Thursday, September 13, 2007

True Spiritual Hunger

Rev. John Willison of Dundee

1 . True hunger is unsatiable without food : Bring a treasure, a crown, or the greatest preferments to a hungry man, all cannot satisfy him: So nothing can
satisfy the hungry soul but Christ ; not his ordinances or benefits only, but himself ; not the supper or bread of the Lord but the Lord of the supper and the Lord of the bread, Ps. lxxiii. 25. Job xxiii. 3.

2. Hunger is unsupportable without meat ; the man must die if he want it ; so the truly hungry soul cannot live or subsist without Christ ; he can bear the want of other things, but Christ he cannot want, Psalm cxliii. 7, 9.

3. Hunger makes a man resolute, active, and industrious; he will spare neither cost nor travel for food, it would even break through stone walls : So a hungry soul will venture through all difficulties to find Christ, Cant. iii. 2, 3.

4. Hunger makes a man very humble ; he will make the coarsest bread, or meanest crumb, very welcome : So tbe truly hungry will be content to have Christ upon any terms, though it were even to be the meanest servant of his house,
or set with his dogs, provided always he may have a relation to his family, Luke xv. 10.

5. Hunger makes a man restless and impatient of delays till food be brought ; so the hungry soul cries oft, " How long, Lord, wilt thou forget me ? How long wilt thou hide thy face ? When shall I come and appear before God ?" Psalm xiii. 1. Psalm xliii. 1, 2.

6. It makes a man prefer Christ and his ordinances to all his worldly interests, and willing to part with all things to obtain these, Luke v. 11.

7. It makes Christ and his spiritual benefits very sweet and pleasant to the soul, and likewise the ordinances that do convey them, Cant. ii. 3. Psal. cxxxii. 1.