hath not a Will to a thing and he will not take it so present Christ the Spirit of God life eternall Heaven and Glory the great and pretious promises pardon of sin or what you vvill if a man have not a vvill he vvill not take it so that vvillingness is required to the taking If a man have not a mouth it is in vaine to offer him meate If men have not a will they vvill not receive Math 23.37 Acts 13.46 Therefore God requires vvillingnesse that men may receive the vvaters of life Secondly This willingnesse is requir'd that so men may not complaine for if men should be brought to drinke waters of life by a compulsory Act they vvill complaine of vvhat follows Therefore saith Christ in the 16 Math 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow me If any man will come if a man have a will saith Christ to follow me let him he vvill meete with hard things and if he be not willing he vvill complaine that I should cause him to follow me Men must deny themselves and take up crosses and indure persecutions and temptations and if they did not come willingly to Gods way they would complaine of it Now God to prevent Complaining of his wayes he requires that men be willing Thirdly This is that so the Communion between Christ and the soule may be the sweeter vvhere there is vvillingnesse on both sides there vvill be the sweetest life If the parties doe not consent on both sides you will say it vvill be an Ill match But if there be a willingnesse and a freenesse on both sides there the Communion will be the sweeter So Christ saith I freely give and I would have them freely receive and so there will be a sweete Communion between Christ and the soule I am my beloveds saith the soule and my beloved is mine There was mutuall Consent and Agreement between them Lastly This willingnesse is required that so the wisdome of God in the Governing of his Church and of the world might not be Questioned for should God force men to his service they would say where 's the goodnesse of God where 's the wisdome of God here 's Tyranny hereâ—s forcing of men into the service of the Lord. Now God will have none to be his servants but those that come freely Psal 110. In the day of thy power thy people shall be willing And when he speakes Compell them to come in It is not by Clubs Law but by strong Arguments tell them what the water of life is tell them what Supper is prepared tell them of the excellency of the provision that so that may compell them no other compulsion doth God use but the Grace of the Spirit and divine Arguments sett on upon the heart But this may seeme contrary to Joh 6.44 saith Christ No man comes to me except the Father draw him It should seeme then that it is not voluntary and free I answer God doth not force a mans will but God doth sweetly and lovingly take away the unwillingnesse of his will the corruption of his will Ezek 11.19 I will give them one heart and I will put a new Spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh I will take away the stoninesse the hardnesse that corruption that enmity and opposition I will take away all these out of them and put a new heart and a new Spirit into them So in the 36 of Ezek 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my Judgements and doe them He will cause them to walke in his statutes vvhat will hee thrust them on against their wills no see vvhat the Church saith Cant 1.4 Draw me ô Lord we will run after thee When God comes to draw the soule runs willingly and freely So that you see a willingnesse is required The Water of Life Reve 22.17 Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely TO proceed to the Uses of the poynt and so to finish the Text. Vse First If those that are willing shall have the waters of life then here it serves for Conviction and doth convince us that all who thinke and say they have drunke of these waters of life yet have not Every one thinks that he hath Grace and hath the Spirit hath Christ God and that he shall be sav'd but here is cleere conviction to the contrary for have you had this willingnesse in you that is required have men seene such excellency in these vvaters as to prize them above all have you so prized them as to choose them above all things in the world have you so chosen them as to pursue the getting of them to the uttermost of your power few have done so In the 7 of Math 21 22 c. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out Devills and in thy name done many wonderfull works And then I will professe unto them I never knew you depart foom me ye that worke Iniquitie These men did not see so much worth in the waters of life as they did in Iniquitie they did not prize Christs Grace his Spirit the Gospel and the promises thereof so much as workes of Iniquitie they would drinke puddle water poysonous water they would not let goe their Iniquitie for Christ yet these thought themselves Christians thought themselves safe happie and blessed creatures The five foolish virgins in the 25 of Math they had gotten lamps but they had gotten no Oyle in their lamps they had none of this water of life they had no Grace they had no Christ they had none of the Spirit they had none of the truths of God in their hearts they thought that to professe Christ and professe the Gospel was sufficient they had lamps but where was the oyle where was the water of life where was Grace they had none of it So in the 2 of Tim 3.5 Having a forme of Godlinesse but denying the power They had a forme they came to the Assemblies as you doe and sat there heard the word professe Christ seemed to be Christians and it may be did something in their families but they denied the power they never had this willingnesse to see the excellency of the power of Godlinesse never did they choose the power of Godlinesse never did they pursue after the power of Godlinesse And many in these dayes they live in base and sinfull
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.
