so long by Satan no but he saith who ever will let him take the waters of life freely what will you stand out then and not receive waters of life ô come in this day come in to Christ come in and drinke waters of life come in and live come and live comfortably come and live eternally Thirdly Againe in the next place If the water of life be freely offered to sinners then you that barren and dead hearted and complaine of unfruitfullnesse and unprofitablenesse waite upon the Lord Christ in the use of means for here is water and water of life and Christ gives it out in the use of meanes Are you dry barren and fruitlesse have you a dead heart Christ hath water of life to quicken you Christ hath water of life to make you more lively I am come saith Christ in the 10th of Joh 10. that ye might have life and that ye might have it in more abundance I am come for that very end to give life and to give life more abundantly to give out these waters freely and fully You know when the Raine falls from heaven upon the mountaines and barren places it will make them looke Greene so when Christ gives out these waters to mountanous hearts to barren spirits this water of life will soke into you soften you make you grow flourish and bring forth fruit Lam 3.25 26. The Lord is good unto them that waite for him to the soule that seeketh him 't is good that a man should both hope and quietly waite for the salvation of the Lord The Lord is good to them that waite for him If you will waite for Christ in his Ordinances he will be good unto you he will water you and make you like a watered Garden In the 40 of Isa 28 29.31 Hast thou not knowne hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his understanding he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength they that waite upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walke and not faint Waite up-upon the Lord Christ he hath virtue for you he hath water of life for you And in the 64 of Isa 4. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteousnesse Those that remember thee in thy wayes he will meete them he will water them and refresh them and they shall be fruitfull You made the Lord Christ to waite for your teares he waited a long time before you shed one teare of Repentance and will not you waite upon him that hath water of life for you waite upon him in the use of meanes and he will give water of lise Fourthly You that have received water of life Remember how little it cost you give the honour and the Glory unto God It cost you nothing you had it freely Psal 115.1 Say not unto us not unto us but to thy name be the praise and Glory yea all the praise and all the Glory Did wee Contribute ought unto this worke of Grace and Salvation then we might Sacrifice to our owne Netts but we Contribute nothing Ephes 2.8 By Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves marke it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast The Lord knew what man would doe if he should come in and be a Co-worker with God therefore saith By Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God If you have faith if you have Grace if you have salvation water of life it is the gift of God Not of workes least any man should boast therefore let no man Glory in himselfe but give the honour and Glory to God In the 9th of Jer 23 24. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome neither the mighty man in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exerciseth loving kindnesse and Isa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sins I doe not doe it for thy sake saith God but for mine owne sake for the honour of mine owne name I blot out thy sinnes freely I pardon thee I give thee water of life So then let us give God the honour and the Glory and say as 't is in Micha 7.18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the Remnant of his heritage he reteineth not his anger for ever because he delights in mercy and who is a God like unto our God that pardoneth Iniquitie sins and transgressions and why because he delights in mercy not because he delights in thee or delights in me but because he delights in mercy he delights to shew mercy he blotts out sins freely for the honour of his owne name If therefore you have pardon of sin peace of Conscience if you have any Grace any Comfort of the Spirit if you have any drops of this water of life give God the Glory of it he hath freely given it unto you and that in abundance when others have none or puddle water onely Lastly If God doe give us water of 〈◊〉 freely then this should unite and Indere our hearts unto him and make us serve him freely As he freely gives to us so we should freely serve him many they are hardly brought of to seeve God the Sabboths are tedious unto them and when will the Sabboth be gon prayer Reading of Scripture hearing of Scrmons and to discourse of heavenly things is tedious unto them they cannot Indure them It 's an argument they are flesh and corrupt that they have none of this water of life If they had they would serve God freely cheerefully willingly In the 2 Phil It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure Doe all things without murmuring and disputing When God workes in men according to his good pleasure the Will and the Deede Then men will doe all things without murmuring and disputing they will come off roundly and readily to doe the worke of God they will be then like to David who fullfilled all the Wills of God and gave Counsell to Solon his Son 1 Chron. 23.9 And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde c. God regards not any of your services that come off heavily dully and with murmurings but God loves a cheerefull giver
