IT is not unknowne to them that know any thing, that Moses in this whole Chapter is totus in benedictionibus, spendeth himselfe in blessings, and standeth as it were upon mount Gerizzim, Deut. 27.12. to blesse the people of Is­rael, with a severall blessing upon every Tribe amongst them. The Text which I now propose unto you, is a little drop of that dew of grace which falleth here upon the head of the Tribe of Levi, which the Lord had se­parated from among their brethren, to teach Jacob his judgements, and Israel his law, vers. 12. And herein this man of GOD calleth upon the mighty JEHOVAH, who being the greater, can blesse the lesse, Heb. 7.7. whose blessing is a doing of some goodDei bene­dicere est bene­facere. Lucas Brug. in Matt. 25., bestoweth some gift alwaies upon them that are blessed of himDei bene­dictio aliquid muneris semper his qui ab eo be­nedicuntur im­pertit. Orig. in Rom. 12., maketh rich, Prov. 10.22. and of whom whosoever are blessed, they shall be blessed indeed, as Isaac said of his blessing of Jacob, Gen. 27.33. To blesse, that is, to defend and multiply: for blessing especially and pro­perly [Page 2]is understood in multiplicationBenedictio in multiplica­tione solet max­ime solet max­ime & proprie intelligi. Aug. in Psal. 66.: according to which, Moses telleth Israel, GOD will blesse thee, and multiply thee, hee will blesse the fruit of thy wombe, &c. Deut. 7.13, 14. His substance [...] for so after our best translators (quorum nomen sit in benedictione,) Ira­ther turne the word with many learned InterpretersCalvin, Pagnine, Mar­tin Borrhaus, Chald. para­phr. &c., finding for warrant hereof this word bearing the same sense, Deut. 8.17. Beware lest you say, my power, and the strength of mine hand hath prepared me [...] this wealth. And Job 20.15. Hee hath swallowed downe [...] riches: then with others, his strengthVulg. edit., his ar­my, and multitudeCajet. Jun.; for the words are well glossed by Martin Borrhaus, as thou hast adorned the Levites with the Priesthood, so for the maintenance of this, pro­sper their riches, which consist in First-fruits and TithesIn loc. ut sacerdotio or­nasti Levitas, ita etiam ad istud conser­vandum, opes illorum qua Cernuntur in primitiis & decimis fortu­nato. ▪ and to accept, or, as Junius more fully, grato animo suseipere, with a favourable minde to receive; and as the Greek phrase runneth, Heb. 13.16. [...]. to bee well pleased with the worke of his hands] so that howsoever hee shall many times spread out his hands unto a rebellious and gainsaying people. Isa. 65.2. goe unto a rebellious people that will not heare, Ezek. 2.3, 4. that altogether breake the yoake, and burst the bands of the Lords ordinances in sun­der, Jer. 5.5. and so may seeme to labour in vaine, and spend his strength in vaine, and for nothing, yet his judge­ment may be with the Lord, and his worke with his God, Isa. 49.4.

Before I come to the right dividing of these words, 2 Tim. 2.15. and to shew how they are profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for instruction in righteousnesse, 2 Tim. 3.16. the giving of satisfaction to two questions that lye in the way, shall be as a word spo­ken in due season. First, why the man of GOD more specially poureth out a prayer for a blessing upon Levies substance, than any other of the Tribes, unlesse it be Jo­sephs, [Page 3]vers. 13. &c. upon whom the blessings also of his father prevailed above the blessings of his progenitours, Gen. 49.26. Secondly, why he prayeth not rather that the worke of Levies hands should be blessed by GOD, than that it should bee accepted of him? Of either a word.

For the first. Is there not a cause, nay a double cause, why he should thus strive in prayer? why with Jacob he should not let the LORD goe, unlesse he gave a bles­sing, Gen. 32.26. to Levie, substance? First, for the con­solation of Levi himselfe. This prayer (saith Calvin) seemeth secretly to be opposed to that penury which would come upon the Levites, unlesse GOD had provi­ded them food by some other meanes, than by the re­venues of their fields. They were deprived of all com­mon inheritance, and GOD himselfe was their possession. Therefore that their estate might not be troublesome to them, Moses ministreth a comfort, and biddeth them expect from GOD all abundance for sufficient food, and promiseth that his blessing shall be in stead of a large re­venueVidetur haec precatio tacite opponi penuriae qua Levitas manebat, nisi aliunde illis ci­bum suppeditas­set Deus, quàm ex agrorumpro­ventu. Privati erant communi hereditate, & solus Deus erat illis pro lati­fundio. Ergo ne illis molesta sit sua conditio, so­latium adhibet Moses, & iubet à Deo expectare copiam quae ad victum suffi­ciat, acpromit­tit eius bene­dictionem uber­rimi proventus loco fore. Calv. in loc.. The other for the consternation of Levies enemies, those Harpyes, who as the Poet saithAeneid. 3.,

For the wisedome of the Spirit of GOD, in whose eyes all things are naked and opened, Heb. 3.13. and who declareth the last things from the beginning, Isa. 46.10. foresaw and foreshewed, that the dayes would come, that men would be so farre from bringing offerings with the Israelites to the building of the Tabernacle, Exod. 36. that they would rather let it lye waste, yea, make it waste themselves, that they might dwell in sieled houses, [Page 4] Hagg. 1. So farre from asking with Saul, What present shall we bring to the man of God? 1 Sam. 9.7. that they will rather with Gehezi pursue them hard to pull some­what from them, 2 King. 5.20. so farre from providing with the Shunamite, a chamber furnished for the Pro­phet Elisha, 2 King. 4.10. that rather with prophane Tobiah, they will chamber themselves in the courts of the house of GOD, Nehem. 13.7. and with Oreb and Zeeb, take to themselves the houses of GOD in posses­sion, Psal. 83.12. So farre from paying Tithes of all, with Abraham; yea, of the spoiles gotten in warre, to the Priests of the high GOD, Heb. 7.2. that they will rather spoile them, yea, GOD himselfe in Tithes and Offerings, Mal. 3.8. To shew therefore that these mens wayes are as much abominable to JEHOVAH, as they are different from his wayes, he prayeth that where they would bring a curse, he would give blessing; where they would devoure, hee would defend; where they would diminish, he would multiply; where they would spoile, he would protect; and addeth this imprecation against such, Smite through the loines of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not againe.

The other question is, why he rather prayeth not for a blessing from God upon their labours, then an acception of their labours by God? Since, Except the Lord build the house, their labour is in vaine that build it, Psal. 125.1. Except he give increase, Pauls planting, & Apollo's watering, is nothing, 1 Cor. 3.6, 7. Except hee open the heart, as he did Lydia's, Act. 16.14. their speaking to the eare is but a beating of the aire; for, he hath his chaire in heaven,Cathedram in exlo habet, qui corda docet, Aug. who teacheth the hearts (k). The answer wher­of may be, that Moses prayeth rather here for an accepta­tion of Levies labour by GOD, as being their proper & pe­culiar good, than for a blessing upon their labours; which is their peoples good committed to them. For although [Page 5] Levi, the LORDS messenger, must so unfainedly desire in his heart the salvation of Israel; that in the fervency of his zeal, he could be content, with Moses, to be razed out of GODS Book for them, Exod. 32.32. With Paul, be willing to be separated from Christ for them, Rom. 9.3. Although their standing fast in the LORD, must be the life, and the joy of his heart, 1 Thes. 3.8. That hee may rejoyce in the day of the LORD, that he hath not run in vaine, Phil. [...].16. Although every soule that he saveth, must be his crowne of rejoycing, his glory and joy in the presence of Christ at his comming, 1. Thes. 2.19, 20. Yet shall John Baptist as well receive his crowne for preaching vengeance against disobedient Herod, as for winning converts to come to his baptisme, and professe resurrection of life, Luk 3. And we are unto GOD the sweet savour of Christ, not only in them that are saved, but also in them that perish, 2 Cor. 2.15▪ And although we labour in vaine in the world, and spend our strength for nought: yet is not our work unregarded before God, neither shall it passe unrewarded, Isa. 49.4. Hee prayeth therefore for this acceptation, as being their speciall good for whom he specially prayeth.

