Davids Learning, Commentary 5 · Commentary 9 – Commentary 10
In a time when thou mayest be found.]
HEre is the fourth or last point in the godly mans practice, namely, the time when hee shall pray. The phrase implyeth three things: first, that prayer is a seeking of God: for finding supposeth seeking. Secondly, that there is a time when God, though sought, will not bee found. Thirdly, that there is a time, when the godly shall finde him.
For the first. Prayer is a seeking of God. Isa. 55. 6. Doct.Seeke the Lord while he may be found. Call yee vponupon him Praier is a seeking of God.while he is neere: The latter wordes expound the former. Psal. 34. 4. I sought the Lord, and he heard me: he saith not, I prayed and was heard, but, I sought and was heard, because his prayer was a seeking. 2. Chron. 20. 3. When the good King Iehoshaphat proclaymed fasting & prayer, he is said to set himselfe to seeke the Lord.
But God is eueryevery-where present, and what neede wee Quest.seeke him? or, seeing hee is neuer absent, how can hee bee found?
In God are two things to be considered: first, his Essence. Answ. God is sought in his presence not in his essence.Secondly, his Presence. His Essence or Godhead, which is not farre from any of vsus, Act. 17. 27. wee neither seeke nor finde. But his Presence, or, some comfortable signe of his presence and grace, we are commanded to seeke, and to our comfort doe often finde: this is called in the Scripture the seeking of the face of God; the face is that, whereby a mans presence is knowne; and whatsoeuer it is, wherein the Lord doth manifest his presence, is called the face of God, see Gen. 32. 30.
Yea, but the Lord said to MOSES, No man can see Obiect.my face and liue, Exod. 33. 20.
The face of God is either prima or secunda, praesentia Answ.Deitatis or habitationis. First, the first face of God is his diuine Essence, which is inuisible, which no man euer saw or can see, both because he is a Spirit and cannot be seene of any mortall Creature; as also because our weakenesse is such, as the brightnesse of such Maiestie would bring vsus to nothing: for, if our eyes cannot, without the destruction of themselues, behold the brightnesse of the Sunne-beames, being a creature, how are we able to behold the infinite and surpassing brightnesse of the Creator? Secondly, the second face of God is his grace and fauour, called in Exodus the backe-parts of God, when God doth manifest his gracious Presence, or some part of his glorie, in some ordinarie or extraordinarie reuelation of it. Of the former God speaketh to Moses, of the latter speakes Iaacob; hee had seene God face to face, that is, more cleerely and manifestly then euer before, and therefore he called the place Penuel.
In the old Testament, the Arke of the couenant was called the face of God, and the seeking of speciall testimonie of his presence there, is called the seeking of his face, because the Lord many wayes there gaue speciall testimonies of his presence, as
First, by giuing Answeres and Oracles from the Mercy-seat.
Secondly, by preseruing it from the contempt of his Enemies, so as fiftie thousand Bethshemites were slaine for looking into it; nay, the Priests, the Sonnes of Aaron, might not see it, but onelyonly the high Priest once a yeere.
Thirdly, by winning honour to it by diuers miracles, as, that before it the waters of Iordan were diuided, the walls of Iericho fell downe, and Dagon before it lost his head and hands. And because God was so specially present there, the Iewes must in their prayers turne their faces towards the Arke, and towards Ierusalem, as Daniel did being in Chaldaea. And that the Iewes might know where to finde God at all times, hee told them that hee would dwell in the Sanctuarie, and sit between the Cherubins, Exod. 35. 8.
Indeede the Iewes were encouraged hereby to seeke God, but what is that to vsus? If wee had such a set place, Quest.where GOD had tyed his presence and residence, wee should hauehave more comfort to seeke him, then now wee hauehave.
Wee want not encouragement of seeking God, nor Answ.neede doubt of finding him, if wee take these grounds with vsus:
First, if wee seeke him in his owne house: for where should a man be found but in his owne house? God had 1. Conditions in seeking God.one standing house in the Old Testament, not where his infinite essence, which the heauen of heauens was not able to containe, but where his Name and memoriall dwelt: but in the new he hath a number of houses, and being omni-present, he will be found in them all: First, the Church-assemblies, thefe be so many Bethels or houses of God; there the Church sought him, and found him, Cant. 6. 1. among the tents of Shepheards; and Christ was downe in the Garden, and among the beds of Spices, that is, the assemblies of the Saints, where graces grow vp as sweet spices in a bed. Christ delights to walk in the midst of the golden Candle-stickes; therefore in these houses of Prayer seeke him by faithfull prayer, and thou shalt not misse him.
Secondly, eueryevery Christian Family is a house of God: where two or three consent in any one thing in his name, Christ is in the midst them. Adams Family, where God was worshipped and sacrifices offered, was Gods face; whence Cain complaines he was cast out. And the Apostle saluteth priuate Christians with the Church in their houses. Therefore make thy house Gods house, by setting vp his worship therein, and thou shalt hauehave him neere thee with all sweet fellowship and fulnesse of blessednesse.
Thirdly, eueryevery Christian soule is a temple of GOD. 2. Cor. 6. 16. Yee are the Temples of the liuing God: as God hath said, I will dwell among them, and walk there. Then make thy heart his Temple, and, if thou wouldst finde him, seeke him there, thou shalt finde him no where else, or sooner then there. Adore him in thy soule, and worship him in his holy Temple, offer vponupon the Altar a pure heart thy sacrifice, euen the sweet incense of prayer. Let the candle of thy faith euer burne before God, let the Arke of thy soule keepe the tables of Gods commandements, and keepe within thy heart that pot of Manna, euen Christ, the bread of life. By this meanes thy soule is Gods Temple, where he will be found as a man is in his owne house.
