Noli me tangere:
OR, A Thing to be thought on.
THE Thoughts of one, that hath no relation for the preſent, to, nor any expectation for the future, from the Biſhops, or Cathedralls, unleſſe it be this; that the one would preach oftner in the other, and both of them governe, and bee governed better hereafter, than heretofore; labouring to advance the Goſpell, to promote Religion, to oppoſe error in Doctrine, and viciouſneſſe in manners; that our Church may be called a Praiſe and Beauty all over the world, and become terrible as an Army with Banners, to all Hereticks and Sectiſts, that, like Foxes ſpoyle our Vines, and like little Foxes deſtroy our tender Grapes. Which Reformation hee prayes for in a way of righteouſneſſe, that it may have the bleſſing of the juſt upon it.
Aelian hath this Story:
Aelian. lib. 5. cap. 16. Var. Hiſt.
When a certaine boy, who had ſtolne away a golden plate that fell from Diana's Crowne, was brought in judgement before the Areopagitae: thoſe Iudges cauſed Cock-hall Bones, Rattles, and the golden plate to bee laid before the Child, in whom perceiving an inclination againe to the golden plate, rather than to the Rattles, and other things more ſuteable to his Childhood, without pity to his infancy, they condemned him to death, as a Sacrileger; thinking it ſit to crop that ſinne, and wickedneſſe which they diſcerned to be in him, being yet but in the Blade and Herbe.
The Deſires, Diſcourſe, and Thoughts of ſome men are to aboliſh Epiſcopacy, and the Cathedrall Churches, and to take away their Lands, and to give them to the King, or to uſe them for the neceſſitie of the Common-wealth, or to mend with them the maintenance of preaching Miniſters, or alienate them to ſome other perſons or imployments, it matters not greatly with them to whom, or to what, ſo they can ſweep the Clergy of their Revenue that remaines, as heretofore already hath beene done in ſome other part of their Maintenance.
Now if the true cauſe of theſe Deſires were diſcovered, it would appeare to bee ſuch a diſpoſition of minde as was in Aelians Boy, and a naturall inclination to Dianas golden plate, as wiſe King Henrie the eighth told a Courtier that was buſie this way. Mr. Fox relates the Storie in this manner.
After the riches and treaſures of the Monaſteries
were brought into the Kings hands; in the diſſolving whereof many Cormorants were ſed and ſatisfied; yet not ſo fully but that in few yeares they began to waxe hungrie againe; and no more being to be looked for out of the Abbies, they began to tickle the Kings eares with the rich revenues of the Biſhops Lands; and ſet Sir Thomas Seimor, a Knight of the privie Chamber on worke to promote it. Hee complaines in the Kings eares; that Arch-Biſhop Granmer feld Woods, and let Leaſes to enrich his wife, and her kindred, keeping-little Hoſpitality, and that it was the opinion of many wiſe men, that it were fitter the Biſhops ſhould have a yearely ſtipend in money out of the Kings Exchequer, than bee troubled with the temporall affaires of their revenues, being an impediment to their ſtudie and paſtorall charge, and his Highnes to have their Lands and Revenues to his proper uſe; which beſide their yearely ſtipend, would bee no ſmall profit to the King. The wiſe King finding him by the ſent, ſends the Knight over to Lambeth, to bid the Arch-Biſhop come over in the after noone to the King. The Knight findes the Arch-Biſhops Hall full of people, ſome of the poorer ſort, others of indifferent quality: all the tables covered for Dinner for them; and being carryed up to the Biſhop, after his Errand done, the Biſhop makes him ſtay Dinner with him among perſonages of good quality at his Table, which was furniſhed as might beſeeme a Prince. The Knight after Dinner returnes to the King, falls downe before him on his knees, acknowledgeth the injury hee
had done the Biſhop, being abuſed by the miſreport was made unto him by others. O Sir, quoth the King, have you found the truth out now? Hee was a very varlet that told you that tale; but I perceive which way the winde blowes. There are a ſort of you to whom I have liberally given of the revenues and poſſeſsions of the ſuppreſſed Monaſteries; which, like as you have lightly gotten, ſo you have unthriftily ſpent, ſome at Dice, others on gay apparrell, and other wayes worſe, I feare: and now you would make another Chievance of the Biſhops Lands, to accompliſh your greedy appetites: And ſo charged him hee might heare no more of that marter.: So far Mr. Fox. Now in theſe Catchpoles ſee the cunning of the Devill, that is called Sacriledge, the very uncleane Spirit, that breaths the ſame motions now in the mindes of our Burres and Tenterhooks. Is hee not a devout Devill, and carefull of Gods Service, that it may bee well performed by the Clergy? For, for this purpoſe hee will take away their Lands, that they may follow their ſtudies, and not bee encombred about them. Is he not carefull of the Clergie, that they may have an honeſt competent Stipend? Is he not carefull of the Kings profit, that hee may have the Biſhops Lands to his Highneſſe uſe and commoditie? The very Spirit of many of our people at this time, to the ſame purpoſe, but in an higher degree of Sacriledge: for whereas they ſought onely after the Biſhops Lands, theſe ſeeke after the Cathedrall Churches alſo; evill proceeding alwayes to more evill, and waxing worſe and worſe
in time. But all theſe goodly pretences are hypocriticall, and the masks of vile iniquity and holy Theft: for it was not the Clergies profit they looked at, for that they grudged them; neither the Kings commodity, for that was but their Shooinghorne to draw him on to fit their foot; but it was their owne covetouſneſſe, by which they ſought to ſatisfie their pride, riot, wanton and greedie Luſts; being herein like unto the Maſter of their Art, the Traytor Iudas, that grudging Chriſt the womans oyntment, as a waſte, would willingly have had it ſold, pretending that it might have beene given to the poore; not that he cared for the poore, but was a Thiefe, and carryed the Bag; into which if hee could have got the oyntment, hee would have wiped the poore of it, and licked his owne fingers, which were already in Chriſt his pocket, and itched after Maries coſt beſtowed on his Lord and Maſter. Such were theſe Harpies, and ſuch are many now, talking in their very ſtreine; who if they faile of their deſired oyntments, will not ſtick, rather than faile, to ſell the Lord Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe, as Iudas did, for thirty pieces of ſilver. Now nothing is wanting to theſe mens deſerved puniſhment, but a grave Bench of ſuch Iudges as the Areopagitae, who adjudged the ſacrilegious boy to death.
Surely, this is a mighty diſgrace to the Religion we profeſſe, that ſince the Reformation, all mens Thoughts do runne, even in times of greater labour, and learning in the Church, than heretofore, to pill and poll the Miniſterie, and bring it to uncomely
and deformed Beggerie; the ſweetneſſe of the bread of God, as William Rufus ſaid, begetting a greater deſire of it (ſince the ſtatute of Diſſolution) even as the ſucking of the ſheeps bloud begets deſire of bloud, and brings that deſire in the Maſtive, into a trade of ravening and devouring, after he hath once raſted the ſweetneſſe of it. So that, as the old Patriarch Iacob ſaid of his Children, when Benjamin was ſent for by Ioſeph into Egypt, Yee have bereaved me of my Children,
Gen.
