Defense and Justification of Tithes and Infant Baptism, Argument and answer 6 · Answer

Defense and Justification of Tithes and Infant Baptism · Argument and answer 6 · Answer

p. 11Mr. Bour… Reply.

Now I ſee, friends, you have changed your method, for before your firſt ground was admiſſion of Infants to be members by baptiſm of our Churches; And in your four ſandy pillars, you put Humane Learning before Infant Baptiſm. I ſhall in like manner take liberty to change your method, and for my Reply begin firſt with that which is your third ſandy Pillar or popiſh Foundation (as you may pleaſe to term it) and this is our Tythes or forced maintenance which you call the wages of unrighteouſneſs; Becauſe it is ſo much oppoſed and ſpoken againſt by too many in theſe times, who are not onelyonly adverſaries to Miniſters Maintenance by Tythes, but to the Miniſtery it ſelf.

p. 12Firſt let us look into the Book of God, even from the Creation; read Geneſ. ch. 1. & 2. and you ſhall find, That howſoever the Lord the Creator of heaven and earth, the chief Lord of all the world, did and hath entruſted Adam and Eve, and their ſons and daughters, with the keeping and poſſeſſion of inferior creatures and dominion over them, and with the fruits of the earth and the increaſe thereof; yet the Lord hath reſerved a twofold right yet in the creature. Firſt general over all the world and the kingdoms of the earth, and goods therein, to diſpoſe of them when, and where, and to whom he pleaſeth. This the Scripture witneſſeth at full: He gave the land of Canaan to the ſeed of Abraham, Gen. 15.18. And Hanna tells us, that the Lord maketh poor and maketh rich, he bringeth low and lifteth up, 1 Sam. 27.8. And the Pſalmiſt tels us, The earth is the Lords and the fulneſs thereof, Pſal. 24.1. So the Pſalmiſt again bringeth in God himſelf ſpeaking; All the beaſts of the forreſt are mine, and ſo are the cattel upon a thouſand hills; and if I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world is mine and the fulneſs thereof, as is expreſſed Pſal. 50.10, 12. And the word of the Lord to Jeremiah from the Lord: Thus ſhall ye ſay, I have made the heaven and the earth, the man and the beaſt that are upon the ground by my great power and by my outſtretched arm, and have given it to whomſoever it ſeemed meet unto me. And now I have given all theſe lands into the hands of the king of Babylon my p. 13ſervant; as you may find recorded Jer. 27.5, 6. This Daniel declares in the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the high tree in the midſt of the earth which was decreed to be cut down: The decree was for bringing down Nebuchadnezzar himſelf, till he did know that the Moſt High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomſoever he will. Witneſs Daniel, ch. 4.25. Thus hath God a general right over all the world and all that is therein

2. Again, God hath a ſpecial right in the creature, or part of the creatures and the increaſe of them, which he reſerved for his own proper uſe and ſervice. And this ſpecial right he hath never given away, but hath his ſpecial right ſtill, which he did and hath reſerved in all ages of the world for the outward maintenance of his worſhip and ſervice, and for encouragement and livelihood of his laborers and ſervants whom he calleth and imployeth in his own work, for his own glory, and the good of his Church and children.

Firſt the Scripture tells us, that although the Lord gave to our firſt parents the creatures upon the earth, with every herb bearing ſeed, and the fruit of the tree yielding fruit for meat, yet he reſerved ſome part for himſelf for his own ſervice, according to his own will and pleaſure. G…. 12.16, 20.Of every tree of the garden thou mayeſt eat freely, ſaith God to Adam, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou ſhalt not eat, for in the day that thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die. p. 14And wherefore did God forbid Adam upon pain of death to eat of that tree of knowledge of good and evil? Learned and holy Auguſtine brings in Adam reaſoning with God in this manner: If the tree be good, why may I not touch it? Si bona eſt, quare non tango? ſi mala, quare in paradiſo … Ideo in paradiſo eſt quia bona eſt; ſed nolo tangas, quia obedien em te volo.and if it it be evil, why is it in Paradiſe…? And he anſwers the queſtion as in Gods ſtead, It is therefore in Paradiſe, becauſe it is good; but I will not have thee to touch it, becauſe I would have thee obedient. The Lord would have Adam know, that he had reſerved the Royalty to himſelf; and that although he gave Adam an inheritance in the reſt of the earth and the fruits thereof, to hold to him and to his poſterity upon their good behaviour, yet he ſhould hold it of him as chief Lord; and to touch any part of what God had reſerved for his own ſervice, was no leſs a ſin then Sacrilege it ſelf, and to be puniſhed with death: This was the penalty for the breach of that Divine law, as Adam and all his poſterity ſince have found by ſad experience.

Again, this forbidden tree in Paradiſe was not all the part of the world which God reſerved for himſelf and his ſervice: For if you read Gen. Gen 4.15, &c.Gen 4:154. you ſhall find that not only that tree of Knowledge of good and evil planted in Paradiſe, was Gods reſerved part (or rather a part of it,) but part of the increaſe of Corn and of Sheep alſo. This is witneſſed in thoſe ſacrifices and divine ſervices of Cain and Abel: Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, and Abel p. 15of the firſtlings of his flock and the fat of them. And without controverſie, Col. 2.23.Col 2:23this was not a will-worſhip of their own invention (odious to God) but that which was of Divine inſtitution, and ſo of Divine authority; As to acknowledge their homage to God the Soveraign Lord of all, ſo to typifie forth the ſacrifice of Chriſt that ſeed of the woman, Gen. 2.15. Joh. 1.29.Gen 2:15John 1:29(which God had promiſed them ſhould break the Serpents head) That Lamb of God which taketh away the ſins of the world. Thus a part of Cain's Corn, fruit of the ground by tillage, and of Abel's increaſe of his Sheep, was the Lords portion reſerved and due to the Lord by Divine right, for the maintenance of that Divine ſervice which God had appointed our firſt parents, foreign In fine dierum, in the end of days. Gen. 41.1. A year of days.Gen 41:1and thoſe their poſtetity. And this in proceſs of time, or at the end of days, as the Hebrew word may well be rendred; that is, at the end of the year when they had gathered in the fruits of the earth.

3. The ſame cuſtom or duty we find continued in after-ages, as well as in that firſt age of the world Read Gen. 8. Gen. 8.20.Gen 8:20and you ſhall ſee that Noah, after the Flood, when the waters were abated from off the earth, and Noah and his family with the reſt of the creatures went forth of the Ark, he remembers God had a part due to him, who had in mercy ſaved all: Therefore he taketh of every clean beaſt, and of every clean ſowl, and offered up a burnt-offering to the Lord, and the Lord ſmelled a ſweet ſavor; that is, the Lord accepted of Noah's ſacrifice; which p. 16he would not have done, if it had been a Will-worſhip, and not been his own inſtitution; his own Divine Law and appointment as a ſervice due to him (by Divine right) who is Lord of all; for Joh. 4.24. God is a Spirit, and he will be ſerved in ſpirit and truth, according to his own will, not the will of men.

Fourthly, The Sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japhet and their poſterities, by whom the whole earth was peopled, they had ſo much light even of nature, or of that Law of God given to our firſt Parents, and to their poſterity before, and continued after their fall, as to know that God the great Creator had a part of the Creature and their increaſe due to him as a yearly chief Rent to he diſpoſed at his own pleaſure for his Worſhip and Service, which even the Gentiles of the Sons of Noah did pay at every years end. It was a cuſtom among the Gentiles, that the antient Sacrifices and Aſſemblies to that end, were after the gathering in of the Fruits at the years end; witneſs our learned Country-man Ainſworth in Gen. 4. ex Ariſt. Ethic. lib. 8. Cum multis aliis, &c. (as ſome antient Writers do record.)

But you will ſay, Objection. Though ſome part might by the Sacrifices of Adams ſons, and of Noah's ſons ſeem to be God's, yet what is this to the Tenth or Tythe which the Miniſters of England do ſeek after every one from his Pariſh where he liveth and preacheth to the people?

p. 17I anſwer, Anſwer. Firſt for the poſterity of Noah Shem and his off-ſpring, we find that long before the Levitical Prieſthood, or that Levie was born, that what was the ſpecial part or the Lords portion, was declared by that great Patriark, and excellent Chriſtian, Joh. 8.56.John 8:56faithful Abraham (called by the Apoſtle, the Father of the faithful, Rom. 4.11. Gen. 14.18, 19, 20, 21.Rom 4:11Gen 14:18Gen 14:19Gen 14:20Gen 14:21or of all them that believe, Rom. 4) and this is that memorable action of his recorded Gen. 14.18. When Abraham came from ſmiting Chedor-Laomar, and the Kings that were with him, Melchiſedec, foreign Omnibus dedecima… The Tenth of all. Heb. 7.12.Heb 7:12who was a Prieſt of the moſt high God met him, and brought him bread and wine and bleſſed him, &c. and he gave him the Tenth of all; the ſame is repeated by the Apoſtle to the Hebrews chap. 7. This Melchiſedec was King of Salem, Prieſt of the moſt high God, who met Abraham returning from the ſlaughter of the Kings and bleſſed him, to whom alſo Abraham gave the Tenth of all.

And why the Tenth part, Queſtion. and not the Seventh or Eighth part, or the Twentieth or Thirtieth part? wherefore did Abraham give the Tenth part of all to Melchiſedec? Anſwer.Ʋnde enim homo re…um juarum decimam potius quam nonam vel octavam vel aliam quamque partem offerendam eſſe ſcire potuiſſet, niſi à Deo …octus ſuiſſet? From the beginning men were taught by God to pay Tythes, as Hugo de Sancto victorie Erudii. Theol. de Saer. lib. 1. par. 12. cap. 4.

I anſwer, Certainly Abraham did know God's will, what was Gods part, either by the Law of Nature, or the poſitive Law of God taught him from his Anceſtors, from the Patriarks, Noah or Shem or ſome other, p. 18or they or their Father had received from Adam, and Adam from God, and therefore Abraham gave to Melchiſedec the Prieſt of the moſt high God, the Tenth part, and neither more nor leſs; this was acceptable to God, and this was received of Melchiſedec, as the Lords portion no doubt, and not a will worſhip of Abraham.

Again, not onelyonly Abraham but Jacob, the Grandchild of Abraham, and Father of Levi (before Levi was born, or that ſolemn gift of Tythes by the Lord to the Tribe of Levi) he followeth the ſteps of his Grandfather Abraham, and freely declares what was and is the Lords part or portion for maintenance of his Service, and Servants in their Miniſterial Office. Gen. 28.12, 13, 14, &c.Gen 28:12Gen 28:13Gen 28:14This he doth upon that viſion or apparition of Chriſt to Jacob, in that Dream of the Ladder, whoſe top did reach to Heaven, and the Angels of God aſcending and deſcending, Gen. 28. and Jehovah promiſing bleſſings to Jacob, upon which when he awaked he was taken with an awful reverence of the Maieſty of God and his preſence there, and maketh that ſolemn vow to God, That the Lord ſhould be his God, that he would worſhip God in that place, and if God ſhould bleſs him, &c. and give him but bread to eat, and rayment to put on, of all that God ſhould give him, he ſhould give the Tenth to God. This certainly was no raſh vow of Jacob, no Wil-worſhip, nothing but what h… did know to be his duty, and that which God would accept: therefore he p. 19voweth, not the eight part, nor the twelfth, nor the twentieth, but the Tenth; And of all that thou ſhalt give me, I will give the Tenth to thee. Thus you have two witneſſes from the ſons of Noah in the poſterity of Shem, where the true Religion was chiefly preſerved, and the Church planted, and theſe recorded in the written word of God, the ſacred Scriptures; and this before the Levitical Law.

But this is not all, for we finde the ſame witneſſed in the poſterity of other the ſons of Noah; of which, though many of them loſt the true knowledge of the true God, and the right manner of giving all the Honor and Service to God, yet they retained ſome parts of Worſhip due to God, which they gave to their falſe Gods, when they were ignorant of the true God; amongſt the reſt, that ſpark of light of the Law of Nature, or of the poſitive Law of God, which they had taught them by their great Grandfather Noah, or ſome from him, to pay as a due, the Tenth or Tythe to God.

Thus we read, Dydimus old Grammarian.That it was a Greek cuſtom to conſecrate foreign, the Tythes of their abundance to the gods. And Piſiſtratus that Tyrant of Athens writeth to Solon, De Lacr… in vita Solonis.that all the Athenians do ſeparte the Tythe of their fruits, not to be ſpent for our uſe (ſaith he) but for publick ſacrifice, Herodot. in Clio.&c. And King Cyrus his Soldiers, by the adviſe of Craeſus, were ſtaid from ſpoiling the Lydians City, That the Tythes might p. 20firſt be paid to Jupiter. And as among the Greeks, Feſtus. Decima quae que veteres Diis ſ… is offerebant Macr…bius, out of Varro. Plut… …uculſo among the Latines, the Antients did uſe to offer all their …ythes to the gods. And another witneſſeth that the Antients were wont to give the Tenth to Hercules. And it was a common cuſtom amongſt the Romans. It is reported of Lucullus, That he grew rich becauſe he obſerved the uſe of paying Tythes to Hercules. Zenoph…n witneſſes that others uſed to pay Tythes to Apollo. Yea, this cuſtom was not onelyonly uſed amongſt the Civil Nations of the Gentiles, Plin. hiſt lib. 12. cap. 14.19.but even amongſt the ruder alſo. Plinie writing of the Sabaeans and Aethiopians, ſaith, That in the Spices, of which thoſe Countries yield abundance, the Merchants may not meddle with any before the Prieſts have laid out the Tenth to their gods. foreign, A.R. his view of all Religions.I have read that in the old Arabians Religion, the cuſtom of the Nabathaeans was to pay Tythes of their Frankincenſe to their god Sabis, and the Prieſts are not to take it by weight but by meaſure; and they are tied by their Dicipline not to gather Cynamon till they firſt ſacrifice, then they divide it with a conſecrated Spear, and aſſign to that God they worſhip his portion, and afterwards they take their own parts to themſelves. Plut in the life of Camillus.And Plutarch relates of Camillus that Roman Dictator, and valiant Souldier (who by ſome was called the Sword of Rome) when he went to War as Captain General of the Roman Army againſt the famous City of the Vejans (which ſome take to be the Venetians) before the Roman Emperors, p. 21Dr Heylins Geograph.and divers hundreds of years before the birth of Chriſt, he vowed that if he won the City, he would offer the tenth part of the Spoils unto the gods. But after the Victory, he did either forget his vow, or was unwilling to trouble the City, or ſuffered the Soldiers to take the Spoils without reſerving the Tythes of all as he had vowed. But after, when upon ſome occaſions the Romans thought the Divine Powers were offended (though they did not know for what) and that Camillus was diſcharged of his charge of being General: He acqainted the Senators with his vow, upon which they made an order, That every man ſhould upon oath preſent the tenth part of all his gains in that War, that ſo it might be given to the gods. But that being found difficult, they agreed, That a maſſie cup of gold ſhould be made and ſent to the Temple of Apollo at Delphos (whom they eſteemed a chief amongſt the gods) in lieu or exchange of the Tythes: Yea, and the Ladies and rich women were ſo zealous to promote this gift, that they gave their gold and jewels to make it more rich, and as they thought more acceptable.

I ſhould not have remembred theſe Religious and conſcientious payments of Tythes by theſe Heathens, theſe Gentiles, children of Japhet or Ham, but to anſwer a proud peremptory Quaker, who called me Old Jew, becauſe I juſtified that it was lawful for the Miniſters of Chriſt to take Tythes, and that they were juſtifiable by the written p. 22Word of God; Joſ. B.when as he thought them to be onelyonly a Jewiſh Ceremony. But it is evident that Tythes are not onelyonly Jewiſh, or paid by the Jews onelyonly. For antient Hiſtory tells, that the Gentiles paid Tythes as well as the Jews. And although theſe Hiſtories are not to be received with a divine faith, as well as Scripture, yet they are to be credited as well as our Chronicles, which teſtifie there was a King William the Conqueror, or King Henry the Eighth that pulled down or diſſolved the Abbies, or a King Edward the Sixt, Queen Mary, or Queen Elizabeth, or as after ages may believe there was a King Charles, and a diſmal War in England, upon which hath followed theſe ſirange and wonderful changes we have ſeen with our eyes. I might add more, but who are not ſatisfied, Dr. Carleton Tythes examined and prov'… to be due, by Diviue right.I leave them to thoſe learned men who have writ and proved the Divine right of Tythes, and to other Hiſtories which record the practiſes of Painims.

