manner is by removeing contratraries and moving the heart and drawing it With the word of man God enters into the very will and affections for as hee made the soule and framed it so hee knowes how to worke upon it and to draw it sweetly by reasons but yet strongly that it may be carried to the things revealed GOD at the same time workes strongly by carrying the soule and sweetly with reasons For God first comes into the soule by divine light by reasâ—… â—…nd then he sinkes into the soule by his spirit â—…o draw the soule to these reasons without this we never yeeld to those reasons but stand â—…ut in rebellion GOD perswades the soule sweetly of the â—…ruth by shewing a man the goodnesse of it and â—…he sutablenesse to our condition and the reasons of it how they agree to our nature hee doth not force the soule but doth it with reasons and arguments sweetly And â—…e doth it strongly that the soule when it is perswaded would not for all the world bee of another mind it is so strong that the perswasion and â—…he promises are stronger then the temptations of Saran and the corruptions of the â—…esh or then the candals of the world that nothing â—…an separate us from Christ nothing can drive â—…s from our faith and hope the perswasion is â—…et so strongly upon the soule because it is a divine perswasion It is a strong worke to perswade the soule For the spirit of God When it brings a light into the soule it brings agreat many graces with it when it shines upon the soule and discovers better things it brings other graces â—…o perswade and to imbrace the things it discovers As it is an infinite mercy and goodnesse of God to discover to our soules such excellent things as we may be perswaded of as if 〈◊〉 estate to be such as indeed it is above our 〈◊〉 prehension in this world neither eye hath 〈◊〉 nor â—…are heard nor hath entred into the heart 〈◊〉 man the things that God hath prepared for 〈◊〉 that love him so likewise it is Gods infinite worke of power to frame the soule to be perswaded of this it is as mâ—…ch power to 〈◊〉 the soule to this perswasion as it is mercy 〈◊〉 discover them in a manner there is such 〈◊〉 ward rebellion and distrust in the soule 〈◊〉 ling these truths into question as if theâ—… things were too good to be true Considerâ—… our owne unworthinesse and vilenesse 〈◊〉 the excellency of these things laying theâ—… together the unbelieving heart of man 〈◊〉 prone to unbeliefe above all other sinnes 〈◊〉 can hardly conceive that there are such thinâ—… for Gods children except the heart be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tily wrought on unlesse together with 〈◊〉 swasion there be some worke in the soule whence it may gather by the work of the spirit that they are those to whom such good things belong because the spirit of God hath singâ—…ed them out and set his seale and stampe on them above other men by some evidenceâ—… of grace It is another manner of worke then the world takes it to be For as I said before together with the Scripture there must a spirit of perswasion goe there is a secâ—…et messengeâ—… goes with the outward peech both of the preacher and of the Scripture or else all the â—…guments will not be to purpose they will be â—…f no efficacy As the Israelites they had arguments and â—…otives enow to perswade them of Gods love â—…nd care to them yet notwithstanding GOD â—…ave them not a heart Deut. 29. In Christs â—…me what miracles did they see yet their â—…earts were hardned because God together â—…ith his shining in the outward meanes did â—…ot subdue the rebellion of their wiâ—… and afâ—…ections and therefore the more they saw â—…he more they were hardned the Scribes and â—…harisees and some of their desperate folâ—…owers Well then considering that the spirit doth â—…his great worke let us labour that our knowâ—…edge may be spirituall that our perswasion of divine truth in generall and our part and â—…ortion in divine truth that it may bee spirituâ—…ll for as Saint Paul divinely and excellentâ—…y sets it downe 2 Cor. 2. 10 11. that as no â—…an knowes the things that are in man but the spiâ—…it that is in man so no man knowes the things of Gods word divine truths nor his part and porâ—…ion and interest in them but by the spirit of God If wee bring the Engine of our owne â—…it and parts to Gods truth â—…o sermons and â—…ookes wee may never be the better if wee â—…ome not with a spirituall intention with â—…everent and humble hearts and implore the â—…eaching of the spirit that together with the revelation of the word there may beeâ—… 〈◊〉 ving of the vaile by the spirit that vvith 〈◊〉 outwâ—…rd teaching there may bee the inwarâ—… teaching of the spirit that with the 〈◊〉 opening the â—…are there may be the opening 〈◊〉 the hearâ—… that he that hath the key of 〈◊〉 may open and inoline and perswade the 〈◊〉 that hee may perswade Iaphet as the Scripâ—… phrase is It is facâ—…legious presumption to come 〈◊〉 holy places and to set upon holy duties 〈◊〉 heare or read the word of God without 〈◊〉 ting up our hearts to God for his holy 〈◊〉 We cannot plow without his Heifer Can 〈◊〉 know the mind of God without the 〈◊〉 God What arrogancy is this to thinâ—… 〈◊〉 be saved and the spirit never tell us with 〈◊〉 word so but it is only a presumpâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a sacrilegious surpation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods glory The spirit of God knowâ—… 〈◊〉 things are in God towards us and reveales 〈◊〉 our spirits Gods inward love to us The 〈◊〉 â—…eacheth us to know the things that are 〈◊〉 God Wee only know the good that Gâ—… meanes us by his owne 〈◊〉 and therefore let us labour every day more and more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall and heavenly minded And above all things to make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our desires as it 〈◊〉 Luke 11. to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit he will give his holy spirit to them that 〈◊〉 it it is the best and the chiele gilt of all 〈◊〉 this makes our knowledge heavenly our 〈◊〉 swasion heavenly and sound and constant in â—…e and death And this spirit carries the whole soule with it this spirit makes us like the word of GOD because it is spirituall it makes us so and we love it in our inward man and consent to it and joy in it Whereas naturally there is inward rebellion in the greatest Scholler in the world against the word of God the heartriseth against divine truths they are as opposite as fire and water as heaven and hell The proud heart of man slights the promises of mercy as nothing to petty things of the world it slights the comforts of the word to carnall comforts and the Commandements of GOD in respect of the commandements of men The proud man