•
2.36. Ioſeph is not, and Simeon is not, and yee will take Benjamin alſo; all theſe things are againſt me. So may the Clergie of England complaine and ſay: yee have taken away my Tithe and my Glebe, and many other profits are not, and now yee will take away the reſt of my Revenue: all theſe things are againſt mee, may the Church of England ſay; unleſſe putting up that prayer of the Patriarch, ſhee prevaile in it with God:
Gen. 43 14.
Now God Almighty give me favour in the eyes of the men, that they may ſend back that that is taken away already, and let That alone that yet remaineth.
Certainly, there is ſuch a Sin as Sacriledge to this day; and if this be not that ſin; I am deceived by Solomon:
Prov. 20.5. It is a ſnare to the man who devoureth That that is holy, and after vowes to make inquirie, (id eſt) That which is conſecrated and devoted, and ſo ſeparate to any ſervice of God in his Church, will prove a ſnare to that man. Now it is out of humane power by Donation to God, that ſhall, after ſuch Donation, fall on Enquiries, whether ſuch a Service or Imployment be needfull; and then concluding it is not, to alienate and take back againe
to humane uſage, That, that is thus devoted, and ſo devour it: which was his intention, when he entred into his Enquirie.
Certainly, the Sinne of Sacriledge is great,
Rom. 2.22.
Thou that abhorreſt Idolls, committeſt thou Sacriledge? By which it appeares to bee as bad at leaſt as is Idolatrie. And this place is ſpecially to bee noted, by them that pretend mainly againſt Superſtition and Idolatrie, and yet are hotly ſet for ſacriledge.
Idolatry hath beene ever bountifull in the ſervice of Idolls:
Hoſ. 2.8.
Thou haſt taken my Flaxe and my Wooll, my Corne and mine Oyle, my Silver and my Gold, and prepared them for Baal.
Ezek. 16. And wee read of decking and adorning of Idolls in moſt coſtly manner.
1 King. 18.19. And we read alſo of liberall and honourable maintenance for Prieſts that ſerved about the worſhip of theſe Idolls. Iezabel allowed many hundreds of them an Ordinarie at her Table.
Gen. 41.22. And in the great ſeven yeares Famine of Egypt, when all the Egyptians lands were ſold to Pharaoh for bread, onely the Lands of the Prieſts Ioſeph did not buy; for the Prieſts had a portion of Pharaoh, and did eate their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they ſold not their Lands.
Now this the Devill attempts not to hinder, neither cries he out, ad quid haec perditio? becauſe it advanceth his Kingdome. But ſacriledge with us ſtrikes at the root of Gods true ſervice & religion, being a meanes in time to introduce Barbariſme, to deſtroy Learning, and to ruine the worſhip of the true God. And this is the reaſon why the Devill is ſo buſie (hearing of a Reformation and purgation
of the Church from ſuperſtitious Roman Dregs; (which is as it were an abhorring of Idolls) to advance Sacriledge, and ſet that on foot, as a thing well ſerving his turne, to ſtrike withall at root and branches of true pietie and religion, that it may not prove ſo much a Reformation, as a Deſtruction thereof in the later end. Which courſe Iulian the Apoſtata himſelfe thought fitteſt to extirpate the Chriſtian Name and Faith.
Certainly, the ſinne of Sacriledge is dangerous more wayes than one. Dangerous it is to private men that commit it.
Pſal. 83.12. Make them like a Wheele, as ſtubble before the wind, perſecute them with thy tempeſts, fill their faces with ſhame, let them bee troubled and confounded for ever, who ſaid, Let us take the houſes of God to our ſelves in poſſeſsion. Ananias and Saphira were ſmitten dead for this ſin. And Peters ſpeech teacheth us what it is, ſaying, While it remained,
Act. 5 2.5.10. Verſ. 4. was it not thine owne? and when it was ſold, was it not in thine owne power? implying, when it was once devoted, it was not in their powers to take it backe againe: which thing becauſe they did, in keeping back part of the price, they were ſmitten and periſhed with untimely Death. And the puniſhment of Achan is notorious, that for taking a wedge of Gold,
Ioſ. 7. and a Babyloniſh Garment from among the devoted things of Iericho, was ſtoned unto death.
Dangerous is it alſo to more publike perſons, even to the heads and principall members of the Common-wealth, the Kings and Princes thereof. Wee read how Belſhazzar, in a great Feaſt ſends for
the golden Veſſells which his Father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple at Ieruſalem,
Dan. 5. to drinke Wine in them himſelfe, his Princes, his Wives and Concubines: Now,
Verſe 5. at the very inſtant appeared the Fingers of an Hand, on the plaiſter of the wall of his Palace, where hee ſate; which the King ſeeing, his countenance was changed, and his minde ſo troubled, that his joynts were looſed, and his knees ſmote one againſt the other;
Verſe 26. and the Fingers wrote theſe words on the Wall, God hath numbred thy Kingdome, and finiſhed it, thou art weighed in the Ballance, and art foundwanting; thy Kingdome is divided from thee, and given to the Medes and Perſians: Then marke the end of Sacriledge, In that night was Belſhazzar ſlaine.
Verſe 26. Which preſent exemplarie judgement fell upon him immediately upon the private miſuſage of the ſacred Veſſells, at his owne Table, that had beene conſecrated and devoted to the ſervice of Gods Temple. And his Father Nebuchadnezzar, that brought them away, out of the Temple at Ieruſalem, was thruſt, by God, out of his Kingdome,
Dan. 4.21. and driven from the ſonnes of men, and had his heart made like unto a Beaſts heart, and his dwelling was with the wilde Aſſes, and he was fed with Graſſe, like Oxen, and his Body was wet with the dew of heaven, till ſeven times, that is, ſeven yeares had paſſed over him.
And he that ſhall look into ſtorie ſhall find fearefull examples of his juſtice, on-Sacrile-dgers, who ſpares not Kings in his wrath, when they will ſinne proudly, in this kinde againſt him.
Our owne Annalls tell us of King William Rufus, and his Nephew the Sonne of Robert Duke of Normandy; both ſlaine, in hunting in that ſame Forreſt, that the Conqueror, his father, and grandfather to his Nephew, had made, and himſelfe had augmented, with the utter ruine of many Chappells, Churches, and religious houſes.
And it may be obſerved, that Henry the eighth, (in whoſe time the Statute of Diſſolution was, and the Tithes alienated by Statute, in revenge of the Popes delaying his divorce, rather than for any other reaſon) was met withall by God: for all his poſterity, though they came reſpectively to enjoy the Crowne; yet were they written childleſſe, and he quickly, in them, turned out of the Kingly poſſeſſion, and the Crowne transferred to a branch, that ſprang from his father Henrie the ſeventh, under whoſe ſhadow wee have had reſt for many yeares, and have cauſe to pray, that God would make that branch to flouriſh, and bleſſe and water the Buds of it, that they may thrive and proſper in Princely vertue, Dignity and Honour, while the Sun and Moon ſhall ſhine in heaven.
