no rest I say till you finde this willingnesse in you And a little to excite you unto it and then to shew you how you may come to this willingnesse First Consider that you have a willingnesse to other things and that willingnesse will doe you little good without this nay your willingnesse to other things it may prejudice you and will prejudice you unless you have this willingness men are willing to have honours riches greatness in the world willing to have all things about them in the best manner what will this doe you good unless you have a willingness to the vvaters of life Riches will not deliver in the day of wrath there will be a day of wrath and what will your Riches your honours and all doe then These will doe nothing for you but these may prejudice you 1 Tim 6.9 10. They that will be rich marke they that will be rich that have a willingness that way that see an excellency in Riches choose them and follow them They that will be rich fall into Temptations and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition Marke these prejudice you For the love of money is the roote of all evill which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrowes vvhen men have strong vvills to creatures they may prejudice themselves and undoe soule and body But if they have such a will to the water of life that will advantage them So in the 5 Chap 6 v She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth Some their wills carry them to pleasure the pleasures of the body carnall delights and they are dead while they live have they waters of life no their vvills have slaine them They are dead while they live So in the 2d Ephe 3. Among whom we all had our Conversations in time past in the lusts of the flesh fullfilling the desires of the flesh or the wills of the flesh and of the minde vvhen we fullfill the wills of the flesh and of the minde wee are dead in sins and trespasses Children of wrath enemies to God So that to have a will that prizes other things that chooses and makes out after them this may damnifie you and undoe you The second Reason why you should labour to get this willingness is because it 's that which God requires and that which he doth onely require and all he doth requiâ—e under the Covenant of workes there was Doe this and live But now the last motion that Christ makes when he leaves the world and gives out the Scripture is this If any man have a will if there be willingness in you to waters of life that 's the thing I require and all I require and the onely thing I require He doth not require great matters at your hands he doth not say give me house and Lands give me your shops and ware give me your Ships give me your Limbs your blood your lives no saith he If any man will let me have but willingness in you this is all I require Pro 23. My Son give me thy heart Whatâ—s his meaning Let me but see a heart in thee prizing choosing and pursuing of the waters of life that 's all I require my Son give me thy heart he doth not meane that peice of flesh which is in your body that you call your heart But he would have you have so much understanding as to see an excellency in himselfe his Son his Spirit his Word and Grace and then to choose the same and to use the meanes to attaine them This is that that God requires and all he requires shall the Lord onely require your hearts nothing but your hearts and will not you study to have a heart willing to have God willing to have water of life The third and last Reason is because unlesse you are willing you shall have no water of life vvhosoever is willing let him take water of life 't is for him God will never force you to it If you leade a Beast to drinke you doe not force the Beast to drinke and God will never force men But if willingly they will prize Christ if they will choose Christ above all if they will close with him if they will use the meanes that he hath appointed to Injoy him Christ shall be their water of life the Spirit shall be theirs Take take presently saith he then take the water of life 't is for you and for none other By this time me thinks I heare you are ready to say ô that we had this willingnesse in us we hope we have it or if we have it not ô that we had hearts willing now to prize Christ to chuse Christ to close with Christ his Grace his Spirit his wayes and ordinances then we were made how shall we come by it I shall propound severall Considerations unto you whereby this willingnesse may be begotten First Consider your owne Condition Let every man and woman every son and servant seriously Consider with themselves in what Condition are we were we not all lost in Adam are we not all under the Law and the Curse of the Law Are we not all enemies to God through wicked workes in our minds have we not abundance of guilt in our hearts and Consciences Are we not afraid of hell if we should die that we should be damned are we not helpless in our selves and miserable creatures Is not God just holy and righteous doth not the greatest part goe the broad way and why may not I be in the broad way surely I am a wretched miserable a lost and undone creature If any poore soule in the world have need of water of life I am the creature For mine owne part I speake it freely here as in the presence of God I know none of your greater sinners then my selfe and none of you to have greater need of the waters of life then my owne soule let us not deceive our selves vve are all miserable and wretched creatures and we all have need of the water of life need of Christ need of Grace need of the Spirit need of promises need of all When a man sits downe and Considers I am in debt I owe this man 10 l another man a 100 l another man a 1000 and I am in danger of resting every day I have need of some friend to helpe me This is our Condition now if you would but seriously Consider it would make you thinke is there Grace mercy with God redemption salvation for sinners why not for me This would make you begin to have some willingness in you to have waters of life Secondly Consider two things of Christ First Consider the very end of Christs Incarnation the end of his coming the end of his being here in this world why did Christ come I will shew you two or three places of Scripture Math 18.10 For the Son of man is
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
and other waters you use which are healing waters The waters of the Gospel are healing waters He sent out his word and healed them Christ said to the Leper I will be thou cleane and he was cleane The word of God will heale all diseases of your soules 't is not onely a patterne of wholsome words but a patterne of healing words Seventhly and lastly Some waters are very Comfortable and Cordiall so are these waters of life They are very Cordiall waters is not this text very Cordiall to thinke upon Whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely It 's a very Cordiall the water of this text And so much for the Resemblance between water and it The water of Life Quest Upon what account is it call'd water of Life Answ First of all this water begets life take Christ for the water of life Christ himselfe is life He is the Prince of life and he is life Joh 14 6. And he is our life Col 3.3 When Christ who is our life shall appeare Christ brought life to the dead world he is water of life Take the Spirit for water of life The Spirit begets life in the soule it is a Spirit of life and it 's called living water In the 7th of Joh 38 39. He that beleiveth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall slow rivers of living water and this he spake of the Spirit the Spirit is water of life unto men and women Take it for the Gospel Phil 2.14 't is the word of life the very word begets life in men and women 1 Pet 1.23 Being borne not of Corruptible seede but of Incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever The word of God liveth and begets life in men and women It 's seede and all true seede hath life in it sow any Corne it hath life in it this is divine and heavenly Corne and when it is sowne in your hearts it begets life there And Grace is life Faith is life all Grace is life It is the life of the soule so that they are called waters of life because these waters beget life Secondly They are waters of life because they doe maintaine life begotten We are nourished of the same things of which we consist saith Philosophie And so saith Divinity wee consist of divine principles a godly man is made up of the word of God of the Divine nature and of the Graces of the Spirit and wee are maintained by the same we are maintained by Christ and by the Spirit and by the word and by this water of life we live upon the same Therefore Christ Grace and Spirit are compared in the Scripture unto things upon which men live Isa 55. Ho every one that thirsteth c. Water and wine and milke and marrow and bread by such things as these men live Incline your ear and come unto me heare and your soules shall live your life shall be maintained by these things Christ is the bread of life and the water of life and we must live by this bread and water live by the flesh of Christ and live by the blood of Christ live by the promises of Christ and live by the Graces of Christ and so by the Spirit these maintaine life in men and women Thirdly It 's water of life because it makes us more and more lively it doth not onely