Exceptions Many and Just Against Two Injurious Petitions, Section 5
SECT. V.
Petition.
And whereas among the reſt of the aggreivances of this Commonwealth, the unlawfull Antichriſtian, and unſupportable oppreſſion of Tithes and forced maintenance is not the leaſt, by which our Conſciences are enſnared, our eſtates deſtroyed our perſons impriſoned dayly, for that which hath noe foundation nor warrant from Chriſt or his Apoſtles, throughout the whole Word of the Goſpell.
ANSWER.
VNtill now the Petitioners ſaid nothing againſt Tithes, directly or indirectly, though they meant their preamble ſhould make way for their maine charge, which now comes in ſo full, that if it could be as fairely prooved as it is fully ſpoken, I ſhould think it worth, I ſay not of a ſea of blood as they phraiſe it but not of a droppe of Inke, to be beſtowed on the defence. But here is nothing but odious, and exaſperating words without any matter of Truth and Weight to bear them up, which tumbled out in a diſorderly paſſion, will require a more methodicall diſpoſall of them before I anſwer them, as thus.
Their exceptions againſt Tithes, are Negative, or Poſitive. The Negative. 1. That they are not lawfull (i.e.) there is no Law for them. 2. That they have no foundation nor warrant from Chriſt or his Apoſtles throughout the whole Word of the Goſpell. 2. The poſitive are that 1. Againſt both 1. Againſt piety, becauſe they are Antichriſtian. 2. Againſt charity, becauſe they are oppreſſed with a terme of aggravation, unſupportable oppreſſion, and this they ſay of all conſtrained maintainance, as well as of Tithes, their proofe of this oppreſſion is twofold, 1. By them their Eſtates are deſtroyed. 2. For them their perſons impriſoned daily. 3. Againſt both piety, and charity, the charge is, that thereby their conſciences are enſnared.
1. They ſay, Tithes are unlawfull, the word [unlawfull] may be taken two waies, 1. For that which is againſt Law, ſo are all the breaches of any expreſſe and formall Law, whether it be of precept, or prohibition, in this ſenſe, I doe not think they meane that Tithes are unlawfull, for then they would have ſaid, that Tithes are againſt the law of God, which if they had ſaid, they could never have proved. 2. For that, for which there is no Law, and in this ſenſe, I take it, they take the word [unlawfull] for that Anſwers that they ſay that they have no foundation nor warrant &c. And can they ſay that Tithes are unlawfull, or that there is no law for them, when the Law of God is ſo cleare for them in the Old Teſtament, from the firſt Hiſtoricall, to the laſt Propheticall writer, and the Law of man is ſo much for them, as to impriſon their perſons, who contumaciouſly ſtand out againſt the payment of them.
But there is no foundation, nor warrant for them, from Chriſt and his Apoſtles, throughout the whole word of the Goſpell, To which I anſwer, 1. That the full reſolution of this objection which is made by ſome, as much againſt the Chriſtian Sabbath or Lords day, as againſt Tithes, would require a large diſcourſe, if it had not been fully Anſwered already by others, whom I have named in the Epiſtle Dedicatory: but 2ly I therefore briefly anſwer. 1. That neither Chriſt nor any of his apoſtles have ſaid any thing againſt Tithes, which doubtleſſe they would have done, if there had been ſo much evill in them, as thoſe Petitioners heape up, againſt them.
2. That Chriſt ſpeake rather for them, at leaſt for a conſtrained or forced maintenance, then againſt them where he faith Mat. 5.17. He came not to deſtroy the Law (meaning chiefly the morall Law which afterward he vindicateth from the corupt Gloſſes of the Jewiſh Doctors) he virtually ratified his owne Law of Tithes and that of Solomon Prov. 3.9. Honour the Lord with thy ſubſtance, & with the firſt fruits of all thine increaſe. Becauſe as ſome learned Expoſitors take it, he ratified the eight Commandament which fobiddeth not only robbing of men but of God, of which ſin God paſſionately Complaines Malac. 3.8. And where our Saviour taxeth the Hypocriſy of the Scribes and Phariſes for being curious in the Tithing, Mint, and Anniſe, and Cummin omitting in the mean time the weightier matters of the Law, he approoveth of what they did for Tithing. Saing theſe things you ought to have done, and blames their omiſſion of what they did not Mat. 23.23. & Luke 11.22. And where he ſaieth concerning the Apoſtles paines and pay The Labourer is worthy of his hire 7. He meaneth that their maintenance was not a benefice of Almes but a recompence of Juſtice; and if ſo who will be ſo unjuſt as to detaine that which is the Spirituall labourers due, by civill Juſtice conſtrayned to pay it.
