The fountain of life opened, or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory wherein the impetration of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun, carryed on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious incarnation, solemn call and dedication ... / by John Flavell ...

Vse 2.

Adore the love of the Father, and Son;* 1.1 who bid so high for your Souls: and at this rate were contented you should be re∣covered.

First, The love of the Father is herein admirably conspicu∣ous; [ 1] who so vehemently willed our salvation, that he is con∣tent to degrade the darling of his Soul: to so vile and contemp∣tible a state, which was upon the matter an undoing to him, in point of reputation: as the Apostle intimates, Phil. 2.7. If two persons be at variance, and the superiour, who also is the wronged person, begin to stoop first, and say, you have deeply wronged me, yea, your blood is not able to repair the wrongs you have done me: however such is my love to you, and will∣ingness to be at peace with you; that I will part with what is most dear to me in all the world, for peace sake, yea, though I stoop below my self, and seem as it were to forget my own relation and endearments to my own Son, I will not suffer such a breach betwixt me, and you, Ioh. 3.16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.

[ 2] And how astonishing is the love of Christ! that would make such a stoop as this,* 1.2 to exalt us! Oh 'tis ravishing to think that he should pass by a more excellent and Noble Species of Crea∣tures, refusing the Angellical nature, Heb. 2.16. To take Flesh. And not to * 1.3 solace and dispart himself in it neither; not to experience sensitive pleasures in the body; for as he needed them not, being at the Fountain head of the highest joys, so it was not at all in his design, but the very contrary; even to make himself a Subject capable of sorrows, wounds, and tears. It was as the Apostle elegantly expresseth it in Heb. 2.9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. That he might sensibly tast what relish Death hath, and what bitterness is in those pangs and agonies. Now O that you would get your hearts suitably imprest and affected with these high expressures, of the love both of the Fa∣ther and Son. How is the courage of some Noble Romans ce∣lebrated in the story, for the brave adventures they made for the Common-wealth! But they could never stoop as Christ did, being so infinitly below him in personal dignity.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vse 2.
• * 1.2

  Nullus jacen∣tem suscitat nisi inflectione sui Nierem.
• * 1.3

  Ideo carnem ass••mpsit, ut per patibile, id quod est impati∣bile passionem sustineret. Theod.