3. Neither the Apostles nor yet the Primitive Doctors in the Church in the next Ages to them, did ever teach that the Tenth is due to the Ministers of the Gospel. Which if it had been a Moral Precept they would certainly have done, and reproved the Churches for their not practising accordingly. Although' in the Primitive Times the Deacons did (as some Writers affirm: Zanchy. p. 407.) receive the Tenth for pious Uses, they did not ⟨p. 53⟩appropriate them to their Teachers. It is evident from the Apologies of Justin Martyr, and of Tertullian, and by (y)Cyprian's Epistles, that the Churches in those days had a Public Treasury, which did arise out of the Voluntary Contributions of Christians, out of which their Pastors were Maintained; and much was given to other Charitable Uses, which the Deacons disposed of, but always with the Advice and Direction of their Pastors. Also, some Christians whom God had blessed with great Estates, did bequeath large Legacies to the Church: And Lands too, which yielded a considerable Revenue to some Churches, but were taken from them by Persecuting Emperors. Above all Churches, that in Rome was made rich, not only by Money, but by Lands devoted thereunto. Thus it was Anno. 225. Some say sooner. Of these things (z)Hospinian, and many others have Written. At ⟨p. 54⟩this day Christians who Live in the Turks Dominions are compelled to give the Fourth of all their Incomes to the Sultan. The Roman Emperors had the Tenth. †Nor were Tithes settled on Ecclesiastics before Constantine the Great: And then there was quickly a very unhappy effect of it. For the Tenth like the Tenth wave overwhelmed the Church with Superstition & Profanity, occasioned by the Grandeur, Ambition, and Luxury of the Clergy. Some Writers affirm, that when Constantine by an Edict gave the Tenth to Ecclesiastics, a voice was heard in the Air, saying, Hodie venenum seminatum est in Ecclesiam. This gave ground to that complaint, Religion brought forth Riches, and the Daughter devoured the Mother. The Emperor Charles the Great, ordered that the Tithes should be distributed into four Portions; of which the Bishop was to have the first, other Clergy men or Scholastics the second, the Poor the third ⟨p. 55⟩part, and the fourth was assigned for the building & repairing Temples or Schools. (*)The Tenth in most Places will afford not only a sufficient, but a superfluous Maintenance.
3. Neither the Apostles nor yet the Primitive Doctors in the Church in the next Ages to them, did ever teach that the Tenth is due to the Ministers of the Gospel. Which if it had been a Moral Precept they would certainly have done, and reproved the Churches for their not practising accordingly. Altho' in the Primitive Times the Deacons did (as some Writers affirm: Zanchy. p. 407.) receive the Tenth for pious Uses, they did not ⟨p. 53⟩appropriate them to their Teachers. It is evident from the Apologies of Iustin Martyr, and of Tertullian, and by (y)Cyprian's Epistles, that the Churches in those days had a Publick Treasury, which did arise out of the Voluntary Contributions of Christians, out of which their Pastors were Maintained; and much was given to other Charitable Uses, which the Deacons disposed of, but always with the Advice and Direction of their Pastors. Also, some Christians whom God had blessed with great Estates, did bequeath large Legacies to the Church: And Lands too, which yielded a considerable Revenue to some Churches, but were taken from them by Persecuting Emperors. Above all Churches, that in Rome was made rich, not only by Money, but by Lands devoted thereunto. Thus it was Anno. 225. Some say sooner. Of these things (z)Hospinian, and many others have Written. At ⟨p. 54⟩this day Christians who Live in the Turks Dominions are compelled to give the Fourth of all their Incomes to the Sultan. The Roman Emperors had the Tenth. †Nor were Tithes settled on Ecclesiasticks before Constantine the Great: And then there was quickly a very unhappy effect of it. For the Tenth like the Tenth wave overwhelmed the Church with Superstition & Profanity, occasioned by the Grandeur, Ambition, and Luxury of the Clergy. Some Writers affirm, that when Constantine by an Edict gave the Tenth to Ecclesiasticks, a voice was heard in the Air, saying, Hodie venenum seminatum est in Ecclesiam. This gave ground to that complaint, Religion brought forth Riches, and the Daughter devoured the Mother. The Emperor Charles the Great, ordered that the Tithes should be distributed into four Portions; of which the Bishop was to have the first, other Clergy men or Scholasticks the second, the Poor the third ⟨p. 55⟩part, and the fourth was assigned for the building & repairing Temples or Schools.
- (y)v. Epist. 9. & 10.
- (z)De Templis p. 216, 217.
- †v. Alex. ab Alexand. dier. genial. lib. 4. c. 10.
- (*)v. Stuckij Antiq. Convival. l. 1. p. 49.
