think every thing too good for them all mercy on this side everlasting misery They count every bit they eat and every drop they drink more then they deserve They think themselves unworthy of the least of Gods mercies Gen. 32.10 Others say thanksgivings but he feels them others say confessions but he feels them It is one thing for a man to speak of his own unworthiness and another thing to lie under the sense of it The heart and tongue are to distinct members The heart may speak that which the tongue can't utter and the tongue may utter that which the heart never felt But a man that is brought into acquaintance with God speaks what he experiences or that he doth not dissemble with God when he confesseth his sin before him They lay themselves as low as Hell this is humility and this an effect of acquaintance with God Hence it is that Paul saith of himself Eph. 3.8 Vnto me who am less then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make all men see what is the fellowship c. He wants words to express Gods greatness and his own smallness Now what was it that made Paul speak and think thus of himself There was a time when Paul would have spit in any ones face that should have spoke as much against him as he did against himself What is it that hath wrought such a strange alteration in this great Rabbi and made him so little Why this acquaintance with God the sight of Christ was the thing that laid this proud Pharisee in the dust and made him blind also Mark this always the more heavenly any man is the more humble See Exod. 3.11 2 Sam. 7.18 If I should appeal to the experiences of Saints and ask them when they had the lowest thoughts of themselves would they not say when they were nearest God Now would you walk humbly you must walk with your God would you see more of your own deformity why then you must labour to see more of his holiness more of his beauty Contraries set neer one another appear more visibly 2. Another excellent effect of Acquaintance with God is that it will make a man fall upon sin in good earnest When the soul sees how infinitely good God is it can't but see an unspeakable evil in sin when is so directly contrary to him When the soul hath really entred into a League with God it presently bids defiance to all his enemies when he begins to be at peace with God he presently commenceth a war against his adversaries Friendship with God makes enmity against Satan That which formerly the man rolled under his tongue as a sweet morsel is now like gall and wormwood to him He that sometimes did commit iniquity with greediness can now say that it is the greatest folly and madness in the world he knows that it is an evil and a bitter thing as sweet as it tasted when his pallate was distempered he that gloried in his wickedness now accounts it the greatest shame in the world and hates the garments which are bespotted with the flesh which sometimes he took for beautiful raiments The burnt child dreads the fire sin hath cost his friend dear and him dear too The child can't love that knife which stabb'd his Father He knows how sweet God is and how much he hates sin and that if he would have Gods company he must bid an everlasting farewel to his deerest beloved sin and therefore rather then he will offend so deare a friend he will hew Agag in pieces before the Lord. He will as soon cut off one hand with the other and be pull'd limb from limb as again draw his sword against his covenanted friend and again venture into the field in the cause that sometimes he did so deeply engage body and soul in He that thought before that it was no great matter to Damn Curse and Tear but a trick of youth to Whore and no harm to do what one had a mind to to Eat and Drink and Talk and sleep as one lists to give ones Lust whatsoever it call'd for he that could once make a mock of sin and Sleep securely upon the top of a mast and thought it a piece of Gallantry to dare the Almighty and was ready to laugh at them which durst not be so Prodigal of their Souls as himself the case is now wonderfull altered with him he now sees the Harlot stript naked he beholds how loathsome the whore is now her paint is washed of sin and hell are a like to him tempt him to folly and he will soon answer in Josephs language How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God He that sometimes thought sin the only pleasure and looked upon the Devil and the world as the only Friends now sees his dangerous mistake and blesseth God that his eyes are opened before he comes into another world he knows now that holiness is the only pleasure and God is the only Friend and sin and the world are as mortal enemies as the Devil himself he believes that if he venture upon sin he must venture upon the displeasure of his Friend whose favour he set more store by than all the delights under Heaven and whose loving kindness he judgeth to be better then life it self When the Soul is once acquainted with God how strangely are its apprehensions of thing altered Now he calls Things and Persons by their right Name good he calls good and evil evil where as before he called