A47542:1009
A golden mine opened, or, The glory of God's rich grace displayed in the mediator to believers, and his direful wrath against impenitent sinners containing the substance of near forty sermons upon several subjects / by Benjamin Keach.
London: printed by the author, 1694
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.
To conclude with this Argument, I argue,
(1.) If our Union be by the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit. (2.) If our Union with Christ be a Conjugal Union, a Marriage-Union. (3.) If it be as near a Union as is between the Body, the ⟨p. 232⟩Members of the Natural Body. (4.) If it be such a Union as is between the Tree and the Branches. (5.) If it be such a Union as is between the Father and Son, as Christ is Mediator. (6.) If it be a Union of Spirits, as if but one Soul was in two Bodies. (7.) If it be such a Union, that Believers partake of the Divine Nature. (8.) If it be a Vital Union. (9.) If it be such a Union that cannot be dissolved by all the Powers of Darkness, the Seed of Grace remaining: Then it is impossible for any Believer that hath Union with Christ to perish Eternally. But all these things are true; therefore no true Believer can Eternally perish.
APPLICATION.
First, These things being so, we may infer, that our Union with Christ is a most glorious Spring of the greatest Comfort to Believers imaginable.
1. From hence, Brethren, comes in your Actual Justification: No Man is personally justified, before he receives Christ by Faith, before he has actual Union with him: But every Soul that is in Christ, is actually justified and discharged from all the Guilt of his Sins, and stands in Christ complete in his perfect Righteousness, without Spot, before the Throne of God.
1. From hence, Brethren, comes in your Actual Justification: No Man is personally justified, before he receives Christ by Faith, before he has actual Union with him: But every Soul that is in Christ, is actually justified and discharged from all the Guilt of his Sins, and stands in Christ compleat in his perfect Righteousness, without Spot, before the Throne of God.
2. Such are made near and dear to Christ: O how near is the Wife to the Husband, or the Members to the Body! even so near and dear is every Soul that hath actual Union with Christ unto him.
3. From hence flows our Communion with Christ; for by virtue of our Union we come to have our Natures changed: It is hereby that we come to behold, as in a Glass, the Glory of the Lord, 1and are changed into the same Image, from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is impossible that a brutish and swinish Creature, as all unrenewed Men and Women are, should have Communion with the Holy God, or with the Holy and Blessed Jesus. What Fellowship hath Righteousness with Unrighteousness? Or 2what Communion hath Light with Darkness? Or what Concord hath Christ with Belial? If we would have Communion with Christ, we must be Holy, and touch not the unclean thing: And impossible it is that we should be Holy, until we come to have Union with Jesus Christ, by which means we come to partake of his pure Nature, and have the evil Habits of our vile and filthy Hearts and Souls changed. The Tree must be first made good, and then ⟨p. 233⟩the Fruit will be good. Man naturally is united to the Devil, and to his own Sin and Iniquity, and hath Enmity in his Heart against God: The Prince of Darkness is the Head of this dark and wicked World. The Understandings, Wills and Affections of all Men are under diabolical Influence, ever since Adam betrayed us into the Enemies Hands; and abide so, until that Union be dissolved by the Power of Divine Grace, and the Soul united by the Spirit unto Jesus Christ. We are united to the first Adam by a Likeness of Nature; and how can we be united to the Second without a Principle of Life, by which another, a new Nature is formed in us? We were united to the First by a living Soul; and we must be united to the other by a quickening Spirit. By Nature Man is dead in Sins and Trespasses; and how can he have Communion with a living Christ without a Principle of Life? Would any go about to join a stinking Carcass to the Holy Jesus? Would not any think it a great Plague to him, if he had a dead and rotten Carcass united to him? O remember it is from your Union with Christ, your Communion with him follows, yea, and your Communion with the Saints too; you can take no delight in Heavenly Company, nor Heavenly Things, without an Heavenly Heart.
3. From hence flows our Communion with Christ; for by virtue of our Union we come to have our Natures changed: It is hereby that we come to behold, as in a Glass, the Glory of the Lord,
3. By this Union you that are Believers come to have interest in, and a right unto all things Jesus Christ hath purchased by his Death; nor shall any ever have any share or part in all those Spiritual and Eternal Blessings, except they obtain this Union: As the Scion cannot partake of the Sap and Fatness of the Olive-Tree without it is grafted into the Stock, no more can we partake of the Fatness and glorious Fullness of the true Olive Jesus Christ, unless we are grafted into him by Faith, and have the Indwellings of the Spirit; and then all things that Christ merited for us, and are laid up in him for us, are ours.
