greatly desire we take no rest till we find good grounds on which to
build up our expectations of it; and when we have found good grounds for
our expectations, then a glad hope takes possession of our hearts. Now,
to begin with, how is it with your desires? You are afraid to say much
about your expectations and your hopes. Well; let us come to your
hearts' desires.--Men of God, I will enter into your hearts and I will
tell you your hearts' desires better than you know them yourselves; for
the heart is deceitful above all things. The time was, when, like this
young pilgrim before he became a pilgrim, your desires were all set on
houses, and lands, and places, and honours, and preferments, and wives,
and children, and silver, and gold, and what not. These things at one
time were the utmost limit of your desires. But that has all been
changed. For now you have begun to desire a better city, that is, an
heavenly. What is your chief desire for this New Year? {2} Is it not a
new heart? Is it not a clean heart? Is it not a holy heart? Is it not
that the Holy Ghost would write the golden rule on the tables of your
heart? Does not God know that it is the deepest desire of your heart to
be able to love your neighbour as yourself? To be able to rejoice with
him in his joy as well as to weep with him in his sorrow? What would you
not give never again to feel envy in your heart at your brother, or
straitness and pining at his prosperity? One thing do I desire, said the
Psalmist, that mine ear may be nailed to the doorpost of my God: that I
may always be His servant, and may never wander from His service. Now,
that is your desire too. I am sure it is. You would not say it of
yourself, but I defy you to deny it when it is said about you. Well,
then, such things being found among your desires, what grounds have you
for expecting the fulfilment of such desires? What grounds? The best of
grounds and every ground. For you have the sure ground of God's word.
And you have more than His word: you have His very nature, and the very
nature of things. For shall God create such desires in any man's heart