But the fore-mentioned judgements on Sacrilegious Princes conſidered, doe diſcover unto us, That thoſe that talke ſo much of taking away the Lands of the Church, and returning them to the Crowne, from whence they ſay they came (and from whence, no doubt, but ſome of them came indeed) deale childiſhly with God, who expects our Vowes ſhould be paid and kept; for he hath no
delight in Fooles that are off and on,
Eccleſ. 5.4. in and out with him; giving now, and anon taking away what hath been formerly given, like fooliſh Babes: and alſo deale injuriouſly with the King, ſeeking to enrich his Crowne, with That that will ſhake it on his head, and endanger both himſelf, and his Royal Progeny and poſterity to ſuch fearefull judgements as have beene executed, even on Kings, for ſimilar ſinne. So that of ſuch men, however their Tables pleaſe the Sacrilegious multitude, and whatever paint of Eloquence may ſeeme to ſpeake, of their Reſpects and ſervice this way for the King: yet Truth will never ſay of them, they bee of the number of thoſe, that, for the grace of their lips ſhall have the King their friend; who is wiſe, like an Angel of God, in diſcerning Sacriledge to bee a ſin deteſtable before God, and therefore holds it odious to his Princely heart.
And it is dangerous alſo to the Common-wealth it ſelfe. This ſinne in Achan became not onely a ſnare to himſelfe, in which he was taken, and held unto deſtruction; but all Iſrael was troubled by the ſinne of that one Achan, and the army of Iſrael diſcomfited, againe and againe, before the men of Ai, till ſuch time, as, by their ſolemne humiliation, and the death of Athan, the Sacrileger,
Ioſ. 7. the iniquity was purged, and the Lord appeaſed.
Neither let any man thinke that this will take away the nature of ſinne from the alienation of Church Lands, that it is done by a nationall Aſſembly of the States in Parliament; whoſe proceedings
and Sanctions muſt bee by rule from God; otherwiſe, they become more out of meaſure ſinfull, than actions of like quality in private men. The Lawes of State are not therefore juſt, becauſe enacted by the State; but when they agree with the common Rules of Iuſtice, that God hath given to everie ſonne of man. The truth is, many proud and fooliſh men doe Idolize a Nationall Aſſembly, as if it had not a ſuperior Rule, to which it ought to frame all its Actions and Decrees; but, like a kind of omnipotent creature, (like the Pope to the Canoniſts) it were a Lord God upon earth, and might enact, with Iuſtice, according to its owne Vote and Will; which is a ſingular dotage, a prophane contempt of God, the high and Soveraigne Law-giver, and a mighty derogation to the true worth and pietie that is in the Breaſts (of many, I am ſure) of our wiſe and godly Patriots; who have ſo learned Chriſt, that they will make his Will their Rule and Law, and his Glory their ultimate and ſmall ayme.
It will not therefore, I ſay, take from ſacriledge the nature of ſinne, that it is committed by a Nationall Aſſembly, giving their Sanction thereunto: but it will encreaſe the evill, and make it a Nationall ſinne, involving the Common-wealth therein. Firſt,
Pſal 83.12. in her Nobility, as, Make their Nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, yea, all their Princes like Zebah and Zalmunnah, that ſay, Let us take to our ſelves in poſſeſsion the houſes of God in the Land; and lap up the Gentrie, the Citizens, the Knights and Burgeſſes,
the whole Commons, and all the Commons of England, yea, the whole Nation in the ſinne; for ſo ſaith God, Yee are curſed with a curſe, even the whole Nation, for yee have robbed mee; and yee ſay,
Pſal. 3 8, 9. wherein? for they would not believe it, more, than many of our people at this preſent; yet God tells them, They had robbed him in Tythes and Offerings: A thing which Heathens would not doe to their Idolls: Will a man ſpoyle his god, ſaith the Lord? that is, Hee will not: Yet yee have ſpoyled mee, in Tithes and Offerings, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, that hath an Hoſt to avenge himſelfe at pleaſure, on the moſt mighty Sacrilegers; for hee is ſtronger than the Hills, or Mountaines of Robbers. Adde unto all this, That it will make it the more ſinfull in that it ſhall bee committed by a Law; which ſhould bee enacted for the prevention of ſinne, and not for the commiſſion.
Pſal 94.
Shall the Throne of iniquitie have fellowſhip with thee, that frameth miſchief by a Law? Shall not the people thus fall under the judgements which God hath threatned to them, that walke after unrighteous Ordinances, and the Law-givers themſelves bee branded, as Jeroboam was, that they make the people ſinne? The Lord threatens the people thus, Thou ſhalt ſow much,
Mich. 6.15. but thou ſhalt not reap: thou ſhalt tread the Olives, but thou ſhalt not anoynt thee with the Oyle; and ſweet Wine, but ſhalt not drinke Wine:
Verſe 16. now ſee the reaſon of this threatning, For the Statutes of Omri are kept, and all the workes of the houſe of Ahab. and yee walke in their Counſells, that I ſhould make thee
a deſolation, and the inhabitants an hiſſing. And ſee the iſſue and danger of their naughty Lawes, as the Prophet Hoſea ſets it forth more fully in the Law-makers themſelves:
Hoſ. 5.10.
The Princes of Iudah are like them that remoove the Bounds, (id eſt, The Land-markes, to encroach on others Lands) therefore I will poure out my wrath upon them, like water:
Verſe 11. And in the people; They are oppreſſed and broken in judgment, becauſe they willingly walked after the Commandement: therefore I will bee to Ephraim a moth, and to the houſe of Iudah like rottenneſſe. And for any thing wee know, the ſweeping away of Tithes and Things conſecrated heretofore, although by a Law, have brought ſome of the common preſſures and calamities, for which there are ſuch perplexed thoughts of heart, or, at leaſt, have made our miſeries the more heavy and grievous, from the hand of God.
However, certainely it is a thing inconſiſtent with Reaſon, That Things Conſecrated to Gods ſervice, in the intention of the Donor, although with ſome Errour about the Service, ſhould bee taken altogether away from God, and alienated to any private uſage, and perſonall ſervice of men uncapable of attendance on any holy imployment.
And it is a thing ſenceleſſe, That any Layman ſhould have the Tithes, the onely maintenance, appoynted by GOD to Levi, while
his Tabernacle ſtood, for his ſervice thereabouts; and after to Chriſt in his Miniſters, for their labour in his ſervice, as long as Chriſt doth live, which is, for ever,
Heb 7.8. where one difference betwixt the Leviticall Prieſts and Chriſt, is placed in this, That they, under the Tabernacle, take Tithes that dyed; But here, hee taketh them, of whom it is ſaid, He liveth for ever. Of which Text this is the meaning, That Tithes are not a Leviticall and mutable maintenance, but the eternall maintenance of Gods ſervice, uſed, before the Law, when the Prieſthood was in the Father of the Family, for the proviſion of Sacrifices,
Gen. 28 20. according to the intent of Jacobs vow; ſtated on (not firſt invented for) Levie, during Levies Service: But when the body came, which was Chriſt, and Levi, with all his typicall ſervice, was to be aboliſhed, then ceaſed not the Tythes, in right, (though in practice, by reaſon of the Paganiſme of Princes, in whoſe Dominions the Chriſtian Faith ſprang up, they were not payd in the Church) but were transferred to Chriſt, and his Servants and Miniſters, to bee their Maintenance, as long as Chriſt ſhould live, which is, for ever. This ſeemes to mee, the true ſence of the place: And, indeed it is a ſenceleſſe thing to thinke, That God hath left the Miniſters of his Goſpell, whoſe ſervice is more honourable than that of Levi, both for cleare Revelation of Chriſt, and alſo for labour and paines:
2 Cor 3.9. for the
Levites were but Butchers to the Miniſters of the Goſpell;
1 Tim. 4.13. 5 & 16. & 1 Tim. 5.17. & 1 Tim. 4.2. and their labour was bodily, that tended to preſervation of their health; in which they continued notwithſtanding but from five and twentie yeares to fiftie. But ours is mentall and verball, and never at an end: That God, I ſay, ſhould leave theſe Miniſters to the mercy and charity of men, to bee provided for, by the Almes and charitable Benevolence of the ill-diſpoſed people of the laſt times; whom hee fore-ſaw ſo to love their pride, pleaſures, and luſts, that they would rake and ſcrape, by hooke and crooke, not onely one from another, but from his Heavenly Majeſty alſo; although the Lawes of former generations, had as firmely eſtated, and eſtabliſhed him in his poſſeſſion, as the Lawes of Man, with the Curſes and Imprecations of thoſe that endowed God Almightie, could poſsibly eſtate, and give an intereſt unto him.
