they cannot all people may see how far the Piety and Charity of Levi's Priests in his day and time did exceed these Priests of our time for then the Poor the Stranger the Fatherless and Widow were satisfied of the Tythes but now the Priests who pretend their Authority for taking Tythes from Levi do allow the Poor no share though they see them in great Want they are every day begging at our Doors But the Libeller goeth on in the Priests Vindication of having the Tythes Remember that our Lord Jesus was both a Bishop and a Priest and is said by the Author to the Hebrews Libeller to be a Priest forever after the Order of Melchizedek Rep. It s true what the Author to the Hebrews said there but he doth acquit himself of the Libeller's Charge for he doth not in that Epistle nor in any other say that its lawful for Gospel Ministers to take Tythes but in the same Chapter viz. Hebr. 7.12 in Contradiction to the Libeller he said The Priesthood being changed who had command from God to take Tythes there is made also a Necessity of the Change of the Law But it seems my Opponent hath found another Law since then which grants a Right to the Priests for Tythes made in the 9th of Hen. 3. I confess that we read of that but for my part I do not believe he had Power to repeal the Law of God which said The Priesthood was changed and there was made of Necessity a Change of the Law And for his insisting on Christ's being a Bishop and a Priest this makes nothing for him nor them for Christ did not set up Tythes but ended them neither were his Apostles inducted to any Benefices one two or three apiece but on the contrary he said Matth. 8.20 The Foxes have Holes and the Birds have Nests but the Son of Man hath not whereon to lay his Head And when he sent forth his Disciples he did not say to them that whatsoever City or Town they entered into they should settle there and be Incombent of that Place and take their Tythes of them and if they would not receive them then sue them at Law and take treble Damage But on the contrary said Freely ye have received freely give and eat what 's set before you and if they will not receive you shake off the Dust of your Feet for a Testimony against them Surely the Libeller missed chusing a Pattern for taking Tythes for Christ although he was a Bishop and Priest he took no Tythes nor his Disciples neither took none but wrought with their Hands and ministred to their own Necessity and the Necessity of o hers But after the Apostles days there was a great Apostacy among the Professed Christians for some turned to be Wolvâ—s which Christ said would come and Tore and Devoured them that kept the Testimony of Jesus and great strivâ—ng was among them about their Priests Maintenance and for setting up of TYTHES as the Reader may read at large in Frarcis Howgil's Book called THE CREAT CASE OF TYTHES and there may be seen how in the several Ages since Christ was put to Death according to the Flesh God had a People that bore their Testimony against TYTHES Soon after the Year 600. Gregoâ—y the fiâ—st who was the first Pope of Rome soon after sent Augustine the Monk to England â—ad Lib. 26. who as it s said Converted E helbert King of Kent but it was but to Popery and he and his Clergy for a long time after followed the Example of tâ—e Apostolical Primitive Church living in common upon the Free-Offerings of their Converts And from that time until Henry the 3 d no Tythes as Tythes were generally paid but only a Decree made Ex. in Bad. 663 c. that for every twenty Shillings Rent a Farding a Sunday was to be paid and this was given by way of Offering From this time until the Year 1200. all that the Priests could do brought the People no farther than to pay their Tythes at their own pleasures which made Pope Innocent the third send his Decretal Letters to the Bishop of Canterbury commanding him to enjoyn every man to pay his Temporal Goods to those that ministred spiritual Things to them which was enforced by Ecclesiastical Censure And this was the first beginning of general parochial Tythes in England this the Popes Decertal Epistle was admitted and enjoyned by the Law of the Nation King and People being then Papists The Decree of the Pope receiving all possible Assistance from the Bishops and Priests on whose behalf it was made did not only in a short time take away the Peoples right to give their Tythes to those that best deserved them but did also so much corrupt the Clergy that in the time of Richard the second Book Mart. John Wickliff our famous Reformer did make a heavy Complaint to the Parliament in the words following Ah Lord God! where this be reason to constrain the poor People to find a Worldly Priest some time unable both of Life and cunning in Pompe and Pride Gluttony and Drunkenness and Letchery in Symony and Heresie with fat Horse and