The Fountain of Life Opened

But the time of mercy is past, I have stood out too long. Yet, if it were so, how is it that Christ hath not made short work and cut me off. Set fire, Hell fire to my soul, and withdrawn the siege? Still he waiteth that he may be gracious, and is exalted that he may have compassion. A thousand such debates there are, till at last the soul considering, if it abide in rebellion, it must needs perish; if it go forth to Christ, it can but perish; and being somewhat encouraged by the messages of grace sent into the soul at this time, such as that, Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able to save to the ⟨p. 197⟩utmost all that come unto God by him. And that, Joh. 6.37. He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. And that, Matth. 11.28. Come unto me ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. It is at last resolved to open to Christ. And saith, stand open ye everlasting gates, and be ye opened ye everlasting doors; the King of glory shall come in. Now the will spontaneously opens to Christ. That fort Royal submits, and yields. And all the affections open to him. The will brings Christ the keys of all the rooms in the soul. Concerning this Triumphant entrance of Christ into the soul, we may say, as the Psalmist rhetorically speaks concerning the Triumphant entrance of Israel into Canaan, Psal. 114.5, 6. The Mountains skipped like Rams, and the little Hills like Lambs; what ailed thee O thou Sea, that thou fleddest? thou, Jordan that thou wast driven back? So here in a like rhetorical Triumph we may say, the Mountains and Hills skip like Rams, the fixed and obstinate Will, starts from its own basis, and centre. The Rocky heart rends in twain. A poor soul comes to the Word full of ignorance, pride, self-love, desperate hardness, and fixed resolutions to go on in its way. And by an hours discourse, the tide turns; Jordan is driven back. What aileth thee thou stout Will, that thou surrenderest to Christ? Thou hard heart, that thou relentest, and the waters gushed out! And thus the soul is won to Christ. He writes down his terms, and the soul willingly subscribes them. Thus it comes in to Christ by free and hearty submission: desiring nothing more than to come under the government of Christ, for time to come.