Lord will I seeke therefore I am incouraged to pray to thee In the words are contained GODS Command and Davids Obedience Seeke my face thy face Lord will I seeke Gods warrant and Davids worke answerable the Voice and the Ecchoe the Voice Seeke mâ—… face the rebound backe againe of a gracious heart Thy face Lord will I seeke When thou saidst it is not in the originall iâ—… only makes way to the sense passionate speeches are usually abrupt seeke my face thy fâ—… Lord will I seeke The first thing that I will observe from the incoâ—…ragement is that God shews himselfe to his understanding creature God begins you see seeke my face he muâ—… open his meaning and shew himselfe first God comes out of that hidden light that hee dwels in and discovers himselfe and his will to his creature especially in the word It is our happinesse now that we know the mind and meaning of God What is the ground of this what need God stoope thus There is the same ground for it as that there is a God these things goe in an undivided knot God The reasonable understanding creature and Religion that ties that creature to God a discovery of God what that Religion shall be For in the entercourse betweene God and Man man can doe nothing except he hath his warrant from God It is extreme arrogance for man to devise a worship of God Doe we thinke that God wil suffer the creature to serve him as hee pleaseth No that were to make the creature which is the Servant to be the Master It belongs to the Master or Lord to appoint the service what Master or Lord will bee served according to the liberty and wisedome and will of his servant And shall â—…he great God of Heaven and earth bee worshipped and depended upon as man pleaseth or from any incouragement from himselfe shall not hee designe his owne worship hee that singles out his owne worke makes himselfe master in that therefore God begins with this command seeke my face and then the heart answereth thy face Lord will I seeke God must first discover his mind of necessity to the creature Scriptures might be forced hence to shew the dutie owing from the creature Man to God for the creature must have a ground for what â—…he doth it must not be will worship Infringit c. It is a rule it weakens the respect of obedience that is done without a cause though a man doth a good deed yet what reason what ground have yee for this and that wee may doe things upon ground God must discover himselfe therefore he saith Seeke my face It may bee objected that every thing proclaimes this to seeke God though God had not spoken nor his word every creature hath a voice to say seeke God all his benefits have that voice to say seeke God whence have we them If the creature could speake it would say I serve thy turne that thou mayest serve God that made thee and me as the Prophet saith the rod and chastisement hath a voice Heare the Rod and him that smiteth every thing hath a voice We know Gods nature somewhat in the creature that he is a powerfull a wise 〈◊〉 just God we see it by the works of creation and providence but if we should know his nature and not his will towards us his commanding will what hee will have us doe and his promising will what he will doe for us exceâ—… wee have a ground for this from God the knowledge of his nature is but a conâ—…ed knowledge it serves but to make us unexcusable as in Rom. 1. it is proved at large It is too confused to be the ground of obedience unlesse the will of God bee discovered before therefore we must know the mind of God And that is the excellencie of the Church of God above all other people and compâ—…nies of men that wee have the mind and will of God what heere quiâ—… of us by way oâ—… dutie to him and what he will doe to us as a liberall and rich God These two things which are the maine are discovered what wee looke for from God and the dutie wee owe backe gaine to God these are distinctly opened in the word you see here God beginâ—… with David seeke yee my face Indeed God is a God of order in this subordination of God and the creature it is fit that God should begin it is Gods part to command and ours â—…o obey This point might be inlarged but it is a point that doth but make way to that that followes therefore I will not dwell upon it Againe in this first part Gods command or warrant seeke yee my face you see here God is willing to be knowne He is willing to open and discover himselfe God delights not to hide himselfe God stands not upon state as some Emperours doe that think their presence diminisheth respect God is no such God but he may bee searched into Man if any weakenesse be discovered wee can soone search into the depth of his excellencie but with God it is cleane otherwise the more we know of him the more we shall admire him None admire him more then the blessed Angels that see most of him and the blessed Spirits that have communion with him therefore hee hides not himselfe nay hee desires to be knowne and all those that have his Spirit desire to make him knowne Those that suppresse the knowledge of God in his will what he performes for men and what he requires of them they are enemies to God and of Gods people they suppresse the opening of God cleane contrary to Gods meaning seeke my face I desire to be made knowne and lay open my selfe to you Therefore we may observe by the way that when wee are in any darke condition that a Christian finds not the beames of God shining on him let him not lay the blame upon God as if God were a God that delighted to hide himselfe oh no it is not his delight he loves not strangenesse to his poore creature it is not a point of his policie hee is too great to affect such poore things No the fault is altogether in us we walke not worthy of such a presence wee want humility and preparation If there be any darkenesse in the creature that he finds God doth not so shine on him as in former times undoubtedly the cause is in himselfe for God saith seeke my face he desires to open himselfe but it is a point that I will not be large in We see hence likewise that Gods goodnesse is a Communicative spreading goodnesse That is peculiar to God and to those that are lead with the Spirit of God that are like him they have a communicative diffsive goodnesse that loves to spread it selfe Seeke my face I am good in my selfe but I desire to shine on you to impart my goodnesse to you If God had not a communicative spreading goodnesse hee
