deny the Deity of Christ is a lying to Men and an outward acknowledgment of this where there is not an Hearty Consent is lying to God Now that this is not discoverable by humane Reason is no difficult Matter to prove Let us consider a little these two Things 1. Reason could never have found out this Truth of the Godhead of Christ The Existence of a God is a natural Impression upon the Minds of Men and therefore almost universally own'd but a Trinity of Persons in Unity of Essence and such an Order among the Persons as makes Jesus Christ the Second determinately not the First or Third is one of the great Mysteries of Faith By those common remainders of Light which every Man hath that comes into the World every Age hath brought forth some new Inventions and Discoveries of Things that have been truly ingenious and useful in their kind but still they have been Things within the proper Compass and sphaere of Nature Jesus Christ would have been for ever the unknown God if Reason had been left to make the search For 1. How many parts of the World are there utterly destitute of the Knowledge of this Truth Though the Nations of them that are saved walk in the Light of it yet there are several other Nations of Men that have natural Sagacity enough who sit in gross Darkness as to these Things Multitudes Multitudes in the Wilderness of the Heathen whom God hath not yet brought into the Valley of Vision that never heard whether there be a Christ or no. He that should tell the uncalled Gentiles of such a Person would be a Barbarian to them though he had learnt to speak in their own Tongue 2. The Notions of some of the Learned Heathens which look a little this way were both borrow'd and deprav'd What was true in them was not their own but learnt by Tradition from the Jews who were instructed out of the Law all the rest was wretchedly corrupt and dishonourable to Christ and injurious to Religion Therefore the Apostle gives that Caution Col. 2.8 Beware lest any Man spoil you through Philosophy and vain Deceit c. And therefore he passes that Censure Rom. 1.22 Professing themselves to be wise they become Fools 3. Those Signatures and Prints of this Truth which some fancy to be upon the visible Creation are too obscure to Collect so great a Doctrine from There may be some little dim resemblances of a Trinity in some of the Works of God but as they are too weak to confirm our Faith of it by so we may safely conclude that no Man in the World would ever have spelt a Trinity out of them if he had not heard of it before But as Knowledge is easie to him that understandeth Prov. 14 6. So we fancy many Evidences of those Things of which we are convinc'd already 2. Reason cannot find out this Truth to Perfection though the Scripture hath brought it to Light now it is reveal'd to us another Way Reason is puzzled with it For 1. Things of an Infinite Nature must needs be Eternal Riddles to Finites Minds God would not be God if Men or Angels could comprehend him he must cease to be what he is if we could fully know what he is Uncreated Excellency and Glory cannot be taken in to such shallow and scanty Thoughts We can understand the Relation which is between Creatures like our selves we can explain it and give a satisfactory Account of it one to another but how the Divine Persons our Everlasting Creators as the Spirit sometimes expresses it are mutually related is not to be perfectly unfolded How the same Person should be Man and yet God how the same God should be a Son and yet never begin to be will be matter of endless Admiration 2. Reason Objects so many Difficulties against this Truth of the Sonship of Jesus Christ as make us very slow in receiving it The manner of it is so inexplicable that therefore the thing it self seems to be incredible for naturally we affect to be satisfied how every thing is which we allow to be The carnal Mind is Enmity in this Case and instead of promoting opposes therefore the Apostle speaks of casting down Imaginations or Reasonings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Ministry of the Gospel 2 Cor. 10.5 As there is a natural Popery so a natural Socinianism which exalts it self against the Knowledge of God and Christ 3. The Faith of these Things which is wrought in us is not built upon the Evidence of Reason but the Authority of God There is indeed a Reason of Faith it is reasonable that we should believe whatsoever God reveals and 't is reasonable we should be assur'd that this or that is his Revelation so far Reason is subservient to Faith in the general but to believe a particular Truth because it may be retionally demonstrated is not the Faith of the Gospel we are to believe because it is Divinely Revealed this is Faith Otherwise in believing we do not set our Seal to the Truth of God but the Reason of the Thing So that if it were possible to bring other Proofs as well as