Exposition of Philippians 3, Part 34
VERS. 14. I presse towards the marke.
BEhold an excellent description of a Christian course, borrowed from the exercise of running a race, being a man-like and commendable exercise, fitting men and inabling them for warre. The very heathen herein condemne us, whose ordinary chiefe exercises, what are they but good company (as wee call them) continuall lying at T…vernes, to the impoverishing of our estates, and weakning our bodies: the kinde I condemne not, but the excesse is such, as the Heathen would be ashamed of, for which they shall even rise up in judgement against us, and condemne us.
But from the similie, wee may gather thus much; That Christianitie is a race, the beginning of this race is at the beginning of our conversion, it should begin at our baptisme: the first thing we should know ought to bee God, the race is the performance of good duties, concerning our generall calling, and concerning our particular. For the length of our races, some are longer, some shorter, but the end of every mans race is the end of his life: some mens wayes are plainer, some rougher, the prize is fulnesse of joy; the lookers on, are heaven, earth, and hell, God is the instituter of this race, and the rewarder; the helpers, are Christ, good Angels, and the Church, which helpes by prayer; the hinderers are the devill and his instruments, who hinder us by slanders, persecutions, and the like. For ground of this race in us, we are to know that man is created with understanding, directing him to doe things to a good end and scope, other creatures are carried to their end, as the shaft out of a bow, only man fore-seeing his end, apprehends meanes thereto: his end is to receive reconciliation and union with God, to which hee aymes by doing some things, suffering others, and resisting others.
And this race is also ordered by lawes, for every runner is not crowned, there is a running ill, that shall never procure the prize. The lawes hereof concerne either preparation, or the action it selfe; for preparation,
1. Direct.First we are to know, that there is a dieting requisite, as those that runne in a race, have a care hereof, to use such diet as did strengthen not cloy, and such apparell as might cover them, not clog them; so ought it to bee in our spirituall race, we must cast aside all heavie loads, every weight and sinne, which doth so easily beset us; as it is Heb. 12.1. If God cast on us any place or riches, let us use them for a good end, but not make them our end, and therefore with them take up dayly examination of our selves, how we behave our selves towards these worldly things. It were a madnesse in a runner, in his race to take up a burthen, and not to thinke it will be a sore trouble to him, and why doe we not think thus in our spirituall race? Cast we off therefore originall corruption, and the corruption of our place, time, and calling, which in time will grow unsupportable to us. Let us desire no more than God gives, and what afflictions God sends us, let us take, assuring our selves they are for our good.
2.A second law is, to consider the wayes that we are to runne in, what dangers wee are like to meet with, forecast and resolve against the worst, and withall promise we our selves Gods assured protection in our worst estate, the want of this is the seminarie and ground of all Apostacie, when men promise to themselves in Christianitie, such things as God never promised. Christ therefore promiseth, and sheweth the worst first: but the devill to deceive us keepes the worst out of our eyes, and shewes a sort of vaine delights and pleasures, but the sting of them (through his subtiltie and craft) he suffers us to feele before we see it.
A third law is, that we enter the race betimes, its the devils tricke to put off the care of this,3. telling us, we need not yet enter, we are but yong and have many yeares to live, as they did that hindered the building of the Temple, but consider wee the uncertainty of our life, that wee may die suddainly, and that its just with God to take us away after that manner, if wee neglect our selves and him; and we must know also, we shall lose no pleasure nor delight, but we shall finde such sweet delights in those wayes, as we shall with St. Augustine be greeved that we enjoyed them no sooner. And besides, those that begin betimes get a great advantage of others, and through continuall custome, come at length to a habit of Religion.
In the next place, we are to take heed of hinderances of us in our preparation▪ as
First of all, hope of long life, whereby we are besotted, thinking life and death is in our command that we shall have time enough, and need not so soone enter upon good duties.
2. Hind.Secondly, a conceit that when wee have once given up our names to Christ, that presently we bid adieu to all delight, mirth, and pleasure, when alas we are farre deceived; God denies not pleasure to us, but will give us whatsoever is good for us, we shall delight and rejoyce, but with a joy spirituall, and wee shall see nothing in this world, that may any way deserve our delight therein.