other things that stand between us and heaven all the wals of Iericho all opposition let us set upon them with a spirit of faith in the use of meanes for hee that hath overcome for us as I said will by little and little overcome in us These corruptions of ours shall fall before the Spirit of God by little and little And as Hamans wife could tel him If thou begin to fall before that people thâ—… shalt certainly fall so if the worke of Grace be begun in us that corruptions begin to fall undoubtedly and certainly they shall fall they cannot stand before the Spirit For grace is in growing and corruption is in decaying continually in a Christian. Why doth not God all at once subdue these wals of Iericho in us but by little and little God will exercise our faith and patience wee are Warriers here in this world our life is a warfare and he will exercise grace in us hee â—…ill have us combate with enemies these inâ—…ard enemies among the rest Againe he will let us see what he hath done â—…r us If we were not exercised with enemies â—…e should not be thankfull sufficient for victoâ—…e over the Devill When we have bin vexed â—…ith the Devills temptations then blessed be God and Christ that at last these troubles are â—…ased How much are wee beholding to Christ that hath freed us from the danger of â—…hese we are only annoyed with the trouble â—…his will make us thankfull when wee have â—…arted This keepes us likewise from soule devourâ—…g sins lesse infirmities in us keepe us from â—…ide and securitie God hath many ends â—…ut to cut off other things because the point 〈◊〉 large I only give a taste Let this comfort us that the wals of Ierichoâ—…hat â—…hat is to say whatsoever opposeth us in â—…ur comming out of the state of nature and â—…ur entrance into the state of heaven whatsoeâ—…er opposition is between shall fall Therfore â—…et us strengthen our faith in the use of means How shall we strengthen our faith this way Faith is strengthened by the knowledge of â—…he attributes of him whom we lay hold upon â—…hose power doth all the more wee know â—…im the more wee shall trust him Let us laâ—…our to know God in Covenant to be our Faâ—…her and to know Christ as he is in his nature and offices what he is to us to know his wisedome and power and truth that there may be a bottome for faith to build on the more wee grow in spirituall knowledge the more wee shall grow in faith and the more wee grow in faith the more we shall grow in other graces whereby we overcome all our enemies that set against us Againe let us make use of all former experience to strengthen faith Hath God begâ—…n the worke doe the wals of Iericho begin to fâ—…ll He that hath begun a good worke will finish it to the day of the Lord. Let us take in trust the time to come by experience of Gods truth for the time past for the worke of the Spirit is a continued worke The Spirit of God in subduing our corruptions he would not have begun if he had meant to have left off and interrupted the worke The Spirit suffers us to fall sometimes but it is to teach us to stand better afterward he turnes our very fals and slips to our good Let us strengthen faith therfore from former experience as David did we have overcome the Beare and the Lyon therefore let us set on the Philistine And as Ioshua set his foot on the necks of the tenne Kings and said Thus shall the Lord thy God destroy all thine enemies so hath the Spirit of God set his foot as it were upon some corruptions thus shall God deale with all corruptions and temptations at length and never leave the blessed government of us till hee have subdued all Let us rise from one experiâ—…ent to another to strengthen faith God is â—…like in all truths You know in Iudges 5. saith â—…he holy woman Deborah So let all thine eneâ—…ies perish The heart of that blessed woman â—…as as it were enlarged prophetically when â—…ne fals they shall all fall there is like reason See how gloriously Hannah in her Song enlargeth her faith by Gods power and goodnesse â—…ecause she had experience in her selfe so exâ—…erience in our selves or others will-inlarge â—…ur faith to looke for greater matters stil from â—…ur gracious powerfull God thus we ought â—…o labour to strengthen our faith And the third thing to helpe faith in all spiâ—…ituall oppositions that we meet with is daily â—…xercise in using it to make it brighter contiâ—…ually every day by working with it upon â—…ur enemies And in the state of Grace to live by it both for this present life to depend upon God for all things and likewise for necessary grace As the Disciples when they were enjoyned a hard dutie Lord increase our faith say they they goe to exercise their faith upon it If that be increased all is increased And so in our callings exercise it by dependâ—…ng upon God for strength and successe Saith Peter to Christ Lord at thy word I will cast out the Net though it were very unlikely it should doe any good they had fished all day and catched nothing but yet he would wait and goe on still At thy word I will cast out the Net He did it and the Net brake with the multitude of fish Let us exercise our faith in daily obedience to God depend upon him in the use of meanes And learne this to wait in the exercise of our faith as they that went about the wals of Iericho they did it seven dayes Put case they had done it sixe and no more the wals had stood still He that hath ten miles to goe and goes but nine she shall never come to his journies end When God hath set downe such a time so long thou shalt waite and use the meanes and depend upon me by faith in the use of the meanes if we be short spirited and lengthen and strengthen not our faith in the use of the meanes wee shall never attaine our desire therefore let us labour to wait Here is the difference betweene Christians and others there is no man but he would be happy if so be it were not for this waiting If a wicked man should see Hell open would hee commit sinne if hee should see it present If hee should see Heaven open and Christ comming with his reward with him hee would be godly there is not the vilest wretch in the world but hee would be so if these things were present but because it is only discovered in the word of God and faith must beleeve and wait for the reward and faith must waite all the time of our life here is the trial So that a Christian differs nothing from a worldly man but in a Spirit of faith and waiting and continuance of that faith
