{non-Roman} {non-Roman} and a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} we come From Melchizodec then unto us for the continuance of tithes we inferre the Quar◠being enjoyned his taske this the why in dis Even so hath the Lord ordained that they should live who Preach the Gospell e {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} In matter of maintenance the Apostle does not bring in any new strange unheard of thing he innovates nothing at all with a new egge of his owne addling hee does not present the Corinthians but the old practise upon former precept to be continued that it is ordain'd this he preacheth The power that he had f to eate and to drinke it was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Even so as that of Levies who g to take tithes had a commandement Touching those then who sub evangelio officiate for him Of whom it is witnessed that c. Aarons portion why their pay ye have the Quare the stile of the now Law warrants it to be according to the Law afore {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to be no other than even so Thus looke which way you please to the subjection due to Melchizedec or to the maintenance owed to Aaron to hoc fac or to Crede hoc to the h Law of Faith or to the Law of workes to the rule by which ye are justifyed or to the line by which ye are sanctifye of these take which ye will and of the Priests life the now dispensers of these rents how they authorized to be the takers up ye will easily discerne Or if either of these plea's the now Priests should let goe yet in the Text a hold they have impregnable when out of all danger of assault is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of the Priest the life Of a right then unto these dues i {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} those who unto you are the stewards of the mysteries of God of a title unto tenths these they can nere faile unlesse our Text faile keepe then to this and keepe up tithes when this assures you of an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} there where tithes are ever to be received for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} there in the Priesthood of the Gospell {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} There he receiveth them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth And here to our discourse a period it might be put but that other things are yet behind needfull to be observed As first 1. All this while by the Text what 's received and what 's payed it is but tithes than a tenth 't is no more Therefore as if this portion were too exceeding or that in the requiring of these we went beyond our commission that ye may not repine or what we write with a head hung downe entertaine we are further to acquaint you and as the troth is deliver it that to the Now Priests of the Gospell k tithes to be the least of that which justly they may clame but a very pittance of that greater summe in which ye all stand engaged Indeed if we looke at Scriptum est and jus strictum in respect of a part determined than a meere a bare tenth no more can be chaleng'd but if the worth of that we bring were it possible to value it how little then of that great deale ye owe would a tenth prov for consider thus much tithes the Christians gave who were afore the Law and those who were under the Law payed tithes all which had the Priest that lives in a promise onely and in a figure so much as this they imparted and all upon the beleife that he was to come now that he is come and l in giving of himselfe hath freely given all things unto us to be return'd than the wonted tenth whether there be no more judge ye In this matter to your selves I doe appeale does not Nature teach that the better ye are used the deeper ye are obliged and such as is the fare such should be the pay and that a more abounding crop should follow a more plenteous sowing and that we should receive in according to that we have laid out Bethinke your selves in the brest within have ye not a thing that to this beares witnesse But to keepe to Scripture for the legall Priests then if first fruits and tithes and what not were due to those whose m Service stood in ordinances that were carnall and all that they did tended no further than n {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to the purifying of the flesh if of such the Ministery had so ample an endowment then to him o whose blood from dead workes is able to purge the conscience that ye may serve the living God to him I say in his now Priests can a tenth be a taxe so intolerable p {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} If under the Old Testament such doings there were as these then much more should there not be under the New This quantity of Levies order to set out the excellenty it was apppointed whose Worke was but the q ministration of death and to those of our rule whose is the ministration of the spirit to us than a tenth shall there be due no more Our Priesthood then as it is r Natura praestantius dignitate eminentius ita usu fructuosius As in its nature that of Aarons it doth farre surmount and in its exercise being farre more fruitfull and in that we of the Gospell come loaded to our people with better commodities and farre more precious than those of the Law this being so in your offering to us your reverence how should it exceed that of Israel how outstrip that Quis pudor est Christianos qui debent majora non solvere paria Oh the fhame that Christians who owe more should nere be found to returne so much What shall we say Did not the Scribes and Pharisees pay tithes of all that they possest Now s Except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises from What followes God defend but except your righteousnesse c. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Deceive not your selves of these miscreants the righteousnesse how doth yours t exceed if in that ye are ever peccant wherein they were never guilty u Qnomodo superabis eum cui non aequaris In this duty if these yee doe not aequall that ye goe beyond such when will be the time that it may be found Of the Scribes and Pharises ye are yet to learne these though too bad yet to teach you truely to 〈◊〉 it wondrous and Sufficient of your profession is not this the blot that to Scribes and Pharises ye should be to go to Schoole Now then
