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spring that never fails, nor can do so, until it issue in eternal life. And sundry other ways there are whereby the same truth is asserted in the Scripture.
2. There are sundry divine promises given unto believers that so it shall be, or to secure them of such supplies of grace as shall cause their spiritual life to gi'ow, increase, and flourish unto the end ; such as that in the psalm which we have considered. For these promises . are the means whereby this spiritual life is originally communicated unto us, and whereby it is preserved in us; by them are we made par- takers of this divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4 ; and through them is it con- tinued in us. Now [as to] promises of this nature, — namely, that by the dispensation of the Spirit of Christ, and supplies of his grace, our spiritual life shall flourish, and be made fruitful to the end, — I shall briefly call over one of them only at present, which is recorded, Isa. xliv. 8, 4, " I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground : I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring : and they shall spring up as among the gi'ass, as willows by the water-courses."
Although this promise may have respect unto the gTacious dealing of God with the people of the Jews after their return from the cap- tivity, yet hath it so only as it was typical of the redemption of the church by Jesus Christ; but it belongs properly to the times of the Gospel, when the righteous were to flourish, and it is a promise of the new covenant, as is manifest in that it is not only given unto believers, but is also extended unto their seed and offspring ; which is an assured signature of new covenant promises. And here is, — 1. A supposition of what we are in ourselves, both before and after our conversion unto God, — namely, as thirsty, dry, and barren ground. We have nothing in ourselves, no radical moisture to make us flourishing and fruitful. And as it is before, so it is after conversion: " We are not sufficient of ourselves ; our sufficiency is of God," 2 Cor. iii. 5. Being left to ourselves, we should utterly wither and perish. But, — 2. Here is the blessed relief which God in this case hath provided ; he will pour the sanctifying water of his Spirit and the blessing of his grace upon us. And this he will so do as to cause us to spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses. There is nothing of a more eminent and almost visible growth than willows by the water- courses. Such shall be the spiritual gro^vth of believers under the influences of these promises; that is, they shall be fat and flourishing, and still bring forth fruit. And other promises of the same nature there are many ; but we must observe three things concerning them, that we may be satisfied in their accomplishment. As, —
(1.) The promises of the new covenant, as unto the first communi- cation of grace unto the elect, are absolute and unconditional ; they
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are the executive conveyances of God's immutable purposes and de- crees. And what should be the condition of the communication of the first grace unto us ? Nothing that is not gTace can be so. If it be said that this also is of God in us, which is the condition of the communication of the first saving grace unto us, then I would know whether that be bestowed upon us without any condition. If it be, then that is the first gTace, as being absolutely free ; if it be not, then what is the condition whereon it is bestowed? concerning which the same inquiry must be made, — and so for ever. But this is the glory of covenant promises, that, as unto the communication of the grace of conversion and sanctification unto the elect, they are absolutely free and unconditionate. But, —
(2.) The promises which respect the growth, degrees, and measures of this gTace in behevers are not so. There are many duties required of us, that these promises may be accomplished towards us and in us ; yea, watch ?al diligence in universal gospel obedience is expected from us unto this end. See 2 Pet. i. 4-10. This is the ordinary method of the communication of all supplies of grace to make us spiritually flourish and be fruitful, — namely, that we be found in the diligent exercise of what we have received. God doth sometimes deal other- wise, in a way of sovereignty, and surpriseth men with healing grace in the midst of their decays and backslidings ; as Isa. Ivii. 17, 18. So hath many a poor soul been delivered from going down into the pit. The good shepherd will go out of his way to save a wandering sheep ; but this is the ordinary method.
(3.) Notwithstanding these blessed promises of growth, flourishing, and fruitfulness, if we are negligent in the due improvement of the grace which we have received, and the discharge of the duties re- quired of us, we may fall into decays, and be kept in a low, unthrifty state all our days. And this is the principal ground of the discrep- ancy between the glory and beauty of the church, as represented in the promises of the Gospel, and as exemplified in the lives and walk- ing of professors, — they do not live up unto the condition of their accomplishment in them ; howbeit, in God's way and time they shall be all fulfilled. We have, therefore, innumerable blessed promises concerning the thriving, growing, and flourishing of the principle of spiritual life in us, even in old age and until death ; but the grace pro- mised unto this end will not befall us whilst we are asleep in spiritual sloth and security. Fervent prayer, the exercise of all grace received, with watchfulness unto all holy duties, are required hereunto.