gave him Grace and would give him Glory Hence it is that he saith in Psal 84.11 Grace and Glory will he give and no good thing will hee withhold Well I have grace and I shall have more grace and I have a humane glory I am a King and a Prophet and shall have greater glory I shall have glory in the highest heavens So that you see its true of David Christ is the root of his Nature the root of his Grace and the root of his Glory Now this will appear for the general That hee is the root of Nature and Grace and Glory First It will appear that Christ is the root of Nature How it appears that Christ is the root of Nature from the Creation and making of all things He that makes all things must needs bee the Lord and the Root and the author and fountain of Nature Heb. 1.2 By whom also he made the worlds why the world was made by Christ Christs right hand Christs arm was at work in the making of all the creatures The world was made by him therefore he is the Lord of Nature that hath made all Secondly It appears he is the root of Nature because he can blast nature at his pleasure what saith Christ to the Fig-tree Never fruit grow more upon this tree did it not presently wither away Christ dryed up all the moysture dried up the sap dried up the very root of the tree why he is the very Root and the Lord of Nature Thirdly Farther it appears in regard that he hath the command of all Diseases he cured and healed them What Disease was there ever presented to Christ that he could not cure He cast out Devils cured Leprosies and all manner of diseases the woman that had spent all her estate with Physitians and could do no good the man that lay at the Pool of Bethesday and could not be cured yet Christ cures all Diseases He is the root of Nature Fourthly So likewise it appears from his raising of the dead when men are upon dissolution and nature going downward the breaths gone the soul is gone the body putrified it matters not saith Christ to Martha Thou shalt see the glory of God thou shalt see that I am the root of Nature that I am the root of all that I can call both the soul and breathe breath into him and raise him up These are evidences that hee is the Root and Lord of Nature Secondly Christ hee is the root of Grace Christ the root of Grace all Grace is from him Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel To preach it to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord Is not here Grace in all these Yes and all comes from Christ Hee was annointed with the Spirit of the Lord to do these things And more fully in Joh. 1.14 16 17. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us full of Grace and Truth but for whom was this Grace and for whom was the Truth saith John And of his fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace Hee had a fulness of Grace hee was the Author the Root of Grace the Fountain of Grace the God of Grace and this Grace was to be communicated and derived unto others Of his fulness have we all received Grace for Grace For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ The Lord Christ is the root of Grace Rom. 5.20 21. Where sin abounded Grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Sin abounded I but Grace doth superabound how comes it to superabound by Jesus Christ our Lord Grace must reign as sin hath reigned and it must reign by Christ this Grace will send out so much Grace that Grace will reign and out-reign sin bring under sin So then Christ he is the root of Grace Lastly Christ the rooâ— of Glory Christ he is the root of Glory there is none let into heaven but by Christ none made glorious but by Christ 1 Cor. 2.8 he is called the Lord of Glory They crucified the Lord of Glory The Lord of Glory because he was a glorious Lord in himself The Lord of Glory because he hath all Glory to dispose of The Lord of Glory because he advances whom he pleases to Glory he will advance his Church unto Glory all beleevers unto Glory So that you see now Christ he is the root of Nature the root of Grace and the root of Glory Now what remains but that we should make some use of this point and there are several things which will be observable Use First If Christ be the Root of Nature of Grace and Glory then we may all make use of that which David doth upon this account in Ps 138.8 Thy mercy O Lord indures for ever forsake not the works of thine own hand why may not every one say Lord I am the work of thy hands thou hast made me a creature Thou art the root of my nature Lord do not forsake me but Lord make me gracious as well as to have nature bee the root not only of a natural life to mee but the root of a spriritual life unto me and be the root of Glory unto me why thy hand hath made me Thou hast made me a man given me an immortal soul indued me with understanding and some wisdome and knowledge Lord do not forsake me leave mee not to the Devil to the world to my self But Lord seeing thy hand hath made me a man so Lord let it make me a new man as I have a Natural life so let me have another life a Spiritual life so every one when they are in straights and troubles in darkness and afflictions and think they are left of God and Christ let them use this Argument in Prayer I am the work of thine hands what wilt thou leave the work of thy own hands why men will not desert the work of their own hands thou hast not deserted the Creation the Sun Moon and Stars Night and day Summer and Winter why Lord I am the work of thine own hands do not leave me nor forsake me 2 Is Christ the root of Nature of Grace and of Glory then whatsoever difference you see in men as men in men as Christians what difference soever you read of men in glory it is all from the Lord Jesus Christ it is from the root You know that one Tree is higher than another it is from the root that one tree or branch is higher or bigger than another it is from the root of the Tree that the differences are in the branches and arms and boughes of the tree
