<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2010-02-03</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Lauren Proux</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Checklist:
x Add TEMPHEAD, change DATE, validate
x Add DIV TYPEs, validate
x Review structure, use BODY or rarely GROUP
x Check PB placement and completeness, ensure sequence of N=""
x Proof title page(s)
x Check HEAD TRAILER ARGUMENT EPIGRAPH OPENER CLOSER SIGNED SALUTE BYLINE
x Check ^, oe, abq, italic I / J, _Initals, &amp;c.
x Check &num; # @ -- UNCLEAR LB FIGURE
x Check q; startq endq Q
x Correct illegibles from proofsheet
x Check illegible page, para, line, span, word, dollar signs
Final validate

Corrected [  ] illegible groups out of [  ].
Converted [  ] illegible groups to GAP DESC="illegible".
DONE</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="A88653">
<STC T="W">L3495</STC>
<STC T="T">E1380_3</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99868268</BIBNO>
<VID>169894</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE Tythe-Takers Cart. Overthrown.</P>
<P>OR, THE DOWNFALL OF TYTHES.</P>
<P>Proved that they are not to be payd now, either to the <HI>Appropriate</HI> or <HI>Jmpropriate</HI> Par&s;ons or Per&s;ons.</P>
<P>Pen'd for the General Satisfaction and Ea&s;ement of all the People of <HI>England.</HI></P>
<P>By D. LUPTON, Servant of Chri&s;t Je&s;us in the Work of the Go&s;pel.</P>
<Q><P>They all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter.</P>
<BIBL><HI>ISAI. 56.11.</HI></BIBL></Q>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed by <HI>J. M.</HI> for <HI>R. Harford</HI> at the Bible and States arms in Little Britain. 1652</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="5" REF="2">
<HEAD>THE Tythe-Takers Cart Overthrown.</HEAD>
<P>MAnifold have been the Petiti|ons (and not without ju&s;t cau&s;e) for the putting down and taking away of Tythes, and &s;ome men have already &s;et forth their Judgment in print again&s;t them; &s;o that (methinks) I hear the&s;e Corn-takers bewail their un&s;table condition, and to cry out, as once the Silver-Smiths did at <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> that <HI>this their Craft is in
<PB N="6" REF="3">danger to come to nought;</HI> and indeed they may more earne&s;tly lament, be|cau&s;e by <HI>this Craft they have their wealth;</HI> and to lo&s;e their beloved adored Silver <HI>Diana,</HI> their Wealth, this cuts deep. Now there be two &s;orts of people who both &s;tiffly pretend a right unto Tythes, <HI>viz.</HI> the Appropriate and the Impropri|ate Par&s;ons and Per&s;ons. The fir&s;t of the&s;e will per&s;wade men (if they plea&s;e to believe them) that they are true Le|vites, and that they have their right even from <HI>Melchizedec,</HI> or at lea&s;t can prove their title from <HI>Aaron;</HI> and to &s;peak truth, they &s;avour a little too much of the Jewi&s;h Condition and Profe&s;&s;ion; and the&s;e have (partly by peoples igno|rance, and partly by their fal&s;e alledging of Scriptures, with the &s;trength of &s;ecu|lar Authority hitherto for confirmation of their demands) forc'd a conceit in ma|ny mens opinions (nay and Con&s;ciences too) that it is a damnable &s;in to refu&s;e to pay Tythes.</P>
<P>The &s;econd &s;ort which are the Im|propriators of whom we may &s;ay ju&s;tly,
<PB N="7" REF="3">that <HI>they are known to be hard men, reaping where they have not &s;own, and gathering where they have not &s;trawed, Mat.</HI> 25.24. And the&s;e challenge a Right al&s;o unto Tythes, partly by Royal Donation, partly by a long continued Purcha&s;e, ever &s;ince <HI>Henry</HI> the eighth di&s;&s;olved the Abbies and Mona&s;teries, who either gave them to &s;uch as fir&s;t beg'd them, or bought them at his and Courtiers hands: &s;o the&s;e hold all to be their own which was by Prerogative given them, or what they or their Ance&s;tors ea&s;ily purcha&s;ed or layd hands on; and hereupon the&s;e as eagerly as the other pre&s;s and oppre&s;s the poor Commons of this Nation for the payment of Tythes, and do run to and fro, and grudg if they be not &s;ati&s;|fied, or if they get not what they come for; and this Trade they have long &s;et up, and grown fat and rich by it al&s;o, al|mo&s;t without controul: But now of late mens wits and wills are both &s;et again&s;t them, people begin to grow wi&s;er, by paying too dear for their own goods and hard labours, and thou&s;ands of pi|ous,
<PB N="8" REF="4">&s;olid, and well-affected Subjects of this Land are re&s;olved (and have good hopes to &s;ee them effected) to do their be&s;t to remove this Antiquated Jewi&s;h or Popi&s;h Relique (for better it is not) clear out of this Nation. To the help|ing forward of who&s;e de&s;ires and &s;ati&s;|faction, this Subject took courage to give both Appropriate and Impropriate a <HI>Memento,</HI> and a little to try &amp; que&s;tion their proceedings, and to &s;hew to all men upon what a weak and &s;andy foundation their long and &s;eemingly &s;trong Tythe-taking hath been erected and upheld: We intend to handle both the&s;e &s;orts, as well the <HI>Appropriating Tyther,</HI> as the <HI>Impropriate:</HI> And becau&s;e the fir&s;t of the&s;e &s;tands like another <HI>Goliah,</HI> and &s;corns and bids defiance to all Encoun|ters, and hopes that <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Pro|phets, the Canon Law, Civil Law and common Law, the Ca&s;ui&s;ts and School|men, will all warrant them to take Tythes without doubt or &s;cruple; we will therefore fir&s;t &s;ay unto them,
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. That the pretending Levites,
<PB N="9" REF="4">Prie&s;ts, Presbyters, or Mini&s;ters, have not any ju&s;t claim or right unto Tythes.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. That Tythes (though they con|ceive them&s;elves lawfully called, and &s;ent into their Function) are not now <HI>(in genere &s;uo)</HI> in that kind to be paid or demanded.</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. That &s;undry and manifold are the Evils, Abu&s;es and Inconveni|encies by paying Tythes.</ITEM>
<ITEM>4. Mini&s;ters in other Reformed places have none, nor did Chri&s;t or his Apo&s;tles demand any.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>For to begin with the fir&s;t, 'tis known, <HI>Po&s;ito fundamento ponitur fundatum, &amp; &s;ublato tollitur;</HI> the Foundation is all in all, no building without it either &s;afe or comely: We call them <HI>pretending Mi|ni&s;ters</HI> and Presbyters, becau&s;e they &s;eem, and are not: Therefore &s;eeing they glory much, and hold all their In|tere&s;t to Tythes, <HI>quaten&ugrave;s tales,</HI> (i.e.) as &s;uch men, as Mini&s;ters of Chri&s;t and his Go&s;pel, we demand therefore of them,</P>
<P>That before they take mens Corn and
<PB N="10" REF="5">Goods, &amp;c. under that notion and term of Tythes, due to them by vertue of their Calling, whether or no it be not ju&s;t and fitting, that they fir&s;t prove them&s;elves the men lawfully called and lawfully &s;ent unto, and into that Office and Employment, that there may be no mi&s;take of the per&s;on, for the mi&s;taking in this is the mi&s;carriage of all: We doubt that all the&s;e who &s;o receive Tythes, are not the Servants of Chri&s;t: We know, that though a debt be due to be paid to another, yet he that pays it will be &s;ure that he pays it to that man only who hath a &s;ole, proper, and ju&s;t right unto it, and in it. Now in this ca&s;e, though Par&s;ons lay claim to Tythes as a due to them as, they &s;ay, they are Mi|ni&s;ters, yet the doubt and que&s;tion &s;till is, whether they be the Mini&s;ters of Chri&s;t, or not?</P>
