The Fountain of Life Opened

First, This admirable patience and meekness of Christ, was the fruit and off-spring of his perfect Holiness. His nature was free from those corruptions, that ours groan and labour under; otherwise he could never have carried it at this rate. Take the meek Moses, who excelled all others in that grace; and let him be tried in that very grace, wherein he excels, and see how unadvisedly he may speak with his Lips, Psal. 106.33. Take a Job, whose famous patience is trumpeted, and resounded over all the world; ye have heard of the patience of Job. And let him be tried by outward, and inward troubles meeting upon him in one day; and even a Job may curse the day when he was born. Envy, revenge, discontent, despondencies, are weeds naturally springing up in the corrupt soil of our sinful natures. I saw a little Child grow pale with envy,¹ said Austin. And the Spirit that is in us lusteth unto envy, (saith the Apostle) Jam. 4.5. The principles of all these evils being in our natures, they will show themselves in time of Trial. The old man is fretful and passionate. But it was otherwise with Christ. His nature was like a pure Crystal Glass full ⟨p. 391⟩of pure Fountain water; which though shaken and agitated never so much, cannot show, because it hath no dregs. The Prince of this world cometh, and hath nought in me, Joh. 14.30. No principle of corruption, for a handle to temptation. Our High Priest was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, Heb. 7.26.

First, This admirable patience and meekness of Christ, was the fruit and off-spring of his perfect Holiness. His nature was free from those corruptions, that ours groan and labour under; otherwise he could never have carryed it at this rate. Take the meek Moses, who excell'd all others in that grace; and let him be tryed in that very grace, wherein he excells, and see how unadvisedly he may speak with his Lips,