Three Sermons, Sermon 2
The ſecond Sermon. The worth of the water of Life.
IOH. 4.13.14.
Ieſus anſwered and ſaid vntounto her, Whoſoeuer drinketh of this water, ſhall thirſt againe,
14. But whoſoeuer drinketh of the water, that I ſhall giuegive him, ſhall neuer be more a thirſt: but the water that I ſhall giuegive him, ſhall be in him a well of water, ſpringing vp into euerlaſting life.
THE ſtorie of Chriſts conference with the woman of Samaria, cannot be vnknowne vntounto any, which is of any ordinarie knowledge in the Scripture: yet partly to giuegive light vntounto my Text, partly to helpe thoſe which are not ſo carefull to ſearch the booke of God, as they ought to be, it is expedient for me to repeate it.
It fell out, as our ſauiour iournyed through Samaria into Galilee, that he, (being a man in allaHeb. 4.13. things like vntounto vsus, yet without ſinne) was both hungry and weary. To relieue hunger, he ſent his Diſciples into the city to make prouiſion; to eaſe his wearied limmes, he ſate him downe vponupon a well ſide, in thoſe times and in thoſe Coaſts very famous, in reſpect of the Author thereof, whoſe name it ſtill caried, being called, Iacobs Well. He ſitting there, out commeth me, a woman of the adioyning city Sichar, to drawe water from thence, for her houſhold vſes. Chriſt, partly to refreſh his bodily thirſt, but eſpecially (as I take it) to ſatiſfie that his neuer-ceaſing deſire to doe good, made a motion to her, to affoord him ſome of the water, that he might drinke. Shee, (being as appeareth by her aunſwers ſomething a ſhrewd-tongued woman) by and by cut him vp ſhort; what, (quoth ſhee) you Iewes, be ſo fine and proud, that you ſcorne vsus, the poore Inhabitants of Samaria: How is it then, that thou being a Iew, askeſt drinke of me, a forlorne and deſpiſed Samaritane? Our ſauiour (to giuegive vsus an inſtance of the accompliſhment of that auncient promiſe, that he would bebIſa. 65.1. (found of them, that ſought him not) doth neither forbeare to commune with her, nor yet (as the manner of the world is) doth frame an vntoward ſpeach to her croſſe aunſwer; but ſeeming to pity her Ignorance, and blindenes, telleth her; Alas, good woman, if thou kneweſt the great mercy of God toward thee, and the excellency of his perſon and office which requeſteth thee, thou wouldeſt become a ſuter to him rather, and he would giuegive thee another manner of water then this, euen the water of life. The woman aunſwereth him with a ſcoffe, well inough vnderſtanding his meaning, but yet ſhee ieſtes it out, as though ſhee knew it not: what art thou (quoth ſhee) that talkeſt of the water of life? canſt thou be better then our father Iacob who firſt founded this well? or can there be any better water, then this well affords? thou ſeemeſt therefore to me to bragge of more then thou art any way able to performe. Marke now Chriſtes aunſwer. Oh woman (ſaith he) thou art very ignorant, or very froward: I ſpeake not to thee, of any viſable water ſeruing for the bodies nouriſhment, but of a matter of farre more infinite worth, if thy heart were opened to apprehend it. I know the water of this well is excellent, and Iacob in his time, was a holy man; but behould here another fountaine, behould a greater then Iacob is here, euen the ſtaffe of the hope of thy father Iacob. This ſtreame here, relieueth the body for a time, but cannot affoord a perpetuall filling: the water which I hauehave to giuegive ſhall euerlaſtingly ſatiſfie the thirſt of the receiuers of it, and it ſhall be in their bowels, as a neuer-dryed fountaine, ſpringing vp to euerlaſting life. Thus hauehave you the courſe of the communication betwixt Chriſt and the Samaritane thus farre. By which you may perceiue, that the maine ſcope of this Text, is, to ſhew the difference betwixt the things of this preſent life, and the things of a better life: the weakneſſe of the one, and the worth of the other. The former is ſet downe, verſ. 13. Whoſoeuer drinketh of this water, &c. the latter, ver. 14. But whoſoeuer drinketh of the water which, &c.