And the rather, if we conſider that hee foreknew, that even many, that would profeſſe Religion, in an exacter way than others, would yet pretend, his Miniſters ſhould have a competency, (as Sir Thomas Seymor, before mentioned, did to Henrie the eighth) which when it ſhould come to their Standard, would bee a baſe unworthy Salary, able onely to preſerve a Miniſter alive, in a thouſand wants, while hee doth live, and to leave his Wife and Children
to begge after his diſeaſe. And the Lord fore-knew the ungodly Reaſon would bee pretended, viz. That Riches in the Clergie are not ſuteable to the ſimplicity of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles: A plauſible thing with fooliſh people, That, ſince Chriſt dyed on the Croſſe, never think a Miniſter in his Element, unleſſe hee bee in priſon, or on the pillory. But alas! was the povertie of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, any part of their ſimplicitie? Becauſe our Saviour, that was Heire to the Crowne, which was uſurped by Herod, was kept from it, muſt a Miniſter, that hath an inheritance, be put by it, and it be given to another, becauſe it is more agreeable to the ſimplicity of Chriſt, who was ſo dealt withall? I had thought our caſe, living under Chriſtian Kings and Lawes, had been different from the caſe of Chriſt, that came to be a man of nothing, by voluntarie ſubjection, to worke out our Redemption; and, neither to teach us, to become begging Friers, nor you to become cruell perſecuters, and crafty and bloudy Herods. And I did think, and do think, That there is no thing neceſſary concerning the ſimplicity of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, but binds every common Chriſtian, to the verie Kings and Princes, as well as the Miniſters of Chriſt: neither doe I ſee any thing, in the Scriptures to the contrarie, nor in right reaſon: neither why hundreds and thouſands by the yeare, ſhould be thought fit enough, for an ordinary Gentleman,
or Citizen, ſometimes a Dunce and a ſordid fellow too, and ſuteable enough to the ſimplicity of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, in them; and that there ſhould bee no ſuteableneſſe in Miniſters, as wiſe, as godly, as charitable as other men, unleſſe they be kept downe in beggery and poverty. It is a thing hath guld the world much, in poynt of Church-government, That the Apoſtles times, and matters of fact, incident to their condition under perſecutors, are accounted Rules for the Kingdome of Chriſt: whereas Lawes be our Rule; and their examples bind us no farther, than the things they give us examples in, be examples of morall Duties charged upon us by Divine precept, the onely thing commands a duty,
Rom. 3 and forbids a ſinne, and makes it tranſgreſſion ſinfull.
It were therefore a worthy work, and fitting a Parliamentary Reformation, to thinke of reſtoring the Tithes to the proper owners (for now they are in an improper hand) rather than of taking away the reſidue of the Lands, that having eſcaped the Talons of the Harpie, remain yet to the Clergie: eſpecially conſidering, That the Impropriations are one maine cauſe of ſcandalous and ignorant Miniſters, in many places of the Land; which thing (bleſſed be God) the Parlament propoſeth a redreſſe of; and which, how the impropriators will anſwer to Chriſt, in the day of judgement, (when all
the ſoules that have periſhed, through want of ſufficient maintenance for a ſufficient Minieſtry, by reaſon of their Sacriledge, ſhall bee required of them) let them bethinke them.
The Lands of Cathedrall Churches are the Bequeſts of men dead long agoe, with fearefull Imprecations made againſt thoſe, That ſhould alter their Wills and Teſtaments. Now the Apoſtle ſaith, If it bee but a mans Teſtament,
Gal. 3.15. no man altereth it. No man? Why, there be many men now ſet that way, and they pretend zeale in Religion, and a purpoſe of doing God ſervice, in ſo doing too: Why then ſaith the Apoſtle, No man altereth a mans Teſtament? Surely, his meaning is, no man ought, or, no honeſt man will alter the Teſtament of a man that is dead, his Will being made lawfully, though haply, not ſo wiſely, or conveniently, as it might have beene, nor to ſo good a purpoſe as hee might have beſtowed his goods and Legacies, or Lands: for, That which he might lawfully have done with his goods, while he was alive; there is no reaſon, if he bequeathed them to the ſame purpoſe, when hee dyes, but his Will ſhould ſtand and remaine to that uſe, after his Death, as intemerate, as if he were now preſent and alive, to diſpoſe his Beneficence.
But you will ſay unto me, They may bee better imployed in ſome other uſe, as, to mend
the maintenance of preaching Miniſters; and that now they ſerve onely to ſupport idleneſſe.
And I ſay unto you, if you phanſie any thing better, or know any other good worke, either better in truth, or better in your conceit and eſteem, on Gods Name, give ſomething of your owne to the maintenance thereof, permitting them that bee dead, to enjoy their owne Will and Deſire, in that, in which they put you to no charges.
VVe know, that Chriſt our Lord, who was Wiſedome and juſtice it ſelfe,
Matth. 20.15. in that Parable, takes it for an undoubted Maxim, that a man (in a lawfull way) may doe what hee will with his owne: for, giving a penny to him, that laboured but one houre, and a penny alſo to him, that endured the heate of the Day; when this man murmured, that the former was equally rewarded; the Maſter pleads his owne lawfull liberty, for the diſpoſure of that which was his owne, conteſting with the murmurer, as a man of an evill eye, at his goodneſſe and bounty to the other; and maintaines his owne diſpleaſure, in that hee had not injured the other by his liberality. By force of which paſſage, this is emergent, That if men be diſpoſed to honour ſome of the Clergy, although not laboring ſo ſweatily in the work of the Miniſterie as others doe, if the conferred honour bee of their owne charges, there is no reaſon, why
any mans Eye ſhould be evill at their goodneſſe, who, by the common right of Nature and Nations (that hold propriety againſt Anabaptiſticall community) may doe what lawfull thing they will, with that that is their own, even as others doe dayly; who, though they give nothing to the Clergy, yet commonly leave eſtates of great amount to men, that obtaining theſe eſtates, give over all imployment, laborious and profitable in the Common-wealth, and live idly and like Drones; and yet no man queſtions the gift of their friends, nor their unprofitable life, although they be but burthens to the Earth; nor talke they of a better imployment of the things that have been bequeathed to them; notwithſtanding the Perſons, peradventure, be Idiots, Sotts, debauched perſons, and ſuch as be not onely idle and unprofitable, but wicked and noxious to thoſe among whom they live, baſely waſting and conſuming in drunkenneſſe, whoredome and riot, that great ſubſtance thus befallen unto them: many of which kinde of men we have, that call themſelves Gentlemen, who are not of the worthy deſcended Gentry of the Land, but a diſgrace to that Name and Title: and yet no man grudgeth them the fortunes left them by their Benefactors, ſometimes no kinne to them at all; much leſſe doth any of the people wiſh, or once ſpeak of the taking from them that that they poſſeſſe; but think it both juſt and reaſonable they ſhould ſtill enjoy that that was given to them; and the contrary injurious both to the living and the dead.
