A golden mine opened, or, The glory of God's rich grace displayed in the…

¹BRETHREN, though I hope I have sufficiently, through Divine Assistance, proved the Proposition, i. e. That none of the Saints can so full away as eternally to perish: Yet I shall add one General Argument more, and then come to the Application, and answer such Objections which I have not as yet met with.

1. 1Sermon XV.

Tenthly, That the Saints of God, or every true Believer, shall persevere or hold out to the End, and obtain Everlasting Life, will appear from the Nature of true and saving Grace. That therefore which I shall in the last place do, shall be to demonstrate that true Grace, though never so weak and small, even like a Grain of Mustard-seed, yet it shall be preserved in the Soul, and at last become victorious. See Matth. 12. 20. A bruised Reed shall he not break, and smoking Flax shall he not quench, till he hath brought forth Judgment to Victory. Hierom, as I find him quoted by a Learned Author, thinks, that our Saviour alludes to a Musical Instrument, made of a Reed which Shepherds used to have, which when it was bruised, sounded ill, and therefore 'tis flung away. But the Lord Jesus Christ will not cast away a poor Soul (saith that Worthy Person) although he cannot make so good Music in God's Ear as others, or answer not the breathing of the Spirit with that Life and Vigour, but he will take Pains with them and mend them; who in a spiritual sense are like a bruised Reed, broken and bruised under the sense of their Sins, Weaknesses and Unworthinesses. Smoking Flax, or a little Flax that hath a Spark of Fire kindled in it; or a Wick of Candle, wherein there is not only no Profit, but some Trouble and Noisomness. Tho the Soul is noisome, by reason of the stench of its Corruption, yet he will not blow out that expiring Fire which smokes; and though no Fire is seen, yet there is Fire in it, and it is kindled by the Lord, and for some great and good Design. By the Spark of ⟨p. 286⟩