Nor will that Christian, who employs an unbiased understanding on the subject, assign the contribution to the ministry, to any other class of expence, than the payment of just debts, recompense given for services performed.

The question arises, what sum is necessary to answer the ends of justice? To determine this, we must compare the services of ministers with those of others who benefit society by their talents and their toils. Mental services are adjudged worthy of a higher recompense than mere physicial, or bodily powers; because they demand the exercise of the higher qualities of our nature, and are more difficult to be procured than mere muscular force. If then, the recompense given to physicians, counsellors, and others, whose intellect benefits their fellow men, be the standard, I ask whether ministers are justly paid? Are they not frequently put off with that which is given to the mechanic or labourer for mere muscle and sinew?

Our surprise and censure are increased when we observe, that the same persons who adjudge the lowest recompense demand the loftiest talent. They are never satisfied, without such powers in the pulpit as would, in any other place, secure a fortune, and yet refuse to allow the minister a mere living. Is this justice?

Others, while securing to themselves a fortune by the very habits of reflection, industry, frugality, and integrity, which the ministry first taught, and still cherishes, would be alarmed at the mention of such a salary for the minister, as would enable him to make the slenderest provision for a future day. Is this justice?

Would not that venerable quality require, that if a man is placed in a certain rank in society, he should be enabled to support himself and his family in such a way, as will permit him to mingle with persons of that rank, without exciting, in their minds or his own, reflections on his poverty? Yet there are some persons who would be shocked at the appearance of degradation in their minister or his family, while the slightest reflection might convince them that they had never contributed that which should enable him to spare their feelings or his own. Is this justice?

If others think it the duty of good husbands and fathers, to provide for their widows and orphans, should not a minister, who is equally subject to mortality, be a husband and a father, as tender and faithful, as any of his flock? Most readily I admit, that this care for a temporal futurity is often carried to guilty extremes, from which a minister should stand afar off. The same duty, however, lies upon his hearers. Covetousness and worldly care are sins in them as well as in him. And if there is any degree, in which it is lawful for a Christian to provide for those who are dear to him, in the event of his death; in that degree it is lawful for a minister. Yet, how few are the preachers of the Gospel who can, from the income of their ministry, provide both for their family while they live, and for the widow and orphan they may leave

at death! That our income ceases at our death is well known; and should they be cast upon the charity of the churches, who have been identified with him that had a claim in equity for himself, and the wife of his bosom, and the children of his care? Is this justice?

Christians declare, with equal truth and warmth, that the ministry so demands the whole man, that no employment will less admit of a divided heart; they are quick sighted to perceive when a minister gives but a moiety of his powers to their edification, and yet they leave him to be distracted by all the solicitudes attendant on a straightened income. Is this justice?

A minister's salary is often so inadequate, that, unless he could work miracles to multiply the loaves and fishes, they will not hold out; if he is not a man of criminal insensibility to the claims of justice, he must be distracted with solicitude, to devise the ways and means to meet his creditors; or he must employ the larger part of his time in secular labours for his support. His hearers know he is not endued with the power of working miracles; they insist upon his being a man of high sense of justice; they will have all his time; and will not increase his income. Is this justice?

I turn to shew to what extent ministers should be provided for, in order

2. To accord with the language of Scripture.

The Lord has ordained, that "they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel," not starve of the Gospel, but so live by it, as "they who served at the altar of old lived by the altar." For the fair construction of this inspired passage is, that such a remuneration as the tribe of Levi enjoyed, under the ancient dispensation, the Christian ministry should now receive. What this was, we may learn from what has already been said, that a twelfth part of the population had a tenth of the produce of the land, besides cities, with their suburbs, and certain parts of the offerings of the Lord. From this, and from the ancient Sacred History we may learn, that the ministers of religion were not intended to be depressed to the rank of paupers, but were enabled to live about as comfortably as any of the ordinary inhabitants of the land, neither pining in poverty, nor rioting in wealth.

Nor can any thing less than this, accord with the duty of ministers of the Gospel, who are enjoined to be "ready to every good work," and to be "examples to the flock" of all that is useful and benevolent. Is it possible that this can be a duty in ministers, who are to be provided for by you, and that it should be your duty only, to provide for them so scantily, as to make it impossible for them to do more than pay the debts, necessarily contracted to procure food and raiment for their own house?

Are they not enjoined to be "given to hospitality," that they may entertain the strangers, who will often apply to the pastor as to a common public friend? Have not they, therefore, mistaken

their duty, who think they make up the minister's support by invi→ ting him often to their table? Can they have studied that Bible, that commands a minister to have a hospitable table of his own? In consistency with this injunction, Paul teaches Timothy by what principles a Christian church should be guided, in their choice and treatment of a bishop, by saying, "let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn; and the labourer is worthy of his reward." A niggardly spirit towards ministers may be learned from the Koran, or the Shasters, sooner than from the blessed volume of inspired Truth.

