The Reviler Rebuked, Treatise · Part 1 · Head 17
(17. Head of their Scripture-contradiction) Concerning Miniſters maintenance.
Section 44.
I Had noted what R. F. ſaith in another Pamphlet, viz. The Apoſtle had a free ſpirit, and was chargeable to no man, building this aſſertion upon 2 Cor. 11. 9. and2 Cor. 11 9. vindicated. mounting it up againſt Miniſters taking any maintenance: He attends not the Apoſtles limitations, I preached to you at Corinth, the Goſpel of God freely, ver. 7. With you, I was chargeable to no man, ver. 9. nor how he uſed his liberty elſewhere to take wages, ver. 8. But he *Page 22.returns me ſome truth, and ſome railing (as his maner is) Paul coveted no mans ſilver, nor gold, nor apparel, but preached the Goſpel freely, and his hands miniſtred to his neceſſities; That is truth, and will ſtand as a witneſs againſt all proud, covetous, ſelf-ſeeking, hireling Prieſts in Scotland and elſewhere; and at the Truth which witneſſeth againſt your deceit, thou art offended.
Rep. It no ways offendeth me that R. F. or any man can write out a Scripture-truth, viz. That Paul was free of covetouſneſs (in outward manifeſt acts, while he had the body of all ſin within him, take that truth with the other, Rom. 7.) but it offends me, and much more the holy and true God, when his words are alledged to bad ends and purpoſes, and when more is collected from them then he intendeth; as in this caſe of Miniſters maintenance, and in theſe inſtances ofPreaching freely may ſtand with taking maintenance. the Apoſtles words and practiſe: For,
[Firſt,] Preaching the Goſpel freely, may ſtand with taking allowance and maintenance three ways.
1. When it is preached with a free and cheerful Spirit, as it ſhould be always, by all the Preachers of the Goſpel, not by conſtraint, but willingly, 1 Pet. 5. 2.
2. When 'tis preached not for filthy lucre; that neither being the firſt nor laſt end of the Preachers ſervice, for then the wages they take becomes (to them) filthy lucre.
3. When it is upon free-coſt, in reſpect of ſome ſuch as2 Cor. 11 7. cleared. we preach unto. They give, they contribute nothing; nothing is demanded of them, but ſupplies are given and received from other perſons, or places: This was the Apoſtles caſe in reference to the Corinthians; he preached all upon free-coſt to them, took nothing of them; but took he nothing of others? Did he live upon the Air? It's fit for Miniſters to live by Faith, but wanted other Churches their Love, or did he refuſe ſupplies from elſewhere? No, ver. 9. That which was lacking to me (at Corinth) the brethren which came from Macedonia ſupplied.
[Secondly,] From the Apoſtles working with his hands, Acts 20. 30. cannot be collected, either that Miniſters areActs 20 34. vindicated. bound to follow a trade, (for 'tis ordained of the Lord, they ſhould live of the Goſpel, i. e. of the Allowance due to them for preaching the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 9. 14. and not of a trade)1 Cor. 9. 14. opened. or, that Paul, and conſequently others, might not have forborn working; for expreſly he tells the Corinthians, and others by them, what was the minde of God, and is to this day. 1 Cor. 9. 6. Or I onelyonly and Barnabas have we not power or liberty to forbear working? Obſerve it, [Or I onelyonly and Barnabas] it ſeemeth other Apoſtles uſed their liberty every where; Peter, James, and John had left their nets (as to a trade of fiſhing, thereby to get their livelihood) long before, as Matthew his Cuſtom-houſe; and Paul and Barnabas might have left their work of Tentmaking (as they had left off the trade) But at Corinth, becauſeSection 44 Paul met ſo providentially with Aquila and Priſcilla, who by their occupation were Tent-makers, and he had the skill, he practiſed it with them, Acts 18. 3. and at Epheſus, and at Theſſalonica, 1 Theſ. 2. 9. he labored with his hands, to miniſter to his neceſſities; but there was no neceſſity, from any direct precept, that he muſt ſo labor, or Sylvanus, or Timotheus: but ſaith he, ver. 6. we might have been burthenſom, as the Apoſtles of Chriſt.
[Thirdly,] Although the Apoſtles example, and what followeth, Acts 20. 35. may ſtand as a witneſs againſt allActs 20. 35. vindicated. loyterers in the miniſterial work; and againſt all covetous, ſelf-ſeeking, hireling Preachers, in every place, (who make hire, and gain the end of their preaching) yet doth it not ſo much as once appear for witneſs againſt them, who do what Paul himſelf did, by rule, viz. At ſome times, and in ſome places take more allowance then otherwhile or where; nor againſt them that live meerly upon the allowance of Providence, for the preaching of the Goſpel, not having learnt a trade to help themſelves withal; and if they had, may uſe or not uſe their skill, and take pains, as it may be a furtherance or hinderance to their Goſpel-work. And theſe things well pondered, henceforth let not R. F. or others go about to binde up Miniſters where God hath left them free; nor envy or reproach their Calling, with the names of Hirelings and Prieſts, &c. without diſtinction or difference, as if all were ſuch who have their outward livelihood (according to Gods ordinance) upon the account of preachingwork, and labor, unto which, who is ſufficient? Let not J. Nayler ſend abroad his invectives againſt Town-teachers; his common place, concerning the miniſtery of Chriſt *Love to the loſt, pag. 60, 6.is little better: The Lord rebuke him, with his fellow R. F.