admonished of God how to do it for said the Lord Heb. 8.5 Exod. 25.40 Acts 7.44 Heb. 3.2 3 4 5. See that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount and verily Moses was faithful in all his House as a servant and did see that all things was done as the Lord commanded And according to all that the Lord commanded Moses so the children of Israel made all the work and Moses did look upon all the work and beâ—old they had done it as the Lord had commanded even so had they done it Moses blessed them And the Lord spake unto Moses saying And read Exo. 34 35 36 37 38 39 chap. On the first day of the first Month thou shalt set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation and Moses reared up the Tabernacle according to all that the Lord God commanded him to do so did he And it came to pass in the first month in the second year on the first day of the Month that the Tabernacle was reared up and all things belonging to the service of the Tabernacle was brought and put into it and set up in it So Moses finished the work and God said Read Exodus 40. ehap I mill sanctifie the Tabernacle of the Congregation and there will I meet with the children of Israel and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle And God said unto Moses Exod. 28.1 2. 29.44 I will sanctifie also both Aaron and his sons to minister unto me in the Priests Office And the Lord said unto Moses Take unto thee Aaron thy Brother and his sons with him from among the children of Israel that he may minister unto me in the Priests Office even Aaron Nadab and Abihu Eliazer and Ithamor Aarons sons and thou shalt make holy Garments for Aaron thy Brother for glory and for beauty And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Take Aaron and his sons with him and the Garments Lev. 8. chap. and the anointing Oyle and a Bullock for a sin-Offring and two Rams and a Basket of unleavened Bread and gather thou all the Congregation together unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and Moses did as the Lord commanded and the Assembly was gathered together unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and Moses said unto the Congregation This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done and Moses brought Aaron and his Sons and washed them with water and he put upon Aaron the Coat and girded him with the Girdle and cloathed him with the Robe and put the Ephod upon him and girded him with the curious Girdle of the Ephod Exod. 28.30 and bound it unto him therewith and he put the Brest-plate upon him also he put into the Brest-plate of Judgement the Vrim and the Thumrim and he put the Mytor upon his head and upon the Mytor he put also the golden Plate the Holy Crown as the Lord commanded Moses and Moses took the Anointing Oyle and he poured of the Anointing Oyle upon Aarons head and anointed him to sanctifie him And Moses brought Aarons sons and put Coats upon them and girded them with Girdles and put Bonnets upon them as the Lord commanded and Moses took of the Anointing Oyle and of the blood wâ—ich was upon the Altar and sprinkled it upon Aaron and upon his Garments and upon his Sons and upon his Sons Garments with him and sanctified Aaron and his Garments and his Sons and his Sons Garments with him And thus Aaron and his sons were sanctified for to Minister to the Lord in the Priests Office Lev. 9. chap. in the Tabernacle before the Altar for the accomplishing the service of God to offer up unto the Lord sacrifices for himself Heb. 7.27 9.6 7. Numb 3. chap. and then for the errors of the people And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Bring the Tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron the Priest that they may Minister unto him and they shall keep his charge and the charge of the whole Congregation before the Tabernacle of the Congregation to do the service of the Tabernable and they shall keep all the Instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the charge of the children of Israel to do the service of the Tabernacle And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them and thus shalt thou do unto them to cleanse them Thou shalt sprinkle the water of Purifying upon them and let them shave all their flesh and let them wash their cloathes and so make themselves clean then let them take a young Bullock for a Meat-Offring and another for a Sin-Offring and thou shalt bring the Levites before the Tabernacle of the Congregation and thou shalt gather tho whole Assembly of the children of Israel together and thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord for an Offring before the Lord and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an Offring of the children of Israel that they may execute the service of the Lord and the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the Bullocks and thou shalt offer one for a Sin-offring and the other for a Burnt-Offring unto the Lord to make an attonement for the Levites Thus shalt thou seperate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine and after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation And Moses and Aaron and all the Congregation of the children of Israel did to the Levites according to all that that the Lord commanded But take notice a little That the Levites were not to go in to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation till that they were twenty five years of age and upward and when they came to be of the age of fifty years they were to cease waiting upon the service thereof and to serve no more for the Lord spake unto Moses saying This is that belongeth unto the Levites Lev. 8.23 24 25 26. ver From twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof and shall serve no more Forasmuch as ye see God did require a Tabernacle an Ark and an Altar and all things belonging thereto to be made for himself to dwell in or amongst the children of Israel wherein he would meet them in their worship and service done unto him and so likewise you may see how he set apart consecrated and ordained Aaron and his sons and the Levites to Minister in the Priests Office and to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation so likewise
