have it so for which God would visit them I in holding up such do I obey the Prophets voice or am one of the foolish people that hath eyes and see not and hath ears and hear not without the fear of God holding up such as bear Rule by their means Did they not look upon Jeremiah as one being deceived and was not he cast into prison and Dungeon Did not the Priests and the Princes say He was worthy of death Answ I perceive that thy mis-understanding the words of the Prophet hath caused thee to stumble into very gross apprehensions which one considerately reading this thy Proposal may easily discern to be couched therein Thy expressions seems to hold out these things 1. That Maintenance called sometimes in our English though not in other languages Means which the Priests in Jeremiahs time had was disallowed by the Prophet Jeremiah 2. That the Priests in that Prophets time did rule by their means or by that maintenance which they had 3. That that was the horrible thing which Jeremiah saith was committed in the land that the Priests bare rule by their Maintenance or Means and that they were supâ—orted in their Rule by the Maintenance or Means which they had from the people 4. That the people loved so to maintain their Priests they loved to have it so and therefore God would visit them for it And 5. That if thou or any other shall pay unto me or any other setled Minister any thing from whence means that is according to thy apprehension Maintenance should arise to us then ye should be holders of us up in bearing Rule by Means and be disobeyers of the Prophets voyce and be one of the foolish people of whom the Prophet speaks who had eyes and see not and are without the fear of God To help to rectifie thy Mis-understanding things I will 1. Prove that the Prophet Jeremiah did not at all disallow of that Maintenance or Means which the Priests of the Lord had in his dayes 2. I will evidence that the true Rule which the Priests in Jeremiahs time had was established upon Divine Authority and did not arise unto them from that Means or Maintenance which they had 3. I will tell thee plainly from the words of the Prophet what that horrible filthy thing was which the Prophet saith was committed in the Land whereby it willl appear that neither the Priests bearing Rule nor their having Maintenance or Means nor yet the peoples paying unto them their due Maintenance or Means was that horrible filthy thing 4. I will declare for what the Lord in that Chapter alledged doth threaten to visit the people and that it was not for their paying unto their Priests their due Maintenance or Means 5. I will after all this punctually answer to thy Demands which concerns my self and which concerns thy self and which concerns the Prophet and so a full Answer will be rendred to thy fourth Proposal First There are four considerations which clearly manifest that the Prophet Jeremiah did not disallow of that Maintenance or Means which the Priests of the Lord had in his time they are these 1. He taxeth the Priests for many of their sins for their Ignorance for their profaneness and that in the house of God for their unfaithfulness in executing their Office for Ier. â— 8. Ier. 23. 11. Ier. 6. 13 14. their opposing the true and countenancing the false Prophets and yet he doth not in any of his Chapters reprove them or any of them for their receiving from people Tithes and Offerings which was a Maintenance appointed by God for the livelihood of his Priests and therefore the Maintenance of the Priests in the time of Jeremiah was not a thing disallowed by him 2. The Prophet Jeremiah promises from the Lord That if Jer. 17. 24. 25. 26. the Kings of Judah and all Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem will but hallow the Sabbath to do no work therein that Kings and Princes sitting on the Throne of David and that Judah and the City Jerusalem shall be established to remain and that from places and Cities adjoyning round about people should bring Offerings and Sacrifices and meat Offerings and Incense and Sacrifices of praise unto the house of the Lord. The Prophet mentions Offerings and Sacrifice from whence no small part of the Priests Maintenance arose He promises these which plainly intimates that he did not disallow of the Maintenance of the Priests and Levites in his time 3. After Jerusalem and the Temple was destroyed where Sacrifices used to be offered Fourscore men with Offerings Ier. 41. 5 6 7. and Incense in their hand to bring them to the house of the Lord came to Mizpah and were slain by Ishmael the Prophet who relates the History doth not any wayes reprove or blame that Act of theirs in bringing Offerings and Incense from whence the Priests had some share and portion for their Maintenance which Act had it been unlawfull the Prophet would not have let the mention thereof pass without some censure but seeing the Prophet did not censure it it is plain that he did not disallow of the Maintenance of the Priests of the Lord in his time 4. The Prophet relates the affluence of blessings which shall be to the Israelites at their return to God in the full Conversion of their Nation and he doth particularly intimate that a large and liberal provision shall be made for the Priests who are a principal part of the State wherewith they and theirs shall be in a very plentifull manner maintained I will saith God satiate the soul of the Priests with fatness as he Ier. 31. 