Secondly, as we must seeke him in his owne house, so by his owne light and meanes, and this is two-fold: 2.First, the Word of God in Precepts and Promises; this is a lanthorne to our feete, and a light to our pathes, by which God may be discerned, whom the darknesse of the world cannot comprehend. Secondly, such signes of his presence as he hath made choice of to reueale his grace in. In the Old Testament beleeuers must seeke him in sacrifices and ceremonies, and therein hee gaue them gracious answeres: the sacrifices were partly hilasticall or expiatorie, and partly Eucharisticall or gratulatory; the ceremonies were all typicall, and pointed at Christ and the good things to come in him. So in the New Testament God hath appointed visible signes annexed to his Word, as the publique seruice of him in Spirit & trueth, the offering vp of our sacrifices of prayer and praise, and frequenting of the holy sacraments or ceremonies; in all which he will be sought, & out of these wil not be found. God cannot bee seene or found but by his owne light, and therefore hee that must seeke him, must hauehave the light of vnderstanding: Psal. 14. 2. The Lord looked downe, to see if any would vnderstand and seeke after God.
Thirdly, we shall finde God, if we seek him, not by the eyes of sense and nature, but of faith and obedience. 3.God being of a spirituall nature, cannot bee seene with the eye of flesh, which seeth nothing but that which is materiall, visible, finite, and circumscriptible as GOD is not. Nay, if the soule of man a finite spirit cannot bee seene with the bodily eye, much lesse the God of spirits, who is infinite and of such puritie, as the Angels are not able to behold.
Neither are wee able to see God, or finde him by the eye of our minde, as being corrupted with sinne: nay, neither can seeke him more then the Gentiles, of whom it is said, that the Lord was found of them that sought him not, Isai. 65. 1. For till the sound of the Gospell was carried among the Gentiles, and Christ was proclaimed the Sauiour and Messias, inuiting them to saluation, they neuer asked after Christ, but had their mindes darkned, alienated from the life of God, by the ignorance that is in them, Ephes. 2. 3. A dead man cannot seeke the things of this world; the lost groat could not thinke of her that lost it; no more can a man seeke God before his conuersion; it must bee an eye of grace enlightned and cleared by God, that can seeke him.
Seeke and ye shall finde, Mat. 7. 7. and, Whosoeuer seeke, Obiect.finde.
Christ speakes thus to his Disciples, and the promise is Answ.not made to the seeking, but to the seeker, being a beleeuer & in Christ: So as the meaning is this: Whosoeuer hauehave beene first sought of God and found of him, shall seeke and finde him: else Ioh. 6. 44. No man comes vntounto me, vnlesse the Father draw him.
Fourthly, we shall seeke aright, if wee seeke God in 4.Gods manner, and that is in foure things. First, if we seek him in sinceritie of Spirit, as Ephes. 6. 18. praying in the Spirit, as knowing that we are to deale with God who is a Spirit: and in sinceritie, because he is a God that loueth trueth in the inward parts: This condemnes hypocriticall seeking, which is but deceitfull. Ier. 29. 13. Yee shall seeke me, and finde me, because yee shall seeke me with all your heart. Secondly, in feruency: men are commanded to seek for wisedome as for gold & treasures; how eagerly & instantly do men seek after gold and earthly things? why, no labour can beate them from their desires: How much more carefully ought they to seek after spirituall graces, and most of all after God himselfe? Thirdly, in season, timely, as Psal. 63. 2. Early in the morning will I seek thee; that is, eueryevery morning the beginning of my worke shall be to looke towards thee, I will begin my duties in faithfull inuocating thy help and aide. Fourthly, in his Sonne: seeke him in Christ the onelyonly Mediator; For none can come to the Father but by the Sonne.
Fiftly, we shall seeke aright and with comfort, if we seeke him in the right ends, namely, for himselfe; not as 5.the Iewes who followed Christ for bread and the belly; not to gaine the world by him, but to gaine himselfe and his fauour, which is better then life; Yea to obtaine this, be content to seeke him with the losse of all, as the Disciples and Martyrs did. And then wee seeke himselfe for himselfe, when wee seeke his glory in eueryevery thing, although to our owne shame and confusion.
Is this so? Doe the godly seeke God in prayer? Then Vse 1.it followes that a godly heart findes a want of God: For seeking is of a thing that we want & fain would hauehave, Ps. 143. 6. My soule desireth after thee, as the thirstie lands: and the reason is, because he knoweth he hath lost God; For, what need he seek that he hath not lost? First, in the corruption of his nature he hath lost the cōfortable presence of God, which in our innocencie wee enioyed, by losing our selues, we lost God. Secondly, in the dayly admissions and commissions of sinne after grace receiued, we lose his sight & presence: For our sinnes separate betweene God & vsus, as a cloud betweene the brightnesse of the Sun and vsus. Thirdly, a godly man sees the want of God, because hee knowes in some sort the worth of GOD, without whom the soule is dead, grace lost, the conscience in torment, and heauen turned into hell, both here, and hereafter. The world were not so miserable without a sunne, nor the body without breath, as the soule without God, the Sun of his Church, and the soule of the soule of eueryevery beleeuer.
