The Golden Scepter Held Forth to the Humble, Treatise · Doctrine 3

The Golden Scepter Held Forth to the Humble · Treatise · Doctrine 3

p. 132If my people that are called by my name, doe humble themselves, and seeke my face.

WE are now come to the next condition; If my people seeke my face: where we may observe this point,

That except a man seeke Gods face, all his labour is Doct. All performances nothing without seeking Gods fac….lost in his humiliation and prayers, and whatsoever else hee doth.

This is put in among those other conditions; and therfore without this the promise is not made to us.

For the unfoulding of this point, wee must first enquire,

What it is to seeke Gods face.Quest. Answ. What it is to seeke Gods face.

It is to seeke the LORD himselfe: for his face in Scripture is often taken for his person: so the word p. 133is used Exodus 20. 2. in the first Commandement, Thou shalt have no other gods before my face, that is, Exod. 20. 2.Exod 20:2before mee. So then the meaning is, we must seeke the LORD himselfe. Many, when they are in distresse, will seeke to the Lord for deliverance, in time of Famine, they will seeke to him for Corne and Wine and Oyle, as they in the Prophet; but they seeke not the Lord himselfe, nor communion and reconciliation with him; they seeke to the LORD, but not the LORD: they seeke what he can doe for them, but not his person, not himselfe: So those Hos. 7. 14. Ye have not cryed to me, sayes God, when yee Hos. 7. 4.Hos 7:4howled upon your beds. Yee assemble your selves for corne and wine, and rebell against me.

They then wanted Corne and Wine, &c. and sought them at GODS hands; but not me the LORD whom you had lost. Thou mayest seeke salvation and deliverance from hel, out of the strenght of naturall wisedome, because it is for thy good: and also being convinced of the necessity of faith and repentance, to escape hell, and obtain salvation. Men may thereupon go farre in the performance of many duties, and be constant a while in them, and yet not seeke the Lords face in all these: and then the Lord regards them not. Take a thiefe that is arraigned Simile.at the bar, he will cry earnestly for his life, but yet he seeketh not the face of the Iudge, i. e. he doth it without love to the Iudge, but onelyonly out of the love of life: So we may do much to escape hel, and to attain the life opposite to it, and yet all this while not seeke the presence of God, and then GOD regards it not. You find this disposition in your selves, and p. 134see it in others: if a man bee never so observant of any of you, and performe never so many offices of friendship to you, yet if a man can say he loves me not for all this, hee doth not prize mee, nor desire my love and favour so much for it selfe, but for his owne ends; in this case you care not for what hee doth: So the LORD, hee knowes the heart and the reines, and what thine end is, whether it bee communion with his person immediately, or thine own welfare meerely; and if so, regards not thy humbling thy selfe nor thy prayers. The promise you see is suspended upon it: it is a distinguishing point, and will separate betweene the precious and the vile, it is a marke set upon Gods people alone: To seeke Gods facePsalme 24.Ps 24

Wee will therefore further and more particularly consider, what it is to seeke Gods face or presence. And there are three wayes to finde it out.

First by what is here joyned with it, If they humble Ithemselves, and seeke my face: and so by considering the connexion that these two have together, find out what seeking of Gods face is. Now there is a twofold humiliation wrought in men:

The one is, for that bitternesse and punishment Humiliation which is twofold.that sin brings with it, and this never brings forth either faithfull prayers, or seeking Gods face.

But there is another kind of humiliation, which hath a further ingredient in it, and that is the sight of the foulenesse of sinne, when God openeth a crevise of light to looke upon sin, not onelyonly as that which brings bitternesse with it, but as that, which in it selfe is most filthy and abominable, and by p. 135that light it is made such in his account: for it is one thing to flee from the sting of the Serpent, an other thing to hate the Serpent it selfe; and so to take heed of the Wolfe, because of his cruelty, and to hate the Wolfe it selfe, are differing things. Other creatures may hate the properties and conditions of a Wolfe; but a Lambe only hates the Wolfe it selfe. Now with this latter kind of humiliation there goes and is conjunct with it an enlightning, whereby God shewes to a man his owne glorious face, the lustre whereof helpes him further to see the foulnesse Discovery of Gods excellencies.of sinne. God by the same light of the Spirit, whereby he shewes a men the uglinesse of sinne, discovers withal his own excellencies, which makes the sinner thus humbled to seeke his face, to seeke grace, as well as mercy. But other men either see not Gods face at all, or onelyonly see his angry countenance; onelyonly those whom the Lord calleth effectually, see his gracious face. Now hee to whom it is hid and sees it not, seekes not Gods face; for none can seeke it, unlesse they have seene it, and hee who sees it onelyonly as angry, flies from God; but he discovers himselfe to the truly humble, the secrets of the Lord are with such, Psal. 25. and so Ioh. 15. 15. Psalme …5. Iohn 15. 15Ps 5John 15:15I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have call'd you friends, for all things I have heard of my Father, I have made knowne to you. Hee reveales himselfe to those who are already his friends, or to those he is about to make his friends; one of the first things he doth, is to reveale his face to them: With men indeed, men are first made friends, and then secrets are revealed; but contrarily p. 136with God, he reveales his secrets to us and his face, that we may be made friends with him, and then God reveales his secrets to the humble.wee grow into further acquaintance with him, and they are therefore cal'd the secrets of the Lord, because only revealed to the Saints. Servants indeed see what is done in the house, but there are many things which their masters reveale not to them: and so many come here to the house of God, and heare what is spoken of GOD and CHRIST, but yet there are some certaine secrets that are hid from them, that are told only to the children, the sonnes and daughters of God: The other heare as much and see as much, for the outside, as Gods children do, yet the secrets of things are hid from them, and among others, Gods face; and the excellencies thereof are hid from them. This he reveales (as his other secrets) onelyonly to those that feare him, and this revealing it is a speciall worke of the Spirit. If a man would see the Sunne, all the starres in heaven Simile.and torches in the earth could not helpe him to see it or shew it to him, unlesse the Sunne it selfe shines and ariseth, and there come a light from the Sunne it selfe, you cannot come to see it; and so all the Angels of heaven and wits of men on earth, cannot shew you Gods face, unlesse hee opens the clouds and reveales himselfe by his owne Spirit, it will not bee done; which is therefore called the Spirit of Revelation, Ephes. 1. 17. by which God reveales his Ephes. 1. 17.Eph 1:17secrets to his children, when he begins to call them effectually, they see him and none else; wee make knowne the Doctrines about GOD and CHRIST, &c. to all alike, but the Lord makes the difference, p. 137by revealing himselfe to one, and not unto another; that which is said especially of the Iewes, 2 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 3. 15. 16.2 Cor 3:152 Cor 3:1615, 16. verses, and so on, is in like manner applicable to us all. The Lords face shines, as Moses face did, verse 15. and hee gives the knowledge of his glory in 2 Cor. 4. 6.2 Cor 4:6the face of Iesus Christ in the ministery of the word every day; but there is a vaile lies upon all mens hearts, upon all but those whom the Lord calls, and upon theirs also, till hee calleth them, as upon the Iewes hearts, verse 16. Neverthelesse when they shall turne unto the Lord, the vaile shall be taken away: and untill then, Gods face cannot bee seene, as Moses face was not; and who shall take away that vaile? The Spirit of the Lord; where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, vers. 17. and when hee doth free us of that vaile, then we behold the Glory of the Lord as in a glasse with open face, v. 18. that is, we see the amiablenesse of his face, the happinesse of communion with him; and when the light breakes through the cloudes thus, and the Lord gives a glimpse of himselfe, then they see him, and never give over seeking his face, more and more, till they have found him: And because that other sort I spake of, if they see him, they yet see but an angry face onelyonly, and that makes men flie from the Lord; as we see in distresse, and at death many will do any thing rather than goe to God; they tremble at his presence, and no way desire it, as Adam did not, but fled from it: and thus would all doe, if no word were revealed. Therefore the Spirit of revelation, takes away the vaile, and breakes the clouds, that his owne Elect may have a glimpse of his face, and the Spirit of adoption, who is p. 138sent downe into their hearts, shewes God as mercifull, full of kindnesse and love: they see not onelyonly his face, but his face shining in all gracious willingnesse to receive them: hee presenteth him as a loving father ready to admit of them, and graciously to forgive and receive them: They see Gods face, that is, both his excellency, and beautie, and also his love and graciousnesse towards them; and this makes them seeke his presence and reconciliation with him, and never to be at rest without it, as Moses, Lord we will not stirre a foot without thy presence, Exodus 34. 18. A right suitor eare for Exod. 34. 18Exod 34:18nothing, but the love and presence of the person sued to: so they desire nothing, can bee content with nothing, but the presence of God, communion with God, The light of his countenance.

The second thing whereby I expresse what it is to seeke Gods face, is to seeke the Lord alone, as sequestred 2 To seek the Lord alone.from punishments and rewards, in his owne person, as considered in himselfe, in his Attributes, in his holinesse and purity; so as not to seeke the things hee brings with him, but to seeke himselfe, and the things which are in him.

But you will say, this is very hard, to set aside all respects to rewards and punishments.Object.

