Have you received the Gospel revelation so, as 'a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation ?" Is it acceptable, do you judge it worthy of your acceptation, of all acceptation? Then your heart and soul embraceth it, and closeth with it. This the apostle speaks in that great summary of the Gospel, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, (even the chief of them,) of whom I am chief." What kind of faith will serve me unto righteousness, that | be a renovation even in the spirit of your minds, a new I may be justified-that I may be counted righteous there- heart and a right spirit being created and renewed in you, upon? Why, it is "with the heart man believeth unto being renewed in the spirit of your minds, the inward seat righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made of vital governing principles. If the spirit of the mind unto salvation," Rom. x. 10. And saith the apostle, "This be renewed, that spreads influence through the man, then is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that there is a new man put on. Not some slight, superficial Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom change in this or that particular respect, but an entire new I am chief," 1 Tim. i. 15. man. As he that is in Christ is said to be a new creature. There is a new creation introduced, the man is new. This must be, if your faith be to any purpose. The apostle blesses God for the Thessalonians, in that he could look upon them, as those that were chosen to salvation by the remarkable and observable effects. The way that God had taken with them was, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; such a believing of the truth a had been accompanied with the sanctification of Spirit. 2. Labour for such a faith as may inwardly unite your Agreeably to that of our Lord himself, "Sanctify them souls to Christ, revealed in this Gospel, and with God in through thy truth: thy word is truth," John xvii. 17. him. Your faith is to take hold of him, and of God in 4. See that it be such a faith as doth and shall govern him, so as thereby to come into a united state, a state of your lives, so that you live by it, and thereupon cannot union with him, that you may thereupon be in him. It only say, I did believe seven, or ten, or twenty years ago, must be such a faith as whereby Christ may dwell in your but I continually live by my believing. A man is not said hearts. "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith," to live by that which rarely happens to him, or once or Eph. iii. 17. That is not spoken exclusively of God, for twice in a life-time. We are to live by breathing, but we it is presently subjoined, "that ye may be filled with all cannot do so if it be not continual. So we are to live by the fulness of God." All which fulness is in him. Do believing; "the just shall live by his faith." That he is not satisfy yourselves without such a faith as that by which continually to live by all his days. Can it be thought that you may say you have now the son of God. God in him, such a one shall be said to live now, because he drew in you, and with you. He hath given us an understand-breath twenty years ago? But that belief which is true, ing, that we may know him that is true. That understand-real, vital, will be continually repeating its acts and exering, to know him that is true, is faith, as it resides in the mind. But though it hath its first seat there, it doth not terminate there, for this immediately ensues, and we are in him. In whom? In Jesus Christ the Son, who is the true God, and eternal life. We pass into union by this intuition, even into union with the true God, who carries eternal life in his very name. Such a faith as leaves you still at a distance from God and from Christ, do you think that can avail you? All that is in Christ is yours, as you come to be in him. "Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. In him once, and all is yours; whatsoever you need, whatsoever is suitable to the exigency of your state. Are you foolish creatures, he is wisdom to you. Are you guilty creatures, he is righteousness to you. Are you impure creatures, he is sanctification to you. Are you enslaved lost creatures, he is redemption to you, if you be in him; but nothing at all if you be not in him. cises. "The life that I live in the flesh (says the apostle) I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me," Gal. ii. 20. That is, if your faith be a right vital principle, and such as the Gospel means and signifies by the name of faith, it is such a thing as carries up the soul into a continual course, into an invisible scene of things. There you have an invisible God, and an invisible Christ, and an invisible glory, still in view. There are some that talk of such a thing as a double sight, or a second sight, so as that they who have it have a visible world and an invisible world in view at once. I know no second sight like that of faith. That, indeed, will present an invisible world, and keep it in view before you, so that by it you will be more conversant in the world of spirits, with the Father of spirits, and with spiritual and invisible things; more conversant in your hearts, more with delight, more with savour and relish, than in this shadowy scene of things which you have within the view and under the notice of your sense. You will look upon this