To come then to the anatomizing, the unfolding of this Text. We have here honos Levitarum, the Levites honour, & onus Levitarum, the Levites duty: a sub­stance wherewith Levi must bee supported, and sustai­ned; and a work wherewith he must be burthened. We have here, what JEHOVAH (who giveth liberally to e­very one that asketh of him, Jam. 1.5.)is invocated to doe for him, To blesse his substance.] What his Master, to whom he standeth or falleth, Rom. 14.4. is intreated favourably to accept from him, Accept the worke of his hands.] What must descend from JEHOVAH to Levi? a blessing upon his substance. What must ascend and come up in remembrance before JEHOVAH from Levi? an acceptable worke. In a word, all is comprehended [Page 6]in a twofold petition. First, for a blessing to be powred downe upon Levies substance from JEHOVAH. Se­condly, for an acceptation of Levies worke by JEHO­VAH. In the former wee have either the author from whom the blessing must come, Blesse God; or the ob­ject on which it must come, substance; amplified by the property, his substance. In the later wee have againe, first, an intimation of a worke to be performed by Levi, the worke of his hands: secondly, a supplication for the acceptation of it, accept the worke of his hands.

To beginne with the first, the author from whom this blessing must come, is he who openeth his hand, and filleth with his blessing every living thing, Psal. 145.16. even the LORD: blesse Lord.] In this particular then as in capitall letters, like to that vision of Abacuk, so plaine, that he may runne that readeth it, Hab. 22. We have this lesson, that the LORD is an ever-springing, an ever-streaming fountaine, from which all good gifts spring and flow upon every thing: and that this King of Kings and LORD of LORDS, is as that tree shew­ed to Nebuchadnezzar in a dreame, having in it meat for all, under the boughes whereof the beasts of the field had shadow, in the boughes whereof the fowles of the hea­ven dwelt, and of which all flesh was fed, Dan. 4. And as on the one side affliction commeth not out of the dust, neither doth misery spring out of the ground, Job 5.6. but whatsoever evill is done in the City (malum poenae, the evill of punishment) it is the LORD that doth it, Amos 3.6. For whereas there are two kindes of evill; sin, and the punishment of sinCum sint duo genera malo­rum, peccatum & poems pecca­ti, &c. Aug. contr. Adimant. Manich.: sinne belongeth not unto GOD, the punishment of sinne belongeth unto him as the avenger: so on the other side, not onely promoti­on, but every good gift, commeth neither from the east, not west, nor from the south, Psal. 75.6. but it is from above, and commeth downe from the Father of lights, Jam. 1.17. and it is a generall interrogatory to bee ministred [Page 7]unto every one, What hast thou that thou hast not recei­ved? 1 Cor. 4.7. The voice of the naturall man who placeth his perfection in himselfe, is, By the strength of mine hands I have done this, and by my wisedome, for I am prudent, Isa. 10.13. Is not this great Babylon that I have built by the might of my power? Dan. 4.30. His owne power, his owne mighty power. But they that are taught in the Schoole of grace, have learned to be­leeve with their hearts, and confesse with their mouths, that it is the LORD that giveth, Job. 1.21. that because GOD hath dealt graciously with them, they have all things, Gen. 33.11. that all things come of GOD, all the store that they have commeth of his hand, and all is his owne, 1 Chron. 29.14, 16. Let us beware then (belo­ved) of sacrificing to our nets, of burning incense to our drags, Abac. 1.16. But as all things are of him, so to him let us give glory for all things, as the Apostle cou­pleth them together, Rom. 11.36. And let us be as mind­full to remember, as forward to receive; as ready with our Hallelu-jahs after deliuerance, as with our Hosan­nahs in the time of trouble; as ready with our Quid re­tribuamus? What shall I render unto the Lord? Psal. 116: after benefits received; as with our Domine miserere's, God be mercifull unto us, and blesse us, Psal. 65.1. in our woes and wants: as ready to fall downe at JESUS feet, and give thankes after cleansing, as afore to cry out, Je­su, master, have mercy upon us, Luke 17.13.

But I cannot figere pedem hic; I hasten from the au­thor of this blessing, to the object about which it is conversant, a substance, wealth, riches, (so much the word imports) and that such as is his, not others; his owne peculiar, not other mens almes or voluntary con­tribution, to be given and taken away at pleasure; his in justice, as his proper right, not his by way of gratuity, and at other mens courtesie; for so serving at the Altar would soone come to starving at the Altar. But because [Page 8]the Priests, and all the whole Tribe of Levi, were to have none inheritance in the land of Israel, nor any part among them, Num. 18.20. nor to share with their bre­thren, in dividing the land by lot among the Tribes, Deut. 18.1, 2. let us examine a little what this substance of Levies was, what in the whole was the portion of Aaron and his seed, that were to minister unto GOD in the Priests office, Exod. 28.1. of the Levites, that were appointed over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, to doe fervice in it, Num. 1.50. First then, although the land was not divided amongst them, as to the other Tribes, yet had they (in all likelihood) in the Cities, and subur­bane grounds assigned unto them, as much as the por­tion of the greatest Tribe came unto. For the fourty eight Cities, which the children of Israel were com­manded to give them to dwell in, with the Suburbs for the Cities round about them, reaching two thousand cubits on every side from every City, Num. 35.4, 5, 6. must in all probability equall the portion of any other Tribe, in so little a land as that was, which by S^t. Hie­romes descriptionHierom. Epi, ad Darda­num. did containe but in length from Dan to Beersheba an hundred and sixty miles, in breadth from Joppe to Bethlehem, about fourty six miles. Second­ly, besides this glebe wherewith they were indowed, they had all the tenth in Israel, Num. 18.21. even all the Tithes of Corne, Wine, Oyle, Fruits, Herds and Flocks, Levit. 27.30, 32. Thirdly, they had every thing which opened the matrice in all flesh, whether of men or beasts, the firstlings of Kine, Sheepe, and Goats, not to bee re­deemed; the firstborne of Men to bee redeemed at five shekels, and the firstlings of the other beasts to be redee­med at the Priests estimation, with a fist part put to it, Exod. 34.19, 20. Num. 18.15, 16. Levit. 27.27. Nehem. 10.36. Fourthly, they had the first fruits, even whatso­ever was ripe in the Land, Num. 18.13. the firh fruits of their Corne, Wine, Oyle, the first fruits of the fleeces of [Page 9]their Sheepe, Deut. 18.4. the first fruits of all manner of Trees, and of their very dough for a blessing upon the rest, Ezek. 44.30. Nehem, 10.35, 37. Fiftly, they had all Oblations and Vowes, even every devoted thing in Israel, Num. 18.18, 14, 19. Ezek. 44.29, 30. Sixtly, they had every meat offering, every sinne offering, every tres­passe offering, every heave offering, every shake offering, and the shew bread, Num. 18.9, 10. Ezek. 44.29. Levit. 24.9. Seventhly, of Sacrifices eucharisticall, the breast and the shoulder, Num. 18.18. Levit. 7.31, 32. of other Sacrifices, the shoulder, the two cheekes, and the maw, Deut. 18.3. and of whole burnt Sacrifices, the skinne, Le­vit. 7.8. And last of all, all the males among them must three times a yeare appeare before the LORD, in the place which he should choose, and not come empty han­ded, but every one was to give as he was able, according to the blessing of the LORD which he had given him, Deut. 16.16. This was the matter of their maintenance, being in respect of the quantity very large and liberall, and for the manner of it also, it was very honourable, for all these duties were to bee brought yeare by yeare unto the house of God, Neh. 10.35, 37. that, (asLib. de prim. sacerd. Philo Judaeus observeth) from thence the Priests and Levites might receive them as from the hands of GOD, and not bee upbraided by the people, as though they lived by them, and were their almesmen, which is now rife in the mouthes of rude and ignorant men: But GOD stop­peth the mouthes of such miscreants, when hee saith, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth, Num. 18.20. I, whose the earth is, and the fulnesse thereof, Psal. 24.1. and not the children of men, to whom I have given the earth, Psal. 115.16. And if any for their owne ease were desirous to redeeme any duty, and not to carry it to the LORDS house, (which to some that dwelt afarre off would have beene very cumbersome) they were to pay according to the Priests estimation, at all times, Levit. [Page 10]27.27. with the addition of a fist part; and not by any injurious and Church-robbing prescription or custome, a feather for a goose, as the change of the times hath made it amongst us. And if any but through ignorance (for wilfull theft in civill matter was punished with a fourefold restitution, Ex. 22.1. much more in the things of GOD) detained any thing either in whole or part▪ which was holy to GOD, he was to bring a ramme for an offering, to make good that which he withheld, and to adda fifth part, Levit. 5.15, 16. This both for the mat­ter and the manner was the substance of Levi, given, granted, assigned and confirmed to him, haeredibus & successoribus in perpetuum, for their executing the Priests office, for their service in the Tabernacle, for their tea­ching of Iacob Gods judgements, and Israel his law; and that not by man (by whom notwithstanding any thing devoted to the LORD is most holy, Levit. 27.28.) but by this JEHOVAH, who is implored here to blesse his substance; unto whom by an eternall right, before the Law, under the Law, and after the Law, all Tithes are holy, Levit. 27.30. and so not onely his, as the whole earth is his by right of creation and preservation, (for he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods, Psal. 24.2. but by a propriety and immedi­ate right that he hath in them, as having separated them from mans use to himselfe, and allowed man none inte­rest in them at all, no not of use and possession.

