Works of John Bunyan Volume I Part 189

(1.) He is taken sometimes as to or for his best part, or as he is a second creation, as these scriptures declare: 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature,--all things are become new' (2 Cor 5:17). 'Created in Christ Jesus' (Eph 2:10). 'Born of G.o.d' (John 3; 1 John 3:9). Become heavenly things, renewed after the image of him that created them: Colossians 3:10; Hebrews 9:23 and the like.

By all which places, the sinful flesh, the old man, the law of sin, the outward man, all which are corrupt according to the deceitful l.u.s.ts, are excluded, and so pared off from the man, as he is righteous; for his 'delight in the law of G.o.d' is 'after the inward man.' And Paul himself was forced thus to distinguish of himself, before he could come to make a right judgment in this matter; saith he, 'That which I do, I allow not; what I would, do I not; but what I hate, that do I.' See you not here how he cleaves himself in twain, severing himself as he is spiritual, from himself as he is carnal; and ascribeth his motions to what is good to himself only as he is spiritual, or the new man: 'If then I do that which I would not, I consent to the law that it is good' (Rom 7).

But I trow, Sir, your consenting to what is good is not by that part which doth do what you would not; no, no, saith he, that which doth do what I would not, I disown, and count it no part of sanctified Paul: 'Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me; for--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: for the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do: Now, if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me' (Rom 7). Thus you see Paul is forced to make two men of himself, saying, I and I; I do; I do not; I do, I would not do; what I hate, that I do. Now it cannot be the same I unto whom these contraries are applied; but his sinful flesh is one I, and his G.o.dly mind the other: and indeed so he concludes it in this chapter, saying, 'So then with the mind I myself serve the law of G.o.d, but with the flesh the law of sin.'

Thus therefore the Christian man must distinguish concerning himself; and doing so, he shall find, though he has flesh, and as he is such, he hath l.u.s.ts contrary to G.o.d: yet as he is a new creature, he allows not, but hates the motions and desires of the flesh, and consents to, and wills and delights in the law of G.o.d (Rom 15:17-22).

Yea, as a new creature, he can do nothing else: for the new man, inward man, or hidden man of the heart, being the immediate work of the Holy Ghost, and consisting only of that which is divine and heavenly, cannot breathe, or act, or desire to act, in ways and courses that are carnal. Wherefore, in this sense, or as the righteous man is thus considered, 'his desires are only good.'

(2.) As the righteous man must here be taken for the best part, for the I that would do good, for the I that hates the evil; so again, we must consider of the desires of this righteous man, as they flow from that fountain of grace, which is the Holy Ghost within him; and as they are immediately mixed with those foul channels, in and through which they must pa.s.s, before they can be put forth into acts. For though the desire, as to its birth, and first being, is only good; yet before it comes into much motion, it gathers that from the defilements of the pa.s.sages through which it comes, as makes it to bear a tang of flesh and weakness in the skirts of it; and the evil that dwells in us is so universal, and also always so ready, that as sure as there is any motion to what is good, so sure evil is present with it; 'for when' or whenever 'I would do good,' says Paul, 'evil is present with me' (Rom 7:21). Hence it follows, that all our graces, and so our desires, receive disadvantage by our flesh, that mixing itself with what is good, and so abates the excellency of the good.

There is a spring that yieldeth water good and clear, but the channels through which this water comes to us are muddy, foul, or dirty: now, of the channels the waters receive a disadvantage, and so come to us as savouring of what came not with them from the fountain, but from the channels. This is the cause of the coolness, and of the weakness, of the flatness, and of the many extravagancies that attend some of our desires. They come warm from the Spirit and grace of G.o.d in us; but as hot water running through cold pipes, or as clear water running through dirty conveyances, so our desires [cool and] gather soil.

You read in Solomon's Ecclesiastes of a time when desires fail, for that 'man goeth to his long home' (Eccl 12:5). And as to good desires, there is not one of them, when we are in our prime, but they fail also as to the perfecting of that which a man desires to do. 'To will is present with me,' says Paul, 'but how to perform that which is good I find not' (Rom 7:18). To will or to desire, that is present with me, but when I have willed or desired to do, to perform is what I cannot attain to. But why not attain to a performance? Why, says he, I find a law 'in my members warring against the law of my mind'; and this law takes me prisoner, and brings 'me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members'

(Rom 7:23). Now, where things willed and desired meet with such obstructions, no marvel if our willing and desiring, though they set out l.u.s.tily at the beginning, come yet lame home in conclusion.

There is a man, when he first prostrates himself before G.o.d, doth it with desires as warm as fire coals; but erewhile he finds, for all that, that the metal of those desires, were it not revived with fresh supplies, would be quickly spent and grow cold.[6] But yet the desire is good, and only good, as it comes from the breathing of the Spirit of G.o.d within us. We must therefore, as I said, distinguish betwixt what is good and that which doth annoy it, as gold is to be distinguished from the earth and dross that doth attend it. The man that believed desired to believe better, and so cries out, 'Lord, help mine unbelief' (Mark 9:24). The man that feared G.o.d desired to fear him better, saying, 'I desire to fear thy name' (Neh 1:11). But these desires failed, as to the performance of what was begun, so that they were forced to come off but lamely, as to their faith and fear they had; yet the desires were true, good, and such as was accepted of G.o.d by Christ; not according to what they had not, but as to those good motions which they had.

Distinguish then the desires of the righteous in the nature of them, from that corruption and weakness of ours that cleaveth to them, and then again, 'they are only good.'

(3.) There is another thing to be considered, and that is, the different frames that our inward man is in while we live as pilgrims in the world. A man, as he is not always well without, so neither is he always well within. Our inward man is subject to transient, though not to utter decays (Isa 1:5). And as it is when the outward man is sick, strength and stomach, and l.u.s.t, or desire fails, so it is when our inward man has caught a cold likewise (Eze 34:4).

The inward man I call the new creature, of which the Spirit of G.o.d is the support, as my soul supports my body. But, I say, this new man is not always well. He knows nothing that knows not this. Now being sick, things fail. As when a man is not in health of body, his pulse beats so as to declare that he is sick; so when a man is not well within, his inward pulse, which are his desires--for I count the desires for the pulse of the inward man--they also declare that the man is not well within. They beat too little after G.o.d, weak and faintly after grace; they also have their halts, they beat not evenly, as when the soul is well, but so as to manifest all is not well there.

We read that the church of Sardis was under sore sickness, insomuch that some of her things were quite dead, and they that were not so were yet ready to die (Rev 3:2). Yet 'life is life,' we say, and as long as there is a pulse, or breath, though breath scarce able to shake a feather, we cast not away all hope of life. Desires, then, though they be weak, are, notwithstanding, true desires, if they be the desires of the righteous thus described, and therefore are truly good, according to our text. David says he 'opened his mouth and panted,' for he longed for G.o.d's commandments (Psa 119:131). This was a sickness, but not such a one as we have been speaking of. The spouse also cried out that she was 'sick of love.'

Such sickness would do us good, for in it the pulse beats strongly well (Cant 5:8).

[Some objections answered.]

Object. But it may be objected, I am yet in doubt of the goodness of my desires, both because my desires run both ways, and because those that run towards sin and the world seem more and stronger than those that run after G.o.d, and Christ, and grace.

Answ. There is not a Christian under heaven but has desires that run both ways, as is manifest from what hath been said already.

Flesh will be flesh; grace shall not make it otherwise. By flesh I mean that body of sin and death that dwelleth in the G.o.dly (Rom 6:6). As grace will act according to its nature, so sin will act according to the nature of sin (Eph 2:3). Now, the flesh has desires, and the desires of the flesh and of the mind are both one in the unG.o.dly; thank G.o.d it is not so in thee! (Rom 7:24). The flesh, I say, hath its desires in the G.o.dly; hence it is said to l.u.s.t enviously; it l.u.s.ts against the Spirit; 'The flesh l.u.s.teth against the Spirit' (Gal 5:17). And if it be so audacious as to fly in the face of the Holy Ghost, wonder that thou art not wholly carried away with it! (Rom 7:25).

