the Lord. From all these Scriptures here recited at large for the Readers fuller satisfaction conviction and ease in turning to them these conclusions undeniably arise 1. That the Priests and Levits had by Gods special command precept oft repeated both Cities Houses Suburbs Lands Glebes designed to setled on them by their brethren out of all the other tribes of Israel for their habitation and the keeping feeding of their Cattel Goods Beasts and that in a very large and bountifull proportion And likewise necessary convenient houses chambers lodgings neer the Temple when first built and when re-edified afterwards which refutes the common errour of those ignorant Simpletons and illiterate New-lights who from Numb 18.20 Deut. 10.9 chap. 18.1 2. The Priests the Levites and all the tribe of Levi shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire and his inheritance Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren the Lord is their inheritance as he hath said unto them Conclude That the Priests and Levites amongst the Israelites had no Cities houses lands suburbs or possessions of their own belonging to their Office and were expresly forbidden by God to receive or enjoy any among their brethren And hence inferr That Ministers of the Gospel ought not to enjoy any Rectories Houses Lands or Glebes Whereas all the forecited Scriptures directly record the contrary and the meaning of these seeming repugnant texts is only this That they should have no inheritance amongst their Brethren in such sort and manner as they had set out altogether in one parcel by Joshua and the rest who divided the land amongst the tribes by lot which would have hindred them from their duties but only a subsequent assignment of certain Cities houses and suburbs seattered and divided one from another in and out of every tribes inheritance that so they might perform their offices with more ease and be alwayes ready at hand in every tribe to teach and instruct the people upon all occasions 2. That the inheritance of the Cities houses and suburbs which they enjoyed were not reputed their own proper inheritance though they enjoyed the possession and profits thereof but Gods inheritance as a thing devoted and dedicated unto God himself and therefore stiled by Ezekiel an Oblation unto God and an holy portion as Histories Divines Common Civil and Canon Lawyers stile all our Rectories Church-lands and Glebes with the Charters that first setled them being given and consecrated Deo et Ecclesiae an oblation unto God and the Church 3. That these endowments and Glebes of theirs were called reputed Gods own Portion and Inheritance 1. Because given by his special command and appointment by all the tribes 2. Because originally consecrated devoted to God and to his Priests and Ministers onely in Gods right for his sake 3. Because given to promote Gods worship service glory and for an habitation support to Gods own Priests and Levites imployed wholly in his immediate service 4. That they were expresly prohibited to be sold exchanged or alienated by the Priests Levites or any others because they were reserved by and given unto God himself as an holy Portion and Oblation and to the Priests and Levites for a perpetual possâ—ssion in regard of the perception of the profits the inheritance of them residing only in God himself Therfore not possible to be justly and lawfully sold exchanged or alienated by the Priests Levites or any other mortal Powers whatsoever who could claim no power right property or disposing interest in or over them against Gods own Soveraign and sacred title 5. That these Cities Suburbs Glebes were ratably set out in and by every tribe in an equal proportion according to the multitude or paucity of their Cities as a Tenth of their Cities and lands to which their 48 Cities and Suburbs amounted as some probably conceive And yet besides these 48 Cities there were Houses and Schools of Prophets and Prophets children in nature of our Universities in Bethel and in Jericho 2 Kings 2.3 4 5 7 to 24. chap. 6.1 2 3 4. which were none of these 48 Cities 6. That none of the Kings and Princes of Judah though many of them were Idolatrous wicked and put to great extremities to raise monies to pay their Armies and Tributes to forein Invaders and Conquerors did yet ever attempt to sell or alienate the Cities Suburbs or revenues of the Priests and Levites to maintain their warrs or pay publike Debts or tributes though King Asa Jehoash Hezekiah by way of loan made bold with the Silver and Gold in the treasure of the Lords house in cases of publike extremity which might be and was afterwards re-paid 1 Kings 15.18 cap. 18.15 2 Chron. 16.2 Yea the Scripture expresly records that in the great famine in Aegypt when all others sold their lands to buy bread to King Pharaoh only the Lands of the Priests bought he not For the Priests had a Portion assigned them of Pharaoh and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them wherefore they sold not their Lands Gen. 47.20 to 27. 