A Gospel Plea Part 2

An Appendix to the Second Chapter, further clearing the Divine Right of Ministers Tithes.

THe Divine Right of Ministers Maintenance by TITHES, asserted in the former Printed Part of my Gospel-Plea, &c. for the Lawfulnesse and continuance of the ancient settled Maintenance and TITHES of the Ministers of the Gospel, may be thus further evinced, demonstrated, confirmed.

1. It is the Opinion of Learned Petrus Cunaeus, and Dr. Griffith Williams (his transcriber) That Melchizedek, Priest of the most high God, to whom Abraham (the father of the Faithful) GAVE TITHES OF ALL, Gen. 14. 20. Hebr. 7. 1. to 15. was in truth none other, but Jesus Christ, the Son of God, then personally meeting him in the form of a man, which he then assumed; though not that very body or flesh begotten and born of the Virgin Mary, which he long after took upon him when he was incarnate and conversed upon Earth. That Abraham then gave him TITHES OF ALL, as perceiving under that visible form an invisible Deity and everlasting Priesthood to subsist, to whom Tithes (originally) are only due & eternally due; because he is and continues forever an everlasting Priest. That our Savior's own words, John. 8. 58. Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, (as well with the eyes of his body, by this special apparition of Christ then meeting and blessing him, as a Priest of the most high God, at that time, as with the eye of his faith) and was glad: do warrant this their opinion, That Melchizedek was no other than Jesus Christ himself: which they sortify with 7. strong, unanswerable Arguments in the opinions of many; from whence (if granted) it will inevitably follow; That TITHES are more truly and properly Evangelical, than Ceremonial or Judaical, because thus originally given and paid to Christ himself, (the everlasting Head, King, High Priest of the Church ) by Abraham the Common Head and Father of all the Faithful (as well Gentiles as Jews ) out of the prevision of his Incarnation, in reference to his Everlasting Priesthood, as an honorary Portion, Tribute, Salary, of right belonging and annexed to his Priesthood: Hebr. 7. 1. to 15. Gen. 14. 18, 19, 20. which Priestly office was principally to be executed, completed upon Earth, and in Heaven, by Christ's subsequent Incarnation, Passion, Sacrifice of himself upon the Cross, Resurrection, Ascension into Heaven, and perpetual Intercession at God's right hand for all his elect, both as God and Man; especially in relation to the Gentiles, not generally called, converted to the faith, till after his Incarnation and Ascension. Therefore by necessary consequence, all Christians and believing Gentiles under the Gospel, have altogether, if not far greater, yet at leastwise as great, as strong a reason, ground, obligation, enforcement, cheerfully, thankfully, conscientiously, to render TITHES of all they have to Christ (for the use of his Ministers instruction, edification of his Church, and completing of his body) since his Incarnation and investiture in his everlasting Priesthood for their eternal welfare; as Abraham or the Israelites had, to render him (or the Levitical Priests who typified him and attended on his service) so long before his Incarnation, and Priesthood fully completed in all its parts and Offices: Jesus Christ being THE SAME YESTERDAY AND TO DAY, AND FOR EVER; Hebr. 13. 8. and as much (if not far more in some respects) a Priest of the most high God, to all believing Gentiles, Christians since his Incarnation, Passion, Ascension, as he was to Abraham and the Jews before them; God since his Resurrection, sending him to bless us in turning every of us from our Iniquities, as well as them. Acts. 3. 25, 26. compared with Acts 10. 42, 45, 47. ch. 11. 1. to 20. Wherefore those ingrate, avaricious, unconscionable Christians of this degenerous age, who obstinately, or maliclously refuse to render unto Christ their only High Priest who sacrificed himself to God, and shed his most precious blood for them on the Cross to redeem their Souls from everlasting Damnation, and purchase an eternal Crown of glory for them in Heaven, where he continually makes intercession for them, executing his Priestly Office for their Salvation) the tithes of all their increase, as a just Appurtenance to his everlasting Priesthood; condemning them as Jewish, Antichristian, unfit, or too much for him as the High Priest and Prophet of his Church to enjoy, or for the faithful Ministers of the Gospel in his Name or Right to receive, who spend all their studies, labors, lives in Christ's service, in the Declaration, Publication, Application, of the benefits of Christ's Priesthood, Passion, Gospel to them, and others, for the eternal salvation of their souls, are certainly none of the spiritual Sons or seed of faithful Abraham, who gave him Tithes of all; and do either repute Christ's everlasting Priesthood, a mere Fable; or set a far lower rate upon it, the Ministry of the Gospel and their own most precious Souls, than they do upon their detained Tithes: and so can expect little benefit from Christ's Person or Priesthood, which they so much undervalue, and sacrilegiously defraud of so ancient a duty.

2ly. There is one Notable considerable circumstance of time in Abraham's payment of Tithes of all to Christ, the true Melchizedek, not formerly observed or pressed by any I have seen; which (in my opinion) unanswerably proves, that this President of his most principally respected, related to the believing Gentiles and Christians, under the Gospel, and as strongly obligeth them (his true spiritual seed ) to the due payment of Tithes to Christ and his Ministers, now, as ever it did the Jews, his natural Posterity, to pay Tithes to their Priests and Levites under the Law, if not more firmly: Namely, that he thus paid Tithes to Christ, some good space before Circumcision instituted, whiles he was yet uncircumcised; as is most evident by comparing, Gen. 14. 18, 19, 20. with Gen. 17. 1, 10, to 15. Now as the Apostle thus firmly and Evangelically argues from this very circumstance of time, in the point of Abraham's justification by Faith, whiles he was yet uncircumcised, as presidential, exemplary, obligatory to all believing Gentiles, and spiritual Sons of Abraham under the Gospel, who are not circumcised, as well as to the natural believing children of Abraham under the Law, who were circumcised.
Rom. 4. 9, to 13.

which he had yet being uncircumcised. So I, by parity of Reason, from this very Text, compared with the same Apostles relation, of Abraham's paying Tithes of all to Melchizedek, Hebr. 7. 1, to 15. and the inferences thence formerly insisted on, may as firmly, as convincingly conclude, That his payment of Tithes to Christ the true Melchizedek, not after his Circumcision, but whiles yet uncircumcised, and before Circumcision instituted; and that, as the Common-Father, Head of all the justified, faithful, believing uncircumcised Gentiles before the Law, and under the Gospel, (as well as of the circumcised believing Jews) walking in the steps of his Faith, which he had yet being uncircumcised; doth as strongly oblige all believing Gentiles & Christians, though uncircumcised, to pay Tithes of all to Christ and his Ministers under the Gospel, as it did his believing circumcised Posterity to render thē to Christ himself originally, and his Priests and Levites secondarily under the Law; if not much more; since Abraham paid them to Christ before he was circumcised, as a fruit and evidence of his Faith, which then he had during his uncircumcision, and a standing President for all Believers to imitate.

3ly. From this famous President of Abraham's paying Tithes of all to Melchizedek, Saint Ambrose, Sermo 34. In feria post primam Dominicam Quadragesimae. Gregory Nazianzen, Oratio 5. Contra Judaeos. Chrysostom, Hom. 35. in Genes. Isiodor Hispalensis, in Glossa ordinaria Super Gen. 16. Rabanus Maurus, l. 2. c. 16. in Genesin. Anastatius Abbas, contra Judaeos. Elias Cretensis, in Orat. 5 Walafridus Strabo, De Rebus Ecclesiasticis, c. 27. Stephanus Tornacensis, Epist. 171. with other Ancients, conclude, Tithes to be due to Ministers of the Gospel by Divine Right: whom the Councils of Mainz, Anno 813, 846, 887. Concilium Aquense, Anno 837. cap. 18. with the Council of London, under Arch-Bishop Hubert, Anno Dom. 1200. (recorded by Roger de Howden ) Annalium pars posterior, p. 806, 808. thus second. Decimas DEO & Sacerdotibus Dei Dandas, Abraham factis, Jacobus promissis insinuate; deinde Lex Statuit, et omnes Doctors sancti commemorant: et auctoritas veteris et novi Testamenti, necnon & sanctorum Patrum Statuta declarant. Decreeing thereupon, Decimas de omnibus quae per annum renovantur, &c. Praestare Deo omnino non negligatur, Quas Deus sibi dari constituit: quia timendum est, ut quisquis Deo debitum suum abstrahit, ne forte Deus per peccatum suum auferat ei necessaria sua, &c. From his example, seconded with Divine Precepts, Gerold Bishop of Oldenburg, about An. Dom. 1100. writ thus to the Holzati and Inhabitants of the Deserts of Wagira, (then newly converted to the Christian Faith, and beginning to build Churches, for God's public worship) that they should likewise pay Tithes to their Ministers, without which all the rest of their Devotion would be nothing worth. Dei enim Praeceptum est, Decimas ex omnibus dabis mihi, ut been sit tibi, & longo vivas tempore: cui obedierunt Patriarchy, Abraham scilicet Isaac & Jacob, & omnes qui secundum fidem facti sunt filii Abrahae, per quod laudem etiam, & praemia aeterna consecuti sunt. Apostoli quoque et Apostolici viri exore Dei hoc ipsum mandaverunt. & sub Anathematis vinculo posteris servandum tradiderunt. Cum ergo Dei omnipotentis proculdubio hoc constat esse Pra ceptum, & sanctorum Patrum sit Aucioritate firmatum, nobis id incumbit negotii, ut quod vestrae saluti deest, nostro in vobis opere per Deigratiam suppleatur. Monemus ergo & obsecramus omnes vos in domino, &c. ut decimas, prout Deus instituit, & Apostolica banno firmavit autoritas, ad ampliandum dei cultum Ecclesiae detis: Ne si Deo quae ipsi debentur substraxeritis, & substantiam simul & animam in interitum mittatis aeternam; Valete. Upon reading which Letter the rude people cried out and raged, just as the Anabaptists do now. His auditis tumultuosa gens infremuit, dixeruntque se huic conditioni servili nunquam collum submissuros, per quam omne pene Christicolarum genus Pontificum pressurae subjaceat, &c. whereupon Henry the first Duke of Holzatia commanding them, as they would obtain his favor,

Neither obeying the Presidents of Abraham and the Patriarchs, nor the Laws of God, the Apostles, or their Prince, in paying their Tithes to their Bishop and Pastor, as they ought; whose practice our Anabaptists and Quakers now obstinately pursue. What strong convincing Arguments, to prove the divine, moral, perpetual right of Tithes to the Ministers of the Gospel, learned Protestant Divines (to omit Papists) have deduced from this Original direct President of Abraham's Tith-paying, those who desire further satisfaction herein, may read at leisure, in Mr. Calvin, Junius, Hemingius, and others on Hebr. 7. Zepperus, Legum Mosaicarum Explanatio, l. 4. c. 40. Dr. George Carlton his Tithes due by a Divine Right, Richard Montague his Diatribae on the first part of Mr. Seldens History of Tithes, cap. 1. Stephen Nettles his Answer to the first part of the History of Tithes, Dr. Robert Tillesley his Animadversions on Mr. Seldens History of Tithes, Dr. Edward Reynolds his explication on Psalm 110. 2, 4. Mr Francis Roberts his Revenue of the Gospel is Tithes, &c. Cambridge 1619. Richard Ebur • his Maintenance of the Ministry, London, 1603. The truth of Tithes discovered by R. G. London 1618. Dr. John Prideaux Oratio 5. de Decimis, Anno 1620. p. 90. Sir James Semple his Sacrilege sacredly handled, London 1619. John Swan his Redde Debitum, London 1640. p. 181, to 240. Tithes are due Jure Divino, and Dr. William Sclater his Question of Tithes revived, or Ministers Portion, London 1623. (an acute piece) wherein all evasions and cavils to elude the force of this example, are sufficiently answered.

4ly. From this example of Abraham's, seconded with the Israelites practice, Mr. Selden conjectures, or rather from the Law of Nature written by God himself in men's hearts (as Hugo de Sancto victor, de Sacramentis, l. 2. parte 9. c. 10. & l. 1. parte 12. c. 4. Mr. Montague in his Diatribae, ch. 3. Dr. Tillesly in his Animadversions, p. 34, 35. and others determine;) the old Heathen Grecians, Romans, Carthaginians, Arabians, with other Pagan Nations, [as the Mahometan, Turks, Moors, and other Infidels since] by an ancient constant custom and usual practice, generally received amongst them, dedicated and paid Tithes to their Idol-God's and Priests, of the increase of all their substance, merchandize, gains; and more particularly of all their spoils and plunders gained in the Wars; wherein they were very careful and devout. Which Mr. Selden in his History of Tithes, ch. 3. and Review thereof, and Richard Montague, in his Diatribae, ch. 3. evince at large, by many Presidents, Testimonies, Passages out of Herodotus, Demosthenes, Xenophon, Thucydides, Dionysius Hallicarnasseus, Plutarch, Pausanias, Aristotle, Aristophanes, Soudas, Callimachus, Cassius, Trogus, Macrobius, Plautus, Festus, Justin, Pliny, Servius, Cicero, Tertullian, Arnobius, Jac. Gruterus, with others; and that they paid no other determinate part else we read of, but a Tenth only, to their God's and Priests. Now from whence (write Hugo, Tillesly, and Montague) should this custom and practice proceed, but only from the Law of Nature? Ad quam non docti, sed facti, non instituti fuerunt, sed imbuti, and that by God himself.

Amongst these Presidents of Pagans, there are 7. of special note, which I shall here remember, to shame the Tith-Oppugners of our Age, who would be reputed the most precious Christians, though their Actions prove them worse than Infidels.

The first is, that of the old Pagan Romans, who esteemed all their Corn and Wine (sent them annually by the bounty of God) so sacred, that (by a constant custom and law used amongst them) they might not lawfully eat, drink, sell, meddle with, or dispose of any part thereof after their harvest and vintage, till they had first sacrificed and tythed the first fruits and tenths thereof to their God's; who (as they supposed) gave them the whole crop; such was their Piety and Gratitude.

The second is, that of the ancient Heathen Arabians, who by the Law and Custom of their Country, were bound to carry all their Frankincense (the chief commodity of their Country) every year to Sabota, ( the chief City of Arabia Felix) and there to offer the Tenth thereof to their God SABIS, which his Priests received. Neither might they make sale of any part thereof, till the Owner there paid the Tenthes by Measure, not by weight. These very Pagans holding all to be God's, (the supreme Land-lord who gave it them) till by paying him the Tenth for a quotient, they redeemed the rest for their own common use.

The third is that of the Pelasgi in Vmbria, who being oppressed with a great dearth and scarcity of all things, conceived it proceeded from their neglect of paying Tithes to their God's. Whereupon they vowed the Tithe of all their increase to Jupiter, Apollo, and the Cabiri. After which Vow they receiving a plentiful crop of all things, paid the tenth of all their increase to their Idol-God's. And being admonished by Apolloes Oracle, that their Vow was not performed, till they had sacrificed the Tenth of their Children, as well as of all their other increase, they thereupon sacrificed the Tenth of them to the Idols likewise. Such conscience made they of all their Vows and Tithes.

The fourth is that of the Carthaginians (thus recorded by Diodorus Siculus, a Pagan Historian) very remarkable. The Carthaginians being descended from Tyrus, were accustomed in former times to send unto Tyrus the Tenth of all their Revenues & increase any ways renewing, issuing, or growing, for Hercules (the Idol-God there worshipped:) But in process of time becoming very wealthy, and having exceeding great incomes, they sent very seldom their Tithe unto Tyrus, and that but small and refuse, in neglect and dis-regard of the Deity. Hereupon many disasters in war, crosses in Affairs of State, with great losses and straits befell them; especially by Agathocles the Sicilian. Upon which, coming home to themselves, and repenting of their irreligion, they betook themselves to all manner of Supplication and Devotion, conceiving these losses and disasters were sent unto them of God. And for so much as they supposed Hercules especially to be angry with them, who was chiefly worshipped at Tyrus, from whence they were originally extracted, they sent exceeding great gifts and rich presents thither to him, and all the God's that were worshipped at Tyrus, and brought unto them the tenth of all their increase, as formerly they accustomed.

The fifth is that of Demosthenes (that eminent Pagan Greek Orator) who is very bitter against Androsion and Timocrates, for bearing with some sacrilegious Defrauders of the God's in their Dues; and much more for defrauding of themselves, and sacrilegiously robbing Minerva of her Tenths, and the other God's of their Fifteenths. And he specially observes, (let our Soldiers remember it) That those who purloined and robbed the God's of their Tenths and chiefest of their spoils of War, came to naught, being destroyed by themselves at last and undone.

The sixth is that of Xenophon (that Noble Heathen Philosopher and General) and his Soldiers, thus recorded at large to Posterity by his own pen, worthy our observation. [c] Xenophon, after his memorable retreat with ten thousand men out of upper Asia, where they had gained great spoils from the Enemy, arriving safely at Cerasunt, mustered 8600 men, the rest being lost, partly by the incursions of the enemies, partly by the snows, and partly by sickness, here they divided the money they had gained from the enemies: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Atque etiam Decumam, quam Apolloni & Ephesiae Dianae exemerant, ita Duces distribuunt, ut quilibet ipsorum hisce diis aliquam partem ejus adservaret; One part of this Tenth separated to these two Deities was delivered to Neon. That part which Xenophon collected for Apollo, he laid up as consecrated in the Treasury of the Athenians at Delphi. But that which was dedicated to Diana he left with Megabyzus the Churchwarden of Diana, upon this condition (being about to fight with Agesilaus at Coronea, ) That if he escaped safe out of the Battle he should restore the sacred money to him: but if he received any disaster therein, that then Megabyzus himself should dedicate it to Diana, confecto donario, quod Deae gratissimū fore arbitraretur. Afterwards Xenophon being in exile at Scilunte, built for Olympia, Megab. coming thither to behold Olympia, restored the money to Xenophon: who receiving it, bought therewith a field (having woods & Mountains in it, stored with trees, swine, goats, sheep, wildbeasts, and Horses,) for the Goddess in that place, which was shown unto him by the Oracle of Apollo; he likewise built a Temple, & an Altar, out of that sacred money: A • post id temporis, semper consecratis fructuu • agri decumis, Sacrum Deae faciebat. And after that time he sacrificed to the Goddess, for eder consecrating the Tenths of the field to her service. Near the Temple there was a garden set with all sorts of Fruit-trees good to eat. Before the Temple were pillars erected with this Inscription on them, Fundus Dianae Sacer. Hoc qui poss • ssor fruitur, quotannis Consecrato Decumam; de reliquo Fanum sartum tectum conservato. Si quis non fecerit, Dea vindex est • . In which memorable History we have six things considerable: 1. Tithes of spoils consecrated by the Heathen Graecian Generals, Captains and Soldiers, to Apollo and Diana, as Agis after the end of the wars between the Elei and the Lacedemonians, going to Delphi offered a TENTH (of the spoils) to Apollo. And Agesilaus took the fruits of his Enemies fields, ut intra biennium Decumam Delphico Deo consecraret C. Talentis ampliorem: as the same Xenophon records. 2ly. Lands purchased with the spoils, and appropriated, consecrated forever to the worship and service of Diana. 3ly. A Temple, and Altar built with part of the spoils, for her worship and honor. 4ly. Tithes annually consecrated and to be paid forever to this Temple, by Xenophon and the possessors of these lands, out of the profits, venison and game thereof, for the maintenance of her worship and Feastivals; as the former words, and this passage farther evidenceth: Earum feriarum, & municipes, & finitimi, tam viri, quàm faeminae participes erant: & sumministrat eis Dea, qui agitant convivia, farinas cum panibus, vino, pecunia, bellariis. 5ly. Repairs of this Temple from time to time, out of the residue of the profits of these Lands. 6ly. An imprecation of divine revenge, upon the Neglecters, or refusers of the due payment of these annual Tithes to Diana, and of the residue of the profits, towards the reparation of her Temple.

The seventh is the memorable domestic President of Cedwalla, one of our West-Saxon Kings; who though a Pagan and great Plunderer, even before he became a Christian, or was baptized, was so pious, that he gave the Tenth of all his Spoyles of War and Plunders unto God, about the year of our Lord, 686. Which William of Malmesbury thus records. Arduum memoratu est, quantum etiam ante Baptismum inserviret; ut omnes manubias, quas jure praedatorio in usus suos transcripserat, Deo decimaret. In quo etsi approbamus affectum (in paying Tithes) improbamus exemplum, in regard of his plundering. Yea, our venerable Beda records; that such was his transcendent liberality and bounty to God's Church and Ministers, that after his Conquest of the Isle of Weight, he gave to Walfred and his Clerks for the Lord's use, the fourth part of the Island (to wit, 300 Plowlands of 1200.) and the fourth part of the Spoyl thereof, in performance of his Vow made before his regeneration in Christ, that if he conquered the Isle, Quartam ejus partem simul et praedae Deo daret.

Let John Canne, with all the several irreligious Sects, and Sacrilegious Regiments of our present Tith-Oppugners, Detainers, Substracters, seriously consider these Pagan Presidents, to inform their Judgments, & reform their practices, lest they rise up in judgment against them here to their temporal, and hereafter to their eternal condemnation. And if after due meditation on them, their Consciences shall not secretly check, censure, condemn them, for subtracting their Tithes from God himself, and his faithful Ministers, as well as some of these Pagans Consciences did them, for detaining their Tithes from their Idol-God's and Priests, against the Law of Natures dictate engraven in their hearts; but still pretend Conscience against the due payment of them, and that out of their Gains or Spoyles of War, as well as their other increase; they have just cause to fear, and others to suspect, that their Consciences are most desperately cauterized, and the Law of Nature more dangerously obliterated out of their hearts, than out of these Idolatrous Pagans.

5ly. Agobardus, who flourished Anno 830. lib. de Dispensation • , &c. Rei Ecclesiasticae contra Sacrilegos, p. 266. Hugo de Sancto victor Erud. Theol. de Sacramentis, l. 1. parte 12. c. 4. lib. 2. part. 9. c. 10. part. 10. c. 5. and Annot. Eluc. in Genes c. 4. Petrus Commestor, Hist. Scholast. in Genes. c. 26 Petrus Blesensis, Epist. 82. Gerold, Bishop of Oldenburge, in his Epistle to the Inhabitants of Wagria; Helmoldus, Hist. Sclavorum, p. 92. positively affirm; and since them Sir James Semple, in his Sacrilege sacredly handled, Stephen Nettles, in his Answer to the Jewish part of Mr. Selden, and Mr. Richard Montague in his Diatribae, p. 211. to 250. largely argue and a •• ert;

which they ground on, Gen. 4. 7. (thus translated by the Septuagint, whom Philo the Jew, and the Greek Fathers generally follow:) If thou offer Rightly, and DIVIDE NOT UPRIGHTLY (in giving me my TENTH) thou hast sinned; hold thy peace; and on Hebr. 11. 4. by Faith Abel offered unto God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (which the Vulgar Latin renders, Plurimam Hostiam; other Translators, Uberius Sacrificium; and the English, A better or more excellent Sacrifice; (and that for quantity, as well as quality,) than Kain: This I thought • it to mention, as a probable conjecture, not an infallible verity: To back this opinion, Robert Grosted our learned Bishop of Lincoln, in his Book, De Cessatione Legalium, (written about the year 12 •• .) p. 95, 96. determines, Lex naturalis exigit, ut Benefactori, de Bonis • uae gratis dederit, gratis rependatur honor & veneratio, unde & Decimarum oblatio de Lege est naturali: quia de bonis acceptis cum debeatur lege naturali repensio honoris, minus quàm pars minima, id e •• Decima, (quia ultra Denarium numerus non est) rependi non potest. Master Montague, in his Diatribae, Chapter 3. page 245, 246, 247, &c. Doctor Sclater, Dr. Tille • lie, and others observe, That God only wise, being a God of Order, not of Confusion, doing all things in order, number, and due proportion, hath amongst all other Numbers, specially fixed upon a TENTH. And thereupon the Ancients heretofore, both Natural, Legal, Pagan, and Christian, (led by a natural and divine instinct thereunto) have ever principally insisted on a TENTH in all their divine sacred Rites, Mysteries, Dues, reserved by, or rendered of them to their God's; and in all their public civil Taxes, Tributes, Customs, Duties, imposed by, or paid to their Emperors, Kings, Princes, and Supreme Magistrates. Hence God saith expressly, All Tithes are the Lord's, Levite. 27. 30, &c. And how his? Not by Couetesie or Tolleration, not by Purchase or Stipulation, not by Compensation or Annexation, not by Benevolence or men's free Donation; but by original Right of Creation, in pro • ucing every thing in its kind; and of absolute Sovereign Dominion (expressed in the word LORD'S ) as a universal Rent service or acknowledgement, reserved by God himself, the Supreme Land-lord of all the Earth, from Adam and all his Posterity to the end of the world, when he gave them the Earth to inhabit and manure, as mere Tenants at will under him. He that is I AM himself: Qui cepit nunquam, desinet numquam: being vitae & essentiae interminabilis, tota simul & perfecta possessio, in aeterno su • consummato, EVER POSSESSED TITHES (as well as the seventh day, which he saith, is, HIS SABBATH) SINCE THEY HAD BEING, which are indeed his ab aeterno suo inch • ato. In this Tithes were God's, not only at the time when he first challenged them by an express written Law and Reservation, Levite. 27. 30, 31, 32, &c. but long before; even when Abraham paid them: and before that, ever since the time of the Creation, that God made anything tithable to increase out of the earth for the use of m • n. The time never was that Tithes were not God's, nor shall ever be that they shall cease to be his, and his Priests and Ministers in and by him, by his special Donation and Institution (not man's) for the constant support of his continual public worship▪ and that by a Divine Right; God in those things which are direct points of Piety and necessary appurtenances for his solemn worship, (such as are Tithes for his Prie ••• and Ministers competent standing maintenance in all A ••• , places, and weekly times for his worship) never leaving men free to their own wi • ls, inventions, or arbitrary pleasures (no more than Land-lords their Tenants, or Kings their Subjects) but confining them to a certainty himself by his word, as well as he doth it in all parts and duties of his worship. Hence Doctor Tillesley thus concludes in his Epistle to King James, before his Animadversions on Mr. Seldens History. Surely the Number Tenth or Tithe is Sacred and very Mystical, and communicated only to consecrated or Sacred persons That are God's Vicars upon earth; that is, Kings and Priests: Decima Regis et Decima Sacerdotis; who both stand in God's place, and receive this Portion as God's upon earth. From all which premises, Mr. Montague, Dr. Carlton, Dr. Tillesley, Dr. Sclater and others conclude (and let our Army Officers, New Legisers, and all Tithe-oppugners consider it) That the Ministers of the Gospel now, as well as God's Priests heretofore, have an eternal Right to Ecclesiastical Tithes, by God's own unalterable Institution; and none else any Right at all unto them but they; From which Right no man, nor all men can deprive or debar them; by any pretended Right, Prescription, M • dus Decimandi, Custom, Usage, Law, Statute or appointment of any other maintenance in lieu thereof, as more just, equal and convenient.

6. Tithes being originally due and paid to Jesus Christ himself, God over all blessed forever; yea specially, reserved by, appropriated, consecrated to our Lord God, as his peculiar Holy Portion, Tribute, Rent, Right, Inheritance, Homage, from the sons of men, for the constant maintenance of his public Worship, and support of his Priests and Ministers attending thereon, to the end of the world. Lev. • 7. 30, 32. Numb. 18. 24, 26, 28, 29. Mal 3. 8, 9. Heb 7 2, to 10. 1 Cor. 9. 4, to 15. and thereupon being usually styled, both by Fathers, Councils, Popes Decretals, Princes Edicts and Christian Writers in all Ages, Dominica substantia, Res Dominicae, Dei census, Dei debitum, &c. Non ab hominibus, sed ab ipso Deo institut • : qua • Deus in Signum universalis Dominii Sibi reddi praecepit, suas esse Decimas asseverans, &c. The constant payment of them to Ministers under the Gospel, is not only warranted, commanded by the equity and words of the 1, 2, 4, 5, & 8. Commandments of the Decalogue, (therefore far from being a Sin against the 2d. Commandment, as John Canne most absurdly and impudently asserts; as if God's Precepts were repugnant to each other:) but likewise expressly, positively, eternally, prescribed by our Savior Christ himself, in this peremptory Gospel-Precept, recorded by three Evangelists, Matth. 22. 21. Mar. 12. 17. Luke 20. 25. RENDER therefore to CAESAR the things that are CAESARS; and UNTO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S. Thus seconded by the Apostle Paul, Rom. 13. 7, 8. RENDER THEREFORE TO ALL THEIR DUES, &c. Tithes (as the premises evidence beyond contradiction) have God's own Image, Impresse, Superscription, as visibly, as legibly engraven on them by himself, as any Tribute-money then shown our Savior, had Caesar's, by the Mint-Masters▪ yea, they were God's own ancient, standing, constant, known Tribute, at that very season when Christ uttered this precept, and some thousands of years before, specially reserved by, and duly rendered unto God and his Priests, by all God's faithful people, many hundred years before we read of any Tributemony paid to Caesar, or any other King or Prince. Upon which ground, as they were then, (by this direct Gospel-Commandment of Christ himself) enjoined to be as constantly, duly, truly paid to God and his Ministers, as any Tribute, Tax or Customs are unto Caesar, or other Higher-Powers whatsoever: So they have since our Savior's days (except only in times of greatest persecution under Pagan▪ Emperors, during which some Tithes were rendered to God▪ Ministers in some places, or things of greater value, as I shall prove anon) been still continued and universally paid to God in his Ministers, in all or most Christian Churches, Realms, Republics, from the first public embracement of the Gospel amongst them, to this present, and more especially in this our Realm, as Mr. John Selden in his History of Tithes, Doctor Tillesley, Tyndarus, Rebuffus, with others prove at large; and the Author of Respublica, sive Status Regni Poloniae (Lugduni Bat. 1627. p. 177.) thus attest, for the Church and Clergy of Poland, Habent etiam Decimam omnium segitum, Publico Principum ac totius Poloniae consensu I am inde ab initio susceptae Religions Christianae attributas, & aliis quibusdam Pensionibus cumulatas. Habent & luculentos fundos, Praedia, Pagos, Oppida, arces, & territoria; partim priscorum ibidem Principum & Regum; partim privatorum munificentia adjectas (as they likewise had in ours, and other Christian Realms ) yet he afterwards subjoins and complains, as we may justly do, Nunc passim in alienas Donationes ac Decimas invaditur, longe majore avariciae rapacitatisque infamia, quam egestatis relevatione. Therefore God's and our Ministers Tithes, being by our Lord Jesus Christ's own Gospel precept thus positively commanded to be constantly and duly rendered unto them, as well as tribute unto Caesar; no conscientious Loyal Christians, but professed Atheists, Antiscripturists, Rebels unto God and Christ, can justly, or by any pretext of Conscience, refuse the due, constant payment of them, no more than of lawful Tributes and Taxes legally imposed on them by common consent (u) in free and lawful Parliaments; nor any Caesar's, Kings, Princes, Magistrates, or Supreme Powers, deny, defraud or deprive them of their Tithes and Dues, upon any pretext, without impairing, impeaching, subverting their own Rights and Titles to those civil Tenths, Tributes, which they challenge and receive from the people as their due, by this very Precept of our Savior, which couples God's Dues and his Ministers together with their own; the inviolable preservation whereof, is the best and readiest means to secure their own Tenths and civil Dues. Whereas these Princes, Potentates▪ Powers, Grandees, Legifers, who are so sacrilegiouslie injurious as to invade, impair, diminish, subtract or abolish, God's and his Ministers Tithes, Duties, or divert them to pay their Soldiers, or any other public or private use, will thereby but undermine their own interests, and teach the people how to defraud, subtract, deny their own ancient Civil Tenths, Customs, Duties, Taxes, Rents. and New Impositions, Excises of all sorts, by way of retaliation; most of the Anabaptistical and levelling present Petitioners against Tithes and Glebes, petitioning, declaiming likewise against all Customs, Imposts, Taxes old or new, as intolerable Grievances and hindrances to sree Trade; and many of them asserting, all civil Supreme Powers and Magistrates whatsoever, as antichristian and unlaw fall, as Tithes and Ministers are in their false account.

Lastly, all Opposites to our Ministers Tithes do, and must of necessity acknowledge (from the Scriptures insisted on in the first Proposition, and Reasons there alleged) That some competent Maintenance, Salary, Recompence, Reward, or other (arbitrary as they hold, certain and settled as we assert) belongs to the Ministers of the Gospel by a divine, moral, natural Right, Justice, and Equity; as all grant a Sabbath (and Government) in general to be of divine Authority, Institution, and morally due to God. Now the whole Church of God from the creatiō to this present, (though under various dispensations in the times of the Patriarchs, Law and Gospel) being but • ne entire Corporation or spiritual Body-Politique, whereof Jesus Christ himself is the only head, King, Lord, Law-giver, High Priest, Chief Pastor, Minister, Advocate, Savior, Foundation, Corner-Stone; and the successive Priests, Ministers and Members thereof from the beginning to the end of the World, serving, worshipping, adoring, only one and the self-same true, immutable, invisible, eternal Lord God, according to his prescribed will and word: and Jesus Christ himself (the only High priest of this Church forever) receiving, and God his Father prescribing Tithes for the Maintenance of his Priests and Levites, both before and under the Law; and no ways abolishing, but ratifying them in and by the Gospel, as I have already proved: There neither is, nor can be any other particular kind of competent, sitting, standing, settled Maintenance, Reward or Recompence for all the Ministers of the Gospel evinced, demonstrated out of God's word, which may be truly reputed moral, natural, divine, universal, perpetual and unarbitrary; nor any other duly rendered from all Christians in all Ages, places, in Faith Conscience, and sincere obedience towards God, as such a maintenance, but this of Tithes alon • , independent on the lusts & wills of men: It being that which the Patriarchs, no doubt by God's prescription being paid in Faith ) both vowed and paid to God before the Law; which God himself afterwards specially reserved, prescribed, and all his people duly rendered under the Law; annexing many promised blessings to the true payment, denouncing many threats, curses to the sacrilegious Substraction or detaining of them; that which Christ himself and his Apostles most specially pointed at, commended, ratified in the Gospel; that which all Christian Kings, States, Magistrates, Churches, Christians under the Gospel in all Ages, places have generally fixed upon, approved, asserted, prescribed, •• tified, a • not only sacred and divine but as such a most ••• t, w •• e, equal, excellent, incomparable way of maintanance (invented by the most wise God) which cannot be matched, much l • sse amended, exceeded by all the policy, wit, o • wisdom of men: being a most certain, standing, unva • i • ble, convenient Allowance in all Ages, places, seasons, alterations, how ever things rise or fall, continuing unalterable like the weekly Sabbath) as to the porportion or qu •• apa •• , in all vicissitudes of war, peace, plenty, scarcity, famine; and causing all Ministers to sympathize, fare, share alike with their people everywhere, be the times and seasons good or bad, wet or dry, plentiful or barren; and giving them a competent share in all their Temporal Blessings, without such toil or labor as might interrupt them in their Ministry, Studyes, and furnishing them with a tenth part of every tythable Thing their respective Parishes yield for the food, clothing, support of themselves, Families, Cattle, or vendibles of somekind or other, sufficient to buy what else they want. This way of Maintenance therefore so sacred, divine, ancient, moral, universal, convenient, equal, unalterable, and so long continuance in God's Church in all Revolutions, may not, must not, cannot be either totally abrogated, substracted, detained, diminished, nor changed into any other new fangled pretended more equal, just, certain, convenient, less troublesome Stipendiary, Salary, by any pragmatical, Jesuitical, Anabaptistical, Atheistical Politicians, Statists Powers or Legislators whatsoever, without the highest Antichristian Pride, Presumption, Insolency, and Exaltation of themselves above and against God himself, whose special sacred Institution, portion, rent, inheritance, right, and due they are; particularly (both by name and kind) reserved, prescribed by, appropriated, devoted to himself, by his own command; which all Emperors, Kings, Princes, Potentates, Powers, Generals, Armies, Nations in the world have no Power or Jurisdiction to repeal, disobey, change, alter; no more than Tenants their Landlords ancient Quitrents, Services, Tenures, or Subjects, Servants, their Kings or Masters Laws, Orders, Mandates, yea no more than they can change God's weekly Sabbath into another different proportion of time, or any other sacred Institution, into a new superstitious human Invention, as learned Ke • kerman, in his System. Polit. l. 1. c. 21. Polanus in Ezech. 48. v. 14. Dr. Carlton, and Dr. Scalter, in their Treatises of Tithes, assert and prove at large.

