Four Learned and Godly Treatises, Treatise 4
Heavie afflictions breeds earneſt prayers from the wicked.
PROV. 1. 28, 29.
Then ſhall they call upon me, but I will not anſwer, they ſhall ſeeke me early, but they ſhall not finde me.
FOr the coherence of theſe words know thus much from the 20. verſe to the end wee ſhall take notice of two things mainely intended by the Spirit of God. Firſt, the kind loving and paſſionate invitation of wiſedome to ſimple, ſinfull, ſcornefull wretches, this we ſhall obſerve from the 20. verſe to the 23. there wiſedome cryeth earneſtly and uttereth her voyce in the ſtreets, that is, ſhee preſſeth in with a kind of violence to win and woe the ſoules of ſinners that at laſt they may know the things belonging to their peace. The ſecond is the iſſue and ſucceſſe that the voyce of wiſedome found in the hearts of thoſe to whom ſhee ſpake, and the ſucceſſe is double, the firſt is the contempt of ſcorners againſt the call of wiſedome, they ſtop their eares, and harden their hearts, and will not ſubmit to Chriſt, and bee ruled by him, and that in the 24. and 25. verſes, the ſecond iſſue is in the words of the Text, they rejected God, & God rejected thē, they caſt his call behind their backes, and therefore hee caſteth off them, Then ſhall they call, ſaith the Text, but I will not heare; they that rejected merciemercy offered, ſhall not obtaine merciemercy ſought and deſired, this is the ſcope of the words, Then ſhall they call, that is, in the time of trouble, and in the day of diſtreſſe, then they will call for mercy, and comfort, No, ſaith the Lord, time was I offered merciemercy, but then merciemercy was not worth the receiving, I called and you would not obey, therefore call you ſhall, and ſeeke you ſhall, but I will never anſwer you, you ſhall never finde me.
In the words obſerve two paſſages: Firſt, wee have here the practiſe of the wicked, In the time of trouble. A company of ſcorners and mockers in their diſtreſſe, they will crie and call unto the Lord; Secondly, we have their ſucceſſe, God will not heare them: In the former wee have ſeverall particulars to be obſerved; firſt, they ſought the Lord, and called upon the Lord, a company of ſcornefull wretches, and wicked reprobates ſought the Lord; ſecondly, obſerve the time when they ſought him, when their calamities did come like a whirlewinde, In the day of trouble then they crie and call, and cry unto the Lord; the laſt thing is from the manner of it, it was not ſlightly, but they cried unto the Lord; and withall the Text ſaith, They ſought him early, that ſheweth their earneſtnes, and their crying that ſheweth their vehemency, and yet the ſucceſſe is this, the Lord will not anſwer: they ſhall not find him. In the Verſe wee have three points of great uſe: the firſt is from the time, Then ſhall call. The Point is this, That ſcornefull perſons in the time of affliction, are forced to ſeeke, and to ſue unto the Lord. Secondly, that when they doe ſeeke, they ſeeke ſomewhat vehemently, and earneſtly; the third is this, that howſoever they doe thus ſeeke, yet the Lord will not anſwer. The firſt point is this, That ſcornefull wretches in the time of affliction are forced to ſeeke unto the Lord; They that have neglected prayer formerly, when trouble comes, and deſolation approacheth, then they call and ſeeke for favour: In the 78. Pſalme, Ʋerſe 4. This is plaine, the children of Iſrael when the Lord ſlew them, then they ſought him, ſo Iſaiah 25. The Text ſaith, that in the time of trouble they will viſite the Lord, In the time of proſperitie the Lord calls for holy duties, but then he cannot heare of you, you wil not viſit him but in the time of trouble, then the Lord ſhall be acquainted with you; Experience teacheth this when a man is upon the wracke, then hee confeſſeth his ſinnes, and then the Lord rends a yrayer from him, and then hee confeſſeth like Pharaoh, I have ſinned, and I and my people are wicked, but God is juſt and righteous, 1 Sam. 12.19. When the people of Iſrael were ſet a …adding after a King, Samuel made a marvellous elegant gracious Sermon unto them, exhorting them not to forſake the Lord, but they ſay in the eight Chapter, Nay, but we will have a King; as who ſhold ſay, have you ſaid what you will, is your Sermon done, why, yet we will have a King, but; but when the Lord thundered from heaven, then they cried, wee have ſinned, he is a terrible God, wee ſee now he is an angry God, wee obſerve, it now we have ſinned, pray for us, and to the reſt of our