1 Corinthians 9

We must not be like the fig-tree in the gospel, which had nothing but leaves, but like the Pomocitron, that is continually either mellowing or blossoming, it is never without fruit. It is not profession but fruit that glorifies God; God expects to have his glory from us this way…

To you that believe he is precious. St. Paul did best know Christ (1 Corinthians 9:1). Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?

A good Christian is so humble, as to oblige others; but not so unworthy, as to disobey God. Saint Paul, as far as he could with a good conscience, did become all things to all, that he might save some (1 Corinthians 9:20, 22). But he would not break a commandment to gratify any.

Resp. Corrupt nature may as the spider, suck poison from this flower, but a sober Christian who has felt the efficacy of grace upon his heart, dares not abuse this doctrine: He knows perseverance is attained in the use of means, therefore he walks holily, that so in the use of m…

Excess in the creature clouds the mind, chokes good affections, provokes lust! St. Paul did [illegible], keep under his body (1 Corinthians 9:27). The flesh pampered is apt to rebel.

If he had been fully glorified, he could not so sensibly and plainly have made manifest the truth of his resurrection to his disciples: and therefore for their sakes and ours he is content after his entrance into glory still to retain in his body some remnants of the ignominies…

Such a man was Paul — he did not only spend his time in preaching to others, in keeping others' vineyards, but he looked to himself and kept his own vineyard. 1 Corinthians 9:27: 'Lest when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.' And what an eminent instrument…

Is there not reason for it? Who (as the Apostle says, (1 Corinthians 9:7)) goes a warfare on his own charges? Who plants a vineyard and eats not of the fruit thereof?

9. He has friends within us, every saint is a divided party. 2. The quarrel is not money, civil liberties, laws, houses, lands, nor corruptible things, yet we run and strive for pence and pounds, but here peace of conscience, an incorruptible crown (1 Corinthians 9:25), the Lord…

And as the promises are peculiar to Christ, so the persons and grace promised, both the one and the other, are due to Christ, and result from the Head, to those who in God's decree only shall be members; as righteousness, life eternal, and perseverance, are made to those that ar…

He that believes in me, the works that I do, he shall do, and greater than these (Matthew 12:50). He that does the will of my heavenly Father, the same is my brother, etc. (1 Corinthians 9:24). So run, that you may obtain (Revelation 2:2).

If by any Means I may provoke to Emulation them which are my Flesh, and might save some of them. 1 Corinthians 9:22. That I might by all means save some.

It is not without cause therefore that Paul warns the hearers of the Gospel to make their pastors and teachers partakers with them in all good things. If we (says he to the Corinthians) have sown to you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your worldly things (1 Cor…

He grants moreover that he had lived after the manner of the Jews, but yet only among the Jews. And this is it which he says in 1 Corinthians 9: when I was free from all men, I made myself servant to all men, that I might win the more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might…

Verse 2. Which I preach among the Gentiles. For among the Jews he suffered the law and circumcision for a time, as the other Apostles did: I am made all things to all men, says he (1 Corinthians 9), yet ever holding the true doctrine of the gospel, which he preferred above the l…

The Corinthians were babes in Christ, and Paul feeds them with milk (1 Corinthians 3:3). To the Jew he became a Jew, to the Gentile a Gentile, that he might win some (1 Corinthians 9:18). For this cause it were to be wished, that catechizing were more used than it is of our mini…

And he compares the word and precepts of God, to a way or race; believers to runners, life eternal to the prize, God to the umpire or judge, the lookers on, are men and angels, good and bad, and the exercise of religion, is the running in this race. Read of this (1 Corinthians 9…

The Colossians are commended by the Apostle, for that they continued, and increased, in faith to God, and love to man, for the hope's sake that was laid up for them in heaven (Colossians 1:5). And Paul shows this to have been the practice, and to be the duty of all the saints of…

Let him always think and remember that he must use an invincible freedom of speech against all difficulties that are opposed to his ministry, as the Prophets and Apostles have done, without shrinking their necks out of the collar. Woe be to me, says the Apostle, if I preach not,…

Do you not know your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you are reprobates? And it is implied that it is an argument of a very blamable negligence in Christians, if they practice Christianity after such a manner as to remain uncertain of the reward, in that 1 Co…

The Apostle Paul sought assurance chiefly this way, even by forgetting the things that were behind, and reaching forth unto those things that were before, pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus; if by any means he might attain unto the…

And he himself labored with his own hands, that he might not be burdensome to others, much less would he have the chief of the Laity who abound with wealth to be maintained of the common store; and that more liberally than others: For, if by those that rule well, you shall under…

The motive whereby she presses this petition, is, We will run after you: wherein we are to consider these three things. 1. What this is, to run; which is, in short, to make progress Christ-ward, and advance in the way of holiness, with cheerfulness and alacrity (having her heart…

And so also, that and the like precepts, discharging the Jews, the sowing their fields with diverse grains, &c. which though they be not wholly allegorical, but have in the letter their own truth, yet, somewhat in these beyond what appears, was aimed at by the Spirit; for, says…

And God himself tells such ignorant and foolish teachers (Hosea 4:6), Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. And as they must be able to teac…

Covetousness is one of the sins which the Apostle would not have so much as named among the saints (Ephesians 5:3). It is a sin if it reign, which is inconsistent with the truth of grace, and power of godliness, because it is idolatry (Colossians 3:5), and the Apostle tells us e…

There is something needs mortifying. Hence it was St. Paul did [illegible], beat down his body, by prayer, watching, fasting (1 Corinthians 9:27). But, is it not said, Ephesians 5:29, no man ever hated his own flesh?