This divine Right of Tithes even under the Gospel, which I have pleaded for, hath been constantly asserted in all Ages, since the Apostles times till now, by Fathers, Councils, the Laws, Edicts of Christian Emperors, Kings, Parliaments, Canonists, Casuists, Schoolmen, Historians, Lawyers, Popish, Protestant Divines of all sorts and Nations. Dr. Richard Tillesly in his Animadversions upon Mr. Seldens History of Tithes, printed London 1619. p. 3, to 30, hath colected a Catalogue of no less than 72. such Authorities (in a Chronological method) before the year of our Lord 1215. as have asserted their Ius Divinum, in all Ages before that; whereof Irenaeus (flourishing in the year of Christ 180.) is the first, and the Constitutions of Fredericus the second, the last, where those who please may peruse them. Mr. Seldens laborious History of Tithes, and Review, especially ch. 5. 6, 7, 8, 9. supplies us with many more Authorities of this kind, in succeeding times, especially with our own Domestic Laws and Councils, to whom I refer the impartial Reader, and to Dr. Tillesly, Dr. Sclater, Mr. Montague, Mr. Nettles, and Sir James Semple their Animadversions on and Answers to his History: If any desire further satisfaction in this point, let them peruse Andr. Hispanus, De Decimis Tractatus. Petrus Rebuffus, and Tyndarus De Decimis, printed Colo. 1590 Gaspar Boetius, De Deciman Tutori Hispanico JURE praestanda: Grav. 1565. Ignatius Laserte & Molina, De Decimis Venditionis, & Permutationis. John. Giffordus, Moderata Dissertatio de Ration alendi Ministros Evangelicos: Hanov. 1619. Gulielmus Redoanus, De Rebus Ecclesiae non aliendis: Ven. 1589. & De Spoliis Ecclesiae Romae. 1585. Alexander Stiaticus, Repet. in Extrav. Ambitiosae: De Rebus Ecclesiae non aliendis. Alph. Villagus, De Rebus Ecclesiae non rite alienatis, recupe • andis: Bon. 1606. (a Treatise of hard digestion in these sacrilegious times:) Sir Henry Spelman, De non temerandis Ecclesiis: Dr. John Prideaux, Orat. 5. De Decimis: Dr. Edward Reynolds, Explanation on Psal. 110. v. 4. Gul. Zepperus, Legum Mosaicarum Explanatio, l. 4. c. 40. And learned Hugo Grotius, who thus concludes in his Book De jure Belli & Pacis, l. 1. c. 1. • ect. 17. p. 9. (deservedly magnisied by all Scholars, Lawyers, Politicians, Soldiers, and therefore I close with it, to stop all their mouths at once.) I exvetus de Sabbato, & altera De Decimis, monstrant Christianos obligari, nec minus Septima temporis parte ad cultum divinum; Nec minus fructuum Decima in alimentum eorum qui in sacris Rebus occupantur, au • simil • s pios usus seponant. Resolving the tenth part of men's increase at least, and no smaller proportion, to be as justly, morally, perpetually due to God and his Ministers under the Gospel from all Christians, as the weekly Sabbath, and seventh part of their time, and no less, is due still by them to God and his public worship.

Thus much for the divine Right of our Ministers to their Tithes, omitted in the former part, but here supplied, for the Readers fuller satisfaction in these Sacrilegious times, which so violently and impiously decry it without Scripture, Reason, Antiquity, Authority, out of malice and design. The succeeding Chapters more concern their Legal, Rational Right and Equity depending on their Divine.

CHAPT. III.

HAving dispatched the two principal Propositions of greatest concernment, (wherein I have been larger than I at first intended) to satisfy all men's Consciences, and stop the mouths of all Gain-sayers, I now proceed to the third Proposition.

That if Tithes and other maintenance by Glebes, Oblations, Pensions, formerly settled on our Ministers, be either willfully withheld, or substracted from them by the people, in part or in whole, the Civil Magistrates may and ought by coercive Laws, Penalties to enforce the payment of them in due form and time, both by the Law of God, and Rules of Justice, without any Injury or Oppression to the people.

This Proposition necessarily follows from the former two: for if there be a just, competent, comfortable Maintenance due to all lawful painful Preachers, and Ministers of the Gospel, even by divine Right, institution, express Precepts, both of the Gospel and Law of God; and that as a just Debt, hire, wages, salary, right, not as a mere voluntary Gift, Alms, Benevolence; and the settled maintenance of our Ministers by Tithes, Glebes, Oblations, Pensions, and other Duties, be such▪ as I have already demonstrated: then the Civil Magistrates may and ought by coercive Laws and Penalties to enforce the payment of them in due form and time (as our very Officers by such means enforce their Soldiers, Parents their Children and Servants, Schoolmasters their Scholars, yea our Troopers their very Horses, held in with Bits and Bridles when unruly, and quickened with Spurs when lazy: and Shepherds their very Sheep, with their Dogs and hooks, when there is cause, to do their duties, and reform their Errors) without the least guilt or color of Injury or Oppression to the willful, obstinate, or negligent detainers of them; and that by the self-same Laws, rules of Justice, Reason, Conscience, as all Tith-Opponents yet grant, they may enforce obstinate or negligent Tenants, Creditors, Masters, Public or private Accountants, Trespassers, Disseisors, and the like, to pay their just Rents and Services to their Landlords, their due Debts to their Creditors, their contracted wages to their hired Laborers or menial Servants, their audited Arrears to the public Treasury, or others to whom they are indebted upon Account, their ascertained damages to such as they have injured, and to restore the Goods or Lands unjustly taken or detained, to those they have plundered or disse • sed of them, yea as justly as they may by any coercive Laws and means enforce and constrain any obstinate Perso •• o • Merchants, to pay all Tenths, Fifteens, Subsidies, Ayd • Cu • toms. Tonnage, Poundage, for defense of the Real • • y and or sea when publicly and legally granted in and by a full, free, and lawful Parliament, duly summoned and elected by the people, according to the manifold Laws and Statutes enacted for that purpose: the want of which indubital Ingredients only, how fatal they have been to Parliaments in former Ages, to make them and all their Acts, Judgments, Orders, Ordinances, mere Nullities, and what a prejudice they have been to the People and Republic too, those who please may read at leisure in the Statutes of 39 H. 6. c. 1. & Rot. parl. n. 3. 17. c. 7. And the Act for repealing the Parliament of 21 R. 2. in the Parliament o • 1 H. 4. c. 3. The reason of which Repeal, is thus recorded by Mr. Oliver Saint John in his Declaration in Parliament against the Ship-money Judges, Anno 1640. (printed by the Commons command) p. 33. That Parliament of 21 R. • . of Revocation, was held by force, as is declared in the Parliament Roll of 1 H. 4. n. 21, 22. That it was held Viris armatis, et Sagitariis immensis. The Knights of Parliaments were not elected by the Commons Prout mos • xegit, Sed per Regiam voluntatem: And so the Lord's Rex omnes Dominos Sibi adhaerentes summonare fecit. Whereupon Nu. 48. These judgments of Revocation (and that of the whole Parliaments proceedings too) are declared to be Erronea, Iniqua, et omni juri et rationi repugna • tia, Erroneous, wicked, and contrary to all Right and Reason: So Mr▪ Saint John, Numb. 37. This was one grand Article of Impeachment of King Richard the 2 • . for which he was then deposed from his Government by a forced Resignation. Heu licet quod eo Statuto & Consuetudine Regni sui, in Convocatione • uju • libe • Parliamenti sui, populus suus in singulis Comitatilus Regni DEBEA • ESSE L • BER ad eligend: & depu • a • d: Milites pro hujusmodi Comitatibus, ad interesse • d. Parliamento, & ad exponend. eorum gravamin • , & ad prosequend. pro remediis superinde, pr • u • eis videba • ur expe • ire; Tamen praefa • us Rex ut in Parliamentis suis ut liberius consequi valeat suae temerariae voluntatis effectare dir • xit mandata sua frequentius Vice • omi • ibas suis ut certas Personas per ipsum Regem nominatas ut Milites Comitatus venire faciat ad Parliamenta sua: Quos quidem Milites eidem Regi faventes indulgere poterat prout frequenter fecit quandoque per minas varias et terrores, quandoque per munera ad consentiend. illis quae Regno praejudicialia fuerant et Populo quamplumum onerosa, et specialiter ad concedendum eidem Regi Subsidium ad certos Annos suum Populum nimium opprimendo. Which I leave to John Canne to English for those who understand not Latin, or our Laws, and would strip our learned Ministers of their Tithes and settled maintenance by color of an extraordinary call (as he terms it) to such an extraordinary Sacrilegious work as this.

Quest. But what ground is there in Scripture (may some demand) for compelling People to pay their Tithes and other Duties to their Ministers?

Answ I answer 1. We have the President, Law, and Commandment of Godly Hezekiah, recorded in the 2 • hron. 31. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. with the good effect it wrought, already recited. 2ly. The Examples of zealous Nehemiah, and the Religious Nobles and People under him; who entered into a solemn Covenant, curse, oath, and made Ordinances to charge themselves yearly with the third part of a Shekle for the service of the House of God: and that they would bring in all their First-fruits and Offerings, and the Tithes of their ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have their Tithes in all the Cities of their Tillage, Neh. 9. 38 c. 10. 1. throughout, specially v. 29, 32, 37, 38, 39. ch. 12. 44, 45. which when afterwards neglected, by the people, Nehemiah contended with the Rulers (for their negligence in not enforcing the people to pay them) whereupon this effect ensued, Then brought all Judah the Tithes of the Corn, and the new Wine, and the Oil unto the Treasurers, &c. And Nehemiah was so far from deeming this Injustice or Oppression, as some now maliciously term it; that he prays, Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good Deeds, that I have done for the House of my God, and for the offices thereof, Neh. 13. 10, to 15. From which President Nicholas Hemingius (a far better Divine and Scholar than John Canne and all his Associates against Tithes) thus resolves in his Commentary on 1 Thess. 5. 1 • , 1 • . Therefore the Godly are to be admonished. That by Divine Right they owe Stipends unto the Ministers of the Church. But that nothing may be here neglected to the damage of the Ministry, This care belongs to the Superious. For if Kings be nursing Fathers to the Church (as Isaiah admonish • b) Possunt et debent jure divino ministris Ecclesiae stipendia ordinare, they may and ought by Divine Right (or God's Law) to ordain Stipends to the Ministers of the Church, by the example of the most godly King Hez • chiah, 2 Chron. 31. That they may wholly addict themselves to the Law of God. And if the people detain these Salaries, and settled Dues from them, they may enforce them by Fines, penalties, and Actions to pay them.

3ly. If these Examples prevail not, we have the President of a zealous Heathen Prince (who shall rise up in judgment against many pretended Magistrates, resusing to assist complaining Ministers to recover their just Tith • s and Dues from their refractory ingrate people) to wit, King •• taxerxes, who making a Decree for furnishing Ezra the Priest with whatsoever he should require for the maintenance of God's worship and House, Ezra 7. • 1, &c. concludes it thus; v. 26. And whosoever will not do the Law of thy God, and the Law of the King (which confirm our Ministers Tithes and Dues) Let Judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto Death, or unto Banishment, or to Confiscation of Goods, or to Imprisonment. And lest any should deem this a Tyrannical, Oppressing Edict, Ezra himself subjoins in the very next words, v. 27. Blessed be the Lord of our Fathers, who hath put such a thing as this is in the Kings heart. Which Law if now put into due execution, would send Canne and most of his Confederates here packing back again to Amsterdam, or some Gibbet, or Prison, and strip them of the Goods they have got by the wars and troubles of the time.

4ly. We have King Darius his Decree for repairing God's House, and furnishing the Priests there with all necessaries they required, which thus concluces with a most severe penalty against the willful Disobeyers of it, Ezra 6. 11. Also I have made a Decree, That whosoever shall alter this word, Let Timber be pulled down from his House, and being set up, Let him be hanged thereon, and his House be made a Dunghill for this. How many n • w 〈◊〉 should we now have throughout England, and how many new purchased Houses by those who had no • e of late, would be made Dungheaps, if this rigid Law were now put in •• e? Which may stop the clamorous months of such who cry out against Laws and Ordinances for Tithes, prescribing more moderate penalties.

Object. But all this is but Old Testament will many now object: what can you allege for your Propositions •••• f out of the Gospel?

Answ. To stop their mouths, I answer,

1. That the Gospel expressly commands all living under it, To render to all their Dues: Therefore to Ministers (to whom I have proved Tithes and other settled maintenance to be a just Due and Debt ) to owe nothing to any Man, Rom. 13. 7, 8. Therefore not to Ministers. But what if bold, atheistical, obstinate or covetous Wretches will not pay these Dues to their Ministers, doth the Gospel allow Magistrates and higher Powers to compel them to it? Yes, in the very antecedent words, v. 4, 5. If t • ou do that which is evil, (as the defrauding, denying, detaining of the Ministers, as well as the Magistrates, or any others Due Debts and Salaries, is a doing of evil, prohibited by the forecited words, and many other Texts elsewhere insisted on) be afraid, for • e beareth not the Sword in vain; (as he should do, might he compel none by it to their duties) For he is the Minister of God, even a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil: Wherefore ye must needs be subject (in yielding to their commanding Laws and Ordinances for Tithes and Ministers Dues, as well as others, edged with coercive Penalties) not only for wrath (that is, for fear of the Penalties which else fall upon you for your disobedience, exasperate the Higher Powers and Civil Magistrate to execute wrath upon you) but even for conscience sake; which should more prevail with men than wrath and Penalties; though our Tithe-detainers now are grown so atheistically impudent, as to allege conscience for not rendering them, and robbing God himself of them, Mal. 3. •• as well as his Ministers.

2ly. The Holy Ghost by the Apostle Peter thus seconds his former precept, by Paul, 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14. Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the King, as Supreme, or unto Governors: who have made many Laws and Ordinances for payment of our Ministers Tithes and Duties. Yea, but say our sturdy armed, and unarmed Tithedetainers now; What if we will not do it, as we are resolved, notwithstanding all such Laws and Ordinances? What? Are you resolved to disobey and contemn God's Gospel, Laws and Ordinances as well as Mans? Where is your Religion, your Saintship you so much boast of? Will you provoke the Lord himself to wrath, are you stronger than he? I presume, not: Therefore the Apostle subjoins, That these Kings and Governors are sent by him for the Punishment of Evil doers: And such are all those who detain the Ministers established Dues, who are not only Thieves and Robbers of God in the Old Testaments language, Mal. 3 8. but committers of Sacrilege, Rom. 2. 20. Thou that abb • rrest Idols (as many Tithe-oppugners pretend they do) Dost thou commit Sacrilege and Church Robbery? Acts 19. 37. in the New Testaments and mere Heathens Dialect; who fall under the just punishment of Kings and Governors, whom God will bear out in the just punishment of such evil doers, or elle punish them himself in a more severe manner, if the Armed sons of Zeruiah be too hard for David, and It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, who even under the Gospel is a consuming fire, Heb. 12. 29. and hath proved so to many Tithe-oppugners very lately, both in consuming their Houses and personal Estate, as well by real fire, as by inflicting Spiritual judgments on their souls.

3ly. Our Savior's own words recorded in the Gospel, are direct in point. Luke 12. 57, 58, 59. Mat. 5. 25. And why, even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? (in paying your just Dues and Debts to all you owe them without suit or coercion, as the next words literally import:) When thou goest with thine adversary to the Magistrate, as thou art in the way give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him, lest he bale thee to the judge, and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer, and the Officer cast thee into prison Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing; or very last mite. Here is a Gospel resolution of our Savior in two Evangelists, ratified with a verily I say unto thee; That all those who will not pay their Ministers Tithes and Dues, as well as other men's Debts, may be lawfully brought and hailed perforce before the Magistrate, and by the Magistrate and Judge, condemned in double Dammages, • ast into Prison, and not suffered to come out thence, till he have paid the utmost farthing, not only of his detained Tithes and Dues, but of his fine, forfeiture, and costs of suit, prescribed by our Laws. And let all our Swordmen and other oppugners of our coercive Laws against detainers of Ministers Tithes and Dues, give our Savior himself the Title of a Tyrant, and Oppressor, a Lyar, if they dare, and that such proceedings are not sufferable under the Gospel.

4ly. There is nothing so free and voluntary in the world, that I know, as Alms and Charity to poor distressed Saints and Christians; Yet the Gospel accounts this a due Debt; and all able to give them, Debtors, Rom. 15 27. And if any refuse to render them, out of their Hard-heartedness, and want of Charity; the Christian Magistrates under the Gospel may, not only rate and assesse them according to their Estates towards the Poors relief; (as they do in all Christian Republics and Realms) but by Distresses, sale of Goods and other coercive ways compel them to render them; and that both by the Common law of England, and the Statutes of 22 H. 8. c. 12. 27 H. 8. c. 25. 1 Edw. 6. c. 3. 5 E. 6 c 2. 7 E. 6. c. 11. 1 Phil. & Mar. c. 6. 5 Eliz. c. 3. 14 Eliz. c. 3. 18 Eliz c. 3. 22 Eliz. c. 11. 23 Eliz. c. 3. 3 1 Eliz. c. 10. 35 Eliz. c. 7. 43 Eliz. c. 2. as Dalton and other Justices of Peace, Tit. Poor, Maimed Soldiers. Therefore admit Tithes mere Alms (as some would have them) yet when and where detained, they may be as justly levied and recovered by coercive Laws and Statutes as Alms to the Poor, and those who condemn coercive Laws for Tithes as unbeseeming the Gospel, must Tax and Repeal all Laws for the Poor, and for Maimed Soldiers too, as such; which I presume they will not do.

5ly. I suppose neither Canne himself (who receives pay as a Chaplain to the Army out of public Contributions from the people, not from voluntary contributions of the Soldiers) and all other Officers and Swordmen oppugning the coercive Maintenance of our Ministers by Tithes or otherwise, will maintain even unto death; that the People (even against their wills and Consciences too) may be enforced to pay Monthly Taxes and Excises (amounting to twenty times more each year than all the Ministers Tithes in England ) by coercive Orders and Ordinances, (though not made in a full, free, or old English Parliament, nor warranted by so many indisputable Acts of Parliament as Ministers Tithes and Dues) and levied by Imprisonments, Distresses, Forfeitures, armed violence, and free quartering of Soldiers on the people, (though adjudged High Treason in Straffords Case in full Parliament, for which he lost his Head;) our Ministers therefore being real Spiritual Soldiers of Jesus Christ, even by the Gospels Resolution; and not to go a warfare at any time on their own free cost, but upon the Peoples pay & wages, as due to them, as any Soldiers (which I have formerly proved) they must by the self same reason acknowledge the levying & enforcing of the payment of their less Burdensom, and more legal, necessary Tithes for the defense and preservation of the very Gospel, Religion, God's Glory and Mans Salvation once a year, by penalties, forfeitures, imprisonments, or distresses when obstinately detained: or else disclaim their own coercive Contribution; first, to maintain unchristian bloody wars between Christians of the same Religion, in firm unity, and amity with us, which are not so necessary, or commendable amongst Christians, who should live peaceably with all men (not make a last Trade of war) Love as Brethren, Lay down their Lives one for another, Yea love and pray for their Enemies (not murder or destroy them) and beat all their Swords into Plowshares and their spears into Pruning Hooks, not lifting up Sword Nation against Nation (as now they do to the peril of the Gospel, reproach and slander) and learn war no more ) as is the Spiritual warfare of our Ministers against the World, Flesh, Sin, Devil, and all Errors, Blasphemies, Corruptions, for the eternal Salvation (not Destruction) of men's Souls and Bodies too.

6ly. We find it long since prophesied in the Old Testament, in relation to the calling to the Gentiles by and under the Gospel, Isaiah 49. 23. That the KINGS of the Gentiles should become Nursing-Fathers, and their Queens Nursing-Mothers to the Church, Isaiah 60. 9, 10. Surely the Isles shall wait for me, and the Ships of Tarshish first, to bring my Sons from far, their Silver and their Gold with them: And the Sons of Strangers shall build up the walls, and their Kings shall minister unto thee, Psal. 72. 10, 11. The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring Presents, the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer Gifts, yea all Kings shall down before him (and then) all Nations shall serve him. Thus seconded in the New Testament, Rev 21. 24. where it is prophesied of the Heavenly Jerusalem (the Church of Christ) the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory unto it. Which Prophecies concerning Kings, and likewise Kings of Isles in particular (and no other sorts of Governors, which is observable) have been most eminently verified of the Kings and Queens of this Isle and Realm of Britain, beyond all the Kings, Queens, Regions, Isles and Kingdoms in the world besides, to the eternal Honor of that late rejected, abjured form of Kingly Government (derived from God's own form of Kingly Government over the whole world, and of Christ's Royal Government over his Church both Militant and Triumphant) and of this our Isle: where God blessed our Church and Kingdom, 1. with three such worthy Heathen Kings in Succession, Arviragus, Marius, and Coylus ) who though they embraced not the Christian Faith here preached soon after our Savior's Ascension by James the Son of Ze • edee, Simon Zealots, Peter, Paul, Aristobulus, and Philip's twelve Disciples, whereof Joseph of Aramathaea (who honourably interred our Savior) was chief, yet they courteously entertained them, permitted them freely to preach the Gospel to their people, gave public entertainment to the persecuted Christians resorting hither as to a safe and peaceable Sanctuary, when they were forcibly expelled out of all other Kingdoms and Countries throughout the world, and Roman Empire, by bloody Persecutors, bestewed Lands and a comfortable Maintenance on the Preachers of the Gospel at Glastonbury, where they built the first Christian Church in the world; and were the first Kings and Kingdoms in the world who gave public Reception, Protection, Countenance, Maintenance to the Preachers and Professers of the Gospel; as not only our own Historians, but two foreign Writers, namely Polydore Virgil: Hist. Angl. l. 2. and Cardinal Baronius himself. Annal. Tom. 1. An. 95. n. 5. with Spondanus in his Epitome of him, records. 2ly. With the first Christian King we read of, publicly baptized, professing and establishing the Christian Faith, built, endowed Churches and Ministers with Glebes and other Maintenance; to wit our famous King Lucius, who about the year 187. (as Matthew Paris, Matthew Westminster, the History of Rochester and others record) Possessiones et Territoria Ecclestis et viris Ecclesiasticis abundanter conferens Chartis & Munimentis omnia communivit: Ecclesias vero cum suis Coemiteriis ita constituit esse Liberas, ut quicunque Malefactor ad illa confugeret, illaesus ab omnibus remaneret: (a good Policy at that time to draw Pagans to frequent the Church, and hear the word, to convert them both from their Paganism and evil Lives;) He not only giving all the Lands and Possessions belonging to the Pagan Temples and Priests to the Churches and Ministers of the Christians; Se • quia majorem honorem illis impendere debuerat, augmentavit illas amplioribus agris et mansis, omnique libertate sublimavit, as Galfridus Monmuniensis, and Gervasius Tilburiensis affirm: Here was a true Nursing Father indeed to God's Church and Ministers.

3ly. With the first Christian Queen we read of in all the world, to wit, Queen Helena, Daughter and Heir to King • oel, and Mother to Constantine the Great, who was a careful Nursing Mother, and Bountiful Benefactor to the Church and Ministers of Christ, as Eusebius in the life of Constantine, Ambrose Orati • in Obitum Theodosii, Baronius in his Annals, and Speed in his History of Great Britain, p. 156. record. Whence she was styled in ancient Inscriptions, Uenerabilis ET PIISSIMA AUGUSTA; both for her extraordinary Piety, and her converting of Constantius her Husband to the love and protection of the Christian Religion, and the Professors of it, who by her means creeping out of the Dens and Caves where in they were hid, began to exercise their Devotions publicly, and TO REEDIFIE THE OLD RUINATE CHURCHES (which Dioclesian the persecuting Emperor had levelled to the very ground in all places,) and TO ERECT NEW; She herself at her own cost, erecting a Stately Church over our Savior's Sepulcher at Jerusalem, famous till this very day.

4ly. With the first Christian Emperor in the world, even that famous Constantine the Great, born and elected Emperor in this Island, educated in the Christian Faith by his pious Mother, the best, the Greatest Nursing Father the Church of God ever yet enjoyed in the world.

For first, He destroyed the two Grand Persecutors of the Christian Religion, Maxentius and Licinius, with their Adherents, and demolished all the Idol-God's and Monuments of Idolatry throughout his Dominions.

2ly. He reduced all the exiled Christians driven out of their Countries into desolate Islands, Caves, Dens, Desarts, restored them their lost Possessions, established Christian Magistrates throughout his Empire, encouraged, protected the Christians in all places, in the public Profession of their Religion, and suppressed the Heresies and Schisms that sprung up amongst them, by Councils and public Edicts.

3ly. He caused all the Churches in this Isle and elsewhere, which by the Decrees of Dioclesian were levelled in all places to the very ground (which some Atheistial Anabaptists, and Jesuitical Incendiaries even in these pretended glorious times of Piety and Reformation endeavor to do again) to be re-edified, and new ones to be founded throughout his Dominions; himself erecting most Magnificent Temples to God's honor, (as King David did out of holy zeal, and love to God, not Popish superstition, as some now censure it, 2 Chron. 22 5. c. 29. 1, 2, 3.) both in Rome itself, Jerusalem, Hostia, Neapolis, Hirapolis, Constantinople, and other Cities, endowing them with ample possessions, and all other Churches with convenient Glebes, Mansions and Revenues.

4ly. He encouraged, protected, advanced Godly Ministers, Learning and Religion, by settling a competent maintenance on them, both for their livelihood and encouragement, most preferring, esteeming, rewarding the best deserving of them. And by this means so laid the soundation of the Christians security, and the Churches maintenance, that the same hath stood under the Protection of Christian Kings and Princes ever since. And albeit many Caesar's his Successors, have often attempted to shake it by their Authorities, and the sharp Instruments of Heretics have dangerously undermined it, yet hath it born out the storms of all their boisterous assays, and stood in the sirength that this Emperor first laid it, (as Speed and others observe.) And for these blessed fruits of this prime Nursing Father of God's Church, he had then, and ever after, these most Glorious Titles conferred on him by the Christians, and Ecclesiastical Writers, Most Blessed Emperor, most Pious, Sacred, Divine; Most happy Redeemer and Restorer of Rome's City, and the whole World from Paganism, Tyranny, Persecution, and founder of the Churches Peace. Which those shall never enjoy, who labor to demolish and extirpate what h • thus founded and established.

5ly. God hath blessed our Church and Isle (as Io. Capgrave in his Prologue, Sir Hen. Spelman in his Epist. Dedicatory to his Councils, and the Author of Fasciculus Temporum record) with more Kings & Queens, who for their extraordinary Piety, incredible Zeal, liberal Alms, manifold works of Mercy, incomparable Humility and contempt of the World, their munificent, magnificent and admirable Bounty to the Ministers and Saints of God, and in building, adorning, endowing Churches with Tithes and Glebes, and some of them for suffering Martyrdom for defense of Religion by Pagan Invaders, were justly Reputed and Kalendred in the Church of God, for Saints (though infected with some superstititions of those blinder times, which the age wherein they lived may excuse, and their other virtues over-balance and delete,) than any other Isle, Region or Kingdom throughout the world, how Great or Populous soever. There being no less than Twelve of our ancient Saxon Kings Crowned with Martyrdom by Infidels; and Ten of them Canonized for Saints for their transcendent Holiness; and no less than thirty Kings and Queens within 200 years space, who laying down the Height of their worldly Power, Crowns and Glory, that they might gain beaven by force, betook themselves to a devout, retired religious Life, (according to the devotion of those times) in some private Monasteries (for the most part built and endowed by themselves) or else went as Pilgrims to Rome, then reputed famous for Her Piety. Besides multitudes of the Royal Progeny who followed their examples both in their Piety, Charity and Bounty to the Church. And amongst others of our ancient Kings, King E • helwolfe gave not only the Tenth out of all his goods and Chattels, but likewise of all the Lands and Houses of his whole Realm to the Church. His Son, incomparable King Alfred (founder, or at least Restorer and Enlarger of our famous University of Oxford ) though he was for the most part taken up with Wars and Military affairs by reason of the Danes invasions, fighting no less than 52. set battles with them (for the most part with glorious success) yet out of an Ardent zeal to God, in emulation of Zacchaeus, he gave no less than half of his annual Rents (and spoils of war besides) in pious uses; to wit, for relieving the poor both at home and abroad, for maintaining, rewarding Scholars, Ministers, building schools of Learning, maintaining professors of divers Arts and Sciences in them, especially in Oxford, and devoted no less than the third part of his time (to wit, eight hours every natural day) to his sacred studies and devotions; Besides the time he spent in his Military employments, Civil Government, and enacting Laws of most excellent use by advise of the wisest men, which have continued ever since. So as Asser Menevensis, (in Egercituesse) in his life, Spelman and others give this Brief Character and Encomium of his Excellencies,

Of which good Laws of his (extracted out of the Old and New Testament for most part) this for the due payment of Tithes and Oblations to Ministers was one, cap. 38. DECIMAS Primigenia & adulta tua DEO DATO. O that all those Militarie victorious Commanders who boast of like victories as he obtained, would imitate him in these his Virtues, Bounty, Liberalitic, both to our Universities, Scholars, Ministers, and promulging Edicts for the due payment of their detained Tithes and Dues! and then they should be Chronicled for SAINTS INDEED, as well as the forenamed Kings, of which there was not one in three in former Ages (as Sir Henry Spelman observes) WHO DID NOT ADORN, AUGMENT & ENRICH THE CHURCH IN SOME THINGS, even during their very wars, instead of making a mere prey and spoil of her (as some late SAINTS have done) to maintain the wars and enrich themselves. In which Sacrilegious Rapines, if any shall persevere to the utter ruin of the remaining Glebes, Tithes, Maintenance of all our Ministers and Churches too (the prime Honor of our Nation, ECCLESIA, Faemina, Lana ) as some have designed, and would engage them to do, to render our Religion, Nation, and those who shall give their Votes thereto forever execrable; Let them take heed, that instead of inducing the Ministers and godly people really fearing God, throughout our three Nations, to forget Monarchy, and be in love with their New Military Government, they do not necessitate them, and most others too thereby, (by comparing their Irreligious Church▪ Robberies, and Sacrilegious Rapines against the very Laws even of War and Conquest itself in an Enemies Country, and detestable to very Heathens, as Grotius proves at large) to love and honor Kings and Monarchs more than ever, as the only Nursing-Fathers to God's Ministers, Church, People, under the Gospel; and to esteem others not coming in by the Door into the Sheep •• ld, but climbing up by Storm some other way, to be but Thieves and Robbers; who come not but to Steal, Kill, and to Destroy, whatever the Bounty, Piety, and M • nisicence of these and other our Kings, have built and settled on the Clergy for God's Honor, and maintenance of his worship, and thereby engage them so to act, speak, and peremptorily resolve, as all the Israelites and Godly Levites, Priests, People, twice did in a like case, 2 Chron. 11▪ 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. & 1 Sam. • . 3, 5, 19, 20.

If any here object, these Kings and Queens were more Popish, Superstitious, than really Religious; Admit they were • n some things, (as too much doting upon Monkery, not Monarchy, or worldly wealth or Power, which some condemn in others, when most guilty of and applauding it in themselves) yet their very Bounty and profuse munificent Building Monasteries and Nunneries, (whereof King Edgar alone built no less than 47. endowed them with large Revenues, and intended to make them up 50. had he lived, ) besides what they bestowed in building, adorning, endowing, maintaining all Cathedral and Parish Churches and Chapels, for the support and honor of their superstitious Religion, should eternally shame all those pretended Saints, who will be at no cost at all to maintain and propagate what they now call the True Religion and the faithful Ministers of the Gospel, but instead thereof, will by mere Force and Rapine against all Rules of Law, Justice, Piety, Equity, and war itself, plunder (if they can) the remaining Materials and Fabrics of our Churches, which those Kings or their Successors, and other ancient Benefactors built for God's Honor, and the small surviving Lands, Rectories, Glebes, Tithes, Pensions, Dues, which our Ministers yet enjoy, by their sole Bounty, Piety, Gift, Laws, without any real charge, injury, oppression, or obligation to any Mortals now surviving them. But to take off the stain of Popery wholly from our Kings, which was no disparagement to their commendable Charity and Bounty; Consider in the sixth place, that God hath honored us with the first Christian King in the Universe Henry the 8th. who durst not only question, but by Public Laws and Statutes abolish and renounce the Popish usurped Antichristian Power, and with it all Popish Shavelings, Abbots, Priors, Monks, Nuns, and many Popish Doctrines, Ceremonies; and restored the People to the use of the Holy Scriptures in their own Native Language: Whose example encouraged other Kings, Princes, Churches to do the like. Who though he seised upon Abby Lands, as given to mere Superstitious Persons, Orders, Uses, repugnant to God's word, and the Popes mere Creatures, and Supporters; yet he continued the Lands, Glebes, Tithes, and Maintenance of the Bishops and other Ministers, and augmented i • and our Universities Revenues also out of the Abbeys Spoyles, which yet could not exempt him from the public censure of some Protestants, for selling or rteaining most of their Lands and Impropriations for his own use, which (say they) he should have rather converted to other lawful sacred uses, according to the will of the first Donors. And Mr. Purchas writes,

God grant our New Defenders of the Faith, do not as ill •• quite those Persons, Powers, who first commissioned them, with their Arms to defend our Faith, Church, Religion, against Jesuits, Papists, and their Confederates in the Field, as King Henry did the Pope after this new Mo •• o. 7ly. That ou • God blessed, honored us with the first incomparable Protestant King in the world, (no Papist, but a REAL SAINT, beyond any of his years in this or former Ages) even young KING EDWARD THE SIXT: the first King I read of, who by public Laws and Statutes suppressed, banished all Popish Pictures, Ceremonies, Superstitious Monuments, Practices, Abuses throughout his Dominions, and established the true worship, Service, Sacraments, Ministers and Ministry, and Gospel of Christ throughout his Dominions: for which all Ages shall call him blessed: no ways embesselling, or diminishing the Churches Glebes, Tithes or Revenues, and enacting a New excellent Law for Tithes recovery when detained. But God taking him suddenly from hence to a better Kingdom, and his Successor Queen Mary, defacing, deforming his blessed Reformation, and restoring both the Pope and Popery again, almost to its former height, except in point of Monkery, which the defacing of the Monasteries prevented, 8ly. God then blessed our Church and Kingdom with an unparalleled Protestant Princesse, Queen Elizabeth, a Nursing Mother to the Church, who demolished the whole Body of Popery, with the Popes revived usurpations again by public Acts; established the reformed Religion again in greater beauty and purity than at first; banishing all Jesuits and Seminary Priests as Traitors, restored the exiled Ministers of the Gospel suffering for Religion, rewarding them with the rechest Bishoprics and Church-Preferments, and planting a faithful, painful, preaching Ministry by degrees in most dark corners of her Dominions, endowed them with a settled competent maintenance, which our subsequent Protestant Kings continued to them and their Successors without diminution. All which considered, we of this Isle may with much thankfulness to God, and honor to our Princes, without flattery aver before all the world, That the forecited Prophecies of Kings being Nursing. Fathers, and Queens Nursing-Mothers to the Church (and specially Kings and Queens of this Isle ) have been more really accomplished in the Kings and Queens of this our Island, than in the Kings and Queens of any other Isle, Kingdom, or Nation whatsoever throughout the world, and God grant that those who shall succeed them in any other New modelled-form of Government may not prove such Step-Fathers and Step-Mothers to our Churches and Ministers, as to demolish the one, and strip the other quite naked of all that former Livelihood, and remaining small Revenues, which they yet enjoy by our Princes Grants, Gists, Charters, Laws and Favors only; and thereby give all Godly Ministers, and people too in our Nation, just cause to cry out with wringed hands, weeping eyes, and bleeding hearts, in the Prophets words, Hosea 10. 3, 4. For now they shall say, We have no King, because we feared not the Lord, What then should a King do to us? (or amongst us,) They have spoken words, Swearing falsely in making a Covenant: Thus Judgment springeth up as Hemlock (one of the deadliest Poysons to destroy men) in the fields. Or else to speak in Solomon's language, to the same effect, Prov. 28. 2. For the transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof (as our Land had never so many Transgressions and Princes too as now,) But by a Man of Understanding and Knowledge (and where is such a one to be found, to stand up in a Gap?) the state thereof shall be prolonged: Now the Lord raise up such a Man, or Men; lest God say to our Nation and all Grandees in Power, as he did once to the profane wicked Prince of Israel, whose day was come, Ezech. 21. 25, 26, 27. Remove the Diadem, and take off the Crown; this shall not be the same: Exalt him that is Low, and abase him that is High: I will overturn, overturn, overturn, (Church, State, Laws,) and it shall be no more, until he come whose Right it is, and I will give it him.

