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<DATE>2014-09-16</DATE>
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<NAME>Alexis Jakobson</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
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<P>TITHES <HI>No Go&s;pell Ordinance,</HI> Nor ever In&s;tituted of God for the <HI>Maintenance of A Go&s;pell Mini&s;try;</HI> But ended, With the Leviticall Prei&s;thood, and <HI>Abolli&s;hed by the Offering &V;p of Chri&s;t</HI> Proved by Scripture.</P>
<P><HI>As al&s;o,</HI> The Levitticall and Scripturall Tythers <HI>With the Vn&s;cripturall Tythers Compared;</HI> And the Moderation of the one, and <HI>In&s;atiable avarice of the other</HI> Manife&s;ted.</P>
<P><HI>By William Morris</HI></P>
<P>Printd in the yeare 1680.</P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
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<PB N="2" REF="2">
<OPENER><SALUTE>Reader,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_THat which I have to R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">commend to thee in thy peru&s;all of this little Booke, is <HI>Candor</HI> in Reading and <HI>d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ligence</HI> in &s;earch|ing the Scriptures I have opened Remember the Title of <HI>Nobi|llity</HI> wherewith the Apo&s;tle dignified the <HI>B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ans Actes 17.11. vers. They (&s;aith he) were more Noble then tho&s;e in</HI> The&s;&s;a|lonica, <HI>in that they received the word with all readine&s;s of minde &amp; &s;earched the Scriptures daylie whether tho&s;e things were &s;o</HI>&mdash; And the &s;ame I recommend to <HI>thee and that thou Judge</HI> nothing be|fore the time.</P>
<P>For I am not &V;n&s;e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ible but that a worke of this Nature will be obnox|iou&s;e to <HI>Cen&s;ure,</HI> But what <HI>truth</HI> (though never &s;o manife&s;t) is not vnplea&s;eing to &s;ome or other, as this in all likelyhood will be too few or none but A <HI>Covetou&s;e and decimateing Clergie,</HI> who&s;e per&s;ons I hate not (though I thus &s;peake,) But in my heart retaine a fitting and due re&s;pect for them as men; well knowing they have a portion of Gods heavenly gift, and divine Grace, aswell as I and others; (did they not abu&s;e it, and keep it in <HI>bondage, by averice and lucre,</HI> (the maine prop <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">nd Pillar of their Calling and Function, which are the things I vtterly deny and te&s;tifie again&s;t. And if there b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of them that hold it their duty to &s;peake that which they think to be truth impartially as the worke of their <HI>Mini&s;try,</HI> (though not vnhired and well payd) let them not think ami&s;&s;e of others who think the &s;ame no<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> le&s;s their dutie by the <HI>generall Office of Chri&s;tianity</HI> to &s;peak truth more <HI>Impartially; freely,</HI> and without payments.</P>
<P>Therefore try all things, and hould fa&s;t that which is good which, as it will adde to thy knowledge in the things of God &s;o it will an&s;wer the end and de&s;igne of</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Thy Freind <HI>W. M.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
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<PB N="3" REF="3">
<HEAD>Tythes noe Go&s;pell Ordinance <HI>&amp;c.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_THe Lord Almighty, the God of <HI>Abraham</HI> and of his &s;eed, and grand Proprietor of the Land of <HI>Canan,</HI> pur&s;uant to his promi&s;e made to his faithfull Servant in the plain of <HI>M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">reah,</HI> Saying <HI>Vnto thy &s;eed will I give this Land</HI> Ge|ne&s;is 12.7. After the Expiration of about &s;ix hundred and fifty y<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ares brought <HI>Abrahams</HI> &s;eed into po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of the Land of pro|mi&s;e, and made <HI>Eleaven</HI> Tribes of twelve freeholders, re&s;erving only Tythes holy to him&s;elf as <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> witne&s;&s;eth <HI>Lev:</HI> 27.30. in the&s;e words <HI>And all the Tith of the Land, whether of the &s;eed of the land or of the fruite of the trees, it is the Lords, it is holy unto the Lord.</HI> And vers the 32 concerning the Tith of the Heard, and of the Flock, even <HI>what&s;oever pa&s;&s;eth vnder the Rodd, the tenth &s;hall be holy vnto the Lord.