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 ...

Corollary. 2.

Hence also be informed of the necessity of faith,* 1.1 in order to a state and sense of peace with God. For to what purpose is the blood of Christ our sacrifice shed, unless it be actually and personally applyed,* 1.2 and appropriated by faith? You know when the sacrifices under the Law were brought to be slain; he that brought it, was to put his hand upon the head of his sacrifice, and so it was accepted from him, to make an attonement. Lev. 1.4. Not only to signifie, that now it was no more his, but Gods; the propriety being transferred by a kind of manumission; nor yet that he voluntarily gave it to the Lord, as his own free act; but principally it noted the putting off his sins, and the pe∣nalty due to him for them, upon the head of the sacrifice: and so it implyed in it an execration, as if he had said, upon thy head be the evil. So the Learned observe the Ancient Aegyptians were wont expresly to imprecate, when they sacrificed. If any evil be coming upon us, or upon Aegypt; let it turn and rest upon this head, laying their hand at these words on the sacrifices head. And upon that ground saith the Historian,* 1.3 none of them would

eat of the head of any living creature. You must also lay the hand of faith upon Christ your sacrifice, not to imprecate, but apply, and appropriate him to your own souls; he having been made a curse for you.

To this, the whole Gospel tends; even to perswade sinners to apply Christ, and his blood to their own souls. To this he invited us, Matth. 11.28. Come unto me ye that are weary and heavy laden; and I will give you rest. For this end our sacri∣fice was lifted up upon the Altar. Joh. 3.14, 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The Effects of the Law, not only up∣on the conscience, filling it with torments, but upon the whole person, bringing death upon it; are here shadowed out by the stingings of fiery Serpents; and Christ by the brazen Serpent which Moses exalted for the Israelites, that were stun•• to look unto. And as by looking to it, they were healed; so by belie∣ving, or looking to Christ in faith, our souls are healed. Those that looked not to the Brazen Serpent, died infallibly; so must all that look not to Jesus, our sacrifice, by faith. It's true,* 1.4 the death of Christ is the meritorious cause of remission, but faith is the instrumental applying cause: and as Christs blood is necessary in its place, so is our faith in its place also. For to the actual remission of sin, and peace of conscience; there must be a co-operation of all the causes of remission, and peace. As there is the grace and love of God, for an efficient, and impulsive cause; and the death of Christ our sacrifice, the me∣ritorious cause; so of necessity there must be faith, the instru∣mental cause. And these concauses do all sweetly meet in their influences, and activities; in our remission, and tranquility of conscience: and are all (suo genere) in their kind, and place absolutely necessary, to the procuring and applying of it.

What the near that the blood of Christ is shed, if I have no interest in it, no saving influences from it? O be convin∣vinced, this is the end, the business of life. Faith is the Phoe∣nix grace, as Christ is the Phoenix mercy. He is the gift, Joh. 4.10. And this is the work of God Ioh. 6.29. the death of Christ, the offers and tenders of Christ, never saved one soul in themselves, without believing application. But wo is me, how do I see sinners either not at all toucht with the sense of sin,

and so being whole need not the Physitian; or if any be s••••••g, and wounded with guilt, how do they lick themselves whole, with their own duties, and reformations! as Physitians say of wounds, let them but be kept clean, and nature will find balsom of its own, to heal them. If it be so in spiritual wounds, what need Christ to have left the Fathers bosom, and come down to dye in the quality and nature of a Sacrifice for us? O, if men can but have health, pleasure, riches, honours, and any way make a shift to still a brawling conscience, that it may not check, or interrupt them in these enjoyments: Christ may go where he will, for them.

And I am assured till God shew you the face of sin, in the glass of the Law. Make the Scorpions and fiery Serpents, that lurk in the Law, and in your own consciences, to come hissing about you, and smiting you with their deadly stings; till you have had some sick nights, and sorrowful days for sin, you will never go up and down seeking an interest in the blood of this sacrifice, with tears.

But Reader, if ever this be thy condition, then wilt thou know the worth of a Christ. Then thou wilt have a value for the blood of sprinkling. As I remember it's storied of our Crook-back Richard, when he was put to a rout in a field battel, and flying on foot from his pursuing enemies; he cried out, O now (said he) a Kingdom for a Horse. So wilt thou cry a Kingdom for a Christ. Ten thousand Worlds now if I had th••m, for the blood of sprinkling.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cor. 2.
• * 1.2

  Ponet••; manum, significa••s & se scelera sua poenamque iis & debitum; conjicere in ca∣put victimae. Ut Graecis 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 genus est imprecationis. Drusius, & Menochius.
• * 1.3

  Hero••. 2.39.
• * 1.4

  It is a rule, that where there is a to∣tal, and suf∣ficient cause in act; there the effect must needs follow. But if they be partial causes, then the causes which suce••d in order, do not produce their compleat effect, until the last cause be in act.