Scriptural of the Deity of our Lord Jesus which it is not for it is a Matter of pure Revelation yet the Faith of a Christian as such could not rest upon them 2. How are such Truths as these discovered to us by God In short it is the special Work of the Spirit to reveal Christ to us to direct our Minds into the Knowledge of his Person and to take of his Things and to spread them before us with convincing Light Eye hath not seen c. The Things which God hath prepared c. But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all Things c. 1 Cor. 2.9 10. But as to the Way and Manner of this Revelation of Divine Things by the Spirit of God I would offer these Particulars 1. It is not in the neglect and disuse of outward Means God will not countenance our Contempt of what is required and appointed by himself He hath commanded us privately to search the Scriptures which testifie of Christ and to attend the Publick Preaching of Christ in Worshipping Assemblies and so in and by the Word as a fit vehicle of spiritual Light he is pleas'd to convey the Knowledge of himself and of his Son The Scriptures and Ordinances cannot enlighten us without the Spirit and ordinarily the Spirit does it not without them Ministers are stiled Instructors in Christ 1 Cor. 4.15 And they are so by Vertue of the Institution of Christ and the Spirit of Christ imploys and make use of them to serve the Purposes and Ends of his own Grace Obj. Does not the Holy Ghost say They shall not teach every Man his Neighbour and his Brother saying Know the Lord c. Heb. 8.11 And you need not that any Man teach you 1 John 2.27 Ans 1. 'T is most evident
Consideration Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God The same good Confession was made once before by Peter John 6.69 And now repeated to evidence his firm Establishment in this grand Article of Faith In which our Lord is describ'd two Ways both by his Office and his Essence 1. Christ is a Name of Office of the same Signification with the Messiah as the Holy Ghost himself Interprets it John 1.41 The anointed of the Lord he to whom the Prophets witness't he that should come into the World as John 11.27 He whose Work and Business was to be a Saviour not a Temporal but an Eternal one a Saviour from Sin and Wrath from the drudgery of the Devil and the Prison of Hell 2. The Son of God is a Name which respects his Essence and Being a Son not by Adoption and Grace as the Baptist and Elias and Jeremy and the other Prophets were but a Son by Nature a Son whose Generation is ineffable for he is infinitely Equal with the Father for he is true God as well as Son of God the Father hath that Title of the Living God in Opposition to false Gods Jer. 10.10 Acts 14.15 And the very same Title is likewise given to the Son Heb. 3.12 Jesus is true Jehovah and according to the true Import of that Word he hath Life in himself as the Father hath John 5.26 Well Christ's Commendation of this Confession is set down in the Text Jesus answered and said unto him c. Where we may take Notice of three Things 1. The Name which Christ calls this Apostle by Simon Bar-jonai or Simon Son of Jona as the Word signifies Peter was the Name that Christ gave to him ver 18. As God gave the Name of Israel to Jacob Gen. 32.28 But here Christ puts him in Mind of the meanness of his Extraction and of what he was originally as he does again after his fall no less than three Times over John 21.15 16 17 What change soever is made upon us by the Favour and Mercy of God 't is good to reflect sometimes upon our Primitive Vileness and Wretchedness to look to the Rock whence we are hewen and the hole of the Pit whence we are digged 2. The Happy State which Christ pronounc't him to be in Blessed art thou Christ had Authority to pronounce Persons blessed for he had Power to make them so Acts 3.26 God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you He can really and effectually do it what Palak said falsly of Balaam is true of Christ The Man whom he blesses is blessed Numb 22.6 If he blesses we shall be blessed for ever as David said to God 1 Chron. 17.27 Such is the Blessedness which Christ speaks of here both Perfect and Perpetual without Defect and without Decay 3. The Reason assign'd to back this comfortable Sentence which refers to the Way and Means of the discovery of that Truth which Peter had now confest and this is laid down both Negatively and Affirmatively 1. Negatively For Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto Thee Flesh and Blood are variously taken in Scripture 1. Sometimes for the humane Nature consisting of Soul and Body so Heb. 2.14 2. Sometimes for the natural Body accompanied with its present Infirmities in Opposition to a spiritual glorified Body So 1 Cor. 15.50 3. Sometimes for humane Instruction so Gal. 1.16 Paul says that he conferred not with Flesh and Blood which is the same Thing with not receiving the Gospel which he Preacht of Man ver 12. 