The Fountain of Life
The Fountain of Life opened up: or, a display
of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory.
by John Flavel
Christ in his essential and primeval Glory
"Then I was by him, as one brought up with him; and I was
daily his delight, rejoicing always before him." Proverbs 8:30
These words are a part of that excellent commendation of
wisdom, by which in this book Solomon intends two things; first, Grace or
holiness, Prov 4:7. "Wisdom is the principal thing." Secondly, Jesus Christ,
the fountain of that grace: and look, as the former is renowned for its
excellency, Job 28:14, 15, so the latter, in this context, wherein the
Spirit of God describes the most blessed state of Jesus Christ, the wisdom
of the Father, from those eternal delights he had with his Father, before
his assumption of our nature: "Then was I by him," and was wholly swallowed
up, and spent in unspeakable delights and pleasures. Which delights were
twofold, (1.) The Father and Son delighted one in another (from which
delights the Spirit is not here excluded) without communicating that their
joy to any other, for no creature did then exist save in the mind of God,
verse 30. (2.) They delighted in the salvation of men, in the prospect of
that work, though not yet extant, verse 31. My present business lies in the
former, viz. the mutual delights of the Father and Son, one with and in
another; the account whereof we have in the text; wherein consider,
1. The glorious condition of the non-incarnated Son of
God, described by the person with whom his fellowship was, "Then was I by
him," or with him; so with him as never was any, in his very bosom, John
1:18, the only begotten Son was in the bosom of the Father, an expression of
the greatest dearness and intimacy in the world; as if he should say, enrapt
up in the very soul of his Father, embosomed in God.
2. This fellowship is illustrated by a metaphor, wherein
the Lord will stoop to our capacities, (as "One brought up with him"), the
Hebrew word "amon" is sometimes rendered a cunning workman, or curious
artist, as in Cant. 7:1, which is the same word. And indeed Christ showed
himself such an artist in the creation of the world; "For all things were
made by him, and without him there was nothing made, that was made," John
1:3. But Montanus, and others, render it nutritious; and so Christ is here
compared to a delightful child, spotting before its Father: the Hebrew root
"shachak", which our translation renders "rejoicing before him," signifies
to laugh, play, or rejoice; so that, look as parents delight to see their
children sporting before them, so did the Father delight in beholding this
darling of his bosom.
3. This delight is farther amplified by the perpetuity,
and uninterruptedness thereof; "I was day by day his delight, rejoicing
always before him." These delights of the Father and the Son one in another,
knew not a moment's interruption, or diminution: thus did these great and
glorious persons mutually let forth their fullest pleasure and delight, each
into the heart of the other; they lay as it were embosomed one in another,
entertaining themselves with delights and pleasures ineffable, and
inconceivable. Hence we observe,
DOCTRINE. That the condition and state of Jesus Christ
before his incarnation, was a state of the highest and most unspeakable
delight and pleasure, in the enjoyment of his Father.
John tells us he was in the bosom of his Father: to lie
in the bosom is the posture of dearest love, John 13:23. "Now there was
leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved:" but Christ
did not lean upon the Father's bosom, as that disciple did in his, but lay
in it: and therefore in Isa. 42:1, the Father calls him, "Mine elect in whom
my soul delights;" which is variously rendered; the Septuagint--whom my soul
takes, or wraps up: others--one that highly pleases and delights my very
soul: and 2 Cor. 8:9, he is said, in this estate, wherein I am now
describing him, to be rich: and, Phil. 2:7. "To be equal with God, and to be
in the form of God," (I. e.) to have all the glory and ensigns of the
majesty of God; and the riches which he speaks of, was no less than all that
God the Father has, John 16:14. "All that the Father has is mine:" and what
he now has in his exalted state, is the same he had before his humiliation,
John 17:5. Now to sketch out (as we are able) the unspeakable felicity of
that state of Christ, while he lay in that blessed bosom, I shall consider
it three ways, negatively, positively, and comparatively.
1. Let us consider that state negatively, by removing
from it all those degrees of abasement and sorrow which his incarnation
brought him under: as,
First, He was not then abased to the condition of a
creature, which was a low step indeed, and that which upon the matter undid
him in point of reputation; for by this (says the apostle) "he made himself
of no reputation," Phil. 2:7, it emptied him of his glory. For God to be
made man, is such an abasement as none can express: but then not only to
appear in true flesh, but also in the likeness of sinful flesh, as. Rom.
8:3. O what is this!
Secondly, Christ was not under the law in this estate. I
confess it was no disparagement to Adam in the state of innocence, to angels
in their state of glory, to be under law to God; but it was an inconceivable
abasement to the absolute independent Being to come under law: yes, not only
under the obedience, but also under the malediction and curse of the law,
Gal. 4:4. "But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son,
made of a woman, made under the law."