would never have created the world the Father Sonne and Holy-ghost were happy in themselves and enjoyed one another before the world was but that God delights to communicate and spread his goodnesse there had never beene a Creation nor a Redemption God useth his creatures not for defect of power that he can do nothing without them but for the spreading of his goodnesse and thereupon comes all the subordination of one creature to another and all to him Oh that we had hearts to make way for such a goodnesse as God would cast into us if wee were as wee should be Gods goodnesse is a spreading imparting goodnesse It is a common distinction there is the goodnesse of the Fountaine and the goodnesse of the Vessell that is our goodness because we contain somewhat in us that is good the goodnesse of the creature that is but the Channell or the Cisterne but the goodnesse of God is another manner of goodnesse the goodnesse of the Fountaine The Fountaine begs not from the River the Sunne borrowes not light from the Candle God begs not goodnesse from the creature Ours is a borrowed goodnesse but his is a communicative goodnesse seek my face that I may impart my goodnesse The Sun delights to spread his beames and his influenâ—… in inferiour things to make all things fruitfull such a goodnesse is in God as is in a Fountaine or in the brest that loves to ease it selfe of milke I note it that wee may conceive aright of God that is more willing to bestow good then we are to aske it hee is so willing to bestow it that he becomes a Sutor to us seeke yee my face he seekes to us to seeke him It is strange that heaven should seek to earth yet so it is Whence comes this in God the at ribute oâ—… goodnesse the spreading goodnesse in his 〈◊〉 ture that he desires to impart and to commâ—…nicate himselfe There is no envie in God he hath none above him and therefore he labours to make al good There is a mysterie in it but if some bee 〈◊〉 good the fault is in themselvs as it is a prerogative in him to make some more and some leâ—… good so there is a fault in them that I 〈◊〉 no better it is my owne fault The prerogative belongs to God we must not search into that but every man may say I might have beene better and more enlarged I did not seeke his face that hee might take occasion to â—…nlarge himselfe towards me would wee be like our heavenly Father let us labour to have large affections to have a spreading goodnesse Two things make us very like God thâ—… much concerne this point To do things freely of our selves and to doe them farre To communicate goodnesse and to communicate it faâ—…e to many The greater the fire is the further it burnes the greater the love is the further it extends and communicates it selfe There are none more like God then those that communicate what good they have to others and communicate it as farre and remote as they can to extend it to many Our Saviour Christ you see what a world were beholding to him Heaven and earth were beholding to him and the nearer a man comes â—…o Christ the more there is a kind of felfeâ—…eniall to doe good to others Saint Paul had 〈◊〉 great measure of Christ in him he was conâ—…ent to bee bestowed for the good of the Church the care of all did lie upon him A â—…ublike mind is Gods mind a publike mind is a mind that loves to do good freely and largeâ—…y to others therefore God saith seeke my face that I may have better opportunity to empty my goodnesse to you Seeke my face that is seeke my presence the face is the glasse of the soule wherein we see the mind of a man seeke my face that is seeke my mind seeke my presence as wee shall see afterward I will speake no more of that point Gods warrant or command but goe on My heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seeke Here is the worke and obedience My heart said unto thee c. Davids heart was set in a good and sanctified frame by God it was betweene God and his obedience The heart is betweene God and our obedience as it were an Embassadoâ—…r it understands from God what God will have done and then it layes a command upon the whole man The hear and conscience of man is partly divine partly humane it hath some divinity in it especially if the man be a holy man God speakes and the heart speakes God speakes to the Heart and the Heart speakes to us And oft times when we heare conscience speaking to us we neglect it and as Saint Augustine said of himselfe God spake often to me and I was ignorant of it When there is no command in the word that the heart directly thinkes of as indeed many prophane carelesse men scarce have a Bible in their houses God speakes to them thus conscience speakes to them some broken command that they learne against their wils they heed it not but David did not so God said Seekeyee my face his heart answers thy face Lord will I seeke The heart lookes upward to God and then to it selfe My heart said It said to thee and then to it selfe First his heart said to God Lord I have incouragement from thee thou hast commanded that I should seeke thy face so his heart looked to God and then it speakes to it selfe Thy face Lord will I seeke It looks first to God and then to all things that come from it selfe My heart said it said of that point concerning the thing thou saidst seeke my face My heart said to thee David saw God in all his commandements Thou saidst to me seeke my face My heart said to thee I know the command is from thee I have to deale with thee in the command and incouragement and in the warrant I looke not to the words but to thee the authority and strength of them comes from thee My heart said to thee thy face Lord will I seeke Betweene the answer of David and Gods command and warrant the heart comes to thinke seriously upon the command and then to enjoyne the dutie This is to be considered because there is no knitting of these two together but by the heart the serious consideration of the heart when God faith seeke my face he answers I will seeke thy face How comes this returne The soule considers the ground of the returne before the returne A man when he doth any thing hee doth it from the principles of a man a holy man when hee doth a thing he doth it from the principle of a holy man and what is the principles and foundation of the practise of a holy man a sanctified understanding to tell him what God hath said and what he hath promised and wherein God hath discovered himselfe Well when the heart knowes
