right and prosperous 1. That the place Where 2. That the time when 3. That the manner how be all right He that seeks Grapes of Thorns or Figgs of Thistles neither finds what he seeks noâ— indeed seeks to find for he seeks in a wrong place He that seeks Grapes of the Vine and Figgs of the Figg-tree but out of season in Winter seeks not in due time and finds nothing but his own folly He that observes time and place but neglects the right manner of seeking is still out of the way of finding The soul of the sluggard desireth and haâ—h nothing Prov. 13.4 He will not Plow by reason of cold therefore shall he begg in Harvest and have nothing Prov. 20 4â— If a man go with his Cart into the Field a place of Corn and in Harvest the time of Corn but never Ploughed sowed c. he may load all his Harvest in an empty Wayn and return with an empty belly Where then must we seek Not in our selves not in our Righteousness or works we are meer Thorns and Bryars Ezek. 2.6 The blessed fruit of the true Vine grows not in our cursed nature Nothing there but sowre and wilde grapes Isa. 5.4 Erring Israel following after the Law of Righteousness attained not unto the Law of Righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.31 32. Only we find and enjoy God in Christ only in Christ he is appeasedâ— 2 Cor. 5.19 only well-pleased in Christ Mat. 3.17 In him we are accepted Ephes. 1.6 By him we have access to God with confidence Ephes. 3.12 One cannot possibly come to God as a Father but by him Joh. 14.6 In him adopted Ephes. 1.5 In him begotten to an incorruptible inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. In him blessed with all spiritual blessings Ephes. 1.3 But where shall we seek Christ who shall ascend into heaven to bring down the fruit of Christs resurrection and ascention for life unto us who shall go down to the deep to fetch thence the death of the Lord Iesus and apply the vertue of it to our souls The Apostle answers The word is nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart This is the Word of faith which we Preach For if thou confess with thy mouth and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.6 7 8 9. Christ therefore is offered thee in the Word given by faith the Word brings him to thee thy faith receives him holds him leads him into the chamber of thy heart and there he dwells with thee Ephes. 3.17 As therefore only Christ brings thee into favour with God so the Word brings Christ to thee and faith grafts thee into Christ. But although the Lord Iesus Christ with his own mouth and his blessed Spirit have so frequently and cleerly testified that the Word Preached is the incorruptible seed whereby we are born again to this incorruptible inheritance Luk. 8.11 1 Pet. 1.23 Jam. 1.18 and the food strong meat and milk whereby we are nourished and grow up into our Head in this life of God yet what in the World is more despised and rejected If you look to the judgement of some professed and in name Christians they account it as those Greeks foolishness 1 Cor. 1.18 23. and therefore utterly despise it Act. 13.41 They dare deride it even in the mouth of Christ himself Luk. 16.14 how much more in the mouths of his poor messengers If you look unto their wills they are resolved against it Ier. 44.16 will not hear but reject it Ier. 8.9 If to their affections they hate it hate the knowledge of it Prov. 1.22 29. hate him that brings it Amos 5.10 yea even him that sends it Ioh. 15.22 23 24. Indeed if they would enquire of Christ and hearken unto him teaching us where to find him he would direct us Go thy way forth by the fooâ—steps of the flock and feed thy Goats by the Tents of the Shepherds Cant. 1.8 But proud fond men know not as that Eunuch Act. 8.31 the need of a Guide Their â—taff can better grope out their blind wayes Hos. 4.12 They walk after their own devices Jer. 18.12 and will have no other Counseller but their own mouth Ier. 44.17 Some again seek him at ease on their beds and so find him but in a dream Cant. 3.1 some look for him in the broad wayes of a common profession as those Iews Matth. 3.9 Joh. 8.33 They are children of Abraham Circumcised c. so many Christians They are born in the Church Baptised call Lord Lord c. but how should they find the True way in the false the narrow in the broad There they shall hear him thundering as a Iudge I never knew you Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Matth. 