The next now is,

Secondly, They "seek him with the whole heart."

This is fitly subjoined to the former for a double reason; partly, because the end of God's testimonies is to direct us how to seek after God, to bring home the wandering creature to its centre and place of rest; partly, because whoever keeps the commandments of God, he will be forced to seek God for light and help.

Obedience doth not only qualify us for communion with God, but (where it is regarded in good earnest) necessitates us to look after it; for we cannot come to God without God; and therefore if we would keep his testimonies, we must be seeking of God. Well then,—

DOCTRINE II.-Those that would be blessed, must make this their business, sincerely to seek after God.

1. Observe the act of duty, "they seek the Lord."

2. The manner of performance, "with the whole heart."

First, What is it to seek the Lord?

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1. To seek the Lord presupposeth our want of God; for no man seeks what he hath, but for what he hath not. All that are seeking, are sensible of their want of God. For instance, when we begin to seek him at first, it begins with a sound remorse and sense of our natural estrangement from him. The first work and great care of returning penitents, is to inquire after God. So long as men lie unconverted, they are wholly neglectful of him, and think they do not want God: "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God" (Rom. iii. 11). They have no affection or desire of communion with God. They seek such things as their hearts lust after, but it is not their desire or care to enjoy God. But when the conversion of the Jews is spoken of, it is said, They shall return and seek the Lord their God" (Hos. iii. 5). At first conversion men are sensible of their great distance from God, and are troubled they have been so long strangers to him. Go to another sort of seekers, they are sensible of the same thing, in case of desertion it is clear, "My beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone; I sought him, but I could not find him" (Cant. v. 6). They never begin to recover, until they are first sensible of their loss; when they see Christ is gone, they are left dead and comfortless; yea, all believers, their seeking or looking after communion with God, is grounded upon a sense of want in some degree and measure; it is little they have, in comparison with what they want and expect; and therefore still the children of God are a generation of seekers, "that seek after God" (Psalm xxiv. 6), whatever they enjoy, they are still in pursuit of more. They are always breathing after God, and desire to enjoy more communion with him. A wicked man is always running from God, and is never better than when he is out of God's company, when he is rid of all thoughts of God: he runs from his own conscience, because he finds God there; he runs from the company of good men, because God is there; holy conference is as a prison: he runs from ordinances, because they bring God near to his conscience, and put him in mind of God: he avoids death, because he cannot endure with God. But men that have a sense and want of God upon them, will be inquiring and seeking after him.

2. This seeking may be known by the things sought. What do we seek for? Union and communion with God: "Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his face for evermore" (Psalm cv. 4). It is an allusion to the ark, which was a pledge of God's favourable and powerful presence; so that which we seek

after, is God's favourable and powerful presence, that we may find the Lord reconciled, comforting and quickening our hearts. Communion with God is the main thing that we seek after, as to the enjoyment of his favour in the acceptance of our persons and pardon of our sins. This is that the man of God expresseth in his own name, and in the name of all the saints, "Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us (Psalm iv. 6); that God would display his beams of favour upon the soul. So, "Thy favour is better than life" (Psalm lxiii. 3). And then his strength too, that he may subdue our corruptions, temptations, enemies (Mic. vii. 19), and that he may supply our wants, inward and outward, by his all-sufficiency (Phil. iv. 19). God telleth Abraham, "I am God all-sufficient, walk before me, and be thou perfect."

3. The formality of the duty may be explained with respect to graces and ordinances. It consists in the exercise of grace, and in the use of ordinances. (1) The exercise of grace, faith, and love. Faith is often expressed by terms of motion, coming, running, going, seeking. Thus is the whole tendency of soul towards God expressed by terms that are proper to outward motion. Coming notes our serious resolution and purpose to make after God. Going notes the practice or progress in that resolution. Running notes the fervour and earnestness of the soul to enjoy God. And seeking, that notes our diligence in the use of means. That faith is implied in seeking appears by comparing these two scriptures, "To it shall the Gentiles seek" (Isa. xi. 10). Now when this is spoken of in the New Testament, it is rendered thus, "In him shall the Gentiles trust" (Rom. xv. 12). So that it notes confidence and hope. (2) It notes love, which is exercised herein, which puts upon sallies, and earnest egressions of soul, after the party loved. My soul followeth hard after thee " (Psalm lxiii. 8). It is grievous to those who love God to think of separation from him, or to forbear to seek after him. The great care of their souls is to find God; that he may direct, comfort, strengthen, and sanctify them, and to have sweet experience of his grace. Thus the spouse sought him whom her soul loved," and gave not over till she found him.

