Oyl, Fleece, and the like, was given to the Priests at the fixtieth Part, fometimes at the fiftieth or more, at the Devotion of the Owner. Of Cattle alfo the Firft-born were the Lord's, paid to the Priefts, of clean Beafts in Kind, of unExod.13.2 clean in Money, with a fifth Part added: Alfo divers Parts of the Sacrifices were appointed for the Priests. But no Tithes did the Priefts receive of the People; for those belonged to the Levites that were appointed over the Tabernacle, and the Inftruments thereof, to bear it, to take it down, and fet it up, to ferve Aaron and his Sons, and to do the Services of the Tabernacle, and keep the Inftruments thereof; and their Service chiefly was upon removing of the Hoft; for better ordering whereof, and every ones Service, they were divided into three Parts, the Kohathites, the Gershonites, and the Merarites, and these received Tithes of the People, and out of them, a tenth Part they delivered to the Priefts. Afterwards, when Solomon had builded a Tem1Chron.26 ple, and placed the Ark therein, other Offices 3c, & 32. were appointed for the Levites; one Part of them were to be Singers; another to be Porters, and take the Charge of the Gates of the Temple; another to be Keepers of the Treafury; others of them alfo were placed abroad in the Country, on the Weft Side of Jordan one Toufand feven Hundred, and on the Eaft Side two Thoufand feven Hundred. By this Time alfo the Pofterity of Aaron being much encreased, the Priefts were divided into twenty four Ranks or Courfes, according to the Names of their Families, and every one's Attendance was required by Turns; and hereupon Zacharias is faid to be of the Courfe of Abia, and to execute the Priest's Office, and burn Incenfe as his Turn came, 1 came, Luke i. and the firft of the first Rank had the Pre-eminence, and was the High-Prieft, and fo every one according to their Precedency were preferred. The Levites that were Singers were divided, as the Priefts, into twenty four Ranks or Courfes; the Porters into five Parts, one Part to every of the four Gates of the Temple, and the fifth to Afuppim, i. e. the Council-Houfe. The Treasury was generally committed to one, as the chief, but under him to two Sorts of other Officers; one to keep the Treasures of the Houfe of the Lord, and those Things that were offered to the Lord; and the other to keep the dedicate Things In thefe Treafuries were put the fecond Tithes, the Offerings of all Sorts of People, which were for the Ufes and Services of the Temple, for the Fatherless, the Stranger, and the Widow. After the Captivity, and new Dedication of the Temple, it appears, that in many Particulars, their Laws, Ordinances and Customs, were very much changed, especially in this of Tithing: But not being much pertinent to this Difcourfe, I fhall pass them over; only from these short Hints, let the Reader understand, that though the Priefts and Levites were both of the Tribe of Levi, yet was the Priesthood fettled in the Sons of Aaron, and the Offices of the Priefts were quite different from the Levites, and fo was their Maintenance diftinct, as before is herein plainly fhewed. These Priests and Levites being separated for the Work of the Lord, in the Tabernacle and in the Temple they miniftred according to the Ordinances of the first Covenant, which were Figures for the Time then present, and Shadows of good Things to come. B 3 A View A View of the Doctrines, Decrees and Practices of TITHING, from the Infancy of the Christian Church, until this Day. UT in the Fulness of Time, God raised up B another Pricft, CHRIST JESUS, who was rot of the Tribe of Levi, nor confecrated after the Order of Aaron; for he pertained to another Tribe, of which no Man gave Attendance at the Altar, who (having obtained a more excellent Ministry, of a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not of the former Building, being the Sum and Subftance of all the Patterns of Things under the first Covenant) put an End to the first Priesthood, with all its Shadows, Figures, and carnal Ordinarices, and changing the Priesthood, which had a Command to take Tithes of their Brethren, there was made of Neceffity alfo a Change of the Law, and a difannulling of the Commandment going before, which was but