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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	aaron_n	abraham_n	word_n	15	3	3.0512	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91192	A Gospel plea (interwoven with a rational and legal) for the lawfulnes & continuance of the ancient setled maintenance and tenthes of the ministers of the Gospel: proving, that there is a just, competent, comfortable maintenance due to all lawfull painfull preachers and ministers of the Gospel, by divine right, institution, and expresse texts and precepts of the Gospel: that glebes and tithes are such a maintenance, & due to ministers by divine right, law and Gospel: that if subtracted or detained, they may lawfully be inforced by coercive laws and penalties: that tithes are no reall burden nor grievance to the people; the abolishing them, no ease or benefit to farmers, husband-men, or poor people, but a prejudice and losse. That the present opposition against tithes, proceeds not from any reall grounds of conscience, but base covetousnesse, carnall policy, &c. and a Jesuiticall and Anabaptisticall designe, to subvert and ruin our ministers, Church, religion. With a satisfactory answer to all cavils and materiall objections to the contrary. By William Prynne of Swainswick, Esq;	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1653 (1653)	Wing P3971; Thomason E713_12; ESTC R203238; ESTC R26600	128,273	175

world Gen. 2. 2 3 4 5. That Cain being a tiller of the ground brought of the fruites of the ground an offering to God and that Abel being a feeder of sheep he also brought of the firstlings of his flocke and the fat thereof for an Offering unto the Lord. And as most conceive their father Adam did before them by whose precept and example they did it And after them we read that Noah built an Altar unto the Lord and tooke of every clean beast and of every clean fowl and offered burnt-offerings on the Altar when he went out of the Arke Gen. 8. 20. which he and his ancesters from the Creation in all probality usually practised though not specially recorded by Moses no more then many other memorable accidents and actions for brevity sake Now these clean Beasts and Fowles which he sacrificed entring into the Arke by sevens that is seven of every sort Gen. 7. 2 3. he offered one of each kinde at least and so one of seven unto God who consecrated and reserved one day of seven from the Creation to himselfe What proportion of their goods Abraham Isaac and Jacob offered on their erected altars in sacrifice to God is not expressed though probably it was such as God afterwards prescribed the Israelites their posterity not long after by his written law in Moses time augmented upon any extraordinary emergent occasion though never diminished from its usuall rate And for the Priests encouragement directed by the very dictate of Nature and Reason in forming them That every Labourer was worthy of some competent hire as Christ resolves Mat. 10. 10. Luke 10. 17. they pitched upon the tenth of their encrease and gaines of every kinde as a competent and fitting allowance guided therein by divine inspiration as is most probable if not infallible it being the self-same proportion God himself afterwards prescribed and ratifyed by his own written law in the old Testament and approved in the new as I shall manifest by these ensuing Scriptures 1. That Tithes were paid and vowed to God by the religious Patriarchs before the Aaronicall Priest-hood instituted or Leviticall law given is undeniable by two Scripture instances the first of them is thus recorded Gen. 14. 17 18 19 20. That Abraham returning victoriously from the slaughter of Chederlaomer and the Kings that were with him Melchisedec King of Salem met him and brought forth bread and wine and he was THE PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD and he blessed him and said Blessed be Abraham of the most high God possessor of heaven and earth and blessed be the most high God which hath delivered thy Enemies into thy hand AND HE GAVE HIM TENTHES OF ALL. This History is thus recited and amplifyed in the new Testament Heb. 6. 20. 7. 1 c. Jesus made an higb Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec King of Salem PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him TO WHOM ABRAHAM GAVE A TENTH PART OF ALL first being by interpretation King of righteousnesse and after that also King of Salem which is King of peace without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life but made like unto the Son of God abideth a Priest continually Now consider how great this man was unto whom even the Patriarch Abraham GAVE THE TENTH OF THE SPOYLES And VERILY they that are of the Sonnes of Levi who receive the office of the Priest-hood HAVE A COMMANDEMENT TO TAKE TITHES OF THE PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THE LAW that is of their brethren though they come out of the loynes of Abraham But he whose descent is not counted from them RECEIVED TITHES OF ABRAHAM and blessed him that had the Promises And without all contradition the lesse is blessed of the letter And here MEN THAT DIE RECEIVE TITHES but there he RECEIVED THEM of whom it is witnessed that he liveth And as I may so say Levi also WHO RECEIVETH TITHES PAID TITHES IN ABRAHAM For he was yet in the loynes of his Father when Melchisedec met him If therefore perfection were by the Leviticall Priest-hood for under