Exceptions Many and Just Against Two Injurious Petitions, Section 5
SECT. V.
The next poſitive objection is, that the taking of Tithes, is againſt Charity, becauſe that it is Oppreſſion, and that in a grievous degree, unſupportable oppreſſion, deſtroying their Eſtates, Impriſoning their Perſons daily.
ANSWERE.
NO oppreſſion at all, therefore no unſupportable oppreſſion, for what is taken or kept from them? Is it not Tith to which they have no more title then Miniſters have to the 9 parts, which they poſſeſſe: for if they be Landlords, they never bought the 10th: if Tenants they pay not for it, by either fine or rent; the 10th being reſerved as the Miniſters particular portion, unleſſe it be alienated by way of impropriation; and then alſo it is of a diſtinct title, and tenure from the other parts of the years increaſe, and this diſtinction, is as ancient as Collation or diſtribution of the Land of Canaan among the Tribes of Iſraell. and in this Nation, when all the lands of England were the demeſnes of the King, within a little of eight hūdred years agoe the Church was firſt endowed with the Tenth, and then the remaining 9 parts diſpoſed of aſſigned and confirmed to the Nobility Gentry and other Subjects of the Kingdom. Were the Iſraeltes (Gods peculiar people when by the miraculous goodneſſe of God towards them, they were firſt poſſeſſed in the land of Canaan put under the yoake of unſupportable oppreſſion, and kept under untill Malachy for a thouſand years together, the contrary is moſt cleare by Gods emphaticall expoſtulation with them in the 3d of Malachy, A part whereof is that they brought an oppreſſion upon themſelves, yea and procured a curſe upon the whole nation Mal. 3.8.9. By their unfaithfull dealing with God and his Miniſters in this matter, and their only way to be delivered from that curſe, was to pay their Tithes better then they had done, and ſo it ſhould be farre better with them, for then God promiſed That then he would open the windowes of heaven and power out a bleſsing, that there ſhould not be roome to hold it, and that he would rebuke the devourer for their ſakes that he ſhould not devoure the fruits ef their ground nor their vines caſt their fruit before their time. There be that faigne ſuch a difference and faine would make it good betwixt their ſtate of the Jewes and ours as that might be an oppreſſion with us, that was not with them, but their conceits are groundleſſe, and for ſuch are diſcovered by the Authors forementioned, which if they be too large for the Petitioners to read, let them but be at the coſt of 3d to buy a little booke called the Ʋndeceiving of the People in Point of Tithes, Printed for J. Clarke in Cornhill 1653. And at the paines of reading but 15 leaves in 40 for it ariſeth not above the account of 30 pages, and they ſhall find it ſufficiently confuted; and for our owne Nation they may ſee it in pag. 16 of the ſame Booke that it is well toward 800 years making the computation from 855, to the yeare current 1653 ſince Tithes were Collated on the Church of England, and have the Engliſh all this while beene ſo dull and ſtupid, as not to ſhewe themſelves by ſome memorable act notoriouſly ſenſible of ſuch an unſupportable oppreſſion? Untill within theſe laſt halfeſcore years? May it not be matter of wonder that the cheefe patriots of this Nation when they conteſted with the King for Rights & priviledges, and againſt the oppreſſion of the prerogative power, the Councell of State, the Starre Chamber, High Commiſſioners Conſiſtory Courts never brought in this grand aggrievance, this unſupportable oppreſſion of Tithes, and that where the People were perhaps by the Craft of ſome counterfeit Joſeph Ben Iſraell ſtirred up in hope to have each of them a ſhare in the ſpoyles of the miniſtry, to petition againſt Tithes to the laſt Parliament as many of them did, that they could not make appeare to them, when they were thought to be moſt ſincerely ſet to promote the publike good of this commonwealth, that there was any ſuch in jury or oppreſſion in them.
But the Petitioners ſay our Perſons are impriſoned upon it dayly, meaning for nonpayment of Tithes, to which t may be anſwered. Firſt, that it ſeemes not probable ſure, ſuch as deny the payment of Tithes find more and greater friends, either to keepe them from Priſon or deliver out of it, if they be committed then others in former times have done. Secondly, if more be impriſoned now then have been, it may be, becauſe being made more obdurate in their error and more contumacious againſt the Juſtice of the Land then they ſhould be, and then meeke ſpirited, and religious Chriſtians would be, whereto they are the more animated by ſome eminent in nothing but in raſh cenſuring and peremptory pratling, confidently foretell that Tithes will downe, muſt downe, ſhall be downe, and they dare engage an hundred to five upon it. But their groundleſſe preſumption and precipitated predictions, ſhall not make us ſuſpect the prudence ſincerity and juſtice of the Parliament.