ſinnes we have added this, in asking us a King, when the Lord ſent his judgements upon them, then they deſired favour, and pardon, and deſireth the Prophet to pray for them. The reaſons of the Point are two; the firſt is this, becauſe nature it ſelfe is proffeſſely croſſe unto trouble and vexation, it is tired therewith, and is deſirous to be eaſed thereof; and howſoeuer a man be never ſo unreaſonable, no counſell takes place in him, yet the Word prevailes not with him, and God cannot rule, yet hee carrieth nature about with him, hee is a man ſtill, he hath fleſh and bloud ſtill, therefore when Gall comes to his heart, and the Wormewood into his ſoule, Nature it ſelfe will make him in regard of the horrour that lieth upon him to ſeeke unto God, and endeavour after meanes, to eaſe and refreſh him: yon know how it is with rebellious children, a froward little one however he will heare no counſell, not receive any direction from the Parents, yet when the rod comes, and falls heavily, they will downe on their knees, and aske forgiveneſſe, and nature forceth this, hee feeles the blow, and ſo uſeth meanes to be eaſed, even nature compells us to ſeeke for caſe, and call for ſuccour in the time of trouble; Nay, the beaſts though never ſo ſturdy, yet the bit in their mouthes, and the ſhackles on their heeles, and the whippe on their backe, will make them teachable and tractable; nature teacheth us this, therefore ſo long as nature is in a man, afflictions force the ſoule being tired with miſery for to ſeeke and call and uſe meanes to be ſuccoured. The ſecond Reaſon is, becauſe all other meanes are helpes in the time of trouble, and therefore they are forced to ſeeke to God becauſe all other comforts faile: in the 107 Pſal. ver. 20. the Prophet ſpeakes of thoſe that travell by ſea, when they are toſſed by the waves, then they call upon God; as who ſhould ſay, ſo long as any thing would doe it, God ſhall never heare of them, but when all helpes and meanes faile, then God muſt helpe or no one can. Take a man when outward afflictions ceaze upon him, as in the time of death, friends may talke to him, and companions may mourne for him, but all now leave him in the lurch, unleſſe the Lord helpe they cannot, therefore they are forced to repaire to the Lord, and to viſit him with their prayers, ſo then the argument is this, if it be ſo that nature forceth a man in the time of trouble to ſeeke for eaſe, and if it be ſo that all other meanes cannot helpe a man but onelyonly the Lord, then no marvell and that in the time of diſtreſſe, the wicked ſeeke unto the Lord for comfort. This is the firſt uſe of the point, is it ſo that ſcoffers in the day of trouble are forced to ſeeke unto the Lord, then this highly commends the price and worth of Gods ordinance, heaing and praying and the like, becauſe in the heavieſt times, at a dead lift, when all faile, wicked men then ſelves are forced to take up theſe ordinances of God, take a drunkard or an adulterer on his death-bed then let all the profits in the world bee offered him, you ſee how unprofitable they are, it is a vexation to the drunkard to ſee his campanion, nay all the pleaſures of the adulterer they are as ſo much gall to his conſcience, becauſe he hath delighted in thoſe dalliances. Now when all the profits and pleaſures in the world are not able to comfort them, then ſend for a Miniſter that he may pray for me, pray for you? why I had thought you had not ſtood in neede of prayer, is prayer come into any reckoning with you, what is the reaſon of this? why they that ſcorned prayer formerly, now at the day of death and time of affliction then nothing but Miniſters, and Chriſtians, and prayer, why? the reaſon is, nothing elſe will hold water and give a man comfort in the day of diſtreſſe, therefore let us prize thoſe meanes of ſalvation, that will be ſo powerfull and comfortable when all other meanes faile, it is true that wicked men in their mad moods, and wicked fits, ſcoffe and are deſpiſers of the ordinances of God, and what needs this praying and this Bible carrying, and ſanctification of Sabboths, and ſeeking of God; this is in a drunken moode, but when they come to their wits againe in the day of death and time of trouble, they admire then … ſuch holy courſes, and they will ſeeke ſuch godly courſes when trouble comes, then nothing but prayer and good duties, then hee ſets a high price and commendation upon theſe courſes, ſee them therefore and love them becauſe they will bee in account when the day of