GOOD works, If they be well handled. OR, certain Projects about Maintenance for parochial Ministers. Provision for and Election of Lecturers. Erection and endowment of new Churches in the great out Parishes about London. 2. Sam. 24.24. And the King said unto Aranah, nay but I will surely buy it of thee at a price, neither will I offer burnt offerings, unto the Lord my God, of that which doth cost me nothing. 1 Tim. 5.17. Let the Elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and Doctrine, for the Scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the Ox, that treadeth out the corn, and the Labourer is worthy of his reward. 1 King. 6.7. The house when it was in building, was built of stone, made ready before it was brought thither, so that there was neither hammer nor Axe, nor one tool of Iron, heard in the house while it was in building. LONDON, Printed by T. F. for I. S. 1641. The Epistle to the Reader. THere is much talk among many men, of advancing the Preaching of the gospel; but few do cast, in their thoughts, how to effect it, unless by ways that may be no cost at all unto themselves, nothing being so base, in their eyes, as the preaching, & Preachers of the gospel; whereof for buy and sinister ends, their tongues speak Magnifically: they would have Preachers every hour in their Pulpits, but, as they have beggars at their doors, clothed in Rags, and bowing down to them for morsels of bread, and their Sermons like so many suits for a farthing, their preachers must be all of the mendicant order, and above all other orders and ranks of men, live upon their alms and Benevolence, that bear no farther goodwill to preaching then as it may be a shoeing-horn to their esteem and gain; this being their godliness, and that their God; more Churches and Preachers they would have, but upon the charge of these they have already by di●iding the mainten●̄ce, that is hardly paid to halves, as if H●nun when he ha● cut o●f David's servants Garments to the Buttocks, should after have cut them off to the shoulders, as being long enough to serve, each of them, a man and his fellow: they would serve God abundantly; but be charged to it very sparingly, esteeming David weak in judgement, for that Speech. God forbid I s●ould serve the Lord with sacrifice of that which costs 〈◊〉 nought. True love is liberal. Benevolentia and Beneficentia are never severed; therefore you may know these sheep in a feigned show, to be in truth, lions by their Claw. I know the thing they desire to be good, and wish the advancement thereof, but abhor Robbery for burnt Offering. I wish the gospel, and the preaching of it set forward, as much as any man, accounting it a work of Piety; but would it should be done in ways of justice and righteousness. The price of a Whore God a●●orres in his house, and so doth he likewise the promoving of his honour by injustice, unrighteousness cannot advantage holiness: yet I have seen some evils of that nature under the sun, masked under pretence of love to more preaching, while there is little care to maintain that in honour, or to live answerably to that we have already. Yet am not I of their mind, that would keep both milk and meat from children, because they eat much and thri●e little, but would they should be fed to the full; knowing, if they abuse their Food, they shall account for it, to their grief; but those that fed and provided for them, with joy, their labour and care, for the welfare of the people, being their Liberavi. To further therefore this purpose, I have drawn a rough Breviate of some things, which may promove that, that many talk much of, but do little to help forward, If my Seed fall into good ground, it may bear desired Fruit, if my Projects come to be managed by good Heads and hearts, they may be very honourable to God, and profitable to men; for, they be good works, if they be well handled. God send my Wood to fall into the hands of that workman that hath skill to make Mercury of it. GOOD works, If they be well handled. THat the glory of God may be advanced, by the preaching of the gospel, and the Salvation of men's souls promoved, and love and peace preserved among Ministers and their people, these things may be desired, as tending that way; especially in the City of London, to which Meridian my thoughts are calculated only, leaving the provision for other places, to men better experienced in them. First, because in many places where Ministers be willing to preach in the afternoon, as well as in the morning, on the Lord's day, if they might be encouraged by sufficient maintenance. And because, where either the Minister is not able, or not willing, the people's Benevolence being uncertain to the Lecturer they make choice of, they are forced to humour the people, often, unworthily, and to make sides and Factions against the Minister, to his great discontent and discouragement, it were to be wished. First, that in every Parish in London, within the walls especially, where the Benefices are, most of them, incompetent, that a sufficient and independent maintenance may be provided for the incumbent. 1. Because, if he be faithful in his ministry, or otherwise become displeasing to some part of his people, a dependent and benevolent allowance will be restrained, in whole, or in part. 2. Be he what he will be, it will decay of itself in time, by the change of Parishioners, succeeding men being not always of like affections to preceding. 3. When Ministers grow old, and have most need of comfort, they are commonly despised, although their former constant labours of youth & strength, have merited never so much respect from the Church: for the new generation, that comes up in their age, proves unto them like the new King, that knew not Joseph. 