1 Corinthians 9

AM I not an Apostle? Some that are puffed up or educed, will, it may be, deny that I am an Apostle, a Preacher of the Gospel of the greatest eminency, immediately sent out by Christ to preach his Gospel, but will any of you deny it?, am I not free? Have not I the same liberty that any of you have in things wherein the Law of God has no more determined me than you? What Charter of liberty has God given to any of you more than he has to me?, have not I seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Have I not seen Jesus Christ? Acts 10.41. Did not I see Christ in my going to Damascus? Acts 9.5. And when I was in my ecstasie? Acts 22.13, 14. When I was rapt into the third Heavens? 2 Cor. 12.1, 2. In prison? Acts 23.11. He was the only Apostle we read of, who saw Christ after his Ascension., are not you my work in the Lord? If others will not look upon me as an Apostle, God having wrought nothing upon their Souls by my Ministry, yet you whose Faith is my work, though in the Lord, as the principal efficient Cause, yet by me as Gods instrument, cannot deny me to be so, if my having seen Jesus Christ, and being immediately sent out by him, be not enough to prove me so to you, yet the effects of my Ministry upon you puts it past your denial.. In the greater part of this Chapter, the Apostle proceedeth in his former discourse, not speaking particularly to the case of eating meat offered to Idols, but to the general point, viz. That it is our duty to abate of our liberty, when we see we cannot use it without harm to other Christians. And here he proposeth to them his own example, who had restrained himself in three things, to two of which he had a liberty, and yet avoided it, and that not to prevent their sinning, but only their suffering, and that too only by being by him over-burthened; 1. As to eating and drinking. 2. Abstaining from marriage, by which he might have been more chargeable to them. 3. Requiring maintenance of them for his labour amongst them. As to both which he declares he had from Gods Law a liberty, but had forborn to use that part from which the Church in that state might be prejudiced.

If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you He had, v. 1. told them they were his work in th Lord; from whence he concludes here, That he was an Apostle, that is, one sent of Christ to them for the good of their Souls, whatever he was to others.: for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord You, says he, as to your selves at least are the Seal of my Apostolical Office, it has a confirmation in you by the effect, as the writing is confirmed by the seal. For how can you think, that the blessing of the Lord should go along with my preaching, to turn you from Pagan Idolatry, and your lewd courses of life to the true Christian Religion, and to an holy life and conversation, if God had not sent me. There is no such Argument to prove a Minister sent of Christ, as the success of his Ministry in the conversion of Souls unto God. It is true, we cannot conclude, That a Minister is no true Minister, if he be able to produce no such seals of his calling. For the spiritual seed may for a time lie under the clods, and changes may be wrought in hearts, which are not published to the world: and even Isaiah may be sent to make the hearts of people fat. But where those seals can be produced, it is a most certain sign, that the Minister is a true Minister, that is, one sent of God; for he could be no instrument to do such works, if God were not with him: and if God had not sent him, he would not be with him so blessing his Ministry; yet it is possible the man may have his personal errours: For though some men doubt, whether an instance can be given of one openly and scandalously wicked, whom God ever honoured to be his instrument to convert Souls, yet it would be rashly affirmed by any to say, That Iudas (though a son of perdition, but not scandalous till the last) was an instrument to convert none..

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this These words may be understood in a double reference: either to what went before, then the sense is this: To those that examine me about my Apostleship, this is answer; That I have seen the Lord, That you are my work in the Lord, and the Seal of my Ministry. Or with reference to the words that follow, then the sense is this: If any man examine me, how I my self practise the Doctrine which I preach to others, and determine my self as to my liberty for the good and profit of others? I give them the following answer..

Have we not power to eat and to drink? Could I not eat and drink of such things offered to Idols as well as you? Have not I as great a knowledge, and as much liberty? Yet you see I forbear. But the generality of Interpreters rather incline to interpret it by what followeth: Then, though it be here shortly expressed, and more fully opened afterward, yet the sense is: Have not I power to ask a maintenance of you, by which I should be inabled to eat and drink..

Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife Those that by those terms,, understand, not (as we translate it) a sister, a wife, but a woman, that should out of her estate have contributed to the Apostles maintenance (as Ioanna the wife of Chuza, Herods Steward, and Susanna, and many others followed Christ, ministring to him of their substance, Luke 8.3.) seem not to consider: 1. That such women would have been no burden, but an help to the Church (which is quite contrary to the Apostles sense.) 2. That the term leading about, imports a conjugal relation to the woman. 3. That if this had been the sense, it had been enough to have said, to lead about a woman, he should not need have said, a sister, a woman. 4. That such leading about a woman, not their wife, had been scandalous. 5. That the very phrase, a sister, a wife, answers the phrase, Acts 23.1. Men, brethren, which signifies no more than, O ye Christian men, as a sister, a wife signifies here a Christian wife. 6. That we no where read, that Peter, Iames, Iohn, Iudas (here called the Brethren of our Lord, or any of the other Apostles, ever in their travels carried about with them any such rich matrons, not their wives, who (as those, Luke 8.3.) ministred to them of their substance. Our Interpreters have therefore justly translated it, a sister, a wife; and the sense is, Have I not power to marry? Yet the phrase teaches us two things: 1. That Christians have no power, that is, no lawful power to marry such as are no Christians, their wives must be their sisters also in Christ. 2. That husbands and wives ought to be undivided companions one to another., as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? He instanceth in several Apostles that were married, Peter (called Cephas,) Iames, Iohn, and Iudas the Son of Alpheus, Christs kinsmen. Whence we may observe, That Ministers may lawfully marry, no Law of God has restrained them more than others: The Popish Doctrine forbidding to marry, is by the Apostle determined to be a Doctrine of Devils..

Or I only, and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? Are I and Barnabas the alone Apostles, who are obliged for our livelihood to work with our hands? As Paul did, Acts 18.3. making Tents. We certainly, as well as the rest of the Apostles, if we would run out to the utmost end of the line of our liberty in things, without having any regard to the circumstances of our brethren, might forbear working with our hands, and expect that those amongst whom we labour, should maintain us..

Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges The work of the Ministry is a warfare, the Ministers work in that Age was so in a more eminent manner, as the opposition which those first Ministers of the Gospel, both from the Jews, and from the Heathens, was greater than what Ministers have in later Ages met with. Now, says the Apostle, none that lists an Army, expects that his Souldiers should maintain themselves without any pay.? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof It is like the planting of a Vineyard. The Church in Scripture is called a Vineyard, Isa. 5.1, 2. The plants are the Lords, but he useth Ministers hands in the planting of them; none planteth a vineyard, but in expectation of some fruit; none imployeth servants to plant a vineyard, but he resolveth to uphold them with food and raiment, while they are in his work.? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? The Church is compared to a flock (says the Apostle) no man feeds a flock either personally, or by his servants, but he eateth, or alloweth his servants to eat of the milk of the flock. By these three instances commonly known amongst men, the Apostle shows the reasonableness, that the Ministers of the Gospel should be maintained from the people, to whom they are Ministers..

Say I these things as a man? or says not the Law the same also? That is, I do not speak this only rationally, or by a fallible Spirit, nor do I build this assertion alone upon instances known and familiar amongst men. As this is highly reasonable and conform to what the very light of Nature shows, and the Law of Nature 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..

For it is written in the Law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn Art being not so improved formerly as now, nor in all places as in some places; they were wont anciently both in the land of Iudea, and since in Greece, and (as is said) at this day in some places of France, to tread out their Corn by the feet of Oxen: and by the Law of Moses, Deut. 25.4. it should seem some too covetous persons would muzzle the mouths of t i Oxen, that while they trod out the Corn, they might eat o e of it, which God looking upon as an act of cruelty or mercifulness, forbad his ancient people the Jews.: Does God take care for oxen? Now, s ith the Apostle, does God take care for oxen? that is, more for Oxen than for Ministers or Men? For God does take care for o e, he preserveth both man and beast; he takes care, as our S vio r elsewhere teacheth us, for the sparrows, for the fowls of t e air, for the grass of the field, and therefore for Oxen, which are a degree of creatures more noble: but by the same reason we must conclude, That he taketh a greater care for men, espec lly such as he imployeth in his more immediate service..

