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.
Benjamin Keach 1640–1704London: printed by S. Bridge, 1698
[1], xvi, 304 p. : port. · 82k words · Wing K58 · ESTC R19782
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. There can be no Universal Redemption, unless Christ were a Universal Redeemer, but Christ is not a Universal Redeemer, Millions of Souls are left under the Power of Sin, and dominion of Satan.
4. Will a Man lay down Ten Thousand Pounds, to purchase such or such an Estate, and will he refuse to part with Ten Pounds to take up that Estate to make it sure to himself?
Brethren, the Gift of Christ for us, i. e. his laying down his Life is far the greater Gift; and will he do this, and not give the Gospel to many Nations, nor Faith to believe and receive him, and yet died for them all? See how Paul argues, Rom. 5.10. Chap. 8.32.
he died for, and that All which he draws to himself by his Spirit, he died for on the Cross, he taketh away the Sin of the World by bearing it himself, or by satisfying for the Sins thereof; He was made Sin for us, that knew no Sin,
that we might be Redeemed from a vain Conversation: The Elect, before Calling, are as much the World as any others; yea, and the best part of it too. Moreover, by A Metonymy [All] is put for a part, frequently in the Scripture.
God so loved the World, that he gave his only Begotten Son; that is, God so loved Sinful Mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, That whosoever believeth on him might not perish, but have everlasting Life.
5. Or would Jesus Christ die for the whole World, and yet refuse to pray for them, that they may all be saved? See Joh. 17.9. The Reprobate World he prayed not for; yet he prayed for all that should be saved:1 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their Words; that World, Christ is a Propitiation for their Sins;2 or had made their Peace with God, for he died for—Even that World which he takes away the Sins of,3 he died for, and that All which he draws to himself by his Spirit, he died for on the Cross, he taketh away the Sin of the World by bearing it himself, or by satisfying for the Sins thereof; He was made Sin for us, that knew no Sin, 4that we might be made the Righteousness of God in ⟨p. 160⟩him: He made a Plenary Satisfaction to the Justice of God, for the Sins of this whole World, and obtained plenary Remission and Grace by his Blood,5 that we might be Redeemed from a vain Conversation: The Elect, before Calling, are as much the World as any others; yea, and the best part of it too. Moreover, by A Metonomy [All] is put for a part, frequently in the Scripture.6 God so loved the World, that he gave his only Begotten Son; that is, God so loved Sinful Mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, That whosoever believeth on him might not perish, but have everlasting Life.
Object. We do not plead for an absolute Universal Redemption, but for a Conditional one; that is, so that if all Repent, act Faith, are Regenerated, obey Christ, and are Holy and continue so to the End, they shall be saved.
Object. We do not plead for an absolute Ʋniversal Redemption, but for a Conditional one; that is, so that if all Repent, act Faith, are Regenerated, obey Christ, and are Holy and continue so to the End, they shall be saved.
1. I argue then that Christ is but a Conditional Redeemer, and hath only made a Conditional Peace; i. e. he made our Peace, and paid our Debts upon this Condition, viz. That we Repent, change our own Hearts, or are Regenerated, and get Faith, and sincere Obedience, and continue Holy and Obedient to the end.
2. Moreover, this Notion of a Conditional Peace, and Redemption, renders our Salvation not to be of God's Free Grace alone, through that Redemption that is in Jesus Christ, but that we procure our Peace, or make it with God our selves, with our own Money, i. e. by ⟨p. 161⟩our Repentance, Faith, Holiness, and final Perseverance; and that Christ only merited or purchased this Grant, that our Money, i. e. our Faith, Obedience, &c. should go for good Coin in Heaven, and procure our Justification, Peace, and Eternal Life for us—And thus the Glory that we are saved would not belong to God and Jesus Christ alone; true, that we might be saved, we may thank God and Christ; God, by the Death of his Son, is made reconcilable, but that we are saved, we may thank our selves, Christ doing no more for us that are saved, than he did for them that perish—but only we had more Wit and Care than they had; i. e. for by improving our common Grace, God was obliged to give us his Special Grace.
3. After this Notion Christ might be, or might not be a Redeemer at all; our Peace might, or might not be made with God, because it wholly dependeth upon the Will of Man, Man's Will determines the Issue of the whole matter, not that Christ undertook to how our Wills, or reconcile us to God; no, but that we our selves must Answer the Condition of Repentance, Faith, Obedience, &c. or else all that Christ hath done is lost, and comes to nothing; and why might not all refuse to do this as well as some, who never will believe, &c.
Christ shall be a Redeemer, and make our Peace if we please; this puts a Bar to the Purchaser (as one observes) a Man can't in any good sense be called a Redeemer of such Persons out of Slavery, till the Persons perform ⟨p. 162⟩those Conditions, upon which he laid down the Price: As for Example, (saith he) I lay down an Hundred Pounds for the Redemption of a Person in Slavery, upon this Condition, that he yield to serve me Seven Years after; I must have his Consent before I can Redeem him; and therefore upon these Conditions I am certainly suspended from being a Redeemer; nay, and am no Redeemer of such Persons, if they refuse the Terms: So that for Christ to be an Universal Redeemer, is a Contradiction; for it is to be a Redeemer of all, if they please, but can be a Redeemer of none but of such that consented to the Terms proposed.
4. Besides, this casteth horrid Reproach upon the Son of God, as if he had done some great thing for us, in dying and making our Peace; when indeed, according to this Notion, he doth but deceive poor Creatures; for he has made their Peace and Redeemed them if they will but get out of Satan's Hands, and break his Chains and Bonds in pieces, and raise themselves from the Dead, and change their own Hearts, &c. whereas he knew we were no more able to do this, than to create a new World. Therefore, Brethren, pray observe; we affirm, that whatsoever Conditions were agreed upon in the Covenant of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ undertook to do and perform them all, both for us, and also in us; I will give them a new Heart, 1I will take away the Stony Heart, and I will give them a Heart of Flesh, I will put my Fear into their Hearts, and they shall not depart from me. 2I will Circumcise their ⟨p. 163⟩Hearts to love the Lord their God—He that hath begun a good Work in you, 3will perform it to the Day of Christ, who were born not of Flesh, 4nor of Blood, nor of the Will of Man, but of God. To believe is our Duty, but 'tis Christ that gives us Grace and Power so to do; and this Grace was also purchased for us by his Blood;5 He is exalted at God's Right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give Repentance, &c. And Faith also is the Gift of God, Eph. 2.8.
5. Moreover, Who can believe that Christ would shed his Blood for such whom he knew would never answer those Conditions which these Men speak of? besides, they being Conditions out of their power to perform.
6. Moreover I might argue thus, i. e. If Christ died for all, he intended to save all, but he never intended to save all, therefore he died not for all: Who shall frustrate his Purpose, or Intention?
9. If there be the same Eternal and Unchangeable Cause of the Price of the Redemption, as of the Application to the same Persons,1 then whosoever his Blood was shed for, shall have the Virtue thereof applied to them; whatsoever is not efficient is not sufficient ⟨p. 164⟩to attain the End thereof:2 See a late Treatise.
9. If there be the same Eternal and Unchangeable Cause of the Price of the Redemption, as of the Application to the same Persons,1 then whosoever his Blood was shed for, shall have the Vertue thereof applied to them; whatsoever is not efficient is not sufficient ⟨p. 164⟩to attain the End thereof:2 See a late Treatise.
1Dr. Chancy p. 203, 204 in his Doct. of Godliness.