This that you have read may ſuffice to witneſs, that the payment of Tythes was acknowledged a due to God amongſt the Gentiles to that God they did know, Dr. Tilleſley his Animadverſ. upon Seldens Hiſt. of Tythes. Dr. Slater, Mr. Prynn, &c.and this even by the Law or light of Nature, or Tradition of Gods Law acknowledged by a common conſent that Tythes were due to God (to that God they did know and worſhip) and certainly this cuſtom could not be ſo common amongſt, or in ſo many Nations, had there not been ſome Divine inſtinct from the Law of Nature, p. 23or knowledge of ſome divine law from their forefathers, that Tythes were due to God from all nations by a divine right for his worſhip and ſervice, as an owning of a Divine Power, Pſ. 40.10, 11, 12.Ps 40:10Ps 40:11Ps 40:12who is chief Lord and owner of all we have. But of the tenth, God's own part, he is owner of that in a ſpecial manner as his own reſerved portion for his worſhip and ſervice, for this the Lord challengeth in a ſpecial manner for his own portion; witneſs God's ſervant Voſes that great Prophet: All the Tythe of the land, Lev. 27.30, 31.Lev 27:30Lev 27:31of the ſeed of the land, and of the fruit of the tree, it is the Lords, Lev 27.30. He doth not ſay it is the Prieſts, or the Levites, or the peoples, but it is the Lords. And thus the Lord himſelf by the Prophet Malachi doth many hundred years afters challenge the Tythe as his own; And when the people did not pay their Tythe as his due, the Lord calleth them thieves and robbers, and tells them they had robbed him: Will a man rob God? Mal. 3.8, 9.Mal 3:8Mal 3:9yet ye have robbed me, ſaith the Lord. But ye ſay, wherein have we robbed thee? And he anſwers, In Tythes and Offerings. And he concludes v. 9. Ye are curſed with a curſe, for ye have robbed me even this whole nation. So that the Tythes were the Lords, his own part and portion to be diſpoſed of at his pleaſure; all the time of the Old Teſtament, from Adam to Moſes, and from Moſes to Malachi, the Lord had a reſerved part due to him as chief Lord of all.

But the Quakers and ſome of theſe Anabaptiſts will object, Objection. What is this to the p. 24Prieſts and Levites, either before, or ſince Chriſt? If Tythes be the Lords portion, what have the Prieſts and Levites to do with it, or how come they to challenge any right in them, or title to them?

The Anſwer is eaſie. Anſwer. When the firſt-born in the family were the Lords Prieſts and Prophets to offer ſacrifice to God, as Adam, and Cain, and Abel did; or to teach their families, Gen. 18.18, 19. Gen. 20.7. Gen. 26.25Gen 18:18Gen 18:19Gen 20:7Gen 26:25as faithful Abraham and the Patriarchs, and their firſt-born did; as we read Gen. 8.18, 19. Num. 8.17. Then the Lord needed not his part of his Tenths for maintenance of his Prieſts and Levites, but what part he had was chiefly for his ſacrifices and ſervices But when he took to him the Levites in ſtead of the Firſt-born, as Num 8.18. then you may read the Lords Deed of gift of his part of the Tythes to Levi for an inheritance: Num. 18.20, 21.Num 18:20Num 18:21Behold (ſaith the Lord to Aaron) I am thy part and thy inheritance amongst the children of Iſrael; and behold I have given the children of Iſrael all the Tenth in Iſrael for an inheritance, for the ſervice which they ſerve, even the ſervice of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, Lev. 18.21. And thus you may ſee what title the Levites and Miniſters of God have to the Lords part, even by a Deed of gift from the Lord himſelf: And this is a Deed or Great Charter enrolled and recorded in ſacred Scripture, the written Word of God himſelf. Object. 2

I know the common Objection: We will grant (ſay they) that the Lord did give part of the Tythe to Levi and his poſterity p. 25that taught the people, as Nehemiah: Nehem. 8:7, 8, 9.Neh 8:7Neh 8:8Neh 8:9But he did not give all to them; for part was to be eaten before the Lord, in the place which the Lord did chooſe to put his name, there they the children of Iſrael were to bring their tythes, and their ſacrifices, and their choiſe vows, and to eat them before the Lord with their families, they and their ſons and daughters, and men-ſervants and maid-ſervants, and Levite within their gates, yea the poor ſtranger, and widow and fatherleſs, as we may read Deut. 12.11, 12. & Deut. 14.29. Therefore the Tythes were not all given to the Levites as their portion, as is ſaid by the Miniſters that plead for Tythes.

For Anſwer: If you read, Anſw. Ʋltra duas Decimas quas quotannis pendere jam juſſi, 1. Alteram Levitis, 2. Alteram in ſacras epulas, 3. Tertia tertio quoque anno eſt conferenda, quae in egenos vicinos & pupillos diſtribuatur. Joſeph. Antiq. lib. 4. cap. 8.you may find there was a threefold Tythe which the children of Iſrael did pay. The firſt Tythe was the tenth of the whole increaſe, which was firſt tythed; and this was the Levites portion, and might be eaten every where with their houſhold, becauſe it is a reward unto them for their ſervice; But firſt they were to give the Heave-offering, the tythe of that tythe, to Aaron the High-Prieſt, as you may read Numb. 18.26. And this Tythe hath a Morality in it, as after we ſhall ſhew.

Again, there was a ſecond Tythe of the Nine parts that were tythed before: And this Tythe might not be eaten in any place, as the firſt Tythe which was the Levites portion might, but at Jeruſalem. Thus you p. 26may read Deut. 14. Deut. 14.22, 23, &c.Deut 14:22Deut 14:23Tything thou ſhalt tythe (or thou ſhalt truly tythe) all the increaſe of thy ſeed which thy field bringeth forth, and thou ſhalt eat before the Lord thy God in the place he ſhall chuſe to place his name there; and if the place be too far, thou ſhalt turn it into money and buy what thy ſoul liketh, and ſhalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou ſhalt rejoice, thou and thy houſhold, and the Levite within thy gates. Ainſworth in Deu. 14.Deut 14This ſecond Tythe might not be eaten any where but before the Lord in Jeruſalem, as the Hebrew Doctors affirm, and is evident from the text. This might be Levitical, and to end with that Temple-worſhip.

Thirdly, beſides theſe two Tythes, there was in the place or ſtead of this ſecond Tythe a third Tythe every third year, Amos 4.4. Tythes after three years, &c.Amos 4:4which was for the Levite, the ſtranger, the fatherleſs and the widow within their gates, as you may read Deut. 14.28, 29. This may ceaſe in part as a Tenth, but the ſubſtance is moral.

But the firſt Tythe was wholly for the Levites for their maintenance, as the Lords wages or reward the Lord alloweth them for their ſervice in the Sanctuary, to continue in the Goſpel, as after will appear. Yea, beſides the Tythes, the Lords portion, the Lord commanded that the Levites ſhould have their Cities to dwell in, Num. 35.3 4, 5, 6, &c.Num 35:3and the ſuburbs of them ſhall be for their cattel and for their goods, and for all their beaſts; and the ſuburbs of the city ſhall reach from the wall of the city two thouſand cubits round about, Num 35. Rich conveniences, beſides p. 27extraordinaries, which were very many. This was the Levites lawful gain due unto them by Divine right, by the law of God, and law of Nature, as a reward for their labor in the Lords ſervice. And this gain they might lawfully ſeek after, every one for his gain from his quarter. And this they did, when their juſt portion and maintenance was not brought them by the people. Nehem 13.10, 11, 12.Neh 13:10Neh 13:11Neh 13:12The Levites went every one to his field for his juſt gain or portion, as you may find Neh. 13. Thus did the Levites ſeek every one for his gain from his quarter to live of, his portion of land and tythes at his field, when the ſecond tythe was not brought into the treaſury as it ought to have been. And this was juſt and lawful for them to do, as the Miniſters of Chriſt may lawfully do at this day.

There is another Objection. Object 3 Though the Lord had a part in every mans eſtate, the tenth of every increaſe which the Lord did give to the Levites, the Lords Miniſters before the coming of Chriſt; yet now ſince Chriſt is come, and is not only dead, as the High-Prieſt of our profeſſion having offered himſelf to God for us once for all, Heb. 3.1, 2.Heb 3:1Heb 3:2and is not only riſen again and aſcended into heaven and liveth for evermore, Rev. 1.18.Rev 1:18but maketh interceſſion for us to God his Father, and the Levitical Prieſthood is ended: Now what evidence is there that God hath any part or portion in mens eſtates or the increaſes of them for himſelf, or to be diſpoſed of as his own? or that the Miniſters of Chriſt p. 28have either Tythes or any Maintenance due unto them by Divine right, ſince Chriſt? And then, how can it be lawful for them to ſeek after every one his gain, as they do?

For anſwer: Anſwer. Firſt, if it be granted that the Lord had a reſerved part of the earth and increaſe thereof for himſelf, yea that the Tythes or Tenths were the Lords excepted and reſerved portion which he had not given to the ſons of Adam, or to Noah's poſterity, and that this was the Lords for his ſervice until Chriſts coming in the fleſh, Gen. 3.17, &c.Gen 3:17which I conceive none will deny that truly believeth there is a God that created the world, and gave part only, not all to Adam, or that truly believes the Holy Scriptures to be the written word of God; Queſtion. Then I deſire to know by what Deed of gift the Lord hath given theſe Tythes his own portion from himſelf, or from his Miniſters and ſervants who once had them? Whether he hath releaſed his right and title which in a ſpecial manner he had in the earth and the increaſes thereof, to any man, and to whom? Hath God releaſed his ſpecial right in the tenth part, the Tythes of all, which were once, yea which are the Lords own, if none can ſhew a better title to them? Let us ſearch the Records in the New Teſtament, and firſt ſee if we can find any ſuch Releaſe or Deed of gift from God and his ſervants, and to whom? Secondly, ſee what is regiſtred for the maintenance and continuance of Gods right unto them. That ſo we may better p. 29anſwer the Anabaptiſts, who call Tythes the wages of unrighteouſneſs; or the Quakers who accuſe the Miniſters of Chriſt as if they did ſeek for unlawful gain, the gain of Tythes, of that which is neither God's nor theirs, every one for his gain from his quarter or people.

I have ſearched the New Teſtament, and can find Tythes mentioned but only in four places; and in none of theſe doth Chriſt deny, or give away, or releaſe his right to his tenth part, or forbid his Minfſters to receive Tythes; yea rather Tythes are approved by Chriſt, and his Apoſtles that ſpeak of them.

Firſt place. The firſt place is that of our Saviour, Mat 23.23. where he pronounceth that woe againſt the Scribes and Phariſees for their hypocriſie: Woe unto you Scribes and Phariſees hypocrites; for ye pay tythe of mint, and anniſe, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: Theſe things ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. It is evident our Saviour doth not reprove them for their paiment of Tythes, but for their omiſſion and neglect of the weightier matters of the Law, judgment, mercy, and ſaith. For he tells them plainly, it was their duty to pay their tythes even of the ſmalleſt things, mint and anniſe, and cummin; theſe things ought not to be left undone. Thus both the payment of tythes even in the time of Chriſt, and Chriſts approbation of tythes, is witneſſed at full in this place; No prohibition p. 30of tythes evidenced, no ceſſation of tythes declared, no denying of Chriſts Miniſters to receive tythes.

2. Again, a ſecond place we find Tythes ſpoken of in the New Teſtament, is that of our Saviour recorded Luke 11.42: to the ſame effect with the former, Woe unto you Scribes and Phariſees, for ye tythe Mint, and Rue, and all manner of Herbs, and paſs over judgement and the love of God; theſe ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. You ſee our Saviour in this place alſo approveth of the payment of Tythes, not a word of prohibition or ceſſation, but an approbation of the payment of Tythes, as the peoples duty in thoſe days. Had he declared that Tythes ſhould no more be paid after his time, certainly it would have pleaſed many a carnal hearer at that time, as the hopes of that prohibition or ceſſation it is to be feared would pleaſe too many carnal hearted, prophane, or ſpiritually and Antichriſtianly deluded and ſeduced ſouls in theſe days, who would remove both Miniſters and their juſt Maintenance, if it did lie within their power: But you have not a word from Chriſt of ceſſation or taking away of Tythes from the Prieſts of thoſe times, or from the Miniſters of the Goſpel in ſucceeding ages.

3. The third place in which Tythes are ſpoken of, is that of the ſame Evangeliſt, Luke 18.11, 12. Two men went out into the Temple to pray, the one a Phariſee the other a publican, the Phariſee gloried in his performances, p. 31God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjuſt, adulterers, or even as this publican; I faſt twice in the week, and give Tythes of all that I poſſeſs: The Publican humble in his own eyes, O God be merciful to me a ſinner. Our Saviour doth not condemn the Phariſee for his giving of his Tythes of all he did poſſeſs; but for that he truſted in his own righteouſneſs, as you may ſee evidently manifeſt in the end why Chriſt did ſpeak the Parable, Luke 18.9. He ſpake this Parable unto certain that truſted in themſelves that they were righteous, and deſpiſed others. So that you ſee here is not a word of our Saviour againſt Tythes, or the payment of Tythes in his time, nor a word of prohibition that his Miniſters in the New Teſtament ſhould not receive Tythes; yea, rather Chriſt approveth the payment of Tythes, as part of the Phariſees righteouſneſs which they ought not to leave undone, and he tells his Diſciples, that exccept their righteouſnſs do exceed the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, they cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, Matth: 5.20. Origen in Mat.From which Origen in his time proſſeth the payment of Tythes in the Goſpel as a duty.

The fourth and laſt place in the New Teſtament where tythes are ſpoken of, is that of the Apoſtle Heb. 7. in which Chapter tythes are mentioned ſix or ſeven ſeveral times, and in none of theſe are Tythes condemned by the Spirit of God in the Apoſtles, but rather approved and declared p. 32to continue even to the worlds end, as Chriſt's right and ſpecial part for maintenance of his ſervice, who is a Prieſt not after the order of Aaron for a time, but a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedec.

To give you a clear light to ſee this truth, read the Chapter, and you ſhall finde that the Apoſtle in the three firſt verſes rehearſeth the Hiſtory recorded in Geneſis of Melchiſedec and Abraham. Firſt, Melchiſedec deſcribed by his Offices, 1. A King, or King of Salem, verſ. 1. Interpreted firſt, King of Righteouſneſs; ſecondly, King of Salem, that is, King of Peace, verſ. 1, 2. 2. A Prieſt of the moſt high God, yea, made like the Son of God, abiding a Prieſt continually, verſ. 2. 3. He deſcribeth Melchiſedec by his Actions. Firſt, he met Abraham as he returned from the ſlaughter of the Kings: Secondly, He bleſſed him.

2. Again, he deſcribeth Abraham by his owning of Melchiſedec as a Prieſt of the moſt high God, giving him the tenth of all, as Gods portion, the Tythe due to God; To whom Abraham gave the tenth part of all, verſ. 2.

3. He ſets forth the greatneſs of Melchiſedec above the Patriark Abraham. Firſt, Becauſe Abraham gave him the tenth: Now conſider how great this man was, to whom even the Fatriark Abrahm gave the tenth of the Spoils, De ſummitatibus rerum, Of the tops of things.verſ. 4. So our Tranſlators render it. But the Greek is foreign, de praecipuis, &c. the Greek ſignifies p. 33of the tops of the heaps, of the very beſt things which may be, of other things as well as of the ſpoils. Secondly, becauſe Melchiſedec bleſſed him, for the leſs is bleſſed of the greater, ſaith the Apoſtle, verſ. 7.

4. The Apoſtle compareth the Prieſthood of Melchiſedec and Aarons …ieſthood together, and proveth the ſuperexcellency of Melchiſedec's Prieſthood above Aaron's; and this by divers arguments taken from Tythes, or their divers grounds, manner, and order of their taking of Tythes; as you may read in the fift and ſixt verſes, and the verſes following. For firſt, verſ. 5. he affirmes, that they that are of the ſons of Levi, who receive the office of the Prieſthood, they have a commandment to receive Tythes of the people according to the Law, or by vertue of that law; yea, of their brethren, though they came out of the loyns of Abraham. But verſe the ſixth, He, that is Melchiſedec, Heb. 7.6.Heb 7:6whoſe deſcent is not counted from them, received Tythes of Abraham, great Grandfather of Levi who had the Prieſtood, and bleſſed him that had the promiſes: Therefore Melchiſedec's Prieſthood is far more excellent then the Prieſthood of Aaron or Levi, becauſe he received Tythes not by vertue of the Levitical Law, but by a higher and far more antient right, even by a right from God himſelf, as Gods High Prieſt, more antient then Levi by far, as your may read Gen. 14.20. Abraham, Great-Grandfather of Levi, paid Tythes to Melchiſedec the Prieſt of the moſt high God, four hundred years p. 34before Levi's Prieſthood was appointed.