To prevent these treble, fatal over-turnings, with the wiping and turning of our Jerusalem UPSIDE DOWN like a Dish (a certain Fore-runner of a Churches, Nations ruin, 2 Kings 21. 13. Psal. 146. 9.)

I shall now in the last place present the whole Nation with a brief Catalogue of those manifold Laws, Statutes, which our Kings have successively made in their Great Councils and Parliaments, almost from the very first establishment of Religion in our Island, for the due payment of Ministers Tithes by coercive. Means, Forfeitures, Penalties, in case of willful detaining, or neglect in paying all or any part of them at the times appointed; which those who please, may peruse in C • ronicon Johannes Brompton, Mr. Lambards Archai • n, Sir Henry Spelmans Councils, Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments, John Bridges his Defense of the Government of the Church of England, Book 16. p. 1350. Our Statutes at large, and Mr. Rastals Abridgement of Statutes, Title Tithes; which Laws being well known to most learned men, are therefore needless fully to transcribe. The first of them is the forecited Law, Decree of the Council of Calcuth, under King Oswald and O •• a, An. 787. of famous King Alfred, Anno 787. of King Alfred and Gutburn the Dane, cap. 9. De Decimis Deo Debi • u, about the year 890. of King Edward the elder and Gutburn: Anno 905. (or 906. as some) Cap. 6. (in some c. 9.) DE DECIMIS ET CENSU ECCLISLE RETENTIS: of King Aethelstan; made in the famous Council of Gratelean: An, 928. cap. 1. DE DECIMIS REDDENDIS, tam ex Animalibus quam de fructibus terrae; which this King himself duly paid, and then enjoined all his great Officers and People duly to render: of King Edmond: An. 944. c. 2. concluding, Qui non solverit, ANATHEMA ESTO. Of famous King Edgar, Anno 967. c. 3. DE DECIMIS, & Canon 54. of the Kings and Presbyters of Northumberlana, made a little after that time: Lex 51. of King Aet • elred, An. 1012. c. 1, & 4. of King Knute the Dane, An. 1032. c. 8. (but 15. in some Copies) De Decimis reddendis, &c. 11, & 17. and a Statute law against obstinate Detainers of Tithes, there styled JURA ET DEBITIONES DIVINAE: of King Edward the Confessor, about the year 1060. confirmed verbatim by William the Conqueror, in the fourth year of his Reign, c. 8, 9. (forecited) To which may be added the Great Charters of King Henry the first, and King John recorded in Matthew Paris, ratified by King Henry the 3d. in his Magna Charta, c. 11. made in the 9th. year of his Reign, confirmed by above 37 Acts of Parliament since, in many successive Parliaments. That the Church of England shall be free (now in greater Bondage than ever) and shall have all her whole Rights and Liberties inviolable, (never so much violated, diminished as now, notwithstanding all Oaths, Laws, Covenants, Declarations, Protestations lately, and all ancient Solemn Curses and Excommunications annually made against the Infringers thereof, 13 E. 1. 17 E. 3. & 14. 2 H. 4. c. 4. Enacting the Cistertian Monks to pay Tithes to Ministers and Evangelists notwithstanding any Bulls of Exemption from the Pope, which the King and Parliament declared to be void, and that the Prom • verse or Executors of any such Bulls shall be attainted in a Praemunire. It appears by the Parliament Roll of 2 H. 4. nu. 40. This Act was made upon the Petition of all the Commons; which, because not extant in print, pertinent to the present business of Tithes, and unknown to most, I shall here transcribe at large.

From which memorable Record, I shall desire John Canne, and all his ignorant deluded Disciples, who cry out against Tithes, and the payment of them as Popish, to observe,

1. That all the Commons of England in this Parliament, even in times of Popery, together with the King and Lord's, resolve the quite contrary: That the exemption of any order of men from payment of their due and accustomed Tithes is Popish, and that the Pope was the first and only man, who presumed by his Bulls to exempt men from payment of due and accustomed Tithes to their Ministers.

2ly. That Popish Friers of the Cistercian Order (not Godly Saints abhorring Monkerie and Popery) were the first men who sued for, procured and executed such Exemptions from the Pope; (and that merely out of Covetousness, against the express word and Law of God, as our John Salisbury de Nugis Curialium, l. 7. c. 21. and our Arch-deacon of Bathe Petrus Blesensis observe, who tax them for it.) And therefore the petitioning, writing, endeavoring to procure a like exemption from the payment of ancient and accustomed Tithes to our Ministers, must be Popish and Monkish likewise, infused into our New lighted Saints by some Popish Monks and Jesuits disguised under the notion of New-lights, Seekers, Anabaptists, &c.

3ly. That they declare this Bull, though granted by their Holy-Father the Pope (whose Authority and esteem was then very great) to be against the Laws and Customs of the Realm; and thereupon repeal, null it for the present, and provide against the grant of any such Bulls for Non-payment of Tithes for the future, and make the Procurers and Executioners of them subject to a Praemunire: Such a transcendent Crime and Grievance did they then adjudge it, to seek or procure the least exemption from payment of Tithes from any earthly Powers, yea from their very Holy Father the Pope himself, then in his highest Power.

4ly. That they resolve, the exemption from Tithes though amounting but to a fourth part in every Parish, would prove a great prejudice to the King and all other Patrons in their Advowsons; to the Lessors and Farmers of Tithes, to the incumbents and people; and that the moving of such Novelties might occasion great Troubles and Commotions within the Realm. And will not then the abolishing of all Tithes in every Parish, to the prejudice of the Patrons, Ministers, (yea and people too, as I shall prove anon) the scandal of most godly men, undoing of thousands of families, and confounding all Parishes, and order in them, now much more do it, in these dangerous generally discontented times, instead of settling Unity, Amity, Peace, and propagating the Gospel, as some pretend? Let those whom it most concerns consider it at their leisure, lest they repent too late.

The next printed Statute for the payment of Tithes, is 27 H. 8. c. 20. which in the preface gives this true Character of, and fixeth this brand of infamy upon Tithe detainers, Forasmuch as many evil disposed Persons (such are they justly branded for by this Act of Parliament) have attempted to withhold their Tenths, as well predial, as personal, and have also contemned and disobeyed the Decrees of Ecclesiastical Courts of this Realm, &c. Therefore it enacts, the Civil Magistrate and Justices shall imprison such till they pay their Tithes. After which follows a special Statute for payment of Tithes in London, 27 H. 8. c. 21. confirmed, enlarged by a Statute and Decree too, 37 H. 8 c. 7. thus prefaced, as if purposely penned for these times; Whereas divers and many persons inhabiting in sundry Counties, and Places of this Realm, and other the Kings Dominions, not regarding their duties to Almighty God, or to the King our Sovereign Lord, but in some years past more contemptuously and commonly Presuming to infringe the good and wholesome Laws of this Realm and Gracious Commandments of our said Sovereign Lord, than in times past have been seen or known: have not letted to subtract and with-draw the lawful and accustomed Tithes of Corn, Hay, Pasturage and other sort of Tithes and Oblations commonly due, &c. After which it provides a remedy by coercive means against the detainers, refusers of Ministers Tithes.

The last and fullest Statute for payment of Tithes of all sorts, and setting one Predial Tithes, truly, justly, and without fraud or guile, as hath of right been yielded and paid, made▪ not by Papists, but our most religious first Protestant Parliament, and King upon the beginning of Reformation, and when Popery was ejected, is, 2 E. 6. c. 13. entitled, AN ACT FOR THE TRUE PAYMENT OF TITHES, under pain of forfeiting the treble value, &c. recoverable by an ACTION OF DEBT, &c. at the Common law. What judgments have been given upon these Statutes in our Kings Courts from time to time, you may read in Brook, Fitzherbert, and the Year-books in Ashes Tables, Title DISMES; and in Sir Edward Cooks 2 Institutes, p. 639, to 662. To these I might subjoin the late Ordinances of the last Parliament of 17 Caroli, concerning Tithes and Augmentations of Ministers Livings, like to end not only in the Diminution, but total Annihilation and Substraction both of their Augmentations, ancient Glebes, Tithes, Dues. The Constitutions of our Clergy in their Convocations under our Kings, recorded in Lindwood, John de Aton, Wilhelmus de Burgo, and others, prescribing the due payment of Tithes under pain of Excommunication, and other Ecclesiastical censures; as likewise the Resolution of our Judges concerning the Right of Tithes, and that no Lay-man by our Laws can prescribe to be exempled from payment of Tithes, or lay any original claim unto them: with the Laws of foreign Kingdoms, as well Civil as Ecclesiastical, for the due payment of Tithes; whereof you may find store in Fredericus Lindebrogus: Codex Legum Antiquarum, p. 674, 675, 703, &c. Capitularia Caroli Magni & Ludovici; in Brochellus, Decret. Ecclesiae Gallicanae, l. 6. tit. 8. De Decimis: in Binius, Surius, and others in their Collections of Councils: But for brevity sake I shall cite only the Constitution of the Emperor Frederick for the payment of Tithes in the Kingdom of Sicilia, which is short and very pertinent, Constitutionum Sicularum, l. 1. tit. 7. Lex 1. which runs thus,

Quamo caeteris terrae Principibus munifica dextra Salvatoris in Temporalibus Nos praefecit, tanto saltem Iuris naturalis instinctu ad antedicta strictius obligamur; cum etiam veritate dicente, cui amplius creditor, amplius exigatur. Quod in nostrae mentis intrinseca meditatione solicita revolventes, & illud etiam attendants, ☜ Quod divino Decimarum, quarum Debitum ex utriusque Testamenti Tabulis confirmatur, (Let all Tith-Oppugners observe it,) tan • i in Ecclesia Dei petidatior redditur, quan • o Decimalis obligatio de bonis hominum, A DAMNO REPUTATUR: Officialibus nostris universis & singulis praesentis Legis▪ auctoritato Mandamus, ut DECIMAS INTEGRAS, prout Regis Gulielmi tempore, praedecessoris nostri, vel ab Antecessoribus Officialibus & Bavilis exolutae fuerint, locorum Praelatis exolvere, absque omni difficultate procurent. Nos enim, qui favente Domino inter homines sumus in praeeminenti culmine constituti, quantum sine injuria Regalium possumus tollerare ECCLESIARUM JURA, & praesertim earum quae in Regno consistunt, Quas sub Protectione nostra accepimus, et habemus, in nullo diminuere volumus, sed augere. Subjectis etiam nostris indicimus ut Decimas quas de bladis et donis suis Antecessores eorum praedicti Regis Gulielni tempore praestituerunt, vener abilibus locis, Quibus Decimae istae debentur cum integritate persolvant.

To which I shall only add, That Stephen King of Hungaria, under whom that Kingdom was first totally converted to the Christian Faith, as he built and endowed many magnificent Churches for God's worship at his own cost, so he enacted this good Law for the payment of Tithes, That he who refused to pay his Tithes should forfeit the 9. parts to the Minister, and he who should steal the Tithes should be reputed a Thief. Si cui Deus Decem dederit in Anno, DECIMAM DEO DET. Et si quis Decimam suam abscondit NOVEM SOLVAT. Et si quis DECIMATIONEM Episcopo separatam furatus suerit, DIJUDICETUR UT FUR; ac hujusmodi compositio tota pertineat ad Episcopum. And. c. 1. De Statu Ecclesiastico, & veneratione Domus Dei: He enacted this good Law against the Invasion and Alienation of the Churches possessions (about the year of Christ 1000.) Quisquis fastu superbiae elatus, Domum Dei ducit contemptibilem, & possessiones Deo consecratas, atque ad honorem Dei sub Regia immunitatis defensione constitutas, inhoneste tractarit, vel infringere praesumpserit, Quasi invasor et violator Domus Dei excommunicetur. Decet enim, ut indignationem ipsius Dom. Regis sentiat, cujus benevolentiae contemptor, & constitutionis praevaricator existit: Nihilominus tamen Rex suae concessionis immunitatem, ab hominibus ditioni suae subjectis illaesam conservari praecipiat, assensum vero non praebeat improvide affirmantibus, non debere esse res Dominic • s, id est, Domino Dominantium traditas; Itaque sub defensione Regis sit, et sicuti suae propriae haereditati, magisque advertat. Quia quanto Deus excellentior est hominibus, tanto praestantior est Divina causa mortalium possessione. Quocirca decipitur, quisquis plus in propriis quam in Dominicis rebus gloriatur: Quarum Defensor et Custos divinitatis Constitutiones diligenti cura non solum ease servare, sed etiam multiplicare debet. Si quis igitur insanus importunitate illa quae diximus praestantior a quàm sua defendere oportet & augmentare. Si quis igitur insanus importunitate improbitateque sua, Regem a recto proposito pervertere tentaverit, nullisque remediis mitigari posse visus fuerit, licet obsequiis aliquibus & transitoriis sit necessarius, abscindendus ab eo projiciendusque est, juxta illud Evangelium, Si pes, manus aut occulus tuus scandilizat • te, erue eum & projice abs • te.

Since then Christian Emperors, Kings, Princes in Forein parts, and our own Kings and Parliaments in and by all the forecited Laws and Statutes yet in force, have established Tithes and other Duties on our Clergy and Ministers of the Gospel, and thus publicly branded the negligent or willful detainers, sustractors of this just Debt and Duty (prescribed by our Laws, with Warrant from the Old and New Testament) for evil disposed persons, not regarding their duty to Almighty God (which therefore none who claim their Power from, or for God, should now regard or countenance in the least degree) enforcing them by actions at Law, Imprisonment, payment of treble Dammages, excommunications, and the like coercive ways to render to them Tithes at last to their loss; Why Christian Magistrates should not still enforce the obstinate detainers of Ministers Tithes, and defrauders of them in their just Dues, and merited rewards for their Ministry, as hath been formerly practiced in all ages and places too; Let all Anti-tithers (who would be Lawless, as well as Titheless and Godless ) resolve me when they can: and if they deem themselves above all human Laws and Penalties (so long as they wear their swords by their sides) for defrauding our Ministers of their lawful Tithes and Dues, let them then chew the cudd upon this Evangelical Precept, backed with the strongest coercive power both in Heaven and Earth, 1 Thes. 4. 6. Let no man go beyond, or defraud his brother (much less then his Minister) in anything (therefore not in Tithes due by Divine and human Right) mark the reason: Because that the Lord is the avenger of all such things, as we have forewarned and testified. And what vengeance God will take of such who defraud their Brethen and Ministers of their debts, and necessitate them to sue them at the Law, to recover their Rights: he▪ resolves, in the 1 Cor. 6, 7, to 11. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because you go to Law (to wit before Heathen Judges, or without just cause) one with another, (the greatest if not only fault being in the Defrauder and Detainer) why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay why do you wrong and defraud, and that your Brethren? and which is more, rob your Ministers; yea, but what harm or punishment will follow on it? Mark it, O all ye Saint-seeming Hypocrites, who are guilty of it! Know ye not, That the unrighteous (who thus wrong and defraud their Brethren and Ministers, which is worse) shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither Thieves, nor covetous (and such are all those who rob and defraud their Ministers of their Tithes and Duties) shall not inherit the Kingdom of God: no more than Fornicators, Idolaters, &c. with whom they are here coupled. Let all those then who are guilty of this damning sin, which disinherits them of God's Kingdom, now seriously repent and reform it, with all such, who have abetted or confederated with them herein, that so I may add with the Apostle in the next words, And such were some (nay all) of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

And now to cloze up this Chapter, I shall desire all Anti-Tithers who have already in their heady Resolutions, resolved to abolish, not only all our Ministers Tithes, and ancient Dues established by the Lord himself in the Old and New Testament, with all the forecited Laws, Statutes, Ordinances for the true and due payment of them, but all other coercive maintenance for their future subsistence if not their very Rectories, Glebes, and Fabrics of our Churches (devoted for a prey by divers) sadly and seriously to consider these ensuing particulars.

1. That herein, they shall show themselves, not only worse by thousands of Degrees than our forementioned Kings and Queens, who built and endowed our Churches with Glebes, Tithes, and a liberal Maintenance; and worse than the most of all their Ancestors; Protestants or Papists, who have hitherto continued, confirmed, established them by successive Laws; but even worse than the worst of Turks and Infidels; who always heretofore, and at this very day, have and do allow their Mahometan and Pagan Idolatrous Priests in all places, a liberal, competent settled Salarie, and erect magnificent Temples to Mahomet and their Idols, exceeding most of our fairest Christian Churches both for beauty and number, as you may read at large in Pulchas Pilgrimage, Alexander ab Alexandro, Hospinian De Origin Templorum, and others. And to give you one instance for all, There are no less than 700 Moschees or Saracinical Temples in Fesse, ( a Mahometan City in Barbary) the chief whereof is Carven, being a full mile and an half in compass. It hath 31 Gates, great and high: the Roof is 150 yards long, and 80 broad: the Steeple very high: the Ornaments rich and stately: Round about it are divers Porches, containing 40 yards in length, and 30. in breadth: About the Walls are Pulpits of divers sorts, wherein the Masters and Priests of their Law, read to the People such things as they think pertain to their Salvation: The Revenue of this Temple alone, Anno 1526. was no less than 200. Ducats a day, of old rents. The chief Church in Morocco is bigger, though not altogether so fair as that of Fesse, and hath a Tower so high, that the Hills of Azafi being 120. miles distance may be seen from thence, (as Leo Purchas, and Heylin write) These Temples and others are adorned with marble Pillars, and curious Mosaicks, carved works of all sorts: Their Priests and Readers of the Law have a liberal Stipen • , with Books and lands likewise allowed them, and are had in very high estimation and Reverence, both with their Kings, Magistrates, People; the Califfs there receiving likewise the tenth Measure of Corn yearly from the People: Besides which Tenths they have many Colleges and Schools of Learning very Majestically built and richly endowed. Those therefore who pretend themselves Saints of the highest New form, and yet would deface the beautiful Churches our pious Ancestors erected for God's worship, & strip our Ministers naked of all Glebes, Tithes, settled Maintenance, so as they shall not be able to live comfortably, and provide for their Families, have in truth denied the Faith, and are worse than these Turks and Infidels, 1 Tim. 5. 8.

2ly. That hereby they shall make both our Religion and Nation to stink in the Nostrils of all foreign Protestant Churches, Papists, Turks, Infidels; who by the very light of Nature have condemned Sacrilege and Church Robbers: Acts 19. 37. Give extraordinary advantage to Jesuits, Papists and other Atheistical Seducers, to reduce the People either to Popery or mere Atheism: Give all the Enemies of God and our Religion occasion both to rejoice and blaspheme; and extraordinarily scandalize and grieve the hearts of all true Godly Ministers, and Protestants really affected to our Religion, throughout our three Nations.

3ly. That they will herein exceed all our late suppressed Prelates and their High Commission Courts in Tyranny, Cruelty, Injustice, by undoing all or most of our Godly Ministers and their Families at one fatal blow; instead of relieving them in their present Necessities under which many of them sadly groan, by depriving them of their Livelihood, without any legal Conviction of the least crime, but only that they are Ministers of the Gospel, and receive Tithes; and thereby draw upon their Heads, not only the cries and clamours of these oppressed ones here, with all the forementioned Curses and judgments denounced against Tith. Detainers, but also that sad irrevocable sentence of Condemnation before Christ's Tribunal at the last day, Matth. 25. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels; for I was hungry and ye gave me no Meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me no Drink, I was (not) a Stranger, (but your Minister) and ye took me not in, (but cast me and mine out of those Rectories and Benefices your Ancestors gave and settled on me,) naked, and ye clothed me not, nay stripped me naked of all my clothing and Livelihood, and would neither relieve, nor maintain me yourselves, nor permit others to do it, in an ancient legal way; And then what can you answer, or to whom can you resort for protection, from this inevitable just Charge and Doom of Damnation for all eternity?

4ly. Consider seriously the exemplary punishment executed upon Ananias and Saphyra, Acts 5. 1, &c. with that fearful judgment of retaliation denounced against all plundering Enemies of the Church of Christ, Isaiah 33. 1. Woe unto thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee; when thou ceasest to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shall make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee: Seconded by Obadiah 15. As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee, thy reward shall return upon thine own head. And if any fondly conceit, (as many do) that the Swords and Power of an Army shall bear them out against the Lord of Hosts himself: let them consider that of Psal. 33. 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an Host, (themselves have seen it by late experience) neither is any mighty man delivered by great strength. Jeroboam the Idolatrous Usurper had an Army of no less than eight hundred thousand chosen men, to make good his usurped Title against Abijah David's right Heir, yet when he had cast out the Priests of the Lord from their Suburbs and Possessions, and made him Priests for his Calves of the lowest of the people; he was vanquished by a far smaller Army, and no less than five hundred thousand of his forces slain in one days battle, and the Lord soon after smote him that be died, 2 Chron. 13 Ore • , Zebah, and Salmunna the Princes and Generals of the Midianites, when they entered into the Land of Israel to destroy it, had an Army like unto Grashoppers for multitude, and they and their Camels were without number, Judges 6. 5, 6. Yet when they said,

2 Kings 1. 9, 10, &c. To lesson all soldiers and Captains now, to reverence God's Ministers, and do his Prophets no harm in their Persons, Callings or Estates: Else he who rebuked Kings, and miraculously slew those Captains and their Troopers for their sakes, will avenge their quarrel now as well as in former ages. And if former victories and successes have and do puff them so far up with pride or security, as to think they may now reduce our Ministers like Conquered vassals to such poverty, as to enforce and make them eat the very crumbs under their Tables, instead of feeding at their own; let them remember that one memorable President (wherewith I have quelled many usurping soldiers) of the greatest Conqueror and Abuser of Kings, I ever yet read off in the world, and God's retaliation upon him for his Tyranny and inhumanity after the Conquest of no less then 70. Kings (and who now living hath conquered the tenth part of that number?) thus recorded to all Posterity, Judge. 1. 5, 6, 7. And Iudab fought against Adonibezeck, in Bezeck, and they slew the Canaanites and Perazites. And Adonibezeck fled, and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his Thumbs and great Toes. And Adonibezeck said, threescore and ten Kings, having their thumbs and great toes cut off, have gathered their meat under my Table: As I have done, so God hath requited me; and they brought him to Jerusalem and there he died. It is very dangerous for any Conquerers to make ill Presidents of Tyranny or Rapine, because they have power in their hands to do it. Mark what a Woe and judgment God denounceth against such, Mich. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4 Woe to them that devise iniquity upon their beds, when the morning is come they practice it, Because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields, and they take them by violence, and houses, and take them away: So they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage (Nay Ministers now and their Heritage, as well as other men's) But mark what follows immediately. Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from whence they shall not remove their necks, neither shall they be haughty, for this time is evil. In that day shall one take up a Parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, we be utterly spoiled; He hath changed the portion of my people as some now would change our Ministers) How hath he removed it from me? turning away He hath divided our fields, therefore he shall have none that shall cast by lot in the Congregation of the Lord. It is most perilous for any by mere Arbitrary Votes, will and violence to seize on, change, divide any other men's lands, houses, inheritances, especially God's Ministers; it will prove as bad as a cup of poison to them, they shall vomit them up again with a vengeance; And though their excellency mount up to the Heavens and their Head unto the Clouds; yet their triumphing shall be but short, and their joy but for a moment: They shall perish forever as their own dung: They which have seen them shall say, Where are they? They shall fly away as a dream and shall not be found: The eyes which saw them shall see them no more, neither shall their place anymore behold them, (mark the reason) because they have oppressed and violently taken away an House which they built not. Job 20. 4. • o 20. How much more the Houses, Glebes, Tithes of God and his Ministers? Let this sad consideration then, persuade all turbulent, greedy, sacrilegious spirits to follow Dr. Gamaliel's advice, (which many of them have much pressed for a public Toleration of all Religions, though now they would extirpate all Ministers and their Tithes root and branch) recorded Acts 5. 48, 49. Refrain from these Men (and their Tithes too) and let them alone; for if they (and their tithes) be of God (as I have proved them) ye cannot overthrow them, lest haply ye be found to be fighters against God.

5ly. Let every of the chiefest now in Power, remember those many reiterated solemn Declarations, Protestations, Votes and Ordinances they have formerly made for the due payment and preservation of our Ministers Tithes and Augmentation of their incompetent Livings out of the Bishops and Delinquents Impropriations, and Deans and Chapters Lands; (for the most part other ways disposed notwithstanding) And what an high violation of public Faith, Trust, Promises, Solemn Engagements, and an eternal Infamy and Dishonor it will procure to their Persons, Memories (in after Annals) and Posterities, if all these should now conclude in a general armed Depredation, Abolition, Dissolution or Substraction of all their old Rectories, Glebes, Tithes, Dues, instead of new settled Augmentations out of other dissipated Church Revenues formerly Voted for them.

6ly. Let all Changers and Innovators of our Fundamental Laws and Ministers Maintenance, consider what prohibitions, Comminations and Judgments God hath proclaimed against, and inflicted upon such innovators and changers in his Word. Eccles. 10. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. There is an evil which I have seen under the Sun, As an error which proceedeth from the Ruler: folly is set in great Dignity, and the Rich in low Place; I have seen Servants upon Horses, and Princes walking as Servants on the earth (but mark the issue) He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it: and who so breaketh an hedge, a Serpent shall bite him: who so removeth st • nes shall be hurt thereby, and he that cleaveth Wood shall be endangered thereby. The meaning of which Parabolical expressions is thus more clearly explained, Prov. 24 21, 22. My Son, fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with those who are given to change, for their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruin of them both? That is, of the Changers & their Adherents joining with them, by the revenging Justice both of God and the King. My deceased Brother Burtons Sermons on this Text, Nov. 5. 1636. are worth all our Innovators reading. For which Sermons he and I jointly suffered in the Star-chamber through our Innovating all-ruling Prelates malice, for discovering, oppugning those several Changes and Innovations they had made in the Ceremonies, Doctrine of our Church, and High-Commission arbitrary proceedings, contrary to our Laws. Little did those Prelates think in that time of their domineering Power and Greatness, that these changes of theirs, and unrighteous censures upon us for discovering and opposing them, would have so soon proved the very causes of their unexpected sudden calamity and ruin, according to this Text and censured Sermons; and of their High-Commission and Starchamber Court too, wherein they prosecuted us; yet they really found they did so. What proved the calamity, and ruin of Strafford, Canterbury, and the old Council Table, but their unrighteous exorbitan • Innovations and New Projects against our Laws, and old forms of Parliamentary Proceedings? What brought sudden unexpected calamity and ruin on the late King and Parliament too, (even by those who were raised, commissioned, engaged by Oaths, Protestations, and Solemn Covenants to defend and preserve them) but God's Justice for some exorbitant Changes, and Fundamental, violent, illegal Innovations, whereof both were guilty? especially in the Militia; whereof the Houses endeavoring totally to divest the King, without admitting him any share therein (which bred the first fresh quarrel between them) as their only security and the Kings too: And now God hath made that very Militia the ruin of them both, and to assume both the Regal and Parliamental, Military and Civil Supreme Authority and Government of the Nation and united Kingdoms too, wholly to themselves, and to dash in pieces that n • w minted Mock Parliament Power and Government themselves at first created; for those many notorious injurious Changes, Oppressions, Innovations of all sorts whereof they were deeply guilty: And what other fatal Changes God may yet suddenly effect to the Calamity and Ruin of those who have been Chief Instruments in all these Changes, if they ring THE CHANGES still, till they (a) have turned all things upside down, as the Potter doth his clay, and our very Ministers settled maintenance, with all Fundamental laws for the establishment of their and all others just Rights and Liberties, I leave to their own saddest Meditations, these Gospel Texts of Rom. 2. 1, 2, 3. and c. 12. 20, 21. (which I hope neither will nor can offend any Professors of the Gospel) Therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest, for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself, for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them who commit such things: And thinkest thou this O man, that judgest them who do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the Judgment of God? Be not High-minded but fear: For if God spared not the Natural Branches take heed lest he also spare not thee, being a Wilde Olive Tree. And when they have meditated on these Texts, I shall further importune all such of them who like the little Horn in Daniel 7. 24, 25, 26. that should be divers from the FIRST, and subdue THREE KINGS; and being elevated with that success, should speak great words against the most High, and wear out his Saints, and think to change Times and Laws, advisedly to consider what there next follows That though the Laws and Times should be given into his hand, yet it will be until a time and times and the dividing of times. And the Judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end. And then our Ministers need not fear their Ministry, Tithes, Glebes, nor the People their Just Rights and Liberties, which otherwise are like to be lost, subverted, destroyed in the long, bloody, costly Contests and Wars for their Defense and Preservation.

Now lest any should pretend matter of Conscience or Reason against the Christian Magistrates enforcing of Tithes true payment, by coercive Means and Laws, in these Tith-detaining sacrilegious times; or for the speedy Repeal of all our forespecified Laws and Ordinances yet in force to compel all Detainers of them to pay them duly under the several penalties therein prescribed; I shall endeavor to give a full satisfactory Answer to all Arguments and Cavils of moment usually made against them, which are reducible to these four Heads.

Object. First, That there is no express Precept in the Gospel, nor any such penal Laws, enforcing the payment of Tithes to be found in the Primitive and purest times for 500. years after Christ; Therefore they are unlawful, oppressive, un-evangelical, tyrannical, antichristian; as Canne terms them, in his thundering empty voice.

Answ. To this I answer, first, That there is no express Precept or President in the New Testament, for any strange High Courts of Justice, Martial, or other Courts of that Nature, for any Articles of War or penal Laws to put Soldiers or any others to death, or inflict punishments for any New High-Treasons, or Offences whatsoever. No Precept nor President that John Canne (a late Excise-man as divers report) can produce for the imposing or levying of any Excise, Impositions, Taxes, Customs, Crown-Rents, Tonnage, Poundage, Contributions, by any Distresses, Forseitnres, Imprisonments, sale of Goods, billetting of Soldiers on the People, and armed violence now used by Soldiers, Excisemen, Collectors and other Publicans sitting at the Receipt of Custom, (whereof I hear John Canne is one, perhaps to Excise the Alehouses and Cannes there used for names-sake) all puny to and less warrantable by God's Law and Gospel, than our Ministers Tithes. The Objectors therefore must find express Gospel-Texts for all and every of these public Duties, and the present ways of levying and enforcing them, or else disclaim them, or their Objection against Tithes.

2ly. I have produced express Gospel-Texts warranting in the general coercive Laws, Sutes, Actions to recover Ministers Tithes, as well as any other just, legal, public or private Dues, Debts, Rents, Lands, Possessions whatsoever. Therefore the Objectors must either disclaim their Objection, or renounce all penal Laws, Sutes, and coercive Means whatsoever to levy or recover any other civil Rights, Debts or Duties whatsoever, and introduce a lawless Anarchy and Confusion amongst us, for everyone to cheat, defraud, rob, oppress, disseise, spoil, defame, wound, murder one another, without any penalty or redress, except only by Club-law, instead of a peaceable, just and righteous Government.

