A Breathing After God

One thing have I desired of the Lord, &c.

To speak first of this desire, generally propounded, One thing have I desired, &c.

And then of the increase of it, in that he saith, I will seek after it still, he desired it, and he would seek more and more after it.

In the desire, consider,

First the object, One thing.

And then the desire or seeking it self.

First the object,

One thing.

Was there but one thing for holy David to make the object of his desire? was there but one thing needful? Alas this poor life of ours, it is a life of necessities; how many things are needful for our bodies? how many things are needful for the decency of our condition? how many things need we for our souls? it is a life of necessities; how then doth he say, One thing have I desired? yes; his meaning is, comparatively, I seek for other things in their order, and rank, and as they may stand with the main: but indeed one thing principally; all the rest will follow: Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all the rest will be cast on you. The best way to have all other things, is to seek one thing in the first place. Therefore in heavenly wisdom he saith, I desire unum uni • e, one thing after an entire manner, that I desire more then all things else.

Hence we may see that,

There is a difference of degrees of things. God hath established in the world degrees of things; there are some good, & some ill by his permission, & of good, there are some that are greater goods, and some less, there are spiritual goods, and outward goods; and of spiritual good, there are some that are means leading to that which is spiritually good, and some that are spiritual good things in their own essence, and nature: the leading preparing things, are the means of salvation, the Word, and Sacraments, and being in the visible Church; the true spiritual good, it he good that we get by these things, faith and love, and spiritual inward strength. Now that there is degrees of things, the Prophet here insinuates when he saith, One thing have I desired, that is, of all these variety of things, he desired the best that includes all in it. God to exercise the wisdom that he hath given to man, hath planted adifference in the creatures, and hath given a faculty to man, to make a right choice in those differences: and then man makes a right choice, when he chooseth as God chooseth: Now God makes choice of spiritual things to be the best things, and them he gives to his best friends; he knows they will make us good, and supply all outward wants whatsoever, and sanctify all estates, and conditions to us; and they are eternal, suitable to the spiritual nature of oursoules. God knows this very well: therefore God hath set spiritual things, as the one only thing: & so the soul when it is made spiritual, and hath the Image of God upon it, it chooseth as God chooseth.

One thing have I desired.

But here it may be asked, why doth he say, One thing? he desired not only to live near the Tabernacle; but to hear and see, to have the Word read, and he desired thereupon Grace, and then nearer Communion with God by grace, to have more communion here, and fuller communion in heaven, here is more then one thing.

I answer, it is all one, as a chain that hath many links, yet it is but one chain; so all these are but one. I desire one thing; What is that? To live in the Church of God, to enjoy the Ordinances of God, and they will draw on faith, & fear, &c. the Spirit accompanying the Ordinances, it will be a spirit of faith, and repentance, and grace, and by those graces of faith, and the rest that accompany the Ordinances, I shall have nearer communion with God here, and eternal, and everlasting communion with God in heaven, and all these are but one; because they are all links of one chain. Therefore when he saith, One thing have I desired, he means that one thing that will draw on all other.

That is the scope of a gracious heart, when it attends upon the means of salvation and lives in the Church; not to hear that it may hear, and there an end, and to read that it may read, to perform it as a task, and all is done: but to have the work of the Spirit together with it, to have the Ministry of the Spirit in the Gospel, and the spirit to increase saith, and faith to increase all other graces, and so by grace to grow into nearer communion with God in Christ, that is the scope of every good hearer: therefore he speaks to purpose, when he saith, One thing have I desired.

But to speak a little more of the object, why doth he say, One thing?

First, it is from the nature of God, we must have the whole bent, and sway of our souls to him, he will have no halting. The Devil is content with half, if we will sin, because then he is sure of all; but God will have the whole heart, My son give me thy whole heart, and Thou shalt love the Lord withal thy heart, and withal thy soul; the bent, and sway of the soul must be that way: for it is the nature of excellent things, except w • desire them in the chief place, they take state upon them, God takes state upon him in this case, he will not have us serve him and Mammon, he will not have the heart divided.