</HI> And <HI>Deut:</HI> 14.22. <HI>Thou &s;halt truly tith all the en|crea&s;e of thy &s;eed that the feild bringeth forth yeare by yeare</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>This was tithing by divine In&s;titution &amp; by Gods Ordinance, But (allwayes to be remembred) vnder the Mini&s;tration of the old Covenant, the Mo&s;aick law (which made nothing perfect) and the Leviticall Pri&s;thood (which could not continue by rea|&s;on of Death) and this being a changeable Prei&s;thood <HI>there is a nece&s;&s;itie al&s;o of a change of the law,</HI> as &s;aith the Apo&s;tle <HI>Heb:</HI> 7.12. But it being the Grand objection of the Clergie of this Age (and many others upon their account) That forasmuch as God once Ordained and Commanded the payment of tith, it &s;till re|mains in force as a perpetuall binding law to all Generations; <HI>It was once law<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ull</HI> (&s;ay they) <HI>and never vnlawfull; And therefore tithes as properly and vndenyablie belonges to the Clergie of this Age, and the&s;e Nations now, as ever it did to the Levitecall Prei&s;thood vnder the fir&s;t Covenant.</HI></P>
<P>And vpon this ground I my &s;elfe have &s;everall times (in times
<PB N="4" REF="4"> pa&s;t) been impleaded in the Con&s;i&s;tory Court (&s;o called) for de&s;ireing the payment of tith, and know not how &s;oone I may be &s;o againe for the &s;ame <HI>cau&s;e,</HI> which <HI>CAUSE,</HI> I doe preferr be|fore all earthly Relations or con&s;iderations what&s;oever. I have therefore (to the end I may give &s;ome account of my Te&s;timo|nie herein, and in order to the &s;atisfaction of &s;ome that have de&s;ired the &s;ame.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t. Dilligently examined the paying and receiving Tith vnder the <HI>Mo&s;aicke</HI> law, and duly enquired into the <HI>grounds</HI> and <HI>rea&s;ons</HI> thereof, together with other needfull circum&s;tances as well relateing to the <HI>time</HI> and <HI>place,</HI> the <HI>per&s;ons</HI> concerned in the <HI>paying</HI> and <HI>receiveing</HI> of it. And whether the Command of God which was given to the <HI>I&s;raellites</HI> vnder the old Covenant be of force and binding vpon beleivers vnder the new Covenant Yea or nay.</P>
<P>Secondly. I have compared the tithing of the Clergie of this age and Generation, with the Leviticall tithing (vpon which they ground their practice) and &s;hewed wherein it diff|ereth.</P>
<P>And Thirdly, have &s;hewed how <HI>burden&s;ome</HI> and <HI>oppre&s;&s;ive</HI> the tything of the Clergie of this age is, beyond what was the practice of the <HI>Levites</HI> in their dayes; and incon&s;i&s;tant with the rules of Common equity and principles of pure Rea&s;on.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t. As to the fir&s;t, I referrence to the <HI>Leviticall</HI> tything, I have con&s;idered the <HI>extent</HI> of Gods <HI>Command</HI> wherevpon the payment of tythes was grounded.</P>
<P>Secondly. The <HI>extent</HI> of Gods <HI>donation</HI> or graunt whereon the takeing or receiveing tyth was al&s;o grounded.</P>
<P>Thirdly. The equall Ju&s;t and rea&s;onable <HI>con&s;ideration</HI> where|vpon both the Command and graunt were grounded.</P>
<P>Of the&s;e in their purpo&s;ed order, &amp; fir&s;t of the fir&s;t Name|ly of the <HI>extent</HI> of Gods Command, wherevpon the payment of tithes was grounded, and of that, fir&s;t as it related to the <HI>tyme when</HI> and <HI>how long,</HI> Secondly, the <HI>place</HI> where, Thirdly the
<PB N="5" REF="4"> <HI>Per&s;ons</HI> whom concerned in the payment thereof.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, I &s;ay as it hath relation to the <HI>time when,</HI> and that I finde to be only during the Continuance of the fir&s;t and old Co|venant, the fir&s;t and changable Prei&s;thood and the fir&s;t Taber|nacle, which Tabernacle was a figure for the time then pre&s;ent, and the &s;ervice whereof as the Apo&s;tle witne&s;&s;eth <HI>Heh:</HI> 9.9. 10th, <HI>Stood only in meats and drinks and divers wa&s;hings and Car|nall Ordinances w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ich were impo&s;ed till the time of Reformation</HI> &amp;c. And dureing that time, vntill the Change of that Prei&s;thood (which could not continue by rea&s;on of death) And vntill the perfection was obtained by the bringing in of a better hope which by the law could not be obtained (for the law made no|thing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did) <HI>Heb</HI> 7. v. 19. And vntill the appearance of that everla&s;ting and vnchang|able High-Prei&s;t Chri&s;t Ie&s;us the Righteous, who to put away Sinne by the Sacrifice of him&s;elfe offered him&s;elfe once for all, and by that one offering perfected forever tho&s;e that are Sanct|ified. I &s;ay before and vntill the appearance of this High-Prei&s;t and the offering of this Sacrifice, the Command for tith|ing as well as for offering Sacrifices vpon the Altar) was in force and noe longer.</P>
