Philippians 3:7 – Richard Sibbes

[page 106 of volume 5]

1. Those things and privileges that formerly he counted gain, now he counts them loss.

2. It is good therefore to teach by example; as St Paul does here enforce rules by his own experience and example.

It is also expedient sometimes to speak of prerogatives and privileges that a man hath in himself; and it is not universal that we must not speak of anything that might concern our own praise. For we may do it as St Paul does here, to beat down the pride of others that are vain-glorious; or we may, as Paul does, lift up ourselves to abase and beat down ourselves the lower.

3. In the third place, when God vouchsafes his children any outward, privileges, he doth it for the good, and help of others, though we see it not at the first. Paul had these privileges, that he might beat down the pride of the Jews more powerfully. And Solomon had all abundance of wisdom, riches, and the like. Why? But only that he might without control judge of all, as of ‘vanity and vexation of spirit;’ and make it to be believed more firmly. For had an ordinary man said it, men would have thought it easy for him to say so; but if he had tried them, he would have been otherwise minded. In these later times, our best teachers were at the first papists, and of the more zealous sort; as Bucer and Luther, being also learned men; as also Peter Martyr and Zanchius, was brought up in Italy, and all this, that they seeing once their blindness, might be the more able to confound them, as being not a whit inferior to them in any outward respect whatsoever, when they were of their belief.

4. In the fourth place, God (having to deal with men of a desperate condition) suffers great and famous men to be in ignorance, nag, to be persecutors, that after their conversion they might comfort weak Christians; and therefore let them comfort themselves. Do they find that their sins are many and great? Paul was a Pharisee, a persecuting Pharisee, and continued so a long while. Nay, after his conversion, he complains of a body of sin, and yet found mercy; and therefore do not despair.

But to proceed. We see what St Paul was, and what now he is, how his judgment is quite contrary to that it was; for where grace is, it makes men opposite to themselves; and therefore this re-creation is called a new creature: Paul quite contrary to Saul, and yet hath one person. Out of which we may gather,

First, That a man before conversion hath ever that which is his gain; for we are prone to think too highly of natural things, and our esteem shall be grounded upon probabilities, rather than we will lose our esteem of them. For we know this outward gain is easily gotten, the duties are easily performed, fair outwardly; and will procure praise from men, which is all we naturally look for.

Secondly, Observe hence that that which we before conversion thought gain, is indeed loss and unprofitable, nay, it is dangerous; for things may in use he good, but in abuse dangerous. Riches are good in use, but in abuse ‘mammon’ and ‘thorns,’ as Christ terms them. Circumcision and sacrifices and baptism in themselves were good, and many things are still good; yet when we trust in them, and neglect inward graces, sacrifice is no more acceptable than a dog’s head, Isaiah 66:8. Good works are in their proper nature good; yet if we rely on them, they stop the way to Christ. So as it is our wicked and abusing affections that hath brought an ill report on the good creatures of God, so as to us they are dross and dung, nay, loss. These terms doth the Holy Spirit give to alienate our affections from these earthly things; an outward, civil, and conformable life [those things which] are, by our high esteem of them, stops, staying many from heaven; for while they tell themselves they live honestly and justly, doing no wrong, they suppose themselves to he very saints, and look no further. But every true Christian knows his infirmity, and the more he is enlightened, the more he sees his darkness; he knows these things cannot he gain to him.

For, first, he knows they are meaner than the soul. These are earthly, the soul is from heaven; these are outward, the soul is spiritual, and therefore is only satisfied with spiritual and heavenly comforts.

