Promises 1 Joh 4.10 This is love worth pointing â—t Herein is love love in its eminency love in the flower of love that God loveth us that when we are not worthy that he should love us he should love us that we may be worthy 2 They who receive of his grace are ill-deserving The Sun of Gods love riseth upon the unjust They might look for troubles who behold peace they might expect frowns not favours smiting not smiling Should God bend his Bow and shoot his arrowes of displeasure at us we should yet be punished beneath our iniquities It is the Lords Mercies not only Mercy that we we who were in Adam Lam. 3 2â— who fell with Adam who derive a corrupt nature from Adam are not consumed much more that we are comforted that we are reprieved carryed by this Water of life from Hell much more that we are recovered carryed to Heaven They who receive of this Water of life are 1 Those who once left it This water followes them who forsake it This was one of the two great evils which all men in one committed Jer. 2.13 forsaking the Fountain of living Waters and that 1. Wilfully Man being left to the freedome of his own will chose evill rather then good Satan did counsell but could not compell Satan came in the shape of a Serpent not of a Lion 2. At the perswasion of Gods and mans greatest enemy This sounds high base that sacrifice should be offered to the filthy-ghost by man who was made a Temple for the holy Ghost that he who had God for his head should fall down at the Devils feet Man chose the father of lying rather then God who speaks righteousnesse 2 Those who still leave it Ps 66.18 Free grace overtakes them who would over-run it Gods eye is good when mans eye is evill and Christ hath received grace as well as gifts for the Rebellious Now lay all these together and you may conclude that those are full streams of goodnesse which break in upon these high and heightned banks of our wretchednesse The fulnesse of the water of life appeareth Demonst 3 if we look to the severall streams or rather rivers which flow from it Gen. 2.10 We read in Genesis of a River in Paradise which became into four heads 1 Cor. 1.30 We read in Corinthians of this river of the Water of life becoming into four heads likewise Christ is made unto us Christ being the channell as God is the spring Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Now certainly that is a sea which feeds and fils four so great rivers That 's a huge river which sends forth four such full streams to refresh and make glad the City of God I should now come to the Reasons of the point whereof as I have before shewed no reason besides it self can be given the Water of life herein resembling the water of the sea in that it is its own spring I shall only here insert one great end why the Lord displaies such abundance of grace upon poor souls which is 1. That the recovery by the second Adam might as to the elect extend as farre as the Apostasie by the first Adam There is abundance of grace evidenced in a souls recovery if we look 1 Whence souls are recovered in a word from death 1. From death for sin Our debts were so great that there must be great sums of grace to forgive them Our souls are so leprous that nitre and soap cannot only Christ with his Fullers soap his durable righteousnesse can cleanse them Our sins are mountainous and there must be depth Mic. 6.19 yea the depths of the Sea to cover these mountains To cancell so many and those so large bands to fetch out such deep and deadly stains To cure such mortall wounds all these loudly speak and call upon us to speak aloud Grace Grace 2. From death in sin To quicken souls who are dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.1 is a high work and so high doth this water rise I have heard of the Lionesse bringing forth her young naturally dead I am sure that men and women are brought forth spiritually dead Here our mothers brought us forth here she brought us forth that bare us We are spiritually dead when naturally alive Now that dead souls should arise out of the grave this proclaims Gods goodnesse Christ is said to groan when he raised Lazarus out of the earth but question lesse his heart was hotter and fuller of love infinitely when he raised the elect from hell To make Black mores white to wash crimson sinners clear Saints this argues abundance of grace God doth not only sprinkle but pour clean water upon souls that they may be clean Again abundance of grace is discovered if we observe 2 Whitherto souls are recovered viz. To life Spirituall life Eternall 1. To live to God Rom 8 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Spirit is to the soul as the Stern to the ship which as Amesius notes implies three things To live 1. Deo intens argente Gods Spirit being a mans guide Herein is grace that God by his Spirit should dwell with us who dwell in houses of clay that God should not only dwell with us as Christ did when he came in the Flesh but in us as Christ doth when he comes in the Spirit Herein is love that the holy Ghost should ever prepare and possesse the unholy rooms of our hearts that we should be led by the Spirit 2 Gods Word being a mans