<P>And we do de&s;ire them not to be of|fended that this &s;crutiny is made, &s;eeing they are bound to &s;atisfie the weaker Con&s;ciences in any &s;cruple they can, and therefore &s;pecially in this; for if they be
<PB N="11" REF="5">not &s;uch men as they profe&s;s, 'tis not fit|ing they &s;hould longer deceive men un|der &s;uch a pretence, and &s;o render them|&s;elves obnoxious to &s;candal, if they make not this fir&s;t doubt free from doubt|ing. 'Twas a que&s;tion put to <HI>John Bap|ti&s;t</HI> almo&s;t to this purpo&s;e, <HI>Who art thou?</HI> Now he did not deny to give a &s;peedy an&s;wer, <HI>I am not the Chri&s;t;</HI> and &s;o upon further demands gave further &s;atisfacti|on, by not a&s;&s;uming to him&s;elf either a fal&s;e Office or a feigned Per&s;on, but ma|nife&s;ted from the Word of God who indeed he was, and to what Office he was by Divine De&s;ignation layd out for. We de&s;ire the&s;e Par&s;ons to take &s;ome pains to vindicate their Authority and Office al&s;o (if they can) from Gods Word; 'twill make men a great deal the more willing to allow them a liberal Maintenance, were they throughly &s;a|tisfied who put them upon this Employ|ment, and by what Authority they do the&s;e things; for either they a&s;&s;ume it to them&s;elves, or el&s;e 'tis given; if the fir&s;t of the&s;e, then 'tis Arrogancy, un|righteous
<PB N="12" REF="6">and unlawful, <HI>No man takes this honor unto him&s;elf,</HI> &s;ays the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Heb.</HI> 5.4. If the &s;econd, then by whom? If only from other men, and corrupt too, then, as our Saviour &s;peaks it, <HI>how can ye believe who receive honour one of another, Joh.</HI> 5.44. If from Chri&s;t, and his ble&s;&s;ed Spirit of Truth, and the Apo&s;tles, they them&s;elves plead not their Vi&s;ible Suc|ce&s;&s;ion of Presbytery, or Ordination of Mini&s;ters, &s;o high as from the two fir&s;t: but from the Apo&s;tles times, by the Im|po&s;ition of hands of the Presbytery from <HI>Paul</HI> and <HI>Titus,</HI> and other Di&s;ci|ples, they hold out, and make the World believe, their perpetuated Vi&s;ibility and Ordination of Mini&s;ters, made from time to time, and &s;o even to this time, by one another. And by this Rule their Or|dination came in corrupted times and by corrupted per&s;ons into the hands of the Popes of <HI>Rome,</HI> which Gangrene &s;pread it &s;elf by the Popes policy into all Kingdoms, for the Kingdoms of the World have been made drunk with her fornications; and &s;o the Popes Doctrine
<PB N="13" REF="6">and Di&s;cipline advanc'd it &s;elf into our Nation, and &s;o our Archbi&s;hops and Bi|&s;hops, and other Mini&s;ters, had Ordina|tion by the Popes Power and Keys, and the&s;e from them. Behold we pray you all good people of <HI>England,</HI> the Claim and Title our pretending Presbyters lay hold on to prove them&s;elves lawful Mi|ni&s;ters of Chri&s;t, and &s;o cry out, that Tythes, all Tythes, are due to them, as &s;uch Mini&s;ters and Presbyters. Now that their Claim to Tythes may be of no force or virtue, we &s;hall lay down &s;ome Conclu&s;ions again&s;t their Calling, which being found true and undeniable, they cannot have the face to lay claim any longer, or to take and rake that which is not their own.</P>
<P N="1">1. Fir&s;t, Therefore we &s;ay, That their Ordination it &s;elf by a vi&s;ible de&s;cent and grant from one to another, is cor|rupted, and again&s;t divine Truth. How can a clean thing come out of an un|clean? or a &s;treight from a crooked? A corrupted Fountain cannot &s;end forth pure &s;treams, nor a rotten Root &s;ound
<PB N="14" REF="7">Branches. The&s;e Par&s;ons come out of the loyns of the Bi&s;hops, and they from the Popes Authority; the&s;e men them|&s;elves were the pullers down of the Bi&s;hops Power as Antichri&s;tian, which had they been lawful, why rejected? if unlawful, how can our Presbyters be good who proceed from them? And then,</P>
<P N="2">2. Secondly, Their Ordination of one another as they &s;ay from the Apo|&s;tles times, holds up a Vi&s;ibility of the Mini&s;try, and by con&s;equence a Vi&s;ible Church too, which is not only Popi&s;h, but oppo&s;es Chri&s;ts Spiritual Kingdom; <HI>My Kingdom is not of this World:</HI> And we believe the Communion of Saints now. <HI>Faith,</HI> &s;ays the Apo&s;tle, <HI>is of things not &s;een,</HI> Heb. 11.1. He him&s;elf is called <HI>the King Invi&s;ible,</HI> his Kingdom, his Of|fice, his Ordinances and People are all Spiritual and Invi&s;ible, and Godline&s;s it &s;elf is called <HI>a great My&s;tery,</HI> and yet our Presbyters and pretending Mini&s;ters will be vi&s;ible and worldly; how can light and darkne&s;s agree? But,</P>
<PB N="15" REF="7">
<P N="3">3. Thirdly, The Prophets of God were called by God, and extraordinarily endowed, not with titles only, but with gifts and graces, and &s;ent immediately; Behold, <HI>I &s;end THEE, even THEE, to the hou&s;e of I&s;rael,</HI> &s;ays God unto the Prophet <HI>Ezekiel,</HI> Ezek. 2. And after them the Apo&s;tles were all called, and then &s;ent by Chri&s;t; <HI>Behold, I &s;end you as &s;heep among Wolves:</HI> But are our Presbyters thus called or &s;ent, or are they &s;ent at all? Nay, they &s;eek places, de&s;ire places, &s;olicit for Preferments, do all they can to procure fat Livings, and the be&s;t Benefices; Do not the&s;e run, (think you) and God &s;ends them not? Yea, they climb by Craft and Ambition, and come not in at the door, <HI>Joh.</HI> 10. We may know who they are, and to whom they do belong. And yet further,</P>
<P N="4">4. Fourthly, Their works and fruits &s;hew they are not of this flock or fold; if they be lawfully &s;ent, <HI>let them &s;hew forth the works of him that &s;ent them;</HI> the tree is known by his fruits: Can we find in the&s;e men, though they &s;o much cry
<PB N="16" REF="8">up Reformation, any true Reformation at all? Oh could we but with Lanthorn and Candle find an Humble Presbyte|rian Mini&s;ter, a merciful One, a liberal-minded One, a meek One, endued with the Spirit of Love, and but even Obedi|ence to the Civil Magi&s;trate! But alas! the Pulpits are filled, and the Commonwealth too, with ambitious and proud Par&s;ons, with covetous and contentious, &s;eeking not, as the Apo&s;tle &s;ays, you, but yours, your Goods, your Tythes, not wearing Chri&s;ts Motto, <HI>Hereby ye &s;hall be known to be my Di&s;ciples, if ye love one an|other.</HI> We appeal to all <HI>England,</HI> and further too, to their own Con&s;ciences, if this be not &s;o: We may &s;ay then and conclude with the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Are ye not carnal?</HI> Are not the&s;e men in their &s;ins? And then how can we imagine and con|clude the&s;e men to be not only Follow|ers, but true Teachers of Gods Word al&s;o, who&s;e Actions are diametrically oppo&s;ite unto tho&s;e of Chri&s;t? 'Tis &s;aid of him, <HI>Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the &s;ins of the world,</HI> Joh. 1. Is he a