that once the heart hath enough from heaven-ward it hath enough from heaven God hath said and promised it then the heart by a worke it hath of it selfe speaks to it selfe and to the whole man to seeke God The heart will not stoop without reason the heart of an understanding man but when it sees the command first seeke my face then it answers thy face Lord will I seeke So that this command of God and this incouragement and warrant from God Seeke yee my face it was in Davids heart it was written and set and grafted in his heart and then his heart being awed with the command of God God hath said thus the heart goes again to God thou hast said thus Lord Thy face will I seeke See the depth of Davids speech when hee faith Lord thy face will I seeke It came from his heart root not only from the heart but from the heart grounded upon the command and incouragement of God Seeke my face there is the ground the heart digesting this thorowly this is Gods Command I understand it and understand it from God I see the authority from whence itcomes therfore I wil stirre up my selfe Thy face Lord will I seek I shall have occasion to speake somewhat of it afterwards in the next thing his obedience therefore I goe on Thy face Iehovah will I seeke Here is his returne againe to God that he will seeke the face of God I will seeke thy face in all my necessities then I will seeke to thee and in all thine ordinances I will seeke to thee whereinsoever thy presence is discovered thy presence is in all places especially in thine ordinances thy presence is in all times especially in the time of trouble and need in all times of need I will seeke to thee in all exigences I will seeke unto thee and in all thiâ—…e ordinances wherein I may find thee I know I may meet with thee there thou givest thy people meetings in thine ordinances it is thy walke therefore thy face Lord will I seeke where I may be sure to meet thee in thine owne way and ordinances So much for the meaning Thy face Lord will I seeke Here is first of all an Application and obedience from Application they be words of particular Application Thy face will I seeke God had given him a ground Seeke yee my face his heart makes the Application Thy face I will seeke applying the generall incouragement to himself in particular So that you may observe hence that The ground of all obedience of all holy entercourse with God is a Spirit of Application Applying the truths of God though generally spoken to our selves in particular It is spoken here in the plurall number Seeke yee my face but the generall implies the particular as London is in England Seeke yee my face all yee that are the people of God but I am one of them what though I be not named that tenent in Popery is against sense when a man is condemned by the law is his name in the law It is against such a fact hee is a Malefactor And so the particular is included in the generall Seeke yee my face David knew that reason taught him that and not Religion Now the ground of Application of divine truths to our selves in particular is this that the truth of God setting aside some circumstantiall things that arise sometimes to particular persons that sometimes limit the command to one person or the promise to one person cut off those distinctions all comfortable truths agreeto Gods people in all ages while there is a Church in the world Al truths are eternall truths die not as men doe David is dead and Moses is dead but this truth is not dead Seeke yee my face Paul is gone and Peter is gone we are the Davids and the Mose's the Peters and the Pauls now those truths that were good to them are good to us Whatsoever was written before was written for our comfort There is an eternall truth that runs through all ages of the Church that hath an everlasting comfort God hath framed the Scriptures not to be limited to the times wherin they were written as the Papists idly speak Bellarmine and others as if they were occasionall things that the Scriptures were written by occasion of such and such men and concerned only those times but the Scriptures were written for all times and it concernes a times to apply all truths to themselves setting aside those circumstances that are applyed to particular men which are easie to discern in Heb. 13 that that was said to Iosua Ios. 1. the Apostle applies it to the Church in his time and to all Bee not afraid I will not faile thee nor forsake thee it is a generall truth And Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse that whosoever beleeves as Abraham is a sonne of Abraham These truths are universall and concerne every one as well as any And so many other places of Scripture The promise of the blessed seed the beleeving of it runs from the beginning of the world in all ages to the comming of Christ. All other promises were but an inlargement of that that was the Mother-promise that is the ground of Application that the generall truths agree to all the Churches The truth of God is the portion of every child of God he may claime every promise and ought to follow the direction of every command The reason is because al the Church of God are Heires alike Heires of the Promise Children of Abraham Heires of salvation they have interest in Christ-alike in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen in whom all the promises have their making and their performance And by reason that there is an indifferent equality in regard of the maine things of all the children of God they have interest alike in all the benefits by Christ in all truths in all substantiall duties to God and all favours from God that is the ground of the equity of Application But if you will have the ground of the necessity of it nature will shew that for the truths are food if food bee not taken what good doth it doe without application The word of God is a sword what will a sword doe if it hangs up in a mans Chamber or if it be not used when the enemy approacheth The Application of the sword of the Spirit gives the vertue to it it is to no purpose else divine truths are physick if it be not applyed what use is there of physick There is a necessity if wee will obey God of a Spirit of Application there is nothing that will doe good but by application neither in nature nor in grace There must bee a virtuall application at least the heavens worke upon the earth there is no Application bodily the heavens are too high but there is a virtuall Application there comes light in and influence to these inferiour bodies therefore we