Concerning the former, I know, that Chriſt expreſly and by name ſpeaketh of water onelyonly; yet conſidering the chiefe drift of the place is, to draw men from the things which are ſeene, to the things which are not ſeen,The doctrine. from things temporall, to things eternall, from the things which are on earth, to the things which are aboue: therfore we may ſafely from hence draw this doctrine: That nothing in this preſent world, is able to affoord any true ſatisfying, any filling as it were, vntounto a mans ſoule. For that which Chriſt ſaid here of the water of this well, whoſoeuer drinketh thereof ſhall thirſt againe, may truly be ſaid of all things elſe whatſoeuer, which the men of this world do ayme at in their courſes, viz. they do rather encreaſe then kill the deſire, rather inflame then quench the appetite: they are all like to cold drinke taken by a man labouring of a hote Ague, which though it ſeeme to ſatisfie for the preſent, yet indeed it increaſeth the former drought, and maketh both the need and the deſire of moyſture greater then before. It were no hard thing to ſhew this to be true, by the enumeration of particulars: but my meaning is, not to inſiſt vponupon this point, but only to vſe it as a preparatiue to the reſt. This is all I will ſay, (and I will therein craue no better witneſſe, then each mans owne experience:) If a man, liuing here in the world, ſhould do as Salomon did, namely, Whatſoeuer his cEccl. 2.10.eyes deſire, ſhould not withhold it from them, nor withdraw his heart from any ioy: but ſhould euen ſtudie, as it were, to glut himſelfe with the things of this life, yet in the end, he ſhould find his heart like the ſea, of which the ſame Wiſe man ſaith, that thoughdEccl. 1.7. All the riuers go into it, yet it is not full: ſo neither ſhall his eye be ſatiſfied with ſeeing, nor his eare with hearing, nor his heart with enioying: but he ſhall be like to a man in a maze, wherein when he hath laboured long, yet at laſt, he is as farre from that which he ſought for, as he was at the beginning. And the reaſon hereof is expreſſe: the mind is immortall, but all theſe things are tranſitorie: ſo that it is vnpoſſible for the mind to be filled with earthly things, as it is for a cheſt of wood to be filled with ſpirituall things. It is wittily ſaid, and to good purpoſe, by thoſe which reaſon from the forme of the world, and the faſhion of the hart; the world is round, and the heart three cornered. As therefore it cannot be, that a round thing ſhould fill that which is three ſquared, becauſe the corners muſt needes remaine emptie: ſo neither can the things of this world, (which Iohn diuideth into three kindes,1. Ioh. 2.16. The luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life, repleniſh a mans ſoule, but ſome one corner (as it were) or other thereof will remaine vnfilled. This briefe diſcourſe ſerueth to ſhew the truth of this point: let vsus as briefely make vſe of it.
The vſe.I remember the ſpeach of the Prophet Iſaiah, cap. 55. whereby ſolemne proclamation prouoking all men to come to Chriſt, that they may enioy that ſame gratious fauour which our Sauiour maketh offer in this place, he doth notably reprooue the folly of the greateſt part of men in theſe Wordes, fIſ. 55.2.wherefore doe you lay out ſiluer and not for bread, and your Labour without being ſatisfied? as if he had ſaid: what folly is this, or what madneſſe is it, which poſſeſſeth your hearts, O ye ſonnes of Men, that you doe ſo buſie your ſelues, and spend your beſt Endeauours, about ſuch things which cannot ſatisfie? think you it is a poſſible Thing to be fedde with the Wind, or will you cast your affections vponupon that which is Nothing? This 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 eueryevery man to take a handfull: one man buyeth and purchaſeth andgIſa. 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 couetshMic. 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, heiAm. 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 kHab. 2.5.laded himſelfe with thicke Clay: and we are all trudging like this woman withlv. 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 hauehave done all, we doe but euen weary our ſeluesmv. 13, for very vanity: when we hauehave 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 hauehave reached euen to the vtmoſt of our firſt deſires, we are then but like thenIſ. 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 butoHoſ. 8.7. ſow the wind, and if we ſo continue ſhall reape nothing but Corruption) make vsus to ſay as Iohn Baptiſts hearers did, when they perceiued by his preaching they were cleane out of the waypLuk. 3.10., what ſhall we doe then? If hitherto we hauehave aimed at a wrong Marke in our deſires, ſhew vsus I pray you, how to reforme it: and let your hearts, I pray you ſay now to me, as Cornelius ſaid to Peter qAct. 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 rProv. 8.18.Durable Riches in anotherſEcc. 12.13., the End of all; which Chriſt termeth thetLuk. 10.42. One needfull Thing: for which the ſoule of Dauid panted; uPſ. 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 hauehave 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 hauehave no better expoſition vponupon this place then Chriſts owne words els where, to which the Spirit of God hath annexed an explanation of the true meaningxIoh. 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 vponupon 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 hauehave,Some gifts o… the ſpirit are common, ſome proper onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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) yIoh. 8.35.to be caſt out, the other to abide euer. Now in a family, we know, there be ſome cōmō fauours, which the ſeruāts & drudges doe enioy as well as the heire: & ſo ſome graces there be, which euē the reprobate hauehave, 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 hauehave 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 onelyonly gift of Gods ſpirit: and therefore the power which Bez…aleel and Aholiab had to worke in blue ſilke and purple and carued worke, is called, a zExod. 31.3filling 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 ſome ſweetnes in it. All theſe are gifts and graces of the ſpirit of God; but yet they are not thoſe graces which Chriſt meaneth by water here in this place: becauſe theſe be ſuch as may befall thoſe who notwithſtanding ſhall neuer be ſaued. Many a reprobate is gifted with admirable skill in crafts and ſciences. Demetrius ſeemed to be a cunning workeman, yet was he no ſmall enemy to the preaching of the Goſpell. Secondly, the Apoſtle ſeemeth to make it a thing poſſible, to be once enlightened, and toaHeb. 6.4.5. hauehave taſted of the heauenly gift, yet ſo to fall away as to be paſt all hope of being renued againe by repentance. Thirdly, at the day of IudgementbMath. 7.22.. Many will ſay to Chriſt, Lord, hauehave we not by thy name prophecied? yet it ſhalbe ſaid to themcver. 13., Depart from me. Fourthly, many wicked men hauehave power to conforme themſelues and to bridle many ſinnes, and to cary themſelues in an outward ciuility: ſo Abimelech the heathendGen. 20.6. abſtained from committing folly with Abrahams wife: and many aamong the gentiles excelled in morall vertues; and diuers we ſee (whom we call ciuill men) demeane themſelues in the eies of the world vnblameably, who yet giuegive ſmall hope of any true conuerſion. Laſtly, Chriſt in the parable ſheweth, that many hearers for a time belieueeMat. 13.21., but as ſoone as tribulation commeth becauſe of the word, by and by they are offended.
