A golden mine opened, or, The glory of God's rich grace displayed in the…
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.
Benjamin Keach 1640–1704London: printed by the author, 1694
[11], 500, [7] p. : port. · 227k words · Wing K69 · ESTC R18541
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.
Many Men know much of their own Wickedness, and of the Wickedness of others; but they lay it not to Heart, they do not consider it: But God knoweth and seeth Wickedness after another rate; He considers, observes it, and weighs the Nature of the Crime, and the Aggravations of it, the vile Purposes, End and Intention of the Person doing it; and how it is done wilfully against Light, and the clear Convictions of his own Conscience: He weigheth the Nature of their Wickedness as in Balances; as it is said of Belshazzar, Thou art weighed in the Balance, and art found 1wanting; thy horrid Pride, filthy Lusts, Counsels, Policies, and all the Contrivances of thy Heart and Government are weighed. The Ways of Man are before the Lord; and he pondereth all his Paths; He puts them into a Balance, and doth not only see them, but consider them, ponder and weigh them.
Many Men know much of their own Wickedness, and of the Wickedness of others; but they lay it not to Heart, they do not consider it: But God knoweth and seeth Wickedness after another rate; He considers, observes it, and weighs the Nature of the Crime, and the Aggravations of it, the vile Purposes, End and Intention of the Person doing it; and how it is done wilfully against Light, and the clear Convictions of his own Conscience: He weigheth the Nature of their Wickedness as in Ballances; as it is said of Belshazzar, Thou art weighed in the Ballance, and art found 1wanting; thy horrid Pride, filthy Lusts, Counsels, Policies, and all the Contrivances of thy Heart and Government are weighed. The Ways of Man are before the Lord; and he pondereth all his Paths; He puts them into a Ballance, and doth not only see them, but consider them, ponder and weigh them.
Consol. Lastly, This may be also Matter of Comfort and Consolation to all the Sheep of Jesus Christ, or holy and sincere Children of God. Christ knows you; I know my Sheep. Job was glad that God knew him; Thou knowest I am not wicked. He doth not
say, thou knowest I am not a Sinner, a Man of any Infirmities; No, but not an ungodly Sinner, an Hypocrite, one that lives in Sin, loves Sin, makes a Trade of Sin, as wicked Men do. 'Tis
⟨p. 106⟩
no matter how Job or Paul are censured, reproached or condemned by Men, whilst they had the Testimony of their Consciences touching their Sincerity: My Integrity, saith Job, I hold fast, I will not let it go: mine own Heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. And
that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity, not with fleshly Wisdom, but by the Grace of God, we have had our Conversation in the World. The consideration of this, that their own Hearts cleared and did acquit them of all those foul charges of Friends and false Brethren; and also that God knows that they are what they profess themselves to be; O this was matter of great Comfort to them, and may be so to all sincere and gracious Christians. Christ knows our Fears, our Straits, our Temptations, our Wants, and all the Wrongs and Injuries we have sustained: Is not this matter of Consolation? O poor drooping Saint, lift up thy dejected Spirit; All thy Wants are in Christ's sight, he sees the Place where every Sheep and Lamb of his dwells, and what their Wants are: And his Love, Bowels, Care and Compassion is infinite; he that laid down his Life for his Sheep, for this and that poor afflicted, tempted, and dejected Soul, will not he, think you, seeing he knows your Condition, supply, support, strengthen, heal, feed, and comfort you, whosoever you are, if one of his Sheep? He that spared not
his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? He that hath given himself, shed his own precious Blood for us, will not deny us a little Bread to feed our Souls, nor Balm to heal them; nor any Comfort he sees good, will he deny or withhold from us: He that gave the greater, will not stick to give the less.