Scripture is for comfort to poore distressed soules and when they refuse their comforts and set light by them as they tell Iob Settest thou light by the consolations of the Almighty Then Sathan the enemy of mankind and especially the enemy of our comfort since he hath lost all comfort and al hope of it himselfe hee rejoyceth to see us in this condition comfortlesse therefore let us lay claime to the promises by a spirit of Application Againe we are injuâ—…ious to our selves wee rob our owne soules the want of this makes Christians be discouraged and droope as they doe when they are cast downe all comfortable truths belongs to them yet they put them off this is not for me and those in my case when God saith hee will come and dwell with a humble heart this is not for me this spirit of peevishnesse and frowardnesse is that that keepes them long from that comfort that they might enjoy What to be in the middest of comforts and to starve for a man to be at a feast and to starve because he hath not a spirit to digest and to take that that is fit for him We detest and deservedly those misers that in the middest of all their abundance will not spend six pence upon themselves what a spirit of basenesse is this in the middest of spirituall contentments and refreshings when God offers to feed our soules with the saâ—… things of his house to say oh no this belonâ—… not to mee and cherish a peevish froward spirit that puts all away Why doe we not laboâ—… to be in such a condition that we may be cherished and that wee may have satisfaction to be truly hungry and poore in spirit that we may be filled and satisfied and not to goe on thus stubbornly There is a proud kind of modesty oh this belongs not to me I am unworthy if we will hearken to our owne misgiving hearts in the time of temptation wee shall never answer God and say Lord thy face will I seeke Therefore let us labour for aspirit of supplication I will not inforce that point further Now from this spirit of Application from this generall seeke yee my face comes obedience for it is a speech of obedience Thy face Lord will I seeke I will seeke by thy strength and grace for when God utters a generall command to his children theregoes with that command a secret vertue whereby they are enabled to seeke him There came a hidden vertue with this seeke my face when Davids spirit was raised by God to thinke of it together with the thought of this seeke my face there was a vertue enabling his soule to returne back to God to say Lord thy face will I seeke So though David said I will seeke thy face yet there was a spiriâ—…uall vertue that enabled him God must find is before we can seeke him he must not only give the command to seeke his face but togeâ—…her with the command there goes a work of â—…he Spirit to the children of God that inaâ—…leth them to seeke him In the covenant of grace God doth his part â—…nd ours too our part is to seeke God to â—…lease him and walke before him they are all â—…ne I need not be curious in particulars Now â—…his was not a speech of selfe confidence but 〈◊〉 speech of the spirit of God that went with the command to him This is a greatincouragement by the way to heare good things and to come to the Congregation we heare many great things high duties but we are not able to performe them It is true but the Gospel is the ministerie of the Spirit and together with the dutie there goes the spirit to inable us to the duty Stand up and walke saith Peter to the poore lame man and there went an enabling vertue to raise him Arise saith Christ to Lazarus and there went a divine vertue to make him rise and here seeke my face there went a divine vertue to make him seeke which those that contemne the ordinances of God want because they will not attend upon the ordinances so much for that Now I come to his obedience Thy face Lord will I seeke This obedience ariseth from Application and his obedience hath these qualifications It was present as soone as hee heard God will as soone as his heart did thinke of the word he puts not off The Spirit of God and the workes of it are not slow in the children oâ—… God but when they heare their dutie then is a spirit presently Thy face will I seeke before the heart grow cold againe Againe this returne and answer as it waâ—… present so likewise it was a pliable obedience Thy face will I seeke It is a speech of a ready cheerfull pliable heart Where the Spirit oâ—… God workes it makes not only present and quick but cheerfull and pliable For the Spirit of God is like fire that softens the hardnesse of the heart that naturally is like iron and makes it pliable Gods people are a voluntary people as it is Psal. 110. a people of devotion of readinesse of will and cheerfulness a free hearted people a people set at large they are lead with a Royal spirit a spirit above their owne and that makes that easie and pleasant to them that otherwise is difficult and impossible to nature When Isaiah's lips were touched with a coâ—… from the Altar that is he had somewhat from the Spirit of God to incourage nature thâ—… here I am Lord send me he detracted the businesâ—… before and put it off as much as he could The Spirit of God makes pliable as wee see in the Acts they cared not for suffering whips or any â—…hing because they were made pliable to Gods service they accounted it an honour to suffer â—…ny thing for Gods sake the obedience that is good is pliable and cheerfull God would have things in the Church done by such people the very building of the Taâ—…ernacle was done by such voluntary people â—…hat brought in as God moved their hearts Oh Beloved a Christian knowes what it is to have a Royall Spirit a free spirit David knew it when he had lost it by his sin he praâ—…ed that he might have a free spirit a cheerfull spirit in the service of God and in his particular calling for sin darkens and straitens the soule Thy face will I seeke his heart was weary and pliable now as God would have it So should our hearts be and they will be so if we have the Spirit of God ready and cheerfull God hath none to fight his battailes against Satan and the Kingdome of Darkenesse but voluntaries all Gods people are voluntaries they are not prest souldiers I meane not against their wils in that sense Indeed they have presse-money in Baptisme to fight against the world the flesh and the Devill but they are not prest they are voluntaries they know they serve a good Generall that will pay them abundantly