Then again, it is from the nature of the soul, therefore he saith, One thing. It is the nature of the soul, when it is upon many things, it can do nothing well: therefore that I may be religious to purpose, One thing have I desired. A stream cut into many channels runs weakly, and is unfit to carry anything. Babylon was so taken. They cut the River into many channels, and then he that took it, easily passed over them. When the soul is divided into many channels, to many things, that it looks after this thing, and that thing, and that with expense and intention of care, and endeavor. Alas, where is the desire of one thing necessary all the while? For the soul cannot go with that strength as it should except it mind one thing: the soul of man is a finite thing, therefore except it gather its strength, as a stream that riseth of many particular lesser rivers which makes it run strongly: so the soul it cannot desire one thing as it should, except it bring all other petty streams to it, and make that the main desire to be saved in another world, and to have communion and fellowship with God in Christ Jesus, by the Spirit of grace in this world, in the use of the means; unless this be the main care, the soul takes no good, when it is so much set on other things.

Then thirdly he sets down this One thing, (To dwell in the house of God, to grow in grace there, as a Cedar, to be a Tree planted there) from the very nature of grace, which is to unite things to the main; the Spirit of grace sets before the eye of the soul, heavenly spiritual things in their greatness, and excellency: and the Spirit of grace, seeing there are many useful things in this world, it hath an uniting, knitting subordinating power, to rank all things so, as they may agree to, and help the main. Grace confines the soul to one thing: man after his fall sought out many inventions, saith the Wise man: he was not content with his condition when he stood, but he sought out many inventions. When man falls to the creature, he knows not where to stay; no creature can afford a stay, and rest, for the soul long, the soul is never quiet till it come to God again, and that is the one thing the soul desireth. The soul being sanctified by the Spirit of God, it subordinates all things to this one thing. David desired many things besides this one thing, but not in that degree, but as they might stand with the desire of this one thing necessary. Grace subordinates, and ranckes all things, so as that the best things have the preeminence. Therefore he might well say, One thing, from the disposition, that grace hath to rank all things to one. It is a promise in the Covenant of grace, saith God, I will give you one heart, as soon as a man becomes a Christian, he hath one heart, his heart before was divided, there was variety of objects it was set upon, God had the least piece, the flesh had a piece, and this delight, and that delight had a piece: but saith God, I will give you one heart, that is, a heart uniting it self in desire to the best things, and regulating all things, so as all shall be but one, that a man shall use the world as though he used it not; so as it shall help to the main. As I said little streams they help the main stream running into it, so grace hath a subordinating power over all things in the world, as they may help the main. One thing have I desired; and I desire other things as they may help the main; Grace will teach us that Art, it hath a special Art that way. So we see both in regard of God, and in regard of the soul being finite, and in respect of the wise disposing of grace that aims at the main, and ranckes all things as they may help the main, he doth well say, One thing have I desired.

This shows the vanity, and baseness of every worldly man, that makes the main work and labor his by-work, and the by-work, his main work: that that is the One thing necessary, is set after all. Indeed without grace this is so: The first work of grace is to set the soul in order, to subdue base affections, to sanctify the judgment: and when it hath set the soul in tune, and order, then it is fitted to set a right price on things, to rank and order them as it should. So much shall be sufficient to unfold the object it self in general,

One thing. Have I desired.

Now I come to the affection it self, set forth here by the degrees.

One thing have I desired, and that I will seek after.

I have desired it, and I will desire it still, desires are the issues of the heart: thoughts, and desires are the two primitive issues of the heart: the births of the heart. Thoughts breed desire; thoughts in the mind or brain, the brain strikes the heart presently. It goes from the understanding to the will, and affections; what we think of that we desire, if it be good. So thoughts and desires, they, immediately spring from the soul. And where they are in any efficacy and strength, they stir up motion in the outward man: the desires of the soul, being the inward motion, they stir up outward motion, till there be an attaining of the thing desired, and then there is rest. Desire to the thing desired, is like motus ad quietem, as motionis to rest: when motion coms once to rest it is quiet: so desire which is the inward motion, it stirs up outward motion, till the thing desired be accomplished, and then the soul rests in a loving content, and enjoying of the thing desired.

Now this desire it was a spituall desire One thing have I desired of the Lord. Holy desires they issue from choice: a holy wise desire (when it is not a mere notion) it ariseth from a choice of a thing that is good: for desire is nothing but the embracing, and closing with a thing that is good. The understanding must choose the good first, before the soul embrace it. The will is but the carryage of the soul, the furthering, and promotion of the soul, to the good things discovered: so it supposeth a choice of good things.

