Christianity requireth at the hands of a Christian which a Christian of himselfe is not able to performe as for example when a man seeeth the hideousnes of sinne yet in the midst of this sight to lift vp the hand of his faith and to lay hold vpon the mercy of God in Christ Iesu when a man is tempted to sinne to resist the Temptation in persecution to endure in penurie to trust vpon Gods Prouidence these and such like are beyond the Reach of Mans power yet the spirit of God maketh Gods children able to effect them p Phil. 4.12 I am able to doe all Things saith the Apostle through the Helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me and the spirit for this cause is termed q Isay 11.2 the spirit of strength These are the graces of the spirit peculiar to the elect and signified by water in this place briefly thus 1. The gift of Regeneration to become Gods Child 2. The gift of faith to beleeue Gods promses 3. The gift of obedience to doe Gods will 4. The gift of Prayer to seeke Gods Presence 5. The gift of comfort to endure Gods Trials 6. The gift of strength to hold out and continue gods seruant How these things sauour with you I know not how sweet they ought to be vnto you I know wel It is said of Christ that to the eyes of the world r Is 53.2 he had neither forme nor beautie there seemed to be nothing in him why men should desire him yet all the children of God Å¿ Ioh. 1.14 saw his glorie as the glorie of the onely begotten Sonne of God full of grace and truth So though these things happily do no whit affect those t Rom. 8.5 which are after the flesh but do seeme euen vile in their eyes yet they whose hearts God hath touched to them they seeme exceeding precious and I doubt not but they say in their hearts as Mephibosheth did to Dauid after his returne from the battell when Dauid bad him and Ziba diuide the goods betwixt them nay saith he to testifie his ioy for the Kings victorie v 2. Sa. 19.30 Let him take all seeing my Lord the King is come home in peace so I say all that feare God say in the truth of their soules comparing the base things of the world with these graces Take all for me who will so that my barren soule may be replenished with these sweet graces of Gods spirit Well hoping the best as in charitie it becommeth me of you all and that as you do prize these graces this water of life as it doth deserue so you will be glad to know the meanes of obtaining them I come now to the next point Which is that Christ hath both power and will to bestow them He saith here Christ is able and willing to giue this water he will giue them it is meet therefore that we do enquire into his abilitie whether it be in his power to make good that which he promiseth in this place Touching his power the Scripture is a plentifull witnesse w Is 36.9 With thee saith Dauid is the well of life He is the x Zach. 13.1 fountaine opened in the house of Dauid for sinne and for vncleanenesse It hath pleased the Father that y Col. 1.19 in him all fulnesse should dwell In him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge z Col. 2.3 and it is ordained that a Ioh. 1.16 of his fulnes we should receiue grace for grace What better witnes would we of his power His will is no lesse then his power b Math. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are wearie c. He made an open Proclamation he stood and cryed saying c Ioh â—7 37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke and he hath renued his offer d Reu. 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come and let whosoeuer will take of the water of life freely nay e Is 55.1 The vse without siluer and without money What reason haue we I pray you but vpon his word to beleeue him Well then what followeth vpon this We that are Ministers of the Gospell are appointed by him that hath sent vs to do as Iohn Baptist to point with the finger and to say to you f Ioh. 1 3â— Behold the Lambe of God see the man that hath the treasures of all grace runne ye to him that as was prophecied of old you may with ioy draw waters out of the g Isa 12.3 welles of saluation Take heed you forsake not him who is the h Iere. 2.13 fountaine of liuing waters to digge you pits euen broken pits which can hold no water Get you to Christ seeke to him if you wish to be releeued This is the end of our preaching this is the drift of all our Sermons You will say vnto me perhaps this is a needles exhortation you talke of going to Christ but where is he If he were preaching in our Churches and working miracles in our streets you should see how we would flocke about him how much we would make of him and how we would runne to him here be good words I pray God the performance be according Hearken therfore in the feare of God I say to thee as Paule spake in a case not much vnlike i Rom. 10.6.7 Say not in thine heart Where Christ is to be found who shall ascend into heauen that is to bring Christ from aboue or who shall descend into the deepe that is to bring Christ againe from the dead There is no such difficultie in the matter for behold he is neere thee k Pro. 8.2 he standeth in the toppe of the high places saith Salomon Iohn saw him in l Reu. 1.13 the midst of the golden candlestickes He is in the middle of his Church he dwelleth in the congregation of the faithfull m Math. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in his name there is he It is no such hard matter to find Christ n Pro. 8.33 Watch daily at the gates of the Lords house and giue attendance at the postes of his doores there thou shalt find him When Ioseph and Mary having bene lately at Ierusalem had as it were lost him o Luc. 2.45.46 they went backe to the Temple and there they found him Go thou and do likewise seeke him in his word there thou shalt haue him We saith the Apostle speaking of himselfe and of his fellow Ministers stand among you in Christs steade p 2. Cor. 5.20 and God doth beseech you through vs. Thou wilt say vnto me yet againe it may be thou art litle the nearer thou wilt yeeld that Christ is the Well of life and that the congregation is the place where to find him but thou wilt adde withall as this woman did in scorne to Christ the Well is deepe and thou hast nothing to draw with Marke therefore
e vers 41.42 he aduised his fellow Thiefe f ver 40. secondly the example was extraordinary for the gracing of Christs then debasement shewing what God can doe not what ordinarily he will doe I haue seene a pardon giuen to a man vpon the gallowes but who so emboldeneth himselfe therevpon perhaps the rope may be his hire it is not good to put it vpon the Psalme of Miserere and the neck-verse for sometime he prooues no clark God once made an Asse to speake g Numb 23.28 but he that should therefore spurre his beast till he spake also all men would condemne him for vnwise Let then this be the conclusion The refreshing of Pauls spirit when his departing approched was the conscience of his well-run course a Christian by calling a Christian by conuersation could not but haue a Christians inheritance Goe doe thou likewise h Luk. 10.37 Let the life of the religious be thy study and the death of the righteous i Num. 23.10 shal be thy sure reward where there hath beene the first resurrection there can be no second death k Reu. 20.6 Hitherto we haue coÌ„sidered generally of the grounds of Pauls hope his cariage past now let vs examin it more particularly and first of the first supporter I haue fought a good fight What then will some man say to me was Paul a souldier that he speakes here of fighting yes hee was a souldier and the same no fresh-water or white-liuered souldier but a valiant experienced and beaten champion one that had passed the hazard of many skirmishes and as testimonies of his hardy courage was able to shew the skaâ—res of many receiued wounds I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus l Gal 6.17 But as the things we now discourse of are spirituall things so this fighting must be vnderstood in a spirituall sense Paule a spirituall man m 1. Cor. 2.16 his aduersaries spirituall or for spirituall respects his weapons spirituall n 2. Cor. 10.4 his victories spirituall Let mee acquaint you with particulars that so the vse of this Scripture may be the more full Paules fights Paul vndergoeth a double consideration 1. either as a Christian or secondly as an Apostle and Minister of Christ Iesus some of his fightings more properly concerne his estate as a Christian some againe he was more especially tryed in by vertue of his calling As he was a Christian I find in his owne writings the report of two especiall conflicts the one Rom. 7. betwixt Nature and Grace the Spirit and the flesh the lawe of his members and the lawe of God Who so reades and examineth the place shall see first the qualitie of the combatants secondly the grounds and termes of the quarell thirdly the hazard as might seeme for the time and doubtfulnesse of the euent together with some foyles taken on either part and lastly the certaintie and comfort of the victorie I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord o Ver. 25. The second combate is 2. Cor. 12. and that was more direct and immediat with Sathan although he therein cunningly as his vse is wrought vpon the advantage of Paules corruption In this Paul was much tossed and goared and buffeted and glad to flie once and againe and the third time for refuge to the Lord. Howbeit though the assault was sharpe yet the conquest was great My grace shall be sufficient for thee p Ver. 9. and Very gladly will I reioyce in mine infirmities Now his fightings as an Apostle were diuers and the same not idle or causelesse about needlesse Questions and strife of words q 1. Tim. 6.4 for so fight I saith he not as one beating the ayre r 1. Cor. 9.26 but they were graue and weightie euen for the successe of his ministerie and the enlargement of the Gospell of Christ Iesus They may for teachings sake be thus distinguished to haue bene either against the oppositions and vnsound cavillings or against the violences