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 Section 
 
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 .Z^'-^ "' 'Xii 
 
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 THE 
 
 4 
 
 iQOi 
 
 GREAT CAS 
 
 O F 
 
 TITHES 
 
 Truly Stated, Clearly Open'd, 
 And fully Reiblv'd, 
 
 Anthony Pearson, 
 
 Formerly 
 
 A Juftice of Peace 
 
 I N 
 
 WESTMORLAND. 
 
 WITH 
 
 A N APPENDIX. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed and Sold by the Affigns of J. Sowle, at 
 tht Bible in George-Tard^ Lo?nhar d-ftreet^ ^732. 
 
V i 
 
 i'X 
 
ni 
 
 THE 
 
 PREFACE- 
 
 TH E Great Cafe of Tithes, hy 
 Anthony Pearfon^ having been 
 long out of Trint^ and now Reprinted^ 
 *we thought it might not he improper to 
 give the Reader fome Account of the 
 j^uthor^ and the Circumflances which 
 occafioned the ^writing of it, 
 
 Anthony Pearfon was a Juftice of 
 Peace in Weftmorland. He publi/h'd 
 his Treat if e of Tithes in the Tear 1657^ 
 which was fo well received by the Pub- 
 lick^ that in about two Tears itpafs^d 
 Three Editions. 
 
 The Cry ofOppreJpon beinggreat from 
 divers Tarts of the Nation^ becaufe of 
 the fever e Trofecut ions for Tithes^ th§ 
 Author was excited to write on that 
 Head^ in Compaffon to the Sufferers*^ 
 and to remove^ ^f f^^fp^^^i hy Reafon 
 and found Argument^ the Toke and Bur- 
 then of Tithes from off the laborious 
 Husbandman^ andy otherwife^ a free 
 Teople. A 2 Th^ 
 
Iv ThePreface. 
 
 The Parliament had^ fome Tears be- 
 fore^ relieved the Subjett^ from the 
 Fo'i^er and Juris diSlion of the Ecclefi- 
 aftical Courts^ to which Trofecutions 
 for Tithes were limited hy an Adtmade 
 in the Thirty fecond Tear of Henry the 
 Eighth ; but the Teople did not long 
 enjoy the Benefit of that Relief: For 
 fome^ who fyPd themfelves Minifters 
 of the Gofpel^ got an Ordinance of Tar- 
 liame?itfor the Ordination of Minifters 
 pro Tempore, "Dated Odlober the 2d 
 1644. And another for Tithes^ Dated 
 November the 8th following. Upon 
 this they fell to profecuting fuch as re- 
 fus'^d to pay them Tithes^ tn the Courts 
 at Weftminfter, and petty Courts in the 
 Country y and the Severity of their Tro^ 
 fecutions was fo great ^ that the Author 
 has taken particular Notice of ity and 
 *^^^v43fet forth fome of their cruel ExaSlions .^ 
 
 After he has given an RxtraB^ or 
 fhort Hifiory of Tithes^ from the firji 
 Appointment of them under the Law, 
 taken mofily from the Hifiory of Tithes 
 hy the Teamed Antiquary J. Selden, 
 he then confiders the jeveral Claims 
 
 • made^' 
 
ThePrefage V 
 
 made to them. As firfl^ By Divine 
 Right. Secondly y By the Gifts of Kings 
 and Princes. Thirdly^ By the I^zws of 
 Kings and Parliaments. Fourthly ^ By 
 Particular Gifts, Appropriation, Con- 
 fecration and Donation of the Owners 
 of the Land. Fifthly ^ By Prefcription 
 and Legal Pofleffion. Sixthly^ By Pur- 
 chafe. The Arguments advanced for 
 each of thefe Claims^ are particularly 
 anf^erd'^ and^ the Author fays y he 
 laboured diligently for l<wo Tears and 
 more^ to inform himfelf fully "what could 
 he alledgd for themJ^ *Sec p. 30 
 
 But obferving^ that he is not fo full 
 in his Anfwers to the Arguments for the 
 Divine Right ^ he might have been^ 
 giving.^ we think^ this m a Reafon for 
 tt^ ^ *Tho' Divine Right, fays he^^sce^.n 
 ^ hath been long pretended, few are 
 ^ now left w^ho will only ftand to it^ 
 ^ and the generality, both of Law- 
 ^ yersy Trie/is and Teo^le^ are of a 
 ^ contrary Mind;' -isuehave collecHed 
 and put together in an Appendix, fuch 
 Arguments as ^we found advanced againji 
 the divine Right of Tithes^ in Pieces 
 
 fubUJh'd 
 
f i T H E P R E F A C E* 
 
 pwUfFd either fome Tears before^ or 
 frefently after ^ this Author'' s i by ^hich 
 the Reader may judge^ ^whether any of 
 them could have that Force upon the Ge^ 
 nerality of Lawyers y Triefts and Teo^ 
 fhy as to make them of a contrary Mind. 
 And ^^je thought fuch a Collection might 
 have this farther Service^ that in Time 
 tocome^ it might prevent Authors from 
 advancing Reafons and Arguments for 
 the "Divine Right of Tithes^ as fome 
 have done very lately^ which "were fuUy 
 anf^doer^d and confuted fo long ago. 
 
 In this Append ix, w^ have alfo giv- 
 en a fhort Account hoist) the Author 
 came to embrace the "principles of the 
 Feople caJTd Quakers^ and in "what 
 Manner fome of the Fir ft of them ap- 
 pear^d^ and publiJFd their ^QtHrine and 
 principles in this Nation^ and the Op. 
 fofition they met with from the Teach- 
 ers of thofe TimeSy for preaching a^ 
 gainfi Tithes and Hireling Minifiers. 
 
 THE 
 
vu 
 
 THE 
 
 Authors Preface 
 
 Great Cafe of T I T H E S. 
 
 To the Country-Men, Farmers, 
 and HusBANDxMEN <?/ England. 
 
 IT is for your Sakes that this fmall 
 Treatile is lent abroad, that in a 
 matter wherein yoa are io much con- 
 cerned, you might be truly informed : 
 And becaufe there are many differing 
 Opinions, and of late Years have beea 
 great Difputes, concerning the Right 
 of Tithes^ which makes the Cafe 
 feem difficult to be refolved, I have 
 given you the Subftance of ^ that 
 ever I could find vvritten, or hear 
 difcourfed, touching that Point; and 
 for more than Two Years lall paft, 
 1 have made much Enquiry into it ; 
 and if there be any who have fome- 
 thing to fay for them^ which is not 
 herein touched, or in fom::^ general 
 
 B Head 
 
viii The Author's Preface. 
 
 Head comprehended^ It fliall be ac-- 
 ceptable to me to receive it- 
 
 The Method of the Difcourfe. 
 
 Firft^ I have begun with Tithing a- 
 mong the Jews^ ipjbich^ either in Tre^ 
 ceft or Example^ is the Foundation df 
 all others. 
 
 Secondly, I have given you a P^ort 
 J^ieiv of the Doctrines, Opinions, De- 
 crees and Praftices of the Trimttive 
 Church concerning them^ and from thence 
 doz^mward untill this T)ay^ which is 
 enouzh to clear the "whole T^oint. 
 
 Thirdly^ Out of n>hich^ having made 
 fome Jhort Observations , I jlate the 
 Cafe as it concerns us in England. 
 
 Fourthly; ^nd then hearing what 
 everyone hath to Jay for them^ and giv- 
 ing them particular Anfwers ; 
 
 Fifthly, I proceed to fatisfy fome 
 great ObjecHionSy and Co conclude the 
 "whole ^ in as much Brevity as the Va- 
 riety of the SuhjetB would permit. 
 
 A. P. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 GREAT CASE 
 
 O F 
 
 TITHES, b'c. 
 
 Of Tithing amo^^g the J e w Si 
 
 GO D having chofen 4aron ahd his Sons for 
 the Office of the Priefthood, and the reft 
 of the Tribeof Zm for the Service of the 
 Tabernacle, he gave unto the Levites all the Tenth 
 in Ifrael for an Inheritance for their Service, and 
 they were to have no Inheritance among the Chil- 
 dren of Ifrael . 
 
 And the Levites out of their Tithe, were to 
 offer up an Heave-Offering of it for the Lord, 
 even the tenth Part of the Tithe, and give it unto 
 jiaron the Priefl for himfelf and his Sons ; and no 
 other Portion had the Priefls out of the Tithes, but 
 they were for the Levites that did the common Ser- 
 vices of the Tabernacle, for the Strangers, for the 
 Fatherlefs and the Widows. 
 
 Besides the tenth of the Tithe, the Priefls had VeuuiZ4 
 the firfl ripe Fruits of the Ground, of Wheat, of 
 Barley, of Figs, of Grapes, of Olives, of Pom- 
 granates and Dates, at what Quantity the Owner £^.45.13, 
 pleaftd I an Heave-Offering alfo of Corn, Wine, 
 
 B2 Oyl, 
 
The GPeat Cafe t?/ Tithes, &c. 
 
 Oyl, Fleece, and the like, was given to the Priefls' 
 at the fixtieth Part, Ibmetlmes at the fiftieth or 
 more, at the Devotion of the Owner. 
 
 Of Cattle alfo the Firfl-born were the Lord's, 
 
 paid to the Priefts, of clean Beads in kind, of un- 
 
 Exoi.i3'2clean in Money, v/ith a fifth Part added : Alfo 
 
 divers Parts of the Sacrifices were appointed 'for 
 
 the Priefls. 
 
 But no Tithes did the Priefls receive of the Peo- 
 ple ; for thofe belonged to the Levites that were 
 appointed over the Tabernacle, and the Inftru- 
 nients thereof, to bear it, to take it down, and fee 
 it up, to ferve Aaron and his Sons, and to do the 
 Services of the Tabernacle, and keep the Infbru- 
 ments thereof ; and their Service chiefly was upon 
 removing of the Hofl •, for better ordering where- 
 of, and every ones Service, they were divided into 
 three Parts, the Kohathites^ the Gerjhonites and the 
 Merarit>9Sy and thefe received Tithes of the People, 
 and out of them, a tenth Part they delivered to 
 the Priefls. 
 
 Afterwards, when Solomon had builded a 
 iC^ro«.26 Temple, and placed the Ark therein, other Offi- 
 3o> G? 32. ces were appointed for the Levites -, one Part of 
 them were to be Singers •, another to be Porters, 
 and rake the Charge of the Gates of the Temple ; 
 another to be Keepers of the Treafury : others of 
 them alfo were placed abroad in the Country, on. 
 the Weil Side of Jordan one Thoufandfeven Hun- 
 dred, and on the Eaft Side two Thoufand feven 
 Hundred. 
 
 By this Time alfo the Poilerity of Aaron being 
 much encreafed, the Priefls were divided into twen- 
 ty four Ranks or Courfes, according to the Names 
 of their Families, and everjr ones Attendance was 
 required by Turns •, and hereupon Zacharias is 
 faid to be of the Courfe of Abia^ and to execute 
 the Priefts Office, and burn Incenfe as his Turn 
 
 camev 
 
*Ihe Great Cafe of Tithes, &c, 
 
 cnme, Luke i. and the firft of the firft Rank had 
 the Pre-eminence, and was the High-Prieil, and 
 To every one according to their Precedency were 
 preferred. 
 
 The Levkes, that were Singers, were divided 
 as the Priefts, into twenty four Ranks or CourPjs -, 
 the Porters into hve Parts, one Part to every of 
 the four Gates of the Temple, and the fifth to 
 Afuppim^ i. e. the Council-Houfe. 
 
 The Treafury was generally committed to one, 
 as the chief, but under him to two Sorts of other 
 Officers ; one to keep the Treafures of the Houfe 
 of the Lord, and thofe Things that were offered to 
 the Lord ; and the ^other to keep the dedicate 
 Things : In thefe Treafuries were put the fecond 
 Tithes, the Offerings of all Sorts of People, which 
 were for the Ufes and Services of the Temple, for 
 the Fatberlefs, the Stranger, and the Widow. 
 
 After the Captivity, and new Dedication of 
 the Temple, it appears, that in many particulars, 
 their Laws, Ordinances and Cuiloms, were very 
 much changed, efpecially in this of Tithing : But 
 not being much pertinent to this Difcourfe, I fhall 
 pafs them over -, only from thefe fhort Hints, let 
 the Reader underftand, thart: though the Priefts and 
 Levites were both of the Tribe'of Levi, yet was the 
 Priefthood fetled in the Sons of Aaron, and the 
 Offices of the Priefts were quite different from the 
 LeviteSy and fo was their Maintenance diftind, as 
 before is herein plainly ihewed. 
 
 These Priefls and Lm/f5 being feparated for 
 the Work of the Lord, in the Tabernacle and in 
 the Temple they miniflred according to the Ordi- 
 nances of the firft Covenant, which were Figures 
 for the Time then prefent, and Shadov/s of good 
 Things to come. 
 
 3 3 A 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, & 
 
 A View of the DoBrines^ Decrees ani Vracikes 
 6?/ T I T H I N G, from the Infat^cy of the 
 Chriftian Church, until this Day, 
 
 BU T in the Fulnefs of Time. God raifed up 
 another Priefl, Chrift Jefus, who was not of 
 the Tribe of Levi, nor confecrated after the Order 
 of Aaron i for he pertained to another Tribe, of 
 M^hich no Man gave Attendance at the Altar, who 
 (having obtained a more excellent Miniftry, of a 
 greater and more per fed Tabernacle, not cf the 
 former Building, being the Sum and Subftance of 
 all the Patterns of Things under the firft Cove- 
 nant; put an End to the firft Priefbhood, with all 
 its Shadows, Figures, and carnal Ordinances, and 
 changing the Priefthood, w^hich had a Command 
 to take Tilbes of their Brethren, there was made of 
 NecefTity alfo a Change of the Law, and a difan- 
 nulling of the Commandment going before, which 
 was but impofed until the Tim.e of Reformation. 
 
 And the Apoflles and Minrfters of Cbnjl Jefus, 
 when he had finifned his Office upon Earth, by 
 oirering up himfelf through the Eternal Spirit, a 
 Sacrihce without Spot unto God, did not look 
 back to the Ordinances of the former Prieilhood, 
 but teftified an End was put unto them ; and wjt- 
 nelTed againft the Temple, wherein the Priefts mi- 
 niflred, for which Stephen was itoned to Death ; 
 againll Circumcifion, (living, // was not that of the 
 Flfjh\ againft the P;*Hbver, Prieils, ^c. ard 
 preached up Chrifr Jefu5 and his Doctrine, the new 
 and living Way, which was not made manifeft 
 while as the firft Tabernacle was ftanding. Nor 
 did they go about to eilablilh the Law by which 
 Tithes were given in the former Priefthood, but 
 freely they preached th.e Gofpel which they had re- 
 ceived, 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 5 
 
 Reived, and did not require any fetled Maintenance, 
 but lived of the free OFerings and Contributions of 
 the Saints, who by their Miniftry were turned to 
 Chrift Jefus. 
 
 At Jerufalem and thereabouts, fuch was the U- 
 nity of Heart among the Saints in the Apoilles A^s^'^^^ 
 Time, that all Things were in common, and none 
 wanted j and as many as were PofTefTors of Lands 
 orHoufes, fold them, and brought the Price and 
 laid it down at the Apoftles Feet, and it was diflri- 
 buted unto every Man according as he had Need. 
 
 So the Church gathered by (a) Mark at Alexan- 
 dria in ^gptf followed the fame Rule as the Saints 
 did at Jerufamn, having all Things in common : 
 And Philo Judaus a famous Author of that Time, 
 reporteth, that not only there, but in many other 
 Provinces, the Chrijlians lived together in Societies. 
 
 In the Churches at Antioch^ the Saints poffelfed A^sii-ig 
 every Man his own Eftate ; fo likewife in Galatia iCQr,\6,^ 
 and Corinth^ where the Apoftle ordained, that 
 Weekly-Oiferings for the Saints fhould be made 
 by every one as God had bleffed him ; and by 
 ihefe Offerings (which were put into the Hands of 
 the Deacons of the Churches) were all the Services 
 and Needs of the Church fupplied. 
 
 (h) By Example of thefe, the Courfe of Monthly 
 Offerings (licceeded in the next Ages, not exacted, 
 but freely given at the Bounty of every Man, as 
 appears plainly by TertiilUan in Apolog. ch. 39. 
 where, upbraiding the Gentiles with the Piety and 
 Devotion of Chrijlians^ he faith, PFhatfoever we 
 have in the Treafury of our Churches^ is not raifed hv 
 Ta,^ation, as though we put Men to ranfom their Re- 
 ligion^ hut every Man once a Months or when it 
 B 4 pleafeth 
 
 {£) Hicron. in vita Marc, 
 
 \h) Vide Synod. Gangr. Can. 60. 
 
The Great Cafe cf Tithes^ &c^ 
 
 fleafetb bimfelf^ hefio'Ui^eth what he thinks goocl., arid 
 not without he lifteth ; for no Man is compelled, hut 
 left free to his oivn Discretion : and that which is given ^ 
 is not heft owed in Vanity, hut in relieving the Ppcr^ 
 and upon Children defti}ute of Parents, and Mainte- 
 nance ef aged and feehle Perfons, Men wrecked hy 
 Sea, and fuch as are condernned to the Metal-Mijies^ 
 hani/hcd into Iftands, or cafl into Prifon, p''ofefting 
 the true God, and the Chrijtian Faith. 
 
 And this Way of Contribution continued in the 
 Church, ti-il the great Perfecution under Maxirdi- 
 nian and Dioclefian, about the Year 304, asf^:) Eu- 
 fehius tefiifieth,^ which alio appears by the Wri- 
 tings of Tertiillian, Origen^ Cjtrian, and others. 
 
 About this Time alfo, Ibme Lands began to 
 be given to the Church, and the Revenue of 
 them was brought into the Treafury of the Church,- 
 and belonged to the Church in common, and was 
 diilributed as other Offerings, by the Deacons 
 and Elders •, but the Bifhops or Miniilcrs medled 
 not therewith ; for (d) Driven faith, // is not law- 
 ful for 'any Minifter of the Church to poffefs Lands 
 (given to the Church) tQ, his own Ufe -, And called to 
 tiie Minifters, Let us depart froin the Priefts of 
 PHARAOH, who enjoy earthly Poffeffions, to the 
 Priefts cf the \Xy^S>, who have no Portion in the 
 Earth. And in another Place he faith, // hehovetb 
 us to he faithful in difpoftjig the Rents of the Church, 
 that we our fives devour Jiot thcfe^ i'hings which he- 
 long to the Widows, and the Poor, and let us he con- 
 tent with fimple Diet, and neceffary Apparel. And 
 (>) Urhan Bifhop of i^c?/;?^. Anno 227, did declare, 
 ^hat the Church might receive Lands and Poffefticns 
 
 offered. 
 
 (c^ Eiifeb. lib. 4. cb. 22. 
 
 (J.) 16 Homily moonGenefis, to!. 26. ch. 3. 
 
 • (c) Urbfin ic in Epi'r.c.. /2.q. i.e. i6i. 
 
7he Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. j 
 
 tff^red by the Faithful^ hut not to ayi'j 'particular 
 Man's Benefit^ hut that the Revenues thereof Jhould 
 he dlftrihuted as other Offerings^ as Need required, 
 
 (f) Cyprian Bifhop of Carthage, about the 
 Teal- 250, alio tellilieth the fame, and fheweth, 
 that the Church maintained many Poor, and that 
 her ov/n Diet was fparing and plain, and all her 
 Expences full of Frugality. 
 
 (g) Prosper alfo faith, that a Minifter able 
 to live of himfelf , ought not to participate of the 
 Goods of the Church ; for faith he, They that have 
 cf their own^ and yet defire to have fomewhat given, 
 ibem^ do not receive it without great Sin. 
 
 (h) The Council 2it Antioch, Anno 340, ^find- 
 ing that much Fault had been among the Deacons, 
 to whom it properly belonged) did ordain, that 
 the Bifhops might diflribute the Goods of the 
 Church, but required that they took not any 
 Part to themfelves, or to the Ufe of the Pr lefts 
 and Brethren that lived with them, unlefs that Ne- 
 cefTity did juilly require it, ufmg the Words of 
 the Apoftle, Having Food and Raiment^ he there- 
 with content. 
 
 In thefe Times, in many Places, the Chriftian 
 Converts joined themfelves in Societies, and chofe 
 a feparate Life, felling what they had, and living 
 together in common, after the Example of the 
 former Saints about Jerufalejn, as (i) Chryfoftom 
 notes, who lived about the Year 400, by whofe 
 Writings it alfo appears, that there was not the 
 lead Uie or Pradice of the Payment of Tithes in 
 thofe former Ages, 
 
 The Church nov/ living altogether by free Of- 
 ferings of Lands, Money and Goods, the People 
 
 were 
 
 (/) Cyprian Epift. 27, 34, 36. 
 (g; Lib. 21. devita contemplativa. 
 {b) Con. Ant. cap. 25. 
 (/j Hom. IS. in AaaTom. 6, Edit. Saviliana, pag. 897. 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, d'cl 
 
 were much preffed to bountiful Contributions for 
 holy Ufes, as may be feen by the Writings of 
 (k) Hwdrn and Chry/ojlom, who brought the JeiiV^ 
 ij/j Liberality in their Payments of Tenths, for an 
 Example, beneath which they v/ould not have 
 Chriilians determine their Charity ; where Chry- 
 foftcm fays, he fpeaks thefe Things not as com- 
 manding or forbidding that they fhould give more, 
 yet as thinking it fit, that they fhould not give 
 lefi than the tenth Part. {I) Hierom alfo doth 
 earneflly adm^onifh them to give bountifully to the 
 Poor, and double Honour to him that labours in 
 the Lord's Work •, not binding at all to offer 
 this or that Part, leaving them to their own Li- 
 berty, but prefTing they might not be more fhorc 
 than the Jevjs were. 
 
 {m) Ambrose who was Bilhop of Milan, about 
 the Year 400, preached up Tenths to be ottered 
 up for holy Ufes, Cas the Phrale then was) as may 
 be feen in his Sermon of Repentance ; but his Au- 
 thority he produceth wholly from A4ofes' s Y^ n- 
 tings, and quotes divers Sentences, and threatens 
 the People, that if they would not pay their 
 Tenths, God would reduce them to a Tenth. 
 
 L\ like Manner (n) Angujlin Bifliop of Hippo ^ 
 
 hath 
 
 (fe) Homil. 43.ad Epift- i. ad Corinth, in cap. 16. 
 H) Ad cap. 3. Malachi^. 
 
 (m) Tom. $.Serm. fer. 2. poft dum. i. quadragefma, & 
 vide Serm. in Afcenf. Domini. 
 
 in) In Serm. de temp, in Tom. 10. H.«c eft (Taith he) Do- 
 mini juftilRma confuetudo, ut fi tu illi decimam non dedcrls, 
 tuad decimam revoceris. 
 
 Ani ajtsrrcxris roixh much Ejrneftne[s^ Deciras ex de- 
 bito requiruntur, & qui eas darenolueri:, resalienas iavafit i 
 & quanti piuperesinlocisubi ipfe habirat, iilo decimas non 
 dance, fame morcui fucrint, tantorum homicidiorum reus 
 ante Tribunal aeterni judicis apparebit, quia a Domino pau- 
 peribusdelegatum fiiis ufibus refervavit. Qui ergo fibi auC 
 pras.nium comparare, aut Peccatarum defiderat iadulgenti- 
 am pronicierij reddat decimam. 
 
The Great Ca[e of Tithes, S^c: § 
 
 nith an whole Homily for the Right of Tithes, 
 who calls upon thofe that have no Fruits of the 
 Earth, to pay the Tenth of whatfoever thgy live 
 by ', and faith, the Negled of Payment of Tithes 
 is the Caufe of Sterility andBiafting •, and agrees 
 with Amhrofe in his Threats, that God would re- 
 duce them to a Tenth j and tells them, " that not 
 •^' paying their Tithes, they fhall be found guilty 
 " at God's Tribunal, of the Death of all the Poor 
 <' that perifh through Want, in the Places where 
 " they dv/ell •, and bids them that would either 
 '^' get Reward, or defire the Pardon of their Sins» 
 <• to pay their Tithes." Thefe two great Bifhops 
 agree, and from the Law given to the Ifraelites^ 
 take their whole Do6lrine, and impofe their own 
 Opinion with fo heavy Penalties : But yet take 
 Notice to what End they required them. That the 
 Poor might not want, and fay, that God hath re- 
 ferved them for their Ufe. 
 
 Leo ("called the great) who was Pope from 440, 
 to 460, was likewife very earnefl and large in ftir- 
 ring up every Man's Devotion to oifer to the 
 Church part of his received Fruits, but fpeaks not 
 a Word of any certain Quantity, as may appear 
 by his Strmons Dejejunio decimi' men/is tif Eleeino^ 
 fynis. 
 
 Severin alfo, about the Year 470, ftirred up 
 the Chriflians in Panonia, who in Example of his 
 Bounty, gave the Tenth of their Fruits to the 
 Poor. 
 
 (0) Gregory not only admonifheth the Pay- 
 ment of Tithes from Mofes's Law, but alfo the 
 obferving the Time of Lent, confifting of fix 
 Weeks, cut of which take the 6'?,Wj)'j, and there 
 
 remain 
 
 (0) Horn. 16. in Evang, & dift. 5. de confecrat, c. 16. Ut 
 
 m L«ge jubemur Domino decimair rci'um dare. 
 
The Great C^fe of Tithes, &cl 
 
 remain thirty fix Days, the tenth Part of the. 
 Year, Fractions of Days omitted ; this Tenth of 
 Time he would have given to God, laying, TVe 
 arc commanded in the Law to give the Tenth of all 
 Things unto God, 
 
 And from the Opinions of thefe, and other an- 
 cient Fathers, who took their Ground from the 
 Taw, Tithes, Eafter^ P^///ff^/, and other Things, 
 came to be introduced and brought into xht Church. 
 
 (p) But notwithftanding the Dodrine, and hard 
 Threats of fome of the great Bifhops of that Time, 
 it was not a generally received Doftrine, that 
 Tithes ought to be paid, nor till about the Year 
 Soo, was any Thing by the then Church determin- 
 ed or ordained, touching the Quantity that fhould 
 be given, though fno doubtj in many Places, a- 
 mongit the Offerings of thedevouter Sort, Tenths, 
 or greater Parts of their Annual Increafe were 
 given, according to the Dodrine of Amhrofe and 
 others. 
 
 iq) The Offerings of the Church in thofe Ages, 
 were received and difpofed of in Maintenance of the 
 Friejls^ and Relief of thofe that were diftrelTed ; 
 ricither had the Priefts fuch a particular Intereft in 
 the Profits received, as of late Time they have 
 iifurped •, all that was received, wherefoever in 
 the Biflioprick, was a common Treafury, and 
 v/as difpenfed, one fourth Part to the Priefts, out 
 of v/hich every one had his Portion ♦, another fourth 
 Part to the Relief of the Poor, Sick, and Strangers ; 
 a third to the building and repairing of Places for 
 
 publick 
 
 (f) As isteftified by Jgobard Bifhop of Lyons, an highly- 
 efteemed Man, in his Treatife Vedifpcnfcitme, kc, comm 
 Sacrikgos, page 276. 
 
 (q) Be not offended at the Word Prie^, so other can bs 
 given to this Age ; for the Title, as theri 'cwas jjiven totk^fr^ 
 fo : t Vvas owned by them. 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes^ &c, 
 
 publick Meetings, called Churches *, and the fourth 
 to the Bilhop. And generally then, the Bifhop 
 lived in fome Monaftery, and his Clergy with him, 
 from whence he fent them out to preach within the 
 Countries in his Diocels, and there they received 
 fuch Offerings as were made, and brought them 
 to the Treafury. 
 
 And though divers of the Fathers, Popes and 
 Bifhops, did declare that Tithes were due, and 
 ought to be paid •, none of the firft eight general 
 Councils of the (r) Church, did ever fo much as 
 mention the Name of Tithes, or declare them a 
 Duty. The ninth, held at Lateran under Pope 
 CalixtusxhtitcoxA^ about the Year 1119, rnenti^ 
 ons Tithes, but fpeaks only of thofe which had 
 been given to the Church by fpecial Confecration ; 
 fo doth alfo the Council held under P. Alexaitder 
 the third. Anno 1 1^0^ but that only inhibits Ap- 
 propriations to Religious Houfes, without AfTenc 
 of a Bifhop; for at that Time, People being led 
 to believe, that their Tithes ought to be given for 
 the Ufe of the Poor, did chiefly difpofe them to the 
 Heads and Governours of Religious Houfes, who 
 kept open Hofpitality for the Pcor^ and Enter- 
 tainment o^ Strangers, and were efteemed holy, as 
 good Treafurers tor the Needy, who took Care of 
 Diftribution of them, as is teftified by -CaJJian the 
 Hermit. But that Council feeing much given to 
 the Poor, little to the Priefts, made that Decree 
 to reflrain the People's Freedom s and indeed, by 
 this Time, much Wickednefs was crept into thelc 
 Houfes, as Hiftories relate. 
 
 Nor was any Law, Canon, or ConiLitution of 
 any general Council as yet found, that purpofely 
 
 camnrancied 
 
 (r) IcaUhCkurch, becaufe it was then foefleemcdy I mv^ 
 vfefuch Words iis maygivsths F^adcr a Kj^QToledgs oj jotaf Ipy,- 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &cl 
 
 commanded the Payment of Tillies, nor any that 
 exprefly fuppoled them a Duty of common Right, 
 before the Council of Later an^ held in the Year 
 1 2 15, under Pope /;^;/^r^7i.^ the third ; about which 
 Time, the Pope's Authority was grown powerful, 
 and the Canons more received Into pracftice, that 
 befor-e were little, efpecially herein, obeyevi 
 
 (s) About the Years 800, 900, looc, and 
 aker. Tithes were called the Lord's Goods, the 
 Falrimony of the Poor, &c. Whence alfo ihe Coun- 
 cil at Nants (t) declared, the Cle"gy were not to 
 ufe them as their own, but as commended to their 
 Trufl ; and they were not then given for the Cler- 
 gy, but to be difpofed cf for the Ules of the Poor. 
 
 And at this Time, no Regard was had to the 
 Nature of the Increafe ; but whatfoever did arife 
 in Profit, whether by Trade, Merchandize, or 
 Hufbandry, the tenth was required to be paid for 
 Tithes. 
 
 But flill, the People had more Mind to give 
 them for the Poor than the Priefls, as may be un- 
 derflood by the Complaint of(u) Pope Innocent the 
 third, who cried out againft thofe that gave their 
 Tithes and firfl Fruits to the Poor, and not to the 
 Priefts, as heinous Offenders ^ his own Words take 
 in the Margin. 
 
 Also, in a General Council held at Lyons, un- 
 der Yo'^t Gregory the tenth, in the Year 1274, ic 
 
 was 
 
 r*) Resdcmlnica?, dominica fubftaotia, Dei cenfus, Pa- 
 trimonia pauperum, tributa egentium animarum, ftipendia 
 pauperum holpitum Peregrinorum. 
 
 (t) Non quan mis, fed quafi commendatis, non abhomini- 
 bu5, fed ab ipfo Deo funt inltitutse. 
 
 C«) Ht p-eachins, on Zacheus's Chmty.f^s, Dedit proprium, 
 & reddidic alienurn. Gravicer ergo peccant qui decimas t<' 
 primitias non reddunt Sacerdotibus, fed eas pro v©lunt;^te di-, 
 ftribuunt indigent^bus. 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &cl I j 
 
 was confliruted, (a:) that it fhould not thenceforth 
 be Jav/ful for Men to give their Tithes of their own 
 Pieafure, where they would, as it had been before, 
 but pay all their Tithes to the Mother-Church. By 
 thefe it may be feen, that though the People, who 
 then generally were Papifls, did believe they ought 
 to pay them, yet were they free to difpofe them 
 where they pleafed, till thefe Popi/h Councils re- 
 trained their Liberty. 
 
 But the great Decree which fpeaks mofl plain, 
 and till which, nothing was given forth which did 
 directly conftitute them, but rather flill fuppofed 
 them as due by fome former Right, was made at 
 the {y) Council of Trent, under Pope Pius the 
 fourth, about the Year 1 560. And yet that great 
 Council followed the Doftrine of their Father, and 
 faid, they were due to God, and had no new Au- 
 thority for their great Decree, which they com- 
 mand to be obeyed under the Penalty of Excom- 
 munication. 
 
 Having thus briefly run over the Ecclefiaflicai 
 State abroad, from the Infant-purity of the Church, 
 to the Height of the Papal Domination, and given 
 a fmalj Glimpfe through every Age to the Point in 
 
 Hand ; 
 
 (x) Ut nulli hominum deinceps liceat decimas fuas ad li- 
 bitum ut antea ubi vellet alTignare, fed Matrici Eccleli^ om- 
 nes deciraas perfolverent, 
 
 (y) Non funt ferendiquivariisartibus decimas Ecclefiis 
 obvenientes fubftrahere moliuntur, autquiab aliis folvendas 
 temere occupant, & in rem fuam vertunt, cum decimarum 
 folutio debita fit Deo, & qui eas dare noluerint, aut dantes 
 impediunt, res alienas invadunt : Prascipit igitur fanOa Sy- 
 nodus, omnibus cujufconque gradus & conditionis (mt, ad 
 quos decimarum folutio fpeilar, uc eas (ad quas de jure te- 
 nentur) in pofterum Cathedrali aut quibafcunque aliis Eccle- 
 fiis vel perfonis, quibus legitime debentur, integre perfol- 
 vant: Qui vero eas aut fubftrahunt, aut impediunt, Excom- 
 municentur: Nee ab hoc crimine, nifi plena feftiturioae f;>- 
 cuta abfolvantur. 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 
 
 Hand -y I fhall now more particularly return to 
 what may concern this Nation. 
 
 I fnall not trouble the Reader with a Relation 
 of Jofeph of AnmUhea^ and his eleven Difciples 
 coming into Britain^ fent by Fhllip the Apoftle, 
 in the Reign of Arviragus^ as Hiflories report ; 
 nor of the Converfi-on of King Lucius afterwards, 
 who is laid to give great Endowments to theChurch, 
 nor of the Britijh Chriftians : Nothing at all ap- 
 pearing of the Payment of Tithes in their Days : 
 But paffing by them, and thofe many Years, where- 
 in the barbarous Saxons over-ran this Nation, 
 exercifing moil cruel PerfecutionSj till the very 
 Name ot Chriftian was blotted out, and thofe Hea- 
 thens feated in the quiet FoiTefTion of a fevenfold 
 Kingdom in this Land. 
 