14. promises also to store the people with abundance of all good things And my people saith the Lord shall be satisfied with goodness The more Gods blessings abound to his people among whom his Priests minister and teach his Priests do fare the better by reason that Tithes and Offerings then come unto them in 2 Chron. 31. 5. greater abundance as they did to them in the dayes of Hezekiah wherein God greatly blessed him and the whole Kingdom under him Methinks it is very clear from these passages in the Prophet Jeremiah that he did not disallow of the maintenance or Means which the Priests of the Lord had in his time Secondly I affirm That the true Rule which the Priests had in Jeremiahs time was prescribed to them by Divine Authory This is very clear because the order of Rule was observed among them in that time which God himself had established namely that the Tribe of Levi should attend on the holy service and on teaching the Judgements and Statutes of God This order God ordained that their should be an high Priest who was to command all the rest and that there should Deut. 33. 10. likewise be a chief Priest who are called the Rulers of the Sanctuary and Governors of the house of God that is of 1 Chro. 14 5.
matter for every singer to meditate upon for his edification and also they approved of their use in meeter with Musical accents and cadencies and in that the Apostle saith If any man be merry let him sing Psalmes it is evident that the world of men as well as the Church of Saints are enjoyned by the outward melody of their voice to expresse the inward musick of their glad hearts and that in the using Psalmes for expressing that they shall be inabled to mix some spiritual comfort with the lawful cause of natural merriment which will be sanctified to them by the word and prayers of those Scriptural Psalmes which were composed by the Spirit of God for all men to make use of to tune their spirits into heavenly well tempered affections in all conditions Enough is said to thy thirteenth Head of Demands CHAP. XIV Thy fourteenth Head of Demands is as followeth IS the Priesthood changed that took tithes Is the Law changed by which they were made Is the Commandment disanulled that gave them tythes Did Abraham pay tythes to Melchizedeck of his substance or of the spoiles Did he ever do it to him any more then once Was it a standing thing to be done after him Is the Sonne of God come the end of all similitudes and likenesses Now if thou say that they that preach the Gospel must live of the Gospel and have I not power to eat and power to drink yea when Christ sent forth his Disciples he bad them inquire who was worthy and what they set before them they might eat But did he that said have I not power to eat say have I not power to take Stipends Augmentations Tythes Glebe-lands great summes of money or Parsonage Houses Now if thou come to my House who sayes thou art a Minister of the Gospel and minister unto me spiritual things I shall set before thee of my carnal things if thou hast enquired and found my House worthy so said Christ what they set before thee eat so said the Apostle have not I power to eat and to drink but said I have not written this nor spoken this that it should be so done unto me for I have not used my power But if thou come to a Town or come to an House and enquire for Tythes and Augmentations and tythe Wool Hay Pigs Bees Gardens and money for smoak passing up Chimneys Foales Egges Geese Chickens Calves Lambs and other creatures and thou cannot shew me by Scripture where the Apostles did so I must say thou art one of those evill beasts that minde earthly things and thy own belly if thou cannot prove to the contrary Answ Many words are here mustered together containing several questions about tythes and thy conceit touching what kinde of maintenance thou deemes to be only allowed to the preachers of the Gosoel and here thy promise is expressed after what manner thou will entertain me if I shall come to thy house and also thou relates what manner of language thou must use in case I come to demand things tithable To all which I shall returne an orderly Answer Thy Questions are seven to which answers shall be returned to them all in their order 1. Thou asks Is the Priesthood changed that took tythes Answ The Aaronical Priesthood which took tythes is changed but the Melchizedochian Priesthood which took tythes before tythes were took by any of Aarons order and which