Original Douay–Rheims Annotations1 Corinthians 9
English College of Douai–Rheims
Read 1 Corinthians 9 in the Bible1 Corinthians 9:5
A woman a sister.
[1] [2] The Heretics perversely (as they do all other places for the advantage of their Sect) expound this of the Apostles' wives, and for, woman, translate, wife, all bells sounding wedding to them. Where the Apostle meaneth plainly the devout women that after the manner of Jewry [3] did serve the preacher of necessaries, of which sort many followed Christ, and sustained him and his of their substance. So doth S. Chrysostom, Theodorete, and all the Greeks (Oecu. in collect. super hunc lo.) take it. So doth S. Augustine De op. Monach. c. 4. and S. Hierom li. 1. adv. Iovinianum c. 14. both disputing and proving it by the very words of the text. S. Ambrose also upon this place. And the thing is most plain, for to what end should he talk of burdening the Corinthians with finding his wife, when himself (c. 7, 7. 8.) clearly saith that he was single?
- 1 Heretical translation.
- 2 new Test. 1580.
- 3 Mat. 27, 55.
1 Corinthians 9:7
Who playeth the soldier?
◦ He proveth by the Scriptures and natural reasons that Preachers and Pastors may challenge their finding of their flock, though himself for causes had not, nor intended not to use his right and liberty therein.
- ◦ Pastors' and preachers' due.
1 Corinthians 9:16
If I Evangelize.
◦ If I should preach either of compulsion and servile fear, or mere necessity, not having otherwise to live and sustain myself in this world, I could not look for reward in heaven. But now doing it, not only as enjoined me, but also as of love and charity, and freely without putting any man to cost, and that voluntarily and of very desire to save my hearers, I shall have my reward of God, yea and a reward of Supererogation, which is given to them that of aboundant charity do more in the service of God than they be commanded, as S. Augustine expoundeth it. De op. Mon. c. 5.
- ◦ Work of supererogation.
1 Corinthians 9:23
That I may be partaker.
◦ A singular place to convince the Protestants, that will not have men work well in respect of reward at God's hand: the Apostle confessing expressly, that all this that he doth either of duty or of Supererogation above duty (as to preach of free-cost, and to work with his own hands to get his own meat and his fellows, and to abstain from many lawful things) all is, the rather to attain the reward of heaven.
- ◦ Doing well in respect of reward.
1 Corinthians 9:24
So run.
◦ If such as run for a prize, to make themselves more swift, and to win the game, abstain from many meats and pleasures: what should not we do or suffer to win the crown of glory, proposed and promised to none but such as run, travail, and endeavour for it?
- ◦ Running for the game.
1 Corinthians 9:27
I chastise.
◦ The goal of everlasting glory 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 poverty, and other afflictions. Lord, how far is the carnal doctrine of the Sectaries and the manners of these days from the Apostles' spirit! Wherein even we that be Catholics, though we do not condemn with the Protestants these voluntary afflictions as superfluous (much less as superstitious or injurious to Christ's death,) but much commend them, yet we use nothing the zeal and diligence of our first Christian ancestors herein, and therefore are like to be more subject to God's temporal chastisements, at the least in the next life, than they were.
- ◦ Penance meritorious.
Lest perhaps.
[1] Here may we lambs tremble (saith a holy Father [2] ) when the ram, the guide of the flock, must so labour and punish himself (besides all his other miseries adjoined to the preaching of the Gospel) lest perhaps he miss the mark. A man might think S. Paul should be as sure and as confident of God's grace & salvation as we poor wretched caitiffs but the Heretics' unhappy security, presumption, and faithless persuasion of their salvation is not fides Apostolorum but fides dæmoniorum, not the faith of the Apostles, but the faith of Devils.
- 1 S. Paul had not the Protestants' security of salvation.
- 2 Aug. apud Pet. Lomb. in hunc locum.
Original Douay–Rheims Annotations — English College of Douai–Rheims. CC0 1.0
1 Corinthians 9:1
My work.
◦ As he called himself before, God's coadjutor, so here he boldly also challengeth the Corinthians' conversion to be his handy-work in our Lord: nothing derogating thereby from Christ, as the Protestants rudely charge the Fathers & Catholic men (under pretence of God's honour) for using such phrases or speeches in the Apostle's sense, of the Saints or Sacraments.