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and that they shall never perish; if the apostle knew, and taught this doctrine to them, why does he endeavour to affright them from this scandal, by telling them that it might have that effect, which he had before told them was impossible? If you interpret his words thus, so shall he perish,|| for whom in charity, ye ought to judge Christ died. It is certain, from this doctrine, that they must be assured that this judgment of charity must be false; or that their brother could not perish. In the first place, they could not be obliged to act by it: and in the second, they could not rationally be moved by it to abstain from giving scandal on that impossible supposition.

If you interpret the apostle thus, So shalt thou do that which, in its nature, tends to make thy brother perish; and might have that effect, had not God determined to preserve all from perishing, for whom Christ died. Since this determination renders it sure to me, who know it, that they cannot actually perish, it must assure me that there can be no cause of abstinency from this scandal, lest they should perish by it.

Moreover, by thus offending, saith the apostle, ye sin against Christ; viz. by sinning against him whom he has purchased by his blood; and destroying them for whose salvation he has suffered. If this intent of Christ's death be denied, how can we shew in what Christ has demonstrated his great love to them that perish? Is it possible that they can sin against redeeming love? and how, by thus offending them w ho neither do nor can belong to him as members of his mystical body, are we injurious to Christ? See Whitby on this place.

3. It is natural for man to wish and affect to be wise; and when this desire is cultivated in reference to lawful objects, it will be an indescribable good: but when, like Eve, we see in a prohibition, something to be desired to make one wise, we are then, like her, on the verge of our full. Though

the preceding chapter.

extensive knowledge is not given to all, yet it is given for
all; and is the public property of the church. He who does
not use it for general edification, robs the public of its right.
For the misuse and misapplication of this talent, we shall
give account to God, as well as of other gifts and graces.
4. Persons of an over-tender and scrupulous conscience,
may be very troublesome in a Christian society; but as this
excessive scrupulosity comes from want of more light, more
experience, or more judgment, we should bear with them.
Though such should often run into ridiculous extremes, yet
we must take care that we do not attempt to cure them either
with ridicule or wrath. Extremes generally beget ex-
tremes; and such persons require the most judicious treat-
ment, else they will soon be stumbled and turned out of the
We should be very careful lest in using what is called
Christian liberty, we occasion their fall; and for our own
sake we must take heed that we do not denominate sinful in-
dulgences Christian liberties.

way.

5. Though we are bound to take heed that we put not a stumbling block in the way of a weak brother; yet if such a brother be stumbled at any part of our conduct which is not blameable in itself, but of which he may have taken a wrong view; we are not answerable for the consequences. We are called to walk by the testimony of God; not according to the measure of any man's conscience, how sincere soever he may be.

6. Many persons cover a spirit of envy and uncharitableness, with the name of godly zeal, and tender concern for the salvation of others; they find fault with all; their spirit is a spirit of universal censoriousness; none can please them; and every one suffers by them. These destroy more souls by tything mint, and cummin, than others do by neglecting the weightier matters of the law. Such persons have what is termed, and very properly too, sour godliness. Both are extremes, and he who would avoid perdition must avoid them.

CHAPTER IX.

St. Paul vindicates his apostleship, and shews that he has equal rights and privileges with Peter and the brethren of our Lord; and that he is not bound, while doing the work of an apostle, to labour with his hands for his own support, 1-6. He who labours should live by the fruit of his own industry, 7. For the law will not allow even the ox to be muzzled which treads out the corn, 8-10. Those who minister in spiritual things, have a right to a secular support for their work, 11-14. He shows the disinterested manner in which he has preached the gospel, 15-18. How he accommodated himself to the prejudices of men, in order to bring about their salvation, 19–23. The way to heaven compared to a race, 24. The qualifications of those who may expect success in the games celebrated at Corinth, and what that success implies, 25. The apostle applies these things spiritually to himself; and states the necessity of keeping his body in subjection, lest after having proclaimed salvation to others, he should become a castaway, 26, 27.

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Verse 1. Am I not an apostle ?] It is sufficiently evident that there were persons at Corinth who questioned the apostleship of St. Paul; and he was obliged to walk very circumspectly, that they might not find any occasion against him. It appears also that he had given them all his apostolical labours gratis; and even this, which was the highest proof of his disinterested benevolence, was produced by his opposers, as an argument against him. "Prophets, and all divinely commissioned men, have a right to their secular support ; you take nothing;-is this not from a conviction that you have no apostolical right ?" On this point the apostle immediately enters on his own defence.