<PB N="17" REF="8">Lamb, and mu&s;t the&s;e be Lions? Did he take away &s;in, and &s;hall the&s;e keep it, and live in it? Oh 'tis time to di&s;tingui&s;h them; they have wore their hoods and vails long enough, it's time to unmask them. We proceed on, and &s;ay,</P>
<P N="5">5. Fifthly, The&s;e Presbyterian Mi|ni&s;ters confe&s;s &s;o much them&s;elves, That there is a twofold Calling to the Mini|&s;try, one Immediate, another Mediate: now &s;ay they, the Prophets and Apo|&s;tles were indeed called Immediately, but they only Mediately: what have they then (we pray you) but what any man might have had for money as well as them&s;elves? And what is this their Mediate Calling (for more they dare not &s;ay in truth they have) but an Out|ward Art, as a &s;hadow to a body, or as &s;ign to the thing it &s;elf, nothing worth without the Inward? Or have the&s;e men the Influences and A&s;&s;i&s;tance of Gods holy Spirit more in them then o|thers? Or is it promi&s;ed or given to them more then to others who have not that outward Calling? As for their
<PB N="18" REF="9">parts and Arts, their &s;eeming gifts and &s;hifts too, they are by &s;tudy and other helps acquired, their degrees in Schools humane, not divine: Now this is no &s;afe Conclu&s;ion, but rather indeed a meer Delu&s;ion, to &s;ay, becau&s;e &s;uch and &s;uch are Mini&s;ters in Arts in a Univer&s;ity, and have &s;ome knowledg in <HI>Hebrew, Greek,</HI> and <HI>Latin,</HI> and have by Friends and Mo|neys too, if not by making Fea&s;ts or Banquets for &s;ome of the Cla&s;&s;ical Rab|bies, that therefore if &s;ome of the&s;e &s;hall lay hands upon them, that therefore they are true Mini&s;ters of Chri&s;t, and from that time forward chiefly, if not &s;olely, they may &s;et their heart and affections to try all ways po&s;&s;ible to enjoy a good Par&s;onage, and then demand and com|mand Tythes, as true Orothodox and godly Mini&s;ters of Chri&s;t. Oh fal&s;hood! Oh the&s;e men to be layd in the ballance will be found too light: And for all this it may yet be asked them, <HI>Friend, how came you in hither, not having on the wedding garment of faithful Labourers in Chri&s;ts Harve&s;t?</HI> The&s;e are the things
<PB N="19" REF="9">we put to our Appropriate Par&s;ons, and many more might be added; but we de&s;ire them &s;eriou&s;ly upon cold blood, without &s;pleen or anger, to &s;it down and think upon the&s;e arguments, and not to blind the Farmers and Husbandmen any longer with comparing them&s;elves with, and &s;tiling them&s;elves (if we would any longer believe them) in their Panygy-rick Sermons, the Emba&s;&s;adors of Chri&s;t, Watchful Shepherds over the Flock, Stewards of the My&s;teries of Chri&s;t, Gods Husbandmen, and fellow-Laborers, and fellow-Builders, Watch|men, and Angels; all which they were, were they but the parties they do pre|tend to be: And though we know that God hath &s;uch and will have &s;uch to ac|compli&s;h the My&s;tical Body of Chri&s;t, and for the gathering together of his people; for he will not want, he hath hidden ones, and de&s;pi&s;ed ones, who &s;hall confound the wi&s;e and the learned too, &amp; by the fooli&s;hne&s;s (as 'tis adjudg|ed) of their teaching he will fini&s;h his Work, his great Work: But to a&s;&s;ume
<PB N="20" REF="10">the&s;e glorious Titles unju&s;tly, and with|out due right, and under the&s;e to Lord it over Gods people by commanding Tythes, is oppre&s;&s;ing Ambition, and ba&s;e Hypocri&s;ie. We wi&s;h them to take heed, that what was contemptuou&s;ly objected to our Saviour, be not, or may not be, truly &s;aid unto them; <HI>But as for this man we know not whence he is:</HI> They &s;aid they knew it not, for who could <HI>declare his generation?</HI> He was from above, and 'twas their &s;hame not to know him: But we know the&s;e Rabbies long enough, and whence they are too. Look to it well, O ye pretending Prie&s;ts and Pre&s;|byters, and take no more Tythes, except you had a ju&s;t title unto them: Remem|ber the Prophets words, <HI>Wo to him that covets an evil Covetou&s;ne&s;s to him&s;elf, to heap together that which is not his.</HI> That is for our fir&s;t Demand, to &s;hew their right Calling to the Mini&s;try, or el&s;e for &s;hame to leave off that antiquated trade of Tythe-taking any more.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="21" REF="10">
<HEAD>That Tythes (though by our Mini&s;ters proving them&s;elves to be true Teach|ers) are not <HI>(in genere &s;uo)</HI> in their kind to be payd or demanded.</HEAD>
<P>Where are we now (good People,) under the Law, or under Grace? Shall we groan &s;till under this burthen, which neither we nor our forefathers were able to bear? The Pope you &s;ee intended to have his Chaplains better fed then taught: 'Tis no marvel they are &s;o will|ing to uphold him, &s;ince he allows them &s;uch fat and large Revenues: But we pray who pays it but the oppre&s;&s;ed peo|ple of <HI>England?</HI> We &s;hall therefore do our utmo&s;t endeavor to &s;et them free at la&s;t from this grievous yoke under which they are; great hopes there are to &s;et this Nation in Freedom, in which (we hope) they will &s;tand: we only in|tend their Freedom in this, the taking a|way of Tythes, which indeed are not nor ought to be now payd in their kind either to the Appropriate or Impropri|ate Gatherers. And becau&s;e our Inten|tion may pro&s;per the better, and the
<PB N="22" REF="11">more &s;olidly &s;top the mouths of the Gain&s;ayers, for we know we &s;hall not want enough who will grudg and repine at us for this our labour, though ju&s;t in it &s;elf, and high time to come to light, and though we &s;et it not out to do any man wrong, as God knows our intentions; but if po&s;&s;ible to convince and to con|vert (though it be hard yet it is not impo&s;&s;ible &s;o to do) tho&s;e who&s;e gains come in this way, from going any fur|ther in this &s;ame cour&s;e; and however we &s;peed among&s;t men we wil di&s;|charge our con&s;cience towards God: a Truth is not to be conceal'd becau&s;e of oppo&s;ition, and we are &s;ure were the&s;e that take Tyth's in our Ca&s;e, they would be as glad of Freedom as our &s;elves, <HI>What ye would that men &s;hould do unto you even &s;o do unto them, Luk.</HI> 6.31. we wi&s;h every man to be wel per&s;waded in his mind herein, for the Receivers are the mo&s;t guilty, they cannot but know that to take other mens goods in an indirect way, mu&s;t needs be &s;inful; and there|fore to convince the&s;e our Tythe-takers
<PB N="23" REF="11">that they may lay down and leave this practi&s;e for time to come, or the acting it &s;till again&s;t the light of Con&s;cience and Knowledge, it will heighten and augment their condemnation, we lay down the&s;e Arguments following to prove our A&s;&s;ertion to be ju&s;t, <HI>viz.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="arguments">
<HEAD>That Tythes are not now to be Paid, or Demanded.</HEAD>
