A cabinet of spirituall iewells wherein man's misery, God's mercy, Christ's treasury, truth's prevalency, errour's ignominy, grace's excellency, a Christian's duty, the saint's glory, is set forth in eight sermons : with a brief appendix, of the nature, equity, and obligation of tithes under the Gospell, and expediency of marriage to be solemnized onely by a lawfull minister ... / by John Cragge, M.A. ...

A briefe APPENDIX, Concerning the nature of TITHES.

IN these free times, wherein every one takes liberty to expose his thoughts to the world, give me leave also to offer up my Mite into the publick Treasury, which shall consist but of a two∣fold consideration; first, whe∣ther dishonouring of the Mi∣nistry; secondly, whether robbing of God in Tithes and offerings, and defeating of Christ's Embassadours of a comperent livelyhood, may not portend misery, and calamity, if not ruine, to a Church or State?

For the former, when God gives up a people to dis∣honour their Ministers, it argues, Religion is decli∣ning: They are his Souldiers, Stewards, Angells; He is their Portion, He hath promised to be with them to the end of the world, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them; that he will recompence a cup of cold water that is given them; he that heareth them

heareth Him, he that despiseth them despiseth Him. When the Prophet would discover the Jewes to be ready to be swallowed up in the whirle-pool of de∣struction, he gives them this character, that they are like a people that contest with their priest. Corah and Da∣than murmured against Moses and Aaron, and the earth swallowed them up, with all their partakers.

For the latter, (which here I principally intend) the danger of robbing of God in Tithes and Offerings, and defeating Christs Spouse of her joynture, let three things be seriously weighed: First, whether the tenth part of the fruits of the earth are not as due to God, as the seventh part of our time, and so the mo∣ralitie thereof founded upon the same bottom, that our Christian Sabbath is. Secondly, if not so, whe∣ther there is not an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, morall equity, if the Priesthood under the Law received the tenth part and more, the Ministry under the Gospell, which is more honourable and laborious, should not receive at least as much, and whether that be not the principall scope of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 9. which he makes good by se∣verall arguments. Thirdly, if neither of these Rocks should prove impregnable, whether this be not a wall of brasse, able to endure what siege Antichristian forces can lay against it, that being once consecrated, and by speciall donation appropriated unto God, a Power lesse then Divine, can not reduce them to any other use, without sacriledge, and taking the Scep∣ter out of Gods hand: And whether that signall judg∣ment inflicted on Ananias and Saphyra, Act. 5. for retaining that which they had devoted unto God, one∣ly by their private vowes, be not a miraculous con∣firmation of this truth, and a piller of salt to be loo∣ked upon to the worlds end? Israel is a thing hallowed

to the Lord, and his first fruits; all they that eat it shalloffend, evill shall come upon them, saith the Lord, Jer. 2. 3. Tithes are Gods portion, whereby we acknowledge His roy∣alty and superintendency over us, and therefore being once solemnly bequeath'd unto him, may seem to be inviolable by any just Law of man, for these reasons: First, Abraham, and in him Levi, payed Tithes to Mel∣chizedeck, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, even of the spoiles taken in war, Gen. 14. 20. Heb. 7. 4. and that above four hundred years before the Law was given. Secondly, Ja∣cob vowed as he went to Padan Aram, that if God would blesse him, the Lord should be his God, and that surely he would give the tenth unto him, Gen. 28. 22. Now that the Lord should be acknowledged for his God, was a morall duty, and no lesse the other for sub∣stance, especially after his vow, and reducible to the duties of the first Table. Thirdly, God strictly comman∣ded to pay the tithes of all things to the Priests and Le∣vites; nay, the first fruits, first and second tithes, heave∣offerings, wave-offerings, which amounted to nineteen in the hundred, or above the sixt part••; which Precept, if it be not purely morall, but judiciall in some cir∣cumstances, respecting equity betwixt Priest and Peo∣ple; yet it holds proportion to the Ministry of the Gos∣pell, according to their dignity and necessity, and be∣ing devoted unto God by our fore-fathers, famous in their Generations for piety, are as obligatory, as what God himselfe immediately consecrated. Fourthly, God calls it a robbing of him in tithes and offerings, Mal. 3. 8. and for that, pronounces the whole Nation cur∣sed with a curse, that is, a signall curse, which the Spirit of God does not use to do for violating Lawes, that are purely judiciall or ceremoniall. Fifthly, Christ confirms them under the Gospell, Matth. 23. 23. tel∣ling the Pharisees, they pay tithes of Annise, Mint, and

