[page 141 of volume 5]
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.
The holy apostle dwells upon the point, that he might press it the more; and it is good to press matter of weight. The apostle showing that conceit of perfection to be dangerous, again tells the Philippians, that he had not that which they boasted of. This pride of ourselves, and conceit, is a sin that climbs up to heaven, and enters on God’s prerogative, and a sin that God doth directly set himself against. Of this compellation, ‘brethren,’ I have formerly spoken.
I might also touch that doctrine, that the kingdom of heaven is not perfected in us here, but that it grows by degrees. It is at the first as a grain of mustard seed. There are babes in Christianity, and old men grown Christians. And the ground hereof may be partly in the subject, partly in the object.
In regard of the subject, for that graces are imperfect in us, the more the soul hath, the more it desires.
In regard of the object, for that Christ is so full, that we are not able to receive all his fulness, so as there is imperfection in us, and superabundant perfection in him. Paul had a large affection, yet came far short. This possibility of the soul to receive more will be in us, till we be in heaven, where we shall be full; and therefore while we are here, we pray still, ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,’ and ‘Thy kingdom come,’ more and more. It is a strange conceit, therefore, for any to think he may be too good; yet do these daily, or should do, pray for more and more perfection here on earth, although they say they know not what. And another reason why we apprehend Christ not so fully here as we shall do hereafter, is, because the manner of making Christ known to us is by revelation, 1 Corinthians 13:12, seq. We behold him here but as it were in a glass; in the glass of his word and sacraments, which cannot represent him to our understanding so clearly, as hereafter we shall behold him in the beatifical vision.
Take heed therefore of a self-conceit of perfection. When we begin to be unwilling to grow better, we begin to wax worse. There is no stay in Christianity. It is the sight of our imperfection that makes us strive to perfection, and the more we see into our misery, the more earnestly we strive on to be freed from it.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things that are before.
See what is the apostle’s unum necessarium, to grow more and more to the fulness of the knowledge of Christ. All other things he counts as ‘dung and loss.’ So as we may hence observe, that the Spirit of God in a Christian heart, subjects all things to one Christ.
‘One thing have I desired of the Lord,’ said David, Psalm 27:4; make this therefore a rule to difference our estates by. What is the thing we intend chiefly? Is it riches, or pleasures, or honours? This one thing will be the utter overthrow of all religion in us. Christ will be supreme, or he will not be. ‘He that loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me,’ saith Christ of himself, Matthew 10:37. There is none so wicked but would be religious, till religion comes to cross that one thing, their darling sin. And thus have they base limitations, which must needs prejudice their growth in religion; for where religion is, it will cross their base affections and lusts.
Therefore, whosoever we are that intend to be true Christians indeed, resolve first to prefer the peace of conscience and the fruit of religion above all; and resolve to abhor all things that will cross this one thing of St Paul.
Standing Before God, This We Are and No More 