discourse, and the whole of the passage itself his own charges? Who feedeth a flock, and
OF THE WORK OF MONKS. 597 fully and laboriously in the Gospel in the which he would not accept even the hire which was his due. Otherwise the Apostle did contrary to a command of the Lord: for, after he had shown it to be lawful unto him, he hath straightway subjoined, '' But yet have I not used this power."'
working; but that all alike had this power, of which these availed not themselves in '' laying out more'' upon the Church; so as in those places where they preached the Gospel they judged to be meet forthe weak. And for this reason, that he might not seem to have found fault with his fellow-Apostles, he goes on to say: "'Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges? Who feedeth a flock, and of the milk of the flock partaketh not? Speak I these things asa man? Saith not the Law the same? For in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God care for oxen? Or saith he it for our sake altogether ? For our sakes truly is it written, because he that plougheth ought to plough in hope, and he that thresheth in hope of partaking of the fruits."'3 By these words the Apostle Paul sufficiently indicates, that it was no usurping unto themselves of aught beyond their due on the part of his fellow-Apostles, that they wrought not bodily, whence they might have the things which to this life are necessary, but as the Lord ordained, should, living by the Gospel, eat bread gratuitously given of them unto whom they were preaching a gratuitous grace. Their charges, namely, they did like soldiers receive, and of the fruit of the vineyard by them planted, they did, as need was, freely gather; and of the milk of the flock which they fed, they drank; and of the threshing-floor on which they threshed, they took their meat.
8. But let us return to the order of our discourse, and the whole of the passage itself of the Epistle let us diligently consider.
Have we not," saith he, '* leave to eat and to drink? have we not leave to lead about a woman, a sister?'' What leave meant he, but what the Lord gave unto them whom He sent to preach the kingdom of heaven, saying,
Those things which are (given) of them, eat ye;? for the workman is worthy of his hire;'? and proposing Himself as an example of the same power, to Whom most faithful women did of their means minister such necessaries? But the Apostle Paul hath done more, from his fellow-Apostles alleging a proof of this license permitted of the Lord. For not as finding fault hath he subjoined,
''As do also the other Apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas;"' but that hence he might show that this which he would not accept was a thing which, that it was lawful for him to accept was proved by the wont of the rest also his fellow-soldiers.
'Or Ionly and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working?'' Lo, he hath taken away all doubt even from the slowest hearts, that they may understand of what working he speaks. For to what end saith he, '' Or I only and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working ?"*' but for that all evangelists and ministers of God's word had _ power received of the Lord, not to work with their hands, but to live by the Gospel, working only spiritual works in preaching of the kingdom of heaven and edifying of the peace of the Church? For no man can say that it is of that very spiritual working that the Apostle said, '*Or I only and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working?'' For this power to forbear working all those had: let him say then, who essays to deprave and pervert precepts Apostolical; let him say, if he dares, that all evangelists received of the Lord power to forbear preaching the Gospel. But if this is most absurd and mad to say, why will they not understand what is plain to all, that they did indeed receive power not to work, but g. But he speaks more openly in the rest which he subjoins, and altogether removes all causes of doubting. ''If we unto you,'" saith he, '' have sown spiritual things, is ita great matter if we shall reap your carnal things??? What are the spiritual things which he sowed, but the word and mystery of the sacrament of the kingdom of heaven? And what the carnal things which he saith he had a right to reap, but these temporal things which are indulged to the life and indigency of the flesh? These however being due to him he declares that he had not sought nor accepted, lest he should cause any impediment to the Gospel of Christ. What work remaineth for us to understand him to have wrought, whereby he should get his living, but bodily work, with his own bodily and visible hands? For if from spiritual work he sought food and clothing, that is, to receive these of them whom he was edifying in the Gospel, he could not, as he does, go on to say, ''If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless, works bodily, whereby to get a living, because **the workman is worthy of his hire,'' as the Gospel speaks. It is not therefore that Paul and Barnabas only had not power to forbear
3 1 Cor. ix. 7-10. [See R.V.]
