How hath the Name of God been blasphemed many times by the miscarriages of such And how may it be said of many Young Ones as was said of that Fig-tree Jesus Christ cursed Mat. 21.20 How soon is this Fig-tree withered away Where is your Zeal your Affections your Love your fervency for God for his Ordinances for Duties for Worship that once seemed to move upon your Spirits O consider of it young men that the wayes of God have been evil spoken of by your means And I may say to you as the Prophet to them This hath been by your means Mal. 1.9 3. The going back of such I have observed is a great stumbling-block to others a great discouragement to others to own the wayes of God O say such poor Souls shall not I prove as others have done make a fair flourish for a year or two bear green leaves and promising buds and blossoms but yet for all that brings forth no fruit to perfection And therefore such poor Souls rather sit still seeing so many that have been in a fair way of profession backslide and apostatize before them 4. Many poor Sinners have been hardned in their Atheism Profaneness and contempt of the wayes of God by seeing you fall off after that you have made some progress in the wayes of God Do not they conclude at the sight of such miscarriages that their conditions are good Deut. 29.19 though they walk in the imaginations of their own heart Do not they cry Peace Peace to their own Souls though they walk in Soul-undoing and destroying courses Take two young men One of them falls under some conviction of sin under the Ministry of the Word upon this Conviction he launches out into a visible Profession owns the wayes of God Hears Prays Reads repeats Sermons c. The other of them continues sinning on still senseless of his Soul kicks against the pricks still but he cryes his Companion will return to him again this is but for a fit a little melancholy or to please some party or other Well in a little time it proves thus the Professing young man becomes profane again returns with the dog to his vomit 2 Pet. 2.22 and with the Sow after once washing to her wallowing in the mire returns to his Onions and Garlick again O how this doth now harden the other poor Sinner in his dangerous and damnable state and makes him venture his Soul to live and lye and dye in it 5. I have observed such Young Men that once have tasted some thing of the Word of God and have laid under Convictions of Sin when they have fallen off and lost them they have grown harder after than before they have like the wicked men we read of grown worse and worse 1 Tim. 3.13 Such have out-stripped others in sin As Iron often heated proves harder so it is with such poor Souls and is not this a sad sight to see him a Drunkard a Swearer a Reviler a Scoffer at the wayes of God who once was a praying Young Man One that worshipt with those he now scoffs at and reviles If one had told thee while thou wert a praying a professing Young Man that thy Praying thy Hearing thy repeating Sermons would have ended thus would not thou have said as Hazael did to the Prophet 2 Kings 8.13 Is thy Servant a Dog O but have not a few years produced too many such instances 6. I have observed that as soon as many Young Ones have set forth under Convictions of a need of Christ to seek after him they many times have fallen into erroneous notions When Satan cannot keep poor Souls in profane practices he then will labour to poyson them with pernicious Principles And as the Devil hath his Nurseries to debauch Young Ones in their Practices so he hath his Nurseries to poyson them with pernicious Principles No sooner doth a Young Man become sober and serious but there are persons that are ready to drop their poyson upon them and so many poor Souls are set wrong at the very first setting out 7. I have observed Young Ones to be like foolish Children Hos 13.13 as the Prophet sayes to stay long in the place of breaking forth Especially Young Ones under Godly Education nursed up in Godly Families How long is it often before the work be a through-work upon their Spirits Alas how do their Convictions come and go for months if not for years some times not hearing of them and then another while Conscience being a Boanarges to them thundring forth the terrours of the Lord to them One while they are murdered another while they walk and make a dreadful noise in the Conscience Here poor Soul thou may see thy danger in delaying thy great work of seeking in thy prime and flower of thy youth 8. I have observed a great deal of pride grow up with the Profession of Young Ones O how often hath this been the mortal bane and poyson of many of their Souls How many have upon this Rock split their Convictions their Profession their Expectations with their Souls for ever Have not many poor Young Seekers been over-set by carrying too much sail Vpon their supposition of acquired gifts and parts how have they prided themselves untill as the Poets say of young Narcissus that he fell in love with his own shadow untill he pined away Have not many Young Seekers fallen into a Consumption by self-love and setting too high a price upon themselves Nay hath not this sin caused the Lord to suffer some of them to fall into some visible gross evil that might keep them little and low in their own eyes all their dayes Many have got a halt at the first setting out that they might be kept from self-exaltation 9. I have observed an untractable Spirit grow up with Young Ones to their Superiours and Guides which is a dangerous evil Doth this become young Travellers nay indeed any Travellers to cast off their Guides or to think they can get to their journeys end without observing the Counsels Conduct and the directions of such as are set over them in the Lord Are Ministers set over you to be your Guides are Parents are Masters set over you to be your Guides 1 Pet. 5.5 and will you prove untractable to these This is a great provocation to the Lord which occasioned that Exhortation of Peter's You younger submit your selves to the elder As it particularly relates to Ministers so it may refer to others At what door came in Erroneous Principles Heb. 13.17 at first and Licentious Practices Was it not at this when persons refused to obey and submit to them that were set over them in the Lord 10. I have observed that Satans grand Designs and Engines are laid so as if it be possible to prevent Jesus Christ having a Young Off-spring The Devil would not have Christ have any Nurseries any Young Nurseries where any tender Plants should be
he hath promised to carry them Isaiah 40.11 he carries the Lambs in his Bosom and can any pull them out of his Bosom If none can pull them out of his hand much less can any pull them out of his heart 2. Perseverance is Christ's Purchase did he die for you and will he lose you Will he pay the Price and let another carry away the Purchase Did not he die for Glory as well as Grace and Happiness as well as Holiness No no not a soul that his blood is gone for can be a miscarrying soul 3. Your Perseverance is Christ's charge he hath undertaken for it to his Father John 6.37 none that thou hast given me shall be lost but I will raise it up at the last day 2. They have Discouragement from without as well as from within and both meeting together is a great damp to the young Seeker The discouragements from without are from these Causes 1. From Satan As soon as he sees they look Christ-ward and Heaven-ward he begins then to torment them though while they were his Bondslaves they were all the time quiet As when the Children of Israel were to go out of the Egyptian Captivity then Pharoah with all his Host pursues them so when a soul is going out of his spiritual house of Bondage Satan with all his might and main labours to reduce them It is the observation of one upon the Church the Woman in the Revelations that all the while she was breeding the Dragon did not meddle with her but when she comes to be delivered then he casts a flood after the woman to destroy both her and her man-child So all the while a poor soul is under some Breathings and desires only after Christ Satan doth not much tempt or disturb it but when it comes to bring forth Christ and answer his Convictions with a change of Conversation O then he casts a whole flood of Temptations and discouragements after it And alas this proceeds from his envy to the good of your souls He is the envious one and his envy puts him upon laying discouragements before you O who can stand before Envy O poor soul the Lord will look after thee while thou art looking after him Poor soul be of good cheer thy Temptations argue his Rage and his Rage being great argues his time of rule in thy soul is like to be short 2. Discouragement without proceeds from the Persecution that attends the Profession of the Gospel While the Sun did shine upon the Gospel it had many friends but when it is brought under the Clouds of Persecution many go away from Christ as he said unto them Will you also go away There was I remember a Law that the first year of marriage none should go to War O but may young ones say what a discouragement it is to us as soon as ever we desire to be married to Christ in a profession of the Gospel we must be Sufferers and must go to War with Persecutions Well poor Souls be not discouraged you shall not go to war on your own cost The Lord the great Captain of your Salvation will renew your strength and you shall run and not be weary walk and not faint though Persecutions meet you in the way Jesus Christ hath his strict Charge and he will look after them in a suffering day 3. Discouragement from without is the Opposition they meet with from carnal Relations such as are Encmies to the Cross of Christ Many times such do mightily oppose these ways they are ignorant of which is a great discouragement And Satan many times helps on the rage of such and stirs up their wrath but yet for all this poor soul be not discouraged when thy way pleases the Lord he can make thine Enemies at Peace with thee much more thy Relations God many times has turned the heart of Relations about as he did Esau's heart to his Brother Jacob when pursuing of him but if not there is a Friend nearer than a Brother viz. the Lord Jesus Christ he will be a friend in the day of Adversity Nay often it is observed that as cold water makes fire burn so much the hotter so Grace gains by opposition by the cold water of discouragement burns so much the brighter Thy opposition will drive thee more to look up to him where thy strength lies and so may be a great preservation to thee 4. Discouragement from without is from the miscarriages of such as do profess the Lord Jesus Christ Many that call upon the name of Christ do not depart from iniquity but walk loosely deal unrighteously betwixt man and man dishonour their Profession by an unsuitable Conversation Others they have more grosly backsliden from God and whereas formerly they have been praying men in their Families hearing men frequenting the means of Grace somewhat strict in their lives now they have thrown off all these and become like other men as vain as other men nay as prophane as other men and this is a great discouragement O poor Soul notwithstanding this Discouragement yet go on for the ways of the Lord are the same and if thou follow on to know the Lord thou wilt find sweetness in his Ordinances and Truth notwithstanding this Application Is it so that young Seekers early Seekers meet with Discouragement Word of Use is Caution O let young ones take heed in their first looking out after Christ 1. Of consulting with flesh blood this will occasion you to yield to Discouragements It is said of Paul Gal. 1.16 he consulted not with flesh and blood The worst counsel in the World will flesh and blood give in the case of a mans soul Alas poor young man will flesh and blood say what art thou going to do Art thou able to deny thy self of the delights and pleasures of Youth Art thou able to cut off a right hand to put out a right eye to cut the throat of a beloved Isaac to let out the hearts blood of a constitutional Lust Can thy tender years indure such hard things as Religion is like to be attended with Canst thou bear the scoffs and jeers of the World the oppositions and displeasure of thy dearest Relations And thus will flesh and blood follow thee But alas what is this to a poor soul that sees its precious soul lie at stake and is in danger Cannot will not this soul reply to all these reasonings of flesh and blood Get you behind me Satan What are the greatest severities in the World to a man that sees and feels he is a lost soul for ever if he have not a Christ 2. Take heed in your first seekings out and meeting with discouragements that you pore not unbelievingly upon your discouragements It is true there ought to be sitting down and counting the cost for the want of which many poor souls after Profession have backsliden but the poor young ones may pore too much upon their discouragements may look
this took and melted the heart of God that his bowels broke forth Is Ephraim my dear Son 6. Direction to young Seekers under their discouragements pore not upon thy discouragements too much O how ordinary is this This is to look upon the black and dark side of the cloud what is there not a bright side Many poor Souls by doing thus have entred into great temptations you lead your selves into temptations by this means but this hath been cautioned against in the former use therefore I shall not enlarge upon it here 2. Observation from this Text we observed was this That Young Seekers or Morning Seekers are much upon the heart of Christ It is evident in the Text it being a Promise by way of encouragement to such poor Souls O they are so much on his heart he would not have them discouraged O he knows they are soon discouraged therefore they are upon his heart to encourage them 1. He doth encourage them by accepting of their weak beginnings when a Scholar is a young beginner he is soon discouraged but when he sees his Master takes notice and accepts in good part what he doth this doth much encourage him and so a young Apprentice Thus it is with a poor Soul at its first enquiring after Christ when it sees the Lord accepts and takes in good part its weak motions after Christ its weak affections and desires O it is encouraged will the Lord accept of any thing such a poor Creature doth have I any offering that can find favour in his sight what such a poor Soul that am but of yesterday that am but newly begun to peep out of my profaneness who have but newly turned my back on the sinful vanities of youth This was typed out in Gods acceptance of the first fruits though never so small we read the sheaf of their first fruits of their harvest was to be given to the Priest Lev. 23.11 13. and he was to wave it before the Lord that it might be accepted If it be but a poor sheaf it is accepted though thou carried out precious Seed weeping and it may be hast not gotten thy sheaves to return with yet peradventure thou hast gotten one sheaf Lev. 2.14 Well carry that to Christ thy High Priest to wave before the Lord it may be accepted for you Yea if it be but a handful of green ears you bring to the Lord a few green desires and affections they shall be accepted with the Lord. We read of a glorious work begun in the day of Zachary Zach. 4.10 in the building of the Temple and great discouragements the Instruments of that Glorious Work met withall there was a mountain in the way but all is encouraged by this The hands of Zerubbabel saith God hath laid the foundation and the hands of Zerubbabel shall finish the building For who hath despised the day of small things saith the Lord there were some poor beginnings and God would not discourage them So I say in this case who hath despised the day of small things what though convictions be but small affections small grace small yet God accepts of this day of small things and thus encourages them 2. Jesus Christ doth encourage young Seekers by perswading their hearts that they shall find favour and grace in the sight of God sooner or later Did he ever say to the House of Jacob seek ye my face in vain O no sayes the poor Soul I am under a Promise they that seek shall find therefore the poor Soul is of good courage O though a person doth meet with discouragements yet sayes the Soul I shall find though I digg long first cry long first seek long first yet the good hope to speed at last becomes a great encouragement and the contrary is as great a discouragement Why should I wait on the Lord any longer pray any longer hear any longer seek any longer this weakens and enfeebles the Soul exceedingly What kept up Jacob in wrestling all night but a secret hope and sweet perswasion that he should for all the opposition he met withall come off conquerour and at last get the blessing How is it with your souls young ones as to this thing are you perswaded your praying seeking will not be in vain O this is a great encouragement 3. The Lord Jesus Christ doth encourage young Seekers after him by making the yoke of Christ easier to them every day than other Every yoke or burden is hardest at first O! poor Souls are ready to say of the yoke of Christ at first as they did of the yoke of Circumsion wherefore put you upon us a yoke that neither we nor our Fathers are able to bear O but this yoke of Christ is made more easie to the soul every day than other Now an Apprentice or a Scholar when he finds his work casier and easier to him O then how is he encouraged to go on it O now saith the soul I find that Scripture true Christs yoke is an easie yoke Mat. 11.28 and his burden is a light burden and that word I now find to be true and none of his Commandments are grievous Now it may here be demanded How doth Christ make his yoke to young Seekers easier every day than other 1. By an increase of love in them to Christ As love grows up in the Soul difficulties are not dreadful the dread of them is taken off when the spark is blown into a vehement flame what difficulty can stand before it Who can stand before envy But here it may be said who can stand before love Many waters cannot quench it Is not love the greatest conquerour in the world How evident is this in mens love to their lusts O what desperate adventures do poor Sinners make to get to their lusts As David's worthies did break through an Host for the water of the well of Bethlehem so do thousands of Sinners for love to their sins break through a whole Host of Convictions Reproofs Admonitions Counsels and all for love to their sins And so love to Jesus Christ as it increases the commands of Christ are pleasant the wayes of wisdome are wayes of pleasantness we take pleasure to serve such as we love 2. Christ makes his yoke easier every day than other and so encourages young Seekers by making Duty a delight So long as Duty is a burden there will be grievousness in it but when it once is matter of delight and priviledge O then it grows easie Delight makes every thing easie though difficult in it self Alas a poor Soul at first looks upon the yoke of Christ as a task as Scholars have their tasks at first but after delight in them Prayer now becomes a delight and the Soul can say as the Spouse did I sit down under his shadow with great delight Communion with God is a great delight reading and hearing is a great delight and now these duties go sweetly and easily on 3. He makes his yoke
an easie yoke by giving them to see a difference betwixt this yoke and the yoke of Satan And now sayes the poor Soul the yoke of Satan would have prest me down to Hell I should have drawn my self damned in the Devils yoke and O now how heavy do I feel it My sins are gone over my head as a burden yea as too heavy a burden for me to bear O now when a poor sinner compares yokes and burdens O how easie doth Christ's yoke become 4. The Lord Jesus Christ doth encourage young Seekers by giving them hearts to wait upon him and sweetly and secretly renewing their strength in waiting on him While there is a waiting Spirit there is encouragement this was the great encouragement of Jacob's Soul a wrestling frame was kept up in him Where-ever a Soul continues a waiter and wrestler there is hope it will come off conquerour therefore we read of that blessed Promise Isa 40.30 31. The youths shall faint and the young men shall utterly fall but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength strength comes in upon your waiting You young waiters he will not let you wait upon him for nothing if your hands wax weak he will strengthen them there shall be a secret invisible strength sent in that shall still keep you waiting O but may Souls say we shall be weary after a while for all this O no poor Souls you shall run and not be weary walk and not faint a poor young runner shall hold on and hold out That word in the Psalms is of the like comfort Psal 27. ult to waiters Wait on the Lord and be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart I say wait on the Lord. O but sayes the poor Soul I am discouraged I know not what to do I shall sink under them wait on the Lord and what then the Lord will strengthen thee in waiting against all thy temptations both within and without the Lord is good to them that wait for him and thou shalt find it so 5. The Lord doth encourage the souls of young Seekers by giving them tastes of his love for many times at first conversion he gives more of it than he doth afterwards this is to encourage Souls and draw them on more to love him and seek him and follow after him When the Prodigal came newly home at his first return O how he treated him Bring forth the best robe and put it on him and a ring on his hand and shooes on his feet If the Lord should not give young Seekers some sweet tastes of his love they would be discouraged in seeking after him But now they that taste how good and gracious the Lord is they come unto him 6. The Lord Jesus doth encourage the Souls of young Seekers by passing by and pardoning their infirmities in their approaches to him and graciously accepting and owning what is his There is something of Gods and something of their own in every duty and a great deal of their own to a little of Christs a great deal of dross to a little silver a great deal of water to a little wine and O sayes the poor young Seeker I am discouraged will the Lord accept of such an offering as this If thou shouldst offer this to thy Governour would he accept of it O poor Soul see what he sayes I have eaten my honey with my honey comb not only the honey but the comb because of the dross he doth not refuse all he knows how to separate the comb from the dross the infirmities of a duty from any thing of the spirit in a duty he will pick out what is his own and pardon what is thine 7. The Lord Jesus doth encourage the Souls of young Seekers by helping them to believe the precious Promises made to them There are not more precious Promises made to any sort of sinners or sort of people than to young Seekers after Christ. Is not this a precious Promise in the Text Of all persons you shall not be disappointed you shall seek and find â—â—â— 40.11 He shall carry the Lambs in his bosome and gather them with his arm and shall gently lead them that are with young O what a Soul-reviving-Promise is this are not Lambs weak creatures but in his bosome shall they get both warmth and strength The old Proverb shall not hold in this case The weakest go by the walls if they cannot go he can carry them and not carry them on his back but in his bosome which is the easiest carriage and the safest carriage O what a sweet shepherd is this that nourishes his Lambs in his bosome And is not that also a rich and glorious Promise A bruised Reed shall he not break nor shall he quench the smoaking flax until he bring judgement unto victory O poor Soul can there be greater encouragements than in this Promise What is a weaker thing than a bruised Reed what is a poorer thing than smoaking flax soon extinguished soon trodden out but the Lord will make weak ones strong weak Grace shall be victorious Grace thou art a poor weak worm it may be the Lord chooses things that are not to confound things that are 8. The Lord encourages such as are young Seekers of him by watering the buddings of his own Grace in their Souls Grace is so tender a plant that it will live in no soyle where it is not well watered it cannot be in any soyle but it must be watered He takes notice of the buddings of the Pomegranate or the opening of it When a poor soul begins first in its openings to desire after Jesus Christ in its faith in its love to Christ O then these are watered with precious quickning influences from above which makes them spring up and grow apace he breaths upon his young plants Blow O south mind that the spices may flow out these breathings are influences from the Spirit 1. Reason why the Lord Jesus Christ doth encourage young Seekers because in their first setting out to seek Christ they meet with most temptations O now when Satan is like to lose his prey how doth this greedy Lion roar when he sees he is like to be disappointed how doth he follow the Soul with wrath and rage Now the greater the rage of Satan is against poor Souls the more bowels hath Christ yearning towards them as it is his great office to succour those that are tempted When Christ was born in Jerusalem there was a great uproar O poor Soul thou wondrest what is the matter there is an uproar a tumult in thy own Spirit a combate within and thou begin'st to be restless in Spirit look'st up to God in this condition O what if Christ be forming in thy soul There are two things make Satan bestir himself against morning Seekers 1. It is his envy he is the envious one he envies the good and happiness of every poor Soul therefore he pursues thee
