A47542:765
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.
And my first Argument shall be taken from Eternal Election, which dependeth wholly upon the Absolute Sovereignty of God, who hath Power over all his Creatures, and may do with his own as it seemeth good in his Eternal Wisdom, and good Pleasure of his Will.
And my first Argument shall be taken from Eternal Election, which dependeth wholly upon the Absolute Soveraignty of God, who hath Power over all his Creatures, and may do with his own as it seemeth good in his Eternal Wisdom, and good Pleasure of his Will.
I shall premise one or two things before I proceed to confirm this Argument.
1. That God set up Jesus Christ as Mediator from Everlasting, as the Head and Spring of our Election; therefore it is said, We were chosen in him before the Foundation of the World. 1It was the only Act of Love, and Free Grace of the Father, therefore not to be ascribed to the Merits of Jesus Christ: For though Christ hath merited our Salvation, yet he did not procure or merit our Election; for Christ himself was the Fruit of this Eternal Blessing and Privilege, it being then the sole Act of God's Sovereign Grace and Love. It follows,
2. That all the Ways which were ordered in the Wisdom of God, for the accomplishing the Ends of Election, are of the Father's appointment also; for whatsoever Christ hath done in working out of our Redemption, it was according to the Purpose and Determinate Counsel of his own Will and Sovereign Goodness. Jesus Christ was first chosen, or elected, by the Father, as Head and Mediator, and only Foundation to bear up the whole Building, which the Almighty designed to raise: The Father's Love, did precede Christ's glorious Mission; therefore he was only of the Father's Designation; Who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World, but was made manifest in these last Days. 1Christ was first chosen as the Well-head of Grace and Glory, and then others were chosen in him, by and through whom they should be redeemed and raised to a State of Grace and Holiness here, and to Eternal Happiness in Heaven hereafter: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son, that he might be the First-born among many Brethren. 2To the Image of his Son, that is, to Christ's likeness as Mediator, and taking our Nature; not to Christ barely considered as God, for as Christ is God, he is no where saith to be the First-born among many Brethren. Now this Conformity being absolutely designed in Election, Christ, in the Contrivance and Intention of the Father, was the first Exemplar and Copy of it, or the main Centre, to which all must be brought that were given unto him; the Father setting him up, and electing him as Head of all that should be saved, or as the glorious Bridegroom, and therefore it was requisite he should be consulted about those who were to be the Members of his Body, and his own blessed Spouse for ever: And since Christ was also to suffer and undergo such Pain and Sorrow in the purchasing and redeeming of them, it was necessary he should not only freely assent and consent in the Choice of them, but also be certain of the obtaining and securing them all to and for himself for ever, and ⟨p. 171⟩not run the Hazard of enjoying or not enjoying of them; which must follow he did, if the Doctrine of some Men of dark Minds were true.
To proceed, it may not be amiss to consider what is contained 1in the Bowels of my first Argument, viz. that there is a peculiar People, or some certain Persons (as personally considered) of the lost Children of the first Adam, who are Elected or Chosen of God, in Christ, from all Eternity, of his own Sovereign Grace and good Pleasure, ordained unto Everlasting Life; and that this Decree of Election doth prevent their final falling, or make it impossible that any of them should ever so apostatize as eternally to perish.
The Argument being thus fairly stated, it calls upon me to do two things.
First, To prove that there is such a particular and personal Election of a peculiar People of the lost Sons of Adam.
Secondly, To show how this prevents their final falling, and makes it impossible that any of them should ever so apostatize as eternally to perish.
Secondly, To shew how this prevents their final falling, and makes it impossible that any of them should ever so apostatize as eternally to perish.
A little to open the first of these.
1. I say of peculiar Persons, which denotes it belonging to them only and to none else; others are passed by, or not afforded by any such Divine Act of Grace the like Privilege: they are God's Jewels, or his peculiar Treasure, though until called and cleansed, or 1their inward Filth and Pollution purged away, they cannot be delighted in by him, or be beloved with a Love of Complacency; though from Eternity God did love all his, with a Love of good Will, purpose of Grace and of Benevolence.
I say personally Elected; that is, the Objects of this Grace, or of this Election were singled out and pitched upon by Name; not with respect had to such or such Qualifications foreseen in them, they being repenting, believing, and holy Persons, but chosen in Christ, the Head of Election, that they should believe, should repent, and should be Holy and without blame before him in Love. They 1are chosen that they may be Holy; not because they were Holy, or God foresaw they would be Holy.
I say, they were ordained to Everlasting Life. Now to predestinate, decree, or ordain, denotes the same thing, and signifies the ⟨p. 172⟩absolute Purpose of God to bring them into a State of Grace here, through Jesus Christ, and to Eternal Glory and Happiness here-after: Hence it is said, As many as were ordained to Eternal Life, 1believed, or appointed; and he that ordered or ordained the End, ordained the Means also, and so prepared them for Everlasting Life.
They were chosen in Christ; in the Mediator, in their Blessed Head, that their standing might be secured through their Union with him, and his Righteousness being imputed to them, according to God's Eternal Purpose.
