WEEKS Withholding a Suitable Support From the Ministers ... is Robbing God. BV 4380 W4 Withholding a suitable support from the Ministers of Religion, is robbing God : SERMON, PREACHED TO THE PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION IN PLATTSBURGH, N. Y, SEPTEMBER 26, 1813. BY WILLIAM R. WEEKS, '! AT THAT TIME PASTOR OF SAID CONGREGATION ALBANY: PRINTED FOR THE AVTHOf. 1814. LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CA SANTA BARBARA A SERMON, &c. IT is the iodispensible duty of the ministers of the gospel to de- clare to their people ail the counsel of God. Every doctrine that God has revealed, and every duty that he has enjoi ed, must be freely and plainly taught. If a minister neglects to preach any doctrine of the gospel, and his people perish through ignorance of the way of life, their blood will be upon his head ; and if he neglects to inculcate any duty that God has enjoined, and his people, through ignorance, live in the practice of disobedience to God's commands, he is a partaker in their sins. Some doctrines are of such a nature, that to preach them faithfully and plainly requires no self-denial. The great mercy of God in providing salvation for perishing sinners, his great wisdom and goodness in governing the world, in over-ruling the wrath and the wickedness of men and devils, and making their utmost efforts instru- mental of promoting his own glory, and securing the best interests of bis holy kingdom, are subjects which we dwell upon with pleasure, as iu themselves exceedingly interesting and delightful. But other doctrines are of such a nature, that to preach them faithfully requires great zeal for God, and the most disinterested love to souls. To describe to sin- ners that vile and loathsome character which belongs to all the unre- generate, to repeat to them the awful denunciations of divine wrath, and to describe to them the amazing horrors of that damnation which awaits them, are duties in themselves most unpleasant and painful. la like manner also it is in declaring the duties which God has enjoined. To point out and enforce some of them, is in itself very pleasant and interesting; while others are of such a nature, that to point them out clearly, and urge them home to the consciences of men, is in itself ex- tremely painful, and calls for the exercise of the greatest self-denial. The minister, nevertheless, must not shrink from his duty. He tnttst discharge it, however disagreeable, a* he would be faithful to his Mas- ter, and faithful to the souls committed to his care. There is one subject, however, which ministeis are apt to pass over in silence, though it is intimately connected with the best interests of their people, and is of vital importance to the cause of Christ. This neglect probably arises from the peculiar delicacy of the subject, and the great difficulty ministers find of attending to it in a proper manner without being subjected to the charge of doing it from selfish motives, and not from a sense of duty to God and their people. The subject of which I speak, is the duty of a people to support, in a suitable maa- nv, V miniver of the gospel. When I concluded to take up this subjec'. -tnd p-epare a discourse upon it for this day, I expected that this would be the last Sabbath I should ever spead with this people ; and that consequently I should not subject myself to the charge of pleading my own cause, by attending to it. Some circumstances have taken place, however, from whi'-h I have concluded not to leave this people, for the present. But I do not consider this as any reason why I should DO! perform my duty. Let what will, be said or thought, of me or my motives, in coi-feque ce of H, I dare not disobey the com- mand of God to declare all his counsel ; I dare not negltct to call your attention to this subject, and to endeavor to set your duty clearly before you. I have selected, therefore, as the subject of our present meditation, that portion of divine truth which is recorded in the third chapter of the prophet Malachi, at the eighth verse. MALACHI 3. 8 " Will a man rob God? y t ye have robbed me. But ye say, where- in have rvr robbed thee ? In tithes and -.ffferings." It will be recollected by all who are conversant with their bibles, that the tithes were the stated allowance, set apart bj the authority of God, at the giving of the law, for the support of the ministers of reli- gion ; and that of the offering?, a great part also was devoted .o the ,same purpose. In the test, God charges the people, in the days of the pr-;phe{, wi'h robbing him. \nd when the people pleaded not guiit* -o 'he charge, and confidently asked " wherein have we robbed thiise of Aaron were appointed to offer sacrifices, and 10 minister in hf ly thir-gs at the altar. Some of their brethren of the other families if LevUes weie aligned them as assistants in the^e services. But those not immediately en- gaged in these services, resided in different parts of the couu'ry, and flffiriated as public instructors. The provision which God 'bought suitabk- for their temporal sup- port, will be seen by examining a few passages of scripture. Lev. 27. 30, 32. " And all the lithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the liuit of the tree, is the Lord's : It is holy unto the Lord. And concerni'ig uibs of them shall be for their cuttle, and for their goods, and for nil t.' y reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordi- nance for ever. This shall be thine of the most holy things reserved from the fire : every ob'ation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render uuto me, shall be most holy for thee, and for thy sons. In the most holy place ehalt thou eat it; every male shall cat it: it shall be holy unlo thee. And this is thine; the heave offer- ing of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel : I Iiave given them unto thee, and to thy sons, and to thy daughters with f.hee, by a ststute for ever ; every one that is clean in thy house shall cat of it. All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of fhe wheat, the first fruits of them, which they shall offer unto the Lord, them have I given thee. And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, tvhich they shrl! bring uuto the Loixl, shall be thine ; every one that is clean In thine house shall eat of it. Erery thing devoted in larafl shall be thine." Thus, then, we pee, that God gave the Levites " all the tenth iu Is- rael," as a stated salary, besides an ample parsonage to every one, And to the bouse of Aaron a large additional provision. But a more correct idea of the extent of the provision which God made, under the law, for the ministers of religion, will be obtained by comparing the number of the Levites with the number of the whole pec* pie. If they had been just a tenth part of the people, their salary, be- ing " all the tenth in Israel," would have been just an equal proportion of all the earnings of the nation. That is, taking all other men at an average, they would have been made exactly equal to them, by their salary alone, and would have had their parsonages over and above this equal proportion, tut the Levites were not a tenth part of all the peo- ple. When the people were numbered, in the wilderness of Sinai, soon after they came out of Egypt, (Num. 1. 45, 46,) the males above twen- ty years, capable of bearing arms, in the other tribes, were six hun~ dred and ihrte thousand. Jive hundred and fyty. Those un er twenty years, and tho^e above if not capable of bearing arms, were not num- bered ; but they were probably nearly as many more. Bnt supposing they were only half as many more, this would make all the males nine "hundred and jive thousand, three hundred and twenty-Jive. AH the males among the Levites., from a month old and upward, were num- bered at the same time, (Num. 3. 39,) and found to be twenly-tmo thousand. The people were numbered again, forty years afterward^ and the proportion was nearly the same. So that, instead xJf being one te? th of all the people, the Leviles were less than one fortieth. &.nd the stated salar> of the Levite, instead of barely making him equal with other men, upon an average, makes his proportion more than/our times- that of other men ! To make this still plainer, let us suppose these nine hundred anJJivi thousand men to earn each one dollar per day. on an average. Each iriau pays of this ten cents to the Levites, and has left to himself ninety cents. The whole sum paid to the Levites, is ninety thousand. Jive hundred doi'ars ; which, divided by twenty-two thousand, the whole Dumber of Levites, gives each Levite four dollars and eleven cents per day, while other men have but ninety cents each per day ! And bfr sides this, they had their parsonages. And this was the provision made for those who->e services could not have beeu at ail arduous. But for the house of Aaron, a far greater provision was made. How am ply, then, did God provide for his ministers, under the old tioo ! Shall we say that this provision was too much ? Shall we say that the revenues of the ministers of religion ought not to be four times as much as those of other men? Shall we say, as many dot ay, in so many words, and more by their practice, that so far from having more than other men, they ought to have less ? that a bare subsistence is enough for them while those around them possess abundance? It appears that God has thought otherwise. And if God thought that a suitable provi- sion fur them was four times as much as for other men, on an average, who will undertake to say that fiod was mistaken ? Thus, we have, from 'the scriptures, God's opinion of what is a suitable provision for the ministers of religion. He knew very well the selfish dispositions of men, and that if it was left to them to determine what shoulu be given to his miuistei's, they would be left to starve. He, therefore, did not leave anything to depend upon theb discretion, or their generosity, .but pointed out, in the minutest manner, every thing that be required to be dune for them. It will pei haps be said, that all this was under the old dispensation, .and that God has not thought proper that hi.- ministers should receive so much under the new. But, let me ask, how does it appear, that they ought to receive less now, than formerly ? Are their duties any less ar- duous? No; they are far more so. Are their wants fewer now, than they were under the old dispensation ? No : by the different state of society they are greatly increased. Is God any less mindful of the necessities of his servants now, than formerly ? This cannot be sup- posed. What ground is there, then, to suppose that God's opinion, or his requirements on this subject are hanged ? Will it be said, that he has not, in the new testament, expressly required that his ministers should receive " all the tenth," and that, therefore, it is no longer suit- .able that they should ? But, let me ask, is the old testament abolished ? Are not the duties enjoined in the old testament as much binding now a? ever, unless they have been expressly abolished, or were in their own nature temporary ? But the duty of making suitable provision for the ministers of religion, was not temporary in its nature, nor has it been abolished. Nor is it any where hinted in the new testament that the proportion they foimerly received was too great, or that they ought to receive a less proportion now. Besides, this is only quoted to show what was once God's opinion of what is a suitable support lot l ais ministers. If. however, V das once expressed his opinion, and has no where told us that he has changed it, what right have we to say h does not ivmnin the same ? But if it should be granted, that the stated salary of the ministers of religion, under the present dispensation, should not be precisely " all the tenth " as it was under the law, theo it may be necessary to take several things into consideration, in order to determine what is a suita- ble support for the ministers of refigion now. And here, it may be ob> served, 1. That the ministers of retigton should have it in their power to be honest. When men make engngements, it is a species of dishonesty not to fulfil thorn. When they contract debts, it is a species of dishonesty not to discharge them punctually. Ministers must provide for their families. In doing this, they must make engagements and contract debts. And their support ought to be such, as to enable them to fulfil their engagements like honest men. They ought not to be compelled to defraud their creditors, nor to starvi- their families. Will it be said, that they should preserve their character as honest men, by not con- tracting debts beyond their means of punctual payment ? It is very true. But since, if they do not provide for their own house they practically deny the faith, and are worse than infidels, they must have the means of doing it. They must, therefore, have a certain depend- ence, which 5s adequate to supply all the necessities of their families, and meet all their engagements with punctuality 2. Ministers ought to have it in their power to be respectable. A man without respectability, is without influence. Aud u roan wnhout influence, is without the power of doing gooiK A minister must be respectable. Tint It is well known that a man's respectability, in the eyes of a great portion of the community, depends, iu a great measure, on his appearance. He may be houesi, he may be pious, he may be learned, he may be faithful in hi- ministerial dut'us, but if he is mean and sordid iu his appearance, if he wears the marks of poverty and want, he \vill be detpised. Theso things, indet-d, cugli* not ?o to be, but these things are. When his people visit his house, they expect to be received genteelly, and tobeentettained with the best. And if they are not, they never attribute it to his want of support, but to his want of res- pert for them, or to his want of economy, or what is still worse to his covctoubncss. If a minister, on hi? journies, is obliged by his poverty to resort to those means of avoiding (xpeuce, whim oth- r men do not " practice, he makes himself contemptible. Those who witness it. m vrr ascribe it to the true cause, but to a mean and avaricious ?puit, which B to (hey despise. A suitable support, therefore, for the ministers of reli- gion, must be such as will enable them in all things to maintain their respectability, upon which their influence, and their power of doing good essentially depend. 