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
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
him and yet persecutest him How sad will it be if this Blood of Christ be upon thee or upon thy children If there be abundance of Free grace in God Vse of Reproof 3 This reproves those who gâ—â—e about to diminiâ—â— or detract from the fulnesse of Gods grace The Sun of Gods love is very cleer yet such is the corruptneâ—â—e of mans heart that he is ready to draw a cloud before it Some speak as if the torrent of Living Water was not so strong 〈◊〉 if these streames did not rise so high and whilest some darkens the dispensations of Providence others darken this dispensation of the Grace or God 1. Those are here to be reproved who advance too high the light of Nature 'T is true There are some remains of light some glimmerings in man since the Fall Occasus Solis Occasus Luminis As there is the setting of the Sun and a setting of the Light some twy-light remaining when the Sun is set so there is some twylight in the Sons of Adam though that cleer Sun be set which rose in Adam 〈…〉 likewise true that Grace doth not put this Candle out but snuffe it Faith being above not against rightly regulated Reason Hee must needs have a Reason for his Faith who is commanded to render a Reason of his Faith 1 Pet. 3.15 Yet They advance Naturall light too high who say That a man without the speciall light of Gods grace can come to the saving knowledge of God The light of Nature may discover God as a Creator Joh. 1.18 but cannot discover God as through Christ a Father The light of Nature may shew a man something of the equity of the Law Rom 1.20 but can not let him see the truth and goodnesse of the Gospel In reference to the Law The light of Nature may more cleerly informe men of the duties of the second Table but very darkly in the duties of the first Table In reference to the first Table the light of Nature rather discovers that God is to be worshipped then how he is to be worshipped the matter rather then the manner of Gods service Nay consider the light of Nature in its primitive Iustre It served to discover to man the way of Life but not the way from Death The light of the Sun guides men till they come to the grave but shews men no way baâ—k again from the grave I shall further present three Scriptures 1. 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiveth not the things of God neither can he Spirituall objects cannot be discerned by carnall organs There is neither light enough in a Naturall aire the letter of the Creature being too small neither is there sight in a Naturall eye for such a Discovery Eye hath not seen thus farre 2. God brings souls by a way they never knew of The way of Works man once knew Isa 42.16 he hath now some aim of that way and therefore it is that naturally men seek life in their owne doings But the way of grace is a hidden Path even from Angels and 't is hard to seek lise in Christs sufferings They who had this Candle of naturall light snufl'd by industry and education when they knew God glorified him not as God Rom. 1.21 They stumbled at their Noon day they went astray whilest they carryed this Lanthorn It was not a Lanthorn to their paths This light shining into the rooms of their souls if it was cleer was not cleansing if it was directive teaching them to know it was not perswasive teaching them to doe their duty This light at best was but like the light of the stars a weak not a warming light 2. This reproves those who advance too high the strength of Nature Whilest some derogate from the fulnesse of the grace of God as enlightening the judgement so others derogate from it as enclining the will Sub â—â—libus â—atâ—râ—e 〈◊〉 inimici gratiae Thus doe they who under pretence of being Natures friends are in reality Graces enemies who cry up Free-will to the crying down of Free-love This they are guilty of who say 1. That mans Will can hinder Gods grace Can the Creature saith a Scotch Divine hinder its creation Can the Childe hinder its generation Can darknesse hinder its illumination Men will undertake to answer that Question of the Apostle affirmatively Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted his Will This is in effect to say that the Potter hath not power over the Clay That the thing framed is not in the hands of him that formeth it The decree of heaven cannot be frustrated by them that dwel on earth 2. This they are likewise guilty of who say that mans Naturall Will can further his Spirituall conversion that man hath Naturall power to Spirituall good Divines grant that there is a Passive concurrence in Mans Will to conversion As hard wax is capable of being melted and a dark room of being enlightned Though Mans heart be a heart of stone yet out of this stone may by divine power be rais'd a Childe unto Abraham Wee may likewise consider Gods grace as Preventing Perfecting In reference to preventing grace we are meerly passive Wee are as paper in Gods hand who holds us downe that hee may write on us God so doth all that man doth nothing but resist In reference to Perfecting grace Being acted we act Acti aginius we apprehend that for which also wee are apprehended Our Will is free when freed Vâ—luntas 〈◊〉 〈…〉 As the lesser wheels wee move though it is from the great wheel of Gods grace that we move Conversion is either active whereby being turned wee are inabled to turn or passive whereby we are at first turn'd Psa 110.3 Though God save us not against our wills yet he saves us against the corruption of our wills Souls are made willing in the day of Gods power Thus some affirm that Conversion consists barely in a morall suasion As if in Conversion the Spirit did not effectually perswade and encline the Will as well as the Word propound the object to the Understanding When the Scripture saith Ezek. 36. â—6 27. that God causeth Souls to walk in his statutes He doth not onely call them and invite them outwardly but cause them and enable them inwardly To the cleering of this it is worthy of our thoughts to consider 1. That the ablest Preachers are not alwayes the most effectuall Prevailers Psal 8.2 The most skilful Seeds-men have not alwayes the largest crops This heavenly treasure is often conveyed through the most earthen vessels to shew that it is not of him that willeth or runneth 2. Those expressions in a Sermon which Ministers look at least oftentimes people are taken with most Those arrows which we apprehend as bluntest our hearers feel as sharpest 'T is a known story of Austin who found a soul in a Sermon where he lost himself 3. That though our Saviour Christ spoke
