3. The equity of the duty. Our Saviour and the apostles plead it out
laws have allowed a supportment in earthly things to the pastors of churches, arising from such as may receive spiritual benefit by their labour in the gospel, it is thankfully to be accepted and embraced, as an issue of God's providence for the good of his. Besides, our Saviour warranteth his disciples to take and eat of their things, by their consent, to whomsoever the word is preached, Luke. 10:8. But it is not always thus; these things may sometimes fail: wherefore, the continual care, and frequently the burden, or rather labour of love, in providing for the pastors, lies, as in the rule, upon the churches themselves; which they are to do in such a manner as is suitable to the condition wherein they are, and the increase given them of God.
This the whole in general, and each member in particular, is obliged unto; for which they have as motives,— 1. God's appointment, as in the texts cited.
2. The necessity of it. How shall he go on warfare if he be troubled about the necessities of this life? They are to give themselves wholly to the work of the ministry, 1 Tim. 4:15.
Other works had need to be done for them.
3. The equity of the duty. Our Saviour and the apostles plead it out from grounds of equity and justice, and all kinds of laws and rules of righteousness, among all sorts of men, Matt. 10:9, 10, 1 Cor. 9:10; allowing proportionable rectitude in the way of recompense to it with the wages of the labourer, which to detain is a crying sin, James 5:4,
5,—the wretched endeavours of men of corrupt minds to rob and spoil them of all that, by the providence of God, on any other account, they are righteously possessed of.
RULE VI. Adhering to him and abiding by him in all trials and persecutions for the word.
2 Tim. 4:16, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge."
2 Tim. 1:16–18, "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: but, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well."
EXPLICATION VI. A common cause should be carried on by common assistance. That which concerneth all should be supported by all. When persecution ariseth for the word's sake, generally it begins with the leaders, 1 Pet. 4:17, 18. The common way to scatter the sheep is by smiting the shepherds, Zech. 13:7, 8. It is for the church's sake he is reviled and persecuted, 2 Tim. 2:10, Col. 1:24; and, therefore, it is the church's duty to share with him and help to bear his burden. All the fault in scattering congregations hath not been in ministers; the people stood not by them in their trial. The Lord lay it not to their charge! The captain is betrayed, and forced to mean conditions with his enemy, who going on, with the assurance of being followed by his soldiers, looking back in the entrance of danger, he finds them all run away. In England, usually, no sooner had persecution laid hold of a minister, but the people willingly received another, perhaps a wolf, instead of a shepherd. Should a wife forsake her husband because he is come into trouble for her sake? When a known duty in such a relation is incumbent upon a man, is the crime of a backslider in spiritual things less? Whilst a pastor lives, if he suffer for the truth, the church cannot desert him, nor cease the performance of all required duties, without horrid contempt of the ordinances of Jesus Christ. This is a burden that is commonly laid on the shoulders of ministers, that for no cause
whatsoever they must remove from their charge, when those that lay it on will oftentimes freely leave them and their ministry without any cause at all.
RULE VII. Gathering together in the assembly upon his appointment, with theirs joined with him.
Acts 14:27, "When they were come, and had gathered the church together."
These are some of the heads wherein the church's duty consisteth towards him or them that are set over it in the Lord, by all means giving them encouragement to the work; saying also unto them,
"Take heed to the ministry ye have received in the Lord, that ye fulfil it," Col. 4:17. For what concerneth other officers may easily be deduced hence by analogy and proportion.
———— Rules to be observed by those who walk in fellowship, and considered, to stir up their remembrance in things of mutual duty one towards another, which consisteth in,—
RULE I. Affectionate, sincere love in all things, without dissimulation towards one another, like that which Christ bare to his church.
John 15:12, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you."
John 13:34, 35, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Rom. 13:8, "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."
Eph 5:2, "Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us."
1 Thess. 3:12, "The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another."
1 Thess. 4:9, "Yourselves are taught of God to love one another."
1 Pet. 1:22, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently."
1 John 4:21, "This commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."
Rom. 12:10, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love."
EXPLICATION I. Love is the fountain of all duties towards God and man, Matt. 22:37, the substance of all rules that concerneth the saints, the bond of communion, "the fulfilling of the law," Rom.
13:8–10, the advancement of the honour of the Lord Jesus, and the glory of the gospel. The primitive Christians had a proverbial speech, received, as they said, from Christ, "Never rejoice but when thou seest thy brother in love;" and it was common among the heathens concerning them, "See how they love one another!" from their readiness for the accomplishment of that royal precept of laying down their lives for their brethren. It is the fountain, rule, scope, aim, and fruit of gospel communion. And of no one thing of present performance is the doctrine of the Lord Jesus more eximious and eminent above all other directions than in this of mutual, intense,