 | Rogero-Mastir |  |
Thy envious term of Priests, as 'tis apply'd
To Friends, is by the Truth in Friends deny'd.
Th'Apostle Peter call'd the Saints of old
A Royal Priesthood: We no other hold.
But that Christ's Ministers should be supply'd
With necessaries, by the Churchs (his Bride)
Is such a known and certain Truth, as none,
Perhaps, hath e'er oppos'd, but thou alone.
Read but the Scriptures in the Margin set,
And thou'lt be forc'd to grant (though with Regret)
That 'tis the Churches duty, to supply
The needful wants of all her Ministry.
I know, these Texts which I have here inserted,
Have oft been misapply'd, and much perverted
By Parish-Preachers, who these Scriptures strain,
To draw unto themselves dishonest Gain.
But what of that? Truth must not be refus'd,
Because it is by Evil men abus'd:
And truth it is, too plain to be deny'd,
Christ's Church should for Christ's Ministers provide.
What carp'st thou at then, William? Would thy Muse
Plead that St. Paul did not his Priv'ledge use?
I grant he did not, in some special cases,
And that too only in some factious places:
And I, perhaps, if need requir'd, could name
Some scores of Friends too, that have done the same,
That at their own charge have a Warfare gone,
And crost the Seas, being chargeable to none.
But what of that? Th'Apostle Paul we find
His Right asserted, though he had no mind
To take it there: And else-where doth declare,
That other Churches did of him take care;
That what was lacking to him, privately
The Macedonian Brethren did supply.
Thus it appears, th'Apostle did partake
Of that Provision, which the Church did make.
And what, but Envy, hath bewitcht thy Mind,
With what was then approv'd, now fault to find !
Pretend thou canst not, that the stock is given
To such as have no need thereof; for even
Thy self here sayst, The Church supply'd the need
Of those that wanted Monies to proceed
To go beyond Seas. What a groundless Cavil
Is this of thine! How should such Preachers travel
Beyond the Seas, whom Christ thereto doth move,
And whom the Church, as faithful, doth approve,
If neither have they Monies to proceed,
Nor Church may, with her Stock, supply their need?
May none beyond Seas go, but who can spare
Sufficient of their own, the charge to bear?
Must Christ be so confin'd, he may not send
Any, but such as have Estates to spend?
God bless us from such Doctrine, and such Teachers,
As will admit of none but wealthy Preachers.
Peter, we read, nor Silver had, nor Gold,
(So he the Cripple, at the Temple, told)
Yet after that he travell'd far and near,
By Sea and Land; pray, who the Charge did bear,
Unless the Church? And is that now a Crime,
Which was a Virtue in the purest time?
No sure: Though Dissolute Apostates slight
Her care, the Church then did, and now doth right
Christ's Messengers to furnish, and their need
Supply, when they want Monies to proceed
In this Work. As for what thou add'st, to wit,
[If they their Motion freely did submit
To th'London Church, and do as she thought fit:]
I count it a malicious Slander, and
Of thee an Evidence thereof demand.
Produce one Instance, if thou canst; declare
One Person's Name, with whom it did so fare.
Name one (or else thou may'st be thought a Lyar)
Of whom the Church in London did require,
That he his Motion freely should submit
To her, and do therein as she thought fit.
I know, 'tis usual with thee to suggest
The false Surmizes of thy envious Breast,
Void of all Proof, and many a Calumny,
By thee flung at us, yet unprov'd doth ly.
I know, the Friends of London, to whose Care
And Trust, those Services committed are,
Are faithful men, and tender of the good,
By whom true Motions will not be withstood.
They'r such as would not break a bruised Reed,
Nor quench the smoaking Flax. Yet they had need
Be satisfi'd, how they dispense that Stock,
Which is the Free-Will Offering of the Flock,
Not limitted to any single use,
(As thou insinuatest in Abuse)
But is imploy'd in a more gen'ral way,
The Churches common Charges to defray.
And, William, ask thy Friends, T. C. E. M.
