33.15. to the end. In thoſe dayes and at that time will I cauſe the Branch of Righteouſneſs to grow up unto David, and he ſhall execute Righteouſneſſe and Judgement in the Land. In thoſe days ſhall Judah be ſaved, and Jeruſalem ſhall dwell ſafely, and this is the name wherewith he ſhall be called, The Lord our Righteouſneſs. For thus ſaith the Lord, David ſhall never want a man to ſit upon the Throne of the houſe of Iſrael: Neither ſhall the Prieſts, the Levites, want a man before me to offer Burnt-Offerings, and to kindle Meat-Offerings, and to do Sacrifices continually. Thus ſaith the Lord, if you can break my Covenant of the day, and my Covenant of the night, ſo that there ſhould not be day and night in their ſeaſon: then may alſo my Covenant be broken with David my Servant, that he ſhould not have a Son to reign upon his Throne, (therefore our Covenants, Oaths to our Kings, their Heirs and Succeſſors, ſhould be as ſtable, as inviolable, and ſtrictly obſerved, as Gods to David and his Poſterity, Pſ. 89.3, 4, 34. Pſ. 132.11, 12. Hebr. 6.17, 18. Pſ. 15.4. Eccleſ. 8.2. Gal. 3.15, 17.) and with the Levites the Prieſts my Miniſters. As the hoſt of heaven cannot be numbred, neither the ſand of the Sea meaſured, ſo will I multiply the ſeed of David my Servant, and the Levites that miniſter unto me, &c. The ſecond is Iſa. 66.18, to 20. I will gather all nations and tongues, and they ſhall come and ſee my Glory, and I will ſet a Sign among them, and I will ſend thoſe that eſcape of them unto the Nations, and to Tarſhiſh, &c. and to the Iſles afar off (whereof England is chief and principally intended) And they ſhall bring all your Brethren for an **See Rom. 12.1.Rom 12:1Offering unto the Lord out of all Nations, upon Horſes and in Chariots, and in Litters, and upon Mules, and upon ſwift Beaſts, to my holy Mountain in Jeruſalem, ſaith the Lord, as the Children of Iſrael bring an Offering in a clean Veſſel unto the Houſe of the Lord, And I will alſo take of them for Prieſts and for Levits, ſaith the Lord: From which Texts I ſhall obſerve;

p. 1501. That as Chriſts Title to his everlaſting Spiritual Kingdom under the Goſpel, over all the converted Gentiles as well as Jews, is expreſly ſet forth to be neither elective, nor by conqueſt, but by DESCENT, HEIRSHIP and lineal ſucceſſion after the fleſh from King David; Whence he is ſtiled Heir of all things, Heb. 1.12. And the Lord ſhall give unto him THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID, and HE ſhall reign over the Houſe of Jacob for ever, &c. Luke 1.32, 33. Ezech: 27.22, 24. Jer: 23.4, 5. c. 33.14, 15, 16. even as all the regenerated Sons of God are by their Right of Son-ſhip, and new-birth, in like ſort intituled to the Kingdom of heaven (whence they are ſtiled HEIRS and INHERITORS OF THE KINGDOM, Jam: 2.5. Gal: 3.27. Rom: 8.17. Titus 3.17. Heb: 1.14. chap: 6.17. 1 Pet: 3.7. Mat: 25.34. and this Kingdom THE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS, Col: 1.12. Epheſ. 1.11, 14, 18. 1 Pet: 1.4. Acts 20.32. an unanſwerable argument, that Heirſhip and Birthright is the Beſt, Sureſt, Juſteſt, Honorableſt, Lawfulleſt Title of all other to Crowns, Kingdoms, and Poſseſſions on earth, being the very Title of Chriſt himſelf to his everlaſting Kingſhip, Kingdom, and of the Saints in and by Chriſt, to the Kingdom of heaven it ſelf, and Crown of Glory;) ſo the Seat, Throne of this his Kingdom, is ſaid to be in Zion and Jeruſalem: (moſt emphatically expreſſed, Iſa: 24.23. The Lord of Hoſts ſhall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jeruſalem, before his Ancients gloriouſly) A type of the Church of God under the Goſpel, firſt planted in Jeruſalem, and propagated from thence throughout the world, according to the Prophecies, Iſa. 2.3. Micah 4.2. Whence the Church under the Goſpel is called the New Jeruſalem, &c. Rev. 3.12. chap. 21.2, 10. Gal: 4.26. Heb: 12.22.

