Sermons of Christ, Sermon 6
Of Spiritual Thirſting, and Thirſters.
REV. 22.17.
And let him that is athirst come.
THeſe words are the Voyce of Chriſt, as the Spirit had ſaid, come; and the Bride had ſaid, come; And let him that heareth ſay, come; So Chriſt alſo ſaith come, Let him that is athirſt come; you would have me come, ſaith Chriſt, and I would have you come; you would have me come and compleat all, and I would have you come to me who am to compleat all; ſo that the words are an invitation of Chriſt to thoſe that thirſt, Let him that is athirſt come. I ſhall ſpeak at this time of the Thirſt, Let him that is athirſt, &c.
There is a double thirſt, a Natural thirſt, and a Spiritual thirſt; — A Natural thirſt you are all acquainted with, you know what it is to bee thirſty; it is the deſire of that which is cool and moyſt, but this is not the thing here meant, a Natural thirſt; there is a Spiritual thirſt, which in the general is, An efficacious deſire after Chriſt, and the good to be received by him.
Now for the opening of this Thirſt, let us conſider what is in Natural thirſt,
Firſt, There is an abſence of moyſture, as David ſaith, My moyſture is dried up, my moyſture is gone.
Secondly, There is a ſence of it, men and women are ſenſible that their moyſture is ſpent.
Thirdly, There is the knowledge of ſomething ſuitable to releeve them.
And then Fourthly comes actual thirſt. Upon theſe Four ariſes thirſt.
So in this Spiritual thirſt, There is an abſence of moyſture, there is a want of Grace, a want of that is Spiritual, a want of Chriſt —
2 The Soul is ſenſible of it, as Siſera ſaid, Give me a little water to drink for I am thirſty; there was moyſture gone, and ſence of it, and water to be had, and actual deſire; ſo here in this Spiritual thirſt, there is a want of Gods Image, we had his Image but that is gone, as Paul ſaith, In our fleſh dwels no good; there is no Spiritual good dwels in a man or woman — And then we muſt be ſenſible of this, and ſo know there is ſome relief to be had, and that is, Chriſt proclaims in the Goſpel, holds out in the Word the water of Life; — And then the Soul comes actually to deſire Chriſt, when Chriſt told the woman of Samaria of Water of Life, Water that ſhe ſhould drink of and thirſt no more, then ſhe came to deſire; ſo a Soul that knows Chriſt to be the Water of Life, and findes and feels an abſence of moyſture, comes actually to deſire this Water of Life, therefore ſaith Chriſt, Let him that is athirſt come.
For our further proceeding in this, I ſhall ſhew you why this thirſting is required.
2 The nature and properties of it, and then make uſe, Why this thirſting is required.where we ſhall ſhew ſome differences in the thirſting of men.
1 That this thirſting is required in men to fit them for Chriſt, for till wee come to thirſt wee have a fulneſs of our own, but when men and women are once thirſty, have a Spiritual thirſt, then they are empty of what is their own; they have puddle waters of their own to drink, Ciſterns of their own, and ſomething of their own that they do refreſh themſelves withall, their own good natures, their own parts, their own righteouſneſs and performances, they are full of theſe; but now when they come to this Spiritual thirſt they are emptied of all theſe, there is a breach made between Sin and their Souls, and ſo all is let out of this nature. This new Wine muſt not be put in full Bottles, the Bottles muſt be empty. When a man therefore thirſts after Chriſt, this man now ſees that hee hath nothing to releeve him but Chriſt, and this man is fit for Chriſt, he is empty; A Veſſel that hath a fulneſs before cannot receive Wine, or Milk, or Water, or any Liquor whatſoever; but when a Veſſel is emptied of all was in it, then it is capable of ſomething elſe.
