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Ver. 10. Should plough in hope] Of maintaining his life by his labour, which is therefore called “the life of our hands,” because it is upheld by the labour of our hands: Ludit, qui sterili semina mandat humo. (Propert.)
Ver. 11. Is it a great thing, &c.] Do not we give you gold for brass? Cast we not pearls before you? Alexander the Great gave Aristotle for his book de Natura Animalium, 800 talents, which is 800,000 crowns at least. Theodorus Gaza translated that book into Latin, and dedicated it to Pope Sixtus. The Pope asked him how much the rich outside of the book stood him in; Gaza answered, forty crowns. Those forty crowns he commanded to be repaid him, and so sent him away without any reward for so precious a piece of work. Interrogavit asinus papa quanti ornatus constaret? (John Manl. loc. com.) How well might the poor old Grecian sit and sing, “ Heu male nune artes miseras haec saecula tractant, Spes nulla ulterior.” (Juven. Satir. 7.)
Ver. 12. If others be partakers] If your ordinary pastors, &c., for the false apostles preached gratis (as some gather out of 2 Corinthians 11:12), partly to draw more disciples, and partly to bring an odium upon the apostle, if he should not do the like.
Ver. 13. Live of the things of, &c.] Yea, they lived plentifully and richly, as appears by the liberal gifts of those Levites for Passover Offerings, 2 Chronicles 35:9.
Ver. 14. Even so hath the Lord] Note that “so,” saith one; “that is, as they of old lived at the altar by tithes, so ministers now. How else will men satisfy their consciences in the particular quantity they must bestow upon the ministers? The Scripture speaks only of the tenth part.”
Ver. 15. Better for me to die] To be hunger starved than to do anything to the prejudice of the gospel. Affliction is to be chosen rather than sin, Job 36:21. Quas non oportet mortes praeeligere, saith Zuinglius, Epist. 3. What death should not a man choose, nay, what hell, rather than to sin against his conscience? Daniel chose rather to be cast into the lions’ den than to bear about that lion in his own bosom. The primitive Christians thought it far better to be thrown to lions without, than to be left to lusts within. Ad leonem magis quam lenonem. (Tertul.) Potius in ardentem rogum insiluero, quam ullum peccatum in Deum commisero, said a good man once. I will rather leap into a bonfire than wilfully commit any wickedness. The mouse of Armenia will rather die than be defiled with any filth. If her hole be besmeared with dirt, she will rather choose to perish with hunger than be polluted. Such was Paul here, and such we ought all to be.
Ver. 16. I have nothing to glory of] My glorying is, that I preach it gratis, and thereby stop an open mouth, 2 Corinthians 12:16-18, give them the lie that falsely accuse me that I make a prize of you. Yea, woe is unto me] It was death for the high priest to enter the tabernacle without his bells. Preach, man, preach; thou wilt be damned else, said one to his friend. Be instant, or stand over the work in season, out of seas on, επιστηθι. See Jacob’s diligence, Genesis 31:40. And Paul’s, Acts 20:20-28, &c., which one rightly calleth St Paul’s trumpet, the voice whereof may be to every minister, like that trumpet in Mount Sinai, that hath both clangorem et horrorem: or as Samuel’s message, making Eli’s two ears to tingle and his heart to tremble. (Barlow.) Let him give good heed to it, and then say with the civilian (Ulpian), Perquam durum est: sed ita lex scripta est. Hard or not hard it must be done, or I am utterly undone. Preach I must, or perish.
Ver. 17. I have a reward] Yet not earned, but of free grace, God crowning his own works in us. He was a proud Papist that said, Caelum gratis non accipiam, I will not have heaven for nought. (Vega.) And he another, that said, Opera bona mercatura regni caelestis, Good works are the price of heaven. (Bellarm.) God will cast all such merit merchants out of his temple. But if against my will] Virtus nolentium, nulla est. God will strain upon no man. All his servants are a free people, Psalms 110:3. All his soldiers volunteers. They fly to their colours as the doves to their windows, Isaiah 60:8.
Ver. 18. What is my reward then?] My merces mundi, reward of the world, all that I have here. That I abuse not] i.e. That I make no indiscreet use of it. Non opes, non gloriam, non voluptates quaesivi (said holy Melancthon). Hanc conscientiam aufero quocunque discedo. I never sought wealth, honour, or pleasure. This my conscience tells me, whatever becomes of me.