the coming of Christ In Isa 66. they say there Let God be glorified Joh. 16. They shall cast you out of their Synagogues and hate you and kill you for my name sake and think they do God good service Wicked men know it is their duty to glorifie God and they go about it though they do it the wrong way but now this being for Gods glory and revealed it is the duty of all men to desire the coming of Christ But I shall come to those Observations the words will afford Obs 1. That the coming of Christ is a thing made known and ought to be made known Let him that heareth say Come How shall they hear unless this be known and made known it cannot be heard nor desired there is hardly any thing in all the Gospel so much made known as the coming of Christ is Christ himself doth frequently speak of it Joh. 14. I go away but I will come again I will see you again saith Christ Joh. 21.22 23. If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee so v. 23. If I wil that he tarry till I come what is that to thee Till I come I mean to come again And in Revel 2.25 That which yee have already hold fast till I come saith Christ to the Church of Thyatira Christ himself speaks oft of his coming so the Angels have proclaimed and made known the coming of Christ Acts 1.11 This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as yee have seen him go into heaven So Peter he hath proclaimed the coming of Christ Acts 3.20 And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you God shall send Jesus Christ again and he shall come and he vindicates the coming of Christ which was questioned 2 Pet. 3.4 some said there Where is the promise of his coming Peter vindicates this Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God And Paul he is not silent in this business but he speaks frequently of the coming of Christ 2 Thess 1. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and chap. 2. vers 1. We beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and vers 8. Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming So in 2 Timoth. 4. I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing And in Tit. 2.13 Looking for the blessed love and the glorious appearing of the great God and of the Saviour Jesus Christ and in Heb. 9. ult and chap. 10.16 17. he speaks of it James also mentions it And it is observable there is not one Writer in all the New Testament but speaks of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ Jam. 5.8 Bee yee also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Peter also speaks of it I told you before So iâ— Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints and John he mentions it frequently six times in this Chapter my text is in doth he speak of it And will you have Matthew and Mark and Luke to give their testimony see in Matth. 24.27 For as the Lightning cometh out of the East and shineth unto the West so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be Mark likewise speaks of it chap. 8.38 When he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels and Luk. 10.13 he calls his ten Servants and delivers them ten pound and saith unto them Occupy till I come so that it is very observable that all the Apostles and all that write the Epistles do speak of the coming of the Lord Jesus Now why is this coming of Christ insisted upon so much and made known so much and so often repeated 1 Because we are hard to beleeve it men are hardly induced and perswaded to beleeve the coming of the Lord Jesus 2 Pet. 3.4 say they Where is the promise of his coming do not all things abide as they did from the beginning They could not beleeve Christs coming and it is a hard thing to perswade men and settle men in this the coming of the Lord Jesus again 2 If men be perswaded to this yet they are wonderfull apt to forget his coming and to put the evil day farre of Matth. 24.48 The evil servant says in his heart my Lord delays his coming he will not come in my days so the wise and foolish Virgins grew secure the wise slumbered and the foolish slept and so forgat the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ we are apt I say to forget and to put it off 3 This is so often mentioned and insisted upon that so we may prepare for it Matth. 24.44 Therefore bee yee also ready for in such an hour as yee think not of the Son of Man cometh The Son of Man comes and hee will come suddenly when men and women do not think of it therefore it is to be made known that people may bee ready and prepared for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 4 Lastly This is made known and so much insisted upon in the New Testament because it is a ground for Patience and to bear up the spirits of men and women against the Cross against afflictions against reproaches against discouragements and all the hard measures they meet withall here in the World Heb. 10.36.37 For yee have need of patience that after yee have done the Will of God yee might receive the Promise they had indured the spoyling of their goods and great afflictions and saith he yee have need of Patience For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry here is a ground for their patience Christ will come and so in Jam. 5.7 Bee patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it be yee also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth neer This will bear up the heart against all discouragement these afflictions reproaches temptations will have an end when Christ comes so that upon these accounts it is so much spoken of and to be made known Application 1 This serves for reproof First of those that cannot indure to bear of the coming of Christ that had rather hear of any thing than the coming of Christ why is Christs coming spoken of so by himself by all the Apostles and Evangelists Doth the Spirit say come and the Bride say come and shall not we indure to hear of the coming of Christ It argues abundance of guilt abundance of wickedness and prophaneness abundance of ignorance in the heart that cannot indure to hear of the coming of Christ 2 It reproves those and shews how inexcusable they will be that the coming of Christ is so made