3. Hind.A third hinderance, is a dispaire of ever going through this race; this settles upon some strangely making them cast away all care, and desperately trust to Christs merciemercy. This made Cyprian to complaine of his corruptions, saying, they were bred and brought up with him, and therefore feared they would hardly give place to grace, being but a stranger; while men consider how great and powerfull their corruption is, they with the Israelites despaire of ever entring into the land of Canaan, these sons of Anak doe so terrifie them.
But consider we withall, that God is above all our corruptions, that he can make of a Lion a Lambe, and that if wee will trust upon him, in his time he will helpe us, and wee shall overcome these Giant-like corruptions, Christ he hath conquered them already, and though while we live wee cannot wholly overco…e them, yet Davids house shall grow stronger and stronger, and Sauls house weaker, we shall have grace sufficient for us: God will sweeten Religion to us, that wee shall delight therein, and Christ will not leade us into temptation, till he hath fitted us to it by his grace, and then we shall rejoyce as the Apostles did Acts 5. that we are accounted worthy to suffer.
Contrary to this humour, some thinke it so easie a matter to runne this race, as they thinke they cannot be out of it, or tired therein, when as indeed they never set foot therein; let such looke to themselves if they be in this race, they shall finde it no easie matter.
But thus much concerning rules or lawes for preparation to this race, now there are lawes to be observed of those that are in the race, as
First,Direct. 1. they must resolve to hold on without discontinuance of their course of good duties, for some by omitting good duties, now and then upon slight occasions, do come through Gods just sufferance to leave them off, and never take them up againe, and thereby whiles they are not getting ground by continuing their course, they doe lose thereby, even as water-men rowing against the streame, if they doe not row but rest never so little, the streame carries them backe againe, and they cannot recover themselves, but with great difficultie: so it is in this Christian race, a little interruption of dutie, causes thrice so much paines to recover our former estate; therefore we are to take up a holy resolution, not to be interrupted in good duties.
The next law is, that wee must looke to gaine ground still to grow from grace to grace. Its the Apostles ayme still to grow better than himselfe, contrary to this many forsake their first love, they thinke themselves wise but are fooles, such as the Lord will spew out of his mouth, as he threatens the Church of Laodicea. And indeed the most men at the best are but civill, and doe but provide for their owne ease, and can indure any mixture of religion or company, and the ground of this coldnesse is a selfe-conceit, whereby men thinke well of themselves, and their estate; Paul he was of another spirit, ever pressing forward.
A third law is, that we doe things with all our might, that we runne this race with all our earnest indeavour, there is no bodily exercise that profiteth, but it must be with putting forth of our strength; so our Christian actions should shew even outwardly, that we doe things as if we intended thereby to honour God indeed, and to this end wee are to depend on God by prayer, that he would give us strength, and mindes to put forth our strength, for gaining most honour to his Majestie, and this will bring great assurance and comfort to us in time of need.
A fourth rule is, that wee are to runne this race with a cheerfull and speedie course: a dead performance of duties, is no part of our race, yea as many goe to hell by ill performance of good duties, as by committing sinnes that are scandalously evill; for this resting in the work done, is the cause of hardnesse of heart, and there by of despaire, and at the best never brings any sound comfort at all to us: and therfore we are injoyned to doe good duties, and to doe them in a good manner, Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup, and so runne that you may obtaine. Its no lingring, we know not how long we shall live, how soone we shall die, and therefore let us make haste to doe our worke, before God takes away time from us, by taking us out of the world. And those especially are to look to this, that have lived long in their owne courses, and are but lately reclaimed, they are much behinde, and had need make haste, the journey is long, their time but short. And to this end, looke we not what wee have done, and how farre we have gone, but looke what remaines to be done, and know we have done nothing, till we have done all.
But it will be asked,Quest. what may wee not thinke of duties that are past?
I answer,Answ. we may thinke of them by way of defence, and to give God the glorie, and also to incourage us on, but not to rest, or solace our selves on them till we have done all.
But men may say,Quest. what is there no pause, is there no Sabboth?
