come to God is to beleive and to come to Christ is to heleive And this beleiving it is not an assent onely unto a truth An assent unto this that Christ is the Messiah that Christ is the Saviour of the world 't is not onely to assent for so Devills doe beleive so Antichrist beleives so many that perishâ—doe beleive they assent to the truth Neither is it an assurance as some doe make Faith a full perswasion or a through perswasion of the heart that it is so and so No Assurance is not Faith Assurance is a consequent or an effect of Faith and not of the nature and essence of Faith many shall be sav'd that never had Assurance and many are Justified that have no Assurance What then is this Faith what is this Coming There is assent unto Truth an assent unto Scripture which is in the understanding and so is Assurance Assurance of understanding But Faith is in the Understanding and in the Will also when upon cleere understanding of a truth my will comes to choose and close with that truth This is to beleive some call it a Resting a Rouling a Depending a Relying which are all metaphoricall expressions But if you will have it in the proper nature and sence Faith is the Assent of the understanding unto truth and unto Christ and the wills choosing of Christ It chooses Christ for its Righteousness for its salvation for grace for life for peace for all This is coming when the will puts forth an act that carries forth the soule to choose Christ saith Christ here Let him that thirsteth come By this it should seeme then that there is a power in man to come What power was there in Lazarus to come forth of the grave when Christ said Lazarus come forth there was as much power in Lazarus to come forth of the grave when Christ said come forth as there is in man now to come to Christ when he saith come There was none in Lazarus to come forth neither is there any in Man naturally to beleive John 6.44 saith Christ there No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Christ saith No man can come unless the Father draw him What is in the drawing of the Father Say some It is this thirsting begotten in the soule but surely that cannot be the thing for Christ saith Let him that is athirst come a man may be athirst and yet not come to Christ Let him that is athirst come But this drawing then of the Father is a working of that power in the soule as to goe out to Christ It may see a need of Christ from sin and wrath and the like yet till God doth work a power in the soule to goe out to Christ it doth not come to Christ and therefore you will finde in the 6th of John that what is said in the 44. v No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Gods drawing in the 65 v is said to be Gods gift Therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of the Father that is unless God doth give him power to come to me to beleive in me So that the Fathers drawing is putting in that virtue and power into a thirsty soule as to close with Christ But then it will be said surely these Invitations are in vaine if a man cannot come when he is Invited to what end are they The Sun shines upon the Rock and the raine falls upon the Rocks yet no man lookes that the Sun should melt the Rocks or the raine should make the Rocks fruitfull But the adjacent parts and feilds have the benefit and so though Invitations fall upon Rocks yet the adjacent persons other persons may have the benefit But secondly Generally in these Invitations the Lord doth convey this power the Lord doth worke this Faith in their soules and gives them this power to close with Christ Lazarus come forth together with the Invitation the power was given to Lazarus to come forth You have an observable place in the 2 Ezek 1. And he said unto me Son of Man stand upon thy feete and I will speake unto thee marke And the Spirit entered in to me when he spake unto me and set me upon my feete Ezekiel was smitten so downe with the sight of Glory that he was not able to rise Now saith he Son of man stand upon thy feete but he could not stand up But the Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me saith Ezekiel and set me upon my feete So when Christ saith here come with Christs speaking the Spirit may be and is many times conveyed and causes a man to come There is that life that Grace communicated to the soule together with the Invitation as makes a man to doe the thing and inables him thereunto so that Invitations are not in vaine and so much for opening of the word come The poynt that I shall commend unto you is this Doct 1. That the Lord Christ is very desirous that sinners thirsty sinners should come to him for releife that they should be saved that they should have refreshing virtue from him Grace pardon peace and whatsoever will doe their soules good Let him that is athirst come Now because it lies in the hearts of all sinners to question the willingness of God and Christ to save them and to doe them good Therefore I shall insist the more upon this and make it out fully to you You know the Leper in the Gospel said Master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane I know thou hast power but if thou wilt there lies the sticke and here lies that which sticks with sinners to question the willingness of God and Christ Now the Lord Christ is very willing that sinners should come unto him and this I shall make out severall wayes