Am I not an apostle? am I not free?] These questions are all designed as assertions of the affirmative: I am an apostle, and I am free, possessed of all the rights and privileges of an apostle.

rious give ample proof of this; and the moderns contend in vain to rival the perfection of those ancient masters.

In the Lord.] The apostle shews that it was by the grace and influence of God alone, that he was an apostle; and that they were converted to Christianity.

me.

Verse 3. Mine answer to them] Η εμη απολογία τους εμε avanpivovoiv. This is my defence against those who examine The words are forensic; and the apostle considers himself as brought before a legal tribunal; and questioned so, as to be obliged to answer as upon oath. His defence therefore was this, that they were converted to God by his means: this verse belongs to the two preceding verses.

Verse 4.

Have we not power to cat and to drink?] Have we not authority or right, ouσiar, to expect sustinence, Meat and while we are labouring for your salvation? drink, the necessaries, not the superfluities, of life were what those primitive messengers of Christ required; it was just that they who laboured in the gospel, should live by the gospel; they did not wish to make a fortune, or accu

Have I not seen Jesus Christ] From whom, in his personal appearance to me, I have received my apostolic commission. This was judged essentially necessary to constitute an apos-mulate wealth; a living was all they desired. It was protle. See Acts xxii. 14, 15. xxvi. 16.

Are ye not my work] Your conversion from heathenism, is the proof that I have preached with the divine unction and authority.

Several good MSS. and Versions transpose the two first questions in this verse, thus; Am I not free? am I not an apostle? But I cannot see that either perspicuity or sense gains any thing by this arrangement. On the contrary, it appears to me that his being an apostle gave him the freedom or rights to which he refers, and therefore the common arrangement I judge to be the best.

Verse 2. If I be not an apostle unto others] If there be other churches which have been founded by other apostles; yet it is not so with you.

The seal of mine apostleship are ye] Your conversion to Christianity, is God's seal to my apostleship. Had not God sent me, I could not have profited your souls.

The oppays, or seal, was a figure cut in a stone, and that set in a ring, by which letters of credence and authority were stamped. The ancients, particularly the Greeks, excelled in this kind of engraving. The cabinets of the cu

bably in reference to the same moderate and reasonable desire that the provision made for the clergy in this country, was called a living; and their work for which they got this living, was called the cure of souls. Whether we derive the word cure from cura, care, as signifying that the care of all the souls in a particular parish or place, devolves on the mi nister, who is to instruct them in the things of salvation, and lead them to heaven: or whether we consider the term as implying that the souls in that district are in a state of spiritual disease, and the minister is a spiritual physician to whom the cure of these souls is intrusted, still we must con sider that such a labourer is worthy of his hire; and he that preaches the gospel should live by the gospel.

Verse 5. Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife] The word evola is to be understood here as above in ver. 4. as implying authority or right; and authority not merely derived from their offices, but from him who gave them that office: from the constitution of nature, and from universal propriety or the fitness of things.

wife, When the apostle speaks of leading about a sister, a he means first that he and all other apostles, and consequent

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and propriety of the cases, to be answered in the affirmative, tend more forcibly to point out that the common sense of man

ly all ministers of the gospel, had a right to marry. For it appears that our Lord's brethren James and Jude were married; and we have infallible evidence that Peter was a mar-joins with the providence of God, in shewing the propriety ried man, not only from this verse, but from Matt. viii. 14. where his mother-in-law is mentioned, as being cured by our Lord of a fever.

usually distributed among them. See on Luke iii. 14.

Verse 8. Say I these things as a man?] Is this only human reasoning? or does not God say in effect the same things? See Note on Rom. vi. 19.

Verse 9. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox] See this largely explained in the Note on Deut. xxv. 4.

of every man living by the fruits of his labour. The first question applies particularly to the case of the apostle, ris σρατεύεται ιδιοις οψωνίοις. Does a soldier provide his own And, secondly, we find that their wives were persons of victuals? Ovov, is used to express the military pay or the same faith; for less can never be implied in the word wages, by the Greek writers; for the Roman soldiers were sister. This is a decisive proof against the papistical celi-paid not only in money but in victuals; and hence corn was bacy of the clergy; and as to their attempts to evade the force of this text by saying that the apostles had holy women who attended them, and ministered to them in their peregrinations, there is no proof of it; nor could they have suffered either young women, or other men's wives, to have accompanied them in this way, without giving the most palpable occasion of scandal.. And Clemens Alexandrinus has particularly remarked that the apostles carried their wives about with them, "not as wives, but as sisters, that they might minister to those who were mistresses of families; that so the doctrine of the Lord might, without reprehension or evil suspicion, enter into the apartments of the women." And in giving his finished picture of his Gnostic, or perfect Christian, he says ; εσθίει και πίνει, και γαμει—εικονας | EXEL TOUS Aπ050 λovs, He eats, and drinks, and marries having the apostles for his example. Vid. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. vii. c. 12.

