THe foundation of my speech for this time is grounded on this short line, and few words of the Prophet Isaiah: and they well resemble that excellent constructure of our SAVIOVR, laid downe in his Gospell by Mathew: Seeke first the kingdome of God, &c. Mat. 6.33. Where by first we vnderstand, primarily, chiefly before all, and aboue all things: so that God, and his kingdome of grace must be sought principal­ly, and require the first-lings of all our labours: For, as all Obligations which runne indefinitely without limitation of time (saith the Maxime in Law) are presently due:Simil: [...] so we in the like kinde so we in the like kinde stand bound to God: And although in this Text [Page 2]is prefixed no certaine day, yet it tells vs that wee are ingaged to euery day, and therefore all holy men vrge the present day.Ier. 35.15. Gal. 6.10. Turne euery man now from his euill way: Doe good while ye haue time. While it is called to day, Heb. 3.7.13.15 Ioh. 12.35. exhort one another. To day if you will, heare his voice: Walke in the light while you haue the light, &c. The Mariner sailes while the gale is fauourable. The Smith strikes while the Iron is hote. The Traueller walkes while it is day; and the Lawyer takes his time: viz. euery tearme time: Now it is alwayes Tearme-time with Christians: this present day is our Tearme, and so is euery day: If then we would haue our cause to be heard, Christ to be our Aduocate, and God to giue sen­tence on our side, let vs seeke him diligently, and betimes;Isa. 8.13. let vs earely in the morning sanctifie the Lord in our hearts, and make him our dread.

The Prophet hauing set downe in the former part of this Chapter,Coherence. the sufficiencie and effici­encie of Christ, without whom nothing is auaile­able to saluation (for in him is the fulnesse of the God-head bodily) and likewise hauing described the calling of the Gentiles,Col. 2.9. and how they should acknowledge Christ, and seeke the Lord; Here in this verse from the occasion taken from the Gen­tiles he exhorts the Iewes to emulation: Seeke the Lord while he may be found; as if he had said, seeing the Gentiles are so zealous, and so much enkind­led to search the Lord, why should you Iewes that are the Lords peculiar people be frozen,Tit. 2.14. and cold in this dutie? Seeke the Lord, &c.

In these words I will obserue these three parti­culars: [Page 3]first, Quid, secondly, quem, thirdly, quan­do: The interpre­tation. for the first, quid is the action, seeke. And this is taken from the course and practise of men, who hauing lost any thing of moment and value, be­take themselues to diligent enquirie, and seeking of the same, neuer desisting till they finde: So they that purpose to giue vp their names to Christ seeke God diligently, neuer giuing ouer their In­quisitions, til they be well assured of his presence. To seeke God in this place, signifieth many things, as to labour to be reconciled to God in Christ, to turne to him by repentance, and hu­miliation of soule, to worship and serue him ac­cording to his word, to inuocate his holy name, to pray vnto him, to make profession of his Reli­gion, to embrace him the true Iehovah, and as the onely God by a liuely faith, &c. This large signi­fication of seeking the Lord is not onely thus meant, and expounded here, but else-where in Scripture. Hos. 3.5. Psal. 24.6. and 27.8. While he may be found: These words include the present occasion, and time of seeking, for according to the time that God will be found, we are to seeke. Now if we seeke according to certaine rules after prescribed, he will be found presently, and there­fore we are to seeke presently.2 Cor. 6.2. Now is the accepta­ble time, now is the day of Grace. Otherwise there is a time when the Lord will withdraw himselfe, and will not be found, though we seeke earnestly, as the Prophet did for a Man to execute iudgement, Ier. 5.1. and performe righteousnesse in Ierusalem, and found him not. In few words, the meaning is this: O yee [Page 4]Iewes by your disobedience and daily transgres­sions, you haue lost the Lords fauour and counte­nance, abused his gracious offers, delaying time, and procrastinating Repentance, and you haue made vnto your selues Idolls that are no Gods: Now the Lord once againe offereth himselfe in his mercies to your view, neglect not the occasi­on, but serue, seeke, call vpon, and worship him: if it come to passe that meanes and time slip away through carelesnesse, then all your hopes are in the winde, and you may seeke God, but he will neuer be found as a mercifull and tender Father, but rather as a terrible and a fearefull Iudge.

Seeke.] This word presupposeth a former losse,Doct. 1. we need not seeke God,Sinne is the cause of the losse of Gods fauour. vnlesse formerly we had lost God: Hence I gather this Theoreme, that by corrupt nature, and multitude of transgressions, we are loosers, not seekers of God, we are rather strangers and wanderers from him, then Inquisi­tors of, and true conuerts vnto him. In the cor­ruption of nature we lost the comfortable pre­sence of God, which in our innocencie we enioy­ed: by loosing our selues we lost him: and second­ly, in the daily admitting, and committing of sin after grace receiued, we loose his sight and pre­sence.

Sinne is a make-bate,Reason. and a schismatique, that rendeth asunder the sacred bond of peace be­tweene the Creator, and his creature: it shorten­eth his arme, and withereth the fresh boughes of his loue: It maketh a separation betweene him and vs, as the Cloud betweene the brightnesse of [Page 5]the Sunne and vs: It casteth vs into darkenesse, and thrusteth vs behinde the doore, as Iael did Sisera, that we might loath to see the face of God, as Sisera did the face of Barak and Deborah: Iudg. 4.18.19 So long as the Ephesians continued in their sinfull I­dolatrie, they lost God, for it is said,Eph. 2.12. that they were without Christ, being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel, strangers from the couenant of promise, ha­uing no hope, and without God. And so soone as our progenitour Adam had transgressed the Com­mandement, in eating of the forbidden fruit, he went and hid himselfe in a bush, as if Gods pre­sence had beene too hot for him:Gen. 3.8. Adam and his wife hid themselues from the presence of the Lord a­mongst the trees of the Garden: fearefull they were to heare him speake, and ashamed to see his face, and therefore they seeke starting-holes, to hide themselues the further from him. In the same tak­ing are all his of-spring to this day, if the old ser­pent get any of vs to plucke an apple from the prohibited tree, that is, if he winne our consents to sinne, he hath his desire, and we become vaga­bonds on the earth, and fugitiues from the face of God: And euer the more we offend, the further we are from God, being either like Pilgrimes now wandering vp the steepe Mountaines of pride, now downe the low vallies of despaire, now through the shadie groues of wantonnesse, now through the broad fields of licentiousnesse, now through the thornie thickets of worldly cares, now through the filthie channels of carnall lusts, roouing sometimes here, sometimes there, with­out [Page 6]mate and guide, the Deuill leading vs whi­ther he list, or like Marchant aduenturers, imbarkt in the ship of securitie, sometimes hoysing vp the sailes of noysome desires, sometime filled with the merry gale of vaine and worldly pleasures, somtimes delighted with a whistling aire of filthy lucre, euer and anon running vpon the Syrtes and quicksands of sinne, to the great danger, not so much of the losse of life, and wracke of goods, as the wracke of Conscience, which is the greatest shipwracke, and the losse of Gods lone and affec­tion, which is the greatest losse. Thus sinfull men that we are, whilest with the Prodigall we become trauellers, and Marchant aduenturers, to see the fashions of the world abroad, we become like to Ionas, Ion. 1.3. who fled to Tarshish from the prefence of God.

There be three things that make men forsake one anothers societie;Philo. de pro­fugis. Hatred, Feare, Shame: for hatred, the enuious man hates the companie of him that prospereth, and so doth one enemy hate another: Iacob fled from Laban because of his in­iustice and Idolatrie, he hated them: For feare Children will runne from their Parents, and ser­uants from their Masters, for feare Iacob fled from Esau, and Dauid from Saul. For shame the Adul­terer keepes his Cabin, and is couched in a cham­ber;Gen. 3. and for shame Adam skulted in the groue of Paradise: Tell me, thou fugitiue sinner, for which of these things doest thou seeke to estrange thy selfe from God? there is no cause of hatred in him, for he is wholly delectable,Cant. 5.10.16 the fairest of ten thou­sand: there is no cause of feare in him, for he is [Page 7] the Father of mercies, and the God of consolation; Ephes. 2.4. he is rich in mercy, especially to them,Gal. 4.6. who haue re­ceiued the spirit of adoption to cry Abba Father: there is no cause of shame in him,Psal. 24.8.9. & 25.3. for he is the Lord of Glorie. Nay, rather (vile sinner) be ashamed of thy sinnes, and blush at thy transgressions, whereby thou hast lost thy selfe, and a mercifull God: thou by thy wicked life, hast turned thy backe vpon thy Master, and set thy selfe so farre at oddes with him, that thou shalt draw downe no loue from him vnto thee, vnlesse thy Repentance and hu­miliation for thy sinne, be as the Loadstone to pull him to, and winne him againe.

Obiect: But how can a man wander from God,Ob: or lose him? Wheresoeuer I am, God is there pre­sent; he filleth both heauen and earth; Ier. 23.24. Psal. 27. Psal. 139.2.3.4 he is with me at my sitting, rising, lying downe, in the thoughts of my heart, words of my tongue, wayes of my feete, nay, in my reines, and bones. His presence cannot be auoided, who sitteth on the Circle of heauen,1 Reg. 8.27. Isa. 66.1. and beholdeth the inhabitants of the earth as Grashoppers, whose throne is the heauen of heauens, and the earth is his footestoole, and his wayes are in the great deepe, &c.

Answ: It is true;Sol: There is neither heauen nor hell, nor the vttermost part of the Sea, neither day nor night, light, nor darkenesse, that can se­parate vs from God; the presence of his God head is no lesse in one place then in another: He is well knowne in Iury, and his name is great in Israel. But yet touching the presence of his mercie, and lou­ing kindnesse, that is not vouchsafed to the wic­ked, [Page 8]they shall not enioy one iot of it: In which respect they may be said to be farre absent from God. Secondly, God may be said to be found, when the kingdome of Grace is much aduanced amongst a people: but the vngodly they seeke to subdue it,Heb. 10.29. and to trample the precious bloud of Christ vnder their feete, which makes them strangers vn­to God.

Vse 1 Vse. Is it so that a man by sinne flies the face of God:For informa­tion. this may then let vs see the malice of sinne against our soules: It will neuer cease stretching forth an Ishmaeliticall hand, til it haue quite par­ted God and vs, yea, till it hath diuided vs from our selues, for while we are beguiled with the de­ceilfulnesse thereof, irrationall conditions, and beastly qualities oppresse vs, and with ding­thrifts, and Prodigalls, it will make vs forsake our Fathers house, and change his sweet and fat land for a strange Countrey, his daintie cates, and di­shes of sweet meates, for refuse huskes, his friends and acquaintance to become fellow-feasters with swine. In a word, it will so mad vs, that we should neuer thinke either of God, or the Deuill, of Pa­radise, or eternall plagues, if the Lord had not left time and meanes, that we might returne to our selues, and so seeke the Lord.