Secondly, Heb. 7.8.Heb 7:8Verſe the eighth, the Apoſtle proveth this by another Argument: Heb. 7.8.Heb 7:8Here men that dye (ſaith he) receive Tythes; that is, herein in the Prieſts of Aaron and Levies order, they who are mortal receive Tythes; they and their Prieſthood are mortal, and ſo their receiving of Tythes it mortal, as dying like themſelves, and their order of Prieſthood is dead and gone, and their tything dead as Levies Prieſthood ended; But here Melchiſedec, that Prieſt of the moſt high God, and his order receive tythes, of whom it is witneſſed that he liveth: for verſe 3. Melchiſedec is ſaid to have neither beginning of days, nor end of life, and ſo he liveth to receive tythes while the world laſted, not in himſelf but in Chriſt, whom he typified, and who is a High Prieſt after the order of Melchiſedec, and ſo to receive Tythes as Melchiſedec did, not from any right from Levi or the Levitical Law, but in his own right from God his Father, who made him heir of all, Heb. 1.2.

Thirdly, Melchiſedec's Prieſthood was more excellent then Aaron's or Levi's, becauſe Levi who received tythes, paid tythes in Abraham to Melchiſedec, for he was yet in the loyns of his Father his Grandfather Abraham when Melchiſedec met him, as the Apoſtle declareth, Heb. 7.9, 10.Heb 7:9Heb 7:10Verſ 9, 10. But we read not that Melchiſedec paid tythes at all. It is Chriſt's priviledge to receive tythes, not to pay tythes; therefore Melchiſedec's and p. 35Chriſt's Prieſthood is far more excellent then Aaron's or Levi's Prieſthood or their order.

Fourthly, The Apoſtle taketh another Argument from the Law of Ordination of each Prieſthood, Melchiſedec's and Aaron's, and ſo of Chriſt's and Aarons. This verſ. 15, 16, 17. Becauſe Chriſt who ariſeth another Prieſt after the order or ſimiltude of Melchiſedec, he is made not after the Law of a carnal commandment, the Levitical Law which is ended, Pſa. 110.4.Ps 110:4but after the power of an endleſs life: Thou art a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melceiſedec. Therefore as Melchiſedec did, ſo doth and may Chriſt receive tythes, for they are Gods part, and Chriſt's part as Heir to God his Father, and ſo tythes are rightly, yea, by Divine right due to Chriſt.

And thus you ſee there is nothing in the New Teſtament in all theſe places in which tythes are mentioned, by which God the Father may be proved to have given away tythes from Chriſt his Son, the Lord of his Church and of his Servants in the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, nor in which Chriſt hath releaſed his right to any, or diſpoſed of it to any but to his Miniſters for their labor in his ſervice in the Goſpel. Therefore whatſoever the erring Anabaptiſts or Quakers ſpeak to the contrary to their ſeduced Diſciples, Tythes are the Lords ſtill, and will be to the end of the world.

But ſome Quakers or Anabaptiſts it may be will object further, Object. 4 If we grant that p. 36Tythes are the Lord Chriſts, yet what proof is there that they are the Miniſters of Chriſt now in the New Teſtament? Chriſt doth not name Tythes with any command to give them to his Miniſters and Ambaſſadors: where find we any ſuch thing in the New Teſtament?

I anſwer, Anſwer. Although Chriſt doth not name Tythes by a particular command to pay them to his Miniſters, yet he doth by himſelf and by his Spirit in the Apoſtles command as much in ſubſtance as if he had named Tythes, or challenged his right in them for the maintenance of his ſervants in the work of the Goſpel.

For firſt, Mat. 10.7.8. Luk. 10.1, 2, 3.4, &c.Matt 10:7Matt 10:8Luke 10:1Luke 10:2Luke 10:3Luke 10:4If we read the manner of Chriſts Commiſſion, or ſending thoſe his Diſciples to preach the Goſpel, as it is recorded Mat. 10. and Luk. 10. Chriſt ſends them forth as laborers into his harveſt, and he giveth them a charge to take no purſe, nor ſcrip, nor ſilver, nor braſs, no proviſi, on for maintenance, but to eat and drink what was ſet before them; and he giveth the reaſon, For the laborer is worthy of his meat, and worthy of his hire, or reward for his labor. Now I demand the Queſtion, Whoſe laborers are Chriſt Miniſters? are they not Chriſts? and who ſhould pay them their wages, or give reward or maintenance for their labor in preaching and publiſhing the Goſpel? is it not Chriſt? and out of whoſe ſubſtance or eſtate ſhould Chriſt pay his Workmen? is it not our of his own? If not, why then did not Chriſt give them p. 37proviſion with them, when he ſent them out to preach the Goſpel; but ſends them to the people of the world (many of which would not receive them) and wiſheth them to receive of the people whither they came for their maintenance? Certainly it is not that Chriſt would take any thing from others that was none of his own, to pay his workmen with; but to teach us, that Chriſt had a part, a portion and inheritance in the peoples hands, the Tythes, the Lords reſerved part; and out of this his own part Chriſt expected, his Diſciples, his Preachers of the Goſpel ſhould be maintained, and threatens thoſe who ſhould refuſe to give his ſervants entertainment; Luk. 10.11.Luke 10:11If any receive you not (ſaith Chriſt) ſhake off the dust of your feet againſt them. And it ſhall be eaſier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, then for that man, or that woman, or that city that refuſeth Chriſts ſervants, or denieth them that part which the Lord Chriſt appoints them for their juſt and due maintenance. Witneſs our Saviour himſelf, Luke 10.10, 11.

2. Again, Rom. 15.26, 27.Rom 15:26Rom 15:27the Apoſtle Paul holdeth forth this as a duty, That to thoſe that communicate ſpiritual things, it is the peoples duty to communicate carnal things to them, Rom. 15.26. Thus between the Jews and the Gentile, and thus between the Miniſters of Chriſt and the people; for the reaſon is the ſame: The Miniſters communicate ſpiritual things in the preaching of the Goſpel, therefore the people are debrors to them, p. 38and it is their duty to communicate temporral or carnal things, ſuch as are for the comfortable livelihood of Chriſts Miniſters. And if it be the peoples duty, then it is a debt they owe to Chriſt and to his ſervants; and if they owe it to God and to Chriſt, then it is Gods, none of theirs. And what is held forth to be Gods ſpecial part or portion for maintenance of his ſervice and ſervants, Mal. 3. Heb. 7.Mal 3Heb 7but the tenth part, the Tythes, which were and are Gods and Chriſts, as noted before.

3. The ſame Apoſtle, A compatatis.1 Cor. 9 proveth by divers arguments from divers compariſons, that there is a part due to Gods faithful Miniſters, laborers for Chriſt in the Goſpel. Thus verſ. 7. —

1. From a Soldier: 1 Tim. 6.12. 2 Tim. 23. Jud. v. 4. And why noticceive their pay due from Chriſt for the ſame? 1 Cor. 3.6, 7.1 Tim 6:12Judg 5:41 Cor 3:61 Cor 3:7From a Soldier: Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges? Gods Miniſters are ſoldiers for Chriſt, to defend the truth of the Goſpel againſt all enemies, to contend for the faith once given to the Saints.

2. Again, Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Gods Miniſters are planters; And wherefore ſhould they not eat of the fruit for their labor? feed on Gods part which he hath reſerved, the Tythes, for their maintenance?

3. Act. 20, 28Acts 20:28Who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Gods Miniſters are Shepherds, and wherefore ſhould they not eat of the milk of the Flock? why ſhould not Gods tenth be for their nouriſhment?

4. The like arguments taken from the husbandman and other laborers, and theſe p. 39grounded upon the law, the law of God, nature or reaſon, verſ. 8, 9. Say I theſe things of my ſelf, (ſaith he) ſaith not the law alſo the ſame? For it is written in the law of Moſes, Thou ſhalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corn. Den. 25.4 1 Cor. 3.9 10.1 Cor 3:9Doth God take care for oxen, or ſaith he it altogether for our ſates? 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. Gods Miniſters are Gods huſbandmen and laborers, Gods people are Gods husbandry: And good reaſon Gods laborers ſhould partake of the benefit of their labors, and receive Gods part, the Tenth which the Lord hath reſerved for them.

Th… Apoſtle proceeds with other arguments from the equity of this duty, v. 11. No man goeth to war without wages &c. We are Miniſters of Chriſt, fig… for you, plant you, feed you, &c Ergo, It is your duty to pay us wages, fruit, and m…lk. Sir James Sempill of Sacrilege ſince Goſpel, p 53.If we have ſown unto you ſpiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things? If we communicate to you the Goſpel-gladtidings for the nouriſhment of your ſouls, is it a great matter that we receive Gods part from you for the nouriſhment of our bodies?

In a word, this he confirms by analogie and ſimilitude with the maintenance of the Prieſts and Levites before Chriſt. If the Prieſts and Levites who did miniſter about holy things of the Temple, did by Gods appointment live of thoſe holy things, namely of Gods reſerved part, the Tythes, and of Gods conſecrated p. 40part, As Levi lived by the Law, ſo muſt our Miniſtry by the Goſpel: but Levi lived of holythings by the law viz tythes, Ergo, ſo muſt Miniſters live of them in he Goſpel. Sir J. Semp. p. 58 As Levi lived by the Law, ſo muſt we by the Goſpel, but Ievi lived by a certain maintenance by the Law, viz tythes, Ergo, ſo muſt we live by a certain maintenance in the Goſpel, and why not by tythes? Idem p. 56.things dedicated and freely given to God by the people; then certainly the Miniſters of Chriſt who in like manner ſo preach the Goſpel, ſhould according to Chriſts appointment live of the Goſpel, yea of Chriſts reſerved part, the tenths of all, and of thoſe free gifts where tythes are not ſufficient for their comfortable maintenance in and for their attendance upon the ſervice of Chriſt their Lord and Maſter.

Thus doth the Apoſtle, though not name tythes, yet require as much in effect as a duty from the people to communicate tythes, or an equal maintenance for and to the Miniſters of Chriſt: And this from the Lords ordinance for the paiment of that certain reward for their labor, Luke 10.1, 2, 3, &c.Luke 10:1Luke 10:2Luke 10:3which the Lord hath appointed. And of this certain reward or wages, we read not in the Scripture what part it is, but the Lords portion of tythes, which was and is Gods part, as we prove before.

Fourthly, Gal. 6.6.Gal 6:6If you conſider that command of the ſame Apoſtle Gal. 6.6. it will make this yet more evident: Let him that is taught in the word, communicate to him that teacheth him, foreign, in omnibus bonis, in all goods; Our tranſlators render it, in all good things. But if it be in all good things that he muſt make his Teacher partaker of, yet p. 41whoſe muſt they be? And if they be his own good things, and then of his own goods, why ſhould the Apoſtle require this as a duty, Let him that is inſtructed, make him that inſtructeth him partaker of all his goods? And why this as a duty to Chriſts ſervants, if Chriſt hath not a right in them?

But what part muſt he make him partaker of? Queſtion.

Certainly the Quaker or Anabaptiſt will not ſay, of the ſixth part, Anſwer. nor of the ſeventh nor eight part; And we will not ſay, of the fiftieth, or fortieth, or twentieth part of his yearly increaſe; that in moſt places will be too little for the comfortable maintenance of a Miniſter of the Goſpel, and to provide for his family, them of his own houſe which he ought to take care of, otherwiſe he denieth the faith and is worſe then an infidel; Agree that Chriſt hath a right to ſome part.witneſs this Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 5.8. Let us agree then, that Chriſt hath a right to ſome part, whatſoever part the Lord himſelf in his infinite wiſdom hath ſet down and determined as his own reſerved part for the maintenance of his Miniſters, that is the moſt fit, the moſt equal, and juſt part to be paid and given from him that is taught the Goſpel of grace, to him that teacheth him: Gen. 14.8. ch. 28.Gen 14:8And this is the Tenth of all. This tenth Abraham paid to Melchiſedec, and Jacob vowed this tenth to God before the Levitical Prieſthood was in the world. This tenth part he gave to Levi for an inheritance for his ſervice in the Sanctuary during the life p. 42of his Prieſthood, and this tenth is due to Chriſt, who is a Prieſt for ever according to the order of Melchiſedec; and good reaſon the Miniſters of Chriſt ſhould partake of this tenth, and receive it for Chriſt as Chriſts part for their ſervice, to the end of the world. Thus you ſee what may be the ſenſe of the Apoſtle, Let him that is inſtructed make him that inſtructeth him partaker of all goods; or in all good things of Chriſt in his poſſeſſion. For if Chriſt have no right, why ſhould he pay his Servants wages of that which he had no right unto? certainly he would not do it.

But ſome Quaker or Anabaptiſt or others, Object. will yet object, If the tenth be Chriſts and his Miniſters, Mat 10. Luke. 10.Matt 10Luke 10then wherefore did not Chriſt direct his Diſciples, when he ſent them abroad to preach the Goſpel, to require the tenth of the people? nor his Apoſtle Paul, neither in that 1 Cor. 9. nor in this place Gal. 6.6. command and expreſly require their tythes as due to Chriſt and his Miniſters by divine right, and to be paid upon pain of damnation, Luk. 10. Mal. 3.7, 8Luke 10Mal 3:7Mal 3:8it being no leſs ſin then ſacriledge to rob God or Chriſt of them, as is taught by ſome godly men both in antient and latter times.

I anſwer; Anſwer 1 Firſt for Chriſt, the Tythes were then in his time, and when he ſent ſorth his Diſciples, paid to the Jewiſh Prieſts and Levites of Aaron's or Levi's order, as is evident in the Phariſees practice, Luk. 18.12. And if Chriſt had commanded or directed his Diſciples to demand Tythes, it would p. 43have occaſioned a controverſie not eaſie to be decided. Beſides, Levi's Prieſthood was not then ended, and therefore Tythes were then due to them, and ſo ought to be paid, as our Saviour himſelf tells the Phariſees, Matth. 23.23. Therefore there was no reaſon Chriſt ſhould then have commanded his Diſciples to demand Tythes. Again, If Tythes had been to have ended with Levi's Prieſthood, and never to have been received by any of the Miniſters of Chriſt, then we may demand on the contrary part, wherefore did not Chriſt our Saviour give an abſolute prohibition to his Diſciples, and to preach it to all that ſhould be converted to Chriſtianity, that they ought never to take any Tythes; but that Tythes ſhould be declared to end with Levi's Prieſthood? and this would have ended the queſtion, and ſettled a great deal of quiet in the Church, if Chriſt had declared what maintenance his Miniſters ſhould have inſtead of Tythes; for Chriſt was faithful in all his houſe, as Moſes, Hebr. 3.2. But Chriſt no where forbids Tythes, nor ſerteth any maintenance inſtead of Tythes, and therefore Tythes certainly are to coninue ſtill by the mind of Chriſt, even to the end of the world; for would Chriſt here provide no ſettled maintenance for his Miniſters, who were ſure to finde cold entertainment in the world?

For the Apoſtle, that he did not require Tythes of the Corinthians or Galatians, nor claim them as due to Chriſt's Miniſters p. 44by Divine right, nor other Apoſtles, Peter, John, James or the reſt; there are good and ſufficient grounds, reaſons good enough to anſwer this Objection.

1. In thoſe days in divers places, and eſpecially at Jeruſalem, there was a community of goods; the Belivers ſold ther Eſtates, and laid the mony down at the Apoſtles feet, Act. 4.32.34. and what need was there then of any claim of Tythes, when all was at the diſpoſe of the Miniſters and Apoſtles of Chriſt, or of the Church and Deacons, and they lived of the common Treaſuries, what wiſdom had it then been to claim Tythes?

2. Euſeb. Ec. Hist lib. 4. cap. 25.Again, then were times of perſecution, as you may read Act. 11.19. & 12 1, 2. &c. and this perſecution againſt the Church continued to after times, above a hundred and fifty years after hriſt, as Euſebius relateth. Melito Biſhop of Sardis in his A pology to the Emperor writeth, that the godly people were grieved by new Edicts publiſhed throughout Aſia, and ſuffered perſecution; yea impudent Sycophants, and greedy gapers after other mens goods, having gotten occaſion through thoſe Proclamations, openly rob and ſpoile day and night; therefore he deſires the …mperor that he would not deſpiſe them who were greived and oppreſſed with that ſhamefull ſpoile; Diverſe perſecutions were both before and after, and was it then a time for the Miniſters of Chriſt to preſs or claime the Tythes of poor perſecuted Chriſtians? certainly no.

p. 453. Theſe Corinthians and Galatians, and others Churches were but new Converts living amongſt other Gentiles, who were unbelievers; and though the Apoſtle did claim and argue for his right of maintenance, yet to avoid offence and hinde: rance of the Goſpels propagation in thoſe infant days of the Church, he did not uſe that power and right he had to take maintenance of them, but charged other Churches to ſpare them; not that he had not a right, or that other Miniſters had not a right, but it was not then a fit time to require this right, and therefore much leſs to claim or preach up Chriſts his right in Tythes.