it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priest-hood should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron For the Priest-hood being changed there is of necessity a change also of Law c. I shall draw my Observations and Arguments concerning Tithes from both these Scriptures recited and then answer the maine if not sole Scripture objected against Tithes drawne from the close of the Apostles words 1. It is undeniable from these Texts that Abraham the Father of the faithfull is the first person we read of who gave and paid Tithes recorded both in the old Testament and new for his greater honour and the imitation of all the faithfull 2. That he gave and paid Tithes to Melchisedec the first Priest of the most high God mentioned in sacred writ Who this Melchisedec should be there is great controversie among the Learned some affirming him to be Sem others a Canaanitish King and Priest of that Name and Dr. Griffith Williams very probably and strongly arguing him to be Christ himselfe then appearing to Abraham in his humane shape I shall not decide the Controversie certaine it is he was either Christ himselfe or rather a reall Type of Christs and his eternall Priest-hood as the Apostle oft resolves 3. That he was a Priest of a far ancienter better and more excellent order then the Leviticall Priest-hood and that this payment of Tithes was long before the Law given by Moses for payment of Tithes to the Leviticall Priests and before their order instituted Therefoore Tithes ar● not meerly nor originally in their nature Jewish or Leviticall as some rashly now averre nor eternally abolished as such by Christs incarnation and Priest-hood they being originally paid and given not the Leviticall Priests but to M●lchisedec who was either Christ himsel●e or a Type of him and his Priest-hood not of Aarons 4. That this Melchisedec as he had neither beginning of dayes so he had no end of life but was made like the Son of God and abideth a Priest CONTINUALLY in respect of the truth he typifyed as Christ himselfe doth of whom he was a Type who hath an endlesse life and because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priest-hood and is by the very oath of God MADE A PRIEST FOR EVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC Heb. 6. 20. 7. 3 8 13 15 16 17 21 24 25. Psal 110. 4. Therefore Tithes being first paid to such an everliving everlasting unchangeable Priest and Priest-hood for the execution thereof may and ought to continue and abide for ever as long as the Priest and Priest-hood do and if so then Tithes are still due and payabIe to the Ministers of Christ under the Gospell by all the Spirituall seed of

white already to harvest And HE THAT REAPETH RECEIVETH WAGES and gathereth fruit unto eternall life c. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour c. Which may be aptly paralleld with and interpreted by Matth. 9. 37 38. Then said he our Savour unto his Disciples The harvest truely is plenteous but the LABORERS are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth LABORERS INTO his harvest Which when he did he agreed with them all for a certain stipend by the day and when the evening was come he sa●d unto his Steward Call the LABORERS and GIVE THEM THEIR HIRE beginning from the last unto the first Mat. 20. 1 to 15. as is there parabolically expressed From which Texts and words of our Lord and Saviour Christ himself it is most apparent 1. That the Apostles Preachers and Ministers of the Gospell are and ought to be diligent painfull Labourers in Christs spirituall harvest not idle loiterers 2. That they were not obliged but expresly prohibited to provide gold silver brasse scrips shoes clothes bread meat drink lodging and other necessaries at their own free cost when they were commissioned and sent forth to preach the Gospell as some now would enforce them to for this very reason That being Labourers in the Lords own harvest for the eternall salvation of mens soules they were worthy to receive them as hire and wages from those to whom they preached 3. That our Saviour Christ himselfe at the very originall institution and first mission of his 12. Apostles and after of the 70. Disciples to preach the Gospell thrice one after another expresly resolves in positive termes That they are worthy of their meat hire wages for their Labour in the Gospell and so by consequence all other lawfull Labouring Ministers that diligently preach the Gospell are worthy of the like at this day and neither of them obliged to preach the Gospell freely without any recompence as some Seducers now pretend 4. That meat drink clothes lodging and a competent maintenance are as truely and justly due to the true Labouring Ministers of the Gospell from the people and that of pure common naturall yea Gospell right and justice not as meer arbitrary Charity or Benevolence but as merited HIRE and WAGES as much as any deserved hire or wages are due to any other hired servant or labourer whatsoever by common justice and the law of God Gen. 29. 15. Exod. 2. 9. Levit. 19. 13. Deut. 24. 14 15. Mat. 20. 1 to 16. Joh. 4. 36. Or as well as pay or wages are justly due to the best deserving Officers and Souldiers Luke 3. 14. Ezek. 28. 