PHIL. iii. 15, 16. Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. up a THE head and the members, Christ and his people, make but one Christ, and one church; and this church like Jerusalem, a city compacted within itself, wanting neither comeliness to allure the love of those that behold it, nor strength to subdue the power of those that resist it. And in this building by how much the more curious the compacture is, by so much the greater is the deformity and danger of any breach therein, whether by heresy, which untieth the bond of faith; or by schism, which breaketh the bond of love. Christ is a Prince of Peace, and his church a kingdom of peace. When he came into the world, he brought peace with him; and when he departed, he left it behind him. There is nothing more contrary to the nature of the church', nothing more advantageous to the enemies of it, nothing doth more tempt hypocrites to forsake it, or strangers to despise it, than the distractions and differences which are fomented within it. What sad breaches are crept into the church of God in these nations, no man but he that is a stranger in Israel, that dwelleth at the antipodes, can be ignorant of. What great reason there is to have sad and mournful thoughts of heart for the divisions of Reuben, for the differences and distractions which are amongst us, every good man doth easily apprehend. How much it is incumbent upon those whom the a Caput et corpus unus est Christus, Aug. de Civ. Dei. 1. 17. cap. 18. et 83. quæst. 69. et de unitat. Eccles. c. 4. b Psalm cxxii. 3. Ephes. iv. 16. d Luke ii. 14, 1 Cor. xii. 12. • John xiv. 27. Isai. ix. 6. Heb. vii. 2. f Δέδοικα μὴ ὁ ̓Αντίχριστος καιρὸν λάβῃ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ πλαίσματά τε καὶ αῤῥωστήματα-κωμῳδία γὰρ τοῖς ἐχε δυναστείας τὰ ἡμέτερα prophet calleth healers, (Isai. iii. 7) to put their helping hand to prevent further ruins, and to close up the breaches of Sion again, it is needless for me to prove. Since, therefore, so long as we know but in part, and prophesy but in part, it cannot be but that there will be variety of judgements in the church; I have deemed it not incongruous or unbeseeming this present service, to open unto you, out of these words of the apostle, such a heavenly way of calming and pacifying differences, as that no common adversary of our religion or prosperity may make any use of them against us. The apostle having (verse 3) warned the Philippians to take heed of dogs,' and 'evil workers,' who endeavoured to corrupt the doctrine of the gospel, by mingling circumcision and other legal observances therewith; shewing that though he had as many legal privileges to rejoice in as any of them, yet he cast them all away, and esteemed them 'loss and dung,' for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ,' and his interest in him and his righteousness; and the communion he had with him in his death and resurrection;-he then proceeded to exhort the church to imitate his example, to prefer Christ above all, to press forward unto more holiness and perfection; and, in case of differences of judgement, to wait in the use of means upon God by his word and spirit, to reveal his counsel further unto them; and by their holy lives, loving affections, and united ends, to prevent the danger, which otherwise their different opinions might expose them unto. part, shall be done away. "O O TEXEID, "As many as be perfect."] There is a double perfection, 'Perfectio Viæ,' and 'Perfectio Patriæ;' perfection attainable in our way to heaven, and perfection expected in our heavenly country itself; opposed unto the other, as the whole to the part. When that which is perfect, is come, then that which is in (1 Cor. xiii. 10) Perfection in the way,' is two-fold: 1. Created perfection; that habit of original justice, whereby Adam was enabled exactly to perform that obedience, which in the law written in his heart, God required of him: and thus no man, Christ only excepted, hath since the fall been a perfect man. (Eccles. xii. 29) 2. Restored and evangelical a Perfectio quæ nostræ competit fragilitati. Hieron. contra Pelag. 1. 1. perfection. And this again is twofold: perfection of integrity and sincerity, and perfection of parts :-as the child hath all the parts of the parent; and the believer, as soon as regenerated, hath all the members of the new man, grace for grace wrought in him. And perfection of maturity or proficiency, perfection of degrees: as Beza here rendereth the word by 'Adulti,' men grown up unto a greater measure of spiritual knowledge and grace. As many then as are sincere, upright, and humble-hearted, how great a progress soever they have made in the grace and knowledge of God, must yet, all of them, be thus minded. It is not a precept belonging unto babes only; but apostles and prophets, and the holiest of saints, must be thus minded; must renounce all carnal confidence, all self-performances; must suffer the loss of all, and esteem themselves greater gainers by the bargain, to win Christ; must acknowledge their own imperfection, and be still contending unto more holiness. Καὶ εἴ τι ἑτέρως φρονεῖτε. “ If any of you be so carnal, as through the cunning of false teachers, and through ignorance and unacquaintance with yourselves or with Christ, are seduced to think otherwise; I doubt not, but he who hath already called you, will rescue you out of the hand of so dangerous, an