A47542:731
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.
Many more sad Instances I might add of this Nature, but that I love not to rake into the Sores of God's sincere Servants. No doubt the Falls and grievous Sins of the Holy Saints of God, are by the Spirit left on Record for blessed Ends and Purposes.
(1.) To show what need the best of Men and Women have to pray, and stand upon their Watch at all times. (2.) To discover the Strength of Indwelling Sin, or the natural Corruptions of the Hearts of such who are truly gracious; and the absolute Necessity there is for all to depend upon the Divine Help and Assistance of God under Temptations. (3.) That no true Christian that is suffered to fall into Sin, should despair of the pardoning Grace of God.
(1.) To shew what need the best of Men and Women have to pray, and stand upon their Watch at all times. (2.) To discover the Strength of Indwelling Sin, or the natural Corruptions of the Hearts of such who are truly gracious; and the absolute Necessity there is for all to depend upon the Divine Help and Assistance of God under Temptations. (3.) That no true Christian that is suffered to fall into Sin, should despair of the pardoning Grace of God.
2dly. The Saints of God, or true Believers, may fall from 1Grace, (as well as into great and immoral Evils, and Acts of Wickedness) I mean, they may fall from Degrees of Grace, or decay in Grace, lose the Strength and Power of Divine Grace, as to the Acts and Exercise thereof. They may decay in Faith, in Love, in Humility, Patience, Hope, &c. Yet nevertheless I have 2somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first Love. Love may ⟨p. 163⟩cool in the best of Saints, though it shall never be quite extinguished, for nothing can utterly quench it. How low was the Faith of Christ's Disciples, when they said, We trusted that it had 3been he that should have redeemed Israel. Job also intimates, that his Hope was cut off: He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone, 4and mine Hope hath he removed like a Tree. There are Weaknesses in the Strongest, and Imperfections may come upon those who are perfect, as Mr. Caryl notes; Ebbings after the greatest Flowings, and Declinings after the greatest Heights of Graces, and gracious Actings: My Days are spent without Hope. David also said, I shall 5one day fall by the Hand of Saul, so low was his Faith.
3dly. God's Saints may also fall from the true Doctrine of the 1Gospel, which is called a falling from Grace: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the Law; ye are fallen from Grace: that is, such who seek or desire to be justified by a Law, any Law of Obedience, or by their own Righteousness, for the End of Christ's Death, and the Gospel, is to cast away Man's own Righteousness in point of Justification, and to supply us with the Suretyship-Righteousness of Jesus Christ: and such who seek to be justified any other way, are fallen from Grace, they renounce the Free Grace of God exhibited in the Gospel. The Apostle doth not here refer to a State of Grace, but to the Doctrine or Gospel of Grace, in which is manifest the free Love of God in offering Christ to Sinners for Righteousness and Life.
3dly. God's Saints may also fall from the true Doctrine of the 1Gospel, which is called a falling from Grace: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the Law; ye are fallen from Grace: that is, such who seek or desire to be justified by a Law, any Law of Obedience, or by their own Righteousness, for the End of Christ's Death, and the Gospel, is to cast away Man's own Righteousness in point of Justification, and to supply us with the Suretiship-Righteousness of Jesus Christ: and such who seek to be justified any other way, are fallen from Grace, they renounce the Free Grace of God exhibited in the Gospel. The Apostle doth not here refer to a State of Grace, but to the Doctrine or Gospel of Grace, in which is manifest the free Love of God in offering Christ to Sinners for Righteousness and Life.
4thly. True Believers, or the Sheep of Jesus Christ, may fall 1from the public Profession of the Faith, from a visible owning and maintaining their Testimony to Christ and his Gospel, through slavish Fear. Thus not only Peter, but all the other Disciples fell also, they all forsook their Blessed Master, when he was apprehended and led away as a Sheep to the Slaughter; then all the Disciples forsook him. All these Disciples had promised him, that 2they would not forsake him; but when the Trial comes, not one of them stands, they shrunk from professing themselves to be his Disciples and Followers: But they recovered this Fall, and after Christ's Resurrection made a glorious profession of him and his Gospel unto the Death.
