1 Corinthians — Chapter 9

1. My worke.) The Heretikes fond pretense of Gods honour. As he called himself before God's Coadiutour, so here he boldly also chalengeth the Corinthians conuersion to be his handy-worke in our Lord; nothing derogating thereby from Christ, as the Protestants rudely charge the Fathers & Catholike men (vnder pretense of God's honour) for vsing such phrases or speaches in the Apostles sense, of the Saints or Sacraments.

5. A woman a Sister.) Heretical translation. The Heretikes peruersely (as they doe al other places for the aduantage of their Sect) expound this of the Apostles wiues, and for, woman, translate, *wife, al belles sounding wedding to them. Where the Apostle meaneth plainely the deuout women that after the manner of Iewrie **did serue the Preacher of necessaries, of which sort many followed Christ, and sustained him and his of their substance. So doth S. Chrysostome, Theodoret, and al the Greeks (Oecu. in collect super hunc lo.) take it. So doth S. Augustin De op. Monach. c. 4. and S. Hierom. li. 1. adu. Iouinianum c. 14. both disputing and prouing it by the very words of the text. S. Ambrose also vpon this place. And the thing is most plaine. For to what end should he talke of burdening the Corinthians with finding his wife, when himself (c. 7, 7. 8.) cleerly saith that he was single. *new Test. 1580. **Mat. 25,55.

7. Who plaieth the souldiar.) Pastours and Preachers due. He proueth by the Scriptures and natural reasons that Preachers and Pastours may chalenge their finding of their flocks, though himself for causes had not, nor intended not to vse his right and libertie therin.

16. If I euangelize.) Works of supererogation. If I should preach either of compulsion and seruil feare, or mere necessitie, not hauing otherwise to liue and sustaine my self in this world, I could not looke for reward in Heauen. But now doing it, not only as enioyned me, but also as of loue and charitie, and freely without putting any man to cost, and that voluntarily and of very and of very desire to saue my heares, I shal haue my reward of God, yea and a reward of Supererogation, which is giuen to them that of aboundant charitie doe more in the seruice of God then they be commanded, as S. Augustin expoundeth it. De op. Mon. c. 5.

23. That I may be partaker.) Doing wel in respect of reward. A singular place to conuince the Protestants, that wil not haue men worke wel in respect of reward at God's hand: the Apostle confessing expresly that al this that he doth either of duety or of Supererogation aboue duety (as to preach of free-cost, and to worke with his owne hands to get his owne meate and his fellowes, and to abstaine from many lawful things) al is, the rather to attaine the reward of Heauen.

24. So run.) Running for the game. If such as run for a prize, to make themselues more swift, and to win the game, abstaine from many meats and pleasures; what should not we doe or suffer to winne the crowne of glorie, proposed and promised to none but such as run, trauel, and endeauour for it?

27. I chastise.) Penance meritorious. The goale of euerlasting glorie is not promised nor set forth for only-faith men; for such run at random: but it is the prize of them that chastise and subdue their bodies and fleshly desires by fasting, watching, voluntary pouertie, and other addictions. Lord, how farre is the carnal doctrine of the Sectaries and the manners of these daies from the Apostles spirit! Wherein euen we that be Catholikes, though we doe not condemne with the Protestants these voluntarie afflictions as superfluous (much lesse as superstitious or iniurious to Christ's death,) but much commend them, yet we vse nothing the zeale and diligence of our first Christian Ancestours herein, and therfore are like to be more subiect to God's temporal chastisements, at the least in the next life, then they were.

30. Lest perhaps.) S. Paul had not the Protestants securitie of saluation. Here may we lambs tremble (*saith a holy Father) when the ramme, the guide of the flock, must labour and punish himself (besides al his other miseries adioyned to the preaching of the Ghospel) lest perhaps he misse the marke. A man might thinke S. Paul should be as sure and as confident of God's grace & saluation as we poore wretched caitiues but the Heretikes vnhappy securitie, presumption, and faithles persuasion of their saluation is not fides, Apostolorum, but fides, Dæmonirum, not the faith of the Apostles, but the faith of Diuels. *Aug. apud Pet. Lomb. in hunc locum.