and cruelties of those which were aduersaries to the truth Of the former sort we haue his combate with Elimas at Paphus Å¿ Act. 13. with the reuiuers of the legall ceremonies at Antioch t Act. 15. with the Stoickes and Epicures at Athens u Act. 17. with those Beasts * 1. Cor. 15.32 Demetrius and his faction at Ephesus x Act. 19. with Hyâ—â—â—â—â—s and Philetus y 2. Tim. 2.14 with Alexander the Smith z 2. Tim. 4.1 With all these and with many besides these he combated and ouer all these through the helpe of Christ a Phil. 4.13 he had the victorie For it may be truly said of them all which himselfe speaketh of some their madnesse was made euident vnto all man and they preuayled not long b 2. Tim. 3.9 His fightings with the violences and cruelties of euill men it were long to particularize I referre you to his owne report c 2. Cor. 11.23 c. In all these he was more then Conqueror d Rom. 8.37 and by none of these was either his comfort impeached his ministerie and cause endammaged or the Church of God damnified Not his comfort impeached for We faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed dayly e 2. Cor. 1.16 Not his ministerie and cause endammaged for albeit I suffer vnto bonds yet the word of God is not bound f 2. Tim. 2.9 and the things which haue come vnto me are turned to the furtherance of the Gospell g Phil. 1.12 lastly not the Church of God damnified for I suffer all things for the elects sake h 2. Tim. 2.10 and many of the brethren are emboldened through my bands and dare more frankely speake the word i Phil. 1.14 Thus I haue giuen you a briefe of Pauls fightings and of Pauls victories sharpe encounters glorious conquests These were they the remembrance wherof made the face of death euen louely vnto him and confirmed his inward certaintie of the Recompence of reward k Heb. 11.26 euen because he was able to say in truth of conscience I haue fought a good fight This farre for the opening of the text and the laying the grounds of that which I would say I haue reported to you things done I come now to speake of things to be done For this clause as all other holy Scripture is for our learning l Rom. 15.4 and is profitable to teach m 2. Tim. 3.16 I will bound my whole speech within the compasse of these two points first I will shew that all Christians are called to the like fight secondly I will draw to an inquitie by way of application of the whole Euery Christian called to the like fight that Paule fought how farre foorth we haue fought this fight For proofe of the former if men were as they ought to be experienced in the Scriptures I need alledge no more then
is the effect of the Prophets reproofe If he were aliue now he would as he well might vse the same words There is indeede much to doe in the world at this day much travailing much plotting much contending we do all bestir our selues as though the Dust of the earth were not sufficient for euery man to take a handfull one man buyeth and purchaseth and g Isa 5.8 ioyneth House to House and Field to Field that he may be placed by himselfe to be a litle King in his owne Territories another couets h Mic. 2.2 fieldes and taketh them by Violence houses takes them away so oppresseth a man his house euen a man his heritage a third he i Am. 2.7 ca. 3.10 gapeth ouer the Heades of the poore and doth euen store vp violence In a word each man almost hath enlarged his Desire as the Hell and is as Death cannot be satisfied and is neuer well in his Conceipt till he hath euen k Hab. 2.5 laded himselfe with thicke Clay and we are all trudging like this woman with l v. 6. our pitchers in our neckes to some one well or other and if it be neuer so deepe it shall goe very hard but we will get it out But alas fooles that we be when we haue done all we doe but euen weary our selues m v. 13 for very vanity when we haue drunke of this Well againe and againe yet in the End our desire is as it was rather stretched out to receiue more then filled with that which it hath obtained when we haue reached euen to the vtmost of our first desires we are then but like the n Is 29.8 Hungry man who dreameth and behold he eateth and when he awaketh his soule is empty or like the thirstie man who dreameth and loe he is drinking and when he awaketh behold he is faint and his soule longeth So it is but an imagination of comfort which commeth by all these things and no true contentment I beseech you let this short and yet full discouery of our common folly who for the mpst part doe nothing but o Hos 8.7 sow the wind and if we so continue shall reape nothing but Corruption make vs to say as Iohn Baptists hearers did when they perceiued by his preaching they were cleane out of the way p Luk. 3.10 what shall we doe then If hitherto we haue aimed at a wrong Marke in our desires shew vs I pray you how to reforme it and let your hearts I pray you say now to me as Cornelius said to Peter q Act. 10.33 We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commaunded thee of God which I doe wish so