Exposition of Philippians 3, Part 23
VERS. 8. That I may winne Christ.
TO winne Christ, in this place, is to get a more neere Communion with Christ, a fuller assurance of him, and a larger portion in him: for St. Paul had Christ already, and that made him desire a fuller injoyment of him, though his heart was not large enough to entertaine all Christ, yet he desired to be satisfied with his fulnesse.
First, then, it is here to be granted that Christ is gaine, else why should the Apostle desire to winne him: He is gaine I say, both in himselfe considered, and having respect to us: In himselfe considered, for no jewell is comparable to God-man, to a Mediator, he was inriched with all graces that the manhood was capable of. But much more in regard of us; for first, he is our ransome from the wrath of God, now we know a ransome must bee a gainfull thing, and of no small price that must satisfie Gods wrath.
Secondly, He is not only our ransome, but our purchase, purchasing Gods favour and heaven to us.
Thirdly, he is our treasure: for all things for this present life, as also for a better, in him are the treasures of heavenly wisedome, and of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace: he is our comfort in trouble, and direction in all our perplexities.
Fourthly, he is of that precious vertue, as he turnes all to gold: all things are sanctified to us, death, grave, crosses, all which though we be not freed from, yet he turnes them all to worke our good.
Fifthly, by him we are made heires, and have title to all things: he is our Lord, and hee that hath given Christ to us, how shall he not with him give us all things, so as in all our wants we may boldly come to the throne of grace.
Sixthly, We by Christ gaine such offices as he himselfe had: we are Kings, we are Priests, we are over the greatest of our enemies, no more thrals to lust, or to the world, we may freely offer sacrifice for ourselves and others, in the name of this our high-priest.
Seventhly, we have communion with all that are good, the Angels, the Saints, the Ministers, they are all ours to defend and pray for us had the yong rich man this spirit of St. Paul, he would have thought it the best bargain that ever he made, though hee had parted with all, if he had gotten Christ.
But it may be said,Obj. true, Christ is gaine, but what hope is there for us to attaine hereunto, it may be as Paradise in it selfe, yet kept from us by a flaming sword.
I answer,Answ. no, this gaine may be gotten; which is the thing I propound to speake of: Christ is a treasure in a field, if any one will seek he may finde, we had a Saviour before we were borne, he was elected thereunto, and we to gaine heaven through him; and he was manifested in the flesh in the fulnesse of time to incourage us, and Christ our gaine calles us to buy without mony, and invites us that are loaden with sinne to come to him: Isa. 55.1. 2 Cor. 5.20. To this end, he appoints men to lay open his riches to allure us.
Secondly, we have the spirit, by which we lay hold on this gaine ▪ if wee depend on God by prayer for his spirit, and when we have gotten but a little portion of this gaine, it makes our gaines increase; to this end hee gives us the Word and Sacraments: and this condemnes those that live in the field where this pearle is, and have the ministerie to shew them it, and yet they doe neglect this so great a jewell; and this ought to stirre us up to magnifie Gods goodnesse to us, who hath recovered us that were the lost sonnes of a lost father, and keeps us from returning back into our former natural estate.
Thirdly, this gaine is not to be gotten but at a price, it must begotten by parting with all outward things: so farre, as to make them gaine to us?
Quest.Ah, but is God thus hard to us, that he will not allow us the injoyment of the comforts of this life, but we must for them lose Christ?
I answer, God denies us not our worldly comforts,Answ. for Paul had them. But when they come in competition with Christ, for excellencie and superiority in esteeme; as also, when thou art called forth for the confession of the truth, then bee at a point to count all, yea thy life, drosse and dung: wee must therefore resolve and fore-cast the worst, and leave not till thou workest this minde within thee, to indure the worst rather than lose peace of conscience.
And therefore we may well conclude from hence, that confidence in Christ and in outward things cannot stand together: wee cannot love God and Mammon, and therefore if wee part not with the world, looke to part with Christ; which we may note against the politicians of our times, that thinke themselves the onelyonly wise men, in their esteeme Paul was but a weake man, and knew not how to esteem things, they can trust in God they hope, and yet provide against the worst; the time will come, when they will finde they have been made fooles indeed, when God will say he knowes them not, and their riches shall take their wings and leave them, without hope of comfort.
And therefore let us acquaint our selves with Christs value, with the vanity of outward things, and meditate hereon, and at length thou shalt finde the same minde in thee, that was in St. Paul.
In the last place we may hence observe, who they be that have not gained Christ: for are there not many that will not part with a sinne, no though it be a sin that brings no profit or pleasure at all with it, as swearing and blaspheming Gods name, nay are there not those that (Iudas like) sell Christ for 30. peeces of money, nay, it may be for lesse. A goodly price to set heaven, happinesse, and their owne soules at, let any man tell them hereof, they will sweare you do them open wrong, and be ready to cut your throat for saying so, how farre are these from true grace?