<P><LABEL>Argum. 1.</LABEL> Fir&s;t, there is a change of that Law by which Tythes were e&s;ta|bli&s;hed and commanded, and of the Prie&s;t-hood too; both are changed, both are di&s;anulled, as we have it, <HI>Heb.</HI> 7.12. <HI>The Prie&s;t-hood being changed there is of Nece&s;sity</HI> (&s;aith the Apo&s;tle) <HI>a change al&s;o of the Law;</HI> the change of the one of nece&s;&s;ity brings a change of the other, there is &s;uch a Relation betwixt them that the one cannot be or &s;tand in force without the other: what a change of the Law? of what Law (we pray) but of the Ceremonial Law, of the Levi|tical Law, by virtue whereof the Jew|i&s;h Prie&s;ts and Levites did receive Tythes? now that there was &s;uch a
<PB N="24" REF="12">change of the Prie&s;t-hood appears, for there aro&s;e <HI>another Prie&s;t after the Order of Melchizedec,</HI> and not called after the <HI>Order of Aaron, Heb.</HI> 7. <HI>v.</HI> 11.15. and therefore &s;ays of him, <HI>That he was not made after the Law of a carnal Command|ment, but after the Power of an endle&s;s life, Heb.</HI> 7.16. and again he &s;aith of Chri&s;t, <HI>But this man becau&s;e he continu|eth for ever, hath an unchangeable Prie&s;t|hood, v.</HI> 24. But this man, not <HI>Aaron</HI> but Chri&s;t, by way of di&s;tinction and excellencie too; and &s;peaking fully in <HI>cap.</HI> 6. <HI>v.</HI> 20. of the change, &s;ayes, even Je&s;us, <HI>who is made a Prie&s;t for ever after the Order of Melchizedec,</HI> and further, <HI>who &s;prang out of Judah, and pertained to another Tribe,</HI> v. 13, 14. <HI>Who is an high Prie&s;t over the Hou&s;e of God,</HI> Heb. 10.21. This being infallibly true, it follows, that the Law is changed al&s;o: So that if our Mini&s;ters &s;hall plead for Tythes from <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron,</HI> or the old Law, we mu&s;t tell them, that herein they &s;hew them&s;elves to be old Jews, denying that Chri&s;t is come. Let them con&s;ider it
<PB N="25" REF="12">well, for this hath been their &s;trong O|pinion and Determination, and this they have held out to the people as a &s;ure de|&s;ence, when alas 'tis a plain argument a|gain&s;t them, but it pa&s;&s;ed for current in times of Ignorance and Popi&s;h Super|&s;tition. That's our fir&s;t dart again&s;t Tythe-takers. But,</P>
<P><LABEL>Argum. 2.</LABEL> Secondly, Tythes by the Levitical Law were but carnal Ordi|nances, and but meer &s;hadows and fi|gures, <HI>Heb.</HI> 10.1. and to la&s;t only until the <HI>Time of Reformation, Heb.</HI> 9.10. until Chri&s;t: Now that time being come, and the Reformation in practi&s;e, &s;hall all things, and per&s;ons, and &s;ervices be re|formed, and &s;hall we &s;till retain and up|hold this Antiquated Jewi&s;h Levitical Ceremonial Relique among&s;t us, and rely yet upon meer figures and old vain &s;hadows? hold more love to <HI>Aarons</HI> Ordinances, weak and vani&s;hing, then we will unto the Commandments of Je&s;us Chri&s;t? Pau&s;e hereupon we pray you who take Tythes. Yet,</P>
<P><LABEL>Argum. 3.</LABEL> Thirdly, That Law of
<PB N="26" REF="13">Tythes was made only to bind that Na|tion, the Jews, and Gods Command|ment was, that they &s;hould be payd to their Levites, <HI>Numb.</HI> 18.10. <HI>I have given thee the tenth, &amp;c.</HI> and the people that failed in the payment of them were ac|cur&s;ed, even that whole Nation, as we have it, <HI>Mal.</HI> 3.8, 9, 10. 'Tis true indeed, <HI>That Nation,</HI> but 'tis not &s;aid, <HI>All Nati|ons:</HI> We are Gentiles, not Jews, not under the Law, but under Grace, not of Jewi&s;h Extraction, and therefore not &s;ubject to their Ceremonial Law of Tything: If our Tythe-takers will have Tythes payd them, let them &s;hew their Genealogy from <HI>Aarons</HI> Loyns, and produce their Succe&s;&s;ion legally; and yet if they &s;hould, which they cannot perform, we might tell them plainly, We are of another Nation, and there|fore they demand Tythes of a wrong people. We in&s;i&s;t upon this the more &s;trictly, that they may &s;ee their Error the &s;ooner, and &s;hew by what Law they lay claim to Tythes. Therefore,</P>
<P><LABEL>Argum. 4.</LABEL> Fourthly, <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Law will
<PB N="27" REF="13">not defend their Action, for, as the A|po&s;tle &s;aith, tho&s;e Ordinances wax old, <HI>I will make</HI> (&s;aith God) <HI>a New Covenant,</HI> not like the fir&s;t, which had Ordi|nances of Divine Service, and a worldly Tabernacle, <HI>Heb.</HI> 9.1. Mark, he &s;aith, <HI>a New,</HI> &s;o that the fir&s;t is made old, <HI>Heb.</HI> 8.13. Now &s;aith the Apo&s;tle, <HI>That which decayeth and waxed old</HI> (as the Prie&s;t-hood and Levitical. Law of Tythes did even in his time) <HI>is ready to vani&s;h away, Heb.</HI> 8.13. What was the Law of Sacrifices and Offerings, and of the Jewi&s;h divine Service and of Tythes (in the Apo&s;tles time, by the power of Chri&s;ts Doctrine and Spiritual Law) ready to vani&s;h away? Was it old, de|caying, faulty too? (as the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks,) for had it been faultle&s;s, 'twould not have been aboli&s;hed, <HI>Heb.</HI> 8.7, 8. And &s;hall we of this Nation go &s;till and creep upon old, decaying, Jewi&s;h props and crutches? And can you who take Tythes by this Levitical Law think any otherwi&s;e, but that by the Act of this Cu&s;tom you are faulty, old, decaying,
<PB N="28" REF="14">and vani&s;hing too, and hinder the people of this Land from the Knowledg of Chri&s;t, by your preaching up Gods Law to <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> as you pretend, and &s;o to your &s;elves too for taking of Tythes? and who re&s;i&s;ts you, re|&s;i&s;t the Ordinance of God. Take heed we &s;ay, you uphold not that, which Gods Word &s;ays is old and vani&s;hing. Further, to this point we &s;ay;</P>
<P><LABEL>Argum. 5.</LABEL> Fifthly, The Payment of Tythes now, what doth it but keep us under the Law, and &s;o hinders us from being Children of Faith, of the Spirit, and of Grace: for as the Apo&s;tle &s;ays plainly, <HI>Gal.</HI> 5.4. <HI>Who are under the Law, are fallen from Grace:</HI> Now we conceive that the Apo&s;tle doth not &s;o much mean the Moral Law, for that is perpetual and obligatory; but the Ceremonial and Levitical Law, which contained under it the Payment of Tythes. Now there were fal&s;e brethren crept in, who did, among&s;t many other Errors, hold up Circumci&s;ion, and other Jewi&s;h rites
<PB N="29" REF="14">and ceremonies; and why not the pay|ment of Tythes al&s;o? for they were greedy and covetous in this particular, as we may &s;ee by that <HI>Wo</HI> which Chri&s;t denounced unto them for this act, <HI>Luke</HI> 11.42. <HI>Wo unto you Scribes and Phari&s;ees, for ye tythe mint and rue, &amp;c.</HI> they would not lo&s;e the lea&s;t thing Tythable: even much like our Tythe-ma&s;ters, not an Egg or an Apple &s;hould e&s;cape: nay, they u&s;ed rigor and force too; for we read of <HI>Eli's</HI> &s;ons, that if they &s;aw any thing better then other, they would have it, and if the people would not give it them, they would take it by force, <HI>even the be&s;t, the fat,</HI> 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 2.15, 16. <HI>and the be&s;t of all the Offerings of the children of I&s;rael,</HI> ver&s;. 30. Such are too many of our Rabbies, they will have it, rather then not: &s;ome have u&s;ed force and vi|olence to the poor of the Land, and too many of them have been and will be their own Carvers; what doth the up|holding the Ceremonial and Levitical Law debar us from the freedom of Grace, of the &s;pirit of Grace, and from