error; if, by faith and prayer, you attend upon the word of truth, and yield up yourselves to be taught thereby." Πλὴν εἰς ὃ ἐφθάσαμεν. " Nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk," or "we ought to walk," &c. So the words are an exhortation, grounded on the condition, whereby the former promise is limited. "If we be careful to walk in obedience and love, according to the light which already we have received, the Lord will reveal more of his will unto us using the light we have, will be a very ready means for the obtaining of more." Τῷ αὐτῷ στοιχεῖν κανόνι. "To walk by the same rule." There seemeth to be a double metaphorical allusion in the original words, the one to a military march, wherein a soldier keeps his proper rank and station, obeying the order and rule which his commander gives;-the other to an b Ordines militum in exercitu Homerus passim vocat στίχας ἀνδρῶν. agonistical, or athletical rule, wherein was drawn a white line, by which the running of the horses was to be guided; as the learned Civilian, Petrus Faber, in the second book of his Agonisticon, hath observed. This line, or rule in our Christian race, is the word of God, the rule of faith, love, and a Christian life, called, "Walking in the Spirit," Gal. v. 16; walking according to rule, Gal. vi. 16. all Τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν. The same with being σύμψυχοι, ο like-minded,' of one accord, of one judgement. Let not the perfect despise the weak; let not the weak judge the perfect; but eis ô éptáσaper, in these fundamental articles, wherein we agree in that common salvation unto which we all contend, let the piety of our lives in walking by the same rule of faith and love, the unity of our judgement, the concord of our affections, the concurrence of our ends, our consent and delight in the same truth (all which are intimated in the words rò autò govvei; let all this declare to the church of God, and to our own consciences, that, in our differences, Christ notwithstanding is not divided; but that amidst the variety of our opinions, the purity, piety, and peace of the church is still preserved: and let these things likewise predispose and qualify our hearts to admit of the revelation of further truth out of the word, and so make way to the reconciling of those differences which are yet amongst us. This I take in brief, to be the scope and meaning of the text. Wherein we have, 1. The difference, inter Adultos et seductos,' in the church, between perfect Christians, and Christians seduced. 2. The variety of judgements and opinions, which by reason of that difference may grow. 3. The right way of reconciling those differences. And that is, 1. An humble submission of judgement, and willing attendance in the use of means upon divine teaching; "God shall reveal even this unto you." He will lead his people into all necessary truth, and give them all things requisite to life and godliness. 2. Το have an εἰς ὃ ἐφθάσαμεν, some main fundamental doctrines, wherein the dissenting parties do all agree, which may be the measure and touchstone of all other doctrines; Phil. ii. 2. to hold nothing which is either inconsistent with the truth, or unbeseeming the majesty of that foundation. 3. Τῷ αὐτῷ στοιχεῖν κανόνι. Το walk exactly and in order according to thet hings wherein we agree; not to break our rank, or desert our station, contrary to the rules which we have received. So that two things are herein implied. 1. Piety of life, to live answerably to the truths we know. 2. Sobriety, moderation and prudence of spirit, to serve God in the place and condition wherein he hath set us, and according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us; (2 Cor. x. 13) that neither by an unsuitable conversation we belie the truths we hold, nor under any pretence of service, we break forth to attempt any thing in the church beyond the place and station, wherein God hath set us. 4. To hold the truths wherein we agree, in love, unity, and constancy. For why should not the many truths wherein we agree, teach us to join in love, which is a Christian duty, rather than the few opinions wherein we disagree, cause breach in affection, which at best is a human infirmity? The word here used poveiv, in the use of scripture, usually noteth not a bare rational and intellectual act of the mind, but 'judicium practicum,' such a judgement as hath an order unto practice, which is the same with 'sapere,' to have a savoury relish of truth, and so to apply the mind unto it; as Matth. xvi. 23, où pgoveis Tà TOU OOU, Thou savourest not the things that be of God.-Rom. viii. 5, 6; Tà τñs σapuòs Pgovouσw, &c. they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; and they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit; for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.-Col. iii. 2; If ye be risen with Christ, rà ava povere, set your affections, have your minds, upon things above.-Phil. iii. 19; rà Éπíyeιa Opovouνtes, who mind earthly things; whose hearts, studies, inclinations, affections, are earthly and brutish. We are not therefore barely to think the same things, whereunto we have already attained, to affirm them but in the main, to agree with one another in the same ends and designs; that is, when we hold the same general truths, in so holding Tò autò poveiv, to have the same purposes, to pursue the same intentions, to carry on the same designs of glorify |