Doct. Christ he first apj)rchends us when we apprehend him. He appre- hends us that we may apprehend him, and because he hath apprehended us, therefore is it that we apprehend him. For ' in him it is that we live, and move, and have our being,' Acts xvii. 28 ; and therefore much more our best being. He it is that gives us the will and the deed ; to us it is given by him to believe and suficr with him.
Use 1. For use hereof it would teach us in all our actions to leg ahility and strenr/th of him, and get a persuasion that his Spirit doth apprehend us in love ; and that he will direct us and remove all impediments, and stand by us in all our crosses, that we are able to do nothing but by reflec- tion from him ; that though we are naturally dead and dull, yet he will quicken us by shining on our hearts with the sunshine of his grace.
Use 2. Secondly, Give him the praise of all the good thou doest, for the deed is his. Those that do not, do apprehend and are apprehended of themselves ; and therefore it may serve as a mark to discern of our estate, whither do we run ? and what do we apprehend in our trouble ? Is it Christ who is our present help in time of trouble ? Then there is a blessed change in us. But do we seek to our own devices, to our own policies and inventions ? Surely we have not apprehended Christ as we ought to do ; and therefore we are to stir up the graces in us, and beg increase of grace from him that is the fountain of all grace.
Use 3. In the next place, it should comfort us, by the consideration of the certainty of our estate, withozit falling away, if we hold fast unto the end. If it were ourselves that did apprehend us we could not long continue, but it being Christ that holdeth us, our comfort is he will not forsake us. It is the mother that holds the child. The child cannot lay hold on the mother, but is subject to falling every hour. Christ he holding us, hath promised to love us to the end, and to put his fear in our hearts, that we shall not fall or depart from him. This being daily considered will greatly comfort a weak Christian. Christ may seem to let him fall, by suffering him to fall into some great sin, but it is only to humble him, and to teach him not to trust to his own strength, which will soon fail him, but upon his mercy and grace. And therefore,
Use 4. In the next place, it teacheth us to hold fast unto him, and rely on him, and to pray to him tJtat he would hold us fast, and then we fall not from God, but to God. He hath delivered us, and will deliver us and keep us to his heavenly kingdom. If we fall into sin, let us repent and go to God. There is mercy in Israel concerning this, and with him is plenteous redemption. His right hand is under us ever to hold us up, that we can- not fall so deeply but he will lift us up again.
Use 5. In the next place, this may he a comfort to us in all our troubles and afflictions of this life. Are troubles near ? God is not far off, Ps. xxii. 11, seq., and Ps. cxviii. 5, seq., but full of comforts for such. We have an invisible wall about us, the wall of angels ; and God fights for us. There is more with us than against us. God will not suffer us to be tried above
PlIILIPPIANS CHAP. Ill, VKK. 13. 105
that wc are able to bear. Let us therefore pray, Forsake me not. Lord, lest I forsake thee. If wo pray to him he will be found of us. Paul prayed for this. Christ also, that knew he was apprehended, yet prayed all night ; and this arc wc to do ; he hath promised to hear us. And therefore let us go iu faith and assurance to him, ju all our troubles.
VERSE 13.
Brethren, I count not myself to hare aj^prchended.
The holy apostle dwells upon the point, that he might press it the more ; and it is good to press matter of weight. The apostle shewing that conceit of perfection to be dangerous, again tells the Philippians, that he had not that which they boasted of. This pride of ourselves, and conceit, is a sin that climbs up to heaven, and enters on God's prerogative, and a sin that God doth directly set himself against. Of this compellation, ' brethren,' I have formerly spoken.
I might also touch that doctrine, that the kingdom of hearen is not per- fected in m here, but that it grows by degrees. It is at the first as a grain of mustard seed. There are babes in Christianity, and old men grown Christians. And the ground hereof may be partly iu the subject, partly in the object.
In regard of the subject, for that graces are imperfect in us, the more the soul hath, the more it desires.