Life is called a River to intimate to you by what store of the same 't is supplyed All Rivers have the Sea for their Original All the Rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full unto the place from whence the Rivers came thither they return again And so this River of Water of Life is said to proceed out of the Throne as out of a place where it breaketh out but the Original is the Sea the Oceon of Grace which is in an infinite Deity Thou wilt cast all our Sins into the depths of the Sea into the depth of the Sea of thy Grace Rivers when they are broken up do with their glideing Streams carry away a great deal of the Filth which from all Parts of the Countries thorow which they run is conveyed into them and they carry it away into the Sea where 't is everlastingly swallowed up And oh the Filth that is cast into this River of God and oh how many dirty Sinners are washed white therein for by their continual gliding away they carry that filth into the mid'st of the Sea. A River will take away the very stink of a dead Dog nor doth all the Soil and Draught that is cast into Rivers cause that those that can should be afraid to make use thereof All that have need do betake themselves to this River notwithstanding But how much more virtue is there in this sweet River of Grace that is designed yea opened on purpose to wash away Sin and Uncleanness in to carry away all our Filth and to remain as vertuous still IV. It is called a River to shew that it yields a continual supply as I may call it of new and fresh Grace Rivers yield continually fresh and new Water For tho the Channel or Water-course in which the Water runs is the same yet the Waters themselves are always new That Water that but one Minute since stood in this place or that of the River is now gone and new and fresh is come in its place And thus it is with the River of God which is full of Water it yieldeth continually fresh Supplies fresh and new Supplies of Grace to those that have Business in these Waters And this is the reason that when Sin is pardoned it seems as if it were carried away These Waters have with their continual Streams carried away the filth of the Sinner from before his Face It is not so with Ponds Pools and Cisterns they will be foul and stink if they be not often emptied and filled again with fresh water We must then put a difference between the Grace that dwelleth in us and this River of Water of Life We are but as Ponds Pools and Cisterns that can hold but little and shall also soon stink notwithstanding the Grace of God is in us if we be not often emptied from Vessel to Vessel and filled with fresh Grace from this River But the River is always sweet nor can all the filth that it washed out of the World make it stink or infect it It 's water runs with a continual gliding Stream and so carries away all annoyance as was said into the depth of the Sea. V. The Grace of God is called a River to shew That it is only suited to those who are capable of living therein Water tho it is that which every Creature desireth yet it is not an Element in which every Creature can live Who is it that would not have the benefit of Grace of a Throne of Grace but who is it that can live by Grace even none but those whose temper and constitution is suited to Grace Hence as the Grace of God is compared to a RIVER so those that live by Grace are compared to FISH for that as Water is that Element in which the Fish liveth so Grace is that which is the life of the Saint And there shall be a very great Multitude of Fish because these Waters shall come thither for they shall be healed and every thing shall live whither the River cometh art thou a Fish Man art thou a Fish can'st thou live in the Water Can'st thou live always and no where else but in the water Is Grace thy proper Element the Fish dieth if she be taken out of the water unless she be timely put in again the Saint dieth if he be not in this River Take him from his River and nothing can make him live Let him have water water of Life enough and nothing can make him die I know that there are some things besides Fish that can make a shift to live in the water but the Water is not their proper their only proper Element The Frog can live in the Water but not in the Water only the Otter can live in the Water but not in the Water only Give some Men Grace and the World Grace and Sin admit them to make use of their Lusts for Pleasure and of Grace to remove their Guilt and they will make a pretty good shift as we say They will finely scrabble on in a Profession but hold them to Grace only confine their Life to Grace put them into the River and let them have nothing but River and they die the word and way and nature of Grace is to them as light Bread and their Soul can do no other but loath it for they are not suited and tempred for that Element They are Fish not Frogs that can live in the River as in their only proper Element Wherefore the Grace of God and Spirit of Grace is compared to a River to shew that none but those can live thereby whose Souls and Spirits are suited and fitted thereto VI. The Grace and Spirit of Grace of God is called or compared to a River to answer those unsatiable desires and to wash away those mountainous doubts that attend those that indeed do thirst for that drink The man that thirsteth with spiritual thirst fears nothing more than that there is not enough to quench his thirst All the promises and sayings of Gods Ministers to such a man seem but as Thimbles instead of Bowls I mean so long as his thirst and doubts walk hand in hand together There is not enough in this Promise I find not enough in that Promise to quench the drought of my thirsting Soul. He that thirsteth aright nothing but God can quench his thirst My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God. Well what shall be done for this man will his God humour him and answer his desires Mark what follows When the Poor and Needy seek water and there is none and they can find none when all the Promises seem to be dry and like Clouds that return after the Rain and their tongue fails for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them Ay but Lord what wilt thou do to quench their thirst I will open Rivers saith he in high places and Fountains in the midst of