7.14 23. Know assuredly when the Spouse her self thus sought she found him not She sought him on her bed but found him not sought him in the streets and broad wayes but found not but when she enquired of the Watchmen she soon found him Cant. 3.1 2 3. Hear him â—herefore in his word Watch daily at his â—ates and wait on the posts of his doors and he will make thee blessed Prov. 8.34 Secondly what is the season or right time â—f seeking Gods time not ours There is â—n acceptable time 2 Cor. 6.2 a time when â—od will be found Isa. 55.6 The longest exâ—â—nt reacheth no furâ—her than the limits of this short life After death instantly follows Judgement Heb. 9.27 where the tree falls it lies 2. There is a time when the decree brings forth Zeph. 2.2 which if we prevent not we perish As far as I can discern by the word God limits a time and after the Date is out we are shut out Heb. 4.7 and specially Luk. 13.25 A time when the door stands open to give us entrance a time when the door is shut and we knock begâ— and plead hard but all in vain For though God never excluded a repentant humbled and softned heart yet when men have despised his patience forbearance and offers of grace God may justly and doth frequently give men up to hardness and leave them to their impenitency to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Ezek. 24.13 Rom. 2.4 5. 3. There is a set time the Lords Day or as our Homilies call it the Christian Sabbath And for mine own judgement I am perswaded that as a Sabbath is the bond which holds the Church in the true Worship of God so the neglect and contempt of that Ordinance is the bane of true Religion the root of all profaneness and Atheism and the great breach wherein Superstition Errour and Schism have overflown and surrounded the Christian Churches In this matter therefore consider and ponder these few observations 1. A Sabbath is nothing else but a day of rest separated from the labours of our earthly and consecrated to the labours of our
But wherein consists this seeking of God In all seeking 1. The heart seeks in the desires and longings of it 2. That sets it self and the whole man on work constantly and diligently to use all means whereby we may attain what we may desire and seek The root is in the heart that blades in the desire mark 2 Chron. 15.12 15. ears and grows fruitful in the actions and earnest endeavours David seeks God How 1. His soul thirsted his flesh longed for God 2. He follows hard after him Psal. 63.1 8. so those Saints Isa. 26.8 9. in the night desire him with their soul seek him early in the morning waiting for him in the way of his judgements Again that which we seek must be the end of our seeking whatsoever we seek not for it self but for some other we seek not it indeed but that other for which we desire and seek it God must be sought for himself we must not in seeking him look to any thing beyond him when we seek our Lord as the Iews sought Christ not bâ—â—ause of the miracle but because they had eaten and were filled we seek not our God but our bellies But what are the meanâ— wherein we seek and find The Lord hath given us blessed means 1. Holy Ordinances the way of hiâ— judgements prayer the Word Sacraments See Isa. 26.8 2. A powerful Mediatour and prevalent Intercessour with God for man God and Man the Lord Iesus Christ he the only Door Joh. 10.9 the only Way by which we come to God Ioh. 14.6 His blood hath scored out our path to the Holiest a new and living way through the Veil of â—is flesh Heb. 10.19 20. 3. Faith which effectually applies both unto us The Ordinances not mingled with faith profit not Heb. 4.2 Prayer without faith God accounts howling Hos. 7.14 the word men who have no faith count babbling Act. 17.18 Christ is ours and dwells in our hearts by faith Ephes. 