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. 1. That ignorance is the usual cause of enmity to Christ.* 1.1

These things (saith our Lord) will they do, because they have not known the Father, nor me, Joh. 16.3. What things doth he mean? Why, kill and destroy the people of God, and therein suppose they do God good service, (i. e.) think to oblige and gra∣tifie the Father, by their butchering his Children. So Ier. 9.3. They proceed from evil, to evil; and have not known me saith the Lord, q. d. had they the knowledge of God, that would check and stop them in their ways of wickedness, and so Psal. 74.20. The dark places of the earth, are full of the habitations of cruelty.

Three things must be inquired into, sc. what their ignorance of Christ was. Whence it was. And how it disposed them to such enmity against him.

[ 1] First, What was their ignorance, who Crucified Christ? Ig∣norance is twofold, simple, or respective. Simple ignorance is not supposeable in these persons,* 1.2 for in many things they were a know∣ing people. But it was a respective particular ignorance, Rom. 11.25. Blindness in part, is happened to Israel. They knew many other truths, but did not know Jesus Christ. In that their eyes were held. Natural light they had. Yea, and Scripture light they had. But in this particular, that this was the Son of God, the Saviour of the world; therein they were blind and ig∣norant.

But how could that be? Had they not heard at least of his mira∣culous [ 2] works? Did they not see how his Birth, Life, and Death squar'd with the Prophesies both in time, place, and manner? Whence should this their ignorance be, when they saw or at least might have seen the Scriptures fulfill'd in him, and that he came among them in a time when they were big with expectations of the Messiah!

'Tis true indeed, they knew the Scriptures, and it cannot but be supposed the fame of his mighty works had reacht their ears; but yet,

First, Though they had the Scriptures among them, they mis∣understood them; and did not rightly measure Christ by that right rule. You find Ioh. 7.52. How they reason with Nicodemus against Christ, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and see; for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet. Here is a double mistake. First, they supposed Christ to arise out of Galilee, whereas he was of Bethlehem, though much conversant in the parts of Galilee. And secondly, they thought because they could find no Prophet had arisen out of Galilee, therefore none should.

Another mistake that blinded them about Christ, was from their conceit that Christ should not die, but live for ever, Ioh. 12.34. We have heard out of the Law, that Christ abideth for ever; and how sayest thou the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is the Son of man? That Scripture which probably they urge against the mortality of Christ, is Esa, 9.7. Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David, &c. In like manner, Ioh. 7.27. We find them in another mistake, We know this man whence he is, but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. This likely pro∣ceeded from their misunderstanding of Mica. 5.2. His going forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Thus were they blinded about the person of Christ by misinterpretations of Scripture-Pro∣phesies.

Secondly, Another thing occasioning their mistake of Christ was the outward meanness, and despisableness of his condition. They expected a pompous Messiah, one that should come with State, and Glory becoming the King of Israel. But when they saw him in the form of a Servant, coming in poverty, not to be ministred unto, but to minister: they utterly rejected him, We hid as it were our faces from him, he was despised, and we esteemed him not, Isa. 53.3.

Nor is it any great wonder these should be scandalized at his pover∣ty. When the Disciples themselves, had such carnal apprehensi∣ons of his Kingdom, Mar. 10.37, 38.

Thirdly, Add to this their implicit faith in the Learned Rabbies and Doctors, who utterly misled them in this matter, and greatly prejudiced them against Christ. Lo (say they) he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing to him. Do the Rulers know in∣de••d that this is the very Christ? They pinn'd their faith upon the Rulers sleeves, and suffer'd them to carry it whether they would. This was their ignorance, and these its causes.

[ 3] Thirdly, Let us see in the next place, how this disposed them to such enmity against Christ. And this it doth three ways,

• First, Ignorance disposes men to enmity and opposition to Christ, by removing those hinderances that would otherwise keep them from it. As checks and rebukes of conscience, by which they are restrain'd from evil; but conscience binding and reproving in the Authority and vertue of the Law of God; where that Law is not known, there can be no reproofs, and therefore we truly say, that ignorance is virtually every sin.
• Secondly, Ignorance enslaves and subjects the soul to the Lusts of Satan; he is the Ruler of the darkness of this world, Eph. 6.12. There is no work so base and vile, but an ignorant man will under∣take it.
• Thirdly, Nay, which is more, if a man be ignorant of Christ, his truths, or people; he will not only oppose and persecute; but he will also do it conscientiously, (i. e.) he will look upon it as his duty so to do, Ioh. 16.3. Before the Lord open'd Pauls eyes, he verily thought that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Christ. Thus you have a brief account what, and whence their ignorance was, and how it disposed and prepar'd them for this dreadful work. Hence we learn,

Inference 1.

