The Display of Glorious Grace, Frontispiece – Errata
Benjamin Keach Minister of the Gospel Aetat. 57.
1698 J. Drapentier del in: et sculp.
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.
PSAL. Lxxxix. 34.
My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my Lips.
LONDON, Printed by S. Bridge, and Sold by Mary Fabian, at Mercers-Chappel in Cheapside; and Joseph Collier, at the Golden-Bible on London-Bridge, by the Gate; and William Marshall, at the Bible in Newgate-street, 1698.
TO THE Unprejudic'd Reader.
AS I Preach not to please Mens Ears, so but little regard ought to be had to the Scoffing Reflections of such Men, who contemn every thing of this kind, unless it consists of a Fancy-taking Modelation of empty Rhetorick, or a high Florid Stile, mixt with Wit, Learning, and Philosophical Notions. Sad it is to see that in Divine Matters, nay, in Preaching, Persons should affect New Modes and Fashions, (as to the shame of the present Generation, they do in respect of Garbs and Dresses:) I am not for Airy and Florid Orations in the Ministration of the Word of God, but for that plain Way of Preaching used by the Holy Apostles, and our Worthy Modern Divines. Besides, could I so Preach or Write, as is the Flesh-pleasing, Eartickling A-la-mode of the Times, of such who study Words more than Matter, it would be utterly dislik'd by all such Pions Christians, for whose sake, and at whose Importunity these Sermons are published. The Holy Apostle (who tho profoundly Learned) disclaims any Rhetorical Flourishes, or perswasive Oratory, but professes that his Speech and Preaching, was not with the Inticing Words of Man's Wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit, and with Power, 1 Cor. 2.4—I may say of some Mens Orations, or Elocutions, as Plutarch speaks of the Nightingale, who was at first taken with his delicate Notes, but when he saw him said, Thou art a Voice and nothing else. But alas, since the Sacred Scripture it self can't escape some Mens Censure, as if the Stile was rude and unpolished, (they being destitute of that Spirit which gave them forth;) What can I expect to meet with from such?
Reader, The great Joy that generally appeared amongst all People upon the Conclusion of the late Peace, put me upon Preaching on this Subject; and when I found so great a Number of Books Subscribed for, I thought I had a Call to Print and Publish them, which was the least of my Thoughts when I first entered upon this Work: And indeed I greatly fear, many will see their Expectation frustrated, (I mean such who did not hear the Sermons Preached, but only had some small account of them;) yet they knowing the Author, I may see cause to recal what I speak of my Fears. I must confess, divers Worthy and Learned Men have wrote most excellently upon the Covenant of Grace, yet perhaps hardly any in the Method here used, nor under the Notions of a Covenant of Peace— In some things thou wilt find that I do differ from many Learned Men, who make the Covenant of Redemption, a distinct Covenant from that of Peace and Reconciliation, yet I desire thee to read the tenth Sermon before thou judgest who is in the right—By the Baxterian Party I expect to be called an Antinomian, for that hath been their Artifice of late, to expose the True Ancient Protestant Doctrine about Justification, &c. but others who are sound in the Faith, will (I am sure) acquit me of that Charge. My main design in all my Preaching (if I know my own Heart) is wholly to advance the Free Grace of God, through that Redemption which is in Jesus Christ, and utterly to abase the Creature, tho it may seem a hard thing to keep in an even Line, and not fall into either Extream: May be some may stumble at some Expressions about God's being Reconciled in Christ to the Elect whilst Sinners—But sure they can't think that I mean because he is reconciled in the Second Adam, that therefore he is actually Reconciled to any as they are considered in the First Adam, and abide under God's denounced Wrath and the Curse of the Law: I know I have been abused of late in Print, by some on the other Hand, but let all well weigh what I have said in my Medium betwixt two Extreams, and what is here said, and so receive Satisfaction [if in the Judgment of any I have missed the Truth in any material Case] I shall gladly receive Information from such, and readily embrace it upon the Evidence of Truth: For, I confess, I see but a little, and the Best know but in part—That which possibly may seem most distastful, is the frequent repeating of some things; yet in so doing, I have followed the Directions of a very great Man, viz. That such Things that are Emphatical, should be often repeated to fix the Matter the better on the Mind of the Hearer, or Reader. Besides, they come in occasionally upon different Heads: And also I find the very same has been done by others, who are look'd upon as Stars of the first Magnitude: See the Epistle to Dr. Manton's Fourth Volume, p. 8. where you have these Expressions, viz. Let it not offend thee that some things are repeated, which frequently happens in the Course of any Man's Ministry, when the same Subject has been formerly handled. Moreover one Reason of it might be, because of the different Times of my Preaching these Sermons; I being called oft to Preach upon other Subjects betwixt them; neither do I think any thing is Ʋnprofitably repeated, it being chiefly to Refute the New prevailing Errours about Justification.
Reader, Thou wilt find many of the Essential Points of the Christian Religion are handled in these Sermons, (tho but weakly, according to that small Gift-received;) And also thou wilt see how Ʋnjustly I have been misrepresented in an Epistle to a certain Book lately Published—I do not say that thou hast all the Enlargements here Printed, as Delivered when these Sermons were Preached, especially in some of them, for if I had so done, the Book would have swelled too big, and indeed it exceeds now what I first proposed—
But to Conclude, If thou dost receive any Light, Spiritual Profit, or Advantage by thy perusing of these Sermons, let thy care be to return the Praise to the God of Truth, and with Charity to cover my Weaknesses, and forget me not in thy Prayers, who am now drawing towards the Period of my Labours and Days. —But yet through God's Grace at present remain thy Servant in the Gospel for Christ's sake,
From my House at Horslydown, in Freeman's-Lane, this 12th of the 3d Month, called May 1689. B. Keach.
Reader, there are some Faults escaped the Press, which thou art desired to mend with thy Pen before thou readest.
PAg. 76. lin. 13. for Author read Orthodox. p. 10. l. 11. a Figure is false plac'd, and also a false Break, it should be 2. This Oath, &c. p. 114. l. 5. r. which the Law, &c. p. 119. l. 4. blot out thus, and l. 7. for win r. will, and l. 13. for Creatures r. Creature, p. 120, l. 26. for great r. greater, p. 152. l. 15. blot out the Father, p. 184. l. 29. blot out the, p. 184. in the Marginal Note for 'tis read this, p. 189. l. 17. there is a General Head left out, r. 2. In opposition to that of Works, and l. 18. blot out because; the next General Head is false also, for Fourthly r. Thirdly, and so for Fifthly r. Fourthly, &c. p. 287. l. 20. for his r. his Wrath, Wrath is left out.