<PB N="30" REF="15">Faith: certainly we have good rea&s;on to abandon and &s;hake off &s;uch a Jewi&s;h Schoolma&s;ter, <HI>Galat.</HI> 3.24. E&s;pecially when they would make us to learn &s;uch le&s;&s;ons and laws which <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> hath freed us from; we wonder how our Presby|terian Mini&s;ters can ask Tythes of us, knowing that if they keep and hold that Law, they are fallen from Grace, and are under the cur&s;e; and therefore &s;ee|ing that by the Death of our Saviour all that <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> commanded concerning Le|gal rites and ceremonies had an end (for they were all fulfilled in him,) why is tythe-taking &s;o eagerly upheld by the&s;e men, who pretend to <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> and not to <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Law? However, if they &s;hal con|tinue &s;o corrupt for their gains &s;ake (as who knows not what a &s;trong influence gold and gains have upon corrupted &s;pirits?) yet let the godly and &s;piritual|ly-minded people of our Nation do their utmo&s;t, not onely to di&s;cover their deep policy in this particular, but labor al&s;o to aboli&s;h and overthrow it; for though <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> was a faithful &s;ervant, yet
<PB N="31" REF="15"><HI>Chri&s;t is Lord and our God ble&s;&s;ed for ever.</HI> Yet a &s;tep or two further; we proceed, and &s;ay,</P>
<P><LABEL>Argum. 6.</LABEL> Sixthly, That as our Mini|&s;ters have held Tythes to be their due <HI>Jure Divino,</HI> and &s;o to that purpo&s;e have quoted divers texts out of <HI>Mo&s;es Plutat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> and the Prophets; we reply, That none were to have Tythes &s;o but the Jewi&s;h Levites and their Prie&s;ts: It &s;eems then, and concludes &s;o too directly, that they are the Prie&s;ts and Levites, or el&s;e to hold up this their gains would be &s;uch; for why Tythes, where there is no Prie&s;t to &s;acrifice, and other Oblati|ons? then let's have Circumci&s;ion, and a Tabernacle, an Altar too, or el&s;e a <HI>So|lomons</HI> Temple again erected, and &s;o con&s;equently killing of Bullocks, and Sheep, and Lambs, yes, and Pigeons and turtle Doves al&s;o. Oh &s;ee what ill Con|&s;equences follow in upon the payment of Tythes in this manner. We mu&s;t have an Altar of Incen&s;e al&s;o, which will not be a &s;weet &s;avour in Gods No|&s;trils. But what need of the&s;e, or the
<PB N="32" REF="16">whole Levitical Law or Prie&s;thood, &s;eeing nor the one, nor the other, nor all the blood of bulls and goats can po&s;|&s;ibly take away &s;ins? <HI>Hebr.</HI> 10.4. and what is more, the &s;ame Apo&s;tle &s;aith, <HI>that there is verily a di&s;anulling of the Commandment going before;</HI> and why &s;o? he gives &s;ufficient rea&s;ons for it, for the weakne&s;s and unprofitablene&s;s of it; <HI>for the Law (i. e.)</HI> the Levitical Law, <HI>made nothing perfect, Hebr.</HI> 7.18, 19. So then, if the Levitical Law, nor the Prie&s;ts, could not take away the &s;ins of the people, but were them&s;elves &s;inful men, and dyed, <HI>Heb.</HI> 7.23. and the Law it &s;elf weak, unprofitable, imperfect, faulty, old, decaying, and vani&s;hing a|way; and the Oblations termed vain and abominable, <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 1.11, 12, 13. What faces have our Presbyterian Rabbies to fly unto this for &s;helter and maintenance? for their taking of tythes of the People now in the&s;e Reformed Times? Well, we hope we have re|moved their old confidence from this Law of demanding tythes. Next in order:</P>
<PB N="33" REF="16">
<P><LABEL>Argum. 7.</LABEL> Seventhly, We having them now upon pur&s;uit, let's not leave to follow them a little clo&s;er; If we will believe them, though they can get little or no comfort from <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> or the Pro|phets, yet they have other holds, as from the Canon Law, the Civil, the Ca&s;ui&s;ts and Schoolmen: Is't po&s;&s;ible that the&s;e men who profe&s;s Chri&s;t &s;o &s;trictly, and Reformation too, and exclaim again&s;t the Pope and his Adherents, will yet flee unto <HI>Rome</HI> to a Conclave or Con&s;i&s;tory of old mu&s;ty and rotten &s;uper&s;titious Writters, who to uphold their Seat and their State patch up their Tenets with Judai&s;m, or the Turki&s;h <HI>Alchoran,</HI> who to plea&s;e their Father, &s;ub&s;cribe all their Judgments to his Verdict, and either will not or dare not print directly what's truth, for fear of his Excommunications and thundering <HI>Anathema's?</HI> But mu&s;t we be kept hoodwink'd &s;till, and mu&s;t be forc'd to have their &s;ayings obtruded upon us, and pinned upon our &s;leeves for truths, though never &s;o fal&s;e? Who knows not how they have juggled with
<PB N="34" REF="17">the Text it &s;elf, terming it <HI>fabula,</HI> a fable? What great Confidence in or from the&s;e men? What hopes to find truth in the very Chair of lying and &s;educing? What if they &s;ay Tythes are due <HI>Jure Divino,</HI> and threaten all &s;uch with Bell Book and Candle who dare &s;peak or write again&s;t it, are they therefore &s;o? In &s;uch a ca&s;e as this is mu&s;t Antichri&s;t be cho&s;en Judg and Umpire. Oh ye Mi|ni&s;ters of <HI>England,</HI> if yet ye be &s;o, may we not tell you herein, as our Saviour told that young man, who &s;aid he would follow him whither &s;oever he went, <HI>The Foxes have holes, and the birds of the ayr have ne&s;ts?</HI> Have you yet lurking holes from the Popi&s;h Canoni&s;ts, and ne&s;ts too among&s;t the Popi&s;h Lawyers? Alas, Prie&s;ts we know have but little skill, and of late as bad &s;ucce&s;s, in making and tru&s;ting to Canons: It mu&s;t not be the Civilian nor the wrangling &s;ophi&s;tating Schoolmen who mu&s;t be Judges in this Point; and therefore knowing and ho|ping you will not foul your mouths with the&s;e Rabble of Deceivers, we tell
<PB N="35" REF="17">you we appeal in this particular to Gods Word, if they &s;peak not <HI>according to that, it is becau&s;e there is no truth in them, I&s;a.</HI> 8. We are not willing to mention this di&s;|&s;embling Crue and politique Cheaters, who to uphold <HI>Peters</HI> old Chair, and to fill their own bellies and pur&s;es too, will &s;ay and un&s;ay any thing; yet for conclu&s;ion, this point in agitation a|mong&s;t us at pre&s;ent is yet unheard of and untouch'd among&s;t them at <HI>Rome:</HI> We therefore intending to be as brief as may be, go on and &s;ay,</P>
<P><LABEL>Argum. 8.</LABEL> Eightly, There is not one <HI>Iota</HI> or line directly for the payment of Tythes in kind not in all the New Te&s;ta|ment. We'l deal plainly with the world, there are &s;ome which carry a &s;hew which we intend to an&s;wer, becau&s;e &s;ome have made u&s;e of them contrary to the mean|ing of them that &s;poke them. The fir&s;t is in <HI>Mat.</HI> 8.2, 3, 4. concerning the <HI>Leper,</HI> unto whom Chri&s;t &s;aid, <HI>Go &s;hew thy &s;elf unto the Prie&s;t, and offer the gift that Mo&s;es commanded for a Te&s;timony unto them.</HI> Some concluding that Chri&s;t &s;tood for
