An historical vindication of the divine right of tithes from scripture, reason, and the opinion and practice of Jews, Gentiles, and Christians in all ages : designed to supply the omissions, answer the objections, and rectife the mistakes of Mr. Selden's History of tithes / by Tho. Comber ...

TO THE Right Reverend Father in God, HENRY, Lord Bishop of LONDON, ONE OF THE Lords of His MAJESTIES Most Honourable Privy Council.

My Lord,

THough the Sacred Maintenance of Tithes be not so necessary to the Being of a Church, as a true Faith and a right Way of Worship, yet it is so requisite to the Well-being thereof, that after my endea∣vours

to vindicate our excellent Forms of Worship, I hope it is not improper for me to undertake the defence of that Holy Revenue which supports them. For since our Lord chooses Men for his Ambassa∣dors, and doth not feed, cloath, or teach them by Miracle now, these Divine Offices will be but meanly performed, unless such Provisions be made for those that do Ad∣minister them, as may keep them from ne∣cessity, ignorance, and contempt. And the miserable condition of those Church∣es which have been unhappily or wickedly stript of that Inheritance, which God ap∣pointed for the honour and defence of Christianity, may teach us both to be thankful for the Prudence and Piety of for¦mer Ages in endowing this Church, and to beware of there designs in this Age, who out of Envy or Covetousness would di∣minish or destroy these just and useful En∣dowments. It is very sad to consider, that even of Gods ancient Patrimony, Tithes, so much was first alienated by the Pope, and is still detained by such as pre∣tend to hate all Popish Practices and Opi∣nions

(but what tends to their profit) that many Churches cannot afford their poor Incumbents food and rayment; yet in∣stead of restoring, at least a Competency, which the very Law of Nature requires, too many do endeavour by all kind of Artifices to lessen those Dues that are re∣maining, and are so far from imitating the Charity of former Times in giving any thing to God out of their own, that they will not be so just as to let us quietly enjoy what others have freely given us. Which bold and manifest Sacriledge(a) 1.1, I have reason to believe many have been encouraged to commit by that currant and commonly received Error, That Tithes are not due by Divine right, but only by humane positive Constitutions. For in the days of our Fathers, while the Divine right was generally maintained and believed, it was thought a matter of Conscience to pay Tithes justly. But now they that are either so cunning to avoid discovery, or so great to despise the punishments of the Law, do without scruple in part, or in whole, substract or detain their Tithes,

and by this false Principle are perswaded it is no Sin that they need to repent of, so that the same Error that encourages them to do this great injury to the Church, causeth them to do a greater to their own Souls. And since this Opinion is as false as it is mischeivous, being a Mo∣dern invention, which contradicts Scri∣pture and Reason, and the Judgment and Practice of the best Men in all times and places (all which declare for the Divine right of Tithes) I esteemed my self ob∣liged, as well in duty to the Church as in Charity to the Souls of such as are de∣ceived, to confute that pernicious Error, that Tithes are only due by Humane right; a Principle too unwarily received by some that are no Enemies to the Church, who do not consider that this was the founda∣tion of all those Petitions made to the late usurping Power for taking away Tithes, viz. That the same Authority which gave them beginning might alter or abolish them when they pleased; which Petitions, if Providence had not prevented their suc∣cess, had ended in the utter ruine of Reli∣gion

it self. I am sure the Divine Right of Tithes hath been the Opinion of the best and most learned Men in all Ages, and I see no reason why we should desert so ancient, so universal, so useful, and so well attested a Truth in this Age, when so many are rather desirous than able to dis∣prove it. As for the Libels of the wilder Sects, there is so much noise and so little sense in their railing rather than reasoning against Tithes, that they are not worth confuting: For all that they or any others say against the Divine Right, which looks like Argument, is borrowed from the Learned Mr. Selden (whose industry and parts I must own with respect, while I censure his partiality, and discover his mi∣stakes) His more learned than faithful History of Tithes, hath been, if not the Parent, yet the Nurse of this common and mischievous Error: wherefore I have very strictly examined it, and by filling up the Omissions, removing the Objections, and modestly observing the Mistakes thereof, I have not only vindicated the Opinion of the Divine right of Tithes, but shewed the

Practice of all Ages and Nations hath been agreeable thereunto, and this with so much brevity, that if my Reader do not compare Mr. Seldens History with this Dis∣course, he may sometimes complain of some obscurity in the style; but I hope he will find no designed faults in the Matter, which affords a methodical and compleat History of Opinion and Fact in the Case of Tithes, from the beginning of the World unto the Times of the Reforma∣tion, with many useful accounts of the Original of Parishes, Patronages, Institu∣tions, Exemptions, Appropriations, and Infeodations, all which rightly explained serve to clear our Opinion concerning the constant belief of the Divine Original of Tithes.

I know in such an Age as this, I must expect the censures and displeasure of all such who have upon trust admired my great and eminent Adversary, and also of all whose secular interest engages them to disgust this undoubted Truth: And there∣fore I have presumed to flie to Your Lord∣ships Patronage and Protection, with great

assurance of Your exemplary Zeal in pro∣moting, and Your generous Courage in defending all Pious designs that tend to the honour of Religion, and to the safety of the Church; and if your Lordship will please to accept, and own all that is justi∣fiable in these Pages, I shall esteem my self sufficiently armed against all assaults, by the honesty of my Intentions, the equity of my Cause, and by the Honour of being accounted,

My Lord,

Your Lordships Most faithful Servant, THO. COMBER.

East-Newton, Octob. 3. 1681.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  Si vero is qui pro∣pria vota non reddit infidelis esse convincitur, quanto ma∣joris impie∣tatis reus est, qui ea quae alii vove∣runt & red∣diderunt u∣surpat. Agobard. de disp. rei Eccles. cap. 11.