Now to come home with this to our times, men, bre­thren, and fathers: Was this Levies substance? Was the LORD so bountifull to the Priests and Levites under the Law? And will he not be as liberall to those whom he hath put apart to preach the Gospel, and to serve him in the Gospel of his Son? If the ministration of death, of condemnation, 2 Cor. 3.7, 9. received so plentifull and large a maintenance from the hand of God, no man that hath any understanding in the mystery of Christ, can [Page 11]deny, but he would be as open handed to the ministra­tion of life and of the spirit. And why shall not the A­postles reasoning à pari, that as they which minister about the holy things, live of the things of the Temple; and as they which wait at the Altar, are partakers of the things of the Altar; even so GOD hath ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gos­pel, 1 Cor. 9.13, 14. hold as well for the proportion and quantity of the maintenance, as for the just right and au­thority to claime and receive it? so that from that very Scripture we may not onely shew, that as GOD and not any man gave the Tithes to Levi; so GOD and not man hath ordained, that the Preacher of the Gospel should live of the Gospel; not of the Disciples goods, but of the Gospel, as Theophylact Non ex discipulorum facultatibus sed ex Evange­lio. Theophy­lact. in 1 Cor. 9 glosseth the words, not of the Disciples goods, by way of voluntary contribu­tion, or beggerly almes, but upon their owne goods got­ten by preaching of the Gospel: for neither (as Theo­phylact saith there) doest thou yeeld them maintenance, but their owne industry maintaineth themNe (que) enim tuteiis alimo­nium submi­nistras, sed pro­pria quaedam industriaipsos alit.; but also that as great a portion and proportion is due to him that preacheth the Gospel, as to him that ministred in the Tabernacle, and served at the Altar. And if as great, why not the selfe same in kinde for Tithes, Oblations, and vowed things (setting aside the Sacrifices, and the like, which were meerly ceremoniall and shadowes of things to come, and are now abrogated by Christ the body and substance of them, Col. 2.) Since they were due to GOD long before the Law, as wee see in Abrahams giving Tithe of all to Melchisedech Priest of the high God, Gen. 14. in Iacobs vowing of Tithes unto GOD, Gen. 28. since there can be no better course for fulfilling that Ca­non of the Apostle, Let him that is taught in the word, communicate to him that teacheth, in all his goods or good things, Gal. 6.6. If in all his good things, why not by way of a tenth? since there can be no more equall course, [Page 12]any quantity above that being too little for the teacher to receive, and under it being too much for him that is taught to give. That Tithes are to bee given to GOD and his Ministers, Abraham signifieth by his deeds, Ia­cob by his promises, afterwards the Law ordaineth it, and all the holy Doctors mention itDecimas Deo & sacer­dotibus eius dandas, Abra­ham factis, Iaacob promis­sis insinuat, deinde lex statuit, & omnes Doctores sancti comme­morant. Walfr. Strabo de rebus Ecclesiasticis ▪

But here,

The scorching East, the South winde loud doe bluster,

The Southwest winde up all his storme, doe muster Vnâ Eurus­que Notusque ruunt, creber (que) procellis Afri­cus, &c. Virg. id. 1..

The Tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites: of Moab and the Hagarins, Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, the Phi­listines, with the inhabitants of Tyre, Assur also is joyned with them, Psal. 83.6, 7, 8. Polititians and Papists, Schis­matikes and Atheists, are confederate together against GOD and his Church, for the spoiling of him and it in Tithes and Offerings, Mal. 3.8. The Polititians plea, is, that Levi was in estimation as the tenth part of Israel, and therefore having none inheritance amongst them, had the tenth for their inheritance, whereas our Clergy are not the tenth part, nay scarcely the fiftieth part of the Realme, so that they need lesse maintenance, and it is enough to provide them of a competent stipend. These men are wife to doe evill, can reason plausibly, so long as they speake Babylons Logicke, Downe with it, downe with it to the ground, Psal. 137. But all their rea­sonings herein, are but perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gaine is godlinesse, 1 Tim. 6.5. And their mouthes may be easily stopped by answering them, that howsoever the Levites were the thirteenth Tribe, yet they were not the tenth nor thirteenth part in Israel, but at that time that GOD gave them the Tithes for the service of the Tabernacle, the sixtieth part. For when the other Tribes were numbred from twenty yeares old and up­ward, such as were able to beare armes were in number six hundred thousand, three thousand, five hundred and [Page 13]fifty, besides those which were either but twenty yeares old, or unfit for service, who would have doubled the number at least: but the Levites being reckoned from a month old and above, their number was twenty two thousand, Num. 1. per totum, which was not much a­bove the sixtieth part. At this day then the Clergy of England, and their families, being not lesse than the six­tieth part of the Reame, as large a portion (even in their owne reasoning, out of their owne mouth will I judge them) is requisite for them as for the Levites. But that fancied Chimaera, that individuum vagum of a compe­tency, how shall it answer the Apostles rule of communi­cating in all their goods? Gal. 6.6. How shall it supply their want at all times? How shall there be any certain­ty in it? since by reason of the ebbing and flowing, ri­sing and falling of the prices of things, it is as impossible to set downe a competent stipend, as it is to make a coat for the Moone. Was not tenne pounds by the yeare as competent about an hundred yeares since, as an hundred pounds are now? and who knoweth not whether fu­ture ages may not see as great alterations? Certainly these competencies have already brought our Livings to an impotency, and the yoke of prescription and custome in receiving our dues after the old rate, lieth so heavy on our neckes, that the more other men prosper, we pine; the more they flourish, wee fade; the more their estate increaseth, the more ours diminisheth.