4thly. True Believers, or the Sheep of Jesus Christ, may fall 1from the publick Profession of the Faith, from a visible owning and maintaining their Testimony to Christ and his Gospel, through slavish Fear. Thus not only Peter, but all the other Disciples fell also, they all forsook their Blessed Master, when he was apprehended and led away as a Sheep to the Slaughter; then all the Disciples forsook him. All these Disciples had promised him, that 2they would not forsake him; but when the Trial comes, not one of them stands, they shrunk from professing themselves to be his Disciples and Followers: But they recovered this Fall, and after Christ's Resurrection made a glorious profession of him and his Gospel unto the Death.
5thly. The Saints of God may fall, so as to break all their Bones, and grievously to wound their own Consciences: O Lord, 1heal me, for my Bones are vexed. My Soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long? My Pain and Anguish is bitter by the Burden of my Sin and Sense of thy Anger. Again, he saith, My ⟨p. 164⟩Strength faileth, because of mine Iniquities; and my Bones are consumed. 2I am feeble and sore broken. Elsewhere he speaks, as if all his Bones were broken, all his Strength was gone: Bones, we know, are the Strength of the Body, from thence the Metaphor seems to be taken. Now that is a grievous Fall, which breaks all the Bones.
6thly. The Saints, or Sheep of Christ, may so fall, or to such 1a degree lose the exercise of their Faith and Hope in God, as to be deprived of the Light of God's Countenance, and the Joy of his Salvation; Restore to me the Joy of thy Salvation: Nay, may wholly be in Darkness for a time, or have no Light: 2He hath kindled his Wrath against me; and he counteth me to him as one of his Enemies. I am gone, ver. 10. I am a lost Man, as if he should say, Thou hast laid me in the lowest Pit, in Darkness, in the Deeps. Free among the Dead, like the slain that lie in the Grave, whom thou rememberest no more; and they are cut off from thy Hand.—That walk in Darkness, and have no Light. I do not say that Desertion is always the Fruit and Punishment of Sin, though sometimes it is; 3yet it is always occasioned through the decay or want of the Exercise of Grace, or through God's withdrawing his sweet Presence and Influences of his Spirit from the Soul.
6thly. The Saints, or Sheep of Christ, may so fall, or to such 1a degree lose the exercise of their Faith and Hope in God, as to be deprived of the Light of God's Countenance, and the Joy of his Salvation; Restore to me the Joy of thy Salvation: Nay, may wholly be in Darkness for a time, or have no Light: 2He hath kindled his Wrath against me; and he counteth me to him as one of his Enemies. I am gone, ver. 10. I am a lost Man, as if he should say, Thou hast laid me in the lowest Pit, in Darkness, in the Deeps. Free among the Dead, like the slain that lie in the Grave, whom thou remembrest no more; and they are cut off from thy Hand.—That walk in Darkness, and have no Light. I do not say that Desertion is always the Fruit and Punishment of Sin, though sometimes it is; 3yet it is always occasioned through the decay or want of the Exercise of Grace, or through God's withdrawing his sweet Presence and Influences of his Spirit from the Soul.
It may not be amiss here, before I proceed, to answer a Question that some perhaps may have in their Thoughts to propound, viz. What are the Causes that sometimes the Saints fall so far as hath been hinted?
Answ. The Grounds or Causes of their falling may be divers.
1. It is through the Remainders of Corruption, or Indwelling 1Sin, that abide in all Believers. The chiefest Saints of God are but renewed in part: Though they are renewed in every Part, there is a Law in the Members that wars against the Law of the Mind: But I see another Law in my Members, warring against the Law of my Mind, and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of Sin, which 2is in my Members. O wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me from the Body of Sin and Death? These two Laws are in all true Believers, or in all regenerate Persons, and they are directly contrary the one to the other; and by reason of this, there is continual War and Combating between them: And evident it is, through the Power or Policy of the fleshly Part, the Godly are sometimes overcome, not only by common Failings, but fall into great Transgressions also. Our chief Enemies are those of our own House; the Devil could do us little hurt from without, had he not such a ⟨p. 165⟩strong Party for him, and siding with him in our own Bowels, or within us. This inbred Enemy always lies in wait to betray us; and if we take not the more care, will prevail against us, and at one time or another trip up our Heels, especially that Sin which doth chiefly beset us; most Christians having their Constitution-Sin, though no godly Man hath a beloved Sin: yea, the Seed of all Sin still remains in our base Hearts, and hence it is our Danger is great which appears may be not so clearly, till the Providence of God brings us unto such a State, Occasion or Company, whereby Satan hath an Opportunity to excite and stir up, or draw forth that Sin or evil Seed into act that lies hid within us.