beget life and maintaine life but Increase life and makes us lively It 's said in the 4 â—h of John that this water shall be a Well of water springing up into everlasting life It increases life and springs up into more and more life This water doth make us lively John 10.10 saith Christ I came that ye might have life and have it in more abundance how lively was Peter after the water of the Spirit came upon him in Acts 2. and Peter it is that writes of living and lively stones Christians should not onely be living but lively this water makes lively full of Spirits Lastly 'T is water of life because it brings unto everlasting life he that hath the Gospel comes to be pertaker of the Spirit and he that hath the Spirit is pertaker of Christ and he that is pertaker of Christ comes to God See how this water of life springs up into everlasting life saith Christ in the 14 of Joh 6. I am the way the truth and the life and no man comes unto the Father but by me so that by Christ we come to the Father And in the 8 Rom 9. He that hath not the Spirit is none of Christs And he that hath not the Gospel hath not the ministration of the Spirit where the Gospel waters come and this water is conveyed to the soule there the Spirit is and there Christ is and there 's coming to the Father so that it springs up from the Gospel to the Spirit from the Spirit to Christ from Christ to the Father as in the 4 â—h of Joh 14. It is a Well springing up Into Everlasting life This water came from the Father and it will carry men up to the Father into everlasting life So then you see what this water of life is and why it 's said to be water of life and how water Let him take the water of life freely There 's something in this word Take of the water of life freely That notes first let a sinner be what he will there is no barre put in against him to keepe him off from this water let a man be a great sinner an old sinner let his sinnes be Crimsen and Scarlet sins God puts in no barre Christ saith not here let a little sinner or a young sinner or a sinner that hath sin'd once or twice or an hundred times or a thousand times onely come but he saith whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely let his sins be what they will All manner of Blasphemies saith Christ shall be forgiven There 's no barre but onely against the Impardonable sin But what sin soever though long continued in though of the most hainous nature cloathed with the most dreadfullest aggravations yet it shall be forgiven let that sinner come and take of this water of life freely A Leper a man leperous all over may as freely goe into the river or sea and wash himselfe as the man that is sound There is no barre in his way Secondly It imports thus much let him come and pertake freely that whatsoever qualification men have let them be honest morall civill sober righteous just and the like have good natures and dispositions yet no man doth deserve or merit any thing not one drop of this water Many thinke and it 's the Popish Doctrine that men may be made meete for this water and that men doe deserve this water and are worthy of it No let men be never so righteous just morall never so civill yet when they have done all that ever they
a willing minde he is free himselfe and gives water of life freely and he would have you serve him cheerefully and willingly But to proceede to another observation Whosoever will saith he let him take the waters of life freely Whosoever will The willing Man The observation is this That man who is willing or hath a willingness to have the waters of life shall have them Be the man what he will high or low rich or poore learned or unlearned young or old bond or free whosoever hath a willingnesse in them to have the waters of life shall have them To make it out from the Scripture unto you Joh 5.40 Ye will not come to me that ye might have life That ye might have waters of life were there in you a willingnesse to have the waters of life saith Christ ye might have them In the 55 of Isa 1.2 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that have no money come buy and eat yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price saith Christ are ye willing to have waters of life are ye willing to have wine and milke without money there 's the stick you say you have no money saith Christ will you have them without money are you willing to have them If you be but willing saith Christ you shall have them are you athrist you shall have water I looke not after your money I looke not after such qualifications or dispositions and preparations But are you willing to have it Wherefore doe you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not And because men will not come to Christ Christ comes to them Pevel 3.20 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke saith he If any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in to him and will Sup with him and he with me Christ comes and stands at the doore and knocks You know when one comes to the doore of a house and knocks if there be one within and the party will not open the doore you cannot come in but if the party will open the doore you come in presently Christ comes and kcocks now and he would faine come in but men and women will not open the doore What 's the opening of the doore your hearts are the doore and the opening of your hearts is your willingnesse that Christ should come in but men and women keepe the doore shut and so Christ enters not they have no willingnesse in them there is a Will in all men by nature but there is not a willingness If a man have a hand to receive any thing while he keepes his hand shut he can receive nothing but if he will open his hand then he is fit to receive a man that keepeth his mouth shut he can take in no water no wine no food This is the case sinners so long as they keepe their hearts shut Christ knocks the Spirit knocks the Minister knocks the word knocks God knocks but they will not open and so there is no enterance But willingnesse now is the opening of the heart and makes way for Christs enterance Lydia was hearing and her heart was opened and Christ came in the waters of life came in And in the 1 of Isa 19 20. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eate the fatt of the Land If ye be willing ye shall have the blessing There is a willingnesse required in sinners to receive Grace to receive mercy to receive the waters of life Quest Now wherein lies this willingnesse that should be in sinners to receive the waters of life to receive Grace and Mercy Answ It lies in three things First In a high prizing of this water of life when a man comes to have apprehensions of worth and excellency in it thereupon he prizeth what is so apprehended for you must know that the opperations of the will are according to the apprehensitions of the understanding If a mans understanding have apprehensions of a great deale of good and worth in a thing then his will prizes the good that is in the thing answerably When men have weake apprehensions of things they have weake prizings of them and value them accordingly But if men apprehend things strongly to have a great deale of worth and excellency in them then they prize them answerably Now when the waters of life are apprehended to be exceeding good to be an Infinite mercy an unspeakeable mercy then the will prizes them and prizes them above all other things Take Christ he is water of Life Coll 1.19 It pleased the Father that in Christ should all fullnesse dwell There is then all fulnesse in Christ Coll 2.3 In him are hid all the Treasures of wisdome and knowledge Coll 3.11 Christ is all in all Paul had a large apprehension of the excellency of Christ and Paul prizes Christ answerably and accounts all dung for Christ losse for Christ So that there 's the first thing in this willingnesse that the soule having seene a worth an excellency a transcendency of good prizes it answerably Secondly The soule hereupon comes to make choice of this good for it selfe The Will chooses this good so apprehended and so prized As a man he beholds a person beautifull amiable and sutable unto him he prizes the person and makes choice of the person in himselfe for himselfe So the will upon apprehension of water of life and the Infinite good by it doth choose this water of life for it selfe And thus David in the 73 Psal 25 v Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that my soule desires in comparison of thee David saw such worth in Christ as that he doth choose Christ in heaven and in earth and none besides him Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none that I desire upon earth besides thee So the Spouse in the 5 Cant 10. My beloved there 's the choice is white and ruddy the cheifest of ten thousand I know what a one my beloved is I have such apprehensions of him he is white and ruddy the cheifest of ten thousand better then all and therefore I choose him he is my Beloved The will comes to choose and take in the object so apprehended for it selfe that is the second thing the will acting in the choosing of Christ Thirdly The Will mooves and carries the soule to the Injoying of the thing prized and chosen As when a man hath cast his eyes upon a virgin and he values her and in his heart chooses her Then he uses all lawfull meanes to Injoy her his will carries him to the use of meanes so here The Will mooves the soule now towards Christ to close with Christ to injoy Christ and doth act both inwardly outwardly Inwardly by longings sighings desires thirstings ô that I had water of life ô that I had water of the well of Bethlehem as David said ô that