<P>And this as to point of <HI>time</HI> was the vtmo&s;t <HI>extent</HI> of that Command! For the &s;ame that put an end to the Service of the fir&s;t Tabernacle, and the work of the fir&s;t Prei&s;t-hood &amp; tooke it cleane away, did al&s;o <HI>aboli&s;h</HI> and take away the wages that was appointed for that worke.</P>
<P>Secondly, As the Command for tithing relates to <HI>place&punc;</HI> I doe not find either by writing or tradition among&s;t the <HI>Jews</HI> that it extended to any other <HI>place</HI> then to <HI>the Land of Canaan only,</HI> and it is very manife&s;t by <HI>Lev:</HI> 27. vers the 30. and 32. and <HI>Deut:</HI> 14. <HI>v,</HI> 22. and other Scriptures That the vtmo&s;t <HI>extent</HI> of the Command was circum&s;cribed within the Inheritance of the twelve Tribes.</P>
<P>Thirdly, The <HI>extent</HI> of the Command as it relates to <HI>per&s;ons</HI>
<PB N="6" REF="5"> concerned in paying tith, I find to be limitted to <HI>the Children of I&s;raell, the Jewi&s;h nationall Church only,</HI> and not to concerne any other Nation, Church or people in the world. For this is &s;till the Phra&s;e of Scripture concerning Gods Laws, Commands &amp; In&s;titutions, Namely, <HI>The Lord &s;pake vnto Mo&s;es &s;aying, &s;peake vnto the Children of I&s;raell</HI> thus or thus &amp;c. He doth not bid <HI>Mo|&s;es</HI> give this Command to all the Children of men, to be ob&s;erv|ed in all ages, in all places and by all Nations <HI>Jews</HI> and <HI>Gen|tles;</HI> Nay, if this could be made appeare by tho&s;e tho&s;e that Challenge tithes from <HI>Gentiles</HI> Churches, the Controver&s;ie would &s;oone be ended.</P>
<P>Secondly, And in the next place (haveing before con&s;ider|ed of the <HI>extent</HI> of Gods Command as it relates to <HI>time, place</HI> and <HI>per&s;on</HI>) I offer to con&s;ideration the <HI>extent</HI> of Gods <HI>Donation</HI> or graunt wherevpon the lawfull takeing &amp; receiveing tithes was al&s;o grounded; And that is to be con&s;idered with like circum|&s;tances; which as to <HI>time</HI> and <HI>Place</HI> is limitted as the former. And if any man what&s;oever can produce the warrant of Divine Authoritie, for asking, taking or receiving (much le&s;s enforce|ing) tithes in any other <HI>Place</HI> then in the land of <HI>Canaan,</HI> of any other <HI>People</HI> then of the <HI>I&s;raelites</HI> then let me beare the blame and Shame for di&s;obeying.</P>
<P>And this I further ob&s;erve, That God re&s;erving tithes from the Eleaven tribes, Graunted it over to the tribe of <HI>Levie</HI> not <HI>ab|&s;olutely</HI> but <HI>conditionally;</HI> allowing them a Competancy for them&s;elves and enjoyneing them by the &s;ame Authority to ad|mitte of &s;everall Sharers with them of each two yeares tith, the <HI>owner</HI> was to eate a Share his <HI>Sonn</HI> and <HI>Daughter,</HI> his <HI>man Servant and Maid Servant</HI> as appears in <HI>Devt:</HI> 12.17. and eighteenth ver&s;es. And in every third yeares tith, the <HI>Stranger Fatherle&s;s</HI> and <HI>Widdow</HI> were to be admitted Sharers as appeares <HI>Deut:</HI> 14.28.29. ver&s;es. And <HI>Deut:</HI> 26 12.13. ver&s;es. So that by the afore mentioned Scriptures it's plainely manife&s;t, That the <HI>own|er and his Family the Stranger Fatherle&s;s and Widowes</HI> are by divine
<PB N="7" REF="5"> appointment as truly ve&s;ted in the right of tythes, as any <HI>Levite</HI> what&s;oever.</P>
<P>The nex thing remarkable is, <HI>The ju&s;t and equall con&s;ideration</HI> wherevpon both the Command for paying and the graunt or warrant for receiveing tythes was grounded. Where by the way it is to be noted, That the &s;eed of <HI>Abraham</HI> (on whom the land of <HI>Canaan</HI> was entailed by promi&s;e above five hundred yeares before) was by this time Multiplyed into twelve nume|rou&s;e tribes, all which were travelling to po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e the land. And every Tribe in point of Common interre&s;t was equally intitu|led to an Inheritance, vntill God in his Divine wi&s;dom &s;epe|rated the tribe of <HI>Levie</HI> for the Service of him&s;elfe to give attendance at the tabernacle, and to Mini&s;ter before him in the Sanctuary; And to the end they might the better Attend his &s;ervice, he promi&s;ed him&s;elfe to be their portion and Inheri|tance; and therevpon <HI>by a perpetuall Statute law deprived them of an Inheritance in the land</HI> Numbers 18. vers the 20. <HI>And the Lord &s;pake unto</HI> Aron, <HI>Thou &s;halt have noe Inheritance in their Land, nei|ther &s;halt thou have any parte among them, I am thy part and thine Inheritance among the Children of</HI> I&s;raell &amp;c. And in further com|pen&s;ation of their lo&s;s &amp; recompence of their Service, he graun|ted them tythes for an Inheritance as vers 21. <HI>And behould I have given the Children of</HI> Levie <HI>all the tenth in</HI> I&s;raell <HI>for an