248 How the f3u1 puts forth it felfe in hungring. Velvet, what's that if he be ready to perish for want of bread, if you would give him all the poifeihions in all theworld, if you give him not bread, if you do not fftisfie his hunger, they are nothing to him. What's my birth -r ighr,faith prophase Efax, when as 1 am ready to dye for hunger, and fo it's with the foul that comes to underftand this righteoufnefle ; It's true God bath given me thefe and thefe outward comforts in the world, but'what's aphis to righteoufives,ro my fouls (landing righteous before the great God, I mutt Rand before him for the fenrence of my eternal' e(tate, and how long is will be b.:fore I ihall be brought to him I know nor, and therefore it's righteoufneffe that I fland in need of, and fuch righteoufneífe as ihall be ac- cepted of by the infinite righteous God. Thirdly,, As all things are nothing to him till this comes, fo in hunger and thirfl there is a mighty flrong defire, fuch a firong defire as the body is ready to faint if the delire be not fatisfied, even to faint and dye; fo it is with the foule here, If .I have not this righteoufnefs I dye, I faint and dye, yea I dye eternally, I fee my felfe ready to perish eternally if I have not this righteouineffe, there is a fainting in the fpirit untill this righteoufnefs comes in. Fourthly, -There are flrong indeavours after ir, that mutt needs be in hunger and thirfl, we ufe to fay, that hunger will break through foule walls, there's no work accounted difficult _ to a man to get bread, if he be ready to flarve, hewill no: flay at home becaufe it's ill weather, if there be bread to be had, do we not heare faith Jacob that there is corne in Egypt, fo the foule that comes to underfland the meaning of this righteouG, nefs, and the need of it,dorh not plead or pretend the difficul- ty of Gods wayes,fuch and fuch things are hard,for me to Lave fuch and fuch finfull lulls and diflempers of my heart; it's hard, very hard; and for me to turne a new life, and let upon new wayes, O it's hard, very hard to me, there's no fuch plea- ding of a foule that is in a hunnring and thirfling way after this righteoufnefs; Is it ?Pie- It may be had ? this is enough to my foule that there is any po,lìbility for righteoufheffe; if the Lord will require fuch and fuch things, whatfoever They be,' why
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