Or says he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt Not that the Law, Deut. 25.4. did primarily reveal Gods will for the maintenance of Ministers; for undoubtedly it did primarily oblige them according to the letter of it, not to deal cruelly and unmercifully with the beast they made use of, but as they took them off from getting their food, by taking them up to tread our corn for them; so while they did it, they should not arve them, but give them leave moderately to eat of it. But (says the Apostle) the reason of it does much more oblige, with respect to men, especially such men as are imployed in a Ministry for your Souls. this is written, that he that ploweth, should plow in hope That as he who ploweth for another, ploweth in hope to get bread for himself, from the wages for which he coven n h., and he that thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hope And so also does the thresher thresh in hope: So we hat are the Lords Plow-men, working together with him (though in a far inferior degree of causation) in the plowing up the llow grounds of mens hearts, and sowing the seed of righteousness in mens Souls, and the Lords Threshers, by our labours, exhortations, arguments, &c. beating the fruits of good rks, to the glory of God, out of those amongst whom we labour, might also labour in some hope of a livelihood for our selves, while we are doing the Lords work and his peoples..

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? By spiritual things the Apostle meaneth the Doctrine and Sacraments of the Gospel, which are called spiritual things, because they come from Heaven, they affect the soul and spirit of a man, they tend to make men spiritual, they prepare the Soul for Heaven. By carnal things he means things which only serve our bodies, which are our carnal fleshly part. From the inequality of these things, and the excellency of the former above the latter, the Apostle argueth the reasonableness of Ministers maintenance from their people, they giving them quid pro quo, a just compensation for such allowance, yea what was of much more value; for there is a great disproportion between things spiritual and things carnal, the former much excelling the latter: so as the Minister of the Gospel had the odds of them, giving people things of a much greater and more excellent value, for things of a much lesser and inferior value..

If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather Those false Apostles or Teachers, which were amongst the Corinthians, did (as it seemeth) exercise this power, that is, required maintenance of the people, says the Apostle, Are not we by the same right possessed of such a power? Might not we as reasonably expect such a maintenance? Object. But might not they have said, No, you are not, they are constantly residing amongst us, and instructing us? &c. Answ. This arguing of the Apostle 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 were not to fix and abide in any one place, but had the care of all the Churches upon them And it may also teach us, that though Christians be in the first place obliged to take care of their own Pastors, yet they are not to limit their charity to them, but also to take what case their ability will allow them of others, whose labours have at any time been useful to them, or may be useful to any other part of the Church of God.? Nevertheless, we have not used this power: but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ Yet, says the Apostle, though we have this power or liberty, neither I nor Barnabas have made use of it, but suffer all those evils that come upon our not using it, hunger, thirst, labour, lest we should hinder the progress of the Gospel, while some might for the charge decline hearing us, or others might charge us with covetousness, &c..

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? You may understand what is the mind and will of God under the New Testament, by reflecting upon what appeareth to you, to have been his mind and will under the Old Testament; God had a Ministry under the Old Testament, the Tribe of Levi was it, and God there ordained and appointed a livelihood for them, Num. 18.20. Deut. 10.9. & 18.1. so as they needed not (as other men) to labour with their hands to get bread to eat..

Even so has the Lord ordained Gods Will is the same under the New Testament that it was under the Old; it is not as to the people a matter of liberty, so as men may choose whether they will maintain their Ministers or no, there is an Ordinance of God in the case: It is the Will of God, that those who are taken off from worldly imp oyments, and spend their ime in the study and preaching of the Gospel, should have a livelihood from their labour., that they which preach the gospel, should live of the gospel.

But I have used none of these things Though I have such a liberty to marry as well as others, and a liberty to demand a maintenance of those to whom I preach the Gospel, yet I have done neither.. Neither have I written these things, that it should be o done unto me: for it were better for me to die, then that any man should make my glorying void Nor do I now write to that purpose, that I would now impose a burden upon you to raise me a maintenance. I know I am calumniated by some, as if by preaching the Gospel, I only sought my own profit and advantage, I have gloried in the contrary, Acts 20.33. so v. 18. of this Chapter, and I look upon it as my great honour, that I can preach the Gospel freely, and I had rather die by starving, than lose this advantage of glorying. And if I for your profit, and for the advantage of the Gospel, abate of my liberty, should not you abate of yours, to keep your weak brethren from destroying their Souls by inning against God?.