4. In a word, the Apoſtles then were travellers up and down the world, in ſeveral Countries, to preach the Goſpel, and had no certain dwelling place, as Paul himſelf witneſſeth, 1 Cor. 4.11. and what then ſhould they have done with Tythes, or to have claimed Tythes, when Miniſters were not ſetled, nor was there any quiet ſtate of the Church? And theſe are reaſons ſufficient to quiet the Quakers quarrelling ſpirit, if they were not reſtleſs in their malice againſt the Miniſters of Chriſt; or any moderate Anabaptiſt, that their maintenance is due unto them by divine right: Thus did the Apoſtle ſpare the Gentiles of any demand or nameing of tythes; but when he writeth to the Hebrews, then he names tythes, Heb. 7.Heb 7and declareth them to belong to Chriſt, and ſo certain to Chriſts Miniſters, p. 46not from Aaron or Levi, but from Chriſt himſelf, who was a Prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedec.

But ſome Quakers or Anabaptiſts it may be, Object. have found out that Objection (as they pretend) Heb. 7.12. The Levitical Prieſthood being changed, there muſt needs be a change of the Law. Therefore tythes being under the Levitical Law, and that Prieſthood of Levi being changed, there muſt needs be a change of the Law of Tythes, and ſo Tythes muſt ceaſe in the Goſpel, as being Levitical and Ceremonial.

I anſwer, Anſwer. It is true, That the Levitical Prieſthood is changed, and that Covenant of Levi by Sacrifices and Ceremonies figuring Chriſt the Meſſias to come, that is changed and ended, all being fulfilled in Chriſt; for that Law of Levies Prieſthood, in what reſpect it was Typicall, Heb. 10.1, 2Heb 10:1Heb 10:2that had but a ſhadow of good things to come; for it was not poſſible that the Blood of Buls and Goats could ever take away ſin; therefore Chriſt cometh and offers his own body, and by that one offering once for all, he hath perfected for ever them that are ſanctified; Heb. 10.14.Heb 10:14ſo that theſe Levitical Sacrifices they are all ended by that one ſacrifice of Chriſt. But there were divers things which Levi did, which were not typical or figurative ceremonies to be ended at the coming or aſcention of Chriſt, or in the time of the Goſpel.

As firſt, The Levites did ear, and drink, and wear apparel for their bodily nouriſhment, p. 47and preſervation of the life of Nature; and this was not ceremonial, but nature to be done by the Law of Nature, and by the poſitive Law of God, for God commanded our firſt parents to eat freely of the trees of the Garden, Of every tree of the garden thou ſhalt eat freely, Gen. 2.16. and this was not Levitical nor Ceremonial, nor to end at the coming of Chriſt; for Chriſt himſelf commandeth his Diſciples when he ſent them abroad to preach the Goſpel, to eat ſuch things as were ſet before them, Luk. 10.8. And if theſe actions of Levi were ended in Chriſt, then it was unlawful for any man or woman to eat, or drink, or to wear apparel, which is irrational and contrary to the mind of Chriſt, Lu. 10.7.

Secondly, The Levites did bleſs the people; this was another action of theirs Num. 6.22, &c. And the Lord ſpake unto Moſes, ſaying, Speak unto Aaron and his ſons, and ſay unto them, on this wiſe ſhall ye bleſs the children of Iſrael. And the Lord ſeparated the Tribe of Levi to ſtand before the Lord, and to bleſs in his name, Deut. 10.1. And this was not ceremonial neither, nor to end at Chriſts coming; for Chriſt teacheth his Diſciples to bleſs them that curſe them, Mat. 5.44. And the Apoſtles and Miniſters of Chriſt do bleſs the bread and wine in the Sacrament, 1 Cor. 10.16. And it was the practice of the Church and Miniſters of Chriſt to bleſs or pray for a bleſſing on the corgregation, 1 Cor. 4.16.

Thirdly, The Levites taught the good p. 48knowledge of God, for which that good King Hezekiah ſpake comfortably to them 2 Chron. 30.22. And they did read in the Book of the Law, Nehem. 8.8, 9.Neh 8:8Neh 8:9and gave the ſenſe, and cauſed to underſtand the reading, Nehem. 8. And theſe actions were not ceremonial, nor to be aboliſhed by Chriſt; for Chriſt commands his Diſciples that they ſhould go and teach all Nations, Mat. 28.19, 20. And thus Philip did by the direction of the Spirit of God, he opened the Prophet Iſaiah to the Eu…uch, Acts 8.30.35. And the Apoſtle tells us, that Chriſt gave ſome Apostles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtort and Teachers, Epheſ. 4.11. and therefore this office of teaching the people was not meerly Leviticall, and to be aboliſhed by Chriſt; we ſee the holy Scripture, doth plainly witneſs the contrary.

Fourthly, Reward and wages for Levi's ſervice was not ceremonial, but Moral, according to the Law of God and Nature; not to end in Chriſt, or at Chriſt's coming, but to continue to God to his Miniſter, laborers, and Servants for their labor in the work of the Goſpel unto the end of the world; for Chriſt himſelf appointed wages for his Apoſtles and Miniſters, and this not of charity, or Alms, at mens pleaſure whether they will pay or not, but of due debt for their labor: When he ſent them to preach the Goſpel, he gave them direction to expect wages and maintenance from them to whom he ſends them, Provide (ſaith he) p. 49neither gold, nor ſilver, nor braſs in your purſes, neither ſcrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither ſhooes, nor yet ſtaves; for the workman is worthy of his meat, Mat. 10. Mat. 10.11Matt 10:11and Luk. 10.7. for the laborer is worthy of his hire, or reward, it is due to him, and the people to whom he preacheth the Goſpel are bound by the Law of God and Nature to pay him for his labor. And hence the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 9.14.1 Cor 9:14Chriſt hath ordained that thoſe that preach the Goſpel ſhould live of the Goſpel, of their due reward and maintenance for their labor in preaching the Goſpel. And the Elders that tule well (ſaith the Apoſtle) are worthy of double honor, 1 Tim. 5.17, 18.1 Tim 5:171 Tim 5:18eſpecially they that labor in the word and doctrine. And he gives the reaſon from the Law of God and Nature, For the Scripture ſaith thou ſhalt not muſſel the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn; and the laborer is worthy of his reward. Therefore maintenance of Miniſters was not Levitical, but Moral, as wages and reward for their labor, as all other mens labor is and will be to the end of the world.

But doth not our Savior ſay, Objection. Freely you have received, freely give; what wages then can Chriſts Miniſters require?

I anſwer, read that Text Matth. 10.8. Anſwer. Chriſt gave them a miraculous power to heal the ſick, cleanſe the lepers, raiſe the dead, and to caſt out Devils, and to this he adds, freely ye have received, freely give: But for preaching of the Goſpel he doth not ſay ſo, for he directs them to receive meat, drink, p. 50and wages, as if you compare thoſe Scriptures Mat. 10. and Luk. 10. you may ſee the Apoſtles of Chriſt then might, and the Miniſters of Chriſt may lawfully expect and require Gods reward or wages for their labor in preaching of the Goſpel, and that was the Tenths, as we have proved already, they may lawfully look every man for his juſt gain from his quarter.

Fourthly, Judicial were the Givil laws of the Jews Lev. 17.30, &c. Tythes holy to the Lord.Lev 17:30The Tythes which were given to Levi for his ſervice, were not Levitical, ceremonial, nor typical, nor Judicial, which were the Jews Civil Laws, whatſoever the Quakers or Anabaptiſts or any other have dreamed to the contrary; no holy things are Judicial, but Tythes were holy things; and Tythes were not ſhadows, and figures of holy things, not ceremonies to be aboliſhed by Chriſt, but the Lords own portion declared to be Gods part, in every mans eſtate, long before Levi or the Levitical Law was inſtituted, though given to the Levites by Gods appointment for their ſervice during the life of that Prieſthood, and Gods part ſtill, Chriſt's inheritance, and the inheritance of his Miniſters to the worlds end, for there is a morality in them, and they are Gods part, for which he will call men to a reckoning at the great day of Judgement, when all the ſacrilegious wretches in the world ſhall tremble, except God in time give them to ſee their ſin and repent: For although Levi's Prieſthood be dead, Heb. 7.Heb 7yet Chriſt liveth who receiveth Tythes (as the Apoſtle witneſſes) p. 51and Chriſt's Miniſters live and receive Tythe, not by any right from Levi or Aaron's Prieſthood, but from Chriſt who is a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedec. That Tythes were ceremonial, was an opinion deviſed by Alexander de Hales an Engliſhman, Dr. Carleton in his Tythes examined, and divine right proved, fol. 20who lived about twelve hundred years after Chriſt, as that learned Dr. Carleton well obſerves, and this indeed to pleaſe the Pope, that he might better appropriate Tythes to his Monaſteries, his Abbots, Monks and Fryars, as after we ſhall touch. A ceremony is well deſcribed to be a carnal type of a holy thing, which for the ſervice of the Tabernacle was enjoyned only until the time of Reformation, as the Apoſtle Heb. 9.10 holds them forth unto us; but Tythes are no ſuch ceremonies, they have a morality in them, and whatſoever arguments may be brought againſt the morality and perpetuity of Tythes, the ſame may be brought againſt the morality and continuance of the Sabath or Lords Day, as that learned, acute and ſolid Dr. Sclater in his ſevenfold parallel of Arguments againſt the morality of Tything, Dr. Sclater in his Q…eſtion of Tyth…s, rev…ſ… and proved moral, pag. 224 A book I never read till I had almoſt ended the Anſwer of this Queſtion.and the morality of the Sabbath, or Lords Day, doth manifeſt. Theſe opinions, that Tythes and Sabbath are ceremonial, have run parallel in the hands of thoſe who would deſtroy both the time and maintenance of the Worſhip and ſervice of God in the Goſpel, as if ſince Chriſt there was no Lords Day p. 52to be kept holy, as a time appointed in ſpecial for the glorifying of God and good of poor ſouls. And as if there were no maintenance due to Chriſt's Miniſters, ſince Chriſt's aſcenſion into Heaven; an opinion well agreeing to the prophane Atheiſts of the world, who like thoſe fools in the Pſalm ſay in their hearts there is no God; Pſa. 14.1.Ps 14:1and thoſe high conceited Familiſts and quaking ſpirits, who boaſt their are equal with God; or thoſe who deny the ſouls immortality, or dream that it dieth with the body, or is turned into they know not what. But one day they ſhall be awakened; when the trumpet ſhall ſound, and the voyce of the Arch-angel ſhall cry out, Ariſe yet dead and come to Judgement. And then they will find, that there is a God that is greater then they, that he hath appointed a Sabbath or reſt day, the Lords Day, for his ſpecial ſervice, and appointed Maintenance for his Miniſters; yea, that their ſouls are immortal, and the Lord Jeſus is Judge of quick and dead: The Lord open their eyes in time, to ſee their errors, and repent, if it be his bleſſed will and pleaſure.

And thus I have ſufficiently anſwered that Objection, Where there is a change of the Prieſthood, there muſt be a change of the Law: We grant a change of Levi's Prieſthood, and of Levi's Law; and yet the Law of Tythes, as maintenance for Chriſt's Miniſters, remains ſtill, not from Levi, but Chriſt, who is a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedec, and ever liveth to take Tythes, p. 53though not in his own perſon, yet as he or God his Father did before Chriſt's coming in the fleſh by his Miniſters and Servants, whom he hath ordained to teach his people. Sir J Sempil in his Sacriledge S. handled in which he proves the Divine right of Tythes. Hebr. 7.Heb 7I ſhall conclude the evidence of this Anſwer to this Objection againſt the continuance of Tythes in the Goſpel, with a few Syllogiſms of that worthy, learned, and religious Knight Sir James Sempil, in his Sacriledge ſacredly handled, and Tythes proved due by Divine right.

1. He that takes Tythes, and liveth, is a perpetual Prieſthood:

Melchiſedec taketh Tythes and liveth:

Ergo, Melchiſedec is a perpetual Prieſt.

2 Whatſoever is ſpoken here (viz. Heb. 7.) of Melchiſedec typically, is transferred unto Chriſt's verity.

But Tything is ſpoken of Melchiſedec typically.

Therefore Tythes muſt be transferred unto Chriſt's verity.

3. Whatſoever is due to an eternal Prieſt, is perpetually due.

Tythes were and are due to Melchiſedec an eternal Prieſt, viz. in himſelf, the Type, or in Chriſt the verity ſignified.

Therefore Tythes are perpetually due to Melchiſedec, or to Chriſt who is a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedec.

4. Whatſoever was given as maintenance of both the Melchiſedecian and Levitical Prieſthood, muſt be alſo the maintenance of the Evangelical.

But Tythes were given as maintenance of p. 54both the Melchiſedecian and Levitical Prieſthood: Ergo.

Tythes muſt be alſo the maintenance of the Evangelical Prieſthood.

Theſe Syllogiſms are well fortified by Sir James Sempil himſelf againſt all pretended Objections; ſo as what hath been ſaid might ſatisfie a Quaker himſelf, if he would be ſatisfied.

But yet another Objection is made by ſome Anabaptiſts, Object. and theſe quaking adverſaries, John Cann his ſecond Voyce from the Temple of Babylon, or Baal, p. 13, 14.and their confederates; or rather a falſe accuſation, damning Tythes as Popiſh, and the pleading for them a pleading for Babilon and for Baal. Thus doth John Cann in his Second voyce from the Temple of Babilon; And that Pope Gregory the tenth was the firſt that ordained Tythes to be paid to the Prieſts, in the year 1214. And that with much miſtaken ignorance and impudence, as learned, A Goſpel plea, by W. Prynn or Swainſw. Eſq;,godly, and laborious Mr. William Vrynn obſerves, in that excellent Goſpel plea for Miniſters maintenance, proving the antient ſetled maintenance of …ythes due by Divine Right; and contrary to theſe malevolent Quakers or Anabaptiſts, who would perſwade men that Tythes are no older, or not ſo old as Antichriſt, and to be aboliſhed as Antichriſtian.

But for anſwer, Anſwer. let us reaſon the caſe with them a while▪ If they had that light within them which they boaſt of, they might ſee that Tythes are far more antient then Antichriſt, even as old as Melchiſedec, and faithful Abraham, the father of the faithful, many p. 55hundred years before the Levitical Law, and above two thouſand and five hundred years before that Romiſh Antichriſt had lift up his head in the Church. Let us enquire into the Hiſtory of the Church, and antient writers ſince Chriſt, and we ſhall finde Tythes to be Chriſtian divers hundred years before Pope Boniface (who was the firſt that took upon him the name of Univerſal Biſhop, and the chair of Antichriſt at Rome) was born.

