house for these to keep off so to come so seldom for them which have fed so high at the Kings Table to sall to their Trash their Husks this is a shame indeed as if the Devil kept a better house than God Christians doth God deserve this at your hands How unkindly do you think he takes this from you What will the world say Look how his own acquaintance despise him How will the Devil insult O how do the hearts of your fellow Christians ake to see how strange your carriage is How do they tremble to think what if that fine House be built upon the Sand Christians you which seldom or complementally visit God bethink your selves well what you do when you begin to be cold in your affections to this Friend remember from whence you are fallen and repent and do your first works remember what entertainment you have sometimes had at Gods House forget not all his Kindnesses of all the Creatures in the world you have no cause to carry your selves so towards God I tell you again the World stands by and looks on to see what there is in you more than in others they mark your lives more than you are aware of it may be Wherefore look to your selves take heed how you carry your selves before them O why should they see your faces pale when you may feed so highly O shew them by your countenance that you feed upon wholsome food O let your breath smell sweet let your discourse be more savoury of the things of God! Labour to maintain a sweet constant unintermitted intercourse with God to walk with him O little do you think what you loose by your coming so seldom to this Friend I appeal to your own experience was not that dish you eat last at his Table sweet And what do you think that God doth not still keep as good a House as he did Do you believe that he hath spent all his best Wines Can that Fountain ever be emptied Is there not Bread and good Chear enough in your Fathers house Believe it God hath other kind of Entertainment richer Chear better Fare still to make you welcome with if you would not be so strange if you will but come oftener to him As for Christians methinks I need not use so many words to perswade you methinks you that know how sweet his company is should desire to be never out of it Christians I tell you plainly if you ever expect true peace in your life and true joy and comfort at death it 's your only way to keep close to God visit him oft by secret Prayer and other kind of Duties and then you shall ever and anon meet with that which will sweeten your greatest diligence and abundantly make amends for your pains Knock at his door ask for him and resolve to stay tili he come though he come not at the first second or third knocking yet I am sure he is within and will come at last if you will but wait and when you have once again met with him O let him not go but tell him seriously that you can't bear his absence he shall be your God and Friend living and dying death it self shall not part you Go also and tell your Friends you have found him whom your soul loves that you have met with Jesus and see if you can get them to come out and see him bid them to taste and see how good the Lord is commend him all you can to your poor Christ-less Friends But you are not the persons that I intended to speak to only thus a little by the by that I may a little warm my own heart and yours in this great duty of maintaining an intimate close converse and acquaintance with God But my business is to go out into the High ways and Hedges and to invite poor wandring strangers that have nothing to live upon themselves and that do not know what a noble open house God keeps that never tasted of his kindness in Christ to come to this Royal Feast and to Eat their fill of such food as they can never eat too much of never be surfeited with Vuto you O men I call and my voice is unto the sons of men O ye simple ones understand wisdom and ye fools he ye of an understanding heart Prov. 8.4 5. Hear O ye deaf and see O blind let the dead hear the voice of God and live Then hear what I have been speaking of I have almost done my message consider well of these things as you tender the displeasure of God as you value your Souls be serious remember what it is that I have been discoursing to you about Read it over again and study on it Read and Pray Pray and Read and turn this exhortation into Prayer take with you words and say O that this might be the Sermon that might bring me acquainted with God! O that this might be the man that might bring me to some knowledg of Christ O that this might be the happy day wherein a Match may be concluded between my soul and the precious Jesus But alas alas where are the hearts that are thus smitten Where are the Souls that are any white taken with this infinite Beauty How few have any real love or good-will for Christ O who hath believed our report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed Though I and many hundreds more have been pleading thus with sinners though some of the Embassadors of peace weep bitterly that their message is no more kindly entertained though their publick Preaching be followed with private Prayers and secret Groans though they expostulate the case with poor refractory Creatures with all the earnestness that they can for their lives though we use the most powerful arguments that we can and deliver them with all the vehemency seriousness and compassion that we can for our Souls Yet how are the greatest part of our hearers unconcerned Is not a great part of our Auditory as stupid and senceless as the very stones they tread on The more is our sorrow we fear as to the most of them that hear us what we speak is lost It may be they may be a little affected just at the hearing or for an hour or two but O that these truths might have a lively and abiding impression on mens hearts I fear O that they were causeless fears I fear that most of you that have heard of these things will go away and quickly forget what weighty things you have heard perhaps some of you may say the man was very earnest and some of his Expressions were piercing O Friends I hope it is not your commendation that I desire O that I may with a single heart respect Gods glory I say again I would not be pleased with your praise nor would I fear your dispraise it 's your Souls I want and may but I manage my great work in this successfully and see you acquainted with God