 About the Year 600, or fdon after, Gregory 
 the firft, then Pope of Rojne^ fent over Auguftin 
 the Monk into England^ by whom Ethelbert King 
 cAKent was converted ; and by him and his Fol- 
 lowers, \h procefs of Time, other Parts of the 
 Nation, and others of the Kings, were alfo brought 
 to their Faith. This Auguftin was a Canon Regular^ 
 and both he and his Clergy, for long Time after, 
 followed the Example of former Ages, living in 
 common upon the Offerings of their Converts -, 
 and thofe that received them were joined in Soci- 
 eties, in Imitation of the primitive Pradice, hav- 
 ing fuch Direction fent him by Pope Gregory^ that 
 in the Tendernefs of the Saxon-Churchy he and his 
 Clergy fhould ftill imitate the Community of all 
 Things ufed in the primitive Times under the Apo- 
 flles, that they might not make their Religion 
 burthenfome. 
 
 But afterv/ards, having brought a great Part: 
 of the Nation to their Faith, they began to preach 
 up the old Roman Do5trine^ that Tithes ought to 
 be paid , and having taught the People, that the 
 
 Pardon 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &Ci 1 5 
 
 jt'ardon of Sin might be merited by good Worksj 
 and the Torments of Hell be avoided by their cha- 
 ritable Deeds, it was no hard Matter, when that 
 was believed, to perfwade them not only to give 
 their Tithes, but alfo their Lands ; as the outward 
 Riches of thofe called Religious Houfes then, here 
 and elfewhere, may teftifie ; for in this Nation, 
 they and the Clergy had almoft gotten the third 
 part 6^ the whole Land *, and fo befotted were the 
 poor ignorant People, that, had not a Law a- 
 ^^m?c Mortmain prevented it, a far greater Part 
 of the Nation had been in their Hands. 
 
 As concerning Lav/s and Canons for Tithes a- 
 mongtht Saxons^ it is reported, that in the Year 
 786, two Legates were fent from Fopc HadriaH 
 the firft, to OJfa King of Mercland^ and JElfwolfe 
 King of Northnmherland^ who made a Decree, 
 that the People of thofe two Kingdoms fhould pay 
 Tithes. 
 
 Also i\\^t jEthehiph King of the Weft-Saxons^ in 
 the Year 85<), made a Law, that the Tithe of all 
 his own Lands, fhould be given to God and his 
 Servants, and fhould be enjoyed free from al! 
 Taxes. Great Difference is among Hiflorians a- 
 bout this Grant, few agreeing in the Words or 
 Subilance of it, as 6'^/<^^;2 fhews, fome reflraining 
 it to the Tithe of his own Demefne Lands ; others 
 to the Tenth Part of his Lands \ others to the Tithe 
 of the whole Nation. At that Time, the Nation 
 being under great and heavy Pi-effu res by Banifh 
 Irruptions, inteftine Wars, great Spoils and Mi- 
 ieries, he called a Council, where were prefent' ■ 
 Bernredus King of {z) Mercia., and Edmond King 
 of Eaft- Angles^ and they, to remove the heavy 
 
 C Judgments 
 
 C^) Pro mez remedio animae & Regni & populi, for iht 
 Cure efmy^rtn Soul, ani of my JK^ngiom And. Peopk^ 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c: 
 
 Judgments then over them, grant the Tithe of all 
 their Land to God and his Servants. 
 
 KixG Atheljlone^ about the Year 930, King jE^- 
 mond., about the Year 940, King Edgar^ about 
 the Year 970, King Etbelred, about the Year 
 loio, Kmg Knuie^ about the Year 1020, Edward 
 the Ccnfejfor^ and others of the Saxon Kings, made 
 fevera] Laws for Tithes as Hiftories report. 
 
 The Normans afterwards entring this Kingdom, 
 and fubduing it to themfelves, William the Con- 
 queror confirmed the Liberties of the Church ; fo 
 did Hen. the firft, Hen. 2. King Stephen, and it may 
 be, others of the fucceeding Kings di-l the like. 
 
 Some Epifcopal Conilitutions alfo have been 
 made to the fam.e Effecfl by Robert Winch el fe-^ 
 Arch-Bifhop of Canterbury^ and others. 
 
 That the Reader may underftand the Principles 
 upon which thefe Men adled, and the Doflrine 
 then preached amongft them, and received and be- 
 lieved, I have inferted in the Margin the (a) Pre- 
 amble of a Grant of King Stephen, 
 
 \^a) Quoniam Divina Mifericordia providenre cognovimiR 
 cffe dilpofitum, & longe latcq; pracdicanteEcclefia, ionar om- 
 nium auribus divulgatum : Qiiod, Eleemofynarum largitione 
 poffunt abfolvi vincula peccatorum, & acquiri coeleftium prs- 
 mia gaudiorum : EgoSteph^nus Dei gratia Anglorum Rex, par- 
 tern habere volens cum illis qui fcelici coraniercio Cceleftia 
 pro terrenis commutant, Dei amore compunftus, & pro fa- 
 lute animaemeae& Patrismei Matrifq*, mea?, & omnium Pa- 
 rentum meorum, & anteceflbrum, ^c. 
 
 The Preamble ot King Stephen s Grant. 
 
 Becnufe through the Ftoviience of divide i^ercy, we Inoro it to 
 he fo ordered f and by the Churches piiblijhi/if!, it fur and neary eve- 
 ry Body has hej,rd^ that by the Dipibmion of Alms, Perfons may 
 he abjokSd from the Bonds of Sin, and acquire the Edwards of 
 heavenly "^oys. /Stephen, by theGraceof God^ J^ng of En- 
 gland, ^ew^w///i»g to have a Fart withthem^ who by an happy 
 kind oj Trading exchange heavenly Things for earthly j indfmtten 
 with the Love of Gody and for the Salvation of my own Souhand. 
 the Souls of my Father and. Mother, and all my Forefathers ani 
 jinccjUrsy &c. And fo he goes on and confirms divers Things 
 that divers had granted to the Church, as Tithes and other 
 Things* 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes^ &c^ ij 
 
 But notwithflanding the many Laws, Canons 
 and Decrees, of Kings, Popes, Councils and Bi- 
 fhops, that every Man ought to pay the Tenth 
 Part of his Increafe, yet was it Jeft to the Owner, 
 to confer it where he pleafed, which made fo many 
 rich Abbeys and Monafleries ; and till the Year 
 1 200 or thereabouts, every one gave their Tithes 
 at their own Pleafure, which made Pope Innocent {b) 
 the third, fend his Decretal Epiflleto the Bifhop 
 of Canterbury y commanding him to enjoyn every 
 Manj to pay his temporal Goods to thofe that mi- 
 niflred fpiritual Things to them, which was enforced 
 
 C2 by 
 
 (h) Pervenit ad audientiam noftram, quod multi in Dioceft 
 tua, decimas fuas integras vel duas partes ipfaium ncn illis 
 Ecclefiis in quarum parochiis Habitant, vel ubi prxdia habent, 
 & a quibus Ecclefiaftica praecipiunt Sacrainenta, perfolvunt, 
 fed eas aliis pro fua diftribuunt voluntate : Cum igitur in- 
 conveniens effe videatur & a ratione diirimile,ut Ecckiiae quae 
 fpiritualia feminant, metere non debeant a fuis parochianis 
 temporalia& habere, fraternitati tnaf Authoritate prsefentium 
 indulgemus, ut liceat tibi fuper hoc, non obftante contradifti- 
 one vel appellatione cujuflibet, feuconfuetudine haftenus ob- 
 ftrvata, quod Canonicum fuerit ordinare&facere, & quod 
 Statueris per cenfuram Ecclefiafticam firmiter obligarei 
 Nulli ergo, ^c, Confirmationis, ^c. Datum Laterally it 
 Nonas Julii. 
 
 iThe Pope's Decretal Epiftle to the Archbidiop of Canterbury. 
 We having heard, that many in thy Dioc^fs, pay the whole 
 Jithesy or two Parts of them, not to the Churches in the Parijhes 
 they belong to, or where they have Farms, and frorn. which they 
 receive the Church Sacraments, but they difiribme them to others 
 according to their own WiJI. As therefore it feeras inconveni- 
 ent and contrary to I^eafon, that the Churches which few fpiritual 
 Jhings, fhould not reap and receive temporal Things from their 
 own Parifhioners'y We by the Authority of tbefe prefents, grant to 
 thy Brotherhood, that it may he lawful for thee, upon this, not- 
 Toithfta?^dingany Ofpofition or Appeal whatever , or Cuftom hi" 
 therto obferv'd, to ordain and do whatfoever is Canonical ; and 
 lp}hat thou fhalt ordain, to bind by Ecckfiifiical Cenfure, Les 
 none therefore, &c. In Confirmmon whereof, &c. Given a% 
 lateran the 2d Day of July, 
 
The Great Cafe e)/Tithes, &c. 
 
 by EccIefiaPcical Cenfures •, and this was the firfl 
 Beginning of general Parochial Payment of Tithes 
 in England: I have inierted the Pope's own Words . 
 in the Margin, as they are recorded by Coek^ in 
 the fecond Part of his Injlitutes^ who faith, That 
 becaiife the Pope's Decree feemed reafonable, it 
 was admitted and enjoyned by the Law of the Na- 
 tion, King and People being then Papifts. 
 
 This Decree of the Pope, receiving all poflible 
 Aflill^nce from the Bifiiops and the Priefts, in 
 whofe Behalf it was made, did not only in a fbort 
 Time take av/ay the People's then claimed Right 
 to give their "Tithes to thofe thatbeft deferved them^ 
 but did alfo fo much corrupt the Clergy, that in 
 the Time of Richard the fecond, Wickcliffe^ our fa- 
 mous Reformer, did make an heavy Complaint to 
 the Pariiam.ent, which in his own Words 1 have in- 
 ferted for the Reader's better Satisfadion. Ah Lord 
 God I where this he Reafon to conftrain the poor Peo- 
 ple tojjnd a worldly Prieft^ fometimes unable both of 
 Life and Cunnings in Poinp and Pride ^ covetife and 
 envy^ Gliittonefs^ Drunkennefs^ and Lecher '^^ in fimo- 
 ny and Herefie^ with fat Horfe andjolly^ and gay 
 Saddles and Bridles ringing by the IVay^ and hiinfelf 
 in coftly Clothes and pelure^ andto fuffer their Wives 
 and Children^ and their poor 'Neighbours perijh for 
 Hunger^ Thirft and Cold, and other Mifchiefs of the 
 World". Ah Lordjefu Chrijl, fith within few Tears 
 Men paid their Tithes and Offerings at their own Will^ 
 free to good Men^ and able to great Worfhip of God^ to 
 profit and Fairnefs of holy Church fightijtg in Earthy 
 why it were lawful and needful that' a worldly Prieft 
 Jhould deftroy this holy and approved Cuftom, conftrain- 
 ing Men to leave this Freedom^ turning Tithes and 
 Offerings unto wicked Ufes. 
 
 That the Meaning of thefe, and the Practice 
 of this Nation in this Matter may the better beun- 
 derilood, it is needful to inform the Reader, that 
 
 when 
 
The Great Cafe of TkhQs, &c. 19 
 
 when the Pope's Do6lrIne was receiv'd in a Nation, 
 that Nation was divided into fo many Bifhopricks 
 as were needful, and every Bifhoprick into lb ma- 
 ny Parifhes as were thought convenient, and Pa- 
 rishes arebutof late Eredion, and till then, moll 
 Preachers were fent out of the Mo naileries, and re- 
 h'gioas (fo called) Houfes, and the People did at 
 their own free Will give their Tithes and OiTer- 
 ings where they pleafed, which Liberty they enjoy- 
 ed till about the Year 1200. And tho' it was gene- 
 rally believed that Tithes ought to be paid, yet 
 did noMan claim any Property therein, but every 
 Owner of the nine Parts, v/as required to give tlie 
 tenth Part to the Prieflor Poor, as due unto God. 
 But now the Pope having fet up Parifhes, did 
 enjoyn, that a fecular Priefl canonically inftituted, 
 fhould attend the Service of each Parifh ; and that 
 where Tithes were not already fetled, they fhould 
 be paid to the Parifli Prieft, notv/ithflanding any 
 Cuftom to the contrary ; the People then gene- 
 rally being Papifts^ did yield Obedience, as they 
 durfi: not do otherwife •, and it may cafily be fup- 
 pofed, rhat having perfwaded the People to pay 
 Tithes, it was no hard Matter to appoint the Per- 
 fons to whom they fhould be given. 
 
 Parishes being fet up, Priefls appointed, and 
 Tithes paid to them, after forty Years Pofiefllon, 
 what before was owned as a Gift, was now claim- 
 ed as a Debt ; and Prefcription was pleaded by 
 the Priefls as their jull Title; the People then fee- 
 ing themfelves in a Snare, began to contend, but 
 the imperious Pope (nov/ in a great Height of Pride 
 and Iniblence, to uphold his Creature-ClergyJ 
 thundred out his Interdidl againfl this Nation, ex- 
 communicated the King, frighted the Subjcds 
 with his Bulls fluft with Commination, and that a- 
 gainfl the very Point of arbitrary Difpofal of 
 Tithes : And Rome now grown formidable, did 
 
 C 3 highly , 
 
20 7he Great Cafe of Tithes, &cj 
 
 highly infult over Kings and Princes ; witnefs Fre- 
 derick, BarharoJJa, Hen. the 6th, and other Prince^ 
 of the Empire ; and the Stories of our Hen. 2. and 
 King John, are obvious : And our Rich, the firft 
 to, gratifie the Clergy for their exceeding Liberali- 
 ty, in contributing to his Ranfom from Captivity, 
 with great Favour, gave them an indulgent Char- 
 ter of their Liberties, and in this Advantage of 
 Time, the Canon Laws gained fuch Force, that 
 parochial Payments came generally to be fctled. 
 
 Yet notwithftanding, our Englijh Parliafnents 
 not willing wholly to forget the Poor, for whofe 
 Sake Tithes were chiefly given, did make divers 
 Laws, that a convenient Portion of the Tithes 
 Ihould be fet apart for the Maintenance of the 
 Poor of the Parifh for ever, R. 2. 15. 6. 4. Hen. 4. 
 as the Statutes at large do v/itnefs. 
 
 The Pope having by thefe Means brought in 
 Tithes, and made a pretended Title by Prefcrip- 
 tion, fet up Courts to recover them, which were 
 called Ecclefiaflical Courts, where his own Crea- 
 tures were Judges, and here the poor People might 
 eafily underfland what they might exped from 
 them ; yet he that did not pay, no great Punifh- 
 ment could they infiid on him, but Excommuni^ 
 cation out of their Church. 
 
 The Pope by all Means willing to favour his 
 chiefeil Props, notwithftandlng his general De- 
 cree, could tell how to difpenfe with his own 
 Lands at his Pleafure, and therefore frequently 
 did grant Exemptions to divers Orders, to free 
 them from Payment of Tithes ; witnefs the Hof- 
 pitallers, Ciftercians, Templets, and generally 
 to all Lands held in the Occupation of the called 
 religious Perfons and Houfes, which is the Ground 
 of all thofe Men's Claims, who have bought the 
 Lands of diiTolvedMonalleries, fe'r. and fay they 
 areTithe-lrte. 
 
 When 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 
 
 When the Pope by colour of the J^'te'i/^Laws, 
 (by which Tithes v/ere given to the Levhical 
 Priefthood) had gained an univerfal Payment of 
 Tithes to all his Clergy, in farther Imitation of 
 that Earthly Tabernacle, he fets up a new Build- 
 ing after the former Pattern, and therefore to him- 
 felf he claims firfl-Fruits and Tenths, as a Suc- 
 ceflbr of the Jewifli High-Priefl % Sins alfo he un- 
 dertook to pardon ; Cardinals alfo he appoints 
 as Leaders of their Families *, Miters they wear 
 on their Heads, as Aaron did ; Synagogues they 
 build, with Singers, Porters, i^c. and into the 
 Form of the Levitical Priefthood they transforni - 
 themfelves, thereby wholly denying Chrift Jefus, 
 theEndof Types and Figures, to be come in the 
 Fleih. 
 
 Afterwards, H^;/. 8. King of Efdgand, hting 
 a Papift, and believing the Pope's Dodrine, as 
 alfo did his Parliament, that Tithes were due to 
 God and Holy Church -, made a Lav/ that every 
 one fliould fet out and pay his Tithes. 
 
 And feeing this is the great Law, and the firft 
 of our Parliament Laws for Tithes, and that upon 
 which the reft arc grounded, I fhall here infert the 
 Preamble of it. 
 
 Forafmuch as divers Numhers of eviLdifpofd Per- 
 fonsy having no Refpe5i to their Duties to Ahnijot^ 
 God^ hut againft Right and good Confcience^ have at- 
 tempted tofuhftra5i and with- hold in fome Places the 
 whole^ and in fome Places great Part of their Tithes 
 and Oblations^ as well perfonal as predial^ due unto 
 God and Holy Churchy &c, 
 
 A Second Lav/ in his Time was alfo made to 
 the like Purpofe, and in purfuance of the former -, 
 and great Reafon he had, and Need there was for 
 them •, for having diflblved many Monafteries 
 which had many Tithes and Re6lories appropriated 
 to them, and either had them in his own Hands, 
 
 C4 ^^ 
 
22 The Greas Cafe of Tithes, &c: 
 
 or fold them to others, to be held as Lay-pofTefli- 
 ons, and they having no Law whereby to recover 
 them, the Pope's Laws not reaching to Lay-per- 
 fons (fo called) he was necefTitatedto m.ike new 
 Laws to enforce the Payment of them, which the 
 0. better to colour over the Matter, h" makes in ge- 
 neral Terms, but flill reft rains the Trial of Tithes 
 to the Ecclefiaftical Courts. 
 
 After him, Edw. the 6th, in purfuance of his 
 Father's Laws, and upon the fame Ground, makes 
 another Law for the Payment of (c) predial and 
 perfonal Tithes, under Penalty of treble Damages, 
 who alfo reftrains the Trial to the E(:clefiaft:icai 
 Courts. Thefe Laws fuppofe that Tithes were 
 due to God and Holy Church, and therefore they 
 require, that every Man do yield and fet out his 
 Tithes as had been accuftomed. 
 
 In purfuance of thefe Laws, fome Ordinances 
 were made in the Time of the long Parliament, in 
 the Exigences of the War, becaufe the Courts of 
 Juftice were obftrucled. 
 
 And thefe are the Suhftaiice of all our Englifh-Laws 
 concerning 'TITHES, 
 
 Having thus generally and briefly run over the 
 Laws and Pra(flices of Tithing, both abroad and 
 in this Nation, I fhall give fome Hints of the Opi- 
 nions of former Times concerning Tithes. About 
 the Year looo and I200 after Chrift, when Tithes 
 were generally preached upland claimed, great 
 Controverfie did arife betv^e^ the Canonifts and 
 the Clergy, by what immediate Law Tithes were 
 payable. 
 
 The 
 
 {c} Predial Tithes :ire tkofe which Are pU of 'Ikivgs ar'ifitjg 
 A:d gf'oivi?JP from tk Croujii O'fnJ* 
 
The Great Cafe fif Tithes, dre. 
 
 The Canonifls generally ground rhemfelves up- 
 on the Decrees aAd Canons of the Church (io called^ 
 and on the Writings of Auguftin^ Amhrofe^ and the 
 reft of the ancient Fathers, who fay they are due 
 by Divine Right. 
 
 The Clergy of thofe Times were at a Difference 
 among themfelves, fome ot them faying, that 
 Tithes, qnoad qiiotam partejn^ or as a determi- 
 ned Part, are due only by pofitive and Ecclefi- 
 aftick Law •, but quoad fiihftayitiam fuam^ or as 
 a competent Part to be allowed for the Mainte- 
 nance of theMiniftry, are due by Divine Law •, and 
 that the tenth Part was decreed by the Church, 
 pr vim ejus exemplare?n^ or by Imitation of the 
 Jewijh State^ Z-ndi not per vim ohligativam^ or any 
 continuing Force of it under the Gofpel ; and that 
 the Church was not bound to this Part, but freely 
 might as well have ordained the Payment of a 
 ninth or eighth, according to the various Oppor- 
 tunity. This was taught by Hale%^ Aquinas^ Hen- 
 ricus de Grandavo^ R, de Mididviila, Cardinal C a- 
 jet an ^ lo. Mayer ^ Suarez, Malder, and others, 
 who fay it is the common Opinion of the greareli 
 Part of the Clergy of that Time, and that the 
 tenth Part was rather ceremonial than moral. 
 
 Here alfo was made a Diftinclion, and many 
 faid, that predial and mixt Tithes were due b7 
 the Divine Ecclefiaftick Law -, but perfonal Tithes 
 only by the Decrees of the Church ; but Hales 
 faid, that Tithes, as well perfonal as predial, are 
 in the Precept ^i^^ad Siihjiantiam^ but neither 
 ^wad quotam ; and therefore in Ver2ice and other 
 Cities, where no predial Tithes are, a perfonal 
 Tithe is required by the pofitive Law of the 
 Church, by Virtue of the Subftance (not Ceremo- 
 ny) of the Command. 
 
 Another Opinion (and that owned bym.anv) 
 was drawn from the former Dodrine, which con- 
 cluded^ 
 
Ths Great Cafe of Tithes, &c'^ 
 
 eluded, that feeing Tithes, as the quota pars ^ were 
 not enjoyned by the Command of God, therefore 
 they were meer Alms, or as what, dehito Cbarita- 
 iis^ not dehito jujliti^^ was to be difpenfed. Of 
 this Opinion were the Dominicans and Francifcans^ 
 who both began about the Year 1210, and by 
 their Dodrine got many Tithes to be given ta 
 their Monafteries, and that whatfoever was given 
 to the four Orders o^ Mendicant Fr'jarSy was a fuffi- 
 cient Difcharge from the Priefts. 
 
 And our famous Reformers, John JVickliffe^ 
 Walter Brute, JVilliam Thorpe^ and others, whofe 
 Arguments are at large in Fox his A5ls and Monu- 
 ments^ did in their Days bear their Teftimony a- 
 gainft Tithes, for which feme of them fuffered in 
 the Flames. 
 
 Agreeing herewith are the Articles of the Bo- 
 hemians, publiihed near three hundred Years fince, 
 wherein a Divine Right to Tithes fince the Gofpel 
 is denied-, whereupon alfo long fince they took 
 all their Temporalities from their Minifters •, and 
 before Wickliff^s Time, Gerardus Sagarellus was 
 of the fame Mind. And the great Erafmus alfo 
 faid, that the common exa6ling of Tithes by the 
 Clergy of his Time, was no better than Tyranny. 
 
 Having thus briefly run over the Do6lrines, De- 
 crees, Pradices and Opinions concerning Tithes ; 
 I fhall make forne ihort Obfervations thereupon, 
 that the Reader may underfland whereunto they 
 tend, and then proceed to the Matter as it concerns 
 us at this Day, wherein he will find the Knowledge 
 of thefe Things v/ill be ufeful. 
 
 Firfi, THAt amongft the Jews, Tithes were 
 paid to the Xm/^J that did the common Services 
 cf the Tabernacle and Temple, and not to the 
 Siov^.o'i Aaron., the Priefts-, far they had only a 
 tenth Part out of the Tithes j and therefore he 
 that pleads for Tithes from the Mofaical Laws 
 
 for 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes^ &c\ 
 
 for Tithing, had need confider how the Payment 
 of Tithes to Minifters fucceeds to the Payment of 
 Tithes to the Levites, who were not Priefts, nor 
 were to touch or meddle with that holy Office^ 
 leaft they died. 
 
 2. That among the Jews, no outward Law 
 was appointed for the Recovery of Tithes, but he 
 that did not pay them robbed God, and by him 
 only was punifhed. 
 
 3. That the Tithes were not for the Levites 
 only, but fox the Stranger, the Fatherlefs, and the 
 Widow, who were to eat thereof, and be fatisfied. 
 
 4. That when the Livitical Prieilhood was 
 changed by the Coming of Chrift Jefus, the Law 
 for Tithing was alfo changed, as Paul writ to the 
 fiehrews •, for it is evident, that in the Beginning 
 of the Church, for the firft three Hundred Years, 
 while the Purity and Simplicity of the Gofpel 
 was retained, no Tithes were paid among Chri- 
 ftians. 
 
 5. That as the Myflery of Iniquity began to 
 work, and Men's Imaginations were taught inftead 
 of the Do6lrine of Chrift, divers Men fetching 
 their Ground from Mofes^^ Writings, began to 
 preach that Tithes again ought to be paid. 
 
 6. That thofe that firft preached up Tithes, 
 prefTed the Payment of them, not for the Mainte- 
 nance of a Miniftry only, but chiefly:for Provifion 
 for the Poor and Needy. 
 
 7. That in the firfl Pradice of the Payment 
 of Tithes, they were not paid as Tithes, but as 
 Free-Offerings, at the Bounty of the Giver, and 
 not as anfwering any Law that required the tenth 
 Part, and fo more properly were called Offerings 
 than Tithes. 
 
 8. That notwithflanding any Dodrines preach* 
 ed, it was not a received Dodrine, that Tithes 
 ought to be paid, till about the Year 1000, that 
 
 the 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &cl 
 
 the Pope had fet up his Authority, and uflirped 
 Dominion over the grcatefl Part of Europe^ and 
 almofi: all Emperors, Kings and Princes brought 
 in Subje6lion to him, and his innovated SuperlU.- 
 tions. 
 
 9. That notv/ithftanding theftrid Commands 
 of the Pope, no outward compulfory Law was 
 made by the Pope or his Councils, to enforce any 
 to pay Tithes, but only their Excommunication. 
 
 10. That Tithes were always accounted an 
 Ecclefiaflical Duty, and therefore by EcclefiaflJ- 
 cal Courts were tried and judged ; and till the Dif- 
 folution of Abbeys, i^c, were never called a Civil 
 Right. 
 
 11. That Tithes were brought in as a Duty 
 owing unto God, and were fo required and en- 
 forced, and therefore all Laws made for the Pay- 
 ment of Tithes, take that for their Ground, and 
 not any civil Property or Right in him that claims 
 them. 
 
 12. That till thfe Year 1200 or thereabouts, 
 it was the common Pra6lice for every one to be- 
 llow his Tithes where h^ pleafed. 
 
 13. That from fuch arbitrary Difpofitions, 
 Abbeys and Monafteries came to be fo richly en- 
 dowed with Tithes and Redlories. 
 
 14. That all Exemptions from Payment of 
 Tithes, came from the Pope. 
 
 15. That firfl Fruits and Tenths are but a 
 late Innovation, and claimed by the Pope as Sue- 
 cefTor to the Jewifh-High-Prieji^ as Cook in the 
 third Part of his Inftitiites alfo teftifies. 
 
 16. That Tithes are the fame Thing, whe- 
 ther claimed by an Abbey, or Impropriator, or 
 a Prieft, and ftand upon the fame Ground and 
 Foundation, and differ nothing but in the Ferfon 
 that polTefleth them. 
 
 17- 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 27 
 
 17. Here alfo the declining State of the Church 
 to Corruption ^nd Error may be clearly difcerned 
 and traced -, for as the Power of Truth was loft, 
 fo was the Fruit thereof, which caufed fuch earnefh 
 prefTing to needful Contributions, and when that 
 would not ferve. Laws and Decrees were rriade 
 to force them : But in the Beginning it was not fo ; 
 tor while the Purity and Simplicity of tlie Gofpel 
 was retained, there needed no preffing, for their 
 Charity then abounded not only to the tenth Part, 
 but far greater Parts, as the Needs of the Church 
 required. 
 
 18. That the Right of Tithes was never clear- 
 ed, but remained in Controverfie, even among 
 the greateft Papifts, and in all Ages there were 
 thofe that withftood/the Payment of them ; And 
 many of the Martyrs for that, among other 
 Things, fuffered in Flames. 
 
 These Things thus premifed, I fhall briefly 
 ftate the great Cafe and Queftion, at this Day 
 chiefly controverted concerning Tithes, as claimed 
 and paid in England. 
 
 Whether an^ Perfon have a true and legal Property The 
 in the tenth Part of another Man's Increafe, now CASE 
 commonly called Tithes. 
 
 The Terms are plain, and need no Opening; 
 yet it is needful to declare v/hy the Cafe is thus 
 flated ; for the great Queftion rather feems to be 
 Whether Tithes he not due at this Bay ? 
 
 That may be due to another, wherein yet he 
 may have no legal Property, as Cuftom, Tribute, 
 Taxes, which are to be paid becaufe commanded 
 by the State •, and though Law and Equity obliges 
 the Payment, yet is no diftind Property in him 
 that commands \ and fo Tithes may be fuppofed 
 to be due, becaufe fo many Lav/s have been made 
 
 for 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes j &c: 
 
 for Payment of them, though the Perfon that 
 claims them may have no particular Intereft or 
 Property therein, other than is derived from the 
 Command. 
 
 But now in England, Tithes are not only claim- 
 ed by Virtue of divers Laws, but alfo as being a 
 diftind Property, fevered from the Property of 
 the nine Parts . 
 
 And if this could clearly be evinced, all Scru- 
 ples of Confcience were anfwered •, for if a true and 
 legal Property be in another Perfon to the tenth 
 Part of my Increafc, I ought in Confcience to yield 
 and fet it forth, becaufe it is not mme ; and then 
 the Name of Tithe, as having in any Meafure Re- 
 lation to the Jewijh Priefthood, or Popifh Clergy, 
 were at an End, but as a Debt it ought to be truly 
 paid to the Propriator. 
 
 Many Things have been faid, and much written 
 to prove fuch a Property, the Subftance whereof, 
 as far as hath come to my Knowledge, I fhall 
 briefly fum up under thefe general Heads ; as alfo 
 the Grounds of thofe who claim them to be due^ 
 and yet plead no Property, which being the 
 leffer, may be fully included and anfwered in the 
 other. 
 
 Several 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 
 
 Several Claims made for Tithes, and a legal 
 Property therein^ fet down and anjwered^ 
 
 1. npHE firft claim Tithes to be due jure 
 
 A divinOy and produce the Law of Mofes 
 for it. 
 
 2. Others fay, th3.t 2iS to the quota pars (viz, 
 the tenth Part) Tithes are not now due by the Law 
 of God; only the Equity of the Law is flill of 
 Force, which obligeth to afford a competent 
 Maintenance for the Miniftry, but doth not bind 
 to the certain Quantity. 
 
 3. Others there are, who plead the Decrees, 
 Canons and Conflitutions of General Councils, 
 Popes, Bilhops, Convocations, and thefe fay, 
 that Tithes are duQ jure Ecclefiaftico. 
 
 Under thefe feveral Claims, orfome of them, 
 have Tithes been demanded and paid, fince the 
 dark Night of Apoflacy overfp read the Earth un- 
 der the Papal Power, till the Pope's Supremacy 
 and Religion was cafl off in Englafid ; and where 
 the Popifh Religion is profefled, they are now by 
 the fame demanded and paid. 
 
 But now of late in Ejigland^ new Claims are 
 made, and the old Pretences feem too much to fa- 
 vour of the popifh Leaven, and therefore an hu- 
 man Right is pleaded, which I Hiall briefly bring 
 under thefe few Heads. 
 
 r. Some plead the Gifts of Kings and Princes., 
 who were Rulers of the People, as Ethelwolph^ &c. 
 
 2. Others plead the temporal Laws of Kings, 
 Parliaments, ^c, 
 
 3. a 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c: 
 
 2. Others plead the particular Gifts, Ap- 
 propriation, Confecration or Donation, of thofe 
 who were former Owners of the Land. 
 
 4. Others plead Prefcription, and a legal 
 Rio-ht by their PofiefTion. 
 
 5. Others plead a legal Right by Purchafe. 
 
 And befides thefe, I never heard or read of any 
 other Pretence for Tithes, tho' I have diligently 
 for two Years and more, laboured to inform my 
 felf fully what could be alledged for them. 
 
 To begin with the firft, thofe that fay Tithes are 
 due by Divine Right. 
 
 Some of them fay, that the Law given to Ifrael 
 for Paynent of tenths to the 'Tribe of Levi^ doth alfd 
 oblige Chriftians to pay Tenths to their Minifters^ as 
 fiicceeding in the Priefis Office. 
 
 Anfw. To fuch it is clearly anfwered, that the. 
 Priefthood which had a Commandment to take 
 Tithes, being changed by Chrift Jefus, there is 
 made of NecefTity alfo a Change of the Law ; and 
 now the Prieilhood is no more committed to the 
 natural Off-fpring of Levi^ or any other Tribe, 
 but to Chrift Jefus the unchangeable Priefthood, 
 whofe Kingdom ftands not in Figures and carnal 
 Ordinances, but is the Subftance of what that was 
 but a Figure : And it is clear, the primitive Church 
 were affur'd of it, who for fome Hundreds of 
 Years, and till the Myftery of Iniquity began to 
 work, never called for the Payment of Tithes, as 
 is before plainly proved. 
 
 And how doth a Gofpel Miniftry fucceed to 
 the Levites^ who received Tithes, but were not 
 Priefts ? much more Colour had the Quirifters, 
 Singing-men, and the reft of the Rabble brought 
 into the late Cathedrals, to claim them, and only 
 
 to 
 
7he Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 
 
 to pay out a tenth Part to the Priefls, as the Le- 
 
 vites did. 
 
 Others fay, that Ahtdhzmpaid tithes to Mel- 
 chifedec, which was before the Levitical Priefthood ; 
 and Chrift Jefus is made a Prieft after the Order of 
 Melchifedec. 
 
 Abraham, returning from the Slaughter of the 
 Kings, was met by Melchifedec^ who brought him 
 Bread and Wine, and Abraham gave him the 
 Tenth of the Spoil ; But what is this to the Pay- 
 ment of Tithes, unlefs it oblige the Soldiers ? For 
 it doth not appear that Abraham paid the Tenth 
 Part of his ownlncreafe -, nor dothit appear, tha* 
 Abraham gave the tenth Part at any other Time • 
 andhow will this prove a yearly Payment of Tithes 
 CO Miniflers. 
 
 And what \{ Jacob gave Tithes? How are ei- 
 ther of thefe Examples more binding than any 
 other of the good Ads that either of thefe holy 
 Men did ? 
 
 Obje^. If it be faid, that Jefus Chrifi faid,- ye 
 tithe minty &c. thefe Things ye ought not to leave un- 
 done. 
 
 It's anfwered, that Jefus Chrift then fpoke to 
 the Jews^ in the Time when the Levitical Prieft- 
 hood was not ended, who were bound by the Law, 
 fb long as it was of Force, till he was offered up, 
 and fa id, // is finijhed. 
 