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of Though I do preach the Gospel, yet I have no reason at all to glory, all that I have to glory in, is, that I have preached it freely (which your false Apostles and Teachers do not) for the preaching of the Gospel, considered without that circumstance, I have no reason to glory in that, for I am in it but a Servant,: for necessity is laid upon me, yea, wo is unto me, if I preach not the gospel I am under the necessity of a Divine Precept to do that, and exposed to dreadful penalties and woes, if I do not do that; there is therefore no thanks I can claim upon that account, all that I can glory in, is, that I do it without charge to those to whom I preach it. Some make a doubt, whether there lieth the same necessity upon Ministers now to preach the Gospel, and they be liable to the same dangers and penalties, if they do it not. I see no reason at all to doubt it; for what necessity lay upon Paul, or any of the Apostles, but a necessity of Precept, that is, they were obliged to obey the Command of God in the case, and liable to such penalties in case of neglect, as men are subject to, that obey not the Command of God, in fulfilling the duties of their Relations? The same necessity, the same danger is yet incumbent upon every Minister, or else we must say, That the Precepts commanding Ministers to preach, concerned the Apostles only, or that there is now no such Order of men as Ministers (both which are indeed said by Socinians) If there be such an Ordinance of God as the Ministry, Ministers are under the Precepts given to Ministers, one of which is to preach; if they be under the same Precepts, there is the same necessity upon them of obeying them, that was upon Paul, and they are, in case of disobedience, subjected to the same Woes and Penalties. Indeed every Minister is not bound to go up and down the World to preach, his relation is to a particular flock, that travelling to carry the Gospel about the World, was peculiar to the Apostles for the first plantation of the Gospel, but so was not preaching; if it had, Timothy and Titus would have had no such charge as to that work. It is true, Ministers are not bound to preach in others houses without their leave; therefore we read very little of the Apostles preaching in the Temple and Synagogues, nor without the leave of the Jews. But Paul, Acts 19.9. judged himself bound to preach in the School of Tyrannus, and in his own hired house at Rome, Acts 28.30, 31. For the circumstance of Numbers, to which they are bound to preach, the holy Scripture has no where determined, and Ministers are left to be guided by their own prudence according to circumstances; but preach they must, if they be called of God, he has sent them to it, fitted them for the work, and they have taken it upon them, and wo will be to every Minister, so called and sent of God, if he does not fulfil his Ministry, as he has opportunity and wisdom, considering circumstances guideth him, in order to the end which he is to aim at, and to act for..

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward If I who have a liberty to take a maintenance for my labour in the Gospel, yet notwithstanding preach it freely, out of a free and chearful mind, desirous to promote the honour and glory of Christ, I then may expect a reward:: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed to me but if I only preach the Gospel, because there is a necessity laid upon me; all that can be said of me, is, that there is such a dispensation committed to me. The strength of the Apostles Argument seems to lie here, That no man can reasonably expect thanks, or any extraordinary reward for doing what he is obliged by his Superiors command under a great penalty to do. The Apostle was obliged by such a Precept, and under such penalties to preach the Gospel; therefore he desired not only to do it, but to do it willingly and readily, a greater testimony of which could not be, than for him to do it, without desiring or expecting any reward for his pains, but what God of his free Grace should give him; this made this matter of glorifying to him, which he desired might not be in vain. So that though the word here be truly translated willingly, and opposed to, which is as truly translated unwillingly, yet it seems to comprehend without charge, and taking nothing for his pains, as a demonstration of his willingness to, and chearful performance of his work, which being a thing as to which God had laid him under no necessity by any Precept, was matter of glorying to him against the false Apostles, who did otherwise, and also a ground for him to expect a greater reward from God, than those who, though they did the same work, yet did it not from the like free and chearful spirit..

What is my reward then What then is the ground of my expectation of a greater reward? Or wherein is the glorying I before mentioned? Not in the performance of the work, for as to that I am under a necessity to do it, and under a penalty, if I neglect it:? Verily, that when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge but it lieth here, that when I preach the Gospel, I do it freely, and make it without charge; a thing, which as to the substance of the work, he was not by any Law of God bound to do, yet was not this in Paul a work of Supererogation; for circumstances might so rule, and (doubtless Paul apprehended they did so) that it might be his duty so to do. For though the Minister may lawfully take maintenance from the people, where he cannot support himself without their assistance; yet if the case be such, that he can subsist without it, and the people be so poor, that they are not able to give it; or if he seeth it will hinder the Gospel, keeping many from coming within the sound of what must be chargeable to them, and open the mouths of Enemies; it is matter of duty to him, under such circumstances, to preach freely. Though considering the thing in it self separately from such circumstances, the Minister may lawfully enough require and expect such maintenance., that I abuse not my power in the gospel That (says the Apostle) I abuse not my power in the Gospel. Some think that the word here translated abuse, might better have been translated use, as it signified Chap. 7.31. But it generally signifies abuse, so as there is no reason to vary from the common usage of it, according to which it teaches us this remarkable Lesson, That so to use a liberty which God has left us as to actions, as that by our use of it the Glory of God, or the good of others is hindred, is to abuse it, that is, not to use it to that true end for which God has betrusted us with it. For this is certain, that God has betrusted us with no power or liberty to be used to the prejudice of his Glory, which is the great end of our lives, or to the prejudice of the spiritual good and advantage of others. All such use of our liberty in any thing, is indeed an abuse of it..