2 This thirſting is required, becauſe men wil not come to Chriſt elſe, if men be not thirſty they wil not come to Chriſt; If any man thirſts let him come; The full ſtomack loathes the Honey-combe; If the ſweeteſt Honey-comb be preſented to a full …tomack it loathes it. In Luke 14. there are many invited to come to the great Supper, the Supper that Chriſt had made, the Dainties of the Goſpel, but becauſe they were not thirſty, not one of them would come; ſaith one, I have a yoke of Oxen, to go and try; Another, I have a Farm to go and ſee; ſaith a third, I have married a Wife, and I cannot come: But had they been athirſt they would have come to Chriſt, the Water of Life; but where there is no thriſt there will be no coming. Tell a Drunkard that is full of Beer, Wine, or Hot Waters, tell him of the beſt Wine, of the moſt excellent Drink that is, he hath no minde to it, he is full, and will not come to it; and therefore without thirſting, men will not come to Chriſt. A man that is not ſick, hee will not come to the Phyſician, but a man that is ſick, and full of pain, that man will come to the Phyſician.
3 It is required, becauſe if men do come to Chriſt, yet they will not drink when they come unleſs they bee thirſty; you may bring a Beaſt unto the Water, but unleſs he be athirſt he will not drink; ſo many men may be preſt by Arguments to come to Chriſt, to come to the Goſpel and the means of Grace, but unleſs they be thirſty they will not drink; VVhen men come to a Feaſt, and there are variety of VVines and Drinks there, if not thirſty, they will fault the drink though VVine, and ſpeak evil of it, and ſay, It is too new, too tart, too flat, ſome expreſſions or other they will have againſt it; why, they are not thirſty, whereas if they were thirſty they would drink; ſo is it with men and women that come to Chriſt, not being thirſty, they fault the Doctrin of Chriſt, which is the Drink hee gives them, why you muſt deny your ſelves, you muſt part with things that are deareſt to you; you muſt take up a Croſs, and follow Chriſt; O this is drink that is full of Lees, this is drink that hath no ſavour in it, and will not down with men and women, therefore unleſs men be thirſty they will not drink the drink that Chriſt hath prepared for them; this Water of Life, they will not ſee any life in it, but they will reject it, and lay it aſide, this Doctrin will not down with them; therefore ſaith Chriſt, Let him that is athirſt come.
When Chriſt ſhall tell you of Reproaches, Perſecutions, Temptations, loſs of Liberty, and loſs of Lives for his ſake, and the Goſpels, this will not down with men and women — As Chriſt is refreſhing drink, ſo Chriſt is purging drink, and the ingredients in the one, are pleaſing things; the Promiſes, and the Loves of God, and Chriſt; but in the other, are very ha…ſh things, Afflictions, Sword, Death, Fire, and things of that nature, theſe are in the purging drink.
4 Let him that is at hirſt come, ſaith Chriſt; becauſe though men do come, and do drink, yet unleſs they be athirſt, they will not ſtay with Chriſt, ſtay at this Fountain, and be content with this drink long, but they will give it over; As many have come, and entred upon the profeſſion of the Goſpel, and have taken upon them the Livery of Chriſt, but they have not long ſtayed in Chriſts Family, they have not liked his Diet, his Drink, they have gone away again. Men think it a hard thing to be tied to drink one kinde of drink always, yet thoſe that have the Gravel, the Stone, they will bee content to drink ſuch drink as will advantage them; ſo thoſe tha… are truly thirſty after Chriſt, they will be content to drink ſuch drink as Chriſt will give them, therefore unleſs men be thirſty they will not ſtay with Chriſt, not abide in his Family.
5 Laſtly, Chriſt ſaith, Let him that is athirſt come; becauſe ſuch have a ſuitableneſs in them to what Chriſt hath for them. Chriſt in the Scripture is ſet out to bee a Phiſitian, to bee a Saviour, to be a Fountain of Living Water, and to be at a Throne of Grace; now thoſe that are athirſt have ſomething ſuitable to this; A thirſty man, he would fain have his Wounds healed; he that hath this Spiritual thirſt hath Wounds, and I ſay he would fain have them healed, and ſo he will come to Chriſt, and Chriſt is a Phiſitian, and he will heal his VVounds; A thirſty man is a loſt man, and he would fain be ſaved; Chriſt is a Saviour, and he will come to him for Salvation; A thirſty man is dry, Chriſt is a Fountain, and he will come to Chriſt for the VVater of Life, to have the heat of ſin quenched, and to have the VVrath of God which is apprehended pacified, and ſo this man he would have the guilt taken out of his Conſcience, he would have his ſins pardoned; Chriſt is at a Throne of Grace, and holds out a golden Scepter; this man will come to Chriſt to have his ſins pardoned, therefore Chriſt ſaith, Let him that is athirſt come.
