Exposition of Philippians 3, Part 52
VERS. 21. According to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things to Himselfe.
THe word that is translated working, may and doth signifie power, and so it was translated heretofore, and is to be meant. But the words being plaine, we will come to some observations.
Doctrine. 1.And first of all observe, That Christ hath a power able to subdue all things to himselfe: and this hee hath by vertue of his office of Mediatorship, and this in respect of God to reconcile and appease him. Secondly, in respect of opposite powers to overcome all of them. Thirdly in respect of the persons to be saved, that he might free them from all ill, and raise them to all happinesse, and these things requires a power, that must be above all created powers, for God could not bee appeased but by an infinite price, the bloud of one that is God: and wee could not bee defended from sinne and hell (whose power is the greatest of all finite power) but by a power beyond it, and such a power as must regenerate and renew us notwithstanding the opposite power of the divell, and our corruptions within us, which is a greater worke than the worke of our creation. And all this he hath done, he hath subdued him that had the power of death, the Divell. Heb. 2.14. He hath subdued diseases and windes with a word, and with a word he smote his enemies to the ground, he hath subdued all ill of the body and minde, forgiving sinnes, opening our hearts, subduing our corruptions, and death hath yeelded to his power. O death, I will bee thy death.
In the next place, as Christ hath this power, so he will use this power for the good of his Saints. and this hee will doe, because what ever Christ is, he is for the good of his Church, hee is powerful, merciful and loving, for his Churches sake.
And secondly, because our bodies doe require it: for it must be an infinite power that makes the body of dust: and therefore though Christ was the sonne of God, declared from the beginning, yet it was said hee was mightily declared to be the son of God by his resurrection from the dead, for from a privation to a habit, there can be no regression by a naturall course, and therefore for our bodies to returne from dust, must be by a supernaturall infinite power of one that is God. Let those that are enemies to Christ his members consider this, against whom doe ye strive? even against the Almighty, who in his humiliation, was able with a word to strike his enemies to the ground, and now being in glory, how fearfull and terrible should his power be to such? who should learn betimes to kisse the sonne, before they perish in the midway. And for his children, let them comfort themselves that are under the government of so powerfull a majesty, for he will bruise all their enemies under them. Nay they are already all conquered, and let them consider of all his promises, and apply them to his power. It is a powerfull Saviour that said, Come to me all you that are heavie laden, I will raise you up, it is he that is able to subdue all things to himselfe, that promises my grace shalbe sufficient for you, he is a Prophet to instruct fully, a Priest to satisfie Gods wrath to the utmost, a King to subdue all their corruptions.
Thirdly, let this incourage us to set our selves against our corruptions: some there are that having a little strove with their lusts, and finding not that they have gotten any sensible ground against them, they as out of hope and heart, sit down with this opinion, as good never a whit as not the better; and so yeeld up the bucklers: what a distrustfull incredulous estate is this? is not he God that hath promised? is hee not truth it selfe? hath he said, and shall it not come to passe? feare not these Anakims nor Cananites, depend on God in the use of the meanes, and let him alone with the performāce of his promises.
Fourthly, despaire of none though never so weake, so long as they use the meanes, for Christ hath created all by his word, hee will raise us up by his word, and will change us by his word, and by this word he is able to change others, though never so obstinate; for so long as they are under the word and meanes, they are under the armes of an almighty power, and therefore if any be in our power, or if wee wish well to any, we should perswade them to prize the word, and to use the meanes.
In the next place, this is a ground of triall of our estates: would we know whether we are of the number of those that shall bee raised up hereafter and changed, then examine whether we have found this power changing us, and bringing us to grace here, for Eph. 1.19, 20. the same power worketh in us to beleeve, that raised up Christ, doe wee then finde our understandings inlightned, our wils conformable to his wil? do we finde the strong holds of sin in us rased, and new spirits, new thoughts, new desires in us? O these are blessed evidences of Christs almighty power in us, that will raise us up at the last day.