since the change of Aarons Priesthood doth still continue that Priesthood of Melchizedecks order is not changed but abides for ever and to it tythes are due and at this day and to the end of the world ought to be paid unto it for the fuller clearing this understand that God had but two orders of Priests in the world which we read of the first was after the order of Melchizedeck who is the first Priest of the most high God mentioned in holy Scripture This order was for a time discontinued during that time wherein the Jewes was only known to be a visible Nation upon the Earth which were Gods people But this order is now restored again by our Lord Jesus Christ who hath broken down the partition wall between Jews and Gentiles and hath made the Centiles also to become obedient to the faith and to be sonnes and daughters of the living God And now Christ is a Priest after Melchizedecks order continuing for ever He is confirmed in that Priesthood by Gods Oath which is never to be repealed For the Lord hath sworne and will never repent it thou art a Priest Psal 110. 1 for ever after the order of Melchizedeck and tithes continue due to be duly paid unto this Priesthood He receiveth them Heb. 7. 8. of whom it is witnessed that he liveth for ever The other order of Priests which God had was the order of Levi or Aaron whose Priesthood was typical to continue but until Christ unto whom the Priesthood did properly appertaine came and had taken upon him the everlasting Priesthood He was made Heb. 7. 21. a Priest with Oath whereas the Leviticel Priests were made without an Oath they were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death but this man Jesus Christ because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Heb. 7. 23 24 Priesthood He was made a Priest after the power of an endlesse life but the Levitical Priests was made after the Law of a carnal Commandment they were made Priests by a Ceremonial Heb. 7. 16. Law which commanded carnal and outward observations which were not to continue alwayes but to have an end Wherefore the Levitical Priests were to cease from exercising the Priestly office when Christ the true Priest should come and for ever continue to make perfect the faith of Gods people he being both the Authour and sinisher of their faith Heb. 12 â— which thing those carnal Commandments or Ceremonial Ordinances belonging properly to the Levitical Priests and service of the Jews could not perfect Therefore I say though the Levitical Priesthood which took tythe be changed yet seeing there is another Priesthood after Melchizedecks order now continuing tythes become payable as they were first to that order of Priesthood and they are to be paid unto Christ who is of that order now a Priest for ever To him tythes are duly to be paid as an acknowledgement of his Soveraign Priesthood and they are received by him when they are paid according to his appointment 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. 1 Cor. 4. 1. for their maintenance to his Stewards his Ministers who serve in his service 2. Thou asks Is the Law changed by which they were made Answ The Apostle plainly saith that the Priesthood being Heb. 7. 12 charged there is made of necessity a change of the Law The Priesthood which was changed was the Levitical Priesthood and the Law which with it was changed was the Law of Ordinances ritual observations or ceremonies which properly concerned that
things pertaining to the service of God in his house They appointed their brethren the Priests and Levites to their service and directed them in their courses besides their was ordinary Priests and Levites to serve in meaner services and to assist the Priests in Rule and Governing This order of ruling and governing among the Priests setled by God did continue throughout several generations of the Jewish Nation and remained unaltered though the Priests had contracted much corruption in the time of Jeremiah He prophecied in the dayes of Josiah and of Jehoiakin and of Zedekiah in which time Hilkiah was high Priest and so was Azariah and so was Seraiah who was put to death by the King of Babylon at Riblah This Prophet also makes mention of Pashur Ier. 52. 24 27. Ier. 1. 20. Ier. 33. 15 16 17 18 19 26 21 2â— the son of Immer the Priest who was a chief Governour in the house of the Lord and of Maaseiah and other ordinary Priests And tells us from God that al time should come wherein God would multiply the Levites that minister to him This was that true rule observed among the Priests in the time of Jeremiah which was established by divine Authority and was not as thou and others suppose obtained by their maintenance or means Thirdly Touching that horrible filthy thing which the Prophet saith was committed in the Land The Prophets words Ier. 5. 