* 1.3How falsly is the Gospel charged as the cause of discord and trouble in the world. 'Tis not light, but darkness that makes men fierce and cruel. As light increases so doth peace, Isa. 11.6, 9. The Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard lie down with the Kid; and the Calf and the young Lyon, and the fatling together; and a little Child shall lead them, they

shall not hurt, nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea. What a sad condition would the world be in with∣out Gospel light! All places would be dens of rapine, and moun∣tains of prey. Certainly we owe much of our Civil Liberty, and outward tranquillity to Gospel light. If a sword, and variance at any time follow the Gospel, it's but an accidental not a direct and proper effect of it.

Inference 2.

How dreadful is it to oppose Christ and his truths knowingly,* 1.4 and with opened eyes? Christ pleads their ignorance as an Argu∣ment to procure their pardon. Paul himself was once fill'd with rage and madness, against Christ and his truths. It was well for him he did it ignoran••ly. Had he gone against his light and know∣ledge, there had been little hope of him, 1 Tim. 1.13. I was a Blasphemer, a Persecutor; and injurious; but I obtained mer∣cy, because I did it ignorantly, and in unbelief. I do not say it's simply impossible for one that knowingly, and malitiously opposes and persecutes Christ and his people, to be forgiven, but it is not usual, Heb. 6.4, 5. There are few instances of it.

Inference 3.

What an aweful Majesty sits upon the brow of holiness,* 1.5 that few dare to oppose it that see it! There are few or none so daringly wicked, to fight against it with open eyes, 1. Pet. 3.13. Who will harm you whilst ye are followers of that which is good, q. d. who dare be so hardy to set upon known godliness, or afflict and wrong the known friends of it. The true reason why many Christians speed so bad, is not because they are godly, but because they do not manifest the power of godliness more than they do. Their lives are so like the lives of others, that they are often mistaken for others. Cyprian brings in the wicked of his time thus scoffing at Professors.* 1.6 Behold they that boast themselves to be redeemed from the tyranny of Satan, and to be dead to the world; how are they overcome by the Lusts of it, as well as other men. Look as the poverty and meanness of Christs outward condition was a ground of their mi∣stake of him then, so the poverty and meanness of our love to God,

heavenly mindedness, and mortification to this world, is a dis∣guise to professors, and a cause why they are no more owned, and honoured in the Consciences of men at this day. For holiness ma∣nifested in its power, is so awefully glorious, that the Consciences of the vilest cannot but honour it, and do obeysance to it. Mark 6.20. Herod feared John, for he was a just man.

Inference 4.

* 1.7The enemies of Christ are objects of pity. Alas they are blind, and know not what they do. It's pity that any other affection than pity, should stir in our hearts towards them. Were their eyes but open, they would never do as they do. We should look upon them as the Physitian doth upon his sick distempered Patient. Did they but see with the same light you do, they would be as far from hating Christ or his waies as you are Simul ac de∣sinunt ignorare, desinunt odisse, as soon as they cease to be igno∣rant, they cease to hate saith Tertullian.

Inference 5.

* 1.8How needful is it before we engage our selves against any person or way, to be well satisfied and resolved that it is a wicked person or practice that we oppose? You see the world generally runs upon a mistake in this matter. O beware of doing you know not what. For though you do you know not what, Satan knows what he is doing for you. He blinds your eyes, and then sets you to work, knowing that if you should but see what you are doing, you would rather die, than do it. You may now do you know not what; but you may afterward have time enough to reflect on, and lament what you have done. You may now do you know not what, and hereafter you may not know what to do. O beware therefore what you do.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Doct. 1.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.3

  Infer. 1.
• * 1.4

  Infer. 2,
• * 1.5

  Infer. 3.
• * 1.6

  Ecce qui Ia∣ctant se redemp∣tos à Tyran••ide Satanae qui praedicant se moruos mundo, nihilominus cu∣piditatibus vin∣cuntur. Cypri,
• * 1.7

  Infer. 4. Multi m••••i oc∣currunt vino d••∣diti, Libidi••osi, ingrati, multi furiis ambitio∣ni•• agitati; omnia ista••tam propitius aspici∣et sapiens, quam aegros suos me∣dicus. Seneca de ira.
• * 1.8

  Infer. 5.