A47542:687
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.
4. It is by Grace only because God would magnify his Son, by whose Righteousness and Obedience imputed to us, we are justified and saved: and it is to this end I say, that God might exalt Jesus Christ; his Design was, to magnify Christ in our Salvation, and to abase Man: Thou hast given him Power over all Flesh, that he 1should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him.
5. And lastly, It is by Grace, because God would have Salvation sure to all Believers: Therefore it is of Faith that it might be 1by Grace, to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed, &c. If Salvation were by our Works and Obedience, it might be very uncertain; or if the whole of our Happiness and Eternal Life be not in Christ's Hand, but that it dependeth on the Will of Man, or on the condition of our Faith and Holiness, or in the improvement of our Abilities; and it is possible that we may, or may not answer the Condition thereof; it might so fall out, that not one Soul might be saved: Besides, should it be so, those that are saved, would then have something to glory in, or boast of in the Great Day: They in effect may thank themselves, and admire their own Wisdom, Care and Industry, that brought them to Heaven.
Fourthly, Why doth and will Christ give Eternal Life to all his Sheep, to all his Saints?
Answ. 1. Because Eternal Life was purchased for them by his Death: But by his own Blood he entered once into the Holy Place, having 1obtained Eternal Redemption for us.
Answ. 1. Because Eternal Life was purchased for them by his Death: But by his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place, having 1obtained Eternal Redemption for us.
2. Because all that are given unto Christ, are ordained unto 1Everlasting Life.
3. Because Christ was sent into the World to this End, to give Life unto them: I am come that ye might have Life, and that ye might 1have it much more abundantly. It was that he might give his People the Knowledge of Salvation, and save them from their Sins.
3. Because Christ was sent into the World to this End, to give Life unto them: I am come that ye might have Life, and that ye might 1have it much more abundantly. It was that he might give his People the Knowledg of Salvation, and save them from their Sins.
4. Because Life is given to Christ to this End, viz. to communicate it to all his Elect: he is made a quickening Spirit, that he might quicken all his; As in Adam all die, so all that are in Christ shall live, Spiritually here, and Eternally hereafter: Because I live, ye shall live also.1
4. Because Life is given to Christ to this End, viz. to communicate it to all his Elect: he is made a quickning Spirit, that he might quicken all his; As in Adam all die, so all that are in Christ shall live, Spiritually here, and Eternally hereafter: Because I live, ye shall live also.1
5. Because all his Elect were quickened together with him virtually, 1when he rose from the Dead: yea and also virtually they entered into Heaven with him; for he ascended as their Head and blessed Representative.
5. Because all his Elect were quickned together with him virtually, 1when he rose from the Dead: yea and also virtually they entred into Heaven with him; for he ascended as their Head and blessed Representative.
6. Because Eternal Life was promised to them in Christ before 1the World began; and they have many firm and sure Promises made of it to them since also.
7. Because they are united to him, and Christ hath prayed, That they may all be made perfect in one; and he hath prayed that 1they may have Eternal Life. Now Union with Christ gives right to Glory; a whole Christ shall be glorified, and not a part only.
Quest. What doth Eternal Life import?
Answ. I answer, It doth import a Deliverance from all Evil, present and to come, and a full and perfect possession and enjoyment of all true spiritual and everlasting Good and Glory above.
Answ. I answer, It doth import a Deliverance from all Evil, present and to come, and a full and perfect possession and injoyment of all true spiritual and everlasting Good and Glory above.
Quest. But doth not this seem to diminish or lessen the Glory of God the Father, to assert, That it is Christ that gives Eternal Life? &c.
Answ. No, not in the least, for all things are of God and through Jesus Christ; All things are of God, who hath reconciled us 1unto himself by Jesus Christ. It is God that hath reconciled us unto himself; 'tis by Christ we are reconciled, his Blood being the Price of our Reconciliation; God the Father gave Christ for us, and also gives him to us: And this is the Will of him that sent me, that 2every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have Everlasting Life; and I will raise him up at the last Day. And thou hast given 3him Power over all Flesh, that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him. It is the Father that gave Christ the Power (as Mediator) to give Eternal Life unto his Sheep.
APPLICATION.
First. This may serve to reprehend those that would not have Salvation to be wholly of Grace; it clearly condemns Free-Will; 1for if it be only by God's Grace, it is not at all of Man's Will. They, 'tis true, do acknowledge the Contrivance of our Salvation to be of God's Grace alone, or the Effects of his great Love, and his sending of Christ into the World to be an Act of Infinite Grace, but withal deny Regeneration and effectual Vocation, to be wholly the Effects of God's special and distinguishing Love; but do affirm, that Grace which those Men have who perish at last, would have been sufficient to have renewed them, had they improved it. They assert, that all Men have Power to believe, and that that Grace which God affords to Men to save them, 'tis in the preaching of the Word, or consisteth in no more than Moral Suasions, Arguments, or Excitements, in a rational way. But whether this Light, Power, or Moral Grace, (as they call it) be Natural or Supernatural, Mediate or Immediate, they do not seem well to accord about it. Some of them (as one observes) say, the Power of Natural Reason, or the Exercise of Human Credence, is sufficient to a Man, being convinced of the Truth of the Gospel, or of the Declaration of God's Love and Grace in Christ, so that he ⟨p. 157⟩may believe as easily as to believe any other Matter upon infallible Testimony. Others call it a Gift, or the Light of the Spirit, which all Men have; yet if thoroughly examined, it is no more than a Natural Gift, Light or Ability: That it is the special Grace of God, or Illumination of the Holy Spirit, is not granted, but denied by these Men, it being no other Grace or Power, than is afforded equally to those who perish, as to such who are saved. It is not such Grace or Operations of the Spirit that infuses holy Habits, which determines the Will, or inclines it to Good, but such Excitements that only awaken and rouse its Native Power; it is such Grace that the Will may receive, or refuse the whole Efficacy of it; (so far as I can gather) it lies not in its own Nature, nor from the effectual Operations of God's Spirit, but from the Will of Man.
First. This may serve to reprehend those that would not have Salvation to be wholly of Grace; it clearly condemns Free-Will; 1for if it be only by God's Grace, it is not at all of Man's Will. They, 'tis true, do acknowledg the Contrivance of our Salvation to be of God's Grace alone, or the Effects of his great Love, and his sending of Christ into the World to be an Act of Infinite Grace, but withal deny Regeneration and effectual Vocation, to be wholly the Effects of God's special and distinguishing Love; but do affirm, that Grace which those Men have who perish at last, would have been sufficient to have renewed them, had they improved it. They assert, that all Men have Power to believe, and that that Grace which God affords to Men to save them, 'tis in the preaching of the Word, or consisteth in no more than Moral Swasions, Arguments, or Excitements, in a rational way. But whether this Light, Power, or Moral Grace, (as they call it) be Natural or Supernatural, Mediate or Immediate, they do not seem well to accord about it. Some of them (as one observes) say, the Power of Natural Reason, or the Exercise of Human Credence, is sufficient to a Man, being convinced of the Truth of the Gospel, or of the Declaration of God's Love and Grace in Christ, so that he
