A39663:1264
The Fountain of Life Opened
The fountain of life opened, or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory wherein the impetration of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun, carried on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious incarnation, solemn call and dedication ... / by John Flavell ...The fountain of life opened, or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory wherein the impetration of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun, carryed on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious incarnation, solemn call and dedication ... / by John Flavell ...
London: printed for Rob. White, 1673
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.
Inference 1.
1Have the believing meditations of Christ, and his sufferings such heart melting influences, then sure there is but little faith among men. Our dry eyes and hard hearts, are evidences against us, that we are strangers to the sighs of faith.
- 1Infer. 2.
God be merciful to the hardness of your hearts. How is Christ and his love flighted among men! How shallow doth his blood run to some eyes! Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes fountains of tears for this! What monsters are carnal hearts! We are as if God had made us without affections. As if all ingenuity and tenderness were dried up. Our ears are so accustomed to the sounds of Christ, and his blood; than now they are become as common things. If a child die we can mourn over our dead; but who mourns for Christ as for an only Son? We may say of faith, when men and women sit so unaffected under the Gospel, as Martha said of Christ, concerning her brother Lazarus, if thou (precious faith) hadst been here, so many hearts had not been dead this day, and in this duty. Faith is that burning-glass which contracts the beams of the grace, and love, and wisdom, and power of Jesus Christ together; reflects these on the heart, and makes it burn; but without it, we feel nothing savingly.
God be merciful to the hardness of your hearts. How is Christ and his love flighted among men! How shallow doth his blood run to some eyes! Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes fountains of tears for this! What monsters are carnal hearts! We are as if God had made us without affections. As if all ingenuity and tenderness were dried up. Our ears are so accustomed to the sounds of Christ, and his blood; than now they are become as common things. If a child die we can mourn over our dead; but who mourns for Christ as for an only Son? We may say of faith, when men and women sit so unaffected under the Gospel, as Martha said of Christ, concerning her brother Lazarus, if thou (pretious faith) hadst been here, so many hearts had not been dead this day, and in this duty. Faith is that burning-glass which contracts the beams of the grace, and love, and wisdom, and power of Jesus Christ together; reflects these on the heart, and makes it burn; but without it, we feel nothing savingly.