fruit thereof? Who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk thereof? Even so hath the Lord ordained, that those who preach the gospel, should live of the gospel." 1 Cor. ix. 7. 14.

Joseph hath left out what he thought made against it, from the 8th verse to the 13th, and 15th, where holy Paul says (though he had power to eat and drink, verse 4. at free cost, yet he doth not say any where, that he had power to take it by force, and we think it ought to be preached from an inward necessity, and not for an outward maintenance) "I have used none of these things, neither have I written those things, that it should be so done unto me." I wish Joseph Metcalfe, and others in his station, could say so honestly.

Now I may proceed to say something to each particular above, as it lieth in the holy text.

And, 1st. "Who goeth a warfare at his own charge?" There are some, though very few, I could heartily wish that there were more that would follow his practice that wrote it, who himself was one that did sometimes do it, as there, when he wrought at his lawful calling, and helped those that were with him and blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, there are some who do go on in this holy warfare of preaching the gospel in this age of the world at their own charge, who have nothing to boast of neither; for a necessity is laid upon them, and wo is unto them if they preach not the gospel. Though if any be poor, and want help, we have nothing against it, but are for helping of those who can give a good account of their calling, and we are so free to do it, that we need no forcing to it, nor any law for it.

2d. "Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof ?"

Well, he that hath planted a vineyard, let him eat the fruit of it and welcome; but let him leave other folk's vineyards alone, lest he be counted a robber in the worst sense; for if the holy apostle robbed, it was by consent; but these preachers now-a-days rob without consent, even vineyards which they never planted, but

would destroy if they could: Oh! high, base, and antichristian practice, with a witness.

3d. "Who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk thereof?" But who feedeth a flock, and milks the flocks of others?

Answer. Antichrist and persecutors, that cannot be content with the milk that their own flocks give, but will needs be milking and fleecing too, those poor sheep which cannot in conscience join with them believing that their way is not the door into the true sheepfold, but that they are climbing up some other way like thieves and robbers. And because the poor sheep of the true shepherd Jesus Christ, bleat forth those things, those inwardly ravening wolves, who have got only the sheep's clothing outwardly, being known to be such by their fruits of persecution, will needs put the poor sheep in their pounds, when and where they have power, or else take it by force, that is to say legal, forsooth.

4th." Even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the gospel, shall live of the gospel."

Yes, he hath ordained that they should live, but not that they should force a living. A blessed ordination, and with holy reverence be it repeated; for and because every true minister of Jesus knows the sweet benefit of it in a two-fold sense. 1st. He hath a holy living for his soul; he is richly fed at his great Master's table, with the finest of the wheat, as with the holy honey, or the sweetness of the word of eternal life, which is strength to him in weakness, riches to him in poverty, and joy and peace to him in persecution, which the world, and all the persecutors therein, can never take away from him; blessed be God in Christ forever.

2d. As to his bodily living, if he be a true man, and not a lover of filthy lucre, or gain, he will have cause to say, as his great Master's servants did of old, that he lacked nothing, especially if his call is from God and Christ, and not from man or money. Oh! this money, that is a loud call indeed to our men-made ministers: if at any time there chance to be two calls, I always observed that

the highest bidder carried the priest. But where shall we find that the Lord hath ordained that a minister shall have fifty or an hundred pounds per annum (in all the holy records) for preaching the gospel? No, our great High-Priest said to his, "Freely ye have received, freely give." But if it had been his mind, he could as well, and with as great and as good authority as any of these men, have said, if they will not give it you freely, take it by force. But those forcers know not of what spirit they are; if they do, they must needs be the greater hypocrites, and so their condemnation the greater.

"Let him that is taught in the word, communicate un to him that teacheth, in all good things." Gal. vi. 6.

Yes, let those whom these men teach, communicate to them; for communicate and legal force are words of different signification. I hope by this time this preacher's eyes will be opened to see his error, in pleading for legal, forced maintenance, especially from Christ's and the apostles' practice and doctrine, as recorded in the ho ly scripture.