none other but the spotless and glorified Humanity of the Son of God. This Throne is the Lord Jesus this Grace comes from the Divine Majesty as dwelling bodily in the Lord Jesus Wherefore let us fall down before the Throne and cast our Crowns at the foot of the Throne and give thanks to him that sits on the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever O how should Jesus be esteemed of The Throne of the King is a Royal Seat. 'T is said of Solomon's there was not its like in ANY Kingdom but of this it may be said there is not its like in Heaven and Earth At the setting up of this Throne the Angels flocked round about it and the Beasts and the Elders gathered together to see it When this Throne was set in Heaven there was silence all the Heavenly Host had no leisure to talk they were surprized with sight and wonder When this Throne was set in Heaven what talk there was it was as the Musick of the Trumpet And behold says John a door was open in Heaven and the first voice that I heard was as it were of a Trumpet talking with me which said come up hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter And immediate y I was in the Spirit and behold A THRONE WAS SET IN HEAVEN and one sate upon the Throne This Throne was Jesus Christ exalted SET that is lifted up not as upon the Cross to the contempt and scorn of his Person but as I said to the wonderment of the four Beasts and the Elders and all the Angels in Heaven A Throne was set in Heaven and one sate on the Throne that is God. And this intimates his desirable rest for ever for to sit is to rest and Christ is his rest for ever Was it not therefore well worth the seeing yea if John had taken the pains to go up thither upon his Hands and Knees I say to see the Lord Jesus as a Throne set in Heaven and the glory of God resting and abiding upon him and giving out by him all things not only his Word but all his Dispensations and Providences to the end of the World and this blessed thing among the rest Even a pure River of Water of Life clear as Crystal But I leave this and proceed to the fourth and last thing namely to the Nature and Quality of this Water 'T is said to be pure and clear pure and clear as Crystal And he shewed me a pure River of Water of Life clear as Crystal I know that there is a two-fold quality in a thing one with respect to its nature the other with respect to its Operation The first of these is inherent and remaineth in the Subject being as such and so for the most part useless The other is put forth then when it meeteth with fit matter on which it may freely work As to instance Aqua vitae the very Metaphor here made use of hath a quality inherent in it but keep it stopt up in a Bottle then who will may faint notwithstanding but apply it apply it fitly and to such as have need thereof and then you may see its quality by the Operation This water or River of Grace is called I say The Water of Life and so consequently has a most blessed inherent quality but its Operation is seen by its working the which it doth only then when 't is administred and received for those ends for which it is administred For then it revives where life is and gives life where it is not And thus far in the general have we spoken to it already We will therefore in this place more particularly tho briefly speak a few words unto it First then This Water of Life is the very ground-work of Life in us tho not the ground-work of Life for us The ground-work of Life for us is the Passion and Merits of Christ this is that for the sake of which Grace is given unto us as is intimated by the Text It proceeds from the Throne of God who is Christ. Christ then having obtained Grace for us must needs be precedent as to his merit to that Grace he hath SO obtained Besides 't is clear that the Spirit and Grace come from God through him therefore as to the Communications of Grace to us it is the Fruit of his Merit and Purchase But I say in us Grace is the ground-work of Life For tho we may be said before to live virtually in the Person of Christ before God yet we are dead in our selves and so must be until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high for the Spirit is Life and its Graces are Life and when that is infused by God from the Throne then we live and not till then And hence it is called as before living Water the Water of Life springing up in us into Everlasting Life The Spirit then and Graces of the Spirit which is the River here spoken of is that and that only which can cause us to live that being life to the Soul as the Soul is life to the Body All men therefore as was said afore tho elect tho purchased by the Blood of Christ are dead and must be dead until the Spirit of Life from God and his Throne shall enter into them until they shall drink it in by vehement thirst as the parched Ground drinks in the Rain Now when this living Water is received it takes up its Seat in the Heart whence it spreads it self to the awakening of all the Powers of the Soul. For as in the first Creation the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters in order to putting of that Creature into that excellent fashion and harmony which now we behold with our Eyes even so the new Creation to wit the making of us new to God is done by the over-spreading of the same Spirit also For the Spirit as I may so say sitteth and broodeth upon the Powers of the Soul as the Hen doth on cold Eggs till they wax warm and receive life The Spirit then warmeth us and bringeth the dead and benummed Soul for so 't is before Conversion to a godly sense and understanding of States of States both natural and spiritual and this is the beginning of the work of the Spirit by which the Soul is made capable of understanding what God and himself is And this drinking in of the Spirit is rather as the ground drinks in Rain than as a rational Soul does through sense of the want thereof The Spirit also garnisheth the Soul with such things as are proper for it to the making of it live that life that by the word of God is called for It implanteth Light Repentance Faith Fear Love Desires after God Hope Sincerity and what else is necessary for the making the man a Saint these things I say are the fruits and effects of this Spirit which as a River of Water of Life proceedeth