Jolly and Gay Saddles and Bridles Ringing by the way and himself in costly Cloaths and Pleasures and suffer their poor Wives and Children and poor Neighbours perish for Hunger Thurst and Cold and other Mischiefs of the World Ah Lord Jesus Christ s ith within few Years men paid their Tythes and Offerings at their own free will to Good Men and able to great Worship of God to prâ—fit and fairness of holy Church fighting on Earth Why were it lawful that a Worldly Priest should destroy this holy and approved Custom constraining men to leave this Freedom turning Tythes and Offerings unto Wicked Uses Again hear him That Tythes were and are a Free Gift as among Christians and only pure Alms and the Parishioner may for the Offence of their â—urate detain keep them back Acts Men. p. 69. and bâ—stow them upon others at their own will and pleasures This was also maintained by J. Hus who was burnt for his Testimony at Constance take his own words That the Clergy are not Lords and Professors of Tythes and other Ecclesiastical Goods which are freely given but only Stewards Acts Mon. pag. 605. and after the necessity of the Clergy is once satisfied they ought to be transported to the poor and if the Clergy do abuse the same they are Thieves and Robbers and Sacriledgious persons except they do Repent by the Judgment of God they are to be condemned Will Thorp an Eminent Protestant gave a large Testimony against Tythes saying That those Priests that took Tythes Book Mart. deny Christ come in the Flesh for the Priesthood was changed that gave them At which the Bishop said God's Curse have you and mine for thus teaching Jerom of Prague William Swinderby Walter Brute Rueas Silvi in his Bohem. History the
to lay his Mouth in the Dust to see if there were hopes this was it the holy Prophets and Apostles could speak experimentally of and this is the narrow Way and strait Gate c. this was it that pricked Paul to the Heart and made him cry out Oh wretched man that I am c. and this was it which did overtake in an acceptable time these poor despised People called Quakers in our Age And whereas the Libeller in his 11. and 12. pages scurrilously tells of their Trances Distortions Quaking and Trembling comparing them to Conjurers and Bell-Founders c. Rep. That the Holy Ancients passed through such a State I have proved before and when in our day and time the Lord appeared unto us he appeared in the way of his Judgment for Sin and the powerful eternal Word of the Lord which is the Sword of the Spirit pricked many to their Hearts and I being one among them can do no less then give in my Testimony concerning the Operation or Working of the Heavenly Power it wounded as a Sword it smote like a Hammer at the whole Body of Sin in my Bowels it burned like Fire yea so dreadfully it burned that it made by Bowels boyl it pierced as a Sword it broke as a Hammer And then the Pangs of Death I felt in my Members which did make me to roar yea and to Quake and Tremble for this Fire when it burned it gave Light as its the Nature of Fire to do and it discovered to me and these poor despised People the great body of Sin and Death which was indeed terrible to behold and not only so but it discovered the narrowness of the Gate and that there was no going in thereat but by first having all that combustable Body of Sin and Death destroyed and burnt up at this time did great Terror and Amazement fall upon many and this my Opposer must come experimentally to know and witness in this Life or else his latter End will be miserable And as for his telling of a great Change within this 12. or 14. Years I say there is a Change Glory to God for the fame for many are passed from Death to Life and do witnesâ— the work of Regeneration in them and can sing the Song of Sion even the Song of Moses and the Lamb to whom by them and all the Host of Heaven be sung Halelujahs for evermore So here 's great alteration indeed Life and Immortality brought to Light through the Gospel them who were dead in Sins and Trespasses are quickened and made alive they who were Alians and Strangers to God made Fellow-Citizens of the New Jerusalem and the Prodigal Son who had been feeding among the Swine on Husks brought home into the Father's House where there 's living Bread enough yea and Wine also well refined and he saith Eaâ— Oh Friends yea drink abundantly Oh Beloved CHAP. II. of TYTHES THe Tythes Liâ—eller pag 24. the chief Cause of all his grumbling are but a Portion which God himself out of his own Word hath given such as minister about holy things Reply We do not read either in the Old or New Testament that God perpetuated the Levitical Priesthood to be in force in Gospel Times and it s my Faith in God That they who take Tythes or give Tythes in Gospel Times deny Christ come in the Flesh and so are of Antichrist my Reasons