Bible Believing Fundamentalist

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SERMON 24

WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST?

When it pleased the eternal Son of God to tabernacle among us, and preach

the glad tidings of salvation to a fallen world, different opinions were

entertained by different parties concerning him. As to his person, some

said he was Moses; others that he was Elias, Jeremias, or one of the

ancient prophets; few acknowledged him to be what he really was, God

blessed for evermore. And as to his doctrine, though the common people,

being free from prejudice, were persuaded of the heavenly tendency of his

going about to do good, and for the generality, heard him gladly, and said

he was a good man; yet the envious, worldly-minded, self-righteous

governors and teachers of the Jewish church, being grieved at his success

on the one hand, and unable (having never been taught of God) to

understand the purity of his doctrine, on the other; notwithstanding our

Lord spake as never man spake, and did such miracles which no man could

possibly do, unless God was with him; yet they not only were so

infatuated, as to say, that he deceived the people; but also were so

blasphemous as to affirm, that he was in league with the devil himself, and

cast out devils by Beeluzbul, the prince of devils. Nay, our Lord’s own

brethren and kinsmen, according to the flesh, were so blinded by prejudices

and unbelief, that on a certain day; when he went out to teach the

multitudes in the fields, they sent to take hold of him, urging this as a

reason for their conduct, “That he was besides himself.”

Thus was the King and the Lord of glory judged by man’s judgment, when

manifest in flesh: far be it from any of his ministers to expect better

treatment. No, if we come in the spirit and power of our Master, in this, as

in every other part of his sufferings, we must follow his steps. The like

reproaches which were cast on him, will be thrown on us also. Those that

received our Lord and his doctrine, will receive and hear us for his name’s

sake. The poor, blessed be God, as our present meeting abundantly

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testifies, receive the gospel, and the common people hear us gladly; whilst

those who are sitting in Moses’ chair, and love to wear long robes, being

ignorant of the righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and

having never felt the power of God upon their hearts, will be continually

crying our against us, as madmen, deceivers of the people, and as acting

under the influence of evil spirits.

But he is unworthy the name of a minister of the gospel of peace, who is

unwilling, not only to have his name cast out as evil, but also to die for the

truths of the Lord Jesus. It is the character of hirelings and false prophets,

who care not for the sheep, to have all men speak well of them. “Blessed

are you, (says our Lord to his first apostles, and in them to all succeeding

ministers) when men speak all manner of evil against you falsely for my

name’s sake.” And indeed it is impossible but such offenses must come;

for men will always judge of others, according to the principles from which

they act themselves. And if they care not to yield obedience to the

doctrines which we deliver, they must necessarily, in self-defense, speak

against the preachers, lest they should be asked that question, which the

Pharisees of old feared to have retorted on them, if they confessed that

John was a prophet, “Why then did you not believe on him?” In all such

cases, we have nothing to do but to search our own hearts, and if we can

assure our consciences, before God, that we act with a single eye to his

glory, we are cheerfully to go on in our work, and not in the least to regard

what men or devils can say against, or do unto us.

But to return. You have heard what various thoughts there were concerning

Jesus Christ, whilst here on earth; nor is he otherwise treated, even now he

is exalted to sit down at the right hand of his Father in heaven. A stranger

to Christianity, were he to hear, that we all profess to hold one Lord,

would naturally infer, that we all thought and spoke one and the same

thing about him. But alas! to our shame be it mentioned, though Christ be

not divided in himself, yet professors are sadly divided in their thoughts

about him; and that not only as to the circumstances of his religion, but

also of those essential truths which must necessarily be believed and

received by us, if ever we hope to be heirs of eternal salvation.

Some, and I fear a multitude which no man can easily number, there are

amongst us, who call themselves Christians, and yet seldom or never

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seriously think of Jesus Christ at all. They can think of their shops and

their farms, their plays, their balls, their assemblies, and horse-races

(entertainments which directly tend to exclude religion out of the world);

but as for Christ, the author and finisher of faith, the Lord who has bought

poor sinners with his precious blood, and who is the only thing worth

thinking of, alas! he is not in all, or at most in very few of their thoughts.

But believe me, O ye earthly, sensual, carnally-minded professors,

however little you may think of Christ now, or however industriously you

may strive to keep him out of your thoughts, by pursuing the lust of the

eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, yet there is a time coming,

when you will wish you had thought of Christ more, and of your profits

and pleasures less. For the gay, the polite, the rich also must die as well as

others, and leave their pomps and vanities, and all their wealth behind

them. And O! what thoughts will you entertain concerning Jesus Christ, in

that hour?

But I must not purpose these reflections: they would carry me too far

from the main design of this discourse, which is to show, what those who

are truly desirous to know how to worship God in spirit and in truth,

ought to think concerning Jesus Christ, whom God hath sent to be the end

of the law for righteousness to all them that shall believe.

I trust, my brethren, you are more noble than to think me too strict or

scrupulous, in thus attempting to regulate your thoughts about Jesus

Christ: for by our thoughts, as well as our words and actions, are we to be

judged at the great day. And in vain do we hope to believe in, or worship

Christ aright, unless our principles, on which our faith and practice are

founded, are agreeable to the form of sound words delivered to us in the

scriptures of truth.

Besides, many deceivers are gone abroad into the world. Mere heathen

morality, and not Jesus Christ, is preached in most of our churches. And

how should people think rightly of Christ, of whom they have scarcely

heard? Bear with me a little then, whilst, to inform your consciences, I ask

you a few questions concerning Jesus Christ. For there is no other name

given under heaven, whereby we can be saved, but his.