3. Ministers tught to have it in their power to be charitable and public spirited. If they are the ministers of Jtsus, they plead the cause ef the poor and the fatherless. They inculcate the duties of charity and liberality. They expose to thfir hearers the utter incon- sistency of a close, illiberal, covetous spirit, with the profession of Christianity. But of what avail is their preaching, iinless they preach fiy example ? How can they persuade others to give to the poor, un- less they give to the poor ? How can they persuade others to be libe- ral and public spirited, unless they give an example of liberality and public spiritedness ? And let me tell you that if you will pay minis* iers their tithes, they will gladly tithe their tithe, for charitable, reli- gious, and public purposes. When they look around them, they see objects enongh which call for their contributions. The poor need to be fed, and clothed, and their children educated. The sick poor need to be provided with something comfortable. Destitute settlements need to be provided with missionaries. The heathen need to have ihe gos- pel sent to them. Poor and pious yonth need to be educated for the ministry. Churches need to be built and seminaries of learniug to be supported. Societies for the distribution of bibles and of religious tracts need to be furnished with funds. The minister of religion ear- nestly desires to see these things accomplished. His heart is open. And if he had the means in his hand, they would go cheerfully and liberally to these object?. And if he could set an example, he could freefy invite o hers to follow it. But his own poverty clcseb his hand and stops his mouth. 4. Ministers ought to have it in their power to make improvement in their manner of discharging the duties of their calling. The min- ister of religion should be a scribe well instructed. An ignorant min- istry is contemptible and useless In this age of philosophy and infi- delity, it is indispensible that the ministers of religion should be men of science. The enemies of religion are frequently men of learning and abilities. Some of the most active and subtle of them are men of great attainments in human knowledge. And their most powerful attacks upon our religion, we supported by pretended facts in history or phi- losophy. The ministers of religion ought to be qualified to defend it against all attacks. The history of the world, therefore, both ancient 11 and modern, and the philosophy of nature, ought to be familiar to them. An accurate knowledge of the scriptures is iudispcnsible in those whose office it is to explain them. Eut this is a work of great labor. To understand them thoroughly, it is necessary to read them in the inspired originals, an. to be well acquainted with the geigrapln , his- tory, chronology, manners, customs, opinions, transactions and cvcnte, of all the countries and nations then: spoken of, that is, of tie whole wold. It is necessary also, ihat the minister of religion should have an accurate knowledge of the human heart, be well acquainted with the world, understand the nature of the human naiad and its operations, be acquainted with tbe systems of logic, rhetoric and metaphysics, and be wf 11 versed in the writings of every description of men, upcm every subject, To do all this, he must have time, and he must have books. His -upport, therefore, ou,ht to be such, that he may furnish himself with an extensive library of the best books upon every sub- ject, and have '.ime to cievote tc them. Our people expect all thi^ knowledge in a minister, and they expect he will coi.tiime to giow iu knowledge, and make rapid improvement iu ev.' ry thing conr.ectrd with the duties of his calling. And they expn t it jus at- much lit those who are not furnished with the means, a^ in thote who arc. Ev- ery one exclaims at the cruelty and injustice of the Egyptian task- masters, who required the Israelites to make brick without furnishing them with the necessary straw. -But our people arc more unrcns- na- ble thai! the Egyptian task-masters. They, indeed, withheld the straw. but .hey allowed tru> same lime as before, for the work to be done. Bat our people rcquir us lo make great improvements, not only with- out funmhuig us with the necessary books, but without any time to stu!y the few we may ha\e. 5. Ministers ought to have it in their power to educate their chil- dren. If ministers of the gospel are good men, and faithful in their own house, they will train up their children in the nurture and admo- nition of the Lord. They will iostil into iheir mind- correct princi- ples, and form them to virtuous habits. But religious instruction, though essensial. is not all that is necessary to qualify them for use- fulness in tbe world. They need other instruction, in common with other children. A minister of the gospel is not destitute cf the feel- ings of nature, any more thao other men. And he will feel as anx- ious as other parents do, to give his children surh an education as will be most likf ly to promote their happness and respectability in the world. A minister of the sospel oucht to be benevolent, lie. onght to feel a deep interest in the happiness of the community. He ought, therefore, to give his children such an education as will prepare them to be raoat useful to society. But, to do this, is attended with uo in~ considerable expence. He ought, therefore, to receive such a sup- port, as will enable him to do this in a suitable manner. 