CONCLUSION, I. An Honourable Maintenance is due to the…: A discourse concerning the maintenance due to those that… by Increase Mather | AskReformation

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:15p. 11–12¶3

3. In the New Testament the Truth before us is expressly asserted. Especially in that Ninth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, where the Apostle says, The Lord has ordained that they who Preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel, v. 14. This he had proved from the Divine Law which appointed, That they who Minister about Holy things, should live of the things of the Temple, as was showed. And, from the Law of Nations, v. 7. Who goeth a Warfare at his own charges! Soldiers do not use to go to War without Pay from the State that employs them. Ministers are engaged in a Warfare, He that has listed them in His Service will have them Supported therein. The Apostle moreover proveth his Doctrine from the Law of Nature, v. 9. Thou shalt not muzzle the Mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn. To do that is Cruelty and Unmercifulness, ⟨p. 12⟩which the light of Nature condemns. ^(a)Now can any man suppose that God will make Laws to provide that brute Beasts shall be rewarded for their Labour, and that he will not have the Labour of those that are His own Officers to be duly acknowledged? But besides this Chapter in which the Apostle does enlarge on this Subject, there are other Scriptures in the New Testament, which Command an Honourable Maintenance to be allowed to the Ministers of the Gospel. What is implied in that Double Honour which they are worthy of? Not only Reverence, but an Honourable Maintenance is doubtless thereby intended, 1 Tim. 5.17. And when its required of them that they should be given to Hospitality, 1 Tim. 3.2. This is necessarily implied: for without a Liberal Maintenance it is impossible that they should be capable of much Hospitality.

3. In the New Testament the Truth before us is expressly asserted. Especially in that Ninth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, where the Apostle says, The Lord has ordained that they who Preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel, v. 14. This he had proved from the Divine Law which appointed, That they who Minister about Holy things, should live of the things of the Temple, as was shewed. And, from the Law of Nations, v. 7. Who goeth a Warfare at his own charges! Souldiers do not use to go to War without Pay from the State that employs them. Ministers are engaged in a Warfare, He that has listed them in His Service will have them Supported therein. The Apostle moreover proveth his Doctrine from the Law of Nature, v. 9. Thou shalt not muzzle the Mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn. To do that is Cruelty and Unmercifulness, ⟨p. 12⟩which the light of Nature condemns. ^(a)Now can any man suppose that God will make Laws to provide that bruit Beasts shall be rewarded for their Labour, and that he will not have the Labour of those that are His own Officers to be duely acknowledged? But besides this Chapter in which the Apostle does inlarge on this Subject, there are other Scriptures in the New Testament, which Command an Honourable Maintenance to be allowed to the Ministers of the Gospel. What is implyed in that Double Honour which they are worthy of? Not only Reverence, but an Honourable Maintenance is doubtless thereby intended, 1 Tim. 5.17. And when its required of them that they should be given to Hospitality, 1 Tim. 3.2. This is necessarily implied: for without a Liberal Maintenance it is impossible that they should be capable of much Hospitality.

(a)Reynold on Psal. 110. p. 478.

:16p. 12–15¶4

4. There is in the Scripture an express ⟨p. 13⟩Rule concerning this matter, showing not only that the Ministers of the Gospel should be Maintained, but how this should be done; the Rule is that, Gal. 6.6. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things. If not only some but every one that is taught should communicate to their Teachers, not only in Some, but in All good things, they would doubtless have a competent Maintenance; for (as the Belgic Annotators have well observed) to communicate of All good things, is to communicate Liberally. Our Great Hooker says, That this way of Maintenance is safe, and in the times of the Gospel most suitable to the Mind of God, and that it will be sufficient, and abundantly satisfactory to answer the end for which it is given, and he knows no Judicious and Pious Divine that is against it, unless it be such who are taken too much with a Tang of a Popish & Jewish way of Tithing. Thus Mr. Hooker. By these things it is evident that the Maintenance of Ministers is not Alms (as some ⟨p. 14⟩would have it) but due Debt: They receive it not as an act of Charity but of Justice. They have as much right to it as any Labourer has to his hire. Therefore when Christ sent forth his Disciples to Preach the Gospel, He said, The Labourer is worthy of his hire, Luk. 10.7. So do they that Labour in the Word and Doctrine well deserve the Recompense given to them: They Work the Work of the Lord, as the Apostle said that he & Timothy did. The Scripture calls their Maintenance, not Alms but Reward, 1 Tim. 5.18. And, Wages, the Apostle tells the Corinthians, that he took Wages of other Churches, to do them Service, 2 Cor. 11.8. One of the Ancients observes, that when the Apostle saith to the Galatians (who doubtless were defective in their duty as to that matter) Let him that is taught communicate to him that teacheth; the Greek word is not [Greek or Hebrew], which signify to impart, but [Greek or Hebrew], which imports a kind of Commerce, or Exchange of Spiritual things for Carnal, And whatever People may ⟨p. 15⟩imagine, that the Wages which Ministers receive, is not comparable to what they give, if they are diligent and faithful in the discharge of the Work incumbent on them, 1 Cor. 9.11. If we have sown unto you Spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your Carnal things.