fruit is good fruit fruit becoming the Gospel fruit worthy of Grace and worthy of a man that is called justified and sanctified other fruit you bare now you bear such fruit as Christ did those that are translated and cut off from the old Adam and ingrafted into Christ they bear other fruit than before therefore inquire what root you are upon whether you are rooted into Christ yea or no that will yeeld a great deal of comfort unto you if it be so 7 Further If Christ be the Root of Nature the Root of Grace and the Root of Glory and of all then this is great comfort unto every true Christian why he is planted in Christ and hee shall never dry nor wither away in the 1 Psal he speaks there of a Tree planted by the water side that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither why he that is a true Christian that is intrinsically ingrafted into Christ he is in such a root that hath life water of life and vertue and is communicating continually unto the branches I am come in the tenth of John that you may have life and that yee may have it more abundantly If thou be truly in Christ thou shalt have life and have it more abundantly thou art in a River of Water thou art in a root that hath abundance of all Spiritual good and Spiritual Blessings for you therefore look to it that you be in Christ and then you shall have vertue in him your root shall never wither it shall never decay 8 If Christ bee the Root of all then bee exhorted every one to get interest in this Root get interest in him and then your natures will be sanctified get interest in him and then you will have of all the fulness of Christ and you shall have of all his glory Men and Women they labour to be rooted in the World to be rooted in Sin O how are men rooted in sin rooted in wicked practices how are they rooted in worldly things and so intangled and fixt that there is no getting of them off or out from the World what saith the Apostle 2 Colos 7. saith he rooted and built up in Christ O be rooted saith hee but where in Christ it is good to be rooted in Christ O labour to be rooted in him rooted in the love of Christ in the power of Christ in the Merits of Christ in the Intercession of Christ O labour to be rooted in these and then you will grow And the way to bee rooted in these is double there are but two things that I shall name and they are principall things The First is by Faith and the Second by Love Get faith in Christ that unites you to him and the more faith the more rooted in him and get further and further into Christ labour for faith and that will fix you settle and establish you in Christ it is our want of faith that makes us so off and on with God and with Christ and such poor Creatures as we are well labour for faith and that is a drawing Vertue a drawing Grace it will draw from Christ whatsoever is to bee had in him And then love the Lord Jesus where there is love how doth it root a man in the heart of a man or woman so if you love the Lord Jesus more you will be rooted more in him that is the way to be rooted in Christ get faith and get love 9 Lastly If Christ be the root of Reason the root of Grace and Glory the root of all then let us give the glory and praise of all to Jesus Christ and attribute nothing to our selves or others We are wonderful apt when wee see a Tree full of fruit to attribute it to the Tree O it is a very good Tree you look not to the root you attribute nothing to that whereas it is the root you should attribute it to so now we attribute this to our selves our own endeavours labours improvements and diligence but wee look not at the Root we look not at Christ who is the Root of Nature wee look not at Christ who is the Root of Grace we look not at Christ who is the Root of Glory and therefore see the reason why we are so little in thankfulness because wee have so little faith But if we had more faith now to see the root we should be more thankful the root is a hidden thing Christ is in Heaven and Christs Divine Nature was hidden and because we see not Christ as God see not Christ as Mediator look not at Christ as all in all therefore we give not that glory to him but wee look at second Causes Meanes Ordinances Magistrates Parents Friends and the like and so God and Christ lose their Glory and their Honour but if you would look at the root and say O this comes from Christ this comes from God this comes from the Mediator from his Grace yea all comes from him O then your hearts would be carried out to speak of and to glorifie his name Well look at Christ for you have nothing but from him therefore not to me nor to others but unto thee alone O Lord be all the glory Christs Royal Descent REV. 22.16 And the Off spring of David I Now proceed to the next words The Off-spring of David The word for Off-spring is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifies that from whence another thing comes or proceeds Phil. 3.8 Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel or of the off-spring of Israel Paul saith he was of the Israelites he proceeded and came from them hee was of that Race of that Generation and in Isa 44. vers 3. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and stouds upon dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring upon those that are of thy Loynes and that descend from thee that is the meaning of the word Off-spring your Children are your Off-spring so that the meaning here is That the Lord Jesus Christ is of the Race of David In the Scriptures he is said to be the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3. he is said to be the son of Abraham Mar. 1. and the Off-spring of David here he is of the Race of Man-kinde of the Race of David In Matth. 1.1 The Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ the Son of David and Christ is very frequently in the Gospel called The Son of David Matth. 9.37 Thou Son of David have mercy on us Now to open the words yet a little further a Question may here be Q. Why is Christ said to be the Off-spring of David rather than of any other when as in Matth. 1. he is the Off-spring of all there mentioned Ans There be several Grounds or Reasons for it 1 David was he that founded the Kingdom of Israel there began the foundation of the Kingdom of Israel Saul was the first King but
