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 ...

DOCT. 2. That the believing meditation of what Christ Suffered for us,* 1.1 is of great force and efficacy to melt and break the heart.

It is the Promise, Zach. 12.10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only Son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born. Ponder seriously here the Spring and Motive, They shall look upon me. It's the eye of Faith that melts and breaks the heart. The effect of such a sight of Christ, they shall look and mourn. Be in bitterness, and sorrow. True Repentance is a drop out of the eye of Faith.

And the measure or degree of that sorrow, caused by a believing view of Christ. To express which, two of the fullest instances of grief we read of, are borrowed. That of a tender Father, mourning over a dear and only Son. That of the people of Israel, mourning over Iosiah that peerless Prince, in the valley of Megiddo.

Now to shew you how the believing meditation of Christ, and his suffering, comes kindly and savingly to break and melt down the gracious heart; I shall propound these four considerations of the heart breaking efficacy of Faith, eyeing a Crucified Jesus.

First, The very reallizing of Christ and his sufferings by Faith, is a most affecting and melting thing. Faith is a true Glass [ 1] that represents all those his sufferings, and agonies to the Life. It presents them not as a fiction, or idle tale▪ but as a true and faithful Narative. This (saith Faith) is a true and faithful saying, that Christ was not only cloathed in our flesh. He that is over all, God blessed for ever; the only Lord, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth become a man; but it is also most certain, that in this body of his flesh, he grappled with the infinite wrath of God. Which fill'd his soul with horror, and amaze∣ment. That the Lord of Life, did hang dead upon the Tree. That he went as a Lamb to the slaughter. And was as a Sheep dumb before the Shearer. That he endured all this, and more than

any finite understanding can comprehend in my room and stead. For my sake he there groaned and bled. For my Pride, Earthli∣ness, Lust, Unbelief, hardness of Heart, he endured all this. I say to reallize the sufferings of Christ thus, is of great power to affect the coldest, dullest heart. You cannot imagine the diffe∣rence there is in presenting things as realities, with convincing and satisfying evidences; and our looking on them as a fiction or uncer∣tainty.

[ 2] Secondly, But Faith can apply, as well as reallize, and if it do so, it must needs overcome the heart.

Ah, Christian, canst thou look upon Jesus as standing in thy room; to bear the wrath of a Deity for thee? Canst thou think on it, and not melt? That when thou like Isaac wast bound to the Al∣tar, to be offered up to Justice; Christ like the Ram, was caught in the Thicket; and offered in thy room. When thy sins had raised a fearful tempest, that threatned every moment to entomb thee in a Sea of wrath; Iesus Christ was thrown over to appease that storm. Say, Reader, can thy heart dwell one hour upon such a Subject as this? Canst thou with Faith present Christ to thy self, as he was taken down from the Cross; drencht in his own blood, and say, these were the wounds that he received for me. This is he that loved me, and gave himself for me. Out of these wounds comes that balm that heals my soul. Out of these stripes, my peace. When we hang'd upon the Cross, he bore my name upon his breast, like the high Priest. It was love, pure love, strong love to my poor soul, to the soul of an enemy, that drew him down from Heaven; and all the glory he had there, to endure these sorrows in soul and body for me.

Oh you cannot hold up your hearts long to the piercing thoughts of this; but your bowels will be pained, and like Ioseph, you will seek a place to vent your hearts in.

[ 3] Thirdly, Faith cannot only reallize and apply Christ and his death,, but it can reason and conclude such things from his death, as will fill the soul with affection to him, and break the heart in pieces in his presence. When it views Christ as Dead, it Infers; is Christ dead for me, then was I dead in Law. Sentenced and con∣demned to die eternally, 2 Cor. 5.14. If one die for all, then were all dead. How woful was my case, when the Law had past, Sentence on me? I could not be sure when I lay down, but that it might be executed before I rose. Nothing but a puff of breath be∣twixt my soul and Hell.

Again, is Christ dead for me, then I shall never die. If he be condemned, I am acquitted. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It's God that justifieth, it's Christ that died, Rom. 8.34. My soul is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler. I was condemned, but am now cleared. I was dead, but am now alive. O the unsearchable riches of grace! O Love past finding out!

Again,* 1.2 did God give Christ to such miseries and sufferings for me, how shall he withhold any thing now from me? He that spared not his own Son, will doubtless with him freely give me all things, Rom. 8.32. Now I may rest upon him for pardon, peace, accep∣tance, and glory for my soul. Now I may relie upon him safely, for provision, protection, and all supplies for my body. Christ is the root of all these mercys. He is more than all these, he is nearer and dearer to God, than any other gift. Oh what a blessed, happy▪ comfortable state hath he now brought my soul into!

To conclude, did Christ endure all these things for me, then it's past doubt he will never leave, nor forsake me. It cannot be that after he hath endured all this, he will cast off the souls for whom he endured it. Here the soul is Evangelically broken by the con∣siderations of the mercys which emerge and flow to it, out of the Sea of Christs blood.

Fourthly, and Lastly, Faith cannot only reallize, apply, and [ 4] Infer, but it can also compare the love of Christ in all this, both with his dealings with others, and with the souls dealing with Christ, who so loved it. To compare Christs dealings with others, is most affected. He hath not dealt with every one, as with me. Nay, few there are that can speak of such mercies as I have from him. How many are there that have no part, nor portion in his blood? That must bear that wrath in their own persons, that he bare himself for me! He hath kissed me, over other mens shoulders. He hath reached a pardon to me, over other mens heads. He espied me out, and singled me forth to be the object of his love, leaving thousands and millions, still unreconciled. Not that I was better than they, for I was the greatest of sinners. Far from righteousness. As unlikely as any to be the object of such grace and love. My companions in sin are left, and I taken. Now the soul is full. The heart grows big, too big to contain it self.

