Levitical Priesthood and the admininistration of the Jewish service and as by that Priesthood which is changed there was no perfection so that Law of Heb. 7. 11 Ordinances which is changed called by the Apostle carnal Ordinances could not make him that did the service perfect and they were but imposed until the time of reformation Heb. 9. 9 10 Heb. 10. 14 which Christ brought who is a Priest for ever and by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified I say therefore that the Law of those Ordinances which were administred by the Levitical Priesthood and by which the Priests of that order were impowered to officiate or were made Priests is now changed together with that Priesthood for Christ who is a Priest continuing hath appointed the manner and order of holy administrations to be of another kinde then these were when the Levitical Priesthood was in request And likewise he hath appointed another manner of admitting those whom he chooseth to be his Stewards and in his stead to dispense unto his people warrantably the spiritual Ministrastrations then was the manner of deputing any to the service of the Tabernacles and the Temple while the Levitical Priesthood for then such Priests were consecrated by washings anointings sacrificing and purifying of blood to attend upon the service enjoyned them whereas Christ hath appointed 1 Tim. 2 7 1 Tit. 5. 1 Tim. 4. 14 2 Tim. 3. 17 Eph. 4. 11 12 that by Ordination only his Ministers should be authorized to do the work of the Ministry hereby they are put into the Ministry and receive the gift of becoming men of God to do service for God and so they are by him given to his Church to be Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ hence Gods tythes are designed unto them as maintenance of Gods men as a recompence for the service which they do for Jesus Christ who is over all God blessed for ever 1 Cor. 9. 14 3. Thou asks Is the Commandment disanulled that gave them tythes Answ The Commandment which the sonnes of Levi had to tythe their brethren was a special Law or Commandment Heb. 7. 5. without which they could not have any title to tythe at all because tythes originally belonged to the Priesthood of Christ typed in Melchizedeck who tythed Abraham by Right or Law original but the sons of Levi had onely a special command or grant for a time for tything their brethren according to the original Law of tything which was before setled as on a foundation in the Priesthood after another order and therefore I say that that particular command which the Levitical Priesthood had for taking tythes expired with their Priesthood So that now none of that Tribe can claime tythes by vertue of any such peculiar command unto the Levitical Priesthood And this also I say that that Law of tything which was Original and by vertue of which Melchizedâ—ck tythed Abraham is still in force by vertue of which all tythes ought to be paid unto the Lord Jesus Christ who is an everlasting Priest after Melchizedecks order he receiveth them who liveth for ever he Hâ—b 7. 8. ever liveth to be a taker of tythes but seeing these cannot be paid unto him in Person because he is ascended into heaven and sits at Gods right hand an high Priest for ever therefore they are to be paid according to his appointment unto his Ministers with whom he hath promised to be present unto the end of the world He hath ordained that they should have that very meanes appertaining unto the Gospel which is due in as much as he by them doth preach the Gospel of peace unto his people The Apostle saith so hath the Lord orâ—ained Eph. 2. 14. that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospâ—l To live of the Gospel is to have the maintenance and livelihood 1 Cor. 9. 14 or portion of temporal substance which belongs to the Gospel and that is the tythes due to Christ the eternal Priest who thereby payes his own peculiar servants out of his own proper goods which he hath reserved unto himself out of every mans increase and is generally known by the name of tythes Therefore I answer to thy question Though that command be disanulled that gave the Levites tythes yet the Law of tything is not disanulled which gave Melchizedeck right of tything and which is given by Christ unto us his Ministers of the Gospel We do not take tythes as the Priests of the Tribe of Levi did in way of holding up the Levitical service and Priesthood both which is abolished but we take tythes as they are that tribute or portion of the earths increase which the Lord hath reserved for himself and given them unto us for our attendance and waiting on the Ministry of the Gospel to which he hath appointed us 4. Thou asks Did Abraham pay tythes to Melchizedeck of his substance or of the spoile Answ The holy Scripture plainly tells us that he paid unto him tythes of both 1. He paid unto him the tythe of his substance Moses in Gen. 14. 20 Heb. 7. 