If the Accompts were not perus'd by them
Within these few years, and each set his Name
Thereto, to shew he did approve the same.
To Friends, is by the Truth in Friends deny'd.
Th'Apostle Peter call'd the Saints of old
A Royal Priesthood: We no other hold.
But that Christ's Ministers should be supply'd
With necessaries, by the Churchs (his Bride)
Is such a known and certain Truth, as none,
Perhaps, hath e'er oppos'd, but thou alone.
Read but the Scriptures in the Margin set,
And thou'lt be forc'd to grant (though with Regret)
That 'tis the Churches duty, to supply
The needful wants of all her Ministry.
I know, these Texts which I have here inserted,
Have oft been misapply'd, and much perverted
By Parish-Preachers, who these Scriptures strain,
To draw unto themselves dishonest Gain.
But what of that? Truth must not be refus'd,
Because it is by Evil men abus'd:
And truth it is, too plain to be deny'd,
Christ's Church should for Christ's Ministers provide.
What carp'st thou at then, William? Would thy Muse
Plead that St. Paul did not his Priv'ledge use?
I grant he did not, in some special cases,
And that too only in some factious places:
And I, perhaps, if need requir'd, could name
Some scores of Friends too, that have done the same,
That at their own charge have a Warfare gone,
And crost the Seas, being chargeable to none.
But what of that? Th'Apostle Paul we find
His Right asserted, though he had no mind
19
That other Churches did of him take care;
That what was lacking to him, privately
The Macedonian Brethren did supply.
Thus it appears, th'Apostle did partake
Of that Provision, which the Church did make.
And what, but Envy, hath bewitcht thy Mind,
With what was then approv'd, now fault to find !
Pretend thou canst not, that the stock is given
To such as have no need thereof; for even
Thy self here sayst, The Church supply'd the need
Of those that wanted Monies to proceed
To go beyond Seas. What a groundless Cavil
Is this of thine! How should such Preachers travel
Beyond the Seas, whom Christ thereto doth move,
And whom the Church, as faithful, doth approve,
If neither have they Monies to proceed,
Nor Church may, with her Stock, supply their need?
May none beyond Seas go, but who can spare
Sufficient of their own, the charge to bear?
Must Christ be so confin'd, he may not send
Any, but such as have Estates to spend?
God bless us from such Doctrine, and such Teachers,
As will admit of none but wealthy Preachers.
Peter, we read, nor Silver had, nor Gold,
(So he the Cripple, at the Temple, told)
Yet after that he travell'd far and near,
By Sea and Land; pray, who the Charge did bear,
Unless the Church? And is that now a Crime,
Which was a Virtue in the purest time?
No sure: Though Dissolute Apostates slight
Her care, the Church then did, and now doth right
Christ's Messengers to furnish, and their need
Supply, when they want Monies to proceed
In this Work. As for what thou add'st, to wit,
[If they their Motion freely did submit
To th'London Church, and do as she thought fit:]
20
Of thee an Evidence thereof demand.
Produce one Instance, if thou canst; declare
One Person's Name, with whom it did so fare.
Name one (or else thou may'st be thought a Lyar)
Of whom the Church in London did require,
That he his Motion freely should submit
To her, and do therein as she thought fit.
I know, 'tis usual with thee to suggest
The false Surmizes of thy envious Breast,
Void of all Proof, and many a Calumny,
By thee flung at us, yet unprov'd doth ly.
I know, the Friends of London, to whose Care
And Trust, those Services committed are,
Are faithful men, and tender of the good,
By whom true Motions will not be withstood.
They'r such as would not break a bruised Reed,
Nor quench the smoaking Flax. Yet they had need
Be satisfi'd, how they dispense that Stock,
Which is the Free-Will Offering of the Flock,
Not limitted to any single use,
(As thou insinuatest in Abuse)
But is imploy'd in a more gen'ral way,
The Churches common Charges to defray.
And, William, ask thy Friends, T. C. E. M.
If the Accompts were not perus'd by them
Within these few years, and each set his Name
Thereto, to shew he did approve the same.
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