It is an errour to thinke, that you may not make use of rewards and punishments: for,Answ

First punishments and the threatnings of the 1 Punishments the object of feare.Lord are the true object of feare; and a faculty and an habit may lawfully bee exercised about their proper object; and so rewards are the subject of desire, and so may lawfully bee sought after and desired.

p. 139The Lord himselfe in Scripture, useth these motives, 2of Iudgements on the one side, and of rewards on the other, and therefore wee may make use of them to our owne hearts; for to that end hath God propounded them.

Therefore I will set downe two conclusions to cleare this to you, what use there may be made of rewards and threatnings.

1 Conclusion, the propounding of, and the respect What use may bee made of rewards and threatnings.unto rewards and punishments, is a good beginning to draw us on, to seeke the Lords face: they are a good introduction. A man that hath not as yet seene Gods face, the feare of hell may cause him to reflect on his owne heart and wayes, and to bee sensible of the evill of them: and so the happinesse of heaven may draw him on: but all this while he … They are a beginning to seeke Gods faceis but in beginning. A spouse that is considering with her selfe, whether shee should marry such an husband or no, beginneth to consider at first, what shee shall be without him, and what shee shall have with him; shee considers him perhaps as one that wil pay all her debts, and make her honourable &c. and yet it may be, yet she considers not the man all this while, and yet these considerations are good preparatives to draw her on, to give entertainement to him, but after converse and acquaintance with the person, she likes the person himselfe so wel, that she is content to have him; though she should have nothing with him; and so she gives her full and free consent to him, and the match comes to be made up betweene them out of true and sincere free love and liking: So it is here, men begin at first to consider p. 140their owne misery most, and that if they should apply themselves to other things as remedies, they should bee still to seeke, for there is a vanity in all things; and if to themselves, that they cannot helpe themselves in trouble: therefore they judge they must goe to the mighty GOD, who is able to doe more than all, to rid them out of misery: and they consider, that going to him they shall have heaven besides: and yet all this while they consider not the LORDS person: yet this consideration makes way, that GOD and wee may meete and speake together; it brings our hearts to give way, that the LORD may come to us (that I may so speake, for before we are not to be spoken with) it causeth us to attend to him, to looke upon him, to converse with him, to admit him as a suitor, and to be acquainted with him, and whilst wee are thus conversing with him, GOD reveales himselfe; and then being come to the knowledge of him in himselfe by that his speciall light spoken of afore, we love him for himselfe; then wee are willing to seeke his presence, to seeke him for our husband, though all other things were removed from him. And now the match is made, and not till now; and then wee so looke upon him, that if all those other advantages were taken away, we should yet still love him, and not leave him for all the world, and so as if wee should imagine hee would give us never so much, and yet with-draw his face, wee could not bee at rest. Before, if a man could but be assured, he should not go to hell, and should have creatures and comforts about him; it would bee enough to him; but now it is not so. p. 141Now if Gods countenance bee but clouded, if any breach bee betwixt a man and God, he cannot rest till it bee made up, and he see his face againe.

Yet still after the match is made, there is a second 2 To confirme us after wee are come inuse of punishments and rewards; they are usefull, not onelyonly to bring us in, but to confirme us also in our choyce; they serve both as an introduction, and as an helpe, when we are come in, to confirme us in our choyce: As when a woman is married, shee having this husband, I live in an house, well furnished, and I have many conveniences. I enjoy not onelyonly my husbands person, but with many additions. So it is with us, though the LORD alone be sufficient reward; so as if wee had nothing else, wee would never goe backe of our choice, yet wee having many good things with him, it helpeth us in our love to him, and confirmes us in our choice: These are then good additions, but not good principles and foundations; and encourage us much if added, and put to seeke the LORD for himselfe, as the principall. So then as ciphers added to figures, Simile.they helpe to make the number greater, though if they stand alone, they are nothing; so these; and though they be not good leaders, yet they are good followers: They are as a good wind, that fills the sailes, and sets the Ship forward with the greater speed, when the rudder is once set right, to steere to God alone.

The third thing whereby I explaine what is 3 To seeke God with selfe denyal.meant by seeking GODS face, is to seeke the LORDS presence in opposition to a mans selfe, when a man doth it with deniall of himselfe, not serving his p. 142owne ends in seeking the Lord, but gives up himselfe to the LORD alone. In all things an unregenerate man doth not know the Lord, is not acquainted with him, and therefore will not preferre the Lord to himselfe: but a regenerate man that knowes him reckoneth all things, as life, liberty, riches, &c. but as drosse and dung, so he may enjoy the LORD: hee hath set up the Lord for his God, in his heart, and desires not to stand upon his owne bottome; and therefore when the Lord comes into competition with himselfe, and the matter is betwixt God and his credit, &c. he is willing to deny himselfe.

But here the great objection is, how it is possible for a man, not to seeke his owne happinesse, safety Object.and advantage?

This troubles many, and makes them think their sincerity but hypocrisie, and may put a scruple into the best: I will therefore cleare this for their sakes whose hearts are upright, as also to exclude those whose hearts are not sound.

The answer stands upon these two points.Answ. A man may seeke, and love himselfe

First, it is true that a man may seeke and love himselfe, and desire his owne happinesse, yea and all his actions may take their rise from thence; so as to be moved in seeking the LORD, in doing what he doth with a respect to his own good and safety, and that this is so, take these reasons.

Because GOD hath commanded it, for hee bids us love our neighbour as our selves: where it is taken 1 God commands it.for granted, that we must love our selves, because loving our selves is made the prima mensura, the rule of loving our neighbour. Now to love a p. 143mans selfe, what is it but to seeke a mans owne good?

A man is commanded not to kill himselfe, or to 2 Negative commands imply the affirmative.hurt himselfe, and by the rule of contraries hee is thereby commanded to seeke the preservation of himselfe, and his owne good: For as when we expound the commandement Thou shalt not kill, as suppose thy neighbour, wee say it includes this affirmative command, thou shalt seeke the good of thy neighbour; so when wee expound it of our selves, we are to understand it as not onelyonly forbidding us to destroy our selves, but as commanding to preserve our selves, and to seeke our owne safety.

It is impossible for the creature, not to will its 3 It is agreeable to nature.owne happinesse; the Lord doth not command that which is simply impossible even to pure nature: but it is the nature of every thing that hath an appetite, appetere bonum sibi, to desire that which is good for it selfe.

Selfe-love is a plant of Gods owne planting; 4 God hath planted▪ selfe-love.and therefore not to bee rooted up: God did put it into us all, for it is the nature of every thing to do so, and opus naturae est opus author is naturae.

Many motives which the Scripture useth are taken 5 Motives in Scripture from selfelove.from selfe-love, as that of CHRIST, feare him that can cast both body and soule into hell: And so when it promiseth us a Kingdome. The Scripture deales with men by working upon this principle; and by arguments taken from our selves. This is the eare which the Holy Ghost takes hold of, and leades a man into the wayes of peace by, and wee must not pluck off this eare.

p. 144The second part of the answer is, that yet notwithstanding, wee may and ought to seeke the Lord in opposition to our selves, that is, when God and our selves come into competition, the commandement comes in opposition with our selves; the case being such as if we obey God, wee hurt our selves; then wee must preferre God and his commandements to our selves.

But you will aske, how can this stand with the former; that a man should make his owne good the Quest.rise of his actions, and yet in his actions oppose himselfe?

