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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91192	A Gospel plea (interwoven with a rational and legal) for the lawfulnes & continuance of the ancient setled maintenance and tenthes of the ministers of the Gospel: proving, that there is a just, competent, comfortable maintenance due to all lawfull painfull preachers and ministers of the Gospel, by divine right, institution, and expresse texts and precepts of the Gospel: that glebes and tithes are such a maintenance, & due to ministers by divine right, law and Gospel: that if subtracted or detained, they may lawfully be inforced by coercive laws and penalties: that tithes are no reall burden nor grievance to the people; the abolishing them, no ease or benefit to farmers, husband-men, or poor people, but a prejudice and losse. That the present opposition against tithes, proceeds not from any reall grounds of conscience, but base covetousnesse, carnall policy, &c. and a Jesuiticall and Anabaptisticall designe, to subvert and ruin our ministers, Church, religion. With a satisfactory answer to all cavils and materiall objections to the contrary. By William Prynne of Swainswick, Esq;	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1653 (1653)	Wing P3971; Thomason E713_12; ESTC R203238; ESTC R26600	128,273	175

Bishopricks De●neries Benefices Cathedrall and Colledge Lands Revenues Glebes Tithes and whatsoever Ecclesiasticall Profits and endowments of the Clergy and Schollers in our whole Kingdome and Nation After this when the Temple of Jerusalem was built where the Priests and Levites were to wait in their severall Courses successively by Davids appointment 1 Chron. chap. 23. to chap. 27. 2 Chron. 8. 14 15. chap. 23. 8. and ch 13. 10 11. chap. 29. 4. chap. 31. 2. chap. 35. 2. Levit. 1 5 8 9. they had Houses Churches Lodgings provided for them at Jerusalem near the Temple where some of them constantly dwelt and attended and likewise for the Tithes first-Fruits and oblations brought thither to them 1 Chron. 9. 10. to 35. chap. 23. 28. chap. 28. 11 12 13. 2 Chron. 2. to 13. Ezra 8. 29. Neh. 10. 37. 38 39. chap. 12. 44 45 47. chap 13. 4. to 15. Ezech. 40. 4. to 45. ch 42. 1 to 19. ch 44 19. ch 46. 19. These Cities Suburbs Habitations Churches the Priests and Levites constantly enjoyed without interruption till the revolt of the ten Tribes from Rehoboam and Jeroboam the usurper erected two Golden Calves in Dan and Bethel to keep the people from going up to Jerusalem to worship God there out of carnall fear and suspition saying in his heart now shall the Kingdome return to the house of David if the people go up to Jerusalem to do Sacrifice in the House of the Lord there THEN SHALL THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE TVRN BACK AGAIN TO THE LORD even unto Rehoboam King of Judah ●nd THEY SHALL KILL ME and GO AGAIN TO REHOBOAM KING OF JVDAH 1 Kings 12. 26. to 33. and then we read 2 Chron. 11. 13 14 15 16. The Priests of the Levites that were in all Israell resorted to Rehoboam out of all their Coasts For the Levites LEFT THEIR SVBVRBS and THEIR POSSESSIONS and came to Judah and Jerusalem for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them out from executing the Priests Office unto the Lord and he ordained him Pr●ests for the High Places of the lowest of the people and for the Devils and the Calves which he had made which King Abijah warring with him after his Fathers death when he claimed the right of his usurp●d Crown they objected against him and the revolted Tribes 2 Chr. 13. 4. to 14. Hear me thou Jeroboam and all I●rael ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the Kingdome over Israel to David for ever even to him and to his Sons by a Covenant of Salt Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat the servant of Solomon the Son of David is risen up and hath rebelled against his Lord. And there are gathered unto him vain men the children of Beliall and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the Son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted and could not withstand him And now ye think to withstand the Kingdome of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David and ye be a great multitude and there be with you Golden Calves which Jeroboam made you for Gods Have ye not cast out the Priests of the Lord the Sons of