3.17 but without faith we are still under the curse Iob. 3.36 He then that thirsteth for God looks to Christ in every Ordinance not to serve himself of God but to serve him in all faithfulness this man seeks God Many there are which deceive themselveâ— and suppose they are not now to begin that work they have long â—ince they hope both sought and found him But have they prepâ—red their heart have thâ—y put awâ—y iniquity far from them do they not suffer wickedness to dwell in their Tabernacles Job 11.13 14. How should men seek and find God in the wayes of ungodliness the righteous Lord in all unrighteousness Can God be found in Atheism In such wayes they find God as Balaam his Angel with a drawn sword in his hand not as a Father but a Iudge and Avenger Indeed if we rejoice to work righteousness remember him in his wayes he will surely meet us in his mercy Isa. 64.5 But if we seek him after our own devices and though we walk after the imagination of our own wicked hearts yet dream we shall have peace Deut. 29.19 he will meet us not as a man Isa. 47.3 but as a Lion to tear us in pieces where none can deliver Psal. 50.22 And yet further that we deceive not our selves in a matter of such consequence we must know that this seeking of God may be considered in divers periods of it 1. When being without God in the World we seek to be initiated into his service see Act. 17.27 2. After some breach when by our misbehaviour we have caused him to withdraw his favour and to hide himself from us as Cant. 5.6 3. Even when we are in peace and amity we must still seek him labouring to get more union and communion with him in a continual waiting upon him and looking unto him Psal. 105. 4. Some perhaps will think All this is needless what necessity of seeking him when he first seeks us Luk. 15.4 8. nay finds us before we seek him Isa. 65.1 God indeed loveth us first 1 Ioh. 4.19 and in his love draws us Jer. 31.3 In infinite love he gives us his Son Joh. 3.16 Thus he seeks us lost Creatures as that Woman her lost Groat Luk. 15.8 He lights up the Gospel and sends in with it that great light offers him and in him offers us grace and happiness so he seeks and finds us as Keepers their strayed Deâ—r he sends in Hunters and they hunt us from every Mountain and every hill and from holes of Rocks he sends those Apostolical Fishers and they shall spread their Nets Ezek. 47.10 and fish them Ier. 16.16 Till which time we do but as thosâ— blind Heathens feel after him Act. 17.27 we sit in darkness he sends in his Word and calls us â—orth unto his marvelous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 we are enemies he beseeches us to be reconciled and offers us peace in Christ but further gives his chosen an heart to know him Jer. 24.7 an heart to fear him Jer. 32.39 an heart to walk in his wayes Ezek. 36.27 He circumciseth their hearts to love him Deut. 30.6 opens the heart for Christ Act. 16.14 and brings in the Lord Jesus to dwell there Ephâ—s 3.17 so he first seeks us in calling us seek ye my fâ—ce and then we when he hath given us that new heart seek him when we answer Lord thy face will I seek Psal. 27.8 He first waits to be gracious to us then we wait on him and arâ— blessed Isa. 30.18 Let me shut up this Chapter with that Princely Preacher and Prophetical Poet in this Paraphrase in Verse upon his Ecclesiast 2. I. Oh I am tir'd I faint I swoon I dye I travel all the world to find a station Where weary soulâ— may saâ—e and happy lye I search for rest feel but vexation I grope for substance grasp but vanity I seek for life and health find death damnation I meet approaching death death to eschew Toyl'd with vain sweat I wax old to renew My weary life so spend and hate what I pursue II. To Pleasures house I fail'd and safe arriv'd I lookt for Joy but â—ound a Bedlam there Into rich Mammons baggs and Chestâ— I div'd But saw them fill'd with grief with care and â—ear The Crown was but a Skep where swarms are hiv'd Of stinging thoughts it wears me wâ—ich I wear Has man no good is 't lost or aâ—â— blind Who who will point the way or cleer my mind To find what I should seek to seek that I may find III. Look as th' industrious Bee from flowr to flowâ— Jumps lightly viâ—its all but dwells in none Or as a sickly taste tries sweet and sowre Runs through a World of dishes finds not oâ—â— To please his curious Palâ—teâ— has no power To relish what it likes this bit that bone Long'd â—or and loath'dâ— thus my unquiet breaâ—â— In Earth Sâ—â—â— Ayer Heav'â— vainly 〈◊〉 But serving them is curst and serv'd by them not blest IV. Can rivers seek find reâ—â— in resâ—less Seas Can Ayer in