4. Sometimes for humane Opposition so Eph. 6.12 We wrestle not with Flesh and Blood c. i. e. we have not only to do with persecuting Men but raging Devils 5. Sometimes for natural Reason our own Judgments and Understanding And this I take to be the principal Sense of the Phrase here q. d. Thou dost not owe this Revelation to thy self or to any discerning Faculty in thee above other Men. 2. Affirmatively But my Father which is in Heaven Four Things seem to be intimated by this 1. That there is a mysterious Order in all Divine Operations according to which God the Father is to be lookt upon as the Fountain The Father Works and the Son and Spirit Works conjunctly there is no Inequality or Subordination among the Persons and yet we are led by the Gospel to Eye the first Person as the spring of all When our Lord speaks of sending the Comforter 't is from the Father John 15.26 And when the Spirit of the Son is sent forth into our Hearts God is said to do it which is plainly meant of God the Father Gal. 4.6 2. That in all the Works of Grace towards lost Creatures God acts as the Father of Christ Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in him Out of Christ we can expect only the Curse of God as a revenging Judge but we can expect nothing from him as a Father in a way of Love and Mercy 3. Acquaintance with the only begotten Son of God must flow from him that begat him No Man knoweth the Son but the Father as no Man knoweth the Father but the Son Mat. 11.27 Therefore they mutually manifest and declare each other which none else is capable of doing Who should lay open the Secrets of one Man to another but himself And who should reveal the glorious Persons in the Godhead but themselves See 1 Cor. 2.11 4. If therefore we look for Light we must look upwards As the Sun over our Heads is the visible Cause of natural Illumination so spiritual Illumination is from an Infinite Being above the Sun 'T is one of the gracious Issues which belong to our Father in Heaven The dark Places of the Earth unanimously say it is not in us Every good and perfect Gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights James 1.17 The Words thus open'd come to this Point Obs There is a certain Blessedness annext to the Knowledge of those Truths which humane Reason does not discover but God himself Here 1. Shew That there are some Truths necessary to be believ'd which humane Reason neither does nor can discover 2. How such Truths are discovered by God 3. What kind of Knowledge is the Effect of this discovery 4. Wherein lyes the Blessedness annext to that Knowledge 5. Why it is so 6. Use 1. To shew That there are some Truths necessary to be believ'd which humane Reason cannot discover The peculiar Doctrines of the Gospel are as deep as the Commands of the Law are broad But I will confine my self to the instance mention'd in the Context the Godhead of Jesus Christ Every one is bound to believe this and every Man that calls himself a Christian professes the Belief of it without such a Profession his Christianity is void and without such a Belief his Profession is vain To take upon us the Christian Name and
Inheritance 'T is not possible that any one should reign in Life that does not receive of this Gift by Jesus Christ Rom. 5.17 18 21. On the other hand blessedness is certainly entailed hereupon Chap. 4.6 Even as David describes the blessedness of the Man to whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works Nothing can be more manifest than that the Justification of a Sinner is by the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ without any respect to Works performed by the Sinner himself and that the Sinner so justified is truly blessed Now 't is as manifest that every one who is Divinely and Spiritually illuminated is thus blessed God never gave the Armour of Light to one Soul but what he also cloathed with this Robe of Righteousness As the same Soul is always both blind and naked so the Eye-salve and the white Raiment which Christ Counsels to buy of him go together Rev. 3.17 18. Indeed we are justified by the Knowledge of Christ instrumentally Isa 53.11 For Faith which applies his Righteousness includes such a Knowledge 3. It hath always the Priviledge of Adoption going along with it All blessedness is enclos'd within the Family of God strangers have nothing of it but Children only Every Man and Woman in the World is a most wretched undone Creature as He and She is a Son and Daughter of Adam there can be no relief for us but by the Contracting of a new Relation they which be of Faith are blessed with faithful Abrabam Gal. 3.9 How blessed Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus ver 26. Here comes in the recovery of our Blessedness by being made the Children of God adopted into the Houshold of Faith Now to whom does Christ give Power