him Shal wounded souls lie like the wounded man between Jerusalem and Jericho and the good Samaritan with the Priest and Levite passe by them When souls lie in their blood and no eye pities them shall not the Lord cast an eye of pity on them Eze 16.6 Others pour in vinegar but surely he will pour in oyle Shall not the Father of mercies shew mercy God is styled the Father of mercies 1. To shew us that mercies issue freely from him 2 Cor. 1.3 God is no where styled the Father of Judgements though they come from God efficiently yet they come from Man meritoriously They are as to merit of them spun out of our bowels whilest mercy springeth meerly out of Gods own bowels Judgement is called Gods work even his strange work to shew that this fire is fetcht from God as fire out of a flint not without much striking But Mercy that is as wee may say Gods Penjamin Mic. 7.18 the attribute of Gods right hand Mercy pleaseth him Mercy comes from God as Water from a fountain freely 2. God is styled the Father of Mercies to shew that those mercies or bowels which are in others are infinitely more in him Yea mans mercies if compared with Gods are but as the drop to the bucket and the small dust to the Ballance As a Father pityeth his Children Ps 103.13 especially when sick opening his heart widest when their straits are narrowest So and infinitely more doth the heavenly Father pity his wounded children holding their heads when they ake pouring his Aqua vitae into them when they faint Hee that formed the eye shall not he see He that teacheth Man pity shall not he pity 2. The truth of this Doctrine will appear if we look to God the Father's Truth God hath said Isa 44.3 that he will pour out water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground God will not onely drop but pour and he will pour out not only streams but floods upon thirsting souls They shall have grace and they shall have it in abundance Now if in Pythagoras his school he hath said it was ground sufficient for doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Christ's school God hath said it is ground sufficient for beleeving Faithfull is he that hath said it who also will doe it You have heard probably of the King who had one hand longer then another Many earthly Princes have if not one hand longer then another their tongues longer then both their hands But the Prince of heaven his performances never are beneath his promises 3. The truth of this Doctrine is evident if we look to God the Father's Justice and this falls in with the second Demonstration That God will give of the abundance of his grace to those who are a thirst Demon. 2 wil appear if we look to God the Son 1. If we look to Christ's paying for such souls when he was on earth Christ hath opened a vein whence grace may issue out to them with his own blood Sanpuis Christi est clavis Pataâ—â—ss His blood is as the key of heaven to open it to them and for them If wee with this spirituall thirst confesse our sins 1 â—e 1.7 God is faithful and just to forgive our sins God is not onely mercifull if we consider who are the Receivers but he is also just if we consider who was the Redeemer 2. If we look to Christ's praying for such souls now when he is in heaven Heb. 2.17 18. This High-priest is touched with their infirmities Manet cempassio in statuimâ—â—â—â—â—luatis yet he is full of compassion In thirsty spirits Christ sees a special reflexion of himself Hee was tempted that hee might know experimentally how to succour those who are tempted He bore the heat and burden of the day that hee might help those who follow him in the evening And certainly if Christ pray he wil prevail If God the Father be loath to deny the Saints prayers hee will not deny their Saviours prayers If he will not deny those who are Sons by grace of Adoption will he deny him who is the Son by eternall Generation That God will give of the abundance of his grace to thirsty soules Demon. 3 is manifest if we look to God the Holy Ghost The holy Ghost hath fitted thirsty spirits for grace and therefore will fill them with grace If Nature doth not 〈…〉 certainly God doth not make any thing in vain Hath God opened their mouthes wide and will not hee fill them Hath God prepared the room and will not hee possesse it Ps 24.7 9. Are the everlasting dores of these spirituall Temples lifted up and will not the King of glory come in Shall not such deâ—â—ing hearts have the desire of their hearts Hath God wrought the affection and will he not reach the object 〈◊〉 145 6. Doth God satisfie the desire of every creature and shall he not satisfie the desire of the New creature I come now to the Reasons why God will give of the abundance of his grace to thirsty souls Thirsty spirits are made ready to receive of Gods grace Reas 1 These vessels are most fit to have of this Water conveyed to them 1. They are great vessels The soul of man is of a large capacity Man is by some called A little World but in respect of his soul he is the greater World of the two greater then the lower World 2. These vessels are open Though you cast a great vessel into the sea if it be shut it cannot receive Water Hence is it that profane persons whose