Now there are beſides theſe, other ſpeciall graces of the ſpirit, which are proper onelyonly to Gods children. Paul ſaith thatf1. Tim. 4.10. God is the ſauiour of all men, ſpecially of thoſe that belieue: ſo it may be ſaid, he giueth graces to all, but in ſpeciall manner to elect. Chriſt is pleaſed, in ſcripture to terme the church his louelove, his ſpouſe. The day of Iudgement, is the mariage day: and the time preſent, is the wooing time, in which he is as it were a ſuter to his church: and the miniſters are appointed, to prepare the church for her husband g2. Cor. 11.2., and to preſent her as a pure virgin vntounto Chriſt. Now he which is a ſuter to a woman, himſelfe being a man of worſhip and ability, howſoeuer, to teſtifie his bounty, and to make knowne his louelove to his beloued, he will beſtowe gifts vponupon the ſeruants of the family, yet if he hauehave any …ewell of worth and price, that he reſerueth for her, on whom his louelove is fixed: ſo Chriſt Ieſus conferreth common fauours, euen vponupon the reprobate, to make knowne his riches, and withall, for the good of his choſen, but the ſpeciall, and choiſe and ſelected graces, theſe he keepeth onelyonly for the true members of his church. And theſe are the graces meant by chriſt in this place; & they are in order theſe which follow
1. The gift of regeneration, which is that, whereby a man of a Limme of Sathan, is made a member of Chriſt; of a childe of the diuell,The proper gifts. is become the ſonne of God. That this is a worke of Gods ſpirit appeareth by Chriſt his words: Except a man be borne of water and of the ſpirit hIoh. 3.5., &c. And therefore fitly is the holy Ghoſt compared to Water, becauſe as water doth moiſten that which is hard: So the holy Ghoſt doth ſupple and ſoften, and put the ſappe of Grace into the drie and dead and rotten Heart of Man: So that where the ſpirit of God is, there the Heart is renued, the nature changed, the delight in ſinne aſſwaged, and a louelove of holines, and godlines, as it were a new iuyce begunne in the ſoule. This is the firſt proper gift.
2. The knowledge of a mans owne Reconciliation to God by the meanes of Chriſt Ieſus. Hereof ſpeaketh the Apoſtle, The spirit beareth witneſſe with our spirit that we are the Children of God. It is true,iRom. 8.16. the nature of man cannot attaine to this knowledge, But we k1. Cor. 2.12.hauehave receiued the spirit which is of God. That we might know the things that are giuen to vsus of God. And indeede it cannot be, but, that if God hauehave beene pleaſed of his goodnes to make any man or woman his Child, he will likewiſe make knowne the ſame fauour … him or her: eſpecially ſeing it is ſo greatly for our comfort. For as, on the one ſide it is the greateſt miſerie for a man, to be in continuall ſuſpenſe, not knowing whether his ſins are forgiuē him: ſo, what greater cōfort can there be to a man to be aſſured of Gods fauour toward him?
3. The gift of obedience: for, as a man that dwelleth in a houſe as the owner of it, ordereth it, and gouerneth it, at his pleaſure: ſo the Holy Ghoſt, gouerneth all thoſe in whome he abidethlRom. 8.14.: they are all ledde by the spirit, which are the Lords. The ſpirit repreſſeth all badde motions drawing vntounto ſinne, ſpringing from the Corruption of our Nature, ſuggeſted by Sathan and occaſioned by the beguiling entiſements, of this euill world, and withall it ſtirreth vp good deſires & holy Thoughts, inclining to Pietie and godlines.