to become the Sons of God but to as many as receive him John 1.12 and who are they that receive Christ but they that are brought by God to know him For the World that receiv'd him not knew him not ver 10 11. The Devil blinds the minds of them that believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 Natural blindness is the Cause of your Unbelief as Judicial blindess is the Consequent Whereever there is the sound Knowledge of Christ there will be holy Trust in him and where this is there is honourable Sonship Every Child of Light is a Child of God if he hath visited you with the Day-spring you may boldly call him Father 4. Divine Purity is chain'd to this blessed discovery The filth of Sin makes the Soul miserable as well as the guilt of it The Remnants of Corruption made Paul cry out of his being a wretched Man Rom. 7.24 They make us wretched in Part as long as we are here though called to be Saints but the Sinner who continues all over polluted is only wretched Darkness and defilement are inseparable while Men are groping in their natural State they wallow in the Mire But Purity of Heart gives a claim to blessedness Mat. 5.8 And where-ever God shines into the Mind he purisies the Heart The Sun of Righteousness hath cleansing as well as healing in his Wings 'T is an amazing Consideration what dirt is carried out of the Soul when Light springs into it Our Lord's Prayer speaks home to this Purpose John 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth c. Error as well as Ignorance is a Minister of Sin but every Truth in Jesus tends to sanctifie and is actually serviceable in the Sanctification of those to whom it is revealed Beholding the Glory of the Lord changes us into his spotless Image 2 Cor. 3.18 The Information which is given concerning Christ hath a transforming influence upon those that are Christs 5. Spiritual Liberty follows this blessed discovery How much of the Happiness of humane Life is generally esteem'd to consist in outward Liberty How irksome is Confinement and Restraint to all How is a poor Vassal and Slave lookt upon with a disdainful Eye by the most with a compassionate Eye by the best How do Men hug themselves in the little Immunities and Freedoms of this World But what a blessed Thing is it how much more blessed to be rescued from the servitude of the Devil and deliver'd from the bondage of Corruption The darkness of a sinful State hath its Chains as well as the darkness of Hell 2 Pet. 2.4 When Sampson's Eyes were put out he was bound with Fetters of Brass Judg. 16.21 So it is with every unenlightened Sinner he is under the Arbitrary command of Lust and taken Captive by Satan at his Will the Powers of darkness are his Keepers and he hath no way of escape out of their Hands But Light and Liberty come together by Christ deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the Blind Luke 4.18 When he opens our Eyes he opens our Prisons John 8.32 You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free 6. This kind of Knowledge flowing from the special discoveries which God makes to the Soul is no less than Eternal Life which is the sum the complement the top-stone of a Creatures blessedness We cannot be more blessed than this makes us To lay hold upon Eternal Life is our utmost aim and our highest Attainment Now this is Life Eternal to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent John 17.3 It was said of old by those that had visible Divine Appearances We shall surely dye because we have seen God Judg. 13.22 On the contrary where these inward Manifestations are we may cry out we shall surely Live because we have seen God in the Face of Christ He that eats of this Tree of Knowledge lives for ever the present Fruit of this Tree is the first Fruits of Heaven 't is Eternal Life in the Seed and in the Blossom 't is the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem coming down from God into the Soul When the Understanding is open'd to take in the Things of Christ 't is a true opening of the Heavens to us Eph. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him c. That you may know what is the hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints V. Why is blessedness annext to such Knowledge as this Why is it limited to the Father's revealing of those Things which Flesh and Blood cannot and more particularly this Truth of the Godhead which is not discoverable by Reason but by him alone 1. Blessedness is not attainable by the meer Principles of natural Religion however clearly known and firmly believed They that go no further than Nature will carry them must needs come short of the Glory of God The Knowledge of natural Truths is as insufficient as the performance of Moral Duties and supernatural Instruction is as indispensibly needful as Evangelical Obedience The World is as unable to know God to any Purpose by their own Wisdom