I answer,Answ. yes when we are dead. Blessed are the dead in the Lord, its they that rest from their labours, heaven is a sufficient reward for all the paines we can any way take here, besides the comforts that wee have here are many, which none knowes but them that injoy them. And God hath promised the continuall assistance of his blessed spirit, that shal incourage us and leade us into all truth, alas what comfort have we of all that we have done, if we continue not, but sit down and take up our rests here? what good got they that came out of Egypt and died in the wildernesse, it may be even in the border of the land of promise, yet never saw it? It will assuredly fall out with us, as it did with them, if wee harbour any infidelitie in our hearts, we shall be cast out, that we shall never see this good land, the spirituall Canaan.
In the next place, take we heed of such hinderances, as may make us eyther slacke, or intermit this race of ours.
1.As first, wee must take heed of idle scruples and temptations: these are no other than as dust cast in the eyes of the runners, and as stones that gaule their feet, interpret them to bee the subtilties of the devill, and therefore shake them off, and intend thy dutie thou art about, and pray for wisedome to discerne aright of things; regard not the golden apples of the profits and pleasures of this life, that lye in thy way to divert thy steps, and sweepe off evermore the dirt of these worldly cares, which we gather in our race, and by little and little grow to clog us.
2.In the second place, beware of sinnes against conscience: they take away joy, and make our hearts dead, there are many that seeing diverse of their sinnes before them, concerning which they finde no peace in themselves, are soone out of breath, and quite out of heart, and so by little and little runne into despaire, and without hope ever to attaine the price.
Thirdly,3. Hind. take we heed of ill and dull companie, that are cold in religion, that cannot away with good religious duties; for as it is in our ordinary travels good companie makes time and way passe away speedily and with comfort, so is it in this race, good and gracious company by exhortation and example, doe wonderfully incourage us, and ill companie contrarily doe dishearten us, disswade us, and clog us, and draw us backe from every good dutie we take in hand. But many mens conceits are, they need not all this adoe, they are well enough though they be not thus holy, all cannot come to the high pitch of mortification▪ surely there is hardly any beginning of grace in such, who allow themselves in a dead course, for where the love of God is, it will constraine men to shew their thankfull and loving hearts to him, in walking before the Lord with all their might.
In the fourth place,4. Hind. take heed how we suffer our mindes to wander in this race: let us not looke at the lookers on; the world, and the devill, and wicked men, passe not for their censures, we may assure our selves before we enter this race, we shall have no applause from them, let a slow dull jade come by (like Dogges) they let him passe, none regards, but if another comes by a pace, every man runnes barking, and slandering, and backbiting after him, and if they can, they will bite too; shall a man care for such as these? no wee must resolve before hand to have the world, the devill, and all the enemies he can make to bee against us, let us therefore set our eyes onelyonly on him that has our reward in his hand, that observes us and is ready to crowne us, and let us beg courage and strength from him, and spirituall wisedome; how we should performe every action, with what intention or remission of heart and affection, how to sanctifie his name in the performance of the duties of our callings, how to make every action, yea our recreations, a furtherance in this our Christian race.
Secondly, let us dayly search and trie our hearts and wayes, see how we profit or go back, how we grow like or unlike Christ: particularly, examine we how the pompe of the world seemes to us? whether base and contemptible? if so, then the further wee are runne in this Christian race: for as in objects of sight, the further we are from them, the lesse they seeme to us, and the nearer we are to them, they appeare the greater; so it is in the object of our mindes: doth heaven appeare full and beautifull to us, its a signe we are neare to it, and wee are come a good way in our race: but contrarily, if it be mean and of no esteem or account, its farre from us, we are at the most but comming towards it.
Secondly, examine what doth take up dayly the powers of our soules and affections: doe wee delight in the best things? and with Marie chuse the better part, which shall not be taken away from us? or contrarily, are our delights here below, and our rest set up here, then we have our reward here, and the price is not prepared for us, but God will spew us out for our coldnesse: and therefore, if we finde coldnesse creeping on us, let us take heed of it, it is a dangerous estate, God cannot indure it; for while we allow of good things, but shew not intention of spirit in the performance of them, wee do even judge them, and tell the world they be things not worthy of our paines and indeavours: let us therefore not allow of this coldnesse, though it be in us, b…t strive against it, meditate of such things as may inflame us, and pray against it.