One Hundred and Ninety Sermons on Psalm 119

The USE. Here is first a note of discovery; for men are judged by their desires, rather than their practices, as being freest from constraint: And this is humbly represented by the children of God, to incline his favour and compassion to them. Nehem. 1. 11. Let thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name. They come short in many things, but they desire to fear God. Isa. 26. 8. The desires of our soul are to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. They could speak little of what they had done for God. Paul was better at willing than performing, till freed from this body of death, Rom. 7. 18. For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not. This will be our best evidence to the last, Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes.

But may not wicked men have good desires?

Ans. They may have a loose inclination to good things, but not a full resolution for God. Wicked men have an enlightened conscience, but no renewed wills. This enlightened conscience may carry them so far, as to some general approbation of the things of God, which may produce a wish that they were so and so; but this doth no good to the heart. Sparks do not kindle the fire, but coals; a spark is enough to set us on fire in carnal matters, but not in spiritual. More distinctly:

Ans. They may have a loose inclination to good things, but not a full resolution for God. Wicked men have an enlightned conscience, but no renewed wills. This enlightned conscience may carry them so far, as to some general approbation of the things of God, which may produce a wish that they were so and so; but this doth no good to the heart. Sparks do not kindle the fire, but coals; a spark is enough to set us on fire in carnal matters, but not in spiritual. More distinctly: