upon iny soul, that, to spare you, I came not as yet unto Corinth^" But in the Epistle to the Romans we have a more remarkable instance. It was supposed by the Jews, that the Apostle's love to the Gentiles necessarily argued a want of love towards his brethren of the Jewish nation : and he, in order to silence for ever such an accusation, says, " I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me wit- ness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness, and con- tinual sorrow in my heart for my brethren™," What forbids then that we should have the same testimony respecting our principles, and that we should be able to make the same appeal to Almighty God ? If we have really walked as before him, we " have the same witness of it in ourselves"," and may say with Job, " He knoweth the way that I take : when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps : his way have I kept, and not declined"."]
Blessed is that man who has such an evidence within him ! but no words can adequately describe,
III. The comfort which such a testimony will pro- duce—
It was a matter of no small comfort to the Apostle that he had this testimony. And to every one who possesses it, it is a solid ground of joy and triumph p. It is of unspeakble comfort,
1. Under the reproaches and calumnies of men —
[The servants of God will always be hated and calum- niated by an ungodly world : and, generally speaking, the more zealous they are in the discharge of their duty, the more virulent will be the opposition made to them. We have seen already the construction which the Apostle's enemies at Corinth put on the delay of his journey thither : and in other parts of this epistle we are told, that he was represented by them as " walking after the flesh i," and as " craftily endeavouring to catch men with guile'." And it is highly probable that those who did not understand the principles on which he acted, would speak of him as the most changeable and inconsistent of men ; sometimes observing days and ceremonies, and at other times violently opposing the observance of them. But he cared little for their censures, when he had the testimony of his own conscience that he was acting right. Thus it is that pious characters are judged at this day. People are glad
• ver. 2,3. "» Rom. ix, 1, 2. » 1 John v. 10.
" Job xxiii. 10, 11. p (covx»/''''c. ^ 2 Cor. x, 2, 3.
■^ 2 Cor. xii. 16.