diſtreſſe comes. Secondly, doe afflictions many times force a ſcorner to ſeeke unto God, then take notice of the fearefull ſtubborneneſſe of ſuch kinds of ſpirits that all afflictions, and plagues doe not provoke their ſoules to be humbled and to ſeeke for that favour of God which they ſtand in neede of; goe thou therefore that art ſuch a one, and reaſon thus with thy ſelfe, good Lord what a wretched, knotty, ſturdy heart have I? how many judgements hath God ſent upon the nation, how many upon my particular, how many upon my family, and yet this ſoule is not humbled and inlarged to ſeeke unto the Lord and call upon his name, as the divels almoſt would doe, what a vile unreaſonable diſtemper is this, one judgement after another, and one plague after another, did cauſe Pharaoh to confeſſe his ſinnes, the Lord did wreſt it out of him, nay the divels beleeve and tremble, Iam. 2.19. Good Lord? I beſeech you thinke of it, what a hard hearted Pharaoh confeſſe his ſinnes, and what doe the devills beleeve and tremble at the wrath of God, why then what a hard heart haſt thou, that the Lord flaſheth hell fire in thy face and ſendeth plague after plague, and yet never touched and humbled, all wreſts not one prayer from thee. In the third place it is a ground to teach us thus much, never place much confidence in thoſe prayers that are wrung out of a man by force of affliction, the Lord plucks it out of thee whether thou wilt or no, he will make the ſtouteſt hearts to come in, ſcorners, reprobates, they pray, the Lord makes; them cry and howle and call daily upon him, and yet all this while nature forceth them, therefore truſt not thou to forced prayer in the day of diſtreſſe, that which is commonly moſt forced, is commonly moſt falſe, and therefore ſhall finde little acceptance, it was a ſpeech of a good man that the repentance of a dying man, it is commonly a great feare of a dying repentance, ſo I ſay when a man lives wickedly all his life time, and then thinkes that a few lazie wiſhes in the time of trouble will ſerve the turne, take heed, hypocrites doe thus, and ſcorners doe thus, and yet are never heard, but rejected, the Lord hee loves prayer and holy duties in the dayes of peace, and when a prayer comes out of love to God, and love to the duty, there is ſome comfort in this, but little comfort can I or any Miniſter give you in the time of ſickeneſſe, if you never uſed to ſeeke to God in the time of health, for you ſeeke onelyonly when you are forced thereunto.
The next point is this, that the ſeeking of ſcorners is ſomewhat earneſt and vehement, but we will come to the third which is this, ſcornefull men, wicked men, they may ſeeke, God earneſtly, they may call upon him vehemently, and yet never bee heard, never receive any mercy or acceptance from him, Luk. 13, 24. Strive to enter in at the ſtraight gate, for many ſhall ſtrive to enter, but ſhall not be able, it is not any mans power to be able to enter; no, no, many ſhall ſeeke this but ſhall not be able. Adde to this John 8.21. It is the heavie doome of Chriſt upon the Scribes and Phariſees, yee ſhall ſeeke me ſaith he, but ſhall die in your ſinnes; as who ſhould ſay I offered you, grace you refuſed it, I come home to you, you entertaine me not, the time will come, when I will lay anguiſh on your hearts, and horrour on your ſoules, and then you ſhall ſeeke me but ſhall not find me, but ſhall die in your ſinnes, you will have your ſinnes, I cannot remove them, you will not ſuffer me to take place with you, the truth is, you ſhall die in your ſinnes, take your proud hearts and goe downe to hell with them, take them, and periſh with them, I goe to my father to heaven, but you ſhall never come there: Our Saviour ſaith, the time ſhall come that you ſhall ſeeke me, and ſhall not finde me, but die in your ſinnes; but you will ſay, if they may ſeeke, call, and yet not finde, how comes this to paſſe, is not ſeeking the way to finding, is not calling the way to receiving, hath not God ſaid, if you aske any thing in my ſonnes name, you ſhall receive it? I ſay as the Apoſtle Iames in another caſe; You aske and have not ſaith he, becauſe you aske amiſſe; ſo I ſay to you, yee ſeeke and finde not, becauſe you ſeeke amiſſe: Though they call with violence, and ſeeke with vehemencie: yet it is not ſuiteable to Gods rule, and that is the reaſon they doe not proſper: now the reaſons why their ſeeking doe not ſpeede are three; firſt, they ſeeke unſeaſonably, when the Lord happily hath taken away the meanes of ſalvation, when