impofed until the Time of Reformation. And the Apostles and Minifters of Chrift Jefus, when he had finished his Office upon Earth, by offering up himself through the Eternal Spirit, a Sacrifice without Spot unto God, did not look back to the Ordinances of the former Priesthood, but teftified an End was put unto them; and witneffed against the Temple, wherein the Priefts miniftred, for which Stephen was ftoned to Death; against Circumcifion, faying, It was not that of the Flef against the Paffover, Priests, &c. and preached up Chrift Jefus and his Doctrine, the new and living Way, which was not made manifeft while as the first Tabernacle was ftanding. Nor did they go about to eftablifh the Law by which Tithes were given in the former Priesthood, but freely they preached the Gofpel which they had received, received, and did not require any fettled Maintenance, but lived of the free Offerings and Contributions of the Saints, who by their Miniftry were turned to Chrift Fefus. At Jerufalem and thereabouts, fuch was the Unity of Heart among the Saints in the Apoftles Time, that all Things were in common, and none Als 4-34. wanted; and as many as were Poffeffors of Lands or Houses, fold them, and brought the Price, and laid it down at the Apoftles Feet, and it was diftributed unto every Man according as he had Need. So the Church gathered by (a) Mark at Alexandria in Egypt, followed the fame Rule as the Saints did at Jerufalem, having all Things in common: And Philo Judæus, a famous Author of that Time, reporteth, that not only there, but in many other Provinces, the Chriftians lived together in Societies. In the Churches at Antioch, the Saints poffeffed Ads 11.29 every Man his own Eftate; fo likewife in Galatia 1 Cor.16.2 and Corinth, where the Apostle ordained, that Weekly-Offerings for the Saints fhould be made by every one as God had bleffed him; and by thefe Offerings (which were put into the Hands of the Deacons of the Churches) were all the Services and Needs of the Church fupplied. (b) By Example of thefe, the Course of Monthly Offerings fucceeded in the next Ages, not exacted, but freely given at the Bounty of every Man, as appears plainly by Tertullian in Apolog. ch. 39. where, upbraiding the Gentiles with the Piety and Devotion of Chriftians, he faith, Whatsoever we have in the Treafury of our Churches, is not raised by Taxation, as though we put Men to ranfom their Religion; but every Man once a Month, or when it B 4 pleafeth (4) Hieron. in vità Marc. (b) Vide Synod. Gang: Can. 60. pleafeth himself, beftoweth what he thinks good, and not without be lifteth; for no Man is compelled, but left free to his own Difcretion: And that which is given, is not bestowed in Vanity, but in relieving the Poor, and upon Children deftitute of Parents, and Maintenance of aged and feeble Perfons, Men wrecked by Sea, and fuch as are condemned to the Metal Mines, banished into Islands, or caft into Prifon, profeffing the true God, and the Chriftian Faith. And this Way of Contribution continued in the Church till the great Perfecution under Maximinian and Dioclefian, about the Year 304, as (c) Eufebius teftifieth, which alfo appears by the Writings of Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, and others. About this Time alfo, fome Lands began to be given to the Church, and the Revenue of them was brought into the Treafury of the Church, and belonged to the Church in common, and was diftributed, as other Offerings, by the Deacons and Elders; but the Bishops or Ministers meddled not therewith; for (d) Origen faith, It is not lawful for any Minister of the Church to poffefs Lands (given to the Church) to his own Use : And called to the Minifters, Let us depart from the Priests of PHARAOH, who enjoy earthly Poffeffions, to the Priests of the LORD, who have no Portion in the Earth. And in another Place he faith, It behoveth us to be faithful in difpofing the Rents of the CHURCH, that we ourfelves devour not thofe Things which belong to the Widows and the Poor; and let us be content with fimple Diet, and neceffary Apparel. And (e) Urban, Bishop of Rome, Anno 227, did declare, That the CHURCH might receive Lands and Poffeffions offered (c) Eufeb. lib. 4. ch. 22. (d) 16 Homily upon Genefis, fol. 26. ch. 3. |