Consol. Lastly, This may be also Matter of Comfort and Consolation to all the Sheep of Jesus Christ, or holy and sincere Children of God. Christ knows you; I know my Sheep. Job was glad that God knew him; Thou knowest I am not wicked. He doth not 1say, thou knowest I am not a Sinner, a Man of any Infirmities; No, but not an ungodly Sinner, an Hypocrite, one that lives in Sin, loves Sin, makes a Trade of Sin, as wicked Men do. 'Tis ⟨p. 106⟩no matter how Job or Paul are censured, reproached or condemn'd by Men, whilst they had the Testimony of their Consciences touching their Sincerity: My Integrity, saith Job, I hold fast, I will not let it go: mine own Heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. And 2saith holy Paul, Our rejoicing is this, the Testimony of our Consciences, 3that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity, not with fleshly Wisdom, but by the Grace of God, we have had our Conversation in the World. The consideration of this, that their own Hearts cleared and did acquit them of all those foul charges of Friends and false Brethren; and also that God knows that they are what they profess themselves to be; O this was matter of great Comfort to them, and may be so to all sincere and gracious Christians. Christ knows our Fears, our Straits, our Temptations, our Wants, and all the Wrongs and Injuries we have sustained: Is not this matter of Consolation? O poor drooping Saint, lift up thy dejected Spirit; All thy Wants are in Christ's sight, he sees the Place where every Sheep and Lamb of his dwells, and what their Wants are: And his Love, Bowels, Care and Compassion is infinite; he that laid down his Life for his Sheep, for this and that poor afflicted, tempted, and dejected Soul, will not he, think you, seeing he knows your Condition, supply, support, strengthen, heal, feed, and comfort you, whosoever you are, if one of his Sheep? He that spared not 4his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? He that hath given himself, shed his own precious Blood for us, will not deny us a little Bread to feed our Souls, nor Balm to heal them; nor any Comfort he sees good, will he deny or withhold from us: He that gave the greater, will not stick to give the less.
2. Christ knows whatsoever you have done for his Glory; and he is not unrighteous, to forget your Work and Labour of Love, which 1ye have showed toward his Name, in that ye have ministered to the Saints, and do minister. You have forgot what you gave to such and such poor Saints, may be ten, twenty, or thirty Years ago; yea but Christ hath not forgot it. True, there is no Work of ours that deserveth any thing from the Hands of Christ, in point of Merit; yet what though, Rewards of Grace (as I have often told you) will exceed all Rewards of Merit: A Cup of cold Water shall have a Reward of Grace; the Gift of a Penny given in love to Christ, when thou canst give no more, shall have a glorious Reward at the great Day. As I once told you of a King, who meeting with a Baker's Boy, as he was carrying Bread into the Town, (he ⟨p. 107⟩being very hungry, and lost his Nobles, having been a hunting) desired the Boy to give him a Penny Loaf; which he readily did: And for this the King knighted the Boy, and gave a yearly Estate to him and his Heirs for ever. O Sirs, Christ's Rewards of Grace and Favour will exceed all that we conceive or can comprehend, though we deserve nothing.
2. Christ knows whatsoever you have done for his Glory; and he is not unrighteous, to forget your Work and Labour of Love, which 1ye have shewed toward his Name, in that ye have ministred to the Saints, and do minister. You have forgot what you gave to such and such poor Saints, may be ten, twenty, or thirty Years ago; yea but Christ hath not forgot it. True, there is no Work of ours that deserveth any thing from the Hands of Christ, in point of Merit; yet what though, Rewards of Grace (as I have often told you) will exceed all Rewards of Merit: A Cup of cold Water shall have a Reward of Grace; the Gift of a Penny given in love to Christ, when thou caust give no more, shall have a glorious Reward at the great Day. As I once told you of a King, who meeting with a Baker's Boy, as he was carrying Bread into the Town, (he ⟨p. 107⟩being very hungry, and lost his Nobles, having been a hunting) desired the Boy to give him a Penny Loaf; which he readily did: And for this the King knighted the Boy, and gave a yearly Estate to him and his Heirs for ever. O Sirs, Christ's Rewards of Grace and Favour will exceed all that we conceive or can comprehend, though we deserve nothing.
3. Nay, Christ knowing our good Intention, and what we would do had we Power, or were we able to do it, he will reward that, accept of that, as if we actually had done it; as in David's Case, who had it in his Heart to build God's Temple, though God would not have him to do it, yet did accept it as if he had done it.
Fifthly, I shall now proceed to the fifth General Head, and give some of the Characters or Properties of the Sheep of Christ. But before I do this, I shall show you why the Saints are compared to Sheep.
Fifthly, I shall now proceed to the fifth General Head, and give some of the Characters or Properties of the Sheep of Christ. But before I do this, I shall shew you why the Saints are compared to Sheep.
1. First it is from their clean and mild Nature. Wicked Men, 1from the consideration of their filthy and ravenous Nature, are contrariwise compared to Lions, Wolves, Foxes, Dogs, Swine, and the like.