the time is paſt, and the opportunitie is over, when God hath taken away the meanes, as alſo the bleſſings upon the meanes; in the 25. of Matthew, the five fooliſh Virgins went for oyle, and when the time was paſt, and the doore was ſhut, then they knocke at heaven gates, open to us, but the doore was ſhut, they that ſtood upon the watch, and attended the Lords comming, they entered into the bride Chamber, Eſay 55.6. Seeke the Lord, while he may be found, that is, while the meanes of grace are continued, while Wiſedome is crying, and the Lord Ieſus is holding out his golden Scepter of merciemercy and ſalvation: Now is the day of ſalvation, now is the time accepted, who knoweth whether the Lord will cover the heavens, and take away the light of the Goſpell, and make us wander in darkeneſſe, Rockes, and Wilderneſſes; if deſolation ſhould come wee muſt be driven from our houſes and habitations, here one man alone, there one woman alone, and there a child crying, and the third dying, then we ſhall obſerve what opportunities wee have had and neglected, the Lord was neare to us in the uſe of the meanes, but now the time is paſt, the Goſpell and opportunities are gone, he that ſeekes unſeaſonably may ſinke downe, and never enjoy meanes and helpes, and the bleſſing of God upon them, Revel. 2.21. God gave Ieſabel a day of repentance, but ſhee repented not, therefore hee would caſt her into a bed of ſorrow, ſhe loved bedding and eaſe, and pleaſure, and delight, and ſhee had a time of repentance, but ſhee would not take it, therefore becauſe ſhee loved bedding, ſhee ſhall have enough, ſhee ſhall have a bed of ſorrow, and anguiſh, that is the firſt ground, that ſeeke unſeaſonably: ſecondly, they ſeek upon a falſe ground, it is not out of hatred of ſin, that they ſeeke for mercy but out of horror of conſcience, it is not out of loathſomneſſe of corruption, but by reaſon of the burthenſomneſſe that lieth upon their hearts; it is not for holineſſe they labour, but for quiet, eaſe, and contentedneſſe, that they might not be troubled and vexed, Pſal. 78.36. The Text ſaith thoſe that did ſeeke the Lord when hee plagued them, diſſembled in their hearts, they pretended to ſeeke the Lord, and worſhip the Lord, but they did not ſeeke the Lord but their owne eaſe and diſſembled fearefully and abuſed the Lords mercy and patience that he had vouchſafed unto them; looke as it is with the dogge, hee doth not caſt up his vomit, becauſe he loathes it, but hee is weary of it, hee loves it ſtill, therefore lickes it up again preſently, he did not caſt it up out of loathſomneſſe of it, but becauſe it did trouble his ſtomacke; ſo it is with a carnall hypocrite in the horrour of heart and anguiſh of ſpirit; it is not for love of holineſſe but of quiet, that he renteth himſelfe and ſaith, I have hated Gods people, profaned the Sabboth, and committed adultery ſecretly, he would vomit and confeſſe his ſinnes, and crave merciemercy, not becauſe hee loaths his ſinne, but he loathes anguiſh and horrour of heart, and when that is taken away, he falls to his vomit and baſe practice. Thirdly, they ſeeke to a falſe end, hee doth not ſeeke grace for a Chriſts ſake, and Chriſt for the love of a Chriſt, to have union with him, but hee ſeekes grace not to have have ſinne removed, but to have a kind of ſafeneſſe in his ſinne; a wretch in the deſperate anguiſh of ſpirit ſeekes unto a Saviour, as to a Surgeon, not that hee may remove ſinne, but that he may be the more quiet in ſinne, hee would have Chriſt pardon ſinne, that hee may commit ſinne with quietneſſe, not to have him take away his corruptions, and convert his ſoule, but to heale the wound, and to take away the bitterneſſe of ſorrow, Eſay 58 34. A company of wicked wretches ſeemed to ſeeke the Lord by faſting, but they did not ſeeke the Lord, but their owne luſts, they faſted that they might continue in their baſe courſes, with more quietneſſe, without deſtraction, or ſuſpition, as a malefactor after hee is attached and condemned, hee will ſeeke a pardon, and ſue for it, not that hee might become better afterwards, but for quiet and libertie, that hee may not be hanged, ſo a cunning chapman is content to attend and pray, that he may couzen and cheate, by faſting and praying ſo much the more: ſo then gather up the Point, if they ſeeke out of ſeaſon, out of falſe grounds, and to a wrong end; no marvell then though they call earneſtly and ſeeke vehemently, and yet God anſwers not, nor is found of them according to their deſires.