Object. But those desires that run to the world and sin seem most and strongest in me.

Answ. The works of the flesh are manifest; that is, more plainly discovered even in the G.o.dly than are the works of the Holy Ghost (Gal 5:19). And this their manifestation ariseth from these following particulars:

1. We know the least appearance of a sin better by its native hue than we know a grace of the Spirit. 2. Sin is sooner felt in its bitterness to and upon a sanctified soul than is the grace of G.o.d.

A little aloes will be sooner tasted than will much sweet, though mixed therewith. 3. Sin is dreadful and murderous in the sight of a sanctified soul: wherefore the apprehending of that makes us often forget, and often question whether we have any grace or no.

4. Grace lies deep in the hidden part, but sin lies high, and floats above in the flesh; wherefore it is easier, oftener seen than is the grace of G.o.d (Psa 51:6). The little fishes swim on the top of the water, but the biggest and best keep down below, and so are seldomer seen. 5. Grace, as to quant.i.ty, seems less than sin. What is leaven, or a grain of mustard seed, to the bulky lump of a body of death (Matt 13:31-33). 6. Sin is seen by its own darkness, and also in the light of the Spirit; but the Spirit itself neither discovers itself, nor yet its graces, by every glance of its own light. 7. A man may have the Spirit busily at work in him, he may also have many of his graces in their vigorous acts, and yet may be greatly ignorant of either; wherefore we are not competent judges in this case. There may a thousand acts of grace pa.s.s through thy soul, and thou be sensible of few, if any, of them.[7] 8. Do you think that he that repents, believes, loves, fears, or humbles himself before G.o.d, and acts in other graces too, doth always know what he doth? No, no; grace many times, even in a man, is acted by him, unawares unto him. Did Gideon, think you, believe that he was so strong in grace as he was? Nay, was he not ready to give the lie to the angel, when he told him G.o.d was with him? (Judg 6:12,13). Or what do you think of David, when he said he was cast off from G.o.d's eyes? (Psa 31:22). Or of Heman, when he said he was free among them whom G.o.d remembered no more? (Psa 88). Did these, then, see their graces so clear, as they saw themselves by their sins to be unworthy ones? I tell you it is a rare thing for some Christians to see their graces, but a thing very common for such to see their sins; yea, and to feel them too, in their l.u.s.ts and desires, to the shaking of their souls.

Quest. But since I have l.u.s.ts and desires both ways, how shall I know to which my soul adheres?

Answ. This may be known thus: 1. Which wouldest thou have prevail?

the desires of the flesh, or the l.u.s.ts of the spirit, whose side art thou of? Doth not thy soul now inwardly say, and that with a strong indignation, O let G.o.d, let grace, let my desires that are good, prevail against my flesh, for Jesus Christ his sake? 2.

What kind of secret wishes hast thou in thy soul when thou feelest the l.u.s.ts of thy flesh to rage? Dost thou not inwardly, and with indignation against sin, say, O that I might never, never feel one such motion more? O that my soul were so full of grace, that there might be longer no room for ever for the least l.u.s.t to come into my thoughts! 3. What kind of thoughts hast thou of thyself, now thou seest these desires of thine that are good so briskly opposed by those that are bad? Dost thou not say, O! I am the basest of creatures, I could even spew at myself? There is no man in all the world in my eyes so loathsome as myself is. I abhor myself; a toad is not so vile as I am.[8] O Lord, let me be anything but a sinner, anything, so thou subduest mine iniquities for me! 4. How dost thou like the discovery of that which thou thinkest is grace in other men? Dost thou not cry out, O, I bless them in my heart! O, methinks grace is the greatest beauty in the world! Yea, I could be content to live and die with those people that have the grace of G.o.d in their souls. A hundred times, and a hundred, when I have been upon my knees before G.o.d, I have desired, were it the will of G.o.d, that I might be in their condition. 5. How art thou when thou thinkest that thou thyself hast grace? O then, says the soul, I am as if I could leap out of myself; joy, joy, joy then is with my heart. It is, methinks, the greatest mercy under heaven to be made a gracious man.

