There is a spring that yields water good and clear, but the channels through which this water comes to us are muddy, foul, or dirty; now of the channels the waters receive a disadvantage, and so come to us as savoring of what came not with them from the fountain, hut from the channels.

This is the cause of the coolness, and of the weakness, and of the flatness, and of the many extravagances that attend some of our desires:  they come warm from the Spirit and grace of God in us; hut as hot water running through cold pipes, or as clear water running through dirty convey ances, so our desires gather soil.

Grace—­the water of life.

“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”  Rev. 22:  1.

This “water of life” is the Spirit and grace of God, and the spirit of life.  Zech. 12:  10; John 4:  10, 11, 14; 7:  37-39; Rev. 11:  11.

A throne is the seat of justice:  “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne.”  Psal. 89:  14.  And it is also from justice that this river of grace flows to us:  justice to Christ, and justice to those that are found in him.  Rom. 3:  24.  God declares that he can justly justify, justly forgive:  now, if he can justly justify and justly forgive, then can he give grace and cause that it should proceed to, yea, flow after us as a river.  But whence must this come? the text says, from the throne—­from the throne, the seat of justice; for from thence, by reason of what He hath found in Christ for us, he in a way of righteousness and justice lets out to us rivers of his pleasures, whoso original is that great and wide sea of mercy that flows in his infinite heart beyond thought.

There is a river, clear and pleasant, the streams whereof make glad the city of God.

These are the waters that the doves love to sit by, because by the clearness of these streams they can see their pretty selves as in a glass.  Song 5:  12.

These he the streams where the doves wash their eyes, and by which they solace themselves and take great content.  These streams are instead of a looking-glass; their clearness presents us with an opportunity of seeing our own features.

As in fair waters a man may see the hody of the sun, and of the moon, and of the stars, and the very body of heaven; so ho that stands upon the bank of this river, and that washeth his eyes with this water, may see the Son of God, the stars of God, the glory of God, and the habitation that God has prepared for his people.  And are not these pleasant sights?  Is not this excellent water?  Has not this river pleasant streams?