you shall have peace of Conscience that passes understanding you shall have found Illumination and know God and Christ which is life eternall you shall have Christs wisdome Christs righteousnesse Christs sanctification Christ to be your Redemption you shall have the hidden Manna you shall have the white Stone you shall have the new name you shall be made a pillar in the Temple of God you shall be made a member of Christ you shall be made a Temple of the holy Spirit you shall have the Inhabitation of the Father and the Son and Spirit everlastingly in your soules would you have any thing that heaven hath that God hath that Christ hath come to Christ and you shall have it Againe Consider who it is that Invites you to Christ 't is not Moses 't is not Abraham 't is not Ahasuerush 't is not Hester but a greater then any of these a greater then all these when Moses spake to Pharaoh he prevailed with him to let the people goe to Mount Sinai Abraham and Lot prevailed with Angells to come in and eate and drinke with them Ahasuerush prevailed with the Nobles of 127 Provinces to come and feast with him Hester prevailed with Ahasuerush to shew mercy to Mordecai and the Jewes and to destroy Haman shall these prevaile and shall not the Lord Jesus Christ who is greater then all these prevaile Why Christ was greater then Moses Moses was a servant but Christ was a Son in the house Abraham rejoyced to see the day of Christ and he saw it Ahasuerush he was but an Earthly Prince but Christ is the Prince of life the Prince of all the Kings of the earth an eternall Prince Hester a poore captive and Christ is the Master of the marriage-feast And shall the Lord Christ now intreate Invite and beseech you to come in to come to him and will ye not hearken Pharaoh hearkens to Moses will not you hearken to Christ Angells hearken to Abraham and Lot will not you hearken to Christ Nobles hearken to Ahashuerush will not you hearken to Christ Ahasuerush hearkens to Hester and will not you hearken to Christ Let him that is athirst come come saith Christ 't is I that speake to you who am the Son of God who am the Saviour of the world who am the Everlasting Father who am the Lord of Glory who have Heaven at my dispose come come ô come in then to the Lord Jesus let not your sins let not Devills let not world let not your lusts keepe you backe from the Lord Jesus And what is it Christ calls you for why doth he Invite you is it for your hurt is it to upbraid you for your sin is it to check you for your infirmities is it to revile you and reproach you for any miscariages If it were so then you might demurre then you might argue the case then you might give a deniall but 't is for none of all these it is for your good and wholly for Your good God and Christ have no designes upon men as here men have designes one upon another If they invite you to a feast they have many times a designe upon you but God and Christ have no designes upon you 't is purely meerly totally for your good The Lord Invites you that you may pertake of his righteousnesse that you may have his wisdome his Spirit his fullnesse his Grace his Glory that you may be happie as he is happie Christ gets nothing by it you have all the gaine and all the benefit Againe Consider that Christs tendering himselfe unto you it is the greatest mercy that heaven hath to tender unto poore sinners what hath God in heaven now to doe your poore soules good withall besides Christ The Spirit comes not unless Christ send The Father hath promised him the sending of the Spirit But God he houlds out Christ to you God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son c. 't is the greatest mercy I say that heaven hath to tender unto you And this day in the name of the great God I do tender Jesus Christ unto you all come in and receive Christ come in and receive Christ receive the Lord Jesus Christ to be your husband to be your King to be your Prophet to be your high Priest to be your Saviour to be all in all unto you and know that if you doe refuse and will not receive Christ now offered to you if you will not let goe your lusts your drunkenness whoredome envie malice slandering and the like if you will not let goe these for Christ your damnation will be upon your owne heads salvation is brought to your doores Christ is laid before you he is held out unto you The Golden Scepter this day is held out unto you ô receive the Lord Jesus Christ And if you doe not know you provoke God more in refusing of Christ then by all the sins that you ever committed This will be the sin that will be your damnation John 3. This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light c. They love darknesse they love sin sinfull wayes sinfull lusts sinfull company and sinfull practises These you love this is The Condemnation when men will not receive Christ they make God a lyar and what an injurie is this to God that you will put the lie upon God as if God did not love the world as if God not hold out Christ to save sinners And if you receive him not you doe not bare witness to the truth of God and sett to your seales that God is true and so honour him Therefore be perswaded to come in and honour the Lord Jesus Christ What will make it so hard with those of Capernaum with those of Jerusalem at the last day but because Christ was their Prophet and there offered unto them and they would none of him We will not have this man to rule over us This is the Heire come let us kill him ô therefore it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of Judgement easier it shall be for Constantinoble at the day of Judgement then for Stepney that will not leave your sinfull courses and fall in with Christ and live as Christ and looke for Glory hereafter Why you shall not be alwayes here and then comes an eternall condition and why will you loose Eternitie for momentary pleasures and momentary riches why will you loose Glory and loose all and have that which will a thousand times more aggravate your misery for had you not liv'd where the Gospel is preached when you come to die it would not have been so bad but when as you might have had Christ and might have had salvation and heaven and you have neglected this it will trouble you and lie sad upon you to all Eternitie and this will sinke you deeper into hell That mercy is your torment that mercy is your hell that mercy is