The firſt Vſe is for terrour, Is it ſo that a man may ſeeke earneſtly, and yet never obtaine mercy, then this is able to ſhake and ſinke a company of ſoules of carnall wretches: Oh, the lamentable condition of a company of poore creatures that live in the boſome of the Church, and therefore it falls ſore upon thoſe creatures that make a ſcoffe at praying, and hearing all ignorant and deluded perſons, that know not how to pray and ſeeke to the Lord for grace and merciemercy; me thinkes the former truth were ſufficient to daſh all the carnall hope that can creepe into the minde of ſuch creatures, therefore take notice of the deſperate condition wherein they lie; Reaſon thus, Is it ſo, that thoſe that ſeeke the Lord ſhall never finde him, then what ſhall become of me that never cried at all, nay, that loath prayer, and reject the uſe of Gods ordinances, and diſpiſe the meanes of grace and ſalvation, whereby I muſt ſeeke and obtaine mercy if ever I have it; if they that doe ſeeke attaine not, then I that never ſeeke, my condition is deſperately lamentable, fearefully irrecoverable, why? Why, my heart riſeth at ſuch perſons; I have tanted this praying, and mocked this faſting, good Lord, what ſhall become of my ſoule, deſperate is my condition, and fearefull is my eſtate, the Lord be mercifull unto me, I am gone for ever, I, grace will the Lord vouchſafe? grace to me; doe I count of mercy and pardon for my ſinnes? no let me ſet my heart at eaſe, thoſe dayes are gone I merciemercy, no, I have loathed and ſcorned merciemercy, the day will come when the Lord will ſay, you have hated mercy, therefore you ſhall be condemned, and never partake thereof, nay, what will become of a companie of carnall wretches, that ſet themſelves with deſperate indignation to hinder, and cruſh, and oppoſe the improvement of all holy meanes, if there be any ſervant in their family, that riſeth early to pray to the Lord, if there be any child that is godly, and a wife that lookes towards Sion, there is an uproare in the family, the maſter he flieth about, and ſaith, I cannot maintaine my family by poaring on a booke, how then doſt thou get thy living if not by praying and reading, thou gotteſt thy living, but a curſe with it, if thou get without theſe meanes, thou mayſt get wealth, but God will curſe thee with it, and thou ſhalt goe downe to hell and thy wealth with thee; why reaſon thus with your ſelves, I cannot ſo much as buy cattle, but I muſt ſeeke in the Fayres, I cannot provide foode for my family but I muſt goe to the market, and what a wretched heart have I that thinke to get mercy and grace and ſalvation, and yet he in my baſe luſts, and never ſtirre a foote to ſeeke the Lord, and call upon his name, how is my judgement blinded, and my ſoule couzened, …hinke of it if thoſe that offered faire for mercy and grace by many prayers, and deſires, and endeavours, if they in the meane time fell ſhort, and never came to heaven, what will become of mee that never looke after the things of grace and ſalvation, ſurely if the Lord be in heaven I ſhall never come there.
