1 Corinthians 9

1 Corinthians 9:1

AM I not an Apostle] Before he proceede any farther in his proposed matter of things offered unto Idols, he sheweth the cause of all this mischief, to wit, that the Corinthians thought themselves not bound to depart from any jot of their libertie for any mans pleasure: therefore he propoundeth himself for an example, and that in a matter in some degree necessarie, If, saith he, you alleadge for your selves that you are free, and therefore will use your libertie: am not I also free, seeing I am an Apostle? yet I for the benefit of others forbear the use of my Christian libertie in things that more neerly concern me, and may seem in some degree necessarie; and will not you forgo yours in matters of lesse moment and meerly indifferent, rather then offend your weake brethren?

have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord] Though Saint Paul conversed not with Christ whilest he lived upon earth, yet was he as wel an eye witnesse of Christ as the rest of the Apostles, for he saw him after the resurrection, as we read, Acts 22:18. and 1 Corinthians 15:8. yet will it not hence follow that Christ was at the same time at the right hand of his Father in heaven, and upon earth or neer the earth where Paul saw him, as our adversaries would inferre. For either Saint Paul saw Christ in a vision, or if without a vision with his corporall eyes as did Saint Steven, Acts 7:56. his eyes were strengthned and elevated above nature to discern Christ so farr distant.

1 Corinthians 9:2

be not] Gr. am not.

for the seal of mine apostleship] Your conversion by my ministerie is as it were a seal to confirme the truth of my Apostolicall mission; whatsoever belongeth to an Apostle I have exhibited amongst you both by my powerfull ministerie, and the signs and wonders which God hath wrought by me.

1 Corinthians 9:3

answer] Gr. apologie.

examine] Gr. question.

1 Corinthians 9:5

to lead about a sister a wise] Or, woman. May not I carry about with me in my peregrinations a Christian sister being my wife, and put the Churches to the Charge of me and my family, sith I am imployed by them and for them? Or thus, might not I have a Deaconisse, a Christian sister allowed by the Church to attend on me, as other of the Apostles have had? Clemens Alexandrimus Strom. lib. 3. is for this last interpretation; non ut uxores, inquit, sell ut sorotes circumducebant malieres; and Zacharias Chrysopolitamus out of Beda addeth that it was the custome of the Jews that the richer sort of the Christian women converted, contributed to the maintenance of their Teachers, and followed them, as some followed Christ, and ministred to him of their substance, Luke 8:3. hoc tamen quia scandalum facere poterat, in nationibus Paulus abjecisse se memorat, yet because the Apostle conceived this might give some kind of scandall to the Gentiles; or at least seem burdensome unto them, he accepted not of this their benevolence, though otherwise he might.

1 Corinthians 9:6

have not we power to forbear working] That is, may the other Apostles eat and drink upon the expence of the Church, and keep their wives also and family by some stipend or gift offered unto them by their children, whom they beget in the Gospel, and must I onely and Barnabas not live but by the works of our hands?

1 Corinthians 9:7

Who goeth a warfare] That he may not seem to reprove the Apostles who were maintained by the Church, he sheweth that it was just and lawfull for them to live as they did of the Churches allowance, by an argument of comparison, seeing souldiers live by their wages, and husbandmen by the fruit of their labours, and shepherds of that which cometh of the flock.

1 Corinthians 9:8

Say I these these things as a man] Gr. according to man. Have I no better ground then the common custome of men? Doth not God in Scripture warrant what I say?

1 Corinthians 9:9

Thou shalt not muzzle, &c.] See Deuteronomy 25:4.

Doth God take care for oxen] It is certain that the care and providence of God extendeth to the beasts of the field, Psalms 147:9. Psalms 36:6. Jonah 4:11. and to the fowl of heaven, for he seedeth the young Ravens that call upon him, and a Sparrow is not sold in the market, nor falleth to the ground without him, Matthew 10:29. The Apostles meaning therefore is not simply God hath no regard of Oxen, or any brute beast: for as the Psalmist teacheth, He preserveth both man and beast; but the sense is, Gods end & drift in making that law was not to provide for Oxen, but he had a father intention therein: thus Manahim Riminensis, a learned Jew, upon those words of the law, Thou shalt not take their damme with their young, saith it was not the intention of the Law-giver to spare sheep; but to teach men mercy and compassion; quod de evibus praecepit id propter homines fecit: so may we say here, and the Apostle saith as much in effect, quod de bobus praecepit id propter homines fecit.

