The spiritual favourite at the throne of grace. By the late learned, and reverend…The spirituall favorite at the throne of grace. By the late learned, and reverend…

Regard thy servants that desire to fear thy name: ¹For to come to God without such a f•ame of soul as this, to ⟨p. 33⟩desire to please God in all things for the present, & for the time to come, it is to come as Gods enemy; & will God regard his enemies? When one comes with a purpose to live in any sin, without a desire for the time to come, to regard all Gods Commandments, he comes as Gods enemy: he comes as it were with his dagge to shoot at God, he comes with his weapon. Who will regard the petition of a man that comes to wound him at the same time? Whe• a man comes to God with a purpose to sin, he comes to wound God at the same time as an ⟨p. 34⟩enemy, and is he like to speed? For what are our sins, but that that makes us enemies to God? they are opposite to him as can be, they make us hateful to God. Therefore we must be able to say with good Nehemiah, when we come to God to make it good that we are servants indeed, We desire to fear thy name. As Jeremiah tells them, Jer. 7. Will you steal and oppress and commit adultery, and yet stand before me? will you do this and this villainy, and stand before me? What hast thou to do (saith God) Psalm 50. to take my name into thy mouth and hatest to be reformed? ⟨p. 35⟩If we hate to be reformed, and do not desire to serve God for the time to come, what have we to do to take his name into our mouths, especially in the holy exercise of prayer? Psalm 66. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer. If a man do but regard to live in iniquity for the time to come, the Lord will not hear his prayer. Therefore if we will be able to prevail with God in our petitions, we must say with holy Nehemiah, We desire for the time to come to fear thy name. I beseech you let us remember it.

REgard thy servants that desire to feare thy name: ¹For to come to God without such a f•ame of soule as this, to ⟨p. 33⟩desire to please God in all things for the presēt, & for the time to come, it is to come as Gods enēy; & wil God regard his enemies? When one comes with a purpose to live in any sin, without a desire for the time to come, to regard all Gods Commandements, he comes as Gods enemie: hee comes as it were with his dagge to shoote at God, hee comes with his weapon. Who will regard the petition of a man that comes to wound him at the same time? Whe• a man comes to God with a purpose to sinne, he comes to wound God at the same time as an ⟨p. 34⟩enemie, and is hee like to speede? For what are our sinnes, but that that makes us enemies to God? they are oposite to him as can be, they make us hateful to God. Therfore we must be able to say with good Nehemiah, when we come to God to make it good that wee are servants indeede, We desire to feare thy name. As Ieremias tells them, Ier. 7. Will you steale and oppresse and commit adultery, and yet stand before me? will you doe this and this villany, and stand before me? What hast thou to doe (saith God) Psalme 50. to take my name into thy mouth and hatest to be reformed? ⟨p. 35⟩If we hate to be reformed, and do not desire to serve God for the time to come, what have wee to doe to take his name into our mouthes, especially in the holy exercise of prayer? Psalme 66. If I regard iniquitie in my heart, the Lord will not heare my prayer. If a man doe but regard to live in iniquitie for the time to come, the Lord will not heare his prayer. Therefore if wee will bee able to prevaile with God in our petitions, we must say with holy Nehemiah, Wee desire for the time to come to feare thy name. I beseech you let us remember it.

1. 1Those that will prevail in prayer must look to the bent of their affections.Those that will prevaile in prayer must look to the bent of their affections.

And then (to omit other things) We desire to fear thy name, we see that

And then (to omit other things) Wee desire to feare thy name, we see that

Religion,¹ especially is in holy desires.

REligion,¹ especially is in holy desires.

1. 1Christianity consists especially in holy desires.

Why are desires, such trials of the truth of Grace?

Why are desires, such trialls of the truth of Grace?

Because they are the immediate issues of the soul:¹ desires, & thoughts and such like▪ they are produced immediately from the soul without any help of the body, or without any outward manifestation, they show the temper and frame of the soul. Thereupon God judgeth a man by his desires; and that which he desires, if it be a true desire, he shall ⟨p. 38⟩have and be partakers of. The godly man desires to serve God all the days of his life; and for ever he shall do it: a wicked man desires to offend God if he might live everlastingly: God looks upon him as his desire is, he shall not alway sin here: but because he hath an infinite desire of sin, he shall be punished, in hell eternally; God looks upon him as he desires, God values men by their desires.

