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They had a Command from God to receive them; but what's this to thee? Did not thofe Commands, as before is faid in Levit. 27. 34. only belong to Ifrael? And were not the Pharifees Ifraelites? But thou fcrambleft hard, and layeft hold of that, which cannot fupport thee, or thy tottering Caufe; yet, notwithstanding all thou canft fay, 'tis plain, that Chrift's Approbation of their Tithing, was before the Law was fulfilled, and the Work done, that Chrift came to do in Perfon; but after that was finished, then that Yoke of Bondage was removed, as the Apostle calls that of Tithes, and other things, as might be fhewn at large; and he that was before the Pharifees or Levites Tithes, and all outward Ceremonies, or Typical Things, took place, he is Heir of all things, and hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth; he is the Alpha and the Omega, who was Dead, but is Alive, and Lives and Reigns for evermore; being Exalted over all, at the Right Hand of his Father in Glory: Who, when he Commissioned his Meffengers and Minifters, he bad them tarry at Jerufalem, and wait for the Promife of the Father, faying, Te fhall receive Power from on High, Luke 24. 49. Acts 1. 4, 8. as accordingly they did. And he had faid fo much before unto them, not to take care for Meat, Drink, or Cloathing, fee Luke 12. that they were unconcern'd about thofe things: But he laid nothing to them of Tithes.

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But, Though Chrift (fay't thou) be the end of the Levitical Priesthood, it does not follow that the Right to Tithes doth ceafe with that Priesthood; and why? Becaufe, fay't thou, the -Priesthood of Melchifedec continues, p.83.

This is doing as well as thou canft; and if what thou contendeft for could be granted, as it cannot, it would then follow, that thou muft prove thy felf to be of that Priesthood of Melchifedec, or elfe it would make nothing to thee And When 'all's done, thou can't never prove that Fiches were ever claimed by Melchifedec, or given by Abraham to him, in Obedience to any written Law of God or Man. Shew me one Tittle of a Law from Chrift, or any of his Apoftles, for Tithes, and then thou would't do fomething: But I have Fully made it appear, that Abraham Gave freely, not Paid, the Tenths of the Spoil, and that but once bust on t

A little before, thou tell'ff me, I cannot but own a Maintenance doth belong to the Minifters of the Gospel, and why not Tithes? Dare I say, that in the Nature of the thing it is unreasonable is fhould be Tithes? p. 82."

I Anfwer; I dare fay, It is unreasonable, that Tithes, as they have been brought in and impofed in the dark Night of Popery, and all Men, whether they own that Priesthood they are given unto, or no, as fometimes one fort, fometimes another, fhould be forc'd to pay them, even yet thofe that cannot own that Priesthood or Ministry, nor believe them to

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be the Minifters of Jefus Chrift, that they are given unto.

I perceive, that if the Law gave them to me and my Friends, thou would't not pay them to me as a Minifter of Chrift, but count them mif-applied, p. 84. yet, it feems, thou haft that Latitude, that thou could't pay them, and uphold a Ministry thou believeft is Falfe and Erroneous, and not of God; fo that there's no danger of thy Suffering much, come what will: But we have not fo learn'd of Chrift; nor had many of the holy Martyrs of Jefus, that are gone before us, who patiently fuffer'd, even as we now do, under those Laws that compel Payment of thofe Tithes.

But there is a Maintenance that I grant to be Lawful, and have fhewn thee what it was in the Apostles Days, and a great while after, viz. Free and Voluntary, not Forc'd and Conftrain'd: And it is ftrange, that when Paul was fpeaking fo exprefly in Heb. 7. of Melchizedec, and of another Priesthood than the Levitical, that he fhould fay nothing of Tithes, nor mention one word of them, as continued to the Ministers of the Gofpel, if due to them, nor of going any farther than that Difpenfation of the Levitical Priefthood; bur tells us of another Priesthood, that fprung not out of Levi, and of the Law being changed alfo: Bur Pray, wherein is the Change of it, if Shadows ftill remain? It is alfo very remarkable, that Paul put the Churches of Chrift into another method, way or manner of raifing Mainte

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nance, as I have fhewed before, 1 Cor. 16.1,1, That every Man fhould lay by, as God enabled or profpered him, once a week. And this is the way that's pointed out, and it is Free, and in the Liberty that Jefus Chrift hath brought us into; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty: And bleffed be God, he hath fent it into the Hearts of his Sons and. Daughters, and the Fruits of it are brought forth, and we Love one another, our Neighbour as our felves, and all Men: Yet of our felves we are not fufficient to think a good Thought, nor without the Lord from Heaven, a Quickning Spirit, can we do any thing well-pleafing to God: Nor fhall we ever defire to run into the Difpenfation of Mofes; for we know one more Glorious, thanks be to God for his unfpeakable Gift. Nor doft thou need to fear us taking Tithes, if Mens Laws did give them to us, whatever thou thinkeft of us; for thou know'ft us not, though thou fpeak'ft evil of us; I with therefore, both thou and all Men, knew. us throughly, and our Principles better.

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But thou askeft, If I would think thee faultlefs, if thou denieft me any thing that the Law gives me a Right to ? p. 84.

I Answer freely, Yes; and could mention feveral things, that I fhould not think thee faulty in denying, though the Law give a Right to them: But I forbear now.

One thing more thou tell'ft me, that I faid, Levi was a Child, and had a Twelfth part of the Land

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by Birth; asking, Where I read that? and faying, In the Holy Scriptures I may read the quite contrary citing Dent.10.4. Joh.13.14. Where is not one word that Levi was not a Child, or must not have a Child's Part, or be provided for by the Lord, as he was; befides, I think, the Tenths being freely given him of God, to receive from his Brethren, was as good a Part as the Twelfth Part of the Land, and better. But in this thou fhew'ft thy felf to an Impartial

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Again, Thou fay't, I little understand the Scripture, when I fay, That Levi having a Tenth of the Increase, the poor Widows and Fatherless were to share with him; telling me, There was a Second Tithe appoined, with which they made their Feafts.

But fay I, there was not only a First and Second Tithe, but a Third also, as I have fhewn before; and not only the Poor, the Fatherlefs and Widows, were relieved therewith, but the Stranger alfo.

But how many Tithes have the Clergy now in England! It's clear, they have not only the Tithe of the Seed, but of Fruits, Roots, &c. yea, of Lead-Ore, as fome of them, and others fain would have; and of Coal, and Copper too, it's plain of late: Befides, what call they that, which is paid for Calves, Foals, Hens, for Smoke, Gardens, and for all that are Sixteen Years Old; for Lands, Sheep, Hemp, Flax, Hops, Bees, Pidgeons? &c. And yet the Poor, the Fatherlefs and Widow E

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