§. Sect. 2 That we must seeke God in Iesus Christ, sincerely, zea∣lously, and with all dili∣gence.
And after this manner we ought to seeke God, in respect of the time; in respect of the person in whom we must seeke him, it must be in the face of his Anointed, and the alone mediation of Iesus Christ, the Sonne of his loue, in whom onely he will be found of vs. For if wee seeke him in our owne merits, workes, and worthinesse, we shall, in regard of their im∣perfections and corruptions, be more estranged from him. In respect of our selues who are the seekers, we must seeke him, if we meane to find him, after a right manner; first, sincerely and vprightly, with all our hearts and soules, wills and affections. So Dauid exhorteth the Princes of Israel, to set their hearts and soules to seeke the Lord their God. And heerein propoun∣deth himselfe, as an example for our imitation, professing that with his whole heart he had sought the Lord. Thus Asa and the people of Iuda en∣tred into a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soule. Which sincere seeking onely hath the promise of finding him; according to that in Deuteronomie, If from thence thou shalt seeke the Lord thy God, thou shalt finde him; if thou seeke him with all thine heart, and with all thy soule. And so the Lord promiseth the people of Iu∣dah, that if in the land of their captiuity they would seeke the Lord, they should finde him, if they should search for him with all their heart. Secondly, we must seeke the Lord, not coldly and formally, as though we were care∣lesse whether we found him or not, but zealously, and with all earnestnesse, as being the chiefe thing which we desire. And as the couetous man neg∣lecteth his meate, that he may get money; and the famished man money, that he may get meate to satisfie his hunger: so must we couet and hunger after Gods presence, and labour to inioy his face and fauour, more then to inioy all our earthly desires. And this feruencie of affection in seeking God, is in most liuely manner expressed in the example of the Spouse in the Canticles, seeking her Bridegroome, who like a woman rauished with the excellencies of her Louer, and euen mad with loue, hath her heart so fixed on him, that she can rest neither night nor day; but euen in her bed where shee should sleepe, her mind runneth on him, and betweene slee∣ping and waking, vp she starteth to let him in whom her soule loueth; of which hope, when she findeth her selfe frustrate, by his withdrawing him∣selfe, she calleth vnto him, and seeketh for him; and hauing neither an∣swere, nor desired successe, she runneth about the streets of the Citie, euen in the night, and enquireth of the Watchmen, and euery one shee met (as though the heate of loue, had made her to cast off the Vaile of modesty) if they could tell her no tidings of her Beloued; being neuer at rest till she had found him, and had againe gotten him within her imbracements. Finally, vnto this feruency in affection, we must ioyne diligence in action, indeuouring and labouring in the vse of all good meanes, whereby we may finde God, and bee more and more assured of his grace and fauour. For vnto this sedulity in seeking God, are the promises made; and the Apostle