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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d. '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 G.o.d. Wherefore the wicked are set on the other side, even in that opposition to these; 'they say unto G.o.d, 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 G.o.d, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance?' (Mal 3:14). This, then, to desire truly to have communion with G.o.d, 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 G.o.d; '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 G.o.d, for it is not subject to the law of G.o.d, neither indeed can be' (Rom 8:7).

When Moses, the man of G.o.d, was with the children of Israel in the wilderness, he prays that G.o.d 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 G.o.d! And he said unto G.o.d, '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 G.o.d. He chooses rather to be a stranger with G.o.d in the world, than to be a citizen of the world and a stranger to G.o.d. '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 G.o.d is but a stranger to this world. And the righteous man's desires are to, for, and after communion with G.o.d, though he be so.

The reasons of these desires are many. In communion with G.o.d is life and favour; yea, the very presence of G.o.d 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 G.o.d that has communion with him are surpa.s.sing all pleasures and delights, yea, infinitely surpa.s.sing 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 G.o.d's presence, that he might reason with G.o.d. 'Surely,' said he, 'I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with G.o.d' (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 G.o.d!

O! he knew that G.o.d 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).

G.o.d's presence is the safety of a man. If G.o.d be with one, who can hurt one? As HE said, 'If G.o.d be for us, who can be against us?'

Now, if so much safety flows from G.o.d's being for one, how safe are we when G.o.d 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).

G.o.d'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). G.o.d's presence is feasting, and feasting is made for mirth (Rev 3:20; Eccl 10:19). G.o.d'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 G.o.d 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).

What, what shall I say? G.o.d's presence is renewing, transforming, seasoning, sanctifying, commanding, sweetening, and enlightening to the soul! Nothing like it in all the world; his presence supplies all wants, heals all maladies, saves from all dangers; is life in death, heaven in h.e.l.l; all in all. No marvel, then, if the presence of, and communion with, G.o.d, is become the desire of a righteous man (Psa 26:9). To conclude this, by the presence of G.o.d being with us, it is known to ourselves, and to others, what we are. 'If thy presence,' said Moses, 'go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here, that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight, is it not in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth' (Exo 33:15,16).

They are then best known to themselves. They know they are his people, because G.o.d's presence is with them. Therefore he saith, 'My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest' (Exo 33:14). That is, let thee know that thou hast found grace in my sight, and art accepted of me. For if G.o.d withdraws himself, or hides his presence from his people, it is hard for them to bear up in the steadfast belief that they belong to him. 'Be not silent to me,' O Lord, said David, 'lest I become like them that go down into the pit' (Psa 28:1). 'Be not silent unto me,' that is, as he has it in another place, 'Hide not thy face from me. Hear me speedily, O Lord,' saith he, 'my spirit faileth; hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit' (Psa 143:7). So that G.o.d's presence is the desire of the righteous for this cause also, even for that by it they gather that G.o.d delighteth in them. 'By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemies doth not triumph over me' (Psa 41:11). And is this all? No.

'And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever' (Psa 41:12).

As by the presence of G.o.d being with us we know ourselves to be the people of G.o.d: so by this presence of G.o.d the world themselves are sometimes convinced who we are also.

Thus Abimelech saw that G.o.d was with Abraham (Gen 21:22). Thus Abimelech saw that G.o.d was with Isaac (Gen 26:20,29). Pharaoh knew that G.o.d was with Joseph (Gen 41:38). Saul 'saw and knew that the Lord was with David' (1 Sam 18:28). Saul's servant knew that the Lord was with Samuel (1 Sam 9:6). Belshazzar's queen knew, also, that G.o.d was with Daniel. Darius knew, also, that G.o.d was with Daniel.

And when the enemy saw the boldness of Peter and John, 'they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus' (Acts 4:13). The girl that was a witch, knew that Paul was a servant of the most high G.o.d (Acts 16:17). There is a glory upon them that have G.o.d with them, a glory that sometimes glances and flashes out into the faces of those that behold the people of G.o.d; 'And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly upon him, saw Stephen's face, as it had been the face of an angel'; such rays of Divine majesty did show themselves therein (Acts 6:15).

