Christ alone advanceth this government

THE fifth conclusion is, that this government is set up and advanced by Christ alone ; he bringeth judgment to victory. We both fight and prevail in the power of his might, Eph. vi. 10; we overcome by the spirit obtained by the blood of the lamb, Rev. xii. 11.

It is he alone that teacheth our hands to war, and fingers to fight, Psalm xiv. 1, Nature, as corrupted, favours its own being, and will maintain itself against Christ’s government. Nature, simply considered, cannot raise itself above itself to actions spiritual of a higher order and nature; therefore the divine power of Christ is necessary to carry us above all our own strength, especially in duties wherein we meet with greater opposition; for there not only nature will fail us, but ordinary grace, unless there be a stronger and a new supply. In taking up a burthen that is weightier than ordinary, if there be not a greater proportion of strength than weight, the. undertaker will lie under it: so to every strong encounter there must be a new supply of strength ; as in Peter, Matt. xxvi. 69, when he was assaulted with a stronger temptation, being not upheld and shored up with a mightier hand, notwithstanding former strength, foully fell. And being fallen, in our raisings up again it is Christ that must do the work, 1. By removing ; or 2, Weakening; or 3. Suspending opposite hinderances; 4. And by advancing the power of his grace in us, to a further degree than we had before we fell; therefore when we are fallen, and by falls have gotten a bruise, let us go to ‘Christ presently to bind us up again.

Let us know, therefore, that it is dangerous to look for that from ourselves which we must have from ‘Christ. Since the fall, all our strength lies in him, ‘as Samson's in his hair, Judges xvi. 17; we are but subordinate agents, moving as we are moved, and working as we are first wrought upon, free so far ‘forth as we are freed, no wiser nor stronger than he makes us to be for the present in any thing we undertake. It is his spirit that actuates, and enliveneth, and applieth that knowledge and strength we have, or else it faileth and lieth as useless in us; we work ‘when we work upon a present strength; therefore dependant spirits are the wisest and the ablest. Nothing is stronger than humility, that goeth out of itself ; or weaker than pride, that resteth upon its own bottom: and this should the rather be observed, because naturally we affect a kind of divinity, in setting ‘upon actions in the strength of our own parts ; whereas ‘Christ saith, Without me you, apostles that are in a state of grace, can do nothing, John xv. 5: he doth ‘not say, you can do a little, but nothing: of ourselves, thow easily are we overcome ? how weak to resist ? we ‘are as reeds shaken with every wind; we shake at ‘the very noise and thought of poverty, disgrace, losses, &c. we give in presently, we have no power over our eyes, tongues, thoughts, affections, but let sin pass in ‘and out. How soon are we overcome of evil? whereas we should overcome evil with good. How many good purposes stick in the birth, and have no strength to come forth? all. which shows how nothing we are without the spirit of Christ. We see how weak the apostles themselves were, till they were endued with strength from above, Matt. xxvi. 69: Peter was blasted with the speech of a damsel, but after the spirit of Christ fell upon them, the more they suffered, the more they were encouraged to suffer: their comforts grew with their troubles; therefore in all, especially difficult encounters, let us lift up our hearts to Christ, who hath spirit enough for us all, in all our exigences ; and say with good Jehosaphat, Lord, we know not what to do, but our eyes are towards thee, 2 Chron. xx. 21: the battle we fight is thine, and the strength whereby we fight must be thine. If thou goest not out with us, we are sure to be foiled. Satan knows nothing can prevail against Christ, or those that rely upon his power ; therefore his study is, how to keep us in ourselves, and in the creature: but we must carry this always in our minds, that that which is begun in self-confidence will end in shame.

The manner of Christ’s bringing forth judgment to victory, is by letting us see a necessity of dependence upon him: hence proceed those spiritual desertions wherein he often leaveth us to ourselves, both in regard of grace and comfort, that we may know the spring-head of these to be out of ourselves. Hence it is that in the mount, that is, in extremities, God is most seen, Gen. xxii. 13. Hence it is that we are saved by the grace of faith, that carrieth us out of ourselves to rely upon another; and that faith worketh best alone, when it hath least outward support. Hence it is, that we often fail in lesser conflicts, and stand out in greater, because in lesser we rest more in ourselves, in greater we fly to the rock of our salvation, which ss higher than we. Hence likewise it is, that we are stronger after foils, because hidden corruption undiscerned before, is now discovered, and thence we are brought to make use of mercy pardoning, and power supporting. One main ground of this dispensation is, that we should know it is Christ that giveth both the will and the deed, and that as a voluntary work according to his own good pleasure. And therefore we should work out our salvation in a jealous fear and trembling, Phil. ii. 12, lest by unreverent and presumptuous walking, we give him cause to suspend his gracious influence, and to leave us to the darkness of our own heart.

Those that are under Christ’s government have the spirit of revelation, whereby they see and feel a divine power sweetly and strongly enabling them for to preserve faith, when they feel the contrary, and hope in a state hopeless, and love to God under signs of his displeasure, and heavenly-mindedness in the midst of worldly affairs and allurements drawing a contrary way : they feel a power preserving patience, nay joy in the midst of causes of mourning, inward peace in the midst of assaults. Whence is it that when we are assaulted with temptation, and when compassed with troubles, we have stood out, but from a secret strength upholding us? To make so little grace so victorious over so great a mass of corruption, this requireth a spirit more than human; this is as to preserve fire in the sea, and a part of heaven even as it were in hell. Here we know where to have this power, and to whom ‘0 return the praise of it. And it is our happiness, that it is so safely hid in Christ for us in one so near unto God and us. Since the fall, God will not trust us with our own salvation, but it is both purchased and kept by Christ for us, and we for it through faith, wrought by the power of God, and laying hold of the same: which power is gloriously set forth by St. Paul, 1. To be a great power ; 2. An exceeding power ; 8. A working anda mighty power ; 4. Such a power as was wrought in raising Christ from the dead, Ephes. i. 19. That grace which is but a persuasive offer, and in our pleasure to receive or refuse, is not that grace which brings us to heaven; but God’s people feel a powerful work of the Spirit, not only revealing unto us our misery, and deliverance through Christ, but emptying us of ourselves, as being redeemed from ourselves, and infusing new life into us, and after strengthening us, and quickening of us when we droop and hang the wing, and never leaving us till perfect conquest.