7. That the Idolatrous usurper Jeroboam out of a carnal fear and policy to keep the people from returning to their rightfull Soveraign and establish the crown on himself and his Posterity was the first man we read of and his Idolatrous sons and successors after him who cast out Gods Priests and Levites out of their offices and then out of their Cities Suburbs and Possessions which he enforced them to desert though we read not that they sold them to maintain their Warrs or pay Soldiers arrears who thereupon repaired to Jerusalem to Rehoboam the right heir and after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem to enjoy Gods Ordinances strengthned Rehoboam and his kingdom against this persecuting usurper 2 Chron. 11.13 to 18. 8. That this his casting out of the Priests and Levites from their Offices and Pâ—ssâ—ssions making Priests of the lowest of the People and suffering every one that would to consecrate himself a Priest without a lawfull call is objected against Jeroboam by Abijah as a very high crime and provocation against God and the maintaining encouraging of Gods lawfull Priests and Levites in their Offices and setled possessions alleged by him as a certain argument of Gods presence with him and so with any other King and people and of victory successe in conclusion against sacrilegious Usurpers 9. That when Gods lawfull Priests and Levites are deprived of their Glebes and Possessions we must presently expect a base contemptible time-serving Idolatrous ignorant Priestood Jeroboams Golden Calves with their new Feasts and Sacrifices and a universal inundation of Idolatry wickedness prophanness to ensue with all the forementioned calamities which befell Ieroboams Army adherents subjects Person Family Kingdom which the Lord now set home on all our hearts that we may
and on the North side two thousand Cubits and the City shall be in the midst this shall be to them the suburbs of the Cities And among the Cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six Cities for refuge which ye shall appoint for the Manslayer that he may fly thither and to them ye shall adde forty and two Cities So all the Cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight Cities them shall ye give with their Suburbs And the Cities which ye shall give shall be of the possâ—ssion of the Children of Israel from them that have many ye shall give many and from them that have few ye shall give few Everyone shall give of his Cities according to his inheritance which he inheriteth This positive just command of God was given before the Israelites entrance into and conquest of the land of Canaan And this further positive law then likewise made against the sale and alienation of these Glebes and Possessions Levit. 25.32 33 34. Notwithstanding the Cities of the Levites and the Houses of the Cities of their possession may the Levites redeem at any time which others could not doe v. 30 31. And if a man purchase of the Levites then the House that was sold and the City of his possession shall go out in the year of Jubile for the houses of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel but the field of the Suburbs of their City may not be sold for it is their perpetual Possession After this when the land of Canaan was fully conquered by the Israelites and divided amongst the Tribes by bounds and limits we read Josh 21.1 to 43. Then came near the heads of the Fathers of the Levites unto Eleazer the Priest and unto Joshua the son of Nun and unto the heads of the tribes of the Children of Israel and they spake unto them at Shilo in the land of Canaan saying The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses in the text forecited To give us Cities to dwell in with the Suburbs thereof for our cattel And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites at the commandment of the Lord mark it all enemies of our Ministers Rectories Lands Glebes Maintenance these Cities and their Suburbs Then follow the Names and Places of the Cities allotted to the Levites proportionably out of every tribe and how they were divided by lot amongst them which you may read in the text it self over large to transcribe After which ensues this cloze of the story v. 8.41 42. And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these Cities and their Suburbs as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses all the Cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight Cities with their Suburbs These Cities were every one with their Suburbs round about them Thus were all the Cities In 1 Chron 6 We have a recital of the Sons and Families of Levi and the Office of the Priests and Levites with the names of all the Cities and Suburbs alloted to them out of every Tribe agreeing with this of Joshua where those who please may read them at their leisure These fourty eight Cities and their Suburbs as some conceive amounted to the tenth or at least twelfth Part of the Cities and Land of Canaan the Priests and Levites according to their number enjoying in proportion as large a share of the promised Land as any of the other Tribes for their Habitation and Glebes besides their Tithes first-Fruits Offerings and other Dues All which as Dr. George Downham and Mr. Samuel Purchas observe amounted to a far greater proportion for the maintenance of that small Tribe than all the Bishopricks Deaneries Benefices Cathedral and College lands Revenues Glebes Tithes and whatsoever Ecclesiastical Profits endowments of the Clergy and Scholars in our whole Kingdom and Nation After this when the Temple of Jerusalem was built where the Priests and Levites were to wait in their several 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. ch 29.4 chap. 31.2 chap. 35. 