Vse 2 Vse 2. Secondly, this Doctrine may teach vs to beware,For instructi­on. and to take heed of sinne, and as much as in vs lyeth, to binde it to good behauiour (we haue no greater enemy in the world) seeing with­out our circumspection, it will goe about to set God and vs at eares Oh then take the peace of it, [Page 9]and seeke to shut it out of the doores of thy heart, that it may neuer shut thee out of Gods presence. And as Samael dealt with the Amalekites, 1 Sam. 15. so deale thou with the members of sinne, kill them, and then bury them with Iezabells bones in a deepe graue, that they may no more rise vp to hang vp­on thee: this is the next and readiest way to get into Gods fauour, and the presence of his grace.

Vse 3 Vse. 3. Thirdly, we are here likewise taught to bewaile the great losse of our God,To bewaile our losse of God by sinne. and to lament the want of his gracious presence: this is the pra­ctise of euery godly man, for if he thinke it the greatest gaine to obtaine the fauour of God, then he must needes thinke it his greatest losse to want it. If there be any sprinkle of Regeneration vpon thee, or sparke of grace within thee, it will moue thee to griefe and sorrow in the absence of God, and compell thee to seeke him as the Hart doth the waters, saying,Psal. 143.6. My sonle desireth after thee as the Hart after the water brookes, and as the thirstie lands after raine.

Reason 1 The reasons why godly men bewaile the ab­sence of God, are specially these two: First, they know what it is to want God, by setting a prise and worth on him, while they haue him present in their hearts: they know that when by sinne we loose him, the soule is dead, grace is withered, the Conscience tormented, and heauen turned into hell; they know that the world cannot be so mi­serable without a Sunne, nor the bodie without breath, as the soule without God, the sunne of his Church, and the soule of the soule of euery true beleeuer.

[Page 10] Reason 2 Secondly, if God depart from them for a time in displeasure, through their fall into some sinne, and then leaue a sense of his displeasure in their soules, then their soules find such a want of him, that they are not able to sustaine themselues with­out a present possession: In this case godlesse men being sore afflicted, will mourne for their wants: and therefore much more the godly: But alas, for all this, with the most of vs it is farre otherwise, we can easily bewaile the losse of a sheep, or a cow or an hogge, &c. We will take on as a Beare rob­bed of her Whelpes, and tell our neighbours our griefe, and the great losse we haue sustained: but we seldome or neuer make any moane, that we haue lost Gods fauour, because we want a sense and feeling of his blessings in his mercies: We seldome cry out in his absence,Psal. 67.1. Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs; neither doe we complaine,Isa. 59.2. that our iniquities haue reared vp a par­tition wall betweene God and vs, and so hid his face from vs that he will not heare: neither doe we accuse our selues as lost sheepe, Psal 119. last verse. that haue long gone astray. Oh therefore let vs flatter our selues no more with those that plucke out the eyes of knowledge it selfe;Psal. 10.4.11. Tush, God is gone, he hideth his face, and will neuer see; But rather let vs resolue to seeke GOD when he is wanting, and to mourne for the want. Let vs not follow our sensualitie too farre, nor buy voluptuousnesse with a price, but say with the Athenian Oratour, when we heare how farre God is from vs by our pleasure:Non em [...]m tanti peanitere. I will not buy the seeking of God by Repentance at so high a rate.

[Page 11] Vse 4 Vse 4. Lastly, seeing by sinne we loose God, here againe wee are exhorted, when we possesse him, when we haue found him,Let vs hold God fast when we haue him. when we possesse to keepe our selues there, and to hold him fast. Let thine eye be continually vpon him, and neuer suffer him to be out of thy sight.Psal. 123.2. Behold as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hands of their Ma­sters, and as the eyes of a maiden vnto the hands of her mistresse; So let our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God. As the child dealeth with his Father, he followes him vp and downe, and dare not let him goe out of his sight, but holds hard on his skirts, & keepes him with him; So deale thou with the Lord: turne thy selfe in euery good action vnto him, and if thou hast any feare of loosing, then sit the closer and hold the faster, euer remembring that the second losse is the greater, and bringeth more danger to the looser: Dauid set himselfe euer in Gods presence,2 King. 5.16. so doe thou stand before the Lord continually, for this is a signe of thy obedience to the Lord thy Master, to stand before his face, and not to shrinke from his presence.

Thus much of the Supposition; Now of the Position, Seeke the Lord: Hauing laid downe, how that by sinne we are out of Gods fauour, and lose his presence of grace; it remaineth to speake of the meanes to finde the Lord, and to get into his fauour, and that is here said to be Seeking, whether it be by prayer, Repentance, obedience, or hear­ing of the word daily and diligently, &c.Doct. 1.

God being lost by sin must be sought by all holy meanes.And the Point is this, that hauing lost the Lord by iniquitie, we are to seeke him againe by all [Page 12]godly helpes and meanes: we must not stand vp­on arguments, but resolue present diligence to seeke when God seemes to leaue the Cabin of our hearts, and begins to write bitter things against vs. The seruant put out of his Masters seruice, know­ing the profit by it, will not stand vpon his termes; My master did me wrong, why did he thus? but he seekes all meanes to procure his ma­sters wonted loue and affection; neither doth it become vs (Gods seruants) to argue vpon points without ground, but rather we should seeke Gods face when he calleth vpon vs to that purpose, saying,Psal. 27.8. Hos. 5.3. Seeke ye my face. Thus did the men of Is­rael, they sought the Lord, and he was fauourable & gracious vnto them, God sends not his work­men away without wages, nor those that seeke him by Repentance, in faith, &c. without a re­ward. Dauid saith,Psal. 34.4. I sought the Lord, and he heard me. He did not so much vse his bodily feete to runne after the Lord, as the good temper of his affections to take delight in the Lord. Neither did he say, I prayed and was heard, but I sought and was heard:2 Chron. 20.3 and thus Iehosaphat fearing God, set himselfe to seeke the Lord: And why are all the Elect of God, called a Generation of seekers, but in respect of their enquiries after Gods fauour,Psal. 24.6. ac­cording as it is the brand of the vngodly, that they seeke not God?

And surely,Reason. if either the comforts and ioy we may reape by Gods presence, or the necessitie thereof may be of force to perswade inquirie, and to stirre vp our care, neither of them is wanting in [Page 13]this so weightie a matter: for comforts and ioy, what thoughts are able to reach to the excellency of them? Eye hath not seene, nor eare heard,1 Cor. 2.9. nor heart conceiued the multitude and worth there­of: the presence of great men will astonish and a­maze their inferiours, it will make them fearefull to behold their faces:Math. 5.8. but such is not Gods pre­sence, his face and countenance is delectable, and at his right hand is pleasure for euermore: Psal. 16.11. and the more we can behold it, the lesse is our feare; and the greater our reioycing:1 Sam. 6.13. when the Arke was re­stored, the men of Bethshemesh exceedingly reioy­ced: when the publicke teaching of the Law (which had a long time beene discontinued) was againe established,Nehem. 8.12. the people of Ierusalem were much comforted. But how much more will the Children of the marriage Chamber reioyce,Math. 9.15. when the Bridegroome is among them? This ioy a­rising from Gods presence, concerneth either the qualification of the Conscience, or the fruition of Gods fauour in the estate of glory: for the con­science, when after many skirmishes, and secret terrors, it begins to gather heart (as we say) and to feele euidences of grace, then there is much ioy, yea, such ioy,1 Pet. 1.8. as Peter calls it glorious and vn­speakeable: Touching this Ioy looke vpon Dauid, boasting in the ioy of heart, which was giuen him by the Lords lifting vp of his countenance vpon him; Psal. 4.7. Looke vpon the Eunuch, going on in his way re­ioycing, Act. 8.39. because he felt how faith in Christ was wrought in his soule; and that was Maries Ioy, reioycing in spirit, Luk. 1.46. that she knew God in Christ was [Page 14] become her Sauiour. For the fruition of the state of glory hereafter, it may well lift vp the beleeuers heart with comfort,Reu. who shall stand before the lambe accompanied with 24. Elders, singing and reioy­cing: he shall be where God is for euer, Ioh. 14.16.17. 1 Cor. 13.12. and shall see him face to face. If this glimmering light of hea­uenly knowledge (when we see but as in a glasse darkely) be so delightfull: what shall it be to see and know the Lord as he is? If the communion we haue here with Christ in his word, and Sacra­ments be so ioyous, what shall it be to enioy the immediate presence of God our Father, Christ our Redeemer, the holy Ghost our Comforter? Now shall not such excellent comforts, springing from the enioyment of Gods presence be reputed worthie our inquiries? What doe many vulgar people oftentimes to see the Kings face, or at least his person? Strange things are done out of the de­sire thereof: As earnest should we be to get a sight of God. Thus I haue briefely pointed you to the ioy of the Saints in their apprehensions of God, and the beholding of his bright countenance: Now let me shew you the necessitie too: the ne­cessitie in a word is such, that without God, and the presence of his grace, there is no possibilitie of admittance into heauen: for vpon all those that are without the pale of his fauour, shall be execu­ted that sentence passed vpon the man without the wedding garment;Mat. 22.13. Binde them hand and foote, and cast them into vtter darknesse, where shal be nei­ther comfort, nor light, nor yet hope of either. To be in a darke Dungeon, where is no penetra­tion [Page 15]of light, nor any consolation, is great paine and misery:2 Thes. 1.9. but to be excluded from the presence of the Lord, and from the glorie of his power, is euen to be punished with euerlasting destruction. As is the world without a Sunne, a pining child without a Mother, a distressed land without a gouernour; euen so is the soule and body without the blessed and glorious presence of God, nay, they are in a thousand times worse taking: for their exempti­on shall be perpetuall and easelesse, their eye-sight shall onely be of Gods wrath; and his eternall fu­rie. They shall feed his Iustice while they are burning in fire and brimstone,Reu. 21.8. which is the se­cond death. Looke then of what necessitie, sal­uation, and happinesse, and life eternall is, of the same is the fauour and louing countenance of the Lord. If it be necessary for a man to seeke to be saued, it is necessary to seeke the present, and fu­ture good of his soule, by seeking a conioyning to the Lord by meanes of his grace. What can deserue the very best, and (as it were) the very quintessence of our care, if not this?

Ob: But it will be sayd,Ob: Why neede we seeke God, He is euery where at one and the same time, he fills both heauen and earth?

Answ. In God we must consider two things;Sol: first, Deitie, secondly, Presence of Grace: touch­ing the former, God need not be sought, so he is alwayes at hand, as it appeares Act. 17.27. Wee may feele after him, and finde him, because he is not farre from euery one of vs. And thus seeing his crea­tures, we see him. Touching his presence of grace [Page 16](which is often wanting to comfortlesse Consci­ences) we are to seeke God, and are commanded so to doe: for he absents himselfe many times from his deare children, touching his Grace, so much, that they desire but the least impression, and token thereof, and cannot get it, whereupon they are much exercised in stirring the scinders to finde some liue-ashes, and will not giue ouer sear­ching, till they haue gotten some treasure, some spe­cialtie of Gods fauour. And this is called the seek­ing of Gods face. Psal. 27.8.

Quest. But why should we seeke Gods face?Quest. Is it not said: Thou shalt not see my face, for there shall no man see me and liue? Exod. 33.20.