The laſt uſe is this, you will ſay what ſhall we doe if ſeeking will not get it at the hands of the Lord, then wee had as good caſt away all, and doe nothing, as get nothing by what wee doe; therefore the laſt uſe is a word of exhortation, wee are to be intreated in the name of the Lord Ieſus to doe not onelyonly what theſe ſeekers doe, but goe further, and doe more; This is no argument becauſe they obtaine not mercy by ſeeking, therefore wee ſhould not ſeeke, therefore ſeeke after another manner, ſo ſeeke and pray that you may finde benefit thereby, and comfort therein unto your ſoules, in the 13. of Luke 24. this is the uſe Chriſt makes, many ſhall ſeeke to enter in and ſhall not be able; what ſhall wee therefore caſt care away, no therefore ſtrive you to enter, ſeeke after another manner then they doe that ſo thou mayſt obtaine that which they ſhall never obtaine, many deale in this caſe as Gentlewomen at a Sermon; if they may have a ſeat at their eaſe; they will ſit downe and heare, but if they muſt crowd for it, then they returne and get no good, ſo many ſeeke but they ſtrive not, with their ſeeking they are not able to crowd thorough all occaſions, and take up armes againſt the diſtempers of their ſoules, that ſo they may obtaine that mercy they ſtand in neede of, But you will ſay if earneſtneſſe and vehemency will not doe the deede, what then will doe the deede, the rules therefore for our direction in ſeeking are three; firſt labour to ſeeke ſeaſonably while the day of grace laſts, and the Sunne ſhines, take the ſeaſon and goe on cheerefully, and arrive at the end of your hopes, call upon the Lord while hee may bee found, it was the direction God gave to Ieruſalem, and the mone he makes for her neglect, therefore Luk 19.41. O that thou hadſt knowne in this thy day, &c. hee ceaſeth praying and falls to weeping, he had preached often, and prayed often, but nothing would prevaile, hee falls a weeping over it. O that thou hadſt knowne at leaſt in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, as who ſhould ſay, now this is thy day, now the word is brought home unto thee, now my Diſciples are preaching, and the Sonne of man himſelfe is come to wooe you, Oh that thou hadſt knowne in this thy day the things that, &c. but they are hidden from thine eyes, take notice, every man hath a day and a ſeaſon which is the harveſt of ſalvation, doe you not take notice of this, that at ſome Sermon God opens the eye and prickes the conſcience, and ſometimes lovingly perſwades a man, and the ſoule is yeelding and walking after the Lord, the ſoule melts lovingly under the hand of God, this is thy day, take heede how thou neglecteſt it, and as thou goeſt home, intreat the Lord to make profitable that which thou haſt heard, and ſay this is my day, I am now in the fire, Lord melt me, I am now under the power of thy ordinance, make it effectuall to my ſoule, and take notice of it, if the ſpirit of God call and you regard it not, and let all goe, and all commodities are plucked up, and gone, you may come, and call, and cry, but it is too late; that Spirit which thou haſt reſiſted ſhall never worke more, thanke thy ſelfe, the day is gone, now they are hidden from thine eyes, the day is over, and therefore thou maieſt crie, Oh, for a Miniſter, & oh for a Sabboth, no, no, if all the Angells in heaven ſhould ſpeake, and all the Miniſters on earth ſhould preach themſelves hoarſe, thou wouldeſt not be affected therewith, therefore take the ſeaſon and the golden opportunitie of grace, and when Chriſt comes to your ſoules entertaine him, if Chriſt knocks, open the doore, if hee awaken thy conſcience doe not ſnubbe it; labour now to ſee thy ſinne that thou mayeſt finde mercy at the hand of the Lord. Secondly, as wee muſt ſeeke ſeaſonably, ſo wee muſt ſeeke with our whole heart, now the whole heart makes knowne it ſelfe in two particulars; the firſt is this, when all the good things of this world, be they what they will be, cannot withdraw us from Chriſt, this is one part of the whole heart, when profits and pleaſures of this world ſtand in competition and oppoſition betweene God, and our duty to caſt off all, and ſay whether I have honour and libertie or no, I care not, ſo I have God, my God I will have, this is a happy ſeeking away therefore with that lazie heart, I thinke it ſhould be ſo, and ought to be ſo, and it is good ſanctifying the Sabbath, and praying, it is mervellous reaſonable I ought to doe it, but if I doe it, eaſe and honour will be gone, and diſgrace will be caſt upon mee, thou now ſeekeſt thy eaſe and honour, and the Lord of heaven