A47437:285
Christ alone the way to Heaven, or, Jacob's ladder improved containing four sermons lately preached on Genesis XXVIII, XII : wherein the doctrine of free-grace is displayed through Jesus Christ : also discovering the nature, office, and ministration of the holy angels : to which is added one sermon on Rom. 8, 1 : with some short reflections on Mr. Samuel Clark's new book entitled Scripture justification / by Benjamin Keach.Christ alone the way to Heaven, or, Jacob's ladder improved containing four sermons lately preach'd on Genesis XXVIII, XII : wherein the doctrine of free-grace is display'd through Jesus Christ : also discovering the nature, office, and ministration of the holy angels : to which is added one sermon on Rom. 8, 1 : with some short reflections on Mr. Samuel Clark's new book intituled Scripture justification / by Benjamin Keach.
London: printed by Benja. Harris, 1698
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. A fullness of Grace.
3. A fulness of Grace.
4. A fullness of Light, and a fullness of Sufficiency, as Mediator of Power, Wisdom, Knowledge, Love, Mercy, Pardon, Peace, Joy and Glory.
4. A fulness of Light, and a fulness of Sufficiency, as Mediator of Power, Wisdome, Knowledge, Love, Mercy, Pardon, Peace, Joy and Glory.
5. A fullness of Efficiency. Tho we are never so empty, Christ can fill us; tho never so poor, he can enrich us; tho never so weak, he can strengthen us; tho never so Ignorant, he can give us knowledge, tho never so guilty, he can justify us; tho' never so naked, he can clothe us; tho never so sa•• he can rejoice our troubled Hearts: In a word,1 All fullness is in Christ: In him dwelleth the fullness of the God-head, Bodily: Not part of the God-head, (the God-head, the distinguished, cannot be divided) but the whole God-head dwelleth in the Son, as in the Father, and in the Holy Ghost.
5. A fulness of Efficiency. Tho we are never so empty, Christ can fill us; tho never so poor, he can inrich us; tho never so weak, he can strengthen us; tho never so Ignorant, he can give us knowle•ge, tho never so guilty, he can justifie us; tho' never so naked, he can cloathe us; tho never so sa•• he can rejoyce our troubled Hearts: In a word,1 All fulness is in Christ: In him dwelleth the fulness of the God-head, Bodily: Not part of the God-head, (the God-head, the distinguished, cannot be divided) but the whole God-head dwelleth in the Son, as in the Father, and in the Holy Ghost.
Eighteenthly, To Preach Christ, to exalt him, as the Father hath I freed him up▪ and magnified him, is to abase the Creature; 'tis to give all the glory of our Salvation to him, and assume none of it to ourselves. To Preach him only, not to Preach Moses, nor to take the Law from his Mouth, but from the Mouth of Christ, or as it is in Christ's hands; not to Preach Morality, as that which can justify and save us. Not to Preach the Light within all, to be our Saviour: For that is to Preach the Law written in the Heart of Man, it being the substance of that Law written in the Two Tables of Stone. Not to Preach the Decrees of general Councils, or National Synods. Nor to mix our inherent Righteousness, and sincere Obedience; no, nor our Faith with Christ's Righteousness.
Eighteenthly, To Preach Christ, to exalt him, as the Father hath I fred him up▪ and magnify'd him, is to abase the Creature; 'tis to give all the glory of our Salvation to him, and assume none of it to ourselves. To Preach him only, not to Preach Moses, nor to take the Law from his Mouth, but from the Mouth of Christ, or as it is in Christ's hands; not to Preach Morality, as that which can justifie and save us. Not to Preach the Light within all, to be our Saviour: For that is to Preach the Law written in the Heart of Man, it being the substance of that Law written in the Two Tables of Stone. Not to Preach the Decrees of general Councils, or National Synods. Nor to mix our inherent Righteousness, and sincere Obedience; no, nor our Faith with Christ's Righteousness.
Thus I have showed you how Christ is Exalted, Flivated, and like Jacob's Ladder lifted up to Heaven: Nay, he's made higher than the Heavens; and that in his Person, and by his Offices, Heaven and Earth meet together, and God and Man, in Jesus Christ, are made One, —
Thus I have shewed you how Christ is Exalted, Flivated, and like Jacob's Ladder lifted up to Heaven: Nay, he's made higher than the Heavens; and that in his Person, and by his Offices, Heaven and Earth meet together, and God and Man, in Jesus Christ, are made One, —
I shall Close at this time with a Word of Application:
1. We may Infer from hence, that here is wonderful Encouragement for poor Sinners to come to Christ; believe in him, or to venture up this Spiritual Ladder.
1. We may Infer from hence, that here is wonderful Incouragement for poor Sinners to come to Christ; believe in him, or to venture up this Spiritual Ladder.
2. Behold the fullness which is in Christ, and bless God for such a Way, for such a Ladder that reacheth up to Heaven.
2. Behold the fulness which is in Christ, and bless God for such a Way, for such a Ladder that reacheth up to Heaven.
1. Because God will Exalt him, and Magnify him: He knew how many would Debase him, and Disrobe him, of which sort we have too many in these Days.
2. Because he being God, it cannot be otherwise; and this shows he is God: Would God give this Glory to a mere Creature, it would be Idolatry to give divine Adoration to Christ, were not he the most high God.
2. Because he being God, it cannot be otherwise; and this shews he is God: Would God give this Glory to a meer Creature, it would be Idolatry to give divine Adoration to Christ, were not he the most high God.
3. It is because there is such an Emptiness in poor Sinners; nay, in Believers, as in themselves.
4. It is because Christ hath so many Vessels, empty Vessels to fill: True, he has filled Multitudes already, from the beginning of the World; for all that ever had any Righteousness, any Grace, or Peace; I mean true Grace and Peace, they had it from Jesus Christ.
But he hath many empty Vessels yet to fill, therefore there is need of such a fullness in him; he fills his Church, nay all his Churches, and hath a greater Vessel yet to fill, when he hath emptied it, namely the whole Earth;1 For all the Earth shall be filled with the Knowledge of the glory of the Lord. And he is emptying it in order to this now:2 He will make the Earth empty, and turn it up▪side down. Now 'tis full of Wickedness, full of Sin, full of horrid Abominations, of Oaths, of Pride, Uncleanness, Drunkenness, Cruelty, Divisions, Contentions; nay, of Idolatry, Superstition, Errors, Heresies, and what not; but he will empty it ere long, and then fill it, there is a new World very near, look for it, prepare for it, be ready.
But he hath many empty Vessels yet to fill, therefore there is need of such a fulness in him; he fills his Church, nay all his Churches, and hath a greater Vessel yet to fill, when he hath emptied it, namely the whole Earth;1 For all the Earth shall be filled with the Knowledge of the glory of the Lord. And he is emptying it in order to this now:2 He will make the Earth empty, and turn it up▪side down. Now 'tis full of Wickedness, full of Sin, full of horrid Abominations, of Oaths, of Pride, Uncleanness, Drunkenness, Cruelty, Divisions, Contentions; nay, of Idolatry, Superstition, Errors, Heresies, and what not; but he will empty it e'er long, and then fill it, there is a new World very near, look for it, prepare for it, be ready.
5. Christ is full, because there is no Bread but in this Garner, no Water of Life for all the World, but in this Well, in this Fountain.