Aaron and THE LEVITES and have made you Priests after the manner of the Nations of other Lands so that whosoever cometh TO CONSECRATE ●IMSELF with a young Bullock and seven Rams the same may be a Priest of them that are no Gods But as for us the Lord is our God and we have not forsaken him and the Priests which minister unto the Lord are the Sons of Aaron and the● Levites wait upon their businesse c. For we keep the Charge of the Lord our God but ye have forsaken h●m And behold God himself is ●ith us for our Captain and his Priests with sounding ●rumpets to cry allarum against you The issue of this A●●eisticall policy and Sacrilegious deprivation or Spoliation of Gods Priests and Levites of their Suburbs Possessions and Ministry by Jeroboam and his Sons is very remarkable 1. It brought ruine upon his whole Army though double the number of Abijah his host of whom they had a great advantage by an ambushment God himself smiting him and his host so that they fled before Judah and Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter so that there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men 2 Chron. 13. 13. to 20. The greatest slaughter in battle that ever we read of in Sacred or prophane Stories before or since 2. It brought Captivity on his Adherents who were brought under at that time pursued and had their wives taken and plundered v. 18 19. 3. It brought this misery and fatall Judgement on himself v. 20. Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the dayes of Abijah And the Lord strook him and he dyed 4. It became sin to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth 1 Kings 13. 33 34. 5. It made all the succeeding Kings of Israel professed Idolaters and most of them bloudy Murtherers Usurpers Persecutors and produced perpetuall successive civill warres between Judah and Israel 1 Kings 14. 30. chap. 15. 6 7 16 32. 2 Chron. 28. 4. to 12. 6. It brought finall captivity ruine desolation in conclusion to the whole Kingdome of Israel and the ten revolting Tribes 2 Kings 17. 20 21 22 23. where this sad story is recorded And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers untill he had cast them out of his sight For he rent Israel from the house of David And they made Jeroboam the Son of Nebat King of which God thus complains Hos 8. 4. They have set up Kings but not by me they have made Princes and I knew it not and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin for the children of Israel walked in all the sinnes of Jeroboam which he did they departed not from them untill the Lord removed Israel out of his sight as he had said by all his servants the Prophets So was Israel carried away out of their own Land to Assyria TILL THIS Day when as the Kingdome of Judah continued above 156 years after in Davids royall posterity enjoying Gods Priests Levites Prophets and Ordinances till their captivity for their sins in mocking abusing his Messengers Prophets and despising his words 2 Chron. 36. 16 17. And then after 70 years captivity were restored again to their Countrey reedified Jerusalem and the Temple and with them the Priests and Levites returning from bondage were restored likewise to their Cities and Glebes of which the Kings of Judah never deprived them as Jeroboam and his Sons and the Kings of Israel who were all Idolaters did whence thus we read Ezra 2. 70. So the Priests and the Leaites and the Singers and the Porters the Nethinims DWELT IN THEIR CITIES and all Israel in their cities Thus

Acts 21. 20. to 28. which he being a Jew was obliged even then to observe to avoid scandall but not to the Gentiles Therefore Tithes amongst the Jews were then still paid to their Leviticall Priests and not to the Apostles 4. Though Christ whiles on earth received no Tithes from the Jews yet he had a just Right and Title to Tithes from Abraham and all his Posterity and the Leviticall Priests themselves especially after their abolition as he was a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech to whom Abraham himself and the Levites then in his loins paid Tithes of all Heb. 7. 1. to 15. of which at large before Therefore he had a just Right to receive Tithes from them both before and after the Leviticall priesthood was abolished which he might have both lawfully claimed and exercised and his Apostles likewise in his Right though they did it not We read that Christ had a just Right and Title by Inheritance and lineall descent from his Father King David to the Temporall Crown and Kingdome of Judah and is therefore said by the Wisemen Matth. 