evil good and good evil and put light for darkness and darkness for light he now believes that the zealous compassionate Ministers that spoke so much against sin had reason enough to have said ten times as much as they did he sees that it was not for nothing that they were so earnest with him he hath tasted the Gall Wormwood and poison that is in sin he plainly sees what is the great Make-bate between God and Man he hath now the wit to understand what it is that hath kept good things so long from him Tell him now of a Revel a Whore he had as live thou shouldst perswade him to part with his strength and liberty and grind in a mill he reckons you might as rationally desire him to leap into a bottomless pit to take up his everlasting lodging in a Bed of flames and to make light of Damnation Let Men and Devils use what Arguments they will to prevail with him now to close with temptations he is sure he hath a stronger against them he hath a sensible Argument within which will answer all if they had ten thousand times as many more then they can produce The love of Christ makes him abhor the motion God is my Friend dashes all Shall such a one as I take up Arms against God shall I that have found him so infinitely good shall I that have experienced
hath no desire again to be inslaved but doth with the greatest detestation reject all the proposals and promises that the Devil makes to bring this business about he knows Satan too well to love his service he remembers that all his pay was promises and no more he remembers that he fed him with poyson and made him do that which had like to break his bones and undone him for ever he sees what Satans designs were and what had become of him quickly if he had gone on in his service he believes chains to be chains though they be of Gold believes that poyson will kill him though it may be sweet in the mouth he hath now such a sence of the evil and baseness of sin as being so infinitely loathsome to God as that he hates it with a perfect hatred he hath a will in some measure conformed to the will of God and what his friend the Lord loves he can't hate and where his God hates he can't love Psal 139.22 Do not I hate them O Lord which hate thee and am I not grieved with them which rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies Now what is it that stirs the Psalmists choller so much Why he had been working upon his own heart in the former part of the Psalm the doctrine of Gods omnisciency and goodness and by meditation upon this subject he was brought under a lively sence of the greatness of Divine kindness and while his heart did thus muse the fire burnt his soul was in a flame against sin verse 17. How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God! O when the soul hath sweet thoughts of God it will have sower thoughts of sin When the soul loves God dearly it can't chuse but hate sin entirely None behold such deformity in sin as those which behold most beauty in God Hence it is that some of the people of God have nay all of them which are really acquainted with God are of the same mind counted it more desirable to leap into the flames then to venture upon a known sin It was no untruth in the absolute position though falsly applyed by Job's friend that it is a great wickedness to choose the least sin before the greatest suffering Job 36.21 What was it that made Paul so weary of himself what burden was it that made his back so ake what pains caused those bitter groans Rom. 7. was it not sin and why did not Paul groan before as well as then was it because he then had no sin at all or less sin then when he made that bitter complaint no such matter but because he had then less acquaintance with God But now he is become acquainted with God the more he doth abhor himself for sin He now knows better then he did his eyes are opened and he sees sin in its colours and he looks upon it as so great an evil that he doth want words to express the odious nature of it therefore because he can't find a worse word he calls sin by its own name Sinful Sin which he thought a more significant Epithite then if he had called it Devillish Sin What makes the children of God to be so weary of this world and so desirous to be upon the wing why it is because of better acquaintance else where they know that then they shall put off that carrion that now they carry about with them Sin I mean which like a dead carcase bound to a living doth now stink so abominably in their nostrils they know that then they shall have a sweeter smell and themselves also smell more savoury in the nostrils of God They know that poverty shall be swallowed up with riches want with fulness sin with holiness misery with happiness they have an inheritance a City wherein dwelleth righteousness and nothing that is unclean shall enter into it and when they come thither they know the case will be altered with them and that though now they bare about with them a body of death and sin yet then they shall have a body as pure as bright and glorious as the Sun they shall be presented by Christ to the Father without spot or wrinkle or any