4. There is in the Scripture an express ⟨p. 13⟩Rule concerning this matter, shewing not only that the Ministers of the Gospel should be Maintained, but how this should be done; the Rule is that, Gal. 6.6. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things. If not only some but every one that is taught should communicate to their Teachers, not only in Some, but in All good things, they would doubtless have a competent Maintenance; for (as the Bedgick Annotators have well observed) to communicate of All good things, is to communicate Liberally. Our Great Hooker says, That this way of Maintenance is safe, and in the times of the Gospel most suitable to the Mind of God, and that it will be sufficient, and abundantly satisfactory to answer the end for which it is given, and he knows no Iudicious and Pious Divine that is against it, unless it be such who are taken too much with a Tang of a Popish & Iewish way of Tything. Thus Mr. Hooker. By these things it is evident that the Maintenance of Ministers is not Almes (as some ⟨p. 14⟩would have it) but due Debt: They receive it not as an act of Charity but of Iustice. They have as much right to it as any Labourer has to his hire. Therefore when Christ sent forth his Disciples to Preach the Gospel, He said, The Labourer is worthy of his hire, Luk. 10.7. So do they that Labour in the Word and Doctrine well deserve the Recompence given to them: They Work the Work of the Lord, as the Apostle said that he & Timothy did. The Scripture calls their Maintenance, not Almes but Reward, 1 Tim. 5.18. And, Wages, the Apostle tells the Corinthians, that he took Wages of other Churches, to do them Service, 2 Cor. 11.8. One of the Ancients observes, that when the Apostle saith to the Galatians (who doubtless were defective in their duty as to that matter) Let him that is taught communicate to him that teacheth; the Greek word is not 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, which signify to impart, but 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, which imports a kind of Commerce, or Exchange of Spiritual things for Carnal, And whatever People may ⟨p. 15⟩

:17p. 15–17

This Assertion is denied by few that call themselves Christians. Some of the first Reformers (Bullinger and others) tell us that the Anabaptists in those days, said, The Ministers in the Reformed Churches were no true Ministers of Christ, because they took Wages for Preaching the Gospel. They pretended that Christ forbade His Disciples to receive any thing for their Labour, because He said to them, Freely ye have received, freely give, Mat. 10.8. But they misinterpreted, and abused the Words of our Saviour: Christ Himself was Maintained by His Followers after He entered on His Public Ministry, and so were the Apostles, Luk. 8.3. Phil. 4.10, 15, 16. When therefore the Lord said, freely give, He does not speak ⟨p. 16⟩of Preaching the Gospel, but of healing the Sick, and casting out Devils, raising the Dead, and the like miraculous gifts. They might not take any reward for these, as the Prophet Elisha would not from Naaman the Syrian. It was great wickedness in Simon Magus, when he thought to get Money by the gifts of the Holy Ghost. The dissembling Jesuits will not receive any Reward for their Sermons, pretending to observe that Precept Freely give: yet they say, If not a reward but Alms be given to their College, (and that comes into their Pockets) they will accept of it. ^(b)A Learned man relates a pleasant Story of one whose Name was Greg. Roseph, a Rector of a College, who when 500 Florins were offered to him as a reward for Sermons he had Preached in the City, replied, he went by that Rule, Freely you have received, freely give; but if they pleased to give Alms to his College, they ⟨p. 17⟩might. And accordingly, every Year, 500. Crowns were brought there, as Alms for those that would have no Reward. The Relator says, the Jesuit was like a Lawyer of his acquaintance to whom a Merchant applied himself, complaining that he had a bad cause, but if the Lawyer would undertake to make his cause good, he would give him such a Sum of Money. The Lawyer engaged to plead his cause, but scrupled to take the Money from him, only told him, there was such a near Relation of his to whom he might give what Money he pleased.

This Assertion is denied by few that call themselves Christians. Some of the first Reformers (Bullinger and others) tell us that the Anabaptists in those days, said, The Ministers in the Reformed Churches were no true Ministers of Christ, because they took Wages for Preaching the Gospel. They pretended that Christ forbad His Disciples to receive any thing for their Labour, because He said to them, Freely ye have received, freely give, Mat. 10.8. But they misinterpreted, and abused the Words of our Saviour: Christ Himself was Maintained by His Followers after He entred on His Publick Ministry, and so were the Apostles, Luk. 8.3. Phil. 4.10, 15, 16. When therefore the Lord said, freely give, He does not speak ⟨p. 16⟩of Preaching the Gospel, but of healing the Sick, and casting out Devils, raising the Dead, and the like miraculous gifts. They might not take any reward for these, as the Prophet Elisha would not from Naaman the Syrian. It was great wickedness in Simon Magus, when he thought to get Money by the gifts of the Holy Ghost. The dissembling Iesuits will not receive any Reward for their Sermons, pretending to observe that Precept Freely give: yet they say, If not a reward but Almes be given to their College, (and that comes into their Pockets) they will accept of it. ^(b)A Learned man relates a pleasant Story of one whose Name was Greg. Roseph, a Rector of a College, who when 500 Florens were offered to him as a reward for Sermons he had Preached in the City, replied, he went by that Rule, Freely you have received, freely give; but if they pleased to give Almes to his College, they ⟨p. 17⟩might. And accordingly, every Year, 500. Crowns were brought there, as Almes for those that would have no Reward. The Relator says, the Jesuit was like a Lawyer of his acquaintance to whom a Merchant applied himself, complaining that he had a bad cause, but if the Lawyer would undertake to make his cause good, he would give him such a Sum of Money. The Lawyer ingaged to plead his cause, but scrupled to take the Money from him, only told him, there was such a near Relation of his to whom he might give what Money he pleased.

(b)Histor. Jesuit cap. 3. citante Voetio pol. Eccles pr. 1. l. 4. p. 799. l. Turretin. vol. 3. p. 304.