4. Praier: that is, a will and abilitie in ſome good meaſure, to hauehave recourſe vntounto the Lord by Praier vponupon all occaſions, and to poure out a Mans wants and neceſſities before him. For this is a generall and a certaine rule, that as, naturally eueryevery child, being pinched with want, acquainteth the Father, with his neceſſities, building vponupon his louelove, and willingnes to doe him good: ſo he which is the child of God, hath alwaies this Property, to make Prayer vntounto God his firſt meanes whereby to obtaine that which he doth deſire, and to be freed from that wherewith he is oppreſſed. Now that which worketh this in vsus is Gods ſpirit: For ſeeing wee of our ſelues doe neither know our neceſſities, nor knowing them can tell how to bemoane them, therefore Gods ſpirit is giuen to helpe our Infirmities, to aſſiſt vsus in the framing of our ſuites, that ſo our prayers may be pleaſing vntounto God and comfortable to our ſoules. And for this, the ſpirit of God is called the mZach. 12.10.spirit of ſupplications, becauſe it furniſheth a man, both with will and knowledge alſo to powre out his ſoule vnfeinedly to the Lord.
5. Comfort in diſtreſſe. For whereas the children of God are ſubiect to manifold greeuances, partly in regard of inward conflicts with ſinne and the terrors of their owne Conſcience, partly in reſpect of outward annoyances, the ſpirit of God is giuen vntounto them, to releeue them, to miniſter comfort vntounto them, to vphold them, to make them able with cheerfulnes to hold out in the midſt of the greateſt extreamities whatſoeuer. For this cauſe, the ſpirit is called thenIoh. 15.26. Comforter, andoPſal. 45.7. Oyle of gladnes, becauſe he doth refreſh and cheere the poore diſtreſſed ſoules of Gods children.
6. Strength. There are many things which the profeſſion of 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 vponupon 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 vponupon Gods Prouidence: theſe and ſuch like are beyond the Reach of Mans power: yet the ſpirit of God maketh Gods children able to effect thempPhil. 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 termedqIſay. 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 vntounto you, I know wel. It is ſaid of Chriſt, that to the eyes of the world,rIſ. 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,ſIoh. 1.14. ſaw his glorie, as the glorie of the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God, full of grace and truth. So though theſe things happily do no whit affect thoſe,tRom. 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,)v2. 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 giuegive this water he will giuegive 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:wIſ. 36.9. With thee ſaith Dauid) is the well of life. He is the xZach. 13.1.fountaine opened in the houſe of Dauid for ſinne and for vncleaneneſſe. It hath pleaſed the Father, that yCol. 1.19.in him all fulneſſe ſhould dwell: In him are hid all the treaſures of wiſedome and knowledge zCol. 2.3.: and it is ordained, thataIoh. 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,bMath. 11.28. Come vntounto me all ye that are wearie, &c. He made an open Proclamation, he ſtood and cryed, ſaying cIoh …7.37., If any man thirſt, let him come to me and drinke: and he hath renued his offer,dReu. 22.17. Let him that is a thirſt come, and let whoſoeuer will, take of the water of life freely: nay,eIſ. 55.1. The vſe without ſiluer and without money. What reaſon hauehave we (I pray you) but vponupon his word to beleeue him?
Well then, what followeth vponupon this? We that are Miniſters of the Goſpell, are appointed by him that hath ſent vsus, to do as Iohn Baptiſt, to point with the finger, and to ſay to you,fIoh. 1.3…. 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 gIſa. 12.3.welles of ſaluation. Take heed you forſake not him who is thehIere. 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 vntounto 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,iRom. 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,kPro. 8.2. he ſtandeth in the toppe of the high places, (ſaith Salomon.) Iohn ſaw him inlReu. 1.13. the midst of the golden candlestickes. He is in the middle of his Church, he dwelleth in the congregation of the faithfull:mMath. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in his name, there is he. It is no ſuch hard matter to find Chriſt,nPro. 8.33. Watch daily at the gates of the Lords houſe, and giuegive 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, oLuc. 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 hauehave him: We (ſaith the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of himſelfe and of his fellow Miniſters) ſtand among you in Chriſts ſteade p2. Cor. 5.20., and God doth beſeech you through vsus. Thou wilt ſay vntounto 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 (I pray thee) the next point, namely, the meanes how Chriſt beſtoweth theſe graces.
How Chriſt beſtoweth this water.There are three pipes or conduits, (as I may ſo call them) by which Chriſt Ieſus the fountaine of life conueyeth the graces of his ſpirit into the hearts of his children. Firſt, the preaching of the word; ſecondly, the Sacraments: thirdly, prayer.