And choice supposeth an esteem of the things before we choose them. And that supposeth a deliberate judging, that works an esteem. So that it was no hasty sudden thing, this desire, but it rose from the sanctified judgment of David, that bred a holy esteem of these excellent things; the means of salvation, having the Spirit of God accompanying of them, containing such excellent comforts, as they do. I say this desire supposes a right judgment, and thence an esteem, thence a choice upon all, choosing these things above all other contentments, and things in the world besides. For at this time he wanted in his family. the comfort of his wife and house, &c. Tush, what do I regard these things? if I could enjoy the sweet, and strong, and comfortable presence of God in his Ordinances, other things I could bear well enough, the want of house, and wife, and children, the pleasures, and contentments of my Country: therefore One thing have I desired. It was a desire out of a high esteem and choice of that one thing he speaks of.

The point of Doctrine that I will observe in brief, (because I hasten to the main thing) is this, that

That the spirit of God, in the hearts of his children, is effectual in stirring up holy desires.

There is nothing tha charactizeth, and sets a stamp upon a Christian so much as desires, All other things may be counterfeit, words and actions may be counterfeit, but the desires and affections cannot, because they are the immediate issues and productions of the soul, they ate that that comes immediately from the Soul, as fire cannot be counterfeit. A man may ask his desires what he is, according to the pulse of the desires, so is the temper of the man: desires are better then actions a great deal: for a man may do a good action, that he doth not love, and he may abstain from an ill action that he hates not: but God is a Spirit, and looks to the Spirit especially. It is a good Character of a Christian, that his desire for the most part is to good; the tenor and sway, and bent of his desire is to good. One things have I desired: the spirit of God is effectual in stirring up these desires.

But how shall we know that these desires are the chief things to distinguish an Hypocrite from a true Christian, and whether they be true or no.

To go no farther than the Text: desires are holy, and spiritual, if they be about holy and spiritual things, One thing have I desired saith David, what was that? to be rich and great in the World, and to be revenged on my enemies? No, no, that is not the matter, I have many enemies; GOD will take a course that they shall fall; that that I desire, is to have nearer Communion with God, I desire to enjoy the Ordinances of God: so his desire it was set on spiritual objects, and that argued it was a holy desire.

And then again his desire, it was a fervent desire, as he saith, one thing have I desired & thatwil I seek after. It was not a blaze or flash, that was soon in, and soon out, it was not a mere veleitie, a kind of inefficacious desire: fervency shown that his desire was sound, he would not be quieted without the thing accomplished.

And then Constancy, when a man will not be taken off, there is not the wickedest man in the Word, but he hath good flashes, good offers, and desires sometimes, Lord have Mercy upon me, &c. he hath good ejaculations sometimes: I but what is the bent and sway of his desires? This was David's constant desire: as it was about spiritual, and was a fervent, and eager desire, that he would not be quiet, so it was constant: that that is natural is constant, and that that is supernaturally natural, that that is natural in spiritual things it is constant, nature is constant. For how doth nature differ from Art? Artificial things are for a time: teach a creature beyond his nature, he will show his naturals, so let an Hypocrite act a part, if it be not his nature, he will soon turn to his naturals, and show that he is an Hypocrite again. Constancy and perpetuity in good things, a tenor of good desires show that the heart is good, because it is costant.

And then again his desire here of DAVID, it was kindled from the love of God, and not out of base ends. Holy desires are kindled in the Soul from the love of God: for what saith he here? One thing have I desired, what was that? To dwell in the house of the Lord, what to do? To behold the beauty of God: to see God in his excellency and beauty, and worthiness. All his desire was from this, that his soul was enamored with the beauty of God's house. The love of God stirred up this blessed desire in the Prophet, therefore it was a holy and spiritual desire.