Inhe|ritance, for their &s;ervice which they &s;erve, even the &s;ervice of the Ta|bernacle of the Congregation</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>By all which, and &s;everall other Scriptures it appeares That both the Command for paying &amp; the warrant for receiv+ing tythes was founded upon a mo&s;t rationall, Ju&s;t, and equal <HI>con&s;ideration;</HI> both as it related to the advantage of the payer and the lo&s;&s;e of the receiver; For though the <HI>Levites</HI> did receive a yearely tenth of the encrea&s;e, they lo&s;t the <HI>Inheritance</HI> of A twelfth for ever. And therefore well might the eleaven tribes aford to pay their tenthes and be noe loo&s;ers; it being but a rea|&s;onable <HI>exchange</HI> or <HI>purcha&s;e</HI> to give their Brethren a yearely
<PB N="8" REF="6"> tenth, for the free Inheritance of a twelfth for ever.</P>
<P>Secondly, If tythes be due by the the Law of God, and pay|able and receiveable vnder the &s;econd Covenant, as vnder the fir&s;t (as the Clergie do affirme they are) Then certainely they mu&s;t allow that they are to be <HI>applied to the &s;ame v&s;es</HI> for which they fir&s;t were In&s;tituted; and that was not only to the <HI>Levites</HI> but to the <HI>Stranger Fatherle&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>Widdow.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, among the <HI>Jewes</HI> Tythes were payable to the <HI>Levites</HI> who did the Common &s;ervice of the Tabernacle and Temple, and not to the Sonnes of <HI>Aron</HI> the Prei&s;ts, for they had only a tenth part of the tyth, And therefore they that claime tyth by the Law of <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> mu&s;t prove (if they can) how the payment of tythes to Prei&s;ts now doth duly an&s;wer the payment of tythes To <HI>Levites</HI> then who were no Prei&s;ts, nor were to touch or me|dle with the holy office lea&s;t they dyed Numb: 4 15. to vers 19.</P>
<P>Fourthly, Tythes vnder the fir&s;t Covenant were the <HI>Levites</HI> wages for the <HI>Ceremoniall</HI> work they were appointed to do about the fir&s;t Tab<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rnacle <HI>Numb:</HI> 18. vers 21.31, which work is now <HI>abolli&s;hed;</HI> So then the wages therefore of that Ceremoniall work mu&s;t with all be aboli&s;hed as being al&s;o <HI>Ceremoniall.</HI></P>
<P>Fifthly, That tythes was <HI>Ceremoniall</HI> is vndeniablie manife&s;t, they not being given but on this expre&s;&s;e condition, <HI>viz</HI> (fir&s;t) to offer <HI>an heave Offering of them to the Lord,</HI> Numb: 18. from <HI>v.</HI> 21.8. to 31. Then nece&s;&s;arily it follows, That who over by that Law brings Tythes into the Go&s;pell (which is the Mini&s;t|ration of the new Covenant) vnavoydably bringes in there with|all <HI>A Sacrifice, and an Altar</HI> without which tythes were by that Law <HI>vn&s;anctified and poluted</HI> vers 32, and &s;o makes void the one offering which was the Sub&s;tance, Chri&s;t Ie&s;us who was typi|fied and &s;hadowed forth, both by Tabernacle Sacrifice and Altar.</P>
<P>Sixthly, If tythes be due by the Law of God to Mini&s;ters vn|der the Go&s;pell, as they were to the <HI>Levites</HI> vnder the Leviticall Prei&s;thood Then are &s;uch Mini&s;ters by the &s;ame Law <HI>deprived
<PB N="9" REF="6" MS="y"> Ip&s;o, facto,</HI> of all pretences of tymes to any temporall inheri|tance <HI>numb:</HI> 18: <HI>vers</HI> 20. And by the &s;ame Law, tho&s;e that pay them tythe may as Ju&s;tly claime a title of Inheritance in their free lands as they may claime an Annuall tenth of the others in|crea&s;e.</P>
<P>Seventhly, Among the <HI>Jews</HI> noe Rigorou&s;e outward Law or penalty of tr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ble damage or Impri&s;onment was appointed to recover tythes by, nor was the Magi&s;trate authorized or war|ranted by the Law of God to force the payment of them, much le&s;s to Impri&s;on for refu&s;all or neglect, but he that did not pay robed God and by him alone was to be puni&s;hed.</P>
<P>Eightly, When the <HI>levites</HI> Prei&s;t-hood was changed by the Comeing of Chri&s;t Ie&s;us, the law for tything was al&s;o changed, as the Apo&s;tle witn<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;eth <HI>Heb.</HI> 7. vers 12. for (&s;aith hee) <HI>the Prei&s;t-hood being changed, there is made a nece&s;&s;itie of a Change al&s;o of the law.</HI> And this was the Iudgment al&s;o of the Pri|mitive Church, And if the mo&s;t learned Rabbies in the Nati|on can prove the contrary, let them come forth &amp; &s;hew if they be able, <HI>when, where</HI> and by <HI>whom</HI> tithes were received or payd for above three hundred yeares after Chri&s;ts A&s;&s;ention.</P>
<P>The next thing that falls vnder con&s;ideration is, how <HI>incon|&s;i&s;tant</HI> and <HI>di&s;agreeable the</HI> Practice of tything of the Clergie of this Generation is with the Law of God vpon which they &s;ay it is grounded.</P>