there be a sutablenesse of obedience to the word thereafter as the word is Let us have a spirituall desire to these things to imitate the holy man of God as we desire to share in his comforts I will follow this point of the answerablenesse of obedience a little further and then come to the particular of seeking Let our obedience bee every way answerable first let the heart thinke what God saith what God commands and promiseth let the heart take the word of God the second time and ruminate on it and goe over it againe Let us looke into the word and see what is commanded and what is promised and then let the heart goe over it againe And then upon that all eage it to God Put case a man be in trouble Lord thou hast commanded Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will bâ—…re thee Psal. 50. Let the heart thinke of it and goe over that incouragement it is rather an incouragement then a command though indeed God lay a command on us to be good to our own soules it is a duty to love our selves Therefore he commands us to goe to him to seeke his face as though wee wronged him by disobedience when wee injure our selves by our peevishnesse as indeed we doe God loves us better then we love our selves let us thinke of the command and invitation thou hast commanded mee Lord and incouraged mee to come I am now in trouble experience teacheth me I come to thee thou hast said He that sitteth in darknesse and seeth no light let him trust in the name of the Lord. I am in darkenesse and see no light now I trust in thy name let the heart thinke of the promise and then alleage it to God and come with an obedient answer and cast it self upon him and trust in him We are in want perhaps and see no issue no supply thinke of Gods gracious promise I will not faile thee nor forsake thee I come to thee and claim this promise I am in covenant with thee c. So wee should take the promise thou hast said At what time soever a sinner comes to thee with a repentant heart thou wilt forgive his iniquities and though his sins were 〈◊〉 scarlet thou wilt make them as snow and white as wooll my soule thinkes of that command and I come to thee Thou hast bid all that are wearie and 〈◊〉 laden in soule that are troubled in conscience with the sense of their sins to come unto thee my heart thinkes of thy command and invitation I come to thee I am weary and heavie laden First let us thinke of the incouragement that is our warrant and then yeeld present obedience And then what will bee the issue what will spring from it when the heart and obedience joyn with the command that there is a meeting that they concentrate the heart and obedience God bids the heart obey the heart saith I doe obey when these meet the issue must bee exceeding comfortable it cannot be otherwise When the obedient heart meets God in his command in his promise In all perplexity of busines Commit thy way to the Lord and hee shall establish thy thoughts Prov. 3. Prov. 13. and other places Lord I commit my wayes to thee establish my thoughts and designes agreeable to thy will because thou hast bid mee commit my wayes to thee In the houre of death let us commend our selves to God as to a gracious and mercifull Creator 1 Pet. 4. Lord I commend to thee my soule who art the Creator of my soule and the Redeemer of it here is an obedience answerable what can be the issue of it but comfort Therefore let us learne by the example of this blessed man that when he had but a hint from God seeke yee my face answers Thy face Lord will I seeke Faith will see light at a little crevice when it sees an incouragement once a command it will soone answer and when it sees a promise halfe a promise it will welcome it it is an obedient thing The obedience of faith it beleeves and upon beleeving it goes to God As the servants of the King of Assyria they catch the word presently Thy servant Benhadad so faith it catcheth the word To put God in mind it is an excellent thing with the Prophet whosoever penned the 119. Psalme whether David or some other Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust As it is Nehem. 1. Remember Lord hee puts God in mind of his promise and so it is good often to put God in mind Lord thou hast made such and such promises I know thou canst not deny thy selfe if thou shâ—…uldest deny thy word thou must deny thy selfe thy word is thy selfe Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust If I be deceived thou hast deceived mee for thou hast given me this promise and this command This is an excellent way to deale with God as it were to wrastle with him By tâ—… promise thou hast quickned me Psal. 119. Wheâ—… I was dull and dead hearted then I thought oâ—… such and such a promise I alleage that promise and apply it by a spirit of faith and that quickned me And indeed as I said God hath made us fit to answer him and wee should study in all things to returne unto him by his spirit whatsoever God doth the heart should returne back againe love for love knowledge for knowledge seeking for seeking chusing for chusing He begins with us he chuseth us he loves us he seekes us and wee if ever we intend to be friends with God and to entertaine a holy communion as all that shall be saved must doe we should labour to have our hearts to returne to God what wee find from God first Thy face Lord will I seeke To come more particularly to this seeking which is the particular of the obedience and of the application Thy face Lord will I seeke Seeking implies that our happinesse is out of our selves it implies that there is somewhat in our selves in the application to which there must be some happinesse therefore wee goe out of our selves to seeke It is a motion and it is out of an apprehension of some want a man seekes out of some want or out of some losse or out of some duty Ether hee hath losse and therefore hee seekes or else hee wants and therefore he seeks or else he owes respect and dutie and therefore he seekes it is somewhat without a man that moves his seeking God need not seeke the creature hee hath all fulnesse in himselfe Indeed his love makes him seeke for our love to bee reconciled to him But the creature because his happinesse is out of himselfe in communion with God the Fountaine of all good he must seeke Christians must be Seekers This is the generation of Seekers Psal. 24. All mankind if ever they will