18 19. and that by Christs own trebled resolution recorded by the Evangelists for the greater evidence and conviction who emphatically by way of reason applies these words only to his Apostles and Ministers For the Labourer is worthy of his meat hire wages they being the most divine excellent usefull necessary Labourers of all others and that in matters of highest concernment in relation both to God and Men Therefore of all other labourers they are most worthy of a honourable comfortable certain hire salary reward for their support and encouragement 5. Hence it followes by necessary consequence and let those who are guilty consider it seriously in the fear of God with trembling and astonishment that the opposing oppressing defrauding the Ministers of the Gospell in their deserved setled hire wages or the detaining all or any part of their ancient just established Dues Tithes or Revenues from them especially out of covetousnesse spite obstinacy or malice against their very callings is as great as crying as damnable a sinne oppression unrighteousnesse and will bring down as gri●vous curses plagues judgements on all those who are culpable thereof as the defrauding oppression of the hired servant or labourer of or in his hire or detaining their wages from them when due as will undenyably appear by Deut. 24. 14 15. Levit. 19. 13. Gen. 31. 7. Mal. 3. 5. Jam. 4. 1 to 5. compared with Mal. 3. 8 9 10 11. Nehem. 13. 10. 11. and a sin against all these Scriptures which all detainers of Ministers Dues and Tithes may do well to read and ponder IV. The truth of this Proposition is ratifyed by the Apostle Pauls resolution who thus prosecutes our Saviours forecited words and seconds his argument in 1 Tim. 5. 17 18. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially THOSE THAT LABOUR IN THE WORD AND DOCTRINE For the Scripture saith Deut. 25. 4. Thou shalt not muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the Corn. And THE LABOURER IS WORTHY OF HIS HIRE relating to Mat. 10. 10. and Luke 10 7. forecited In which words the Holy Ghost by the Apostle positively asserts 1. That the Elders and Ministers that rule well especially such of them who labour in the Word and Gospell are really worthy of double honour from the people which double honour Interpreters generally resolve to be 1. Due reverence love and countenance 2. A competent liberall maintenance and reward Or as some conceive a double salary and allowance to what others receive as a just honourable reward for their labour which is here intended by the words double honour extending as well to an honourable salary and reward as to due reverence and respect as is clear by the two Texts herein cited to prove it by the 3 16. verses of this very Chapter and Rom. 13. 1 6 7. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Prov. 3. 9. compared together 2. That the people ought to count them worthy of this double honour and to render it unto them 3. He ratifyes and proves this not only by his own Apostolicall authority but likewise by two oth●r Texts of Scripture the one taken out of the old Testament Deut. 25. 4. which proves that the Texts and Precepts for the just dues and maintenance of the Priests in the old Testament are still in force and not abrogated so far as they are morall and judiciall and therefore may be still aptly urged for proof of our Ministers due maintenance under the Gospell The other out of the new Testament Mat. 10. 10. Luke 10. 7. From both which the force of the Apostles argument stands thus The Elders who labour in the Word and Gospell have as just as naturall as morall legall equitable a right and meritorious due to a liberall maintenance salary reward or double honour as he styles it as the Ox that treadeth out the Corne hath to eat of the Corne and straw he treads out or as any other hired labourer whatsoever hath to his hire they being the best and eminentest of all other labourers with the especiall application of Deut. 25. 4. and of this very sentence here again to them The labourer is worthy of his hire imports Therefore for any people witting●y or wilfully to detain or defraud them thereof is as great an injustice cru●lty sin and unrighteousnesse

giddy-headed people and stript of a competent setled maintenance independent of the vulgars or Superiors meer wils and pleasures which will render both their Persons Words Doctrine and Ministry contemptible and lesse authoritative to the people For the Scripture informes us That poor men are lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 18. 23. and therefore David couples these together Psal 119. 141. I am poor or small in estate and despised And Solomon informes us That the poor useth intreaties speaks not with authority like the richer sort Prov. 18. 23. That the poor is hated even of his own neighbour separated from him despised by him and that all the brethren of the poor do hate him how much more do his friends go far from him though he pursueth them with words yet are they wanting to him Prov. 14. 20. 19. 4. 7. Yea he resolves Eccles 9. 15 16. That a poor mans wisdome is despised and his words are not heard and that no man remembred or regarded that poor wise man who by his wisdome delivered the small city that was beseiged by a great King Neither is this old Testament but Gospell truth likewise Jam. 2. 