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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	david_n	israel_n	judah_n	1,785	5	9.8153	5	false

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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

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

TABLETS to make an aton●ment for their soules before the Lord amounting to sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekel● every shekel weighing halfe an ounce Which Eleazet the Priest took of the Captaines of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the Tabe●●acle of the Congregation FOR A MEMORIALL of the children of Israel before the Lord Numb 31. 48 to the end Here were self-denying saint-like Officers Colonels and Captaines indeed after all the former deductions and tributes out of their spoyle to bring to the Priest and offer up to God all their Jewels of Gold Chaines Bracelets Rings Ear-rings Tablets and richest plunder they had gotten in the Warres for the maintenance of his worship when our Officers Colonels Captaines Souldiers shall do the like and pay a tribute of the best of their spoyles to our Ministers as these by Gods command did to the Priests and Levites not purchasing Church-Lands and Revenues with them devoted to the augmentation of our Ministers small Stipends we will cry them up for self-denying Saints and Souldiers indeed and say they are no self-seekers If this Scripture Precedent be not enough behold a whole cloud of Precedents imitating them and faithfull Abraham recorded and united in one memorable text seldome read or taken notice of 1 Chron. 26. 26 27 28. Which Shelomith and his Brethren were OVER ALL THE TREASURES OF THE DEDICATED THINGS which DAVID THE KING and the chief Fathers THE CAPTAINES OVER THOUSANDS and HUNDREDS and THE CAPTAINES OF THE HOST HAD DEDICATED OUT OF THE SPOYLES WON IN BATTLES DID THEY DEDICATE TO MAINTAINE THE HOUSE OF THE LORD marke and imitate it O ye Army Officers Captaines Souldiers And all that SAMVEL the seer and SAVL the Sonne of Kish and ABNER the Sonne of Ner and Joab the Sonne of Zeruiah had dedicated was under the hand of Shelomith and his Brethren Here we have examples of all sorts and sizes for our Army Officers and Souldiers imitation We have David a victorious Warrier Generall King and man of God after Gods owne heart dedicating the Treasures and Spoyles he took from his enemies in Battles to the House and service of God thus more specially recorded for his honour and others practise 2 Sam. 8. 11 12. And Tol sent Joram his Sonne to King David to salute him and to blese him because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him and brought with him vessels of Gold and vessels of Silver and vessels of Brasse which also King David DID DEDICATE TO THE LORD WITH THE SILVER AND GOLD THAT HE HAD DEDICATE OF ALL NATIONS WHICH HE SUBDUED Of Syria and of Moab and of the children of Ammon and of the Philistines and of Amalek and OF THE SPOYLES OF HADADEZER Sonne of Rehob King of Zobah Recorded againe in 1 Chron. 18. 2 to 12. with this addition And David took the shields of gold which were on the Servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusal m. Likewise from Tibhath and from Chun Cities of Hadadezer brought David very much brasse wherewith Solomon made the Brasen-sea and the pillars of the vessels of Brasse What the value of the spoyles which he dedicated to God and his service amounted to himselfe records 1 Chron. 22. 