Christians — viz., babes, children, young men, and old men."'- Noah was not a babe, nor a child, nor a young man, but an old man in grace and holiness ; and therefore he is said to be perfect. There are several forms in Christ's school, some higher, some lower. Now he that is in the highest form may be said to be perfect, in regard of those that are in a lower or in the lowest form. Now Noah was in the highest form of grace and godliness, therefore he is said to be perfect ; and in this sense, I suppose. Job is said to be a perfect man : Job i. 1, 8, ' There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job ; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil ? ' Job was a very consider- able person ; he was a man of a choice spirit, he was taller in good- ness, and higher by the head and shoulders in grace and godliness, than any of the saints in that age and corner of the world where he lived. Job was a man of the greatest weight and worth for holiness that was in all the world. Job was a nonsuch ; no Christians could come near him ; as he was the greatest, so he was the best of the best of all the saints that were in the East for heights of grace and holi- ness ; he was a giant, and all the Christians round about him were but as so many dwarfs ; he was the paragon of his time ; for piety and sanctity none could parallel him, none could match him ; and in this sense we are to understand the apostle, both in that 1 Cor. ii. 6, ' We speak wisdom among them that are perfect,' and in that Phil, iii, 15, ' Let as many as be perfect be thus minded.' He speaks here not of an absolute perfection, for such a perfection himself disclaimeth in ver. 12, ' Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect ; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.' By the force of the original word, that is here rendered follow,^ the apostle declares that he had perfection in chase, as it were, and that his spirit was with much heat and eagerness carried out in pursuing after it, and resolved not to rest till he had attained to it. An absolute perfection is very desirable on earth, but shall never be obtained till we come to heaven. Absolute perfection is not the privilege of saints militant, but of saints triumph- ant ; and therefore the perfection that the believing Corinthians and holy Philippians had attained to, was not an absolute but a compara- tive perfection ; they were perfect in comparison of those that were but babes and shrubs and dwarfs in Christ. And it is a very high and honourable report that the apostle gives of the Corinthians in that 2 Cor. viii. 7, ' Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, in utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us ; see that ye abound in this grace also/ And it is a very large testimony that the same apostle gives of the Romans in that Rom. xv. 14, ' And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye are also full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.' Now the fulness the apostle speaks of is not a ful-
1 1 Pet. ii. 2 ; 1 John ii. 12-14 ; Heb. v. 12-14.
' biwKos, I persecute, I follow with as hot and as eager a spirit after perfection as per- Bccutors do follow after those they persecute.
HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 345
ness of parts, for the weakest believer as well as the strongest is at first conversion renewed and sanctified in every part, though it be but in part and imperfect ; and this is a fulness of parts. But of this fulness the apostle does not speak. But then there is a fulness of degrees. Now this fulness is either an absolute fulness, or a comparative fulness. The apostle is to be understood of a comparative fulness. The Romans were full of all goodness and knowledge, in comparison of those in whom Christ was but newly formed, and in whom the work of grace was but newly erected ; and they were full of all goodness and know- ledge now, in comparison of what they were at their first acquaintance with Christ, and first acceptance of Christ, and first resignation of themselves to Christ, and at their first marriage union and communion with Christ. And thus you see, by the experiences of other saints, that it is possible for you to attain to higher degrees of grace and holiness than any those are that yet you have attained to. But,