forth of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Hence the Spirit is called the Spirit of Faith the Spirit of Love and the Spirit of a sound mind for that the Spirit is the Root and Original of all these things by his operations in and upon the face of the Soul. But again as this living Water this spirit and the Grace thereof doth thus so it also maintains these things once planted in the Soul by its continual waterings of them in the Soul. Hence he saith I will water it every moment Water IT his Vineyard the Soul of the Church the Graces of the Church and so the Soul and Graces of every godly Man. And because it so happeneth sometimes that some of those things where with the Holy Ghost has beautified the Soul may languish to a being if not quite dead yet ready to die therefore he doth not only refresh and water our Souls but renew the face thereof by either quickening to life that which remains or by supplying of us with that which is new to our godly Perseverance and everlasting Life Thus thou waterest the Earth and waterest it thou greatly enrichest it with the River of God. For this must be remembred that as the Herb that is planted or Seed sown needs watering with continual Showers of the Mountains so our Graces implanted in us by the Spirit of Grace must also be watered by the Rain of Heaven Thou waterest the Ridges thereof abundantly thou settest the furrow thereof thou makest it soft with Showers thou blessest the springing thereof Hence he says that our Graces shall grow But how I will be as the Dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lily and cast forth his Roots as Lebanon His Branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive Tree and his smell as Lebanon They that dwell under his shadow shall return they shall revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine the Scent thereof shall be as the Wine of Lebanon Or as he saith in another place The Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfy thy Soul in droughts and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watered Garden and like a Spring of Water whose Waters fail not There is besides this another Blessing that comes to us by this living Water and that is the blessing of Communion All the warmth that we have in our Communion it is the warmth of the Spirit When a company of Saints are gathered together in the Name of Christ to perform any spiritual Exercise and their Souls be edified warmed and made glad therein it is because this Water this River of Water of Life has in some of the Streams thereof ran into that assembly Then are Christians like those that drink Wine in Bowls merry and glad for that they have drank into the Spirit and had their Souls refreshed with the sweet Gales and strong Wine thereof This is the Feast that Isaiah speaks of when he saith In this Mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all People a Feast of fat things a Feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of Marrow of Wines on the Lees well refined This is called in another place The Communion of the Holy Ghost Now he warmeth Spirits uniteth Spirits enlightneth Spirits revives cherisheth quickeneth strengtheneth Graces renews Assurances brings old Comforts to mind weakens Lusts imboldeneth and raiseth a Spirit of Faith of Love of Hope of Prayer and makes the Word a Blessing Conference a Blessing Meditation a Blessing and Duty very delightful to the Soul. Without this Water of Life Communion is weak flat cold dead fruitless lifeless there is nothing seen felt heard or understood in a spiritual and heart-quickening way Now Ordinances are burdensom Sins strong Faith weak Hearts hard and the faces of our Souls dry like the dry and parched ground This Drink also revives us when tempted when sick when persecuted when in the dark and when we faint for thirst The Life of Religion is this Water of Life where that runs where that is received and where things are done in this Spirit there all things are well the Church thrifty the Soul thrifty Graces thrifty and all is well And this hint I thought convenient to be given of this precious Water of Life that is with reference to the operative quality of it I shall come in the next place to speak of it as to the other descriptions which John doth give us of it He says 't is 1. Pure 2. Clear. 3. Clear to a Comparison And he shewed me a pure River of Water of Life clear as Crystal First You read here That this Water of Life is PURE that is alone without mixture for so sometimes that word PURE is to be understood As where it saith pure pure Oil Olive pure Frankincense pure Gold pure Blood of the Grape and the like so then when he saith he shewed me a pure River of Water of Life it is as if he had said he shewed me a River of Water that was all living all life and that had nothing in it but life There was no death or deadness or flatness in it Or as he saith a little after And there shall be no more Curse A pure River There is not so much as a grudge or a piece of an a upbraiding speech found therein There is in it nothing but heart nothing but love nothing but grace nothing but life Thâ— Gifts and Calling of God are without repentance Secondly Pure is sometimes set in oposition to shew or appearance as where he says The Stars are not pure that is not so without mixture of darkness as they seem to be So again If thou wast pure and upright that is as thou seemest to be or as thou wouldest have us believe thou art Now take pure in this sence here and then the meaning is 'T is Grace without deceit without guile its shew and its substance is the same it has nothing but substance in it it is indeed what it seems to be in bulk 't is a River in shew and a River indeed It comes from God and from his Throne in appearance and really it comes from his very heart The great fear of the Tempted is that there is not so much Grace in God and that he is not so free of it as some Scriptures seem to import But this word PURE is levelled against such Objections and Objectors for the destroying of their doubts and the relieving of their Souls There is no fraud nor guile nor fable in the business for tho God is pleased to present us with his Grace under the notion of a River it is not to delude our fancies thereby but to give us some small illustration of the exceeding Riches of his Grace which as far for quantity out-strips the biggest Rivers as the most mighty Mountain doth the least Ants Egg or Atom in the World. Thirdly But again