Thirdly, In this state he was not liable to any of those
sorrowful consequent and attendants of that frail and feeble state of
humanity, which he afterwards assumed, with the nature. As, (1.) He was
unacquainted with griefs; there was no sorrowing or sighing in that bosom
where he lay, though afterwards he became a man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief," Isa. 53:3. "A man of sorrows," as if he had been constituted
and made up of pure and unmixed sorrows; every day conversing with griefs,
as with his intimate companions and acquaintance. (2.) He was never pinched
with poverty and wants, while he continued in that bosom, as he was
afterwards, when he said, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air
have nests, but the Son of man has not where to lay his head," Matth. 8:20.
Ah blessed Jesus! you need not to have wanted a place to have lain your
head, had you not left that bosom for my sake. (3.) He never underwent
reproach and shame in that bosom, there was nothing but glory and honor
reflected upon him by his Father, though afterwards he was despised, and
rejected of men, Isa 53:3. His Father never looked upon him without smiles
and love, delight and joy, though afterwards he became a reproach of men,
and despised of the people, Psalm 22:6. (4.) His holy heart was never
offended with an impure suggestion or temptation of the Devil; all the while
he lay in that bosom of peace and love, he never knew what it was to be
assaulted with temptations to be besieged and battered upon by unclean
spirits, as he did afterwards, Mat. 4:1, "Then was Jesus led up of the
spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil." It was for our sakes
that he submitted to those exercises of spirit, "to be in all points tempted
like as we are, that he might be unto us a merciful and faithful
high-priest, Heb. 4:15. (5.) He was never sensible of pains and tortures in
soul or body, there were no such things in that blessed bosom where he lay,
though afterwards he groaned and sweat under them, Isa. 53:5. The Lord
embraced him from eternity, but never wounded him until he stood in our
place and room (6.) There were no hidings or withdrawings of his Father from
him; there was not a cloud from eternity upon the face of God, until Jesus
Christ had left that bosom. It was a new thing to Christ to see frowns in
the face of his Father; a new thing for him to cry, "My God, my God, why
have you forsaken me?" Mat. 27:46. (7.) There were never any impressions of
his Fathers wrath upon him, as there were afterwards: God never delivered
such a bitter cup into his hands before, as that was, Matth. 26:39. Lastly,
There was no death, to which he was subject, in that bosom. All these things
were new things to Christ; he was above them all, until for our sakes he
voluntarily subjected himself unto them. Thus you see what that state was
not.
2. Let us consider it positively, what it was, and guess
by some particular considerations (for indeed we can but guess) at the glory
of it; as, (1.) We cannot but conceive it to be a state of matchless
happiness, if we consider the persons enjoying and delighting in each other:
he was with God, John 1:1. God, you know, is the fountain, ocean and center
of all delights and joys: Psalm. 16:11, "In your presence is fullness of
joy." To be enrapt up in the soul and bosom of all delights, as Christ was,
must needs be a state transcending apprehension; to have the fountain of
love and delight letting out itself so immediately, and fully, and ever
lastingly, upon this only begotten darling of his soul, so as it never did
communicate itself to any; judge what a state of transcendent felicity this
must be. Great persons have great delights.
(2.) Or if we consider the intimacy, dearness, yes,
oneness of those great persons one with another: the nearer the union, the
sweeter the communion. Now Jesus Christ was not only near and dear to God,
but one with him; I and my Father are one," John 10:30, one in nature, will,
love and delight. There is indeed a moral union of souls among men by love,
but this was a natural oneness, no child is so one with his father, no
husband so one with the wife of his bosom, no friend so one with his friend,
no soul so one with its body, as Jesus Christ and his Father were one. O
what matchless delights must necessarily flow from such a blessed union!
(3.) Consider again the purity of that delight with which
the blessed Father and Son embraced each other; the best creature delights
one in another, are mixed, debased, and allayed; if there be something
ravishing and engaging, there is also something cloying and distasteful. The
purer any delight is, the more excellent. Now, there are no crystal streams
flowing so purely from the fountain, no beams of light so unmixed from the
sun, as the loves and delights of these holy and glorious persons were: the
holy, holy, holy Father embraced the thrice holy Son with a most holy
delight and love.
(4.) Consider the constancy of this delight; it was from
everlasting, as in verse 23, and from eternity; it never suffered one
moment's interruption. The overflowing fountain of God's delight and love
never stopped its course, never ebbed; but as he speaks in the text, "I was
daily his delight, rejoicing always before him." Once more, consider the
fullness at that delight, the perfection of that pleasure; I was delights:
so the word is in its original; not only plural, delights, all delights, but
also in the abstract, delight itself: as afterwards from the abundance of
his sorrows, he was called, a man of sorrows, so here, from the fullness of
his delights: as though you should say, even constituted and made up of
pleasure and delight.
