3. Young men, labour for strong desires; not after riches, and honours, and pleasures, and friends, though these things in their place, and order, and measure, may be desired; but if they be desired chiefly, if they be desired too strongly, the fruit will be, not the looked for good and satisfaction, but disappoint and vexation to your selves, besides the displeasing of God hereby: But let your desires follow your love; let them be carried forth chiefly, and most strongly towards God, and the things which concern his Kingdom and Glory, your own peace and salvation. Because you lie under the guilt and power of sin without a Christ, labour in the first place after strong, earnest, thirsting desires after Jesus ⟨p. 41⟩Christ and his Righteousness, that you may have your sins pardoned, and hearts renewed: Cry out, None but Christ, none but Christ; give us a Saviour, or else we are lost; give us Christ, or else we die and perish eternally: Let your strong wishes be, O that we had an interest in Christ! O that our hearts were united and joined to Christ! O for a drop of his blood to sprinkle our consciences! O that he would undertake for us! that he would be our Advocate to plead for us, and reconcile us unto the Father! Let your prayers be, Lord, thou hast given thy Son for us, give thy Son to us; thou holdest forth thy Son, help us to lay hold on him; thou callest us to thy Son by thy Word, draw us to thy Son by thy Spirit; thou hast put thy Son to death for sin, and accepted of the sacrifice which he hath offered, O that our sins might be forgiven upon his account! Let your desires go forth strongly after the favour of God; there are many that say, Who will show us any good! Lord, show us thy face! Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us! Desire earnestly with David, the presence and communion with God in his Ordinances, as Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, &c. And Psal. 42. 1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee O God; my soul thirsteth for God, for the Living God, when shall I come and appear before God! Many young men have earnest desires after the company of their friends, that are of pleasant conversation;
3. Young men, labour for strong desires; not after riches, and honours, and pleasures, and friends, though these things in their place, and order, and measure, may be desired; but if they be desired chiefly, if they be desired too strongly, the fruit will be, not the looked for good and satisfaction, but disappoint and vexation to your selves, besides the displeasing of God hereby: But let your desires follow your love; let them be carried forth chiefly, and most strongly towards God, and the things which concern his Kingdom and Glory, your own peace and salvation. Because you lie under the guilt and power of sin without a Christ, labour in the first place af•er strong, earn•st, thirsting desires after Jesus ⟨p. 41⟩Christ and his Righteousness, that you may have your sins pardoned, and hearts renewed: Cry out, None but Christ, none but Christ; give us a Saviour, or else we are lost; give us Christ, or else we die and perish eternally: Let your strong wishes be, O that we had an interest in Christ! O that our hearts were united and joyned to Christ! O for a drop of his blood to sprinkle our consciences! O that he would undertake for us! that he would be our Advocate to plead for us, and reconcile us unto the Father! Let your prayers be, Lord, thou hast given thy Son for us, give thy Son to us; thou holdest forth thy Son, help us to lay hold on him; thou callest us to thy Son by thy Word, draw us to thy Son by thy Spirit; thou hast put thy Son to death for sin, and accepted of the sacrifice which he hath offered, O that our sins might be forgiven upon his account! Let your desires go forth strongly after the favour of God; there are many that say, Who will shew us any good! Lord, shew us thy face! Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us! Desire earnestly with David, the presence and communion with God in his Ordinances, as Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, to dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, &c. And Psal. 42. 1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee O God; my soul thirsteth for God, for the Living God, when shall I come and appear before God! Many young men have earnest desires after the company of their friends, that are of pleasant conversation;
