11. Concerning the weight and importance of this truth.
1. It is propounded as the foundation upon which God will build his church : Mat. xvi. 16-18, ' And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him. Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church : and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.'
2. It is the question put to those that would enter upon Christianity : Acts viii. 37, ' If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest : and he answered and said, I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.' When they were serious in the profession, that was enough : 1 John v. 1, ' Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.'
3. This engaged the hearts of the disciples to tarry with him when others murmured at his doctrine. He that cleaveth to this profession carrieth himself accordingly, whatever temptations he hath to the con- trary : we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
4. For this end the scriptures were written : ' These things are writ-
390 chkist's transfiguration. [Ser. V.
ten, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; and that beheving ye might have life through his name,' John xx. 31. By obedience to his laws, dependence on his promises.
5. This is the ground of submission to Christ in all his offices, why we should hear him as a prophet in this place (which I shall more fully make manifest in the next sermon), why we should depend on him as a priest, for the virtue of his oblation and intercession : ' If God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ? ' Rom. viii. 32. 1 John iv. 10, ' Herein is love, not that we loved God, but he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.' 1 John ii. 1, ' If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.' The blood of Christ is of high esteem and infinite value, both as to merit and satisfaction, to purchase all manner of blessings for us, and to satisfy God's provoked justice for our sins. And if the Father be so well pleased with him , what can he not obtain at his hands ? which is an encouragement in our prayers and supplica- tions. So for our improvement of his kingly office, which respects duties and privileges ; our duty with respect to the kingly office is subjection : Ps. ii. 12, ' Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and you perish in the midway.' Because Christ Jesus is the Son of God, he should be submitted unto and embraced with the heartiest love and subjec- tion ; for to kiss, is a sign of religious adoration, Hosea xiii. 2 ; as they kissed the calves, and offer homage and hearty subjection ; as Samuel kissed Saul, because God had anointed him to be king over his people, 1 Sam. x. 1. So for privileges ; he is God co-equal, co- eternal with his Father, able to protect all those that apply themselves to him, till he bring them to eternal glory and happiness ; and, there- fore, it is said, 1 John v. 5, ' Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God ? ' That is the fortifying truth ; this both cautioneth us against all the delights and snares, and supports us against all the terrors and fears of the world. If we have the Son of God for our prophet, priest, and king, we ought to carry ourselves with greater reverence, trust, and subjection.
Use 1. Believe it, lay up this truth in your hearts by a firm and sound belief. There are in faith three things — assent, acceptance, de- pendence. The matter in hand calleth for all these.
[1.] A firm assent ; for here we have the testimony of God concern- ing his Son. The apostle tells us, that ' he that believeth not hath made God a liar, because he believeth not the testimony of God con- cerning his Son,' 1 John v. 10. The great testimony is this, that we have in hand that Jesus is his beloved Son, with whom he is well pleased ; that he will give pardon and life to all that hearken to him, embrace his person, receive his doctrine, believe his promises, fear his threats, obey his precepts, the strictest of them. Oh ! labour to work it into your hearts that indeed it is so. In matters of fact we receive the testimony of men, two or three credible men ; why not in matters of faith ? — the testimony of God evidenced to us by this solemn action, an account of which we have from ear-witnesses and eye-witnesses, who were men that hazarded their all for the delivery of this truth, and yet referred us to the surer word of prophecy, 1 Pet. i. 19. He