Ministers for Tithes Proof that These Are No Ministers of the Gospel
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A84075.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
MINISTERS FOR TYTHES, BEING A manifest proof That these Men are No MINISTERS of the GOSPEL, Who follow the Magistrate for a worldly maintenance, and Fee the Lawyers to plead for Tythes.
By WILLAM ERBERY.
But they shall proceed no farther, for their folly shall be manifest unto All men,
2 Tim. 3.9.
London, Printed by J.C. For Giles Calvet, at the Sign of the Black spread-Eagle, at the West end of Paul's, 1653.
TO Doctor SEAMAN, Doctor BURGESS, AND The rest of the Ministers FOR TYTHES.
Gentlemen,
I Have been a Minister of the Church of England, as you are; Master of Arts of both Universities, and might have been Dr. in Divinity as well as you, had I so much money, as the Ministers have in their purses.
But coming last Wednesday to the Committee for Tythes, I expected there the Ministers for Tythes, to hear what they could say for themselves. A Committee for Tythes is a proper name, Honorable and honest men, being on a debate for Tythes on a civil account in point of Law: but Ministers for Tythes is such a thing, and Ministers of the Gospel to demand it as their spiritual due, its such a monster, that it made my Welsh blood to rise at your English religion. I heard that Dr. Seaman was that day to prove himself and his fellows Ministers of the Gospel: but because he is a Godly man, and may serve to make a Chaplain for the Navy at Sea, I shall rather deal with Dr. Burgess, because he is a landed man, and has a great deal of money, being the better Sailer, who can shift his Sail and turn with the wind: for as the Ministers are Merchants; so they are those Ship-masters and Seamen, who have all the trade this day. Truly, I will not meddle with Dr. Burgess his money, nor covet his Achan's wedge; only because his Babylonish Garment is so thredbare, I took him once for a poor Sir John, or Welsh Curate, not for a Dr. or rich Divine, he was so meanly clad. No wonder that he and his brethren Petition for maintenance, for the Rich Ministers are the poorest Men of the Nation; but because I see the Priests and University-Doctors join together for Tythes, I will tell them a Geneva note worth their learning, Act. 6.9. The first bloody persecution of the Church of Christ, began from a council of Priests, with the suggestion of University-Doctors. And I believe the last persecution of the Church, and of Christ in the Spirit, will be by such; for as the present Churches comply with the Presbyters in this of a settled maintenance, so this being only by Tythes, or some like thing, these must be accounted persecutors of the Spirit as well those. I will not speak of men, how much they suffer by this, but the blood of God is shed this way, yea shed in vain, when made but the blood of a dead man. 'Twas water and blood came forth from Christ's side in his death, to show that the Spirit of life, or living water was shed forth with it; as 'tis expressed Act. 2.32. the promise of the Father and power from on high, or Baptism of the Spirit, being only that which constituted a Gospel-Church, and made Ministers of Gospel; to go forth without this, is not only to deceive men, but to deny God, to crucify Christ, to stifle the Spirit, and strangle the babe, even the new-born glory, beginning to rise on the Saints of the most High.
The Saints of the most high being men whom the Ministers know not, I shall forbear to busy their heads with this, only because the Committee have business enough besides, and better work to do then to wait on Ministers for Tythes, therefore I shall propose two words to their Honors consideration.
1. That you have not the Mission,
Nor 2. The Maintenance of Gospel-Ministers this day.
I say, not the Mission nor Commission of Christ; because no gift of the Spirit by laying on of hands. You are all Antichristian Priests, and Parliament-converts at best: I speak not of your persons, but of your proper office, 'tis Antichristian: being made Ministers by holy orders, Deacons and Priests, therefore you plead for Tythes, having not repented of your Episcopal ordination, nor publicly disowned your Mission by them. Thus being not ashamed of your whoredoms, nor putting away the carcases of your Kings (or Bishops) you cannot see the pattern of the House of God, the fashion and form thereof, the going out, and the coming in thereof, and the ordinances thereof.
Secondly, What are you but Parliamentary converts? not like Master Stronge, who was of the Kings Army, a Cavalier Chaplain, now an Independant Pastor; but you are so weak, that you are fallen not only from your old professed forms of Parish Churches, Common-prayers, mixed communions, &c. but far below French and Scots Presbytery, who live not by Tithes (as you do, like legal Priests ) nor having any tincture of a Priestly Ordination.
Secondly, As your Mission, so your maintenance is not according to the Gospel, being merely by custom, compulsion, or compact with the people, contrary to the express command of Christ, and practice of the Apostle, who lived (next to God) on the Free contribution of the people.
First, saith Christ, The laborer is worthy of his hire, that is, when he sent them forth without money in their purse; therefore money, or a customary pay, is not according to Christ.
Secondly, If we have sewen spirituals is it a great thing that we should reap your carnal things? Mark, this is said only to the Church. Again, if to the world, those who have received spirituals ought to return their temporals, else how can Ministers in reason seek to reap where no fruit grows? Again, if any of the unconverted world, are willing to give, 'tis God and not man, Who can hinder their free-gift?
Thirdly, saith the Apostle, Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel. True, 'tis ordained of God, not by Ordinance of Parliament. Again, you must Preach the Gospel; that I question, and you can never answer (as I'lle tell you another time) the Gospel being a Mystery you know not, nor can manifest to men. Again, to live of the Gospel, is not by custom, compulsion, or compact from people, but by divine providence, on that power and love of God in Men, to whom the Gospel is preached, who would freely give, if you had that glad tidings to teach. But because you still oppress their estates and spirits by your legal teaching and Tythes; therefore you are far from making the Gospel without charge: which Scripture you dare not mention to the Committee.
Lastly, let it appear to the Parliament and people of the Nation, that you are Ministers of the Gospel, that you have a Mission and Commission from Christ, and the maintenance of Christ also; you may have liberty to preach the Gospel freely, and go where you will, which is more then ever your forefathers saw, and a greater favor then any Governors of England gave to the godly preachers or people of God.
If you will plead still for Tythes as your right by law of the land, much more might the Bishops do for theirs; who had the law for them, yet no lawyer to plead their cause: these fell to a worse condition then you are yet, having not the fifth, nor a farthing of all their Lordly revenues allowed for their wives and children: The same wrath is coming on you apace, if love carry you not forth freely to Minister the Gospel to men: but this you cannot do, therefore you must die in want, though you are never so wealthy, that's your doom. Ah blessed God! how good men, and godly Ministers are discovered this day? Sure 'tis the day of God, because 'tis the discovery of man, to make all flesh bare before him, and the goodliness of the flesh to wither also.
The man of sin, and Mystery of iniquity must be first manifest in the Saints (that's a Mystery indeed) I mean fully manifest: 'twas revealed in part before, in the Popish and prelatique Clergy. Again, 'twas no dispute, but their own discovery threw them down: That is, by their iniquity, the Mystery of iniquity came forth. 'Twas blood in the Papists, pride in the Prelates, persecution, covetousness, and cunning designs, in the Presbyter and others, makes it appear to All Men, they are no Ministers of the Gospel, But Ministers for Tithes.
I was forced in my Spirit to write this to the world, to whom the Lord God will speak good things, when all the Ministry of Man is silent.
The Lord will be terrible to them: for he will famish all the God's of the earth: Then men shall worship him everyone from his place, even all the Isles of the Heathen, Zeph. 2.11.