The Rock of Our Salvation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE ROCK OF OUR SALWATION: A TREATISE - RESPECTING THE NATURES, PERSON, OFFICES, WORK SUFFERINGS, AND GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST. BY WILLIAM S. PLUMER, D.D., LL.D. A Let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. PSA. 95:1. PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK. ENTERED according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by the AMERICAN TRACT SoCIETY, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for - ern District of New York. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. CHRIST ALL IN ALL, page 7: opposed, 8, 17; his Names and Titles, 10–13; Christ much loved, 13; what God's People say of Him, 18, 19. CHAPTER II. • THE DIVINITY of CHRIST, 22: proven by his Names, 22, 23; by his Attributes, 23–28; by his Works, 28–34; by his Worship, 35–38; Inferences, 38–40. CHAPTER III. THE SoNSHIP or CHRIST, 41: above that of Angels, of Adam, of Believers, 41; not merely because supernaturally conceived, 42; or by Designation to Office, or by his Resurrection, 43; or by being Heir of all Things. He has the same Nature with the Father, his Sonship real and proper, 45; eternal, 48; more than Mediatorship, ineffable, 49; long held, 51; proven, 53–56. CHAPTER IV. THE INCARNATION of CHRIST, 58: how effected, 59; true, 61; made under the Law, 62; foretold by Prophets, 64; often declared, 65; incomprehensible, 67–76; at the Right Time, 69; a Great Event, 73; perpetual, 76; Inferences, 76–79. CHAPTER W. THE MEssIAHSHIP or JESUs oF NAZARETH, 80: expected, 80; proven, 82–95; Remarks, 95–99. * . CHAPTER VI. CHRIST THE MEDIATOR, 100: what the Word means, 100; the Ex tent of Christ's Mediation, 101; when Mediation is admissible, 103; Advantages of it, 104; Christ fit for this Work, 105–110; Effects of 110–116; Sole, 116; Cause of Joy, 117; how carried on, 117; Remarks 117–119. 4 CONTENTS. w CHAPTER VII. CHRIST A PROPHET, 120: necessary, 120; the Office honorable, 121; what it is, 121; foretold by Moses, 123; Moses a Type of Christ, 126; how Christ does the Work of a Prophet, 130; his Teach ings true and pure, 135; complete, attested, practicable, 136; plain, kindly given, 137; effectual, 138; must be obeyed, 140. CHAPTER VIII. | THE PRIESTHooD or CHRIST, 141: much spoken of 141; Our High Priest is divine, 141; human, 144; called, 146; anointed, 145; sent, 146; holy, 147; after Order of Melchizedek, 149; made a Fit Offering, 151; entered the Holy Place, 153; blessed the People, 154; is unchangeable, 155; Lessons from it, 156-159. - CHAPTER IX. CHRIST A KING, 160: Prophecy required Him to be, 161; He con fessed it, 162; often so called, 163; has Badges of Royalty, 164; a Peculiar King, everlasting and wise, 165; just, 166; almighty, 167; his Kingdom divinely ordered and not of this World, 169; his by right, 170; universal, supreme, and stable, 171; full of Energy and of Mystery, 172; Lessons from it, 174– 178. CHAPTER X. CHRIST's HUMILIATION, 179: the Several Steps thereof, 180-197; Lessons from it, 197, 198. CHAPTER XI. GENERAL VIEws oF CHRIST's WoRK, 199–203: Substitution, 203, Suretyship, 204; Satisfaction, -206; Sacrifice, 210; Obedience, 212; Lessons thus taught, 214–216. CHAPTER XII. REDEMPTION BY CHRIST, 217: much spoken of, 217; Werbs used, 217; Nouns used, 218; Idea of Redemption whence obtained, 219; based on Several Principles, 220; harmonizes Divine Attri butes, 225; Christ a Fit Redeemer, 228; God's Wisdom in Christ's Work, 232; in his Sufferings, 233, and in the Effects of Redemption, 234; Cause of Joy, 237. CHAPTER XIII. THE ATONEMENT, 239: Meaning of the Word Reconciliation, 239– 242; Theories of 242-244; True View proven in Various Ways by Scripture, 245-252; Consequences of denying, 252-257. CONTENTS. 5 CHAPTER XIV. THE For LY oE OBJECTING To THE AToNeMENT, 258: Objection First, 259; Second, 260; Third, 262; Fourth, 263; Fifth, 268; Testi monies to Right View, 269-275. CHAPTER XV. CHRIST's RESURRECTION, 277: a Vital Doctrine, 277; required by Prophecy, 278; who raised Him up, 279; the Third Day, 280; real, 281; proven by Witnesses, many, 283; competent 284; con curring and credible, 286; Objections to Witnesses frivolous, 287–290; the Evidence summed up, 290–293; Fruits of Christ's Resurrection, 293–295. CHAPTER XVI. CHRIST's AsCENSION AND SESSION AT GoD's RIGHT HAND, 296: Ascen sion why delayed Forty Days, 296, 297; Prophecy required his Ascension, 297; is taught as a Fact, 298; the Place of it, 299; it was necessary, 301; his Human Nature ascended, 302; the Manner of it, 303; his Session required by Prophecy and