hearts are shut with grosse evils and Justiciaries whose hearts are shut with a false conceit of great good in the midst of plenty are scarce in the midst of riches poor want the grace of the Tender in the midst of the Tenders of grace 3. Those vessels are opened wide Thirst doth enlarge the desires it widens the soul Though a vessell be great yet if the mouth of it be little it receives in little water it is long filling Psa 81.10 but these mouths are opened wide and therefore will God fill them Thirsty spirits are made willing to accept of those terms upon which God gives his grace Reas 2 Other souls they would have Christ but upon their own terms These wil be content to have him upon his own terms Hypocrites sometimes seem to bid fair for the pearl of great price but will not come up to the market As it is with a Chapman who likes a peece of ware but likes not the price So other mens desires after Christ are conditionall not absolute but those men are willing to deny themselves Mat. 16.24 to take up their crosse and to follow Christ 1. A thirsty spirit will be content to deny it self yea that which we call Religious self Formall Hypocritical spirits are ready to say Shall we leave our fatnesse and sweetnesse shall we
Living Water OR WATERS FOR A Thirsty SOUL Drawn out in severall SERMONS upon REV. 21.6 By W. BAGSHAVVE Preacher of the Word and Minister at Glossoppe LONDON Printed by E. Cotes for Henry Seile over against S. Dunstans-Church in Fleetstreet 1653. To the Right Worshipfull Col. JOHN BRIGHT Grace and Peace be multiplied Ever Honoured Sir IT is commonly storied concerning one of the Persian Princes that he kindly entertained a Peasant who being destitute of a better Present presented him with a litte Water And I question not but conclude that you will shew your self as truly and more spiritually noble in bidding your deeply engaged servant welcome who is bold to meet you with a little of this Cordiall not common Water So hath the Lord who cals things that are not as if they were honoured me in your eyes that you may as too many do ever-value the messenger And I hope the Lord will so honour himself in your heart that you shall never as the most doe undervalue the message Long may you live to receive a cup of this Water from and to give more then a cup of other Water to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet Blessed be the Fountain of living Waters who hath caused this Dew of Heaven to lye long on the place near you And oh that poor souls may for ever call the Lord blessed who through four such precious though earthen channels causeth this River to empty it self among you the streams whereof make glad the City of God The Lord shewre down this rain of spirituall blessings upon you and yours and continue you to be an owner in disowning times of him and his So prayeth he who desireth ever to entertain you in his heart who hath been so deceptably entertained in your house Sir Your very obliged Servant especially in the Lords Work W. BAGSHAVVE REV. 21. part of the 6. vers I will give unto him that is athirst of the Fountain of the Water of life freely THe chief points of this Book are reduced under three heads cap. 1 v. 19. Iohn being commanded to write things past present and to come The last and greatest part is Propheticall referring to the greater and lesser world That which concerns the Church or lesse world is that wherein is foreseen and foresaid the Church her Conflicts her Conquests her Triumphs Whether the former part of this Chapter set forth the state of the Church triumphing on Earth or triumphant in Heaven I shall not absolutely determine Yet though the connexion of this with the precedent Chapter seems to him that this glorious day shall be in the day of Glory after the Great day of Judgement that the time of it shall be after Time And though the 4. verse of this Chapter seems to second this Interpretation seeing that Saints are like to go with tears in their eyes to Heaven gates they being whilest under the Mount in a vale of Bacah I humbly conceive Order of place will neither prove the former argument undeniable neither yet if we understand the verse comparatively will the latter be sufficiently available especially if we consider other phrases in this place 1. Vers 2. The New Jerusalem is said to come down from God out of heaven and so seemeth not to import the state of the Church with God in Heaven 2. Vers 3. The Tabernacle of God is said to be with men which some conceive is an allusion to the Jewish Tabernacle and an intimation that the state here described is unglorified Saints then abiding with God in his Tabernacle and not yet all dwelling in his holy Hill in an estate resembling a Tabernacle which may be changed not Mount Sion which cannot be moved 3. In this estate God is said to be with his Saints not they with God 4. It rather appeareth to be a Prophesie Now with submission I suppose though promises may not be fully accomplished till we come in Heaven yet we may expect the fulfilling of Prophesies on earth and wait till that be seen which hath been foreseen Howsoever 't is safe to say that those who yet are no Millenaries hence may hope for