One Hundred Select Sermons, Old Testament · Sermon 19
SERMON XIX.
Pſal. 27.8.
When thou ſaidſt, ſeek yea my face; my heart ſaid unto thee, thy face Lord will I ſeek.
There are two things eſpecially wherein the Happineſs of a Chriſtian conſiſts here in this Life. The one is that God will vouchſafe to ſpeak to Him. And the other is that He may have the Liberty and Opportunity of ſpeaking to God: And theſe are then in their full Perfection, when they are Reciprocall one to another, that is, when we both ſo ſpeak to God, as that He gives an anſwer to us; and when God alſo ſo ſpeaks to us, as that we return again readily upon Him: Now both of theſe are here Exhibited to us in this Scripture which we have now before us.
IN the Text it ſelf there are two Generall parts conſiderable. Firſt, Gods Invitation of the Soul to Communion with Himſelf; when thou ſaydſt ſeek ye my face. Secondly, Davids Acceptance and Entertainment of this Invitation. My Heart ſaid unto thee, thy face Lord will I ſeek.
We begin with the firſt of theſe parts viz. Gods Invitation, when thou ſaydſt ſeek ye my face; when thou ſaydſt is not expreſly in the Text, but it is neceſſarily ſupplyed in the Tranſlation to make the ſenſe more full and compleat; and accordingly we ſhall take notice of it, as it lies here before us but that which is cheifly conſiderable is the Invitation or Command it ſelf. Seek ye my face: where are divers things very profitably obſervable of us; wee'l take them as they offer themſelves to us.
Firſt, We ſee here thus much, that God muſt begin with us, before we can cloſe with him, God muſt ſeek us before we can ſeek Him: God muſt firſt deſire that we ſhould draw near to Him, before we for our particulars are able to draw near unto God. Thou ſaydſt ſeek my face, and then and not till then my heart ſaid: Thy face Lord will I ſeek. This is true, and holds good both in regard of our firſt Acquaintance and Converſion to Him, as alſo to our further Intercourſe and Communion with Him, we can neither ſeek to God at firſt ſo as to know him, nor yet ſeek to him ofterwards ſo as to injoy him, till he firſt of all breathes upon us and excites us, and provokes us hereunto.
Firſt, Take it as to our firſt Converſion, and ſo it holds true there, that God muſt firſt of all make the motion for our inquiry and ſeeking after him, or elſe we ſhould never do it. Take a man in his natural Condition, and he deſires no acquaintance or fellowſhip with God at all. But as he is at preſent a Stranger, and Enemy to Him, ſo he is willing ſtill to abide ſo: therefore it is ſaid of ſuch perſons in Job 21. verſ. 14. thus they ſay unto God Depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledg of thy ways. They are ſo far from ſeeking after God as that they rather run away from Him. And ſo Pſal. 10.4. The Wicked through the pride of his Countenance will not ſeek after God, God is not in all his thoughts. The pride of his own Countenance makes him not care for the Countenance of God, he will not vouchſafe to ſeek after Him, becauſe he thinks to do well enough without him, through that pride and ſelf-ſufficiency which is in him, and this is naturally in every mans Heart: A conceit to ſhift well enough without God, and therefore it is that they minde him no more, nor look not after Him.
But Secondly, Take it as to Communion after Converſion, ſo it is God that muſt begin here likewiſe, and muſt put us upon it, it is he that muſt firſt ſay ſeek my face; in regard of out Sluggiſhneſs, and Averſneſs, and Non-attendency. As it was with the Spouſe in the Canticles, Chriſt firſt knocked at the door of her Heart before ſhe ſought after Him. Draw me (ſays ſhe) and we will run after thee.
Firſt, Do thou draw, and then we will run. Chriſt muſt Oyl the wheels of our Souls and put a nimbleneſs and readineſs into them e're we make any Applications towards Him, or have converſe with Him. Look as it is with Children at Play, their Parents muſt firſt ſeek for them before they care to come home to their Parents: Even ſo it is commonly with us in this particular.