6. Ministers ought to have it in their power to make some provision for their families, in case they should be taken away by death. Min- isters of the gospel, more frequently perhaps than the men of any oth- er profession, wear themselves out early, and are taken away in the middle of life, leaving a helpless widow, and a number of fatherless children, in the most destitute and indigent circumstances. This is a common case. And how must the minister of the gospel feel, when he contemplates it ? How must he feel, when he looks upon hi;, family around him, and reflects that the continuance of his life is their only earthly dependence? How must it embitter his departing moments, when; upon the bed of death, he looks around him with all the feelings of the husbond and the father, and knows that he is leaving those who arc df arest to him to beggaiy and wretchedness! Is this the reward due to his faithful labors ? Is this the return made by a grateful peo- ple, for all his unwearied attention to their best interests? Is this the certain prospect he has before him, when wearing out his life in their service ? These things ought not so to be. A suitable support would make provision against the possibility of such an event. Thus, we see, that a suitable support for the ministers of religion, must be one that will enable them to be honest to be respectable to set an example of charity and liberality to provide themselves with the moans of improvement to educate their children- and to make Rome piovisiou for their widows and orphans, when they leave the world. We come now, as was proposed, II. To show when a people may be said to withhold a suitable support from the ministers of religion. And 1. A state may be said to withhold a suitable support from tiic ministers of religion, when it makes no provision by law for them. The support of religious institutions is essential to the prosperity of the state. As guardians of the public welfare, the civil rulers are bound to see that they are supported. The most equitabl* method for doing this, is to pass a law, which shall oblige every man to pay his equal proportion, according to his property, for the support of the ministers of religion; giving no preference, however, to one detumiinatioD above IS another, and allowing every man to pay to the minister of his own sect. But when a state do iiot make such provision, when they do not oblige men lo pay any thing for the support of such institutions, and when they even neglect to render a contract between a minister and his people of any validity, and put it out of his power to compel the fulfilment of it, that state may be ju&tly said to withhold a suitable support from the ministers of religion. 2. A congregation may be said to withhold a suitable support from the minister of religion, when they do not make any permanent pro- vision for it, upon which he can depend ; when they invite a minister to settle with them, and expect him to depend, for his support, upou contributions to be made from time to time, upon temporary subscrip- tions, or collections. Nothing is more unreasonable, than to require, stated services without a staled compensation. Nothing is more un- reasonable than for a people to expect a minister will give his whole time to them, and yet depend upon their good will and pleasure, from time to time, whether he has any thing to live upon or not. And yet there are many people, who refuse lo do any thing to support the min- isters of religion, in any other way than this. It is a maxim with them that minister? must be kept down. They mus' be made to feel their dependence. They must be made continually sensible, that it de- pends entirely upon their pleasing their people, whether they live or starve. Such men say, if ministers have a certain support, the> will become too proud and insolent, which means, that if they are not made to dread the displeasure of such men, the) will be tor. pointed in their preaching, a;d too faithful in the discharge of the duties of their of- fice. I have heard men express themselves in this manner, and J do not think it is [infrequent. "When a minister has no fix-d salary it is impossible lit- should know how to make his calculations. It is im- possible that he should kuow how to live, in order to keep within hia iocome unless he knows what that income will be. But if he depends upon the voluntary contributions of people, from '.iroe to time, he will lean upon a broken reed. When a people, therefore, will not engage their minister a fixed palary, large enough to make a suitable provi- sion for him, they may be said to withhold a suitable provision. And when individuals will not engage to pay a stipulated sum, th^y may be said also to withhold from the minister of religion a suitable sup- port. It will come to the same thing also, when a congregation, or when individuals, promise a certain sum, but will not come into such engagements with their minister, that he cau depsnd up^u it with 14 taiaty ; they refuse to bind themselves in such a manner that he can collect it by law. They promise, indeed, but the fulfilment of their promise is left to depend upon contingencies, vhich may or may not happen. So that the minister may receive his promised salary, or he may not. If he is wise, he will not trut;t much to such promises. When people refuse io bind themselves to fulfil 'heir engagements, he will have reason to fear that some, at least, will fail. When the acting a- gf-nts of a society promise a certain salary, and then neglect to prov de for the fulfilment of that promise, the effect is the same. A suitable support is withhi Id. 3. Individuals may be said to withhold a suitable support from the ministers of religion, when they refuse to contribute their equal pro- portion, according to their property lor that pin pose If the civil authority have not made ar;y law which requires this, it i* "ot 1 ss certain that it is required by the law of God. Under the old dis- peot.iitlon, every man was required to pay the tenth of what hf had, be it more or less. And under the new dispensation, the apostle, iu requiring the Corinihians to c ntribute for a r< ligious purpose, taught that there ought to be an equality. "For I mean not, (hays he,) that other me be eased, and you burdened. But tha* there may be an equality." Although persons may pay something, and more than many others do, yet if they do not pay their equal proportion, according to their property, of what would be a suitable support, for a suitable num- ber of ministers, they may be justly said to withhold a suitable sup- port from the ministers of religion. 4. People may be said to withhold a suitable support from the min- isters of n Jigioii, when they make engagements, but never fulfil ihem. This Is so plain, that it needs no illustration, but it is so frequent that it calls for serious consideration. It is a common case, that people make engagements with ministers, and never fulfil them. We have heard of societies which have had a minister settled with them for twelve or fourteen years, and never made a settlement with him in all that time. And this, al< hough they had bound themselves by the most solemi 1 engagements, to par his small pittance with punctuality. And at the end of that period, when he was compelled to leave them, he was slill unpaid; and never was paid the full amount of his stipulated salary. When a people conduct in this manner, they are certainly guilty of withholding a suitable support from the ministers of religion. 