A39663:629
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.
First, Invaluably precious. So the Apostle stiles it, 1 Pet. 1.19. Ye were redeemed [Greek or Hebrew] with the precious blood of the Son of God. And such it behoved him to offer. For it being offered as an expiatory Sacrifice, it ought to be equivalent in its own intrinsic value, to all the souls and bodies that were to be redeemed by it. And so it was, and more also; for there was a redundancy of value, an overplus of merit, which went to make a purchase for the redeemed; as will be opened in its place. So that as one rich-Diamond, is more worth than a thousand Pebbles; one piece of Gold, than a many Counters; so the soul and body of one Christ, is much more excellent, than all the souls and bodies in the world.
First, Invaluably pretious. So the Apostle stiles it, 1 Pet. 1.19. Ye were redeemed 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 with the pretious blood of the Son of God. And such it behoved him to offer. For it being offered as an expiatory Sacrifice, it ought to be aequivalent in its own intrinsick value, to all the souls and bodies that were to be redeemed by it. And so it was, and more also; for there was a redundancy of value, an overplus of merit, which went to make a purchase for the redeemed; as will be opened in its place. So that as one rich-Diamond, is more worth than a thousand Pebbles; one piece of Gold, than a many Counters; so the soul and body of one Christ, is much more excellent, than all the souls and bodies in the world.
And yet, I dare not affirm as some do, that by reason of the infinite preciousness of Christs blood; one drop thereof had been sufficient to have redeemed the whole world:1 for if one drop had been enough, why was all the rest, even to the last drop shed? Was God cruel, to exact more from him than was needful and sufficient? Besides we must remember, that the passions of Christ which were inflicted on him as the curse of the Law; these only are the passions which are sufficient for our redemption from the curse of the Law; now, it was not a drop of blood, but death which was contained in the curse. This therefore was necessary to be inflicted. But surely as none but God can estimate the weight and evil of sin, so none but he can comprehend the worth and preciousness of the blood of Christ, shed to expiate it. And being so infinitely precious a thing which was offered up to God, it must,