Secondly, this is that that makes men ſo barren in theſe daies, in giving any thing to the Miniſtery, or to other pious ſupport of Gods ſervice; becauſe they ſee no aſſurance, the things they would ſhould continue to the end of the World, ſhall continue three Generations after them; but, on the contrary, that the Wils of Men of former times, be altered, perverted, reverſed by ſucceeding times, according as they phanſie, and to ſave their own purſes, or to enrich themſelues and their poſterity on the maintenance, God cals, his own portion.
Thirdly, I ſay, they gave their Lands to ſuch and ſuch a Church; for ſuch, or ſuch a ſervice of God, that in their darke times was moſt in uſe, and in their intention, and as they were inſtructed, moſt honourable to God. Now, if we in times of greater light, ſee better ſervice may be done to God, by the ſame Perſons, viz. Deanes, Cannons, Brebendaries, in the ſame Churches, thus endowed; on Gods Name, let us reforme thoſe Perſons, and put them on ſuch employment, as is competent with the will of the dead, in the ſame Churches which they endowed; and not take away the maintenance that is conſecrate to Gods ſervice, nor that ſervice neither to which it was given, but onely ſuperadd ſome ſervice to the former remembring the charge of God to Moſes, That Eleazar ſhould take the Braſen Cenſures of the ſeditious Levites,
Numb. 36.37. which God appointed them not to make, nor appointed that ſervice to be ſo performed by them; yet muſt they be ſearched and
ſcraped out of the Duſt and Aſhes of the burning, to make broad plates for a covering for the Altar, and not to be turned to any private uſe; for, ſaith the Text, They are hallowed (that is, conſecrate) to the Lord, although in a ſtrong and a prepoſterous way.
Now this may be done with the Cathedrals, in my apprehenſion, with great glory and beauty to the Chriſtian reformed Religion, in this, or ſome ſuch way.
Firſt, Where every Cathedrall hath Revenues enough, to maintain the Deanes, Canons, Prebend, without any other Benefices, that have cure of Soules; let them drink the water of their own Ciſterne, without drawing from any other Well, and be denied the poſſeſſion of any Eccleſiaſticall endowment, and kept to their motions within their own Sphere, id eſt, their Cathedrals.
Secondly, Whereas every Prebend that hath a Corp, might afford a ſufficient maintenance, but that it is let out at preſent in a long Leaſe, for a ſmall Rent; ſome one ſingular Prebend, now and then, making benefit of a great time, to whoſe Let it falls; the leſſe living bravely on the Leaſe in the meane time, and the Prebend having little yearely Income; It would doe well to raiſe a yearly maintenance of one hundred, two hundred, or three hundred pound per Annum, or, as much as the Prebend will beare. And where the Prebend will not beare it, as in ſmall Prebends, or thoſe that have no Corps, to put two or three of them together, and ſo leſſen the number of them, or let
the bigger helpe the leſſer, that ſo there may be a ſufficient maintenance for every Prebend, without any other Eccleſiaſticall Living.
This may be done, by letring the Prebends to the Tenents in Fee Farme for ever, onely yeelding ſuch an Annuall Rent, as the perpetuall Inheretance were worth to purchaſe; unleſſe we can be content with patience, to ſuffer the Leaſes to run out neerer their end, till they would afford ſufficiency of maintenance; which were the better way of the two, to produce a ſufficiency for ſo excellent a worke, as this may prove, if wiſe men have the handling of it.
Then let every Deane, Canon and Prebend, be bound to reſidence at the Cathedrall Church, and therein to Preach duely in his courſe. Where let there be two Sermons every Lords-day, and two every Holyday, and one every other weeke day; and theſe Sermons to be preached by themſelves in their turnes, and not by Subſtitutes; the caſe of ſickneſſe, neceſſary abſence, or other inavoydable imployment or impediment onely excepted.
Fourthly, Let theſe Prebends, when any of them is void, be fetched out of one of the Univerſitie; in their turnes; out of one Univerſitie this time, and out of the other the next time, of the Fellowes of the Colledges, of the beſt Learning and Life, that be willing to leave the Univerſitie and let them have liberty to marry and attend their ſtudy at the Cathedrall, to Preach, to anſwer all Books of Controverſies that come forth, and be ready by often preaching and ſtudy of Divinity, to
come abroad into the Church, to ſome paſtorall charge, when they ſhall be called.
Thus ſhall the Church, when any Church is void, have place, in every part of the Kingdome to repaire unto, to fetch a Man prepared and fitted for the Miniſtery, in a paſtorall charge. And ſo alſo ſhall many, that have not a capacity to live unmarried in the Univerſitie, finde a reliefe hereby, to ſuſtaine them in honourable ſinleſſe Matrimony. And many good Schollers, whoſe Gifts languiſh and die in the Univerſities, without any benefit to the publike (becauſe as the poore man at the Poole, they have none to helpe them out, to the Service of the Church) ſhall be brought forth, by this meanes, to the great benefit thereof.
Or, if it be not thought ſo fit, to make the Cathedralls Colledges of young Divines: it may, to my apprehenſion, doe very well, or rather better, to make them Colledges of old Divines.