The next text which he quotes is, "Let the elders who rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine; for the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn, and the labourer is worthy of his reward." 1 Tim. v. 17, 18.

Very well, what is this to his legal force? Here is nothing of it; those that rule well, will not force any body, nor set the magistrates upon their backs, because they cannot conform to their ways; those must be antichristian teachers for certain, being opposite to Christ : for he indeed was persecuted, but never persecuted any, nor forced any, though it was in his power; for which reason we cannot give those men that double honour which they desire; and for those who say they labour in the word and doctrine of our meek Lord, to set the mag. istrates upon us, is wicked ruling, instead of ruling well.

And as for the poor ox that treads out the corn, I am far from having him muzzled; but when he bites, and

with his horns pushes the sheep, and tramples the grow. ing green corn to dirt, I think then he ought to be muz. zled and hoppled too.

In his second page he says, "3d. It is the duty of every inhabitant in a town to pay proportionably towards ministers' maintenance."

Answer. No, if they are not all of one persuasion (and if they were all of one persuasion, he hath no such precedent from Christ nor the apostles to force, neither legal nor illegal) and are not free in the choice of such minister he runs too fast there, without he is popishly inclined, to persecute every body into his persuasion, which has been too much the practice of some of the New-England magistrates and ministers. I may not here forget, though I forgive, the salutation of a certain person, when I first entered the streets of their metrop olis of New-England. "Oh! (says he) what a pity it was that they did not hang all the quakers when they hanged the other four." Remarkable was the answer that one of his neighbours made him. "I wonder you are not ashamed to say so: for you know that the judgments of God have been on our country ever since." I mention this as a caution to the New-England ministers, that they would teach their people more manners to their neighbours, and to strangers; and to let them know, that sometimes the above-named people cannot be quiet in their solemn meetings, for the worship of Almighty God, in their chief town of Boston; which, as I understand, is very much owing to lies and reproaches which the people have from their priests and pulpits. All which is a shame to moderate christians: some of whom, of all persuasions, I hope there are in the country territories of New-England.

and

"For, first, (says he) none were exempted of old from paying tithes for the maintenance of the ministry." By his leave, he is mistaken, for those that did not join with them in circumcision were exempted.

"2d. Every hearer ought to pay proportionably towards the maintenance of the preacher. Gal. vi. 6. And every inhabitant ought to be a hearer, [what, against

his conscience?] for it is a sin to forsake the assembling themselves together. Heb. x. 25. And one sin can never excuse another.'

Answer. If I should ask him, he being a presbyterian, whether it be a sin to forsake the assemblies of the quakers, papists, church of England, or baptists, and come to theirs, I presume he would say no: then to what a non-plus he has brought himself and brethren, especially in Old-England, for forsaking the church, nd setting up meetings of their own: truly he has nade them all sinners in so doing. I do not know how his brethren in New-England will resent i; but I dare ay his brethren in Otd-England will give him no thanks or this unlucky turn. How he will excuse himself in he sin of ignorance, I know not. Would not this have een a topping writer for the papists, when they burned he protestants for not coming to church?

3d. In the second page he says, "The apostle directs n acts of charity, that every one contribute in proportion Is God had prospered him. 1 Cor. xiv. 2. And that

here should be equality, every one bearing their equal proportion of such a burthen. 2 Cor. viii. 13, 14." He goes on, "much more ought there to be a proportion or equality observed in the maintenance of the ministry, which is a matter of communicative justice; so it was ander the law, and so it should be under the gospel."

Answer. Notwithstanding these priests will bring those exts of holy scripture, that tend to promote charity to the poor, and many instances out of ancient authors for stirring up charity to the poor; yet they will not, when it comes to their case, allow it to be as charity, but a debt; as saith our author in his first page: and J. Mather, in a little book set forth to promote the maintenance of their ministers, in which I observe he tells them, "If they will stand to the old law of the Jews, they must have but a tenth of the tenth;" which I suppose will not satisfy those men that have hire for preaching, and money for divining; and therefore I think it their best way, to let the Jews old law alone, and take to the new law and covenant of our great Lord Jesus.