 But though Divine Right hath been long pre- 
 tended, few are now left who will only ftand to it, 
 and the generality, both of Lawyers^ Prlefts and 
 People^ are of a contrary Mind. 
 
 For if Tithes be abfolutely due by the Law of 
 God, noCuftom, Ufage, Prefcription, Privilege, 
 
 D or 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 
 
 or popifh Difpenfation, can acquit from Paymeni; 
 of the utmoft Penny of the tenth Part ; but fcarce 
 the tenth Perfon in England payeth Tithe in kind, 
 and many plead they are Tithe-free, and pay none 
 at all, and others very fmall Matters ; and fo the 
 greateft Part of the People of England deny Tithes 
 to be due by God's Law. 
 
 Again, if Tithes be due by the Law of God, 
 then it is to the End for which they were com- 
 manded, for the Levites, the Strangers, the Fa- 
 therlefs, and the Widows j all therefore who plead 
 for Tithes by Divine Right, muft not pay them 
 to an Impropriator -, for by God's Law he cannot 
 claim, neither ought any hnpropriator of that Mind 
 to receive them. 
 
 And of late Years, it was by Rolls ^ Chief 
 Juftice, adjudged in the Upper Bench, that "Tithes 
 are not now due b^ the Law of God, 
 
 2. To the next^ thofe that plead the Equity of the 
 Law is fill of Force, 
 
 These plead not for Tithes properly, but for 
 a comtortable Maintenance, and by Way of Tithes, 
 as they fuppofe mofl convenient, ^c. And thefe 
 bring many Scriptures in the New Teflament, 
 That he that labours is w/)rthy of his Hire •, he that 
 freacheth the Gofpel, ought to live of the Gofpel ; let 
 him that is taught, communicate to him that teacheth ; 
 and the like. 
 
 And to fuchi fay, that not only the Equity of 
 the Levitical Law for Tithing, the Dodrine of 
 Chriit Jefiis and his Apoftles do bind, but even 
 from natural Things v/e are largely taught our 
 Duty therein ; No Man muzxleth the Mouth of the 
 Ox ; and no Man goeth a Warfare at his own Charge ; 
 and he that plants a Vineyard, eats the Fruit thereof: 
 And herein it is agreed, that the Miniflers of 
 
 Chrifl 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, drc. g 3 
 
 Chrifl jefus, who are called to his Service, and la- 
 bour in the Word, ought to be comfortably pro- 
 vided for, that they go not a Warfare at their own 
 Charge. 
 
 But this doth not require, that the World, 
 (which lies wade as a Wildernefs, and is not of the 
 Vineyard j fhould contribute, much lefs be com- 
 pelled, to give a certain Portion of the Fruits of 
 their Labours towards the Maintenance of Chrifl's 
 Miniflers. 
 
 And thefe grant, that every Man is the fole 
 Owner of his own Labour arid PoffefTion -, and 
 though by another he may not be compelled, for 
 fuch Sacrifice God abhors, yet ought every ones 
 freeiy to glorilie God with his Subftance, to 
 ftrengthen the weak Hands and feeble Knees, and 
 to give to him that teacheth thofe Things that are 
 heedful, and fuch cheerful Givers God accepts. 
 
 And this leaves every one free to give to him 
 that teacheth, not binding to the Maintenance of 
 thofe who have lefs Need than the Giver, or of 
 thofe who are transformed as Apoflles and Mini- 
 flers of Chrifl, who have the Form, but want 
 the Power, who teach for filthy Lucre, keeping 
 ever learning, but cannot bring to the Knowledge 
 bf the Truth. 
 
 And of fuch as Chrifl jefus fent forth, he al- 
 ways took care, and they never wanted, but they 
 reaped the Fruits of their Labour, and eat the 
 Fruits of their own Vineyards which they had 
 planted, and by the Churches who were gathered 
 out of the World, were they maintained to preach 
 the Gofpel to the World, unto whom they would 
 not make the Gofpel chargeable or burthenfome, 
 which was their Glory and their Crown. 
 . And herewith let all our now called Churches 
 be proved and tried, who feparate from the World, 
 and yet many of them receive Pay and Wages for 
 
 D 2 their ^ 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c.' 
 
 their Teachers from the World, who fend none at 
 their own Coft to preach to the World. 
 
 And here our Rulers fhould learn Wifdom, to 
 with-hold their Hands from upholding any with 
 their Worldly Sword, and compelling others to 
 maintain them ; and to leave Chrift's Kingdom to 
 his own Rule, who is Lord of the Harveft, and 
 fends forch Labourers, and hath Spirit to put up- 
 on them ; who fends forth the Fifhermen, the 
 Shepherds, the Herdfmen, the Tillers of the 
 Ground, and the Keepers of Flocks, who fpeak 
 plain Words that wife Men cannotunderftand, who 
 are wife in the World's Wifdom, gathered in 
 Schools, v/hither they are fent to learn a Trade, 
 thereby to get their Livings ; and in the Time of 
 Popery, they ftudied the popilh Dodlrines, and 
 then preached them to others-, and in the Time 
 of Prelacy, they changed to a new Form : And 
 when that was laid afide, Prejbpery wasfet up, 
 and then fuch the Univerfi ties fent forth ; andfince 
 Independency was preferred, great Store of them 
 are fpread abroad j and look what pleafeth them 
 beft that have the greatefl Livings in Difpofe, that 
 is the moft cried up, and moil ftudied and preach- 
 ed -, and here is the, Spring of our Teachers, the 
 Univerfities -, and thefe fay, that Greek and He- 
 brew are the Original, which they go thither to 
 learn, that they may underftand what Chrift fpoke, 
 and the Apoftles preached : But the Hebrews and 
 Greeks who heard them fpeak in their own Lan- 
 guage, could not underftand their Dodrine, for 
 irfeemed Fooliftinefs to them *, and thefe by their 
 Original are in no better State, nor nearer to the 
 Knowledge of the Gofpel : And let our Rulers 
 confider, that Chrift's Love to the World, for 
 v/homhedied, is not abated ; neither is his Spirit 
 diminifhed, nor his Power fhortned, that he will 
 not, or cannot, fend forth, and fit Miniftcrs for 
 
 his 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 
 
 his Service; or that he needs Univerfities to in- 
 ftrudb, or Magiftrates to provide Maintenance for 
 thofe he fendvS forth. And let them look to their 
 own Kingdom, the World, therein to punifh and 
 reflrain the Evil, and to encourage and protetfl the 
 Good ; and then all would be agreed, and the Na- 
 tion kept in Peace, every one enjoying his true 
 Liberty and Freedom ; For in this it is alTented, 
 that the Miniflers of Chrill Jefus, who fow unto 
 us Spiritual Things, fhould reap of our Tempo- 
 rals : But here is the Difference, firfl, That our 
 Confciences muft be our Judge who thofe Minifters 
 are, and no other Man's Diredlion ; for to the 
 Confcience were Chrift's Minifters always made 
 manifeft, and not approved with the Reafon and 
 WifdomofMan. Secondly, That our Gift mxuft 
 be free, and by no Man's Compulfion. 
 
 Would not this eafe the Magiftrate of much 
 Trouble that he makes to himfelf, and be more ac- 
 ceptable to God and Man ? For who hath made 
 him a Judge in thcfe Things ? 
 
 A third Sort plead the Decrees^ Canons^ Conftituti- 
 ons of General Councils^ Popes^ Bijhops^ Convo- 
 cations, 
 
 To fuch I fhall only fay, that for the firil Eight 
 Hundred Years after Chrift, no Canon or Decree 
 was made by General Council^ nor was it then de- 
 termined by the Church (as 'twas calledj what 
 Part every Man Ihould pay. And the firft Eight 
 General Councils do not fo much as fpeak of the 
 Name of Tithes, and that v/as till about a thou- 
 fand Years -, and then about that Time, it came to 
 be received and believed, that Tithes ought to be 
 paid j yet in England^ as well as other Nations, 
 every Man might have given his Tithe where he 
 pleafed, till about the Year 1200, as is already 
 
 D 3 proved ; 
 
Th^ Great Cafe of Tithes, &c, 
 
 proved. But I need not fay much to thefe, few 
 being of this Mind, but thofe that own the Pope 
 for their Head, we having in England denied and 
 call oft his Supremacy, though in this Matter of 
 Tithes, and many other Things, we ftill feel his 
 Pov/er among us. 
 
 And now having briefly gone over the Sub- 
 fiance of what is pleaded for a Divine or Ecclefi- 
 aflick Right, I come next to what is pretended for 
 an Plumane Right. 
 
 And the firfl Sort pleads the Gift^ of Kings ^ as 
 Ethelwolph, ^c. 
 
 To thefe I anfwer, if they could prove the whole 
 Land had been the particular PoiTefTion of any 
 fuch King, they faid fomething ; though that 
 would not juftifie the taking Tithes from all the 
 People, as fhall be more fully proved hereafter. 
 But by what Right could he give the tenth Part of 
 the Increafeand Fruits of the Labours of all the 
 People of his Dominions, who had no legal Pro- 
 perty therein ? It was an eafie Matter, when the 
 Pope's EmilTaries had taught the People, that 
 Tithes were due to God and them -, and had per- 
 fwaded Kings and Nobles, that Heaven might be 
 purchafed by their Works, to procure from them 
 the Gilt of that which was not theirs, the poor 
 People's Tithes j efpecially confidering the People 
 were of the fame Mind, and as. zealous of all the 
 Popijh Sut'erftithns as themfclves, and every one 
 ilriving whofliould therein mofl excell •, witnefs 
 thofe many rich Abbeys and Monaileries, lately in 
 rlus I .and. But if that King Ethelwolph' s Grant 
 be the Foundation of Tithes, then how many fuc- 
 ceeding Kings and Bifhops, and others, have vio- 
 lated his Deed, by appropriating them to Abbeys, 
 Monafleries, and fuch like Houfes } And how 
 
 have 
 
The Great Cafe ^/Tithes, &c. jj 
 
 have all Ages fi.nce Ethelwolph's^ taken upon them- 
 felves the Difpofition of Thhes, without any Re- 
 lation to what he did ? Which fhews clearly, that 
 neither Kings^ Parliaments^ nor People, did ever 
 take themfclves bound by his Grant : But the Folly 
 and Vanity of this Argument will more plainly ap- 
 pear hereafter. 
 
 The next, and thofe which feemto have the 
 ftrongeft Plea, do urge, ne "Temporal Laws of 
 Kings and Parlia?nents, and fay, hy the Law they 
 have as good Property in Tithes^ as any Man hath in 
 his Lands, 
 
 Anfw. To fuch I fay, the Law doth not give 
 any Man a Property, either in Land or Tithes, 
 or any other Thing, but only doth conferve to 
 every Man his Property, which he hath in his 
 Land and Pofieffions, either by Gift, Purchafe or 
 Defcent, and fecure him from the Injury or Vio- 
 lence of another. 
 
 But let us not be deceived with a new Pretence, 
 lately taken up to delude fimple Minds, of a legal 
 Property, and a civil Right i for that is but a 
 Shift, and it matters not what any fay, or now 
 pretend, concerning the Right of Tithes, when 
 they fee their other Claims will not ferve the Turn ; 
 but let us hear what the Makers of the Laws fay of 
 them, thofe from whom they claim ; and palling 
 by the Saxon's Times, and King Stephen, and the 
 reft of thofe who were in the Mid -night of Popery^ 
 let us come to Henr'j the 8 th, who caft off the Pope^ 
 and upon whofe Law, all others that were fince 
 made are builded, and in the Preamble of the Ad:, 
 it is declared, That Tithes are due to God and Holy 
 Church, and they blame Men for being fo wicked 
 as not to pay them, and therefore that Law is made, 
 and here is the Ground of the Law, not any Pro- 
 
 D 4 perty^ 
 
(J 8 The Great Caje of Tithes, &c. 
 
 perty or civil Right in Priefts or others, and there- 
 fore, if the Law require them as due by Divine 
 Right, he that faith they are only due by humane 
 Right, cannot claim them, nor ought to recover 
 them by that Law, for he claims them by ano- 
 ther Right •, and for any Man to claim that by hu- 
 mane Right, from humane Law, which commands 
 them as due by Divine Right, is but a meer Deceit. 
 And that Law of Hen. the 8 th, and the reft, did 
 not upon any civil Ground fet up, or conftitute the 
 Payment of Tithes, but takes it for granted, that 
 Tithes are due to God and Holj Church j and there- 
 fore the Foundation of the Law being taken away, 
 that they are not due to God and Holy Churchy the 
 Law falls to the Ground ; for the Law not making 
 them due, but fuppofing them due by a former 
 • Right, if they were not fo due, the Law cannot 
 be binding. 
 
 That Tithes were never, till now of late, pre- 
 tended a civil Right, is plain \ for as they were im- 
 pofed by the Pope, fo were they triable in his 
 Courts \ and thofe very Laws made by late Par- 
 liaments, did appoint them to be tried in the Ec- 
 clefiaftical Courts, and reftrained the temporal 
 Juri^didion, as the Ads themfelves teftifie. 
 
 But what is the Property that is now claimed? 
 Is itin a Perfon .? That cannot be, for the Prieft 
 hath them not till he enters his OfHce, and when he 
 parts with that, he lofeth his Tithes : So the Prieft 
 hath no Property, but his Office \ and what is 
 that ? It was a Popifh Office when Tithes were 
 hrftpaidtoitj and how conies the Property to 
 continue now the Office is laid afide, and the Pope 
 that fet them up ? But how can a civil Right or 
 Property be pretended, when the Author was the 
 Pope ? The End for a called Spiritual Office, and 
 recovered in an Ecclefiaftical called Court, are 
 not ihek Covers grown too fnort. 
 
 And 
 
The Great Cafe of TkhcSy &c, 59 
 
 And intheA<5t of 32. Hen. 8th, Tithes are 
 called Spiritual Gifts : And there, of impropriate 
 Tithes fold after the DiiTolution, it's faid, they 
 are now made temporal ; And before that Time, 
 it was never heard that Tithes were called a Tem- 
 poral Right. 
 
 But it*s farther faid, 7'befe Laws were made by 
 Parliaments^ the Reprefentatives of the People : And 
 though Tithes were not due before^ yet they might give 
 Tithes^ becaufe their own^ they being the Body of the 
 People. " 
 
 This would fuppofe a particular Confecration^ 
 or Donation of the People, not only as in their 
 Legislative Capacity to bind themfelves by a Law^ 
 but by a particular Ad of Free-Gift: But it's 
 plain, the A61 never intended any fuch Thing, 
 for it gives nothing, but commands what was before. 
 
 And as to the Law it felf, and all other Laws 
 of Kings, Parliaments, Popes, Councils, Bifhops^ 
 and what ever elfe was by any Man made for the 
 Payment of Tithes fmce Chrift Jefus came in thf^ 
 Flefh, joined altogether, how do they all, or any 
 of them, bind the Confcience ? For if Tithes bet 
 not due by the Law of God, as is herein proved, 
 and almofl generally granted : Who hath fet them 
 up ? The Law of Man at beft ; And who is Man, 
 that makes a Law in the Place where God difan- 
 nulled his own Command ? Is it better to obey 
 Man than God ? Or is Man grown wifer than his 
 Maker ? Who put this Power into the Hand of 
 Man, to raife a compulfory Maintenance for Mi- 
 nifters ? That any Parliament have Power, to 
 make any binding Law for the Maintenance of 
 thofe they call Minifters, for doing a Work which 
 they call Worfhip of God, and torce the People 
 to fubmit to it, the clear Light of this Age doth 
 
 generally 
 
40 The Great Cafe <?/ Tithes, &c. 
 
 generally condemn ; for they are much more like 
 to fet up and maintain thofe who are contrary to 
 Chrift, than Chrift's Minifters, who never looked 
 for, nor durft own fuch a Way of Provifion. Will 
 any fay they have Power ? From whom had they 
 it ? Is it derived from the People ? That cannot be. 
 Have they any other Power committed to them ? 
 How is it? As they are Magifrrates ; if lo, the 
 'Turk^ and all Infidel Magifbrates have the like ? 
 Or is it as they are Chriflian Magi fl: rates ? Then 
 may not France^ Spain, &c claim the fame ? For 
 what Nation in Europe will not fay they have a 
 Chriflian Magiftracy, though far the greater Part 
 of them be Papifts ? And may not a Papijl by as 
 good Right require and compel Maintenance for 
 his Minifters, as Henry the 8th, or any other 
 could, or can do ? But that I may not be miftakcn, 
 as if I went about to take away the Magiftrate's 
 Power to raife Taxes, AfTefTments, or other 
 Charges, for the Service and Defence of the Na- 
 tion, it is needful to diftinguifh between thofe Things 
 that are called Civil, and fuch as are called Spiri- 
 tual : For civil Ends and Ufes, the People may 
 give Power to their Reprefentatives to raife Mo- 
 neys, or any other civil Thing, becaufe in fuch 
 Things they arc their own Mafters : But in mat- 
 ters of Religion and fpiritual Things, no Man can 
 give Power unto another, to impofe any Thing 
 upon himfelf, or his Neighbour ; for in thofe 
 Things every one is to be accountable unto God, 
 and to ffand and fliJl to his own Mailer. And thus 
 ive give unto God the Things that are God*s ; and 
 unto Ccefar^ the Things that are his ; paying Tri- 
 bute to whom Tribute is due. But as for all 
 Laws made in the Will of Man, in the Things of 
 God, and their heavy Punifhments infl idled upon 
 fuch as cannot for Confcience Sake conform unto 
 
 them. 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &cl 41 
 
 tiiem, they reach not the Confcience, and there- 
 fore make no Sin againft God. 
 
 And as concerning the Laws of King Henry the 
 8th, and Edward the 6th, it may be confidered^ 
 fome of them were made by a Popifh King and 
 Parliament, and the reft, in the Glim.merings of 
 Light, when Men were but feen as Trees ; and 
 therefore, to make their Laws a Rule for this 
 Day of clear and Sun-fhine Light, favours too 
 much of the old Popifh Spirit, ahd is a Shame to 
 our Reformation ; And if it be fliid, Papifis might, 
 and did make good Laws ; it's true, in temporal 
 Things they did, but not in Things of Religion, 
 wherein they are differenced from us, becaui-. 
 Papifts. 
 
 But were the Law juflin commanding Tithef^ 
 can it be equal to give double or treble Damage, 
 where they are not paid ? If any Man owe a juft 
 and due Debt, no more by Law can be recovered^ 
 but what the Debt is, befides the Charges of the 
 Law: How cruel therefore are thefe Laws and 
 Ordinances, which in a Matter of fo much juft 
 Scruple, require and impofe the double or treble 
 Value ? And how unrighteous are all fuch Ptr- 
 fons, as by Force of fuch Laws receive them r 
 For if Tithes were due, is therefore the treble Va- 
 lue due, becaufe the Law hath made that Penalty ? 
 Where is Equity or Juftice in either ? The Pope 
 and his Adherents did only excommunicate the 
 Refufer till he conformed ; and till thefe late Laws, 
 fuch Penalties as Imprifonment and treble Damage 
 were never known. And here what %vas by our 
 Forefathers Superftition (whom we look back at as 
 afar off, and pity) begun in Ignorance, we build 
 up, and confirm with Tyranny, and initead of 
 their Rods, make to ourfelves Scorpions. 
 
 But herein is not all, but the Law requires 
 every Man to fet out the Tenth, and fo makes 
 
42 The Great Cafe ofTithtSy &cl 
 
 him a voluntary Agent, in that, againft which his 
 Confcience teftifies, which is moft cruel and un- 
 righteous ; and him that cannot do fo, they fue 
 and hale before Courts and Magiftrates, and there 
 they get Judgment of treble Damage, and by that 
 Judgment, frequently take Five-fold, yea fome- 
 times Ten-fold the Value : Shall not thefe Things 
 render this Age, which fo much pretends to Re- 
 formation, contemptible to future Generations ? 
 And for thefe Things, fhall not even Papifls rife 
 up in Judgment againfl us, and condemn us ? 
 
 But how is it that any Law for Tithes is now 
 
 executed ? Do not all Laws and Statutes for Tithes 
 
 rellrain the Trial of them to the Ecclefiaftical 
 
 ^. Courts, and prohibit the temporal Courts from 
 
 i*I? in the medling with them ? And fmce the Ecclefiaftical 
 
 ^?w:f o/fk ^Q'-i'i'-s are dedroyed, who have Power to give 
 
 Cmmon Judgment for Tithes ? No temporal Judge pro- 
 
 Wealth. cceding according to the Laws for Tithing. How 
 
 is it then, thatfo many Perfonsarefued, profecuted, 
 
 and unjufl'ly vexed for Tithes in all the Courts at 
 
 Wejlminjler ; and not only fo, but in the Sheriff's 
 
 Court, and other petty Courts in the Country. 
 
 Oh'.eEf. If it be faid, ^6 Statute gives double Da- 
 wages andCofis^ and no Court hei?ig appointed where 
 that /hall he recovered^ it mu(t he fuppfed to he the 
 Common-Law Courts. 
 
 I ANSWER, by afking of what mufl they give 
 the double or treble Damage, feeing they are re- 
 trained from trying for the fingle Value ^ If they 
 cannot judge the one, how can they award the 
 other ? Will they condemn an AccefTary before 
 they try the Principal ? What is this but to make 
 the Law a Nofe of Wax, or any Thing, to up- 
 hold another unrighteous Kingdom. 
 
 Ohje^. It will be faid, Juftices of Peace have 
 Power. It may be fo by an Ordinance, but no 
 
 Ad 
 
The Great Cafe of TkheSy &c. 4j 
 
 A61: of Parliament, which is the Law of England ; 
 and that they do it, many poor People feel -, for 
 generally they give treble Damages for all Man- 
 ner of Tithes, when as the Statute gzvt but double, 
 and Cofts, and that only for predial Tithes : And 
 they ufually execute their Precepts by fuch Per- 
 fons as will do it effe6lually, who take generally 
 five Times more than the Value, which they ap- 
 praife and fell far under the Worth -, and he that 
 cannot comply with their Cruelty, and confefs their 
 Judgment juft, by accepting back what they will 
 return, doth frequently fuffer five or fix-fold, yea 
 often ten-fold Damage. And here the Fingers of 
 the Juflices are too often found, by confcientious 
 Men, far more heavy than the Loins of the Law, 
 nay more than of the old Ecclefiaflical Courts, or 
 the Pope himfelf, who hath no fuch Penalties. I 
 write what I can prove by manifold Inflances, 
 
 Though thefe Oppreflions be many and great, 
 yet are they not all that this Age exercifes j for 
 by a new Device, under Pretence that Priefls are 
 not able to pay Tenths to the ProleHor, unlefs ^ 
 every Man pay them their Tithes, they fue Men 
 for all Manner of Tithes by Englijh Bill in the 
 Exchequer^ and there would force them upon 
 their Oaths, to declare what Tithes they have ^ 
 when as in the Ecclefiaflical Courts, the Ordinary 
 might not examine a Man upon his own Oath, 
 concerning his own Tithe: And here fuch as ei- 
 ther make Confcicnce of Swearing, which Chrift 
 forbids, or cannot themfelves tell what Tithe they 
 had, are cafl into Prifon for Contempt, where 
 they may lie as long as they live, no Law in the 
 Nation reaching them any Relief: And divers up- Tibn w!>- 
 on this Account have long lain in iht Fleets 2Lnd ^»^l>s7edr 
 yet are there ; and I belive above an hundred ^p.}'/' . 
 Suits are in the Exchequer dtpmd'ing^ and pro- '■**^'* ***'^** 
 cecdings flopc at this Point j the Flearts of the 
 
 very , 
 
44 The Great Cafe of TithcSy &Cn 
 
 very Officers of the Court relenting with Pity, to- 
 ^va^ds fuch Numbers of poor Men brought thi- 
 ther every Term, from the moft remote Parts of 
 the Nation, and fome of them not for above 
 twelve Pence ; fuch mercilefs Cruelty lodges in the 
 Hearts of many, it not the moil of our pretended 
 Gofpel Miniflers. 
 
 O fhameful Reformation ! What ! compel a 
 Man himfelf to fet out the Tithe of his own 
 Goods to maintain an Hireling-Prieft, it may be 
 one openly prophane, and fo make him fm againft 
 his own Confcience, or take from him thrice, or 
 rather five Times as much ! And not only fo, but 
 to force him to fwear what Tithes he had, or com- 
 mit him to Prifon, there to lie without Hope of 
 Relief-, doth not the Cry of thefc Abominations 
 reach through Palace-Walls, and enter Parlia- 
 ment Doors ? Surely they reach the Gates of Hea- 
 ven. And though Man have forgotten his fair 
 Promifes, God will in due Time break thefe 
 Bands, and fend '^Relief another Way. O curfed 
 firfl Fruits and Tenths, the Superftitious Relique 
 of Popery, and Wages of Unrighteoufnefs, the 
 Caufe and Cover of all thefc Exchequer SuitSy and 
 of moft of thefe Mifchiefs ! Muft we ftill have 
 Priefts and Tithes ? Then may we not wifh for 
 old Priefts, and old Ecclefiaflical Courts ? For 
 much more Moderation was in them, and even 
 Papjls would blufh at our Cruelties, Did but the 
 Magiftrate fee whatHavock is made m the North, 
 what driving of Goods, the Oxen out of the Plow, 
 the Cows from poor and indigent Children, what 
 carrying of Pots, Pans and Kettles, yea and fetch- 
 ing the very Cloaths off poor People's Beds, he 
 would either be afhamed of fuch Juftices, or fuch 
 Priefts or Tithes, or of them all. Such Inftances 
 I could give, as would make the Reader's Ears to 
 tingle •, and he that cannot beikve ine, let him fend 
 
 into' 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 45 
 
 into Cumberland^ and he fliall meet with few that 
 cannot inform him of it ; or do but let him go a 
 little after Harveft, and he may find the Juftices 
 fo bufy, as if they had little other Work to be 
 doing. Bat whither have I digrefled ? Let me re- 
 turn to hear what the next can fay. 
 
 3. And thefe plead the Gift of thofe that were 
 formerly PofTeiTors of the Land, and fay, ^hofe 
 that pay 'Tithes^ do hut that which their Anceftors 
 juftly charged upn them. 
 
 To fiich I anfwer, that it's true, many Ance- 
 ftors gave Tithes which of them were required, as 
 before hath been declared ; but what is that to 
 us ? Or how are we thereby bound ? Did ever any 
 Man, in any Deed or Conveyance of his Land, 
 exprefs any ibch Gift, or make any Exception of 
 Tithes ? I never faw or heard of fuch a Thing ; 
 and let thofe who can find fuch Refervations, make 
 their Claim ; but I believe it will not be in Eng- 
 land. That which this Sort pleads, feems to make 
 a Ground for a diflind Property ; for if there be 
 a Property, it muft of Neceftity arife from him 
 that was the true Owner, and had Pov/er to charge 
 himfelf and his Pofterity ; and thefe fay, 'They have ^' 
 
 as good Right to the tenth Part., as the Owner hath to 
 the nine-, and that he never pir chafed it, and the 
 like. Unto all which I anfwer, that though it 
 were true, and could be proved. That mine An- 
 ceftors gaves Tithes, and that for ever, yet am I 
 not thereby bound to pay them, or ftand any way 
 chargeable with them. It's true, when they were 
 Owners of Land, they might themfelvcs yield and 
 fet forth what Part of their Increafe theypleafed, 
 or might have given the tenth, or any other Part 
 of their Land, as they would, or they might have 
 charged upon the Land, what Rent they liked ; 
 
 but 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &Cn 
 
 but they could not charge their Pofterity, with 
 that which was no Way theirs, nor which in any 
 trueSenfe, Conftrudtion or Underflanding, they 
 could be faid to have any Property in, and which 
 is not paid, by Reafon of that which is derived 
 from them •, for Tithe is neither paid of Land, 
 nor by Reafon of the Land, but is paid by 
 Reafon of the Increafe or Renewing, and therefore 
 the Doctrines of the old Fathers, the Statute of 
 Edw. the 6th, and fo the Popi/h Laws for Tithes, 
 do as well require the Payment of the tenth Part of 
 Men's Profits and Gain, whether by Trade, Com- 
 merce or Merchandize, as of the Fruits- of the 
 Earth, yea the tenth Part of Wages, and all per- 
 fonal Increafe, though not raifed immediately by 
 Land : And furely no Man will fay, that he pays 
 Tithe of thcfe becaufe his Anceftors charged him 
 with them ; nor will any Man allow, that ano- 
 ther Perfon, by any Gift of his Anceftor, can 
 have another diflindl Property in the tenth Part of 
 the Fruit of his Labours ; and the Cafe is the fame 
 as to all Tithesj whether predial, perfonal or mixt ; 
 li I fit ftill and plow not, no Corn will grow : If 
 I fit ftill, and work not, no Profit will rife *, fo 
 tliat it's my Labour, my Diligence and Induftry 
 that raifeth the Tithe, and in my Power it is, to 
 make it lefs or more *, and fometimes, yea often, 
 it falls out, that the Tithe of Corn is thrice more 
 worth than the Yearly Value of the Land on which 
 it grows ; and herein Tithe of Corn is far more 
 hard and unequal than perfonal Tithes ; for the one 
 pays but the Tenth, all Charges deducted j the 
 other pays the Tenth of Charges and all. 
 
 Mine Anceftor could not charge me with that 
 which doth not accrue by Reafon of that which I 
 have from him •, nor am I bound, becaufe mine 
 Anceftor left me Land, to pay Tithe, which is not 
 paid by Reafon of the Land, but of the Increafe, 
 
 unto 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 47 
 
 unto which I am no more tied by Law^ than he is 
 who hath Increafe without Land. If I have Land^ 
 and no Increafe, I pay no Tithes; if I have In- 
 creafe, though no Land, I ought by Law to pay 
 Tithes. If I hufband my Land, fo that the In- 
 creafe of it is not to be fevered, no Tithe can bd 
 recovered of it ', and therefore if I pafture my 
 Land, no Tithe ihall be paid for the Grafs^ which 
 is eaten unfevered, but only a Rate-Tithe for that 
 which doth depaflure on it i which makes it plain, 
 that Tithe is not paid by Reafon of the Land, but of 
 the Stock ; and in that alfo, it lies in my Power 
 to make the Tithe much, little or nothing i if I 
 plough and fow Corn, the tenth Part of the In- 
 creafe is generally more worth than the Land on 
 which it grows, which comes not by the Land 
 which defcends from the Anceflor, but becaufe of 
 the Increafe, won by the great Charge, Induflry 
 and Labour of the Hufbandman. If I paflure my 
 Ground with Sheep that yield a Fleece, the Tithe 
 will be confiderable, though not fo much as by 
 Corn. If I pafture with Cows or breeding Cattle^ 
 a much lefs Tithe is paid ; And if I eat with Horfesr 
 and barren Cattle, a fmall and inconliderable 
 Rate is only required, tho' in few Places of the 
 Nation would that be recovered in the Times of 
 greatefl Height of Popiih Laws. But if I plant 
 Wood, and let it Hand for Timber ; oriflilore,- 
 my Land with Beafls which htfer^ nature ^ where- 
 in there is no perfonal Property, no Tithe fhall be 
 paid. Or if I will let my Land lie waile, (which 
 may be fuppofed, becaufe it may be done) or will 
 eat my Meadow, or Corn Handing, no Tithe cart 
 be required. All thefe Inflances manifcil, that 
 Tithe hath ilill Relation to the Stock and pcrfonat 
 EfVate, and not the Land, and is paid by Rea- 
 fon of the Stock, and not the Land ; and fo no 
 AncelVor could lay and perpetuate fuch a Charge 
 
 E -^^ 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 
 
 as Tithe upon it, nor could he bind his Succeflbr 
 to it. If by my Anceilor I am bound to pay Tithes 
 ration e tenurcc^ or in Confideration of the Land 
 v/hich he leaves me, to what Value mull it be ? I 
 may yearly pay more than the Land he leaves me 
 is worth : If I keep it in Tillage, and if I pafture 
 It, I need not pay the twentieth Part ; have I not 
 herein (without Fraud to my Anceftors j Power to 
 pay much or little ? {d) How is this like a Rent- 
 Charge certain, v/hich is by fome objected ? If 
 
 Tithes 
 
 U) It may be farther fliewn, that there is no Parity of 
 Heafon between Tithes and a Rent-Charge fix'd upon Lands; 
 for a Rent- Charge is paid by Rcafon of the LuDd. on which it 
 is charged (in which, he that charg'd had a Property) but 
 Tithes are not paid by Realbn of the Land, but by Reafon 
 of the Stock and Labour of the prefent Occupier of the Land. 
 If there be no Incieafe, no Profit made, no Crop planted, 
 nor any Thing renewing upon the Land, no Tithe can be de- 
 manded. But for the Non-Payment of a Rent-Charge, he 
 on whom it is fetlcd, may enter upon and ^wffefs the Land 
 which is charged with the Payment of it. But for Non-Pay- 
 ment of Tithes, he who claims them, cannot enter upon or 
 poflefs the Land, but is made whole out of the Stock of the 
 Occupier. AD which demonftrates, that it is the Stock, not 
 the Land, of which the Tithe is paid. Now fmce Tithesare 
 not the tenth Part of the Land, but the tenth Part of the In- 
 creafeof the Stock, and feeing the Labour, Care, Skill, In- 
 dnftry and Diligence of the Occupant, is involved, and ne- 
 ceffarily included in the Stock, as injlrumental Means and 
 Caufes of producing iVtlncrtife : a perpetual Grant of Tithes, 
 implies a Grant not only of other Men's Stocks, in which the 
 Granters had no Property, but of other Men's Labours, 
 Care, Skill, Diligence and Induftry alfo, long before they 
 were begotten ; upon which Suppofition, all Men but Priefts, 
 iince rrfc^/njo/ff Time (the firft King of £;7g/iwi, who made 
 a Grant of Tithes)MM/? hi bom Slaves, under an Obligation to 
 employ their Time, Pains, Induftry and Skill, in working 
 for the Priefts, But whetlier it be rational to admit in Ethel- 
 wolf, or aay other, a Power to impofe the Nece.(ftiy of fuch a 
 firvih Condition on their Tofterity, let the Reader judge. 
 