When once a man is perswaded, that even to destroy himselfe is the best way to provide for himselfe, Answ. When a man must seeke God with opposition to himselfe.and that to let himselfe goe, and his credit and life, and give up all to God, is that whereby he shall put himselfe into a better condition; when a man is perswaded of this, then you see both doe stand together. And wee never doe exhort a man to seeke God in opposition to himselfe, but when it is best for him so to doe, not to give himselfe up to any thing that shall bee an immediate hurt to him; but when It is best for him.otherwise it would be worse for him, and when letting himselfe goe is the next way to happinesse; and then a man may bee exhorted to it, when hee shall bee perswaded that his good is contained in God more than in himselfe; as we say the being of an accident is more in the subject than it selfe; so as take away the subject, and the very separation is a destruction to it: So it is with the creature which hath no bottome of it selfe, so as the separation of it from God is the destruction of it, as on the contrary p. 145the keeping of it close unto God, though in a case that seemes to bee the ruine of it, is its happinesse and perfection. As for example, when Abraham should have destroyed his sonne by offering him up, he thought he should not lose by it, nor Isaac neither: he thought with himselfe, God hath commanded me to do it, and I never yet lost by keeping any commandement he gave mee; God is able to raise him up againe. I never yet was a loser by him, and on the contrary I shall be sure to be a loser, and my sonne also if I doe it not. It is indeed impossible, that if a man should simply be a loser, that hee should doe thus; but when he considers that though hee bee destroyed at present, yet hee believes it will be for his good; and so it will bee indeed: As take a beame of the Sunne, the way to Simile.preserve it, is not to keepe it by it selfe, the being of it depends upon the Sunne; take the Sun away, and it perisheth for ever: but yet though it should come to be obseured, and so cut off for a while, yet because the Sun remaines still, therefore when the Sun shines forth againe, it will be renewed againe. Such a thing is the creature being compared with God. If you would preserve the creature in it selfe, it is impossible for it to stand: like a glasse without a bottome, it must fall and breake. When therefore this is considered by a man, then he will say, I will be content to deny my selfe, and seeke the LORD, when my selfe comes into competition with any commandement of his. And let not this seeme strange to you, that the best way to make a mans selfe happy, is to resigne up himselfe to the p. 146utmost to glorify God. You see in common experience that take a Corne that is fallen into the ground: if it continue whole, it perisheth; but if it die, it brings forth an hundred fold. 1 Cor. 15. 36. That which thou sowest, says the Apostle, is not quickened, 1 Cor. 15. 361 Cor 15:36except it dye. The Apostle there speakes it of the resurrection: but we may truly apply it to the resurrection Simile.of a sinner here; that except a man die, that is, be willing to let all hee hath goe, and to expose himselfe to what the Lord shall put upon him, that he perisheth indeed; but if he die, then he is quickned, he shall be a gainer by it; even in this life he shall have an hundred fold. And when this is considered of throughly by a man, he will easily seeke Gods face with neglect of himselfe. And that thus when ever a man suffers any thing for a good conscience in obedience to God, it is the best way to provide for himself; that this I say, is not a mere notion, may appeare by comparing those places together; the first where it is said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe, and thou shalt love God above all, even above thy selfe; and with it also that other, Deut. 10. 13, 14. Thou shalt keepe the Commandements of the Lord, which I command thee for thy good. Deut. 10. 13. 14.Deut 10:13Deut 10:14Now put both together: this is Gods commandement, to love God above thy selfe; and all the Commandements are given for thy wealth, for thy good, therefore this amongst the rest. And therefore denying our selves, when God and our selves come in to competition, is the best way to provide for our selves: therefore set it downe for a conclusion, that to have God alone, and to seeke his face p. 147thus, is your happinesse. The end of every thing is the perfection of it; now God is the end of the creature, and therefore to get him, is to get thy perfection and happinesse. Againe, we have all from him, as the branch hath all from the root; and therefore as the way for the branch to keepe life in it selfe, is to keepe close to the root; and when it is broken off it dies, so we so long as we cleave to and seeke the Lord, we are preserved. And this was the ground which all the Saints went upon in their sufferings, both of persecution and death; and this was the case of Moses and Paul, when the one wished himselfe rased out of the booke of life, and Paul to be accursed from CHRIST; that is, saith Saint Paul, if this be for Gods glory, and the good of his Church; let me perish. In which though they seemed to imply their immediate destructon, yet they knew what was ultimately best for themselves.

And this is all the difference betweene a carnall Difference in men in loving them selves.man, and one to whom God hath revealed himselfe; they both agree in this, they both love themselves, and seeke their owne happinesse; but they differ in this, that they seeke it in a different way; the one in the LORD, but a carnall man seekes it in himselfe and the creatures: A godly man is so perswaded of God, that he seekes him, and cares not what hee loseth to gaine him; but another man, when hee is told of an invisible God, hee will not trust to things unseene; the things hee sees he will rest upon, and so seekes for an happinesse within his owne compasse; and therefore when himselfe p. 148comes in competition with the Lord, he lets the Lord goe.

But then another question comes to be answered, Quest.how these two should likewise stand together; to seeke the preservation of a mans selfe, and yet to expose himselfe to destruction, as Moses and Saint Paul did.

For answer, you must know, that in every regenerate Answ. Two selves in the regenerate.man there are two selves.

That common nature, that is in every man (in which the principle is rooted, to love a mans selfe) hath two binsses; the one Spirit which leades to God, the other flesh: and these two in this common nature makes two severall selves. By the first a man is carried to seeke the Lord, by the other to seeke 1 Flesh.himselfe immediately and in the first place; and these two are reckoned two severall selves in Scripture, and so expressed to us: first, flesh and corruption is called a mans selfe, 2 Cor. 4. 5. we preach not our selves, but Christ, that is, for our owne glory, which he calls himselfe, because men use to reckon 2 Cor. 4. 5.2 Cor 4:5it as themselves. So 2 Cor. 12. 2, 5. I knew a man in Christ, &c. caught up into the third heavens; of 2 Cor. 12. 2, 5.2 Cor 12:22 Cor 12:5such an one I will glory, but of my selfe I will not glory; by selfe, hee meanes either the corruption which was in him, but there was something else in him, which he reckons as another man from this selfe, a man in Christ, of such a man I will rejoyce, that is, of my regenerate part, which is a New Creature in Christ, but not of my selfe, that is, my flesh and corruptions I will not rejoyce, or of the regenerate selfe neither, as of it selfe, but as it is in Christ, p. 149which is another expression, and this corruption is called a mans selfe, because it is spread over the whole man, as the forme through the whole matter, and a man will not part with it, but fights against every thing, fights against it as if it were himselfe.

And secondly, that the other regenerate part is 2 The regenerate part.called a mans selfe, which a godly man reckons so rather then the other, we have an expresse place for it, Rom. 7. It is not I, but sinne that dwells in mee, Rom. 7.Rom 7that is, not the regenerate part which I account my selfe, but sinne which I account but an inmate; dwelling within my roofe; which yet is called a mans selfe, for the like reason aforesaid, because spread over the whole man; and now it is easie to conceive, how the preservation of himselfe may stand, with exposing himselfe to destruction, and how a man may seeke the Lord in opposition to himselfe.

In that which the flesh desires, a man is bound How a man may seeke God and himselfe.not to seeke himselfe, that is, not that selfe, but yet he may seeke the good of his other selfe, and seeke the Lord too, for Gods will and it are unisons, and he may be said to seeke Gods face alone, though he seekes the desire of that selfe: for there is no difference, no opposition betweene them; and likewise that regenerate selfe may seeke him in opposition to that other selfe, that is, what it desires, when it desires amisse (for all those desires which are amisse are from that fleshly selfe) and so we must not desire what ourselves would desire, but destroy it, and the desires of it, and seeke the Lord in opposition p. 150to it, which tends to the preservation of our regenerate selfe, and proves so in the end.

So then to seeke Gods face containes these three things in it.

First, to have his face revealed to you, and to see him as a father.1

To seeke him as sequestred from punishments and rewards.2

To seeke him alone in opposition to your selves.3

And that all this ought to be done, we will give you one reason, and so come to the uses.

And that reason is drawne from the holinesse of the Lord, Esay 6. 3. One Angell cryed to another, Reas. From Gods holinesse. Esay 6. 3.Isa 6:3holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory: this foreign was the proclamation of Angels, and that upon this occasion. The Lord sends Esay the Prophet to pronounce a Iudgement to his people, and that a great one, the rejection of the Iewes, and at the same time the Angels are sent to proclame Gods holinesse: now holinesse is the appropriation of a thing to the Lords Holinesse what.use, and a sequestration of it from common use: and so the holinesse of God himselfe (which is the rule of all other holinesse) is an appropriation of his actions to himselfe, as his end: he is then said to be holy, when he doth things for himselfe, therefore being about to doe so great a worke peculiarly for himselfe and his glory, as when he would destroy his owne people, and destroy Kingdomes for his owne best advantage and ends, the glory of himselfe, then he lets them know this as the only reason, p. 151because he is holy; for if he should not respect himselfe, he should not be holy. So Rom. 11. 33. Rom. 11. 33Rom 11:33to the end. The Apostle having spoken of this rejection here prophecied, concludes with this; His Iudgements are unsearchable, and his wayes past finding out, &c. of him, and to him, and through him are all things, and to him bee glory for ever. As if he should have said, God hath done all this, but I know not the reason of it, nor any one else; onelyonly God is for himselfe, for he being of no cause but himselfe, therefore he may doe all for himselfe: if he were of another, he might doe all for another, yea else he were not holy. Now if this be Gods holinesse, then the holinesse of man, is to do all for God; which he is therefore to doe, because he is of another cause above himselfe, and therefore is to When a man is holyseeke another end above himselfe, namely, the Lord; and then he is said to be holy, when he hath no eye to himselfe, but to God, when in his recreations, the use of riches, &c. and in his whole course he hath his eye and ayme at God, and not himselfe.

The nature of holinesse is expressed in two Nature of holinesse in two things.things: First, in purenesse: Secondly, sequestration to God, so that holinesse, purity, and chastity are much alike as it were, as there is also much affinity 1. Purity.between the Greeke words foreign and foreign: Chastity in a Wife stands in keeping close to her husband; and being sequestred from all other; and Gods holinesse consists, first in the purenesse of his nature, and secondly in a sequestration of all things to himselfe: 2. Sequestration.Now our holinesse is not so, but wee being p. 152of another cause, wee must doe all for another end; our holinesse stands therefore in giving up our selves to the Lord: therefore sayes Esay, Sanctifie the Lord, and make him your dread; as if he had said, if you make any thing else your dread, you doe not sanctifie the Lord. What he says of feare, is true of all our affections, and actions: holinesse dedicates all unto the Lord: and some actions are holy for Actions holy in severall respectsthe substance of them, as Prayer, keeping the Lords day, &c. and all such immediate duties of his worship, some by putting a right end upon them; and so all actions may be holy of what kind soever, as recreations, which are common actions, and eating and drinking, all which when done to the Lord, doe become holy. It is the nature of morall actions to take their specification from their circumstances, especially their end, more then from the substance it selfe: and so all such common actions may bee holy to the LORD, and so that place of Saint Peter is to be understood, bee holy in manner of conversation, 1 Pet. 1. in all the turnings of your lives, even in common actions, this being the 1 Pet. 1.1 Pet 1nature of holinesse in the generall, both as in God and in our actions.