<P>And fir&s;t (as I have formerly hinted) Gods Ordinance for tything related only to the land of <HI>Canaan,</HI> which was confirm|ed by the Practice of the <HI>Jews</HI> and the Contrary whereof hath never yet appeared; nor have I ever found that dureing their captivity they payd or received Tythes in <HI>Babylon or Cal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">ca,</HI> be|fore Chri&s;ts time, neither have they &s;ince, in <HI>Holland, Jermany, Poland,</HI> or el&s;where that I can learne. And if this be &s;o, then certainly for Chri&s;tians to hold vp tythes, when <HI>Jews</HI> have layd them down, &s;eemes very ob&s;urd prepo&s;terou&s;e and vaine.</P>
<P>Secondly, The <HI>levites</HI> graunt or warrant for the takeing ty<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hes
<PB N="10" REF="7"> by Gods appointment, Extended only to their <HI>Brethren</HI> the <HI>I&s;ra|elites,</HI> Gods only peculier people and Chri&s;t; not to <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">dolaters, Forrainers</HI> or <HI>fals-Wor&s;hipers.</HI> Of any other Nation or Religion, nor to poor laborers, fatherle&s;&s;e or Widows of their own Ge|nerations. But only &s;uch as had po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ions of Free Inheritance.</P>
<P>But the Clergie of this Generation not contented (as the <HI>Le|vites</HI> were) to have their tything limitted by Gods allowance (vnto tho&s;e only of the &s;ame <HI>Religion</HI> and <HI>Profe&s;&s;ion</HI> with them|&s;elves without di&s;tinction, or definition of <HI>Nation</HI> or <HI>Religion,</HI> They Extend their claime to all the Decimall gaine within their Quarters, and all the Inhabitants they their finde (whether <HI>Engli&s;h,</HI> or <HI>Jri&s;h, Prote&s;tants</HI> or <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> true or falce wor&s;hippers it matters not to them, or whether they are <HI>Rich</HI> or <HI>poor, Fatherle&s;s or Widowes bound or Free</HI>) If they are Po&s;&s;e&s;t of oug<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t that yeildes Increa&s;e, whether Corne or Garden, Cowes or Sheepe, Piggs, Gee&s;e or Henns or Egges) whether little or much, all is by th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m accounted lyable to Decimation; And moreover many Poor la|boring men that have not any liveing tythable thinge where of to pay, But get their Bread by hard and toyle&s;ome labour have <HI>Impo&s;itions taxed</HI> on them by the Clergie under the name of <HI>hand Money Apron Money</HI> and the like, which in my Iudgment hath more Affinitie with <HI>Pharoah Task-Ma&s;ters</HI> then <HI>leviticall</HI> Tythes; For to exact a Tything rate upon Poor laborers &amp; &s;uch as have noe tithable &s;ub&s;tance in the world whereof to pay<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">? what is this le&s;&s;e then to make Bricke when Straw is taken away.</P>
<P>Thirdly, the <HI>levites</HI> had noe power to &s;eize their Brethrens Corne before it was devided (nor was it their Practice by what appeares in Scripture. But Patiently attended vntill it was &s;ett out and delivered both unto them &amp; their copartners <HI>Deut:</HI> 14. <HI>vers</HI> 28. But the Clergie of this age (contrary to their exam|ple) either by them&s;elves or Prockters many times have entred Mens Corne feilds and other Places with Clubes and Staves, <HI>vi et armis,</HI> takeing away what they plea&s;ed in their Ma&s;ters names by force and violence, as bad or wor&s;e then tho&s;e Sinfull Sonnes
<PB N="11" REF="7"> of <HI>Elie</HI> 1. <HI>Sam,</HI> 2.12. who by their abu&s;ive Servants Seized their pretended Prei&s;tly due by force, whereby the offering of the Lord became abhored &amp; truly this very practice makes many as much to abhor their me&s;&s;age, for the avarice of its Mini|&s;ters, and that about that thing which they pretend to be the offerring of the Lord.</P>
<P>Fourthly, The <HI>Levites</HI> had the tythes made over to them partly in <HI>compen&s;ation</HI> of their <HI>inheritance in land,</HI> And Partly in <HI>con&s;ideration</HI> of their &s;ervice and Attendance at the Tabernacle (as before is &s;hewed) <HI>Numb:</HI> 18. <HI>ver&s;es</HI> 23.24. wherewith they were contented and Murmered not, although their &s;hares of land was given from them, and they to vndergoe a perpetu|all law of <HI>deprivation.</HI> Neither was there any Tribe or family bound to pay them tyth, but &s;uch as were obliged by a <HI>valuable con&s;ideration</HI> &s;o to do, (as being ve&s;ted according to proportion more or le&s;s) in part of their <HI>inheritance</HI> of land; So that he that payd his tyth by Gods appointment bad this fourefold benefit or advantage by it. Fir&s;t By the Paying of the Annuall tenth of his Increa&s;e, he had the <HI>Free-Simple</HI> of a Twelfth to him and his for ever. Secondly, By the payment of tyth the <HI>Stranger Fatherle&s;s</HI> and <HI>Widow</HI> were provided for, which otherwi&s;e mu&s;t have been relieved at his Co&s;t. Thirdly He had the <HI>Priviledge for him&s;elfe and family</HI> to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ate a parte thereof <HI>Deut:</HI> 12.18. And fourthly he had the benefit of the <HI>Levites</HI> &s;ervice about the Tabernacle and Temple in a&s;&s;i&s;ting about the Sacrifice as 2. <HI>Cron;</HI> 35.11. and other &s;ervices pertaining therevnto.</P>
