Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 2 · Verse 9
VERS. 9.
For ye remember, Brethren, our labour and trauaile, for labouring night and day, becauſe we would not be chargeable vntounto any of you, we preached vntounto you the Goſpell of God.
THE Apoſtle in theſe words makes probable his proteſtation, of ſo heartie wel-wiſhing to this people. Reaſon enough they had to thinke him thus kindly affected towards them; for that on ſuch termes of hard trauell and handy labour, hee forbare exacting maintenance due for preaching, in fauour of them.
The words abound with occaſions of queſtion, wherewith men of corrupt mindes, lacking better imployment, hauehave peſtered them. That is, firſt, whether Paul in this practice did ſupererogate? So Papiſts affirme, for herein he did more then was commanded.
Supererogatory workes, in their Language, are good workes, done ouer and aboue enioyned dutie. From other good workes they thus differ:
Firſt, Where there is a Commandement, there lyes a bond vponupon the Conſcience to doe ſo, and no otherwiſe. In theſe of Supererogation, the Conſcience is not bound; they are left to our diſcretion to doe, or omit.
Secondly, Matters of Precept, if they bee done, hauehave reward: if omitted, puniſhment. In workes of counſell, the omiſſion hath no puniſhment; the performance hath greater reward.
Obiect. Such they conceit, was this fact of Paul: had hee preached for his hyre, hee had done nothing againſt dutie; therefore preaching on free coſt, he did ſupererogate.
Anſw. There are duties ordinary; that bind ſimply to all times and occaſions. There are duties extraordinary, or in caſu, vponupon ſpeciall occaſion. Example, to preach the Goſpell, is a dutie ordinarie, euer binding a Miniſter: Woe to him if he preach not; to preach freely, is not alwayes a dutie; yet in caſe, eyther neceſſitie of the Church enforce it, orſ1. Cor. 9.16, 18 appearance of ſcandall require it, in that caſe it becomes a dutie.
Or thus, Precepts ſome are of ſtrict Iuſtice; ſome of Equity and Charitie. To abſtaine from recompence, is no Precept in ſtrict Iuſtice: but yet is a Precept of Equitie and Charitie. As to abſtaine from this or that meate, is no dutie in ſtrict Iuſtice. But in caſe tRom. 14.15.our Brother bee offended, Equitie and Charitie commands abſtinence; we elſe ſinne u1. Cor. 8.12.againſt Chriſt, againſt the Brethren. Such thinke this fact of Paul, a dutie in Equitie and Charitie, to which hee was bound: in reſpect, firſt, of the Churches pouertie, ſecondly, of appearing ſcandall.
A ſecond queſtion fals in occaſionally; whether it be a dutie of a Miniſter, binding him at all times, in all places, in eueryevery eſtate of the Church, to preach the Goſpell freely? ſo ſome hauehave concluded abſurdly from this practice of the Apoſtle. But
Firſt, Why then prouides the Lord ſo liberally, for Leuites maintenance?
Secondly, andx1. Cor. 9.5, 13, 14. why inferres PAVL thence, our title to a ſalarie?
Thirdly, With what Conſcience takes CaePHAS and the Lords Brethren recompence from the Churches?
Fourthly, How durſt Paul preſſe it as matter of dutie vponupon the Conſcience of the inſtructed, toyGal. 6.6. make the inſtructer partaker of all his goods?
Fiftly, And how profeſſeth hee remiſſion of his right, if he had no title to exact it?
Sixtly, Yea, he declares it to be Chriſts Ordinance, that they that preach the Goſpell, ſhould liue of the Goſpell.
Obiect. Yet Chriſt commanded to giuegive zMat. 10.8.freely, becauſe they had freely receiued.
Anſw. Limit it, ſay ſome, Firſt, to miraculous Cures.
Secondly, Others, to that time.
Thirdly, Diſtinguiſh ſome will hauehave vsus betwixt Doctrine and labour therein. The Doctrine wee giuegive freely; for labour, require recompence.
Fourthly, Our Sauiour orders the affection only, prohibiting a mercenary affection and greedy appetite of gaine. In the meane-time permitting to eate and drinke, and take ſupply of neceſſities, in places where they ſhould preach: vponupon that ground, The aMat. 10.10.labourer is worthy of his byre.