that these Places do not intend the advancing of immediate Illumination in defiance to instituted Means the teaching of God are not to be oppos'd to the teachings of Men for even in the New Testament the teachings of Men are often mention'd as subordinate to the teachings of God He that heareth you says Christ to his Apostles heareth me Luke 10.16 And though Men are Ambassadors for Christ it is as though God did beseech you by them 2 Cor. 5.20 2. The sence of these Places therefore must be that the Effusion of the Spirit under the Gospel would be so plentiful not as to exclude humane Teaching or render it unnecessary but so as vastly to exceed and out-do it that in comparison it should be as no Teaching for Believers that are taught of God though they despise not external Ministrations yet may say to their Ministers as the Samaritans to the Woman John 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ c. 2. Though it be in the use of outward Means yet 't is an internal discovery there is an Application not only of Words to the Eye or Ear but of Conviction to the Mind God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts c. 2 Cor. 4.6 So Paul says of himself with respect to the Time of his Conversion When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me Gal. 1.15 16. This inward Revelation is of a perfectly different kind from the bare revealing of Christ to us in the Letter of the Gospel though it be the same Christ who is reveal'd both to us and in us for in the Work of Faith God inspires the Soul with new Perceptions of Divine Objects so that there is communicated and imprinted another Sense and sight of those very Things of which we had formerly heard The Spirit secretly suggests that which we never knew concerning that which we did sleightly and superficially know All the great Transactions of God which accompany Salvation are within us unseen and unknown to any but our selves 'T is the inward Man which is transform'd and renewed in Knowledge and the Spirit who does all this for us is said to be dwelling in us 3. The Spirit Works freely in making this discovery Though we are tyed to use the Means he is not oblig'd to work by them always upon every one that does enjoy them He divides his Gifts and Graces to this and that Person severally as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 He is compar'd to the Wind which bloweth where it listeth John 3.8 'T is not in vain that the Spirit and the Wind have the same Name in the Original Languages of the Scriptures and in that extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit Acts 2.2 There came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty Wind which fill'd the House because as the Wind is not at the command of any Creature with reference to its moving or ceasing blowing one way or another so the Spirit of God is a free Agent in all his Operations he is under no necessity of enlightning those whom he does enlighten he does it for one and not for another in the hearing of the same Word to shew that he Acts with the highest Liberty Mat. 13.11 It is given to you to know the Mysteries c. but to them it is not given 4. The Spirit Works effectually in these Discoveries He makes dead Letters to become lively Oracles There is an Excellency of Power which goes along with the Word when he causes it to be receiv'd According to his working which worketh in me mightily Col. 1.29 The thick scales of Ignorance and Infidelity like those of the Leviathan Job 41.17 stick so close that it must be a strong Hand which removes and separates them from our Understandings There never was any saving Revelation of Gospel-Truths to any Sinner in the World from the very beginning of it without a Revelation of the Arm of the Lord Isa 53.1 But wheresoever this Arm of God is revealed the Report of the Gospel is both understood and believ'd This Omnipotent cause never fails of producing its intended Effect So Christ expresly says John 6.45 Every Man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Every Man without one Exception 5. The Spirit Works in this Case suitably to the Nature of our Faculties he does not destroy or force them but enlarge and improve them He does not put out the Eye of our Minds but open it Our foolish Hearts are naturally darkned and he does not impose upon them but clear them Every Believer can testifie this to the Honour of Christ that his sight hath not been taken away but restor'd as he boldly said to the Pharisees John 9.25 One thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see We were blind before and thought that we saw now we really see and know that we were blind The Understanding of a Man is the workmanship of God and he does not overthrow that when he makes us new Creatures The Demonstration of the Spirit is such as we cannot resist and yet it offers no Violence to us The Judgment is truly