TITHE NO Gospel Maintenance FOR Gospel Ministers. In an EPISTLE to all who conscientiously suffer for not Paying them. By William Loddington: Haec olim meminisse juvabit. Posterity shall reap the Fruits, Of your hard Sufferings by Tythe-suits. LONDON, Printed, and Sold by T. Sowle, near the Meetinghouse in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-street. 1695. To the Priest that Sues for Tithe. DID thy Parish'oners themselves invite Thee to their Pulpit? Do they still delight To hear thee Preach? 〈◊〉 I shall not gainsay. Nulla volenti fit injuria. He that is free to hear, should freely pay. But if within thy Parish any dwell, Who see the Way, which doth thy Ways excel; Here is for Thee and Them a Dram that may God's Power Coworking, purge thy wrath away; And strengthen them, that in a Suffering Season, Men may not judge them wilful, void of Truth having taught us rightly to divide What things are God's, and what's on Caesar's side. Let not Man's Idol Self divert thine Eyes, Then this may prove to thee a richer Prize Than Levi's Tithe. For if thou wouldst advance Christ's glorious Gospel; trust his * 1 Cor. 1.9, 14. Maintenance. W. L. TITHE NO Gospel Maintenance FOR Gospel Ministers. Dear Friends, IN the weighty Sense of God's Honour, and the People's Welfare, both which are eminently concerned in your Sufferings, do I salute you; desiring all Grace and Peace, Courage and Constancy, may be in You. You may probably expect harder Sufferings than many others, for many of those you have to deal with, neither want Wit to disgrace us, nor Malice to pursue us to the utmost of their Chain. I doubt not but you are well satisfied in the Goodness of your Cause, though some of you may not have so many words in readiness to defend it, as others. But inward Satisfaction is beyond Words. Yet this I knowing by long Experience, That it's a Refreshment and Delight to hear that Cause justified by others, for which I suffer, I am concerned to add this Mite for that end partly, as also to inform impartial Readers we have Scripture and Reason with us. I know many able Friends have abounded in this subject, I have only this to say, I know none in so few words. It's the more probable Men of Business will sooner read it. First, We may observe for our Encouragement, how the Clergymen (so called) of late Years, have retreated from pleading for Tithe upon a Gospel Account. With their Jure Divino, People formerly were very much frighted: But now (blessed be God) there is so much Light broken forth, as discovers the Darkness of those kind of Arguments for Tithe; which the Priest himself perceiving, runs now to the Law of the Land, as his best plea for Tithe. Take one instance out of a Learned Man's Commentary upon Heb. 7. after a large pleading for Tithe, he closeth up his Matter with this Question, ‛ Why are Tithes under the Gospel paid to Ministers? Mark his Answer verbatim, ' It is for the most part the fittest Proportion, and that the very Heathen did observe about their Ministers. When God himself set down a distinct and particular Portion for his Ministers (he should have said Priests) he judged a Tenth part most convenient. Hereupon (saith he) good Governors have in all their Commonwealths thought meet to establish such a Portion, and where such a Portion is established by Law, the People are bound in Conscience to observe the same. Thus we see how so Great and Learned a Man as Dr. Gouge found himself necessitated, pag. 129. to clench up his whole Argument for Tithe in his day, with the Law of the Land. And now it's become a general plea for it. But a little more to this Heb. 7. because I read it as the plainest Text in all the Scripture to prove Tithe abolished. The Author in this Chapter principally treats of the Levitical Priesthood, and their Maintenance, by way of Comparison to Christ and his Ministry, as if he had lived in our day, and heard our Controversy about Tithes. Therefore to end, or rather to prevent all such Disputes, he first proves Christ to be an Highpriest after the Order of Melchisedeck, and not after the Order of Aaron, and therefore his Ministers not to be maintained, as the Others Priesthood. Mark how he grants, ver. 5. That the Sons of Levi, who receive the Office of the Priesthood, have a Command to take Tithes of the People according to the Law, that is of their Brethren; but in ver. 12. The Priesthood being changed, there is made of Necessity a change also of the Law. If any ask, Of what Law? What Answer can be with Sense or Reason, but of the Ceremonial Law, and especially of Tithes, that Priesthoods Maintenance, as a Branch of that Law, and in particular mentioned by the Apostle upon this Occasion. Nothing can be more plain; for if he had believed, that Tithes were to be paid to Christ's Ministers, here was a very fit Opportunity to confirm it. But for as much as the Law of the Land is most pleaded now; I turn to that. ‛ Obj. The Law (say the Clergy) which compels