rule Secundum voluntatem Dei That the Lord should ever make crooked things in our souls so straight that his Word should be a light to our feet as well as to our eyes that our will should be melted into and moulded into Gods will that his forbidding should be the ground of our forbearing his enjoyment of our employment that we should prove and approve the good and holy and acceptable will of the Lord this sets forth the fulnesse of his grace to us 3. Ad Dei gloriam Gods glory being our end The torrent of grace must needs be strong which carries us from self to saving intereft from seeking our own things to seek the things which are Jesus Christs There must needs be abundance of this water which so clean seth us impure vessels that we may be vessels of the Sanctuary fit for the Masters use prepared unto any good work That stream must needs be big wherein all those lesser streams down which our hearts naturally run are swallowed up Lastly There must needs be abundance of grace evidenced in the recovery when we are recovered to live with God Those waters of grace rise high which rise as high as Heaven Full as well as free grace must needs be the spring if glory be the centre Ephes 10.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a height as well as a depth in the love of God a height to raise
as one who carry the water hold forth the Word of life assuring that whereas other Aqua vitae may be instrumentall to recover a dying body here is Aqua vitae effectuall to recover a dead soul You who are dead may be alive you who are lost may be found There 's ground of hope for such souls if we look 1. To the spring of this water of life viz. Gods eternall love and that either if we consider 1. The fulness of it Psâ— 31.19 Oh how great is Gods goodnesse The Psalmist speaks of it Hoc admirari prope res est una salaque quae pâ—ssit focere servare beatum as that which may be admired but cannot be apprehended the largenesse of Gods affection cannot be contained in the narrowness of mans expression The streams of mans gracelesness may rise high but those of Gods graciousness rise higher the Lords love is as the Lord himself is Infinite and is therefore compared to the Sea Mic. 6.18 where Mountaines as well as Mole-hills sins of a larger as well as of a lesser size may be hid How easily is the greatest sparke of sin quenched in this Ocean of saving mercy 2. The freeness of it The Lord gives liberally his gifts are not fetcht from him as fire out of a flint with much striking but come as water out of a Fountain which comes freely Jam. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simpliciter without any mixture of by-respects God is neitheir moved to give as often men are for hope of recompence without nor from corrupt interest within Gods grace is therefore compared to water to shew that souls may be as welcome to it English Annotat. as if it were water Wine is lockt up but water that runs indifferently through every mans ground the Lord keeps open house Whosoever will Rev. 22.17 may come and take of this water of life freely 2. If we looke in the chanels of this water of life there 's hope for souls who would be rid of this spirituall death and that if we look 1. To the greater yea the great Chanell viz. the Lord Jesus Christ in whom souls may consider 1. His preciousness There being no corner empty in our hearts but there is enough to fill it in Christs heart It mattering not what is the disease if Christ be the Physician Christ spreads himself upon children spiritually dead as Elisha did upon the child naturally dead to our weakness he applies his strength his wisedome to our folly his riches to our poverty his alsufficiency to our all-necessity we cannot want that which Christ cannot supply not beg that which Christ cannot bestow The preciousnes and sutablenes of Christ to the necessities of soules appears in that he is compared 1. Zach. 13.1 To a Fountain Though souls be unclean there 's water enough in a Fountain to wash them though soules be thirsty there 's enough in a Fountain to quench them there 's a spring of corruption ever issuing in sinners there 's a fountain of righteousness ever issuing in their Saviour 2. To a Sun Mal. 1.2 As the Sun like a Bridegroom goes forth to run its race being never weary of shining of communicating its light and heat to the greater world so this Sun is unwearied in communicating the rayes and beams of his grace to the lesser world As we may consider in Christ his preciousnes so 2. His proneness to give out to poor souls of that pretiousness Some might say Christ is a Spring but a Spring shut up a Fountain but a Fountain sealed nay but Christ is a Fountain set open Zach. 13.1 not that stands shelving only but wide open The readinesse of Jesus Christ to make out to poor souls of his preciousness appeareth 1. By his sweet counsells Christ counselleth souls to buy of him gold tryed in the fire Rev. 3.18 that they may be rich as if he should say If a receipt prescribed by such a Physician may be prised If you 'l follow my light who have been so followed by my love then buy of me gold tryed in the fire 2. By his serious commands Mat. 11.28 Come unto me saith Christ which may be understood per modum imperit as well as per modum consilii as an injunction and not only as a direction We may come it is our priviledge We must come it is our duty 3. By his heart-breaking Lamentations Joh. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life As if he should say though you search the Scriptures which are the field wherein I am the Pearl the Ring wherein I am a Diamond though you assent to their truth which assent to this truth that you may have life for coming yet you will not come unto me Some conceive that one thing which sadned Christs heart at his death was the consideration that so few would be saved by it And we may conceive the Lord Jesus in his Ministry weeping over poor souls and saying Shall my bloud he as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered again 4. By his sinner-accepting not excepting proclamation Him that comes to him he will in no wise cast out Did Christ ever beat beggers from his dore Joh. 6.37 did ever any lie at the beautifull gate of mercy who went away without an almes There 's ground of hope likewise for poor sinners if we look 2. To the lesser chanels viz. the Ordinances In the use of these souls may come to Christ Christ doth come to souls heaven comes down to earth and earth may come up to heaven These are the lesser Conduit-pipes through which souls receive Canales gratis living water These are 1. Converting Such is the Word Joh. 5.25 wherein dead soules may hear the voice of the Son of God and live At this pool may ought such unhealed soules to lie 1 Pet 1.19 â— Peâ— 2.2 Eâ— to be nascimuâ— nuâ—in u. The Word is the seed by which soules are bred as well as the milk whereby they are fed and in that respect Ministers are compared to Fathers as well as Nurse Such is Prayer as Stephens prayer is conceived to be For though in respect of the manner of prayer we speak to God yet in respect of the matter God may speak to us 2. Confirming Such is the Word as is before hinted Such are the * Sacrments are like pillars toâ— house which are not the foundation but a streng hening to a house which hath a foundation Sacraments which God hath appointed that through them we might have life and that we might have it abundantly that this water might rise higher that we may have grace upon grace Quest But some may say seeing the spring of the Water of life is so free and the chanell so full whence is it that poor souls no more thirst after set no higher price on this water of life Ans It is from It is
2 Cor. 3.18 They are not like those who beholding in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed this water doth not make them clean Their hearts at least are but swept not washt from wickedness They only make the out side of the platter clean Asto internall purity they who are filthy are filthy still The eyes viz. the judgements of these that see are yet dim their affections heated not thoroughly warmed they are but almost perswaded to be Christians and with Herod doe but many not all things gladly The next use is of Instruction and let us see 1. Vse 2 the graciousnesse of god 2. the pretiousnesse of the gospell if there be water of life for dead souls oh how gracious is the lord to us once man lived at the well-head neer the fountain of living waters but alas these streams man stopped by sin this spring as to us by the fall was drawn dry cherubims were set to keep us from the tree the water of life Now herein is the love of God manifest that this water hath a new issue to us we have a new recourse to it especially if we consider this way viâ— the Covenant of grace and therein 1. 2 Cor. 2.8 Gods wisdome in his purpose before time Here we have the wisdome of God in a mystery Two things ingredient to the execution of this intended worke the conveying of the water of life to poore soules 2 Tim. 3.16 speake Gods infinite wisedome 1. God and man were to be united He alone who was both God and man could bring God and man together The Word must be made flesh great is this my stery of godlinesse * Medius inter Deum Homines h. e. Deus Homo simul fuit Christus ut quae apud Deum homimineserant peragenda expediret Wolleb us As a Priest the Mediatour of the New Covenant must be God that he might satisfie Man that he might suffer Man that his sufferings might be existent God that they might be effectuall As a Prophet the Mediator must be Man that he might teach us familiarly God that he might teach us fully As a King he must be God that he might rule our enemies with an Iron Mace Man that he might rule us with a golden Scepter God that he might conquer our enemies by his power Man that he might command us by love This Mediator must be God that he might render his Saints amiable Man that he might render himself amiable God that we might be made partakers of the Divine nature Man that we might be fitted to live with God in our Humane nature This Mediator must needs be God 1. That he might appease his Fathers Justice None but this Saviours revenues can discharge a sinners debt He alone could pay the uttermost mite Heb. 7.