A47542:63
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.
But this mysterious and sublime Doctrine the Jews could not bear, but it was such a Fan as fanned them all away that believed not: For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness, going about to establish their own Righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God. They thought their own personal ⟨p. 11⟩1and inherent Righteousness was that by which they must be justified, accepted, and eternally saved: they had meat of their own to eat; and therefore saw no need to go to their Neighbours door for it; they were full, and increased in Goods, and thought they had need of nothing: And hence the Doctrine of Justification by the Righteousness of Christ alone was rejected by them, it was not understood by them; that Christ's flesh should be Meat indeed, and his blood Drink indeed, was a strange Doctrine in their apprehensions; they could not conceive how such things could be, (as Nicodemus spake of Regeneration.) Nor can any Man whatsoever who will receive 2no point of Faith, but what his natural reason can comprehend; and thus this Doctrine of our Lord Jesus was a Fan in his hand, and it fanned away all the Chaff of that mighty Jewish floor, even all that received not that Doctrine, or who believed not in Christ, received not Christ by Faith for righteousness and eternal life: Nay it was such a Fan that it fanned away some of Christs Disciples, (not such who were his Disciples indeed,) but many that followed him, and who are said to believe on him; they believed he was the true Messiah, had some kind of faith, tho' not the Faith of Gods Elect: Many of his Disciples when they heard this, said, This is a hard saying, 3who can bear it? It seemed hard to them, because they could not comprehend it by their own carnal reason: From that time many of his Disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Such a Fan was this Doctrine then, and such a Fan it is now, 4that it may be said to make a discrimination between the pure Wheat and the Chaff: for no doubt all that receive not this holy Doctrine (whatever fair show they make in the flesh) are but Chaff in the sight of God, and will be found such at the last day. Nor ought they to be suffered to abide in Christ's Garner on Earth, (as they shall not be gathered into his Garner in Heaven) but be esteemed as Chaff, or drossy, professors, whatsoever their conversations may be:
But this mysterious and sublime Doctrine the Jews could not bear, but it was such a Fan as fanned them all away that believed not: For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness, going about to establish their own Righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God. They thought their own personal ⟨p. 11⟩1and inherent Righteousness was that by which they must be justified, accepted, and eternally saved: they had meat of their own to eat; and therefore saw no need to go to their Neighbours door for it; they were full, and increased in Goods, and thought they had need of nothing: And hence the Doctrine of Justification by the Righteousness of Christ alone was rejected by them, it was not understood by them; that Christ's flesh should be Meat indeed, and his blood Drink indeed, was a strange Doctrine in their apprehensions; they could not conceive how such things could be, (as Nicodemus spake of Regeneration.) Nor can any Man whatsoever who will receive 2no point of Faith, but what his natural reason can comprehend; and thus this Doctrine of our Lord Jesus was a Fan in his hand, and it fanned away all the Chaff of that mighty Jewish floor, even all that received not that Doctrine, or who believed not in Christ, received not Christ by Faith for righteousness and eternal life: Nay it was such a Fan that it fann'd away some of Christs Disciples, (not such who were his Disciples indeed,) but many that followed him, and who are said to believe on him; they believed he was the true Messiah, had some kind of faith, tho' not the Faith of Gods Elect: Many of his Disciples when they heard this, said, This is a hard saying, 3who can bear it? It seemed hard to them, because they could not comprehend it by their own carnal reason: From thàt time many of his Disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Such a Fan was this Doctrine then, and such a Fan it is now, 4that it may be said to make a discrimination between the pure Wheat and the Chaff: for no doubt all that receive not this holy Doctrine (whatever fair shew they make in the flesh) are but Chaff in the sight of God, and will be found such at the last day. Nor ought they to be suffered to abide in Christ's Garner on Earth, (as they shall not be gathered into his Garner in Heaven) but be esteemed as Chaff, or drossy, professors, whatsoever their conversations may be:
(I mean such who eat not Christs flesh, and drink not his blood, i. e. wholly feed not upon Christ, rely not alone upon the Merits of a crucified Christ, or seek not Justification by his Righteousness only, but go about to bring in their own Works and inherent Holiness with Christ's Merits in point of Justification in God's sight.) But to proceed: But like as a Husbandman hath more Fans than one, even so also in the
Second place, Jesus Christ hath another Fan also, and that is ⟨p. 12⟩(I doubt not) likewise intended here: viz. The dispensation of God's Providence; for this was as a Fan in Christ's hand, by which he fanned away those unbelieving Jews, and so purged his floor: I mean, the time was now come, that their national, legal and external Church-State must be pulled down and dissolved; the Dispensation was changed, the Priesthood changed, and right of Church-membership changed; they having Abraham to their Father, or being the Seed of professing Parents, would do them no good, nor avail them any thing. Because the Covenant of Peculiarity God made with him and his natural seed as such, as to the Date of the Duration thereof, was now run out and expired, the Axe being now laid to the root of the Tree, ver. 10th. So that unless they receive Christ, believe in Christ, and are found gracious persons, fit Wheat for Christs spiritual Garner, or Gospel-Church (which is built up of lively stones) as Chaff the Gospel-dispensation like a Fan purges them out; as indeed it did, and blew them all away: And we are not alone in respect of this great Truth, for many of our worthy Brethren (who in some things differ from us) assert the same: particularly, Reverend Mr. Cotton, who speaking of this Text, Mat. 3. 10. saith, "The first is the root of Abraham's Covenant, which this people much trusted upon, and of that it is which John Baptist speaketh, Now is the Axe laid to the root of the Tree, think not to say within your selves, we have Abraham to our Father; so that all their confidence that they had in Abraham's Covenant, Temple and Tabernacle, and such things, are burnt up, and so they have no Root left them to stand upon, and this is one thing intended by the Root."
