Exposition of Philippians 3, Part 37
VERS. 15. And if in any thing yee bee otherwise minded, God shall reveale even this unto you.
ST. Panl aymes at the comfort of those that are weake, implying that every Christian stood not in this pitch of disposition with the Apostle, and yet they were not to be discouraged, God will reveale the same minde to them also in his time.
In which words we may observe; first, that some Christians see not so farre as others, neither at some times so well as at other times: but are like the man in the Gospell, they see at the first men walke like trees, and after see things more plainly. The way of the righteous shineth more and more, unto the perfect day as the light doth: (saith the Wise man, Prov. 4.18.) And as the Church grew to knowledge by degrees, so do we, for we first know things in generall; at the first, Peter knew not that the Gentiles should be called, Acts 10. And the Disciples were at the first weake, and subject to many infirmities, and therefore we must take heed of judging and censuring others, and also that we discourage not our selves, by reason of our weaknesse, God willin his time strengthen us, and it may be call them.
Secondly, observe it is God reveales this unto such. It is God that must take away the vaile first, the vaile of the thing, opening our understandings by reading and hearing, and thus the thing it selfe is made fit to be knowne, then he opens the vaile of the heart and affections, to imbrace and love the things. Its God that opened the heart of Lydia, let us therefore beare with the ignorant, though Gods time is not yet come, it may hereafter.
Secondly, Ministers when they come to preach, must pray that God would take away the vaile from the peoples eares and hearts: and people when they come, let them pray that God would open their hearts: and not come in the strength of their owne wit, knowing that God openeth and shutteth, none can open or shut till hee doth it.
In the third place, wee may observe, that God in merciemercy will doe this for us: hee will open our hearts; he will reveale, though not every particular truth, yet all necessarie truthes according to our estates: some stand in need of more than others, as Ministers ought to have more than people, and Governours are to have a larger spirit than other inferiours, yet all shall have sufficient.
Therefore for our necessities, let us goe to God, he hath promised to leade us, and with David pray; Lord open thou mine eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy Law: he hath promised to anoint our eyes with eye salve, and its his office to guide us, he is our Prophet to instruct us.
In the next place, observe that if any man belong to God, he must at one time or other bee thus minded as Paul was: to hate all things as vaine, to strive on to perfection, to make conscience of the least offences, yea, of idle thoughts and words, of loose wanton behaviour, to know he is not perfect enough, vigilant enough, to look how farre hee is short of that pitch of perfection he ought to attaine unto, not to content himselfe that he hath out-gone others: these things they shall know either here in time of triall and temptation, or at the houre of death, when no man ever repented of his goodnesse or forwardnesse in Religion, nor of his care or constancie in good courses.
And therefore let us be stirred up to bee of the same minde now, and if any man shall think with himselfe, because God will reveale this, therefore he will neglect meanes, and stay till God inspires this minde into him; let such take heed, if they love goodnesse, they will set about it presently, but if they quench the good motions of Gods spirit, God will take his spirit from such. Beg that God would now change thee, for thou art not master of thy thoughts: if we now put off God till we die, its just with God to suffer us to forget our selves: let us bee well affected for the present, and though wee see not so cleerly as wee should doe, let us attend the meanes, and though we cannot grow in religion, yet let us not thinke it a shame, but allow and uphold such courses, else is our estate desperate.
Observe further, this speech as its a discoverie of a moderate spirit in the Apostle, there are some graces that seeme in shew to crosse one another, as zeale and moderation, but they doe not, for zeale when it meets with a fit subject for moderation, can bee moderate: Paul condemnes not, but hopes; and its an example for our imitation, love beares all, and hopes all: whiles God suffers, why should not wee suffer? Christs spirit will not breake the bruised reed, in whomsoever it is: God hath a time for such as we condemne, even as he had a time for us, and therefore wee must use all meanes, wayting if at any time God will give us repentance. 2 Tim. 2.25. Ministers must not be harsh with weake Christians, its Gods worke to bow affections, and not mans.
And secondly, when wee have used all the meanes we can, wee must depend on Gods providence: and therefore we are to fetch grounds of toleration and patience towards others, from Gods love and wisedome, who reveales the seed sometimes long after.
The Papists, they checke us for want of meanes to reduce men into unitie, and to compound controversies, they brag of the Popes power this way, but its but a brag, for why doe they not conclude their owne?
They are farre more happie than the Church was in Christs time; hee sayes, offences must come. Paul sees there must be errors, hee could not compose all, God must reveale it in his time.
But how doe they compose differences? by excommunication, imprisonment, and death, and this by the censure of an ignorant man perhaps, which is brutish and unfit for the Church of God. For our part, we want no meanes, but the effect or successe we must leave to God, we are not to force men tyrannically to our opinions in lesser matters, but leave them to Gods time of revelation.
And lastly, as this hope of revelation is promised, so are wee to expect it and waite for it: for to him that hath, more shall be given; and therefore let them that have beginnings of grace, bee comforted to walke on, and for those that are not entred, let them not be discouraged, God will reveale: But upon what condition, it followes: