it. This promife imports four things.-It imports, 1.. Such a fuitableness in him to the neceffitiesof the foul, as is to be found in no other. Sinners feeking a fill of the creatures, are but feeding on wind, which can never fatisfy. There is no fuitableness betwixt the defires of an immortal foul, and the produce of this earth: Ifa. lv. 2. "Wherefore do ye fpend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which fatisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your foul delight itself in fatnefs." What avail riches, honours, and pleasures, to a foul preffed with guilt! But Chrift is fuited to all the wants of the foul. Speaking of the excellence, fuitablenefs, and fulness of his falvation, he fays, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayeft be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayeft be cloathed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear: and anoint thine eyes with eye-falve, that thou mayeft fee," Rev. iii. 18. His blood and Spirit will anfwer all cafes which the foul can be in.. The words import,

2. That there is a fufficiency in Christ for all their needs: Col. i. 19. "It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell." There is enough in him to fatisfy all the defires of the foul. Perfons may travel through the whole creation, ere they find an object commenfurable to the defiresof their fouls; but when the foul comes to Chrift, it then and there finds an object, than which the foul, when extending its defires to the utmoft, cannot crave more. Here, though our boundless defires fhould launch forth into this ocean, they shall never be able to reach the bottom, or find the fhore.-The words import,

3. That there is a communication of this fuit

able

able fufficiency unto that foul which opens its mouth wide to receive it. Thus,

(1.) Chrift gives himself to that foul, so that fuch an one may fay, Song, ii. 16. "My beloved is mine, and I am his;" or, with Thomas, cry, "My Lord, and my God." They have him by the fureft tenor of an indiffoluble union: John, vi. 56. "He that eateth my flesh," fays Jefus, "and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." A wicked man may have many poor mys, Dan. iv. 30. compare chap. ii. 47. But they cannot call God theirs; and befides, they want a thousand things more than what they have. But what want can they have who have Jefus,, who is all in all ?

(2.) Chrift gives them all good with himself:: Rom. viii. 32. "He that fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him alfo freely give us all things?" Pfal. lxxxiv. II. "For the Lord God is a fun and fhield; the Lord will give grace and glory; ño good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly." Having a right to himself, they may write their names upon, and claim a title to, all that are his. They are rich, feeing they are married to Jefus, the heir of all things. No fooner does the foul close with Chrift, than they get this right; and though they get not all presently in hand, yet they have all in hope; a hope of which they will never be afhamed.-The words import,

4. The foul's fatisfaction upon that communication. In what measure the foul opens its mouth to Chrift, in that.measure Chrift communicates of his fulness; for this is the ftanding rule, "According to thy faith, so be it unto thee." And in what measure Chrift communicates of himself to the foul, fo the foul has that fatisfaction. Ac. cordingly the foul refts in Chrift, and having enough

nough in him, never goes out, as it was wont, to beg at the world's door: John, iv. 14. " Whofoever drinketh of the water that I fhall give him, fhall never thirst; but the water that I fhall give him fhall be in him a well of water, fpringing up to everlasting life." "It is enough," said Jacob, "Joseph is yet alive." When all the cifterns are dried up, the believer has enough. He can rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of his falvation, Hab. iii. 17. He can fay alfo with Paul, Phil. iv. 18. "But I have all, and abound." I am full; and no wonder, for the foul having Christ, has,

(1.) A fulness of merit to look to : 1 John, i. 7. "The blood of Jefus Chrift, God's Son, cleanfeth us from all fin." When the foul looks within itself, it fees a fulness of guilt, debt, mifery, and poverty. It fees heart, lips, life, and duties, all full of fin; fins which tears of blood and rivers of oil cannot wash away. But, looking to Christ, it fees a fountain opened for fin and for uncleannefs, Zech. xiii. 1. The rock ftruck by *the rod of justice, and the waters gufhing out, and following them through the wilderness, a fea to overwhelm all their guilt! Mic. vii. 19. "He will turn again, he will have compaffion upon us; he will fubdue our iniquities; and thou wilt caft all their fins into the depths of the sea.”—The foul fees,

(2.) A fulness of spirit in Chrift to take away the power of fin. He hath the feven Spirits of God, Rev. iii. 1. When they look within themfelves, they fee a very scanty measure of the Spirit. When they look above them to their Head, they fee it there without measure poured out upon their Head, to that very end that it may go down to the fkirts of his garments, even to every member of his myftical body.-The foul fees,

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(3.) A fulness of grace in him, lodged in him as the common ftorehouse of all the faints: John, i. 16. "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." If they want wisdom, or righteoufnefs, or fanctification, they have it in him: 1 Cor. i. 30. "But of him are ye in Christ Jefus, who of God is made unto us wifdom, righteoufnefs, fanctification, and redemption." They have all in him; and seeing God treats with them no other way but as in him, they are complete in him, "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, who is the Head of all principality and power."I come now,

III. To conclude with fome fhort improvement. And this only in an use of exhortation.

I would exhort you, then, to come to Chrift with enlarged defires, that your fouls may be filled. I direct you to one who can give your fouls full fatisfaction. Open your mouths wide, O communicants! Open your mouths wide, one and all of you, make enlarged demands from Chrift the Saviour. To prevail with you in complying with this exhortation, I offer you the following MOTIVES.

Mot. 1. Ye have many times opened your mouths wide to the world, and your lufts, but were you to this day ever filled? Prov xxiii. 5. "Wilt thou fet thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven." Have you not enlarged your defires as hell? If there had been any fatisfaction which you could have got out of Christ, have you not fqueezed fo hard as that. you would certainly have preffed it out? But you have never got it, and never fhall get it there. Come, then, to Chrift, and try him..

-Mot. 2. Has not the world and your lufts oftimes rewarded your love with hatred? When you have been hammering for fatisfaction at these things, have you not ftruck fire, instead of water, out of thefe barren rocks, and lain down in forrow? O! if you had bestowed that ftrength of affection and defire on Chrift, which you have on these things, ye had never been fo rewarded.

Mot. 3. If Chrift fills you not, you shall never be filled. Many have fucked at these breasts which you are on, but never one came fpeed; as little fhall you Ecclef. ii. 12. " And I turned myself to behold wiidom, and madnefs, and folly: For what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which has been already done." There was a fign of emptinefs hung out at the creature's door in paradife, the tree of knowledge, of good and evil. And has that vanity which fin fubjected them to fince filled up that emptinefs? No, no. Ah! you fhall as foon grafp your arms full of fhadows and dreams, as fill your fouls without Chrift.

Mot. 4. Confider that Chrift can and will fill your fouls, if you will only open your mouths wide, and receive him.-For confider,

(1.) That all fulness is in him: Colof. i. 19. "For it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." He is the ftorehouse of all fulness; it dwells in him, it can never be miffed there. The fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily, Col. ii. 9. Can there be ever any want with him? Confider,

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(2.) That the fulness that is in him is to be communicated in him: John, i. 16. "And of his fulnefs have all we received, and grace for grace." It is lodged there to be communicated from him to poor fouls: Zech. xiii. 1. "In that day there shall be

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