3ly. The reason why there were no coercive Laws for the payment of Tithes or Ministers dues in the Primitive Church for above 500 years was this, because Christians then were so zealous, ready, forwards to render them with an overplus, and to sell their very Houses, Lands, Possessions, Estates, and lay them down at the Apostles and Ministers feet to maintain them, and relieve their poor Christian Brethren, witness Act▪ 2. 44, 45. c 4. 34, 35, 37. c. 5. 1, 2. 2 Cor. 11. 9. Phil. 4. 15, 16, 17, 18. Rom. 15▪ 26 and that memorable place, 2 Cor. 8. • , to 5. where Paul records of the first Churches and Converts in Macedonia, how that in a great Trial of Affliction (in times of heavy persecution their deep Poverty abounded to the riches of their Liberality, for to their power (I hear them record) yea and beyond their power they were willing of themselves, praying us with much entreaty, that we would receive the Gift, and take upon us the Fellowship of the Ministring to the Saints, &c. The New Testament records, the exceeding readiness of the Pharisees to pay Tithes of all they did possess, and of the smallest Seeds and Garden-Herbs of all kinds, to their Priests or Levites; which Christ himself approved, commended, with a these things ought ye not to have left undone; And Philo a learned Jew, who lived under Claudius, in the Apostles days, records as an Eye-witness on his own knowledge, That the Jews were so forward in paying their First-fruits and other Dues to their Priests, That they prevented the Officers demanding them, paid them before they were due by Law, as if they had rather received a benefit, than rendered any, both Sexes of their own readiness, bringing them in with such courtesi • and thanks giving, as is beyond all expression (they are his very words:) And were they then less forwards think you, to render due Maintenance, (if not Tithes and First-fruits,) to the Apostles when they turned Christians? Surely no, for the forecited Texts in the Acts declare, they were far more bountiful than before, both to the Apostles and poor Saints, selling all they had to support them. The like zeal (even in the heat of persecution, under bloody Pagan Persecutors) continued in all the Primitive Christians next after the Apostles, who though persecuted, driven into Corners, imprisoned, banished, and spoiled of their Goods, Lands, by plundering Officers, Sequestrators, Soldiers, as Eusebius, and others record, yet everyone of them out of his deep Poverty contributed every Month, or when he would or could some small stipend for the maintenance of the Ministers and Poor (when they had no Lands to pay Tithes out of) of his own accord without any coercion: witness Tertullian (who flourished but 200. years after Christ) Modicum u •• squisque stipem Menstrua die, vel cum velit, et si modo volit, & si modo possit apponit, nam nemo compellitur, (there was no need when they were so free of their own accord) sed sponte con • ert. Haec quasi deposita pietatis sunt. And though their Monthly stipends in regard of their great Poverty were thus termed small comparatively to what they were before the Persecution, yet indeed they were very large, considered in themselves, as by the same Authors following words in this Apology, c. 42. appears, Plus nostra misericordia insumit vicatim, quam vestra Religio templatim: they bestowing more in a Liberal free way of Christian Charity in every Village towards their Ministers and Poor, than the wealthy Pagan Romans did in their Temples and Sacrifices for the Maintenance of their Paganism. In the 9th. general Persecution of the Christians about 273 years after Christ, or before, The Governor of Rome told Saint Lawrence the Martyr (Arch-Deacon to Pope Xistus the 2d. and Treasurer of the Christians Oblations for the Ministers Maintenance and Poors relief) that the common Report then was, how the Christians did frequently cell their Lands, and dis • nherit their Children (like those in the Acts) to enrich the Ministers, and relieve the Poor, bringing thousands of Sestertii at a time to St. Lawrence, out of the sale of their Lands, so as their Treasury was so great that he thought to seise on it for a prey: Which their bountiful Liberality Prudentius thus poetically expresseth,

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What need then any Law to compel the Christians to pay Tithes or Ministers dues, when in the heat of Persecution, they were so bountiful to them and the Poor as thus voluntarily to contribute their whole Estates for their support? Whose President if the Cavillers against our present penal Laws, Ordinances for Tithes would imitate, no Minister nor other voluntary Tith-payers would oppose their repeal. And though in these Primitive times of Persecution, the Christians being spoiled of their Lands and Possessions, could not pay Tithes in kind in most places, but were necessitated to such voluntary Contributions as these, yet without all peradventure they held the payment of Tithes to Ministers in kind, a Divine Moral Duty, and in some places, and at sometimes (when and where they could) did voluntarily pay Tithes as a Duty for their Maintenance without any coercive Laws or Canons, upon the bare demand or exhortation of their Ministers, by virtue of God's own Divine Laws, as is undeniable by Irenaeus, l. 4. c. 34. who records, That the Christians in his time (being but 180. years after Christ) did not give less to their Ministers than the Jews did to their Priests by the Law of Moses, who received the consecrated TITHES of their people, but more, Designing omnia quae sunt ipsorum, all they had to the Lord's use, Hilariter ac liberaliter ea quae non sunt min • ra: Giving cheerfully and freely those things which were not less than Tithes, as having greater hope than they. And further confirmed by Origen, Homil. 11 in Numeros: Saint Cyprian, lib. 1. Epist. 9. De unitate Ecclesiae, the words of Saint Augustine, Hom. 48. Majores nostri ideo copiis abundabant, quia Deo Decimas dabant; And the second Council of Mascin, An. 586. Can. 5. Leges Divinae Consulentes Sacerdotibus ac Ministris Ecclesiarum, pro Haereditaria portion omni populo prae • eperunt, Decimas fructuum suorum locis sacris praestare, ut nullo labor impediti per res illegitimas possint vacare Ministeriis, Quas leges Christianorum Congeries legis temporibus custodivit iutemerata. Which prove a long continued Custom and Practice of paying Tithes to Ministers as a Divine Right and Duty, used amongst Christians long before St. Augustine's days and this ancient Council. And no sooner were the times of Persecution pa • t, but the Divine Right of Tithes was asserted, pressed, and the due payment of them inculcated by St. Hilary, Nazianzen, Ambrose, Jerome, Chrysostom, Augustine, Eusebius, Cassian, Cyril of Jerusalem, Isiodore Pelusiota, and Caesarius Arelatensis, all flourishing within 500. years after Christ, as Dr. Tillesly proves at large; And the people during that space paying their Tithes freely, without any compulsion in all places, there needed neither Laws nor Canons to enforce their payment: whence Agobardus writes thus (about the year of our Lord 820. when Laws and Canons began to be made for their payment) of the precedent times: Nulla compulit necessitas fervente ubique religiosadevotione, & amore illustrandi Ecclesiae ultro aestuante. That there was no need of Canons or Laws to compel the payment of Tithes, whiles servant religious Devotion, and love of illustrating Churches everywhere abounded. But in succeeding degenerating times, when (according to Christ's prediction) the love and zeal of many Christians to God, Religion, and Ministers began to grow lukewarm, and colder than before, so as they began to detain their Tithes and Ministers dues, then presently Christian Kings and Bishops in Ecclesiastical and Temporal Synods and Councils, began generally in all places, to make Laws and Canons for the due payment of them; declaring in them only the Divine Right, Laws and Precepts of God to the People both in the Old and New Testament, as a sufficient obligation (seconded by their bare Canons and Edicts) without any coercion or penalty to oblige them to their due payment. The first unquestionable Canon for the payment of Tithes I find extant, is that of the second Council of Mascin forecited, An. 586. cap. 5. The first Law extent made by any General Council or Parliament for the payment of Tithes, is that of the Council of Calcuth in England, under Offa and Alfred. An. 786: declaring their Divine Right, and enjoining their payment without any Penalty; After which Charles the Emperor, about the year of our Lord 813. by Canons made in sundry Councils, and in his Capitulars or Laws, enjoined the payment of Tithes, under pain of being enforced to render them by distress, upon complaint, and some small penalties. Since which time many Laws and Canons were made in our own and foreign Realms till our present times, for the due payment of Tithes under sundry penalties, which because collected by Sir Henry Spelman in his Councils, Mr. Selden in his History of Tithes, Bochellus Decret. Eccles. Gal. l. 6. Tit. 8. De Decimis, Fridericus Lindebrogus Codex Legum Antiquarum, Surius, Binius, Crab, Lindwood in their Collections of Councils, and sundry others; I have therefore only given the Reader a brief Catalogue of the principal Civil laws both at home and abroad, for the due payment of them; reciting more at large but what others for the most part have omitted, and are not vulgarly known, giving only brief hints upon some of the rest in my third Chapter. Whither I refer the Reader for further satisfaction in this Objection; and shall conclude of penal Laws as Seneca doth of Fates: Fata volentes ducunt, Nolentes trabunt: those who will not willingly pay their Tiths must and ought to be compelled thereunto by penal Statutes:

The second Objection is, That the payment of Tithes is against many men's Judgments and Consciences: Therefore it is both Unchristian, Tyrannical, and Unjust, to enforce them thereunto.

I answer, 1. That the payment of Tithes being not only warranted but commanded in and by the Old and New Testament, and the constant practice of Christians in all Ages, Churches, there neither is, nor can be the le •• t pretence of Conscience, for the non-payment of them. Therefore this pretext of Conscience is in truth naught else, but most desperate Unconsci • nableness, Malice, Obstinacy, Peevishness, Covetousness, Impiety, or secret Atheism, worthy to be reformed by the severest Laws and penalties.

2ly. All that Conscience can pretend against their payment as Tithes, is only this Anabaptistical Devise, and loud Lye of Canne and others; That the payment of a precise Tenth part of men's increase to their Ministers is Jewish or Antichristian, and so unlawful: both which I have unanswerably refelled. Therefore this can be no ground or Conscience for any to detain them. But if any scrupulous Consciences be not satisfied in this point, let them either pay their Ministers the Moitie or 9. parts, or the 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9▪ part of their annual increase, neither of which is Jewish or Antichristian; or else let them sell all their old or new purchased Lands, Houses, Possessions, Goods they have, and bestow them on the Ministers and Poor, as the forecited Primitive Christians did, whom they pretend to imitate, and then they may satisfy both their Consciences and Ministers too, without the least difference, coercion, suit or penalty of our Laws.

3ly. Many of these very Objectors, pretending Conscience, as Soldiers or Sequestrators, have made no Conscience to enforce thousands of Parishioners of late years throughout the Nation to pay their Ministers Tithes to themselves for pretended Arrears or sequestered Goods, and exacted Monthly contributions out of Ministers Tithes to pay the Army, without any scruple of Conscience, levying them by distress and armed violence, when detained. If then they can enforce others thus to pay Tithes to themselves, and those to whom they were never due by any known Law of God or Man: With what Conscience can they detain them from our Ministers, to whom they are due by all divine and human laws, or condemn the enforced payment of them from themselves, who have so violently extorted them from others?

4ly. If any Ministers or others plead the payment of our late heavy monthly Taxes, Excises, Impositions, Ship-money, far exceeding the old, to be against their Conscience, as being imposed by no lawful Parliamental Authority, repugnant to all our Laws, Statutes, Liberties, Privileges, Protestations, Covenants, Records, Votes of Parliament, employed to shed Seas of innocent precious Christian blood, to maintain unchristian bloody wars against our late Protestant Brethren in Covenant and Amity, they know not upon what lawful Quarrel, to support an arbitrary Army Government, Power to domineer over them, to subvert our old Fundamental laws, Parliaments, Covernours, Liberties, Peace, Elections, Trials, the Great Charters of England, foment Here • ies, Sects, Schisms, and carry on the Plots of the Pope, Jesuits, Spaniard, French, to ruin our Realms, Church, Religion, and pay many disguised Jesuits and Popish Priests secretly lurking in all places under the Mask of listed Soldiers (as most wise men conceive) to perpetuate our wars, destroy our Ministers and Nation by endless wars and Taxes. All these, with other such weighty grounds of Conscience, Law, Prudence, (which some have insisted on and pleaded) can no ways exempt them from violent Distresses, Quarterings, Penalties, Forfeitures, Levies, by armed Soldiers, who regard these Pleas of Conscience no more than Common Highway-men who take men's Purses by force, and deem all public Enemies, who dare plead Law or Conscience in this case; though the Plea be true and undeniable even in their own Judgments and Consciences, as some of them will acknowledge to those they thus oppress. Why then should they or any others esteem this mere pretence of Conscience only against Penal Laws for Tithes, enforced in a less rigorous manner, which they may with as much reason and Justice allege against the payment of their just Debts, Land Lord's Rents, and all other dues from them to God or Men?

The 3d. Objection is, That Tithes are pure Alms; Therefore not to be enforced by any Law. For which the Opinions of John Wycliffe, Hus, Thorp, are produced by the Anabaptists, and Erasmus urged by some, but without sufficient ground.

I have answered this Objection elsewhere, and shall here only declare, whence, I conceive, this Error (that Tithes are mere Alms ) originally proceeded, to rectify mistakes of the meaning of some ancient Authors, and clear two Texts of Scripture which some Scholars and ignorant People misapprehend.

First, I conceive this Error sprang originally from the misunderstanding of that Text of Deutr. 14. 28, 29. At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the Tith of thine increase THE SAME YEAR, and shalt lay it up within thy Gates. And the Levite (because he hath no place, no Inheritance with thee ) and the Stranger, and the Fatherless and the Widow, which are within thy Gates shall come, and shall eat (thereof) and be satisfied; That the Lord may bless thee in all the work of thine hands which thou doest; compared with Deutr. 26. 12, 13, 14. When thou hast made an end of tithing all the Tithes of thin • Encrease, the third year, which is the year of Tithing, and hast given unto the Levite, the Stranger, the Fatherless and Widow, that they may eat within thy Gates, and be filled; Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed Thing out of mine House, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the Stranger, to the Fatherless and to the Widow; according to all thy Commandments which thou hast commanded me; I have not transgressed thy Commandments, neither have I forgotten them; I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any uncleanness, nor given ought thereof for the Dead, but have hearkened unto the voice of the Lord my God, and done according all thou hast commanded me: To which that of Amos may be referred. From which Texts some have conceived, That the Israelites paid Tithes only every third year. 2ly. That they paid them then not to the Levites only, but to the Stranger, Fatherless, Widows and Poor amongst them, who had a right and share in them as well as the Levites. 3ly. That these Texts use the phrase not of paying Tithes, as a Debt or Duty, but of GIVING them as an Alms; and seeing they are given thus to the Stranger, Fatherless, Widow at Alms; therefore to the Levites likewise, here coupled with them. This doubtless was the true ground that Tithes were reputed mere Alms by some▪ and not a Divine Right peculiar to Ministers.

To disperse these Mists of Error. First take notice, That neither these, nor any other Texts in Scripture style Tithes Alms, much less pure Alms, which men may give or retain at their pleasures. 2ly. That they expressly resolve the contrary that they are no Alms at all in the objected sense, but a most certain positive commanded Debt and Duty, no ways arbitrary in the least degree. For 1. By express positive Laws and Commandments of God oft repeated, all the particulars of this Duty are defined. 1. The Quota pars or quantity: All the Tithe of thine Encrease the same year. 2ly. The time of it: every third year, which is the year of Tithing, at the end of three years. 3ly. The place of Stowage: Thou shalt lay it up within thy gates. 4ly. The persons who must receive it: The Levite, Stranger, Fatherless, Widow. 5ly. The place of their receiving it: Within thy gates. 6ly. The manner of receiing it: They shall come and eat thereof and be filled. Secondly, which is most considerable, the Owners and Tithe-payers had no disposing power over it for their own uses upon any occasion or necessity. For, 1. They must bring all of it out of their Houses as an hallowed thing. 2ly. They must make a solemn Protestation before the Lord, that they had given it all to the Levite, Stranger, Fatherless, Widow, and that not of their own free voluntary bounty, but as a bounden debt and duty, according to all God's Commandments which he had commanded them. 2ly. That they had neither willfully transgressed, nor negligentlie forgotten his Commandments herein. 3. That they had neither eaten thereof in their mourning (in times of want and distress) neither had they taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, &c. but have hearkened to the voice of the Lord their God, and done according to all that he commanded them: The reason of which Protestation was, because God committed the custody and dispensing of these three years Tithes to the Owners themselves, who might be apt to purloin and pervert part of them to their own private uses. I appeal now to all men's consciences, whether these very Texts do not unanswerably prove Tithes to be no Alms or arbitrary Benevolence at all, but a most precise, positive, certain Debt and Duty, most punctually limited in each particular? and whether that we now usually call Alms to the Poor, be not a Debt and Duty, as Rom. 15. 27. with other Texts resolve it, not a mere Freewill Gift, which we may neglect or dispence with as we please.

Having cleared the Text as to Alms, I shall next vindicate them from the other mistakes concerning the time of Tithing, and Persons receiving Tithes. For which end we must know, that the Jews had four sorts of Tithes, as the Scriptures and Marglnal Authors prove, besides their First fruits, amounting to any proportion from the 40th. to the 60th. pars amongst the Pharisees who exceeded others in bounty,

1. Such Tithes as every of the Laity in •••• y Tribe of Israel, who had any comings in, or increase at all, paid unto the Levites, out of their Annual increase that was eatable or useful for them, as a sacred inheritance, possession and reward for their service at the Tabernacle; being the full Tenth part of their increase, after the first fruits deducted: which Tithes they received in kind at their respective Cities and places of abode: and if any Tithe-payer would redeem or compound for them, he was to add a fifth part more than they were valued at; because the Levites should not be cheated by any undervalues, and those who redeemed them did it only for their own advantage for the most part, not the Levites; and then they should pay for it. These are the Tithes prescribed Levite. 27. 30, 31, 32, 33. Numb. 18. 20, to 32. Which the Levites and their Households were to eat in every place, where they resided, as their peculiar Portion and Inheritance; Wherein the Stranger, Fatherless and Widow had no share, neither were they brought up to Jerusalem, nor put into any common Treasury; and paid constantly every year. And these are the Tithes which our Ministers now challenge and receive by a Divine Right, as their standing inheritance, and the Churches Patrimony: and the Tithes intended Heb. 7. 2, 5, 8, 9.

2ly. Such Tithes as the Levites paid to all the Priests, as most affirm: Or to the High Priest only (as Lyra, Tostatus, and some other Popish Authors assert, to justify the Popes Right to Tenths, which he challengeth and receiveth for the rest of the Popish Clergy in all places) for their better maintenance and support besides their First-fruits, fees of Sacrifices, Oblations and other Duties, being the full tenth part of the Tithes they receive from the people (due to the whole body of the Tribe of Levi) Numb. 18. 20. to 31.

3ly. A second Tenth, which the Lay Israelites were obliged by God, to pay every year out of their nine parts remaining after separation of the first Tenth here mentioned; and this was likewise of all their annual increase of Corn, Wine, Oil, Cattle, Sheep, Honey, and things eatable; This Tithe was by God's special appointment to be carried up to the place which God should choose, and to Jerusalem in kind, by the places that were near; and the full value thereof in money by places more remote. Which Tithes and money were designed for the maintenance of their public solemn standing Feasts every year, wherein the Owners, Priests, Levites and all the people feasted together before the Lord. The residue was laid up in Storehouses, Treasuries and Chambers together with the First-fruits and Offerings for the maintenance of the Priests and Levites dwelling in Jerusalem, having no abiding elsewhere in the Country, and for those who came up thither in their Courses and served in and about the Temple; of which some selected Priests and Levites who were faithful had the Oversight and Distribution; not any Lay Treasurers, Officers or Sequestrators who would be singering all our Ministers Tithes now, and reduce them to a public Treasury, to fill their private purses with them. These are the Tithes commanded, specified, and principally intended: Deut. 12. 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19. c. 14. 22, to 28. 2 Chron. 31. 6, to 16. Neh. 10. 37, 38, 39. c. 12. 44. c. 13. 9, to 14. Mal. 3. 10. Which Tithes were abolished with the Jewish Feasts and Temple: Yet the shadow and footsteps of them continued many years after in the primitive Christians Love-Feasts, as Mr. Montague proves at large.

4ly. The fourth sort of Tithes which the lay Israelites paid, was that for the Levite, Stranger, Fatherless and Widow, payable only every third year out of all that years increase; after the separation of the forementioned Tithes for the Levites, Priests and Annual feasts; which the Owners kept in their own barns, and were to be eaten by the Levite, Stranger, Fatherless, and Widow, within their gates and houses, Deut. 14. 28, 29. c. 26. 11, to 17.

Now in allusion to the last kind of Tithes, St. Ambrose Sermon in die Ascentionis, St. Jerome in Mal. 3. St. Augustine, Sermo: 219. De Tempore, & ad Fratces in Eremo, Serm. 64. Caesarius Arelatensis, De Eleemosyna, Hom. 2. Eutropius in the Life of St. Steven, c. 17, 18. The Exhortation written about An. 700. Beda Eccles. Hist. l. 4. c. 10. Agilardus Contra insulsam vulgi opinionem de Grandine, &c. p. 155. Ivo Carnotensis, Epist. 102. The Synod of York under Hubert, An. 1194 and some others, press the payment of Tithes to Ministers, and giving Alms, or some part of their goods to the poor, jointly together; and some few of them still • Tithes, Tributa refectorium Animarum: The Tribute (not Alms ) of the poor souls; and tell us of Tithes which God himself hath commanded to be given to the poor. But this they intend not, of the first sort of Tithes due to the Ministers of God; but of a Tenth of their remaining Annual increase after the Ministers Tithes first paid; as most of them expressly declare. viz. Jerome. on Mal. Saltem Judaeorum imitemur exordia, ut pauperibus partem demus ex toto: & Sacerdotibus & Levitis Honorem debitum et decimus referamus, De sua particula (not the Ministers) Pauperibus ministrare; And the English Synod of Calchuth, An. 786. with Capitularia Caroli Magni, l. 6. c. 29. most distinctly; Decimas ex omnibus fructibus & pecoribus terrae annis singulis ad Ecclesias reddant Et De novem partibus que remanserint eleemosynas facient. So as there is nothing in Scripture or Antiquity rightly understood to prove Tithes to be pure Alms, as some have erroneously fancied.

The second ground of this Opinion, that Tithes were Free and pure Alms, was the frequent Grants, Donations and Consecrations of Tithes and Portions of Tithes by several Lord's of Manors and Lands by special Charters yet extant, recited in Mr. Seldens History of Tithes between the year of our Lord 1060. and 1250. (in the darkest times of Popish Superstition) to Abbeys, Monks, Friers, Nuns, and Religious Houses in eleemosynam pauperum; in liberam puram et perpetuam eleemosynam; to be distributed by these Monks, or their Almoners to the use of the Poor Pilgrims, Strangers, Widows, and Orphans, in general, at their discretion, or particularly of such and such Parishes; and they supposing the Monks to be most charitable to distribute them to the Poor; most of which Grants or all were made by the consents of the Bishops of the Diocese and confirmed by them, and many of them with the Assents of the Patrons and Encumbents of the Churches. And sometimes whole Churches with their Tithes were thus granted and impropriated to Monasteries and Monks, In jure perpetual Frankalmoigne, to the starving of the people's Souls, to pray for their Patrons when deceased, and seed the Bodies of the Poor without their Souls; whence all or most of our Appropriations and Impropriations really sprang, to the great prejudice of Ministers maintenance, and Parishioners Souls. Upon this ground many Monks and Mendicant Friars who were no part of the ordained Ministry, (just like our vagrant Anabaptistical and unordained Sectarian Predicants now) to rob the Ministers and most Priests of all their Tithes, engross them into their own hands and disposal to enrich themselves and their Monasteries, everywhere cried up tithes to be Pure Alms, which every man might bestow where he pleased, and that themselves (having renounced the world, and vowed Poverty) were fitter to receive and dispence them than the Secular Parish-Priests; and made this Doctrine a very gainful Trade, whereby they got most of the best Benefices of England, and a great part of the Tithes into their own Possession, to the great prejudice of the Church. And not content herewith, the Premonstratenses and other Orders procured a Bull from Pope Innocent the 3d. about the year 1 • 10. to exempt all their Lands which themselves manured, and all their Meadows, Woods, Fish-ponds, from paying any Tithes at all to Parish-Priests or others; That they might bestow them in Alms, or on the poor of their Monasteries, as they had requested them from the Pope; as the words of the Bull attest: After which they invented other Bulls (condemned in our Parliament by a special Act) to exempt their Tenants likewise from paying Tithes, under the same pretext. And this is the true ground and original of that Monkish opinion, That Tithes were pure Alms, and that men might give them to whom they pleased: Which grant of thithes to Monasteries, Monks, and exemptions of their Lands from paying them, upon pretext of giving them in Alms, to the great prejudice of the Ministers ( perdenda Basilica sine plebibus, Plebes sine Sacerdotibus, Sacerdotes sine reverentia, & sine Christo denique Christiani, Bernard Epist. 240.) was severely censured and sharply declaimed against by St. Bernard and Hugo Partimacensis, Epist. ad Abbatum & Conventum Nantire Monasterii after Ivo his Epistles, p. 245. (a most excellent Epistle against this practice) The Council of Vienna, An. 1340. Joannis Sarisburiencis, De Nugi • Curialium, l. 7. c. 21. Petrus Blesensis, Epist. 82. Petrus Clamianensis, Epist. l. 1. Epist. 33. And the Monkish Assertors of this Doctrine, that Tithes were pure Alms, and disposable to whom the people would; were by Pope Innocent the 4th. styled and censured in these terms, I sti Novi Magistrique dicent & praedicant contra Novum et Vetus Testamentum: yea Richard Archbishop of Armaugh complained much against these greedy unconscionable Monks in his Defensorium Curatorum, for possessing the people with this opinion, That the command of Tithes was not moral, but only ceremonial, and not to be performed by constraint of Consciences to the Ministers and Curates, and that what Lands or Goods soever were given by any of the four orders of Mendicants ought to be exempted from paying Tithes to Ministers in point of Conscience; which he refutes; from these Monks John Wycliffe, Walter Brute, and William Thorp (living in that blind Age) took up their opinion: That Tithes were pure Alms, and that the people might give them to whom they please, if they were Godly Preachers; and their Parish Priest, lazy, proud, and wicked, which opinion of Wycliffe was refuted by Thomas Waldensis as erroneous, and condemned in the Council of Constance. This I have the longer insisted on, to show how Canne and the rest of our Anabaptistical Tithe-Oppugners, revive only these old greedy Monks, Friers Tenants and practices for their own private ends and lucre; to wrest our Ministers Tithes from them into their own hands or disposing, and exempt their own Lands and Estates from paying Tithes, that so we may have Churches without people, People without Ministers, Ministers without due reverence, and finally Christians without Christ; as Bernard writes they then had by this Monkish Sacrilegious Doctrine and practice.

The fourth Objection (much insisted on as I hear) against our coercive Laws and Ordinances for Ministers Tithes, is this common Mistake, That the payment of Tithes to Ministers as a Parochial Right and Due, was first settled by the Popish Council of Lateran, under Pope Innocent the 3d. An. 1215. before which every man might freely give his Tithes, to what Persons or Churches he pleased; Therefore it is most unjust, unreasonable to deprive men of this liberty, and enforce them to pay Tithes to their Ministers now by such Laws and Ordinances.

I answer, That this is a most gross Mistake of some ignorant Lawyers, and John (c Canne; For in the Canons of this Council, there is not one syllable tending to this purpose, as I noted above 20. years since out of Binius and Surius in the Margin of Sir Edward Cooks 2. Reports, fol. 446. where it is asserted; which error he expressly retracts in his 2d. Institutes on Magna Charta, f. 641. The words of the Council, Can. 56. Plerique (sicut excipimus Regulares, & Clerici Seculares interdum) dum Domos locant vel Feuda concedunt in Presudicium Parochialium Ecclestarum. pactum adjiciunt; ut Conductores & Feudatorii Decimas eis solvant, & apud eosdem elegant Supremam: Cum autem id ex avariti • radice procedat, pactum hujusmodi penitus reprobamus: Statuentes, ut quicquid fuerit ration hujusmodi pacti praeceptum, Ecclestae Parochiali reddatur.

By which Constitution it is apparent, First, that Parish Priests and Churches, had a just Parochial Right to the Parishioners Tithes within their Precincts before this Council, else they would not have awarded restitution to them of the Tithes received; and that they had so ordered and decreed it by sundry Councils and Civil laws some hundreds of years before, is apparent by the 2. Council of Cavailon under Charles the Great, An. 813. Can. 19. Synodus Ticimensis under Lewis the 2d. An. 855. The Council of Mainz under the Emperor Arnulph, An. 894. Can. 3. The Council of Fliburg, An. 895. Can. 14. The Decree of Pope Leo the 4th. (attributed to Gelasius by some) about the year 850. The Council of Wormes and Mainz (about that time or before) cited by Gratian, Caus. 16. qu. 1. The Council of Claremont under Pope Urban, An. 1095. (these abroad) and at home in England, The Ecclesiastical Laws of King Edgar, An. 967. c. 1, 2. The Council of Eauham under King Edgar, An. 1010. and his Laws near that time, c. 14. and the Council of London under Archbishop Hubert, An. 1200. (15 years before this of Lateran. ) All which enjoin the people to pay their Tithes to their own Mother-Churches where they heard divine Service, and received the Sacraments, and not to other Churches or Chapels at their pleasures, unless by consent of the Mother-Churches. Hence Peirus Blesensis Archdeacon of Bath, about the year 1170. (45. years before the Council of Lateran ) in his 62. Epistle writes thus to the Praemonstraticatian Monks, who procured an Exemption from paying Tithes out of their Lands, That their Lands were obnoxious to Tithes, before they became theirs, and were paid hitherto, not with respect of Persons, sed ration Territorii: but by reason of the Territory and Parish Precincts. And Pope Innocent the 3d. his Decree dated from Lateran, An. 1200. (mistaken for the Council of Lateran ) cited in Cooks 2 Instit. p. 641. was but in confirmation of these precedent Authorities.

2ly. The abuses complained against and reformed by this Council, was not the lay Parishioners giving away of their Tithes from their own Ministers and Parish-Churches at their pleasures (not a word of this) but a New minted practice of most covetous Monks, Religious Houses, and some secular Clerks, to rob the Parish-Churches and Ministers of all the Tithes of the lands held of them, by compelling their Tenants and Lessees by special covenants in their Leases and Bonds, to pay their Tithes arising out of their Lands, only to themselves and their Monasteries: not to their Parish Churches as formerly; which the Pope and this great General Council resolve, to proceed merely from the root of Covetousness, (let Canne and his Comrades observe it, who pretend Conscience to be the ground) whereupon they condemn, reform, this practice, null the Covenants, Bonds, Deformations, and decreed Restitution of all profits by these Frauds to the Parish-Churches. And was not this a just, righteous and conscionable Decree, rather than an Antichristian and Papal, as Canne Magisterially censures it?

3ly. Admit the Parochial Right of Tithes first settled in and by this Council (which is false) yet being a right established at 438. years since, confirmed by constant use, Custom, Practice even since allowed by the Common law of England, ratified by the Great Charter of England, ch. 1. with sundry other S • atutes, Acts of Parliament, Canons of our Councils and Convocations; and approved by all our Parliaments ever since, as most just, expedient, necessary: Yea settled on our Parish Churches by original Grants of our Ancestors for them, their Heirs and Assigns forever, with general warranties against all men, with special Execrations and Anathemaes denounced against all such who should detain or subtract them from God and the Church, to whom they consecrated them for every; and that as sacred Tribute reserved, commanded by God himself, in the Old and New Testament as a badge of his Vniserval Dominion over them and their Possessions, held of him as Supreme Landlord; as the Council of London under Archbishop Hubert, in the 2d. year of King John, with another Council under Archbishop Replain, 3 E. 3. The Council under Archbishop Stratford with others resolve. There neither is nor can be the least pretext of Justice, Reason, Prudence, Law or Conscience for any Grandees in present Power, by force or fraud, to Null, Repeal, Al • er this Ancient Right and unquestionable Title of our Ministers to them now; and set every man loose to pay no Tithes at all, or to dispose of them how and to whom they will at their pleasure, to destroy our Churches, Ministers, Parishes, and breed nothing but Quarrels and Confusions in every place and Parish at this present, when all had now need to study to be quiet, and to do their own Business; and not to disturb all our Ministers and others Rights without any lawful call from God or the Nation. Which unparalleled encroachment on our Ministers and Parish-Churches Rights, if once admitted, countenanced, all the people in the Nation by better right and reason may pull down all the Fences and Inclosures of Fields, Forests, or Commons made since this Council; deny, subtract all Customs, Impositions, Duties, Rents, Payments public or private imposed on, or reserved from them since that time by public Laws, or special Contracts, and pay all their Rents, Customs, and Tenure-Service • , to whom and when they please; which our Grandy late Army-Purchasors of Kings, Queens, Princes, Bishops, Deans and Chapters Lands, with other Opposers of Tithes may do well to consider for their own Advantage and Security, their Titles to them being very puny, crazy, disputable, in comparison of our Ministers to their Tithes.

Now whereas Thomas Walsingham, Randal Higden a Monk of Chester in his Polichronicon, and Henry Abbot of Leycester write; that the general Council of Lions in France ) under Pope Gregory the tenth, An. 1274. Decreed; (what others ignorantly attribute to the Council of Lateran aforesaid, An. 1215.) U • nulli homini deinceps licea • decimas suas ad libitum, ut antea, liceat assignare, sed matrici ecclesiae omnes decimas persolverent: Which seems to imply, that before this Council every man might give his Tithes from the Mother Church to whom he pleased, notwithstanding the Council of Lateran and Innocents Decrees.

I answer, 1. That there was no such Canon made in this Council, as these ignorant Monks mistake, which is undeniable by the Acts and Canons of this Council, printed at large in Binius, Surius, and other Collectors of Councils; but only one Canon, against Clergy-men's alienation of the Revenues of the Church; and another against the Usurpation of the Churches Revenues by Patrons in time of their vacancy: which have no affinity with that they mention; which if true, then that which Canne and others object, that the Council of Later an made this Inhibition, and took away this Liberty of disposing Tithes at pleasure from the Parishioners, is false, as I have proved it.

Secondly, That from this mistake of these Monks it was (as Mr. Selden probably conjectures) that William Thorp ignorantly affirmed, that one Pope Gregory the tenth first ordained new Tithes first to be given to Priests now in the new Law. John Canne to manifest his great Ignorance both in History and Chronology, in his Second Voice from the Temple, p. 13, 14. Writes thus.

Wherein, 1. He mis-recites Thorps words, who speaks not of Tithes in general, but only of New Tithes: not anciently paid by the Jews, nor prescribed to them by God. And is this square dealing? 2ly. He subjoins the time (which Thorp and Master Fox do not,) referring this Decree of Gregory the tenth, to the year 1211. which was four years before the Council of Lateran, by his own Confession and falls within the Popedom of • nnocent the third, and is no less than 63. years before the Council of Lions under Gregory the Xth. and his Papacy; there being no less than seven Popes intervening between this Innocent and Gregory, as Platina, Onuphrius, in their Histories of Popes lives, and Binius, Spondanus, Oxenetius, Matthew Westminster, the Centuries of Magdenburg, Mr. Fox himself and Heylin affirm. And most certain it is, that neither this Pope Gregory, nor the Council of Lions under him, nor of Lateran under Innocent, made any such Decrees concerning Tithes, as Canne here boldly asserts; and with these two Forgeries, he most impudently concludes, The payment of Tithes is Popish, nothing more certain, (when as nothing is more false or fabulous) and so within the 2d. Article of the Covenant of the two Nations (nothing more untrue, both in the intentions and explanations of the Makers and Takers of that Covenant, as their several Ordinances for Tithes both before and after it demonstrate) which many have sworn (not he nor his Confederates, or else perjured with a Witness, if they have done it, in every clause thereof) to endeavor the extirpation of Superstition and all kind of Popery, (therefore of all Monkish, Popish Substractions of, and exemptions from payment of Tithes to their Parochial Ministers fore-recited, invented, granted by Popes, and real Popery) And therefore as it is a case of Conscience (for those who have taken the Covenant to pay Tithes, not for any man whatsoever, especially Covenanters to retain them) so men ought to be careful either how they press it, or practice it. So this Father of Lyes and Forgeries concludes against all Truth and Conscience, and dares aver to those he stiles, (let himself determine QUO JURE) The Supreme Authority of the Nation, The Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, to engage them sacrilegiously to rob all our Ministers both of their Rectories, Tithes, Ministry at once; to starve and famish (they are his own uncharitable Anabaptistical words, p. 1, 2.) These Antichristian Idols, which if they neglect speedily to do, he more than intimates (in his Epistle to them, and let them and all others observe it) the Lord (you may guess whom he means) shall lay them aside, as despised broken Idols and Vessels in whom his Soul hath no pleasure: like those who sat there before them: just John of Leydens Doctrine and practice.

It is storied of Sacrilegious Philip of Macedon (by Polybius and others) In aras et templa sae viit, ipsos etiam Lapides infringens, ne destructas aedes posthac restitui possint, and that to raise monies to pay his all-devouring Army; and of Dicaearc • us (his Atheistical General, as impious as his Sovereign) that returning victoriously from Sea, he built two Altars, one to Impiety, the other to Iniquity, and sacrificed to them as to God's. Certainly John Canne, who would have all our Churches razed to the ground, and not a stone of them left upon a stone unthrown down, that they might never be built again, (the true Voice of a Son of Edom and Babylon ) and all our Ministers Rectories, Tithes, Food and Maintenance, whereby they are fed and kept alive, taken away by the Magistrates, (and that to maintain the Army and Soldiers, as some design) would be a very fit Chaplain for such a Sacrilegious King and General; and a fit Priest or Minister for these two infernal Deities of Impiety and Iniquity, the only God's, which too many pretended Saints and Anabaptists really serve, worship in their practice. But let Canne with all his impious, unrighteous, seduced Disciples, Patrons, remember that Blessing which dying Moses, that man of God, (a better President, General for Christians to follow, than these Pagan Atheists) bestowed on the tribe of Levi ( extending to all true Ministers of the Gospel now) with his bitter imprecation against all who invaded their Substance, Function, or rise up against their Office, recorded thus for their shame and terror, Deuter. 33. 1, 8, 9, 10, 11.