Again, as they spring from the love of God, so they tend to the honor of God: for what comes from heaven, goes to heaven back again: As waters that comes from a spring, they go as high as the place they come from: so holy desires being kindled from heaven, from a Spirit of love, they go to heaven again: the love of God stirs them up, and he seeks God's glory, and honor, and inward communion with God in this. For a man out of a natural desire, may desire holy things sometimes, to be free from such or such a sin, and to have such, and such a grace, not out of a desire to honor God: but if he had grace, he sees he might escape troubles, he might be free from temporal judgments, and he might ingraciate himself, and commend himself to this or that person, whom he desires to benefit by, therefore he desires as much grace as may help forward his intentions in the world, he joins the world, and God together: oh no, these are not the desires that distinguish a Christian from another man: but those that spring from the love of God, that proceed inwardly from the truth of the heart, and that the things themselves please God, and that there is a loveliness in them, and that they tend to the honor of God especially, and our own good in a secondary place, this is a character of good desires. Thus we see, though I should go no further then the Text, how we may distinguish holy and heavenly desires, from other desires. One thing have I desired, and that will I seek, &c.

Therefore let us examine what our desires are, what our bent is▪ desires issue from the Will and affections, and they show the frame of the soul, more then anything in the world. As the springs in low places are discovered by the steams, and vapors that come out of the place: men gather that there is a spring below, because of the ascent of vapors: so the vapouring out of these desires, show that there is a spring of Grace in the heart, they discover that there is a spring within.

And let those that mourn in Zion, that have some evidence, (though they are not so good as they would be:) let them look to their hearts: what is thy desire? what is the bent of thy soul? when a man is once converted and turned, wherein is his turning? Especially, his mind and judgment, and esteem of things as altered, there is a change of mind, and withal the desire, and bent of the soul is altered: that if a man ask him, and examine what the bent is of all the course of his life; oh that God might be glorified, that his Church and cause might prosper, that others might be converted, this is the bent of his soul: not that he might be great in the world, and ruin those that stand in his way, (this shows that a man is a rotten hypocrite) the bent and sway of the soul shows what a man is.

Because I would not have any deceived in the point, take one evidence and sign more with you, and that shall be instead of all, and it is out of the Text too, One thing have I desired, and that will I seek after; not by prayer only, but in the use of all means: as indeed he was never quiet, till he was settled again in Zion; nor then neither, till he had gotten materials for the Temple, and a place for God's honor to dwell in. If desires be not the desires of the sluggard, there will be endeavor: as we see in the desire of David here, One thing have I desired, and that will I seek: he used all means to enjoy communion with God sweetly.

The Slug gard lusts and hath nothing: so there are many spiritual sluggards that lust, and have nothing: because they show not their desire in their endeavors: there will be endeavor, where the desire is true. For desire springs from the Will; the Will being the appetite of the whole man, Voluntas appetitus, &c. The understanding carries not, but the Will: when the Will, will have a thing, it caryes all the parts; hereupon when the desire is true, it stirs up all the powers and faculties to do their duty, to seek to attain the accomplishment, and possession of that that is desired.

Those therefore, that pretend they have good desires to God, and yet live scandalously, and negligently, and will take no pains with their souls, alas it is the sluggards desire, if they take not pains to remove all lets, and hindrances: for a man may know the desire of a thing is good, when he labors to set the hindrances out of the way if he can; if the lets and hindrances be not impossible, he will remove it if he can. Therefore those that pretend this, and that, (There is a Lion in the way) when they might remove it if they would, there is no true desire: for desire is with the removing of all possible hindrances of the thing desired.

But to resolve one question. How shall I know whether my desire be strong enough, and ripe enough or no, to give me comfort?

I answer; if the desire of grace be above the desire of any earthly thing, that a man may say with David, One thing have I desired. I desire to be free from sin, as a greater blessing to my soul, then to be free from any calamity: oh, it is a good sign. And surely a man can never have comfort of his desire, till his desires be raised to that pitch. For none ever shall come to heaven, that do not desire the things that tend to heaven, above all earthly things, nor none shall ever escape hell, that do not think it worse, and more terrible then all earthly miseries. God brings no fools to heaven, that cannot discern the difference of things. Therefore let us know, that our desires are to little purpose if we have some desire to be good, &c. but we have a greater desire to be rich, and great in the world, to have such, and such place: if the desire of that be greater, then to be gracious with God. If we hate poverty, and disgrace, and want, and this and that more then sin and hell, to which sin leads, it is a sign that our judgments are rotten and corrupt, and that our desire is no pure spiritual desire: for it is not answerable to the thing desired; there is no proportion. David saith here, One thing have I desired: his desire carried him amaine to One thing necessary, above all other things whatsoever. Thus you see out of the Text, what are the distinguishing notes of true desires from those that are false. I need name no more, if we consider what hath been spoken.