Conscience and ready to sinke in the gates of death they have lookt up to Christ and intreated him to remember them Christ hath shewne them mercy which shews the forwardness and willingness of Christ to save sinners Yet let not any presume to doe so for likely late Repentance is seldome true a death-bed Repentance usually is a dead Repentance when feare of hell shall drive men to look after heaven they may thanke hell for looking after God and Christ but that by the way Fisteenthly and lastly It is cleerely evident that the Lord Christ hath a strong Inclination to save sinners by his giving out of Scripture in that way and manner as he hath done the Lord Christ hath given out Scripture so as to Answer the objections of men and women to Answer all the eavills of their hearts all the pleaâ—s of corruption and of a guilty Conscience and of the Devill himselfe The Lord hath given out Scripture so as to Answer all that might hinder their coming in unto him In the 12 of Math All manner of sins and Blasphemies shall be forgiven to the sons of men What hath a sinfull heart here to say what canst thou object against this he tells thee All manner of sins shall be forgiven all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven Are thy sins beyond blasphemy are they such as come not within the compasse of all manner of sin Let thy sins be slight or great let them be old or new let them be against Law against Gospel against promises all manner of sins shall be forgiven Christ saith The sin against the Holy-Ghost shall not be forgiven But if thou have a heart to look to Christ for mercy it 's an argument thou art free from that sin for where that is there 's impenitency thereâ—s hardness of heart no thinking of Repentance nor coming to God But all manner of sin and blasphemies shall be forgiven Is not here incouragement enough unto poore sinners So here in the next words Whosoever will let him come and drinke of the water of life freely Itâ—s laid downe so as to answer all your objections and to take away all your plea's you have to stave you off from Christ So then you see cleere evidences that Christ is willing to save sinners But why is Christ so willing to save sinners First Why Christ is so willing to save sinners from his owne experience and sence of what it is to be under the displeasure of God he was once tempted he was once forsaken he cryed out in that condition and he knew what the wrath and displeasure of God meant And now being full of compassion he pitties all those that are under the disfavour of God he knows sinners have broken the Law deserved the curse the wrath of God eternall death and now his compassions being stirr'd within him his Bowels yearne he desires that sinners may come to him if any thirst let him come let him come he shall be freed from the wrath of God from the curse of the Law from guilt and condemnation it 's a sad condition I am senceable of it I was in the share and round of sinners and I know what it is to be in such a condition Secondly Christ is so desirous that so he may see of the travaile of his owne soule and that men may see the end of his coming to save sinners was reall for if Christs end was to seeke and save that which was lost unlesse he desire and use meanes to save them you may say it was not reall therefore Christ to make it out that it was really his end and that he might see of the travaile of his soule in suffering he desires sinners may come in he gives out the Gospel he appoynts Ministers he invites them extraordinarily and ordinarily he calls upon them and would have sinners to come unto him to be saved Thirdly and lastly Christ doth this that so the freenesse of Gods Grace and of his love may appeare and may be magnified Christ is wonderfull desirous that sinners should come in and when they doe come in they will magnifie the riches of Grace then they will stand and wonder at the Love of God and of Christ and that he should waite upon the beseech and intreat them to come and accept of mercy and favour Vse 1. First we may see here that the way of the Lord Christ is for sinners to come in to him and to the Father freely Whosoever is athirst let him come he doth not say let him be compelled to come forc't to come but let him come he holds out such riches of Grace and mercy such treasures and excellencies that certainly if a soule do but consider and well weigh them it will come Christ himselfe came freely to us and he would have us come freely to him There is no forcing in the Act of Convertion but all is free though God puts forth a mighty power in the hearts of people yet he overcomes them with sweetnesse and lovingnesse Let him that is athirst come But it may be said they are bidden in the 14 of Luke to compell them to come in That is not an outward compulsion he doth not speake of force of Armes but goe and compell them to come in with force of Argument propound unto them such motives in the Gospel as may compell them to come in tell them of the Beauty of holinesse tell them of the Riches of Grace tell them of the Love of God and Christ tell them of the pardon of sins and answer their objections There 's no forcing in the work of Grace no forcing men to come unto God and Christ but it 's all a free worke God draws but he drawes with coards of love he carries not men against their wills to Christ and forces them to beleive in Christ no but he sweetens their wills and overcomes them with kindnesse and Truth the Majestie Glory and loveliness of truth overcomes their wills so that men come willingly to Christ Secondly Christ being desirous that sinners should come unto him then let us not goe to any other many seeke out to others and say with them in the 4th Psal Who will shew us any good there is no releife for poore sinners in any other but in Christ t is not running to Moses nor to David nor to Prophets nor to any but to Christ 't is not friends 't is not honours 't is not Riches 't is not gifts and Talents 't is not any thing in the creature can releive a thirsty soule but Christ If any man thirst let him come come whither come to Christ all other things doe proclaime unto you 't is not in them saith the wedge of Gold 't is not in me saith house and land 't is not in us say the ships on the Sea 't is not in us and so say all other creatures 't is onely in Jesus Christ to releive a poore soule Math 11.28 Come
unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will give you rest he doth not say that mountaines can refresh you that Angells can refresh you or any creature can refresh you but come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will give you rest All the virtue that refreshes a guilty soule a thirsty soule a sinfull soule all the virtue is in the Lord Jesus Christ he is water of life he is a fountaine of living water he hath to give you that which will doe your soules good hee can give you his blood to quench the fire of hell to purge away your guilt to remove wrath to come 't is in Christ and in none other Therefore all those that goe to others forsake their owne mercies and imbrace lying vanities but those that come to Christ they goe the right way Thirdly Doth Christ invite us to come unto him then let us examine and make inquiry whether wee are come to Christ or no I beleive here 's hardly any under this roofe but thinkes he is come to Christ that he is a true Christian and its worth the Inquiry then that he may resolve this case so that he may not be deceived for Christ saith in the 7th of Math In that day many shall say Lord Lord have not we done thus and thus in thy presence but Christ shall say unto them depart from me I never knew you you never came to me I say then it may be worth our time to make Inquiry after this case of Conscience whether wee are come to Christ yea or no and I shall in a few particulars cleere it up unto you First The soule that is in truth come to Christ hath seene a sufficiency in Christ to releive it every way and such a sufficiency as hath made it to venture it selfe upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone and nothing else Now apply this to your owne soules have you ever seene such sufficiency in the Lord Jesus as heaven and earth besides hath not And so seene as to make you come off from all and venture upon him alone if you have cleerely seene the suffiency of Christ then your owne righteousnesse is nothing to you your owne civility morality and honesty are as nothing though they are good in regard of men yet they are nothing in regard of God and in regard of your soules You see an allsufficiency in Jesus Christ and an utter insufficiency in your selves Alas what 's my righteousnesse saith the soule that 's come to Christ my righteousnesse is filthinesse and all that ever I can doe is unprofitablenesse before God and though I have learning and wisdome and parts and memory and utterance and riches and honours and follow a calling and doe good in my place and the like alas all these are nothing I account them but as dung saith the soule in respect of Christ there 's an allusufficiency in Christ I but these may damne me and send me to hell now put these to your owne hearts for it 's ill to be deceived in matters of eternity have you seene I say such a sufficiency in the Lord Jesus of wisdome and strength and righteousnesse and the like as you have laid downe all your owne and see it nothing and have ventured your soules nakedly upon Jesus Christ In the 45 of Isa 24. Verily shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength I have none in my selfe It is a prophesie of the last times concerning Christ I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and it shall not returne that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall sware It 's spoken of Christ and applyed to him in the Philippians Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength even to him shall men come marke in the Lord shall all the seede of Israel be Justified and shall Glory unto him shall they come And all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed what go to Christ saith one there 's nothing in Christ and men speake blasphemously and basely of Christ in these dayes but they shall be ashamed But unto HIM shall men come and in the Lord shall all the seede of Israel be Justifyed and shall Glory they shall be justifyed in Christ therefore deale really with your owne hearts therein there is a fundamentall truth to be taken off from your owne righteousnesse and to build wholly upon Christ those that come to him doe so Secondly The soule that is come unto Christ it doth stay it selfe upon him and rests upon him and goes not out from him as it ventures it selfe upon Christ so it rests it selfe content with Christ You know a Woman when shee hath chosen a Man for her husband she rests content in him above all the men in the world and the soule that hath chosen Christ and come to Christ and beleives in Christ in truth rests content with the Lord Jesus above all in heaven and earth In the 6th of John Christ puts a Question to Peter Jesus said unto the twelve will ye also goe away Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life Lord to whom should we goe we are satisfied with thee we rest content with thee we looke not beyond thee we have enough in thee and from thee to bring us to eternall life so that a soule that 's truly come to Christ will joyne nothing with Christ but rests satisfied with him alone try your selves thereby Thirdly A soule that is come to Christ in truth doth accept of the Lord Jesus Christ upon his owne termes many they will accept of Christ but it shall be upon their termes so I may have Christ and the world saith one I will be content to be a Christian so I may have Christ and honours saith another so I may have Christ and my lusts satisfied and injoy them I will come to him saith a third so I may live and take my ease and goe to heaven at last I will have Christ saith a fourth man Thus men will have Christ upon their termes but a soule that is thirsty and comes to Christ in truth takes the Lord Christ upon his owne termes If any man saith Christ will be my Disciple he must deny himselfe and take up his Crosse These are Christs termes a man must lay aside his owne wisdome a man must be content to bare a Crosse to meete with reproach prisons temptations persecutions hard measure Christ and a Crosse Christ and a prison Christ and hunger and nakedness and perill and temptations or whatsoever God will For we are slaine all the day long for thy sake in the Psa and in the 8 Rom so that a soule that doth come to Christ in truth takes Christ upon his owne termes Christ and mortification of your lusts Christ and death to the world Christ and death to sin these goe together
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