by the Vulgar Can it be thought says he that he gave Tythes of the Best Parts only How stands that with Giving Tythes of All Very well i. e. By Giving Tythes of All out of the Best Parts which was the Custom And it was thought a Neglect of God to Pay His Tythe out of the Worst Parts and not out of the very Best And Mr. Selden owns that the Syriack and Arabick Translations of Heb. vij 2. are Expresly so i. e. That Abram gave Melchisedec the Tythe not only of the Spoils but of All that he had And that this was the Ordinary Gloss of Solomon Jarchi upon these Words in Gen. xiv 20. Against all which he opposes That Josephus and the Targum of Jonathan Ben-Vziel say that Abram gave to Melchisedec the Tythe of the Spoils But this is no Contradiction to the other For if he gave him Tythes of All that he had he gave the Tythe of the Spoils likewise III. Mr. Selden c. 1. n. 2. squints an Objection against Abram and Jacob's Paying Tythe as supposing them to be Priests He supposes Melchisedec to have been Sem and consequently an Elder and a Superiour Priest to Abram But perhaps he thought it Inconsistent for one Priest to pay Tythe to another Priest though of a Superiour Order And hence wou'd not have it thought that Abram paid Tythe though he gave a Tenth Part i. e. that he did not give it under the Notion of Tythe or a Tribute Due to Melchisedec as his Superiour But the Superiority of Melchisedec above Abram is largely Argu'd Heb. vij And under the Law Num. xviij 26. the Levites were to Pay a Tenth of their Tythe to the High-Priest And if in this Sense Abram upon Mr. Selden's Supposition pay'd Tythe to Melchisedec â—hen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. vij 4. is Literally the Tenth of the Tythe for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as before observ'd signifies Tythe And so rarely does it signifie Spoils that except in this Text if it â—e so meant there Mr. Selden can â—nd but one Instance amongst the Greek Authors where it is taken for Spoils at least this must be Granted that Spoils is but a strain'd and â—ery unusual Signification of the Word And Abram supposing him 〈◊〉 Priest paying Tythe to Melchisedec argues the Superiority of the Priesthood of Melchisedec after which Order of Priesthood and not after the Order either of Abraham or Aaron ouâ— Lord Christ was Consecrated And this will Infer all that the Apostle aâ—gues from Abram's Payment of Tythe to Melchisedec Heb. vij as much aâ— if Abram were then a Lay-Man And he might then be a Lay-Man though he were a Priest afterwards For he was then only Abram it wâ—â— before the Covenant God made with him and the Alteration thereupon of his Name into Abraham Gen. xvâ— whereby he was constituted The Fâ—ther of the Many Nations of the Faithful to come But these Things concern not our Present Enquiry Theâ—â—fore let us Proceed IV. The Second Instance abovâ— mention'd for Tythes Gen. xxviij 22. is that of Jâ—cob Against which it is Objecteâ— That this was only a Vow Answ It was a Vow Jacob. But not theâ—â—fore only a Vow Men often aâ— most commonly Vow that which 〈◊〉 their Duty to do without Respect 〈◊〉 the Vow As to Vow to serve Gâ—â— more faithfully than we have done before Thus in this same Vow of Jacob's he Vows that The Lord shall be his God Will any say that The Lord was not his God before And indeed this of Dedicating the Tythe to God was no more than a further Declaration that the Lord was his God Because Offering of Tythe was a Part of the Worship of God And therefore Jacob did by this Declare that The Lord only should be his God because he would Offer his Tythe only unto Him It was the Custom of the Nations among the Heathen to Offer their Tythes to the God whom they Ador'd And therefore some Offer'd their Tythes to One and some to Another of their False Gods But Jacob here Vows to The only True God That He only shall be his God and that he will Offer his Tythes to none other God but to Him alone For to whom we Dedicate the Tythe we acknowledge to have Receiv'd the other Nine Parts from him of which the Offering of the Tenth is 〈◊〉 solemn Acknowledgment And the Vowing or Dedicating them though Due before was Customary with the Jews as well as the Heathen for so it is commanded Ecclusâ— xxxv 9. Dedicate thy Tythes with Gladness And none will say that they were not Due among the Jews eveâ— before their Dedication of them SECT VII That the Gentiles did Pay Tytheâ— to their Gods I. THE Great Opposer of Tytheâ— the Learned Mr. Selden cannot Deny this But in his Histoâ—â— of Tythes cap. 3. he Endeavours tâ— Lessen this as much as he can bâ— offering some of his Conjectures 1. That they were Pay'd only by Particular Vows 2. Not by any Law Enjoining them 3. Not Generally 4. Not Yearly 5. Only to some Particular God as among the Romans to Hercules c. 6. Only of some Particular Things not of all our Increase of every sort In every one of which Particulars he