the children of Israel and unto them he gave his commandment so to do and to no other people Secondly God required first fruits and tythes to be paid in no other Land or Nation but in the Land of Canaan only Thirdly That when the children of Isral had possession of the land of Canaan and that when they enjoyed peace round about them then were they to pay first fruits and tythes and not before Fourthly That the tythes of the land of Canaan whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree the wine the oyle the encrease of the seed that the field bringeth forth yeer by yeer the tythe of the Corn and the tythe of the Flock or of the Herd the Lord God said was his and therefore said the Lord The first fruits of thy Land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God And again said the Lord Bring ye all the tythes into the Store-hovse that there may be meat in my house and they that brought not in their tythes to that Store-House were cursed with a curse for they had robbed God of their tythes and offerings even that whole Nation had done it Fifthly That in the land of Canaan 2 Chron. 6.6 7.16 Deut. 12.11 Neh. 10.34 to 39. 2 Chron. 31.2 to 11. ver Ierusalem was the place where God did place his Name and there was the Store-house builded that the first fruits and tythes were to be brought unto and to that place were the tythes and first fruits brought according to the law of God that came by Moses and to no other place Sixthly The first fruits and tythes which God said was his Numb 18. ch Deut. 18.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Heb. 7.5 Numb 28.25 to 31. Deut. 17.18 14.29 26.12 Heb. 7.5 Numb 18.11 24. ver Deut. 18.3 4 5. he gave unto the children of Levi even all the tenth of Israel for an inheritance because the Levites had no inheritance among their Brethren Seventhly That to the sons of Levi who received the office of the Priesthood for their service which they served even the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation did God give the first fruits and tythes unto for their maintenance and likewise the fatherless the widow and the stranger that came within the gates was to eat thereof and be satisfied Eighthly God commanded the eleven tribes of Israel to pay tythes to the sons of Levi who received the office of the Priesthood and to no other Priesthood did he require tythes to be paid unto since the resurrection of Christ Jesus Ninthly That the first fruits and tythes were by a law that came by Moses due unto Aaron and his sons the Levites whom God had chosen and not man to minister before him at the Altar and to do the service of the tabernacle of the Congregation and to no other ministers or men whatsoever were nor are tythes since that command was given Heb 7.12 and the Priesthood changed and the Law disanulled And now by the way take notice a little what the service was that Aaron the Levite Exod. 4.14 and chap. 28. chap. 29. ver 29 30. Heb. 9. chap. and his sons the Levites did whom God did set apart thereunto Aaron and his sons God set apart from the other tribes of Iâ—rael for the service of the tabernacle of the Congregation who did minister before the Lord in the Holy place in the tabernacle of the Congregation unto the Lord accomplishing the service of the Lord which stood onely in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ceremonies which was imposed upon them and the children of Israel to do until the time of reformation For first Gen. 17.12 Lev. 12.3 Iohn 1.22 Luke 22.1 they were to observe and keep the covenant of Circumcision every male child at eight dayes old was to be circumcised Secondly they were to observe and keep feasts viz. The Feast of the Passeover or the Feast of unleavened Bread the Feast of Penticost and the Feast of Tabernacle Now the people were to bring to the Feast of the Passeover a Lamb without blemish Exod. 12. chap. Acts 2.1 Exod. 23.16 a male of a yeer old Let every man said Moses take unto him a Lamb according to the house of the fathers a Lamb for an house c. and the flesh of the Lamb was to be rosted with fire and to be eaten with sowre Herbs and unleavened Bread and they were to eat unleavened bread seven dayes Again the Feast of pentecost that was the Feast that was of the first fruits of their Harvest Lev. 23.9 10 11 12 13 14. 33 34 35. Numb 29. ch the people they was to bring a sheaf of the first fruits of their Harvest unto the priest and the sheaf was to be waved before the Lord and the priest was to wave it on the morrow after the Sabbath c. and the feast of Tabernacles was to be kept on the seventh month at the end of their Harvest for seven dayes unto the Lord wherein was divers offerings viz. Burnt-offering Meat-offering Drink-offering Sin-offering c. Now the people they were to bring their offerings voluntary to the door of the Congregation of the Lord and there to offer it c. and if it was an offering of the Cattel of the Herd the priests Aarons sons were to sprinkle the blood upon the Altar and to lay the Wood in order upon the Altar and put fire to the Altar and to lay the parts the head and the fat in order upon the Wood that was on the fire upon the Altar and the priest he was to burn all upon the Altar These offerings were made for sin viz. for the sin of the Ruler Lev. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. chapters and for the sin of the priest of the Congregation and for the sin of any of the people which they have committed wilfully or through ignorance for which sins there was to be Burnt-offerings trespasse-offerings peace-offerings c. offered up by the high-high-priests first for himself and then for the errors of the people Exod. 29.1 17. Lev. 8. chap. So likewise there was divers washings First Moses he washed Aaron and his sons with water when he consecrated them according to the command of the Lord and Moses he washed the inwards and the legs of the Ram that was for a burnt-sacrifice at that time and a sweet sacrifice And Aaron when he offered up a burnt-offering for his own sin Lev. 9. chap. Lev. 1. chap. chap. 6.28 and for the sins of the people he did wash the inwards and the legs of the Ram and the inwards and the legs of the Bullock was to be washed in water that any of the people brought to offer for a burnt offering before the Lord and the brazen pot that the sin-offering was to be sodden in was to be both scoured and â—â—â—â—sed in water And again Lev. 11. chap.
