~lath. s, 6. fonhey jha/1 be filled, Matth. 5•. 6. Filled: how? !willgwe:mto him rh4t is a thirft, of rhefo~<ntainofthewateroflifefi·eety_, Rev. 21. 6. This isthell:eJ?(asifitwere in]a– cobs ladder) that raifeth him on htgh towards heaven; .'t JS fuch a token of true faith, that he who hath it; needs no more doubt that he belteveth, than he that breatheth Rtv. 21. 6: needs to doubt that he liveth; and why? his thirll: of worldly things is cooled, his thirll: of heavenly things inflamed. .. Objert. But Chrifi faith, f-le that dr_'ink.f ofthe >Vater thar I Jha!lgive him, jha!l never fhirft. . Sol. Not after the tvorid, but hejhali rhir.f/ more and more afrer Chrij/. No hungry man did ever with more appetite wifh for meat, nor thirll:.y man for drin\ nor covet– ous man for mony, nor ambitious man for glory, than he now longeth to be reconciled unto God in Chrifi; in this cafe, had he the pl,afures and profits ofa thoufand worlds; willingly would he part with all for the application of Chrirts fuffcrings; it is that fo– vereign blood that can onely heal his foul; it is that bitter paffion which can only quench his thirll: : give him but the merits of Chrill:s death (whereby God and he may be at one) and he cares not though he fuffa death and hell again, yea,he will venture goods, life, all; or if that be not it which the Lord requires, he will do whatever behooves him, even fell all, all that he hath, part with all fit;t that he loveth,. yea were it his right hand, or his right eye, nothing fhall be dear to him, fo that ho may enjoy his Saviour. 0 here's a thirll: above all thirll:s! it breeds ardetit defires, vehement lungings, unut– terable groanes, migh~y gafpings, jufilike the dry and thirfly gruund, that gafps, and Pfol. 61. •· cleaves, and opens for drops of rain. David, though in the defert of Ziph, a barren and dry land without water, yet he complains mofl bccaufe of this thirfl, 3.fy foul rhir.f/eth for thee, 0 God, Pfal. 63. 1. This is that violent affection that God puts into the hearts of thofe who feek him in fincerety and truth; never was Ahab more fick for a vineyard, Judg. rs. '9' not Stfora for mill<, nor Sampfon for water, when God was fain to open him a foun– tain in the jaw ofan Ajfe, than is a tmly humbled foul after Chrifl; ever thirfiing and longiqg, that he may hide himfelf in his righteoufi1effe, and b,athe himfelf in that blood which his Savivur fhed for him. I have read of a gracious woman, who labouring in thefe pangs, and longing after Chrill: Jefus, cried out, I haviborn nine chi14ren with m great pain as otherwomen, andyet !would with all my heart bear theM all over again, yea brar them, and bear them all thed9ei ofmy life, to be ajfurcd ofmy part in Chrijl Jefus. One replying, Doth not your heart dcfire and long after him? Oh! tfaid fhe)I have an busband and children, ·and many other comforts, [wouldgi'l<c rhcm all, and411 thegood 1 (hall everfee m thtS world, or m the world to come, to have my poor thirjly foul rrfrejht with that preciMs blood of my Saviour. So eager an'd earnell: is the heart of each man (parched with the angry countenance of God) after this blood of his; I thirft, I faint, 1 languijh, llong(faith he)forone drop of mercy; my fpirit is melted in me into tears of Rev.> •7· blood ;"my heart, becaufe offin, is Ju jhak$n and jl.>ivcred; myfoul, becaufe offorrow, is jo wafted ~mdparched, that my thtrft u · mfat~able, my bowels are h~t wuhm me, my defire afrei- Chrijl is extremly great and greedy. Stay ! all thefe exprcffions arc far fhort of thofdongings, no man k2totveth them, Javc he that receives them, fave he that is born again.] The feventh llep is A relying on Chrift: no fooner he conliders and remembers thofe many melting invitations ofou; Lord and Saviou!': If any man thirjl, let him come unto JohD7· 31. me: Ho, t"Jeryone that thirfteth,c~meye to rhe1Vaten·: Come unto me all ye that are weary Jfa. ss. '· and heavy-laden with fin: but (rell:ing himfelfon ~he impregnable truth ofthefe bleffed Matth. 11 :' 8 • promifesJ.he throwes himfelf into the merciful and meritorious armes of his crucified Lord. Come life, come death, come heaven, come hell, come what come will, here will he flick for ever: Who (faith Paul)jl>allfeparate us from the love ofChrijl? Shall Rom. a. 35 • ·rribulation, or diftrefs, or perfecution, orfamin, or nak.!dneffc, or peril/, orfivord? No: 3g, 39, I amperfwaded (not thefe, nor more than thefe) neither dem h, nor life, rtor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers:~ nor thingrpefent, no-rthings to come, nor height, nor depth, nor anjother cn:ature,Jhatl be able toJejarate usfront the love cf God,which is in Chrift Je– fiesoilr Lord, Rom. 8. 35, 38, 39· Thus it is with the man labouring in this birth: What? (faith he) doth Chrijl call the heavy-laden? why, Lord, I am heavy-laden ·lVitb ti weight~ amajfcoffin; and if he may cometl1at is railed, Lord, 1 Inme, 1come, and noto I am c·ome, with thee >Villibuildmy tabernac·le, wtth thee will]rtjlfor eve>· Nor i~ this any wonder, experience tells U$, the hunted beaft flies unto his den, the wounded man hies unto the Surgeon, and fo the poor man broken and bruifed with the weight
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