soo THE H OL Y s·Pr-RIT COM"PARE"D To WATER. Book H. I!. -It a\lo lheweth us the Excellency of Ordinances, which are as the Channel in which the Waters of this R iver run, or the Pipes through which thefe Streams are con· veyed to the Soul. UI. Blefs God for this Rjver, for his opening a f ree P alfage through Jefus Chrifl:, for tts flowtng forth unto us, and for cauling us, the People of England, to live by the fide of fuch a cryfl:al Stream. 0 .what a happy L and is that, which hath a River of Water of Life running through it-! IV. When you fee profitable and delightful Streams, think feriouily on this hea- ·venly River. . V. Let all be perfuaded t0 eom~ to this R iver : Ho ! every one that thirfletb, come t• the fVaters, &c. Ifa.lv. 1. Four M 0 T I V E S co;tjiderable. J . Cen!ider, have younot great need to have your H earts purged and foftened by .this fpiritual River, &c. 2. There is no other River, no other W ay, no other Fountain, that can fupply .your Wants. If you wa!h yourfelves with Snow-water, it will not do away your F ilth; jf you could bathe your Souls in a River of T ears, yet onlefs you be wa!hed in Chrilt's Blood through the Spirit, your Sin will cleave to you. 3· T his R iver is large enough; and yet as it is large, it is free. All may come and partake of thefe Waters; non~ are excepted: Whoever will may come and take of the Water of L ife freely, Rev. xxu. 17. 4· This R iver is near, the Streams thereof run by your Doors. VI. Moreover, from hence let Profelfors try themfdves, whether they have been .wafhed and bathed in this R iver, and have tafl:ed of its Water, yea or no. Art thou mollified? Is thy Heart made tender ? Art thou cleanfed? Is thy Life .and H eart made holy? Art thou healed of the Sores and Wounds of Sin? T hefe >.Varers have a healing Virtue in them; they will heal a wounded Spirit, a galled Con– fcience ; they are good to clear the Sight, caufmg one to fee far of[ A re the Eyes of thy Underfl:anding enlightened ? Doft thou prize the Ordinances of God, that convey thefe W aters of L ife unto thy Soul? Is the W ater of this River fweet to thy T afte ? Js this River thy chief Element ? Doft thou live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit ? Epb. i. 18. VII. When you remove from one P lace to another, from one Country to another, ·from one Land w another, be fure to plant yourfdves near the Channel of this River, .go not from thefe Waters : L abor to live near the Ordinances of God, and where the W ater of Life is to be had. VIII. Pray fervently, that God would never turn the Courfe of this River another way. What would be.come of God's Church in England, were it nor for this crylhl .Stream? T HE HOLY SPIRIT COMPARE D TO wATER. ·'!'ben will I fprinkle cleanWater upon you, &c. E zek. x-xxvi. _25. . He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hatb Jazd, out of hts Belly /hall flow Rzvers uf living Water. But this jpake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him, Jhould n ceive, &c. J ohn vii. 38, 39· JN both thefe P laces, and divers others, the H oly Spirit is compared to Wa~er. M E TAPHOR. PARALLE~ .1. WATER. for its Rife, is I. THE Spirit flows from God, the Ocean of from the Ocean· thence all Fulnefs. But when the Comforter is j t comes, and thither it re~urns. come, whan I will fend unto you from the Father, even tbe Spirit of 'l'ruth, which proceedeth from tbe Father, hefoal/ te.ftif)• of me, J ohn xv. 26. II. Water cleanfes from Filtl1 !I. The Spirit of God p rges and walh.·s_the and Pollution. Cloaths and other Confcience from the horrid Defilement of :,m. I will
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