him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light Therefore let us not walk after our own lusts but walk in the fear of God as the Churches did Acts 9.31 Yee are the children of the light 1 Thess 5.5 therefore let us walk in the light yee have a Spiritual life begotten in you who once were dead therefore let us walk in newness of life Rom. 6.4 let us walk in and after the Spirit Gal. 5.16 in good works Ephes 2.10 in love chap. 5.2 Circumspectly vers 15. yea let us walk honestly towards them that are without 1 Thes 4.12 Let us walk in the truth 3 Ep. Joh. 4. let us walk in the steps of good men Prov. 2.20 yea let us walk even as Christ himself walked 1 Joh. 2.6 And that me may do so let us mind our rule Gal. 6.16 and then we shall walk in some measure worthy of our Vocation Eph. 4.1 This will make much for the glory of God and Christ here in the World by it we shall adorn the Doctrin of God our Saviour Tit. 2.10 It will make much for the comfort and joy of him whom God hath set over us that watches for our souls Joh. 3.4 yea your holy walking and godly conversation may be a means for the conversion of others and bringing them in to Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.12 3.1 2. And by doing thus we shall not only maintain our Fellowship one with another but with the Father and the Son 1 Ep. Joh. chap. 1. Beloved Brethren I shall not need to put you on to the ready entertaining of these choice Truths that are here delivered they being already written in your hearts you cannot but receive them with joy and in so doing you answer the end and labours of him who is dear unto you that preacht them and likewise the end of him who did transcribe them Brethren farewell be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace 2 Cor. 1.12 and the God of love and peace shall be with you So prays your dear Brother who affectionately loveth you and is desirous to serve you in the Lord. R. VV. Errata PAg. 8. l. last r. back p. 19. l. 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 23. l. last but one r. behold p. 62. l. 7. r. 14. p. 66. l. 6. r. the father l. 12. r. in Zech. l. 20. r. is p. 80. l. 13. after heads r. saying we shal befree l 20 dele have p 106. in marg r. proprieties l. last but one r. velleitie p. 107. l. 10. r. complaintive p. 110 l. 2. r no l 22 r power p. 1 11. l 2 r. of that is unknown p 112 l 26 27 r and is not like the Publican p. 115. l 4 5 r. all salvation is in him p. 122. l. 25. r lentile p 123. l last r bitter p. 125 l 25 make the Comma after the first it p. 328 l. 28 r break l 31 r required p 132 l 8. r are you hungry p 138 l 25 r hast forward p. 140. l 23. r come p 144 l 1 r hints of joy p 157. l. 26 r angry p 170 l 2 ◠room l 28 r will p 181 r Ahashuerosh p 186. in marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 194 l 22 r here p 207. l. 4. r. you that are barren p 211 l 9 r have p 220 l 26 r club p. 323 l 26 r. acceptance p. 239 l 23. r let 's Christ the Root of all REV. 22.16 I am the Root and the Off-spring of David c. CHrist having sent his Angel to testifie several things unto the Churches Tells them what he is I am the Root and the Off-spring of David the bright and morning Star These words I am the Root and the Off-spring of David are a Riddle and a seeming contradiction For Christ to bee the Root of David and the Off-spring of David seems very improbable and contradictory much like that speech in the 22. of Matth. latter end where Christ said The Lord said unto my Lord If David call him Lord how is he then his Son They could not tell what to make of it So its probable when many read these words here Christ is the Root of David and the Off-spring of David too they know not how to untie this knot and to reconcile this seeming contradiction But if we plow with the Heifer of the Lord with his Spirit we many easily resolve it Christ is the Root of David as he is God in his Divine nature he is the Off-spring of David as he is man And in some sense Christ as he is man may be also the root of David For Christs Humane nature was as well in Jesse the Father of David as in David himself You see here Christ is termed a Root I am the root of David Of that I shall speak at this time and it is not in vain that the Scripture doth set out Christ by this expression a Root for there are sundry resemblances wherein the Lord Christ is like unto a Root First you know a Root is a thing hidden in the earth Wherein the resemblance lies between Christ and a Root secret and not obvious to any eye so the Lord Christ take him especially in his Divine nature that is a hidden thing As it s said of God He is the invisible God so of Christs Divine nature it is an invisible nature The Angels are not seen souls are not seen and God is not seen and the Deity of Christ was not seen It was hid under flesh under his humane nature And Christs humane nature Christ as man was a hidden thing Joh. 1.10 He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not The world did not know him to be the Messiah to be the root of David So in Joh. 16.3 These things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me They have not known me Christ was not known but a hidden thing a secret thing like a root in the earth as he saith of the Spirit in Joh. 14.17 Whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him the world did not see the Spirit nor know the Spirit so the world did not see Christ nor know Christ why Christs humane nature Christ as man was hidden under afflictions under reproaches under poverty and meanness and under scorn and contempt so that he was a root in the earth he was a hidden thing 2 A Root hath life in it and the life is principally in the root of any thing so in the Lord Jesus there is life and life principally in him Joh. 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself Christ hath life in himself principally and eminently as the Father had Joh. 1.4 In him was light and that light was the life of men In this Root was life in Christ was life 1 Cor.