the morning because what is done in the morning is done with most vigour and fervency O! morning Seekers how vigorously in Soul do they seek the Lord Jesus they do not seek like Solomons sluggard as though they cared not whether they found or no but they seek with all their heart which we read a Promise made to Jer. 29.13 And you shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all your hearts 3. By a morning Seeker of Christ is meant a soul that the Lord is visiting with the day of his power The morning is the beginning of the day so the morning is the beginning of the work of Grace Hos 6.3 The morning of a day of Grace we read of the Goings of God prepared as the morning The morning light is gradual so is the dawnings of the day of Grace upon the Soul Pro. 4.18 as that word is The path of the Just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day There is the dawning of the day and the perfect day When the day-star from on High first ariseth in the soul this is the morning Seeker it had not light to seek by until the day-star arose in the heart and now morning light is come in to let the soul see the misery of its dark and undone estate without Christ O now it is a seeker in this light after the Lord Jesus c. 4. By a morning Seeker is meant a Soul waiting for more appearances more arisings of the day-star in and upon the Soul Psal 130.6 As David saith My Soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that wait for the morning more than the watchmen that wait for the morning And thus as soon as poor Babes in Grace are begotten to Christ they are children of the light All young Converts are children of the light they are looking out for more light more light of Grace and more light of Comfort Thus doth a poor morning Seeker wait for light to shine into his dark heart 5. By a morning Seeker is meant a poor Soul that stands upon the watch-tower of Observation taking notice of the first breakin gs in of light as the watchmen waited for the first peep and dawning of the day that they might offer the sacrifice appointed for the morning So a poor morning Seeker is one that observes the first convictions that dawn upon it the first light of the spirit that shines into it and it stands by the crevise and will not away but here is such an Ordinance that God first convinced me by first illuminated me And thus the Soul keeps an observation of the gradual breakings in of light 6. By morning Seekers is meant a poor Soul in its first breathings out of the desires and wants of the Soul to Christ Psal 5.3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up Here is the morning a time for prayer I will order my prayer in the morning In the morning of a begun work of Grace O what directing is there of prayer to God A praying Soul is a morning Seeker Alas the Soul prayed not before but now a day of Grace hath visited it it may be said of him behold he prays 7. By morning Seekers is understood a Soul that looks out for some encouragement by way of answer to prayer In the morning will I direct my prayer and look up the word signifies diligently to look out for something that is coming towards us O! a morning Seeker enquires for some answer to prayer some encouragement to animate it in its pursuits after Christ 8. Lastly By a morning Seeker is meant one that seeks with hope and joy that seeks chearfully in expectation to find The Spirits are most chearful in the morning O how it glads the poor weary Centinel to think of the approaching day Thus it is with a poor Soul seeking Christ O thinks this Soul sorrow may continue for a night but joy comes in the morning Reasons why early and morning Seekers shall be sure and certain finders 1. Reason why early or morning Seekers shall be sure and certain finders because such are importunate Seekers and it is importunate praying that is prevailing prayer with God therefore we read that Parable teaching Souls how to seek for his importunity he arose and gave him Luke 11. the word is Impudence there is a holy Impudence that will not be said nay O! this God loves in all Seekers but especially in morning Seekers they are usually importunate 1. Young Seekers have strong corruptions to combate with The corruptions of youth are strong and when strong corruptions meet with strong convictions how should a principle of Grace live in the Soul but by importunate seeking Christ The stronger the corruption the more importunate the wrestling of the Soul under it strong corruptions where there is a begun work of Grace cause the soul to put forth strong crys and supplications 2. Usually morning Seekers are importunate Seekers because they have strong temptations We read of John writing to young men 1 Epist of Joh. 2.14 I write unto you young men because you are strong and have overcome the wicked one Then young Seekers are combatants not only with their own corruptions but the wicked ones temptations Paul when a messenger of Satan was sent him to buffet him what did he do He besought the Lord thrice viz. frequently or importunately Temptations will put upon importunate Seeking the Lord Jesus where there is a principle of Grace in the Soul O are not young mens temptations stronger than others The temptations of young men to vain company O how hard to overcome is this hath not this one temptation been the Rock that many a young man hath split his Soul on for ever Solomon setting out the sinful state of youth being led by the strange woman sayes I discerned a young man void of understanding but where was he Prov. 7.7 The Text tells you amongst the Simple Ones 3. Morning Seekers are importunate Seekers they are in their first love Love will be importunate I remember the kindness of thy youth Jer. 2.2 and the love of thine Espousals Their affections are strong 4. Morning Seekers are importunate seekers their convictions are strong Now where there are strong convictions there will be importunate Seeking morning convictions are strong convictions O now the power of the Lord takes hold of the heart and conviction is born in upon the Soul that it stoops under it Thus Ephraim as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Jer. 31.19 20. I was ashamed yea confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth O what strong convictions are here and what now doth poor Ephraim do He mourns and prays Turn thou me and I shall be turned 5. Morning Seekers are importunate Seekers their oppositions are greater and stronger than
hundred years old shall be accursed O but there are many gracious Souls that have sought him while they were young that comfort themselves with his loving kindness of old that remember the sweet love-stories and passages betwixt Christ and their poor Soul and at last go off the stage of this life triumphing To see an old Christian go comfortably to heaven leaning over the staff of the Promise and telling of nothing but his youth experiences of Christ O what a sight is this And on the other side to see an old man who hath nothing to remember but what a drunken wretch he hath been what a wicked company-keeper he hath been what an unclean filthy wretch he hath been what an oppressor of other men he hath been and such stories he can tell you all day O what a dreadful thing is this 6. Take heed you lose not your morning when God doth awaken you and get you out of your bed of sin and sloth it will grieve and cut you to the very heart that you got up no sooner that you have lost so much time already O how many Souls have been deeply wounded with the sense of their lost time O what complaints have such Souls groaned out That I should be so long in the service of sin and Satan O that I should spend so many years in gratifying the lusts of the flesh in making provision for the flesh and all that while put a slight upon the Lord Jesus Christ as not being worth seeking 4. Caution If morning Seekers shall be sure and certain finders of Christ then let them take heed of hasty and rash concluding against Christ and their own Souls this is an infirmity that young Seekers are mightily prone to in their first convictions O sure Jesus Christ will not be found of such poor sinful vile Creatures as we are we have been such Ephraims such Bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke such Sons of Belial so stubborn even from our youth up we cannot think he would be found of us though we should seek him 1. First O poor Soul do you think Christ doth not matter his word If under your temptations you should think he does not matter your Soul yet think he matters his word Cannot you say remember the Word Lord upon which thou causest me to hope Do you think Christ is indifferent whether his Promises be accomplished or no No no not one Jota of his Promise shall fail You may be discouraged but the Promise is in reference to bruised reeds and smoaking flax Ite 42.4 It is said He shall not be discouraged nor fail you may but he shall not 2. Secondly why Souls should you think he will not accept of you are not your names in his Commission He was sent to seek and save such as are lost and are not you lost Souls Lost in your selves lost prodigals This my Son was lost and do you think he will not then accept of you 3. Thirdly why think you so hardly of Christ doth not Christ call such He came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance Be of good chear poor Soul the Lord calls on thee as was said to the poor blind man But something of this nature will fall in upon another use therefore I will forbear now 5. Branch of the Caution then let morning Seekers take heed they do not sit down short of Christ Why if he will be found of us should we sit down short of him As it is said in that case so may I say in this a Promise being left us of entring into his Rest let us not seem to rest short of it There are many things morning Seekers are prone to rest in on this side Christ. You may take up in your common convictions in your constitutional affections in your acquired gifts and parts in your restraining grace in a form of profession and so miss of Christ for ever 1. First take heed of resting short of Christ many thousands have done so We read of the Scribe that answered Christ discreetly and Jesus said unto him Thou art nigh unto the Kingdome of God But alas he was short of Christ for all this And also the young man in the Gospel rested short of Christ and also the foolish Virgins and the Children of the Kingdom we read of came short of Christ 2. Secondly take heed morning Seekers you do not rest short of Christ this will aggravate your misery exceedingly in missing of him What you that were within a little of Christ miss him What you that were in so fair a way for Christ you who set out so hopefully in the morning of your day O for poor Souls in Hell to sing such doleful ditties I was once convinced of my sin and I was once convinced of my misery without Christ and I was once convinced of the excellency of Christ But O my corruptions were too strong for my convictions and so my poor Soul sat short of the Lord Jesus Christ To miscarry within a little of harbour within sight of land O what a cutting aggravation is this to poor Seamen when almost at their Port So many Souls have done they have been almost perswaded to become Christians yet they have rested short of Christ 3. Thirdly take heed morning Seekers that you rest not short of Christ Satan if it be possible will keep you short of Christ this is Satans design if he can but perswade the Soul to take up in something on this side Christ in some notion some opinion Hence it is as soon as young people come under any convictions of sin and when any good Seed is sowen in the Soul then comes Satan with his Tares Then they get it may be some notion or opinion whereby Satan does divert them and hinder them from closing with Christ And when they are gotten hither here they rest Thousands have been eternally undone this way 3. Vse Is it so that morning Seekers shall be sure and certain finders of the Lord Jesus Christ then it is an Vse of Exhortation To set upon the duty and work in good earnest to loyter no more of your morning away to trifle no more of your precious time away but that you may have the comfort of the Promise O that you may be found in obedience to the precept if you would find you must seek O poor Souls do not you hear him Call Call upon him while he is near seek him while he is to be found What is not the Lord Jesus worth seeking he is then worth nothing 1. Motive to seek the Lord in your morning now is your seeking time seeking will not alwayes be in season You must do things in their proper season there is a time for every purpose now is the acceptable time now is the day of Salvation Now acquaint thy self with God and be at peace was good counsel by Jobs friend Now is thy only time to seek acquaintance with Christ Poor Sinner there is a
The Morning Seeker Shewing the Benefit of being Good betimes With DIRECTIONS to make SURE WORK About EARLY RELIGION Laid open in Several SERMONS By John Ryther Minister of the Gospel Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near Isa 55.6 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee Ps 63.1 LONDON Printed by E. T. and R. H. for Dorman Newman at the Kings-Arms in the Poultry 1673. TO THE Honourable and truly Religious THE Lady Dorothy Norcliffe OF Langton in York-shire The Lady Elizabeth Bright The Lady Katharine Wentworth and the rest of her Vertuous Daughters MADAM I Have long waited for an opportunity to acknowledge the many and great Obligations I have been under by your Ladiship and your Family since Providence put such a Price into my hand as the mercy of your Acquaintance and this is one reason among many others why I Dedicate these poor papers to you yours 2 Joh. 1.5 When I considered how John wrote to the Elect Lady and her Children walking in the Truth One observs that St. John who was the beloved Disciple avas of a Noble stock in which regard he was so known of the High Priest that he did not fear the Jews so as the other Disciples did Where Nobility is enamelled with grace it renders it far mere illustrious and splendid I was much encouraged thereunto Besides upon these accounts I could not but lay hold of the present opportunities 1. The Care that I know you have many years conscientiously spent in the Education of those tender Branches the Lord hath honoured you with O what glory might have been raised up to God if in the Families of Honour and Quality there had been such diligence in training up their Posterities in the fear of that God whom it is a great Honour to serve 2. The great success that crowned your Ladiships endeavours herein that the Lord let you see your dear Children set upon seeking the Lord betimes that so many morning seekers in such a Family as I must confess I have not elsewhere known while the dew of Gods blessing upon your Education lay upon these Branches how did they while young grow up in Holy Affections and Desires after the Wayes and Truths of God! 3. And all this much in a time when the Power of Godliness in many great Families was much discouraged if not decry'd though Gospel duties reading the Word praying in Families a strict observation of Sabbaths did grow in to reproach and contempt in many Houses yet all that time the Lord helped you to Resolve with an Honourable and holy person of Old I and my house will serve the Lord. Josh 24.15 4. The great encouragement that you have given not only to me the meanest of those Servants of God acquainted with your Family but that you have given to many more in a dark and gloomy day O how many Families have you and yours refreshed in a day of straits I and is it any dishonour to testifie this before this uncharitable world 5. The Lord honouring you with solidity of judgment these giddy reeling times that in dayes and times when erroneous notions and principles as well as corrupt practices have overspread many Families you have been preserved in the truth and have taken great care that your Children should while they were young be trained up in the truth as it is in Jesus If I had no more reasons for my present tender of these poor endeavours to you and yours are not these enough But I am afraid you will say here is more than enough said though not so much as might I did not know upon serious thoughts how such a design as this might tend to encourage or promote good beginnings and breathings after God in your Family And though through the rich mercy and grace of God you be not a tender young plant in the Courts of God but grown up in the Grace and Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ yet here may be some thing presented to your children that may prove through a blessing from above of use to them as to their further progress in the good wayes of God I remembred one thing when I thought of this Dedication how often * When I had the happiness of being conversant with them some of them did employ me to buy or acquaint them with what Books they should buy proper and useful for them and who are fitter to Dedicate an useful Book to than such if God will so please to make this poor Treatise There are Lambs your Ladiships know in the flock of Christ that need carrying as well as those that are with young that need leading there are Babes in Christs School who have need of milk as well as stronger Christians that need stronger meat If this may be milk sincere milk that any of Gods new born Babes may grow thereby yea any of your Children may grow up in grace thereby this will be the rejoycing of the Author Now Madam that God would cause your House to grow who hath made a sure Covenant with you and yours and that the dew of Heaven as well as fatness of the Earth may be the portion of you and yours is the prayer of Your Ladiships in all Humble and due Observance John Ryther Decem. 9. 1672. To all Young Ones whose hearts are set to seek the Lord before it be too late who are and desire still to be Morning Seekers WHen I considered the dangers that such a day as we live in exposes your precious Souls to I was willing for your Souls sakes to contribute my Mite to that Work which so many Reverend and Worthy Servants of Christ had gone before me in Yet we living in a sleepy Age and knowing we have sleepy hearts we must be often calling on and the more Calls and the more Cryers the more are Souls stirred and startled I have sadly observed several things since I with others of the Lords Servants have been under this present day and dispensation 1. That our great hopes and expectations that we have had of the Lords effectual working upon the hearts of Young Ones have often met with great disappointments and many of the poor Ministers of Christ have been like the Troops of Tema Job 6.19 20. and the Company of Sheba waiting for some good issue of the travel of their Souls but they were confounded because they had hoped they were ashamed and is not this cruelty to crush our hopes and cross our expectations who travel for you and all in hope Christ might be formed in you Will it be your gain if we lose our prayers our tears our studies our pains Will this be profitable to you if all our designs for your good be made by your selves miscarrying designs 2. That it is a great reproach to the wayes of God and name of God when such as have been for a time forward for God do go back again