2 3 5 6. If there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring in goodly apparell and there come in also a poor man in vile rayment ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and say to him sit thou here in a good place and say to the poor stand thou there or sit here under my footstool Hearken my beloved Brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heires of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him But YE HAVE DESPISED THE POOR a fault still common in the world Poor indigent Ministers as well as Saints though rich in faith are alwayes generally contemptible to the greatest part of men and their very poverty makes not only their persons but words and Doctrine to be slighted and despised as these Scriptures and experience manifest Wherefore a competent setled maintenance and revenue is not only just but necessary to add more r●verence esteem and authority to their Exhortations rebukes words and preserve their persons callings Doctrine from contempt and scorne in the eyes and ears of men Who though they ought to know them which labour among them and are over them in the Lord and admonish them and to esteem them very highly in love for their workes sake 1 Th●ss 5. 12 13. Yet by reason of their inbred pride and corruption will be very averse to do it if they be very poor indigent and living like beggers upon almes and charity as our new Reformadoes would have them XI Ministers of the Gospell must not seek to please men but God for if they yet pleased men they should not be the servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. Neither must they corrupt the Word as many do to humour the Iusts wils or countenance and carry on the unrighteous cove●ous ambitious oppressive bloudy or treacherous designes of wicked men fasting yea preaching praying for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse Esa 58. 4. But as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God must they speak in Christ 2 Cor. 2. 17. Now a just comp●tent setled maintenance independent on the Governours Magistrates or peoples wils and pleasures such as was the Priests and Levit●s under the Law enjoyed by divine institution is the best means and preservative to keep Ministers from being Men-pleasers flatterers time-servers and corrupters of the word of God to humour men a great inducement to them to preach the word of God sincerely and to rebuke and exhort with all authority Whereas a poor beggerly mean dependent Minister whose whole maintenance and subsistence must only rest upon the arbitrary wils of persons in highest present power who may out 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 and favour those by and from whom they have their Livelihood then to please God and fitting their preaching and praying to their opinions tempers factions parties designes holding alwayes with the prevailing strongest party and wresting the Scriptures to support their very errors vices sins and most unrighteous treacherous perfidious oppressing practises and bloudy usurpations not daring to displease them as Ecclesiasticall 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 Quen Elizabeths reigns when our Religion suffred so many publick alterations and most Ministers theu changed their peoples Opinion 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 heire 1 King 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 La●ds 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 Idol-Priests for the Calves 2 Chron. 11. 13 14 15. Which became sin unto the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth God deliver us of th●s Nation from the like Atheisticall Jeroboam-like policy and practise 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 wh●le Kingdome of Israel XII All Christians are commanded Gal. 6. 10. As they have opportunity to do good to all men to relieve their wants especially to the houshold of faith Therefore they are in an especiall manner bound to do good to their Ministers in maintaining them 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 yon 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 the want 2. That this is so

other places or suffering for the Gospell in bonds and prisons if their necessities so require 2. That they ought not only barely to supply their necessities when they are in want but in such a plentifull manner that they may truly say We abound and are full blesse God for rejoyce in their peoples liberality pray God for a blessing upon them and theirs 3. That in cases of necessity when the wants of the Apostles Ministers and Saints of God require it Christians are only not bound to pay them the Tithes of their Lands and other setled Dues but even to sell their very Lands Houses Estates and lay them down at the Apostles and Ministers f●●t for their common supply as the primitive Christians did they being not reall proprietors but meer Stewards of their worldly estates which as they all proceed from Gods hand gift blessing so they are still Gods own not mans and therefore in such cases to be chearfully expended for the maintenance and supply of the necessities of his Ministers servants worship 1 Chron. 29. 11 12 14 15 16 17. 1 Tim. 6. 17 18 19. 