such thing He knows that as long as he is thus sullied by his sin his great friend will not take so much pleasure in his company Isaac and Ishmael the Ark and Dagon God and Sin can't dwell in the same heart therefore he desires to have less of sins company that he may have more of Gods none of sins company that he may have always Gods company Observe that constantly in your own experience and others those which walk most close with God are most tender as to the matter of sin and those which are less in converse with God are more bold in their venturing upon sin and after it is committed they have less regret What is the reason that one can swallow any thing almost and another is afraid of the least appearance of evil he hates the garment spotted with the flesh he is as fearful of cloathing himself with wickedness as of putting on the garments of one that hath had the Leprosie or Plague upon him he hates vain thoughts because he loves God and his laws Ps 119.104.113 3. Another glorious effect of Acquaintance with God is that it makes one to have very low and undervaluing thoughts of the world When the Saint hath been with Paul raised up to the third Heaven when he hath had some intimate converse with God he can look the world into almost nothing nay if it stand in competition with Christ he counts it but as dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord Phil. 3.8 he can then set a higher value upon the light of Gods countenance than upon Corn and Wine and Oyl It is because that poor Creatures know no better that they dote so much upon the world did they but know what it is to have one look of love from God were they but acquainted with the glory of another world they would soon disrelish every thing else nothing will down with them which have been feasted in Gods House but those royal dainties Taste the world who will saith the Saint give me but more Grace more of Christs company let me but maintain an intimate familiarity with God let me be but better acquainted with him and be more frequently refreshed with the smiles this is all that I desire upon earth this is all that I expect to make my happiness compleat in Heaven Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I can desire in comparison of thee It was not without good reason that the Psalmist prizes the Commands of God above Gold and Silver it was no mistake in Solomon to count Wisdom more excellent than the finest Gold and more precious than Rubies That spiritual Merchant knew what he did when he
in honour Deut. 26.18 19. And upon this account might a wise man have his choice whether he will wear a Crown and he a stranger to God or rags and be one of his nearest servants he will not stand long before he determine the case he will soon answer with him That he had rather be a door-keeper in the house of God then dwell in tabernacles of wickedness If mens actions may speak their Judgements most of the Gallants of the world are of a far different opinion But O let me dwell for ever in his house and stand always in his presence happy are they that see his face happy are they that behold his beauty This this mans Crown this is his highest honour and dignity for God to be mindful of man and for his Maker to visit him this sets him but little below the Angels this Crowns him with Glory and Honour Psal 8.45 This is that which puts a true personal worth upon any one and therefore the Psalmist thinks those the excellent persons in whom is his delight Upon this account the Scripture saith The righteous man who is in covenant with God is more excellent then his neighbour The pur-blind World they judge altogether by the outward garb they see the face the rich apparel they see the estate but they see not that inward excellency and beauty that may be under but mean habit they are ready to despise the Noble Worthies of the World such as can look upon Kingdoms as small things in comparison of what they have an interest in who can call God Father and Christ Brother Have you never heard of a King in mean apparel of a Prince without his Robes upon his back or his Crown upon his head and will you say that therefore he was but a common person But those heavenly Creatures that have a more spiritual resined sense that understands something of things and Persons are quite of another mind they can look upon great ones in the midst of their gallantry without a friend in Heaven as mean persons that have no interest to speak of and many of them for all their greatness to be in a far worse condition then Dogs and Toads They can also look upon a poor despised Saint a contemned Christian though as to a carnal eye he should look as if he could scarce speak sense to be a favourite of Heaven a person of quality such a one as this he values as the Son of a King a Citizen of Zion one of the Royal Race one of that glorious Retinue that stand always in the presence of God to serve him the least of which are Kings and Priests to their great Lord Rev. 1.6 By faith he sees their Crown and looks upon that Royal Diadem which shall ere long be put upon their princely heads This was the