set and watered that they might become Trees of Righteousness Therefore he hath his Nurseries to debauch and corrupt them like Herod he is all for killing Christ in the cradle O this puts him upon that rage and wrath in pursuing poor Souls as soon as their Convictions begin to stir in them As Pharaoh pursued Israel when he saw them attempting an escape so doth Satan follow poor Young Ones as soon as ever they look out of their miserable Captivity under which they are in their natural estates and conditions 11. I have observed that the Lords effectual working upon the hearts of Young Ones is and hath been a token of some approaching appearance of God on the behalf of a People or a Nation It argues God hath still some work there some thing to do there that he would not leave that place and people He doth not beget Children for the murtherer he doth not use to beget Children and send away the breasts from them And on the contrary when Conversion-work ceases O then some heavy blow comes Some National stroak is at the door When the Harvest is inn'd then the labourers are called home and this portends a storm Ambassadours calling home looks like a War 12. I have observed the sad and doleful heart-breaking lamentations of many Godly Parents over the Souls of their dear and dead Children many Families mourning over their dead There was a great cry throughout the Land of Aegypt when the First-born was dead Exod. 11.6 O what a cry hath gone through the Land for the Souls of poor dead Children One Family crying Lord this dear Child is dead his Soul is dead while he lives 1 Tim. 5.5 as is said of some while they live in pleasures are dead and that which cuts poor Parents to the heart is this they fear they shall ere long hear such a cry for their Childrens Souls as was in the night time in the great Plague some times Cast out your dead cast out your dead O then sayes one Family LORD how many have we to cast out So many Children and so few of them made alive to God so few that have Christ formed in their precious Souls O you Young Ones that are the Seed of Godly Parents if you miscarry to all Eternity your Parents Tears and Frayers I must tell you will be as so much oyl to make Hell flames burn so much the more vehemently upon you If you that are Children of the Kingdome by Education be shut out this will aggravate your condemnation dreadfully 13. I have observed that the wandring of such Young Ones in the by-wayes of Sin as have sprung from and have been nursed up in Godly Families have rolled much reproach upon Gods Covenant If the reproach was only upon their Persons it would not be so laid to heart though for a Son to be an occasion of reproach to his Father and Family is sad but that which goes deeper is the Covenant of God is reproached The world say they see no difference betwixt the posterity of the Godly and the Vngodly and this is an over-whelming consideration to them And O Young Ones is neither the Name of God nor the Name of your tender Parents nor your Families nor your immortal Souls precious in your eyes How may that Endictment be drawn up against you Mic. 7.6 The Son dishonoureth the Father and the Daughter riseth up against her Mother Lastly I have sadly observed a spirit of stubbornness and rebellion hath taken possession of many Young Ones towards their dear and tender Parents 2 Tim. 3.2 which indeed is a sin of the highest rank Rom. 1.30 therefore reckoned among ihe sins of the later times and so on the contrary obedience to Parents is reckoned among the most Religious Duties Lev. 19. ◠You shall fear every man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths I am the Lord your God Yea in the punishment of this sin we may read the heinousness of it the Rebellious Son was to be stoned to death under the Law Deut. 21.18 19 20 21. and sure the sin is not less now in Gospel-times than it was then Now Young Men these were some of those Observations I have made that tendered my heart towards the everlasting good of your immortal Souls and prevailed with me to put these papers into your hands hoping the Lord may in some measure succeed them with his blessing which is and shall be the hearty Prayer of Your unfeigned Souls Friend and Servant in the Ministry of the Gospel J. R. Decem. 9. 1672. Advertisement to the Reader There is published by the same Author a Book Entituled A Plat for Mariners or the Sea-mans Preacher in several Sermons upon Jonah's Voyage In 8 vo Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me THat young Inquirers after the Lord Jesus Christ may be encouraged in their following on to know him notwithstanding the temptations they meet with without them and within them this Text of Scripture is very considerable The Words are the Promise of Christ to young Seekers by way of encouragement to continue and hold on in seeking him 1. We have the Persons to whom the Promise is made They that seek me early they that seek me in the morning so the word because that which is done in the morning is always done most vigorously the Spirits being more raised and lively Therefore we read of the morning as an especial praying time as a time of worship I direct my prayer unto thee in the morning Prov. 15.14 The word is uused Psal 130.6 and will look up and at another time says he my soul waits for thee more than they which wait for the morning Psal 130.6 viz. than the Watchmen that give notice of the morning Tempus matutinum Hebraeis dicitur Boker à Bokkar Est quaerere magis conatu studio Pro. 15.14 It signisies to seek by suing and praying by asking direction and counsel of them that are able to give it that they may offer up their Sacrifice says Mr. Ainsworth These are the Persons under the Promise that seek him in the morning of their time in their youth 2. We have the Person that makes this Promise They that seek me viz. Jesus Christ It is apparent all over the Chapter that is meant of Christ who is here called Wisdom who indeed is the Wisdom of the Father I need not take up time in proving this the very Text carries its own Evidence in it O Poor Soul Christ himself is your Encourager what ever Discouragements you meet withall and this he doth by his own Promise 3. Here is the Promise it self they shall find me They are poor mourning Seekers early Seekers and young Seekers but they shall be sure and certain finders They shall not seek as God threatned them in the Prophet they shall seek me with their Herds and their Flocks Hosea 5.6
and shall not find me They shall not seek and be disappointed they shall not seek and go without but they shall find me who ever miss of Christ of all the Persons in the World they shall not miss of him O what Encouragement is here to young Seekers of Christ This word in the Text we have rendred thus Job 8.5 If thou would seek God betimes if thou wouldest morning God Shahar diluculare Deum diligenter sedulò magno studio quaerere The Observations are these 1. That young Inquirers after Christ are much upon his heart 2. That Morning Seekers shall be sure and certain Finders 3. That usually in Souls morning lookers after Christ they meet with much discouragement This is strongly implied because Christ gives them this Promise by way of Encouragement We will begin with this last Let us enquire a little what these Discouragements are what are great Hindrances of poor morning Seekers 1. From within there are discouragements 2. From without 1. Discouragements from within 1. Strong Corruptions for as soon as ever the Soul begins to look out and enquire after Jesus Christ then doth Corruption begin to work more strongly than it did before 〈◊〉 corruption is more strong in young ones than in others and upâ—â— this occasion says the Soul Will 〈…〉 poor soul get over this mounâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Jesus Christ Alas there is 〈…〉 Lust betwixt me and Châ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 shall I not one day perish by the hand of Saul Will not these Sons of Zerviah be too strong for me O now says the poor Soul my Enemies are strong and lively as David said and thrust sore at me O poor Soul what though thy Corruptions be strong yet thy Redeemer is strong he is stronger than the strong man armed and that promise answers this discouragement He shall bring forth Judgment unto Victory Isaiah 42.3 though thou be but a poor smoak-ing flax and bruised reed yet thou shalt have the day over all thy Corruptions and will not such a day of Victory call for a day of thanksgiving I have read of a Victory called Victoria Hallelujetica upon this The Saxons here in England being to engage the Britains the Leader of the Britains being a * Germanus who came over from France to subdue the Pâ—lagian Heresie Godly Bishop having his Army in some Dales and Valleys ordered them to crie Hallelujah which they did and through the Eccho of the voyce in the Valleys the Enemy thought there was many more of them than there was and through fear fled O poor discouraged soul thou shalt have such a Victory over thy Corruptions as thou wilt for ever sing Hallelujah in Heaven for 2. Discouragement from within is weakness of Grace O! says the poor soul can such a weak Creature as I ever be able to seek Christ through so many difficulties every sin is too hard for me every duty too hard for me I may as well give over praying and hearing and contending against my sin for I find my self so weak I am ever and anon foyled O poor soul dost not thou know the Promise is made to truth of Grace and not only to the strength of grace bruised Reeds are within the Promise as well as strong Cedars the Lambs are under the Promise of his Bosome the weak of the flock this good Shepherd hath promised to strengthen the days of small things he will not despise weak ones are neither cast out nor cast off because of weakness if they be Children 3. Discouragement is sense of their own vileness and unworthiness O poor young ones at first setting out after Christ they are under their Humiliations for Sin a great piece of which Humiliation lies in the sense of their own Unworthiness thus it was with the poor Prodigal at his first coming home to his Father's House Lord Luke 15.19 I am not worthy to be called thy Son and as the Samaritan I am not worthy thou should come under my Roof O says such a poor soul Lord wilt thou be found of such a wrech as I such a vile wrech as I O poor soul dost thou not know that all sinners that come unto him though vile though wretched though miserable are to be welcomed by him And this as he is commissionated by the Father John 6.37 38. He will in no wise cast out them that come unto him and the strength and stress of all lies here this is the will of my Father Now Christ will be sure to act obedientially and faithfully to his Commission received of his Father Luke 14.21 Poor Souls were not the poor Gentiles who were Christ's Guests vile Hedgeway sinners High-way sinners the blind and maimed yet how doth Christ welcome such Guests to his Table Are you viler than these Alas poor souls you that are under the sense of your own vileness you come right to Christ unworthy of a Pardon of a good look of a good word as they came with Ropes about their necks to the King of Israel he usually accepts and pardons such 4. Discouragement from within is sense of former lost and buried Convictions While we are under Ordinances or we are under Afflictions O how ordinary is this and we are affected with these Convictions But one Temptation or other either within or without meets thee and the Conviction presently is buried the Soul hears no more of it it may be for a year or two but if the Lord have a gracious design upon thee he causes thy Convictions to rise again and walk again and O then the soul is troubled and discouraged Alas this Conviction is come again but will it not die as the last did It will not stay long O poor Soul yet this hath usually been the way of God to cause the second Convictions or the Return of convictions to do their work throughly O how many souls have found it so Though truly it is a wonder of mercies when first Convictions are smothered and extinguished that God ever blows them up and kindles them again 1 Sam. 3.7 God often doth with young Seekers as he did with young Samuel calls him again and again though we lie down and sleep again and again it is said he knew not the word of the Lord for he was young 5. Discouragement is fears of Non-perseverance that young ones meet with from within O say these poor souls what will become of us poor low Shrubs when we see such tall and strong Cedars fall Shall we ever be able to hold on in our way Shall we run and not be weary walk and not faint We shall never be able to continue to the far end to run the Race with patience that is set before us O poor Soul thy Perseverance in the ways of God is Jesus Christs Promise Purchase and Charge 1. He hath promised it Isaiah 40.31 they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength even so as they shall run and not be weary nay if they cannot
of such as seek not the Lord. Such poor Souls see no worth in the Lord and are not such to be reproved If Christ be not worth seeking he is worth nothing When we see the worth of any thing we will seek after it The object we seek must be some good O how neglecters to seek Christ do undervalue Christ 2. They never see a want of him We seek not that we want not O but now when the poor Soul doth see its need of him then it doth with the Spouse seek him Poor Gentiles they sit still It is the Character of a Gentile to sit in darkness Vnto you who sat in darkness a great light shined viz. to Gentiles They have no mind to rise off from their seat 3. It will aggravate the condemnation of such that Christ sought them and they would not be found of him How often would I have gathered thee c. But there are a company of poor souls that object what have we to do with Christ such poor Sinners as we are O poor Souls the great Promise is to such To it shall the Gentiles seek Isa 11.10 All poor Sinners must betake themselves to this Glorious Ensign The root of Jesse shall stand for an Ensign of the people to it shall the Gentiles seek But we are dark Creatures Luk. 1.79 He came to give light to them that sate in darkness and in the shadow of death and guide our feet in the wayes of peace Another Vse is of Inquiry If Christ be so willing to be found of Gentile Sinners what then may be the reasons why poor Sinners do not seek the Lord Jesus O how few Seekers hath the Lord Jesus Sinners it is true are Seekers but it is of the living among the dead 1. Poor Sinners ignorance of the worth of Christ who will or can desire after an unknown good As he said to the woman If thou knewest the gift of God Mat. 13.44 45 46. thou would ask living water and he would give it thee So do I say If Souls knew the worth of Christ they would cry None but Christ none but Christ Nothing without Christ nothing below Christ would satisfie their Souls The Merchant man could not be satisfied with goodly Pearls after he had come to know there was a Pearl of Price then all the goodly Pearls were out-shined by the Pearl of great Price and now he is resolved upon any terms to have Christ He sells all O what difference betwixt this person and the young man in the Gospel who when Christ bid him sell all went away sorrowful O this broke the bargain betwixt him and Christ He knew not the worth of Christ It may be Christ is not much valued by you now but ask your hearts the question O my Soul what will Christ be worth upon a death-bed What will Christ be worth when thy Soul is filled with horrour of thy own guilt When thou art a Magor Misabib to thy self Nay it may be to all that are round about thee When thy heart is made to meditate terrour Could thou ask the damned in Hell what Christ would be worth to them what they would give if it could be procured for one offer of Christ in good earnest It may be they might better inform thy judgement If you did converse with awakened dying guilty consciences or with poor damned Souls they might tell you something of the worth of Christ or with Souls deeply groaning under guilt at first Conversion or with poor tempted Souls These four sorts of persons can tell you what apprehensions they have of the worth of Christ When men know the worth of a commodity it will go hard but they will obtain it O what will a Malefactor judge a Pardon worth So doth a poor self-condemned Sinner judge of Christ 2. Poor Sinners seek not after the Lord because they are lockt up under infidelity and unbelief We read of being concluded and shut up under unbelief as close prisoners under lock and key in arctâ custodiâ they are in Satans close custody 1. Poor Sinners believe not Christs willingness to embrace and entertain their poor Souls upon closure with him Untill poor Sinners be convinced of this they can never make out after Christ Therefore it is we read of Christs invitations and asseverations entreaties promises all to demonstrate his willingness to be found of sinners when they seek him Alas poor sinners take up false conceptions of Christ they think his heart is hardned against them and his bowels shut up in displeasure and they take him for their adversary and all this is their unbelief and so are hindred from looking out after Christ 2. Poor Sinners believe not the Fathers willingness to shew them mercy Many Souls stick here though Christ hath told them he hath declared his Fathers Name and would declare it to poor sinners O what pains doth Christ take to convince of his Fathers good will Joh. 6.37 38. This is the will of him that sent me 5. Poor Sinners believe not an indispensible necessity to close with Christ They do not see their Souls lost for ever without a Christ And this brings me to the next particular 3. Poor Sinners seek not after the Lord Jesus because they are not throughly convinced of their misery without Christ Peter did not cry out Master save me or I perish until he begun to sink So poor Souls cry not after Christ seek not after Christ until they see themselves in a perishing sinking condition Persons may fall under some convictions of their misery but alas they are â—lighty convictions and so wear off the next temptation that comes upon their Soul But when the conviction gets to the heart then it is hopeful When they were prickt to the heart then they cryed out Men and Brethren what shall we do There are many convictions that get no farther than the head But now when a sense of misery is clapt to a mans heart it will make him look out after Christ Let me shew poor Sinners something of their misery without Christ 1. You are without hope and is not this the height of misery Hope doth yield the Soul some relief in the saddest condition but to be without hope is to be in Hell above ground What is it that makes Hell Hell they have no hope of ever coming forth from the pit there is no redemption If a man be in Algier hope keeps up his heart that he shall be redeemed one day But there is not one prisoner of hope in all hell among all the damned 2. Without Christ you are condemned men already There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Then it follows they that are out of Christ Jesus are under the sentence of condemnation What a miserable condition doth a poor condemned creature think himself to be in and cannot rest night nor day but thinking of his execution This is the case of a poor Soul out
of Christ though the Soul be not convinced of it 3. The misery of a Soul out of Christ is in this it is eternal misery The eternity of the misery is the sting of Hell and the very emphasis of damnation To be miserable a thousand years and then to come out of it the very thoughts of a better estate would be some kind of ease to the oppressed mind but their misery is like to be endless and this compleats the misery It is called everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord c. 2 Thes 1.8 This brings me orderly to the next head 4. Poor Sinners seek not out to the Lord Jesus because they are not convinced throughly of a future state of the Soul They are not under the powerful sense of the Souls immortality Who will seek out to Christ if they be not convinced that the Soul is an immortal being Christs errand from Heaven to Earth is in vain his whole series of suffering is in vain his whole undertaking of the work of mans redemption in vain if there be no future state of the Soul But because we live in a time and day that Atheism doth abound let me offer by way of conviction some few Arguments to prove the future state of the Soul Alas men look not out after Christ because they are not taken up with Eternity 1. Argument is taken from Christs death 1 Thes 1.10 which was to deliver from wrath to come Then there is such a thing as wrath to come which could not be if there were no future state of the Soul 2. Argument of a future state is from the horrour that wicked men feel sometimes in their consciences when they are awakened O what Magor Misabibs are they to themselves sometimes Crying out Wo is them that ever they were born to sin such wrath upon their own heads These are the sparks of Hell that are gotten into the Conscience in this life this is the gnawing of that worm that never dyes 3. Argument is taken from the wishes of the wicked that they might dye the death of the Righteous as Balaam desired 4. Argument is taken from the sufferings of Saints What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul which is brought in to the Disciples to caution them against Apostasie O say poor believers we may lose our Souls and therefore we may not apostatize from God and therefore they will suffer the loss of all The poor people of God make a sad bargain of it if they suffer and yet there should be no reward 5. Argument is taken from the great desires that sometimes Believers have to be dissolved as Paul did which if there were no enjoyment of God after would greatly be to believers loss because they enjoy something of God here 6. Argument is taken from the great joy that many Saints have had in their passage into another world How have they gone off the stage of this present life with triumph and died boasting and glorying in God 7. Argument is taken from Saints Communion with God If there be such a thing here then much more hereafter what we enjoy here is but a drop to the Ocean 8. Argument is taken from mens natural unwillingness to dye Certainly there some thing follows death that the Soul cannot endure to think on It is true the dissolving of the marriage-knot betwixt such two dear lovers as Soul and Body is tedious to think of yet there is some preapprehensions of eternity that trouble the Soul that it cannot think of death with any quiet or comfort 9. Argument is taken from the end of Christs appointments God hath appointed the means of Grace in reference to the salvation of poor Souls That thou may save thy own Soul and them that hear thee 10. Argument from the endeavours of Satan seeking whom he may devour or drink up as the word is Satan would spare his pains if there were no future state of the Soul Now it is no wonder if poor sinners seek not the Lord Jesus when they lay not their souls under the convictions of the state of the Soul after death 5. Poor Sinners seek not after the Lord Jesus Christ because they are diverted by their worldly enjoyments and employments We read of some that made excuses and all their excuses were from their worldly business they could not come I have observed that young persons who have been under some notable convictions and resolutions to close with Christ and seek after Christ if ever they have abated and cooled in their first love it hath been when they have entred upon the world changed their conditions set up for themselves the world hath stoln their hearts from God O how sad is this The world broke the bargain betwixt Christ and the young man in the Gospel O but sayes a poor Soul I know not how to seek Christ I am a poor Gentile Sinner that have sate in darkness and am in my dark state of Gentilism to this day and how shall I seek the Lord Jesus that is you say thus willing to be found of me 1. Seek the Lord betimes If you would be speeding Seekers of Christ Job 8.5 you must not be loyterers there is but in time and out of time Make no delay therefore poor sinner in seeking the Lord Jesus Christ take the present time by the fore-lock While it is to day hearken to his voice Now acquaint your selves with God We must take hold of the present time They that seek me early shall find me shall morning me the Hebrew is We must in our seeking give the morning to God It is observable in the morning Jacob got the blessing in the morning the Lord looked through the cloud and discomfited the Aegyptian Host Nay Christ himself is called the Hinde of the morning the morning-star and all to teach us to seek him in the morning The first fruits were to be dedicated to the Lord the firstling of every Creature was to be offered up in Sacrifice to the Lord but the firstling of an Ass being so dull a Creature God would not accept it in sacrifice 1. We should seek the Lord early because the present time is the only time to seek the Lord in Now is the acceptable time now is the day of salvation c. Upon this monosylable Now depends Eternity sayes one There is a present time and a present Truth for us to lay hold on It was a good saying of him when invited to dinner to morrow sayes he I have not promised myself a to morrow this many years Who knows sayes Solomon what to morrow may bring forth What is in the womb of to morrow What if thy death nay thy damnation should be in the womb of another day We read of death and what was at the heels of death and Hell immediately followed him 2. Seek the Lord early you cannot promise your selves any more seasons of Grace