God provided Maintenance for them who waited continually upon this service himself therefore said Moses At that time the Lord seperated the Tribe of Levi to bear the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord Dâ—ut 10.8 9. 18.3 4. and to stand before the Lord to Minister unto him and to bless in his Name Wherefore Levi hath no part nor Inheritance with his Brethren Therefore this shall be the Priests due from the people from them that offer a sacrifice whether it be Oxe or Sheep they shall give unto the Priests the Shoulder the two Cheeks and the Maw and the first fruit also of thy Corn of thy Wine and of thy Oyle and the first of the fleece of thy Sheepe shalt thou give him Lev. 27.30 31 32. and also the tythes of Land whether of the seed of the Land or the fruit of the Tree it is the Lords And the tithe of the Herd or of the Flock even of whatsoever passeth under the Rod the tenth thereof shall be holy unto the Lord for said the Lord unto the children of Israel viz. the eleven Tribes Thou shalt truly tythe all the increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth year by year and ye shall bring all the tythes into the Store-house Mal. 3.10 that there may be meat in my House for the Levite because he hath no part nor Inheritance with thee in the Land whither thou goest to possess And the Lord God spake unto Aaron and said Behold Numb 18.20 21 24. I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an Inheritance for their service which they serve even the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation And God gave the sons of Levi who received the Office of the Priesthood a Commandment to take tythes of their Brethren because they had no part nor Inheritance with them Heb. 7.5 Now these tythes and first fruits were not required to be paid in the land of Aegypt nor yet in the Wilderness as they went toward the Land of Canaan were they to pay any tythes or first fruits nor in any other land but when ye go over Iordan dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about so that you dwell in safety then was tythes to be paid and then was the first fruits and tythes to be brought in and no where else for said Moses Read Deut. 12. chap. to the 20. ver Then shall there be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his Name to dwell there thither shall ye bring all that I command you your Burnt-Offrings and your Sacrifices and your tythes and the heave-Offring of your hand and all your choice vows which ye have vowed before the Lord and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God ye and your sons and your daughters and your man-servants and your maid-servants and the Levite that is within your Gates forasmuch as he hath no part nor Inheritance with you So that it is very plain first That tythes and first fruits were to be paid in no land but in the land of Canaan when that the children of Israel had the possession of it Secondly Tythes and first fruits were to be paid by the eleven Tribes in the Land of Canaan to the sons of Levi who had a Law to take tythes and first fruits of their Brethren when they had rest round about from all their enemies dwelt safely in the same land of Canaan Thirdly the first fruits and tythes were to be paid of the fruit or increase that the eleven Tribes had of the land of Canaan and of no other land for it is written When ye go over Iordan and dwell in the Land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit so that ye dwell in safety then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose for to cause his Name to dwell there and thither shall you bring your tythes When the children of Israel had got possession of the land of Canaan it was a long time before they had rest by reason of their often rebellion and turning aside from the Lord 1 Sam. 4 5 6 7 chap. so that the Ark of the Covenent of the Lord was often removed and carryed from place to place besides it once fell into the Philistines who carryed it to Ashdod and they set it up in Dagons House by Dagon their god and after that they saw the hand of God against them for keeping it then they sent it to Gath and the Lord smote the men of the City both great and small with a very great destruction and they had Emrods in their secret parts and then they sent away the Ark to Ekron and the Ekronites they cryed out and said They have brought about the Ark of the God of Israel to slay us and our people and then the Ark was carryed into the Philistines Country for seven months and then it was sent in a new Cart to Bethshemesh and the men of Bethshemesh sent Messengers to the Inhabitants of Kiriathiearim to come down and fetch up the Ark to them and the men of Kiriathiearim fetcht up the Ark of the Lord and set it in the House of Abinadab in the Hill 2 Sam. 5 6 7. chap. and there it abode twenty years and after that time when David was King over Israel and that he had beaten the Philistines from Geba until he came to Gazer then David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel and David said unto all the Congregation of Israel If it seem good unto you and that it be of the Lord our God let us send abroad unto our Brethren every where that are left in the Land of Israel and with them also to the Priests and the Levites which are in their Cities and Suburbs that they may gather themselves unto us And said he Let us bring again the Ark of our God to us for we inquired not at it in the dayes of Saul And all the Congregation said that they would do so for the thing was right in all the eyes of che people 1 Chron. 13.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. So David gathered together all Israel from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entring of Hamath to bring the Ark of God from Kiriathiearim And David and all Israel went up and they carryed the Ark of God in a new Cart out of tht House of Abinadab and Vzzah put forth his hand to take hold of the Ark of God and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and God smote him there for his error and there he dyed by the Ark of God and David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Vzzah And David was afraid of the Lord that day and said How shall the Ark of the Lord cowe to me So David carryed the Ark aside into the House
