Use of all.
1. Let us study to approve ourselves to God, before whom we, and all that we do, are manifest ; sincerity beginneth there, seeketh the approbation of God : ' He is commended whom God commendeth,' 1 Cor. X. 18. Our final sentence must come out of his mouth. Next let us look to this, that we glory not in appearance, but in heart, that we may have the solid rejoicing of conscience : Job xxvii. 6, ' My heart shall not reproach me till I die.' Faith, love and hope will only give us that ; not external privileges. Oh, then, let us keep np the majesty of our profession, that so we may have a testimony in the consciences of men : it will be our safety. In the primitive times they invested christians with bears' skins, and then baited them as bears. So Satan is first a liar, and then a murderer, 1 John ii. 4.
Use 2. Here is something to defend the poor ministers of Christ Jesus. I trust you desire to glorify God, and save souls, and that out of hope, fear and love. Some glory in outward advantages only, their church privileges ; but I trust we can glory in heart. They burden us with imputations. No enemies, next the devil, are like minister to minister : Ah iinplacabilibus odiis theologorum libera nos^Doniine! We all own the same bible, believe the same creed, are baptized into the same profession ; if any be more serious in it than others, should they therefore be discountenanced ? If it be their desire to save souls, and guide them to their eternal rest, it is ours also. So far as they glory in heart, we do even as they.
SERMON XX.
For whether ice he heside ourselves, it is to God ; or lohether we he sober, it is for your cause — 2 Cor. v. 13.
Paul, glorying in his fidelity, was charged by the false apostles with two things : (1.) That he was proud ; (2.) Mad. The first objection
VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. Ill
is answered, ver. 12 ; the second in the text. As to the charge of emotion of mind, or madness, (1.) There is a seeming concession, or taking their charge for granted : if it be madness, it is for God. His reply is, that he had spoken these things for God's gloiy, and their salvation : if I extol my ministry, which you count madness, it is for the glory of God, that the gospel be not brought into contempt ; if I speak humbly of myself, as becometh sober men, it is for your profit. (2.) By way of correction, he showeth the true cause of it, which was a high constraining love to Christ, ver. 14. Observe in the text two points —
1. That carnal men count the holy servants of God to be a sort of mad folks.
2. That a christian in all postures of spirit aimeth at the glory of God.
For the first point —
1. I shall show you, that it is so.
2. I shall inquire w^hat it is in Christianity that is usually counted madness.
3. The reasons of it.
4. To show how justly this may be retorted — to show that it is a perverse judgment and censure, which rather belongeth to themselves than those that fear God.
First, That it is so, the scriptures evidence, 2 Kings ix. 11. When God sent a prophet to anoint Jehu, the captain said, ' Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee ? ' God's messengers have been so accounted from time to time. So Jeremiah by Shemaiah, ' This man is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that tliou shouldst put him in prison, and in the stocks.' The same thought Festus of Paul : Acts xxvi. 24, ' Too much learning hath made thee mad. I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and soberness.' Yea, the Lord Jesus himself could not escape this imputation, no, not from his own kinsmen, for when he was abroad doing good, and promoting the affairs of his kingdom, and constituting apostles, it is said, Mark iii. 21, 'When his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold of him ; for they said, * He is beside himself,^ e^ecm], as here the false teachers i^ia-rrjfzev, ' if we be beside ourselves.' Another time his enemies : John x. 20, ' Many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad ; why hear ye him ? ' And still in all ages the zealous are counted frantic, fanatical, heady, rash, furious, and men beside themselves, because they have entirely given up themselves to do the will of God, whatever it costs them.
Secondly, What is that in Christianity which is usually counted mad- ness ? What it was in Paul, interpreters agree not. Grotius thinketh his enemies did upbraid him with his ecstasies; he was converted by a trance and rapture, whereof he giveth an account, 2 Cor. xii. 1-4, &c. Others, his selt- denial. Paul had no regard to himself ; his great purpose was to serve God and the church ; as here he professeth he was ready to be accounted mad or sober, so God might be glorified, and their profit promoted. Some, his acting or speaking in zeal, above that which is ordinarily called temper and sobriety, which is indeed the dull pace of the world. Certainly Paul was an extraordinary person, and had a deep sense of the other world, and therefore the carnal will be no fit