1. It is through the Remainders of Corruption, or Indwelling 1Sin, that abide in all Believers. The chiefest Saints of God are but renewed in part: Though they are renewed in every Part, there is a Law in the Members that wars against the Law of the Mind: But I see another Law in my Members, warring against the Law of my Mind, and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of Sin, which 2
2. The Cause of those Evils, or grievous Falls that some Christians have and do sustain, are from Satan; who is not only a malicious Enemy, but a strong and cruel Enemy also: Hence called, A roaring Lion, going about and seeking whom he may devour. 1He is very diligent to observe the natural Inclinations of all Christians, and watcheth the fittest Opportunity to make his Onsets: As when David neglected the proper Work and Business God by his Providence called him unto, The time when Kings go forth to battle, 2he sent Job, and tarried at home himself; and then the Enemy set upon him; he being a walking on the Roof of his House, spied a Woman washing her self, which produced his fearful Fall. Let Christians take heed they are not out of such Employment that God calls them to, and not put an Opportunity into Satan's Hand, by excess of Eating, Drinking, or Idleness, or by gadding or gazing Abroad, like Dinah, Jacob's Daughter; and beware how they neglect any spiritual Duty, in the way of which God hath promised to keep our Souls.
2. The Cause of those Evils, or grievous Falls that some Christians have and do sustain, are from Satan; who is not only a malicious Enemy, but a strong and cruel Enemy also: Hence called, A roaring Lion, going about and seeking whom he may devour. 1He is very diligent to observe the natural Inclinations of all Christians, and watcheth the fittest Opportunity to make his Onsets: As when David neglected the proper Work and Business God by his Providence called him unto, The time when Kings go forth to battel, 2he sent Jo•b, and tarried at home himself; and then the Enemy set upon him; he being a walking on the Roof of his House, spied a Woman washing her self, which produced his fearful Fall. Let Christians take heed they are not out of such Employment that God calls them to, and not put an Opportunity into Satan's Hand, by excess of Eating, Drinking, or Idleness, or by gadding or gazing Abroad, like Dinah, Jacob's Daughter; and beware how they neglect any spiritual Duty, in the way of which God hath promised to keep our Souls.
3. The Falls of the Saints may be occasioned by reason of the weakness of their Grace: Faith may be but small, or not in Exercise and so the Hope and Trust of the Soul may fa•l. If the Anchor hath not good and firm hold, but should slip, the Ship is in danger; so it is here, Hope is the Anchor of the Soul, it should be therefore both sure and steadfast: O ye of little Faith, wherefore did you doubt? Christians are in no small danger if their Faith be 1not strong: Faith is the Shield by which we should quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked. The Apostle alludes to those violent 2Temptations, by which Satan strives to inflame Mens Lusts; but right skill to use the Shield of Faith, will soon quench all those Darts of Temptations. A Shield is to defend every part of the Body, and will, if rightly used. So by Faith a Christian is enabled, ⟨p. 166⟩when in the true Exercise thereof, to preserve his whole Soul from Evil; but let this Shield go, and Satan quickly prevails: If Satan can persuade a Man there is no such Evil in Sin as God's Word declares, or that it is no great matter, 'tis no wonder he is overcome.