too much to the dark side of the Cloud and say as the Prophet's man did Alas Master what shall we do 2 Kings 6.15 And the Propher prayed and his eyes were opened and then he saw the Mountains full of Horsemen and Chariots and now he crys out More are they that are with us than they that are against us O thus it is with many young ones they cry Alas what shall we do And are utterly discouraged until God come and open their eyes 3. Take heed you young Seekers under your discouragements of believing diabolical suggestions that shall be cast into your hearts against the ways of God O! Satan will be ever suggesting one thing or other into your hearts that Christ is a hard Master that his Commandments are grievous that the burdens of the command of the Cross are intolerable and that in the way to Christ are Mountains and Hills inaccessible too high for such short breathed Creatures to ascend or travel over And O how many poor souls by such suggestions have been exceedingly discouraged in their pursuits after Christ O but this is dangerous to take counsel of an Enemy would any of you do so in other Cases 4. Caution to young Seekers under discouragements Take heed of giving over seeking because you find not at first what you seek This poor souls are very prone to Why should I wait on the Lord any longer said that King O so say many poor souls why should we seek Christ any longer Pray any longer Hear any longer Solomon advises in this case dig for Wisdom as for hidden treasure and seek her as silver They that dig in such Mines as Gold and Silver do not give over because they find not it first O no! it lies deep and they must search with great pains and patience The poor woman sought her lost Groat till she found it O continue seeking to the far end till you find O it is very dangerous to give over you see the Promise is you shall find 5. Caution to young Seekers O take heed when you are under discouragements you do not murmure against God in your Hearts and say as those poor Israelites did would to God we had never come out of Egypt what was the matter They meer now with great difficulties and discouragements and their hearts fell a murmuring which in the New Testament is called a going back in their Hearts O this doth much dishonour God as if he could not in his own everlasting arms carry poor souls over all their difficulties 6. Caution Let young Seekers take heed of drawing up hasty conclusions against themselves because of present discouragements which they are very prone to do O how many poor souls rashly conclude for their part they are cut off and their hope is lost as David Psal 10.7 11. but he said in his haste all men are lyars so say many poor souls I doubt Preachers will be found lyars and flatterers unto me Alas did not poor Jeremy Jer. 15 18. under this discouragement break out into that sad conclusion against God Wilt thou be a lyar unto me and altogether as waters that fail So say poor young ones alas how should such weak worms as we are get through such difficulties and discouragements and as it is said of the Children of Israel in their Travel to the Good Land so may it be said of young Travellers Their Souls were discouraged because of the way Numb 21.4 2. Vse Is it so that morning Seekers of Jesus Christ meet with great discouragements then it is an Use of Direction what shall poor young Inquirers do under all their discouragements Young Travellers you know stand in need of direction and so do young Inquirers after Christ 1. Direction Under your discouragements be often looking up to Christ Rev. 1.11 as the Alpha and Omega of the whole Work viz. as the Author of it and finisher of it Did you ever understand the Glorious Name and Title of Christ I am the Alpha and the Omega what is the meaning of this it notes out the Deity and Eternity of Christ he is the first and the last so the most Interpreters but there seems to be something more in it it notes also the Stability and Omnipotency of Christ to execute threatnings and perform promises Isa 41.4.44.6 as you may see in the places quoted in the Margin That Christ who hath begun a good work is the Omega of it he will finish it Now do you look up to Christ to this very end under this very notion and title Lord Jesus the work is thine the hands of Zerubbabel as was said in that day hath laid the foundation and the hands of Zerubbabel must finish the building Lord the foundation stone Grace was of thy laying and so must the Top-stone of Glory also Do you thus say to Christ when you look up to him We have the direction expresly given us by the Apostle Heb. 12.2 Look up to Jesus as the author and finisher of our Faith Beza reads the Captain of our faith and looking The word signifies such a looking as calls off the eye from all other objects that represent the difficulty of the race and should not young Souldiers look to their Captain In the greatest discouragements that we can be under we must look to him therefore God sayes he hath given him for a Leader and Commander to the people Isa 55.4 He is called the Captain of our Salvation alluding to Joshua the great Captain of the Old Testament under whose Conduct the children of Israel marcht to the Good Land Well then poor Soul do you look to him for finishing the whole work This made Paul so confident of the poor Philippians 1 Phil. 6. being confident of this very thing that he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ 2. Direction to young Seekers under all their discouragements is this Be sure a good foundation be laid if there be not a good foundation your discouragements will sink you or else spoyle all your convictions You know they which built upon the sand when discouragements beat in upon them then the house fell but it was not so with the house upon the Rock Luk. 6.48 why what was the matter the house that fell digged not deep enough to lay the foundation and we read of the Seed that withered because it had not depth of earth Mat. 13.6 O but now a good foundation laid will bear you up under all your discouragments And what is the reason of the Apostasie of young ones who once have been warm in the wayes of God alas the foundation at first was not well laid If it be asked what I mean by young ones laying a good foundation I answer there is a two-fold foundation in this sense First there is a foundation as to state as to the state of an immortal soul and thus Christ is the
foundation there is no other foundation for the hopes of eternal salvation to be bottomed and built upon another foundation can no man lay says the Apostle and therefore the Rock the wise builders built upon was Christ O then be sure to let young ones get an interest in Christ be built upon him be bottomed upon him and then they will weather all their discouragements comfortably 2. There is a foundation as to Principles and Doctrinals after which young ones should look in their first seeking after Christ therefore we read of being built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone this foundation was the Principles and the Doctrine of the Apostle therefore we read of the twelve names of the Apostles of the Lamb being written upon the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem and alas how often do souls miscarry for want of Gospel Principles I never knew an unprincipled Professor but at one turn or other he would desert the Lord Jesus You young ones may have stirring desires some stirring affection and convictions but alas many times you neglect Principles When you meet with a discouragement you will fall back if you be not laid in with Principles Do not fish begin to stink first in the head If the Leprosie was in the head the High Priest was to pronounce him utterly unclean When Satan cannot keep youth in profaneness then he will labour to poyson them with Erroneous Principles 3. Direction to young inquirers after the Lord Jesus Christ is this Acquaint your selves with the promises of the Gospel and the way of Faith Mostly young ones over-look believing they follow humbling work so fast it is a piece of admirable skill to put them both together humbling work and believing work O but hard work is this to be humbled under the sense of sin and believe for the pardon of it at the same time Usually young Converts sorrow is too legal they are the sweetest tears for sin that flow from faith's eyes they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn Young Seekers are all for mourning and little study the way of believing but go to the Promise and acquaint thy self with the fulness and freeness and sutableness and unchangeableness of the Promises these would be great helps to you in seeking after Christ. Let young ones acquaint themselves with two or three things in Promises 1. That Gospel Promises run to weak Grace They are prone to question whether the Promise belong to them or no why so O they are such weak Creatures have so little strength against sin so little power against corruption O but can thou say Lord here is truth of Grace and Lord I walk before thee with a true and perfect heart O poor Soul I tell thee the Promises run to uprightness in heart and truth in the inward parts 2. Let Young Ones acquaint themselves with this that Gospel Promises look over all unworthiness in their objects If thou be the object of Gods love Promises overlook all thy unworthiness how is his love free else therefore we see the Promises running down to the vilest of sinners O how doth this temptation of unworthiness stand in the way of many a Soul to Christ and hath kept many a Soul and Christ a long time at distance but we may see this answered in the Promise 3. Let them know that the accomplishment of Promises doth not depend upon any thing in the Creature but in God himself this hath been a great temptation to look for some qualifications in themselves and so they have been spinning some webb out of their own bowels but alas this can never be a garment to them God accomplishes his Promises for his own Names sake 4. Let Young Seekers 2 Cor. 1.20 under their discouragements know that all the Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus viz. they all receive in him a full ratification and accomplishment so that he is undertaker to see them all have their performance 5. Let Young Ones under their discouragements know that Gospel Promises will carry the Soul through all difficulties they can meet with in their way there is that in a Promise that will hold up the head when ready to sink in the very swellings of Jordan this made Jacob plead so hard with God in his difficulty that old Promise Lord did not thou say thou wouldst do me good therefore when Joshua had such hard service to go upon in the conquest of the Land of Canaan he gave him that Promise I will never leave thee and Abraham when to leave his Country I am God all-sufficient 4. Direction to Young Seekers under their discouragements study well the Righteousness of Christ This is very hard with young ones to get out of self O how many years are poor Souls before they get off the bottom of their own Righteousness they are prone to seek some things in themselves as Israel of old who sought to obtain Righteousness in a way of works but could not every temptation every objection is too hard for a poor Soul until it get acquaintance with the Righteousness of Christ but now when a Soul can call the Lord Jesus by that Name The Lord my Righteousness Jer. 23.6 in this Name every temptation every objection every doubt is answered in the Righteousness of Christ His Righteousness is opposed to our guilt If it be thy nakedness that is thy objection it is answered in Christ's Righteousness for it is the best robe if it be thy deformity here it is answered Christ's Righteousness is a Believers comeliness thou art comely with the comeliness that I have put upon thee this is the beautiful garment that a Believer puts on to go into the presence of God withall and now all deformity is covered The poor Infant in its blood thus was covered and rendred comely Is it thy filthiness that becomes an objection here it is answered the blood of Christ is cleansing blood who loved us and washed us in his blood 5. Direction to young Seekers under discouragements Let Jesus Christ hear often from you when should Jesus Christ hear from you but when discouragements are upon you these are to send you to Christ these are to bring you upon your knees We read of the Spouse crying to Christ 2 Cant. 14. where was she in the secret place of the stairs the Text tells us in a discouraged persecuted condition yet says Christ Thy voice is sweet and thy countenance comely O poor Soul under all thy discouragements Christ loves to hear from thee O but will he hear such a poor stubborn brutish creature as I have been Yea I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself poor Ephraim was discouraged and yet goes to God and cryes Lord I have a brutish heart Lord I have a stubborn heart as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Jer. 31.18 yet Lord turn thou me here was his Prayer and O how
2. His pride that his dominion should be lessened that he should lose a subject this makes him rage 2. Reason why the Lord Jesus Christ doth encourage poor morning Seekers because he will allure them after himself This is the method of Jesus Christ to allure by encouragements young Converts This the Lord did with the people of Israel Hos 2.15 Therefore I will allure her into the Wilderness perswade her and sometimes it is called drawing with loving kindness have I drawn thee A poor Soul by being encouraged is allured after Christ spoken as some Expositors say after the manner of Lovers that give one another presents not only pledges but as baits to allure and inflame further affections Every encouragement the morning Seeker hath from Christ the more doth his love burn after Christ 3. Reason why the Lord Jesus doth encourage morning Seekers after Christ because this is the will of the Father and whatsoever is his Fathers will is his will they run into one another I and my Father is one Joh. 36.37 Thus he argues in that famous place I will in no wise cast out them that come unto me why this is the will of my Father God will have young Seekers encouraged who ever be cared for in the family the Children must 4. Reason because they are soonest discouraged O if poor Souls at the first work get not some little taste of love some comfort and refreshment alas their souls faint within them That is the reason he will carry the Lambs in his bosome they are soon wearied cannot go are prone to be tired and sit still O but this tender hearted Shepherd shall carry them that is the reason of that Promise he shall not quench the smoaking flax viz. he shall not carry it roughly but tenderly towards Souls under weak beginnings of Grace The smoaking flax is soon put out and the bruised Reed is soon broken so is a poor weak young beginner in Grace soon discouraged but the Lord shall not do it viz. he will do the contrary for it he will strengthen he will encourage it 5. Jesus Christ doth encourage young morning Seekers after himself because it is his own work in their Souls and he that begins a good work will carry it on Jesus Christ must needs encourage the breathings of his own Spirit in the Soul he is tender of his own begettings every Creature that begets seeks to maintain that life so doth Jesus Christ The work of Regeneration is called the New Creature it is of his Creation we are his workmanship created to good works in Christ Jesus God will encourage his own workmanship Application Is it so that poor morning Seekers are encouraged by Jesus Christ 1. It informs us then of the love of Christ that it runs to the weakest of Believers as well as the strongest of Believers to those that are in the lowest form in Christs School as well as those that are in the highest to the weakest of the flock as well as the strongest to the youngest children as well as the eldest There are three sorts of Christians as John ranks then Fathers young Men Joh. 12.13 and little Children 2. It informs us of the evil and sin of the desponding frame of heart which is often found with young Seekers viz. if they seek a little and find not at first then they are discontented and discouraged and then why should I wait any longer seek any longer pray any longer mourn any longer hear any longer O this is an evil frame of heart you see Christ is very loth you should be discouraged 1. This desponding and being discouraged argues much shortness and impatience of spirit in you that you are not willing to let the Lord alone with the management of his own work He that believes makes not hast Psal 40.1 2. A poor Soul may be too impatient after comfort and discoveries of love but David came to this frame of heart to wait patiently upon the Lord then the Lord heard his cry and delivered him out of the horrible pit 2. Doth not this speak much pride to be in the heart What is it but pride that you are not willing to wait Alas poor Souls should not you say as the Church did I will put my mouth in the dust if there may be hope What is non-subjection to the will of God but pride 3. It informs what is Ministers duties and Believers duties This was the charge of Christ to Peter and in him to the Gospel Ministry succeeding him feed my Lambs Joh. 21.15 There are some that concern themselves too little with the Lambs of Christ they are so taken up with the Hee-goats of the flocks that they forget there are Lambs in the flock that there are Hinds in the flock poor timorous creatures startled with any thing for so are the Hinds Can we write after a better Copy than our Lord and Master hath set us He carries the Lambs in his bosome and should not substitute Shepherds do so He took little children in his arms and should not we do so And this is also the duty of others Fathers and Mothers when you see any thing of Jesus breaking out any desires any good inclinations any convictions of sin O you should encourage these beginnings this is Christ-like and the contrary is Devil-like Herod-like which undoubtedly was stirred up by Satan to kill Christ in the cradle viz. while young to seek for the life of the young Child Pharoah-like to throw the Male Children into the River Pharisee-like neither to enter your selves nor let others enter Masters how should they encourage their Servants when they see any thing of Christ appear in them The day is coming you your servants will stand before the Lord to give an account how you have carried it towards them whether you have encouraged them or no and I am afraid the evidence of some Servants will be received against their Masters Are not such Masters monsters rather than Masters as shall way-lay the salvation of a servants Soul Would not the rich man have prevented the coming of his brethren to hell What can there be any love to Souls in hell Expositors tell us that their going thither would have added to his torments because by his example they had sinned O will not this add to your torments and misery in another world that you have been the occasion of so many poor Souls miscarrying under your roof 4. It informs us of the infinite condescention of Jesus Christ that he will look after poor young enquirers after poor morning Seekers Is not this condescention even to admiration to carry Lambs in his arms to nourish poor Lambs in his own bosome that he should trouble himself with such poor sinful worms May not such souls say how is it Lord that thou should manifest thy self to us and not to the world and not to the rest of my brothers and not to the rest of my