Ans. The face of God is either prima or secun­da. Sol: The first is the face of his spiritualtie, of his diuine Maiestie, which cannot be seene with the darke eyes of mortalitie: Our weaknesse is so great, and his Maiestie on the otherside is glori­ous and transplendent, that we cannot behold it without the consuming of our selues: no more then the eye can behold and looke vpon the ex­ceeding brightnesse of the Sunne without the hurting and dazeling of it selfe. The second is the face of his loue, and fauour; this with the vnder­standing, and the heart may be seene: Eccles. 1.16. Moses and Ia­cob saw this face of God, and reioyced.

Vse 1 Vse 1. Is it so that euery one should set himselfe apart to seeke God by one godly helpe or other?Vse 1 this then may serue to reproue the intollerable neglect of this dutie:For reproofe. Some say, oh, it is an easie matter to be acquainted with God, he may be [Page 17]soone found, a little seeking will serue the turne: but let the industrious carefulnesse, continuall supplications, and the daily complainings of Gods seruants in the want of God, (yea, then when he is present in their hearts) testifie the fa­cilitie, and easinesse of this businesse.

Ob: I but Sir tell me, did not Christ say,Ob: Seeke and finde? Therefore when, or where,Math. 7.7. or howso­euer seeking I shall finde.

Ans. I grant it to be true,Sol: that Christ did say so to his Disciples: and made this promise to them (in them to vs) that euery beleeuer, being in Christ, might seeke, and finde: but not that euery kinde of seeking should obtaine. The meaning of the words is this, That whosoeuer haue beene first sought, and found of God, shall seeke and finde God: but they who haue not first drawne neare to him, shall neuer find God drawing neare to them.

Secondly, another sort of people there is,2. de­seruing much blame; namely, all such as plead a perpetuitie of Gods presence with them in the midst of their wants of him: Oh, I neuer wanted the Lord, and why should I goe troubling my selfe to seeke him? Alas, for the blindnesse and folly of such men: they speake without sence, to say they haue that which they neuer so much as once enioyed. Where God affordeth his presence of grace, there alwayes are other companions of it, and such as attend the Spirit: As we vse to say, Where the King is, there is his Court, his waiters, his attendants; So, euen so where God is with his [Page 18]Spirit, there is his Court, and attendants, as saith, loue, obedience, feare, peace, ioy in the holy Ghost, worship, reuerence, prayer, Repentance, humilitie, &c His Angels will be about thee, his Spirit within thee to helpe thee, his Grace to vp­hold thee, his mercy to embrace thee: Looke then, are these present, then their Master cannot be farre off? But surely, Grace would tell thee (if thou hadst any) that there is a great want of God, that thou maist seeke daily for a supply: and that he is the farthest off from such as feele the least want.

Ob: The Lord hath blessed me with his good Creatures,Ob: he hath giuen me prosperitie, and ri­ches, I finde no want of them, and therefore if the, Lord were absent from me, those things should be taken away, and I should be depriued of their vse.

Ans. A man may enioy many outward bles­sings,Sol: and in the possession, neither know whe­ther God loues, or hates him. He may haue his portion in this life, Psal. 17.14. and his belly filled with hid trea­sure, he may be full of children, and leaue his substance to his babes; and yet he may be out of Gods fauour, and called,Rom. 9.13. a man of the world. Esau was fatted with the blessings of the earth, and yet he was so farre of from the Lords loue towards him, that the Lord hated him.

Secondly, the more couetous a miser is, the lesse acquaintance he hath with God, because he is fil­led with noysome lusts, 1 Tim. 6.9. and enters into many temptati­ons, which driues him from God: and therefore it [Page 19]was rightly spoken, that a Cable might as soone goe through a needles eye, as a rich Miser enter into the kingdome of heauen, consequently into Gods fauour.

Lastly,3. another kinde of people deserue equall reproofe with the former, namely, such as leaue the pure Well and digge Cisternes that will hold no water: such as forsake God, and employ all their cares in and about the world. That seeke worldly pelfe, and externall goods, and in the meane time haue no regard at all to seeke the Lords good will lost by their transgressions. It is now adayes an ordinary matter to see spirituall affaires iustled aside, or rather thrust out by the shoulders, that the outward man may receiue some contentment; and golden opportunity neg­lected, that the occasion of improuement of worldly commodities, of tickling carnal delights, and of maintaining outward reputation among men may be embraced. In a word, Matters tou­ching God are so sleightly, so seldome, so remis­ly sought after, as if they were not worthy talking of: And matters touching the world are so eagar­ly, so industriously, and with that intention of minde and body followed after, as if God had made man for nothing els but to swallow downe goods and greatnesse, as fast as possibly he can. Oh, my Brethren, be ye in time recalled from this miserable state of misery, and remember how faultie you are in seeking the things of God: your care for the earth hath so deuoured the care of heauenly things,Gen. 41.20. as if the leane Kine in Pharaohs [Page 20]dreame had eaten vp the fat. Consider these things, and seeke the Lord in a good time, while the way is faire, the passage speedie, the doore o­pen, the day lasts, and while he calls.

Vse 2 Vse 2. As this Doctrine may reprooue the of­fender: so it may serue to instruct vs to the obser­uation of the point in hand,For instructi­on. to seeke the Lord: If a child in a crowd hath lost the sight of his tender hearted Father, or a waiting man the sight of his kinde Master, or if any man hath lost any matter of valuation, how diligently will they set them­selues to Inquisitions, they will goe euery way to the wood (as the Prouerbe is) they will not cum­ber themselues with other triuiall matters found in their way, but passe ouer them as if they tooke no notice of them; So it should be with vs, tho many good commodities may lie in our way, yet let vs neuer trouble our selues to take them vp, for it is a more valuable commoditie then they are, that we seeke after. Oh, let vs be stirred vp on all hands concerning this dutie, whet on one an­other to the performance of it: And you that haue beene carelesse herein, begin now at last to be bet­ter aduised, and thinke it not an easie thing to seeke God: Seeking requires a care, and an ende­uour more then ordinary. And you that haue bestowed some care this way, be perswaded that it hath not beene so earnest, so constant, so intentiue as it ought to be, reamend and double the same. Yea, let vs all redeeme as much time as possiblie we may for this one thing, let vs abridge our selues rather in our outward profits, and pursuites [Page 21]of them, let vs rather want opportunitie in our sports, let all other things goe to wracke, rather then this one businesse should not be forwarded.

Vse 3 For direction. Vse 3. This point will teach vs in the third place a lesson of direction, where, and how to seeke Gods louing face and fauour: And therefore if you be affected with the commoditie here men­tioned, you will be glad to take the time, meanes, and helpes offered.

God hath three houses.First, we will begin with the place where God must be sought, for when we are once fully assu­red of his habitation (as I may so speake) and of the place where he dwels: then we may both bold­ly and freely seeke him. The place we must goe vnto is his house, there we must seeke him; for, as one neighbour hauing some businesse with ano­ther, goeth not to a strangers house, but to his house to seeke him: and indeed where should neighbours seeke one for another, but at their houses? So if the Lord be wanting to any soule (in as much as it crieth out,Psal. 76.7.8. why Lord absentest thou thy selfe so long?) then let that soule be prostrate before the gates of the Lords house, that he may answere the complaints thereof. And that it may not long be farre from him: Consider that God hath three houses, if we misse in one, or other, yet we shall be sure to find in the third.

First, Church Assemblies.The first house where we must seeke God is the Church; whereto the godly often are congrega­ted, and where also God is present after a speciall manner: He is in the midst of such assemblings:Math. 18.23. Iohn found the Lord in the midst of the seuen golden Reu. 18.1. [Page 22] Candlestickes, that is, the true Church. The spouse sought and found her best beloued in the tents of the Shepheards, Cant. 6.1.2. and in the garden among the beds of Spices: that is, in the Assembles of godly people, where graces grow as Spices vpon a bed in a gar­den. And so if we will finde the Lord, our resort must be to the Sanctuarie: from vnder the thres­hold of the doore thereof,Psal. 63.2. And 73.17. flow forth waters to re­fresh our soules. Thither went the Prophet Dauid in the time of distresse, and was comforted; and thither went the people of Israell to see the Lords face: So that in the Congregation (where the lit­tle flocke of Christ is folded) we may seeke and finde.

The reason of it is,Reason. because those meanes which God hath sanctified, and set apart for our saluati­on, and for inquisition, are there vsed: there is the word truely and soundly preached; there are the principles of religion for those of a lower forme; there are deeper points for exercised wits;Heb. 5.14. there are helpes for Magistrates, for Ministers, for pri­uate men, for yong and old; yea, whatsoeuer grace is lacking, there thou shalt be sure to haue it sup­plied abundantly; there thou shalt see the great Mystery of godlinesse discouered which is,1 Tim. 3.16. God ma­nifested in the flesh, &c. And as in the materiall Sanctuary, the Lord reuealed himselfe to his peo­ple; so here to those that with Conscience seeke him will he likewise discouer himselfe in the sal­uation of their soules.

Vse. If God be pleased graciously to afford vs his sight,Vse. and remembrance in exterior temples,For reproofe. [Page 23]where godly men are often assembled, then this may shew vs plainely the gracelesse courses of vn­godly sinners, that liue as men without house, harbourlesse, the blustring world is their lodging roome, vncleane birds their fellowes; and the houses of strangers their dwellings. Not to speake of Separatists, who (as if our Church had vtterly loft her face, because perhaps shee wants some beautie) doe flie from our Congregations, as if they were cages of vncleannesse: Nor of Popish Recusants, who (because they see not their Ima­ges, their breaden and woodden Gods in our Temples) refuse to come neare the portalls of our Church,Luk. 11.42. Act. 20.27. when the Key of knowledge (by which might be opened vnto them the whole counsel of God) is offered.

First, many others there be, who, that they may not be thought plaine Atheists, doe after a sort ioyne with the Assemblies, not for loue to Gods house, nor for duties therein exercised (for so they cast themselues from the presence of God in car­nall lazinesse, and prophane contempts,) but to shew their seruice of the time, and the sauing of their purses. The Prouerbe is, As good neuer a whit as neuer the better: It is as good to be absent as to be dull, heauie, lumpish, and without spirit in seeking for God, whom they care not whether they finde or no.

Secondly, Others in stead of going vp to the house of the Lord, seeke the vtter desolation of it, (so ill affected are they with Gods presence) they raze the Sanctuarie to the ground, Psal. 74.7. defile the [Page 24]dwelling places of Gods name, burne vp the Synagogues of God, Lam. 1.4. that no man may come to the solemne feasts of Sion, and all her gates they delight to see desolate.

Thirdly, Many delight to passe ouer Sabboths in the Ale-house and Tauernes, being gathered to heathenish consorts: Their vsuall speech is this; the Church hath enough in it that may goe to God, and pray for vs, we may stay here well e­nough. These passe vpon themselues sentence of excommunication, and like out-lawed persons, are depriued of the benefit that belongs to the subiects of heauen (namely, Gods protection, and enioyment of his Realme) and thus they are gi­uen vp to Sathan.1 Cor. 5.5. 1 Tim. 1.20.

