xins. I answer, St Paul then had a new esteem and judgment ; he had a new light which shewed him much corruption, where before he saw none. This meets with weak Christians, that think themselves unconverted and castaways, because they see a great deal of sin in them. Paul was without blame ; now * miserable man, who shall deliver me?' Ptom. vii. 24. Chris- tians therefore are to be comforted ; and to know that they are not the worse because they see themselves sinful daily more and more, but that they are better, as to whom God does daily bestow the light of his Holy Spirit, to make them see more clearly into their estates. We know that we see only the motes where the sun shineth ; yet cannot we deny but all the air is as full as that part which the sun enlighteneth. ', Let not such therefore be discouraged, but let them know where there is any opposition, there is spirit as well as flesh ; and that at length the spirit will have the victory.
VERSE 7. But what tilings were gain to me, those I count Joss for Christ.
1. Those things and privileges that formerly he counted gain, noiv he counts them loss.
2. It is good therefore to teach hy example ; as St Paul does here enforce rules by his own experience and example.
It is also expedient sometimes to speak of "prerogatives and privileges that a man hath in himself ; and it is not universal- that we must not speak of anything that might concern our own praise. For we may do it as St Paul does here, to beat down the pride of others that are vain-glorious ; or we may, as Paul does, lift up ourselves to abase and beat down ourselves the lower.
3. In the third place, xohen God vouchsafes his children any outward pri- vileges, he doth it for the good and help of others, though we see it not at the first. Paul had these privileges, that he might beat down the pride of the Jews more powerfully. And Solomon had all abundance of wisdom, riches, and the like. Why '? But only that he might without control judge of all, as of ' vanity and vexation of spirit ; ' and make it to be be- lieved more firmly. For had an ordinary man said it, men would have thought it easy for him to say so ; but if he had tried them, he would have been otherwise minded. In these later times, our best teachers were at the first papists, and of the more zealous sort ; as Bucer (/) and Luther (g), being also leai-ned men ; as also Peter Martyr (A) and Zanchius (/), was brought up in Italy, and all this, that they seeing once their blindness, might be the more able to confound them, as being not a whit inferior to them in any outward respect whatsoever, when they were of their belief.
PniLIPPIANS CUAP. Ill, VER. 7. 81
4. In the fourth place, God (having to deal with men of a desperate con- dition) suffers great and famous men to be in ignorance, nay, to he persecu- tors, that after their conversion they might comfort ivcak Christians ; and therefore let them comfort themselves. Do they find that their sins are many and great ? Paul was a Pharisee, a persecuting Pharisee, and con- tinued so a long while. Nay, after his conversion, he comphxins of a body of sin, and yet found mercy ; and therefore do not despair.
But to proceed. We see what St Paul was, and what now he is, how his judgment is quite contrary to that it was ; for where grace is, it makes men opposite to themselves ; and therefore this ra- creation is called a new creature : Paul quite contrary to Saul, and yet both one person. Out of which we may gather,
First, That a man hcfore conversion hath ever that ivhich is hi: gain ; for we are prone to think too highly of natural things, and our esteem shall be grounded upon probabilities, rather than we will lose our esteem of them. For we know this outward gain is easily gotten, the duties are easily per- formed, fair outwardly ; and will procure praise from men, which is all we naturally look for.
Secondly, Observe hence that that which %ce before conversion thought gain, is indeed loss and unprofitable, nay, it is dangerous ; for things may in use be good, but in abuse dangerous. Riches are good in use, but in abuse ' mammon ' and ' thorns,' as Christ terms them. Circumcision and sacrifices and baptism in themselves were good, and many things are still good ; yet when we trust in them, and neglect inward graces, sacrifice is no more acceptable than a dog's head, Isa. Ixvi. 3. Good works are in their proper nature good ; yet if we rely on them, they stop the way to Christ. So as it is our wicked and abusing atiections that hath brought an ill report on the good creatures of God, so as to us they are dross and dung, nay, loss. These terms doth the Holy Spirit give to alienate our aff"ections from these earthly things ; an outward, civil, and conformable life [those things whichj are, by our high esteem of them, stops,* staying many from heaven ; for while they tell themselves they live honestly and justly, doing no wrong, they suppose themselves to be very saints, and look no further. But every true Christian knows his infirmity, and the more he is enlightened, the more he sees his darkness ; he knows these things cannot be gain to him.