[2.] Again, it is exercised in the u.se 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. AVhen 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 ohjcct of them, to wor- ship 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 : Gen. xxxii. 16, ' I will not let thee go unless thou bless me.' It is not enough to make use of ordinances, bat we must see if we can find God there. There are 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
VeR. 2.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 23
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 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, hi 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 no ; 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; you 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 : Isa. Iv. G, ' Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.' 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 : Cant. v. 6, ' My soul failed when he spake ; ' that is, when I considered his speaking, for his wooing was over, my be- loved was gone; but when I thought of his speaking my soul failed. David consults with ISTathan, but he could give him no clear answer ; what then ? 2 Sam. vii. 4, ' The word of the Lord came that night unto Nathan, saying, Go and tell my servant David,' &c. 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. Acts xvii. 12, it is said, ' Therefore many of them believed.' How ? — when tlicy searched the word ; though in the hear- ing 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. Heb. xi. 11, it is said, * She judged him faithful that had promised.' How so? at first hearing ? No ; Sarah laughed when God jiromised her a son (for it was the Son of God that was in com- pany with the angels, Gen. xviii.) ; but afterwards, when she considered of it. she judged him faithful.
Thus we must follow God from ordinance to ordinance. It argues a great deal of pride in carnal men, that if God doth not meet them pre- sently 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.
SEEMON III.
. Blessed are they that keep Ids testimonies, that seek him with the whole heart. — Ver. 2.
Use 1. To press you to seek God. The motives are : —
1. It was the end of our creation. We do not live merely to live;
24 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. III.