The fountain opened, or, The great gospel privilege of having Christ exhibited to sinful…The fountain opened, or, The great gospel priviledge of having Christ exhibited to sinfull…

1. We have here a Rule to judge of the Efficacy of the Gospel in the dispensation of it▪ The• is a great deal of reason why the People • God should observe, not only who enjoy ⟨p. 141⟩[…] Gospel in which Christ is opened to men, ••d where it is that Christ is most clearly and •stinctly declared in his whole work; but al• what fruit or efficacy there is of it; how •r the virtue of this fountain for the ends of •• being opened, is made evident by the effects •f it upon men: and though the work of Application, wherein Christ is made to us Righteousness and Sanctification, for the pardoning ••d cleansing of our sin, be a secret work, and • man can certainly know it of another, ex•pt by extraordinary Revelation; and though •• things which are the concomitants of this, ••d evidence to it, viz. A spirit of mourning ••d supplication, are not so obvious, but that •• may be mistaken about them, inasmuch • there may be secret Prayer, and bewailing • sin, that is sincere, and accepted with God, which makes no noise; and there may be a •ew of much of this, but whether it be sincere, ••d proceeds from such a spirit given to us, •• be judged of only Charitably; yet there • usually so much to be discerned on is account, by such as observe the times, as ay make the hearts of such as fear God, Glad Sad, and many times there are too awful idences of the general prevailing of the contrary spirit, by the notorious appearance of ch things as are inconsistent with this. If e speak on a public account, when God inds to pour out much grace upon a People,