world "as that the fashion thereof passeth away;" but by your faith (which is to you "the substance of things hoped for," &c.) you will live above, you will live with God, you will live with Christ, you will live as on the brink and borders of eternity, ready to enter in, only waiting for a dismission hence-a call and translation thither. This is living by faith. For, the apostle having told us, Heb. x. 38. that "the just shall live by faith," (repeating the ancient maxim out of the Old Testament, to signify to us that that is not the way of living for the saints at one time or age of the church of God only; but it is from age to age, through all the successions of time, this must be the way of believing.) then he tells us in the beginning of the next chapter, what that faith is by which such a man must live; to wit, "The substance of things hoped for," and "the evidence of things not seen." Such a faith as represents God, and Christ, and heaven, and the invisible things, all as great and most substantial realities; clothed with a clear light, and so set and continued in view before your eyes. This is, that we are to live, not to have such representations now and then, but to have them statedly before us, and so to live and direct our course accordingly. But, 3. Labour for such a faith as may be transforming to your whole souls. Consider that the whole economy of the Gospel aims at this, the bringing of all, upon whom it shall have its effect, into the unity of the faith, so that all come to unite in one faith, Eph. iv. 13. And what is to be consequent thereupon, the apostle tells you in what follows there, supposing this once to be done, and that you are brought with the rest of sincere believers into the oneness of faith, the unity of the faith which is common to serious and sincere Christians. As such then, I testify to you, that you are not to walk like other Gentiles, as if this faith, in which all sincere Christians were to unite and be one, should leave you but just like other men in your habitual frame. "I say it, and I testify to you in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind," Eph. iv. 17. You had a heart alienated from that life. Will you keep that heart still, and call yourself a believer, and pretend to be come to unity of the faith? still to live with an habitual disinclination in your heart towards God? This can never be. But if you have learned "the truth as it is in Jesus," I tell you (saith the apostle) what that must be: it must come to this, the "putting off the old man, which is corrupt by deceivable lusts," and "being renewed in the spirit of your mind," Eph. iv. 22, 23. You are never come into the unity of that faith which belongs to all that shall be saved, till there be thereupon a divestiture and total invesiture. A divestiture and "putting off the old man, which tation consider, is corrupt according to the deceivable lusts;" you must 1. Is it not your great privilege to live here in this world cease to be the man that you were before, and (as that in a state of friendship with God? for what more exalted which is intervening and central in the case) there must privilege is there to poor creatures living in mortal flesh? 2. I am also to recommend to you this other great thing, friendship with God. And in reference to that, I would also say somewhat both by way of excitation and direction. I can speak but briefly to many things. For exci Here I live in flesh, dwell in flesh; but it is in friendship | do in Christ's stead beseech you to be reconciled unto with God. In low circumstances, amidst a great many God. You may conclude, with the greatest assurance troubles and difficulties, but in friendship with God. Who imaginable, that God is willing, and not difficult, as to would not choose this way of living, when it is represented to our option, when it is propounded to us as matter of choice? 2. Consider there is no middle state (for you to whom this overture is made) between these two, a state of friendship with God, and a state of enmity to him; you must be either his friends or his enemies. There can be no neutrality in this case; and will it not make a man's heart sink within him to think of this? I must either live God's friend or God's enemy. Dare I venture when the matter is laid before me as a matter of deliberation, to say, I will live the latter, I will live his enemy? you that were alienated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works; you see how the case is stated: you must still be enemies in your minds, through wicked works, till you are reconciled and become friends. There is no neutral state, you must go from day to day, up and down in this world, either as God's friends, or his enemies. 3. Consider that this friendship with God which we recommend to you, and into which the Gospel continually calls you, is no impossible, no impracticable thing, for it is prescribed to us as a matter of duty: "every man as he is called, let him therein abide with God," 1 Cor. vii. 24. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen ?" (John iv. 20.) which speaks this living in the love of God to be therefore more difficult, because we see him not. But the strength of the argument goes upon that supposition, that it is a thing which cannot be dispensed with, notwithstanding the difficulty: and be it as difficult as it will, it must therefore be supposed not to be impossible to live in the love of God, and in a state of friendship with him, though he be invisible. "How shall he love God?" implying that it is a thing, the thought whereof is to be abhorred, that a man should think of living in this world, and not to live in actual commerce and intercourse, to be kept up, and continued, with God in love. How shall he do it? It implies, that he must do it, and therefore the thing is by no means to be looked upon as impossible. And to pretend that it is impossible, is to pretend that we have gone below our own kind, that we have lost human nature, which, if it remain with us still, though we have flesh about us, yet our nobler part is spirit. And what, is it an impossible thing for a mind, a spirit, to converse with the great Father of spirits? Is flesh more akin to us than spirit, that supreme Spirit, that universal Spirit, that Spirit that diffuses influences every where throughout the world? Are we more akin to flesh, and fleshly things, than we are to this Spirit, whose offspring we are, and who is our Father? Therefore, it is not to be thought or looked on as an impossible or impracticable thing to come into and continue in this state of friendship with God. "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for his mercy in Christ Jesus, unto life eternal," Jude 21. What is matter of express precept, is not to be looked upon simply and absolutely impossible by a natural impossibility. It is only so by a moral impotency, against which the aids of grace are to be expected and sought. And, 4. Consider that this friendship with God, as it is not an impossible or impracticable thing, so it is to be maintained in the easiest and most unexceptionable way. Consider, that to enter into this state is but to obey the Divine call, the very meaning and import of the whole Gospel of reconciliation. We have the greatest assurances in all the world, that God is not difficult or hard of acquaintance; for he invites. Will he refuse whom he invites? The Gospel is sent to us to beseech us, in Christ's name and stead, to be reconciled unto God. Will he refuse that which he seeks? decline that friendship into which he calls us? He is "in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, that sin might not be imputed," or (which is the same thing) that righteousness might be imputed, 2 Cor. v. 19. "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." We are commissioned, and sent, and entering into this state of friendship with us. And then there is as little supposable difficulty of continuing in it; for do but consider to that purpose these two things, 1. That he is never far off; and, 2. That he is easy to forgive. 1. That he is never far off. You will say, How shall I keep friendship with God? he is in heaven, I am upon earth. In heaven, yes, as to his more glorious manifestation of himself. But he is not far from any of us, for "in him we live, and move, and have our being." And this is told us, that we may seek and find him out, insomuch as he is far from none of us. So that now you may be with him as soon as you can think a thought. How easy is the way to keep up this friendship: only to be now and then at the expense of a thought. Where is God my Maker? that will not cost you dear. You have no cause to say, What shall I do for my friend? Who shall go up to heaven to fetch him me down from thence, or who shall go to the uttermost ends of the earth to fetch him me up from thence. No, he is with you; turn you but to him, and you will find him with you. Do but direct your mind, turn your thoughts inward, and you will find him with you. Indeed he often passes by, and we perceive him not. "Thou dost compass me behind and before, (saith the Psalmist,) and art acquainted with all my ways.' O how unaccountable is it to keep off ourselves, unacquainted with him and his ways! And, I 2. He is easy to forgive. Ay, but breaches may happen. forget and neglect him too often, and am ashamed and confounded in my own sense; I am afraid to look towards him any more. That must not by any means be. You must return, though it be with weeping and humiliation. And if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, if it be not done triflingly, if it be not done without sense, if it be not done with an inclination and resolution to persist and go on in sin still. "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin," Psal. xxxii. 5. The injustice of it. And then it is added, "For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him," Psal xxxii. 6. Who would decline such a friendship with him who is so easy to be reconciled at first, and still willing to forgive where there is not a wilful perseverance in obstinate rebellion against his rightful authority, and his abundant love and goodness? And consider, 5. It is the way to bring your minds to ease in reference to all your more private concernments. You have difficulties in the world, you have troubles and straits, and know not which way to turn yourselves. Oh what a great thing is it to have such a friend, who invites you to cast your care upon him, for he will care for you. And then the peace of God shall hereupon keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 6. It will keep you quiet in reference to public concernments. This is a very pitiable case, that when they see things run counter to their