of Obed Edom the Gittite and there it continued three Months and it was told David the King saying the Lord hath blessed the House of Obed Edom all that partain unto him because of the Ark of God So David went and brought up the Ark of God from the House of Obed Edom into the City of David which is Zion with gladness and David made him Houses in the City of David 1 Chron. 15.1 16.1 2 Chron. 5.2 5. which is Zion and he prepared a place for the Ark of God and pitched for it a Tent so they brought the Ark of God set it in the midst of the Tent or the Tabernacle that David had pitched for it Now it came to pass as David sate in his house that David said to Nathan the Prophet Lo I dwell in an House of Cedars but the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord remaineth under Curtains the Lord had given David rest round about from all his Enemies and Nathan said to the King Go and do all that is in thy heart for the Lord is with thee Read 1 Chron. 28 29. chap. now it was in the heart of David to build an House of Rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and David had made ready Stuff for the building of it But the word of the Lord came to Nathan the Prophet saying Go and tell David my servant thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not build me an House to dwell in for I have not dwelt in an House since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day but have gone from Tent to Tent and from one Tabernacle to another and the Lord said unto David When thy dayes be fulfilled 2 Sam. 7. chap and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels and I will establish his Kingdom and he shall build an house for my Name Now when Davids dayes and his work was both near finished David assembled all the Princes of Israel and the Princes of the Tribes and the Captains of thousands and the Captains of hundreds and the Stewards and Officers and the mighty men and all the valiant men unto Jerusalem then David the King stood up upon his feet and said Hear me my Brethren and my People As for me I had in my heart to build an house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and for the Footstool of our God and I had made ready for the building but God said unto me Thou shalt not build an House for my Name Because thou hast been a man of War and hast shed much blood Now said David to all the people The Lord hath given me many sons and out of all my sons the Lord hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon this Throne of the Kingdom of the Lord over Israel and the Lord said David said unto me Solomon thy son he shall build me my House and my Courts for I have chosen him to be my son and I will be his Father and he shall be my son And David called for Solomon his son and David said to Solomon My son as for me it was in my mind to build an House unto the Name of the Lord my God but the Word of the Lord came to me saying Thou hast shed blood abundantly and hast made great wars thou shalt not build an House unto my Name because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight behold a son shall be born unto thee his Name shall be Solomon and he shall be a man of rest and I will give him rest from all his Enemies round about and I wil give peace and quietness all his dayes unto Israel and Solomon he shall build an House for my Name and he shall be my son and I will be his Father and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom over Israel for ever And David said Thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an House for the Sanctuary be strong and do it and the Lord be with thee and prosper thou and build the House of the Lord thy God as he hath said of thee onely the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding and David gave unto Solomon his son the pattern of the Porch and of the Houses thereof and of the Treasures thereof and of the upper-Chambers thereof and of the inward Parlors and the place of the Mercy-Seat and the pattern of the Courts of the House of the Lord and of all the Chambers round about and of all the Treasuries of the House and of the Treasuries for the dedicate things and also 2 Chron 28. ch for the courses of the Priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the House of the Lord all that which David had given him by the Spirit shewed he unto Solomon for said David to Solomon the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the works of this Pattern And when David dyed Solomon his son reigned in his stead when Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his Kingdom and found that the Lord his God was with him and magnified him exceedingly then Solomon spake unto all Israel to the Captains of thousands and of hundreds and to the Judges and to every Governor in all Israel and the chief of the Fathers so Solomon and all the Congregation with him went up to the High Place that is at Gibeon for there was the Tabernacle of the Congregation of God which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the Wilderness 2 Chron 1. but the Ark of God had David brought up from Kiriathiearim to the place which David had prepared for it for he had pitched a Tent for it at Jerusalem now in the night did God appear to Solomon in Gibeon and the Lord said Ask what I shall give thee and Solomon said And now O Lord my God thou hast made thy servant King instead of David my Father and I am but a child and I know not how to go out or come in and thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen a great people that cannot be numbred nor counted for multitude give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discover between good and bad And this speech of Solomons pleased the Lord and tho Lord said unto him Because thou hast asked this thing 1 Kings 3. cha 5. chap. and hast not asked for thy self neither long life nor riches nor the life of thy Enemies but hast asked for thy self understanding to discern judgement Behold I have done acording to thy word lo I have given unto thee a wise and an understanding heart Then Solomon came from before the Tabernacle of the
after they had sung a Psalm the Assembly was to be dismissed with a blessing Canon 33 35. and then they was to give with him a Testimonial of his ordination for the which he was to pay ten shilllings to the Register of the Assembly March 20. 1653. Ordinance O. P. and his Council Can. 39. and Can. 51. And an Ordinance was made by the present Rulers of this Nation for appointing Commissioners for Approbation of publike Preachers that the places destitute throughout this Nation may be supplied with able and faithful Preachers And for this end Commissioners were authorized to judge and take knowledge of the ability and fitness of any person that was nominated and presented to them and before any person was to be admitted to be setled in any Benefice or publike Lecture to preach and to take the stipened or profits thereof he was to be judged and approved one by the persons hereafter named in the Ordinance of whom you may see in the said Ordinance at large First They were to see if the party nominated and presented be a person for the grace of God in him Can. 36. 39. Secondly of his holy and unblameable conversation And thirdly as also for his knowldege and utterance able and fit to preach the Gospel And fourthlyly upon their Approbation of such his ability and fitnesse according to the qualification above mentioned they are to grant unto such Parson admission to such Benefice or Lecture by an Instrument in Writing under a common Seal Can. 41. The Bishops Cannons and Constitutions and the two Ordinances are in part equivolent each with other But in the latter end of the Ordinance they conclude and say It is not intended nâ—r shall be construed to be any solemn or sacred setting apart of a person to any particular Office in the Ministry of which I let passe for others to judge what difference there is betwixt this solemn and sacred setting apart and fome others in the foregoing generations for the Pope he gave power to the Cardinals who were his Legates and by them to the kings and the bishops And a Parliament they set King Henry the eighth in the seat of the Pope and then the bishops received their power from the King and the Parliament to make Ministers by a carnal commandment and so it continued so long almost as Kings and Queens reigned in England And the Parliament of Lords and Commons they took that power from the late King and his Bishops Articles of Religion 36. to themselves and gave power to an Assembly of Presbyter Divines to make Ministers by but that lasted but until the Parliament was dissolved And since the dissolution of the short Parliamont O. P. and his Council have taken the like Power and given the like power to their Commissioners for to judge and approve of who are fit to be preachers only in those places destitute throughout this Nation So that the Kings Queens and other Rulers of this Nation having got into their hands the same power that the Pope had did and do the same works in effect as the pope did but say I Who hath required this at their hands to do seeing that it is the alone and proper work of Christ to make and send forth his Messengers and Ministers as the Scripture testifieth how that Christ Jesus said unto his Disciples Luke 10.2 Matt. 9 37 38. Eph. 4.8 9 10 11 12. 