the enjoyment of speciall and evident manifestations of God to his people in the state of grace though the compleat and full discovery be reserved for the state of glory Now because good men cannot hear of these excellent things but they will long for them here is added this free and gracious Proclamation I will give unto him that is athirst c. In these words we may observe 1. The Division of the words A gracious promise proclaimed I will give of the Fountain c. 2. A gracious disposition declared To him that is athirst In the Promise we have included 1. The greatnesse of the Giver I who am Alpha and Omega 2. The graciousnesse of the Gift set forth 1. By the substance of it Water 2. The substantialnesse of it Water of Life 3. The durablenesse of it Of the fountain of the Water of life 4. The freenesse of it in that God gives it and in that he gives of it freely The first Doctrine clearly implyed in Doct. 1 and deduced from the Text is this That there is Water of Life In the prosecution hereos I shall first endeavour to shew what we may understand by this Water of Life viz. 1. The merits of Christ Water in the ceremoniall washings under the Law and in the Sacramentall washing under the Gospel hath been and is used to signifie the Bloud of Christ satiâ—fying as well as the Spirit of sanctifying Heb. 10.19 That Bloud which some are supposed to tread under foot having been herewith sanctified as it cannot be soundly understood of the Bloud of Christ Macula sunt peccata qua estendit lex aqua est sanguis Christi quemosten dit Evangelium as if they were therewith sanctified really and internally so it may be safely understood of Baptismal water representing the Bloud of Christ wherewith they were sanctified visibly and externally And we may therefore by this Water of life under stand his merits and not only his Spirit because that deliverance by his merits in respect of price is the ground of the deliverance by his Spirit in respect of power The foundation of that reconciliation which the works in souls being laid when he wrought â—â—econciliation for souls 2. The Spirit of Christ Christ comes to poor soules by Water and Bloud and not by Bloud alone but by Water and Bloud He who did much for them on earth doth much in them from heaven And in Scripture the Spirit is compared to Water and to Water of Life and the Holy Ghost expounds the Text of Christ having spoken of Rivers of living Water Joh. 7.38 39. that this he spoke of the Spirit 3. Ezek. 47.1 2. The free grace of God the Father flowing through the Sonne by the Spirit We read of Waters of life issuing out of the Sanctuary which as they
Promises 1 Joh 4.10 This is love worth pointing â—t Herein is love love in its eminency love in the flower of love that God loveth us that when we are not worthy that he should love us he should love us that we may be worthy 2 They who receive of his grace are ill-deserving The Sun of Gods love riseth upon the unjust They might look for troubles who behold peace they might expect frowns not favours smiting not smiling Should God bend his Bow and shoot his arrowes of displeasure at us we should yet be punished beneath our iniquities It is the Lords Mercies not only Mercy that we we who were in Adam Lam. 3 2â— who fell with Adam who derive a corrupt nature from Adam are not consumed much more that we are comforted that we are reprieved carryed by this Water of life from Hell much more that we are recovered carryed to Heaven They who receive of this Water of life are 1 Those who once left it This water followes them who forsake it This was one of the two great evils which all men in one committed Jer. 2.13 forsaking the Fountain of living Waters and that 1. Wilfully Man being left to the freedome of his own will chose evill rather then good Satan did counsell but could not compell Satan came in the shape of a Serpent not of a Lion 2. At the perswasion of Gods and mans greatest enemy This sounds high base that sacrifice should be offered to the filthy-ghost by man who was made a Temple for the holy Ghost that he who had God for his head should fall down at the Devils feet Man chose the father of lying rather then God who speaks righteousnesse 2 Those who still leave it Ps 66.18 Free grace overtakes them who would over-run it Gods eye is good when mans eye is evill and Christ hath received grace as well as gifts for the Rebellious Now lay all these together and you may conclude that those are full streams of goodnesse which break in upon these high and heightned banks of our wretchednesse The fulnesse of the water of life appeareth Demonst 3 if we look to the severall streams or rather rivers which flow from it Gen. 2.10 We read in Genesis of a River in Paradise which became into four heads 1 Cor. 1.30 We read in Corinthians of this river of the Water of life becoming into four heads likewise Christ is made unto us Christ being the channell as God is the spring Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Now certainly that is a sea which feeds and fils four so great rivers That 's a huge river which sends forth four such full streams to refresh and make glad the City of God I should now come to the Reasons of