SERMONS OF CHRIST HIS Last Discovery of Himself Of The Spirit and Bride The Waters of Life And His free Invitation of Sinners to come and drink of them From Revel 22.16 17. By WILLIAM GREENHILL an unworthy Servant of the Lords He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul Prov. 15.32 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge Prov. 18. â—5 LONDON Printed by R. I. for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley 1656. TO ALL His Christian Friends More especially To those the Author of these Sermons walks with in the Fellowship of the Gospel doth he Dedicate the same TO THE READER THat these Sermons see the Light is more from the Auditours than the Author of them Some being affected in hearing were importunate to have them published urging they might bee of use not only to doubting Saints and desponding Christians but also to those were dead in Sins and Trespasses Hereupon after some struglings in my spirit I was willing to expose my self to Censure rather than to grieve my Friends by a denial and with-hold those Truths by which possibly some poor Soul or other might gain some little Spiâ—iâ—ual advantage Reader although these Sermons were taken by the Pen of a ready Writer and printed as they were taken yet look not for that Spirit Power and Life was in them when Preached The Press is a dead thing to the Pulpit A Sermon from thence is like Meat from the Fire and Milk from the Brest but when it is in Ink and Paper it 's only cold Meat and Milk it hath lost its lively taste though it may nourish and become a standing Dish to feed upon daily There is this benefit in Printing that when the Preacher is absent or dead the thing printed may bee at hand and serviceable Reader if thou lookest for high Notions quaint Expressions new Opinions strong Lines inticing words of mans Wisdom or any thing to please a fleshly mind I must say to thee as Peter did to him in the Acts Such silver and gold have I none but what I have I give unto thee viz. plain and naked Truths according to the simplicity of Christ and the Gospel Wouldest thou know what is to be had here If thou be shaken in these staggering times here thou maist see what a Root Christ is bearing up all If thou stumble at Christs meanness in the World here thou shalt understand of what Royal Descent he was If thou be in the dark and know not the right way here maist thou behold Christ a glorious Star to direct thee If thou be dull and sad here mayest thou hear the sweet Voyces of the Spirit and Bride to quicken and comfort thee If thou bee thirsty here is water and Water of Life prepared for thee If thou be sinful and so sinful as thou fearest Christ will not save thee here shalt thou finde many clear demonstrations how willing Christ is to save sinners If thou finde not a willingness in thee to have Water of Life here is discovered how that willingness may be wrought in thee If thou bee secure and sleepy here are tidings of Christs coming of what concernment that is and what preparation thou art to make for it which may help to awaken thee In a word here thou hast the last discovery the Lord Christ gave forth of himself and of his miâ—d He had oft before discovered himself what he was as to be the Messiah Joh. 4.25 26. to be the Resurrection and the Life Joh. 11.25 to bee the Bread of Life Joh. 6.35 to be the Light of the World Joh. 8.12 to be the good Shepherd Joh. 10.11 to be the true Vine Joh. 15.1 to be the Way Truth and Life Joh. 14.6 to be Alpha and Omega and here he saith I am the Root and Off-spring of David c. which being the last declaration of himself doubtless hath something considerable in it as will appear in the Work it self William Greenhil Stepney the fifth of the ninth Month. 1655. TO His dearly beloved Brethren and Fellow Members of that Body the Church at Stepney of which Christ is the Head Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord be multiplied unto you Brethren YOu are here presented with that in Print which before you have heard Preached unto you but I hope the impression of it is not only in these Papers but that it is already in your hearts It was a glorious commendation that Paul gave of his Corinthians 2 Epist 3.2 Yee are our Epistle written in our hearts known and read of all men for as much as yee are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with Inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of Stone but in fleshy tables of the heart What is the end of our faithful Pastors Preaching and of our Hearing but that we may be the Epistles of Christ You have here presented to your view some of the last words of Christ wherein you have a Declaration of what he is the Root and the Off-spring of David Davids root in regard of his Diety and his Off-spring in regard of his Humanity we have need to hear of these Truths again and again especially in such days of Apostacy and falling away from the Faith as we live in many denying the Lord that bought them by which wee may see the Scripture fulfilled that saith In the latter days many shall depart from the Faith and in 2 Pet. 2.1 2. the Apostle plainly speaks that as there were false Prophets of old so there should be false Teachers that should creep in who privily should bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth should be evil spoken of You have here likewise a sweet and blessed in vitation of the Lord Jesus to poor thirsty Sinners that they would come and take of the Water of Life freely O therefore let us not stand off but come although we have no mony for little do we think what prejudice our Soâ—uls do receive because we go no freelier to Jesus Christ to receive of the things that hee hath purchased and is ready to give out unto us you are called out of the World even to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ You are the Members of Christ 1 Corinth 6.15 yee are the Temples of the holy Spirit 2 Cor. 6.16 you stand in near relation to God and Christ as being his Friends his Brethren his Children his Spouse Yee are his Portion his Jewels his peculiar Treasure his Vine-yard his pleasant Plant his Glory Isa 4.5 1 Pet. 2.9 Yee are a chosen Generation a Roval Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar People It being thus what flows from hence or what doth this call for at our hands but that we labour to shew forth the Praises of
15. he is said to be a quickning Spirit he hath life in him and quickens others Joh. 14.6 he is The life he is life emphatically above all others he is a Root he hath life principally and eminently in him 3 The Root you know bears up the tree the branches and the fruit of the tree the Root bears up all Thou bearest not the root but the root bears thee Rom. 11. So it is the Lord Jesus Christ this Root that bears up all Christ bears up the world Christ bears up the Church Christ bears up heaven he bears up all Heb. 1.3 Vpholding all things by the word of his power The Lord Jesus is the Root I say that bears and upholds all the whole Creation Sion it self and Heaven it self are upheld by this Root the Lord Jesus Christ but especially the Church here in this world especially Sion and the members of Sion beleeving souls Joh. 15. I am the Vine that is I am the Root of the Vine the Church is the Vine and Christ is its Root and he bears up the whole Vine and all the branches and all the clusters upon the Vine hee bears them up he is the Root of the Vine so that Christ is a Root that bears up all he did bear up David his family David and his Kingdome he bears up Sion and all the children of Sion 4 Lastly the Root doth convey life and sap and nourishment unto the whole body to all the branches so it is the Lord Jesus Christ that doth convey sap and life and nourishment unto all his body every branch in the Vine receives the vertue from the root of the Vine and all have life from Christ I am come that ye may have life Joh. 10. all life is from Christ and all light is from Christ He is the morning star which we may speak of afterwards and all nourishment is from Christ he is said to be the Head of the Church and the Head of the Church is the Root of the Church in the Scripture sense And from the Head is all influence of light and of direction and counsel and motion and comfort all is from the Head all is from this Root From Christ is conveyed all Without me yee can do nothing unless yee be in me and have vertue from me and derive all from me you can do nothing Thus you see that Christ is a Root the Root of David But there are some disparities What disparities there are between Christ and a Root or things wherein Christis not like a Root First A Root take it in the litteral sense the roots of trees and plants they are of a dying nature decaying nature and wil grow rotten and consume Job 14.8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth and the stock thereof dye in the ground the root of a tree waxes old and will dye and perish and come to nothing but Christ is not like a root in that sense For Christ he lives for ever Heb. 7. This Root never dyes never decayes Christ the same yesterday the same to day the same to