5. People may be said to withhold a suitable support from the min* isters of religion, when- they promise a sufficient support, and intend to M pay what they promise, at some time, when it suits their convenience, but do not pay it punctually. Although all that was promised should be ultimately paid, yet much of it* value is lost, lor want of punctu- ality. If a minister is paid punctually, he can fulfil his engagements. keep up his credit, and always be able to obtain a supply of necessa- ries for his family. But if he is not paid punctually, he cannot meet his engagements which have been made in oepeudence upon it, he loses his credit, and puts it out of his power, another time, to obtain, without prompt pay, the necessaries of life. When people delay the payment of their subscriptio; , after it becomes due, and then neglect to pay the interest on it, (and the interest is very seldom a compensation for such delay) ; and especially, when, by this delay, they compel their minister to pv.y interest on au equal <-.um, which is a common case, they may be jn>tly said to withhold from him that which is his due, they are giu'lty of withholding a suitable support from the minister of reli. gion. 6. A people may be said to withhold a suitable support from the minister of leligion, when they do not increase the nominal amount ot his stipulated salary, uj.on a decrease of its value That sum of money which at one time might be a sufficient support, may at another time be very inadequate. The necessaries of life are often changing in price. A minister may be settled when the price of wheat is one dollar per bushel, and other things in proportion. The salary promised may then be an a'l equate support. Afterwards the price of wheat becomes two dollars per bushel, and other things accordingly. It is easy to see that his salary has lost one half of its value, and must be doubled in amount, in order to be equal to what it was at first. But when u people do not increase the amount, in exact proportion to the decrease of value, when the necessaries of life are doubled and trebled in price, and they lefuse to add accordingly to the stipulated salary, they may be justly said to withhold from their minister a suitable support. Wr come now, as was proposed, III. To sluw, that when a people withhold a suitable support from the ministers of religion, they are guilty of robbing God. And 1. God required the tithes, under the law, as his due, from the people. Lev. 27. 30, 32. " And all the tithe of the land whether ot' the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, in the Lord's : it is boh/ nntc the Lord. At-d concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the r'd, the tenth shall be holy nlo the Lord" The tithes, theirfore. were God's Ate. -And to \fithhoM M them, Avasto withhold them from God, it was to rob God of his right God gave the tithes to the Levites, as their wages, for the service which they rendered *o him. Num. 18, 21- " And behold, / have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel, for an inheritance, ^/'or their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation." When the Levites received them, they received them as from God, and not as from the people. W hen the people paid them, they paid them to God. And when they withheld them, they withheld them from God. When they withheld th*m therefore, they withheld that which was God's due, they were guilty of robbing God. 2. By the change of dispensation, there has been no change in the nature of these things. If there had been, the new testament \vculd have informed us. But we find there, no hint of any such change. What is paid now, therefore, for the support of religious institutions, is as much paid to God, as it ever was. And the ministers of religion receive their support now, as wages from God, for the service which they render to him, as much as they ever did. When people withhold it now, they withhold it from God, as much as they ever did. And when they withhold from God that which is his due, they are guilty of robbing God. But 3. If it should be said that the nature of these things i.y changed, under the new dispensation, although there is no proof of such a change, still it can be shown, that when a people withhold a suitable support from the ministers 'of religion, they are guilty of robbing God. For it is easy to prove that ministers are entitled to their support, and thaf not as a gift fr jm their people, as some would have it, for which ihey ought to feel under very great obligations, but as rvapcp, properly speaking, as hire for the services they render. When our Lord sent forth his disciples to preach, he said to them, Mat. 10. 9, " Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass, iu your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves , lor the work, man is worthy of his meat." In Luke 10. 7, it is, " For the laborer i worthy of his hire." Here, our Lord taught, that they wfre entitled to receive a sufficient supply of all the comforts of life, as hire for the service they rendered, in the same sense that other workmen are enti- tled to receive wages for their labor; that it was as much a debt due to them, as the wages of other workmen are a dfi>t due to them. The same truth is taught also by the apostle. ' Cor. 9. 7 14. ""Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges ? Who pi ante h a vine- yard, and rateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and 17 eateth not of the milk of the flock ? Say I these things as a man ? or saith not -he law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeih out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen ? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes ? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written : that he that ploweih, should plow in hope ; and that he that thrasheth u, hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto jou spiritual things, Is it a great thi. g if we shall reap > our carnal things ? Do ye not know, that they which minister about holy things live of 'he things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even .->o hftth the Lord ordained that iJuy which preach the gospc should live of the gospei-." The apostle, it is (rue, did sometimes wa>e his right to re- ceive a temporal supporj. from the people to whom jic p cached. There were occa ious it. which i was expedient for him to.do so. But he always insisted that it was his right, his juot due. as wages for the ser- vice he rendered. On one occasion of this ki. d, he .says, 2 Cor. 11.8, " I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, lo do you service."' To the Galatiar.s, he says, chap. 6. 6, " Let him that is tauh f in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth, in all good luings." This looks like an injunction to pay the tithe of ever) thing i,, its kind, as was the commandment of the law. To Timothy, IK. <-,<><, 1 'lim. 5. 17, " Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy ot double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine." What this -'don ble honor" was, appears from the next verse, ' For die scripture &aith, thou shall not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, the la- borer is worthy of hi ; reward." This " double honor," was a double portion of the good things of this life, as a reward due for their laiih- {'til services. Thus, it appears, that in the new testament, we are plainly tauj;h!. that the ministers of religion are entitled to a sufficient support t\cn their people, as hire, as n-r.gca. as a reward, which us Hue to them fot their services, as much as to any other laborer for his services. when we employ a man to reap our fields, and keep back iiib wages, it is defrauding him of his right, it is robbery. So, when a people keep back the wages of a minister cf religion, it is defrauding him of his ri_ht, it is robbery. But Christ considers what is done to his ministers, as done to him. And what is doue to him, is done to God. Christ says to his ministers, Mat. 10. -10. " He that reccivtth you, leceiveth mo; and he that receiveth me, receivetii him that sent me." And Luke 10. 16, " He that heareth you, i;. C 18 dcspiseth me , antl he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. 5 " And iii the great day, he will say, as he informs us, Mat. 25. 40. " Ye- vily I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my bre'.hren, ye have done it unto me." To rob the ministers of Christ, therefore, by withholding the wages due for their services, is to rob Christ, it is to rob God. 4. Withholding a suitable support from the ministers of religion, is robbing God, because it robs God of their service:-. Ministers must live. Their families must have bread. Whj a suitable support is withheld, they are driven to the labors of the fiel^ or to (ome other secular employment, in order to procure necessaries for their lamil.es. And ;hus, much of their lime, which ou^ht to be devoted to the service of God, in the duues of their calling, is consumed in other avocations. Ministers are expected by their people to spend their whole time in the duties of their sacred calling whether they are supported or not. They ave expected always to preach well studied, instructive, and profiiaMe discourses, whether they have any time to study or not. And they are expected to spend a great part of their time in visiting their peo- ple whether they have any time to spare for that purpose or not. Cod is entitled to their whole time, but he is robbed of much of it, when people withhold from ministers their wages. And when people keep hack the wages of the minister, they cause those services which he does render, to be very imperfect. They compel him to serve God with the lame and the blind. When ministers are not furnished with books, and when they are compelled to resort to some other employ- ment to support their families, theii discourses are unstudied, and of course, they are crude, undigested performances, totally unfit for the service of the sanctuary. It is true that some preachers say they have no need to study. Their discourses are the effect of immediate inspi- ration. But ministers in general are not favored with these miraculous jpfts, and they do not wish to impose their crude, imperfect perform- ances upon people, as the effusions of the Holy Ghost. They think the oil for the sanctuary should be well beaten, before it is brought in for use. And to serve God with the lame and the blind, they think is very unsuitable, and is robbing him of that which is his due. And liow few ministers are there, iu comparison with what there might be* if people would pay their tithes. How many places are destitute of ministers, which might support them with perfect ease. How many peo- ple never hear the sound of the gospel at all, to whom it would bo preached, if every man paid his just proportion of their wages. When 19 young men, who are qualified for the ministry, behold 'the numerous discouragements which attend it, when they see the miserable mauner ir, which ministers are supported, how strong; an inducement must it be to engage in some other profession. When they see before them, in the other professions, a prospect of mure than a comfortable support, and in this, the certain prospect of poverty and want, bow exceedingly apt will they be to consider it as an indication of divine providence that they ought not to enter the sacred profession. When those who have entered the ministry, have seen and felt, by their own sad experience, tlie selfishness and the penuriousness of most people, with respect to ministerial support ; when they have seen with how great difficulty men are induced to subscribe, not the tenth, but the hundredth or the theusandth part of their income, and thick their minister ought to feel under veiy great obligations to them for that ; and whefl hey have seeu the extreme tardiness with which that miserable pittance is paid, and the vast return of gratitude which these people expect, when they pay the tenth or the hundredth part of what i- justly due ; when they have been compelled to see and feel these tilings, how strong will be their in- ducements to relinquish the ministry altogether. When they look a- round upon their helpless families, how do all the feelii g* cf the hus- band and the father plead with them to abandon a profession which promises them nothing but beggary and wretchedness ! But if every man paid h:s just proportion, according to what, in theopinioo of God, as expressed in the law, it is suitable for him to pay, the number of ministers would be greatly increased. They wuiild be enabled to give themselves entirely to the duties of their sacred function ; the word of God might be faithfully and ably preached, in the hearing of every man, songs 'f praise and thanksgiving wculd ascend to God. from places which now resound with curses arid blasphemies, multitudes would be tunic.1 from darkness to Ii;'ht, and God would be honored and served by million?, who are now the willing slaves of sin and Satan! When God. therefore, is deprived of all this glory, by withholding from the ministers of :eli-.-ion that support which is their just due, it is not only robbery of them, but it is robbery of God. But 5. That when a people withhold a suitable support from the ministers of religion, they are guilty of robbing God, is the express dec- laration of the text. " Will a mnn rob God ? Yet ye have ivbbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thce ? In tithes- and offerings." Tl:<: people kept back their tithes. They probably thought it was too much, to give the Levites "all the tenth io Israel." They could not afford to pay so much. Their own families needed it. To give the Jjcvites four times as much as was left for any other man, upon an av- erage wat quite unreasonable and extravagant. I et them live upon their parsonages, and labor for their support, like other men. In this mm:: er, hey probably reasoned, and so kept back the tithes. And whai God called them to account, and charged them with robbing him, th.