the point whereof as I have before shewed no reason besides it self can be given the Water of life herein resembling the water of the sea in that it is its own spring I shall only here insert one great end why the Lord displaies such abundance of grace upon poor souls which is 1. That the recovery by the second Adam might as to the elect extend as farre as the Apostasie by the first Adam There is abundance of grace evidenced in a souls recovery if we look 1 Whence souls are recovered in a word from death 1. From death for sin Our debts were so great that there must be great sums of grace to forgive them Our souls are so leprous that nitre and soap cannot only Christ with his Fullers soap his durable righteousnesse can cleanse them Our sins are mountainous and there must be depth Mic. 6.19 yea the depths of the Sea to cover these mountains To cancell so many and those so large bands to fetch out such deep and deadly stains To cure such mortall wounds all these loudly speak and call upon us to speak aloud Grace Grace 2. From death in sin To quicken souls who are dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.1 is a high work and so high doth this water rise I have heard of the Lionesse bringing forth her young naturally dead I am sure that men and women are brought forth spiritually dead Here our mothers brought us forth here she brought us forth that bare us We are spiritually dead when naturally alive Now that dead souls should arise out of the grave this proclaims Gods goodnesse Christ is said to groan when he raised Lazarus out of the earth but question lesse his heart was hotter and fuller of love infinitely when he raised the elect from hell To make Black mores white to wash crimson sinners clear Saints this argues abundance of grace God doth not only sprinkle but pour clean water upon souls that they may be clean Again abundance of grace is discovered if we observe 2 Whitherto souls are recovered viz. To life Spirituall life Eternall 1. To live to God Rom 8 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Spirit is to the soul as the Stern to the ship which as Amesius notes implies three things To live 1. Deo intens argente Gods Spirit being a mans guide Herein is grace that God by his Spirit should dwell with us who dwell in houses of clay that God should not only dwell with us as Christ did when he came in the Flesh but in us as Christ doth when he comes in the Spirit Herein is love that the holy Ghost should ever prepare and possesse the unholy rooms of our hearts that we should be led by the Spirit 2 Gods Word being a mans rule Secundum voluntatem Dei That the Lord should ever make crooked things in our souls so straight that his Word should be a light to our feet as well as to our eyes that our will should be melted into and moulded into Gods will that his forbidding should be the ground of our forbearing his enjoyment of our employment that we should prove and approve the good and holy and acceptable will of the Lord this sets forth the fulnesse of his grace to us 3. Ad Dei gloriam Gods glory being our end The torrent of grace must needs be strong which carries us from self to saving intereft from seeking our own things to seek the things which are Jesus Christs There must needs be abundance of this water which so clean seth us impure vessels that we may be vessels of the Sanctuary fit for the Masters use prepared unto any good work That stream must needs be big wherein all those lesser streams down which our hearts naturally run are swallowed up Lastly There must needs be abundance of grace evidenced in the recovery when we are recovered to live with God Those waters of grace rise high which rise as high as Heaven Full as well as free grace must needs be the spring if glory be the centre Ephes 10.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a height as well as a depth in the love of God a height to raise
from the efficacy of Christs Intercession Christ prays to his Father that soules may be sanctified through his truth as well as justified by Gods grace Joh. 17.17 that souls may bee guided by Gods counsell as well as received into his glory Christ intercedes for his people that God may be best of all to them on earth as well as all in all to them in heaven that here they may bee Holynesse to the Lord as well as hereafter Happinesse in the Lord that his Kingdome of grace may enter into us as well as that we may enter into his Kingdome of glory 4. This cloudeth the Glory of Christ in all his offices 1. In his Priestly office Faith looks at Christ as a Priest dying to save men from their sin Mat 1.19 not to save men in their sin Christs love was a Purging as well as a Pardoning love Renewing as well as Redeeming Libertines pull down True grace whiles they pretend to set up Loose grace they straighten it when they pretend to enlarge it Had Christ so much love to souls that he would purchase Robes for souls and yet not so much love as to put these Robes on souls Hath he delivered their souls from death and will not he deliver their Feet from wilfull falling 2. This cloudeth the skill of Christ as a Prophet Jer 31 33. Christ with his finger can write on Tables