14. Now behold in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the Lord AN HUNDRED THOUSAND TALENTS OF GOLD and A THOUSAND THOUSAND TALENTS OF SILVER and OF BRASSE and IRON IN ABOUNDANCE WITHOUT WEIGHT Besides what he dedicated out of his owne proper estate registred in 1 Chron. 29. 3 4. 2. We have Joab Davids Captaine Generall the Captaines over Thousands and Hundreds and the Captaines of the Army dedicating out of the spoyles won in Ba●tles to the service of the House of the Lord ●nd that in a liber●ll proportion even five thousand Talents of gold and tenne thousand drams and of silver tenne thousand Talents and of brasse 18000. Talents and one hundred thousand Talents of Iron besides precious stones all which they offered willingly with a perfect heart unto the Lord rejoycing with great joy they had done it 1 Chron. 29. 6 7 8 9. When our Generals Officers Colonels Captaines and Souldiers of the Army shall imitate King David and his Generals Colonels Captains Officers and Souldiers in such a liberall contribution of the Jewels Gold Silver Brasse Iron and Spoyle they have won in Battles at home and from other Nations to repaire or build houses for Gods publick worship and maintaine the Ministers of the Gospell in stead of seeking to demolish and spoyle those stately Edifices which our pious Ancestors have erected for that purpose and breaking downe the Carved worke thereof with axes and hammers of which David much complaineth Psal 74. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. and in lieu of endevouring to devest our Ministers of their remaining Lands Tithes Glebes not yet demolished all the World will proclaime them Men after Gods owne heart and Men of God in truth like David and give over censuring them for Sacrilegious Harpyes more like to Zeba and Zalmunna then him who said Let us take to our selves the Houses of God in possession as David himselfe objects against them Psal 83. 11 12. 3. Here is Samuel the seer doing the like out of his spoyles won in Battle A precedent for all those Souldiers who will be Sunnes and New-lights to imitate 4. If the good mens examples be neglected yet let the Precedents of bad men shame and excite others to this duty Here are Saul the Sonne of Kish much talked of and reviled now by many for a Tyrant the Warrelike King given to Gods people in anger and taken from them in wrath as these object now Hos 13. 11. which I conceive rather meant of Jeroboam the Idolatrous usurper who made Israel to sinne as judicious Interpreters prove by 2 Chron. 13. 20. compared with 2 Kings 17. 10 to 24. and the context likewise which made mention of their Idolatry in kissing the Calves erected by Jeroboam and speaks only of the Kingdome of Israel as divided from that of Judah yet he as bad as they make him together with Abner his chief Captaine none of the best of men as 2 Sam. 3. 7 8. discovers had so much Piety Zeal and Religion in them as likewise to dedicate part of their richest spoyles of Warre to the maintenance of Gods house and worship And will it not be a great dishonour to those Generals Officers Colonels and Captaines who pretend themselves the holiest justest zealousest Saints not to be as bountifull towards the maintenance of Gods house and worship and of their spoyles as these they brand for Tyrants and ungodly wicked men If these Precedents be ineffectuall to work upon any Covetous or Sacrilegious bondmen let them reflect upon others who were Idolaters how neare they came in their way to imitate Abraham David and these forecited When Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon had taken Jerusalem ransacked and burnt the glorious Temple there towards