2. saying that he gave him tythes of all and the Apostle in saying that unto Melchizedeck Abraham gave the tenth part of all do both of them intimate that there was not any substantial increase which Abraham possessed left untithed by Melchizedeck the Priest of the most high God And 2. The Apostle also in saying that he gave him the tenth of the spoile or out of the spoile doth thereby specifie one Heb. 7. 4. remarkable event not before known to the world whence tythes are due to the Priesthood of Melchizedecks order as oft as such occurrents shall come to passe wherefore Melchizedeck took from Abraham the tythes of spoiles out of which there ought to arise an Augmentative benefit to the Priest of the high God Jesus Christ as oft as victories over enemies are obtained I say therefore that Abraham paid unto Melchizedeck tythes both of his substance and of the spoiles The blessing which Melchizedeck gave containes in it the reason of paying tythes of both these Blessed saith he be Abraham of the most high God possessor of heaven and Gen. 14. 19 earth Abraham was blessed and to be blessed from the most high God with the influences of heaven whereby the earth Hos 2. 21 22 was enabled to yeeld unto him her increase and blessings and therefore he was to pay tythes to God as an acknowledgement of his Soveraignty over all and of his liberality unto him in all he being truly according to the title given unto God first by Melchizedeck in holy Scripture the high possessour of heaven and earth Again blessed saith Melchizedeck be the most Gen. 14. 20 high God which hath deliver'd thine enemies into thy hand Abraham was therefore to pay unto God the
the souls of people are preyed upon by beastly men and unclean spirits Enough is spoke to thy sixt Head of Demands CHAP. VII Thus thou writes in setting down thy seventh Head of Demands WOuld thou bear rule among the people if they should take away thy meanes wouldst thou divine if they should take away thy money wouldst thou keep the flock if they should take away the fleece Did not the Prophets cry against such and how can thou clear thy self from these steps if thou canst answer me by Scripture and Apostles practice Answ I have already answered the fourth demand and pâ—oved that I am clear from ruling by that means which Jeremiah cried against I have in answering thy fifth demand proved that I am free from the practice of such who divined for money and taught for hire against whom Micah complained I have already in answering thy sixth Demand proved that I am not taxable with that kind of seeking the fleece and making a prey on the people which Ezekiel blamed in wicked shepherds and therfore I shall not need here to prove that which is already done But to thy Demand what my actings towards the people would be in case they should withhold from me and deprive me of maintenance by tythes or money for tythes or tythe fleeces which I now have from them by the Law of God and of the Nation I will answer to the substance of thy Demand and then I will say something to thee who dost demand it 1. I say though honesty equity yea and piety too should be so far abandoned by men that they should universally deteine from Ministers their rightful dues and though iniquity of the time should so far prevaile as to obtaine the abrogation of those very Laws of this Nation which impowers Ministers to plead for and to recover their rights and though Ministers should be left without any remedy and redress from men yet I for my part am resolved to continue in my calling of preaching constantly the Gospel and of tendring the welfare of the flock committed to my charge during my health liberty and life for I know the woe is dreadful if I preach not the Gospel and the work however is comfortable though when we be 1 Cor. 9. 16. 1 Thes 2. 2. shamefully intreated we are bold in our God to speak unto the people the Gospel of God with much contention therefore my work in the Ministry God willing shall not cease though wicked men should seek to cause it cease as they hope by deteining my maintenance God who setteth us Ministers on his work will care and provide for us either by ordinary or extraordinary means till we have finished our course and therefore we have from him encouragement enough to continue at his work though Sacrilegists should make us temporally poor yet then we shall by our labours as now we do strive 2 Cor. 6. 10 to make many spiritually rich though they should bring us into a condition of having nothing yet then having the Lord to be our portion and pay-master we should possesse all things though we should be troubled on every side yet we shall not be distressed though we should be perplexed yet we shall not 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. be in despaire though we should be persecuted of men yet we shall not be forsaken of God for he will either suggest unto us the undertaking of some honest course for a livelihood which will least hinder our spiritual labouring in the Word and Doctrine or he will raise up unto us some gracious Obadiahs who will nourish us his servants or if all humane and worldly means of ordinary providence fail yet we know he is a God All-sufficient able to do for us abundantly above all that we ask or Eph. 3. 