Second place, Jesus Christ hath another Fan also, and that is ⟨p. 12⟩(I doubt not) likewise intended here: viz. The dispensation of God's Providence; for this was as a Fan in Christ's hand, by which he fann'd away those unbelieving Jews, and so purged his floor: I mean, the time was now come, that their national, legal and external Church-State must be pulled down and dissolved; the Dispensation was changed, the Priesthood changed, and right of Church-membership changed; they having Abraham to their Father, or being the Seed of professing Parents, would do them no good, nor avail them any thing. Because the Covenant of Peculiarity God made with him and his natural seed as such, as to the Date of the Duration thereof, was now run out and expired, the Ax being now laid to the root of the Tree, ver. 10th. So that unless they receive Christ, believe in Christ, and are found gracious persons, fit Wheat for Christs spiritual Garner, or Gospel-Church (which is built up of lively stones) as Chaff the Gospel-dispensation like a Fan purges them out; as indeed it did, and blew them all away: And we are not alone in respect of this great Truth, for many of our worthy Brethren (who in some things differ from us) assert the same: particularly, Reverend Mr. Cotton, who speaking of this Text,
"Secondly, There is (saith he) something more in it; the Lord by the power of his Spirit doth cut us off from any power of our natural Gifts and Parts, and spiritual Gifts also, or from any Confidence of our own sufficiency; the Lord hath cut us off from hope in the Righteousness of our Parents, and from boasting of Ordinances. And again he saith, This we read of, Mat. 4. 1. It is spoken of the Ministry of John the Baptist, which did burn as an Oven, against all the Scribes and Pharisees, and left them neither the Root of Abraham's Covenant, nor the Branch of their own good Works: He cutteth them off from the Covenant of Abraham, &c. And by cutting them off from the Root, he leaveth them no ground to trust on." Thus Mr. Cotton on The Covenant, p. 177, and p. 21, 22. Now evident it is, that nothing but the dispensation of God's ⟨p. 13⟩Providence, or the Expiration of that period of Time determined by the Almighty for the standing of the Church of Israel, could cut the Jews off as a Nation, from being a Church and peculiar People unto God; I mean in respect of that Legal Covenant. I deny not but that the Covenant of Grace God made with Abraham, and with his true spiritual Seed, stands firm for ever and ever, and none in that Covenant can be cut off, nor fanned away: for the Jewish Priesthood, Churchstate and Church-membership, and all their Church-privileges, were to remain until Christ came, or until the time of Reformation; that is, till the Gospel-days and Gospel-dispensation took place, and no longer: But now that time being come, and they not seeing an end put to the old Covenant-Church, as it was made with the natural Offspring of Abraham; and that their right to legal Ordinances, and Church-membership, could not give them any right to Gospel Ordinances, nor Gospel-Church-membership, and they not believing in Christ, not accepting of the Terms of the Gospel, were all of necessity purged out or fanned away, by the Fan of the New Testament-dispensation, and so were no longer a people in any sense in Covenant with God.
Thirdly, Christ hath also another Fan in his hand, viz. The Fan of Church-Discipline. And many persons falling into sin are purged like Chaff out of his floor. Hereby,
1. Sometimes some evil and corrupt Persons, who get among God's people (or into his Church) and pass a while for Wheat, i. e. for gracious Persons, yet in time God suffers them to fall into one Temptation or another, by which means they are fanned away, the Holy Jesus by his wise. Providence making a discovery of them, and their evil Tempers and Dispositions.