2. That the Miniſters of, and under the Goſpel, are expreſly ſtiled in theſe Prophecies Prieſts and Levites, ſeveral times.

3. That their Office under the Goſpel in a myſtical ſenſe, is to offer Burnt-offerings, to bake or kindle Meat-Offerings, to do Sacrifices continually, and to Minister unto God.

4. That theſe Prieſts and Levites, ſhould be taken out of the converted Gentiles, and Iſles afar off, whereof our Iſle was chief.

p. 1515. That theſe Prieſts and Levites ſhould never fail, ceaſe, nor want a man under the Goſpel, and that God would multiply them as the Hoſt of Heaven, as well as the Seed of David.

6. That they ſhould convert and bring their brethren for an offering out of all Nations, and the Iſles afar off, to Gods Mountain and Houſe in Jeruſalem, as the children of Iſrael uſed to bring their offerings thither. Since therefore the Miniſters of the Goſpel in theſe prophecies are thus expreſly ſtiled Prieſts and Levites, and are to offer Burnt-Offerings, Meat-Offerings, Sacrifices and Oblations to God in his Mountain and Houſe at Jeruſalem, &c. under David their King, in an Evangelical ſence, without any Judaiſm or denying of Chriſts coming in the fleſh; they may undoubtedly in the ſelf-ſame ſence and Right, receive all Glebes, Tithes, Oblations, and other dues from Chriſtians, and converted Jews under the Goſpel, which the Prieſts and Levites did at Jeruſalem under King David and his Succeſſors; ſeeing they ſucceed them in their Office in an Evangelical ſence, according to theſe prophecies, which as ſtrongly confirm the Maintenance of their Prieſtly Function, and their Tithes, as their Evangelical Prieſthood.

7. Although Chriſt, his Apoſtles, and the Miniſters of the Goſpel in the Primitive times, whiles the Church was in the ‖‖Rev. 12.14, 15.Rev 12:14Rev 12:15Wilderneſs under grievous, bloudy, Antichriſtian Kings, Magiſtrates, Perſecutors, by reaſon of the preſent perſecution, neither did nor could receive Tithes and Glebes for their Maintenances from the perſecuted Chriſtians, and therefore were neceſſitated to live by private Contribution, and extraordinary wages in that caſe of extremity; yet it no way follows, that therefore all Miniſters of the Goſpel afterwards ſhall and muſt do ſo in ſetled Kingdoms, States, Nations converted to the faith; where Kings, Magiſtrates, People do all generally embrace, profeſſe the Goſpel, where Churches are eſtabliſhed, and Miniſters Glebes, Tithes are or may be confirmed by ſetled Laws: which I ſhall irrefragably prove by theſe inſtances.

1 The Prieſts and Levites under the Law, had no Glebes nor Tithes at all, whiles the Iſraelites wandred 40 years together in the wilderneſſe, though they had then ‖‖Levit. 27.30, 31, 32. Numb. 35.2, 3, 4.Lev 27:30Lev 27:31Lev 27:32Num 35:2Num 35:3Num 35:4a Law, and right to receive them. Will the Objectors thence inferre, p. 152Therefore they ought to have no Tithes nor Glebes when the Iſraelites were poſſeſſors of and ſetled in the land of Canaan in peace; when they enjoyed both without diſpute?

2. The Prieſts and Levites had no Tithes nor Glebes in the Realm of Iſrael under the Ʋſurper Jeroboam, and his Idolatrous ſucceſſors, who deprived them of their poſſeſſions, Cities, Suburbs, Tithes and Priests Office too, 2 Chron. 11.13, 14. c. 13.9. Therefore the Prieſts and Levites in the Kingdom of Iudah, might not lawfully claim nor enjoy any Glebes or Tithes, nor Miniſters under the Goſpel, nor yet thoſe in Iſrael, under David and Solomon, who were no Perſecutors but Patrons of them.

3. When both theſe Kingdoms with their Prieſts and Levites were carried away captives into Aſſyria and Babylon, the Prieſts and Levites during the 70 years capivity enjoyed neither Glebes nor Tithes: Will it thence follow, Therefore they might lawfully enjoy neither, after their reſtitution to their Country, and execution of their Prieſtly Function, and the re-edifying of the Temple? as we read they did, Neh: 10.38. c. 12.44. c. 13.1, to 13. Whence the people were charged with robbing of God, when they neglected to pay Tithes and Oblations to them, Mal. 3.7, 8, 9, 10.