There is a double holinesse required in every Double holinesse required in man. 1 Giving himselfe to God. 2 Cor. 8. 5.2 Cor 8:5man.

A giving up a mans selfe to the Lord, as 2 Cor. 8. 5. They first (it is said) gave themselves up to the Lord. To give a mans selfe up as a Sacrifice to the Lord, that is, the holinesse of a man, and when any thing is sacrificed, it is given up to the use of that Lord, to whom it is sacrificed.

p. 153The second is a giving up all things with himselfe, 2 giving all things with himselfe.his understanding, will, thoughts, affections, life, liberty, credit, goods, all his power, might, whereby he is able to doe any thing, to resigne all these to the Lord, and by this hee sanctifies the Lord; and this is the holinesse of a man, to doe all for the Lord onelyonly. So that the reason is cleare; let a man doe what he will, keepe the Sabbath, pray, &c. If there be not this holinesse in his heart, all his labour is lost, as you all grant; for without holinesse no man shall see God. Now it is not holy, except it be given up to the Lord alone, excluding himselfe and the creature.

Is all our labour lost, except we seeke Gods face, Vse To examine if wee seeke Gods face.though otherwise a man goe never so farre? then there is great reason, to examine our selves, whether we seeke the Lord for himselfe or no; for otherwise, all your labour is lost, for then you doe not set up God for your God in your hearts, but something 1 Else wee seeke something else.else, namely, that which you seeke besides him; as in marriage we say, when a man marries a woman, not out of love to her person, but for riches; that hee marries not the woman, but her wealth, so it is here.

And then secondly, you will never hold out 2 Fall away.in seeking the Lord; and if you doe not hold out, then all your labour will be lost, Ezek. 18. though Ezek. 18.Ezek 18a man hath beene righteous all his dayes; yet if he fall from God, all his righteousnesse shall be forgotten: and such a man as seekes not the Lord for himselfe, will fall away, as appeares by that, Hos. 7. 16. They returne, but not to the most High: they p. 154Hos. 7. 16.Hos 7:16are like a deceitfull bowe; that is, when a man turnes to the LORD, but not for himselfe, he will returne againe, and start aside like a broken bowe; for if hee attaine those ends for which he sought the Lord, his seeking is at an end. See this in Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25. he went farre in obedience, but 2 Chron. 252 Chr 25yet he did not seeke the Lord in it, he was content to lose an hundred talents, and to send backe the Israelites he had hired therewith (which was such a triall as even a good man might have failed in it) yet he did not seeke the Lord in this, he was perswaded, that if he had taken the Israelites along with him, he should have lost the battell, which was his chiefest end in that action; he beleeved the Prophet so farre, and so sought his safety alone, and because he sought not the Lord, therefore he held not out; but when he was put to other tryalls, to new temptations, and saw another worship, it pleased him, and he left the Lord; and started aside like a broken bowe: as a bowe that is rotten (though otherwise faire) when an arrow is drawne to the head; and so many brought up in good families, when they come into new company, and tryalls, they fall away because they sought not the Lord himselfe.

If you doe not seeke the Lord for himselfe, you doe not love him, and then all your labour is lost: 3 Love him not.for all the promises are made to those that love God, Cant. 1. the two first verses, Because of the savour Cant. 1. 2.Song 1:2of thy oyntments; thy name is as oyntment powred forth, therefore doe the Virgins love thee, that is, take those which doe much for the Lord, as much p. 155as another doth, though such a man doth carry the faire semblance of a Spouse, yet all this he doth comes from the affection of an harlot. The Virgins, they love thee. The Virgins love his person, love him for his names sake, the personall beauty that is in him, and for the sweetnesse of his love, verse 5. Cant. 1. 5.Song 1:5Thy love is better then wine.

This poynt well understood will come in among you as a messenger from the King of Kings, to all you of the bedchamber of the Bridegroome, making this inquiry, do you love him? are you harlots or Virgins? and will make every one to consider, to what end have I done all, have I knowne the Lord, and been acquainted with him? have I sought Gods face in all that I have done?

But men will be ready to say, we doe seeke the How to know when we seek the Lords face.Lords face. Therefore I will give you rules to distinguish, and to helpe men to discerne whether they seeke the Lord or no.

Consider what opinion thou hast of thy selfe Rule 1.Every man that is regenerate, at his regeneration changeth his opinion of himselfe, as Saint Paul, By our opinion of our selves. Rom. 7.Rom 7Rom. 7. It is no longer I, but sinne. Before he was Regenerate, sin was himselfe; but now there was a new Lord come into the house, that renewed-selfe, the Regenerate part; and that which before was wholly himselfe, he now speakes of as one crept in, as of an Inmate, that should not be there. Now if thou reckonest the Regenerate part thy selfe, then thou hast sought the Lords presence: for that part is thereby strengthened. The perfection of this selfe stands in conjunction with the Lord, and so p. 156seekes him; if not, but thou accountest flesh in thee thy selfe, it is impossible thou shouldest seeke God aright, for God and it are contraries: A regenerate man sayes, let me have God, and what ever I lose, whether life, liberty, yet my selfe is safe; he considers still chiefly, whether doth this tend to the safety of my selfe or no? and though he is content, and would have the outward man doe well too; as if I have a faire house to dwell in, I would have it Simile.safe; yet if it be set on fire, it is no great matter, so long as my selfe is kept safe. Take a man who hath cloathes on, if he can keep his cloathes whole, it is well; but if they be rent, he cares not, so his bo dy be safe; so where the regenerate part is The selfe, if the outward man can be kept safe, it is well, he had rather have it so; but however, so the regenerate part be safe, he cares not much; for he accounts it but as the renting of his cloathes: but take another man, that as yet is no other then he was borne at first, into whom no new man is come to dwell, he thinkes thus with himselfe, sure I must not destroy my selfe; I would keepe a good conscience, but not so as to destroy my selfe; and it is impossible, that what a man reckons himselfe, he should suffer to be destroyed: therefore when discredit, imprisonment, &c. comes, all these are reckoned wounds given to himselfe, he lets God goe to defend and save himselfe harmelesse. All this difference comes from the difference of opinion, that a man hath of what is himselfe.Quest. How know to opinion of our selves.

But how shall I know what opinion I have of my selfe?

p. 157Consider wherein thou desirest to excell, all Answ. 1. By that wee desire to excell in.things desire to have that excellency, which is proper to themselves; every creature desires to build up it selfe. If therefore thou desirest to excell in things that belong to the outward man, to build up thy selfe in learning, credit and wealth, and outward conveniencies, then thy outward man and flesh is thy selfe: but if thou seekest an inward excellency, not caring for mans day, but seeking to have the praise of God, the comfort of a good conscience, and assurance of salvation; then it is a signe thou reckonest the inward man thy selfe.

Consider where thou layest up thy treasure: 2 Where wee lay up our treasure.doest thou lay it up in the regenerate part, and endeavourest to make that richer, and every day carriest something into that chest? then thou countest that thy selfe: for where the treasure is, there the heart is also. When a man shall be thus affected, that though he hath troubles abroad in the world, and decayes in estate, as in health, yet so long as he findeth his regenerate part safe, and thriving, and standing in good tearmes with God, he applaudes himselfe. As a man when his house is broke open, he Simile.presently runs to his chest, where his chiefe treasure lyes, and if that be safe, he thinkes all is well: but if thou laiest up thy treasure in the outward man, an heape of outward things; so as when these things are gone, thou reckonest thy selfe undone: it is certaine, thou makest that thy selfe. This was the case of Haman, Nabal and Achitophel, &c. and of all carnall men, whose hearts must needes sinke, when outward things leave them, or if they be p. 158put into the feare of the losse of their lives and goods: but another man is like to grapes which have wine in them put into the wine presse; what though the skin and huske perish? yet the wine is saved. So it is with the Saints in persecution; their inward man is still saved, they lose but their husks: but when a man hath nothing in him but flesh and an outward man, then when these perish, all he hath is lost, and himselfe with them. It is good therefore to try your selves what opinion you have of your selves before ill times come, that you may see whether you have that in you which will not then perish, but be kept safe and sustaine you; and thereby also you shall know whether you seeke the Lords face or no.

Second rule is, consider, what it is you make your utmost end; we are now upon a poynt that Rule 2. What wee make our utmost end.admits of very narrow differences, for as we have said, a man may performe many duties, go therein as farre as another, and yet lose all his labour, and all because he seekes not the Lords presence. And the tryall of that lyeth especially upon this, what you make your utmost end? for though the actions be good, yet if the end be your selves, or Gods glory be made by you, but as a bridge, all is lost. Now that you may not mistake here, you must Double end.know, there is a double end; the one of the worke, the other of the workeman: now the end of the worke it selfe, may be good, even in hypocrites: the action being in it selfe a holy action ordinabile in se, and tending to Gods service; when yet the end of the workeman is not the Lord, but himselfe, this difference p. 159runnes along through all actions. Two men that go together in the same way, may have a different journeys end, Zach. 7. he speaking both of Zach 7.Zech 7the Feasts and Fasts of the Iewes (two as holy duties as any other) verse 5, 6, 7. sayes, but did yee 5, 6, 7.them at all to mee (sayes God) but to returne out of Captivity? So Hos. 10. 1. there was much fruit Hos. 10. 1.Hos 10:1found in Israel, yet because they brought it sorth to themselves, not to the Lord, therefore Israel is called an empty Vine. A carnall man and a regenerate man differ mainely, in this; that a carnall man, when hee is to doe any thing, askes what good will this bring to me? what profit, what credit shall I have by doing it? if none, he layes it a side: but a godly man (so farre as he is godly) asketh this question, whether it is commanded by God? is it for his glory and advantage? When therefore thou commest to preach the Gospell or studiest, consider thine end, whether for God or no? consider also what thy end is in thy trade, or any civil action, and judge by that.