morrow and the same for ever The Root of Sion for ever and the Root of David for ever Secondly A root doth bear but one tree suffices one or two or three bodies at most the root of a Corn it may be will suffice for two or three or half a dosen stalks it cannot suffice for all But Christ is a Root that suffices for all for all Sion for the whole world for the Church for Heaven Hee is the Root of David the Root of Jesse the Root of Abraham of Isaac Hee is the Root of all the Prophets and Apostles of all beleevers of all that have spiritual life in them he is the Root of them all so that this Root is of another nature than those roots Thirdly Other roots are subject to the wills and humors and pleasures of men they can dig up the roots of things they can burn the roots and abuse the roots but Christ is not subject to the wills and humors of any to be spoyled to bee consumed The Scribes and Pharisees thought to root out this Root when they put him to death but when he was in the grave he saw no corruption he laid down his life and none took it from him without his leave And he rose again Rom. 1.4 and mightily declared himself to be the Son of God by the Spirit of holiness he declared himself to be a Root that man hath not power over So then you see for the opening of this word Root these things do clear it Object But here is an Objection You say Christ is the Root of David and the Root of all Why had not Christ himself a Root and was not he from a Root and how can he be the Root of all Isa 11.1 And there shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch shal grow out of his Roots This is meant of Christ that Christ should come out of Jesse and Jesse should be the Root of Christ and in the 10. v. it is said In that day there shall be a Root of Jesse which shall stand for an Ensign of the people The same is said to be the Root of Jesse which is said to be the stem or branch of Jesse How will these things accord Ans As I answered before Jesse is the Root of Christ according to his humane nature and Christ is the Root of Jesse according to his Divine nature or if you will Christ as Mediator was the Root of Jesse and of all the godly The words being opened I shall give you this Observation I am the Root of David Observ That the Lord Christ is the Root of Nature the Root of Grace and the Root of Glory How will that appear why he was the Root of David as a man the Root of David as a Saint and the Root of David as glorified David was now in heaven Hee was the root of David as a man Psal Christ thâ— root of Nature 119.73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me O Lord saith David I did not make my self and my Parents did not make me But thy hands have made me and fashioned me Thy hand hath made me such a creature thy hand did curiously work me when I was in my mothers womb that framed me and moulded me that ordered all my bones and sinews and joynts and parts and faculties and the like Thy hand hath made me the work of nature was from him He was the Root of Nature And so likewise He was the Root of Grace Christ the root of Grace and Glory and the Root of Glory saith David Psal 110. The Lord said unto my Lord Why was Christ Davids Lord because he had given him Grace and made him his servant Why his Lord because he would give him Glory The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand Christ was Davids Lord because he
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
in your desires a beleeving Soul sees what an honourable Person Christ is Carnal eyes do not see but Spiritual eyes do see this Off-spring of David they see what a Plant he is what a Branch he is And it should make men and women desirous to come in to Christ and close with Christ Women desire honourable Matches and rich Matches and shall not our Souls now close with Christ who is the best Match the Off-spring of David the Heir of the World the Heir of Heaven O therefore let your desires be towards Christ and close with the Lord Jesus and honour him in your thoughts and exalt him in your hearts and lift him up higher and higher every day for there is none like unto him 4 Lastly This may serve to let us see what service and subjection is due unto Jesus Christ hee is the Off-spring of David hee is the Root of David he is God and he is true Man and he is of the most eminent of men in the World therefore all service and subjection is due unto him Psal 2. Kiss the Son lest he bâ—e angry and yee perish from the mid way O kiss him and subject unto him kiss him and serve him kiss him and obey him manifest your respects unto him every way the meaning here is Kiss the Son and serve him serve him with your Souls with your Bodies he hath the right of Redemption O therefore serve him The next Conclusion to be drawn from these words is this If Christ bee the Root and Off-spring of David then whatsoever the Scripture faith upon this account and consideration must be made good and there are two Scriptures worthy your serious and best consideration The first is in Jer. 23.5 Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Justice and Judgement in the earth Hear what the Scripture saith of the Off-spring of David he shall be a King and shall prosper and he shall execute Justice and Judgement in the earth The other Scripture is in Luk. 1.29 He shall be Great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David Whether ever Christ yet had these Scriptures made good unto him is worth your serious consideration was Christ ever yet set upon the Throne of David according to these words When Christ was here it was in a state of Humiliation he came not to be ministred unto but to minister unto others and he did wash his Disciples feet he was in a state of humiliation doth it not remain then that these Scriptures should be made good It is true Christ hath a Throne in Heaven but that is not Davids Throne that is the Throne of God but he shall sit upon his Father Davids Throne And surely there is something in that Rev. 19.11 And I saw heaven opened and behold a white Horse and he that sate upon him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he doth judge and make Warre his eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many Crowns and hee had a name written that no man knew but himself and he was cloathed in a vesture dipt in bloud and his name was called the Word of God who was this but Christ And the Armies which were in Heaven followed him upon white Horses cloathed in fine Linnen white and clean and out of his mouth goeth a sharp Sword that with it he should smite the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron and he treadeth the Wine-press of the fiercèness and wrath of Almighty God c. Whether this bee yet fulfilled take into your serious consideration and this conclusion that Christ the Off-spring of David must reign and sit upon the Throne or David serves for two speciall things First For preparation Secondly For expectation First for Preparation That people should prepare and sit themselves against the coming of Christ so Revel 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready This was in Vision now it must be made good in reality let every Soul prepare and make themselves ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus you know a Bride doth trim and deck up her self and put on her ornaments and make her self as lovely and amiable as possibly the can so should every Soul purge away sin and deck up themselves with the Graces of Gods Spirit and walk righteously and holily and unblamably and so make themselves ready for Christ The Second is for Expectation saith Christ I am the Root and the Off-spring of David and what follows in the next words And the Spirit and the Bride saith come and let him that heareth say come c. presently therâ— is an expectation raised Christ speaks these words to raise the expectations of all that should live after this Book to expect his coming I am the root of Jesse the root of David and the Off-spring of David I have upheld David and he hath had a Kingdom and I am his Son and I must come and I must sit upon his Throne and I must reign The next Conclusion is this That the knowledge of Christ under these Notions or expressions here is of great concernment This is the last Declaration that ever the Lord Jesus made of himself here in the world and what saith he I am the root and the off-spring of David and so leaves it unto the World to consider of This is of great concernment to consider Christ under these Notions now to make it out in two or three particulars 1 Here is held out unto us the two Natures of Christ his God-head his Divine Nature and his Human Nature the Divine Nature I am the root of David his Human nature The off-spring of David and withall a great Mystery for mark I am the root of David and the Off-spring of David and David lyes between both So here Christs Human nature in the Off-spring the Divine nature in the root and Christ Mediator lyes between both for there must be a concurrence of Divine and Human nature to impersonate Christ to be a Mediator which here is held out unto the World in the last Declaration of the Lord Jesus Christ I am God and I uphold you I uphold David and his Kingdom and I am the Off-spring of David I am sensible of any thing is done to my Church and People and I am Mediator and will mediate with my Father for vengeance on those shal wrong them and for assistance of all those he hath given unto me 2 Herein many Scriptures are fulfilled I am the root and Off-spring of David and so wee may see the truth reality and certainty of Scripture Joh. 4.7 Hath not the Scripture said that Christ cometh of the Seed of David and out of the town of