First Of Christs willingnes for sinners to come unto him from the Consideration of Christs laying downe his greatness and his Glory which would dant and discourage sinners when one appeares in majestie when a Judge comes into the Country with his greatness it makes your Delinquents and Malifactors afraid But now Christ lays downe his Majestie and his greatness and Glory and whatsoever is dreadfull and terrible unto us Joh 17.5 And now ô Father Glorifie thou me with thine owne selfe with the Glory which I had with thee before the world was Christ had laid aside his Glory when he came downe into the world he came in the forme of a servant in a meane and low condition When a Prince shall lay aside his greatness and come and converse with beggars and sinners then they can the more freely come unto him and speake to him the Lord Jesus Christ hath laid aside his Glory and greatness and came and converst with finners here in the world which is a great Argument that he was willing to doe sinners good that
Corruption then you may go with boldness to the Throne of Grace why Christ is at the Throne of Grace Christ who is the Off-spring of David Christ who is of your Nature Christ who is sensible of your wants he is there go and tell the Lord Jesus what Temptations you have what Corruptions you have what guilt you finde what weaknesses you finde in you go and tell the Lord Jesus and desire him to commend it to the Father and he will do it for you 2 The next Conclusion here is If Christ be of the Race of David that the Lord Jesus is no mean Person but a very honourable Person and well descended he is the Off-spring of David of David a Prophet of David a King of Israel of David the beloved of God of David an eminent Person in Israel Christ is well born and well descended he is of the Bloud Royal Mat. 2. Where is he that is born King of Israel hee descended from Kings from the greatest that the Scripture mentions It was Solomons honour to be the Son of David and it is the honour of Christ to be the Son of David Behold a greater than Solomon is here And there be two expressions upon this very account which do help to set out the Lord Christ that he is a person honourable indeed The one is That he is called the Branch so in Isa and Jerem. and Zach. hee is called the Branch that is the branch out of this Root the branch of David an eminent and glorious branch Jer. 33.15 In those days and at that time will I cause the branch of righteousness to grow up unto David and hee shall execute Judgement and Righteousness in the Land David he is the Root out of that Root shall come the Off-spring Christ the Branch of Righeousness the righteous Branch or the Branch that acts and works Righteousness that executes Judgement and Justice a Branch that yeelds the best Fruit that ever the World had a Branch of Righteousness and such a Branch as in Isa 4.2 In that day shall the Branch of the Lord bee beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely This is the Branch of David and is called The Branch of the Lord and this Branch shall be beautiful and glorious beautiful and glorious all the World over and the fruit of the Earth shall bee excellent and comely O here is a Branch of Righteousness here is a Branch out of a Root the Lord Christ out of the Root of Jesse the Root of David that shall yeeld fruit which shall be excellent all the World over The other expression is that in Ezeck 24.29 where he is called The Plant of renown This Branch this Plant this Off-spring of David is the Plant of renown There have been many renowned Plants in the World Abraham was a renowned Plant in his days so Joshua Moses and the Prophets were renowned Plants and divers of the Kings of Judah were renowned Plants also But Christ is the Plant of renown emphatically this Plant hath done renowned things indeed this is the Plant that is to bee honoured above all the Plants that ever were in the World he hath done such things as never any did this is he that took away the sin of the world Joh. 1.29 This is he that did break down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile and reconciled Jew and Gentile Ephes 2.11 12 13 14. This is he that laid the foundation of the Christian Church and built up that Zech. 6.12 And speak unto him saying Behold thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying behold the man whose name is the Branch and hee shall grow up ouâ— of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord It is the Branch the Branch the Plant of renown the Lord Jesus the Off-spring of David that shall build the Christian Church This is he that brought in everlasting righteousness Dan. 9.22 to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the Vision this is the Plant that yeelds such fruit as this as to send the Comforter Joh. 16.7 this is he that did such Works as never any did before him Joh. 15.24 so that the Lord Christ he is no mean person he is the Off-spring of David the Branch of Righteousness the Plant of Renown Vse This serves in the first place to take off the offence and prejudice which lies in the hearts of many against Christ in regard of his meaneness in regard of his poverty in regard of his being accounted the Carpenters Son a Fellow and a vulgar Person and in that he was reckoned among Malefactors and put to an open shameful Death many stumble at these things the Jews stumble and the Turks stumble and say Our Saviour was a poor contemptible man and the like but this may take off all the prejudice and scandal that arises thence he was the Son of David the Branch of renown hee that did such things as never man did Matth. 