But is a man bound to seeke God in every thing? Quest.may he have no respect to himselfe?

The end must still bee better then that which Answ. God must be looked to as t… end.tends to it: and that therefore which is the chiefest good must bee the chiefest end; and unlesse thou makest God better then all things else, thou doest not make him thy end, nor thy God. Againe the end commands all, is most perfect, and comprehends all the rest, and that also is proper to the Lord alone, this cannot be said of any man or creature, and therefore God alone is to be made thy end.

p. 160But may not a man make his owne happinesse his end, and doe what hee doth for his owne perfection?Quest.

A man may and alwaies doth so, and that upon Answ. How a man may make his owne happinesse his end.necessity, as hath beene sayd; only this, there is a double end; the one is the thing it selfe which a man makes his end, the other is the benefit or fruit commeth by the attaining it. So that happinesse is that sweetnesse, that followes all ends, even as the shadow doth the body; so then the question is, what that thing is, which thou seekest this happinesse from, for that is it which is thy maine end; whether doest thou thinke thou canst make thy selfe happy by those riches and pleasures which for thy selfe thou aymest at? or doest thou looke for all thy happinesse from the Lord alone? That which a man lookes for his happinesse from, that a man makes his chiefest end; if from God, then a man makes God his utmost end, so as his owne happinesse is but the fruit that ariseth out and accompanies his seeking him.

But may not a man provide for himselfe?Quest. Answ. How a man may provide for himselfe.

True, but thus; whereas all that a mans minde is to be taken up about, is either worke or wages; if it be worke, thou must do it to God alone whose servant thou art; if it be matter of wages (as are the things belonging to thy name, estate) these in like manner thou art to looke for from God alone. All a mans imployment is taken up either in doing all for God, or receiving all from God: and if any man were a perfect servant to another man, he then oúght to have an ey only to his Master in matter p. 161of worke and to no other, and also to take what wages his master will allow him for that worke, and no other; he ought to resolve all into his master: But no creature is a perfect servant unto another creature; but wee are so to God, and therefore wee ought both to doe all the worke wee doe for God, and also for matter of wages, to take all from him, and to depend upon his providence, so that this provision for a man is but to cast a mans self upon the Lord. It being not our work to provide for our selves, but the Lords, let us do al for him, and it belongs to him to give us wages, and he wil do it.

But may not a man in his actions have an eye to Quest.God, and himselfe also?

For answer to this, looke to that place Mat. 6. Answ. Mat. 6. 22, 23.Matt 6:22Matt 6:2322. 23. The light of the body is the eye; if therefore the eye bee single, the whole body shall be full of light. It is a single eye, which lookes on a single subject, upon one object onelyonly; and therefore then a man is said to have a single eye, when he lookes upon the Lord alone, when nothing else is made his God; hee lookes not on riches, nor nothing else as his God: and then all the body is light, that is, all the conversation is good, and hee sees whither hee goes; but if the eye be evill, that is, by the rule of opposition, if it bee double; (for that is a rule of interpreting Scripture to open the meaning of phrases by what is opposed to them,) A double eye is a wicked eye, that is, if it bee partly set upon GOD, partly on a mans selfe, it is wicked. And so Saint Iames hath it, hee calls such an one a double minded man, who is unstable in all his wayes. When a man hath partly p. 162an eye to the world and himselfe, partly to GOD, hee is as one distracted betweene two wayes; hee knowes not which to take, he is unstable like a drunken man that staggers in all he doth, being now on one side, now for GOD: and now on another side, for himselfe: and so his whole body is darke, that is, his whole conversation is wicked, as being out of his way; hee sees not a right path to walke in, hee hath not a right scope whither he should tend, hee is not able to see a right object, but goes hither and thither from one thing to another, is unstable in all his wayes.

But you will say, the holiest man that is hath Object.some eye to himselfe in his actions.

It is one thing, when a man hath chosen the Answ.LORD as his end, and that way that leades to him though hee wavers in it, and misseth somewhat of Whence it is that good men have an eye to themselves.the evennesse of his wayes, and hath falls in it; and another thing, to be distracted betweene two ways, sometimes choosing one way, sometimes another, as a carnall man doth. One that is resolved to goe in this way though with much unevennesse, may fal and have many mistakes in the way, hee may have too many lookings to himselfe, but yet hee hath chosen the LORD and followes him, and this is the difference betweene him and the other who hath two wayes and is distracted betweene them.

But now the maine question is, how shall wee Quest. How to know wee make the Lord our utmost end. Answ. Rule 1.know whether we make the Lord our utmost end or no?

There are these rules may help you in it.

The utmost end gives rules to a mans whole life; p. 163all other ends doe it but in particular actions, and but at such and such a time, because they are but It rules all the life.particular ends: but the utmost end doth command all in a man, all his wayes and actions; therefore then thou makest the Lord thy utmost end, when in all thy actions whether publike or private, thou lookest to the LORD: and in whatsoever a man doth, in all those respects and relations hee stands in, whether hee bee a Magistrate or a private man, whether they bee businesses or recreations, if GOD bee a mans end, his eye will still be upon the LORD in all: Now he that doth not make GOD thus his utmost end, may find that he hath some secret bywayes of his owne, some secret motions differing and contrary to God, wherein he goes, (as the planets that have a motion of their owne) though it is not open to the world, unknown perhaps to himselfe, or not knowne at all times: but the utmost end commands all, and leaves nothing out, but the least action is subject to it.

The utmost end limits all the meanes, and sets Rule 2. It limits the meanes.them their bounds, but is not bounded it selfe by any: finis praescribit media, sed ipsi fini non praescribitur. It sayes, thus farre you shall goe, and no further; but there are no limits set to the end it selfe: As the master-builder appoints every man his worke; and they goe so farre as he appoints them, and no further; Simile.as if health be a mans end, it sets limits to all the meanes he useth, to meat, and drink, and physicke: Looke what conduceth to that end, he takes so much, and no more. But there are no limits set to health it selfe, hee can never have too much of p. 164health. So then consider what it is gives bounds to thy course, that thou sayest, when thou art come to such a pitch, thus farre will I goe, and no further: hee that maketh himselfe his end, will bee sure to have an holinesse of such limits as shall not lose him his great friends nor his estate; he will goe so farre till it come to hurt himselfe; himselfe being his end. Therefore hee limits his holinesse, hee stayes in such a pitch or gives over, but if God be his end, he thinkes he can never have enough of God and of holinesse, and though his actions of holines and forwardnesse therein over-runne his credit, overthrow his estate, yet hee cares not, for it is not his end to preserve himself, or that which belongs to himself.

Thou shalt know thy utmost end, by a secret Rule 3. By a secret sence accompanying our actions.sence which accompanies every action thou doest; if thou narrowly lookest to it, for that is the difference betweene man and other creatures; that a man can looke backe to his owne actions, so that if thou wouldest aske thy heart, what is thy scope and purpose in this or that action? there is a secret sence accompanies the action, in thy heart, that would discover it. Consider therefore in any busines thou doest, why thou doest it? why thou undertakest it? why thou art at so much paines and cost in it? Aske thy heart, is it for the Lord, or for thy selfe? if that will not discover it to thee, looke to the circumstances, to the manner of doing it, as why doe I preach in such a manner, and pray in such a manner? why do I do it thus and thus, and not in a better manner?

If this will not doe it, looke to thy affections: p. 165Rule 4. By the affections.consider how thou art affected or troubled about it; when the action is done; suppose it bee a businesse that both for the matter and manner was for the Lord: but when it is done, what is it thou art grieved at? is it that thou hast got some discredit to thy selfe in the performance of it? or that God hath had no more glory by it? are thy affections troubled, that thou hast offended God in it, that something is gone from God in it, or rather that something is gone from thy self? thus by examining how thy affections are occupied about the thing when done, thou may est discerne thy utmost end.

5 Is taken out of 2 Phil. 21. I have no man like Rule 5. Phil. 2. 21. Whether we seek the things of Christ naturally.Phil 2:21minded, for all seeke their owne, and not the things of Iesus Christ; that doth naturally take care for you. Consider whether thou seekest thine owne things, or the things of IESUS CHRIST? and that whether naturally, as the word is there &c. foreign, that is, as his owne businesse, to seeke a mans owne, and to doe a thing naturally is made there in that place all one. Consider whether thou seekest the things of Christ as naturally as thine owne, and whether that be done or no, thou wilt find by these three things.

