Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 9 · Part 3
Miniſters compared to Labourers.
Luke 10.7. The Labourer is worthy of his Meat.
THe Lord Chriſt compares his faithful Servants, that preach his Word, to Labourers, to ſuch as externally work and labour with their hands.
| Labourers. | Parallel. |
| Labourers uſually are hired, and then ſet to work. We read of one that went to hire Labourers,Mat. 20. &c. | SO Chriſt ſpiritually is ſaid to hire Labourers, and ſend them into his Vineyard; he aſſures them of a glorious Reward, when they have done their Work. |
| II. Some Men labour in the Field, they are Harveſt-Men. | II. Such Labourers are the Preachers of the Goſpel: The Harveſt is great, Mat. 9.37. and the Labourers are few, &c. They labour to make ready, and gather in Chriſt's Wheat. |
| III. Some labour ſo hard, that they wear out their frail Bodies, and bring themſelves quickly to the Grave. | III. So ſome of Chriſt's faithful and laborious Servants labour ſo hard in their Studies, in Watching, Praying, and Preaching, that they ſpend themſelves, or bring utter Weakneſs upon their frail Tabernacles: I am willing (ſaith Paul) to ſpend, and be ſpent, &c.2 Cor. 12.15. |
| IV. Labourers are often hindred and obſtructed in their Work, like as the Jews were in building the Temple. | IV. So Chriſt's ſpiritual Labourers are often hindred in their Work: Satan ſtrives to hinder them, and falſe Teachers ſtrive to hinder them, and wicked Perſecutors endeavour to hinder them, and many times forbid them to preach any more in the Name of Chriſt. |
| V. Labourers obſerve the fitteſt Time to do Buſineſs in; they work hard by Day, and whilſt they have good Weather. | V. So Chriſt's Labourers obſerve the fitteſt Time to do their Work; like as Chriſt ſaith,John 9.4. I muſt do the Work of him that ſent me whilſt it is Day; the Night comes, when no Man can work. |
| VI. A Labourer is worthy of his Meat, and ought not to be denied it. | VI. So the Miniſters of Chriſt ought to have all things neceſſary provided for them, and their Families:1 Cor. 9 9 Thou ſhalt not muzzle the Ox that treadeth out the Corn. So God hath ordained, that they that preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel. And (ſince this Duty is much neglected among ſome Chriſtian Churches,) I ſhall here tranſcribe a Page or two, being part of a Sermon preached by Mr. N. C. at the Ordination of an Elder in the City of London, 1681. |
Theſe Words call not only for a Maintenance of Miniſters, but for ſuch a plentiful Contribution, as may make them Partakers with you in all good things. If God bleſs the Congregation with a plentiful Portion of this World's Goods, it is their Duty to make their Miniſter a Party with them in their flouriſhing Condition. And, conſidering the Place and Employment he is in, and the Service he attends, it would be extremely unworthy to think you have done enough, if his preſſing Neceſſities be anſwered, while you abound in Superfluities. If the Congregation be poor, their Miniſter muſt be content to be poor with them, yea, rejoyce to approve himſelf a Miniſter of Chriſt, by Hunger and Nakedneſs, if the Providence of God call him thereto: But whilſt it is in the power of your Hand to provide better for him, God expects it from you; and, be not deceived, God is not mocked, neither will he ſuffer his Commands to be ſlighted and evaded, without rendring a juſt Rebuke to the Offender: For whatſoever a Man ſoweth, that ſhall he alſo reap.