1 Cor. 12.28 The Harvest truly said he is great but the labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth labourers into his Harvest And Christ when he ascended on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men and he gave some Apostles and some Prophecs and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers And said Paul God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ and for the perfecting of the Saints Now I say That God nor Christ did not give that power neither to pope nor to Cardinals nor to Bishops nor to Kings or any other Rulers nor to Councils or Assemblies nor to Commissioners since the dayes of the Apostles neither did he command them nor any one of them to go and ordain men to be preachers for hire nor to make ministers of the Gospel nor to give any man a commission to go to a parish in a city or to a town or to a village and there of the people take tythes and money for their preaching to the value of 100.l 200.l more or less by the yeer this is a work that God never required at any one of their hands to do no more then he did of Ieroboam who for making and consecrating of the lowest of the people to be priests for the high places which thing doing became a sin unto the House of Ieroboam even to cut it off from the face of the Earth 1 King 13.33 34. and to dedroy it Ye may read in the Scriptures that Moses he had a command from God alone for to go and take Aaron and his sons the Levites with him Exod 28 29 chap. to 12 13 14 15. c. Lev. 8.1 2 3 4 c. Numb 8.5 6 19. ver from among the children of Israel that they might minister unto the Lord in the priests office and to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation But who gave Ieroboam and other the Kings of Israel and Judah any command to make priests for the houses of high places And who required any Emperor King Queen or any other Ruler of the Earth to make ordain or consecrate bishops priests ot ministers for to pray read or preach in the houses of high places falsly called churches And Elijah he had a command from the Lord to go and annoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-Meholak to be a prophet in his room 1 King 19.16.19 20 21. ver FOXES Acts Monuments Vol. 1. but by what authority did the pope go annoint cardinals bishops c. for did not the Emperor and others choose the pope or popes then had not the pope his command and authority from the Emperor and others and not from the Lord God that commanded Elijah to do what he did Matth. 28.19 20. And Jeâ—us Christ said unto his Disciples All power is given to me in heaven and in earth go ye therefore and teach all Nations teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world But the Bishops of England they had their power in the dayes of King Henry the eighth An. 25. Hen. 8. cap. 20. Luke 24.49 Acts. 1.4 and 2.4 Eph. 4.11 from him and the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament to make ordain and consecrate Arch-Bishops Bishops Deanes and Chapters Deacons Priests Ministers
the Lord God will lead you out of all strife and contention and teach you how to agree with your adversaries quickly and to love your neighbor as your self and to forgive your enemies and to live in peace with all men Therefore I say to all people Cease from the Lawyers and follow the Lord wholly who giveth to man every good thing And again I say people Cease from the Doctors for so long as ye follow them ye will never enjoy your healths and come to God who sent his Word and healed the people and delivered them from their destruction Christ healed the woman of her Issue who had spent all that she had and had suffered many things of many Physicians and was nothing bettered but grew rather worse Therefore I say Forsake the Physicians and come to Christ who rebuked the Feaver and it left Peters Wives Mother God he wounds and he heals he kills and makes alive he brings down to the Grave and raiseth up again But some it is very like may say Must we not use the means when we are sick and take something to do us good Yea but I say Wait with patience upon the Lord stand in awe and sin not and if the Lord command thee to go and take a Plaster of Figs and lay to thy sore or to go and drink water 2 King 20.5 6 7. 2 King 5.14 Luke 17.19 or wash in the water and thou shalt be whole then go in the name and in the fear of the Lord and do as he commands and believing in the Lord so shalt thou be made whole Now I say That these three sorts of men for I will put the Doctors and Astrologers together the Priests who are called Ministers the Lawyers and Physicians are all unto the people like the Locusts the Caterpillar the Palmor-worm for all of them will have the peoples money and what the one leaves the other comes after and takes And again I say That these learned men have been ever a generation of persecutors of the people and servants of God and the Scriptures doth testifie with me that those Priests that were made and consecrated by men end the false Prophets were in all generations persecutors of the true Prophets and servants of the Lord which he sent forth to declare his Messages and this I will prove both by Scripture and History to be true For it is thus written in the Scriptures That Ieroboam the son of Nebat King of Israel 1 King 12.31 13.33 34. made at Bethel Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi for the high places But in the dayes of Ieroboam the son of Ioath King of Israel God sent Amos an Herdsman of Tekoa to Bethel and Amos in the Name of the Lord declared against the high places and said The Land should be desolate and the Sanctuaries of Israel should be laid waste and that the Lord would rise against the House of Ieroboam with the Sword But Amaziah the Priest of Bethel he sent to Ieroboam King of Israel Amos 1.1 7.10 11 12 13 saying Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the House of Israel and the Land is not able to bear all his words for thus saith Amos Ieroboam shalt dye by the sword and all Israel shall be led away captive out of their own Land And Amaziah the Priest of Bethel said unto Amos O thou Seer go flee thee away into the Land of Iudah and there cat bread and prophesie there but prophesie not again any more at Bethel for it is the Kings Chappel and the House of the Kingdome 1 King 22.11 22 24. ver 2 Chron. 