JUstice and Righteousness are among the great things of the Christians Law . They mistake Religion , who understand it to direct only in heavenly things ; one part whereof is to make Honest Men , and while the Decalogue is within the compass of our Creed , and we believe both Tables of Gods law to contain our Morall duty , the scope of one must be ( rightly understood ) ever to guide our outward , morall , civil conversation . It is an age now much treating of Religion , and hard to suppose that any of those who are most forward would ( willingly and knowingly ) leave out one half ; leading men to God with neglect of Men , and trampling down all Civil righteousness , in order to Heavenly : This makes it the more needfully considerable what that Righteousness is , that we may not seem to love God with neglect of our Neighbour , or in zeal of Religion to permit our selves unjust : but so to make our pilgrimage through this world , that we leave the reputation of Honest men behinde us , and so to pass through things temporall , that finally we lose not the things eternall . Particularly , in that great and so much vexed case and controversie of the remainder of the Churches Patrimony in TYTHES : which many look upon as of no more Right or Wrong , to continue or withdraw the payment of , then in relieving a Beggar with an Alms at the door : They may , or may not ( what any advantages shall give opportunity to ) with equal liberty , and no wrong to a just Conscience , parting or not parting with as they can contrive or shift , and so take to themselves that boundless license the Apostle has given in another case ; 1 Cor. 7. 36. let a Man ( in this ) do what he will , he sinneth not : As if to venture upon the spoyls of the Church , were no more then to divide what men have taken in hunting ; to defraud Religion , not so bad as to disturb Humane Right , ( and yet that is bad enough , and yet this is worse ) . And to remove the pillar ( worldly ) of Gods service , of no greater guilt , or doubt , or fear then to seiz upon that a man finds in his way , or to fetch Timber for building a new house , or repairing his old , from his own Le●anon . A great mistake ! whereof the Enemy of all goodness makes much advantage ; being like to reduce the Lords Ministers hereby to great streights , and to get the daily allowance of oyle withdrawn : which , though ordinary in it self , was wont to be consecrate to keep light in the Temple : by subtracting Levi's portion , I mean , to disable Levi himself from attending the service of his God ; As 1 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Arist. Polit. lib. 1. cap. 3. how can worldly men live in this world and follow worldly business , ( as to the outward part to be studyed and acted by Man , even Gods service is ) without worldly maintenance ?

Such consideration as these awaked my thoughts to that I took to be a very needful enquiry ; scil. Whether Tythes had indeed any of that we call● Right or good title among Men demonstrable , to hinder the subtraction by any that are conscientious ? A Right in equity for maintenance of Gods service ? Luke 10. 7. Sure , this is very likely . A right in Justice by Divine law , 1 Tim. 5. 8. which apportioneth ( in the New-Testament ) to 2 2 Mat. 10. 10. every labourer his reward . 3 3 ● , Cor. 9. 11. to him that preacheth the Gospel , to live of the Gospel ; and this no less probable . Nay , for the very Tenth in kinde and proportion , a worldly , civil , positive , humane Right ; Such as might inferr the detaining , Wrong , and make it civilly injurious not to part with what is not now courteously given , but justly paid ; I resolved , it might be so : I assured my self it was so : And thought I had read and observed so much , that reduced to heads , and presented to view , might perswade others also : and because it was a truth I thought not known to all , and I perceived very many very much to love the truth ▪ for their sakes therefore I set my self to represent what I could in haste lay together , to every ones friendly 4 4 And shall be heartily glad , if it shall please that God who out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings doth sometimes perfect is prais , to magnifie his own power so much the more , as to make Me the successfull , though weak means of undeceiving any ; for , Non quaerimus vestras opes , sed vestram justitiam , as St. Augustin somwhere said : It was not so much preservation of any ones Right , as all mens innocency , that set me on work . Or as Pet. Cluniacensis spake , Nec tam ad scribendum coegerut lu●ra decimar●m , quàm damna anim●●● ; not hope of worldly gain , but fear of loss of Souls . And this twofold ; both of theirs who shall doe the wrong in with-holding , and theirs who shal miscarry for want of instruction , occasioned by with-holding of this worldly sustentation from him should have hold out the light . Other means may be talked of ▪ But — consideration . No other the candor of mine own bosome did assure me I should either doubt to finde , or 5 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Chrysost. H●m 14. in cap 4. ad Phil. t●m. 6. in N. Test. p 132. need to fear : for the Publick had passed nothing against , but many things 6 6 As in the Ordinance of Novem. 4. 1644. yet in force ( beside many other ) for recovery of them : The repelling of the Kentish , and many other Petitions against them● The ac●●all segregation of them from other parts of Delinquents Estates , to piece out a more comfortable Subsistence for Preachers out of them : And , above all , the late exemption of them from sale among other Cathedrall Endowments , with expresse Declaration , that they shall make every Parish , where they arise , affoord 100 per an . to an able Guide of Souls . Vid Act of Ian. 8. 1649. and what can , if this do not , assure their purpose ? at least a Declaration of such Intentions , which is that we are to walk by . for these dues , ( which secured me on that part ) besides the old established laws of the land ; and for mine own private , the scales hung almost even : Not much to me whether they stood or fell , went up or down , as having not much to get or lose , to hope or fear . But for Sions sake I resolved I would not , I might not hold my peace : For Gods sake ( I know mine own bosom ) I was willing to be at the cost of following pains , for the Gospel of Jesus Christ's sake , and endevour to preserve ( if God should so bless weak endevours ) that support had been hitherto the visible and worldly maintenance of Christ's Kingdom in ours , I resolved to dig down as deep as I could , to try and represent to view what foundation and strength that pillar had , which chiefly ( as worldly still ) hath held it out to the view of the world amongst us ; being glad to finde :

