[Chapter XVIII. — Of Christ'' s judgment in us, and his victonj, what it is.]
We come to the thii'd part, the constant progress of Christ's gracious power, until he hath set up such an absolute government in us, which shall
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prevail over all corruptions. It is said here, lie will cherisli his beginnings of grace in us, until he bring forth judgment unto victory. By judgment here, is meant the kingdom of grace in us, that government whereby Christ sets up a throne in our hearts. Governors among the Jews were first called judges, then kings : whence this inward rule is called judgment ; as likewise, because it agi-ees unto the judgment of the word, which the psahn- ist oft calleth judgment, Ps. Ixxii. 1, 2, because it agreeth to God's judgment. Men may read their doom in God's word, what it judgeth of them God judgeth of them. By this judgment set up in us, good is discerned, allowed, and performed ; sin is judged, condemned, and executed. Our spirit being under the Spirit of Christ, is governed by him, and so far as it is governed by Christ, it governs us graciously.
Christ and we are of one judgment, and of one will. He hath his will in us ; and his judgments are so invested into us, as that they are turned into our judgment, we carrying 'his law in our hearts, written by his Spirit,' Jer. xxxi. 33. The law in the inner man and the law wiitten, answer as counter- panes each other.
The meaning then is, that the gracious frame of holiness set up in our hearts by the Spuit of Christ, shall go forward until all contrary power be brought under. The spirit of judgment will be a spuit of burning, Isa. iv. 4, to consume whatsoever opposed corruption like rust eats into the soul. If God's builders fall into errors, and build stubble upon a good foundation, God's Spirit, as a spiritual 'fire, will reveal this in time, 1 Cor. iii. 13,' and waste it. They shall, by a spirit of judgment, condemn their own errors and courses. The whole work of grace in us is set out under the name of judgment, and sometimes wisdom, because judgment is the chief and lead- ing part in grace ; whereupon that gracious work of repentance is called a change of the mind,* and an after- wisdom. As on the other side, in the learned languages, the words that do express wisdom imply likewise the general relish and savour of the whole soul,f and rather more the judgment of taste than of sight, or any other sense, because taste is the most neces- sary sense, and requireth the nearest application of the object of all other senses. So in spiritual life, it is most necessaiy that the Spirit should alter the taste of the soul, so as that it might savom* the things of the Spirit so deeply, that all other things should be out of rehsh.
And as it is true of every particular Christian, that Christ's judgment in him shall be victorious, so likewise of the whole body of Christians — the church. The government of Christ, and his trath, whereby he ruleth as by a sceptre, shall at length be victorious in spite of Satan, antichrist, and all enemies. Christ 'riding on his white horse,' Rev. vi. 2, hath a bow, and goeth forth conquering, Rev. xix. 11, in the ministry, that he may over- come either to conversion or to confusion. But yet I take judgment for Christ's kingdom and government within us principally. 1. Because God especially requireth the subjection of the soul and conscience as his proper throne. 2. Because if judgment should prevail in aU other | about us and not in our own hearts, it would not yield comfort to us ; hereupon it is the first thing that we desire when we pray, ' Thy kingdom come,' that Christ would come and rule in our hearts. The kingdom of Christ in his ordi- nances servos but to bring Christ home into his own place, our hearts.
The words being thus explained, that judgment here includeth the govern- ment of both mind, will, and a9"ections, there are divers conclusions that naturally do spring from them.
* iXiTavoia. + (p^oviiv, sapere. J 'Others,' in A and B.
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[Chapter XIX. — Christ is so mild that yet he will govern those that enjoy . the comfort of his mildness.]
The first conclusion from the connection of this part of the verse with the former is, that Christ is upon those terms mild, so that he will set up his government in those whom he is so gentle and tender over. He so pardons as he will be obeyed as a king ; he so taketh us to be his spouse, as he will be obeyed as a husband. The same Spirit that convinceth us of the necessity of his righteousness to cover us, convinceth us also of the neces- sity of his government to rule us. His love to us moveth him to fi'ame us to be like himself, and om- love to him stirreth us up to be such as he may take delight in, neither have we any more faith or hope than care to be purged as he is pure ; he maketh us subordinate governors, yea, kings under himself, giving us grace not only to set against, but to subdue in some measure our base afiections. It is one main fruit of Christ's exaltation that he may turn every one of us from our wickedness. Acts iii. 2G. ' For this end Christ died and rose again and liveth, that he should be Lord of the dead and hving,' Kom. xiv. 9. God hath bound himself by an oath that he would gi'ant us, that ' without fear we might serve him in holiness ajid righteousness in his sight,' Lulce i. 75, not only in the sight of the world.