The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 97

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-6.-Glory qf the apostolw ministry; how its duties we1·e discharqed. It is still "this ministry." 'l'he question, "Who is sufficient for these things?" has been answered in part by a state~ent of his "sincerity " and " plainness of speech," and ~e now_ proceeds to speak ?f hIS courage and steady zeal. " We faint not," allowing no difficulties or dangers t:<> dishearten us. But what was the nature or spirit of this resolute energy? Energetic men, brave men, who are bent on their purpose, are not always choice or chary of the means employed to gain their ends. "Hidden thincrs of dishonesty," plots, schemes concocted in secret, were renounced, nor did he in any w;;y adulterate the gospel. Not only did he preach the Word, hut he delivered it as received from the Lord Jesus. The mirror was kept clean and bright, so as to reflect the image. Of course, he contrasted himself with his opponents, who used intrigues to acquire influence. If certain men handled the Word of God deceitfully, he was not one of that number, for his single aim was; "by manifestation of the truth," to commend himself "to every man's conscience in the sight of God." Divine truth, such as the gospel c::mtained, was a manifestation, a showi11.g of ita real and intrinsic character, to the only faculty competent to receive it as a 11elf-evidencing system; and that faculty was the conscience. Reason lies back of all our reasoning, and is greater and truer than our formal logic. Instinct antedates experience, and is the condition precedent to experience. And these instincts with their intuitions constitute their own evidence and form the basis of all knowledge. St. Paul argued that the spi.titual doctrines of the gospel, if faithfully presented to the conscience, would be recognized and accepted by conscience as the truth of God. History is history; testimony is testimony; judgment is judgment; coOBCience is conscience; a!ld he will not disparage any one of these to exalt another, but will keep each in its place according to the constitution of our nature. Yet the human mind, made in God's image, must be master of its impressions, sovereign over its motives, lord of itself when most obedient to God; and, accordingly, it must have a conscience to witness "magisterially," as Bishop Butler puts it, for the authority of God. It was not to worldly taste and selfish intellect St. Paul appealed in preaching the gospel, nor to low and mercenary feelings of any kind, but to the conscience as the supreme sense of right in man. And was this all? Nay; they commended themselves, their persons, their private and public lives, their experience and conduct, to the consciences of others. Witness what we are, what we do, how we live, as well as what we preach, was St. Paul's argument. No man enjoyed true appreciation and love more than he; but, most of all, he sought the testimony of their conscience that he was their servant for Chri:it's sake, and was in no respect crafty and dishonest in his relations to the brethren. Private character and public charaoter are, alas I too often disjoined, and not seldom arc opposites; but St. Paul thought that gifts and graces should go together. What he professed as an apostle he would practise as a man, and in each respect he would com- mend himself to conscience. On no account would he have tho confidence and regard of the Church except so far as he impreHsed this purest and Hafest kind of human judgment. And he did this most solemnly, "in the sight of God." Observe, then, it was not to their consciousness but conscience, to which his ministry, character, Ami life appealed. Nor was this limited to the Church. It was exhibited before all, believers and unbe- lievers, a 11avour of !if,,, a 8avonr of dc-alh. The manilestation of t.he truth would commend itself to every u1an'11 o )nscicnce; aud yet the general verdict- of conecicnc11 OH, 1v, 1-18,] 'l'.l:IE SECOND EPISTLE '1'0 THE CORIN'l'HIANS. 07