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. XVII. That things offered to God be holy.

I Must first explain what I mean by holy, and that is, not that they are divine things, or like those of the Sanctuary, which none might touch save the anointed Priests. But like the lands and possessions of the Levites mentioned in Leviticus,—that were said to be holy and separate from common use, and separate from man, Levit. 27. 28, 29. that is, from the injury of secular persons, and to be onely disposed to and for the service and ser∣vants of God, defensum & munitum ab injuria hominum, N. F. de rer. divis. L. sanctum, as the persons of Emperors and Kings are said to be holy and sacred: for as the Altar sanctifieth the offering, Mat▪ 23. 19. so these things being offered to God, are by this very act of oblation made holy, and taken so into his own tuition, as they may not after be divorced. Wo be therfore to the Scribes and Pharisees that devour widows houses, Mat. 23. 14. how much more wo then unto those that destroy the house of God, and by divorcing Christ from his Spouse the Church, make him also a widower, and his Church

a widow, and so devour both the widows house, and the widow her self.

But some are of opinion, that the Church it selfe is no longer holy, then while the service of God is in hand therein: as the Mount and the Bush were no lon∣ger holy then while God was there: and by that reason a Church and an Ale-house are of like san∣ctity, for a man may preach in an Ale-house, and mini∣ster the Sacraments in an Ale-house, and occasion some∣times doth necessarily require it: And what is their rea∣son hereof? why, their reason is, that consecration of places, and of the implements belonging to the service of God were Leviticall ceremonies, and therefore end∣ed with the Leviticall Law. These men reason, as if be∣fore the Leviticall Law there had been no rules of Gods honour: and as though the Morall Law, and the Law of nature taught us nothing therein: Doth not God him∣self leave the precepts of the Leviticall Law, and rea∣son with the Israelites out of the Law of nature, Mal. 3. when he saith, will any man spoil his goddesse? as if he should say, that the Law of nature hath sanctified those things that are offered unto God, and therefore will any man violate the Law of nature? Doth not Saint Paul reason also in the same sort, when he saith, Despise ye the Church of God? 1 Cor. 11. 22. If I should apply the places of Scripture that are spoken of the great reve∣rence of the Temple, it would be said, that that were Leviticall: but the office of the Temple was Morall, as well as Leviticall, and therefore though these be ended, yet the other, the Morall remaineth.

When Christ had cast the oxen & doves that were for the Leviticall service out of the Temple, yet he said, that it was an house of Prayer, as figurating that after the ce∣remonies

were ended and gone, yet the Morall office of the Temple to be an house of Prayer still remained. Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 22. when he saith, Despise yee the Church of God? speaking it as if he wondred that any should be so irreligious, or rather sacrilegious to de∣spise the Church; and no man I think doubteth but that this was spoken of the materiall Church, for he blameth them that did use unseemly drinking in the Church.

See the first Treatise, of the rights and respect due. § 10.* 1.1 Of the three severall places, and three functions of the Tem∣ple: and how the last continueth holy, for Prayer, Doctrine, and instruction of the people: which therefore had in it no Ceremoniall implement at all.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Note.