II. 1. Our Lord has hitherto been more immediately employed, in removing the hindrance of true religion: such is pride, the first, grand hindrance of all religion, which is taken away by _poverty of spirit_; levity, and thoughtlessness, which prevent any religion from taking root in the soul, till they are removed by holy _mourning_: such are anger, impatience, discontent, which are all healed by Christian _meekness_. And when once these hindrances are removed, these evil diseases of the soul, which were continually raising false cravings therein, and filling it with sickly appetites, the native appetite of a heaven-born spirit returns; it hungers and thirsts after righteousness: and _blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled_. 2. Righteousness (as was observed before) is the image of God, the mind which was in _Christ Jesus_. It is every holy and heavenly temper in one; springing from, as well as terminating in the love of God, as our Father and Redeemer, and the love of all men, for his sake. 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!