3. The last thing proposed, is to remove the objections, which have ever been urged against the duty of the text. So plain is the duty that it is, with surprise, that we ever hear any attempt to argue against it, on supposition they profess to admit the truth of scripture. All that ever has been offered, as objections against the duty may be comprised in the four following things.
1stly. The words of our Lord, Mat. x. 8. freely have ye received, freely give. It is enough to reply there, that these words, so often abused and misapplied, have no reference to preaching the Gospel, as all reasonable people will see, by only reading them in their connexion. They relate merely to miraculous gifts. And accordingly we find the Apostles never received any pecuniary profit, or reward for working miracles.—
2dly. The word hireling used by our Lord, John x. 13. has been urged as a conclusive proof that no true teachers of religion ought to receive any support. He calls those hirelings, whose only or ruling motive was the reward, and who had no regard for the interest and good of the flock. It is strange what work designing men, and false Teachers have made of this word hireling. They never mind the meaning of our Saviour, or look to see how he uses it; but from the very sound raise a bitter and opprobrious cry against all true Ministers of Christ, and all regular and fixed support of such. This single word, hireling has put a handle into the power of such people as hate religion; and they have by it, broken up the peace of Churches—rent them asunder—and loaded with vile slander the most virtuous characters.—Every one, who looks upon this passage, where our Lord employs the word hirelings, will have a full evidence, if his eyes be not fast closed with prejudice, that it contains not the least shadow of an objection against the duty of the text.
3dly. Some object and say, that the Apostle Paul refused to take any reward for his preaching the Gospel, and therefore other ministers, in the ordinary ages of the Church, should never have any support or fixed maintenance. They appeal to Acts xx. 33, 34, as a proof that Ministers of Christ should have no provision made by people for their subsistence, but should rely wholly on extraordinary supplies from Providence. I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel: yea yourselves know, that these hands have ministered to my necessities, and those that were with me: And 1 Cor. ix. 12.—We have not used this power. The power was that of demanding a support from them. But he does not say, that he did not want or call for a subsistence. In the case of other Corinthians, he actually took the contributions of the Churches to support himself among them, lest the false Teachers should raise a clamour against him, and against the Gospel, and so prevent its success. It is a sure mark of a false Teacher to deny and reproach the duty of our text. Paul assures us, he laboured with his own hands lest he should be chargeable. This boast he makes to the Churches at Ephesus, Thessalonica, and Corinth. But he tells the latter, he took wages of other Churches to do them service, and that what was lacking to them, the brethren from Macedonia supplied.—He took wages from other Churches, 2 Cor. xi. 8, 9. Wages all know are a stipulated reward, or a hire mutually agreed upon.——
4thly. But the greatest objection of all, is that true Gospel-Ministers have the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost, miraculous gifts and teachings; and are supplied with matter, both thoughts and words, from God immediately, therefore, need no support. If they be thus inspired as the Apostles were, I own, they need never study any—or read any—or meditate any, previously, or even to have common learning—no not to know how so much as to read, or write, or speak: and consequently ought not to have any stated reward or maintenance. The more ignorant and grossly illiterate the better; for the more strikingly will be the evidence that they are only organs, or mere passive instruments in the hands of God. If any be so far deluded as to believe themselves immediately inspired, we are to commiserate their wretched delusions, and pray that the scales may soon—soon fall from their eyes, and that they may not, with their infatuated adherents, have the fate of the blind leaders of the blind. That none are now, in this age of the Church, immediately inspired, as the Apostles were, I shall prove in another discourse. The Apostles spoke as the spirit gave them utterance. The matter and manner of their discourse were immediately imparted to them, at least, on some particular occasions.
The arguments in favour of the duty of the text are full, plain, and abundant, from scripture, from reason, from justice, from equity. The objections are of no weight. And what a pity it is that so many divisions in congregations should be made, by men who are actuated by base, disingenuous, and selfish views in denying and raising a clamour against so clearly revealed a duty.——He who wishes well to the Christian Religion, must wish and fervently pray, that it may please God, to continue in his Churches, a pious, learned, and orthodox Ministry till the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to judge the world. Amen.
DISCOURSE XIV.
The Apostles, infallible guides in Religion, being commissioned and immediately qualified and inspired by the Redeemer.
2 THESSALONIANS ii. 15.