31. are very plain A powerfull and horrible thing is committed in the Land the Prophets prophecy falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so That wonderfull horrible thing was the conspiracy or agreement of Prophets Priests and people in evil and thus it was the Prophets prophecied lyes the Priests upheld them in their lyes and the people did wondrous well like of such lies so it is exprest 1. The Prophets prophecied falsly Some of them prophecied Ier. 2. 8. by Baal they were Idolaters and they taught people to worship the Idol Baal they taught a lye to worship an Idol for the true God and though some others of them professed the worship of Jehovah the true God yet they uttered lyes in his name promising to the despisers of the Lord and to wicked Ier. 23. 16 17. Ier 8. 11. Livers peace and safety and so they hardened people in their wickedness The sinne of the Prophets was they prophecied falsly 2. The Priests saith Jeremiah bear rule by their Means so the words are rendred in our English Bibles whereas in the original language in which the Prophecy of Jeremiah was writ the words are the Priests take upon or by the hand of them The sin of these Priests then was this 1. They ruled upon or over the hand of them that is they took on them to protect these false Prophets in their unlawfull deeds when according to the Law they should have been put to death for speaking falshood to thrust people out of the way which the Lord their God commanded them to walk in and the Lord threatens that these false Prophets shall be consumed because they prophecied lyes 2. They ruled or took by the hand of them that is they by the help or instigation of these false Prophets whom they countenanced and with whom they had combined took a tyrannical course to suppress the true Prophets of the Lord. An Deut 13. 5. Ier. 14. 14. 15. instance whereof is in the 26. Chapter where the Priests as principal Actors with the false Prophets their seconds did speak to the Princes and people that Jeremiah was worthy to die because he had prophecied against the City And moreover the Priests by the hand or help of the false Prophets flatteringly magnifying them and their rule notwithstanding the corruptions therein reproved by the true Prophets contained to rule the people without amending in themselves what was amiss and they boldly confirmed the plausible lyes of the false Prophets by teaching also the people the same falshoods and not to believe the true Prophets who had threatned that eminent dangers should befall them for continuing in their sins and therefore this Prophet Jeremiah complains that from the Prophet unto the Priest every one dealeth falsly and that they healed the hurt of the people steightly Ier. 6. 14 Falshood in teaching began by these false Prophets and was continued by the Priests For from the Prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the Land they handed first their lying Prophecies which wrought profaneness and Ier. 23 24. the Priests took at or by their hands these lyes and in teaching handed them over to the people who imbraced and hugged them from them both The sin of the Priests then in brief was their protecting the false Prophets and combining with them to destroy the true Prophets and to delude the people by lyes and falshoods 3. It is said that the people love to have it so The sin of the people was their despising the holy Counsel and divine Alarms to Repentance which was given unto them by the holy Prophets of God they counted their words as wind vain Ier. 5. 13. and of none effect and they loved the flatteries of the false Prophets and loved to have them and their Priests to sooth them in their sins by telling them falshoods pleasing and sutable to their liking and especially this That evil shall not come unto them Ier. 5. 12. Thou may now understand that that horrible filthy thing which the Prophet saith was committed in the Land was not the Priests bearing true rule nor their having maintenance or Means nor the peoples paying unto them their due maintenance or Means for in no one place in his Prophecy the Prophet mentions these in a condemnatory way But it was the Prophets Priests and peoples agreeing in evil The Prophets prophecying lyes and the Priests upholding them in their Lyes and seeking the destruction of the true Prophets who gain-said their Lyes and closing with these false ones inventing lyes to the people and the people being well pleased with their Lyes Fourthly Consider for what the Lord doth threaten to visit this people he saith twice in one Chapter Shall I not visit Ier. 5. 9 29 for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this is and we are plainly told in the same Chapter for what sinnes the Lord would do so Namely 1. For their deficiency toward judgement in not executing it and towards truth in not seeking it ver 1. 2. For their hypocrisie under a pretence of piety committing perjury ver 2. 3. For their obstinacy and not amending under their sufferings and corrections ver 3. 4. For their Apostasie Idolatry and impudent common Adulteries verse 7. for these God threatens to visit them vers 8. 5. For the infidelity in not believing Gods threatnings 6. For their security though threatned 7. For their slighting the true Prophets who