Because they are the immediate issues of the soule:¹ desires, & thoughts and such like▪ they are produced immediately from the soule without any help of the body, or without any outward manifestation, they shew the temper and frame of the soule. Thereupon God judgeth a man by his desires; and that which he desires, if it bee a true desire, hee shall ⟨p. 38⟩have and be partakers of. The godly man desires to serve God all the dayes of his life; and for ever hee shall doe it: a wicked man desires to offend God if he might live everlastingly: God lookes upon him as his desire is, he shall not alway sinne here: but because hee hath an infinite desire of sin, he shall bee punished, in hell eternally; God lookes upon him as he desires, God values men by their desires.

1. 1Holy desires the immediate issues of the soul.Holy desires the imediate issues of the soule.

But how are the truth of these desires known?

But how are the truth of these desires knowne?

I will name a few signs.¹ The truth of those desires ⟨p. 39⟩may be tried thus,² if they §1be constant desires, and not flashes: for then they come from a new nature. Nature is strong and firm: Art is for a turn, to serve a turn: when men personate a thing they do it not long; creatures that are forced to do so and so, they return to their own nature quickly: but when a man doth a thing naturally, he doth it constantly. So constant desires argue a sanctified frame of soul and a new creature; they argue that the image of God is stamped upon the soul. Thereupon we may know that they are holy desires, that ⟨p. 40⟩that they spring from a holy soul, if they be constant, if they be perpetual desires, and not as a torrent that is vented for the present on a sudden, and then comes to nothing after: they are constant.

I will name a few signes.¹ The truth of those desires ⟨p. 39⟩may be tryed thus,² if they §1be constant desires, and not flashes: for then they come from a new nature. Nature is strong and firme: Art is for a turne, to serve a turne: when men personate a thing they doe it not long; creatures that are forced to doe so and so, they returne to their own nature quickly: but when a man doth a thing naturally, he doth it constantly. So constant desires argue a sanctified frame of soule and a new creature; they argue that the image of God is stamped upon the soule. Therupon wee may know that they are holy desires, that ⟨p. 40⟩that they spring from a holy soule, if they be constant, if they be perpetuall desires, and not as a torrent that is vented for the present on a sudden, and then comes to nothing after: they are constant.

And likewise,¹ if these desires be hearty strong desires, and not only strong but growing desires; desire upon desire; desire fed with desire still, never satisfied till they be satisfied. Strong and growing desires argue the truth of desires: as indeed a child of God hath never grace enough, never faith enough, never love enough, or comfort enough, till he come to ⟨p. 41⟩heaven. They are growing desires more & more: the Spirit of God that is the spring in him, springs up still further and further, till it spring to everlasting life, till it end in heaven, where all desires shall be accomplished, and all promises performed, and all imperfections removed, till then they are growing desires still. We desire to fear thy Name, and to please thee in all things.

And likewise,¹ if these desires be hearty strong desires, and not onely strong but growing desires; desire upon desire; desire fed with desire still, never satisfied till they be satisfied. Strong and growing desires argue the truth of desires: as indeede a childe of God hath never grace enough, never faith enough, never love enough, or comfort enough, till he come to ⟨p. 41⟩heaven. They are growing desires more & more: the Spirit of God that is the spring in him, springs up still further and further, till it spring to everlasting life, till it end in heaven, where all desires shall be accomplished, and all promises performed, and all imperfections removed, till then they are growing desires still. Wee desire to feare thy Name, and to please thee in all things.

1. 1If strong and growing.

Again, true desires,§3 they are not only of the favour ¹of God, but of graces for the altering of our nature: as Nehemiah here, he desires not the favour of God ⟨p. 42⟩so much, as he desires to fear Gods Name. Now when desire is of graces, it is a holy desire. You have not the worst men, but would desire with Balaam, to dye the death of the righteous, &c. that they might enjoy the portion of Gods people: but to desire grace, that is opposite to corrupt nature, as fire and water, this is an argument of a holy principle of grace in us, whence this desire springs, when we desire that, that is a counter poison to corrupt nature, that hath an antitipathy to corruption. Therefore, when a man from the bottom of his ⟨p. 43⟩heart can desire, oh! that I could serve God better, that I had more liberty to serve him, that I had a heart more enlarged, more mortified, more weaned from the world; Oh! that I could fear God more. And of all graces, if it be a true desire, it is of such graces as may curb us of our sinful delights, and restrain us of our carnal liberty, and knit us near to God, and make us more heavenly minded: the desire of these graces show a true temper of soul indeed.