much the rather because that which I am now next to speake of is that which Salomon in one place calleth r Prov. 8.18 Durable Riches in another Å¿ Ecc. 12.13 the End of all which Christ termeth the t Luk. 10.42 One needfull Thing for which the soule of Dauid panted u Ps 42.1 in comparison whereof Paul * Phil. 3.8 counted all things but as Dung. Marke first the wordes then see the order of them But whosoeuer drinketh of this water c. The points to be in order opened in the handling of this verse are these 1. What this water is 2. that there is both power and will in Christ to bestow it 3. by what meanes he conferreth it 4. to whom he giues it 5. the Benefite of enioying it 6. the meanes by which each man may know himselfe to haue receiued it All these pointes as they are needefull so in the seuerall handling of them you shall finde them to arise directly from the Text. what is meant by the water which Christ giueth First what is meant by the water here mentioned It is a true saying that the Scripture is the best interpreter of it selfe and one place must be expounded by another We see the Light by the Light and we doe vnderstand the true meaning of the scripture by the scripture We can therefore haue no better exposition vpon this place then Christs owne words els where to which the Spirit of God hath annexed an explanation of the true meaning x Ioh. 7.38.39 He that beleeueth in me as saith the scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life This spake hee saith Saint Iohn of the Spirit which they that beleeued in him should receiue so that by water here are vnderstoode the gifts and graces of the spirit which the Lord is pleased to bestow vpon his children It is not inough for me to tell you thus much in generall Termes but I must proceede a litle further least I should leaue you vncertaine in that which my cheife desire is to resolue you This therefore I must tell you that though it be true that by water are here meant the gifts of the spirit yet there are certaine gifts graces of the spirit which a man may haue Some gifts oâ— the spirit are common some proper onely to Gods children and yet be a Reprobate So that you must learne to put a difference betwixt the common gifts of the spirit and those gifts which are proper onely to Gods children The world is as it were Gods great House in which there are both seruants and sonnes the one as Christ saith y Ioh. 8.35 to be cast out the other to abide euer Now in a family we know there be some coÌ„moÌ„ fauours which the seruaÌ„ts drudges doe enioy as well as the heire so some graces there be which eueÌ„ the reprobate haue which is meet we should know least we be deceiued and they are these The first is The common-gifts the gift and dexterity of practizing a particular calling For whatsoeuer men careleslly and profanely doe imagine that the skill and art which they haue in any knowledge as husbandry marchandize c. is from their owne industry yet certaine it is that the cunning which any man hath in any faculty whatsoeuer is the sole and onely gift of Gods spirit and therefore the power which Bezâ—aleel and Aholiab had to worke in blue silke and purple and carued worke is called a z Exod. 31.3 filling by the spirit of God The second common gift is the gift of enlightening whereby a man being naturally ignorant in the things of God is enabled to conceiue the will of God reuealed in the scripture yea euen the sweetest points thereof as of saluation and grace in Christ Iesus A third common gift is the power of preaching and expounding the scripture for the common good behoofe of Gods Church A fourth is an ability to restraine and temper the affections so that they shall not breake forth into outrage and notorious euils in the behauiour A fift is a power to heare the word with ioy and to seeme to take some delight and to finde
sea o Act. 27.31 yet the marriners must abide in the shippe els yee cannot be safe saith Paul The Lord could haue done all these things otherwise but he was not so pleased and his power must not be ventured vpon when his will by appointing an honest and easie meanes is apparant to the contrary Now that Gods word is the ordinary and appointed outward meanes of saluation I hope we doubt it not If it were not why should it be called as it is p Ioh. 6.68 The word of life q Act. 20.32 the word of grace r Rom. 10.8 The word of Faith Å¿ 1. Pet. 1.23 The seed of Immortality The t Luc. 11.52 key of knowledge v Ps 119.105 the Lanterne of Gods people * Gal. 3.24 the schoole-master of man kind the x Iam. 1.25 Glasse of our life y Ps 2.9 the Scepter of Christs kingdome z Is 11.4 the Kingdome of Heauen the a Math 13. Conuerter of the soule the b Ps 19.7.8 Enlightener of the Eies c 2. Tim. 3.15 the maker of men wise vnto Saluation I commend yow to God saith Paul d Act. 20.32 in his fare well to those of Ephesus and to the word of his grace he puttes both together e 1. Th. 5.19.20 Quench not the spirit despise not prophecying there is the meanes f 2. Th. â— 15 