And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and the parents brought in the They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work re- Of suffering for righteousness' sake. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake : for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding SERMON I. OF SIMPLICITY AND GODLY SINCERITY. 2 COR. i. 12. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. AFTER the apostle's usual preface of affectionate benediction in the beginning of this Epistle, and his devout acknowledgment of the divine goodness to him in the consolation he received in all his troubles and afflictions; and which he assures the Corinthians, all that suffer for the sake of Christ shall in due time receive from the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort; he proceeds to acquaint them with his unexpected deliverance from the great danger he was lately in at Ephesus, caused by the uproar made by Demetrius and his comrades, upon his teaching, that they be no gods which are made with hands; so that their trade of making silver shrines for Diana, the great goddess of that city, and of all Asia, was like to come to nothinga. He tells them, that he then looked upon himself as one under sentence of death, just going to execution; and so utterly destitute of all human help, that no less power than that which can raise the dead could rescue and deliver him. But even in those sad circumstances, when he was pressed out of measure, as he expresses it, and above his strength, so that he despaired of life, he wanted not such comforts as were needful to support his sinking spirits; and as the sufferings of Christ abounded in him, so his consolation also abounded by Christ. And in my text he mentions one thing particularly that ministered great refreshments to him amidst that throng of sorrows which pressed so hard upon him, even the testimony of his conscience, that with respect to God, to them, and to all men, he had always faithfully discharged his duty; or, as he afterwards professed before Felix, had exercised himself to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and men; this, says he, ever was, is, and ever will be, in every condition, our rejoicing, (for in that latitude we ought to understand him,) even the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. In discoursing upon which words I shall do two things: I. First, shew what the apostle means by having one's conversation in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity. And, II. Secondly, recommend such a conversation as worthy every man's most careful endeavours, being indeed our greatest wisdom and our only perfection. I. And first, by having one's conversation in the world, the apostle, no doubt, means every man's intercourse with others, in that rank and station in which God's providence has placed him; and perb 2 Cor. i. 5. c Acts xxiv. 16. |