And as it is neceſſary thus to be, ſo we may obſerve how God is willing thus far to condeſcend to us in this regard; and to begin indeed firſt of all with us. This we have here in the Text and in this order, which we now mention: Thou ſaydſt ſeek my face, that is, thou beganneſt to ſay it, and wert firſt in this Propoſition. This is matter both of great mercy in God, and likewiſe of great Condeſcention; which accordingly it concerns us to admire and to be much affected withall, what a wonderfull Diſpenſation is this: That the great God of Heaven and Earth ſhould thus ſeek to his poor Creatures to receive Vertue and Comfort from him. That the Sun ſhould intreat the Air to partake of its Beames and Light, that the Fountain or rather the Sea, ſhould intreat the Rivers to participate of its fulneſs. That the Creditor ſhould ſue to the Debter to take a Diſcharge from Him That the Phyſitian ſhould intreat the Patient to be willing to be recover'd by Him. Why this now and a great deale more then this, is there conſiderable in Gods dealings with his People: when as here he firſt invites them to converſe and Communion with Him. That's the firſt thing here Obſervable from the order and method of Gods proceedings.
The Second is this, That Gods Servants they have the Liberty of free Acceſs and Approach unto him without any reſtraint, they may ſeek and ſee his face in ſome ſenſe, and are invited to do ſo. This is the Excellency of the Lord, that he hath no Reſervedneſs nor Statelineſs in him, but does admit into his preſence the pooreſt and meaneſt that are. Yea and he does very freely Impart and Communicate himſelf unto them, which is the Ground of this Expreſſion here from Him, becauſe he is of a Communicative Nature.
With men it is oftentimes otherways: It is an hard matter now and then to have acceſs unto them, and their Condition is ſuch as does require it; there is ſometime a neceſſity for it, that it ſhould be ſo with them, but in God there is no ſuch neceſſity: It is no Inconvenience nor Diſparagement to him for as many as will to come before him.
This (by the way) ſhews the Vanity of Papiſts in their Doctrine of Invocation of Angels and Saints departed, and the uſe of their Mediation and Interceſſion for us with God, what needs this when as in the name of Chriſt we may go to God freely of our ſelves, ſeek ye my face (ſays he here to us) that is come directly to me and to none beſides: As the woman of Canaan when her Daughter was tormented with the Devil, ſhe went her ſelf to Chriſt; not to James, or Peter, or John, or any other of the Apoſtles, but preſently and Immediately to our Saviour, acquainting him with her preſent Condition. This is the Bleſſed and Happy Priviledg which belongs to all good Chriſtians, that they may have immediate Communion with God reconciled to them in Chriſt: He having firſt made the face of God lovely and amiable to them, (which out of Chriſt was terrible) they may now with a great deal of boldneſs and freedom look upon his face and ſeek unto it. And ſo the Apoſtle teaches us and adviſes us to improve it as we may ſee in. Heb. 4.16. Seeing we have a Great High Prieſt, that is paſſed into Heaven Jeſus the ſon of God &c. Let us therefore go boldly to the throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need.
And we ſhould learn ſomewhat alſo by way of Imitation from this example of God here before us, and that is a ſweetneſs and amiableneſs of Spirit and Converſation. Yea ſhall have ſome kind of people now and then of that harſh, and ſevere, and rigid, and reſerved Diſpoſition, as that they are wholy unacceſſible, there's no coming near them, or looking upon them. But Religion teaches otherwiſe and eſpecially Chriſtianity: The Spirit of God it is a Spirit of ſweetneſs and openneſs and Condeſcenſion. Thou ſaydſt ſeek ye my face, that's the ſecond Obſervation.
Yet further Thirdly, Take in this alſo with it, that though God be full of goodneſs and Communicative of his goodneſs to us; yet he does ordinarily expect our labours and indeavours in reference hereunto. Therefore obſerve here how he ſets it, thou ſaydſt ſeek ye my face: God will manifeſt himſelf unto us, but yet withall he will have us to ſeek and to purſue theſe his Manifeſtations; and accordingly puts us hereupon, he does not ſay loe here I am preſenting my ſelf to you: no, but do you ſeek me. God has Majeſty mingled with his Goodneſs, and knows both how to be Open, and to be reſerv'd both at once. As in Ezek. 36.36.37. I the Lord have ſpoken it, I will do it, I will yet for this be inquired off by the Houſe of Iſrael
The Reaſon of it is this, becauſe there is that in God which is worth our ſeeking, and which will abundantly compenſate it to us, and make it up: And it is fit we ſhould know the worth of it, by ſeeking after it; that we may the better both eſteem and improve it. Thoſe Mercies which are got by our ſeeking, are the moſt precious to us of all other.
Therefore we ſhould not think much of ſuch a courſe as this is, or think it to be needleſs and ſuperfluous as we are ſometimes apt to do: For Experience ſhews the Contrary. All the ſeeking that can be is little enough for ſuch a buſineſs as this is, Eſpecially as the caſe may be with us, that ſo we may not decline it, or withdraw from it.