VINDICIAE DECIMARVM OF TITHES a Plea for the IVS DIVINVM Drawne from the Text BY IOHN CARTER Diacon ECCLES. 35. 9. Dedicate thy Tithes with gladnesse Div Augustin Serm. 219. Decimae ex debito requiruntur qui eas dare noluerit res alienas invasit Isidor Hispalens in Gen. cap. 12. Patriarcha magnus decim as omnis substantiae suae Melchizedec Sacerdoti post benedictionem dedit sciens spiritualiter melius sacerdotium futurum in Populo Gentium quam Leviticum Printed at London by T. Cotes 1640. VINDICIAE DECIMARVM Of Tithes a Plea for the Divine Right Heb. 7. 8. There he receiveth them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth AS of the whole Epistle So of the Verse now read Aaron and Christ the Law and the Gospell Death and Life of it and that these the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they are the Summe In it then this Verse ye have Priesthood compar'd with Priesthood upon the a appearing of the one of the other yee have the falling downe {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} here in this Levi's dying in that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} there Melchizedec's living of the one the declining it serves to set out the dignity of the other When among many arguments of Saint Pauls this portion of Scripture it is b One by which he intimates to the Iew What a great Priest in respect of Aaron Melchizedec was that the Excellency of the Leviticall Priesthood it was nothing to that of the Messias if an Hebrew could but tell him how much for worth living did excell dying then happily hee might guesse in glory and in repute how exceedingly the Priest-hood of the Gospell doth transcend that of the Law For touching the Priesthood Iudaicall it was of no other Make than its Priests in its condition meerely mortall a Life indeed it had but such a life that was but as a span in it it's Priest were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Men that dye and this is that which the meanenesse doth denote of this Priesthood the worthlessenesse But now as for Christ c {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Consider how great this man is who is a Priest d {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for ever after the order of Melchizedec and in respect of this his eternity is infer'd over the Legall of his Priesthood the praeeminentie for this order of Melchizedec as it was afore that of Aarons so it is after when the e Mosaicall in such sort it entred in that in no wise it should abolish that of Melchizedec sed ad râ—borandum potius illustrius readendum but rather to be its Strength and in a greater lustre to set it forth for this it came in that in publishing its owne unprofitablenesse to the Excellency of that under which we are it might give a grace f and so no need for us now in point of Tithe to looke at Levi no need to urge a duty from a Law that 's dying when from the Law first in force the latter Law did no way derogate Aarons claime touching these did no way prejudice Melchizedecs right Ad tempus decimas Levitis Tithes to Levi they were but a temporary due the Men that did receive they were men that dye to â—â—em these they became dead their order once laid in its grave But now Melchizedec Christ in the text the He who receives with disconsolate Iob he could nere say g To corrupiion thou art my Father to the worme thou art my Mother h Death over him it had nere power i {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Hee made he is a Priest after the power of an endlesse life Tithes then to receive He it is who is alive for he saith it k {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Thus the eternall debt of tithes to make it good to him it is that we betake us to no other than of Christ the everduring Priesthood for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} there in the Priesthood of Melchizedec of the Gospell {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} There he receiveth them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth The Soveraigntie of Christs Priesthood in the Text over the Iewish being manifested from it's eternity jus decimarum the right too of Tithes sub Evangelio it doth manifest to be as Lasting a necessity there is of having these under the Gospell since of it's Priest we have such certainety when {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} there in the Priesthood of the Gospell Hee Melchizedec Christ receiveth Tithes of whom it is witnessed that is Witnessed by the Scriptures for so l expositors give the meaning of testatum est In the Scripture it is witnessed that he Christ Melchizedec liveth who there in the Priesthood of the Gospell receiveth Tithes Of these words therefore for the clearer handling I am to deliver them under a threefold Quaere Quis who receives Quantum how much he receives Quare why he receives 1. Quis who receives for here wee doe begin the Originall of Tithes fetch it wee must from the condition of the party whose of these was the first recept then Quis who receives Is He for his kinde of life in the Text He who receives Is He a Priest he is for He whose dues these are m {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} None but a Priest he is whose of these is the right primordiall Tithes and a Priest they are much of a standing of the * Office no sooner the appearance but unto it of the deserved reverence yee have the performance He then who receives in the Text is a Priest and is to be considered two wayes either 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the figure or for the worke sake which he underwent and by way of subserviencie and so Is He is Melchizedec who was of Christ the type the Priest presentative He receives Tithes or else consider this Priest 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the truth and of these dues as He is the Proprietarie so none but Christ who is n {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the great high Priest Is He Iesus Christ receives Tithes This the He who in the Gospell is the tithe-taker In the Law the Text {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} here 't is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Men o {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they were many Priests to whom this portion was delivered but under Grace in the Texts {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} there {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} no more than one He one Priest He who receives there is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Priest God-man He receives