Cummin, these things ought to be done. And if they could not enter into heaven, unlesse their righteousnesse ex∣ceeded the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, what shall become of those, that come short of them? The Pharisees payed cheerfully things hallowed unto God, Christians do not. Sixtly, the Apostle of the Gentiles makes sacriledge (which consists in detaining of tithes and holy things) worse than Idolatry, Rom. 2. 32. Thou that abhorrest Idolls, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, dost thou com∣mit sacri'edge? To rob God of his due is a greater sin, then, through mistake, to ascribe that to a false God, which is not his due. Seventhly, it seemes by the Law of Nature, or a Positive Law of God, to be derived from Noah to all Nations; Plutarch saies in Camillus, that they did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, pay tithes to Jupiter. Herodotus saies, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that they offered unto Hercules the tenth part of their wealth; so did the Hetrurians, calling it the Herculian part, as Plautus hath it in his Truculentus. Xenophon saies, the Grecians did offer their tithes at the Temple of Apollo at Del∣phos. Aristotle, lib. 2. Oeconomicks, saies, that the Baby∣lonians payed tithes. Hence it was, that Princes, (when they came like Caligula, to challenge Deity to them∣selves) usurped the tithes. Appian records, that the Sicilians and other conquered Nations, payed the tenth part to the Roman Emperours; therefore the Publicans (as Cicero hath it) are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, tithe-gatherers. Eighthly, that tithes should be payed, was the judgment of the Antients, that lived in Pri∣mitive times; St. Chrysostom saies, that Abraham in paying of tithes was our Instructor, teaching us what we should do; St. Jerom saies, Quod qui non fecerit, deum defrandare, & supplantare convincitur, that he that paies not tithes, defraudes and undermines God. St. Austin saies, Nolumus partiri cum Deo decimas, mod••

autem totum tollitur, We have been unwilling to pay God his tithes, therefore it is just he should take all from us. Ninthly, many Councills have confirmed the paying of tithes; the first, Aurelian, chap. 17. the se∣cond of Matiscone, chap. 5. the Forojulium, in the last Chapter; at Ments, in the time of Charls the Great, chap. 38. at Mentz under Rabanus, chap. 10. at Mentz, in the time of the Emperour Arnulph, chap. 17. where it was decreed, that those that neglected to pay tithes, should be excommunicated. At Rhemes, chap. 38. in the time of Charles the Great; at Valence in the time of Lotharius, chap. 10. the fourth at Arles, chap. 9. with many more, besides Panormitan, Hostiensis, and the Canonists of all Ages. Tenthly, the Heathens, by the glimmering light of reason, punished those that were sacrilegious: Plato ordained in his Lawes, that if a servant or stranger should detain holy things, they should be branded in the hands and forehead; but if a free-man, he should be put to death. This was one of the twelve Tables of the ancient Romans, Sacrum, sa∣crove commodatum qui rapsit, parricida esto, Let him that steales any holy thing, or dedicated to a holy use, be punished as a parricide; that is, as one that murders his father or mother, and that was, to be sowen in a sack of Leather, with a Serpent in it, and throwne in∣to the Sea. Amongst the Aethiopians, if any was con∣vinced of that crime, a potion was given him to drink of divers kinds of poyson, which was no sooner taken, but it so wrought upon the fancy, that they conceived themselves to be stung with all kindes of Serpents, and to be rid of that pain, they made away themselves. Eleventhly, Histories tells us, that imbezilling or ali∣enating of tithes, hath been the Prodrome and Har∣binger of ruine to severall Nations, Churches, and Fa∣milies: In Hezekiah's raigne, tithes began to be ne∣glected,

that he appointed Overseers to look to the payment thereof, 2 Chron. 31. 11. for which cause, God suspended the judgment for his time; but his succes∣sours growing carelesse, they were given up to a Baby∣lonish captivity, and their temple destroyed. About one hundred and thirty years before our Saviour's In∣carnation, corruption so prevailed, that it began to be questionable, whether tithes were to be payed or no, whence their high Court of Sanhedrim decreed, that instead of the tenth (as Moses Cotsensis hath it) they should pay one part of an hundred; and shortly after, God took from them their Rulers, their Temple, their Land, and all. O what a sad thing is it, when men will be wiser than God. It was one of Julian the A∣postata's projects, to supplant Christianity, by taking away the livelyhood of the Ministry. The Eastern and African Churches acted their parts in this Scene, be∣fore they were delivered up to the dolefull Catastro∣phe of Mahometan blindnesse and slavery. What suc∣cesse Henry the Eighth had in pillaging of the Church, the dysasters in his Family, and the sad tragedies of Car∣dinall Wolsey, the Vicar-generall, with the rest of his Agents, and many of those Tribes that were enriched by them, can signally witnesse. Lastly, Sacriledge hath been inevitably attended with remarkable judgments in all ages: Xerxes and Brennus sent their Souldiers to violate the Temple at Delphos, the one was destroyed with all his Army, by lightning; the other lost forty thousand of his Foot by fire from heaven: The Souldi∣ers that Cambyses sent to spoyl the Temple of Ammon, were buried quick under heaps of sands, and he slain with his own sword. Pyrrhus having pillaged the Lu∣cresian Proserpina, was wracked with his whole Navy, and left to the mercy of the waves: Alsimus, high Priest of the Jewes, attempting the overthrow of the Tem∣ple,

