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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47561	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.	Knollys, Hanserd, 1599?-1691.	1689 (1689)	Wing K711A; ESTC R213604	49,141	150

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 VVeightiness of that Sacred VVork and Office clearly evinc'd Recommended to the Baptized Congregations by several Elders in and about the City of London 2 Cor 9.14 Even so hath the Lord Ordained That they who Preach the Gospel shall live of the Gosp●… 2 Cor. 2.16 And who is sufficient for 〈◊〉 things London Printed and are to be sold by Jo●… 〈◊〉 at the Harrow in the Poul●… 〈…〉 ERRATA PAge 2. Line 12. and 15. for Church Read Churches p. 3. l. 9. f. Church r. Churches p. 5. l. 22. r. the. p. 7. l. 11. and 14. f. the Churches Duty she r. the Duty of the Churches they p. 8. l. 7. r. Churches and l. 9. f. her r. their p. 14. l. 2. r. Churches p. 20. l. 1. h. is wanting p. 20. l. 21. s. is wanting p. 25. f. contangle r. intangle p. 32. l. 18. f. their r. her p. 41. l. 22. f. are r. do p. 47. l. 21. f. let r. set p. 70. l. 26. f. and r. or p. 101. l. 10. r. Family p. 105. l. 14. leave out say they To the Congregations of Baptized Believers in England and Wales Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied through the saving Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Beloved Brethren WE have read and considered of this ensuing Treatise● and do conclude in may be of great profit to the Churches of Jesus Christ we fearing some Congregations have 〈…〉 ●…uly weighed and considered of th●…r ●…dispensible Duty to the Ministry in respect of providing such a Maintenance for those who Labour amongst them and are 〈◊〉 them in the Lord as they ought to do by which means it may he feared that many of them may be hindred or obstructed in attending on their Work in serving of Christ and his People as the Nature of their sacred Imployment and Office requires and the present Day especially calls for and as the Lord himself hath also Ordained Therefore our earnest Desires are that our Brethren both Ministers and Members would he pleased to get this little Book and both Read and w●ll Weigh what is said therein without Prejudice both in Respect of a Regular Ministry the Ministers Maintenance and the Greatness and Difficulty of their Work and now that it may be blessed by JEHOVAH to the Great and Good Ends it is designed is and shall be the Hearty Prayers of us your Brethren in the Faith and Fellowship of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Hanserd Knollys William Kiffin William Collins John Harris George Barret Richard Adams Benjamin Keach Isaac Lamb Edward Man Leonard Harrison Hercules Collins London July 30. 1681. The Contents of the chief Things insisted on in the ensuing Treatise A Regular Ministry Asserted Pag. 1 Christ himself in his own Person first settled the Ministry in a most solemn manner 3 Power left to particular Congregations to choose their own Ministers 6 Churches ought to take care that they choose Men to Office that are competently qualified according to 1 Tim. 3.1,2,3 And Tit. 1.6.9 7 8 Churches after Election and Tryal of their Ministers ought solemnly to ordain them by Prayer and Imposition of Hands 8 9 Churches undue Proceedings in the choice of Elders dishonourable and an hinderance to the Gospel 10 11 Every Congregation that neglects their Duty in providing a fit Maintenance for their Pastors if able is dishonourable and a scandal to Religion 13 Ministers Maintenance Asserted strange that any should doubt of it 13 14 The Scriptures urged to prove 't is an indispensable Duty to provide a comfortable Livelyhood for Faithful Ministers 15 16 13 Arguments to prove this Duty 1. Christ would not have his Disciples when he first sent them out waste their own Substance whilst imployed in his Work. 17 18 2. God has positively ordained or appointed his Ministers a comfortable Maintenance under the Gospel 19 20 Ministers Maintenance not now by Tithes as it was under the Law. 20 21 No denying or avoiding the Duty of Ministers Maintenance 22 23 3. Ministers commanded to attend wholly upon their Work. 25 Nothing but real Necessity will admit him to dispence with the contrary all his time little enough 26 Pastors must visit their Members go from House to House 27 4. Ministers that follow Trades c. exposes them to Reproach therefore if possible to be avoided 30 31 5. Ministers Maintenance proved by the Law and Light of Nature as well as by the positive Law of Christ 32 33 Obj. Some Ministers do not need it Answered 40 6 Ministers not unable to follow Trades some could do it and provide for themselves and get Estates as well as others therefore ought not to suffer for taking that sacred work upon them 43 Ministers are as much bound to provide for their Families as other Men. 43 44 7 Shewing what great Provision God made for his Ministers under the Law proving the Equitableness of the same Law remains still 45 46 As great Reason for the People to provide for their Ministers under the Gospel nay greater in some Respects than for them under the Law 47 8. Elders or Pastors must be given to Hospitality therefore if Churches are able and they poor they ought to put them into a capacity to shine in that Virtue 47 48 9. This duty urged from the Honourableness of it it frees Members from the sensure of Coveteousness one part of that double Honour due to Elders that Labour in the Word proved to be Maintenance 50 51 52 10. Argued for from the said Effects and Inconveniences that attends the neglect of it 52 53 54 It lays a Discouragement in the way of good Men to give themselves to Study and Dedicate themselves to take part in the Ministry 54 55 It exposes Ministers to neglect their Work when they are neglected nay to leave it and be blameless 56 57 This neglect hinders Ministers in their Study they having not time and so Preach no better its necessary for Ministers to have store of Useful Books and Time also 58 59 11. Neglect to Ministers and the concern of God's House is a robbing of God and may bring a blast upon Men's Estates 62 63 64 65 66 12. A shame to God's People to suffer the Heathens and Papists to do more to uphold Idolatry than they do to uphold the true Worship of the Living God. 71 72 13. Ministers will be left wholly without excuse if they do not faithfully fulfil their Ministry when the Congregations sufficiently provide for them 74 75 One Minister took off of Worldly Business may do more in promulgating the Gospel than several others who are not 76 77 Motives to press this Duty Motive 1. Ministers represent Christ what done to them is done to him 77 78

