* One thing have I desu-ed of the Lord.'
The reason why we should, in all our desires, make our desires known to God, is to keep our acquaintance continually with God. We have continual use of desires of grace, and desires of mortification of corruptions, and of fi'eedom from this and that evil that is uj^on us. As many desires as we have, let them be so many prayers ; turn our desires into prayers to God, and so maintain our acquaintance with God. And we shall never come fi'om God
* Misprinted ' Ezechias' = Hezekiah. — G.
t Couf. A remiuiscence rather than translation, of a recurring sentiment in tho ' Confessions.' — G.
A BBEATHING AFTER GOD. 223
witliout a blessing and comfort. He never sends any out of his presence empty, that come with a gracious heart, that know what they desire. And it brings peace with it, wlaen we make our desires known to God by our prayer. It brings ' peace that passeth understanding,' PhiHp. iv. Put case God doth not hear our request, that he doth not gi-ant what we ask. ' The peace of God which passeth understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds.' So that when we put up our requests to God with thankfulness for what we have received, the soul wiU find peace. Therefore I say, let us turn all our desires into prayers, to maintain perpetual communion and acquaintance with God. Oh ! it is a gainful and comfortable acquaintance.
It is an argument, and sign of a good conscience, for a man to go oft to God with his desires. It is a sign that he is not in a wicked coui-se ; for then he dares not appeal to the presence of God. Sore eyes cannot endure the Hght ; and a galled conscience cannot endure God's presence. There- fore it is good to come oft into the presence of God. It shews that the heart doth not regard iniquity. * If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my prayers.' Ps. Ixvi. 18. It is an argument of a good con- science to come oft into the presence of God. But I will not enter into the common place of prayer.
We see next his earnestness, ' I have desired it of the Lord, and I will seek after it.''
I will foUow God still. Here is his importunity in prayer, his feiwency, his uncessancy and perseverance, as the apostle exhorts, he persevered in prayer, Eph. vi. 18. ' I will seek after it.' In prayer, and in the use of all good means, I will do what I can. So you see one qualification of prayer, it must be uith perseverance and importunity. God loves importunate suitors. Though we cannot endui'e to be troubled with such persons, yet God loves importunate suitors, as we see in Luke xviii. 1-8, in the parable of the widow. God there vouchsafes to compare himself to an unrighteous judge, that ' cared neither for God nor man,' yet the importunity of the widow moved him to regard her. So the poor church of God, she is hke a widow, with her hair hanging about her. ' This is Zion, whom none regardeth ; ' yet this widow, the poor chm-ch of God, and every particular member of it, they are importunate with the Judge of heaven and earth, with God ; and will not he more regard the importunity of his children whom he loves, and dehghts in, that ' caU upon him day and night' ? Ps. cii. 2, will not he re- gard their petitions, when an unrighteous judge shall care for the impor- tunity of a poor widow ? Thus you see the excellent frait of importimity in our blessed Saviour himself, and here in David, ' I will seek after it,' I will have no nay. Therefore we are exhorted in the Scriptures, not to keep silence, to give God no rest. ' You that are the Lord's remembrancers, keep not silence, give him no rest.' As Jacob with the angel, wrestle with him, leave him not tiU we have a blessing. As the woman of Canaan, let us follow him still, and take no nay. Oh this is a blessed violence, be- loved, when we can set upon God, and will have no nay, but renew suit upon suit, and desu-e on desire, and never leave till our petitions be answered. Can the hypocrite pray alway ? Would you know a comfort- able note to distinguish an hypocrite fi-om a true Christian ? take it hence, will the hypocrite pray alway ? Sometimes he will pray ; but if God answer him not presently he gives over ; but God's children pray always, if the ground be good, if they see the excellency of the thing, and the neces- sity, and withal join at the amiableness of it, that it may be gotten. When they see the excellency, and the necessity and usefulness of the thing, and
224 A BKEATHING AFTER GOD.
the attainableness of it, and that it is attainable in the use of means, they need no more, they will never give over. That is the reason of that in the petitions, ' Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,' Mat. vi. 10. But can we do the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven ? and doth God's glorious kingdom of heaven come while we are here on earth ? No ; it doth not, but the soul that is guided with the spirit of prayer, it rests not in this or that degree, but prays till it be in heaven, ' Thy kingdom come.' I have grace now, but I desire glory. ' Thy will be done.' I desire to do it as thy saints in heaven, though I cannot do it ; but I desire, and I wiU not give God rest, but pray, till all my prayers be answered in heaven ; and then I shall do the will of God as it is done in heaven indeed. Thus we ought eagerly, and constantly to persevere in our desires, till they be fully satisfied, or else we are but hypo- crites.