Doct. He that heartily embraceth the doctrine of the gospel doth solemnly ratify and bear witness to the truth of God.
First, I shall speak of the true notion of Christ's doctrine — it is a testimony. Here I shall handle tlie nature, value, and use.
First, The nature of it. A testimony is a sort of proof, necessary in matters that cannot otherwise be decided, and found out by rational discourse, as in two cases —
].. In things that depend upon the arbitrary will of another ; and —
2. In matters of fact. In both these respects the gospel is brought to us as a testimony. In the first respect by Christ, who came out of the bosom of God, and knew his secrets. In the second, as it is a report of matter of fact by eye and ear witnesses ; so by the apostles.
[1.] A testimony is necessary in matters that depend upon the aibi- trary will of another. If I be concerned to know how he stands affected towards me I must know it by his testimony solemnly deposed and given for my satisfaction. So the gospel, or the doctrine of God's good-will in Christ for the snlvation of sinners, is a thing that cannot be found out by the light of nature. But Christ, who was in the bosom of the Father, knew his heart, and hath given testimony how it standetb affected to the salvation of men. None can know God's mind but God himself, and he to whom he will reveal it. So Christ saith,
A SEKMON ON JOHN III. 33. 381
Mat. xi, 27, ' No man knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him,' as no man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit in a man. To save sinners is not proprietas divince natural — a necessary act of the divine nature ; but opus liheri consUii—i\n act of his new grace, love, and condescension ; John iii. 16, ' God so loved the world.' This wonderful work proceedeth from the free motion of God's will, and therefore it was impossible to be found out by discourse of natural reason ; for how could any man divine what God purposed in his heart before he wrought it unless he himself revealed it ? That Deus est placahilis — that God was to be appeased, man might find out by the continuance of the course of nature and the blessings of providence, notwithstanding many sins and the need of an expiation and a propitiatory sacrifice : but for the way of appeasing God, how a man shall be pardoned, reconciled to God, and obtain eternal life, of this nature knew nothing. The angels, which are the highest sort of rational creatures, wonder at it when it is revealed, Eph. iii. 10, and 1 Peter i. 11. Therefore the knowledge of the gospel merely dependeth upon the testimony of God brought us by Christ, who was sent to reveal his Father's will.
[2.] A testimony is necessary in matters of fact. Matter of law is argued and debated by reason, but matter of fact is only proved by credible witnesses ; and in this sense the gospel to us is a testimony that Christ came into the world, taught the way of salvation in that manner wherein it is now set down in the scriptures, wrought miracles, died for our sins at Jerusalem, and rose again to confirm all, and to make faith to the world that he was the true Messiah. These things were to be once done in one place of the world, but yet the knowledge of it concerned all the rest of the world. All the world could not see Christ in the flesh, nor see him work miracles, nor see him rise again and ascend into heaven ; and it was not necessary that he should always live here, and act over his sufferings in every age and every place, and so give the whole world a testimony of sense ; yea, the con- trary was necessary, that he should but die once, and rise again, and go to heaven ; and those that lived in other ages and other places should have only valuable testimony of it ; and this was the office put upon the apostles, who were chosen witnesses of the death and resurrection of Christ : Acts i. 21, 22, one of those that conversed with Jesus was ordained to be a witness of the resurrection ; and Acts ii. 32, ' This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses ;' so Acts x. 39, * We are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews and at Jerusalem ; ' and in many other places. In this sense the word of sal- vation is a testimony brought us by credible witnesses, the apostles confirming it by miracles everywhere ; but of their testimony we speak not now, but his testimony.
Secondly, The value of his testimony. Christ is to be believed in all that he delivered to the world concerning the mind and will of God. This will appear if we consider — (1.) The witness ; and (2.) The testimony itself.
1. The person witnessing. It was he who was spoken of and pro- mised in paradise. Gen. iii. 15 ; shadowed and figured in the sacrifices of the law. It was he who was prophesied of in the Old Testament :