It is the easiest thing in the w^orld to be pohtic, to be naught, to double. The nature of man teacheth a man to be false. Man's heart is full of naughtiness. It is a hard thing for a man to be one ; and till a man be a gracious man, he shall be a double man.
Therefore you must take heed of a fault, which is called the abuse of signs, of such signs as serve to express what a man is inwardly. Let your inward disposition and the signs that express it accord. The signs of expression that come from one man to another are speech, writing, countenance, and the like.
A man should not be one thing within, and his speech another. He should not be one thing, and his writing another. He should not be one thing, and any other expression another.
* That is, ffpo'crwffcii', = a face, visage ; and T|&(ri;-s/'oi', = a personification. — G.
802 COMMENTARY ON
This abuse of signs and expressions, when they are one way, and the heart another, besides the odiousnoss of it to God (as being contrary both to his nature and to his word, it is contrary to his nature ; for he is simple and sincere, he is one in all, * there is no shadow of change in him,' James i. 17, there is no mixture. As it is contrar}' to his nature, so it is contrary to his word, that bids us not ' dissemble nor lie one to another,' Col. iii. 9), it makes a man most like the devil, who never appears in his own shape, but always in another. He comes in our friends as ' an angel of light,' '2 Cor. xi. 14. He never discovers himself in his own colours. Besides all these and such like respects, it is the overthrow, it cuts the sinews, of human society ; for what is the band of human society but the intercourse by speech, and writing, and the like ? Now, if there be abuse of these signs, that they are one thing and we another, that we do not express what is the true thought and impression of our hearts, all society is dissolved.
Therefore we cannot too much hate popish principles, of not keeping fidelity with heretics, as they call them. It is the custom of them to deal so. As you know in a war of theirs with the Turks — the story is well known — when the cardinals had broken their promise, alter they had in a manner gotten the victory, the Turks even cried to Christ that he would revenge their treachery ; and the Turks came again upon them, and over- came them, and gave them a mighty overthrow (a a a). Their gi'oss principle of equivocation, and the like, which stands in the abuse of expressions and signs ! Yea, their abuse of the blessed sign and seal, an oath, which is the sign of all truth between man and man. Their abuse of the sacrament too ! They have abused all God's signs, and all to ill purposes, to swear with private reservations ; whereas the old principle of Isidore is constantly and everlastingly true (bbb), ' Conceive the oath as you will, it must be understood as he to whom it is sworn understands it, and not as he that swears.' Therefore undoubtedly popery must fall every day ; * and judicious men, though they be not gracious, they see it must fall. It should make us hate them deeply, because the courses they take ai'e the overthrow of society. This abuse of expressions, of that excellent gift that God hath given, namely, the tongue, whereby what is in my heart another man may imderstand ; and also writing, whereby a man may convey his mind many hundred miles. Now, these excellent gifts that God hath given for society, for men to turn them against God, and against society, it must needs provoke the majesty of God.
And as it is a sin against society, so it is a sin that is punished by society. All men must needs hate them that do so. Those that have no other argu- ment against popery, they have argument enough from their equivocation. Those that are not subtle-headed to see other things, when they look to the gunpowder treason and to their equivocation, there is argument enough for any plain, simple man to hate popery.
Therefore let us be like ourselves in all that we do to God or to men. I had occasion to press the point when I spake of simplicity, therefore I will not dwell further on it.
' I nrite no other Ihinrj than what you read or acknoivledge.' He means, they acknowledged it in their heart and conscience. What I write of my conversation, that which you have heard, it is no other than that you read, and you acknowledge it too ; for they had felt the power of his ministry. Whence first of all observe, that
Qu. ' way ? ' — Ed.
2 CORINTHUNS CHAP. I, VEK. 13. 303
Obs. Where the minister converseth by the grace of God, and not by car)ntl wisdom, God is not only icise in him, but for him.
He is gracious and good for him, he gives him success in the hearts of others. When a man is led by the Spirit of God, the same Spirit that guides him in speaking, guides his auditors in hearing, and gives a sweet and a strong report in their hearts of what he saith, What I write of myself you acknowledge, that my conversation hath been in sincerity ; and not only my conversation, but my doctrine ; every way you have acknowledged me. The same Spirit that guided me to do so, wrought in you an acknow- ledgment of it in your conscience.