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that are not Sent of God, run for Self-ends, and lay hold of all Advantages for their own Exaltation, Honour and Preferment, in this World; feeking their own, and not the things of Jefus Chrift. And this is the caufe that Truth falls in the Streets, and Equity cannot enter. So that the Apostles; as Paul, Stephen, and others, fuffered for Teftifying against their Temple, Fafts, Feafts, Times, Months, Years, Rudiments and Commands of Men.

Now our Lord Chrift alfo, as he Commanded his, that he fent, fo he fet them an Example: And he is the Everlasting High Pricft, the Son of God, the Heir of all Things, the First Born of every Creature, the Bishop' of Souls; tho' he was Lord of all, yet he made himself of no Reputation, and laid no Claim to the Poffeffions of this World; faying, The Foxes have Holes, the Birds of the Air have Nefts, but the Son of Man bath not whereon to lay his Head: He laid no Claim to Tithes, nor Offerings, nor Oblations, where he travelled in the Work of his Ministry; though he laboured for the Converfion of Souls in divers places, as the true Bifhop thereof, yet he laid no Claim to them, as his Diocefs, nor looked for Gifts or Rewards from any place: But as he was fent of the Father, and was the Free Gift of Righteoufnefs, he miniftred freely; and likewife, when he fent out his Disciples, to Teach all Nations, and Disciple them in the Name of the Father, Son,

and

and Holy Ghoft, Mat. 28. 19. he said, As my Father hath fent me, even fo fend I you, John 20. 21. And again, Freely you have received, freely give: Take with you neither Bag, nor Scrip, nor two Coats, nor Money in your Purses: But into what House or City you enter, enquire who therein is worthy? and there abide, till you go thence; and what is set before you, eat: For the Labourer is worthy of his meat, Mat: 10. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Luke 10. 7. What, it feems, they must, if they got Food and Raiment, be content therewith! yea, they faid at their Return, They lacked not any thing. Thefe preached the Gofpel freely, the New and Living Way, the Word of the Kingdom; and turn'd People to Chrift, who open'd their Hearts to minifter to their Neceffities in the Work of the Gofpel: These defir'd no Stipend, Sallary, Augmentation, or Settled Maintenance ; were content with what was miniftred unto them, only by them who believed, and partook of their Spiritual Things. They gave not over Preaching the Gospel, because they had no Settled Maintenance; like as I have known fome, in my time, who manifefted themfelves to minifter for Hire, and filthy Lucre; fo were out of the Apoftles Doctrine and Practice, who fometimes deny'd what was freely offer'd them; left they fhould make the Gospel chargeable, and their Work of no effect. But no Tithes were spoken of at all by them, that we read

but

of,

of, nor commanded or commended either to Few or Gentile, who believ'd, in the Age of the Apoftles, that we find either in Holy Scripture, or any other Ancient Records. So thus far. Primitive Chriftianity was kept üp.

Remember, I tell thee, In this time many were Converted to the Faith; and fuch was the Liberality and Bounty to the Evangelical Miniftry, that it exceeded the Tenth, and their Love and Unity was great; and fome offer'd all they had, and fold House and Land, and brought the Price, and laid it at the Apostle's Feet, Acts 4. 34. and it was diftributed to every Man as he had need; Mark, the Preachers did not engross it to themfelves; but every Man, according as he had need of Food and Raiment, received, with which they were content. the Church lived freely of what came freely, for the Service of it. And thus it was at Jerufalem in thofe Days.

So

So likewife the Church, gathered by Mark at Alexandria in Egypt, followed the fame Practice. Hieron. in Vit. Marc. And Philo Judæus faith, That in many other Provinces, the Believers lived together in Societies.

And in the Church at Antioch, the Saints poffefs'd every Man his own Estate, Acts 11. 29. So likewife in Galatia and Corinth, where the Apostle ordered, That a Weekly Offering fhould be made for the Saints, by every Man, according to his Ability and Eftate, C I Cor. 16.

1 Cor. 16. 1, 2. And this was put into the hands of Deacons, whereby the Poor were relieved, and neceffary Services fupplied in the Church of God; and this continued for that Age.

In the next Ages, Monthly Offerings were freely made, and given to the Saints, by devour and able Chriftians; and the Overfeers, appointed by the Church, were to receive them, and carefully and charitably difpofe of them, according to the Neceflity of the Saints, Concil. Gangr. Can. 66. As a Maintenance for the Brethren in their Travels for the Service of God, Feeding, Cloathing and Burying their poor Brethren, Relieving of Widows and Orphans, and Perfons condemned to labour in Metal-Mines, or to Prifons, or Banifhment into Iles by the Heathen Emperors.

And thefe Free Offerings were never exacted, witness Tertullian, that lived about Two Hundred Years after Chrift; whofe words are thefe, (Apol. c. 39.) 'Every Man gives a "Imall Sum every Month, or when he will; but it is, if he will, and be able; for no "Man is compell'd, but he gives freely. See here Gofpel-Maintenance bare-fac'd, that oppreffes no Man, nor overburdens him; for there is enough in one hard or other to do all that's needful, eafily and cheerfully. But this fuits not with them that feek High Things to themfelves.

And

And this way of Free Contribution contihued until the great Perfecution of Dioclefian and Maximian, about the Year 395.

About this time fome Lands were given to the Church, by them that believed, and the Revenue thereof was diftributed, as other Free Gifts were, by the Deacons, for the a forefaid ufes; Selden's Hiftory of Tithes, C. 4. fect. 1.'

Origen faith, It is not lawful for any Mi'nifter to poffefs Lands for his own ufe, that are given to the Church. Homil. 16. upon Genefis

Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, allo testifies the fame, and fhews how the Church maintained many Poor,: and that her own Diet was fparing and plain, and her Ex

Cyprian in his
Epift. 37,34,

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pences full of Frugality. This was about the Year 250.

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Profper also faith, That a Minister, able to live of himself, ought not to defire any thing to be given unto him; and he that ' receiveth it, doth it not without great Sin. De Vita Contemplat.

The Council held at Antioch, Anno 340. finding that much fault. The Council of Antioch, had been among the Deacons, Anno 340 to whom it properly did be long to diftribute the Offerings and Free Gifts, where there was need, which they detaining for their own Covetous Ends, the C 2 Gouncil

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