great preferment they sought this was the honour they most desired as for the world and all its glory they can well spare it for those that shall never be advanced to any higher dignity to any better preferment As for the Saint as contemptible as he looks he hath higher designs nobler things greater honours in his eye and if that which the world so admires were the highest glory that a rational creature were capable of the top of mans preferment why then he could look upon brutes themselves as his equals except in this that their pleasures are more certain and their miseries less understood It is storied of Constantine and Valentinian two Roman Emperours that they subscribed themselves Vassellos Christi the vassels of Christ and that Numa Pompilius esteemed it a higher honour to be a Friend of God then a Lord of Men. Consider poor sinner consider what honours you slight what preserments you refuse what dignity you undervalue when you make light of acquaintance with God Had that brave Stoick Epictetus I mean known God in Christ he would much more have wondered at the inconsiderateness of them which make nothing of being related to God as a Father he would much more have pitty'd them which cleave to their lower meaner kindred beast who had rather be like Swine then God and rather be companions to their servants then their Maker Seems it to you but a light matter to be a Kings Son is it but a small matter think you to call God Father is it nothing to be born to a Crown Immortal that sadeth not away This is honour this is preferment worth the having worth the looking after worth the venturing ones life for This is true Nobility to stand thus nearly related to him before whom the Angels do vail their glorious Faces and at whose feet the four and twenty Elders lay their Crowns The Queen of Sheba thought Solomons Servants happy who stood always in his presence and heard this wisdom but what would she have said had she but known the Honour and Glory of his Prince O blessed are those that stand always in thy presence O God blessed are thy servants blessed are those which see thy Glory and hear thy wisdom blessed are they that may have free access to thee O let me have this preferment though I live like Job at his lowest and dye like Lazarus Let others sue for the favour of Princes let them make the best of what the world can give let them desire that which hath been dangerous to more then Haman I hope I should never envy them might I but have more frequent and intimate converse with God may I be but acquainted with him O may I have but a heart more to admire love and delight in him and serve him with the strength and inrensenss of my Soul while I am here and stand for ever in his presence and behold his glorious Face with joy hereafter O my Soul what meanest thou that thou still speakest so faintly and coldly of such infinitely glorious things Why doth not a new life animate thee at the very mention of these things Hast thou not far more cause to raise up thy desponding Spirits with chearfulness then old Lacob when his Son Joseph who was Lord of that Land sent for him into Egypt Thy Father O my Soul thy Brother is Lord not of Egypt nor of Goshen but of Eden of Zion he is the King of that glorious City the new Jerusalem Heaven is his Throne and Earth is his Foot-stool and yet behold the waggons that he hath sent for thee behold the provision that he hath sent to maintain thee comfortably in thy journey from Egypt to Canaan is not this enough O my Soul awake up and see him before thou dyest behold he is coming the Bridegroome is coming Joseph is coming to meet thee with a gallant Train in a glorious Equipage It is but yet a little while and thy husband will come and fetch thee in Royal State attended with a numberless retinue of Saints and Angels O hadst thou but an eye to behold their Chariots and Horsmen coming upon the mountains
before God and to complement him much and to sit oft at his Table and yet not to be any of his peculiar Friends and special Acquaintance now it ever you would make any thing of Religion and be made highly to praise Gods favour to be really acquainted with him you must labour to understand your distance from him and the unconceivable hazard that you run while you are in a state of Separation from God that there is but one step between you and the state of the Damned for what would become of you if God should say to you this night thy Soul shall be required of you How easily can God in a moment stop your breath and send your Soul and Body into that lake that burns for ever ever is it not then time for you to look about you O this ignorance of our selves how doth it expose us Ar. Epict. l. i. c. 26. He was not a whit mistaken who said That the not knowing of our selves was one of the chiefest causes of our sin and misery and that the consideration of the state of the Soul and the through understanding it's depravedness was the beginning of Wisdom for it's weakness being well known a man will not afterwards trust it in the determination of the greatest things but man will be desirous to consult that great