Now that you may the better underſtand how far you are concerned in this Duty, before I proceed to the further preſſing of it, let me put you in remembrance:
1. That a Miniſter is bound to attend wholly and only upon his Calling in the Miniſtry, and not to entangle himſelf in the Affairs of this Life, that he may pleaſe him by whom he is called to this ſpiritual Warfare; and nothing but real Neceſſity may diſpenſe with the contrary. His whole Time and Strength is little enough to be employed in the Work and Service he is called to. He muſt give himſelf to the Miniſtry of the Word, and Prayer; and continue in Reading, Meditation, &c. as a Man wholly devoted unto Goſpel-Service; and is therefore, by his Call to the Miniſtry, ſecluded from thoſe ways and means of providing for his own Subſiſtence, as the Trades and ſecular Employments of others furniſh them with, that his Mind, by the Cares of worldly Buſineſs, may not be diverted from that Study of God's Word, and Care of Souls, which the Duty of his Station engageth him to. And if he may not expoſe himſelf to the careful Thoughts that accompany worldly Buſineſs, tho tending to his Profit; certainly it is no way meet, that he ſhould be left to conflict with the thorny Cares of a neceſſitous Condition, whilſt thoſe he miniſters to, have means to prevent it.
2. It is no leſs the Duty of a Miniſter, than of other Men, to provide for his Family,1 Tim. 5.8. and (what lies in him) to take care of his Wife and Children, that they may not be expoſed to a thouſand Miſeries and Temptations, when he is gone. I confeſs, of all Men in the World, a covetous, raking Temper worſt becomes a Miniſter: But we greatly miſtake, if we think he muſt deveſt himſelf of the due Affection of an Husband towards his Wife, or of a Father towards his Children; or, that thoſe Fruits thereof, which are juſtly eſteemed commendable in others, ſhould be a Fault in him.
3. An Elder or Biſhop is under a ſpecial Charge to uſe Hoſpitality, and to ſet in himſelf a Pattern of Charity, and compaſſionate Bounty to poor Souls; and if it be his Duty to be hoſpitable and charitable in an eminent degree, then without controverſy the People are concerned to endeavour that he may be capable of giving proof of this Grace in him, by the Exerciſe of it as there is occaſion.
Theſe things being premiſed, I ſhall ſhew you, that you lie under the ſtrongeſt Obligation imaginable to this Duty:
'1. By the Law of Nature.
'2. By the expreſs Command and Appointment of Chriſt.
3. On the account of the great and manifeſt Evil and Inconvenience, that follows the Neglect thereof.
Firſt; The Law and Light of Nature obligeth you to it, as to the matter of Equity and Juſtice. And from hence our Apoſtle takes his firſt Plea, in 1 Cor. 9.7, &c. Who goeth a Warfare any time at his own Charges? Who planteth a Vineyard, and eateth not of the Fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a Flock, and eateth not of the Milk of the Flock? The Miniſtry is a Warfare, undertaken at the Command of Chriſt, for the Service of your Souls; and it is as reaſonable that the Miniſter ſhould receive a Supply of outward Things from you, as that a faithful Souldier ſhould receive his Pay from his Captain, at the Charge of the Commonwealth, for whoſe Good he militates. Shall a Man feed a Flock, (as a Paſtor does) and be denied to eat of the Milk of that Flock, which it is his Work to keep and feed? Or, is it conſiſtent with common Juſtice, to deprive a Man of the Fruit of that Vineyard, which is planted and manured by his own Labour? Such is the Caſe, in reſpect of Maintenance, between a Miniſter and the People. It is not your Charity that I ask for him, but Juſtice and Debt that I plead for: He is employed in your Service, and of Right ſhould live upon your Charge; Nay, you have called him off from other Buſineſs, and therefore his Maintenance is due from you, as is the Wages of your Servant; tho I fear ſome give more to the meaneſt Servant in their Houſe, than they are willing to do to their Miniſter. Certainly, if you chuſe as you ought, your Miniſters are not of the loweſt of the People, but may be allowed to have a Share of Parts, common Prudence, and Ability for Buſineſs, with other Men; and could manage Trades, or fall into other Employments, and get Eſtates as well as you, if they were not devoted to a better Service: And muſt they needs be devoted to Neceſſities and Miſery, in the ſame hour that they enter upon the Miniſtry? My Brethren, this ought not to be. Let your Miniſters have as good a Treatment at leaſt, as the Law provided for the Ox that treads out the Corn, who might not be muzled. Neither was this written for the ſake of Oxen; for, doth God take care of Oxen? or were there no higher End of this Law, than that the brute Creature ſhould not be abuſed? Certainly there was; And for our ſakes no doubt was this written, 1 Cor. 9.8, 9, 10, 11.that he that ploweth, ſhould plow in Hope; and that he that threſheth in Hope, ſhould be Partaker of his Hope: For if we have ſown unto you ſpiritual Things, is it a great thing if we ſhall reap your carnal Things?