2. 2. TO BE BORN KING OF THE JEWS an unanswerable Argument for the lawfulnesse and Excellency of Hereditary Titles to Crowns and Kingdomes before that of Election onely wherewith I frequently silenced vapouring Souldiers against Hereditary Kingship being the very Title of Christ himself both to his Spirituall and Temporall Kingdome and that which God instituted amongst his Church and people as the best the surest of all other taken up by most Heathen Nations Now though Christ neither claimed nor exercised this his Temporall Right but avoided it when the people would have made him King by force John 6. 15. who yet after cryed him for the King of Israel John 12. 13 15. which even Pilate himself acknowledged when he said unto the Jews BEHOLD YOUR KING demanded of them SHALL I CRUCIFIE YOUR KING and wrote and fixed this Title on his Crosse JESUS OF NAZARETH KING OF THE JEWS John 19 14 15 19. will or can John Canne or any other of his confederates h●nce justly inf●rre that it was unlawfull for Christ himself Right Heir by Descent to his Hereditary Temporall Kingdome kept and thrust out thereof by usurping Herod who murdered all the Infants in Bethlehem and the Coasts thereof that were two years old and under and should haue murdered our Saviour himself to secure his own usurped Power Mat. 2. 13 16. Such is the bloudy cruelty and Jealousie of Usurpers to have claimed or exercised this his just Hereditary Right to the Crown or unlawfull for the people to have thrust out this bloudy Intruder Herod by force from his usurped Authority and made Christ King as they intended or because Christ did then voluntarily forbear and relinquish his Right to Herod that it is therefore unlawfull for any other Hereditary Christian King or Right Heir to a Crown kept from or thrust out of his Throne and Kingdome by armed violence against the generality of his peoples desires by any aspiring usurping Herod to lay claim to his Crown or Kingdome or for the faithfull naturall born Subjects according to their duty Oathes and Allegiance to endevour by all lawfull means and open force to exp●ll dethrone such Herods and crown and set their lawfull Soveraign on the Throne of the Kingdome Doubtlesse they cannot be so absurdly stupid as affirm it seeing Jeboiadah the high Priest the Captains of Hundreds Levites Souldiers and people too thrust out Ath●liah the bloudy Usurper of the Kingdome and Throne of Judah in the seventh year of her Usurpation and crowned Joash THE KINGS SON as the Lord had said OF THE SONS OF DAVID and set him KING VPON THE THRONE OF THE KINGDOME whereupon ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND REJOYCED AND THE CITY WAS QUIET as is recorded at large to their eternall Honour by God himself and for others imitation in the like case 2 Chron. 23. and 2 Kings 11. and seeing all may justly lay claim to and repossesse themselves of such Lands Houses Goods as others forcibly detain or take from them against all Law Right notwithstanding Christs Non-claim to his Rightfull Crown then by the self same Reason our Ministers of the Gospel now may lawfully take and challenge Tithes from the people though Christ and his Apostles did not albeit they had a just Right and Title to them which they might have exercised had they pleased without Sin or Judaisme as our Ministers do now To clear which Right from Judaisme and all other Cevills beyond all contradiction I shall cite onely two Proph●●ies relating joyntly to Christs Kingdome and Ministers u●der the Gospel The first is Jer. 33. 15. to the end In those dayes and at that time will I cause the Branch of Righteousnesse to grow up unto David and he shall execute Righteousnesse and Judgement in the Land In those dayes shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith he shall be called the Lord our Righteousnesse For thus saith the Lord David shall never want a man to sit upon the Throne of the House of Israel Neither the Priests the Levites want a man before me to offer Burnt-Offerings and to kindle Meat-Offerings and to do Sacrifices continually Thus saith the Lord if you can break my Coven●nt of the day and my Covenant of the night so that there should not be day and night in their season then may also my Covenant be broken with David my Servant that he should not have a Son to reign upon his Throne AND WITH THE LEVITES THE PRIESTS MY MINISTERS As the Host of heaven cannot be numbred neither the sand of the Sea measured so will I multiply the Seed of David my Servant AND THE LEVITES THAT MINISTER UNTO ME c. The 2d is Isa 66. 