Exposition of Philippians 3, Part 18
VERS. 8. Yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse.
THe words containe a kinde of correction; as if in few words he had said: All things, whatsoever I formerly boasted in, nay my very priviledges, I count them not onelyonly dung, but I doe count them to be losse to me: nay, I have suffered the losse of them all, in comparison and for Christ my …ord. Yea, I desire to expresse the earnest intention of my affections, by my desire to win him, to know h…m, to be found in him, and to formable to his death.
In generall observe:
The Apostles resolution, and zeale, his assured certainty, his large heart being not able to expresse his affection (but by many words) viz. his love of Christ, and hate of all outward things whatsoever. Therefore we also in maine fundamentall points must be resolute, carrying a full saile; as in the truth of the thing there is a certainty, so in us there must be an assured perswasion thereof. For even from these uncertaine irresolute hearts comes Apostacie, men being not grounded, are carried about with every winde of doctrine: and hence also comes different measures of grace in Christians; some say with Paul, Doubtlesse: others are of doubting hearts. But the end of the word is to settle us. Ephes. 4.13. And though it be never so true, yet if we not beleeve it; though the foundation be sure, yet if we not build on it; the tru hand force of it, is not good unto us.
In the second place, f…om the Apostles example: We are to learne in fundamentall truthes to be zealous. The Apostle speaking of any thing that …e…kes competition with Christ for value, how doth he vilisie it? that he hath not words sufficient to e…pr…sse his fervent hatred thereof. For zeale is such an affection as causes a constant hatred against any thing that opposes that which we intirely love: even such a hatred, as will cause us not to indure to heare of it: And God therefore promiseth Ephraim he shall so abhorre Idols, as he shall not have to doe with them. And indeed a jealous God, and a zealous heart doe well agree; when wee have to doe with any one that opposes God in his …ruth, we are not to be cold, but to be zealously affected.
In the third place: Wee are to learne to bee large hearted, in expressing our affection wee beare to the truth: and therefore we are to bee ashamed of our shortnesse of breath, in speaking or meditating of Gods honour, and glory, and his truth. But particularly from our Apostles esteeme, wee may learne: That Gods children have sanctified and regenerate thoughts and esteemes. For with new soules, they have new duplicate page duplicate page eyes, new senses, new affections, and judgements; what they saw before to be gaine, they see now to be losse. Beasts we know conceive not of mens matters, neither doe weake simple men of state matters: that which weake silly men admire, the Apostle scornes and contemnes. Moses accounted of the afflictions with the children of God, more than of the pleasure of Egypt. We may observe this as a marke to know our estates by: what is high in thy esteeme? is honour, riches, pleasure, or the like? thou art not yet throughly sanctified; for if thou wert, thou wouldst have a sanctified judgement.
But some may say, did Paul esteem all things to be losse, yea his good workes?
I answer, good workes in their own nature are good: but weighing them with Christ, as Paul did, they are also drosse, and dung.
Secondly, it teaches us, that wee are not righteous, or justified, by any workes ceremoniall, or morall, either before or after our conversion. The Papists alledge works as meritorious, we contrarily doe disclaime them. As to that purpose: I (say they) you meane ceremoniall works: we say no, we meane also morall. For Paul was unblameable as concerning the works of the law, and yet counts them dung. O (say they) St. Paul meaned those works before his conversion, and not those after his conversion. I answer, yes; all things in respect of Christ, I doe now account them as drosse, and losse. To prove this the fuller; If nothing after conversion bee perfect, then cannot they intitle us to heaven, but all our best works, in state of regeneration are imperfect: to prove this; See the examples of David, a man after Gods owne heart, Psal. 143.2. None righteous in thy sight, and who can say his heart is cleane. And Esay 64.6. Wee are all as an uncleane thing, and all our righteousnesse as filthie ragges.