Now for, our comfort, if we find these holy desires: oh! let us take comfort in ourselves: for God will fulfill the desires of them that fear him: holy desires, they are the birth of God's Spirit, and there is not one of them that shall be lost: for God regards those desires, My groanings are not hid from thee; my groanings in trouble: and desires of grace. There is not the least thing stirred up in the soul by the Spirit of God, but it prevayles with God in some degree; answerable to the degree of worth in it: therefore if we have holy desires stirred up by God, God promotes those desires, God will regard his own work, and to him that hath shall be given. Lord be merciful to thy servants, that desire to fear thy Name, saith Hezekiah. It is a plea that we may bring to God, Lord, I desire to please thee, as it is, Isaiah 26. 8. The desire of our souls is to thy Name oh Lord; We fail sometimes, that we cannot perform actions, with that zeal and earnestness, as we should: but the desire, and bent of our soul is to thy Name. A Christian may make it his plea to God, truly our desires are towards thy Name, and we have some suitable endeavors: and our desires are more that way, then to anything in the world. It is a good plea, though we be much hindered, and pulled back by our corruptions. So much for that, the Act upon this object, One thing have I desired.

Of whom doth he desire it?

Of the Lord.

One thing have I desired of the Lord.

It was not a blind desire of the thing, but a desire directed to the right object, to God to fulfill it. Holy desires are such as we are not ashamed of, but dare open them to God himself, in prayer, and desires to God. A Christian, what he desires as a Christian, he prays for; and what he prays for he desires; he is an hypocrite else. If a man pray (as Saint Austin in his confessions) that God would free him from temptations, and yet is unwilling to have those loving baits from him, he prays, but he doth not desire. There are many that pray, they say in their prayers. Lead us not in temptation; and yet they run into Temptation; they feed their eyes, and ears, and senses with vain things: you know what they are well enough, their lives are nothing but a satisfying of their lusts, and yet they pray, Lead us not in temptation. And there are many persons that desire that, that they dare not pray for, they desire to be so bad. But a Christian what he desires, he prays for: I desire in earnest to be in the house of the Lord, I desire it of the Lord, I put up my request to him; and what I pray to him for, I earnestly desire indeed. Learn this in a word hence, that,

When we have holy desires stirred up by God, turn them to prayers.

A prayer is more then a desire; it is a desire put up to God: let us turn our desires into prayers, that is the way to have them speed.

One thing have I desired of the Lord.

The reason why we should in all our desires, make our desires known to God, is, to keep our acquaintance continually with God. We have continual use of desires of grace, and desires of mortification of corruptions, and of freedom from this, and that evil that is upon us: as many desires as we have, let them be so many prayers, turn our desires into prayers to God, and so maintain our acquaintance with God. And we shall never come from God without a blessing and comfort: he never sends any out of his presence empty, that come with a gracious heart, that know what they desire. And it brings peace with it, when we make our desires known to God by our prayer, It brings peace that passeth understanding; Ephes. 4. Put case God doth not hear our request, that he doth not grant what we ask? The peace of God which passeth understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds: So that when we put up our requests to God with thankfulness for that we have received, the soul will find peace: Therefore I say, let us turn all our desires into prayers, to maintain perpetual communion, and acquaintance with God: oh! it is a gainful and comfortable acquaintance.

It is an argument, and sign of a good conscience, for a man to go oft to God with his desires; it is a sign that he is not in a wicked course: for then he dares not appeal to the presence of God. Sore eyes cannot endure the light: and a galled conscience cannot endure God's presence. Therefore it is good to come oft into the presence of God: it shows that the heart doth not regard iniquity. If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my prayers. It is an argument of a good conscience to come oft into the presence of God: but I will not enter into the common place of prayer.

We see next his earnestness I have desired it of the Lord, and

I will seek after it.