18. to 22 I will gather all nations and tongues and they shall come and see my Glory and I will set a Signe among them and I will send those that escape of them unto the Nations and to Tarshish c. and TO THE ISLES AFAR OFF whereof England is chief and principally intended And they shall bring all your Brethren for an Offering unto the Lord out of all Nations upon Horses and in Chariots and in Litters and upon Mules and upon swift Be●sts TO MY HOLY MOVNTAIN IN JERVSALEM saith the Lord as the Children of Israel bring on Offering in a clean Vessell VNTO THE HOVSE OF THE LORD And I WILL ALSO TAKE OF THEM FOR PRIESTS and FOR LEVITES saith the Lord. From which Texts I shall observe 1. That as Christs Title to his everlasting Spirituall Kingdome under the Gospel over all the converted Gentiles as well as Jews is expressely set forth to be neither elective nor by conquest but by DESCENT HEIRSHIP and lineall Succession from King David and all the regenerated Sons of God by their Right of Son-ship and new-birth even in like sort intituled to the Kingdome of

heaven whence they are stiled HEIRS and INHERITORS OF THE KING-DOME Jam. 2. 5. Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 8. 17. Titus 3 17. Heb. 1. 14. chap. 6. 17. 1 Pet. 3. 7. Mat. 25. 34. and this Kingdome THE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS Col. 1. 12. Ephes 1. 11. 14 18. 1. Pet. 1. 4. Acts 20. 32. an unanswerable argument that Heirship and Birthright is the best Surest Jestest Honourablest Lawfullest Title of all other to Crowns Kingdomes and Possessions on earth being the very Title of Christ himself to his everlasting Kingship and Kingdome and of the Saints in and by Christ to the Kingdome of heaven it self and Crown of Glory so the Seat and Throne of this His Kingdome is said to be Zion and Jerusalem most emphatically expressed Isa 24. 23. The Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem before his Ancients gloriously A typ● of the Church of God under the Gospel first planted in and propagated from thence throughout the World according to the Prophesies Isaiah 2. 3. Michah 4. 2. Whence the Church under the Gospel is called the New Jerusalem c. Rev. 3. 12. chap. 21. 2 10. Gal. 4. 26. Heb. 12. 22. 2. That the Ministers of and under the Gospel are expresly stiled in these prophesies Priests and Levites severall times 3. That their Office under the Gospel in a mysticall sence is to offer bu●nt-offerings to bake or kindle Meat-Offerings to do Sacrifices continually and to Minister unto God 4. That these Priests and Levites should be taken out of the converted Gentiles and Isles afar off whereof our Isle was chief 5. Priests and Levites should never fail cease nor want a man under the Gospel and that would multiply them as the Host of Heaven as well as the Seed of David 6. That they should convert and bring their brethren for an offering out of all Nations and the Isles afar off to Gods Mountain and House in Jerusalem as the children of Israel used to bring their Offerings thither Since therefore the Ministers of the Gopel in these prophesies are thus expressely stiled Priests and Levites and are to offer burnt-Offerings Meat-Offerings Sacrifices and Oblations to God in his Mountain and House at Jerusalem c. under David their King in an Evangelicall sence without any Judaisme or denying of Christs coming in the flesh they may undoubtedly in the self same sence and Right receive all Glebes Tithes Oblations and other dues from Christians and converted Jews under the Gospel as the Priests and Levites did at Jerusalem under King David and his Successors seeing they succeed them in their Office in an Evangelicall sence according to these prophesies which as strongly confirm the Maintenance of their Priestly Function their Tithe● as their Evangelicall Priesthood 7. Although Christ his Apostles and the Ministers of the Gospel in the Primitive times whiles the Church was in the Wildernesse under grievous blo●dy Antichristian Kings Magistrates Persecutours by reason of the present