2. And further, to make good the first Part of what I have 1laid down, viz. That there is such a particular Election; what lies more clear in the Word of God, and the Election of Jacob, I shall here first mention, as a full Proof of what I say; For the 2Children being not yet Born, neither having done Good or Evil, that the Purpose of God, according to Election might stand, not of Works, but of him that calleth. Here the Apostle designedly or on purpose confirms, not only the Doctrine of Personal Election, but also that of Preterition, of a passing by, or rejection of the other; and all resulting from the Eternal Purpose and Good Pleasure of God's Will; As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 3The main scope of Paul in this place is to show, that God hath not cast off all Israel, that is, those who are the true Israel, or such who are the Children of the Promise, or that do belong to Christ according to the Election of Grace; see 5, 6, 7, 8 Verses: therefore they that run the Love of God and Election here spoken of, to the Posterity of Jacob, and Reprobation to the Posterity of Esau, and will not have it to be understood of their particular Persons, do palpably abuse the sacred Text and Drift of the Holy Ghost. Now that all Men may know that Election doth run to, or take hold of particular Persons, and that not for any foreseen Faith or Holiness in them, Paul saith, The Children being not yet born, neither having done Good or Evil. And therefore adds, not of Works, that is, of foreseen Worthiness or Desert in Jacob, but that the Purpose of God, according to Election might stand, (that is, stand firm as an Act of God's Sovereign Love and Grace only) and abide a blessed Truth against all the Opposition and Cavils of cloudy Minds. I might have mentioned Abraham, Isaac, Moses, David, and others; also Jeremiah, of whom God says, Before I 4formed thee in the Belly, I knew thee; that is, I knew thee to be one of them that I had chosen and given to my Son, or one of mine ⟨p. 173⟩Elect Ones; and I sanctified and ordained thee a Prophet.
Moreover, in the New Testament we find, that our Saviour calls his Disciples by Name, and tells them, That he knew whom he had 1chosen, excluding Judas; he must therefore intend their Eternal Election, for as I said before, Judas was chosen to the Apostleship: also Paul by Name, Jesus Christ declares (to Ananias) was a chosen Vessel, not only as an Apostle, but one also comprehended in the Election of Grace. Do but observe the Nature of his Conversion, and what he was before and when called by the special Grace of God. Moreover of this number and sort, were those that the Lord speaks of in Elijah's Time which Paul mentions, I have reserved 2to my self seven thousand Men who have not bowed the Knee to Baal. Though it is a certain Number put for an uncertain as to us, yet all their particular Persons were chosen, and known to God; Even so at this present Time also there is a Remnant, according 3to the Election of Grace. God had some particular Persons then whom he had from everlasting elected, and so he hath now; According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World, that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love: Us, as such and such particular Persons, not such of such and such Qualification, viz. as being Believers, obedient and holy Persons; No, no, but that they might believe, &c. Election will produce Faith: it is, because they are elected that they do believe; But ye believe 4not, because ye are not of my Sheep as I said unto you; that is, not such as were ordained to believe, and ordained to Eternal Life. And as many as were ordained unto Eternal Life, believed: As it was 5hinted before, Christ hath elect Persons, or Sheep, that yet believe not; I have much People (saith he to Paul) in this City.
Moreover, in the New Testament we find, that our Saviour calls his Disciples by Name, and tells them, That he knew whom he had 1chosen, excluding Judas; he must therefore intend their Eternal Election, for as I said before, Judas was chosen to the Apostleship: also Paul by Name, Jesus Christ declares (to Ananias) was a chosen Vessel, not only as an Apostle, but one also comprehended in the Election of Grace. Do but observe the Nature of his Conversion, and what he was before and when called by the special Grace of God. Moreover of this number and sort, were those that the Lord speaks of in Elias's Time which Paul mentions, I have reserved
Unto these Testimonies I shall add one or two more; as that of Paul, touching the Saints at Thessalonica; Knowing, Brethren beloved, your Election: For our Gospel came not to you in Word only, but 1also in Power, and in the Holy Ghost, &c. By the evident Operations of God's Spirit, the Apostle knew they were elected: We cannot know our Election, but by special Vocation, or as it is manifest in the Fruits and Effects of it. There is a Knowledge of Things, (as our Annotators note on this place) à priori, when we argue from the Cause to the Effect: So à posteriori, when we argue from the Effect to the Cause. Now what is Election, but a choosing some out of others? Thus the Angels that stand were 2elected, and the rest were left to the Power they had, or passed by, or reprobated. Peter also confirms the Doctrine of personal Election, ⟨p. 174⟩calling the Persons to whom he wrote his Epistle, Elect according to 3the foreknowledge of God, or his Eternal Purpose; and therefore were separated unto God by special Grace, or effectual Calling; through sanctification of the Spirit to Obedience, &c. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are concerned in our Salvation; the Father elects, this is principally ascribed to the first Person in the Godhead; the Son purchaseth, he redeems; and the Holy Spirit renews, calls, and sanctifies. Now the Purchase of the Son extends no further than the Election of the Father; nor the Sanctification of the Spirit, further than the Purchase or Redemption of the Son: Sanctification here, takes in the whole Work of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration and actual Holiness, to the final sitting and making the Soul meet for the Eternal Inheritance.
Unto these Testimonies I shall add one or two more; as that of Paul, touching the Saints at Thessalonica; Knowing, Brethren beloved, your Election: For our Gospel came not to you in VVord only, but 1also in Power, and in the Holy Ghost, &c. By the evident Operations of God's Spirit, the Apostle knew they were elected: We cannot know our Election, but by special Vocation, or as it is manifest in the Fruits and Effects of it. There is a Knowledg of Things, (as our Annotators note on this place) à priori, when we argue from the Cause to the Effect: So à posteriori, when we argue from the Effect to the Cause. Now what is Election, but a chusing some out of others? Thus the Angels that stand were