of the false prophets mockers scoffers briars thorns thistles do not we see these fruits proceed from thee and shew that thou hast not profited the people at all Ier. 23. Doth not Christ say by their fruits ye shall know them Mat. 7. inwardly ravening do we not see the people could be but wilde mockers and scoffers if thou never spoke unto them and are not these thy fruits and doth not the Apostle say their fruits shall wither and shall not these fruits wither thinks thou 1. Thou asks Art not thou one of the Novices spoken of in the Scripture Answ The holy Scripture saith that a Bishop that is he 1 Tim. 3. v. 1. and 6 who is an Overseer to whom the charge is committed of giving warning unto and of guiding and instructing the flock of Christ in spirituals yea and he also who as antiquity manifests was Assâ—mbly Notes on the place an Overseer of the Pastors as well as of flocks the chief Presbyter or Minister who had on him a charge or superintendency of all the Churches A Bishop saith the holy Scripture is not to be a Novice that is one newly planted or inserted into the body of the Church which in Apostolical times was in them who were of age of discretion by their outward profession of Christianity whereunto they were converted or come from their former profession of Judaisme or Gentilisme I do truly affirme that I am none of these Novices As Paul Phil. 3. 5. pleaded for himself I am of the stock of Israel an Hebrew of the Hebrews so say I of my self I am of the stock of Christitns 2 Tim. 3. 15 a Christion of Christians and as Timothy from a childe so have I also known the holy Scripture and as a childe trained Prov. 22. 6 up in the way in which he should go departs not from it when he is old even so I having already stept into some degrees of age yet do still keep in that holy profession of the Ministry wherein I have been trained and tutored in my youth and I did not rashly and rawly hasten to be a Pastor for until I had seriously spent good time and study in the holy Seripture and divine things being nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine whereunto I had attained I did not take 1 Tim. 4. 6 upon me a Pastoral charge and therefore I am unjustly suspected by thee or any else to be one of those Novices which the Scripture speaks of But to prove me to be one of these Novices thou writes that my Congregation is out of order scoffing giving names railing and abusing as witches and such slandering expressions of honest people Answ 1. A Congregation being in some things out of order is no good proof that he who is over it in things spiritual 1 Tit. 5. is a Novice Titus was no Novice though at Creet where he was ovet the Church of God there was something not in order so they who are set over the flock or Congregation of the Lord to take care of the Church are not therefore in the Scripture-sense Novices because some things it may be are for present out of order which in time may by their care and contrivance be brought into good order 2. I say that such Congregations or holy Assemblies of Gods people are not out of order wherin all things are done 1 Cor. 14. 40 decently and in order decently in a seemly and sit manner and orderly without confusion when every thing and Ordinance is dispensed in its proper season time and place In such order I keep my Congregation in all their solemn meetings in regard whereof thou cannot justly charge it with confusion or disorder or with being out of order 3. Whereas thou writes that my Congregation is out of order scoffing giving names railing and abusing as witches and such slandering expressions unto honest people I answer thee that thou ought not to say that the whole Congregation is out of order or is to be blamed for the disorderly acts and personal faults of some apperteining to the Congregation of whose faults it hath no knowledge and which faults it wholly disallows when it comes to know them for neither I nor the Congregation of my people will justifie any belonging to it in their scoffing nicknaming railing and abusing any nor in their fastning on any slanderous expressions they have in the holy Assemblies been oft taught better and though perhaps some of thy way have by their imbittered language whereof the mouths and letters of your Sect are usually full provoked some of our Congregation to pay you in your own coine yet be it known unto thee that such never received any instruction from us to do so but were and are upon all occasions charged by us as the Apostle did the Thessalonians see that none render evil for evil unto any man but ever follow that which is good both 1 Thes 5. 