God And that they shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward c. They did not only look but they went they did not look one way and go another but they looked and went where they might find God for they said come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten I should have also shewn you 3. Where you should seek the Lord Jesus 4. How you should seek him And then 5. Why you should seek him But the time constrains me to retire to that one single term early to that circumstance of time because in it lies the greatest Emphasis as I said before and may be of great use to us at this day and here I shall shew you what is intended by early seeking of God I am sure those that have lived longest are most concerned herein the youngest yea every one of us should account it our greatest concern early to seek the Lord. But what is it that is intended by this expression early to seek the Lord This I shall shew you in Three particulars 1. It seems to have reference unto a day of Gods severe dispensations when he goes forth to correct the Nations to afflict Families and persons there is such a day and that is the day of the Lord and in this day as it is our duty so it should be our wisdom to seek the Lord early before he kills and destroys us before he makes an utter end by the severity of his stroke In Zeph. 2. 1 2 3 says the Prophet Gather together O nation not desired Before the decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you c. seek ye the LORD all ye meek of the earth seek righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger And in this sense this is the most seasonable word that I could have offered you in such a day as this is when God is gone forth to contend with the Nations we hear of much sickness and death both in City and Country God is shaking his Rod now therefore it is time early to seek the Lord It is a hard matter for a man that is secure to be awakened though the rod be coming upon him though the Lion roar though judgments are breaking in upon us as long as we can tell what shift to make with the Prodigal Son we never think of returning to our Fathers House we never think of seeking unto God 2 Sam. 14. 29 30 31 32 When Absalom set Joabs Corn on fire he then made haste to come to him And thus it is with us we will not seek after God but if he set our Houses on fire our bodies with burning Fevers when he comes and consumes and scorches our comforts then it may be we make haste and seek after him In Isa. 26. 16 LORD says the Prophet in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them And so in Hos. 5. 15 In their affliction they will seek me early says the Lord by the Prophet When they saw their sickness and their wound they sought other means when none would do and their case was desperate they will then plead guilty acknowledg their offence and seek my face In their affliction they will seek me early And so likewise in Psal. 78. 34 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God Here were a people methinks much of the spirit of the people of England when he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God early that is in respect of themselves though too late in respect of others that were already consumed and destroyed early that is before they themselves were destroyed though it was not early absolutely yet comparatively so though it was late yet the Lord accounts it for an early seeking But 2dly To enquire and seek early after God may have respect to the morning of every day of our lives and then the duty lies thus upon us They that seek me early shall find me that is if we seek God in the morning we shall find him all the day long with us Early in the morning says David will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up And in another place says he I prevented the dawning of the morning And if we would learn this lesson this day and constantly practice it we shall find greater advantages thereby than we are aware of The Poets say That Aurora Musis amica the morning is a friend to the Muses and doubtless the Saints of God will find the morning as much a friend to their Graces as the Poets did to the Muses When I awake says David Psal. 139. 18 I am still with thee when I awake I season my self with the thoughts of God 3. In the 3d place and that which doubtless is most properly to be understood and is especially intended here is as it hath respect to the day of our lives and the morning-part of that day Now then you that are young awake betimes improve your morning make use of it before it pass away consider seriously your follies and neglects what they have been and be ashamed It is well for you that you are in the morning of your day look out therefore early after Jesus Christ study to know God betimes study to know Jesus Christ while you be young In Matt. 6. 33 The Lord Jesus exhorts to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and doubtless he there intends this namely seeking after God and his Kingdom in youth do not first seek your pleasures do not first seek to fulfill your lusts and vain delights and think it will be time enough to seek the Kingdom of God afterwards No you ought to seek that in the first place before and above all other things whatsoever It is a Maxime of Hell Quaerenda pecunia primum virtus post nummos but the Sons and Daughters of men are too apt to take it up yea it is their rule they walk by first to get an estate and to grow rich and when they have done that then if they can find leisure to serve God and to seek after Christ. But I say that it is good to begin betimes and so did this servant of God that is gone to Heaven before us she began betimes to seek after Christ and hath left upon record her early enquiries after the ways of God after the knowledg of Christ And oh what an honour is it to be like Obadiah who says of himself 1 Kings 18. 12 That he feared the Lord from his youth Children hear me possibly I may never speak to you more Do you as Obadiah did fear the Lord from your youth Do as Timothy did in your childhood hear this Children your souls are precious and immortal 2 Tim. 3.
