Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

.Ioh. 4. 14, Opened. CAP. VIII. 4: 29. him. Pf:51.21,22. This the Apoftlepraiésearneftly, that the Ephefansinay receive Ch- 3. t 6,17 . I boro my knees to theFather ofour Lordjefus Chrif that hewill give untoyou, according to the richesofhis Glory,thatye maybeflrengthe- ned with might, by hisfpirit in the inward man, that Chrifi may dwell in your hearts byFaith, that yee being rooted, and groundedin Love &c. The innsìrd Nan is the fame with the new Creature , the new principle of Grace in the IIeart;Thisisaptto be fick, to faint and decay; the Apofileprayes that it mightbe ftrengthened; how is this to bedone ? how is it to be renewed, in- creafed, enlivened? It is, faith he ; by the mighty powerof the Spirit; and then gives you particular inflances in theGraces which flourifh and fpring upeffeetually,upon that ftrengthening they receive by the might and power ofthe Spirit, as ofFaith, Love, Knowledge,andAffurance: the increafingand eftablífhing ofall which, is ascribed there unto him. He who beftowes thefe Graceson us, and workes them inus, doth alto carry them on unto perfe&i - on. Were itnot for our inflowings from that fpring, our Cifiernes would quickly be dry, therefore our Saviour tells us, that he, the Spirit,is unto Be- lievers, as Rivers ofliving waterflowing out oftheir bowels. zoh:7.38i39. A ne- ver failingfountaine , that continually ;puts forth living waters of Grace in us. Thismay a little fartherbeconfidered and infifted on,being dire&ly toout main purpofe inhand: It is true indeed , it dothmore properlybelong unto that, which I have affigned for the Second Part of this Treatife, concerning the Groundor Principle ofthe Saints abiding with Godforever ; but falling inconveniently in this order, I{hall farther preffe it from Ioh. 4. 14. whofoe- tier (faith our Saviour)fhalldrinko fthe water,which Ifballgive unto him, (ball snot thirfi forever: but the water which 'hadgive untohim , {hall be in him a fountain ofwater,fpringingup unto eternall life. Theoccafion ofthefe words is known; they are part ofour Saviours Collo- 4 29. Buie with the pooreSamaritanHarlots havingtold her that he could give her another manner ofwater, and infinitely better then that which fhe drewout ofJacobswell, ( for which the poore Creature did almoft contemne him,and áskt hiin,whence he had that water whereof he fpake , how he came by it, or what heMade ofhimfelfe:Did he think himfelfeabetter man then racob who dtankeofthat well, which Thee was drawing water out of) to convince her ofthe Truth, and realityofhis Promife, hecompares the water, that hewould and couldgive, with that which fhedrew out of theWell, efpeciafly as toone eminent effe&, wherein thewater ofhis Promife didinfinitely furmount that which thefo magnifyed; forv.13. he tells her,for that waterin thewell,though it allayed thirft for a feafon, yet within a little while fbe would thirft a= gaine, and muff come thither to draw; but faith he, whofoever drinkethofthe Water I{hallgive him, thirfis no mores and this he proveth from the Condition of theWater he giveth, it is a well ofWater, not a drought,not a Pitcherfull, as that thou carryeft away, but it is a Fountaine, a Well: yea perhaps in it felfe it is fo, a Fountaine or Well , but he that drinkes of it , he bathbut one draught ofthat water; Nay,faith Chriff, it {hall become a Well in him, not a Well whereunto he maygoe, but a Well that he thrill carry about in him. He that bath a continual! fpring of living' water in him, {hall doubtletfe have no occafion of fainting for thirft, any more; This our Saviour amplifies , and clears up-untoher, from thenature and energyofthis Well ofwater, itfpring- eth up unto everlafiing life; in thefe last words inftru&ing the poore finfull Creature in theufeofthe Parable,that he had ufed withher. Having taken an occafion to fpeake to herofheavenly things, 'from the nature of the employ- ment that the wasengaged inat prefent; Two or three things maybeobfer- D d 3 ved

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