People to pay them Tithe, is very just, for Tithe is not theirs, they did not buy them when they bought their Lands, but the purchase was the cheaper, because they were Tythable. Ans. The common Answer to this is not to be omitted, viz. That the Writings do not except the Tithes, if they had, the Objection had been good; but the common form of Deeds, is to have and to hold every part and parcel of the Premises, with the Appurtenances. But further, It's but reasonable, such Tythe-sick Land should be sold cheaper than other Land; for if the Buyer have Faith and Patience to suffer for the Good of Posterity, he must expect great Sufferings and Charges, before it be Cured of this Evil. For it's not to be done by any outward Force or Might, but by the Spirit of the Lord, Zach. 4.6. The Lamb in time will have the Victory, Rev. 12.11. It's well observed in our Common Grammar, Daemona non Armis sed Morte subegit jensus. And we may truly say— Dencima non Armis sed Morte necatur jesu, Legibus, aut Armis non revocanda feris. Tithe, not by Arms, but by Christ's Death being slain; No Laws, or Arms can give it Life again. But a little more to this, because it's the most common, and thought the strongest Objection. I grant as aforesaid, I bought Land the cheaper for being Tythable. I will freely give Two and Twenty Years Purchase for Tythe-free Land, rather than Twenty for Tythable. But what is that to the Priest? This gives him no Right to it. Nor can any Law, as a Salary for Preaching; for Christ hath established a Maintenance for his Ministers, and it's not in the power of any Government under Heaven to change it. Wherefore such as Demand Tithe by virtue of the Law of the Land, either confess by so doing, that Christ hath not commanded it; or that refusers to pay are disobedient to his Commands, or else that they like not his Law for their Maintenance, Luke 10.7. All which are liable to many Absurdities. Naked Truth speaks thus of Tithes, in the Second Part, pag. 30. ' 'Tis the idlest of Dreams to say, That because the Priesthood under the Law▪ the Levites, had the Tithes of the whole Land, that therefore by the same Reason, Ministers of the Gospel, should have the same Proportion and Allowance out of all men's Estates, and that it is Sacrilege to detain them. For is the Parish Priest the Twelfth part of the Parish he lives in, though you also number with him his Family, if he have any? Or are the Clergy and their Families the Twelfth part of England, as the Tribe of Levi was the Twelfth part of Israel. And therefore, saith he, ‛ it is an idle Dream, and a Bugbear, to call detaining of Tithe, Sacrilege; except it can be proved, that God, or Christ, or the Apostles ever took (or commanded to be taken) the Tenth to Gospel Ministers, (as God expressly commanded the Tithes of all Israel to the Levites) that bear no proportion in Number to the Tribe of Levi, nor are the Tenth part, nor scarce the Hundred part of most Parishes, and yet shall lick up the whole Tenth of the Parish. He further adds in the same page, concerning those great Tithes which by Henry VIII. were taken from the Abbots and Nuns, ‛ That they, as gotten by a Cheat, Escheated to the King by the Law of the Land. Now whether all the rest of the Clergies Tithes were not gotten by a Cheat, as much as the Abbots and Nuns, and may as lawfully Escheat to the King as the other, I leave to more able Judgements to determine, when it shall be judged expedient by the Government, to Debate it. But until a Seizure be made by the Government, totally taking away the Sacerdotical use thereof as aforesaid, I know none have more Right to the Tithe, than the Owners of the Land: Because I believe all clergymen's Claims are of no force, and all who conscientiously refuse to pay them, say as much in plain English, by their denial of them: For they cannot demand Tithe but upon the Account of their Ministry, and other Ecclesiastical Offices, which if they neglect, the Law will not give it them. Wherefore by paying Tithe in Obedience to such a Law, I practically own and support that Priesthood, Offices and Calling. And it's but an Equivocation to say I disown them, and yet pay to maintain them. Every Eye may see, fear to suffer, is the Motive to pay, whatever is pretended. Nor will it excuse to say, it's paid only in Obedience to the Law; for by that Argument I may as lawfully go to Mass as to Meetings, if a Law should command it, which God forbidden. ‛ Obj. I have seen an Objection in to spring from the Root, viz. That by denying Tithes we teach the Tenants to Popish Landlords, to pay them no Rent, because they may employ it to Popish Services. Ans. Proper Comparisons explain things, improper cast a Mist before the Reader's Eyes. Popish Landlords do not let their Lands upon Condition, the Rent shall be paid to their Priests by the Tenant, for saying Masses, if they should, I know no Protestant that would be their Tenant. They let their Lands as other Men, to