For though I be free from all men The word men is not in the Greek, but is supplied by our Interpreters. Some make things the Substantive, and restrain it to the things of the Ceremonial Law, it may be understood both of men and things; he was born no mans servant, nor by Gods Law made a servant to any mens humors, and as free, as to many other things, as he was to have taken maintenance of the Churches, for the pains he bestowed amongst them., yet have I made my self servant unto all, that I might gain the more Yet (says he) observe my practice, that I might gain men to Christ (so the Apostle several times calleth converting Souls, bringing them in love with the Gospel, and into a road that may bring them to Heaven, which we ought to account the greatest gain in the world, as it appeareth from Dan. 12.3.) I have become, or made my self, the Servant of all, not the Servant of their lusts and corruptions (that is the way to lose mens Souls, and destroy them, not to gain them) but a Servant to their weaknesses and infirmities so far, as they were not sinful: I have denied my self in my liberty, and determined my self to that part in my actions, which I saw would most oblige, profit, and indear them to me, and to bring them more in love with the Gospel..

And unto the Jews I became as a Jew The Ceremonial Law died with Christ, Eph. 2.15, 16. wherefore Christians were not obliged to the performance and observation of it after the death of Christ; but it pleased God for a time to indulge the Jews the observance of those Rites, until they could clearly see, and be fully persuaded of their liberty from it, with which Christ had made them free, and it was some good time before all those, who from Judaism had turned to Christianity, could be thus persuaded, as we may learn from Gal. 4.21. they desired to be under the Law. To such (says the Apostle) I became as a Iew, that is, I observed some Rites, which the Ceremonial Law (peculiar to the Jews) required; an instance of which we have Acts 21.23, 24. where we find Paul purifying himself (according to the Rites of the Ceremonial Law) with four men which had a vow upon them., 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 The Jews before Christs death were under the Law; many of them, though converted to the Christian Religion after the death of Christ, apprehended themselves under the Law, not as yet seeing the liberty with which Christ had made them ree (says the Apostle) I knowing the Will of God, for a time that the Jews should be indulged as to their weakness, became as one of them under the Law; that I might gain them, that is, reconcile them to the Christian Religion, and in some measure prepare them for receiving the Gospel. We have an instance of this in Pauls practice, Acts 16.3. where he circumcised Timothy, because his mother was a Iew, that he might not irritate the Jews in those quarters, nor estrange them from the Doctrine of the Gospel. In all this Paul did nothing that was sinful, but only determined himself as to the liberty which God had given him, when he might do or forbea, either doing or forbearing to do, as he saw the one or the other, made most for the honour and glory of God in the winning of Souls..

To them that are without Law, as without Law It is manifest by the opposition of those that are without Law, mentioned in this verse, to those under the Law, mentioned in the former verse, that as by the latter the Iews are understood, so by the former the Gentiles are to be understood, who were under no obligation to the observance either of the Ceremonial, or Iudicial Law, given to the ews; the one to guide that Nation in the matters of Worship till Christ should come; the other to guide them in matters of Civil Justice, as well as in Criminal causes, as matters of Plea and Trespass; o that the term here ignifieth differently from what it signifieth in many other Scriptures; where it signifieth men that live as they list, without any regard to any Laws of God or men, as Mark 15.28. Luke. 22.37. Acts 2.23. 2 Thess. 2.8. 1 Tim. 1.9, &c., (being not without Law to God, but under the Law to Christ) that I might gain them that are without Law This the Apostle makes appear by the next words, where he tells us, he was not without Law to God, but under the Law to Christ, though to the Gentiles he behaved himself, as if he himself had been a Gentile, that is, forbearing the observances of the Levitical Law, to which the Gentiles had never any obligation at all, yet he did not behave himself as one that had no regard to the Law of God, that was yet in force and obligatory, but acknowledged himself to be under that, though a Servant of Christ's: so that he abated nothing of his necessary duty, only denied himself in some things as to which the Law of God had left him a liberty, both to the Jews and Gentiles, propounding to himself the same end as to both, that is, the gaining of their Souls to Christ..