Life where it is are rare and scarce and to be found only in close Places and little quantities but here you see there is abundance a great deal a River a River of Water of Life In my handling of this Point I will shew you First What a River of Water of Life this is Secondly And then draw some inferences there-from 1. What a River this is this River of Water of Life 1. It is a deep River It is a River that is not shallow but deep with an O the depth I will make their Waters deep saith God. And again They have drunk of the deep Waters A River of Water of Life is much but a deep River is more Why soul-sick Sinner sin-sick Sinner thou that art sick of that Disease that nothing can cure but a Potion of this River of the Water of Life here is a River for thee a deep River for thee Those that at first are coming to God by Christ for Life are of nothing so inquisitive as of Whether there is Grace enough in him to save them But for their comfort here is abundance abundance of Grace a River a deep River of the Water of Life for them to drink of 2. As this River is deep so it is wide and broad Wherefore as thou art to know the depth that is that it is deep So thou art to know its breadth that is that it is broad It is broader than the Sea A River that cannot be passed over Never did Man yet go from one side of this River to the other when the Waters indeed were risen and now they are risen even now they proceed out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb too Hence this Grace is called the unsearceable Riches of Christ. Sinner Sick-sinner what sayest thou to this wouldest thou wade wouldst thou swim here thou mayest wade here thou mayest swim 't is deep yet fordable at first entrance And when thou thinkest that thou hast gone thorow and thorow it yet turn again and try once more and thou shalt find it deeper than Hell and a River that cannot be passed over If thou canst swim here thou mayest rowl up and down as the Fishes do in the Sea. Nor needst thou fear drowning in this River it will bear thee up and carry thee over the highest Hills as Noah's Waters did carry the Ark. But 3. As this River of Water of Life is deep and large so 't is a River that is full of Waters A River may be deep and not full A River may be broad and not deep Ay but here is a River deep and broad and full too Thou waterest it thou greatly enrichest it with the River of God which is full of Water Full of Grace and Truth Fill the Water-Pots saith Christ up to the brim The Waters of a full Cup the wicked shall have and a River full of the Water of Life is provided for who indeed has a desire thereto 4. As this River is deep broad and full so it still aboundeth with Water The Waters says the Prophet were risen Hence the Holy Ghost saith God causeth the Waters to flow And again And it shall come to poss in that Day the Day of the Gospel that the Mountains shall drop with new Wine and the Hills shall flow with Milk and all the Rivers of Judah shall flow with Waters and a Fountain shall come forth of the House of the Lord and shall water the Valley of Shittim When a River flows it has more Water than its Banks can bound it has Water Behold he smote the Rock that the Waters gushed out and the Streams over-flowed This River of Water of Life which is also signified by these Waters is a River that abounds and that over-flows its Banks in an infinite and unspeakable manner Thus much for the River to wit what a River of Water of Life it is It is a River deep broad full and abounding with this Water with this Spirit and Grace of the Gospel Secondly Now I shall come to draw some Inferences from it that is from this term a River A River of Water of Life First then a River is Water that is common common in the Streams tho otherways in the Head. This River proceeds out of the Throne and so as to its rise 't is special 't is also called the Water of Life and as it is such 't is special but as it is a River 't is common and of common use and for common good Hence the Grace of God is called The common Salvation for that by the Word there is no restraint no denial to or forbiding of any that WILL from receiving thereof And whosoever will let him take the Water of Life freely what can more fully declare the commonness of a thing Yea this River is called at the very Head of it an OPEN Fountain a Fountain opened to the House of Judah and Inhabitants of Jerusalem And by Judah and Jerusalem is comprehended every Soul that would drink of the Water of Life or living Water And hence it is that this River is said to go down to the Desert and to the Sea where all kind of Fishes are By Sea is meant the World and by Fish the People and thither shall run this River of Water of Life But Secondly Tho a River in the Streams of it is common yet a River as it passes thorow a Country or Province will chuse its own way 'T will run in the Valleys in the Plains not over Steeples and Hills 'T will also fetch its compasses and circuits 't will go about and reach hither and thither and according to its courses 't will miss by its turnings what Places and People it lists yet it is common for that it lies open yet it is common for all the Beasts of the Field There is therefore a difference to be put betwixt the commonness of a thing and its presence A thing may be common yet far enough off of thee Epsom Tunbridge Waters and the Bath may be common but yet a great way off of some that have need thereof The same may be said of this River 't is common in the streams but it runs its own circuit and keeps its own water Courses He sendeth the Springs into the Valleys which run among the Hills Indeed he openeth his River in high Places in his Throne and of the Lamb but still they run in the midst of the Valleys to water the humble and the lowly Wherefore they that thirst and would drink are bid to come down to the Waters Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy c. And again If any Man thirst let him come unto me and drink The Waters are common but you must come to them to them where they are or you will be nothing the better for them Come ye to the Waters Thirdly This Water of