Fourthly, Others take their horse, and trauell uell about worldly businesse vpon the Lords day, pretending that they can pray and serue God on Horse-backe in their iourney as well as the best: But all these are deluded by the Deuill, whom they serue; they are cut off from the priuiledges of Gods house,2 Cor. 5.18. Ephes. 4.12. Rom. 4.11. Act. 14.27. The ministery of reconciliation, the bodie of Christ edified, the seales of Righteousnesse, which are by faith: And the preaching of the word, which is called, The doore of faith, is shut against them.

And is it not a strange thing, that whilest they runne from God, from his presence, his protecti­on, his Church, and Congregations, they should thinke to meete with God, and finde him where he is neuer had? I may say assuredly they shall find him in his iust Iudgement, and he will meet with them in their hypocrisie to giue them a full re­ward: [Page 25]they may goe on a while, but in the meane time, God is fetching a stroke against them, which like a flaile, the higher it is lifted, when it fals will giue the greater blow, and make the deeper wound.

Vse 2 Vse 2. The Assemblies of the Saints is Gods first house where he will be found,For instructi­on. then should we with gladnesse goe into Bethel, for Gods name is there heard,Psal. 122.1. Christ is there present, Mat. 18.20. and the presence chamber is filled with the glory of the Lord. 1 Reg. 8.12. The Pro­phet Dauid saw and conceiued such speciall and extraordinary benefits comming to his soule by seeking the face of the Lord in his house, that he alwayes wished himselfe there:Psal. 27.4. One thing I haue desired of the Lord, that I will require, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold the beautie of the Lord. This was a matter which he desired aboue all things, and for the ob­taining whereof he was very importunate with God. My soule longeth, Psal. 84.1.2.4.10. and fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, blessed are they which dwell in thine house, &c. Oh that the same minde were in vs to come before the Lord in publique meetings, and in them to be partakers of the exercises of pietie, then we would say with Iacob, surely, this place is reuerent, whatsoeuer we haue thought of it,Gen. 28.16.17. &c. It is no other but the house of God, euen the gate of heauen. This is the first house where God must be sought.

Secondly, A Christian mans familie.The second house, where God must be sought is the priuate familie of euery Christian. It suffi­ceth not to be diligent in the Church, vnlesse a man be the same at home: this was holy Iobs care, [Page 26]that his family might be Gods house,Iob 1.5. as appeares by his daily sanctification of his children: And of Ioshuah, Iosh. 24.15. the Scripture truely relateth, That he and his house feared God; Intimating that while their houses were receptacles of Gods worship, they themselues (as they were Gods dutifull ser­uants, so they) were serious seekers of the Lords eternall loue and mercie. Our Sauiour saith, that wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together, or consent in any thing in his name, he will be there present, though it be in a mans secret fami­ly. Adams house where God was worshipped, and sacrifices offered,Gen. 4. was Gods house, whence Cain complaines he was cast out, for euery denomina­tion is from the worthier part: therefore make thy house Gods house, and so thou shalt haue God neare thee, with his sweete fellowship, and fulnesse of blessednesse.

Quest. But what might I doe that my house may be the Lords house,Quest. to the end I may seeke and finde him there?

Answ. To this purpose are required of thee these things;Ans.

1. If thou wilt make thy house Gods Church, and so finde the Lord at home; then see that all the members in thy familie be the true members of the Church: looke to this with a diligent and heedfull eye: if there be but two righteous per­sons in thy house, God will there shew thee his face after a sort, but when thy whole familie may be baptized with the name of a Church, because there is not so much as a Canaanite, or an vncir­cumcised [Page 27]person in it, then it shall be as a sweete sauour in his sight, and his glorious countenance will there be most radiant and bright.

2. Entertaine none into thy familie but such as the Lord hath first entertained into his: take none into thine house which are not of the hous­hold of Faith. This is the sweeping of the house, and making faire of the doores & gates for Gods entrance.Psal. 101. The Prophets eyes were to the faithfull of the Land, that he might picke out the choicest of them for the Lords seruice, and his prayer was for the Israelites, that they might be corner stones, polished, and grauen to make a Princely Pallace.

3. After this ground-worke is laid, then the housholder must build thereon, dealing in his fa­milie, as the Pastor in the Church; either by way of teaching by words, and example, or by pray­ing, or by correcting. First, teaching, and instruc­ting of the familie is required, and that partly in reading, partly in deliuering precepts out of the Word. It is Gods Commandement,Deut. 6.7. To whet the Law continually on our children, and to traine them vp, euen from their childhood in the Scriptures. Secondly, Calling them to account for things deliuered by Catechizing is needfull. This is the driuing of the nayle to the head: this hinders vaine thoughts, words, and exercises: this bani­sheth much folly, and ignorance that is bound vp in the hearts of children and seruants. Thirdly, Application of Gods workes past or present, on our selues, or others, to moue vnto confidence in God, by the workes of his mercie, and to feare to [Page 28]offend by the workes of his iustice, is also requi­site: this was holy Abrahams practise,Gen. 18.19. for which God would not hide his secret workes from him. Fourthly, Edification of the family with Psalmes, and melodie to the Lord is fit and conuenient,Col. 3.16. as the Apostle teacheth vs. Againe, as the Master of the house must teach by words, so by example, like Dauid walking in the vprightnes of his heart in the midst of his house: for the eye of the fami­lie is vpon the gouernours thereof, as the eye of the Church vpon her Pastor.

Secondly, there must be daily praying in the familie, at least euery morning and euening so­lemnly on our knees, making confessions of sins, and requests vnto God, together with thankesgi­uing: Euening and morning, Psal. 55.17. and at noone will I pray, and make a noyse, saith Dauid. And Daniel three times a day prayed and praysed God in his house. Dan. 6.10.

Lastly, there ought to be in the familie Christi­an Discipline, that if any member thereof should happen to be out of order, by correction, admo­nition, reprehension, or at worst excommunica­tion, it may be brought to reformation. By these meanes, the priuate house shall be made Gods house, wherein he may be soone sought, and our selues sweetly solaced.

But alas,Vse. how carelesse are the most in this case? Mens Cottages are Sathans Courts, and great mens places his Pallaces: How is God sought at home, when (almost) euery member in the house is a rough, and vnhewed stone, not grauen after the similitude of a Princely building? Is not sin [Page 29]so rife, that it runnes through the silent, and secret Chambers, and like leprosie defiles the founda­tion, yea, the whole building? How is thy house Gods temple, when the Idoll of prophanenesse, disorder, vngodlinesse, &c. worse then Aarons molten Calfe, is erected? How doest thou flatter thy selfe with a conceit of Gods presence in thy whole familie, when thou mockest him? Thou seemest humble at the Church, but art disdainful, scornefull, hatefull, arrogant, and proud at home: thou seemest to be louing, kind, and friendly at the Church, but art full of malice, bitter words, frowning lookes, and vnkind carriages at home. Thou seemest in the publique house of God to yeeld obedience to wholesome Doctrine,Heb. 10. but at home (as the Iewes did deale with the bloud of Christ) thou tramplest it vnder thy feete. How doest thou enquire for God in thy familie, when thou giuest a welcome entertainment to Atheist, Papist, Iew, Pagan, miser, swearer, oppressor, and others of the same ranke and station alike? How canst thou expect Gods presence on thy right hand any where, if thou sufferest thy house to be as a cage of vncleane birds, and neither pullest their feathers, nor sweepst out their filth? Oh, I beseech you marke my words: The outward mag­nificence and sumptuousnesse of building, the pleasantnesse of scituation, the costly hangings on the walls, the rich furniture of houshold stuffe, the goodly shew of tall, and proper personable men are nothing nay, outward ciuill order is no­thing, vnlesse all godly means with a godly mind [Page 30]be practised as well in the priuate familie, as in Gods publique house. Labour therefore to make your house (by the industrious and honest exer­cises of reading, praying, catechizing, examining, singing of Psalmes, of entertaining, maintaining, retaining godly seruants: of punishing, admoni­shing, reprouing, or excommunicating vngodly and sinfull people) like Gods house, then shall you haue cause of ioy, and matter offered suffici­ent of Gods presence.

Thirdly, A sanctified soule.The third house where God is to be sought, is the soule of a man. That is the temple of the liu­ing God,2 Cor. 6.16. and he hath said, that he will dwell there, and walke there. And often haue his sonnes and faithfull seruants reioyced, that they might be in the least sort found worthie, that God would come thither. They sought him in their hearts, and found him no where else, or sooner then there.

But how shall I make my heart Gods Tem­ple?Quest.

First,Ans. As in the Temple God was daily wor­shipped; there were daily sacrifices offered, the Scriptures read and expounded, and prayers pre­ferred vnto God from his people: So must thou get a proportion in all these, if thy heart be Gods temple. First, thou must priuately, yea, secretly a­part daily worship & adore him in thy soule with personall worship, concerning such thoughts and impressions of his vnutterable Deitie, as the tongue in no wise can expresse. Secondly, Thou must offer the sacrifices of praise and thankes, for [Page 31]his personall blessings, and benefits, call to mind how rich in his bountie he hath beene to thy soule, and so expresse thy humble thankefulnesse vnto him. Thirdly, daily supplicate vnto him, and powre out thy soule in prayer vnto his maie­stie, desiring the remission of sinnes past, preuen­tion of sinnes to come, sorrow and humiliation for sinnes present, begge graces fit for thy saluati­on, and such strength therein as may vphold thee &c. Fourthly, Solely and apart euery day reade the Scriptures, and other godly Treatises, as oc­casion may giue leaue from honest labours, and being read wisely, discreetly, vnderstandingly, apply to thy vse and benefit.

Secondly, thy Heart must be as the Arke with­in the Sanctuary, wherein were kept the Tables of the Law, written with Gods owne finger: thou must endeuour in obedience to all Gods Com­mandements: entreat God to write his law in thy heart, that thou maist neuer depart from it. Ier. 31.33.

Thirdly, thy heart as the Arke must keepe the Pot of Manna, a type of Christ the foode of life: close Christ within thy heart, and hold him as thy life, neuer to part with him; for that Pot figu­red the Sacraments, in which Christ is propoun­ded the food of the soule.

Fourthly, thy heart as the Arke must containe Aarons rod that had budded, signifying the disci­pline & gouernment of Christ, vnto which thou must subiect thy selfe: let this rod flourish in thee, [Page 32]and stoope with reuerence and feare to this scep­ter. By this meanes thy soule is Gods Tem­ple, where he will be found as a man in his house.

But alas,Vse. though this be so necessary a dutie to seeke the puritie of heart, wherein is Gods de­light, yet who is it that addresseth himselfe to it? Euery one is deficient in this point, the cleansing of the soule is least thought of for Gods habitati­on: And yet who is it, that boastes not of such a good and honest heart, that makes not his brags of such inward goodnesse, as if God had dwelt there long? Who is he that complaines of his want of spirituall furniture for his soule? But looke to thy selfe narrowly, peepe in through the windowes, and thou shalt easily finde such inward crazinesse, and lamenesse by corruption: such halting betweene God and man, such deadnesse in sinne and wickednesse, such rouing thoughts, fleshly desires, carnall and worldly purposes, naughtie intentions, and such defects of graces, as if thy heart had sworne against Gods presence, and made an vtter deniall of his entrance. Let these things be well examined, and tell me if it be not more then needfull to call for helpe, the spirit of sanctification, to cleanse and wash all white within, to purge the soule from dead workes, and to make it a cleane house for God to abide in. The way to finde the lost groat is to sweepe the house, and to sift the dust: and so labour for in­ward holinesse and sanctitie, get thy heart ridd of deceitfulnesse and hypocrisie, of sinne and ini­quitie, [Page 33]sift the corners, set vp a light in it, the Candle of Faith, and vse a prospectiue continu­ally into euery farre nooke of it, and then get a weeding hooke to pull out Darnell and Cockle, so shalt thou not be long absent from the Lord, at length to thy consolation thou shalt finde him. Thus we must seeke the Lord in his house, the publique assemblies, our owne Families, and Soules.