his grace brings us to immortality and glory Whithersoever you turn you one oâ— these will be at your elbow In every corner you shall meet with the Lovers of thesâ— Harlots doating on their plaistered beauties and drawing others to the same doteageâ— Those Paramours of Rome will deeply swear that their Mistress is the Queen of the World that the Sun even the Scriptures borrows all his beams from her eyes that there is no Paradice but in her arms no Heaven but in her embraces no hope but in her anchour no faith but in her breast no truth but in her mouth that if she commands Vices and prohibits Vertues you were bound to believe that Vices were good and Virtues evil So Bellarm. De Roman Pontif. l. 4. c. 5. The other not so lofty in their boastings but as dangerous in their baits and lurings They will promise you liberty and what is more suitable and sweet to nature but make you as themselves servants to corruption Now if you should trust your own eyes and lean to your own understanding you might easily be charmed with their enchantments But if ever you mean to keep your heart intire for the Lord Iesus you must not afford one glance to these his Rivals but through the glass of his word That but else nothing will broadly display the putrid loathsomeness of these haggs and rotten puppets Be ever asking Where it is written this was the buckler of the Ancients I adore the fulness of Scripture Let the shop of Hermogenes teach us where it is written if it be not written let him fear the woe pronounced against Adders and detracters Tertul. This was the sword of the Spirit whereby our Saviour himself warded his breast from all those fiery darts of Satan and beat down all his strong assaults Matth. 4.4 7 10. But so cunning are some of these Imposters that they will challenge you at your own Weapon They have learnt this fence of their old Master the Devil who seeing our Lord standing upon this guard had presently in shew the same weapon and charged it against him It is written saith he Matth. 4.6 whereby you see how needful it is for you to have your senses exercised in the word to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 and what necessity lies upon you to meditate in the word of God day and night Psal. 1.2 that you may breath your soul in those breathings of that Holy Spirit The enemy is crafty the issue of the combate life or death eternal Another sort of Whores that old Baud and Pandar the World and the Devil dresâ— up in another fashion to lay battery to your heart the will and affection and they arâ— as if not more dangerous than the former The first is the Lady Mammon boasting her self the only true Riches but indeed a meer slip and counterfeit brass and copper covered with tinfoyl Yet how many unstable souls hath she beguiled She hath all the tricks of a Whore first in quality secondly in action For 1. She is false and lying what content and happiness doth she promise to her Paramours yet did she never satisfie any Lover Eccles. 5.10 How should that give man content which hath no more worth than mans fancy gives it She drowns us in perdition and destruction and pierceth with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6.9 10. 2. She is inconstant and light winged and flies away Prov. 23.5 2. Her actions also whorish she hunts for the precious life of a man Prov. 6.26 No less hire will purchase her company than the price of our souls Matth. 16.26 when she hath shut us within her embraces she shuts us out of the Kingdom of Heaven As soon shall a Camel pass through the eye of a needle as a man loving riches through the strait gate of life Mar. 10.24 25. 2. A Whore sells nothing but repentance and mourning at our latter end Prov. 5.11 And what do men reap from the love of riches but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Jam. 5.1 The way to keep off our hearts from this false Strumpet is to fasten our eyes upon the heavenly Riches which are first true the metal not base but precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 precious faith much more precious than gold 1 Pet. 1.7 The stamp upon them is the Image of the King of Heaven which makes them currant in all his Dominions 2. They are durable riches Prov. 8.18 they will never fail you In life and death they will follow you Rev. 14.13 He that looks upon God as his Portion and sees in what pleasant places the lines are fallen to him Psal. 16.5 6. He that looks upon