 And 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 49 
 
 Tithes were paid by Reafon of the Land, farely 
 there is moll Reafon, that the Tenth Part of the 
 
 E 2 Grafs 
 
 And if we fuppofe, that Bihelwolf had an ample Power of 
 difpofing what he pleafed, or that the People had by Con- 
 fent joined with him in the Donation, every Man according 
 to the Intereft he had ; yet neither could he fingle, nor he . 
 and they conjoin'd, grant anymore than belonged to them- 
 lelves ; for it is an indifputable Maxim, that ^ No M.xn an * Nemo 
 transfer mors ]{ight to anothsr, than be bimjslf hdth. They plus jaris 
 might havedifpofcd of what Part of the Land they pleafed, ad alium 
 they mi|ht have given the tenth Part of the Land, the tenth transfer're 
 Acre, ^c. But for them to make a Grant of the tenth Part poteft 
 ofthe Profits of the Land for ever, is repugnant to Reafon, qnam ip'e 
 juftice and Equity ; they are therefore greatly millaken, haberet. 
 who take Tithes to be no more than a Rent-Charge, and urge 
 it, That the Owners mhht as well make a Grant of Tithes for ever^ 
 as fet a I{ent Charge upon their Lands for ever. 
 
 Tho' this Argument has been urg'd for the Reafon and 
 Lawfulnefs of paying Tithes, yet if we confider impartially 
 the Nature of each, we fhall find a vaft Ditference ; For if a 
 Man enjoys a Farm, on which a Rent-Charge is fetled, he 
 is chargeable with, and liable to pay 'it, whether he employ 
 his Farm or not. Whence it is evident, that a Rent-Charge 
 being a Charge upon the Latjd, not upon the Stockf and liches 
 being a Charge upon the Stock, not upon the Layidy though 
 our Anceftors had Power to lay a I{ent-Charge upon their 
 Q\mlanisy in which they had a Property, yet they could 
 not have a Power to grant Tithes out of other Men's Stocks, 
 3n which they had no Property. Again, 
 ' Though it fhould be urged, 7 hat Tithes were fetled by thofs 
 that were aflually feized of them in Law ; yet if Tithes be the 
 Tenth of the Profits or Increafe of the Land, they who were 
 aclually feized of them in Law, could fettle no more than they 
 were feized of, and they could be actually feized of no othel* 
 Profits or Increafe, than what did grow, increafe, or renew 
 upon the Land, while they were actually feized of it: So 
 thatfuch Settlement, how valid foever, while they lived, muft 
 needs expire with them. Hence can any one with Reafun 
 urge, that they who were polfeft of Land an hundred Years 
 ago, could then fettle or difpofe of the Profits and Increafe 
 that (hall grow and arife upon the Land an hundred Years 
 after, fin^e that Profit cannot arife barely from the Land, 
 but from the Labour, Induftryand Siock of the Occupier? 
 
 Were . 
 
5 o The Great Cafe o/Tithes, &c. 
 
 Grafs renewing upon all Pafture Grounds fhould 
 be paid ; for the Land ftill brings that with it, and 
 it's eafily divideable by Rent, or Jet by Month. If 
 another hath as good Right to the Tenth Part of 
 the Increafe, as the Owner hath to the nine, why 
 can he not take it without the Owner's fetting it 
 out, or recover it by Adlion of Debt or Trefpafs ? 
 But it 15 clear there is no Title till it be fet forth, 
 and then if the Owner carry it away, an Adion ot 
 Trefpafs lies, becaufe he had fet it out, and given 
 it to another, and fo altered his Property, as one 
 Man doth, by marking his Cattle for another 
 Man, and therefore it is, that the Law which com- 
 mands Tithes, doth not give Power to any to take 
 the Tithe, becaufe he had no Title, but enjoyns 
 the Owner to fet it forth, and fo make it another's 
 by his own Confent. 
 
 If any Man claim Tithes by my Anceftor's Gift, 
 may I not alk him, to whom, and for what, my 
 Anceftors gave them ? And it is plain beyond De- 
 nial, that all thofe Gifts of Lands or Tithes in En- 
 gland^ fince Aifguftin the Monk planted the Popifh 
 
 Faitbj 
 
 Were ever any aftually feized of the Labour of the Husband- 
 man's Hands, of the Sweat of his Brows, of the Judgment, 
 Underftanding and Skill that God hath given him; of th« 
 Stock he imploys, the Coft he bellows, the Care, Pains, In- 
 duftry and Diligence heexercifes for the obtaining a Crop ? 
 
 Again, if we confider .the Prafticcof our Anceftors, in 
 their Donations of Tithes, we may find, that they did not 
 look apon Tithes to beat all in the Nature of a P&enC Charge, 
 for they took great Care by Legal Settlements, to fecure and 
 2.^m'c thoic I{ent-Char^es'j hut made no Provifion (for fome 
 himdredYe^rs) for the Paym^m of Tithes J fave by Ecclefiafti* 
 eal Cenfures ; nor was the Knack of fueing for Tithes in 
 temporal Courts found ovity till of late Years; which argues, 
 thatas they gave Tithes at firft in a religious (though blind) 
 Devotion, lb they intended the Comhiumce of them (hould 
 have depended on Devotion alfo, Thomas EUmoi's Fomdn- 
 tion of Tithes fiuken. 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 51 
 
 Faith, and preached up the new Payment of Tithes^ 
 were given to Popirti Priefts, for faying Prayers 
 for the Souls of the Givers, and their deceafed An- 
 ceftors, as old Confecrations do witnefs: And 
 therefore in Reafon, if the Confideration and Ser- 
 vice be ceafed, fo ought alfo the Wages, for no 
 Man, in Law or Equity, ought to claim Wages 
 when he will not do the Work for which it was 
 given ; and feeing thofe Popifh Priefts and Prayers 
 are laid afide, the Gift (if any fuch Were, and 
 could be binding) ought to return to the Donor, 
 and may not without his Confent be perverted to 
 another Ufe. 
 
 '* Tithe was never claimed in Refped of any g j^ ^ pu 
 •* Ownerfhip in the Land, but ex debito, by the HERD, 
 ** Law of God, for Subftradlion whereof, no Re- 
 *' medy lay at the Cojtwion-Law, and therefore, 
 " if aParfon leta Leafeothis Glebe to another, 
 *' with all the Appurtenances, yet he himfelf fhall 
 *' have Tithe of it." 
 
 " TERRi^ non funt decimahiles -, and therefore 
 *' neither Mines nor ^mrries of Irouy Brafs, Twy COOK. 
 *' Lead J Coals, Stones, Ttle, Brick or Lime, are 
 ** titheable, nor Hoiifes, nor Threes, nor Grafs, nor 
 " Corn, till they be fevered from the Land, the ConfimiUdr 
 " real Eflate which defcends by Inheritance from [^^r^^ifij^^ 
 « the Anceftor, and made a diftindl perfonal Pof- ,^^ J free 
 ♦« fefTion." And therefore Tithe is not paid ofhoUa-ni 
 Land, nor by Reafon of the Land, nor is it a moveable 
 Charge upon Land, like a Rent-Charge, nor was ^^^'^^^ 
 it ever fo claimed, till of late, that the Popjh Co- 
 vers were not broad enough. 
 
 Ohje5l, But fome objed: and fay, IVhen I bought 
 my Land, I bought not the Tithe, nor paid any Thing 
 for it. i 
 
 Anfw: I ANSWER, That I and all Men bought 
 all our Land, and that without any Charge of 
 Tithe upon it j and therefore in all Conveyances, 
 
 E 3 it's 
 
The Great Cafe of Titlies, &c. 
 
 it's {lill faid. All that ^c. and never any Covenant 
 for, or Exemption of, a tenth Parr, either of 
 Land or Increafe > and to him that faith, the Sel- 
 ler, or his Anceftor charged it with Tithes, as a 
 Rent, I fay, where a Rent is charged, it is dill ex- 
 preiTed, and find any fuch Exemption or Covenant, 
 and I will freely pay them as a jufl Debt. And is it 
 not rediculous for any to talk of purchafing his 
 Tithe ? For with his Labour, Charge and Hufban- 
 dry, he pays dear enough for his whole Increafe. 
 
 Ohj. Another objeds, T'hat tho" I bought all 
 ?n) Land^ yet I bought it cheaper^ (becaufe itwasfup- 
 fofed^ that it ought to pay Tithes) than I could have 
 bought fuch Land as was known to be Tithe- free ; and 
 t her fore having a cheaper Bargain ^ I am bound in 
 Eguity to pay Tithes, {e) - 
 
 An[. I ANSWER, that I have already proved all 
 Land is Tithe-free, and the Charge of Tithe is 
 
 upon 
 
 (f) N. B. Let the Reader confider, IVbut it is the Purchj,- 
 Jer buysi a'fid Tohdt it is Tithes are deminded. cj\ The Purcha- 
 fer buys the land^ and that he buys intire. No Tithe- Land, 
 no tenth Acre, is ever excepted exprelly or implicitly ; but 
 he buys the whole Field or Farm, tht tenth Part as well as 
 the nim. But in this Purchafe he buys the Land, not the 
 Profits or Increafe, which by Husbandry and manuring may 
 arife upon the Land in Time to come ; for they are uncer- 
 tain, and the Seller who makes him an Affuranceot the 
 Land, will not undertake to affure him a future Increafe and 
 Profit from the Land ; nor uere it reafonable to txpe^it. 
 When therefore he has this Land, if he will have Prorit and 
 Increafe from it, he muft purchafe that after another Man- 
 ner. He pays for that, (and many Times dear enoug^h tooj 
 by rhe Labour and Chari^e he beftow^ in Tilling, D elTing, 
 and M:.nuring It. And if in this Senfe, he may be laid to 
 purch-ife the nine Parts of the Crop or Incre.ife, in the lame 
 Senle hepurchafcth the tenth Pt-rt alfo, torhebeftows his 
 Chargeand Pains on all alike; and the tenth Parr itands him 
 in as much as any one of chi^ Nine. Thu> then the Buyer 
 
 tirli 
 
The Great Cafe 0/ Tithes, &c. 5j 
 
 upon the Stock and perfonal Eftate, and not upon 
 the Land. And the Strength of this Objection 
 lies, in comparing thofe that pay Tithes with thofe 
 that are free i they that buy Lands Tithe-free, are 
 eafed of this OpprefTion, and are in no Hazard ; 
 and tho' all others ought to be fo, yet it being a 
 Queftion, whether they can eafe themfelves of the 
 Burden, they buy under an Hazard, and as fub- 
 jed to fuch a Charge ; but if they c in call off the 
 Yoke, they get but what is their own ; And feeing 
 we have denied the Pope's Authority and Suprema- 
 cy, we may fo foon as we can, wholly cafb off the 
 Burdens which he laid on us. And thus, he that 
 buys Lands in the Years of Trouble and heavy 
 Taxes, may perhaps buy much cheaper than 
 when none, or little, is paid : Shall he therefore 
 always be required to pay Taxes when others are 
 difcharged ? Or fhall he that bought cheap Penny- 
 worths on the Borders between England 2ind Scot- 
 land, when thofe Parts were infefted with Mqf.- 
 
 E 4 Troopers, 
 
 firft purchafeth the Land, and afterward the Occupier, whe- 
 ther Owner or Tenant, purchafeth the Crop, The one buys 
 the Land by laying down fo much Money, the other obtains 
 the Crop, by bellowing fo much Charge, and fo much La- 
 bour, CSit% And as in the Purchafe of the Lands, the Buyer 
 doth as really buy the tenth Acrey or tenth Part of t-he Lands, 
 astheNinthor any other Part of the Nine; fo in the Pur- 
 chafe of the Crop, the Occupier doth as really purchafe the 
 tenth pj,n of the Profits and Increafe, as he doth the Ninth, 
 or any other Part of the Nine ; and after the fame Manner, 
 be lays his Dung on aU alike, he fows his Seed on all aUke^ he 
 plows aU aJike^ he beftows Pains and Charge, and exercifes 
 his Skill and Care equilly on aU. Thus it appears, that Tiikes 
 are really purckajed by them, by whom the nine Parts are pur- 
 chafed, and do really belong to them, to whom the nine Parts 
 do belong ; whether Tithes be underftood of Lands or of 
 Profits. It ef Lands, the Purchafer doth as really buy the 
 Tenth Acre , as any of the Nine, and gives as much for it. ,If 
 of Profits, the tenth Sheaf, or tenth Purt of the Crop, doth cuft 
 the Occupier as much to the full, as any other of the rune 
 Parts, 
 
=i4 The Great Cafe of TkhoSy &u 
 
 'J'roGpcrs^ always maintain, or piy Tribute to 
 Thieves and Robbers ? We bought Land when 
 the Pope's Yoke was upon our Necks, and if we 
 call it from us, we may, by as good Realon, be 
 eafed of our Tithes, as they of their Taxes. But 
 if I bought cheaper, what is that to the State, or 
 to a Pried ? If in Equity I be bound to pay any 
 more, it is mod juft, that he have it of whom I 
 bought my Land, and not another. 
 
 ^here are others 'who plead a legal Right by Pre- 
 fcription^ and that they have a good Rights hecanfe 
 they havefo long pojfejfcd them. 
 
 This was the old Device, firft to preach that 
 Tithes were due, and then to Hmit them to the 
 Parifhes, and when forty Years were pall, to claim 
 them as a Debt, which before was paid as Charity, 
 or at mofl as a Free-will Offering of the Owner. 
 And thus the Pope got firfb-Fruits and Tenths, and 
 Peter-pence^ and many (/) great Sums out of this 
 and otlier Nations, which long continued ; and he 
 might as well have pleaded his Prefcription, as any 
 of his Branches now can do. Is any {o blind, as 
 not to fee what poor Shifts are now made, to up- 
 hold fo great an OpprelTion, which can find no 
 better Ground for its Support than this, that it bath 
 heenfo long continued^ But fhall the Continuance of 
 an Oppreflion give Right to perpetuate the Grie- 
 vance? Howm^ny great and heavy PrefTures, in 
 other Things, did long lie on this Nation, of 
 Cuflomsand Practices of former Times, which 
 daily were, and flill have been abolilhed, as Light 
 did more and more encreafe ? Witncis rhole many 
 Laws and Statutes made, and now in Force, abo- 
 
 lifli ing 
 
 ( f ) In ten.p. H. 3. the Popf?/;<zJ above iQooc'oi. p:r Jmnm^ 
 tut of this NjLtiont Tvhhh w,is then more worth than th; I{jng's 
 
 4(^evs?iue, 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 55 
 
 iifliing the Ufages and Cuftoms of former Ages ; 
 but yet this is a great Miftake, for by the Common- 
 Law (and the old Popijb Eccleftuftick-Laws is out of 
 Doors) no Man can prefcribe to have Tithes, tho' 
 many may prefcribe to be free from Tithes, or 
 Part thereof-, for he that claims Tithes, (except 
 Impropriators, to whom I fhall fpeak hereafter) 
 mufl claim them as a Parfon, Vicar, or other cal- 
 led Ecclefiaftick Officer, and, ('as I have hinted be- 
 /orej he claims them not as fuch a Perfon, but as 
 fuch an Officer, and the Prefcription (if any were) 
 is to his O^ct. Now if no fuch Office be in Be- 
 ing, his Claim is at an End : That there is now no 
 fuch Office, is plain, for when H. the 8th renounced 
 the Pope, he was declared by Ad: of Parliament 
 Cwhich was affented to by all the Clergy in their 
 Convention) to be the Head of the Church ; and 
 all Arch-Bifhops, Bifhops, and all others in Ec- 
 clefiaflical Orders, were no longer to hold of the 
 Pope, but of the King, and not to claim their Be- 
 nefices by Title from the Pope, but of the King, 
 by Virtue of that Adl of Parliament. And here 
 theSucceffion from the Pope was cut off, and dif- 
 continued •, and the King by his new Authority, as 
 Head of the Church, made Bilhops, and gave them 
 Power to make Parfons, Vicars, and others called 
 - Ecclefiaflick Officers. Afterwards, as the King 
 r'f enounced the Pope, fo the Parliament of Etigland 
 laid afidc Kings, who had aflumed the Title and 
 Stile of Head of the Church, and alfo aboliihed 
 Arch-Bifhops and Bifhops, and all their Depen- 
 dencies, Root and Branch: And here the whole 
 Ecclefiaftick State was diflblved, and the Body fell 
 with the Head, and the Branches with the Root ; 
 both Parfons, Vicars and Curates, and all the 
 whole Pogeny and Off-fpring, and fo all their 
 Right, Title and Claim to Tithes, was, and is at 
 an End, as is more plainly, and more fu]h% fet 
 
 I'orth :, 
 
56 The Great Cafe <?/ Tithes, &c. 
 
 forth In a late printed Paper^ by Jer. Benfitiy to 
 which I refer. 
 
 And now I come to the lafl, 'Tbofe that claim by 
 
 Purchafi, and thefe are the Impropriators^ and they 
 
 Jay they have bought them of the State, and have paid 
 
 great Sums of Money for them, and many ofthein have 
 
 710 other Subfifience, 
 
 To thefe I anfwer, That I have fhewed before, 
 that in the Root all Tithe is alike, whether it be 
 now claimed by a Pried or an Impropriator, and 
 both mufi: fall together. And feeing thofe that 
 fold them had no good Title, neither can theirs be 
 made good which is derived from them ; But fee- 
 ing it was the State that fold them, and that the 
 whole Nation had the Benefit of their Moneys, it 
 is equal and jufl, when they cannot have what is 
 fold, that their ?N/roneys be re-paid ; to which Point 
 I fhall fpeak more fully hereafter, in Anfwer to 
 an Objedlion which I meet with in my Way, need- 
 ful to be refolved. 
 
 And thus I have briefly gone over the whole 
 Matter, and heard what every one can fliy, and 
 have returned them Anfwers, by which it doth 
 plainly appear, that no Man at this Day can claim 
 Tithe of another, either by Divine or Humane 
 Right ; and that Tithes are neither due by the ex- 
 prefs Law of God, nor by the Equity of that Law, 
 nor by the Decrees of the Church, nor Grants of 
 Kings, nor Laws of Parliaments, nor Gifts of the 
 People, nor Prefcription of the PoflefTors, nor the 
 Purchafe of Impropriators. 
 
 It now only remains, that I anfwer fome general 
 Objedions, which I fhall do in as much Brevity as 
 I can, and fo leave the whole to the Reader. 
 The Firft is made by the State. 
 The Second by Impropriators. 
 And the Third by Parifh-Minifters. 
 
 And 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c\ 57 
 
 And all thefe together obje(5l and fay, ^hat tho^ 
 it Jhotild he granted, that the Right of Tithes cannot he 
 proved, 'jet if it he fomtd, that taking them away will 
 bring great Lofs to the puhlick Revenue^ much Da- 
 mage^ if not Ruin, to many particular Perfons and 
 Families^ and great Hazard of bringing Confufion to 
 the Nation^ by fuch a great Alteration^ after fo long a 
 Settlement y and endanger the very puhlick Profeffion 
 of Religion^ by taking away Minijler's Maintenancey 
 and confequently Mini ft ry it felf\ it is not Prudence 
 for fatisfyingfome, to bring fo inany and great Inconve- 
 Jiiences upon the Nation, 
 
 These Objedlions plead not for the Right of 
 Tithes, but againfl the removing of them, to pre- 
 vent Inconvenience ; and if the one be granted, that 
 Tithes are an innovated Popifh Exa6i:ion and Op- 
 preflion ; and neither due by Law of God or Man> 
 iuch Confederations as thefe ought not to obftru6l 
 the Removal of fo heavy a Grievance and OpprefT* 
 on, but that which is juft ought to be done, which 
 is a genera] Good to the whole Body, and almoft 
 every individual Member ; and then fuch Parts as 
 are found grieved, may be afterwards eafedand re- 
 lieved •, and though all thefe f[:iould in fome Mea- 
 fure fuffer, it were but jufl, feeing their Compli- 
 ance with the OpprefTor, hath brought fuch a ge- 
 neral Yoke and Burden upon the whole Body, and 
 now they are become the only Obftrudions of the 
 general Eafement and publick Freedom. 
 
 And yet a few Words I fhall anfwer to every 
 one, and firft 16 the State, which complains of a 
 great Lofs by taking away firft-Fruits and Tenths, 
 which are paid out of Tithes; 
 
 When the Pope had eftablifhed the Payment of y^romin 
 Tithes, and fet up a new Hierarchy, after the E^ehch. 
 Pattern oHh^JewiJh Priejlhood, he took upon him- 44.^- 2S, 
 felf to beSucceffor to the Jewijh-High-Prieji^ and -^^^^^ 
 
 daiiiicd- ' 
 
^ 8 Th Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 
 
 claimed Tenths from all his inferior Priefts, jure 
 dhino ; and in proccfs of Time, he got to Jiimfelf, 
 by the like Colour, iirft-Fruits alfo ; and though 
 it was long e'er he brought his Work to pafs in 
 England^ yet at lafl it was effed:ed : You may by 
 thefe following Inflances know, how much our 
 Englijh Nation ftrugled againfl them. 
 
 aEd.^.Rol ^he King for badH.'?, the Pope's Nuncio^ to cah 
 Clauf. M. le^ Firfi-fruits 
 
 The Pope^s ColleElor was willed no longer to gather 
 the Firjl fruits^ it being a ver^ Novelty, and no Per- 
 fan was a7iy longer to pay them. 
 4Par.iRi. ^he Co7nmons petition ^ that Provifion may be made 
 i.Hu. 66, againjl the Pope's Coll eBors for levying of Firjl -fruits, 
 Rol Pari. ^he King in Parliament anfwers, T'here fhall be 
 4. R/2.' ' gi^^^^i^^ ^ Prohibition in all fuch Cafes ^ where the 
 N'u. 50. Pope's ColleElorsJhall attempt any fuch Novelties. 
 
 Upon Complaint made by the Commons in Parlia- 
 J^j* ^^ men:,, the King willeth that Prohibitions be granted to 
 ,Nu. 5c* ^^^ Pope's Colle5lorSy for receiving of Firft -fruits, , 
 
 Firft fruits^ by Arch-Bijhops and Bijhops to the 
 £ H. 4. Pope, were termed an horrible Mifchief^ and damna- 
 
 ble Cuftom. 
 Rol. Pari. The Pope's Colle5lorswererequired from thenceforth 
 ^^* not to levy any Money within the Realm^ for firft fruits: 
 
 The Pope thus claiming Firft-fruits and Tenths 
 as annexed to his Chair, Succeffor to the Jewijh- 
 High-Prieft, and Head of the Church, continued to 
 colled them, till H. the 8 th, difcontented with the 
 Pope, tho' hirnfelf was a Papifl, renounceth the 
 Pope's Supremacy, and aflumes it to himfelf ; and 
 by A<5t of Parliament in the 26th Year of his Reign, \ 
 got firll-Fruits and Tenths annexed to his Crown, 
 as Head of the Church ; and fo himfelf became 
 w^orfe than the Pope, taking the Wages, but not 
 doing the Pope's Work ; And that which before 
 
 by 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 59 
 
 by Parliaments, in the Height of Popery, was de- 
 clared as a damnable Cuftom, was now, in the Be- 
 ginning of Reformation, made a Foundation-Stone 
 to fupport the Greatnefs of the new made Head. 
 
 Afterwards, Queen Mary, not daring to af- 
 fume the Headfhip oFthe Church, did relinquifh, 
 and by Adt of Parliament, wholly took away firft- 
 Fruits and Tenths, fhe doing no Work to deferve 
 fuch Wages. And what a Shame is this to our 
 Nation, and our great Profeflions, after fo long 
 Talk of Reformation, now to plead for fuch Wa- 
 ges of Unrighteoufnefs, firftexa6led by the Pope, 
 and then by fuch as afTumed to themfelves the Stile 
 of Head of the Church, who upon that very Ac- 
 count had them annexed to the Crown ? And iliall 
 we now, who pretend to have call off the Pope, 
 and left the Headlhip of the Church to Chrift^, 
 Cworfe like than Queen Mary) uphold fuch wicked 
 OpprelTions, which are the Ground of a great Part 
 of good Men's Sufferings for Tithes this Day .^ 
 For the Pretence of paying Tenths is the Ground of 
 the many Suits tor Tithes in the Exchequer, where 
 otherwife by Law they could not, nor ought to 
 be recovered. And as to the publick Revenue, 1 
 am informed they add not much thereunto, but 
 all, or a great Part of them, are given in Aug- 
 mentations to Priefts, who, no doubt, will recci\^ 
 them without Scruple ; though I know, many of 
 them, not long fince, did complain againfl them 
 as a Popifh OpprelTion. But take away Tithes, 
 and there are as many Glebe Lands will fall to the 
 Slate, as will fully make up that Lofs, which thev 
 may as well take away, as their PredecefTors did 
 the Revenues of Abbeys and Monaileries ; and 
 when the People are eafed of Tithes, they will be 
 better able, and more willing, to enlarge the pub- 
 lick Treafury, if it be found wanting. 
 
 Bur 
 
The Great Cafe of TithtSy &cl 
 
 But it's hoped, our State rather looks at the 
 Freedom of the People, than the Increafe of the 
 Revenue •, feeing fo lately they took away the Pro- 
 fits ot the Court of Hoards, which was a much bet- 
 ter and greater Income, and granted many great 
 Men fuch Freedom for nothing, as they could nei- 
 ther in Right claim, nor in Reafon exped, with- 
 out a very great Sum, their Eftates being given to 
 them to hold by fuch Services ; and furely, they 
 will not deny the poorer Sort of People their own 
 and dear bought Increafe. 
 
 Secondjy, To Impropriators^ and fuch as have more 
 lately bought Tithe-Rents, 
 
 And to thefe I fay, tho' it be a general Rule, 
 Caveat Emptor^ yet feeing the Ignorance of former 
 Days Cbut peeping out of Popery) did take it for 
 granted fboth Buyer and Seller) that the Title was 
 good •, and fmce the Purchafers did pay great Sums 
 of Money for them to the State^ which went to the 
 bearing and defraying the publick Charge of the 
 Nation, it is jufl, that they have a moderate Price 
 for them, with which I believe moil fif not all) of 
 them, would be well pleafed and content, only in 
 the Eflimate of that Rate they muft confider, that 
 they have bought no more, but what the Abbey, 
 Monaftery, or other diflblved Houfe had v and 
 thefe Houfes, out of their appropriate Tithes, were 
 to find a fufEcient Prieft or Curate, Canonically 
 inftituted, which was to have Allowance at the Dif> 
 cretion of the Bifhop of the Diocefs, and alfo a 
 convenient Portion of the Tithe was to be fet apart, 
 for the Yearly Maintenance of the Poor of the Pa- 
 rilh for ever, as is provided by divers Ads of Par- 
 liament. And after the Diffolution and Sale of 
 Tithes, the like Charge was, and ought to be con- 
 tinued upon rhrm, as at large is proved, in a 
 
 Treatifc 
 
The Great Ca[e of Tithes, &cl 6 1 
 
 Treatife, cMcdtht poor Fie ar'^s Plea ; and let but 
 fuch Purchafers look to their original Grants, and 
 they Ihall find, that the Yearly Value was but 
 little, and the Rate fmall after which they paid for 
 them •, and in Regard of the Charges and Hazards 
 upon them, they were feldom, or never, efteemed 
 more worth than ten Years Purchafe, and that 
 Rate at an indifferent Yearly Value, may well be 
 accepted for them. 
 
 This Anfwer will pleafe the Impropriator well, 
 who hath not been without his Fears to lofe his 
 Tithes, and get little or nothing for them -, and it 
 cannot much difpleafe others, becaufe it is equal 
 and juft, that feeing he cannot have what is bought, 
 he have his Money returned without Lofs. ^ 
 
 But the great Difficulty feemeth the raifing of 
 fo great a Sum of Money, and who fhall pay it ? 
 For firft, there are many who plead, Our Lands 
 are wholly Tithe-free : Others fay, we pay a Rate^ 
 or fijiall Prefcriptiojt-Rent^ or have a modus deci- 
 mandi, and our Tithe is very finally though our Lands 
 he of good Value. Others Hiy, We have converted 
 ■ our Lands iiito Failures^ and pay little Tithe \ and 
 therefore^ itfee?ns not equals that we Jhould pay m 
 much as thofe^ whofe Lands confift of Tillage^ whofs 
 Tithes are often as much worth as the Land. 
 
 I anfwer^ That the raifing of this Sum, is not 
 to follow the Rate of Tithe, nor hath it any Re- 
 lation to Tithe ; for if it had, many would asjuftly 
 fcruple the Payment of any Thing towards it, as 
 they do the Payment of Tithes ; but the Cafe muft 
 be thus confider'd : At the Dillolution, Tithes of 
 Abbeys,; Monafteris, ^c. were taken into the 
 Hand of the ^/^/(f, they fold them, and the Mo- 
 ney raifed, went to the defraying and carrying on 
 the great Charge then upon the' Nation, as it was 
 of late in our Days, when Tithe-Rents were fold-, 
 and at that Day, there wer^i Wars with France^ 
 
 an I 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 
 
 aiid Scotland, and many great Exigences of State, 
 ts the Statutes for the Ground of the Diffolution 
 fhew : And in the Service and Ufe of thefe Mo- 
 neys, the whole Nation, and every Man therein, 
 had his Share, and fo far as thofe Moneys went, 
 tjie PeopJe were fpared, as the Cafe was with us of 
 late; an'3 fo he that had Land Tithe-free, and he 
 that paid only a fiHall Rate for Tithes, and he that 
 had Failures and no Tillage, all thefe fhared in the 
 Sum, yea, and the very Impropriator himfclf, and 
 not according to the Proportion of Tithing, but 
 according to the Value ot their Eftates in Lands or 
 Goods, by which they had been otherwife chargea- 
 ble : And fo the Impropriator depofiting fo much 
 Money upon a Pledge, the one being required, the 
 other muft be returned, and by a general Tax it 
 muft be raifed, wherein every one mull bear his 
 Proportion, the very Impropriator himfelf. 
 
 But then in comes he that bought the Lands of 
 Abbeys, i^c. which, he faith. The Fope bad ?nade 
 Titbe-free^ and that when he bought bis Land, he alfo 
 paid for the Tithe, andfo he 7mift either be freed from 
 paying to the Impropriator^ or muft have his Mone^ 
 returned as well as he. 
 
 I anfwer. Though there are many fuch Pur- 
 chafers, yet I believe, to the freeing the Nation 
 from this great and long continued OpprefTion, 
 they, or moil Part of them, would be content to 
 contribute without any fuch Demand. But if any 
 Hand upon it, let him fhew what he paid for his 
 Tithe, and he fhali have it, which was not a Pen- 
 ny ; for, fearch the Court of Augmentations, and 
 it will be found, that there was not in the Value o^ 
 Land, the leaft Difference made between Tithe- 
 free, and that which paid Tithes ; as there was oot 
 of late, in the Sale of Bifhops, and Dean and 
 
 Chapters 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &Co 65 
 
 Chapters-Lands, many of which alio were as much 
 Tithe-free i and lb if they bought Land Tithe- free, 
 as cheap as if they had paid Tithes ; they have had 
 Profit enough, and may now well afford to pay 
 with their Neighbours, 
 
 Thirdly, To Parijh Mintjlers. 
 
 And with thefe I defire a little to expoftulate the 
 Matter, firlt, as touching the End of their Work ; 
 and fecondly, as to the Way of their Maintenance. 
 Their Work,-, as they pretend, is to. preach the 
 Gofpel, and to propagate Religion ; Now I would 
 aflc them, why they lliffer (not only {o many Villa- 
 ges, Country-Towns, and PariJlies, but) even 
 great and populous Cities and Market-Towns, and 
 whole Corners of Countries, to lie deftitute, who 
 never could get any other Miniiler, than a poor 
 Vicar or Reading Curate -, they will prefently an- 
 fwer me, there is no Maintenance, and without that 
 they cannot live. If I aflc them farther, why there 
 is no Maintenance ? They will tell me, It is either 
 a City or Market-Town, to which there belongs 
 no Land, and ^o no Tithes ; or it is an Impropria- 
 plon, and pays only afmall Stipend ; or the Lands 
 are Tithe-free, or claim Cufloms and Prefcripticns, 
 and only pay fmall Rates for Tithes •, or otherwife 
 the People have converted their arable Lands into 
 Paftures, and their Tithe is of fmall Value, and 
 will not afford a Maintenance. I would yet afk 
 them again. Is not a third Part of the Nation in 
 this Condition } And muff they never have an able 
 Minifter ? Have they no Share in your Gofpel, be- 
 caufe they have.no Maintenance ? Are none of you 
 called to fuch Places ? Or hath Chrifl no Seed of 
 Election amongft them ? If this be not your Do- 
 <5lrine, yet your Pradice preacheth it . And if you' 
 were really for fpreading your Gofpel, and en- 
 
64 The Great Cafe i?/ Tithes, &c, 
 
 larging ProfefTicn, you would forthwith throw a- 
 way Tithes-, for fo long as they continue, there 
 can never be any ?ol]ibiliiy of raifing Mainte- 
 nance in liich Places. 
 
 And fecondly, as to their Maintenance, is there 
 any Indillerency, Equality, Proportion or Juflice, 
 in their prelent Way of Tithing ? One Man pleads 
 he is to pay nothing to a Miniiler, becaufe the Pope 
 hath given him a Difpenlation, and made his Land 
 Tithe-free. Another Man fiith, he hath a Pre- 
 fcription to pay but a Penny (it may be) for the 
 Value of a Shilling. Another faith, he hath convert- 
 ed his Lands into Pailures, and hath by his Arti- 
 fice fo ordered it, that little is due for Tithes. An- 
 other faith, he dwells in a City or Market-Town, 
 and hath no Land, tho' it's like he gains more by 
 Trade, than ten poor Country-men that pay Tithes 
 do by their Lands. Another faith, he pays Tithe 
 to an Impropriator, and he cannot afford to pay 
 both him and a Minifter. Is this your equal Way 
 of Maintenance, ^o long upheld and pleaded for ? 
 And have you not a more righteous Rule ? The 
 Rich generally pays little, and the poor Hufband- 
 inan bears the Burden, even he that fupplies the 
 Nation with the Statf of Bread, who is notwith- 
 Itanding at more Charge in his Hufbandry than any 
 other; and out of the Tithe of fuch Country Pa- 
 ri/lies of Tillage, generally great Sums are paid for 
 Augmentations, to Cities and Market-Towns, 
 when the Inhabitants, that have far greater Gains 
 by Trading, go free. For Shame, at length fol- 
 low the Example of your neighbouring Reformed 
 Churches, and throw away Tithes as an old Relick 
 of Popery, and no longer halt between two, and 
 betake your felves to a more Gofpel-like Way of 
 Maintenance •, for Light now breaks forth, and 
 Pretences v/ill no longrer cover. 
 
 Lr 
 
The Great Cafe of ThlKS^ &cl 65 
 
 It's like you will anfwer. We confefi^ the prefeHt 
 TVay of Maintenance by Tithes is very unequal^ un- 
 I'efs the whole Nation could he brought to quit all their 
 Ciiftoms and Prfcriptions^ and pay 'Tithe in Kind ; and 
 alfo all Aler chants and Tradefmen would pay the 
 tenth 'Part oflheir Gains^ as was by the Pope enjoynedy 
 hut that will never be done^ and therefore it's better to 
 boldfome^ than loofe all j for we know not what better 
 Way would be provided : Butjhew us^ how we may 
 have a comfortable and certain Maintenance^ and 
 more like the GofpeU ^nd we Jhall mofi willingly quit 
 the one^ and embrace the other. 
 
