3. _Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after_ this: in order fully to understand which expression, we should observe, first, That hunger and thirst are the strongest of all our bodily appetites. In like manner this hunger in the soul, this thirst after the image of God, is the strongest of all our spiritual ♦appetites, when it is once awakened in the heart: yea, it swallows up all the rest in that one great desire, to be renewed after the likeness of him that created us. We should, secondly, observe, That from the time we begin to hunger and thirst, those appetites do not cease, but are more and more craving and importunate, ’till we either eat and drink or die. And even so, from the time that we begin to hunger and thirst after the whole mind which was in _Christ_, these spiritual appetites do not cease, but cry after their food with more and more importunity. Nor can they possibly cease, before they are satisfied, while there is any spiritual life remaining. We may, thirdly, observe, That hunger and thirst are satisfied with nothing but meat and drink. If you would give to him that is hungry all the world beside, all the elegance of apparel, all the trappings of state, all the treasure upon earth, yea thousands of gold and silver: if you would pay him ever so much honour, he regards it not; all these things are then of no account with him. He would still say, These are not the things I want: give me food, or else I die. The very same is the case with every soul that truly hungers and thirsts after righteousness. He can find no comfort in any thing but this; he can be satisfied with nothing else. Whatever you offer besides, it is lightly esteemed; whether it be riches, or honour, or pleasure, he still says, this is not the thing which I want. Give me love or else I die!
4. *And it is as impossible to satisfy such a soul, a soul that is a-thirst for God, the living God, with what the world accounts religion, as with what they account happiness. The religion of the world implies three things; first, The doing no harm, the abstaining from outward sin; at least from such as is scandalous, as robbery, theft, common swearing, drunkenness; secondly, The doing good, the relieving the poor, the being charitable, as it is called: thirdly, The using the means of grace; at least, the going to church and to the Lord’s supper. He in whom these three marks are found, is termed by the world a religious man. But will this satisfy him who hungers after God? No. It is not food for his soul. He wants a religion of a nobler kind, a religion higher and deeper than this. He can no more feed on this poor, shallow, formal thing, than he can _fill his belly with the east-wind_. True, he is careful to abstain from the very appearance of evil: he is zealous of good works. He attends all the ordinances of God. But all this is not what it longs for. This is only the outside of that religion, which he insatiably hungers after. The knowledge of God in _Christ Jesus, the life which is hid with_ Christ _in_ God, the being _joined unto the_ Lord in _one Spirit_, the having _fellowship with the Father and the Son_; the _walking in the light as_ God _is in the light_, the being _purified even as he is pure_: this is the religion, the righteousness he thirsts after. Nor can he rest, ’till he thus rests in God.
5. _Blessed are they who_ thus _hunger and thirst after righteousness. For they shall be filled._ They shall be filled with the thing which they long for; even with righteousness and true holiness. God shall satisfy them with the blessings of his goodness, with the felicity of his chosen. He shall feed them with the bread of heaven, with the manna of his love. He shall give them to drink of his pleasures as out of the river, which he that drinketh of, shall never thirst: only for more and more of the water of life. This thirst shall endure for ever.
The painful thirst, the fond desire Thy joyous presence shall remove: But my full soul shall still require A whole eternity of love.