I will follow God still. Here is his importunity in prayer, his fervency, his uncessancy and perseverance, (as the Apostle exhorts,) he persevered in prayer. I will seek after it. In prayer, and in the use of all good means, I will do what I can. So you see one qualification of prayer, it must be with perseverance, and importunity. God loves importunate suitors: though we cannot endure to be troubled with such persons, yet God loves importunate suitors.

As we see in Luke 18. in the Parable of the Widow. God there vouch. safes to compare himself to an unrighteous Judge, that cared neither for God, nor man: yet the importunity of the Widow moved him to regard her. So the poor Church of God, she is like a Widow, with her hair hanging about her. This is Zion, whom none regardeth: yet this Widow, the poor Church of God, and every particular member of it, they are importunate with the Judge of heaven, and earth, with God, and will not he more regard the importunity of his children whom he loves, and delights in that, Call upon him day and night? will not he regard their petitions; when an unrighteous Judge shall care for the importunity of a poor Widow? Thus you see the excellent fruit of importunity in our blessed Savior himself, and here in David, I will seek after it, I will have no nay. Therefore we are exhorted in the Scriptures, not to keep silence, to give God no rest, you that are the Lord's remembrancers, keep not silence, give him no rest: as Jacob with the Angel, wrestle with him, leave him not till we have a blessing. As the woman of Canaan, let us follow him still, and take no nay. Oh this is a blessed violence (beloved) when we can set upon God, and will have no nay, but renew suite upon suite, and desire on desire, and never leave till our petitions be answered. Can the hypocrite pray always? Would you know a comfortable note to distinguish an hypocrite from a true Christian? take it hence, Will the hypocrite pray always? Sometimes he will pray; but if God answer him not presently he gives over; but God's children pray always; if the ground be good, if they see the excellency of the thing, and the necessity, and withal join at the amiableness of it, that it may be gotten. When they see the excellency, and the necessity and usefulness of the thing, and the attainablenesse of it, and that it is attainable in the use of means, they need no more, they will never give over. That is the reason of that in the petitions, Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. But can we do the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven? and doth God's glorious Kingdom of heaven come while we are here in earth? No, it doth not, but the soul that is guided with the spirit of prayer, it rests not in this or that degree, but prays till it be in heaven, Thy Kingdom come, I have grace now, but I desire glory, Thy will be done, I desire to do it as thy Saints in heaven; though I cannot do it: but I desire, and I will not give God rest, but pray, till all my prayers be answered in heaven; and then I shall do the will of God as it is done in heaven indeed. Thus we ought eagerly, and constantly to persevere in our desires, till they be fully satisfied, or else we are but hypocrites.

Let us make conscience I beseech you of this duty more then we have done, and never give God over for grace, for strength against our corruptions; for his Church: for the prosperity of the means of salvation: for those things that we have ground for; let us never give him over till we see he hath answered our desires. And when he hath answered our desires, let us go on still to desire more: for this life is a life of desires, the life of accomplishment is heaven, then all our desires shall be accomplished, and all promises performed, and not before then. This is a life of desires, and we must be in a state of desires, and prayers still till we be in heaven.

What is the reason that God doth not presently accomplish our desires?

There be diverse reasons. First of all he loves to hear the desires of his servants, he loves to be sued unto: because he knows it is for our good. It is Music that best pleaseth God's ears to hear a soul come to him to request, especially spiritual things of him which he delights most to give, which he knows is most useful, and best for us: this pleaseth him so marvelously, that he will not presently grant it, but leads us along, and along, that still he may hear more, and more from us.

And then to keep us in a perpetual humble subjection, and dependence on him, he grants not all at once, but leads us a long, by yielding a little, and a little, that so he may keep us in a humble dependence.

And then to exercise all our graces: for a spirit of prayer is a spirit of exercise of all grace, we cannot pray, but we must exercise faith, and love to God and his Church; and a sanctified judgment to esteem what are the best things to be prayed for: and to exercise mortification, If I regardsinne, God will not regard my prayers. A spirit of prayer is a spirit that puts all into exercise: therefore God, to keep us in the exercise of all grace answers not at the first.

And then he would have us to set a high price upon what we desire, and seek after; if we had it at the first, we should not set so high an esteem and price of it.