Secondly, A Christian sees these things are fading, arising of nothing, and tending to nothing; contrarily, he knows his soul is eternal, and requires comforts that may last with it for ever. For those that joy in these outward things, when they leave him or he leave them, as of necessity he must, it is true they vanish to nothing; but he cannot, but must continue comfortless for ever, and undergo the just wrath of God. Furthermore, a Christian doth not only know these things to be no gain, but he also knows them to be loss. For that is loss which a man finds by experience to be loss, when his understanding is awakened. But all things outward, whatever they be, whether that a man is a Christian by profession, or that he is a preacher, who hath good utterance and is embraced of the people and approved of, or what privilege else soever, when the conscience is awakened they breed more horror, at the hour of death, when we are to give an account of them, and they set us further off from Christ. A profane person is nearer conversion than a proud Pharisee; as Christ saith, ‘The publican and harlots go before you into the kingdom of God,’ Matthew 21:31. The reason is, because they that are thus outwardly affected sing peace to their souls; whereas the profane man hath no starting-holes of excuse, his vileness being more manifest.

Secondly, God detests such boasters more than those that are outwardly profane, and therefore Christ inveighs against such ever, ‘Woe to you pharisees, hypocrites,’ Matthew 23:13, and often threatens such with the punishment that is provided for hypocrites, as if those were the men which his soul abhorred, and for which only hell was prepared.

But how shall we be qualified, that outward things may not be hinderers of us?

First, Look to the foundation of all conversion; consider the nature of God and his law. By them we shall see a further degree of holiness than the best of us can attain to. The excellency of God’s nature is such as God’s children have been ashamed to be in his presence. As Job when God spake ‘abhorred himself,’ Job 42:6. Peter when he saw the power of Christ said, ‘Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man,’ Luke 5:8. We are, therefore, to think often of the presence of God, before whom ere long we must all appear.

Secondly, Briny thyself to the spiritual meaning of the lay: as Paul did, Romans 7. See into thy thoughts, and behold the uncleanness of thy heart.

Thirdly, Converse with those that are better than thyself and compare thyself with them. Not as the Pharisees, who compared themselves with the publicans; and herein are many deceived, and by undervaluing others they overvalue themselves. For things compared with less they seem somewhat, but with bigger seem nothing. It ought not to be so with us. Let us compare ourselves to that rule that we live by, and to such examples as we are to follow. Compare we ourselves with Christ, our righteousness with his, and then shall we see our wants.

Fourthly, Practise that which Christ so much beats on; that is, self denial. Hate father, mother, world, nay, thyself, or never think to come to Christ. They will be loss to thee unless thou account them loss. The young rich man’s wealth made him a loser. The love of the praise of men kept the Pharisees that they could not believe. Whosoever nourisheth any lust, it will rule him and his affections, that he shall make it his gain, be it never so vile in itself. But St Paul, being guided by another spirit, casts away all; and so must we. If we will not lose Christ and suffer shipwreck, cast away these commodities that load us and hinder us in our course. Neither is it meant hero of an actual casting away of our goods, thereby to establish the foolish vow of poverty. But herein is meant a judicious discerning of the true worth of these things in comparison of Christ, and from thence a preparation, and a resolved mind to part with all that may hinder us from the enjoyment of peace of conscience and the love of Christ. For a man may have a weaned soul in the midst of abundance; and he may live in the world, though not to the world, which is a duty easily spoken of, yet not easily performed; neither was it easily wrought in our apostle, who, being a persecutor of the church, was powerfully altered and changed from heaven. And thus doth God deal with his children, whom he doth first cast down and afflict, that they may find by experience that these outward things can stand us in no stead. It may be he suffers them to fall into some grievous scandalous sin, that they might see the ‘body of sin’ that lies in them, and seeing no good nor help in themselves, their desires are stirred up to the embracing of some better thing wherein they may find comfort. Then doth God reveal Christ to us, to whom he will have us to fly, and say, ‘Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?’ So as this power of changing ourselves is not in ourselves, but it is an almighty power.

If we think, therefore, that we are self-lovers, go to God, present thyself in the means, and then our eyes shall be opened to see and discern good and evil. For God hath promised to annex his Spirit to the use of the means, if that we in obedience submit ourselves to them.