The fourth and last generall observation is, that when we have parted with all, we are to know that we are gainers: For Christ in Mark. 10.30. saith, (whose promises are yea and amen) That he shall have a hundred fold in this life … that is, so much content as shall be worth an hundred fold: for when a mans conscience can tell him, these and these things I parted with, onelyonly to obtaine peace of conscience, that peace of conscience shall give him more content, than the whole world can bring to him, and what can a man desire above content and comfort, its all we seeke for here, which if we have not, all is nothing.
Secondly, he that hath Christ can bee no loser; for in him all things are, Eminently and Fundamentally: for he is Lord of all, and what I lose for his sake (if it be good for me) he hath said I shall have it.
Hence we may see therefore, the wisest man, and the noblest spirit, who is the wisest man? He that makes the best choyce, its judgement makes a man: not hee that hath confused notions swimming in his braine: Now a Christian considers things, layes them together, judges of them duly; he therefore is the wise man. The wicked man he is a foole, he parts with an invaluable pearle, for his present delight in a few idle, vaine, childish bables and toyes. Who is also the most truly noble minded? An advised true Christian, he is able to set at nought that for which the world forget God, heaven, soule and all for; hee can despise the pleasures of a Court and of a countrie, his eye is on his soule, on heaven, on the innumerable companie of Angels, on that presence where is fulnesse of joy: a wicked man routs in the durt of this world, see what manner of stones and building are here, that is their delight, to admire the stage of this world: But had they knowne this gift of God, this peace of conscience, and the comfort thereof, they would looke after another citie and foundation, whose builder onelyonly is God.
Quest.But how shall we know whether wee have made this choyce, or not?
I answer,Answ. by these signes;
First,Signes of the choice of Christ. if a man accompts of any thing, his eye and minde will be on it: if we account Christ as our gaine, our hearts will be set on him continually; if he be our treasure, our hearts will be on him.
Secondly, if we have made choyce of him, our hearts will joy in him above all things: as he that found the jewell, went away rejoycing. Shew me the light of thy countenance, for therein doe I delight, saith David; where true beleefe is there is joy: Zacheus, the Iaylor, and the Eunuch, after they were converted they rejoyced. This makes a covetous man not regard at all what men say of him, for hee hath that which they would be glad of; so ought it to be with us, let us be taunted, mocked, flouted at, if we have chosen Christ, …ll's one, wee have other things to comfort us, and our eyes will be upon them.
The third note is, if we can part with any thing for Christ, and indure any hard measure for the sense and assurance we have in Christ Iesus: many are so farre herefrom, as they will not part with the least earthly pleasure for Christ; such as these, though they say they have peace of conscience, they lye, for they can have no more peace of conscience, than they have love to Christ, nor more love, than they have an esteeme of him above all things.
Fourthly, hee that hath made this choice, must part with all things what ever he loves, yea his dearest affections & lusts: for a bird catched, though but by a wing, yet is she as surely the fowlers, as if her whole body were bound; so if we favour, or like and imbrace but one sinne, though we thinke not thereof, there is a floud of sinne comes in at that gate, he that is guiltie of one sinne, is guiltie of all.
Quest.But the weake Christian will object, are wee not (yea the best of us) troubled with our personall secret infirmities, what shall then become of us?
Answ.I answer, feare not: for its true, though the best child of God be thus troubled, yet hee pleades against it, he hates it, he undermines it, and strives against it, and thus opposing it, it is not accounted to him by God. But if hee forsakes all sinne in heart but one, the devill will suffer it, and indure it well enough, for he knows he is sure enough.
The fifth note is, That such an one can be content to be at some cost, yea losse and paines for the Word, for the field wherein this pearle is hid: hee that is not of this minde cares not for the word. It is not that men can speake well and commend it, for many will doe so, yet afterward make a mocke of it, especially being in some company: but he that esteemes it once will ever esteeme it, and in all company wil extoll it. Herod a very reprobate, may seeme well affected, where there is no temptation, or while the word is preached, can this be a plea to God at the last day, who searcheth and knowes thy heart, many dream they have this, when indeed they have naught but the shell. How few can say in truth, I have denied this or that commodity, and refused my profit for Christs sake: Those that have done this, let them know they have a most rich gaine, and the best gain of all others; they have an universall gaine, that will comfort at all times, riches and honours cannot cure the troubled minde, neither can they deliver in the day of wrath.
Then in the next place, let them know they have an everlasting gaine, that will comfort us for ever and ever. In the last place, such as have won…e Christ, they have such a gaine as makes them that have him, truly rich, and noble, and good: other riches without grace, doe corrupt us, the Image of God is the true and intrinsecall worth: Let this incourage us to labour to get Christ, to attend the meanes that lay his riches open; and thereby shall our love bee so stirred up, and our judgement so sanctified, as wee shall bee of St. Pauls minde, to account all other things losse in regard of him: and therefore its no wonder that those that have not the benefit of the meanes, want this esteeme.