4. And because there is great inequality of paying tithe in London, the rich men, for the most part paying very little; some that are worth many thousands, and dwell in houses of 40.50, 60.100 l. per annum, and some more, which pay for tithe 20. s. 16. s. 10. s. yea 11. s. 9 d. per annum, which is a shameful thing, so that the Ministers maintenance ariseth, for the most part, from the meane●● and poorest people, in which respect, that little maintenance he hath falls short many years in a great part; especially in hard, or sickly times; in which, Residence deserves greatest reward. 5. And, for that it is conceived by the Ministers in London (among whom, divers are men of approved Learning, Piety, and Fidelity in their ministry) that the city-sacrilege is great and monstrous, and maintained by deceitful double Leases, and other wicked devices (not practised in any other part of the kingdom, except London) to avoid the Decree, whereby the Benefices within the walls, are mean and poor, and London, a place where all things are dear, and nothing to be had, but by the penny. 6. And, forasmuch as the Citizens do live in all affluence, and abundance of wealth and riches; which comes in by far less pains than the Country man doth take; whose gains are, notwithstanding, far inferior, and his tithe and maintenance paid to his Minister, far superior, the richest Citizen in London hardly paying so much, as a Country man, that hath but twenty, or ten pound Land per annum, in his occupation. 7. And, that the snare may be taken from off their consciences, which will lie upon them, while the Decree is in force, and so vilely perverted, is it is at the present. 8. And, that Ministers may have a comfortable m●intenance, fit to support them, in the City they live in, while they live; and to afford them something, to leave to their wives and children, when they shall die; that they may not go on begging, when their Husbands and Fathers are departed from them; and also, that they may be able to relieve poor strangers, and other poor, that they are frequented by for succour, far beyond any Ministers in the kingdom. In these respects, it might be wished, there were a new Decree made for their maintenance: wherein these things may seem convenient to the desired purpose. 1. That all houses within the walls, may pay 2. s. in the pound Rent, abating the odd 9.d. 2. That the houses be not valued according to the old Rents, but as they be let by the prime Leasor, or any other that lets them. 3. That the Tithe be paid, according to the value the house shall be of, as the same value shall rise, or fall, and notstanding still at one stay. 4 That Fines may be cast cast up into the account of the Rent, that the Rich by paying great Fines and small Rents, do not deceive the Minister, as it hath been hitherto. 5. In case the Rent, or Fine be not certainly known, that the Tenant may be put to his Oath, or the house be valued by six Parishioners, of honest note, three chosen by the Minister, and three by the Tenant, who shall estimate the house according to the ordinary rate of other houses, compared with it. 6. If any Rent be concealed, and less paid than is truly due, whensoever it shall come to light, the arrears may be recoverable on the Landlord, or Tenant, or either of them. Their rate may be demonstrate, all things considered, to produce a maintenance, that shall not exceed, but comes short of the Ministers maintenance, paid them, at the making of the Decree. And the City themselves have advanced their own Parsonage of Christ-Church, in the increase of tithe, above that was anciently paid far above that other Ministers have done in the City. And it will be so easy a way, to any Citizen, as may be; if he pay any thing considerable to his Minister, which very few of the richer sort do pay; who pay not so much for the ministry, as for many idle vanities. And it will be far below the Tything in the country, where a Farmer pays four times the value of any Citizen in London, if not many times four times. And it is supposed, if in the Country they might have their tithe for 2. s. in the pound Rent, one thing with another, they would think it very reasonable; where a man of 100 pound Rent a year, shall scarce get 100 l. in a Lease of 21. years, with great labour, and hard fare: whereas here there is less labour, and far more riches gotten, and many a needless vanity, that might be spared, enjoyed, at a far greater rate, without any grudging at it. 2. That because there be in London some Alleys and Houses, that have been given to several Parishes, for their poor; that such houses may pay no more tithe, than hath heretofore been accustomed, when they were let for Rent to Tenants. 3 That one certain Table of Duties, for Marriages, Burials, &c. may be made all over the City, and hung up in every Church Vestery in London, and the certain days, and times of the days appointed, for the performance of all those Offices, that so the Ministers may not be compelled to attend at all times, when every particular person shall think fit, or as their particular occasions shall call for him, withou● his good will, and the farther enlargement of his recompense: it being a great hindrance to his study, and other employments, and a druggery very unworthy to be imposed on a Minister. 