sisters and not to the rest of my relations 2. Vse Is it so that the Lord Jesus Christ is the encourager of poor morning Seekers after himself Then it is a word of Comfort to young Seekers Be of good cheer as they said to the blind man for the Lord calleth for the Lord encourages you O all you morning Seekers be of good courage and wait on the Lord and he will strengthen your hearts I say wait upon the Lord. 1. Be of good comfort you are the travail of Christs Soul and therefore he will look after you His suffering was his travail O the pangs and throwes of a travailing woman We say such have hard labour O you poor young Converts inquirers after Christ he hath had hard labour for you O the pangs of his Fathers displeasure that he hath endured My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Here was one bitter pang and his Soul was sorrowful unto death There was another pang and throwes came upon him so fast that he died travailing for the Salvation and Redemption of poor Sinners Therefore we read that sweet word He shall see his Seed Isa 53.10 11. he shall have Seed come out of his sufferings which are called the travail of his Soul And is not this a great comfort He will surely encourage his own travail O poor Souls he hath travailed for you therefore he will encourage you 2. Second word of Comfort to young Seekers is this you are his joy his delight He shall see the travail of his Soul and be satisfied viz. it shall be matter of great contentation and delight to see his sufferings issue in the bringing forth a Seed and Remnant that shall be saved As one delights in his children so doth Christ in his young Seekers Behold Heb. 12.13 I and the Children thou hast given me which is spoken of Christ and quoted out of the Prophets He rejoyces you see in his Seed O what joy was there when the young prodigal returned home to his Father's The whole parable preaches this Doctrine A man delights in his youngest children As a man delights in his nursery so doth Jesus Christ in his garden he hath his young nursery 3. Word of Comfort to young Seekers He hath accommodated Promises to suit with the conditions of such O what a care had Christ of such that he would give Promises on purpose to such As to their weakness in Grace he would strengthen such poor bruised reeds as to the dispensations of God which they fear they are not able to keep pace with He shall carry the Lambs in his bosome they cannot go they are so weak he shall carry them As for the temptations within or without Out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings he shall ordain strength to still the enemy and the avenger There is not any condition but you may find a Promise accommodated for that condition 4. Word of Comfort to morning Seekers You are Christs charge Behold I and the Children thou hast given me Heb. 1.13 Spoken of Christ Now upon the Fathers donation and the Sons acceptation they begin to be his charge therefore he is the great Trustee for poor Souls He stands engaged to give his Father an account of them all at the last day and will not Christ be faithful to his trust nay to the trust God the Father hath committed to him Therefore he loses not a soul They pass under the hand of him that tells them again all that God the Father hath told out to his Son the Son tells back again to God the Father 5. Word of Comfort to morning Seekers is this This argues the great love God bears to your Souls to call you betimes to call you while you are young O how many go down to Hell while the milk is in their breasts and marrow in their bones though young in years yet old in sin c. O at what a rate do some young ones sin How expert are they grown in that cursed trade And that thou should'st be called to seek after Christ in thy young dayes O what a comfort is this Here is one taken and another left O but sayes a poor Soul Alas I can get no comfort as yet I am a poor troubled Soul much cast down and dejected They that sow in tears shall reap in joy it is thy seed-time now therefore thou must not expect a crop presently the Seed must lie in the ground Let your Seed-prayers and Seed-tears lie in Gods hand a while Light is sown for the Righteous and joy for the upright in heart O but sayes a poor Soul I am followed with temptations since that I begun to seek after Christ and I know not what to do Poor Soul his rage is great because his time is short now thou art coming out of captivity to him he is pursuing thee to reduce thee to the old house of bondage thy temptations do argue the Lord Jesus Christ is about casting out of Satan therefore he is angry O but I am a poor needy creature Psal 40. ult well but doth not the Lord think of thee O but I am a weak Creature He will perfect strength in weakness out of the mouth of Babes Heb. 5.3 c. O but I am an ignorant Creature Well he can have compassion on the ignorant and them that are out of the way The last Vse is of Exhortation to Young Ones to seek the Lord betimes and make supplication to him If thou seek early after God the Word is Thou shalt find him Remember your Creator in the dayes of your youth Job 8.5 The word Seeking we find used in several places Significat quaerere diligenter cum cura Daresh est summo judicio quaerere So Eccl. 1.13 c. Leave all for Christ sell all for the pearl of price Seek him while he is to be found The third Observation we are now come unto from the words is this That morning Seekers shall be sure and certain finders They that seek me early shall find me to be sure such find me whoever miss of me they shall not 1. By morning Seekers is meant Job 8.5 Shahar aurare seu diluculare signifies diligently to seek or rise timely in the morning Prov. 11.27 one that seeks the Lord betimes So Job phrases it If thou seek the Lord and make supplication unto him To remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth Our youth is our morning time to seek Christ in our age is our afternoon now it is not so good seeking in the middle of the day nor in the afternoon as it is in the morning 2. By morning Seekers are meant such as do earnestly seek the Lord Jesus Are there any poor Souls that do more earnestly seek the Lord Jesus than such as give up themselves betimes to Christ Hos 6.15 In their affliction they will seek me early viz. they will seek me earnestly they will seek me in
others oppositions within and without Now where there is a principle of Grace when under opposition it will seek so much the more importunately after Christ The Disciples discouraged the poor woman of Canaan saying Send her away a great discouragement but she cryed the more Opposition meeting with Grace doth but prove like cold water upon good coales make them burn the brighter Usually at thy first looking out after Christ opposition will meet thee but then let such opposition send you to Christ 2. Reason why morning Seekers shall be certain finders because they are diligent Seekers and the Promise runs unto diligent seeking He that comes unto God Heb. 11.6 must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of such as diligently seek him It is not the slothful Seeker that shall be the certain finder no no the desire of the sluggard kills him 1. Morning Seekers are diligent Seekers now they see the worth of what they seek none can seek diligently but such O now they seek the Lord Jesus in the sense of the worth of him When we know the worth of that we seek we will seek diligently Ask these Seekers what Christ is worth and they will tell you ten thousand worlds he is the pearl of price chiefest of ten thousands 2. Morning Seekers are diligent seekers because now they are convinced of the worth of their Souls for the good of which they seek Persons will never seek diligently until they come to see the preciousness of their immortal souls Can a man be too diligent in the business of his Soul Did ever you hear of any repented them of their diligence in working out of their salvation with fear and trembling when they came to die Have you ever known any who have cryed out what a fool was I to pray so much to live so holily to take up so much of my time about my immortal soul Ask a poor Soul why it is so diligent at first seeking Christ and it will tell you I never saw the worth of my Soul before I am now seeking out for my Soul and if I do not find I am a lost undone Soul to all Eternity 3. Morning Seekers are diligent Seekers because they now know the evil dayes are coming upon them Eccl. 12.1 in which they will be unfit to seek him dayes of sickness dayes of affliction it may be temptations and tryals they seek while it is to day because when night comes there will be no seeking 4. They know there is a day in which he will not be found Isa 99.6 Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is nigh O sayes the morning Seeker the time is coming when it will be too late the gate of Mercy will be shut the bridge of Mercy drawn and the Soul is afraid of delaying and dallying upon that account 5. Morning Seekers are diligent Seekers because they are convinced now of the great need of Christ O now they see and say they are undone and lost for ever if they miss of the Lord Jesus What makes persons diligent in seeking but when they see a need of what they seek Do not they need a Christ that see they are undone to all Eternity if they have not a Christ 3. Reason why morning Seekers will be certain finders the Promise runs to them what plainer than this word in my Text They shall find me They that seek shall find He never said to the Seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain And he is faithful that hath promised Let this encourage you that you are under a Promise Application Is it so that morning Seekers shall be sure and certain finders Then it is a word of Inquiry Why or what should be the reason so many poor morning Seekers are complaining they find not him whom their Souls love as the Spouse did I sought him but I found him not And so many poor Souls are complaining I sought Christ so long but I know not that I have found him to this day 1. Reason why Jesus Christ is not at present found of morning Seekers he will exercise their Graces by it he had a design upon the Spouse to exercise her Grace by withdrawing from her 1. Sayes Christ I will try whether this poor Soul love me or no Love is a waiting Grace whether this poor Soul can wait and enquire Saw you him whom my Soul loves 2. Christ by this tryes their faith faith will continue seeking though at present it doth not find Isa 8.17 I wait upon the Lord who hides his face from the house of Jacob. 2. The Lord Jesus is not found at present of morning Seekers to draw out their Souls in longings after him The more a poor seeker of Christ seems to be denied the more is his Soul enflamed with ardent desires Thus did Christ with the Spouse when he had withdrawn himself the watchmen smote her took away her veil from her Yet her Spirit was raised the more after Christ to enquire after him Thus often it is with morning Seekers after Christ 3. The Lord Jesus is not at present found of morning Seekers because he will let the Soul see it is only his free Grace that must be adored and admired in finding Christ Morning Seekers would be sacrificing else to their nets and dosing incense to their own drags and stroaking self upon the head and saying this is my praying this is my mourning this is my being early up in the morning O now he will have the Soul know that it is of the riches of his Grace that he is found of those that seek him 4. Jesus Christ is not found at present of morning Seekers because he will try whether their hearts be upright with himself Many poor Souls begin to seek Christ but it is but for a time temporary seekers and afterwards they are offended with one thing or other then they draw back that is a note of a rotten heart I dare say thou wert never right at heart Christ-ward that turnest off and lookest back upon some offence taken against Christ I doubt there be many hypocritical Seekers it is no wonder if such be not finders 5. Jesus Christ is not at present found of morning Seekers because they are many times too legal in their seeking him I mean they seek him too much in a way of works as Israel of old did Now he would acquaint poor Souls with the way of faith to seek him in a way of believing this is the only way of seeking Christ 2. Word of Inquiry If that morning Seekers shall be certain finders of Christ then how comes it to pass that so many of them after a while give over turn their backs on the way of God and apostatize from that they once profest O how many young ones who have begun in the Spirit and yet have ended in the flesh as we might judge 1. Many young Seekers have turned off
from seeking Christ because they were never truly numbled for sin In their first seeking him some transient convictions it may be they had but never truly humbled for sin O young ones look to this or else all your affections and desires will come to nothing you will see no worth in Christ no need of Christ if you be not truly humbled for sin Mat. 13.5 6. We read of that ground that had no root and what became of it it withered That house that digged not deep to lay the foundation what became of it Luk. 6. ult it fell and great was the fall of it 2. Many young Seekers go off from seeking Christ because they never see any real worth and excellency in Christ They have had it may be some flashes of affection but they never see Christ to be distinctly precious to their poor Souls Have you ever seen him to be the pearl of price the chiefest of ten thousand Can such souls who have fallen really in love with Christ fall off again Did thou ever see Christ a spiritual Christ It may be thou hast lookt upon him as a carnal Christ and hast known him as the Apostle saith after the flesh made only a notional Christ of him or an historical Christ of him O then it is no wonder if thou fall off from seeking of him 3. Many morning Seekers turn off from seeking Christ because profession grows too hot for them because of the heat of the day O it is fine travelling in the morning but after a while the Sun gets up and then it is with them as with that ground which by and by was offended when persecution arose Travellers take in in the heat of the day so I doubt do many poor young ones that have set fairly out after Christ 4. Many poor young Seekers fall off from Christ because they never truly and really closed with him Alas it is not your seeking Christ but your closing in with Christ will preserve you from falling off Have you chosen the Lord Jesus and received him Closing with him is called Job 1.12 receiving of him to as many as received him A poor Soul may be a seeker of Christ that is not a receiver of Christ 5. Many morning Seekers of Christ fall off again because they come after Christ with some reserve If you will be thus seekers of Christ you shall fall off at one time or other viz. I mean if you will reserve any lust Thus the young man came on to some terms with Christ but the market soon fell when he was told he must sell all and Judas followed Christ with a reserve usually reserves are sinners ruine Turn from all iniquity said the Prophet lest it be your ruine 6. Many morning Seekers fall off again because they seek him for themselves and not for himself and many do thus that are not aware of it this is but to bring forth fruit to your selves as Ephraim is charged with Hos 10.1 Do you see any loveliness in Christ any comliness in him Is he a plant of Renown to you Many seek him for loaves though in a more refined sence than there spoken of for his comforts for his discoveries of love for his smiles Mr. Rutherford I am more taken sayes one with my Lords manifested love than with himself This is to love him for what comes from him for his tokens 7. Many morning Seekers fall off again because they let other lovers in process of time steal away their hearts Many in the dayes of their youth have sought after Christ but after a while the heart hath been strangely and insensibly gone affections lost Christ not in all his thoughts why what is the matter The world it may be hath won in upon the soul or gaming or some other sin and now the Soul falls off as new suiters come on O poor young ones you will have many suiters many will court you and then you will be in danger 3. The next word of Inquiry If that morning Seekers shall be sure finders how comes it to pass the Lord Jesus hath so few Seekers One would think Jesus Christ would be thronged after as in the dayes when he was in the flesh they thronged about the door where he was Alas poor Souls you may throng about Ordinances and Meetings and yet never come near Christ We read of a whole crowd about Christ and yet but one poor Woman touched him to draw vertue from him You may crowd about Christ in an Ordinance and yet draw not one drop of vertue from him 1. Hindrance to young ones seeking Christ they are not convinced of the misery of their distant state from Christ if young ones or old ones were convinced of this if all were convinced throughly of their misery of lying out from Christ O what crying what mourning what running nay what roaring after Christ would there be One poor young man would run up and down crying none but Christ none but Christ Another would run to every Ordinance enquiring with the Spouse saw you him whom my Soul loves And another would run to a poor Minister with this cry Sir I am an undone soul if there were no more souls in the world if a Christ be not my portion Another would cry what shall I do to be saved Methinks I see how the stung Israelites run up and down when the fiery Serpents had stung them crying O where where is the brazen Serpent that I may get a look at him and be healed So would poor Souls convinced of their misery do 1. Poor Soul that lies in thy distance from Christ did thou ever see thy misery First Thy misery of guilt as thou art an unpardoned Soul Is not guilt a miserable thing to lie upon a poor Creatures conscience Ask the Devils and they will tell thee if guilt be not an intolerable burden Ask the damned spirits and they will preach to thee the misery of unpardoned guilt Nay if thou could talk with a despairing Soul O what terrible things would it tell thee of the misery of unpardoned guilt O poor young man hast thou found out the way to a pardon and leave out Christ Angels could never find out such a way Or dost thou think to carry guilt into Glory with thee Must any be saved but such as God hath pardoned If thou didst see the misery of guilt thou would'st be a Seeker and a morning Seeker after Christ All pardons are purchased and drawn up and preached in his name They are purchased we have redemption and remission of sin but how come they in through his blood And they preached Repentance and Remission of Sins in his Name beginning at Jerusalem 2. Poor Soul hast thou seen the misery of thy distant state as thou art under the power of sin as every soul is that is out of Christ And O what a sad sight is a young person in under the power of strong corruption Is it
nothing to thee that thou art a slave to sin serving divers lusts and pleasures But when was this they did so the Apostle tells us before the loving kindness of God their Saviour did appear Tit. 3.4 5. Would'st thou have power against sin It may be thy Soul goes to thy prayers for it to thy duties for it to thy resolutions and purposes for it the best way is to close with Christ for there can be no power against sin that can subdue it until closure with Christ While thou art under the power of sin it doth what it will with thee it Kings it and Lords it that thou obey'st it in the lust thereof Secondly Hast thou seen the misery of thy distant state as thou art under enmity to God and God under enmity to thee 1. The enmity of thy side O what a piece of misery is it to be under the power of enmity this is a piece of the misery of the damned they have an inveterate enmity against God that if such a thing were possible they would dethrone God like some we read in their distress Isa 8.21 Curse their God and their King and look upward Is not this misery indeed to be an enemy to the God of all thy mercies to be an enemy to him thou daily livest upon nay cannot live one moment without And such a monster art thou I have read of one that killed her Child while it smiled so would'st thou do Art not thou spurning Gods tender bowels every day but now by seeking Christ or closing with Christ this enmity is done away 2. Enmities on Gods side God an enemy to thee and can there be greater misery than this what he thy enemy that thou art every day provoking and can upon every provocation in a moment turn thee into Hell Every one fears having great ones for their enemies but what sayst thou to the great God who is thine enemy If ever poor sinners were convinced of this O what seeking Christ would there be for reconciliation 3. Hast thou seen the misery of thy distant state as thou art a vassal to Satan for so is every one out of Christ and is this nothing to thee Wert thou in Algier what Letters wouldst thou send to thy friends setting forth thy dolefull slavery to affect their hearts to send over thy redemption-money But alas what is a Turk to the Devil the one reaches the Body the other the Soul Poor Soul out of Christ the Devil is thy patron and wilt not thou groan to be delivered Why are not Souls morning Seekers after Christ Alas they see not the misery of being under the power of Satan Now want of powerful convictions in these three things while you lye in a distant state from Christ is the first cause why he hath so few Seekers 2. Hinderance to young Seekers after Christ is their beloved lusts and darling corruptions they are willing to part with some but not all their lusts there is an Isaac that causes laughter they cannot think of cutting the throat of it there is a Benjamin they cannot tell how to let that go there is a Dalilah they are loth to lose there is an Herodias they cannot endure to part with Mat. 13.45 46. a right hand they will needs keep and hide O no poor young man thou must sell all if thou wilt seek and find this pearl of price We read of the young man and he was very fair and like to fall in with Christ Mark 10.22 Jesus Christ begins to strike at his right hand and he pulls it in and Christ and he parts upon this occasion Herod was fair but when John gets a blow at his Herodias Herod gets a blow at Johns head and strikes it off O poor sinner if thou resolve for Christ thou must resolve against thy darling sin 3. Hinderance to young Seekers after Christ is their entanglement by wicked company They come to Ordinances and are convinced that sin will be bitter to them in the latter end and they see no way but that living and dying in such courses they are lost for ever Well one would think some good would spring and grow out of such convictions but alas the next time they come in their evil company they have absolutely lost all one would not think these were the young men that were so affected at Sermons Now it may be you may see in their hands instead of their Bibles their Cups and in their mouths hear instead of their prayers their oaths Well young men know for all this God will bring you into judgement 1. Wilt thou poor Soul rather part with a precious Christ than with thy base company O unworthy Soul of Christ's bowels to prefer thy sinful Companions before thy Blessed Jesus as those poor Souls preferred Barabbas before Jesus What wilt thou love a drunkard a swearer an unclean wanton before Jesus Christ 2. Wilt thou rather part with an immortal precious Soul than part with thy wicked company O how many have been damned by this one sin how many thousands of Souls have been cast away for ever upon this rock while other sins have slain their thousands this hath slain ten thousands O how many company-keepers are now in Hell 3. Then canst thou look upon them when thou comest to dye and thy conscience filled with guilt and horrour canst thou then look upon them with delight Canst thou sport thy self with thinking or discoursing how many times you have been drunk together how many times you have violated the Lords day together how many nights you have spent all gaming together If your Companions should come in when you are upon a death bed and say Come be of good cheer remember such a bout and such a bout how merry we were O will not this be as a dagger to stab through your heart will not this wound like a sword in the bones Remember the young mans doleful ditty in the Proverbs and thou mourn at last when thy flesh and thy body is consumed and say Prov. 5.11 12 13. How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof 4. Will not your wicked examples one to another here be aggravations of one anothers torments in another world 5. Poor Souls if you will go to Hell for company you shall have company enough there What company is there there There is the Devils company and wicked Spirits company As blessed Doctor Preston said in a good sence so here may be said in a sad sence I shall change my place but not my company So thou mayest say thou must change Earth for Hell but not thy company there is wicked company enough there 4. Fourth hinderance to young Seekers after Christ is a spirit of slothfulness they indulge themselves too much in their own ease as the Spouse did but this provoked Christ and he did withdraw upon it Poor Sinner what man that hath been industrious that by pains and care hath gotten an
