N00769:26
A monitory letter about the maintenance [sic] of an able and faithful ministry. Directed…A monitory letter about the maintainance [sic] of an able and faithful ministry. Directed…
A monitory letter about the maintenance [sic] of an able and faithful ministry. Directed unto those people, who sin against, & sin away the Gospel, by not supporting the worthy preachers of the Gospel. : A decree of a national synod of reformed churches at Paris. ...A monitory letter about the maintainance [sic] of an able and faithful ministry. Directed unto those people, who sin against, & sin away the Gospel, by not supporting the worthy preachers of the Gospel. : A decree of a national synod of reformed churches at Paris. ...
Boston, in N.E. : s.n., Printed in the year. 1700
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.
But, Sirs; what can you imagine to get, by thus withholding more than is meet? Oh, That you would Believe that word of God, Prov. 11.24, 25. There is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to Poverty; whereas, The liberal Soul shall be made Fat If the Spirit of Judas, cause you, to begrudge, all that is laid out upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and His Ministers, it is time for you, to consider, what Spirit ye are of. And if the Impiety of Pinching and Starving your Ministers, be aggravated, by your breaking your Covenants with them, [for oftentimes, men are so much worse than the Pharisees, that they neither pay Tithes nor keep Faith!] I entreat you, to ponder seriously on that awful Word, Jam. 5.4. Behold, the Hire of the Labourers which is of you kept back by Fraud, Crieth: and their Cries are entered into the Ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 'Tis a Crime, you see that Cries to God for Vengeance: And I am astonished, That the Impoverishing Dispensations of God, which have been upon us, do no more put us, upon doing as that People, of old were called upon, Hag 1 5, 6, 9. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Consider your ways: ye have sown much, & bring in little: ye looked for much, & lo, it came to little: why? saith the Lord of Hosts: Because of mine House that is wast Your injured Ministers, especially the more Deserving ones, do make as little Complain• ⟨p. 14⟩is ever they can, against their Neighbours, or unto the•. They say with Job, As for me, is my Complaint […] man? If it be, is to little purpose But, when they s•• Debts oppressing of them, & the Necessaries of Life hardly allowed unto them & their Families, while their People can throw away upon Pride, & upon Drink, and upon their Diversions, the Money that would have been a thousand times better assigned unto any Virtuous Uses in the world, Then they are Overwhelmed, & they pour out their complaint before the Lord. They mourn before the Lord, in Secret places, & cry out, Lord, I am Oppressed, undertake for me!
But, Sirs; what can you imagine to get, by thus witholding more than is meet? Oh, That you would Believe that word of God,