As to Pauls example, and reaſon built theron, thus we anſwere: In practices of Saints, binding to imitation, we muſt hauehave eye not only to their fact, but to the circumſtances of doing. Circumſtances often vary the caſe ſo farre, that what is neceſſary for one, in ſome caſe, at ſome time, on ſome occaſion; is not neceſſary, nor perhaps lawfull to another, circumſtances being altred. PAVLbAct. 16.3. circumciſed TIMOTHY, to auoyde ſcandall of Iewes; yet could at no hand bee brought to circumciſe TITVS; ſo farre had circumſtances varied the caſe; there now appearing perill ofcGal. 2.3, 4. betraying Euangelicall libertie. In this point of maintenance; other Churches hee profeſſedd2. Cor. 11.8, 9 to hauehave ſpoyled; of Corinthians refuſeth ſtipend. The ſumme is, in caſe, firſt, Of ſcandall. Secondly, Of Churches pouertie, Paul forbeares his right; out of thoſe caſes vſeth it. In like caſe wee thinke our ſelues bound by Pauls example: elſe free, to take benefit of the Lords Ordinance.
Queſt. The third inquirie; may it bee lawfull for Miniſters to vſe Manuell labour? to vſe Handi-crafts? In no caſe ſaid Meſſalian Heretikes; Religious men may not labour with their hands. For it is written,eMat. 6.25. Be not carefull for the bodie.
Anſw. Firſt, That Precept concernes people, as well as Miniſters.
Secondly, Prohibits only diſtruſtfull carking for things of this life, without dependance on Gods prouidence or confidence in his promiſe. Conferre 1. Timothy 5.8.
Obiect. Labour fIohn 6.27.not for the meat that periſheth.
Anſw. That Precept alſo belongs equally to Seculars.
Secondly, Muſt be vnderſtood comparatiuely, rather for the food that laſts to euerlaſting life.
The ſumme is, Pauls practice warrants it, in like caſe: though out of theſe caſes, Firſt, Diſtractions: Secondly, And ſuch indecorum muſt bee carefully auoyded.
Queſt. Laſtly, it is queſtioned whether it bee a dutie of a Miniſter to labour with his hands? Yes, ſay ſome. Pauls Example ſeemes binding: his Precept ſpecially,g2. Theſſ. 13.10 Hee that will not labour, may not eate.
Anſw. In caſu, it becomes a dutie; ſimply, or at all times no dutie, rather ſinfull.
Firſt, The charge is to h1. Tim. 4.13, 15. &attend to reading, and to bee in ſuch things; i5.17.to labour in Word and Doctrine.
Secondly, To free our ſelues from k2. Tim. 2.4.diſtractions by ſecular imployments; ſith Apoſtles rid themſelues of an Office more coniunct with the Miniſtery, that they mightlAct. 6.2, 4. giuegive themſelues only to the Word and Prayer.
Thirdly, And the Lords prouiſion for Leuites was ſo made, that they might attend the Altar, and wait continually on the Sanctuary.
In Pauls Example a wide diſparitie appeares, as, Firſt, Hauing an extraordinarie Spirit to aſſiſt him for his Function. Secondly, Yeelding of right vponupon ſpeciall occaſions: as Firſt, To auoyde ſhew of Couetouſneſſe. Secondly,m2. Theſſ. 3.8, 9. To eaſe the Church diſtreſſed. Thirdly, By example, to winne authoritie to his Canon concerning labour.
Obiect. To the reaſon from the Law of labour.
Anſw. It is confeſſed, the Miniſtery is not exempted from labour. But they are deceiued, that thinke there is no labour but Manuall. The minde hath his labour euen to defatigation, not without commerce of the body. And of this kind of labour would our Sauiour be vnderſtood in that principle; The Labourer is worthy of his hyre; And labour, ſaid the Apoſtle, in word and doctrine.
To ſhut vp theſe queſtions: miſerable is the ſtate of that Church, wherein Miniſters are forced to handy-labour; one of the two mee thinkes it argues: either the extreme pouertie; or the prophane vnthankefulneſſe of the people.