Which I shall recommend to John Canne for his next Text, when he preacheth before his Fraternity of Anabaptistical Tithe-Oppugners, and Church-Robbers; to all injurious Substracters of their Ministers Tithes, and professed Enemies to their Calling. And so much for the third Proposition.

CHAP. IV.

I Now march to the 4th. Proposition, That our Ministers Tithes are really no Burthen, Grievance or Oppression to the People; but a just ancient charge, debt, annuity or duty, as well as their Landlords rents, or Merchants poundage. That the abolishing of them, will be no real Ease, Gain, or advantage to Farmers, Lessees, and the poorer sort of People (as is falsely pretended) but only to rich Landlords and Landed-men, and a loss and detriment to all others.

There have been divers clamorous Petitions of late against Tithes, subscribed by many poor People, Laborers, Servants, Apprentises, who never were capable in their Estates to pay any (not by the Nobility, Gentry, and Freeholders of the Nation, or the generality of those whose Estates are most charged with them, who repute them no Burden nor Grievance, and desire their continuance) as if they were the very Bonds of Wickedness, the heavy Burdens and Yoak, which God himself by an extraordinary Call, hath called forth some in present Power speedily to loose, undo and break, Isaiah 58. 6, 7. to which they allude, and much insist on, when as it is most clear, That this perverted Text was never once intended of Tithes, which God himself imposed on his people, as a just reserved Rent and Tribute due unto himself and his Ministers, and adjudgeth it plain ( b ) ROBBING OF GOD to subtract, much more then to abolish, and those who press the abolishing of Tithes from this Text, may with much more color urge it against all Landlords Rents, Annuities, Tonnage, Poundage, the ancient Customs of Wool, Woolfels, Leather, Tinne, Lead, which they and their Ancestors by their Tenures and our known Laws have paid time out of mind: and press those in power to expunge these Texts out of the very Gospel, as Apocryphal and burdensome, Mat. 22. • 1. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's (a clear Gospel-Text for the payment of Tithes, which are God's own Tribute and Portion, Levite. 27. 30, 32. Mal. 3. 8, 9) and Rom. 13. 7 Render therefore to all their Dues, Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Custom to whom Custom, &c. against both which they directly Petition, as the premises demonstrate. This calumny and wresting of Scripture being removed, I shall thus make good the first Branch of the Proposition.

I have already manifested by undeniable Antiquities, Laws, Records, That Tithes were freely given to and settled on our Church and Ministers, by our pious Kings Munificence, Charters, Laws, with the general applause and consent of all the Nobility and People, upon the very first settlement of Religion in this Island, many hundred years before we read of any public Taxes for Defense of the Realm, or maintenance of the Wars by Land or Sea, the first whereof was Dane-gelt (first imposed by common consent of the Lord's in Parliament, An. 983.) or before the ancientest yet continued Cust • me on Wool Woolfels and Skins exported, first granted by Parliament in 3 E. 1. Anno Dom. 1276. at least 500. years after the first extant grant, Law and settlement of Tithes in perpetuity, as a Divine Duty, Rent and Service for the necessary maintenance of God's Ministers and public Worship. This most ancient, annual Rent, Charge or Tribute unto God, hath inviolably continued in all public Changes and Revolutions of Church and State; Bri • ons, Saxons, Danes, Normans, English, Papists, Protestants, Conquerors, Invadors, Right Heirs, and Lawfull Purchasers, Intruders, Disseisers, Less • es of all sorts, whether Public Persons or Private, maintaining, consirming, rendering their Tithes successively, as a Divine and Sacred Quit-Rent due to God, wherewith they came charged into the world, till they departed out of it; laying down this for a Principle of Divinity, Law, Equity; That God alone bath given to every Man the Lands and all he holds and possesseth, whereby he gains his food and living; and therefore out of the Land and Trade, whereby everyone gets necessary supply for his body, he ought to contribute a Tenth and Tribute towards the Service of God, and Salvation of his Soul, much better than his Body; as Augustine in his 229. Sermon. Tom. 10. and the Antient Saxon Canons of an uncertain time and Author resolve. There was no Purchaser, Heir, Inheritor, Farmer, Tenant, or Lessee of Lands in our whole Nation, that paid Tithes out of it, since Tithes first settled in this Kingdom; but he inherited, purchased, took and held his Lands charged with Tithes; Whence our Law-books resolve, That no Lay-man can by the very Common Law of England, allege any Custom or Prescription, for not paying Tithes; but only a Modus Decimandi in recompense of his Tithes; which he may in some cases plead, because grounded on some ancient Contract and a valuable consideration in Lieu of Tithes. Moreover, as all Men took their Purchases, Farms, Leases or Inheritances, by Descent thus charged; so this charge was universally known to all Purchasers, Lesees, and the full annual value of the Predial Tithes they pay out of their Lands, or Leases, abated them in their Purchases, Rents, Fines, by the Venders and Lessers, of purpose to defray the public necessary annual Charge; which if the Lands had been Tithe-Free, had been proportionably raised, to the common value of the Tithes, in the Purchase▪ Moneys, Fines, or Rents; and will be so by every Seller of Lands, and Land-lord, when ever Tithes be suppressed. This being a clear undeniable Truth, which every rational man must subscribe to; it is certain, no person this day living, complaining or not complaining against Tithes, can in Verity, Equity, Justice, Reason, repute or call them, either an unjust or oppressing Yoak, Bond, Burden (as many Ignoramusses do, without sense or reason) nor any burden or charge at all to him, since he had, or rather hath the full annual value of them allowed him in his Purchase, Fine, or Rent, by him that sold or leased his Lands unto him. And although it be true, that in such Tithes as the Earth doth not naturally produce without labor (as it doth Grass, Wood, Fruits,) viz. Corn, Hops, Saffron, Woad, and the like, the Minister enjoys the Tenth of the Husbandmans increase, seed, labor and costs in tillage and improvement (the great Objection against Tithes as an Heavy Burthen, and Oppression) yet all this pretended great cost and charge (except only in Cases of Improvements) was altogether, or for the most part allowed and defalked in the Purchase, Rent, or Fine; which if Tithe-free would have been, (and when made Tithe-free, will be) raised to the full value of the Tithes, even one years purchase more in ten sales, and 28. Rent more in every pound each year upon Lease • , as all understanding men knowing what belongs to Purchases, Sales of Lands or Leases must acknowledge. And that Farmer, Purchaser, or Improver of Lands, who deems not his faithful Ministers Prayers, Preaching, Pains, and God's blessing on his Seed, Crop, Estate, Soul, Family, promised and entailed to the true payment of Tithes, and are only procured by his Ministers prayers, without which his seed, crop, and all his estate would be blasted with a Curse, & amount not to a tenth part, of what he now enjoys by God's promise and blessing by paying Tithes, and his Ministers prayers; deserves not the name of a rational man, much less of a Christian; and can expect nothing but God's curse upon all he sows, plants, enjoys, instead of a blessed Crop or Harvest. All which considered, I appeal to any Christian, or rational man's Conscience, whether Tithes be any such heavy, oppressing, intolerable, discouraging Yoak, Bondage, Burden, Oppression as some now declaim them, which God's chiefest Saints before the Law voluntarily rendered without murmuring, and cheerfully vowed, paid unto God without a Law, and his ancient people rendered without murmuring (though double to our Tithes now) by an express Law, during all the Levitical Priesthood, and all our▪ own Ancestors, as well Protestants as Papists, have for so many hundred of years cheerfully rendered without dispute, and all now living came charged with into the world, and were thus allowed the value of them in their Purchases, Fines, and Leases. And whether all Tithe-payers have not far more cause to Petition against all Old and New Rent-Services, Rent Charges, Annuities, Quit-Rents, Statutes, Debts, wherewith they were charged by their Ancestors Grants or Contracts, and of all the ancient Customs for Merchandize for defense of the Seas of Realm, as intolerable oppressing Burdens, Yoaks, Grievances (as the Levellers and Anabaptists in some l •• e printed papers style all Customs, Tonnage, Poundage, Impositions whatsoever, as well as Tithes, our Excises, or monthly Taxes, of new illegal formation, as well as Imposition) than thus to murmur, complain, Petition against their predial Tithes, our Ministers chiefest Livelihood, except in Cities which have no Tillage, Woods, or Meadows? And so much briefly for proof, That Tithes are no real Grievance, Burden, Oppression, to God's people; especially since orignally granted and commanded by God himself, whose Commandments are not grievous, 1 John 5. 3. and whose heaviest Yoak is easy, and Burden light, Matth. 11. 30. And those New-Saints, who shall think otherwise of this Divine Commandment, Yoak, and Burden of Tithes, under the Gospel, give the Gospel itself and Christ the lie herein.

For the 2d. Branch, That the abolishing of Tithes will be no real Ease, Gain, or Advantage to Farmors, Lessees, and the poorer sort of People, liable to pay Tithes (other poor being not concerned in the Controversy, whose poverty itself exexempts them from this surmised Grievance) but a Gain and Benefit, only to rich Landlords and Landed-men, is apparent by the premises. For no sooner shall Tithes be abrogated, but every Landlord will raise the full annual value of them in his annual Rents, or Fines, and exact more for them from his poor Tenants, Farmers, Lessees, than they might have compounded for with their Ministers: and where then is their expected Gain, or Ease, wherewith they are deluded by Impostors? As for the rich Landlords, they complain not of Tithes as a Burden, and need no exemption from them: and as all predial Tithes now really issue out of their Inheritances charged with them in perpetuity, who therefore abate, allow the full value of them to their Farmers and Tenants in their Fees and Rents, by way of Defalcation, they being in truth the greatest and most considerable Tithe-payers, not the poor Farmers, or under Tenants: So their Inheritances only will be much improved, augmented by Tithes abolishing at least one part in ten; whiles the poor Ministers and Families shall be starved, and the Tenants then more racked by the Landlords than by the Ministers now. And this is the Godly goodly Ease this Saintlike Project will effect, if put into execution, by which none will be real Gainers, in their Temporal Estate, but those who have Inheritances; and all losers in their Spiritual Estate, by the loss or great discouragements of their Ministers, Hebr. 13. 17. This will appear by the practice of some greedy Land-lords of old, thus recited, condemned in this Decree of the Council of Lateran under Pope Innocent the 3 ^d Anno 1215. In aliquibus Regionibus, &c. (I will English it, that our Country Farmers may the better understand it,) In some Countries there are a stupid (or mungrel) sort of people who living according to their Custom, although they have the name of Christians (I doubt Canne will say they were Anabaptists, and his godly Predecessors) some Lord's of Farms (or Lands) let them out to these men to manure ( ut Decimis defraudentes Ecclesias, majores inde redditus assequantur ) That by defrauding the Church of Tithes, they may gain the greater Rents from their Tenants (equivalent no doubt to their Tithes, where then is the tenants gain by any hoped exemptions from Tithes?) Being willing therefore to provide remedy for these prejudices, for the Indemnity of Churches, we ordain that the Landlords themselves shall commit their Farms to be leased to and tilled by such Persons, and in such sort, That without contradiction they may pay Tithes to Churches with Integrity (or their entire Tithes without any Deduction:) and if there shall be need, let them be thereto compelled by Ecclesiastical censure, for these Tithes are necessarily to be paid, which are due by Divine law, or approved by the Custom of the place (though not within the Letter of the Divine law, is the Councils meaning, not any Modus decimandi of ought within God's law, against which no Custom can or must prescribe) Let all Countrymen learn from hence, what they will get by abolishing Tithes, if voted quite down. Nay let them consider well, whether the real designs now on foot, prosecuted by some Army- Officers and Soldiers, be not to vote down Tithes, just as they did the Crown lands (formerly reputed sacred, and incapable of any sale, because the common standing Inheritance of the whole Realm to defray all ordinary public expenses in times of peace and war, to ease them of all Subsidies and Taxes whatsoever, except one in three or four years upon extraordinary occasions, granted in full Parliament for their safety) even to vote them only from the Ministers, and get them into their own hands, to help pay themselves and the Army, under pretext to ease the People in their Taxes; and yet continue their Taxes still upon them in the same extreme (or an higher) proportion as heretofore, though they take their Tithes to boot, without easing them one farthing in their Contributions, as in case of the Kings, Princes, Bishops, Deans and Chapters lands. Surely these Officers and Soldiers who pretend so much liberty and ease to the people in words, and still so oppress them in deeds, as not to ease them one penny in their former unsupportable Taxes, Excises (which their Ancestors never knew nor paid) under which they have for some years groaned, though all Ireland be now reduced, England in peace within itself, and Scotland under Contribution, and take upon them to impose such illegal Taxes now without any Parliament by their own Super-Regal Authority, transcending all Presidents of our Kings and their Councils out of Parliament, can never be presumed to tender their Ease and Gain so much, as to permit them or their Land-lords, to put up into their own private Purses so great and constant an Annual Revenue as their Tithes amount to, unto which they have neither legal Right nor Title, but will appropriate it to themselves (as they have done Church-Land and Crown-Land too) for their future pay, or past Arrears; and some of them have confessed so much. And which then think you will prove the better Tithe Lord's, Ministers or Soldiers?

For the third Branch: That the abolishing of Tithes, will be a loss and detriment to all others, excepting Land-Lord's, and Landed men; I shall thus demonstrate. 1. It will be so to all our Ministers and their families, Tithes being their principal livelihood. 2ly. To all such Colleges, Hospitals, Corporations, Schools, all or part of whose Revenues depend on appropriated Tithes and Rectories, and to all their Farmers and Families. 3ly. To all impropriators and their Lessees, which are very many; there being by Mr. Cambdens and others Computation, 9284. Parishes in England, whereof 3845. (of the best value, for the most part) are impropriated or appropriated. And the abrogation of Tithes without giving competent recompense to all Impropriators, as well body Politicks as natural and their Lessees, (which how it can be done now Bishops, Deans and Chapters Lands devoted and voted once for their satisfaction, are sold to pay the Soldiers, I cannot yet discern) will ruin many Colleges, Hospitals, Schools, with other Corporations, and thousands of families depending on them. 4ly. All Tenants and Farmers will be losers by it, in their estates, as well as souls; For then the Land-lords will raise the full improved value of their abolished Tithes in their Fines and Rents; and if they have a godly able Minister to instruct them for their Salvation, and spiritual Weal, they must hire and pay him out of their own private purses only, while their Land-lords or others purse up their Tithes whereon now their Ministers live without further charge unto them; and which is more chargable, they must pay their Ministers share of Taxes and other public Payments to boot out of their own purses and estates, which now are defrayed wholly by Ministers themselves: And so instead of hoped Ease, by Abolishing Tithes, they shall but draw a causeless perpetual Charge on themselves and their Posterities, as our New Projectors have done, by the sale of all the Crown Lands and Revenues to themselves, and their Friends and Soldiers at easy rates, to enrich themselves, which should have defrayed all public Ordinary Charges as they ever have done, which now must be raised out of the people's private purses only, whiles these New Statesmen and Soldiers purse up and enjoy the public Revenues which should defray them; and Tax the impoverished Nation at what extraordinary uncessant Rates they please, and then dispose of them as their pleasures, when levied to themselves and their Creatures; the only way to make our Taxes both Easeless and Endless, to the people's utter ruin, and their own extraordinary enriching by their spoils. 5ly. The poor people in every Parish will lose the charitable relief they receive from their Ministers, who in many places were and still are a grest relief to the poor and impotent by their liberal Charity and Hospitality; now much decayed by heavy and endless Taxes, and unconscionable Substractions of their Tithes, by Sectaries, Soldiers and lawless Covetous Earthwormes. 6ly. I must truly inform and tell all such Farmers, Tenants and other deluded Countrymen, who think to gain much ease and profit, by the abolishing of Tithes for the future, they shall soon repent of, and be doubly burdened hereafter to the uttermost improved value of them in the augmentation of their Taxes to the Soldiers, who will be harder new Iron Land-lords, Tithelords to them, than their Ministers now are. This was St. Augustine's observation long ago, recorded by Gratian, Bochellus with many others, and made good by many practical Experiments in former and latter ages: His words are these. Our Ancestors did therefore abound with plenty of all things, Because they gave Tithes to God, and rendered Tribute to Caesar. Modo autem quia decesserit Devotio Dei, accessit Indictio Fisci. Nolumus partire cum Deo Decimas, modo tollitur totum. Hoc tollit fiscus quod non accepit Christus. That is, But now because our devotion to God (in paying Tithes) is departed, the Sequestration of the Exchequer is come, (both on Tithes and Lands) We would not pay our Tithes unto God, now the whole is taken away (in Taxes and Sequestrations) The Exchequer sweeps away that which Christ doth not receive. And how many have found this true in our days, by Sequestrators and Swordmen, who have sequestr • d all the Profits of their Lands, as well as their Tithes, and the Ministers Tithes and Glebes to boot? He adds. This is a most just Custom, that if thou wilt not give God his Tenth, thou shalt be reduced to a Tenth of thy Estate, Et dabis impio militi, quod non vis dare Deo et sacerdoti; and thou shalt be forced to give that to a wicked Soldier, which thou wilt not give to God and thy Pious Minister. This the whole Synod. of Lingon in France, Anno 1404. declared for, and observed as a truth in those days. And Angelus de Clavasio in his Summa Angelica Tit. Decima sect. 20. in his time. Petrus Blesensis, Arch Deacon of Bath (who flourished about the year of our Lord 1160.) writes thus to the Cistertian Monks, who had then procured from the Pope, a Bull of Exemption from paying Tithes out of the Lands and Possessions of their Order, Epist. 82. ad Cistercienses. You know that Covetousness is the root of all Evil: yet it is said, and we relate it with tears, that this Mother of Transgression, this Mistress of Ambition, this Captain (or Ringleader) of Iniquity, this Wagoner of Mischief, this Cu •• broat of Uertues, this Original of Sedition, this Sink of Scandals, hath dared to break in even to your Congregation; the Uo • es and Tongues of all men would be loosened into the commendation of your Sanctity, if you did not forcibly snatch away that which is another's; If you did not take away Tithes from Clergy-men. This is a Convectio (or Rapine) little enough, but that which doth not a little dishonest your life. By the Testimony of the Scriptures, they are the Tributes of needy Souls. And what is this injurious Immunity that you should be exempted from the payment of Tithes to which the Lands were subject, before they were yours, and which are hitherto rendered to Churches, not out of respect of Persons, but by consent of the Territory (mark now the just punishment upon them, for this their Covetousness and exemption from Tithe-paying) Milites Galliarum sibi jus Decimarum usurpant. &c. The Soldiers of France usurp to themselves the Right of Tithes, and have no regard of your Privileges: Eas a vobis potenter extorquent: They extort them from you by the Power of the Sword. Adversus eos debetis insurgere, non adversus Clericos, aut Ecclesiasticos Clericos. You ought to rise up against them, but not against Clergy men, Or the Churches of Clergy-men. Laurentius Bochellus recites & inserts it into his Decret. Eccles. Gall. l 6. Tit. 8. c. 19. p. 966. printed An. 1609. From which Authorities, I must tell all Country Farmers and others, now busling to exempt themselves by the power of the Soldiers from paying their ancient due settled Tithes to their Ministers, that they shall at last but only change the hand, and be enforced to pay Tithes with a Witness to the Soldiers, even by obtaining their desires. Whiles I was a late close Prisoner in Pendennys Castle in Cornwall under Soldiers (I never yet knew why) I heard some Officers there (who had purchased Crown-lands in Cornwall, not for Money, but Arrears of pay) amongst other their New Projects oft times peremptorily saying, We will have all Tithes put down; Whereupon I told them, they should have done well to have added Saint James his advise to their peremptory words and wills; which he much censures; by saying, as they ought to do: If the Lord will, we will do this or that, James 4. 13, 14, 15, 16. Which I thought they durst or could not subjoin to their former words, because it was both against the will and command of God, that Ministers Tithes should be put down, especially by Soldiers, who received far above the tenth part of them in Monthly Taxes for their pay; and from whose practice of receiving constant pay for their Military service, the Apostle proves the lawfulness of Ministers Tithes and Salaries under the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9. 7. After which discoursing merrily with them, I told them, I conceived the true reason, why they and other Officers formerly for Tithes and Ministers, were now so eager against both, was, because most of them had lately purchased so much Crown, Bishops, Deans, and Chapters Lands charged with Tithes, that now out of mere covetousness they would pull down Tithes, to hook them into their own Purses from the Ministers, and though they were never purchased by them in their particulars to improve their over cheap Purchases, to the highest Advantage; and because others should not blame them for it, they turned Preachers themselves, that they might claim some seeming Right to their own and others Tithes, and save the charges of a Minister. At which they gave a silent blushing Smile, without a Reply. Not long after, about the beginning of January last there came a Petition ready drawn to the Castle, from the General Council of the Army Officers, sitting at St. James's (as the Soldiers themselves informed me) directed to those, who then were styled, The Parliament of the Common-wealth of England, and Supreme Authority of the Nation: though those who sent it knew the contrary, the Supreme Power lay in others hands; The effect of which Petition was, For the total Abolition of Tithes of all sorts, as a Jewish and Antichristian Bondage and Burden on the Estates and Consciences of the Godly; and that for the future they and the People might not be ensnared or oppressed with Tithes, or any forced Maintenance to the Ministers, or anything like it in the stead thereof. This Petition all the Officers and Soldiers in the Garrison by beat of Drum, upon the change of the Guards, were summoned three several Mornings, (just before my Chamber window) to subscribe, together with a Printed Letter sent from the said Council of Officers, to all the Garrisons and Soldiers in England. Scotland, and Ireland, concerning the heads of their Intentions and Designs then on foot (and since executed) desiring their opinions of, and concurrence with them therein by their Subscriptions. This Letter with the Petition against Tithes, were both read together to the Soldiers three several mornings, who at the close every morning, gave two or three great shouts; and afterwards subscribed both the Letter and Petition. One Ensign and two common Soldiers (who had formerly read the Worcester Petition for Tithes, which this was to countermine) though they readily subscribed the Letter, yet refused to sign the Petition; because they thought it very unreasonable to take away Ministers Tithes altogether, and provide no other maintenance in lieu of them; for which they were threatened to be turned out of the Garrison and cashiered ere long (as I was informed by other Soldiers) all the rest subscribed it, and divers of them against their Consciences (as they confessed to me) because they durst not displease their Officers, nor those who sent it to them. Some Officers and Soldiers of the Castle (who were most against all public Ordinances and Ministers, never resorting even to their own meetings, and unordained speaking Chaplains in the Castle ) were sent and employed into the Country to get Country-men's Subscriptions to the Petition against Tithes, in the name of the Well-affected Godly people in the County of Cornwall; as if it proceeded from the Country-men, not the Officers and Soldiers. In which service, these active stirring Spirits were very industrious in all parts to procure hand • to this Petition, seducing divers to subscribe it, by misinforming them, That it was only against Impropriators Tithes; which some honest Religious Gentlemen, substantial Freeholders, and Grand Jury-men of the Country being informed of, drew up a Petition (in the name of the Gentry, Freeholders, and others of the County, for the continuance of Tithes and Ministers settled Maintenance, subscribed with many hands, and presented by the grand Jury men to the Justices at their General Quarter Sessions, to send up to those then in power, as the desire of the Gentlemen, Freeholders, and the Generality of the County ) which Petition (as I have been informed) was presented accordingly by one of the Justices, by Order from the Bench, though one of his Companions when it was delivered by the Grand Jury to him to present to the Bench, had the impudence to tear the Petition in pieces in open Court, before he acquainted his Associates with it; for which he received a public check. After the Soldiers Subscription of the foresaid Petition against Tithes in the Castle, the like whereunto (as some Soldiers acquainted me) was sent to most other Garrisons and Counties to subscribe, (by which we see whence such and other Petitions originally spring) I demanding the reason (of two or three Soldiers who were ingenuous) why they were so eager against Ministers Tithes, since they were (Spiritual) Soldiers as well as they, and themselves received above the Tithes of their Tithes in Taxes for their pay? Who returned me this blunt clamorous Answer, That they conceived the true reason of it was, that their Officers intended to have the Tithes themselves, or at least the full value of them IN TAXES for their pay; that so the people much impoverished and complaining of their heavy Taxes, might be able to hold out the longer to pay them, being seemingly eased by the Soldiers in their Tithes, though they took them all out again in their increased Monthly Contributions; and that this was the private talk and opinion they had of this Petition amongst themselves, but they must not speak of it in public to any. I am not apt to be suspicious of any men's Actions or Designs, unless I see some probable grounds of Inducement; but if this be one principal Design of the Officers and Soldiers present stickling against Ministers Tithes, to get them into their own hands in kind, (as they have done much of the Bishops, Deans, Chapters and Crown-lands, & the rest in monies in their Sales for their Arrears & pay) or at least to fetch them out of the Peoples Purses in doubled or augmented Taxes, equivalent to their Tithes in value, or exceeding them, (as the premises persuade me to incline to) the Ease and Gain either promised to, or expected by the People upon the abolishing of Tithes, will prove but a mere Delusion and Cheat at last; and instead of easing them, will only double, treble and augment their heavy intolerable Taxes (now imposed and disposed too by the Soldiers themselves alone, beyond all Presidents of former Ages, or Kings of the worst edition) and continue them the longer on their broken Estates and drained Purses. Which will be but a most just, deserved Divine punishment on them, for detaining their Ministers Tithes, as the forecited Authors resolve. Whereas if these Saint-seeming Officers and Soldiers, so much pretending the people's ease and weal, would cast off the veil of Dissimulation, and really ease the people in good earnest out of Conscience and Justice, they should do it, as I told them, by disbanding all unnecessary Garrisons (mere useless Toyes to secure the Country either from an invading or pillaging Enemy by Sea or Land, as I have made many Garrison-Soldiers acknowledge by unanswerable Demonstrations) disband their long▪ continued Army and Forces, kept up on the people's drained Purses to their undoing (for what ends the very blindest men now see) put the people's necessary defense when there is occasion into their own hands and elected Militia, and abolish all these heavy incessant Monthly Contributions, Taxes, Excises so long continued on them, to maintain the Army and enrich the Officers; being the Peoples sorest Grievance (not Ministers Tithes, which few count a Burden, and then upon mere Mistakes) which late created Monsters, (unknown to our Fore-Fathers, who knew none but Tenths, Fifteenths, and Subsidies duly granted, one or two in several years) will in short time eat out not only our Ministers and Peoples Tithes, but the remaining Nine parts too, and leave them most miserable Beggers in conclusion, without any Food or Provision for their Souls or Bodies: and no other Magistracy, Ministry, Government, Laws, Liberties, Privileges, but what the Army. Officers and Soldiers, (their late pretended humble Servants, but now their Supreme Lord's and Masters ) shall out of their mere Grace and Favor allow them, as their conquered Uassals, as many of them are not ashamed even publicly in my hearing, as well as others, for to style our own enslaved Nation, as well as Scots and Irish. And then they shall all lament their folly when too late, in concurring with these Swordmen to ab •• ish their Ministers Tithes, in the old Poets Elegy, in a like e • se as ours,

Soudas records of Leo the Emperor, that when on a time he commanded Eulogius a learned Philosopher should have a Liberal Princely Reward bestowed on him • ▪ A great Officer and Courtier standing by said, That money would be better bestowed for the maintenance of Soldiers, To which the Emperor replied, Nay, I would rather it might be brought to pass in my time, That the Riches now bestowed upon Soldiers, might be given to maintain Philosophers. And I suppose all rational wise men now will be of the same mind concerning Ministers, and rather they should enjoy their Tithes and Glebes, than Soldiers and Buff-Preachers. All which out of true Affection to our Ministry and my Native Country, without any private design to scandalize the Soldiers, I submit to all prudent men's consideration, who by this will be able to judge of the truth of this Proposition, without further proof.

In the Officers printed Proposals., August 13. 1652. to those they then styled, the Supreme Power of the Nation; I found the first of all to be, The abolishing of all Tithes, as an unequal, troublesome and contentious way of Maintenance, respect being had therein to others Rights, but not to the Ministers: who have the only ture, proper, legal Right unto them; and this to propagate the preaching of the Gospel • I profess when I read it in the Diurnal, I told some Soldiers who brought it me to read in Pendennys, 1. I could not possibly conceive, that the putting down of Ministers Tithes, should be a means to propagate the preaching of the Gospel, but rather to suppress it, the very Scripture resolving the contrary, Neh. 13. 10, 11, 12. and 3 Chron. 31. 3, &c. and the Heathen Poet concluding, Quis enim virtutem amplectitur ipsam, Praemia s • tollas? 2ly. That I wondered men professing Conscience, Justice and Religion, should have more regard to Impropriators and others Rights to Tithes, who had no original right at all unto them, but only by Popes Bulls and Dispensations, and did no service for them, without any special regard to Ministers Rights, who had only a due and true Divine and human Right to them, and received them as due wages for their Ministry: I doubted, the only cause was, because they or some of their Friends were owners of Lessees of some Impropriations, which they were loath to part with for the Peoples ease, or give in to the Church, without a considerable Recompence. 3ly. That the suggestion of the unequal, troublesome and contentious way of Tithes, was a very strange and daring Objection against the very wisdom and Justice of God, who instituted and prescribed them to his own chosen people: against the wisdom, justice, prudence of our own, and all other Christian Kings, States, Parliaments, Churches, that have at first pitched upon, and so long continued, established by successive Laws and Edicts this way of Maintenance as most equal; rich and poor paying a Tenth alike according to the greatness o • smallness of their Estates, and the poor Farmer and Tenant paying them out of his Landlords Estate, as allowed in his Rent or Fine, not out of his own private purse alone, being more equal than any Taxes or Excises for the Armies pay. As least troublesome to the Ministers at least, who were only at the cost and trouble to carry in their Tithes at Harvest, when cut and severed from the Crop to their hands, to prevent the trouble of plowing, sowing, weeding, mowing, reaping, gathering, which might divert them from their Studies and Ministry: And as little troublesome, or not overtroublesom at least, it is to the Husbandman, who sows, cuts and makes it up together with his own, and then only severs it out, and is not now bound to carry it into his Ministers Barn, much less to thresh, cleanse and sever his Corn, Wine or Oil, and other Tithes, and carry it to Jerusalem, and the Treasuries of the Priests and Levites at his own cost; as the Israelites were obliged by God to do: which these Officers▪ (had they lived amongst them, and paid a second Tenth, as well as a first, and first-fruits besides) would have petitioned God himself to abolish, as a troublesome way of Maintenance, which they could not brook, though the godly Israelites and Jews repined not against it, but cheerfully brought up their Tithes to the Priests Treasuries as they were enjoined. And as no ways contentious or litigious in itself, were people as just and conscionable to pay their Tithes; there being many Parishes in England, (and that wherein I live one) wherein I never heard of any suit or quarrel betwixt the Ministers and Parishioners for Tithes, there being far more suits and contentions for just Rents, Annuities and Debts throughout the Nation than for Tithes (at least ten for one in proportion) before these late contentious Lawless times, when many unconscionable, unrighteous Wretches (pretending Religion, to cover their fraud, covetousness and oppression) will pretend Conscience for not paying their very Rents, and Debts, as well as Tithes: And such who have so little grace or fear of God as to contend with their Ministers for their just Tithes, will be altogether Litigious towards them, for any other Annuity, or settled way of Maintenance that can be devised in lieu of Tithes, seeing nothing will content such perverse and contentious Wretches, but a Liberty to pay their Ministers only what they please, and that in conclusion shall be just nothing, as their subsequent Petitions and present Practices now manifest to God, Angels and men. And I doubt the Change of this ancient, known, long approved certain Maintenance by Tithes, to any other certain or uncertain way, will create more suits and troubles among people, than ever our Tithes did since their first institution. This was my subi •• n opinion of their Proposition, when I first read it; and shall serve for a public answer to it now, if any insist upon it to prove Tithes inconvenient and burdensome to the People, and therefore sit to be totally abolished.

The main Objection, I ever yet read or heard against Tithes, is this, That Tithes are a great discouragement and hindrance to Husbandmens industry and improvements; since Ministers must have not only the Tenths of their Lands, as they found them, but likewise of their Crop, Labor, Industry and Improvements, which is now (writes Canne and others more largely) one of the sorest Burthens and greatest Oppressions and Tyranny that lies upon them, and discourages many from improving the Lands to the public prejudice.

I answer, 1. That this Objection no ways concerns Soldiers, Weavers, Tailors, Tradesmen, Townsmen and other Mechanics, who are the most and greatest Sticklers and Petitioners against Tithes; but only Husbandmen and Country Gentlemen and Farmers living upon Tillage, very few of which (not one of a thousand) ever yet petitioned against Tithes, as such a grievous Oppression (at leastwise as a Farmer) for the burdensomness of Tithes, but only as an Anabaptist, or other Sectary, out of hatred and opposition to our Ministers Callings or Persons. And till the Generality or Major part of the Gentry, Yeomanry and Country Farmers in each County Petition and declare against their Predial Tithes as such an intolerable Grievance, no Officers, Soldiers, Citizens, Anabaptistical Mechanics, and busy-bodies in other men's Callings and Grievances which concern them not, are no ways to be heard, countenanced or credited in this particular, by any Powers whatsoever in point of Justice or Prudence. 2ly. The payment of Tithes, never yet discouraged any Person, either in the Land of Canaan, England, or other Countries, (at least not any considerable number of men, or any that had either true Wisdom, grace, honesty, or love to God and the Ministrey) from any sort of Tillage or improvement whatsoever out of which Tithes are paid, the gain by the good husbandry and improvement being abundantly recompensed in the nine Parts, over and above the Tithes. And therefore till the Objectors can make good their allegation, by presidents of considerable number of wise, godly men and others, discouraged from Tillage and Improvements merely by the payment of Predial Tithes out of them, in all former ages, or of late years, to the real prejudice of the Public, (which they can never do) this grand Objection against Tithes must be decried, both as Fabulous and Ridiculous, yea as Scandalous: The late Petition of the Cornish Gentlemen, Farmers and Yeomen (where such improvements are most made to their great Charge) for the continuance of Tithes, being a sufficient Evidence to prove it such. 3ly. It is observable, that the Petitioners against Tithes upon this ground, are as eager Writers and Petitioners against all ancient Customs, Tonnage, Poundage, and usual moderate Impositions upon Merchandize imported or exported, for the necessary defense of the Sea and Trading (amounting to as much upon every pound of Merchandize, as Tithes do upon Husbandmens Tillage and Improvements, the charges of the Fraight, Transportation and Customs in foreign pares considered, and to far more and that as a very great discouragement to Merchandize and Trading. Which as all wise men know to be a mere fabulous untruth, contrary to the experience of all States, Kingdoms, Republics in the World, and of Holland itself, subsisting by Merchandize, where they pay •• high Customs or higher, than our ancient Legal Merchants Duties to the State amount to, which never made any Merchants to give over trading; (So if, when, and where rightly imposed, managed, they are the greatest encouragements of Trade and Merchandize, by Guarding the Seas, and securing Traders against Enemies and Pirates, the only encouragement to Merchant-Adventurers; who must and will all give over trading, when they cannot safely put to Sea without apparent loss of all they trade for, by Enemies or Pirates. And therefore this clamourous Objection against Tithes should have no more weight with Wisemen to suppress them; than their idle clamour against all old Legal Customs, Rates and Duties for the necessary defense of the Sea and Trade, to abrogate them altogether, to the ruin both of our Traffique, Navy, and Merchants too that pay them. 4ly. This Objection is directly made against the providence, wisdom, and policy of God himself, who prescribed Tithes amongst his own people out of all their Tillage and Improvements; and knew it would be no impediment to them, his Blessing promised to their payment of Tithes, being a greater improvement to them in their Crops, than all their extraordinary cost and pains amounted to: Wherefore it can be no impediment or discouragement to any real Saints good Husbandry or Improvement now; who deserves to reap no benefit by his Labor or Improvements, if God himself shall have no share or portion out of them for the maintenance of his public worship and Ministers. 5ly. If there were any truth or strength in this Objection, yet it extends not unto all tithes, but only to such as are paid out of extraordinary chargeable Improvements; as to make mere barren Heath, Ling and Sands, out of which no former profit • naturally grew, manurable for Corn or Pasture, Tillage and Meadows, Woods, out of which most predial Tithes arise; So there is a sufficient remedy against this pretended Mischief already provided in the best and strictest Statute made by the best of our Protestant Kings, for the true payment of Tithes, at the beginning our Reformation, when Popery was banished in the Parliament of 2 E. 6. c. 13. which provides, That all such harren Heath, or waste Grounds, which before that time have lain barren, and paid no Tithes by reason of the said barrenness, and now be, or hereafter shall be improved or converted into ar able Ground or Meadow, shall from henceforth after the term and end of seven years, next after such Improvement fully ended and determined, pay Tithe of the Corn and Hay growing on the same, and be discharged in the interim, as the words import, and our Judges have expounded it. All which considered, this Objection must be henceforth exploded and LEVELLED to the ground.

