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Show :92 no.3; or A CHRISTIAN. c114,,42; was neceifary for the conferring of the Holy Ghoi't , that their Baptifme ihould be adminifired, or confirmed by a Minifler of the Word, not by a Minifler of the Church. And therefore to confirm the Baptifme ofthofe that Philip the Deacon had Baptized, the Apoflles fent out of their own number from Jerufalem to Samaria, Peter, and John; who conferred on them that before were but Baptized,thofe graces that were figns of the Holy Spirit, which at that time did accompany alltrue Beleevers~7 which what they were may be underflood by that which Si Marlee faith (chap. 16.1 7.)".T/Jefe flgm: follow them that belewe in my Nome, they/boll [4]} out Devi/Ii; t/Jey flM/lfpcak wit/7 new tongues, T/oeyjha/l talc: up S erpmt: , and If they drink my deadly thing, z'tflia/l not hurt them; They flM/Z lay bond: on the fitk, rmdt/zcyflmll recover. This to doe , was it that Philip could not give, but the Apoflles could, and ( as appears by this place) effectually did to every man that truly beleevcd , and was by a Minif'ter of Chrilt himfelf Baptized .- which power either Chtifls Minifiers in this age cannot conferre, or elfe there are very few true Beleevers , or Chrif't hath very few Mini. flers. .‘Andhow dio- That the firft Deacons were chofen,not by the Apoitles,but by a lmCongregation ofthe Difciplesnhat is,of Chriitianmen of all forts, is manifefi out of A625 6.where we read that the Twain/gather the number of Difciples was multiplyed, called them together , and having told them,that it was not fit that the Apoftles {hould leave the Word of God,and ferve tables,faid unto them (verfe '3.) Bret/mo looke you OfEcclcjiafli- ther, but that Gods inheritance, was their maintenance. Now and the fucceeding High Pi'iefts were his Lieutvenants; it is manifefi, that the Right of Tythes, and Offerings was conflituted by the Ci: vill Power. After their rejection ofGod in the demanding ofa King, they enjoyed {till the fame revenue; but the Right thereof wasbderivcd from that, that the Kings did never take it from them : for the Publique Revenue was at the difpoiing of him that was the Piiblique Petfon; and that (till the C aptivity) was the King. And again, af« ter the return from the Captivity, theV paid their Tythes as before to the Prief‘t. Hitherto therefore Church Liviiigs were determined by the Civill Soveraign. Of the maintenance of our Saviour, and his Apoflles , we read [nurseri- onely they had a Puric,i_which was carried by .lllt‘lds licariotg and, out! timi‘; "NJ that of the Apoilles, illCli as were Idiher-iuen, didfometimestiie "5"" theittrade; :indthatwhtnour Saviour lent the Twelve Apoflles to Preach, he im had them to awry tie/:1, tszn‘llt'cr, rim! Brit/j: m [lat/r V w put/er, frr 1/th n'zr workman 15 iron/2y of lush/re : By which it IS Jr. 10. _' - , - . . employment; forthtiremploymentwas(ver. 3.ifn'i'/y News, I):- which was contributed out ofgratitudeduv fiith as our Saviour had healed effluents; ofwhich the iiieiitithtd Cunt/r; ii'o'mt/x ( Luke 8. Congrégation chofe them; which alfo,(verfe the fift)is more expreflely faid,where it is written, that the flying Plea/27411;: multitude, and they claofofowo, (yo. 1.".‘i "warn"; flax/hwy; [tent/crlof crux/l Ant/"Hr .tnr/ li.'/i/Iflll[t‘.i‘~, Mary amigo: :2, oil! {fir/mi: trait/men Devil/r; um/ laimxn t/Ir il'l/c‘ of by the fubdivifion ofthe Tribe ofjofeph, into Ephraim and Manaf‘ fcs, were {till twelve. To the Tribe ofLevi were ailigned certain Cities for their habitation, with the fuburbs for their cattell: but for their portion, they were to have the tenth of the fruits ofthe land of'thcir Brethren. Again, the Priefls for their maintenance had the tenth of that tenth, together with part ofthe oblations , and lacrifices. For God had {aid to Aaron (Numb. 18. 20. ) T/m find! [Ma/c nainborimme in Meir/mid, owl/or flmlt time have any part among]! them, I am My port, a/idtbme inheritance amongflrlie Cr'Jih tire» of Ijmd. For God being then King, and having coni‘tituted the Tribe of Levi to be his Publique Miniiters , he allowed them tor their maintenance, the Publique revenue, that is to fay, the part that Godhad teferved to himfelf, which were Tythes , and Offerings: andthat is it which is meant, where God faith, I am thine inheritance. And therefore to the Levites might not iinfitly be ;tttribti:t"d 10. fr, A caijxmry Lin/firth i't't‘e‘l'l'l‘r'f: and their tiiaintenani‘e was the free and of Wlfdomegvbom we may appoint over 1/155 bufimfle. Here it is manifel‘t, that though the Apoftles declared them elected, yctthc ull meue, ble of the Prieflhood,and other inferiour Offices ofthe ChurthJ'he A probable, theirordinaiymaintenance was not tiniiiitiible to their gift ofthoie that beleeveil the good tvding they eiii‘i'yctl about of the coiningtittht MeiliahtheirSaviour: TKO whichwc may atltle,tliat Under the Old Teitament, the Tribe of Levi were onely capa- 293 feeingin this time God himfelfwas their King, and Moles, Aaron out among you feet/m men ofhom/Z report, full of 1/}: Holy Clyofi, undcr‘be Law land was divided amongi‘t the other Tribes (Levi excepted,) which ‘l Ml"- ‘ Part. 3; C 0 M M 0 NJVE A L TH. 05419.42; the name of Clergy from "West, which fignifieth Lot, or Inheritancenot that they were heirs of the Kingdome of God, more than 0: Chain, lineal. Minnirxl; am! So .mmi, and mitiiy other; , iii/Jud) Ill/HF jirrdimzo /).m of their [nth/lance. After our Saviour» Airenlion, the Chrillians ()fu'ci‘t' City lived in Common,' upon the many which was made of the llile ()li [liell' * :1}: .i, }+' lands and polltilions‘, and laid down at the feet ol'the Apomcs , of good will, notoridiity, for iii/tile]! 1/25 Lam/remainedi'liiith S. We tet to Ananiafi {Im- 5.4. ) nun/mo: (lime: timid/tor 1! 1m: fold, 1rd: 1! AG! in Hwy/Inter." which lhewcth he needed not have hiveil hisland not h‘s iiiuntybylying, as. not being boundti) contribute anythingatiill, llnltllclic had pleafeti. And asin the time of the Apoitles, io :iliii :illthe time downward, tillaiter (,ltiiiit;intiiietlie Great, we ihall tindihat the iii.iiiiteii;ince with: lliilirips‘,;intl Pailors Otthe ChriilianClanth, was nothing biitthe voluntary contrihiinon otthemthathadembraetdtheir Doctrine. There wax yet no mentienot'l‘ythes : but i-LlClHVdSln the timeofConi'lantine , and his Sons, the affectioniifChi-iitians to their l'.‘.ili)l‘€,;ls Ammiauu s hiarcellinus faith t tlclt‘i'llnm; the ictiition offload/1:: and I'rliomm aooutthe Biihopricke,) IlifltdthllS norththeir contention, in that the Biiliops of thofc times by the libti'ality of their flock, and LIC 1' p elpeeially |