 To this I anfwer. That there is a Way, which 
 as it would eflablifli the Nation upon a fure Foun- 
 dation of true Freedom (as to the Confcience) giv- 
 ing Content to all feparated Congregations, Socie- 
 ties and Perfons ; fo would it upon the fame Bafis 
 of Liberty, hold forth full Satisfadlion to all Peo- 
 ple of the Nation, both as to Miniftry and Main- 
 tenance, and would be as acceptable to every one, 
 as the taking away Tithes. But I have faid enough 
 at once, and when this is a little digefted, the 
 other will be more fit to be propofed. 
 
 Only to fuch as fear Confufion, or Trouble, 
 orLofs to the Nation, by taking away Tithes, 
 I woiild fay a few Words : Do but look into al- 
 mofl every Country-Town, and there fhall you find 
 Debate, Strife and Variance, either between Man 
 and Man, or between Parifhes and their Minifters, 
 either about Tithe it felf, the Quantity, or the fee- 
 ling it out •, look into Courts, arid there you fliall 
 find Suit upon Suit; and at AfTizes, and before 
 Juftices of Peace, Multitudes of Trials and Judg- 
 ments about them ; Look into Prifons, and there 
 you fliall find not a few reftrained, and lying under 
 great OpprefTions, becaufe they cannot pay them : 
 And thefe Suits arid Troubles are daily increafing, 
 
 F 2 ^J^dy 
 
66 The Great; Caje of Tithes, &c, 
 
 and the Number of thofe that will not pay them, 
 and thefe are no fmall Confufions in our State •, for 
 it is evident, there are more Suits, and Strife, and 
 Difference about Tithes, than any one Thing what- 
 foever in the Nation ; and how foon might all thefe 
 be ended, and every one fatisfied, by taking away 
 Tithes? And then do but look upon the many 
 Moors, Commons and Waftes, in the Nation, a- 
 m'ounting to a full third Part of the whole, as hath 
 been computed, to the many great Failures and 
 Meadov/s decayed for Want of Tillage, to the 
 many Countries which are turned into Failures and 
 Meadows, becaufe of the great Charge of Tillage, 
 Hufbandry, and the unreafonable Payment of a 
 clear tenth Fart, which in mofl Places is half the 
 Profit 'y and it will be found, nothing does fo much 
 hinder the Improvement of the Nation, which 
 would eafe the publick Burdens, and v/ould foon be 
 of more Advantage than Firft-fruits and Tenths, 
 Nothing fo much hinders Tillage, which often puts 
 the Nation upon Hazard of Ruin, and forceth us 
 to feek Bread out of other Countries at immoderate 
 Rates •, when as this Nation is generally fo fit for 
 Corn, that it might be as a rich Granary, not only 
 forour own Supply, but Relief of our Neighbours 
 when they want. I might fay a great deal more up- 
 on this Subjed, but much to this Furpofe hath been 
 faid by others^ and therefore I fliall conclude. 
 
 And let no Man henceforth think it ftrangey that 
 any Ihould refufe to pay Tithes s but rather wonder, 
 that any will do it; 
 
 AN 
 
^7 
 
 A N 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 In the Tear 1646, about two Tears 
 
 after the Minifters (^fo called) had got an 
 (^) Ordinance ^/Parliament for Tithes ^ 
 there was a Treat ife fublifJ^ed with this Title^ 
 
 Tithe-Gatherers no Gofpel-Officers, 
 
 O R 
 
 Qertain brief Obfervations concerning the frfl 
 Inflitution and faying of Tithes, 
 
 TVherehy it appears^ 
 
 THAT Men were never compeli'd to the Pay- 
 ment of them in the Old Teflament, nor did 
 ever practice it in the New. 
 
 That the Gofpel Contributions were all volun- 
 tary, accounted as a free Gift, not a Debt ; the 
 Apoftles themfelves, not only chufing to labour 
 with their own Hands, but requiring all their 
 Succeffors to do the like, that they might not be 
 chargeable to any of the Difciples. 
 
 ^ To this Treatife there is an Epiftle prefix'd, 
 directed to the Reverend AiTembly of Divines at 
 Weflminfter. It begins thus. 
 
 Men^ Brethren^ and Fathers^ 
 
 '' I could not chufe but give you Notice of a De- 
 fign difcover'd unto me, of no fmall Party, which 
 at prefent is confpiring, how the PolTelTions of Bi- 
 iliops. Deans and Chapters, i^c. which by our 
 
 F 3 Anceftors 
 
 (g) Szz Page 42 in tbs Gieat Cafe of Tithes. 
 
^8 ^;^ A F P E N D I X ^d) 
 
 Anceftors, were intended for publick and pro 
 Ufes, may become their peculiar Inheritance, and 
 totally dilcoiirage Poilerity from all charitable Le- 
 gacies, when they fhall fee them alienated to fuch 
 quite contrary Purpofes. 
 
 I underftand likewife of feveral Petitions by Mul- 
 titudes of the moll confcientious Free-born Subje6ls 
 oi England, dcmonftrating how unjufl it is, that 
 a fmall Number, who, in Complement call them- 
 felves our Miniflers, fliould at their own Pleafure, 
 become our Mailers ; and fo contrary to the Sub- 
 jeds Liberty, force from us the fifth Part of the 
 whole Kingdom in Valuation, without either Jrli- 
 des or Confent ; and that which is worfl of all, even 
 not to be longer endured by fiich as make Confci- 
 ence of any Thing, they claim it by I>wine Rights 
 jind for fuch Services, as to many feem little lefs 
 than Anii-chriftian or Idolatrous. 
 
 'Tis frivolous for ypu to diflinguilli between a 
 Confcience truly informed, and contrarily ; for un- 
 lefs you will pretend your Arguments to be like the 
 Peace of God, which paffeth all Underflanding, 
 Pbil.W.y. you muft unavoidably permit Men, even 
 every particular Man for himfcif, to refolve the 
 whole Scripture, and every Part thereof, into a full 
 Perfwafion of his own Llearr, concerning whatfoever 
 he is to practice or believe, Rom. xiv. 5, 22, 23; 
 Either grant this or burn your Bibles, how many 
 foever differing Tranflations, with their whole Im- 
 prclTions, as have been brought unto you -, fince 
 you do but teach your Lay-People to fufpedl them 
 all, whilfl you your felves will not be ruled by 
 any, in any Man's Judgment belldes your own. 
 
 A Word to the Wife fhould be enough •, it is of 
 fo great Interefl and Confequence to this whole 
 Kingdom for one Kefpecl or other, todemolifh 
 and root out the very Memory of this Tithe-Idol, 
 which -c^ll other Reformed Chrillians have long 
 
 fmce 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, 6'c. 69 
 
 fmce abominated, that it concerns you to look out 
 feme other Maintenance lefs fcandalous, and more 
 Gofpel-like. 
 
 But you'll iliy perhaps, you have Maintenance 
 allotted you by Ordinance of Parliament, What an 
 Ordinance of Parliament ? I reverence Ordinances 
 of Parliament, but, methinks, you fliould rather 
 fly for Refuge to Chrift^s Ordinance. Ordinances of 
 Parliament are repealable, what one Parliament 
 bellows upon you, another Parliament may take 
 away •, but Chrift's Ordinances are like himfelf, un- 
 changeable ; whatever you may think of him,doiibt- 
 lefs you cannot leave him for a better Maflcr : Try 
 then a little, compare the Ordinances together, 
 look before you leap, if ye be Men : If Chriflians, 
 confider which may prove the furefi:,the betterTirle. 
 
 Christ ordained, that they which ^preach the 
 Gofpel Jhould live by the Gofpel^ i Cor. ix. 14. that 
 is, they fhould have fuch a Livelihood as is let put, 
 and warranted by the Gofpel, which is the free 
 Benevolence and Bounty of their Brethren, and if 
 you will have it in Chrlil's own Words unto the 
 true Difciples, nat into whatfoever Houfe they enter, 
 they Jljould remain eating and drinking fuch Things as 
 were fet before them^ Luke x. 5, 7, 8. and having 
 Food and Raiment^ they fhould be therewith content, 
 I Tim. vi. 8. On the other Side, 
 
 The Lords and Commons in Parliament affem- 
 bled. Die Veneris^ 8 Novemh. 1644. Ordain", 
 'J^hat every Perfon or Perfons^ within the Realm of 
 "Enghnd and Do?ninion of Wales, fh all -pay all and 
 fingular Tithes^ Offerings, Oblations, Ohventions, 
 Rates for 'Tithes^ and all other Duties co?mnonly known 
 by the Name of Tithes^ unto the refpe5five Owners, 
 both Lay and Eccleftaftical. 
 
 This is the Effedl of Chrifl^s Ordinance, with 
 that of the Lords and Commons in Parliament, I 
 fhall not feek to make Enmity betwixt - them, and 
 
 F 4 I ^ . 
 
yo ^^ A P P E K D I X f^ 
 
 I hope every Reader, will, in Time, fee how far 
 forth they w^ill run parallel. What will you more 
 then ? Our Saviour, you fee, has by an Ordinance 
 oi Heave ;i, provided for you both Food and Rai- 
 ment, requiring you, by his Apoftle PW, to be 
 therewith content. " 
 
 Thus much of the Epiille to the JVeftminller Di- 
 "Dines (fo called) we jfhall now give the Reader a 
 few of this Author's Arguments againil Tithes. 
 
 " Tithes, as I have proved, were not due until 
 the Ifradites came into the Land of Canaan^ and that 
 unto a Tribe of Levi^ for particular exprefs Purpo- 
 fes, to zvit, befides others, that they fliould give 
 one Tenth thereof for an Fleave-Offering unto the 
 High-Prieft. Niwih. xviii. 27, 28, 29. who was to 
 facrifice in the Temple at Jerufalem ; and the faid 
 Tribe ofL^^'iwas to attend and do the Service of 
 the Tabernacle, Numb. iii. 7, S. and was only re- 
 quired to receive Tithes of their Brethren the JeivSy 
 the other eleven Tribes which came out of the Loins 
 of Abraham^ Heb. vii. 9, 10. and neither they the 
 faid Tribe of Z^^7, nor the High-Prielt, to have 
 any other Portion or Inheritance befidcs the Tithes, 
 Numb, xviii. 20, 23, 24. from whence, among o- 
 thers, we may draw thefe few Obfervations. 
 ' I. According to the Z^-i'/7/V^/-Z.^-zc;, the Tithes 
 of the Land of Canaan only were payable, and 
 that in the Land of Canaan on^^ 2C[\^from the Jews 
 their Brethren onl'j \ but thefe pretended Tithe- 
 mongers lay Claim to the Tithes of all the World, 
 from all Sorts of Nations, to be due unto them- 
 fclves the Clergy. 
 
 2. The JeivifJj Levites were a peculiar Tribe, up- 
 on whom the Tithes were entailed from one Gene- 
 ration to another \ and by a Statute to endure for 
 e\^cr, they were to have no other Inheritance, Numb. 
 xviii. 23. but were to rely upon the Lord, who 
 prpmifed.to be their Portion : But thefe, v/ho are 
 
 no 
 
the Great Cafe of Tithes, &c: j% 
 
 no more of Levi his Kindred, than the Greal Turk^ 
 alluring unto their Ways, not much unlike the7^- 
 fuils^ or rather Romulus, fuch of all Nations who 
 are fitteft for their Turns, by Tricks and Shifts, 
 reducing whom they can, thro' a Pretence of fu- 
 perftitious Zeal, lay Claim, rob, and run away 
 with the fifth Part of all their Neighbours Goods-, 
 wherein notwithftanding they have lb little Trufl, 
 and lefs Confidence in God's Promife, which was 
 to be a Portion unto the Ifraelitijh Levites, in whom 
 there was no Guile, that they lay up, hoard and 
 purchafe, as if they knew their Poflerity were Ba- 
 ftards, and not to be provided for, neither by 
 Tithes, nor God's Providence. And, 
 
 3. Whereas the true Levites were to give for an 
 Heave-Offering, unto the High-Priefl of the Fa- 
 mily of ^^r^;/, one Tenth of all their Tithes; our 
 Englijh Levites, fince their High-Prieft and Head, 
 the Pope, was banifhed out of England, pretend 
 to pay (when they cannot avoid it, for they are 
 fiow enough in Payments) unto the King, I know 
 not what Firfl-fruits inftead thereof ; and indeed 
 they made him fo far forth their High-Priefb to bear 
 their Iniquities, that whatever they have of late 
 been queftioned for, they caft upon his Back. 
 
 I KNOW the common Scarecrow and Objedion 
 which is made againft an unfettled Maintenance, to 
 ivity That mofl Men are fo backward to all good . 
 Duties, efpecially in Matter of Expence, that if 
 tl^ey be not both rated and compelled to pay, they 
 will not pay at all, or not their Shares proportio- 
 nably ; And if there be not both a certain and a 
 round Allowance, fuch as have hitherto apply'd 
 themfelves to ftudy for Service of the Church, will 
 growdifcouraged, betake themfelves to other Cal^ 
 lings, and by this Means the Gofpel become con- 
 temptible, thro' Want of an able and learned Mi- 
 nillry ; To this I anfwer, that it is evident by Ex- 
 
 pcrfence," 
 
'An A p p END I X to 
 
 pcrience, that fuch Minifters of the Congregational 
 Way, as have good Parts, and are confcionable in 
 their Callings, altho' they leave every one of their 
 Congregation to contribute as God has enabled 
 them, according to the Purpofe of their own Hearts 
 not grudgingly, which was Paul's Rule, 2 Cor. ix. 
 5. I fay, that fuch have a Maintenance equal (if 
 not exceeding) to what the Tithes produced in the 
 Bifhop's Times, or may do again hereafter, if 
 they were to be continued. Secondly^ For fuch as 
 will not put themfelves to ftudy for the Churches 
 Service, unlcl^ they be encouraged by Maitenance, 
 I fay, they are guilty o\ a Sin furpalling Simony, a 
 namclefs Sin, a Sin fo infamous, as none were found 
 in the Gofpel-Time fo vile and defperate to commit 
 it, and give Occafion unto a Law at once exprefly 
 both to name it and condemn it : S'mion Mmus his 
 
 o 
 
 ^VA was not fo great as theirs, he would have bought 
 the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft -, thefe Men would fell 
 I hem if they had them : Shnon Magus thought fo 
 v/eil of the Holy Ghoft, that he would have pur- 
 cliafed it with Money, .^^^j viii. 18, 19. But thefe 
 Sons of Covetoufntfs are fobafely fordid, that they 
 will not accept of it gratis^ unlefs they may, at the 
 fame Time, have a Grant, a Monopoly, to im- 
 pofe the counterfeit Gifts thereof upon the People, 
 at an inhanced, overgrown, excifed Rare, mrdly^ 
 Such Men do plainly by their Practice declare to all 
 the World, that there is no Difference between the 
 Calling of llich Hackney Minifters, and the Calling 
 of a Merchant, Cobler, or any Handicraftfman ; 
 but that it is indifferent^ and all alike ^ free for every 
 one to betake himfelf to which of them he pleafes, 
 and thinks will prove moft gainfome and beneficial 
 to him : And lajily^ if 'I'ithes be the Clergies Due 
 by Divine Right, as is determined by that great 
 jCaluift of the Affembiy, V>r.Burges^ v/ithfundry 
 -others of the fame Coat i then are all the Laymen 
 
 of 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &s. 7 J 
 
 of' iTz/^tei highly guilty of Sacrilege, who with- 
 hold them by Impropriations : But if by a meer 
 humane, a Parliamentary Law only, they lay 
 Claim unto them, then may it the better be re- 
 pealed, fince it fo much intrenches upon the Sub- 
 jects Propriety in general, and upon the mofl ten- 
 der Confciences of many in particular. 
 
 And when they are admonifhed to labour with 
 their Hands from Paul's Example, rather than be 
 chargeable unto the People, i Thfjf. ii. 9. They 
 anfwer, That though P^/// did labour, yet it was 
 of his own good Will and Courtefie, there was no 
 Obligation for it, and leek to prove it by thofe 
 Words of Patil^ where he fays, i Cor, ix. 6. Have 
 not P/?/// and Barnabas a Power, as well as the 
 other Apollles, to forbear working ? To w^hich I 
 reply. That PW and 5^r;2<3^^5 had the fame Pow- 
 er to forbear working, which the Brethren had to 
 forbear giving them Maintenance. The one could 
 not be compell'd to work, neither might the other 
 be forced to fet Meat and Drink before them, or 
 any others, much lefs, if they were Perfons ad- ■ 
 dieted to Idlenefs. 
 
 But I prefume it will not be pleaded in Paul's 
 Behalf, that he, or any Body elfe, might lav/f ully 
 pals their Time in Idlenefs, efpecially fince we find, 
 that Paul's exprefs Command unto the TheJJ'alo- 
 n'lans^ Yf\s^xh?it if any would network^ he Jhouldnot 
 eat^ 2 ThefT. iii, 10, So neither is it pretended, 
 that Chriflians may lawfully refufe adminiftring 
 tQ the Neceffities of their Brethren, efpecially, of • 
 fuch as teach them fpiritual Things. 
 
 2. Paul cannot be fa id to require any other Pow- 
 er of forbearing to work, than what the other A- 
 poftles had, or made Ufe of ; and we may not 
 imagine of them, that they were idly given ; doubt- 
 lefs they omitted no Opportunity of employing 
 their Time, as night be mod advantagious and 
 
 editjiing ' 
 
^4it Appendix ta 
 
 edifying unto the Brethren, and upon this Suppon- 
 tionthey were to Ipend the whole Day, even alU 
 their Days, between providing for their Liveli- 
 hood, their Health, and the Propagation of the 
 Gofpel : Now, befides moderate Recreation, Meat 
 and Drink was neceHiry for keeping them alive, 
 which theymuft have got by labouring with dieii^. 
 Hands, or elfe have been fupplied therewith from 
 the Brethren ; if the Brethren, did fupply Paul wkh 
 Food and Raiment, then might he have forborn to 
 work, as he infinuates i Cor. ix; 6. but then he muft 
 have fpent fo much more Time with laboi>ring in 
 the Word and Dodlrine, i 7?;;z. v. 17. forhemufl 
 not have been idle, as was faid before ; but by 
 P^z///'j Pradice, 'tis ev^ident he might not forbear 
 working, when his receiving Maintenance would 
 have proved chargeable to the Brethren. 
 
 But to conclude, our Saviour, at ereding of 
 the Gofpel-Miniflrj^, left his Dilcipks, being ig- 
 norant how to demean themfelves, ihould go about 
 to carve their own Maintenance ; when he firft 
 fent them out to preach the Gofpel, he charges 
 them exprefly, faying, Freely you have received^. 
 Freely give. Mat. x. 8. Then, that they might noc 
 reft any ways perplexed thro' Fear ot Want, as 
 fuch who might apprehend themfelves altogether 
 unprovided of Neceffaries, he bids them eat fuch 
 "-Things as iverefet before the7n,^'Lukt X. 8. And that 
 they, and their Succeffors in the Miniftry of the 
 Gofpel, might be the better induced to rely upon 
 the fame Providence ever after, being returned 
 from their Miniftry, heaflcsthem, faying, When I 
 fent yen zvitlowt Purfe and Scrip, and Shoes, zvanted ye 
 ^dn^ Thing ? And they faid, we wanted nothing, Luke 
 xxii. 35, whereunto I will only add, that for thofe 
 who now term themfelves Minifters, and will not 
 be contented with fuch Wages and Maintenance 
 as Chrift appointed them, it is more than fufpicious 
 
 'that 
 
The Great Caje (?/ Tithes, &'c. 
 
 tliac they have no Share nor Portion, neither in the 
 Apoftle's Faith, Miniftry nor GofpeL 
 
 Jn the Year 1646, there was a Treatile printed 
 with the following Title, "The Inditefnent of lithescf 
 fever al crhnind Articles^ agabift the iinjuft Exaolion 
 of Tithes, Oblations, Obventions, &c. Exhibited be- 
 fore the Right Honourable Thomas Adams, Lord 
 Major of the City of London, by divers Citizens^ 
 upon the 16th <?/ Pebruary, An.Doni, 1645- ^^ 
 begins thus. 
 
 Whereas divers hbneft and confcientious Per- 
 fons, of the Parilh of All-Hallow; Barking, and of 
 Bride's Parifh, London, being convented before the 
 Lord Major of the faid City, for the Non-payment 
 . of Tithes to their Parilh-Parfons ; the Lord Major 
 was pleafed at lafl to permit them Freedom for De- 
 livery of their Reafons in Writing, for his better 
 Judgment in the Equity of their Caufe, the which 
 they anfwerably prepared, and prefented his Lord- 
 fliip with, upon Monday the 1 6th of February, 1 645, 
 his Honour being then, with two Counfellors and 
 a Sergeant at Law, fat for the hnal Determination 
 of that Matter, betwixt x\\t Citizens 'xn^ t\v(t Parifh - 
 Priefts ; the Defendant Citizens, having for their 
 Part, Mr. John Norbury for Council, to plead the 
 Law of the Land ; who after fome fliort Debate, 
 made it appear, that there is no binding Statute, 
 Law, or Adl of Parliament at all extant, for the 
 Payment of Tithes, or any Thing elfe to the Parifh- 
 Parfons of the City of London, and that what hath 
 been forced from the Inhabitants, fincethe 37th 
 Year of King Hen, the 8th, hath been againll Law, 
 and confequently, that the Lord Major hath no 
 Power to compel any to the Payment thereof, but 
 at his own Peril -, whatfoever formerly to the con- 
 trary, hath been arbitrarily pradifcd •, as by a 
 Copy of a Certificate from the Chappel of the 
 
r 
 
 RdUs in Cbiwcery, he made ic appear ; a true Copy 
 thereof, I fhall prefent the Reader with. 
 
 ^' I have made Search among the Records re- 
 maining in the Chappel of the Rolls, for the En- 
 rollment of a Decree^ pretended to be made be- 
 tween the Major, Aldermen and Inhabitants ot 
 the City of London^ and the Clergy of tha faid 
 City, in the thirty feventh Year of the Reign of 
 our late Sovereign Lord, King i7-?;^r)' the 8th, 
 touching the Payment of Tithes in London ; but 
 I cannot find any fuch Decree remaining upon 
 Record, as aforefaid. 
 
 February tki6th, ^jjy^ CUydon: 
 
 Anno 164$. ^ J 
 
 To the Right Honourable^ the Lord Majoi" 
 0} the City of London. 
 
 Re afons given hjfome of the Inhabitants of All -Hol- 
 lows Barking Parifh, London, demonfirating^ 
 that Tithes or inforced Maintenance for Minifters^ 
 in the Time of the Gofpel^ ought not to he;paid, 
 
 THAT forafmuch as we are convented before 
 your Lordfhip, for refufing to puy Tithes to 
 Mr. Thomas Clandon^ the Caufe being of great 
 Concernment to the generality of this City : We 
 conceive it our Duty, to give true Information to 
 your Honour, of tiie Reafons and Grounds of our 
 io refufing. 
 
 I. We humbly conceive, that Tithes and Cir- 
 cimcifion were to ceafe, and have an End at the 
 Coming of our Saviour C/jri,/? ; becaufe the Law, 
 that is, the Levitical Lav:^ whereof Tithes is a 
 Branch, was but until John ihQ Ban tif, but then 
 
 to 
 
The Great Cafe of TitliQSj &u 77 
 
 to receive a Change of the Priefthood and OiBce 
 of the Law, Heh. vii. 12. and where it hath been 
 fa id, "That Abraham ;patd Tithes before the Law, and 
 that thereby it appeareth, that Tithes are not Ce- 
 remonial, but Moral, and by Confequencc perpe- 
 tuai, and due under the Gofpel •, We anfwer, That 
 Abraham was alfo circumcifed before the Law, yet 
 the Apoftie faith, // ye be circumcifed^ Chrifi fhall 
 profit 'jou nothing : And no Doubt, if any in the A- 
 poftle's Times, had been fo weak in the Know- 
 ledge of the Gofpel, as to have been inclinable to 
 the paying of Tithes ("whereof there is no Appear- 
 ance in their Writings) the lame Apoftie would 
 have faid, if ye continue to pay Tithes, ye are un- 
 der the Law, and not under Grace : You are 
 bound to keep the whole Law, and Chrift fliall 
 profit you nothing. 
 
 2. We do not know of any Place in the New 
 Teftament, that commandcth the Payment of 
 Tithes ; nor that either the Apoftles or Difaiples re- 
 quired the fame, or pretended a Right thereunto, 
 or unto any other fet Maintenance •, but on the 
 contrary, f how ftrange foever it is made by fome 
 that would be thought their SuccefTors) Paul, the 
 Ele6l VefTel and Apoftie of the Gentiles, rejoiceth, 
 in the Prefence of his Brethren and Fellow-Labour- 
 ers, frying, in AMs xx. 33. I have co*veted 720 Man's 
 Silver or Gold, or Raiment, yea, verf 34. Toujour 
 fehes know, that thefe Hands have mimftred to mj 
 Neceffities, and to them that were with me, Verf "2^^. 
 Ihavefhewedjou all Things, how that fo labouring^ 
 Y ought tofupport the Weak -, and to remember the 
 Words of the Lord Jesus, how he faid, it is more 
 hleffed to give than to receive: Neverthelefs, we have 
 not fo learned Chrift, to think it a great Thing, 
 that thofe fhould reap our Carnal Thi?m, that have 
 fiwn unto usfpiritual Things ; but fuch unto us is not 
 Mr. Clandon, who hathfown unto Vi% Strife^ Trouble^ 
 --. . ' ^)nd ^ 
 
An Appendix. 
 
 and Debate^ endeavouring to enforce Maintenanca 
 from us, under the Pretence of Tithes^ (though we 
 do not acknowledge him either our Miniller, or a 
 Minifter fent of Christ J quite contrary to the Ex- 
 ample of that blelTed Apoltle ; The Labourer, we 
 acknowledge, is i^ortby of his Hire, but we have 
 not contracted any Thing with him ; and that thofe 
 that preach the Gofpel, jhoiild live of the Gofpel : nor 
 can we doubt, that thofe who preach the fame in 
 Sincerity and finglenefs of Heart, fhall ever want a 
 competent Livelihood, fromfuchas receive Com- 
 fort by their Miniflry ; but having Food and Rai- 
 ment, they ought therewith to be content : He 
 that hath this World's Goods, and feeth fuch a Bro- 
 ther lack, and fliutteth uphis Bowels of Compafiion 
 towards him, we conceive the Love of God is not 
 in him ; but fuch unto us is not Mr. Clandon ; nor is 
 it likely, he is in Want, having two Benefices, ^c: 
 
 3. 'Tithes, Offerings, &c. being contrary to found 
 Dodlrine, and the Power of Godlinefs, though the 
 Law ot the Land fhould require the fame, we con- 
 ceive our felves, and all others, bound in Confci- 
 cnce, and by our Covenant, to endeavour the Ex- 
 iirpation thereof-, and cannot, without wilful Sin, 
 fubmit thereunto. 
 
 4. Whereas it hath been fuggefled unto your 
 Honour, that we refufe to pay tithes, out of a co- 
 vetous Defire to hold our Monies ; Our known 
 Freenefs, on all publick good Occafions, will ("we 
 doubt not; perfwade the contrary ; alfo, may it 
 pleafe your Lordfnip to confider, that we are not 
 fmgulaV, but that there are Thoufands well affeded 
 People, in and about this City, *of the fame Judg- 
 ment with us, many whereof, are approved Scho- 
 lars, and learned Divines. 
 
 5. Whereas it hath been fuggefted, that the 
 People that refufe to pay 'Tithes, &c. do intend 
 topverthrow all Government, and all Magiftracy 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, a-c. 79 
 
 ih tUe City : When your Honour fhall call to 
 Mind their conftantObedience (in all lawfulXhingsj 
 to lawful Authority ; and with what Firmnels they 
 have adhered to the Parliament : We trufl it will 
 appear a meer groundiefs and fcandalous Accufati- 
 on, devifed on Purpofe to rtlake them odious to 
 Authority, 
 
 • 6. Whereas it may be pleaded. That Tithes in 
 London are due by Law made in Parliament : May- 
 it pleafe your Lordlhip, to take into Confideration, 
 what an over-ruling Hand King Henv'j the 8 th, and 
 his Privy-Council^ did bear over the Parliaments of 
 that Time, which, as itappeareth in other Things, 
 fo efpecially in this of Tilbes,, in Jnno ^y of his 
 Reio-n, prevailing fo far as to induce that Parlia- 
 ment, to delegate their Power in a Matter of fo 
 great Concernment, to the then A rch-Bifhop, and 
 other Lords and Knights ; Ena6cings that whatr 
 foever they fliould decree therein, ihould bind all 
 the Cte^/zj for ever; An unheard of Strain of Par^ 
 liament, to confirm (with Reverence we fpeak it) 
 they know not what. And which to this Day, hath 
 had no other Confirmation : In which Decree, we 
 pray yourLordfhip toobferve the Ignorance and 
 Superflition of that Age, that followed the Steps of 
 their erroneous PredecelTors, both in Epifcopacy 
 and Tithes, without comparing them to the Word 
 of God : Alfo the unequal Dealings of thofe entru- 
 fted, providing, that great Men's dwelling-Hou- 
 fes fhould be tree from Tithes, whereby it may ap- 
 pear, this Decree or Law for Tiibes, (if it deferve 
 to be fo called) is not fo valid or reafonable, as is 
 generally conceived •, and however ought ftot to 
 Se pleaded, or to (land in Force againft the Word 
 and Mind of God. (h) 
 
 G An 
 
 {h) Statutes ofPrincesareno Excufe to tranfgreis God's 
 Law ; God canaot be conlined, reftrained, or cgncludedr b^ , 
 
So ;^;^ A P P E N D I X /a 
 
 An Anfwer given to the Lord Major of the 
 City of London, conceYning Tithes, by 
 Nicholas Waterson. 
 
 Right Honourable^ 
 
 BEING ordered by your Lord fhip, to give 
 Anfwer concerning paying and not paying of 
 Tithes, my humble Anfwer is, ^at as 'jet I dare 
 not pa j them for thefe ReafoJts. 
 
 I. Because the paying of Tithes, is a SubmifTi- 
 on unto JewiJ/j Bondage , the Law of Tithing, be- 
 ing known to be a Part of that ceremonial Law, 
 and Yoke of Bondage, which was laid upon Jfrael 
 after the Flefh, to be obferved and born by them 
 in the Land of Canaan *, and we are now command- 
 ed to ftand fafl in the Liberty, wherewith Christ 
 hath made us free, and not to be entangled again 
 with the Yoke of Bondage, Gal. v. i, 
 
 2. Be- 
 
 any Parliament. Let no Man therefore think, that he hath 
 Jdght to Tithe y becaufe the Law of Man hath given them to 
 him ; for the Iavo of Man can give him no more th?ji the Law 
 c/Goi will permit. The Law of Man may givea Man jus ai 
 J{emf I{tght to a Thing, as to demand it, or to defend it a- 
 gainft another Man; but in cannot give him jus in re, Bjgbt 
 in the Thing, to claim it in Bright againft or without the Law 
 of God. liighi to the Thing is a lame Title ; they muft have 
 KigH in it, that will have a pcrfefi Title. The Law may make 
 a Man the Psffcffhr or Enjoyer of a Thing ; but it cannot make 
 him the very Owner of theThing. TheBooks of theLaw them- 
 felves confers, * That all Prefcriptions, Statutes and Cuftoms 
 againft the Law of Nature, or of God, be void, and againft 
 Juftice. 
 
 * Do&otand Student, Dial. i. Ch. 2. the Law of Nature fpe- 
 dally (ovfider'd, which is alfo called theLzw of Reafon, pertiin- 
 eth oily to Creatures reafonable, that is, Man, which is created 
 to the Jmase of God, And this Law ought to be kept as well among 
 Jews <zw^ Gentiles, as among Chrift tan Men. And therefore a- 
 gajnft this Law, Prefcriftion, Statute nor Cuflom, may not pre. 
 -v'jl : And if any be brought in againft it, they be not Prefer if i* 
 0.1 s, Sututes nor Cuftoms, but Tbivgs void and againft juftice. 
 
.^ The Great Caje of Tithes^ 6-c. 8i 
 
 2. BtcAus? the requiring, and paying of Tithes,^ 
 Is an implicit denying that Chr'ijl is come in the FleJIj, 
 For if there be not a Change of the Law, then the 
 Prieflhood of y/^r^« remains, Heb.vn.12. And if 
 that Priefthood remain, then Christ is not yet 
 come. The Law was our School-Mafter unto Chrifl, 
 and after that Faith is come^ we are no longer under a 
 School-Mafler, G^/. iii. 24, 25. If we.muflftillbe 
 in Bondage under the Elements of the World, then 
 God hath not yet fent forth his Son, as appears in 
 Qal. iv. 3, 4. 5. 
 
 , 3. Because the Dodrine, that Tithes ought to 
 be paid to the Priefts, or Prefbyters, or Clergy, 
 is a popifh DoClrine, inafmuch as it hath been de- 
 vifcd and maintained by the Pope and his Prelates 
 and is contrary to the Dodrine of the Scriptures -, 
 and thofe Congregations, which are called Refohned 
 Churches, are known to oppofe the Pope and the 
 Prelates, by the Authority of the Scriptures, in 
 this their falfe Dodrlne. 
 
 4. Because the Payment of Tithes, or any 
 Thing in Lieu of Tithes, doth and will fiipport Po- 
 pilh and Prelatical Iniquity ; this being the ftrong- 
 eft Motive to the Priefts (or Prefbyters) to hold up 
 Babylony by jumbling the World and the Church 
 together, and fo to difhonour God,, and do Ser 
 vice unto Satan, keeping God's People ftill in Ba 
 bylon-, becaufe they hope, by this Means, to have 
 larger Maintenance ; compelling all thofe whom 
 they call the Church, to pay Tithes unto them. 
 