Secondly, seek with the eye of faith and obedience. SEcondly, as we must seeke GOD in his owne house, so with a spi­rituall eye, as he himselfe is a spirituall substance; flesh and bloud cannot see him, though they seeke him: we can neuer finde him by the eyes of naturall senses, but of faith and obedience: Gods spiritualtie cannot be pierced with the eye of flesh, which seeth nothing but that which is finite, materiall, visible, and cir­cumscriptible, as God is not; nay, if the soule of a man, a finite spirit, cannot be seene with the bo­dily eye, much lesse the God of spirits, who is in­finite, and of such puritie as the Angels are not able to behold. S. Iohn saith, No man hath seene God at any time; and S. Paul saith, God dwelleth in light not to be attained to, whom no man hath seene, neither can see: and therefore concerning the out­ward sight (whereby curious and ignorant men would be glad to see God, hardly thinking there is any God, when none in this sort can be seene) the truth is, God cannot be seene. Neither are we able to see and finde God by the eye of our mind, (whilest we are here) as it is corrupted; the reason is this, because all our knowledge is by formes [Page 36]and fashions conceiued in our minde, and for the most part floweth from the outward senses, but God (as hath beene said) cannot be perceiued by our senses. No man euer saw the glorie of the Lord, viz. his Essence and diuine Maiestie, no, not Moses himselfe, neither could he see him express­ly with the eye of his minde. But thus farre we see the Lord, after an obscure fashion we see his loue and mercy, and kindnesse to vs in the reue­lation of his sonne Christ, in his beneuolent gifts of grace, in the remission of sinnes, iustification, sanctification, &c. But at the last day we shall see him fully in his brightnesse and beautie, euen as he is:1 Cor. 13.12. Now we know him in part, sayth Paul, but then we shall know as we are knowne.

Grosse are those old Heretiques,Vse. the Anthrope­morphites, that gaue to God an humane forme, &c. The Scriptures (speaking after our capacitie) giue vnto him the parts of man, as feete, hands, face, &c. And whereas they alledge some appari­tions, and visions which the Fathers had; as A­braham of three going to destroy Sodome, as Lot of two, &c. I answere, that God appeared vnto them not in his nature, but in such a forme as pleased him. Many saw, Sed quod voluntas elegit, non quod natura formauit, What his will chose, not what his nature formed. Men saw him when he would, in such formes as he would, not in his diuine na­ture, wherein he lay hid euen then when he was seene.

Grosse likewise and ridiculous are our com­mon conceits of God; Ignorant people suppose [Page 37]him to be a man in shape and passion like them­selues: The Epicure, who thought there was no happinesse vnder the Sunne, but in carnall plea­sure, imagined God to be of the same sensuall humour, and deemed that freedome from busines was his chiefest felicitie. And Dauid sayth in the Psalme, that the vngodly person, who runnes to all manner of excesse, ioyning with the theefe, and partaking with the adulterer,Psal. 50.18.21 and opening his mouth with the slanderer, thinkes God like himselfe: and generally, our priuate thoughts touching God are not so holy, so reuerent, so di­uine, so full of respect as they ought to be.

Therefore if we would see the backe parts of the Lord, then we must pray to him to open the eyes of our mides, to cleere them with the grace of vnderstanding, that we may see him now, not as he is in his eternall being, for that cannot be, but as he hath reuealed himselfe mercifully and gra­ciously vnto vs in all his spirituall endowments of grace. This is the second thing required in our seeking the Lord, namely, to seeke him not with the eye of sense or nature, but with the eye of grace, enlightened and cleered.

Thirdly, seeke God by his meanes. Thirdly, we must seeke God by his owne light and meanes: first, by the word in Precepts and Promises. This is a Lanthorne to our feete, and a light to our pathes, by which God may be discer­ned, whom the darknesse of the world cannot comprehend. We reade, that when God appea­red to Eliah, before him went a mightie strong winde, 1 King. 19.11 &c. which rent the mountaines, but the Lord was not in the [Page 38]wind. After the wind came, came an earth-quake, and after it a fire, but the Lord was in neither: but then at last of all came a still and soft voice, and in that the Lord was. And that was it which most affected Eliahs heart; for, as the Story sayth, When Eliah heard it, he couered his face with a mantell, and went out. Whereby the Lord would teach vs, that as in the first deliuery of the Law, the instrument which God taught them by was a voice (he pur­posely forbearing to present himselfe to their eies in a visible shape, least they should stick too much vpon outward shewes) so they likewise in fol­lowing times should trust especially to the same meanes, which God (as it were) by his owne mouth hath sanctified vnto them at the begin­ning, namely, a voyce. The nature of man rather affects that which offereth it selfe to the eye, then the naked and bare instruction of the eare: and therefore all counterfeit Religions are full of beautie, Images, signes, and bodily representati­ons, wherewith the world is bewitched. But the instrument that brings vs to the Lord is his owne word: the Lord thought it fitter to informe Mo­ses by the care, then to giue him his desire in pre­senting himselfe to his eye: so he doth still hold the same course, and hath ordained the sense of hearing, to be (as it were) the pipe, by which the sauing knowledge of his will may be conueyed downe into the heart.

And as for those who will not be instructed by hearing,Vse. they are sonnes of wrath, past all hope of] Gods louing presence; there is no course, though [Page 39]in mans reason neuer so little; that is able to reco­uer them. Let it admonish vs, if we desire to know God, to prepare our eares to the meanes of know­ledge. Remember what Salomon hath said, that it is but the sacrifice of fooles, Eccl. 4.17. which all those per­forme, who come into the house of God, and are not neare, and readie to heare. thus much of the word, teaching vs, that a man desirous to know in some sort; or to conceiue the maiestie of God, is instruc­ted more largely by the eare, then by outward and visible representments.

A second meanes to seeke God are such signes of his presence as he hath made choice of to re­ueale his grace in. In the old testament beleeuers must seeke him in sacrifices and ceremonies, and therein he gaue them gracious answeres. The Arke of the Couenant was called the face of God, and the seeking of speciall testimony of his pre­sence there, is called the seeking of his face. And because he was so specially present there, the Iewes in their Prayers must turne their faces to­wards the Arke, and towards Ierusalem. And that the Iewes might know where to finde God at all times,Exod. 25.8. he told them that he would dwell in the Sanctuary, and sit betweene the Cherubins: So in the new Testament, God hath appointed cer­taine signes, as so many way-markes to finde him out; as the publique seruing of him in spirit and truth; resorting of Gods Temple, and there ioy­ning in holy worship with the rest of his people, is the way to seeke him. The offering vp of the sacrifices of prayer and praise, Call vpon me in the [Page 40]day of trouble, Psal. 50.15. and I will heare thee, and thou shalt prayse me. The frequenting of the Sacraments, which represent that to the eye, which the word doth to the eare: In all which he will be sought, and out of these will not be found. God cannot be seene, or found, but by his owne light, and therefore he that must seeke him, must haue the light of vnderstanding.Psal. 14.2. The Lord looked downe to see if any would vnderstand, and seeke after God.

Fourthly, seeke God in the right way. Ier. 6.16.Fourthly, as we must seeke God by his owne meanes; so, in the right way, which is called, the old way, and therefore the good way: We must not seeke God that way we lost him, for so it is likely we shall neuer heare of him: but there is another way, though a strait and backe way, which soone brings vs to him. The familie of Iacob (those se­uentie soules) came downe to Egypt through the land of the Philistims, but after fortie yeares cir­cled about to Canaan, through the Arabian De­sert. The three Wisemen that worshipped Christ were warned by the Oracle, to goe into their Countrey another way. Imitate these Sages, thou lost God by transgression, seeke him not in that common beaten way, but by obedience, and hu­miliation: thou lost God by adultery, seeke him by chastitie: thou lost him by the way of pride; hatred, wantonnesse, wrath, ryot, seeke him by the way of humilitie, loue, temperance, patience, sobrietie: thou lost God by the way of couetous­nesse, contention, swearing, prophanenesse, seeke him by the way of contentation, peace, honou­ring his name, holinesse of life: thou lost him by [Page 41]the way of vaine superstition, seeke him by the way of Christian Religion: to conclude, as thou lost him by the way of sinne, so now set on to seek him by the way of repentance, and reformation: A reformed life is the new way, and best way; till thou set foote in it, thou art out of the right way, and soone shalt loose thy way to God: enter into it, and bid farewell to thy sinnes, that thou maist with a quicke dispatch, wheele about into thy owne Countrey.

Fiftly, as we must seeke God in the right way,Fiftly, seeke God in his owne manner. 1. Early. Psal. 63.2. so in Gods manner, and that is diuerse sorts of wayes. First, Earely: This was the Prophets practise; Early in the morning will I seeke thee. That is, euery morning, the beginning of my worke shall be to looke towards thee; I will beginne my duties in faithfull inuocating thy helpe, and aid: And as in the morning of the day, so also in the morning of thy life, forget not to seeke God by Repentance, faith, obedience, &c. This is the chiefe season:Eccl. 12.1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth. A wound lookt to at first when its fresh­est is soonest healed; A groat newly dropt downe through the fingers, if it be presently sought after will soone be found: So will God in youth, from whence (as a friend) he hath lately departed, by reason of sinne. Behold then, as euery day of thy life, so principally thou owest the prime part of thy life to this dutie, when thou art strongest and aptest.

But many deferre to seeke the Lord, vntill the ‘last weeke of their life, the last day of the weeke, [Page 42]the last houre of the day, the last minute of the houre. It is an exorbitant course, while the ship is sound, the tackling sure, the Pilot well, the sailes strong, the gale fauourable, the Sea calme, to lie idle at Rode, carding, dicing, drinking, burning the seasonable weather, and when the ship leakes, the Pilot sicke, the Mariners faint, the stormes boysterous, and the Sea a turmoile of outragious surges, to launch forth, and hoyse vp saile for a voyage into farre Countries: and yet such is the skill of euening seekers, who in the morning of youth, and soundnes of health, and perfit vse of reason, though they cannot re­solue to weigh the Auchor, and cut the Cable that with-holds them from seeking of Christ, neuertheles, they feed themselues with a strong perswasion, that when their wits are distracted, their senses astonied, all the powers of the mind, and parts of the body distempered; then for­sooth, they thinke suddenly to become Saints at their death, howsoeuer they demeaned them­selues as Deuils all their life.’

