12. _We have had our conversation in the world_, secondly, _in godly sincerity_. The difference between simplicity and sincerity seems to be chiefly this: simplicity regards the intention itself, sincerity, the execution of it. And this sincerity relates not barely to our words, but to our whole conversation, as described above. It is not here to be understood in that narrow sense, wherein St. _Paul_ himself sometimes uses it, for speaking the truth, or abstaining from guile, from craft and dissimulation. But in a more extensive meaning, as actually hitting the mark which we aim at by simplicity. Accordingly it implies in this place, that we do in fact speak and do all to the glory of God; that all our words are not only pointed at this, but actually conducive thereto; that all our actions flow on in an even stream, uniformly subservient to this great end: and that in our whole lives, we are moving strait toward God, and that continually; walking steddily on in the highway of holiness, in the paths of justice, mercy and truth. 13. This sincerity is termed by the apostle, godly sincerity, or the sincerity of God, (εἰλικρίνεια Θεοῦ,) to prevent our mistaking or confounding it with the sincerity of the Heathens: (for they had also a kind of sincerity among them, for which they professed no small veneration) likewise to denote the object and end of this, as of every Christian virtue; seeing whatever does not ultimately tend to God, sinks among _the beggarly elements of the world_. By styling it, the sincerity of God, he also points out the author of it, the _Father of lights, from whom every good and perfect gift descendeth_: which is still more clearly declared in the following words, _Not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God_. 14. _Not with fleshly wisdom._ As if he had said, We cannot thus converse in the world, by thy natural strength or understanding, neither by any naturally-acquired knowledge or wisdom. We cannot gain this simplicity, or practise this sincerity, by the force either of good sense, good nature, or good breeding. It overshoots all our native courage and resolution, as well as all our precepts of philosophy. The power of custom is not able to train us up to this, nor the most exquisite rules of human education. Neither could I _Paul_ ever attain hereto, notwithstanding all the advantages I enjoyed, so long as I was _in the flesh_, in my natural state, and pursued it only by _fleshly_, natural _wisdom_.