The vſe.If thou wouldſt drinke of this well of liuing water, I doe eſpecially commend to thy godly care the Publique miniſtry of the word, not ſhutting out the other two, but chiefely vrging this, becauſe I know that if thou be a carefull and conſcionable hearer, the exerciſes of prayer and communicating cannot but be delightfull vntounto thee. Obſerue this I pray thee, if thy heart be affected with theſe ſpirituall graces iſſuing out of the fountaine of grace, get thee to the word of grace, I meane, (to vſe Pauls words and to cut of ambiguity)ſRom. 10.8. the word of faith which we preach: open thy eares, that it may run downe to the refreſhing of thy heart. If thou haſt by the goodnes of God, a ciſterne of thy owne, and a skilfull drawer, that is (as Elihu ſpeaketh)tIob. 33.23. an interpreter, who knoweth how to giuegive thee thyuLuc. 12.42. portion of water in ſeaſon, then I ſay to thee as Solomon doth*Pro. 5.…15.. Drinke of the riuers out of the midſt of thine owne well: but if thou dwelleſt (as Dauid ſaith) in a barren and dry land where no water is, or haſt cauſe to ſay as the citizens of Iericho did to Eliſha x2. King. 2.19.The ſituation of thy dwelling is pleſant, but the water is naught, why ſhould I for any by reſpects betray thy ſoule, and ſpare to tell thee, that which I know to be the truth? what ſhouldſt thou doe in ſuch a caſe but ſeeke it where it is, and labour els where to ſupply thine owne neceſſity. This is the meanes of Gods appointing, this is the ordinary conduit of ſaluation. The ſeeming wiſe men of this world, hearing this courſe commended to them, as it were a liuing ſtreame flowing from the well of life Chriſt Ieſus, thinke it incredible, and imagine it to be a baſe a meanes to beget grace in a mans heart. I will tell you to whom they are very like in this caſe: to Naamā the Sirian, who trauailing to the prophet Eliſha to be cleanſed by him of his leproſie, when he had word ſent him, to waſh himſelfe in Iordan ſeuen times, he was by and by in a rage, he looked for ſome greater matter.2 king. 5. Behold (ſaith he) I thought with my ſelfe, he will ſurely come out and ſtand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and put his hand in the place &c. This is a ieſt (thought he) am I come ſo farre to waſh my ſelfe in Iordan, as though there were not as good waters of Damaſcus: Euen ſo, many, thinke ſcorne of this as of too meane a meanes, and imagine it to be but an idle thing, by hearing to be ſaued. But to all ſo minded, I ſay as the ſeruants of the ſame Naaman ſaid to him Father (ſaid they) if the prophet had commaunded thee a great thing, wouldeſt thou not hauehave done it, How much rather then, when he ſaith to thee, Waſh and be cleane? So ſay I, If the Lord had impoſed ſome greater thing vponupon vsus, of more charge, and of more difficulty, ought we not to hauehave done it? How much more now, when he ſaith vntounto vsus, Heare and be ſaued. The weaker meanes, the greater is his glory: the eaſier it is, the more is our ſhame, and the deeper will our condemnation be if we deſpiſe it. To conclude this point then: The water of life which is originally in Chriſt is deriued to vsus by preaching: Learne thou then to come by the ſtreams of Preaching to the the fountaine of grace, the Lord Ieſus. And though (it may be) thou hauehave depended vponupon it many yeares, as long aszIoh. 5.…. the lame man lay by the poole of Betheſda, and haſt not yet gained that full comfort which thou did expect, yet aſſure thy ſelfe that the good houre is comming, in which thou ſhalt find reſt and peace vntounto thy ſoule. So much for this point.
To whome Chriſt doth giuegive it.The next foloweth: viz. the Parties to whom Chriſt will giuegive this water. It is not expreſſed, but yet it is implied, For marke: He that drinkes of this water, ſhall neuer thirst againe, ſaith Chriſt: therefote before he receiued it he thirſted for it; So that it is plaine by the Text, that they to whome Chriſt will giuegive this water of life, are thoſe which thirſt after it, which long for it, which feele the want of it: and thereto agreeth the Scripture in many places: He aIſ. 55.1.(ſaith the prophet) come ye to the waters: but who, EueryEvery one that thirſteth bMath. 516.. Bleſſed are they which thirſt for righteouſnes. If any man thirſt, cIoh. 7 37.let him come to me & drinke. IdReu. 21.6. will giuegive to him that is a thirſt of the well of the water of life freely: AndeReu. 21.18. Let him that is a thirſt, come. If there be no thirſting, there ſhall be no refreſhing; if no longing, no enioying: God will giuegive his graces, where they ſhalbe eſteemed, and eſteemed they cannot be, till the want thereof be knowne, and he which feeleth the want of them cannot chuſe but vnfainedly deſire them.