This is the question our Lord put to the Pharisees in the words following

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the text; and never was it more necessary to repeat this question than in

these last days. For numbers that are called after the name of Christ, and I

fear, many that pretend to preach him, are so far advanced in the

blasphemous chair, as openly to deny his being really, truly, and properly

God. But no one that ever was partaker of his Spirit, will speak thus

lightly of him. No; if they are asked, as Peter and his brethren were, “But

whom say ye that I am?” they will reply without hesitation, “Thou art

Christ the Son of the ever-living God.” For the confession of our Lord’s

divinity, is the rock upon which he builds his church. Was it possible to

take this away, the gates of hell would quickly prevail against it. My

brethren, if Jesus Christ be not very God of very God, I would never

preach the gospel of Christ again. For it would not be gospel; it would be

only a system of moral ethics. Seneca, Cicero, or any of the Gentile

philosophers, would be as good a Savior as Jesus of Nazareth. It is the

divinity of our Lord that gives a sanction to his death, and makes him such

a high-priest as became us, one who by the infinite mercies of his suffering

could make a full, perfect sufficient sacrifice, satisfaction and oblation to

infinitely offended justice. And whatsoever minister of the church of

England, makes use of her forms, and eats of her bread, and yes holds not

this doctrine (as I fear too many such are crept in amongst us) such a one

belongs only to the synagogue of Satan. He is not a child or minister of

God: no; he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing; he is a child and minister of that

wicked one the devil.

Many will think these hard sayings; but I think it no breach of charity to

affirm, that an Arian or Socinian cannot be a Christian. The one would

make us believe Jesus Christ is only a created God, which is a selfcontradiction:

and the other would have us look on him only as a good

man; and instead of owning his death to be an atonement for the sins of the

world, would persuade us, that Christ died only to seal the truth of hid

doctrine with his blood. But if Jesus Christ be no more than a mere man, if

he be not truly God, he was the vilest sinner that ever appeared in the

world. For he accepted of divine adoration from the man who had been

born blind, as we read John 9:38, “And he said, Lord I believe, and he

worshipped him.” Besides, if Christ be not properly God, our faith is vain,

we are yet in our sins: for no created being, though of the highest order,

could possibly merit anything at God’ s hands; it was our Lord’s divinity,

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that alone qualified him to take away the sins of the world; and therefore

we hear St. John pronouncing so positively, that “the Word (Jesus Christ)

was not only with God, but was God.” For the like reason, St. Paul says,

“that he was in the form of God: That in him dwelt all the fullness of the

godhead bodily.” Nay, Jesus Christ assumed the title which God gave to

himself, when he sent Moses to deliver his people Israel. “Before

Abraham was, I AM.” And again, “I and my father are one.” Which last

words, though our modern infidels would evade and wrest, as they do

other scriptures, to their own damnation, yet it is evident that the Jews

understood our Lord, when he spoke thus, as making himself equal with

God; otherwise, why did they stone him as a blasphemer? And now, why

should it be thought a breach of charity, to affirm, that those who deny the

divinity of Jesus Christ, in the strictest sense of the word, cannot be

Christians? For they are greater infidels than the devils themselves, who

confessed that they knew who he was, “even the holy one of God.” They

not only believe, but, which is more than the unbelievers of this generation

do, they tremble. And was it possible for arch-heretics, to be released from

their chains of darkness, under which (unless they altered their principles

before they died) they are now reserved to the judgment of the great day, I

am persuaded they would inform us, how hell had convinced them of the

divinity of Jesus Christ, and that they would advise their followers to

abhor their principles, lest they should come into the same place, and

thereby increase each others torments.

Christ? For Christ was not only God, but he was God and man in one

person. Thus runs the text and context, “When the Pharisees were gathered

together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is

he? They say unto him, The Son of David. How then, says our divine

master, does David in spirit call him Lord?” From which passage it is

evident, that we do not think rightly of the person of Jesus Christ, unless

we believe him to be perfect God and perfect man, or a reasonable soul and

human flesh subsisting.

For it is on this account that he is called Christ, or the anointed one, who

through his own voluntary offer was set apart by the father, and

strengthened and qualified by the anointing or communication of the Holy

Ghost, to be a mediator between Him and offending man.

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The reason why the Son of God took upon him our nature, was, the fall of

our first parents. I hope there is no one present so atheistical, as to think,

that man made himself; no, it was God that made us, and not we ourselves.

And I would willingly think, that no one is so blasphemous as to suppose,

that if God did make us, he made us such creatures as we now find

ourselves to be. For this would be giving God’s word the lie, which tells

us, that “in the image of God (not in the image which we now bear on our

souls) made he man.” As God made man, so God made him perfect. He

placed him in the garden of Eden, and condescended to enter into a

covenant with him, promising him eternal life, upon condition of unsinning

obedience; and threatening eternal death, if he broke his law, and did eat the

forbidden fruit.

Man did eat; and herein acting as our representative, thereby involved both

himself and us in that curse, which God, the righteous judge, had said

should be the consequence of his disobedience. But here begins that

mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh. For (sing, O heavens,

and rejoice, O earth!) the eternal Father, foreseeing how Satan would bruise

the heel of man, had in his eternal counsel provided a means whereby he

might bruise that accursed Serpent’s head. Man is permitted to fall, and

become subject to death; but Jesus, the only begotten Son of God,

begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of light, very God of very

God, offers to die to make an atonement for his transgression, and to fulfill

all righteousness in his stead. And because it was impossible for him to do

this as he was God, and yet since man had offended, it was necessary it

should be done in the person of man; rather than we should perish, this

everlasting God, this Prince of Peace, this Ancient of Days, in the fullness

of time, had a body prepared for him by the Holy Ghost, and became an

infant. In this body he performed a complete obedience to the law of God;

whereby he, in our stead, fulfilled the covenant of works, and at last

became subject to death, even death upon the cross; that as God he might

satisfy, as man he might obey and suffer; and being God and man in one

person, might once more procure a union between God and our souls.

And now, What think you of this love of Christ? Do not you think it was

wondrous great? Especially when you consider, that we were Christ’s

bitter enemies, and that he would have been infinitely happy in himself,

notwithstanding we had perished forever. Whatever you may think of it, I

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know the blessed angels, who are not so much concerned in this mystery

of godliness as we, think most highly of it. They do, they will desire to

look into, and admire it, through all eternity. Why, why O ye sinners, will

you not think of this love of Christ? Surely it must melt down the most

hardened heart. Whilst I am speaking, the thought of this infinite and

condescending love fires and warms my soul. I could dwell on it for ever.