15 among your selves and to all men 2. Thou asks Are not these rhe mockers now which should come that the Apostles said should come Answ One Apostle saith that in the last dayes shall come scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the 2 Pet. 3 3 4 promise of his coming Another Apostle saith remember ye the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jude 17 18 19. Jesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts these be they who separate themselves sensual having not the spirit Therefore thou and others need not ask me who these scoffers were that should come for ye may easily satisfie your selves from the Apostles own words though men who are ordinary scoffers and mockers of other men are censured complained of condemned and threatned in many places of holy Scripture for their scornings and reproachings of others yet they were another kinde of mockers and scoffers whom the Apostle said should come They were mockers scoffers of the Word of God they were men contemptuously slighting its commands promises reproofs threats and Gods holy Messengers his Ministers who speak it to his people Peter particularly shews that these scoffingly ask where is the promise of his coming and that they reason against his coming and the day of Judgement as if they would never be And Jude tells us these are they that separate themselves that is appears by considering to what the Apostle in the 20 and 21. verses exhorts they separate from truth from the holy faith once delivered to the Saints by their taking up and adhering unto damnable doctrines and they separate from the holy love of right believing Christians by breaking off from communion with them in all those publick duties whereby they testifie and professe that they have a joint interest in the common salvation and have obtained like precious faith And both Peter and Jude tells us
their peoples sins and errors 46 Their words in preaching tends not to cause divisions and offences 70 Faithfull Ministers will not desist from the work of the Ministry though tithes be took and detained from them 66 67 A Minister is not to cease from his labors ministerial though he find that his people continue unreformed 102 103 The fruites of faithfull Ministers will not wither 104 Faithfull Ministers are no self seekers but self-wasters for the peoples spiritual good 73 74 The established faithful Ministers of the English Church are no false Prophets and false Apostles and false Teachers and Hirelings 131 Peoples believing or not believing that one is a Minister doth not make or unmake him one 6 Ministers may justly require tithes from those people under their charge who come not to enjoy their labors but withdraw from their publick Assemblies 141 142 Ministers are no wranglers in demanding their due maintenance of Tithes and other dues 2 3 Ministers are not covetous for demanding their dues 76 Mockers and Scoffers who they are which the Apostle said should come 93 94 95 Money Who divine for money and teach for hire 43 Ministers do not divine for money 43 44 Preaching for money is a sin 48 N NOvice who is and who is not a Novice 91 92 A Congregation being out of order doth not prove that the Minister thereof is a Novice 92 O OBstinate people are usually those that have eyes and see not and ears and hear not 41 P PArdon of Offendors is easie to God but not so to man 29 30 Parsonage houses may lawfully be enjoyed and possessed by the Gospel 123 Perfection whither attainable by men on earth and what perfection men may and to what they cannoâ— come while they are on earth 149 150 Pharisees condemned for affecting a magnifying of themselves 9 10 Places of holy Assemblies for divine service and holy purposes are lawfully called Churches 145 146 Popes by sacrilegious acts in alienating tithes from Ministers to Monks and others have proved themselves to be therein Anti-christs 7 Popery the sink of Heresies in the Western parts of the world 160 161 Preaching of the word doth not profit many people the causes whereof is not in the Preachers but in the people and what these causes are 98 99 100 Priesthood of Aarons changed but Melchizedecks is not 108 Priesthood of Christs and Aarons differ'd 109 The Law of Aarons Priests is changed 109 Priests of Aarons order had a Law to take tithes which is disanulled to them and yet the Law of taking tithes is not disanulled to Ministers 110 Priests who were in Jeremiahs time had their lawfull rule setled on their order by divine Authority 34 Romish Priests are the Priests in our dayes wâ—o divine for money and teach for hire 50 Prey twofold ibid. How the people was preyed on in the dark and cloudy day 59 60 Price what it is 20 Prophets false are threatned and with what 47 Prophecying sons and daughters at this age who are not 144 145 146 Prophecying or preaching daughters are disclaimed 145 How sons and daughters are said to prophecy 156 Psalms of David are injoyned to be sung 105 106 Singing Psalms is injoyned to worldly men as to sanctified men 106 Q QVakers are no such commers to Christ and