Moses speaking both of the Priests and Leuites, speaketh first of their office, and then of their maintenance, for whatsoeuer they haue, they enioy it for their seruice, verse 21. it is giuen vnto them as their reward for their seruice in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, ver. 31. Now the Leuites are charged to deale truely with the Priests, as they would haue the people to deale truely with them.* They were to pay tithes out of their tithes to the Priests, by reason of their honor and labour, who did as it were beare the burden and heat of the day: and least couetousnesse and greedinesse of gaine should make them base minded and hard hearted, he telleth them that they them∣selues should be no lesse guilty of theft, if they deale fraudulently and iniuriously with the Priests, then the people if they deale falsely toward them. So then as the people must set out their tithes before they presumed to vse the rest: so must the Leuites the tithes of tithes, before they vse the rest of the tithes. We might obserue from hence the common rule of equity, Whatsoeuer we would that other men should doe vnto vs, we should doe the same vn∣to them, Matt. 7.12. We are ready and forward to require good dealing of others toward our selues, but slacke and backward to returne the same to others. Beware therefore of hurting and hindring any man in his body, in his soule, in his substance, in his good name by cruelty, by oppression, by fraude, by lying, by slande∣ring: this the darkish light of naturall reason may teach vs, because we would not haue o∣thers to defraud & to defame vs, to oppresse vs or to purloyne from vs, and therfore we ought not to deale so with others: nay we ought to be ready to doe good for euill, and in all our dealings one with another to proceed by the rule of loue, remembring how we desire o∣thers should deale with vs.* But y^e point which I will insist vpon, is this, that it is a sinne for any, especially the Minister, to take the pro∣fits and commodities of any place, and not to performe the duties that belong thereunto, E∣say 56.10, 11. Ezek. 34.2, 3. 1 Cor. 9.13, 14. 2 Thess. 3.7, 8. 1 Tim. 5.17.

The reasons: first because profits are gi∣uen [Reason 1] for duties performed, and therefore hee is a theefe before God, and stealeth the benefit, whosoeuer neglecteth the duty. It is a sinne therefore, because it is iniustice. If a man shold make a bargaine, and take money vpon it, and yet afterward not performe his bargaine, like to that son that promised his father to worke in his vineyard, but went not, Matth. 21.30. e∣uery man would condemne him of wrongfull dealing: so is it vniust and iniurious for a Mi∣nister to take the profit that shall arise out of any place, and then not to performe that which is required, as belonging of right vnto it, as it is to take a fee, and to doe nothing for it.

Secondly, this is an occasion of the peri∣shing [Reason 2] of many people, both of himselfe and of others committed to his charge, 1 Tim. 4.16. A faithfull Minister by doing his duty doth saue both himselfe and them that heare him; the vnfaithfull destroyeth both himselfe and his hearers. Therefore it must needs bee wrong∣full. If it were so, that he did destroy himselfe onely, it were no small euill to be a selfe-mur∣therer: but when with himselfe he shall ruine many others, it must needs be more impious.

Lastly, because in not performing his duty [Reason 3] he doth defraud the people, and depriue them of that great good which the Lord hath be∣stowed vpon them, and committed vnto him to deliuer and dispense vnto them. Hee hath trusted them with a great charge, and willed them to keepe the same to their vse, 1 Tim. 6.20. 2 Tim. 1.14. If he that concealeth and keepeth backe temporal things from his bro∣ther doe offend the Law, Exod. 22. then great is his sin that keepeth backe spirituall things from those to whom they ought to be deliue∣red, and so much greater, as the difference is betweene spirituall and temporall.

This serueth to condemne the Popish tea∣chers [Vse 1] that liue vpon the spoile of the Church, and make merchandise of mens soules. Wee might taxe these, and arrest them as guilty of an horrible crime, from the highest to the lowest, from the head to the foote, from the Pope the mightiest, to the Priest the meanest; they are all idle bellies, and conspire together to destroy the people, and happy is he accoun∣ted that hath his hand deepest in this sinne.