1. That it is of that firmnesse and also age , that we have occasion to blesse God for his 1 1 Rex aut●m barbarus ( circa an . ab Incarnatione Domini 63. ) eum sua gente tam nova audiens & in●onsueta , omnino praedicationi eorum consenti●e renuebat , nec paterna● Traditiones commutare volebat . Quia tamen de longè venorant , vitaque ●or●m exigabat m●d●stia , ad petitionem eorum quandam insulam sylvis , rub● , atque paludibus circundatam ab Incolu Ynsuvitrim nuncupatam ( Glastenbury ) in lateribus suae Regionis ad habitandum concessit . Postea & alii dic● Reges , licèt Pagani , comperta eorum vit● sanctimonia ( Ioseph of Arimathea , and his 12. Fellow Apostles ) unicuiq●e eorum unam portionem terr● successivè concesserunt , ac ad petitionem eorum secundùm morem Gentilium dictas 12. Hidas e●sdem confirmâ● runt ; unde 12. Hid● per eos adhuc , ut creditur , nomen sortiuntur . Guilielm . Malmes. apud Spelm. Concil. pag 5 de Exordio Christianae Religionis in Britannia . early mercy to this Land : That almost as soon as any where ; he that once said , 2 2 Matth. 8. 20. Luc. 9. 58. Foxes have holes , and the birds of the aire nests , but the Son of man not where to lay his head ; had here ( in his Ministers , which 3 3 Matth 10. 40. Iohn 13 20. whosoever receiveth , receiveth him ) entertaiment and home .

2. That prudence mixed with piety , and true love of God of equall sincerity , and all dimensions with that to their nearest selves , prompted our long since dead and blessed Ancestors , to doe for him as for themselves , building the honour of his house with the same ( if not better ) materials then their own ; and contriving to perpetuate ( as they meant ) true Christian Worship , by allowing it the best ( they thought so ) of this world , no weaker nor other support then went to the strongest of their own buildings .

