The Gospel Ministers Maintenance Vindicated, Title page – Notice
THE Goſpel Miniſter's Maintenance VINDICATED.
WHEREIN, A Regular Miniſtry in the Churches, is firſt Aſſerted, and the Objections againſt a Goſpel Maintenance for Miniſters, Anſwered.
ALSO, The Dignity, Neceſſity, Difficulty, Uſe and Excellency of the Miniſtry of Chriſt is opened.
LIKEWISE, The Nature and VVeightineſs of that Sacred VVork and Office clearly evinc'd.
Recommended to the Baptized Congregations, by ſeveral Elders in and about the City of London.
2 Cor 9.14.
Even ſo hath the Lord Ordained, That they who Preach the Goſpel ſhall live of the Goſp…
2 Cor. 2.16.
And who is ſufficient for … things.
London Printed, and are to be ſold by Jo… … at the Harrow, in the Poul… …
ERRATA.
PAge 2. Line 12. and 15. for Church, Read Churches. p. 3. l. 9. f. Church r. Churches. p. 5. l. 22. r. the. p. 7. l. 11. and 14. f. the Churches Duty, ſhe; r. the Duty of the Churches, they. p. 8. l. 7. r. Churches, and l. 9. f. her. r. their. p. 14. l. 2. r. Churches. p. 20. l. 1. h. is wanting. p. 20. l. 21. s. is wanting. p. 25. f. contangle r. intangle. p. 32. l. 18. f. their r. her. p. 41. l. 22. f. are r. do. p. 47. l. 21. f. let. r. ſet. p. 70. l. 26. f. and r. or. p. 101. l. 10. r. Family. p. 105. l. 14. leave out ſay they.
To the Congregations of Baptized Believers in England and Wales, Grace, Mercy and Peace be multiplied through the ſaving Knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Beloved Brethren,
WE have read and conſidered of this enſuing Treatiſe… and do conclude in may be of great profit to the Churches of Jeſus Chriſt; we fearing ſome Congregations have … …uly weighed and conſidered, of th…r …diſpenſible Duty to the Miniſtry; in reſpect of providing ſuch a Maintenance, for thoſe who Labour amongſt them, and are … them in the Lord, as they ought to do,by which means (it may he feared that) many of them may be hindred or obſtructed in attending on their Work, in ſerving of Chriſt and his People, as the Nature of their ſacred Imployment and Office requires, and the preſent Day eſpecially calls for, and as the Lord himſelf hath alſo Ordained: Therefore, our earneſt Deſires are, that our Brethren, both Miniſters and Members, would he pleaſed to get this little Book, and both Read and w…ll Weigh, what is ſaid therein, without Prejudice, both in Reſpect of a Regular Miniſtry, the Miniſters Maintenance, and the Greatneſs and Difficulty of their Work; and now, that it may be bleſſed by JEHOVAH, to the Great and Good Ends it is deſigned, is, and ſhall be, the Hearty Prayers of us, your Brethren, in the Faith and Fellowſhip of the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Hanſerd Knollys,
William Kiffin,
William Collins,
John Harris,
George Barret,
Richard Adams,
Benjamin Keach,
Iſaac Lamb,
Edward Man,
Leonard Harriſon,
Hercules Collins,
London,July, 30. 1681.
The Contents of the chief Things inſiſted on in the enſuing Treatiſe.
A Regular Miniſtry Aſſerted. Pag. 1
Chriſt himſelf in his own Perſon▪ firſt ſettled the Miniſtry in a moſt ſolemn manner. 3
Power left to particular Congregations to chooſe their own Miniſters. 6
Churches ought to take care that they chooſe Men to Office, that are competently qualified, according to 1 Tim. 3.1,2,3. And Tit. 1.6.9: 7 8
Churches after Election and Tryal of their Miniſters ought ſolemnly to ordain them by Prayer and Impoſition of Hands. 8 9
Churches undue Proceedings in the choice of Elders, diſhonourable; and an hinderance to the Goſpel. 10 11
Every Congregation that neglects their Duty in providing a fit Maintenance for their Paſtors, if able, is diſhonourable, and a ſcandal to Religion. 13
Miniſters Maintenance Aſſerted ſtrange that any ſhould doubt of it, 13 14
The Scriptures urged, to prove 'tis an indiſpenſable Duty, to provide a comfortable Livelyhood for Faithful Miniſters. 15 16