But here it may pertinently be demanded, how or when, or wherein does God ſpeak to us to ſeek his face? Becauſe it is expreſt here. When thou ſaydſt? I anſwer three manner of ways Eſpecially.
Firſt, In the publique Miniſtry of the word: He ſays it to us there all the whole work of Preaching in the true Nature and ſcope of it, is nothing elſe but an Invitation of us to the ſeeking of Gods face in Chriſt, that ſo being loſt in our ſelves, we may be found in Him. This is the main end and drift of all our Miniſtry; we are all by nature Enemies and Strangers to God: Now the Goſpel invites us to acquaintance and reconciliation with Him. And we who are Miniſters of it we are Gods ſpokeſmen in this particular, and friends of the Bridegroom; we are Embaſſadors for Chriſt, and as though God Himſelf did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead to be reconciled unto God, in the 2 Cor. 5.19.20.
Secondly, In the private ſtirrings of Conſcience, and more immediate Impreſſions upon the Heart, God does oftentimes ſo apply Himſelf to the Soul and Spirit of a Beleiver, by inlarging it, and filling it with his Grace; and raiſing up holy motions, and deſires in it as from whence he may be ſaid to beſpeak as it were Communion with Himſelf, and to ſay ſeek thou my face. He knocks at the door of our Hearts, and ſays open unto me: This by the Prophet David is called a preparing of the Heart in Pſal. 10.17. Lor thou haſt heard the deſire of the humble, thou wilt prepare their heart; thou wilt cauſe thine Ear to hear.
Thirdly, In the Diſpenſations of Providence, and the things which God does in the World, and eſpecially to our ſelves, here he calls to us for our ſeeking of his face, as to inſtance in two or three particulars more eſpecially above the reſt.
Firſt, In any ſpecial buſineſs or Imployment which he puts upon us, this is a ſure rule: That where God calls a man to any more eminent Services, eſpecially which is of more publique Concernment, he does then more eſpecially call him to ſeek firſt of all his favour towards him, and acceptance of him. Foraſmuch as all Aſſiſtance and ſucceſs comes from Him, and it is he that muſt give a Bleſſing to every thing that is undertaken by us. It is a very dangerous and hazzardous matter for a man to go about any buſines of great importance in a ſtate of difference and eſtrangement from God, for then he will be ready to blaſt and to croſs that work unto him. We are apt ſometimes to beg Gods Aſſiſtance, but we ſhould firſt of all beg his Favour which is the ground and foundation of all Aſſiſtance and Succeſs whatſoever, and without which we can never expect it. Thou ſaydſt ſeek my face, In caſe of any ſpecial undertakings.
Secondly, In caſe of ſome ſpecial outward trouble and calamity, God herein ſayes, ſeek ye my face; Foraſmuch as this is oftentimes his very end in the ſending of it. He does it to bring men to Himſelf. Becauſe in affliction men are then apt to run God, when he ſlew them, they ſought Him, as it is ſaid of the Iſraelits, And in their affliction they will ſeek me early, Hoſ. 5.25. Lord in trouble they have viſited thee, they have poured out a prayer, when thy chaſtening was upon them, Iſa. 26.16. And it becomes us ſo far forth to cloſe, and to comply with Gods ends to us in this particular.
Thirdly, In Spiritual Deſertions, and the withdrawings of Gods Countenance from the ſoul; when God hides his face from us, He does then more eſpecially call upon us to ſeek his face. As when the mother hides her ſelf, ſhe then puts the child upon looking for her, and ſeeking after her, even ſo is it here. A conſtant and continued enjoyment of Gods countenance ſhining upon his ſervants, is apt now and then through their corruption to make them a little more remiſs, but withdrawings of it, quickens them to attendance and dependance upon them, as it is in Iſa. 8.17. I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the Houſe of Jacob, and will look for him.
Fourth, In the Deſertions of Friends, when they ſhall at any time fail us, or leave us, and be taken away from us. God then ſayes to us more particularly, ſeek ye my face, when either they fail in their affections, as not continuing ſtill to be friends, or when they fail in their Perſons as not continuing ſtill in the world, but it may be removed and taken away out of it. In either of theſe caſes and conditions does God more eſpecially call his ſervants to the perfeiting of their friendſhip with himſelf, and the getting of a greater evidence of his Love and favours towards them.