food for the preservation of that life More particularly naturall men want 1. A spiritual knowledge to discern the worth of the Water of life Was grace in oculis it would be in osculis They who know it love it and the reason why any love it not is because they know it not Did our Apprehensions lead our Affections would follow our eyes would affect our hearts A Pibble and a Pearl are both as one in a blinde mans eye That connexion is observable Is 53.1 There is no form nor beauty nor comelynesse in him that we should desire him 2. Naturall men want a spirituall faith whereby to obtaine an interest in this Water of life Propriety is the fuel of affection 'T is but little of life which Saints have in possession the most of it is yet in reversion And faith alone is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 Without faith we can neither truely have that which is laid out on Saints nor surely hope for that which is laid up for Saints 3. Natural men want experience whereby to taste the sweetnesse of the Water of life Did men experimentally know this gift of God Joh. 4.10 they would earnestly ask of God and he would give them of this living Water 1 Pet. 2.2 3 Men would desire the sincere milk of the Word if so be they had tasted that the Lord is gracious Are there not Abnah and Parphar rivers in Damascus say they who never washt in Jordan Earth is not bitter to them in whose experience Heaven was never sweet In the last place I shall shew that the Spirit of God in its usuall method when it comes to work this thirst doth 1. Enlighten the Understanding 2. Encline the Will The Spirit in enlightning the Understanding shews the soul 1. The Want 2. The Worth of this Water of life The Soul comes to see the Want of the Water of life 1. By seeing the fire of Gods wrath burning against sin Sin looked at in the red glasse of the Law appears red and God appeareth as a consuming fire Sin appeareth as a Serpent carrying not heaven as the Poets faigned concerning Atlas but hell on its back The soul which hath been long asleep when it is awakened apprehends it self upon the brink of everlasting torments Isa 27 3 4. and looks upon it self as a bryar and thorne which if set in battle before him God will burn up 'T is true all are not at Conversion put in the fire so long the oven is like Nebuchadnezzar's sometimes seven times hotter then ordinary Yet it is as true that through this Purgatory Saints generally passe and are saved as by fire 2. The soul sees an insufficiency in all other waters as to the quenching of this fire Many waters cannot quench nor the floods drown this spark of divine displeasure Though a man could pray and hear and read through his whole life though rivers of waters should run downe a mans eyes yet these payment to being finite could not fatisfie the Justice of God who is infinite Nay if we set these up as meritorious these waters will rather he as water is to lime they 'l make the fire burn hotter A weary soul which comes to lie down on the pillow of Gods free-grace is a soul not onely weary of sin but of seeking for help in it self God having shewed the soul the want of this Water comes to shew it the Worth of it To the fulnesse freenesse and preciousnesse of this Water I shall not speak having spoke so largely to it elsewhere I shall further shew that the Spirit when it works this thirst doth encline the Will By stirring up strong and ardent breathings in the heart after this Water The strength of these breathings appeareth 1. Inwardly In that in Scripture phrase it is set forth by longing the soul thinks a short time long till it come to this Water till this Water come to it The heart cryeth out Ps 119.18 Why stays the Lord so long and why are the wheels of his chariot so long in coming The heart of a Christian is said to break for the longing that it hath as if these heart-strings were strung so high that they were ready to break in pieces The inward breathing of the soul is set forth likewise by Panting Psa 42.1 as the chased Hart panteth after the water-brooks As also by following hard after God Ps 63.8 or cleaving clasping and clinging to God as the Ivy cleaveth to and claspeth about the Oak The strength of these Breathings appeareth likewise outwardly 1. By the souls crying for this Water of life A poor man speaks supplications others study and compose them 'T is true of those who are poor in spirit as well as of those who are poor in outward things Their wants will dictate words and if not words yet sighes and groans which are unutterable The eloquence of thirsty spirits is not affected Verba pectoris their words are hearty words Christ himself as man cryed out Joh. 19.28 I thirst so unsufferable is thirst to humane nature 2. Such spirits wil as hath been shewed endevour for as well as cry for this Water This thirst will set the hand as well as the heart on work 3. Such spirits will bee restlesse till they have drunk of this Water Give a thirsty man silver or gold or precious stones and all these are nothing except you give him Water Take a thirsty spirit as high as the Devill took Christ and shew is the Kingdomes of the world and the glory thereof and what are all these to it if it goe Christlesse If Grace can fill bags then Gold may fill hearts If bodies can live as by their ordinary food upon things that are not seen then can soules I am sure not before then upon things which are seen I Now come to speak something to the last Doctrine drawn from the last word in the Text. That the grace or Water of life which God bestows upon poor souls Doct. 4 he bestows sâ—eely I shal first endevour to shew what this phrase imports in that God is said to bestow his grace freely 1. In reference to the principle of Gods bestowing it implyes that God is not moved to bestow from others merits Ez. 36.22 but from his owne mercy that the spring of Gods grace is not in others but in himself The web of mercy is spun out of Gods own bowels not out of mans What God doth he doth it not for our sakes but for his holy Names sake 2. In reference to the manner of Gods bestowing it implyes that God bestows 1. Readily God is said in Scripture to open his hand Psa 86.5 and he is said to be ready to forgive 2. Plentifully God gives liberally Jam. 1.6 He is not straitned though his people be straitned in their owne bowels 3. In reference to the end of Gods bestowing mercy Hee hath mercy because