Fourthly, the godly hauing receiued a taste of Gods sweetnesse in Christ, and his graces, still seeke him for more; the more they drinke, the more they thirst; as Moses, the more familiar he was with God, the more hee desires to see of Gods glory: and here is no sacietie in this life, but the more a man hath, the more he wanteth and seeth his wants. But
Fiftly, if God depart in displeasure, and leaue a sense of wrath in the soule for sinne, then the soule findes such want, as it cannot sustaine it selfe without him, euen Pharaoh will seeke God in trouble, and hypocrites in affliction will seeke him diligently, in hypocrisie. How much more will the godly heart aboue all desires, seeke his fauour, and one cheerefull countenance from him? Of this want and this seeking our Text speaketh.
Numbers of men neuer finde any want of God, they finde the want of health and wealth, of friends and meanes: many say, Who will shew vsus any good? and a great sort seeke corne, and wine, and oyle; but a few say, Lord lift vp thy countenance vponupon vsus.
God forbid we should feele no want of God.Obiect.
The carnall man cannot feele the want of Gods familiar Answ.presence, because hee contents himselfe with the comfort of his creatures, and therefore he cannot seeke God to finde him. A man that seekes a lost iewell, lookes still to see that, for other things comming in his way hee sees not them, but passeth sleightly ouer them, hee seekes not them; so hee that seekes GOD, makes inquisition onelyonly for himselfe, no other thing contents him but himselfe, no other thing takes vp his minde, and therefore the worldling indeede wants not God nor seekes him.
Secondly, if the godly man seeke God in prayer, then he frequents the places where God hath promised to Use 2.bee found: Hee hath pleased to tye himselfe to the assemblies of the Saints, that there those, that would meet with him, might be sure to finde him. Gracelesse men therefore are they, that turne their backes vponupon God, that leaue the Church and assemblies, that take their horse and trauell about worldly businesses on the Sabboth day, with pretence that they can pray as well in the way, and serue God on horseback as well as the best: But they are deluded by the Deuill whom they serue, they hauehave no God but their belly and their wealth. And is it not a strange enchantment, that while a man runnes from God, from his presence and assemblies, yet hee should thinke to meete with him and finde him? And so he shall, hee will at last meete with thee, and finde thee out in thy hypocrisie; and if his patience let thee goe on, waiting for amendment, remember that he is fetching a stroke, which, the higher it is lifted, the heauier it will fall. Be warned by others example.
A certaine Noble man for hunting vsually on the Lords day, had a child borne with the head of a dogge, that seeing he preferred his dogges before the seruice of God, he might hauehave one of his owne getting to make much of, Theatr. Histor.
Also a Flaxe-woman at Kimstat in France, dressing her Flaxe commonly on the Sabboth, for meere couetousnesse and eager greedinesse vponupon the world, after two faire admonitions on two Sabboths together by fire, was the third day burnt with her Flaxe and two children. A warning for women, who on the Lords day minde their Brewing, Baking, Buckes-driuing, &c. and will not be reclaimed.
A certaine man working hard at haruest on the Sabboth, in the meane time a fire kindled in his barne, and consumed all: according to the word of the Lord: Ier. 17. 27.
At Paris garden, at a Beare-bayting, anno 1583. eight persons were slaine, many hurt, and all affrighted by the sudden breaking of the scaffold. Thus God hath waies enow to finde out prophane persons: thou canst not runne from God, but thou shalt know how farre thou art gone from him, and thou that carest not to find him, shalt be sure he will find thee in iudgement; and if thou growest rich by breaking Gods holy Sabbath, the Lord sends leannesse into thy soule, and the rust of thy money shall crie out against thee one day, Oh this is the money, which I hauehave got by breaking the Sabbath. The like may be said of them, that banish Gods worship and godly speech from their houses and tables, Oh, they will hauehave no such salt at their bankets, such words are neuer seasonable, whereas they ought rather to bring in goodnesse into their families, then nip it in the head, and cast the Arke out of their houses.
So much of the first doctrine: the second followes, and is this.
There is a time, when God will not be found, though Doct. 2.he be sought. And this is true both in the wicked and There is a time wen God will not be found, although he be sought.the godly: first, the wicked still pray in a time of not finding God; if they seeke, they neuer finde, as Luk. 13. 24. Many shall seeke to enter, but shall not be able. Iames 4. 5. Yea aske and hauehave not, because ye aske amisse; now the wicked alwaies aske amisse. Iohn 9. The poore blinde man concluded against al the Scribes and Pharises, that Christ was a good man and righteous, because God heard him.
First, because the promise of hearing prayer is not made to the prayer it selfe, but to the person praying, Reasons.and not vntounto him farther, then he is inuested with Christs righteousnesse, in whom he and his prayer is accepted.
Secondly, God wil not be found, when he is not sought in truth of heart, which can be found no where, but in a conuerted person; for then he is truly sought, when the heart bringeth these things: first, an earnest desire of recōciliation: for no sacrifice is acceptable, but from a contrite heart. Secondly, a speciall word and promise. Aske what is agreeable to his will, and you shall obtaine it, 1. Iohn 5. 14. Thirdly, a speciall faith in the promise, which is necessarie to a true seeker, Iames 1. 6. Let him aske in faith. And Mark. 11. 24. If yee beleeue, yee shall hauehave what yee aske. Fourthly, it brings the exercises of pietie and mercy, a putting off of the old man, and a putting on of the new: Isai. 1. Wash and cleanse you, and then come and seeke me. These conditions a wicked man cannot performe in seeking, and therefore he findes not.