expectations, their aims, their designs and inclinations, they are full of anxiety, full of concern, full of dread and fear. They know not what will become of things. Oh what a heart-quieting thought is it, that all is in the hands of your friend, your great and wise friend, who doeth as pleaseth him in heaven above, and in the earth beneath. And he will never manage things so, as that his true friends shall at last have any cause to complain. And then consider, 7. That all will be well for ever when you are caught up in the clouds to meet your Redeemer in the air, and to be for ever with the Lord. That being his declared pleasure, that he will have all his friends together eternally with him in one society, in one assembly, made up of an innumerable company of angels and the spirits of just men made perfect. That they that have lived by the faith of Abraham, and been friends of God, as he was, may sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in his kingdom, and there reside for ever. In this Scripture we are told that "Abra But some may say, What is that to me, who live in the world so many ages after? Why the Scriptures, as if it were on purpose to obviate any such thoughts, tell us, (particularly the apostle, Rom. iv. latter end, where he had been speaking of the same thing,) Abraham believing God, and its being imputed to him for righteouness, it was not for his sake that this was written, not for his sake alone, but for all that should believe with the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, i. e. as believing under the common notion of believers. Not as if our faith were to be produced, or to be maintained, by any influences from him. But he is called the father of believers upon the same account upon which any one great and eminent in a profession, is said to be the father of such, to wit, a great example, as Jabal is said to be the father of them that dwell in tents, and Jubal the father of them that handle the harp and organ. What was said concerning Abraham and his faith, and his friendship with God, thereupon, was not written for him alone, but for us too, that we are to live in the same faith and the same friendship with God as he did. I shall shut up all, by way of direction as to this, with only two words in general. You think it a very desirable thing (I doubt not but you do) to be in this state of friendship | with God. Surely every one among us must say, if it be a desirable thing to live in a state of friendship with God, who would not live at this rate every day in a state of friendship with the great and glorious God of heaven and earth! I shall only say these two things by way of direction in reference hereto. ham believed God, and it was counted to him for righte-merly showed at large; and, therefore, there must be a ousness." constant reference to him in all things. We are in all things to yield to him, to cross him in nothing. And so, when in all things we are to consult him, we are to take his counsel in all, and to stand in his counsel. Not to be self-willed, not to say, we will walk in the way of our own hearts, whatsoever becomes of our friendship with him. You must always be true to him; you must always believe him true to you. You must never be strange to him: always be free, unreserved, open-hearted. You must willingly agree to it, that he be privy to all your affairs. He will be so, whether you will or no, but it is that to which your hearts should consent, and in which your hearts should rejoice, so as to be able to say, Lord! I know I can hide nothing from thee, and I would not if I could; I desire all things may lay open between me and thee, that there may be nothing hid, no veil drawn between thee and my soul. Search me, try me, look into me. It is the pleasure and advantage of this friendship, to know that he can behold sincerity, and accept it, and reward it, and delight in it. And, therefore, you must resolve never to break off this friendship, but look upon him as your inseparable friend, and from whom you are never to depart. And say to yourself, this God shall be your God; i. e. your friend, your friendly ruler, for ever and ever, and shall be your guide even unto death. So that you can never any moment of your life suffer an elongation from him that he should be far off, or keep long from you, but presently your hearts will miss him. And you will say, Oh! where is my friend? I will seek him, pursue after him, as the spouse in the Canticles is represented to pursue after him whom her soul loved. This is my friend, where is he? where is he? You will be presently upon inquiries, if he have hid himself, and seem to have withdrawn and retired from you; for this hath been the state of things between him and you in contracting this state of friendship, that this God shall be your God for ever and ever, and your guide even unto death. 