the Covenant of grace they are operative and working when he commands us to beleeve and obey he gives us grace to beleeve and obey It is our selves that answere but not from our selves but from grace yet notwithstanding let us make this use of it letus search our selves though it be not from our selves that we answere Gods promise by faith and his command by obedience yet we must have this obedience though from him before we can challenge any thing at Gods hands It is arrogant presumption to hope for Heaven and Salvation before we have grace to answere all Gods promises and commands by a good conscience To come more particularly to the words some will have it the Questioning the Demand of a good Conscience but that followes the other For when wee answere truely the interrogatories in Baptisme when we beleeve and renounce then we may from a good conscience demand of God all the good in Christ we may cal upon him pray unto him hath not Christ died and made peace betweene thee and us And may we not triumph against all enemies when there is the answere of a good Conscience If Sathan lay any thing to our charge Christ died and rose and sits at the right hand of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods people We may with a heart sprinkled with the blood of Christ now ascended into heaven answere all objections and triumph against all enemies wee may goe boldly to God and demand the performance of his promises Hence comes all the spirit of boldnesse in prayer from the answere of a good Conscience for that drawes all other after it Now to come more particularly to the words The answere of a good Conscience It would take up all the time to speake of Conscience in generall and it were not to much purpose I will take it as it serves my purpose at this time A good conscience in this place is a Conscience peaceable and gracious peace and purity make up a good Conscience To make this clearer there be three degrees of a good Conscience though the last bee here meant especially There is first a good Conscience that is troubled a troubled good Conscience and then a pacified good Conscience and then a gracious good Conscience A troubled good Conscience is when the spirit by conviction opens to us what we are in our selves he opens our sins and the danger and soulnesse of our sins whereupon our Conscience is terrified and affrighted Therefore this good Conscience whereby we are convinced of our estate by nature in itselfe it is a good Conscience and tends to good for it tends to drive us to Christ. There is a good Conscience therefore that hath terrour with it The second degree of a good conscience is that that comes from the other when we are convinced of sinne and of the Miserie that coms by sinne then that good conscience speakes peace to us when God shines upon the conscience by his spirit from whence there is peace that is a peaceable good conscience For God takes this course after he hath terrified conscience by his spirit and word then he offers in the Gospell and not onely offers but commands us to beleeve he offers all good in Christ and commands us not only so but invites us Come unto me all ye that are wearie c. Nay he beseecheth us We beseech you to be reconciled he takes all courses Now his spirit going with these intreaties he perswades the soule that he is our gracious Father in Christ Iesus Christ hath suffered such great things and he is God and man he is willing and able to save us Considering he is annoynted of God for this purpose hereupon conscience is satisfied and doth willingly yeeld to these gracious promises it yeelds to this command of beleeving to these sweet invitings This is a peaceable good Conscience Hereupon comes in the third place a gracious good conscience which is a conscience after we have beleeved that resolves to please God in all things as the Apostle saith Heb. 13. We have a good Conscience studying to please God in all things we have a good conscience toward God and toward men When the conscience is appeased and quieted then it is fit to serve God as an instrument that is in tune An instrument out of tune yeelds nothing but harsh Musique so when the soule and conscience is distempered and not set at peace it is not gracious So now you see the order there is a troubled good conscience and a peaceable good conscience and then a gracious heart forwhile conscience is not at peace by the blood and resurrection of Iesus Christ by considering him and by application of him there is no grace nor service of God with that heart but the heart shuns God it hates God and murmurs against God men thinke why should they doe good deeds when they beleeve not when they cast not themselves upon Christ and when conscience is not sprinkled with the blood of Christ they are able to doe nothing out of the love of God and whatsoever is not of faith and love it is sinne The heart cannot but be afraid of God and wish there were no God and murmur and repine till it be pacified That is the reason why the Apostles in the latter part of their Epistles they presse conscience of good duties when they had taught Christians before and stablished them in Christ because all duties issue from faith if they come not thence they are nothing if there be first faith in Christ then there will be a good conscience in our lives and conversations And from the gracious conscience comes the increase of a peaceable conscience there must be peace before we can graciously renew our Covenants to please God but when we have both these faith in Christ and a resolution to please God in all things there comes an increase of peace for then there is an argument to satisfie conscience when first of all conscience goes to Christ to the foundation I have answered Gods command I have beleeved and cast my selfe upon Christ I have answered Gods promise he hath promised if I doe so he will give me Christ with all his Benefits I have yeelded the obedience of faith hereupon comes some comfort here is the foundation of this obedience But then when Conscience likewise from this resolves to please God in all things in the duties to God and man hereupon comes another increase of peace when I looke to the life of grace in my owne heart For a working carefull Christian hath a double ground of comfort One in the command to beleeve and in the promise whether he hath evidences of grace or no but when he hath power by the spirit to lead a godly life and to keepe a good conscience in all things then he hath comfort from the evidence of grace in his owne heart from whence