2 COR. 1. 12.
AT the eighth verse in this Chapter, the Apostle beginneth a Narrative of his troubles, which he describeth from the place where (in Asia:) Some think this relates to the tumult raised by Demetrius against him, Act. 19. but it may referre to the many troubles he had severally in Asia. In the next place, these are amplified by the quality of them, it was a pressure above measure, above strength, it was not […], an humane temptation; It was above the strength of nature, though not of grace. The heavinesse of it is expressed in that it made despair of life, to be altogether anxious not knowing any way to escape, insomuch that he had received the sentence of death in himself […], Though some understand it of some answer to be given immediatly by God, yet Beza doth most probably understand it as an expression from Malefactors who are sentenced to die: Further the Apostle illustrateth this from the finall cause, which was two-fold, first, not to trust in our selves; secondly, but in God which raiseth the dead. This is a comfortable consideration in all times of calamities, God who raiseth the dead. In the next place he declareth his deliverance amplified partly by their praiers for him, and partly by his sincerity towards them, so that in the words you have a twofold proposition: the first expresseth Pauls carriage in the world, especially in respect of his ministery, and that positively, then negatively; Positively in two emphaticall words, 1. […], simplicity, an heart that is not guileful, double, opposed to […], and […]; 2. […], sincerity, a word they say from the Eagle that tryeth her genuine young ones by the sun-beams, or rather in the sun-beams, there being both […], lux, or light, and by the light thereof we see the least motes, and thus it signifieth a man whose heart being inligh[…]ened findeth out all the secret and hidden motions of sinne, or else in the sun-beams there is […], heat, which doth separate those heterogeneal things that cold had congregated, and thus it doth signifie an heart purged from drosse, unmix’d with corrupt and sinfull ends, for as Aquinas observeth well, the soul may be joyned to things more noble then it self (as when silver is mingled with gold) and this doth not debase but ennoble the soul, for when it loveth God or is joyned to Christ, herein the soul is advanced: or secondly, it may be joyned to things inferiour to it, as when gold is mingled with lead, and this doth much debase and corrupt: now such a kinde of mixture is here denyed. The Apostle expresseth his carriage negatively, when he saith it was not in fleshly wisedom; wisedome may be called carnall or fleshly, either originally in respect of the fountain whence it floweth, or efficiently because it enclineth to, and produceth the works of the flesh, or finally, because it rules only for fleshly motives, and carnall ends. The second proposition in the Text is, that this sincere deportment of Paul in the work of his ministery, was a sign unto him, a […], a testimony and witnesse of that goodnesse and grace which was in him, and so by consequent the object of much joy and comfort to his soul.
Observ. Doct. That sincerity and uprightnesse of heart in our motives and ends, is a sure and infallible sign of our being in the state of grace. To this purpose John also speaks, 1 John 3. 21, 22. If our hearts condemn us not, we have boldnesse with God.1
For the opening of this point, let us consider how unsafely it may be prest for a sign in some particulars, and then wherein the nature of it lyeth.
First, It is unwarrantably prest when uprightnesse is urged to the exclusion of all2 respect unto any reward. For thus some do teach, Unlesse thou love God for himself, so that thou lookest neither at heaven or hell, unlesse in thy humiliation for sinne thou art so farre debased as to be willing to be damned, thy heart is not right. Hence I have read of one who passionately wished, there were neither heaven or hell, that so the party might know whether there was love to God purely, because of God. Whereupon many godly people are much troubled, and think the serving of God with eye to our salvation, is nothing but unlawfull self-love. But the pressing of uprightnesse to such a strain and measure is unlawfull and uncomfortable.
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Because the Scripture propounds heaven and salvation as a motive to obey3 him, now no Scripture-motive can draw out any unlawfull affection, and whatsoever Gods Word requireth, the Spirit of God worketh in the heart of beleevers, which could not be if this desire of salvation be a sinne: therefore we reade of Moses, yea, and Christ himself, that they had an eye (yea, a fixed, constant eye, and firm, as the word signifieth) upon the reward: yet these cannot be denied to have upright hearts, all amor mercedis is not amor mercenarius: let not therefore the people of God condemn themselves for hypocrites, because of such affections. It is true there is in the people of God an ingenuous and supernaturall principle, whereby they love God, and holy things, because of the excellency of them: Even as a carnall man loveth sinne, because of the suteablenesse of it with his own heart, but yet this is not exclusive of the love of our own happinesse: some make Gods glory and our happinesse, to differ as the supreme and subordinate ends, some as coordinate ends only; but to be sure, God hath so infallibly conjoyned them together, that one cannot be without the other.
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It’s uncomfortable, because it putteth a man upon the searching and finding out that which is impossible, for how canst thou ever come to know whether thou couldest be content to love God and serve him, if there were no heaven? Thou maist make metaphysicall abstractions about these things, but there can never be any reall separation of one from the other, and therefore it is impossible to know what thy heart would do in such cases. It is true, Paul Rom. 9. useth an hyperbolicall expression, I could wish to be an Anathema for my brethrens sake, that is, to be separated from Christ, and all communion with his priviledges, that so the Jews might be saved, for the saving of all them might seem to make more for Gods glory then the salvation of one man; but the Apostle speaks not absolutely I do wish, but I could wish, viz. if it were possible, or if it were lawfull; and in this he doth declare the vehemency of his love toward them. It is therefore good both for Ministers and people to be wary, that they lay no snares upon others or themselves in this point.