First a man will goe about what hee doth willingly, 1 Willingly.when a man hath a businesse of his owne to do, he doth it willingly, and beates his head about it, and is exceeding solicitous, but when the businesse is another mans, he goes about it, it may bee, because hee sees it must bee done, and there is reason for it, but still he doth his owne in another manner; and thus willingly do the Saints doe the Lords businesse, see it in Saint Paul, Rom. 15. 20. Yea so have I p. 166Rom. 15. 20.Rom 15:20strived to preach the Gospel, &c. the word in the original is foreign, I was ambitious to preach the Gospell: Looke what desires an ambitious man hath (and there are no desires so quick as those of ambition, such a man over-lookes all for his preferment) such desires had I to the preaching of the Gospell: The like affection hee expresseth in himselfe, 2 Cor. 11. 28. Besides the things without, that which commeth on me daily, the care of all the Churches; 2 Cor. 11. 282 Cor 11:28who is offended, and I burne not?

There are three expressions shew his willingnesse and naturall affecting of the Lords businesse: First [foreign the cumber] that is, hee had (as it were) all care numbred and mustered together, and that Secondly with anxietie foreign, with the same solicitude that a man hath about businesse of his owne. Thirdly sayes he, who is offended, and I burne not? his affections were so hot and quick, as presently if any soule were disadvantaged, if CHRIST lost any thing, hee was presently stirred and affected with griefe.

Doest thou doe it diligently? when any thing is 2 with'all our might.to bee done for the Lord Iesus, doest thou doe it with all thy might? if remisly, thou art farre from seeking the Lord: What ever a man doth for himselfe, so farre as he conceives it to be for himselfe, he will doe it diligently and with all his might, and wee are commanded to love the Lord with all our might, and there is a curse upon the contrary, Cursed is he that doth the worke of the LORD negligently: the meaning is not, cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord weakly, and with infirmities; for then p. 167all the Saints should bee accursed, but that is done To do Gods work negligently, whatnegligently which is done hypocritically, and for other ends; for they are the causes of that negligence; to this the curse belongs, and that justly: this cold, remisse, formall, customary performance of duties, as when we receive the Sacrament or are exercised in any other dutie, or in any cause that concernes the LORD, to goe about it coldly, is a signe we doe it not for the Lord.

Consider whether thou doest them faithfully? 3 Faithfullyfor so a man useth to doe his owne businesse, for no man is unfaithfull to himselfe; to another hee may performe but eye service, but not for himselfe: now so to do a thing is not to rest in the thing done, but his care will be, that it may be done effectually, so as to see the fruit and effect of it.

And if you aske how you shall discerne you doe Quest.any thing faithfully?

That is discerned by this.Answ. 1 To doe it our selves.

When a good action is to bee done, thou carest not so much that it be done, but thy selfe would be the doer of it, for thy credit, &c. as Diotrephes, he was a froward man, but himselfe would doe all; but wouldest thou doe it, though the fame thereof were not knowne? dost thou desire to have it done, though another man doe it? and thinkest, it is no matter by whose hand the worke goes forward, so that it goes forward.

Againe, secondly what doest thou, when there 2 To doe it when our creditis separated.is a separation made, a partition betwixt the businesse of the Lord, and thine owne credit? art thou yet then as carefull? when two goe together, it is p. 168not knowne who is the master of the servant of one of them that followes them both, till they part, so when thy credit and Gods glory goe together, it is not knowne for which of them thou doest it; but there are times when our owne and the Lords businesse will be separated, and then consider what thou doest, is it so, that because thou art not the first in a businesse, thou wilt doe nothing at all? or if thou shalt not bee seene in it; it is a signe thou doest it for thy selfe, and not for the Lord: when two men are to carry a beame into a house, if both strive to goe Simile.in first, they carry it in a crosse; whereas if they would bee content to come one after the other, it would go right in; so often great workes both for Church and State, might bee done that are thus hindred, or are carried crosse, because men are not willing that others should go before him.

Consider therefore these things seriously, and bring them home to your hearts; for to what end doe we preach? that you might know these things onelyonly, (that makes onelyonly for your further condem nation, and you had better never to have knowne them) but wee preach them, that you might lay them to heart: take therefore some thing to consider these things, and if you have found your selves failing in this, be not yet discouraged, but labour to make your hearts perfect for time to come, thus to seeke the Lord alone.

To exhort to which (which is the next use I Vse 2. Why wee should seek the Lord not our selves.make of it) and to quicken you to this, consider what great reason there is thou shouldest seeke the Lord Iesus, and not thy selfe. Consider what ties p. 169and bonds are upon thee towards him: the bargain between him and thee past.

I will aske you first whose servant art thou? and 1 we are his servants.should not the servant seek the profit of his master? if a man sees a company of sheep, and he askes whose sheep are these? sayes another to him, such a mans; for he hath bought and paid for them; and hath not Christ bought thee? and besides this his first buying of thee, who gives thee thy wages, and provides for thee, meat, drinke, and cloathing? and is there not reason thou shouldest serve him alone? Then, if thou beest perfectly a servant (as thou art) thou doest wrong to the LORD, if thou doest not serve him.

Againe secondly, I aske thee who is thy husband? 2 His spouseIs not the Lord Iesus? and if thou beest his wife, oughtest thou not to seek his things? one that is unmaried is yet her own; but when she is maried, she is her husbands. When there was no King in Israel, every man did what was good in his owne eyes: and if thou had'st no husband, no King, so mightest thou; but thou art not tui juris, the covenant is past already, thou art not now to choose; if thou sayest no, consider that when thou wert baptized, it was into the Name of the Lord, and that by way of a vow, The nature of a vow.which is an invocation with a curse, that is the nature of a vow: If thou sayest yea, but I was young: then, I but since thou commest to yeares of discretion, thou hast not disclamed it, but confirmed it in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, receiving it often, and therefore thou canst not recall it; therefore that first covenant then made, it stands good, p. 170as marriages made under age, if when the parties are come to yeares, they did not disclame them they hold, and he being thy husband. Consider that as adultery is worse than fornication, the one being punisht among the Iewes with death, the other but with a pecuniary mulct; so the sins which thou committest in going after other lovers is worse then if a heathen man had committed the same: he that was circumcised, Saint Paul sayes, was bound to keepe the whole Law; and so hee that is baptized, and hath received the Lords Supper, is bound to give up himselfe to the Lord, as the Lord Christ to him and all things in him; and so the Saints of 2 Cor. 8. 5.2 Cor 8:5Macedonia did, 2 Cor. 8. 5. They gave themselves up first to the Lord.3 The Lo…d deserves it.

And if thou wert not thus bound, yet hee hath deserved it at thy hands; and both these wee find 2 Cor. 1. 12. 132 Cor 1:122 Cor 1:13urged by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1. 12. 13. was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized into the name of Paul? these were men among the Corinthians that did not seeke Christ alone in their professing of Christ, for one was for Paul, and another for Apollos, another for Cephas: (but sayes the Apostle) is Christ divided? if Christ indeed had been divided amongst these three, they might have sought them; but Christ stands alone against them all; and therfore they were to seeke Christ alone; and he brings these two arguments for it:

Because they were baptized into the Name of 1 Wee are baptized in to his name.Christ, and not of Paul or any other: and secondly, was Paul crucified for you? that is, was not Christ crucified?

p. 171And secondly, how much is there in that Word 2 Hee was crucified for us.[Crucified for you?] we are not able to search into the height, and bredth, and depth of this your engagement unto Christ. His bodily paine was the least thing in his sufferings: that of his soule was the soule of his sufferings: My soule is heavie unto death, sayes hee, when the pressure of his sufferings made him sweate drops of bloud in a cold night; and yet these were but the beginnings of his sorrowes which fell on him upon the crosse, when hee cryed out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee? 4 The equity of it.Consider further the equity of it; for did not he the same for thee, which he requires of thee? for did not hee empty himselfe of that eternall glory and happinesse, which he enjoyed with his Father and might have then enjoyed? did not hee make him selfe poore to make thee rich? and what is it hee calls thee to deny thy selfe in? to forsake a friend or two? and to some disadvantage in thy wealth? whereas he emptied himself of all his great glory. Is hee not upon equall termes with thee, nay most unequall on his part? if hee calls thee to beare the crosse for him, did not hee beare a greater crosse for thee? Therefore sayes Christ, Hee that forsakes not father and mother for mee, is not worthy of mee, and not fit to come into the number of my Disciples.

Lastly, besides all this consider; it is best for thy selfe; which is the argument moveth men above all 5 It is best for us.other: for if thou doe it not, thou shalt be damned for it; and if thou wilt, thou shalt provide for thy selfe abundantly; but if thou wilt needs save thy life, thou shalt lose it, if thou wilt save thy credit, liberty, p. 172thou maiest, but thou shalt goe to hell with thy liberty and credit. These are the eye and the hand, and it is better going to heaven without them, then to bee throwne into hell with them: but if thou beest content to lose all these, thou shalt gaine by it. That man that is most forward to suffer any thing for Christ and Gods cause, provides best for himselfe. Iudas going about to make himselfe rich, lost himselfe, it was his undoing. Peter and the rest left all, and gained happinesse. What was Pauls making, but his going from prison to prison? how did Abraham save his sonne, but by being content to offer him? what was it gained Moses so much honour, as to bee the leader of Gods people, and to be so great a Prophet, but the losing and refusing his honours and pleasures in Aegypt? That man that comes to resolve, I will be content to bee of no reputation, so I may seek and serve the Lord, that man is of the rising hand, it is the onelyonly way to preferment: on the contrary, he that saith, I must and will be some body in the world, that man is in his downefall, he is ruining himselfe. Sauls thinking to enrich himselfe by the Cattell, was his ruine; Ieroboam by plots to keepe the Kingdome, lost the Kingdome, and undid himselfe.

