The Gofpel ofthe'Minifírriéion, &c. 53 lical Gifts are ceafed. A Minifter that is called to that Work, and is diligent in Reading and Meditation, and in Prayer to God, may ex- pea Affiftance from the Spirit in this Way : For God bath promifed ir. But he cannot' expe& it in the Way of immediate Revelation, be- caufe there is no fuch Promife. Now then, feeing God bath ordained, that the Miniftry be a particular Calling ; fo that it is not lawful for Men that follow their Callings, to take upon them to be conffan: Preachers ; and it is not lawful for one that is a conítant Preacher to follow another Calling. It follows, that Minifters either mutt be main` tained, or elfe they mutt itarve. QueJt. There is alfo another QQteftion concerning the way and man- ner of Maintenance, Whether it may be in a9of thefe Ways that were ufed under the Law, or whether they be not all ceafed and aboli`hed ? Anfw. To this the Anfwer is eafy ; that Peeing the Maintenance of thePriefts and Levites under the Law, was railed all manner of Ways ; the Maintenance of Gofpel-Minifters mutt be in flame of there, or there can be no Maintenance at all. For if Minifters do receive Maintenance by the Free-will- offerings and voluntary Contributions of the People.; So did the Levites under the Law. IfMinifters have Houles to dwelt in provided for them, the Legal Miniftry had fo too : If Minifters have it by the Edi&of the fupreamMagiftrate, fo had the Levites toa, Ezra 7. 24. IfMinifters have their Maintenance fettled by Law, by the con-. tent of the People, as by AEI of Parliament. This way was ufed under the Law likewife, 7ofh. 2r. 1, 3. Nehem. so. 32. IfMinifters under the Gofpel receive Tythes, fo did they alto under theLaw : Only concern- ing Tythes it's obfervable, that the molt of the other Ways were not ufed till first inftituted under the Law; yet Tythes were paid long be- fore, as a Due to God, and to his Ufe, long before the Aaronical Priefthood, or Levitical Miniftry was inftituted and appointed : For Abraham paid Tythes to Melchizedek, Gen. 14. 20. and Yacob, Gea. 28. 22. refolves, ofall that thou(halt give me, -I willfierelygive the tenth unto thee. Such Ways and Parts of their Maintenance, as were infeparable ap- pendants to the Types, as their parts of the Sacrifices, mutt needs be ceafed, becaufe there are no fuch Sacrifices under the Gofpel. But for the other Ways ofMaintenance, which were not of fach a Nature, they may be lawful (till, for ought I know to the contrary. Thus I have gone through the Temple-Officers both their Kinds aad their Main- tenance. Z z z And
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