The vſe.The vſe of this is very expedient. It teacheth vsus how and in what manner we muſt be prepared to the receiuing of the graces of Gods ſpirit: vntill our ſoules doe euen thirſt after Chriſt, asfPſ. 42.1. the Hart after the riuers of Water ſo that we ſeeme to our ſelues the happieſt men aliue if we might hauehave but one drop of Chriſts blood to refreſh vsus, vntill (I ſay) it be thus with vsus, Chriſt can neuer be ours, he will neuer dwell in that ſoule that hath not euen panted after him, and cried out in the anguiſh thereof as Hezekiah didgIſ. 38.14., O Lod it hath afflicted me, comfort me. And therefore it is no meruaile though there be every where ſo many emptie ſoules, becauſe there be ſo fewe thirſting ſoules; no wonder though ſo many are without grace, ſeeing there be ſo fewe that long after grace. True it is, that by nature our ſelues are deſtitute of all goodnes, neither is there ſo much as a ſhadow of grace within vsus: but yet all feele not this; among other graces which we want, this is not the leaſt, that we doe not feele the want of grace. We are (the greateſt part of vsus) like thoſe Laodiceans ſpoken of Reuel. 3. we ſay we are rich, and hauehave need of nothing, and know not how we are wretched and miſerable and blinde and naked. This our ſuppoſed fulnes breeds in vsus a lothing of Gods graces; they ſeeme vntounto vsus, when they are liberally offered not worth the entertaining. So that (me thinketh) I may not vnfitly compare the ſtate of Gods heauenly graces, in reſpect of the cold entertainment that they hauehave with the moſt, vntounto the caſe of a poore man, which hath libertie to goe through the church to gather eueryevery mans deuotion for his reliefe. He cometh to one, and he maketh wiſe not to heare; to another, and he biddeth him come againe another time; to a third, and he ſaith he hath no mony about him; to a fourth, and he would giuegive if he had wherewith to exchaunge: to a fift, and he ſaith he is a poore man himſelfe, and hath as much need to aske as he: And thus eueryevery vnwilling minde finding an excuſe, he picketh out but a few poore pence out of a great and populous congregation. So it fareth with the graces of God offered to vsus in the ordinarie Miniſtrie of the word. They paſſe (as it were) from ſeate to ſeate, from pue to pue, from one end of the church vntounto another, humbly ſuing and forcibly perſwading, to be entertained: But (alas) there is ſuch a generall benummednes, and frozen deadnes, poſſeſſeth the hearts of the greateſt part, that (I know not how) Grace, the more kindly it is offered, the leſſe it is eſteemed, and though the water of life doe runne (as it were) thorough our ſtreetes, yet men will ſcarſely ſtoope to receiue it. I am euen woe to thinke vponupon it, how men and women, that now thinke all is well inough, and doe iCor. 7.1.receiue the grace of God in vaine, and kHeb. 2.3.neglect ſo great ſaluation, ſhall one day with teares of blood be ſuters for one drop of grace, and yet ſhall not be able to obtaine it. Well then if we would drinke of the water which Chriſt hath to giuegive vsus, let vsus labour to thirſt after it: you wil ſay vntounto me,How to be brought to thirſt for Chriſt. how ſhall we come to this ſpirituall thirſt. I will ſhew you how. There be two things eſpecially beget thirſt: the one is Labour. I neede not prooue it, yoe know it well inough by experience: ſo then a ſpirituall labour will beget a ſpirituall thirſt. But what is this ſpirituall Labour, It is this: a trauailing vnderunder the waite and burthen of a mans owne ſinnes: If thou canſt once ſay with Dauid, Pſ. 38 4.My ſinnes are like a ſore burden too heauie for me to beare, thou wilt quickly thirſt after the righteouſnes of Chriſt Ieſus. Another occaſion of thirſt is ſalt, you knowe that by experience alſo. Now marke what Chriſt ſaith, he telleth the Apoſtles and their ſucceſſors, that in reſpect of their Miniſtry,mMath. 5.13. they are the ſalt of the Earth. ſalt hath a kind of biting nature, ſo hath the word well applied; it is ſharpe & eager, and he who is well exerciſed vnderunder it, and well ſchooled, by the vrging of the lawe vponupon his conſcience he will ſoone thirſt after the ſaluatiō offered in Chriſt Ieſus The Goſpell will be glad tidings to him, andnPro. 25.25. as cold waters to a weary ſoule. Take this courſe which I hauehave preſcribed thee, learne to feele the waite of ſinne, frequent the powerfull miniſtery of the word, and thou ſhall ſoone thirſt for the water of life.