it is all from the root of the tree so the differences that are amongst men it is from the root Christ he gives unto one man great parts to another man lesser parts he gives unto one man a strong judgement a strong memory admirable Elocution to another man he gives not the same the difference is in Christ he is the root of Nature and communicates what he please So likewise the talents of Grace he gives to one man one talent to another man two talents to another man five talents the Lord is the root and he makes one higher than another some men have choyse Gifts and Graces some one man hath more than ten other men have it may be another man is beneath him in a degree or two some are beneath a great deal in Grace some are Babes some Children some Young-men some old Disciples So in Glory the twelve Apostles shall sit upon twelve Thrones in glory some are like the Sun some like the Moon some like the Stars where is the difference the difference lies in the root he communicates what he pleases both in Naturals in Spirituals and in Glory 3 If Christ be the root then let us not bee high-minded let none be lifted up with whatsoever injoyments they have whatsoever gifts you have whatsoever Graces you have what Glory soever you look for bee not lifted up and the reason is plain here and so Rom. 11.18 Boast not against the Branches Why another man is a Branch as well as thou art take man as man he is a Branch in the Tree of Nature and wilt thou boast thy self against him boast not of thy wit or beauty or strength or any Natural abilities thou hast for thou bearest not the root but the root thee So boast not of Spirituals that you have so much faith so much knowledge so much patience humility and love do not boast of these things Christ is the root and the root bears thee So do not boast of what places you shall have in Heaven the Sons of Zebedee they would bee at the right hand and at the left hand of Christ when they came into his Kingdom they would have such and such places but know the root bears thee be therefore humble and lowly what thou hast thou hast received why art thou lifted up then as if thou hadst not received it the root the Lord Christ will call you to an account one day of what you have received and how you have imployed the same therefore remember thou hast all from the root and nothing of thine own 4 If Christ be the Root that bears up all bee the root of Nature Grace and Glory then let us fear to offend and provoke him if a mans life habitation and maintenance depended upon some one man would he not take heed how he provoked that man doth not your All depend upon this root Christ your Nature depends upon him in him you live and move and have your beings your habitations and maintenance depends upon him So for your Spiritual life and Spiritual good doth it not depend upon this Root Is not hee the Root of Life of all Spiritual life and comfort and blessings Is not hee the root from whom you receive all Grace all truth and all comforts and good Do you not look through him to have your glory why will you offend him now and sin against him O what a root is this that bears up all Nature that bears up all Grace and all Glory and bears up all the Spiritual good of men and women the root that bears up Heaven and Glory and all take heed I say of trampling upon this root of wronging Christ of slighting Christ of grieving Christ of displeasing him any way if he with-draw influences of nature dye you must presently if he with-draw influences of Grace in darkness you must sit presently if he should with-draw Glory from you where would you bee but without doors 5 Again If Christ bee the root of Nature Grace and Glory then let us make it our business to serve and honour him is it not the duty of a Childe coming from the loyns of his Parents to serve them and honour them so it is the duty of every man seeing Christ is the root of every man it is the duty of every man to serve the Lord serve him with thine Eyes serve him with thy Tongue serve him with thy Hand serve him with thy Foot serve him with thy Understanding serve him with thy Will serve him with thine Affections serve him with the whole Man for thou hast all from him as a man let all then return to him Waters that come from the Sea run back again to the Sea and seeing wee all come from Christ who is God and the root of Nature let us then work in order and serve him But much more you that are Spiritual hath Christ given you life Spiritual life quickned you when you were dead in sins and trepspasses Is Christ the root of all your Spiritual good and welfare will you not serve Christ what will you be for the World for Hell and for Sin now why Christ is your root are you then his Vine and will not live to Christ certainly we should serve Christ and honour Christ upon this account and we would do it if we did well consider why I have my life of Faith and of Grace and of comfort and I hope for Glory hereafter from Christ and shall I not serve the Lord Jesus Christ I look for glory therefore I will purifie my self as he is pure Christ in you the hope of Glory is he your root and have you hope of Glory then purisie your selves as he is pure yea serve Christ with pure hearts and pure affections and pure conversations live to the Lord Jesus he is the root of Nature the root of Spiritual life and the root of Glory 6 Again if Christ be the root of all then here you may know what your conditions are what state you are in tell me what root you are rooted upon what root do you grow on do you grow upon the old Adam still or are you rooted upon Christ If old Adam be your root as hee is the root of Man-kind of corrupt man if you grow upon that root you are no more than when you came into the World your fruit is sour your Grapes are wild Crapes your Natures are corrupt you are enemies to God you are upon the root of bitterness a root of death Nay let me say Are you upon Christ now as he is God only for Christ is the root of Nature as he is God if you be rooted upon Christ as hee is God only as he hath made you if you be no more than this you have marred your selves since he made you therefore make inquiry whether you be rooted upon Christ as Mediator as the root of David as God-man whether you have interest in Christ upon that account and if it be your
