The Divine Institution of Congregational Churches, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Of Maintenance of Miniſters.
Christ appointed the Support of Ordinances and Ministry: That Ministers are to be maintained, proved from Christ's Miſſion of the Diſciples; And by the Doctrine of the Apostle Paul.
§. 1. CHRIST Jeſus in his infinite Wiſdom having inſtituted Churches, and external Miniſters and Ordinances in thoſe Churches, hath alſo appointed ſuch outward ways and means for the ſupport thereof, as is neceſſarily conducible to his Honour and Intereſt in his eſtabliſhed Worſhip in the World; and therefore hath ordained Churches ſhould miniſter of their Temporals to the upholding and maintaining of Spirituals, both Ordinances and Miniſtry.
§. 2. The Subject which we ſhall chiefly ſpeak to now with much brevity is, To prove that thoſe Miniſters who labour in the Word and Doctrine ought to be maintained in a competent manner by the Churches or People that partake of their labours, ſo far at least as they are able. And it appears:
§. 3.1. In that Chriſt when he Ordained and ſent forth his firſt Preachers of the Goſpel, chargeth them not to go forth at their own Charges, both the Seventy aLuke 10.3, 4, 5., and the Twelve bMat. 10.10. Luke 9.1, 3, 4., to make no Proviſion for themſelves, either Food, Raiment or Money, but into whatever Houſe they went, there to ſtay, Eating Drinking and Lodging; and if they were not welcome and freely entertained, they were to ſhake off the dust of their feet againſt them in deteſtation of them; and he gives them likewiſe to underſtand, that he ſent them not about as Common Beggars, but that there was Moral Juſtice in it that they ſhould be maintained by the People to whom they Preached, for the Workman is worthy of his Meat cMat. 10.10.; nay, he tells them how dangerous it ſhall be to thoſe that refuſe them to ſave their Charges, It ſhall be more tolerable for Sodom, &c. dIbid. v. 14, 15..
§. 4.2. The Apoſtle Paul inſiſts much upon it as a Duty, that he ſaw the Churches were backward enough to in his day, and would be more afterward. For
He Argues from the Law of Nature and common Juſtice, Thou ſhalt not muzzle the Ox, &c a1 Tim. 5.18.. It's an unnatural thing to ſtarve the labouring Ox, and not ſuffer him to take now and then a Mouthful of the Corn he treadeth out: Again, he argues from common Juſtice: The Day Labourer by the Rules of Commutative Juſtice, is to have his Hire: Again, he argues from the leſs to the greater, Doth God take care for the poor dumb Oxen b1 Cor. 9.9., and doth he not take care for his labouring Miniſters? And he tells us this was the Moral ſence of Moſes his Law, not to muzzle the Ox, &c cDeut. 25.4. 1 Cor. 9, 10.. Again, he argues from the reaſonable expectation of all labourers in worldly Affairs; he inſtanceth in the Souldier, that goes not a Warfare at his own Charges; The Planter of a Vineyard expects Fruit thereof; The Shepherd that feeds the Flock expects to eat of the Milk; and the Plowman and Threſher d1 Cor. 9.7, 10.. If all theſe reaſonably expect outward ſubſiſtance from their labours, Why ſhould not he that labours in the Word and Doctrine? Again, the Apoſtle argues by way of compariſon of Temporal and Spiritual things together, ſhewing that ſpiritual things are much more worth than carnal; And hence ſaith, If we ſow to you ſpiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things e1 Cor. 9.11. Rom. 15.27? Again, he removes an Objection that they would be apt to make from his own Example, and ſaith, That although he took nothing of them for ſome ſpecial reaſons, yet he aſſured them that he had power to do it as well as others f1 Cor. 9.4, 5., implying that other Apoſtles did take Maintenance. He Argues alſo from the practice under the Law by God's Appointment, That they which did miniſter about Holy Things, liv'd on the Temple and Altar, and that God hath not taken leſs care of his Miniſters about Holy Things in the days of the Goſpel, but hath made Maintenance of Miniſters an Ordinance; He hath Ordained, That they that Preach the Goſpel ſhould live of the Goſpel gIbid. v. 13, 14..
You will ſay, Where did Christ Ordain it? It is enough if we be told ſo by an Inſpired Man, but it is eaſie to ſee that he Ordained ſo at his firſt Miſſion of Goſpel-Preachers, the Twelve and the Seventy. Obj. Paul took nothing of the Corinthians. Anſ. He tells us why, Upon the account of the Corinthians and Falſe Teachers, That he would not be cut off from his Triumph upon this account, to stop their Mouths; but yet he ſaith he robbed other Churches, (i. e. he took more of them than otherwiſe he would have done, even what he ſhould have had of the Corinthians) taking Wages of them to do the Corinthians ſervice h2 Cor. 11.8..
§. 5. It may be Enquired, In what Proportion the Maintenance of a Minister ought to be? The Apoſtle calls it Wages, and therefore 'tis the ſence of our Saviour and the Apoſtle too, That it ſhould be a comfortable Proviſion for themſelves and Families, according to that Way and Degree of Living which the generality of ſober People have to whom they Preach, the Apoſtle telling us, Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things aGal. 6.6..
Obj. But it may be ſaid, How much of all good things? I will give little enough.
Anſ. The Apoſtle in the context ſays enough to ſtop Mens Mouths here bIbid. v, 4., Let every Man prove his own Work, &c. immediately after the Text mentioned cIb. v. 7.8.. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, &c.
Object. You will ſay, It ſeems to be a low and Mean Thing for a Preacher of the Goſpel to take Maintenance.
Anſ. Is any Ordinance of Chriſt low and Mean? Doth he Ordain Low and Mean Things? And why did Chriſt himſelf take Maintenance, rather than provide for himſelf Miraculouſly dLuke 8.3? Much more might be ſaid; but this will be enough to any one that hath any deference for the Authority of the Scriptures.
FINIS.
End of the text · Isaac Chauncy, The Divine Institution of Congregational Churches (1697)