Firſt, If we examine the Apoſtles time, Act. 4.34, 35.Acts 4:34Acts 4:35and times immediately after, there was a community of goods (as we proved before) the converted Chriſtians ſold their lands, and brought the money to the Apoſtles, and then no need, nor indeed power of paying Tythes in the Chriſtian Jewiſh Church, the Tythes being paid to the Prieſts amongſt the Jews whiles their Synagogues and Prieſthood laſted, as before you heard; and for the Gentiles converted, in thoſe times there was ſuch perſecution, that it was beſt for the Miniſters of Chriſt to live upon the common Treaſury among Saints. Tertul. Apol. cap 3…. He lived about 200 years after Chriſt. Euſeb eccl. hiſt lib. 2. cap 47.This community did continue until Tertullian's time, about two hundred years after Chriſt. All things are common with us (ſaith Tertullian) praeter uxores, except our Wives; yet this community was chiefly at Jeruſalem, and at Alexandria in Egypt, and at Carthage in Africa, where Tertullian lived, and ſome other places where perſecution was: And then, in the private meetings of Chriſtians each one give in to the common Treaſury p. 56what they had laid by them in ſtore for the maintenance of the Saints, 1 Cor. 16.1, 2. Act. 24.17 Rom. 15.26, 27. 2 Cor. 11.9.1 Cor 16:11 Cor 16:2Acts 24:17Rom 15:26Rom 15:272 Cor 11:9as St. Paul directed, 1 Cor. 16.1, 2. This Paul brought from the Gentiles to the Jews; and without queſtion the Apoſtle Paul had his part, for he himſelf teſtifieth, that the Brethren which came from Macedonia ſupplied his want, and others alſo were ſupplied out of the common treaſury. Thus for thoſe times of danger and perſecution, as it was in the Apoſtles days, few (in compariſon) of the multitude being converted, and the Emperors being no Chriſtians, The beginning of petſecution we read Acts 7. and Acts 12, &c. Herod &c. After, Emperor Nero. Firſt of ten perſecuting Emperors, &c. Euſebius Eccleſ Hiſt lib 2. cap. 25. l. 3. c 1. Tertull. Apol c 1. Marſilius Patavinus Defen. pacis per. 2. c. 15.Acts 7Acts 12but peſecutors, it was ſufficient they had their lives for a prey, and yet often times theſe alſo were taken away by cruel tormentors, as the hiſtories of the Church doth witneſs at full: And then it was no time to demand or receive Tythes of the people, but to live of the common Treaſury, and of lands, and rents of lands and other gifts given to the church for maintenance of Saints, and the Miniſters of Chriſt, who did preach the Goſpel unto them, as God ſtirred up beleivers hearts to give them, out of conſcience that they were bound to maintain the Miniſters of Chriſt, and that thoſe who preached the Goſpel ſhould live of the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 9.141 Cor 9:14as the Apoſtle Paul witneſſed it was the Ordinance of Chriſt. But when community of goods was ended, at leaſt in that manner as it was uſed in the primitive p. 57times; And when the Church had more quiet reſt from perſecution, and the Miniſters of Chriſt were ſetled in particular cities and places certain, to abide as Paſtors and Teachers over particular congregations; then we read Lands and Tythes ſetled and given to the Church, not as out of Frankalmoign or Free alms, but as Gods due right, and the maintenance of the Miniſters of Chriſt who did labor in the Word and Doctrine. The Glebe-lands and Tythes were part of that double honor which S. Paul witneſſeth the Miniſters of Chriſt are worthy of, 1 Tim. 5.17.

This truth we may find witneſſed in antient Hiſtories, and in the primitive Fathers of the Church.

Firſt for Hiſtory, we will begin with our own Britiſh Antiquities, remembred by that learned Mr. Pryn in his Goſpel-plea, proving that the preſent oppoſition againſt Tythes proceeds not from any real grounds of conſcience, but baſe covetouſneſs, Mr. Prynne his Goſpel plea, p. 123. cites John Capgrave in vila Joſeph. Chriſt. Glaſtoniens. Vincent. ſpect. Hiſt. lib. 23 cap. 147. cited by Doctor Ʋſher. Brit Eccleſ. Antiq. cap. 2. pag. 973. &c.carnal policie, &c. and a Jeſuitical and Anabaptiſtical deſign to ſubvert our Miniſters, Church and Religion.

Now Mr. Pryn, out of that godly, learned and worthy Dr. Ʋſher relates, that Ioſeph of Arimathea (who with Nicodemus took care for the burial of our Saviour in a new ſepulchre where never man was laid, as S. John witneſſeth Joh. 19 21.) This Joſeph came with ſome others into England about the year of Chriſt Forty eight, and preached the Goſpel to Arniragus a Britiſh King (a p. 58valiant Prince, Dr. Prideaun in Rom. Tribun. pag. 289.called Hector of Britain, who embraced the Chriſtian faith; and underſtanding the purity of their doctrine and holineſs of their converſation, he gave (as the Hiſtory relates) twelve Hides of land in the Iſles of Avalon, ſince called Glaſtenbury, in Somerſetſhire, where they built the firſt Church, made (as the Hiſtorian ſpeaks) of Wattle and Reeds, and there they continued together preaching the Goſpel, and living upon this their Glebe (now of great value, ſaith Mr. Pryn) which was afterwards confirmed to them, and the Miniſters of the Goſpel there ſucceeding them, both by Marius and Coilus, next ſucceſſors to Arniragus, whom alſo they inſtructed in the Chriſtian religion. Thus was Miniſters maintenance taken care of by that Chriſtian King here, about forty eight years after Chriſt.Dr. Ʋſher Brit. Eccleſ. Antiq. Spelmanni Conc. pag. 12. cited by Mr. Prynne his Goſpel plea. pag. 124 The Poet thus: Lucius in Chriſtum credit, Chriſtoque dicatos Eccleſias dotat, diſtinctas ordinat urbes &c.

Again, about the year of Chriſt One hundred ſeventy ſix, within two hundred years after Chriſt, we read of Lucius our King of Britain, that being converted to the Chriſtian faith by Faganus and Damianus, Preachers of the Goſpel, ſent to him at his requeſt by Elutherius Biſhop of Rome, he builded and endowed Churches through his Dominions with Glebe-lands and Tythes, and this for the maintenance of the Miniſters of Chriſt, long before Pope or Popery was ſet up in the world. And this afterwards the Britiſh and Saxon Kings confirmed and enacted more fully.

I may tell you, that about three hundred years after Chriſt, the Chriſtians being here p. 59and elſwhere reſtored to peace, Gild…s. Dr. Ʋſhers Brit. Eccleſ. Antiq. pag. 193. SpelConc. p. 36. 45. Cited by Mr. Prynne.and freed from perſecution by Conſtantine the Great (who was born in England) the firſt Chriſtan Emperor, they began to build and repair thoſe Churches or Meeting-places the Emperor Diocleſian and other perſecutors had raſed to the ground; And then were Churches endowed, and Miniſters maintained by Tythes, as well as Glebe-lands; witneſs the antient Writers and Fathers of the Church, then and before thoſe times: And this long before Pope or Popery, and Antichriſt of Rome, was ſtiled Univerſal Biſhop, and declared Antichriſt in the Church.

I might give you a catalogue of Godly men from thoſe times almoſt to theſe very days, who witneſſed Tythes to be Gods right and due by Divine right to the Miniſters of the Goſpel. I will name but a few: And firſt I begin with Irenaeus, Iren. lib. 4. cap. 20.who lived about one hundred and eighty years after Chriſt; and he tells us, that the Apoſtles (and ſo the Miniſters of Chriſt) are the Lords Prieſts that ſerve at the Altar, 1 Cor. 9.13, 14.1 Cor 9:131 Cor 9:14that muſt eat the Lords part, that muſt have the ſubſtance of the Levites, not of gift, but of right: Of them ſpake Moſes. And what was the principal ſubſtance of which the Levites did live, but the Tythes which God gave to Levi for his fervice in the tabernacle? Num. i8.2i.Therefore certainly Irenaeus witneſſeth what was due of right to the Miniſters of the Goſpel in his time; and this was Tythes.

Again, Origen who lived about two hundred p. 60years after Chriſt, Sed & in novo Teſta mento ſimiliter venerabilis eſt decas &c.in his Homilies upon Geneſis (as in other places) he declareth his judgment concerning Tythes: But alſo in the New Teſtament (ſaith he) the Tenth is venerable; And becauſe there is one Author of all, one fountain, one beginning, even Chriſt, therefore the people pay Tythes to the Miniſters of Chriſt. Thus you ſee in Origen's time, within two hundred years after Chriſt, Tythes were eſteemed venerable in the New Teſtament, as well as in the Old, and the Chriſtians paid Tythes as of old; And this was four hundred years before the Antichriſt of Rome was riſen up in the Church, or made himſelf manifeſt in the world: Tythes were not then Antichriſtian nor Popiſh, (as the Quakers, Anabaptiſtical Can and others would make men believe.)

Thirdly; Cyprian de unit. eccleſ.Cyprian who lived about two hundred and fifty years after Chriſt. They did then (viz. in the primitive times) ſell their houſes and lands, and laid the money down at the Apoſtles feet for the uſe of the Church, laying up treaſure in heaven: But now (ſaith he) De patrimonio nec decimas damus, We do not ſo much as give the Tenth of our patrimony to God▪ The Father reproveth the Chriſtians for coming ſhort of the Jews in giving God his right.

But ſome Quaker or Anabaptiſt will object, Object. This ſheweth rather that Tythes were not due, or not paid in thoſe times of Cyprian.

I anſwer, Anſw. Mal. 3.6, 7.Mal 3:6Mal 3:7That is not ſo: For you may read Mal. 3. that the Lord reproveth the Jews for not paying of their tythes, and p. 61tells them they were robbers of God, guilty of that odious ſin of ſacrilege: Ye have robbed me, ſaith the Lord, and ye ſay, wherein? In tythes and offerings: but ye are curſed with a curſe, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Doth this prove that Tythes were not due then by the law of God, or that none were then paid in that Nation? Certainly no, but rather the contrary, that they were due by Gods law, yea that they were the Lords, and that thoſe whoſoever kept them back, they were thieves and robbers then, as they are now in the times of the Goſpel? Tythes certainly were due by Divine right in S. Cyprian's judgment, which was long before the days of the Pope or Papacie, or that Antichriſt of Rome in the world,

Fourthly, Hilar lib. explan. in Mat. c. 24.Matt 24Hilary who lived about three hundred and fifty years after that, in his book of Explanation upon Matthew: Becauſe the Law (ſaith he) preſcribes the tything. of Mint and Annis, the tything of every herb was not to be omitted for the example of future times. For this cauſe, in Hilary's judgment, Chriſt doth not forbid, but approve of tythes in the New Teſtament.

Fifthly, Gregory Nazianzen, Greg Naz. Orat 5.who lived about three hundred and ſeventy years after Chriſt: Chriſt (ſaith he is called Melchiſedec, as receiving tythes; And if Chriſt receive tythes, it muſt be by his Miniſters, and this muſt be by right from Chriſt. Thus doth this Father declare tythes as due to Chriſt and his Miniſters in the New Teſtament.

p. 62Sixthly, Amb. ſer. 34 in Feria 3. poſt prim. dominicam quadrageſ.Holy Ambroſe that famous Biſhop of Millaine, who lived about three hundred years after Chriſt. Quia de omni ſubſtantia quam Deus hominibus donat decimam partem ſibi ſervavit, &c. Becauſe of all the ſubſtance which God hath given to man, he hath reſerved a tenth part to himſelf; therefore it is not lawful for man to retain that, which he hath reſerved. God (ſaith he) hath given to thee nine parts, and if thou ſhalt not give to God the Tenth part, God may take away from thee the nine parts. And he concludes, He that payeth not the tenth, doth not yet fear God, nor know what is true repentance. This doth witneſs it was St Ambroſe's judgement, that in his time Tythes were due by Divine Right; and this was not four hundred years after Chriſt, and two hundred years before the Antichriſt of Rome did lift up his head above his brethren; Tythes then were not Antichriſtian, nor popiſh, as the ignorant Anabaptiſts, or popiſh Quakers teach their Proſelytes.

Seventhly, St. Hierom, who lived three hundred and ninety years after Chriſt, two hundred year, In Eccleſia quoque populis intelligite quibus praeceprum eſt non ſolum decimas dare, ſed & vendere omnia & dare pauperibus, &c. Quod qui non fecerit, Deum fraudare & Dominum ſupplantare convincitur, &c. Hierom. in Mal. 3.Mal 3before the riſe of the Romiſh Antichriſt. That which we have ſpoken (ſaith he) of the Tythes and firſt fruits which long ago were given to the Prieſts and Levites, underſtand ye alſo in the people of the Church, to whom it is commanded not onelyonly to give their p. 63Tythes and Firſt fruits, but to ſell all they have and give it to the poor, &c. which he that ſhall not do, he is convinced to deceive, and rob, or defraud God, and is ſubject to the curſe, &c. Thus doth this Father alſo teſtifie the Divine right of Tythes, or that Tythes are due in the Church of Chriſt amongſt the Gentiles, Jure Divino, by Divine right.

Eighthly, Chryſoſtom, Si tunc periculum erat decimas negligere, perpende quanti nunc iſtud fuerit. Chryſoſt. hom. Eph. cap. 2.Eph 2who lived about three hundred ninety eight years after Chriſt in his Homilies or Sermons upon Geneſis, ſpeaking of the Jews paying their Tythes by Gods command, They did freely and willingly pay one Tythe to the Prieſts, and another Tythe to the poor; but Chriſtians (ſaith he) are ſcarce willing to pay one Tythe. But if it were a danger then to the Jews not to pay their Tythes, conſider what it is now, if we neglect it. Thus doth St. Chryſoſtom plainly witneſſe that Tythes are to be paid jure Divino, by Divine right.

Ninthly, in a word, St. Auguſt. Hom. 40. inter 50. Hom.bleſſed Auguſtine that holy and laborious Father in the Church, who lived about four hundred years after Chriſt, and two hundred years before Boniface the third took upon him to be univerſal Biſhop, and ſo Antichriſt apparent: This holy man who was a valiant Champion of Chriſt to defend the Faith of the Goſpel, Jud. v. 4:Judg 5:4the old Faith that was once delivered to the Saints. In his forty eighth Sermon, Majores noſtri ideo copiis abundant quia Deo decimas dabant, &c. Mal. 3.6, 7, 8, 9.Mal 3:6Mal 3:7Mal 3:8Mal 3:9Our Anceſtors (ſaith he) did therefore abound with plenty, becauſe they gave their Tythe to God, God did bleſs the p. 64nine parts when they gave the tenth. But now (ſaith the Father) Becauſe Devotions decreaſe, Exactions have increaſed, we will not give the tenth part to God, and now all is taken away; that which Chriſt cannot have, Caeſar will have; what was hoped to be ſaved in Tythes, is loſt in Taxes: Yea, the nine parts are almoſt gone and tenths and all. This was the ſad condition of thoſe times. I may add, That we have many now murmure at the payment of Taxes, but they do not lay to heart the non payment of Tythes; if we rob God of his due, how can we expect God ſhould bleſs us? If Achan, ſacrilegious Achan be in the Camp, how ſhould we not flie before our enemies, as Iſrael once did before the men of Ai? Joſh. 7.1, 2, 3, 4, &c.Josh 7:1Josh 7:2Josh 7:3Josh 7:4Let men conſider and enquire, whether diminiſhing of Tythes hath not brought increaſe of Taxes; whether it may not in Gods juſt judgement be with us now, as it was in Gods juſt judgement with the people of whom St. Auguſtine complaines, for their negligent payment of Tythes.

Again, Aug. ſerm. de tempore, 219.the ſame Auguſtine in his 219 Sermon De tempore, he preſſeth this duty of paying Tythes by divers arguments. If thou wilt not give God the tenth, God will turn thee to the tenth by his curſes and judgements. Havock and ſpoil (ſaith he) ſhall be in your treaſuries, and in your houſes; thus ſhalt thou give that to the unmerciful Souldier, which thou wouldeſt not give to Gods Miniſters. And in another place he argueth the caſe from Mal 3. Mal. 3.10.Mal 3:10God is always p. 65ready to give his bleſſings, but the perverſeneſs of man oppoſeth; for he would have God give him all things, and he will offer unto God nothing of that whereof God himſelf is the owner. But what if God ſhould ſay, The man that I made is mine, the ground that thou tilleſt is mine, the ſeed that thou ſoweſt is mine, the cattel that thou wearieſt in thy work are mine; the ſhowers, the rain, and the gentle winds are mine; the heat or warmth of the ſun is mine; and ſince all the Elements whereby thou liveſt are mine, thou that lendeſt onelyonly thy hand, deſerveſt onelyonly the Tythe or Tenth part? Yet becauſe Almighty God doth mercifully feed us, he beſtoweth upon the labourer a moſt liberal reward for his pains; he giveth him nine parts, and reſerveth only the tenth unto himſelf, for his ſervice and the maintenance of his ſervants. And I may add to this, What is it but baſe ingratitude, yea, flat robbery and ſacriledge, to deny God the tenth, or that the tenth is due to Chriſt and his Miniſters by Divine right? ſince God ſo freely giveth the nine parts, and reſerveth only the tenth for himſelf, whatſoever the Quakers or Anabaptiſts dare deny. Thus you have St. Auguſtine's judgement, that Tythes are Gods, and ſo due to Chriſt and his Miniſters by Divine right; and this was two hundred years before the Pope or Antichriſt of Rome was born.

But I might go on with a long Catalogue of antient Writers to the riſing of Antichriſt, yea, and ſince that Antichriſt of Rome did exalt himſelf, and give evidence from p. 66many godly men in ſeveral ages, who have witneſſed and confirmed by divers arguments, the Divine right of Tythes, as due to Chriſt's faithful Miniſters in the Goſpel by Divine right.

