x Thoſe falſe Apoſtles or Teachers, which were amongſt the* Corinthians, did (as it ſeemeth) exerciſe this power; thit is, re quired maintenance of the people ; ſaith the Apoſtle, Are not we by the ſame right poſſeſſed of ſuch a power ? Might not we a; reaſonably expe& ſuch a maintenance ? 05je#. But might not they have ſaid, No, you are not, they are conſtantly reſidingamongſ us, and inſtrufting us ? &c. Anſw, This arguing of the Apolle lets us know, that the Primitive Churches were not only obliged to maintain their own Paſtors, but» thoſe alſo who were general Officers to the Church, and by the appointment of God werenot to fix and abide in any one place, bur had the care of allthe Churches upon them. And it may alſo teach us, that though Chrje ſtians be in the firſt place obliged to take care of their own P4- ſtors, yet they are not to limit their charity to them, but alſo to take what care their ability will allow them of others, whoſe labouts have at any time been uſeful to them, or may be uſcful to any other part of the Church of God, y Yet, faith the Apo- {tle, though we have this power or liberty, neither I nor Bans
We ares
perſonally or by his ſervants, but he eateth, or alloweth his ſer- vants to eat of the milk of the flock. By theſe three Inſtances commonly known amongſt men, the Apoſtle ſheweth the reaſona- Hleneſs, that the Miniſters of the Goſpel ſhould be maintained from the people, to whom they are Miniſters.
8 Say I theſe things as a man ? or faith not the Law the ſame allo ? p.
>» That is, I do not ſpeak this only rationally, or by a fallible Spirit, nor do I build this affertion alone upon inftances known and familiar amongſt men. As this is highly reaſonable and conform to what the very light of Nature ſheweth, and the Law of Na. rure obligeth men to in other caſes where men take others off their own work, to attend theirs ; ſo it is according to the Will of God, which is the higheſt reaſon.
9 * For it is written in the Law of Moſes , Thou {halt not muzzle- the mouth of the ox that
OXen? 7.
g Art being notſo improved formerly as now , nor inall places as in ſome places, they were wont antiently both in the land of Yuica, and tince in Grece, and (as is ſaid at this day in ſome places of Trance , to tread out their Corn by the Feer of Oxen : and by the Law of Moſcs, Deut. 25. 4. it ſhould ſeem that ſome too covetous perſons would muzzle the mouths of their Oxen , that while they crod out the Corn, they might eat none of it, which Ged looking upon as an at of cruelty or unmercifulneſs ,
ſorbad his ancient people the Jews. r» Now , faith the Apoſtle, have I written theſe things , that it ſhould be lo " unto me: for * it were better for me to die, then t an andbeaſt ; hetakes care , asour Saviour elſewhere teaches us, | Wy Man ſhould make my glor ying void c.
1th God taks care for ox? that is, more for Oxen than for Mini- ters or Men ? For God doth take care for Oxen, he preſerveth beth
for the ſparrows , for the fow!s of the air, for the graſs of the field. ,
and thereſore for Oxc, which are a degree of creatures more no. | 4 liberty to demand a maintenance of thoſe to whom | prexci be: but by the ſame reaſon we muſt conclude, That he taketh a | Goſpel, yet T have done neither. c Nor do I now wittf if vreater care ſor men , eſpecially ſuch as he employeth in his more | purpoſe, that I would now impoſe a burden upon you'to | a maintenance. I knowT am calumniated by ſome,as if by + J 10 Or ſaith he it altogether for our ſakes? For our |ing the Goſpel , I' only ſought my own profit and _— ; have gloried in the contrary, 4Fs 20. 33- v V. : 8. of _ ; . and I look uponir as my great honour, that I can preac? ſhould plow in hope 7, and he that threſbeth in hope , ſpel freely, guy Thad A a die by ſtarving, than loſe this 2d
tage of glorying.” And if I fot your profit, and for the
immediate fervice.
takes no doubt s 7445 is written, that * he that ploweth,
/hould be partaker of his hope .
bas have made uſe of it, but ſuffer all thoſe evils that come upon our not uſing it, hanger, thirſt, 1abour, leſt we ſhould hinderths progreſs of the Goſpel, while ſome might for the charge declin hearing us, or others might charge us with covetouſneſs, &e. I3 Do ye not know, that they which miniſter : bout holy things | live of rhe things of the temple and they which wait at the altar, are partakers with ti aitar ? &, z You may underſtand what is the mind and will of Godun
der the New Teſtament, by refle&ing upon what appeareti t, you, to have been his mind and will under the Old Teſtament Vi God had a Miniſtry under the Old Teſtament , the Trite sf L 1t was it ; and God there ordained and appointed a livelihood i Pr: them, Numb. 18. 22. Deut, 13, 9. & 18. 1. ſo as thy ne, ed not ( as other men) to labour with their hands to get brt bh to Ear. Wo! 14 Even fo * hath the Lord ordained «,' th | they which preach the goſpel , ſhould live of Ip goſpel. Wie a God's Will is the ſame under the New Teſtament thatit 8 of under the Old ; it isnot as to the people a matter of liberty, lo b i men may chuſe whether they will maintain their Miniſters or 0 J there is an Ordinance of God in the caſe : Ic is the Willof 0 -
that thoſe who are taken off from worldly imployments,and ſpe cheir time in the ſtudy and preaching of the Goſpel, ſhould ha! livelihood from their labour.
15 But * have uſed none of theſe chings 5. Net
+-.þ Though I have ſuch a liberty ro marry as well as others
Chap,
1p. IX.
L CORINTHIA4AMS
Chap. IX; ;