Let vs awake from sinne with Dauid early,Psal. 57.9. 1 Sam. 15.12. Gen. 21.14. Ioh. 8.2. Ioh. 20.1. rise with Samuell early, with Abraham send away Ha­gar early, with Christ and his Audience come to the Church early, seeking the Lord with Mary Magdalen early: Of this point more largly touch­ing the opportunity of seeking, hereafter follow­ing. Secondly,2. Earnestly. Earnestly; As the husbandman for gold, siluer, and his earthly Commodities, so we must seeke for this spirituall and eternall trea­sure: the former seekes eagarly, and instantly, and [Page 43]so must we. Our desire as it is to enioy, so it must be earnest and feruent in the pursuit; we ought to neglect no time, nor pretermit any the least occa­sion of finding. A loitering man that cares not whether he worke or no,Prou. may get for his idlenesse a suit of ragges: and he that thinkes to gaine Gods graces with nothing adoe, may well goe without them. There goes the striuing for maste­ries before the Crowne; a painfull sweating race before the getting of the goale, and an industrious diligence (notwithstanding all serious thoughts to this purpose) before the obtaining of the Lords grace and fauour.

Seeke painefully, not carelesly, not ouerly,Luke 15. Pro. 2.4. as the woman for her groat; seek as for siluer, search as forgold. The mint of gold lies not in the first spade it lies deeper: search with a desire of finding; for its well if after all paines, we finde at the last.

Thirdly, Sincerely,Thirdly, Sin­cerely. with a good and honest heart. Quod cor non facit, non sit; What the heart doth not is not done at all. Adams body being newly framed of the slime of the earth, lay liueles and breathlesse, vntill the breath of life was brea­thed into it; So the action of seeking God, with all the circumstances and tearmes thereof, is no­thing worth in the sight of God, vntill from the Altar of the heart, the fire of zeale, sinceritie, and integritie incense them.1 Pet. 3.10. Rom. 6.17. Rom. 10. &c. Deut. 10.16. S. Peters hidden man of the heart, S. Pauls obedience from the heart, Circum­cision of the heart, &c. are acceptable to GOD. Therefore in our seeking the Lord, let our heart march along, that so we may serue him with the [Page 44]best member we haue. As Ioseph charged the Pa­triarches, not to see his face, vnlesse their brother Beniamin came with them: so standeth the Lord affected to the heart: if thou wilt goe to the Lord goe with thy heart.Ier. 29.13. Yee shall seeke and find me, saith God, because yee shall seeke me with all your hearts. Thus did the Prophet Dauid secke the Lord, as he testifieth in his owne words,Psal. 119.10. with my whole heart doe I seeke thee.

This condemnes hypocriticall seeking, which is deceitfull; It shall neuer finde acceptance with God, nor see his louely countenance. It drawes neare to God with the lips, and toucheth the creft of heauen (as it were) with the mouth, but the heart is far from God. If thy heart be not single, then Peter in the person of Simon Magus hath read thy doome.Act. 8. Thou hast no part in true Repentance, because thy heart is not right in the sight of God. If the old Pagan soothsayers at any time missed the heart in the entrailes of the Sacrifice, or if they found it without panting and moouing, they were wonderfully appauled, and strongly feared that some danger would ensue. For they obser­ued, that in the sacrifice of Iulius, the heart was wanting: and immediately after, his most famili­ar friends conspired against him, and stabbed him in the Capitoll. They likewise obserued in the sacrifice of Pertinax, how the heart lay still with­out motion, whose death presently following, the people lamented with this wailing acclama­tion, While Pertinax raigned we liued securely, and feared none. In our Christian sacrifice of [Page 45]prayers and repentance, alas, the heart is wanting, or at least not stirring, there is so little faith, feare, obedience, zeale, sinceritie among vs. What this heartlesse seruing, seeking of God meaneth, I can­not in particular diuine. I am no Prophet, nor the sonne of a Prophet; yet sure I am, it portends no good. For preuention therefore of imminent Iudgements, let vs seeke the Lord heartily,Heb. 10.22. giuing him the whole and entire possession thereof, as himselfe iustly cals for it saying,Deut. 16.16. Turne yee vnto me with all your heart.

Fourthly, in his Sonne Christ.Fourthly, seeke God in his sonne Christ, He is the onely Mediator that passeth betwixt God and vs, without whom none can come vnto, and find his Father. He is our Iacobs ladder, whose huma­nitie toucheth the earth, and his diuinitie reached to heauen. He is that new and liuing way, Heb. 10.20. through whom we haue accesse to the Father. He is the way, Ioh 14.6. the truth, and the life.

Oh: The way to him is faith; for,2 Cor. 5.7. We walke by faith, not by sight. Heb. 11.6. He that seekes God to finde him must beleeue in him. We are a generation of seekers,Psal. 24. of them that seeke the face of the God of Iacob. If we follow faith as our guide we shall neuer erre: yet mistake me not, I meane not a na­ked, solitary, imaginary fancie of faith; this is presumption, not perswasion, but a sauing, a sanc­tifying, a iustifying faith: a faith working by loue. This way to Christ hath the approbation of the Spirit, rounding the faithfull in the eare,Isa. 30.21. This is the way, walke in it, and long agoe prophecying [Page 46]of it:Isa. 35.8. there shall be a way, and the way shall be called holy, the polluted shall not passe by it; Neither Lyon, nor Beare, nor any hurtfull creature shall walke in it. Therefore whosoeuer walke according to this rule, Gal. 6.16. peace be vpon them, and mercie, and vpon the Is­rael of God.

This condemnes the Papists that seeke Gods fauour by other wayes then the true statue Christ, the Virgin Mary, and a number of their owne Canonized Saints make a way for them, thus say they; but Gods precious Oracle finds no tongue speaking to this purpose: It onely sheweth vs gui­dance to God, in, and through Christ.

This also condemnes the Solifidians (yea Nul­lifidians) that runne well but quite beside the marke.2 Sam. 18.23. Ahimaas by running the nearest way out­stripped the Egyptian; and many make a short but the way to him (leading through the intricate Mazes of this our Pilgrimage) is a sound guiding faith: Make this thy rode, and then (though not so soone as thou wouldest) thou shalt see God in his brightnesse of loue and mercie.

Fiftly, Reso­lutely.Fiftly, Resolutely; Resolution is necessary to this point. The Souldiers resolution is the bat­tell: the Sowers resolution is his plowing, and sowing: the Schollers resolution is his studies: And all our resolution ought to be this godly re­solution to seeke the Lord. Let the dead bury the dead, Phil 3.11.12. I will follow hard towards the marke of the high calling. I will seeke God. Agrippa almost perswaded to be a Christian, was altogether no Christian: [Page 47]vnsetlednesse is the breake-necke of many Chri­stian courses, when there is a purpose, and then no purpose, a will and no will to seeke God. It is not leaden heeles, but faint and dead hearts that makes vs stagger, and vntill the fire of determina­tion, together with the hot coales of stedfast re­solution enflame vs onwards in our Inquisition, we shall not enioy the promised Canaan, that land of fruitfulnes, where God is perpetually resident. Therefore as Dauid swore and stedfastly purposed to keepe Gods righteous iudgements; Psal. 119. so let his case be ours, that we may with full purpose bend our selues in Repentance to seeke the Lord, whatsoe­uer other occasions and matters may casually fall in our way.

Sixtly, Directly; Beware of blind lanes,Sixtly, Di­rectly. and circuiting perambulations: crooked wayes and crooked feete will cast backward.Gal. 2. Peter was shent for walking with a wry foote to the Gospell. Therefore take heed to thy feet,Eccl. 5.1. Heb. 12.13. and make straight pathes vnto them. The way to heauen is both straite and straight, like the streete in Damascus, Act. 9.11. which was called the straight streete. He that goes about to seeke God, must goe as Paul to Coos, Act. 21.1. with a straight course, therefore as thou art carefull to set on, so be as diligent to set out in the right and direct passages; leaue by-wayes and wrie-wayes to nocturnall walkers, perambulations and cir­cuitions to Sathan, that infernall Peripatetike. Such as will obtaine Gods mercie, and finde his tokens of grace, must neither turne to the right hand of selfe-pleasing singularitie,Deut. 5.32.33. nor to the left [Page 48]hand of vulgar impietie: but walke in the true profession of the Catholique faith, and in an ho­nest vocation, warranted by Gods word.

Seuenthly,Seuenthly, Constantly. Math. 24 13. Constantly; Continue seeking. He that continues to the end shall be saued. Gods grace is worth all our seeking, though we should seeke it a thousand yeare, giue not ouer till it be found. Be watchfull to the end and thou shalt haue the crowne of life, Reu. 2.10. And 2.26. and he that keepeth my workes to the end, to him will I giue power ouer nations. What a shame is it then to recoile and fall off from seeking, bend­ing backe like a broken Bow; Psal. 78.57. to begin in the spirit and end in the flesh? What a shame is it after thou hast fed on Angels food, to lust after the Onions and Garlicke of Egypt? After thou hast escaped the filthinesse of the world, tasted of the good Word of God,Heb. 6.5. 2 Pet. 2.21.22. and of the ioyes to come, to turne from the holy Commandement, and with the dogge to returne to his vomit? What did it profit Demas to forsake the Gospell, which once he professed, and to turne worldling, which dearely he loued? Or the yong man to haue beene trayned vp in the keeping of the law,Mar. 10.21. and afterward to depart from Christ for the loue he had to his possessions? and what good shall we reape in seeking,Gal. 6.9. repenting, praying, humbling, hearing, &c. if we faint and giue out before we obtaine the thing sought? Like as he that runneth in a race,1 Cor. 9. vnlesse he hold out to the goale, obtaineth not the price, and therefore sayth Paul, I haue finished my course, as it auailed not Lots wife to haue gone out of Sodome, 2 Tim. 4.7. and after to looke backe: So they shall neuer [Page 49]come to the Lord, that lagger by the way, that are wearie of the dutie vndertaken, and runne them­selues out of breath, before they come to the end of their race. And if such as seeke, but before the end giue out, shall not finde, what then shall be­come of our wicked prophane wretches that ne­uer seeke at all? What shall become of them that seeke onely vanities? Which flie not, but seeke the corruption which is in the world, that care for nothing but backe and belly? If God reiect the righteousnes and will of the Iewes, what hope canst thou haue which neuer thinkest of God, but to blaspheme him? Which delightest onely to wallow in abhominable sinnes? I must tell thee that ten thousand times thy betters are in hell, e­uen such which haue rapt hard at heauen gates, which haue bestowed many houres in prayers, much money on the poore, &c. If such as seeke, misse, for seeking amisse, much more those that seeke not at all, or the contrary.

This may aduise vs to renue our strength as the Eagle, to waite on the Lord, to runne and not be weary, Psal. 112.6. to walke and not faint. Trees of the Lords planting continue their fruits indeficiently, neither doe their leaues drop off. Let vs be prouoked to con­stancie in searching the Lord, and hereunto let vs consider motiues, and meanes.