But I commend thoſe that deſire to ſee many more teſtimonies, D. Tilleſley in his Animad. on M. Seldens hiſt. of Tythes.to that excellent Catalogue compoſed by learned Dr. Tilleſley, wherein he produceth about Threeſcore witneſſes that aſſert the Divine right of Tythes, or give arguments to that purpoſe, That they have been, and ought to be ſo paid. And I might add the judgement of the godly learned of later times: But theſe before Antichriſt's time are ſufficient to witneſs Tythes are not Antichriſtian, nor any popiſh invention, whatſoever the Quakers, or Anabaptiſts, or others imagine to the contrary.

But when did Antichriſt ariſe, Object. 1 Joh. 2.18.1 John 2:18may ſome demand? Doth not St. John ſay, there were many Antichriſts in his time? 1 John 2.18.

I anſwer, It is true, the Apoſtle doth witneſs, that there were then many Antichriſts, and ſo there are now many Antichriſts, many adverſaries to Chriſt and his Miniſters now in the world: Thoſe malignant Quakers who plot and labor the overthrow of the Goſpel eſtabliſhed Miniſtery, what are they but the ſpawn of Antichriſt, Rev. 16.13Rev 16:13and creeping frogs out of the mouth of the Beaſt, of the Dragon and the falſe Prophet? But the Apoſtle in the ſame Chapter and the ſame verſe, 1 Joh. 2.18.1 John 2:18he ſpake of p. 67another Antichriſt, that Antichriſt; that principal Antichriſt, whom St. Paul deſcribes 2 Theſſ. 2.3, 4. The man of ſin, the ſon of perdition, who oppoſeth and exalteth himſelf above all that is called God, or that is worſhipped: ſo that he as God, ſitteth in the Temple of God, ſhewing himſelf that he is God, or as if he were God; we may ſay ſuffering himſelf by his flatterers to be called God (as ſome Popes have done) that ſcarlet coloured Beaſt, full of names of Blaſphemy, As Jewel againſt Harding proveth.to whom the ten Kings give their power and ſtrength to fight againſt the Lamb Chriſt; as Antichriſt, and the whore of Babylon is decyphered, Rev. 17. Rev. 17.1, 2, &c.Rev 17:1Rev 17:2This Antichriſt did not ariſe until about ſix hundred years after Chriſt. Gregory the Great 600 years after Chriſt.We read of Gregory the Great who was Biſhop of Rome about the year ſix hundred, that he foretold, whoſoever he was that ſhould take unto him the name and title of Univerſal Biſhop, he was either Antichriſtus, or praecurſor Antichriſti, Antichriſt, or the forerunner of Antichriſt; and this was fulfilled in his next Succeſſor Boniface the Third: For when that peremptory, proud Centurion Phocas, Phocas killed Mauritius the Emperor about 600 years after Chriſt. The papacy began, as the great Autichriſt.had wickedly and treacherouſly killed his Lord and Maſter, the Emperor Mauritius; then Boniface the Third being Biſhop of Rome, by the countenance of the Murderer Phocas did take upon him that Antichriſtian name and title of Univerſal Biſhop. So fulfilling the the Propheſie of Gregory the Great his Predeceſſor. And this pride of papal dignity his ſucceſſors imbrace as well as he, then laboring p. 68by all means to exalt the Papacy: yet many hundred years after, yea, and to this day God preſerved ſome holy men to preſerve the Truth, and to defend Gods right, and the right of his ſervants. As in the days of Ahab and Jezabel, God had ſeven thouſand in Iſrael which had not bowed the knee to Baal. Divers Councils confirmed, and good Laws were enacted to maintain the Divine right of tythes: I ſhall omit the Councils, and give you an antient Law or two for this purpoſe.

Firſt, King Ethelstan (a King of this land) about nine hundred and thirty years after Chriſt, by the advice of his Council at that time: I do command all my chief Officers (ſaith he) in all my Kingdom in the name of the Lord, that firſt of my own proper eſtate, they give the tenth to God, as well in my living goods, as in the dead fruits of the earth; and the ſame he requires his Biſhops, Aldermen, and others to do. Thus he doth, as out of conſcience acknowledge Gods due.

And that Law of King Edward the Confeſſor, The Laws of K. Edw. the Confeſcited pag. 224. 1050 years after Chriſtwho lived about a thouſand and fifty years after Chriſt, ſix hundred years ſince. De omni decima garba Deo debita eſt, ideo reddenda, &c. Of all the corn, the tenth ſheaf is due to God, and therefore to be paid; And if any one hath a flock of Mares, he is to give the tenth Foal; and if he have but one or two, he ſhall give for every one a penny; and he that ſhall have many Kine, he ſhall give the tenth Calf, and he that hath p. 69but one or two, he ſhall give for every one a half-penny: And he that maketh cheeſe, let him give God the tenth; and if he make none, then the milk the tenth day; likewiſe the tenth Lamb, the tenth Fleece, and of Bees the tenth of the profit, and ſo of leſſer Tythes of Boſs, Gardens, and other things. And this Law you ſee doth witneſs Tythes due to God by divine right, many hundred years ſince, to let paſs Statutes made of later years; but I cannot paſs over that of Sir Edward Coke, that learned Judge and famous Oracle of the Law, who affirms, That in the very body of the antient Common Law of England, Tythes are due Jure Divino, by Divine Right, and we have declared they were ſo judged, for the firſt ſix hundred years after Chriſt, and after that again, until the time of King Edward the Confeſſor, about a thouſand and fifty years after Chriſt, When the Pope would appropriate Tythes to Abbies, ben began the opinion that Tythes were not due by Divine Right.the ſame opinion continued in the Church. But after that the Popes of Rome began to be more politick, to maintain their own greatneſs by enlarging the maintenance of their Abbots, Monks and Fryers in the Monaſteries of ſeveral orders deviſed to maintain the Popes great neſs, not content with thoſe Lands, which out of fair pretence were given to them by men and women religiouſly, Gratian c. 3 q. 2. Leo 4. Cited by D. Carleton in Tythes examined.and ſome ſuperſtitiouſly affected, but ſeeking alſo to get the Tythes from the particular Pariſh Miniſters, to whom they were antiently ſetled as their proper right, which was done in part by Dionyſius Biſhop of Rome, p. 70about two hundred and ſeventy years after Chriſt, Mr. Hanmer his Cronography. pag. 577. Jo: Canne his ſecond voice from the Temple.which was many hundred years before the Council of Lateran or any Popes Decretals for payment of them, to which ſome would relate this diviſion of Pariſhes, and the payment of Tythes. But after that the Pope had appropriated Tythes to his Monaſteries, and robbed the particular Pariſhes and their pariſh Miniſters of them, then theſe new opinions concerning Tythes began to creak out; and the Schoolmen and others to pleaſe the Pope, they endeavor to juſtifie the Popes Sacriledge; for certainly that was a diverting of the Miniſters maintenance of Tythes from the original intention and uſe of them, whatever men may ſuppoſe to the contrary, or the Pope pretend to uſtifie himſelf: Alexander de Hales. 3. part. qu 51. art. 3.Then Alexander De Hales an Engliſhman and a Schoolman, he affirms tythes to be judicials, and ſo might more lawfully be diſpoſed of by appropriations to Monaſteries. This was about One thouſand two hundred and fifty, four hundred years ſince; The opinion that Tythes were Almes did ariſe from the abuſe of Tythes in Popery, taking them from the Miniſters to Abbyes Monaſterie, &c.and Aquinas endeavors to the ſame effect. This is one opinion of Rome; but Tythes cannot be judicials, for no holy things are judicials: The judicial laws did concern the civil government of the Jews, but Tythes are holy to the Lord, Levit. 27.32. therefore they cannot be judicials, as the ſaid men deviſed. And before we noted another later opinion, that Tythes were mere Alms given by the Church, and to Church Miniſters, as men were converted to Chriſtian Religion, and p. 71Religion more ſetled in the world. This opinion, ſay ſome, was brought in by the Waldenſes upon their ſight of the abominable abuſes of Tythes in the Church of Rome, (if I may call it a Church) the Popes having perverted Tythes from the true uſe, and turned and abuſed them to maintain the luxury of lazie Abbots, Monks and ungodly Friers who were full of all abominations. But theſe good men did not rightly conſider the firſt original, nor the reaſon which moved godly men to give the Tythes to Gods Miniſters, who taught them the Goſpel, for their comfortable livelihood and better maintenance. And this was becauſe thoſe holy men which gave their Tythes, were ſatisfied in Conſcience that Tythes were Gods right, his own reſerved portion due to Chriſt as a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedec; Gen. 28.32Gen 28:32therefore Jacob vowed to pay Tythes as a duty to Chriſt for the maintenance of his faithful Miniſters: And the abu…e of them in Popery could not take away Gods right, nor deprive Gods faithful Miniſters of that comfortable maintenance which is due to them from Chriſt for their ſervice to him in preaching of the Goſpel. 2 Cor. 5.20.2 Cor 5:20For what elſe are Gods Miniſters, but Chriſts ſervants? We are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, and we beſeech you in Chriſts ſtead, as if God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead that you be reconciled to God; and therefore may lawfully expect and look for this lawful gain for their labor, every one p. 70duplicate page p. 71duplicate page p. 72even in the place where he is, whatſoever Anabaptiſts or Quakers alleage to the contrary.

To conclude; A fourth opinion yet later hath been, that Tythes are ceremonial, and that they are to be aboliſhed, and that Miniſters that take Tythes, deny Chriſt to be come in the fleſh, and endeavor to ſetup again Aarons Prieſthood and to revive it again: That there is nothing due to Chriſts Miniſters, but they ſhould live in high or rather low poverty, and the like. Theſe are the common cries of our croaking Quakers, who are cunningly (and I believe) ſome of them ignorantly by the Devil, and Antichriſt and his Emiſſaries, ſet on to overthrow the Miniſters of Chriſt in England, and the Goſpel too, if God ſuffer them. And thus as Schollers of that moſt wicked Apoſtate Emperor Julian, by deſtroying Tythes and Miniſters maintenance, to deſtroy the Miniſtery it ſelf, that they may more eaſily remove the Candleſtick of the Goſpel, and ſet up the Kingdom of Antichriſt, inſtead of Chriſt in the Nation; which God of his mercy keep from us, leaſt Epheſus lot be our portion, to lo…e both the Goſpel, and our lives, eſtates, and liberties, to ſome Turkiſh Tyrant or other Antichriſt, to our ſorrows and undoing for ever.

But theſe men blinded by the ſpirit of Error, ſpeak they know not what: For what are Ceremonies, but carnal rites, which were enjoyned until the time of Reformation, as you may read Heb. 9.10. noted p. 73before. Theſe the Apoſtle calls weak and beggerly rudiments which held men in bondage, as the obſervation of days, and moneths, and times, and years, ſuch ſhadows and ceremonies as were appointed for inſtruction and teaching men until Chriſt who is the ſubſtance and end of all was come. Now Tythes were not appointed to teach men any thing, but for the maintenance and livelihood of them that are Teachers, the faithful Preachers of the Goſpel, and Miniſters of Chriſt. Therefore Tythes are not ceremonies, as the ceremonious Quakers would have them; but the juſt Temporal outward gain and reward for their labor, which the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt may lawfully ſeek by every man for his labor in his place. As it was with the Levites in Nehemiahs time, I perceived, ſaith he, Nehe. 13: 10, 11, 12.that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: For the Levites 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 places. Then brought all Judah the Tythe of the Corn, and new Wine and Oyl into the Treaſuries. This was the ſecond Tythe which was to be eaten before the Lord, and of which the Levites were to have part; and when that was kept from them, they fled every man to his field, to his quarter, where they had their houſes, and where they taught the people, and where they had the firſt Tythe to maintain them.

p. 74It was lawful for them in that caſe to ſeek every man for his gain from his place; and ſo it is now for the Miniſters of Chriſt, when their juſt dues are kept from them, they are conſtrained ſometimes to ſeek (though ſore againſt their will) every man for his juſt gain in his place where God ſets him.

And this they may lawfully do, yea, to deſire the help of the Magiſtrate, if it cannot otherwiſe be obtained, and this without any juſt blame, whatſoever Quakers or Anabaptiſts teach their Auditors.

And thus I have ſufficiently anſwered the Objections, pretending, that Tythes are Popiſh, Antichriſtian, and Ceremonial, and cleared the contrary at full, if men will not hoodwink themſelves, or be wilfully deceived by the deceivers.

I ſhall onelyonly propoſe and examine ſome Caſes of Conſcience, and wiſh the Anabaptiſts, Quakers, and thoſe that take their parts, to enquire into them before they go on any further to oppoſe Tythes, or take them away from the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt.

And this is to examine throughly upon all that I have writ, A Caſe of Conſcience.and is further manifeſted by godly men concerning the Divine Right of Tythes; Whether the taking away of Tythes from the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt, be not that abominable ſin of Sacriledge, for which God hath not onelyonly threatned, but puniſhed men with fearful plagues and judgments in ſeveral ages of the World; as we ſhall manifeſt by ſome p. 75examples, before we end this Queſtion.

It may be ſome will demand, Objection. What is this ſin of ſacrilege, and of which commandment of the Law or Goſpel is this a breach or tranſgreſſion? 1 Joh. 3.4.1 John 3:4for ſin is the tranſgreſſion of the Law.

I anſwer, Anſwer. Sacrilege is a breach of the eighth commandment, Thou ſhalt not ſteal; And every theft is ſin. But ſacrilege is a ſtealing from God, or a robbing of God, and ſo a ſin of a higher nature then the robbing from any man whatſoever. Sacrilege is as ſtealing or robbing God of his holy things: Will a man rob God? (ſaith the Prophet;) yet ye have robbed me, ſaith the Lord, Mal. 3.6. Mal. 3.6.Mal 3:6The taking away of the holy things of God and turning them to mans private uſe, or to any other uſe then God hath appointed, this is ſacrilege. Now things are ſaid to be Gods, and holy to the Lord two ways, or by a twofold means. Firſt by way of Reſervation, when God reſerveth or excepteth them for himſelf for his own pleaſure or ſervice: As God did reſerve and except the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Paradiſe from our firſt parents; It was Gods reſerved part holy to the Lord, and might not be eaten of upon pain of death, Gen. 2.17. And ſecondly, Levit. 27.30, 31, 32.Lev 27:30Lev 27:31Lev 27:32ſo are Tythes Gods reſerved part, as we proved before they are the Lords, and holy to the Lord, Lev. 27.

2. Again, things may be ſaid to be holy to the Lord by way of conſecration: And this firſt either by God himſelf to ſome holy p. 76uſe; Or ſecondly, by men to God and his ſervice.

Firſt, thus did God conſecrate the gold and ſilver, and veſſels of braſs and iron which were found in Jericho, theſe by Gods appointment were conſecrate to the Lord: But all the ſilver and gold, and veſſels of braſs and iron are conſecrated to the Lord, they ſhall come into the treaſury of the Lord, Joſ. 6.19.

Secondly, whatſoever is conſecrated or devoted unto God by men, that alſo is holy by conſecration unto God. Levit. 27.28.Lev 27:28Thus Lev. 27. Notwithſtanding no devoted thing that a man ſhall devote unto the Lord of all things he hath both of man and beaſt, or of the field of his poſſeſsion, ſhall be ſold or redeemed; every devoted thing is moſt holy to the Lord.

Firſt then, to take away or ſteal Gods reſerved part, was and is ſacrilege; As the taking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Gen. 2.17. Mal. 3.6, 7.Gen 2:17Mal 3:6Mal 3:7Gen. 2. and the taking away or ſtealing of Tythes, Mal. 3. And thus the taking away or ſtealing of things conſecrated by God himſelf, as the gold and ſilver of Jericho, is ſacrilege, or whatſoever elſe is given to God by men for his worſhip or ſervice, or the maintenance thereof, this is ſacrilege, for whatſoever is devoted is is holy to the Lord. And the wiſe man Solomon guided by the Spirit of God tells us, It is a ſnare (a deadly ſnare) to devour that which is holy, Prov. 20.25Prov 20:25or conſecrated to God, and after vows to make enquiry. Men cannot give to God, and take away again at their pleaſure, p. 77without ſacrilege. Act 5.1, …, 3, 4. &c.Acts 5:1Acts 5:3Acts 5:4This is evident in the example of Ananias and Sapphira Act. 5. Firſt they gave to God the price of their lands, and ſo the Apoſtle and the Church did underſtand them; but they ſecretly kept back part after they had given it to God and to Chriſt, and his Church; and this was ſacrilege, and for this and their lying they were ſtrucken dead ſuddenly, as you may read there at full.

And now I deſire all theſe Anabaptiſts, or Quaking or other adverſaries to Tythes, who pretend to conſcience, to enquire diligently into this caſe of conſcience, and ſearch whether the taking away of Tythes from the right uſe God hath deſigned them unto, be not ſacrilege in a double reſpect.