are as followeth First That the Levitical Priesthood was by it self a distinct Priesthood which Christ Jesus by offering up himself once for all hath ended Secondly That under that Priesthood the Priests were to have but a Part of the Tythes for the Poor the Stranger the Fatherless and Widows were to be maintained out of it Deut. 14.28 And at the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the Tythe of thine Increase the same year and shalt lay it up within thy Gates and the Levite because he hath no Inheritance with thee and the Stranger and the Fatherless and Widows which are within thy Gates shall come and eat and be satisfied that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the Works of thy Hands which thou dost Mark Reader the Use of Tythes in their first Institution were for the Stranger the Fatherless and Widows they weâ—e to eat and be satiâ—fied of them a very pious Use under that Dâ—spensation and the Priests had only a share with them Deut. 18. vers 1 2 3. The Priests the Levites and all thè Tribe of Levi shall have no Inheritance with Israel they shall eat the Offerings of the Lord made by Fire and his Inheritance 2. Therefore they shall have no Inheritance among their Brethren the Lord is their Inheritance as he hath said unto them 3. And this shall be the Priests due from the People for them that offer a Sacrifice whether it be Ox or Sheep they shall give unto the Priest the Sholder the two Cheeks and the Maw Now if these Priests will have it in these Gospel Dayes as it was ordered by the Levitical Law to the Priests then this Clause of the Law doth tell them what is their Due Share or Portion and what was their Due of the other Encrease is exprest in the afore-going Text the Poor the Fatherless Strangers and Widow were to eat and to be satisfied and then the Priests were to have their Due or Portion as is read in Gen. 47.22 and that Portion was Pharaoh's free Gift there was no Law to enforce treble Damage if not paid Behold the Zeal of the Libeller for Tythes which were only due under the Levitical Priesthood One would think that so zealous a Son of the Church should be prefer'd unto a Benefice if he have none as some say he hath not for he hath stood up for Tythes as stoutly as the Presbyterians did in Oliver's dayes who had then a Law to enforce them with treble Damage but although he and the Priests hold up Levi's Priesthood they have changed the course of it for in Levi's time it was to be stored up for the Poor the Stranger the Fatherless and Widow and the Priests were only to have a share of it and their share or due was of an Ox or Sheep they were to have one Sholder the two Cheeks and the Maw but now they have altered their course they have taken all the Tythes they could get to themselves and have turned the Poor the Stranger the Fatherless and Widow to beg not so much as giving them any share it had been Charity for them to have allowed them something if it had been but the Sholder or two Cheeks it had been better than nothing and since it s by Levi's Priesthood the Priests now claim their Tythes may not the Poor the Fatherless and Widows by it lay as good a Claim to it if not let the Priests or this Libeller their Agent shew us by the Scriptures of Truth when and where they were excluded if
Wicklffiians Bohemians and Waldences the first reformed Protestants gave their positive Testimony against Tythes as may be found in the Marginal Histories An Estate in Tythes was as truly and justly the Right and Property of every Incombant Canonically ordained instituted and inducted Libeller p. 26. as any thing an Honest Man can call his all which the holy Apostle justifies in 1 Cor. 6.11 12 14. Have not we says he power to forbear working And if we have sown to you Spiritual things is it a great matter if we reap your Carnal things Rep. What the Apostle sayes here agrees well with what Christ said when he sent forth his Disciples to Preach the Gospel Match 10. where he bid them make no Provision for their Journey freely ye have received freely give the work-man is worthy of his Meat Luke 10.7 8. Eat such things as are set before you In all this Commission here 's not one word of taking the Peoples Tythes but to eat what was set before them to this doth well agree what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 4. Have we not power to Eat He did not say he had Power to take Tythe nor justifie it as the Libeller saith he did and it s no wonder that he will belye me when he dare be so bold with the Apostle The Apostle only there informs the Corinthians what Power they had That they that plant a Vineyard may eat of the Fruit thereof or gathers a Flock may eat of the Milk of it he doth not say they had Power to eat of a Vineyard they had not Planted nor eat the Milk of a Flock they had not gathered much