this word pure is set in opposition to that which is hurtful and destructive I am pure from the blood of all men that is I have hurt no body The Wisdom that is from above is first pure 't is not hurtful Do you count them pure with the wicked balances how can that be since they are hurtful Now take pure in this sence here and then it intimates that the Grace of God and the Doctrine of Grace is not a hurtful thing It is not as Wine of an intoxicating nature If a man be filled with it 't will do him no harm The best of the things that are of this World are some way hurtful Honey is hurtful Wine is hurtful Silver and Gold are hurtful but Grace is not hurtful Never did man yet catch harm by the enjoyment and fullness of the Grace of God. There is no fear of Excess or of surfeiting here Grace makes no man proud no man wanton no man haughty no man careless or negligent as to his duty that is incumbent upon him either from God or Man No Grace keeps a man low in his own Eyes humble self-denying penitent watchful savory in good things charitable and makes him kindly affectionated to the brethren pitiful and courteous to all men True there are men in the World that abuse the Grace of God as some are said to turn it into wantonness and into lasciviousness But this is not because Grace has any such tendancy or for that it worketh any such effect but because such men are themselves empty of Grace and have only done as Death and Hell hath done with wisdom heard the Fame thereof with their Ears 'T is a dangerous thing for a man to have the notions of Grace while his heart is yoid of the Spirit and holy Principles of Grace for such a man can do no other than abuse the Grace of God. Alas what can be expected of him that has nothing in him to teach him to manage that knowledge of Grace which he has but his Flesh his Lusts and lustful Passions Can these teach him to manage his knowledge well Will they not rather put him upon all tricks evasions irreligious consequences and conclusions such as will serve to cherish Sin What Judas did with Christ that a graceless man will do with Grace even make it a stalking horse to his fleshly and vile designs and rather than fail betray both it and the profession of it to the greatest Enemies it has in the World. And here I may say tho Grace is pure and not hurtful at all yet one altogether carnal sinful and graceless having to do with the Doctrine of it by the force of HIS Lusts which tamper with it he will unavoidably bring himself into the highest ruines thereby An unwary man may destroy himself by the best of things not because there is in such things an aptness to destroy but because of the abuse and misuse of them Some know the way of Life the Water of Life by knowledge that is naked and speculative only and it had been better for such if they had not known than to know and turn from what they know then to know and make that knowledge subservient to their Lusts. Some receive the Rain of God and the droppings o his Clouds because they continually sit under the means of his Grace But alas they receive it as Stones receive Showers or as Dung-hills receive the Rain They either abide as hard Stones still or else return nothing to Heaven for his mercy but as the Dung-hills do a company of stinking Fumes These are they that drink in the Rain that comes often upon them and that instead of bringing forth Herbs meet for the dresser bring forth Briars and Thorns and these are they who are nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Fourthly By this word pure I understand sometimes the chiefest good the highest good There are many things that may be called good but none of them are good as Grace is good All things indeed are pure that is all Creatures in themselves are good and serviceable to man but they are not so good as Grace There is a Generation that are pure that are good in their own Eyes There are good Men good Consciences good Works good Days good Angels c. but none so good as Grace for 't is Grace that has made them so Grace this Water of Life therefore is good superlatively good good in the highest degree for that it makes all things good and preserveth them good And whatever it be that this Water of Life washeth not 't is evil and given to the Curse as the Prophet intimates where he saith But the miry places thereof and the Marshes thereof shall not be healed they shall be given to salt But who understands this who believes it It s goodness is kept close from the Fowls of the Air Men most men are ignorant of the goodness of it nor do they care to enquire after the enjoyment of this pure this good Water of Life The reason is because tho it is good in it self good in the highest degree and that which makes all things good yet it is not such a good as is suited to a Carnal Appetite There is good and there is suitable good now suitable good is of two sorts either such as is Spiritual or such as is Temporal That which is Spiritual is desired only of them that are Spiritual for Temporal good will satisfie a Carnal Mind Now Grace is a Spiritual good this River of Grace is the goodness of Spiritual good 'T is the Original Life of all the Grace in our Souls No marvel then if it be so little set by of those that are carnally minded Hay will serve a Horse and Mire will serve a Sow so things of this Life suit best with the men of this World for their Appetite is gross and carnal and they savour not the things that be of the Spirit of God. The natural man receiveth not the things that be of the Spirit of God The things that be of this River of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned This is the River of OYL which the Prophet speaks of the River of Spirit Were it a River of Gold and Silver there would be old fishing on the Banks thereof But it is a River that runs like Oyl saith the Lord God. This Rock pours us out Rivers of Oyl fresh Oyl soft Oyl sweet Oyl the Oyl of Joy the Oyl of Gladness Oyl to anoint the head withal Oyl to make the Face to shine Oyl by which thou wilt be made able to honour both God and Man in some good measure as becomes thee I might have enlarged upon this head and have shewed you many more particulars wherein this term of pure might serve for the better setting forth of the Excellency of this
and have cast what reproaches and slanders upon it they are able 't is a River pure and clear It has purged it self before Kings it has purged it self before Princes and Judges and all the Naamans in the World. 