20. think We know he did extraordinarily relieve when ordinary means of living failed his own Prophet Eliah by ravens 1 Kin. 17. 6 14 15. and by miracle and he did satisfie his own people in the Wildeâ—ness by raining down for them the bread of Heaven and Ps 105. 40 we know that his kindnesse to us his servants is as ready to supply our wants in all our extremities seeing he hath bid us be content with such things as we have and withal promiseth Heb. 13. 5. saying I will never leave thee nor forsake thee We have this great encouragement from him and therefore our labour for him shall assuredly continue for we may boldly say The Lord Heb. 13. 6. is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me We Ministers have no reason to be discouraged by mens withdrawing our maintenance seeing the omnipotent God who gives us our present means doth ingage that for the future meanes shall not be lacking unto us with which whatever it be we shall be thankfully content and will continue in his service with all faithful diligence 2. To thee who demands whether I would discharge my Ministerial service if people should take away my Maintenance this I say the murmure which is among many in these times against mine and other faithful Ministers maintenance is doubtlesse a murmuring against God because he did not make us to be creatures to live without food and raiment and other temporal necessaries but made us men like your selves compassed with the same infirmities and needing like temporal supplies for back and belly and other necessaries as all other men do but the Loâ—d will one day answer such by himself and will let them know that his Ministerial servants whom they sought to discourage by disobeying their holy teachings by murmurings against their maintenance by defrauding them in any parts thereof and by unjust deteining the whole from them shall be comforted when themselves shall be tormented Behold saith God my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart Isa 65 14 and shall howle for vexation of spirit Thou hast a sufficient answer to thy seventh Head of Demands CHAP. VIII Thy eight Head of Demands is this ARt not thou in the steps of them that the Apostle speaks of to the Romanes that with thy fair speeches and good words deceives the hearts of the simple which serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but thy own belly Rom. 16. 18. Answ It is very clear that causing divisions and offences Rom. 16. 17 contrary to the doctrine which the Romans learned was the path in which they walked of whom the Apostle speaks and the steps which they took were these 1. An hypocritical pretending that they served the Lord Jesus Christ ver 18. 2. A real intending to serve their own bellies by causing divisions and offences 3. An earnest contending with fair speeches and good words to deceive the hearts of the simple 1. They whom the Apostle speaks of in Rom. 16. caused divisions by venting doctrines contrary to that holy doctrine of faith which the Romanes had learned whereby the simple sort
witnesse and that for this end he came into the world that he might bear witnesse unto the truth and he hath fully and truly spoken out of the will of God and he is one of these three Great witnesses which bears record in heaven yet the people of God and Christ ought not because he is the faithfull witnesse to think that therefore the Ministers are not Christs publick witnesses and Rev. 19. 10 publishers of his truths unto his people for the Scripture tells us that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy the testimony of Jesus is that he hath chosen these his Ministeriall servants to beare witnesse to his people of his truths doth give unto all his faithfull Ministers the Spirit the authority the boldnes the life the liveliness to discharge that Propheticall or preaching service which he hath appointed them to performe the testimony of Jesus touching this particular is thus recorded Math. 24. 14 the Gospel of the Kingdome shall be preached unto all the world as a witnesse unto all nations Christ after this his testimony did commission Ministers to preach that Gospell and the Ministery which Ministers have received of the Lord Jesus is to Mark 16. 25 testify the Gospell of the Grace of God And therefore none of Gods people ought on this ground because Christ is the faithfull Acts. 20. 24 witnesse after a most eminent manner to deny that the Ministers are Christs publick witnesses to his people they are chosen and ordained to publish his truths according to his appointment Moreover Christs being the faithfull witnesse doth not warrant any of his people to deny due maintenance unto his Ministers of whom he said they shall be witnesses to me to the uttermost parts of the earth because Christ hath already condemned all kinde of misusage which shall be done to these Prophets Acts 1. 