Philippians 3:15

A learned man reads it from the Greek to this purpose: As many therefore as are perfect, let us think this; and if ye think any thing otherwise, even this also God will, or may, reveal to you, (besides what we have attained to), to walk by the same rule, to think the same thing: conceiving it not congruous to the sense, or syntax, but alien from all manner of speaking, to translate it imperatively: Let us walk by the same rule. But following our own translation: Let us therefore, as many as be perfect; from the instance of himself, imitating Christ, in loving condescension and lowliness of mind, Philippians 2:3,5, worshipping God in the spirit, and not having confidence in the flesh, Philippians 3:3, in the fellowship of Christ's sufferings, Philippians 3:10, pressing forward to absolute perfection, he here doth with himself encourage as many rulers and ruled who were settled in the fundamentals of Christianity, and who had made progress in holiness, to mind that main business of religion, for the prevention of what might ensue upon exasperating differences; whereupon he styles them comparatively perfect in the way, not in the heavenly country, 1 Corinthians 13:10; which doth not disagree with what he said before, if we further distinguish of a perfection:

1. Of integrity and sincerity, which some call of parts; as a perfect living child, that hath all the parts of the parent, so, upon the new birth, every real believer receiving grace for grace, 1 Thessalonians 1:13,16.

2. Of maturity, proficiency or degrees where grown to a full stature in Christ; here relatively and comparatively to others, who are more rude, ignorant, and weak brethren, since, in regard of their progress in godliness, they are not taken up with childish things, 1 Corinthians 13:9, with 1 Corinthians 14:20; but are grown more adult, and no more children, 1 Corinthians 2:6 Ephesians 4:13,14 Heb 5:13,14 6:1; which he doth elsewhere, in regard of their experimental knowledge, call spiritual, Galatians 6:1, who here worship God in the spirit, Philippians 3:3: as many as are sincere, of whatsoever stature, whether bishops, deacons, or private Christians. Be thus minded; he would have them to be so minded as he himself was, in renouncing all carnal confidence, acknowledging their gradual imperfection, and still to be striving and contending to a fuller measure of holiness, till they come to be consummate in Christ. And if in any thing ye be otherwise minded; and if any, through ignorance of Christ and themselves, conversing with those ready to mislead them, should be of any other persuasion in some things only, considering the different attainments of the strong and weak, and thereupon the variety of sentiments, whence would spring some differences not only in opinions but practices amongst them, (which yet hindered not their agreement in what they were attained to), God shall reveal even this unto you; he hoped Christ, who had already called or apprehended those sincere ones, would in due time rescue them from so dangerous an error, 1 John 2:20,27, if they would attend upon him in the use of means to come to the knowledge of the truth, with faith and prayer, yielding up themselves to be taught of him.