A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…

Thirdly, It must be acknowledged that this way of Voluntary Contribution is not like to afford matter for that Grandeur and Secular Greatness, those ample Revenues, those Provisions for Ease, Wealth and Worldly Honour, which some think necessary in this case. But yet however it must be granted, that all those large Possessions and Dominions which some now enjoy under the Name of Church-Revenues, were Originally Voluntary Grants and Contributions. For it will not be said that the Clergy got them by Force of Arms, or Fraud, nor were they their Patrimonial Inheritance. But yet I fear, there were some undue Artifices used to induce men unto such Donations and Ecclesiastical Endowments, and somewhat more of Merit fixed thereon than Truth will allow, besides a Compensation therein for what might be undergone in Purgatory when men were gone out of the world. However the thing it self in its whole kind, that men out of their Substance and Revenue should design a Portion unto the Service of the Church, is not to be condemned. But it proved Mischievous and Fatal, when those who received what was so given, being unmeasurably Covetous and Worldly, fixed no Bounds unto the Charity or Superstition of men in this kind, until they had over-run the World with their Gains. And not only so, but whereas there was no pretence of Use of such great Revenues in any way pretended to be of Divine Appointment, they were forced to invent and find out ways innumerable, in Abbeys, Monasteries, Cloisters, to be Repositories of their overflowing Treasure and Revenues. But when God had appointed to Build his Tabernacle of the Free-will Offerings of the People, a Type of the Gospel-Church, when there was Provision enough of Materials brought in, the Liberality of the People was restrained by Proclamation, and some perhaps grieved that their Offerings were not received, Exod. 36, 5, 6. Want of this care to put a stop unto the Devotions of Men in these Donations according unto a just measure of the Churches Necessary Use, the Bounds whereof were broken up and left invisible by the Pride, Ambition, Covetousness, and Craft of the Clergy, the whole World run into Superstition and Confusion. At present I grant that the way which the Gospel appoints is not likely to make Provision for Pomp, Grandeur, Wealth, Revenues, and Inheritances unto them that rely upon it.

Thirdly, It must be acknowledged that this way of Voluntary Contribution is not like to afford matter for that Grandeur and Secular Greatness, those ample Revenues, those Provisions for Ease, Wealth and Worldly Honour, which some think necessary in this case. But yet however it must be granted, that all those large Possessions and Dominions which some now enjoy under the Name of Church-Revenues, were Originally Voluntary Grants and Contributions. For it will not be said that the Clergy got them by Force of Arms, or Fraud, nor were they their Patrimonial Inheritance. But yet I fear, there were some undue Artifices used to induce men unto such Donations and Ecclesiastical Endowments, and somewhat more of Merit fixed thereon than Truth will allow, besides a Compensation therein for what might be undergone in Purgatory when men were gone out of the world. However the thing it self in its whole kind, that men out of their Substance and Revenue should design a Portion unto the Service of the Church, is not to be condemned. But it proved Mischievous and Fatal, when those who received what was so given, being unmeasurably Covetous and Worldly, fixed no Bounds unto the Charity or Superstition of men in this kind, until they had over-run the World with their Gains. And not only so, but whereas there was no pretence of Use of such great Revenues in any way pretended to be of Divine Appointment, they were forced to invent and find out ways innumerable, in Abbies, Monasteries, Cloysters, to be Repositories of their overflowing Treasure and Revenues. But when God had appointed to Build his Tabernacle of the Free-will Offerings of the People, a Type of the Gospel-Church, when there was Provision enough of Materials brought in, the Liberality of the People was restrained by Proclamation, and some perhaps grieved that their Offerings were not received,