persecution neither did nor could receive Tithes and Gleb●s for their Maintenances from the persecuted Christians and therefore were necessitated to live by private Contribution and extraordinary wages in that case of extremity yet it no wayes follows that therefore all Ministers of the Gospel afterwards shall do so in setled Kingdomes States Nations converted to the saith where Kings Magistrates People doe all generally embrace and professe the Gospel and where Churches are established and Ministers Glebes and Tithes are or may be confirmed by setled Laws which I shall irrefragably prove by these instances 1. The Priests and Levites under the Law had no Glebes or Tithes at all whiles the Israelites wandred 40 years together in the wildernesse though they had then a La● and right to receive them Will the Objectors thence inferr● Therefore they ought to have no Tithes nor Glebes when the Israelites were possessors of and setledin the Land of Canaan in peace when they enjoyed both without dispute 2. The Priests and Levites had no Tithes nor Glebes in the Realm of Israel under the Vsurper Jeroboam and his Idolatrous successors who deprived them of their possessions Cities Suburbes Tithes and Priest Office too 2 Chron. 11. 13 14. c. 13. 9. Therefore the Priests and Levites in the Kingdome of Judah might not lawfully claim nor enjoy any Glebes or Tithes nor Ministers under the Gospel nor yet those in Israel under David and Solomon who were no Persecutors but Patrons of them 3. When both these Kingdoms with their Priest and Levites were carried away captives into Assyria and Babylon the Priests and Levites during the 70 years captivity enjoyed neither Glebes nor Tithes Will it them follow Therefore they might lawfully enjoy neither after their restitution to their Country and execution of their Priestly Function and the reedifying of the Temple as we read they did Neh. 10. 38. c. 12. 44. c. 13. 1. to 13. and the people charged with robbing of God when they neglected to pay Tithes and Oblations to them Mal. 3. 7 8 9 10. 4. Christ himself so soon as born was forced to fly out of his Country into Aegypt by bloudy Herod and to remain there till after his death Mat. 2. 13 14 15. After which he complained That Foxes had holes and Birds of the ayre nests yet he had not where to lay his head Mat. 8. 20. Luke 9. 58 And at last he was apprehended mocked reviled crowned with thorns crucified by the malicious Jews and SOLDIERS who parted his Garments among them and cast Lots upon his Vesture The Evang●lists closing up the Tragedy of his Passion with this perpetuall brand upon the Domineering cruell Soldiers THESE THINGS THEREFORE THE SOLDIERS DID John 19. 24. For which and for reporting a Lye to smother the truth of Christs Resurrection the High Priest GAVE LARGE MONEY TO THE SOLDIERS besides Matt. 28. 12 15. Will Canne therefore hence conclude theresore our Souldiers now must force our Ministers to fly into Aegypt-till Herods death leave them neither Rectory Personage house or Vicarge nor yet so much as a Bed Bolster Tith-Hay or Straw whereon to lay their heads and naile them to the Crosse pierce their sides with spears-points revile deride them and at last part not only all their Glebes Tithes and Goods but their very Garments and Gowns between them Surely if they must and shall do so let them beware of another perpetual memento like the former These things therefore The Soldiers did So the Soldiers took the mony and did as they were taught by Canne and Popish Priests and Jesuits 5. The Apostles who succeeded our Saviour in those dayes of persecution were thus handled by Pauls own relation 1 Cor. 4. 9 c. We are made a spectacle unto the world unto Angels and to men we are fools for Christs sake we are weake we are despised even to this present houre we are hungry and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place we are