11. saith Christ Blessed is he that is not offended at me why I am a poor Man that have not two Coates that have not a house to hide my head in that have not bread to eat and the like and blessed is he that is not offended at me that stumbles not at my meanness nor at the scandals and reproaches that are taken at me O blessed is he that is not offended at me but can look through these and can see me to be the Off-spring of David the Plant of Renown the Branch of Righteousness that can see me to be all in all 2 This may serve to strengthen our faith many did reject David 1 Sam. 22.7 Then Saul said unto his Servants that stood about him here now yee Benjamites will the Son of Jesse give every one of you Fields and Vineyards c. he rejects the Son of Jesse that is David himself what hath this poor fellow such and such things to give you he is but the Son of Jesse So many reject Jesus the Son of David and say Why what hath this poor Jesus to give you he was but the Carpenters Son but this serves to strengthen our faith Wee know saith Paul in whom we have beleeved we have beleeved in him who is the Off-spring of David the Plant of renown the Branch of renown that took away the sin of the World that sends the Comforter that can do greater things for us than we can ask or think we beleeve in him who is an honourable Person descended from the best Bloud that ever was we beleeve in him 3 This should serve to raise up our hearts to a higher esteem of the Lord Jesus Kings Sons are regarded and observed by all the people the Lord Jesus was a Kings Son the Son of David I and the Son of God too therefore we should have high and honourable thoughts of the Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 2.7 To you that beleeve hee is precious precious in your thoughts precious
backbite others Christ is none of thine the Scripture is clear none such shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven therefore consider there is eternal woe for all those that dye in their Natural condition that have not this thirst in them after the Lord Christ and his Righteousness O therefore give no rest to God nor no rest to thy Soul until thou finde that thou art delivered 2 To you that are godly Direction to those that thirst after Christ and have some thirst in your Souls after Christ many times you grow luke-warm flat dead and secure you had need be quickned and to have your thirst stirred up in you and for that consider 1 Your own infirmities have you no infirmities is there no deadness dulness laziness how do you perform the Worship of God and the duties thereof Are you not more Carnal than Spiritual Do not your hearts wander Are you not sleepy are not you formal Do not you neglect many times your duty do not you come short surely these and many other things you know by your selves And whence came all these from the body of Sin from the Old man that is in you Paul he was sensible of this Rom. 7. he found a Law in his members warring against the Law of his minde he found he was Carnal sold under sin he found he was unspiritual and he is troubled at this and his thirst was increased what saith hee O wretched man who shall deliver me his thirst now is great Who shall deliver me I thank God through Jesus Christ I thirst after Christ and the coming of Christ to deliver me so that the serious consideration of your own infirmities and corruptions and the hinderances and cloggs and lets you have from them in your way of Christianity should cause your thirst to bee greater and greater daily 2 Consider what work you have to do and what little strength you have to do it Christians have a great deal of work to do here in the World they should pray continually they should stand and with-stand the Tempter and all his Temptations overcome the World work the Works of God they should side with Christ and his interest and help on the Gospel and the power of godliness they have their Lusts to mortifie and great things to do Now how will you do these saith Christ Without me you can do nothing will not you thirst after Christ now and strength from him and assurance from him and new influences from him and more of his Spirit daily Many do act in their own strength and therefore so little good comes thereof We pray by our own Natural abilities and Natural parts and through Power and Gifts acquired and therefore I say so little good comes of all but had wee Divine strength to pray and to do all we do did we go out in his Name and in his strength and work the Works of God who could stand before us then 3 Consider the great good that is to be had by Christ have you not wants why there is infinite good to be had by Christ In him is all fulness with him is plentious Redemption hee hath unsearchable riches of Grace he hath the residue of the Spirit he hath whatsoever may make our lives comfortable whatsoever may make our lives happy Christ hath all in his own hands and therefore you should hunger and thirst after Christ more and more 4 Consider what is promised unto you by Christ the Promise is That there shall be times of refreshing when Christ comes Acts 3.19 