less take away the Tenth of their Labours nor did he say they had as much Right and Property to them as any honest man hath in any thing he hath Nay the Apostle yet further acquits himself of the Libellers charge for in the 12th and 15th Verses he saith If others be partakers of this Power are not we rather Nevertheless we have not used this Power but suffer all things lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ Again But I have used none of these things neither have I written these things that it should be done unto me for it were better for me to dye than any Man should make my glorying void Again the 18th Verse What is my reward then verily that I Preach the Gospel I make the Gospel of Christ without Charge By this any honest Man may see that my Adversary chose a wrong Pattern to take his measure by Pope Innocent the Third did far better suit his purpose for Paul did not lay any claim to Tythes neither doth he say he had any Right to them but on the contrary Heb. 7. he said The Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law To conclude this Chapter I have this to add that I have been a Sufferer in this matter of Tythes in Olivers dayes and all along ever since I have had them carried away Yearly and though he sayes all my Artillary is against them whom he sayes serves at Gods Altar and all my grumbling is against Tythes yet all this while I have not nor ever shall use any Artillary against them but my down-right Testimony that to give Tythes or take them is an Antichristian practice yet I with several Thousands of my dear Friends in England and Wales do patiently suffer when they are forceably taken away from us and it s my Faith in God and not mine only but the Faith of Thousands that God will in his due time remove this great Oppression and will daily more and more send forth faithful Labourers into his Work those who will be content with such Maintenance as Jesus Christ hath appointed for them whose glorying in him shall be that they make the Gospel of Christ without Charge CHAP. III. Of SCOLLARSHIP ABout which he vapours with such vehemency that he may be compared to Goliah of Gath who had a Helmet of Brass upon his Head and Coat of Male Sword and Spear with which he disdained the Shepherd's Boy with his Sling and Stone however since with his Latin and Greek he hath disdained me and defied the Host of the living God this day I will in the Name of the living God withstand him with my disdained Sling and smooth Stone which I have found in the Brook of God Libeller I do verily believe he knows not the meaning of Beatus qui protelabitur adding a Phrase in Greek adding more That neither I nor any Quaker living can tell the true meaning thereof Rep. Behold Reader how he vapours Goliah-like with his Latin and Greek saying No Quaker living can tell the true intent and meaning thereof Doth he not in this seek to limit the great God of Heaven and Earth Psalm 25.14 The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Mark this man of God makes no Respect of Persons nor doth he limit God either to Mens Wisdom or Schollarship Luke 8.10 Vnto you it is given to know the Mysteries of God's Kingdom but to others in Parables Mark the Mysteries of God's Kingdom were revealed to these poor Mechanick Men but were hid from Herod and Pilate and the Chief Priest with all their Hebrew Greek and Latin 1 Cor. 1.21 The World by Wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 2.11 For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Mark people how Christ and the holy men of God tell you that its the Spirit of God that must make you knowing in the things of God 1 Cor. 1.27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of this World to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the World to confound the mighty and base things of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things that are not to bring to nought the things that are that no flesh should glory in his Presence If so why was this man so vain in his Imagination that neither I nor no Quaker living could tell the meaning of those Scripture words he mentions however if he remain in the same belief all his dayes that neither I nor no Quaker living can tell the meanâ—ng thereof I can tell him also that neither he nor any of the wisest men in the World with all their Wisdom and Schollarship can tell the meaning of them for they are the things of God and none can know them but by the Spirit of God I will subjoyn some few Testimonies for confirmation of my Judgement in this Point the first is that of Pharaoh's Dreams Gen. 41. all his Magicians Wise Men and Schollars failed and poor Mechanick Joseph by the Spirit of God made it known Dan. 4.7 You may read there how the King made a large Tryal of all the Schollars and Wise Mâ—â— of Babylon but there it failed