A brief exposition of the First and Second Epistles general of Peter by Alexander Nisbet ...

Vers. 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

To the end there may be yet a higher esteem of the Redeemer, wrought in the hearts of the Redeemed, and that they may be the more engaged to the study of ho∣liness, that so He may be honoured by them, the Apostle goes on to describe Him further. 1. That He was from eternity, appointed by the Father, to be the Saviour of sinners. And, 2. That He was now more clearly ma∣nifested after His incarnation, than He had been before: both which, make up the eight motive to the study of holiness, that seing Christ had been from eternity de∣signed Mediatour, and now more clearly than ever ma∣nifested, with a special respect to the good of those lost sheep of the house of Israel, to whom the Apostle writes:

Therefore they were bound to live to His honour in the study of holiness. Hence Learn, 1. When ever we at∣tain to any serious thoughts of that great business of our Redemption by Christ incarnate and crucified, we should not suffer our hearts to be soon diverted from them, but should labour to dwell upon them, and to search out more and more considerations of that sweet subject; every one of them being worthy to take up our affections, and to engage us to the study of holiness: for, the Apostle, in the former words having fallen upon the mentioning of our Redemption, as a motive to ho∣liness, he doth in this, and the following Verse, run out in expressing the thoughts he had of the Lords everlasting purpose about that work, of the glory that Christ now possesses in our nature, and of the Father's intention in exalting Him, who verily was fore-ordained before the foun∣dation of the world. 2. Our Mediatour was from all eter∣nity designed unto the office of Mediatourship, in that everlasting Covenant of Redemption, wherein the Fa∣ther gave the Elect to His Son, Psal. 2.8. and appointed Him to assume humane nature, therein to suffer for their Redemption, Heb. 10.5. and Christ accordingly un∣dertook to satisfie His will, Psal. 40.7, 8. So that we who have Christ offered to us in the Gospel, are invited to feed upon those dainties, that were prepared for us from all eternity; And who are we that the thoughts of God should have been so long since taken up about us, while He appointed His own Son for us, who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world? 3. Al∣though Christ was made known immediately after the Fall, Gen. 3.15. and ever since hath been sufficiently ma∣nifested for the salvation of the Elect in all Ages, Act. 10.43. Yet there was a more clear manifestation of Him, reserved for the time after His incarnation, the more to heighten the esteem of that great mysterie of His incar∣nation, in the hearts of all His People; Therefore the Apostle speaks of Him here, as more clearly held forth to the Church than before; But now made manifest in these

last times for you. 4. The more clearly Christ be held forth in any time, the more strongly are they that live in that time, and have that clearness, obliged to live to His honour in the study of holiness, considering that the more unanswerable mens walking be to the light they have, the greater will their condemnation be, Joh. 3.19. and 15.22. they that live since the incarnation of Christ, and the clearer out-breaking of the light of the Gospel which reveals Him, should think the Lord hath had a special respect to them, and hath in a peculiar manner designed Christ for them, and manifested Him to them, that they may be more eminent in holiness and thank∣fulness to Him: for, to this end the Apostle speaks thus of Christ; Manifested in these last times for you. 5. Al∣though experience hath proven that there was a conside∣rable part of time to be after Christs incarnation, yet all that, is but the last time, in regard it is to be much shor∣ter than the time that was before: and because, after that time, though there be a continual increase of know∣ledge and grace to be expected, Ezek. 47.1. &c. Yet there is no more change of that way of Worship and Ordinances, which Christ setled before He left the world, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20. for which cause, among others, the times after Christs incarnation, are here called, The last times.