4. Chriſt himſelf, ſo ſoon as born, was forced to fly out of his Country into Aegypt, by bloudy Herod, and to remain there till after his death, Mat: 2.13, 14, 15. After which he complained, That Foxes had holes, and Birds of the ayr neſts; yet he had not where to lay his head, Mat: 8.20. Luke 9.58. And at laſt, he was apprehended, mocked, reviled, crowned with thorns, crucified by the malicious Iews and SOLDIERS, who parted his Garments among them, and caſt Lots upon his Veſture: The Evangeliſts cloſing up the Tragedy of his Paſſion with this perpetual brand upon the Domineering cruel ſoldiers, Theſe things therefore the Soldiers did, Iohn 19.24. For which, and for reporting a Lye to ſmother the truth of Chriſts Reſurrection, the High Prieſt Gave large money to the Soldiers, Matt. 28.12, 15. Will Canne therefore hence conclude; Therefore our Soldiers now muſt force our Miniſters to fly into Aegypt till Herods death; leave them neither Rectory, Perſonage houſe, nor Vicarige, nor yet ſo much as a Bed, Bolſter, Tithe-Hay or Straw, whereon to lay their heads; then nail them to the Croſſe, peirce their ſides with their ſpears-points, revile, deride them, and at laſt part not only all their Glebes, Tithes, Goods, but their very Garments and Gowns between them? to make them like our Saviour. Surely if they muſt and ſhall do ſo; let them beware of another perpetual memento, like the former. Theſe things therefore, the Souldiers did: So the Souldiers took the money, and did as they were taught, by Canne and Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuites.

5. The Apoſtles who ſucceeded our Saviour in thoſe dayes of perſecution, were thus handled, by Pauls own relation, 1 Cor. 4.9, &c. We are made a ſpectacle unto the world, unto Angles and to men: we are fools for Chriſts ſake, we are weak, we are deſpiſed: even to this preſent hour, we are hungry and thirſt, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place, we are reviled, perſecuted, defamed; we are as the filth of the world, and the off-ſcouring of all things unto this day. If all Miniſters in times of peace and ſettlement muſt be like the Apoſtles, in not receiving Tithes; then they muſt be like them too even in ſetled Chriſtian Kingdoms, States, Churches, in all theſe their particular ſufferings; and have no certain dwelling place, &c. And if ſo; Let Canne and his new Miniſters of the Goſpel (as they ſtile themſelves) begin the preſident; of whom our Miniſters may now ſay, as Paul did of the Corinthians in the precedent verſe of this chapter, v. 8. Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as Kings, without us: (when as moſt of them were very poor, and far enough from reigning as Kings, or ſo much as Petty Conſtables before theſe unhappy Wars, and in dayes of former perſecution, when Canne himſelf durſt not ſhew his face in England for fear of a Biſhops power, or High commiſſion Purſuivant; nor durſt reproach our Orthodox proteſtant pious Miniſters, and Parliaments as Antichriſtian, Popiſh; and compare their Laws for Miniſters Tithes, with the very Idolatrous Statutes of Omri and Ahab, as he doth now p. 3.) for which he might have taken a turn at Tyburn, in ſteed of walking freely in Weſtminſter Hall, without being queſtioned for this his impudent high Slanders both of our Laws and Parliaments, as well as Miniſtry.

6. If the Miniſters of the Goſpel be bound to imitate the Apoſtles in all things; then they muſt not have Gold nor Silver, nor Braſſe in their purſes, neither Scrip, nor two Coats, nor yet Shoes, nor ſo much as two Staves, but Sandals only on their feet, Mat. 10.9, 10. Mark 6.8, 9. as the Capuchin-Fryars Mendicants hence conclude: this being a poſitive Precept, the objected examples of the Apoſtles, &c. only a Preſident. And if ſo, not only all our Miniſters, but Canne and all his Adminiſtrators, muſt turn Fryars Mendicants too in good earneſt (who ground their Vow of Voluntary poverty on this Text; and the objected Preſidents of Chriſt and his Apoſtles) and ſo become no Miniſters of Chriſt, but Antichriſt, and as truly Antichriſtian as theſe Fryars are, the **See My Quakers Unmaſked, and New Diſcovery of Romiſh EmiſſariesHeads, Ringleaders of our laſt ſect of Quakers.