2. Levit. 1.5 8 9. they had Houses Chambers 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. chap. 42.1 to 19. chap. 44.19 chap. 46.19 These Cities Suburbs Habitations Chambers the Priests and Levits constantly enjoyed without interruption til the revolt of the ten tribes from Rehoboam when 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 carnal fear and suspition saying in his heart Now shall the Kingdom 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 turn back again to their Lord even unto Rehoboam King of Judah and they shall kill me and go again to Rehoboam King of Iudah 1 Kings 12.26 to 33. and then we read 2 Chron. 11.13 14 15 16. The Priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to Rehoboam out of all their Coasts For the Levites left their Suburbs 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 Priests 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 usurped Crown thus objected against him and the revolted Tribes 2 Chr 13.4 to 14. Hear me thou Jeroboam and all Israel Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the Kingdom 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 Belial 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 Kingdom 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 himself 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 business c. For we keep the Charge of the Lord our God but ye have forsaken him And behold God himself is with us for our Captain and his Priests with sounding Trumpets to cry allarum against you The issue of this Atheistical State-policy and Sacrilegious deprivation spoliation of Gods Priests and Levites of their Suburbs Possessions 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 slâ—w 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 one battel that ever we read of in Sacred or prophane Stories before or since 2. It brought Captivity on his Adherents and people who were brought under at that time pursued and had their Cities taken and plundered v. 18 19. 3. It drew down this misery and fatal Judgement on himself v. 20. Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the dayes of Abijah and the Lord strook him and he died 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 Vsurpers Persecutors and produced perpetual successive civil warrs between Judah and Israel 1 Kings 14.30 chap. 15.6 7 16 32. 2 Chron. 28.4 to 12. 6. It brought final captivity ruine and desolation in conclusion to the whole kingdom 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 until 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 sins 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 Kingdom of Judah continued above 134. years after in Davids royal 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 they were restored again to their Country re-edified 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 Levites and the Singers and the Porters the Nethinims dwelt in their Cities and all Israel in their Cities Thus seconded Neh. 11.18 20. All the Levites in the holy City were 284. and the residue of Israel of the Priests and Levites were in all the Cities of Judah every Man in his Inheritance and Neh. 13.10 The Levites and Singers that did the work were fled every one to his field In the Prophecie of Ezechiel written during the Jews Captivity in the Land of the Chaldeans Ezech. 1.1 2 3. prophesying of the re-edifiing of the Temple the dimensions and whole fabrick thereof ch 40.1 to 45. we find frequent mention of holy Chambers therein provided for the Priests and their vestments And ch 45.1 to 5. God enjoyns the Israelites by this Prophet upon their restitution to their own Land when they should divide it by Lot for an Inheritance That they should offer an holy portion of the Land an oblation unto the Lord the length thereof twenty five thousand reeds and the breadth ten thousand This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about Of this there shall be for the Sanctuary 500 reeds in length with 500 in breadth square round about and fifty Cubits round about for the Suburbs thereof Then he addes The holy Portion of the land shall be for the Priests the Ministers of the sanctuary which shall come neer to minister unto the Lord and it shall be a place for their Houses and an holy place for the Sanctuary And the 25000. of length and 10000. of breadth Shall also the Levites the Ministers of the House have for themselves for a possession for twenty Chambers In the 47. Chapter verse 13. to the end of the Prophecy he writes of the bounds and division of the land of Canaan after their restitution according to their several tribes in relation to and imitation of the bounds and division of it formerly made and recited by Joshua out of which there was a special portion reserved for the Priests and Levites as there was in Joshua's division forecited Thus expressed Ezeck 48.8 to 15. And by the border of Judah from the East side unto the West side shall be the offering which they shall offer of 