Thirdly, the wicked seeke not commonly, till the time of finding be past, they seeke too late; so did the foolish Virgins, it was too late when the gate was shut, it was too late, for Pharaoh in the sea, it was too late for Esau to seeke repentance, and the blessing with teares, hee prophanely reiected it, while it was in his power. While they hauehave light, commonly they spurne at it, and while the day lasteth, are idle; they neuer seeke God, till they must needes; and therefore when the night comes, they cannot worke or helpe themselues.
Fourthly, if we consider what the finding of God is, we When God is found.shall see they cannot finde him. Then God is found, first, when according to the prayer of faith, he visiteth vsus in mercy. Secondly, when by some signe of his mercy, hee testifieth a fatherly care and louelove ouer vsus. Thirdly, when he vouchsafeth not a generall, but a speciall and gracious presence with vsus: Thus Hos. 10. 12. the Church seeketh God till she finde him: But how is this finding exprest? thus: till he comes, and raines downe righteousnesse vponupon vsus: that is, when by the power and dew of his Spirit our hearts, otherwise like a drie and barren ground, are watered, so as his Word may bring vp in vsus blessed fruites of righteousnesse, acceptable to God. But no wicked man hath any testimonie of Gods care ouer him as his Father, but onelyonly as a Lord, neither enioyeth he more then a generall presence, not the presence of any speciall louelove.
Ahab praying in hypocrisie, was heard in mercy, and Obiect.his prayer obtained a remoouall of the euill threatned: 1. King. 21. 29.
Gods merciemercy is twofold: first, temporall; secondly, Answ.spirituall. God often giues to hypocrites to be heard in temporall mercies, as here an externall humilitie is recompensed with an externall benefit, a temporall repentance, with a temporall deliuerance: but for any spirituall deliuerance from the guilt and bonds of his sinne, or any spirituall blessing concerning saluation in Christ, to come from God as a father, this Ahab did neither seeke, nor could finde.
Secondly, in temporall things, the wicked are not heard in mercy so much as in iustice; not in louelove, but in anger and wrath. Thus the Israelites asked Quailes, and had them: but, While the meate was in their mouthes, the wrath of God was vponupon them, Psalm. 78. 30. The same people asked a King, and, he gaue them one in wrath, as himselfe said afterwards. It is not alwaies a merciemercy, that God grants a request: for then the Lord had shewed mercy to the deuill, to whom none belongs, when hee granted him his request against Iob and the Swine, wheras he did it for to bee a meanes of his owne shame and iudgement.
Secondly, the godly also seeke sometimes, when God will not be found: but this must be vnderstood with two cautions: First, for the present he will not be found, as Cant. 3. 2, 4. the Church sought Christ, whom her soule loued, but found him not; shee went a little farther, and found him. How strange did Christ shew himselfe to the woman of Canaan? what grim countenance and contempt shewed he by his silence, not vouchsafing to speak to her? and when hee spoke, what rough and churlish words gaue he to a woman in that distresse, calling her a Dogge? and yet in two or three words more shee heard from him, Be it vntounto thee euen as thou wilt.
Secondly, in their sense God will not be found, though indeede he neuer sends away emptie the prayer of faith: for though hee obscures his face, as the Church complaines, and couers himselfe with a cloud, that our prayers cannot come vntounto him, yet the very sustaining of vsus in seeking to him argues his presence. When the prodigall sonne was but resoluing to goe to his father, the father went out to meete him with compassion and louelove, while he was yet a farre off, and had no sense of it. Thus Dauid often complaines, Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer? hath he forgotten to be mercifull? and will he be neuer more intreated? Why art thou so farre from the words of my complaint? thou makest as if thou heardest not.
And what be the reasons that the godly finde not the Why the godly themselues alwaies find not God.Lord alwaies? first, the Lord will not bee found of the godly, to chasten and correct them for their sinnes. Why cannot the Church finde Christ, seeking him so earnestly, Cant. 3. 1? because she will seeke him in her bed, and prouide for her owne ease, and is loth to rise out of her bed; sometimes in the Streets, where shee list, and not where she should; sometimes she is heauie to go to the tents of shepheards, or the Temple; sometime shee hath reiected him, when he offered himselfe kindly, Cant. 5. 3, 6. she wil not receiue him at the threshold; and therefore she must trudge vp and downe after him, and he will be farre from her finding.
Secondly, the Lord will not be found of a long time, that the continuance of their trouble, might let euen his owne children see the greatnesse of their sinnes, which hauehave plunged them so farre into Gods displeasure, as now he will not be intreated. For if our corrections were alwaies light and short, we would not conceiue sufficiently the weight of our sinnes. And this dealing of God, though it may a while dismay his children, yet is good for them, that they may throughly feele their sinne, and, being bitten with it, might both seriously humble themselues for the present, and beware of it for time to come.
Thirdly, God will not alway be found, oftentimes to trie their faith hope, patience, and obedience. Abraham must not find God retrayting his heauie commandement till the third day, till hee was on the Mount, and had bound Isaac to the wood. Iob was tried to the vttermost, before he could find God taking his part, and so became a mirror of patience. The Canaanitish woman was held off so long, that her faith might bee a shame to all the Iewes, she being a Gentile: and therefore Christ said, O woman, great is thy faith.
Fourthly, euen the repentance of the godly, in respect of outward afflictions may come too late, and God will not be found. For though hee will not take his louing kindnesse from them, yet, if they be stubberne in sinne, he will visit them with the rods of men. If the decree bee once gone forth, they shall frustrate many meanes, and he will not repent nor spare, nor bee intreated: Ezech. 24. 13, 14. Thou remainest in thy filthinesse and wickednes; because I would hauehave purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse, till I hauehave caused my wrath to light vponupon thee, &c. Moses (no question) repented of the sinne, in that hee glorified not God at the waters of strife, yet in regard of the temporall correction, it came too late, he must not goe into Canaan. Notwithstanding all Dauids repentance and praying, the childe of adulterie must die, because, if once God passe sentence, it may not be called backe. Therefore, Search, O search your selues, O people, not worthy to be loued, before the decree come forth: Zeph. 2. 1, 2.
