Journal of the Life and Religious Labours of Elias Hicks

by Elias Hicks

And with regard to imputative righteousness, some Christians affirm that the righteousness of Christ, wrought without us, being imputed to believers, they are thereby justified, without any works of righteousness carried on in us, by and through the operation of the grace of God, we yielding thereunto, and co-operating therewith. But the apostle Paul asserts that “the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” Now will any be so inconsistent with truth and righteousness, as to assert, that a man is justified merely by the righteousness that Christ wrought in the outward manifestation, without his coming to know in his own experience, those works of righteousness wrought in him, as above expressed by the apostle; and which he must be a party to and in, or they cannot be wrought. For a mere belief in grace does not do the work of righteousness; but faith in the sufficiency of the grace is the first previous work of the mind of man; but if that belief is not carried into effect, such faith cannot save him; for faith without works is dead, being alone, as a body without the spirit. I think the conclusive arguments of the apostle James are quite sufficient to prove these things to every judicious mind. For although the harlot Rahab had, from what appears, a full belief that Israel’s armies would conquer the land of Canaan, and it is likely many thousands more of the Canaanites had the same belief; yet as none of them added good works to their faith but her, none others were saved. Abraham also believed he was required to sacrifice his son, as the scripture assures us; but had he not gone forward to put it in execution, his faith, instead of being imputed to him for righteousness, would have greatly administered to his condemnation; and instead of becoming the friend of God, he would have been cast out of his favour; so that by his works only was his faith made perfect.

But the great errour, of the generality of professed Christians, lies in not making a right distinction between the works that men do in their own will, and by the leadings of their own carnal wisdom, and those works that the true believer does, in the will and wisdom of God. For although the former, let them consist in what they will, whether in prayers, or preaching, or any other devotional exercises, are altogether evil: so on the contrary, those of the latter, let them consist in what they may, whether in ploughing, in reaping, or in any handicraft labour, or in any other service, temporal or spiritual, as they will in all be accompanied with the peace and presence of their heavenly Father, so all they do, will be righteous, and will be imputed to them as such. And these, and these only, will witness the blessing pronounced by the royal psalmist, where he saith: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” And who are those whom the royal prophet here designates; why none but such as have carefully and strictly adhered to the teaching of the grace of God; and who by its teaching and aid have denied themselves of all ungodliness, and worldly lusts; and have come to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

And in order to prove the consistency of Christian ministers taking pay, and making contracts with the people for their preaching, and letting themselves out to the highest bidders, he brought forward quotations from the same Paul, who is so very severe against hirelings; showing, both by his example and precepts, that it is more blessed to give than to receive; and that parents or leaders ought to care for the children, and not the children for the parents.

The quotations he brought forward were founded principally on these two passages from the epistle to the Corinthians: “Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple, and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”

In order to understand correctly how far proof will arise from these passages of scripture, it will be necessary to consider the ground upon which the priesthood was established under the law; and likewise the reason and ground, upon which their maintenance was instituted: for it was all a work of perfect wisdom. And first, the dispensation of the law was outward and local; so likewise was the priesthood: none being eligible to that office but the family of Levi: and in consequence of their being appointed to that office, they were deprived of having their portion or allotment in the land; but the Lord was to be their portion: except that they were to have room for residence, and some suburbs about their dwellings, for their convenience. Their office was to kill and prepare the sacrifices which the people brought of their holy things, as offerings to the Lord; so that they were under the necessity of doing a great deal of manual labour for the people. Therefore, in order that they might have a livelihood among their brethren, the Lord had let one-twelfth, that is Levi’s lot, to farm among his brethren; and they were bound to return to their brethren, the Levites, one-tenth of their increase; to reward them not only for the abundant manual labour they were bound to do for them, but also in consideration of their having the improvement and profits arising from Levi’s portion of the promised land.

Now to make a right bearing between the shadow and substance, and render it eligible under the gospel for its ministers to take pay, they must be such as are immediately called, as was the house of Levi; and be deprived of any allotment in the land, except room for residence, and some small suburbs: they must likewise be under the unavoidable obligation of doing a great deal of manual labour in outward things, or otherwise they are not entitled to any outward pay: and all this only as their duty to him, who hath called and appointed them, without making any contract with the people at all for their service; for this was not admissible under that dispensation: and all that did were reproached by the Lord’s prophets as hirelings. An instance to the point is the case of Micah, who had a house of idol gods; and he hired a Levite to be his priest, and gave him for his service ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and his victuals. Indeed we have in this Levite a true specimen of a hireling; for when the Danites proposed to his consideration, which would be best for him, whether to be a priest to the house of one man, or to a tribe and family in Israel, he soon solved the question; and it made his heart glad, and he took Micah’s ephod, teraphim, and graven image, and added theft to covetousness; and went with the Danites, and became their idol priest.

Secondly, we are next to consider the perfect analogy between the service of the priesthood under the law, and their wages, agreeable to Paul’s expressions: “Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things, live of the things of the temple, and they which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar?” Now the things of the temple and of the altar were all the Lord’s things; and as the priests and ministers were also the Lord’s, he rewarded them out of his own holy things, and justice required that it should be so. Therefore the priests under the law had no right to call on the people for any pay, because there was no contract between them: so likewise under the gospel, the Lord’s true ministers must be such as are immediately called of God, as was Aaron: but as there is no outward holy land under the gospel, so neither is there any outward holy offerings or sacrifices, nor any outward holy temple or altar of man’s building; so likewise no outward victims to be slain or consecrated, hence no outward reward: but the Lord’s ministers under the gospel are all called and commissioned by his spirit, and clothed with his power and authority to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto such as are saved it is the power of God. Hence those who preach the gospel live of the gospel; that is, as the gospel is the power of God, which is communicated to the people by gospel ministry, by which they are fed and comforted spiritually, as the Israelites were outwardly, by their outward sacrifices, of which the priests who ministered took their share with the people: so likewise the ministers of the gospel, who minister to the people spiritually in holy things; they also take their share, and are made to rejoice together spiritually and mutually. And herein consists the true analogy between the shadow and substance; the first being the type, which consisted in outward things, and the latter the antitype, consisting in spiritual things. For if the reward of the Lord’s ministers under the gospel for their gospel labours is to consist in outward temporal things, and likewise the reward of the Lord’s ministers under the law was of the same kind, then it would no longer hold as is generally agreed by Christians, that the first is type, and the latter its antitype: but it will be only type for type, and shadow for shadow; of course we must look for another dispensation in order to do away the shadow, and make way for the substance. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He is the end of the law to all those who believe, and are witnesses of his spiritual appearance in their hearts, to take away sin and finish transgression, and fulfil all righteousness, in those who willingly deny themselves, and take up their cross daily, and follow him in the way of regeneration. Even so let it be, saith my spirit, with the spirits of the faithful. Amen for ever.

Sixth day. I had an appointed meeting in the town of Jamaica, at the third hour in the afternoon. It was for the most part a favoured meeting, although long in gathering. The truths delivered had an affecting reach on many minds, and I was made thankful for the precious solemnity which prevailed over the meeting, and we parted under a comfortable sense thereof. After this I returned home, and found my family well; and my mind was clothed with peace, which favour inspires grateful acknowledgments to the bountiful Author of every blessing.

Seventh day. Rested with my family.

First day. Attended our meeting to good satisfaction. The three following days spent with my family, and in my family concerns.