standfast and keepe the instructions that is the way to stand g Ioh. 15.20 Christ directing his disciples how to preserue their owne comfort when he was gone from them layeth this speciall charge vpon them Remember the word that I said to yow No word no comfort O h Ps 119. â—â— saith Dauid take not the word of truth vtterly out of my mouth This is an excellent point The vse worthy to be taken notice of because it discouereth to vs the cunning and sophistry of the diuell which is this In good things he seuereth the meanes from the End and in euill things he separateth the End from the meanes As for example in euill things he beareth men in hand that they may safely adventure to vse the meanes of damnation and goe the way that leadeth to Hell and yet for all that they shall not be damned He maketh a young man beleeue that he may reioyce in his youth and walke in the waies of his heart and yet for all that escape that which i Eccl. 11. â— Salomon saith must needes come after namely that for all these things God will bring him to iudgement And yet the Lord hath so ioyned these togither that neither the subtilty of youth nor any wit of man nor all the diuells in hell can not seuer them to wit the Pleasures of sinne and the Iudgements of God Thus the Diuell beguiled our first parents God hath coupled these two Eating and dying with an Adamant chaine he which did the one must needes haue the other k Gen. 3.4 yet he brought them into this conceipt that they might Eate and yet not Dy. Oh the world of soules which Sathan at this day deceiueth with this subtilty Well as in Euill he cutteth the End from the Meanes he telleth thee thou maist runne on in sinne and yet be saued so in good things he cutteth the meanes from the End He perswadeth men that they may be saints in heaueÌ„ though they be deuils on earth that they may haue the L. saluation yet neuer delight in the L. lawe that they may be citizens of the newe Ierusalem and yet be no newe creatures that they may for euer dwell with God though his word doe neuer dwell with them Hence is it that many will professe to seeke Gods kingdome but care not for the righteousnesse of his kingdome will cry with Balaam l Num. 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous but neuer say with Dauid m Ps 119.5 Oh that my waies were directed to keepe thy statutes I beseech you let not the Deuill cozen vs any longer if he haue thus hitherto deluded vs. Let vs not thinke to be saued by other meanes then Dauid was his way to saluation was Gods lawe if thou leaue this way thou shalt neuer come to that marke If the word of God be not sweete vnto thee if it be not to thee as Ieremie saith n Ier 15.16 it was to him the ioy and reioycing of thy Heart thou exercising thy soule therein and framing thy heart and life thereto know it for a certaintie it is a matter of meere impossibilitie for thee to be saued o Eph. 4.18 Strangers from the life of God through Ignorance saith the Apostle Art thou a stranger to the word thou art a straunger to God Heauen cannot be thy portion except thou claime the word as an Heritage That I may presse this point further and with the p Ier. 23 29. Hammer of Gods blessed word driue home the naile of this exhortation euen to the Head Paul saith that q 2. Tim. 3.13 euill men waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued Therefore least we should as in deede without very great care we will deceiue and beguile our selues thinking that we doe both long to be saued and also loue the word of saluation giue me leaue to teach yow that which the word of God hath taught me namely how and by what signes it shall appeare that we do indeed loue the Word and that the Law is our delight There is no body almost but if he be asked for shame he will say he loueth Gods word and that he were a very wretch if he should not But come to the vndeceiuable markes and vnseparable signes of this loue The markes of Loue to the word of God it will then appeare that Gods word hath but a very few friends The first signe of loue to the word of God is loue to the publique Ministry thereof in Gods church The 1. marke the reason is plaine He which loueth the word vnfainedly must needs loue the meanes by which the word shall become most profitable vnto him It is an idle thing for a man to say he loueth the word and yet not to care to vnderstand it not to desire to know it not to make conscience to apply it The word of God is called a r Mat. 13.44 Treasure of which if it be kept together in a Hord there is no vse If thou feede thee cloth thee minister to others with thy treasure then it is vsed as it should be take away this from it what difference is betwixt it setting aside the opinion of a wordly man and a thing of nothing If thou then doe loue the treasure of the word thou wilt loue the dispensing of it the right diuiding of it the sharing it out by Gods steward to euery mans necessitie Thou dost heare Dauid here say the Law is his delight in another place thou shalt heare him say Å¿