<PB N="36" REF="18">payment of Tythes him&s;elf according to <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Law; but let's a little examine the matter, and it will make nothing for our Tythe-takers now; for fir&s;t, Chri&s;t was not then glorified, &s;econdly, the Jewi&s;h Clergy was then in power and being, though mi&s;erably corrupted; and that party who was healed of that Na|tion, and &s;o liable to payment, and there|fore Chri&s;ts Injunction was both equal and righteous at that time. Another Text too is u&s;ed for payment of Tythes, and that is in tho&s;e two men who (as our Saviour &s;ays) <HI>went into the Temple to pray, the one a Phari&s;ee, and the other a Pub|lican;</HI> among&s;t other particulars which the Phari&s;ee boa&s;ted of, this was one, that he <HI>gave Tythes of all that he po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed, Luk.</HI> 18.12. See, &s;ay our Tythe-takers, the very Phari&s;ees did not deny Tythes; and &s;o hold out to plain people, that tho&s;e who deny to pay Tythes are wor&s;e then the Phari&s;ees. We reply, Did he pay Tythes? 'twas his duty to the Com|mand then being in force, and he a Jew, and one that pretended to be the &s;tricte&s;t
<PB N="37" REF="18">Ob&s;ervant of the Law: Now as the A|po&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Thou that boa&s;te&s;t of the Law, through breaking the Law, di&s;honore&s;t thou God,</HI> Rom. 2.23. It had in him at that time been not only a breach &s;imply of the Law, but al&s;o a di&s;honoring God; and yet we have but his own bragging and boa&s;ting word; and &s;ome &s;u&s;picion may be moved concerning his doing as he &s;aid; for, for all his boa&s;ting, this did not ju&s;tifie; but in the la&s;t place, this was not a real hi&s;tory, but a Parable, for the text &s;aith, <HI>And he &s;poke this Para|ble, Luk.</HI> 18.9. So neither of the&s;e doth any thing help the cau&s;e of Tythes at this pre&s;ent.</P>
<P>Well, we come now to the main Re|fuge, that large and copious Text of the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> (1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 9.7, 8, 9. to 14.) wherein, &s;ay our Tythe-Takers, the A|po&s;tle hath &s;ufficiently warranted tythes even now under the Go&s;el: we will take &s;ome pains therefore about the true opening of this Text: The Apo&s;tle vin|dicates indeed his own liberty and pow|er, though he &s;ays he u&s;ed it not at all,
<PB N="38" REF="19"><HI>ver&s;.</HI> 15. He &s;peaking of eating and drinking, and leading about a &s;i&s;ter, a wife, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 4, 5. forbearing to work at his Trade, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 6. Urgeth his lawfulne&s;s of doing from three &s;imilitudes: 1. from <HI>going to warfare at a mans own charges!</HI> 2. from <HI>planting a vineyard, and not eat|ing the fruit:</HI> 3. from <HI>feeding a flock, and not eating of the milk of the flock,</HI> ver&s;. 7. Brings an Argument from <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Law too, from <HI>muzling the ox that treadeth out the corn,</HI> ver&s;. 9. fetches confirmati|on of this from plowmen, thre&s;hers, and &s;eeds-men, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 10. proves his doctrine from an Argument called <HI>a Majori ad Minus:</HI> If <HI>we &s;ow to you &s;piritual, is it a great thing if we &s;hall reap your carnal things?</HI> ver&s;. 11. from the practice of others, <HI>v.</HI> 12. therefore as well to him as to others: proves it al&s;o from tho&s;e who mini&s;tred about holy things in the Temple, and waited at the Altar; both lived of and by it; and &s;o concludes this &s;ubject, that <HI>&s;o hath God ordarned, that they who preach the Go&s;pel, &s;hould live of the Go&s;pel:</HI> an Argument <HI>a pari;</HI> if
<PB N="39" REF="19">they lived on that; the&s;e on this, and this is Gods Ordinance. We have not omitted any thing, we would not will|ingly in this large Text of Scripture, which &s;eems to be the Tythe-Takers &s;afe&s;t and uncontroulable Argument, if it be not throughly examined. But we &s;hal make it appear, that this Apo&s;tle, even in this place, doth not &s;o much as mention Tythes; nor can our Mini&s;ters fetch or alledg truly any Authority for their Tythes now from hence. And therefore fir&s;t for his liberty and his plea for maintenance for Preachers: 1. He was an Apo&s;tle, <HI>Am I not?</HI> ver&s;. 1. ju|&s;tifies his mi&s;&s;ion; could our men do &s;o too? 2. His freedom in preaching, <HI>not chargeable;</HI> Are our Mini&s;ters of this &s;tamp? we fear they are not. 3. His priviledg, <HI>&s;een the Lord,</HI> ver&s;. 1. not onely in &s;pirit, but Chri&s;t appeared to him: Have our Mini&s;ters this &s;piritual happine&s;s? 4. His effectual operation in their conver&s;ion, <HI>v.</HI> 2. O happy man, worthy indeed of allowance, and liberal too! But can ours &s;hew their &s;eal and
<PB N="40" REF="20">evidence to mens con&s;ciences, that they have wrought their conver&s;ion? we wi&s;h they could. 5. His confirmation of them in Grace: O where are &s;uch Mini&s;ters to be had 6. Eating and drinking; and leading about a &s;i&s;ter, a wife; the two fir&s;t things indifferent, and allowed by Chri&s;t, <HI>Eat and drink &s;uch &s;uch things as are &s;et before you, Luk,</HI> 10.7. <HI>v.</HI> 4, 5. Here's onely meat and drink, an Apo&s;tles allowance; and yet he had learned to be content and thank|ful too. What will our Presbyters plead to this? whom meat and drink, moneys and all will &s;carce plea&s;e? for his lead|ing about a &s;i&s;ter, a wife, no ways ob|noxious to &s;candal; a &s;i&s;ter by profe&s;&s;|ing the &s;ame faith; a wife, and &s;o con|&s;tant, and as diligent to mini&s;ter to them in their journeying. Divers women of affection to Chri&s;t, followed him, being &s;o taken with his doctrine, <HI>Luk.</HI> 8.2, 3. He was put upon this employment by <HI>Chri&s;t him&s;elf,</HI> his warfare, planting and feeding, (<HI>Acts</HI> 22.14, 15.) Ours put them&s;elves upon it, and thru&s;t into it for
<PB N="41" REF="20">gains and means. Rich Par&s;onages need not cry out for want of Pa&s;tors; they &s;trive who &s;hould get into them fir&s;t. His compari&s;on from the muzling of the Ox; This creature is laborious, and a pattern of a good Mini&s;ter, <HI>v.</HI> 9. For his Argument from the greater to the le&s;s, 'twas true, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 11. He did &s;ow, <HI>(i. e.)</HI> preach &s;piritual things; Ours too too many of them preach carnal things, as for maintenance by Tythes, nay and contention too, and preach them&s;elves, and for them&s;elves, he not. And &s;o al&s;o for his plowing he performed it &s;piritu|ally; &s;o of thre&s;hing and &s;owing, this was his task; it's good to have a Call|ing, not to run without a Call: and moreover ob&s;erve his labor in the Go|&s;pel; <HI>I,</HI> &s;aith he, <HI>labored more then they all,</HI> (1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15.) A good example to all that undertake this profe&s;&s;ion, to be true Laborers in Gods Harve&s;t and Vine|yard: His fetching Authority for Mini|&s;ters means from their practice under the Law, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 13. for in his time the Law of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> was not quite decayed;
