A39663:1407
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.
Secondly, As it was against the very terms of their admission, so it was against the very principles of Grace implanted by Christ in their hearts. They were holy sanctified persons in whom dwelt the love and fear of God. By these they were strongly inclined to adhere to Christ in the time of his sufferings, as appears by those honest resolves they had made in the case. Their Grace strongly inclined them to their Duty, their corruptions swayed them the contrary ⟨p. 373⟩way. Grace bid them stand, corruption bid them fly. Grace told them it was their Duty to share in the sufferings as well as in the glory of Christ. Corruption represented these sufferings as intolerable, and bid them shift for themselves whilst they might. So that here must needs be a force and violence offered to their light, and the loving constraints thereof, which is no small evil.
Secondly, As it was against the very terms of their admission, so it was against the very principles of Grace implanted by Christ in their hearts. They were holy sanctified persons in whom dwelt the love and fear of God. By these they were strongly inclined to adhere to Christ in the time of his sufferings, as appears by those honest resolves they had made in the case. Their Grace strongly inclined them to their Duty, their corruptions sway'd them the contrary ⟨p. 373⟩way. Grace bid them stand, corruption bid them fly. Grace told them it was their Duty to share in the sufferings as well as in the glory of Christ. Corruption represented these sufferings as intolerable, and bid them shift for themselves whilst they might. So that here must needs be a force and violence offer'd to their light, and the loving constraints thereof, which is no small evil.
For though I grant it was a sudden surprising temptation, yet it cannot be imagined that this fact was wholly indeliberate, nor that for so long time they were without any debates or reasonings about their Duty.