The next point is the benefit of enioying this water. He that drinketh of it ſhall neuer be more a thirſt. And the reaſō is, becauſe the water ſhalbe in him, a wel of water ſpringing vp into euerlaſting life. This is warily to be vnderſtood: for it is not ſo to be taken, as though the children of God being once ſeaſoned with grace, were glutted (as it were) and had no more deſire for the encreaſe of grace: for it is cleane otherwiſe; the more grace a man hath, the more he longeth to hauehave grace to be euen heaped (if it were poſſible) vponupon his ſoule. But the meaning is this; that whereas this outward clement of water, which we dayly vſe, is ſoone waſted and turned to nothing, and a man that hath vſed it, is within a while as new to ſeeke, as if he neuer had had thereof, this water of life is of another nature; being once receiued, it is neuer dryed vp againe, it is like to a liuing ſpring which ſhall perpetually ſtreame, & as it were bubble out vntounto eternal life: it is a fountaine that can neuer be drawne dry, an euerlaſting ſtocke that can neuer be waſted, a ſtore which can neuer be ſpent, as a lampe fed with oyle of immortality which can neuer be conſumed. We learne an excellent point from hence, and it is this: Doctrine. that the graces god once beſtoweth on his childrē which are neuer taken from them: this is Chriſts true meaning: and it is a point eaſily proued by the ſcripture.oRom. 11.29. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance, that is, God neuer altereth his purpoſe touching the bringing of any man into the ſtate of gracepIoh. 13.. Whom he loueth, he loueth to the end, for a moment, qIſ. 54.8.I hide my face from thee for a litle ſeaſon, but with euerlaſting louelove I had compaſſion on thee ſaith the Lord thy redeemer. rIer. 31.3.I hauehave loued thee with an euerlaſting louelove. ſPhil. 1.16.I am perſwaded (ſaith Paul) that he that hath begun this worke in you will performe it. It is a generall rule; where God beginneth a good worke of grace, he goeth one alwaies to finiſh it. I giuegive vntounto my ſheepe eternall life, and they ſhall neuer periſh, neither ſhall any pluck them out of my hand. Ioh. 10.28.There is no point plainer in the ſcripture; Chriſt doth not bring vsus into a good courſe, and then leaue vsus to our ſelues, but he guides vsus in it by his grace vntounto the end; therefore he is called bothtHeb. 12.2. The vſe the author, and the finiſher of our faith.
The vſe is two-fold: firſt, to quicken and ſtirre vp our deſires to make vsus labour after theſe heauenly graces, ſeeing they are the onelyonly things of perpetuitie. All things elſe are ſubiect to vncertaintie, onelyonlyv2. Tim. 2.19. the foundation of the Lord remaineth ſure. Oh then, chuſe the*Luc. 10.42. better part which ſhall not be taken away from vsus. Secondly, this is a point of infinite and vnſpeakable comfort to all Gods children. For conſider I pray you, is it not a comfortable thing, when a man with great charge and induſtrie hath gotten a commoditie, to be aſſured of the continuance, and to be freed from the feare of looſing it? what a ioy muſt it then needes be to a Chriſtian ſoule, to conſider that the Lord hauing begun, in ſome meaſure to be gracious vntounto him: will neuer alter his fauour, that grace being once beſtowed, ſhall neuer bee withdrawne, that his ſoule hauing once bene moiſtened with the dew of heauen, ſhall neuer be wholy dryed vp againe. It is poſſible I know for the deare child of God, ſometimes to ſeeme to himſelfe and to others, emptie and barren of all goodneſſe, and theſe graces may be thought for a time, vtterly to be conſumed. So the ſap lyeth hid in the roote of the tree the whole winter, and maketh no ſhew; and in a very drie and hotte Sommer, you ſhall ſee many ſprings as it were cleane gone, without any appearance of moiſture: yet in Sommer the ſap mounteth aloft into all the branches of the tree, and in a conuenient ſeaſon, the veines of the earth are opened, and the dryed ſpring returneth to his former ſtreaming: ſo, though the children of God may ſeeme ſometimes vtterly to be fallen backe to their former hardnes, yet (as Saint Iohn ſaith)x1. Ioh. 3.9. there is a certaine ſeed behind; there is a hidden moyſture which at laſt breakes out, and ſheweth it ſelfe in the fruites of righteouſneſſe as before. So then, if thou haſt neuer ſo little grace, (as thou thinkeſt) though it be but as yet a deſire of grace, a longing after faith, a thirſting after righteouſneſſe, yet make much of it, reioyce in it, thank God for it, take it as a pledge that the Lord hath ſome further worke to worke in thee: be ſure, that he which hath begun it, will cheriſh it, yea and that in his time he will alſo encreaſe it.