Againe, true desires,§3 they are not onely of the favour ¹of God, but of graces for the altring of our nature: as Nehemiah here, he desires not the favor of God ⟨p. 42⟩so much, as he desires to feare Gods Name. Now when desire is of graces, it is a holy desire. You have not the worst men, but would desire with Balaam, to dye the death of the righteous, &c. that they might injoy the portion of Gods people: but to desire grace, that is opposite to corrupt nature, as fire and water, this is an argument of a holy principle of grace in us, whence this desire springs, when we desire that, that is a counter poyson to corrupt nature, that hath an antitipathy to corruption. Therefore, when a man from the bottome of his

True desire is carried to §4grace as well as glory, ¹and the desire of heaven it self. ⟨p. 44⟩A true spirit, that is touched with grace, with the Spirit of God; it desireth not heaven it self so much for the glory, and peace, and abundance of all contentments, as it desires it, that it is a place where it shall be freed from sin, and where the heart shall be enlarged to love God, to serve God, & to cleave to God for ever: and as it is a condition wherein he shall have the image and resemblance of Jesus Christ perfectly upon his soul: Therefore we pray Thy Kingdom come, that is, we desire that thou wouldest rule more and more largely in our souls, and subdue ⟨p. 45⟩all opposite power in us, and bring into captivity all our desires and affections, and let thy Kingdom come more and more. Let thy will be done by us, and in us more and more, In earth as it is in heaven. Here is a sweet prayer now serving to the first petition, the hallowing of Gods name, when we desire more to honour God, and to that purpose that he may rule in us more, and make us better: these desires argue an excellent frame of soul, as we see in Nehemiah, our desire is to fear thy §5Name.²

True desire is carried to §4grace as well as glory, ¹and the desire of heaven it selfe. ⟨p. 44⟩A true spirit, that is touched with grace, with the Spirit of God; it desireth not heaven it self so much for the glory, and peace, and abundance of all contentments, as it desires it, that it is a place where it shall be freed from sinne, and where the heart shall be inlarged to love God, to serve God, & to cleave to God for ever: and as it is a condition wherein he shall have the image and resemblance of Iesus Christ perfectly upon his soule: Therefore wee pray Thy Kingdome come, that is, we desire that thou wouldest rule more and more largly in our soules, and subdue

True desires are likewise to the means of salvation▪ ⟨p. 46⟩and to the means of salvation as they convey grace, as sincere milk; as you have it 1 Pet. 2.¹ As new borne babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word. Where a man hath holy desires of any grace, and hath them in truth, he will desire those means, whereby those graces may most effectually be wrought in his heart: therefore he will hear the word, as the word of God; he comes not to hear the Word because of the eloquence of the man that delivers it, that mingles it with his own parts, he comes not to hear it as the tongue of man: but he ⟨p. 47⟩sees God in it; it is the powerful Word of God, because there goes the efficacy of the Spirit with it, to work the graces he desires.

True desires are likewise to the meanes of salvation▪ ⟨p. 46⟩and to the meanes of salvation as they convay grace, as sincere milke; as you have it 1 Pet. 2.¹ As new borne babes, desire the sincere milke of the Word. Where a man hath holy desires of any grace, and hath them in truth, hee will desire those meanes, whereby those graces may most effectually bee wrought in his heart: therefore hee will heare the word, as the word of God; hee comes not to heare the Word because of the eloquence of the man that delivers it, that mingles it with his owne parts, hee comes not to heare it as the tongue of man: but he ⟨p. 47⟩sees God in it; it is the powerfull Word of God, because there goes the efficacie of the Spirit with it, to worke the graces he desires.

