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Manifeftation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal, 1 Cor. 12.7. and that if any thing be revealed to him that fits by, let him fpeak, and let the reft hold their peace; and that he that Prophefied, fpoke to Men for Edification, Exhortation and Comfort; fee 1 Cor. 14. So here every Man miniftred as he was enabled in the Gift that God had given him, freely, as he received: So that the Apoftle Peter exhorted, That if any Man Speak, let him fpeak as the Oracles of God: If any Man minifter, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth; that God in all things may be glorified, 1 Pet. 4. 11. I

Now here is Gofpel-Method, Gofpel Order and Government, Gofpel-Ministers, all in their Gifts, freely miniftring, as they freely receive: And God is the fame to day, as yesterday, and for ever.

This then is clear, that as the Reason of Chrift's Command abides, and will to the end of the World; fo the Command, for that Reason, abides amongst his People, and will do to the end. If this be granted, as it cannot fairly be denied, then let us fee how, and when, and by whom, Tithes were brought in; and in fo doing, I fhalf Anfwer all thy Book very fully: And that we may take things before us, and fo pafs on through Times and Seasons, both according to holy Scriptures of Truth, and other Records I can get; I fhall begin with Abraham, seeing thou think'st thou haft done thy bufinefs fo patly,

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with what thou argueft from Abraham's Giving, not Paying, that's thy word, but Giving the Tenths of the Spoil to Melchifedec; which was before any Command was given out for Tithes to Levi.

Abraham, in his return from Redeeming his Nephew Lot, with all his Substance, and all the Subftance of Sodom and Gomorrab, Gen! 14. 9, 11, 12, 13, was met by Melchifedec, King of Salem, and Prieft of the most High God, who bleffed Abraham, and brought out Bread and Wine, and gave unto him, and the reft, who were with him; unto whom Abraham gave the Tenths of all the Spoil he had taken from Chedorlaomer,and the Kings that were with him, Gen. 14.20. Heb.7.4. Chryfoftom understands the Text only to be of the Spoils, whereof Abraham made Melchifedec a Partaker, by giving him the firft Fruits of his Martial Performance. Hierom often files it, The Tenth of the Spoil of the Prey, and of the Victory: See Selden's Hiftory of Tithes, cap. 1. fect. 1. Now here thou feemeft to ground thy Plea for the paying of Tithes due before the Law, which was only but a free Gift of Abraham's to Melchifedec, of the Spoil he had taken; and that but once, that we read of; take notice of that: Not of his Family's Labour or Induftry, but of the Spoil of what he had taken. And it is very clear, that it was a voluntary thing, and freely given, by way of Gratitude, unto Melchifedec, to requite his Kindness; who brought forth Bread and Wine

Wine unto him and his Soldiers, after a great Purfuit, for their Refreshment. Now it doth not appear, that if Abraham had not given the Tenth of the Spoil, that he had finned; for no Law had been broken, because there was none extant, that we read of; and therefore, by thy own Argument, there could be no Tranfgreffion: So that an Example of this Nature cannot be a Binding Law to future Generations; for if the Miniftry of this Age will make this a Binding Rule,may we not then require Bread and Wine, for our felves and Families, of every Parish-Prieft, and every Officer for himself and Soldiers, at their return from Victories; for the one Example is as binding as the other, both of them being voluntary?

The next Paffage, is Jacob's Vow, in Gen. 28. 22. This Stone, faid he, which I have set for e Pillar, fhall be God's House; and of all that thou fhalt give me, I will surely give the Tenth unto thee.

Here was an Extraordinary Occafion, and more than Ordinary Appearance from God unto Jacob, as he travelled from his Father to Haran, to take a Wife of his own Kindred; and here lying down, with his Head upon a Stone, Night being come, the Lord appear'd, and faid unto him, Gen. 28. 13, 14. I am the Lord God of Abraham, and the God of Ifaac; the Land whereon thou lieft, to thee will I give it, and to thy Seed, &c. And in thee, and in tby Seed, fhall all the Families of the Earth be

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bleed So he called the place Bethel, viz The House of God; becaufe of the Glorious Appearance of God, and of his great Promife made unto him, which he believ'd; And his Heart being open'd, and full with Joy and Faith, he promised to the Lord, laying. If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go,-fo that I come again to my Father's House in peace, then shall the Lord be my God; and of all that thou giveft me, I will Jurely give the Tenth unto thee, which he performed after Twenty Years, as Jofephus's words import, Antiq. l. 1. c. 19. Offering to the Lord the Tenths of his Substance, which he had got at Haran; after that be return'd to the place, where God appeared to him: But into whofe Hands it was given, it appears not, nor what it was done with.

But this was alfo a voluntary, Free Gift of Jacob, as a return of Thankfulness to the Lord, for his great Promise and Blessing to him and his Seed.

But the Lord did not command any People to pay Tithes, but Ifrael, whofe Law was given forth Four Hundred and Thirty Years after the Promife, Gal. 3. 17. Neither were they ever payable, but by the Jews, after they came to the Land of Canaan, and to Levi's Tribe only, to the Jewish Priests, that had no Inheritance allotted by the Lord, of all the Land of Canaan, or beyond Jordan, but only the Tenths, according to the Lord's Command, for the Office of the Priesthood,

and

and Service of the Tabernacle, Numb. 18. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. Now as the Tenths were paid to the Levites, fo they paid a Tenth of the Tenths unto the Priests, Numb. 18. 26, 28.

And fince the Apoftacy enter'd, the late Priefts, from this Example, have paid it to the Pope, being, as they reckon him, Chief Vicar upon Earth, &c. Since the Pope's Supremacy ceas'd with us in England, a Law was made to pay the First Fruits to the Crown, Stat. 26. Hen, 8.

But it's evident, there were feveral forts of Tithes and Offerings, fpoken of in the Holy Scriptures, which, I hope, I need not mention, fo that the Poor, the Widow, the Stranger, had Relief from them, Deut. 16. 11. But now, though the Priefts of our Times will have the Tithes of many things, befides Corn, Hay, Wool, Lamb, as Pigs, Geefe, Fruits, and Roots, with abundance more, as Calves, Foals, Garden-penny, Smoak or Peterpence, which hereafter may be spoken of; yet they leave the Poor, the Widow and Stranger, to be relieved by who will.

After the Second Temple was destroy'd, and the Jews difpers'd, my Author, viz. Francis Howgill, in The Great Cafe of Tithes revived, page 557. of his Works, faith, Then the Laws of Firft-Fruits, Offerings and Tithe, with them ceafed; for their Doctors determined, That according to the Law, no Inhabitants, but of the Land of Ifrael, were

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