A39663:1875
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, It implies the souls true rest to be in God. See which way its motions and tendencies are, not only in life, but in death also. It bends to its God. It rolls, it even puts it self upon its God and Father: Father, into thy hands. God is the centre of all gracious Spirits. While they tabernacle here, they have no rest but in the bosom of their God. When they go hence, their expectation and earnest desires are to be with him. It had been working after God by gracious desires before, it had cast many a longing look heavenward before,1 but when the gracious soul comes near its God, (as it doth in a Dying hour) then it even throws it self into his arms. As a River that after many turnings and windings,2 at last is arrived to the Ocean; it pours it self with a central force into the bosom of the Ocean, and there finishes its weary course. Nothing but God can please it in this world, and nothing but God can give it content when it goes hence. It is not the amoenity of the place, whither the gracious soul is going, but the bosom of the blessed God who dwells there, that it so vehemently pants after. Not the Fathers house, but the Fathers arms and bosom. Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And o• earth there is none that I desire in comparison of thee, Psal. 73.24, 25.
Secondly, It implies the souls true rest to be in God. See which way its motions and tendencies are, not only in life, but in death also. It bends to its God. It rolls, it even puts it self upon its God and Father: Father, into thy hands. God is the center of all gratious Spirits. While they tabernacle here, they have no rest but in the bosom of their God. When they go hence, their expectation and earnest desires are to be with him. It had been working after God by gratious desires before, it had cast many a longing look heavenward before,1 but when the gratious soul comes near its God, (as it doth in a Dying hour) then it even throws it self into his arms. As a River that after many turnings and windings,