Ver. 19. That I may gain the more] The Greek word for gain signifieth also the joy and delight of the heart in gaining. It signifies also craft or guile, such as is that of the fox; which when he is very hungry after prey, and can find none, he lieth down and feigneth himself to be a dead carcase, and so the fowls fall upon him, and then he catcheth them. So must a minister deny himself to gain his hearers. κερδος because κεαρ ηδει
Ver. 20. And unto the Jews, &c.] Not in conforming to their impieties; but, 1. In the use of things indifferent; 2. In merciful compassion toward them. To them that are under the law] Though not Jews born, yet proselytes, as the Ethiopian eunuch, Cornelius, &c.
Ver. 21. That I might gain them] A metaphor from merchants, Qui κερδαινοντες ου κοπιωσι, who are never weary of taking money. (Naz.) St Paul harps much upon this string, out of a strong desire of winning souls to God. Ministers must turn themselves into all shapes and fashions both of spirit and speech to gain souls to God. Christ useth every engine of wisdom (παση σοφιας μηχανη, saith Clemens Alexand.) that he may convert some. Ministers should labour to be masters of their people’s affections, δημαγωγοι, as the Athenian orators were called, i.e. people leaders.
Ver. 22. To the weak] Not pressing upon them the austerities of religion, but condescending and complying with them, as far as I could with a good conscience. That I might save some] This is the highest honour in the world, to have any hand in the saving of souls. Let all of an ability put forth themselves hereunto; and if they have not fine manchet, yet give the poor people barley bread, or whatsoever else the Lord hath committed unto them, as Bucer bade Bradford. (Acts and Mon.)
Ver. 23. That I might be partaker] i.e. That I might be saved together with you. For the bell may call men to the Church, though itself never enter. The field may be well sowed with a dirty hand; the well yield excellent water, though it have much mud. Noah’s builders were drowned: and the sign that telleth the passenger there is wholesome diet or warm lodging within, may itself remain in the storms without. See 1 Timothy 4:16. Nihil turpius est Peripatetico claudo. Oh how many heavenly doctrines are in some people’s ears, that never were in the preacher’s heart. So true is that of Hilary, Sanctiores sunt aures plebis, quam corda sacerdotum. More consecrated are the ears of the common people than the hearts of the priests.
Ver. 24. Know ye not] The apostle argueth from their profane sports, yet approveth them not; as neither doth the Lord patronize usury, Matthew 25:27; injustice, Luke 16:1; thefts, 1 Thessalonians 5:2; dancing, Matthew 11:17. So run that ye may obtain,] Here is the race, but above the crown, saith Ignatius to Polycarp. (ωδε μεν εστι το σταδιον, εκει δε οι στεφανοι.) Run to get the race, said Mr Bradford to his fellow sufferers, you are almost at your journey’s end. I doubt not but our Father will with us send to you also, as he did to Elias, a fiery chariot to convey us into his kingdom. Let us therefore not be dismayed to leave our cloak behind us, that is, our bodies to ashes. (Acts and Mon.)
Ver. 25. Is temperate in all things] These luxurious Corinthians were much addicted to their belly; he calls them therefore to temperance. Ill doth it become a servant of the Highest to be a slave to his palate, to have animum in patinis et calicibus, as the Sybarites. A man may eat that on earth that he must digest in hell. (Aug.)
Ver. 26. Not as uncertainly] For, 1. I forget those things that are behind, all worldly things. I set those by. 2. I have oculum ad metam (which was Ludovicus Vives’ motto), an eye upon the mark. 3. I strain and stretch toward it. See all these Philippians 3:13,14. Duties are not to be done in a lazy, formal, customary strain, like the pace the Spaniard rides; but with utmost diligence and expedition. That beats the air] As young fencers use to do, but I beat mine adversary.
Ver. 27. My body] My body of sin in the whole man, not mine ou tward man only. If we find the devil practising upon the flesh, the way is not to revile the devil, but to beat the flesh. Give it a blue eye, leave a blot in the face of it, as the word υπωπαιζω signifieth, batter it as those were wont, that tried masteries with plummets of lead; we owe it nothing but stripes, Romans 8:12. It is of a slavish nature, and must be held hard under, δουλαγωγω; as slaves thrust into a mill, or bound to an oar. A castaway] Cast out of heaven, as they were out of the fencing schools, that were either cross or cowardly; or that could offend, but not defend. An orator (how much more a preacher!) should be vir bonus dicendi peritus, a good man able to discourse. (Quintilian.) Diogenes blamed those orators that studied bene dicere, non bene facere, to speak well, but not to do accordingly. And Chrysostom saith, Nihil frigidius est doctore verbis solummodo philosophante. Hoc non est doctoris sed hishrionis. A wordy doctor is an unworthy creature, and more fit to make a stageplayer than a preacher.