But it is expedient for you, that I should ask you another question

concerning Jesus Christ.

answer for some of you; for many, I fear, think to be justified or looked

upon as righteous in God’s sight, without Jesus Christ. But such will find

themselves dreadfully mistaken; for out of Christ, “God is a consuming

fire.” Others satisfy themselves, with believing that Christ was God and

man, and that he came into the world to save sinners in general; whereas,

their chief concern ought to be, how they may be assured that Jesus Christ

came into the world to save them in particular. “The life that I now live in

the flesh, (says the Apostle) is by faith of the Son of God, who loved me,

and gave himself for me.” Observe, FOR ME: it is this immediate

application of Jesus Christ to our own hearts; and that they can be

justified in God’s sight, only in or through him: but then they make him

only in part a savior. They are for doing what they can themselves, and

then Jesus Christ is to make up the deficiencies of their righteousness.

This is the sum and substance of our modern divinity. And was it possible

for me to know the thoughts of most that hear me this day, I believe they

would tell me, this was the scheme they had laid, and perhaps depended

on for some years, for their eternal salvation. Is it not then high time, my

brethren, for you to entertain quite different thoughts concerning

justification by Jesus Christ? For if you think thus, you are in the case of

those unhappy Jews, who went about to establish their own

righteousness, and would not submit to, and consequently missed of that

righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. What

think you then, if I tell you, that you are to be justified freely through faith

in Jesus Christ, without any regard to any work or fitness foreseen in us at

all? For salvation is the free gift of God, I know no fitness in man, but a

fitness to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone for ever. Our

righteousnesses, in God’s sight, are but as filthy rags; he cannot away with

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them. Our holiness, if we have any, is not the cause, but the effect of our

justification in God’s sight. “We love God, because he first loved us.” We

must not come to God as the proud Pharisee did, bringing in as it were a

reckoning of our services; we must come in the temper and language of the

poor Publican, smiting upon our breasts, and saying, “God be merciful to

me a sinner;” for Jesus Christ justifies us whilst we are ungodly. He came

not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. The poor in spirit only,

they who are willing to go out of themselves, and rely wholly on the

righteousness of another, are so blessed as to be members of his kingdom.

The righteousness, the whole righteousness of Jesus Christ, is to be

imputed to us, instead of our own: “or we are not under the law, but under

grace; and to as many as walk after this rule, peace be on them;” for they,

and they only are the true Israel of God. In the great work of man’’

redemption, boasting is entirely excluded; which could not be, if only one

of our works was to be joined with the merits of Christ. Our salvation is

all of God, from the beginning to the end; it is not of works, lest any man

should boast; man has no hand in it: it is Christ who is to be made to us of

God the Father, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and eternal

redemption. His active as well as his passive obedience, is to be applied to

poor sinners. He has fulfilled all righteousness in our stead, that we might

become the righteousness of God in him. All we have to do, is to lay hold

on this righteousness by faith; and the very moment we do apprehend it

by a lively faith, that very moment we may be assured, that the blood of

Jesus Christ has cleansed us from all sin. “For the promise is to us and to

our children, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call.” If we and our

whole houses believe, we shall be saved as well as the jailer and his house;

for the righteousness of Jesus Christ is an everlasting, as well as a perfect

righteousness. It is as effectual to all who believe in him now, as formerly;

and so it will be, till time shall be no more. Search the scriptures, as the

Bereans did, and see whether these things are not so. Search St. Paul’s

epistles to the Romans and Galatians, and there you will find this doctrine

so plainly taught you, that unless you have eyes and see not, he that runs

may read. Search the Eleventh Article of our Church: “We are accounted

righteous before God, only for the merits of our Lord and Savior Jesus

Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings.”

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This doctrine of our free justification by faith in Christ Jesus, however

censured and evil spoken of by our present Masters of Israel, was highly

esteemed by our wise fore-fathers; for in the subsequent words of the

aforementioned article, it is called a most WHOLESOME DOCTRINE,

and very full of comfort; and so it is to all that are weary and heavy laden,

and are truly willing to find rest in Jesus Christ.

This is gospel, this is glad tidings of great joy to all that feel themselves

poor, lost, undone, damned sinners. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come

unto the waters of life, and drink freely; come and buy without money and

without price.” Behold a fountain opened in your Savior’s side, for sin and

for all uncleanness. “Look unto him whom you have pierced;” look unto

him by faith, and verily you shall be saved, though you came here only to

ridicule and blaspheme, and never thought of God or of Christ before.

Not that you must think God will save you because, or on account of your

faith; for faith is a work, and then you would be justified for your works;

but when I tell you, we are to be justified by faith, I mean that faith is the

instrument whereby the sinner applies or brings home the redemption of

Jesus Christ to his heart. And to whomsoever God gives such a faith, (for

it is the free gift of God) he may lift up his head with boldness, he need

not fear; he is a spiritual son of our spiritual David; he is passed from

death to life, he shall never come into condemnation. This is the gospel

which we preach. If any man or angel preach any other gospel, than this of

our being freely justified through faith in Christ Jesus, we have the

authority of the greatest Apostle, to pronounce him accursed.

And now, my brethren, what think you of this foolishness of preaching?

To you that have tasted the good word of life, who have been enlightened

to see the riches of God’s free grace in Christ Jesus, I am persuaded it is

precious, and has distilled like the dew into your souls. And O that all

were like-minded! But I am afraid, numbers are ready to go away

contradicting and blaspheming. Tell me, are there not many of you saying

within yourselves, “This is a licentious doctrine; this preacher is opening a

door for encouragement in sin.” But this does not surprise me at all, it is a

stale, antiquated objection, as old a the doctrine of justification itself; and

(which by the way is not much to the credit of those who urge it now) it

was made by an infidel. St. Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, after he had,

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in the first five chapters, demonstrably proved the doctrine of justification

by faith alone; in the sixth, brings in an unbeliever saying, “Shall we

continue in sin then, that grace may abound?” But as he rejected such an

inference with a “God forbid!” so do I: for the faith which we preach, is

not a dead speculative faith, an assenting to things credible, as credible, as

it is commonly defined: it is not a faith of the head only, but a faith of the

heart. It is a living principle wrought in the soul, by the Spirit of the everliving

God, convincing the sinner of his lost, undone condition by nature;

enabling him to apply and lay hold on the perfect righteousness of Jesus

Christ, freely offered him in the gospel, and continually exciting him, out

of a principle of love and gratitude, to show forth that faith, by abounding

in every good word and work. This is the sum and substance of the

doctrine that has been delivered. And if this be a licentious doctrine, judge

ye. No, my brethren, this is not destroying, but teaching you how to do

good works, from a proper principle. For to use the words of our Church

in another of her Articles, “Works done before the grace of Christ, and the

inspiration of the Spirit, are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring

not of faith in Jesus Christ; rather, for that they are not done as God has

willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the

nature of sin.” So that they who bid you do, and then live, are just as wise

as those who would persuade you to build a beautiful magnificent house,

without laying a foundation.