Fifthly, the Lord will not be found often for a time to the sense of his children, to whet vp their desires after him; both to make them long after him in his longer absence, and also to make more account of his presence; as the Mother stands behinde a doore, and lets the Childe cry after her, it sees it owne weakenesse and gets a knock and thereby perceiues the need of her. Further, we enioy no good thing, as health, wealth, or libertie, but the harder it is come by, the more it is set by, and whatsoeuer lightly comes, lightly goes; a disease easily cured is easily incurred, and not so carefully preuented. Cant. 3. 3. When the Spouse had sought Christ here and there, and could no where finde him, at length finding him, shee tooke fast hold on him, and would not let him goe.
Sixtly, God will not alway be found, that wee might herein see a resemblance of that eternall displeasure of God, against impenitent sinners, when as those that seeke after the Lord with true repentance, stick in their trouble and cannot easily get discharge. This vse Peter maketh, 1. Epist. 4. 17. If iudgement begin at the house of God, what shall be the end of those that obey not the Gospell? and if the righteous scarcely be saued, where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare?
But to whom then is that promise made, Matth. 7. 7. Quest.Seeke and yee shall finde; if the godly seeke and find not?
To the godly: but first, all such promises goe with Answ.exception of the Crosse, for tryall and correction.
Secondly, we must distinguish between Gods delayes Gods delayes to be distinguished from denyalls.and denyalls; he giues not that we aske for the present, but giues it after when we are fitter to receiue it, and the giuing will make more to his glory and our comfort. Abraham, Zachary, Annah, prayed, no doubt, for children in their yong dayes, but were not heard till they were stricken in yeeres, whereby God had more glory, and themselues more exercise, experience, and comfort.
Thirdly, God is found often in another kinde, better for vsus, when we thinke he will not be found, as in Paul, Hee prayed God to remoue the pricke of the flesh, but God would not be found in that, yet he was in supplying sufficient grace. Christ himselfe praied that the cup might passe from him; his Father was not found in that particular, but hee was found in passing him well through it, which was far better. So if God giuegive not the particular we aske, but some thing better then it for it, as patience, exercise, and increase of grace, and strength that holds the heart in faithfull expectance, who can denie but that he is found? and sometimes God giues more then our request, and is this a denyall? A poore man askes a penny, we giuegive him a shilling; is this to denie his request?
Fourthly, the godly in seeking are tyed to some conditions, of which if they faile, let them blame their owne vnfaithfulnesse, and not the faithfulnesse of God who cannot denie them, as
First, if they seeke not according to his Will, or as his Word alloweth, but as Zebede's Sonnes, they know not what they aske; they must hauehave, not what is good for them, but what seemeth good to them: this was Moses his fault, see Deut. 3. 25, 26.
Secondly, if they aske without faith, in wauering and doubting of Gods hearing or answere.
Thirdly, if they aske without patient wayting the Lords leisure, making more haste then good speed, prescribing the manner and time of hearing, which sinne was noted in the Israelites, Psal. 78. 41. they limited or stinted the holy one of Israel: here it is iust that the Lord is not found of his owne seruants: But keepe the conditions of seeking, and in some of these wayes the promise is true, Seeke and yee shall finde.
Well, if there be a time, when God will not be found, Vse 1.then must the godly hence learne rightly to conceiue of Gods not hearing their prayer: for it proueth not, that either they are out of Gods fauour and louelove, as hastie persons are ready to gather and conclude against themselues. The Lord regards them not, oh hee hath broken the bottle of their teares, and they are none of his children; or that the Lord grudgeth their good or is loth to afford it them; or to discourage them, to the breaking off of their prayers; or God hath forgotten his promise: But it serues to teach them to turne against their sinnes, Peccato grauescit oratio.which hide good things from them, and to ioyne watching against euill, with wishing and prayer for good. Secondly, the longer our prayers are put off, enter we into a more serious examination, & seuere proceeding against our sinnes. Thirdly, say thus with thy selfe, The Lord now tries my faith, patience, louelove, hope, and perseuerance: I must not limit him as the Bethulians did, or send for him in post-hast, but wait his leisure; though the vision stay, & be yet appointed for a time, yet at length it shal speake and not lye, Hab. 2. 3. And, were it fit for a subiect by poste to send for the King? Fourthly, it may bee, I know not well what I aske, and the Lord knowes to giuegive mee better or aboue that I aske: If it bee a good thing, perhaps it is not good for me, or not yet. I must be kept humble still with a pricke in the flesh, to let out my winde of vaine-glory. What? hauehave I a promise for that I pray for? else I offer strange fire. And is not this promise conditionall? let me pervse it and so pray. Fiftly, doubtlesse the thing I aske is worth more prayer and more labour, and I vnderunder-value it: God by this delay would make mee know the worth of it by hard obtayning, and learne to vse it well when I hauehave it, that I may not forfeit it: great things must bee sought with great affection. Sixtly I must know, my prayer is a seed-time, it is sowne in heauen, and cast into the bosome of God, and, as we cannot sow and reape presently, but the husband-man waits patiently a whole winter, so must I wait the comming vp of my prayers: for certainely, if the prayer of faith presently returne vsus not some good, it layes vp good in store for vsus, to enioy afterward. And if God intend my bettring by present denial of my prayer, so must I.
