A47542:1344
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.
Object. 11. But a Righteous Man may turn from his Righteousness, 1and die in his Sin: And if so, then Believers may fall away finally.
Answ. There is a twofold Righteousness spoken of in the Scriptures. 1st. A Moral and Legal Righteousness. 2dly. A Gospel or Evangelical Righteousness.
1st. There is a Righteousness that is a Man's own, such as Paul had when a Pharisee; a Righteousness which ariseth from a Man's own Reason, Will, and natural Improvements; or by common Grace, Godly Education, awed by Fear and legal Terror, and maintained by some failing Spring; which as our Annotators observe, may easily be dried up; these Righteous Ones may totally and finally fall away: Pray read Ezek. 33. 13. When I say to the Righteous, that he shall surely live: if he trust to his own Righteousness, and commits Iniquity, all his Righteousness shall not be remembered: but for his Iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
1st. There is a Righteousness that is a Man's own, such as Paul had when a Pharisee; a Righteousness which ariseth from a Man's own Reason, Will, and natural Improvements; or by common Grace, Godly Education, awed by Fear and legal Terror, and maintained by some failing Spring; which as our Annotators observe, may easily be dried up; these Righteous Ones may totally and finally fall away: Pray read Ezek. 33. 13. When I say to the Righteous, that he shall surely live: if he trust to his own Righteousness, and commits Iniquity, all his Righteousness shall not be remembred: but for his Iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
Pray observe that here are two things expressed for which he must die: First, If he trust to his own Righteousness; and secondly, If he turn from his Moral Righteousness, and committed Iniquity; the first is damning as well as the second: But if he hath a Moral Righteousness, and yet after all doth not trust to it, but flies to the Righteousness of Christ, he shall live; but if he be Righteous, and trusteth to it, he must die in his Sin, as the Righteous Jews and Pharisees did; who being ignorant of the Righteousness of God, went 1about to establish their own Righteousness. Now from hence it appears, contrary to what our Opponents say, That that Righteousness which these Men turn from, could not save them; though it is true, it is said, If the wicked Man turneth from his Wickedness he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his Soul alive. A doing that which is right, is to renounce all his own Righteousness in point of Justification, and by Faith to throw himself upon Jesus Christ; and he that doth thus, shall save his Soul alive. Therefore let all Men know that this Text only shows, that a Man that has attained to no more than to a Moral and Legal Righteousness, must perish as well as he that turns from it and committeth Wickedness.
Pray observe that here are two things expressed for which he must die: First, If he trust to his own Righteousness; and secondly, If he turn from his Moral Righteousness, and committed Iniquity; the first is damning as well as the second: But if he hath a Moral Righteousness, and yet after all doth not trust to it, but flies to the Righteousness of Christ, he shall live; but if he be Righteous, and trusteth to it, he must die in his Sin, as the Righteous Jews and Pharisees did; who being ignorant of the Righteousness of God, went 1about to establish their own Righteousness. Now from hence it appears, contrary to what our Opponents say, That that Righteousness which these Men turn from, could not save them; though it is true, it is said, If the wicked Man turneth from his Wickedness he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his Soul alive. A doing that which is right, is to renounce all his own Righteousness in point of Justification, and by Faith to throw himself upon Jesus Christ; and he that doth thus, shall save his Soul alive. Therefore let all Men know that this Text only shews, that a Man that has attained to no more than to a Moral and Legal Righteousness, must perish as well as he that turns from it and committeth Wickedness.
2dly Those that have attained to true Gospel or Evangelical Righteousness, have an Everlasting Righteousness; and if it lasteth for ever, they that have it cannot lose it so as eternally to perish.
Object. 12. It is said that some were twice dead, Jude 12.
Answ. What of this? They were originally dead, dead by Nature, and dead by their own Actual Sins, and also dead after they seemed to be made alive: There is a common quickening, as well as special; they had the common Life of Grace, or that mutual Life that flows from common Quicknings: Others thought them once alive, and they professed themselves to be alive; but now they became as bad, nay worse than ever, and so are for ever lost and undone; they falling from that Grace and Life they once had, their Apostasy rendered them miserable, and no hopes of renewing them for ever.
Answ. What of this? They were originally dead, dead by Nature, and dead by their own Actual Sins, and also dead after they seemed to be made alive: There is a common quicking, as well as special; they had the common Life of Grace, or that mutual Life that flows from common Quicknings: Others thought them once alive, and they professed themselves to be alive; but now they became as bad, nay worse than ever, and so are for ever lost and undone; they falling from that Grace and Life they once had, their Apostacy rendred them miserable, and no hopes of renewing them for ever.
Object. 13. But is it not said, God would have all Men saved? 1 Tim. 2. 4.