And then that, we might better use it when we have it: then we use things as we should do when we have gotten them with much ado, when we have won them from God with great importunity, then we keep and preserve them as we should. These, & the like reasons may be given, & you may easily conceive them yourselves. Therefore let us not be offended with God's gracious dispensation if he answer not our desires presently, but pray still: and if we have the spirit of prayer continued to us, that spirit of prayer is better then the thing we beg a great deal. Oft-times God answers us in a better kind, when he gives us a spirit of prayer: for increasing a spirit of prayer in us, he increaseth all graces in us; what is it we would have? This or that particular grace, but when God gives us a spirit of prayer, he answers us better then in the thing we ask, for there is all grace. He will answer in one kind or other. But I will not be large in these points: you see then what was the affection of the holy Prophet, to that one thing. One thing have I desired. And he did not only desire it, but turned his desire into a prayer, he prayed to God, and he not only prayed once or twice, but he seeks it still, till God vouchsafed to grant it.

Well, but that that he prayed for, he was assured of, and therefore what need he pray for it? he had a promise, Psalm 23. 5, 6. He shall prepare a Table before mine enemies, my Cup doth overflow. But what is that to this? these be things of this life? Oh! but saith he, God will be good to me in the things of another life, and all the days of my life too: Doubtless the loving kindness of the Lord shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord: he takes in trust his dwelling in the house of God, and that the loving kindness of God should follow him all the days of his life, he was assured of it, and yet here he seeks it, and prays for it.

I note it, to show that the assurance of the thing takes not away the earnestness of prayer. Daniel was assured Dan. 9. That God would deliver the Jews out of Babylon: he had read Jeremiah's Prophesies, he knew the time was accomplished; yet we see what an earnest prayer he makes there. Christ knew that God heard him in all his desires, that he should have all good from God, being his only Son, yet he prayed whole nights sometimes, and a whole Chapter John. 17. is an excellent prayer of his: so that the assurance of the thing, takes not away prayer to God: nay it stablisheth it, for God so makes good his promises for the time to come, as that he makes them good this way, he will be sought to by prayer. And I may know hence that he will make good his promises for the time to come to me, if I have a spirit of prayer for them: if I pray for perseverance to the end, that God would vouchsafe me grace to live in the Church, and to grow up as a Cedar; God surely means to grant this, because he hath given me holy, and gracious desires, which he would not have given me, but that he means to give the thing. For this is an encouragement to pray, when I know I shall not loose my labor, I pray, because I have a promise to have it, and I know the promise runs upon this; But I will be sought unto of the house of Judah for this, Ezek. 36. For if we have it, and have not sought it by prayer, for the most part we cannot have a comfortable use of it, unless we have things as the fruit of our prayers: though there be not a particular prayer for every particular thing we have of God: yet unless it be the fruit of the general prayer, that we put up daily, we cannot have comfort in it: if God give it by a general providence as he fills the bellies of the wicked with good things. But if we will have things for our good in particular, we must receive them as the fruit of our prayers from God, you see here he seeks, and desires that that he had a promise to have, one thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek.

That I may dwell in the House of the Lord.

It was generally propounded before, One thing have I desired, and that will I seek after, with all my might, and what is that? the specification of it is this,

That I may dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

His desire is, not only to be in God's house, but to dwell in it, to abide; and not for a little while, but to dwell, and to dwell all the days of my life.

The House of God then was the Tabernacle, the Sanctuary, the Temple was not yet built: he desired to be near the Tabernacle, to dwell in the Sanctuary, the place of God's worship. In the Tabernacle, which in those times was the House of God, there was the Ark, and the mercyseate; types of many glorious things in the New Testament, the Holy of holies, &c. And he desired to dwell in the Tabernacle, to be near the Ark, the House of God, why? because God manifested his presence there, more then in other places. The Ark hath God's name in diverse places of Scripture; because God gave his answers in the Ark, in the Propitiatory, or Mercy-seat, they came there to know his meaning, what he would have; he gave his answers there. He is said to dwell between the Cherubims: there were two Cherubims upon the Mercy-seat, and God is said to dwell between the Cherubims: that is, there he was present to give answers to the high Priest, when he came to ask. David knew this well enough, that God had vouchsafed a more special presence in the Tabernacle, then in all the places of the world, and therefore saith he, I desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

House, we take for the persons that are in it, and persons that are ordered, or else it is a confusion, and not a house, it is a company of those that are voluntary, they come, not by chance into our house, those that are members of our Society: but there is an order, there is a governor in a house, and some that are under government, and there is a voluntary conjunction, and combination. So the Church is a voluntary company of people that is orderly, some to teach, and some to be instructed, and thereupon it is called a house.