7. If our Miniſters muſt all now be like thoſe of the Primitive times, whiles under perſecuting Heathen Emperours, Kings, Magiſtrates, then all Saints and Chriſtians too in our daies, times, muſt imitate and be like the Saints, Chriſtians in thoſe dayes: They muſt ſell all their old and new purchaſed Lands, Houſes, Lordſhips, Palaces, lay all the mony down at the Miniſters feet, and have all things in common like the real Saints and Chriſtians in the Apoſtles times, Acts 4.34. to the end; and inſtead of Lording, feaſting it in their new acquired Royal, Epiſcopal Palaces, and Mannor Houſes, they muſt wander about in Sheep-skins, and Goat-skins, in D…ſarts, Mountains, Dens and Caves of the earth, being d…ſtitute and afflicted, like the Saints of old; yea, and like them they muſt be tortured, tormented, not accepting deliverance, have trials of cruel mockings, ſcourgings, bonds and impriſonments, be ſtoned, ſawn aſunder, ſlain with the Sword, inſtead of ſlaying, plundering, impriſoning and ſawing others aſunder with the Sword, Heb. 11.35, to 39. And when our Army-Saints, Officers, Souldiers, Anabaptiſts, Quakers, with other Tithe-Oppugners, who preſſe this Objection againſt Miniſters Tithes, ſhall lay down all p. 147their Arms, Commands, Power, Lands, and ſell all they have, to become like to all theſe Primitive Saints and Martyrs of Chriſt in their ſufferings, in times of Perſecution, I doubt not, but our Miniſters will joyfully part both with their Glebes, Rectories, Tithes, and ſetled Maintenance to ſympathize with them in their Perſecutions, Sufferings. But till ſuch hard times of Perſecutions come, and they begin to follow this Preſident of the ſelf-denying Primitive Saints, I hope they will not make all our Miniſters preſent Martyrs in their Tithes and ſetled Maintenance, nor enjoyn them alone (but not themſelves) to follow the Primitive Miniſters of the Goſpel in thoſe times of perſecution; and prove greater perſecutors to them in theſe pretended times of Chriſtian Liberty, Law, Juſtice, than the late Oppreſſing Prelates and High Commiſſioners, who ſuffered many of them (though Non-Conformists) to enjoy their Tithes, Glebes, Offrings, and not eject, diſinherit them and their Succeſſors for ever, of their antient Glebes, Tithes, and other ſetled Maintenance, without any Legal Trial by their Peers, or Conviction of any Treaſonable crimes againſt our known Laws, for which they deſerve to forfeit them; and all under the falſe petence, that Tithes are Jewiſh and Antichriſtian under the Goſpel; Which I hope I have ſufficiently refuted (being eſtabliſhed on them by Chriſtian Kings, States, Parliaments, immediately after the Primitive perſecutions, generally throughout Chriſtendome, as the fitteſt Maintenance of all other, and particularly in our Realm) when as the aboliſhing of them will be really ſuch in the Judgement of all Godly Proteſtants, Patrons of Religion, both at home and throughout the World.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

PAge 68. l. 11. r. luent, p. 141. l. 31. Solemanum, r. Salmurum, Rothingue, r. Rothomag. p. 142. l. 20. Trovomala.

The REMAINDER, or SECOND PART of A GOSPEL PLEA (Interwoven with a RATIONAL and LEGAL) FOR THE LAWFULNESS & CONTINUANCE Of the Antient Setled MAINTENANCE and TITHES Of the Ministers of the Goſpel: WHEREIN The DIVINE RIGHT OF OUR MINISTERS TITHES is further aſſerted: The Magiſtrates Inforcement of the DUE PAYMENT OF THEM BY COERCIVE PENAL LAWS, when ſubſtracted or detained, vindicated: That they are no REAL BURDEN, or GRIEVANCE to the People; the aboliſhing them no Eaſe, Benefit to Farmers, Tenants or Poor-People; but a Prejudice rather; and a gain to None but Rich Land-Lords, cleared: That the preſent Oppoſition againſt them, proceeds not from any true Grounds of Conſcience, or Real Inconveniences in Tithes themſelves, but only from baſe Covetouſneſs, carnal Policy, want of Christian Love, Charity to, and profeſſed Enmity againſt the Miniſters of the Goſpel; Yea, from a JESUITICAL and ANABAPTISTICAL DESIGN to ſubvert, ruine our Church, Miniſtry, Religion; and bring a Perpetual Infamie on our Nation, and the Reformed Religion here profeſſed. By William Prynne of Swainſwick Eſq a Bencher of Lincolns Inne.