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Doth God take care for oxen ?] This question is to be understood thus: Is it likely that God should be solicitous for the comfort of oxen, and be regardless of the welfare of man? In this divine precept, the kindness and providential care of God are very forcibly pointed out. He takes care of oxen; he wills them all that happiness of which their nature is susceptible; and can we suppose that he is unwilling that the human soul shall have that happiness which is suited to its spiritual and eternal nature? He could not reprobate an ox, because the Lord careth for oxen; and surely he cannot reprobate a man. It may be said, the man

On the propriety and excellence of marriage, and its su- has sinned, but the or cannot. I answer; the decree of reperiority to celibacy, see the notes on chap. vii.

probation is supposed to be from all eternity; and certainly a man can no more sin before he exists, than an ox can when he exists.

Verse 6. Or I only and Barnabas] Have we alone, of all the apostles, no right to be supported by our converts? It appears from this, 1. That the apostles did not generally Verse 10. And he that thresheth in hope, should be partaker support themselves by their own labour. 2. That Paul and of his hope.] Instead of i aλowy ryS EXTIĜOS AUTOU METEXEIV, Barnabas did thus support themselves. Some of the others midi, many of the best MSS. and Versions read the passage probably had not a business at which they could conve- thus ὁ αλίων επ' ελπίδι του μετεχειν. And he who threshcth, niently work; but Paul and Barnabas had a trade at which in hope of partaking. "The words 775 Exidos, which are they could conveniently labour, wherever they came. omitted by the above, are," says Bp. Pearce, "superfluous, Verse 7. Who goeth a warfare—at his own charges?] if not wrong; for men do not live in hope to partake of These questions, which are all supposed from the necessity || their hope, but to partake of what was the object and end of

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They who minister in holy things, 1. CORINTHIANS.

live of the temple.

A. M. 4060 he that thresheth in hope should be which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

A. D. 56. A. U. C. 809.

Anno Imp. Ne partaker of his hope.

ronis Cæs. 3. 11 "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things, live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar?

A.M. 4060.

D. 56. A. U. C. 809. Anno Imp. Ne

ronis Cæs. 3.

15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: fornecessity is laid upon me: yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

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17 For if I do this thing willingly, 'I have a reward; but if against my will, a dispensation 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they of the gospel is committed unto me.

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their hope. When these words are left out, the former and latter sentence will be both of a piece, and more resembling each other; for μETEE may be understood after the first ETEXT, as well as after the last." Griesbach has left the words in question, out of the text.

Verse 11. If we have sown unto you spiritual things] If we have been the means of bringing you into a state of salvation, by the divine doctrines which we have preached unto you is it too much for us to expect a temporal support, when we give ourselves up entirely to this work? Every man who preaches the gospel, has a right to his own support and that of his family, while thus employed.

Verse 12. If others be partakers of this power] If those who in any matter serve you, have a right to a recompense for that service; surely we, who have served you in the most essential matters, have a right to our support while thus employed in your service.

We have not used this power] Though we had this right, we have not availed ourselves of it; but have worked with our hands to bear our own charges, lest any of you should think that we preached the gospel merely to procure a temporal support, and so be prejudiced against us; and thus prevent our success in the salvation of your souls.

Verse 13. They which minister about holy things] All the officers about the temple, whether priests, Levites, Nethinim, &c. had a right to their support while employed in its service. The priests partook of the sacrifices; the others had their maintenance from tythes, first-fruits, and offerings made to the temple; for it was not lawful for them to live on the sacrifices. Hence the apostle makes the distinction between those who minister about holy things, and those who zeait at the altar.

Matt. 10. 10. Luke 10.7. Gal. 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17. ver. 12. Acts 18. 3. & 20. 34. ch.4. 12. 1 Thess. 2.9. 2 Thess. 3. 8.-12 Cor. 11.10. Rom. 1. 14.- ch. 3. 8, 14.- - ch.4.1. Gal.2.7. Phil. 1.17. Col.1.25.

