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OF SEEKING THE LORD IN TIME
THERE is scarcely any more striking proof of our insensibility with respect to eternal things, than the unconcern we shew whilst death is casting his darts all around us. If our neighbour’s house were on fire, we should think of exerting ourselves to secure our own habitation from the flames, or to save our property: yet we can hear of the deaths of others, and confess that we ourselves also are dying creatures, and yet delay our preparation for death as much as if we were exempt from the common danger. But every fresh instance of mortality is a voice from God to the survivors; and speaks to them the very language of the text.
We need not give a formal distribution of the text, as it is our intention only to ground upon it a general exhortation to seek the Lord. Yet, that our plan may not be altogether concealed, we shall arrange our thoughts under the following observations.
I. There is reason to fear that God, though essentially present with all, is spiritually and practically absent from the most of us—
[It is not improbable that some amongst us may live in the occasional, if not also the habitual, commission of known and open sin. In some will be found drunkenness and lewdness; in others, falsehood and dishonesty: in some, pride and envy; in others, malice and revenge. And are not these manifest tokens that they are strangers to the Divine presence? Can it be said of such persons that God is with them of a truth?
But where the external deportment is blameless, and where the outward form of godliness is maintained, how little is there, for the most part, of its power! Many read the Bible, and find it only a sealed book: they attend the ordinances of religion, but experience no delight in them: they pray in secret (if mere formal devotions can be called prayer) and derive no benefit to their souls. Whence is all this, but because God is absent from them? If God were with them, his “words would be spirit and life” unto them [Note: Joh_6:63.]; their communion with him would be sweet; their communications from him would diffuse a glory round their very countenance [Note: Exo_34:35.]; and the exercises of religion, though not always alike spiritual, would on the whole be accompanied with vital energy, and be followed with progressive sanctification.
Such, alas! is the state of the generality: however they may have witnessed the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, and have felt some alarm and terror in their souls, they are yet strangers to that “still small voice” in which the Lord reveals himself to his people [Note: 1Ki_19:11-13.]. We may say, in reference to what was spoken on a very different occasion, Lord, if thou hadst been with them, they had not been thus habitually dead and formal [Note: Joh_11:21; Joh_11:32.].]
II. We cannot hope to find him, if we do not seek him—
[We know that, in the ordinary course of providence, neither the countryman can fill his barns without much previous toil, nor the student acquire knowledge without much patient investigation. How then can it be supposed that we should attain the knowledge and enjoyment of God, without seeking after him in his appointed way? He has indeed sometimes been found of them that sought him not, and made known to them that inquired not after him [Note: Rom_10:20.]: but this must no more be expected by us, than that the sea should open a passage for our feet, or the sun stand still to lengthen out our day. God has said he will be inquired of by us [Note: Eze_36:37.], and that we must ask, if we would have; and seek, if we would find [Note: Luk_11:9.]. Nor is it in a cold indifferent manner that we must seek; we must strive as persons in earnest [Note: Luk_13:24.], and if once we get access to God, we must detain him, as it were, by force [Note: Gen_32:26.], and take his kingdom, as it were, by violence [Note: Mat_11:12.]. And it is for want of this holy zeal in our endeavours, that so many of us seek him throughout our lives, and never obtain a saving “acquaintance with him.” We must also seek him in and through Christ: for it is by Christ only that we can ever come unto the Father [Note: Joh_14:6.].]
III. There is a time coming, when, though we should seek him, he will not be found of us—
[This awful truth is strongly intimated in the text; nor ought it to be concealed from our view. We all know that, at the time of death, our opportunities of seeking God will be for ever closed [Note: Ecc_9:10.]. However earnestly we may implore the Divine favour [Note: Joh_9:4. Mat_25:11-12; Mat_7:22-23.], or even the smallest expression of it [Note: Luk_16:24; Luk_16:26.], we shall ask in vain. But our day of grace may also be terminated on this side the grave. The Jews in the wilderness [Note: Psa_81:11-12; Psa_95:11.], and those who rejected our Lord’s word [Note: Joh_8:21.], and the greatest part of the Jewish nation at the time of his death [Note: Luk_19:42.], were given over to final impenitence, even while they continued in the full enjoyment of health, and of all outward privileges. And we have reason to fear the same dreadful judgments, if we persist in slighting God’s warnings, and in deferring our repentance [Note: Pro_1:24-31.]. How earnestly should we improve the present hour, if we duly considered this!]
IV. If we would seek him now, he would be found of all of us—
[This is the accepted time; this is the day of salvation [Note: 2Co_6:2.]. God “is near” to us at present, both in his word and ordinances, and he is willing to be found of every sincere worshipper. If indeed we have determinately set ourselves against him, and resisted all the motions of his Spirit, till he has ceased to strive with us, it is possible that we may be already given up to final obduracy [Note: Gen_6:3.]. But if we feel any desire after God, then we may be sure that he has not yet cast us off: that very desire is, if we may so speak, a knock at the door of our hearts, whereby God intimates his willingness to take up his abode with us [Note: Rev_3:20.]. Only let us cherish the latent spark; and we may be assured that he will not quench the smoking flax [Note: Mat_12:20.]; he will not despise the day of small things [Note: Zec_4:10.].]
We will not conclude this address without a more particular application of it to different persons,
1. To the young—
[To you God has given an express promise that you shall not seek his face in vain [Note: Pro_8:17.]. Seek then to resemble those whose names are recorded for your encouragement, as having obtained mercy in their earliest years [Note: Samuel, Josiah, and Timothy, from their very childhood, and John Baptist from the womb.], ana as being highly distinguished among the saints of God. And let not these years, which are so favourable for the reception of divine impressions [Note: Pro_22:6.], be wasted in the service of sin and Satan.]
2. To the afflicted—
[Affliction is oftentimes the voice of God [Note: Mic_6:9.]: and, if you have the wisdom to improve it, you also have a special promise, that you shall find favour with God [Note: Psa_50:15.]. Begin then “in the day of adversity to consider;” and you shall have no reason to regret the seventy of the means, when once you have attained the end which God designs to accomplish by them.]
3. To the old—
[You above all should set yourselves to seek the Lord, because your day of grace cannot be continued much longer. It is a comfort, however, to reflect, that you may obtain mercy even at the eleventh hour [Note: Mat_20:5-6.]. Let then your past time be redeemed with diligence; and, the shorter the space allowed you is for seeking the Lord, the more earnest let your exertions be to “know the things belonging to your peace, before they be for ever hid from your eyes.”] [Note: If this were the subject of a Funeral Sermon, the friends of the deceased might be addressed, and the deceased person’s past and present views of this subject be impressed upon their minds as incentives to diligence.”]