Part 2 (1/2)
2. Hereby is demonstrated how great G.o.d's glory is considered comparatively, or as compared with the creature's. By the creature's being thus wholly and universally dependent on G.o.d, it appears that the creature is nothing and that G.o.d is all. Hereby it appears that G.o.d is infinitely above us; that G.o.d's strength, and wisdom and holiness are infinitely greater than ours. However great and glorious the creature apprehends G.o.d to be, yet if he be not sensible of the difference between G.o.d and him, so as to see that G.o.d's glory is great, compared with his own, he will not be disposed to give G.o.d the glory due to his name. If the creature, in any respect, sets himself upon a level with G.o.d, or exalts himself to any compet.i.tion with him, however he may apprehend that great honor and profound respect may belong to G.o.d from those that are more inferior, and at a greater distance, he will not be so sensible of its being due from him. So much the more men exalt themselves, so much the less will they surely be disposed to exalt G.o.d. 'Tis certainly a thing that G.o.d aims at in the disposition of things in the affair of redemption (if we allow the Scriptures to be a revelation of G.o.d's mind), that G.o.d should appear full, and man in himself empty, that G.o.d should appear all, and man nothing. 'Tis G.o.d's declared design that others should not ”glory in his presence”; which implies that 'tis his design to advance his own comparative glory. So much the more man ”glories in G.o.d's presence,” so much the less glory is ascribed to G.o.d.
3. By its being thus ordered, that the creature should have so absolute and universal a dependence on G.o.d, provision is made that G.o.d should have our whole souls, and should be the object of our undivided respect. If we had our dependence partly on G.o.d and partly on something else, man's respect would be divided to those different things on which he had dependence. Thus it would be if we depended on G.o.d only for a part of our good, and on ourselves or some other being for another part: or if we had our good only from G.o.d, and through another that was not G.o.d, and in something else distinct from both, our hearts would be divided between the good itself, and him from whom, and him through whom we received it.
But now there is no occasion for this, G.o.d being not only he from or of whom we have all good, but also through whom, and one that is that good itself, that we have from him and through him. So that whatsoever there is to attract our respect, the tendency is still directly towards G.o.d, all unites in him as the centre.
USE
1. We may here observe the marvellous wisdom of G.o.d in the work of redemption. G.o.d hath made man's emptiness and misery, his low, lost and ruined state into which he sunk by the fall, an occasion of the greater advancement of his own glory, as in other ways, so particularly in this, that there is now a much more universal and apparent dependence of man on G.o.d. Though G.o.d be pleased to lift man out of that dismal abyss of sin and woe into which he was fallen, and exceedingly to exalt him in excellency and honor, and to a high pitch of glory and blessedness, yet the creature hath nothing in any respect to glory of; all the glory evidently belongs to G.o.d, all is in a mere and most absolute and divine dependence on the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
And each person of the Trinity is equally glorified in this work: there is an absolute dependence of the creature on every one for all: all is _of_ the Father, all _through_ the Son, and all _in_ the Holy Ghost. Thus G.o.d appears in the work of redemption as _all in all_. It is fit that he that is, and there is none else, should be the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the all, and the only, in this work.
2. Hence those doctrines and schemes of divinity that are in any respect opposite to such an absolute and universal dependence on G.o.d, do derogate from G.o.d's glory, and thwart the design of the contrivance for our redemption. Those schemes that put the creature in G.o.d's stead, in any of the mentioned respects, that exalt man into the place of either Father, Son or Holy Ghost, in any thing pertaining to our redemption; that, however they may allow of a dependence of the redeemed on G.o.d, yet deny a dependence that is so absolute and universal; that own an entire dependence on G.o.d for some things, but not for others; that own that we depend on G.o.d for the gift and acceptance of a Redeemer, but deny so absolute a dependence on him for the obtaining of an interest in the Redeemer; that own an absolute dependence on the Father for giving his Son, and on the Son for working out redemption, but not so entire a dependence on the Holy Ghost for conversion and a being in Christ, and so coming to a t.i.tle to his benefits; that own a dependence on G.o.d for means of grace, but not absolutely for the benefit and success of those means; that own a partial dependence on the power of G.o.d for the obtaining and exercising holiness, but not a mere dependence on the arbitrary and sovereign grace of G.o.d; that own a dependence on the free grace of G.o.d for a reception into his favor, so far that it is without any proper merit, but not as it is without being attracted, or moved with any excellency; that own a partial dependence on Christ, as he through whom we have life, as having purchased new terms of life, but still hold that the righteousness through which we have life is inherent in ourselves, as it was under the first covenant; and whatever other way any scheme is inconsistent with our entire dependence on G.o.d for all, and in each of those ways, of having all of him, through him, and in him, it is repugnant to the design and tenor of the gospel and robs it of that which G.o.d accounts its l.u.s.tre and glory.
3. Hence we may learn a reason why faith is that by which we come to have an interest in this redemption; for there is included in the nature of faith a sensibleness and acknowledgment of this absolute dependence on G.o.d in this affair. 'Tis very fit that it should be required of all, in order to their having the benefit of this redemption, that they should be sensible of, and acknowledge the dependence on G.o.d for it. 'Tis by this means that G.o.d hath contrived to glorify himself in redemption; and 'tis fit that G.o.d should at least have this glory of those that are the subjects of this redemption, and have the benefit of it.