hath life when men swear and lye and follow their lusts and courses of the world they are darkness and walk in darkness but that man that walks most conformable to the rule of Gods Word he is light he is a brother but if you have not love the Day-star is not risen in your hearts 4 Lastly If this Day-star be risen in you then you will follow the Lord Christ and the Light that he holds out unto you and others you will not follow I say you will follow Christ hee is Light saith Paul Be yee followers of me as I am of Christ and my Sheep know my voyce and they follow me but they know not the voyce of strangers and will not follow them Christs Sheep those that have light they will follow the light they will follow the Day-star you know that when they were in the Wilderness they had a Pillar of Fire went before them in the night and they followed that so now Christ is the Pillar of Fire he is the Star that goes before them and they will follow that Star the Wise men had a Star that went before them and they followed that Star and that led them to Christ but now we must not follow Stars nor follow Men but follow Christ the Star whom do you follow now your own wisdom your own counsel your own Iusts the examples of men and the like are these your Guides and Leaders you are undone theâ— you have not the Day-star risen in your hearts if it were you would follow this Guide which is an infallible light and an infallible Guide therefore try your selves by this 5 If Christ be the bright and morning Star then let us look and wait for the Day which this morning Star is a fore-runner of it will be a glorious and a great Day be it the Day of Judgement as some do conceive or the day of Restitution of all things as others conceive yet that day will come and it will be a remarkable day a glorious day a day of burning a day of fire a day to consume the wicked a day to advance and raise the godly and Paul doth beseech them in 2 Thess he lays the weight upon that very thing chap. 2. vers 1. Now we beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him O the coming of Christ is a very weighty thing when he shall come in the glory of his Father and of the Angels to judge the World or to deliver the World it will bee a great day a separating day O therefore let us look for that day and prepare for it Oh the Saints at that day will have cause to lift up their heads their Redemption draweth nigh It will be the day wherein Christ as he saith in Mat. 26.29 I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine untill the day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom It will be a day of rejoycing to the Saints but the wicked shall have a Cup of Vinegar to drink or mingled Cup with Wrath and they must drink it all off to their undoing well seeing the morning Star hath appeared and is up and that day will come O let us look and prepare for it 6 Lastly If Christ bee the bright morning Star then we should be encouraged here to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and not to be weary of his work of his way and though wee meet with difficulties and discouragements yet to go on and fight it out and upon what ground see in Revel 2.26 28. He that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations and I will give him the morning Star He that goes on in my service and overcomes World Devil Corruption and Sin saith Christ I will give him the morning Star I will make him glorious I will fill him with joy and comfort I will give him my self for I am the morning Star hee shall have fruition of me and possession of me so that here 's incouragement enough for any to go on in godliness in Christianity in the ways of holiness and to oppose the enemies of Christ why he shall have Christ himself the morning Star The Voyce of the Spirit and Bride REV. 22.17 And the Spirit and the Bridesay Come THE Lord Christ having declared many things concerning himself and his enemies and the state his Church should come unto in this Book here the Spirit and the Bride say Is it so come come seeing there is such Prophesies of thy self come seeing thine enemies shall meet with such things come seeing thou wilt bring the Church to such a state come The Spirit and the Bride say Come To speak a little to the words Some by a Figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where two words are put for one do understand the words thus And the Spirit and the Bride that is the Bride by the Spirit saith come Or the Bride by instinct of the Spirit saith come or the Spiritual Bride the Bride sanctified by the Spirit saith come But you see they are put distinct and so some Expositors take them The Spirit saith come and the Bride saith come The Spirit that spake to the Churches in the second and third of the Revelation Here what the Spirit saith unto the Churches that Spirit here saith come And the Bride saith come by Bride both the Church â—â—â—umphant and Militant may bee understood those that are chosen called and faithful Revel 17.4 those that had the name of their Fathers written in their fore-head Revel 14.1 Those that had white Robes and Palms in their hands Revel 7. Those that made up the New Jerusalem that descended from Heaven Revel 21. Those who did keep the Commandements of God and do his Will Revel 22.14 Those that were the several assembly of the first born Heb. 12. these are the Bride Now the Church is called a Bride from the resemblances that it hath with a Bride 1 You know a Bride doth forget The reâ—emblance â—etween â—he Church â—nd a â—â—ride and forsake her own people and her fathers house Psal 45. Forget thine own people and thy fathers house it is spoken there to the Bride so the Church forgets the World and the customs and fashions of the World her own people kindred and relations and forsakes them Thus doth the Church Ephes 5.32 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joyned to his wife This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church the Church must leave Father and Mother leave outward relations Wee have forsaken all and followed thee said the Disciples 2 A Bride you know is betrothed and espoused unto a man she gives up her self unto a man so the Church 2 Cor. 11. For I have espoused you to one Huthand that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ Christ calls her his Spouse in
the Canticles she is espoused unto Christ 3 A Bride she hath her Ornaments and Jewels about her she is trim'd Isa 61.10 so the Church hath Ornaments and Jewels about her she is trimmed and deckt with the Graces of the Spirit with the righteousness of Christ White Linnen in the Revelation is said to bee the righteousness of Saints the Church hath her Ornaments her Jewels and Graces Canticles 4.9 4 Lastly The Bride you know expects Marriage of such a Person so the Church looks to be married unto Christ she waites for the day she is espoused already and waites for to be married unto the Lamb Rev. 19. so then you see upon what account the Church is called a Bride Now the Point to be handled is this Doct. That both the Spirit of God and the whole Church are desirous of Christs coming And the Spirit and the Bride say come To speak a little to the Spirit of God the Spirit of God is said in Scripture to intercede for us and the Spirit of God lusts against the flesh and here the Spirit desires the coming of Christ The Spirit saith come And the Spirit desires the coming of Christ Why the Spirit desires the coming of Christ because it having received from Christ all truth and having given it out unto Apostles and unto John and so to the Church it would gladly have the Church see the accomplishment of what is given out by the Spirit which will not all bee done till the coming of Christ all truth will not be accomplished Prophesies or Promises will not be fulfilled till the coming of Christ and the Spirit having received of Christ and given them out the Spirit desires the accomplishment of them that the Church might see it 2 The Spirrt desires Christs coming for the honour of Christ it is said in 2 Thes 1.10 Christ shall come to be admired this shall bee the honour of Christ to bee admired by the Church to be admired by the World especially he shall bee admired of the Saints and of those that do beleeve and the more admirable will Christ be when they shall see all Truths fulfilled and made good that he gave out by his Spirit It is said Isa 44.26 God is a God that confirmeth the word of his Servant and performeth the counsel of his Messengers so Christ he will confirm the word of his Spirit and confirm the word of his Messenger the Spirit brought it from Christ to John John gives it out to the Church and when Christ comes he will confirm the word and make it all good and so both Christ shall bee honoured the Spirit honoured and the Instruments that gave out the word be honoured 3 The Spirit desires the coming of Christ that so it self may be no more grieved no more quenched So 1 Thes 5. Quench not the Spirit in Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Spirit whereby yee are sealed