then the times of restitution of all things shall be there are times for these things And so when the Lamb shall be the Light then the Lamb shall lead you to the Fountain of living Waters then you shall hunger and thirst no more then all tears shall be wiped from your eyes Why do not you thirst after these things and after the Lord Jesus Christ and his coming The Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith come And what are your Souls asleep Should not we say Come Lord come quickly The times in which wee live are sad times but the coming of the Lord would change all and rectifie all and satisfie all therefore consider of these things and your thirst after Christ will be increased 5 Lastly If you that thirst would have your thirst more lively and inlarged remember what sweetness you have found in Christ at some time or other when men remember they have drunk admirable Wine the very remembrance of it makes them to thirst after that Wine the more the Wine that Christ made at the Marriage Feast and brought forth the people were so affected with it that they called the Governour and askt him why he kept the good Wine till then they were taken with the Wine so when Christians do remember what ravishments they have had from Christ sometimes what hits of joy what sound peace what sweet communion with the Father through him what out-lettings of his Spirit This will inlarge their hearts and their desires some Christians have had large experiences this way they have had flaggons of Wine to drink and apples of comfort to feed upon and the more they do remember these the larger will bee their thirstings after Christ Christ's willingness to save sinners Reve 22.17 Let him that is athirst come LEt him that is athirst come come Christ doth not say here Let him that is athirst seek out and yet that had been humanity and courtesie Christ doth not say Let him that is athirst goe to Jordan Christ doth not send them to Moses nor to any of the brooks or Cisterns but Christ saith Let him that is athirst come and whither should he come or to what should he come The meaning is let him come to me Let him come to me for drinke for satisfaction let him that is athirst come here 's exceeding kindness choice love peculiar mercy let him that is athirst come Come unto me as it 's said in the 7th of John and Drinke I have drinke for him water of life for him as it 's in the next words And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely To open this word unto you what 's meant by come 't is not meant come bodily so you all know what coming is when the body removes out of one place and goes to another But it is meant spiritually 't is not the feete of the body but the feete of the soule are required and by coming in Scripture is meant beleiving unbeleife is departing from God Heb 9.12 Take heed Brethren least there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeleife in departing from the living God An heart of unbeleife is a heart departs from God and goes away from God So in the 10th Chap The Just shall live by Faith but if any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him An unbeleiving heart is a heart draws back and departs from God Now to
they should come unto him and be sav'd by him Secondly Consider how the Lord Christ hath fitted himselfe to releive sinners Christ hath indured a great deale of hardship suffered heavie things he trod the wine-press of his Fathers wrath alone You know Corne that makes bread and drinke indures the heate the cold indures the slale and the Mill to be Ground and so the bread and the drinke are made thereof The Lord Christ hath indured all that the Father required of him that so he might be bread of life and water of life to us he hath suffered bitter things an accursed death in the 12th of Luke saith Christ I have a Baptisme to be baptized with and how am I streightened till it be accomplished I have a Baptisme of Blood to be baptized with and how am I streightened till it be accomplished I thirst to lay downe my blood that it may be drinke for the world as much as any in the world doe thirst for my blood and to drinke of that I and more then all the world The Lord Jesus hath suffered Circumcision hee hath suffered whipping crowning with Thornes spitting upon reproaches revilings cursing suffered the displeasure of his Father dissertions temptations by Satan suffered Death and all that he might be fit and fitted to save us that he might be bread for us and drinke for us releife for us Is not Christ willing thinke you now that you should eate of his flesh and drinke of his blood that you should come to him and have the benefit of his sufferings I am streightened saith he till it be accomplished I thirst saith Christ upon the Crosse and now it s finished Thirdly From the very end of Christs coming it is evident that Christ is very willing and desirous that sinners should come unto him and be saved by him and be refresht by him what was the ends of Christs coming Mat 18.11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost were not all lost in Adam are not all sinners are not all under the curse of the Law are not all children of wrath by nature are not all enemies of God through wicked workes in their mindes The end now of Christs coming was to save that which was lost and in Luk 10.10 you have it more fully For the Son of man is