100 EXPOSITION OF
What if \vc part wltli tliom ? If it be for liis cause, ho will bring us to a better life which shall not ho taken away from ns, and this life we must part with ere long. And thus wo ought to work on ourselves, by often meditating of them, as the saints have done.
4. In the fourth place, We are to Icibour to strengthen three graces in us especiaUy: faith, to assure us that we are the children of God, and that we have heaven, and all things belonging thereto, laid up for us ; and we are to labour to sec more and more into the value of them. And then we are to strengthen our hope, which makes us cheerfully to undergo and do any- thing for God's cause, through our expectation of that which faith believes. Lastly, let us cherish our love of Christ. This made St Paul desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which was best of all, Philip, i. 23. ■"' And this love comes from faith and hope ; and these together w-ill breed a large- ness of heart that cares for no worldly thing, and will be daunted with no affliction or crosses whatever.
But how far are we herefrom ? Did St Paul part with life ? It pertains not to us. No ; not to leave a new-fangled fashion, nor an oath whereby we tear God's name daily. Alas, "where is faith ? What corruption is here overcome ? Which of us will ever be of Paul or David's mind, to become vdle or base for God's cause ?f Where is he that will endure a scoff or scorn for religion ? Let us beg of God this large spirit and large afiections. The children of heaven have a free spirit, basely esteeming all worldly things. Zaccheus, when he is called, cares not for his goods, nor Paxil for his privi- leges. The Stoics commend this resolution in men, to be willing and ready to die. Alas ! crosses and afflictions Paul esteemed not, so as he might attain to the resurrection of the dead. These are the things that the Stoics feared most ; and it was the fear of these made them so willing and ready to die, together with a base servitude to pride. But a Christian heart is more noble. It not only fears nqt these, but it contemns them. Yea, cares not for life without afflictions, but with joy can undergo all manner of torments.
Let tis therefore taJce heed hoio we quiet ourselves in our earthhj diuellings here, supposing our estate to be happy. Surely it is the main ground of apostasy. We shall never come to see the price of religion, nor the excel- lency of a peaceable conscience, nor the vanity of these things, so long as we bless ourselves in them. And contrarily, let us exercise our graces in the daily trials ice meet with here. Doth favour of great men, doth pleasure, profit, or honour, cross and oppose thy conscience ? Let the peace thereof be preferred above all evermore, else shalt thou never come to Paul's holy resolution. And dream not of a vain, empty faith. Thou hast no more than thou dost practise. It is not ' Lord, Lord,' that will prevail at the day of judgment ; but Christ will be ashamed of them at the day of judg- ment, that made no more account of him while they lived, than to prefer every vain, idle, wanton delight and pleasure before his honour.
VERSE 12.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.
It is a correction of the apostle. He formerly spake of his desire, choice, and esteem of Christ's death and resurrection, and the force thereof he found in him. Now, lest secret, insinuating, proud conceits might arise, either in himself or in them, concerning his holiness, he crosses them with
* The original is, * toXXcC yag iJ,ak7ov XPiTsGov = 'for it is very far better.' — G. t Cf. 2 Sam. vi. 22 ; Mat. v. 11, 12 ; Acts v. 41, 42 ; Heb. sii. 2 ; 1 Pet. iv. 14.-0.
PHILIPPIANS CHAP. Ill, VKR. 12. 101
a ' not as,' shewing that the best estate of God's children in this world is imperfect. There is ever something to do or sutler ; some lust to conquer, or some grace to strengthen.
There is no absolute perfection but only in God himself; yet in Chris- tians there is a kind of derivative spiritual perfection, which consisteth chiefly in the parts. A Christian hath this perfection. He hath all grace in some measure. We have no other perfection ; no, not so much as perfectio via;, though the papists say they have it. Indeed, we are so far from it, that never could Christian keep the rules of nature, much less can we attain to the perfection of obedience to the law, for by it we are all cursed. Nay, in Christ none attains to evangelical perfection of grace, so as thereby we can be justified, as by a work of our ov/n ; for our right- eousness is but in part ; and this ])e)fectio via'., which they boast of so much, differs not from their pe)feclio Jinis, no more than love to a man raised by good report of him differeth from love caused by the good I find in him, by personal communicating with him ; and this is only in degrees in nature. They are the same love.