1. He shews a reason why many should pray for him, and (five thanks on his behalf. You have cause, saith he, ' for our rejoicing is this, the testi- mony of our conscience,' &c. Therefore if many of you give thanks to God for me, it is your duty. My conscience bears me witness that I have carried myself well towards you. You have cause to pray for us, and to praise God for our deliverance, for you have received much good by us. God conveys much good by public persons to those that are under them. Therefore there ought to be many prayers, and many thanks, for them.
2. And again, they ought to pray and give thanks for him, because they should not lose their labour, they should not lose their prayers, their incense ; because it should be for a man that was gi-acious with God, that had the testimony of his conscience that he walked in simplicity and godly sincerity, as he saith, ' Pray for us, for we are assured that we have a goo:l conscience,' Heb. xiii. 18. So they are a reason of the former.
3. Another thing that he aims at is, the prevent iny^ of some imputations. He was accused in their thoughts at least, and by the words of some false teachers, that were his worst enemies, as you have no enemy, next to the devil, to a minister, like a minister. If a man would see the spirit of the devil, let him look to some of them. St Paul had many enemies, many false brethren, that laid false imputations upon him to disparage him in the thoughts of others, in the thoughts of his hearers. They accounted him an inconstant man, that he came not to them when he promised ; and that he suffered affliction, and it was like enough for some desert. They ac- counted him a despicable man. He suflered afflictions in the world. He wanted discretion to keep himself out of the cross. Nay, saith he, what- soever you impute to me, and lay upon me, ' our rejoicing is this, the tes- timony of our conscience,' &c.
4. Again, he aims at this, to lay the blame njwn those false brethren who deserved it. They think I am a deceiver, they think I am wily. No ! I do not walk so, I do not walk in fleshly wisdom as they do that seek themselves, and not you. So I say, St Paul aims at divers things in bring- ing in these words.
We see here, first of all, that
Doct. The more eminent a man is for place and gifts, the more he should be prayed for, and the more thanks should be yiven for him.
You have cause, saith St Paul, to do it for me ; for our rejoicing is this, that 'we have walked in simplicity and sincerity, &c., and more abundantly to j'-ou-ward.' St Paul was a brother as he was a Christian. He v/as a father, in regard he had called them to the faith ; and he was an apostle. In all regards they ought to praise God for him ; because he was a father, because he was the father of them, * you have not many fathers,' saith he, * That is, ' anticipating.* — G.
204 COMMENTARY ON
and because ho was an apostle, a man eminent, by whose means Goil con- Toyc'd a world of good to the chnrch.
To make way to the main thiii'^, observe this in general, that
Obs. ell) ist ions are often driven to their ajtolai/i/.
Especially ministers, the fathers of Christians. Holy men in the church are driven to their apology and defence ; because those that shine in their own consciences, wicked men labour to darken them in their reputation, that their own wickedness may be the less seen and observed. It hath alway been the policy of Satan, and of wicked men, that so all might seem alike, to laj' aspersions upon those that were better men than themselves. Bt Paul is forced to make his apolog}% to retire to the testimony of his conscience. ' Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience,' &c.
Use. Therefore make this use of it, not to thi)ik it strawje if ice be dtiven to our apolo(/ij.
Quest. But some may say, Is not the life the best apology ? as St Peter saith, * that you may stop the mouths of gainsayers.'
Ans. Yes, of all apologies life is the best, to oppose to all imputations ; but notwithstanding it is not enough.
A man is cruel if he make not his apology and defence sometimes. Because his imputations - tend to the hurt of others, being public persons, especially ministers, who have so much authority in the hearts of people, as they can gain by their good life and desert. And if any imputation he upon them, they are to clear it in words. Their life will not serve the turn, but they must otherwise make their apolog}^ if it be needful, for themselves, as St Paul doth here. It is not only lawful, but expedient sometimes, to speak by way of commendation of ourselves.
In what cases ?
1. Not only in case of thankfulness to God, to praise God for his graces in us.