1 Corinthians 9:11

If we have sown, &c.] See Romans 15:27.

1 Corinthians 9:13

Do ye not know, &c.] See Numbers 18:20. Deuteronomy 10:9. and Deuteronomy 18:1.

live] Or, feed.

are partakers with the altar] In dividing the sacrifice, and taking part of it themselves for their necessarie sustenance.

1 Corinthians 9:14

that they which preach, &c.] See Galatians 6:6. 1 Timothy 5:17.

1 Corinthians 9:15

Neither have I written these things] He taketh away occasion of suspition that it might not be thought he wrote this as though he challenged his wages that was not paid him; Nay, saith he, I had rather die then abuse my right and liberty, that the false Apostles might take any advantage thereby: Or rather then not continue my purpose to preach the Gospel freely: for I am bound to preach the Gospel, seeing that the Lord hath enjoyned me this office; and if I had rather that the Gospel should be evill spoken of then I should not require my stipend, then would it appear that I took these these pains not so much for the Gospels sake as mine own gain and advantage.

better for me to die] Gr. good for me rather to die.

1 Corinthians 9:16

though I preach] Gr. If I preach.

1 Corinthians 9:22

I am made all things to all men] Gr. have been made. In matters that are indifferent, which may be done, or not done with a good conscience, I have changed my self into all fashions, to comport with all that I might win some at least of all sorts. Saint Augustine in his book de Mcudac. cont. Consent. 12. & ep. 19. very well illustrateth this Text: the Apostle saith, I am become all unto all men, non mentientis astu. sed compatientis affectu, not by the deceit of dissunulation, but by the affection of compassion; for a man becomes as he to whose infirmitie 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉he condeseends when he supports and relieves him with such mercy as himself would desire if he were in the same case: he doth therefore as he, non quia fallit illum, sed quia se cogitat illum.

1 Corinthians 9:25

And] Gr. But.

every man that striveth for the masterie.] He bringeth in another cause of the mischief above mentioned, to wit, that they were given to gluttonie; for there were solemne banquets of sacrifices, and the riot of the Priests was exceeding great in them: therefore it was hard for them which were accustomed to riotousnesse, especially when they pretended the libertie of the Gospel, to be restrained from those banquets. For this cause the Apostle calleth them by an apt similitude, and also by his own example to sobrietie and mortification of the flesh, shewing that they could not be fit to runne, or wrestle, as the games of Isthmos were, which pampered up their bodies.

temperate in all things] He useth a most exquisite diet. The Greek word also will bear this construction; he patiently endureth all things, to wit, pains and blows; and shall not we endure much more, and use all kind of abstinence, that we may obtaine the high prize of our calling, which is an incorruptible crown of glory?

1 Corinthians 9:26

not as uncertainly] Not as at an uncertain goale or mark; or the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. may be thus rendred, I so runne, not as a man who sensibly gets no ground, or cannot be perceived to outstrip him with whom he runneth in the race.

so fight I, not as one that beateth the aire] I make not a flourish onely, like a Fencr, but I fight in earnest: or, I fight not as one who hath no enemie to fight withall; for I have an enemie which I labour to subdue, to wit, the old man which striveth against the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 9:27

But I keep under my body] By mortifying of my carnall lusts and affections, and by all other exercises of piety, I subdue my flesh to the obedience and discipline of the Spirit of God, as also to patience and constancie in all afflictions, and to such nimblenesse and readinesse as is requisite to this spirituall combate.

I my self should be a cast-away] Gr. reproveable. or, unapproved. The word signifieth not a reprobate, as if he were uncertain of his election, or of obtaining the prize: for the contrarie appeares, Romans 8:38. and 2 Timothy 4:7-8. but reproveable or faultie. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is a metaphor either taken from those who trie metals and cast away that which is drossie: or he goeth on in his former metaphor of those who proved masteries, and hath regard to those times, where there were certaine Colledges or Academies like our Artillerie Gardens for exercise of Armes, where the novices that submitted not themselves to the rigour of their discipline, or were found tardie in their trials, or of pursie or unweildie bodies, were casheered again by their Masters: therefore here the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifieth not to be cast for ever out of Gods favour, but to be rejected either as base and refuse ore or drosse: or to be cast out of their society, and company who wrestled or ran for the prize.