will curſe thee, and thy ſeeking, but if thou diddeſt ſeeke with thy whole heart thou wouldeſt goe thorough the worke, and ſay, what regard friends and honours? let eaſe and friends looke to themſelves, let friends bee diſpleaſed, I had rather friends ſhould be diſpleaſed then God, it is not neceſſary to be rich or honorable, but it is neceſſary to finde mercy, and to have ſinnes pardoned. Secondly, as no good thing muſt withdraw us from God, ſo no miſery muſt be a ſtoppe to let us from comming to the Lord, but we muſt breake through all miſeries that lie betweene God and us, this is that Saint Paul reſolved, Acts 20.24. as who ſhould ſay, come what can come, though heaven and earth meete together, I am reſolved to doe what God requires, hee that ſeekes God with his whole heart, if hee were to runne thorough hell he would runne thorough it to goe to God, now away with that dawbing and hagling with the Lord: O ſaith the poore ſoule, I confeſſe the courſe is honorable, God requires it, and I ſhould doe it, but if I doe it, trouble and perſecution will befall me, what ſhall become of me and mine, will you have my wife and children undone, if thou thus ſeeke the Lord, thy ſeeking is accurſed, thou doſt not ſeeke with thy whole heart, they that ſeeke with their whole heart are like a mayd that ſets her affections ſtrong upon a man, happily her friends will be reaſoning about the portion, and there is a cavill on the one ſide, and an objection on the other, povertie on one ſide, and maintenance on the other ſide; but if the woman love the man, for the mans ſake ſhee will ſay, let me have him though I beg and die with him, ſo it is with the ſoule of a poore Chriſtian that ſeeke, Chriſt with his whole heart, when Chriſt and grace and duty bee propounded, and the match offered, and Chriſt tendered to the ſoule and the Lord ſaith, I will bee thy Saviour and Redeemer but thou muſt looke for diſgrace and miſery, and perſecution, but there is a better life a comming now, if you ſtand for a portion with Chriſt, that you muſt have eaſe and quiet, and will not have miſery and priſon with Chriſt, then you are never like to make a match, but he that loves Chriſt for Chriſts ſake, the ſoule ſaith, let the Lord Ieſus be a Saviour to mee, though I beg and die, and never enjoy good day, it is enough my ſoule ſhall bee ſaved, if I ſhould rot in priſon, and bee baniſhed into the utmoſt coaſts of the earth, yet let mee have my Saviour, let him take poſſeſſion of me, let his Spirit rule me whatſoever come of it; this is to ſeeke God with our whole heart, and now you are like to finde him. Thirdly, you muſt ſeeke the Lord conſtantly, you muſt perſevere in the uſe of all meanes, looke as it is with a man that is reſolved to finde another, and not to leave ſeeking till hee hath found him; he goeth firſt to his houſe, he is not there, he was gone to ſuch a place an houre before, well, hee purſues him thither, hee is not there, but is gone to the Market, hee followes him thither, when hee comes thither, hee is gone home againe, well, then backe againe hee goes to his houſe, and never leaves hunting and purſuing of him till he findes him; ſo it is with a ſoule that truly and conſtantly ſeekes after the Lord, hee is to be found in his ordinances, haply thou commeſt to the Word and findeſt him not here, the Word ſaith hee went from hence to faſting and prayer, then thou findeſt him not there neither, then thou goeſt from faſting and prayer to holy conference, then hee is not to be found there, but is gone to the publike ordinance, in the Congregation, then thither thou goeſt, and wilt not be content till thou findeſt him, but goeſt backward and forward, from the Word to prayer, and faſting, from them to conference, from thence to the Word againe; this to ſeeke the Lord conſtantly and hee that thus ſeekes is like to obtaine, Pſalme 122.1. The Prophet David ſaith, Hee will waite untill the Lord ſheweth mercy: let this be thy reſolution, ſeeke unto God till he doe worke effectually upon thy heart, thou haſt faſted and prayed, yet God hath not heard, why, faſt and pray ſtill untill hee ſupply what is wanting, and pardon what is amiſſe; thus never leave endeavouring and doing untill the Lord ſheweth merciemercy unto thy ſoule, and give the aſſurance of the pardon of thy ſinnes: thus ſeeke the Lord ſeaſonably, thus ſeeke thee Lord with all thy heart, thus ſeeke him conſtantly, thus ſeeke him with your whole heart, and hee will be found of you in merciemercy and compaſſion.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Hooker, Four Learned and Godly Treatises (1638)