Matthew 11:25-30

"At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (26) Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. (27) All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. (28) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) 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. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

If I were to enter into the full Paraphrase and Comment upon this most sublime address of Christ to the Father, and the discourse connected with it to his people, it would swell many pages. The contracted nature of this work will not allow me. I must beg, however, the Reader not to pass it over, until that he hath first remarked with me, how the Lord Jesus thanks his Father for the distinguishing grace bestowed upon his people; that while hiding the wonders of redemption from the wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight, (Isaiah 5:21 .) the Lord reveals his mercy unto the humble and the lowly. And I beg the Reader to observe further, the cause which Jesus assigns; namely, God's own appointment. To all the bold and presumptuous reasonings of the human mind, which have been or may be hereafter brought forward, against the exercise of Jehovah's sovereignty, the answer is direct. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Surely the Lord is not called upon to give account of the motives of his holy will and pleasure, to any of his creatures. One thing we know, namely, that his counsel and purpose must stand, and he will do all his pleasure; and that all He doeth is right. His conduct towards his creatures, is by an unerring Standard. His mercy is not moved by any good in us, neither is it kept back by our undeservings; for neither our merit, nor our misery, can be said to have had any hand in disposing the purposes of His sovereign will towards us. That the Lord hath taken occasion from our misery, to magnify the abounding riches of his mercy, is true; but then his mercy was before our misery, and his own everlasting love the sole cause of our blessedness in Christ, therefore our Lord's own words are most blessed in point: Even so Father! for so it seemed good in thy sight!

I must beg to detain the Reader with a short remark more upon those very blessed words of Jesus, (for very blessed they are in my view) in which the Lord hath said, that the knowledge of the persons of the Godhead is wholly in themselves; and that none can know the Son but the Father; neither can any know the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. If those words of the Lord Jesus, were but duly attended to by those who call themselves Christians, after Christ, and consequently profess to believe, that what Christ hath said is true, (I mean such as deny his eternal power and Godhead, of every class and description,) could they, consistently with their own creed, presume to so daring an act of impiety, when Jesus himself hath said, that no man knoweth the Son but the Father? They it seems, in direct defiance of this scripture, declare they know the Son; and with an uncovered front, Which makes one tremble at their blasphemy, advance further, and say that He is not One with the Father, over all God blessed forever! Reader! do not fail to keep in remembrance those blessed words of Jesus, which so plainly, and so fully declare, that none can know the Son but the Father; than which there cannot be a more decisive testimony, that Christ is God.

But when the Reader hath duly pondered this unanswerable testimony of Jesus, to the certainty of his Godhead, I crave his indulgence to dwelt a little longer on this precious passage. If the revelation, both of the Father and of the Son (for both are One) be made, and is made, by Jesus concerning the Father, and by the Father concerning the Son, oh! think how blessed it must be, when the Lord gives to any poor sinner a spirit of wisdom and revelation in this divine knowledge. I beg the Reader not to shut the book until he hath, in regular order, turned to those scriptures in blessed confirmation of this most unquestionable truth. And first, according to the order of those words, No man knoweth the Son but the Father. See Christ's testimony to Peter. Matthew 16:13-17 . See Paul's testimony also, concerning himself on this grand point. Galatians 1:11-16 . Paul was called from the error of his way by Christ from heaven. So that, as he saith, he never received the Gospel from man neither was taught it by man, but by Jesus Christ. A plain and decided testimony that he knew Christ to be God. Anti the same Apostle saith, that it was God the Father; that revealed his Son to him. Add to these, Jesus himself saith, No man, can come to me, except the Father which hath, sent me, draw him. John 6:44 . So much for the revelation of the Son by the Father and of which Paul was so well convinced, agreeably to what our Lord hath said in this scripture, that none can know the Son but the Father and by his revelation of him, that the Apostle expressly prays for the Church at Ephesus, that the Father would give unto them a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. I beg the Reader to read the whole passage Ephesians 1:15 , to the end. Now then, in like manner, let the Reader consult those scriptures, which equally prove that the knowledge of the Father is only with the Son, and his redeemed, to whom the Loud Jesus reveals him. And here in proof, read John 1:18 ; then turn to John 6:46 ; then John 10:15 ; and lastly, to mention no more, John 14:9-10 . Oh! the preciousness and blessedness of these things! Reader! may not you and I (if so be the Lord Jesus hath mercifully given us a spiritual knowledge herein,) may we not take to ourselves what Jesus said to Peter; and consider the same blessedness as ours also: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto us, but our God and Father which is in heaven. See also Luke 10:23-24 ; John 16:13-15 ; 2 Corinthians 4:6 .

I must not trespass further by enlarging on the many other blessed things contained in the close of this Chapter. But otherwise what a subject might be opened concerning the All things Jesus saith, as Mediator, are delivered unto him by his Father? (see the Commentary on Luke 10:22 .) and of Jesus' invitation to the weary and heavy laden to come to him, and to find rest unto their souls? But I beg the Reader to consult some of the numberless scriptures on these glorious truths of our God: and may the Holy Ghost open their beauties and saving influences to his soul! Psalms 116:6 ; Isaiah 28:12 ; Hebrews 4:9 .