42S SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XLV.
harrowing there was very iiard work, but no profit ; but in treading out tlie corn (for as we thresh out our corn, so tliey trode it out by the feet of oxen), the mouth of the ox was not to be muzzled, that there might be a great deal of privilege and profit with it. So Ephraim is like a heifer that is taught. They taught the oxen to tread out the corn ; but we will not endure the yoke ; that is, we are all for privileges, but neglect obedience. There is so such great dififi- culty about the end ; indeed, we are careless about it ; all the business is, we stick at the means : Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.' By ' the kingdom of Grod ' is meant, the royal privileges and immunities of the gospel state ; and by his ' righteous- ness' is meant the subjection, the service God requires of us. Now it is good when we seek both, but we must not seek one without the other ; God and the world would sooner agree. If God would bestow the privi- leges of his kingdom, and dispense with the duties, God might have customers enough for comfort, pardoi], heaven, happiness. No man is so senseless as not to desire these things in some measure ; but they will not come to God's price, they do not desire these things upon God's terms. The hearts of the saints are as earnestly after sanctifi- cation when they are acquainted with God, and brought under the power of grace, that holiness may be increased in them; as Eom. vii. 24, Oh, that I were delivered from sin ! Ps. cxix. 5, ' Oh, that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes ! ' Not only for the happy part of reli- gion, but they are longing how they may please God, and comply with their manifold obligations to God, and brought to a more perfect con- formity to God. Thus the hearts of the saints work,
5. There are many pretenders to a fair respect to God's precepts ; they are as much for holiness as for pardon and grace, when it is nothing so.
[1.] They say they desire to obey God in all things; but can they seriously and sincerely appeal to God for the sincerity and truth of what they say ; for so cloth David here when he comes to God, ' Behold, I have longed for thy precepts ; ' or as Peter appeals to Christ, John xxi. 17, * Lord, thou knowest that I love thee ; ' that is to say, when they have revived the sense of the nature of God, and of his all-seeing eye upon their hearts, when they have a due sense of God upon their souls ; otherwise they deal deceitfully. Alas ! an evil conscience is afraid ; it cannot offer itself tlius to God when they are serious and think of what they say ; they cannot endure to think of his trial, as an eye hurt seeks for a cover to hide it from the light. So when a sense of God is lessened ; they may talk presumptuous expressions of their own sincerity ; but when they are most serious, and have revived the sense of God upon their hearts, and look upon him as an all-seeing God that searcheth the heart, they cannot say then, ' I have longed after thy precepts.'
[2.] They not only say so, but they think so, that they desire holi- ness as much as others, when indeed it is no such matter. The deceit lies in this, because they take a wish for a desire, a velleity for a volition.
Quest. What is the difference between a wish and a desire ?
Ans. Very great.
VeR. 40.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXiX. 42'J
1. They that have only a wish for holiness, they love holiness in the abstract and in the genwal notion, which they hate in the effect ; they do not know what is included in holiness and close-walking with God ; as John vi. 34. ' Evermore give us of this bread of life.' But when Christ told them what it was to have this bread of life, then they were offended. So the Israelites, when they considered holiness and the service of God in the abstract, Oh ! we will serve the Lord, say they, saith Joshua, ' You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a jealous God,' Josh. xxiv. 18, 19. Holiness in the abstract and notion is amiable, and is apprehended as a necessary thing ; but now, when it comes to the point of entering in at the. strait gate, walking in the narrow way of watching and striving against sin, of rowing against the stream of flesh and blood, of constant communion with God, and diligent attend- ance upon his holy worship, then they will do nothing. When they take up their duty by the lump, they are well pleased with it, and it is easy to give up to God in the general, but particulars we stick at. Therefore here is the fault in these wishes and velleities, that they do not sufficiently poise their duty.