Secondly, For the nature and property of this Spiritual thirſt.
1 This thirſt, The reaſon of Spiritual thirſt.it is an afflictive thirſt, a thirſt that doth afflict and trouble the Soul where it is; when men are athirſt indeed, O how doth that thirſt afflict, men are more afflicted with thirſt than with hunger, becauſe there is a greater deſire of humidum then ſiccum, as the Philoſophers do obſerve; men are more deſirous of moyſture than of that which is dry, and therefore where there is a true thirſt there is affliction of ſpirit. It is ſaid of Sampſon in the fifteenth of Judges, that he was ſore a thirſt, he did greatly, ſorely thirſt, his thirſt was a pain unto him, a trouble unto him, a perplexity unto him; ſo where there is this Spiritual thirſt, it is very troubleſome and afflictive unto the Soul, when once the guilt of ſin ſtirs, the Fire of Hell is kindled in the Soul, the VVrath of God is apprehended, a man ſees himſelf loſt and undone, this man is athirſt now, and this thirſt is very troubleſom unto him; this is the nature and property of this Spiritual thirſt, it doth afflict and trouble the Soul.
2 The nature of this thirſt is: that it is vehement, it carries the Soul with a kind of vehemency after the thing thirſted for, Give me children or elſe I dye; there is a vehemency in the deſire, it makes the deſire very violent, earneſt, it is not a laſie ſluggiſh deſire, as is in many, Balaam deſires to dye the death of the righteous, the Sluggard luſteth and hath not; that is a Voleitie, as the School-men diſtinguiſh it from Voluntas; but this is a vehement earneſt deſire, ſaith Bartimeus in Mark 10. Jeſus thou Son of David have mercy upon me; he was carried out with a vehemency of ſpirit; and when the Apoſtles and others charged him to hold his peace, hee was more vehement, Jeſus thou Son of David have mercy on me; he cries lowder, ſo that this Spiritual thirſt in the Soul is vehement, and carries out the Soul with earneſtneſs.
3 This Spiritual thirſt is Complanitive, full of Complaints, it cannot be ſilent, 2 King. 3.10. ſaith Jehoram there, There was no water for the Hoſt, and for the Cattel that followed them, And the King of Iſrael ſaid, Alas, that the Lord hath called theſe three Kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab; And ſo in Numb. 20.5. Wherefore have yee made us to come up out of Aegypt, to bring us into this evil place? it is no place of Seed, or of Figgs, or Vines, or of Pomgranets, neither is there any water to drink. O wee are come into a place where there is no water; ſo a Soul that hath this Spiritual thirſt, it complains, and doth expreſs it ſelf, Rom. 7. Paul there found ſin in him, that he was carnal ſold under ſin, led Captive, a Law in his Members warring againſt the Law of his minde, and what ſaith he, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me? he was thirſty now after deliverance, and hee complains of his Corruption, and inquires after deliverance; ſo that a gracious Soul in this caſe it is complaining, Pſal. 32.4. There David complains, that his moyſture was turned into the drought of Summer. O when ſaith the Soul will this drought be taken a way, and where, where is there water to be had, and where is there remedy? the Soul is full of complaints.
4 And laſtly, the nature of this thirſt is ſuch, as that it is never ſatisfied without the Lord Chriſt. A true Spiritual thirſt is inſatiable till it hath Chriſt himſelf; ſaith Chriſt to the woman of Samaria, I have water to give thee, that thou having once drank ſhalt never thirſt any more, but it ſhall ſpring up as a fountain of living water in thee; Lord, evermore ſaith ſhee give me of that water —A nd ſo Peter, in Joh. 6. Thou haſt the words of eternal life: and to whom ſhould we go? O thou art a Fountain, and thou art a Fountain of living waters, Words of eternal life, and to whom ſhould we go? wee will go to no other, we are ſatisfied with thee. Men that have Spiritual thirſt, will not be ſatiſfied with honours, with pleaſures, with gifts, they will not be ſatisfied with any thing but the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf; ſo then you ſee what this thirſt is, why it is required, and the properties of it.