Christ his Treasure Col. 2.3 and those glorious riches stored up in him will look upon all other riches as loss and dung Phil. 3.8 and think the meanest room of his heart too precious to be taken up with trash and trumpery The second Harlot is Honour Reputation and Credit with men A proud Strumpet that carryes her head aloft but the veriest dirt of all the rest yet how strong are her allurements How did she draw away those in part-believing Iews specially Rulers Ioh. 12.42 how easily did she carry them down in a stream of popularity from the fountain of life She hath a strong faction in all mens hearts to work for her but principally in those who are great in the worldâ— If ever you attain any eminence there she will prove a dangerous tentation Take heed of casting one glance toward her lest you be overcome Remember that warning of our Saviour you cannot entertain faith and her in one heart Joh. 5.44 Take heed also of being dismayed with her frowns Assuredly know she will affront you with reproach contempt disgrace If ye cleave to Christ were you Kings were you the King of Kings she would not be afraid to revile you and spit in your face David was torn with her mocks Psal. 35.15 16. because he followed that which was good Psal. 38.20 The Son of David derided by proud Pharisees Luk. 16.14 Think not being servants to be above your Master It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the servant as the Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Matth. 10.25 whosoever will live godly be sure of â—t shall suffer at least this persecution 2 Tim. â— 12 But take off your eye from this shadow â—nd lye of honour and set it upon that true â—lory Could you with Moses behold but â—ne spark of that heavenly advancement â—ou would with Moses account the reproach 〈◊〉 Christ greater honour than all the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.26 If you will take up the â—â—count aright thus you will value it for indeed God himself is your praise Deut. 10.21 Christ himself the glory of his Israel Luk. 2.32 And what weight then in the ballance of any impartial judgement can the rotten breath of a mortal creature and the
or wantonness less dangerous or loathsome The more ye grow up to youth the more closely cleave to the guide of your youth Prov. 2.17 See Psal. 119.9 Lay neer to heart nay lock up in the midst of your heart all those precious counsels of that Eternal wisdom and your heavenly Father My Son give me thy heart and let thine eyes observe my wayes for a whore is â— deep ditch and a strange woman a narrow pitt Prov. 23.26 27. Read and even get by heart Prov. 2.23 to the end and 7. ch Were it possible to cut off your arm and to graft it into a Bear and the Bears leg into your shoulder how would your soul abhorr such an exchange How much worse is it to take the members of Christ and make them members of an harlot 1 Cor. 6.15 Be careful also and very watchful with all instance I charge you to avoid all single uncleanness Onans sin Gen. 38. which is the more dangerous as it is less regarded Give up your hearts day and night in prayer to God and put them into his hand importunately beseech him who keeps his Israel to watch over you and to fence you from tentation and looking up unto his gracious providence timely as God shall provide for you retire unto his Ordinance of marriage if the Lord endow you not with the gift of continence Remember your boâ—dies and souls are espoused to Christ and the wife hath not power over her own body but tâ—e husband 1 Cor. 7.4 Offer up therefore your bodies to him as a living sacrifice Rom. 12.1 and glorifie him both in your bodies and spiâ—its for they are Gods 1 Cor. 6.20 Lastly in your estate this virtue will â—each you to pray as Agur Give me neither â—overtie nor riches â—eed me with food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and â—ay who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal â—â—d take the name of my God in vain Prov. â—0 8 9. A great sayl to a little boat is more â—angerous than helpful That Philosopher in â—is Poetrie will teach you Boetius Libr. 2. Metr 4. If safe thou wouldst and quiet dwell Reâ—use a Palace chuse a cell Wouldst thou burn out thy fenced light In peace when winds storms tempests fight Wouldst thou despise the curl'd-head waves And laugh