By this meanes also wee may try our profession: doe we come by faith and religion, with pleasure and ease? alas this is no signe of any powerfull strong worke in us, its easie to goe to Church, to heare the word, or reade it, to receive the sacraments, contrarily if we finde an inward change that our hearts are so altered as we can over rule our members contrary to our lusts, and contrary to occasions, then stronger is he that ruleth in us, than hee that ruleth in the world, 1 Ioh. 4.4. it is easie to resist a temptation where none is, the mightie power of Christ is seene, when being invironed with temptations, we are inabled to resist: I pray saith Christ, that thou should keepe them from evill in the world, and not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, Ioh, 17.15. If we be under crosses, if this spirit and power of Christ be in us, it will enable us to beare all patiently, it will keepe us from murmuring and fretting. It will also convince us of our naturall estate, so as wee shall see evident necessitie of Gods almighty power to change us; this made the Apostle Paul and the Iaylor to looke about them for helpe, Lord what wouldest thou have me to doe? and thus it will make us never to give God rest, nor Christ respite, till that power that shall raise up our bodies, doe raise up also our soules, and he shine in us by his spirit, that did bring light out of darknes, and fashion us as in his wisedome shall be most meet.
In the next place, the consideration of Gods Almightie power, should teach us not to be dejected or cast downe, at the reports of the afflicted state of the Church abroad, it should bring us rather to God, to rely upon his goodnes and power, for God is ever God almighty, and the same mercifull God that ever he was, and therfore we should pray for the Church the more instantly, that God would give them beautie instead of ashes, wee should urge him with his promise of building up and defending of his Church, and destroying of Antichrist, and let us make the resurrection of the body a ground to strengthen us in the beleefe thereof, as the returne of the children of Israel from Babylon, was sealed by the resurrection of the dry bones, Ezek. 37. as also the Apostle from the resurrection of the dead, gathereth that God by that power, hath and will deliver him. 2 Cor. 1.9, 10.
Furthermore, when wee are oppressed with any extremitie, though never so great, by continuall meditation of his promises, wee should strengthen our selves, and apply them to our present estate and condition, knowing that he that raised us out of dust, will not suffer us to bee buried in miserie, but will with the triall give us a gracious issue at the last, by raising up our bodies at the last day by his almighty power, which made also the Patriarch Abraham to hope above hope: what though our helpes be few? its no matter what the instrument is, so as Christ is the chief worker.
In the next place, This should incourage us, to stand out sted fast in a good cause for the truth; do not think with our selves, alas I am but one, and a weake sillie man; what can I doe against a multitude? let not such thoughts discourage thee: thinke of Luther a poore Monke, who alone set himselfe against the whole world, and wrought that effect, that wee have all cause at this day to honour the memorie of him: it is not thou, but God in thee, that is able to confound all thine enemies, and therefore with Moses, behold him that is invisible.
Yet further, this should bee observed by a Christian, as a ground of his perseverance to the end: for when wee know we are Christians, what can bereave us of our blessings? what can make our faith faile? its Gods power that will keepe us to salvation, and he that beleeveth shall have life, and shall not come into condemnation, Ioh. 6.39, 40.44.47. and many other places; and Christ by his almighty power swayes all our life, to our building up to salvation, and therefore in contraries we should beleeve contraries, that death will worke life, miserie happinesse, corruption incorruption, and this vilenesse glorie; for its Gods order to worke by contraries, that his power might the more appeare.
And at the houre of death then behold him that is thus able and all-sufficient; that shall presently glorifie our soule, and at length will raise up our bodie also, and unite it to our soule, to partake with it in glorie and happinesse, that will then quit us of all sinne, corruption, death, change, all our enemies shall bee troden under our foote, and all this by his almightie power, whereby he is able to doe farre above that wee are able to think; and therefore let us with a holy admiration thereof, say with the Apostle, (Ephes. 3.20.) To him be glorie for evermore. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Sibbes, Exposition of Philippians 3 (1639)