estate afterwards repents himself but rather looks back upon his diligence with delight So did you ever hear of any when they were to dye that ever cryed out O that I had not spent so many dayes in the service of God! O that I had never taken such pains in seeking after Christ But you have heard of many on the contrary that have cryed O that I were to live over my dayes and time again would I ever be so careless of an immortal Soul would I ever indulge my carnal sloth at that rate I have done would I miss so many precious seasons of Grace for my Soul as I have done 1. Poor Soul do not many strive and never win into the harbour had not thou need cast off thy sloth then 2. Work out thy salvation with fear and trembling who then would give way to flesh 3. It is a business of eternal consequence who would be slothful in a business of such great concernment 4. All our diligence is little enough therefore God calls for violence in the case to take heaven by violence this is honourable 5. The fruit of diligence will be peace upon a death bed 2 Pet. 3.14 Be diligent is Peters exhortation but what motive doth he use That you may be found of him in peace 5. Fifth hinderance to young Seekers after Christ is hope of a longer lease of their lives they hope there is no such hast Some years hence when they have gotten an estate in the world then they will look after these things but why should they be so early with Christ will not two seven years hence serve and thus they delay their seeking after Christ 1. It is worth considering what if thou do live longer and be hardened in sin While Plants are tender they may be dealt with but when they are grown they are too sturdy Alas poor Sinner thou mayst be hereafter a sturdy sinner an hardned sinner an Atheist a Scoffer a Persecutor what if God shall give thee up after thou hast refused to hearken unto him and say of thee Psal 81.11 12. as of Israel of old But Israel would have none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts 2. Is it not worth considering whether the motions of the Spirit be not irrecoverably forfeited by such Souls as delay seeking after Christ upon hope of a longer day There have been Souls that have irrecoverably forfeited the Spirits gales and then what a sad condition would thy poor Soul be in God hath said his Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man 3. What if while thou art hoping for a longer day God should send thee a summons by the black Serjeant Death to tell thee this night shall thy Soul be taken away It was so with him while he was saying Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many years 4. What if thy day of Grace should be over and Christ wooe no more tender himself no more but his abused love turn into incensed wrath 5. Consider how thy puts off and delayes have grieved Christ Hast not thou wearied out the Lord Jesus while he hath stretched his arm all the day long 6. Consider how your delays will sting you upon a death bed or in another world O how often was I called and yet delayed The remembrance of every delay will go to your hearts like a dagger and bleed in your conscience for ever 6. Sixth Hinderance to morning Seekers after Jesus Christ is perswasions of Christs unwillingness to receive them or be found of them because of their unworthiness This very case discourages many a poor Soul from seeking after Christ they have taken in hard thoughts of God and Christ And O how doth Satan now haunt the Soul taking all opportunities to blow up their unbelieving jealousies against Christ 1. Poor Soul would Jesus Christ wooe thee if he were not willing to be found of thee Would he knock if he were not willing to come in upon thy opening Would he hold out his Golden Scepter for thee to kiss if he were not willing to be reconciled to thee 2. Poor Soul would he wait if he were not willing What speaks his great patience and long suffering towards thee but his willingness to be found of thee Why doth he not only knock but stand and knock Behold I stand at the door and knock Rev. 3.20 He is not yet gone from your doors which notes his willingness to be in 3. Poor Soul would he complain of poor Sinners unwillingness to receive him if he were not willing If it stick not on the sinners side there then is no ground for complaining on Christs side O the sad complaints and groans that have proceeded from Christ upon this account You will not come unto me that ye might have life He was grieved because of their unbelief and hardness of their hearts 4. Poor Soul would the Lord Jesus Christ send his voice behind thee so often prompting thee on to seek after Christ if he were not willing O how doth the voice still keep behind thee in Ordinances in Afflictions whispering to thee thy duty We read of the Spirit saying Come as well as the Bride saying Come it is the Spirit of God is the great maker up of the match betwixt the Soul and Christ and this argues Christ is willing because he sends his messenger so often to thee upon the errand 5. Poor Soul would the Lord Jesus Christ have been so willing to come a Salvation-errand into the world if he were not willing to be found of Sinners What was Christs errand from Heaven unto Earth He came to seek Souls to seek and to save that which was lost He came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to repentance Would he seek you if not willing to save you O let not Christ lose his pains by your harbouring unbelieving jealousies of his love 7. Seventh hinderance to morning Seekers after Jesus Christ is they hope they may repent upon a death bed or sick bed after they have spent their youthful time in sin and vanity this is very incident to all but especially to young persons 1. Poor Soul what if the grim Serjeant Death serve a Writ on thee unawares If thou be struck on a suddain where then will be thy repentance Dost thou know the manner of thy death any more than the time of death What if thou poor young man who hast slighted so many warnings shouldst have none given thee when the great stroak comes What if the Lord come upon thee in an hour thou lookedst not for him 2. What if thou be given up to a seared conscience on a sick bed or death bed A seared conscience at any time is sad but most sad on a sick bed have not many died seared and hardned in sin yea in their very youth But as they lived so they died without sense or feeling of their sad and sinful state 3. Poor Souls what if
your repentance then will not go with God I think sinners you may well have such jealousies that your repentance is hypocritical while it is thus forced and extorted from you by reason of your fears and horrours that now walk in your consciences There is a great deal of counterfeit repentance that God will not take when you come to die late repentance is seldome true and is it not a pitty as one observes to play the Courtiers with your own Souls They do all things late they go to bed late and rise late and dine late and sup late and worst of all repent late 4. What if thy poor Conscience should now cry it is too late thou shouldst have done it sooner Many have thus cryed out O no there is no mercy for them they have stood it out too long and now they cannot expect any thing at Gods hand but a righteous sentence of separation for ever from his comfortable face 5. Poor Soul how will it sting thee to consider thou might often have done it in a fitter time when thou put it off Is not a time of health the fittest time for repentance O now how will the consideration of thy many calls and many refusals lie heavy upon thee 8. Eighth hinderance to poor morning Seekers against Christ is the prejudice that Satan labours to fill their Souls with against Christ this is very incident to young persons to take up prejudices against the Lord Jesus Christ 1. Satan labours to prejudice them by the paucity and fewness of those that seek after Christ they are but a few and why should you go from the way the multitude walks in O poor Sinner would you be pleased to consider it is Christs own Doctrine There be few that shall be saved why should then this be a stumbling block unto you Have you a mind to go to Hell for company Many are the travellers that go hells beaten road broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be that find it 2. Satan prejudices many times young ones by the meanness and contemptibleness of those that are Seekers of the Lord Jesus Christ. This people that know not the Law are accursed few of the Rulers believed on him not many wise Nobles c. The Poor receive the Gospel O poor Souls know they are most honourable that are so in the account of God and not of man Isa 43.4 Since thou wert precious in my sight thou wert honourable The Righteous is more excellent than his neighbour They that honour God God will honour 3. Satan labours to fill Souls with prejudice against Christ by presenting them with the difficulties they shall meet withal It is true you may meet with discouragement in the way but you shall have the breaker up go before you and he will make the way easie and crooked wayes streight and rough wayes shall become plain 4. Satan labours to fill Souls with prejudice against Christ from the manifold infirmities that attend his followers and indeed this is a great objection that all Seekers after Christ do not walk so closely as they ought Well poor Soul know the wayes of God are the same and Jesus Christ is the same though it is sad there should be so much ground for this stumbling block lying in your way 5. Satan labours to fill them with prejudice against Christ from the Cross that attends them and the Cross of Christ hath been a Rock of offence to many poor Souls Well but poor Soul there is a Crown annexed to the Cross they that suffer with him shall raign with him Unto you I appoint a Kingdom who were they Such as continued with him in great temptations The next Vse If morning Seekers be sure and infallible finders then it is a word of Caution First Take heed of giving over of being too short breathed in seeking of Christ He that believes makes not hast To set on this Caution which is of great concernment to every poor Soul that hath set out to seek Christ although it was hinted the last Observation I will enlarge it now 1. If you give over your hearts were never truly in good earnest in the work It may be you had some flashes of affection or some gripes and pangs of conviction that for the present startled you but yet your hearts were not truly in good earnest in the work Ah poor Soul that truly sees its need of Christ the real worth and excellency that is in him its real misery without him this Soul will never give over untill it hath found him whom its Soul loveth Is that love in good earnest that because it meets discouragements gives over the pursuit of the object The Spouse was in good earnest therefore gives not over but still keeps up her enquiries after Christ Saw you him whom my Soul loveth 2. If you give over you lose the prize if the racers give over they lose 1 Cor. 9.24 therefore we have that Caution So run as you may obtain Is not this sad to be runners and losers seekers and missers at last Poor Souls if you give over you will go without He that continues to the end the same shall be saved We are to run with patience the Race set before us to run it and not give over 3. If you give over and so sit down short of Christ it will aggravate your guilt and condemnation What you that once were so forward in the ways of God what you that once gave such good hopes you were truly in love with Jesus Christ what you that were once praying young men and women and nigh the Kingdom as that Scribe we read of in the Gospel Luke 13.26 and to give over O how will this aggravate your miscarriage and you your selves shut out this aggravates all 4. If you give over seeking you will fall either into persecution or profaneness usually this is the end of such When young men while they have been Apprentices and under convictions they have sought Christ but afterwards fall off again they ordinarily prove either Persecutors of the wayes of God or else Profane this is in judgement upon them God suffers them to fall into these things punishing sin with sin and very sad hath been the end of such Would you ever think this hopeful praying young man would prove a drunkard a swearer a prodigal If you give over seeking Christ this I doubt will be your end 5. If you give over seeking Christ this will be a great discouragement to others you weaken the hands of others they will be afraid when they see you so sadly drawn back that they should do so too you hinder others seeking after Christ 6. If you give over seeking Christ you cloath your Ministers with shame and is this the love you have formerly profest to them O how once you were endeared to those spiritual Fathers How could you have pulled out your very eyes for them when they were first
instrumental to do your souls good and is this your kindness unto them to put them unto shame Disappointments bring shame Make me not ashamed of my hope sayes David O many Ministers had hopes of you and prayed for you and have hoped you would be their Crown and Rejoycing as Paul said and what now prove their shame O how near this will go to the hearts of Godly Ministers Have not they said of you as Paul said of them We live if you stand fast in the Lord. Secondly If morning Seekers be sure and infallible finders then take heed of a discouraged frame of heart in seeking Christ this is Satans work to discourage poor Souls to lay stumbling blocks in their way and tell them there is no hope no Christ will never be found of such as they are hope is perished from the Lord. O take heed I say of this frame of heart you know what they said to the poor blind man Be of good cheer the Lord calleth thee So do I say unto you poor morning Seekers be not discouraged the Lord will be found of you 1. A discouraged frame of heart will open a door to hard thoughts of God Usually discouraged Souls are jealous and suspicious Souls of God and alas this will weaken you exceedingly in your seeking after Christ O what a hard thought was that My God hath forgotten my God hath forsaken 2. A discouraged frame of heart grieves the Spirit of God what seek Christ with a discouraged frame of heart can this be pleasing to the Spirit of God who is the Comforter 3. A discouraged frame of heart opens a door to consult with Satan he loves to be fishing in troubled waters and ordinarily he sits by discouraged Souls helping them to conclude against Christ and their own Souls it is a very dangerous thing to be drawn in to consult with Satan 4. A discouraged frame of heart will weaken your endeavours in your pursuits after Christ the joy of the Lord is a believers strength but discouragements weaken exceedingly 5. A discouraged frame of heart in seeking Christ reflects upon Christ as though he were unwilling to be found of poor sinners This is dishonourable to Christ dishonourable to his design of coming into the world was it not to save Sinners dishonourable to his Promises hath not he promised He will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax Thirdly If morning Seekers shall be sure and certain sinders then take heed of delaying to seek the Lord Jesus do not put off Christ take heed of this because that you are young and hope you have time before you O this many times is a Rock that splits thousands of Souls they say they will seek Christ at a more convenient time 1. Take heed of losing your morning for the present time is only yours Alas poor Soul if thou layest not hold of the fore-lock of thy present time thou mayest be undone for ever O how the Lord calls on us to improve our present time Work while it is to day and if you will hearken to his voice while it is to day walk in the light while you have the light now is the acceptable time 2. Take heed of losing your morning You young ones you know not how short your morning may be and when mornings are short persons had need be up and doing How many young ones have been cut off in their morning in the prime of their time in the flower of their youth gone to the Grave in a moment while the milk was in their breasts and marrow in their bones 3. Take heed you lose not your morning it will be harder work to seek Christ afterwards when you have delayed time after time after you have lost the forenoon of your lives it will be hard redeeming the afternoon O how rare a thing is it to see a person wrought on in their afternoon not but some have been met with but this is not so ordinary 1. The more guilt there is upon the Soul the harder it will be to seek out after Christ the longer thou delayest the more guilt thou contractest upon thy Soul O what complaints have such Souls uttered O that I had come to Christ sooner but will he now receive me to mercy who have stood out so long Had I fallen in with Christ upon his first offers and tenders it had been more easie to have thought he would have accepted me And thou wilt find this a strong objection upon thee the heavier load of guilt upon thy Soul the heavier thou wilt find it to draw to Jesus Christ 2. It will be harder for you to seek after Christ after you have delayed because the sense of your unkindness to Christ will fill your Souls when you are awakened What stand out against Christ after so many knocks after so many calls after so many offers and invitations Thus it was with the Spouse when she arose to open to her Beloved there was a little myrrhe left upon the handles of the lock and then her bowels were moved viz. She was filled with shame and sorrow that she should use Christ so unkindly 3. The more a Spirit of sloth takes possession on the Soul the harder it is to shake off 4. Take heed of losing your morning for a dark night is fast approaching upon you in which you cannot seek Christ in which you cannot work it is bad seeking any thing in the dark I may say unto you as the Prophet to them Give Glory to God before he cause darkness Jer. 13.16 and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountaion This is the Doctrine that our Lord Jesus Christ preacht himself Work while it is to day for night comes when no man can work 1. Poor Souls what if a night of judicial darkness and blindness come upon you What if God give you over to a dark heart He suffered some we read of to walk in the wayes of their own heart 2. What if a night of temptation come upon you It is ill seeking Christ under temptation 3. What if a night of death come upon thee then thy seeking Christ is at end there is no work in the grave where thou goest What though young men you be now in your morning God can cause your Sun to set at noon-day and bring a night upon you before you are aware therefore lose not your morning 5. Take heed you lose not your morning your morning discoveries and manifestations will be your evening supports and consolations the evening of our lives is our declining time our old age And O what a mercy is this to be laid in with comfort when that comes What a sad thing is that to see one gray-headed and forsaken of God As David prayed many have cause to pray forsake me not when I am gray-headed If you seek him in your youth he will sit by you when you are old O that is a sad Text and the sinner an
time in which God will not be found For this shall the Godly pray unto him in a time when he will be found 1. There is a day coming in which the Spirit of God will leave striving with you and then seeking will be out of season Can you seek if the Spirit strive not What is that which puts poor Sinners upon seeking of Christ but the strivings and convictions of the Spirit 2. There is a day coming wherein the things that concern your peace will be hid from your eyes Thus God told Jerusalem But now the things that concern your Peace are hid from your eyes You will be judicially hardened 3. There is a day coming in which Gods bowels will be shut up in displeasure against you You are hardened against God and God against you O that is a terrible Text I will not answer when you call What will God then do Prov. 1.25 26. I will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your fear comes 4. There is a day coming when ordinances shall be ineffectal to you God sayes Make the bea rt of this people fat O dreadful word to have Ordinances given to harden and not to soften 5. There is a day coming that death and hell shall look ghastly upon you and will this be a seeking time Will not Christ tell you O poor Sinner this is but a force Now when you see no way but damuation before you now you seek after me this is only to serve your own ends of Christ O poor Souls be perswaded to seek Christ before these dayes come upon you 2. Motive in the morning of your dayes to be seeking the Lord Jesus Christ such Souls shall live in him you may have life life is only to be had in him therefore he is called a Believers Life He is the Way the Truth and the Life and he is called the Living Stone You will not come to me that you might have life The poor Sinner is dead while he lies at distance from Christ thou mayst have gifts and parts as dead bodies may be stuck with flowers and strawed with herbs but this is but dubbing the dead all this while there is no life in the man it is only he that hath the Son hath life 1. First They that seek Christ have living influences from Christ he is the head that sends living influences into all his members O what a supply of influences is to be had from Jesus Christ You must seek all you have from him it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell 2 Pet. 2.4 5. and this as believers head And we read of believers being called Lively Stones active for Jesus Christ not only Christians but lively Christians How comes this to pass being built up in him united to him as the superstructure is to the foundation the living Stone sends up living influences into all that are built upon him therefore he is the Vine that by his communicating influences doth keep Souls not only living but thriving 2. Secondly He communicates living comfort to such as seek him That is a precious Prophecy concerning Christ Psal 22. The meek shall eat and be satisfied they shall praise the Lord that seek him your heart shall live for ever They shall eat by Faith the Lord Jesus Christ and be satisfied viz. be comforted in their Soul Who The poor meek humble Seekers of Christ in the sense of their own vileness who have been cast down in the sense of their own unworthiness for by the meek are meant such What then They shall live for ever Gen. 4.5.27 not be rejoyced and comforted for a while for this is meant by the heart living it shall be revived and comforted O but may the poor Soul say this comfort will not last O yes Psal 69.33 Their heart shall live for ever The like Promises we have in other places 3. Thirdly They that seek Christ have living Graces from him we receive of his fulness Grace for Grace all we have must be in a way of seeking not only Grace at the first effusion when he sayes to the Soul live but the lively exercises of Grace are from him The Spicknard gives a pleasant smell viz. the Graces of the Spirit Faith and Hope and Love and Zeal they are all exercised they put forth lively acts What is the matter the King is at the Table 3. Motive to seek the Lord Jesus in the morning of your day your Rest must be found in Christ O whither will not a poor burdened sin-ladened Soul go for Rest O what will not a poor distressed Sinner do in hope to obtain Rest Rivers of Oyl and thousands of Rams if it were possible to expiate their sin Nay they will not stick at their first-born What is the reason the blind Papists appoint so many Penances so many Pilgrims so many Fasts and Scourgings but they hope these are expiatory But alas all this will but be seeking that they will never find If you will have the desirable mercy of Soul Rest you must go to him for it Mat. 11.29 Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden and you shall find rest for your Souls The verse before sayes I will give it this you shall find it But might the poor Soul say Lord if we seek it here shall not we miss of it No you shall be sure to find it Isa 11.10 To him shall the Gentiles seek and what then And his rest shall be glorious Some Interpreters it is true take it for his Church which is Christs Rest it shall be glorious Others carry it his rest the rest which he shall give it shall be glory It shall be the glory of a Soul to seek and find rest from him What is it you young ones would have is it this true spiritual rest and peace never think to have this short of Christ. 4. Motive to seek the Lord Jesus Christ in the morning of your day you know not what your evening may prove or your mid-day may prove What if you should have an afternoon filled up with afflictions do you know what God will fill up your day withall 1. What if God should fill up your day with temptations Will it not then repent you that you sought him not in the morning If you should be exercised with that one dismal thought that the day of Grace is over O how it will grieve you that you looked out so late after Christ O what a wretch am I to be so much behind with Christ and my own Soul And O how many objections will such a thought cast in thy way 2. What if God fill up thy day with sharp tryals with weakness of body losses in thine outward estate Will this be so fit a time to seek Christ in when thou wilt have enough to do to bear up under these tryals O then how will thy poor Soul wish thou had been laid in better for such rainy