It is true, the doctrine of our free justification by faith in Christ Jesus, like

other gospel truths, may and will be abused by men of corrupt minds,

reprobates concerning the faith; but they who receive the truth of God in

the love if it, will always be showing their faith by their works. For this

reason, St. Paul, after he had told the Ephesians, “By grace they were

saved through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast,”

immediately adds, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus

unto good works.” And in his epistle to Titus, having given him directions

to tell the people they were justified by grace, directly subjoins, chap. 3,

Verse 8, “I will that you affirm constantly, that they who have believed in

God might be careful to maintain good works.” Agreeable to this, we are

told in our Twelfth Article, “That albeit good works, which are the fruits

of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and

endure the severity of God’s judgment; yet are they pleasing and

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acceptable to God in Christ; and do spring necessarily out of a true and

lively faith, insomuch, that a lively faith may be as evidently known by

them, as a tree discerned by the fruit.”

What would I give, that this Article was duly understood and preached by

all that have subscribed to it! The ark of the Lord would not then be driven

into the wilderness, nor would so many persons dissent from the Church

of England. For I am fully persuaded, that it is not so much on account of

rites and ceremonies, as our not preaching the truth as it is in Jesus, that so

many have been obliged to go and seek for food elsewhere. Did not we fall

from our established doctrines, few, comparatively speaking, would fall

from the Established Church. Where Christ is preached, though it be in a

church or on a common, dissenters of all denominations have, and do must

freely come. But if our clergy will preach only the law, and not show the

way of salvation by faith in Christ, the charge of schism at the day of

judgment, I fear, will chiefly lie at their door. The true sheep of Christ

know the voice of Christ’s true shepherds, and strangers they will not

hear.

Observe, my dear brethren, the words of the Article, “Good works are the

fruits of faith, and follow after justification.” How then can they precede,

or be any way the cause of it? Our persons must be justified, before our

performances can be accepted. God had respect to Abel before he had

respect to his offering; and therefore the righteousness of Jesus Christ

must be freely imputed to, and apprehended by us through faith, before

we can offer an acceptable sacrifice to God: for out of Christ, as I hinted

before, God is a consuming fire: and whatsoever is not of faith in Christ, is

sin.

That people mistake the doctrine of free justification, I believe, is partly

owing to their not rightly considering the different persons to whom St.

Paul and St. James wrote in their epistles; as also the different kind of

justification each of them writes about. The former affects in line upon

line, argument upon argument, “That we are justified by faith alone:” The

latter put this question, “Was not Abraham justified by works?” From

whence many, not considering the different views of these holy men, and

the different persons they wrote to, have blended and joined faith and

works, in order to justify us in the sight of God. But this is a capital

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mistake; for St. Paul was writing to the Jewish proselytes, who sought

righteousness by the works, not of the ceremonial only, but of the moral

law. In contradistinction to that, he tells them, they were to look for

justification in God’s sight, only by the perfect righteousness of Jesus

Christ apprehended by faith. St. James had a different set of people to deal

with; such who abused the doctrines of free justification, and thought they

should be saved (as numbers among us do now) upon their barely

professing to believe on Jesus Christ. These the holy Apostle endeavors

wisely to convince, that such a faith was only a dead and false faith; and

therefore, it behooved all who would be blessed with faithful Abraham, to

show forth their faith by their works, as he did. “For was not Abraham

justified by works?” Did he not prove that his faith was a true justifying

faith, by its being productive of good works? From whence it is plain, that

St. James is talking of a declarative justification before men; show me,

demonstrate, evidence to me, that thou hast a true faith, by thy works.

Whereas, St. Paul is talking only of our being justified in the sight of God;

and thus he proves, that Abraham, as we also are to be, was justified

before ever the moral or ceremonial law was given to the Jews, for it is

written, “Abraham believed in the Lord, and it was accounted to him for

righteousness.”

Take the substance of what has been said on this head, in the few

following words. Every man that is saved, is justified three ways:

of Jesus Christ alone that cleanses us from all sin.”

instrument whereby the merits of Jesus Christ are applied to the sinner’s

heart: “Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

good works declare and prove to the world, that our faith is a true saving

faith. “Was not Abraham justified by works?” And again, “Show me thy

faith by thy works.”

It may not be improper to illustrate this doctrine by an example or two. I

suppose no one will pretend to say, that there was any fitness for

salvation in Zaccheus the publican, when he came to see Jesus out of no

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better principle, than that whereby perhaps thousands are led to hear me

preach; I mean, curiosity: but Jesus Christ prevented and called him by his

free grace, and sweetly, but irresistibly inclined him to obey that call; as, I

pray God, he may influence all you that come only to see who the

preacher is. Zaccheus received our Lord joyfully into his house, and at the

same time by faith received him into his heart; Zaccheus was then freely

justified in the sight of God. But behold the immediate fruits of that

justification! He stands forth in the midst and as before he had believed in

his heart, he now makes confession with his mouth to salvation: “Behold,

Lord, the half of my goods I give unto the poor; and if I have taken any

thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him four-fold.” And thus

it will be with thee, O believer, as soon as ever God’s dear Son is revealed

in thee by a living faith; thou wilt have no rest in thy spirit, till out of love

and gratitude for what God has done for thy soul, thou showest forth thy

faith by thy works.