'T is still a River a River of Water of Life a River of Water of Life clear 5. By clear we sometimes understand Purity manifest or Innocency and Goodness made known In all things you have approved your selves to be clear in this matter That is you have made it appear and stand upon your justification and are willing to be searched and sounded to the bottom by those that have a desire to under-take that work So this River of Water of Life in the Fountain and in the streams thereof offer themselves to the consideration and conscience of all Men. To this end how often doth God the head of this River and he out of whose Throne it proceeds call upon Men to challenge him if they can with any evil or mis-doing towards them either by presence or doctrin Hence he says put me in remembrance let us plead together declare thou if thou canst that thou mayest be justified and I condemned So again What iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain So Christ Which of you convinceth me of Sin. And if I have spoke evil bear witness of the evil So Paul We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness not handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every Man's conscience in the sight of God. All these sentences are chiefly to be applied to Doctrine and so are as it were an offer to any if they can to find a speck or a spot or a wrinkle or any such thing in this River of Water of Life Some Men fly from it as from a Bear and some are afraid to drink of it for fear it should be poison unto them Some again dare not take it 'cause 't is not mixed and as they poor Souls imagine qualified and made toothsom by a little of that which is called the Wisdom of this World. Thus one shucks another shrinks and another will none of God. Mean while who so shall please to look into this River shall find it harmless and clear Yea offering it self to the Consciences of all Men to make trial if it be not the only chief good the only necessary Waters the only profitable for the health of the Soul of all the things that are in the World and as clear of mischief as is the Sun of spots Thirdly As John saw this River pure and clear so he saw it clear to a comparison Clear to the best of comparisons clear as cristal Cristal is a very clear stone as clear as the clearest glass if not clearer one may see far into it yea thorough it 't is without those spots and streaks and smirches that are in other precious Stones Wherefore when he saith that this River is clear as cristal it is as if God should say Look sinners look to the bottom of these my cristal streams I have heard of some Seas that are so pure and clear that a Man may see to the bottom tho they may be forty foot deep I know this River of Water of Life is a deep River but tho it is said to be deep it is not said we can see no bottom Indeed as to the wideness of it it is said to be such as that it cannot be passed over But I say it is no where said that we cannot see to the bottom nay the comparison implies that a Man with good eyes may see to the bottom 'T is clear as clear as Cristal So then we will a little look down to the bottom and see thorough these cristal streams what 's at the bottom of all First Then the bottom of all is That we might be saved These things I say saith Christ that you might be saved and again I am come that ye might have life and that you might have it more abundantly This is the bottom of this great River of Water of Life and of its proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb it is that we might be saved it is that we might live What a good bottom is here What a sound bottom is here But few deep Rivers have a good bottom Mud is at the bottom of most Waters in the World even the Sea it self when it worketh casts up Mire and Dirt and so do the hearts of Sinners but the bottom of this Grace of God and of the Spirit and Word thereof is that we might be saved consequently a very good bottom Secondly As the bottom of all is that we may be saved so that we may be saved by Grace and this is a bottom sounder and sounder Our Salvation might have bin laid upon a more difficult bottom than this It might have bin laid in our works God might have laid it there and have bin just or he might have left us to have laid it where we would and then to be sure we had laid it there and so had made but a muddy bottom to have gone upon to life But now this River of Water of Life it has a better bottom the Water is as clear as Cristal look down to the bottom and see we are justified freely by his Grace By Grace are ye saved there is the bottom Now Grace as I have shewed you is a firm bottom to stand on 't is of Grace that Life might be sure Surely David was not here or surely this was not the River that he spake of when he said I sink in deep Waters where there is no standing I am come into deep Waters where the floods over-flow me deliver me out of the Mire and let me not sink I say to be sure this could not be the River No David was now stragled out of the way was tumbled into some pit or into some muddy and dirty hole for as for this River it has a good bottom a bottom of Salvation by Grace and a Man needs not cry out when he is here that he sinks or that he is in danger of being drowned in mud or mire Thirdly The bottom of all is as I said that we might be saved saved by Grace and I will add through the Redemption that is in Christ. This is still better and better We read that when Israel come-over Jordan the feet of the Priests that did bear the Ark stood on firm ground in the bottom and that they set up great stones for a memorial thereof But had Jordan so good a bottom as has this most blessed River of Water of Life or were the Stones that Israel took out thence like this tried Stone this sure Foundation O the Throne this River comes out of the Throne and we
are saved by Grace through the redemption that is in him We read that there is a City that has Foundations Grace is one Christ another and the truth of all the Prophets and Apostles as to their true Doctrine another c. and again all these are the very bottom of this goodly River of the Water of Life Fourthly There is another thing to be seen at the bottom of this holy River and that is the Glory of God we are saved saved by Grace saved by Grace through the redemption that is in Christ to the Praise and Glory of God. And what a good bottom is here Grace will not fail Christ has bin sufficiently tried and God will not lose his Glory therefore they that drink of this River shall doubtless be saved to wit they that drink of it of a spiritual Appetite to it and thus much for the explication of the Text. I now come to make some use of the whole You know our Discourse has bin at this time of the Water of Life of its quantity head-spring and quality and I have shewed you that its nature is excellent its quantity abundant its head-spring glorious and its quality singularly good First Let this then in the first place be a provocation to us to be more free in making use of this Water There are many now a-days that are for inventing of Waters to drink for the health of the Body and to allure those that are ill to buy they will praise their waters beyond their worth Yea and if they be helpful to one Person in a hundred they make as if they could cure every one Well here you have the great Physician himself with his