Now because I find a clear Design and Endeavor in sundry Anabaptists, Officers, Soldiers, if they cannot prevail to put down Tithes upon other pretexts, yet to rob the Ministers of them at present, if not in perpetuity, upon this pretence, to sequester and convert them to the use of the Army, for the pretended ease of the people in their future taxes. I shall for the cloze of this Proposition, and prevention of this detestable impious Sacrilegious plot against our Ministers and Religion too, propound and answer all such specious Arguments, Pretences, as may be produced by them to delude the people, veil over the execrable Impiety, and take off the odium of this prodigious Villany.

First, they may and will suggest, that they have some ancient punctual Presidents to warrant, countenance, justify this their Project. As namely, the practical example of Charles Martel King of France, who (about the year of our Lord, 730. as the Marginal Authors report) having perpetual wars, and seldom or never peace in his Kingdom, Ideo res Ecclesiarum suis Militibus in stipendium contulit maxima ex parte; did thereupon bestow the Lands, Revenues, Rents, and Tithes too (as the Act of Restitution with others prove) of Parish-Churches, Monasteries, Bishops, Deans and Chapters upon his Soldiers for their Pay and Arrears; for the greatest part: And surely upon a very Godly and just reason (as John Canne, and some Army-Officers will swear) thus expressed in his Decree recorded in Goldastus and Mr. Selden: ut subveniatur necessitatibus Publicis, et Salariis Militum, pro Dei Ecclesiae & bono statu Reipublicae, & uniuscujusque propria pace pugnantium: That he might relieve the Public Necessities, and pay and reward the Soldiers fighting for the Church of God, and the good of the State of the Common-wealth, and the proper peace of everyone: as our Officers and Soldiers now say they do. And is it not then most just they should have all the Lands, Glebes, and Tithes of the Church, King, Common-wealth, and of every particular Person too, who have fought all this while for them and their defense? To this they may chance to add, the President of the Templars and Hospitalers, who being no part of the Clergy, but Religious Soldiers, employed only to fight in the defense of the Church, were by special Bulls and Grants of several Popes exempted from paying any Tithes at all to any Ministers out of the Lands belonging to their several Orders, Because they fought for the Church against her Enemies, as Turks, Saracens, and other Infidels. Therefore there is great reason, equity all our Officers and Soldiers who have lately fought, or are now or hereafter fighting for the Church against her Enemies and Malignants, should be totally and finally discharged from paying any Tithes at all out of their Old or New Purchased Lands, Leases, Cattle, Estates, Spoyls, Pay or other increase. Besides, most of our Army Officers, and very many of the Soldiers, are extraordinarily gifted, inspired from Heaven, and constant Speakers or Preachers transcending all Blackcoated Ministers, yea the undoubted new Ministers and Priests of Jesus Christ, as many deem them; So as they may be truly styled a chosen Generation, a Roy •• Priesthood, yea Army of Priests, being made Kings and Priests by Christ himself to God the Father: as John Canne hath published in his Voice, p. 24, 27, 28, 29. Therefore they may not only enter into our Ministers Churches, Pulpits, and dispossess them of them (as he there asserts and presseth them to put in execution;) but be capable in right, equity, justice, to receive all their Tithes to their own use: Nay one step more, John Canne in his Uoyce, p. 27. thus peremptorily concludes,

Therefore there is just ground that both our Universities, and all Colleges for Advancement of Learning, should be suppressed as the very poison, bane, subversion of Religion, Church and Common-wealths, (as some Soldiers and the Anabaptists generally deem them and their Lands (as well as Bishops, Deans, Chapters, and Ministers Glebes and Tithes) sold or conferred on the Officers and Soldiers, of the Army for their better encouragement, reward and supportation, to propagate defend Religion and the Common wealth: A design now eagerly prosecuted by some.

To which let them receive this Answer before hand, since I intend not any future Treatise of this nature, 1. That I never read of any pious Generals, Armies, Officers, or Soldiers in Scripture (the rule of Faith and Manners ) that spoiled the Church or Ministers of their Lands and Tithes to maintain their wars, or enrich, reward themselves; but we find it expressly recorded of Abraham, the Father of all the Faithful, that he paid Tithes even of the Spoyls of the first Wars, to the first P ••• st we find in Scripture, unto Christ himself, both in the Old and New Testament, for other Christian Soldiers imitation. The like we read of David, and all his Officers, Captains of the Army, with sundry others fore-cited; whose Presidents are more obliging and commendable than Charles Martels. 2ly. That it was the Custom, use and pious practice of many Pagan Warlike Nations, as the Romans, Grecians, Cartbaginians, Tyrians, Saxons to do the like, who consecrated the Tenths of all their Spoyls to their Idol-God's and Priests, as we may read at large in Mr. Seldens History of Tithes and Review, c. 3. and in Mr Richard Montague his Diatribe thereon, ch. 3. Therefore they are worse than Pagans who neglect not only to pay their Ministers the Tenth of their Spoyls, but will even spoil them of their Glebes and Tithes besides. 3ly. It is very observable (and let our Soldiers and Officers consider it i • good earnest) That God himself specially consecrated and devoted the future Spoyls, a Sacrifice for and to himself, and all the Spoyls, City of Jericho (the very first City taken by the Israelites in the Land of Canaan ) as a sacred First-fruits and kind of Tenth for the use of his Sanctuary and Priests, in these memorable words, Josh. 6. 17, 18, 19. And the City shall be devoted, even it and all that is therein (except Rabab and her Family and House) to the Lord, and you in any wise keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest you make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the devoted thing, and make the Camp of Israel a curse and trouble it. But all the Silver and Gold and Uessels of Brass and Iron are consecrated unto the Lord, they shall come into the Treasury of the House of the Lord. Whereupon when the City was taken, they burnt it and all that was in it (as a Sacrifice to the Lord) But the Silver and Gold and the Uessels of Brass and of Iron, they put into the Treasury of the House of the Lord, v. 24. But Acban (a covetous plundering Soldier) seeing among the rich Spoyls of the City a goodly Babylonish Garment, and two hundred Sh • kels of Silver, and a wedge of Gold, coveted, took and hid them in the midst of his Tent▪ which so much kindled the Anger of God against the Children of Israel for this his Trespass in these devoted things; That they were presently smitten before their Enemies of Ai, and fled before them. Whereupon Joshua their General and chief Governor humbling himself before God, and requiring the cause of this ill success; God returned him this Answer, Israel hath sinned, and they also have transgressed my Covenant which I commanded them; for they have taken of the devoted thing, and have also stolen and dissembled also, and they have also put it among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their Enemies, but turned their backs before Enemies, Because they were accursed, neither will I go with you anymore. O Israel thou canst not stand before thine Enemies, until thou hast taken away the accursed devoted thing from among you. Whereupon this Sacrilegious Robbery of Achan being discovered by Lot and his own Confession; and hid stolen Plunder devoted to God taken forth of his Tent, and poured out before the Lord in the presence of Joshua, and all the Children of Israel: Joshua passed this Judgment against him for his Sacrilege, Why hast thou troubled Israel? the Lord shall trouble thee this day: and all Israel stoned him with Stones, and they burned them with fire (as a devoted Sacrifice to God) after they had stoned him with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his Anger. Wherefore the place is called the Ualley of Achor (that is Trouble) to this day. And when Hiel, many hundred years after in Idolatrous Ahab's days, would needs seize upon the devoted Spoyl of Jericho, and build it again for his own habitation; he laid the Foundation thereof in his first-born Abiram, and set up the Gates thereof in his youngest Son Segub, (that is, God destroyed, and cut off all his Posterity before the Gates were set up, and the Building finished) according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the Son of Nun; as we read at large, Josh. 7. throughout, 1 Kings 16. 34. and Josh. 6. 16. I read of A • axerxes, that (in imitation of Cambyses before him) he caused some Judges (betraying their Trusts, like Tresylian of old, and too many of late) to be excoriated alive, and their Skins to be hanged up round about the Tribunals, that the other Judges sitting upon them might have an example hanging before their eyes, what punishment the pravity of Judges did demerit. I desire all Soldiers, Officers, and Sacrilegious Anabaptists, would hang up these Skins and Examples of Achan and Hiel before their eyes, recorded in sacred Writ: and then make this use and application to themselves of them. If Achan for stealing away only a Babylonish Garment and a few Shekles of Silver and Gold of the very Spoyls of Jericho devoted to the service or Treasury of the House of the Lord, brought so much wrath, misery upon the whole Nation, and Camps of Israel, and such a fatal death and exemplary punishment upon himself; and Hiel only for building upon the ruins of the Soyl of this devoted City drew down sudden Death and Destruction upon all his Sons and Posterity; O what strange exemplary wrath, vengeance, and judgments shall we then draw upon the whole Nation, Army, our Souls, Bodies and Posterities to their utter extirpation, if instead of rendering unto God and his Ministers the Tenth of our warlike Spoyls belonging of right unto them; we shall sacrilegiously rob them not only of these Tenthes, and all other issuing out of our Lands and Estates, but even of all their other Glebes, Rectories, Tithes, Revenues; demolish the very Churches, Houses, dedicated to God's worship, o • turn them into Houses for us and our Posterities to inhabit: and obstinately, yea atheistically refuse to take warning by their, and other sacrilegious Persons tragical examples? 4ly. Let those who will imitate Charles Martels President, remember 1. his punishment: Historians record, That for this his Sacrilege, • e was smitten with a long and terrible Convulsion of all his Members whereof he died in great anguish: that Eucherius Bishop. of Orleans in a Uision SAW HIM DAMNED FOR IT; and that upon search made in his Tomb (by an Angels Admonition) it was also confirmed for truth, no relique of his Corps being found therein, but only a dreadful Serpent. Apud Frances Carolus Martellus insignis vir fortitudinis, exactis vitae suae diebus in Ecclesia beati Dionysii legitur esse Sepultus, sed quia Patrimonia cum Decimis omnium fere Ecclesiarum Galliae, pro stipendio commilitonum suorum mutilaverat, miserabiliter à malignis Spiritibus de Sepulchro corporaliter avulsus, usque in hodiernum diem nusquam comparui • ; as Matthew Westminster stories of him. 2ly. The censure passed against him for this Sacrilegious Robbery, by the Marginal Authors and others: especially by Agobardus Bishop of Lions, An. 828. in his Book De Dispensatione, & Rei Ecclesiasticae contra Sacrilegos, worthy the reading, who thus complains, p. 269. Nunc non solum possessiones Ecclesiasticae, sed ipsae etiam Ecclesiae cum possessionibus venundantur, &c. Which he condemns as detestable Sacrilege execrable to God and men: By Petrus Damianus, Anno 1060. l. 1. Epist. 11. where he gives this censure of his practice, and others: Inter omnia vero hic mala, Illud excedit, et Diabolicam fere modum videtur aequare nequitiam. Quia praediis in Militem profligatis, &c. Moreover among all wicked Acts, this exceedeth, and seems almost to equal the very wickedness of the Devil, That all the Farms and Possessions of the Church being prodigally spent upon Soldiers, insuper etiam et Decimae & plebes adduntu • in Beneficium Secularibus: Moreover Tithes and people are likewise added and conferred on (these) Secular men for a reward: which in hi • lib. 4. Epist. 12. & lib. 5. Epist. 9. he stiles a great Sin, Sacrilege, and Prophanation of holy things; concluding, What is it to turn Tithes to the use of Soldiers and Secular men, nisi mortiferum iis virus, quo pereant, exhibere? but to give them deadly Poison whereby they may perish? Petrus Blesensis Arch-deacon of Bath: Epist. 82. & Joannis de Belith De Divinorum Officiorum Explicatione, c. 5. write much to the same effect; making it a greater Robbery and Sacrilege to take away Ministers Tithes, though it be by the Popes own Bulls, than violently to take away and plunder Men's Horses as they are riding or car • ing in the High way, and convert them to their proper use; as Soldiers use to do. 3ly. Let them remember, That Charles Martels immediate Successors so much detested both his practice and Sacrilege, that by public Edicts they decreed in these terms, That the Tithes and Ecclesiastical Lands and Goods seised upon by profane Persons, (so they styled the Soldiers possessing them) should be all restored: and so they were accordingly, and those Harpyes robbed of their Sacrilegious prey. Let the late Purchasers of such Tithes and Lands remember it, and think of a possible, if not probable Act of Resumption, in case they make no voluntary restitution.

4ly. Let them consider the large Revenues the Popish Clergy at this day enjoy in France, amounting to above 12. Millions of Annual Rents, at a moderate value, besides money and oblations; as Bodine, Thuanus, Hist. l. 28. Johannes de Lae • y Descriptio Galliae, c. 17, 18. record. To which • might add the extraordinary great Revenues of the Popish Clergy in Spain, recorded by Lucius Marinaeus, Siculus, Johannes de Laet, in his Hispaniae Descriptio, cap. 20. & Jo. Boterus in his Hist. Universalis, and of the Popish Clergy in the Kingdom of Naples in Italy, registered by Thomas Segethus, De Principibus Italiae, p. 121. Which they still enjoy, notwithstanding their manifold Wars, without sale or Diminution for their Soldiers pay. And will it not be an intolerable Impiety, Sacrilege, dishonor for Protestant Soldiers, and our new Republic, not to allow our Ministers so much as their inconsiderable remaining Rectories, Glebes, Tithes, to support our Religion, and instruct and save the Peoples Souls?

5ly. The reason rendered by Martel and others, That the Officers and Soldiers deserve the Lands and Tithes of the Church and Ministers, because they fight for the defense of the Church, is very strange, and just the self-seeking Plea and Practice of sundry of our Officers and Soldiers at this day, scarce to be paralleled in any Age, 1. They were raised for the Defense and Preservation of the late Kings Person, Posterity, and just Rights of his Crown: Ergo in discharge of this Trust they have most justly sentenced, beheaded the King; outed, dis-inherited his Posterity; and seized upon all the Crown-Lands and Revenues in his three Kingdoms for their own use, pay, support, reward and inheritance. 2ly. They were raised and fought for the preserva • irn and defense of the Kingdom, Parliament, and Members Privileges, and Laws and Liberties of England: Therefore they have justly by armed violence invaded, subverted them all, disposed of all the Common wealth and Revenue of the Nation to themselves and their Instruments to support themselves and their usurped Arbitrary Power and Government over us; and may null and pull down not only our Old, but their own New▪created Parliaments, and State-Councils (as they style them) and change both Government & Governors at their pleasure. 3ly. They fought for the particular Defense, Peace, Safety of every man's Person and Estate in our three Kingdoms: Therefore they may seize upon and dispose of all their Persons, Lands, Estates at their pleasures, and impose what Taxes, Excises, Imposts they list, and exercise a legislative absolute Arbitrary and Tyrannical Power over them, without a lawful Parliament, to eat them quite out of all. Lastly, They fought for our Church, Ministers, Religion: Ergo they may subvert them all, and seise upon all Church-Lands, Revenues, Rectories, Glebes, Tithes, yea Churches and Church-yards too, for to reward, support and pay the Army; and possess themselves of what ever our Ancestors settled on the Church and Ministers to instruct and save the Peoples Souls, as a just Salary for killing their Christian Brethren's Bodies, and destroying the people's Souls and Bodies too. Certainly the worst Enemies they fought against, would not, could not have done worse than this, nor yet so bad. This certainly is a Devastation, Destruction, not a Defense or Preservation, of what they were raised and paid to protect, an Invasion and Depredation, not a Patronage and Protection: a Remedy more destructive than the worst Disease, War, Enemy, who could but have stripped us of no more had they conquered us, than these our new armed Defenders of the Faith, Church, King, Parliament, Laws and Liberties have done or intend to do, as many fear. It was John Baptists Evangelical Precept to all Soldiers whatsoever, Do violence to none, (in Person, Lands, or Estate; much less to Ministers privileged by the Law of War from Violence:) and to be content with their Wages: without seising, sequestering, invading the Lands, Estates, Glebes, Tithes, Persons of Ministers, King and Members or any others they fought for, who never raised, nor waged Soldiers to deprive them of their Patrimonies, Estates, Callings, Rights, Laws, Liberties, Privileges of Parliament, Government, Governors, but only to secure them in the sull possession of them all. This new Martial law and practice then, is both irrational and unevangelical, fitter for professed Thieves, Turks, and Pirates, than Christian Soldiers; and far different from the foresaid Christian Soldiers practice in former Ages; who as they would by no means be engaged by their Pagan Emperors or Generals commands to fight against any of their Christian Brethren, choosing rather to obey God their Supreme Emperor than Men: So the famous Thebean Legion of Christian Soldiers and their Officers under Julian the Apostate, when he commanded them to bring forth their Arms against the Christians, returned him this most Heroic Answer, worthy to be written in Golden Letters, briefly, fully and elegantly expressing the Duty of every true Christian Soldier in all Ages and Cases; Offerimus nostras in quemlibet hostem manus, quas sanguine innocentium cruentare nefas ducimus. Dexterae ipsae pugnare adversus Impios & Inimicos sciunt, laniare, pios et Cives nesciunt. Meminerimus nos (and O that our Army-Officers and Soldiers would remember it likewise) Pro Civibus potius quam adversus Cives arma sumpsisse. Pugnabimus semper pro Justitia, pro pietate pro innocentium salute (not for Kings, Bishops, Deans, Chapters, Ministers Lands, Revenues, Tithes, Estates, the things now fought for:) Haec fuerunt hactenus pretia periculorum. Pugnavimus pro fide, quam quo pacto conservemus tibi (Imperatori) Si hanc Deo nostro non exhibemus? O that this Resolution were now engraven in every Army-Officers and Soldiers heart! our Ministers then needed not to fear the loss of their Tithes, Rectories, Churches, nor our Universities, Colleges, Corporations, or any other the disinheris • on of their Lands, Laws, Liberties, Powers, by Military Rapines, violences, and usurpations.

6ly. The Exemptions of the Hospitalers and Templars Lands from paying of Tithes, was a mere Papal Innovation and Devise, which Canne, who pleads so much against Tithes upon this mistake that they are Popish, and all his Confederates should be ashamed to own and imitate: The Israelites God's own people during their possession of Canaan, had many foreign and Civil wars in most of their Judges, Kings and High Priests successive Reigns, and Roman Governors over them: yet we never read, that any of their Generals, Officers or Soldiers, fighting for their Churches, Priests and Religions Defense against foreign or Domestic idolatrous Enemies, pretended the least Exemption of their Lands or Estates from paying all their ancient forementioned accustomed Tithes to the Levites, Priests and Poor: no • any Christian Soldiers else but the Popish Templars and Hospitalers for the Lands conferred on their Orders, not for their private Inhabitances. And if Soldiers be obliged to pay Tithes of all their Spoyls and Gains of war (as I have abundantly proved) much more then of their real and personal Estates, as well as any others not in arms: especially where they are well paid and war not on their own expenses, but other men's purses: Amongst the Jews we never read of any Taxes, Tributes or Contributions imposed on the Cities, Houses, Lands or Tithes of the People and Levites for the maintenance of wars, or pay of Soldiers, from which even Artaxerxes (a heathen Conqueror) exempted them by an express Decree, Ezra 7. 24. Yet they received Tithes of all their Kings, Generals, Captains, Soldiers, as well as Peoples Lands and increase both in times of war and peace. But our Army-Officers and Soldiers now receive above the Tithes of all our Ministers Tithes, Glebes in Monthly Taxes and Contributions by arbitrary, illegal Impositions without their or Consents in Parliament, contrary to their • ntient Privileges, all former Presidents and our Laws. Therefore there is all Equity and Justice they should receive the Tenths both of their Lands, Goods and Gains of war too, and that no Officers or Soldiers should be exempted from Tithes as the Templars and Hospitalers were, who had no other Pay or Salaries but their Lands, and received no constant Contributions from the Clergy. Xenophon, that famous learned Greek Heathen Commander, having made the most Noble retreat we ever read of in Story, out of the upper part of Asia with ten thousand men through mountains, frost and snow, in memory of his thankfulness to the God's for this safe return, separated the Tenth of all the Spoyls that his Army had gained in the wars, and by general consent, committed them to the Captains to be dedicated to Apollo and Diana; That for Apollo, was laid up at Delphi in the Athenean Treasury; but with that other Tenth Dianas share, Xenophon himself purchased a Peece of Land, and built thereon a Temple and an Altar to Diana, and appointed the Tenth of the yearly increase forever unto it. This Pagan Commander and his Captains and Soldiers were so far from exempting their Lands from Tithes to their Idol-Deities, that they Tithed the very Spoyls of their wars to them, and built and endowed a Temple to Diana with Lands, and Tithes out of their own • ands and Estates forever. Which shall forever silence and shame those Christian Army-Officers, Soldiers, Templars and Hospitalers, who would exempt not only their Spoyls, but their Lands and Estates from all Tithes to God and his Ministers because they are Soldiers, and pretend to fight for their Defense.

7ly. This Reason, that they should enjoy not only their own but our Ministers Tithes, because they are an Army of Preachers and Priests, and more Officers, Soldiers in the present Army Preachers or Speakers (as they phrase them) than ever in any Army in the world before, hath frequently minded me of that saying of Pope Gregory the first (which famous Bishop Jewel much insisted on) concerning Antichrist. The King of Pride (Antichrist) is at hand, and which is an horrible Thing to be spoken, Sacerdotum est praeparatus Exercitus, an Army of Priests is prepared to gard and usher him in. Certainly I never heard nor read of such an Army of Priests (as our Army now is, before; wherein there are not only some hundreds of disguised Popish Antichristian Priests and Jesuits (as most wisemen conceive) under the disguise of Soldiers) preaching, venting, many notorious Errors, Blasphemies and Antichristian Tenants, to infect the Army and Nation too, but many preaching Colonels, Captains, Officers, Soldiers of all sorts, not a preaching General (as some say) too; And among others, one of these Army-Preachers not long since published a Book with this Title: Antichrist with us; by John Spittle-house, a member of the Army: printed at London, 1648. which intimated to me at first sight, that Antichrist was in the Army: and truly if they proceed (as Canne would have them) to usurp our Ministers Office, Rectories, Glebes, Tithes, Churches to themselves, and Suppresse our Ministers, Churches, Parishes, as Antichristian; I shall then justly suspect, and others will confidently conclude, they are the very Army of Priests prophesied of by Pope Gregory, who shall forcibly usher and bring in Antichrist the King of Pride (who exalteth himself above all that is called God or Worshipped, that is, above Kings, Lord's, Parliaments, and all Civil and Ecclesiastical Powers whatsoever, as Expositors resolve) into our Church, and re-establish him in his Throne.

8ly. I never read in the Old Testament or New, that Christ Authorized, Commissioned or sent out any Captains, or Soldiers to preach the Gospel, or made choice of such to be his Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel: Surely had this been a part of their duty as Christian Officers and Soldiers, John the Baptist Christ's forerunner would have instructed those Soldiers who came purposely to and demanded of him: what shall we do? in another manner than he did; and said unto them; Go and preach the Gospel, and instruct the ignorant Soldiers and people publicly where ever you quarter: in the first place; and then, Do violence to no man, and accuse no man falsely, and be content with your wages: The only precepts he gave them; Which our Army-Officers and Soldiers since they turned Preachers have much forgotten and neglected: I read of 2. devout Centurions in the New Testament eminent for their faith, piety, Charity, and of one devout Soldier; yet neither of them a public Preacher: The first of these Colonels or Centurions built a Synagogue for the Jews and others to meet and preach in who were Priests and Ministers; but I read not he ever preached in it publicly himself. The latter ( Centurion ) is thus characterized, Acts 10. 1, 2. That he was a devout man, and one that feared God with all his House, which gave much Alms to the people, and prayed to God continually: but doubtless he never preached, for then it would have been there recorded, that he preached continually as well a • prayed: Yea, he was so far from this, that when the Angel of God came to him in a vision; he said, Thy Pr • yers and thine Alms (not thy preaching, therefore he preached not at all, or if he did God accepted it not, but disliked it as against his word and will) are come into remembrance before God: And now send men to Joppa and call for Simon Peter, he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

Whereas some Centurions, Colonels, Captains and Soldiers of this Age, if Peter himself should come to their Assemblies or Quarters, would be readier to teach and preach to him, than to hear him, and apter to be his Teachers than Auditors, as these only were: After which Peter preached to him and his company; I find another sort of Captains and Soldiers in the New Testament and are branded forever with this Epiphomena, These things therefore the Soldiers did. These Soldiers no doubt were truly Antichristian; and if the Tree may be judged and known by its Fruits, and Soldiers by their Actions and Intentions, I doubt there are far more of this later sort than of the first in this Age, and if John Cannes Voice from the Temple be embraced for Gospel in every point by the whole Army, no doubt they will then be all of this later rank, not the Ministers and Soldiers of Jesus Christ, but of Antichrist alone; and the Crucisiers of Christ again in his faithful Ministers and Members; which I desire them all sadly to consider.

9ly. Admit them to be made Kings and Priests to God the Father by Christ, in a spiritual sense, as all the Elect Saints of God are; will it thereupon follow, that they may all lawfully preach in public, administer Sacraments, and exercise the proper Function of Priests and Ministers? If so, then by the self-same reason, they may all lawfully exercise the office and power of Kings, as well as of Priests (as some of them do in the highest degree beyond all Presidents of any our Kings before them) and so under pretext of suppressing our Monarchy, and one sole King as dangerous and pernicious; we shall have now no less than an whole Army of Kings to rule and reign over us, and to engross not only all the old Kings Lands and Revenues, but the greatest part of the Peoples far surmounting of a Million or two each year in Contributions and Excise to support their new Royal State and Dignity; as well as an Army of Priests, who have and would swallow up our whole Churches Revenues, Glebes, Tithes, Patrimony, and our Ministry too, for to support their new Evangelical Priesthood; that so they may resemble both Christ and Melchizedek in their Kingly and Priestly Offices united in one Person; though not in the Title of their Kingdom as the Apostle interprets it, Hebr. 7. 2. being by Interpretation KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESSE, and after that also, King of SALEM, which is KING OF PEACE; which Soldiers who make a gainful Trade of War and Rapine delight not in.

10ly. I do affirm, and will abide by it, that since the time some disguised Popish Priests, Jesuits, Sectaries, Heretics, Anabaptists and other Seducers (rather than the Lord) drew ou • the heart of some Soldiers and other Mechanics (in truth or disguise) publicly to preach, the People of this Common-wealth, have had more abominable, false, damnable, atheistical, Antichristian Heresies, Errors, Blasphemies, New Opinions, and old exploded Heterodox Heresies and Tenants of all sorts whatsoever against the very Essence, Nature, Attributes of God himself, the three sacred Persons in the Trinity, the Old and New Testament, Law, Gospel, all the fundamental Articles of Faith and Salvation, the Sacraments, Ministers, Ordinances of God; and practical public, private Duties of Piety and Christianity, under the Names and specious Titles of New Lights, and glorious Discoveries of Christ's Kingdom, broached by Soldiers and Lay-Preachers, than in all the times since the Gospel was first preached in this Island, and more than ever any one Age, Church, Nation, or all our Ministers put together since the Creation till now were guilty of, and these publicly averred both in Press and Pulpit, and the Authors of them exempted from any corporal or pecuniary punishments, by the Civil Magistrates, by the avowed printed Positions and Proposals of the General Council of Army-Officers and Soldiers in sundry Papers. For full and infallible proof whereof, I shall remit the Reader to Mr. Edwards Gangrenaes, the Catalogues of the Heresies, Blasphemies, Errors, collected by the London and Devonshire Ministers, the Stationers Beaconfired, and New Law, p. 78, 97. Which stiles Heaven, Hell, the resurrection of the Flesh, a Dream of our Preachers; The History of the Scripture an Idol, &c. And all this by the malice of Satan, the underhand practices of Jesuits and our Popish Adversaries to defame, ruin our Church, Ministers, Religion, seduce thee to Popery, Atheism, and reduce us back to the Antichristian Tyranny of the Sea of Rome, as I have largely manifested in the fifth Chapter. Whereas Canne cannot charge our Parochial Ministers and Presbyterians with any such Blasphemies, Heresies, Errors, as those he pleads for are guilty of in the highest degree, nor with those Jesuitical, treacherous, perfidious, sacrilegious, unclean, beastly ranting, unrighteous, profane, atheistical Innovations, Practices, Rapines, Usurpations, as they have plunged themselves into over head and ears without any Conscience or dread of God or Man.

11ly. What, that more true Light and glorious Discoveries of Christ and his Kingdom made known to the people of this Common-wealth within these 10, or 12. years by the public preaching of some Soldiers and Laymen, exceeding all the Nations Ministers ever made known unto them before, are, is concealed by Canne, and unknown to me or others, unless it be the flat atheistical denial of God, of Christ and all his Offices, of the Holy Ghost, Scriptures, Sacraments, all public Ordinances in the Church, of all Kings, Princes, Parliaments, lawful Magistrates, Laws, Oaths, Vows, Covenants, Protestations, Engagements, by many of them in their words, writings, and most of them in their works, with their Jesuitical positions, plots, practices, recited in the fifth Chapter. And if these be not true infernal Darkness, and clear inglorious Discoveries of Antichrist and his Kingdom in the highest Degree, that ever yet appeared amongst the people of this Common-wealth, let the fifth Chapter, with the positions and practices themselves, compared with the Old and New Testament, determine.

12ly. The decrying of our Universities, Colleges, Schools of human Learning, Inns of Court, and some men's endeavoring to seise upon their Lands and Revenues for the Armies use, is no doubt a Jesuitical Papal plot, to extinguish the light of our Knowledge both Divine and human, by puting out the Eyes of our Nation, that so Jesuitical Popish darkness might over-spread our Church and State; and so the blind leading the blind in both, they must fall into the Pit of Destruction in a moment. It is storied of Julian (that blasphemous Apostate, and professed Enemy of Christ and Christian Religion)

well knowing that Learning was the principle means to promote Religion, and the glory, honor, wealth and greatness of any Nation, more necessary than any Arms or Soldiers, and the chief means to preserve them from Idolatry, Superstition, Confusion, ruin. We may therefore clearly discern whence the present Outcries against our Universities, Inns of Court, Schools of Learning, and all human learning proceed, even from desperate Apostates from true Religion and God's Church, and those who would erect a New Babel of Confusion amongst us in Church, State, and thereby build up the demolished walls of the Romish Jericho within all our Dominions: For proof whereof, I shall transcribe this notable passage of our famous learned Bishop Jewel in his Sermon on Joshua 6. in his works in Folio, p. 167, 168. which is very pithy, learned and satisfactory, omitting all others.

(to which our King Alfred founder of out famous University of Oxford with the founders of all the Colleges therein, and of the Universities of Cambridge, Dublin, and those in Scotland, to omit those Universities in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, and other Parts of Italy and France, mentioned by Heylen and others, might be added:) (Let our Soldiers who hate and study to suppress Philosophers, Scholars, Lawyers, consider these two last Stories:)

In brief, learning, knowledge in Arts, Tongues, Histories of all sorts, and in the Laws, Governments of former ages, are so absolutely necessary for the right understanding and interpretation of the Scriptures, and good Government of all Common-wealths and Kingdoms, that without them there neither will nor can be any true Religion, sound Knowledge of God, his word, or works, nor orderly Government, Humanity, Civility, Navigation, or Commerce almost in the world; and men deprived of it will be little different from Beasts, as appears by the brutish Sottishnesse, Barbarousnesse, Savagenesse, ignorance of the illiterate Indians in America, and of some other African and Northern Nations, void both of Religion, Government and Humanity itself, because destitute of Learning, as Purchas his Pilgrimage, Mr. Hackluits voyages, Peter Martyrs Indian History, Mercator, and others record. Hereupon our ancient Ancestors were so careful of Learning, Religion, Ministers, Scholars, Lands, Estates, Tithes, that they placed them in the very front of all those ancient Laws, Liberties, Customs which they claimed, enjoyed, and presented to William the (pretended) Conqueror upon Oath in the 4th. Year of his Reign, who ratified them in Parliament, without the least Alteration or Diminution, to his eternal Honor, and the great contentment of the whole Nation, whose affections else he would have lost, to the endangering of his new acquired Royalty, as I have proved in the 2d. Chapter. Which our New pretended Conquerors, may do well to consider. And so I proceed to my concluding Assertion.

CHAP. V.

I Am now arrived at the fifth and last Proposition, That the present opposition and endeavored abolition of Tithes and all other coercive maintenance for Ministers, proceed not from any real grounds of Piety or Conscience, or any considerable real Inconveniences or Mischiefs arising from them, but merely from base, covetous, carnal Hearts, want of Christian Love and Charity to, and professed enmity and batred against the Ministers and Ministry of the Gospel; and from a Jesuitical and Anabaptistical design to subvert and ruin our Ministers, Church and Religion; the probable, if not necessary consequence of this infernal Project, if it should take effect. Which would prove the eternal Shame, Infamy and Ruin of our Nation, not its Glory and Benefit.