18.10 11 23. ver And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah one of Ahabs false prophets went and smote Micaiah the true Prophet of the Lord upon the Cheek c. And in the dayes of Iehoiakim King of Iudah God sent Ieremiah to go and stand in the Court of the Lords House and God commanded Ieremiah saying All the words that I command thee to speak unto them diminish not a word And Ieremiah said unto all the people that came to worship in the Lords House Thus saith the Lord I will make this House like Shiloh and I will make this City a curse to all the Nations of the earth c. And when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking Ier. 26.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 16. ver Luke 22.2 66. ver Matth. 26.3 4. 2â— 1 2. then the priests and the false prophets and the people took Jeremiah saying Thou shalt surely dye And the priests the prophets spake unto the princes and to the people saying This man is worthy to dye but the Princes and all the people said unto the priests and to the prophets This man is not worthy to dye for he hath spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord our God c. And the chief Priests and the Scribes and the Elders conspired against Christ Jesus the Son of God and held a consultation and they and the whole Council took Jesus and bound him and carryed him away and delivered him to Pilate and would not cease till they had got him crucified and put to death for said they We have a Law Iohn 19.7 Act. 4.7 chap. 23. ch v. 2. 25. ch v. 2 3 and by our Law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God c. And so likewise in the dayes of the Apostles if any tumult or imprisonment or death fell upon them the Priests the Scribes and the Rulers of the Temple would often have a hand in in it first or last And as the priests and false prophets were that Jeroboam and other of the Kings of Israel and Iudah had made such like persons for persecuting were the Bishops and the Clergy of England who were bred up at the Vniversities of Cambridge and Oxford and such are the priests who are called Ministers in these dayes for I say The same spirit that ruled the Pope Cardinals Bishops c. in the persecution of the servants and saints of God the same spirit ruled the Bishops and the Clergy in the dayes of the Kings and Queens of England and the same spirit rules the priests called Ministers in England now in these dayes as it did them in those dayes Pope INNOCENT the third Pope LEO at RATISBONE See the form of the Spanish Inquisition FOX Act Mon. Vol. 1 2. See the Table of Germany Spain France Italy and other Countreys as well as the English Martyrs JOHN CLARK of Melden in France a Wool-Carder by Trade This latter was done upon him at METZ in LOTHERING 1524. for the Pope in his Councils made Degrees and Canons Institutions for the correction of Hereticks as they called them for whosoever did speak against him his Laws Decrees Canons and Institutions or the Popish Religion in general or particular either by disputing
Vicarage-Lands and other Lands and likewise for what use the parties gave them the end wherefore they gave them and by this you may see how the Kings of the earth provided for the Clergy of their own and the Popes making but for the Prophets and Apostles and Ministers of Christ they would not provide any such things for them but instead thereof they and their Churches provided for them Prisons Dungeons Whips Stocks Bridewells Saws Swords Wracks Fire and Faggots And as for the Messengers and Ministers of Christ that he ordained and sent they would not receive them into their Houses nor their Doctrine neither but those who they ordained and consecrated themselves See Cesar Due by Tho. Bradley D.D. and Minister of Nettlebed in Oxfordshire but not Minister of Christ. or such as were made by a carnal commandment by the Pope and his Adherents or by a Commission of Tryers that come in their own names and not in the Name of the Lord such are received and provided for and called by them Master and a House and Land for a certain dwelling place is prorided for them worth 100. l. or 200. l. more or lesse by the year for the Rectory of Alsford in Hampshire stands in one of the Kings Books at 29. l. a yeer but said Bradley It was let at 450. l. communibus annis viz. one year with another beside a reserve of 30. l. a yeer that the Rector lived in himself And this was not sufficient but the Kings of the earth have taken away from the people and given to their Ministers as their servants to preach them up their Fields their Vinyards and their Olive-yards even the best of them and given them to their servants and the tenth of the peoples sheep and the tenth of their seed and of their vinyards and given them to their Priests Ministers and servants And thus the Kings of the earth have done according as God bad Samuel tell the people the King they asked for would do 1 Sam. 8.1 to the 18. But some it is like will say that the Kings gave their own lands to the Clergy Read Hollinshead Chron. Fox Act. Mon. Vol. 1. But I say How came the Saxon Kings by their Lands here in England that they gave to the Clergy Did they not take it from the people by their Swords And did not William the Conqueror do the like And did not the Saxon Kings and William the Conqueror prove tyrants to the people and treacherous likewise And one thing I do grant that is this That the Kings or Rulers of the earth may with the consent of the people assembled in counsel raise money for the publike good that is for the defence of the Nation and for the preservation of the Nations peace and welfare at home or abroad by Land and Sea and defence of the nations enemies But I say again That the Kings and Rulers of the earth ought not to take away the peoples Goods or the Fruits of their labour nor the increase of their seed nor the increase of their Flock or Herd or their Vinyard to give unto others nor to sell unto others Isa 1.23 Hos 4.6 7 8 9 Lam. 4.13 as some Kings of this Nation have done and taken away from the people the tythes and sold them to Improprietors others they gave to their own Ministers which thing is not good but evil and abomination in the sight of God and the buyer and the receiver are as bad as the seller and the giver But some will say it is like Must not our Ministers be maintained how should they live for they cannot work for they were never brought up to work and they cannot starve Thus I answer That they are big enough and strong enough to work therefore it is now time for them to begin to labour with their hands the thing that is good Act. 20.33 34. 1 Cor. 4 12. 