has been sufficiently Confuted by several Learned Answers which have been made to that Book of his Dr. Comber last of all has Collected these and added to them And put that Matter I think past a Reply But I intend not to trouble the Reader with a Repetition of any of these Because what Mr. Selden himself allows is abundantly sufficient to my Present Purpose And indeed to Confute himself in every one of these Heads to which I have reduc'd all his Pretences whereby he Endeavours to invalidate the Practice of the Gentiles from being a Testimony to the Divine Right of Tythes For However they paid their Tythe 1. Whether of Every thing or only of Some sorts of their Encrease 2. Whether to one or to more of their Gods 3. Whether Annually or Occasionally 4. Whether Generally or only the Devouter sort 5. Whether thereunto Requir'd by their Municipal Laws or not Or 6. Whether with or without a Particular Vow Yet this remains uncontroverted upon either side of these Questions That the Notion of Tythes as being due unto some God or other was receiv'd among the Gentiles and that time out of Mind which is all the Use 〈◊〉 have at Present to make of thiâ— Custom or Tradition of the Gentiles And of which I will shew the Forâ—â— in summing up the Evidence In the mean time let me enlargâ— so far as to shew the Reader how fâ—â— Selden himself do's yield the Cause iâ— all these Captious Questions which hâ— puts in Prejudice to the Divine Rigâ—â— of Tythes II. But first I must obviate a Mistaâ—â— which may arise from the Use of thâ— word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First-fruits For thâ—â— in the Levitical sense of the word 〈◊〉 is distinguished from
of Tythe It is in the first place very Evident Thaâ— a Tenth Part of all Increase was Reserv'd as such under the Law Anâ— that it was to be offer'd to the Priests not only as a Maintenance to them but as an Offering unto the Lord iâ— the same Nature as other Offerings anâ— Sacrifices Num. xviij 24. The Tythes of the Childreâ— of Israel which they offer as an Heavâ—â— Offering unto the Lord. All the Tythe of the Land Lev. xxvij 30. whether 〈◊〉 the Seed of the Land or of the Fruit 〈◊〉 the Trees is the Lord's it is Holy unto the Lord. Thither shall ye bring your Burnt-Offerings Deut. xij 6. and your Sacrifices and your Tythes and Heave-Offerings of your Hands and your Vows and your Free-Will-Offerings and the Firstlings of your Herds and of your Flocks Here the Tythes are reckon'd in the same Rank with the Sacrifices and other Offerings and Vows as Holy unto the Lord As they are again Deut. xxvj 13. where they are called The Hallowed Things And hence the Substraction of Tythes is called a Robbing of God and that equally with the Substracting of the other Offerings of the Lord. Will a Man Rob God Mal. iij. 8 9. Yet ye have Robbed Me But ye say Wherein have we Robbed Thee In Tythes and Offerings Ye are Cursed with a Curse for ye have Robbed me even this whole Nation SECT VI. A Tenth Requir'd before the Law shewn in Abram and Jacob. BUT now it Remains to be known whether this was a Particular Institution only to the Jews under the Law Or whether it had a more Ancient Rise And how Ancient That it was before the Law it is Evident from the Example of Abram Gen. xiv 20. who Paid Tythes to Melchisedec and of Jacob Ch. xxviij 22. who Vow'd his Tythes to God I. But ther are Objections against these two Instances 1. As to Melchisedec It is said Abram That the Tenth Part which Abram gave to Melchisedec was not any thing that was Due to Melchisedec nor given to him under the Notion of Tythe nor to him as he was a Priest but that it was only a Voluntary Boon or Gratuity which Abram gave to him and that it might have been an Eighth a Ninth a Twelfth a Fifteenth or any other Part Abram had Pleas'd Answ All this Pretence is overthrown by what is said in the vij Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews where Ver. 4. the Apostle argues the Greatness of Melchisedec above Abram from Abram's Paying of Tythes to him Now Consider saith the Text how Great this Man was unto whom even the Patriarch Abram gave the Tenth of the Spoils But if it had been only a Gratuity or Free Gift from Abram it wou'd have argu'd the Greatness of Abram above Melchisedec for the Giver is Greater than the Receiver But when any thing is paid as a Tribute or a Rent Due it argues the Greatness of the Receiver above that of the Payer And therefore unless Abram paid his Tythe to Melchisedec as a Tribute Due to him the Apostle's Argument is so far from being Conclusive that it operates quite Contrary to that Inference which the Apostle made from it and Proves the Greatness of Abram above Melchisedec whereas the Apostle in this Verse and Ver. 7. puts it without all Contradiction that Abram was the Less and Melchisedec the Greater and the Better And this was not a Personal Comparison betwixt them but the Preference given to Melchisedec