I Licentiam. 2 Luke x. 7. 'Ea gue ab ipsts sunt.' 7 q
THE WORKS OF ST, AUGUSTIN.
scure and uncertain, because wrong and perverse they dare not call it. Cries the man of God, '*'The Lord hath ordained for them which preach the Gospel, of this Gospel to live; but I have used none of these things;"' and flesh and blood essayeth to make crooked what is straight; what open, to shut; what serene, to cloud over. '"'It was," saith it, we have not used this power, but tolerate all things that we may not cause any hindrance to the Gospel of Christ."* What power doth he say he had not used, but that which he had over them, received of the Lord, the power to reap their carnal things, in order to the sustenance of this life which is lived in the flesh? Of which power were others also partakers, who did not at the first announce the Gospel to them, but came thereafter to their Church preaching the self-same. Therefore, when he had said, ''If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?" he subjoined, ''If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather?'' And when he had demonstrated what power they had:
spiritual work that he was doing, and thereof did he live.'' If it be so, of the Gospel did he live: why then doth he say, "* The Lord hath ordained for them which preach the Gospel, of the Gospel to live; but I have used none of these things?"' Or if this very word, '' to live,'' which is here used, they will needs also interpret in respect of spiritual life, then had the Apostle no hope towards God, in that he did not live by the Gospel, because he hath said, "'I have used none of these things.'? Wherefore, that he should have certain hope of life eternal, the Apostle did of the Gospel in any wise spiritually. live. What therefore he saith, '' But I have used none of these things,'' doth without doubt make to be understood of this life which is in the flesh, that which he hath said of the Lord's ordaining to them which preach the Gospel, that of the Gospel they should live; that is, this life which hath need of food and clothing, they by the Gospel shall sustain; as above he said of his fellow-apostles; of whom the Lord Himself saith, '* The workman is worthy of his meat;'' and, ** The workman is worthy of his hire.'* This meat, then, and this hire of the sustenance of this life, due to evangelists, this of them to whom he evangelized the Apostle accepted not, saying a true thing, ''I have used none of these things."'
Nevertheiess we have not used,'' saith he, *"this power; but we put up with all things, lest we should cause any impediment to the Gospel of Christ." Let therefore these persons say in what way from spiritual work the Apostle had carnal food, when himself openly says that he had not used this power. But if from spiritual work he had not carnal food, it remains that from bodily work he had it, and thereof saith, *' Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us.?_ All things,"' saith he, '' we suffer, lest we cause any hindrance to the Gospel of Christ."'
to. And he comes back again, and in all ways, over and over again, enforceth what he hath the right to do, yet doeth not. '°'Do ye not know," saith he, *'that they which work in the temple, eat of the things which are in the temple? they which serve the altar, have their share with the altar? So hath the Lord ordained for them which preach the Gospel, to live of the Gospel. But I have used none of these things.''3 this? what more clear? I fear lest haply, while I discourse wishing to expound this, that become obscure which in itself is bright and clear. For they who understand not these words, or feign not to understand, do much less understand mine, or profess to understand: unless perchance they do therefore quickly understand ours, because it is allowed them to deride them being under-. And he goes on, and adjoins, lest peri;chance any should imagine that he only therefore received not, because they had not given: '*But I have not written these things that
What more open than | hey may be so done unto me: good is it for me rather to die than that any make void my glory.''4+ What glory, unless that which he wished to have with God, while in Christ suffering with the weak? As he is presently about to say most openly; '* For if I shall have preached the Gospel, there is not to me any glory: for necessity is laid upon me;''5 that is, of sustaining this life. '* For woe will be to me,'' he saith, ''if I preach not the Gospel: "' that is, tomy own will shall I forbear to preach the Gospel, because I shall be tormented with hunger, and shall not have whereof to live. For he goes on, and says; '' For if willingly I do this, I have a reward."' By his doing it stood; but concerning the Apostle's words this same is not allowed. For this reason, where they cannot interpret them otherwise according to their own sentence, be it ever so clear and manifest, they answer that it is ob-
1 x Cor. ix. 12. 22 Thess. iii. 8, 9. 3 1 Cor, ix. 13-15.