Verse 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained] This is evidently a reference to our Lord's ordination, Matt. x. 10. The workman is worthy of his meat. And Luke x. 7. For the labourer is worthy of his hire. And in both places it is the preacher of the gospel, of whom he is speaking. It was a maxim among the Jews, "that the inhabitants of a town where a wise man had made his abode, should support him ; because he had forsaken the world and its pleasures, to study those things by which he might please God, and be useful to men." See an ordinance to this effect, in the tract Shabbath, fol. 114.

Verse 15. Neither have I written, &c.] Though I might plead the authority of God in the law, of Christ in the gospel, the common consent of our own doctors, and the usages of civil society, yet, I have not availed myself of my privileges; nor do I now write with the intention to lay is

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Verse 16. For though I preach the gospel] I have cause of glorying that I preach the gospel free of all charges to you; but I cannot glory in being a preacher of the gospel; because I am not such either by my own skill or power: I have received both the office, and the grace by which I execute the office, from God. I have not only his authority to preach, but that authority obliges me to preach; and if I did not, I should endanger my salvation: yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel. As every genuine preacher receives his commission from God alone; it is God alone who can take it away. Woe to that man who runs when God has not sent him; and woe to him who refuses to run, or who ceases to run, when God has sent him.

Verse 17. For if I do this thing willingly] If I be a cordial co-operator with God, I have a reward, an incer

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ruptible crown, ver. 25. Or, if I freely preach this gospel. Verse 19. For though I be free] Although I am under no without being burthensome to any, I have a special reward; || obligation to any man; yet I act as if every individual had but, if I do not, I have simply an office to fulfil, into which a particular property in me; and as if I were the slave of God has put me; and may fulfil it conscientiously, and claim the public. my privileges at the same time; but then I lose that special reward, which I have in view by preaching the gospel without charge to any.

This, and the 18th verse, have been variously translated: Sir Norton Knatchbull, and after him Mr. Wakefield, translate the two passages thus: For, if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if I am entrusted with an office without my consent, what is my reward then? to make the gospel of Christ, whilst I preach it, without charge, in not using to the atmost, my privileges in the gospel.

Others render the passage thus: But if I do it merely because I am obliged to it, I only discharge an office that is committed to me, ver. 18. For what then shall I be rewarded? It is for this, that preaching the gospel of Christ, I preach it freely, and do not insist on a claim which the gospel itself gives me.

Verse 18. That I abuse not my power] I am inclined to think that xaraxyoaola is to be understood here, not in the sense of abusing, but of using to the uttermost; exacting every thing that a man can claim by law. How many proofs have we of this in preachers of different denominations, who insist so strongly, and so frequently, on their privileges, as they term them; that the people are tempted to believe they seek not their souls' interests, but their secular goods. Such preachers can do the people no good. But the people who are most liable to think thus of their ministers, are those who are unwilling to grant the common necessaries of life to those who watch over them in the Lord. For, there are such people even in the Christian church! If the preachers of the gospel were as parsimonious of the bread of life, as some congregations and Christian societies are of the bread that perisheth; and if the preacher gave them a spiritual nourishment, as base, as mean, and as scanty as the temporal support which they afford him, their souls must, without doubt, have nearly a famine of the bread of life.

Verse 20. Unto the Jews I became as a Jew] In Acts xvi. 3. we find that, for the sake of the unconverted Jews, he circumcised Timothy. See the Note there.

To them that are under the law] To those who considered themselves still under obligation to observe its rites and ceremonies, though they had, in the main, embraced the gospel, he became as if under the same obligations; and therefore purified himself in the temple, as we find related Acts xx. 21-26. where, also, see the Notes.

After the first clause, To them that are under the law, as under the law; the following words ) wv auTòs unò voor not being myself under the law, are added by ABCDEFG. several others; the later Syriac, Sahidic, Armenian, Vulgate, and all the Itala: Cyril, Chrysostom, Damascenus, and others: and on this evidence Griesbach has received

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Them that are without law.] Dr. Lightfoot thinks the Sadducees may be meant; and that, in certain cases, as far as the rites and ceremonies of the Jewish religion were conconcerned, he might conform himself to them, not observing such rites and ceremonies, as it is well known that they disregarded them: for the Dr. cannot see how the apostle could conform himself in any thing to them that were without law, i. e. the heathen. But, 1st, it is not likely that the apostle would conform himself to the Sadducees; for, what success could he expect among a people who denied the resurrection; and, consequently, a future world, a day of judgment, and all rewards and punishments? 2. He might among the

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