For though many of them haue goodly re∣uenewes, and haue filled themselues with the fat of the earth, yet they liue at pleasure, and are no whit seruiceable to the Church, of whom I may speake with the Apostle, Rom. 16.18. They that are such, serue not our Lord Iesus Christ, but their owne belly, and by good words and faire speeches deceiue the hearts of the simple.

The Cardinals doe scorne this office as too base and simple for them, and chuse rather to reigne like Princes, then to rule as Pastors: and make more reckoning of their purple, then they doe of their people, and therefore turne ouer the toile and labour of teaching to the Parish Priests, whereas themselues not long agoe were no whit better. The Priests considering that they haue no calling to preach, but to say Masse, and to reade their portuisse, doe passe it ouer as a thing imperti∣nent vnto them. The Monkes, which of anci∣ent time labored with their hands, liue at ease and pleasure in their Cloysters and Couens, but doe no good to others. The Abbots fat themselues like boares in their styes, and are no way seruiceable to the Church, but make their bellies their god, and their kitchen their heauen, and their table their ioy: and the Pope, which sitteth at the sterne and gouerneth the ship, taketh no care of any thing, but letteth all alone; so that it is no maruell if all the rest follow his example.

[Vse 2] Secondly, to let these passe, and to come vnto our selues, it reprooueth all such as are content to reape the profits of their places, and swallow great preferments downe their wide throates, and yet take no paines at all in teaching. This certainely is a palpable sinne, howsoeuer many, euen those that are Non re∣sidents already, or would bee, open their mouthes, and set on worke their pennes to mainetaine and defend the same. This we all confesse to bee vnlawfull in other callings, where notwithstanding the danger is not so great, how then should it be allowed and goe for currant in that calling, wherein men are put in trust not with siluer and gold, but with a greater treasure, to wit, mens soules? Woe then to those that are ready to take, but not to giue: to swallow what they can, but will di∣stribute nothing: they may be truely charged to liue by the sweate of other mens browes, and to doe no duty for it. If any man goe a∣bout to take from them any part of their li∣uing, they cry out of sacriledge, if they haue not their tithes paid to them without any sub∣traction or diminution; if any claime any cu∣stomes or prescriptions, they exclaime by and by, of theft and robbing of the Church: when in the meane season, they are the greatest theeues and robbers themselues, and wrong the Church by their owne beastly customes, and transgresse the Law of God by their own traditions. For they can bee content to rob the people, and to keepe them from those things that are farre more precious, which are due to them by the Law of God and man, whereby it commeth to passe, that the sinne of the Minister turneth to be a great plague to the people. It is noted of Chrysostome, when they sought to bring him into the Ministery, that he began to excuse himselfe, and to break forth into these words, What grieuous sin hath this people committed, that it pleaseth God to set ouer them such an vnworthy Minister? but he spake this not for any insufficiency, but partly out of his owne humility, and partly from a feeling of the waightines of that high calling: but we may speake it out of experi∣ence and say, What greeuous sinne haue sun∣dry congregations committed in this land, that it hath pleased God in iustice to set ouer them dumbe and carelesse Ministers, that sweepe away the benefit, but neuer performe any duty? and therefore whosoeuer they are that lye vnder any such heauy burden, they haue no cause to reioyce, but rather to greeue and to groane vnder it, as a fearefull iudge∣ment sent of God vpon them for their con∣tempt of his word, and for their other sinnes which they haue committed against him. For wheresoeuer any such are setled, as it is a great sinne in them, so it is certainely a great plague to the people, and therefore are to sigh and la∣ment for it. I know these men pretend sun∣dry reasons, but all their reasons are sugge∣sted from their owne profit, and therefore it is no maruell that Moses teacheth, Deut. 16.19. that a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and per∣uerteth the wordes of the righteous. For ma∣ny of these are of great sufficiency, yet it may not seeme strange vnto vs, if they be blinde in their owne causes, and cannot see in matters that should hinder their owne profit. They [Obiect. 1] tell vs, that they teach the Church elsewhere, or benefit it by writing, though they teach not where they liue and haue taken the charge vpon them. I answer, [Answ.] first for their writing, that is not generally commanded, nor so ne∣cessary to be performed, as the preaching of the word: and therefore though all the Apo∣stles did continue in preaching, yet all of them did not set foorth somewhat in wri∣ting.

