The way of the Spirit in bringing souls to Christ set forth in X sermons on John 16:7, 8, 9, 10 and chap 7:37 / by Mr. Thomas Allen, late pastor of a church in ... Norwich.

Application.

This may help us to discern, whether we have e∣ver been made to drink out of the Well of Salvation. Whether ever we have been made to drink of the waters which Jesus Christ hath given forth: and to go no further than the Text, there are two things that may help us to discern it, and one is this.

1. That if ever the Soul hath drank of the waters of life that are held forth, then it was once athirst for Christ; for here the offer that Christ makes is to thirsty souls, and those who thirst not will not care for coming. And

2. Not only thirsty, but they must also come to Christ. And therefore briefly to hint what I have spoken before.

1. Consider whether you have been truly thirsty, and by that you may see and know whether you have truly drank of this water of life. Consider it every one, hath my soul been truly thirsty? the soul that is truly thirsty is really sensible of some spiritual want, that he wants some spiritual mer∣cy, so sensible as to be spiritually affected, yea afflicted with the sense of it: As a man that is thirsty for water, he is so sensible that if he have it not he is afflicted for it; why so, let every soul consider, well, hath my soul ever been really sensible of the want of some saving mercy, or

truth? hath my soul been ever sensible of it? I pray consider it with your own souls, what sa∣ving grace is it that your souls have been sensible for the want of? even afflicted for the want of it? if ever you have been very greatly thirsty in your bodies, you have been very sensible. I pray con∣sider, can you remember that ever your souls were really sensible so as to be afflicted for the want of some spiritual saving mercy from God?

2. Again, Consider, If you have been thirsty, Whether you have ever found that same strong ar∣dent, and longing desire after a supply of that spi∣ritual want you are in? As pardon of sin, or sa∣ving grace: Have your souls not only been affect∣ed, but afflicted from the sence of the want of Grace, being ardently, vehemently, and earnestly longing after it: Can you remember at such a time your body was thirsty, and you longed for water, and could have drank puddle water by a good token, and cannot you remember that your souls have been longing, vehemently longing, most earnestly longing after, and panting after this spiritual water of life, and to have been alto∣gether unsatisfied, without you might have that spiritual grace and mercy, which you have longed for: If a man be thirsty, he will not be satisfied with a song, you may sing him a song, but that will not satisfy him, and give him what you will he must have that which he longs for, and that which he desires, or nothing. And hath it been thus with your souls? consider what I say; can you say, you have longed for this grace and the other, for saving grace and the like, well, but have you not been satisfied with something else?

for I say, if we had not had in some measure a supply, our souls would still have been thirsty, and never satisfied without that we have found a need of. And then take that along with all, viz.

3. Consider whether ever you have truly come to Christ. Suppose you have longed for this and that mercy, and have been unsatisfied for want of this mercy, consider of it, did you ever truly come to Christ? have you ever been athirst? have you ever come to Christ in his Ordinances for a supply? why, yes you will say, you have come to the Ordinances to hear the Word preach∣ed; Ay Brethren, you may come to hear, and yet not come to Christ; have you ever come to hear the Word from the sense of the want of some spiritual saving grace, that he would supply to you? it is ordinary for every one to come, except they are such as are desperately wicked and pro∣phane, but thus we are to come, and have we ever come thus to Christ? even as the Saints have been wont to come to the Ordinances, with a sense of their spiritual wants, I will hearken and hear what God the Lord will speak to me, for he will speak peace: He wanted peace, and he had the sense of the want of peace upon him, now saith he, God will speak peace. So Psal. 73. The good man was under a great temptation, and it was even too hard for him, and he was even ready to cry out of the temptation, and murmur, and repine against God, well he now goes unto the Lord in the way of his Ordinances, and hearkens what God will give unto him, to answer his tem∣ptation, and then his temptation was answered

in his waiting upon God in the sense of his spiritu∣al wants for a supply. And so have you even come thus to the Lord in the way of his Ordinan∣ces? when you came this day before the Lord, can you say (between the Lord and your own Souls) that you came upon the sense of some spi∣ritual want for your Souls unto the Lord in this Ordinance? Why Brethren, it is a rare thing for to come to Christ in the way of his Ordinances, in the sense of the want of some spiritual mercy. But,

4: Again, Consider, Have you ever come to Christ in a way of prayer? to ask a spiritual mercy and blessing. It's true inded, you will say, you go to God every day for the pardon of sin, and assurance of it; you go every day, but now have you come to the Lord and asked this spiritual mercy, and the other, as a thirsty man that is e∣ven ready to perish for want of drink, and to take nothing in a way of satisfaction (whatsoever you have besides) without you have that you are so sensible of.

5. And then, Consider, Whether you have ever come to Christ in a way of Faith. There is the co∣ming to Christ indeed, if ever you would drink of the water of life, you must come in a way of faith. Though you have come to the Word, and come in a way of prayer, yet have you come in a way of faith? relying, and resting, and rolling upon Christ in a way of Faith, to be accepted of the Father through him, and so for remission of sins, and whatever saving benefit you stand in need of. Have you ever came to Christ thus? relying upon him in his word, in the invitation he makes there,

and in his promise? this is the way to come to Christ; He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Let us consider of it between the Lord and our own souls, whe∣ther ever we have come to Christ and so drank of the waters of life? if we have not been thirsty, though we may have seemed to be so, yet if we have not really come to Christ, we fall short of what we might have expected to have met with.

I thought to have prest the invitation on poor souls, that they might come and drink of the wa∣ter of life, but the time is past.