Richard Sibbes on Philippians 3:12

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 onely 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 onely 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.

VERS. 12. But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that, for which I also an apprehended of Christ Iesus. THe word that is translated, I follow after, signifies properly to labour with earnest intention of the heart and affections: and the lesson that we may hence learne is, That the life of a Christian is a laborious and painfull life: for in what proportion the things we labour for, are more excellent than these worldly things, so much greater our desire and labour should bee in the obtaining of them, than in the obtaining this worlds goods: and to this end, the Scripture ever inforceth this dutie with words sutable to our worke; Labour for the meat that perisheth not, strive to enter in at the straight gate, give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. Those that will take no paines, its a sure signe they finde no sweetnesse in the thing, and therefore in such there can bee no true goodnesse; and hence we may observe a difference between the desires of men, some are effectuall, some uneffectuall; those that are uneffectuall commonly desire and delight in the thing they desire, but will none of the meanes: let me die the death of the righteous, sayes the wicked man, glory and happinesse is excellent, but the gate is narrow, the way is tedious and full of trouble, he will none of that; we will laugh at one that shall wish his work and jorney were done, when as he will sit downe and never goe about it; why should wee not much more laugh at such sluggards that wish dayly, O that they might bee saved, when as they doe not onely not further, but hinder their salvation. But where true desire of grace is, there will will be joyned thereto an indeavour, with jealousie over our corruptions, with griefe and shame for them, and for our backwardnesse and want of goodnesse, for else hell itself is full of good wishes and desires: if we meane to be better, we must use all meanes, undertake all paines and travaile with vehemencie, even as those that pursue gains with delight, they follow through thicke and thin, especially if the gaine bee in the eye, and those that goe for companie, they are soone tired; and thus did Paul, hee went through fire and water, through all manner of dangers, good and ill report, his gaine is still in his eye, hee lookes not after the way, if by any meanes hee may attaine his desired marke. But how shall we come to this grace? I answer, get first Faith, for by it the weake are made strong, Heb. 11. Get assurance that Heaven is thine, and God hath promised thee grace sufficient, and this is Pauls argument; be yee constant and unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord, knowing you labour shall not be in vain: where hope of reward is in the use of the meanes, it will stir us up to a constant use of the meanes 1 Cor. 15. last. Secondly, get a fervent love, for it is a strong affection if lust so prevaile with us, as we will omit no meanes to accomplish it; then a love in it selfe is much more powerfull, nothing being too hard for it, it hath an enlarging knitting and cōmunicating power: it makes a man bestow all, and rejoyce more in doing good, by much then in receiving. Its a grace cōprehends a number under it, and therfore Christ comprehended all the law under love of God, and our neighbour. Thirdly, cut off all superfluities, men thinke they are happy, when they have much to doe, when indeed they were happie if they had lesse to doe then they have. Sathan he does as Cyrus did with the waters of Babylon, hee diverts and separates our affections, that hee might passe over. As Nurses, they hurt themselves and the children too, when they keep over many: so doe men hurt themselves with overmuch businesse. The Lord hath not made us all for the world, but hath reserved one day in Seven for his service. For shame lets shew we have some respect of Religion and goodnesse, seeing God requires but one in seven; let us not bee so unjust, as to denie him his service on that day. Well, let those that professe themselves of another world, by all meanes pursue it. In Nature, every thing tends to his center and place, heavie things goe downward, light things ascend upward, in handicrafts and arts every one lookes after excellencie, shall it bee thus with them, shall mediocritie in other arts merit dispraise, and is it onely praise-worthy in Religion? The wicked they labour for hell, venturing losse of credit, strength, and estate, and is there not better gain in goodnesse? have we such rich promises and doe we esteeme of them no more, are not the afflictions wee shall meet with many and great, and doe wee thinke to undergoe them with ordinarie grace, gotten without labour and watchfulnesse? But lets goe on to the next words; That I may apprehend. Whence we may observe, that the maine scope of a Christian is to apprehend Christ here by revellation, that we may apprehend him hereafter by vision: many there are that may follow good things, and use good meanes, yet wanting these apprehending graces of faith and love, (which makes us have communion with Christ) they perish notwithstanding: humane knowledge is commendable, yet is it no other than as a scaffold in this building, it helpes, but