Besides, these men ought to teach, where they tithe it: and it is required of them to shew their learning where they haue their li∣uing. Liuings, no question, at the first were giuen in regard of personall paines where the profit is reaped and receiued. Is it likely that men would bee so liberally minded to part from part of their owne goods for nothing? A seruant hired by one man may not goe to another, and exact the wages of both; hee must doe his worke, where he receiueth his wages, and where hee doth no worke, hee cannot iustly challenge any wages.

Againe, when hee is hyred of one, hee may not leaue his businesse, and runne to ano∣ther.

[Obiect. 2] Againe, some, say they, are Ministers of the Church of England, not of this or that church: and therefore so that they preach, it skilleth not where they preach. I answer,* this is a sil∣ly shift, and no better then to receiue an almes of one, and to giue thankes to another: or to labour at Tarshish when thou art sent to Ni∣niueh. Besides, why more a Minister of En∣land, then of Scotland, Ireland, France, Ger∣many, and the like? And let such men looke vpon their commission which is giuen vnto them to preach. For albeit in their letters of orders they bee authorized in generall to preach, yet in their institution and induction, they haue a particular charge assigned vnto them to preach in such or such a place. A∣gaine, who can enter vpon any other mans charge without the license and allowance of the incumbent? Can any Minister be said pro∣perly to be a Minister of England, when he is not allowed to doe any Ministeriall act with∣out his consent that is Minister of the place, and if he doe, hee is punishable by the Lawes [Obiect. 3] of the land? But they will obiect yet further vnto vs, that they haue their charge from men and that distinction of Parishes is not of God or of Diuine institution. I answer,* all Mini∣sters ought to haue speciall flockes by the Law of God and man: for otherwise what difference betweene the calling of the Apo∣stles and the calling of Pastours and teachers? Haue we Apostles in our dayes, to take care indifferently and indifinitely of all Churches? True it is, the Church maketh Parishes grea∣ter or lesser, wider or narrower, to haue moe or fewer hearers assembled together: but God himselfe limitteth congregations, and diui∣deth people from people, & appointeth them to be such as one Minister at once may teach them; otherwise wee should make him the God of confusion and not of order, whereas he is the author of order,*not of confusion, I would know therefore of these Ministers of the lar∣gest extent, that challenge themselues to haue a larger calling then either Byshop or Arch∣byshop; for whereas they exercise authority ouer a Diocesse or a Prouince, and out of them claime no iurisdiction, these claime to be Mi∣nisters ouer an whole countrey or kingdome: I say, I would know of them, whether their calling be Apostolicall, or Pastorall? if it bee Apostolicall, then they are sent into all the world to teach all Nations, Matth. 28.19. if it be Pastorall, then they are confined to one place. The same watchman cannot watch in diuers places: the same shepheard cannot at∣tend diuers flocks: the same steward cannot rule and prouide for two or three families di∣stinct and distant one from another. No man that is wise will entertaine such a watchman, such a shepheard, such a steward, as hath beene [Obiect. 4] already entertained. Lastly, they will plead for themselues, that they preach by substitutes so that though they haue taken vpon them the care and the cure, yet they haue their Cu∣rates: and though they be charged with the people, yet they are discharged by their depu∣ties. I answer, [Answer.] in matters of speciall trust, it is not lawfull to substitute by the lawes of the land. Hee that is the Princes Ambassadour chosen of him, may not chuse another to goe for him, forasmuch as he shall be his Ambassa∣dour, and not the Princes: and he that is cho∣sen to be a Captaine, may not assigne another to go in his place, & he in the meane season re∣maine at home. But of this wee haue spoken elsewhere.