1 Thes 2.9 2 Thess 3.6 7 8 9 10 11. and in the sweat of their brows to eat their own bread for our order is That they that will not work shall not eat provided that they be strong and able to work as your Ministers are and they that set them to work let them pay them their wages out of their own Purses and not out of theirs that own them not And again The true Prophets and Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel that Christ sent they did not take tythes nor gifts nor rewards for preaching nor prophesying for tythes was not the Gospel that they liv'd by But those Ministers that the Kings and Kulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents make and sent forth they take gifts and rewards and tythes for their preaching therefore they commit sin with greedinesse and do the thing that is not right in the sight of God for God did not require tythes to be paid to those Ministers that are made and sent out by the Kings and Rulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents but when God required tythes and first fruits to be paid he required that the tythes and first fruits should be paid to the Levites Aaron and his sons whom God did â—et apart to minister in the Priests office Exod. 24.12 Lev. 27.30 to 34. Ioh. 1.17 and for the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Exod. 28.11 Numb 3.12 Heb. 7.5 I find in the Scripture that God gave the Law in Mount Sinai unto Moses for the children of Israel to observe and keep even the Law which was a shadow of good things then to come for said Iohn The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Now I say Deut. 26. chap That Law by which the children of Israel was commanded to pay tythes was given in Mount Sinai to Moses for the children of Israel to observe and keep when they came into the Land of Canaan Heb. 10.1 Deut. 7.6 7 8. 14.2 Ps 147.19 20. And this Law which was a shadow of good things to come was committed unto the people of Israel to observe and keep and to no other Nation for the Lord God had chosen them to be a peculiar people unto himself above all people that were upon the face of the earth and said David He hath shewed his word unto Iacob his Statutes and his Iudgements unto Israel he hath not said David dealt so with any Nation for his judgements they have not known And Paul said Rom. 3.1 2. That unto them were committed the Oracles of God And now I come to write more largely of tythes then hitherto I have written Exod. 34 26 27 28 29. Lev. 27.30 to 34. Deut. 10.8 9 10 11 12 13. 18.1 2 3 4. Deut. 12.10 11 12. 26 1 2. 19. v. 25. c. Lev. 27.30 32. Exod. 34.26 Mal. 3.8 9 10 First I finde that God did not command or require any people to pay tythes and first fruits but only by
Whosoever touched or did bear ought of the Carcases of any beast or creeping thing that was counted unclean he himself was unclean and was to wash his clothes and he that did eat of a Carkase of a dead Beast was to wash his clothes And again Lev. 14. chap. If a House that was spread with the plague of a fretting Leprosie and was by the commandment of the priest shut up because it was unclean then he that went into the House in that time and he that lay in the House and he that eat in the House were to wash their clothes And again If any man had a running issue out of his flesh he was unclean and his bed wherein he lay was unclean Lev. 15. chap. and the thing whereon he sate was unclean therefore whosoever touched his bed was to wash his clothes and he that sate on the thing whereon he sate that had the issue was to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water c. Of which divers washings Heb. 9.19 20 21. sprinklings feasts burnt-offerings meat-offerings drink-offerings sin-offerings trespasse-offerings the attonement for the sin of ignorance the free-will-offerings the peace-offerings c. ye may read of more at large in the Scriptures which things the Law required to be done were all by the Apostle Paul counted but carnal Ordinances and when the time of Reformation was come they were all put to an end Heb. 9.10 the hand-writing of Ordinances was blotted out the Law disannulled and the Priesthood changed c. Now I say That the Ministers of England never did this service for their tythes and first fruits as Aaron and his son did nor the Improprietors neither therefore neither the Improprietor nor the parish-Ministers have not any right to the tythes of the land nor the first fruits neither for the first fruits and tythes was Aaron and his sons due Heb. 9. chap. who received the office of the priesthood by the Lords appointment or command who were to attend continually yeer by yeer at the tabernacle of the congregation to accomplish the service of the Lord which was to offer gifts and sacrifices for themselves and for the errors of the people for which service doing the Lord God gave them for their portion of the most holy things reserved from the fire Lev. 2. ch 8.31 to 36. Numb 18. ch of every Oblation Meat-Offering Sin-offering Trespasse-offering Heave-offering Wave-offering c. all the best of the Oyle and the best of the Wine and the Wheat viz. the first fruits of them which the children of Israel should bring to offer unto the Lord even to Aaron and his sons who had the charge of the tabernacle of the Congregation and the office of the priesthood there to them the Lord God gave likewise of the firstling of a Cow or the firstling of a Sheepe or the firstling of a Goat which was brought for an offering made by fire Exod. 29. chap. for a sweet savour unto the Lord of the flesh thereof The Wave-brest and the right shoulder and the fat of the Ram and the Rump and the fat that covereth the inwards and the Caul about the Liver and the two kindneys and the fat that is upon them and the rig it shoulder and the breast of the Ram and whether it be of Ox or Sheep they shall give unto the priest the shoulder the two cheeks and the Maw Deut. 18.3 Numb 18.10 and a loaf of bread and a Cake of oyled Bread and a Wafer of unleavened Bread and this was by them to be eaten in the most holy place every meal And again Lev. 27.30 32 34. God he required the children of Israel to tythe all the encrease of their seed that their fields broughâ— forth yeer by yeer and he said that all the tythes of the land whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree and the tythe of the Herd or of the flock even of whatsoever passeth under the Rod the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord and all the tythes was brought into the House of the Lord for said the Lord unto the children of Israel Deut. 14.22 Exod. 23.19 34.26 Mal. 3.10 Deuc 14.28 26.12.13 Prov. 3.9 10. Thou shalt truly tythe all the encrease of thy seed that the field bringeth forth yeer by yeer and the first fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the House of the Lord thy God Bring ye said the Lord all the tythes into the Store-house that there may be meat in my House and the levite and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow which are within thy Gates shall come and eat thereof and be satisfied that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thy hands which thou dost And Solomon said Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine encrease so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy Presses shall burst out with new Wine And God gave to the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood a commandment to take tythes of the people according to the law Heb. 7.5 that is of their Brethren and the Lord he spake unto Aaron Numb 18.21 24. and said Behold I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for their service which they serve even for the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Lord spake unto Moses saying thus Speak unto the Levites and say unto them When ye take of the children of Israel the tythes which I have given you from them for your Inheritance c. Here you may plainly see and the