Oracle the will of his Maker and finding his old guide is blind and hath oft misled him thereupon he is the readier to be acquainted with such a one who may direct him in the way to true happiness If you would therefore be acquainted with God you must get well acquainted with your selves you will upon the knowledg of your self be afraid of your self He was none of the weakest men who said That a true sense of folly is no small sign of some proficiency in wisdom Look into thy self O man search every corner behold what abundance of Armour there is in such and such a dark Celler but is this Armour strong enough to encounter a God withal Can'st thou with these Fig-leaves defend thy self against the arrowes of the Almighty behold what a condition thou art in if thou stirrest a step further Yield speedily and throw down thine Arms or you are a dead man Do you know this do you really believe this Is it possible what believe that your Treason is found out and that you are within a little of Execution and yet not tremble yet not seek nor desire pardon When a man throughly understands how things stand between him God and how unable he is to carry on a War against him he will speedily cast a bout how he may conclude a Peace upon any terms As soon as Benhadad knew what a condition his Army was in when he saw the Crowns of his thirty Kings shaken and his warlike Captains cut in pieces or to tremble be like women when instead of a mighty Army of gallant Warriors in martial order behaving themselves bravely in the field he saw their karkases upon heaps their garments rouled in blood the Shields of his mighty Ones cast away and himself wosully deserted how speedily doth he send away his Servants with Ropes about their Necks to beg Peace upon any Terms When the Gibeonites heard what dangerous fighting it was against Joshuah they were not long before they made means to make a Covenant with him So the Soul when it doth seriously consider what a sad Condition it is in while it continues in Rebellion against God it 's impossibility to stand it out long and utter inability to conquer him When it perceives the designs of Satan who first caused this difference between the Soul and God and hath still instigated and stirred it up to persecute with all the violence that might be I say when the Soul sees this before it is quite too late O how doth it bewail it's condition how doth it cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me O what will become of me if I make War still against God And as for flying whether shall I fly from his presence and where shall I Hide my self out of his sight And how shall I look him in the face whom I have thus desperately and ungratefully opposed Can such a Traytor as I possibly expect any mercy if the Lord should look upon me and not immediately cast me into Hell it would be a miracle of Patience And thus the man that begins a little to understand himself speaks to himself and after that he with Ephraim sinites upon his thigh and bemoans his condition exceedingly O that he should ever take up Arms against his gracious Prince O what shall become of him Well I have heard that the God of Heaven is a merciful King I will go and cast my self at his feet if I perish I perish If I continue in this rebellion there is no hopes if I fly there is no escaping and if I yield I can but perish O sad sad is my condition Woe and alas what shall I do in these dreadful perplexities But why do I stay here The avenger of blood followes after me apace well I will go to my God through Christ and I have heard that this is the only way and that there is not the least hope in the world any other way to get a pardon to escape the Wrath to come O that the precious and merciful Jesus would pitty me and stand my Frind now if ever O that he would speak a good word for me Have mercy upon me Jesus thou Son of David have mercy me O make peace for me by thy blood if thou wilt thou canst do more with a word speaking then all the Saints and Angels in the world if ever any poor Creature in the world had need of mercy then have I. O mercy mercy mercy for thy bloods sake But because I shall speak to this under another Direction I shall be the briefer Now when a man is at this pass he is in a fair way for peace but now as long as a man is ignorant of all this he is quite in another note he will never buckle and therefore he shall be broken Therefore consider well your condition observe the actings of your own Soul if you be one of the Friends and Acquaintance of God what means your breaking and hating of his Spiritual Laws What 's the reason if you love God that you can take no delight at all in his company no pleasure in his Sabbaths If you are a Friend of God how hap you come no oftner to his house when he dwells so near you Why do you knock no oftner at his door Why are you so rare in your visits Is this your kindness Is this like a Friend How comes it to pass that there are so many Arms found hid in your house What are they all for What is the meaning of all those Meetings that you give to Gods Enemies What do all those whisperings plots and