professors of his Truth as they pretend 132 Bodily Quakers are no absolute evidence of salvation wrought with fear and trembling 144 R REligion The first principle of true Religion what 144 Rvelations now a dayes of saving Truths unrevealed in the revelations and inspirations which Prophets and Apostles had in penning of holy Scripture are all of them utterly disowned and disclaimed 144 154 Long robes not condemned but the ambitioas seeking to be clad therewith 14 15 Romish Teachers and Sectarians are they who with faigned words and covetousness make merchandize of Gods people 81 Bearing Rule by means what is thereby meant in Jeremiah 35 38 39 S SAcrament that word is lawfully used by Christians 148 Salvation wrought with fear and trembling in the Apostles sense what 153 Holy Scripture was not indited to be an history to relate every particular act done by those holy men whom it mentions 114 Seducers their fruit will wither what it is and how it will wither 103 104 Seducers are guilty of filthy Lucre 8 Self-love what lawfull and unlawfull 72 73 Shepherds against whom Ezekiah complains what is meant by wicked Shepherds eating the fat 52 What by their cloathing with the wool 52 53 What by their killing of the fllock that were fed 53 54 The particular neglect of wicked Shepherds in not exercising their Calling 55 56 The faults of evil Shepherds 57 Sheep Gods promise to seek his sheep doth not warrant any of the flock to have wandring sheep and to turn away from the Shepherds set over them 63 Gods promise to deliver his sheep doth not allow the sheep to detain tithes and dues from their Shepherds ibid. Gods promise to feed his sâ—eep on the mountains is no warrant unto his sheep to forsake the publick Assemblies or Congregations of his true Church 64 Singing Psalâ—s injoyned 106 Sin The particular sins for which God threatned by Jeremiah to visit the people 37 38 Wicked mens sins are fruits which proceed from themselves and not from their faithful teaching Ministers 96 97 98 101 No man can so put off the body of sin while he is on earth that he shall be free from sin 151 152 Souldiers are bound to pay a tenth of their spoils 112 Son of God is come to end all similitudes and liknesses 118 Spirit The Spirits pouring out doth not make all Preachers 145 156 Spirits pouring out of all flesh how 145 The Spirits extraordinary inspirations and donations are now ceased 156 Sprinkling of Infants is allowed 146 147 T TEaching lies errors and incouragements in sin and security is a ruining in sin 47 They do not teach for money and lucre who take tithes 49 The duty of one who hath more understanding then his Teachers 27 False Teachers are in the way of Cain and Balaam 79 80 81 82 83 False Teachers are wells without water 87 88 And inwardly ravening wolves 100 They are known by their fruites 100 101 They are called wicked 101 Thorns Briars Thistles what t s said of them according to Scripture 95 96 False Teachers are not by the name of Briars Thorns and Thistles described to be false Teachers but thereby to be wicked men 94 95 Tithes are Gods Rent to be paid as acknowleâ—gment of his Soveraignty over all 22 23 Tithes Christs right 23 And how Ministers are appointed to receive his right ibid. They demand from people only Christs right in demanding Tithes 23 24 Tithes are for ever to be paid to Christ by paying them to his Ministers 109 The fundamental reasons of paying Tithes of all 112 Tithes are not the price of Ministers preaching unto people spirituals 21 Tithes and money are no ends of Ministers teaching 45 Tithes were paid to Melchizepeck more then once 113 114 Paying Tithes is a standing duty to be paid by all ever after Abrahams time 115 116 117 Tithes are to be paid by all though they come to Christ 129 130 Denyers of paying Tithes is a renouncing of Gods Soveraignty over them Refusing of paying of Tithes to Ministers are in that act of theirs followers of the Pope but no Disciples of God and Christ 6 7 Taking Tithes is no making of Prey upon people 59 Christ biding his Disciples and Apostles to eat what is before them doth not inhibit the the taking of Tithes 121 122 It is no unrighteous thing to demand Tithes 137 Faithfull Priests Levites and Prophets of the Jewish Church are not blamed by any holy Prophet for taking Tithes or ministerial maintenance 17 18 Tithes were not disallowed and condemned by Jeremiah 32 33 Tithes and taking Tithes are in no place condemned or reproved by Ezekiel neither dirst he do so 57 Tithes are none of the Figures similitudes and liknesses to which Christ by his comming put an end 118 U UNcontentedness which God and the Law of the Land allows is a sin 48 Voice The immediate voce of God is not heard by Ministers and yet they communicate unto people the voice and word of God 149 W WElls without water who 88 What is meant by using good words and fair speeches 69 71 Wrangling demanding and inquiring after dues is no wrangling 2 3 FINIS