Exposition of Philippians 3, Part 24 – Part 26
VERS. 9. And be found in him.
SOme reade the words actively, th… may finde Christ; but the phra…e is in the originall varying from the former, and therefore it is better translated as we have it, passively; But when is it that St. Paul desireth to be found in Christ? Ever no doubt, but especially at the houre of death, and day of judgement.
The Phrase implies, first that there is an estate in Christ; Secondly, an abiding in it; and Thirdly, to be found abiding in him. For the handling whereof, wee will first explaine the phrase; Secondly, we will shew what doctrines it doth cleere, then we will come to some instructions arising therefrom. The phrase, to be in Christ, is taken from plants which are grafted into stocks, or from the branches which are said to be in the tree, thus are we in the vine; its Christs owne comparison, and of this union with Christ, there are three degrees.
First, we are in Christ, and in God, first loving us, and so wee were in him before wee were, he chose us from all eternitie.
Secondly, when Christ died, then we were in him as a publike person.
Thirdly, we are said most properly to be in him, now when we beleeve in him, and thus principally is the sense understood in this place: and thus we are in Christ, not as the manhood is in Christ, but mystically; not as friends in one another by love, but by faith wee are ingrafted; as truly as the branches are in the vine, so are we one.
But Christ is in heaven,Obj. wee are on earth, how can we be united to him that is so farre distant from us?
I answer,Answ. if a tree did reach to heaven, and have its roote in the earth, doth this hinder that the branches and the roote are not united? In no wise. So Christ he is in heaven, and we on earth, yet are we united to him by his spirit, and receiving influence from him of all grace and goodnesse.
Now lets see what doctrines are cleared hereby: first, it cleares the point of justification by Christ: For if the question be, how wee are saved by Christs righteousnesse? I answer, Christ and we are both one, doth not the eye see for the bodie, are not the riches of the husband and wife all one? yes, and even also whatsoever Christ hath is ours, he is our husband, he is our head. In the second place, it cleares the matter of the sacrament: the Papists would have the bread transubstantiated into the bodie of Christ, that it may be united to us. I answer, how is the foot in the head, is it not by spirituall vigour passing to and fro through the body, but chiefly in the head: it is not therefore necessary that there should bee any corporall union. Nay, Christ comforted his Disciples more by his spirit when he departed from them, than he did by his corporall presence. We say also, that the mysticall body of Christ is invisible, because the spirit whereby we are made one is invisible.
This should comfort us at all times, and in all estates: before we were in Christ, we were in an estate of horrour, in an estate of damnation, now to be reduced to Christ: (what comfort is it to be one of a politique body its but for life, or to be in any mans favour its but at will) this is a most excellent, glorious, and eternall being, that mans nature should be so highly advanced as to be unit…d to the Godhead, yea our persons are mystically united to Christ. Secondly, In all crosses or losses, what though we lose other states, here is a state cannot bee shaken. Thirdly, in the houre of death wee are in Christ: and blessed are they that dye in the Lord; death that separates the soule from the body, cannot separate eyther from Christ. Fourthly, after death can it go hard with me that am in Christ, that am his spouse, I am in him in whom is fulnesse of comfort. Fifthly, in all wants here, I have him to supply all, hee will give what is necessarie; if we should have fulnesse of grace here, we should not desire to be in heaven hereafter. Sixthly, in persecution all my hurt redounds to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? that which thou dost to my members thou doest to me?
In the fourth place, let us consider how this being in Christ, is a ground of doing of all dutie. I say therfore, it will direct us in duties to God, towards men, and to our selves.
First, in duties towards God, how thankfull ought we to be to him: for taking us to himself, for being Emmanuel God with us, so that wee are become bone of his bone… what need wee now Saints or Angels to intercede for us, who should Christ heare above his owne flesh? For duties towards men, this ought to stirre us to duties of peace and unitie, shall wee be so unnaturall as to fall out with the members of our owne body, Non est concors cum Christo ubi est discors cum Christiano.
Secondly, it ought to stirre us up to duties of respect to each other: considering they are members of Christ as we are, and shall so be found in him ere long.
Thirdly, this should stirre us up to charitie to the poore members of Christ: they being his members are fellow members, and in loving them and doing them good, we sh…w our love to Christ himselfe.
And in the last place, towards our selves we are to carry our selves with more respect: and not to prostitute our selves to every base pleasure: consider in whom am I, & to what I am redeemed, and with what price; shall I make my bodie the member of an harlot, who am the member of Christ, this pride and high esteeme of our selves above base pleasures and lusts, this is commendable; and therefore the Apostle had good reason thus to account of these earthly things to bee drosse and dung. In the second place, this will teach us to see our residence in Christ, and growth in him: for if we be in Christ, wee will have an especiall eye to our conversation, that we be not feet of iron and clay under a golden head, as many base licentious drunkards and filthie persons esteeme of themselves: will Christ owne such members as these, think we? no, those that are in Christ Christ will be in them, discovering himselfe by ruling in them; his house is holy, if we bee of his house, we will not desire, grieve, nor affect, but by the sway of his spirit.