out in and by every tribe in an equal proportion according to the multitude or paucity of their Cities as a Tenth of their Cities and lands to which their 48 Cities and Suburbs amounted as some probably conceive And yet besides these 48 Cities there were Houses and Schools of Prophets and Prophets children in nature of our Universities in Bethel and in Jericho 2 Kings 2. 3 4 5 7. to 24. chap. 6. 1 2 3 4. which were none of these 48 Cities 6. That none of the Kings and Princes of Judah though many of them were Idolatrous wicked and put to great extremities to raise moneys to pay their Armies and Tribute to forreigne Invaders and Conquerors did yet ever attempt to sell or alienate the Cities Suburbs or revenues of the Priests and Levites to maintain their wars or pay publike Debts or tributes though King Asa Jehoash Hezekiah by way of Lone made bold with the Silver and Gold in the treasure of the Lords house in cases of publike extremity which might be afterwards paid 1 Kings 15. 18. cap. 18. 15. 2 Chron. 16. 2. Yea the scripture expresly records that in the great famine in Aegypt when all others sold their lands to buy bread to King Pharo●h ONLY THE LANDS OF THE PRIESTS BOLIGHT HE NOT For the Priests had a Portion assigned them of Pharoah and did eat their portion which Pharoah gave them wherefore THEY SOLD NOT THEIR LANDS Gen. 47. 20. to 27. 7. That the Idolatrous usurper Jeroboam out of a carnal feare and policy to keep the people from returning to their rightfull soveraign and establish the crown on himself and his Posterity was the first man we read of and his Idolatrous sons and successors after him who cast out Gods Priests and Levites out of their offices and then out of their Cities Suburbs and Possessions which he enforced them to desert though we read not that they sold them to maintain their Warres or pay Soldiers arrears who thereupon repaired to Jerusalem to Rehoboam the right heir and after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem to enjoy Gods Ordinances and strengthen Rehoboam and his kingdom against this persecuting usuper 2 Chro. 11. 13. to 18. 8. That this casting out of the Priests and Levites from their Offices and Possessions and making Priests of the lowest of the People and suffering every one that would to consecrate himself a Priest without a lawfull call is objected against Jeroboam by Ahijah as a very high crime and provocation against God and the maintaining and encouraging of Gods lawful Priests and Levites in their Offices and setled possessions alledged by him as a certain argument of Gods presence with a King and people and of victory and successe in conclusion against sacrilegious Usurpers 9. That when Gods lawfull Priests and Levites are deprived of their Glebes and Possessions we must presently expect a base contemptible time-serving Idolatrous ignorant Priest-hood Jeroboams Golden Calves with their new Feasts and Sacrifices and a universal inundation of Idolatry wickednesse prophanesse to ensue with all the forementioned calamities which befell Jeroboam● Army adherents subjects Person Family Kingdome which the Lord now set home on all our hearts that we may never be guilty of such a sacrilegious ruinating God-provoking Realm-destroying Church-subverting practise in the least degree as some would now perswade us to in stripping our Ministers of all their Gl●bes Rectories and setled maintenance at one blow which even Pharoah himself and godly Joseph refused to do towards the very Idolatrous Priests of Aegypt allowing them an extraordinary daily portion to preserve their Lands from sale in time of famine Gen. 47. 22 26. whereto they have as lawfull as just as Divine a right as these Priests and Levites had to their Cities Suburbs Houses and Possessions as I shall prove anon 2 That God onely wise did by speciall Laws and Edicts institute and prescribe Tithes as the most expedient equitable fitting just rationall and convenient Maintenance and Reward of all other for his own Priests and Levites is undeniably proved by Levit. 27. 30. 31 32. Deut. 12. 17. 18 19 31. chap. 14. 22. to the end chap. 26. 7 12 13 14 15. Num. 18. 21. to 32. Neh. 10. 37 38 39. chap. 12. 44. chap. 13. 5 11 12 13 14. Prov. 3. 9. 2 Chron. 31. 3. to 15. Mal. 3. 8 9 10 Luke 18. 12. Heb. 7. 5 8 9. which Texts all may read at leisure and are needlesse to transcribe at large this truth b●ing confessed by all Opposites to Tithes who hence condemned them as Jewish and Ceremoniall Rites now abolished That which I shall observe from them is briefly this 1. That the payment of Tithes to the Priests and Levites was positively prescribed by Gods speciall Precepts and Commands frequently recited 2. That Gods own People were specially commanded by him to pay Tithes of the seed and increase af all their Land of all Corn Wine Oyl Fruits yea of Garden Herbs Seeds Matth. 23. 3. Luke 11. 