conscience, so as to make the guilty sinner thirst for Chi-ist's blood to qtiertch the torment which the wrath of God hath kindled in his bosom ; but it is heaven-fire, and only that, which begets a kindly heat in the heart, that breaks out in longings of soul for Christ and his Spirit, with sweet cooling dews of grace to slack and extinguish the fire of lust and sin.
Again, Look it be deep. Physicians tell us of a thirst which comes from the dryness of the throat, and not any great inward heat of the stomach; and this thirst may be quenched with a gargle in the mouth, which is spit out again, and goes not down. And truly there is something like this in many that sit imder the preaching of the gospel. Some light touches are now and then foimd upon the spirits of men and women, occasioned by some spark that falls on their affections in hearing the word, whereby they on a sudden express some desires after Christ and his grace, that you would think they would in all haste for heaven ; but being slighty flashes, and weak velleities, rather than strong volitions and deep desires, their heat is soon over, and thirst quenched with a little present sweetness they taste when they are hearing a sermon of Christ, which they spit out again as soon as they are gone home almost, as well as may be, though they never enjoy more of him. Labour, therefore, for such a deep sense of thy own wretchedness by reason of thy hypocrisy, and of Christ's excellency by reason of that fulness of grace in him, which makes him able to cure thee of thy distemper ; that as a man thoroughly athirst can be content with nothing but drink, and not a little of that neither, but a full satisfying draught, whatever it costs him ; so thou mayest not be bribed with anything besides Christ and his sanctifying grace, nor with gifts, profession, or pardon itself, if it could be severed fi-om grace, no, not with a little sparkling of grace, but long for whole floods, wherewith thou mayest be fully purged and freed of thy cursed lust, which now so sadl)' opjiresseth thee. This frame of spirit woidd
f)ut thee imder the promise (heaven's securitjr) that thou shalt not lose thy onging ; if thou shoiddst ask silver and gold, and seek any worldly enjoyment at this rate, thou mightest spend thy breath and pains in vain ; God might let thee roar, like Dives in hell, in the midst of those flames which thy covetous lust had kindled, without affording a drop of that to cool thy tongue, which thou so violently pantest after ; but if Christ and his grace be the things thou wouldest have, yea, must have, truly then thou shalt have them. Matt. v. 6 : ' Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.' <
CHAPTER XIV.
AN EXHOKTATION TO THOSE WHO UPON TRIAL ARE FOUND TO BE TRUE IN HEART, OR SINCERE, TO WEAR THIS BELT CLOSE GIRT TO THEM IN THE DAILY EXERCISE OF IT, WITH DIRECTIONS FOR THAT PURPOSE.
I COME to the second sort, such, I mean, whose consciences, upon diligent inquiry, give a fair testimony for their sincerity, that tlieir hearts are true and upright. That which I have by way of coimsel to leave with them is, to gird this belt which they have about them close, in the exercise and daily practice of it. Gird this belt, I say, close to thee ; that is, be very careful to walk in the daily practice and exercise of thy uprightness. Think every morning thou art not dressed till this girdle be put on. The proverb is true here, ' ungirt, unblest;' thou art no company for God that day in which thou art not sincere. If Abraham will walk with God, he must be upright; and canst thou live a day without liis company ? Rachel paid dear for her mandrakes to part with her husband for them ; a worse bargain that soul makes, that, to purchase some worldly advantage, pawns its sincerity ; which gone, God is sure to follow after. And as thou canst not walk witli God, so not expect any blessing from God ; the promi;-es, like a box of precious ointment, are kept to be broke over the head of the upright : Mic. ii. 7, ' Do not my words do good to liim that walketh uprightly?' And siu-e it is ill walking in that way where there is found no word from God to bid us good speed. Some are so superstitious, that if a hare crosseth them, they will turn back, and go no further that day ; but a bold man is he that dares go on when the word of God lies across his way. Where tlic word doth not bless, it curscth ; where it promiscth not, it tlireatens :
GIRT ABOUT WITH TRUTH. t)(J5
a soul in its uprightness, approving itself to God, is safe ; like a traveller going about his lawful business betwixt sun and sun, if any harm or loss conies to such a soul, God will bear him out: the promise is on his side ; by pleading it he may recover his loss at God's hands, who stands bound to keep him harmless. See to this p\n-pose, Psalm Ixxxiv. 1 1 . But they arc directions, not motives, I am in this place to give.