Application.
Firſt of all, is this thirſt of this nature you have heard? then here we may be informed there are few Spiritual thirſters; it was in my thoughts to have made this an Obſervation, and have proſecuted it, but I rather referred it to the Uſe; and here I ſay wee may ſee there are few Spiritual thirſters, which I ſhall a little inſiſt upon, ſaith Chriſt here, Let him that thirſteth, &c. If there be a man that thirſteth let him come. So in Joh. 7.37. If any man thirſt, let him come unto me and drink. And in the Philippians, All men ſeek their own, and no man the things of Chriſt; there is no thirſting after Chriſt. Now a little to inſiſt upon this.
Few Spiritual Thirſters there are; for few are afflicted in ſpirit; few are ſenſible of the burden of ſin, ſo as to be afflicted in ſpirit. Few have any vehement deſires after Spiritual things? few do complain of the corruption of their Nature, few are reſtleſs till they have gotten Chriſt, and are ſatisfied with him — And to make it evident that they are few; Conſider,
Firſt of all, that a great number of men in the world are worldly and earthly minded, theſe do not thirſt after Chriſt; no worldly, no earthly-minded man is a Spiritual thirſter after Chriſt, the text is clear for it, in Phil. 3.18, 19. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the Croſs of Chriſt, whoſe end is deſtruction, whoſe God is their belly, and whoſe glory is in their ſhame, who minde earthly things. Mark, thoſe who minde earthly things are enemies to the Croſs of Chriſt, and do not Spiritually thirſt after Chriſt, no, they are enemies to Chriſt, Jam. 4. Yee Adulterers, and Adultereſſes, know yee not (ſaith he) that the love of the World is enmity with God? whoſoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is an enemy to God. If mens love be worldly, and they earthly minded, they do not thirſt after Chriſt, no, they are enemies to God and Chriſt. John tells you in his firſt Epiſtle, ch. 2.15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him: The love of the Father is not in him, the love of Chriſt is not in him, he hath no thirſting and deſire after God and Chriſt.
Rich men, 1 Tim. 6.9. Thoſe that will bee rich pierce themſelves through with many cares and ſorrows, and drown their ſouls in perdition. Do theſe thirſt after Chriſt? no earthly minded man or woman hath any Spiritual thirſt after Chriſt.
2 None that do neglect the means of Grace do thirſt after Chriſt, and yet do not a multitude neglect the means, they never read the Scriptures, they never hear a Sermon (or very ſeldom) they never pray, and do theſe thirſt after Chriſt? If they thirſted Spiritually after Chriſt, they would uſe the means to come to Chriſt; If a man were athirſt, he would uſe the means to get ſomething to quench his thirſt; ſo if men do thirſt after Chriſt, they would read the Goſpel, ſtudy the Goſpel, call upon the name of God, and Chriſt. Jer. 10. Power out thy Wrath upon the men that call not upon thy name. Now when men call not upon the name of God, and Chriſt, uſe not the means, they are the enemies of God, and Chriſt, and wrath is their portion; therefore you ſee whole Nations never looks after Chriſt, multitudes in this place never look after Chriſt, nor uſe the means, theſe do not thirſt.
3 Again, no unregenerate man doth Spiritually thirſt after Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2.14. The Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſs unto him, neither can he know them; becauſe they are Spiritually diſcerned. And if he do not know them, it is the old rule, There is no deſire of that. Now men that have not the Spirit, as appears ver. 12. they cannot thirſt. So in Jude, it is there, They are ſenſual, not having the Spirit; Now what a multitude of men and women are there in the world that have not the Spirit, they jear at the Spirit, and others know not whether there bee a Spirit of God or no; Oh! multitudes, the greateſt part are in the broad way! Theſe now do not Spiritually thirſt after Chriſt.
4 Again, thoſe that do live and go on in any known way of wickedneſs, they do not deſire Chriſt, nor cannot deſire the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; And do not moſt men and women go on in ſome way of wickedneſs or other, and they make their Luſts their god, and they would not have that god deſtroyed; they ſay to Chriſt as the Devils did, Why doſt thou come to torment us before the time. When men and women walk in any way of wickedneſs, and it is their ordinary practiſe, they do not deſire the coming of Chriſt, neither can they; Many things I might inſtance in this way, but it is too evident there are few that do Spiritually thirſt after Chriſt.