In the last place, How shall we come to be found in Christ?
Answ.I answer, we must first come where he is; we shall finde him in the Temple,The meanes how to be united to Christ. teaching and strengthening our faith, and love, and so in our judgements and affections we shall bee in him. Secondly, we must separate our selves from the contrary to Christ, as a loyall wife will from all doubtful acquaintance; we must depart from Antichrist, our owne corruptions and lusts, and dayly we must labour to get ground of them.
And from the words this wee may learne; First, that a Christian is continually under Christs wing, till he be in heaven: else how could the Apostle desire to be found in him at the day of judgement.
Secondly, we learne that there is such a time when God will, as it were with a Candle, search men out, and lay them open as they are. This is not thought upon, men now shuffle it off, I shall be saved as well as any other, and this and that good company I am acquainted withall: trust not, I say, to good acquaintance, there is a time of separation, when thou shalt bee found out as thou art in thine owne colours.
Thirdly, hence we learne that the foundation of future happinesse must be laid now: before we can be with Christ in the Kingdome of glorie, we must be his members in the Kingdome of grace: dost thou live therfore a corrupt and carnall life here, never thinke to be found in him hereafter. And therefore let the uncertainty of this life be a spurre to thee, to watch over thy wayes, so as thou be such at this and all other times, as you would be willing to bee found at that day: many boast hereof, but their lives savour nothing hereof, but are knit altogether to their lusts or to Antichrist; woe to such, they shall goe on the left hand. But snch as Christ findes in him, it must needs go well with them, Christ will not judge them for whom he died, but shall set them on his right hand for ever more.
VERS. 9. Not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law.
IN these words and those following, the Apostle, layes downe summarily his desire; fi…st negatively in these words, he desired not to be found in Christ trusting to his own righteousnesse, implying a difference and distinction betweene his righteousnesse by the Law, and that by Christ: the righteousnesse by the Law he disclaimes (as any way meritorious) and that as well habituall, wrought by God in him, or actuall righteousnesse, consisting in the outward workes that he did, and that with good reason: for first mans righteousnesse is but finite, and therefore unfit to worke or deserve infinitely, and impossible to deserve heaven and the joyes thereof. Secondly, this righteousnesse is imperfect and stayned as a menstruous cloth and unable to quiet or satisfie our owne consciences, much lesse God, who is greater than our owne consciences: and therefore the Saints prayed, Enter not into judgement with thy servants Lord, for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified. But the Papists answer, the worke of God is perfect, but our righteousnesse is the worke of God, and therefore perfect. We say, that the workes of God are within us or without us, the works of God without us are perfect, but those that are within us are imperfect, still savouring of our polution and corruption, by reason that the old man in us perverteth all that is good in us, and therefore partus sequitur ventrem. Secondly, it is true that the workes of God within us are so farre perfect, as tend to the end hee workes them for in us, but our righteousnesse was never ordained of God to that end, as to save us by them, and therfore they cannot accomplish that end; but God workes this righteousnesse in us, to convince us of our owne weaknesse, and to be a testimonie of the presence of his spirit in us: Paul therefore sayes not, I will not have mine owne righteousnesse, but I desire not to be found in my righteousnesse; so as to merit salvation thereby.
VERS. 9. But that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousnesse which is of God by faith, that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection.
THat is, that righteousnesse which is in Christ, but laid hold on of me, and apprehended by faith, and all that righteousnesse that he had, both active and passive as Mediatour, but especially his passive, for he was born obedience, lived and dyed for us: and this is that which St. Paul desired to be found in, and this is that which we must trust to.
But how can this righteousnesse performed wholly by him, be mine?
I answer, by faith its made ours, for if Christ be ours, all his righteousnesse must consequently be made ours.
But how can this righteousnesse performed by Christ be sufficient for us?
I answer, first because God ordained it to that purpose: 1 Cor. 1.30. Christ by God is made to us wisedome, righteousnesse, sanctification and redemption: and to this end, God the father sealed him, Ioh. 6.27.
Secondly, I say Christ is a second Adam, and a publick person, and became ours, wee then being in his loynes, so the righteousnesse of Christ is made ours, wee being borne in Christ by faith, and found in him: hee being our head, we have a spirituall life descending upon us; he being our husband, all his goods are ours also. This point is the soule of the Church, and the golden key which opens heaven for us: if we joyne any other thing to it, it opens hell to us, as God will reveale at that great day. Its true the Papists doe acknowledge now that their good workes are not of themselves, but from God: but thus did the Pharisee, he thanked God that he was not as other men, nor as the Publican; but the poore Publican disclaiming all such goodnesse, went away justified rather than the other: let it bee our wisedome therefore to relye onelyonly on Christ, whose obedience and righteousnesse is so all-sufficient, as nothing may bee added thereto, and say with the Apostle, not I, but the grace of God in me.