2 Corinthians 12:2-6

(2) I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such a one caught up to the third heaven. (3) And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) (4) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (5) Of such a one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. (6) For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

There are so many precious and blessed things contained in this vision the Apostle was favored with, that I can only glance at them in the mere outlines of the subject, without entering largely into the particulars.

And first. The Apostle saith, that he knew a man in Christ; and there can be no doubt, from what he soon after added, concerning the abundance of revelations given to him (2 Corinthians 12:7 ), that he meant himself. And it was no uncommon thing, in the Eastern world, for men to speak of themselves as in the third person. Indeed it is not unusual now. And upon the present occasion, Paul studied to avoid all vain-glory. By the expression itself of a man in Christ, it Is plain Paul meant one of Christ's people, his seed, his chosen. And of all these it must be said, that every individual of Christ's seed was in Christ from all eternity, for they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4 . And all the purposes and grace designed the Church in time, with the sure hope of eternal life in the world to come, were all given to every individual of the Church , before the world began, 2 Timothy 1:9 ; Titus 1:2 . Of Christ's whole seed, it may be truly said, as was said by the Holy Ghost of Levi, being in the loins of his father Abraham, when Melchizedeck met him; so all of Christ's seed were in Him, and He their everlasting Father from all eternity, Hebrews 7:10 ; Isaiah 9:6 . Hence those sweet promises: Isaiah 59:21; Isaiah 59:21 .

A man in Christ is one of the members of Christ's mystical body: And having been chosen in Christ, when Christ at the call of God; stood up the Head and Husband of his people before all worlds; so; in the time-state of the Church, every man in Christ is proved to belong to Christ by regeneration, adoption, justification, and grace. Hence, as Paul elsewhere saith, his life is hid with Christ in God; Colossians 3:3 , a life of secresy, security, and interest in all that belongs to Christ. He is, therefore, properly called one in Christ, beheld in Christ, accepted in Christ, justified in Christ, sanctified in Christ, and must be , finally, glorified in Christ. And thus the Holy Ghost testifieth: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified, Romans 8:29-30 . Reader! are you a man in Christ?

In relation to the time of this vision, with which Paul was favored, the Apostle dates it about fourteen years before the time that he wrote this Epistle. And it appears, at the close of the next chapter that he wrote it from Philippi; consequently, it must have been about the year 60 when written, and fourteen years before would place the vision in the eleventh year after his conversion. Some have conceived that this vision is the same, which is spoken of when Paul arrived at Jerusalem, Acts 22:17 . But it should, seem to have been a perfectly distinct revelation, and to a very different purport from that. It appears to me, I confess, to have been a very glorious manifestation of the Person of Christ, similar, or perhaps in greater degree, to those with which the saints of God in the Old Testament were favored, for the special comfort of those holy servants of the Lord, as well as for the general confirmation of the faith. But, certain it is, that the revelation was so abundant and overwhelming, that during the continuance of it, the Apostle was altogether unconscious of any bodily sensations. See Ezekiel 8:3 ; Daniel 8:27; Daniel 8:27 ; Revelation 1:10 .

The paradise, or third heaven, the Apostle speaks of (for he calls it by both names,) evidently mean one and the same; and seems to be in conformity to the Jewish notions; who, when speaking at any time of heaven, were accustomed to call it paradise. There doth not, however, appear any reason assigned wherefore it is called the third heaven. The generally received opinion is, that it is the blessed habitation of the spirits of just men made perfect, Luke 23:43 . Several scriptures seem to favor the opinion, but none decide. And, as the Holy Ghost is silent on the subject, it becomes us to be also, and not presume to be wise above what is written, Revelation 6:9-10 . Indeed there is nothing so weak as men's conjectures on subjects of this sublime nature. Paul's own account of this is that had heard unspeakable words or such as a man cannot utter. How then can another explain, or even form an idea of them? Reader! it is enough, for the exercise of faith, to receive from God the Holy Ghost the record of the fact. Here then we ought to rest. It is a sad misuse of the word of God, when upon any exercise of mystery we become reasoners instead of believers.

I pray the Reader to notice the Apostle's words, when passing by all glorying on account of the wonderful condescension of his Lord, he declares his wish, rather to glory in his infirmities. By which we are to suppose Paul meant, not the desperately wicked state of his heart in the days of his unregeneracy, for there could be nothing to glory in them; but rather the circumstances, which, arising out of a fallen state, made Christ dear, and kept the soul humble. And, indeed, the word infirmities means as much. Some have thought the infirmities Paul alluded to, were only such as he mentions in the tenth verse, where be speaks of taking pleasure in them, in being reproached and persecuted for Christ's sake. And, no doubt, these exercises afforded much satisfaction when ever, in suffering shame for the name of Jesus, Acts 5:41 . But had these been all, and Paul had had no other infirmities in himself to be humbled for; it is to be apprehended by what we see and know of human nature, that instead of glorying in infirmities which kept the soul humble and made Christ dear, Paul, as well as other saints of God, would have become proud of what some men talk of, but none in themselves know, a fancied holiness, inherent in themselves, and which must render in their view, Christ less and less necessary. Reader! I pray you to pause over the subject, and may God the Holy Ghost be your teacher. Paul felt, if I mistake not, what all the children taught of God feel, daily infirmities from a body of sin and death, which makes the Lord Jesus dear, yea, increasingly dear and precious. And those infirmities compelled him to seek strength from Christ, in like manner as the hunger of an healthy man compels him to seek food. Paul's daily wants, daily cravings, daily emptiness, taught him that he could not live upon past attainments, but Jesus was needful every day, and all the day, and without those supplies from the Lord, he should go lean and barren. It was not the having been caught up to the third heaven would satisfy his soul, when he found his soul afterwards encompassed by a body of flesh and blood, and returned to the earth. He, therefore, gloried that those infirmities made him sensible where he was, and how increasingly needful Christ was to keep him humble, and exalt the Savior. And very sure I am, that every child of God, truly taught of God, knows the same by daily experience. My sense of sin makes Christ's blood precious. My poverty in spirituals gives A blessed occasion to seek and make use of his riches. And my conscious weakness, unless supported and upheld by the Lord my righteousness, makes me continually cry out: Hold thou me up, and shall be safe: and then shall I have respect unto thy statutes continually, Psalms 119:117 . Reader! what knowledge have you of these things? When a child, of God makes use of his experiences in this way, that by feeling and knowing in himself his own nothingness, and his wants of Jesus increasing, and his desires after Jesus more pressing; this is to make our experiences profitable, because they lead to Christ instead of leading from Christ. But when men live, as, the major part of those who profess the truths of God do live, upon a work, as they suppose, wrought in them, rather than what Christ hath wrought for them, and instead of drawing comfort wholly from Christ, they take it from themselves, magnifying the effect before the cause; this is inverting things, and living upon Christ, if it can be called living, at second hand. Better to be humbled with an infirmity, than made proud with some supposed merit. Reader! do not dismiss the subject without due consideration!