<PB N="42" REF="21">The Light of the Go&s;pel did &s;pread, but yet then the Jews Law was not down, it decayed by degrees: but now 'tis no plea for our Mini&s;ters, it being now vani&s;h|ed as old, <HI>Hebr.</HI> 7. In the la&s;t place, at <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 14. from Gods Ordinance we &s;ay &s;o too, 'tis Gods Ordinance, we know, that the Laborer is worthy of his hire: the Apo&s;tle &s;ays, they &s;hould <HI>live of the Go&s;pel,</HI> but doth not mention a word to confirm the taking and raking after Tythes: and all this he, good man, did onely per&s;wade, forc'd it not, rail'd not again&s;t them, accu&s;ed them not, did not pro&s;ecute them at Law, neither did he threaten any of them: And now to &s;um up all this, What makes all this for Tythes in kinde? not a word, nor one &s;yllable. When we con&s;ider this mans admirable gifts, and his con&s;tant em|ployment of them; his patience in trou|bles, and wants too; how he only craves and per&s;wades, not for any &s;uperfluity, but onely to live; what mean and labo|rious names he takes to him&s;elf, even of a private Soldier, of a Vine-dre&s;&s;er, of
<PB N="43" REF="21">a Shepherd, of a Plow-man, of a Thre&s;her, and of a Seeds-man, Titles not of honor, but of labor and pains, and all the&s;e with per&s;ecution too, and onely to live, to preach to live, and live to preach: Look upon this Example O Mini&s;ters, and then blu&s;h at your Pride, Contention, Debate, Envy, Idlene&s;s, and Imperiou&s;ne&s;s: He per&s;wades, but you'l command; he onely to live of the Go&s;pel, you to lord it over your Bre|thren &amp; the People too; <HI>Ye take too much upon you, ye &s;ons of Levi, Num.</HI> 16.7, 8. He converted Souls, and confirmed them in the Faith; Oh could you but &s;hew &s;uch &s;eals of your employments! and yet for all this demanded no Tythes at all, onely peoples liberality. We would not, do not, debar a good mainte|nance to you, though you be far inferi|or to the Apo&s;tles, onely be not your own Carvers: Allowance we &s;ay is fit|ing, but not in this kind by Tyth-taking. We would not be tedious upon this &s;ub|ject, onely give our Mini&s;ters notice that they exact too much upon Gods
<PB N="44" REF="22">people by Tythes. Further, to con|vince them in this particular, we &s;ay,</P>
<P><LABEL>Argum. 9.</LABEL> Ninthly, Seeing that <HI>Mo|&s;es</HI> and the Prophets, nor <HI>Canonists, Ci|vilians, Ca&s;ui&s;ts,</HI> nor <HI>School-men,</HI> nor yet the Word of God in the New Te|&s;tament, will or do uphold them in their practice; they retire to the common Law of the Land, becau&s;e confirmed by &s;everal Acts of Parliament; and this is it indeed that bol&s;ters them up, and &s;wels them &s;o, that they think all's their own, and that nothing can hinder them from their Right, as they hold it. Well, Is the whole matter come to this? from <HI>Jure Divino</HI> to <HI>Jure Humano?</HI> Is all their pretences and clamors and bu&s;tle|ings for Tythes all this while &s;ummed up in this? Tythes are &s;etled to our Mi|ni&s;ters by Act of Parliament: This is but a weak plea for them; for we &s;ay, fir&s;t, what the Parliaments of this Land did in this particular, was out of indul|gency to encourage them in their pro|fe&s;&s;ion, not to heighten them in pride; for Alimony, not for Covetou&s;ne&s;s;
<PB N="45" REF="22">their intentions were honorable, the wor&s;e is the abu&s;e; but yet tho&s;e that &s;at then, and ruled in chief, had depend|ance on the Pope; the Hou&s;es were fill|ed with Popi&s;h Prelates and Abbots: nay, mo&s;t, if not all in both Hou&s;es, were zealous Papi&s;ts, and had no further knowledg, held it a meritorious Act, and the bu&s;ine&s;s put on by the Archbi|&s;hops and Bi&s;hops of the &s;ame tribe that the Mini&s;ters were of: and &s;o indeed Tythes came in. But we hope many other Acts of Parliament in after times have been repealed; and when it plea&s;|eth God to &s;tir up the &s;pirits of this ho|norable Parliament to put their Pow|er into execution in this particular, it may be &s;peedily effected, without either any prejudice to their Con&s;ci|ences, or violation of any mans ju&s;t Right, but to the general and uni|ver&s;al Freedom of this Nation from Jewi&s;h and Popi&s;h Thraldom, for which purpo&s;e there have been &s;undry Petiti|ons from &s;everal parts and per&s;ons, all de&s;iring this one thing (as a great grie|vance)
<PB N="46" REF="23">may be taken out of the way: And certainly as 'twas &s;aid of <HI>Henry</HI> the eight, that he broke the Popes &s;hins when he pull'd down the Abbies and Mona|&s;teries in <HI>England;</HI> &s;o it may be &s;aid of taking away of Tythes, that being done, he will be cru&s;h'd to pieces, his bones will be broke, and his body thrown fully from among&s;t us in <HI>England.</HI> We pro|ceed to another Argument again&s;t Tythe-paying, and ha&s;ten to an end. Therefore,</P>
<P><LABEL>Argum. 10.</LABEL> Tenthly, The gro&s;s Abu|&s;es, Inconveniences, Troubles, Law|&s;uits, Quarrelings, Contentions, Strifes, Debates, Hatred, Heart-burnings, Su&s;|picions, Wrongs, Vexations, Murmur|ings, Grudgings, and Mi&s;chiefs, which have and do dayly ari&s;e betwixt the Tythe-takers and the Tythe-payers, as they are not to be numbered, &s;o 'tis pity they &s;hould not be extingui&s;hed, the one think they take too much, the other think they have not enough: What Pa|ri&s;h, Hamlet, Town or City in all <HI>Eng|land,</HI> which either is not, or hath not been
<PB N="47" REF="23">quarrel'd withall by their wrangling Tything Mini&s;ters? What <HI>Term</HI> hath not been filled with Complaints one a|gain&s;t another? What Courts have not, and yet do not even &s;warm with Suits one with another, to the great charges, lo&s;s and vexation of the good people of this Land in travelling and journeying to <HI>London</HI> about Law-&s;uits for &s;etting out and paying Tythes? How are the Ju&s;tices and Committees toyl'd and wearied at their Meetings and Sittings in hearing Cau&s;es, one party again&s;t the other, even with bitterne&s;s of &s;pirit, and all for Tythes? We could weary the Readers, and relate &s;uch &s;tories of quar|rels in this kind as are not indeed worth the naming, and yet have been pro&s;ecu|ted with all vehemency and virulency of &s;pirit: How can &s;uch Mini&s;ters teach the Word of God in meekne&s;s, who are fill'd with rancor and ill will for want of their due in Tythes, meerly concei|ving &s;o to them&s;elves, not being &s;o in truth? What ba&s;e Informations and Sugge&s;tions, with indirect Intelligence
<PB N="48" REF="24">too, are brought to their ears, of mens &s;tealing, pilfering, and carrying away more then they &s;hould, which inflames their &s;pirits &s;o high and &s;o deeply again&s;t their Neighbors and Pari&s;hioners, that they are not fully and truly reconciled to them during their whole lives? How are they di&s;tracted from their Study and &s;piritual Employments? What Weeks and Moneths are wholly con&s;umed in looking after yours, your Goods, your Tythes, more then after you, and your Souls? How do the hopes of great Tythes render them Mercenary? How do they chop and change their Flocks, as oft as they can by any means procure better and fatter Livings? Oh what true care of Souls can the&s;e tything Presby|ters have! How can they &s;ay as <HI>Paul</HI> did, <HI>Acts</HI> 20. <HI>I have coveted no mans &s;il|ver, nor gold, nor apparel,</HI> or with the A|po&s;tle <HI>Peter, Silver and gold have I none,</HI> &s;ince the&s;e men aym at nothing el&s;e? Behold the &s;pecial fruits of Tything. In the la&s;t place we &s;ay,</P>