42. and likewise of the increase of all their Cattle Herds Flocks 3. That God gave these Tithes and all the tenth in Israell to the Priests and Levites for an Inheritance as a due Reward for their Service which they serve even the Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation which all Israelites else were p●ohibited to come into or do Service in Lest they bear their Sin and dye And this was to be a Statute for ever throughout their Generations Numb 18. 21 22 23 26 31. Heb. 7. 5. 4. That All the Tithes of the Land Seed Fruit Herbs Flocks and of whatsoever Annuall increased or passed under the Rod are expressely said to be the Lords to be holy unto the Lord consecrated unto the Lord and an Heave-offering unto the Lord which he gave unto the Priests Levites for an inheritance Levit. 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. Num. 18. 24. 2 Chron. 31. 6. 5. That God enjoyned all the Israelites Truly to tithe all the Tithes of their Increase and not to eat or embesle detain or exchange any of it especially for the worse Deut. 14. 21. chap. 12. 17. Leuit. 27. 33. Mal. 3. 8. And if any man would redeem his Tithes he was to give the full price and adde a fifth part over to it Levit. 27. 31. 6. That all these Tithes were to be brought by the people to the places and Treasuries appointed for them the Corn ready threshed winnowed and the Wine Oyl Fruits in Vessels at the peoples own costs without any trouble to the Priests or Levites and if the place whither they were to be brought was too far off then that they called the second Tithe ought to be turned into money by the Owner and the money paid to the Priest and Levites in lieu thereof Deut. 12. 17 18 19. chap. 14. 22. to 28. chap. 26. 12 13 14. 2 Chron. 31. 6. 12 13

DIVINE RIGHT they ow wages to the Ministers of the Gospel And if so then 5. It follows inevitably that there being no other setled way of maintenance particularly prescribed for them in the Gospel and convenient Houses Glebes for them their families and necessary Cattle and Tithes of the increase of the fruits of the earth and Cattle of all sorts being as necessary and requisite for the habitation food clothing support of them their Ministry families and supply all their necessaries with as little charge or trouble as may be as for the Priests and Levites under the Law that Godly Christians cannot pitch upon any equaller fitter juster better wiser rational or convenient way of maintenance for them than that of necessary Houses Rectories Glebes in every Parish and Tithes of all things needfull for food and raiment it being the constant standing setled maintenance which the most wise just and holy God invented prescribed for his own Priests and Levites maintenance amongst his own people when setled by him in the land of Promise and that which all setled Christians Empires Kingdoms States Churches generally through the Christian world have pitched upon as most agreeable to Gods will and word under the Gospel which no wayes repeals nor contradicts his own former prescriptions of this kinde 6. That the Glebes and Tithes of the Priests and Levites under the Law were reserved by God himself the Supream Land-lord of all kingdomes Countries Nations Churches People in the world and the special God Lord King Father Saviour and Preserver of his own people as a Sacred Holy Tribute Rent Portion and Homage due unto Himself from poor Creatures Servants Vassals who are no true Proprietors but onely Stewards and Tenants at will of all the Lands Goods earthly blessings and possessions they enjoy The earth being the Lords and the fulnesse thereof and the Corn Wine Cattle fruits and earthly creatures we possesse not really ours but Gods own 1 Chr. 29. 11. to 17. Psal 24. 1. Psal 97. 5. Psal 50. 9 10 11 12. E●ech 16. 18 19 20. Hos 2. 8 9. Dan. 4. 32 35. Mat. 6. 10. 11. The use and possession of which tribute He allotted to the Priests and Levites under the Law for their maintenance salary and reward of their labour in his service for the advancement of his worship glory honour and his peoples spiritual good reserving the inheritance and right thereof alwayes to himself as the premises sufficiently evidence Now God himself to whom alone Tithes and Glebes were originally impropriated not to the Levitical Priest-hood being unchangeable without any variableness or shadow of turning Jam. 1. 17. Psal 102. 