A47542:310
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.
2. The Voice of Christ's Spirit, is a convincing Voice. Come, 1see a Man that told me all things that ever I did: The Spirit of Christ reached her Heart, convinced her what a vile Sinner she was: We do not read of many things Christ told her she had done, but that he she had then was not her Husband, ver. 18. so that she lived in Adultery with him. But now as soon as the Spirit convinced her of this one Sin, she is convinced of all her other abominable Evils; and therefore cries out, Come, see a Man that told me all things that ever I did; Is not this the Christ? Intimating, none but Christ can make the Evil of Mens Hearts and Lives appear unto them: So 'tis none but the Holy Spirit can pierce the Soul, or convince the Sinner throughly of his Sin and Misery, and discover the Vileness of their Hearts and States unto them; They were pricked in their Hearts, 2and said, Men and Brethren, what shall we do? Is there any hope that such Sinners as we may be forgiven, and be saved? Verily, we were guilty concerning our Brother, (said Joseph's Brethren;) God's Spirit now convinced their Consciences, and brought their Sin to remembrance. So there are none that hear the Voice of the ⟨p. 82⟩Spirit, but their Sin appears presently before their Eyes; their Sin is aggravated on their Consciences, and is most hateful and odious to them.
3. Christ's Voice is a Soul quickening Voice. Verily, verily I say 1unto you, The Hour is coming, and now is, when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. The Voice of Christ doth not only cause the Ear to hear, but the Heart to hear also. All Mankind naturally are dead in a spiritual Sense, they have no divine nor spiritual Life in them. Man is not by Original Sin, or by Nature, only wounded or maimed, but dead: The Holy Ghost doth not make use of an improper Metaphor. We by Nature were as truly and really in a spiritual Sense dead; that is, had no more Life, spiritual Life, Motion, Heat, Feeling, or Strength in us, than a dead Man hath natural Life, Motion, Heat, Feeling, or Strength in him: but when the Soul hears the spiritual and powerful Voice of Christ, 'tis immediately quickened, a Principle of divine Life is infused; You hath he quickened, that were dead 2in Sins and Trespasses. Thus the Greatness of Christ's Power towards Sinners appears, that were dead, or destitute of a Principle of spiritual Life. Those that assert the Power of the Creature, or that every Man is put into a Capacity to be saved if he will, certainly do not consider this; lay this to heart, ponder on this, viz. That all Mankind, before Grace is infused into the Soul, are dead: What short of Almighty Power can raise the Dead to Life? Power is not in the Dead to quicken himself; nor can dead Lazarus resist that Principle of Life infused into him: 'tis not what the Sinner, but what Christ the Saviour will; and he quickens not all, but whom he will; For as the Father raiseth up the Dead, and quickeneth 3them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will: 'Tis not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that showeth Mercy.
3. Christ's Voice is a Soul quickening Voice. Verily, verily I say 1unto you, The Hour is coming, and now is, when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. The Voice of Christ doth not only cause the Ear to hear, but the Heart to hear also. All Mankind naturally are dead in a spiritual Sense, they have no divine nor spiritual Life in them. Man is not by Original Sin, or by Nature, only wounded or maimed, but dead: The Holy Ghost doth not make use of an improper Metaphor. We by Nature were as truly and really in a spiritual Sense dead; that is, had no more Life, spiritual Life, Motion, Heat, Feeling, or Strength in us, than a dead Man hath natural Life, Motion, Heat, Feeling, or Strength in him: but when the Soul hears the spiritual and powerful Voice of Christ, 'tis immediately quickened, a Principle of divine Life is infused; You hath he quickened, that were dead 2in Sins and Trespasses. Thus the Greatness of Christ's Power towards Sinners appears, that were dead, or destitute of a Principle of spiritual Life. Those that assert the Power of the Creature, or that every Man is put into a Capacity to be saved if he will, certainly do not consider this; lay this to heart, ponder on this, viz. That all Mankind, before Grace is infused into the Soul, are dead: What short of Almighty Power can raise the Dead to Life? Power is not in the Dead to quicken himself; nor can dead Lazarus resist that Principle of Life infused into him: 'tis not what the Sinner, but what Christ the Saviour will; and he quickens not all, but whom he will; For as the Father raiseth up the Dead, and quickneth 3them; even so the Son quickneth whom he will: 'Tis not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth Mercy.
4. Christ's Voice by his Spirit, is a Soul-humbling and a Self-abasing Voice: They that hear his Voice, are straightway brought to his Feet, loathing and abhorring themselves. The Voice of Christ hath the same Effect on the Soul, as the sight of God in Christ: I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear; but now mine Eye 1seeth thee: Wherefore I abhor my self, and repent in Dust and Ashes. After Paul had heard the Voice of Christ, saying, Saul, Saul, Why persecutest thou me? how humble was he; though called to be an Apostle, yet esteemed himself less than the least of all Saints: Now to be less than the least, is to be nothing. Man before Grace, ⟨p. 83⟩or before he comes to hear the Voice of Christ, is a proud Creature; but Grace humbles him to such a degree, that he is little, nay nothing in his own Eyes.
4. Christ's Voice by his Spirit, is a Soul-humbling and a Self-abasing Voice: They that hear his Voice, are straitway brought to his Feet, loathing and abhorring themselves. The Voice of Christ hath the same Effect on the Soul, as the sight of God in Christ: I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear; but now mine Eye 1seeth thee: Wherefore I abhor my self, and repent in Dust and Ashes. After Paul had heard the Voice of Christ, saying, Saul, Saul, Why persecutest thou me? how humble was he; though called to be an Apostle, yet esteemed himself less than the least of all Saints: Now to be less than the least, is to be nothing. Man before Grace, ⟨p. 83⟩or before he comes to hear the Voice of Christ, is a proud Creature; but Grace humbles him to such a degree, that he is little, nay nothing in his own Eyes.