was struck with a dead Palsie, and dyed miserably. Heliodorus sent by Seleucus, to ransack the Temple at Jerusalem, felt the revenging hand of God, till Onias the high Priest interceded for him; out of which Tem∣ple, when Crassus the Roman Generall had taken two thousand talents of gold, he was no sooner passed over the River Euphrates, then his whole Army was rooted by the Parthians, and part of the gold he had taken, melted, and poured into his mouth, with these words, Now surfeit on gold after thy death, which thou couldst not be satisfied with, all thy life long. Herod sending his men to dig into the Sepulchers of David and Solomon, where Church-Treasures were laid up for security, there brake out thence a fire, that burned the sacri∣legious delvers to ashes. When Leo, sirnamed Coproni∣mus, espied a Crowne beset with Carbuncles in a Chri∣stian Church, he caused it to be fetched, and setting it upon his head, there suddainly arose a Carbuncle in his forehead, which never suffered his temples after to take any rest. Felix, carrying away the rich presents, that Constantine and others had dedicated to God, in the new Temple at Jerusalem, builded by Queen Helena, died of a flux of blood. Julian, uncle to the Apostata, having raked together most pretious vessells and sump∣tuous monuments at Antioch in Syria, uncasing his postern parts, sat down upon them in derision; incon∣tinently his flesh began to rot, and he died desperately of the disease called Miserere. Gaepio, the Roman Con∣sul, robbing the famous Church of Tolossa in France, he, and every man in his Army, that had fingered any of the gold, came to miserable ends within a year. It was observed, that Gustavus the late King of Sweden, prospered not, after he began to rifle Churches. Achan was stoned, for detaining the wedge of gold, and the Babylonish garment. Ananias and Saphyra smit with

sudden death, for concealing that which they had devo∣ted unto God. When Belshasar quaffed in the conse∣crated Bowls, taken from the Temple at Jerusalem, a hand-writing appeared upon the wall, his Kingdom was taken from him, and he gave up the ghost. God is the same God still, his arme is not shortned; though he may seem to have leaden heels, he will be found in revenge to have iron hands.

Ob. But tithes are heathenish, payed by the Gentiles.

Ans. So are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, reliefe exhibited by chil∣dren to parents; those that deny the one, are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, without naturall affection; those that deny the other, have been conceived 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, without divine reverence.

Ob. But they were Jewish, payed to the Leviti∣call Priesthood.

Ans. Not onely so, but payed foure hundred years before to Melchisedec, who was a type of Christ, and his Gospell-Ministry.

Ob. But they are Antichristian.

Ans. Not, unlesse that which Christ confirms and approves, be against Christ; these things ought to be done, to the tithing of mint and cummin.

Ob. But it is against Christian liberty to pay tithes.

Ans. No more to render unto God the things that are Gods, than to men the things that are mens, ho∣nour to whom honour, tribute to whom tribute; the Church hath as good a title to the tenth, as the owner of the rest to the nine parts. Parents can but leave to their posterity nine parts. Men when they pur∣chase, purchase but nine parts, and paie proporti∣onably.

Ob. But by paying of tithes, men are deprived of that they get with the sweat of their browes.

Ans. No more then Tenants by paying their Land∣lords rent, who will not be content with the tenth,

but scarce sometimes will be willing, to allow one part, for their labour of the ten. God is Lord Paramount of all, and gave the land of Canaan to the Israelites, upon condition of paying of tithes; Mal. 3. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the Starehouse, and I will open the windowes of heaven, and poure you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. v. 12. All na∣tions shall call you blessed. There is the same reason under the Gospell, which St. Paul urges, àfortiori, 1 Cor. 9. 11. If we have sowen unto you spirituall things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnall things? And, Gal. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth, in all good things. Be not deceived, God is not mocked.

But we hope there is no further need of this dispute. That God that putteth bounds to the raging waves of the Sea, tha•• kept Sarah untouched from Abim••••••••••, hath, against all Satan's designes, preserved the Joynture of the Church, Christ's Spouse, a thousand six hundred years, will still maintain her dowry untouched from sacrilegious hands.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.