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 him eat,” and what he thereupon joineth on,
that from the very context2481
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
2482
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.”
2483
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 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
warfare 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?”
2484
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 wit, that while
only spiritually working they should eat
bread by corporal
labor
not earned:
2485
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.
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