Secondly; The Lord hath not left us to argue this only from general Principles of Reaſon, and common Equity; but, to put the Matter beyond diſpute, hath ſuperadded his expreſs Command. Thus he provided for his Miniſters in the Time of the Law, which the Apoſtle urgeth in the next place, 1 Cor. 9.13. Do ye not know, that they which miniſter about holy Things, live of the Things of the Temple? and they which wait at the Altar, are Partakers with the Altar? God did no ſooner ſeparate the Levites to the Service of the Sanctuary, but he by Law provided for their Subſiſtence; and tho they were but one Tribe in twelve, yet the Tenth of the Increaſe of the whole Land was given to th…m, beſides the Firſt-fruits and Offerings, and divers other Advantages; ſo that their Lot might equal, yea, exceed that of their Brethren. This Law indeed is now abrogated, and we pretend to no Right of tithing your Eſtates; but the moral Equity of it can never ceaſe: Neither hath Chriſt left Goſpel-Miniſters to the wide World, but hath made Proviſion for them alſo, ſo far as the Intereſt of his Command will go with them that profeſs his Name; for ſo it follows, v. 14. Even ſo hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel. The Labourer is ſtill worthy of his Hire, and not the leſs worthy, becauſe he labours in the Goſpel. Tho indeed (if Men did fully come up to their D…ty, yet ſtill) the Charge of Goſpel-Worſhip will appear very inconſiderable, when compared with that of the Law; for, were that my Buſineſs, I think I could demonſtrate, that the fifth part of their Eſtates was yearly to be ſpent in things relating to the Temple-Service. And if we are ſenſible of the great Privilege and Bleſſing of the Goſpel, on higher accounts than meerly the Eaſe of thoſe Burthens, we ſhall never think much to defray the moderate Charge of a Goſpel-Miniſtry, in ſu…h a manner as may give Reputation to our Profeſſion.
Thirdly; That you may prevent the Evil and Inconvenience that follows the Neglect of this Duty, it concerns you cheerfully to practiſe it: I might have ſaid, Evils and Inconveniences, as of many, for many there are, and thoſe of eaſy obſervation to an u…prejudiced Eye; but it is the Diſcouragement of Study, which at preſent I chiefly aim at. That Study muſt needs be diſcouraged, (I intend the Study of Theology) by the Peoples Neglect to make a comfortable Proviſion for their Miniſters, is too evident to require a Proof. Who will apply himſelf to gather and lay up thoſe Stores of ſolid Learning, which are needful to a Miniſter, when he can expect to purchaſe nothing to himſelf but Poverty and Diſtreſs thereby? Or, how ſhall a Miniſter be capabl… to furniſh himſelf with univerſal Knowledg of Things relating to his Work, that hath no means for providing for his own Information, or no Time free from Cares and worldly Buſineſs? And the Diſadvantage of this will at laſt fall to the Share of the People that he miniſters unto. He that conſiders, that the holy Scriptures were originally written in Hebrew and Greek, muſt have an hard Forehead, if he deny the Uſefulneſs of Learning to a Miniſter; beſides, many other things there are that call for it, in reference to the opening of the Scriptures, which I cannot now inſiſt upon. And it is not without diligent and continued Study, that the deep Things of God can be ſearched out, and ſo propoſed to you, as to enrich your Minds with the clear and ſolid Knowledg of them. I confeſs, a little Learning, and leſs Study, may furniſh a Man with ſuch a Diſcourſe, as may pleaſe ſome weak Perſons, that judg of a Sermon by the Loudneſs of the Voice, and affectionate Sentences, or can fancy themſelves to be fed with the