Again, I suppose every body will grant there was no fitness for salvation

in the persecutor Saul; no more than there is in those persecuting zealots of

these last days, who are already breathing out threatenings, and, if in their

power, would breathe out slaughter also, against the disciples of the Lord.

Now our Lord, we know, freely prevented him by his grace, (and O that he

would thus effectually call the persecutors of this generation) and by a

light from heaven struck him to the ground. At the same time, by his

Spirit, he pricked him to the heart, convinced him of sin, and caused him to

cry out, “Who art thou, Lord?” Christ replies, “I am Jesus whom thou

persecutest.” Faith then was instantaneously given to him, and behold,

immediately Saul cries out, “Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?”

And so will every poor soul that believes on the Lord Jesus with his whole

heart. He will be always asking, Lord, what shall I do for thee? Lord, what

wouldst thou have me to do? Not to justify himself, but only to evidence

the sincerity of his love and thankfulness to his all-merciful High-priest,

for plucking him as a firebrand out of the fire.

Perhaps many self-righteous persons amongst you, may flatter yourselves,

that you are not so wicked as either Zaccheus or Saul was, and

consequently there is a greater fitness for salvation in you than in them.

But if you think thus, indeed you think more highly of yourselves than

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you ought to think: for by nature we are all alike, all equally fallen short of

the glory of God, all equally dead in trespasses and sins, and there needs

the same almighty power to be exerted in converting any one of the most

sober, good-natured, moral persons here present, as there was in

converting the publican Zaccheus, or that notorious persecutor Saul. And

was it possible for you to ascend into the highest heaven, and to inquire of

the spirits of just men made perfect, I am persuaded they would tell you

this doctrine is from God. But we have a more sure word of prophecy, to

which we do well to give heed, as unto a light shining in a dark place. My

brethren, the word is nigh you; search the scriptures; beg of God to make

you willing to be saved in this day of his power; for it is not flesh and

blood, but the Spirit of Jesus Christ, that alone can reveal these things unto

you.

within you? For whom Christ justifies, them he also sanctifies. Although

he finds, yet he does not leave us unholy. A true Christian may not so

properly be said to live, as Jesus Christ to live in him. For they only that

are led by the Spirit of Christ, are the true sons of God.

As I observed before, so I tell you again, the faith which we preach is not a

dead, but a lively active faith wrought in the soul, working a thorough

change, by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the whole man; and unless

Christ be thus in you, notwithstanding you may be orthodox as to the

foregoing principles, notwithstanding you may have good desires, and

attend constantly on the means of grace; yet, in St. Paul’s opinion, you are

out of a state of salvation. “Know you not, (says that Apostle to the

Corinthians, a church famous for its gifts above any church under heaven)

that Christ is in you, (by his Spirit) unless you are reprobates?”

For Christ came not only to save us from the guilt, but from the power of

our sins; till he has done this, however he may be a Savior to others, we

can have no assurance of well-grounded hope, that he has saved us; for it is

by receiving his blessed Spirit into our hearts, and feeling him witnessing

with our spirits, that we are the sons of God, that we can be certified of

our being sealed to the day of redemption.

This is a great mystery; but I speak of Christ and the new-birth. Marvel

not at my asking you, what you think about Christ being formed within

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you? For either God must change his nature, or we ours. For as in Adam

we all have spiritually died, so all that are effectually saved by Christ,

must in Christ be spiritually made alive. His only end in and rising again,

and interceding for us now in heaven, is to redeem us from the misery of

our fallen nature, and, by the operation of his blessed Spirit, to make us

meet to be partakers of the heavenly inheritance with the saints in light.

None but those that thus are changed by his grace here, shall appear with

him in glory hereafter.

Examine yourselves, therefore, my brethren, whether you are in the faith;

prove yourselves; and think it not sufficient to say in your creed, I believe

in Jesus Christ; many say so, who do not believe, who are reprobates, and

yet in a state of death. You take God’s name in vain, when you call him

Father, and your prayers are turned into sin, unless you believe in Christ,

so as to have your life hid with him in God, and to receive life and

nourishment from him, as branches do from the vine.

I know, indeed, the men of this generation deny there is any such thing as

feeling Christ within them; but alas! to what a dreadful condition would

such reduce us, even to the state of the abandoned heathen, who, St. Paul

tells us, “were past feeling.” The Apostle prays, that the Ephesians may

abound in all knowledge and spiritual understanding, or as it might be

rendered, spiritual sensation. And in the office for the visitation of the

sick, the minister prays, that the Lord may make the sick person know and

feel, that there is not other name under heaven given unto men, in whom

and through whom they may receive health and salvation, but only the

name of our Lord Jesus. For there is a spiritual, as well as a corporeal

feeling; and though this is not communicated to us in a sensible manner, as

outward objects affect our senses, yet it is as real as any sensible or visible

sensation, and may be as truly felt and discerned by the soul, as any

impression from without can be felt by the body. All who are born again

of God, know that I lie not.

What think you, Sirs, did Naaman feel, when he was cured of his leprosy?

Did the woman feel virtue coming out of Jesus Christ, when she touched

the hem of his garment, and was cured of her bloody issue? So surely

mayst thou feel, O believer, when Jesus Christ dwelleth in thy heart. I

pray God to make you all know and feel this, ere you depart hence.

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O my brethren, my heart is enlarge towards you. I trust I feel something of

that hidden, but powerful presence of Christ, whilst I am preaching to

you. Indeed it is sweet, it is exceedingly comfortable. All the harm I wish

you, who without cause are my enemies, is, that you felt the like. Believe

me, though it would be hell to my soul, to return to a natural state again,

yet I would willingly change status with you for a little while, that you

might know what it is to have Christ dwelling in your hearts by faith. Do

not turn your backs; do not let the devil hurry you away; be not afraid of

convictions; do not think worse of the doctrine, because preached without

the church walls. Our Lord, I the days of his flesh, preached on a mount, in

a ship, and a field; and I am persuaded, many have felt his gracious

presence here. Indeed we speak what we know. Do not reject the kingdom

of God against yourselves; be so wise as to receive our witness. I cannot, I

will not let you go; stay a little, let us reason together. However lightly

you may esteem your souls, I know our Lord has set an unspeakable value

on them. He thought them worthy of his most precious blood. I beseech

you, therefore, O sinners, be ye reconciled to God. I hope you do not fear

being accepted in the beloved. Behold, he calleth you; behold, he prevents

and follows you with his mercy, and hath sent forth his servants unto the

highways and hedges, to compel you to come in. Remember then, that at

such an hour of such a day, in such a year, in this place, you were all told

what you ought to think concerning Jesus Christ. If you now perish, it will

not be for lack of knowledge: I am free from the blood of you all. You

cannot say I have been preaching damnation to you; you cannot say I

have, like legal preachers, been requiring you to make brick without straw.

