When Peter had made that profession of his faith, Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God; what saith Christ to this? Blessed art thou Simon, &c. Mat. 16.16, 17, 18. This confession made Simon to be a rock, and upon this rock of Peters confession, Christ built his Church: So that, if you ask upon what foundation the Church stands, it was upon this faith, and against this faith the gates of hell, and all the judicial power thereof shall not prevail.

When Peter had made that profession of his faith, Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God; what saith Christ to this? Blessed art thou Simon, &c. Mat. 16.16, 17, 18. This confession made Simon to be a rock, and upon this rock of Peters confession, Christ built his Church: So that, if you ask upon what foundation the Church stands, it was upon this faith, and against this faith the gates of hell, and all the judiciall power thereof shall not prevail.

What is it then to believe that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 He that believes that that Jesus whom Judas betrayed, and the Jews crucified, is the Son of God.

1 Because this kind of faith cannot be attained by any humane means, but by an heavenly revelation from God the Father, Mat. 16.16. And in that age when St. John wrote this, there was no humane reason to induce us to believe it.

1 All antiquity of the Gentiles was against it. They had heard of Jupiter Apollo and Hercules, but Christ seemed a new God to them, Acts 17.18.

2 All authority was against it, 2 Cor. 2.8. None of the Princes of the world knew of it.

3 The universal consent of all the habitable world was against it, save only a small handful of people that believed him to be the Christ, the Son of God.

3 The universall consent of all the habitable world was against it, save onely a smal handful of people that believed him to be the Christ, the Son of God.

4 There was something in reason founded against it, for a man to look for salvation from a poor Carpenters Son, from a despised man; one that was excommunicated, and crucified, and could not save himself; for a man to look for salvation from him, was more then flesh and blood could reach; for the poor thief upon the Cross, to see him on the Cross, and yet to beg of him a Kingdom, and after death too, this was such a faith as overcame the world. This flesh revealed not, to take a man at the worst, and then to believe on him for salvation.

4 There was something in reason founded against it, for a man to look for salvation from a poor Carpenters Son, from a despised man; one that was excommunicated, and crucified, and could not save himself; for a man to look for salvation from him, was more then flesh and blood could reach; for the poor thief upon the Crosse, to see him on the Crosse, and yet to beg of him a Kingdome, and after death too, this was such a faith as overcame the world. This flesh revealed not, to take a man at the worst, and then to believe on him for salvation.

Object. But now who is there that believes not Jesus to be the Son of God?

Answ. 'Tis true. We have now all those arguments to prove him to be the Son of God, which they wanted. We have the antiquity of many hundred years, we have authority on our parts, and the universal consent of the whole Christian world hath now taken up such a principle; and for reasons, we have reason enough, seeing so many ages, so many wise and great men consent to this truth. And therefore it's now less wonder to believe Jesus to be the Son of God. What then? Is St. Johns argument of no force now?

Answ. 'Tis true. We have now all those arguments to prove him to be the Son of God, which they wanted. We have the antiquity of many hundred years, we have authority on our parts, and the universall consent of the whole Christian world hath now taken up such a principle; and for reasons, we have reason enough, seeing so many ages, so many wise and great men consent to this truth. And therefore it's now lesse wonder to believe Jesus to be the Son of God. What then? Is St. Johns argument of no force now?

Yes certainly, therefore 2 we say, It's no great matter to believe Jesus to be the Son of God, upon humane credulity of antiquity, universality, or humane reason. That's not the faith that overcomes the world; but it must be such a faith as is wrought in our hearts by God himself, and this faith far differs from humane credulity.

Yes certainly, therefore 2 we say, It's no great matter to believe Jesus to be the Son of God, upon humane credulity of antiquity, universality, or humane reason. That's not the faith that overcomes the world; but it must be such a faith as is wrought in our hearts by God himselfe, and this faith far differs from humane credulity.

1 No man that believes Christ to be the Son of God by this divine faith, but looks up to him for salvation. Look unto me and be saved all ye ends of the earth, Isa. 45.22.

2 If we look at Christ as the Son of God, this faith hath an efficacy in ⟨p. 358⟩it, to work in us contrition and mourning for our sins, whereby we have crucified the Lord of life, Acts. 2.37. When they heard that was the Christ whom they had crucified, they were pricked in their hearts, Zach. 12.10. To such as believe thus, Christ is made the author of eternal salvation, Heb. 5.8.

2 If we look at Christ as the Son of God, this faith hath an efficacy in ⟨p. 358⟩it, to work in us contrition and mourning for our sins, whereby we have crucified the Lord of life, Acts. 2.37. When they heard that was the Christ whom they had c•ucified, they were pricked in their hearts, Zach. 12.10. To such as bebelieve thus, Christ is made the author of eternall salvation, Heb. 5.8.

3 From the mighty power and virtue a faithful soul derives from Christ to overcome the world: when you look at all the world, and all the comforts thereof, and compare them with Christ, you shall find them so vain and empty, that there is no comparison, Psalm. 73.25. Mat. 16.24. What is there in the world that would be equal with Christ? Did not Moses on this ground despise all the treasures and pleasures of Egypt, because he had seen him that was in the bush? Heb. 11.27. That was the Lord Christ. The transcendent worth a Christian finds in Christ, far outswayes all worldly dignities.

3 From the mighty power and virtue a faithfull soul derives from Christ to overcome the world: when you look at all the world, and all the comforts thereof, and compare them with Christ, you shall find them so vain and empty, that there is no comparison, Psalm. 73.25. Mat. 16.24. What is there in the world that would be equal with Christ? Did not Moses on this ground despise all the treasures and pleasures of Aegypt, because he had seen him that was in the bush? Heb. 11.27. That was the Lord Christ. The transcendent worth a Christian findes in Christ, far outswayes all worldly dignities.

Use 1. Of encouragement to a Christian soul against all temptation. For if this faith overcome the world, then it will overcome Satan and the corrupt lusts of thine own heart, and therefore this faith cannot be overcome, but is secure against all enemies. If it were possible that our faith could be extinguished then this were not true, that Faith overcomes the world. If a man therefore lose his faith; such faith was never true.

Ʋse 1. Of encouragement to a Christian soul against all temptation. For if this faith overcome the world, then it will overcome Satan and the corrupt lusts of thine owne heart, and therefore this faith cannot be overcome, but is secure against all enemies. If it were possible that our faith could be extinguished then this were not true, that Faith overcomes the world. If a man therefore lose his faith; such faith was never true.