Now againe the Papists, and some of our owne side, that have not looked so narrowly into this truth as they might have done, hold Tithes not to be required by the Morall Law consonant to the law of Nature, but by the Judiciall Law, and therefore now to stand or fall in the Church, as it shall please Saint Peters heire the Pope, (saith the one) or the supreme Magistrate, faith the o­ther. But here, both antecedent and consequent, both assertion and inference halt downe right, and finde no [Page 14]rest for the soale of their foot in any place of Scripture. The antecedent, that Tithes are judicialls, for all Tithes are holy to the Lord, Levit. 27.30. separated by himselfe from common use; but all judicialls are things in com­mon use, not separated from man: Tithes therefore are not, cannot bee judicialls. The consequence againe is lame, Tithes are judicialls, therefore now they may be retained or removed ad placitum. For is it not a recei­ved tenent amongst many of our DivinesPisc. praefat. in Levit. Perk. cases consc. &c., that those judicialls which serve for the backing of the Morall Law, for punishing the breaches of it, namely, idolatry, witchcraft, blasphemy, murther, adultery, theft, disobe­dience to parents, are still alive, stand in force, or at least have a surviving equity in them? If the rest, why not this of Tithes, which is as a bulwarke to the first Table, which prescribeth the worship of GOD, the manner and maintenance thereof?

But this position of our latter Papists, is not so old as their Canon Law: It was first invented by the Schoole­men, Alexander of Hales the Master, and Thomas A­quinas the Scholar, and the rest of that ranke. When do­minus deus Papa, had taken the Tithes from the Oxen, that either did or should plough, Job 1. the Rectors of the Churches, to whom they were properly due; and had improperly given them to the Asses that fed by the Co­vents of Monks and Friers. Those locusts that had made the face of the Church more desolate, than ever the lo­custs of Egypt did the face of the country, by devouring every greene thing throughout their land, Exod. 10.15. That so his sacriledge in exempting some of their orders, from paying Tithes of their grounds, where they were due, (as Alexander the third exempted the Cistercians Hospitalars, and Templars from payment of TithesAlexander 3. Cistercien­ses, Hospitala­rios, & Tem­plarios decima­rum solutione exemit, Catal. test. verit. Tim. 2. lib. 15.. John the fifteenth gave the like privilege to the Bene­dictine Monkes at Cusinum Leo Marsi­canus Hostiens. Episc. lib. 2. hist. ca. 1.. And in appropriating Church livings to all their Covents, might the better bee salved.

[Page 15] Therefore, as in many other points; so in this there is warre betweene the Canonists and the Scholemen: the Canonists contending, that payment of Tithes is necessa­ry by Gods commandement, against the opinion of the Schole DivinesQuod d [...]i­marum solutio ex divino prae­cepto sit ne­cessaria contra Theologorum sententiam Iaens. Concord. cap. 83.; for so the old Canon runnes. We admonish and command, that by no meanes they neglect to pay Tithes to God, which God himselfe hath ap­pointed them to payAdmone­mus atque prae­cipimus ne de­cimas omnine dare Deo negli­gant, quas ipse Deus dare con­stituit, caus. 16 qu. 2.. And the authority of the Scripture sheweth, that Tithes were granted for the fur­therance of pietyDecimas in usum pieta­tis concessas esse Canonica auto­ritas demon­strat. caus. 16. qu. 7.. The Schole-men on the other side striving that they are but judicialls, and so laying them o­pen to the Popes power, to be alienated, transferred, and disposed of by him at his pleasure.

But the schismaticall and upstart generation of the Brownists cry out, (and herein the whole world will as easily wonder after these beasts, as after the beasts men­tioned, Rev. 13.3.) that Tithes are ceremonies; (an opinion of yesterday, scarclely devised an hundred years since) and therefore to be throwne headlong out of the Church of Christ, aswell as all other ceremonies which Christ hath taken away and nailed to his crosse, Col. [...].14. Assuredly, if their assertion be justified, the conclu­sion cannot be denied. I pronounce with a free voice, saith S. Hierom Libera vo­ce pronuntio ce­remonias Juda­orum & perni­ciosas esse & mortiferas Christianis. Hieron. Aug. epist. 11., that the ceremonies of the Jewes are both pernicious and deadly to Christians. That which they cannot prove, let me in a word or two dis­prove. Ceremonies were shadowes of things to come, carrying with them an analogicall resemblance of the things signified, as the shadow carryeth with it a resem­blance of the body, Col. 2.15. They were carnall rites, of holy, of heavenly things, Heb. 9.10, 23. of some E­vangelicall truth. Let them shew then the body, whereof they were shadowes; the holy things, the Evangelicall truth, whereof they were types; or else we must tell them that Tithes are no ceremonies. For, if the definition doth not agree to any thing, the thing defined [Page 16]cannot agree to itCui non con­venit definitio, eidem non con­venit definitum Regula Dia­lect.. And since all these carnall rites were but to indure till the time of reformation, Heb. 9.10. it is more then marveilous, that the Church of Christ ever retaining Tithes in use since the Apostles time, could not see them to be dead elements; yea, deadly ceremo­nies, till this generation arose. Oh, but they were given to the Levites for the service of the Tabernacle, Num. 18.21. therefore ceremonies. But I shall make it appeare by and by, that Tithes were not then first instituted, but long before, even from the beginning, they were then only assigned to the Levites. Againe, the argument holds not to prove them ceremonies, because given to the sons of Levi for the service of the Tabernacle: For what manner of reasoning is this; their work was ceremoniall, therefore their wages ceremonies? May not I better rea­son, they were given to the Levites for their service in the Tabernacle, which was not only ceremoniall, but al­so, yea and more principally morall; reading of the Scrip­tures, causing the people to understand the reading, Neh. 8.38. blessing and praising the GOD of Israel, 1 Chr. 16.4. and teaching of the people the Law of the LORD of Hosts, Mat. 2.7. Therefore they were mo­rall duties.