1. Motiues.

1. The end of Redemption is to follow the Lord,Luk. 1.75. to serue him in righteousnesse and holines all our dayes.Ezek. 18.24. 2. Righteousnesse departed from is vaine and forgotten. All labour, prayers, repen­tance, [Page 50]obedience, yea, all sufferings are lost, as the Galathians suffered many things in vaine.Gal. 3.4. 3. Thou shalt be iudged as thou art found when the Lord comes. The question shall not be, what thou wast once, but what thou art, not how thou began to seeke, but how thou continuedst in Seeking. 4. Perseuerance at length brings home the pro­fit, it knits vs indissolublie to the Lord, and puts vpon our heads the Crowne of glorie. Glory and immortalitie is the part onely of such as by conti­nuance in well doing seeke God. Rom. 2.7. And our Sauiour is expresse,Luk. 22.28. to you which haue continued with me haue I appointed a kingdome.

2. Meanes.

1. Get an infallible testimony of Gods fauour, arising from the wise application of Gods promi­ses,Ioh. 6.40. and the sure witnesse of his Spirit. 2. That thy selfe purified, make conscience to repent of sinne, and respect all Gods Commandements. 3. Continue the vse of the meanes of preseruati­on, as hearing, reading, praying, receiuing of the Sacraments, &c. 4. Ioyne thy selfe with such as daily seeke the Lord. 5. Labour to know the ne­cessary vse and worth of the Lords presence, that so thou maist confesse and professe his goodnesse amid humorous opinions and strange oppositi­ons. 6. Be not too hote and ouer-hastie at first,Nullum violen­tum perpetuum. but meeke, tractable, sociable, for boysterous, and hot-spurred natures will not hold long. 7. Be e­uer warie, and circumspect to walke on by feare, alwayes doubting thine owne weaknesse, and sus­pecting thy strength.1 Cor. 10.12. Let him that standeth take [Page 51]heede least he fall. Thus of our direction in seeking the Lord.

While he may be found] There is a time (it seemes) when God will be found of his seruants that seeke him: It is his owne promise, and he will not gain-say it. The poore shall not alway be forgotten, Psal. 9.18. the hope of the afflicted shall not perish for euer. It makes God yearne within himselfe to see the godly seek him in distresse,Times to find God. and himselfe to with-hold his presence from them. Therefore the first time wherein God will be found, is the godly mans exi­gents,1 and extremitie:Deut. 4.29.30 When thou art in tribulation saith Moses, and all these things are come vpon thee, at the length, if thou seeke the Lord, he will not forsake thee. Dauid called out of the deepe, and God heard him. Moses cryed at the red Sea, and then God was found. Abraham three dayes after the Commandement, found God on the Mount. And after three dayes when the case was hopelesse, and the Disciples faith a little preiudiced, Christ rose againe.

2 Secondly, another time of finding God, is the time of preaching Gods pure word, by it God knockes at the doore of our hearts,Reu. 3.20. and desires entrance; By it he so reueales himselfe to the con­gregation, that they may spiritually by the illu­minated eye of the minde, behold him present af­ter an admirable sort among them. The time of preaching the Gospell in Scripture is called the Day of visitation.

3 Thirdly, another time of finding, is when we haue vsed all godly exercises, & heauenly meanes [Page 52]in seeking: for to sit still and doe nothing is to want the price. The Spouse in the Canticles wan­ted her beloued, when shee would not sollow af­ter him, but lay slugging on her bed. And when we are like standing Ponds, couered with greene and filthie stuffe of idlenesse, we are aliens from God. But when we fall to enquiring after him a­mong the watchmen in the darke of the night, through dangerous streets, with a good heart, eagarly, directly, resolutely, continually, then he comes to vs, thrusts in his hand by the hole of the doore, calls vpon vs, and brings with him such gracious gifts, as are worthie our paines and in­dustrie.

Vse 1 This may teach vs to censure charitably of the afflicted, and distressed in Conscience: their sor­rowes may seeme so much to haue souced them, and they are so sauced with the bitternesse of in­ward terrours, that to thy thinking God hath vt­terly forsaken them. But I say learne to be wise, and deceiue not thy selfe. 1. There is a time wher­in God will be fauourable vnto them, wipe away their teares, and end their sorrowes, which is best knowne to the Lord, perhaps it shall not be these many yeares,Psal. 51.17. or moneths: but sure it shall come, and God will be present. 2. God loues an hum­bled spirit,Esay▪ 65. yea, it is such a thing that like an A­damant it drawes him thither where it is. 3. God is the God of the afflicted, to giue them ease in his good time, he hath made his promise to them to be their couer from the raine, and a wall of defence from the storme and tempest.

[Page 53] Besides, consider what may befall thy selfe, their case may be thine, God is able to burthen thee with the like griefes, and agonies, and therefore deale louingly, wisely, and charitablie with them.

Vse 2 Secondly, Is there a time when God will be found; then let no good and honest heart be dis­maied, though God be not present when it vseth meanes: let it not obiect against God and say, Why hidest thou thy selfe, O Lord? Psal. 10.1. For he is not al­wayes there at first call, neither will he grant (of­tentimes) the requests of his people vpon two or three petitions, or many prayers, and it may be for their further good and profit.

1 1. The Lord hereby will try their faith, and patience: Iob was tryed to the vttermost, before he found God taking his part, and so became an example of patience.

2 2. They may hereby see the weightie Talent of their sinnes, that hath pressed them downe so farre from Gods face. If the Lord should but lightly touch vs, we should but sleight our sins.

3 3. Their desire must be the more earnest as his absence is the more painfull; when the Spouse had sought Christ here and there, and could no where finde him, at length finding him shee tooke fast hold on him, and would not let him goe.

4 4. Their prayer and paines is not worth the thing they seeke for, God will keepe it away for a time from them, that they may value it according to a faithfull esteeme: and be more earnest, and often in praying, and labour.

[Page 54] 5 5. Or it may be, all this while God is absent be­cause they haue not sought him according to his will, or his Word, as Zebedees sonnes, they asked they knew not what: or after such a sort, or in such a thing as he will not be found in, as Paul sought God to remoue away the pricke of the flesh, yet God would not be found in that; but in the supply of sufficient grace was he found.

But for all this that I haue said, God will be found of such as seeke him in feare and awe, and after a good and godly manner.

Ob: But I am vnworthie to finde God,Ob: who haue prouoked his wrath like an vnkind wretch, and that euery day.

Ans: Esteeme not lesse of thy selfe then God e­steemeth of thee,Ans. Act. 10. in euery nation he that feareth him is found of him. He keepeth open house: his hea­uenly Palace hath three gates in the East,Reu. 21. three in the West, three in the North, three in the South, that the glory of Iewes & Gentiles may come in: He thinketh not his owne presence too good for vs:Ioh. 12.26. but where he is there shall his seruants be. This was his promise, because it was his pleasure. Therefore Christ saith to his Father.Ioh. 17.24. Father I will that those whom thou hast giuen me be with me, that they may see that glory which thou hast giuen me. With this hope he comforted his Disciples; In my Fa­thers house are many mansions, I goe to prepare a place for you; Ioh. 14.2.3. and if I goe to prepare a place for you, I will come againe and receiue you vnto me, that where I am there may yee also be.

Seeke God while he may be found] Another thing [Page 55]worthie obseruation, is the opportunitie of seek­ing, so as God may be found, and that is the pre­sent time; Hence learne againe,Doct: The present time is Gods time. Eccles. 3. [...]. that the most sea­sonable season to seeke God is the present season. There is a time for each thing vnder the Sunne, saith Salomon, but for this dutie, no time so conuenient as the very instant. In worldly businesse delibe­ration is very necessary, & it is held a great point of policie to deliberate long before a man deter­mine any thing: but in this case it is dangerous to stand to deliberate.

Reason 1 1. Because to deferre is vaine and fond pre­sumption. I neede not yet seeke God sayth the yongster, nor repent, nor pray, nor doe well,Delay is vaine and presump­tuous. &c. It is not good to be religious too soone, for feare yong Saints proue old Deuils: when I am growne old then I will bethinke my selfe of this matter. Vpon this in-bred presumption he is all for to morrow, crying out with Domitians Crow, Cras, cras, to morrow, to morrow, when as he knoweth not what the morrow may bring forth, Conuersion, or Confusion.Prou. 27.1. Quamdiu cras, cras, quare non modo, quare non hac hora finis turpitudinis meae. Augustine in that excellent Booke of his Confessions, speaketh to all yong men in his owne person, perswading them not to deferre this good worke. How long, saith he, shall I say to morrow to morrow? Why doe I not now? Why do I not now make an end of this filthines? Yea,Qui non est ho­die, cras minus aptus erit. Sera nimis vita est crastina, viue hodie, &c. the very Heathen Poets haue condemned this procrastination, and would haue men to lay hold on the present time. It was good counsell which good Eleazar gaue his Disciples;Ouid. Marr. Pers. Be sure yee repent one day before death. When replie was [Page 56]made, the day of death is vncertaine, therefore he said repent this day least to morrow yee die. Thus stands our case.D: Hulls Ser­mon at the Crosse. Oc­tob. 18. 1612. A poore traueller by chance slips ‘into a pit, and in his fall catches hold of one twigge. The pit is deepe, and in the bottome full of cruell Serpents. While there he hangeth by that poore twig, anon comes an hunger-bit­ten beast, which byting, and browzing on other boughes, is each moment ready to crop off that twig: Now in what a wofull plight is this di­stressed creature. This traueller is man, the slen­der twig is fraile life, this pit is hell, those Ser­pents, fiends, and wormes of Conscience, the hunger-bitten beast is death:’ Say now were it not foolish presumption to deferre Repentance vpon hope of long life, depending on so doubt­full condition? Many yong men are taken away on the sudden, before euer they looke, or prepare for death.Iob. 21.13. And 24.24. They spend their daies in wealth and sud­denly they goe downe to the graue, and are cropt off as an eare of Corne. Haue we not examples euery day almost of some that goe well to bed at night, and are found dead in the morning? And of others that drop downe by the high way side, and die in the field? We may not take vpon vs to determine peremptorily of such,Rom. 11.33. because the iudgements of God are vnsearchable, and his wayes past finding out. Therefore adde not one euill day vnto another. Sufficient for the day is the euill thereof: Math. 6. yesterday, to day, to morrow, time past, present, and to come, that is, all the dayes of our life are [...] dayes of sorrow.

[Page 57] 2. Delay is danderous: breeds second nature,2. Delay is dangerous. and custome of euill, whereon God vsually layeth a fearefull commination;Reu. 22.11. Let him that is filthie be filthie still. And when the soule is invred to an e­uill habit, it is hardly capable of better impressi­ons and vertuous dispositions.Ier. 13.23. Can the Black-moore change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? So hard it is for them to doe well who haue learned to doe euill. The Israelites long acquainted with Egyptian bondage, were loath to leaue it; but the hurt was their owne, & their losse had beene greater if the Lord had not redeemed them with a strong arme. When sinne pleads prescription, and Sathan pos­session, the Soule of the Combatant shall finde enough to doe to be rid of it; for, his bones were filled with the sinnes of his youth, Iob. 20.11. and now they will sleepe with him in the dust.

