The larger treatise concerning tithes long since written and promised by Sir Hen. Spelman, Knight ; together with some other tracts of the same authour and a fragment of Sir Francis Bigot, Knight, all touching the same subject ; whereto is annexed an answer to a question ... concerning the settlement or abolition of tithes by the Parliament ... ; wherein also are comprised some animadversions upon a late little pamphlet called The countries plea against tithes ... ; published by Jer. Stephens, B.D. according to the appointment and trust of the author.

CAP. XI. That upon the reasons alledged, and other here ensuing, the use of tithing was omitted in Christs, and the Apostles time; and these reasons are drawn, one ab expediente, the other à necessitate.

THe greater matters thus quailing as aforesaid, it could not bee chosen but things of lesse impor∣tance must also be neglected; especially such as were outward, and concerned onely the body, amongst which the use of Tithing was likewise discontinued, both in the Apostles time, and in the first age of the Law, when the great ceremonies of Circumcision, Sa∣crifice, and Oblations, the Passeover, &c. and many other holy rites were suffered to sleep.

But some will say, God strictly exacted not these things till the place he had cho∣sen was prepared for them, that is, till the building of the Temple; as it is true in part touching the old Law, so is it like∣wise true in the new Law: and that therefore Christ and the Apostles exacted not the payment of Tithes in the first pilgrimage and warfare of the Gospel, but referred them amongst some other things till the Church were established; for as Solomon saith, Every thing hath his time, and the time was not yet come, that the Church should demand her owne, lest with Martha, shee seemed curious about worldly things, rather then as Ma∣ry to seek the spirituall.

When the Kingdome was rent from Saul and given to David, David by and by sought not the Crown, but life and liberty: so the Priesthood being rent from Levi and given to the Church, the Church by and by required not her earthly duties, but as David did life to grow up, and liberty to spread abroad; for love (saith Saint Paul) seeketh not her own, 1 Cor. 13. 5. and should then the mother of all love (the Church) be curious herein, especially when her necessities were otherwise so abundantly supplied?

Saint Paul maketh it manifest (1 Cor. 9. throughout) where he sheweth, that very much liberty, and great matters were due unto him in respect of his Ministry, yet he concludeth, I have not used this power (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) but on the contrary part suffered all things, ibid. v. 12. and again, v. 15. I have used none of all these things;

But why did he not use them, since they were due unto him? his reason is, that we (as though he spake in the name of all the Apostles) should not hinder the Gospel of Christ, ibid. v. 12. But why should the ta∣king of that was due unto him hinder the Gospel? because the malicious backbiters would thereupon re∣port that he rather preached it for gain, then of zeal, and so abased his authority in the Gospel, ib. 18. wher∣as by this course of taking nothing for his pains, hee made it, as he saith, free, ibid. and stopped their mouths. Thus it is evident, that the Apostles not onely neglected, but absolutely refused even the things that they cer∣tainly knew to belong unto them.

Another reason why the Apostles received no Tithes, drawn à necessitate.

The very condition of the Church in the time of the Apostles could not suffer them to receive Tithes; for as the Levites received them not in their travell, and ways, but when they were setled, and the Temple built: so the Apostles being altogether in travel through all parts of the world, and in continuall warfare with the enemies of the Gospel, one while in prison, another while in flight, always in persecution, much lesse could they look after Tithes, which also were not to be paid as they needed them, but at the times and pla∣ces onely, when and where they grew to be due, and ere that time came, they that were to receive them, were in another Countrey many hundred miles off: for example, the holy Ghost saith that Peter walked through all quarters; Acts 9. 32. one while at Lydda, ib. another while at Joppa, ib. v. 36. first at Jerusalem, af∣ter

at Antioch (in Syria) Gal. 2. 11. then at Babylon in Aegypt, 1 Pet. 5. 13. Paul and Barnabas being at Antioch, aforesaid, or sent forth by the holy Ghost, first to Se∣leucia in Syria, then to Salamis and Paphus in the Isle of Cyprus; after from thence to Perga in Pamphilia, so to the other Antioch in Pisidia, Acts 13. after to Iconium, Lystria, Derbe, the parts of Lycaonia. So again, to Anti∣och in Syria, thence to Jerusalem, and presently back to the same Antioch, where Paul and Barnabas breaking company, Barnabas with Mark saileth to Cyprus; Paul taking Silas, travelleth through Syria and Cilioia, con∣firming the Churches. Then he commeth to the Coun∣tries of Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia; from whence being cal∣led by the holy Ghost, he leaveth Asia, and passeth by Samothracia into Europe; preacheth at Philippi, a City of Macedonia, furthest North-ward of all Greece: then back again, and up and down Asia to Jerusalem again, and from thence at length to Rome; Reade Acts 13. 14, 15, 16. cap.

I will not speak of that, Theodoretus, and Sophronius the Patriarch of Jerusalem affirm, that after his first im∣prisonment at Rome he preached the Gospel to the Bri∣taines our Countrymen, for happily he might doe that at Rome. But to come to the rest of the Apostles, Bar∣tholomew (as Jerome witnesseth Catalog. script. Eccles. Tom. 1.) goeth to the Indians, Thomas to the Medes, Per∣sians, Hyrcanians, and Bactrians, Matthew up and down Aethiopia, every one of them one way or other, to carry the sound of the Gospel through all the world, Psal. 19. I ask now what these men should have done with their Tithes? where they should have placed their Parso∣nage or Rectory? where their Cellar for their tithe of Wines? where the tithe Barn for the Corn? or if

they had had such places, how should they have been defended à fisco? how frō the rapine of their persecutors? Our Saviour sending his Disciples but to the neighbour Towns of Iudaea, would not suffer them to encumber themselves with carrying any thing. And therefore the Apostles had great reason to eschew all impediments in these their turbulent and long peregrinations.

Notes

• When there shall be a place which the Lord God shall chuse to cause his name to dwell there, thither shall you bring all that I command you; your burnt-of∣ferings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the offerings of your hands and all your speciall vows, which you vow unto the Lord, Deut. 12. 11. these things were not respited till then, but ap∣pointed that then also they must bee performed; for it is also said, Exod. 12. 21. When yee shall come into the Land which the Lord shall give you,—then ye shall keep this service, i. e. of the Passeover; which was done, Ios. 4. 6. but yet I take this to be discharge of it in the mean time. Quaerc.
• Many affirm that he was at Rome. Meta∣phrastes and some other that he was here in Britan∣nia: Petri igi∣tur muneris erat ut qui jam complures ori∣entis Provincias praedicando eu∣angelium pera∣grasset, jam (quod reliquum esse videbatur) lustraret orbem occidentalem, & usque ad Bri∣tannos (quod tradunt Meta∣phrastes & alii) Christi sidem annuncians pe∣netraret. Baron. Tom. 1. f. 5 97. l. 13. Metaph. die 29. Junii.