1 Cor. 9 14.

Even ſo hath THE LORD ORDAINED, that thoſe who preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel.

Cyprian, de unitate Eccleſiae.

Domos tunc & Fundos venundabant, theſauros ſibi in Coelo reponentes: at nunc de Patrimonio nec Decimas damus; & cum Vendere jubeat Dominus, Emimus pötius & augemus.

Petrus Bleſenſis, Epiſt: 82.

Per Prophetam praecepit Dominus Decimas inferri in horreum ſuum; vos ab ejus horreo jubetis auferri, &c. Quid intereſt Equos rapiatis an Decimas? Niſi quia Decima res ſpiritualis eſt, & ideo enormius SACRILEGIƲM in Decimis committitur quam in Equis. Cum Dominus praecipit Decimas ſolvi, quis contra ejus praeceptum potuit diſpenſare?

London Printed by T. Childe and L. Parry for Edward Thomas, and are to be ſold at the Adam and Eve in Little Britain, 1659.

p. 1THE REMAINDER OR SECOND PART OF A GOSPEL PLEA, FOR THE Lawfullneſs and Continuance of the antient ſetled Maintenance and TITHES of the Miniſters of the GOSPEL.

KIng David a holy Zealot aaActs 13.22Acts 13:22after Gods own heart, who fulfilled all his will, records this to Poſterity in ſacred Writ, as the moſt tranſplendent Character of his own real Saintſhip, in a Divine Appeal to God himſelf, Pſal. 69.9. The zeal of THINE HOUSE hath eaten me up. And when our Saviour Chriſt, bbMatth. 1.6. c. 9.27. c. 15.22. c. 22.42, 43, 45. Rom. 1.3. Rev 22.16.Matt 1:6Rom 1:3Rev 22:16the Son of David according to the fleſh, out of an enflamed zeal againſt the Sacrilegious Prophanation of Gods Temple in Jeruſalem, made a ſcourge of ſmall Cords, wherewith he drove all that ſold Sheep and Oxen, with their Cattel, out of the Temple; powred out the Changers Mony, overthrew their Tables, and ſaid unto thoſe that ſold Doves, Take theſe things hence, Make not my Fathers Houſe an Houſe of Merchandize: His Diſciples upon this occaſion remembred and applyed this very Scripture to him, The zeal. of thine Houſe hath eaten me up, John 2.15, 16, 17. p. 2But the prepoſterous zeal of many Ieſuited Anabaptiſtical quaking pretended Saints, Souldiers, Zealots in our degenerated dayes, is diametrically contrary to this of David, and our Saviour Chriſt, even to devour and eat up Gods Houſe it ſelf, with all his faithfull Miniſters remaining Tithes, Rectories, Glebes, Maintenance at one meal, which of late years, and now again they have proſecuted with ſuch eager Appetites and hungry Stomacks, that they make it their very prime, main, only Buſineſſe, endeavouring to effect it, with ſuch ccSee Iohn Cannes Epiſtle, before his ſecond voyce (nor) from (but againſt) the Temple, and many late Petitions againſt Tithes, from Kent, Somerſetſhire, Wiltſhite, and other places.Poſt-haſt, as might anticipate all new printed Pleas for their juſt defence, and fore-judge moſt Miniſters, Patrons, Peoples Rights, throughout our Nation, (even out of Term in a long Vacation, as in Auguſt 1653. and now again) without any Legal Summons, Proceſs, Tryal by their Peers before competent lawfull Judges, meet to decide ſuch a univerſal Right, Title, publike Intereſt, which more or leſſe concerns every particular County, City, Pariſh, Miniſter, Patron, Perſon throughout the Realm; and therefore ought not to be drawn into Queſtion, much leſſe Deciſion, without their General conſent, deſire, petition, and a full deliberate hearing of all Parties intereſſed before a full Legal Parliamentary Tribunal, duly elected, entruſted by all the People, according to dd3 E. 1. c. 5. (See Cook ibidem) 7 H. 4. c. 14. 1 H. 5. c. 1. 1 H. 6. c. 7.10 H. 6. c. 2.23 H. 6. c. 11.32 H. 6. c. 15.9 H. 8. c. 16.27 H 8. c. 26.35 H. 8. c. 11. Cook 4 Inſtit. c. 1.our Laws; This being an undoubted principle of Nature, Law, Equity, common Juſtice, and Reaſon, ee2 Sam. 16.18, c. 19. cl. 33 E. 1. m. 4. dorſ. 43. Brook Parliament, 101, Cuſtoms 6. & 32. Grotius De Jure Belli, & Pacis, l. 2. c. 15. ſect. 3. c. 6 ſect. 1 to 7. c. 13. ſect. 14. 