your damnation and so it will prove to all Eternitie to all who live under the meanes and come not in to Christ Suppose a man is in a rotten Baâ—ke at Sea and there 's a great storme arising and many Pirats abroad and the Admirall of the Sea seeing his condition sends unto him saying Friend friend come in to me and I will secure you but he refuses and anon he is taken by the Pirats carried away and put into a Dungeon now what troubles this man the Admiralls kindnesse so it will be with sinners Christ the Admirall of the Sea he calls to poore sinners come in to me I will save you from the storme I will save soule and body to all Eternitie but you refuse and at last you are taken and cast into hell and there you will lie with this upon your soules that you might have had mercy and would not ô therefore come in to Jesus Christ stand out no longer but come and give up your selves to him and live like Christ and you shall have a Heaven here and a Heaven hereafter The Water of Life Reve 22.17 And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely THis is the last Invitation of Christ unto sinners in the whole book of God and as sweet an Invitation as ever sinners mett with And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely You have here in these words first the thing tendered water of life Secondly the persons to whom the tender of it is made whosoever will Thirdly the manner of this tender and that is freely and then the Invitation it selfe let him take Let whosoever will take of the water of life freely To open the words Whosoever will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The willing man the willing one saith Christ in the 5th of John to the man that had laine long at the poole of Bethesda Wilt thou be made whole saith the man I am very willing to be made whole but I cannot get into the poole I have not might and power to get into the poole I am a lame man and when the Angel stirrs the poole one or other gets in before me and so I can get no benefit saith Christ art thou willing to be healed yes then I am willing to heale thee This willingnesse that Christ requires doth not suppose any power of free-will in man but a willingnesse in man to receive for man hath not this willingnesse in him naturally Christ requires a willingnesse but this willingnesse is not in man naturally For Rom 8. It 's said The carnall minde is enmity to God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be and 2 Cor 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke a good thought there 's no willingnesse in us Coll 1.21 You are Enemies to God through wicked works in your minds If the minde be at enmitie with God there is no willingnesse to close with God Phil 2.13 The will and the deede are of God Then how comes this willingnesse here that Christ requires this willingnesse arises from the promise when a promise is made freely and generally of some choice and great mercy the very promise doth beget a willingnesse in man When a Prince shall propound some great reward unto men to doe such and such a thing they had no willingnesse to the thing before but when the promise is made it begets a willingnesse in them so when God or Christ propounds water of life salvation eternall happinesse unto men and tells them of such a good and promises it unto them the very promise begets a willingnesse in men where it was not before But we may have occasion to speake of this more hereafter And so much for the word whosoever will the willing man Let him take the water of life freely Let him take What with his hand no This water of life is not to be taken with your hands but it is to be taken by faith Praecibus deum sollicitet fide accipiat we are to sollicite God by our prayers to take it by our Faith God doth not thrust water of life upon men unwillingly or upon people that are sloathfull and sleepy but he tenders water of life to those are willing and industrious that doe seeke it let them take it Let him take the water of Life What 's this water of life There be variety of Interpretations of these words Some make this water of life to be Christ the Fountaine of living water the Fountaine of Grace and Glory Some make this water to be the Spirit who is called water frequently in the Scripture Some make this water to be the Doctrine of the Gospel Some make this water to be Grace And I thinke none of all these are out but all these may be taken in Christ is water of life The Spirit is water of life The Doctrine of the Gospel or the Gospel it selfe is water of life The gifts and Graces of the Spirit are water of life And why are they likened unto water I might spend here much time in shewing you the resemblances I will onely name them First Water clenses from filth and pollution and so doth the word of Christ so doth the Gospel so doth Grace so doth the Spirit so doth Christ You are cleane through the word that I have spoken saith Christ in the 15th of John Secondly Water softens and mollifies the hard earth so the Doctrine of the Gospel that heavenly dew The Graces of the Spirit The Spirit it selfe Christ himselfe doth soften the heart where he comes Paul was a soure peice a stubborne hearted sinner but when he met with Christ and some of this water fell upon his heart saith he What wilt thou have me to doe Lord he was soft mollified and melted Thirdly Water it is of a cooling nature it cooles the heate of the Aire and the heate of the Earth So this water of life it cooles the heate of Temptations the heate of persecution the heate of your lusts the heate of anger and passion where any of this water comes it cooles your unnaturall heate and those sinfull heates that we have contracted Fourthly Water doth make the earth to be fruitfull the earth doth fructifie by the waters dewes and raines so where any of this water comes it makes men and women fruitfull when Christ said to Zacheus This day is salvation come to thy house how fruitfull was he presently The halfe of my goods I give to the poore wonderfull fruitfull doth the water of the Gospel and the Spirit make men and women Fifthly This water doth satisfie thirst this water of life is the onely water that satisfies thirsty soules when you have a promise given in and Christ comes and the Spirit comes and divine truths are let in to your hearts how are you satisfied and refreshed Sixthly Water doth cure and heale diseases and distempers of body you goe to the waters to the Wells to the Bath
