[Footnote 19:  Matt x. 8.  Luke ix. 1.]

[Footnote 20:  Luke xxii. 35.]

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]