your souls your precious and immortal souls your spiritual which are your greatest concernments till now you are grown old I would perswade you yea even beseech you to consider that now you have but a little time left to do your greatest work you have now but one hour In Matt. 20. 6 it is said that Christ went out about the eleventh hour when there was but one hour more to night to hire labourers into his vineyard So it is with you it is the eleventh hour your last hour Besides have you no eyes no ears to see and hear that many dye dayly and weekly how many goodly plants that God had planted in his own house have of late been plucked up by the roots and laid in their Graves yea every day the death of young and old do ring a peal in our ears to awaken us to consider what is to come And will not Conscience it self think you ring a dreadful peal in our ears when we come to dye for that neither a voice from the Grave nor yet a voice from the Temple have yet prevailed with us to seek and secure to our selves an interest in God and in Christ Younger persons than our selves are often taken away and may we not thereby see and read that death it self is coming to teach us all to be prepared and in readiness for this our great change Death lies as it were in Ambuscado for us and sometimes men are taken away by it in the field and sometimes at home sometimes by this and sometimes by that disease but death comes to old age aperto marte in the plain and open field as it were and old men and old women cannot imagine that death is many days march from them and therefore they of all persons had need to seek after God and an interest in Christ night and day seek after this in your Houses in your Closets in your Beds in his Ordinances yea where-ever he is to be found and not to give over seeking till with the Spouse before mentioned you have found him 2. Consider how Christ calls on you in the Text. Read the begining of the Chapter Doth not wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice vers 1. From whence She standeth in the top of high places by the way in the places of the paths vers 2. She cryeth at the gates at the entry of the city at the coming in at the doors vers 3. To whom doth she cry Vnto you O men I call and my voice is to the sons of men vers 4. What doth she call to them for That they would come and seek wisdom of Christ that they would come and get understanding of him that they would come and get knowledg of him which is wisdom indeed The fear of the Lord that is wisdom indeed Doth Christ thus call and will you not regard nor answer this call What then will be his next call For ought I know it may be this Arise from the dead and come to judgment Consider this 3. And Lastly Consider your grand inducement and incouragement They that seek me early shall find me They that will yet seek him that is your early and God acconnts it so In Psal. 78. 34 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God While grace is proclaimed while God says They that seek me early shall find me This I say is your early and that which God himself accounts so and will God yet be found of you if you seek him Oh! what cause have you to bless God that ever he made such a promise as this which is Tabula post naufragium And that in Isa. 55. 6 7 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near Oh wonderful grace that such promises should be published to you and me I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me And now I shall no longer be burdensom to you but shall beg of you Children for whom I have provided a few words a short Sermon To hearken to your own Sermon c. Thirdly A word of Exhortation or a short Sermon to young ones Children seek the Lord early whiles you are yet tender and young The Children of their dear deceased Mother should hear her always saying what the Lord said to her They that seek me early shall find me O little Children you lye much upon my heart Remember your Creator in the days of your youth and seek him betimes Eccles. 12. 1. 1. Consider you must dye It is appointed to all men once to dye Heb. 9. 27. And you may dye whiles you are Children How many pretty little ones are every day taken away before your eyes And if you be snatcht away by the cold hand of death before you know God and have found Christ what will become of your precious and immortal souls Would you be willing to dye and be damn'd Would you leave this world and be content to be turn'd into Hell and be punished with the Devil and his Angels Can you think of losing your Friends and your God too for ever 2. Consider what was the great errand upon which God sent you into the world Not to gratifie your Lusts nor to pursue lying vanities but to know God and Jesus Christ. And will you dare you neglect your special work O! whiles you are in your prime mind what you have to do for your souls Can you think it reasonable that the Devil should have your youth the flower and strength of your days and God be serv'd only with a crazy body or the rottenness of old Age O then delay no longer but seek the Lord. And. 1. Do it speedily the Mannagatherers must go forth betimes Exod. 16. 21 so must the Christ-seekers before the Sun be up before the heat of youthful lusts or earthly cares hinder your diligent seeking 2. Do it in earnest with all your hearts Psal. 119. 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies that seek him with their whole heart 3. Resolve to seek the Lord till you find him in glory not only while your Father Mother or Friends live but as long as you live It was a sad story in Gen. 35. 19 That Rachel dyed when she was but a little way from Ephrath But more sad Luk. 13. 24 When many shall seek to enter into Heaven and not be able 3. Consider That if you seek him early you shall be sure to find him I would bespeak you as David did his young Solomon 1 Chron. 28. 9 And thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever It was a very serious speech of Azariah to Asa and to all