 Reafons given by Thomas Bennet, another of the f aid 
 
 Parifh, concerning the unjufi Exa^ion ^/Tithes, 
 To the Right Honourable ThomoiS Adams, Lord Ma« 
 jor of the City ^/London, Feb. i 6th Jn. Bom. 1 645 , 
 Right Honourable, 
 
 WHEREAS I have been thefe thirteen Time*^ 
 commanded before your Honour, ai.d '~^ 
 G 2 yOf't^f 
 
§2 T!^e Great Cafe of TiihQSy 6% 
 
 your Lordfhip's PredecefTors, for the Denial of 
 Tithes, and now at length you have been pleaied 
 to permit me Freedom to deliver in mine Anfzver'm 
 Writing : I han^e therefore prelumed, fi'om your 
 Lordihip's PermiiTlon, to prefent your Honour 
 with thefe enfuing Reafons. 
 
 i: Aly Lord, If Tithes under the Gofpel be an 
 Ordinance, then they muft be of an Evangelical 
 Inftitution, even from the Command of Chrifl, as 
 well as other Gofpel Ordinances : But we find no 
 other Ordinance for the Exaction of Tithes now, 
 but a bare Mofaical Ordinance. Therefore Tithes 
 are no Gofpel Ordinance, 
 
 2. A/)' Lcrd, Tithes were never ordained, but for 
 the Wages of Typical Services j therefore to con- 
 tinue the Wages of fuch Work, cannot in Equity 
 be without the Continuance of the Work : Which 
 is a fiat Denial of Chrid's Cotfting in the Flejh, 
 
 3. My Lord, Thofe that had the Commandment 
 for Tithes, were only to receive them of their 
 Brethren, Hel). vii. 5. that is, of the other twelve 
 Tribes -, therefore not of the Gentiles \ nor were 
 Gentiles, by that Command, bound thereto j and 
 if not in Mofes his Time, much lefs now. 
 
 4. My Lord, They were impofed upon the Land 
 q{ Canaan, therfore not upon Ejigland or Englijh- 
 Men, being no Part oi Canaan, or the People any 
 of the twelve Tribes. And the Jews to this Day 
 terminate the Equity of Tithes to their own Land, 
 as Mr. Selden, a Member of the Houfe of Commons, 
 v/riteth in his Hiftory of Tithes. 
 
 5. My Lord, When the Law of Tithes was in 
 Force, it was only of the Seed of the Ground, the 
 Fruit of the Trees, and of four-footed Beafls, Levit. 
 3cxvii. 30, 32. Therefore the Tithe of ouv Pull en^ 
 as of Goflins, Chickens, &c. which have but two 
 Feet apiece, and cannot be reputed to be of the 
 
 ^ Herd or Flock, that palleth under the Rod ; nor 
 ^■. any 
 
7he Great Cafe of Tithes, &c: 8 j 
 
 any Tithe of Houfcs, which neither grow, nor 
 bring forth Seed, can be concluded from the Law 
 of Tithes. 
 
 6. My Lorck The Levites paid the Tenth of 
 their Tithes to Aarcn the Prieft, Nmn. xviij. 26, 27, 
 28, 29. yea, the Fatherlefs, the Widow and Stran- 
 ger, were ranked with the Levitc, for the Main- 
 tenance t)f Tithes^ Dcut. xiv. 29. xxi'-i. 12. and 
 were to eat, and to be latisfied therewith : There- 
 fore from their Example, our Clergy iinjuflly ex- 
 ad the whole Tithes to themfclves. 
 
 7. The Laity offered the Firfl-fruits unto tlie 
 Priefts, in Ears of Wheat, Barley, ^c, in what 
 Quantity the Owner ^vould, Exod. xxiii. 19. Deut. 
 xviii. 4. Therefore from their Example, there 
 can be no Exaftion of this or that Quantity. 
 
 8. ilfy Lord^ They as well, from the Example of 
 Mofes his Priefts, may take Tithe of our Children ; 
 for the Firft-born, whether of Man or Beall, fell 
 to the Prieft. Numb, xviii 15. So that if our Clergy 
 will have thofe Priefts to be their Example, then 
 every Male thalfirft openeth the Matrix^ is due unto 
 the Clergy. And I fuppofe, they would exa6l it, had 
 they but Power to impofe Redemption Money upon 
 them, the Value of five Shekels^ after the Shekel cf the 
 SanBuary^ which is twenty GeraJos^ upon every Firft- 
 horn Male, as Mofes* s Priefts had. 
 
 9. My Lord i When the. Law of Tithes was in 
 Force, there was no Compulfion ufed for them, 
 nor didMofe's give anyCommilTion to the Levites to 
 exad them by Force : The Lord only fent his 
 Prophets to complain againft them that did not 
 pay them. Mai. iii. 9, 10. Neh. xiii. 10, 11, 12. 
 
 10. My Lord, ThePriefthood and Command- 
 ment is changed, and One of another Tribe, even 
 of the Tribe o^Judah, of which iV/^fofpake nothing 
 concerning the Prkfthood i no not fo much as to 
 
 " receive Tithes, Heh, vii. 11. Therefore to fpeak 
 
 G3 ih:Ct 
 
An Appenpix to 
 
 that of the Miniftry of our Lord, which Iprung 
 from Judahy which was fpoken of the Tribe o'i Adr 
 ron^ whereof Tithes were one main Thing, is to 
 make our Lord to be of the Tribe of Aaron, 
 
 11. My Lord^ All the Supply, which the Gof- 
 pel ordaineth, is a Firil-day Colledlion, or volun- 
 tary Contribution to the Neceflities of the poor 
 Saints, i Cor. xvi. 2. 2 Cor. ix. 1,5, 7. 
 
 12. My Lord., An Elder of a Church cannot lay 
 Claim to any Supply barely by Virtue of Elder- 
 fhip, no more than a Saint by Virtue of Saintlhip, 
 but both fimply as poor Saints. For Evangelical 
 Supply was only devoted to NecelTity : The poor 
 Man's Box, was the Inheritance or Portion of the 
 poor Saints, whether Elders, or other Members. 
 
 13. It is to be acknowledged as a Gift or Cour- 
 tefy, (i) 2 Cor. viii. 4. Phil. iv. 1 7. But to exad by 
 
 Compulfion 
 
 COAstheGofpclit lelf in its own Nature, is equaKy free 
 in all Ages, and the Minifters of the Gofpel are fo too, in 
 Refpe^i of its Publication (fo as not to preach the Gofpel be- 
 caufe humane Laws command, nor to forbear to preach it be- 
 caufe humane Laws forbid; fo ought the Gofpel Maintenance 
 alio, or the Maintenance of this Gofpel Miaiftry, to be in all 
 Ages equiliy free ; elfe it is not fuitable to the Miniftry, and 
 thcr Goipel to which it appertains. And whenfoeyer it cei/es 
 to be freCf by the interpofed Injun^ions of penal Laws, it 
 thenceforth ceafes to be a Gofpel-Muimenance* Now if we 
 fhould fuppofe Tithes a lawful Maintenance, and that (he Do- 
 nation of them was an Aft of pure Liberality and perfeft 
 Vrecdom in the firlt Donors (which univerfally confider*d, is 
 UT enough from Probability) and upon that Suppofition 
 ihould admit Tubes to have been then a free Maintenance 5 
 yet thefetlingof them as a ftanding Maintenance, and com- 
 pelling after Ages by Penalties to pay them, makes them 7Wt 
 wow A free Mdntemvce, if they had been fo then ; but the 
 true Goj^d t^ajntefiame ought to be free in its Cominuatiorif 
 as well as iniis Beginning; and C/;/-;///u;7x nowmay juftly ex- 
 pcd as much Chriftian Liberty and Freedom, as others in for- 
 mer Ages had, which they do not enjoy, who now ftand bound 
 10 the Performance «f that which others wereat Liberrjf to. 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 8 { 
 
 Compulfion, is contrary to theNature of Courtefy; 
 that were of Violence, not of Gift. 
 
 14. All that Chrift ordained the Twelve, and 
 the Seventy, which he fent out, to take, was but 
 to eat and drink fiich Things as were fet before them ; 
 making that to be all his Labourers fiould account 
 themfelves worthy of. Luke x. 7, 8. 
 
 15. My Lord, It is unreafonable for a Shepherd 
 to exadl the Milk of that Flock, which he doth 
 not feed ; for the Flock which he feedeth, is the 
 Flock of whofe Milk he muft eat, i Cor. ix. 7. 
 therefore the Clergy-Shepherds may not exaft the 
 Milk of the Flocks that arc not fed by them. 
 
 16. My Lord, No Payment of Tithes was or- 
 dained in Chriftian Churches (as Selden obfcrveth) 
 till the general Council at Later an. Anno 12 15. 
 Therefore the Ordinance of Tithes under the 
 Gofpel, deriving its Being and Inftitution, from 
 the Injundions of the Pope and his Council, doth 
 fubjed us to the Didiates of the See of Ro77tey a- 
 gainft which, we are all engaged by our former 
 Proteftations, and by our folemn League and Co- 
 venant. And tho' thefe Tithes fhould be granted 
 not to be the Root, yet they cannot but be con- 
 cluded to be a main Branch of Popery, being not 
 of Chrift's, but of the Pope's own Ordinance y 
 therefore by our Covenant to be extirpated. 
 
 By what is produced, the Reader may gather 
 how great the Uneafmefs was, which theOrdinance 
 of Parliament refpeding Tithes, Oblations, ^c, oc- 
 cafion'd ; and this Uneafmefs increafing more and 
 more, by the Sufferings of many in divers Parts of 
 the Nation, who could not in Confcience comply 
 with that Ordinance -, at laft>^// Milton undertook 
 their Defence, in a Treatife intitl'd, Conft derations 
 touching the likelieft Means to remove Hirelings out of 
 the Church, Wherein is alfo difcours'd of TttheSy^ 
 
 G 4 Churcii ' 
 
26 Jf^ApPE'i^DlXtO 
 
 Church-Fees^ Church-Revenues -, a7id whether any 
 Maintenance of Minifters can he fetled by Laiv^ 
 This he addrefs'd to the Parliament of the Common- 
 wealth of England^ with the Dominions thereof: 
 Printed and publifhM in the Year 1659. Some of 
 his Arguments againft Tithes, are as follow. 
 
 ' What Recompence ought to be given to 
 ' Church-Minifbers God hath anfwerably ordain' d. 
 ' according to that Difference which he hath ma- 
 
 * nifeilly put between thofe His two great Difpen- 
 ^ iations, the Law and the Go/pel. Under the Law 
 ' he gave them Tithes *, under ii\\t Go/pel^ having 
 
 * left all Things in his Church to Charity ana 
 ' Chriftian Freedom, he hath given them only what 
 ' is juftly given them ; *That^ as well under the 
 ' Gofpel as under the Law^ fay our EnglifJo Divines, 
 ' and they only of all Proteilants, is Tithes •, and 
 ' they fay true, if any Man be fo minded to give 
 ' them of his ov/n the Tenth or Twentieth. But 
 ' that the Law therefore of Tithes is in Force un- 
 ^ der the Gofpel, all other Proteflant Divines, 
 
 * though equally concerned, yet conftantly deny. 
 ' For akho' Hire to the Labourer be of moral and 
 '• perpetual Right, yet that fpecial Kind of Hire, 
 ' the Tenth, can be of no Right or NecefTity, but 
 ' to that fpecial Labour for which God ordained 
 ' it. The fpecial Labour was the Levitical and 
 ' Ceremonial Service of the Tabernacle, Nu?n. xviii. 
 ' 21, 31. which is now abolifhed. The Right 
 ' therefore of that fpecial Hire muft needs be withal 
 •• abolifned, as being alfo Ceremonial. That Tithes 
 ' were Ceremcmal is plain ; not being given to the 
 ^ Levites till they had been firil offer'd an Heave- 
 ' Offering to the Lord, verf. 2±^ 28. He then who 
 ' by that Law brings Tithes into the Gofpel, of 
 
 * NecefTity brings in withal a Sacrifice, and an 
 \ Altar-, v/ithout which Tithes by that Law were 
 
 ^_^.' "tifancjified and polluted, verf. '^2. and therefore 
 "«; never thought on in the firii Chriftian Times, 
 
 * tiii- 
 
The Great Cafe ofTithzs^ &c: 87 
 
 till Coremonies^ Altars^ OhlationSy by an ancienter 
 Corruption, were brought back long before: 
 And yet the Jews^ ever fmce their Temple was 
 deftroy'd, though they have Rahhies and Teach- 
 ers o^xhtit Law, yet pay no Tithes, as having 
 no Levites to whom, no Temple where to pay 
 them, nor Altar whereon to hallow them ;' 
 which argues, that the Jews themfelves never 
 thought Tithes moral, but ceremonial only. 
 That Chriftians therefore lliould take them up, 
 v/hen Jews have laid them down, mufl needs be 
 very abfurd and prepofterous. 
 * This is fo apparent to the Reformed Divines of 
 other Countries, that when any of ours hath at- 
 tempted in Latin to maintain this Argument of 
 Tithes, tho' a Man would think they might fuf- 
 fer him without Oppofition, in a Point equally 
 tending to the Advantage of all Minifters, yet 
 they forbear not to oppofe him, as in a Do6lrine 
 not fit to pafs unoppos'd under the Gofpel. 
 Which fhews the Modefly, the Contentednefs of 
 thofe Foreign Paflors, with the Maintenance giv- 
 en them ; their Sincerity alfo in the Truth, tho' 
 lefs gainful ; and the Avarice of ours, who, thro* 
 the Love of their old Papiftical Tithes, confider 
 not the weak Arguments, or rather Conjectures 
 and Surmifes which they bring to defend them. 
 ' Certainly, if Chriil or his Apoftles, had 
 approved of Tithes, they would have either by 
 
 • Writing, or Tradition, recommended them to 
 the Church ; And that foon would have appeared 
 
 ■ in the Pra6tice of thofe Primitive, and the next 
 
 • Ages ; but for the firfl three Hundred Years 
 ' and more, in all the Ecclefiaflical Story, I find no 
 ' fuch Dodlrine or Example : Tho' Error ^ by that 
 ^ Time, had brought back again Priejls^ Altars^ 
 ^ and OUations ; and in many other Points of Re- 
 
 • ligion, had miferably Judaiz'd the rfnirrf^.^-^o^ 
 
 *• jthat 
 
§S An Append I x> 
 
 * that the Defenders of Tithes, after a long Pomp, 
 ' and tedious Preparation out of Heathen Authors, 
 ' telhng us, that Tithes were paid to Hercules and 
 
 * Apollo^ which perhaps was imitated from the 
 
 * Je^jos^ and as it were befpeaking our Expedlation, 
 <^ that they will abound much more with Authori- 
 
 * ties out of Chriftian Story, having nothing of 
 *■ general Approbation to begin with from the firfh 
 
 * three or four Ages, but that which abundantly 
 ^ ferves to the Confutation of rheir Tithes -, while 
 
 * they confefs that Church-Men in thofe Ages liv'd 
 ' meerly upon Free-will Offerings. Neither can 
 ' they fay, that Tithes were not then paid, for 
 ' Want of a Civil Magiftrate to ordain them, for 
 
 * Chriftians had then alfo Lands, and might give 
 
 * out of them what they pleas'd ; and yet of Tithes 
 
 * then given, we find no Mention. And the firfl 
 ' Chrifbian Emperors, who did all Things as Bi- 
 
 * fhops advis'd them, fupply'd what was wanting 
 
 * to the Clerg'j^ not out of Tithes, which were 
 
 * never mention'd, but out of their own Imperial 
 
 * Revenues, as is manifefl in Eufelhis^ "Theodoret 
 'and Sozomen, from Conftantine to Arcadius. 
 
 * Hence thofe Ancientefl Reformed Churches of 
 
 * xht U^aldenfes^ if they rather continu'd not pure 
 ' fmce the Apoftles, deny'd that Tithes were to 
 « be given, or that they were ever given in the 
 
 * Primitive Church, as appears by an ancient 
 ' Tra6late inferred in the Bohemian Hiftory. 
 
 ' Thus far hath the Church been always, whe- 
 ^' ther in her Prime, or in her ancienteft Reforma- 
 " tion, from the approving of Tithes; nor without 
 
 * Reafon ; for they might eafily perceive that 
 "- Tithes were fitted to the Jews only, a National- 
 ' Churchofmanyincompleat Synagogues, uniting 
 ^ the Accomplifhment of Divine Worfhip in one 
 
 * Temple ; and the Levitts there had their Tithes 
 > < paid, where they did their Bodily Work, to 
 •^'^ '' * which 
 
The Great Cafe (^/Tithes, &e. 8? 
 
 which a particular Tribe was fet apart by Divine 
 Appointment, not by the People's Elediono 
 But the Chriftian Church is univerfal, not ty'd 
 to Nation, Diocefs, or Parifh, but confifting of 
 many particular Churches com pleat in themfelves, 
 gathcr'd, not by Compulfion, or the Accident 
 of dwelling nigh together, but by free Confent, 
 chufing both their particular Church, and their 
 Church-Officers -, whereas if Tithes be fet up, all 
 thefe Chriftian Privileges will be difturb'd, and 
 foon loft, and with them Chriftian Liberty. 
 *■ The firft Authority which our Adverfaries 
 bring, after thofe fabulous Apoftolick Canons, 
 which they dare not infift upon, is a provincial ' 
 Council held at Cullen^ where they voted Tithes 
 to be Go4's Renty in the Year 356-, at the fame 
 Time, perhaps, when the three Kings reign'd 
 there, and of like Authority. For to what Pur- 
 pofe do they bring thefe trivial Teftimonies, by 
 which they might as well prove Altars, Candles 
 at Noon, and the greateft Part of thofe Super- 
 ftitions, fetch'd from Paganifm or Jewifm^ which 
 the Fapfty inveigl'd by this fond Argument of 
 Antiquity, retains to this Day ? To what Pur- 
 pofe thofe Decrees of I know not what Bilhops, 
 to a Parliament and People who have thrown out 
 both Bifhops and Altars, and promis'd all Re- 
 formation |Dy the Word of God.^ And that 
 Altars brought Tithes hither, as one Corruption 
 begot another, is evident by one of thofe Quefti- 
 ons which the Monk Auftin propounded to the 
 Pope, Concerningthofe Things^ which hy Offerings 
 of the Faithful came to the Altar ^ as ^^^^ writes, 
 L, I. f. 27. If then by thefe Teftimonies we muft 
 have Tithes continuea, we muft again have Altars, 
 ' Of Fathers, by Cuftom fo call'd, they quote 
 Ambrofcy Augufliney andfome other Ceremonial 
 Dodors of the fame Leaven ; whofe AiTer^t;r>n 
 
 * without 
 
J^ Appendix ta 
 
 without pertinent Scripture, no Reformed Churck 
 can admit. And what they vouch, is founded 
 on the Law of Mofis, with v/hich, every where 
 pitifully miftaken, they again incorporate the 
 Gofpel ; as did the reft alfo of thofe Titular Fa- 
 thers, perhaps an Age or two before them, by 
 many Rites and Ceremonies, both Jew'ijh and 
 Hcathemjh introduced •, whereby thinking to gain 
 all, they loft all : And inftead of winning Jews 
 and Pagans^ to be Chriftians, by too much con- 
 defcending, they turn'd Chriftians into y^zo'j and 
 Pagans. To heap fu ch unconvincing Citations as 
 thefe in Religion, whereof the Scripture only is 
 our Rule, argues not much Learning nor Judg- 
 ment, but the loft Labour of much unprofitable 
 Reading. 
 
 «• They produce next, the Ancient Conftituti- 
 ons of this Land, Saxon La-ws^ Edicts of Kings, 
 and their Councils, from Athelftone., in the Year 
 928, that Tithes by Statute were paid: and 
 might produce from i)?^, above 200 Years be- 
 fore, that Ro7nefcot^ or Peter's Penn^., was by a 
 good Statute-Law paid to the Pope, from 725, 
 .ind almoft as long continu'd. And who knows 
 not that this Law of Tithes, was enadted by 
 thofe Kings and Barons, upon the Opinion they 
 had of their Divine Right, as the very Words 
 import of Edward the Confejfor^ in the Clofe of 
 that Law : For fo hlejfed Auftin preach' d and 
 taught ? meaning the Monk, who firft brought 
 the Ro?niJh Religion into England from Gregory 
 the Pope. And by the Way I add, that by thefe 
 Laws, imitating the Law of Mofes^ the third 
 Part of Tithes only was the Prieft's Due, the 
 other two were appointed for the Poor, and to 
 adorn or repair Churches ; as tl>e Canons of Eg- 
 bert and Elf rick witnefs, ConciL Brit. If t;hen 
 thefe Laws were founded upon the Opinion of 
 
 ' Divine 
 
the Great Cafe of Tithes, d'c^ 51 
 
 I)Ivine Authority, and that Authority be found 
 miilaken and erroneous, as hath been fully ma- 
 nifefted, it follows, that thofe Laws fall of them- 
 felves, with their flilfe Foundations. But with 
 what Face of Confcience can they alledge Mofis, 
 or thefe Laws for Tithes, as they now enjoy, or 
 exad them *, whereof Mofes ordains the Owner, 
 as we heard before, the Stranger, the Fatherlefs 
 and the Widow, Partakers with the Levite ; and 
 thefe Fathers which they cite, and thefe, though 
 Romijh rather than Efiglijh Laws, allotted both 
 to Prieft and Bifhop the third Part only. 
 
 Another Shift they have to plead, that 
 Tithes may be moral as well as the Sabbath, a 
 Tenth of Fruits, as well as a Seventh of Days. 
 I anfwer, that the Prelates, who urge this Ar- 
 gunient, have leaft Reafon to ufe it ; denying 
 Morality in the Sabbath, and therein better a - 
 greeing with Reformed Churches abroad than 
 the reft of our Divines. As therefore the Se- 
 venth Day is not moral, but a convenient Re- 
 courfe of Worlhip in fit Seafon, whether Seventh 
 or other Number , fo neither is the Tenth of our 
 Goods, but only a convenient Subliftence mo- 
 rally due to Minifters. 
 
 ' The lalt, and IowtH Sort of their Arguments, 
 that Men purchased not their Tithe with their 
 Land, and fuch like Petty-Foggery, I omit, as 
 refuted fufHciently by others, (k) I omit ahb 
 their violent and irreligious Exaclions, related no 
 lefs credibly : Their feizing of Pots and Pans 
 from the Poor, who have as good Right to 
 Tithes as they ; from fome, the very Beds ; their 
 
 ' fuing 
 
 (t) ^Tis 'twt unlikely but th,it Milton bad an Eye i?i this VUec 
 to cur /luthor^ rvh in Page 5 1 has a^'jwired thofe J'gumen^ra^ 
 ObieStions* 
 
92 J;t A^P h2^ Dix to 
 
 < fuing and Imprifoning, worle than when the Ca- 
 • ndn Law was in Force : worfc than when thofe 
 wicked Sons of Eli were Priefts, whofe Manner 
 was f hus to fcize their pretended Prieftly-Due by 
 Force, i Sam. ii. 12. (5^c, ^Thereby Men abhor' d 
 ihe Offerings of the Lord \ and it may be fear'd, 
 that many will as much abhor the Gofpel, if 
 fuch Violence as this be fufFer'd in her Mini fters, 
 and in that which they alfo pretend to be the Of- 
 fering of the Lord. For thofe Sons of Belial^ with- 
 in fome Limits made Seizure of what they knew 
 was their own by an undoubted Law •, but thefe, 
 from whom there, is no San6tuary, feize out of 
 Men's Grounds, out of Men's Houfes their o- 
 ther Goods, of double, fometimes of treble Va- 
 lue, for that, which did not Covetoufnefs and 
 Rapine blind them, they know to be not their 
 own by the Gofpel which they preach. Of fome 
 more tolerable than thefe, thus feverely God hath 
 fpoken, Efa. Ivi. 10. ^c. They are greedy Dogs ; 
 they all look to their own Way^ every one for his 
 Gain^ from his garter. 
 
 ' With what Anger then will he judge them 
 who iland not looking, but under Colour of a 
 Divine Right, fetch by Force that which is not 
 their own, taking his Name not in vain, but in 
 Violence ^ Not content, as Gehazi was, to make 
 a cunning, but a cohftrain'd Advantage of what 
 their Mafter bids them give freely ; how can 
 they but return fmitten, worfe than that fhark- 
 ing Miniller, with a fpiritual Leprofy? And 
 yet they cry out Sacrilege, that Men will not be 
 gull'd and baffl'd the Tenth of their Eftates, by 
 giving Credit to frivolous Pretences of Divine 
 Right. 
 
 ' Where did God ever clearly declare to all 
 Nations, or in all Lands (and none but Fools 
 part with their Eftates, without clcareft Evi- 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 9 j 
 
 * dence, on bare Suppofals and Prefurhptions of 
 
 * them who are the Gainers thereby) that He rc- 
 
 * quir'd the Tenth as due to Him or His Son per- 
 
 * petually, and in all Places ? Where did he de- 
 
 * mand it, that we might certainly know, as in 
 
 * all Claims of Temporal Right isjuft and reafon- 
 ' able? Or if demanded, where did he aflign it, 
 
 * or by what evident Conveyance, to Miniflers? 
 ' Unlefs they can demonftrate this by more than 
 
 * Conjedlures, their Title can be no better to 
 
 * Tithes, than the Title of Gebazi was to thofe 
 
 * Things, which by abufing his Maftcr's Name, 
 
 * he rook'd from Naaman, Much lefs, where did 
 
 * He command that Tithes (hould be fetch'd hj 
 
 * Force, where left not, under the Gofpel ; what- 
 < ever his Right was to the Free-will Offerings of 
 ' Men ? Which is the greater Sacrilege^ to belie 
 « Divine Authority, to make the Name of Chrifl 
 ' acceffary to Violence, and robbing Him of the 
 ' very Honour which He aim'd at in bellowing 
 ' freely the Gofpel, to commit Simony and Rapine ^ 
 ' both fecular and Eccleliaftical •, or on the other 
 
 ^ Side, not to give up the Tenth of Civil Right 
 ' and Propriety, to the Tricks and Impoftures of 
 
 * Clergy -jnaen, contriv'd with all the Art and Ar- 
 f gument that their Bellies can invent or fuggeft ; 
 ' yet fo ridiculous, and prefuming on the People's 
 ' Dulnefs^ or Superftition, as to think they prove 
 
 * the Divine Right of their Maintenance, by Abram 
 ' paying Tithes to Melchifedec^ when as Melchifi- 
 ' dec, in that PalTage, rather gave Maintenance 
 ' to Abram ; in whom all, both Priefts and Mi- 
 
 * nifters, as well as Laymen, paid Tithes, not 
 ' received them. 
 
 ' The next Thing to be confidered in the Main- 
 
 * tenance of Miniflers is, by whom it fhould be 
 ' given. Wherein though the Light of Reafon 
 ' might fufficiently inform us, it will be befl, to 
 
 « confuk 
 
94 !^/^ A p p E N D I X ih 
 
 ^ confult the Scripture: Gal. vi. 6. Let him that h 
 
 * taught in the Word.^ communicate to him that teach- 
 *• eth^ in all good 'Things., that is to fay, in all man- 
 ^ net of Gratitude to his Ability, i Cor.ix. ii. 
 *' Ifive have fown unto you Spiritual 'Things^ is it a 
 <■ great Matter if we reap wiir Carnal Things I To 
 *■ whom therefore hath riot been fown, from him 
 
 * wherefore fnould be reaped? iTim.y, 17. Let 
 ' the Elders that rule well^ he counted worthy of 
 
 * douhle Honour^ efpecially they who labour in the 
 ' PFordandDocIrin^. By thefe Places we fee, that 
 
 * Recompence was given either by every one in 
 ' particular who had been infbrufted, or by them 
 < all in common, brought into the Church-Trea- 
 ' fure, and diftributed to the Minifrers according 
 ' to their feveral Labours, and that was judged 
 ' either by fome extraordinary Perfon, as Timothy^ 
 
 * who by the Apoftle was then left Evangelift at 
 « Ephefus^ 2 Tim. iv. 5. or by fome to whom the 
 ' Church deputed that Care. 
 
 ' This is lb agreeable to Reafon, and fo clear, 
 * that one may perceive what Iniquity and Vio- 
 
 * lence hath prevailed Rnce in the Church, where- 
 ' by it hath been fo ordered, that they alfo fhall 
 ^ be compelled to recompence the Parochial Mi- 
 ' nifter, who neither chcfe him for their Teacher, 
 "- nor have received Initruclion from him, as be- 
 
 * ing either infufBclent, or not refident, or infe- 
 ^ rior to whom they follow •, wherein to bar them 
 ' their Choice, is to violate Chriflian Liberty. 
 
 <" Our Law-Books teftify, that before the Coun- 
 ' c\\2it Later an^ in the Year 11 79, and the Fifth 
 
 * of our Hen. 2. or rather before a Decretal Epi- 
 
 * ftle of Pope Innocent the Third, about 1200, and 
 ' the firft of King John^ any Man anight have given 
 ' his Tithes to what Spiritual Perfon he would. And 
 ' as the L-ord Coke notes on that Place, Inflit. 
 <,Part2. T\\2.i this Decretal hound 7wt the Suhje^s 
 
 ' of 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 9 { 
 
 ^ of this Realm^ hut, as it feemed juft and reafonable, 
 ' The Pope took his Reafoa rightly from the a- 
 " bove cited Place, 1 Cor.\x. 11.. butfalily fup- 
 
 * pos'd every one to be inflruded by his Parilh- 
 ' Prieft. 
 
 *- Whether this were then firft fo decreed, or 
 
 * rather long before, as may be feen by the Laws 
 
 * of Edgar and Canute, that Tithes were to be 
 '^ paid, not to whom he would that paid them, 
 ^ but to the Cathedral-Church, or the Parifli- 
 ' Prieft, it imports not ; fince the Reafon which 
 ' they themfelves bring, built on filfe Suppofi- 
 ^ tiotis, becomes alike iniirm and abfurd, that he 
 ' fliould reap from me, who fows not to me ; be 
 
 * the Caufe either his Defeft, or my fret Choice. 
 ' But here it will be readily objeded, What if 
 
 * they who are to be inflruded, be not able to 
 
 * maintain a Minifler, as in many Villages ? I 
 ' anfwer, that the Scripture fhews in many Pla-. 
 ' ces what ought to be done herein. Firjl:^ 1 of- 
 ^ fer it to the Reafon of any Man, whether he 
 ' thinks the Knowledge of the Chriflian Religion 
 
 * harder than any other Art or Science to obtain, 
 
 * I fuppofe he will grant that it is far eafier, both 
 
 * of it felf, and in Regard of God's affifting Spirit, 
 ^ not particularly promifed us to the Attainment 
 ' of any other Knowledge, but of this only : 
 ' Since it was preached as well to the Shepherds of 
 ' Bethltm by Angels, as to the Eailern Wifemen 
 ^ by that Star-, and our Saviour declares himfeJt 
 ' anointed to preach the Gofpel to the Poor, Lukcf 
 ^■' iv. 18. then furely to their Capacity. They 
 *" who after him fii-ft taught it, were othcrwife un-- 
 ' learned Men : They who, before////^ andLutber, 
 
 * firft reformed it, were for the Meannefs of their 
 ^ Condition, called, The poor Men ofUions ; and in 
 ' Flanders at this Day, les Gueus, which is to fay 
 ' Beggars. Therefore are the Scriptures tranilatt^i 
 
 Ivl" ' into 
 
96 -4/; A P P E K D I X /^ 
 
 ' into every vulgar Tongue, as being held in main 
 « Matters of Belief and Salvation, plain and eafy 
 ' to the pooreft ♦, and fuch, no lels than their 
 ' Teachers, have the Sprit to guide them in all 
 
 * Truth, JohnxiY. 26. andxvi. 13. 
 
 ' Seeing then that the Chrillian Religion may 
 ' be fo eafily attained, and by meanefl: Capacities, 
 ^ it cannot be much difficult to find Ways, both 
 ' how the Poor, yea, all Men may be foon taught 
 
 * what is to be known of Chritlianity, and they 
 
 * who teach them recompenced. Firft^ if Mini- 
 ' flers of their own Accord, who pretend that 
 < they are called and fent to preach the Gofpel, 
 *■ thofe who have no particular Flock, would imi- 
 
 * tate our Saviour and his Difciples, who went 
 
 * preaching through the Villages, not only thro' 
 *- the Cities. Alat.ix. "T^r^. Markv'i. 6. Lukexm. 
 
 * 22. A5f5Ym. 25. and there preached to the 
 
 * Poor as well as to the Rich, looking for no Re- 
 ' compence but in Heaven •, John iv. o^c^^ 36. 
 ' Look on the Fields •, for they are white already to 
 « Harveft : And he that reapeth^ receivethfVages^ 
 ^ and gathereth Fruit unto Life EternaL [This was 
 ^ their Wages.] But they foon will reply, we 
 ' our felves have not wherewithal ; who lliall 
 
 * bear the Charges of our Journey ? To whom it 
 ' may as foon be anfwered, that in Likelihood 
 
 * they are not poorer than they who did thus ; 
 *• and if they have not the fame Faith which thofe 
 ' Difciples had, to trull in God and the Promife 
 
 * of Chrift for their Maintenance, as they did, 
 ' and yet intrude into the Miniilry without any 
 *- Livelihood of their own, they call themfelves 
 *• into a miferable Hazard or Temptation, and 
 
 * oft-times into a more miferable Neceflity, ei- 
 *^ ther to ilarve, or to pleafe their Pay-Mailers, 
 ^ rather than God : And give Men jufl Caufe to 
 •■ fufpecl, that they came neither called, nor fent 
 
 ' from 
 
The Great Cafe of TithcSj 6^'c: 97 
 
 ^ from above to preach the Word, but from be- 
 
 * low, by the Inflindl of their own Hunger to feed 
 
 * upon the Church. 
 
 ' St. Paul, though born of, no mean Parents, 
 
 ' a free Citizen of the Ro?nan Empire, fo little did 
 
 ' his Trade debafe him, that it rather, enabled 
 
 ' him to uTe that (/) Magnanimity of Preaching 
 
 * the Gofpel through y^fia and Europe at his own 
 ' Charges : Thus thofe Preachers among the 
 ' JValdenfes^ the ancient Stock of our ReformatiT 
 
 * on, without thefe Helps which I fpeak of, bred 
 ^ up themfelves in Trades, and efpecially in Thy 
 
 * fick and Surgery ^ as well as in the Study of Scrip- 
 ' ture ('which is the only true Theology) that they 
 ' might be no Burden to the Church ; and by the 
 
 * Example of Chrift, might cure both Soul and 
 ' Body; through Induftry, joining that to their 
 
 * Miniftry, which he join'd to his by Gift of the 
 
 * Spirit. Thus relates Peter Gilles in his Hiftory 
 
 * of the tValdenfes in Pied?nonL But our Miniilers 
 ' think Scorn to ufe a Trade, and count it the 
 
 * Reproach of this Age, that Tradefmen preach 
 
 * the Gofpel. It were to be wilh'd they were all 
 
 * Tradefmen *, they would not then fo many of 
 
 * theni, for Want of another Trade, make a 
 ^ Trade of their Preaching: And yet theycla- 
 
 * mour that Tradefmen preach j and yet they 
 
 * preach, while they themfelves are the worft 
 
 * Tradefmen of all. As for Church -Endowments 
 ' and Poffeffions^ T meet with none confiderable be- 
 
 * fore Conftantine^ but the Houfes and Gardens, 
 
 H 2 ' where 
 
 0) What "MWton calls Magnanimity of Preachim, John Locke 
 g^ies to be the Glovymgrohich the Apjik [peaks of in i Coj. ix. 
 15. For it were better forme to die, than that any Man 
 Ihould make my Glorying void, fohn Locoes Paraphrafs^ For 
 I had rather perilh for Want, than be depriv'd of what X 
 ^lory inj viz. preaching the Gofpd freely. 
 