And it is called the House of God, because he is present there, as a man delights to be present in his house. It is the place where God will be met withal. As a man will be found in his house, and there he will have suitors come to him, where he reveals his secrets; A man rests, he lies, and lodgeth in his house; where is a man so familiar as in his house? And what other place hath he such care to protect, and provide for as his house? And he lays up his treasures, and his jewels in his house: so God lays up all the treasures of grace and comfort in the visible Church. In the Church he is to be spoken with as a man is in his house; there he gives us sweet meetings; there are mutual spiritual kisses. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, Cant. 1. A man's house is his Castle as we say, that he will protect and provide for. God will be sure to protect, and provide for his Church. Therefore he calls the Church of God, that is, the Tabernacle (that was the Church at that time) the house of God. If we apply it to our times, that that answers the Tabernacle now, is particular visible Churches under particular Pastors, where the means of salvation are set up, particular visible Churches now are God's Tabernacle. The Church of the Jews was a National Church: there was but one Church, but one place, and one Tabernacle: but now God hath erected particular Tabernacles, every particular Church & Congregation under one Pastor▪ their meeting is the Church of God, a several Church independent. Our National Church, that is, the Church of England: because it is under a government Civil, which is not dependant upon any other foreign Prince, it is a particular Church from other nations.

In that God calls the Church his House, it shows the special respect that he hath to his Church. God though he be present everywhere, yet he is present in another manner in his Church. As for instance, the soul is present in all the parts of the body: but the soul as far as it understands, is only in the brain, as far as it is the fountain of life, it is in the heart: it hath offices, and functions in all the parts: but in the special function, the rational function of it, as it discourseth, and reasoneth, it is in the brain: so (for our apprehension sake) God is everywhere: but as he sanctifies, and pours out his blessings, and opens, and manifests his secrets, so he is in his Church especially. God is everywhere, but he is in another way in heaven then in other places, he is there gloriously: so in earth he is everywhere, but he is in another manner in the Church, (the heaven upon earth) then in other places, he is there as in his house to protect them, & provide for them, as his family, and there he abides by his Ordinances, and takes solace, and delight; God delights himself in his Church, and Children, that attend upon his Ordinances; where Two or three are met together, I will be in the midst of them. When God's people meet together in the Church, God is present among them. So you see in what respect, the Tabernacle then, and particular Churches now (which answer it) are called the House of God.

Let us learn this for our duty as well as consider our comfort, in that the Church is the House of God, let us carry ourselves as we should, decently in the house of God. Those that are to look to the house of God, they should purge out all unclean corners, that God may delight to dwell in his House still, that we give him no cause to depart out of his House. That I may—

Dwell in the house of the Lord, &c.

The act here is, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord. He did not desire to be in it for a day or a little time, to salute it, and so to leave it: but to dwell in the House of the Lord, and to dwell there forever. You see here that Christians have a constant love to the best things, a constant desire to dwell in the house of God. You may think it a strange desire of this holy man to dwell in the House of God: but think then of the continuednesse of his desire, it was even to heaven it self, he desired to dwell in the House of God forever.

For what end?

I desire to dwell in the House of God, that I may dwell in the love of God, and in the care of God to me in Christ forever. I do not desire to dwell in the House of God, as it is a meeting, and there an end: but I desire to dwell in the House of God, that I may dwell in the love and care of God, and not only dwell in his care and love to me, and his care and esteem of me, but that I may dwell in my love to him, that I may abide in his love, and faith in him, that I may abide in Christ. It is not only for a man to abide in the House of God, and go no further then so, but to abide in the love of God, and in our love, and care, and faith, and dependence upon him, to make God our house to live, and walk, and abide in, to dwell in God, as Saint John saith, not only in the House of God, but God himself. And the upshot of all his