a Planter to taste of his own Fruit, or a Shepherd to eat of the Milk of his own Flock. A. D. 57. planteth a vineyard, 8. Say I these fame alfo ? 9. For it is written care for oxen? 8. Nay I need not appeal only to common Reafon; the very Law of Mofes will confute thofe Jewifh Zealots that queftion this, in 9. 'Tis there commanded (Deut. xxv. 4.) That the very Ox that labours in treading the Corn, fhould he was at that Labour. Now, it be fuffered to eat of the Corn while is abfurd to fuppofe a divine Law should be made on Purpose for the Privilege of a Beast. The Law has a further Meaning therefore, viz. That if a juft Regard ought to be had to the very Beafts for their Labours, how much more to Men, efpecially when employ'd in the Services of Religion? 10. Or faith he it 10. So that the Application of altogether for our it to all that are Chriftian Apoftles fakes? for our fakes, and Minifters, is moft natural, to prove that every one in that facred Office muft have a Right to be maintained by the People he preaches to, as the Husbandman has to be from the Fruits that he fows, and reaps, and threshes. II. Nor no doubt, this is writ- Ver. 8. Or faith not the Law the fame? Note, This Paffage fhews the Apostle's Answer to be directed both to the Gentile and Jewish Part of the Corinthian Fation. And the Prudence of his Apology confifts in this, viz. the Jewish Zealots being of Opinion, that no Chriftian Apoftle ought to receive Maintenance from uncircumcifed Converts, and the Gentile Chriftians taking it ill that he did not; to fatisfy the former, he wrought for his Maintenance; but to content the latter, he claim'd it as his Due; tho' he did not actually make Ufe of it. 11. If we have fown rather? Nevertheless, II. Nor can any reasonable A. D. 57. Men think much to fupply us with Neceffaries for the present Life, for the Kindness we do him by putting him into a Capaand Happiness. 12. If therefore any other Apoftle may infift upon Maintenance from his own Converts, I that first converted you, cannot be debarred it. But however, to cut off all Objections from fome of you, and to fhow myself clear of all private Intereft among you all, I have not made use of my Privilege, and had rather be in Want of fome Neceffaries, than infift upon it. Chrift. 13. Do ye not know that they which minifter about holy things, live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar, are par takers with the altar? 13. But did I infift upon, and make use of it too, the Jewish Converts could make no Objection to it, if they would but duly confider how agreeable it is to their own Law, by which you know the Priests and Levites that attended the Service and Sacrifices of the Temple, were exprefly appointed to be maintained out of thofe Sacrifices and Oblations of the People. 14. In like Manner in the Gofpel Difpenfation, our Lord Chrift has as early given to his Apoftles and Minifters this Privilege, when he fays, The Labourer is worthy of his Hire, Matth. x. 10. Luke x. 7. 15. But though I have thus proved my Right to it, yet I have not made use of it; nor do I now alledge it with any Intent to use it whenever I come among you again. Nay, I had almost rather die for want of Neceffaries, than lofe the Opportunity of doing A a 3 what A. D. 57. fhould make my glo- what I may really value myself upon, and glory in, viz. preach rying void. 16. For though I * 16. Glory in, I fay. For my bare preaching the Gofpel, as others do, is nothing but my indifpenfable Duty, which I cannot and dare not but perform: And there is no boafting in doing what a Man is abfolutely obliged to. 17. Indeed if I chearfully perform and execute my bare Commiffion, I fhall as furely be rewarded for it, as I fhall be punifhed for neglecting it. But if, for the better Promotion of the chufe to wave a Privilege I have a Special Reward for fo free a Service. 17. For if I do this 18. And this is my Aim in not ufing † my Gospel Privilege of Maintenance among you, but excufing you of all Charges by my own Labour for my Livelihood. 