Scriptures do testifie that God gave the first fruits and the tythes to the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood by his own command only and likewise the sons of Levi they received tythes of the children of Israel their brethren onely and of no other people or Nation by a law which law stood in force to be observed and kept by which law the eleven tribes of Israel was required to pay first fruits and tythes And likewise the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood to take tythes by and this commandment was given to Moses in Mount Sinai with other commandments for the children of Israel to observe and do Lev. 27.34 Iâ—h 1.17 Heb. 8.5 9 10. chap. and Paul said The Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the things for the law came by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. Now those things which the law required was a figure for the time then present in which time were offered both gifts and sacrifices by the priesthood which was ordained thereunto and the law which was a shadow of good things to come did impose upon the people many things to be done which stood only in meats and drinks and divers
washings and carnal ceremonies until the time of reformation which time of reformation was not until that Christ Jesus came who is the sum and substance of all shadows and figures and the end of the law for he changed the priesthood and disanulled the law of ordinances and him God raised up to be a King a Law-giver a Judge and a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Isa 13.22 Iames 4.12 Luke 23.19 Heb. 7.21 22 23 24. Deut. 18.15 18 19. Act. 3.22 23. Isa 9.6 7. not by a carnal commandment but after the power of an endless life and by the same power a prophet was he mighty in word and in deed who came according as the Lord God did speak by Moses and the prophets for said the lord unto Moses I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and I will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him and unto him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you and it shall come to passe that every foul that will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people And Isaiah said Vnto us a childe is born unto us a son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder his Name shall be called The Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgement and justice from henceforth and for ever the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this And when the fulnesse of time was come Gal. 4.4 5. even that time that was for reformation God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law who came to fulfil every jot and tittle of the Law Ioh. 19.30 Rom. 10.4 Eph. 2.15 and when Christ Jesus the son had fulfilled the Law he said upon the Cross It was finished And Paul testified and said That Christ was the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth in him having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of commandments contained in Ordinances yea the carnal Ordinances which was imposed upon them until the time sf reformation which time of reformation was when Christ Iesus the King Law-giver Iudge and High-Priest for evermore came in the fulnesse of time and blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us said Paul even such a yoak it was upon the neck of the Disciples that neither we nor our forefathers were able to bear said Peter But Christ the true King and Conqueror who hath spoyled Principalities and Powers and made a shew â—hem of them openly triumphing over them even hee whom God hath raised from the dead Eph 1.20 21. Câ—l 2.14 15. and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places far above all principalities and power and might and â—oâ—inion I say He Christ Iesus hath blotted out the Hand-writing of Ordinance that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his crosse Thus the Law was disannulled by Christ Iesus who having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Law of commandments contained in Ordinances c. This is Iesus who was called of God and not of man nor after the law of a carnal commandment was he made an high Priest but after the power of an endlesse life he was made an High-Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec and continueth for ever an unchangeable Priesthood forsech an High-Priest it became us to have who is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heavens but by the Law by which the Levitical Priesthood came were many priests which had infirmities which continued not by reason of death and so it passed from one to another which Priesthood being imperfect in it self perfected not any for he offered up Sacrifices daylie year by year first for himself viz. for his own sins then for the errors of the people which sacrifices were year by year offered up continually but the comers thereunto could never be made perfect for if therefore perfection had been by the levitical Priesthood then what further need was there that another Priest should arise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron but perfection came not by the Levitical Priesthood for their sacrifices that they offered up year by year made not the commers thereunto perfect therefore there was a necessity that another should come But God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son who gloryfied not himself to be made an High-Priest but was gloryfied of his Father who said unto him Thou are my Son to day have I begotten thee thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec and he was not only called a Priest for ever but he was called of God an high Priest likewise after the order of Melchisedec And Christ Iesus the Son of God came having compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way and though he were a Son yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him and hath obtained eternal redemption for us by his own blood for by one offering of the holy of Iesus once for all he offered one sacrifice for sins for ever and by that one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified So that now ye may plainly see that the Levitical Priesthood who came by the law to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and to offer up both gifts and sacrifices for their own sins and likewise for the errors of the people is changed into a more better and perfect then was before which changeth not but abideth for ever Therefore seeing that the sons of Levi who received the office of the Priesthood according to the Law had a commandment to take tythes were discharged from their office and their service put to an end by that one offering of the body of Iesus Christ once for all for by that one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified so that where there is remission for sin there is no more offering for sin Now seeing that it is so plain that by the sons of Levi the Levitical Priesthood perfection came not therefore that priesthood was changed and the sons of Levi discharged of their service by Christ Iesus who offered himself a sacrifice once for all and that by him perfection came for ever to them that are sanctified by that one offering Therefore there was a necessity that a change of the Law should be made also by reason of its servitude