A47542:733
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.
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.
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.
- 1Saints may fall from Degrees in Grace.
- 2Rev. 2. 4.
- 3Luke 24. 21.
- 4Job 19. 10