41 Cor. ix. 15. 5 1 Cor. ix. 16. [See R.V.]
OF THE WORK OF MONKS, 5°09 willingly, he means, if he do it uncompelled by any necessity of supporting this present life; and for this he hath reward, to wit, with God, of glory everlasting. '* But if unwilling," saith he, ''a dispensation is entrusted unto me:''* that is, if being unwilling, I am by necessity of passing through this present life, compelled to preach the Gospel, '' a dispensation is entrusted unto me;'' to wit, that by my dispensation as a steward, because Christ, because the truth, is that which I preach, howsoever because of occasion, howsoever seeking mine own, howsoever by necessity of earthly emolument compelled so to do, other men do profit, but I have not that glorious and everlasting reward with God. '* What then,'' saith he, '' shall be my reward?'' He saith it as asking a question: therefore the pronunciation must be suspended, until he give the answer. Which the more easily to understand, let, as it were, us put the question to him, '' What, then, will be thy reward, O Apostle, when that earthly reward due to good evangelists, not for its sake evangelizing, but yet taking it as the consequence and offered to them -by the Lord's appointment, thou acceptest not? What shall be thy reward then?'' See what he replies: '* That, preaching the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge; '' that is, that the Gospel may not be to believers expensive, lest they account that for this end is the Gospel to be preached to them, that its preachers should seem as it were to sell it. And yet he comes back again and again, that he may show what, by warrant of the Lord, he hath a right unto, yet doeth not: "* that I abuse not,"' saith he, ''my power in the Gospel." ?
uncircumcised.'' That is, let him not so live, as though he had become uncircumcised, and covered that which he had laid bare: as in another place he saith, '* Thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.''5 It was in accordance then with this his sentence, in which he saith, ''Is any called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called
In uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised;' © that he did those things, in which, by persons not understanding and not enough attending, he has been accounted to have feigned. For he was a Jew, and was called being circumcised; therefore he would not become uncircumcised; that is, would not so live as if he had not been circumcised. For this he now had in his power to do. And "under" the law, indeed, he was not as they who servilely wrought it; but yet ''in'' the law of God and of Christ. For that law was not one, and the law of God another, as accursed Manicheans are wont to say. Otherwise, if when he did those things he is to be accounted to have feigned, then he feigned himself also a pagan, and sacrificed to idols, because he says that he became to those without law, as without law. By whom, doubtless, he would have us to understand no other than Gentiles whom we call Pagans, It is one thing therefore to be under the law, another in the law, another without law.
Under the law," the carnal Jews; ''in the law," spiritual men, both Jews and Christians; (whence the former kept that custom of their fathers, but did not impose unwonted burdens upon the believing Gentiles; and therefore they also were circumcised;) but '' without law," are the Gentiles which have not yet believed, to whom yet the Apostle testifieth himself to have become like, through sympathy of a merciful heart, not simulation of a changeable exterior; that is, that he might in that way succor carnal Jew or Pagan, in which way himself, if he were that, would have wished to be succored: bearing, to wit,
12, But now, that as bearing with the infirmity of men he did this, let us hear what follows: '' For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. To them that are under the law, I became as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.''3| Which thing he did, not with craftiness of simulation, but with mercy of compassion with others; that is, not as if to feign himself a Jew, as some have thought, in that he observed at Jerusalem the things prescribed by the old law.* For he did this in accordance with his free and openly their infirmity, in likeness of compassion, not deceiving in fiction of lying; as he straightway goes on, and says, '*I became to the weak as weak, that I might gain the weak,''" For it was from this point that he was speaking, in saying all those other things, As then, that he became to the weak as weak, was no lie; so all those other things above rehearsed. For what doth he mean his weakness towards the weak to have been, but that of suffering with them, insomuch that, lest he declared sentence, in which he says, °' Is any called being circumcised? let him not become should appear to be a seller of the Gospel, and by falling into an ill suspicion with ig-
2 Cor. ix. 17. 21 Cor. ix. 18. 3 1 Cor. ix, 19-21. 4S. Jerome in Ep. inter Augustinianas, 75, nN. 9-11.
5 Rom. ii. 25. 6 x Cor. vii. 18. 7 x Cor. ix, 22.