A47465:284
The display of glorious grace, or, The covenant of peace opened in fourteen sermons…
The display of glorious grace, or, The covenant of peace opened in fourteen sermons lately preached, in which the errors of the present day about reconciliation and justification are detected / by Benjamin Keach.
London: printed by S. Bridge, 1698
THE DISPLAY OF Glorious Grace OR THE Covenant of Peace Opened: In S… › Sermon 3 › APPLICATION.
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.
His Work as a Prophet.
1. Is to reveal the Will, Purpose, Counsel, and Design of God unto his Chosen; and this he did in the Days of his Flesh in his own, and in his Apostles Ministration revealing, That My-Mystery that was hid from Ages and Generations —He was indeed a Teacher that came from God,1 as Nicodemus saith, My Doctrine (saith he) is not mine, but the Father's that sent me; For I have not spoken of my self, 2but the Father which sent me gave me Commandment what I should say, and what I should speak; denoting that he received his Mission, his Doctrine, and his Authority to Preach from the Father as he is Mediator.
1. Is to reveal the Will, Purpose, Counsel, and Design of God unto his Chosen; and this he did in the Days of his Flesh in his own, and in his Apostles Ministration revealing, That My-Mystery that was hid from Ages and Generations —He was indeed a Teacher that came from God,1 as Nichodemus saith, My Doctrine (saith he) is not mine, but the Father's that sent me; For I have not spoken of my self, 2but the Father which sent me gave me Commandment what I should say, and what I should speak; denoting that he received his Mission, his Doctrine, and his Authority to Preach from the Father as he is Mediator.
As a Prophet he gives the knowledge of Salvation to his People, for without his Divine Revelation, Mankind could not arrive to the knowledge of it; for the Light that is in Man naturally reveals nothing of the Mystery of Redemption, of the Covenant of Peace, and Mediation of Jesus Christ.
2. Nor can any savingly know this, but as Christ reveals it by his Spirit, as the great Prophet and Teacher of the Church;1 No Man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any Man the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. No Man knoweth the Essence of the Father, or hath a perfect knowledge of the Godhead; nor do they know the Councils, Purposes, and Dispensations of the Father of his saving of Men by Jesus Christ, except Jesus Christ reveals these Mysteries to them; all true and saving knowledge of God, ⟨p. 73⟩is in and through Christ as a Prophet.
2. Nor can any savingly know this, but as Christ reveals it by his Spirit, as the great Prophet and Teacher of the Church;1 No Man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any Man the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will rev•al him. No Man knoweth the Essence of the Father, or hath a perfect knowledge of the Godhead; nor do they know the Councils, Purposes, and Dispensations of the Father of his saving of Men by Jesus Christ, except Jesus Christ reveals these Mysteries to them; all true and saving knowledge of God, ⟨p. 73⟩is in and through Christ as a Prophet.
But as Christ doth not Atone for our Sins as a King, but as a Priest, so he doth not give forth Laws, &c. as a Priest, but as a King; nor doth he teach, instruct, or reveal God, and Salvation to us simply as a Priest or King, but as a Prophet; besides there are some things about the Covenant of Peace, which he doth not simply as a King, Priest, nor Prophet, but as simply considered a Mediator, Surety, and Testator, &c.
But as Christ doth not Atone for our Sins as a King, but as a Priest, so he doth not give forth Laws, &c. as a Priest, but as a King; nor doth he teach, instruct, or reveal God, and Salvation to us simply as a Priest or King, but as a Prophet; besides there are some things about the Covenant of Peace, which he doth not simply as a King, Priest, nor Prophet, but as simply consider'd a Mediator, Surety, and Testator, &c.
I would therefore desire Mr. Sam. Clark, for all his Confidence, to consider of his great mistake in his late Treaty, *doth it follow (should it be granted) because Christ's Active Obedience doth not properly belong neither to his Kingly, his Priestly, nor to his Prophetical Office, that therefore his Active Obedience to God's Law, or Active Righteousness is no part of the matter of our Justification before God, for may not some things be done by Christ, as Mediator, or as Surety, or Testator, that doth not properly relate to either of his other three Offices; for evident it is, that the whole of Christ's Work in this Covenant of Peace, doth not strictly belong to these threefold Offices; therefore the Scripture gives an account of other Offices besides these, which he exerciseth.