convinc't and we can say We know whom we have believed 2 Tim. 1.12 6. The Spirit in discovering of such Truths Works alone and by himself There is no Conjunction or proper Co-operation of second Causes with him It is here as it was with those in Mat 20.34 Jesus touched their Eyes and immediately they receiv'd sight 'T is the touch of Christs Hand only which recovers us from spiritual blindness Nature contributes nothing to the efficacious workings of Grace and therefore 't is observ'd that many of the Holy Women whom our Lord descended from were barren to shew that they Conceiv'd not by the strength of their own Womb but by vertue of the Promise As Sarah Rebeckah Rachel c. So we are Light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 But we do not help towards the creating of it in our selves We are meerly Passive in the first Reception of Divine Light as the Eye of the Body is truly Passive in the taking in of natural Light All Light is brought into the Eye so it springs in from Heaven into the Mind which is no better than a very Dungeon of it self 3. What kind of Knowledge is that which is the Effect and Fruit of this discovery of saving Truth by God to the Soul This is the rather to be insisted on a little because it may be of great Advantage to us in the Trial of our State that we may make a right Judgment of our selves whether under the Conduct of Flesh and Blood or of the Father 1. That Knowledge which proceeds from the special inward Revelation of Divine Things is a more assuring Knowledge than any other The end of Luke's Writing his Gospel to Theophilus was That he might know the certainty of those things wherein
he had been instructed Luke 1.4 This Effect the Spirit of God hath by his enlightning Operation beyond all humane Instructions whatsoever we are made to know the certainty of things and more fully persuaded of the great reality of what is spiritual They are no longer doubtful disputable Opinions with us but we come to such a firm Conclusion about them that we can venture our Eternity upon them The Scripture hints this in many Places John 17.8 They have known surely that I came out from thee So the Apostle speaks of the Rich and full Assurance of Vnderstanding in the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God c. Col. 2.2 And again Our Gospel came not unto you in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much Assurance so that there is no haesitation or wavering concerning it 1 Thess 1.5 2. That Knowledge which proceeds from such a Cause is more affecting than any other The Heart is influenced to greater Love and Joy and Admiration by what it believes and knows As the mind receives more solid Satisfaction with respect to those Truths so those Truths are more sweet and delightful more ravishing and transporting to the Soul Paul speaks like a Man in an Extasie with more than ordinary Zeal and Fervour Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless I count all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. His magnifying of the Excellency of this Knowledge sprung from his deep Sense of the Excellency of the Object He saw so much worth in Christ that he would part with ten Thousand Worlds if he had them for his sake The Doctrine of Christ's God-head Incarnation Satisfaction c. when they are only taken into the Head as common Notions are but dry Meat but when they are imprest by the Holy Ghost we can feed upon them with Pleasure The Things of God being so reveal'd that we taste the savour of them 3. That Knowledge which is communicated by the Spirit is always joyn'd with Experience The Apprehensions which other Men have by common reasoning of spiritual Things are like those of a blind Man when he hears a Discourse concerning Light which are very dark and imperfect in Comparison of his that hath Eyes to see the Sun There is a vast difference between a Knowledge of Christ by Report and Hearsay as one calls it and a Knowledge of Acquaintance which is gotten and improv'd by Communion with him As the Queen of Sheba was not told one half in her own Land of the greatness of Solomons Wisdom which she afterwards saw and yet what she was told seem'd incredible to her 2 Chron. 9.6 So Believers find so much in Christ when they come to him as does not only justifie the Report which Ministers gave to be very true but abundantly exceed it We cannot tell you what they feel whom Christ is formed in and who live every Day by the Faith of him Where there is no spiritual Sense the Mind is yet carnal 4. That Knowledge which the Spirit produces does always issue in Obedience The Knowledge which Men attain unto by any other Ways is barren and unprofitable as it does not reach the Heart so it is of no use in the ordering of the Conversation But saving Knowledge governs the Life and regulates the Practice so as clearly to exemplifie that Connection which God hath made between the Truths to be believed and to be performed When Paul prays for his Colossians That they might be filled with the Knowledge of God's Will in all Wisdom and spiritual Vnderstanding he does not stop there but shews whither this tends That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing c. Col. 1.9 10. He that is truly nourisht up in the words of Faith and good Doctrine will evidence it by fruitfulness in good Works 1 John 2.3 Hereby we do know that we know him Jesus Christ if we keep his Commandments They have not learned Christ as they ought that do not live to him for if we be acquainted with his Person we shall submit to his Rule SERMON II. May 7. 