4. The Minister thus provided for: If the Parish shall, in any place, over and above the pains he is able to take; or desiring, for their contentment to have a Lecturer, that they suppose, may be more profitable in his preaching, than their Pastors. The next care must be, that God may be glorified, and men built up to Heaven hereby, and not misled by unsound Teachers, which many people much dote after, neither that the man that is chosen, on pretence, to further the peace of our consciences, be an occasion of disquiet and discontent, by Divisions and Factions, occasioned by him, amongst us. To this end three things would be provided for. The first concerns the Maintenance. The second concerns the Man. The third the Election of the Lecturer. 1. First, the maintenance of a Lecturer would be made certain, and laid upon every house to be paid constantly to the Lecturer, whosoever he be that is chosen; and not be paid at pleasure, or called back, when people will. This provision is requisite. 1. Because when any Lecturer is brought into a Parish, usually two, or three, or five, or more stand for the Lecture, and every one hath some interest in the Parish, more, or less: now, when the choice is made, these, whose friends fail of the expected Lecture, will pay nothing to the man that is chosen, although chosen by the major part of the Parish: This is evident in daily experience, this year, in London. 2. It is fit, that so the Minister, that is the Lecturer, may preach the word faithfully, and without flattery: which a dependent maintenance is seldom so happy, as to be accompanied withal. 3. Thus shall peace and brotherly Love be maintained, betwixt the pastor and the Lecturer, and both of them go hand in hand, and heart in heart, about the work of their ministry, and both of them live in peace with the people, and free from those carnal Divisions and Sidings, which usually accompany an arbitrary and benevolent maintenance. II. For the man. That the people may not bring in a man, between whom and the Minister there is no suitableness in opinion or affection, which is now a disease of many people, who can be pleased with no man, but inclining to Brownism, or otherwise factious, and given to Innovation. And therefo●e it might be wished; That no particular man be brought in, against whom the Minister hath good exception: and for that purpose, if he & his people agree not together, about the choice (for it is not fit they bring any man into another's charge, against his good liking) that the matter may be referred to the Bishop, or to six of the next Ministers to the place where the Lecturer is to be, in case there be no Bishop, that they may order the Election, so, that it be no apparent inconvenience to the Minister, to whom the Church belongs. III. Concerning the Election, That the Lecturer be chosen only by the Votes of Housekeepers, and of such Houskeepers, as pay Scot and Lot; and not by them that either receive alms of the Parish, or pay not to the poor, by reason of poverty, or be unable to pay to the Lecturers maintenance. Providing before hand, that the maintenance of no Church, that is in present being, be divided and lessened, by erecting of any chapels d● nov●, seeing the present maintenance is annexed to every Church by Law, and is the Rights and privileges of such Ministers, as be in present possession, that we have protested to maintain. Yet, for the advancing of God's glory, and the people's Salvation, it may be desired. That course may be taken for erecting chapels, in the great out-Parishes in London, and for the endowment of them, by raising the tithe in them to 2. s. in the pound Rent, to the worth of every house, not abating the Fines: the surplusage of which tithe, above that that is now paid to the Parson, would be levied, and kept in the Chamber of London, till it come to a fit sum to build a chapel; and than a competent number of houses allotted to that chapel, and that their Tithe, so much as it is, above the Incumbents due, go to the maintenance of the Minister of the chapel, and the rest reserved in the Chamber to go on with the building of more chapels, one after another: and as they be increased, to be m●intained, after the manner formerly mentioned. This work is very necessary, because those Churches are not capable of the greater part of the Parishioners, some of them, not of the tenth part of them, and some, not of the tenth part of the Communicants; so that generally the youth are altogether neglected: and those Parishes be harbours for all kind of vicious and lewd People, that pretend they have no room in the Church, which is uncapable to receive those that would willingly repair to it. And if this work were appointed to be done, many well disposed persons would contribute willingly towards it: in which respect, if any shall give towards Erecting any chapel, it should be ordered, that the Minister of the Parish shall not hinder that work, so long as the Tithes, now paid unto him, the duties of marriage, Burials & all other (except the endowment of the new erected chapel, raised by the inhabitants, by a surplusage above what they now pay go to the Mother Church, which must be there continued, or composition made for them, that we rob not Peter to pay Paul. That if the Parishioners, that are allotted to such new Erected chapel, shall over and above the Tithes and duties to the Mother Church, raise a sufficient maintenance for a Minister, by the surplusage of Tithe augmented; then it may be lawful for them to choose their Minister, so often as the place shall be void: and not to have one forced on them by the Parson, that shall be of small benefit unto them. Neither shall the Minister of the new chapel be turned out, at the pleasure of the Parson, carrying himself as he ought by law, nor have any dependence on the Parson, but the People of the new chapel, to be the Patron thereof. FINIS.