One Hundred and Ninety Sermons on Psalm 119

3. Such desires as are active and industrious, not a remiss will, Prov. 13. 4. The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. Cold raw wishes are unuseful and fruitless; we must work as well as wish. Poor languid unactive desires come to nothing, when men do not put forth their endeavours, and apply themselves to the prosecution of what is desired. Faint and sluggish velleities do hurt, Prov. 21. 25. The desires of the slothful killeth him, for his hands refuseth labour. Whatever a man doth seriously desire to have, he will use proper means to procure it. Wishes are but the fruits of a speculative fancy, rather than an industrious affection.

4. Such desires as are constant and not easily controlled by other desires. Idle lazy wishes, uneffectual glances, sudden motions, while their hearts are detained in the speculation of holiness, are like children's desires, soon put out of the humour. There may be vehement and sudden lustings in an unregenerated person; free-will hath its pangs of devotion. But the Apostle declares, Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. 'Tis a constant habitual will, not a volatile devotion, that cometh upon us now and then, but such a will as is present, as sin is present. He had said before, When I would do good, evil is present with me. Whithersoever you go you carry a sinning nature about with you. 'Tis present urging the heart to vanity, folly, lust; so should this will be present with you urging the heart to good.

4. Such desires as are constant and not easily controuled by other desires. Idle lazy wishes, uneffectual glances, sudden motions, while their hearts are detained in the speculation of holiness, are like childrens desires, soon put out of the humour. There may be vehement and sudden lustings in an unregenerated person; free-will hath its pangs of devotion. But the Apostle declares,