1695. MATTHEW XVI xvii And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona For Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven IV. WHerein lies the Blessedness which is annexed to this kind of Knowledge Some bless themselves without Reason too many against Scripture bless themselves when they hear the Words of God's Curse though yet without Christ who can only redeem them from that Curse thousands of presuming Sinners call themselves happy when they are almost in the very depths of Misery having but a short step the thin Partition of an earthly House betwixt them and Hell they think their Condition to be safe and good and applaud and please themselves in it as such when it is as dangerous and as bad as it can be on this side of Everlasting Destruction But however mistaken and deceived such Men are we know that Christ is true and what says he here Blessed art thou Simon c. for my Father hath revealed this unto thee which Flesh and Blood hath not q. d. Thou art infallibly blessed upon this account this is an undoubted Evidence and means of thy being so Where then is the blessedness which the Text speaks of What does it consist in and how does it appear 1. 'T is a blessed discovery which God makes and a blessed Knowledge which it produces because it is always accompanied with pardoning Grace If there be a blessed Man in the World without Controversie it is the pardoned Sinner Afflictions may remain without injuring our blessedness so long as Sin does not remain which is the only Thing that can separate from the Love of Christ and how can this separate when God hath put it away and removed it from us Who will not say Amen therefore to what David says Psalm 32.1 Blessed is the Man whose Transgression is forgiven c. Sin laies the Foundation of the Creatures Misery consequently in the forgiveness of Sin the Foundation of our Misery is destroyed Now this is always done where Jesus Christ is savingly made known This is plain Heb. 10.16 17. This is the Covenant which I will make with them c. I will put my Laws into their Hearts and in their Minds will I write them and immediately it follows Their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more When there is this promised writing within us we may be sure there is a blotting out of the hand-writing against us Where Sin is uncover'd the Heart is hid from Understanding but where the sealed Book of Gospel-Mystery is open d 't is past all question that the Debt-book is cross'd 2. 'T is always attended with a perfect justifying Righteousness This is absolutely necessary in order to blessedness for there must be a Restitution of our lost Title before there can be a restoring to our forfeited
he never will have the Honour of our perfected Sanctification except he enables us to hold on in the way that we have enter'd 4. 'T is necessary that Christ should secure us in our Way to Glory because 't is his Business to receive us into the Possession of that Glory at the close of all John 14.3 If I go and prepare a Place for you I will come again and receive you to my self c. The Reception of departing Souls to Heaven at Death is the Act of Christ and so is the Sentencing of them to an Eternal Abode in Heaven at the general Judgment 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that Day c. But who shall there be to wear this Crown if Christ do not keep them in the way of Righteousness till that Day comes Mat. 25.34 Then shall the King say unto them on the Right Hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom c. But where will any such Persons be found if abandon'd by Christ while they are here in this World This is to be the Portion of Christ's Sheep indeed but the Wolf will have scatter'd them all if he do not defend them before that Time There will be no Heirs to this Inheritance unless he that bought it for them take Care that they may not alienate it from themselves 5. The Wisdom of God is hereby seen in a most shameful baffling of the Devil Though all the Posterity of the first Man are utterly weaken'd and disabled by Sin yet the Man Christ Jesus is become a Fountain of spiritual Strength to his own Seed The Devil Triumpht over the Old Adam as having cast down