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that saves to the uttermost must be higher then the Heavens Angels may be said to be as high as the Heavens because they have Heaven in possession Saints because they have Heaven in reversion but a higher then Saints or Angels must be here 2. That he might remove the Fathers wrath Gods wrath would soon have crushed the highest creature this weight as to their shoulders was insupportable This burden too great for their backs For which of them can dwel with everlasting burnings Isai 63.3 Christ trod the winepresse of the Fathers wrath alone and he alone could tread it 3. It was requisite that the Mediatour should be God to procure the Fathers favour Qaisjustitram vivis donare posset nisi qui est ipsa justâ—â—a Vide Wâ—leâ— p. 75. to purchase righteousnesse for souls to apply righteousnesse so purchased to souls as might be more largely shewed And as the root of these good things is in his Godhead so they are conveighed to us through his Manhood Had not Christ took upon him the seed of Abraham he could neither have been so familiar with us nor yet so experimentally compassionate towards us He could neither have satisfed for the sin of our nature neither had he ever so highly advanced our nature As God and man were to be united 2. Gods justice is shewed in damning Both mercy and justice in saving So Justice and Mercy were to bee reconciled Now how could Mercy and Truth in the businesse of mans salvation have met together How could it have been the fruit of mercy and yet the effect of Justice If the person offended had not concurred to and acted in making satisfaction for the offence had not God given man viz. humane nature wherewith to pay the debt could never have been paid If the Father had not accepted satisfaction in the principall which he might have demanded personall In this eternall contrivance infinite wisdome doth evidently appear The graciousnesse of God further appears if we consider the love of God in the prosecution of that purpose in time 1 Joh. 4.9 God the Father sent his Son to be debased that poor creatures might be exalted to die that they might live to drink of the bitter cup of death that they might drink of the sweet Water of life A stone was rolled to the mouth of the well of life not such a stone as the Angel removed but such a stone as neither man nor Angell could remove till the Angell of the Covenant Jesus Christ came Now we may say It is done It is done the Lamb is slain actually who was slain virtually from the beginning of the world Thus you see the Heart of God set his Head on work from eternity his Hand when the fulness of time was come So we come to the second Branch Where We may further see the preciousnesse of the Gospell Branch 2d of the Use of instruction And that 1. In reference to the publication of these glad tidings Rom. 10.15 viz. of the Water of life Beautifull are or should be the feet of those who come upon this ambassage The Letter killeth The Law like a shrill trumpet sounds nothing but Death The Law shuts Heaven gates but the Gospel opens them The Law leaves souls in the vale of Achor the Gospell gives them a door of hope 2. In reference to the application aswell as the publication 2 Cor. 3 5 〈…〉 juvat The Gospell giveth life and not only declareth it The Gospell not only points out the way but is instrumentall in the hand of the Spirit to put us on in the way The Law requires a full tale of brick but allowes no straw exacts duty but affords not ability The Gospell effects in souls what it expects from souls The Gospell comes to the Elect not in word only it brings not only the water of life unto us but into us and brings us to the Water of Life I come now to the third Use which is of Reprehension 1. To unbeleevers 2 To true Beleevers If there be water of life Vse 3 this reproves the most for not
from the efficacy of Christs Intercession Christ prays to his Father that soules may be sanctified through his truth as well as justified by Gods grace Joh. 17.17 that souls may bee guided by Gods counsell as well as received into his glory Christ intercedes for his people that God may be best of all to them on earth as well as all in all to them in heaven that here they may bee Holynesse to the Lord as well as hereafter Happinesse in the Lord that his Kingdome of grace may enter into us as well as that we may enter into his Kingdome of glory 4. This cloudeth the Glory of Christ in all his offices 1. In his Priestly office Faith looks at Christ as a Priest dying to save men from their sin Mat 1.19 not to save men in their sin Christs love was a Purging as well as a Pardoning love Renewing as well as Redeeming Libertines pull down True grace whiles they pretend to set up Loose grace they straighten it when they pretend to enlarge it Had Christ so much love to souls that he would purchase Robes for souls and yet not so much love as to put these Robes on souls Hath he delivered their souls from death and will not he deliver their Feet from wilfull falling 2. This cloudeth the skill of Christ as a Prophet Jer 31 33. Christ with his finger can write on Tables of stone This great Doctor doth not onely