Numb. 8.24. God gave Moſes charge concerning the Levites, that they ſhould not goe in to wait on the Service of the Tabernacle till twenty five years of age; and that from the age of fifty, they ſhould ceaſe waiting on that Service, and ſhould ſerve no more, but Miniſter with their Brethren in the Tabernacle to keep the charge, and ſhall ſerve no more, id eſt, tanquam milites emeriti, they are exempted from the carrying of Burthens and other laborious workes, and are now, ad placitum, in reſpect thereof; onely overſeeing about the Tabernacle, and directing the younger Levites, or helping
them voluntarily, as it ſeemed good to them, and as they found themſelves able; without that tye and obligation, that lay upon the younger. Which hath in it, no doubt, a morality, referring to the Miniſters of the Goſpell; whoſe labour is more conſuming than that of the Levites, and requires a maturity of judgement; in which reſpect, Saint Paul would not have a Miniſter be
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
ſo alſo requires it that ſtrength of body and minde, that in age (and the infirmities, that a ſedentary and ſtudious life brings on affiduous and diligent Preachers) are withered and decayed. Now it is neither fit that a Miniſter, when he is worne out by labour, ſhould live in want; nor that any perticular Flocke, ſhould want a paſtorall ſupply, which ſome may, poſſible, be unfit and unable to, by age or ſickeneſſe. Therefore now if it may ſo ſeeme good, it were not amiſſe, That the Cathedralls (every Prebend being made a ſufficient maintenance) might be a place of reſt and eaſe to thoſe old Veterani, that have ſerved in the Miniſtery; who may be choſen (in caſe of unfitneſſe to a paſtorall charge) into the Society of the Prebends (as any Prebend ſhall fall void) out of the Miniſters of the ſame Dioceſſe, where the Cathedrall is: upon which choice, he may give over his paſtorall charge to one younger, ſtronger, and more fit and able for the conſtant duties of a paſtorall Miniſtery; and finde both a remiſſion from labour, in his age and infirmity, and attend upon the dayly ſervice of God in the Cathedrall, and performe the duty of preaching therein;
which will not befall him ſo often, by far, as is requiſite in him that hath the charge of a Congregation; which requires conſtant and unintermitted labour. And here alſo, by this meanes, may younger Miniſters or any other, in doubtfull and difficult caſes of Conſcience, finde reſolution from experienced Divines; who, being many of them together, ſhall be able to give the better ſatisfaction. Yet I thinke it not fit, in my opinion, to deprive any, that are in preſent poſſeſſion of any dignity in the Church, of that dignity ſo long as they live, be they young or be they old; but that the uſage projected, whichſoever of the twain it be, may begin in them that are in preſent poſſeſſion; conſidering, that what they have obtained, they have obtained it in a way eſtabliſhed, in their time, by the Law of the Land.
And becauſe the badneſſe of our Government in the Church, comes from the badneſſe of the Governers, and that, from the bad Election of the Biſhops. To prevent future miſchiefe, it were good to reduce the Election of Biſhops againe, unto the Election of the Clergy, to whom of right it belongs, to prefer one of themſelves to that Goſernment (for peace and order ſake) which is in them all in communi, by the ordinance of Chriſt, who bequeathed the Keyes equally to them all and the prelation of one above the reſt, is queſtionleſſe, an Eccleſiaſticall, not a Divine Ordinance. It were therefore fit, when any Miniſter is choſen into the number of the Prebends, that he be choſen of the Clergy of the Dioceſſe, a man
of good Life and Learning, and one that hath bin laborious in his Miniſtery, and not under the age of fifty yeares. And then, That the Deane and Chapter, with the Prebends of the Church, may have the free Election of the Biſhop out of themſelves, as of old they have had, and whereof there remaineth yet a ſhew, (though a meere ſhew) in the Writ of Congedeleire, or, at leaſt, that they may nominate two or three, and the King to prefer which of the two or three ſhall ſeeme pleaſing to him. By this meanes ſhall the Biſhop be, in the faireſt probability, a fit Governour; and the Clergy the more willingly and freely live under his Government, in whoſe Election they have had ſome hand and ſtroke; and the Biſhop be the leſſe likely to comply with the meere will and pleaſure of Courtiers, whether Clericall or Laicall, by whom now they are brought into their Biſhoprickes, and with whom they muſt comply or be removed to a worſe or poorer Biſhopricke than that they now poſſeſſe. Againſt which, proviſion would be made, and it provided, That no Biſhop upon diſpleaſure be put from his Biſhopricke, nor removed to a worſe, dum bene ſe geſſerit; ſo ſhall they freely and without feare diſcharge their Conſcience, both in Government and in Parliament: onely the caſe of their removall, carrying themſelves well, would be thus ordered, That what Biſhop ſoever dies, all the Biſhops inferiour to him in place and order of Dignitie, may be removed, the next to the dead ſucceeding the dead, and the next him &c. and the now Biſhop to come into the
loveſt and meaneſt Biſhopricke: ſo ſhall we not have young men ſet up in the higheſt Biſhopricks, to the envie and diſgrace of the elder, and more fit for ſuperiour places: ſo ſhall the younger by time, be fitted for places of greater dignity, and more concernment in the Church; and ſo ſhall the Revenue of the King be the more augmented, (with the contentment of all the Biſhops) by ſo many removes. And it would alſo be provided, That the Archdeacons and the Deanes of the Cathedrall Churches may be choſen by the Cathedrall Churches themſelves, out of the Prebends, formerly choſen by the Clergie of the Dioceſſe, into the number of the Prebends: ſo ſhall the Convocation be brought into a better ſtate than now it is, when both the Biſhops, Deanes and Archdeacons ſhall at the firſt bringing of them into the number of the Prebends, be choſen after fifty yeares of age, of the beſt men of the Clergy, by the whole Clergy; who, upon knowledge of their labours and deportment in the Miniſtery, have worthily elected them for it canot but be ſuppoſed, that ſuch men will be more ſenſible of the good of the Church, than young fellowes, that by gaping at the Court for theſe preferments, being proud, vaine, idle, and often wicked and vicious, altogether unfit for, and unworthy of ſuch high Dignity and preferment in the Church; and more unfit and unable to governe others, that never yet knew how to governe themſelues; and moſt uucapable of advancing Gods glory, and the ſalvation of the people, or to promove and further the
preaching of the Goſpel; theſe being things they never thought of, ſought after, or were acquainted withall.
Fifthly, and for the dayly Service of the Cathedrals, it is the Service of God, although, to ſpeake the truth, it is in ſome part not fitly carried: and it is that Service, for the performance whereof, ſome part of the Lands were given. It would ther. fore be continued, but read plainely and diſtinctly, as in other Churches, without counterfeited voyces, or the mixture of Muſicke or muſicall Reſponces in Prayers, that are of an higher ſtraine than to be played withall: yet the Muſicke not to be altogether aboliſhed, but uſed onely before or after, or in the middle; and alone, or in the ſinging of Pſalmes and other Hymmes or Spirituall Songs, or whenſoever for their ſakes that delight in Muſicke, as David did; yet ſoe, as it be no abufing, darkning of, or diſhonour to the Service of God, or the underſtanding of the People. And for the Singingmen, they are Muſitians, and Muſicke is a lawfull & a laudable Science; and ſome of them imploy themſelves in the time they are not imployed in the Church, in teaching Muſicke to others. And the Choriſters, being poore Mens Children, become by being taken into the Church, ſilii charitatis, and by the care and charge of the Church, may be bred up, for the ſervice of it in Muſicke, if they be fit thereunto; and may be alſo bred to writing and cyphering by the Singingmen, who would be choſen fit for that purpoſe; that ſo the children, whoſe voyces faile, or are, for
their capacity, unfit for the Service of the Church, may be placed out to Apprentices, to ſome honeſt Trades, and Occupations, by the Church, at her owne charges.
This, or ſome ſuch way may be taken, for reſtoring of the Cathedrals, and making them profitable to the Church. But to aboliſh or deſtroy them, is juſt ſuch a reformation, as if Almighty God, ſeeing faults in mankinde, to amend them, ſhould ſweepe mankinde, at once, from the face of the Earth, as he did in the time of Noah; but promiſed to doe ſo no more. Now if any chooſe rather to be like unto God, in the execution of that judgement, than in his repenting of it; liking no way but at once, to ſieze on all, and to ſweepe it away; let him take heed God ſweepe not him and his poſterity, his Houſe, and Name, and Memory from off the Earth,
Pſal. 83.12.
