Come now, and gather in all these several particulars, there is in Christ's blood inclusively the person of Christ, the price of souls, a merit and satisfaction, a copious and full satisfaction, remission of sins, reconciliation with God, immunity from dangers, a passage into glory; I might add all other privileges, benefits, dignities of the soul, for they all flow from the blood of Jesus, and they are all contained either expressly, or virtually in the blood of Jesus; and is not all this worth the looking after? O my soul, where is thy languor, and fainting towards this blessed object? Shall Ahab eagerly desire after Naboth's vineyard, yea, so eagerly desire it, that his desire shall cast him upon his bed? and is not Christ's blood better than Naboth's vineyard? how is it O my soul, that thou art not sick on thy bed in thy desires after Jesus? when David desired strongly after God's Law, he expressed his longings by the breaking and fainting of his soul,1 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy judgment at all times;—and my soul fainteth for thy Salvation: Oh where be these breakings and faintings?2 strength of desire is expressed by the Apostle by groaning, which is the language of sickness; Oh where be these groanings after Christ's death? when I call to mind that Christ's death is my ransom, that Christ's wounds are my salves, that Christ's stripes are my cures, that Christ's blood is my fountain to wash in, and to be clean; how should I but pray in this sense, His blood be upon us, and on our children? Oh I am undone except I have a share in this blood; why it is only this blood that can heal my soul, it is only this Fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that can quench my thirst; and now I have seen the Fountain opened, how should I but thirst, and cry out with the woman of Samaria, O give me this water that I thirst no more? 3But alas, I say it, I only say it. Oh that I could feel it! Oh my Jesus that thou wouldst breed in me ardent desires, vehement longings, unutterable groans, mighty gaspings; O that I were like the dry and thirsty ground, that gapes, and cleaves, and opens for drops of rain! when my spirit is in right frame I feel some desires after Christ's blood, but how short are these desires, how unworthy of the things desired?
Come now, and gather in all these several particulars, there is in Christ's blood inclusively the person of Christ, the price of souls, a merit and satisfaction, a copious and full satisfaction, remission of sins, reconciliation with God, immunity from dangers, a passage into glory; I might add all other priviledges, benefits, dignities of the soul, for they all flow from the blood of Jesus, and they are all contained either expresly, or vertually in the blood of Jesus; and is not all this worth the looking after? O my soul, where is thy languor, and fainting towards this blessed object? Shall Ahab eagerly desire after Naboth's vineyard, yea, so eagerly desire it, that his desire shall cast him upon his bed? and is not Christ's blood better than Naboth's vineyard? how is it O my soul, that thou art not sick on thy bed in thy desires after Jesus? when David desired strongly after God's Law, he expressed his longings by the breaking and fainting of his soul,1 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy judgment at all times;—and my soul fainteth for thy Salvation: Oh where be these breakings and faintings?2 strength of desire is expressed by the Apostle by groaning, which is the language of sickness; Oh where be these groanings after Christ's death? when I call to mind that Christ's death is my ransome, that Christ's wounds are my salves, that Christ's stripes are my cures, that Christ's blood is my fountain to wash in, and to be clean; how should I but pray in this sence, His blood be upon us, and on our children? Oh I am undone except I have a share in this blood; why it is only this blood that can heal my soul, it is only this Fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that can quench my thirst; and now I have seen the Fountain opened, how should I but thirst, and cry out with the woman of Samaria, O give me this water that I thirst no more? 3But alas, I say it, I only say it. Oh that I could feel it! Oh my Jesus that thou wouldst breed in me ardent desires, vehement longings, unutterable groans, mighty gaspings; O that I were like the dry and thirsty ground, that gapes, and cleaves, and opens for drops of rain! when my spirit is in right frame I feel some desires after Christ's blood, but how short are these desires, how unworthy of the things desired?
- 1Psal. 119.20, 81.
- 22 Cor. 5.2.
- 3John 4.15.