for the cause of Complacency and Love is a likeness between the Lover and Beloved God doth not love us with a love of complacency till we are like him nor do we love God till we are made like God Now our beholding God and being acquainted with him is a great way to our being made like to God 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open faoe beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord. are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Thus you see that love is likewise required to our acquaintance with God without it no acquaintance I have in the first part spoken of the Nature of acquaintance with God in five particulars There must be First A Knowledg of God Secondly Nigh access to God Thirdly Familiar converse with God Fourthly Mutual communication between us and God Fifthly An affectionate love towards God The next thing should be to shew that man is to be acquainted with God but we will first take a review of these things We have taken these things into our understandings now let us set our hearts to these things for in these things is the life of Religion If there be acquaintance with God then gross wickedness drops off as scales from an ulcerated body when the constitution of the body is mended In acquaintance with God will be your only true comfort in this life and the perfection of it is the very happiness of Heaven Let us then behold till our hearts earnestly desire till our souls be drawn out after acquaintance with God If God be to be known to be approached unto to be conversed with by me will he communicate himself to me and I my self to him Oh that he would love me that I might love him Oh blessed are they that know him as they are known of him It is good for me to draw night to him A day in his Court is better than a thousand elswhere My soul longeth ye fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Oh that I were received into converse with God! that I night hear his voice and see his countenance for his voice is sweet and his countenance comly Oh that I might communicate my self to God and that he would give himself to me Oh that I might love him that I were sick of Love that I might die in love that I might lose my self in his Love as a small drop in the unfathomless depth of his Love that I might dwell in the eternal love of him This is acquaintance with God Acquaint now therefore thy self with God and be at peace so shall good come unto thee We now proceed to the next thing which is to evidence it to be the duty of man to acquaint himself with God This then is that into which the whole Scripture runs as into a common Channel The Scriptures are a discovery of Gods proceedings with man under a double Covenant and this is the great design of God in both Covenants The first Covenant was That while man did remain in obedience to God God would give man free and intimate acquaintance with himself But if man became disobedient then he should be dispossessed of an interest in God and of Communion with him which was that death threatned upon the eating the forbidden Fruit. The death of the body is its being separated from the Soul but the death of the Soul is in separation from God Now immediately upon Adams transgression man becomes unacquainted with God so that upon the hearing of the voice of the Lord they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden What a woful case is man naturally in He hath lost his acquaintance with God and was in a way never never to recover it upon Gods approach he flees And such is the nature of all sin it puts a man into a disposition to greater sins Every departure from God inclines towards a greater In the first Covenant this is the whole of it it is both a command to keep nigh to God and a promise of Gods being nigh to them and a threatning of Gods putting them away far from him man breaking the first Covenant The immediate effect of it was the sin of fleeing from God quite contrary to that acquaintance Instead of their former apprehensions of God they seem to have forgotten his omnipresence instead of peace with God they have nothing but dread and torment in the thoughts of God instead of drawing nigh to God they run away from him instead of converse with God they choose never to have to do with him more instead of giving themselves up to God they if it had been possible would have hid themselves from God Acquaintance with God is the sum of the first Covenant unacquaintance with God is the misery of the breach of the Covenant This is likewise the great design and purpose of God in the second Covenant The second Covenant is this When God beheld man in a miserable condition by reason of the breach of the Frst Covenant in the unsearchable riches of his goodness according to the eternal purpose of his good Will towards Man he made an agreement with his Son to send him amongst a generation of sinful Men that if he would undertake to bring them back into acquaintance with the Father he was willing and ready to receive them again into acquaintance with him the Son being the express Image of his Fathers will and person hath the same good will to man with the Father and is ready to close with his Fathers proposals and so enters into a Covenant with the Father to satisfie Divine Justice and to take away Sin and to take away the middle wall of Separation to recover a chosen generation and to bring them back again to God Thus he became the head of another Covenant between God and man And as the first Covenant was made with Adam for him and his seed So the second Covenant is made with Jesus Christ for him and his seed Because that the first Covenant was broken in Adam therefore the second Covenant was put into surer hands into the hands of the Son the second Adam the Lord from heaven Now I say that the great design and purpose of this second Covenant is in reference to mans acquaintance with God is clear This is held forth to us in that parable of the lost sheep Luke 15.45 When the shepheard had lost one sheep he leaves the flock and seeks for that which was lost So when man was lost by sin Jesus Christ leaves all to recover and fetch home that which was lost We are all gon astray like lost sheep as David saith of himself Psal 119. Christ is come to seek and to save that which was lost Luke 19.10 and Ephes 2.13 14. But now in Christ Jesus they who somtimes were afar-off are made nigh by the blood of
