"freely to give, because
they had freely received;" and their maintenance was the Free Gift of
those that beleeved the good tyding they carryed about of the coming
of the Messiah their Saviour. To which we may adde, that which was
contributed out of gratitude, by such as our Saviour had healed of
diseases; of which are mentioned "Certain women (Luke 8. 2,3.) which had
been healed of evill spirits and infirmities; Mary Magdalen, out of whom
went seven Devills; and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herods Steward; and
Susanna, and many others, which ministred unto him of their substance.

After our Saviours Ascension, the Christians of every City lived in
Common, (Acts 4. 34.) upon the mony which was made of the sale of their
lands and possessions, and laid down at the feet of the Apostles, of
good will, not of duty; for "whilest the Land remained (saith S. Peter
to Ananias Acts 5.4.) was it not thine? and after it was sold, was it
not in thy power?" which sheweth he needed not to have saved his land,
nor his money by lying, as not being bound to contribute any thing at
all, unlesse he had pleased. And as in the time of the Apostles, so also
all the time downward, till after Constantine the Great, we shall
find, that the maintenance of the Bishops, and Pastors of the Christian
Church, was nothing but the voluntary contribution of them that had
embraced their Doctrine. There was yet no mention of Tythes: but
such was in the time of Constantine, and his Sons, the affection of
Christians to their Pastors, as Ammianus Marcellinus saith (describing
the sedition of Damasus and Ursinicus about the Bishopricke,) that it
was worth their contention, in that the Bishops of those times by the
liberality of their flock, and especially of Matrons, lived splendidly,
were carryed in Coaches, and sumptuous in their fare and apparell.

The Ministers Of The Gospel Lived On The Benevolence Of Their Flocks
But here may some ask, whether the Pastor were then bound to live upon
voluntary contribution, as upon almes, "For who (saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 9.
7.) goeth to war at his own charges? or who feedeth a flock, and eatheth
not of the milke of the flock?" And again, (1 Cor. 9. 13.) "Doe ye not
know that they which minister about holy things, live of the things of
the Temple; and they which wait at the Altar, partake with the Altar;"
that is to say, have part of that which is offered at the Altar for
their maintenance? And then he concludeth, "Even so hath