Judah and Benjamin 2 Chron. 15. 2 The Lord is with you while you be with him and if you seek him he will be found of you but if you forsake him he will forsake you Quest. But what shall we do to seek him Ans. If you will seek you must forsake sin and flee youthful lusts 2 Tim. 2. 22. 1. Especially take heed of lying that 's the Devils chain by which he holds poor Children from Christ Lies are the refuge of guilt and folly where the inconsiderate youth hides himself from man and is kept from God as Adam when he knew he was naked Gen. 3. 7 sewed Fig-leaves together a poor shift to hide his nakedness so the sons of Adam when they become guilty make Lies their covert and instead of seeking fly further from God and bring a double guilt and punishment upon their heads 2. Beware of Pride the wanton youth is like the wild Asses Colt or as Jer. 2. 23 24 The swift Dromedary traversing her ways or a wild Ass used to the wilderness that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure The souls not seeking God is charged upon his Pride Psal. 10. 4 The wicked through the pride of his countenance his looks testifie his pride will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts 3. Be not of a stubborn or disobedient spirit to the counsels of Parents and Teachers but hearken to their instruction It is the most sad and certain presage of the ruine of your souls if you refuse the serious and early advice of your natural and spiritual Fathers That 's a dreadful saying 1 Sam. 2. 25 concerning Eli's Sons They hearkened not unto the voice of their Father because the Lord would slay them 2. Go read the Scriptures the Eunuch found Christ there and Augustine found him there while he was reading Rom. 13. 13. Go ask your Teachers and they will direct you in the way go hence into your corners and weep and pray and God will come to you and when you hear the word Preacht mind what is spoken to you it is God that speaketh whom you should seek 4. Consider If you will seek the Lord early you will lay the foundation of your own peace and comfort living and dying O how may you prevent the sighs the groans the repentings the heart-akings that have fill'd up our days for want of an early seeking after God What a comfort was this to our dying Friend as also to her surviving Friends and Relations That She did and could truly say that she began to know God betimes and her great preparation-work for death to use her own words was not now to do And as that was your comfort then so let it be your Copy now What a great advantage was that to David Psal. 71. 17 18 That when he was old he could plead an old acquaintance with God O Lord thou hast taught me from my youth Now also when I am old and gray-headed O God forsake me not Two things more I would briefly shew you 1. What will be the difference between them that made it their business early to seek the Lord and them that sought him not or sought him too late and that with reference to eternity in a dying hour 2. Whence that difference doth arise 1. What will be the difference betwixt Saints and Sinners with respect to death at last 1. The wicked and ungodly sinner that would seek the world his own pleasure and sinful lusts When he comes to dye Conscience rings a dreadful peal and makes him cry out in the bitterness of his soul Alas Friend I must dye Animula vagula blandula quos nunc ad ibis locos Poor flitting dear departing soul whither art thou going Christ is an enemy God is a stranger I have no friend to save me I must be damn'd I am undone I am undone for ever But the dying Saint when he hath the sentence of death in him hath the hopes of life before him I must dye says he O welcom Death I am now going to enjoy him whom I have loved to possess him whom I have sought as this precious Saint said to me a little before her death I know whom I have trusted I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine says the Believer Now shall I ever be with the Lord. 2. The careless sinner that would not seek the Lord when he comes to dye bids a doleful adieu to all his comforts farwel Friends Relations pleasures and delights for ever I shall never see a good day more But he that sought the Lord while he liv'd when he comes to dye says Behold I dye now farwel troubles temptations sin and sorrow for ever I am lanching forth into a glorious eternity I shall never see a sad day more 3. The wilful sinner when he is about to dye after all the counsels he hath slighted and now time shall be no more cries out with horrour I have for ever lost my opportunities of seeking God it is now too late I am left to perpetual howlings But the gracious Soul who hath sought and found God in seeking when he is about to dye looks back with delight upon all the Ordinances wherein he hath many times met with Christ and found God nigh to his soul and says I am going where I shall need Ordinances no more but God shall be all in all I am going to mine eternal rest to an everlasting Sabbath-keeping in Heaven 2. Whence doth that difference arise From the wisdom of the one and foolish inadvertency or rather obstinacy of the other one knew his season and did the things that did belong to his peace the other had his season but knew it not and now his misery is great upon him one sought after Christ that he might have an interest in him and make God his friend the other refused Christ and now God is his enemy and so death is to him the King of terrors But the believing soul can to allude to that in Isa. 11. 8 play upon the hole of the Asp and put his hand on the Cockatrice Den and when the pains of an irksom disease are upon him and pangs of death before him he says all these rackings and grievous aches be but like the ratling of the Charriot-wheels that Joseph sent to fetch his Father and his Brethren to him and all his wearisom waking nights be to him as the valley of Achor or door of Hope 1. Because he knows death is no death to him but a passage unto a glorious life with God whom 〈◊〉 hath sought and serv'd all his days he is but going unto his Beloved the Lord Jesus who is gone 〈◊〉 way before him 2. Because he looks on the Grave not as his Prison but a bed of Spices or rather the Saints Tyring-Room where they throw off mortality to put on immortality and lay aside corruption to put on incorruption I thought here to have spoken a word to the nearest Friends and
Relations of this deceased Saint to let them see how little cause they have to mourn and to afflict their souls but the Lord who knows how to speak comfort infinitely better hath been with their hearts Only let not the Husband grieve and say Ah! what a dear Wife have I lost nor the Children say what a dear Mother have we lost But rather 1. Consider What she hath found She hath found that which â—he hath been seeking all her days â—he hath found that God that Christ that Heaven that Bosom and those embraces that she waited and long'd for 3. Consider You will never be happy till you be where she is gone before you 3. Consider It is but a very little while and you shall see her again as Augustine comforted his Italica concerning her dead Husband and let you and I and all of us mind our work and be upon our march towards Heaven taking our encouragement from the Text where the Lords makes a proclamation of Grace I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me FINIS POSTCRIPT NOW though the Husband of our Deceased Friend has been somewhat averse from publishing any thing of her own yet being at last prevail'd upon I shall commend to the Reader some particular Experiences of the Lords early dealing with her soul as I have found them written by her own hand First I find this Position laid down by her in her own Book viz. That very many Scriptures do imply a possibility that a believer may know that he is elected of God and that his election is of free grace through our Lord Jesus Christ unto holiness which shall end in glory Phil. 2. 12 13. 2 Cor. 13. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 10. with very many more which I shall forbear to mention On which ground she proceeds to take a particular account of her own spiritual estate as follows IT hath been much upon my thoughts to write some of those Scriptural Experiences which I have found and received great comfort in from the Word of God being as I judg brought home to my soul by the Spirit And being now past the Fortieth year of my age not knowing how soon the Lord may call having always had a desire to be on my watch that I may be found ready and willing when ever my Lords time is This Mercy I have been begging many years I can truly say for some Months past I have had no rest in my spirit till I began to write these things and after fasting and prayer by my self while in doubt what to do fearing the falsness of my own heart I was encouraged by a Sermon that I heard on these words in Psal. 77. 1â— I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old Where was much pressed the duty of Christians To relate what God had done for them And out of the longing desire I have for the good of you my dear Little ones that you may value the precious Word of God wherein your Mother hath found so much comfort you two that is SA and MA. are the only remnant that God hath spared and blessed be God that hath left us as to this day a Berry or two You are the children of many prayers the Lord grant you may be blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus and make you serviceable while you live and fit you for an inheritance among the Saints in light In order to that I beg you in the name and fear of God that you highly prize the Word of God and every Ordinance of Jesus Christ appointed in his Word I would say with David Come my Children hearken unto me and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul Psal. 34. 11. Psal. 66. 16. I have found the Word read and preached yea many a Scripture that I could not remember I read or heard preached on yet it hath pleased my gracious God to send many a word to relieve and comfort my soul his word hath been to me a convincing word a reproving an instructing and a very comforting word and that my soul knoweth by great experience I intend if the Lord permit and will send his Spirit to bring things to my remembrance without that I can do nothing to set down the kindness of the Lord from my Childhood that was pleased to begin with me be-times O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledg of God c. Rom. 11. 33 34 35 36. I can remember while a Girl at school about the age of nine or ten I took great delight in reading the stories in the Scripture which did much affect me Afterward I was more taken with the New Testament that did reveal more of Christ to me Then I began to pray as I was able I do not remember that I ever did make use of any written or printed form The first sin that I remember troubled me was telling my Father a lye and it had this aggravation with it that he told me If I would tell him how it was he would believe me rather than my Brothers and Sisters and out of fear of them I said as they did but with a very trembling heart which much troubled me some years after this when I begun to hearken to the word Preached where I heard that sin set out I was much affected and mourned much under the sense of sin seeing a burden in it I desired to look after a remedy The first Minister that I remember I hearkned to was Mr. H. of Kensington where my Father was in the summer I did then begin to understand my state by nature how under the wrath and curse of God Then I began to see my need of and did desire after Jesus Christ being as I thought then willing to take him on his own terms Jesus Christ was then as I thought precious to me and being willing to understand my own case and condition it pleased the Lord to open my heart to hearken diligently to the word Preached wherein I found much comfort which ingaged my heart unto the Lord and made me unwilling to neglect any duty which he commanded or to commit any sin which the Lord forbids This I well remember to be the frame of my spirit near thirty years ago Hearing much that it was the end of life to glorfie God it made the earnest breathings of my soul to be this Oh but how shall I glorifie God! After this by a Providence I heard Mr. M. at Westminster my Father being there for some months he was on that Scripture 2 Chron. 15. 17. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days I took great delight to hear him being often angry he had done so soon My soul was much refreshed by the signs and marks he gave of a perfect heart I did usually go from hearing into my Chamber and beg earnestly of God for a perfect heart in which as I thought I