Firſt as being Gods reſerved part kept to himſelf for his worſhip and ſervice, and for the maintenance of his Miniſters to the end of the world, as we have proved at full, and which to take away is declared ſacrilege.

Secondly, as Gods conſecrated part given by men out of conſcience to the Miniſters of Chriſt, both in the primitive times, and in later ages; witneſſed both by their Donation of, and good Laws enacted for due paiment of Tythes, as we have in part declared in thoſe laws of King Ethelſtan, and King Edward the Confeſſor, noted before; And as may appear in the Donation and and Gifts of Conſtantine the Great, his care for the maintenance of the Miniſters of Chriſt, not only the good Biſhops aſſembled p. 78at the great Council at Nice, Euſeb. Ecclde vita Conſtant. lib. 1. cap. Epist. of Conſtant. to Euſeb. B. of C…ſaria in Paleſtine. Levit. 27.30, 31 The taking away of Tythes is Sacreledge.Lev 27:30Lev 27:31as witneſſeth Euſebius, but of other Miniſters and Churches appointed for the more convenient meetings of the people, and furtherance of the Chriſtian faith, as Socrates relateth. And the taking away of Tythes conſecrated to God by holy men, given out of conſcience and duty to the maintenance of Gods ſervice, what is it elſe but ſacrilege, except they be redeemed, as Lev. 27. they may? And theſe conſecrations of Tythes, and further manifeſtations of this truth, that the taking them away is ſacrilege, we ſhall declare by ſeveral examples, partly in other, and partly in this our own Nation.

Firſt Mr. Mr. Selden in his. Hiſt. of Tythes. pag. 49.Selden in his Hiſtory of Tythes tells us, that a perpetual Right of Tythes was conſecrated to ſome Churches by grant or aſſignment out of ſuch and ſuch lands at the owners pleaſure; that is, as he intends it, as voluntary contributions; (this was his new opinion.) But here I cannot but demand, upon what ground was this done? or what was the cauſe that moved theſe good religious men inſtructed in the faith of Chriſt, to conſecrate their Tythes, the tenth part of their increaſe, to the maintenance of the Miniſters of Chriſt? or to what end did they do this? And certainly, if we conſult their donations and declarations of their minds, (if we had them written at large) they would witneſs that they did conſecrate their Tythes, as being convinced in conſcience they are Gods due and Chriſts p. 79right for the maintenance of his faithful Miniſters, who are careful and painful in preaching the Goſpel of Chriſt; not out of any wrong ground or ſuperſtitious end, as a will-worſhip. And therefore the taking them away from God, and the right uſe and end the Donor gave them, what can it be leſs then the ſin of ſacrilege.

And upon this ground and reaſon I believe was the gift of King Lucius, Lucius king of Britain. Dr. Ʋſher his Britiſh Antiq.and his endowment of Churches both with Glebelands and Tythes, within or near two hundred years after Chriſt; beſides all the practice of holy men converted to the faith, then, and in ſucceeding ages. And what other can we conceive of that Donation of Pipin King of France, the ſon of Charls Martel that Church-robber? certainly out of conſcience they were Gods due, and belonging to the Miniſters of the Goſpel, he did reſtore thoſe tythes which he and Charls his father had taken away. Dr. Tilſley his Animadverſ. p. 64, 65, 66.So Dr. Tilſley in his Record of the Hiſtory of Charls Martels Sacrilege, and Animadverſions upon Mr. Selden's Hiſtory of Tythes, obſerves. This King Pipin lived about eight hundred years after Chriſt, Molanus de ſanctis Belgii. In 18 Octo. bris in vita Monen.and royally gave the tythe he had between Leſche and Ourt to Monon that bleſſed man, who was ſlain for his profeſſion of Chriſt.

But what need I travel beyond ſea for proof? That excellent example of King Ethelwolph, the Son of King Egbert (a King of this land of the Saxon race) who brought the Heptarchie or Sevenfold Kingdom p. 100of the Saxons into a Monarchy; this King Ethelwolph having received the Chriſtian Faith, he had by his conqueſt all the lands in England for his Demeſn (as is acknowledged by that learned Judge and judicious Lawyer Sir Edward Coke in his Commentary upon Littleton) and conferred the Tythes of all his Kingdom upon the Church by his Royal Charter, Sir Ed Coke his com. on Little…on. Sir H. Spel. com. 85.dated in the year of Chriſt Eight hundred fifty five, related in theſe words. King Ethelwolph by the conſent of his Prelates and Princes which ruled in England under him in their ſeveral Provinces, did enrich the Church of England with Tythes of all his lands, and goods by his Charter Royal, &c. Adding in the end That whoſo ſhould increaſe that gift, God would pleaſe to proſper and increaſe his days: But if any ſhould preſume to diminiſh the ſame, An item againſt Sacriledge, or ſundry Queries concerning Tythes printed 1653.that he ſhould be called to an account for it at Gods Judgement ſeat, &c. And this he did not onelyonly as Lord Paramount, but as Proprietary of the whole land, the Lord and great men having no propiety or eſtates of permanency, but as accountants to the King whoſe the whole land was; and yet they alſo gave their free conſents, which the King required, that thereby they might be barred from pleading any Tenant right; as alſo to oblige them to ſtand in the maintenance of Tythes againſt all pretenders that might come in after-time. Here you ſee was a free and full donation of all the Tythes of England unto God, and to the Church of Chriſt for the maintenance p. 81of the Goſpel and Goſpel-Miniſtery, and this no doubt out of conſcience informed by the word of God, that they were due to them by Divine Right.

Now if all the Tythes of England be be God's; Firſt, by reſervation as his own proper right; Secondly, God's by dedication and conſecration unto him for his ſervice: Rev. 20.12Rev 20:12Then I deſire that men would enquire into the Book of Conſcience (which one day ſhall be opened) and be fully reſolved whether to take away Tythes from their proper uſe, for which God and good men did give them, be not horrid Sacriledge, Mal. 3.8.Mal 3:8that dreadful ſin which ſubjects men to the wrath and curſe of God.

To quicken your meditation upon this caſe of Conſcience (now conſciene hath ſo much liberty) and to move it to look within doors, and truly to ſee if it know its own face; let me mind you of ſome few examples of Gods direful Judgements againſt this ſin of Sacriledge.

Firſt, Gen. 3.132, 3, 4, 5, &c.Gen 3:132Gen 3:3Gen 3:4Gen 3:5We have all cauſe to remember the ſacriledge of our firſt parents in taking of Gods reſerved part, the forbidden tree, for which they were driven out of Paradiſe, and they and all their poſterity ſubject to death, and the curſe of God, yea, Gen. 3.15.Gen 3:15all miſeries in this life and the life to come, had not God given the ſeed of the woman, Chriſt our Savior, to break the ſerpents head, and make our peace with the blood of his croſs; Col. 1.20.Col 1:20had not God in his unſpeakable love in Chriſt reconciled us unto himſelf, as the p. 82Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 5.192 Cor 5:19yea, by the death of his, ſon, Rom, 5.10 without which we were all the children of wrath as well as others, Epheſ. 2.3Eph 2:3Eph. 2.3.

Secondly, And what need I rehearſe that judgement of God that fell upon ſacrilegious Achan, Joſh. 7.1, 2, 3, 4, &c.Josh 7:1Josh 7:2Josh 7:3Josh 7:4yea that great affliction that fell upon the Army of Iſrael for Achan's ſin? Firſt, the Army of Iſrael did flie before the men of Ai verſ. 4. And Achan, his ſons, his daughters, Joſ. 24, 25Josh 24:25all he had were ſtoned with ſtones, and burnt with fire for that ſin.

Thirdly, Sacrilegious Nebuchadnezzar and Belſhazzar his ſon; 2 Chro. 38.18. Dan. 5.1, 2, 3, &c.Dan 5:1Dan 5:2Dan 5:3the Father took away all the conſecrated Veſſels of the houſe of God, and brought them to Babylon; and the Son Belſhazzar he repented nor of his Fathers ſacriledge, but prophaned thoſe holy veſſels in his drunken Feaſts; and what was his puniſhment? God ſmites him on a ſudden with trembling terror and amazement, his knees ſmite one againſt another, and the joynts of his loyns are looſed, the hand-writing upon the wall witneſſeth an end of his life and Kingdom; he was weighed in the ballance and found wanting; and that night was Belſhazzar ſlain, and Darius the Median took the Kingdom.Dan. 5.31.Dan 5:31

Fourthly, How ſudden and fearful the death of Ananias and Saphira was, Act. 5.1, 2, 3, 4, &c.Acts 5:1Acts 5:2Acts 5:3Acts 5:4I related before.

Fifthly, King Herod committed Sacriledge in robbing God of his honor, taking that glory to him him which was due to p. 83God; and you may read both his ſin and judgement, The Angel of God did ſtrike him that he was eaten of wormes and gave up the ghost, Act. 12.Acts 12Act. 12.23.

Sixthly, In particular, the ſin of Sacriledge in taking away of the Tythes, the tenth part which is Gods part, Mal. 3.8,Mal 3:8it was to be curſed with a curſe, a fearful curſe, Mal. 3.

Seventhly, If we proceed to the antient Hiſtory of the Church and Records of latter times, wherein the acts of Gods providence, and his works of Judgement are regiſtred, we may finde too great a number of ſacrilegious perſons, and fearful judgements to be their portion.

1. I ſhall onelyonly name that wicked Emperor, that Apoſtate Julian; Socrat. Ecel Hiſt. lib. 3. cap. 12, & 14, 16, …7… & …8 cap. Sezomen lib 6. ca. 2. Theod. lib. 3. cap 25. Niceph. lib. 10. cap. 5. Of Diocleſian it was ſaid, occidit Presbyteros, but of Julian, occidit Presbyteriū, by his Sacrilege taking away their maint…nance.whoſe enmity againſt the Chriſtians, and Chriſtian Religion (againſt good Athanaſius, who fled Alexandria, yet ſaid that Julians perſecution was but a little cloud that would quickly vaniſh away:) And his forbidding the Chriſtian children to be brought up in learning, his countenancing of Idolatry, yea the Jews againſt Chriſtians, his own apoſtacy from the outward profeſſion of the Chriſtian Faith to Paganiſm, his Sacriledge in ſpoiling the Chriſtian Churches and taking away Miniſters maintenance, to deſtroy the Miniſtery, God puniſhed with a ſudden death in the Perſian War, an arrow from an unknown hand pierced through his arm, and ſtuck in his ribs, and he pulled out the dart all bloody, and threw it p. 84up into the air and cryed out, Viciſti Galilaee! this Julian died an. 367.Now thou haſt got the victory, thou Jeſus of Galilee! or words to that effect, and ſo died deſperately.

2. Of the Sacriledge of Charls Martel, Agobardus de diſpenſ. miniſ. p. 65I ſpake a word before. And Agobardus, who lived about Eight hundred and twenty eight years after Chriſt; writing of the Emperor Charlemain, he informeth a Counſellor of the great ſpoil and ſacriledge committed, in which not onelyonly Churches goods, but Churches themſelves were ſpoiled and ſold, and amongſt theſe Tythes, which Pipin after reſ…ored. But theſe things were not done by our Emperor (ſaith he) but by his Predeceſſor, which was Charls Martel, whoſe Sacriledge was notable, and his end miſerable.

Again; Prideaux of the Weſtern Franks, period. 6. Emperor the 8.we read of Arnulphus Neph…w to Charls the Fat Emperor, who lived about 880 years after Chriſt, he was a ſacrilegious Prince, rifled the Churches, did much miſcheif; but God's vengeance overtook his Sacriledge, and he died, ſome write, of the Louſie diſeaſe; ſome, that he was poiſoned, but miſerable was his end.

To let paſs forein Sacriledge (in Bohemia, Palatinate, Germany) and Gods Judgements there within memory, ruinating all. And to come nearer home in our own Nation: I will but relate ſome examples of thoſe many, Sir H. Spel. de…non Temerandis I col ſ…is.which are more exactly remembred by the Son of that noble Knight Sir Henry Spelman in that pithy tract to the Reader hefore his Fathers learned Book, p. 85Entituled, Churches not to be violated; perſwading a reſtitution of Tythes and Impropriations to the Church.

He firſt begins with William the Conqueror, Holl. f. 7, 8.who in the firſt year of his reign (as he relates it) by his Normans fireth St. Peter's Church in York; and about the eightteenth year deſtroyeth about Thirty ſix Churches in Hampſhire, to make his New Forreſt, takes their ſpoil, robs them of Miniſters, Tythes and all. Mr. Speed chron. fol. Mr. Camd. 262.About the nineteenth year of his reign, Richard his ſecond, but firſt beloved ſon, ſporting in his Fathers New Forreſt is there ſtrangely killed by the goring of a Stag, (ſaith Speed) Camden, by a peſtilent air. In the twentieth year he burnt the City of Monts, and the Church there, and coming too near the flames, his horſe leaping breaketh his riders belly, whereof he dyeth miſerably, and in a ſtrange manner is hindered his burial, till a compoſition made for a place, as unworthy to be laid near other Chriſtians, who had robbed ſacrilegiouſly ſo many meeting-places of Gods people. Again, Dan. p. 48.his Grandchild, ſon of Robert of Normandy, hunting in the New Forreſt is ſtruck through the jaws with a bough of a tree, and like Abſolom found hanging in the thicket of an Oke. His Grandchild William ſecond Son to Robert Duke of Normandy, Speed 621was made Earl of Flanders, and in a War againſt his Uncle Henry the firſt received a ſmall wound in his hand and thereof died, being the laſt of the Conquerors Grandchildren, by p. 86his eldeſt Son Robert of Normandy. Matth. Paris, 7 3.The Conquerors eldeſt Son diſ-inherited by his Father, is taken priſoner by his Brother Henry the Firſt, Stows Chr.who puts out both his eyes; and after ſix and twenty years impriſonment dieth, ſtarved in the Goal at Cardaff.

William Rufus ſucceeds his Father in his Crown and Curſe: Speed, 440. Matth. Paris, 54. A great Stag paſſing before the King, he ſaid to the Knight, Draw thou Devil. The flying Arrow went forth, and hitting againſt a Tree, making a refle… ſideway through the middle of the Kings heart, killed him dead. Speed, 449.In his firſt year his Nobles rebel; in his ſixth, a great Famine rageth, and ſuch a Mortality, as the quick can ſcarce bury the dead. About the nineth year he robbeth the Churches; in his thirteenth year, Sir Walter Tirrel ſhoots at a Dear in the New Foreſt, he killeth the King in the ſame place where a Church ſtood, who dieth beaſt-like, not ſpeaking a word. The King dead, his followers leave his body; and the corps laid in a Colliers-cart, drawn by one ſilly lean Beaſt (ſaith the Book) in his paſſage the Cart brake in foul and filthy ways, leaving his body a miſerable ſpectacle, pitifully goared, and filthily bemired; ſo like his Father, he paſſeth not quietly to his Grave.

And this was the third of the Conquerors iſſue that was killed in the New Foreſt; where the Dogs licked the blood of Naboth, there they muſt lick the blood of Ahab; where the ſacriledge was committed, there muſt be the place of the puniſhment; as the Relator obſerveth.

Henry the Firſt, Ma…th Paris, 69. Speed, 459 Hollin. 41.the Conquerors fourth Son is his Brothers Succeſſor; he had ſeveral children, whereof his eldeſt William, with p. 87his Brother Richard and Siſter Mary, in a calm day were drowned by the Engliſh ſhore; himſelf eating Lampreys, dieth of a Surfeit, and being opened, the ſtink of his body and brains poyſon his Phyſitian; one other of his Daughters mourns her Virginity in a Nunnery, and dies childleſs; and in the next Generation his name is forgot, Plantaginet takent the Crown.

Thus in or under Threeſcore and ten years, the Conquerors Sacriledge is puniſhed with the rooting out of him and his poſterity from the Nation.Speed 49. The Norman time held ſixty nine years.

A fearful example… I wiſh James Naylor and his Quaking companions who go about the Nation, prophanely and ſacriledgiouſly crying out, Down with your Idols Temples, with your Steeple-houſes, your Houſes of Stone; and away with your Prieſts, your Tythe-takers, would lay this fearful example to heart; yea, and all Anabaptiſts and others that are of their mindes, and repent of their Sacrilegious deſigns, leaſt God in his terrible judgment root them out, as he did this Sacrilegious Conqueror, and left him an example to all poſterity.

