and enlarging Profeffion, you would forthwith throw away Tythes; for fo long as they continue, there can never be any Poffibility of raising Maintenance in fuch Places. AND fecondly, as to their Maintenance, is there any Indifferency, Equality, Proportion, or Juftice, in their prefent Way of Tything? One Man pleads he is to pay nothing to a Minifter, because the Pope hath given him a Dispensation, and made his Land Tythe-free. Another Man faith, he hath a Prefcription to pay but a Penny (it may be) for the Value of a Shilling. Another faith, he hath converted his Lands into Paftures, and hath by his Artifice fo ordered it, that little is due for Tythes. Another faith, he dwells in a City or Market-Town, and hath no Land, though it's like he gains more by Trade, than ten poor Country-Men that pay Tythes do by their Lands. Another faith, he pays Tythe to an Impropriator, and he cannot afford to pay both him and a Minifter. Is this your equal Way of Maintenance, fo long upheld and pleaded for? And have you not a more righteous Rule? The Rich generally pays little, and the poor Hufbandman bears the Burden, even he that supplies the Nation with the Staff of Bread, who is notwithstanding at more Charge in his Husbandry than any other; and out of the Tythe of fuch Country Parishes of Tillage, generally great Sums are paid for Augmentations, to Cities and MarketTowns, when the Inhabitants, that have far greater Gains by Trading, go free. For Shame, at length follow the Example of your neighbouring Reformed Churches, and throw away Tythes as an old Relick of Popery, and no longer halt between two, and betake your felves to a more Gospel c. Gofpel-like Way of Maintenance; for Light now breaks forth, and Pretences will no longer cover. It's like you will anfwer, We confefs, the prefent Way of Maintenance by Tythes is very unequal, unless the whole Nation could be brought to quit all their Customs and Prescriptions, and pay Tythe in Kind; and alfo all Merchants and Tradefmen, would pay the tenth Part of their Gains, as was by the Pope enjoyned; but that will never be done, and therefore it's better to hold fome, than lofe all; for we know not what better Way would be provided: But fhew us, how we may have a comfortable and certain Maintenance, and more like the Gospel, and we shall most willingly quit the one, and embrace the other. To this I answer, That there is a Way, which, as it would establish the Nation upon a fure Foun dation of true Freedom (as to the Confcience) giving Content to all feparated Congregations, Societies and Perfons; fo would it upon the fame Bafis of Liberty, hold forth full Satisfaction to all People of the Nation, both as to Ministry and Maintenance, and would be as acceptable to every one, as the taking away Tythes: But I have faid enough at once, and when this is a little digested, the other will be more fit to be propofed. ONLY to fuch as fear Confufion, or Trouble, or Lofs to the Nation, by taking away Tythes, I would fay a few Words: Do but look into almoft every Country Town, and there fhall you find Debate, Strife and Variance, either between Man and Man, or between Parishes and their Ministers, either about Tythe it self, the Quantity, or the fetting it out; look into Courts, and there you fhall find Suit upon Suit; and at Affizes, and before Juftices of Peace, Multitudes of Trials and Judgments F 2 Judgments about them: Look into Prifons, and there you fhall find not a few reftrained, and lying under great Oppreffions, because they cannot pay them: And these Suits and Troubles are daily increafing, and the Number of those that will not pay them, and these are no small Confufions in our State; for it is evident, there are more Suits, and Strife, and Difference about Tythes, than any one Thing whatsoever in the Nation; and how foon might all these be ended, and every one fatisfied, by taking away Tythes? And then do but look upon the many Moors, Commons, and Waftes, in the Nation, amounting to a full third Part of the whole, as hath been computed, to the many great Paftures and Meadows decayed for Want of Tillage, to the many Countries which are turned into Pastures and Meadows, because of the great Charge of Tillage, Husbandry, and the unreasonable Payment of a clear tenth Part, which in moft Places is half the Profit; and it will be found, nothing does fo much hinder the Improvement of the Nation, which would cafe the publick Burdens, and would foon be of more Advantage than Firft-fruits and Tenths. Nothing fo much hinders Tillage, which often puts the Nation upon Hazard of Ruin, and forceth us to feek Bread out of other Countries at immoderate Rates; when as this Nation is generally fo fit for Corn, that it might be as a rich Granary, not only for our own Supply, but Relief of our Neighbours when they want. I might say a great deal more upon this Subject, but much to this Purpose hath been faid by others, and therefore I fhall conclude. And let no Man henceforth think it strange, that any should refuse to pay Tythes; but rather wonder, that any will do it. AN ΑΝ APPENDIX. In the Tear 1646, about two Tears after the Minifters (fo call'd) had got an *Ordinance of Parliament for Tithes; there was a Treatife published with this Title, Tithe-Gatherers no Gofpel-Officers, OR Certain brief Obfervations concerning the first Whereby it appears, HAT Men were never compell'd to the TPayment of them in the Old Teftament, nor did ever practice it in the New. THAT the Gospel Contributions were all voluntary, accounted as a free Gift, not a Debt; the Apostles themselves, not only choofing to labour with their own Hands, but requiring all their Succeffors to do the like, that they might not be chargeable to any of the Disciples. To this Treatife there is an Epistle prefix'd, directed to the Reverend Affembly of Divines at Westminster. It begins thus, Men, Brethren, and Fathers, I could not choose but give you Notice of a Design discover'd unto me, of no fmall Party, which at present is confpiring, how the Poffeffions of Bishops, Deans and Chapters, &c. which F 3 * See Page 44. in the Great Cafe of Tithes. by 69 by our Ancestors, were intended for publick and pious Ufes, may become their peculiar Inheritance, and totally difcourage Pofterity from all charitable Legacies, when they fhall fee them alienated to fuch quite contrary Purposes. I understand likewise of several Petitions by Multitudes of the moft Confcientious Free-born Subjects of England, demonftrating how unjuft it is, that a fmall Number, who, in Complement call themselves our Minifters, fhould at their own Pleasure, become our Mafters; and fo contrary to the Subjects Liberty, force from us the fifth Part of the whole Kingdom in Valuation, without either Articles or Confent; and that which is worst of all, even not to be longer endured by fuch as make Conscience of any Thing, they claim it by Divine Right, and for fuch Services, as to many feem little less than Anti-christian or Ido latrous. 'TIS frivolous for you to diftinguish between a Confcience truly informed, and contrarily; for unless you will pretend your Arguments to be like the Peace of God, which paffeth all Underftanding, Phil. iv. 7. you must unavoidably permit Men, even every particular Man for himself, to refolve the whole Scripture, and every Part thereof, into a full Perfwafion of his own Heart, concerning whatsoever he is to practife or believe. Rom. xiv. 5, 22, 23. Either grant this, or burn your Bibles, how many foever differing Tranflations, with their whole Impreffions, as have been brought unto you; fince you do but teach your Lay-People to fufpect them all, whilft you your felves will not be ruled by any, in any Man's Judgment befides your own. A Word to the Wife should be enough; it is of so great Interest and Confequence to this whole Kingdom, |