Faith is a sensibleness of what is real in the work of redemption; and as we do really wholly depend on G.o.d, so the soul that believes doth entirely depend on G.o.d for all salvation, in its own sense and act. Faith abases men and exalts G.o.d, it gives all the glory of redemption to G.o.d alone. It is necessary in order to saving faith, that man should be emptied of himself, that he should be sensible that he is ”wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Humility is a great ingredient of true faith: he that truly receives redemption, receives it as a little child: Mark x. 15, ”Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of heaven as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” It is the delight of a believing soul to abase itself and exalt G.o.d alone: that is the language of it, Psalm cxv. 1, ”Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name give glory.”
4. Let us be exhorted to exalt G.o.d alone, and ascribe to him all the glory of redemption. Let us endeavor to obtain, and increase in a sensibleness of our great dependence on G.o.d, to have our eye to him alone, to mortify a self-dependent and self-righteous disposition. Man is naturally exceeding p.r.o.ne to be exalting himself and depending on his own power or goodness, as though he were he from whom he must expect happiness, and to have respect to enjoyments alien from G.o.d and his Spirit, as those in which happiness is to be found.
And this doctrine should teach us to exalt G.o.d alone, as by trust and reliance, so by praise. _Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord._ Hath any man hope that he is converted and sanctified, and that his mind is endowed with true excellency and spiritual beauty, and his sins forgiven, and he received into G.o.d's favor, and exalted to the honor and blessedness of being his child, and an heir of eternal life: let him give G.o.d all the glory; who alone makes him to differ from the worst of men in this world, or the miserablest of the d.a.m.ned in h.e.l.l. Hath any man much comfort and strong hope of eternal life, let not his hope lift him up, but dispose him the more to abase himself and reflect on his own exceeding unworthiness of such a favor, and to exalt G.o.d alone. Is any man eminent in holiness and abundant in good works, let him take nothing of the glory of it to himself, but ascribe it to him whose ”workmans.h.i.+p we are, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: FACSIMILE OF Ma.n.u.sCRIPT OF FIRST PAGE OF SERMON ”A DIVINE AND SUPERNATURAL LIGHT.”]
II
A DIVINE AND SUPERNATURAL LIGHT, IMMEDIATELY IMPARTED TO THE SOUL BY THE SPIRIT OF G.o.d, SHOWN TO BE BOTH A SCRIPTURAL AND RATIONAL DOCTRINE.
MATT. xvi.--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.
Christ says these words to Peter upon occasion of his professing his faith in him as the Son of G.o.d. Our Lord was inquiring of his disciples, who men said he was; not that he needed to be informed, but only to introduce and give occasion to what follows. They answer, that some said he was John the Baptist, and some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the Prophets. When they had thus given an account who others said he was, Christ asks them, who they said he was. Simon Peter, whom we find always zealous and forward, was the first to answer: he readily replied to the question, _Thou art Christ, the Son of the living G.o.d_.
Upon this occasion, Christ says as he does _to_ him, and _of_ him in the text: in which we may observe,
1. That Peter is p.r.o.nounced blessed on this account. _Blessed art Thou._--”Thou art a happy man, that thou art not ignorant of this, that I am Christ, the Son of the living G.o.d. Thou art distinguis.h.i.+ngly happy.
Others are blinded, and have dark and deluded apprehensions, as you have now given an account, some thinking that I am Elias, and some that I am Jeremias, and some one thing, and some another; but none of them thinking right, all of them misled. Happy art thou, that art so distinguished as to know the truth in this matter.”
2. The evidence of this his happiness declared; viz., that G.o.d, and he only, had _revealed it_ to him. This is an evidence of his being _blessed_.
First, As it shows how peculiarly favored he was of G.o.d above others; q.
d., ”How highly favored art thou, that others that are wise and great men, the Scribes, Pharisees and Rulers, and the nation in general, are left in darkness, to follow their own misguided apprehensions; and that thou shouldst be singled out, as it were, by name, that my Heavenly Father should thus set his love on thee, Simon Barjona. This argues thee blessed, that thou shouldst thus be the object of G.o.d's distinguis.h.i.+ng love.”
Secondly, It evidences his blessedness also, as it intimates that this knowledge is above any that flesh and blood can reveal. ”This is such knowledge as my Father which is in heaven only can give: it is too high and excellent to be communicated by such means as other knowledge is. Thou art blessed, that thou knowest that which G.o.d alone can teach thee.”
The original of this knowledge is here declared, both negatively and positively. Positively, as G.o.d is here declared the author of it.
Negatively, as it is declared, that flesh and blood had not revealed it.
G.o.d is the author of all knowledge and understanding whatsoever. He is the author of the knowledge that is obtained by human learning: he is the author of all moral prudence, and of the knowledge and skill that men have in their secular business. Thus it is said of all in Israel that were wise-hearted and skilful in embroidering, that G.o.d had filled them with the spirit of wisdom, Exod. xxviii. 3.