False and True Desires

We must notice in the first place, that when the Word of God calls faith a desiring, a "hungering"—that not all desire is that real hunger of faith. Oh, no! For in hypocrites also there are some sorts of desires; as in Balaam, who "desired to die the death of the righteous"; as also in the foolish virgins. And these desires can spring from various causes:

1. Hypocrites can have some discoveries of their lost condition, of their shortcomings, which greatly distress them, especially when death approaches, and they have to enter the arena with the king of terrors: now Christ, now the blood of the covenant, now for a guide through the valley of the shadow of death. On this account will some under judgments, troubles, and the accusations of conscience, and upon their deathbed, pray, cry out, groan, and express desires, all of which they have but seldom done in their life unto now, except perhaps out of habit, without heart or inclination, or with formal prayer—and those who have a little light from God declare such to be saved; should they die, then they say, they have certainly gone to heaven. However, if we consult God's Word and experience, we shall discover examples of such as have had desires, and who notwithstanding are evidently lost to all eternity. Refer to Amos 8:11-12, where God threatens to send a famine, not of bread, but of the Word of the living God. Here we find that they shall hunger for that Word; every one shall hunger, there shall be a general famine. But is it then to be imagined that each one taken individually shall hunger after a saving sort? Far from that. Add also to this what we read of Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8:24, where he not only himself expressed strong desires because of threatened judgments, but he entreats the desires and prayers of the whole church, of all the truly devout on his behalf. One example, which we have ourselves witnessed, I must relate from experience.

In Edinburgh, the chief city of Scotland, a certain Margaret Dickson was arrested for the murder of her own child; she was a very ungodly, ignorant, and irreligious person. But in prison she appeared to become so concerned about the salvation of her soul that she did nothing but pray and groan, day and night. Having been for some time in much distress, she testified to the ministers and devout persons who regularly visited her that she was experiencing much peace in her soul toward God through Jesus Christ, and that she was prepared to die. The ministers and devout persons, after careful interrogation, found such a knowledge and experience in the woman that they considered her not only a truly converted soul but a miracle of God's grace. This was everywhere proclaimed, and God was praised both publicly and in secret for His mercy displayed unto such as she. The woman was hanged; she died, so it seemed, greatly helped, and just before the execution she prayed so powerfully and with such assurance, that all who heard her were dissolved in tears. But what happened? This woman, having remained for a certain time hanging in the halter (for in Scotland it is the custom to limit a certain time, whereas in other lands it is until death doth ensue), her friends requested the corpse in order to bury it. Their request being granted, they placed the body upon a carriage for the purpose of conveying it to the cemetery. Having driven the carriage an hour's journey from the city, they noticed some sign of movement from within the coffin, which greatly frightened them; they paused, and the movement became every moment stronger, inducing them to open the coffin; which when they had done, they discovered that the woman was alive. The whole land was filled with the story of her resurrection from the dead. Many thought that God had done this to establish the truth of her conversion. Yet what happened? She returned to her former wicked way of life. A year after this resurrection, she murdered another child, and was punished in such a way as to prevent a repetition. This occurred about the year 1723 and was well known throughout the whole realm. I relate this in order to confirm what has been said, and to teach what reliance can be placed upon the desires of those in trouble and upon a deathbed, who in their lifetime have made little or no attempt at desiring after and serving God. Yea, also, to alarm Christians unto carefulness about such as first begin; the stamp must not be placed upon them immediately, but men should wait and see what time shall teach. There are in these days many who, like Jonah's gourd, grow up in one night, and become so puffed up by pride that they assume that imperious judgment, yes, sometimes condemnation, of old and tried Christians; these things ought not so to be; God Himself come to the help of His church!