The first part of the Proposition is sufficiently manifested by the premises, wherein I have answered all Objections from pretended Grounds of Piety, Conscience, and surmised Inconveniences or Mischiefs made against Tithes, discovering them to be mere Impostures, and false Surmises, and the principal Objections against them are, that they are Jewish, Popish: And John Canne in his Second Voice from the Alehouse (for surely it came from thence, not from the Temple ) to show his skill in Divinity most impudently asserts▪ That payment of Tithes is a Sin two ways against the second Commandment, 1. In itself, as being Jewish and Superstitious, giving honor to the ways and devises of Antichrist. This way of Maintenance by Tithes being a Popish Custom, imposed by the Popes Authority, &c. 2ly, As paid to an unlawful and Antichristian Ministry, &c. Surely a Liar ought to have a good Memory; He confesseth, p. 15. That Tithes were paid by Abraham, vowed by Jacob, and prescribed by God himself in the Ceremonial law. Therefore neither Jewish, nor Popish, nor Superstitions, nor a Sin against the 2d. Commandment: else Abraham in paying, Jacob in vowing, God in prescribing, the Israelites in paying them, should transgress this Commandment, and commit a Sin against it, I would demand of this Canne, how he can reconcile these his palpable Lyes and Contradictions unbecoming him who professeth himself a true Minister of the Gospel. 1. How Tithes can be merely Jewish, since paid by God's direction and approbation, by Abraham the Father of the Faithful, and that to Christ himself, in the shape of Melchisede • , and prescribed by God's own special Precept? 2ly. How anything commanded by God, even when the 2d. Commandment was given, recorded in the same Canonical Books of Scripture with it, practiced by God's special command by all his true Saints under the Law, and generally in all Christian Churches under the Gospel, as I have proved; can possibly be, a Sin against the 2d. Commandment in itself? and whether it be not direct Blasphemy in him thus confidently to aver it, in making God's very Commandments to fight one against another, and to command one thing as a Duty in some Texts, and condemn it as a Sin and damnable Superstition in another? 3ly. How Tithes if truly and orignally Jewish, can yet be truly and originally Antichristian, Popish, and the Popes device, many thousand years after Tithes first Institution and customary payment? Till he can satisfactorily reconcile these apparent contradictory Assertions, or publicly recant them if he cannot, all the world must accompt him for an Antichristian Minister and Lying Impostor, his Voice, the Voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth both God and Men, Psal. 44. 16. and confess there is no ground at all in Piety or Conscience against Tithes, or their payment, but grounds both of Piety and Conscience for them, as I have proved; especially for our Godly Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel (for whom I only plead) whose Calling being of unquestionable Divine Institution, notwithstanding all Cannes Alehouse Arguments against them (not worth a Canne ) and to continue in the world to the very end thereof, and the consummation of all things, by Christ's own resolution, Matth. 28. 20 Ephes. 4. 10, 11, 12, 13. they may and ought by Divine and Human Laws, to enjoy their Glebes and Tithes so long continued, maugre all the malice, power of their violent Oppugners, and will do so when they and their Posterities shall not have so much as a Name or Being upon Earth or in Heaven (unless they repent) notwithstanding they were justly taken from Popish Friars, Abbots, Priors, Lordly Prelates, (of mere popish Antichristian Institution, not Divine, ) when their very Orders were suppressed, as mere Usurpers, Encroachers of the Ministers Rights, Rewards alone, for their pains in preaching, exercising their Ministerial Function in their respective Parishes, not in Abbeys, Cathedrals, (no Parish Churches for the people to resort unto) to which by the Popes Bulls, they were unjustly appropriated heretofore.

To clear this Proposition more fully in all its branches, I have observed, that there are five sorts of persons of late, very busy, active both against our Ministers tiths and callings too.

The first are Soldiers: The 2d. Anabaptists, Dippers, Quakers, with other late blasphemous Sectaries and Heretics: The 3d. profane, covetous Earth worms, and Atheistical Wretches; who say in their Hearts, and sometimes boldly profess, not only by their Lives, but with their Tongues in this lawless Age, There is no GOD. The 4th. profane, ignorant, cheating Prognosticators and Astronomers: The 5th. Jesuitos, popish Priests and Romish Emissaries, sent from all p • rts to ruin our Ministers and Religion.

For the first, they are either Officers and Common Soldiers, and those, either such who have gained or purchased Lands since the Wars, liable to Tithes; for such who have no Lands at all, and so not of present Ability, Capacity to pay Tithes. Those who have any purchased Lands liable to Tithes, are now so fierce against them, (for ought I c • n discern) not out of any grounds of piety or Conscience; but, either out of an unworthy, covetous, degenerous, fordid disposition, to ease themselves and their Heirs from this just ancient Debt, yea a charge of Tithes upon their New cheap Purchases, and gain them as an Over-plus into their Bargains, to improve their Purchases to an higher value; the case of such of them who approve of our Ministers, our public Ordinances, and are no Speakers, Anabaptists, Sectaries. Or else a like avaricious Disposition, mixed with and heightened by a professed Enmity, Malignity against the very Persons, Calling of our Ministers, whom they usually revile by the names of Baals Priests, Black Coats, Antichristian Locusts, rotten, corrupt Clergy-men, Seditious, Factious Uarlets; and all other railing Epithites, which Lily in his late Almanacs and Scurrilous Pamphlets, hath furnished them with, which they much magnisie. This is the Case of such Sword men, who are above, or against all Ordinances, Duties public or private: or Antiscripturists, Antitrinitarians, Anabaptists, Seekers, Quakers, Asserters of the Souls mortality, as rising from and dying with the body; of all their ordinary unordained Speakers, Preachers, infected with any other erroneous, heretical, or blasphemous opinions; of all disguised Jesuits, Priests, Papists under the Profession and Name of Soldiers Those who have no Lands liable to Tithes, petition and speak against them; either merely to please their Superior Landed-Officers, for fear of being cashiered by them; or because they are infected with Anabaptism, Jesuitism, Errors, Blasphemy, Schism, Arianism, Atheism, contempt of all public Ordinances, Duties, and a bitter Emnity against our Ministers Persons, Callings, or Intruders into their Office (as well as into most other Professions) without any Lawfull call. These, in my Observation (and I appeal to every of their own Consciences in the presence of the Searcher of all hearts, for the truth of it) are the only true Grounds, Motives of any Officers or Soldiers present stickling opposition against Tithes and Ministers, arising from within them, as they are private persons. And these unchristian Grounds, seconded with the open or under-hand solicitations of their Anabaptistical, Heretical, Schismatical, Jesuitical, Astromatical Friends and acquaintance out of the Army; backed with a most impious, wretched, Sacrilegious Policy to please the simple oppressed, deluded Country people in discharging them at present from the payment of Tithes to their Ministers, that so they may augment their Taxes to the full value of their abolished Tithes, to support themselves and the Army the longer in a body, to uphold their Supreme enchroached Powers, preserve, increase their New Purchases, Estates, depending wholly upon the New Law and Title of the longest Sword, are in my apprehension the only true causes why the General Council of Officers of the Army, with the Soldiers under them, by their directions, as a New created All-swaying Military Corporation, have so oft appeared publicly against our Ministers Tithes to abolish them (and their Ministry by necessary consequence with them) which all other Opponents (being inconsiderable) were never able to effect, but by their armed power. These are all the real principles of Piety, Conscience (if they deserve the Title) I could ever yet find amongst them; engaging the Army-Officers and Soldiers against Tithes, which how inconsistent they are with the real profession, or grounds of Christianity, Piety, Conscience, Justice, Saintship, let their own Consciences and the world resolve; and what Censures, Execrations, Judgments they may in Justice expect from God, for such a Sacrilegious Rapine, as they intend upon these carnal, impious, atheistical grounds, policies, hypocritically gilded over with the paint of Conscience, Reformation, Religion, Propagation of the Gospel, &c. which makes the Design more detestable both to God and all good men.

The second sort of Tithe Oppugners are professed Anabaptists, Dippers, Seekers, Quakers, and other blasphemous Sectaries and Heretics, lately sprung up amongst us, many of which have crept into the Army for their greater security, and the better accomplishment of their dangerous destructive Designs against our established Government, Magistrates, Laws, but especially against our Religion, Church, Minister, Ministry, their Tithes and Glebes. Scarce one of a thousand of these poor Sneaks were of ability to pay any Tithes of late; and those of this prevailing Faction, who have crept into Sequestrations, Offices, Employments of late, and thereby gained any Estates, for the most part, have enriched themselves by sequestered Tithes, Glebes, Bishops, Deans, Chapters Lands and Revenues, which these hungry Harpyes have most greedily preyed upon, not out of any real grounds of Piety or Conscience (as they pretend) which I could yet seldom or never find in any of them; but out of an insatiable greedy HOLY HUNGER OR THIRST (in the Poets sense) after Gold, Gain, Spoyl, the Revenues of our Church, and an implacable bitter Enmity against our Ministers Persons, Callings; whether Presbyterians (the chief Butt against whom their Malice is bent) or Independents of a more moderate strain; whose Ministry is the main Fort they level all their present power against, to raze it even to the very Foundation; now prosecuting the total abolition, not only of their present Tithes, Glebes, but of all other future coercive maintenance in lieu of them, only to subvert their Ministry, and quite starve (if they cannot violently storm ) them out of it. This is most perspicuous, not only by their manifold former libellous Pamphlets against our Ministers Calling, and the late Ordinances for Tithes, which I have elsewhere collected, refuted, but by their fresh Petitions both against their Tithes and Ministry too, as Antichristian, Jewish, Popish, &c. especially by John Canne the old Amsterdam Anabaptists Second Uoyce from the Temple (or Synagogue of Satan rather) newly dedicated to those he stiles The Supreme Authority of the Nation, wherein he exhorts and stimulates them, by all the Art, Rhetoric, Motives, false Arguments he can muster up, to do execution, and take vengeance upon Babylon (to wit, the National Ministry, Churchworship & Government of England, as he explains it, p. 2.) till it be wholly desolate, not a Stone left upon a Stone, till it be thrown down: To take a most effectual and certain course to starve and famish these Antichristian Idols, by taking away the Food and Maintenance whereby hitherto (as at this present they are nourished, fed and left alive) and more particularly their Tithes. To repeal all Laws and Statutes formerly made, whereby the Whore hath lived deliciously and proudly, and keeps on to this Day her Whorish attire. To make the Whore desolate and naked by making no Act or Law to stand in force which doth yield any relief to her. To set themselves in array against her (by the Armies power no doubt, which he alludes to) bend their Bow, fan and empty her. To set upon this work speedily, in good earnest (as it seems they do) whiles it is today: And why so? Because the Lord himself hath by a Call more than ordinary, called them to this more than ordinary Employment, (if he could have proved it by Scripture or Law, it had been more worth than all his Pamphlet) put this fair (or rather foul) opportunity into their hands; hath commanded his sanctified ones, and called his Mighty ones (the Army-Officers) to fulfill his pleasure upon this great Whore (the Church and Ministry of England) and SION is in travel and ready to bring forth (this Monster of Desolation and Confusion:) which if they neglect or delay, then mark how he briefly menaces them with the Fates of their late Predecessors, I would think you should never be sitting in that House, but be thinking still on those who sat there before you (and why not as well on Faux and the Gunpowder Traitors, as those, since there seems another Powder-plot in the Vault to blow them up, intended by Canne and his Confederates if they fail in accomplishing this their desired work?) whom the Lord hath lade aside as despised broken Idols and Vessels, wherein his Soul had no pleasure. And why? As they knew not their Generationwork (which he excites them to) neither were faithful to the interest of Jesus Christ. God is no respecter of Persons, as men sow, so they shall reap. Ex ungue Leonem, ex cauda Draconem. You may see by these passages, and his whole Pamphlet pursuing them, what these malicious, inhuman, barbarous, irreligious, hypocritical Anabaptists aim at in their present violent prosecutions against Tithes; even utterly to starve, famish, subvert, extirpate our Ministers, Ministry, Church, Worship, Government, and make our Land a mere Spoyl, Desolation, as their Predecessors did Munster, and some parts of Germany, whiles in their power. But let Canne and his Anabaptistical Confederates remember what tragical ends their New King John, with all his Princes, Grandees, Officers, Prophets, Followers came to in conclusion in Germany: And what fatal ruin befell Jack Cade, Jack Straw, Wat Tyler, Sharp and other levelling Companions, who had the self-same Designs against our English Laws, Lawyers, Clergy, Tithes, Glebes, as He and they have now, animated thereto by the new-dipped Jesuits, and other Romish Emissaries lately crept into their Anabaptistcal Fraternity to further this their Infernal Gunpowder-plot against our Church, Religion, Ministers, Magistrates, Government, Laws, and let them thereupon repent of, desist from, abominate this their Diabolical, wicked Design, lest they incur the self same punishments in conclusion, by stirring up God and all the whole Nation against them, as most accursed Rebels, Traitors, Instruments of Satan, yea that very Antichrist and Whore of Rome, they pretend they are blindly acting against, whose designs in truth they are but accomplishing in the highest degree.

I must here observe (and desire all others to take notice of) three things. First, that in Cannes Voice, and in all other late Pamphlets, Petitions of the Anabaptists, wherein they seem to vent their most passionate zeal against Antichrist, Babylon, the Whore of Babylon, their chief Instruments and Supporters, I cannot find so much as one Clause or Syllable against Jesuits, Popish Priests, Papists, Romish Emissaries; or exciting the execution of any Laws or Statutes formerly made against them; but the whole stream, bent of them all is only against the Godly Ministers, Ministry, worship of the Church of England, the Presbyterian Government, and our present Church-worship, the only Babylon, Whore, Antichrist, they intend and fight against, not the Pope and Church of Rome. 2ly. That they are so far from pleading against the Pope, Popish Priests, Jesuits, and urging the execution of the good Oaths, Laws, made by late and former Protestant Parliaments▪ gainst them and their Treasonable practices, that they have frequently written, petitioned for their Repeal, Abolition, as bloody Tyrannical Laws, unlawful Oaths▪ and procured their Repeal or Suspension at least, in their favor from some late and present Powers, 3ly. That when some conscientious pious Stationers late in their Beacons fired, discovered to those then in Power,

Kiffin with other Anabaptists in the Army, headed by Colonel Pride, taking an Alarum thereat, subscribed and printed a Book entitled, The Beacons quenched, (penned they know best by whom, not the Subscribers of it, not yet inspired with the gift of all the Tongues therein contained) pleading for a free Tolleration of such Popish Books printing, dispersing amongst us, of public Disputes by those of that Religion, traducing, accusing the Presbyterians throughout that Pamphlet, and those honest zealous Stationers in particular, of no l • sse than a New Gunpowder-plot, Mine, Train, (then ready to be sprung) to blow up those, Colonel Pride and his Confederates first made, and then styled, The Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, and the Army too; only for discovering thes • Popish Books and Trains to blow up our Religion: Which Scandal, as the Stationers then fully cleared by their satisfactory Reply to that impertinent Pamphlet, so the Subscribers of it their Fellow-Soldiers of the Army (better versed by far in Mines and Fireworks to blow up Parliaments, and nearer related to old Guy Faux, a Low-Country Soldier, by reason of their Military profession, than these Stationers and Presbyterians, they thus falsely slandered) have since cleared before all the World, to be a malicious Calumny, of which themselves only are guilty, and given just cause of Jealousy, Fear, to all Presbyterians, old Protestants and P • ritans to apprehend, that they now really join their Forces and Heads together with those thus pleaded for, to ruin our Church, Religion, Ministry, under the Notion and Project of suppressing Tithes, and of all future compulsory Maintenance for the Ministers of England, whom they intend to starve and famish (such is their Charity) if they can but vote Tithes down, before they provide any other Maintenance; which Vote once passed, the next will be, to vote them both out of their Rectories, Glebes, Churches, Ministry too, as Cannes Voice, and the Kentish Petition against Tithes root and branch, sufficiently discover to all who are not willfully blind: enough to make all men now to look about them.

That the Dominican, Franciscan, and other Popish Friar • , were the first Broachers of this Opinion, That L • ymen were not bound to pay Tithes to their Ministers by any Divine law or right; on purpose to draw the Tithes of Ministers and Curates to themselves, and exempt whatever Lands or Things were given to them from payment of Tithes; I have elsewhere evidenced out of Mr. Selden and others; whereupon Johannes Sarisburiensis Bishop of Chartres thus censured them, Mirror ut fidelium pace loquar, quodnam sit ut Decimas & jura aliena usurpare non erubes • unt. Inquient forte Religiosi sumus. Plane Decimas solvere Religions pars est. Adding, that their Exemptions from payment of Tithes did derogare constitutioni Divinae, derogate from Divine institution. And Petrus Blesensis, Archdeacon of Bath, in his 82. Epistle inveighs very much against the privileges of the Cistercian Monks exemption from payment of Tithes, as injuriosa immunitas, contra Dei justiciam: seeing Justiciae Divinae manifest resistit, qui Ministris Ecclesiae nititur jus Decimationis auferre: Which these▪ Friers not only persisted in, by subtracting their own Tithes from the Ministers by color of these Exemptions, but likewise the Tithes of their other Parishioners, especially such who contemning and deserting their own Parish Priests and Churches, resorted to these Friers Chapels, and acknowledged them for their Ghostly Fathers and Confessors. This is most evident by the Petition of the Parish Priests and Rectors of London to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the rest of the Bishops in a Synod, (about the year of our Lord 1240.) against the Dominicans and Franciscans, who much impaired their profit; wherein they complained That their Parishioners who at leastwise on Lord's days and Festivals are bound to frequent their Parish Churches, and to receive Sacraments and Sacramentals in the same, and devoutly to hear Divine Service, as also to offer at Solemn Masses due and accustomed Oblations; did repair to the places and Houses of these Friers, and scorn and forsake their Parish Churches, and so confer the due Rights of the Church wherewith the Churches were anciently endowed, upon the Friers. Also they who confess themselves to these Friers, who before were accustomed annually by the Canon-law to pay Tithes of their Tradings to their Parish Churches, from the time since they submitted themselves to the Confessions of these Friers, modo debito ac consueto negociationes s • as decimare non curant, Neglect to pay Tithes of their Tradings, after the due and accustomed manner. And is not this the very present Grievance, Complaint of most London and other Ministers throughout England, that since these disguised Romish Friers & Jesuits swarming in all places under the Masks and Titles of Anabaptists, Quakers, and other Sects, have in imitation of these their Predecessors, in their Writings, Preachments, and Conventicles declaimed against our Ministers Tithes, as not due unto them by any Divine Right, to rob our Ministers of, and draw the value of them to themselves; and since their Parishioners who are bound to resort to their Parish Churches on Lord's days and Feastivals to hear Divine Service, Sermons, and receive the Sacraments in a devout manner have resorted to the Conventicles and Meetings of these Friers and Jesuits, and submitted themselves to these new Ghostly Fathers and Confessors, they have quite contemned, deserted their own Parish Churches, neglected, refused to pay any personal or predial Tithes or Oblations to their Ministers after the due, and formerly accustomed manner, and bestowed the due Rights and ancient endowments of their parish Churches, (in value or substance at least, though not in kind) upon these Friers and Romish Locusts, whose very Doctrine, Practice in this particular of our Ministers Tithes and Oblations, and their subtraction of them (yea in most other Tenants now broached by them for New light ) are the very same in all particulars which these Friers in former ages both at home and abroad, as I have evidenced in my Quakers unmasked, my New Discovery of Romish Emissaries; and our London, Lancashire, Newcastle and other Ministers, have plentifully demonstrated in sundry publications, with Mr. Edwards in his Gangraenaes? We may then most clearly Discover these Romish wolves now crept in amongst us in Sheeps-clothing, by these their Fruits, and practices; whose Pleas against our Ministers Tithes, resolve into these Atheistical, unchristian Conclusions. 1. That the Tithes of Christians increase are too much for God himself who created them, and gives all to them. 2. Too much for Christ who redeemed them, who gave himself to death for them, and is a Priest forever unto God the Father after the order of Melchisede • in their behalf. 3. Too much for the Ministers of Christ, whose lives, studies, spirits are wholly spent in ministerial incessant labors for their eternal welfare. 4. Too much to be laid out for the Instruction, Salvation, of their own immortal Souls; when as the other nine parts are consumed on their Bodies, Families, if not Sins and Lusts. 5. Too much for an Orthodox Protestant Minister; but not for a disgui • ed, seducing Popish Jesuitical Priest or Frier. O brutish, foolish, bewitched, infatuated Englishmen, now at last consider this your desperate folly, delusion, before it be over late, in following these disguised Seducers, to your own and our Religious ruiue.

The 3d. sort of Tithe-Oppugners are profane, covetous Earth-worms and Atheistical wretches, who care not for God or Religion, saying unto God and his faithful Ministers, like those Atheists, Job 21. 14, 15. Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; what is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? Yet because few of such are now active Sticklers and Petitioners (as such) against Tithes, but only mere Substractors, Detainers of them at present, they are less blame-worthy, and not so culpable as the two former, and subsequent Ranks, the chief active Sticklers, Petitioners, Writers against them.

The 4th. Rank of Grand Opposites against our Ministers and their Tithes are Profane, Ignorant, Cheating, Monthly Prognosticators and Astrologasters, as John Booker, Nich. Culpepper, and above all others William Lily, a most bitter, railing Ral shekeh, whose late Almanacs, ever since 1648. and other idle Prophetick Pamphlets, are so fraught with Scurrilous Invectives, Raylings, Predictions of our Ministers, Presbyterians Downfalls, and their Tithes, the Soldiers, Peoples general Opposition, Insurrection against them, &c. almost in every line, as if the Army-Officers, Soldiers, Anabaptists, Priests, Jesuits, had purposely hired him, to carry on their Designs against our Ministers, their Tithes, Maintenance, to subvert our Religion; and the Jesuits, Anabaptists, furnished him out of all their • ayling Pasquils, Satyrs, with reproachful Terms, Invectives, Slanders against them, which have swelled up his frothy, filthy Papers to an extraordinary B • lk, beyond his Fellow- Prognosticators, and made them so much cried up, read, studied both by Officers, Soldiers, Anabaptists, and other simple people, incensing them against our Ministers and their Tithes, a • things which the late Constellations, Eclipses of the Moon and Sun have specially designed • o speedy ruin. When I was close Prisoner in Dunster Castle in the year 1650. the Officers and Soldiers there, sent me Lilies New Almanac to read, wherein I found, such a world o • bitter, railing, Jesuitical Epithites against our Ministers, and predictions of the sudden Downfall of their M • nist • y, Tithes, Maintenance, from pretended Malignant Constellations, (which y •• on the contrary at the same time did promise Acts of Grace and Favor to Popish Recusants, w • o in their Zeal and Loyalty to the New Republic exceeded most Presbyterians; • nd pres • ged some worthy Actions, in creating New Cardinals, &c. to be done in Rome and Italy as he therein predicted) as made me suspect him to be more than half a Jesuit, or at least their Scholar, Confederate, Pensioner to promote their Designs against our Ministers; and to acquaint M • . Bradshaw (my Committer) with others at Whi • ehalt so mu • h in my Letters to them: But our Tithes and Ministers not falling down that year, as he falsely prognosticated, he still continued to predict their Downfalls in his lying Prognostications, 1651, and 1652. much read and cried up by the Officers and Soldiers at Pendennys Castle in Cornwall, who sent me them to • ead, wherein he retained his former malicious Raylings against our Ministers and their Tithes, to • ender them odious to the Soldiers, Army, People, and all originally, because reverend Mr. Gataker, with the Assembly of Divines in their Annotations to the Bible, on Jer. 10. 2, 3. and other Texts, and others of them of late, had

The Sottishnesse, Falsity, Groundlesnesse whereof (built upon mere ridiculous Figments, Forgeries, Absurdities, Dreams, imaginary Signs, Houses built by them in the Heavens, and such Malignant Qualities as their fancies have ascribed, not God infused into the 7 Planets ) those who have been deluded by such cheating Knaves and Pickpurses, the greatest Impostors of any (as learned Henry Bullinger in his Commentary on Jer. 10. 2. Sixtus Senensis Bibl. l. 6. Annot. 10. and the subsequent Authors style them) may for their satisfaction read at large in Bardesanis Syms (the best learned of all the Chaldean Astrologers ) quoted by Eusebius De Praepar. Evangel. l. 6. c. 8. in Cicero De Divinatione, l. 2. in Picus Mirandula his 12. Books against Astrology, in Joseph Scaliger his Preface before Manilius, in Dr. Chambers Book against Judicial Astrology, London, 1601. in Sixtus ab Hemminga, Lib. Astrologiae Refutatae, Antw. 1583. in Jo. Francus Offucius, in Larvatam Astrologiam, An. 1570. in Cornelius Scepperus, contra Astrologos, Col. 1548. in Georg. Trapezuntins, Libellus cur Astrologorum Judicia sint falsa. Alex. De Angels, in Astrologos Conjectores, Romae, 1615. in John Milton, his Astrologaster, 1620. in Hieron. Savanorola, adversus Divinatricem Astronomiam, Florentiae 1581. in Apologeticus Interpretis pro Tractatu Hieron, Savanorolae adversus Astrologos, Flor. 1581. in Mr. Samuel Purchas his Pilgrimage, l. 1. c. 2. p. 12, 13. &c. 12. p. 64. in Ludovicus Vives de Corrupt. Artium, l. 5. who censures it as a Fraud, not Art, in Mr. Thomas Gataker his vindication of his Annotation on Jer. 2. against the Scurrilous Aspersions of that grand Impostor, William Lily; newly printed, 1653. and the Authors quoted by him, in Bochellus Decret. Eccles Gallicanae, lib. 1. Tit. 14. where the Decrees of many French Councils are recited against this Diabolical cheating Profession, prohibiting Christians to buy, read, keep, or credit such Books, in which many unprofitable, Superstitious, false, yea impious and sacrilegious things are contained, which Books ought to be suppressed, damned, and utterly abolished (yea burnt like those Acts 19. 19. as the Council of Burdeaux, An 1582. and Johan Charberius de Gersonio, in his Trilogio Astrologiae Theologiza • ae, proves at large. And those who will compare Culpeppers & Lilies wild monstrous false Predictions concerning the several States, Kingdoms mentioned in their Almanacs, Prognostications for this present year, and the great Plagues, Mortality which should be both the last and this Summer in London (though never freer from Pestilence than at these seasons) with their, and others usual false Predictions every Month concerning the Weather, their manifold Contradictions both to themselves and one another, will easily discern them to be mere Liars, Impostors, and their Art a Cheat. Now let them all tell me at their leisure, by what warrant from Scripture, Philosophy, reason, art, sense, the Constellations of the Heavens, or Eclipses of the Sun & Moon these 2 last years only should certainly predict, portend, excite Soldiers, Sectaries, or Country people by any Divine ordination, or real influence on their dis-affected Spirits, to pull down the Ministers of the Gospel, & their Tithes, being both of Divine institution and establishment to continue to the Worlds end: When no other Constellations, Eclipses of like nature in any former Ages of the World since the Creation, portended or effected the like? Or how the Stars in Heaven should thus professedly sight against, and pull down those Stars (the Ministers of the Churches) which Christ himself holds in his right hand (out of which none can pull them ) and their Tithes too, being ancient, perpetual appurtenant to Christ's own eternal Priesthood, Heb. 7. 1, to 15? More particularly, I shall desire this scurrilous Impostor Lily to inform me, How it comes to pass, That the Celestial Stars, Planets, (and Good Angels which he oft couples together in his Merlins ) who in the year 16 • 7. (as he prints in his Ephemeris for it) by their good influence stirred up by God's providence the Parliament to take care, that preaching Ministers should be placed in every County of this Kingdom, and a sufficient stipend allowed where formerly none was; For which We (writes he, including himself in the Number) must ever acknowledge our Thankfulness: And that the Figures he erects on the X. of March, 1647. Astrologically predicting the State of our English Affairs and Clergy, should by the Rules of Astrology, and his own Judgment thereon (then printed, Venus being then found in the ninth House) import, To which he adds by way of Jeer this passage against Mr. Geree for writing against Astrology, And that they should be so implacable, as to continue these and worse threat • nings against all Presbyterian Ministers, Presbytery, Rectories, TITHES, and the whole English Clergy, ever since this year, so far, as to portend or ascertain, not only their general Opposition by Swordmen, the generality of the Nation, and their Governors and people, but sudden downfall and extirpation: Of which all his Merlins and Prognostications surfeit. Tantaene Animis Caelestibus Irae? Doubtless, the heavenly Stars, Planets, and good Angels are not so contradictory to themselves, or maliciously, irreconcilably Malignant against our Ministers Persons, Callings, Tithes, Presbytery, as this Arch Cheat, would make poor Simpletons believe. But it is only the Language and Malignity of his own malicious heart, tongue, Pen against them, because Enemies to his absurd, Diabolical, lying, cheating, Artlesse Art of Astrology, witness his own words; with many such like Passages since, wherein he reviles, vilifies, Mr. Calvin, Perkins, Geree, Case, Calamy, Farmer, Gataker, Owen, with sundry other Divines by name, and all of them in general, only because, they have preached or writ against the vanity, falsity of his cheating Astrology, by which he gets his living; as much as he reviles, jeers his Companion, Wharton, (Naworth, New rth,) for contradicting him in his own Science, whom yet elsewhere himself and Culpepper too, extraordinarily applaud for his exact transcendent knowledge in Astrology, though all 3. of them diametrically contradict each other in their Predictions from the Stats, or different factions rather. This malice of theirs against our Ministers and their Tithes (wherein they have proved lying Diviners hitherto, and will do so to the Worlds end, if we credit Matth. 28, 2c. Ephes. 4. 11, 12, 13) no doubt is elevated, augmented by Jesuits and Popish Spanish Agents, the chief Promoters of this Study of Astrology amongst us, and very intimate with these Lunatique, Star gazing Incendiaries and Time servers; it being the express advise and project of Thomas Campanella (a great Astrologer and Jesuited Italian Friar, much magnified by Lily in some of his Merlins, ) in his Treatise De Monarchia Hispaniae, wherein, as he shows the King of Spain the readiest means to make himself Monarch of the whole world, and particularly of England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, ( Which I wish all Lovers of our Religion, vigilant Statesmen, and Lily (with other Astrologasters, the chief Promoters of this Design) to take special notice of, and thereupon to abandon, suppress this impious, atheal, sottish, cheating Art, grounded upon no Rules of Reason, Philosophy, Divinity, Experience, but mer • imaginary Whimsies, Figments, Chymeraes, Signs, Houses in the Air, of Lunatick cheats and Impestors, as all rational, judicious Scholars who peruse their Scheams, Astrological Conjectures, Judgments, Predictions, Treatises, must acknowledge; and I by God's assistance, may hereafter demonstrate to the world if there be occasion, being not so pertinent to my present Theam.

The fifth and last Squadron of professed Enemies against our Ministers Tithes, Glebes and settled Maintenance, are Jesuits and Jesuited Papists: and that not out of any Malignity against Tithes themselves, which they all hold to be of Divine Right and Institution, according to the definition of their idolized Council of Trem, Sess. 25. De Reformatione, c. 12. which thus determines against their present practice and design:

But merely out of malice and design against our Ministers and their Ministry, of purpose to starve and ruin them, thereby to set up Popery, and intrude themselves into their Rectories, yea into our Bishoprics and Deaneries too, and then they will not only cry up Tithes again, with the due payment of them to themselves from the People, according to the utmost rigor of this Trent-Canon, and other Laws, for their due payment by Divine and Human Right, but likewise resume all Bishops, Deans, Chapters Lands, (if not Abby Lands too) into their hands, as sacrilegiously alienated from the Church without lawful power and Right, as Robert Parsons the Jesuits Memorial for Reformation, (written at ) Sevil in Spain, Anno 1596.) William Watson in his Quodlibets, p. 93, 94, 144. with the Statute of 1 Mariae, Parl. 2. c. 1. for reviving the Bishopric of Durham, restoring all Ecclesiastical and Temporal Jurisdictions, Lands, Hereditaments whatsoever thereunto heretofore belonging, though dissolved, settled in the Crown and Town of Newcastle, by the Statutes of 7 E. 6. c. 10. and another Act not printed, will inform the world, and Alfonsus de Uargas de Stratag. Jesuitarum, p. 203.

Now that the Jesuits (many hundreds of which Society now lurk everywhere amongst us under the Disguise of Anabaptists, Soldiers, Tradesmen, Seekers, Dippers, converted Jews, Physicians, Gentlemen, Travelers, Merchants, and other like, to work our ruin) have a hand in this Design to deprive our Ministers of their Tithes and Rectories, to work their ruin, is most apparent.

as we may read in Watson's Quodlibets against Parsons and his Fellow Jesuits, p. 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 31, 37, 38, 42, 43, 45, 50, 51, 52, 62, 63, 70, 71, 80, 81, 92, 93. and elsewhere throughout that Book: in Joan. Bogermanus Cateches • s Jesuit. l. 3. c. 28. Thuanus Hist. l. 126, Mercurius Jesuiticus, Tom. 1. p. 287. William Clark his Reply to Father Parsons Libel, printed 1603. fol. 17, to 32, which being the very condition and complaint of our Godly Protestant Ministers in most places throughout the Nation at this day, is no doubt a storm of these Jesuits raising, a very Plot and Design of their hatching, • omenting to ruin our Ministers and their Ministry now, as they would have done their own Secular Priests then in England, to advance their own power, profit, 2ly. It is evident by Rob. Parsons and other Jesuits old Project for Reformation of England, when they should get power in it: (like our wandering Quakers, Anabaptists, Sectaries of late) Whereupon he thus justly jeers them, cap. 46. p. 222. Therefore no wonder this Spirit of Rapine continues in his Disciples: who doubtless have infused the self-same Spirit of Rapine into our Anabaptists and Soldiers, into whose Societies they have secretly insinuated themselves; somenting and intending to lengthen out our wars so long, of purpose to make a prey of our remaining Church-Revenues, Rectories, Tithes, and College lands too at last, (as they have done of other Church-Revenues already dissipated) out of a pretext of Necessity, as is most transparent to all Intelligent people's eyes, thereby to destroy our Religion by devouring our Ministers, Churches Patrimonies, the probable, if not inevitable consequence of this Jesuitical project, if effected, as is most apparent by this notable passage of Roderyck Mors formerly a Grey Friar, in his Complaint and Supplication to the Parliament of England, about 37 H. 8. after the Dissolution of Monasteries, pertinent to my purpose, and as worthy consideration now as then,

This doubtless will be the general sad condition of all England (as it is now in most part of Wales ) if Tithes and Rectories be quite voted down, abolished, or disposed to the Soldiers, or brought into a common Treasury (which will hardly leave Ministers the Tenth of their Tithes, as our late Sequestrators left not the Tenth nor fifth part clear gains, and value, of all Sequestrations generally throughout England, to the State, as I found by examination of their Accompts upon Oath) which is now so violently prosecuted, endeavored by many. And then we shall have a glorious blessed Reformation indeed, according to the Popes and Jesuits hearts desires, who like ravening Wolves will make a prey of all Flocks in the defect and absence of able Pastors, through want of Maintenance and poverty, as they have done in many places throughout the Realm, seduced by them to Jesuitism, Anabaptism, Atheism, through defect of able Ministers, and ejection of former Incumbent Pastors under pretext of Scandal, Insufficiency, or Malignity, by Arbitrary or Anabaptistical Committees, Sequestrators, Prosecutors, without any legal Trial by their Peers, or any care at all to place better, abler, or any Minister at all in divers Parishes in their places: Whereupon these active Jesuits, with other Romish Emissacries under the Disguises of Anabaptists, Seekers, Dippers, inspired Brethren, Quakers, Ranters, Soldiers, New Illuminates of extraordinary Endowments, and Itinerary Predicants, who pretend to preach the Gospel freely, have seduced thousands, divided the people into sundry Sects, and almost ruined our Church and Religion in a short space, which they will soon accomplish to their hearts content, can they now but vote down Tithes, Glebes, and set up New Committees in all places of their own and the Anabaptistical party, (concurring in Design and most principles with the Jesuits, as Watson in his Quodlibets, and others prove at large) to eject our remaining Ministers at their pleasure, under pretext they are Antichristian, Scandalous, and no Ministers of Jesus Christ (as John Canne and others have already prejudge them) that they and their Agents may step into their places; and at last, when all their Designs against our State, Church, Governm. are produced to maturity, re-assume their Tithes, Rectories, with our Bishops, Deans, Chapters and Abby Lands too into their actual possessior, according to the Jesuit Parsons and his Companions long prosecuted project, at large related by William Watson the Priest in his Quodlibets, p. 93, 94, 98, 288, 289, 332, 333. with other plots lately prosecuted ad unguem to subvert our Religion, Laws, Government, Monarchy, and enslave us to the Jesuits, Popes, Spaniards Tyranny and Vassalage in conclusion; first laid by Parsons and other pragmatical Jesuits, then seconded by Thomas Campanella, in his Treatise De Monarchia Hispanica c. 25. 27. and elsewhere: prosecuted of late years by the Jesuits and Spanish Agents on the one hand; and Cardinal Richilieu and his Instruments on the other hand; who at his death in the beginning of our late Warrs (which he was very instrumental to raise) recommended the prosecution of them to the French King and his Successor Cardinal Mazarin; as A Noble Italian Count, Conte Galliazzo Gualdo Priorato, in his Historia, part 3. printed at Venice in 4 to Anno 1648. (dedicated by him to the King of Poland, and written in Italian ) p. 175, 176 records in these words, worthy all English Statesmens special notice: where Writing of the affairs of the year 1642. and the death of Cardinal Richelieu in particular, he records, That amongst other things he caused some Papers to be delivered before his death to the King of France, full of Policies and Maxims of State, directing him how to carry on his Eusiness with all Forein States. His advice in relation to England was this. Che Sopra, &c. That above all other things the King of France should endeavor to keep the Government of Great Britain divided, by upholding the weakest party, that the other might not make itself too powerful; Reducing the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland to be divided (by one of these two means or both) either by nominating (new) Kings: or by reducting them to a Common-wealth. Yet with this Caution, that when they are reduced to a Common-wealth, So to order it, that it may not be entirely one, but divided: For Republiques ever enemies to Poteut Neighbors, and Iealous of their Liberties, ought to be Suspected by the State of France. How punctually this advice hath been pursued by the French (as well as Parsons and Campanellaes Plots of like nature by the Spaniards ) those who please to peruse the Lord George Digbies Cabinet Letters (printed in the Collection of all the Public Orders, Ordinances and Declaration of Parliament in folio, by the Commons Order ) 1646. p. 849, 858, 862, 863, 866, 867. and my Speech in Parliament p. 118. & 106, to 114. may read at leisure, and every man's observing experience can sufficiently attest. The Lord now at last give us hearts to be deeply sensible of it, and grace, zeal, courage to make timely use of it for the Preservation of our Kingdoms, Nations, Churches, Ministers, Religion from impendent ruin.