Thirdly, to leaue the reproofe of the Mini∣stery, [Vse 3] from hence by proportion we may ex∣tend the doctrine to all others that receiue wages for their labour. It reprooueth there∣fore seruants and hirelings that serue for hire, whether they worke by the day or by the yeere, and yet doe not the businesse faithfully for which they are employed.* Most of these are eye-seruants, not heart-seruants, who are more nimble with their tongues, then quicke with their hands. These can find time enough to prattle with others, but they care not how little they worke for their masters. To giue these their right, and to doe them no wrong, they are plaine theeues, and no better then such as picke their masters purses. The law of GOD esteemeth no otherwise of them, which is the Law and rule of all equity. They ought to labour with a good conscience, and to be as ready to do their worke as to receiue their wages, and to be as vnwilling to slacke their hand in labouring, as they would bee to haue their master to slacke his hand in paying of them.

Againe, as they would haue their seruants in time to come, when God shall blesse them with seruants, & inable them to set workmen on work, to labour truly, diligently, and faith∣fully for themselues, so let them deale as true labourers with their bodily masters, that so God may blesse them with faithfull seruants and faithfull seruice another day. And as they ought at all times to be diligent, so then especially, when house keeping is chargeable, and groweth to be double so much as it was before. But what is this to the greatest sort? so that they haue enough and feele no want, so their bellies be filled with meat, and they no way pinched with famine, they care not what themselues doe, or what others suffer. Ne∣uerthelesse, as the expences are double, so their diligence should be double, with good will do∣ing seruice, as to the Lord and not to men, Ephes. 6.7.

Lastly, to returne to the Ministers, to [Vse 4] whom the doctrine doth especially belong, it admonisheth them, that they should keepe themselues from this sinne, and seeke with a good conscience to discharge their seuerall places, whatsoeuer duties be re∣quired of them. For the Apostle doth set downe a woe against his owne soule, wri∣ting to the Corinthians, Chapter 9, verse 16. Page  712 of whom he receiued no maintainance (as we declared before) but laboured with his owne hands to get his liuing; then much more shall it bring a woe to those that take the benefit, but doe not discharge the function. And al∣beit many of these are growne great in the world, yet it is not their greatnesse, nor their dignity, nor their riches, nor their preferments that shall excuse them, but woe vnto them if they preach not the Gospel. God grant that their ri∣sing be not by the fal of the Church, and their mightinesse by the miseries of the Church. It should be our meate and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father that sent vs, and to finish his worke, Ioh. 4.34. and the zeale of his house should eate vs vp, Psal. 69.9, And when we must goe the way of all flesh and leaue our riches and treasures behind vs, the good which we haue done in the Church shall more comfort vs, then the heaping together of much goods. It is reported of Gregory Thaumat. when hee as∣ked the question,* being now ready to leaue the world and to giue vp the ghost, how ma∣ny Infidels yet remained in the city Neocaesa∣rea, and answer was returned vnto him, seuen∣teene: that he reioyced greatly, and comfor∣ted himselfe, and gaue thanks to God, saying, There were onely so many faithfull and belee∣uers when I was made Byshop of this place, Totidem erant fideles, cum coepi Episcopatum. Let vs all apply this vnto our selues: you that be Ministers of the word, and haue taken the charge of soules, must endeauour your selues to preach the word constantly; forasmuch as you haue vndertaken to doe it, let it bee your care to performe and accomplish it. And you that are the people must giue them encou∣ragement, and draw them on to greater labor by your loue to the Word. When the people grow carelesse, it maketh the Minister often∣times carelesse also: and so it commeth to passe, that though they take the profit, yet they are no whit carefull to take the paines: whereas if they could cause him to see the fruit of his labour, it would constraine him to goe forward in his place with cheerefulnesse. For when doth the husbandman labour with ioy, but when he beholdeth the encrease of the earth, and his paines to come to some pro∣fit and perfection? so likewise doth the faith∣ful Minister labour with comfort and delight, when he seeth his labour bring forth a fruite∣full and plentifull haruest in the people. True it is, if the Minister grow dull and dumbe be∣cause he hath no encouragement from you, it is his sinne, it shall be no excuse vnto him; but the sinne of the people is so much the greater, and their condemnation deserueth to be dou∣ble. On the otherside, if both of them be di∣ligent, the one in preaching, the other in hea∣ring, they shall mutually edifie one another, and growe in grace together within the house of God, and heereafter shall receiue the fruit and benefit of it in the life to come.