thee : O let me not always be left in so dark and imperfect a state. I am waiting for thy falvation, and defirous to fee it: Odraw me nearer to thee; refresh my foul with clearer discoveries of thyself: and when by grace thou haft fitted me for heaven, from imperfect communion with thee here, receive me to the full, everlasting and fatisfying enjoyment. This is the generation of them that seek him, that jeek thy face, O God of Jacob, Pfal. xxiv. 6. Having feen the characters of the perfons that may be faid to feek God.

II. Let us guide our thoughts to the endearing comprehenfive promife made to fuch: They that feek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

This is the mind of their heavenly Father, whose power is infinite, whose goodness is boundless, and whose mercy endureth for ever.

Here I might confider such as seek God, as to the variety of cafes they may be in, and shew how abundantly their heavenly Father hath provided for them, in performance of his promise that they shall not want any thing that is good.

1. They shall not want the light of God's countenance any longer, or to any forer degree than he shall fee to be good for them. This is what they highly value, defire, and seek above all things in the world. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, Plal. iv. 6. And herein their defires shall be anfwered, The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, and his countenance doth behold the upright, Pfal. xi. 7.

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As a fun he will reveal himself to holy fouls, and by shining into them, put more gladness in their hearts than others experience, in the time that their corn and wine are increased; and hereby lead them not only to say, but to taste and fee that the Lord is good, Pfalm xxxiv. 8. There is no want to them that fear him, ver. 9.

Iniquity may separate between us and our God, and our fins hide his face from us : But the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, ver. 15. And the promise stands firm: Blessed are the pure in beart; for they shall fee God, Matt. viii. 5. See him reconciled to them through his Son, and walk in the light of his countenance, as being fo. The fecrets of the Lord is with them that fear him, Pf. xxv. 14. In the experience of which, they have found it eminently fulfilled, That they that feek him shall not want any thing that is good.

2. They shall not want the protection of his arm. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: And he that dwelleth in the fecret of the Most High, skall abide under the shadow of the Almighty, Pfal. xci. 1. Their habitation is a faered inclofure, to which no evil shall approach, that God will not over-rule for good.

3. Whatever trials they meet with, they that feek God fhall not want his prefence with them, to fupport them under them, and over-rule them for their good. These he will use as means to mortify corruption, and take away fin; wean them from the world, and deaden them to it; exercise their graces in order to their increase, and fo promote their meetness for the heavenly glory. In the mean time, when brought into the wilderness of trouble, thus comfortably he speaks to them: Ifaiah xxvii. 8, 9. Fear thou not, for I am with thee : be not dismayed, for I am thy God: 1 will Strengthen

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Strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right-hand of my righteousnefs, Isa. xli. 10.

Though no chaftening is for the present joyous, but grievous : nevertheless, afterwards it yieldeth the peacable fruit of righteousness, unto them that are exercised thereby, Heb. xii. 11. In regard to which, they put their afflictions to the account of God's faithfulness, as mindful of his word, and acting according to it, Pf. cxix. 75. 1 know, Ο Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness baft afflicted me.

4. They shall not want seasonable deliverance from what they groan under. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, 2 Pet. ii. 9. and hath graciously promised it. Pl. xci. 15. I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all, Pfal. xxxiv. 29.

5. They shall not want the special conduct of providence directing their steps, when in the most perplexing difficulties and straits. What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall be teach in the way that he shall chuse, Pfal. xxv. 12. He layeth up found wisdom for the righteous, Prov. ii. 7. He preferveth the way of his faints, declaring, I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou Shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye, Pfalm xxxii. 8.

And how sweet has it been for those, who have fought the Lord, and waited for him, to look upon his kind appearances for them! how frequently he hath scattered their doubts, and been better than their fears; removed their burdens, answered their

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their prayers, succeeded their endeavours, fatisfied their defires, and exceeded their hopes! Whoso is wife, and will observe things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord, Pf. cvii. 43.

6. They shall not want neceffary provifion and supply in times of the greatest distress. As the children of God dwell on high, in point of safety; So bread shall be given them, and their water shall be sure, Ifai. xxxiii. 16. The Pfalmist concludes upon grounds common to all Ifraelites indeed, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. The righteous shall have good things in poffeffion, Prov. xxvii. 10. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied, P/. xxxvii. 19.

7. They that feek the Lord shall not want the privilege of coming with acceptance to the throne of grace, and spreading their cafe before him. The facrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight, Prov. xv. 8. He is well pleased with their approaches to him; pities them as a father pities his children; understands their request, how imperfectly soever uttered, and is ready to fupply their wants, according to his riches in glory thro Jesus Chrift.

8. They that seek the Lord as going through this world to eternity, shall be guided by his counsel, even unto death, and afterwards received unto his glory. And even in the evening time, when God fees it good for them, it shall be light with them; and when flesh and heart are about to fail, God will be the strength of their heart, and their portion for ever, Pfal. lxxxiii. 26.

These

These are fome of the encouraging things contained in the promise made to them that feek God, that they shall not want any good thing.

I now proceed to shew,

III. By what fuch a promife as this is to be measured, That they that feek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

This is neceffary upon the account of the objection that may be made from the variety of trials, which such as are dear to God, and fincerely feek him, often labour under. Their cafe is fometimes fad, and leads them with deep fenfe to say as the Apostle, If in this life only we had hope in Chrift, we are of all men most miserable, 1 Cor. xv. 19.

But however, They that feek the Lord shall want nothing that is good here on earth, i. e.

1. So far as is fuitable to their present imperfect state, out of which they are gradually recovering. And thus God fulfils his promife, though he bestow not all that is defirable upon his children; this not being the place of our compleat felicity and rest. A place of unmixed enjoyment of all good, and perfect freedom from all evil is the description of heaven, and not to be expected on this fide it.

To have light without darkness, ease without pain, health without fickness, plenty without all want, holiness without fin, and life without death, is referved for the promised land, and what our condition in a wilderness will not admit.

To have no forrow, fufferings, fears, or straits; no enemies, temptations, weariness, or wants: To have every defire filled up, and all matter of