Water and he calls it the Water of Life Water of Life for the Soul this Water is Probatum est It has been proved times without number it never fails but where 't is not taken No Disease comes amiss to it it cures blindness deadness deafness dumbness It makes the lips of them that are asleep to speak This is the RIGHT Holy Water all other is counterfeit it will drive away Devils and Spirits 't will cure Inchantments and Witchcrafts it will heal the Mad and Lunatick it will cure the most desperate Melancholy it will dissolve doubts and mistrusts though they are grown as hard as Stone in the heart It will make you speak well it will make you have a white Soul and that is better than to have a white Skin It will make you tast well it will make you disrelish all hurtful Meats it will beget in you a good appetite to that which is good 't will remove Obstructions in the Stomach and Liver It will cause that what you receive of Gods Bread shall turn to good nourishment and make good Blood. In a word it preserveth Life They that take this Water shall live longer than did old Methusalem and yet he lived a great while Wherefore let me continue my exhortation to you be more free in making use of this Water 'T is the wholesomest Water in the World you may take it at the third sixth ninth or eleventh hour but to take it in the morning of your Age is best for then Diseases have not got so great a head as when they are of long continuance consequently they will be removed with far more ease besides those that thus do will receive endless Life and the comfort of it betimes and that you know is a double life to one This Water gently purges and yet more effectually than any others True where bad humors are more tough and churlish it will shew it self stronger of Operation for there is no Disease can be too hard for it It will as we say throw the House out of the Windows but will rid us of the plague of those most deadly Infections that otherwise will be sure to make us sleep in death and bring us with the multitude down to Hell. But 't will do us no hurt it only breaks our sleep in security and brings us to a more quick apprehension of the Plague of our Heart and Flesh. It will as I said afore provoke to Appetite but make us only long after that which is wholesome If any ask why I thus allegorize I answer The Text doth lead me to it Secondly I advise therefore in the next place that thou get thee a dwelling place by these Waters The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him and the Lord shall cover him all the day long If thou ask where that dwelling is I answer in the City of God in and among the Tabernacles of the most High. This River comes from the Throne to water the City of God and to that end it is said to run in the midst of the street of it If ye will enquire enquire return come The Seed also of his Servants shall inherit it and they that love his name shall dwell therein Get thee a dwelling in Jerusalem in the midst of Jerusalem and then thou will be seated by this River In old times the Ancients had their Habitations by the Rivers yea we read of Aroâ—r that stood upon the brink of the River Arnon Balaam also had his dwelling in his City Pethor by the River of the Land of the Children of his People Oh by a River side is the pleasantest dwelling in the World and of all Rivers the River of the Water of Life is the best They that dwell there shall not hunger nor thirst neither shall the heat or Sun smite them for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them even by the Springs of Water shall he guide them Trees planted by the Rivers and that spread out their Roots by the Rivers they are the flourishing Trees they bring forth their Fruit in their Season And the Promise is that men that take up their dwellings by this River of Water of Life shall be fruitful as such Trees If thou be'st a Christian thou hast more than an ordinary call and occasion to abide by these Waters thy things will not grow but by these Waters Weeds and the excellencies of most men we may find in the barren Wilderness they grow under every hedge but thine are Garden and so choice things and will not thrive without much Water no not without the Water of Gods River dwell therefore here that thy Soul may be as a watered Garden And when thou seeth how those that are loth to die make provision at Tunbridge Epsom the Bath and other places and what houses they get that they may have their dwellings by those Waters then do thou consider of thy spiritual Disease and how nothing can cure thee but this blessed Water of Life be also much of desires to have a dwelling place in Jerusalem that thou mayest always be nigh to these Waters Be often also in watering thy Plants with these Waters I mean the blessed Graces of
God in thy Soul then shalt thou grow and retain thy greenness and prove thy self to be a Disciple indeed And herein is God and thy Father glorified that thou bear much fruit Thirdly My third word is bless God for providing for man such Waters These only can make us live all others come out of the dead Sea and do kill there is no living Water but this I say shew thy acceptation of it with thanksgiving if we are not to receive our Bread and Cheese but with thankfulness how should we bless God for this unspeakable gift This is Soul life life against sin life from sin life against the Curse Life from the Curse Life beyond Hell beyond Desert beyond thought beyond desires Life that 's pleasing Life that 's profitable Life everlasting Oh my Brethren bless God! who doth good and gives us such Rain filling our hearts with food and gladness When Moses would take the heart of Israel and took in hand to raise up their Spirits to thankfulness he used to tell them that the Land that they were to go to was a Land that God cared for and that was watered with the Dew of Heaven Yea a land of Brooks of Water of Fountains and Deeps that spring out of the Valleys and Hills a Land that flowed with Milk and Honey which is the glory of all Lands But yet in his Description he makes no mention of a River of Water of Life a River the Streams whereof make glad the City of God. This River is the running out of God's heart the letting out of his very Bowels for God is the Living God. This is his Heart and Soul. Yea I will rejoice over them to do them good and I will plant them in this Land assuredly with my whole Heart and with my whole Soul. I say if ever Gods heart and soul appeared it shewed it self in giving this Water of Life