Chriſt by his word and ſacrament opens the well in the midſt of us, and for ſeventy years and more in this kingdom the well has been open. Chriſt and his meſſengers have been crying to dry ſouls; but now for ought we ſee he will cloſe the well again; for he has been ſetting out the means of life, and opening his booth-doors to give it freely, even to such as will take it, but he gets no ſale; therefore he muſt put up his wares and go away, for men are not thirſty for his waters; but one thirſts for court and honour; another for luſt and money; a third luſts after ſinful pleaſures. 1. There be few ſtomachs gaping for Chriſt. 2. They have not a veſſel to caſt down into the well and take up the water: this is a fruitleſs generation. Oh! we lothe Chriſt, and Chriſt lothes us. We need ſpeak no more of the call of the word; all the land, court, king, noblemen and kirkmen, have ſpued the waters, by deſpiſing the mercy, and contemning the goſpel; and in very deed when we caſt in clay and mud in Chriſt's well, and mix his doctrine with the poiſon of the whore's well of Rome. We think we would have ſomething to give to Chriſt for the water of life, ſome of our own righteouſneſs, ſome of our worthineſs; but that is plaiſtered humility, watered copper; and in doing ſo we refuſe grace, and make grace to be no more grace; for, if it be given for any worth in us, it is no more grace: and therefore, let men here ſee then, that the kingdom of grace is a good cheap world, where the beſt things are gotten for nothing; and therefore, I think, in this dear world, wherein all things go for nothing; when court coſts expences, lands are dear, and gold is not gotten for nought, and laws are dearer than ever they were; yea, paper and ink are now dearer than ever; yea, paper and ink