<P><LABEL>Argum. 11.</LABEL> Eleventhly, That all the
<PB N="49" REF="24">Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, as tho&s;e of <HI>Geneva,</HI> of <HI>Ba&s;il,</HI> of <HI>Bern,</HI> of <HI>Zurich,</HI> of <HI>Schafhau&s;en,</HI> tho&s;e of <HI>France,</HI> with the Low Countries of <HI>Holland, Zealand,</HI> &amp;c. tho&s;e likewi&s;e of <HI>Germany</HI> and of <HI>Denmark</HI> have no Tythes, and yet they live peaceably, quietly and con|tentedly with and among&s;t their people. Our Saviour him&s;elf when he &s;ent his Apo&s;tles to teach the Go&s;pel, gave not the lea&s;t direction or precept concerning Tythes; nor did the Primitive Chri&s;ti|ans demand any: And have our Mini|&s;ters any ju&s;ter claim or right unto Tythes then any or all the&s;e think you? Thus much concerning our Appropri|ate Tythe-takers, the pretending Mini|&s;ters: We come now to the other fort, which are the Impropriate Tythers: Now for certain if the&s;e who labour in the Word cannot yet &s;hew their lawful|ne&s;s to take Tythes, the other who labor not at all can have nothing to plead for them&s;elves, yet to convince them, be|cau&s;e they are many who practi&s;e it, and great ones too, we &s;ay to them, Fir&s;t,
<PB N="50" REF="25"> <LABEL>Argum I. again&s;t Impropriators.</LABEL></P>
<P N="1">1. Their Par&s;onages were either freely given to them or to their Ance&s;t|ors, and therefore may be the freelier &s;urrendred again, or el&s;e ea&s;ily purcha|&s;ed, even then for &s;o little as is not worth reckoning for now.</P>
<P N="2">2. They have had a long and a quiet po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of them, and in all that time and years have had Tythes payd them without any oppo&s;ition; &s;o that long &s;ince they have not only got in and re|covered the principal layd out, but have moreover above that procured great E|&s;tates and Means to them&s;elves and heirs for their moneys then disbur&s;ed.</P>
<P N="3">3. Their not labouring in teaching the Word, but what is more, their not allowing any Maintenance to Preach|ers (except now of late for fear,) for Im|propriations of 200 <ABBR><HI>li.</HI></ABBR> 300 <ABBR><HI>l.</HI></ABBR> or 400 <ABBR><HI>l.</HI> per annum,</ABBR> have &s;inall Vicaridges inclu|&s;ively layd to them, or el&s;e in policy the Impropriators have them&s;elves parted with the &s;maller Tythes to a Preacher, either becau&s;e they are in many places
<PB N="51" REF="25">&s;carce worth the labour in gathering, e|&s;pecially with &s;o many ill wi&s;hes of the people who pay them (if not with cur&s;es too,) or el&s;e becau&s;e by this Act they take off the peoples hatred from them|&s;elves, and transfer it upon the poor Vi|cars, who mu&s;t either get them in, or &s;tarve in their places; and however this Act of theirs doth &s;till and quiet the people, and blind them too, &s;o that they &s;it down (as yet without complaining again&s;t their Impropriators, who u&s;ually take Tythes with power, e&s;pecially if they be (as in many places they are) both Landlord and Par&s;on too,) for then the poor Tenants dare not re&s;i&s;t their Acti|ons, for fear of being di&s;mi&s;t their habi|tations.</P>
<P N="4">4. Their Livings were either given to them, or el&s;e purcha&s;ed from the Crown; and if &s;o, reducible when&s;oe|ver and to what U&s;es &s;oever Parlia|ments in after times &s;hal think be&s;t, they having and alwayes had power, not on|ly to call in Crown Lands but al&s;o to di&s;po&s;e and imploy them, e&s;pecially in
<PB N="52" REF="26">great abu&s;es, or publique Exigences and occa&s;ions.</P>
<P N="5">5. Their purcha&s;es for the mo&s;t part acted in times of Popery and dark &s;uper|&s;tition; &s;o that in later times many gen|tlemen in this Land have in their own con&s;ciences been convicted of their Te|nure, and have laid down of them&s;elves; &s;ome others have been per&s;waded to part with their Title for a little money by certain Feoffees in and about <HI>Lon|don,</HI> who did recover &s;ome of them, and did maintain <HI>Lecturers</HI> and <HI>Schools</HI> with them. Now &s;ince God hath given more light, let our Gentry and others, who hold &s;uch, con&s;ider well of it.</P>
<P N="6">6. Their Tythe-taking again&s;t Gods Word: <HI>He that labors not</HI> (&s;ays the A|po&s;tle) <HI>let him not eat; and he that &s;oweth not, why &s;hould he reap?</HI> be&s;ides it hin|ders the teaching of Gods Word in &s;uch places: for <HI>Impropriations</HI> are common|ly in the greate&s;t and fatte&s;t places and pari&s;hes; and yet hereby the&s;e Towns are, or have been, de&s;titute of Teachers, or el&s;e they them&s;elves mu&s;t and have
<PB N="53" REF="26">procured one, and yet payd Tythes be|&s;ide; for the Vicars (if any be) are kept &s;o poor, that they can &s;carce live, though they have labored hardly and con|&s;tantly.</P>
<P>To the <HI>Impropriators,</HI> who have pur|cha&s;ed their <HI>Par&s;onages</HI> of late, we &s;ay,</P>
<P N="1">Fir&s;t, 'Twas Covetou&s;ne&s;s, and hopes of quietne&s;s of the times, and wealth by their purcha&s;e, which induced them to buy.</P>
<P N="2">Secondly, The&s;e could not but know that they ventured upon Titles that were hazardable of Tenure, and &s;o did or might have precautioned in their bar|gains re&s;titution of Moneys, if they &s;hould be deprvied of them.</P>
<P N="3">Thirdly, Gave for their purcha&s;e lit|tle or nothing; &s;ome perhaps three or four, few not five years purcha&s;e.</P>
<P N="4">Fourthly, That Power by which they had them <HI>(viz.)</HI> Kingly Power is now extingui&s;hed and aboli&s;hed; and then how can their Tenures be valid and good?</P>
<P N="5">Fifthly, Particular Intere&s;ts are not
<PB N="54" REF="27">to be held up again&s;t a general good, e|&s;pecially when as a con&s;iderable &s;ati&s;|faction &s;hall be made to the party &s;ur|rendering, the lo&s;s (if any be proved) be|ing not tota, but partial.</P>
<P N="6">Sixthly, By their giving up they are &s;ure to have the peoples love and good|will, and ble&s;&s;ing too; whereas the keep|ing them may procure, and doth cau&s;e, the peoples ill-will and hatred, if not cur&s;es too; And 'tis a happine&s;s they have enjoyed Tythes &s;o long without di&s;turbance, and yet what further is, they may reap benefit and Salvation of their Souls too, by placing an able man to teach Gods Word in &s;uch places.</P>
<P>The&s;e are &s;ome of tho&s;e many Argu|ments, may be u&s;ed to convince as well the one as the other of our Tythe-takers to leave off that trade and cour&s;e. We leave the i&s;&s;ue to God, and to the pious judgments and di&s;cretion of our &s;u|preme Magi&s;trates, the Parliament of <HI>England,</HI> praying for Gods ble&s;&s;ings up|on their proceedings, <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<P>Pag. 17. lin. 19. read <HI>Act</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">.31.1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">7. <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters">tateuch.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