25000. reeds in breadth and in length as one of the other parts from the East side unto the West side and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it The oblation ye shall offer unto the Lord shall be of 25000. in length and 10000 in breadth And for them even for the Priests shall be this holy Oblation toward the North 25000. in length and toward the West 10000. in breadth and toward the East 10000 in breadth and toward the South 25000 in length and the sanctuary of the Lord shall be in the midst thereof It shall be for the Priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadock which have kept my charge which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray after Jeroboam and his calves as the Levites went astray And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites And over against the border of the Priests the Levites shall have 25000. in length and 10000. in breadth all the length shall be 25000 and the breadth 10000. reeds And they shall not sell of it neither exchange nor alienate the first fruits of the land for it is holy unto
brought away the Hallowed things out of mine House and also have given them unto the Levite c. According to all thy Commandements which thou hast commanded me I have not transgressed thy Commandements neither have I forgotten them I have not eaten thereof in my mourning neither have I taken away ought thereof for my Vnclean Vse nor given ought thereof for the dead but I have hearkened to the Voice of the Lord my God And have done according to all that thou hast commmanded me Look down from thy Holy Habitation from Heaven And bless thy people Israel and the Land which thou hast given us a Land that floweth with milk and honey Such a conscientious true payment of Tithes as this according to all Gods Commandements without the least Substraction or embezlement emboldens enables every particular man to make such a Prayer to God as this not only for himself but for the whole Land brings a blessing upon himself and all the Realm yea makes it a Land flowing with milk and honey and abundance of all rich blessings Besides we read in 2 Chr. 31.1 to 15. That when godly King Hezekiah had destroyed Idolatry and appointed the Courses of the Priests and Levites after their Courses every man according to his service he brought â—urings and Peace-offerings to minister and to give thanks and to praise in all the Gates of the Tents of the Lord He appointed also the Kings portion of his Substance for the burnt-offerings for the morning and evening for the Sabbaths the new Moons and set Feasts moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem To give the Portion of the Priests and the Levites that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord. And as soon as the Commandement came abroad the children of Israel brought in abundance the first Fruits of Corn Wine Oyl and Honey and of all the encrease of the field and the Tithes of all things brought they in abundance And concerning the children of Israel and Judah that dwelt in the Cities of Judah They also brought in the Tithes of Oxen and Sheep and the Tithe of holy things which were dedicated unto the Lord their God and laid them by heaps In the third moneth they began to lay the foundation of the heaps and finished them in the seventh moneth and when Hezekiah and the Princes came and saw the heaps they blessed the Lord and his People Israel Then Hezekiah questioned with the Priests and Levites concerning the heaps And Azariah the chief Priest of the House of Zadok answered him and said Since the People began to bring the Offerings into the house of the Lord We have had enough to eat and have left Plenty But did the people grow poor thereby no but much richer than before for the Lord hath blessed his people and that which is left is this great store Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare Chambers or store-houses in the house of the Lord and they prepared them and brought in the Offerings and the Tithes and the dedicate things faithfully over which Cononiah the Levite was Ruler How different was this practice of all the people and godly Saints in those daies in a chearfull bringing in their Tithes and Oblations to the Priests and Levites in abundance for their encouragement which caused King Hezekiah his Princes the Priests Levites and God himself to bless them from the sacrilegious practice of Tith-detaining Hypocritical Saints Anabaptists Quakers Sectaries and Christians in our daies who shall never receive such a blessing as this from God or good men but their curses If these Texts and Presidents will not move such hard-hearted men let them consider both this â—â—â—cept and promise of God Prov. 3.9 10. Honour the Lord with thy Substance and with the first fruits of thine encrease So shall thy Barns be filled with Plenty and thy Press shall burst out with new Wine And Mal 3.7 10 11 12. Return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord of hosts but ye said Wherein shall we return Bring ye all the Tithes into the Store-house that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts If I will not open you the windows of heaven and powr you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground neither shall your Vine