FORCING A MAINTENANCE,

NOT WARRANTABLE

FROM

THE HOLY SCRIPTURE,

FOR

A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL.

w, let us observe what he says to the matter in

d.

"The

st. As to the laws of New-England, he says, s of this province require that the inhabitants of each 'n shall take due care to be constantly provided with ospel minister: and that each minister shall be sufently supported and maintained by the inhabitants of

town.

'That all rateable estates, and inhabitants in the town Il be assessed, and pay proportionable to such main

ance.

'And that such as refuse to pay accordingly, shall have ir proportion taken from them by distress."

Answer. I shall not here dispute the injustice of this 'so largely as I might (only I must add, they have such example from Christ nor the apostles, with this >viso, that it is made amongst a society of men for mselves, and those of their own communion) but if s is intended to force those of other professions, and o cannot for conscience sake join with them, beving them to be anti-christian ministers, (as to be re all such are as go about to maintain such doctrine this priest Metcalfe doth, that it is warrantable from ripture to force maintenance for ministers) pray would be willing the papists, or church of England, should ke away from him by force? surely, no.

Then I say

that is an unjust law, and far from the nature of 22 royal law, which says "do to all men, as you would they should do unto you;" Christ says, "This is law, and the prophets." And doubtless the gospel. not short of it (though this New-England minister though I hope it is not the mind of all in profession v2 him. Now the law being unjust, it is no crime to r it yet for conscience sake, and the Lord's sake submit to it in passive obedience; and it is well kn to all that know any thing of the quakers, that their ciple is against resisting the outward power.

Next to the question, "Whether it be warrant from scripture, and the doctrine and practice of C and his apostles, to put such laws in execution, to from men, although the minister preaches not to th for they cannot believe they are sent of God?"

This is his great question, as he states it in his page, which he pretends to answer from scripture falls far short of it; and he goes on thus: "1st. warrantable from scripture, &c. that the inhabita each town shall take due care, in order to their being plied with a gospel minister."

Answer. This is as foreign from his question, Rome is from Boston. What is that to the purp Let the impartial judge; if he cannot prove a for maintenance from scripture, he doth nothing to his p pose, nor according to his grand question in his page, &c.

Then he goes to his second assertion, and says, 2d." It is warrantable from scripture, that g ministers be honourably supported and maintai such maintenance is a debt due from the people to ministers in strict justice, and not as a mere act of ity for it is the hire of their labour, and the wage their work."

Answer. Hereby he owns himself, and all that in his practice, to be hirelings, though he will not a others to call him or them so; and quotes these ter seripture to prove it, Luke, x. 7. 2 Cor. xi. & 1

ix. 7. 14. Gal. vi. 6. 1 Tim. v. 17, 18. and adds as falsely, and says,

"The argument which the apostle uses for the Gentiles ministering to the Jews, reaches this case." Rom. xv. 27.

When

Answer. Surely the man forgets himself, for the apostle only spoke of a free collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem, as in the two foregoing verses plainly appears. "But now I go to Jerusalem to minister unto the saints." Verse 25. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints at Jerusalem." Verse 26. will our greedy priests take so much care of the poor? As to the texts of scripture above quoted, I shall take the pains to set them down at large, that the reader may see how they answer his grand question: for what purpose he concealed them (in his) in figures, is best known to himself. Truly if he had set them down at large, it needs must have been plainly manifested, to every body that should read them, that he was in the wrong for they assert no such thing as he would have them to prove, viz. a forced maintenance for gospel ministers. The first is, "And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give (What could be more against him?) for the labourer is worthy of his hire: go not from house to house, and into what city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.' Where is legal force here?

Let this man have a care lest he be one of those that are blinded: for he must needs be blind, if he cannot see that this holy text makes not for his purpose, but directly against him: here is not a word of legal force. It is far from it, that they were only to eat what was set before them, if they received them who were true ministers, sent of Christ; which yet will be hard work for persecuting priests to prove themselves, be they of what religion they may. Well, what shall we do for this legal force? Why, truly, we cannot find it in the gospel of the New Testament. Christ came to fulfil the law and change the priesthood, and put an end to carnal ordi

nances. But it may be Joseph Metcalfe is an Old Tes tament man, (as a certain New-England convert said, on an occasion well known to some of them): if he be, and will follow the letter of the law, he must go to knocking down oxen, and killing sheep, which work I believe they of his cloth are generally too high for.

The next is, "I robbed other churches, taking wages of them to do you service." 2 Cor. xi. 8.

Surely, can any body be so bold as, from this text, to say that the apostle made a common practice of preach ing for wages, as our modern priests do now-a-days? I hope no christian will imagine from those words of the apostle, that he was a thief, or sacrilegious person, but only consider it as a freedom of speech, which he used to those whom he loved, as in verse 11, is plainly expressed. It is a familiar way of expression among ourselves, where, we know we may be free, when any thing is given us from our friend, Oh! I shall rob thee too much to put any other construction upon the apostle's words, would be to make the apostle a sacrilegious per son, and a robber, which is absurd. But pray let him speak fairly a little for himself, and he will wipe off these money loving priests very handsomely. "I have," says he, "preached to you the gospel of God freely." Verse 7. Oh! that cutting word "freely," what shall we do with it? Though it was so near our legal minister, jet he thought fit not to meddle with it. And in the ninth verse (just under, as the seventh just above, by which the poor man is hedged in; how he will get out, I know not), the apostle says, " And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man." And tells them in the same verse, "that he kept himself from being burthensome to them, and that he resolved to keep himself so." We dare all those that preach for hire, and have money for divining, to come to such a resolution. However, if they will not come to this good resolution, let them forbear abusing and persecuting those that (by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ) have.

The next is, "Who goeth a warfare at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the