But as when our Saviours disciples had rehearsed to him the diverse opinions of men concerning him; some saying that he was John Baptist, some Elias, some Jere­miah, or one of the Prophets: He asked them, Whom say yee that I am? Mat. 16.15. So happily having pro­posed to you the diversity of opinions herein, some say­ing that they are judiciall, some ceremoniall, some tole­rable, some abominable, some one thing, some another, most of them shooting at one marke, to wrest them out of the hands of GODS Ministers, you are ready to de­mand, But what sai'st thou that they are? whether moral, ceremoniall, or judiciall? I am not (beloved) fearfull to answer you concerning this point, but doe resolutely [Page 17]professe unto you, that they are neither ceremonies ne­cessary to be rejected, nor judicialls indifferent, either to be retained or refused; but morall, being holy to the LORD by an eternall right, as well before and after the Law, as under it; and being by him ordained to be the portion of his Priests and Ministers, as well before and after, as under the Law; so that that assertion, all Tithes are holy to the Lord, Levit. 27.30. is no way Leviticall, but containeth in it a perpetuall truth, and that the Mi­nisters of the Gospell may as lawfully claime the tenth of their peoples increase, as before and under the Law the Priests of the high GOD received them. For the making good whereof two points are to bee proposed. First, that Tithes were ever due, and paid before the law of Moses. Secondly, that they are now due in the time of the Gospel: for from thence it must follow evident­ly, that howsoever in the Law they were specially as­signed to the sonnes of Levi, yet they had not then their beginning, but were ever the Lords and his Ministers by a morall and perpetuall right. For the first, Tithes were ever due, and paid before the Law. As soone as ever we finde any mention of a Priest of GOD, we find paiment of Tithes to him, and that eo nomine, because he was the Priest of GOD; Melchisedek was Priest of the most high GOD, and Abraham gave him Tithes of all, Gen. 14.19, 20. And this he did, not by voluntary contribu­tion, but rather by necessary injunction; for such a gift would rather have argued the superiority and excellency to have beene in Abraham the giver, than in Melchise­dek the receiver: whereas the Apostle would have us to consider Melchisedeks greatnesse by Abrahams giving of Tithes to him, Heb. 7.4. Againe, the Originall is [...], vers. 6. Melchisedek ti­thed Abraham; importing, that he tooke it by lawfull authoritie, not as a free will offering. In this way of A­braham walketh his grandchilde Iacob, (who no doubt [Page 18]was taught by Abrahams pious direction to keepe the way of the LORD herein, Gen. 18.19. and voweth pay­ment of Tithes unto GOD, Gen. 28.20. as acknowled­ging that they were his right before the Law was given. But here Cardinall Bellarmine and his side would faine wring this testimonie out of our hands, and conclude hence, that tithes are no morall duties, because they were vowed; he himselfe saith, it had beene an ungodly thing to vow Tithes, if he had beene absolutely bound to pay themImpium fuisset vovere decimas, si abso­lutè fuisset obli­gatus eas solve­ue, Bellar contr. 5. l. cap. 25. tom. 1.: and as great a Rabbi amongst them as he, that a man may not vow a morall duty conditionally, as Ja­cob here dothAlphons. Tostat. in Matt. 23. if GOD would be with him, and keep him in his way, and give him bread to eate, and raiment to put on. But it seemeth they are readie with their an­swer before ever they looked on the Text. For Jacob voweth, and that conditionally, that if GOD will bee with him, &c. the LORD shall bee his GOD, which I thinke they will not denie to bee a morall dutie: even here then is evidence enough, that morall duties may be vowed, that they may be vowed conditionally. And if morall duties may not be vowed, why doe the people of the Jewes enter into a covenant, and sweare unto the LORD GOD of their fathers, to seeke him with all their heart, and with all their soule? 2 Chron. 15.12, 13, 14. Why doth David bind himselfe by an oath to keep Gods righteous judgements? I have sworne, and will per­forme it, that I will keepe thy righteous judgements, Psal. 119.106. Thus out of the mouth and deeds of two wit­nesses beyond all exception, Abraham and Jacob, may this truth bee established, that Tithes were held Gods right, and his Priests, in the law of Nature, before ever the law written. The perswasion whereof was by the law of Nature so ingraven in mens hearts, the practice of it in all possibilitie so dispersed from Noah amongst all people, that (as Festus faithDecima quaque veteres diis suis offere­ [...]nt.) the old people offered all kinde of Tithes to their gods, as Cyrus overcomming [Page 19]the Lydians offered all to Jupiter Herodot. Clie. and Bacchus over­comming the Scythians, offered to him alsoTe memo­rant Gange, to­toque oriente subacto, Primitias ma­gno seposuisse Iovt. Ovid. l. 3. Fastcrum..

And the ancient Romanes did vow Tithes to Hercules Macrob. Sat. lib. 3. ca. 24., yea the very barbarous Sabeans and Ethiopians sold not their spices to the Merchants, before their Priests had laid out their tenth for their godsDecimas de [...] sacerdotes capi­unt, nec antè mercarilicet. Plin. nat. hist. li. 12. ca. 14.. Thus have I examined and cleered the first point.

I come now to the second, which is, that they are now due to GOD, and those that serve him in the Gos­pell of his Sonne, since the abolishing of the Law of Ordinances. And here the great Cardinall and the Popish Champions (who when the doore must bee set open to unwritten traditions, can denie the Scripture to be full enough without traditions, to containe expressely the whole doctrine either concerning faith or manners, and that therefore traditions are requisiteScriptura non continet expressè totam doctrinam sive de fide, sive de moribus, &c. Bellarm. li. 4. de verb. dei c. 3.: nay can with the like affection of pietie and reverence, receive and honour unwritten traditions, as all the bookes of theTraditiones non scriptas pari pietatis affectu & reverentia suscipere & ve­nerari, ac om­nes libros tam veteris quam novi Testamen­ti, Concil. Trid. Sess. 4. Old and New Testament) doe now call for an expresse precept in the new Law, specifying Tithes to bee the Ministers maintenance, an expresse precept, it is not e­nough to have it in sense, but we must have it in words; to have it by sound consequence and collection, but wee must have it [...], word for word; and yet Gre­gory Nazianzen saith, that those things which are ga­thered out of the Scriptures, are alike to those things which are written expresselyPerinde sunt ea qua ex Scripturis colli­guntur, atque ea qua sorthun­tur.. If I can then deduce it by good consequence out of the New Testament, it shall be enough, though it be not written in totidem verbis & syllabis. When the Apostle then mentioneth living of the Gospel, and that ever so, as they which wait at the [Page 20]Altar are partakers of the Altar, 1 Cor. 9.13, 13. when he urgeth communicating to our teachers in all our goods, Gal. 6.6. wee may not here [...], collatis testimo­niis demonstrare, (as Beza interpreteth it, Act 9.22.) by comparing testimonies of Scripture, by laying one place to another, shew, that this living of the Gospell, this communicating in all our goods, should bee now by the tenth, as being a course held before the Law, and under the Law, unlesse man will be wiser than his Maker, and devise a new way of living for them, of communicating to them, leaving the old which GOD had settled from the beginning of the world. And what shall become of that double honour, double maintenance, which the El­ders that rule well are worthie of, 1 Tim. 5.17. if the portion of the Presbyters under the Gospell come short of the portion of the Priesthood under the Law? for so to understand honour the next verse there giveth us light, for the Scripture saith, The labourer is worthy of his reward; and accordingly Saint Hierome expoundeth honour to be maintenance, and understandeth by main­tenance Tithes; adding also, What we have said concer­ning Tithes which heretofore were given by the people to the Priests and Levites, understand it also concerning the people of the ChurchQuod de decimis diximus quaolim daban­tur à populo Sa­cerdetibus & Le vitis, in Ec­clesiae quoque papulis intelli­gito.. May we not finde here as good evidence in these testimonies for Tithes, as any where in the New Testament, for the perpetuall and un­changeable observation of the seventh day (cried up with more than a Jewish rigour, by many not zealous ac­cording to discretionSee their absurd positions in Rogers pre­face to Articles of Relig.,) for the baptizing of infants, and many other truths, which are not expressed in the very letter, and so many words, but foundly and justly gathered out of the sense and purpose of the holy Scrip­ture? And what thinke wee of the Apostles reasoning, Heb. 7 6, 7, 8, 9. when he proveth Melchisedechs Priest­hood, and so Christs, which is all one, greater than the Leviticall: first, because in Abraham Levi paid Tithes to [Page 21] Melchisedeck and so to Christ. Secondly, because Mel­chisedeck is a Tith taker that liveth still, and Levi is a Tith-taker that dieth. Doe not these consectaries fol­low and flow from it? First, that if Levi paid Tithes in Abraham, then they are originally no Leviticall cere­monies, howsoever under the Law they were specially assigned to him; for that is a crossing of the Leviticall ordinances, which injoyne, that Tithes should bee paid to Levi. Secondly, if before the Law Tithes were paid unto Christ in Melchisedeck (then hee receiveth them of whom it is witnessed that hee liveth, vers. 8.) why should they not likewise be paid unto Christ in his Presbyters, after that law is abolished: now they must live of the Gospel, and being in his stead, 1 Cor. 5.20. are fittest to bee his receivers. Thirdly, if other things wherein Melchisedeck the type, and Christ the antitype agree, and are brought to prove his eternall Priesthood, are ever true of him; as, that he is King of righteousnes, King of peace, that he is without father or mother, with­out descent; having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life, vers. 2.3. Why not this, hee ever taketh Tithes: since he receiveth Tithes of whom it is witnessed that hee liveth, and since this paying of Tithes is produced with the rest, to prove Christs eternall priesthood.