unto the day of redemption The Spirit hath sealed up men unto the day that is this day of Christs coming unto the day of redemption Now saith the Spirit come come that I may be no more grieved I am grieved in the hearts of Saints daily I am troubled by them they do many things that are contrary to my Nature contrary to my Holiness the Spirit is a tender thing and soon grieved now saith the Spirit Come come then when Christ comes the Spirit shall no more be grieved there shall be a course taken with enemies Here then we may see that this is a matter of weight and worthy of consideration the coming of Christ for the very Spirit of Christ desires it But so much for that The whole Church also desires it even the Church Triumphant desires it I might insist upon that first In Rev. 6.9 10. The Church triumphant desires Christs coming And when he had opened the fifth Seal I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held And they cryed with a loud voyce saying how long how long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Here is part of the Church Triumphant crying How long O Lord afore thou comest Souls have no Tongues you must know but here by crying is meant the desires of the Soul they desire Christs day might come and so their enemies might be judged and they might have their bodies united unto their souls and be made compleat Quest But it may be said Do the Souls in Heaven and the Church in Heaven desire Christ may go out of Heaven and come down to earth that should seem strange Ans 1. Yes The very Church in Heaven desires the day of Christs coming and what if Christ do leave Heaven and come down to earth what hurt in that for they being in Heaven do see the face of the Father and beholding the face of the Father they have happiness enough there as the Angels always behold the face of my Father 2 But secondly when Christ comes they shall come with him as you may see in Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints Here is a limited number put for an illimited ten thousand that is with all his Saints so you have it in Ezek. 14.5 And the Lord my God shall come with all the Saints with him Christ shall come and all the Saints shall come with him when he comes so in 1 Thes 4.14 For if we beleeve that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him they shall come with Christ when he comes so that the very Church Triumphant are desirous of the coming of Christ But so much for that We come now to that which is more chiefly our aime and scope The Church Militant desires the coming of Christ that is the Church here in this World the Bride here doth desire the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ the Bride saith come come Lord you have it in the twentieth Verse of this Chapter He which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Jesus John desires the comming of Christ in the person of the Church Come Lord Jesus and frequently in Scripture thâ—s is spoken of Tit. 2.13 Looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ The Church looks for and so desires the glorious appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ that which we look for we desire and so in 2 Pet. 3.12 Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God 1 Thes 1.10 And to wait for his Son from Heaven The Thessalonians the Church there waited for the coming of Christ from Heaven and Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ And many other places there are Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also
also as in chap. 20. I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the bottomless Pit and a great chain in his hand and he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Sathan and bound him a thousand years and cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should not deceive the Nations any more till the thousand years should be fulfilled then shall the enemies of Christ bee brought under the Church saith Come upon that account 3 The Church saith Come and desires his coming that so it self might bee freed from all enemies within and without when Christ comes this will bee made good Revel 21. There was new Jerusalem came down from Heaven What then saith hee Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himself shall bee with them and bee their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain When Christ comes all enemies shall bee taken away all Persecutions all Afflictions all Temptations yea all Corruptions within Rom. 7.24 Who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God through Jesus Christ when Christ comes I shall be delivered from this body of death so that Christs coming is desired of the Church that she may be freed from all enemies without and that there might be no sinning nor grieving of the Spirit that there might be no tears no sorrow no crying no pain but freedom from all inwardly and outwardly 4 And lastly The Church desires the coming of Christ that she may injoy all the good things that are to be had by his coming That she may have the choyce refreshing that is spoken of in Acts 3.19 Repent yee therefore and bee converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Christ shall come and there will be times of refreshing times of choyce refreshing such refreshings shall Souls have as they never had That they may have the glorious liberty mentioned Rom. 8.21 Because the Creature it self also shall bee delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God then shall the children of God have liberty and glorious liberty never had they such liberty as then they shall have Then they shall likewise be partakers of great honour that Christ will bestow upon them Rev. 2.17 He that overcometh saith he I will give to eat of the hidden Manna and I will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written He shall have a title of Honour And a new Seat shall he have Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Christ will honour the Church then and set her upon a Throne exalt every member thereof give them a new name a new seat great honour shall they have insomuch that it is said in Isa 62. Thou shalt be as a crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord and a royal Diadem in the hand of thy God They shall be honoured as Kings and Queens He hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and we shall be honoured as Kings and Priests when Christ comes Then shall they have nearer conjunction with Christ and more communion with him then ever Rev. 19.7 Let us bee glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come The marriage of the Lamb is come Then shall bee the marriage now it is a Bride but then shall be the Marriage then shall we rejoyce for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready There will bee more intimate and sweet communion then will Christ let out his loves to the Soul indeed Then will he lead his Spouse his Bride his Wife into the Marriage Chamber into the Wine-seller then shall there be Apples of comfort and Flaggons of Wine then the spiced wine will be brought forth there will bee more near conjunction and sweet communion with Christ then ever And lastly then shall the Church bee made like to Christ indeed 1 Joh. 3.2 When he shall appear we shall be like him we shall then bee transformed into the image of Christ fully so that the Bride the Church desires the coming of Christ upon these grounds Vse To make some use of this point 1 Doth the Church desire the coming of Christ then this is a reproof to those Christians that do not minde Christ nor desire Christ nor look after Christ at all many Christians they never desire the coming of Christ but they desire other things people have their desires carried otherwise The Mariner he desires a fit Wind to carry him to his Port the Husband-man hee desires the Harvest that that would come and so the Lawyer desires the Term that that would come and the Woman desires her Husband would return that is abroad and the Begger desires a good Almes but where is a soul desires the coming of Christ who saith Come Lord come quickly come away it is an argument that you have little or no grace in you it is an Argument you are no friends to Christ but rather enemies to Christ when you do not minde Christ and his coming and desire his coming look into Mat. 24.48 to the end And if that evil servant shall say in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken the Lord of that servant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not ware of and shall â—ut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth mark A wicked Servant that defers the coming of Christ and a wicked Servant that mindes not the coming of Christ at all so that this is a just reproof to the most they minde not they think not of the coming of the Lord Christ they desire it not Doth the Church desire the coming of Christ then this informs us that Christ is desirable yea very desirable I say very desirable Christ is desired by the Spirit to come Christ is desired by the Church Triumphant to come Christ is desired by the Church Militant here in this world to come Christ is very desirable what is there more desirable than Christ Hag. 2.7 he is called there The desire of Nations where there is but one Saint in a Nation Christ is desired there wheresoever there be any godly ones any that are indued with the Spirit of God they desire Christ he is the desire of Nations all the Nations in the World if they have any godly in them they desire