But now God's People have (through the Operation of Divine Grace) their unclean and filthy Nature changed; that brutish, perverse and swinish Disposition which they brought into the World with them, is gone: Such were some of you, but you are ⟨p. 108⟩washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the Name of 1the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Sheep are of a clean Nature, they like not to wallow in the Mire as Swine do: So the Saints have a clean and holy Nature wrought in their Souls, or spiritual Habits infused through the renewing of the Holy Ghost, having obtained a true Righteousness, in which they stand justified, and appear without Spot before God, even in the perfect Righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is counted to them for Righteousness to their Justification, and are sanctified through the Spirit of Holiness.
2. Sheep are a harmless and innocent sort of Creatures; not crafty like the Fox, nor devouring like the Lion. So the Saints are harmless and innocent, they seek the Hurt of no Man, but desire to live peaceably in the Land, and not like Romish Wolves, who delight in nothing more than in Blood and Rapine: They are like unto their Master, (or ought so to be) i. e. holy, harmless, &c. They are simple concerning Evil, Children in Malice, though Men in Understanding: They are not like the ungodly ones of the World, 1who are full of Wrath, Hatred and Revenge; they are so far from this, that if they arrive at their true Character, they will speak Evil of no Man, but pray for their Enemies, and for such that hate them.
2. Sheep are a harmless and innocent sort of Creatures; not crafty like the Fox, nor devouring like the Lion. So the Saints are harmless and innocent, they seek the Hurt of no Man, but desire to live peaceably in the Land, and not like Romish Wolves, who delight in nothing more than in Blood and Rapine: They are like unto their Master, (or ought so to be) i. e. holy, harmless, &c. They are simple concerning Evil, Children in Malice, though Men in Vnderstanding: They are not like the ungodly ones of the World, 1who are full of Wrath, Hatred and Revenge; they are so far from this, that if they arrive at their true Character, they will speak Evil of no Man, but pray for their Enemies, and for such that hate them.
3. Sheep are patient under Suffering: In this they strive to imitate their Blessed Saviour also, who was led as a Lamb to the Slaughter; and as a Sheep is dumb before the Shearer, so he opened not his Mouth. 1How patiently did the poor Martyrs go to the Stake; they strove not with their Persecutors, nor made resistance: And when they suffer from the immediate Hand of God, they are patient as David was, and open not their Mouths, because the Lord hath 2done it: Like Aaron who held his peace, and patiently bore the heavy Hand of God, when his two Sons were devoured with Fire before his Eyes.
4. Believers may be compared to Sheep from their Profitableness to others. We all know that Sheep are very profitable Creatures many ways, enriching and making Land fat; as also for Clothing, and for Meat: How excellent is the Flesh of Sheep for Food? So God's People are useful and profitable. The Lips of the Righteous feed many, by their wise and pious Discourse, Counsels, and Divine Comfort, which they often communicate to many distressed and disconsolate Souls: They are the Salt of the Earth, the Light of the World; and what a profitable thing is Salt to us, is Light to us? ⟨p. 109⟩Even so in many respects the Godly, in a spiritual Sense, are alike useful, and have been in their respective Generations in this World.
What a blessing was Lot to Sodom whilst he was among them! the Fire could not seize upon that wicked City until he left it: Haste thee, escape thither, (said the Angel) for I cannot do any thing 1until thou be come thither. What Profit did Laban receive by Jacob! what a Blessing was he unto him! the like Blessing was Joseph to his Master. The Godly are like Sheep, the Interest of those Lands, Nations, Cities and Families where they dwell.
The Saints are profitable to others many ways.
(1.) By that heavenly Doctrine they maintain and hold forth.
(2.) By the fervent and profitable Prayers they make and send up to God on all Occasions.
(3.) By that holy and good Example which they set for all those they converse with, and live among.
(4.) And at their death, by Martyrdom, great Profit hath been received; from whence the Proverb rose, That the Blood of the Martyrs was the Seed of the Church. Believers bring Glory to God, and Profit unto Men.
5. Sheep are tractable and obedient, being ready to follow their Shepherd whithersoever he goeth. It is the Custom in some Countries for the Shepherd in leading the Sheep, to go out before them; to which practice our Saviour doth here allude: So Believers are obedient to Jesus Christ, they are tractable, and learn to follow him; My Sheep hear my Voice, and they follow me. Thou shalt guide 1me (saith David) by thy Counsel. Christ's Precepts are the Saints Directory, and his Practice their Pattern. Hence Paul exhorted the Corinthians, to follow him as he followed Christ. Ministers are to be followed and imitated, no further than they follow and imitate Jesus Christ.