was in respect of his Character because he was a Priest whose Office it was to Bless in the Name of the Lord. Thence St. Paul argues That without all Contradiction the Less is Blessed of the Better Again Ver. 9. The Apostle argues the Preference of the Melchisedecal Priesthood before that of Levi because Levi in his Father Abram paid Tythes to Melchisedec Here 1. it is Establish'd that those who RECEIVE Tythes are Greater and of Higher Dignity than those who PAY the Tythes to them 2. It is hence made Manifest That the Tythe which Abram paid to Melchisedec was Paid in the true Notion of Tythe as Tythe and a Tribute which was Due to Melchisedec as he was Priest of the Most High God For if it had not been Paid as Tythe how cou'd Levi have been said to have Paid Tythes in Abram And the Word is observable v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Melchisedec Tythed Abram i. e. Put him under Tythe or Exacted it from him as his Due The Vulgar Translates it Decimas sumpsit ab Abram He Took Tythes from Abram 3. And because it was Part of the Priest's Office to Receive The Lord's Tythe a Receiver of Tythe and a Priest are Terms Synonimous Thus in this same Chapter Heb. vij it is said v. 8. Here Men that Die Receive Tythe that is Under the Law the Priests were Mortal and therefore ther was a Necessity of their succeeding one another But there that is in the Case of Christ Typify'd by Melchisedec He i.e. Christ Receiveth them Tythes of whom it is witnessed that he Liveth i. e. Liveth for Ever and so is not to be succeeded by any other High-Priest And He Ever Liveth to Receive our Tythe for Ever that is for Ever to be our High-Priest for a Priest and a Receiver of Tythe are here made to be the same He Christ Receiveth them the Tythes that is in the Language of this Text He Christ is our Priest And in Repeating the same thing over again Ver. 23. the Word Priests is put for those who are call'd Receivers of Tythe in the 8th Verse for speaking of the Mortality of the High-Priests of the Tribe of Levi it is express'd thus in the 8th Verse Here Men that Die Receive Tythes And Ver. 23. it is thus worded They were many Priests because they were not suffer'd to Continue by reason of Death And then when in the Comparison the Eternity of the Priesthood of Christ is set forth it is said Ver. 24. Because He continueth Ever He hath an Vn-Changeable Priesthood Which is Expressed Ver. 8. by saying That He Ever Liveth to Receive Tythes Which is the same as being a Priest as the Text runs But there He Christ Receiveth them Tythes of whom it is witnessed that He Liveth So that as a Sacrificer and a Priest are the same because none have a Right to Sacrifice but the Priests a Receiver of Tythes is as Synonimous to a Priest for the same Reason because none other but the Priests only have any Right or Title to Receive the Tythes of God For as beforesaid Tythes are Part of the Offerings to God Part of his Worship and therefore to be Paid as such into the Hands of his Priests only as all other of His Offerings and Sacrifices were This shews the Folly of those who wou'd have these Tythes paid to Melchisedec as King and not as Priest Because he is call'd King of Salem as well as Priest of the Most
Dionis Halicar l. 1. shews how the Pelasgi in Vmbria were punished with a Barren year for not Paying of their Tythe and that upon their afresh vowing the Tythe of All their Profits to the Gods that Judgment was Remov'd This is sufficient at least to shew the Notion of the Heathen in this Point II. But it is more Authentick to see how God Punished this Neglect of Tythe among the Jews And we find this to have born a Great Part in the most Remarkable Judgments that befel them 1. The Captivity of the 10 Tribes was in the Reign of Hezekiah King of Judah And we find by the Reformation which Hezekiah made aâ—â—â—r that as well in Israel as Judah 2 Chr. xxxi that the Payment of their Tythes had been Greatly Neglected the Restoring of the Tythe being a Main Branch of that Reformation And therefor ther is no Doubt but that the Neglect of paying their Tythe had a Main weight as in the Excision of the Ten Tribes so in the Captivity of Judah which soon after followed This farther appears in the Reformation of Nehemiah after the Captivity Wherein they Promised Amendment of those things which they had formerly Neglected and for which Neglect that Captivity was sent upon them They particularly Remember the Neglect of the Sabbatical year and the year of Release before mentioned and Promise the future observance of them Neh. x. 31. and after to the end of that Chapter ther is Large Mention and Renewed Promises as to the Due and Exact payment of their Tythes which makes it plain that as the Sabbatical year and the year of Release so the Tythes had been Neglected and that for such Neglect they had been Punished with that Long Captivity And as the Land had Rest for 70 years together