A47542:881
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.
APPLICATION.
Motives.
1. It is the highest Ingratitude not to desire after the Knowledge of such Love: Shall a Beggar be beloved by a Prince, and she not be affected with it, nor inquire after it?
1. It is the highest Ingratitude not to desire after the Knowledg of such Love: Shall a Beggar be beloved by a Prince, and she not be affected with it, nor inquire after it?
2. Because you are the Objects of this Love, of this Affection; doth it not seem an amazing Consideration to you? May be you can't soon believe it; because you see no worth in your selves. Ah, saith the Soul, Christ loves me thus! What, such a poor sorry and filthy Wretch! Wonder O Heavens, be astonished O Earth! The more you know it, the more you will love your Blessed Saviour. He loved me not a righteous Person, but me a Sinner, a loathsome Sinner, when in my Blood and Filth.
2. Because you are the Objects of this Love, of this Affection; doth it not seem an amazing Consideration to you? May be you can't soon believe it; because you see no worth in your selves. Ah, saith the Soul, Christ loves me thus! What, such a poor sorry and filthy Wretch! Wonder O Heavens, be astonished O Earth! The more you know it, the more you will love your Blessed Saviour. He loved me not a righteous Person, but me a Sinner, a loathsom Sinner, when in my Blood and Filth.
3. This will make you little in your own Eyes; the more we know of God, and of Christ, and of his Love, the more we shall loath and abhor our selves. O that ever I should grieve him 1as I have done! How did the sense of God's Love and Goodness to David humble him: Who am I, O Lord, and what is mine 2House, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet is this a small thing in thine Eyes, O God, for thou hast spoken of thy Servant's House for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the Estate of a Man of high Degree, O Lord. Thus may every Believer say. The Love of Christ will have the like Effect on our Souls, as the Knowledge of David's Love to Abigail, when he sent Messengers to her to make her his Wife, and raise her to his Throne: Let me (saith she) be a Servant, to wash the Feet of the Servants of 3my Lord.
3. This will make you little in your own Eyes; the more we know of God, and of Christ, and of his Love, the more we shall loath and abhor our selves. O that ever I should grieve him 1as I have done! How did the sense of God's Love and Goodness to David humble him: Who am I, O Lord, and what is mine 2House, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet is this a small thing in thine Eyes, O God, for thou hast spoken of thy Servant's House for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the Estate of a Man of high Degree, O Lord. Thus may every Believer say. The Love of Christ will have the like Effect on our Souls, as the Knowledg of David's Love to Abigail, when he sent Messengers to her to make her his Wife, and raise her to his Throne: Let me (saith she) be a Servant, to wash the Feet of the Servants of 3my Lord.
4. The Knowledge of Christ's Love, will beget greater and stronger Love in our Souls to him: Love begetteth Love, but not till it is known. O taste, Sinners, of this Love: had you but a Taste, how would your Hearts be inflamed in Love to Jesus Christ. And as to you Saints,
4. The Knowledg of Christ's Love, will beget greater and stronger Love in our Souls to him: Love begetteth Love, but not till it is known. O taste, Sinners, of this Love: had you but a Taste, how would your Hearts be enflamed in Love to Jesus Christ. And as to you Saints,
5. The more you know of Christ's Love, the more your Hearts will die (and your Love cool) to all earthly things.
6. The more you know of Christ's Love, the more firmly you will be fixed and settled in his Truth, and be delivered from Fears and Doubts about your standing. Alas, it is not Sin, nor Satan, nor Hell, nor Death, that can deprive your Souls of Christ's Love, if you are his. If Satan says, Thou art a vile Sinner, and lays before thee the Baseness of thy Heart; tell him, Christ's Love passeth Knowledge. Does he say, that thou wilt fall one time or another? Tell him, Christ loved thee not for thy Righteousness; and his Love that is so infinite, will never suffer thee to fall and rise no more.
6. The more you know of Christ's Love, the more firmly you will be fixed and setled in his Truth, and be delivered from Fears and Doubts about your standing. Alas, it is not Sin, nor Satan, nor Hell, nor Death, that can deprive your Souls of Christ's Love, if you are his. If Satan says, Thou art a vile Sinner, and lays before thee the Baseness of thy Heart; tell him, Christ's Love passeth Knowledg. Does he say, that thou wilt fall one time or another? Tell him, Christ loved thee not for thy Righteousness; and his Love that is so infinite, will never suffer thee to fall and rise no more.
7. The Knowledge of Christ's Love will make us to speak well of God, and Christ, and his Ways, at all times; still we shall say, the Love of God, and Jesus Christ, is the same, all is in Love; whom I love, I rebuke and chasten: Christ's Love known and experienced, 1will be a Cordial to bear thee up to the end of thy Days.
7. The Knowledg of Christ's Love will make us to speak well of God, and Christ, and his Ways, at all times; still we shall say, the Love of God, and Jesus Christ, is the same, all is in Love; whom I love, I rebuke and chasten: Christ's Love known and experienced, 1will be a Cordial to bear thee up to the end of thy Days.
8. This will set your Souls at liberty, and bring you out of the Spirit of Bondage, and make you to run after him: But it is 1not the knowing of Christ's Love in any degree, but to that degree that passeth Knowledge; a Love that can't fail which will do this.
8. This will set your Souls at liberty, and bring you out of the Spirit of Bondage, and make you to run after him: But it is 1not the knowing of Christ's Love in any degree, but to that degree that passeth Knowledg; a Love that can't fail which will do this.
9. The Knowledge of Christ's Love will make you cling and cleave to him: Christ is the Lodestone, and our Soul the Needle; and now our Soul having touched him, it makes to the Centre; and though you may, like the Needle, tremble for a Time, yet you are hastening to him, and never will rest till you come to him whom your Souls love.
9. The Knowledg of Christ's Love will make you cling and cleave to him: Christ is the Loadstone, and our Soul the Needle; and now our Soul having touched him, it makes to the Center; and though you may, like the Needle, tremble for a Time, yet you are hastening to him, and never will rest till you come to him whom your Souls love.
10. The more you know of him, and of his Love, the more will be your inward Joy and Peace: For this is the Way to be filled with all the Fullness of God, and to know the Love of Christ 1which passeth Knowledge, that you may be filled with all the Fullness of God.
10. The more you know of him, and of his Love, the more will be your inward Joy and Peace: For this is the Way to be filled with all the Fulness of God, and to know the Love of Christ 1which passeth Knowledg, that you may be filled with all the Fulness of God.
Secondly, This may reprehend and sharply reprove, such Christians that doubt of the Love of Christ; especially those who affirm, that justified and sanctified Persons may for ever lose his Love and ⟨p. 202⟩perish; for this renders his Love mutable and changeable, according as the Love of Mortals change one towards another.
Thirdly, and lastly, What Comfort and Consolation doth this afford to all true Christians?
But I must proceed to the next Argument, to prove, That Saints shall not, cannot finally fall so as to perish.