Q But whence is it that ſo few do ſo Spiritually thirſt after Chriſt?Whence is it that ſo few do thirſt after Chriſt.
A. Firſt, It is from the ignorance of men and women, the Law of God hath never entered into their Souls, for had the Law of God entred to convince them of ſin, for by the Law comes the knowledge of ſin, had the Law ever entred to convince them of the ſinfulneſs of ſin that is in them, of the pollution of ſin, how it defiles them; of the diſtance ſin hath ſet them at from God, of the Curſe hangs over their heads by reaſon of their ſin, they would then begin to inquire, and to thirſt after Chriſt, but the Law hath never entred into them, they are ignorant of the Law of God, ignorant of the truths of God, and where there is blindneſs, and ignorance, there can be no true thirſt.
Secondly, This is from the conceitedneſs of men and women, moſt men and women are conceited of their own goodneſs, they have good hearts, good natures, lead honeſt lives, they are civil, and juſt, they walk unblameably, and theſe things they reſt upon, and ſo they feed upon theſe husks; Solomon ſaith, Every man is firſt in his own cauſe; A man is righteous in his own eyes, and a man will judge himſelf, and juſtifie himſelf, and think himſelf better than another; and we are naturally prone to Hypocriſie, to ſee a mote in anothers eye, and not a beam in our own. The Church of Laodicea conceited her ſelf to be rich, and to be full, &c. and to want nothing, when as ſhe was poor, and miſerable, and blinde and naked, and wanted all things. This is natural, for men and women to conceit well of themſelves; The Phariſee faſts twice in the week, &c. And not like this Publican; this is incident to us all to think too well of our ſelves, and hence it is that men and women do not thirſt after Chriſt, but will be their own Saviours, and ſo undoe themſelves.
Thirdly, This is from men and womens miſtakes:
1 Of God. 2 Of the Creature.
1 Of God, They think God is like unto themſelves, Pſal. 50. Thou thoughteſt that I was ſuch a one as thy ſelf, but I will reprove thee, and ſet thy ſins in order before thee, and I will tear thee in peeces, and none ſhall deliver thee unleſs thou do otherwiſe then ſo. Wee think God is all Mercy, and that he is not ſo holy, ſo juſt, ſo ſevere and ridgid againſt ſin; O it is but a ſaying, Lord have mercy upon us, and all will do well; now here is their miſtake about God, God is exceeding holy, and he is wonderful ſevere; Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts; A man judges well of himſelf, but God will ſend him to Hell for judging well of himſelf; the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven againſt all unrighteouſneſs, the very appearances of evil; God hath cut off men for ſmall ſins.
2 It is from peoples miſtakes about the Creature, and the inſufficiency of the Creature; they do not ſee an utter inſufficiency in all Creatures to releeve them, and therefore they ſtick upon Creatures. One man hee truſts unto his eſtate, and riches, the rich mans wealth is his ſtrong tower; Another man reſts upon his Wiſdom, and policy; another truſts to his Strength, another truſts to his Almes and good Works; and another thinks he ſhall never dye, he is not ſo old but he may yet live another Month, or a Year; men are not convinced of the inſufficiency of all things to releeve them, and deliver them, but the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; but if they were ſatisfied, no Angel, nor Potentate, no Action of their own, no action of others, not all the Saints in the VVorld can deliver one Soul; Then they would hunger and thirſt after Chriſt, but while they are not convinced of the inſufficiency of all theſe things, there is no thirſting after Chriſt.