-j boldly denied the charge, and said, with confidence, ' Wherein have wr robbed thee ?" God replies, " In tithes and offerings." That is, Yc have kept back from my ministers that proportion of your earn- ings which I commanded to be given them, and therefore, ye have robbed me. What remains is the IMPROVEMENT. And 1 . If the doctrine we have supported is true, then, when peo- ple withhold a suitable support from the ministers of religion, with a view of increasing their own property by so doing, they will probably be disappointed. They rob God. And if men think to be gainers by robbing God, they will be disappointed. They may rob their neigh- bors, and prosper. But to rob God, is a crime of a very different na- ture. It is to commit sacrilege. It is a crime which calls for the pe- culiar indignation of heaven. The hope of increasing their own pro- perty, by adding to it what they withhold from the ministers of religion, is undoubtedly the principal motive, if it is not the only motive, which influences people to withhold from them a suitable support. They think they cannot afford to pay so much, merely to support the gospel. They wish to increase their own property, by every means in their power, and so they refuse to pay. But when people think to increase their property in this way, they will probably find they have made a great mistake. The JCAVS tried it, but they were disappointed. They withheld the tithes and offerings, that they might add them to their own stores. They robbed God, to make themselves rich. But it did not answer their expectations. God says, in the text, " Will a man rob Ood ? Yet ye have robbed me. But i e say, wherein have we robbed thee :' In tithes and offerings." And in the verse succeeding the text, h" -ays, " Ye are cursed with a cuvse : for ye have robbed me, even this wrHe nation." They were cursed with a curse ; and it was for -,-oH,: r r,od, by withholding a suitable support from his ministers. They robbed him also, by neglecting to build his temple, and provide, in a suitable manner, for his worship. And he says to them, by the prophet Ilageai, (ch. }, 5 1I,&2. 1517.) "Now, therefore, coifc. 21 >idcr your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring ia liule ; ye at, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but vrare uot filled \\\'-\* .Innk; ye clothe you, but there is none warm ; and he that earneth wages, eaH.-eih wages to put it into H bag wiih holes. Ye looked for much, and lo, it came to little ; and when ye brought it home, I did 'blow upon it. Why ? sahh the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house: that is waste, and, ye run every man uolo his own house. Therefoi the heaven over ycu is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. Aud I called for ft drought upon the laud, and upon the moun- tains, and upon the corn, and upon die new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men., and upon cat- tle, and upon all the labor of the hands," " Aud now 1 pra} you con- sider, from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord ; bince those days were when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten : when cue ivme to th e press-fat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but tweoty. I smote you with blasting, and with nvldew, and with hail, in all (lie labors of your hands." So far from increasing iheir property, as they expteied, by robbing God, they greatly lessened it. And those who rob God now, by withholding a suitable support from his ministers, or by refusing to build a temple for his worship, may expect, sooner or later, the same result. They may htap up thdr ill gotten gains, but how easy it is for God to blow upon them, and they vanish ! But if men Avould take the most certain method of iucrea^in^ their property, let them pay God his due. Let them cease to rob him or his ministers. For he says, in the verses which follow the text, - ; Biing ye all the tithes into the store house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, sai h the Lord of hists, if 1 will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour jou out a blr?sin, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." As if he had said, Try me once and if I do not fulfil my word, never trust me again. He then adds, " And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakcs, and lie shall not destroy ihe fruits o! your ground ; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith ihc Lord of Hi sts. Ar.d all nations shall call you blessed : for ye fhall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts." So true are the words of the wise man, (Prov. 11.24,) '-There i- th*t scattereth, and yet iucrraseth ; and there is Ihat whhholdoth more than is meet, but it tendrth to \-< vrrty." 2. In the light of this subject, we see the mistake of those v\lio sup- would bo better to have ministers supported by a j ublic fund, 24 their tenth ? It is no more for a poor man to pay his tenth, than it u for the rich. If you are poor, your tenth will be small. If you are rich, it will be in exact proportion to wha you possess. So, we see, that in God's opinion, the plea of inability is>, in roost cases, utterly vaiu. Where there are ten families, who can worship together, they are always able to support the gospel. No it is not their inability, which keeps most societies from having the gospel among them plea is only used as a decent veil to hide their Redness. It is a rea- son which they are ashamed to avow. It is Ihiir coveiouwess. 