A30213:137
The water of life, or, A discourse showing the richness and glory of the…The water of life, or, A discourse shewing the richness and glory of the…
The water of life, or, A discourse showing the richness and glory of the grace and spirit of the gospel, as set forth in Scripture by this term, The water of life by John Bunyan.The water of life, or, A discourse shewing the richness and glory of the grace and spirit of the gospel, as set forth in Scripture by this term, The water of life by John Bunyan.
London: printed for Nathanael Ponder, 1688
Title page typeset from the transcription.
OF THE River of Water OF LIFE.OF THE River of VVater OF LIFE.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Fourthly, By this word [pure] I understand sometimes the chiefest good, the highest good. There are many things that may be called 1good, 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 2that are pure, that are good in their own Eyes. There are good Men, good Consciences, good Works, ⟨p. 86⟩good Days, good Angels, &c. but none so good as Grace, for 'tis 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, 'tis evil and given to the Curse, as the Prophet intimates where he saith, But the miry 3places thereof, and the Marshes thereof, shall not be healed, they shall be given to salt.
But who understands this, who believes it? Its 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