teach souls things to be beleeved but he teacheth them also things to be done not onely to talk of him but also to walk with him The light which Christ gives to the Elect is like the light of the Summers Sun joyned with heat They have not onely the Law by heart but a heart to the Law Had Christ so much skill as to prepare heaven for men yet not so much skill as to prepare men for heaven 3. This derogateth from the power of Christ as he is a King This King will not suffer sin another Lord to have dominion over his Subjects Rom. 6 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin will be in it may tyrannize over but shal not be as Lord of Saints This King is a King in the midst of his Kingdome His throne is in the heart His dominion extends through the life Will Christ suffer his Subjects to be the devils Slaves Sin surely shall shal be here mortified though not nullified thrown down though not throwne out 3. Taking sinfull encouragement from the fulnesse of Gods grace draws a veil over the Holy-ghost The Spirits work in respect of Sanctification reacheth as far as the Fathers work in Election or as the Sons work in Redemption The Spirit delivereth from the filth of sin those whom the Son delivered from the power of sin The Spirit comes to them as a Reformer for whom the Son came as a Redeemer I shall onely add one thing more To take encouragement to sin from the doctrine of Free-grace argueth a heart desperately wicked A heart 1. Rushing into misery as a Horse into the battel running upon the sharp Pikes 2. Refusing the Remedy yea not onely refusing but abusing the Remedy And as some diseases in the Body this disease of the Soul is most dangerous because of the opposition of it to the Cure These Patients throw their Physick and their Phyfician from them These are in a great measure guilty of crucifying the Son of God afresh And that I may if possible make our hearts tender of this sin by setting forth its hainousnesse Consider 1. There seems to be some kinde of preciousnesse placed in the blood of inferiour Creatures But Gen. 9.4 2. There 's a preciousnesse evidently placed in the blood of a man Gen. 9.5 6. Unjustly to take away the life of a bad man is a very foul sin Men may not turn Wolves There are some reliques in him of Gods image And it argues extreme malice in the Panther in that he will tear a Mans image when it cannot come at him And 't is observed by one Diodati that it was the cry of violence in the old world which came into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth It was this cham which pull'd down destruction from heaven on earth 3. It is an aggravation of sin to take away the life of a Righteous man To condemn the Just is an abomination to the Lord Mat 27.19 Pilate's Wise could not swallow this camell neither could he in a little water wash off the deep stain of innâ—cent blood 4. It yet heightens sin to shed the blood â—f a good man Psal 116 1â— Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the blood of all his Saints Jerusalem stoned the Prophets till one stone was not left upon another In these glasses may Souls see something of the wretchednesse of that sin To be guilty of the Blood of Christ Nay that the Soul may see further it may ascend some stairs higher 1. Christ was a pure man holy harmlesse undefiled This Sun had no spots There were oâ— clouds in the cleer day of Christs life Christ was thrice pronounced Just by his very enemies Maâ— 27 4 19 2â— 2. Christ was a Publique man He that touched Christ touched the Lords anointed David was tender of cutting off the skirts of a Kings garment surely he would have been tender of cutting off his Kings head Hee that brought news of Saul's death though hee was a wicked King carryed his own Mittimus rung his own Passing bell 3. Christ was more then a Man Though as God he had no blood to spill neither could the Creator suffer by the Creature yet by virtue of the union of Natures in Christ his blood is called the blood of God Act. 20.28 and wrong done to Christ reacheth as high as Heaven Thou who takest liberty to sin because God the Father sent Christ to die for sin hast a heart harder then a Jew Thou rendrest thy sin greater then theirs 1. The Jewes crucified Christ ignorantly thou dost it knowingly Luk 23 3â— Had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory Thou goest wrong with a Candle in thy hand A sin against knowledg is a sin of a double dye it is two sins bound up in one 2. They crucified Christ in his state of Humiliation thou to thy power crucifiest him in his state of Exaltion Heb. 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crucifigunt ipsis i. c. quantum in se est They when he wore a crown of Thorns thou when he wears a crown of glory This is certain thâ—t we cannot actually commit this sin yet we may virtually bring our selves under the guilt of the sin 3. The Jewes crucified Christ once Thou crucifiest him often Every sin which thou committest under the shelter of Free-grace is as a sharp speare thrust into Christs sides as a Pilate to condemn Christ Yea thou art as Judas thou betrayest the Son of man with a kisse Thou professest