Object. If this be so, why is it thus with the church of God, and with many a gracious Christian? the victory seemeth to go with the enemy. Ans, For answer, remember, 1, God’s children usually in their troubles overcome by suffering; here lambs overcome lions, and doves eagles, by suffering, that herein they may be conformable to Christ, who conquered most when he suffered most; together with Christ’s kingdom of patience there was a kingdom of power.

2. This victory is by degrees, and therefore they are too hasty spirited that would conquer so soon as they strike the first stroke, and be at the end of their race at the first setting forth; the Israelites were sure of their victory in their voyage to Canaan, yet they must fight it out. God would not have us presently forget what cruel enemies Christ hath overcome for us; “Destroy them not, lest the people forget it,” saith the Psalmist, Ps. lix. 11. That so by the experience of that annoyance we have by them, we might be kept in fear to come under the power of them.

3. That God often worketh by contraries: when he means to give victory, he will suffer us to be foiled at first; when he means to comfort, he will terrify first; when he means to justify, he will condemn us first; whom he means to make glorious, he will abase first. A Christian conquers, even when he is conquered; when he is conquered by some sins, he gets victory over others more dangerous, as spiritual pride, security, etc.

4. That Christ’s work, both in the church and in the hearts of Christians, often goeth backward, that it may go the better forward. As seed rots in the ground in the winter time, but after comes better up, and the harder the winter, the more flourishing the spring, so we learn to stand by falls, and get strength by weakness discoveredvirtutis custos infirmitas—we take deeper root by shaking; and, as torches flame brighter by moving, thus it pleaseth Christ, out of his freedom, in this manner to maintain his government in us. Let us herein labour to exercise our faith, that it may answer Christ’s manner of carriage towards us; when we are foiled, let us believe we shall overcome; when we are fallen, let us believe we shall rise again. Jacob, after he had a “blow upon which he halted, yet would not give over wrestling,” Gen. xxxii. 24, till he had gotten the blessing; so let us never give over, but in our thoughts knit the beginning, progress, and end together, and then we shall see ourselves in heaven out of the reach of all enemies, Let us assure ourselves that God’s grace, even in this imperfect state, is stronger than man’s free will in the state of first perfection, being founded now in Christ, who, as he is the author, so will be “the finisher of our faith,” Heb. xii. 2; we are under a more gracious covenant. vo

That which some say of faith rooted, fides radicata, that it continueth, but weak faith may come to nothing, seemeth to be crossed by this Scripture; for, as the strongest faith may be shaken, so the weakest where truth is, is so far rooted, that it will prevail. Weakness with watchfulness will stand out, when strength with too much confidence faileth. Weakness, with acknowledging of it, is the fittest seat and subject for God to perfect his strength in; for consciousness of our infirmities driveth us out of ourselves to him in whom our strength lieth.

Hereupon it followeth that weakness may stand with the assurance of salvation; the disciples, notwithstanding all their weaknesses, are bidden to rejoice, Luke x. 20, that their names are written in heaven. Failings, with conflict, in sanctification should not weaken the peace of our. justification, and assurance of salvation. It mattereth not so much what ill is in us, as what good; not what corruptions, but how we stand affected to them; not what our particular failings be, so much as what is the thread and tenor of our lives; for Christ’s mislike of that which is amiss in us, redounds not to the hatred of our persons, but to the victorious subduing of all our infirmities.

Some have, after conflict, wondered at the goodness of God, that so little and shaking faith should have upheld them in so great combats, when Satan had almost catched them. And, indeed, it is to be wondered how much a little grace will prevail with God for acceptance, and over our enemies for victory, if the heart be upright. Such is the goodness of our sweet Saviour, that he delighteth still to shew his strength in our weakness.

