God's soveraignty displayed from Job 9. 12. : Behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? &c., or, A discourse shewing, that God doth, and may take away from his creatures what hee pleaseth, as to the matter what, the place where, the time when, the means and manner how, and the reasons thereof : with an application of the whole, to the distressed citizens of London, whose houses and goods were lately consumed by the fire : an excitation of them to look to the procuring causes of this fiery tryal, the ends that God aims at in it, with directions how to behave themselves under their losses / by William Gearing ...

SECT. I.

Now seek after this heavenly City.

1. It supposeth a sense and appre∣hension that we have lost heaven: we were driven out of heaven, when we were driven out of Paradise; losing Communion with God we lost heaven: Sin hath made a wide Gulf between every son of Adam and heaven: now till men are under conviction of this loss, they will never seek after heaven. When the woman in the Parable was convinced of the loss of her groat, she made earnest and diligent search after it. The Psalmist tells us plainly, that men seek not God, because they under∣stand not, they do not understand they have lost him, Psal. 14.2. Many a poor creature never cometh to the know∣ledge of their loss of heaven, till they have lost both heaven and their souls

for ever; and their first entrance into hell, is the first tidings of their loss of heaven.

2. It implieth a trouble of mind for the loss of heaven: it is the fear of hell that puts men upon the diligent seeking after heaven; if men were not trou∣bled for the loss of any thing, they would never seek after it: Let it go, say they, we care not for it: If a man be not troubled for the loss of a friends favour, he will never seek to regain it: This is one reason why so few seek hea∣ven, because few are troubled at the loss of it. Oh where is the man that signeth and crieth out, woe is me, I am un∣done, for I have lost heaven, and am in danger of hell▪ I can lay no claim to heaven, but hell layes claim to me▪ Where is the man that is troubled in spirit, that he is without God, without Christ, without hope? therefore it is that this heavenly City is so little sought after: it is only the troubled spirit that is an heaven-seeking soul.

3. It supposeth a knowledge of the worth and necessity of the thing we seek for: No man will seek for a thing of no value; let it go, will men say, such a thing is not worth a seeking af∣ter,

we can do well enough without it; but when men are once convinced of the worth and necessity of a thing, which they cannot be without, they will earnestly seek after it: Now if there be any thing worth seeking for, it is this heavenly City: Who can be without heaven? Is there any thing more precious than God? Is there any possibility for our souls to be happy without enjoying God? Is not eternal life of unspeakable worth? What more precious in this world than life? Is not life eternal in heaven most pre∣cious? O who can suffer the pains of eternal death? That man will never be perswaded to seek heaven, who never thinks it worth the having and enjoying.

4. It implies vehement desires of heaven: what a man desireth not, that he seeks not: earnest longings will put us upon seeking for every thing: in o∣ther things desires are not seekings; but in spiritual things, earnest desires of God and heaven, are seekings of God and heaven: For, what are heavenly desires, but the reachings of the soul after heaven, pursuings after God? O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee;

my flesh longeth for thee; my soul fol∣loweth hard after thee, Psa. 63.1.8.