2. The necessity of it. How shall he go on warfare if he be troubled
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.