I paſs over the Sacriledge and puniſhment of King John, with many others: Hollin. 194Of Cardinal Wolſey who did riſe up from a mean condition to a high eſtate, Matth Paris, 284. & 684.to be Counſellor and Favorite to King Henry the Eighth; and who for his Sacriledge (which I here ſpeak of) did but turn Tythes out of the right channel, and proſpered not; after, loſt the Kings favor whom he took care to p. 88ſerve more then God, and loſt all his eſtate, and his life and all (as moſt did judge) poyſoned himſelf at Leiceſter, Martin, 304, 306.and died miſerably, lieth buried at Leiceſter Abby or Priory. The great memory of his great Sacriledges, is the moſt he left, but what he loſt before. The Relator remembers divers more perſons puniſhed for Sacriledge. But I paſs them over; onelyonly let me not, yea, I cannot forget King Henry the Eighth (who as the Relator ſpeaks) ingroſſed Sacriledge and intailed it to his poſterity. For the firſt half of his reign (whiles he was free from Sacriledge he was honored of his Allies abroad, loved of his Subjects at home, ſucceſsful in his Actions, and at peace as it were with God and man: But after his Sacriledge (as in disfavor with both) his Subjects rebel firſt in Suffolk, after in Lincoln, Somerſet, York-ſhire, and the Northern parts; and now like Saul, forſaken of God, he falls from one ſin to another. I will not relate his ſins, nor the judgments of God that followed; Speed, 104. 1629. &c. Sir Henry Spelman, Printed 1646. 35 Hen. 8.but leave the Reader to that Preface to the Reader before mentioned in that Book of Sir Henry Spelman, which is my Belator out of our own Chronicles; He took divers Wives, which were …now to people a Canaan, ſome of whom he uſed like a cruel Tyrant; and in the end growing old, entails his Crown upon his children, and all ſucceſſively ſwayed the Scepter; but all died childleſs, and his family extinct, his name not mentioned, but the memory of his Sacriledge, and other crimes p. 89is revived to his diſhonor. His Sacriledge I apply to the taking away of Tythes and Impropriations from the particular Pariſhes and Miniſters of the Goſpel, and not reſtoring them, which the Pope had Sacrilegiouſly taken away. For the Lands of Monaſteries miſapplied, I ſpeak not of them, (although it is a queſtion) if they were once given to a holy uſe, whether it be not Sacriledge to take them from God, if once they were given to God for a good end.

This I cannot obſerve but with ſorrow, That the Parliament then conſented to King Henries Sacriledge, hoping it ſeems, that Tythes and Glebe-Lands would have been better beſtowed; but they being once in the Kings hands, to prevent a reſtitution, he diſtributes them to the Laity; Speed, 1086.ſome to Noblemen, ſome to Gentlemen and others, ſome he ſells, ſome he exchanges: But as my Relator notes, to little joy of him or his, or of thoſe that have ſince poſſeſſed them: To many men they have been like the Ark amongſt the Philiſtims, bringing a curſe inſtead of a bleſſing to the pretended owners. Though they have enjoyed them by countenance, and confirmation of Parliament; yet I would ſome of them would truly lay to heart, and examine and ſearch for ſatisfaction in this Caſe of Conſcience, Whether they have not loſt more of their eſtates by theſe late wars, then ever they or their Anceſtors have gained by theſe Impropriations, and Impropriate Tythes which they poſſeſs, eſpecially in places p. 90where there is left no competent maintenance for a Miniſter of the Goſpel, to inſtruct poor ſouls in the way to Salvation, and this in ſo many hundred Pariſhes where the Parſonages are Impropriate.

There are Pariſh Churches in England 9284. Cam b Brit. 162,whereof 3845 are Impropriate; and in few of theſe places is there a ſufficient maintenance for an able Godly Miniſter to preach to the people. And who ſhall give account for ſo many Souls at the day of Judgment? I pray God the Parliament and all others may lay it to heart.

I cannot think, without grief, of the Sacriledge continued and committed in the times of that good Prince, Godwine, 52.King Edward the Sixth; and the ſad and …ore afflicting hand of God upon thoſe that had their hand in it. Sir Henry Spelman.Some I hope, otherwiſe good men, I will not name them, but leave the Reader to my Relator in the Book before-mentioned: Nor will I mention the many examples of Gods afflicting hand at leaſt, if not fearful curſe upon many others. Some, yea, divers of whom I have known in my memory near Threeſcore years, to have felt the ſmart of Gods hand in their Sacrilegious enjoyments, though they had no hand in the Sacriledge, but as they have come to them from their Anceſtors or others, who it may be bought them, and it may be thought it lawful, being ſo ſetled by Parliament.

I will ſay nothing of divers Sacrilegious Cuſtoms in many Pariſhes and places of p. 91robbing God and his Miniſters of what is due to them. I am ſure, the cuſtom of ſining in this reſpect, hath taken away the conſcience of ſin. I ſhould have been glad to have read, that the Reigns of King James and King Charls, and the Parliaments in both their times, had drawn no guilt upon them by neglecting Reformation in theſe, as well as in other things.

I am ſure, one horrid act of Sacrilege was committed in the late Kings days by the plotting and power of the late Archbiſhop of Canterbury, charged againſt him in the ſixth Additional Article by the Houſe of Commons then aſſembled in Parliament; That whereas divers godly people, who were truly accounted good old Puritans, out of conſcience and perſwaſion that Tythes were due to God for his worſhip and ſervice, and they were ſacrilegiouſly taken away from the faithful Miniſters of particular Pariſhes, they endeavored by all good means the redeeming of them; yea ſome religious Noble-minded men did freely give and reſtore Impropriations of great value to the Church again, and others gave great ſums of money towards the redeeming of them, The Feoffees were, Four Divines, viz. Dr. Gouge, Dr. Sibbs, Mr. Offſpring, Mr. Davenport. Four Lawyers. Ralph Eyre. Sam Brown, C. Skirland, John White Eſqs John Geering, Richard Davies, George Harwood, Francis Pridges, Citizens. See Canterbury's Doom, by William Prynne Eſq p. 386. This undone Feb. 13. 1632.and put the money into the hands of Honorable Feoffees in truſt to buy in Impropriations, and to allow a good allowance for preſent to a godly Miniſter; p. 92and after a time when the money laid out was received in again by a yearly rent, then to give the whole Impropriation to the Miniſter of that Pariſh, and the reſt of the money to go on to buy more Impropriations to be laid to the Church again.

And this I know was done in divers places, which would in a ſhort time have redeemed all the Impropriations in the land if it had been continued, and have been a means to have ſetled a ſufficient Maintenance, and an able godly Miniſter in every Congregation. But by the late Archbiſhop of Canterbury his project deſtroyed, leſt (as was pretended) Puritan Miniſters ſhould fill the places. But how ſad his end was for this and other practiſes proved againſt him, is yet freſh in memory: All the politick wiſdom in his head, could not keep his head and body together. It is and ought to be grief of ſpirit to remember, or record theſe things to poſterity.

I ſhall only leave ſome Quaere's or Caſes of Conſcience, to be enquired into and laid to heart of all they may concern, and draw to an end of this Branch and Reply to that falſe accuſation of theſe Anabaptiſts, That Tythes are the wages of unrighteouſneſs, and Miniſters that take them Antichriſtian deceivers, as in their Anſwer they declare themſelves.

Firſt let all enquire and conſider, Quaere 1 or Caſe of conſcience.ſince as God did take away the poſterity of King William the Conqueror, he did alſo take away the poſterity of King Henry the Eight, p. 93both guilty of this ſin of Sacrilege; Whether this ſin was not, or might not be one principal …in which provoked God to remove them and theirs from the Government of theſe Nations?

Secondly, Quaere. 2 Since God hath removed King James and King Charls, and their children, from the power of Government; whether their not endeavoring to reform this ſin of Sacrilege, might not be one ſin and cauſe amongſt others of their removal, and tranſlating of the power from them to the preſent Power now in the Land?

Thirdly, Quaere. 3 Whether the Honorable Parliaments ſince that Parliament in the time of King Henry the Eight, when this Sacrilege was chiefly committed, and the Popes Sacrilege in part juſtified by their giving conſent to King Henry to alienate Impropriate Tythes and Glebe-lands from their proper particular Churches; and eſpecially later Parliaments to whom God gave a greater power to reform this ſin of Sacrilege, and to redeem Impropriations, have not been one ſinful neglect and cauſe which provoked God to afflict them and the Nation with ſuch ill ſucceſs of Diſagreement among themſelves, and with the chief Magiſtrates of theſe Nations from time to time; yea to humble them and us with the loſs of that power which once God had put into their hands, not only for redeeming Impropriations, and ſetling a ſufficient honorable Maintenance for an able godly Miniſtery throughout the Nation, that ſo many thouſand p. 94ſouls might not periſh for lack of knowledge; But of the power and opportunity of enacting other good Laws for preſervation of Truth, and true peace and proſperity in this Commonwealth, which we have cauſe to ſeek the face of God daily for, in and through the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Fourthly, Quaere. 4 Whether the great loſſes that the Nation hath ſuſtained in general, and of thoſe noble and ignoble men in ſpecial, who hold Impropriations and Tythes from the Faithful Miniſters of Chriſt (the right owners) may not in part ariſe from this ſin of Sacrilege; for detaining that in their hands, which is Gods reſerved part, or Gods conſecrated portion for the maintenance of his faithful Godly painfull Miniſters in the ſervice of Chriſt. I have ſaid enough before, I need ſpeak no more for the juſtification of the right of Tythes both Divine and Civil, by the Laws of God, and the Law both in former and late Parliaments, His Highneſs Procl. Novemb. 1659.in the Humble Petition and Advice in the days of the late Lord Protector, and of his Highneſs ſince, by his late Proclamation for encouragement of godly Miniſters, and enjoying their dues and liberties according to Law

I ſhall conclude this but with a few words to you John Darker, and Tobias Watſen, and to the Thirty Congregations (whoſe Faith you ſent me) and which you would pretend to be of your opinions.

p. 95Friends, I deſire you to conſider what is profeſſed by them in the Fifty eighth Section, That it is the good pleaſure of God which hath given gifts of his grace to the Saints or Church of God, that ſome of the gifted men ſhould be appointed or ſet apart to attend upon the preaching of the Word, &c.

And Section Fifty nine, A book intituled, The Faith and practiſe of Thirty Congregations, printed, 1651. p. 50. ſect. 58, 59, 60.That it is the will of God, that thoſe which are appointed ſo to ſpend their labors in teaching or exhorting in the knowledge of God to their edification, and conſolation, ought to have maintenance of thoſe that receive ſpiritual food by them.

You ſay, They ought to have maintenance; certainly, then it is the peoples duty to maintain them, by your own confeſſion, otherwiſe how can you ſay they ought to have maintenance? And if they ought to have maintenance, why not Tythes, appointed by God himſelf, and approved both before and ſince the coming of Chriſt, and in the Church of God, yea, by Chriſt himſelf (as I have proved at large) as well as any other maintenance of Charity or Alms, as you or they would pretend in their next Section? And if they be appointed or ſet apart to attend upon the preaching of the word (as they ſay in the Fifty eighth Section) Then how ought they to labor with their hands, that they may not be overchargeable, as they ſay in Section Sixty, and for which they alleadge 1 Cor. 4.12. St. Paul's practiſe in a time of perſecution and extreme neceſſity.

This they ſeem to bring in by head and p. 96ſhoulders to juſtifie the preaching of laborers, men of Mechanick Trades, Taylors, and Carpenters, Smiths and Tinkers, and of Mercers and Bakers, and other ſuch like: But if you or they had conſulted the ſame Apoſtle, in the ſame Epiſtle, Chapter 9. Verſe 6, 7. you might have learned that both Paul and Barnabas had power to forbear working. It was not any Ordinance of Chriſt, that they or any other Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt ſhould work with their hands to maintain themſelves or get a livelihood, but that they that preach the Goſpel ſhould live of the Goſpel, as the Apoſtle teſtifieth, 1 Cor. 9.18. I let paſs divers Errors in that Declaration of their Faith, too long to trouble the Reader with. I ſhall conclude this with prayer to God, that the Lord would open the eyes both of you and them, to ſee your error and ſin in departing from, or at leaſt, continuing your forſaking of our Reformed and Reforming Congregations, making Rents and Schiſms in the Churches of Chriſt, and giving advantage to the common enemy to deſtroy the godly party, either amongſt us or your ſelves: For although you are too full of error, yet I dare not think but ſome who are not ſatisfied with the practiſe of Infant Baptiſm, may yet be members of Chriſt, though ſick with error, and ſuch as ſtand in great need of healing by the Sun of Righteouſneſs, who will ariſe to them that fear his name, with healing p. 97in his wings. Mal. 4.2.Mal 4:2For ſuch as are of Antichriſtian, perſecuting ſpirits againſt the godly, faithful Miniſters of Chriſt in England, who have and do receive Tythes, ſuch as forſake our Churches, and hate our Miniſters becauſe they receive Tythes; I conceive they are more of Antichriſt then Chriſt, Mat. 16.Matt 16and are inſtruments in the hand of Satan, rather to deſtroy, then further the Goſpel of the Lord Jeſus.

Thus I have done with the greateſt ground (as I conceive) of your ſeparation or moſt cried out againſt) this is Miniſters maintenance by Tythes, or any conſtrained certain maintenance, which too many deſire may be taken away, that they might more eaſily caſt off the Miniſtery it ſelf.

The Anabaptiſts Anſwer

OnelyOnly to your cloſe, That Tythes are wages of unrighteouſneſs, after which (you ſay) we all run aſtray; Take that away, and preach who will (ſay you.)

Mr. Bourns Reply.

To this I muſt needs Reply, You do us manifeſt wrong, and it is a falſe and ſcandalous aſperſion, as if none did or could preach without Tythes, or forced maintenance; It is well known, that many of us (and I my ſelf) did not leave off preaching of the Goſpel, when we had no Tythes nor forced maintenance; yet both publikely, Mal. ….6.and from houſe to houſe have endeavored to convert ſinners, and to prepare Saints in grace for glory. But the Lord himſelf thought Tythes the fitteſt way amongſt his people of old: And although I grant they may be redeemed, p. 98yet I am confident of a Divine right in Tythes due to the Miniſters of Chriſt in the Goſpel; and to take them away without full redemption, is a ſin no leſs then Sacriledge, accurſed of God, as I have proved at large. I leave this to the bleſſing of God, and the wiſdom of the Parliament to conſider of, and order by the councel and direction of Gods ſpirit, for the glory of God and true heavenly good of the Nation; into which I pray God to guide them.

I. B.

Books ſold by John Allen, at the Riſing-Sun in Pauls Church-yard.

BEzae Novum Teſtamentum, Fol.

Mr. Allen's Scripture-Chronologie, 4^o.

Mr. Lukins Practice of Godlineſs, 12^o.

A Catechiſm of the chief heads of Chriſtian Religion, by Mr. Davenport and Mr. Hook of New-England, 8^o.

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Mr. Gataker againſt Judicial Aſtrologie, 4^o.

The Vanity of Judicial Aſtrologie, written by Gaſſendus, Mathematical Profeſſor to the King of France, 8^o.

The Quakers Folly made manifeſt to al… men, By Thomas Danſon, 8^o.

p. 97SOME ANIMADVERSIONS UPON Anthony Peirſons GREAT CASE OF Tythes, &c.Printed 1659.

And firſt upon what he Writeth next to the Title Page.

Anthony Peirſon's caſe.

To the Countrymen, Farmers, and Husbandmen of England.

IT is for your ſakes (ſaith he) that this ſmall Treatiſe is ſent abroad, that in a matter wherein you are ſo much concerned, you might be truly informed.

Mr. Bourn's anſwer.

FOr anſwer: I deſire that this Writer would without Equivocation declare truly, whether he deſires only to have the maintenance of Miniſters by Tythes taken away, p. 98or the eſtabliſhed known godly Miniſters in England alſo, or both to be removed out of the Nation? If he deſires to have Tythes only taken away: then I deſire you Countrymen and Farmers to conſider whether the payment of money may not prove worſe to moſt of you than payment of Tythes, money being oftentimes hard to be gotten? or if in money, to have it gathered by State-Officers, and pay'd into a common Treaſury.

Secondly, If he deſire the Miniſtry it ſelf to be deſtroyed, and your Teachers removed into corners, and that inſtead of them you muſt be content to be taught by Taylors, and Tinkers, Mercers, Bakers boyes, and Carpenters, and inſtead of being fed with Heavenly manna, the truth of the Goſpel, to be choaked with error and hereſie, and lead by blind guides to the pit of Deſtruction; if ſo, then is it not more profit for you to pay your Tythes, than to endanger the loſs of your pretious Souls by falſe Teachers? for what is a man profited to win the whole world, and to loſe his own ſoul, ſaith our Saviour, Mat. 16.26.