Therefore a man may know by his taste of divine truth, whether he desire grace: he that desires grace, desires the means that may convey grace, and especially so far as they convey grace. As new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the Word. You cannot still a child with any thing but milk, he desires no blending or mixing, but only milk: so a true Christian desires divine truths most; because ⟨p. 48⟩the Spirit of God is effectual by them, to work grace and comfort in him. I will not enlarge my self in the point.

Therefore a man may know by his tast of divine truth, whether he desire grace: hee that desires grace, desires the meanes that may convay grace, and especially so farre as they convay grace. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word. You cannot still a childe with any thing but milke, he desires no blending or mixing, but onely milke: so a true Christian desires divine truthes most; because ⟨p. 48⟩the Spirit of God is effectuall by them, to worke grace and comfort in him. I will not inlarge my selfe in the point.

The comfortable observation hence is this,¹ that weak Christians,² that find a debility, and faintness, and feebleness in their performances; hence they may comfort themselves, by their desire to fear God, and to worship God, and to serve him: if their desires be true. Therefore in Isaiah 26. the Church allegeth it to God, in the way of thy judgements have we sought thee, &c. The desire of our souls is towards thy Name: ⟨p. 49⟩they bring it as a prevailing argument to God. So when we come to God, The desire of our souls is toward thy Name. Lord our endeavours are weak and feeble, but the desire of our souls is to thy name, and thou wilt not quench the smoking flax: therefore we come to thee with these weak and poor desires that we have: The Lord will fulfil the desires of them that fear him, Psal. 145.³ If they be but desires, if they be true, and growing, and constant desires, and desires of grace as well as of happiness, as I showed before.

The comfortable observation hence is this,¹ that weak Christians,² that finde a debilitie, and faintnesse, and feeblenesse in their performances; hence they may comfort themselves, by their desire to feare God, and to worship God, and to serve him: if their desires bee true. Therefore in Isaiah 26. the Church alledgeth it to God, in the way of thy judgements have we sought thee, &c. The desire of our soules is towards thy Name: ⟨p. 49⟩they bring it as a prevailing argument to God. So when we come to God, The desire of our soules is toward thy Name. Lord our indeavours are weake and feeble, but the desire of our soules is to thy name, and thou wilt not quench the smoaking flax: therefore wee come to thee with these weake and poore desires that we have: The Lord will fulfill the desires of them that feare him,

The reason why God ⟨p. 50⟩accepts them, is partly because they spring from his own spirit: these desires they are the breathings of the spirit. ¹For even as it is in places where fountains and springs are digged up,² they are known and discovered by vapours, the vapours show that there is some water there, some spring, if it were digged up: so these desires, these breathings to God for grace and comfort, these spiritual breathings, they show that there is a spring within, and spirit within, whence these vapours and desires come; therefore they are accepted of God, because they spring from ⟨p. 51⟩his own Spirit.

The reason why God ⟨p. 50⟩accepts them, is partly because they spring from his owne spirit: these desires they are the breathings of the spirit. ¹For even as it is in places where fountaines and springs are digged up,² they are knowne and discovered by vapors, the vapors shew that there is some water there, some spring, if it were digged up: so these desires, these breathings to God for grace and comfort, these spirituall breathings, they shew that there is a spring within, and spirit within, whence these vapors and desires come; therefore they are accepted of God, because they spring from ⟨p. 51⟩his owne Spirit.

1. 1Why God accepts of desires. Because they are the breathings of his Spirit.
2. 2Simile.

And because they are pointed to heaven-ward,¹ to show that a man is turned; for it is put here instead of turning, Turn ye to me, saith the Lord; and he answereth here instead of turning, My desire is to fear thy name. Because, when the desire is altered, then the frame of the soul is altered, a man is turned another way; the desire is the weight of the soul. What carries the soul, but desire? Now when the soul is carried another way then before, it argues an alteration of the frame, therefore it pleaseth God to accept of them.

And because they are pointed to heaven-ward,¹ to shew that a man is turned; for it is put here instead of turning, Turne yee to me, saith the Lord; and he answereth here instead of turning, My desire is to feare thy name. Because, when the desire is altered, then the frame of the soule is altered, a man is turned another way; the desire is the weight of the soule. What carries the soule, but desire? Now when the soule is carried another way then before, it argues an alteration of the frame, therefore it pleaseth God to accept of thē.

1. 1Because they manifest the change of the soul.Because they manifest the change of the soule.