Touching the Almighty, we have but this to say of him, We cannot say much of him, or, how much soever we say of him, we say but a little of what he is, or of what may be said of him, for we cannot find him out. We may find God, but we cannot find him out. God is to ⟨p. 615⟩be found by every humble, faithful seeker of him. The Prophet (Isa. 55.6.) calls us to that duty of seeking with an assurance of finding, Seek ye the Lord whilst he may be found; and so doth David (Psal. 32.5.) For this, that is, for pardon of sin, for grace and mercy, or, for this, that is, upon the experience which I •ave had of thy readiness, O Lord, to pardon my sins, even as soon as I confessed and acknowledged them, for this (I say) shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found. God may be found to do us good, and show us mercy, when we seek him rightly; there is a finding time, or a time while God may be found. Some give no other limit to this while, or finding time, than the limit of this life;1 And to be sure if he be not found while we are in this Life, he can neither be sought no• found after this Life. Y•t more strictly, to seek him while he may be found (as one of the Rabbins glosseth that place) is to seek him before the Decree comes forth, as the Prophet Zephany speaks (Chap. 2.2.) It is possible we may seek God, and seek him too late, and then there's no finding of him; Only they shall seek and find him, who seek him in the finding time, and they who do so shall certainly find, as was said before, God ready to do them good, and show them mercy.
Touching the Almighty, we have but this to say of him, We cannot say much of him, or, how much soever we say of him, we say but a little of what he is, or of what may be said of him, for we cannot find him out. We may find God, but we cannot find him out. God is to ⟨p. 615⟩be found by every humble, faithful seeker of him. The Prophet (Isa. 55.6.) calls us to that duty of seeking with an assurance of finding, Seek ye the Lord whilst he may be found; and so doth David (Psal. 32.5.) For this, that is, for pardon of sin, for grace and mercy, or, for this, that is, upon the experience which I •ave had of thy readiness, O Lord, to pardon my sins, even as soon as I confessed and acknowledged them, for this (I say) shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found. God may be found to do us good, and shew us mercy, when we seek him rightly; there is a finding time, or a time while God may be found. Some give no other limit to this while, or finding time, than the limit of this life;1 And to be sure if he be not found while we are in this Life, he can neither be sought no• found after this Life. Y•t more strictly, to seek him while he may be found (as one of the Rabbins glosseth that place) is to seek him before the Decree comes forth, as the Prophet Zephany speaks (Chap. 2.2.) It is possible we may seek God, and seek him too late, and then there's no finding of him; Only they shall seek and find him, who seek him in the finding time, and they who do so shall certainly find, as was said before, God ready to do them good, and shew them mercy.
- 1Dumb adhuc in ha• vita estis. Rab. Jonath. Deus invenire potest i•biquo & quovis tempore ante obsignata decreta. Aben• ezra.Dum adhuc in ha• vita estis. Rab. Jonath. Deus invenire potest i•biquo & quovis tempore ante obsignata decreta. Aben• ezra.