Firſt, When they fail in their Affections, as not continuing ſtill to be friends, for there's an uncertainty in all theſe things. There's many a man loves to day and hates to morrow, and of a Friend turns to be an enemy. The Love of the world it is no Foundation for any to build on, in regard of the inconſtancy of it. Now here's a ſpecial call to cloſer intimacy and acquaintance with God. Acquaint thy ſelf now with Him and be at peace, thereby good ſhall come unto thee; when a mans ways pleaſe the Lord, he will make his enemies to be at peace with Him, Prov. 16.7. Therefore now ſeek His face, whoſe love is unchageable, whoſe Purpoſe is immutable, whoſe Affection is alwayes the ſame. This is one thing which calls us hereunto.
And ſo ſecondly, As in the failing of Affections, ſo alſo in the failing of Perſons, when friends are removed and taken out of the world, and ye ſee their face no more, why then ſeek ye His face, who never fails, but abides for ever, even from one Generation to another.
Laſtly, In the hour of death, and at the Time of Diſſolution; when men are themſelves going out of the world, it concerns them then eſpecially to ſeek the face of God; and it ſhould qualifie the thoughts of Death unto them being ſuch as belongs to God, to think that they ſhall now injoy it, as David. I will behold thy face in righeouſneſs, when I awake I ſhall be ſatisfied with thy likeneſs, Pſal. 17.15. And ſo Pſal. 16.11. In thy preſence is fullneſs of Joy, at thy right hand there are pleaſures for evermore. Thus have we ſeen in what reſpects and caſes God does eſpecially call unto us to ſeek His face. And ſo I have done with the firſt General part of the Text, which is Gods invitation, Thou ſaideſt ſeek ye my face, my heart ſaid unto thee, Thy face Lord will I ſeek.
The ſecond is David's, Anſwer to this Invitation of Gods as to the Acceptance and entertainment of it, Thy face Lord will I ſeek. Where before we come to ſpeak of the main point which is here conſiderable of us, here is ſomewhat to be taken notice of by us, by way of Preparation.
As firſt, Obſerve this, That the Heart of a Criſtian it is the Reflexion of the law of God. Look what the Lord in his word does injoyn and Command to be performed, that the Soul and Spirit of a Believer and regenerate Perſon ſo far forth as he is regenerate does incline and tend unto. Thou ſaydſt ſeek my face, there was the tenor of Gods Command. And thy face Lord will I ſeek, there was the temper of Davids Spirit. So Pſal. 40.7.8. I delight to do thy will O my God, yea thy law is within my Heart.
And this is the difference betwixt a child of God and another perſon, take another man and his heart riſes and rebels againſt the word and love of God, and he wiſhes there were no ſuch thing as that is. But a good Chriſtian he has an agreeableneſs to it, and from thence a Complyance with it, it is as the wax anſwering the Seal.
A ſecond Obſervation is this, That a good and a gracious heart is carryed on to the doing of its Duty more eſpecially upon Gods Command, as impoſing it upon him. Davids heart inclined to ſeeking of God from that principle of Grace that was in it. But now when moreover God Himſelf requires him to do ſo, this makes him to be ſo much the more determined and reſolved about it, When thou ſaideſt, ſeek my face, then I ſought thy face indeed.
The Ground hereof may be thus laid forth unto us.
Firſt, That holy Reverence and awe which they have of Gods Majeſty. Fear, it works obedience, and where we ſtand in awe of the Perſon, we do more readily ſubmit to the Command, now thus is it with the children of God.
Secondly, Their Love to God. Theres nothing ſo complying as Love, it is the moſt yielding Affection of any, and ſo here in our carriage to God, If we love him we will keep his Commandments: And thus do all who are his true ſervants, and therefore run at his call.
Thirdly, There is this alſo conſiderable in it, that Gods Power goes along with his Command. This it did here as to Davids heart, when God ſaid ſeek my face, he did cauſe him to ſeek it whiles he ſaid it. And ſo he does likewiſe with the reſt of His ſervants, which he does not with other perſons. And it is the true account of ſo much difference as is betwixt them, that whiles they both receive the ſame word, yet they are not alike wrought upon by it, becauſe in the one, there's the command in the bare propoſal, but in the other there's the Spirit going along with it, to make it Effectual. In the Covenant of Grace God performs that in us, which he requires of us, which is the Great Advantage of all true Believers.
Thirdly, Obſerve in General thus much. That a Good and Conſcientious Hearer is careful to apply the word of God to his own particular. God ſpake it here at large and in the General, ſeek ye my face in the Plural; but David brings it home to himſelf and faſtens upon it. This is the Duty of all others beſides. Thus we find it to have been ſometime with St. Peters Auditors in Act. 2.37. The word was ſpoke to the whole company at large. This Jeſus whom ye have crucified is Lord and Chriſt: But thoſe that were converted they applyed it, and appropriated it to themſelves. And therefore it is ſaid, that when they heard it they were pricked at the heart.