1. Give yourselves up entirely unto this friendship with God; and do it with solemnity: so great a thing as this, entering into friendship with God, the great and glorious Lord of heaven and earth, the matter speaks itself that it ought to be done with solemnity. Make a solemn business of it; apply yourselves purposely to him, and tell him, Lord, I have heard thy mind, thy pleasure, thou wouldst have souls that have wandered from thee, and been alienated, come into thine acquaintance and friendship. The Gospel under which I live hath told me so; I believe thy word; I come now to offer myself up unto thee, to be thy reconciled one, thy devoted one, thy servant, thy friend. "Thy servant, thy servant; O Lord thou hast broken my bonds," Psal. cxvi. 16. But our Saviour would have us know, that the notion of a servant is not to exclude that of a friend, as that of a friend is not to exclude the notion of a servant, but only to prevail and predominate in the state. The notion of friendship is in the Christian state to be predominate, and to be the principal thing. Tender yourself to God accordingly. We hear many discourses to this purpose; but with too many the matter comes all to nothing, because we never make a solemn business of it. The entrance into such a state, so sacred a state, if it were done with solemnity, there would stand a remark upon it, I have engaged myself in a state of friendship with God, I must live pursuantly hereunto. I hope you will think of this; such as come to learn how you might live in a state of friendship with God. Such as have any such design, I hope will think of this another time; i. e. that when this state of friendship with God is once entered into, we must give ourselves up to it. And then, SERMON XXXVIII.* 1 John v. 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God. THE subject that I last finished, you find did connect faith and friendship with God. This connects faith and sonship to God. And the one and the other must be understood (by them that will consider) to be of the greatest importance to us imaginable; so great that it is to be hoped the former is not forgotten, and this latter will not slightingly and negligently be attended to. The words in themselves are an express doctrinal asser. tion, which I shall not need therefore to vary into other terms; "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God." It needs only to be explained and applied; for the explication of it, that you cannot, upon the first hearing of such an assertion as this, but think very neces2. Mind it is a continued course; otherwise, you trifled sary. For it may seem strange to unaccustomed ears, at at first; never meant sincerely, never meant as you did least, that such a thing as this should be affirmed so generalpretend. Mind, I say, it is a continued course; Andly, concerning believing Jesus to be the Christ, that every through your whole course. These are but generals; I such a one should be said to be born of God. How amazhave mentioned many particulars, at former times, to this ing a sound may this carry with it to many who do less purpose; that, if you recollect yourselves, would be of consider, or who understand less what the meaning of these stated use to you. But all will come under this general; terms is, to "believe Jesus to be the Christ," and to "be mind this often, that there is a friendship settled between born of God;" the latter of these doth indeed, at the very God and me; I must in all things hereupon demean my- first hearing, appear a very great thing-be born of God! self towards him as a friend; that is, I must consult him It might even swallow up a man's soul to think of such a in all, resign all things to him, cross him in nothing; for thing as this, affirmed, of such worms as we are. We, that friendship between him and us carries a peculiarity in it. might "say to the worm, Thou art our father, and to corIf there were an equality between him and me, then it were ruption, Thou art our sister and mother;" to speak of something as between human friends, it may be. They such creatures as we, as of a divine offspring and heavenmay be equally wise, they may be equally great or equally ly progeny, as of persons born of God; how wonderful mean; equally able to do for one another. But this is not and transporting may it be to us! the case here; this is not like common friends, as I for * Preached March 11th, 1693. But that only which can make such an assertion as this seem strange is, that while this is apprehended (as it is to be really and truly) a very great thing; for the most part, such believing is reckoned a very little thing. It may, indeed, seem a great thing to be a son of God, one born of God; but the name of believing is become so cheap amongst us, and carries so little and so diminished a sound with it, that we are too generally tempted to look upon it as a slight, and small, and trivial matter. But when these terms come to be opened and understood, it will be found that there is such a near affinity between these two things, being "born of God," and "believing that Jesus is the Christ;" that the one will be easily understood not to have any place at all where the other hath no place; that they can never be apart, but wheresoever the one is the other must be too. Our business therefore in the explication must be to do these two things; first, to consider the parts of this assertion; and then, secondly, to show their necessary connexion with one another. I. We are to open the parts of this assertion severally, which you see are these two, concerning Christ and a divine birth; "believing that Jesus is the Christ," and being" born of God." And, be guilty of a mistake, but it must be a wilful mistake if any should take another for me. And you see how this one person is notified here, only by the name Jesus, as the subject of the affirmation, the Saviour. A name that