judgments, and the great enemy and oppressor be let loose upon us to take from us both our land and nation? They who by such wickednesses as these provoke God against us, work stronger for our destruction, than all the power of France and Rome united together against us, and therefore ought to be detested by us as the greatest troublers of our Israel, and the common enemies both of ourselves, as well as of our God; and every authority that is in the land ought to be employed to suppress them; and I know no other way but this to avoid making the guilt to be ours as well as theirs, and thereby involving the whole nation in the vengeance which is due thereto. The punishment of those Achan's may again bring back God to our nation with his blessing of peace and prosperity upon us, and the reforming of our iniquities become a means of thoroughly reconciling him unto us, and when his judgments are in a land, I know no other means whereby it may be effected. If any tell you, that I make too much haste in pressing you with these particulars, and that the time is not seasonable, that it is properer to tarry till their Majesties being freed from the present pressures, may be at leisure to back us with their authority in these proceedings; objections which I have often heard; my answer is, That when such iniquities begin to grow upon us, as atheism and irreligion, we cannot too soon endeavour to put a stop to so great a mischief. The first beginnings of a thing of this nature ought not to be neglected. For sin is of a very prolific nature, and if let alone to spread itself, will soon grow to an head too hard to be mastered, and we become overpowered therewith. And as to the seasonableness of the time, I think I think the first time that we have, always the most seasonable to do God's work and our own duty in. Life is short, and opportunities are few, and if we neglect the present, how know we that we may have any more? And for this reason, say I, without placing dilatory hopes, and dilatory expectations on future times, let us lay hold on the present, and while we have them, do all the good in them that we are able. And if we will have their Majesties and their kingdoms freed from the present pressures, I know no means can be more effectual for it, than the removing out of our land those sins which they are sent to punish. The bringing of righteousness and religion into a land, is the most successful way to restore peace and prosperity unto it. And if we do our part in effecting the former, we may thereby become the blessed instruments of restoring the latter. And then the blessing and favour of the Almighty shall rest upon the heads both of us and our King. But to tarry for God's establishing of this blessing among us, before we will reform ourselves, is to put the effects before the cause, and impose that unreasonable condition to the Almighty for our amendment, as to expect he should invert the whole method of his providence for the sake hereof, and first bribe us with his blessings, before we will betake ourselves to that righteousness, which is to make us worthy of them. I confess their present Majesties, whom God hath now advanced to the government of these kingdoms, are excellently fitted for the work of a reformation, both by their zeal for religion, and their exemplary practice of it themselves, and all good men have great expectations from them this way, and I doubt not they will fully answer them by by some more than ordinary attempts to this end, as soon as the exigency of their affairs will admit. And indeed at the present they have not been wanting to do their part herein, as far as in the ordinary course of their power they are able. For the hands of Kings by which they act, are their Officers and Ministers which execute their authority under them; and it is well known, what their Majesties commands have been to all these in order to the reforming of the iniquities that are among us. Their proclamations have frequently come forth for the putting of their laws in execution against them. And that the ecclesiastical power might also concur with the civil in order hereto, we have their Majesties excellent letter to the Bishops to this purpose, and through them to all others invested with ecclesiastical jurisdiction under them, commanding us to put all our canons and constitutions in force for the reclaiming men from sin, and reducing them to that practice of righteousness and piety, which the holy religion we profess requires from them. And therefore if we want the authority of the King to put us forward in this work, thus far we have it already, as well as the commands of our God upon us faithfully to discharge all the duties of our Ministry in order hereto. And these particulars I now press upon you, being especial parts thereof, how can we auswer it to either, if we do not our diligence herein to the utmost we are able? I hope that when all hath been considered that I have now said, we shall be all willing and earnest so to do. And then I doubt not, but that by God's gracious blessing upon our endeavours, we shall reap that good effect hereby which we propose; that so all atheism and irreligion being suppressed among us, us, and the true practice of righteousness and piety advanced in their stead, God's holy name may be glorified, his people edified, our Church and nation blessed, and our own souls everlastingly saved in the day of the Lord. I pray God direct us in all things for the accomplishing of this end, And I am, Your most affectionate Brother and Servant, HUMPHREY PRIDEAUX, August 17th, 1692. A COM A COMPENDIUM OF THE LAW RELATING TO TITHES. 1. Of the Nature of Tithes. 66 TITHES are a species of incorporeal hereditaments, and are defined to be a tenth part of the increase yearly arising and renewing." First, immediately from the soil; i. e. from the profits of the land. Secondly, mediately, i. e. from the increase of animals. Thirdly, by the labor and personal industry of man. The first species is usually called PREDIAL, as of corn, grass, hops and wood, including tithe for the agistment of cattle. The second, MIXED, as of wool, milk, pigs, &c. consisting of natural products, but matured and preserved in part by the care of man; and of these two sorts the tenth must be paid in gross: The third species, is usually termed, PERSONAL, as of manual occupations; trade, fisheries, and the like; and of these only the tenth part of the clear gains and profits is due. See 2 Bl. Com. 3. Tithes are payable of common right of all things which annually increase, either spontaneously, or by the industry of the parishioner. 3. Com. Dig. 490. Tithes are also divided into GREAT and SMALL. Great Tithes are chiefly corn, hay, and wood. Small Tithes are the predial tithes of other kinds, together with mixed and personal tithes. Tithes by law are denominated great or small, according to the nature of the thing, and not from the |