willingness of God to shew them mercy Do you think that the Lord would have parted with his own Son for you if he had not been willing to shew you mercy The Prophet tells us Isa 42.6 He is given for a Covenant to the people for a light to the Gentiles 2. Reason why Jesus Christ is willing to be found of poor Gentile sinners this is evident from the invitations that he gives them to come in to him O what an invitation is this very Call of my Text to such O how do the affections of Christ sparkle in his invitations 1. Consider his invitations are free There is no merit on our side there is no such thing as worthiness in the Creature Christ moves freely from Arguments springing up in his own bowels My Creature will be lost else this poor Soul will be undone for ever else And as Hester said in that case so sayes Christ How can my heart endure to see this evil come upon my people and kindred So O sayes Jesus Christ how can my heart endure to let this poor Soul go to Hell and eternally perish And thus his heart works freely in his invitations towards poor Sinners 2. His invitations are affectionate invitations invitations mixed with entreaties I beseech you be reconciled unto God Christ doth not only invite but becomes a suppliant to the sinner He comes to the Sinner which is obstinate and inexorable and upon his knees begs the Soul for his sake for its own sake to accept of terms of mercy and reconciliation 3. They are importunate invitations He doth not invite with an indifferency of Spirit whether we accept of his terms or no but he invites in good earnest and sets on invitations with pressing arguments sometimes taking an argument from the Souls danger if it close not with his invitations sometimes an argument from the Souls duty and sometimes an argument from the Souls benefit and profit these are importunate invitations 4. His invitations are daily and incessant invitations Poor Sinners are daily invited Christ is an every dayes Solicitor and Suitor he waits to be gracious If you deny him to day he comes again to morrow he doth not cast off for every present denyal 5. His invitations are universal therefore thou mayst say as he did I am invited also O poor Sinner God hath not excluded thee if thy unbelief exclude thee not 6. His invitations are upon the most solemn preparations that ever was All things are ready Hath he invited and prepared his guests and doth not this argue his willingness to entertain 3. Reason why the Lord Jesus Christ is willing to be found of Gentile Sinners because upon this account the Father enters into a Covenant with the Son to reward him There was a Covenant struck betwixt Christ and his Father that upon his undertaking the great work of Mans Redemption he would exalt him and glorifie him I will glorifie thee The Rewards of Christ for Redemption-work seem to consist in these things 1. The conversion of Souls Isa 49.6 Is it a small thing thou raise the Tribes of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles as if Christ should stand with his Father and say But Lord what will become of the poor Gentile part of the world Must they all dye in their sins and be damned O the heart of Christ was inflamed with love after the salvation of poor Sinners Well now the Lord gives him a Patent for Gentiles as well as Jews a Patent of Free Grace Tit. 1.2 this is covenanted for betwixt God the Father and the Son this is the promise of Eternal Life before the world begun He shall see the travil of his Soul and shall be satisfied 2. His exaltation is promised So he shall sprinkle nations viz. convert them Sprinkle them with his blood an allusion to the blood of the Paschal Lamb when the destroyer was to pass over Isa 52.15 And Kings shall shut their mouths at him Shall all be silent at the setting up of his Dominion they shall be convinced of his Kingly Office and Dignity Not a word to say against the Lord Jesus as King Isa 53 ult He shall conquer them and deliver the Elect out of their hands Therefore sayes another Text He shall divide a portion with the great Some read it I will give him a portion among the great He shall have his day of visible greatness among them Others read it He shall divide the Mighty as a prey This will be Christs work when he comes forth in Majesty to prey upon all that stand in his way to his Kingdome whether persons or things Now this clearly demonstrates the point in hand because God Covenants for this with him upon his undertaking Redemption and Salvation-work Application Is it so that the Lord Jesus is willing to be found of Gentile Sinners Then 1. It informs us of the unspeakable love of Jesus Christ to poor Sinners O how is it commended to us In this that while we were Sinners he died for us greater love than this hath no man 1. Is there not love in this to be willing to be found of such as have been professed Enemies proclaimed Traytors The Lord hath proclaimed us upon our first apostasie to be Traytors and Rebels to him but yet he hath sent out a proclamation of Peace and look to that blessed proclamation and lay hold of it by a hand of faith or Isa 27.5 Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me You see here is the proclamation to lay hold on And so poor Souls upon their falling in with Christ are at peace Is not here love shining love to poor dark Gentiles Let us see the Proclamation renewed Isa 55.1 2 I am found of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not I said behold me behold me unto a Nation that was not called by my Name I have spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people viz. to a company of poor obstinate Jews and lo therefore I turn to the Gentiles Behold here I am here I am so some read it as Christ holding out terms of Mercy Life and Salvation to poor Sinners If a man find his Enemy sayes Saul will he let him go well away O the love of Christ to Gentiles which were enemies 2. Is there not love in this to call these first to look after him Is not this preventing love Did I look after him said poor Hagar who here sees me Alas if the Lord had never found me out I had never found him He is called a Shepherd that seeks out his Sheep O here do we run into corners from this good Shepherd untill he follow us O what love is this 3. Is there not love in this to tell us there is a time coming when it will be too late to seek him See how
free and ingenuous as I may say Divine Love is it tells us the worst that we might be awakened to look about us If you neglect but a while follow your sins for a while set out your day of Grace for a while then it will be over and the bowels of the Lord will be shut up in displeasure against you and then you will say as he upon his death-bed I have told you now all is too late all is now too late Is there not great love in warning Souls of danger before it comes 4. Is there not love in this that the Rejection of the Jews the Cutting off them should be the grafting in of the Gentiles O that such wild Olives should be partakers of the sweetness of the fat Olive that ever such brambles should be inoculated into Christ Rom. 11.33 This raised up the spirit of Paul into a frame of admiration The casting away of the Jews was the reconciling of the world 5. There is love in this that Christ was so willing to come as his Fathers Gift as a Commander and Leader to his People as the words before speak See how Christs heart ecchoes to the heart of the Father in the work of the Salvation of poor Sinners In the volume of thy Book it is written I come to do thy will O God 2. Vse O then let us a little admire the condescention of Christ in this thing that he is so willing to be found of poor Gentiles It is no wonder if upon the head of this Divine Mistery be written a verily Verily he took upon him not the nature of Angels Heb. 2.16 but the Seed of Abraham That he should overlook them Glorious Creatures that Mercy should come to poor Gentiles over the head of Angels how few take notice of this 1 Pet. 1.12 Angels desire to look into these deeps and yet we do not look into them with an eye of holy inspection and heavenly admiration 3. Another word is this If Christ be willing to be found of poor Gentile Sinners it is then a Call to such to seek him Seek him while he may be found May not I say to poor Sinners as God argues the case with those Jews by the Prophet Ezekiel Why will ye dye O ye house of Israel So why do poor Gentile Sinners neglect seeking the Lord Jesus Is not this to go carelesly the ready way to your Eternal destruction Is not this the rode to your Everlasting ruine And will not the Lord say to you one day as the Prophet to them Your destruction is of your selves 1. Motive to seek the Lord. He first is suitor to you and seeks you And is not this a mighty motive This is that great loadstone that should draw the hearts of poor Sinners much in love with Christ He loves them first Who loved us first Christ is first in the motion He came to seek and to save that which is lost Take that Parable of the Prodigal his Father sent after him into the far Country sought him out This my Son was lost and is found Nay Christ is the Shepherd of the Gentiles and he seeks out his sheep in a dark and gloomy day Alas what is the Gospel but Christ sending after poor Sinners to wooe them to accept of terms of Grace and Mercy 2. Motive to seek the Lord Jesus His seeking you cost him dear He laid down his life for his sheep He sought you and where did he find you He found you slaves and he must pay your ransome for you I have found a ransome for him His death is our ransome We were prisoners and captives and could not be redeemed at a lower rate than Christs blood 3. Motive He comes from the Father to seek you The verses going before are a Prophecy of Christ proceeding from the Father I have given him for a witness And frequently when he is spoken of to poor Gentile Sinners then he is said to come by way of donation I have given him a light to the Gentiles He comes and brings commendations of his Fathers love to poor Sinners He is called the faithful and true witness of God 4. Motive He came from Heaven to seek you O what Glory he left to come and mind your Eternal concerns upon earth I cannot nay what Man or Angel can tell you what he forsook to seek you He stript himself of all his Glory of all his Royal Robes to wash your feet to wash you all over He left his Throne I remember it is storied of a King that found a sheep in a ditch and sate down on hands and knees and pulled it out with his own hands The Sheep is thy own Soul this King is the Lord Jesus the Ditch is thy Natural Condition in which thou hadst perished to all Eternity if he had not come from Heaven to have pull'd thee out 5. Motive He seeks as impatient of denyal He is an importunate Seeker he will not be said nay seeks like a beggar that will not be gone from your doors Christ will not be gone from the door of thy heart he stands and knocks he doth not knock as he passes by but stands waiting for thy coming out to accept of him and close with him Therefore he beseeches wooes waits to be Gracious He comes in Ordinance after Ordinance Providence after Providence Motion after Motion and Day after Day What sayest thou poor Soul wilt thou now close with me And as he did Wilt thou be made whole to the Leper And O how loth to go away when will it once be 6. Motive He is a Seeker that is grieved when he is denyed He was grieved because of their unbelief and the hardness of their hearts You cannot grieve Christ worse than deny him when he comes to make out love to your Souls and you slight him 7. Motive He seeks poor Sinners in their proper months Jer. 2.24 In their months one shall find them Christ knows the months to find Sinners in All these Motives are taken from Christ as the great seeker of Souls 3. Vse is of Reproof 1. to such as neglect to seek the Lord that seek him not at all Yet they are Seekers but not Seekers of the Lord. Gentiles are Seekers after these things the Gentiles seek They seek good trading good livelihoods c. But alas this is all they seek after Nay Lev. 10.31.20.6 we read of some that seek after Wizards they are so far from seeking after God But the Lord sayes he will set his face against such Do you think poor Seamen and you their wives that this is the way to have good voyages to go to ask the Devil his Counsel Some seek their lusts Prov. 23.30 like Solomons drunkard they say they will seek it yet again But all this while they seek not the Lord. O how few seek to the Lord What are these poor Souls seeking but the living among the dead 1. See the danger
his heart so that he breaks out thus the Godly shall pray unto thee in such a time in an especial time Luk. 19.41 42. O Jerusalem hadst thou known in this thy day It was an especial time in which they might have found the Lord he so sweetly offering himself to them in the Gospel Solomon tells us Eccl. 8.5 6. A wise mans heart discerneth time and judgment because to every purpose there is a time and judgment therefore the misery of man is great upon him So in this case there is a time an especial time to put your Spiritual purposes into execution to seek the Lord Jesus in Therefore that was good Counsel Job 22.20 21. Now acquaint thy self with God and be at peace and thereby good shall come upon thee Now seek the Lord. There are some especial Nows that we should all improve and lay hold on 2 Cor. 6.2 Now is the acceptable time now is the day of salvation c. I passed by thee and saw thee in thy blood and then it was a time of love c. The great question will be what are these especial times in which Christ is willing to be found 1. When he offers himself in the tenders of the Gospel O Jerusalem hadst thou known in this thy day It was a peculiar time in which the Lord Jesus was preached to them Now Christ is willing to be found of you What is the Gospel but Christ seeking out his Sheep his voice calling in his Sheep Christ following poor sinners with invitations and entreaties that they would return unto him and live We read of the Shepherd seeking out his sheep Would Christ offer himself but that it is an especial time of love O poor Souls take heed as you reject these offers 1. These offers of Christ are a fruit of his blood if he had not died he never had been tendred to you and for you to refuse these offers is for you to reject his purchase nay for you to tread his blood under-foot and account the blood of the Covenant an unclean thing And O how must this needs provoke the Lord as is said in the parable of the Supper when they all had refused the Lord was angry and resolved that none of them should taste of his Supper 2. These offers are offers of life and salvation O then take heed of rejecting them You will not come to me that you may have life Now is an especial time you may have life If a poor condemned Malefactor should but have his life offered him O how would he be transported with joy And this is the case of every poor sinner out of Christ he is under a sentence of condemnation and Christ comes and offers them their lives O then as we value the lives of our precious Souls let us not reject the offers of Christ 3. The offers of Christ are unasked unsought for by us therefore it is now an especial finding time Thou poor sinner dost not come forth and ask a Christ and cry for Christ and lament after Christ O no but Christ came out to offer himself to thy poor Soul when thou lay dying and perishing in thy blood then he said unto thee unasked Live 4. The offers of Christ are not only of his Grace but of himself He offers not only what he hath but what he is to thy Soul But my people would have none of me He that hath the Son hath life There must be an union with the Son a closing with the person of Christ as well as with the promise of Christ Now this is more than to offer Grace yea than to offer Heaven to poor sinners Therefore it is we read of the marriage of the Kings Son and shall we despise such a match as this God forbid 5. Surely this is a finding time in an especial manner he offers with entreaties and invitations to accept He doth not make an offer and away as careless whether poor sinners accept or no but he follows his offers with arguments if by any means he might prevail with poor Souls before it be too late 6. He offers all he hath O will neither his person nor his benefits take with the Souls of poor sinners All he hath may be yours If he have pardoning mercy it is yours if he have sanctifying mercy it is yours if he have comforting mercy it is yours He interests you in all his fulness upon your closure with him He bestows upon you a large joynture upon your marriage with him All is yours Then certainly this is an especial finding time 2. The second especial finding time is when the Spirit breaths upon sinners in their attendances upon God We read of a certain season in which the Angel came down and moved the waters There are some certain seasons that the Spirit of God doth breath more freely upon poor sinners than at other times and these times we are to make an especial improvement of The Spirit of God it is said came upon Sampson by times Certain briezes if you will give me leave to call them so that come from Heaven at certain times The wind blows where it listeth O but poor Souls be sure you lose not these winds when they stand fair for Heaven do not let them slip lose not a gale for Eternity for they are especial finding times 1. These gales once gone and they are irrecoverable There is no buying a wind for Heaven if you would give all the world for it one fair gale lost and thy poor Soul may lye wind-bound unto thy very dying day 2. These gales once gone and your hearts harden Sinners hearts harden as the gales of the spirit of God are abused and so suspended And O what a sad case will it be for a poor Sinner to lye upon a death-bed crying out this heart of mine as very a stone as it is as hard as it is now once was breathed upon by the Spirit to close with Christ but I sinned all those precious breathings from my Soul and so by degrees hardned for Hell apace 3. These winds will not alwayes blow upon you the wind will not alwayes stands here Say so when under the Spirits breathings The wind will not alwayes hold thus fair for Heaven it will not alwayes blow in this quarter My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man You must not think of having a trade-wind for Heaven 4. These gales must you give an account for Why did not you move with such a fair wind when you had it This question one day will be asked your precious Souls O what answer will you give in that day Did not my Spirit strive with you but you resisted it and vexed it and quenched it Every motion you ever had and slighted will come in as an evidence against you another day 5. These gales once gone will fill your Souls with horrour that you have lost them that you were in so fair a way for closing with
