A66100:361
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…
The fountain opened, or, The great gospel privilege of having Christ exhibited to sinful men wherein also is proved that there shall be a national calling of the Jews from Zech. XIII. I. / by Samuel Willard ...The fountain opened, or, The great gospel priviledge of having Christ exhibited to sinfull men wherein also is proved that there shall be a national calling of the Jews from Zech. XIII. I. / by Samuel Willard ...
printed by B. Green for Samuel Sewall Junior, 1700
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.
7. The best of men do deprecate the rigour of God in his animadverting upon them; which they would have no occasion to do, if they did not know themselves to be short of that perfection which they ought to seek after, and that the want of it belongs to the remaining sin in them. They do indeed hope in his Grace, and accordingly look to receive free Salvation from it; and they believe that this failing of theirs shall not hinder their partaking in it, because God hath laid in for their pardon and acceptance in another: but there is a way in which they come to have a title to this Salvation, and on account whereof they may claim it, according to, or consistent with the Justice of the first Covenant, under which they once were: and they dare not to put themselves on the trial of their own holiness for this, and the reason is, because they know it to be so short and defective, that if God should take advantage from what his holy eye sees to be wanting therein, he would have occasion and provocation offered him, to make severe animadversions upon them; on this account David so pleads, Psal. 130. 3, 4. If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities; O Lord, who should stand? but there is forgiveness with thee, ⟨p. 203⟩that thou mayst be feared. And makes that deprecation in, Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be Justified. And though they can plead their interest in his favour, from the evidence of their integrity, and comfort themselves in it; it being an effect of his distinguishing Grace in them, and having the promise secured to it; yet they dare not plead any personal Righteousness of their own, for the procuring of any favour for them, but renounce it, Dan. 9. 18. We do not present our Supplications before thee for our Righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. And for this reason the sense of these defects attending them, makes them oftentimes to tremble at the thoughts of Gods displeasure, Psal. 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy Judgments.