merits are water of life The Spirit with all it's Graces are water of life The Gospel with all its promises are water of life and you have great necessitie of these if you have them not you will perish you will die be damned for ever if you drink not of these And of admirable use whosoever drinkes of this water they will be full of spirits and life full of peace and Comfort they will be fitted for Communion with God and man for the service of heaven and earth 7 Joh 38 39. when Christ had said unto them If any man thirst let him come unto me and drinke it presently followes This spake he of the Spirit which they that beleive on him should receive and saith he out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water he shall have living water to flow out of his belly and be usefull so as to water others Fifthly Lastly Consider how easie that which the Lord requires at your hands is the Lord requires no hard matters of you onely he saith who ever will let him take the waters of life The Lord might have put hard Conditions and hard tearmes upon men and women as Saul did upon David Give me 200 foreskins of the Philistines and thou shalt have Micha my Daughter to wife as Caleb did If any man will goe and take Kiriahsephar and subdue it he shall have my Daughter Achsah Josh 15.16 He might have put you upon it as he did the young Man in Math 19. Goe and sell all that thou hast and follow me and thou shalt have waters of life but he doth not put you upon such things he saith Whosoever will let him come and drinke of the waters of life so that it is upon an easie account Therefore Consider these things and through the blessing and Grace of God they may prevaile with your hearts to be more willing then ever to have the water of life The next use is to let us see the Infinite goodnesse of God and Condecension to poore creatures That he who is greatnesse and Glory Majestie and excellency should condescend to us who are flesh blood corrupt full of guilt full of deformity having no beauty no excellency no good in us That God should condescend so farre as that upon being willing we should have waters of life as was said before he put no hard tearmes upon us but saith Whosoever will let him take waters of life that is let him take me for his Portion let him take my Son he shall be his Righteousnesse Let him take my Spirit it shall be his Sanctification Let him take my word it shall be his Light Rule and Comfort and he shall be blessed here and hereafter ô the infinite goodness and condescention of God towards poore wretches such as we are Should you have seene Solomon in all his Glory and Royalty to have stooped thus farre to a poore Blackamore full of soares and leperous having no friend to speake for her as to say Come manifest thy willingness to have me I will have thee into my house I will wash thee make thee my Queene and make thee happie had not this been wonderfull condescention in Solomon Thus is it with God We Blackamores that were in our blood and full of soares having no friend to plead for us but all against us we have no good nor worth in us Now Solomon the Prince of peace and life he comes and saith will you be sav'd poore creatures will you be washt in my blood will you goe along with me will you be happy come goe along with me I will carry you to my Father you shall sit upon a Throne and live for ever and Injoy God ô the goodnesse and condescention of God to poore sinners Lastly Here is matter of Comfort unto those that doe desire and thirst after waters of life The Doctrine saith Those that are willing shall have waters of life and the text saith Who ever will let him take the waters of life Waters of life are prepared and reserved for those are willing for those are thirsty therefore he saith in the 21 Revel 6. If any man thirst he will give him of the Fountaine of the water of life freely It may be you thirst and you are willing but you still want the waters of life is it so waite patiently you shall have waters of life in due time and they are worth the waiting for we can waite for a Bottle of wine it may be two or three houres and for a ship of wines many moneths and will not you waite for waters of Life Every promise is a tree of life and the fruit is growing and when it 's ripe for you you shall have it every one is a bottle of wine and when it pleases God he will unstop it powre out the wine into your hearts you shall have Christ and the Spirit to seale you up to the day of Redemption you shall have the blood of Christ to wash you you shall have God himselfe and all that is good therefore waite Doe but Consider a little of the Prodigall in the 15 of Luke And when he came to himselfe he said how many hyred servants of my Father have bread enough but I perish for hunger I will arise and goe to my Father and say c. And he arose and came to his Father Now marke here 's the Prodigall and what saith he there 's bread enough in my Fathers house there 's water of life in my Fathers house here 's none but stones hereâ—s none but swill for swine in my Fathers house there 's bread he prizes it I will goe eat of that bread he chooses it and then he pursues it I le goe saith he and so goes and makes all the speed he can to get to his Fathers house and have it And was he long without it See what followes And he arose and came to his Father but while he was a great way off his Father saw him had Compassion ran and fell on his neck and kisses him the Son saith Father I have sinned c. But the Father saith to his servants Bring forth the best Robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his hand and shooes on his feete and bring hither the fatted Calfe and kill it and let eat and be merry and the like When you are willing thus to have water of life the Father sees you a farr off and saith there 's one a coming to me there is one coming for bread for water of life and what then God will run and meete such an one he shall not be long without his water he will kisse and imbrace him and give him water of life he will give him wine marrow fattnesse and all that is good Therefore be not you discouraged but moove towards your Fathers house towards the water of life and it shall be brought forth unto you and given you in abundance FINIS A TABLE OF The Chief Heads