the building once done, its for little use; apprehend we therefore him by knowledge of his truth, relye on him by faith, and imbrace him by love: and then if we be chased by him, we may as Ioab, lay hold on the hornes of the Altar Christ Iesus, and there live and die, and as we have dayly breaches, even so get more and more hold on him, and this will make us desire with Simeon; Lord let me now depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Let us therefore dayly learne to see our owne foulnesse, and goe to him the rock of our refuge. Ob. O but some will say, Christ is in heaven, and we on earth, wee cannot goe to him when wee please. Answ. I answer, yes; for the armes of faith are large, it takes hold of things past and to come, no height is out of the reach thereof: and besides, Christ he is present with us, he is in his word, in the Sacraments, in the Communion of Saints; where two or three are gathered together in my name, I will be in the middest of of them, its his owne promise. For which I am apprehended of Christ: Christ he apprehends us, and that in severall degrees. First, as he is God: In his eternall love wee had a being before we had any being here, God conceived us in his eternall affection, and imbraced us. Secondly, Christ apprehends us in his effectuall calling of us: Paul he was posting another way, when Christ called him, Saul, Saul; others hee calles from their mothers wombe, some by afflictions and powerfull crosses, as he did the Iaylor, others by more gentle meanes, as Lydia. Thirdly, there is an apprehending in all our actions, courses, and estates, directing us continually in them, never leaving us; none can plucke us out of his hands, hee is stronger than our corruptions, he will not let us goe till he hath drawne us up to heaven, and placed us with himselfe; for the use of this doctrine more shall be said in the next doctrine, which is taken from the order. Christ he first apprehends us, Doctrine. then we apprehend him: he apprehends us that we may apprehend him, and because hee hath apprehended us, therefore is it that we apprehend him: for in him it is that we live, and move, and have our being; and therefore much more our best being: he it is that gives us the will and the deed, to us it is given by him to beleeve, and suffer with him. For use hereof, Vse. 1. it would teach us in all our actions to beg ability and strength of him, and get a perswasion that his spirit doth apprehend us in love, and that he will direct us, and remove all impediments, and stand by us in all our crosses, that we are able to doe nothing but by reflection from him, that though wee are naturally dead and dull, yet he will quicken us by shining on our hearts with the sun-shine of his grace. Secondly, give him the praise of all the good thou doest, for the deed is his: those that doe not, doe apprehend, and are apprehended of themselves: and therefore it may serve as a marke to discerne of our estate, whither doe wee runne? and what doe wee apprehend in our trouble? is it Christ who is our present help in time of trouble? then there is a blessed change in us, but doe we seeke to our owne devices, to our owne policies and inventions? surely wee have not apprehended Christ as wee ought to doe, and therefore wee are to stirre up the graces in us, and beg increase of grace from him that is the fountaine of all grace. In the next place, it should comfort us, by the consideration of the certaintie of our estate, without falling away, if we hold fast unto the end: if it were ourselves that did apprehend us wee could not long continue, but it being Christ that holdeth us, our comfort is he will not forsake us; its the mother that holds the childe, the childe cannot lay hold on the mother, but is subject to falling every houre: Christ hee holding us, hath promised to love us to the end, and to put his feare in our hearts, that we shall not fall or depart from him: this being dayly considered, will greatly comfort a weake Christian, Christ may seeme to let him fall by suffering him to fall into some great sinne, but it is onely to humble him, and to teach him not to trust to his owne strength, which will soone faile him, but upon his mercie and grace: And therefore, In the next place, it teacheth us to hold fast unto him, and relye on him, and to pray to him that he would hold us fast. and then we fall not from God, but to God, hee hath delivered us, and will deliver us and keepe us to his heavenly kingdome: if we fall into sinne, let us repent and goe to God, there is mercie in Israel concerning this and with him is plenteous redemption, his right hand is under us ever to hold us up, that we cannot fall so deeply but hee will lift us up againe. In the next place, this may be a comfort to us in all our troubles and afflictions of this life: Are troubles neare? God is not far off (Psal. 22. and Psal. 118.) But full of comforts for such: we have an invisible wall about us, the wall of Angels, and God fights for us, there is more with us than against us, God will not suffer us to be tried above that we are able to beare: let us therefore pray, forsake me not Lord, lest I forsake thee: if wee pray to him he will bee found of us. Paul prayed for this. Christ also that knew he was apprehended, yet prayed all night; and this are we to doe: he hath promised, to heare us. And therefore let us goe in faith and assurance to him, in all our troubles.