come to seeke and to save that which is lost It might have been said It 's true Christ will save that which is lost if it will come to him I but Christ is come to seeke out them to seeke and to save that which is lost this is the good Shepherd that goes and seekes out the lost sheepe and takes it up upon his shoulders brings it home A Shepherd when his sheepe are scattered some in one lane some upon one common some in one feild some in another he goes and seekes out the sheepe and brings them home so the Lord Christ came for that very end to seeke out and to save that which was lost art thou a poore thirsty sinfull soule art thou lost in thine owne apprehension art thou at the gates of death and hell the Lord Christ came to save thee and seeke out thee he is willing forward ready to doe it he came for that very end Fourthly Christs willingness and readiness to this worke will appeare if you consider the Cures that he wrought when he was here in the world did not Christ heale all diseases the blinde the lame the sicke the dumb the deafe the possest with Devills did not Christ shew compassion towards them all and heale them Mark 4.23 And Jesus went about all Galile teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdome and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of diseases among the people And his fame went through all Syria and they brought unto him all sicke people that were taken with divers diseases and torments and those which were possest with Devills and those which were Lunatick and those which had the Palsie and he healed them Is not Christ willing and ready to doe good to sinners he doth not forbid them to come to him let the disease be what it will and the party diseased be what he will And it s conceived when Christ heald their bodies he heald their soules too Christ heald all diseases In Math 8. you have two or three remarkeable passages there comes a Leper to Christ and saith Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane he did not come beleivingly but he came doubtingly to Christ and what followes Jesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou cleane why doest thou question my will saith Christ I am more willing to heale thee then thou art desirous of it I will saith he be thou cleane here Christ presently shews his willingness and cures the man with a word with a word and a touch he healed him Then afterwards in the Chapter there comes a Centurion to him and sollicits him for his servant and saith Master speake the word onely and my servant shall be healed saith Christ I have not found so great Faith no not in Israel as in this Centurion and v 12. saith Christ Goe thy way and as thou hast beleived so be it unto thee here Christ heales one with a word And then thirdly he comes to Peters house and there his wives mother lay sicke of a Feavour and he touched her hand and the Feavour lest her Christ did but touch her hand and sayes nothing and the Feavour left her Christ is willing to cure sinners and he can easily doe it with a word or a word and a touch or a touch onely Christ is so forward that before it is desired he doth it In John 5. v. 6. when Jesus saw the impotent man lie there and knew that he had been now a long time in that case he saith unto him wilt thou be made whole The man did not aske him the Question Lord wilt thou heale me But Christ comes and finds him out and saith Man wilt thou be made whole ô Sir I have none to put me in when the Angel stirres another steps in before me saith Christ Take up thy bed and walke Christ aske him the Question prevents him and heales him Oh! Christ is willing to doe sinners good to save sinners Fifthly This appeares from the Command of Christ when a thing is commanded those that command would faine have it done now the Lord Christ commands men to come unto him commands them to beleive Joh 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye beleive in God beleive also in me Beleive in me there 's ease there 's rest there 's refreshing there 's deliverance there 's salvation for you Beleive in me and in the 1 Joh 3. latter end This is his Commandement that we should beleive in the name of his Son Jesus Christ This is the Commandement of the Father that we should beleive on the name
wayes and yet thinke that they have water of life that they are living Christians But 't is with them as with the Church of Sardis They have a name to live but they are dead indeed What reviling are there of one another what reproaching what backbiting and slandering what drunkennesse vvhat whoredome vvhat oppression vvhat defrauding vvhat contention is there brother against brother seeking to eate up one another and to undoe one another by ill language by seeking to get one from another and yet desirous to come to the Sacrament whereas when men live in hatred and strife they are murderers in the Scripture account A dreadfull thing when those that are of the same family flesh and blood walke in those wayes and pretend that they are Christians and would have the ordinances and yet will not lay downe their malice revenge and humours no not for Christ not for waters of life not for any of his ordinances All are not true Christians that thinke so all have not tasted of the waters of life that thinke so all have not Grace that imagine they have The five foolish virgins afterwards they got oyle as