4 Further, This is from their not underſtanding of the infinite worth, and excellency, and good that is to be had in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt alone; they think they muſt joyn ſomething with Chriſt, I will do a little, and Chriſt ſhall do the reſt; they ſet up themſelves with Chriſt, and make themſelves equal to Chriſt, they muſt ſave themſelves in part, and Chriſt muſt ſave them in part; But now if men and women did underſtand the excellency of Chriſt, the fulneſs of Chriſt, the grace of Chriſt, the mercy and love of Chriſt, and the vertue of Chriſt; how that the only way for pardon, for peace, for life, for ſtrength, for comfort, for whatſoever their Souls ſtand in need of, it is in Chriſt, then they would be carried out to Chriſt — Is not he held out in the Goſpel to be a Sun, all Light in him? — Is not he held out to have life in himſelf, all Spiritual life in him? I am come that yee might have life, and have it in more abundance — Is not Chriſt held out to be the great High Prieſt, that offered himſelf a Sacrifice, and ſuch a Sacrifice that all other Sacrifices have ceaſed? all lies upon Chriſt, and whatſoever your ſins are, whatſoever your nakedneſs and Poverty is, there is relief to bee had in Chriſt, hee is Righteouſneſs, hee is Strength, he is Bread, he is all; ſo that peoples not well underſtanding the worth of Chriſt, and all to be had in Chriſt, for the Lord hath ſealed him, ſent him, ſet him forth, and declared, There is no name under Heaven by which you can have Salvation, but Chriſt; it is not in the Spirit of God, but in Chriſt, who ſends the Spirit; the very Spirit comes from Chriſt, ſo that all is ſaved in him.
5 And laſtly, Peoples not hungering and thirſting after Chriſt Spiritually, is from hence, that they look upon the Doctrin and Diſcipline of Chriſt as unſuitable to them; Chriſts Doctrin is a hard Doctrin, a ſevere Doctrin, Chriſts Diſcipline and Government they will not be under, to bear his yoke they will not indure it; what? for a yoke to come upon their necks, that is intollerable; what, muſt I give up my ſelf to Chriſt, and follow Chriſt? fare-well all comforts, all pleaſures, and all delights; now becauſe Chriſts Diſcipline and Doctrin is croſs to fleſh and bloud, therefore they do not Spiritually deſire Chriſt; ſo then there are but few Spiritual thirſters, and you ſee whence it is that there are ſo few.
The next uſe is a uſe of Examination, that we would examine our ſelves whether we be Spiritual Thirſters yea or no, that ſo wee may have this ſweet invitation of Chriſt, Let him that is athirſt come; Chriſt will ſay to thy Soul come, come; now I ſay, let us examine, and make inquiry whether we be Spiritual thirſters yea or no.
But before I come to the diſcovery of it, let me tell yee, there is a falſe thirſt, and there is a true thirſt — The true thirſt doth ariſe from the ſenſe and feeling of want of moyſture throughout the whole man, the falſe is accidental; the one is Natural, the other is Accidental; Accidental thirſt you know is, when a mans Stomack hath ſome ſaltiſh humour there, and his Palate is diſt…ſted, then there ariſes a falſe thirſt, he hath ſome ill humour gotten into thoſe parts, and cauſes a drought there.
So now in his Spiritual thirſting; a true thirſting doth ariſe from a defire of union with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, through a general ſenſe of ſin; and the falſe thirſt doth ariſe either from apprehenſion… of Wrath, of Guilt, of Condemnation, and Puniſhment, and ſo cauſes the Conſcience to ake, and thereupon hee deſires Chriſt; or it doth ariſe from the good in the Goſpel propounded, which tickles his fanſie, which is as it were the palate or throat of the Soul, and thereupon he deſires Chriſt; ſo that there is a falſe Spiritual thirſt (as you may call it) in ſome ſenſe, as well as a true Spiritual thirſt; but then to diſtinguiſh between theſe thirſts:
1 If you would know whether you bee true Spiritual …hirſters, Difference between t…ue and falſe thirſtinquire whether your thirſts do ariſe from the whole man, the Natural thirſt ariſeth from the whole man, for though the Stomack, or Appetite do crave, that is becauſe it is the firſt receptacle, and prompts you what Nature wants, and muſt be conveyed that way to Nature, for it is not only your Stomack is dry, but every Member of your body is dry, and there muſt be a repair of the whole; ſo here in the Soul, when the thirſt is truly Spiritual, it is a thirſt of the whole Soul, not a thirſt of any one Faculty, or of the Affections, or Conſcience, or Will alone, but it is a thirſt from the whole Soul, that the whole ſoul doth thirſt after Chriſt, My Soul thirſteth after God, ſaith David; but now in another it is a partial thirſt, his Conſcience it may be akes, and he thirſts now for Chriſt to releeve his Conſcience, and if guilt be taken away he is well; or it may be he is athirſt in his underſtanding, he thirſts for ſome more light, becauſe he ſees ſome errour in ſome way; or he would have more parts and gifts, and ſo it is a partial thirſt; but if it be a true Spiritual thirſt, it is a thirſt of the whole Soul, the Conſcience thirſts, and would have the Bloud of Chriſt to ſprinkle it: the Underſtanding thirſts, and would have the knowledge of Chriſt compleated in it; it is a total thirſt.
