Where true wisdom and judgment is, there Christ sets up his government

THE second branch is, that wheresoever true wisdom and judgment is, there Christ hath set up his government; because where wisdom is, it directs us not only to understand, but to order our ways aright ; where Christ by his spirit as a prophet teaches, he likewise as a king by his spirit subdueth the heart to obedience of what is taught. This is that teaching which is promised of God when not only the brain, but the heart itself is taught: when men do not only know what they should do, but are taught the very doing of it, they are not only taught that they should love, fear, and obey, but they are taught love itself and fear and obedience itself. Christ sets up his chair in the very heart, and alters the frame of that, and makes his subjects good, together with teaching of them to be good. Other princes can make good laws, but they cannot write them in their people's hearts, Jer. xxxii. This is Christ’s prerogative, he infuseth into his subjects his own spirit : upon him there doth not only rest the spirit of wisdom and understanding, but likewise the spirit of the Sear of the Lord, Isai. xi. 2. The knowledge which we have of him from himself, is a transforming knowledge, 2 Cor. iii. 18. The same spirit that enlighteneth the mind, inspireth gracious inclinations into the will and affections, and infuseth strength into the whole man. As a gracious man judgeth as he should, so he affecteth and doth as he judgeth, his life is a commentary of his inward man; there is a sweet harmony betwixt God’s truth, his judgment, and his whole conversation. The heart of a Christian is like Jerusalem when it was at the best, a city compact within itself; where are set up the thrones of judgment, Psalm cxxii. 3: judgment should have a throne in the heart of every Christian. Not. that judgment alone will work a change, there must be grace to alter the bent and sway of the will, before it will yield to be wrought upon by the understanding. But God hath so joined these together, as that whensoever he doth savingly shine upon the understanding, he giveth a soft and pliable heart ; for without a work upon the heart by the spirit of God, it will follow its own inclination to that which it affecteth, whatsoever the judgment shall say to the contrary: there is no connatural proportion betwixt an unsanctified heart and a sanctified judgment. For the heart unaltered will not give leave to the judgment coldly and soberly to conclude what is best: as the sick man whilst his aguish distemper corrupteth his taste, is rather desirous to please that, than to hearken what the physician shall speak. Judgment hath not power over itself where the will is unsubdued, for the will and affections bribe it to give sentence for them, when any profit or pleasure shall come in competition with that which the judgment in general only shall think to be good; and therefore it is for the most part in the power of the heart, what the understanding shall judge and determine in particular things. Where grace hath brought the heart under, there unruly passions do not cast such a mist before the understanding, but that in particular it seeth that which is best; and base respects, springing from self-love, do not alter the case, and bias the judgment into a contrary way; but that which is good in itself shall be good unto us, although it cross our particular worldly interests.

The right conceiving of this hath an influence into practice, which hath drawn me to a more full explanation: this will teach us the right method of godliness, to begin with judgment, and then to beg of God together with illumination, holy inclinations of our will and affections, that so a perfect government may be set up in our hearts, and that our knowledge may be with all judgment, Phil. i. 9, that is, with experience and feeling : when the judgment of Christ is set up in our judgments, and thence, by the spirit of Christ,’ brought into our hearts, then it is in its proper place and throne; and until then, truth doth us no good, but helpeth to condemn us. The life of a Christian is a regular life, and he that walketh by the rule, Gal. vi. 16, of the new creature, peace shall be upon him ; he that despiseth his way and loveth to live at large, seeking all liberty to the flesh, shad die, Prov. xix. 16. And it is made good by St. Paul, [f we live after the flesh, we shall die, Rom. viii. 13.

We learn likewise that men of an ill governed life have no true judgment: no wicked man can be a wise man. And that without Christ’s spirit the soul is in confusion, without beauty and form, as all things were in the chaos before the creation. The whole soul is out of joint till it be set in again, by him whose office is to restore all things. The baser part of the soul, which should be subject, ruleth all, and keepeth under that little truth that is in the understanding, holding it captive to base affections; and Satan by corruption getteth all the holds. of the soul, till Christ, stronger than he, cometh, and driveth him out, and taketh possession of all the powers and parts of soul and body, to be weapons of righteousness, to serve him, and then new lords new laws, Christ as a new conqueror changeth the fundamental laws of old Adam, and establisheth a government of his own.