And there is this Conſiderable that makes for it.
Firſt, Becauſe the Particular is ſtill comprehended in the General, as the part's in the whole. That which is ſaid to all it does reſpect whoſoever are contained and comprized in that number, and that ſucceſſively in all Ages of the world, that which was ſaid to Moſes, and Joſhua, and David, is ſaid alſo to us. The precepts of Religion they do indifferently extend themſelves to all ſorts of Perſons. When God ſays ſeek ye my face, he ſays it to me, and to thee, and to a Third, and ſo to all the world over. Indeed there are ſome Poſitive particular Commands, which are now and then given to ſuch and ſuch perſons diſtinctly, and ſo do reach onelyonly to them in ſuch and ſuch Circumſtances: But the common Duties and Practiſes of Godlineſs they are promiſcuouſly impoſed upon all.
Secondly, This is the very Life and Power of all kind of Teaching whatſoever to bring it home to a mans own Particular. As the benefit of Meat in the Stomach is the degeſting of it, and ſending its Nouriſhment into every particular part. Aures omnium pulſo, ſed Conſcientias quorundam Convenio &c. Says St. Auſtin; the Parſon he delivers things in General, but it is every mans Conſcience that muſt make the particular Application.
And accordingly it concerns us to do ſo upon all occaſions. The Neglect and want hereof is the cauſe why there is oftentimes no more good got by the Miniſtry and the Preaching of it, becauſe men think what is ſaid to all, is ſaid to none, when as indeed it is ſaid to every one, if they had Grace to apply it to themſelves; and every one is particularly intereſted and concern'd in it, according to the particular occaſions in which they are, and the Circumſtances which may be upon them: And that in points alſo of all ſorts and natures and qualities whether of Information, or Direction, or Reprehenſion, or Conſolation, or Command.
Indeed ye ſhall have ſome kind of people who (it may be) will be pritty forward in Application, but it is to others not to themſelves. They are ready to ſay that ſuch an one had his Leſſon and Inſtruction given him, but in the mean time they paſs over their own. Now it is the Duty of every good Chriſtian here with David to apply the Doctrine to Himſelf. And ſo he ſhall cloſe with Gods Intentions in the Diſcovery and Propoſal of it, and ſo much may be ſpoken of the points obſervable in General and Preparatory.
We come now more particularly and cloſely to the words of the Text it ſelf, Thy face Lord will I ſeek. And here again I ſhall with Gods Aſſiſtance take notice of two things more. Firſt, The Subſtantials of the Text. And Secondly, The Circumſtantials.
Firſt, To look upon the Subſtantials, and that is as it does exhibit to us the main Duty which is here required of us, which is the ſeeking of the Face of God, for that which was Davids Practiſe is our Duty, and is accordingly required of us. we have heard out of the words before; that it is that which God himſelf does invite us to: Here now we ſhall ſee likewiſe that it is that which we our ſelves are bound too in acceptance of this Invitation which we ſhall the better be able to do, if we do but conſider what it is which is here Commended to us, and what we are to underſtand by this expreſſion. The ſeeking of the face of God, it does imply divers things in it, and all ſuch as is required by us, we may take it in theſe following Explications.
Firſt, To labour for the knowledge of God and more intimate acquaintance with him, becauſe we know a man uſually by his Face and outward countenance, therefore our knowing of God is ſet forth to us by this expreſſion of ſeeking his face; and it is that which lies upon all men eſpecially to do, thoſe that are abſolutely ignorant of him to know him at firſt, thoſe that know him in part already to indeavour to know him more; and ſtill to increaſe in the knowledg of him.
And that we may do it, indeed the more effectually to look upon him in that Glaſs wherein he has preſented himſelf unto us, which is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Take God conſider'd in Himſelf, and his Face is very terrible and dreadful as I told them before, there is no ſeeking for us of it, but rather ſeeking how to avoid it, and to run away from it: but in Chriſt here it is Lovely and Amiable. In John 14.8.9. When Philip ſaid Lord ſhew us the Father and it ſufficeth us. Jeſus ſpake unto him, have I been ſo long time, and yet haſt thou not know me Philip? He that hath ſeen me, hath ſeen the Father, and how ſayeſt thou then, ſhew us the Father? And Apoſtle Paul in the 2 Cor. 4.6. God who Commanded the Light to ſhine out of Darkneſs, hath ſhined in our Hearts, to give the light of the Knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt.
