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that the Sabbath be strictly kept in their houses. A peculiar blessing may be expected upon those families where there is due care taken that the Sabbath be strictly and devoutly observed.

4. We are on this day especially to meditate upon and celebrate the work of redemption. We are with special joy to remember the resurrection of Christ; because that was the finishing of the work of redemption: And this is the day whereon Christ rested and was refreshed, after he had endured those extreme labors which he had endured for our perishing souls. This was the day of the gladness of Christ's heart; it was the day of his deliverance from the chains of death, and also of our deliverance: For we are delivered in him who is our head. He, as it were, rose with his elect. He is the first fruits; those that are Christ's will follow.... Christ, when he rose, was justified as a public person, and we are justified in him. This is the day of our deliverance out of Egypt.

We should therefore meditate on this with joy; we should have a sympathy with Christ in his joy. He was refreshed on this day, we should be refreshed as those whose hearts are united with his. When Christ rejoices, it becomes all his church every where to rejoice. We are to say of this day, "This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

But we are not only to commemorate the resurrection of Christ, but the whole work of redemption, of which this was the finishing. We keep the day on which the work was finished, because it is in remembrance of the whole work. We should on this day contemplate the wonderful love of God and of Christ, as expressed in the work of redemption; and our remembrance of these things should be accompanied with suitable exercises of soul with respect to them. When we call to mind the love of Christ, it should be with a return of love on our part. When we commemorate this work, it should be with faith in the Saviour. And we should praise God and the Lamb for this work, for the divine glory and love

manifested it, in our private and public prayers, in talking of the wonderful works of God, and in singing divine songs.

Hence it is proper that Christ's disciples should choose this day to come together to break bread, or to celebrate the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, Acts xx. 7, because it is an ordinance instituted in remembrance of the work of redemption.

5. Works of mercy and charity are very proper and acceptable to Christ on this day. They were proper on the ancient Sabbath. Christ was wont to do such works on the Sabbath day. But they especially become the Christian Sabbath, because it is a day kept in commemoration of the greatest work of mercy and love towards us that ever was wrought. What can be more proper than that on such a day we should be expressing our love and mercy towards our fellow creatures, and especially our fellow Christians. Christ loves to see us show our thankfulness to him in such ways as these. Therefore we find that the Holy Ghost was especially careful, that such works should be performed on the first day of the week in the primitive church, as we learn by our text.

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SERMON XXVII.*

A Divine and Supernatural Light, immediately imparted to the Soul by the Spirit of God, shown to be both a Scriptural and Rational Doctrine.

MATTHEW xvi. 17.

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 God. 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

* Preached at Northampton, and published at the desire of some of the hearers, in the year 1734.

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 God.

Upon this occasion, Christ says as he does to him, and or him in the text: In which we may observe,

1. That Peter is pronounced blessed on this account. BLESSED ART THOU...." Thou art an happy man, that thou art not ignorant of this, that I am CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. Thou art distinguishingly 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 God, 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 God 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 BARThis argues thee blessed, that thou shouldst thus be the object of God's distinguishing love."

JONA.

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 exceldent to be communicated by such means as other knowledge

is. Thou art BLESSED, that thou knowest that which God alone can teach thee."

The original of this knowledge is here declared, both neg. atively and positively. POSITIVELY, as God is here declared the author of it. NEGATIVELY, as it is declared, that flesh and blood had not revealed it. God 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 skilled in embroidering, that God had filled them with the Spirit of wisdom. Exod. xxviii. 3.

God is the author of such knowledge; but yet not so but that FLESH and BLOOD reveals it. Mortal men are capable of imparting the knowledge of human arts and sciences, and skill in temporal affairs. God is the author of such knowledge by those means: FLESH and BLOOD is made use of by God as the mediate or second cause of it; he conveys it by the power and influence of natural means. But this spiritual knowledge, spoken of in the text, is what God is the author of, and none else: He reveals it, and FLESH and BLOOD reveals it not. He imparts this knowledge immediately, not naking use of any intermediate natural causes, as he does in other knowledge.

What had passed in the preceding discourse naturally occasioned Christ to observe this; because the disciples had been telling how others did not know him, but were generally mistaken about him, and divided and confounded in their opinions of him: But Peter had declared his assured faith; that he was the Son of God. Now it was natural to observe, how it was not FLESH and BLOOD that had revealed it to him, but God; for if this knowledge were dependent on natural causes or means, how came it to pass that they, a company of poor fishermen, illiterate men, and persons of low education, attained to the knowledge of the truth; while the Scribes and Pharisees, men of vastly higher advantages, and greater

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