3. That it hath not been yet within the power of malice , envie , pride , tyranny , fraud , wretched covetousnesse , or any other inimicall passions or powers , to scatter or divert , disturb or destroy : but by the blessing of God , and under the safety , power , and protection of the Laws , Levi hath had his own , and yet has his own , to live on and serve his God , as well as other men . The foundation of Gods House ( his Church ) stands fast and firm upon the same bottom with theirs ( besides what it has from Heaven , ) and beside what may be said for a Divine Right ; the Ministers of Jesus Christ have as much of humane as any other men can plead for , that is truly and justly theirs : And this to continue , and this for their works sake , and thus the Gospel made here without 4 4 It hath been warily and truely observed by some , that a Christians exercise of his Religion here in England , for the years of some Ages past , hath not usually cost him above his 2d . per an . and that in his voluntary Easter oblation . The rest was but the disbursing or delivering forth what others gave long since , and it had been injust c●● not to pay , as given and appointed by anothers Bounty . As for Christening and Marriage Duties they were extraordinary . charge , which 5 5 1 Cor. 9. 19● St. Paul sometimes desired so solicitously : It being left to our Autumn of the world , only to reap the harvest of their rich piety , who lived and made very costly seed-times before us , and serve God cheap enough at their cost and charges : They having given so much from themselves , and all the world ; that we need only issue out their bounty , and in what we contribute or give forth to Christian Worship , are not so much liberall as righteous ; nor doe we give , but pay . This is so , I know it to be so , I was glad to finde it so : Others gifts have made it , and great is the advantage that comes hereby to Religion and us , from those are now at rest from their Labours , and their works follow them . I confesse , I could not but all along wish so great a work better done ; and sensibly complain of infirmities all along : that impar congressus between undertaking and performance was still in my eye ; and another discouragement of another Poet : Sumite materiam vestris qui scribitis aequam Viribus . — Beside that I often wished I had been able but to bring in what my self saw the Argument did afford , and in part also where it was . But when withall I considered Goats hair and Badgers skins to finde acceptance , ( for the tabernacle of those had not gold and silver : when I remembred the Widows mite commended , who gave of her penury ; and not cold water to loose its reward , least ( saith a Father ) excuse should be any from want of fewell to warm . These things again refreshed and encouraged me to the tendry of small things , especially when I called to minde the Great Apostles straights , who was fain to take up with a part-bountie , when he had not wherewith to pay the whole : for Silver and Gold ( saith he ) have I none , ( to a Beggar that wanted a Drachme ) but such as I have give I thee , Act. 3. 6. A ripe Judgment will soon discern wants enough , and so do I ; and that I hope is the chiefest fault : To have been better furnished with books , arts , languages , records , means , company , might both have strengthned many a weak nerve , and supplied many an empty vacuity . But yet if but one half hereof be strong , of what I hope none is weak ; if a moity true , of what I hope none is false ; there may be so much of it as it is , that he that runs may read , and he that reads and understands will not ( I hope ) herafter dare give leave to his Conscience to consent to that , which if he have the honesty of a Moor or Saracene , he must step back and pause , and decline ; I mean , by reaching out his hand to withdraw that , which if he were one of the Sons of Pamphilio , he would let alone , or rather give ; or , in plain terms , not dare to with-hold his Tythes , unlesse he be resolved to more then covet his neighbours Goods .

This is a point of Religion very low in an age of Religion , and for Religion pretending to soar so very high ; But he that has but this , cannot upon these grounds , do this evil , and sin against his God : If there be Civil Right , there must be undoubtedly Civil wrong , ( for they are Correlatives ) fraud , injustice , spoil , rapine , coveting , thieving ; some of these , if not all : and God grant there be not also upon the grounds , and in the reputation of the Common-law , Sacriledg also , to meddle with , and in this case to pervert what That Law accounts Sacred .

But to come to the Point : ( Det Deus his studiis vela secunda meis : Or rather from more Divine extraction : Now God himselfe , and the Lord Jesus Christ , and the Holy Ghost direct my way ; 1 Thes. 3. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may go right in a righteous businesse : ) That which I then propose to my selfe to assert , is , The Civill Right of Tythes : and mark those three words , they are so many limitations .

1. Of Tythes : and so I meddle not with any other Ecclesiasticall possessions or claimes .

2. Of the Right of Tythes : and so I meddle not with the story , which hath already been both very successefully done , and also examined .

3. Of the Civil Right of Tythes : in evident and expresse contradistinction from the Sacred .