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. Do it mournfully. Dry addresses to God are insignificant things, and will find no acceptance. Beg of God then to bestow such a Spirit upon you, and labour to express it with all suitable deportment. Labour therefore to embitter your Sin to your selves, with all the proper considerations that may make it vile, and fill you with the deepest sense of your misery by reason of it. This is the only way for you to give God his glory both of his Righteousness in condemning you, and his rich mercy in pardoning and healing you. You will never come humbly, unless you come mourning: and this is the way to obtain the blessing from him. God takes distinct notice of this, and he is pleased with it; see, Jer. 31. 18, with 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, &c. Is Ephraim my dear Son? &c. And ⟨p. 163⟩we find that Christ was anointed purposely for the relief of such, Isa. 61. begin.

2. Do it with Supplications. If ever God giveth you the experience of the virtue of the Fountain in you, for the taking away of your Sin and Uncleanness, he will make you to pray for it; he hath said, Ezek. 36. 37. I will be sought to, &c. Seek his face and favour, confess your sins, and keep not silence; seek to him in Christ's name, and present your petition before him: this is the right returning to God, Joel 2. 12. By thus doing you will acknowledge Christ to be the Fountain of Grace, when you do seek it of him, and call upon him for it. And for your encouragement, know it, that if you do indeed thus seek him, you shall find him. If a persecuting Saul prays to him, he observes it, and accepts it of him, Acts 9 11