Secondly, the godly must learne hence to pray for their prayers, seeing it is so hard for them to pray well, to the Vse 2.end that they may finde entrance to God, and acceptation before him. Thou that hast not found God vponupon thy prayer, tell me, Hast thou prayed, that God would heare thee therein, and direct thee to pray aright? Know this for certaine, Thou must sanctifie all things, euen the word and prayer, by the word and prayer. Take vp Dauids practice. Psal. 119. 169, 170. Let my complaint come before thee, O Lord, and giuegive me vnderstanding according to thy Word. Let my supplication come before thee, and deliuer me according to thy promise. Or else thou mayest pray in a time of not finding.
Thirdly, the wicked may here see, what a great plague is vponupon them, seeing God reiecteth their prayers, and Vse 3.turnes them to sinne.
First, the soule of a naturall man is dead to God, and a dead man, we know, vtters no voyce.
Secondly, seeing we liue at Gods allowance and liberalitie, and hee giues not till wee seeke, how poore and miserable must they bee, that can not seeke him to obtayne?
Thirdly, the strength of a Christian is in his prayer, as Sampsons strength was in his haire; if this bee taken away, he is a prey for all the spirituall Philistims.
Fourthly, it was the curse of Moab to pray and not preuaile, and it was the comfortlesse case of Saul in his need, not to be answered.
But God will not deale so roughly with his Creatures Obiect.as you talke of; why, he is gracious and ready to heare.
We acknowledge these attributes of God; but what Answ.is that to thee that art a Moabite, and out of the couenant; what will Gods mercy profit thee, that lyest in sin vnrepented? Mercy belongs onelyonly to the vessels of mercy. What good can a conditionall promise doe him, that no way performes the condition? promises of mercy belong onelyonly to those that keepe the condition of beleeuing.
There is yet a third doctrine to bee considered, and that is this:
There is a time wherein God will be graciously found of eueryevery Doct. 3.godly man, if he seeke him. Matth. 7. 7. Seeke and yee There is a time wherein God will be found of eueryevery godly man, seeking him.shall finde: this is a generall promise, made to all the followers of Christ: and, Whosoeuer seeketh, findeth. Ier. 29. 11, 12. There is a promise, that Gods people shall cry vntounto him, and he will heare them; they shall seeke him, and finde him, because they shall seeke him with their whole heart. Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answere, and while they speake I will heare. Psal 9. 18. The poore shall not alway bee forgotten, the hope of the afflicted shall not perish for euer.
First, Gods nature is to tender the miserie of the afflicted Reason 1.and distressed, wherein hee cannot denie himselfe. Psal. 12. 5. Now for the oppression of the needy, and for the sighes of the poore, I will vp, saith the Lord, and set him at libertie. Exod. 3. 7. I hauehave surely seene the affliction of my people, and heard their cry, because of their taske-masters: for I know their sorrowes, and now am come downe to deliuer them: this is Gods philanthropie and louing affection to mankinde, to put forth thoughts of peace towards them.
Secondly, if God should not take one time or other 2.to answere his children, he should not bee as good as his promise, Call vponupon me in the day of thy trouble, and I will heare thee. Hee should reiect prayer preferred according to his will, and in the name of Christ, and the voyce of his owne Spirit, yea, the prayer of faith, tending to his glory and the saluation of his people, which hee cannot doe and continue faithfull.
Thirdly, he sets out a time of finding in respect of his 3.owne glory, sundry wayes: first, by being found of his people, he procures praise and abundant thankesgiuing, as Psal. 22. 24, 26. He hath not despised the poore, nor hid his face from him: my praise shall be of thee in the great Congregation. The poore shall eate and bee satisfied, they that seeke after the Lord, shall praise him: see Psal. 79. 13. and Isa. 38. 19. The Fathers to the Children shall declare thy praise. Yea, the Lord challengeth this as a chiefe part of his glorie, Isa. 42. 7, 8. Secondly, by being found of his people, hee magnifies his owne name in the midst of his enemies; for they brag and exalt themselues, when they can tread vponupon the necks of the godly. Now, lest they should say, We hauehave preuailed, and, Where is now their God? He steps in and findes a time to heare their weake prayers. Psal. 106. 8. He saued them (the Israelites pursued by Pharaoh in the red Sea) for his names sake; according to the prayer of the Church, Not vntounto vsus, Lord, not vntounto vsus, but to thy name be the praise, 'Psal. 115. 1.
Fourthly, God will in time bee found of eueryevery godly 4.man, often because of the malice of the wicked, when it is come to the height. The Israelites had often prayed, and groned vnderunder their afflictions in Egypt in the foure hundred yeeres, but, because the sinnes of the Amorites and Canaanites were not full and ripe, they found not God in all that time; but when they were full, they were deliuered.
Fifthly, God sets out a time of finding in respect of 5.the godly themselues: first, to prouoke them to louelove the Lord, who giueth and forgiueth much: as Psal. 116. 1. I louelove the Lord, because he hath heard my prayer. Secondly, to encourage them in prayer and in the course of inuocating him, wherein they finde God so good; yea, to bee instant, and presse in vponupon him: Psal. 116. 2. Because hee hath heard me in my dayes, I will call vponupon him. This the Prophet expresseth, Psal. 65. 2. All flesh shall resort to thee a God hearing prayer, or, Because thou hearest prayer, all flesh shall resort vntounto thee.
