A47542:1111
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.
1BELOVED, the last Day I was upon that Grand Argument, to prove, That none of Christ's Sheep can fall away, so as eternally to perish, (viz.) taken from the Death of Christ.
I showed you that Christ died in their stead; he bore all that Vindictive Wrath that was due to them for their Sins, so that they might never bear it, or suffer in Hell.
I shewed you that Christ died in their stead; he bore all that Vindictive Wrath that was due to them for their Sins, so that they might never bear it, or suffer in Hell.
I shall now proceed.
Eighthly, My next Argument shall be taken from the Effects of Christ's Death and Resurrection. Though I have spoken something 1already touching the Effects of the Death of Christ, yet I shall, before I pass it, add something further to it.
First, We have showed you, that the appeasing of God's Wrath was the Effects of the Death of Christ; he put an end to all Vindictive Wrath and Vengeance that was due to all Believers or Elect Ones: The Pangs of Hell due to us, seized upon him, and he bore it in our stead upon the Cross: He was delivered for our Offence, and rose again for our Justification. Now when Christ was discharged, all his Elect were virtually discharged also, because he suffered and rose again as a public Person, representing all that were given to him by the Father: those things which he did in his own Person in this respect, we are said to do together with him. Brethren, the benefit of his Performances doth redound unto us; we are said to die with him, and to be quickened together with him, and entered 1into the Holy Place with him; the whole Victory over Sin and Death being obtained, and the Quarrel removed; the condemning Power of Sin being destroyed: all things about making an end of Sin are done and passed through. Now what saith the Apostle, He that is dead, hath ceased from Sin. Well, what of this? Likewise, 2saith he, Reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto Sin; but ⟨p. 258⟩alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Knowing that Christ being 3raised from the Dead, dieth no more; Death hath no more Power over him. Now this being done by us, and for us in our Head, can we henceforth die any more? Shall Eternal Death have Dominion over us? No, no, we are to reckon our selves to be as absolutely freed and discharged from Sin and Eternal Death, as Christ is discharged and freed from Death, and dieth no more: And this comes to us as the Effects of his Death, by his suffering for us, and in our room. If one died for all, then were all dead, (that is, all 4those for whom he died) they were dead, and died likewise with him their Sponsor, and are delivered from the Curse due for Sin; so that we now might and shall live to him that died for us, and rose again. This was the End of his Death, and is or will be the Effect thereof on all for whom he died.
Secondly, Reconciliation, from hence it doth appear is also another 1Effect of Christ's Death. The Design of God was to bring us to Happiness; and this he doth as the Effects of the Death of his own Son the Lord Jesus, who hath made our Peace by the Blood of his Cross. He hath reconciled both Jews and Gentiles to God in one Body, having slain the Enmity thereby. Divine Justice, you heard the last Day, has nothing to charge upon God's Elect, because it is Christ that died.2
1. Observe; Christ's Death hath reconciled God to us: When we were Enemies, we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son.1
2. And then also, as an Effect and Fruit of his Death, he having obtained the Spirit for us, we are actually reconciled to God: And thus our Days-man lays his Hands upon both; he brings God to us, and us to God; he is not the Mediator of one, but God is one: There is one Mediator between God and Man, the Man Christ 1Jesus.
3. Therefore as the Effects of Christ's Death and Resurrection, Reconciliation is made with God for us, and that for ever: it is not a Peace made for such a time, or for so long, but for ever, so that there shall never be any destructive Breach any more, no more War between God and Believers; let Sin and Satan do what they can, they cannot break this League of Peace and Amity. 'Tis not a Peace upon Condition that we are to keep, and may break it; No, no, the Peace was made by Christ, and he that made it, maintains it, as he sits upon the Throne: He it was that made it as he is a Priest, and he maintains it as he is a King upon the Throne; ⟨p. 259⟩1he will never suffer Sin to get such Head in us, that we shall cast off God any more, or violate our Covenant with him, nor will he suffer Satan to do it; therefore they who are reconciled, shall never perish, no not one of the Elect of God.
Thirdly, The Gift of the Holy Spirit is another Effect of the Death of Christ: This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are Witnesses. 1And having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. The Father promised unto his Son upon his dying for us, that the Holy Spirit should be given to all his Seed: I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed. 2Indeed, Christ receiving the Holy Spirit without measure for us, in his own Person as Mediator, antecedent to our believing, is the fullest Security to us imaginable: We are blessed with all spiritual Blessings in Christ, that is, in him as our Head. And although Christ received the Spirit before he suffered, yet it was upon the account of his Sufferings; the Father trusted his Son, took his Son's Word, and gave him part of his Wages from the beginning: for all the Saints under the Old Testament, had the Spirit upon no other Account than as we have it, namely, as the Fruits and Effects of Christ's Death and Purchase who was to die.
Thirdly, The Gift of the Holy Spirit is another Effect of the Death of Christ: This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are Witnesses. 1And having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. The Father promised unto his Son upon his dying for us, that the Holy Spirit should be given to all his Seed: I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed. 2Indeed, Christ receiving the Holy Spirit without measure for us, in his own Person as Mediator, antecedent to our believing, is the fullest Security to us imaginable: We are blessed with all spiritual Blessings in Christ, that is, in him as our Head. And although Christ received the Spirit before he suffered, yet it was upon the account of his Sufferings; the Father trusted his Son, took his Son's Word, and gave him part of his Wages from the beginuing: for all the Saints under the Old Testament, had the Spirit upon no other Account than as we have it, namely, as the Fruits and Effects of Christ's Death and Purchase who was to die.
Now, Brethren, pray consider what the Work of the Holy Spirit is, which is promised to abide with the Saints and Seed of Christ for ever.
1. His Work is at first to quicken them: You hath he quickened.
1. His Work is at first to quicken them: You hath he quickned.
2. To renew, to regenerate, to sanctify them; this is the Work and Office of the Spirit: I will sprinkle clean Water upon 1you, and ye shall be clean from all your Filthiness. And hence the Gentiles are said to be sanctified by the Holy Ghost. But pray take notice of this, the Rock in the Wilderness was first smitten before Water gushed forth. So Christ was first smitten, first crucified, then the Spirit like Water was poured forth: It is, Sirs, wholly the Effects and Fruits of his Death.
2. To renew, to regenerate, to sanctify them; this is the Work and Office of the Spirit: I will sprinkle clean Water upon 1you, and ye shall be clean from all your Filthiness. And hence the Gentiles are said to be sanctified by the Holy Ghost. But pray take notice of this, the Rock in the Wilderness was first smitten before Water gush'd forth. So Christ was first smitten, first crucified, then the Spirit like Water was poured forth: It is, Sirs, wholly the Effects and Fruits of his Death.
3. It is the Work of the Spirit to cause us to walk in God's Ways, and to keep his Statutes: I will put my Spirit within you, 1and cause you to walk in my Statutes, and ye shall keep my Judgments, and do them. We should not do this were it not for the Spirit; we could not keep God's Precepts, nor walk in his Paths, but God puts his Spirit into us that we shall not depart from him; that is, we shall not finally apostatize from him, but shall keep his Precepts to the End.