To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak To those that I observed weak in knowledge and Faith, who had not such a firm persuasion of the lawfulness of some things (suppose Circumcision, Purifyings required by the Law of Moses, &c.) I became as weak, that is, I yielded to them, and the things being to me matters of liberty, whcih I knew I might do, or not do, and be no transgressor of Gods Law, they not being able to comply with me, I complied with them, abating my liberty to gratifie their Consciences, though I knew that it was weakness in them, yet I indulged it, and made my more knowledge serve them in their weakness, so that I might not lose them.: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some Thus, that I might be an instrument in any degree to save them, according to the various perswasions of several Christians, I behaved my self towards them, doing nothing to gratifie them, by doing of which I knew, or had the least jealousie I should offend God, but not refusing any thing, either as to doing or forbearing (which by the Law of God I saw I might do or forbear) where I saw the least hopes, by such doing or forbearing, to do the Souls of those good, in order to their eternal Salvation, with whom I was, and for whose sake I so did, or forbare any thing. O the humility and charity of this great Apostle! What an Example has he set to all? (for none can pretend to a greater Superiority over men, as to spiritual things, than he unquestionably had.).

And this I do for the gospels sake Paul had two great ends, which he aimed at, in this denial of himself in these points of liberty; the one was the do good to the Souls both of Jews and Gentiles, this he had before instanced in: the other was the glory of God, which is that which he here meaneth by this phrase, for the Gospels sake, which he before expounded v. 12. lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ. By Pauls tenacious adhering to one part in a thing wherein he had liberty, the Gospel, that is, the progress or success of the Gospel, might have been hindred, both by the reproaches of Enemies, and also by the alienation and estrangement of the hearts of weaker Christians, or laying stumbling-blocks before them, at which they might fall, being imboldened by the examples of their Guides, to do what (though lawful in it self) yet they judged unlawful., that I might be partaker thereof with you I did it (says he) that I might bring you into the fellowship of the Gospel, I had rather o interpret it, than of the reward of the Gospel (as it pleaseth some.) The humility of the great Apostle is very remarkable; he disdaineth not to be, a partaker in the Gospel with the meanest Members of the Church; he is not ashamed to call those Brethren whom his Lord and Master is not ashamed so to call..

Know ye not that they which run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize The Apostle presseth all his former discourse by minding them of the difficulty of getting to Heaven, and of the obligation that lay upon them to be the first in the spiritual Race. To this purpose he fetcheth a similitude from what they saw daily in the practice of those who frequented those Games by which the Romans and Corinthians were wont to divert themselves. They had several, known by the names of the Olympian, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian Games, the latter of which were most proper to Greece. At these Games there were several that ran Races, either on foot, or on horse-back; and several that wrestled, the Reward was a Crown or Garland: and for those that ran, we read that the Crown or Garland was hung up at the end of the Race, and those who running on foot or on horseback, could first lay hold upon it, and take it down, had it, so as though many ran, yet but one had the Crown: So, he says, it is as to getting to Heaven; men might think it was a light matter, but they who would have the Crown of Glory must run for it, and it was a work required so much striving and labour, that not many would have that Crown; which is the same with that which our Saviour says, Luke 13.24. For many shall seek to entes in, and shall not enter. 2 Tim. 2.5. If a man strive for masteries, he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully.? So run that ye may obtain Therefore (says the Apostle) make it your business so to run, that you may obtain, not only to do things in themselves lawful or good, but which are so cloathed with all their circumstances, and in the best manner for the glory of God, and the good of others..

And every man that striveth for the mastery This is not all that is required of men that would go to Heaven, that they do not make an ill use of their liberty, using it to the dishonour of God, or to the prejudice of others; but look as it is with Wrestlers in those Games, in practice amongst you, they are temperate in all things, in the use of meats and drinks, or any pleasures, though in themselves lawful, they will so use them, as may best serve their end upholding the strength of their body for the motion they are to use, and yet not clogging them, or so using them, that they shall indispose them to, or hinder them in that motion which they are to use., is temperate in all things We that are Christians, and striving for Heaven, should also do the like, so behaving our selves in the use of meats, drinks, apparel, pleasures, as the things so used by us, may serve us in our business for Heaven, and be no clog or hindrance to us.: Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible And we have reason so to do, or we shall be shamed by those Gamesters; for they in that manner deny, restrain, and govern themselves to get a Crown, which when they have, is a pitiful, corruptible, perishing thing; we do it for a Crown that is incorruptible; An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, that adeth not away, reserved in heaven for us, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Pet. 1.4..