Having given the world this brief Account of the principal Promoters, Prosecutors of the present Grand Plot against our Ministers, their Tithes and Rectories, I cannot upon serious consideration of it but foresee and divine, that if all or any of these Projectors (through God's heavy Judgment on us for our sins, and detestable violations of all Oaths, Vows, Covenants, Trusts, Protestations, Promises, Declarations Divine and Human Laws) should by power, fraud, policy, or armed force so far prevail with our present Legifers or Swaying Grandees, as totally to take away and abolish the Rectories, Tithes and present settled Maintenance of our Ministry, for the Soldiers pay, or other ends; or else secretly to bring them all into a Common Treasury, and reduce all our Ministers to set arbitrary Stipends out of them, to dispossess them of the future actual possession of them, and make them wholly dependent on the arbitrary discretions of new intruding Land-Lord's into their Churches, Patrimonies, Freeholds from whom they never received them at first; as it would inevitably produce a world of mischiefs and Inconveniences both to all Patrons and Parishioners throughout the Nation, without the least Ease or Benefit to the People; so it would certainly either totally ruin our Ministers, making them all poor Friars Mendicants, neglecting their Callings, Studies, to get their living by begging from door to door, and as Peter Martyr observes, to be ventris potius quam Ecclesiae Ministros, ostiatim valide Mendicare, & non Mendicantes, sed Manducantes appellari: and thereby subvert our Church and Religion with them in very few years space, open such a wide door for the Pope and whole body of Popery to flow in upon us again with an impetuous irresistable Deluge, that we should no ways be able to resist their progress till they were re-estated in their former Supremacy and Prevalency amongst us. And then rhose very Romish Factors who are now so violent against Tithes and Rectories, of purpose to starve our Ministers out of them, and their Ministry for the present, will not only forthwith resume (as they did in Queen Mary's days) their pristine abolished Pontifical Power, and set up their Ecclesiastical Consistories, High Commissions, and bloody Inquisitions amongst us, higher than ever they were in former ages, to the utter extirpation of our Protestant Ministers and Professors too, but likewise presently resume into their hands all those Rectories, Tithes and ancient Dues, whereof they now endeavor to deprive our Ministers; with all our late Arch-Bishops, Bishops, Deans, Chapters, Cathedrals Lands and Revenues, as Sacrilegiously alienated from the Church, against the Laws both of God and Man, as well as against their Popish Canons, by those who had no right to dispose of them if they proceed to resume all Abby Lands too in Protestant hands at least. And then all late or ancient Purchasers of such Lands, now confederating with them out of Covetousness, Ambition, Rapine, or other respects, will repent too late of their inconsiderable, unrighteous, unchristian compliance with them against our Ministers Glebes and Tithes, and have as ill a Bargain in conclusion, as divers old Projectors had in the purchase of our Crown Revenues, when resumed, or settled in the Crown again, by many special Acts of Resumption, for the public weal and ease of the people in their Taxes, as being the constant, standing Revenue of the whole Kingdom to defray its ordinary public Expences, which none can or ought to Alien or purchase from the Republic to enrich themselves by the public Loss. Wherefore I shall now refer it to their saddest thoughts to consider, whether it will not be far safer for all such Army-Officers and others who have purchased Church Lands, to join together with all such zealous Protestants who desire the continuance of our Ministers ancient Tithes and Maintenance (more aimed at than Impropriators Tithes) against these Jesuits and Romish Emissaries now oppugning them; and to us: their utmost endeavors to detect, apprehend, prosecute, execute all our former good Laws against them, to prevent their mischievous present and future Designs against our Ministry, Church, Religion, Nation; than ignorantly or wittingly to confederate with and assist them to accomplish their present Sacrilegious Projects, to ruin us (and themselves with their Posterities) in conclusion; and thereby incur the self-same Crime, Charge of High Treason which themselves and the whole Parliament of England so lately prosecuted against Canterbury in the 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, & 14. Articles of his original Charge, for which he lost his head on Tower Hill.

To draw to a cloze of this Proposition, I shall desire all truly fearing God throughout the Nation and Army too, sadly to consider these particulars.

1. That those who are the chiefest Sticklers against Tithes and our Ministers settled co • rcive Maintenance (especially Jesuits and Anabaptists ) are the greatest professed open Adversaries to our Ministry, Church, Religion of all others, desiring nothing but their utter ruin, as their late printed Pamphlets and Petitions manifest: Therefore to gratify them in their Designs herein, is to ruin all at once, for whose defense we have spent so much Christian Blood, Treasure, pains of late years, against the Common Enemy and Jesuited Popish Party.

2. That many of those who in their printed Papers, have decried our Ministers Tithes and coercive Maintenance as inconsistent with the Peoples Liberties, and a great Bondage to them, have as earnestly declaimed against all Inclosures, Copy hold Tenures, Land-Lord's old Rents, Services, ancient Customs, Imposts, which being not so ancient, nor ratified by so many Statutes, Charters, Muniments of all sorts as Tithes are, will not be able to stand before their Opposition and Arguments against them, if our Tithes and Ministers Glebes should once fall before them

3. That if our besotted Nation shall be so stupid as to admit or permit any company of persons whatsoever a sufficient Legal Power or Jurisdiction without any pretended Crime, Attainder, Legal Conviction, or Trial by their Peers, at their mere wills and arbitrary discretions, to deprive all our godly Ministers throughout the Nation of their Rectories, Tithes and ancient Dues, though ratified by the Law yea Gospel of God himself, by an uninterrupted Title, Prescription in their Predecessors from the very first planting of the Gospel in our Nation, and more hundreds of years, than the ancientest Families in the Nation have enjoyed their Inheritances, by more Charters of our Kings, more particular Laws, Statutes of our successive Parliaments in all ages, than all the Nobility, Gentry, Corporations, Commons of the Realm are able to produce for the Rights, Titles, Defense of their particular Lands and Inheritances, against the Rapines, Intrusions, Claims, Seisures, Confiscations, Sales, Alienations of any either claiming or usurping such a Power or Jurisdiction by the Sword or otherwise: They will thereby both admit them and invest them in as sufficient a Legal Power and Jurisdiction, without the least pretended Crime, Attainder, Legal Conviction, or Trial by their Peers, at their mere arbitrary wills and Discretions, to deprive, strip all the Nobility, Gentry, Corporations, Commons of the Realm of all their Manors, Lands, Inheritances, Estates, Chattels, Privileges, Franchises whatsoever; being not so well fenced by the Laws of God and Men against their Rapines and Depredations as Tithes are; and those who will make no conscience upon any grounds or pretences to invade the one, will make no Scruple to act the other, as the Histories of Jack Cade and his Complices Practices, Designs at home, and the Anabaptists abroad will sufficiently attest. Yea it will be but just with God to engage such Arbitrary Powers to act the later, to the ruin of them and their families, if they shall either assist, permit, encourage them by their silence or cowardice, to perpetrate the other, to the disinheriting of the Church, the ruin of their faithful Ministers themselves, and that very Religion which they pretend to profess and practice.

4. That as Tithes are the fittest Maintenance for Ministers of all others, as invented, appointed by the very Wisdom of God himself, and the best, the wisest of his Saints in all ages; holding the self-same proportion in relation to the Ministers and Parishioners in times of Plenty and Dearth, good years or bad, fair harvests or foul, rising or the falling of the prices of Corn, Lands, and other Commodities; affecting them both alike with the mercy and bounty of God in times of Plenty, and the Judgments of God in times of Scarcity, or unseasonable weather; more easily parted with by the Country-man in kind, by several small parcels as they grow due, than in ready money in one or two entire sums, which they are most loath to render and part from of anything, as that they most affect: yea far less troublesome to, more convenient for our Ministers Persons, families and necessary Cattle, than bare stipends, which must enforce them to run to Markets to buy all their Corn and other provisions both for their Household, Horses, Cattle at the dearest rates. So if this Maintenance by Tithes be once abolished, either before any other competent Maintenance settled in its steed, less grievous and inconvenient than Tithes, (which all wise men in the world will never be able to invent, much less to establish as things now are settled;) or Ministers left wholly to an arbitrary, unconstrained Benevolence without any limited Proportion, or means to recover it if detained, as some now petition: This expected proposed unconstrained Maintenance would in verity and reality, signify just Nothing, and be no Maintenance at all, in the Petitioners own sense and intention; as appears by John Cannes forecited passages, and the very words of their Petitions; since they refuse to pay them their very Tithes yet due by Law, and never freely contributed one penny to them for their Ministry, which they revile, disclaim as Antichristian. Wherefore if any New-fangled Politicians resolve to settle such a new Maintenance only instead of the old, for the people's pretended Ease; let them first establish, settle an arbitrary Excise, Custom, uncoercive voluntary Impost, and monthly Contribution as this on the people for Maintenance of the Army and Navy, (not so simply necessary as the Ministry for our real welfare) without any compulsory means to recover it if not freely rendered, till the next harvest come, and see what a competent Maintenance that will be for the Soldiers and Seamen; and provide that all Tenants for the year ensuing, shall render only what Rents they please to the State, their Landlords, & Lessees, who shall have no power to distrain, sue, or enter upon any of them in case they deny to pay their Rents: and • rie what a certain Annual Revenue this whimsy will produce to the States and Land-Lord's purses: Or else give over this Jesuitical Anabaptistical devised new Maintenance for our Ministers, as a Stratagem only to starve their bodies, and their Peoples souls, without anymore Debates concerning Tithes, to gratify such malicious Projectors, and offend all Godly people through the Nation, who deem this old way of Maintenance, of God's own Prescription, far better, less inconvenient in all respects than this arbitrary or any other new-fangled way of these or other men's invention.

5ly. That although God by his divine Providence is able to support the faithful Ministers of the Gospel, though totally stripped naked of all their Glebes, Tithes, ancient Maintenance, through the unrighteousness or malice of ungodly men, as he did the Apostles and his Ministers in all ages, in times of Persecution; yet let all such who have, or shall have a hand in such a Sacrilegious design consider,

1. That they shall be as bitter Enemies to and Persecutors of the Ministers of Christ amongst us in and by this very Project, as Julian the Apostate Christian was to God's faithful Ministers in the primitive Times, when he took away their Preferments, Glebes, and Church Revenues; as the High Commissioners and Prelates were of late to all those godly Puritan Ministers whom they deprived of their Benefices for Nonconformity to their Ceremonies, and no real Crime de • erving such an inhuman Censure, depriving them of their Livelyhoods.

2ly. That they shall hereby draw a great Scandal upon our very Religion itself, Church, Nation, render them odious, Sacrilegious to all foreign Churches, Nations; gratify, rejoice the hearts of the Pope, Jesuits, Papists and other professed Enemies of our Religion; accomplish their Designs against our Church and Ministers; exceedingly sad the hearts, and grieve the righteous souls of all God's faithful Saints amongst us, of all Protestant Churches in Foreign parts, and draw this just Censure on themselves, 2 Pet. 2. 14, 15. An heart they have exercised with covetous practices, cursed Children, which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. These are wells without water, Clouds carried with a Tempest, to whom is reserved the mist of darkness forever.

3ly. That although God should miraculously preserve a faithful able Ministry and his true Religion still amongst us through the bounty and charity of other well affected Christians, yet they have done their uttermost endeavors to destroy them, and the people's souls with them, both for the present and succeeding ages.

4ly. That this unrighteous violent act will in all probability bring in a world of Confusion, Atheism, Schisms, Heresies, Divisions, Contentions, Blasphemies, disorders amongst us, in all places; a famine of the sincere preaching of God's word; a neglect and contempt of Learning and Piety; a dilapidation, Spoliation of all or most Parish Churches, Chapels; a confusion of the bounds of all Parishes, and Parochial Congregations; and bring all those Calamities on our Nation, as it did upon the Israelites when Jeroboam thrust out the Priests and Levites from their Glebes, Suburbs, Ministry: thus registered 2 Chron. 15. 3, 5, 6. Now for a long season Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching Priest, and without Law (as some would have us now) And in those days (mark the consequence)

In which condition they continued, and himself had dedicated, Silver and Gold and Vessels (formerly taken thence) and then there was no more war in divers years. v. 8. to the end of the Chapter. And probably our Wars, Taxes, Vexations will never end; till we give over our late irreligious, Sacrilegious Rapines, Church Robberies, and do the like, as this pious King and his people here did.

5ly. That this discouraging, robbing, abusing, despising, mocking, misusing, of God's Messengers, Prophets sent amongst us, and of all his and their words against our wicked Atheistical, Sacrilegious Rapines, is the High way to provoke the wrath of God to rise against us till there be no remedy, yea to bring in a powerful Foreign Nation upon us to pillage, waste, destroy, enslave our whole Nation, extirpate us out of the Land of our Nativity, and carry us Captives to a Foreign Nation, as it did God's own people heretofore. 2 Chron. 36. 15, to 22. Sufficient motives to deter us from such a dangerous practice.

6ly. I must inform our Army Officers and Soldiers, that it is expressly against the very Laws and Rules of War even in a Foreign Enemies Country won by Conquest, to rob, destroy, pillage Churches, Temples, or things devoted for the Maintenance of God's public Worship; which not only the best Christian Generals, and Soldiers, but many Heathen and Mahometan Generals, Princes, Commanders made conscience not to plunder, deface, demolish or subtract, as Grotius proves at large by many instances in his Book De Jure Belli. l. 3. c. 2, 12. sect. 6, 7, 8. Annotata on them. How much more then is it against the Law of War and Arms itself to make a prey, plunder of Churches, Rectories, Glebes, Tithes in their own native Country, against their own Consciences, Covenants, Commissions to defend them? Yea such Generals, Soldiers and whole Armies who have made no Conscience to observe it, have been frequently destroyed for their Sacrilege, as many Heathen Historians observe, as well as Christian: Herodotus, in my Edition p. 7, 8, 44, 167, 168, 169, 170, 187, 349, 350, 460, 461, 568. Diodorus Si • ulus Bibl. Hist. p. 622, 781, 782. Dion Cassius Rom. Hist. p. 589. Justini Historia • . 8. p. 87. l. 24. p. 227, to 231, 269, 271, 308. Caelius Rhodiginus Ant. Lect. l. 18. c. 29 Eutropius Rer. Rom. Hist. p. 175, 228, 334. Paulus Diaconus p. 417. Nicetus Hist. p. 48, 50. Laurentius Begerlink. Chronogra: p. 137, 189, 263. record sundry examples of this kind, both among Pagans and Christians, to deter others from this dangerous destructive sin: which if they neglect & scorn, I shall then desire them to remember that saying of Euripedes an Heathen Poet in his Troadibus, that he shall receive the like exemplary punishment.

7ly. It is the Resolution of Seneca the Philosopher. Quisquis id quod Deorum est, sustulerit & consumpsit, atque in usum suum vertit, sacrilegus est: and all Canonists, Casuists, Schoolmen, Divines whatsoever accord; That it is Sacrilege for any Persons or Powers whatsoever to invade or take away anything which our Ancestors or any others have solemnly vowed, dedicated for the necessary maintenance of God's public worship and Ministers under what specious pretext soever it be done. Therefore to take away or abolish our Ministers Tithes, Glebes, Rectories and other Dues conferred on them by our pious Ancestors, and make spoil, havoc of the Churches, Edifices erected by them for God's public worship, must questionless be Sacrilege; as God himself expressly defines, Mal. 3. 8, 9. With all commentators thereon, old and new; and Gratian Caus. 16. qu. • . This the famous Emperor, Soldier Charles the Great, and Ludovicus surnamed the Godly and most Christian, jointly resolve, Capit. Caroli & Ludovici l. 6. cap. 285, 295, 296, 115, 305. & l. 7. c. 104. where they thus conclude. Scimus res Ecclesiae Deo esse sacratas; Scimus ease esse vota Fidelium, & pretia peccatorum. Quapropter, si quis ease ab Ecclesiis quibus a Fidelibus collatae Deoque Sacratae sunt, au • ert, proculdubio Sacrilegium committit. Caecus enim est qui ista non videt, &c. Si ergo amico quippiam r • pere furtum est, Ecclesiae vero fraudari, vel abstrahi indubitanter Sacrilegium est Omnes enim contra Legem facientes Resque Ecclesiae dirimentes, vel Ecclesias Sacerdotesque contra Divinas Sanctiones vexantes Sacrilegi vocantur, atque Indubitanter infames Sacrilegique Habendi sunt, &c. What Penalties have been inflicted upon such who were guilty of this sin by Christian Princes in foreign parts: I shall briefly inform this Sacrilegious age. Theodoricus King of the Goths in his Edict. c. 125. enacted: That if any man should violently take anything from Churches, he should lose his head. And Alaricus the Gothish King, though an Arian, when he took Rome by force of Arms, and his

as Cassiodor relates, l. 12. Epist. 20. Among the Friseans Laws made by their wisemen, Tit. 12. De Honore Templorum; this is one;

And if so, as these two pious Emperors, by their Laws, with many Protestant Writers (as well as Papists ) resolve; and all Sacrilegious Persons, taking any Vessel or V • ensil out of a Church, though of small value by our own Laws too, as well as theirs, be Sacrilegious Persons worthy to suffer pains of death, as Felons; those who shall openly Sacrilegiously Rob, or attempt to Rob and spoil all the Godly painful Ministers of our Nation of all their Tithes, Rectories, Glebes, Churches and Church-yards too at once, are doubtless Sacrilegious Persons in the highest degree, deserving to suffer a temporal infamous death and execution, (better than any Highway Thieves or Robbers ) at Tiburn, or to be eternally banished the Nation, excommunicated all Christian Society, and had in perpetual execration, for this Sacrilegious Rapine, both by God himself and all good men, unless they repent and make full public Restitution, Satisfaction for this their detestable Sacrilege.

Lastly, If any Officers or Soldiers pretend, we are now a Conquered Nation; that Conquest makes all sacred things, profane and common to the Conquerors; and that Churches may be justly spoiled of their Materials, Vessels, Glebes, Tithes, in such a case for the pay and benefit of the Conquering Soldiers, as some affirm. Therefore they may now justly deprive our Ministers of their Tithes, Glebes, Rectories, Churches, Churchyards, to pay, maintain themselves and the Conquering Army, yea alter, change our Laws at present; as they now attempt, and divers of them openly profess they intend to do.

I Answer, 1. That the Lord's and Commons, the very last Parliament, when they first raised the Army, in their Petition to the late King, sent to his Excellency the Earl of Essex, to the Army, and by him presented to his Majesty Sept. 24. 1642. or soon after, used this expression. That the prevailing Popish party with his Majesty, who by many wicked Plots and Conspiracies have attempted the Alteration of the true Religion, and the ancient Government of the Kingdom, the introducing of Popish Idolatry and Superstition into the Church, and tyranny and confusion into the State, and by corrupting his Councils, abusing his Power, and sudden and untimely dissolving of former Parliaments, had often hindered the Reformation and Prevention of those Mischiefs. And in prosecution of those wicked Designs, had (as the most Mischievous and Bloody Design of all) drawn his Majesty to make War against his Parliament and good Subjects of this Kingdom, and to lead in person an Army against them; as if he intended by Conquest (mark the word) to establish an absolute and unlimited power over them. And in their Remonstrance Nov. 2. 1642. in Reply to his Majesty's Answer to their Remonstrance of May 26. 1642. they charge this as the last Doctrine and Position of the Contrivers of his Majesty's Answer; That the Representative body of the whole Kingdom, is a Faction of Malignant, Schismatical, and ambitious persons, whose designs is and always hath been to alter the whole frame of Government both of Church and State, and to subject both King and People to their own lawless arbitrary Power and Government, and that they design the ruin of his Majesty's Person and of Monarchy itself; and consequently that they are Traitors, and all the Kingdom with them: (for their Act is the Act of the whole Kingdom) And whether their Punishment and Ruin, may not also involve the whole Kingdom in conclusion, and reduce it into the condition of a Conquered Nation (mark the words) no man can tell: hut experience showeth us (as now it doth in good earnest more than ever) that Success often carries men not only beyond their Profession, but also many times beyond their first Intentions. For an Army, Officers then, professing themselves true born English men, eminent Godly Saints, preservers of our Nations Liberties against Regal Tyranny and Enchroachments, originally raised, Commissioned by both Houses to protect our Laws, Liberties, Religion, Church, Government, Parliament, Nation, from an intended Conquest by the late Kings Army; to establish an absolute unlimited power over us, and from being reduced into the condition of a Conquered Nation, after the total routing of the Kings Army, Power, now at last to plead, to aver, we are now a conquered Nation; in respect of themselves, and thereupon to endeavor to establish an absolute unlimited power over us, by altering the whole frame of Government both in Church and State, changing the body of our Laws yea ancient constitution of our Parliaments; abolishing our very Ministers Rectories, Tithes, Dues, or diverting them to pay, maintain themselves; yea now to act over the very self-same things, which both Houses then charged upon the late beheaded King and his Malignant Popish Council; thereby verifying these his Predictions of their forementioned designs in every Punctilio, (then utterly disclaimed by both Houses as the Highest Scandal to them, and their sincere loyal Intentions ) and making him a truer Prophet, than their new Merlin, Lily; will not be only most scandalous, dishonorable to them, but monstrous, treacherous, perfidious, if insisted on, or persisted in, both in the Judgment of God, Angels, Men, and their own Consciences too. Wherefore I presume on second thoughts, they will disclaim this Plea both in words and Actions. 2ly. They were all raised, waged, Commissioned by the late Parliament and well-affected People, not to sight against, conquer or subdue themselves, but to preserve them, their Laws, Liberties, Privileges, Estates, our Churches and Religion against the Common Enemies and Invaders of them Therefore they cannot style themselves Conquerors of those Persons, things they never fought against, but only for, unless they will now declare their secret intentions, were ever cross and contradictory to their open Commissions, Vowes, Covenants, Protestations, Words, and printed Declarations to God and those that raised, waged them for their safety and defense alone; and thereby proclaim themselves the Greatest Hypocrites under heaven, and therein as treacherous to their own Native Country and those who trusted them, as the Mamalukes of Egypt, the Pretorian Soldiers of Rome were to their Lord's and Masters of Old; which I hope they will disclaim. 3ly. It is a resolved case by the Law of Nature, Nations and War itself, as Grotius proves at large, De Jure Belli l. 3. c. 6. sect. 8, 9, 10, &c. That things gained by Conquest in a War, ought to redound not to the Officers, Soldiers, Generals, who manage the War, but to the Kingdom, Nation whose servants they are, and both Commission and pay them their wages, as the Servants, Apprentices gains redound to their Masters Cosfers, not to them. Qui sentit Onus, sentire debet & Commodum: being both a Principle in the Law of Nature, Reason, and in our Common Law too. Hence all the Roman Generals and Military Officers, brought all the Silver, Gold, Treasures, Spoyls of War into the public Treasury, putting none of it into their private purses; and all the Lands, Countries they gat by Conquest were the Republiques only, which bore the charges of the War, not the victorious Conquering Generals or Soldiers. Therefore the Officers and Army being Commissioned, raised only for, and constantly paid by the Parliament, people, for the ends aforesaid, never warring on their own free cost; what ever Treasures, Lands, Powers, Spoyls they have gained by their victories, Conquests, are of Right the Parliaments, Nations, Peoples only, not their own; Therefore the Parliament, Nation, people cannot, must not be over-awed, used, reputed by them, as their mere Conquered Vassals, but as their Sovereign Lord's, and true Proprietors of all the Territories, Lands, Treasures, Powers they have gained by their Conquests. 4ly. That Conquest is no just or Lawful Title, was long since resolved by the greatest Conqueror ever England yet bred, even our famous British Conquering King Arthur, in the greatest Parliamentary Council ever yet held within this Isle, whereat were present no less then 12. Kings besides King Arthur, and an innumerable company of Princes, Dukes, Nobles, Prelates of the British, and most other Neighbor Nations; as Geoffrey Monmouth, Hist. Regum Brit. l. 9. c. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20. records. All these, when Lucius Procurator of the Roman Republic, came to demand that ancient Tribute reserved by Julius Caesar from this Isle of Britain

Wherefore Conquest now can certainly be no Just, no Lawfull Plea, Title for any of our Officers or Soldiers, which this Greatest Conqueror and this Great Council so long since damned as unjust and Irrational. To which I shall annex Therefore Conquest alone can be no just, no legal Saintlike Right, Title to any Lands, Possessions, Powers violently, unjustly gotten, claimed by Wars by our Swordmen now, after these two ancient famous Parliamentary Resolutions in point, even between foreign Conquering Princes, much less then between those Native Englishmen, who raised, waged our Army and Officers to defend, not conquer them in a mere intestine civil War. 5ly. William Duke of Normandy, Edward the 3d, Henry the 4th, Edward the 4th, and Henry the 7th, though they all came to the Crown by the Sword and Conquest of their Competitors, yet they never claimed the Crown nor Kingdom by Conquest, but Title only; nor esteemed the English, Irish, or Welch a conquered Nation, nor altered our ancient Government, Laws, Liberties, Parliaments, or Ministers Tithes and Maintenance, but confirmed them, as all our Histories manifest in their Lives, and Statutes made by them in the beginning of their respective reigns attest, & I have formerly proved in the case of William commonly styled the Conqueror, who ratified all our Liberties, Laws, Customs, Franchises presented to him upon Oath, without the least alteration, diminution, or prevarication, to the people's Great content. Yea, King Henry the 4th. as Placita Corone, rot. Parl. 1 H 4. n. 17. record; did in the first Parliament held by him after his Conquest of Richard the 2d. make this memorable Declaration to his people, entered in that Roll. That he claimed the Realm and Crown of England with all their Members and Appurtenances as right heir thereto by Blood, by Descent, and by the right God had given him, through the aid of his Parents and Friends for to recover the said Realm, which Realm was upon the point to be undone for want of Government and abrogating of the Laws and Customs of the Realm. And that it was not his will, that any should think, that he would by way of Conquest disinherit any one of his Heritage, Franchise or other Right which he ought to have▪ nor to out (or deprive) any man of that he had or should have by the good Laws or Customs of the Realm (all which he confirmed by a special Act before 1 H. 4. c. 1.) but only those who were against his good purpose, and the common profit of the Realm, and were guilty of all the evil come upon the Realm, and were adjudged guilty thereof in that Parliament, as Sir William Le Scroop, Sir Henry Green, and Sir John Bassy, whose Lands only he would have by Conquest, as forfeited by their Treasons. Whereupon the Commons thanked the King, and praised God that he had sent them such a King and Governor. Upon all which Considerations, and the Resolution of learned Grotius, with others quoted by him; That by the very Laws of War even those who are conquered by foreign Enemies, ought to enjoy by permission of the Conquerors, their own Laws, Liberties, Magistrates, Religion, and a share in their Government, (much more in such a Civil War as ours, where the Soldiers, Generals can pretend 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 no Conquest over those who raised, waged them for their just defense against Conquest, and Invasion of their Laws, Liberties, Government, Magistrates, Rights, Privileges ) I hope those vaporing Officers, Soldiers who have formerly cried up, pleaded, practiced this pretended Title of Conquest amongst us, and used many of their former Masters, Raisers, and the whole Nation, more like to conquered enslaved People, than their fellow Christian Brethren and Freeborn Englishmen, who have paid them so well for all those Services they employed them in; will henceforth totally renounce this their false usurped Injurious Plea, Title; and no more persist under pretext thereof, to deprive our Ministers, Church, Peers, Parliaments, Nation of their very Native Freedomes, Liberties, Franchises, Rights, Laws, Government, Lands, Possessions, which they were purposely commissioned, waged, and by all Sacred all Civil Obligations, Trusts, Oaths, Vowes, Protestations perpetually engaged to defend against the least violation or Innovation, without their free and full consents in a due and lawful Parliament freely elected by them, not forcibly obtruded on them without their choice or privity. Yea I trust they will be so just, so righteous towards me (so great a Sufferer by, under them only for discharging my Conscience and bounden duty towards my God, our Church and Native Country of England ) as no ways to be angry with me, or Injurious towards me for this my New Gospel Plea (interwoven with a Legal and Rational) for the Lawfulness and Continuance of the ancient settled Maintenance and Tithes of the Ministers of the Gospel, and the good old Fundamental Laws and Liberties of the Nation; which their present busy Endeavors to abolish, alter, subvert, beyond, yea against their Trusts, Commissions, Callings, have necessitated me now to publish to the world, to preserve our Church, State, Ministry from new Combustions and Impendent ruin: but rather sound a Retreat from these their Heady Proceedings (which I fear the Jesuits with their Confederates the Anabaptists, have engaged them so deeply in, to work as well their own as the public speedy ruin both of our Church, Religion, State, Ministry, Nation) and excite them to use the self-same deportment, words to me (who have no private design nor interest of my own or other men's in this my voluntary undertaking, but only the public Safety and Weal as enraged David did once to Abigail, when she diverted him from his rash, bloody resolution to destroy Nabal and his family for a Churlish Answer returned to him for his Kindness 1 Sam. 25. 32, 33. Now blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me; and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and to avenge myself with my own hand: But if they shall by God's permission cast me again bound hand and foot into another fiery Fornace for this my faithful Service, or not falling down and worshipping that Golden (or rather Wooden) Image which they have or would now set up: I doubt not but that Gracious God, who hath so miraculously preserved me in, delivered me out of so many fiery Trials and Fornaces heretofore, will do the like again hereafter, and that in such a visible eminent manner, as shall enforce them at last to use those words unto me as Nebuchadnezzar did unto Shadrac, Meshac, and Abednego after their miraculous preservation in the midst of the fiery Fornace into which the most valiant men of his Army cast them bound by his unrighteous Command, to their own immediate destruction by the flame, without the least hurt to them. Dan. 3. 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrac, Meshac and Abednego, who hath sent his Angel, and delivered his Servants that trusted in him, and have changed the Kings word, and have yielded their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any God (or Idol) except their own God. This being an undoubted Truth, which I have ever hitherto found experimentally true from and in my former causeless Oppressors, (whose Erronious Practices, vices I have reproved) recorded by God himself and the wisest of all Mortals. Prov. 28. 23. He that rebuketh a man (for his faults plainly) shall afterwards find more favor, than he that flattereth (him in them) with the Tongue. And that saying of the truth itself in such cases (of difficulty and concernment to the reprover) will ever prove an experimental verity, wherewith I shall conclude my Plea, which I desire may be deeply engraven in the Hearts, Spirits of all timorous, base, unworthy Christians, (who dare neither speak nor write their Consciences, nor Discharge their Duties in these times of danger, and will wrong both their Consciences, Country, Posterity, yea shame their God, Nation Religion to save their Estates, Lives as they fondly conceit, when they will lose all with their souls to boot, by their base carnal fears) Math. 16. 24, 25, 26. Luke 17. 33. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross and follow me. For whosoever will Save (or shall seek to Save his life, so Luke records it) shall Lose it; (and his Tithes, Lands, Liberties with it) and whosoever will Lose his Lise for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole World and Lose his own Soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul? I shall cloze up all with this notable Passage of our own learned Writer, John Sarisbury against such Religious Hypocritical Cistersian Monks who in his age sought exemption from payment of Tithes, and seised upon the Ministers Dues about the year 1170. Joannis Sarisburiensis De Nugis Curialium l. 7. c. 21. De Hypocritis, qui ambitio • is labem falsae Religions imagine nituntur occultare —Hi sunt qui potestatibus persuadentes ut propter vitia personarum, jure suo priventur Ecclefiae. Decimationes et Primitias Ecclestis subtrahunt, et Ecclesias ipsas accipiunt de manu Laicorum Episcopis inconsultis. Hi sunt qui praedia avita subtrahentes indigenis vicos & pagos redigunt in solitudinem & in suos usus vicina quaeque convertunt: Ecclesias diruunt & ut in usus revocant seculares, Quae Domus Orationis fuerat, aut efficitur stabulum pecoris, aut opilionis, aut Ianificli Officina. Et ut se possunt plenius exhibere & charitatis implere manus ne decimas dent, Apostolico privilegio muniuntur. Mirror tamen ut Fidelium pace Ioquar, quidnam sit, quod Decimas et Iura aliena usurpare non erubescunt: Inquient forte, Religiosi sumus: Plane Decimas solvere Religions pars est. Et ease a Deo populus duntaxat religions (solvere) exigitur. Hi adeo religiosi sunt quod in Decimis dandis derogare possunt constitutioni Divinae, & in eo licenter minus grati sunt gratiae Dei quo eam amplioribus beneficiis experiuntur.