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4. Again, it is exercised in the use of the ordinances, as the word and prayer. God will be sought in his own ordinances. Christ walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks. If you would find a man, mind where is his walk and usual resort. When Christ was lost, his parents sought him in the temple, there they found him. If you would find Christ, look to the shepherds' tents in the assemblies of his people (Cant. i. 7, 8), there shall you meet him. Only let me tell you, in these ordinances it is not enough to make Christ the object of them, to worship Christ, but he must be made the end of them. To serve God is one thing, to seek him another. To serve God is to make him the object of worship, to seek God is to make him the end of worship. When we will not go away from him without him, "I will not let thee go unless thou bless me " (Gen. xxii. 26). It is not enough to make use of ordinances, but we must see if we can find God there. There many that hover about the palace, that yet do not speak with the prince: so possibly we may hover about ordinances, and not meet with God there. To go away with the husk and shell of an ordinance, and neglect the kernel, to please ourselves because we have been in the courts of God, though we have not met with the living God, that is very sad. A traveller and merchant differ; thus: a traveller goes from place to place only that he may see; but a merchant goes from port to port that he may take in his lading, and

are

grow rich by traffic. So a formal person goes from ordinance to ordinance, and is satisfied with the work; a godly man looks to take in his lading, that he may go away from God with God; that he may meet God here, and there, in this duty and in that, and go away from God with God. A man that makes a visit only by constraint, and not by friendship, it is all one to him whether the person be at home or not; but another would be glad to find his friend there: so, if we from a principle of love come to God in these duties, our desires will be to find the living God. Again, if God be not found in an ordinance, yet we must continue seeking, we may find him in the next. Sometimes God will not be found in public, that he may be found in private ordinances. The spouse sought him upon her bed, then in every street of the city. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near" (Isa. Iv. 6). In prayer we come most directly to enjoy God, and do more especially call him in to our help and relief, there all graces are acted. If you cannot find God in prayer, look for him in the supper, and in the word; if he be not comfortably present in the word, seek him by meditation. 'My soul failed when he spake " (Cant. v. 6). That is, when I considered his speaking, for his wooing was over, my beloved was gone, but when I thought of his speaking, my soul failed. David consults with Nathan, but he could give him no clear answer. What then? "The word of the Lord came that night unto Nathan, saying, Go and tell my servant David," &c. (2 Sam. vii. 4). So when we have been inquiring after God all day in public worship, all this while the oracle is silent; but at night, when going over these things again, God may be found. It is said, "Therefore many of them believed" (Acts, xvii. 12). How? When they searched the word; though in the hearing they did not discern the impressions of God upon the word, but when they searched and studied, going over them in private duties, God appeared. It is said, "She judged him faithful that had promised" (Heb. xi. 11). How so? at first hearing? No, Sarah laughed when God promised her a son: (for it was the Son of God that was in company with the angels,-Gen. xviii.): but afterward when she considered of it, "She judged him faithful."

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Thus we must follow God from ordinance to ordinance. It argues a great deal of pride in carnal men, if God doth not meet them presently, they throw off all. Now and then they will see what they shall have for calling upon God, but if God do not answer at the first knock, they are gone.

SERMON III.

VERSE 2.-Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, that seek him with the whole heart.

USE I. To press you to "seek" God, the motives are,—

1. It was the end of our creation. We do not live merely to live, but for this end were we sent into the world to seek God. Nature is sensible of it in part by the dissatisfaction it finds in other things, and therefore the apostle describes the Gentiles to be groping and feeling about for God (Acts, xvii. 27). God is the cause of all things, and nature cannot be satisfied without him. We were made for God, and can never enjoy satisfaction until we come to enjoy him; therefore the Psalmist saith," We are all gone aside, and altogether become filthy" (Psalm xiv. 3). Nature

is out of joint, we are quite out of our way to true happiness. We are seeking that for which we were created when we seek and inquire after God.

2. We seek other things that we want with great solicitude and care, we are cumbered with much serving to obtain the world, and shall anything be sought more than God? We can least spare him. The chiefest good should be sought after with the chiefest care, and chiefest love, and chiefest delight, nothing should be so precious to us as God. It is the greatest baseness that can be, that anything should take up our time, our thoughts, and content us more than God. When we come to God we are earnest for other things. "They howl upon their beds for corn and wine" (Hos. vii. 14). If anything be sought from God above God, more than God, and not for God, it is but a brutish cry.