Aſhes of jingling Words, and Cadency of Terms in a Diſcourſe. But alas! the ſeeming Warmth of Affection that is ſtirred by ſuch Means, is as ſhort-liv'd, as a Land-flood that hath no Spring to feed it. He that will do the Souls of his People good, and approve himſelf a Paſtor after God's own Heart, muſt feed them with Knowledg and Underſtanding, and endeavour to maintain a conſtant Zeal and Affection in them, by well informing their Judgments, and ſuch an opening of the Mind of God from the Scriptures, as may command their Conſciences: And this is not to be expected, but from him that labours in his Study, as well as in the Pulpit. Miſtake me not; I know the Succeſs and Fruit of all the Studies and Labours of Men that preach in the Goſpel, is from the Grace and Power of the Holy-Ghoſt; but the Aſſiſtance of the Spirit is to be expected by us in the way of our Duty. Theſe things might be yet applied more home to my preſent purpoſe; but perhaps ſome will think there is too much ſaid already, (tho I heartily wiſh more were not needful) and my Time calls me to put a Period to this Exerciſe; and therefore I will only add a Word for the enforcement of this and the other Duties which I have laid before you, by accommodating the ſame Things to you, which were before touched, for the encouragement and quickning of your Paſtor in his Duty.
Firſt; Remember, your Paſtor is the Miniſter of Chriſt, one that diſpenſeth the Myſteries of God to you in his Name; and therefore (he acting in his Place, according to his Duty) the Lord Jeſus will account that done to himſelf, that is done to his Miniſter:Mat 10.40, with Luke 10.16. He that receiveth you, (ſaith he) receiveth me; and he that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me, &c. If the Name and Authority of Chriſt will beget an Awe in you, or his matchleſs and unſpeakable Love influence you, there is no want of Motives to thoſe Duties that have been preſs'd upon you. If you acknowledg a religious Reſpect and Reverence due to the Son of God, exerciſe it in humble Obedience to his Word; and if you love him, and value his Goſpel, treat not his Miniſters in an unworthy manner; and forget not, that He, who gave his Life a Ranſom for you, well deſerves a Return of the greateſt Love from you, and to be honoured by you, not only with good Words, but with your Subſtance, and the Firſt-Fruits of all your Increaſe.Prov. 3.9.
Secondly, 'Tis the Buſineſs of your Salvation, and the Concern of your precious and immortal Souls, that a Miniſter is employed in; and therefore it is much more your own Intereſt than his, that you ſhould make Conſcience of your Duty. With this Argument the Apoſtle enforces his Exhortation, Heb. 13.17. For they watch for your Souls, as they that muſt give an Account, that they do it with Joy, and not with Grief, for that is unprofitable for you. The Miniſtry can never be effectual to the ſaving of your Souls, if you be not ſincere in Obedience under it. And will you be leſs careful for your Souls, and their eternal Welfare, than you are for your Bodies, and the Comforts of a temporal Life? Can you be content to lay out your Strength and Subſtance to provide for theſe, and neglect the other? It is ſad to conſider, how many there are among Profeſſors, that live in the World, as if there were no Truth in the Report of that which is to come, and have the meaneſt eſteem of the moſt neceſſary Means of Salvation, viz. the Word, and Ordinances of Chriſt, and a Goſpel-Miniſtry! Can expend perhaps an hundred Pound per annum, more or leſs, for the Convenience, Ornament, or Delight of a frail Carcaſe, but will grudg half ſo much for the Poor, or the ſupport of Goſpel-Worſhip.