Againe, is not sacrilege accursed, and accursed for sin, not only in the old Testament, (it is a snare to to the man who devoureth that which is holy, Prov. 20.25.) but al­so in the New? Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Rom. 2.22. Is it not punished as a capitall sinne, not only in the one Testament, (in Bal­shazzar, Dan 5.) but also in the other? (In Ananias and Sapphira, Act. 5.)? For the sinne is so much the more grievous, by how much it cannot be committed, but a­gainst God.Tantè gra­vius est pecca­tum, quantè committinon potest nisi in Deum. And so speaketh Beza of Ananias sin: To this sacrilege there was added diffidence and hypo­crisie:Beza inle­cum. And so S^t. Ambrose, whilst he taketh away part [Page 22]of that which he promised, he is condemned both of sa­crilege and fraud: of sacrilege, because he deceived God of his promiseDum exeo quod promise­rat, partem sub­trahit, sacrile­gii simuleon­demnatur & fraudis: sacrilegii quod Deum in pollici­tatione fefelle­rat. Ambr. ser. 9.. Now if sacrilege, which is the taking away of things deputed and consecrated to GOD and his worship, being either such things as God by expresse reseruation hath consecrated to himselfe; or else such as man hath consecrated and set apart to him, be still a sinne under the Gospel, still make men guilty before God. How then should not the payment of Tithes be a morall duty, stand still in force under the Gospel? since (as for mine owne part I take it) God hath consecrated them to himself by an eternall right: which right he chaleng­eth, (Levit. 27.30. All Tith is holy unto the Lord.) At least (as no man can deny) they are by the Lawes, not only of this Land, but almost of all Christendome, con­secrated unto God for the maintenance of his worship and ministery. And as the Scriptures are pregnant enough on our side to prove Tithes a morall duty, and now to be continued under the Gospel. So in the primitive & best times of the Church, the best of the Fathers and Coun­cels understood, interpreted, and pressed them so; re­quired them as a morall and Christian duty: and for al­most a thousand yeares it was never held in the Church, that they were either judiciall or ceremoniall. Origen, who was neere to the Apostles times, (there being but eighty foure yeares between John the Evangelists death and his birth) urgeth the paiment of Tithes as a doctrine then received in the Church, and binding Christians. How dothQuomodo a­bundat iustitia nostraplusquam Scribarum & Pharisaeorum, si illi de fructibus terrae suae gusta­re non audent, priusquam pri­mit [...]as sacerdo­tibus offerant, & Le vitis deci­mae separentur, & ego nihil ho­rum faciens, [...] terrae ita abutar, ut Sacerdos nesci­at, Levita igno­ret, divinum al­tare non sentiat Grig. homil. 11. in Num? our righteousnesse abound more than the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, if they dare not taste of the fruits of the earth, before they offer the first fruits to the Priests, and the Tithes be separated for the Levites: and I doing none of these, shall so abuse the fruits of the earth, that the Priests shall not know it, the Levit shall bee ignorant of it, GODS Altar shall not perceive it. And further, there he delivereth his judge­ment [Page 23]for that point, I thinke it necessary that this Law should be observed according to the letterHane egole­gem observari etiam seoundū literam, neces­sarium puto.: and ex­poundeth our Saviours words (Mat. 23 These things you ought to have done, and not to have left the other un­done) to bee a precept no lesse binding Christians than Jewes. Thus did he hold them to be morall, found them in novalege. S^t. Cyprian (whose Martyredome fell a­bout two hundred fifty nine yeares after Christ,) giveth us to understand, that Ministers then lived of Tithes, then distributed to them by the Bishops, who were the gene­rall Stewards of Church goodsIn honore sportulantium fratrum tan­quam decima [...] ex fructib [...] ac­cipientes. Ep. 66. Sportula was the stipend al­lowed by the Bishop to the Presbyter.: living (saith hee) of that honourable stipend, with their brethren, as they who received Tithes of the fruits of the earth. S^t. Am­brose also presseth this payment and a reformation, when fault had been committed afore. Whosoever shall call to minde in himselfe, that he hath not faithfully payed his Tithes, let him now amend that which he hath failed inQuicunque recognoverit in se, quod fidelite [...] non dederit der­mas, quomodo emendet quod minus fecit. Ambr. serm. 34. infer. quadrag.. S^t. Augustine also can finde footing in the new Testament for Tithes, when he expoundeth, Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods, Mat. 22.21. Tribute to Casar, Tithes to GODCasari cen­sus, decimae deo. Hom. 48. tom. 10.. When he faith againe, Set apart the Tithes, although that bee a small matter; for it is said that the Pharisees gave Tithes: And what saith the LORD, Ʋn­lesse your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Decim [...] exime quanquā parum sit, dictū est enim quia Pharisas deci­mas dabant: & quid a [...]t domi­nus, nisi abun­daverit, &c. Idem in Psal. 146.. And it seemeth that this was no new thing done under the Sun in his time, by that which he saith againe, Our Ancestors did therefore abound with all store, because they gave Tithes to GOD, and paid their Tribute to Caesar. But now because de­votion hath decreased, exactions have increased: were will not give the tenth part to GOD, and now all is ta­ken away; that which Christ cannot have, Caesar willMaiores no­stri ideo coptis omnibus abundabant, quia deo decimas dabant, & Casars censum reddebūt, modo autem quia decessit devotio, accessit indictio fisci, nolumus partus cum deo decimas, modò autē tollitur totū: hee tollit fiscus, quod non accipit Christus. Id. hom. 48. inter 50 ser.. [Page 24]The time would faile me if I should produce other testi­monies out of Fathers Councels, Oecumenicall and pro­vinciall, lawes Ecclesiasticall and Imperiall: all of them acknowledging paiment of Tithes to bee a morall duty, commanding them now to be paid to the Church. The one of the second Councell held at Matiscon, anno 586. shall serve for allLeges divi­na consulentes Sacerdotibus & Ministris Eccle­siarum pro ha­reditariaportio­ne, omni populo praeceperunt de­cimas fructuum suorum locis sa­cris praestare, ut nullo labore im­pediti per res illegitimas, spi­ritualibus possit vacare Mini­steriis, quas le­ges Christiano­rum congeries longis tempori­bus custodivit intemeratas. Vnde statuimus &c.. The Lawes of God pro­viding for Priests and Ministers of the Churches, for their hereditary portion, have commanded all people to pay the Tithes of their fruits to the holy places: that being no wayes hindred by unlawfull things, they might at­tend their spirituall offices: Which lawes the Christian Church hath a long time kept undefiled. Whereupon we ordaine that all people shall pay their Ecclesiasticall Tithes. And so I conclude with that of Junius, that Tithes have beene holy to God by all right since the memory of manDecimae iure [...] post homi­num memoriā Deo fuerunt sacrae.: And that it was sacrilege in the Pope at first, to appropriate them to Monks and Friers, from the labouring Oxen: no better in secular persons at the dissolution of the Abbies to invade them, in Patrons to set them to sale, to detaine any glebe or Tithes con­secrated to God: In Parishioners, either by secret pra­ctise, or pretended customes, to defraud the Minister of them: And that God is much robbed in our Church, partly by prescriptions and customes, which snatch a­way somewhat from every Church in our Realme; part­ly by impropriations, which of nine thousand two hundred, eighty and foure Parish Churches, (for that is the just number in England and Wales Cambd. Brit. pag. 262.) have de­voured three thousand, eight hundred ninety five, al­most the halfe in number, but farre above the halfe in va­lue and goodnesse. God put it into the hearts of our Re­verend Bishops, Deanes, and Chapiters, and Colledges, (who hold many of them still in the right of the Church) to provide so conscionably for those that la­bour in them; that whilst they serve at the Altar, they [Page 25]may not starve at it. But to dreame of any restitution of them from the Lay possessors, (unlesse it bee here and there one, like a berry or two in the top of a bough, whose heart God hath touched) were as the Poet saith, [...], a dreame of a shadow. When we have said and reasoned all that we can, they have against us one argu­ment for themselves, abutili, which we shall never solve nor dissolve. In this case let me say to you as Jeremy said to the Prophets that prophesied, Behold the vessels of the Lords house shall now shortly be brought againe from Ba­bylon. If we be Prophets, let us now make intercession to the LORD of Hosts, that the vessels that are left in the house of the LORD, goe not to Babylon, Jer 27.15, 16. For as the Israelites of old cryed, so may we; The sword of the LORD and of Gideon, Judg. 7.20. It is the good­nesse of our God, and the Piety of our gracious King, that yet preserveth to us from those Evening wolves, these,