signifies the aptitude of the person unto the office that he was to bear and manage. You know it was foretold and directed by the immediate counsel of Heaven, that he should be called Jesus; "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins," Matt. i. 21. It was a rivalling of the hero of the world, who did affect such titles, and even that very title, which the pagans did therefore bestow sometimes upon their gods, and sometimes upon their kings, to wit, Saviour; the usual name among them of Jupiter, and with which some of their great princes did dignify themselves, and affected to be dignified by, as particularly Demetrius Soter. This was an affectation among the great ones of the world to claim this very name. Well, our Lord will be known to be the Jesus. This name is his, appropriated to him, to signify to persons one that is to save as no other could, that was to be so eminent and so glorious a Saviour; that person distinguished from others by the specifying circumattend him. That Jesus who was born at Bethlehem, and lived at Nazareth, and was crucified at Jerusalem, commonly known there by this name, the name Jesus. It is of him peculiarly and alone that this is said, he is the Christ. 1. For the former of these, what the import is of "be-stances (or the individuating circumstances rather) that did lieving that Jesus is the Christ." And as touching that, there are again, more particularly, two things to be stated. First, the thing to be believed, that Jesus is the Christ; and, secondly, the believing of this. (1.) The thing to be believed, that Jesus is the Christ. I pray you attend to it. Much of the greatness of this thing, which is our present subject, to wit, faith concerning him, depends upon a right understanding what it is that must be the object of this faith, and which is stated as the object of it here. The thing to be believed is, that Jesus is the Christ. It concerns us greatly to understand this aright. It is not a trivial matter that is here represented to us as the object of our faith, or the thing we are to believe. And that we may more distinctly apprehend it, we are yet to go lower, and to consider, first, the subject of this affirmation unto which we are to yield our assent, and give up our faith, which is represented to us only under one single term, Jesus; and then, secondly, what we are to believe of this subject, that he is the Christ. [2] And that is the thing that is to be believed concerning him, that he is the Christ. The former was the personal name, this the name of office, and speaks of the person as invested with his office, or affirms that investiture concerning his office that he is invested therewith. This indeed is variously expressed, that is the attribute given to the subject under this latter name. Sometimes the same thing is said concerning the believing this Jesus to be the Son of God; that doth equally entitle to the same great privilege, and brings a man into the same safe state, implies the same change and transformation upon his soul, as you see in the foregoing chapter of this epistle at the 15th verse, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." Some[1] The very subject itself must be truly stated; we times the meaning and import of this expression, "is the must in our own thoughts determine of the person here Christ," is signified by that conjunction with the other, spoken of, and concerning whom this affirmation is pro- both conjoined, that is, that he is the Christ, and that he is nounced, otherwise we do nothing. Why, who is this the Son of God. When our Lord demands of Peter, Jesus of whom we are to believe that he is the Christ?" Whom say ye that I am?" (Matt. xvi. 15.) the various Take we heed that our thoughts do not wander here; for that would be fatal if they should, if they should wander to another subject. This, which is so peculiarly said concerning him, must be understood exclusively of any one else; it is not spoken of any other, nor to be thought of any other. That there should be here an error persona, a mistake concerning the person spoken of, it may prove a most destructive error."Art thou he that should come, or look we for another?" This is the question which John directs his disciples to put to Christ for their information, not for his own, that he might gain them an opportunity of being convinced and satisfied in the great and important question of that age; which yet could not be of greater importance to that age than it is to our own, nor of greater to John's disciples than it is to every one of us: and we see what our Lord saith to it, "Tell John what you hear and see;" such and such wonders are wrought and done. And he adds in the close of all, "Blessed is he that is not offended in me;" which words would carry a kind and benign import with them beyond all that can be expressed. But they carry withal an intimated menace, as any one may apprehend-"Blessed is he that is not offended in me;" as if he should have said, Such a one hath a merciful and wonderful deliverance, "he that is not offended in me." But it is also as if he nad said, Wo be to him that is; when so clear a light shines concerning me, and when there is so bright and so express a discovery; blessed is he that doth not stumble, blessed is he that doth not mistake, that doth not take one for another. The intimation is plain, nothing but wrath and vengeance and wo must hang over the guilty heads of them that do take one for another in such a case; and when the light that shines is so clear, so as that none can opinions are given, some saying he was Elias, some saying some other of the prophets. Well, but what say you, Peter, and the rest, that I am?" Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," saith Peter. So you have both conjoined in reference to the same person, as in John xx. 31. "These things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." These passages plainly intimate to us thus much, that to affirm that Jesus is the Christ, and that he is the Son of God, comes all to one, it amounts to the same thing. To say concerning this person believingly that he is the Christ, or that he is the Son of God, there is an equivalency in the one of these to the other. Sometimes a third expression, of equal import to either of the others, or both the others, is used; "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost." A strange saying too, as this of the text seems to be, 1 Cor. ii. 3. there "Lord" is the name of the office too; the usual style by which he is spoken of in the New Testament, and in some places of the Old too; "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool," Psal. cx. 1. It only imports that universal and sovereign dominion that did belong to the mediatorial office, the thing signified by the name of Christ. "He is Lord of all," Acts x. 36. A thing that seems slid in by the apostle in the stream and current of his discourse; "he is Lord of all," saith he, in a parenthesis; and so he goes on, dropping that by the way; and no man can say that he is so "but by the Holy Ghost," to wit, with a correspondent disposition of soul internally, vitally, and practically acknowledging him, and subjecting his soul to him as Lord of all, as the Lord, he into whose hands all power is put both in heaven and earth. Jity in them belonging to their high office. Him hath God the Father sealed. He carries the signature, the character of the great God upon him, as his anointed one, his sealed one, marked out for the great work and office which he was to sustain and bear. But, Secondly, It signifies qualification too. A real endowment, as well as that relative one. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me," Isaiah lxi. 1. It signifies that mighty plenitude of the Spirit which descended and flowed down upon him, whereby whatsoever was requisite to the faithful and successful discharge of the work and business which was conferred upon the man Christ, the Divine nature being so intimately united with the human, it signified that all the fulness of Godhead did come to inhabit this man, and so to suit him every way for the great affairs of that high and important office into which he was now put. And this was the thing to be believed in opposition to the opposers of that time, and of all after-times; who were of two sorts then as they have been continually since, to wit, pagans and Jews; the former whereof did disbelieve that there needed to be any Messiah at all; and the latter disbelieved that this was he. The former could have no apprehension that there was any need of a Messiah or a Christ at all. That was the case of the pagan world; and much less could they believe that this Christ should ever need to be crucifled: and therefore the doctrine of him, and especially of his cross, was to the wise pagans foolishness. What needs any such transaction between God and men in such a way as this, that there were come down one from heaven into this world, to die upon earth a sacrifice to the justice of Heaven? Who can imagine such a thing as this, say the wiser pagans. There is no need of any Christ at all, say they. But when this is said, "that Jesus is the Christ," and this again is used as an equivalent expression, "that he is the Son of God," or, "he is Lord of all," this only represents and gives us an intimation of the state of the case at that time. He appearing now in the fulness of time upon the stage of this world, various opinions there were of him, some mistaken ones, some very malicious ones, and some that were right and true; this begat a great controversy; it was the question of the time, and the determination of it the right way called the present truth; to wit, the great question concerning this Jesus, who, and what he was; I speak these things," saith the apostle, "though you know and are established in the present truth." The main dispute lay between them on the one hand, who believed him to be the Christ, or the Son of God; and them on the other hand, who apprehended him to be a deceiver, an impostor and blasphemer, for saying truly who and what he was. This was the true state of the question, he giving out himself to be the Son of God, calling the great God upon all occasions, Father-"My Father" hath directed me to do so and so, and to say so and so: he giving this out concerning himself, that he "came down from heaven," that he was "the Son of God," in a most peculiar and appropriate sense; and reporting concerning himself too, (which was of most absolute necessity unto the end and design of his coming,) that he might bear the office of Christ and the Messiah, and that he was the Son of God, the determining the one of these on his part would determine and conclude the other. Whereas he did upon all occasions