19. For though I 19. For in feveral Cafes wherebe free from all men, in, I am not ftrictly obliged, I yet make Ver. 17. Ει γδ ἑκὼν τῆ]ο πράσω, For if I do this Thing willingly. The relo, this Thing, may refer either to his preaching the Gospel in general, or to his preaching it of Free-coft; and fo may axwv, unwillingly, be apply'd to either. I think the latter Senfe is moft agreeable to the Tenour of the Apostle's Words. But I have exprefs'd them both. + Ver. 18. Εις 7ὰ μὴ κατακχρήσαθαι τῇ ἐξεσίᾳ με. 5ο So as not to use (not abufe) my Privilege. Thus the Word is fometimes taken in the fame Senfe with the fimple Verb, χράομαι. As in Plato, Epit. 8. ἐκ ὀρθῶς κα]ακέχρηζακ Sage, be did not use the Gift rightly. Or if the Word muft fignity abufe, then the Phrafe voia, muft mean the Power he had over himself, not over thofe he preached to, as in Chap. vii. 37. yet I have made my more. make it my Bufinefs, upon this A. D. 57. win and gain them over to the Gospel Religion. 20. And unto the Jews, I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 20. Thus, to filence the Clamours of the Unconverted, and to fix the Minds of the converted Jews, I conform to the Mofaical Law as far as is poffibly confiftent with the Gospel Religion, to gain their good Opinion of me and my Doctrine. Thus I circumcifed Timothy for their Sakes, Acts xvi. 3. and purified myself in the Temple to avoid their Prejudices, Acts xx. 21---26. 21. To them that are without law, as 21. On the other Side, with the unbelieving * Gentiles, I argue in their own Way from Principles of Reafon + owned by them. And for the converted Gentiles, who were never under any Obligation to the Mofaical Ceremonies, I ftrenuously maintain, against the Jews, that they are under none ftill, but bound only to the Faith and Practice of the Gospel Religion; that fo by vindicating them from that Load of Ceremonies, I may keep them steady to their Chriftian Profeffion. 22. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means fave fome. 22. For the Sake of fuch Chriftians as are weak in Understanding, or in Danger to be prejudiced and mifled, in the Cafes of indifferent Things, I voluntarily refrain the Ufe of fuch Things, for fear of vexing their ConfcienA a 4 See As xvii. 22. to the End. ces, + Ver. 21. Tois avoμors, To them that are without Law. "Avou, may here fignify either an unconverted Gentile living without the Belief of any true Revelation; or a converted one. that lived without the Jewish Law. I thought it requifite to exprefs both Senfes. 364 A. D. 57.ces, or difcouraging them in their main Principles. Thus by a prudent and juft Compliance with all, I ftrive to gain upon as many as I poffibly can. 23. And this I do for the gofpels fake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. the great and special 23. And all this I do for the better Promotion of the GospelReligion, in Hopes, and for a more abfolute Affurance of enjoying Promises of its future Rewards. 24. Know ye not 24. In which Practice I endeathat they which run vour to imitate the Racers in the in a race, run all, Grecian Games celebrated among but one receiveth the you. For they, you know, run prize? So run that ye with the utmoft Vigour, every may obtain. one hoping to come first at the Goal, and win the Prize. Follow you my Example, and be as earneft in your Chriftian Duty, as if but one of you could obtain the promised Reward; tho' you are all fure of it, upon your fincere Endeavours. 25. And every man that ftriveth for the mastery, is temperate in all things: now, they do it to obtain a corruptible crown,but we an incorruptible. 25. In those Games, you know alfo, the Wrestlers and Cuffers prepare their Bodies before-hand for the Combat, by ftrict Diet and Difcipline, and at laft get nothing but a Crown of Bays or Olive, with popular Applaufes, for their Pains. How much more then should Chriftians exercife all prudent Self-Denial and Mortification, upon the Motive of an eternal Crown of Glory and Happinefs? 26. This Ver. 25. SENECA has a famous Passage very much like this of St. PAUL. Athletæ quantum Plagarum Ore, quantum toto Corpore excipiunt? Ferunt tamen omne Tormentum Glorie Cupiditate: Nec tantum quia pugnant, ifta patiuntur, fed ut pugnent. Exercitatio ipfa Tormentum eft. Nos quoque evincamus omnia, quorum Præmium non Corona, nec Palma eft, nec Tubicen Prædicationi Nominis noftri, Silentium faciens; fed Virtus, & firmitas Animi, & Pax in Cæterum parta, fi femel in aliquo Certamine debellata Fortuna et. Epift. 78, Edit. Lipfii. |