Hobbes - Leviathan.pdf

portion they were to have the tenth of the fruits of the land of their
brethren. Again, the priests for their maintenance had the tenth of
that tenth, together with part of the oblations and sacrifices. For
God had said to Aaron, "Thou shalt have no inheritance in their
land, neither shalt thou have any part amongst them; I am thy part and
thine inheritance amongst the children of Israel."* For God being then
King, and having constituted the tribe of Levi to be His public
ministers, He allowed them for their maintenance the public revenue,
that is to say, the part that God had reserved to Himself; which
were tithes and offerings: and that is it which is meant where God
saith, "I am thine inheritance." And therefore to the Levites might
not unfitly be attributed the name of clergy, from Kleros, which
signifieth lot or inheritance; not that they were heirs of the kingdom
of God, more than other; but that God's inheritance was their
maintenance. Now seeing in this time God Himself was their King, and
Moses, Aaron, and the succeeding high priests were His lieutenants; it
is manifest that the right of tithes and offerings was constituted
by the civil power.
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* Numbers, 18. 20
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After their rejection of God in the demanding of a king, they
enjoyed still the same revenue; but the right thereof was derived from
that, that the kings did never take it from them: for the public
revenue was at the disposing of him that was the public person; and
that, till the Captivity, was the king. And again, after the return
from the Captivity, they paid their tithes as before to the priest.
Hitherto therefore Church livings were determined by the civil
sovereign.
Of the maintenance of our Saviour and his Apostles, we read only
they had a purse (which was carried by Judas Iscariot); and that of
the Apostles such as were fishermen did sometimes use their trade; and
that when our Saviour sent the twelve Apostles to preach, he forbade
them to carry gold, and silver, and brass in their purses, "for that
the workman is worthy of his hire":* by which it is probable their
ordinary maintenance was not unsuitable to their employment; for their
employment was "freely to give, because they had freely received";*(2)
and their maintenance was the free gift of those that believed the
good tiding they carried about of the coming of the Messiah their
Saviour. To which we may add that which was contributed out of
gratitude by such as our Saviour had healed of diseases; of which
are mentioned "certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and
infirmities; Mary Magdalen, out of whom went seven devils; and
Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward; and Susanna, and many
others, which ministered unto him of their substance."*(3)
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* Matthew, 10. 9, 10
*(2) Ibid., 10. 8
*(3) Luke, 8. 2, 3
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After our Saviour's ascension, the Christians of every city lived in
common upon the money 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 "whilst the land remained." saith St. Peter to
Ananias, "was it not thine And after it was sold, was it not in thy
power"*(2) Which showeth he needed not have saved his land, nor his
money by lying, as not being bound to contribute anything at all