Use 1. First, therefore, for the great consolation of poor and weak Christians, let them know, that a spark from heaven, though kindled under greenwood that sobs and smokes, yet it will con- < sume all at last. Love once kindled is strong as death, much water cannot quench it, and therefore it is called a vehement flame, or flame of God, Cant. viii. 6, kindled in the heart by the Holy Ghost; that little that is in us is fed with an everlasting spring. As the fire that came down from heaven in Elias’ time, 1 Kings xviii. 38, licked up all the water, to shew that it came from God, so will this fire spend all our corruption; no affliction without, or corruption within, shall quench it. In the morning we see oft clouds gather about the sun, as if they would hide it, but the sun wasteth them by little and little, till it come to its full strength. At the first, fears and doubts hinder the breaking out of this fire, until at length it gets above them all, and Christ prevails; and then he backs his own graces in us. Grace conquers us first, and we by it conquer all things else; whether it be corruptions within us or temptations without us.

The church of Christ, begotten by the word of truth, hath the docttine of the apostles for her crown, and tramples the moon, that is, the world, and all worldly things, “under her feet,” Rev. xil. I; “every one that is born of God overcometh the world,” 1 John v. 4. Faith, whereby “especially Christ rules, sets the soul so high, that it overlooks all other things as far below, as having represented to it, by the Spirit of Christ, riches, honour, beauty, pleasures of a higher nature.

Now that we may not come short of the comfort intended, there are two things especially to be taken notice of by us: 1. Whether there be such a judgment or government set up in us, to which this promise of victory is made. 2. Some rules or directions how we are to carry ourselves, “that the judgment of Christ in us may indeed be victorious.

The evidences whereby we may come to know that Christ’s judgment in us is such as will be victorious are, 1. If we be able from experience to justify all Christ’s ways, let flesh and blood say what it can to the contrary, and can willingly subscribe to that course which God hath taken in Christ, to bring us to heaven, and still approve a further measure of grace than we have attained unto, and project and forecast for it. No other man can justify their courses, when their conscience is awaked. 2. When reasons of religion be the strongest reasons with us, and prevail more than reasons fetched from worldly policy.

3. When we are so true to our ends and fast to our rule, as no hopes or fears can sway us another way, but still we are looking what agrees or differs from our rule. 4. When we “can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth,” 2 Cor. xiii. 8, as being dearer to us than our lives; truth hath not this sovereignty in the heart of any carnal man. 5. When if we had liberty to choose under whose government we would live, yet out of a delight in the inner man to Christ’s government + we would make choice of him only to rule us before any other, for this argues, that we are like minded to Christ, a free and a voluntary people, and not compelled unto Christ’s service, otherwise than by the sweet constraint of love. When we are so far in liking with the government of Christ’s Spirit, that we are willing to resign up ourselves to him in all things, for then his kingdom is come unto us, when our wills are brought to his will. It is the bent of our wills that maketh us good or ill.

6. A well-ordered uniform life, not by fits or starts, shews a well-ordered heart, as in a clock when the hammer strikes well, and the hand of the dial points well, it is a sign that the wheels are right set. 7. When Christ’s will cometh in competition with any earthly loss or gain, yet if then, in that particular case, the heart will stoop to Christ, it is’a true sign; for the truest trial of the power of grace is in such particular cases which touch us nearest, for there our corruption maketh the greatest head. When Christ came near home to the young man, Matt. x. 22, in the gospel, he lost a disciple of him. 8. When we can practise duties pleasing to Christ, though contrary to flesh, and the course of the world, and when we can overcome ourselves in that evil to which our nature is prone, and standeth so much inclined unto, and which agreeth to the sway of the times, and which others lie enthralled under, as desire of revenge, hatred of enemies, private ends, etc., then it appears that grace is in us above nature, heaven above earth, and will have the victory.

For the further clearing of this and helping of us in our trial, we must know there be three degrees of victory. 1. When we resist though we be foiled. 2. When grace gets the better though with conflict. 3. When all corruption is perfectly subdued. Now we have strength but only to resist, yet we may know Christ’s government in us will be victorious, because what is said of the devil is said of all our spiritual enemies, “if we resist they shall in time fly from us,” James iv. 7; because “stronger is he that is in us,” that taketh part with his own grace, “than he that is in the world,” 1 Johniv.4. And if we may hope for victory upon bare resistance, what may we not hope for when the Spirit hath gotten the upper hand?