* [Faith 0
30 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
things as these will prejudice, carnal interest, and the prepossession of the minds of men with corrupt imaginations, cause them to ad- venture on, to the scandal, yea, n^in of religion !
This short but illustrious confession of Peter, compriseth emi- nently the whole truth concerning the person and office of Christ : — of his person, in that although he was the Son of man, (under which appellation he made his inquiry, " Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?") yet was he not only so, but the eternal Son of the living God : — of his office, that he was the Christ, he whom God had anointed to be the Saviour of the church, in the discharge of his kingly, priestly, and prophetical power. Instances of the like brief confessions we have elsewhere in the Scripture. E.om. x. 9: " If thou shait confess Avith thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." 1 John iv. 2, 3 ; " Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God." And it is manifest, that all divine truths have such a concatenation among themselves, and do all of them so centre in the person of Christ — as vested with his offices towards the church — that they are all virtually comprised in this confession, and they will be so ac- counted by all who destroy them not by contmry errors and imagina- tions inconsistent with them, though it be the duty of all men to obtain the express knowledge of them in particular, according unto the means thereof which they do enjoy. The danger of men's souls lieth not in a disability to attain a comprehension of longer or more subtile confessions of faith, but in embracing things contrary unto, or inconsistent with, this foundation thereof Whatever it be whereby men cease to hold the Head, how small soever it seem, that alone is pernicious: Col. ii. 18, 19.
This confession, therefore, — as containing the sum and substance of that faith which they wei-e called to give testimony unto, and con- cerning which their trial was approaching — is approved by our Sa- viour. And not only so, but eminent privileges are granted unto him that made it, and in him unto the whole church, that should live in the same faith and confession : (verses 17, 18 :) " 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. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Two things doth our Saviour consider in the answer returned unto his inquiry. 1. The faith of Peter in this confession — the faith of him that made it; 2. The nature and truth of the confession: both
Peter's faith and confession. 81
which are required in all the disciples of Christ — " For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness ; and with the mouth confes- sion is made unto salvation :'' Rom. x. 10.
1. The first thing which he speaks unto is the faith of Peter, who made this confession. Without this no outward confession is of any use or advantage. For even the devils knew him to be the Holy- One of God ; (Luke iv. 34 ;) yet would he not pemiit them to speak it : Mark LSI. That which gives glory unto God in any confession, and which gives us an interest in the truth confessed, is the believing of the heart, which is unto righteousness. With respect hereunto the Lord Christ speaks : (verse 17 :) " 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/'
He commends and sets forth the faith of Peter — (1.) From its effect ; (2.) From its cause. Its effect was, that it made him blessed in whom it was. For it is not only a blessed thing to believe and know Jesus Christ, as it is called life eternal ; (John xvii. 8 ;) but it is that which gives an immediate interest in the blessed state of adoption, justification, and acceptance with God: John i. 12, (2.) The immediate cause of this faith is divine revelation. It is not the efiect or product of our own abilities, the best of which are but flesh and blood. That faith which renders them blessed in whom it is, is MTOught in them by the power of God revealing Christ unto their souls. Those who have more abilities of their own unto this end than Peter had, we are not concerned in.
2. He speaks unto the confession itself, acquainting his disciples with the nature and use of it, Avhich, from the beginning, he princi- pally designed : (verse 18:) " And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail agamst it."