<P>But what <HI>advantage, priviledge</HI> or <HI>benefit,</HI> have the people of this age by paying Tythes? will the <HI>Clergie</HI> of this Generation allow the Priviledge to their Maintainers and admit of &s;o many Sharers with them as the <HI>Levites</HI> did, and were bound to do by Gods Commandments? What Clergin an will be content to relea&s;e his claime to Lands and Tennements, and &s;uffer his tem|porall Inheritance to be devided among&s;t tho&s;e of whom he Claimeth Tythes? And do the <HI>Clergie</HI> now admit the <HI>Poor</HI> the
<PB N="12" REF="8"> <HI>Fatherle&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>Widowes</HI> (who had as good Right by Gods Com|mand as any <HI>Levite</HI> had) to Share with them in Tythes?</P>
<P>Or do they not rather multiplie the <HI>Poor</HI> by their <HI>oppre&s;&s;ions?</HI> and make the <HI>Fatherle&s;s</HI> &amp; <HI>Widows</HI> cry to the Lord again&s;t them? And if the owner &s;hould but give a part of his Tythes to relieve the <HI>Poor</HI> and needy (as by Gods law the <HI>I&s;rallites</HI> was bound to do) would not the <HI>Pari&s;h Prei&s;t</HI> be ready to devoure him for &s;o doing, and never leave pur&s;ueing him vntill he had him to <HI>pri&s;on</HI> for it? Surely if this be &s;o (as multiplied in&s;tances have con|firmed it is) This is far differrent from the Practice of the <HI>Le|vites,</HI> and rather &s;uites with the Practice of tho&s;e <HI>erronious Pro|phets</HI> which the Lord complaines of <HI>Micah:</HI> 3. <HI>vers</HI> 5. <HI>who made his people err, who did bite with the teeth and cry peace, and be that put not into their Mouthes they prepared warr against him.</HI></P>
<P>Fifthly, I find that the Lord by the Mouth of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> in <HI>Deut:</HI> 12.17. and 18 ver&s;es (to every per&s;on concerned in paying tyth) Speaketh on this wi&s;e &s;aying, <HI>Thou maye&s;t not eate within thy gates, the tyth of thy Corne or of thy Wine, or of thy Oyle &amp;c. But vers</HI> 18. <HI>Thou mu&s;t eat them before the Lord thy God, in the place which the Lord thy God &s;hall Chu&s;e; Thou and thy Sonn and thy Daughter, thy man Servant and thy maid Servant, and the</HI> Levite <HI>that is within thy gates &amp;c.</HI> And againe in <HI>Deut:</HI> 14.22 23 <HI>ver&s;es</HI> it is thus writ|ten, <HI>Thou &s;halt truly tith all the Increa&s;e of thy &s;eed which thy feild bringeth forth yeare by yeare, And thou &s;halt eat before the Lord thy God in the place which he &s;hall chu&s;e to place his name there, the Tyth of thy Corne, and o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> thy Wyne, and of thy Oyle &amp;c.</HI> And ver&s;es 24.25.26. <HI>And if the way be too long for thee &amp;. Or if the place be too farr from thee &amp;c. Then thou &s;halt turne it into money &amp;c. And thou &s;halt be&s;towe that money &amp;c. For Oxen or for Sheep, for wine or for &s;trong drink, or what&s;oever thy &s;oule de&s;ireth, and thou &s;halt eat there before the Lord thy God, THOU AND THY HOUSEHOULD. And vers</HI> 27. <HI>and the Levite that is within thy Gates thou &s;halt not for&s;ake him &amp;c.</HI> From which fore&s;ited Scriptures, the&s;e naturall Inferren|ecs do vndenyably flow. <HI>viz.</HI></P>
<PB N="13" REF="8">
<P>Fir&s;t, That as the <HI>owner</HI> of the tith was <HI>bound by Gods Command</HI> to divide it from the Re&s;t, So was <HI>hee</HI> only by Gods appointment the Cheife di&s;po&s;er of it.</P>
<P>Secondly, As the <HI>owner</HI> was the Cheife dispo&s;er, &s;o was it in his free and Arbitrary Choi&s;e (in &s;ome Ca&s;es) whether he would pay it in Kinde or not.</P>
<P>Thirdly, And if he pay it not in kinde, <HI>he</HI> was only <HI>intru&s;ted</HI> with the &s;elling of it, or to turne it into money at his own vallu|ation.</P>
<P>Fourthly, When <HI>he</HI> had &s;ould it or turned it into money it was at <HI>his</HI> free and voluntary Choi&s;e in what <HI>provi&s;ion</HI> he would be&s;tow that Money in, whether <HI>Oxen Sheep Wine</HI> or <HI>Strong drink,</HI> or what&s;oever his &s;oule de&s;ired.</P>
<P>Fifthly, How&s;oever he pay it whether in kinde or value <HI>both he,</HI> his <HI>Children,</HI> and <HI>&s;ervants</HI> were <HI>&s;trictly</HI> and <HI>indi&s;penceably bound</HI> to eat a part thereof.</P>