when gaping Neptune raves Let not thy house on mountains soar Trust not the swilling spewing shore There envious winds and spiteful blasts Reign rage and tear there nothing lasts Here sinking earth and bibbing sands Bâ—tray the weight here nothing stands Climb not aloft to seek fâ—esh ayer Or pleasant seat build sure not fair The lowly Rock make thy foundation A strong a lasting situâ—ation When thundring storms with ruins fill The pleasant shore and mounting hill Lodgd in thy trenches safely lying Fierce winds and â—oming seas defying Safe maist thou mock the angry skie And quiet live and quiet dy This was the first branch of holiness Sobrietie CAP. XVIII What is the Second THe second branch is Righteousness or Iustice that grace whereby We render to all their dues Rom. 13.7 not only which Civil but divine laws prescribe And the fulfilling of all righteousness in one word is love Read Rom. 13.7 8 9 10. The object of love is general All men eâ—en enemies not excluded Matth. 5.44 The â—ubject or seat of love is not the mouth in â—omplement 1 Ioh. 3.18 but the heart â—ithout dissimulation Rom. 12.9 The meaâ—ure or quantitie must be dispensed accorâ—ing to those relations in which God hath â—ed us Some must have an higher place in â—ur hearts than others 1 Thes. 5.13 The â—ruit of love is doing good which must be â—rdered and distributed generally to all â—en specially to the houshold of faith Gal. â— 10 To handle all these particulars would â—k a large volume For that referring you 〈◊〉 your best Father and his divine instruâ—â—ions fully set out unto you in his doubleâ— â—estament I desire to cull out some few dâ—â—rections and commend them to your practice and his blessing In conversing with men look first to your heart secondly to your actions Cease from anger and forsake wrath Psal. 37.8 put it off Col. 3.8 Be not hasty in spirit to be angry Eccl. 7.9 for discretion in a man deferreth his anger Prov. 19.11 In anger siâ— not Eph. 4.26 Be sure the cause be just Matth. 5.22 and the extent justifiable for it rests in the bosome of fools Eccl. 7.9 and where it lodgeth all night it hath the Divel for a bedfellow Eph. 4.26 27. Hate nothing in any man but sin and his hate of God and therefore hate the sin because ye love the man and love the man to cast out that hate and plant in the love of God Fall not out with any man but so as to reconcile him to God See Lev. 19.17 Above all beware of repaying hate for love Psal. 109.5 and tremble to hate whom God loves Psal. 38.20 It is the brand and seal of Satan upon his cattel Have nothing at all to do with Envie Anger and Hatred may be and often are evil but Envie cannot be good Love can bâ— angry and love can hate but love cannot envie 1 Cor. 13.4 The mouth is the dore of life Prov. 13.3 â—â—ep it therefore under lock and key Helâ— it self is not a more proper shop of the Divel than a wicked mouth His special warehouse is a sinful heart and an evil mouth his shop where he readily vents his wares Thither he brings that fire of hell Jam. 3.6 Wicked lips are a burning fire Prov. 16.27 The tongue his hammer by which he frames those hellish weapons lies slanders mocks to sadd the hearts of the righteous to arm and strengthen the hands of the wicked Psal. 109.2 Remember the tongue is an unruly and untamed evil Jam. 3.8 Deal with it as that man after Gods own heart He watches it keeps it as with a bridle Psal. 39.1 But finding his own hand too weak he calls in better help Set a watch oh Lord before my mouth and keep the dore of my lips Psal. 141.3 Learn that excellent lesson Speak evil of no man Tit. 3.2 Iugde no man Rom. 14.13 Neither only keep your tongues from wounding other mens ears but barricado your ears also and keep out wicked tongues The ear is the hearts factour Prov. 18.15 and if the ear be naught neither heart nor hand is good for a wicked doer gives heed to false lips and a Lier gives ear to a naughty tongue Pro. 17.4 Love peace Zech. 8.19 follow peace with all men Heb. 12.14 yea all things which concern peace Rom. 14.19 If it be possible as much as lies in you have peace with all men Rom. 12.18 And if you dwell with them that hate peace be you for peace when they are for war Psal. 120.6 7. The world will advise you to take no wrong but God commands you to do none Ier. 22.3 Not to take wrong here