3. By this Union you that are Believers come to have interest in, and a right unto all things Jesus Christ hath purchased by his Death; nor shall any ever have any share or part in all those Spiritual and Eternal Blessings, except they obtain this Union: As the Cyon cannot partake of the Sap and Fatness of the Olive-Tree without it is grafted into the Stock, no more can we partake of the Fatness and glorious Fulness of the true Olive Jesus Christ, unless we are grafted into him by Faith, and have the Indwellings of the Spirit; and then all things that Christ merited for us, and are laid up in him for us, are ours.
4. It is by virtue of this Union that we have, and may expect a Supply of all Grace according to our Wants and Necessities: Like as the Wife needs not to fear Want if it be in her Husband's Hand, (provided he be a loving and faithful Husband) and that by reason of that Union she hath with him, and that Relation she stands in unto him. Christ is a Head of Influence to thee, O Believer; Thou holdest the Head, from whence all the Body 1by Joints and Bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the Increase of God.
4. It is by virtue of this Union that we have, and may expect a Supply of all Grace according to our Wants and Necessities: Like as the Wife needs not to fear Want if it be in her Husband's Hand, (provided he be a loving and faithful Husband) and that by reason of that Union she hath with him, and that Relation she stands in unto him. Christ is a Head of Influence to thee, O Believer; Thou holdest the Head, from whence all the Body 1by Joints and Bands having nourishment ministred, and knit together, increaseth with the Increase of God.
5. This also shows us, that we shall be fruitful to Christ, because we are united to him, have Union with him: We are married ⟨p. 234⟩to him, that we should bring forth Fruit unto God; even all the Fruits 1of Holiness and good Works, yea, such Works and good Fruit as is acceptable to God: And that because we are accepted in Christ, our Persons are first accepted as Abel's was, and then our Sacrifices or Performances. The good Lord help you to weigh well, and seriously ponder these things.
5. This also shews us, that we shall be fruitful to Christ, because we are united to him, have Union with him: We are married ⟨p. 234⟩to him, that we should bring forth Fruit unto God; even all the Fruits 1of Holiness and good Works, yea, such Works and good Fruit as is acceptable to God: And that because we are accepted in Christ, our Persons are first accepted as Abel's was, and then our Sacrifices or Performances. The good Lord help you to weigh well, and seriously ponder these things.
6. Terror. One word to you Sinners, which will be first by way of Terror. What will you do that have not yet obtained Union with Christ? Tremble, for your State is deplorable! All that are not united to Christ, stand united to dead Adam, condemned Adam, lost Adam; and if you die before you obtain Union with Jesus Christ, you are lost for ever, nay, you are (as you heard just now) united to your Sin, and to the Devil; all your Sins stand charged upon you, and cleave to you.
But may be you will say, Is there no Hope, no Help for us?
Answ. God forbid; Jesus Christ is tendered to Sinners as Sinners: And those that have now Union with him, once were in your State and Condition; but know this, you must labour after Divine Grace, and come to this resolve, viz. to break your Affinity with Sin. While you see not your Folly in keeping your Agreement and Affinity with Hell, there is but little Hope: O throw down your Arms, fight against God no more; when once you come to hate your old Lovers, and are resolved to leave them, forgo them, and seek after this Union with Christ, there is ground to hope you are not far from the Kingdom of Heaven.
Answ. God forbid; Jesus Christ is tendred to Sinners as Sinners: And those that have now Union with him, once were in your State and Condition; but know this, you must labour after Divine Grace, and come to this resolve, viz. to break your Affinity with Sin. While you see not your Folly in keeping your Agreement and Affinity with Hell, there is but little Hope: O throw down your Arms, fight against God no more; when once you come to hate your old Lovers, and are resolved to leave them, forgo them, and seek after this Union with Christ, there is ground to hope you are not far from the Kingdom of Heaven.
1BRETHREN, I am upon the Proof and Demonstration of the last Proposition or Point of Doctrine raised from these words, viz.
That none of the Sheep of Christ, or Saints of God, can so sin and fall away as eternally to perish, but that they shall all certainly be saved.
