2. And likewise in case of example to others, a man may speak of God's work in him, he may tell what God hath done for his soul, and in his soul, that God may have glory, and others may have benefit.
3. But likewise in the third place, and it was St Paul's case here, a man may speak of himself, by way of apology and defence, that the truth sufier not. It is a kind of betraying the cause, for a man to be silent when he is so accused. Though, as I said, a good life be the best apology, and except there be a good life the verbal apology is to little purpose, yet the apology of life ofttimes in public persons is too little. In these cases we must speak of oui'selves, and of the good things of God in us.
Quest. But another query f may be here. May a man glory in that which is in him, of the grace of God that is in him ? Our glorying should be in Christ, in the obedience and righteousness of Christ, and in God re- conciled through Christ. Can a Christian glory in anything that is in him, which is imperfect ?
Ans. I answer briefly, St Paul doth not here glory in the court of justifi- cation, but in the court of a Christian conversation. Therein a man may glory in the work of grace in him, in those inward works, and the works that flow from them. "When a man is to deal with men, he may set forth his Hfe, nay, when a man is to deal with God, he may set forth his sincerity, not, I say, in the court of justification, but in the court of sanctification, and a holy life. There good works are the ornament of the spouse. They are her jewels. But come to the court of justification, all are dung, as the * That is, imputations against Mm. — G. t Spelled ' quere.' — G.
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 12. 205
apostle saith, 'all are dung aud dross,' Philip, iii. 8; not worthy to be named. They are not able, they are not strong enough. All that comes from us, and all that is in us, it is not able to bear us out in glorying in the court of justification. ' All are stained as menstruous cloths,' Isa. xxx. 22.
But mark, St Paul speaks of glorying before men, of a sanctified life. He glories not in his conversation and sincerity as a title, but he glories in it as an evidence that his title is good. That whereby he hath his title, is only by the righteousness of Christ. That he hath heaven, and is free from hell, that is the title. But what evidence have you that Christ and his righteousness is yours ? There must be somewhat wrought in you, and that is sincere walking. So he allegeth it as an evidence of his state in grace, that that was good. So we see in what case he gloried in his sincerity.
To come to the words.
For the words themselves, they contain the blessed temper of St Paul's spirit in the midst of disgraces, in the midst of imputations. The temper of his spirit it was joyful, glorying.
' Our rejoicing is this.' The ground of it is, ' the testimony of our con- science.'
The matter whereof conscience doth witness and testify, it is conversa- tion. That is the thing testified of.
And the manner positively, ' in simplicity and godly sincerity.' ' In simplicity.' You would think this to be a simple commendation, to com- mend himself for simplicity ; but it is a godly simplicity, whereby we are like to God, to be simple without mixture of sin and hypocrisy, without mixture of error and falsehood. That simplicity that is despised by carnal wretches that stain and defile their consciences, and call them what you will, so you account them not simple. They despise the term of an honest, simple man.
Simplicity is not here taken for a defect of knowledge, as the word is commonly used, but for an excellency whereby we resemble God ; that is, free from all mixture of sin and ignorance. ' In simplicity and godly sin- cerity.' And then negatively, ' not in fleshly wisdom.'
And then, because this setting out of himself might seem to be ostenta- tion, to set down his glorying in his conscience, and in his simplicity, here is a qualification of it likewise. Indeed Igloiy in my simplicity, and sincerity, that is, in my conversation ; but it is by the grace of God. By the grace of God my conversation hath been in godly sincerity, and not in fleshly wisdom. For St Paul was wondrous jealous of his heart, for fear of pride ; not I, saith he, ' I laboured more than they all ; 0, not I, but the grace of God that was in me,' 1 Cor. xv. 10. He was afraid of the least insinuation of spiritual pride, and so he saith here ' Our rejoicing is the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity, by the grace of God.'
And then the extent of this conversation, thus in simplicity and sincerity, in regard of the object. It hath been thus, ' In the world, towards all men that I have conversed with. They can say as much, wheresoever I have lived ; ' Aud more abundantly to you- ward.' My care and conscience hath been to carry myself as I should, ' more abundantly to you-ward,' with whom I have lived longest. This is an excellent evidence of a good man, that he is best liked where he is best known. Now St Paul had lived long amongst them, and he was their father in Christ ; and therefore, saith he, my conversation is known, especially to you-ward.