That he be no more mentioned among the Sons of Men. Remembring withall theſe dreadfull Imprecations: on which, who ſo will reade the briefe, but excellent Paraphraſe, of that learned Knight, Sir Henry Spelman, in his Treatiſe, De non temerandis Eccleſiis, written to his Uncle, by occaſion of a complaint he made of the unproſperous ſucceſſe he had in building upon a piece of Glebe, belonging to an Impropriation he had in his hands; it would move his Heart, unleffe it were more hard and ſenceleſſe than the neither Milſtone. Of which nature alſo is the Propheticall curſe of good old Jacob, on the ſacrilegious enemies of Levi; againſt whom (after he had deſcribed Levies Office, To teach Jacob Gods Judgements,
and Iſrael his Law; to put Incenſe before him, and whole burnt Sacrifice on his Altar: and then put up a Prayer for Levi, thus, Bleſſe, O Lord, his ſubſtance, and accept the worke of his Hands) he doth thus Prophetically denounce Judgement againſt his Enemies, Smite through the Loines of them that riſe againſt him, and of them that hate him that they riſe not againe.
And it is a thing to be thought on, That many ancient Families (as ſome intelligent men have obſerved) who inherited the Lands of their Anceſtors longa ſerie diducta a Majoribus; when they took in ſome of the ſpoiles made in Tithes and Globe, by the Statute of Diſſolution; their poſſeſſions quickly ſpued out of the old poſſeſſors of them as a loathſome thing; the Bread of God proving as the Bread of deceit, gravell in their Teeth; and the Portion of Gods Miniſters becomming like Antimony, or ſome ſuch poyſon; that, dranke into the Stomacke, provokes ſuch a nauceous abhorrence in it, that it never reſts till it hath emptied it ſelfe both of the poyſon that troubles it, and of whatſoever elſe before lay quietly, and inofſencively therein.
I could therefore wiſh, That all our Gentry that would preſerve their Inheritances, without ruine to their poſterity; would beware they bring not any ſpoiles of the Church into their Houſes, leſt they be ſpoyled by them: for they are like the Eagles Feathers, by which the Aegyptians in their Hieroglyphicks ſignifie, pernitioſa potentia; for they are ſaid to conſume all Feathers among
which they be mingled, as Pierius relateth of them.
And to preſerve them from this ſin, That they would have a Tablet hang up alwaies in the Dining Roome, where they ordinarily take their repaſt; in which ſhould be drawne an Altar with Fleſh and Fire on it, for Sacrifice, with an Eagle ready to take wing, having in her Talons a piece of Fleſh, with a burning coale at it, and ſomthing beſide it, and higher than the Altar, a tall Tree, with an Eagles Neſt in it,, and the Heads of her young ones diſcovered above the Neſt, and the Neſt flaming with a light fire about them, with this Infcription over the Altar, Noli me Tangere, ne te & tuos perdam: For things belonging to the Altar, will certainely prove a ſnare to the devourers of them; and like the Gold of Tholouſe, or Seius Horſe, as learned Maſter Selden ſaith, in his Review, ever fatall to the unjuſt poſſeſſors of them.
Concerning the increaſe of Preaching Miniſters maintenance by theſe Lands, as ſome would have it; I ſay, it is the ſhame of our Church and Nation, That in all this time, there is not one able Preacher in every Congregation of the Kingdome but that in many places, the people ſit, as it were, in darkneſſe and in the ſhadow of Death, through want of preaching. And alſo a ſhame and ſin it is, there is no better proviſion for them in many places where they be already: for there ought to be an honourable maintenance for every Preaching Miniſter as a reward of the Goſpel of Chriſt, the
Lord and Poſſeſſor of all the Earth. And enough would be for them in every place; but for the curſed plague of Impropriations, together with the unjuſt and Antichriſtian cuſtomes, preſcriptions, exemptions from Abby Lands, and ſuch like tricks of the Popes Legerdemaine; which, even men, that in things of an indifferent nature, cry out of Rome and Antichriſt, can here be content to treade the ſtep, the idle Monks, and filthy Nunnes, the crawling Vermine of the Pope, did tread before them, without any ſcruple of their conſcience. The Tithes are the moſt proper maintenance of the Miriſtery: and it were fit every Cocke ſhould transfer the Water of its own proper Ciſterne: and to endeavour ſome increaſe of Preaching Miuiſters maintenance in every poore Vicaridge of the Kingdome; that way were to doe it the right and proper way. But while men talke of maintenance for able Miniſters, and think not of allowing any thing, to that purpoſe, out of the Tithes that have bin unjuſtly taken from them heretofore, and are yet as unjuſtly and unconſionably detained from them, in hands improper for them; but thinke to mend them out of other Lands of the Clergie; who will thinke this talke the talke of Men truely Religious, and not rather an imitation of the Phariſees Hypocrites, That lay heavie burthens on other Mens ſhoulders, which they will not put forth one of their own fingers to touch, Mat. 23.4.
When A
•
ranah offered David his Threſhing-foore to build an Altar on, and diverſe other things munificently for the Sacrifice; David would not
receive it of gift, but would buy it, and pay for it; ſaying, God forbid I ſhould offer Sacrifice to God of that that coſts me nougth, 2 Sam. 24.24. And ſhall we thinke we have acquitted our ſelves well in Reformation, by taking away the Lands and Glebe and Tithe given formerly by others, or by giving part of thoſe Lands to the maintenance of painefull Miniſters that were well enough content with the Tithes and Glebe they had before, if we could have let them alone, and nor have gone on in the deformity the Pope had brought upon them; but beene content to have taken them away from the Abbies, in the Diſſolution, and have reſtored them to every Paſtour and Vicar, which was our dutie; and the defect whereof, will continue a Sin upon our Nation, while the Impropriations continue, which yet I doe not ſee any deſires of amendment in: For, though we talke of nothing more then Reformation; yet we thinke of nothing leſſe than effecting any part thereof by any coſt of our owne, but of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and in ſtead of making any reſtitution of that violently taken away before, we bethink us of feizing into our hands the poſſeſſions left behinde, that hitherto have ſcaped our fingers, which other before us, have bequeathed to the Service of God, without any burthen of one penny to be laid on our ſhoulders. A practice, doubtleſſe, diſcovering no true and hearty good will to the Preachers of the Goſpel; but an evill eye at the proſperity of the Clergy: which ſome expreſſe, when they ſay, If their Revenue were leſſe, they would be better, and doe
more Service to Chriſt and his Church:
Deut. 33.10.11. Whereas, I know not, why there ſhould be ſuppoſed an inconſiſtence of Grace, and a deſire to glorifie God with riches, more in a rich Clergie Man, than in a rich Layman: and Times, and Hiſtories, and experience afford us examples of rich Miniſters, as painefull as any that be poorer; and of as idle and wicked, and proud poore, as be any of the rich, and of as ungodly rich men of all other conditions, and as unprofitable, as griping Uſurers, as vile Oppreſſors, as cruell and unjuſt Lords to their Copyholders and Tenents, as ordinary violaters of Parliamentary Lawes, as well as of Divine Lawes, as any rich Clergy Man that was ever in the Church. Certainely ſirs, if a Man have Riches, hee may doe that good hee cannot in poverty, and goe the more cheerefully through his calling, if God ſanctifie his Riches by his Grace; without which, it is not poverty that makes a Man the better. The truth is, both Riches and Poverty are Rocks; on which many ſplit, both Miniſters and People: and Agars Prayer is beſt, To be fed with food convenient. And if, letting that alone, to the Clergie that be Rich, that God hath given them, Men would take care, that poore Miniſters, might be taken off from the diſtractions of Poverty, by their coſt, that ought to be at the coſt; all the preaching Miniſters in the Kingdome would thanke God, and thinke they had lived to ſee that happy day, which many have defired to ſee, but never ſaw; and which, I feare, mine eyes ſhall never ſee, while they enjoy the light of the Sunne.