Relliquias Danaum, at (que) immitis Achillis Virg. Aene. id. 1.. That I have so long dwelt upon this point and petition, The blessing of the Levites substance, I may say to these evil times whereinto wee have falne, as Paul to the Corinthians in another case, Ye have compelled me. In the next petition, which is another request for an accep­tation of the worke of his hands. I will briefly touch the first branch, which is an intimation of a worke to be performed by him, as being most pertinent to this time and persons here present.

Accept the worke of his hands.] There lay a necessity upon man, even in his innocency, to labour in an honest calling: The LORD GOD tooke Adam, after he had made him, and put him into the garden of Eden to dresse it, Gen. 2.15. But when man had sinned against his Ma­ker, and forfeited his state in that Paradise of plea­sure. When his labour should have been with pleasure, without defatigation; hee was turned out into the wide [Page 26]world, into the earth, cursed for his sake, Gen. 3.17. in which with the sweat of his browes, even with difficult labour, paine, and sorrow, hee must eat his bread, and get his living. For now all his dayes are sorrow, and his travell grief, Eccles. 2.23. And now labour lieth on him not only as a duty, testifying his obedience, wherein hee must imitate the holy Angels, who are created of GOD to be ministring spirits, Heb. 1.14. Yea, his heavenly Fa­ther, who laboured in the beginning of time, in the crea­ting of all things, and at this time; and to the end of times; worketh in the preservation of all his creation, John 5.17. but also as punishment of his disobedience; Man is borne unto labour, as the sparks flie upward, Job 5.7. And this working with his hands, is the discharging of the duties of that calling wherein GOD hath set him, as the LORD hath called every man, so let him worke 1 Cor. 7.17.

Now this worke of Levies hand, was (that I may di­stinguish the things that differ) either ceremoniall, or morall. The ceremoniall was to minister in the Priests office, Ex. 28.1. to offer gifts and sacrifices, Heb. 8.3. to be over the Tabernacle of the Testimonie, over all the vessels thereof, and all things that belong unto it, Numb. 1.50. The morall was to thanke and praise the GOD of Israel, 1 Chro. 16.4. and 23.31. to blesse the children of Israel, in GODS name, Numb. 6.23. Deut. 10.8. to read in the book of the Law distinctly, give the sense, and cause the people to understand the reading, Neh. 8.8. to shew the people the sentence of judgement in hard matters, Deut. 17.8. 2 Chro. 19.8. Ezek 44.23, 24. to exhort them in warre, Deut. 20.23. to teach them at all times the Law of the LORD of Hosts; and to walk before the Lord in uprightnesse, that so they might turne many from then iniquities, Mal. 2.6, 7. Now the first of these, the ceremoniall worke, was to indure, but till the time of reformation, Heb. 9.10. the fastning of that hand [Page 27]writing of ordinances, to the crosse of Christ, Col. 4. that law being changed, and abolished, this work of the Priesthood is abolished also. The other worke, the mo­rall, is to continue, though not in the tribe of Levi; yet in those Prophets, Pastors, and teachers that Christ gave for the perfecting of the Saints, the worke of the mini­stry, and the edifying of his body, Eph. 4.11. till the end of the world; the appearing of JESUS CHRIST, Mat. 28.20. 1 Tim. 6.14. This worke in regard of the authority by which or master for whom it is don, is called the Lords work 1 Cor. 16.10. in regard of the dignity of it, [...], a good or godly worke, 1 Tim. 3.1. and the workemen thereof laboures together with God, 1 Cor. 3.9. in regard of the greatnes of it a worke hardly to be fitted with a workman, who is sufficient for these things? 2 Cor. 2.16. it is on [...] vel ipsis angelis formindan­dum Bernard.; a burthen to be feared of the very Angels. Ars est artium regimen animarum Gregor. in past. par. 1. ca. 1.; the government of Soules is the art of arts.