coming do you purge out your Corruptions Do you mortifie your Lusts Do you renounce the World and the vanities thereof Do you trim and deck your selves with all Graces if you do it is an argument you desire Christ and your desires are right 3 Lastly Those that desire the coming of Christ in truth and sincerity they are glad when there are any appearances of the coming of Christ any signes any tokens of the coming of Christ Luke 21.25 And there shall be signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the earth distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the waves roaring mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth and then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a Cloud with power and great glory and when these things begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh When there is any appearance of Christs coming the Saints are glad and those are gracious are glad Is Christ a coming now they lift up their heads we shall bee freed from all our enemies without and within Christ shall be compleat now all the wicked Sathan and Antichrist shall bee judged now wee shall have that refreshing that never was before now wee shall enjoy the glorious liberty that we have waited for and lookt for now wee shall bee freed from sin now we shall have have more intimate communion with him now we shall be made like unto him this is that that makes the heart rejoyce at the apprehension of his coming therefore examine your selves whether you have such desires of his coming as here the Bride had 5 The last use of the point is this An exhortation to us to desire the coming of Christ and to say with the Bride here Come Lord come the Spirit saith come the Bride saith come either we are not indued with the Spirit of God or we are not the Bride of Christ if we will not say Come Besides these consider 1 It is an argument of love to Christ to desire his coming 2 Tim. 4.8 To all them that love his appearing If we do not desire his coming it argues little love to Christ A woman that doth not desire the coming of her Husband hath little love to her Husband 2 It will be a Marriage day to the Soul the day of his coming Revel 19.7 9. and Christ will rejoyce over his then as a man doth over his Bride Isa 62.5 therefore seeing the Spirit of God desires it and the Bride desires it let us also desire Christs coming manifest our love to Christ and long for the marriage day Quest But may some say What shall we do to have such desires begotten in us Ans 1. Consider your own sinfulness What we should do to have desires after Christs coming begotten in us are we not all Sinners full of sin and corruption Paul in Rom. 7. when he considered the Sin that was in him how carnal he was how he was carried away Captive how the sin in his members did warre against the Law of his minde what a wretched creature he was he longed for Christ Who shall deliver me I thank God through Jesus Christ well Christ is a coming ere long he will be here and then I shall be delivered 2 Consider the evils and confusions that are in fellow servants the Devil deceives the Nations Antichrist tyrannizeth great ones oppress one another much of Babylon is yet in Sâ—on all her foundations and state foundations are out of course and what should the righteous and all do but long for the coming of Christ to set all in order the serious consideration hereof would quicken our desires that way 3 Consider the great good you shall have by Christs coming it will be a time of refreshing it will be a time of liberty a time of glory a time of making you like unto Jesus Christ it will be a time of the greatest good to the Church that ever was 4 Read this Book much of the Revelations that will beget such desires in you then Antichrist shall go down then the enemies of the Lord Christ shall be under then shall it bee well with them that fear the Lord. I shall now come to the next words And let him that heareth say Come Of Christ his coming REV. 22.17 And let him that heareth say Come SEeing the Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come let him that hears what the Bride saith and hears what the Spirit saith let him be of the same minde and fall in with the Bride and the Spirit and say Come The words in the Greek are The hearing man let the hearing man say come some refer this to the succeeding Ages after the Church that now was the Posterity that should be after that time let all the Ages and all the Saints that shall be hereafter let them be of the same minde with the Bride and the Spirit and say Come come Lord Jesus come quickly But more properly it takes in all Let him that heareth Let the hearing man let any man that hath an ear to hear these things let him say Come let all sorts of men that read this Book and hear the voyce of the Spirit and of the Bride say Come come Lord. Quest But a Question here may be moved upon what account is it the duty of a wicked man to desire the coming of Christ or whether may awicked man desire the coming of Christ Ans Though a wicked man can never cordially desire the coming of Christ yet it is the duty of every wicked man of all men in the world and upon this account 1 As they are the Creatures of God all men are Gods Creatures and being Gods Creatures it is their duty to desire Gods Will being revealed for to be fulfilled therefore all wicked men taking notice that this is Gods Will revealed that Christ must come it is their duty to desire the fulfilling of Gods Will and not their own will Hence is it that they pray often Thy Kingdom come thy will be done though they know not what they pray 2 As they are the Servants of God and have talents committed unto them every one that is the servant of another and hath something committed to his trust it is his duty to desire the coming of his Lord and Master the coming of him to whom he must give his account there is not a man in this World but hath some talent or other given unto him some interpret that place in John He is the Light of every man that cometh into the world to be meant of that understanding and reason every man hath every one therefore having his understanding and reason from Christ should desire his coming 3 It is the duty of all men to desire that God should be glorified now God will bee glorified therein and upon that account it is their duty to desire
known and yet they do not prepare for the coming of Christ Do you read the Gospel do you read the Epistles do you read this Book of the Revelation and do not you meet with the coming of Christ every where And what will you not prepare for it Christ will say What did you not know that I would come again did not I tell you Did not all my Servants tell you of it Did not Matthew Mark Luke John Paul Peter Angels did not they tell you of my coming Why did you not prepare for it You have gotten Lamps but where is your Oyl You make profession and you bear my name why have you not prepared for my coming Men will be inexcusable like the man that had not on the Wedding Garment Friend how camest thou in here his mouth was stopt so you will bee inexcusable and your mouthes will be stopt that do not prepare for the coming of the Lord Jesus 3 Let us consider it is our duty to prepare for the coming of Christ it is made known in the Word and it is made known to you this day O prepare for the coming of Christ Mat. 24 44. Be yee also ready for in such an hour as yee think not the Son of Man cometh bee ready What is this preparation we should make for Christs coming there are three or four things to be done 1 See that you cast off every thing that hinders your going out to Christ and meeting of Christ Heb. 12.1 2. Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of Witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith Well lay aside every weight and every burden every Sin that doth so beset you and bows you down cloggs and hinders you from going out to meet Christ from running the race that is set before you cast off all things which cumber and burden you all your lusts and corruptions all base thoughts and practises all sinful ends and aymes that you have lay aside every burden 2 See that you do adorn and beautifie your selves with all Graces you know the Bride Revel 10. did trim up her self and make her self ready put on her best apparrel put on Christ put on all Graces When you expect some special Friend to come to your Houses you make preparation for him you will not only have the house swept but you will have the windows and tables rubbed you will have your floores strown you will wash and perfume your selves and be in a decent a comely posture and habit the Lord Jesus Christ will come and he is a coming daily you must therefore make ready for him and prepare your hearts your consciences your wil your affections and understandings the outward man the body all must bee fitted for Christ 3 You should put forth your desires as here the Bride doth and the Spirit doth O come Lord come Lord the Soul that doth heartily desire the coming of Christ is well prepared for his coming 4 Lastly you must wait daily for the coming of Christ Job waited all his appointed time for the coming of his Redeemer And Luk. 12.35 36. Let your loyns bee girded about and your lights burning and