Again, my Christian friends, I entreat you to consider, to what extent you should provide for your ministers, in order

3. To promote the highest interests of the church.

As the spirit of Inspiration charges a young minister to "give himself wholly to these things, that his profiting may appear to all; for no man that warreth, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him that hath chosen him to be a soldier;" we are taught that an undivided attention to the ministry is essential to the edification of the church, and the approbation of Christ. In fact, our Lord, whose laws are our mercies, ordained that ministers should be supported free from worldly labours, in order that you might have the full benefit of their undivided attention, and their utmost elasticity of mind. And when there are several hundreds of persons collected in one Christian society, it is manifestly to their highest interest, to determine to maintain their minister entirely free from all temporal cares and pursuits, that they may enjoy the full benefit of his time, his talents, his thoughts, his heart. But, when the support they allow is so scanty, that he cannot live without adding to his income the profits of some secular employment; or when, in attempting to avoid that which he fears will eat out the heart of the minister, he is so entangled with the difficulties of making his pittance hold out, and keeping the wolf from his door, that he is haunted with anxious cares; they cannot possibly receive the full benefit of his labours, but are robbed of the pleas→ ure and the profit they might have derived from the unobstructed spring of his mind, and the generous flow of his soul. In worldly professions, men are enabled to rise superior to this pressure, by the direct hope, that professional exertions will extricate them from pecuniary embarrassments. But woe to the pastor and the flock, where the fires of the pulpit are of that unhallowed kind that are kindled by the mercenary desire of earning a morsel of bread. The church, therefore, is left without remedy; and if the evil arise from want of inclination, rather than ability to support their minister, it is aggravated by all the weight of the Saviour's anger, who

2 Tim. ii. 4.

will call them to answer for their sin, when pastor and people shall be judged at his bar.

I am not ignorant of the wretched apologies that are sometimes urged. It is dangerous for a minister to be rich! And is it not for the hearers too? And are you not afraid of increasing the hazards of your own soul, by adding to your wealth all that you withhold from him? And have you sincerely risen to that exalted height, of loving your minister better than yourself; so that you would watch for his security from the snares of wealth, at the price of increasing your own danger of being found among them, that shall "hardly enter into the kingdom of God?"

But troubles are good for ministers, who preach better under the rod ! Thus the epicure torments the creatures of God, that they may afford him a more delicious treat! As if the world and the Devil would not furnish ministers with troubles enough, unless the flock for whom they labour add starvation to the list! But we preach better for affliction! A broken heart, I know, is good for prayer, but it is bad for preaching. In the pulpit, the joy of the Lord is our strength. Then we reign and triumph over your hearts, when you reign and triumph over ours. If we preach better under the rod, it is when that rod is in the hand of God, not in yours. At least, the utmost that you have a right to expect from those, whom you afflict by your ungenerous treatment, is, that they should hold their peace.

But to turn from cavils, which scarcely admit of serious replies, I ask again; if a minister's wife be afflicted, and he be obliged to nurse her himself; because he cannot afford to pay one for giving her the attentions that are her due; can the hearers hope that he will come from the incessant watchings of a sick chamber, like a giant refreshed with new wine? Or when his children need education, and he is compelled to teach them at home, because the bills of a school would swallow up his whole income; how can he come from the horn-book, the grammar, and the slate, on fire with sacred meditations, to pour forth the full tide of hallowed eloquence, and give to ancient, well-known truths, all the charms they may derive from novel and surprising illustrations?

"give

When, again, the Apostle says to the young Evangelist, attendance to reading," he supposes that he has books, and these demand money. But I have unhappily known a fine mind, athirst for information, who would have poured forth the treasures he might have acquired from reading, into the hearts of his hearers, stunted in its growth, for want of the resources which a library would have furnished, and which a generous people would have afforded, and doomed to chastise their covetousness by the repetition of old things. No punishment is severer than that which is inflicted by the re-action of our own sin.

Consider too, my friends, that the church of God is bound to have ministers, who enjoy a good report of them that are without..

This, however, in great measure depends on yourselves. I once heard a person speak of the usefulness of a minister thus, "If he were doing much good to that people, they would give him a better coat." In the spirit of this remark, it is said, the Americans act; for, in the United States, we are told, a minister cannot bring an action to recover his salary; since their law determines, that it is a pastor's business to teach his charge to be honest, and if he had done his duty, there would be no occasion to bring his suit. If you value then, your own character, and that of your minister, give him your generous support.

If it be objected that we should not attach too much importance to the opinion of the world; for our grand concern should be, to know what is Christ's estimation of our conduct; I most readily grant the truth. And are we not assured that an Apostle under infallible inspiration, was delighted with the generosity of a certain church towards him; because it redounded to their high advantage before the throne of heaven. "I desire not a gift, but fruit, that may abound to your account. But I have received that from you, which is an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice well pleasing to my God. My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.'

And is that which is given to his servants, a grateful odour to their Lord? And must we not wish, that heaven may smell such perfumes from you? Who can refrain from tears, when he thinks of those from whom Christ never receives these odours, but is insulted with the nauseous stench of their covetousness and injustice? Alas, that He should have to look down, and blush to know, that these persons are called by the sacred name of Him, who impoverished himself to make us for ever rich!

But here again, we see a re-action in the moral, like that which prevails in the physical world! For that Saviour who is pleased with all that is like himself, generous and kind, rewards this spirit in the flock, by kindling in the breast of its pastor that affection for their persons, and solicitude for their souls, which give to his thoughts all the beauties of the bow of heaven, and to his voice all the sweetness of angelic tones. But how can this be expected by a people, whose ungenerous treatment renders it difficult for their minister to do much more than forgive their wickedness! It is reserved for a liberal congregation, to hear strains, like those which Paul addressed to the Philippian Church.

To the last consideration that may shew us the extent to which ministers should be supported, I now advance. We should consider

4. What may best promote the conversion of the world.

The church should consider itself placed in the earth, as a golden candlestick, to hold out the light of divine truth to a benighted world; that, from this centre, the rays of heaven may dart forth in every direction, till the whole earth shall believe on him,