THE

Methodist Magazine,

FOR JANUARY, 1822.

Divinity.

OBLIGATION OF THE CHURCH TO SUPPORT ITS MINISTERS.

Extract of a Sermon, preached at Sheffield, before the Associated Churches and Ministers assembled there, April 25, 1821.

BY JAMES BENNETT.

"If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?" 1 Cor. ix. 11.

Ir devolves on me, my dear hearers, by the appointment of others, and not by my own choice, to unfold and enforce the duty of supporting the ministry of the word. I am not unaware that the first mention of this subject will startle many, and awaken a thousand reflections on the delicacy, not to say the invidiousness of the attempt. But as I hope to give the most satisfactory proof that divine authority binds this duty on the conscience, I presume that you feel it would be an affront to your good sense, and a reflection on your Christian principles, to waste your time in efforts to display the propriety of inculcating that which God has commanded, and of resolving, that neglect on this point shall not rob us of the right to say, "we have kept back nothing that was profitable to you, nor shunned to declare the whole counsel of God." If any shrink from this subject, not on their own account, but for the sake of others; lest the discussion should prove injurious to religion, by giving colour to the suspicion of mercenary motives, which some affect to entertain against the ministers of religion; I respect their fears, I sympathize with their delicate solicitudes, and say, with the apostle, it were better for us to starve, or to die, than that any man should make void our glorying, that we preach the gospel, "not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; and seek not yours but you."

I would, however, remind such hearers, that the words I have chosen for my text are extracted from a passage, in which the same Apostle who was so exquisitely alive to every thing that might commit the honour of the Gospel, inculcates the duty of supporting the ministry, on an infant church, whom he might naturally be afraid of prejudicing against that religion which they had so recently embraced. Yet we shall soon see with what frankness and decision he who would sacrifice every right, or interest of his own, or even life itself, to the honour of the Gospel, demands the recompense due to pastoral toils; without once betraying the slightest suspicion that he might injure the religion of Jesus, by pressing a duty which bears the impress of divine authority, and commends itself alike, to the coolest decision of the judgment, and the noblest feelings of the heart.

That those who live under the highest inspirations of religion, will welcome the consideration of this subject, I am satisfied; because I know that they grieve for the inadequate attention paid to that which so deeply affects the interests of the church; while those who would gladly lose sight of the grand Christian duty, or blot it from the code of Scripture and the Christian's breast, are the very persons, for whose "correction and instruction in righteousness," we are compelled to unfold the duty, and urge to that obedience which Heaven demands, for its honour and their highest good.

On the coolest consideration, therefore, I feel myself entitled to all Christian freedom in discussing this subject; not forgetting that, as I am often called to address young ministers, on their duty to the churches, and can appeal to some present that I have endeavoured to discharge that delicate task with unsparing tidelity, showing all that the churches have a right to expect from us, I may be indulged with equal boldness, while I call upon Christians to yield an adequate support to those, who "watch for your souls as they that must give an account."

I request, then, your candid attention to

I. The divine appointment, that the church of Christ should support its ministers.

To a Christian audience, scarcely any thing more is necessary, certainly nothing is more conclusive and authoritative on any point, than to show that "thus saith the Lord." In the mode of adducing my proof of this, I cannot follow a better example than that of the inspired Apostle, who shows that the ancient dispensation enjoined the same duty; that Christ perpetuated it under the Gospel; and that in fact, it may be termed a duty of natural religion, or, in other words, that it is but common justice.

1. Under the Mosaic dispensation, God enjoined that the ministers of religion should be supported by the contributions of the people.

Let no one take alarm at this appeal to the Law, as if I wished to bring them under the Jewish yoke of ceremonies; for it should be remembered, that all that is most dear to our hearts as Christians, was first announced to the world by Moses and the Prophets, before Christ and his Apostles proclaimed the fulfilment of the promised grace. The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head, said Moses in the Law; unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, sang the sublime prophet Isaiah; while those psalms which kindle our devotion, and give utterance to the emotions they inspire, were penned by David for the service of the Mosaic tabernacle and the temple which Solomon built. If ever, therefore, we read the Old Testament with reverence and delight; if, at any time, it cheers our hearts with its consolations, or guides our steps by its counsels; we admit that the more ancient half of the inspired code may be our instructer; though it was given under a dispensation that has now yielded to one more glorious and complete. In fact, the very Apostle who most strenuously contended that the law was but a "shadow of good things to come, of which the body is Christ," in that same Epistle, which was designed and blessed to call off the earliest Christians from doting upon that which was abolished, so fully displays the various and interesting modes, in which the legal rites unfolded evangelical truths, that he leaves no doubt of the propriety of learning Christian duty from the general principles of a dispensation, whose peculiar rites are no longer of force.

Justly, therefore, the Apostle says to the Corinthian church,* "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? Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, it was written that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thrasheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ. Do ye not know, that they who minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel." This leads me to show

2. The same duty, of supporting the ministers of religion, is enjoined by Christ under the Gospel.

* 1 Cor. ix. 7-14.

Here, also, as in all other things, that Saviour, who is the Legislator, has made himself the model of virtue. He who wrought, as it is probable, at the trade of a carpenter, to support himself, and the family in which he was born, previously to his coming forth to the public ministry, would not have disdained to continue that course of honest industry, however it might have shocked the pride of the carnal mind: yet he deemed it proper to discontinue it, from the time that he was anointed by the Holy Spirit, to preach the Gospel of the kingdom. As he came not "to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many," we might have expected, that he would rather give than receive; and to him who wrought miracles to meet the exigencies of the starving thousands who attended his ministry, it had been easy to create all that was necessary for him and his attendant band. He chose, however, to cast himself on the liberality of his hearers, to live upon the contributions of those whom he was serving; for, in addition to the entertainment he received, wherever he went, preaching the Gospel, "certain women, who followed, ministered to him of their substance."

1

In harmony with the same design, and as a part of the same plan, when he sent forth the Apostles for a short excursion while he was with them; that these newly fledged eaglets might try their wings, before he should be taken from them and they should fly through the whole world having the everlasting Gospel to preach to every nation under heaven; he gave them this charge, "As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers. raise the dead, cast out devils; freely 7-15 ye have received, freely give. ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves; for the workman is worthy of his meat. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into a house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city." He could have wrought miracles for them every day, and supplied all their need each moment. Or he, who raised money from the bottom of the sea, in the mouth of a fish, to pay the contribution required for the service of the temple, could, in a moment, have filled their purses with all that their journey would require. Nor is it improbable that this would have been far more gratifying to the feelings, I would not say the pride of the disciples, to pay for all they obtained, and openly confer rather than seem to receive obligations. But the superior wisdom of their Lord and ours, determined that they should go without