to an account for all your especial times of finding Christ 2. These especial times of finding Christ are not all persons priviledges He hath not dealt with all people as with you How many parts of the world that never were enriched with the tenders of Gospel-grace as you have been but lie in the rubbish of ignorance and ungodliness Nay how many that have lived under the sound of the Gospel and yet the Gospel is hid to them 2 Cor. 4.3 and such souls are lost And shall your Souls be priviledged above others in the being under these especial seasons and you not improve them 3. These especial times if you let slip you will be hardned and rivetted in your sins After men have sinned away the day of Grace O then they grow worse and worse Then their poor Souls do swim down the stream of all manner of prophaneness Have you not often observed it that after sinners have worn off their Convictions they have been more careless more prophane more resolute in their course of sin 4. These especial times if you let them slip it may be you shall never have such times again My Spirit shall no more strive with man His bowels will be shut up in displeasure against you You may out-live the breathings of the Lord upon your Souls And O if God should awaken you and cause you to reflect upon what hath past betwixt God and your Souls O then it may be you will cry out O that it were with me as in months past O for one of the Motions of the Spirit of God I have sleighted O for one of the Convictions I have murdered 5. These especial times will exceedingly aggravate your sin in standing out against Christ A woe was written upon the head of Capernaum and Bethsaida O when Christ shall say what have you to say for your selves was not I tendred unto you was not I offered with all the benefits of my death but you would none of me O now how will such poor Souls run to the rocks yea be fit to creep into the holes of the ragged rocks for the Majesty of the Lord 2. Word is a word of direction What shall we do by way of improvement of these especial times or how shall we improve them 1. Would you improve these especial finding times Then 1. Lament sensibly over your lost time Lapsed time goes to the heart of a poor convinced sinner nothing doth cut so deep as the consideration of trifling away golden seasons of Grace It was the charge the Lord brought in against Jezabel I gave her space to repent but she repented not O for a poor soul to reflect upon the time that is past then it will cry as Job did in that case O that it were with me as in months that are past O that I might enjoy one of the dayes of the Son of Man that I have so slighted The Apostle tells us of some who for the time might have been Teachers of others but alas they had lost their time If you lose but a tide-time you can fret at that and be impatient O how many tide-times have you lost for Eternity Every appointment of Christ in which the Spirit of Christ breaths is a tide-time O how many market-dayes for Heaven have your Souls lost And can you remember them and not lament over them 2. Would you improve these especial finding times Consider then you cannot mis-improve neglect these but you put a sleight upon Christ O how dangerous is this to put a sleight upon the Lord Jesus when he is willing to be found of you What a sleight was that they put upon Christ when they made all their excuses they could not come when Christ tenders himself and is refused Therefore he complained but my people would have none of me For the Lord Jesus Christ to leave the bosome of his Father the Glory of Heaven and be clothed in and married to our nature and be made a curse for us and after all this to be slighted by a company of poor sinners O what monstrous ingratitude is this Would we slight a Relation a Friend an Acquaintance thus Is not this to be highly uncivil to Jesus Christ O how do poor sinners put their incivilities upon Christ 3. Would you not mis-improve these especial finding times then consider how this grieves Christ When he came nigh the City he wept over it what was the matter this was the consideration that did draw tears from Christs eyes that they had enjoyed an especial time and day of Grace in which Christ was willing to have been found of them O that thou hadst known in this thy day c. We read also of those that refused the tenders of Christ the master of the house was angry at them O take heed of angring Christ poor sinners in this respect Kiss the Sun lest he be angry What if he be Ps 2. ult and you perish from the way When his wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are they that trust in him O who can stand before the wrath of the Lamb Yea what can cover us from the wrath of the Lamb O what ingratitude is this to grieve him for loving you to requite him evil for good Is this your kindness to your friend Will you thus requite the Lord O you foolish Souls Do you thus answer his love in coming from heaven upon your errand It is said the Lord Jesus Christ was grieved because of their unbelief and the hardness of their hearts You would not willingly grieve a Relation a Father a Mother and will you grieve Christ 4. Direction Would you not mis-improve these especial finding times then live in the consideration of what depends upon them Upon these times depend your eternal conditions upon on these monosyllables depends eternity upon these Nows these present gales and seasons of Grace We say of some business that we are very solicitous about there is much depends upon it It is a matter of grand importance This is the case thy laying hold of these special times is a business of great moment as much as your immortal Souls are worth O that every time you prayed you might say this is for eternity and every time you heard a Sermon O poor Soul this is for eternity As that great Painter said propter aeternitatem pingo So should every poor sinner say of his duties Write Eternity upon the head of them I have read of one that lived many years in a Cave under the earth among multitudes of Gnats to the wonder of many he was insensible of their disturbances and the reason given is this he was come thither to contemplate eternity So do I say the consideration and contemplation of eternity would make you forget the world and the comforts of it when you make your approaches to God 5. Would you not mis-improve these especial finding times O then live much in the consideration of the worth of your
how many Souls have lived and died without the tenders of Christ How many that never heard of a Christ as they said We have not so much as heard of an Holy Ghost How many that sit in darkness and the shadow of death How many parts of the world that are the dark places of the earth full of the habitations of Cruelty You do not hear such Sermons in India as you do in England you do not hear Christ so preached and tendred at Guiny at Jamaica Suppose those poor Indians and Natives that you converse with there should know what you have heard of Christ here and what you have professed of Christ here they would certainly seeing no more of Christianity no more of likeness to Christ among you certainly they would say this Christ is an Impostor and this Christianity a cheat a delusion to gull the world withal Therefore upon this account it is that a woe was denounced against Chorazin and Bethsaida If I had never spoken unto you sayes Christ you had not had sin O Sirs if Christ had never been preached to you never been tendred to you never beseeched you never wooed you you had been under less guilt but now your sin remains and how can you escape who have neglected so great salvation You may think to escape you may think you have some back door to creep out at but alas how can you escape as Christ said to the Pharisees the damnation of Hell 6. These times of Christs being willing to be found will not last alwayes O what stronger reason to observe them My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man You think poor Sinners that I will alwayes wait on you alwayes wooe you alwayes beseech you O no poor Sinners times are coming on that my Bowels will be shut up in displeasure against you my Bridge of Mercy shall be drawn and my Gate of Mercy shall be shut and then what will you do O poor Sinners what standing will there be without in that day what crying Lord Lord open unto us Do you think to have a trade-wind to heaven do you think the wind will alwayes blow fair in your voyage for Eternity The time is coming that the Lord Jesus as it is said of those Angels will keep the winds in his hands Rev. 7.1 and not suffer them to blow on a poor Soul That was good Counsel of our dear Lord work while it is day the night comes wherein no man can work Your day will not alwayes continue the night comes May it not be said by many poor Sinners Woe unto us our day goeth away And alas poor Sinners the night is no time for working in 7. Reason There are no Christ finding times beyond this life No Christ-finding times in the Grave whither we are all going That is excellent counsel Pecl. 9.10 what thou findest to do do it with all thy might Now is the doing time this present time is only the doing time and the reason is very cogent for there is no work in the Grave whither we go then it is past time to work for Heaven to work for an interest in Christ O that word is a sad word it is past time As the Tree falls so it lies to all Eternity there is no turning of it on the other side O then poor Souls had need look to it and make sure when they fall they fall right that they fall Heaven-ward When you die then all the tenders of Christ cease 8. Reason Because it is not long that Christ will call that Christ will offer himself to be found of you The Mart-dayes for your poor Souls will not long continue the shadows of the evening are stretched upon us the Sun of the Gospel declines apace Time is short Gospel-time is short life-time is short liberty is short God is cutting us short O now how should we observe the finding times of Christ It is said 2 Kings 10. â—â— the Lord began to cut Israel short but now the Lord hath been cutting England short a great while cutting us short of Trading of Liberties of Priviledges and all that we may observe the times of Christ in which he is willing to be found The Angel within a little time will swear Time shall be no more Application Is it so that Sinners should observe these times of Christ 1. It doth inform us of the great stupidity and senselesness that is upon the Souls of poor Sinners naturally They go on in the neglects of Christ untill the Lord Jesus meet them and stop them They do not consider Nay it was the complaint of the Lord against his own people that they were worse than brutes Isa 1.3 4. The Oxe knows his owner and the Ass his masters crib and yet my people do not know they do not consider O the bruitishness of our hearts The Turtle and the Crane observe the time of their coming c. The Psalmist cautions us be not as the Horse and as the Mule that want understanding O may not every poor Sinner when God comes to convince at first the Soul say Surely I am more brutish than any man 2. It informs us that it is not the having times of Christs offering himself but it is the observing of these times that we are especially to look after It is indeed a great Mercy to have them but it is a greater to observe them We may say in this case as in that who is wise will observe these things and the prudent shall know them There are many poor Souls who are now in Hell that have lived under the Calls of Christ under the offers of Christ. What say you to Chorazin and Bethsaida You may hear Christ forty years together preached nay you may profess Christ nay you may follow Christ for loaves many years and after all this be Cast-awayes nay a man may preach Christ and at last be a Cast away 3. It informs us that the Spirit of God doth not alwayes breath alike and strive alike The Spirit of the Lord came upon Sampson by times and the Angel came down at a certain season The wind of the Spirit blows by gusts many times upon poor Souls it blows where it listeth and it blows when it listeth It may be not in that Ordinance thou expectedst most but in that Ordinance thou expectedst least Or ever I was aware my Soul made me sayes a poor Creature like the chariot of Aminadab There is a set time to favour Zion So there is a set time for the Spirit of God both to convince and comfort the poor Soul 4. It informs us that in every poor Sinners miscarriage to all Eternity there is room to justifie God We must not think to lay it at Gods door as too many would do but we must lay it at our own doors Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Perditio tua ex te will be the Motto written upon Sinners backs in Hell Will not
God say to them Jer. 4.18 These things have your own wayes and doings procured unto you O then will not every poor guilty Soul cry out O! O my self was the cause of all these O how often did Christ wooe me invite me call on me beseech me to be reconciled to him but wretch that I was hard hearted wretch that I was I had no room for him my heart was shut against him I shut him out of my heart and now for ever I must justify him for shutting me out of his Heaven 5. It informs us what a great evil it is to put off Christ when he is willing to be found O how many say of Christ and to Christ as he did to Paul Come at a more convenient time and I will hear thee They are too busie with the world they have no leisure no time and they desire to be excused O what if the Lord say to such as he did to them They shall not taste of his Supper O Sinners do you think Christ will be thus dallied with to say to morrow to morrow and Christs voice is to day to day Do you think Christ can be mocked or deceived It is true the Gospel is called the word of his Patience but do you think it is impossible to weary his Patience Do not we read the Prophet complaining of the Jews You have wearied man and will you weary God also Isa 7.13 O Sinner dost thou know what thou doest to delay thy striking in with Christ What if God take thee at thy word when thou sayest Depart from me for as yet I desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What if God should resolve as Moses said to Pharaoh I will never see thy face more Where wert thou then and what a sad condition would thy poor Soul be in then 2. Vse Is it so that poor Souls should observe Christs times in which he is willing to be found then it is a word of Reproof to such as put off Christ that observe not these times May not the case be expostulated with such poor Souls as God did with the people of Israel by the Prophet Ezekiel why will you dye O house of Israel O poor Sinners why do you neglect such great salvation why do you dally and delay in a business of infinite moment and eternal consequence Is the salvation of an immortal Soul a jesting matter are Heaven and Christ indifferences O why then poor Souls should ye not arise from your sloth and shake your selves and resolve to have a Christ how dearly soever you come by him May not Christ say to poor Sinners that loyter in their motion Heaven-ward as was said to them why stand you idle all the day long 1. Are not such poor Souls to be reproved This is the highest ingratitude and unthankfulness in the world that Christ should make offers and be willing to be found and you put a slight upon him and you not observe them Is this your kindness to your friend Will you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise 2. Are not such Souls to be reproved This speaks great infidelity and unbelief Is not this the reason why Christ and poor sinners make not a closure they do not believe he is willing to receive them to embrace them to pardon them This cross-iron bolt and bar of unbelief lies betwixt Christ and a poor Soul and was it not this that grieved Christ He was grieved because of their unbelief and hardness of their heart Their Souls were doubly bolted against the Lord Jesus O poor sinners after all Christ hath promised all he hath suffered all he hath done that you should slight Christ when he is willing to be found of you is not this sad 3. Are not such to be reproved You will observe times for your worldly secular advantages you will observe a Summer season to go into the Countrey for the air if your bodies need it you will observe times to take physick in you will observe your winds to sail in you will observe your marts and fairs you will observe your Change-time and all this for your outward advantage and alas you neglect your especial times and seasons for your Souls All these things are but your outward concernments but there are things that concern the peace of your immortal Souls and how do you look after them 3. Vse Is it so that the Lords finding times ought to be observed by poor Sinners Then it is a word of exhortation to poor Sinners that they would take especial notice of such times that it may not be said of you as is said in that case Job speaks The Lord passed by on my left hand and on my right hand and I perceived him not For God to be near a poor Soul in an Ordinance in a motion of the Spirit and the Soul see him not for the eyes of the Soul to be held that it knows him not O how sad is this O delay not to lay hold of Christ at such times 1. Your delayes will provoke and displease Christ Christ loves that Souls should close with him without delays We read of some that delayed the matter and fell to framing excuses and the Lord was angry with them and said They should not taste of his Supper The Spouses delay to open to Christ so displeased him that he did withdraw from her and she paid dearly for her delay Now did he stand waiting untill his locks were filled with the drops of the night 2. Your delays are dishonourable to Christ They dishonour him as though he were not to be trusted when he calls for Souls to close with him to open to him immediately as though there were no great danger as though it were but a dallying jesting matter and you could do it when you would even at your leisure 3. Your delayes will prove dangerous to your own Souls We say there is danger in delay and O how true is that in Soul cases What if God shut up his bowels in displeasure What if he will be gracious no more in visiting you in breathing upon you in knocking at your doors What if the Lord do withdraw from you and say he will wait no more upon you strive no more with you but pass that Sentence upon you Let them alone let them wander like a Lamb in a large place O poor Sinners you are in danger of all this and much more by your delayes to observe Christs times of being willing to be found 4. Your delayes will make your falling in with Christs finding times a great deal more difficult Yea every day it will be more difficult than other Sin and corruption will grow stronger Satans temptations will be more violent The longer a Soul is held in a snare the faster it is 1. It will be more difficult you will have fewer motions of the Spirit to call you out and thrust you out to close with Christ Delay to answer the Spirits
breathings doth put him upon withdrawing When poor Sinners have so often quenched the Spirit the Spirit lets them alone and strikes sparks of holy motions and resolutions there no more 2. It will be more difficult your selves will have less heart to it The longer a poor Soul lies snoring in the bed of sin the less mind he hath to get up And indeed such souls seldome get up untill the cry of fire fire I mean hell fire get into their Consciences The longer a man sits upon a seat the stiffer he is and the unfitter he is to stir and rise so it will be in this case 3. It will be the more difficult because guilt is every day more contracted The more guilt the less mind to close with those times in which Christ is willing to be found It is with a Soul in this case as it was with our first Parents they were afraid when they saw they were naked and they hid themselves Guilt is for running away from God 4. It will be more difficult Satan will be stronger with his opposition His temptations and objections will get faster hold of you If you had sought Christ sooner if you had early in the morning looked after him haply he might have been found of you but now sayes Satan it is too late your day of Grace is past now his bowels are shut up in displeasure against you Such objections will make dreadful work with poor guilty Souls O it must needs be sad when Satans objections get into our Consciences 5. It will be the more difficult because the sense of former delayes will fill the heart for the present with jealousies and misgivings of God and Christ Alas I have stayed too long I doubt it is now past time will he be found of me at this time of the day will he receive me that come so late will he not tell me there is no room for one that hath dallied and delayed so long O such jealousies will exceedingly hinder the Souls falling in with Christ 5. Your delayes to observe Christs times in which he is willing to be found may in time bring a hardness of heart upon you and O how sad would this be Take heed your hearts be not hardned through the deceitfulness of sin You think you can close with Christ another time as well as this in another Ordinance as well as this in another duty as well as this and alas in a little time you come to be hardned by your delayes We are come now to the fourth and last Observation in the Text. There is a day and time in which Christ will not be found as well as a day and time in which Christ will be found Though Christ offer himself to poor Sinners now yet he will not alwayes do so his Golden Scepter of Free Grace will not alwayes be held out As there is a time to hold it out so there is a time to take it in Though he call long wait long knock long yet he will not alwayes stand at your doors Luk. 12.36 Therefore we read of opening to him immediately He will mark the door and be gone We read of a very sad judgement upon Israel They should come and seek the Lord with their Herds Or he hath made himself free from them Dutch but shall not find him for he hath withdrawn himself from them O what a sad case was that of the Spouse to seek her beloved and could not find him but yet at last she recovered a sight of him but it is far sadder to seek him and never find him but for a poor Soul to be sealed upâ—â— lost Soul to all eternity We read of Esau seeking the birth-right yea with tears Heb. 12.17 Gen. 27.36 but yet could not find it Christ lamented over Jerusalem under this consideration but now they are hid from thine eyes now it is past time But the great inquiry will be this What are these times in which Christ will not be found For as we have upon this Text shew'd the times in which Christ will be found so we must shew the contrary the times in which Christ will not be found 1. When Souls are shut up and sealed up under obduracy and judicial hardness of heart Give me leave to distinguish betwixt a natural obduracy of heart and a judicial obduracy of heart betwixt being under hardness of heart and being shut up under it This shutting up and giving up is an Act on Gods part so he gave up to their own lusts Psal 81.12 Rom. 1.23 I gave them over to the arbitration of their own hearts Some read it The Lord past an Act of Tradition upon them And now their time and day of Grace is over now the Soul is delivered up to the Gaoler and is shut up close prisoner sentence is past upon him and cannot be recalled But poor souls know this you first reject God and refuse the sweet offers and tenders of the Lord Jesus Christ you put God upon this by your sinning against him So the people of Israel did for God waits long and wooes long and exercises great patience before he thus give up poor sinners 2. Time in which Christ will not be found is when poor Souls seek him but they seek him feignedly as it is said of the children of Israel Jer. 3.10 they turned to him feignedly Poor Souls should seek the Lord with their whole heart and to such seeking there is a promise Jer. 29 1â— And you shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all your hearts therefore it is the Lord hath called for the heart in our seeking of him My Son give me thy heart not thy tongue nor thy head nor thy hand but thy heart The kidneys were offer'd in sacrifice to the Lord to teach us he regards the inwards the integrity of our hearts in our sacrifices Christ loves to be sought to in good earnest with all your hearts The divided heart was found faulty 3. When poor Souls seek him slothfully We are to seek him diligently We read to teach us this lesson that the Ass the firstling of an Ass was not offered to God in sacrifice and Snails those slow-paced creatures were unclean creatures We should not be slothful in seeking Christ Will he be found of the sluggard When the Spouse sought Christ in Bed he would not be found of her The Spouse at another time indulged her self in her sloth and then Christ would not be found 4. Another time in which Christ will not be found is when you have griev'd and quenched the motions of his spirit now he will withdraw from you and will not be found then he sayes his spirit shall not alwayes strive with man When do poor Sinners grieve the Spirit that Christ will not be found 1. When they refuse him though he hath stood long knocking at their doors and waited upon them Thus we see he did by the Spouse he waited