and the Throne from whence it proceeds Wherefore all the reason of the World that in the reception of it thy heart and soul should run out and flow after him in Thanksgivings See how David words it in the hundred and third Psalm all the five first Verses and do likewise Fourthly By the Characters that are given of this Water of Life thou art capacitated to Judge when a Notion a Doctrine an Opinion comes to Whine Ears whether it is right good and wholsome or how This River is pure is clear is pure and clear as Crystal Is the Doctrine offered unto thee so or is it muddy and mixed with the Doctrines of men look man and see if the foot of the Worshippers of Bell be not there and if the Waters be not fouled thereby What Water is souled is not the Water of Life or at lest not the Water of Life in its clearness Wherefore if thou findest it not right go up higher to the Spring-head for always the nearer to the Spring the more pure and clear is the Water Fetch then thy Doctrine from a far if thou canst not have it good nearer hand Thy life lies at stake the counterfeit of things is danggrous every body that is aware is afraid thereof Now a counterfeit here is most dangerous is most destructive wherefore take heed how you hear what you hear for as I said before of the Fish by your colour 't will be seen what Waters you swim in wherefore look you well to your selves Fifthly Doth this Water of Life run like a River like a broad full and deep River Then let man be his transgressions never so many fear at all but there is enough to save his Soul and to spare Nothing has been more common to many than to doubt of the Grace of God a thing most unbecoming a sinner of any thing in the World. To break the Law is a Fact foul enough but to question the sufficiency of the Grace of God to save there from is worse than sin if worse can be Wherefore despairing Soul for 't is to thee I speak forbear thy mistrusts cast off thy slavish fears hang thy misgivings as to this upon the Hedge and believe thou hast an invitation sufficient thereto a River is before thy Face And as for thy want of goodness and works let that by no means daunt thee this is a River of Water of Life streams of Grace and Mercy There is as I said enough therein to help thee for Grace brings all that is wanting to the Soul. Thou therefore hast nothing to do I mean as to the curing of thy Soul of its doubts and fears and dispairing thoughts but to drink and live for ever Sixthly But what is all this to the dead World to them that love to be dead They toss their Vanities about as the Boys toss their Shittle-Cocks in the Air till their Foot slips and themselves descend into the Pit. Let this suffice for this time FINIS * By Holy Writ Heb. 4. 18. Isa. 55. 1. Revel 21. 6. chap. 22. 17. Isa. 41. 17 18. Vers. 9. Joh. 4. 14. Joh. 7. 37 38 39. Isa. 44. 3 Zech. 12. 10. Joh. 4. 10 11 14. chap. 7. 38. Revel 11. 11. Joh. 15. 16. Psal. 109. 18. Luk. 16. 24 25. Ezek. 36. 25. Pro. 3. 34. Jam. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Joh. 5. 21 25. Ephes. 2. 1. Colos. 2. 13. Ezek. 16. 8 9. Joh. 5. 25. Joh. 6. 63. Revel 21. 6. chap. 22. 17. Mark. 2. 17. Ezek. 32. 14. chap. 34. 18. Ephes. 3. 18. Job 11. 9. Ezek. 47. 5. Ephes. 3. 8. Psal. 65. 9. Ezek. 47. 5. Psal. 147. 18. Joel 3. 18. Psal. 78. 20. Jude 3. Revel 22. 17. Zech. 13. 1. Ezek. 47. 8. Psal. 104. 10. Joh. 7. 37. Eccles. 1. 7 Mic. 7. 19. Jer. 48. 11. Ezek. 47. 9. Psal. 42. 2. Psal. 63. 1. Psal. 143. 6. Psal. 36. 8. Psal. 78. 20. Revel 7. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Joh. 1. 14 16. Heb. 10. 29. Revel 5. 6. Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 1. 7. Matt. 9. 6. 1 Cor 1. 3. 2 Cor. 1. 2. Gal. 1. 3. Eph. 1. 2. Ezek. 47. 1. Zech. 14. 8. Ezek. 47. 3 4. Exo. 25. 17. Heb. 4 16. Isa. 22. 22 23. Revel 3. 7. Hose 3. 5. Jer. 33. 9. Exo. 34. 6 7 8 9. Psal. 26. 2 3. Heb. 4. 16. Rom. 5. 21. Pro. 16. 14. Chap. 19. 12. Rom. 5. 2. Acts 3. 22 23. Heb. 12. 25. Heb. 2. 3. Gal. 5. 4. Matt. 25. 31. Ephe. 1. 5 6. Ephes. 1. 11 12. Rom. 15 9. 2 Cor. 9. 13. Acts 20. 24. Rom. 4. 20. Acts 13. 48. Acts 13. 38 39 40 41. Dan. 7. 9. Rom. 4. 16. Ephes. 1. 7 8. 2 Sam. 14. 14. Prov. 8. 11 12. Job 49. 2. 1 Cor. 1. 21 22 23 24 25. Psal. 75. 2. Ephes. 22. 23. Joh. 16. 7. Acts 2. 16 17 18. v. 33. Isa. 32. 13 14 15 16 17. Ezek. 47. Isa. 33. 21. Revel 22. 3. 6. Job 20. 17. Psal. 89. 14. Rom. 3. 24. 1 Joh. 1. 9. 1 Cor. 10. 3 4. Psal. 105. 41. Psal. 23. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Heb. 9. 12. Joh. 7. 39. 2 Pet. 1. 1. Rom. 5 21. 2 Sam. 21 10 14. Psal. 119. 67 71. 1 Cor. 3. 22. Revel 3. 19. Heb. 12. 5 6 7. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 1 King. 10. 20. Revel 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Gal. 5. 22. 2 Tim. 1. 7. Isa. 27. 1 2 3. Revel 3. 1 2 3. Psal. 65. 9. ver 10. Hos. 14. 5 6 7. Isa. 58. 11. Jer. 31. 12. Isa. 25. 6. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Exo. 27. 26. chap. 30. 34. chap. 25. 11 17. Deut. 32. 14. Rom. 11. Job 25. 5. chap. 8. 5. Acts 20. 26. Jam. 3. 17. Mich. 6. 11. Ephes. 5. 18. Prov. 25. 16 27. Chap. 20. 1. 1 Tim. 6. 10. Jud. 4. Job 28. 2 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. Heb. 6. 7 8. Rom. 14. 20. Gen. 1. 31. Pro. 30. 12. Ezek. 48. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Ezek. 32. 14. Job 29. 6. Psal. 92. 10. Psal. 55 21. Isa. 61. 3. Isal. 45. 7. Eccle. 9. 8. Psal. 104. 15. Judg. 9. 11. Song 6. 10. Zech. 14. 6. Heb. 10. 32. Luk. 1. 78. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Ephes. 5. 8. 1 Sam. 14. 27. Mal. 4. 16. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Acts 9. 3. chap. 22. 6. chap. 26. 13. Exo. 7. 19. 20. 2 King. 3. 22 23. Isa. 30. 33. Dan. 7. 7 10. Isa. 34. 9. Psal. 46. 4. Song 5. 12. Ezek. 34. 18 19. Gen 24. 8 14. chap. 44. 16. Psal. 51. 4. Acts 24. 5 6. 2 Kings 10. 11 12 2 Cor. 7. 11. Isa. 43. 26 Jer. 2. 5 Joh. 8. 46. chap. 18. 23. 1 Cor. 4. 2â— Joh. 5. 34. chap. 10. 10. Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 2. 5. 8. Rom. 4. 16. Psal. 69. 2. 14. Josh. 2. 17. chap. 3. 1 2 3. Isa. 28. 16. Heb. 11. 10. Ephes. 2. 19 20. Acts 26. 18. Isa. 5 4 5. Song 7. 9. Gal. 3. 1 2 3. Mar. 16. 17 18. Ezek. 36. 26. Colos. 4. 6. Ezek. 36 25. Isa. 30. 22. Joh. 4. 14. Gen. 5. 27. Mat. 20. 3 4 5 6. Eccle. 11. 1 2 3 4. Deut. 32. 12. Revel 22. Psal. 69. 34 35 36. Josh. 13. 9. Isa. 49. 10. Psal. 1. 3. Jer. 17. 8. Jer. 31. 12. Isa. 21. 1 2 3. Joh. 15. 8. 2 Cor. 9. 14 15. Deut. 8. 6 7 8. Exo. 3. 8. chap. 13. 15. Lev. 20. 24. Numb 14. 8. Jer. 22. 41. Job 36. 3.