3. Once more, let us consider it comparatively, and this
state still yet appear more glorious, comparing it with either the choicest
delights that one creature takes in another, or that God takes in the
creature, or that the creatures take in God: measure these immense delights,
between the Father and his Son, by either of these lines, and you shall find
them infinitely short: For, (1.) Though the delights that creatures take in
each other, be sometimes a great delight; such was Jacob's delight in
Benjamin, whose life is said to be bound up in the lad's life, a dear and
high expression, Gen. 44:30. Such was that of Jonathan in David, whose soul
was knit with his soul, "and he loved him as his own soul," 1 Sam. 13:1, and
such is the delight of one friend in another: "there is a friend that is as
a man's own soul," Deut. 13:6, yet all this is but creature-delight, and can
in no particular equal the delights between the Father and the Son; for this
is but a finite delight, according to the measure and abilities of
creatures, but that is infinite, suitable to the infinite perfection of the
divine Being; this is always mixed, that perfectly pure. (2.) Or if you
compare it with the delight that God takes in the creatures, it is confessed
that God takes great delight in some creatures. "The Lord takes pleasure in
his saints, he rejoices over them with singing! and rests in his love," Zeph.
3:17; Isa. 62:5. But yet there is a great difference between his delight in
creatures, and his delights in Christ; for all his delight in the saints is
secondary, and for Christ's sake; but his delights in Christ are primary,
and for his own sake: we are accepted in the beloved, Eph, 1:6, he is
beloved, and accepted for himself. (3.) To conclude, compare it once more
with the delights that the best of creatures take in God, and Christ, and it
must be confessed that is a choice delight, and a transcendent love, with
which they love and delight in him; Psalm. 73:25. "Whom have I in heaven but
you? and on earth there is none I desire besides you." What pangs of love,
what raptures of delight did the spouse express to Christ? "O you whom my
soul loves!" But surely our delight in God is no perfect rule to measure his
delight in Christ by: for our love to God (at the best) is still imperfect;
that is the burden and constant complaint of saints, but this is perfect;
ours is inconstant, up and down, ebbing and flowing, but this is constant.
So then, to conclude, the condition and state of Jesus Christ before his
incarnation, was a state of the highest and matchless delight, in the
enjoyment of his Father. The uses follow.
Use of Information.
INFERENCE 1.
What an astonishing act of love was this then, for the
Father to give the delight, the darling, of his soul, out of his very bosom,
for poor sinners! all tongues must needs pause and falter, that attempt the
expressions of his grace, expressions being here swallowed up: "God so loved
the world, that he gave his only begotten Son," John 3:16. So loved them:
how did he love them? nay, here you must excuse the tongues of angels; which
of us would deliver a child, the child of our delights, an only child, to
death for the greatest inheritance in the world? what tender parent can
endure a parting pull with such a child? when Hagar was taking her last
leave (as she thought) of her Ishmael, Gen. 21:16. the text says, "she went
and sat over against him, a good way off: for she said, Let me not see the
death of the child. And she sat over-against him, and lift up her voice, and
wept:" though she were none of the best of mothers, nor he the best of
children, yet she could not give up the child. O it was hard to part! what
an outcry did David make, even for an Absalom! wishing he had died for him.
What a hole (as I may say) has the death of some children made in the hearts
of some parents, which will never be closed up in this world! yet surely,
never did any child lie so close to a parent's heart, as Christ did to his
Father's; and yet he willingly parts with him, though his only one, the Son
of his delights, and that to death, a cursed death, for sinners, for the
worst of sinners. O miranda Dei philanthropic! O the admirable love of God
to men! matchless love! a love past finding out! Let all men, therefore, in
the business of their redemption, give equal glory to the Father with the
Son, John 5:23. If the Father had not loved you, he had never parted with
such a Son for you.
INFERENCE 2.
From one wonder let our souls turn to another, for they
are now in the midst of wonders: adore, and be forever astonished at the
love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners; that ever he should consent to leave
such a bosom, and the ineffable delights that were there, for such poor
worms as we are. O the heights, depths, lengths, and breadths of
unmeasurable love! O see, Rom. 5:6, 7, 8. Read, and wonder; how is the love
of Christ commended in ravishing circumstances to poor sinners! You would be
loth to leave a creature's bosom, a comfortable dwelling, a fair estate for
the best friend in the world; your souls are loth to leave their bodies,
though they have no such great content there; but which of you, if ever you
found by experience what it is to be in the bosom of God by divine
communion, would be persuaded to leave such a bosom for all the good that is
in the world? And yet Jesus Christ who was embraced in that bosom after
another manner than ever you were acquainted with, freely left it, and laid
down the glory and riches he enjoyed there, for your sakes; and as the
Father loved him; even so (believers) has he loved you, John 17:22. What
manner of love is this! Who ever loved as Christ loves? Who ever denied
himself for Christ, as Christ denied himself for us?