many wounded in the foiling of that one but here is a second Adam assuming the very same Nature that Triumphs over him and helps us to Triumph also Flesh and Blood was conquer'd by him in Paradice but here is a Partaker of Flesh and Blood that puts him to flight Though Man alone could not grapple with him but fell by his first assault yet God-man hath bruis'd him under our Feet and given us a firmer standing The Devil must now pull down the Banners which he had set up because his Head is broken by the Woman's Seed One that once dwelt among us in such an House of Clay as we do hath deliver'd us from him and fortified us against him Though he gave us a Mortal blow in our first Parents here 's the Son of Man hath quicken'd us again and is the Strength of our Life 6. Believers could not have a better Security than that whereof there hath been a visible Experiment in the Person of Christ himself His Strength is a tryed Strength if it had not been enough for us it had failed him but if it sustained him in so difficult a Work against so much Resistance both from Earth and Hell we cannot fear its falling short Christ had a Work upon his Hands that all the Angels in Heaven could not have done and yet he went through it Christ was tempted in all Points like as we are and a great deal more than we are yet the Tempter could fasten nothing upon him He never flinch't from what he undertook but pursued his first Engagement till all Things foretold concerning him had an End Isa 50.5 The Lord God hath opened my Ear and I was not Rebellious neither turned away back He went on though there was a Lion in his Way the Roaring Lion yea though God himself came forth with his drawn Sword of Justice as an Adversary against him for our sakes This may give us the more Encouragement to believe that he can and will keep us also from going back V. Vse Several Things are to be learnt as Truths and urg'd as Duties from this Doct. Some Things for the informing of Judgment and others for the directing of the Practice I. Information 1. What a wretched Case must they be in that are out of Christ The Apostle calls them unstable Souls that are easily beguil'd and how can they be otherwise 2 Pet. 2.14 The Devil does with them as he will carries them whither he pleases for there can be nothing to hinder him where the Power of Christ does not rest upon their Persons Such as partake not of the Root that do not derive a Vertue from thence are like dead Branches or wither'd Leaves which may hang on for a Time but will certainly be blown off by some Wind or other Hypocrites that are in Christ by outward Profession only are like Meteors which glitter and blaze a while but they are soon spent and tumble to the ground but the Stars in Christs Right Hand Rev. 1.16 cannot do so They that belong to Christ have their Preservation from him but 't is no wonder to hear that all others miscarry Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition John 17.12 And this Son of Perdition was none of them not given in order to Salvation but Apostleship That goodness which Christ does not establish must needs be as a Morning Cloud no Creature can escape a fall that stands upon its own Bottom All counterfeit Graces plausible Duties fair Shews and false Joys will vanish and come to nothing because the Persons whose they are are separated from Christ and have no Strength or Support by him 2. This discovers the Reason of the Difference which there is oftentimes between one Believer and another Their Strength is not in themselves but in Christ and from him it is variously communicated and dispens'd according as he sees good Hence it is that they who have obtain'd like precious Faith are not equally strong in Faith and they that are risen up to greater Attainments come short sometimes as to spiritual Acts. Some that have been best furnisht with the Habits of Grace have at particular Season been most defective in the very Exercise of Grace and betray more than others of their own Corruption Weaker Christians have done better in resisting of some Temptations than such as have been a great deal stronger The Women that followed Christ though the weaker Vessels denied not Christ as Peter did though a more eminent Disciple for though Christ pray'd that his Faith might not fail he did not Pray that he might not faulter It was said to the Church of Philadelphia Thou hast a little Strength and hast kept my Word and hast not denied my Name Rev. 3.8 The weakest Christians will stand with Christ help and the strongest cannot stand without it 3. This shews how there comes to be such a Difference and inequality in the same Believer at several Times Sometimes he withstands a greater Temptation and at other Times is foil'd by a lesser because no Man not the best of Men prevails by his own Strength but according as Strength is given out from Christ to succour and assist him