3. Of all desires, those which carry us out to holy things should bear sway, and be the greatest ; for affections are not rationally exer- cised unless they bear proportion to the objects they are conversant about. Now the word and things contained therein are the most noble objects, and so most suitable for our desires, if we would act ration- ally. That appears upon these accounts : —
[1.] Spiritual tilings are more noble ; partly because they concern the soul, whereas carnal things concern only the outward man. Our liveliest affections should be exercised about the weightiest things. Can we desire riches and honours and pleasures, which only concern the body, and shall we not desire comforts and graces, wliicli are neces- sary for the soul ? It is irrational, for by this means we grow brutish and sensual. If our appetite desire only food and good pastures, and propagation of our kind, these desires soon exceed, and grow tempes- tuous and hurtful to the soul : Rom. xiii. 14, ' Make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.' There is a lawful care for the body, but this desire should not be chief, because the body is not the chief part of a man : Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added unto you.' The ennobling of the soul with grace, the settling of our con- science, the assuring of our everlasting estate, these things deserve our chiefest care. Partly because these things are only useful to us in our passage, and so for a time ; they are not useful to us in our home, and so for ever : Deut. xxiii. 24, ' When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure ; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel' We have these things for our
360 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR.' CXLIV.
use when here, but we cany nothing wiili us when we go hence. They who did occasionally pass through their neighbour's vineyard, might take for their necessity, but they must carry none home ; and therefore as to these things all our acts must be non-acts : 1 Cor. vii. 30, 31, 'Rejoice as if we rejoiced not,' desire as if we desired not. Ailections here need a groat deal of guiding, and a great deal of curb- ing, lest we sin in these less noble things ; but in spiritual, heavenly things we can never do enough.
[2.] Common and ordinary affection will not become God, or any thing that cometh from God, or concerncth our enjoyment of him, or our communion with him. Surely ' we are to love the Lord our God with all om* hearts, and with all our might, and with all our souls,' Deut. vi. 5. And as we are to love God, so in proportion his word, which is the means to enjoy him ; therefore here we should stretch our desire to the utmost.
[3.] An earnest bent will only do us good, and make us hold out in the pursuit of heavenly wisdom. It doth us good for the present, as it fits us to improve the word, as an appetite to our food. To eat with a stomach maketh way for digestion : 1 Peter ii. 2, ' As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.' And it is zeal will only bear us out. Besides the difficulties and oppo- sitions from without, our hearts are full of contrary qualities and desires, 'The flesh lusteth against the spirit;' so that nothing but a strong affection is for our turn. The greatest vehcmency is but enough to bear us uj) in the prosecution of what is good ; a weak desire will be soon chilled. Herod had some good desire ; so have many, but not strong desires. He that affects grace, should affect nothing so much as grace. A carnal man may be affected with what is good, but there is something that he affects more, vanities, profits, pleasures. Well, then, spiritual desires should be drawn out to the utmost, because the object is more noble. These desires cannot degenerate, nor this affec- tion be corrupted, and a common and ordinary afiection doth not become these things. Nothing else will serve the turn.
[4.] Wherever these desires bear sway it will be sensibly discovered by the effects, both to ourselves and others. A man may have a little joy, or a little grief, or a little anger, and nobody see it ; but none of these affections can be in any strength and vigour but we shall feel it and others will observe it ; for strong affections cannot be hid. Can a man carry fire in his bosom and hide it? So there will be some expression of what thy heart aftects. Can a man be under terrors, and not show it in his face ? A concealed affection is no affection. Men may hide their hatred, but cannot hide their love : Prov. xxvii. 5, ' Open rebuke is better than secret love.' These things tie body and soul together, move the spirits. So desire will show itself, yea, sjuritual desire. What desire doth in other things, it will do in this. If there be longing, there will be fainting, gaping, breathing ; for strong desires are hasty and impatient of satisfaction. Aluib's eager desire of Naboth's vineyard cast him U})on his bed. The spouse was sick of love : Cant. v. 8, ' I charge ye, 0 ye daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him that I am sick of love.' What ! desire, and nobody see it ? What ! desire, and you never feel such a strong