<P>Sixthly, It had b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">en as manife&s;t a breach of Gods Command if <HI>he and his hou&s;ehold</HI> had not eaten of it, as if he had denyed to &s;ett it out or pay it.</P>
<P>Seaventhly, And la&s;tly as the <HI>owner</HI> and his hou&s;ehould were to eate a part, &s;o was the <HI>Levite,</HI> by the &s;ame Command to be a partner with them. And this was the manner of tithing every Two yeares together, But in the Third yeares tything the <HI>own|er</HI> had no &s;uch &s;trict Command <HI>to eat,</HI> yet he was &s;till the <HI>Cheife di&s;po&s;er</HI> of it, and was to lay it up within his gates, and thither the <HI>Levite the &s;tranger the Fatherle&s;&s;e and Widow</HI> were to Come and every one to eate and be &s;atisfied, as may appeare ver&s;es 28. and 29.</P>
<P>But the practice of the <HI>Clergie,</HI> and people of this age is &s;o manife&s;tly differrent here from, that I need not multiply words to &s;ett it forth; for the <HI>Clergie</HI> now a dayes require the Husband|man to pay his tythes in Kinde, or el&s;e compound and pay them money for it (not owneing or allowing that the husbandman him&s;elfe (or any of his, hath right to any part of it, And if he
<PB N="14" REF="9"> do not pay the vtmo&s;t &s;hilling or &s;hillings worth, then frequent|ly he is in pleaded for the &s;ame, and made to pay it by <HI>force</HI> or &s;uffer for it.</P>
<P>And here me thinks ari&s;es a very weighty <HI>ca&s;e of con&s;cience</HI> which I propo&s;e to the <HI>Clergie</HI> to re&s;olve.</P>
<P>If it be a <HI>&s;infull</HI> thing (as they affirme it is) for a man to pay noe tyth, &s;ince the payment of it was once enjoynde by Gods Command? Whether st is not <HI>as &s;infull</HI> for a man to part with all his tyth, &s;ince God hath Commanded, That both <HI>he and his hou&s;ehould</HI> &s;hould eat a part thereof.</P>
<P>Secondly, If there be no <HI>di&s;pen&s;ation</HI> for me and my freindes called <HI>Quakers</HI> (being but few in a Countrey) to pay noe tythes becau&s;e God did Command it by <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> to be payd? who &s;hall <HI>ab&s;olve</HI> the whole Nations for paying all their tythes, &s;o direct|ly contrary to Gods Command as I have &s;hewed? from <HI>Deut:</HI> 12.17.78. ver&s;es</P>
<P>Thirdly If the &s;eers have been &s;o Quick-&s;ighted and piou&s;ly watchfull over the flock that they would not &s;uffer one of a thou&s;and to Err on the one hand by paying noe tyth; have not &s;uch been horribly blinded and darkned by Averice, who have cau&s;ed the whole Nations to &s;inn on the other hand by parting with all their tythes?</P>
<P>In the next place I ob&s;erve that the <HI>Levites</HI> were the <HI>Twelfth</HI> Tribe in <HI>I&s;raell</HI> to whom being Added the <HI>Stranger fathele&s;s</HI> and <HI>Widow,</HI> could not in likelyhood but make up a full <HI>tenth</HI> Part of the whole <HI>Nation,</HI> &s;o that the Eleaven Tribes paying a yearly tenth of their <HI>Increa&s;e,</HI> a <HI>tenth</HI> part of their people w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">re there|by maintained and that very <HI>plentifully</HI> too; as may appeare at large. 2. <HI>Chro:</HI> 31.7.8.9.10. ver&s;es. Where the Cheif Prei&s;t declared to the King, <HI>they had enough to eat and left plenty, and that which remaineth</HI> (&s;aid hee) <HI>is this great &s;tore</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>But the <HI>Clergie</HI> of the&s;e la&s;t tymes and of this age (though I mu&s;t confe&s;&s;e the more is the Pitty) are too many more then are good (Yet) I beleive are &s;carce the <HI>hundred part</HI> of the People of
<PB N="15" REF="9"> the&s;e Nations; who neither admiting <HI>Fatherle&s;s or Widows Poor or Rich</HI> (as the <HI>Levits</HI> did) to be partakers with them, can make a &s;hift to devoure the tenth of our Increa&s;e, and yet are never well contented neither. For albeit they allwayes were po&s;&s;e&s;t of tythes in kinde or value, be&s;ides Oblations, Offer|ings, Sprinkle-ing money and the like, with Severall other petty cu&s;tomes fees and perqui&s;ites; Yet what a continuall <HI>flattering croaking</HI> and <HI>craveing</HI> they allwayes kept to the &s;eve|rall powers formerly in being, for <HI>Augmentations, Stipenes</HI> and <HI>Additions,</HI> &amp;c. Among&s;t the number of which <HI>clamorou&s;e Pentioners,</HI> I never heard the voice of one <HI>contented Hezekiah,</HI> &s;o much as once to &s;ay <HI>we have enough,</HI> 2, <HI>Chron:</HI> 81, 10. vers,</P>
<P>But rather like the daughter of the <HI>Hor&s;e-leech</HI> &s;till crying Give, give, <HI>Prov.</HI> 30.15. or like the <HI>Grave,</HI> the <HI>Barren wombe</HI> or <HI>thir&s;ty Earth,</HI> allwayes &s;wallowing &amp; never &s;aying it is enough.</P>
