And is it thus with thy soul indeed? Happy man! It is grace that has thy soul, though sin at present works in thy flesh. Yea, all these breathings are the very actings of grace, even of the grace of desire, of love, of humility, and of the fear of God within thee. Be of good courage, thou art on the right side. Thy desires are only good; for that thou hast desired against thy sin, thy sinful self; which indeed is not thyself, but sin that dwells in thee.[9]
[The distinct or particular desires of the righteous.]
Second. I come next to speak of desires more distinctly, or particularly, as they work this way and that. First, then, the desires of the righteous are either such as they would have accomplished here; or else, Second, such as they know they cannot come at the enjoyment of till after death.
[Desires that may be accomplished or enjoyed in this life.]
First. For the first of these, the desires of the righteous are for such good things as they could have accomplished here; that is, in this world, while they are on this side glory. And they, in general, are comprised under these two general heads:—1. Communion with their God in spirit, or spiritual communion with him; 2. The liberty of the enjoyment of his holy ordinances. And, indeed, this second is, that they may both attain to, and have the first maintained with them. But for the first:
1. They desire now communion with God. 'With my soul,' said she, 'have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early' (Isa 26:9). The reason of this she renders in the verse foregoing, saying, 'The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.'
Now, thus to desire, declares one already made righteous. For herein there appears a mind reconciled to God. Wherefore the wicked are set on the other side, even in that opposition to these; 'they say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways' (Job 21:14). They neither love his presence, nor to be frequenters of his ordinances. 'What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him?' (Job 21:15). So, again, speaking of the wicked, he saith, 'Ye have said it is vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance?' (Mal 3:14). This, then, to desire truly to have communion with God, is the property of a righteous man, of a righteous man only; for this desire arises from a suitableness which is in the righteous unto God; 'Whom,' said the Prophet, 'have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee' (Psa 73:25). This could never be the desire of a man, were he not a righteous man, a man with a truly sanctified mind. 'The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be' (Rom 8:7).
When Moses, the man of God, was with the children of Israel in the wilderness, he prays that God would give them his presence unto Canaan, or else to let them die in that place. It was death to him to think of being in the wilderness without God! And he said unto God, 'If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence' (Exo 33:14,15). Here, then, are the desires of a righteous man—namely, after communion with God. He chooses rather to be a stranger with God in the world, than to be a citizen of the world and a stranger to God. 'For I am,' said David, 'a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were' (Psa 39:12). Indeed, he that walketh with God is but a stranger to this world. And the righteous man's desires are to, for, and after communion with God, though he be so.
The reasons of these desires are many. In communion with God is life and favour; yea, the very presence of God with a man is a token of it (Psa 30:3-5). For by his presence he helps, succours, relieves, and supports the hearts of his people, and therefore is communion with him desired. 'I will,' said David, 'behave myself wisely in a perfect way; O when wilt thou come unto me?' (Psa 101:2). The pleasures that such a soul finds in God that has communion with him are surpassing all pleasures and delights, yea, infinitely surpassing them. 'In thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore' (Psa 16:11). Upon this account he is called the desire of all nations—of all in all nations that know him. Job desired God's presence, that he might reason with God. 'Surely,' said he, 'I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God' (Job 13:3). And again, 'O that one would hear me! Behold my desire is that the Almighty would answer me' (Job 31:35). But why doth Job thus desire to be in the presence of God! O! he knew that God was good, and that he would speak to him that which would do him good. 'Will he plead against me with his great power? No: but he would put strength into me. There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge' (Job 23:6,7).
God's presence is the safety of a man. If God be with one, who can hurt one? As HE said, 'If God be for us, who can be against us?' Now, if so much safety flows from God's being for one, how safe are we when God is with us? 'The beloved of the Lord,' said Moses, 'shall dwell in safety by him, and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders' (Deut 33:12). God's presence keeps the heart awake to joy, and will make a man sing in the night (Job 35:10). 'Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them?' (Matt 9:15). God's presence is feasting, and feasting is made for mirth (Rev 3:20; Eccl 10:19). God's presence keeps the heart tender, and makes it ready to fall in with what is made known as duty or privilege (Isa 64:1). 'I will run the ways of thy commandments,' said the Psalmist, 'when thou shalt enlarge my heart' (Psa 119:32). The presence of God makes a man affectionately and sincerely good; yea, makes him willing to be searched and stripped from all the remains of iniquity (Psa 26:1-3).