V£R. 8.] SERMONS UPON PHIL1PPIANS III. 21
SERMON III.
Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. — Phil. iii. 8.
This is the first end or reason why he contemned all things. There are three propositions in the words —
1. That the knowledge of Christ is so excellent, that a gracious heart counteth all things dung and loss rather than miss it.
2. That Christ Jesus must be known as the Lord.
3. That there should be some application when we consider Christ or address ourselves to him.
I. For the first point, that the knowledge of Christ is so excellent that a gracious heart counteth all things dung and loss rather than miss it — (1.) What knowledge he speaketh of ; (2.) Why it is so prized.
First, What knowledge he speaketh of. Knowledge is twofold — (1.) A bare speculative knowledge ; (2.) Affective and saving.
1. For the first, this is a privilege, to know Christ. It is a mystery hidden from ages, and it is hidden from a great part of the world unto this day. Therefore the bare naked knowledge and contemplation of Christ is a great mystery, is a great privilege. Angels desire to pry into it : 1 Peter i. 12, ' Which things the angels desire to look into.' Have higher apprehensions of God by the revelation of this mystery to the church : Eph. iii. 10, ' To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.' But yet if we content ourselves with this general speculative knowledge of Christ, we may perish eternally. As the old world saw an ark built before them, with vast expense and charge, but whilst they entered not into it themselves, they were drowned in the flood. The light of the gospel shineth in the world, but if the darkness comprehendeth it not, but men love darkness more than light, their condemnation is the greater, John iii. 19. Certainly this specu- lative knowledge is not here meant, but an applicative knowledge : ' My Lord,' an operative and effectual knowledge ; for he presently addeth, ' That I may gain Christ,' an experimental knowledge ; for ver. 10, he explaineth himself, ' That I may know him, and the power of his resur- rection.'
2. A saving knowledge, such as is accompanied with faith, love, and obedience. There is memorative knowledge, such as children have, whereby the field of memory is planted with the seeds of know- ledge, so as they are able to speak of God and Christ by rote ; and opinionative knowledge, by which men are orthodox in judgment, and can dispute for the truth ; but wisdom entereth not upon the heart, as it is Prov. ii. 10. They have a form of godliness, but not the power, a naked model of gospel truth : 2 Tim. iii. 5, ' Having a form of godli- ness, but denying the power thereof.' But there is, besides this, a saving knowledge, such as is accompanied with faith, love, and obedience.
[1.] With faith, which is a certain knowledge and persuasion of the truth of our redemption by Christ upon sufficient evidence, so as
22 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SeR. III.
we may venture our souls and alt our interests in his hands : John vi. 69, ' And we believe, and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God ; ' Acts ii. 36, ' Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ ; ' John xvii. 8, ' And have known surely that I came out from thee.' So in many other places faith is expressed by knowledge ; as concerning the future recompenses : Rom. viii. 28, ' And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God ; ' 1 John iii. 2, ' But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is ; ; 2 Cor. v. 1, ' For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dis- solved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.' Faith goeth not upon hearsay or the tradition of man ; it consists not in some light credulity or some loose and wavering conjectures, but is a certain knowledge of the truth concern- ing Christ's person and offices, and the glorious things purchased thereby, called the ' Assurance of understanding,' Col. ii. 2. Faith addeth certainty and efficacy.
[2.] It is a knowledge accompanied with esteem and love. We never know God in Christ as we ought to know him unless we love hini as well as know him : 1 Cor. viii. 2, ' And if any man think he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.' A gracious heart seeth more beauty and excellency in Christ than in all the world. This is the true knowledge of Christ, to know him, and prize him, and embrace him as our Lord and Saviour, and prefer him above all things ; to prize him more than all my goods, more than all my friends, yea, more than myself. This appreciative knowledge is that which is here spoken of, and is the fruit of certain persuasion : Heb. xi. 13, ' And being persuaded of them, they embraced them.'