Secondly, To ſeek the face of God, is to ſeek the preſence of God; this follows upon the former, as when we know a man we deſire to have his Company, if he be ſuch an one as we approve off and may be uſeful to us, even ſo it is here. Beſides Gods Common and General Preſence which extends to all ſorts of Perſons, there's a ſpecial and Gracious preſence which is peculiar to his People, and is accordingly ſought after by them; which is here called his face.
This is deſireable of us in reference to two things eſpecially. The Creatures, and the Ordinances.
Firſt, To ſeek the preſence of Chriſt in the Creatures and the Comforts which are conveyed by them without which they are not truly Comfortable. It is not the things themſelves which we partake off, that are able to chear and refreſh us; unleſs it pleaſes God Himſelf to appear in them, and with them. It is his preſence which is the Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs of every Condition, and that puts a livelineſs and chearfulneſs into every Comfort. It is the Face of God that puts a Comfortableneſs into the face of Friends, the face of Friends is very pleaſing and Delightful one to another, as Iron ſharpens Iron as Solomon tells us, but it is Gods face that makes it to be ſo, as joyning with them, and ſo it is as to any other Comfort or Refreſhment beſides. Therefore ſeek his preſence in the Creatures, that's the firſt.
Secondly, Seek his face in the Ordinances, and the Duties and Exerciſes of Religion. This is that which we ſhould cheifly look after, we ſhould not come to ſuch matters as theſe are onelyonly out of faſhion and cuſtom and formallity, but to injoy communion with God in them, thus David in Pſal. 63.1, 2. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee: my ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirſty land where no water is. To ſee thy Power and thy Glory, ſo as I have ſeen thee in the ſanctuary. There are many that come to the Sanctuary, and to the Publick Aſſemblies of Gods people, but it is to ſeek for other faces, it is not to ſeek for the face of God; they come hither onelyonly to ſtare and gaze and look about them, to look upon this face, and to look upon that, to ſee and be ſeen. This is an high profanation of the Ordinance of God and a perverting it from the proper end and intendment of it; but we ſee here what is the main ſcope of every Gracious and Religious ſoul in ſuch approaches as theſe are. Thy face Lord will I ſeek that I may have ſellowſhip and converſe with thee in thine own ordinance, as we have it expreſſely in the 4th. ver. of this preſent Pſalm. One thing have I deſired of the Lord, that will I ſeek after, that I may dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire into His Temple. In the word, in the Sacraments, in all the Ordinances, to have the preſence of God, that's the ſecond Explication, to ſeek the face of God, that is, to ſeek the preſence of God.
Thirdly, To ſeek the face of God, that is, to ſeek the favour of God. Men commonly ſhew their Affection in their Countenance, and therefore the one is put for the other. And ſo here thus, Pſal. 24.6. This is the Generation of them that ſeek thee, of them that ſeek thy face O God of Jacob, ſo Pſal. 105.4. Seek the Lord and his ſtrength, ſeek his face evermore. And Pſal. 4.6. There be many that will ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? Lord, lift up the light of thy Countenance upon us, and Gods Gracious favour and countenance is that which it concerns us above all other things to ſeek after.
Firſt, That we may walk more ſerviceably, and do that which God requires of us with greater intention. It is the Maſters countenance, which puts a nimbleneſs into the ſervants work, and makes it to come off the more freely and readily from him. Aſſurance it hath a great influence upon obedience, and in that reſpect to be purſued by us.
Secondly, That we may walk more chearfully and have more peace and comfort in our ſelves, Pſal. 30.5. In his favour is life, yea his Loving-kindneſs is better then life, as it is in Pſal. 63.3. Look as the face of the Sun puts a clearneſs and livelineſs into every thing which before was dead and diſconſolate; ſo does the face and gracious preſence of God into the hearts of his poor ſervants, which were before as it were in a dead and a dark condition, It quickens them, and raiſes them, and revives them, and puts life into them. This is that which makes an Heaven upon Earth, as the contrary is no better then Hell. That's Hell where God withdraws his Gracious preſence. That's Heaven where he is pleaſed to ſhew his face.
Thirdly, That we may walk more Profitably and beneficially towards others, the more that we are ſenſible of Gods Favour to our ſlves, the better ſhall we be able to comfort and chear up our Brethren, and to comfort them with the Comfors wherewith we are comforted of God.