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3. It is our benefit to seek God. It is no benefit to God if we do not seek him. The Lord hath no less, though we have less. He that hides himself from the sun doth not impair the light. We derogate nothing from God if we do not seek him. He needed not the creature, he had happiness enough in himself, but we hide ourselves from our own happiness and our own peace. But what benefit have we by seeking God? A great deal of present benefit ; They shall praise the Lord that seek him " (Psalm xxii. 26). You will have cause to bless God before the search be over, God hath passed his word, there are a great many experiences we taste. As they that continue in the pursuit of the philosopher's stone find out many experiences, which are a satisfaction to their understandings; so one way or other we shall have cause to bless God. The God of Jacob hath openly professed we shall not seek him in vain (Isa. xlv. 19). That is, this is a truth God hath written as it were with a sunbeam, that something will come in seeking of God. By seeking him in prayer we carry away a great deal of comfort and strength. As we read of that emperor that sent not away any one sad out of his presence, so neither doth God, there is some comfort to be had in waiting upon him. And as it brings present comfort and satisfaction, so it brings an everlasting reward, "He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. xi. 6). If you would have the fruit of your holy calling, that which is the result of that religion you do profess, you must diligently seek him; so that in effect we never seek ourselves more than when we seek the Lord. "Seek the Lord and ye shall live" (Amos, v. 6). It is the undoubted way to get eternal life, to live for ever. They that seek not his face here, shall never see his face for ever. With what diligence will men court an outward preferment, which is yet very uncertain ? Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the Lord" (Prov. xxix. 26). What a deal of observance and waiting is there for the ruler's face and favour, and yet God disposeth of every man's judgment; it is uncertain whether they shall obtain it yea or nay. But now if you seek the face of God, in Heaven you shall

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live for ever.

4. If you do not sensibly find God, yet comfort thyself that thou art in a seeking way, and in the pursuit of him. God's people are described "to be the generation of them that seek him " (Psalm xxiv. 6). This is the true mark of God's chosen people, they make it their business to get the favour of God, and to wrestle through discouragements. It is better to be a seeker than a wanderer. Though we do not feel the love of God, nor have the comfort of a pardon, have no sensible communion with him, yet

the choice and bent of the heart is towards him, and you have the character of God's people upon you.

5. You have misspent a great deal of time already, and long neglected God, therefore now you should seek him: "It is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you" (Hos. x. 12). It is time, that is, it is not too late, while we are preserved and invited. And again, it is time, that is, it is high time, the business of your lives hath been too long neglected. It is such another expression as, "The time past is enough to have wrought the will of the Gentiles," &c. (1 Peter, iv. 3). God hath been too long kept out of his right, and we out of our happiness. The night is coming upon us, and will you not begin your day's work?

6. This is the reason of affliction; we are so backward in this work that we need be whipped unto it. "I will go and return to my place, saith God, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face" (Hos. v. 15). God knows that want is a spur to a lazy creature, and therefore doth God break in upon men, and scourge them as with scorpions, that they may bethink themselves and look after God.

USE II. For direction. If you would seek God,—

1. Seek him early. Blessed are they that seek him early. We cannot soon enough go about this work. Seek him when God is nigh, when the Spirit is nigh: "Call upon the Lord while he is near" (Isa. lv. 6). There are certain seasons which you cannot easily get again, such times when God doth deal more pressingly with you, when the word bears in upon the heart, and when God is near unto you. David, like a quick echo, returns upon God, "Seek ye my face: my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek (Psalm, xxvii. 8). It would be a great loss not to obey present impulses, and invitations, and not make use of the advantages which God puts into our hands.

2. Seek him daily. "Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore (Psalm cv. 4). That is, from day to day you must be seeking the face of God, in the strength of God. Every hour we need his direction, protection, strength, and we are in danger to lose him if we do not continue the search.

3. Seek him unweariedly, and do not give over your seeking until you find God. Wrestle through discouragements; though former endeavours have been in vain, yet still we should continue seeking after God. We have that command to inforce us to it, "We have toiled all the night; nevertheless at thy word," &c. (Luke v. 5). Though we do not presently find, yet we must not cast off all endeavours. In spiritual things many times a man hears and goes away with nothing, but when he comes to meditate upon it, and work it upon the heart, then he finds the face of God, and the strength of God. Therefore you must not give over your seeking. 4. Seek him in Christ. God will only be found in a mediator. Those are accepted" that come unto God by him" (Heb. vii. 25). Guilty creatures cannot enjoy God immediately. And in Christ God is more familiar with us. They shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king" (Hos. iii. 5). None can seek him rightly but those that seek him in Christ. It is uncomfortable to think of God out of Christ. As the historian saith of Themistocles when he sought the favour of the king, he snatched up the king's son, and so came and mediated for his grace and favour. Let us take the Son of God in the arms of our faith, and present him to God the Father, and seek his face, his strength.