Yea, Faith helps the soul to compare the love of Christ to it, with the returns it ha••h made to him, for that love. And what, my soul, hath thy carriage to Christ been, since this grace that wants a name appeared to thee? Hast thou returned love for love? Love suitable to such love? Hast thou prized, valued, and esteem∣ed this Christ, according to his own worth in himself, or his kind∣ness to thee? Ah no, I have grieved, pierced, wounded his heart, a thousand times since that, by my ingratitude. I have suffered every trifle to justle him out of my heart. I have neglected him a thousand times, and made him say, is this thy kindness to thy friend? Is this the reward I shall have for all that I have done, and suffered for thee? Wretch that I am, how have I requited the Lord! this shames, humbles, and breakes the heart.

And when from such sights of faith, and considerations as these, the heart is thus affected; it affords a good argument indeed, that thou art gone beyond all the attainments of temporary believers. Flesh and blood hath not revealed this.

Inference 1.

* 1.3Have the believing meditations of Christ, and his sufferings such heart melting influences, then sure there is but little faith among men. Our dry eyes and hard hearts, are evidences against us, that we are strangers to the sighs of faith.

God be merciful to the hardness of your hearts. How is Christ and his love flighted among men! How shallow doth his blood run to some eyes! Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes fountains of tears for this! What monsters are carnal hearts! We are as if God had made us without affections. As if all in∣genuity and tenderness were dried up. Our ears are so accustomed to the sounds of Christ, and his blood; than now they are become as common things. If a child die we can mourn over our dead; but who mourns for Christ as for an only Son? We may say of faith, when men and women sit so unaffected under the Gospel, as Martha said of Christ, concerning her brother Lazarus, if thou (pretious faith) hadst been here, so many hearts had not been dead this day, and in this duty. Faith is that burning-glass which contracts the beams of the grace, and love, and wisdom, and power of Jesus Christ together; reflects these on the heart, and makes it burn; but without it, we feel nothing savingly.

Inference 2.

Have the believing meditations of Christ,* 1.4 and his sufferings, such heart melting influences; the surely, then proper order of rai∣sing the affections, is to begin at the exercise of faith. It grieves me to see how many poor Christians tug at their own dead hearts, endeavouring to raise and affect them, but cannot. They com∣plain, and strive; strive and complain; pump and draw, but no love to the Lord comes; no brokenness of heart comes. They go to this ordinance and that; to one duty and another; hoping that now the Lord will affect it and fill the sails: but come back disap∣pointed, and ashamed like the troops of Tema. Poor Christian, hear me one word; possibly it may do thy business, and stand thee in more stead than all the methods thou hast yet used. If thou wouldst indeed get an heart Evangelically melted for sin, and broken with the kindly sense of the grace and love of Christ; thy way is not to force thy affections, nor to vex thy self, and go about complaining of an hard heart; but set thy self to believe, reallize, apply, infer, and compare by faith as you have been di∣rected: and see what this will do. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn. This is the true way, and proper method to raise the heart, and break it.

Inference 3.

Is this the way to get a truly broken heart,* 1.5 then let those that have attained brokenness of heart this way, bless the Lord whilst they live, for so choice a mercy; And that upon a double account.

First, For as much as an heart so affected and melted, is not at∣tainable by any natural or unrenewed person. If they would give all they have in the world, it cannot purchase one such tear, or groan over Christ. Mark what characters of special grace it bears in the description that's made of it, in that forementioned place, Zech. 12.10. Such a frame as this is not born with us, or to be acqui∣red by us; for it's there said to be poured out by the Lord upon us; I will pour on them, &c. There's no hypocrisie or dissimula∣tion in these mournings, for they are compared to the mourning of a man for his only Son. And sure the hearts of parents are not untouched, when they behold such sights.

Nature is not the principle of it, but faith; For it's there said, they shall look on me, (i. e.) believe and mourn. Self is not the end and center of these sorrows. It is not so much for damn∣ing our selves, as for piercing Christ: they shall look on me whom they have pierced, and shall mourn, so that this is sorrow after God, and not a flash of nature, as was discoursed from the former point. And therefore you have cause to bless the Lord whilst you live, for such a special mercy as this is. And,

Secondly, As it's the right, so it is the choisest and most preti∣ous gift that can be given you; for it's rancked among the prime mercies of the new Covenant. Ezek. 36.26. This shall be the Covenant. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. What wouldst thou have given sometimes for such an heart as now thou hast, though it be not yet as thou wouldst have it? And however you value and esteem it, God himself sets no common value on it: for mark what he ••aith of it, Psal. 51.17. the sacrifices of God are a broken heart, a broken and a contrite spirit, O God, thou wilt not despise, (i. e.) God is more delighted with such an heart than all the sacrifices in the world. One groan, one tear, flowing from faith, and the spirit of Adoption, is more to him, than the Cattle upon a thousand hills. And to the same sense he speaks again, Isai. 66.1, 2. Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build to me? and where is the place of my rest? — but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trem∣bleth at my word; q. d. all the magnificent Temples, and glori∣rious structures in the world, give me no pleasure in comparison of such a broken heart as this.

Oh then, for ever bless the Lord, that hath done that for you, which none else could do. And what he hath done but for few besides you.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Doct. 2.
• * 1.2

  Qui misit fili∣um, immisit spiritum, promi∣si•• vultum; quid tandem denegabit? Prosp.
• * 1.3

  Infer. 2.
• * 1.4

  Infer. 2.
• * 1.5

  Infer. 3.