It would therefore be a good worke of us, to pray God our Parliament would bend themſelves this way; a way that would be much for the honour of that great aſſembly, for the ſafety of the King and State, the Land and Nation, and the preſerving it from the fearefull Judgements, of that God, that hath threatned a curſe on a whole Nation, for this ſin of Sacriledge; He being a God that profeſſeth to hate Robbery for burnt Offering; and to let that alone, that yet the Church enjoyes; and to thinke of ſome way for the reduction of Tithes, the proper maintenance of the Paſtorall Miniſtry againe to the Church, for their ſupport and encouragement, that labour in Preaching.
Firſt, beginning with the Biſhops and Cathedral Impropriations, and reſtoring the Tithe to every Paſtor where it is impropriate, together with ſuch Glebe, as belongs to every impropriate Church reſpectively; conſidering, That theſe are not part of the Lands given them by pious Men, but a continuation of the Sacriledge, and violent Ablations of the Pope; whoſe ſin is but maintained alive to this day, in the Impropriations, what Statute Law ſoever have ſucceeded, to confirme the retention of theſe ſacred ſpoiles; Mutavimus fures non furtum.
Secondly, and for themſelves. Firſt, either reſtoring them freely againe, as ſome pious and conſciencious men have done, and as they may doe, by an Act, with greater Juſtice, than they can take one foot of ground from the Church; becauſe Church
Lands are the gift of others, given lawfully, of that that was in their power to give onely, and with which no Man may meddle, now it is given more than before, when they were alive and poſſeſſed it; but the Tithes have been violently taken away, by their own Act, and are acknowledged (both by the invented Law-terme of Appropriation, and by the common name, more properly given them in ordinary ſpeaking, viz. Impropriations) to be improperly handled or uſurped.
Secondly, or elſe by ſetting on foot the Teoffees for Impropriations (one of the beſt workes that hath been undertaken, in this laſt age of the world) that they, in time, may buy them in if (at leaſt) any man will now give mony to that wotke, which may be doubted, if the Lands remaining ſhould be alienated; for how can they expect the good they aime at ſhall continue, and the Tithes not be taken away againe, after they have bought them with their own mony, and returned them to the Miniſtery a ſecond time, if they ſhall ſee ſo little regard had to things already beſtowed on them, at the coſt of others▪ and ſo ſmall conſideration had of Chriſts Miniſters, and ſuch a low account made of them, as men de faece plebis, not worthy, peradventure, to be compared with the groomes or horſekeepers of great Perſonages; but rather to be likened to the dung of their ſtables, which the Groomes (who are noſt ad haec idones) were wont to ſweepe away from the face of the earth, and caſte it to the Dunghill, the filthe of the World and the ofscouring of al things,
as the Apoſtles were accounted by Pagans, when they lived amongſt them, a people unworthy of any eſteeme, or thought, both baſe of birth and breeding, not onely humi-ſerpent, but like Job his abjects, the ſons of villaines and bondmen, more vile than the Earth they crawle upon, fit for nothing, but to bee expoſed to the ſpoile and rapine of catch and ſnatch, worthy only to be bought, ſould, undone, and beggerd, given away at the pleaſure of men, as men unworthy of that common Juſtice, that all other Subjects enjoy even the very Sacrilegers themſelves, in their Impropriations: which many men doe thinke, though erroniouſly, can with no Juſtice be taken from them. Yet t'were good to ſet up theſe Feoffers▪ if, peradventure, God may move the Hearts of men to give to the worke, and leave the ſucceſſe to God; that ſo, in time, by Gods bleſſing, the Impropriations may be bought in: and in the meane time, till they can be bought in, the Feoffees may advance, as they did ſometimes, in a juſt and godly way, the honour of the Goſpel, by ſending painefull and godly Miniſters into many great Congregations, ſtarved before, by reaſon of the Impropriations; which, without queſtion, are one of the unjuſteſt and abſurdeſt things, and one of the greateſt ſinnes of the Land, at this day. I except not Non-reſidency, though it be one of the great banes of the Church, and rubb in the way of the cleere and free paſſage of the Goſpel, by the preaching of it: which it might have gotten into, before this time, ſince the riſe of it in this Nation, had ſuch godly care been
taken for it, as ought to have been taken that way. And if the furtherance of this worke, concerning the reduction of Impropriations be approved; two things would bee thought on, very availeable to advance it.
One is, the removing that great rub in the way, to many, that are willing, freely to reſtore Impropriations, that is, the Licence of Allienation, that they may not be put to great charge, in purchaſing Licences to reſtore the Tithes to the Church; and alſo to facilitate the Feoffees, in their buying in what they buy; that the money entruſted with them, may goe the further, in accompliſhing their intention that give this way.
The other thing is, that a certaine rate may be ſet on the purchaſe of Impropriations, not to be exceeded, and that it may not be Lawfull, for any man, upon the tender of that value, to refuſe to part with his Impropriation: without which proviſion, covetous men, when they ſee the worke begin to thrive, will take advantage, to inhance the value of their Impropriations, or on other reſpects, refuſe to part with them, in places that are moſt Populous. and where there may be the greateſt good done, by a Preaching Miniſtry; and ſo, either prevent the maine intention of our Parliament; which is, To ſettle a Preaching Miniſtery, and to advance the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus, or at leaſt, retard the worke, and make it move forward more ſlowly than is convenient.
God grant the Parliament the aſſiſtance of his
Grace and Bleſſing, to atchieve this great worke, in an holy and juſt way. But for the things that yet remaine to the Clergie, God grant them wiſedome, to ſee the Injuſtice and Impiety of the Peoples deſires this way; who are, for the moſt part, led by wicked Paſſions and diſtemper, rather than by reaſon and Religion; eſpecially, at this time, wherein the Browniſts much increaſe, and aboundance of People looke that way, and, with all their might, cry downe the Maintenance of Learning; deſiring an Anabaptiſticall Liberty, to doe every man what he liſts: which Liberty will not be obteyned, till the Clergie be brought to live on Almes; which is the thing they ayme at, and call it, a Maintenance ordeined by Chriſt. But I hope, the wiſedome of our Sages, being of a ſublime and Noble ſtraine, will be inabled to diſcerne that Inſcription, that is written on all things conſecrated and devoted to God; (which, after devoting, he accounts his Portion, and Sacred to himſelfe) Noli me Tangere, ne te pardam; that they may feare, and Learne to doe no more preſumptiouſly in this kinde, as ſome have done, that have gone before them; who have given their account before now, to that Iudge, to whom, they alſo ſhall give account, in due ſeaſon.
FINIS.