But that faith which is the gift of God will triumph over all : hence,
III. The commendation given it, when duly exer- cised—
To have the mind brought to a cordial acquiescence in ail that is spoken of the Lord Jesus, is indeed a great victory ; and blessed is that man who has attained it: for that acquiescence clearly shews,
1. That he is taught of God —
[It is impossible for the human mind, blinded as it is by innumerable lusts and prejudices, to see the truth and excel- lence of the Gospel, unless it have been first enlightened by the Holy Spirit ; " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." When Peter confessed his Master to be " the Christ, the Son of the living God," our Lord told him, that " flesh and blood had not taught him this, but that his heavenly Father had revealed it to him ;" on which account he pronounced him truly blessed: " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona," &c. : and at another time he pronounced all his disciples blessed on a similar account : " Blessed are your eyes, for ye see ; and your ears, for ye hear."]
2. That he is brought into the path of life — [The man who exercises true and saving faith, must have
" passed from death unto life ;" for our Lord himself says, " This is life eternal, to know thee, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." The change that has taken place in him is not in his understanding only, but his heart : he must have become a new creature : the same Divine operation that wrought faith in his heart, must have produced every other grace, according to the measure in which the gift of faith has been bestowed upon him. Having " received Christ Jesus the Lord, he has the privilege of being a child of God." And is not he blessed ? What man on earth has so much reason to rejoice as he ? When some were ready to magnify the blessed- ness of our Lord's mother on account of her having borne and nourished such a son, our Lord rectified their mistake, and taught them to consider every true believer as more blessed on account of his spiritual relation to him, than she was on account of her relation according to the Jlesh; " yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it."]
3. That all the glory of heaven is his —
[Being born of God, he is born " to an inheritance incor- ruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in
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heaven for him ; and he shall be kept by the power of God, through faith," unto the everlasting possession of it. " The Lord will not forsake his people, because it hath pleased him to make them his people." Say then, is not he blessed that has such a Father, such a Friend, such a Protector, and such a por- tion ? Truly he is blessed : and the Lord himself will ere long pronounce him so : " Come, thou blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for thee from the foundation of the world."]
Address —
L Those who openly stumble at Christ — [l^ou think that because many learned persons deny the divinity of his person, and the expiatory power of his death, your rejection of him is excusable. But no such excuse was ever admitted for his enemies of old : nor will it ever be ad- mitted for you. It was foretold that he should be " a rock of offence ; and that many would stumble at him and fall :" but it was declared by our Lord himself, that " all who should fall on that stone, should be broken in pieces ; and that on whom- soever it should fall, it would grind him to powder." Beware then how you justify your infidelity or attempt to extenuate its guilt ; for the unalterable determination of God is, that " he who believeth not, shall not see life, but that the wrath of God shall abide upon him."]