Yea, but God hath denyed to heare the prayers of his Obiect.children, they hauehave sought and neuer found, as Moses and Paul.
First, we may pray for temporall things, we must know that al the promises for them are made with a condition, Answ. 1.If God see it good for vsus: in such things a godly man may pray all his life time, and not finde, because GOD sees it better for him to be without them, and to lye vnderunder the crosse.
Secondly, we must distinguish betweene delayes and denials, as we hauehave seene.2.
Thirdly, the godly hauehave many speciall graces, but it is Gods wisedome to leaue them in some want, to know 3.some pricke of the flesh, as Paul did, lest they should be puffed vp, being taken vp into such an heauenly condition.
Fourthly, God heares his children in a better kinde, as we hauehave shewed.4.
Fiftly, the godly are tyed to conditions, which are often broken.5.
Sixtly, it may be thy prayer is heard, but the answere 6.is not yet come to thy heart, the sense of graunt is not yet brought to thee, and there must goe some time betweene seeking & finding: so the Angell said to Daniel, chap. 9. 22. 23. From the first day that thou didst set thy heart to seeke the Lord and humble thy selfe, thy words are heard, and now I am come to tell thee.
If the godly seeke sometimes in a time of finding, then we must learne to iudge wisely of the poore and afflicted Use 3.in spirit, not to triumph ouer them as Dauids enemies did ouer him: Oh, God hath forsaken him; or as Iobs friends did, All that he was, at best hee was but an hypocrite. Oh, saith the world, this is not the child of God: Why? because the Diuell hath a little power ouer him, and God is gone. A false conceit: For, first, though he be not heard presently, yet hee shall be heard hereafter; there is a time when he shall finde God. Secondly, God is delighted in an humble spirit, and a broken heart. Thirdly, he is the God of the abiect; his promise is, that such as mourne in Sion, shal be deliuered and hauehave beautie for ashes. Fourthly, after this rate we shall condemne the greatest lights of Gods Church; Paul and the other Apostles were in a thousand dangers, within and without, assaulted on eueryevery side, yet as deare to God as euer they were: and it was a Iewish scoffe against Christ, Let God deliuer him now if he will hauehave him.
Let vsus rather consider our owne case what it may bee, and bee charitably affected to them in distresse, as wee would hauehave others affected towards vsus in the same case, knowing, that that which befals one man, may befall any man.
Secondly, if there be a time of finding, let vsus take heed Vse 2.of being Lyons in our owne houses, tearing our soules with diffidence and despaire, as if the Lord were cleane gone for euer, and would neuer returne, and as though there were no time of finding.
Alas! I am then no godly man: for I hauehave prayed Obiect.long, and God will not bee found; must I not feare my estate?
Yes, feare and doubt in the godly, make their saluation Answ.more sure in the end, because it sends them to the meanes of comfort: and by this thou mayest trie thy feare, and distinguish it from al vngodly feares & doubts, which vanish away without any such vse.
But I am vnworthy to finde God, who hauehave incensed Obiect.his wrath, like an vnkinde and vnthankefull wretch, and that eueryevery day.
A false ground of a false enemie: all thy worthinesse Answ.is the sense of vnworthinesse, and an apprehension of Christs worthinesse: What worthinesse was in Israel, when the Lord couered her with his skirt, and shee became his? Did shee not wallow in her blood and filthinesse? And is not God the same, promising and performing merciemercy to them that confesse their sinnes and forsake them?
Oh, but my sinnes hauehave abounded, and hauehave so separated betweene God and mee, that I doubt I shall neuer Obiect.finde him.
Not so: For where sinne hath abounded, grace hath Answ.abounded much more; and in the forgiuenesse of many sinnes, God shall hauehave honour of much mercy and louelove from the sinner in greater measure. And if hee delighted in the death of a sinner, or tooke pleasure in the death of him that dyes, any one sin would furnish him with matter of reuenge enough; but he is much in pardoning and delights therein. The Apostle Paul saith, I was a persecutor, an oppressor, a blasphemer, &c. yet God had merciemercy on me, to be an ensample in time to come to all that should beleeue in Christ Iesus.
Alas! he sinned of ignorance, but I of knowledge against Obiect.the light of my minde, the voice of God, the motions of his Spirit, the cryes of my owne conscience, and hauehave so quenched and grieued the Spirit, that hee will come no more; I may not look to finde God as Paul did.
Tell mee when Iohn said, The blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth vsus from all sinne, 1. Epist. 1. 7. doth he meane Answ.onelyonly sinnes of ignorance? No verily: and if GOD hauehave made no distinction of small & great sinnes, sinnes of knowledge and of ignorance, of weaknesse and of presumption, you may iustly and must defie a distinguishing deuill.
Thirdly, the godly must bee incouraged by this doctrine, Vse 3.to seek the Lord in a time when he may be found.
Oh that I knew that time! when is it?
First, one time of finding is, when a man hath beene Quest.truely humbled and-toucht for his sinne: Of this time Answ.our Prophet speakes in the Text: after humiliation Dauid Certain times when God will be found.found God, and teacheth that eueryevery godly man shall then find him. It is the troubled spirit that God respects, and at whom else doth the Lord looke? Isai. 66. 2. CHRIST came not to the righteous (in their owne conceit:) but to call laden and humble sinners.