O but Bellarmine sayes, the Prophet speakes this in the person of the wicked. I hope he will not put the Prophet into that number; for he saith, wee, and our, and our righteousnesse; not our ill deeds; and all our righteousnesse. Nay of himselfe in particular: Esay, saith as much in Esay 6.5. And besides, the wicked doe not use to pray, as the whole Chapter is to that end. And Daniel also includes himselfe in his confession, Dan. 9.20. And to prove this by reason; We know that weake and corrupt principles, must needs produce imperfect effects: now the principles of all our motions, are evilly affected; our understandings, memomories, affections, all are corrupt and weake. Corruptions make combates in all parts of the soule and body: in whatsoever therefore we doe, there is flesh and spirit; and their owne Authours agree hereunto: as Ferus, and Catharen a Cardinall of their owne, sayes there is donatajustitia, and inhaerens. When the question is what we must leane to, it must be onelyonly on Christ and his righteousnesse, wherewith from him we are indowed. And a Pope of theirs, Adrian the fourth, saith that all our righteousnesse is as the reed of Egypt, which will not onelyonly faile us if we rest on it, but will pierce our sides. St. Cyprian saith also, that he is either Superbus, or Stultus, that sayes or thinkes he is perfect. And good reason, for that which shines in the eyes of m…n, in Gods esteeme is base. In thy sight shall no flesh be justified: Now there are divers degrees of judgements; in Gods judgement none sh…ll be justified, nor in judgement of l…w, for in many things we offend all: and for the judgement of the world, what is it if it cleare us? can that …cquit us, if God and the law condemns us? & for the judgment of our owne consciences, if they be cleared they will condemne us. Yea the Papists are not satisfied in their own consciences for this point. For if there may be a perfect fulfilling of the law in this life, by a mans owne inherent righteousnesse, why doe they teach the doctrine of Doubting, as necessary to salvation? But how ever they may br…bble in schooles to maintaine this their assertion, yet when death comes, they must flye those shifts, and lay hold onelyonly on Gods love.
Some will say: what are the graces of Gods spirit? are the sacrifices, the sweet odours, and ornaments of the spouse, are these dung?
I answer, Things admit of one esteeme simply considered, and of another comparatively; starres in the day are not seene, yet in the night are great lights. So workes in regard of Christs workes, are not visible, are nothing, but in themselves are good.
Secondly, I say there are two courts, one of justification, another of sanctification: in the Court of justification merits are nothing worth, insufficient: but in the Court of sanctification, as they are ensignes of a sanctified course, so they are jewels and ornaments.
But the ignorant Papist objects against us, Obj.saying that we discourage men from good workes, because we doe so basely esteeme of them.
I answer.Answ. A sick man cannot eate meat, but it breeds humours that strengthens the disease: shall he therfore forbeare all manner of meats? No, for meat strengthens nature, and makes it able to overcome the power of the disease. So by reason of our corruption we have within us, we halt in every good worke we put our hand to: shall we not therefore worke at all? Yes, for notwithstanding our weaknesse, though we merit not any good, yet God he over-lookes the ill-nesse of our workes, and accepts and rewards the good that is in them, giving us comfort and assurance of our justification, by the sanctified fruites, which though imperfect, yet are true. To conclude, Seeing we cannot have Christ, putting any confidence in outward things: Let us labour to get an esteeme of the weaknesse and imperfections that are in them, as also in our persons, and actions: that wee may hunger after Christ. To this end, dayly renew we our repentance, and examination of our hearts, and when we doe any good, Examine what weaknesse, want of zeale, want of affection or attention hath possessed us in our performances (of praying, hearing, reading the Word, and the like) and want of watchfulnesse in our courses, and then shall we be of St. Pauls mind, all will be naught. And take heed of spirituall pride, and conceit of any good in us, for it hinders spirituall comfort from us. Let us meditate of the greatnesse of Gods love to us, and the infinite reward, and it will make us ashamed of our weake requitance of Gods love to us. Consider the multitude of our sinnes, before the time we were called: and consider of our pronenesse to spirituall pride, let us by all meanes abase our selves. For those that God loves, he will have them vile in their owne esteeme: for it is his method; First, to beate downe, then to raise up. And therefore Iohn he comes thundering, Hypocrites, generation of vipers. Then comes Christ; Blessed are the poore, those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse: as if onelyonly they were blessed that feele their wants. We must disdaine any other titles to any good, but onelyonly in Gods mercy, and accordingly give the glory of all to him. Thus did the Church militant, Not to us, not unto us Lord, but to thy Name: and thus doe the Church triumphant, Rev. 7.12. Honour, glory, and power, bee to the Lambe; those that doe not thus, are no members of the Church.
Last of all, Let us take heed of extenuating sinne: the Papists tell us of divers sins that are veniall, such are surreptitious thoughts, taking of pinnes, stealing of points, and the like; these they call veniall. But we must know, (to admit, that sinne, as a sinne, to be veniall, is a contradiction, though God doe pardon it, for that is out of his free mercy) these surreptitious stealing motions, that unawares doe creepe into us, though the Papists doe make them of small account, God may punish with his fierce indignation. Moses, his anger kept him out of Canaan. Adam, his apple, cast him out of paradice, every sinne is a breach of the law, the least sinne soiles us, we must give account of idle words: and the wages of any sinne (though never so small) is death.