And if we do not seek the face of God now, when we may enjoy his presence, we shall never see his face in glory hereafter. We must now be acquainted with him, or else we shall not when we would. Therefore, as we may enjoy the presence of God in his ordinances, so in all our affairs let us seek his face and blessing. Let us have what we have, and do what we do, in his blessing and assistance, and not in the strength of wit and shifts.* Let us do what we do by divine strength, and in confidence of his blessing. That that we do by his strength we may expect his blessing on; we cannot do so by our shifts. Let us inure ourselves in these courses, and we shall find much peace ; and by long acquaintance with God we shall be able to commit our souls to him ; we shall be able to look him in the face at the hour of death. He that looks God in the face often in prayer, and seeking him_. may look death in the face. These things may be made effectual if your hearts be prepared, as the Scripture phrase is.
And because I mentioned preparing : that is a word in Scripture that is set before seeking. Rehoboam did not thrive, he did not ' prepai'e his heart to seek God,' 2 Chron. xii. 14. Jehoshaphat was blessed of God, ' he prepared his heart to seek the Lord,' 2 Chron. xx. 3. Therefore let us come prepared to seek God, prepare our hearts to seek him. Think, When I go to the congregation, I go to seek God's face ; therefore come in humility and subjection. And in all the courses of our lives, let all of us prepare, and set our hearts in frame to seek God in all things ; and let ug set upon nothing that we cannot depend on him for assistance, and look to * That is, ' expedients.' — G.
132 THE SUCCESSFUL SEEKER.
liim for a blessing. And when wo cannot enjoy his favour and blessing in anything, we were as good be without it as have it.
This is the way to have our wills in all things. Christ, the truth itself, hath left us this one sweet promise, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God,' i\Iatt. vi. 33. He speaks there of seeking our own good. What is the best thing we should seek for ? ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God,' of grace, and of glory ; the favour of God, and the fruit of his favour, grace. Seek those best things in the first place. What then ? It is the way to have all things else, as far as they are for our good. But we would have more. We think if we seek to God, and depend upon God's divine prin- ciples and rules, it is a way to beggary and disgrace. Oh no. It is the way to have our own desire in all things, as far as it is for our good. Let us seek first the kingdom of God, that God may rule and reign in us, and we shall reign in the kingdom of God. For] other things, God will bring it to pass I know not how, they shall be cast upon us. He that is full for heaven and happiness, God will make him full for the world, and success- ful, as much as he sees fit to bring him to heaven. If God see anything that would hinder him, he must leave that to his wisdom.
Therefore let us labour to be able from truth of heart to return to the commandment and promise of God, this sweet and gracious answer of the holy man David, when God saith generally or particularly, ' Seek my face,' ' Thy face. Lord, will I seek.'
NOTES.
(a) P. 114. — ' As Saint Augustine said of himself, " God spake often to mo, and I was ignorant of it." ' A frequent self-accusation in the ' Confessions.' Cf. note /, Vol. II. page 194.
(6) F. 116. — ' God batli framed the Scriptures not to be limited to tlio times wherein they were written, as the papists idly speak, Bellarmine and others.' A commonplace of the popish controversy. Cf. nnn, Vol. III. page 535.
(c) P. 125. — ' " Many seek the ruler's favour." In the Greek translation, the Sep- tuagint, the word is to " observe " and respect a man, which is translated " seeking."' The LXX rendering is cro^.Xo/ '^iPa'ffi-oouGi, i.e, ^sea-rsuw = to wait upon, to minister unto, to serve.
[d) P. 131. — ' It is said of some, good emperors, that never any man went sorry out of their presence ; either they had the grant of their suits or good words.' This is said of various of the Caesars: e.ff., Julius Caesar, Antoninus, and later, of Con- stantine. G.
A RESCUE FROM DEATH, WITH A RETURN OF PRAISE.
A RESCUE FROM DEATH, WITH A PtETURN OF PRAISE.
NOTE.
For tlie full title-page of the book of which ' A Rescue from Death ' forms the second moiety, see Note to the Treatise composing tlie former, entitled ' Lydia's Conversion,' in the second division of the present volume. G.