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think that from this very Text, it may, nay that it must be Concluded, That The Lord has Ordained Tythes under the Gospel, as well as under the Law. And I will fhew hereafter, that this Text was thus understood, in the firft Ages of the Church.

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But why wou'd not S. Paul downright name Tythes, and fo put the Matter out of Dispute? Lanfwer Ther was then no Dispute at all concerning the Divine Right of Tythes. All the Difpute that then cou'd be,was only to whom they shou'd be Pay'd? whether to the Priests of the Temple or the Gospel? The Priests of the Temple were then in Poffeffion of them; and wou'd have Rais'd a much more fevere Perfecution against the Gospel, if its Priests had Pretended to them. And therefor it was Great' Prudence in the Apostles not to Name Tythes, not to add Oyl to the Flames of that Perfecution, which was like to be too strong for the ordinary fort of Chriftians, and overcame fome of them. Yet wou'd not the Apostles lofe their Right, which S. Paul, in this Chapter, not only Afferts, but Argues

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for it, though he wou'd not then make use of it, for Reasons which he there Declares.

SECT. X.

Obj. That no Tythes were Pay'd in the Days of the Apostles, and firft Ages of Christianity.

1. Irft, I Deny the Suppofition: That no Tythes were then Pay'd. For though a Tenth was Ordained; yet it might be Exceeded, and Men might give a Greater Proportion, if they thought fit: and God did accept of what more Men gave, as a Mark of more Extraordinary Devotion, and Zeal to his Service: -And therefor they who gave More, gave the Tenth.

Now, in the Days of the Apostles, the Chriftians gave not only a Tenth but their Zeal was fo Exceeding as to fell Lands, Houfes, &c. and give All that they had in the World, and I 2 lav

Acts iv. 34. lay it down at the Apostles Feet. And this was not a fudden Heat of Devotion, and foon over, it lafted many

Years. We

Nuv xa xer is Kovov φερόν τες καὶ παντι δεομένῳ κοινωνόντις. Apolog. 2. pag. 61.

find it in Juftin Martyr, 160 Years after Christ. And now (fays he) We bring all that we have into Common, and Communicate it to every one that wants.

Adverf. Ha- And after him Irenæus, An. Chr. 180. ref.l.4.c.34 tells that the Jews confecrated a Tenth, but the Chriftians gave All that they had to God's Service; and wou'd give not Less than the Jews, because they had a better Hope. And after him Tertullian, An. 200. fays (Apol. c. 39.) That all things were Common among the Christians, but their Wives.

Now while this great Zeal and Liberality lafted, what Reason was ther to Prefs Men to give a Tenth, who gave a Great deal more? Mr. Selden confeffes (c. 4. n. 1. p. 36.) So liberal (fays he) in the Beginning of Chriftianity, was the Devotion of Believers, that their Bounty to the Evangelical Priesthood far exceeded what the Tenth cou'd have been. And p. 39. The Liberality formerly used had been fuch, that

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in respect thereof, Tenths were a small part." And Review, e. 4. p. 462. he fays, It had been little to the purpose indeed to have had Tythes of Annual Increafe paid, while that most Bountiful Devotion of Good Chriftians continu'd in frequent Offerings, both of Lands and Goods, to fuch Large Value. And (c. 4. n. 2. p. 40.) he continues this vaft Liberality of the Chriftians in their Offerings, to the days of St. Chryfoftom, who liv'd at the end of the 4th Century; where he tells how much the Clergy were Envy'd for their Riches ; which, fays he, Grew only out of Such Chriftian Devotion to the Priesthood. He magnifies the Great Oblations made at Rome, however Cyprian (fays he) might before have caufe to complain in Africk. Yet the Oblations were not Mean in Africa; which we may gather from the Relation of St. Cyprian himself; who tells (Epift. 160. p. 96. Ed. Oxon.) that out of the Oblations of the Chriftians of Carthage,where he was Bishop, he contributed, at one time, an Hundred Thousand Seftertiums, towards the Relief of fome Christian Captives. But, to fay no I 3

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more of the Greatness of the Devotions of thofe Times; I have only this Use to make of it, as to my Present Purpofe, That the Chriftians then giving more than a Tenth, had been Reason fufficient, if ther had not been one word in any of the Fathers of thofe Times, concerning Tythes. For how cou'd they Require Tythes, when Tythes were Pay'd, and a great deal more?

But because ther fhou'd be no fort of Argument wanting, in this Caufe, we have frequent Teftimonies, even of the Fathers of thefe firft Ages, for Tythes being Due, under the Gofpel, as well as under the Law; and that the Commands in the Law for Tythes, do ftill oblige us. I will mention but a few.

St. Irenaus, Difciple to St. Polycarp, who was Disciple to St. John the Apoftle, fays (adverf. Hæref. 1. 4. c. 34.) That we ought to offer to God the Firstfruits of His Creatures, as Mofes faid, You shall not appear Empty before the Lord. It has been faid before, that First-fruits and Tenths are us'd promifcuoufly, But Irenaus fhews, that

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