A39663:498
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.
1First, The natural ignorance and blindness of men, in the things of God. This shows us that vain man is born as the wild Asses Colt.— The world is involved in darkness. The people sit as in the Region and shadow of Death, till Christ arise upon their Souls, Matth. 4.15, 16, 17. 'Tis true, in the state of innocence, man had a clear apprehension of the will of God without a Mediator; but now that light is quenched in the corruption of nature, and the natural man receiveth not the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. These things of God, are not only contrary to corrupt carnal reason, but they are also above right reason. Grace indeed useth nature, but nature can do nothing without grace. The mind of a natural man hath not only a native blindness, by reason whereof it cannot discern the things of the Spirit, but also a natural enmity, Rom. 8.7. And hates the light, 1 Joh. 3.19, 20. So that until the mind be healed, and enlightened by Jesus Christ, the natural faculty can no more discern the things of the spirit, than the sensitive faculty can discern the things of reason. The mysteries of nature may be discovered by the light of nature, but when it comes to the Supernatural mysteries; there omnis platonicorum caligavit subtilitas, as Cyprian some where speaks, the most subtle, searching, penetrating wit and reason, is stalled, and at a loss.
1First, The natural ignorance and blindness of men, in the things of God. This shewes us that vain man is born as the wild Asses Colt.— The world is involved in darkness. The people sit as in the Region and shadow of Death, till Christ arise upon their Souls, Matth. 4.15, 16, 17. 'Tis true, in the state of innocence, man had a clear apprehension of the will of God without a Mediator; but now that light is quencht in the corruption of nature, and the natural man receiveth not the things of God,