An expositio[n] upon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians…An expositio[n] vpon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians…

We behaved not our selves inordinately, &c. Whereas I was an Apostle of Christ, the first fruits of the gospel, a chosen vessel, called from above, and set apart from mine own own, to be the ambassador of God into the world, and had so much to do: Yet I used my hands, and pained my body, to get my bread. I lived like one of Adams children in travel of my body, and sought my bread in the sweat of my brows. Not that I might not lawfully have ⟨p. 405⟩lived upon you, and have required my maintenance at your hands. It was lawful for me to have done so, for the workman is worthy of his hire. God hath appointed that he which teacheth the Gospel, shall live by the Gospel.

We behaued not our selues inordinately, &c. Whereas I was an Apostle of Christ, the first fruits of the gospel, a chosen vessel, called from aboue, and set apart from mine owne owne, to be the embassadour of God into the worlde, and had so much to do: Yet I vsed my hands, and pained my bodie, to get my bread. I liued like one of Adams children in trauell of my bodie, and sought my bread in the sweate of my browes. Not that I might not lawfully haue ⟨p. 405⟩liued vpon you, and haue required my maintenance at your hands. It was lawfull for me to haue done so, for the workman is worthy of his hire. God hath appointed that he which teacheth the Gospel, shall liue by the Gospel.

This matter S. Paul reasoneth with the Corinthians, Have we not power to eat and ¹drink? or have we not power to lead about a wife, a sister, as well as the rest of the Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas? Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own cost? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or, who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? I might eat and drink at your charge, and require charges of you for me, and mine. I am the soldier of God. Christ is my captain: I have planted the vine of the Lord of hosts among you, I have fed you, you are the sheep of the house of Israel. The hire due to the soldier: the fruit whereof he should eat which keepeth the vine, and the milk which Christs sheep yield to their feeder, is nothing else but your charitable benevolence towards the servants of Christ. Again, It is written in the law of Moses. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. He travaileth for thee, that thou mayest live. Suffer him to lick a little for his pains. We are the