[1.] First, Honourable countenance is due unto them that are in so honourable a place and office as they are in: 1 Cor. iv. 1, 'Let a man so account of us as of the ministers^ of Christ, and stewards of the mj'^steries of God ;' 1 Thes. v. 12, 13, 'And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you ; and to esteem them very high in love for their work's sake;' or, 'to esteem them more than exceedingly,' or, more than abund- antly, as the Greek will bear, urrs^sy.-iiiasov. And so in 1 Tim. v. 17, ' Let the elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.' The Greek word xoT/wn-sc, that is here rendered labour, signifies not simply to labour, but to labour with much travail and toil, to labour even to lassi- tude, as he doth that cleaveth wood, or that toileth in harvest, or that goeth a warfare. Preaching is a most painful work, and enfeebleth a man exceedingly ; whence the prophet cries out, ' My leanness, my leanness,' Isa. xxiv. 16.^ No pains, no labour, no work to that of the brain, to that of the mind, nor none so worthy of praise as those that are most in that labour, in that work. No men's work is so holy and heavenly as theirs, nor no men's work is so high and honour- able as theirs, and therefore none deserve to be more honoured
' Latimer, in one of his sermons, speaking of a minister who gave this answer why he left off preaching, Because he saw he did no good. This, saith Latimer, is a very naughty nauglity answer.
^ uTr,^ira;. Under-rowers to Christ, the master-pilot, lielping forward the ship of the church to the liaven of heaven.
3 Our Saviour, at little past thirty, was reckoned hy the Jews to he towards fifty, Joliu viii. 57, he had so spent himself in preaching. Preaching is a spending, painful work.
EpH. III. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 227
than the}'-, though not for their own sakes, yet their work's sake. Shall Turks and papists so highly esteem and honour every hedge- priest of theirs above their merits, and shall not Christians much more honour their faithful ministers ? Faithful ministers must have countenance as well as maintenance, they must have reverence as well as recompense. You are not to nod the head and put out the lip, to scoff, and mock, and jeer at them : Gal. iv. 14<, 'And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected ; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.' When Ehud told the king of Moab, ' I have a message to thee from God, O king,' he arose from his throne and bowed himself, Judges iii. 20. Isa. Hi. 7, ' How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace ; that bringeth good tidings of good, that pub- lisheth salvation ; that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth.'
' How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet !' What is their face then ? What is their doctrine then ? Their very feet, when dirty, sweaty, and dusty, are yet very beautiful and lovely.
It was a common saying at Constantinople, that it was better the sun should not shine than that Chrysostom should not preach.
1 have read of one that said, ' if he should meet a preacher and an angel together, he would first salute the preacher, and then the angel afterward.' If you do not give them honourable countenance, Jews and Turks, papists, and pagans, will in the great day of account rise up against you, and condemn you. 1 could say much of what I have observed in other nations and countries concerning this thing, but I shall forbear. Should I speak what I have seen, many professors might well blush.
The Grecians used to give far greater respect and honour to their philosophers than to their orators, because that their orators did only teach them to speak well, but their philosophers did teach them to live well. Oh what honour then is due to them that do teach you both to speak well and to live well ! both how to be happy here and how to be blessed hereafter. And thus you see that honourable countenance is due to faithful ministers.
[2.] Secondly, Tliere is an honour of maintenance, as well as an honour of countenance that is due to them: 1 Tim. v. 17, 18, ' Let the elders that rule well be accounted 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.'^ It was not the manner in the Eastern countries to thrash out corn as we do, but their oxen trod it out, to which the apostle allegorically compares laborious pastors, who after a sort crush out that corn of which the bread of life is made : Gal. vi. 6, ' Let him that is taught in the word, communicate to him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for what a man soweth,
' Harvest-labourers have meat and drink, and double wages. Some think that tlie apostle hath resjiect to the law of the first-born, Deut. xxi. 17, in which a two-fold por- tion is commanded to be given him. The ancient Christians, as appears by Tertullian, were wont, in their AgapcB, or love-feasts, to give their ministers a double portion. Surely ministers should have such a liberal, honourable, and ingenuous maintenance, as miglit set them above the vulgar, as the first-born by their double portion were set up above the rest of their brethren.
228 THE UNSEARCHABLE [EPH. Ill 8.
that shall he also reap.' So in 1 Cor. ix. 7-11, 'Who goetli a warfare any time at his own charges ? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock ? Say I these things as a man ? or saith not the law the same also ? For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that tread eth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen ? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes ? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written : that he that ploweth should plow in hope ; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things ?' Mat. x. 9, 10, ' Provide neither gold nor silver, nor brass, in your purses, nor scrip for your jouiTjey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor staves, for the workman is worthy of his meat.' God's appointment in all these texts bespeak it.