I would therefore desire Mr. Sam. Clark, for all his Confidence, to consider of his great mistake in his late Treaty, *doth it follow (should it be granted) because Christ's Active Obedience doth not properly belong neither to his Kingly, his Priestty, nor to his Prophetical Office, that therefore his Active Obedience to God's Law, or Active Righteousness is no part of the matter of our Justification before God, for may not some things be done by Christ, as Mediator, or as Surety, or Testator, that doth not properly relate to either of his other three Offices; for evident it is, that the whole of Christ's Work in this Covenant of Peace, doth not strictly belong to these threefold Offices; therefore the Scripture gives an account of other Offices besides these, which he exerciseth.
- *Mr. Clark's Book of Scripture Justific. p. 106, 107
But I will proceed a little further to open the Offices of Christ in the Covenant of Peace: And,
I. Of the Necessity of his exercising of these Offices as Mediator.
1. Of his Priestly Office, it was absolutely necessary that he should be a Priest, and that in our Nature, because he was to answer the Types under the Law, the Priests of the Law that were ceremonially Sanctified, and were to Sanctify others, were of the same Nature with the People.
1. Of his Priestly Office, it was absolutely necessary that he should be a Priest, and that in our Nature, because he was to answer the Types under the Law, the Priests of the Law that were ceremonially Sanctified, and were to Sanctifie others, were of the same Nature with the People.
And since they offered Sacrifices up to God, it also behoved him to offer up the Antitypical, Real, and Wrath-appeasing Sacrifice And
2. Forasmuch that we were Slaves and Captives of Sin, and Satan, being in Chains and Fetters by such Enemies that none could redeem us out of their Hands, but one clothed with Almighty and Infinite Power.
2. Forasmuch that we were Slaves and Captives of Sin, and Satan, being in Chains and Fetters by such Enemies that none could redeem us out of their Hands, but one cloathed with Almighty and Infinite Power.
It behoved Jesus Christ to be a King, who is invested with God-like Power and Authority, upon this Account.
And since it was the Father's good Pleasure to exalt and magnify him with the sole Government of the World, and of the Church, it was necessary he should be Constituted, and Invested with Kingly Authority likewise.
And since it was the Father's good Pleasure to exalt and magnifie him with the sole Government of the World, and of the Church, it was necessary he should be Constituted, and Invested with Kingly Authority likewise.
3. And since we were ignorant of God, and under deep alienation from God,1 Having the Understanding darkened, being alienated from the Life of God, through the ignorance in them, because of the blindness of their Hearts: It behoved Jesus Christ to be a Prophet; yea, such a Prophet that can not only teach the Knowing, and Understanding Heart, but can give Knowledge to the Heart which is without Understanding; and seeing we were blind and ignorant ⟨p. 75⟩of the way of Salvation, it behoved him that was to make our Peace, to bring us to the knowledge of that Peace and Reconciliation he hath made.
3. And since we were ignorant of God, and under deep alienation from God,1 Having the Ʋnderstanding darkened, being alienated from the Life of God, through the ignorance in them, because of the blindness of their Hearts: It behoved Jesus Christ to be a Prophet; yea, such a Prophet that can not only teach the Knowing, and Understanding Heart, but can give Knowledge to the Heart which is without Understanding; and seeing we were blind and ignorant ⟨p. 75⟩of the way of Salvation, it behoved him that was to make our Peace, to bring us to the knowledge of that Peace and Reconciliation he hath made.
Moreover, we were dead, therefore he must quicken us; we were Enemies, therefore he must reconcile us to God, as well as God to us, we were Impotent, and could not come to the Father, therefore he, as a Kingly-Prophet, must draw us; the Father draws us by Jesus Christ to himself; also we were in Debt, and Divine Justice will be satisfied, and will not abate us one Farthing,1 therefore Christ must be our Surety to engage, and also actually pay all our Debts, in respect of the Preceptory and Penal parts thereof; for we owed Perfect Obedience unto God, as well as Punishment.
- 1Christ a Surety.
Also he was to confirm the Covenant of Peace by his Blood,1 and make his Last Will and Testament, and bequeath many Legacies to all the Legatees; therefore it was necessary that he should be a Testator; yea, the Testator of the New Testament, or Covenant. 2—Furthermore, we were Sick, therefore it behoved him to be appointed our Physician, we were as Sheep gone astray, therefore he is our Shepherd.
- 1Christ a Testator.
- 2Christ a Physician, Shepherd, &c.