they thought and they came and knock at the gate of heaven but they were deceived they had not true oyle they would have been let in then That 's the first Secondly This serves for reproofe and reproofe of many that say they would gladly have waters of life they are willing and would faine have Christ Grace and the Spirit but it 's evident there is no such thing because they never prize them so as to see them better then their earthly sensuall and sinfull injoyments then their outward estates what ever is deare unto them of that nature because they never make a reall and actuall claime of them nor use the meanes to attaine them Corne wine and oyle they prize they close with and make out after and bestirre themselves so in the pursuit of them that they hazard their soules eternally for them but as for the waters of life they care little for them they have some sluggish desires after them but no strong no lasting indeavours Math 19.16 17 18 c. Luke 13.24 Therefore 't is not enough for men and women to say they would have waters of life there are many wishers and many woulders in the world but few doe truly and really will they come not up to a prizing of them to a choosing of them and to an using of all meanes for them they give not diligence to adde Grace to Grace to worke out their salvation to shake off security and sloathfulnesse and put forth themselves as a matter of life and death as indeed it is a matter of life and death to get these waters of life Thirdly If the willing man shall have the waters of life then here God is excused and justifiable in the destruction of sinners The Lord he holds out waters of life freely he saith whosoever will whosoever is willing let him take the waters of life let him live and be blessed whosoever is willing now if men perish where is the fault who is to be blamed God hath provided Christ he hath provided Gospel and ordinances provided his Spirit he holds out the promises and saith whosoever will whosoever is willing come come without money here 's water of life freely for you now if men perish where 's the fault Revel 3.20 Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man will open I will come in And what if you will not open the doore if Christ doe beate downe the house and the doore and destroy him that is in it who is in the fault the fault is yours you are not willing that Christ should come in In the 19 of Luk 27. Those mine enemies that would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and slay them before me Those mine enemies that would not have me to reigne over them I come and tell them that I will cast out their enemies and I will reigne sweetly and lovingly in them and I will doe them good I will save them give them waters of life cordiall comforts and they will not vvhat then Bring those mine enemies and slay them before my face In the 23 of Math How often would I have gathered thee even as a hen doth her chickens and ye would not had ye been willing ye should have eate the fatt and dranke the sweete But ye would not now is your house left desolate Mans destruction is of himselfe and God is to be justifyed and cleer'd he makes such tenders of Grace and mercy and that freely he comes and waites upon men and calls upon them and yet they will not You have a remarkeable place 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Marke the truth was sent forth the truth came and the truth wooed them but they would not receive the Love of the truth But they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this Cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should beleive a lie and this is made good in our dayes exceedingly for the truth hath come and knockt at the hearts of men and women and it hath not been received with the love of it Therefore God hath sent them strong Delusions that they should beleive a lie That they all might be damned who beleived not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse men and women have pleasure in unrighteousness and therefore they will not receive the truths of God And then God gives them over to strong Delusions that they might be damned would they have received the truth they should not have been damned nor had strong Delusions so that here God will be excusable and justifiable in the destruction of sinners at the last Joh 3.19 This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill This will be their Condemnation they will shut their eyes against the light they will not let truth enter and if they doe they withhold the truth in unrighteousnesse and imprison the truth as Herod did John Fourthly This serves for Exhortation Whosoever will let them take of the waters of life freely Shall all that are willing have water of life freely let us labour for this willingnesse it is a matter of great concernment it concernes your soules and bodies for the present and to all eternity to see that there be this willingness in you willingnesse to have water of life for all are not willing nay vvhen it comes to the tryall hardly one of a hundred will be found really willing to have waters of life therefore give your selves no rest night nor day till you finde a reall willingnesse to have waters of life to have Christ and the Spirit of Christ to have Grace salvation peace pardon to your soules give your selves
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