5. Christ's Voice is a Soul-regenerating Voice. His Voice is powerful, and shakes the old Foundation down, all former Hopes and fleshly Confidence is gone: It was the Voice of the Spirit that first made us, and made this World; By the Word of God were all things made and created: And 'tis his Voice that creates us again, or that renews us, or forms his Sacred Image in us. He that commanded by his Voice Light to shine out of Darkness, doth but speak the word, and so shines into our Hearts; and thereby transforms us, and gives us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus 1Christ.
6. 'Tis a Sin-killing Voice: It lays the old Man a bleeding, (as it were) the Spirit destroys the Body and Power of Sin, it breaks down all the strong Holds of Sin. Christ slays this Enemy by the Sword that goes out of his Mouth, that is, by his Word, through the Operations of the Spirit: If ye live after the Flesh, ye shall die; 1but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body, ye shall live. 'Tis not enough to forbear the acting of Sin, but we must kill and crucify it; and this we cannot do without the powerful assistance and help of the Spirit.
7. 'Tis a Soul-strengthening Voice. As Sin dies, Grace lives, and the Soul receives strength: Faith is the Life and Strength of the Soul; and this Life and Strength we receive by the Holy Spirit.
7. 'Tis a Soul-strengthning Voice. As Sin dies, Grace lives, and the Soul receives strength: Faith is the Life and Strength of the Soul; and this Life and Strength we receive by the Holy Spirit.
8. 'Tis a comforting Voice. 'Tis by the Spirit God speaks Peace to the Soul: He will speak Peace unto his People, and unto his Saints. 1I will speak comfortably to her, I will speak to her Heart: None can speak to the Heart but God, by his Spirit; it is the Holy Ghost that is the Comforter: And after the Sinner hath been deeply wounded in the true sense of Sin, and is dejected, grieved, and sorely troubled, then the Spirit comes with its sweet, still, and comforting Voice, and revives the drooping Soul. To comfort the Conscience, Luther saith, is as great a Work as to make the World.
1. Now the Spirit speaks Comfort to the distressed Conscience through the Blood of Christ; that is, by showing the Soul that Christ died in its stead, and bore the Wrath that was due to us, having fully satisfied God's Justice, and answered all the Demands and Requirements of the Law, being made a Curse for us, that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Christ ⟨p. 84⟩Jesus, that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith. 1The Blood of Christ speaks, it hath a Voice in it, it speaks good things, yea, better things than the Blood of Abel. But it never speaks Comfort to the Soul, till the Spirit applies it and sprinkleth it upon 2the Heart: O what Peace and Comfort then doth the Spirit speak to a wounded Spirit!
1. Now the Spirit speaks Comfort to the distressed Conscience through the Blood of Christ; that is, by shewing the Soul that Christ died in its stead, and bore the Wrath that was due to us, having fully satisfied God's Justice, and answered all the Demands and Requirements of the Law, being made a Curse for us, that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Christ ⟨p. 84⟩Jesus, that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith. 1The Blood of Christ speaks, it hath a Voice in it, it speaks good things, yea, better things than the Blood of Abel. But it never speaks Comfort to the Soul, till the Spirit applies it and sprinkleth it upon 2the Heart: O what Peace and Comfort then doth the Spirit speak to a wounded Spirit!
2. The Spirit speaks Comfort to the Soul, by applying the Promises of Pardon and Peace unto us, causing our Souls to take hold of them, and to cleave to God in them: This Promise is mine, God hath fastened and fixed it on my Heart, saith a Believer.
3. By opening the Greatness and Preciousness of Christ's Love to us: because he hath loved us with an everlasting Love; therefore with loving Kindness hath he drawn us, and helped us to believe and to receive him.
4. The Spirit speaks Comfort to Believers, by opening unto them, the Nature and Excellency of the Covenant of Grace which is ordered in all things, and sure, being confirmed by the Oath of 1God, &c.
5. By showing them the Power, Mercy, and Faithfulness of God, &c. O, Sirs, no Voice like the Voice of the Spirit: happy is that Soul which hears this Voice; and 'tis this Voice of Christ that all his Sheep hear.
5. By shewing them the Power, Mercy, and Faithfulness of God, &c. O, Sirs, no Voice like the Voice of the Spirit: happy is that Soul which hears this Voice; and 'tis this Voice of Christ that all his Sheep hear.
Thirdly, There is also the Voice of Christ's Doctrine: I mean, the true Evangelical Doctrine of the Gospel. The true Faith of the Gospel, or the sacred Doctrine thereof, is the Voice of Christ, which his Sheep will hear: And they will not hear the Voice of Strangers, they will not hear the Voice of false Teachers, or their pernicious Doctrine; they know not the Voice of Strangers, they can distinguish between Christ's Voice, Christ's Doctrine, and the Doctrine of false Prophets, and false Teachers: they know not the Voice of Strangers, that is, they approve not of their Doctrine; but they know, they approve of Christ's Doctrine; though never so hard, never so difficult, and never so unpleasant to others, yet 'tis approved of by them; 'tis easy and pleasant to them that are Christ's Sheep.
They hear what Christ hath said, they hear Christ's Voice, i. e. the Doctrine he taught; This is my beloved Son (saith the Father) in whom I am well pleased, hear him.
1. Not Moses; Moses is not our Shepherd, our Guide, our Lawgiver: We are not his Disciples, his Sheep; No, no, but we are Christ's Sheep, Christ's Disciples: The Jews said, they were Moses 's Disciples.
2. They hear Christ's Voice, not the Pope's, not the Voice of Antichrist.