The ſignes of hauing this water.The laſt point remaineth, which is the life of all, that hath bene ſaid, viz. how may I for my part know that I hauehave taſted of this water. Hearken a litle and I will tell thee: thou ſhalt know the certaintie of it by theſe ſignes. The firſt is, a cleare fight of thine owne ſoules eſtate. In a cleare well, a man ſhall ſee a peny in the bottome of it: ſo if a man hauehave the well of life in his heart, he ſhall behold in it the full proportion (as it were) of his owne ſoule. And aſſure thy ſelfe of this, that the more full ſight thou haſt of thine owne imperfections, of thine owne corruptions, of the rebellions of thy heart, of the crookedneſſe of thy nature, the greater portion thou haſt of this grace. The ſecond ſigne, is the cleaneneſſe of the heart: it is the nature of the water to cleanſe and ſcoure: ſo is it the propertie of this heauenly water: no ſope, no nitre, hath that ſcouring power that it hath.yIer. 17.9. The heart is wicked aboue all things: fraughted naturally with corruption, ignorance, vnbeleefe, hardneſſe, ſecuritie, frowardneſſe, vntovvardneſſe to good ſeruices. Looke therfore hovv thy heart is cleanſed, thy ſoule purged from this filthineſſe. Thou vvilt ſay to me (perhaps) the Scripture ſaith,zPro. 20.9. Who can ſay, I hauehave made my heart cleane: hovv ſhall I then thinke to find a cleane heart? I anſvver, cleane from all blemiſh I knovv thou ſhalt neuer find it, yet thou muſtaMath. 5.4 hauehave a pure heart, for elſe thou ſhalt neuer ſee God. A pure heart, is a heart purged from the bondage of ſinne, a heartbHeb. 9.14. cleanſed from dead workes, to ſerue the liuing God: more plainely, a heartcHeb. 13.18. which deſireth in all things to liue honeſtly. If thou vvouldſt therefore be ſure of a cleane heart, looke for a cleane conuerſation, ſuch a conuerſation as S. Paul ſpeaketh of,dPhil. 1.27. vvhichwhich becommeth the Goſpell, vvhichwhich adorneth the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things, vvhichwhich maketh our enemies and the enemies of our profeſſioneTit. 2.10. verſ. 8. aſhamed when they hauehave nothing concerning vsus to ſpeake euill of. The water of life doth alwayes bring forth ſuch fruite: therefore a good man is ſaid to befPſal. 1.3. as a tree planted by the riuers of water, that will bring forth her fruite in due ſeaſon. And it is ſaid againe,gEzek. 47.9. that eueryevery thing ſhall liue, whither that liuing riuer, which floweth out of the Sanctuarie, commeth. Try thy ſelfe by this marke, ſee whether this water hath quenched the boyling heate of thine owne inordinate luſts, and hath begotten a new life, euen the life of righteouſneſſe within thee. The third ſigne, is encreaſing in grace: water which is but a ſmall ſtreame at the well head, going further waxeth broader and deeper, and partes it ſelfe into many branches: ſo theſe waters that flowed out of the Sanctuarie, were firſthEz. 47.3.4.5. to the ancles, then to the knees, then to the loynes, then a riuer which could not be paſſed ouer. If there be a care to increaſe in grace, in knowledge, in feeling, in zeale, in obedience, the well of life is in that ſoule: if there be a reſting ſatiſfied, as though all were well, and we had religion inough, that is a dry ſoule, the graces of Gods ſpirit are not in it. The fourth ſigne, is a care to do good to the ſoules of others: we know nothing is more free in vſe then the water. Dauid ſaith,iPſ. 104.10.11. God ſendeth out ſprings into the valleys, to giuegive drinke to all the beaſts of the field. And Chriſt ſaith,kIoh. 7.38. that out of his belly, which drinketh of this water, ſhall flow riuers of water of life, by which many ſhall be comforted. Haſt thou a deſire and a care to be helpefull to other mens ſoules? it is a ſigne, thy ſoule is watered, and ſhall be more bedewed: forlPro. 11.25. he that watereth ſhall hauehave raine: haſt thou no ſuch care, no diſpoſition to be a meanes of ſaluation vntounto others? thou haſt a barren heart, and a graceleſſe ſpirit. Theſe be plaine and familiar markes, and they be ſuch as will not deceiue vsus. The daily vſe of water, may daily mind vsus of them, let vsus daily trye our ſelues how it fareth with vsus in theſe things. If we be trauelling by the way, and it be told vsus, that by ſuch a tree, or gate, or village, we ſhall know our ſelues to be in the right courſe, we will carefully remember it, and heedfully obſerue it as we iourney. If we ſee the markes we will be glad, if we ſee them not, we will be afraid we are out, and returne to make enquirie. Let vsus do ſo in this caſe, by theſe tokens we ſhall vnderſtand how it goeth with out ſoules, and in which way we are trauelling; let vsus labour to remember them, let vsus marke daily whether in our courſe and cariage we can find them. If we do, let vsus bleſſe the name of God, and hold on our courſe with chearefulneſſe; if we do not, let vsus bem…. Cor. 11.2 be iealous ouer our ſelues with a godly iealouſie, let vsus know it is not well with vsus, let vsus ſpeedily enter into a new courſe, for feare of going on in thenMat. 7.…3. broadway which leadeth to deſtruction. And thus an end of this text.
The end of the ſecond Sermon.