26 27. Mal. 3. 6. and Jesus Christ to whom Tithes were first paid by Abraham in the person of Melchisedeck having an unchangeable Priest-hood and being a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck Heb. 7. And all Christians whatsoever under the Gospel being as much his absolute Creatures Vassals Servants Stewards and Tenants as well as the Israelites under the Law and all their Lands Goods Earthly blessings Corn Wine Cattle and imployments his in right and not their own as well as theirs too why they should not all render to him the self same sacred Tribute holy Portion Rent Homage of Glebes and Tithes of all they have as well as they though the Levitical Priest-hood be abolished they being so specially reserved and consecrated to himself for the support maintenance reward encouragement of his faithfull Ministers under the Gospel imployed in his Service for his honour glory and their everlasting salvation Let John Canne and all presumptuous peremptory tith-oppugners answer me yea this their Soveraign Land-lord and Creator if they can who will one day call them to a strictaccompt for detaining this due Rent Tribute Homage from him and may justly dispossesse and strip them naked of all they have for this their ingrate contemptuous carriage towards him as he hath done many of late by fearfull fires and other judgments as well as heretofore Mal. 3. 8 9 11. 7. That as the Gospel it self succeeded the Levitical Law and Baptisme and the Lords Supper Circumcision and the Passeover So the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel succeed the Priests and Levites under the Law in their Ministerial function in the Church of Christ by Gods appointment their Ministry and Office being both the same in substance even to worship praise and honour God according to his revealed word and will and instruct exhort direct and guide his people in the way of salvation though differing in some circumstances of lesser moment abolished by Christs death It is therefore most reasonable just equitable convenient they should receive and enjoy the like setled maintenance by Glebes and Tithes as their predecessors did God hav●ng prescribed none other kinde of reward or subsistence for them in the Gospel that any can shew me It is usuall in all Kingdomes States Nations where there are any publike setled offices and Officers for any persons who succeed others in those Offices to enjoy the self same Salaries Houses Lands Fees and Revenues as their Predecessors lawfully received unlesse there be some special Laws to alter their Stipends This we see verified in all Civil Military and Ecclesiastical Officers yea in the times of greatest publike charges that ever befell the Nation those whom most yet call Judges Sheriffs Majors Generals Colonels Captains and Governours of Forts c. though their Commissions be altered in some things and themselves in more do yet receive the self same Salary pay and maintenance annexed to their Offices as their lawfull predecessors did yea to come closer home All our Protestant Ministers since the reformation of Religion have generally enjoyed the Gl●bes and Tithes as the Parishioners enjoy and frequent the Churches as their popish predecessors did before them though the one of them just like the Levitical abolished Priests made it their chiefest businesse and part of their calling to say Masse and offer an unbloudy Sacrifice as they falsely termed it on their Altars both for the quick and dead and the other who succeed th●m make it their principall work to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments according to Christs institution Since then the Ministers of the Gospel succeed the Levitical as well as the popish Priests as the Gospel doth the Law and the Christian Sacraments the Jewish and we with all converted Gentiles engraffed into Jesus Christ and the Church of God succeed the Jews who were broken off from their own Olive Tree that we might be engraffed in their places who now partake of the root and fatnesse of their Olive Tree as the Apostle resolves Rom. 11. 16. to 25. Why the Ministers of the Gospel should not likewise succeed the Leviticall Priests as well as the popish in the enjoyment of their setled maintenance by Glebes Tithes being not meerly ceremonial as I have proved and all believing Gentiles who succeed the believing Israelites in Gods Church succeed