still is carrying on is the honour of God He will undertake nothing of importance before he consult with and hath the advice and direction of his Friend Whatsoever he hath that is worth any thing he sends it to this Friend he presents him with his first fruits he sacrificeth his male the best of his flock desires that his Friend may be always at his house and that he may have the best entertainment that he can possibly give and he is ashamed at the best that he can make him no more welcome whom he so highly honours he is grieved that his entertainment is no better he would fain give God his first and last thoughts his warmest affections he would gladly have the strength and vigour of body and soul spent in his service he studies how to improve all mercies and enjoyments for God to take hold of all opportunities that he can possibly and to make the best of them for the promoting that grand Design which he hath on foot his Honour He thinks not wife and children houses and lands body soul and all that he can make in the world too good for him Whatever temptations he conquers whatsoever sin he slayes whatsover piece of gallantry or prowess he hath done in his inrods upon Satans Kingdom he gives the honour of all to the valour conduct and assistance of this his noble Ally and Friend He sets the Crown of the King of Ammon like Joab upon the head of this King David He hath such a high esteem for God that he thinks nothing well done but when it is done exactly as he would have it he thinks every thing then best when it is done according to Gods will and he counts it no small weakness to be unwilling that infinite Wisdom rather then folly should have the managing of all the affairs of the world He desires to maintain a quick and lively sense of the Divine Majesty upon his Soul and that he may here and hereafter give him as he hath infinite cause all honour glory and praise 6. Another effect of this Acquaintance with God is this It would put abundance of life and vigour into the soul it would as it were oyl the wheels and set them a running There are none in the world that act at so high a rate as those do which are most acquainted with God O how undefatigable are they in their pains with what earnestness and faith do they pray as if they saw the glorious God before them and were talking with him with what reverence seriousness and delight do they read meditate and hear the Word and do all that they do They know in some measure what it is to present their bodies and souls as a living sacrifice to God through Christ they understand what it means to be fervent in spirit serving the Lord they will not serve God with that which cost them nothing kneeling down and saying a few formal words before God in the evening repeating the Lords Prayer and the Creed and the Ten Commandments between sleeping and waking doing no body any wrong and the like is not enough to serve his turn his conscience will not be thus put off but he labours with all his might to stir up his soul to lay hold upon God he is not content to go off from his knees without his Fathers blessing This is the Friend and Acquaintance of God this is the brave Israelite that spiritual Prince that will not let God go till he hath prevailed with him He doth not go to his work as if he caved not whether he work'd or no he is not sick of the service of God but he rejoyceth and works righteousness his work is his pleasure and he goes on merrily with his business Those that are intimately acquainted with God are not so cold faint and dull in the service of God as others be Such a one as knows God very well and hath been oft made welcome by him why he comes with a great deal of confidence and knocks at Gods door and for his part he will not go away though the door be not presently opened but he continues knocking because he is sure that his Friend is within he knows that he is never from home and that he can never come unseasonably to him He comes to Prayer as if he were going to storm Heaven he gets spiritual things by violence he comes to Duty as to fight for a Crown he is ashamed to offer the lame and the blind to God but he chooseth for the best in his flock he desires to improve his interest in God to the height this favourite of Heaven comes frequently to the King to beg some great thing or other and he is sure that his Friend will deny him nothing that it is not a greater kindness to deny then give he knows that his King hath a large purse and as large a heart and he is not willing to lose such excellent things that are to be had for the asking for he is not ignorant that Spiritual things are worth the seeking for and therefore he will seek and seek earnestly he hath tried more then once and he remembers to his joy that wonderful things are to be had if we will but take pains for them and prefer our Petitions or rather get them preferr'd by that great Master of Request the Lord Jesus Christ and follow our business close that it can't possibly miscarry let it be what it will the comfort in enjoying will abundantly pay all the charges we can be at in seeking therefore he layes about him as one that is in good earnest the confidence that he hath in the good will of God it puts life into all his petitions A poor Creature that very rarely injoys any communion with God that is very little or not at all acquainted with him is ready to take up with a few formal complemental performances he is weary of his work before he hath well begun it he is quickly out of breath but now one that is very well acquainted with God is not so soon weary of his company it may be he may be somewhat cold when he sets out but by that time he hath gon a few turns with his Friend his blood grows warm he is sometimes so taken up with God in duty that he can scare tell when to have don O he thinks it 's good being there O it was a sweet season These are the actings and experiences some Noble Soule I have heard some Christians say that had not God made it their duty to follow their callings they could be glad with all their hearts to do nothing else day nor night but hear the mysteries of Gods love in Christ opened Read Pray Meditate and be immediately engaged in the service of God Sure something is the matter with these persons more then ordinary that their Palate should be so Spiritualised as that it is their Food their Wine their Dainties to be actually