excellent Gift for the Ministry under great Temptations even so far as to refuse utterly the exercise of their Gifts to the Prof●… and Edification of the Churches lea●… in process of time they should be called forth to a Pastoral Charge an● thereby be exposed to Snares and Poverty in the World as perhaps som● poor Ministers and Pastors have been and may be daily still are especially they considering and laying to Heart the Care and Charge their Paren● have been at with them in putting them forth to good Trades and Callings whereby they knew with th● Blessing of God they might if they gave themselves up with a due and necessary Diligence and Industry to fol●ow those Trades live well in the World and sufficiently provide for ●hemselves and their Wives and Children if they saw good to Marry ●n after-times And by this very means ●he Churches may be to their great ●oss and detriment have been deprived of those great helps which a faithful discharge of Duty to the present Ministry may prevent for time to ●ome Also do we not see at this very time what a sad pass some Congregations are come to already for want of useful helps in the Ministry both in City and Country some Pastors nay many of them being grown very Ancient and almost become unserviceable and not like to continue ●ong And though the Harvest is great yet O! how few are the Labourers amongst us and fewer they are like to be if care be not taken in the discharge of this indispensible Duty to ●he present Ministry Nor is it a strange thing that Godly Men should fall under such a Temptation which we before mentioned considering this great Evil and neglect of Duty herein Since we find of Old in the Holy Scripture the very same Snare and Temptation many of the Priests and Ministers of the Lord fell under Pray read and carefully consider Nehemiah 13.8,9 especially the 10 Verse And I perceived that the Portions of the Levites had not been given them For the Levites and the Singers that did the Work were Fled every one to his Field Now 't is evident that through the like Evil and Neglect of the People to the Levites and Ministers of God in not giving them that due allowanee or maintenance God had Ordained for them they left their work and service every one of them and betook themselves to secular Employments viz. to labour in the Fields and manure their Land or gather in their Corn which according to the Law others were to do for them Nor did good Nehemiah as we can find reprove or blame the Levites for so doing Nor indeed what reason was there he should considering 't is a Moral Duty for every Man to provide for himself and Family and he that does not do it the Apostle shews is worse than an Infidel and hath denyed the Faith. But he contended sharply with the People especially with the Rulers saying Why is the House of God forsaken That is the Work of the House of the Lord. And he gathered them together and set them in their place verse 11. They had not only injured the Levites as our Annotators observe upon the place in withholding their Dues but also occasioned the neglect of GOD's House and Service c. And he gathered them together That is say they from their several Possessions in the Country in which they were dispersed and restored them to the Exercise of their Office. And Then saith the Text brought all Judah the Tithe of the Corn and the new Wine and the Oyl unto the Treasuries Verse 12. We cannot slightly pass by this matter for the Evil and Danger of the Sin of the Churches upon this account doth as palpably appear in this Case as in any we have mentioned How can we expect in ordinary way to have an Able Ministry raised up or those who are now imployed in the Work of the Gospel carry on that Work to the Honour of GOD Comfort of His People and to the Credit of our Sacred Religion if a Gospel Incouragement be not given them True we may perhaps have Preachers some may be willing to Exercise their Gifts but is it fit think you to call such to Preach publickly who have scarcely one Hours time to prepare themselves for the Work or may be have not meet and proper Indowments or Qualifications for that Holy and Sublime Service What is it Judge you that causes the Ministry to be slighted and neglected in some places but the want of such a Ministry that may honourably carry it on And who shall we blame What would you have poor men to do that have may be no time to spare to give themselves up to the Study of the Scriptures nor no useful Books and proper helps to improve and assist them in their Study or if they have yet their circumstances in the World will not afford them so much leisure from their worldly Business to read and meditate upon the Word so as well to digest what they have to deliver to the People Come think and say what you please 't is not without diligent and continued Study that the deep things of God can be searched out and so proposed as to inrich the minds of people with clear and solid Knowledge He that is not indowed with the clear Light and Understanding of Divine Truths or the mystery of the Gospel himself How can he Feed others as they ought to be Fed with the Knowledg of those Sublime and Soul inriching Mysteries A little Knowledg and Study 't is true as one observes may furnish a man with such a Discourse as may please some weak Christians that Judg of a Sermon by the loudness of the Voice and affectionate Sentences or can fancy themselves to be Fed with good Doctrine when perhaps 't is but with the Ashes of Jingling Words and cadency of Terms But alas saith he the seeming warmth of Affection that is stirred up by such means is as short Liv'd as a Land Flood that hath no Spring to Feed it He that will do the Souls of his people good and approve himself a Pastor after God's own Heart must endeavour to Feed them with Knowledg and Understanding that the people may learn and come to understand those things which were hid and not opened or known to them before and so strive to maintain a constant Zeal and Affection in them by well informing their Judgments and such an opening of the mind of God from the Scriptures as may command their Consciences And this is not to be expected but from him that Labours in his Study as well as in the Pulpit But saith he mistake me not we know ●he success and fruit of all Studies and Labours of men that preach the Gospel is from the Grace and Power of the Holy Ghost but the assistance of the Spirit is to be expected by the use of means and in the way of our Duty And now from the whole this is that