THE

PREFACE.

T

HE following Difcourfe recommends a very necessary Chriftian Duty to our Practice, which is too much difregarded and neglected, to the great Shame, as well as Damage of Religion. And withal it expofes a very hainous and dangerous Crime which is too commonly practifed within this Kingdom.

This Duty is The Honouring God with our Substance, or the giving unto God his Portion, The Tenth of all our Increase. Which all Nations Ancient and Modern, Jewish, Christian and Heathen, have univerfally performed, and thought themselves most highly obliged to.

The Crime is the Robbing of God, and ftealing from that Order of Men, whom He has Appointed to be the Re

ceivers

ceivers of his Dues, which is the worst Sort of Robbery; and has a very malignant tendancy to destroy all Religion. And withal, it is very dangerous and deftructive to Men's Eftates, as well as their Souls. I mention their Eftates first, because thofe Men who Purloin from the Church Seem, to prefer their Eftates to their Souls, tho' it generally proves a very unprofitable and unthrifty

way.

The Judgments of God upon fuch may be long in coming, but they will Surely come at laft; and like the Canker' eat out the Profit of the whole, for the Sake of that which is so dishonestly acquired.

And then for their Souls, tho' Men of fuch ill Principles and Practices feldom think they have any, or else do not confider the value of them; yet precious Souls they have in danger of eternal Deftru&tion, from which nothing can fave them, but fincere Repentance and Satisfaction.

The Judicious Mr. Hooker, who has so mightily obliged the Chriftian Church by his incomparable Books concerning

cerning the Laws of Ecclefiaftical Polity; has an admirable Section. I. 5. S. 79. the Title of which is, of Oblations, Foundations, Endowments, Tithes, all intended for the Perpetuity of Religion, which purpose being chiefly fulfilled by the Clergies certain and fufficient Maintenance muft needs by Alienation of Church Livings be made frustrate. He bas in the Margin a Remarkable Paffage taken out of the Capitular of Charles the Great, fufficient to deter any one, tho' of the greatest Rank, who shall prefume to contract the Guilt of Sacrilege on any account whatfoever. The Words are these,

"Novimus. Multa Regna, & Reges eorum, propterea cecidiffe quia Ecclefias Spoliaverunt, Refq; ἐσ earum Vastaverunt, . alienaverunt "vel deripuerunt, Epifcopifq; & "Sacerdotibus, atq; quod magis est, "Ecclefiis eorum abftulerunt, & "Pugnantibus dederunt. Quaprop

ἐσ

ter nec fortes in Bello, nec in Fide "Satabiles fuerunt, nec Victores ex"titerunt; fed Terga multi Vul"nerati, & plures interfecti verte[a]

66

runt,

..

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runt Regnaq; & Regiones, & quod pejus eft, Regna Cæleftia perdiderunt, atq; propriis Hæreditatibus, caruerunt, & hactenus carent: Ver"ba Car. Mag. in Capitu. Carul. 1. 7. “ C. 104.

ין

That is, We have known the downfall of many Kingdoms and their Kings, because they have Spoiled Churches, Wafted, Alienated, or Plundred their Revenues, and taken them from the Bishops and Priests, and what is worfe from the Churches, and given them to their Soldiers. For this reason they have been neither Valiant in War, nor Stedfast in Faith: Have been fo far from being Conquerers, that many of them being, Wounded have turned their Backs upon their Enemies, and more of them been Killed; have left their Kingdoms and Countries. And what is worse, the Kingdom of Heaven; have been deprived of their Inheritances, and still continue fo.

The