cast her fruit before her time in the field saith the Lord of Hosts And all nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a delight some land saith the Lord of Hosts What Christians heart though never so covetous and worldly should not these sacred promises of God the last of them recorded in the last of all the Books and Prophets in the Old Testament they being not meerly Levitical and Judaical but of eternal verity use and evangelical too excite and engage most cheerfully to pay and bring in all their Tithes and Dues to Gods Ministers now as well as to the Priests and Levites heretofore Christ himself having made like parallel promises of blessings and rewards for relieving and maintaining his Ministers in the Gospel Mat. 10.40 41 42. Mark 9.41 Phil. 4.18 19 9. That the due payment of Tithes to Gods Priests and Levites was a great encouragement to them in the law of the Lord and in the diligent execution of their duties 2 Chron. 31.3 4 5 10. And on the contrary The with-holding of them from them a great discouragement necessitating them to desert their duties and functions witnesse that memorable Text Neh. 13.10 11 12. And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them mark the consequence For the Levites and the Singers that did the work were fled every one to his field Then contended I with the Rulers and said Why is the house of God forsaken and I gathered them together and set them in their place Then brought all Judah the Tithes of the Corn and the new Wine and the Oyl unto their treasuries And I made treasurers over the treasuries Shelemiah the Priest and Zadock the Scribe and of the Levites Pedajah c. for they were counted faithfull and their office was to distribute unto their Brethren Which reason still continuing under the Gospel in relation to the Ministers and Preachers thereof Heb 13.16 17. Phil. 4.10 to 21. is a strong argument to engage all true Christians desiring the propagation of the Gospel and a painfull able Ministry duly to pay their tithes and portions to them 10. That it was the bounden duty care of Religious Kings and Governours amongst Gods own people when the people were backwards to pay and bring their Tithes and duties to the Priests and Levites to command and enforce them to do it by special Covenants and Oaths sealed subscribed by the Princes and people Neh. 9.38 cap. 10.1 to the end and likewise by positive Ordinances
or strip them both of their Callings and Benefices when and for what they please or only upon the peoples voluntary contributions will certainly be a men-pleasing time-serving flattering unsincere and word-corrupting Ministry studying more to please favour those by and from whom they have their Livelihood than to please God and fitting their preaching praying Doctrines opinions to their opinions tempers factions parties designe holding alwayes with the prevailing strongest party or those by whom they subsist and wresting the Scriptures to support their very errors vices sins power yea most unrighteous treacherous perfidious oppressing practices and bloudy usurpations not daring to displease them as Ecclesiastical Histories record and our own experience can sufficiently testifie in these late whirling times and changes as well as in King Edward the 6. Queen Maries and Queen Elizabeths reigns when our Religion suffered so many publick alterations and most Ministers Scholars and our whole Universities then changed their Opinions Professions and Religion with the times Hence the Scripture records this as one of Jeroboams policies to keep the People and Kingdome from returning to the right heir 1 Kings 12.28 29 31 c. ch 13.33 34. That he made Priests of the lowest or poorest of the people who were not of the Sonnes of Levi and placed them in Bethel who being poor mean and depending on him for their Salaries readily sacrificed to his golden Calves offered upon the Altar which he had made in Bethel and observed his new prescribed Feasts which the Priests and Levites that were in all Israel having Lands Suburbs and a setled maintenance refused to do Whereupon Jeroboam and his Sonnes cast them out from executing the Priests office unto the Lord and substituted these base stipendiary Idol-Priests for the Calves 2 Chron. 11.13 14 15. Which became sinne unto the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth God deliver us of this Nation from the like Atheistical Jeroboam-like policy and practice now which will certainly prove the ruin of them and their house who shall put it in execution if not of our Religion and Nation as it did of Jeroboam his house and the whole Kingdom of Israel XII All Christians are commanded Gal. 6.10 As they have opportunity to do good to all men by relieving their wants especially to the houshold of faith Therefore they are in an especial manner bound to do good to their Ministers who instruct them in maintaining and communicating to them in all good things as he resolves v 6. The rather because we have this Precept thus seconded Heb 13.16 But to do good and communicate forget not for with such sacrifice God is well pleased coupled with this injunction Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account That they may do it with Joy and not with Grief for