much spoken of 305; what is meant by Sitting at God's Right Hand, 306–310; The Effects of Christ's Session, 310, 311; Inferences, 311-313. CHAPTER XVII. CHRIST IN HEAVEN, 314: his Life is deserved, 314; immortal and glorious, 315; full of Authority yet loving, 316; active, 317-323; the Effects thereof, 323-327; Inferences, 327–330. CHAPTER XVIII. CHRIST's PERSONAL ABSENCE FROM THIS WoRLD, 331: a Grief to his Disciples, 331; yet it is right and best, 332–348; Inferences, 348-351. - CHAPTER XIX. CHRIST on THE JUDGMENT-SEAT, 352: sure, 352; the Day of it, 353–358; Who shall be judged, 359-362; how They shall be judged, 362-364; for What shall We be judged, 364-366; Who shall be the Judge, 366–368; Inferences, 368–371. CHAPTER XX. CHRIST THE GooD SHEPHERD, 372; his Qualities, 372-379; what Offices he performs for his Sheep, 379–385; Happy Effects therof, 385, Marks of his Sheep, 386, 387; Inferences, 387–390. 6 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXI. CHRIST A PHYSICIAN, 391: Sin a Disease, 391-397; the Remedy, 397–402; the Great and Good Physician, 402–406. CHAPTER XXII. THE GENTLENEss oF CHRIST, 407: needed, 407-411; Christ's Char acter, 411; his Covenant, 412; God's People weak, 413; dis couraged, 414; when really safe, 415; his Tenderness to them, 416; the Feeble cared for, 417; look at Quality not Quantity of Attainment, 417; obey Christ, 418; rely not on Frames, 419; draw near to God, 420. CHAPTER XXIII. CHRIST SHALL YET HAVE A GLORIOUs REWARD, 422: Present State of the World, 422–428; the Scriptures promise a Change, 428– 431; some Good Tokens, 431, 432, what We can do, 432–437; a Prayer for the Success of the Gospel, 437-439. CHAPTER XXIV. THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST Is HID FROM soME, 440: Excellence of Pro nouns, 440-442; how the Gospel is not hid from Us, 442—448; how it is hid from Some, 448–453; Remarks on these Truths, 453-459. CHAPTER XXV. THE SIN AND DANGER or NoT BELIEVING IN CHRIST, 460: God always spoke against Unbelief, 460, 461; Classes of Unbelievers, 462; why Unbelief is so great a Sin, 462–474; Inferences, 474– 477. CHAPTER XXVI. THE REPROACH of CHRIST, 478; often mentioned, 478; Case of Moses, 479; Ancient Egypt, 479–484; Moses' Choice, what, 484–489; Elements of His Choice, 489–492; Its Wisdom, 492– 495; Its Cause, 495; Inferences, 496-499. * CHAPTER XXVII. CoNCLUSION, 500: Union with Christ, 500–504; Admiration of Christ, 504-507; Imitation of Christ, 507–512; glorifying Christ, 512-516; reigning with Christ, 516–519. THE ROCK OF OUR SALVATION. C H A PTE R. I. CHRIST ALL IN ALL. WHEN I was a youth, in the bond of ini quity and in the gall of bitterness, I fell into distress concerning my soul. I feared I should be lost for ever. Being in the company of two Christian ladies, one of them kindly ex pressed the wish that my impressions might not be transient. This I understood. The other expressed the hope that Christ might yet be to me all in all. To me, whose heart was covered with a veil of unbelief, her words. were as the speech of a barbarian. Yet they made an impression. From them I learned that some persons knew a secret hidden from me; and I longed to learn what it was. I hope I have gained some insight into it, and I 8 THE R O C K OF OUR SAL VATION. propose to present some of the views I have obtained. The great central truth of the religion of sinners relates to the person, character, work, sufferings, offices, and glory of Jesus Christ. These are vital in Christianity. As one is sound or corrupt here, so is he substantially right or wrong in the main. Both now and in the last day, the great question in determining character and destiny is the same: “What think ye of Christ?” On this subject the controversy is old. It goes back to the first two men ever born. Cain and Abel split on this point. In the immediate family of Adam the strife began, and it has never ceased. In the days of Moses the hardest thing to be borne in the profes sion of the true religion was “the reproach of Christ.” When Messiah was born, the strife was resumed with more warmth than ever. The wise men brought their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh ; but when Herod heard of his birth, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him, and he sought the young child to destroy him. And when Christ be-, came a public teacher, some said, He is a good man; others, He deceiveth the people. One CHRIST ALL IN ALL. 9 party worshipped him ; the other crucified him. Even when he was on the cross, the spectators were divided—some looking on with unutterable grief; others wagging their heads and deriding him.