I have not bidden you to make yourselves saints, and then come to God;

but I have offered you salvation on as cheap terms as you can desire. I

have offered you Christ’s whole wisdom, Christ’s whole righteousness,

Christ’s whole sanctification and eternal redemption, if you will but

believe on him. If you say, you cannot believe, you say right; for faith, as

well as every other blessing, is the gift of God; but then wait upon God,

and who knows but he may have mercy on thee? Why do we not entertain

more loving thoughts of Christ? Or do you think he will have mercy on

others, and not on you? But are you not sinners? And did not Jesus Christ

come into the world to save sinners? If you say you are the chief of

sinners, I answer, that will be no hindrance to your salvation, indeed it will

not, if you lay hold on him by faith. Read the Evangelists, and see how

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kindly he behaved to his disciples who fled from and denied him: “Go tell

my brethren,” says he. He did not say, Go tell those traitors; but, “Go tell

my brethren in general, and poor Peter in particular, “that I am risen;” O

comfort his poor drooping heart, tell him am reconciled to him; bit him

weep no more so bitterly: for though with and curses he thrice denied me,

yet I have died for his sins, I am risen again for his justification: I freely

forgive him all. Thus slow to anger, and of great kindness, was our allmerciful

High-priest. And do you think he has changed his nature, and

forgets poor sinners; now he is exalted to the right hand of God? No, he is

the same yesterday, today, and forever, and sitteth there only to make

intercession for us. Come then, ye harlots, come ye publicans, come ye

most abandoned of sinners, come and believe on Jesus Christ. Though the

whole world despise you and cast you out, yet he will not disdain to take

you up. O amazing, O infinitely condescending love! even you, he will not

be ashamed to call his brethren. How will you escape if you neglect such a

glorious offer of salvation? What would the damned spirits, now in the

prison of hell, give, if Christ was so freely offered to their souls? And why

are not we lifting up our eyes in torments? Does any one out of this great

multitude dare say, he does not deserve damnation? If not, why are we

left, and others taken away by death? What is this but an instance of

God’s free grace, and a sign of his good will towards us? Let God’s

goodness lead us to repentance! O let there be joy in heaven over some of

you repenting! Though we are in a field, I am persuaded the blessed angels

are hovering now around us, and do long, “as the hart panteth after the

water-brooks,” to sing an anthem at your conversion. Blessed be God, I

hope their joy will be fulfilled. An awful silence appears amongst us. I

have good hope that the words which the Lord has enabled me to speak in

your ears this day, have not altogether fallen to the ground. Your tears and

deep attention, are an evidence, that the Lord God is amongst us of a truth.

Come, ye Pharisees, come and see, in spite of your satanical rage and fury,

the Lord Jesus is getting himself the victory. And brethren, I speak the

truth in Christ, I lie not, if one soul of you, by the blessing of God, be

brought to think savingly of Jesus Christ this day, I care not if my enemies

were permitted to carry me to prison, and put my feet fast in the stocks,

as soon as I have delivered this sermon. Brethren, my heart’s desire and

prayer to God is, that you may be saved. For this cause I follow my

Master without the camp. I care not how much of his sacred reproach I

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bear, so that some of you be converted from the errors of your ways. I

rejoice, yea and I will rejoice. Ye men, ye devils, do your worst: the Lord

who sent, will support me. And when Christ, who is our life, and whom I

have now been preaching, shall appear, I also, together with his despised

little ones, shall appear with him in glory. And then, what will you think

of Christ? I know what you will think of him. You will then think him to

be the fairest among ten thousand: You will then think and feel him to be a

just and sin-avenging judge. Be ye then persuaded to kiss him lest he be

angry, and so you be banished for ever from the presence of the Lord.

Behold, I come to you as the angel did to Lot. Flee, flee, for your lives;

haste, linger no longer in your spiritual Sodom, for otherwise you will be

eternally destroyed. Numbers, no doubt, there are amongst you, that may

regard me no more than Lot’s sons-in-law regarded him. I am persuaded I

seem to some of you as one that mocketh: but I speak the truth in Christ, I

lie not; as sure as fire and brimstone was rained from the Lord out of

heaven, to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, so surely, at the great day, shall

the vials of God’s wrath be poured on you. If you do not think seriously

of, and act agreeable to the gospel of the Lord’s Christ. Behold, I have told

you before; and I pray God, all you that forget him may seriously think of

what has been said, before he pluck you away, and there be none to deliver

you.

Now to God the Father, etc.

settled.

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WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST?

Christ. You have heard about Him, and read about Him, and heard men

preach about Him. For eighteen hundred years, men have been talking

about Him, and thinking about Him; and some have their minds made up

about who He is, and doubtless some have not. And although all these

years have rolled away, this question comes up, addressed to each of us,

today, “What think ye of Christ?”

I do not know why it should not be thought a proper question for one man

to put to another. If I were to ask you what you think of any of your

prominent men, you would already have your mind made up about him. If

I were to ask you what you think of our President you would speak right

out, and tell me your opinion in a minute. If I were to ask about your

governor, you would tell me freely what you had for or against him. And

why should not people make up their minds about the Lord Jesus Christ,

and take their stand for or against Him? If you think well of Him, why not

speak well of Him, and range yourselves on His side? And if you think ill

of Him, and believe Him to be an impostor, and that He did not die to save

the world, why not lift up your voice, and say you are against Him? It

would be a happy day for Christianity if men would just take sides — if

we could know positively who was really for Him, and who was against

Him.