4. That the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospell is not meer pious Almes as some have held but wages which though Paul for some speciall reasons received not from the Corinthians yet he did from other Churches under the name of wages 5. That niggardlinesse and not contributing towards the maintenance of painfull Ministers is a shame infamy and dishonour to a Church and people making them inferiour to all other Churches 6. That peoples liberall and bountifull contributing to the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell is a great joy comfort encouragement to them and a means to enlarge their hearts in prayers to God for spirituall and temporall blessings on them and their housholds 7. That bountifull and chearfull contributions to the Apostles and Ministers of Christ is not only a well doing or good work but an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing unto God though it stinks in the nosthrils of many covetous earth-wormes and pretended godly Saints now adaies 8. That Liberality to the Ministers of the Gospell and paying them their just deserved Tithes and Dues is so farre from impoverishing and hurting men that it redounds to their spirituall accompt and temporall too causeth God to supply all their wants and to blesse them and their families with spirituall temporall and eternall mercies and rewards as the severall cited Sc●iptures Prov. 3. 9 10. Mal. 1. 10 11. Mat. 10. 41 42. Mtr. 9. 41. 2 Cor. 9. 6 to 13. 2 King 4. 8 to 38. 1 King 17. 10 to 24. most abundantly prove 9. That the wilfull d●taining withdrawing of any thing solemnly devoted to the necessa●y maintenance of the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell brings exem●plary curses and judgem●nts on those who are guilty thereof as the examples of An●nias and Sa●hira testifie compared with Mal. 3. 8 9 11. Ha● 1. 9 10 11 2 16 17 18 19. further illustrating it which all sacrilegious inv●ders plundere●s detainers oppugners of our Ministers ancient established Maintenance Tith●s D●es may do w●ll now seriously to ruminate upon and then reform their practise or else renounce their p●●tended Christianity and Saint hip so much swarving from the recited precedents of the first and purest Christians XV. This is further proved by Mat. 7. 12. Luk. 6. 31. All things whatsoever ye would that menshould do unto you DO EVEN SO TO THEM for this is the Law and Prophets yea and the Gospell too thus twice enjoyning it from Christs own mouth Whence thus I argue All Estates Callings and Professions of men whatsoever whether Kings Princes Rulers Judges Magistrates of all sorts Lawyers Physicians Chirurgeons Merchants Artificers Traders Husbandmen Labourers of all kindes Sea-men yea and all Generals Commanders Collonels Captains Governours of Forts and common Souldiers whatsoever with all Officers in their respective Offices and imployments do and justly may by the Law of God Nature Nations expect and receive a just certain comfortable salary reward hire maintenance and subsistence for their respective pains workes imployments and exercises of their callings and hires from those that do imploy them or for whose good they worke and serve Therefore by the self-same Lawes and Rules of common naturall morall justice and equity all Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell may justly expect and receive the like from those to whom they preach Else all others whatsoever must ex reise their respective Offices Callings Trades Imployments Studies Labours freely without expecting or receiving any stipend wages reward or maintenance as well as Ministers And great reason is there that the painfull and fai●hfull Ministers of the Gospell should receive a liberall comfortable competent setled maintenance and reward for their Ministry as well as any other Callings or Professions of men or as any Officers or Souldiers in the Army between whom alone and Ministers I shall here only make the parallel because they most violently oppugne our Ministers maintenance if not their Ministry too of all other● I have yet con●erred with First all able learned judicious pious Ministers skilfull in the Originall Tongues and learned Languages wherein the Scriptures were penned very necessary for them to understand able soundly judiciously like workemen who need not to be ashamed to defend the truth of the Gospell to stop the mouthes of Blasphemers Heretickes Seducers that oppugne it and to divide and preach the Word of God aright as they ought Else they hardly merit the name of able Ministers 2 Cor. 3. 6. 1 Tim. 1. 7. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 15. 4. 2 3 4 5. Tit. 1. 9 10 11. but rather of pratlers and wranglers under standing neither what they say nor whereof they affirme wresting the Scriptures to their own and others destruction through ignorance and want of learning 2. Pet. 3. 16. the case of many unlearned usurpers of the office of Teachers now All such before they can be fit for the worke of the Ministry spend sixteen or twenty years time and hard study day and night at their Books in Schools and Universities and double the years study industry that most other Artists except Lawyers and Physicians spend in fitting themselves for and in learning their Trades and Professions whereas all common Souldiers yea many Officers and Commanders of late times rush just like their horses into their worke calling without one years weeks days preparation study or practise in the Warres learning their Trade of Souldiers and Commanders after they are listed as such by practise and experience only without study 2. Most Ministers or their Parents and Friends are at very great expences for many years time in fi●ting them for the Ministry both in Schooles and in our Universities whereas all our Souldiers and Army Officers were at no expence at all receiving full pay as such from the first day of their listing and many of them advance money to boot before any practise