<P>Moreover I finde that tything of Corne and Graine by Gods Co~mand (as to the <HI>materiall</HI> and <HI>&s;ub&s;tantiall</HI> part thereof) was limitted and related only to <HI>increa&s;e,</HI> And as to the <HI>practick</HI> part (relateing to the manner and forme) it was to be done in <HI>&s;eed</HI> as may more at large appeare by the Command it &s;elfe, <HI>Deut:</HI> 14.12. vers, <HI>Thou &s;halt truly tith all the Increa&s;e of thy Seed which the feild bringeth forth yeare by yeare &amp;c. From</HI> whence the&s;e naturall inferrences doe ari&s;e, Fir&s;t that the husbandman him|&s;elfe mu&s;t tyth his Corne, Secondly he mu&s;t tyth in <HI>Seed</HI> and not in <HI>Shea&s;e.</HI> Thirdly he mu&s;t only tyth the <HI>Increa&s;e</HI> of his <HI>&s;eed</HI> Fourthly He mu&s;t truly tyth <HI>all the Increa&s;e</HI> (that is) he mu&s;t take the exact tenth part of the <HI>Increa&s;e,</HI> and neither le&s;s nor more. And fifthly if there were noe <HI>Increa&s;e</HI> noe tyth was due or payable.</P>
<P>But the <HI>Clergie</HI> of this Generation minding more there owne gaine then Gods Command enforce the Countryman to tyth his Corne in <HI>Sheafe</HI> and not in <HI>&s;eed,</HI> whereby they take as well a tenth part of the Farmers <HI>Stock and &s;ub&s;tance</HI> as a tenth of his <HI>Increa&s;e,</HI> Nay more for though the Farmer &s;omtimes <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">
<PB N="16" REF="10"> <HI>Reape</HI> halfe the vallue of what he Sowed, the Pari&s;h Prei&s;t will have a tenth of what he <HI>Reapeth,</HI> whereby a mo&s;t In&s;en&s;ible and vn&s;ufferrable mischiefe doth en&s;ue. And therefore haveing very breifly, and truly opened the afore mentioned Text of Scriptures, I &s;hall endeavour In <HI>Love</HI> and <HI>Pitty</HI> to the wrong|ed Countryman. In a v&s;e of Information to Applie it.</P>
<P>In order then to the more perfect vnder&s;tanding of his <HI>proper Intere&s;t,</HI> the Husbandman that thinks he is bound to pay his tyth by Gods Command, mu&s;t needes (if he be wi&s;e) ob&s;erve this Rule, <HI>Allwayes to put a differrence betweene his Reall Stock, &amp; Reall profitt,</HI> betweene the Principall and the product or <HI>Increa&s;e</HI> els by confounding both together he knows not how he getts or how he loo&s;es, As thus (for in&s;tance) if the Husbandman doe Sowe Tenn barrells of Wheat at &s;eed tyme, which is worth <HI>Tenn poundes;</HI> he mu&s;t remember that his <HI>principall Stocke and Sub&s;tance is tenn poundes le&s;s in value by what he hath ca&s;t into the ground,</HI> And when the harve&s;t Comes, he mu&s;t al&s;o minde to thre&s;h out &s;o much wheat, as the full Quantity of what he Sowed, that &s;o his Stock may be <HI>Reprized and made good againe,</HI> and haveing thus donn That which remaines of Over-plus is cleare <HI>Increa&s;e,</HI> and out of the <HI>Increa&s;e</HI> of <HI>Seed</HI> was tyth by Gods apointment to be paid, as I have &s;hewed before,</P>
<P>But by the <HI>Clergies</HI> forceing men to tyth in <HI>Sheafe</HI> again&s;t the order of Gods Command for tything a mo&s;t In&s;ufferable Incon|veniency doth en&s;ue (as I have &s;aid) for by this meanes the <HI>Clergie</HI> do not only take a yearly tenth of mens <HI>Increa&s;e</HI> but of theire <HI>principall Stock and Sub&s;tance al&s;o;</HI> whereby the <HI>&s;ub&s;tance</HI> of the husbandman becomes lyable to a perpetuall Con&s;uma|tion by Decrimation; &s;o that by vndeniable In&s;tances it may be made appeare That if a Farmer Imploy a hundred poundes in Tillage and pur&s;ue the &s;ame for &s;eaven yeares together, at &s;eaven yeares end the <HI>Pari&s;h-Prei&s;t</HI> to whom he payes his tyth in <HI>Sheafe,</HI> will have above <HI>Fiftie poundes</HI> of the Farmers principall Stock into his hands by Tything. Be&s;ides the full tenth part of his <HI>Increa&s;e.</HI></P>
<PB N="17" REF="10">
<P>And hence it is that many an able Farmer comes to want, &amp; poverty over-takes him as an armed man, and he knowes not who hath hurt him, But &s;omtimes blames his Landlord and thinkes he hath too hard a bargaine; or otherwi&s;e faults his Servants, and the like, but thinkes not of his <HI>Ma&s;ter</HI> who &s;uckes away his Sub&s;tance mo&s;t in&s;en&s;ably, and makes him pay &s;o deare a Rate to feede his Soule, That he hath nothing left to feede his body.</P>
<TRAILER>THE END.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<P>THe Errors that have e&s;caped the Pre&s;s by want of due Cor|rection, and placeing of Comaes and other points, the Reader is de&s;ired to pa&s;&s;e by, And the other Errors to Recti|fie thus, In Page 4. line 2. for de&s;ireing reade denying, line 24. for I Read In, Page, 9. line 1. for Tithes Read Tytle, pa. 10. line 2. for Chri&s;t Read Church,</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
