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…

3. It is by being united to Christ by faith that they come to partake in him. Union with Christ is the foundation of Communion with him, and faith is the bond of that Union on our part: he must dwell in us, in order to his communicating of his saving benefits to us, and how that is we are told, Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. Hence the Apostle propounds that solemn case, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know you not your own selves, how that Christ is in you, except ye are reprobates? It is by faith that we receive Christ; unbelief shuts him out, and so hinders us of all saving good by him; if we believe not in him, we shall never receive the wa•ers of li•e from him.

4. That they may thus believe in him, they must have him Opened to them. Faith is the act of a reasonable creature, and so it must have a ground for it, Paul can say. I know whom I have trusted, 2 Tim 1. 12 Hence,

1. He must be opened by Revelation. There must be a discovery m•de o• him to and in• the Soul, by which it may be certified of his fullness and suitableness; that he is able to answer the Souls wants, and to supply its needs, to fill its cravings, and remedy its miseries: ⟨p. 31⟩what else should move it to adventure its all upon him? it is therefore said,