On 2 :.Or. r. Y 2. 2v1 á man defigns a good end to be compaffed by flethly wif- dom, without confulting Confcience in it, tho' he fhould Thcceed, it will never give him peace. Therefore, when Paul cornes to Corinth to preach the gofpel, he de- clares that he will not preach or difpute to make a thew of his learning or fcholar-craft, nor to draw peoples re- fpe& at d applaufe to himlelf,as the falfe teachers did ; but, with holy fimplicity, he plainly in iru &s them rn the know - ledge of the truth, and reproves impartially their faults, and fo commits the fuccefs to God. Thus a minifter may finfully follow this rule or guide of flefhly wifdom to come by a good end, to wit, the keeping of people from cafling at his miniftry : Thefe falfe teachers that were in Corinth, who did not (it may be) preach grofs errors, and might poffibly think they had force good end; yet, in their preaching, through much flefhly wifdom, they fought themfelves, and made it their great work to gain the peoples refpe& and applaufe, by conniving at their faults, rather than to profit them, and to gain their fouls : Wo, wo to fuch miniflers, who wink at the fins of their bearers, that they may infinuate themfelves on them, and court their favours. But, doily to our point, we fay,That, tho' men lhould have never fo good an end, flefhly wif- dom and carnal policy will never minifter ground of a good teftimony from them their Confcience unto them. A 3d falfe ground is implied. in thefe words, But by the grace of God, viz. as the principle of his a &ions and walk : Which infinuates, ifl, That there are force good things which men may do, not from a principle of grace, but it may be from a merely moral principle of pity, or a principle of natural courage,or the like; where- in, however beneficial and acceptable thefe things may be to particular perfons, or to humane focieties, yet they can lay no folid ground of peace. idly, It infinuates, that the thing that makes a man acceptable, and furnifhes a good teftimony to his Confcience, is, when he doth things from a principle of grace fwaying and ftrengthning brim ; and where this principle is not, Confcience can never give a well- grounded teftimony to a man, fuppofe 2e thould preach and difpute for the truth, and give hÿs
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