INFERENCE 3.
Hence we are informed, That interest in Jesus Christ is
the true way to all spiritual preferment in heaven. Do you covet to be in
the heart, in the favor and delight of God? Get interest in Jesus Christ,
and you shall presently be there. What old Israel said of the children of
his beloved Joseph, Your children are my children; the same God says of all
the dear children of Christ, Gen. 48:5, 9. You see among men, all things are
carried by interest: persons rise in this world as they are befriended;
preferment goes by favor: So it is in heaven, persons are preferred
according to their interest in the beloved, Eph. 1:9. Christ is the great
favorite in heaven: his image upon your souls and his name in your prayers,
makes both accepted with God.
INFERENCE 4.
How worthy is Jesus Christ of all our love and delights?
You see how infinitely the Father delights in him, how he ravishes the heart
of God; and shall he not ravish our hearts? I present you a Christ this day,
able to ravish any soul that will but view and consider him. O that you did
but see this lovely Lord Jesus Christ! Then would you go home sick of love:
surely he is a drawing Savior, John 12:32. Why do you lavish away your
precious affections upon vanity: None but Christ is worthy of them: when you
spend your precious affections upon other objects, what is it but to dig for
dross with golden mattocks? The Lord direct our hearts into the love Of
Christ. O that our hearts, loves and delights did meet and center with the
heart of God in this most blessed object! O let him that left God's bosom
for you, be embosomed by you, though yours be nothing to God's; he that left
God's bosom for you, deserves yours.
INFERENCE 5.
If Christ be the beloved darling of the Father's soul,
think what a grievous and insufferable thing it is to the heart of God, to
see his dear Son despised, slighted, and rejected by sinners: verily, there
is no such cut to the heart of God in the whole world. Unbelievers trample
upon God's darling, tread under foot him that eternally lay in his bosom,
Heb. 10:29. Smite the Apple of his eye, and how God will bear this, that
parable, Mat. 21:37, to 40, will inform you, surely he will miserably
destroy such wretched sinners. If you would study to do God the greatest
despite, there is none like this. What a dismal word is that; 1 Cor. 16:22.
"If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha,"
(I. e.) let the great curse of God lie upon that man until the Lord come. O
sinners! you shall one day know the price of this sin; you shall feel what
it is to despise a Jesus, that is able to compel love from the hardest
heart. O that you would slight him no more! O that this day your hearts
might fall in love with him! I tell you, if you would set your love to sale,
none bids so fair for it as Christ.
2. Use of Exhortation
1. To saints: If Christ lay eternally in this bosom of
love, and yet was content to forsake and leave it for your sakes; then, (1.)
Be you ready to forsake and leave all the comforts you have on earth for
Christ: famous Galleacius left all for this enjoyment. Moses left all the
glory of Egypt: Peter, and the other Apostles left all, Luke 18:28. But what
have we to leave for Christ in comparison of what he left for us? Surely
Christ is the highest pattern of self-denial in the world. (2.) Let this
confirm your faith in prayer: If he, that has such an interest in the heart
of God, intercede with the Father for you, then never doubt of audience and
acceptance with him; surely you shall be accepted through the beloved, Eph.
1:6. Christ was never denied anything that he asked, John 11:42. The Father
hears him always; though you are not worthy, Christ is, and he ever lives to
make intercession for you, Heb. 7:25.
(3.) Let this encourage your heart, O saint, in a dying
hour, and not only make you patient in death, but in a holy manner impatient
until you be gone; for where is your soul now going, but to that bosom of
love whence Christ came? John 17:24. "Father, I will that they also, whom
you have given me, be with me where I am:" and where is he but in that bosom
of glory and love where he lay before the world was? ver. 5. O then let
every believer encourage his soul; comfort you one another with these words,
I am leaving the bosom of a creature, I am going to the bosom of God.
2. To sinners, exhorting them to embrace the bosom-son of
God: Poor Wretches! Whatever you are, or have been; whatever guilt or
discouragement at present you lie under; embrace Christ, who is freely
offered to you, and you shall be as dear to God as the holiest and most
eminent believer in the world: but if you still continue to despise and
neglect such a Savior, sorer wrath is treasured up for you than other
sinners, even something worse than dying without mercy, Heb. 10:28. O that
these discoveries and overtures of Christ may never come to such a fatal
issue with any of your souls, in whose eyes his glory has been this day
opened!