that is unprofitable for you Wherein these 3 Conclusions are positively asserted 1. That Christians must not only obey their Ministers but likewise do good and communicate to them in all good things they want 2. That this is so farr from being unlawfull that it is a sacrifice well pleasing unto God 3. That Ministers deserve not only obedience but mainnance from the people 1. Because they have the rule over them 2. Because they watch for their souls 3. Because they must give an account to God for them 4. Because it will be a great encouragement to them to discharge their dutie with joy not with grief 5. Because the not doing it will both grieve the Ministers and be unprofitable to the people in regard of their souls and spiritual estate and also cause God to curse and blast them in their temporal estates Mal 3.8 9 10 11 12. where as the doing thereof will be advantagious to them in both-Powerfull reasons motives to convince all of the justice of our Ministers maintenance and to induce them chearfully to render it unto them though it were not due by humane Laws as we know it is XIII The very Gospel enjoyns all Christians Rom. 12.20 21. To distribute to the necessitie of the Saints and to be hospitable not only to those we know but even to strangers Heb 13.2 And if our enemie hunger it commands us to feed him if he thirst to give him drink and Not to be overcome with evil but to overcome evil with good seconded with Mat 5.44 45 46 47 48. Luke 6.32 to 37. Prov. 25.22 whence thus I argue If Christians must distribute to the necessities of and be hospitable to Saints and others who are meer strangers to them yea give meat drink to their very enemies and overcome their evil with goodness Then it necessarily followes they must much more distribute to the necessities of be hospitable liberal give meat drink maintenance to their own faithfull preaching Ministers and recompence their good with good again else they shall be worse than Publicans and sinners who doe good to those that do good to and for them Mat. 5.46 47. XIV This is evident by the practice of the primitive Saints and Christians recorded in the Gospel for our imitation who though they paid all civil Tributes Customs Duties to the civil Magistrates and likewise Tithes and other duties to the Jewish or Pagan Priests under whom they lived yet they likewise freely and liberally ministred contributed of their substance and temporal estates towards the maintenance of Christ and his Apostles and the Ministers of the Gospel Hence we read Luke 8.2 3. That Mary Magdalen Joanna the wife of Cuza Herods Steward Susanna and MAN others of our Saviours auditors ministred to him of their substance put it seems into a common purse for the maintenance of Christ and his Apostles which Judas kept who provided bread meat and other necessaries out of it as is evident by John 4.8 31. 12.5 6. 13.29 6.5 7. compared together After our Saviours resurrection when the multitude of believers at Jerusalem were much increased it is expresly recorded Acts 4.32 to the end 5.1 to 10. That they were all of one heart and of one soul and oh that we were so again neither said any of them that ought that he possessed was his own but they had all things common neither was there any amongst them whether Apostle Minister or Believer that lacked For as many as were possessors of Lands or Houses Sold them not purchased them much less Glebes Tithes or Church-lands as many do now who say they imitate the primitive Christians and brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the Apostles feet and distribution was made unto every Man therefore to every Apostle and Minister of the Gospel as well as others accordding as they had need Amongst others Joses a Levite of Cyprus having Land sold it and brought the money and laid it at the Apostles feet
That he was worthy for whom he should do this And why so For he loveth our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue Whereupon Jesus went with them and healed his servant marvelling at the Centurions words and turning about and saying unto the people that followed him I have not found so great Faith no not in Israel This great Centurion and Commander was no Jew but a Gentile one who but newly heard of Christs name and same yet he had so much Piety and Bounty as out of his very Spoyls and Gains of Warre for we read of no other Lands or Gains he had to build a Synagogue for Gods worship which the Elders of the Jews and Christ too approved as a worthy act and a sufficient inducement for our Saviour to go with him and cure his servant O that all our Centurions who have Souldiers under them and exceed or equal him in command would imitate and equal this Gospel Centurion in his pious munificence in building in stead of contriving how to deface Temples Churches Synagogues to abolish Tithes ingrosse Church Lands and Livings into their own hands then should they receive as large Encomiums of the reality and transcendency of their Faith Piety Charity from men as he did from our Saviour and the Elders of the Jews for building this new Synagogue I shall only adde for our Souldiers Officers better Information that from this example of Abraham approved in the new Testament both Divines Councils Canonists