8. wisemen and scribes which he sends and because he hath faithfully witnessed that though they whom he sent shall not take pay for their working miraculously cures because they had Mâ—th 23. 34 35. freely received that miraculous gift and were therefore to give freely its worke yet Christ hath testified that they whom he sends may for their paines in preaching receive the pay of maintenance saying for the labourer is worthy of his hire or Luk. 10. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his reward worthy to have a reward answerable to and fully recompencing his worke 5. It is true that Christ is called the Lords Anointed because Psal 2. 2. Aâ—ts 10. 38 Joh. 3. 34. 1 Joh. 2. 27 he was anointed with the Holy-Ghost and with power and the Spirit was not given him by measure it is true also that the anointing of grace by his Spirit is received from him and abideth in his holy people yet it is also most true that neither Christ being anointed to preach which he did personally perform on earth and doth since his going to heaven Ministerially perform by his Ministers nor his sanctified people being anointed with grace received from him doth exclude outward teaching and the Ministers from being Christs publick servants to teach his people seeing Christ hath set them in his Church Eph. 4. 11 12 for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of his body the Church Moreover Christs being anointed in a supereminent manner Heb. 2. 9. above his fellows and his sanctified people being anointed with grace according to measure doth not warrant any of his people to deny unto the Ministers of the Gospel their maintenance Isa 61. 1. Luk. 4. 17 18 for Christ was anointed to preach but not to abolish the maintenance of Preachers or of any else which is for upholding the publick preaching of the Gospel in the world And the anointing which his believing people received from him was to make them gracious but not to give unto them any allowance to be injurious unto any in with-holding their dues least of all to Ministers whom he hath appointed to be instruments by their preaching to work gracious men to become more 1 Cor. 14 22 gracious for Prophecy is for them that believe namely to perfect the grace begun in them since they were in Christ Besides it is of divine appointment that as Christs Ministers Math. 5. 14. 15 are by him placed publickly to be lights on a Candlestick pouring out the oyle of their labours in their lightsome informations of people so Christs anointed people are placed by his providence as Olive trees round about his Ministerial servants that every Zach. 4. 11 12 13 14. one of them should be as Olive branches emptying the golden oyle of maintenance for his Ministers out of themselves Gods 1 Coâ— 9. 11 appointment is that if his Ministers so v unto his people spiritual things his people should not grudge his Ministers or count it a great thing if they reap their carnal things Thou hast a full Answer to thy fifteenth Head of Demands CHAP. XVI Thy sixteenth Head of Demands is as followeth ARe not they Ministers of unrighteousnesse and so messengers of Satan that seeks for meanes maintenance tythes of them they do not work for Is not that an unrighteous deed and thing Now if it be said the labourer is worthy of his hire is it not then an unrighteous thing to go and take hire of them that have not hired them answer me and let truth speak and come to the light and bring thy deeds to it Now if you say we plow in hope and thresh in hope that we may be made partakers of our hope now if thou plowest not for me nor thresheth for me how can thou bring the Scripture and say the workman is worthy of his meat to me and the labourer is worthy of his hire to one that hath not set thee on work and that thou plowest not for and threshest not for Answ Ministers who discharge the work of the Ministry which God hath given them to do in those places where he doth set them to be teachers unto his people are neither Ministers of unrighteousnesse nor messengers of Satan because they require the allowed maintenance by tythes or any other things from those people among whom they spend and are spent 1. They are no Ministers of unrighteousnesse for 1. It can be no unrighteousnesse in them to discharge their Ministerial duties seeing God who enjoynes his servants no unrighteous thing hath commanded them to do so And 2. It is no unrighteousnesse in them to demand the maintenance by tithes from those people among whom they discharge their Ministeriall dutyes seeing the maintenance by tithes which they demand is Gods own peculiar rent wherewith he as Lord of all hath charged all lands and hath assigned his due since himself needs nothing to his servants the Ministers of the Gospell for that service which in his stead they performe among his people They in demanding