Is it of so much consequence to seeke God for Vse 3. Not to forget the Lord in the midst of his mercies.himselfe? then take heed of forgetting the Lord in the midst of all his mercies. It is an usuall thing, that God is hidden and covered from us in his benefits wee receive from him; and whereas they should bee as glasses and as spectacles to helpe the Simile.weakenesse of our sight of him, they prove often as p. 173clouds to hinder us from beholding his face. But consider, that this is the maine part of the covenant, I will bee their God, and they shall bee my people. And upon that tenour come in all benefits, even with himselfe; we doe not usually thinke that wee must first have the Lord himselfe; our eyes should be in the first place fixt on him, then on the mercies received from him: for Rom. 8. it is said, that with him, that is, Christ he will give us all things. Therefore Rom. 8.Rom 8first wee are to have him, then all things else. So 1 Cor. 3. last, All things are yours; but upon what 2 Cor. 3. ult.2 Cor 3ground? for you are Christs, and Christ Gods: wee must first have him for our husband, ere we can enjoy the advantages to be had by him. It is a common fault, that men looke to the comforts and priviledges by Christ, but not to him, he is forgotten. As when wee come to be humbled for sinne, men in the first place looke upon a promise of forgivenesse of sins, and say, if I can but believe my sinnes to be forgiven, and lay hold on that promise, I have enough; but Christ is forgotten by them: but this is not the method wee should take, but rather thinke, how shall I have forgivenesse? who gives it? who brings it? It is a dowry comes with my husband; when I have Christ once, I shall have his righteousnesse to cloath me, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him 2 Cor. 1. 30.2 Cor 1:30yee are in Christ Iesus, who of God is made to us wisedome, and righteousnesse, sanctification and redemption. The meaning of it is, that God the Father gives Christ to us, as a father gives his sonne, as a husband Simile.to one in marriage, and sayes, I will make him worth thus much to you, but you must have p. 174him first; so doth God give Christ, and when wee have him, God makes him all these, Wisedome to you as a Prophet, Righteousnesse to you as a Priest, and he shall sanctifie you and purge you from dead workes, and he shall be your King, and deliver you out of the hands of all your enemies, he shall be made sanctification and redemption to you. Observe the phrases in Scripture, and they leade you still to his person, and doe urge upon you to make the covenant The Scripture leades to Christs person.with his person. As when it is said, in him are all the treasures of wisedome, &c. if treasure bee hid in a Casket, you must first have the Casket, then the treasure; so if in a field, you must first buy the field, there is a mine will hold you digging all your life long: but you must first purchase the field, and then fall a digging for the treasure in it: and these are all sorts of treasures in him, Adoption, Iustification, &c. so Iohn 6. he exhorts them to eate his flesh, and to drinke his bloud, and that should nourish them Iohn 6.John 6to life eternall: but before men can have spirits or strength by meate, they must have that meate it selfe, and there must be a conjunction with it, and assimilation of it to them, and of them to it, so 1 Iohn 5. 12. he that hath the Sonne, hath life. Wee 1 Ioh. 5. 12.1 John 5:12must have first the Sonne, and then wee come to have life by him; you must have these two distinct conditions (I suppose a man comming immediately out of the estate of unregeneration) hee is first to consider who Christ and God is, consider the persons of them, and so chuse them as a father and an husband to live and die with. And then secondly, he is to consider what he shall have with him, yea p. 175to looke upon the benefits themselves, but chiefly to this end, and so as that they may stirre up your hearts to love him the better, and not simply as benefits only, so as to say in your hearts, though he is most beautifull in his person, and so though I had him alone, I should have an exceeding great reward of himselfe; yet withall when I consider, that all within the compasse of this world is mine, (a great dowry) that Paul and Apollos, and all the good Ministers that ever have beene, have beene for my sake, that whatsoever is in this life or after death is all mine, and that all these hee brings with him (all which you should looke on, as motives entirely to love him, and not as bare benefits) and say, hath not hee given me al these? sanct…fied me, and redeemed me and set me at liberty, when I was a bond slave of sinne and Sathan, and have I not reason to love him? this is to seek his presence. It may be though you have done the thing, yet you have not had this distinct consideration; yet use it henceforth to help you: say not, I am in misery, and there is a promise of pardon and adoption, but looke first to the Lord Iesus, go to him and take him. To convince you further of this, there is none of you but will say, I cannot be saved without an holy conversation, and what is that, but to converse with God and Christ? all converse is not with things, but persons, therefore in an holy course, all that you have to do is with the Lord himselfe, to open your hearts to him, to resort to him for counsell, to delight in him: to converse with a man is to deale with him upon all occasions; you are not only to looke unto, p. 176to be dealing with duties alone and privileges, for then with whom doe you converse? not with the LORD, but with notions, with duties and your sinnes, but your chiefe businesse is with the Lord in all these, and with these as meanes to bring you to the LORD, into his presence and unto his person: this is to walke with GOD as Enoch did, which still respects his person, for so walking with implies.

Againe, no man can bee saved without love to God, and that love must not be amor concupiscentiae, but amor amicitiae, a love of friendship; the one respects things, the other persons: your love must first be to the person, and then to the commodities you have by him, and the duties you are to perform to him.

But you will say, how shall we doe to bring our Quest.heart to this? this is exceeding hard: It is easie to seek the benefits come by CHRIST; self-love will cause most to doe so. Any man that needs a thing, would faine have his wants supplyed. A man that is prest with a burthen would willingly have it taken off: it is easie to have your desires quickened this way.

What therefore shall wee say, to set an edg upon Answ. How to seeke the Lords Person.your affections, to seeke the Lords person? If wee had the tongue of men and Angells, all would bee too little; therefore let us beseech the Lord, that he would be his owne spokes-man, and reveale himselfe unto us. There is no way to set our hearts a worke to seeke his face, but by seeing of him: and to helpe you to a sight of him, is not in our power; p. 177To see him.and yet he useth to do it, whilst we are speaking of him in the ministery of the word. It is said Psal. 9. Psal. 9.Ps 9They that know his name, will trust in him: and as they will trust in him, so they will seeke his face. What was the reason Abraham and Moses sought the Lord thus for himselfe? because they had seene his face. Thus of Moses it is said, hee spake with him face to face. There are two wayes to know a man; by report, or sight, by heare-say, or by face, and this later way have all the Saints known him in some degree, and have therefore sought him, though Moses in a more particular manner; yet all saw him. Benevolentia, Good will sayes Aristotle, may arise from a good report, but Amicitia, Friendship from sight and acq…intance; that is, we may beare good-wil to one of whom we have only heard a good report, but we doe not come to love him, intirely, and as friends to him, till we have seene him, and doe come to know him, and be acquainted with him: Therefore though a man have a generall knowledge of him by heare-say, yet he will not seeke his face, till he have seene him face to face, 2 Cor. 3. ult. The Lords face appeares indeed 2 Cor. 3. ult.2 Cor 3in the word, as in a glasse, but yet till the veile be taken away, we see him not face to face; therefore Desire God to shew his face.in the first place, go to God and beseech him, and say, Lord shew me thy face, reveale thy excellency to me, by thy spirit of revelation, that my heart may be stirred up to seeke thee; and will the LORD deny you this request, if you do so? no, No man knowes the Father but the Sonne, and hee to whom the Sonne reveales Him; sayes CHRIST. p. 178Therefore goe to CHRIST and beseech him to shew you himselfe and his father. The reason we see not God as we might, or but by glimpses, is that we forget to go thus to the Son; or if we do, we seeke not earnestly. You know how hardly Moses did obtaine this, and you must beg hard as he did; and when you have obtained this, know you shall see wonderfull things, strange things in him, which eye hath not seene. There are wonderfull things to be seene in the Law, if a mans eyes be opened. Open my eyes, sayes David, Psalm. 119. that I may see the wonderfull things of thy Law. How much more wonderfull things are there to be seene in the Lord, if if he doth but reveale himselfe, and open your eys? for the Law is but an expression of him; such as is the expression of a man in a Letter or Epistle, of which we say, it is Character animi, it is the portrait…re of a mans minde. When therefore your eyes are opened to see the Lord himselfe, you will see such things in him as will make you in love with him. What was the reason, that the Spouse in the Canticles, Chapter 5. was so sicke of love, that she could not containe her selfe? but because the Lord Cant. 5.Song 5had taken away the veile, and shewne himselfe unto her: And so if God would take any of us here into the Holy of holies, and into the Presence-chamber, and open himselfe to him, then we would say as Thomas and Peter did. Now Lord we will go with thee, now Lord we will live and die with thee, and when wee lose him, wee would seeke him with the Spouse from watch to watch, that is, from one ordinance to another, to finde him, and never leave p. 179seeking, till we have found him, as shee did not, because shee had had a sight of him: As Moses could no have this knowledge of God, till it should please God to reveale himselfe to him; so he would not give over, he would not stirre a foote, till he did reveale himselfe to him. Exod. 33. 13. If I have Exo. 33. 13.Exod 33:13found favour in thy sight, shew me thy glory, that I may know thee. And so should we pray as earnestly as he: and when he hath made himselfe so knowne to us, that will draw us, and that is the drawing meant Cant. 1. 3. Draw me, and we will runne after thee, that Cant. 1. 3.Song 1:3is, shew thy selfe, and we will follow thee, even as straw followes the jett, or iron the load-stone; and if the Lord will but put the Adamant to the iron, we cannot choose but follow and seeke him. And God doth thus by leaving an impression of himselfe upon the heart, of the amiablenesse and excellencies that are in him; as when two men are linckt together, so as no consideration can part them, it is by an impression on their hearts of some excellency in each other, till which be removed, they will not leave off to love and cleave to each other: And so when this impression of Gods excellency is once stampt upon the heart, then nothing can take it off; no accident what ever is able to sever God and the heart, having once seene him: but till this bee wrought, the separation is easie, men will depart from God upon any occasion: when we are taught of God him selfe, we so know him, as it is Ier. 31. that Ier. 31.Jer 31we seeke him earnestly, and not till then.