1. Sometimes some evil and corrupt Persons, who get among God's people (or into his Church) and pass a while for Wheat, i. e. for gracious Persons, yet in time God suffers them to fall into one Temptation or another, by which means they are fann'd away, the Holy Jesus by his wise. Providence makeing a discovery of them, and their evil Tempers and Dispositions.
2. May be some glorious Truths, or Truth of Jesus Christ, is revealed, or cleared up to his Church in General, to which several Persons of the same Congregation may not only want Light in, but may be filled with Prejudice against, and not only against the Truth, but against the Church or Minister for seeking to bring it in; and this may rise to such a height, through their Pride and Stubbornness, that they will not abide any longer Members thereof, but violently rend themselves by Schism, and so are purged out. Tho' (as 'tis observed by an Husband-man) some light Corn, may be good Wheat, may be fanned out with the Chaff, which he knows how ⟨p. 14⟩to recover by fanning the Chaff also afterwards. And thus it was with some of those who were called Christ's Disciples, they could not, would not endure that blessed Truth Christ 1preached to them, of Eating of his Flesh, &c. but cried out, This is a hard saying, who can bear it? and so went away and walked no more with him. O see what the Effects of preaching some Truths may be! how many are there who cannot bear in this day sound Doctrine, but desert his People, and some Truths of Christ, and seem to shut their eyes against them, calling them Error and false Doctrine, and what not? And this way God takes (in his wise Providence) to purge out some rotten Members, which possibly were a reproach to his People: And although' may be some Wheat, may by this means through Satan's Temptations, and Corruptions of their own hearts, and their great Ignorance, be fanned out with the Chaff, they being carried away by the Craftiness and Subtlety of such whom Christ hath a mind to sever from the Body; yet he knows how to gather up the Wheat again, as the Husbandman doth.
2. May be some glorious Truths, or Truth of Jesus Christ, is revealed, or cleared up to his Church in General, to which several Persons of the same Congregation may not only want Light in, but may be filled with Prejudice against, and not only against the Truth, but against the Church or Minister for seeking to bring it in; and this may rise to such a height, through their Pride and Stubborness, that they will not abide any longer Members thereof, but violently rend themselves by Schism, and so are purged out. Tho' (as 'tis observed by an Husband-man) some light Corn, may be good Wheat, may be fanned out with the Chaff, which he knows how ⟨p. 14⟩
3. Others, whom Christ would have purged out of his Church, may be suffered to suck in some evil, corrupt and dangerous Principles, or Errors in Fundamentals, like that of Hymeneus and Alexander, whose Errors being discovered, were purged out.1
3. Others, whom Christ would have purged out of his Church, may be suffered to suck in some evil, corrupt and dangerous Principles, or Errors in Fundamentals, like that of Hymeneus and Alexander, whose Errours being discovered, were purged out.1
4. Also others fall into notorious and scandalous Sins, and so are purged out.
5. Some who are Chaff, or unsound Christians, may be suffered to take up undue offences against the Church, or Churches to whom they belong, and by giving way to Temptation, they may become unreconcilable, magnifying their own Wisdom and Self-conceitedness, and so by a secret hand of God be discovered and purged out: But it must be considered that the use and exercise of the Keys, or Rules of Church-Discipline, is appointed by Christ, as the proper Fan by which those sorts of Persons last mentioned, and some others, are to be purged out of the Church or Congregations of the Saints. Now the Fan of Discipline is two-fold.
5. Some who are Chaff, or unsound Christians, may be suffered to take up undue offences against the Church, or Churches to whom they belong, and by giving way to Temptation, they may become unreconcileable, magnifying their own Wisdom and Self-conceitedness, and so by a secret hand of God be discovered and purged out: But it must be considered that the use and exercise of the Keys, or Rules of Church-Discipline, is appointed by Christ, as the proper Fan by which those sorts of Persons last mentioned, and some others, are to be purged out of the Church or Congregations of the Saints. Now the Fan of Discipline is two-fold.
First, The Act of Excommunication: In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, with my Spirit, to deliver such a one unto Satan, for the Destruction of the Flesh, that 1the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. The Persons, Christ by this Fan of Discipline purges out, are of three sorts.
