the blessed Apostle Paul willed the servants and travail night and day working that we
OF THE WORK OF MONKS, 595 Se ed ing: but since in many other places of his Epistles, what is his mind on this point, he most openly teaches, they superfluously essay to raise a mist before themselves and others, that what that charity adviseth they may not fare at any time at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and of its fruit eateth not? Who feedeth a flock, and of the milk of the flock partaketh not ?''s Therefore, what was due to him, he would not receive, that by his example they might be checked, who, although not so ordained in the Church, did deem the like to be due to themselves. For what is it that he saith, '* Neither ate we bread of any man for naught, but in labor and travail night and day working that we might not burden any of you; not for that we have not power, but that we might give ourselves as a pattern to you wherein ye should follow us?" Let them, therefore, hear to whom he hath given this precept, that is, they which have not this power which he had, to only refuse to do, but even to understand it themselves, or let it be understood by others; not fearing that which is written, '' He would not understand that he might do good." *
4. First then we ought to demonstrate that the blessed Apostle Paul willed the servants of God to work corporal works which should have as their end a great spiritual reward, for this purpose that they should need food and clothing of no man, but with their own hands should procure these for themselves: then, to show that those evangelical precepts from which some cherish not only their sloth but even arrogance, are not contrary to the Apostolical precept and example, Let us see then whence the Apostle came to this, that he should say, °' If any will not work, neither let wit, that while only spiritually working they should eat bread by corporal labor not earned: ° and as he says, '' We charge and beseech in
Christ that with silence they work and eat their own bread,"' let them not dispute against the most manifest words of the Apostle, because this also pertaineth to that '' silence'' with which they ought to work and eat their own bread.
him eat,'" and what he thereupon joineth on, that from the very context? of this lesson may appear his declared sentence. '* We command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh unquietly, and not according to the tradition which they have received 3 of. us. For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us; for we were not unquiet among you, neither ate we bread of any man for nought, but in labor and travail night and day working that we might not burden any of you: not for that we have not power, but that we might give ourselves as a pattern to you in which ye should imitate us. For also when we were with you, we gave you this charge, that if any will not work, let him not eat. For we have heard that certain among you walk unquietly, working not at all, but being busy-bodies. Now them that are such we charge and beseech in our Lord Jesus Christ, that with silence they work, and eat their own bread." 4 What can be said to these things, since, that none might thereafter have license to interpret this according to his wish, not according to charity, he by
5. 1 would, however, proceed to a more searching" and diligent consideration and handling of these words, had I not other places of his Epistles much more manifest, by comparing which, both these are made more clearly manifest, and if these were not in existence, those others would suffice. To the Corinthians, namely, writing of this same thing, he saith thus, '"Am I not free? am I not an Apostle ?® Have I not seen Christ Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? If to others Iam not an Apostle, to you assuredly lam. For the seal of mine Apostleship are yeinthe Lord. My defense to them which interrogate me is this. Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a woman who is a sister,? as also the other Apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?" See how first he shows what is lawful to him, and therefore lawful for that he is an Apostle. For with that he began, ''Am I not free? am I not an Apostle?" and proves himself to be an Apostle, saying, '"" Have I not seen Christ Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord ?"' Which being proved, he shows that to be lawful to him which was so to the other Apostles; that is, that he should not work with his hands, but live by the Gospel, as the Lord appointed, which in what follows he has most his own example hath taught what by precept he hath enjoined? To him, namely, as to an Apostle, a preacher of the Gospel, a soldier of Christ, a planter of the vineyard, a shepherd of the flock, had the Lord appointed that he should live by the Gospel; and yet himself exacted not the pay which was his due, that he might make himself a pattern to them which desired what was not their due; as he saith to the Corinthians, '' Who goeth a war-
6 Gratuittum. 7 Enucleattus. 5 1 Cor. ix. 1-7. But text recept. ''Am I not an 8 So Griesbach and Lachmann, Apostle? am I not free ?"'
i Ps, xxxvi. 3, (35, 4.) '' moluct intelligere ut bene ageret." 2" Crrcumstantta."' 3% Acceperunt."" 42 'Thess. iii. 6-12.
9 '* Sororem mulierem."