2 You may diſtinguiſh the true Spiritual thirſt from the falſe one, from the riſe of the thirſt; both theſe thirſts may ariſe from the ſame cauſe, yet have a differing way; the true thirſt ariſes from ſin, and ſo doth the other, but under ſeveral Conſiderations;
1 Hee that doth truly thirſt after Chriſt, his thirſt riſes firſt from the pollution —
2 From the ſeparation ſin makes — And,
3 From the offence ſin gives.—
1 It riſes from the pollution of ſin; ſin he ſees hath ſo defiled the Soul, ſo defiled the whole man, that he is unmeet for God, unmeet for all that are Spiritual, and now becauſe hee is ſo defiled, ſo beſooted and beſmeared with the blackneſs of ſin, his Soul thirſts after the Bloud of Chriſt, after the Spirit of God, and Chriſt, his thirſt riſes from the conſideration of the pollution of ſin. And,
2 From the conſideration of the ſeparation ſin hath made; this ſin, this ſin hath made a breach between God and my Soul, and ſeparated mee from God, who is the infinite good, the only good; O it hath put me in a great diſtance from God, and therefore thirſts to have communion with God again.
3 It riſes from the offence; O it hath cauſed God to frown, God to be angry; now his thirſt riſes from theſe, and therefore hee thirſts after Chriſt. But another now, his thirſt riſes from the conſequence of Sin; O, Sin will Damn me, it will bring Plagues and Judgements, ſin will make me lye roaring in Hell for ever, ſin brings ſhame upon me, & the like ſo that this man thirſts after Chriſt upon this account: I deſire Chriſt that this puniſhment may be taken away, that I may be kept out of Hell, and the like; and that I may not be aſhamed; ſo that the thirſt ariſes from ſin, but upon theſe grounds and conſiderations.
3 Again, we may diſtinguiſh between theſe thirſts, by the conſideration of what is thirſted after, as well as what the thirſt ariſes from — where the true thirſt is, it doth thirſt after Grace, after Holineſs, after Communion with God, after the excellencies of God, and Chriſt: mark — where the falſe thirſt is, it is after pardon, after peace, and after eaſe, ſo I may be pardoned, and ſaved, and have peace and eaſe, ſaith the Soul, that is all I look after, this is a falſe thirſt: but where the thirſt is true, it thirſts after Holineſs, and Grace, and Communion with God, and the excellencies of God, and ſo to be healed as wel as ſaved; ſaith David, Heal my Soul, for I have ſinned againſt thee: My Soul is athirſt, ſaith he, Lord heal my Soul; why it is not pardon heals the Soul, nor peace heals the Soul, but it is Grace and Holineſs heals the Soul, that makes you like to God, that makes you ſuch as you ſhould be. Now another man, he cares not for Holineſs, nor for Grace, he would have pardon, eaſe, peace, and Salvation; but as for Holineſs, Grace, and Communion with God, theſe things are laid aſide; but here is the difference between them, the true thirſt carries thee unto Grace, Holineſs, and Communion with God, and makes you look at the excellencies of God, whereas the other look for peace, eaſe, Salvation, and the like. Now it is true, that men and women who look at Grace, Holineſs, and Communion with God, ſhall have pardon, peace, and Salvation, but theſe are as Conſequences; Lord, ſaith the Soul, rather make me holy than pardon me, for if I be not holy what ſhall I do in Heaven? if I be holy, I cannot miſcarry in Hell; a holy Soul ſhall never feel pain though it be in Hell, and a corrupt Soul ſhall never finde joy though it be in Heaven; ſo that in this there lies a great difference.