have the Rend paid to themselves; and it's not a Tenants Concern, to inquire what his Landlord will do with his Rent. ‛ Obj. But further, the same Author very plausibly, and no doubt very strongly in his own Opinion, returns the thing upon us thus, as if the Case were our own. If you or I (saith he) should by a Deed for Ever, give a Ninth part of our Estates, to Teachers of our own Persuasion, over and above the Tenth, which is none of ours, and should after sell the remaining Eight parts, and abate the Buyer proportionably in Price, would you not count such a Buyer a Thief, if he should take that Ninth part, and call it his own, saying, We gave it to a bad Use? Ans. No, I should rather count the Seller a Cheat, and the Buyer a Fool. For instance; Suppose the Land thus sold contains Ninety Acres, is not he a Cheat, that gives away Ten of them, and yet sells me the whole Ninety? for my Deed must mention, either Eighty or Ninety. If but Eighty Acres is expressed, it's folly to claim any more; but if the whole Ninety be in, I am no Thief to keep it all. ‛ Obj. But here it will be replied, that though the whole Ninety Acres were in the Writing, yet I had an implicit Abatement, in Consideration of my paying the Ninth part to such Preachers. Ans. The Reason of this Abatement, when the Bargain was made, was either mentioned or not; if it was, and agreed unto by the Buyer, the Objection is good, but if it was not, as generally it is not, in the Case of Tithe, than this Objection, takes for granted, that the Buyer must do, what the Seller thinks he must do. This is childish, to suppose, that a Seller's Thoughts must be a Rule for the Buyer's Actions. 2. But secondly, This implicit Abatement begs, what I utterly deny, viz. That a Man may bind his Heirs to pay what he gives to uphold such Religions ●nd Forms of Worship as he himself believes to be right. The very Government of England have denied this; for by their taking Tithes as aforesaid, from the Roman Clergy, to whom they were first given, and giving them to their own Clergy, they plainly declare, That Gifts given to bad Uses, are not binding, nor aught to be employed to such purposes. To confirm this, hear what one Brightman, a Famous Man in his day, saith in his Exposition of Rev. 17.16. ‛ By what Right doth Rome challenge her Territories? What did the Emperors give it them? Just so as Constantine gave his Palace to the City of Rome. ‛ But admit (saith he) that Pepin and Charles, gave them all this, they gave it, when they knew not what they did: They thought they did it to advance the Christian Religion; but seeing it is now found out by lamentable Experience, that there was never any thing hath more redounded to the undoing of the Church, and the overthrow of Piety, than this Bounty of theirs, why should not the Emperors take their own again? That the Civil Magistrate hath power to convert Payments from Religious Ceremonies to Civil Uses, is indisputably confirmed by our Saviour himself, both by paying and commanding that Tribute to be paid which is mentioned, Mat. 17.24. and Chap. 22.21. For if Godwin's Records of those Times, and the Marginal Notes in our Bible's be true, that Tribute had been long paid to the Temple at Jerusalem, Exod. 30.13. And this is very probable, for if it had been an ordinary Tribute, there had not been such Ground to scruple it. But Caesar's taking it from the Temple, might exasperate the Jews, as well others as the Galileans, and raise the Question so high, as, Whether it were lawful to pay it him or not? But Christ ends the Controversy, as before said, without disputing Caesar's Authority to receive it, which doubtless they which came to trap him, thought he would have done, or else I see no Snare in their Question, ver. 17. But to return a full and final Answer to this Objection. You may see plainly how it begs all them for Fools, who deny Tithes to be a Maintenance for Gospel Ministers, by supposing them willing to encumber their Land with what they disown: And their Ministers also to be of the same Principle to receive such a kind of Maintenance, which is not to be supposed in this Case. Thus we see how ignorantly Men argue when out of Truth, how confusedly they jumble things Temporal and Spiritual together, supposing things not to be supposed, to make a Paint for Diana Tithe. And then follows harsh words, as Cheats, and Thiefs, for not paying it. But what care some, so long as they can quiet their Minds with this, That they have a Law for it. So did Informers of late, and the Jews of old, Joh. 19.7. But whether a Law will stand the Trial before the Great Lawmaker of Heaven and Earth, is too often the least part, though it should be the principal Part of every Man's Examination, before he conform to it. But are not such of Vespasian's Humour? who when he was advised not to lay a Tax upon Urine, it is said he answered, Dulcis odor lucri ex re qualibet. No kind of Profit comes amiss, If got by a Law, tho' it stinks like Piss. ‛ Obj. Lastly, The Priest hath one more fling at us, saying, His Title to the Tenth is as good as ours to the other Nine parts; and that the Law hath given him a Right to it, as much as of the Rest to us. Ans. This fair show hath a false Foundation. For the Law creates not a Right or Title to things of this Nature betwixt Man and Man. Gift or Purchase is the true Ground of Right and Property. When a Man Buys an Estate, or hath it given him, it is truly his own, before any Writings be made; yet we go to Counsel to have them drawn, to secure it from false Claims. So the Law in this Case may fitly be compared to a Man of War, which defends the Merchant's Goods from Pirates. But the Merchant's Title to his Goods is not derived from the Man of War. ‛ Obj. If any Reply, That the Law gives the Poor a Right to the Rates or Taxes charged upon our Land without our Consent. Ans. The Poor's Right to Relief is grounded upon the Law of God, Leu. 25.35. Rom. 15.26, 27. Gal. 2.10, etc. and he is not a Christian that denies it: Therefore it's not the Law of the Land, that gives the Poor an Original Right to Relief; it only doth, as aforesaid, secure Relief to them, by commanding equal Collections for them in all Parishes. I might further show, if it were needful, how unreasonable it is for the Priest to force those to pay him, that never hear him, or receive any Benefit by his Ministry. But most People's Eyes are open to see this. I know no Man, not concerned in Tithe, nor blinded with Prejudice, but will grant, there is as little Reason, why I should be compelled to maintain a Minister of his Religion, as for him to maintain one of mine: Or for me to build or repair a Place for him to worship in, as for him to repair one for me. This Fruit would naturally grow upon the Tree of Conscience Liberty, did not some kind of Brids' spoil the Blossoms. Truth hath always pure Reason on its side, and it teaches every Friend rightly to their measure to answer Questions of the hope in them, 1 Pet. 3.15. And I pray with the Apostle, 2 Thes. 3.2. to be delivered from unreasonable Men, for such have not Faith. But I shall briefly conclude this about Reason, with those Ingenious Verses of Palingenius concerning it, Lib. 8. Quicquid Aristoteles vel quivis dicat eorum Dicta nihil moror, a vero quum forte recedunt. Nemo putet sibi me addictum; mihi flectere mentem Solo solet Ratio, Ratio Dux fida Sophorum: Hanc scrutator amet veri, imprimisque sequatur. When Learned Rabbis, or great Aristotle, Recede from Truth, their Talks but Tittle Tottle. Let no Man think me to himself to bind, Reason, pure Captain Reason rules my Mind; And every Man's, that seeks the Truth to find. So, dear Friends, I have given you very plain and short Answers to the strongest Arguments, I ever heard for the Priest's Tithes. I pray God convince all in Power, that we are not against any Man's Civil Property; nor that we deny Tithe because it's a burden to our Estates, but to our Consciences. We know our Saviour hath put an end to them, and we dare not continue them: But are made willing rather to suffer the severe Penalties of the Law, as Writs of Rebellions, Sequestrations, Outlawries, Triple Damages, and Imprisonments unto Death. Lord incline the Government to take off these hard things, before the Cry of the Oppressed bring down greater Calamities than yet we have seen. In the mean time, that we may stand faithful and patiented under all, to the End, is the Desire and Prayer of, Your True Friend, W. L. POSTSCRIPT. IN the End of many Bible's there is a Form of Prayer, for private Families, bound up no doubt but by Consent of Authority. It gins thus, Almighty and most Merciful Father— and about the middle it goes on thus— And because thou hast commanded us to pray one for another, we do not only make our Request (O Lord) for ourselves, but for all People and Nations of the World, who as they know by thy Wonderful Works, that thou art God over all, so they may be instructed by thy Holy Spirit to believe in thee their only Saviour and Redeemer. But for as much as they cannot believe except they hear, nor cannot hear but by Preaching, and none can Preach except he be sent: Therefore (O Lord) raise up faithful Distributers of thy Mysteries, who setting apart all Worldly Respects, may both in their Life and Doctrine only seek thy Glory. Contrarily confound Satan, Antichrist, with all Hirelings, (and Papists in some Copies) whom thou hast already cast off into a Reprobate Sense, that they may not by Sects, Schisms, Heresies and Errors disquiet thy little Flock. And because (O Lord) we be fallen into the latter Days and dangerous Times, wherein Ignorance hath gotten the upper hand, and Satan by his Ministers, seeks by all means to quench the Light of thy Gospel, we beseech thee to maintain thy Cause against those Ravening Wolves, and strengthen all thy Servants, whom they keep in Prison and Bondage. Quis non subscriberet— Amen? FINIS.