4. ID the light of this subject, we see, that there is no reason to charge minister with being hirelings, because they claim and receive a suitable support from their people. There is a great hue and cry made at this day, against those ministers wh,> claim a suitable support from their people, as though the) were hirelings ; and some who pre tend to be preachers of the gospel themselves, are foremost in this clam- or. But if claiming and receiving a suitable suppo.t, makes a man a hireling, then Paul was a hireling. For he says, he took wages of the church, and that for preaching. If this makes a man a hireling, thea Christ lagh< his disciples to be hirelings. For he told them to make no provision for themselves, when they went forth to preach, because the laborer is worthy of his hire." They sh uld receive their wa- ges where they performed their work. But receiving wages is uot what makes a man a hireling. It is selfahnrss which constitutes a man a hireling. A man is a hireling, when the gain is his principal object. Thht preacher is a hireling, who cares only for what he can get, but cares not for the flock. That man is a hireling, who enters the ministry from any selfish motive; not only he who does it for the sake of gain, but he who does it for the sake of honor and distinction, because lie loves to have the pre-eminence. There is little reason to think Uiat men enter the ministry, at this day, who are qualified for the other learned professions, (or the sake of gain. But there is reason to fear that some undertake to preach, who are not qualified for this, or any other Uarned profession, merely from an aspiring, ambitions spirit, that will not be content with the humble station for which Providence hat qualified them. These are the true hireling prcachc-s, notwith- standing their loud professions of disinterestedness. Paul was charged with being a hireling, by the false teachers of his day. They made ;.;o great a clamor at Corinth, about his receiving pay for preaching that he thought it expedient to wave his right, in thai place, and 1 take mages of other chvrchcr, while he preached to them. They rna-<: his clamor, iu order to destroy his influence, that they might take his place. To cut ell occasion from them, he dispensed wi.h his right. But he was very carclul 10 inform the Corinthians of the tiue reason ?if Ijis doing so, that they might not conclude it was because it is wrong to receive pay for preaching. He says, 2 Cor. 1 1. 8, " I jobbed oth- er churches, tclcing wage* oj them to do you service." And then he expi esses his determination to do so still. And afterwards he says, " '' herefore ? Because I love you not ? God knoweth." lie was sensible that to those who esteemed it a privilege to honor the Lord with their substance, by supporting his ministers, it would seem in him like a want of love for them, if he declined it. He assures them that this was not the reason, and adds, " But what I do, that I will do, that 1 may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein the)- glory, they may b" found even as we." They gloried in their, disiut -resfedness, in preaching the gospel without any pay. And he thought best, in this particular instance, to cut oil' occasion from them, by doing so too. But he tells us, in the following versus, what was the character of these men, who made such a parade of their disinterested- ness, and raised such a clamor against him, because he took pay for preaching He says, " For such are false apostles, deceitful w.vkers, transforming themselves into the apostles rf Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore il is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness." N.> ; there is no foundation for the charge against faidmil ministers, cf being hirelings, merely because they claim and receive that support, which to withhold is robbing God. And when people raise this clamor r.gaiust them, for receiving what God com- inandf to be given them, we have reason to conclude it is done merely to excuse themselves from paying any thing that it is merely as a cloak ibr their covetuusness. And when pretended preachers are foremost iu this clamor, we have reason to suspect they Invc ?ome sinister des-igo, which they wish to conceal by a gicat show of disinterested beucvc- lence. 5. If those people who withhold a suitable support from the minis- ters of religion, are guilty of robbing God, then those ministers who couinesau.ee them iu doing this, are partakers in their guilt. \Vlua ministers do :>ot instinct their people in the nature of their duty, when their people live ifl disobedience, through ignorance of what God re- quires, then the munVersj undoubtedly partake largely iu the guilt. They ought to have tmie^f their people all that God requires cf them. D -'0 11' people vob God, when they neglect their duty on this subject, them minivers ouglv. to instruct their pr< pie upou his ru'sjec!. True it is a sutvjf d 1' .enilinr delicacy. A.u< ministers expose themselves to the charge of selfishness, from all ihose v'iose selfish feelings may be disturbed, by a cl< ar exhibition of what God requires. But minisr fer- must do th- ir rhi'y, and leave the conFoque.'Ces w^li Cod. And if, t'-. rough llu- fear of subjecting themselves lo reproach, they pass over this >,ubje.ct in s'lence, and their people live in the habitual prnc- ti< (' of robbing Gud, those ministers are partakers in the guilt. There re ,}|.HO many o!h< i ways, in which ministers may countenance people BII hi c - sin I speak not here of those prettified preachers, of whom the apostle speaks, who, in the face of God's express commas d, d;;iy the duty of supporting ministers ; but I speak of those who acknowl- 'hat God requires people to support the gospel, and yet counte- w te ihem in neglecting it. Ministers may countenance people in neg- lec^ing this duty, by giving currency to the plea of inability which is so often made by societies and by individuals. When this plea is made, in th" hearing of ministers of the gospel, they ought to be very care- ful to set people light, on this subject, and not give currency to an opinion contrary to that which God has so frequently expressed in his word. Ministers may countenance people in this SID, by accepiing ao invi'atiou to settle with a people, who do not off< r such a support as is in their power, and such as is suitable for tlum to aflbrd, P>esbteries :m th?y cannot tifhrd to pay a fiftieth, or a humhedth part of their income, for the sa enjoying them ? Can they be Christians, and manifest no more r< for the positive commands of God ? No duty is more clearly enjoined in the scriptures, than the duty of supporting the gospel. But \\hai must we think of those who profess religion, and yet will not do their part ? What saith the scripture ? 1 John 2. 4, " He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 8. In the view of this subject, let every man examine himself. Are you guilty of robbing God? Are yon guilty of withholding from the ministers of religion a suitable support ? Let each individual examine hunseli, and review his whole conduct through life, in relation to this subject. And let this people, as a people, examine themselves. You hat! a minister formerly, liow was he supported ? Did you promise liuii as much as God requires his ministers should have ? And how did you fulfil your engagements ? Die) j ou pay him with punctuality, or did you rob God, by withholding it ? And has he, to this day, been paid all that was promised him ? You have a minister now. But I leave it to every man's conscience to say, whether he is guilty of rob- bing God, with respect to him. Finally. Let all who feel themselves reproved by this subject. >> exhorted to repent and reform. A 000 988 620 1 THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW. Series 9482