98 An Appendix to 
 
 « where they met, and the Places of Burial : And 
 
 * I perfwade me, that from them the ancient JVal- 
 ' denfcs^ whom defervedly I cite fo often, held, 
 « That to endow Churches is an evil Thing •, and that 
 
 * the Church then fell off and turn'd Whore fitting 
 •^ on that Beaft in the Revelation^ when under 
 ^ Pope Silvefter fhe receiv'd thofe temporal Dona- 
 ^ tions. So the forecited Tradlate of their Do- 
 ' clrine teflifies. 
 
 ' This alfo their own Traditions of that hea- 
 «'venly Voice wirnefied, and fome of the ancient 
 " Fathers then living forefaw and deplored. And 
 
 * indeed, how could thefe Endowments thrive 
 
 < better with the Church, being unjullly taken 
 ' by thofe Emperors, without Suffrage of the 
 ^ People, out of the Tributes and publick Lands 
 ' of each City, whereby the People became liable 
 
 < to be opprelTed with other Taxes. Being there- 
 ' fore given for the moft Part by Kings and o- 
 ' ther publick Perfons, and fo likelieft out of the 
 
 * Publick, and if without the People's Confent, 
 ' unjuftly •, however to publick Ends of much 
 « Concernment to the Good or Evil of a Common- 
 « Wealth, and in that Regard made publick, 
 ' though given by private Perfons ; or which is 
 ' worfe, given, as the Clergy then perfwaded 
 « Men, for their Soul's Health, a pious Gift, but 
 « as the Truth was, oft-times a Bribe to God, or 
 ^ to.Chrifl for Abfolution, as they were then 
 
 * taught, from Murders, Adulteries, and other 
 ' heinous Crimes •, what ilia 11 be found heretofore 
 « given by Kings or Princes out of the Publick, 
 *- mayjuflly by the Magiftrate be recalled and re- 
 ^ appropriated to the Civil Revenue: What by 
 ' private or publick Perfons out of their own, the 
 ' Price of Blood orLuff, or to fome iuch Purgato- 
 ^ rfous or Superftitious Ufes, not only may, but 
 ^ ought to be taken cff from Chrift, as a foul 
 _ " < Diihonotir 
 
The Great Cafe ^/Tithes, &c. ^() 
 
 DIflionour laid upon Him •, or not impioufly 
 given, nor in particular to any one, but in ge- 
 neral to the Church's Good, may be converted 
 to that Ufe, which (hall be judg'd more diredly 
 to that general End. Thus did the Princes and 
 Cities ofGennaiiy in the firft Reformation ; and 
 defended their fo doing by many Reafons, which 
 are fct down at . large in Sleidan^ I. 6. Anno 
 1526, and/. II. Anno 1537, and /. 13. Anno 
 1540. But that the Magiflrate either out of 
 that Church-Revenue v/hich remains yet in his 
 Hand, or eftablifliing any other Maintenance 
 inftead of Tithe, ihould take into his own Pow- 
 er the Stipendiary Maintenance of Church-Mini- 
 llers, or compel it by Law, can Hand neither 
 with the People^ s Rights, nor with Chriftian Li- 
 berty^ but would fufpend the Church wholly up- 
 on the State, and turn her Miniflers into State- 
 Pen fi oners. 
 
 ' But to proceed farther in the Truth yet more 
 freely j feeing the Chriffian-Church is not Nati- 
 onal, but confiding of many particular Congre- 
 gations, fubjedl to many Changes, as well thro' 
 Civil Accidents as through Schifm and various 
 Opinions, not to be decided by any outward 
 Judge, being Matters of Confcience, whereby 
 thefe pretended Church-Revenues, as they have 
 been ever, fo are like to continue endlefs Matter 
 of DifTention both between the Church and Ma- 
 giftrate, and the Churches among themfelves, 
 there will be found no better Remedy to thefe 
 Evils, otherwife incurable, than by the incor- 
 ruptefl Counfel of thofe TValdenfes^ our iirfl Re- 
 formers, to remove them as a Peft, an Apple of 
 Difcord in the Church, ('for what elfe can be the 
 Effe6t of Riches, and the Snare of Money in 
 Religion ? ) and to convert them to thofe mor^fc 
 profitable Ufes above exprcfled, or other fuch, 
 H3 Us, 
 
too The Great Cafe of TithQSy &cl 
 
 « as ihall be judged moft neceflary ; confidering 
 « that the Church of Chrift was founded in Po- 
 ' verty rather than in Revenues, Hood pureft, 
 ^ and prolpered befl without them, received them 
 ' unlawfully from them, who both erroneoufly 
 
 * and unjuftly, fometimes impioufly, gave them, 
 
 * and fo juftly was enfnared and corrupted by 
 ^ them. 
 
 ' And leil it be thought that thefe Revenues 
 
 ' withdrawn and better employed, the Magiilrate 
 
 ' ought inftead to fettle by Statute fome Mainte- 
 
 ' nance of Miniflers, let this be confider'd firfi, 
 
 ■' That it concerns every Man's Confcience to 
 
 * what Religion he contributes ; and that the Ci- 
 ' vil Magiftrate is intrufled with Civil Rights on^ 
 
 * ly, not with Confcience, which can have no 
 
 * Deputy or Reprefenter of it felf, but only of 
 <■ the fame Mind. (;;/) 
 
 C»»)This Argument o^MUtorCs may be carried farther, thus, 
 In a State of Nature, none had a Right to oblige others to 
 the Support of a Religion they judg'd was difpleafing to God : 
 And none upon the entring into Civil Society, or Bodies Po- 
 litick, could be fuppos'd to be willing to impower the Ma- 
 giftrate to oblige them to beftow their Labour, or give any 
 Part of their Property for the Maintenance of a Religion they 
 thought God diliiked ; on the contrary, their entring into 
 Society was to be piotefted from this as well as any other 
 Impofitioh. And, 
 
 If it be unlawful for private Perfons to promote a Religion, 
 by doing of which they think they (hould offend God ; how 
 ean it be lawful for the Magiftrate, either dire£lly or indi- 
 letfly to compel them to it. 
 
 If the Magiftrate has no Right to deprive People of what 
 they gain by their Labour and Induftry for not being of his 
 Religion, we (hould be glad to know, how he comes to have 
 a Right to compel them to do this for the Maintenance of hi$ 
 Religion. 
 
The Great Cafe of JithcSj &c. loi 
 
 ^ Next, That what each Man gives to the Mi- 
 ' nifter, he gives either as to God, or as to his 
 
 * Teacher ; if as to God, no Civil Power can 
 ' juftly confecrate to rehgious Ules any Part ei- 
 « ther of Civil Revenue, which is the People's, 
 
 < and muft fave them from other Taxes, or of any 
 ' Man's Propriety, but God by fpecial Command, 
 ' as he did by MofeSy or the Owner himfelf by 
 
 * voluntary Intention, and the Perfwafion of his 
 
 * giving it CO God : Forc'd Confecrations out of 
 ' another Man's Eftate, are no better than forc'd 
 « Vows ; hateful to God, who loves a cheerful 
 y Giver ; but much more hateful, wrung out of 
 
 * Men's Purfes to maintain a difapproved Mini- 
 ^ ftry againfl their Confcience ; however unholy, 
 « infamous and difhonourable to his Miniflers and 
 
 * the free Gofpel, maintained in fuch unworthy 
 « Manner as by Violence and Extortion : If he give 
 
 < it as to his Teacher, what Juftice or Equity com- 
 ' pels him to pay for learning^ that Religion which 
 
 H 4 ' leaves 
 
 IftheMagiftrateisoblig'd to put all his Subjeas who a- 
 likecontribute to the publick Good (and hold no Opinions 
 inconfiftent with it} upon an equal Foot, how can he force 
 PartofhisSubje£ts t© contribute to the Support of a Religi- 
 on they cannot in Confcience comply with. Surely, they that 
 infill upon this, do not do as they would be done unto. 
 
 Bifhop madly fays, in his Anfwer to the Reprefentation 
 of the Committee of the Lower- Houfe of Convocation, p. 172. 
 " The Magiftrate (as I have often remarked) can reach with 
 " ii// his Power, no farther than outward Praftice 5 And the 
 " outward Aftions of Men, as thcyatFea Humane Society, 
 y' are the Objects of his Care and Concern.— —The Ma- 
 " giftrate is not by Temporal Punifhments or Sanations, to 
 " determine or concern himfelf wich v4;y Man's Religion as 
 " Religion, bat to hinder My Man's Religion or Confcience 
 <* from being hurtful to humane Society, by punifhing thofe 
 " outward Praftices which may proceed- from his Confcience, 
 *♦ for ought he knows, if they are fuch as are prejudicial ^ 
 ** the PiibUck, which is his peculiar Care, f i-,^. 
 
102 J,^ A P P. E 1<1 T> J % to 
 
 < leaves freely to his Choice whether he will learn 
 ' it or no, whether of this Teacher or another, 
 ' and efpecially to pay for whathe never learned, 
 ' or approves not ; whereby, befides the Wound 
 ' of his Confcience, he becomes the lefs able to 
 ' recompence his true Teacher. Thus far hath 
 ' been enquired by whom Church-Minifters ought 
 ^ to be maintained ; and hath been prov'd molt 
 <^ natural, mofb equal and agreeable with Scripture, 
 ' to be by them who receive their Teaching, 
 
 *■ It remains laftly to confider, in what Man- 
 « ncr God hath ordained that Recompence be giv- 
 <^ en to Minifters of the Gofpel : And by all Scrip- 
 t ture it will appear, that he hath given it to them 
 ' not by Civil Law and Freehold, as they claim, 
 ' but by the Benevolence and free Gratitude of 
 
 < fuch as receive them : Luke x. 7, 8. Eating and 
 ^ drinking fuch mjigs as they gi've you. If they re- 
 ^ cevve you^ eat fuch 'things as are fet he fore you, 
 
 * Mat. X. 7, 8. As ye go^ fr each faying,, the King- 
 
 < do7n of God is at Hand,, &c. Freely ye have re- 
 ' ceived, freely give- If God has ordained Mini- 
 ' ilers to preach 'freely, whether they receive Re- 
 
 < compence or not, then certainly he hath forbid 
 ' both them to compel it, and others to co7npel it for 
 « them. But freely given, he accounts as given to 
 « himfelf Philip, iv. 16, 17, 18. Te fent once and 
 
 < again to my Necejfity, Not becaufe I defire a Gift ; 
 « hut I defire Fruit that may abound to your Account, 
 « Having received o/Epaphroditus the Things which 
 
 * v: ere fent fr 0771 you., an Odour offweet Smell., a Sa- 
 « crifce acceptable,, well pie afi7tg to God. Which 
 
 * cannot be from Force or Unwillingnefs. The 
 « fame is faidof Alms, Heb. xiii. 16. To do Good 
 '• f.nd to commu7ii.c ate forget not^ for with fuch Sacri- 
 ' fees God is wcU pleafed. Whence the Primitive 
 
 < Church thought it no Shame to receive all their 
 t Maintenance tis the AJms of their Auditors: 
 
 ' Which 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c, k o| 
 
 Which they who defend Tithes, as if it made 
 for their Caufe, when as it utterly confutes them, 
 omit not to fet down at large ; proving to our 
 Hands out of Origen^ "Tertullian^ Cyprian^ and 
 others, that the Clergy had their Portions given 
 them in Bafkets ; and were thence called Sportu- 
 lariiy Bajket-Clerks : That theii* Portion was a 
 very mean Allowance, only for a bare Liveli- 
 hood •, according to thofe Precepts of our Savi- 
 our, MaL X. 7. &c. the reft was difrributed to 
 the Poor. They cite alfo out of Profper^ the 
 Difciple of Si. Auftin^ thatfuchof the Clergy 
 as had Means of their own, might not without 
 Sin partake of Church-Maintenance, not re- 
 ceiving thereby Food which they abound with, 
 but feeding on the Sins of other Men ; that the 
 Holy Ghoft faith of fuch Clergy-men, they eat 
 the Sins of my People : And that a Council at 
 Antiocb^ in the Year 340, fuffered not either 
 Prieft or Bifhop to live on Church-Maintenance 
 without NecefTity. Thus far Tithers themfelves 
 have contributed to their own Confutation, by 
 confefling that the Church lived primitively on 
 Alms. And I add, that about the Year 3 59, 
 Conftantius the Emperor having fummon'd a ge- 
 neral Council of Bifhops to Arhninum in Italy ^ 
 and provided for their Subfiftence there, the 
 Britijh and French Bifhops judging it not decent 
 to live on the Publick, chofe rather to be at their 
 own Charges. Three only out of Britain^ con- 
 ftrain'd through Want, yet refufing offer'd Af 
 fiftance from the refl, accepted the Emperor's 
 Provifion -, judging it more convenient to fubfifl 
 by publick than by private Suflenance, Whence 
 we may conclude, that Bijhops then, m this 
 Ifland, had their Livelihood only from Benevo- 
 lence, In which Regard this kelater Sulpitius 
 
 *■ SgvernSj 
 
io^ An A p p E N D I X to 
 
 * Severus, a good Author of the fame Time, highly^ 
 
 * praifes them. 
 
 *- And the TValdenfes^ our firfl Reformers, both 
 
 * from the Scripture and thefe primitive Exam- 
 
 ■ pies, maintained thofe among them who bore 
 ' the Office of Minifters, by Ahnsonly. Take 
 
 ■ the very Words from the Hiftory written of 
 
 * them in French^ Part 3. 1. 2. c. 2. La Noiirriteur 
 ' €t ce de quo-j nous Jo7nmes converts^ &c. Our Food 
 
 * and Cloathing is fufficiently adjimijl red and given us 
 
 * by fFay of Gratitude and Alms ^ by the good People 
 *• who7n ive teach. If then by Alms and Benevo- 
 
 * lence, not by Legal Force, not by Tenure 
 ' of Freehold or Copyhold: For Alms, tho*juft, 
 *" cannot be compelled •, and Benevolence forced, 
 *■ is Malevolence rather, violent and inconfiftent 
 ' with the Gofpel •, and declares him no true Mi- 
 
 * nifler thereof, but a rapacious Hireling rather, 
 ' who by Force receiving it, eats the Bread of Vi- 
 
 * olence and Exaction, no holy or jufl Livelihood, 
 
 * no not civilly counted honeft, much lefs befeem- 
 ' jng fuch Spiritual Miniftr y. But, 
 
 '^ They pretend that their Education either at 
 
 *" School or Univerfity, hath been very chargea- 
 
 ' ble, and therefore ought to be repaired in future 
 
 ' by a plentiful Maintenance; when as it is well 
 
 ' known, that the better half of them, are oft- 
 
 * times poor and pitiful Boys of no Merit, or pro- 
 ' mifmg Hopes, that might intitle them to the 
 ' publick Provifion, but their Poverty, and the 
 
 * unjuft Favour of Friends, have had moft of their 
 
 * Breeding both at School and Univerfity, by 
 ' Scholarlnips, Exhibitions and Fellowfhips at 
 ' the publick Coft ; which might engage them 
 
 * the rather to give freely, as they have freely re- 
 ' ceived. 
 
 ' BvT they will fay, we had betaken us to fome 
 
 ^ ocli^r Trade or ProfeflTion, had we not expecfled 
 
 t ! to 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c, j o 5 
 
 * to find a better Livelihood by the Miniflry, 
 
 * This is that which I looked for, to difcover them 
 ^ openly neither true Lovers of Learning, and fb 
 
 * very feldom guilty of it, nor true Miniilers oF 
 
 * the Gofpel. So long ago out of Date, is that 
 
 * old true Saying, i Tim. iii. i. If a Man defire 
 
 * a Bijhoprick^ he defires a good Work : For now 
 
 * commonly he who defires to be a Minifter. 
 
 * looks not at the Work but at the Wages •, and 
 
 * by that Lure, or Low-bell, may be toU'd from 
 ^ Parifh to Parifh, all the Town over. But what 
 
 * can be plainer Slmon'j. than thus to be at Charges 
 
 * beforehand, to no other End, than to make 
 
 * their Miniflry doubly or trebly Beneficial ? To 
 
 * whom it might be faid as juflly as that to Simon, 
 ^ Thy Money perifh with thee, hecaufe thou hafi 
 
 * thought that the Gift of God may he purchased with 
 
 * Money : "Thou hafi neither Part nor Lot in this 
 
 * Matter. 
 
 ' Next, it is a fond Error, though too much 
 
 * believed among us, to think that the Univerfity 
 
 * makes a Minifter of the Gofpel ; what it may 
 
 * conduce to other Arts and Sciences, I difpute 
 f not now: But that which makes fit a Minifter, 
 
 * the Scripture can beft inform us to be only from 
 
 * above; whence alfo we are bid to feek them, 
 
 * Matth, ix. 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the 
 
 * Harveft^ that he will fend forth Labourers into his 
 
 * Harveft. Adtsxx. 28. The Flock over which the 
 ^ Holy Ghoft hath made you Overfeers. Rom. x. 
 
 * 15. How fhall they preach, unlefs they he fent? 
 
 * By whom fent ? By the Univerfity, or the Ma- 
 
 * giflrate, or their Belly ? No furely . But fent 
 
 * from God only, and that God, who is not theii? 
 
 * Belly. And whether he be fent from God, or 
 
 * from Si/non Magus, the inward Senfe of his C^- 
 
 * ling and Spiritual Ability will fufRciently iell 
 
 * him J and that flrong Objigatfton felt ^within 
 
 *^him. 
 
io6 .^;^ A P P E N D I X t$ 
 
 * him, which was felt by the Apoftle, will often 
 ' exprefs from him the faid Words, i Cor. ix. i6. 
 
 * Neceffity is laid upon me^ yea^ Woe is me^ if I 
 ^-preaeh not the GofpeL Not a beggarly Neceffity, 
 ' and the Woe feared otherwife of perpetual Want, 
 
 * but fuch a Neceffity as made him willing to 
 *- preach the Gofpel Gratis^ and to embrace Po- 
 *■ verty, rather than as a Woe to fear it, i Cor, 
 *- xii. 28. God hath fet Jorne in the Church., firft Apo- 
 ^ files., &c. Eph. iv. 11. &c. Be ga>vefo7ne Apoftles., 
 
 * &c. For theperfcolingof the Saints., for the Work 
 
 * of the Mini fir y^ for the edifying of the Body of 
 ^ thrift., till we all cofne to the Unity of the Faith. 
 *■ Whereby we may know that as He made them 
 ' atthe firff, fo He makes them ilill, and to the 
 "- World's End. 2 Cor. iii. 6. Who hath alfo made 
 
 * us fit or able Alinifters of the New Teft anient, i 
 
 * Tim. iv. 14. The Gift that is in thee^ which was. 
 
 * given thee by Prophecy., and the laying on of the 
 
 * Hands of the Frefbytery. Thefe are all the means 
 
 * which we read of required in Scripture to the 
 
 * making of a Miniftcr : All this is granted, you 
 •= will fay : But yet it is alfo requifite he fhould be 
 *■ trained up in other Learning, which can be no 
 *• where had than at Univerfities. 
 
 ' I anfwer.. That what Learning, either hu- 
 ^ mane or divine, can be neceffary to a Minifter, 
 ^ may as eafily, and lefs chargeable, be had in any 
 
 * private Houfe. How deficient elfe, and to how 
 
 * little Purpofe, are all thofe Piles of Sermons, 
 
 * Notes and Comments on all Parts of the Bible, 
 
 * Bodies ifnd Marrows of Divinity, befides all 
 ' other Sciences, in our Englijh Tongue *, many of 
 ' the fame Books which in Latin they read at the 
 ' Univerfity ? And the fmall Neceffity of going 
 ' thither to learn Divinity, I prove, firft, from 
 ' the mofl; Part of themfelves, who feldom con- 
 *• tinue there till they have got through Logick, 
 
 \ ' their 
 
The Gr^at Cafe of Tithes, &c. lof 
 
 their firfl Rudiments •, though to fay Truth, 
 Logick allb may much better be wanting in 
 Difputes of Divinity, than in the fubtie Debate.^ 
 of Lawyers and Statefmen^ who yet feldom or 
 never deal with Syllogifms. 
 ' And thofe Theological Difputations there 
 held by Profeffors and Graduates, are fuch as 
 tend leaft of all to the Edification, or Capacity 
 of the People, but rather perplex, and leaven 
 pure Dodrine with Schoiaftical Trafh, than en- 
 able any Minifter to the better Preaching of 
 the Gofpel. Whence we may alfo compute, 
 fince they come to Reckonings, the Charges of 
 his needful Library ; which, though fome fhame 
 not to value at 600 /. may be competently fur- 
 nifhed for 60 /. If any Man, for his ov/n Curio- 
 fity or Delight, be in Books farther expenfive, 
 that is not to be reckon'd as necefTary to his Mi- 
 niflerial, either Breeding or Fun6lion. 
 
 ' But P^^i/?j and other Adverfaries, cannot be 
 confuted without Fathers and Councils, immenfe 
 Volumes, and of vail Charges. I will fhew 
 them therefore a fhorter and better Way of Con- 
 futation. Tit. i. 9. Holding f aft the faith fulWord^ 
 as he hath been taught^ that he may he able hy found 
 Do5frine, both to exhort and convince Gainfayers : 
 Who are confuted as foon as heard, bringing 
 that which is either not in Scripture, or againil it. 
 To purfue them farther, through the obfcure 
 and entangled Wood of Antiquity^ Fathers and 
 Councils^ fighting one againit another, is need- 
 lefs, endlefs, not requifite in a Minifter, and 
 refufed by the firit Reformers of our Religion. 
 
 * Neither fpeak I this in Contempt of Learn - 
 ' ing, or the Miniilry, but hating the common 
 ' Cheats of both ; hating that they who have 
 ' preached out BiHiops, Prelates and Canonifts, 
 ' fhouldj in what ferves their own Ends, retain 
 
 ' their 
 
lo8 'An Append I S id 
 
 ' their falfe Opinions, their Pharifaical Leaven^" 
 
 * their Avarice, and clofely their Ambition, their 
 ' Pluralities, their Non-refidences, their odious 
 ^ Fees^ and ufe their Legal and Popifli Arguments 
 ' for 'Tithes j that Independents Ihould take that 
 
 * Name, as they may juftly, from the true Free- 
 *■ dom of Chriftian Do6brine and Church Difcipline; 
 ' fubjed to no fuperior Judge, but God only, and 
 ' feek to he Dependents on the Magifirate for their 
 ^ Maintenance. Which two Things, Independency 
 
 * and State-Hire in Religion, can never confift long 
 ' or certainly together. For Magillrates at one 
 
 * Time or other, not like thefe at prefent (n) our 
 ' Patrons of Chriftian Liberty, will pay none but 
 ^ fuch whom, by their Committees of Examinati- 
 
 * on, they find conformable to their Interefts and 
 
 * Opinions ^ and Hirelings will foon frame them- 
 ' felves to that Intereft, and thofe Opinions, which 
 ' they fee beft pleallng to their Paymafters \ and 
 ' to feem right themfclves, will force others as to 
 
 * the Truth. 
 
 ' But moft of all, they are to be revil'd and 
 ' fham'd, who cry out with the diftin6t Voice of 
 
 * NotoriousHirelings, 'That if '^e fettle not our Main- 
 
 * tenance by Law, farewel the Gofpel ; than which no- 
 ' thing can be utter'd more falfe, more ignominioifs, 
 
 * and, I may fay, more blafphemous, againft our 
 ' Saviour *, who hath promifed, without this Con- 
 
 * dition, hoth his Holy Spirit, and His own Pre- 
 
 * fence with the Church to the fForld's End. Nothing 
 ^ more falfe (unlefs with their own Mouths they 
 ^ condemn themfelves for the Unworthieft and 
 ' mofl mercenary of all other Miniftersj by the 
 ^ Experience of Three Hundred Years after Chrift,, 
 
 'and 
 
 C«) The Parliament oftks Englifh Common-Wealth in \6^9 
 to whok Milton was Secretary /or Foreign Affairs. 
 
The Great Cafe of Tkhcsy S'cl io9 
 
 and the Churches at this Day in France^ Au- 
 ftria^ Polonia^ and other Places, witncffing 
 the contrary, under an adverie Magiflirate, not 
 a favourable ;• Nothing more ignominious, le- 
 velling, or rather undervaluing, Chrijl beneath 
 Mahomet. 
 
 ' For, if it mud be thus, how can any Chri- 
 ft'ian objed it to a Turk^ That his Religion ftands 
 hy Force only \ and not juflly fear from him this 
 Reply, T'oiirs both by Force and Money in the Judg- 
 ment of your own 'teachers. This is that which 
 makes Atheifts in the Land, whom they fo much 
 complain of : Not the Want of Maintenance, or 
 Preachers, as they alledge, but the many Hire- 
 lings and Cheaters that have the Gofpel in their 
 Hands : Hands that flill crave and are never fa- 
 tisfied. Likely Minifters indeed, to proclaim 
 the Faith, or to exhort our Trufl in God, when 
 they themfelves will not truft Him to provide 
 for them, in the MelTage whei-eon, they fay. 
 He fent them, but threaten for Want of Tempo- 
 ral Means to defert it ; calling that Want of 
 Means, which is nothing elfe but the Want of 
 their own Faith ; and would force us to pay 
 the Hire of building our Faith to their covetous 
 Incredulity. 
 
 ' Doubtless, if God only be He, who gives 
 Minifters to His Church till the World's End \ and 
 through the whole Gofpel, never fent us for Mi- 
 nifters to the Schools of Philofophy, but rather 
 bids us Beware of fuch vain Deceit,, CoJ. ii. 8. 
 (which the Primitive Church, after two or three 
 Ages, not remembring, brought hcrfelf quickly 
 ^ to Confufion.) If all the Faithful be now An Ho- 
 ' ly and a Royal Priefthood, i Pet. ii. 5, 9. not ex- 
 ' eluded from the Difpenfation of Things Holieft, 
 ^ after free Eledion of the Church, and Impofirion 
 ; of Hands, there will not v^^ant Minifters d^dcd 
 
1 1 o ^/; A p p £ N D I X r^ 
 
 *- out of all Sorts and Orders of Men^ for the Gof ■ 
 ' pel makes no Difference from the Magiftrate him- 
 
 * felf to the meayieft Artificer^ if God evidently fa- 
 
 * voiir him with Spiritual Gifts, as he can eafily, 
 ' and oft has done, while thole Batchelor Di- 
 
 * vines, and Dodtors of the Tippet, have been 
 
 * palled by. 
 
 ' Heretofore, in the firfl Evangelical Times 
 
 * (and it were happy for Chriftendbm if it were fo 
 ' again) Minifiers of the Golpel were by nothing 
 
 * elfe diftinguifhed from orher Chriflians, but by 
 
 * their Spiritual Knowledge, and Sandityof Life, 
 
 * for which the Church elected them to be her 
 
 * Teachers and Overfeers, though not thereby to 
 
 * feparate them from whatever Calling fhe then 
 *■ found them following befides, as the Exam- 
 
 * pie of St. P^z// cieclares, and the firfl Times of 
 
 * Chriflianity. 
 
 * When once they affedled to be called a Cler- 
 
 * ^y, and became as it were a peculiar "TriheofLe- 
 ' vites^ a Party, a diflin6t Order in the Common- 
 ' Wealthy bred up for Divines in Babling-Schools,. 
 
 * and fed at the Publick Coft, good for nothing 
 ' elfe but what was good for nothing, they foon 
 
 * grew idle •, that Idlenefs, with Fulnefs of Bread, 
 
 * begat Pride, and perpetual Contention with their 
 
 * Feeders, the defpifed Laity, through all Ages 
 
 * ever fince, to the perverting of Religion, and 
 
 * the Diilurbance of all Chrifiendofn. 
 
 ' And we may confidently conclude, it never 
 ' will be otherwife, while they are thus upheld 
 ' undepending on the Church, on which alone they 
 
 * anciently depended^ and are by the Magiftrate 
 ' publickly maintain'd, a numerous Fadion of 
 
 * indio-ent Perfons, crept for the moft Part out 
 ' of extreme Want and bad Nurture, claiming by 
 
 * Divine Right and Freehold^ the Tenth of our 
 ' Eftatesj to monopolize the Miniflry as their 
 
 • ' Peculiar. 
 
The Great Cafe of Titiies, d^c 1 1 1 
 
 Peculiar, which is Free and Open to all able 
 Chriftians, elected by any Church. 
 ' Under this Pretence, exe7npt from all other 
 Employment, and enriching themfelves on the 
 Publick, they laft of all prove common Incen- 
 diaries, and exalt their Horns againft the Ma- 
 giftrate himfeljf that maintains them, as the Prieft 
 of Rome did foon after, againll his Benefaaor 
 the P^mperor ; and the Prefbyters of late in Scot- 
 land, Of which Hireling Crew, together with 
 all the Milchiefs, DifTentions, Troubles, Wars, 
 meerly of their kindling, Chrifteyidom might foon 
 rid her felf and be happy, if Chriftians would 
 but know their own Bigitit^, their Liberty, their 
 Adoption, and let it not be wonder'd, if I fay 
 their Spiritual Priefthood, whereby they have 
 all equally Accefs to any Minifterial Fundlion, 
 whenever called by their own Abilities and the 
 Church, though they never came near Com- 
 mencement or Univeriity. 
 
 ' But while Froteftants, to avoid the due La- 
 bour of Underftanding their Religion, are con- 
 tent to lodge it in the Breaft, or rather in the 
 Books of a Clergy-man, and to take it thence 
 
 • by Scraps and Mammocks, as he difpenfes it, 
 
 • in his Sunday's Dole, they will be always learn- 
 
 • incr and never knowing \ always Infants, al- 
 
 • ways either his VafTals, as Lay-Prieds are to 
 ' their Priefcs, or at odds with him, as Reformed 
 ^ Principles give them fome Light to be not v/hol- 
 ' iv conformable, whence infinite Difturbances in 
 ' the State, as the^ do, mull needs follow. 
 
 ' Thus much I had to fay •, and I fuppofe, what 
 ^ may be enough to them v/ho are not avaricioully 
 ' bent otherwife, touching The likelieft Means ^ to 
 
 • remove Hirelings out of the Church-, than which 
 
 • nothing can more conduce to Truth, to Pcace^ 
 ' and all Hafvinefts both in Church and State, ., ^ 
 
112 ^;^ A P P E K D I X rf> 
 
 « If I be not heard nor believed, the Event will 
 * bear me Witnefs to have fpoken Truth .- And I 
 ' in the mean while have born my Witnefs, not out 
 ' of Seafon, to the Church and to my Country." 
 
 These, Reader, are the Sentiments of this 
 Learned Writer, concerning i'ithes and Hireling 
 Mip.ifters, to which we fhail add his Defcription of 
 Chrift's true Difciples and Followers -, and the 
 U'fage they have met with in the World through 
 all Ages of the Church, to this Day •, taken out 
 of tha: excellent Poem Of Paradife Loft. 
 
 After the Angel had told Adafn., how the 
 MeiTiah and Reftorer of Loft Man, to be born of 
 his Seed, Ihould be put to Death, and rife again 
 from the Dead, and afcend into Heaven ; the 
 Poet makes Ada??! to enquire thus of the AngeL 
 
 ' But Ja'j., if our Deliverer up to Heaven 
 ' Miift recifcend^ what will hetide the Few 
 ^ His Faithful J left at?iong th^ unfaithful Herd^ 
 * 'The E?ie?}iies of 'Truth ', who then fb all guide 
 ' His People^ who defe?id ? Will they not deal 
 ' Worfe with his Followers^ than with him they dealt f 
 
 ' Befure they wilU f aid tW Angela hut from Heaven 
 ' He to his own a Comforter will fend^ 
 ' The Pro?nife of the Father^ who fhall dwell 
 ' His Spirit within them *, and the Law of Faith 
 ' JVorking thro^ Love^ upon their Hearts fhall write, 
 ' To guide the?n in all Truth., and alfo ar??i 
 ' With Spiritual Armour ; alle to refift 
 ' Satan's AJfaults., and quench his fiery Darts., 
 ' IVhat Men can do againft them., not afraid^ 
 ' Tho^ to the Death., againft fuch Cruelties 
 ' With inward Confolations recompenc^ d^ 
 ' Andoft fupported fo as JImll amaze 
 
 • Their 
 
The Great Cafe of TitheSj &c. 1 1 
 
 ^ Tbeir proiukfi Perfecutcrs : For the Spirit 
 
 • Pour^dfirft onhis Apoftles^ whom he [ends 
 ' 2^' evangelize the 'Nations^ then on all 
 
 ' Baptiz'd^ JJjall then zvith wondrous Gifts endue 
 
 • To fpeak all 'Tongues^ and do all Miracles^ 
 
 ^ As did their Lord before thefn. Thus they win 
 
 ' Great Numbers of each Nation to receive 
 
 ' With jo J the tidings brought fro?n Heav'n : at 
 
 ' Their Miniftry perfor?7i' d, and Race zvell run^ 
 
 ' Their Bo^rine and their Story written left^ 
 
 ' They die -, but in their Room, as theyjorewarn, 
 
 ^ V<[o\Yts/IjallfucceedforTtd.c\\trs, grie\;QUsW olvQSy 
 
 ' Who all the facred Myderies of Heav'n 
 
 ' To their own vile Advantages Jh all turn 
 
 ' Of (o) Lucre and Ambition, and the Truth 
 
 ^ With Superftitions and Traditions taint, 
 
 ^ Left only in thofe Written Records ^^;t, 
 
 ' Tho^ not but by the Spirit underfiood. 
 
 *• Then /hall they fteem f avail themf elves of Names ^ 
 
 ' Places and Titles, and with thefe to join 
 
 *• Secular Pow'r, tho' feigning ft ill to a5i 
 
 =• By fpirituaU io themfelves appropriating 
 
 I 2 ' The 
 
 (o) Tke famous Quefnelle/^/j, That Avarice, and the Love of 
 Money has always pcrfe cute d ^efus Cbriftj Ihs Avarice of tbs 
 ^eroijl) Priejis during his Life-Time ; The Avarice of an Apofile 
 at his Death ; The Avarice of tke Soldiers after his P^jurrettion^ 
 and the Avarice of bad Clergy-man to the very End of the ll^o>-ld. 
 
