A47561:52
The gospel minister's maintenance vindicated Wherein, a regular ministry in the churches, is first…
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 weightiness of that sacred work and office clearly evinced. Recommended to the baptized congregations, by several elders in and about the City of London.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 vveghtiness of that sacred vvork and office clearly evinc'd. Recommended to the baptized congregations, by several elders in and about the City of London.
London : printed, and are to be sold by John Harris at the Harrow, in the Poultry, 1689London : printed, and are to be sold by John Harris at the Harrow, in the Poultrey, 1689
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. Pray observe, So hath the Lord Ordained, let us look a little back, and take notice of the Scope and Coherence of the place; the Apostle hath a Reference to what precedes, Do ye not know, that they that Minister about Holy things, live of the things of the Temple; and they which wait at the Altar, are partakers with the Altar: So hath the Lord Ordained, &c. That is, as God had a Ministry under the Old Testament. Namely, the Priest of the Tribe of Levi; and he Ordained and Appointed a Comfortable Livelihood […] them, as Numb. 18.20. Deut. 10. • and 18.1. So as they needed not […] Labour (as other Men) with their […] to get Bread to eat; even so ⟨p. 22⟩hath the Lord Ordained and appointed, that those who Preach the Gospel should have likewise a Comfortabl• Livelihood or Maintenance now under this Dispensation, that they may be delivered from the Incumbrance• of this Life, and so not hindered o• obstructed in their Holy and most Sacred Employment, with secular Affairs. God's Will (saith our late Annotators) is the same, under the New Testament, that it was under the Old; i. e▪ It is not as to the People a matter of Liberty, so as they may choose whether they will maintain their Ministers or no, there is an Ordinance of God in the Case, it is the Will of God, that those who are taken off from Worldly Employments, and spend their time in the Study, and Preaching the Gospel should have a Livelihood from their Labours.
Answ. Pray observe, So hath the Lord Ordained, let us look a little back, and take notice of the Scope and Coherence of the place; the Apostle hath a Reference to what preceeds, Do ye not know, that they that Minister about Holy things, live of the things of the Temple; and they which wait at the Altar, are partakers with the Altar: So hath the Lord Ordained, &c. That is, as God had a Ministry under the Old Testament. Namely, the Priest of the Tribe of Levi; and he Ordained and Appointed a Comfortable Livelyhood 〈…〉 them, as