intimate that he was the very person that should come, the Christ, the Messiah, and also that he was the Son of God. If it were true that he was the Son of God, it was impossible that could be false that he was the Mes- The Jews, they were taught long before to apprehend siah, that he was the Christ. For no one could imagine and believe there was need of a Christ; though they misthat the Son of God should bring down a lie from heaven took much here what he was to do, and what the business and diffuse it among men: therefore to say he was the of his office and coming was; but yet they had that Gospel Son of God, was to say he was the Christ too; that is, it among them, under veils and shadows and typical repreplainly implied that whereas he said both, it was impossi-sentations, which did only hold forth to them what was the ble he could be the author unto men of a false affirmation business and errand upon which Christ came into the world. concerning himself: and therefore, if he were the Son of All their sacrifices taught them, and no doubt to whom an God, he in whom the Divine nature was in conjunction understanding was given, as this apostle's expression afterwith the human, in whom the glory of God shone so as to wards is in this same chapter, "They who had the given characterize him the only-begotten of the Father, (John i. understanding to know him that is true," verse 20. they 14.) if it were so avowing himself to be the Christ, the did understand that the sacrifices under their law, and Messiah that was to come, that had been so long expected, offered according to the direction of it, must terminate in even at that very time, he must truly and really be so. one greater sacrifice. They had that volume in their hands And so there was no medium between these two, his being concerning which it is said, Ps. xl. 6, 7. "In the volume the Son of God, and his being a deceiver and impostor; of the book it is written of me, that when sacrifices and no medium, for if he was not the one, he was the other; offerings will not serve the turn, (that is, of mean, abject, if he was not the Son of God, he must deceive in saying brute creatures,) I must come after all to do thy will, O he was the Christ. But he being the Son of God, that God." That is to be performed and done by me which being sufficiently evinced, or evident that he was so, must those sacrifices were useless and insignificant for; no other give sufficient credit to this affirmation concerning himself, way useful but as they did point out me, who was to that he was also the Christ, he that was to come, so as come, as the substance and fulness and accomplishment that there was not another to be looked for. of them all. It was a thing generally taught, (whether it Now what this Christ signifies, and what the affirming were understood or no among the Jews,) that there was to this Jesus to be the Christ must import, have been hinted be a Christ, a Messiah, an everlasting high priest, as his to you already. But it is to be more distinctly considered. office is sometimes dignified by that title, more eminently It is (as you have heard) a name of office, as the other is and principally in Psalm cx. "Thou art a priest for ever a personal name. And this word signifies his unction to after the order of Melchizedek." This the Jews found in that office; so Messiah signifies, in the Hebrew language, the sacred records which they had among them, and in their and Xpisos in the Greek, an anointed person, and the im- hands. But yet when he came, they did not think this port of that must be collected from the known usage of this was he. And so as that was a question between the pagans and of former ages, and the continued usage of the same and Christians, whether there ought to be any Christ or thing, even to this day, in all successive ages since; that no, so it was a question of equal importance between them is to invest and inaugurate persons into high and great and the Jews, whether this were the person. And therefore offices by unction or anointing. And two things, as to this that he doth with so much authority and severity charge person, this unction must signify, when it is said he was upon those that he conversed among in the days of his anointed above his fellows with joy and gladness, to wit, flesh, If you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your with triumph, (as high triumphs have been always used to sins. It is not believing an indefinite Christ or Messiah attend the inauguration or coronation of princes,) two to come, that will serve the turn now, now that there is a things as to him this unction must signify: 1. Authoriza-sufficient notification of the person; but now you are not tion, and, 2. Qualification. The former of these is rela- only to believe that there is a Messiah to come, but now tive, and the latter real. if you do not believe that I am he, you are lost creatures, you die under the unatoned guilt of all your other sins, and under the superadded guilt of this sin, not believing the revelation that is made by the great God of this his Christ, when it was made with so much clearness that it was im First, Authorization; the conveying to him all the authority belonging to the high office of Mediator. He is the person authorized, (as the inauguration of princes signifies that,) either conferring or acknowledging the high author |