2. Hypocrites can see, by means of general enlightenment, some beauty in grace and in God's church and people, especially when the church is pure and God's people are tender and seeking after sanctification and communion with God; this can arouse some desire and set the soul in motion. See it in Balaam: he saw the glory of Israel, how it was blessed of God; he desired to die the death of the righteous, and that his last end might be like theirs. Abimelech, seeing that God blessed and was with Isaac, desired to enter into a covenant with him (Genesis 26:26).

3. Hypocrites can also have some taste of the agreeable nature of the good things of grace (Hebrews 6:5), which can even make them hunger after them for a time: "Lord, evermore give us this bread" (John 6:34). John the Baptist was a burning and shining light, and the wicked Jews themselves rejoiced in that for a short while (Luke 3:16). In that great and terrible day the hunger shall be strong to enter in, but they shall hear these words: "Depart from Me, I know you not."

I shall now make no further mention of instances from which hunger and thirst can be said to arise; let each be faithful with his own soul! But I hear one say, "If we are to be faithful with our own soul, in order that we deceive not ourselves, that our desires do not kill us—show us then some characteristics of false and also of true desires."

If this is your enquiry, then consider the following:

The distinguishing marks of false desires are:

1. A false craving, a hunger which is not true, is such as springs up very rapidly, very easily, without there being an awareness that an almighty work of God is necessary to make the soul hungry; hypocrites grow up quickly.

2. The hunger which is not real can exist in the same soul together with an equally great desire after something other than grace; there was never a hypocrite in whose heart desires after grace were ruling, subjecting all other desires beneath a hunger after grace: no, rather, desire after mercy is subjected to the other (James 4:3). They asked, but it was that they might consume it upon their lusts. Do not here understand gross lusts in particular; there are secret, spiritual lusts as well as open and carnal ones.

3. That is not a true hunger or craving where there is no persistent and continual fight to have all that subdued which keeps the soul from the enjoyment of the thing desired. I readily admit that there is some struggle in hypocrites; but their struggle is between the one faculty and another, between their conscience which convicts them, between light and their own inclinations. But in the upright the strife is within the same faculty, between understanding and understanding, between will and will; for God's image is in part set up in each faculty; and the unrenewed powers fight against the renewed powers within that same faculty.

The distinguishing marks of true desires can be these:

1. They spring from a deep persuasion of the necessity of the thing desired. That which a hypocrite lacks is a deep conviction of his lost condition, and the necessity of Christ which flows from that; for this cause they may have as many gifts and as much letter-knowledge as they will; but of that groaning, of that standing before God as their Judge, of that self-detestation and felt melting-away before God, they know nothing; they are often among the bitterest opponents of it. But where God begins that true work, the Spirit convinces of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8, margin).

To this intent also our precious instructor speaks (viz., The Heidelberg Catechism). It describes first the state of misery, and from there it brings the question whether there be any means of salvation.

2. True desires are unbounded: the soul wants and desires Jesus entirely, in all and unto all things, complete sanctification in heart and word and deed; in secret before God, in public before and among all men; whereas the dissembler never wills that Jesus in all senses should reign over him; though he come as nigh as he please, there are always some sins to which he cleaves and which he wants to keep alive.

3. True desires set the soul on so to dispose all things, because of the preciousness which she sees in Jesus and in holiness flowing from Him; so that they serve this important end, whether they eat or drink or do any other thing: oh, then might it be to become in all things and in all senses like unto Jesus!

4. True desires are ever affected with some pains, even under their enjoyment, because they know so little of God in Christ and so little increase in sanctification: "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

5. True desires always incite to soul-exercise, to diligence and application, both in matters spiritual and natural, to walk worthy of the gospel of Christ and to "work out their own salvation with fear and trembling." Christ will not have lazy, idle subjects in His kingdom; here they must struggle, fight, wrestle, and strive to enter in.

6. Lastly, where there is a right hunger, the soul cannot lay her desires as a foundation to rest upon, without enjoying the thing desired. Far from that, for "hope deferred maketh the heart sick"; wherefore the soul "thirsts for God in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is."

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