Answ. 1. God will have all Men saved that believe and accept of Christ, all that repent: And they that say God would have any others saved, than Believers or renewed Persons, contradict the Word of God; he will not have impenitent Persons be saved, such who live in Sin, and die in Sin, but all that turn to him through Christ: Of all sorts and degrees of Men God would have be saved; this Doctrine we preach, and they themselves acknowledge, that God would have none but these be saved; therefore to what End is this Text urged? But though I have spoken to this Objection already, yet consider,
Answ. 1. God will have all Men saved that believe and accept of Christ, all that repent: And they that say God would have any others saved, than Believers or renewed Persons, contradict the Word of God; he will not have impenitent Persons be saved, such who live in Sin, and die in Sin, but all that turn to him through Christ: Of all sorts and degrees of Men God would have be saved; this Doctrine we preach, and they themselves acknowledg, that God would have none but these be saved; therefore to what End is this Text urged? But though I have spoken to this Objection already, yet consider,
2. If they will take all Men here for the Universality of Individuals, then I ask them, (1.) What Act it is of God wherein this his Willingness doth consist? Is it in the Eternal Purpose of his Will that all should be saved? why then is it not accomplished? Who hath resisted his Will? (2.) Or is it an Antecedent Desire that it should be so, though he fails in the End? Then is the Blessed God miserable, he being not able to accomplish his Just and Holy Desires. Or, as Reverend Owen notes, (3.) Is it some Temporary Act of his, whereby he hath declared himself unto them? Then, I say, grant that Salvation is to be had in a Redeemer, in Jesus Christ, and give me an Instance how God in any Act whatsoever, (saith he) hath declared his Mind, and revealed himself to all Men of all Times and Places, concerning his willingness of their Salvation by Jesus Christ a Redeemer, and I will never more trouble you in this Cause. Secondly, Doth this Will equally respect the All intended, or doth it not? If it doth, why hath it not equal Effects towards all? What Reason can be assigned, that all they ⟨p. 309⟩whom God equally intended Salvation for by Christ, have it not? However they who have Salvation, either have it as the Effects of Free-Grace, or of Free-Will; Who will assert the latter? Besides, this would follow, i. e. God will have some Men be saved, to whom he wills not the Means of their Salvation, for so he doth not to one great Part of the World.
But since we have proved that there is not a Sufficiency of Grace granted to all universally, that is Grace subjective to enable them to believe and change their Hearts, but to some only, I shall say no more to this; for if it were sufficient, it would have the same Effect on all as it hath on some: that which is sufficient to such an End, would be made, no doubt, efficient by the Will of the great Agent, who worketh all our Works in us, and for us, of his own good Pleasure, and without whom we can do nothing.
But since we have proved that there is not a Sufficiency of Grace granted to all universally, that is Grace subjective to enable them to believe and change their Hearts, but to some only, I shall say no more to this; for if it were sufficient, it would have the same Effect on all as it hath on some: that which is sufficient to such an End, would be made, no doubt, efficient by the Will of the great Agent, who worketh all our Works in us, and for us, of his own good Pleasure, and without whom we can'do nothing.
Object. 14. Well, say some, say what you will, if this Doctrine of Election and Final Perseverance be true, we see not to what purpose we should preach the Gospel to Sinners any more, or press Saints to Holiness.
Answ. 1. I am weary of these impertinent Objections: God hath ordained the preaching of the Gospel as the great Ordinance, to call in his Elect, and to beget Faith in them: It pleased God by the foolishness 1of Preaching to save them that believe: And not only to beget Faith, but also to strengthen that Faith, and to perfect the Saints more and more in Holiness. These Men dream of an Election without the Means, and of a Salvation without Faith and Regeneration, and a preserving Men to Eternal Life without a Perseverance in Grace and Holiness: It is a Perseverance in well-doing we plead for, and this we say Christ will, in the use of Means, not without it, enable all his People to do; he will help them, strengthen them, and keep their Souls alive. Pray consider the Ways by which Jesus Christ preserves his People unto Everlasting Life; the Saints are said to be sanctified by the Father, and preserved 2in Jesus Christ.
1. It is in a Way of Holiness: And from fainting, or being weary in well-doing, he stirs us up by his Spirit to wait upon him, and promises, That they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their Strength; they shall mount up with Wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be 1weary, walk and not faint; or grow stronger and stronger, both in Faith and Patience.
2. Christ preserves us in a Way of Perseverance in well-doing, by showing us our own Weakness, and that without him we can do nothing, but that we must wholly rely upon him in the Way of our Duties for all things we need.
2. Christ preserves us in a Way of Perseverance in well-doing, by shewing us our own Weakness, and that without him we can do nothing, but that we must wholly rely upon him in the Way of our Duties for all things we need.
3. By increasing Grace in us: He by his Word shows, that the Grace we have already received, is not sufficient to keep us from falling; therefore he stirs us up to seek to him for more Grace, more Faith, more Patience, more Humility, more Wisdom, &c.
3. By increasing Grace in us: He by his Word shews, that the Grace we have already received, is not sufficient to keep us from falling; therefore he stirs us up to seek to him for more Grace, more Faith, more Patience, more Humility, more Wisdom, &c.