Therefore above all things we ſhould purſue it and ſeek after it, we ſee how deſirous men are uſually of the favour of great ones, many ſeek the Rulers favour, or the face of the Ruler as the words run in the Text: Pene maſhal. But every mans Judgment cometh from the Lord, Prov. 29.6. And therefore there is reaſon to ſeek his favour above any one elſe. Therefore ſays St. Paul do we labour or are ambitious to be accepted of Him. Becauſe we muſt all appear before the Judgment Seat of Chriſt. We ſhould ſeek for Gods favour now, that we may injoy it hereafter when we ſhall moſt ſtand in need of it. Thi is that which concludes and comprehends every thing in it: It is the moſt compendious way to Happineſs that is in the Word, our uſual manner and practiſe is to pitch upon ſome particular comfort which we have a mind unto, as Riches, or Health, or Peace or ſome ſuch things as thoſe, let us but ſeek the Favour of God and we ſhall have all theſe things in it to the bargain. And that's the Third Explication to ſeek his face. i. e. to ſeek his favour.
Fourthly and Laſtly, To ſeek the face of God, that is to pray and call upon Him; If we look into Scripture we ſhall finde how the work of Prayer is frequently and commonly deſcribed to us under this Expreſſion. as the 2 Chro. 7.14. If my People ſhall pray and ſeek my face, where the latter is all one with the former. So 1 Kings 13.6. Intreat now the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, where the latter is an Explication of the former, now this is another thing which God requires of thoſe that are his Servants, and which accordingly they ingage themſelves to, namely to have recourſe unto Him upon all Occaſions; what ever Condition they are in, or Buſineſs of any ſpecial Conſequence which is undertaken by them, ſtill to ſeek to God for his Direction and Aſſiſtance and Bleſſing thereupon.
This is that which we ſhould do likewiſe in Conformity to this Example here before in the Prophet David: And indeed in the whole Latitude of the Expreſſion as we have now open'd it unto you, ſeek the Knowledg of God, and ſeek the Preſence of God, and ſeek the Favour of God, and ſeek the Help of God, ſeek ye the Face of God in all particulars. And to preſs it ſo much the more upon us, let us conſider what we had before in the former part of the verſ. That he begins with us and invites us hereunto of his own accord, thou ſaydſt ſeek my face, the motion it takes its riſe from God himſelf: If a Prince or a great Perſon of great place and account in the world, ſhould come to any man and ſpeak thus unto him, come to me upon any occaſion, and make uſe of me all you can, and you ſhall find me ready to do all that may be for you: ſhould he need to ſay ſo to him very often, or put him in mind of it? or would he not rather of himſelf incline unto it? why this is that now which God does here to his poor Servants, while he invites them to this Improvement of Himſelf. And ſo much may be ſpoken of the firſt thing here conſiderable in this paſſage to wit the Subſtantials of the Text, in the main Duty which is here required of us to ſeek the face of God.
Now the Second is the Circumſtantials of it, by way of Inlargement and Amplification, where there are divers things conſiderable of us in this Anſwer and Complyance of Davids with Gods Command or Invitation of Him to him.
Firſt, It was ſeaſonable and in due time, as ſoon as ever God call'd to David to ſeek his face; preſently does David make this return, thy face Lord will I ſeek. This is the property and Diſpoſition of every wiſe and prudent Chriſtian to cloſe with the very firſt Opportunities of Gods Invitation, There's two things at once in it, the one is to be able preſently to diſcern when God ſpeaks, and the other is to be willing preſently to perform when God Commands, and each of theſe were here obſerv'd in David. David he had both a quick Ear, and likewiſe a plyable Heart, he had a quick Ear to take the Motion at the firſt Preſentation of it, and he had a plyable heart to do that preſently which God did injoyn him and require of Him, and this is the property of every Godly man beſides, ſo far forth as Grace is awake and ſtirring in him; not to let ſlip any occaſion or Incouragement of drawing near to God, but to be ſure to take it at the firſt riſe and tender of it. If God does let fall but the leaſt word from him, to harten us, and to put us on upon Communion with Him, and Expectation from him, preſently to lay hold upon it and apprehend it. As the Servants of Benhadad to Ahab. Thy Brother Benhadad, they haſtely catcht at that. 1 Kings 20.33. It is a great peice of Spiritual Wiſdom in a Chriſtian thus to do, and that ſo much the rather in regard of the ſhortneſs and uncertainty of ſuch opportunities as theſe are. Thoſe that are ſharp ſet, they are quickly invited, and need not many Invitations of them.
