A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 3: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of FriendsClarkson, Thomas
Religion
A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 3: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of Friends
Clarkson, Thomas
Society of Friends
In a little time afterwards, Jesus Christ sent out other seventy as
disciples, to whom he gave instructions similar to the former, that they
should not take scrip, clothes, and money with them. But to these he
said additionally, that[21] "wheresoever they were received, they were
to eat such things as were given them; but where they were not received,
they were to go their way, and say, even the dust of your city, which
cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you." And as on that occasion he
compared the ministers of his Gospel to the labourers, whom a man sends
to the harvest, he told them they were at liberty to eat what was set
before them, because the labourer was worthy of his hire.
[Footnote 21: Luke x.]
This the Quakers conceive to be the substance of all that Jesus Christ
taught upon this subject. They go therefore next to St. Paul for a
farther elucidation of it.
They are of opinion, that St. Paul, in his Epistle to[22] Timothy, and
to the Corinthians, and Galatians, acknowledges the position, that the
spiritual labourer is worthy of his hire.
[Footnote 22: 1 Cor. ix.--1 Tim. v.--Gal. vi.]
The same Apostle, however, says, "that[23] if any would not work,
neither should he eat." From this text the Quakers draw two conclusions,
first, that when ministers of the Gospel are idle, they are not entitled
to bodily sustenance; and, secondly, that those only, who receive them,
are expected to support them. The same Apostle says also,[24] "Let him
that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth in all
good things," but he nowhere says, "to him that teacheth not."
[Footnote 23: 2 Thes. iii. 10.]
[Footnote 24: Gal. vi. 6.]
But though men, who faithfully spend their time in preaching the Gospel,
are entitled to bodily maintenance from those who receive them, yet St.
Paul, the Quakers say, as far as his own practice was concerned thought
it more consistent with the spirit of Christianity, and less detrimental
to its interests, to support himself by the labour of his own hands,
than to be supported by that of others. And he advises others to do the
same, and not to make their preaching chargeable,[25] "not because, says
he we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample to you to follow
us."
[Footnote 25: 2 Thes. iii. 0.]
This power the Quakers consider ministers of the Gospel to abuse, who
make their preaching chargeable, if by any means, they can support
themselves; for St. Paul says farther, [26] "What is my reward then?
Verily that, when I preach the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ
without charge, that I abuse not my power in the Gospel." Thus the
Apostle, they conceive, looks up to God and not to men for the reward of
his spiritual labours. And the same Apostle makes it a characteristic of
the false teachers, that they make merchandize of their hearers.[27]
[Footnote 26: 1 Cor. ix. 18.]
[Footnote 27: 2 Pet. ii. 3.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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