3. For the Apoſtles let Paul, ſpeake 1 Cor. 9. from 7. to the 14. verſe, Who goeth a Warfare any time at his own charges? Who planteth a Vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milke of the flock? Say I theſe things as a man, or ſaith not the Law theſe things alſo, for it is written in the Law of Moſes, thou ſhalt not muzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne. Doth God take care for Oxen? Or ſaith he it altogether for our ſakes? For our ſakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth ſhould plow in hope, and that he that threſheth in hope, ſhould be partaker of his hope. If wee have ſown unto you ſpirituall things, is it a great thing if we ſhall reap your carnall things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather?
Doe ye not know, that they which Minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple, and they which waite at the Altar are partakers with the Altar. Even ſo hath the Lord ordained that they which Preach the Goſpell ſhould live of the Goſpell. Upon this laſt verſe Even ſo hath the Lord ordained. &c. *Mr. Trapp in 1 Cor. 9.14.an ingenuous and religious contemplatour, bringeth in this note as from another: As they of old lived of the Altar, by Tithes, ſo Miniſters now, how elſe will men ſatisfy their Conſcience in the particular quantity they muſt beſtow upon their Miniſters, the Scriptures ſpeak only of a Tenth. Let them that deny it ſhew us another ordinance of God for the maintenance of evangelicall Miniſters: In the mean time they cannot but confeſſe, that God would hate the Miniſters of the Goſpell, as well provided for as the Miniſters of the Law, and this by ordinance, and that by good Congruity, as a Learned expoſitor though a Papiſt well collecteth.*Si enim Miniſtris Antiquae legis atributum ſuit à Deo jus ex ſuo Miniſterio vivendi quanto magis aequum erat idem jus à domino conſtitui pro Miniſtris novae legis Eſtius in 1 Cor. 1.14.
If ſo, then it is not in the power of men, to caſt out what poore Pittance they pleaſe; they muſt live of Goſpell maintenance, and claime what they have, of right, as by his appointment who might have taken 9 parts for his owne ſervice, and left only a 10th to thoſe who deny it, or grudingly pay it;‖Quid faceres ſi novem partibus ſibi ſumptis tibi decimum reliquiſſet? Aug. de Tract. Serme. 219. And what conld they doe more or worſe, if God ſhould deale with them after that manner. Beſides the ſame Apoſtle ſheweth that Miniſters ſhould have an honourable maintenance, Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, eſpecially thoſe that labour in the word and Doctrine. 1 Tim. 5.17. But if they have no better allowance then Free-will-offering, in moſt places they ſhall rather meet with double contempt, then with double honour, and he would not have them only honourably but plentifully provided for, elſe how ſhould they be able to keep hoſpitality which he requireth, 2 Tym. 3.2. where among the qualifications of an Evangelicall Biſhop, one is, that he be given to hoſpitality, which that he may doe the better, what he preſcribeth to the Galathians, muſt be obſerved. Let him that is taught communicate unto him that Teacheth him in all good things. Gal. 6.6. That is not contribute to him as an Almes, but communicate as in a way of commerce, or exchange of Carnall things for things ſpirituall, as later interpreters after Oecumenius obſerve. As then it is they Miniſters duty to make the people, partaker of ſpirituall things, ſo it is their duty to returne unto them carnall things, as the Apoſtle reſolveth Rom. 15. v 7. And where both live under an Evangelicall Magiſtrate, the people may be as well conſtrained to doe their duty, as the Miniſter his. I might here urge Heb. 7.26. and out of that place collect a ſtronger argument for the continuance of Tithes, as a right to the Evangelicall Miniſtry, then any out of the New Teſtament can be framed againſt them, but becauſe that is ſufficiently done byaD. Jones Com. in Heb. 1, 2, 6. p. 161. Dr Jones in his Commentary on Heb. 7.26. and more largely bybD. Slater in his Booke of the Miniſtrs Portion à p. 18. ad 38. Print. 1623. Dr Slater, in his Book of the Miniſters portion, and by the latter ſo ſoundly, as that he is unanſwerable, as a Learned Doctor forementioned teſtifieth of him, in this particular eſpecially I will forbeare to inſiſt upon it.