The reason is, for that, (1.) such have with them the wisdom of G.o.d (2 Sam 14:17-20). (2.) Such, also, have special bowels and compa.s.sions of G.o.d for others. (3.) Such have more of his majesty upon them than others (1 Sam 16:4). (4.) Such, their words and ways, their carriages and doings, are attended with that of G.o.d that others are dest.i.tute of (1 Sam 3:19,20). (5.) Such are holier, and of more convincing lives in general, than other people are (2 Kings 4:9). Now there is both comfort and honour in this; for what comfort like that of being a holy man of G.o.d? And what honour like that of being a holy man of G.o.d? This, therefore, is the desire of the righteous, to wit, to have communion with G.o.d. Indeed none like G.o.d, and to be desired as he, in the thoughts of a righteous man.

2. And this leads me to the second thing, namely, The liberty of the enjoyment of his holy ordinances; for, next to G.o.d himself, nothing is so dear to a righteous man as the enjoyment of his holy ordinances.

'One thing,' said David, 'have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after,' namely, 'that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple' (Psa 27:4). The temple of the Lord was the dwelling-house of G.o.d, there he recorded his name, and there he made known himself unto his people (Psa 11:4; Habb 2:20). Wherefore this was the cause why David so earnestly desired to dwell there too, 'To behold,' saith he, 'the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.' There he had promised his presence to his people, yea, and to bring thither a blessing for them; 'In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee'

(Exo 20:24). For this cause, therefore, as I said, it is why the righteous do so desire that they may enjoy the liberty of the ordinances and appointments of their G.o.d; to wit, that they may attain to, and have communion maintained with him. Alas! the righteous are as it were undone, if G.o.d's ordinances be taken from them: 'How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts. My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living G.o.d' (Psa 84:1,2). Behold what a taking the good man was in, because at this time he could not attain to so frequent a being in the temple of G.o.d as his soul desired. It even longed and fainted, yea, and his heart and his flesh cried out for the G.o.d that dwelt in the temple at Jerusalem.

Yea, he seems in the next words to envy the very birds that could more commonly frequent the temple than he: 'The sparrow,' saith he, 'hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my G.o.d' (Psa 84:3). And then blesseth all them that had the liberty of temple wors.h.i.+p, saying, 'Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising thee' (Psa 84:4). Then he cries up the happiness of those that in Zion do appear before G.o.d (Psa 84:7). After this he cries out unto G.o.d, that he would grant him to be partaker of this high favour, saying, 'O Lord G.o.d of hosts, hear my prayer,' &c. 'For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand: I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my G.o.d, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness' (Psa 84:8-10).

But why is all this? what aileth the man thus to express himself?

Why, as I said, the temple was the great ordinance of G.o.d; there was his true wors.h.i.+p performed, there G.o.d appeared, and there his people were to find him. This was, I say, the reason why the Psalmist chose out, and desired this one thing, above all the things that were under heaven, even 'to behold there the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.' There were to be seen the shadows of things in the heavens; the candlestick, the table of shewbread, the holiest of all, where was the golden censer, the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, the golden pot that had manna, Aaron's rod that budded, the tables of the covenant, and the cherubims of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat, which were all of them then things by which G.o.d showed himself merciful to them (Heb 9:1-5 compared with 9:23 and 8:5).

Do you think that love-letters are not desired between lovers?

Why these, G.o.d's ordinances, they are his love-letters, and his love-tokens too. No marvel then if the righteous do so desire them: 'More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb' (Psa 19:10, 119:72-127).

Yea, this judgment wisdom itself pa.s.ses upon these things. 'Receive,'

saith he, 'my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies: and all the things that may be desired, are not to be compared to it' (Prov 8:10,11).

For this cause therefore are the ordinances of G.o.d so much desired by the righteous. In them they meet with G.o.d; and by them they are builded, and nourished up to eternal life. 'As new born babes,'

says Peter, 'desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby' (1 Peter 2:2). As milk is nouris.h.i.+ng to children, so is the word heard, read, and meditated on, to the righteous. Therefore it is their desire.