Fire begins to burn while the Spouse is thinking of her glorious Husband he knocks at the door she draws the Latch and be comes in smelling of Mirrhe Aloes and Cassia he comes and kisses the soul with the kisses of his lips his love is better than wine he comes and takes the soul into his arms O the sweet pleasure of Divine Love infinitely transcending all carnal Affections O the joy that is at this meeting far surpassing humane apprehension O the sweet entertainment that God and the Soul gives each other at such a time I appeal to the experience of those that have been much exercised in this great Duty of Meditation if they have been in good earnest in the work I am confident they can say something to this point What sayest thou O Christian which art used to imitate Isaac didst thou never meet with another-guess Companion than Rebeccah As he met with a Wife so thou hast met with thy Husband When thou hast been in the Field or Closer at this work hath not Christ then taken you by the hand and led you into his Garden and made you to taste of his pleasant Fruits hath he not brought you into his Banquetting-house and brought out some of his choicest dainties are not those Flaggons more full of Spirit more Cordial and refreshing than Wine O little do any but those who have tried it think what a life they might lead if they would with seriousness engage in this duty Speak O ye gracious ones that make conscience of this Soul-ravishing duty speak I beseech you and do not smother the kindnesses of God to you speak and let him have the praise It may be by your ventring your experience hundreds may be encouraged to set upon the same work and hundreds may also have the same experiences What do you say have you not found the benefit of this duty did you never find Meditation a sweet work was it worth your while or no to sequester your selves a while from the world to talk with your Beloved did you ever repent you of your Labour and think your time lost have you not been able to say that at such and such a time when you were in the Mount that it was good being there could you not have been almost content to have lest the dearest Relations and to have quitted your interest in all Creature-comfort so you might have had fuller enjoyments of God could you not have been contented to pass from Contemplation to Vision and Fruition why speak then for the Lords sake and for the sake of precious souls and keep not such a thing as this is in let your unexperienced Neighbours know what a Soul-ravishing and Soularaising Duty Meditation is Let me ask thee which readest these Lines did you ever try what there was in this Duty of Meditation I suppose if you converse much with such Books as speak of Communion with God you can't but desire something of it and I am perswaded you have sometimes wept since you began to read this Book to think how little you experience I believe you would be glad with all your Soul to know what it is to be acquainted with God and to have such a Friend as I have been speaking of Why let me ask you again did you ever try what Meditation is You may read much of the excellency of this Duty and Directions about it in Mr. Baxters Saints Everlasting Rest did you ever get out of the world and intensely fix your heart and thoughts upon any of the glorious Attributes of God Did you ever set before your eyes his love in Christ If not O try and fall to this work seriously and speedily and you shall soon find the sweetness of it you will soon say that you lost many a good meeting many a dainty bit for want of going for it A carnal worldly heart I must confess may possibly spoil this Duty as all others and grow formal in it and be weary of it and cast it off though let me put in this I believe its marvellous rare for a Hypocrit to have any thing to do in such a secret duty as this is but if they were true to the interest of their own souls in the management of this work I am confident they would be every day more and more in love with this duty For I am perswaded that when the soul is in good earnest nay I can speak it positively there is no duty doth so much raise and warm the soul there is no duty wherein the people of God enjoy his sweet company more than in this This opens the treasures of Gods kindness this takes his Love tokens and presents them to the view of the soul this unlocks the Cabinets and fetches out those precious Jewels by this the soul doth as it were talk with its Beloved and in this Christ doth as it were take the soul by the hand and lead it into his Palace and shews it all those glorious things which it shall shortly have in her possession for ever And how can this choose but engage the soul to express its gratitude to the height in answer to such love and when the soul is in this frame Christ will not be behind-hand with her no love shall be lost between them If the Spouse walk out to look for her Beloved she shall find him before she hath done 2 Another duty by which the Soul doth visit God in a special manner is Secret Prayer by this the Soul knocks and God is quick of hearing and none of his Friends shall wait without doors so long as to catch cold By this the Soul doth as it were storm Heaven by this it gets into the presence Chamber and presents its requests In this duty a Christian doth as it were return the Key of Heavens Doors and by this he unlocks the door of his own Soul and so there is free access on both sides the Soul visits God and God visits the Soul and this creats an intimacy The poor wounded Creature opens his wounds and then the great Physician comes with the Balm of Gilead When Jacob is thus weeping and praying alone he meets with God he meets a blessing he wrestles he conquers This duty of Secret Prayer and that other of Meditation are two fatning duties by which the Souls of Believers come to Gods Table and eat and drink of strengthening food and for want of these many poor souls are thin O why do Christians why do Professors maintain no fairer correspondency with God in such duties wherein he doth manifest himself more than ordinary to the Soul The reason of this may be because God accounts himself more highly honoured and more truly loved by them which are much in these than by others By this a man doth as it were honour the goodness of God in that it shews it worth the while to steal out of the world and to leave the best company on Earth to go to God