The way of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The way of churches…The vvay of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The vvay of churches…

Answ. It is very true, the Apostle by double honour, doth not mean reverence only, but maintenance; But why should it seem so strange a thing, and unheard of, that ruling Elders, though not Preachers, should partake in maintenance from the Churches treasury? do you think such men speak in good earnest, when they so speak? Whence have the Chancellors, Commissaries, and Officials their maintenance, but from the Church? and do they labour in word and doctrine? are not most of them Civilians? and if we may use the word without offence, mere Lay-men? but our ruling Elders, we utterly deny them to be Lay-men as the word is commonly meant in this controversy; but Church-officers set apart to their office by the election of the people, and by imposition of hands: but if they were Lay-men (which they are not) yet you see it is no strange or unheard of matter, that Churches should be bountiful to the maintenance of sundry sorts of Church Rulers, who are merely Lay-men, as their adversaries misconceive these to be; yea, what were the many Cloisters of Monks, and Friars and Nuns, in the times of Popery? were they Preachers of the Word? were they not Lay-men & women? and yet did the Churches of those times grudge them their maintenance upon pretence of ⟨p. 26⟩their laity? But the world will love his own; be there never so many idle Drones, or stately Rulers of mans own devising, the Church must supply them not only with maintenance, but with magnificence; but let the Lord appoint ruling Elders, according to the simplicity of the Gospel, to assist his Ministers in the work of government, that they might attend the more to labour in the Word, if they shall expect from the Church any maintenance for their works sake, Oh! that seemeth a strange matter, and unheard of from all antiquity, till this present age.

Answ. It is very true, the Apostle by double honour, doth not mean reverence only, but maintenance; But why should it seem so strange a thing, and unheard of, that ruling Elders, though not Preachers, should partake in maintenance from the Churches treasury? do you think such men speake in good earnest, when they so speak? Whence have the Chancellors, Commissaries, and Officialls their maintenance, but from the Church? and do they labour in word and doctrine? are not most of them Civilians? and if we may use the word without offence, meer Lay-men? but our ruling Elders, wee utterly deny them to be Lay-men as the word is commonly meant in this controversie; but Church-officers set apart to their office by the election of the people, and by imposition of hands: but if they were Lay-men (which they are not) yet you see it is no strange or unheard of matter, that Churches should be bountifull to the maintenance of sundry sorts of Church Rulers, who are meerly Lay-men, as their adversaries misconceive these to be; yea, what were the many Cloysters of Munks, and Friers and Nuns, in the times of Popery? were they Preachers of the Word? were they not Lay-men & women? and yet did the Churches of those times grudge them their maintenance upon pretence of