A47542:317
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.
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.
3. They hear Christ's Voice; not the Voice of the Light of Nature only, or the teaching of Natural Conscience: though, 'tis true, they hear and follow that Light, yet they know the Light that is in all Men, which is in Pagans, Turks and Heathens, is not the Voice of Christ as he is Mediator, and the great Shepherd of the Sheep.
4. They hear Christ's Voice, follow his Voice, not the Voice of General Councils and National Synods; they will no further hear any, than they hear and adhere to the Voice and Doctrine of Jesus Christ.
2dly, They will not receive or embrace any Capital Errors; they will not hear the Voice of Strangers, but keep to all the Essentials of Christ's Doctrine of the Principles of true Religion.
Particularly,
1. They believe the Holy Scripture is of Divine Authority, and that it is the only Rule of Faith and Practice.
2. They steadfastly believe the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, that there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Son, 1and the Holy Spirit; and that these three are one; One in Essence, yet three Persons or Subsistences.
2. They stedfastly believe the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, that there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Son, 1and the Holy Spirit; and that these three are one; One in Essence, yet three Persons or Subsistences.
3. They steadfastly believe the Doctrine of Christ's Divinity, or have a right Faith about the Person of Christ, not doubting but that he is God by Nature, the most High God, coeternal and coequal with the Father and the Holy Ghost; abominating the Doctrine of Arius, who asserted he was not of the same Substance of the Father, but rather a created Spirit, the first and chief Spirit or Angel God created.
3. They stedfastly believe the Doctrine of Christ's Divinity, or have a right Faith about the Person of Christ, not doubting but that he is God by Nature, the most High God, coeternal and coequal with the Father and the Holy Ghost; abominating the Doctrine of Arius, who asserted he was not of the same Substance of the Father, but rather a created Spirit, the first and chief Spirit or Angel God created.
