Star.
London, England, 1808-09-22 00:00:00

7. THE EDITOR OP IWE ST,IRe

No. XVII.
TIIk THIRD TRI.MIPETPART I.

f VIII. Of the liberafity enjoifted to k practised by Chris-

tian ihrttablies.

On the first day of the week Christian congrega-
tions had another duty to perform besides those al-
ready mentioned :—to make a "collection forth:, saints."
Concerning this duty an Apostle speaks thus to the
Corinthians : (1 Epist. xvi. 2.) " Upon thejra day
of the wed let every one of you lay by him,patting into the
irealsn:y tor public stock] according as lie is prospered."
From the extent given to the performance of this duty,
it is plain that the complete and perfect independence
of the respective congregations, with respect to the
management of their own concerns, WiS never allowed
to suffer them to disregard each others welfare. The
law of love enjoined by their master, and enforced
and illustrated by the Apostles, inculcated a very
different spirit. The individual members of every
church were taught to love every believer forte truth's
sake--not to " love in word neither in tongue, but in deed
and in truth"—" But whoso bath this world': good, and
teeth his brother have need, and shutteth up hit towelt• of
tompassion from him,how dwekth the love of Goa in him?"
Their love was not to consist in that unmeaning jar
gon which is but too common—l ani heartily sorry
for you : I hope things will take a better turn.—
" Depart in peace, be warmed and filed," while they
yet withheld contributions of primary necessity. They
knew by the teaching of THE SPIRIT of Goo, that
without love to their brother, manifested in real and
substantial acts of mercy, they could give no true evi-
dence of their faith ; and that he that loveth not hi:
brother abideth in death (James lI.—I John 111.)—
This law of love, by the observance of which the
real disciples of CHRIST may be known by all men—
(John xiii. 35.) was net to be confined, in the distribu-
tion of the benefits resulting from it, to " my own
church." Those congregations, which were more
affluent, were enjoined to contribute to the support of
those assemblies which had a greater proportion of
poor members, that in this respect there might be a
kind of equality ; the abundance of one furnishing a
supply for the wants of another, that the burden might
be equally divided (2 Cor. viii. ix.) These Chris-,
tians required no assessment to apportion the quota to
be contributed by each member, nor was any argu- ,
went employed to enforce the performance of this
duty, but that powerful one which alone produces
obedience in those who live under the influence of the
trnth—" re know the grate of our LORD Jews CHRIST,
that though he was rich yet for your sales he became poor,
that ye through his poverty might be rich." These alms,
so far from being collected by a rate, were perfectly',
voluntary'. Indeed any similar system stands di-
rectly opposed to the lesson taught by CITRIST respec-
ting alms giving. " Let not your right hand know
what the left hand doeth," and therefore the Apostle
exhorts—" Let rash man give according, as he purpeseth
in his heart, not grudgingly or of constraint : for Goa
kWh a cheerful:loser : But this I say, He that soweth.,
:flaringly, shall reap also sparingly; 'and he that soweth
bountifully, shall reap alto bountifully." He that believes.
what PAUL here asserts will not avoid the perfor-
mance of this duty of love froM a tormenting fear
that he may, at some 'future time, be in want hinuelf.
Perfect love catteth out every fear of this kind "he that,
fesreth is not made perfect in love." ( I John iv. I S.) But
while this liberality is thus enforced by every motive
thsit can influence a child of Con, the Apostles are
careful to warn those whom they address, to be dis-
interested in their donations ; to owe no man any
thing t ; to provide things honest in the sight of all
men ; to be diligent in business t —ministering only
according to the ability which GOD giveth : that Goa
in all things may be glorified ;1 ; who hateth robbery
for burnt offering S.
These free-will offerings, besides serving to furnish
sapplies to the necessitous, were also, as we have
seen, applied to the support of the female servants
of the congregations, who were so exclusively em-
ployed in nursing and attending the sick members,
that they had not leisure to provide for their own
wants. Nor was this maintenance given to them in
form; fiauperis ; for in fact these matrons gave a
greater display of love and affection to the cause of
their Master, in thus ministring to his members when
" tick and in prison," and attending continually on
duties which required such self-denied labour and pa-
tience, than the congregation could possibly remune- !
rate by this proof of love, which, however chearfully
bestowed, was, after all, only the payment of a just
debt.

The bounty of the congregations was also employ-
ed in supplying such deficienzes in the income of their
bishops as their attendance to the duties of their office
might occasion. This on the part of the members
was not a favour, though paid from the voluntary
contributions, but was expressly enjoined as a duty
and a debt. 64 Let the Ehlers that rule well, .be ac-
counted worthy of Antic honour, esfieeialery guy who la-

• I wish not to he misunderstood. 1 am here speaking of the
churches of CIIRIST—rot of the churches of the world. if the
Rulers of the earth were to entplo7 fro vat,- argymerno eollett a
furd for the maintenance of their indigent brethren than the only
one that was necessary among.the Apostolic churches, or would
pow be necessary in churches collected and orgargsed under the
vane Lnfluence of the divine truth, I fear their poor would In
*any instznces he left to perish.
j- Rom. sill. S.
1 F. t. iv. 11.

1 Rom. xii. /1, 17.
§ Lci.a.

A'

'boor in the word and ilectrku." To confine tsis4l ho-
nour" to mere eipresslons of tespeet, would as little
answer the intention of this command, as telling a
man to be filled would satisfy his hnuger. Indeed
the Apostle spews that he was not humunipining idle
compliments, which would cost tke donor nothing,
for he adds, as a reason for the perfc*nce of this
duty, " The ad/lure with, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox
that treadeth out the corn ; and, the labourer is worthy of
his reward." (1 Tim. v. 17, 18.) Here we see
that the congregations were bound not only to pay
attention to the comfort of their presbyters generally,
but, noticing their individual labours, to endeavour
to form such a correct estimate of the sacrifice of
time made by each, as to prevent them from suffer-
ing by their own modesty. In the very nature of
things some would be more zealous, and labour more
i assiduously than others, and in the common course
of human affairs some would be less able than others
to afford from their own concerns that portion of
time engrossed by the duties of their office; and
hence the propriety and necessity of the congrega-
tion, or rather its deacons, paying particular atten-
tion to what is here enjoined by the Apostle. On
the other hand the Overseers, notwithstanding this
injunction given to the flock respecting them, were
commanded not to become unnecessarily burthen-
some, through a covetoas disposition making a pro-
fit of their office, according to the practice of men of
the world, " counting'gain godliness." PAUL, in his ex_
hortation to the bishops of the congrgation of
Ephesus (Acts xx) is express upon this point" I
have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. real
lye yourselves blow, that Ave hands have ministered unto
Imy necessities and to !Bose that were with me. I have
skewed you in all things, how that, so zAsoeahvo, TR Goon?
ro sun'oar THE INFIRM; and to remember the words, of
the Lena JESUS, who said, It is more blessed to sive
than to receive."
R I BLICVS.