Exposition of Philippians 3, Part 30
VERS. 12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.
IT is a correction of the Apostle; hee formerly spake of his desire, choice, and esteeme of Christs death and resurrection, and the force thereof hee found in him: Now lest secret insinuating proud conceits might arise, either in himselfe or in them, concerning his holinesse, hee crosses them with a Not as, shewing that the best estate of Gods children in this world is imperfect: there is ever some thing to doe or suffer, some lust to conquer, or some grace to strengthen.
There is no absolute perfection but onelyonly in God himselfe, yet in Christians there is a kind of derivative spirituall perfection, which consisteth chiefly in the parts: a Christian hath this perfection, he hath all grace in some measure; we have no other perfection, no not so much as perfectio viae, though the Papists say they have it, indeed we are so far from it, that never could Christian keepe the rules of nature; much lesse can we attaine to the perfection of obedience to the law, for by it we are all cursed: nay in Christ none attaines to evangelicall perfection of grace so as thereby wee can be justified, as by a worke of our owne, for our righteousnesse is but in part; and this perfectio viae, which they boast of so much, differs not from their perfectio finis, no more than love to a man raised by good report of him, differeth from love caused by the good I finde in him, by personall communicating with him; and this is onelyonly in degrees in nature, they are the same love.
But why, or how is it that there is no perfection of grace in this life?
Because, there is and ever shall be in us, during this life, a perpetuall combate betweene the flesh and spirit, so as one weakens and hinders the other. Paul at the best found a law in his members warring against the law of his minde, Rom. 7.23. the flesh continually lusting against the spirit. Gal. 5.23. Hindering us from doing good, or in doing good, or in doing thereof, from doing it in a right manner.
Obj. 1.But the Papists object, love is the fulfilling of the law, we may love: ergo, we may fulfill the law, and consequently be perfect.
I answer, love, in the abstract being perfect, is the fulfilling of the law, but in this or that subject its not perfect: Pauls love, nor Peters love was not the fulfilling of the law.
Obj. 2.They urge further, all Gods workes are perfect: ergo, the grace that is in us.
Its true Gods workes are perfect, but in their times when they are finished; grace at length shall be perfect in us.
Secondly, all Gods workes without us are perfect, as justification and glorification they are perfect, for we are perfectly justified even now, but his workes within us, such as are his sanctifying graces, are not perfected till our time of glorification: for he suffers the old Adam to be within us for divers reasons, so long as we live in this earthly Tabernacle.
For use hereof, observe this as a ground for justification by faith. Paul, Rom. 5.9. proves, that even now he was justified, and in this place he denies and disclaims absolute perfection, and therefore could not be justified by it; and therefore must needs be justified by faith: if it were his case, it is much more ours, who come not to that measure of the fulnesse of grace that hee attained to.
Secondly, this may serve to comfort Christians that finde themselves burthened with diverse wants, with dulnesse and frowardnesse of spirit, and with manifold corruptions, and are induced thereby to call in question their Christian estate, let them looke upon a better patterne than themselves, they may bee growne Christians, and yet complaine with Paul of corruptions. Nay, the most strong Christians see most deeply and cleerely into their corruptions, and finde most opposition. There is in all men by nature, a spring of Poperie, they would faine deserve heaven by a perfect and holy life, without blot; and God to humble them, suffers corruption to checke them, and to keepe them under, who else would bee lifted up through good conceipt and esteeme of themselves.
Thirdly, it may serve as a caution to many, who being reproved justly for their faults, what (say they) we are not Angels: you have your owne imperfections as well as I. And stirre them up to any good dutie, they are presently so good, as those that are better than they, are too precise and too nice: St. Paul contrarily rests in no degree of goodnesse, but strives on to perfection: and its the devils sophistrie to turne that to a plea for negligence, which should stirre us up to be more diligent, watchfull, and carefull.