Reason 3. It is disaste­rous.3. Deferred seeking is dismall and disasterous. He that neglects to day shall haue no time to mor­row,Ren. 10.6. but shall for his negligence purchase an eter­nitie of displeasure. The rich man, Luk. 12. pro­mised himselfe many dayes of pleasure;Luk. 12.19. But thou foole (saith the Text) this night shall they fetch away thy soule. And many a man feeds his conceit with an Euening Conuersion, and with the Backe, to spread his wings of Repentance in the twi-light; but that is not Gods houre, and therefore his head and heart may ake with crying, but shall not be the better, for he shall end his dayes in woe: this is an approued truth,Heb. 12.17. Esan sought the blessing in vaine, though he sought it with teares, when there was no place for Repentance. Math. 25. The fiue foolish Vir­gins [Page 58]comming too late, when the Bridegroome was entred, and the doore shut, had a fearefull and finall repulse, I know yee not; When I called, yee answered not;Prou. 1.28. when I said, Returne to me yee sonnes of Adam, yee would not returne: therefore when you shall call vpon me I will not answere; when you seeke me early I will not be found, &c. Oh, therefore let vs not wast away that little light of time left vs, in gaming, ryoting, reuelling, drinking, dauncing, dallying, swaggering, swearing, &c. but take pre­sent hold on it so friendly smyling; for, as Christ sayd of Iohn Baptist, This is Eliah, if yee will receiue him; So, I say, This is the time of our repentance, euen this houre, this minute, this moment.

Reason 4 For the performance of this speed requiring dutie,The precepts and examples of others may moue to this dutie. we neither want sufficient Precepts, nor ex­amples of others. First, we haue many incite­ments and precepts. 1. Of Christ. Walke in the light while yee haue the light, Ioh. 12.35. And 9.4. for the night commeth when no man can worke. Ierusalem, Ierusalem, would to God that in this thy day, &c. 2. Of Gods Chil­dren, who all are so nearely conioyned in vrging the present opportunitie, that they need not be rehearsed,Eph. 5.16. Prou. 23.23. 1 Pet. 5. counselling vs in generall to buy the truth, but not to sell it, to redeeme the time, to gird vp our loines, &c. Secondly, we haue store of exam­ples vnto this dutie, as 1. of Christ, who like a Gy­antran his race, and as the Sunne in the firma­ment he went about preaching the word, Math. 4.23. doing good, and healing all diseases among the people. He gaue his eyes no sleepe, his eye-lids no slumber, nor the temples of his head any rest, vntill his Father [Page 59]gaue him his Quietus est: Sit thou on my right hand. 2. Of the Angels, who attend the Lord, and doe his heasts and his will at the first command with speed, they make no delayes, but when the Lords pleasure is to doe his message they runne. 3. Of holy and godly men, to whom as soone as the Lord sayth, Seeke my face, they forthwith addresse themselues to it, and shape this answere,Luk. 19.6. Thy face Lord will we seeke. Zacheus being bidden to come downe from the tree, came downe hastily, and receiued Christ ioyfully. Gen. 31. When God charged Iacob to re­turne into the land of his Fathers, and to his kin­dred, he protracted no time, but informing Ra­hell and Lea of the necessitie of his voyage, he sud­denly departed, without taking his leaue of La­ban; and the prophet Dauid sayth of himselfe,Psal. 119.60. I considered my wayes, and turned my feete vnto thy te­stimonies, I made haste, and delayed not the time, &c.

Againe, we are taught from the vnreasonable creatures, to obserue our time,Ier. 8.8. The Storke knoweth her appointed time, the swallow her season. Why should we that are endowed with reason neglect the gracious time, why stand we idle, Math. 20. or sit we gap­ing one on another? Gen. 42.1. Let vs put on the shooes of the preparation of the Gospell on our feete, and let vs take the staues of trauellers in our hands, that so we may make hast to him, who will crowne our righ­teousnesse imputed by Christ, with glory and im­mortalitie.

Vse 1 This Doctrine makes against all such as haue a iust opportunitie of Repentance, and yet driue it off. Some are visited with the weightie hand of [Page 60]God, through sicknesse, infirmities, losses, &c. One would thinke this time would wholly presse their Consciences with this so good a dutie, and vrge a perseuerance of humiliation, but yet be­hold, no sooner is Gods hand remoued from them, but like Horses well fatted, and pampered, they kicke against their maister, and fall to tum­bling in their out-casted dung. Others vnder the painefull Ministery, and while the zeale thereof seemes to touch them, are all on the spurre, they will cry, and take on as if they were vtterly de­stroyed, they will seeme to reforme all whatsoeuer hath beene done amisse; but like stubborne and deceitfull seruants, (that stand silent and mute be­fore their masters) they will laugh, and spend time idlie, and lasciuiously, when they are departed from it: they forget the word, yea, themselues, and so with the dogge they returne to their wonted vo­mit. 2 Pet. 2.22. Others are in strength of bodie and sound­nesse of the members, and they need not returne to God till they waxe wan, and weake, and feeble: and then (they say) is their time. But let me frame such an opponent and times-enemie this answere; if thou doest not forsake thy sinnes, and turne to God till thou be weake and feeble, then thy sinnes will forsake thee, and not thou them: What thankes is it for a drunkard to giue ouer his drunkennesse, when he is not able any lon­ger to goe to the Alehouse? Or for the Whore­master to leaue his whoredome, when he hath no strength for the performance, and execution of his filthie desire? A man should willingly part [Page 61]with his sinnes euen while he is able to commit them, and not by constraint when there is no re­medie. Secondly, the time of weaknesse, dotage, &c. is not Gods appointed opportunitie: If a man would then he cannot soundly turne to God, for all the parts of bodie, and powers of soule will loose their vertue, and neither part nor power can performe their office.Eceles. 12. The brawne of the armes they fall away; the keepers of the house,3 that is, the hands which defend the bodie trem­ble; the strong men, that is, the legges that should carry the bodie, doe bow themselues, and waxe faint, the eyes that looke out at the windowes are darke, and obscure, the Grinders, that is, the teeth,4 fall out of the head: the doores of the lips are shut, the iawes fallen, and the daughters of sing­ing, that is, the eares are abased, being vnable any longer to heare the sound of Musicke: the me­morie is dulled, the vnderstanding darkned, &c. And further least a man should thinke the time of dotage, and of weaknesse the most conuenient time to seeke the Lord, Salomon brings in that de­crepit age, deafe, blind, lame, halt, short winded, full of aches in his bones, cramps in his ioynts, and sundry diseases in his bodie, trembling on a staffe, with shaking lips, and almost robbed of all senses; as if he might say, Now looke, and tell me whether this weake time, this feeble age, be the acceptable time and day of conuersion? When this age oppressed Barzillai, then could he say, Can I discerne betweene good and euill? 2 Sam 19.35. Haue I any taste in that I eate or drinke, &c. He confessed that [Page 62]his weaknesse was so great, that both bodie and mind were disabled from attending on the King, much more from attending this worke of grace. Others also are readie to plead the mercifulnesse of God, to giue toleration to presumptuous pro­crastination: Oh, God is mercifull, hereupon the yong man is loose, the drunkard ryotous, the rich man cruell, the swearer blasphemous, the adulte­rer vicious, and each man adulterate and beastiall in his kinde; But let such bold flinder-mice know withall, that God is as speedie in iustice to punish the euill and vngodly men, as he is full of mercie for the vse and reward of his owne dearelings. The hope of the wicked is hopelesse, the Lord hath said it,Psal. 18.26. Prou. 1.28 34. he will visit their iniquities, and laugh at their destruction; and they shall finde that true (for all their presumptions) which the Apostle relateth,Heb. 10.32. And 12.29. Rom. 2.4. viz. that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God, who is a consuming fire. The mercie of God should lead men to repentance, and make prepara­tion for the day of grace. Others are forward to ex­cuse their delay. I pray you, did not the theefe on the Crosse seeke the Lord by Repentance at the last houre of his life, and found him to his com­fort? I grant its true, but it followes not thereon that euery one so seeking shall partake of GODS fauour. This example was extraordinary, and gi­uen of God, that sinners should not presume, and that true paenitentiaries should not despaire. It is folly and great madnesse to deferre vntill the last, in regard of this one patterne and example, it be­ing left without precept. Fie on this slaggering [Page 63]and staggering of Christians, who gape after Meteors in the aire, cast beyond the Moone, and are doubtfull, when they hazard nothing but va­nitie, which would hazard their soules. They murmure at present conuersion, and say with the Disciples, This is an hard saying, who can beare it? Ioh. 6. Or else they seeke to shift it off as they did, who were called on to re-edifie the Temple, and an­swered, It is not yet time to build, Hag. 1.2. &c.

Vse 2 Secondly, this Doctrine may likewise serue for Instruction;For instructi­on. God biddeth, and it is our dutie to hold opportunitie by the fore-locke, by a little staying behind, it will slip away, and we shall not be able to catch hold of it. Now the Lord will be found, but anon he is gone, and will absent him­selfe, as the Prophet tells vs,Hos. 5.6.7. They shall goe with their sheepe and their Bullockes to seeke the Lord, but they shall not find him, for he hath with-drawne himselfe from them. Oh, therefore when God putteth any good motion into our hearts of seeking, let vs forthwith addresse our selues vnto it, as Abrahams seruant that was sent to prouide a wife for his son Isaac, when he had had good successe, and well effected the businesse which he came for, hasted home to his Master: And when Rebeccaes friends requested him to stay ten dayes, because they were loath to part with her on the sodaine, he would not yeeld at any hand: No, hinder me not, saith he,Gen. 34.54.55.56. seeing the Lord hath prospered my iourney, but send me away that I may goe to my Master: So should we suffer nothing at all to hinder vs, but euen make hast to turne to the Lord vpon the first motion. [Page 64]There is a good saying to this purpose in the booke of Ecclesiasticus, Chap. 5.7. Make no tarrying to seeke the Lord, and put not off from day to day, for sodainly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth, and in thy se­curitie thou shalt be destroyed.

Ob: But it will be said,Ob: Hast makes wast, faire and softly goe farre, soft fire makes sweet Malt, the hastie man neuer wanted woe.

Ans: All these be true,Ans. and good often in tem­porall affaires, yea, and sometimes also in busi­nesses touching the soule;Esay. 8. Let not him that belee­ueth make haste; be not too credulous of euery thing without triall. But in this case of seeking the Lord, these Prouerbes hold not true, we haue no larger bounds then the present, the instant, the moment. If we slacke our zeale neuer so little, e­uery baite of drunkennesse, obiect of couetous­nesse, presented glance of wantonnesse, will offer it selfe as a temptation, to alter, or at least, to hin­der our intended Conuersion. And albeit, they say as the Deuils said to Christ,Math. 8. Why tormentest thou vs before the time? Yet brethren, the time is alrea­die come, and now is, wherein God conuerseth with vs most graciously by his Spirit, and most familiarly by his word, let vs therefore gather Manna early in the morning before the Sunne melt it away, and let vs walke in the light while we haue it, then shall our darkenesse be turned in­to light, our sorrow into ioy, our baldnesse into beautie, and for sack-cloath we shall be decked with garments of gladnesse; then shall heauen [Page 65]and earth, Angels and men, and all creatures else clap their hands for ioy of our Conuersion, all meeting in this cloze. Praysed be the Lord, (who hath such pleasure in his ser­uants) that he will be found of them to their Saluation.

Amen.