Defense and Justification of Tithes and Infant Baptism, Argument and answer 30 – Argument and answer 32
Anthony Peirſon's caſe.
Thus Authony would affirm, that becauſe Biſhops were voted down by the Parliament, therefore all Parſons, Vicars, and Curats loſt their office, and ſo tythes belonging to their office, they are loſt alſo, and ſo for maintenance, all ends together.
Mr. Bourn's anſwer.
I anſwer, this is a conceit of his own, and witneſſeth the malignity of his antichriſtian ſpirit againſt the Miniſters of Chriſt, he declareth but what he is, and into what condition he would bring the Miniſters of Chriſt Jeſus; certainly he is either a Quaker, or poſſeſſed with the ſpirit of Antichriſt, or infefected with ſome Jeſuite, he diſcovers ſo much envy and hatred againſt the faithful godly Miniſters of the Lord Jeſus; doſt thou expect thanks for this at the Day of Judgement? beware of your enmity Anthony, fight not againſt Chriſt and his Miniſters, but ſubmit to Chriſt and embrace him and his ſervants that you periſh not, and be wiſe ye Kings, Pſal. 2.11, 12.be learned ye Judges of the earth, ſerve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling; kiſs the Son leſt he be angry, and ye periſh in the way, if his wrath be kindled, yea but a little, Bleſſed are all they that put their truſt in him; if thoſe ſhall receive that dreadful ſentence at the laſt day, Go ye curſed, Mat. 25.41.who have not relieved Chriſt and his ſervants; what ſhall be the puniſhment of thoſe that ſeek by all means to rob and ſpoil the Lord Chriſt, and his Miniſters and Ambaſſadors? the Lord pardon and change your hearts if it be his bleſſed will.
Anthony Peirſon's Caſe.
You now come to the laſt, thoſe that claim Tythes by purchaſe, and thoſe ſay you, are the Impropriators; and you prevent an Objection, that they bought, and ſome paid dear for them, therefore no reaſon they ſhould be taken a way from them; to which you anſwer, that you have ſhewed before, that in the root all Tythes is alike, whether it be claimed by the Prieſt, or Impropriator, and both muſt fall together; and ſeeing thoſe that ſold them had no good title, neither can thoſe be made good, which are derived from them.
Mr. Bourn's anſwer.
I anſwer: for the Impropriators I cannot defend them, though ſome conſideration is to be had of them; but yet you err in ſaying the Tythes impropriate, and the Tythes which is ſtill continued for the Miniſters of Chriſt, are alike in the root, for the tythes of Impropriators were alienated by the Pope to his Abbies, and Monaſteries, and then again by King Henry the Eight, and by him ſold, and there was the root of Impropriate-tythes; but tythes belonging to the Miniſters of the Goſpel, whom you with a malevolent ſpirit call Prieſts, as if they were Popiſh Prieſts (which we are not) that ſo you may make them more odious to the people and Parliament, their tythes I have proved to have a higher Root than Proprietors, even Gods own appointment, even Gods reſerved part for his worſhip, and the maintenance of his Miniſters who labour in the Word and Doctrine, and are worthy of double honour, of reverence, and maintenance; witneſs the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 5.17, 18. whatſoever Anthony Peirſon would make men believe, and therefore I cannot but obſerve that you are ſo juſt and charitable to the Impropriators, that they muſt have ſome recompence for their tythes; but for the poor Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, they muſt be turned off with nothing, for this is the cry of many of you, as if we were thieves and robbers, (as your Generation pleaſe to call us) and not Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt.
But let me ſpeak a little further to what you ſay to the Impropriators; you ſay the Root is all one; I deny it (as before I did) the tythes of Miniſters are more antient many hundred, yea ſome thouſand years before any Impropriate tythes were heard of in the world. Now you would have the Impropriators to have ſome recompence for them, ſo would I alſo, but the leſs becauſe they bought them of ſuch perſons as had no right, nor lawful power to ſell them; if Anthony Pierſon would remember what he ſaith page 18. the concluſion will be againſt Impropriators, and all others.
Anthony Peirſon's caſe.
If tythes be abſolutely due by the Law of God (ſaith he) no cuſtome, uſage, preſcription, or Popiſh diſpenſation can acquit from payment of the utmoſt penny, of the tenth part.
Mr. Bourn's anſwer.
Now I aſſume, but tythes are abſolutely due by the law of God, as I have proved at full from the holy Scriptures, beſides multitudes of teſtimonies witneſſing the divine right, both in antient times, and at this day.
Therefore no cuſtome, uſage, preſcription, or Popiſh▪ diſpenſation can acquit from payment of the utmoſt penny of the tenth part; this concluſion neceſſarily followeth from Anthony Peirſon's premiſes.
And then firſt, all preſcriptions, compoſitions, and cuſtoms for payment of leſs than the tenth part, are utterly unlawful, and the detaining of ſuch tythes muſt needs be ſacriledg for to take or keep away that which is Gods, and belongeth to Chriſt, and to his Miniſters and Ambaſſadors, is a robbing of God, and ſacriledg, againſt which the Prophet Malachy proclaimed a curſe, Mat. 3.6, 7.and promiſeth a bleſſing to the reſtorers of them It is a lamentable thing that Lay men ſhould receive the tythes, and the people maintain their Miniſters to teach (if they will have any.)
Again, if the Tythes be Gods reſerved part, and belong to the Miniſters of Chriſt who preach the Goſpel to the people, by Divine right (as we have proved out of the Word of God ſufficiently) then as Anthony Peirſon confeſſeth, the Popes diſpenſation, or acquitting of any Lands from payment of tythes, was utterly unlawful and ſacrilegious, as was all his improper Appropriation, or tythes to Abbies, Monaſteries, or any ſuch popiſh inventions, ſacrilegious alſo certainly it was; and was not King Henry the Eight his taking and ſelling of tythes from the Church ſacriledge alſo? certainly it muſt needs follow, it was a robbing of God, and of the Miniſters of Chriſt, and ſo ſacriledge: and then is it not ſacriledge in them that withhold them? this God hath witneſſed by many examples, his wrath againſt ſuch as detain them from the faithful Preachers of the Goſpel, as I have declared in my Juſtification of Miniſters maintenance by tythes, and as might be proved, by many ſad examples of Gods judgements againſt Sacriledge, both in this and other Nations, therefore it is very good all the Impropriators ſhould part from them, yea upon reaſonable conſiderations, ſince many bought them as Anthony Peirſon intimates, for little or nothing; but it is not that tythes ſhould be taken away from the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt, but reſtored to them as their juſt due, both by the law of God, and the moſt antient laws of the Land. The Lord grant the Parliament may lay theſe things ſeriouſly to heart, and provide a remedy, that the danger of Gods curſe may be removed from the Nation, and Gods bleſſing be upon them and the people, till Shil… the Saviour Chriſt our Lord come again. Amen. Amen.
I. B.