It is of very little importance what the world thinks of anyone else. All the

great ones, all the noble people of this world must soon be gone. Yes; it

matters little comparatively what we think of them. Their lives can only

interest a few; but every living soul on the face of the earth is concerned

with this Man. The question for the world is, “What think ye of Christ?” I

do not ask you what you think of the Episcopal Church, or of the

Presbyterians, or the Baptists, or the Roman Catholics; I do not ask you

what you think of this minister or that, of this doctrine or that; but I want

to ask you what you think of the living person of Christ?

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I should like to ask, Was He really the Son of God — the great God-man?

Did He leave heaven and come down to this world for a purpose? Was it

really to seek and to save? I should like to begin with the manger, and

follow Him up through the thirty-three years He was here upon earth. I

should ask you what you think of His coming into this world, and being

born in a manger when it might have been a palace; why He left the

grandeur and the glory of heaven, and the royal retinue of angels; why He

passed by palaces and crowns and dominion, and came down here alone?

never man spake. I should like to take Him up as a preacher. I should like

to bring you to that mountain side, that we might listen to the words as

they fall from His gentle lips. Talk about the preachers of the present day!

I would rather a thousand times be five minutes at the feet of Christ, than

listen a lifetime to all the wise men in the world. He used just to hang truth

upon anything. Yonder is a sower, a fox, a bird, and He just gathers the

truth round them, so that you cannot see a fox, a sower, or a bird, without

thinking what Jesus said. Yonder is a lily of the valley, you cannot see it

without thinking of His words, “They toil not, neither do they spin.” He

makes the little sparrow chirping in the air preach to us. How fresh those

wonderful sermons are, how they live today! How we love to tell them to

our children, how the children love to hear! “Tell me a story about Jesus,”

how often we hear it; how the little ones love His sermons! No storybook

in the world will ever interest them like the stories that He told. And yet

how profound He was; how He puzzled the wise men; how the scribes

and the Pharisees could never fathom Him! Oh, do you not think He was a

wonderful preacher?

would soon have a reputation as a doctor if he could cure as Christ did. No

case was ever brought to Him but what He was a match for. He had but to

speak the word, and disease fled before Him. Here comes a man covered

with leprosy. “Lord, if Thou wilt Thou canst make me clean,” he cries. “I

will,” says the Great Physician, and in an instant the leprosy is gone. The

world has hospitals for incurable diseases; but there were no incurable

diseases with Him.

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Now see Him in the little home at Bethany, binding up the wounded

hearts of Martha and Mary, and tell me what you think of Him as a

The weary may find a resting place upon that breast, and the friendless

may reckon Him their friend. He never varies, He never fails, He never

dies. His sympathy is ever fresh. His love is ever free. O widow and

orphans, O Sorrowing and mourning, will you not thank God for Christ

the comforter?

But these are not the points I wish to take up. Let us go to those who

knew Christ, and ask what they thought of Him. If you want to find out

what a man is nowadays, you inquire about him from those who know

him best. I do not wish to be partial; we will go to his enemies, and to his

friends. We will ask them, What think ye of Christ? We will ask his

friends and his enemies. If we only went to those who liked Him, you

would say, “Oh, he is so blind; he thinks so much of the man that he can’t

see his faults. You can’t get anything out of him, unless it be in his favor;

it is a one-sided affair altogether.” So we shall go in the first place to his

enemies, to those who hated Him, persecuted Him, cursed and slew Him. I

shall put you in the jury-box, and call upon them to tell us what they

think of Him.

First, among the witnesses, let us call upon the Pharisees. We know how

they hated him. Let us put a few questions to them. Come, Pharisees, tell

us what you have against the Son of God. What do you think of Christ?

bring against Him! Why, it is the very thing that makes us love Him. It is

the glory of the gospel. He receives sinners. If He had not, what would

Once more, when He was hanging on the tree, you had this to say of Him,

“He saved others, Himself He cannot save.” And so He did save others,

but He could not save Himself and save us too. So He laid down His own

life for yours and mine. Yes, Pharisees, you have told the truth for once in

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robes; let us ask him for his evidence. “Caiaphas, you were chief priest

when Christ was tried; you were president of the Sanhedrim; you were in

the council-chamber when they found Him guilty; you yourself

condemned Him. Tell us, what did the witnesses say? On what grounds

did you judge Him? What testimony was brought against Him?

“He hath spoken blasphemy,” says Caiaphas. “He said, ‘Hereafter shall

ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in

the clouds of heaven.’ When I heard that, I found Him guilty of

blasphemy; I rent my mantle, and condemned Him to death.” Yes, all that

they had against Him was that He was the Son of God; and they slew Him

for the promise of His coming for His bride.

Now, let us summon Pilate. Let him enter the witness box. Pilate, this man

was brought before you; you examined Him; you talked with Him face to

said He was the King of the Jews” (just as he wrote it over the cross);

“but I find no fault in Him.” Such is the testimony of the man who

examined Him! And, as he stands there, the center of a Jewish mob, there

comes along a man, elbowing his way, in haste. He rushes up to Pilate and,

thrusting out his hand, gives him a message. He tears it open; his face turns

suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him.” It is from

Pilate’s wife — her testimony to Christ. You want to know what His

enemies thought of Him? You want to know what a heathen thought?

Well, here it is, “no fault in Him;” and the wife of a heathen, “this just

man!”

And now, look — in comes Judas. He ought to make a good witness. Let

us address him. “Come, tell us, Judas, what think ye of Christ. You knew

the Master well; you sold Him for thirty pieces of silver; you betrayed

Him with a kiss; you saw Him perform those miracles; you were with

Him in Jerusalem. In Bethany, when He summoned up Lazarus, you were

there. What think ye of Him?” I can see him as he comes into the presence

of the chief priests; I can hear the money ring as he dashes it upon the

Him, and this is what he thinks of Him! Yes, my friends, God has made

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every man who had anything to do with the death of his Son put their

testimony on record that He was an innocent Man.

Let us take the Centurion, who was present at the execution. He had

charge of the Roman soldiers. He had told them to make Him carry his

cross; he had given orders for the nails to be driven into His feet and

hands, for the spear to be thrust in His side. Let the Centurion come

forward. “Centurion, you had charge of the executioners; you saw that the

order for His death was carried out; you saw Him die; you heard Him

I might go to the thief upon the cross, and ask what he thought of Him. At

first he railed upon Him and reviled Him. But then he thought better of it.