 Uemofi A'ficient and meji Cruel Perfecutor of the Church 
 
 is Nioney in corrupt Clergy- men and in the Soldiers. See his J{e' 
 flefffow^owMat.xxviu. 1$. in the New^TeJiament with Moral 
 J(efle^ions, which was condemn d and prohiH:ei by tke Confiitu- 
 tion or Bull Unigenitus of Fopf. Clement xi. 
 
 L'avarice & Tamour des faux: Biens a toujours perfecute 
 jefus Chrift, L'avarice des Pretres Juifs, duranc faVie- 
 celled'unApotrcenfaMort; celledes Soldats, apresla'Re- 
 furreaion; celle des mauvais Eccldlaftiques jufque a la Fm 
 
 du Monde. Le plus ancient & le plus cruel Perlecuteur 
 
 dcl'EgUfe, c'eftl'Argent dans les Ecckfiaftiques corrcir.pus- 
 §: dairies Gensde Guerrs, 
 
114 J^ A p p E 1^ Diyi to 
 
 ' Tloe Spirit of God^ promised alike and giv^n 
 
 ' To all Believers ; and from that Pretence 
 
 ' Spiritual Laws by Carnal Pow^r Jh all force 
 
 ' On cv'ry ionfcience : Laws which none fiall find 
 
 ' Left them Enroird^ or what the Spirit within 
 
 ' Shall on the Heart engrave. What will they then 
 
 ' But force the Spirit of Grace it felf and hind 
 
 ' His Confort Liberty-, what^ but ul build 
 
 ' His living Temples., built by Faith to ft and., 
 
 ' Their own Faith not another'' s -, for on Earth 
 
 ' Who againft Faith and Confcience can be heard 
 
 * L fallible ? Tet many willprefwie : 
 
 *^ Whence heavy Perfecutionsfhall a rife 
 
 ' On all who in the Worfhip perfevere 
 
 *■ Of Spirit and Truth \ the Reft., far greater Part., 
 
 * Will deem in Outward Rites ^/z^fpecious F6rms 
 ^ Religion fatisff d \ Truth fh all retire 
 
 ^ Beftuck with f^nd' roiis Darts., and Works of Faith 
 
 ' Rarely be found : So fhall the World go on., 
 
 ^ To Good malignant., to bad Men benign^ 
 
 ' Under her own Weight groaning till the Day 
 
 ' Appear of Refpiration to the Juft., 
 
 ^ And Vengeance to the Wicked. ■ 
 
 But now to fpeaka little more of the Author of 
 the Great Cafe of Tithes : In the Year 1652, when 
 he was a Juftice of the Peace in Weftmorland., it 
 pleafed God to raife up, and fend forth as Minifters 
 of the Everlafting Truth and Gofpel of Chrift Je- 
 fus, feveral of the dcfpifed People call'd in Scorn 
 ^takers: And two of them being brought before 
 him and others, when fitting on the Bench, at the 
 Affixes held at Appleby ; in the Examination, a- 
 mongfl: other Q^ieftions, he puts this to one of 
 them,. 
 
 ' Why doft thoufpeak againft TITHES which are 
 allowed by the States ? 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &l\ 1 1 5 
 
 I meddle not ("faid the ^aker) with the States ; 
 I fpeak againft them that are Hirelings, as they 
 are Hirelings ; thofe that were fent of Cbrijl, never 
 took Tithes, nor ever iued any for Wages. 
 
 Juftice Pearfon reply'd, Dojl thou think we are [0 
 heggarly as the Heathens, that zve cannot afford our 
 JS/Linifters Maintenance ? IVe give it them freely. 
 
 They are ffaid the ^laker) the Miniiters of 
 Chrifl, who abide in the Doftrine of Chrift. 
 
 Juftice Pearfon reply'd, But who Jh all judge ? How 
 fhall we know them ? 
 
 By their Fruits (faid the ^aker) you fhall know 
 them •, they that abide not in the Do6trine of Chrifb, 
 make it appear they are not the Miniilers of 
 Chrift. 
 
 Juftice Pearfon reply'd, 'That is true. 
 
 At this very Trial, • we are well informed, our 
 Author v/as convinc'd of the Principles which the 
 fakers profefs'd, and foon after became an Ad- 
 vocate for them ; fo powerful was the Truth in 
 thofe Days, in the Mouths of illiterate Men ; Men, 
 who having experienced the purifying Virtue of 
 the Holy Spirit, were made willing, nay, were 
 conftrain'd by the Efficacy and Virtue of it, to go 
 forth into the World, and proclaim the Power of 
 God nigh in the Heart, for the cleanfing of Sin- 
 ners, if they would but turn their Minds unto it. 
 
 This Power, this Spirit of God, they having 
 found to be near, and in them, their MelTage was 
 to dired: the Minds of People, to Chrift in them- ' 
 felves, The true Light which ligfoteth every Man that 
 Cometh into the Worlds John i. 9. To this they re- 
 commended all People, to have Regard, as to 
 their true and only Teacher, Sandifier and Re-^ 
 dee men 
 
 I 3 BpT 
 
11^ JnAvp-Envis 
 
 to 
 
 But, to give it in the Words of (p) One of \\it, 
 Firil of thoie People, ' Now, fays iie, when the 
 ' Lord God, and his Son Jefus Chrift, did fend me 
 
 * forth into the World, to preach his everiafling 
 ' Gofpel and Kingdom, I was glad, that I was 
 ' commanded to turn People to that inward Light, 
 ^ Spirit and Grace, by which all might know their 
 
 * Salvation, and their Way to God -, even that 
 
 * Divine Spirit, v/hich would lead them into all 
 
 * Truth, and which I infallibly knew, would ne- 
 
 * ver deceive any. 
 
 ' But with and by this Divine Power and Spi- 
 ^ rit of God, and the Light of Jefus, I was to 
 ' bring People oft from all their own Ways, to 
 ^ Chriit the new and living Way ; and from their 
 ^ Churches fwhich Men had made and gathered) 
 *■ to the Church in God, the General Afiembly 
 ' written in Heaven, which Chrift is the Head of •, 
 V and off from the World's Teachers made by Men, 
 ' to learnof Chrifr, v/ho is the Way, the Truth, 
 ' and the Life, of whom the Father laid, nis is 
 '- my beloved SoH, bear him \ and off from all the 
 *- World's Worfhips, to know the Spirit of Truth 
 
 * in the inward Parts, and to be led thereby ; that 
 *- in it they might worfhip the Father of Spirits, 
 ^ who feeks fuch to worfliip him : Which Spirit 
 ' they that worfhipped not in, knew not what 
 ' they worfhipp'd. 
 
 ' And, I was to bring People off ixomjezvijh 
 ^ Ceremonies^ and from Heathenijb Fables, and 
 
 * from Merits Inventions and windy DoEirines, by 
 
 * which they blowed the People about, this Vv^ay 
 
 * and the other Way, from "^^tok. to Se6l •, and ail 
 .* their beggarly Rudhnejits^ with their Schools and 
 
 * Colkdges, for making Minifters of Chriff, who 
 
 ' .are 
 
 ifi) See George Fox's Journal, 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. 1 1 
 
 * are indeed Minifters of their own making, but 
 ' not of Chrift's. And all their Images and CroJJes^ 
 ^ and fprinklifig Infants, with all their Holy-Days 
 
 * (fo call'd j and all their vain Traditions, which 
 ' they had gotten up fince the Apoitle's Days, 
 
 * which the Lord's Pov/er was againil ; and in the 
 ' Dread and Authority thereof was I moved to de- 
 ' clare againfl them all , and againft all thatpreach- 
 
 * ed, and not freely ; as being fuch, as had not 
 
 * received freely from Chrifl.' 
 
 Here we fee, this Meffenger, whom the Lord 
 hadfrfl fitted and prepar'd by His Wifdom, Pow- 
 er and Spirit (by whofe Minijlry Thoufands were 
 turn'd to Chrifl in themfelves, and the true Wor- 
 fliip of the Father in Spirit and TruthJ was glad 
 that he waa fent by God to preach His everlafling 
 Gofpel and Kingdom ; and a Neceflity was laid 
 upon him, as on the Apofcle of old, fiicb a Nccef- 
 fity (to ufe Milton'' s Words (q) ) as made him willing 
 to preach the Gofpel Gratis ; a ft rang Obligation felt 
 within him, which was felt by the Apoftle -, and let 
 any one judge, whether this was not a better Com- 
 million and Authority than the Ordination of any 
 Bifhop, or even of the Pope himfelf. 
 
 Now as thefe Meffengers and Minifters of Chriff, 
 had receiv'd their Commiffion to preach, from the 
 Love of God firfl wrought in their Heart, fo by 
 the fam.e Love were they conflrain'd to call to, and 
 invite others to come and partake with them, of the 
 Love of God in Chrifl Jefus, which they had ex- 
 perienced : And at the fame Time to declare a- 
 gainfl all Hireling Minifiers. 
 
 In this Manner does that Meffenger, by whom 
 our Author was convinced, invite and call to Peo- 
 ple ; ' You poor fcattered Sheep, who have been 
 
 I 4 ' fcattered 
 
 (|) Sz% Fage 10^ 
 
J 1 8 .^;^ A P P E N D I X /^ 
 
 ' fcattered by thefe Hirelings, come out of the 
 
 * World, and Worldly Cares and Pleafures, and 
 
 * return to the Lord in Spirit, He is within you, 
 ^ and there, if you wait in Spirit, you fhall hear 
 ' Him fpeak to your Spirits, to the directing your 
 
 * Minds out of all the Works of Darknefs and Sin, 
 
 * up to God where no Sin is, nor unclean Thing 
 
 * can come. He is not to be found in the World,' 
 
 * nor formal Worfhips, nor in humane Wifdom 
 
 * and Learning , but He is only to be found as He 
 ' reveals Hiaifelf freely, to thofe who patiently 
 ' wait for Him in Spirit. 
 
 ' Dear People^ To you that love the Lord above 
 
 * all earthly Things, and yet have not your Minds 
 ' directed v/here to wait for Him, to you I fpeak, 
 
 * to your Souls, that lie in Death till they hear the 
 ^ Voice of the Son of God : He is yiear '^cu^ who is 
 ' the Way to the Father : Look not out. He is 
 « ivilbin you : That which I know declare I unto 
 ^ you, and the Way I know, where I have found 
 ' my Beloved, my Saviour, my Redeemer, my 
 
 * Huiband, my Maker, who hath fet m.e above 
 
 * all the World, my Sins, my Fears, my Sorrows, 
 ' my Tears, into His Love, to live with Him 
 
 * in Spirit for ever ; but dying daily to all viable 
 ^ Things : Praifes, Praifes to my Father for ever. 
 
 * The Night is far fpent, the Day is at hand-, 
 
 * come out of Darknefs all that love the Lord, into 
 
 * His miarvellous Light, where you fhall fee what 
 
 * you have been, and what you are redeemed from, 
 ' that you may live and praife the Lord ; for it is 
 ^ the Living that praife the Lord, and not the 
 
 * Dead/ Arife, come out of Death, come away, 
 ^ and let us rejoice together in His Love, in th.e 
 ^ Lifeofour J'Cing, even fo. Amen.' 
 
 These MefTen'gers who went forth thus, in the 
 
 Love of God, to win Souls unto Chriit, were no 
 
 Ways concern- d before hand, how they ihoM 
 
 ' have 
 
Tk Great Cafe o/Tithes, d'cl 119 
 
 l^ave a Mainienance, but loving Chriil above all^ 
 they left what was near and dear to them in this 
 World, and follow'd the Movings of His Holy 
 Spirit, as did the Apoftles of old : And when 
 fome, in Behalf of the Minifters of thofe Times, 
 ■p^tiuon' d Oliver Cromzvel znd the Parliament, to 
 fettle a Maintenance upon them, ' Left ('as they 
 ' fay in their Petition j the Want of fufficient Main- 
 ^ tenance Jhould lay them open to the Contempt of their 
 ' Perfons and Doclrme^ and put them upon a Temp- 
 
 * tation to hang upon the Favour of their Carnal Peo- 
 ' ple^ in a Man-pleafing JVay^ or he forced off of 
 ' their Gofpel Einployneni^ to attend on Food and Rat- 
 ^ ment : And laftly^ left their poor Widows and Fa- 
 *• therlefs he driven to Extremities when they are dead^ 
 ^ they heing able to lay up nothing for them^ while they 
 ' lived.' 
 
 This Petition of the ikfi;zf/?^rj, wasanfwered by 
 one caird a ^aker^ in a Paper addrefs'd to Oliver 
 Cromwel and thofe in Authority. ' It being %. 
 *• Matter of the greatell Concernment to every 
 *^ Man's Confcience that loves Chrill, not to up« 
 ^ hold any Miniftry, under any Pretence whatfo- 
 ' ever, vv^hich is not fent by Chrift; Therefore 
 ** take Heed, as you tender a pure Confcienre, to 
 ' give Liberty herein, that there be no forcing to 
 *^ uphold any one Soul that fay they are Mi?2ifters \ 
 ' but that every one herein make Proof of his Mi- 
 "- mftry, and fo fhall every Man's Reward be as his 
 
 * Worko And you Magiftrates fhall not need to 
 
 * meddle in this Thing, feeing God never required 
 
 * it at your Hands, to force a Maintenance., nei- 
 ' ther under Law nor Gofpel. 
 
 ' But if it befaid, this is the only Way to root 
 
 * out the Minifters of Chrift. / anfwer., It's the 
 
 * only Way to manifeft the Minifters o^ Chnik^ 
 « from the Minifters of Antichriil, and it will root 
 ^ out none but fuch whofe Care is firft for tl^eir 
 
 'Bellies, 
 
126 J'd Appendix/^ 
 
 * Bellies, who mind earthly Things, whofe IvTi^ 
 ' niftry ftands and falls by carnal Things, who 
 •= would be fure ot Wages before they do their 
 ^ Work •, yea, many of them have taken Wages 
 ' thefe forty or fifty Years, but yet no Work 
 
 * done, nor any brought out of Sin •, and thefe cry 
 
 * the Workman is worthy of his Wages, and call 
 
 * for Wages from fuch, for whom they do no 
 
 * Work ; but thefe are none of Chrifl's Workmen, 
 ^ who feek for their Wages from the World, for 
 
 * His He fends freely into the World, whenever 
 ^ afk'd any Thing of the World ; butfirfb plant- 
 
 * ed a Vineyard, then eat the Fruit of it ; iirfl 
 
 * fowed in Hope, and then were Partakers of their 
 ' Hope ; and where they had fown Spirituals, and 
 ' the Seed came up, there they reaped Carnal s, and 
 ' fo lived of the Gofpel, and not of the World. 
 
 ' And I demand of any one who owns the Scrip- 
 "^ tures, to -^vowt 2i forced Maintenance tixhtv under 
 
 < the Lav7 or Gofpel, but they were freely to 
 
 * bring it. But who art thou that fayefl the Times 
 ' are not fo now ? Thee I deny, and thy Mmifiry^ 
 " v/hich follows the Times, and not Chrift, nor 
 
 * the Saints Pradice in Scripture ; flop thy Mouth 
 
 < for ever being counted a Minijlerof Chrifl, who 
 
 * art not content with His Allowance, as His have 
 
 * always been, for God is not changed, nor His 
 ' Worfhip, nor Worfhippers. But if you fay, this 
 '^ will foon bring the Minijiers to be poor, I iay, 
 
 * you know not God, nor His Care for His, who 
 ' fo argue ; for never was the Righteous, nor that 
 *" Seed, begging Bread. Againfh that defponding 
 •^ Mind do I bear Witnefs, who was fent out with- 
 
 * out Bag or Scrip, or Money, into the mofb 
 
 * brutilli Parts of the Nation, where none knew 
 « me, yet wanted I nothing In Prifons, in Beat- 
 
 * ings, in Stonings, in Mocking, my Joy I would 
 
The Great Cafe of Tithes, &c. t ai 
 
 ^ not change for all the Paribnages in the World, 
 
 " nor Ihall any Hireling partake of it, 
 
 ' And you that would have oihtx^ forced to 
 
 ^ maintain your Teachers, but would not be forced 
 
 "• to maintain others who differ in Judgment, tho' 
 
 * nearer the Scripture than yours, how do you ful- 
 ' 111 the Law of Chrift, in doing as you would be 
 ' done by ? What is this but to Lord it over the 
 « Confcience of your Brethren ? * 
 
 Wren this Evangelical Dod:rine began to fpread 
 in this Nation, it fo alarm'd the Hireling Mimjiers 
 of all Denominations, that they rofe up as one 
 Man againftthePublilhers of it, and endeavour'd 
 to perfwade the People, that they were Deniers of 
 Chrift and His Ordinances, and that they under-- 
 valu'd the Holy Scriptures ; and fome who were 
 caird Independent 'Teachers^ (fuch as Milton (ays, 
 fought to he Dependent on the Magiflrate for their 
 Maintenance) apply'd themfelves to the Rulers^ and 
 fa id, ' It is our Defire^ that Countenance he n.t giv- 
 ' en unto^ nor Trtift repofed in the Hand of Quakers, 
 ' heing Perfons of fuch Principles that are deflruclive 
 ' to the GofpeU c^nd inconfiflent with Peace and Civil 
 
 * Society,' But this Requeft of the Indetendent 
 Teachers^ met with the following Animad^Trfion 
 from one call'd a ^aker j ' As for your Dc^fire 
 
 * that we fhould not have the Counten?n:e of 
 ' Men, we fay, the T.ight of God's Counr-aance 
 
 * is much better, and we cannot Ipok fo both 
 ' while Men take your Counfel ; and our Truft 
 < is in God, in whofe Hand we are, anc not in 
 
 * our own, and from Men we ma,y not feek Re- 
 ' pofe : Better it is (for the prefent) to fulTer with 
 « Chrift, than to reign in your Kingdom, or be 
 ' honour'd with your Glory. So in Patience ftands 
 ' our Peace with God, even whilft our Names are 
 ' caft out as evil with Men. But for your Accu- 
 ^ fation of our Perfons and Principles, to be 
 
 ''• deftruffivc 
 
I a-: 
 
 'An Append i x to 
 
 deftruclive to the Gofpel and Civil Societjr, tak? 
 that back again to your felves ; our Perlbns we 
 boaft not in, but our Principles are "Truths grounds 
 ed upon the Light of Jefus, and Leadings of His 
 Holy Spirit, and whatever is contrary we con- 
 demn ; and this we certainly know will never be 
 deilruftive to Chrift's Gofpel, only your Gofpel 
 it will deilroy, whofe Foundation ftands not up- 
 on the Power of the Spirit of Jefus, but upon 
 Tithes, or fome fetled Maintenance carnal, as 
 full^ ^s>feciire by a carnal Law^ elfe it is liable to 
 BeJlrifJtion^ as your felves confefs. {r) And this 
 know, that your Gofpel, that mufi needs be de- 
 flroyed if Tithes fall, is not that Gofpel which 
 the Apoilles preached -, for that Gofpel began 
 moft of all to flourifli when Tithes went down, 
 the Priefthood that received them, and the Law 
 that gave them ; which you may read of in the 
 Apoftle's Epiftle to the Hebrews (which Law 
 never took Tithes by Force^, as the PapijVs Law 
 did.) And now you have often laid, That who- 
 foever preaches another Gofpel^ let: him he accurfed ; 
 fo take heed that your own Words condemn you 
 not, and your own Weapon pierce not your own 
 Bowels-, for the Lord hath heard your Words. 
 And this we know, that the Gofpel of Chrift 
 which the Apoftles preached, was upheld by the 
 Power of an endhfs Life^ by which they were alfo 
 made able Minifters, and did not fall when Tithes 
 fell, but then fo much the more flouriilied into 
 fuch Bounty, that the Publifhers, thereof, who 
 had nothing, did in it enjoy all Things ; Which 
 
 ' Gofpel 
 
 (r) Ibefs Independent Teachers hxdfaidy We judge than the 
 taking away Tithes for the Maintenance of Minifters, until 
 as fall a Maintenance be equally fecured, and as legally fet- 
 ied, <Lends much to the Dcftruaion of the Miniftry^ and 
 Fi^eaching of the Gofpel, in thefe Nations. 
 
The Great Cafe f?/ Tithes, 6^c. 123 
 
 Gofpel both your Words and your Actions de- 
 clare daily you Jive not on ; but like Men who 
 
 * have loll theCounfel of God, you ad both contra- 
 
 * ry to Law and Goipel. Was not this the Counfel 
 ' of God in the Time of the Law, when the Priefls 
 ' had only Tithes to live on, that then they fhould 
 
 * have no Magillrate to force the??i^ but freely they 
 ' were to bring their Offerings, that fo he might 
 
 * engage the Pried to himfelf, who w^as his Porti- 
 
 * on ; and then they never wanted, while they 
 
 * kept the Word, and their Lips preferved Knov/- 
 ' ledge to the People. But when the Prieftsfor- 
 ' got God, then, like Prieil, like People, and 
 ' then they juftly wanted as God had faid. And 
 ' \Vould you now have the Magiftrate to make a 
 ' Law to take People's Goods, and give to fuch 
 ' as do not firft beget People to God ? Is this to 
 
 * live on the Gofpel, or to eat of your own Fruits, 
 ' as Chrift's Minifters do and ever did ? Thus may 
 *- the Magiftrate do for a while againft the Lord, 
 ^ and opprefs the Innocent, to feed the Fat and 
 
 * Idle, but the Account is at Hand, in vv^hich it 
 
 * will be faid. Did I require it at your Hands ? Ain 
 
 * not I of Power to maintain my own Servants^ who 
 
 * have the Hearts of all in my Hands ? Or, what 
 ' Laws will you make for me^ who fiever 7nade Ufe 
 « of any in this Cafe, but the Law of Love, to be ful- 
 ' jiird in a free Spirit, for in the Houfmld of Chrifi 
 ' is no Strife about Carnal Things ? And that Prin- 
 ' ciple is deftrudive to the Gofpel of Peace, which 
 ' admits of Strife about their Bellies, or framing 
 ' Mifchief againft another by a Law to fill them- 
 ' felves. 
 
 '- Wherefore take heed, yt Rulers, fif it be 
 « not too late) how you meddle with Chrift's King- 
 ' dom, but kifs the Son, and yield him His King- 
 ' dom in tender Confciences ; touch not the Apple 
 « of the Eye, which fees that tg be Sin and EWL 
 
 ^ which 
 
124 ^/; A P P E K D I X<^ 
 
 < which yet you do not, of which you have ofcen 
 ' been warned. But if you will make Laws, let 
 ' the Scriptures be your Rule without, and the 
 « Spirit of Chrlft within, enlightning the pure Con> 
 ' fcience, that fo you may become tender-hearted 
 « in the Fear of God, that the Edge of your Sword 
 
 * may be turned againfb open Wickednefs, being 
 ' touched with a true Senfe of what grieves the Spi- 
 
 * ritofChriftin your felves, being joined to the 
 « Lord in one Spirit and Life. And this will be 
 ' your Wifdom, the Intereft of Chrifl and His 
 « People, and from thence you will receive better 
 
 * Counfel, and truer Judgment than that which 
 
 * would ftir you up to perfecute and force tender 
 « Confciences againft their Faith and Knowledge 
 ^ receiv'd of the Lord Jefus, in Matters of His 
 *■ Worfhip, to ferve Men of corrupt Minds, hav- 
 ' ing Hearts exercifed with covetous Pradtices, 
 ^ who cannot ceafe from Sin, and ftirring up Na- 
 ' tions to devour one another to accomplifh their 
 *^ own Ends/ 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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 Where alfo may be had. Bibles, Teftaments, Concordan- 
 ces, Spelling Books, Primers, Horn-books, Writing Paper, 
 Account- books for Merchants and Shopkeepers with other 
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Books Printed and Sold by the Affigns of J. Sowle^ at 
 the "^ible in George-Tard^ Lombard-^reet, 
 
 Collection of the Works of the memorable William 
 Penri, Governour oi Fenjihania. In two Volumes, Fo- 
 lio. To which is prefix'd a Journal of his Life, with many 
 original Letters and Papers not before pnblifhed, pr. 50 s. 
 
 The Hiftory of the Rife, Increafeand Progrefsof the Chri- 
 ftian People called Quakers, intermixed with feveral re- 
 markable Occurrences. Written originally in Low Dutch by 
 William Sewel, and by himfelf tranflated into Engliih. The 
 fecond Edition in Englifh, revis'd and publifn'd with feme 
 Amendments, price 14 s 
 
 The Chriftian Progrefs of that ancient Servant and Mini- 
 ller of Jefus Chrill, George Whitehead, hiflorically relating 
 his Experience, Miniflry, Sufferings, Trials and 5ervice, la 
 Defence of the Truth, and God's perfecuted People, com- 
 monly called Quakers. In four Parts, with a Supplement to 
 ^he fame, price 5s 6d 
 
 The Life and Pofthumous Works of i^ichard Claridge, be- 
 ing iMemoirs and Manufcripts relating to his Experiences 
 and Progrefs in Religion : his Changes in Opinion and Rea- 
 fons for them : with Efiays in Defence of feveral Principles 
 and Practices of the People called Quakers. Colleded by 
 Jofeph BefTe, price 5s 
 
 Sacred Hif!ory : Or the hiflorical Part of the holy Scrip- 
 tures of the Old and New Teftament, gathered out from the 
 other Parts thereof, and digeited (as near as could be) into 
 due Method, with Refped to Order of Time and Place, with 
 fome Obfervations here and there, tending to illuflratefome 
 Paflages therein, and a Table to the whole, by Thomas 
 Ellwood, in two Volumes folio, price 20s 
 
 The Works of the long mournful and forelydiftrefledlfaac 
 Pennington, in folio, price 12s 
 
 Truth's Vindication : Or, a gentle Stroke to wipe off the 
 foul Afperfions, falfe Accufations and Mirreprefentaticns,, 
 cailuponthe People of God called Quakers, both v/ith Re- 
 fpedt to their Principle, and their Way of pcofely ting People 
 over to them, by E. Bathurft, price is 
 
 An Eday concerning the Reftoration of primitive Chvi^i- 
 anicy, in a ConduQ truly pious and religious, the fecond E- 
 dition with Additions, ny Thomas Beaven, price i^s 
 
 Acompleat Index to William Pena's Works, price 6i 
 
Eooh Printed and Sold by the Jjfi^fJs of J, Scwk, 
 
 A Journal, or lii/lorical Account of the Life, Travels, 
 Suiterings, Chridian Experiences, and Labour of Love in the 
 Work of the Miniflry of that ancient, eminent and faithful 
 Servant of Jefus Chrilt, George Fox, the fecond Edition^ 
 in two Vollumes, price los 
 
 A Colleaion of many Seleftand Chriflian Epillles, Let- 
 ters and Tefcimonies, written on fundry Occafions, by G. 
 Fox, folio, price los. 
 
 Gofpel-Truths demonflrated, in a ColIe6:ion of Dodrinal 
 Books, given forth by that faithful Minifter of Jefus Chrift, 
 George Fox, containing Principles eflential to Chriilianity 
 and Salvation, held among the People called Q]iakers, folio. 
 
 A Plea for Mechanick Preachers, fbewing, iJJ, thst the 
 following a fecular Trade or Employmene, is confident with 
 theOfficeof a Gofpel Minifter. id/y^ thn humane Learning 
 is no eflential Qualification for that Service. With a necelTa- 
 ry Diftinftion between the Art and the Gift of Preaching, 
 by Richard Claridge, price 6d 
 
 Some Confiderations on Ele6lioa and Reprobation, re- 
 commended to the Perufal of all fuch as hold the fame to be 
 abfolute, and of particular Per fons, without Refpedt to their 
 Works as good or evil, by T. Thurgood and J. Crackanthorp. 
 
 Some Confiderations relating to the prefent State of the 
 Chriflian Religon, in 2 parts, by Alex. Arfcote, pr. is 5d 
 
 Supernatural Influences neceflary to Salvation, being a 
 Vindication of the 4th Propofition of R.Barclay's Apology 
 for the true Chriftian Divinity. In anfwer to Thomas Chubb's 
 Treatife, entituled. An Examination of Mr, Barclay's Priil- 
 pples, with Regard to Man's natural Ability fince the Fall. 
 by Thomas Beaven, price 6d 
 
 The Agency of God, and the Agency of Man, co-v/orking 
 in the Salvation of Man, being a fecond Vindication of the 
 4th Propofition of R. Barclay's Apology *, In Rejoinder to a 
 Treatife of T. Chubb's, entituled, Humane Nature vindica- 
 ted : by T. Beaven, price 6d 
 
 Scripture Evidence defended, in anfwer to T. Chubb's 
 Tract, entituled. Scripture Evidence confider'd : Being a 
 Review of theControverfy betwixt Thomas Chubb and Tho- 
 mas Beaven, relating to the aforefaid Propofition, by Tho- 
 mas Beaven, price cd 
 
 A Journal of the Life of William Edmundfon, price 3s 
 
B(wki Printed anj Sold by the y^fflgns of], Sowle. 
 
 An Apology for the true Chrifiian Diviniry, as the fame 
 is held forth, and preached by the People called in Scorn 
 Quakers^ being a fun Explanation and Viiidicacion or tneir 
 Principles and Oodlrines, by many Arguments deduced firm 
 Scripture and right Reafon, and the Teflim-^.iies cA fam >us 
 Authors, both ancient and modern, with a full A fwcr to 
 the flrongefi; Objedlions ufually made agatDll them, by Robert 
 Barclay, tbe fifth Edition in Englifh, price 4s. 1 he fecond 
 , Edition in Latin 5s, In French 5s- In Spanilh 5s. 
 
 A brief Account of the Life, Convincement, Sufler'ngc, 
 Labours and Travels of that faithful Minifter of Chrifl Jcfus, 
 Chriftopr er Story, price is 
 
 Fruicsot a Father's Love: being the Advice of Wilhani 
 Penn to his Children, relating to their civil and religious 
 Condud:. Written occalionally many Years ago, and now 
 made publiok for a general Good. By a Lover of his MeraJ- 
 ry, price pd 
 
 The ChriflianQuaker -and his divine Teflimony, ftated 
 and vindicated from Scripture, Reafon and Authority, by 
 William Penn, price 2s 
 
 NoCrofs, No Crown. A Difcourfe ftewing the Nature 
 and Difcipline of the holy Crofs of Chrift, by William Penn, 
 in two parts, thefeventh Edition, price 3s 
 
 Some Fruits of Solitude, in Refledions and Maxims rela- 
 ting to theCondudt of humane Life, in two parts, by Willi- 
 am Penn, price is5d 
 
 William Penn's Key in Englifh, the fourteenth Editicn, 
 price 4d Alfo in French and Danifh, 
 
 A Defence of a Paper entituled Gofpel Truths, againd the 
 Exceptions of the Bifhop of Cork's Teflimony (againft the 
 Quakers) by W. Penn, price is " 
 
 A brief Account of the Rife and Progrefs of the People 
 called Quakers, in which their fundamental Principle Do- 
 flrines, Worfhip, Miniftry and Difcipline, are plainly decla- 
 red, loprevent the MiftakesandPerverfions that Ignorance 
 and Prejudice may make to abufe the credulous, with a fum- 
 mary Relation of the former Difpenfations of God in the 
 .World, by way of Inirodudion, by W, Penn, price is 
 
 Budds and Blolloms of Piety, with fome Fruit of the Spii it 
 ofLove, and Diredions to the Divine Wifdbm, in Verie, 
 byB^ A' price 1% 
 
Booh Frinted and Sold by the J^jjigns of J. Sowle. ' 
 
 Truth triumphant, through the Spiritual Warfare, Chri- 
 ftian Labours and Writings of that able and faithful Servant 
 of Jefus Carifc, Robert Barclay, who deceafed at his own 
 Hoiife at llry ia the Kingdom or Scotland, in r, Vol. pr. 12s 
 
 The FJiltory of the Life of Thomas Ellwood, or an Ac- 
 count of his Birnh, Education, ^c> with divers Obfervations 
 on his Life and Manners when a, Youth : and how he ^carne 
 to be convinced of the Truth, and his many Sufferings and 
 Services for che fame. Alfo feveral other remarkable PafTages 
 and Occurrences^ written by his own Hand, price 3s 6d 
 
 Dayideis: the Life of David King of Ifrael, a Sacred 
 Poem, in five Books, by T. Ellwood, price 2s 6d 
 
 Vindicipi Yeritatis : Or an occafional Defence of the Prin- 
 ciples and. Practices of the People called Quakers, in Anfwer 
 to a Treatife of John Stillinfieet's, mifcalled, Seafonable Ad- 
 vice concerning (>Hkerirm,6^^. by D. Phillips, M. D. p. is6d 
 Fruics of Recireinent \ or mlfceilaneous Poems, moral and 
 divine, being fome Letters, Contem.pladons, tifc v/riitenon 
 Variety of Subjecis, by M. Mollineux, price is 6d 
 
 Mufa Parasuetica, or a Tractate of Chriflian Epiftles on 
 fundry Occallons, in Verfe, by W. Mafley, price 6d 
 
 An Account of W. Penn's Travels in Holland and Germany 
 for the Service of the Gofpel of Chrifi:, by way of Journal,,. 
 containing alfo divers Letters and Epiftles, wris to feveral 
 great and eminent Perfons, whillt there, the third Edition, 
 with Additions, price 2s 
 
 The Works of that memorable and ancient Servant of 
 Chrifl:, Stephen Crifp, containing alfo a Journal of his Life^ 
 giving an Account of hisConvinceaiene, Travels, Labours, 
 andSuiTerings, in and for the Truth, price 5s 
 
 Scripture-Truths demonftrated in32< Sermons or Decla- 
 rations of Stephen Crifp, esaclly taken in fhort-hand, as 
 they were delivered by him ia the publick Meeting Houfes 
 of the People called Quakers in London, and now faithfully 
 tranfcribed and publilhed with fome of his Prayers after Ser« 
 moQ, price ::;3 
 
 Samuel Fidier's Works, in folio, price los 
 The Spirit of the Martyrs reviv'd, in a brief compendious 
 Colledtionof che men: remarkable Paflages and living Tefti- 
 monies of the true Ghurcb and Seed of Gqd, and failhful 
 Martyrs in aj] Ages, price 5s 
 
rMifrn.",?,t°'°9'cal Semi, 
 
 1 1012 01099 9961 
 
 "^^y-Speer Library 
 
 Date Due 
 
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