Secondly, another time of finding God is, when all good meanes and care hauehave been vsed to finde him. God will not be found at first, because he will try the diligence of his seruants, in which hee sees the price they set vponupon him, and the thing asked. The Spouse in her bed cannot finde Christ; but, if she get out, and vse all good meanes, enquiring and seeking after him, at last hee is found: and a godly heart cannot but thinke that the comforts Christ brings with him, are worth all his paines and labour. And it will manifest our care, if wee seeke him: First, early, as Prou. 8. 17. I louelove them that louelove mee, and those that seeke mee early, shall finde mee. Secondly, if we seeke him with all our heart, as Deut. 4. 29. Thou shalt find him, if thou seeke him with all thy heart, and all thy soule. Thirdly, in perseuerance, not by starts and fits, as the carelesse and temporizers, but as the Church that neuer rests till she finde him.
Thirdly, another time of finding God, is the godly mans extremitie, and vrgent necessitie; for that is Gods opportunitie. The Lord will be a refuge for the poore, a refuge in due time, euen in affliction, (when hee hath no refuge elsewhere;) Psal. 9. 9. and Psa. 10. 1. Why hidest thou thy selfe, O Lord, in due time, euen in affliction? Deut. 4. 29, 30. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come vponupon thee, at the length, if thou returne to the Lord, he wil not forsake thee. When Ionas was wrapt with waues and weedes in the bottome of the Sea, hee cryed, and God spake to the fish to set him on land. Dauid called out of the deepe, and God heard him. Moses cryed at the Red Sea, and then God was found. Christ in his agonie in the garden prayed, and GOD sent the Angels to comfort him. Abraham found God three dayes after the commandement, on the mount. And after three dayes, when the case was hopelesse, and the Disciples faith was a little preiudiced, Christ rose againe. Therefore wait, thou art not yet in the deepes, nor yet at the mount, the third day is not yet come.
Fourthly, another time of finding God is, when God offers himselfe to be found in the preaching of the Gospell; for by it God comes and knockes at our doore and seekes entrance, Reu. 3. 20. and the opportunitie of the Gospell is called the day of saluation, and the day of visitation. Let vsus walke, while wee hauehave the light; this is the acceptable time. The Iewes knew it not till it was past, and they were left in their sinnes; let vsus take heed it be not so with vsus.
How can wee want motiues to seeke the Lord with comfort and assurance of finding him? for
First, God hath a fatherly care ouer vsus, and as a faithfull Shepheard seekes thee, leauing ninetie nine to saue Motiues to seeke the Lord.one; and is not he willing to be found if thou seeke him? oh goc and meet him?
Secondly, Christ seekes and sues to thee, Open vntounto me, my beloued: and why should not wee set open the gates of our hearts, that the King of glory may enter in? Euen when wee runne away from him, hee seekes vsus and offers vsus conditions of louelove; hee runnes after fugitiue ADAM, that if hee will beleeue in the promised Messiah, hee shall bee saued: And hauehave not wee encouragement enough to knocke at the doore of his mercy?
Thirdly, consider what a wofull threatning is sent out against such as will not seeke the Lord? as Zeph. 1. 6. Hee will stretch out his hand against all them that turne from him, that sought not the Lord nor inquired after him. and Zech. 7. 13. It is come to passe, that as I cryed, and they would not heare, so they cryed, and I would not heare, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Fourthly, the Gospell is the hammer, by which God still knockes: now if thou wilt lay hold on mercy offered, thou shalt hauehave a blessed answere: but if thou wilt bolt vp thy heart with securitie and ignorance, how can he come vntounto thee? Christ, when hee was borne, found no roome in the Inne, but was content to lie in the Stable: and surely the world is no changeling, it is as vnthankfull still, men are loth to make Christ a roome in the Inne of their hearts: If now in his glory he would be content with Stables, that is, hearts filled with noysome lusts, as so many filthy beasts, this roome they could afford him. But know, that hee is past infancie and abasement, and hath shewed himselfe a Lord of glory, and will hauehave a roome and entertainement like himselfe: and, if thou makest him no roome by embracing the Gospell in the Kingdome of grace, hee will neuer make roome for thee in the Kingdome of glory. Now is the light shining, now lay hold on the light.
Oh, but it may continue long, and what needes such Obiect.haste?
First, that is vncertaine, we hauehave seene as faire Sunnes Answ.as ours fall from the midst of heauen, as the Churches of Ephesus, Corinth, and the seuen in lesser Asia. Secondly, thou canst not deny, but that we hauehave forfeited all our liberties by horrible sinnes against it. Thirdly, suppose the Gospell doe continue with vsus, yet thou knowest not whether thou shalt stay with it one night. Therefore work while the day is, before the night come, and thou canst not worke.
Surely in the flood of great waters, they shall not come neere him.]
NOw we come to the second part of this verse, and in it to that excellent promise made to the godly man praying, namely, of speciall safetie from most present and perillous dangers.
By flouds of waters, the Scriptures Metaphorically expresse extreme dangers and violent troubles, whether sent: First, by God himselfe, as Psal. 42. 7. All thy floods and waues are gone ouer me. Secondly, by Satan, as Reuel. 12. 5. The Serpent cast out waters like a flood. Thirdly, by wicked men, Isa. 59. 19. The enemie shall come as a flood: because, first, as inundations and swellings of waters come fiercely and terribly, or as the flood of Noah, (to which the Prophet may allude) bare downe all before it; so afflictions come, as though they would swallow the godly, as Psal. 18. 4. The floods of wickednesse made mee afraid.
Secondly, because as a man, ready to bee drowned, is drawne out of the waters, and so saued: so Gods present deliuerance is compared to the drawing out of the waters, Psal. 18. 16. He hath drawne mee out of many waters. Thus Moses was drawne out of the waters, and Gods protection is the onelyonly Arke to saue his children.