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

which David and his Captaines contributed so largely out of their spoyles he had so much Piety and naturall Religion in him as to dedicate all the Vessels of Silver and Gold which he tooke out of the house of God to the honour and service of his Idol-gods and put them in the Temple at Babylon not converting them to his private or publick Treasury 2 Chron. 36. 7 18. 2 King 24. 13. Ezra 1. 7. Which Vessels afterwards being brought forth thence and profanely caroused in by Belshazzar and his Princes at his great feast wherein he praysed the gods of Gold and Silver of Brasse of Iron of Wood and of Stone you may read what fatall judgement presently befell him to the losse of his life and Kingdome Dan. 5. These Vessels though a just and lawfull spoyle wonne by Warres Cyrus King of Persia brought forth out of the house of his Gods where Nebuchadnezzar had put them by the hand of Mithredah his Treasurer and numbred them unto Sheshbazzar the Prince of Judah when he proclaimed liberty and gave order to the Israelites to rebuild the house of the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem and this is the number of them thirty Chargers of Gold a thousand Chargers of Silver nine and twenty kniv●s thirty Basons of Gold Silver basons of a second sort foure hundred and tenne and other Vessels a thousand all the Vessels of Gold and silver were FIVE THOVSAND AND FOVRE HVNDRED all these did Sheshbazzar bring with him from Babylon to Jerusalem for the use and service of God in the Temple there all these did Cyrus a Heathen King restore by a Decree Cyrus a Heathen King restoring them to God and the Temple by a Decree when will our Army Saints depart with so many Gold and Silver vessels to Gods house This Decree was afterwards confirmed by Darius and Artaxerxes his successors Ezra 1. 4. 7 15 16 17. 8. 24 to 31. these and their Princes and chief Officers also freely offered and dedicated Silver and Gold besides amounting to a great value towards the reedifying of the Temple and maintenance of the worship and Priests of God there Moreover King Artaxerxes makes this Decree concerning these Vessels The Vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem and whatsoever more shall be needfull for the house of thy God BESTOW IT OVT OF THE KINGS TREASVRE HOVSE Adding this further Decree To all the Treasurers beyond the river Whatsoever Ezra the Priest shall require of you let it be done speedily unto an hundred Talents of Silver and to an hundred measures of Wheat and to an hundred bottles of Wine and to an hundred bottles of Oyle Salt without prescribing measure Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven for why should there be wrath against the Realme of the King and his Sonnes Also we certifie you that touching any of the Priests and Levites Singers Porters Nethinims or Ministers of this House of God IT SHALL NOT BE LAWFVLL TO IMPOSE TOLL TRIBV●E OR CVSTOME VPON THEM and whosoever will not do the Law of God and the Law of the King let judgement be executed speedily upon him whether it be unto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment Ezra 7. 11 to 27. The storie of Cyrus and Darius concerning the building of the Temple and restitution of these Vessels is very remarkeable and thus recorded Ezra 6. 3 to 13. Let the house be builded the place where they offered Sacrifices and let the foundation thereof be s●rongly l●id the height thereof threescore Cubits and the breadth thereof threescore Cubits with three rows of great stones and a row of new Timber and LET THE EXPENCES BE GIVEN OVT OF THE KINGS HOVSE And also let the Golden and Silver Vessels of the house of God which N●buchadnezzar tooke forth out of the Temple which is at Jerusalem and brought unto Babylon be RESTORED and BROVGHT AGAINE INTO THE TEMPLE which is at Jerusalem every one to his place and place them in the house of God Now therefore Tatnai governour beyond the river Shethar-boznai and your companions the A●harsachites which are beyond the river be ye farre from thence Let the worke of the house of God alone let the Governours and the Elders of the Jewes build the house of God in his place Moreover I make a Decree what ye shall do to the Elders of these Jewes for the building of this house of God that of the Kings goods even OF THE TRIBVTE beyond the river forthwith expences be given unto these men that they be not hindred And that which they shall have need of both young Bullocks and Rams and Lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven Wheat Salt Wine Oil according to the appointment of the Priests which are at Jerusalem LET IT BE GIVEN FROM DAY TO DAY WITHOVT FAIL that they may offer Sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of heaven and pray for the life of the King and his Sonnes Also I have made a Decree that whosoever shall alter this word let timber be pulled down from his house and being set up let him be hanged thereon and let his house be made a dunghill for this And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there DESTROY ALL KINGS and PEOPLE THAT SHALL PVT TO THEIR HAND TO ALTER and DESTROY THIS HOVSE OF GOD which is at Jerusalem I Darius have made a Decr●e let it be done with speed If these three Heathen Kings and Conquerors were so zealous to restore the Vessels of Gold and Silver amounting to so great a number and value to the House of God at Jerusalem to contribute so literally towards the reedifying of it out of their owne Tributes Treasures and Revenues wonne by Warre and Conquest to allow them Bullocks Rams Lambs Wheat Wine Oile Salt and all other necessaries for dayly Sacrifices to furnish the Priests and Levites with all Necessaries to exempt them all the Officers of the Temple from paying any Toll Tribute Tax or Custome which it was not lawfull for any Officer to lay upon them under the severest penalties and to enact such severe Lawes and passe such bitter imprecations against all such as should oppresse or hinder the worke or seek to destroy or deface the Temple of God Oh how should this inflame all Generals Officers Souldiers who professe themselves the choysest Christians and eminentest Saints to imitate and equall them in all these particulars now Else how will they shame confound and rise up in judgement against all such of these and all others who in stead of restoring the Gold and Silver Vessels Lead Iron Timber Stones they have taken from the Temples of God and repairing those Churches they have demolished and defaced providing necessaries for Gods wouship and exempting his Ministers from Toll Tribute Taxes