Secondly, This Anſwer as it was ſeaſonable and preſent, ſo it was alſo full and compleat, The Performance was proportionable to the Injunction, ye ſhall have ſome kind of people in the world, that God bids them do one thing, and they will be ſure to do the quite Contrary; or at leaſt not do as much as they ſhould do, but do it by halves. But now here David, he makes return to God in the full Extent and Proportion of Obedience. God ſaid ſeek my face, and he anſwered, thy face Lord will I ſeek. This is the Anſwer of a good Conſcience to God, as the Apoſtle Peter calls it in the 1 Pet. 3.21. When we comply with him anſwerably to thoſe Demands which he makes of us, look what he deſires at our hands, the ſame do we for our parts perform towards him. And indeed there is a very reciprocall Intercourſe betwixt God and his people continually, and upon all occaſions, when they call he Anſwers, when he calls they Come, when they ask he Gives, when he commands they Obey, he ſays they are my People, and they ſay the Lord is my God, he ſays ſeek my face, and they ſay thy face Lord will I ſeek.
Thirdly, It was real, and intire, and ſincere. My heart ſaid unto him &c. It is one thing to ſay it with the Mouth, and it is another thing to ſay it with the Heart: With the Mouth it is both eaſie and ordinary; and nothing more uſual. Lord thy face will we ſeek, eſpecially in any Trouble or Calamity which is incident unto us, but for the Heart to ſay it, that is not ſo frequent, and accordingly does the Lord ſometime complain of it. As Pſal. 78.34.37. When he ſlew them they ſought him, but their heart was not right with him, So Eſay. 29.13. This people drew near unto me with their Mouth, but have removed their heart from me. And Hoſ. 7.14. They have not cryed unto me with their Heart, when they howled upon their Beds, they aſſembled themſelves for Corn and Wine, and they rebell againſt me. The Applications of a Chriſtian to God, they are to be in ſincerity to ſeek him, and to ſeek him for Himſelf above any thing elſe, not for the Loaves but for the Miracles. Thy face Lord will I ſeek, that is thy ſelf for thy ſelf, and that with my Heart.
Fourthly, It was ſetled and Peremptory. Thy face will I ſeek, that is nothing ſhall hinder me of it, or keep me from it, but I will do it againſt all Oppoſition. There is no man whoſoever he be lookes after God and his ways, but he muſt make account to meet with many Difficulties and Diſcouragements in them, from whence it will much concern him to take up a ſetled purpoſe and reſolution ſtill to ſtick to them, as David here does. He that will be truly Religious, he muſt be determined and reſolved in Religion, and ſuffer nothing to take him off from it, or from the profeſſion of it, becauſe there is that in it, which will be ſure to make it ſelf Good.
Laſtly, This Proteſtation of David it was abſolute and Indifinite, and unlimited, I will ſeek thy face; without preſcription of Time, or Place, or Condition, not onelyonly now but hereafter, not onelyonly for a time, but for ever. In all Seaſons, in all Eſtates, in all Circumſtances, ſtill I ſhall keep me to this, to hold my Communion with thee; then are we Chriſtians indeed, when we are ſo Immutably, and Irreverſibly, and Independently upon the Opinions, or Practiſes of any other Perſons. And thus have we ſeen this Expreſſion of the Prophet David here in the Text, laid forth to us in the full Emphaſis and Extent of it.
Now the uſe of all to our ſelves comes to this, Namely to put us upon the Exerciſe and practiſe of it, God ſays to us ſeek ye my face, and his face therefore let us ſeek. For he hath not ſaid unto the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek ye my face in vain. Eſay. 45.19. God will ſhew his face to them that ſeek it, and that with all the Advantages that may be, and therefore let us all be perſwaded to the ſeeking of Him, and that with theſe Directions.
Firſt, Early, Be carefull to ſeek him betimes. O God thou art my God, Early will I ſeek thee ſays David, ſeek him in the Beginning of the day, in the beginning of the Week, in the beginning of our Life, as many as are in the beginning of it, In the dew of the Morning.
Secondly, Earneſtly and with Intention, as we may ſee it was with the Spouſe in the Canticles: She never gave over ſeeking him till ſhe had found him, no more ſhould we. He is ſaid to be a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him in Heb. 11. verſ. 6.
Thirdly, Duely, and Regularly, In thoſe ways and in that manner, as he himſelf will be ſought by us: It is ſaid in 1 Chro. 15.13. The Lord our God made a Breach upon us, becauſe we ſought him not after the due Order. We muſt ſeek him when he may be found, and where he may be found alſo. In his Ordinances and the Aſſemblies of his People, He found him in Bethel. Hoſ. 12.4.
And ſo I have done alſo with the ſecond General part of the Text which is Davids Complyance. And with the whole Text. When thou ſaydſt ſeek my face, my heart anſwered, thy face Lord will I ſeek.
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