vour of the popish Leaven, and therefore an human Right is pleaded, which I shall briefly bring under these few Heads.

I. SOME plead the Gifts of Kings and Princes, who were Rulers of the People, as Ethelwolph, &c. 2. OTHERS plead the temporal Laws of Kings, Parliaments, &c.

3. OTHERS plead the particular Gifts, Appropriation, Confecration or Donation, of those who were former Owners of the Land.

4. OTHERS plead Prescription, and a legal Right by their Poffeffion.

5. OTHERS plead a legal Right by Purchase. AND befides thefe, I never heard or read of any other Pretence for Tythes, though I have dili gently for two Years and more, laboured to inform my felf fully what could be alledged for them. To begin with the firft, thofe that fay Tythes are due by divine Right.

SOME of them fay, that the Law given to Ifraef for Payment of Tenths to the Tribe of Levi, doth alfo oblige Chriftians to pay Tenths to their Minifters, as fucceeding in the Priests Office.

Anf. To fuch it is clearly answered, that the Priesthood which had a Commandment to take Tythes, being changed by Chrift Jefus, there is made of Neceffity alfo a Change of the Law and now the Priesthood is no more committed to the natural Off-1pring of Levi, or any other Tribe, but to Chrift Jefus the unchangeable Priesthood, whofe Kingdom ftands not in Figures and carnal Ordinances, but is the Subftance of what that was but a Figure: And it is clear, the primitive Church were affur'd of it, who for fome Hundreds of Years, and till the Mystery of Iniquity began to work, never called for the Payment of Tythes, as is before plainly proved.

AND

AND how doth a Gofpel-Ministry succeed to the Levites. who received Tythes, but were not Priests? much more Colour had the Quirifters, Singing-men, and the reft of the Rabble brought into the late Cathedrals, to claim them, and only to pay out a tenth Part to the Priests, as the Levites did.

OTHERS fay, that Abraham paid Tythes to Melchifedec, which was before the Levitical Prieft bood; and Chrift Jefus is made a Prieft after the Order of Melchifedec.

ABRAHAM, returning from the Slaughter of the Kings, was met by Melchifedec, who brought him Bread and Wine, and Abraham gave him the Tenth of the Spoil: But what is this to the Payment of Tythes, unless it oblige the Soldiers? for it doth not appear that Abraham paid the tenth Part of his own Increafe; nor doth it appear, that Abraham gave the tenth Part at any other Time; and how will this prove a yearly Payment of Tythes to Ministers?

AND what if Jacob gave Tythes? how are either of these Examples more binding than any other of the good Acts that either of these holy Men did?

Object. If it be faid, that Jefus Christ said, ye tythe mint, &c. thefe Things ye ought not to leave undone.

Ir's answered, that Jefus Chrift then spoke to the Jews, in the Time when the Levitical Priestbood was not ended, who were bound by the Law, fo long as it was of Force, till he was offered up, and faid, It is finished.

BUT though divine Right hath been long pretended, few are now left who will only stand to it, and the generality, both of Lawyers, Priests and People, are of a contrary Mind."

FOR

FOR if Tythes be abfolutely due by the Law of God, no Cuftom, Ufage, Prescription, Privilege, or popish Dispensation, can acquit from Payment of the utmoft Penny of the tenth Part; but fcarce the tenth Perfon in England payeth Tythe in kind, and many plead they are Tythefree, and pay none at all, and others very fmall Matters; and fo the greatest part of the People of England deny Tythes to be due by God's Law.

AGAIN, if Tythes be due by the Law of God, then it is to the End for which they were commanded, for the Levites, the Strangers, the Fatherless, and the Widows; all therefore who plead for Tythes by Divine Right, muft not pay them to an Impropriator; for by God's Law he cannot claim, neither ought any Impropriator of that Mind to receive them.

AND of late Years, it was by Rolls, Chief Juftice, adjudged in the upper Bench, that Tythes are not now due by the Law of God.

2. To the next, thofe that plead the Equity of the Law is ftill of Force.

THESE plead not for Tythes properly, but for a comfortable Maintenance, and by way of Tythes, as they fuppofe moft convenient, &c. And thefe bring many Scriptures in the new Teftament, That he that labours is worthy of his Hire; he that preacheth the Gospel, ought to live of the Gospel; let him that is taught, communicate to him that teach eth; and the like.

AND to fuch I fay, that not only the Equity of the Levitical Law for Tything, the Doctrine of Chrift Jefus and his Apoítles do bind, but even from natural Things we are largely taught our Duty therein; No Man muzzleth the Mouth of the

Öx ; and no Man goeth a Warfare at his own Charge; and he that plants a Vineyard, eats the Fruit thereof: And herein it is agreed, that the Minifters of Chrift Jefus, who are called to his Service, and labour in the Word, ought to be comfortably provided for, that they go not a Warfare at their own Charge.

BUT this doth not require, that the World, (which lies waste as a Wilderness, and is not of the Vineyard) fhould contribute, much less be compelled, to give a certain Portion of the Fruits of their Labours, towards the Maintenance of Chrift's Ministers.

AND these grant, that every Man is the fole Owner of his own Labour and Poffeffion; and though by another he may not be compelled, for fuch Sacrifice God abhors, yet ought every one freely to glorifie God with his Subftance, to ftrengthen the weak Hands and feeble Knees, and to give to him that teacheth, thofe Things that are needful, and fuch cheerful Givers God accepts.

AND this leaves every one free to give to him that teacheth, not binding to the Maintenance of those who have lefs Need than the Giver, or of those who are transformed as Apoftles and Minifters of Chrift, who have the Form, but want the Power, who teach for filthy Lucre, keeping ever learning, but cannot bring to the Knowledge of the Truth.

AND of fuch as Chrift Jefus fent forth, he always took care, and they never wanted, but they reaped the Fruits of their Labour, and eat the Fruits of their own Vineyards which they had planted, and by the Churches who were gathered out of the World, were they maintained to preach the Gofpel to the World, unto whom they would not make the Gofpel chargeable or burthenfome, which was their Glory and their Crown:

AND herewith let all our now called Churches be proved and tried, who feparate from the World, and yet many of them receive Pay and Wages for their Teachers from the World, who fend none at their own Coft to preach to the World.

AND here our Rulers fhould learn Wisdom, to with-hold their Hands from upholding any with their worldly Sword, and compelling others to maintain them; and to leave Chrift's Kingdom to his own Rule, who is Lord of the Harvest, and fends forth Labourers, and hath Spirit to put upon them; who fends forth the Fishermen, the Shepherds, the Herdfinen, the Tillers of the Ground, and the Keepers of Flocks, who speak plain Words that wife Men cannot understand, who are wife in the Worlds Wisdom, gathered in Schools, whither they are sent to learn a Trade, thereby to get their Livings; and in the Time of Popery, they studied the Popish Doctrines, and then preached them to others; and in the Time of Prelacy, they changed to a new Form: And when that was laid afide, Prefbytery was fet up, and then fuch the Universities fent forth; and fince Independency was preferred, great Store of them are îpread abroad; and look what pleaseth them best that have the greatest Livings in Difpofe, that is the moft cried up, and moft ftudied and preached; and here is the Spring of our Teachers, the Universities; and these fay, that Greek and Hebrew are the Original, which they go thither to learn, that they may understand what Chrift fpoke, and the Apoftles preached: But the Hebrews and Greeks who heard them speak in their own Language, could not understand their Do&trine, for it feemed Foolishness to them; and these by their Original are in no better State, nor nearer to the Knowledge of the Gospel: And let D 2

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