33 H. 8. c. 17.2 Sam 16:18Quod tangit omnes, ab omnibus debet approbari: Et Populi minor pars, Populum non obligit. This their preproperous ſpeed, and prepoſterous proceeding, neceſſitated my Stationer (at the importunity of ſome Miniſters in September 1653.) to thruſt out and publiſh to the World, an imperfect Piece, and beginning only of my Goſpel-Plea, for the Lawfulneſſe and Continuance of the Antient ſetled Maintenance and Tithes of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, without this Remaining part, (then ſent up together with it) or any Errata to it, or Notice given to the Reader if its incompleatneſſe, ſome few dayes before the great Debate of our New Legifers (Septemb. 1653.) concerning the future standing or down-fall of Tithes; which would have been finiſhed, and quite paſt before the whole could poſſibly be printed; and ſo have rendered the entire Plea leſſe ſeaſonable, ſerviceable, beneficial to our Church p. 3and Miniſters, than the publiſhing of a Fragment of it in that nick of time proved to them, through Gods bleſſing on it. This unexpected ſodain publication thereof upon that inevitable occaſion, as it cauſed an Omiſſion of ſome part of the ſecond Chapter in confirmation of the ſecond Propoſition, touching the Divine Right of Miniſters Tithes, and of the 3. enſuing Chapters: So it hath neceſſitated me to publiſh this Subſequent Appendix to that Chapter by way of Supplement, as a neceſſary Introduction to the Remaining Part, here printed with it, for the Readers better ſatisfaction in this publique Controverſy, and ſtopping the clamorous Mouthes of all Gain-ſayers. Which had been publiſhed, ſoon after the former, in the year 1653. had not my former Stationers long Infirmity, Sickneſſe, Death, retarded its progreſſe at the Preſſe, and enforced me to ſeek out another Midwife to bring it into the world, at this inſtant time, I hope not as an Abortive, out of Seaſon, the former Oppoſites to our Miniſters and their Tithes, being ever ſince and now again as Malicious againſt them as ever, waiting only for a fresh oportunity to ſuppreſs them, ever ſince their then ſodain defeat in this their Impious Sacrilegious Deſigne, when almoſt ripened to accompliſhment in their Hopes and Ʋotes, unexpectedly daſhed in a moment. There being ſince this their diſappointment, a new diſguiſed Antichriſtian ſect of Quakers (introduced by Jeſuits and Franciſcan friers, as I have **In my Quakers Unmasked, 1655. and New dſcovery of Romiſh-Emiſſaries 1656.elſwhere evidenced) ſprung up amongſt us, more virulently oppoſite to our Miniſters and their Maintenance by TITHES, than any other, which they not only decry in all their Pamphlets, but totally ſubſtract and detain from them with ſuch wilfull obstinacy, that many of them chuſe rather to lye in priſon, upon mean Proceſſe, or Executions, than ſet out or pay their TITHES, or appear to Actions brought for their recovery; and now combine with the Anabaptiſts, and other ſectaries in freſh Petitions and Proſecutions both againſt TITHES, and Miniſters, endeavoring their total and final Extirpation, by the power of their Confederates, in the Army and Weſtminſter Juncto, ſodainly called in again, and owned by them as a Parliament (after their former ſix years ſecluſion) to **See my true and perfect Narrative, p. 14.20.41.49.60, 61, 62, 63·accompliſh this their design, and root out Law p. 4and Goſpel, Lawyers and Miniſters together, as their freſh **From Somerſetſhire Wilſhire and other places.Petitions, Addreſſes to them for that purpoſe clearly demonſtrate, beyond contradiction. Which occaſioned this publication, after ſo long a ſuſpenſion thereof.