8 Neither did we eat any mans bread || for nought k, jOr,f7eery but * wrought with labour and travel } night and day mn, * Atts 13, that we might not be chargeable to any of you. 3-and 20,
k The Apoſtle here givesa particular poſitive inſtance of wliat hefore 3h ' he ſpeaks negatively, and in general z and brings his Diſcourſe home ? * +=? to the preſent caſe, and declares his orderly working, in this that he wrought for his own bread, and did not eat for nought, or live upon that which was freely given. Awesdy, The word is ſometimes tal;en for that which is without effe&, as Gal. 2. laſt, anſwering to the #5, word Cbinnam, oft uſed, Pſ21, 7.4. and 25. 3. and 69, 4. and 119. 61,
Or, that which is without cauſe, and that either with reſpe& to injury 3 received, as Fob. 15, 25, or benefit beſtowed, as Kom. 3. 24. when it is . freely given without merit, The Apoſtle means that he preached the Goſpel to them freely, as he tells the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 11.7, Though if he had received maintenance for his labour in theGoſpel among them, it was that which he well deſerved ; and he had not eaten their bread for nought; but he wrought with his own hands to maintain himſelf, as he did at Corinth, Affs 18, 3, 1 And he wrought laborioufly with wea- riiom and toilſom labour, as the words import. . m2 And that night and day; as he had told them in the former Epiſtle, chap. 2. 9. only he ſpeaks of it here upon a different account ; there to clear his Miniſtry from ſuſpicion of CovetouſneF- and to eyidence his ſincere af- feftion to them, here to ſet before them ah example of induftry againſt ſuch who lived idly,and did eat others bread, Had he not wrought with his hands, he had not walked diſorderly, but left any ſhould think ſo, he would do it to take away all occafion of Evil. For though the labour of the Miniſtry in the exerciſe of the mind and ſtudy may he reckoned as the greateſt, yet moſt people cannot judge of it, and think it ſuch 5 and though he had power to forbear working as he tells the Corinthians, : Cor, 9. 6, yet he would do it rather than any good ſhould be hindred, or any evil furthered thereby.
9 * Not becauſe we have not || power #, but to make *:Cor.5.6
* ourſelves an enſample to you to follow us o. | . # The Contents of this Verſe are already ſpoke to in the former, 8 OE
only the Apoſtle aſſerts the right of maintenance due to the Miniſtry Vere. 7>
by the name of Power. It may be claimed by Authority from Chriſt
chough it ſhould not be commanded by any Laws from men. As the
Priefts under the Law had their maintenance ſetled upon them by the
Law of God; ſo hath God appointed that they which preach the Goſpel
ſhould Iive of the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 9. 14. Gal. 6. 6, And though this
Power may be claimed, yet in ſome cales it is to be denied, as the Apo-
tle did, 1 Cor. 9. 12. We have nor uſed this power, leſt we ſhould binder
the Goſpel of Chriſt, And ſo he did here, to mate hin;ſelf an example,
Tmy, Which ſignifies any mark that is cut or engraven to ſtamp things
into its own likenels z oft uſed in the New Teftament,and variouſly ap-
plied. o It's defirable to follow good Examples, but more to become
a good Example; And as the old Verſe is true, Fegzs ad exempluri, &c.,
ſo the old Proverb, lzke Prieſts, like People z and ro follow them 15 to
imitate them, as 1 Cor. 11.1, Be ye followers of me, even as I am ai(0
of Chriſt, He is the firft Pattern, and others are to be regulated by it 3
and fo far, and no farther to be imitated. As Minifters ought to be
Patterns, Tit. 2. 7. 1 Pet. g. 3, ſothe People ought to be Followers :
and their Sin will be the greater if they follow not their Dottrine,when
it is exemplified in their prattice,
10 For peven when we were with yon, this we com- manded you q, that if any would not work, neither
p The words contain a reaſon, as the illative for, imports ; but what
it refers to 1s uncertain, moſt probably a turther reaſon of the Apoftles working with his Hands, becauſe when with them he left this com- mand, that he that would not work ſhou!d not eat ; he would therefore hu - praiſe himſelf what he commanded them, and not be thought to be dom, for he is ſtill to be admoniſht as a Brother, as verſe 15, And Ex-[ a5 the Phariſees, binding heavy burdens upon others, and he not touch communication is the exerting an Att of Church power 24S I Cor. 5. 4.|them himſelf, q And this is another of the Commandments which che whereof no mention is made here, or of an abſolute reje&ion which is Apoftle gave them, which he declared his Confidence that they would elſewhere required, Tit, 3. 10, lt ſeems then to be only a withdrawing do, ver/. 4. and this Command ſeems grounded upon the Law fiven to , Lhe af Adam, In the ſweat of thy Brows thou ſhalt eat Brea4,Gen,3.19. For when called a Brother be a Fornicator,Covet ous &c,with ſuch an one no not 10 eat, he recommends a Prattice, not dire&ly grounded upon ſome Word of
nos 1, but the Lord; verſe 10. and calls it the comman«ment of the Lord
and is elſewhere mentioned, as Eph, 4.28, Let nor him that ſtole ſteal any more, but work with his hands, &c, 1 Cor. 7. 20. God requires it of us as men, that we may be profitable in the Commonwealth, ſupply our own wants, and of thoſe that depend upon us, have wherewith al'o. to ſupply the wants of the poor, Eh. 4. 28. to be kept from the tein- ptations of idleneſs. Chriſtianity doth not extinguith the profitable Laws of Nature,or Nations.r Yet this general Command admits Limi- tations, If men have ability and opportunity to work, or if the ends of working are not otherwiſe ſupplied, For he that lives ont of the reaſon of the Law ſeems not bound by the Law ; or if the work be mentzl and not manual, he Law is fulfilled ; and the equity of the Law reacheth all men ſo far, as that nune ought to be idie and uſeleſs in the Work ;