Sacramental meditations upon divers select places of scripture

The eye of faith is a precious eye, and according to its various Aspects upon Christ, it produceth various effects upon the hearts of men. Eying Christ as our complete Righteousness, so it pacifies and quiets the heart; eying him as our pattern, so it directs and regulates our actions; eying him as our sacrifice, offered up to divine Justice for our sins, so it powerfully thaws the heart, and melts the affections.

The eye of faith is a precious eye, and according to its various Aspects upon Christ, it produceth various effects upon the hearts of men. Eying Christ as our compleat Righteousness, so it pacifies and quiets the heart; eying him as our pattern, so it directs and regulates our actions; eying him as our sacrifice, offer'd up to divine Justice for our sins, so it powerfully thaws the heart, and melts the affections.

By meltings, I do not only understand tears, as if they only were expressive of all spiritual sorrow; for it is possible the waters of sorrow may run deep in the heart, when the eye cannot yield a drop.

There be two things in Repentance, Trouble and Tears. The first is Essential, the last Contingent. The first flows from the influence of faith upon the soul; the last much depends upon the temper and constitution of the body. It is a mercy when our tears can flow from an heart filled with sorrow for sin, and love to Christ; and yet it often falls out that there is an heavy heart, where the eyes are dry. But that there is efficacy in faith to melt the ⟨p. 168⟩heart, by looking upon the sufferings of Christ for sin, is undoubted; and how it becomes so powerful an instrument to this end, I will show you in the following particulars.