13 Arguments to prove this Duty.
1. Chriſt would not have his Diſciples, when he firſt ſent them out, waſte their own Subſtance, whilſt imployed in his Work. 17 18
2. God has poſitively ordained, or appointed his Miniſters a comfortable Maintenance under the Goſpel. 19 20
Miniſters Maintenance not now by Tithes, as it was under the Law. 20 21
No denying or avoiding the Duty of Miniſters Maintenance. 22 23
3. Miniſters commanded to attend wholly upon their Work. 25
Nothing but real Neceſſity, will admit him to diſpence with the contrary, all his time little enough. 26
Paſtors muſt viſit their Members, go from Houſe to Houſe. 27
4. Miniſters that follow Trades, &c. expoſes them to Reproach, therefore if poſſible to be avoided. 30 31
5. Miniſters Maintenance, proved by the Law and Light of Nature, as well as by the poſitive Law of Chriſt. 32 33
Obj. Some Miniſters do not need it. Anſwered. 40
6 Miniſters not unable to follow Trades, ſome could do it, and provide for themſelves, and get Eſtates as well as others; therefore ought not to ſuffer for taking that ſacred work upon them. 43
Miniſters are as much bound to provide for their Families as other Men. 43 44
7 Shewing what great Proviſion God made for his Miniſters under the Law, proving the Equitableneſs of the ſame Law remains ſtill. 45 46
As great Reaſon for the People to provide for their Miniſters under the Goſpel; nay, greater in ſome Reſpects, than for them under the Law 47
8. Elders or Paſtors muſt be given to Hoſpitality; therefore, if Churches are able, and they poor, they ought to put them into a capacity to ſhine in that Virtue. 47 48
9. This duty urged from the Honourableneſs of it, it frees Members from the ſenſure of Coveteouſneſs; one partof that double Honour due to Elders that Labour in the Word, proved to be Maintenance. 50 51 52
10. Argued for, from the ſaid Effects and Inconveniences that attends the neglect of it. 52 53 54
It lays a Diſcouragement in the way of good Men, to give themſelves to Study and Dedicate themſelves to take part in the Miniſtry. 54 55
It expoſes Miniſters to neglect their Work, when they are neglected, nay, to leave it, and be blameleſs. 56 57
This neglect hinders Miniſters in their Study, they having not time, and ſo Preach no better, its neceſſary for Miniſters to have ſtore of Uſeful Books, and Time alſo. 58 59
11. Neglect to Miniſters, and the concern of God's Houſe, is a robbing of God, and may bring a blaſt upon Men's Eſtates. 62 63 64 65 66
12. A ſhame to God's People, to ſuffer the Heathens and Papiſts to do more to uphold Idolatry, than they do to uphold the true Worſhip of the Living God. 71 72
13. Miniſters will be left wholly without excuſe, if they do not faithfully fulfil their Miniſtry, when the Congregations ſufficiently provide for them, 74 75
One Miniſter took off of Worldly Buſineſs, may do more in promulgating the Goſpel, than ſeveral others who are not. 76 77
Motives to preſs this Duty.
Motive 1. Miniſters repreſent Chriſt, what done to them is done to him. 77 78
Motive 2. Miniſters being intruſted with our Souls, we ought to take care they want nothing that is neceſſary for their Bodies. 78 79
Motive 3. Miniſters being expoſed to many Temptations and Diſcouragements, a great Motive why, not to be left to ſerve in wants and neceſſities. 80 81
Motive 4. Miniſters may forbear working if they will, provided the Church can provide for them, and they faithfully diſcharge their Duty. 81 82
Queſt. May a Paſtor make Terms with a Church about his Maintenance, before he take the charge of them? Anſwered. 82
Queſt. What ſhall that Church do that is not able to provide for her Paſtor? Anſwered. 83 84 85
Queſt. Have not you diſclaimed againſ… ſuch who Preach for Hire? A Threefold Anſwer given. 87 8…
Obj. Is there any Reaſon that Rich Men th… are Paſtors ſhould have an Allowance▪ Anſwered. 89 9…
Obj. Our Church is ſmall, our Paſtor cannot take up all his Time in Spiritual Service. Anſwered. 92 9…
The Reaſon why ſome Churches are ſmall▪ may be, becauſe Miniſters are no mor… Labourous in Preaching the Goſpel up an… down in the adjacent places where the… Live, which ſome can't do becauſe n… in capacity. The preſent Liberty to b… Improved. Idle and ſlothful Miniſter not to be maintained. 93 94 95 96
Two Reaſons of ſome Paſtors Remiſneſs i… Preaching, or Labouring no more. 97 98
Miniſters may Work with their Hands, an… ought ſo to do when it will tend to th… furtherance of the Goſpel. 10…
A great Harveſt now, and good Weather▪ therefore, Miniſters ought to Labou… hard. 101 10…
Freely you have received, freely give. Anſwered. 103 10…
Miniſters not to Preach for Hire, i. e. to propound that as their end. 186
The Congregations ought to give the Miniſters their Portion, with Reſpect and Honour. 108
Miniſters Work now as great and weighty as thoſe was under the Law, like Neceſſity of their Work, 'tis as Honourable, neglect as dangerous as then: People now as great Benefit by the Miniſtry, or more; from hence, the ſame Reaſon for their Maintenance as under the Law. 111
May he that Exerciſes his Gift but now and then, expect an Allowance from the Church. Anſwered. 112
The Weightineſs of the Miniſters Work opened. 113 114
Their Work is Honourable, they are in a high Sphere, intruſted with the higheſt concerns in the World. 114
They Workers with Chriſt. 115
May be in danger of loſing the Souls of Men. 117 118
They muſt have a Regulur Call. 120
Miniſters intruſted with the Charge of the Church. 122
…eir Work difficult in 5 Reſpects. 127, …28, 129.
ADVERTISEMENT.
READER,
WHereas, in the 38th. Article of Religio… (called, The Thirty Nine Articles of th… Church of England;) 'tis ſaid, The Riches an… Goods of Chriſtians are not common, as touching th… Right, Title, and Poſſeſſion of the ſame, as certa… Anabaptiſts do falſly boaſt. We look upon o… ſelves concerned to declare, (that if there we… in the Laſt Age, in Germany, or elſewhere, a… People bearing that Name, who Aſſerted any ſuc… thing;) we know none called Anabaptiſts in England, nor any where elſe, who hold that abſu… or rotten Principle; but do teſtifie our diſlike an… abhorrence of it, and verily believe, as 'tis in… mated in the ſaid Article, That the Goods, Riche… and Poſſeſſions of all Chriſtians, as touching t… …ght and title of the ſame are their own, as t… … Scripture witneſſes, Acts 5.4. Yet notwit… ſtanding we alſo believe and teach, that ev… man ought of ſuch things as he poſſeſſeth liberal… to give Alms to the poor according to his Abili… as is alſo there aſſerted. Having this opport… nity, we thought it not amiſs to publiſh this clear our ſelves and our Brethren, from t… ſcandal, which poſſibly ſome may caſt upon … ſince theſe Articles (by reaſon of a late Act … this preſent Parliament) are more genera… …own and examined by many People.
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