yee your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return This is the preparation that you are to make especially see that you have faith in Christ as Paul saith in the Philippians I labour to win Christ and to be found in Christ not having mine own righteousness so you should have faith in Christ and say In the Lord Christ have I righteousness and strength I have none in my self but all is in him Obs 2. The Second Observation is That the coming of Christ is a thing to be hearkened unto Let him that heareth say come Every man doth not hearken unto the coming of Christ he hears of it it may be but he doth not hearken unto it it is one thing to hear it another thing to hearken unto it Let him that heareth say Come To hear is ordinary but to hearken is rare and so to hearken as to say come is rare few so hearken as to say Come Lord come Lord Rev. 2.7 Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Let every man that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches so let every one that hath an ear hearken unto the coming of Christ heed attend it observe minde this business for it is a thing of great concernment and things of concernment you will hear and hearken unto them attend and observe the coming of the Lord Christ is of very great concernment What concernment you will say is it of I shall shew it you in some particulars 1 It is of great concernment upon this account Of what concernment Christs coming is That there will bee then the greatest discovery made of men and women that ever was in the World then shall the Sheep be discovered from the Goats then shall the Lambs bee discovered from the Wolves then shall those that fear God be discovered from those that fear him not Mal. 3. Then shall yee return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Then when Christ shall come will be the clear discerning then will the difference be made between the sealed ones and those that are not sealed Revel 7. Those that have overcome and have white Garments and Palms in their hands and those that have not overcome and are in their wickedness then will those that are redeemed from the Earth stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion then will there be such a discovery made of who are right and who are wrong as never was Then shall Christ say Who is on my side who Then shall all Christs friends run to him then shall all his enemies hang down their heads 2 It is of great concernment because then when Christ comes will be the greatest change and alteration that ever was here in the World there was a great change when the Floud came in in Noahs days and drowned the World there will be as great at Christs coming yea a greater change and alteration than that 2 Pet. 3.13 Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Then shall there bee new Heavens and a new Earth the Heavens shall bee renewed the Earth shall bee renewed Then there will be as in Revel 21. I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea and I saw the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God Then shall be the new Heavens and Earth the new Jerusalem and there will be a great change and alteration then the
I had Christ ô that I had the Spirit ô that I had Grace And then outwardly it carries to the use of all meanes to reading to hearing to meditating to prayer conferring and the like to all the ordinances and all the meanes that it may Injoy Christ and meete with him whom it hath chosen this is the willingnesse that is required If you be willing If he hath had such apprehensions and prized the water of life whosoever hath made choice of it whosoever is moov'd and carried out to Injoy it let that soule take the water of Life Quere Now a Quere moveable upon this is Whither can man by his owne abilities make this choice of Christ or of this water of life Answ Men by their naturall abilities may desire the word and be carried out after it Amos 8.11 12. Behold the day is come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of Bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lord and they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East They shall run too and fro to seeke the Word of the Lord and shall not finde it Marke when the word should be taken away they would have a desire and there would be a motion after it in them and yet these it 's conceived were not regenerate Godly but of the ordinary and common sort of people The worke of reason and naturall apprehension of some good to be in the word carried them after it But I conceive no man can by naturall abilities thus will the Lord Jesus Christ as we have spoken There be Scriptures that doe hold it out strongly If you looke into the 7 Rom 11. Sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Sin slew me saith Paul if Paul were slaine a dead man how could he moove in such a manner then towards Christ for marke in the 6 Chap 11 â—â— Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Saith Paul I was slaine through sin But as You have life through Jesus Christ so must I have life through Jesus Christ I have no life naturally and of my selfe and that place 1 Cor 2.14 But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Some would make this verse to speak to young Christians weake Christians But saith he the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God a young Christian having the Spirit of God would receive the things of the Spirit of God would have some spirituall discerning But the naturall man is a man destitute of the Spirit for he saith We have received not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God But the naturall man now which hath not the Spirit he receives them not he discernes them not And that this is the meaning of the word looke but into the 19 Jude where you have the same word Sensuall he might Interpret it Naturall Sensuall not having the Spirit Now he that hath not the Spirit he cannot discerne the things of God he cannot desire them he cannot receive them therefore saith Christ unto Peter Blessed art thou Symon Bar-jona For flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee Some boast they come to this by the power of nature but God hath revealed it by the power of his Spirit and in the 1 Cor. 1.21 For after that in the wisdome of God the world by wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve All the wisdome of the world brought them not up to the knowledge of God So then by mans naturall abilitie he is not able to come to this willingnesse Quere To what end then are these waters of life freely offered if a man have not this power to will these waters are they not offered in vaine Answ To this I answer first 'T is not so 't is not in vaine for where the Gospel comes there is so much mercie love and goodnesse of God held out such great pretious and free promises presented unto men as that being heeded they beget a willingnesse in sinners to live there goes a generall vertue and power with the Gospel to doe something in the hearts of men and women which they could not doe before When the Loadstone toucheth the needle it makes an impression and leaves some virtue upon it It 's said in the 47 of Ezek 9. That whithersoever the waters of the Sactuary doe come they heale the waters That is If men and women who are like the dead Sea who are corrupt filthy stinking and loathsome in their naturall condition The waters of the Gospel doe something there and they doe inable men to will and will otherwise then they could before so that men now living under the Gospel if they heed the Gospel there is so much Grace mercy and love of God held out in the Gospel and such breathings of Gods Spirit goes along with it that if men heede the same something is wrought in their hearts that may Inable them to will these weters of life and their not doing of this is sufficient Ground for their condemnation And secondly The Lord he tenders these waters of life unto whosoever will that so these persons might begg of God a will to receive these waters who is ready to give them these waters For when they shall see waters of life held out and it is thus whosoever will let him take of them The soule may well conclude and say Surely God will give me a will to receive these waters if I begg them So that if men and women now having waters of life held out freely doe come to God and begg of God this willingnesse Lord give me a Will give me a will to close with Christ to prize Christ to move out after Christ God that will give them the waters will give them the will Phil 2.13 Pro 16.1 Thirdly Lastly This will Justifie God and this will be Condemnation to the creature that here 's the Gospel offered to men freely that the Gospel if heeded will beget a power and will in men that God if pray'd unto will give them the will and yet they neglect all Mens Condemnation will be upon their owne heads where is God to be blam'd This being so let us give you the reasons why the Lord holds out waters of life to those that are willing to receive them Or why is this willingnesse requir'd at our hands First This willingness is required Why this willingness is required because otherwise men will not take the waters of life let God offer them never so freely or never so long If men be not willing they will not take them present vvhat you vvill to a man that
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