Besides, after Gods speaking and revealing himselfe, 2 Grow in acquaintance with him.there is something to be done likewise on p. 180your parts: grow into further acquaintance with him; which is done, partly by speaking much to him, and partly by much observing him in all his wayes. Looke upon him in all his actions and carriages, and thereby you will see how worthy he is Observe God in his wayes.to be beloved. Consider the first action that ever he did, making of the World: he could have enjoyed happin…sse within himselfe for ever, as much as now, yet he was willing out of his goodnesse to 1 Creation.make Men and Angells, and to provide abundantly for them, and afterwards when all mankind were at one throw lost, and he might have left us, as he left the Angells that fell without any possibility of 2 Redemption.salvation, out of his foreign, his love to mankind, his love to the nation, he gave his Sonne to redeeme us: and if it were but for this love to our nation, he is worthy of all love and respect from us, as he was of the Iewes, that out of his love to their Nation built them but one Synagogue: but hee hath not loved the nation only, hath he not given him, manifested, revealed him unto thee, when he hath passed by thousands? and whereas thou, if left to thy selfe, wouldest have lost the advantage of the possibility of being saved, as the most of mankind do, wouldest have been hard hearted, as millions of men are: he hath broken thy heart, and given thee Christ, and that when thou wert utterly unable so 3 Sanctification.much as to beleeve in him: and since he brought thee home to his Sonne, how often hast thou been going quite away from him, and hath he not still been as a Shepheard to thee, and fetched thee in againe? thou hast plaid many a slippery tricke with p. 181him, but he hath kept thee, and embraced thee, and established the sure mercies of David to thee, thinke also of his wonderfull patience, that when the eyes of 4 Gods patience.his glory have beene so often and so highly provoked as they have beene day by day, yet he passeth by all and spares thee. Thinke if any one would ever have borne so much as he hath done. And add 5 Bounty.to this the consideration of his bounty added to this his patience by him, his constancy in doing thee good; though thou art uneven in thy carriages towards him, yet a continuall current of his mercy flowes in upon thee; and consider further, that if it had beene but a meere act of his will, to do thus, it had beene wonderfull; but it hath cost him deare to have the opportunity to doe it, it cost him his Sonne; and then consider the great love of his Sonne, that hee would give himselfe, and when 6 Love of Christ.hee was equall to his Father in glory, would yet leave all to come under the same roofe with thee; and what he hath done, if it had not beene done, thou haddest been undone for ever; and consider how often he hath stood with thee in a strait, pleaded thy case, and pacified his father for thee; and labour to bee led by all these rivers and streames of his goodnesse to that sea of his personall excellencies that are in him; and gather an Idea of him into your mindes out of all you have heard or seene of him; the end of all these acts of his providence, is that men might know him by all these. As when you would have a man knowne to another, you goe about to comm…d him to him, to describe him; it is good to do so of the Lord, to be often expressing p. 182his excellencies to others, and meditating of them our selves; it may perhaps winne others to him; however it will quicken thy selfe, and exercise thy love towards him. There is a double way of knowing things, as I told you; one by report, another by sight. Doe thou labour to know him by experience, so as to be able to say, I know him to be thus and thus, and therefore I will cleave to him.

And with all this consider his greatnesse, who it 7 Gods greatnesse.is hath done all these things for thee; the great God of heaven and earth: this sets an high price upon all he hath done for us. If a great King doth but cast his countenance upon thee, how is it prized! but that the great God should looke after such a wretch as thou art, not having any thing in thee, why he should respect thee so, how should it affect thee! and from hence also consider what he is able to doe for thee. Men know not God in his greatnesse, and therefore it is he is not sought unto. Why doe we trouble our selves so much about the creatures, feare this man and that man, and thinke a little credit or preferment a great matter? if we saw but God in his greatnesse, all these would vanish. See how the Prophet describes him, Isay 40. 15. when hee sayes, all the nations are but a small Isay 40. 15.Isa 40:15thing to him, like the few drops of the bucket and the dust of the ballance; put the case all the Nations of the world were for thee or against thee, who would not thinke this a great matter (as what would wee thinke if we had but one Nation against us?) yet let them be compared to the Lord; they are but as p. 183dust blowne away with his breath. If our eyes were but opened to see as Gehazies were, the host that was about him, so ours to see the Lord, we should desire him alone, and seeke him: and then a man would be ready for all varieties of changes, put him where you will, he will be content to have Gods favour whilest he lives, and heaven when he dyes, and till this be wrought he doth not seeke God with a perfect heart; till a man comes to this choyce, I have many things in the world, but the LORD is my portion, and he is my exceeding great reward; and I can live on him alone, it being as impossible for me to have him without comfort as to have the Sunne without light; so as whatever becomes of him, he is able to say, I have lost nothing, I am not driven out of my inheritance and portion, I have Gods presence, and that will be a direction and a protection to us in hard times, so that we may say, The Lords Name is my strong Tower, and though others fly to other refuges, yet Thither fly the righteous, and are safe. Thou must seeke Gods presence By seeking God wee shall havein time of peace: if thou wouldest have it for thy refuge in time of danger. Both these we may see, Isai. 4. the two last verses. The Lord will create upon Isay 4. ult.Isa 4every place of Mount Sion, and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoake by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, verse 5. that is, as the People of Israel comming out of Egypt had a pillar of fire to guide them by night, and a cloudy pillar by day; so 1 His presence.God promiseth there to his people, I will walke before you, and direct your way in all your actions, in difficult cases. God guides them by an immediate p. 184enlightning of his Spirit into those wayes that shall be most safe for them, 1 Sam. 18. 14. The Lord was with David, and hee walked wisely, God directed 1 Sam. 18. 14.1 Sam 18:14him, and was his Counsellor, when as the Lord departed from Saul, and he erred in all he did; As the Israelites, if their two pillars had beene taken away, they had beene lost in the wildernesse; So was Saul, when the Lord departed from him, he was as a man wildred in a darke night: whereas a godly man shall have a voyce behinde him saying, this is the way, walke in it; whereas if hee went another way, he should breake his necke; and what a great privilege is this?

But that is not all the benefit which the presence 2 Protection.of God doth afford us, but it gives protection also; as that place in Isay shewes: for it followes, upon all the glory shall bee a defence, and there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heate, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from the storme and from the raine; that is, looke what a shadow is to a poore traveller in the time of scorching heate, in those hot Countries; that will the Lords presence be to all his Saints, and it shall be a covert also; they shall be under it, as under a roofe, stand like one in an house dry, that looks out and sees others in a storme: as when the Aegyptians were beaten with haile, and perisht in it, the Israelites were safe.

And lastly, he will be a refuge to them, when 3 Refuge in persecution.they are persecuted by any, whether it be by their owne sinnes which follow them, as the avenger of bloud, or by evill men, or the power and malice of Sathan; if they run to him, he will be their Asylum, p. 185their Sanctuary. See this different priviledge of the Saints from others in Mordecai and Haman; both were in distresse. Mordecai was persecuted, he flew to the Lord by prayer, and had him for a refuge; but Haman had none, when he was out with the King: So both Peter and Iudas fell into sinne; but Peter had a refuge to fly to, even God, whom he had been formerly acquainted withall; but Iudas had none; and so the storme fell on him: so Saul being to fight with the Philistimes had no refuge, God was departed from him, and therefore he fled to a witch: but David when hee was in as great a streight, and the people talkt of stoning him, he had a refuge, he encouraged himselfe in his God: and therfore you find it so often repeated by him, God is my shield, and the rocke of my defence. In faire weather men care for no such shelter, because they thinke they need it not; but remember, a storme may come, and it is good to provide against a rainy day, 2 Rev. 5. when the Church was falne from her first Revel. 2. 5.Rev 2:5love, he threatneth to remove the Candlesticke, whereby he meanes not the ministry onelyonly, as appeares by the last verse of the first Chapter: The seven Candlestickes thou sawest are the seven Churches, and therefore Captivity is thereby threatned, a removall from that Citty which was a place of ease and safety, into a barren land where they should live more hardly. And this is threatned, not because they had utterly forsaken, but were fallen from their first love, and some degrees of it. What cause have we then to feare? and if so, what cause is there wee should now seek the Lords presence? and then p. 186we shall be sure to find him a refuge; for go whither thou wilt, He is there. Psal. 139. Whether into Psal. 139.Ps 139the furthermost parts of the earth, or the heart of the Sea, thou art there, sayes David, and as nothing is so terrible to the wicked as that; go whither they can, God is there; so nothing is more comfortable to the Godly.