to fulfil so many Sabbatical years as they had Neglected which is shewn before Sect. i. pag. 11. So were they deprived of the Whole Profits of the Land who had Neglected to Pay The Lord His Tenth Part. III. But after their Return from the Captivity they fell again into a new Neglect of Paying their Tythe for which an Heavier Curse fell upon them than before A vise Prostitution of their Priesthood and Greater Corruption in Doctrine and Manners than ever formerly as appears in the History of the Maccabees and afterwards to the time of our Blessed Saviour when they were totally subjected to the Romans at whose Pleasure their Priesthood was Changed made Annual and Arbitrary and their whole Service rendred Precarious By their Doctrines of Corban and such like they had made the Commands of God of None Effect as our Blessed Saviour Reprehended them Their Scribes and Pharisees were Hypocrites blind Guides Serpents Matt. xxiij and a Generation of Vipers Their Chief Priests and Elders took Council against Jesus Mistook and Murder'd their Messiah This was the Heaviest of Curses They entail'd the Guilt of His Blood upon them and their Children which lies upon them to this Day in a Dispersion to the four Winds of now near 1700 years standing a much Greater Judgment if they would Reflect upon it than their 70 years Captivity in Babylon for their former Idolatries and Praevarications But as to our Present Subject was ther any thing Remarkable as to the Non-Payment of their Tythes before our Saviour's Coming that might be reckon'd to have its share in that Hardness of Heart which prov'd their Destructon Yes Godwyn shews from the Jewish Authors in his Moses and Aaron l. 6. c. 3. p. 253. that ther had been a Great Neglect among them in the Payment of their Tythe And this Encreased more and more upon them insomuch that as they tell Us for about 130 years before our Saviour's Incarnation This Corruption so Prevail'd that the People in a Manner Neglected All Tythe But we have an Higher Authority than even these Jewish Authors against themselves that is the Last of their Prophets after the Captivity who Charges this of the Non-Payment of their Tythe as the Great Curse which lay upon them And therefor must have a Pincipal weight in the forenam'd Dreadful Judgments which fell upon them Hear his own words Will a Man Rob God yet ye have Robbed me But ye say wherein have we Robbed Thee in Tythes and Offerings Ye are Cursed with a Curse for ye have Robbed Me even this whole Nation Mal. iij. 8 9. IV. Let us now Descend to the Times of Christianity It has been told before of the Great Devotion of the Primitive Christians in Giving not only the Tenth but All of them much more Many even All that they had to the service of God But this wore away and they began to Grudge the very Tenth Soon after which in the beginning of the Fifth Century ther came a Dreadful Revolution The Goths and Vandals were let loose like an Impetuous Torrent which over-ran many Nations and Ruin'd many Christian Churches that never found an after Settlement Among the rest the Vandals sack'd Hippo in Africa A. D. 429. Immediately after the Death of St. Augustine who was Bishop of that City He as it were standing in the Gap and keeping off the Vengeance from them while he liv'd And in his Admonitions to them he laid a Particular stress upon their Neglect of the Payment of their Tythe as a Main Cause of the Miseries which had overtaken them Especially of their Poverty occasion'd by the Heavy Taxes which were extorted from them to carry on that War in which they were ingaged And he observes to them That God by this was exacting Double from them for those Tythes which they had Neglected to Pay to Him Majores nostri says he Hom. 48. ideo Copiis omnibus abundabant quia Decimas dabant Caesari censum reddebant Modo autem quia discessit Devotio Dei accessit Indictio Fisci Nolumus partiri cum Deo Decimas modo autem Totum tollitur Hoc tollit Fiscus quod non accipit Christus i. e. Our Forefaihers abounded in Plenty because they Gave to God and Caesar their Due That is Tythes to God and Tribute to their King But now because our Devotion towards God is ceas'd the Imposition of Taxes is Encreas'd We wou'd not share with God in Giving Him the Tenth and now behold the whole is taken from Vs The EXCHEQVER has swallowed that which we Refus'd to Give to CHRIST V. How Literally has this been our Case I wish that we may Reflect upon it It is about 150 years since we have seiz'd upon the Tythes of God And we have been of Late Paying the Arrears of it by Wholesale Dis-Gorging by Millions those Sacrilegious Vsurpations which we have been sucking in all that time And God has Empty'd them from Us into Foreign and Popish Nations For we knew not that He gave us Corn Hos ij 8 9. and Wine and Oyl and Multiply'd our Silver and our Gold which we have Prepared for Baal Therefor has He Recover'd it out of our hands We thought