3. The Falls of the Saints may be occasioned by reason of the weakness of their Grace: Faith may be but small, or not in Exercise and so the Hope and Trust of the Soul may fa•l. If the Anchor hath not good and firm hold, but should slip, the Ship is in danger; so it is here, Hope is the Anchor of the Soul, it should be therefore both sure and stedfast: O ye of little Faith, wherefore did you doubt? Christians are in no small danger if their Faith be 1not strong: Faith is the Shield by which we should quench all the siery Darts of the Wicked. The Apostle alludes to those violent 2Temptations, by which Satan strives to enflame Mens Lusts; but right skill to use the Shield of Faith, will soon quench all those Darts of Temptations. A Shield is to desend every part of the Body, and will, if rightly used. So by Faith a Christian is enabled,
4. They sometimes fall, by reason of their own fleshly Confidence, or trusting in their own Strength: Though all deny thee, yet will not I. Nay, Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, 1yet I will not deny thee. O how dangerous a thing is it to glory in our own Abilities, or trust in Self-confidence! What little knowledge have we of our own Hearts! It was but a few Hours after this, but Peter denied our Saviour, and swore he did not know him. When Men have not their whole dependence on the Grace and Power of God, he oft-times leaves them, that they may see without him they can do nothing: And whenever God withdraws his Divine Assistance from a Person, or leaves him to himself, he falls immediately as Peter did.
4. They sometimes fall, by reason of their own fleshly Confidence, or trusting in their own Strength: Though all deny thee, yet will not I. Nay, Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, 1yet I will not deny thee. O how dangerous a thing is it to glory in our own Abilities, or trust in Self-confidence! What little knowledg have we of our own Hearts! It was but a few Hours after this, but Peter denied our Saviour, and swore he did not know him. When Men have not their whole dependance on the Grace and Power of God, he oft-times leaves them, that they may see without him they can do nothing: And whenever God withdraws his Divine Assistance from a Person, or leaves him to himself, he falls immediately as Peter did.
5. The Falls of the Saints, may be through the Ensnarements and Vain-glory of this wicked World. Hezekiah fell this way; his Heart was lifted up with Pride in beholding all his Glory and Riches, which he showed to the Princes of the King of Babylon, in a vain-glorious manner: He showed them all the House of his precious things, the Silver, and the Gold, and the Spices, and the precious Ointments, 1and all the House of his Armour, and all that was found in his Treasures; there was nothing in his House, nor in all his Dominions, that Hezekiah showed them not. This was his Sin and Fall; this provoked God against him: And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear 2the Word of the Lord. Behold, the Days come, that all that is in thine House, and that which thy Fathers have laid up in Store to this Day, shall be carried into Babylon; nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And of thy Sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away, and they shall be Eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon.
5. The Falls of the Saints, may be through the Ensnarements and Vain-glory of this wicked World. Hezekiah fell this way; his Heart was lifted up with Pride in beholding all his Glory and Riches, which he shewed to the Princes of the King of Babylon, in a vain-glorious manner: He shewed them all the House of his precious things, the Silver, and the Gold, and the Spices, and the precious Ointments, 1and all the House of his Armour, and all that was found in his Treasures; there was nothing in his House, nor in all his Dominions, that Hezekiah shewed them not. This was his Sin and Fall; this provoked God against him: And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear 2the Word of the Lord. Behold, the Days come, that all that is in thine House, and that which thy Fathers have laid up in Store to this Day, shall be carried into Babylon; nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And of thy Sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away, and they shall be Eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon.
6. Sometimes they fall by the Subtlety of Deceivers, who lie in wait to corrupt their Minds, and poison their Souls with their abominable Errors. Hence the Apostle Peter cautions the Saints, to take heed, lest they being led away by the Error of the Wicked, fall from 1their own steadfastness.
6. Sometimes they fall by the Subtilty of Deceivers, who lie in wait to corrupt their Minds, and poison their Souls with their abominable Errors. Hence the Apostle Peter cautions the Saints, to take heed, lest they being led away by the Error of the Wicked, fall from 1their own stedfastness.
7. Many times they fall through slavish Fear, in the Time of Persecution. Many gracious Christians have wanted Courage in that Hour, and have been prevailed with too far to a sinful Compliance ⟨p. 167⟩with the Lusts and Wills of their Adversaries, by reason of their cruel Threats and bloody Edicts; who have nevertheless afterwards been restored again by Repentance, as Peter was.
