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without an intereft in that Jefus, whom they with to fee.

So much for the first fort.

2. The fecond fort is made up of those, who, though they are yet out of Christ, are under the Spirit's influence leading them to him, and in whom God will not fuffer his work to die.

ly,

In these, two things deferve our notice, name

First, What of Jefus they defire to see: and, Secondly, What fort of defire this is? First, What it is these have upon their hearts, and in their defires, when faying, We would fee Jefus. And this in general is, that they may fee themselves to be of God in him, and fo be admitted to fhare in his falvation: and in particular, that they may fee their fins are pardoned through his blood: that their fpots are covered, and deformities hid; their nature and ftate changed: that they may fee they fhall be delivered from hell, and the wrath to come, and restored to the favour of God, and acceptance with him: that they may be refcued from the tyranny of Satan, and the dominion of fin, and brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God; to ferve, and pleafe, and walk with him here; and in the way of faith and holinefs, pafs on to the blissful enjoyment of him in heaven.

You may read their fenfe in the apostle's words, Philip. iii. 8. with a little variation. Yea doubtless, and 1 count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for, for him I am come to a point, that I

would

would gladly fuffer the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that 1 may win Chrift. This is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners; and fuch as these are fome of the loft number that are fenfible they need his falvation, and must perifh without it: therefore they defire, they may be of God in Christ Jesus, and that he may be made of God to them wisdom, righteoufness, fanctification and redemption; that fo there may be joy in heaven, that they are brought into the way to it, and that in that joy, (when having their falvation perfected) they may bear their part to all eternity.

This is what awakened finners mean, when they fay, We would fee Fefus.

2. As to what fort of a defire this is. It is fuch as is not to be fatisfied with any thing else; and accordingly we find it reprefented in fcripture by hunger and thirst, Matthew v. 6. It is fomething anfwering to the keenest appetites of nature. Ifaiah Iv. 1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, &c. John vii. 37. If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. Rev. xxii. 17. And let him that is athirst come.

(1.) It is a defire, I fay, like thirst, i. e. one eager and vehement; and fo fills the foul where it is with pain, which will discover itself in cries to God, complaints to men, and enquiries of both, What shall we do? Whither shall we go? What courfe fhall we take? Rachel cries out, Give me children, or elfe I die: and the awakened finner is in the fame ftrain, Let me have Chrift, and an intereft in him, or I cannot live.

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(2.) It

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(2.) It is a defire under which the poor finner betakes himself to the use of all appointed means, with a diligence and ferioufnefs he never discovered before; and proposes this as his aim in all, to obtain an interest in Chrift. For this, he fervently prays, as both Christ himself, and faith to receive him, are the free gifts of God: For this he attends the word preached, and redeems all opportunities of doing fo, as faith comes by hearing: For this, he fearcheth the fcriptures, meditates alone, and confers with others; and pursues this one thing through all, namely, to fecure an intereft in Christ.

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(3.) It is a defire that can admit of no reft, but in the thing defired. A vehement thirst determines thofe in whom it is, to one thing, namely, to drink and to offer them any thing else, is not to affwage their appetite, but to enrage by the disappointment. Tender to one parched and ready to perish for thirst, the best attire, heaps of gold and filver, all forts of jewels, and what riches and ornature you will, ftill he will cry with Samfon, when he was in distress, for want of water, And now fhall I die for thirst? How far are these from reaching my cafe, and answering my exigence?

Something like this is the language of a foul making out after a Saviour: Tell him of money, or honour, or whatever accommodations you can name; that this or the other thing he has, or may have, and call for, &c. He anfwers with a piercing look and tone, They will not do. What "fatisfaction or comfort, content or eafe, can be "had or expected in any of thefe, whilft I go "chriftless?

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"chriftless? What can fupply his place, or re"lieve my diftrefs, befides himself? Who can "be to me, or do for me, what Chrift can be "and do, and what I hope he will do? And "in this hope I am enquiring after him. Let "others turn to what they please, as for me, "None but Chrift, None but Chrift." Such anone had rather have Chrift without any thing else, than all the world, and want an interest in him.

A flight defire may carry a finner a little way in looking out after a Saviour, in a fit or pang: but as that pang wears off, fomething elfe is put in his ftead, with which the deceived creature takes up, and for which he takes his leave of Chrift, as Orpah did of Naomi, and follows him no further. But defire wrought in effectual calling, puts the finner upon following Chrift ftill, prefling after him ftill; refolving to reachan interest in him, or die in the purfuit.

(4.) It is a defire that would prefently be fatisfied. Every day to fuch as are under it, seems long: They are seeking after that which they abfolutely want, and without which they are undone; but in the fecuring of it made for ever. They would not be impatient, fo as either to give over seeking, or to turn out of God's way: But yet they are willing prefently to fee Jefus, and they find an uneafiness under the thought of living a moment longer without him.

Now fuch a defire is owing to the operation of the Holy Spirit: And his ordinary way of producing it is,

[1.] By

[1] By giving the finner a fight and sense of fin, and of the wrath of God due to it, and fo of the deplorable condition he is in by nature. It is the Spirit's work to convince of fin, John xvi. 8. Which he does by fetting before the finner's eyes the book of the law in its fpirituality and extent, bidding him compare his heart and life with it. And from hence he lets him fee, how far fhort he has come of what the law requires, and in how many thousand inftances he has ventured to do what it forbids : To what a dreadful number his tranfgreffions have rifen, and that all of them are but branches from that root of bitterness, that corruption that came into the world with him.

This being the case, the finner befides being made fenfible he is as guilty and polluted, is made to apprehend his danger, and fees that all the while he has been finning against God, he has been treasuring up to himself wrath against the day of wrath: for the wages of fin is such a death as includeth all that is dreadful; and this he knows is what he is every moment liable to, and may righteously be made to feel.

Confcience is awakened to apply and fet home. the charge, telling the finner, Thou art the man, Thus haft thou done, and this is the fentence, thou art under, The foul that fins fhall die: Upon which a juft concern is impreffed, and fear and horror fill his foul, which puts him upon me

ditating an escape.

[2.] The Spirit produceth this defire in the finner, by fhewing him his utter infufficiency for his own recovery from his finful and dangerous

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ftate.

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