and Casuists have unanimously resolved That Souldiers ought to pay personal Tithes to Ministers out of their very Militia pay and spoyls of Warr. This was St. Augustines Doctrine DE MILITIA de negotio de artificio redde Decimas recited practised and long prescribed here in England in the excerptions of Egbert Archbishop of Yorke about the year of our Lord 750. repeated confirmed by Gratian in his Decrees Causa 16. qu. 1. f. 381 382 By all the Canonists Glossers on his Text by Angelus de Clavasio in his Summa Angelica Tit. Decima by Hostiensis Summa Rosella and other Summists Casuists in their Titles of Tithes and ratifyed by the Synod of Lingon An. 1404. apud Bochellum Decret Ecclesiae Gallicanae lib. 6. Tit. 8. c. 31. p. 967. This many excellent Christian Commanders Officers Souldiers have in several ages performed as Histories record I shall for brevity instance but in one domestick example and that a memorable one King William the first whom we usually style the Conqueror though he never claimed the Crown by Conquest but only by the last Will Testament and Donation of King Edward the Confessor in his life-time with the assent of his Nobles who was educated with preserved by him during his exile and seclusion from the Crown by the Danish usurpers and as COUSIN and HEIR to Edward the Confessor as he stiled himself in the very Title of his Laws He having vanquished and slain the perjured Vsurper Harold who set the Crown upon his own head and made himself King without any Title or due Election against his solemn Oath to Duke William made to him in Normandy which he pretended to be forced in thankfulnesse to God for this his victory whereby he gained possession of the Crown out of the Spoyls and Gains of his Warr erected a Magnificent Church and Abbey to the glory of God and St. Martin which he called de Bello or Battel Abbey in that very place where Harold was slain and this battel fought which likewise he endowed with large possessions Tithes and most ample Privileges by his Charter and therein offered up to God HIS SWORD and the royal robe which he ware the day of his Coronation there reserved as a Monument as well of his Piety as Victory After which this pretended Conqueror in the fourth year of his reign by the Counsel of his Barons through all the Counties of England caused 12. men of the most Noble wise and skilfullest in the Law to be summoned out of every shire that he might learn their Laws and Customs from them and gave them this Oath That proceeding in a right path without declining to the right hand or the left to the best of their power they should make known to him the Customs and Sanctions of their Lawes pretermitting nothing adding nothing and altering nothing in them by prevarication which they accordingly performing and King William intending to alter the Law only in one particular according to the Lawes of Norway from whence he and his Normans descended all the Barons and Grand English Enquest who presented him their Laws on Oath being much grieved at it unanimously besought him that he would permit them to enjoy their proper Laws and antient Customs under which their Fathers lived and themselves had been born and educated because they deemed it very hard for them to receive unknown Lawes and to judge of those things they knew not importunately beseeching him for the soul of K. Edward WHO HAD GRANTED TO HIM THE CROWN and KINGDOM AFTER HIS DEATH and whose Lawes they were that hee would not compell them to persevere under the Lawes of any Foreiners but their own Country Laws alone Wherefore the King taking advice consented to the request of his Barons confirming all their Lawes and Customs in Parliament without any alteration or diminution as they presented them Whereof this is the very first Law concerning the preservation of the Churches rights and Scholars from rapine Every Clergy-man and likewise all Scholars and all their Goods and Possessions wheresoever they are shall enjoy the Peace of God and of holy Church free from all forfeiture and seisure and if any shall lay hands on that which Mother Church shall require LET HIM RESTORE THAT WHICH HEE SHALL TAKE AWAY and likewise one hundred shillings in the name of a forfeiture if it be from an Abbey or Church of Religion and twenty shillings if it be from a Mother Parish Church and ten shillings if it be from a Chapel After which follow 6. other Lawes concerning the Churches peace and privileges and then these two Laws concerning TITHES Of the TITHES of the Church Of all Corn the tenth Sheaf is given to God and therefore to be paid If any shall have a herd of Mares let him pay the tenth colt he who shall have only one or two let him pay a penny for every colt Likewise he who shall have many Kine let him pay the tenth calf he who shall have but one or two let him pay a penny for every calf and he who shall make cheese let him give the tenth to God and if he shall make none the milk every tenth day Likewise the tenth Lamb the tenth Fleece the tenth Butter the tenth Pig Of BEES and all lesser TITHES In like manner also of Bees the tenth of the profit and also of Wood of Meadows Waters and Mills and Ponds and Fishings and Copses and Orchards and Gardens and Negotiations wherein Souldiery