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly: so fight I, not as one that beateth the air The Apostle proposeth his own example, As it is observed in Country-work, he that only bids his Servants do work, and puts not his own hand to it, or at least does not attend and overlook them in their work, has little done: So it is as observable in spiritual work, that a Minister of the Gospel, who, only in the Pulpit, dictates duty to others; but, out of it, does nothing of it himself, seldom does any good by his preaching. People not naturally inclined to any spiritual duty, have the old Proverb, Physician, cure thy self, at their tongues end, and are hard to believe that Teacher, who does not in some measure live up to his own Doctrine. Therefore, says the Apostle, I run, I am in the same Race with you, and running to the same mark and for the same prize. I give you no other counsel than I my self take, I endeavour so to live, so in all things to behave my self, as I may not be at uncertainties whether I please God by my actions, or shall get to Heaven yea or no. I am a Fellow-Souldier with you, fighting against sin, I make it my great business not so to fight, so to resist sin, as if I did beat the air, that is, get no more fruit, profit, or advantage by it, than if I threw stones against the wind, or with a staff did beat the air. It is not every running, or every fighting, that will bring a man to Heaven, it must be a running with all our might, and continuing our motion till we come to the end of our Race, a fighting with all our might, and that against all sin..

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection Here the Apostle informs us how he ran, that he might not run uncertainly; how he fought, so as he might not be like one beating the air: I (says he) keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. By Body here, we must not understand only the Apostles fleshly part (which we usually call our body) no nor only our more gross and filthy affections and lusts (as some of the Schoolmen have thought) but what the Apostle elsewhere calleth the Old man, under which notion cometh the sinful inclinations of our will, and corrupt dictates of Reason, as it is in man since the Fall. All this, as it cometh under the notion of the flesh in many other places of Scripture, and of our members which are upon the earth, Col. 3.5. So it cometh here under the notion of the body; and indeed is that which our Apostle calleth, The body of death, Rom. 7.24. This was the object of the Apostles action. The object about which he was exercised. For his action, or exercise about this object, is expressed by two words, and the former word (as some think) is borrowed from the practice of those that fought in the afore-mentioned Games, who knockt and beat one another till they were black and blue, and forced to yield themselves conquered. The second word signifieth to make one a Servant, to bring one under command, so as he will do what another would have him do. By these two words the Apostle expresseth, that Mortification, which he declareth himself to have lived in the practice of, that he might not in his Race for Heaven run incertainly, nor in his spiritual fight lose his labour, and reap no more profit, than one should reap that spends his time in beating the air. Their sense who think that this duty of Paul was discharged by acts of mere external discipline, such as fasting, wearing sackcloth, beating themselves, &c. is much too short; these things reach not to the mind of man, his corrupt affections and lusts which give life to the extravagancy of the bodily members, though indeed they may some of them be good means in order to the greater work. Pauls meaning was, that he made it his work to deny his sensitive appetite such gratifyings as it would have to resist the extravagant motions of his will, yea of his own corrupt reason, so far as they were in any thing contrary to the holy Will of God; though in order to this, he also used Fasting and Prayer, and such acts of external Discipline, as his wisdom taught him, were any way proper to this end: And this he tells us that he did,: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I my self should be a cast-away lest while he preached to others, he himself should be a cast-away. From whence we may observe, That Paul thought such a thing possible, that one who all his life had been preaching to others, to bring them to Heaven, might himself be thrown into Hell at last; and if it had not, our Saviour would never have told us, That he would at the last day say to some, Depart from me, I know you not, you workers of iniquity: who for their admittance had pleaded, We have prophesied in thy Name. Nor must we question but Iudas whom our Saviour calls a Son of perdition, was a lost man as to Eternity, though it be certain, that he as well as the other Apostles, was a Preacher of the Gospel: yea, so f r is this from being impossible, that it was the opinion of Chrysostom, That few Ministers would be saved. We may also further observe, That such Ministers as indulge their body, giving themselves liberties, either more externally in meats, drinks, apparel, pleasures; or more internally, indulging themselves in sinful speculations, motions, affections, inclinations, take a quite contrary road to Heaven than Paul took; and think they have a great deal more liberty to the flesh than S. Paul thought he had, or than he durst use..