Now beloved Brethren of the Clergie, the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof, 2 King. 2.14. Since the lines are falne to us in this pleasant place, suffer, I pray you, a few words of exhortation. As, then, wee have taken upon us the Ministeriall office and worke: so that ministery which we have received from the LORD, let us fulfill in the LORD, Col. 4.17. even doe the worke of Evangelists, 2 Tim 4.5. And since wee are Ambassa­dours for Christ; let us in Christs stead pray our people to be reconciled to GOD, 2 Cor. 5.20 shew all the coun­sels of Christ to the houshold of saith, Act. 20.27. Since we are watchmen set over the house of GOD, let us take heed unto our flocks; watching night and day, in sea­son and out of season, for the Soules committed to our charge, Heb. 13.17. For if all ought to watch, (saith Bernard) much more ought the shepheardsSiomnes vi­gilare debent, multo magis pa­stores. Bern. de vigil. pastor. If he so laboureth and watch who feedeth Labans sheepe, [Page 28](saith S. Basil); with what labour, and what watch­ings ought he to bestirre himselfe, who feedeth GODS sheepeSi sic laborat & vigilat qui pascit oves La­ban, quanto la­bort, quantisque vigiliis debet in­tendere, qui pascit oves Det? Basil, hom. de paenit. Since we are GODS stewards, let us give to every one of his houshold their portion in due season, Luk. 12.42. For if hee who provideth not for them of his owne house, the bread that perisheth, Joh. 6.27. hath denyed the faith, and is worse than an Infidell, 1 Tim. 5.8. Much more is hee to bee accounted so, who provi­deth not for those of GODS house, the bread that in­dureth to eternall life. The rulers slacknesse is their charges wrongIncuria pra­positi est iniuria depositi. Hieron. Epist. ad Furiā.. Since we are sowers let us go forth to sowe, Mat. 13.3. not to reap only: since planters, 1 Cor. 3.6. let us ingraft in the minds of the faithfull, that word which is able to save their soules, Jam. 1.21. Since waterers, let us water those tender plants, that are plan­ted in the courts of the LORD, and let it not be our fault that the LORDS field should seeme to be cursed with the curse of the mountaines of Gilboa, upon which neither dew nor raine fell, 2 Sam. 1.21. Since builders in the house of GOD, [...] us so build up the houshold of faith upon Christ Jesus the corner stone, that they may grow unto an holy temple in the Lord, Eph. [...].21. Since men of GOD, let us quit our selves like men, 1 Cor. 16.13. preach the word, bee instant, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine, [...] Tim. 4. [...], 2. Since the salt of the earth, let us have salt in our selves, Mark 9.50. and let all our speech be so seasoned with salt, that it may minister grace to our hearers, Col. 4.6. Since Mes­sengers of the LORD of Hosts, let our lips preserve knowledge, Mat. 2.7. let us bring glad tidings of good things to our auditors, Rom. 10.15. And since wee are labourers in his vine-yard, let us goe into it; and that not only to feed there, but also and much more to labour, Mat. 20.4. Let us not be dumbe dogges, such as cannot, or will not barke; and who have need that Christ should cast out of them that dumbe divell, Luk 11.14. nor dead [Page 29]idols, who have mouthes, and speake not, Psal. 115.5. Nor Pastors derived by Antiphrasis, a non pascendo, from not feedingVt mons à non movendo. or of pascor pasceris, to be fed only: For when they do not feed, but are fed themselves, they are not derived from pasco, to feed; but from pascor, to be fedCum [...] non pascant sed pascantur, non à pasco derivan­tur, sed à pascor pasceri. [...] poèma per Illi­ricum, de cor­rupt. statu Ec­clesiae. Let not those complaints light upon us which Saint Bernard darted out against the Clergy of his time, saying, that they were in habit Clergy men; in follow­ing their gaine, men of the world; but in work, neither: that they laboured not as other men; but whereas all states of men have some labour, and some pleasure, that they by a new cunning dividing betweene these, have chosen that which is delightfull in every thing, and re­jected that which is displeasingEos esse ha­bitu Clerico [...], quastu munda­nos, actu non­tr [...]t; in labore hominum non esse, sed cum­cuncts status hominum ali­quid habeant labores, & ali­quid voluptatis, Clericos inter ha [...] novo quo­da [...]aris fieio-discernentes te­tum quod deli­ctat in queliber elegssse, & te­tum quod mol [...] ­stat respuissed. 3. de considera­tione.. Let the Pope onely take this privilege to himselfe, that though he draw mil­lions of soules after him to hell, yet no man may presume to say to him; Sir, why dost thou doe soDistinct. 40 in dercet.. But let us take heed unto our selves, to reading, or exhortation and doctrine, that we may save our selves, and them that hear us, 1 Tim. 4.26.

But above all things, let mee put you in minde of one thing, that wee bee not onely such as have the light of knowledge, but such also as are indued with the fire of zeale; that our sips may not only preserve knowledge, but also (that which the LORD requireth in the Tribe of Levi, Mal. 2.6, 7.) that we may walke with GOD in peace and equity; that we may weare upon our breast-plates, not only the Vrim of light and knowledge, but also the Thummin of integrity and good conversation, Exod. 28.30. that we may alwaies enter into the san­ctuary of the LORD with our golden bells, the found of preaching; and Pomegranates, the fruit of good living, (as S^t. Gregory interpreteth itGreg. lib. 1. epist. 24.) mingled together, Exod. 28.33, 34. that we who teach others, may teach our selves, Rom. 2.21. who preach to others, may not our selves be cast-awayes, 1 Cor 9.27. For it belongeth to [Page 30]GODS Priests, not only to teach, but also to do the law: that they may not only teach their people and flocke committed to them with words, but also with exam­plesSacerdotum enim est propriè non solumdo. cere sed & fa­cere, legem, us nequaquam verbis subjectos sibi populos, & creditum gre­gem, sed exem­plis d [...]ceant. Hieron. in Je­rem. 16.. This is the best harmony of all, when the Priests minde, hand, and tongue agreeHaec est pul­cherrima har­monia, quando Sacerdotis mens, manus, lingua, concerdant. Idē epist. ad Nepot.. But on the other side, it is nothing to preach the truth, if the heart disa­gree from the tonguePraedica [...]e veritatem nil est, si corlingua d [...]ssentia [...]. Aug. in Psal. 57.: Nay, if we could speak with the tongue of men, should be so skilfull in Oratory, that we could at our pleasure lift up, advance, amplifie▪ ex­tenuate, and as it were by an inchanting power of elo­quence, turne any thing into what shape and habite wee would; and so subtile in disputing, that we could worke any thing out of any thing: if wee could speake with the tongue of Angels, (if there were any angels tonguesSi qua sint Angelorum lin­gua. Hieron., for the words are to be understood hyper­bolically) if we had prophecy, the gift of interpreting the Scriptures, and knew not some few, but all myste­ries; even the whole mystery of godlinesse: and had not some little knowledge, but all; even not only the wise­dome of this world, and the Princes thereof, which come to nought, 1 Cor. 2.6. So that with Solomon wee could speake of plants from the Cedar which is in Li­banus, to the Hyssope which groweth upon the wall: and of beasts, and birds, and creeping things, and fishes, 1 King. 4.33. but also the wisedome of GOD hid in a mysterie, and had not charity: not only these excellent gifts are to be accounted nothing, but we our selves are nothing, 1 Cor. 13.1, 2. To such Pharisees who say and doe not, that same song of S^t. Bernard, not pleasant but profitable, must be sung,Monstrosa res est gradus summus, & animusinfimus, sedes prima & vita ima, lin­gua magnil [...] ­qua & manus [...]tiosa, sermo muleus & fru­ctus nullus, vultus gravis & actus levis, caput canum, & corvanum, faciesrugosa & lingua nugosa, ingens autoritas & nutant stabilit [...]s. Lib. 2. deconsiderat. It is a monstrous thing to have an high degree, and a base minde; the chiefe seat, and a lewd life; a tongue speaking great words, and an idle hand; much speech, and no fruit; a grave countenance, and a light carriage; a gray head, and an idle heart; a [Page 31]wrinkled face, and a trifling tongue; great authority, and a tottering stability. To grow to an end then, let us so take heed to our selves, that we may live well, and to our doctrine, 1 Tim. 4.16. that we may instruct our peo­ple committed to our charge: Let us so shine as bright stars in the militant Church, (that is in Chrysostomes inter­pretationChrys. hom. 11. in Matt., Let us so teach that men may not only hear our words, but also see our good works) that at length wee may shine as bright startes in the triumphant Church for ever and ever, Dan. 12.3. And let us so joint­ly doe, and teach the least, Mat. 5.19. the greatest, all the commandements of GOD, that wee may bee called great in the Kingdome of grace; may be found heirs in the Kingdome of glory, and sit with Christ in his Throne, Rev. 3.21. To whom with the Fa­ther, and the Holy Ghost, three Persons, one GOD, and King eternall, immor­tall, invisible, and onely wise, bee Honour and Glory, for ever and ever, AMEN.