of stone This great Doctor doth not onely teach souls things to be beleeved but he teacheth them also things to be done not onely to talk of him but also to walk with him The light which Christ gives to the Elect is like the light of the Summers Sun joyned with heat They have not onely the Law by heart but a heart to the Law Had Christ so much skill as to prepare heaven for men yet not so much skill as to prepare men for heaven 3. This derogateth from the power of Christ as he is a King This King will not suffer sin another Lord to have dominion over his Subjects Rom. 6 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin will be in it may tyrannize over but shal not be as Lord of Saints This King is a King in the midst of his Kingdome His throne is in the heart His dominion extends through the life Will Christ suffer his Subjects to be the devils Slaves Sin surely shall shal be here mortified though not nullified thrown down though not throwne out 3. Taking sinfull encouragement from the fulnesse of Gods grace draws a veil over the Holy-ghost The Spirits work in respect of Sanctification reacheth as far as the Fathers work in Election or as the Sons work in Redemption The Spirit delivereth from the filth of sin those whom the Son delivered from the power of sin The Spirit comes to them as a Reformer for whom the Son came as a Redeemer I shall onely add one thing more To take encouragement to sin from the doctrine of Free-grace argueth a heart desperately wicked A heart 1. Rushing into misery as a Horse into the battel running upon the sharp Pikes 2. Refusing the Remedy yea not onely refusing but abusing the Remedy And as some diseases in the Body this disease of the Soul is most dangerous because of the opposition of it to the Cure These Patients throw their Physick and their Phyfician from them These are in a great measure guilty of crucifying the Son of God afresh And that I may if possible make our hearts tender of this sin by setting forth its hainousnesse Consider 1. There seems to be some kinde of preciousnesse placed in the blood of inferiour Creatures But Gen. 9.4 2. There 's a preciousnesse evidently placed in the blood of a man Gen. 9.5 6. Unjustly to take away the life of a bad man is a very foul sin Men may not turn Wolves There are some reliques in him of Gods image And it argues extreme malice in the Panther in that he will tear a Mans image when it cannot come at him And 't is observed by one Diodati that it was the cry of violence in the old world which came into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth It was this cham which pull'd down destruction from heaven on earth 3. It is an aggravation of sin to take away the life of a Righteous man To condemn the Just is an abomination to the Lord Mat 27.19 Pilate's Wise could not swallow this camell neither could he in a little water wash off the deep stain of innâ—cent blood 4. It yet heightens sin to shed the blood â—f a good man Psal 116 1â— Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the blood of all his Saints Jerusalem stoned the Prophets till one stone was not left upon another In these glasses may Souls see something of the wretchednesse of that sin To be guilty of the Blood of Christ Nay that the Soul may see further it may ascend some stairs higher 1. Christ was a pure man holy harmlesse undefiled This Sun had no spots There were oâ— clouds in the cleer day of Christs life Christ was thrice pronounced Just by his very enemies Maâ— 27 4 19 2â— 2. Christ was a Publique man He that touched Christ touched the Lords anointed David was tender of cutting off the skirts of a Kings garment surely he would have been tender of cutting off his Kings head Hee that brought news of Saul's death though hee was a wicked King carryed his own Mittimus rung his own Passing bell 3. Christ was more then a Man Though as God he had no blood to spill neither could the Creator suffer by the Creature yet by virtue of the union of Natures in Christ his blood is called the blood of God Act. 20.28 and wrong done to Christ reacheth as high as Heaven Thou who takest liberty to sin because God the Father sent Christ to die for sin hast a heart harder then a Jew Thou rendrest thy sin greater then theirs 1. The Jewes crucified Christ ignorantly thou dost it knowingly Luk 23 3â— Had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory Thou goest wrong with a Candle in thy hand A sin against knowledg is a sin of a double dye it is two sins bound up in one 2. They crucified Christ in his state of Humiliation thou to thy power crucifiest him in his state of Exaltion Heb. 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crucifigunt ipsis i. c. quantum in se est They when he wore a crown of Thorns thou when he wears a crown of glory This is certain thâ—t we cannot actually commit this sin yet we may virtually bring our selves under the guilt of the sin 3. The Jewes crucified Christ once Thou crucifiest him often Every sin which thou committest under the shelter of Free-grace is as a sharp speare thrust into Christs sides as a Pilate to condemn Christ Yea thou art as Judas thou betrayest the Son of man with a kisse Thou professest