“This man hath done nothing amiss,” he says. I might go further. I might

summon the very devils themselves and ask them for their testimony.

Have they anything to say of Him? Why, the very devils called Him the

Son of God! In Mark we have the unclean spirit crying, “Jesus, Thou Son

of the most High God.” Men say, Oh, I believe Christ to be the Son of

God, and because I believe it intellectually, I shall be saved. I tell you the

Let us bring in His friends. We want you to hear their evidence. Let us call

that prince of preachers. Let us hear the forerunner, the wilderness

preacher, John. Save the Master Himself, none ever preached like this man

— this man who drew all Jerusalem and all Judea into the wilderness to

hear him; this man who burst upon the nations like the flash of a meteor.

Let John the Baptist come with his leather girdle and his hairy coat, and let

him tell us what he thinks of Christ. His words, though they were echoed

in the wilderness of Palestine, are written in the Book forever, “Behold the

Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” This was what

John the Baptist thought of Him. “I bear record that He is the Son of

God.” No wonder he drew all Jerusalem and Judea to him, because he

preached Christ. And whenever men preach Christ, they are sure to have

plenty of followers.

Let us bring in Peter, who was with Him on the mount of transfiguration,

who was with Him the night He was betrayed. “Come, Peter, tell us what

you think of Christ. Stand in this witness box and testify of Him. You

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denied Him once. You said, with a curse, you did not know Him. Was it

true, Peter? Don’t you know Him?” “Know Him!” I can imagine Peter

him charging home their guilt upon these Jerusalem sinners. He calls Him

“both Lord and Christ.” Such was the testimony on the day of Pentecost.

“God hath made that same Jesus both Lord and Christ.” And tradition

tells us that when they came to execute Peter, he felt he was not worthy to

die in the way his Master died, and he requested to be crucified with his

head downwards. So much did Peter think of Him!

Now let us hear from the beloved disciple John. He knew more about

Christ than any other man. He had laid his head on his Savior’s bosom. He

had heard the throbbing of that loving heart. Look into his gospel if you

wish to know what he thought of Him.

Matthew writes of Him as the Royal King come from his throne. Mark

writes of Him as the servant, and Luke as the Son of Man. John takes up

his pen, and with one stroke, forever settles the question of Unitarianism.

He goes right back before the time of Adam. “In the beginning was the

Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Look into

Revelation. He calls Him “the bright and the Morning Star.” So John

thought well of Him — because he knew Him well.

We might bring in Thomas, the doubting disciple. “You doubted Him,

Thomas? You would not believe He had risen, and you put your fingers

Then go over to Decapolis and you will find Christ has been there casting

out devils. Let us call the men of that country and ask what they think of

But we have other witnesses to bring in. Take the persecuting Saul, once

one of the worst of His enemies. Breathing out threatenings, he meets

Him. “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” says Christ; and He might

have added, “What have I done to you? Have I injured you in any way?

Did I not come to bless you? Why do you treat Me thus, Saul?” And then

Saul asks, “Who art Thou, Lord?” “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou

persecutest.” You see, He was not ashamed of His name; although He had

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interview make to Paul! A few years after we hear him say, “I have

suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dross that I may win

Christ.” Such a testimony to the Savior!

But I shall go still further. I shall go away from earth into the other world.

I shall summon the angels and ask what they think of Christ. They saw

Him in the bosom of the Father before the world was. Before the dawn of

creation; before the morning stars sang together, He was there. They saw

Him leave the throne and come down to the manger. What a scene for them

to witness! Ask these heavenly beings what they thought of Him then.

For once they are permitted to speak; for once the silence of heaven is

broken. Listen to their song on the plains of Bethlehem, “Behold, I bring

you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is

born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” He

leaves the throne to save the world. Is it a wonder the angels thought well

of Him?

Then there are the redeemed saints — they that see Him face to face. Here

on earth He was never known, no one seemed really to be acquainted with

Him; but He was known in that world where He had been from the

foundation. What do they think of Him there? If we could hear from

heaven, we should hear a shout which would glorify and magnify His

name. We are told that when John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s-day, and

being caught up, he heard a shout around him, ten thousand times ten

thousand, and thousands and thousands of voices, “Worthy is the Lamb

that was slain to receive power and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and

honor, and glory, and blessing!” Yes, He is worthy of all this. Heaven

cannot speak too well of Him. Oh, that earth would take up the echo, and

wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing!”

But there is yet another witness, a higher still. Some think that the God of

the Old Testament is the Christ of the New. But when Jesus came out of

Jordan, baptized by John, there came a voice from heaven. God the Father

spoke. It was His testimony to Christ: “This is my beloved Son, in whom

I am well pleased.” Ah, yes! God the Father thinks well of the Son. And if

God is well pleased with Him, so ought we. If the sinner and God are well

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pleased with Christ, then the sinner and God can meet. The moment you

say as the Father said, “I am well pleased with Him,” and accept Him, you

are wedded to God. Will you not believe the testimony? Will you not

believe this witness, this last of all, the Lord of hosts, the King of kings

Himself? Once more He repeats it, so that all may know it. With Peter and

James and John, on the mount of transfiguration, He cries again, “This is

my beloved Son; hear Him.” And that voice went echoing and re-echoing

through Palestine, through all the earth from sea to sea, yes, that voice is

My friend, will you hear Him today? Hark! what is He saying to you?

“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you

rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly

in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and

My burden is light.” Will you not think well of such a Savior? Will you

not believe Him? Will you not trust in Him with all your heart and mind?

Will you not live for Him? If He laid down His life for us, is it not the

least we can do to lay down ours for Him? If He bore the Cross and died

on it for me, ought I not to be willing to take it up for Him? Oh, have we

not reason to think well of Him. Do you think it is right and noble to lift

up your voice against such a Savior? Do you think it is just to cry,

“Crucify Him! crucify Him!” Oh, may God help all of us to glorify the

Father, by thinking well of His only-begotten Son.