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c. If of command so powerfull be the appearance then of the truth it selfe how glorious the royalty m its Majesty how perspicuous to Iesus Christ in what to him did Abraham stand bound in what verily by the current of our text in naught else but in that which he receives that is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} tithes that which Abraham owed here it is them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} He receiveth them tithes The upshot then of that which as hitherto hath beene promiscuously delivered out of this first Quaere distinctly it is but Quis and Quare 1. Quis who receives in respect of Service and assignement Melchizedec he receives but in regard of Lordship and propriety the He who receives is Christ for He is Lord of the soyle out of which these fruites are gathered of these his is the right originall tithes in the primary claime they are his who {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is the Priest to none but to him they appertaine in their primier Seizint his jus decimandi in the first tenure by way of selfe-owning and title indubitate he receives tithes who is n the Christ our Iesus This the 〈◊〉 who will satisfie you whensoere in this point ye put forth Quis. But then 2. Quare it may be demanded for what cause at first this Priest received tithes I have told you the cause why in the beginning it was no other but of Priest-hood by the payment of these that the greatnesse might be declar'd and so this of tithes is the why institutive of the Priesthood of the Gospell to set out the great honour which is due unto it to this they are appointed unto Christs Yoke the badges and tokens they are of his subjection who soere payes for this cause at first ordained that at all times by these the people might witnesse what reverent abearance they owe unto their Priest over all from whom he receives his Superiority they are to denote And this of the first Quaere in its severall branches is the Summe we proceed now to the second which we proposed in the terme II. Quantum how much this Priest received in the Text definitely set downe to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} tithes or tenths so much by Abraham was given to Melchizedec These tenths then they are to be treated on either First in respect of the things offered and so Abrahams tithes they were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} tithes of all or else Secondly in respect of the persons offering and so the Patriarchs tenth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of whatsoere his tenth was of the Chiefest it was a tenth Of these two that which must first be set before you it is that which shewes how large a spread Abrahams tithing had to all it did extend {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} o He gave unto Melchizedec a tenth part of all which is the first part of our second Quaere touching the Quantum and comes now to be handled 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of each ones goods his part who lives it is a tenth part of all for this quantity of his Priests this the claime this Melchizedec did receive this Abraham did impart of all the tenth Of any thing then you doe possesse of this portion there is no exempting with what ye are blest no stinting of Christ otherwise than he hath beene pleased to stint himselfe His command is p {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Yee ought to tithe all manner of herbes q Et Omnium decimas Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee of blessed Iacob this was the righteous vow r {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} This of Iacob by no meanes the Christian let it passe {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but what he afore the Law under Grace it is ours to doe as much decimas omnium Iacob And under the Law s 't is Omnem proventum sement is tuae Thou shalt truely tithe all the encrease of thy seed that the field bringeth forth yeare by yeare And againe the Israelites upon the charge of King Hezekiah t Copiose decimas omnium The tithe of all things brought they in aboundantly yea tithe of Oxen. T is too in the Prophet Inferte omnem decimam u Bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse which could not be all the tithe if not of all Thus precept as well as practice makes it good that the tenth his dues who receives Of whatsoere was to be tithed to be a renth implying Abrahams duty whiles to Melchizec Ex omnibus of all that religiously he might he paide tithes For x {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of all it is set downe in the largest sense and so not to be confinde by any particular That then some would have all of these and others all of those of all to be the all this their opinion passe it doth with me for the instance of the Patriarchs action not for the restraint It is not I that deny Abraham to have imparted of the spoyles a tenth y the Fathers say he did nor yet is it I who dare gaine say him to have tithed all z the goods that were his owne a when he who saith of all excludeth nothing b Decimas praeliorum a tenth of the spoyles that he got in battle that he did pay I doe beleeve it and too decimat frugum with the tithes of the fruites of the Earth that were his with these that he did present his Priest I am verily perswaded If then any say c that 1. Abraham gave these dues out of the spoyles that he gained from Chedorlaomer and those other Kings against whom he raised the warre that of all these as included the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} should be meant 't is confest for as our tithepayer jure belli d had a right to these in that they were the peculium of the Assyrian Princes whom he vanquisht so to the tithe of these in respect of him who gained them Melchizedec also had a right Or if as it pleaseth e 2. Others the spoyles to be those which Abraham recovered from the conquered Kings and were the very goods of Lot and of the Kings of Sodome and Gomorrah such there are who say these to be the all of which he paid tithes With these men so of all these spoyles might goe for one part I de joyne hands when {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is large enough to comprehend these also For consider that albeit f Abrahams Iuravi elatâ manu meâ ad Iehovam c. That himselfe would take nothing of the King of Sodome yet his vow did not tye him nor could it withhold him from