It is appointed for all men once to die. Secondly, the seed is cast into the earth in hope (1 Corinthians 9:10). Were there not a resurrection of it expected, the husbandman would never be willing to cast away his corn.

O, what matter of unspeakable joy and comfort is this to upright souls! Well then, be not discharged, for you do not run as one uncertain, nor fight as one that beats the air (1 Corinthians 9:26), but the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, the Lord knows who are hi…

But God's workmen have a much harder task than they. Hence they are set forth in Scripture by the laborious ox (1 Corinthians 9:9; Revelation 4:7). Some derive the word deacon from a word that signifies dust, to show the laboriousness of their employment, laboring till evening,…

Therefore that which is very much beside the common practice, unless it be a thing in its own nature of considerable importance, had better be avoided. Herein we shall follow the example of one, who had the greatest success in propagating the power of religion in the world, of a…

Though his natural temper seems to have been warm and eager, which made him eminently active and zealous, yet that temper was so rectified and sanctified, that he was no less eminently meek. He became all things to all men (1 Corinthians 9:19, etc.). He studied to please all wit…

The husband then having power to lead about a wife from place to place, she ought to submit herself to that power. This clause (as well as other Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas) shows that this was not only a power which might be used, but which was used by…

So must husbands love their wives in truth and in deed. Such a love is required of a man to his brother: much more therefore to his wife, who is not only a sister (as the Apostle expressly calls her (1 Corinthians 9:5)) but nearer than sister, mother, daughter, friend, or any ot…

3. For the mortification of any distemper so rooted in the nature of a man, unto all other ways and means already named or further to be insisted on, there is one expedient peculiarly suited. This is that of the Apostle (1 Corinthians 9:27): I keep under my body, and bring it in…

The principal assertion concerning the necessity of mortification proposed to confirmation. Mortification the duty of the best believers (Colossians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 9:27). Indwelling sin always abides: no perfection in this life (Philippians 3:12; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 2 Peter…

Whom I serve in the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:14. They that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel, (namely) be maintained, not merely for preaching a Promise, but for the whole of their Ministration; and therefore the Apostle sometimes calls it my Gospel, and our Gospel, to…

But while it is evident the holy writers have used high expressions, strong figures of speech, and vehement turns on both sides, this sufficiently instructs us that we should be moderate in our censures of either side, and that the calm doctrinal truth, stripped of all rhetoric…

Health, and a good constitution of body is a more constant remaining pleasure than that of excess and momentary pleasing of the palate, thus the comfort of this hope is a more refined, and more abiding contentment than any is in the passing enjoyments of this world, and it is a…

This wives, and husbands, and parents, and friends, if themselves converted, would consider seriously, and apply themselves to pray much that their unconverted relations, in nature dead, may be enlivened, and they may receive them from death; and esteem of nothing, rest in no na…

A Child may have assurance of his Fathers love, yet has a fear of offending him. Who more fearful of Sin than St. Paul? 1 Corinthians 9:27. Yet who had more assurance?

God takes care of all his creatures (Psalm 36:6). He preserves man and beast; but man much more (1 Corinthians 9:9). Does God take care of oxen?

A slow motion is easily stopped, whereas a swift one bears down that which opposes it; so when men run and are not tired in the service of God. And then the prize calls for running (1 Corinthians 9:24). So run that you may obtain.

For answer, we must distinguish between persons employed to preach the gospel, some immediately called by Christ himself, others mediately called by men, some fallible and obnoxious to errors, and many failings, which render them unworthy of such a calling, others infallibly gui…

1. Because the matter of keeping God's precepts does not only fall under his authority, but the manner also. God has not only required service, but service with all its circumstances: "I so run that I may obtain" (1 Corinthians 9:24). It is our duty not only to run, but so to ru…

For, 1. Eternal life is not a chimera, or a thing that has no being; you might run uncertainly (1 Corinthians 9:24) if it were a dream, or a well-devised fable: No, it is the greatest reality in the world (Hebrews 4:9), we cannot be mistaken, we see it before us in the promises…

The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib (Isaiah 1). The flock feeds the shepherd, etc. (1 Corinthians 9:7). If you be barren and unfruitful, your gardens and your fields; if you be disobedient, your ox and your ass will upbraid you, and God himself appeals to heave…

Oh, labor to be altogether Christians, to go farther than they who have gone farthest, and yet fell short; this is the great counsel of the Holy Spirit. So run that you may obtain (1 Corinthians 9:24). Give diligence to make your calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10).

You have here one of the saddest considerations imaginable presented to you, and that is, how far it is possible a man may go in a profession of religion, and yet after all fall short of salvation. How far he may run, and yet not so run as to obtain — this I say is sad, but not…

2. Their titles. 1. Ministers are called God's seedsmen (1 Corinthians 9:11), therefore they must upon all occasions be scattering the blessed seed of the word: The sower must go forth and sow; yes, though the seed fall upon stones (as usually it does) yet we must disseminate, a…