1. All gross and scandalous Persons, who are Guilty of any Act or Acts of Immorality, as Theft, Swearing, Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Covetousness, Lying, &c. These being public and reproachful Crimes, the Offender ought forthwith (upon clear proof) to be purged out, that the Name of the Lord may not be exposed to contempt, and his People vilified by the ungodly World; and time given to him for the proof and Trial of the sincerity or Truth of his Repentance; which in part will be manifested by his Carriage and Behaviour under his Punishment; I mean the Righteous Censure of the Church.
1. All gross and scandalous Persons, who are Guilty of any Act or Acts of Immorality, as Theft, Swearing, Drunkenness, Vncleanness, Covetousness, Lying, &c. These being publick and reproachful Crimes, the Offender ought sorthwith (upon clear proof) to be purged out, that the Name of the Lord may not be exposed to contempt, and his People villified by the ungodly World; and time given to him for the proof and Trial of the sincerity or Truth of his Repentance; which in part will be manifested by his Carriage and Behaviour under his Punishment; I mean the Righteous Censure of the Church.
The Third sort are such who refuse to hear the Church after their case (in which they have offended) is regularly brought in against them according to the Rule contained in Matthew; 1the offence at first may be against one brother, and the offended party is first to tell him his fault between himself and his Brother or Sister that hath offended him alone: Whom if he can bring to see and acknowledge his evil, it is to proceed no further; but if he cannot, then he is obliged by the holy Law of Christ to take one or two more, and go to him, and strive to convince him, and bring him to a sight and sense of his iniquity; but if he cannot do it, then it ought to be brought unto the Church, and if he will not hear the Church, then the Fan of Excommunication is to be used in the Name of Jesus Christ, and they purged out.
The Third sort are such who refuse to hear the Church after their case (in which they have offended) is regularly brought in against them according to the Rule contained in Matthew; 1the offence at first may be against one brother, and the offended party is first to tell him his fault between himself and his Brother or Sister that hath offended him alone: Whom if he can bring to see and acknowledge his evil, it is to proceed no further; but if he cannot, then he is oblidg'd by the holy Law of Christ to take one or two more, and go to him, and strive to convince him, and bring him to a sight and sense of his iniquity; but if he cannot do it, then it ought to be brought unto the Church, and if he will not hear the Church, then the Fan of Excommunication is to be used in the Name of Jesus Christ, and they purged out.
As to such who rend themselves from a Church, or violate their sacred Covenant by irregularly withdrawing themselves, they ought to be marked, and solemnly in the public Congregation 1declared to have withdrawn, rent, and cut off themselves from the Communion of the Church, and no longer to be owned nor looked upon as Members, and none to Communicate with them until they have given satisfaction by Repentance.
As to such who rend themselves from a Church, or violate their sacred Covenant by irregularly withdrawing themselves, they ought to be marked, and solemnly in the publick Congregation 1declared to have withdrawn, rent, and cut off themselves from the Communion of the Church, and no longer to be owned nor lookt upon as Members, and none to Communicate with them until they have given satisfaction by Repentance.
The Second part of the Fan of Discipline is that rule laid down by the Apostle, of withdrawing from every Brother and Sister that walketh disorderly; as such that are Busybodies, Tattlers, 1or Idle; or such that neglect their Duties in attending on the Church in times of solemn Worship, or that make Parties, or ⟨p. 16⟩cause Division in the Church, and refuse to live in Obedience to Christ, under the due and just Government thereof, or to obey them that are set over them in the Lord, or who strive to have the preeminence, like Diotrophes, being Vain-glorious, prating against, or despising of Dignities, or the just Authority of Christs Ministers, or Angels of his Churches, as the beloved Apostle speaks, 3 Joh. 9, 10. Wherefore if I come, I will Remember his deeds which he doth, prating against us with malicious Words, and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the Brethren, and forbideth them that would, and casteth them out of the Church. These are to be marked and withdrawn from, 2 Thess. 3. 6. Not to be counted as Enemies, but exhorted as Brethren: Unless they provoke the Church to further and a more severe Censure. Some of this sort oft-times strive to draw away disciples after them, and seek to disquiet the Peace of the Church, and in a fawning and flattering manner to deceive the hearts of the Simple; therefore these, if they will not hear the Church, are to be quite fanned out also by Excommunication, and to be looked upon as an Heathen-man or Publican, as in the Case of Notorious and Scandalous Sinners, or such who are guilty of Heresy. Mat. 18.
The Second part of the Fan of Discipline is that rule laid down by the Apostle, of withdrawing from every Brother and Sister that walketh disorderly; as such that are Busibodies, Tatlers, 1or Idle; or such that neglect their Duties in attending on the Church in times of solemn Worship, or that make Parties, or ⟨p. 16⟩
