The worth ofthe Water ofLife. z This is the endofourpreaching,thisis thedrift ofall our Sermons. Youwill faq" nome,(perhaps)this isa needleffeexhortatioti : youtake ofgoing toChrif ,, butwhere is he ? 1fhe were preaching in our Churches, andworking miracles in our ffreets,you thould feehowwe would flocke abouthim, howmuch wewould makeof him,and how we would runne to him. Herebe good words, I pray God the performancebe according. Hearken therefore in the feareof God : I fay to thee asPaid fpake in acafenot much Unlike,' Say not inthine heart,Wbofbagalcend (yhereChríß into beaura?that is,to bring Chriftfromabove: or*hoThal deliend imothedeep!? that is ,o be found. is,tobring Chriff again!from the dead.There is no fuch difficulty in the matter:for ittom,ro.a.æ. behold he is mere thee, k He/fandetb inthe rep of thehigbp/aea,(faithSalomon.) k proúa.z. !ohm faw him in' themidit of thegolden candlefiicker. Hee is in themiddle of his t Ren. r.rd, Chnrch,hedwelleth inthe congregation ofthe faithful!: aWhere two.or three are inMathaa.ao gathered togither in his name,theri is he. It is no fuchhard matter to findeChrill, " watchdailyat thegatesof the Lords hoof!, andgise attendanceat thepallet of brs n prou,8,;y dorm, there thou (hilt findehim. When fafeph and,(-Marie havingbeenelate. ly at Ierufalem , had(as it were)lotthim , °they went hacke to the temple, and o Lk 4" thou there they found him. Goe thou and doe likewife : feeke him in his word,there 46. litalthauehin,: Wee (faith theApo('ile,fpeakingofhimfelfe, and of his fellow Minihers)(fandamongyssin& brills/lead!,andGottduhbefechywethrongh pz,Cót, ;.t®: ms. Thou wilt layunto mee , yet agarneit may be, thob art little the ureter a thou wiltyeeld MatChriff is the Well of life, and that the congregation is the place where to finde him, but thou wilt addewithal!, asthiswoman did in (corsetoChrill,tbewe&isdeepe,andthan hale meriting todraw with. Mar kethere- fore(r pray ehee)the next point, namely,the manes howChritl beitoweth there graces. There arethree pipes or conduits , (as I may fo calltiiem)by which Chrift le fus theFountainof lifeconueyeth thegracesof hisSpirit into the heartsof his HowCi,riii children. Firfl, the preachingof theword; fecondly,the Sacraments; thirdly, brßowes chi prayer. If thenthou wouldelkdrinke of thisWell of liningWater, I doeefpecially The ZJPe, commend to thy godly tare thepublike miniflery of the word, not Ihutting out the other two, but chieflyurging this, becaufe I know that if thoubee a care- full and confcionable hearer, theexercifesof prayerand communicating can= not butbee delightful! untothee. Obferite this I pray thee, if thy heart beeaf- felted with there(pirituall graces iffuingout of theFountaineof grace,get thee to the wordofgrace, I mease, (to efePa&words , and tcitin off ambiguity) ( the Word offaitbwhichwe preach a open thy cares, that it may runnedowse to fÁem co s the refreshing of thyheart. If thouhaft by the goodntffeof God , a cifterneof thy owne,and a skilfulldrawer, that is(as Elihn tpeaketh) tan interpreter , who glop;; t ;. knoweth how togíae thee thy °portionof water in f afon, then I fay to thee asSe- ,,Lak,,z.4z. lemondoh*; Drsnb `cafthsì*isereoneifthemiddrfluf thineowne Well : butif thòu aProgfrf= dwelleft (asDanid lash) ina barrenanddry land whereno water is , or haft caufe tofay as the citizens of!cricbodid toÉlifha r:Theßtuationofthy dwellingis plea- x f 9> fam,but thewater is ganght,why fhould 1 for any by- refpeets betray the foule,and (pare to tell rbeethat which I know tobe the truth ? what thouldelt thou doe-in fuch a cafebut fecke it where it is, and labour elfewhere to lupply thineowne ne. celsity ? This is the measesof Gods appointing, this is the ordinary conduit offaluation. The Teemingwifemenof this world, hearing this tourfecommen. delto them,as it were a lining ftreame flowing frbthe Well of lifeChrifh Iefuss thinkeit incredible, and imagine it tobe abalemeases ro begetgrace ina Mani heart. I ill tell youtowhome theyarevery like in thiscafe : toNeaman the Syrian, who ranching to theProphet elifha to bee cleanfedby him of his k prose , Whenhee hadword rent him , to wallahimfelfe in laden feauen times, hee was by andby ina rage , bee lookedfor force greater matter. Ribald(faith he)
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