whatsoever is presented to his sence the world and all that is therein must ere long be burnt up whereupon he thinks it no imprudence at all to hazard present injoyments for future hopes no folly to look after something that will bear the flame He thinks it scarce worth the while to be born to possess if it were a whole world except he were sure of having something after it that were better than what he met with here he had rather have one smile from his friend than thousands of Gold and Silver he would not for a world be to have his portion here though it be never so large a one he had rather by far be with Lazarus upon a dunghil than sit with Dives in a chair of State before the richest fare that the Sea or Air or Earth could afford him he would not change conditions with those which enjoy the most of the things of this world he can thankfully want that which most commonly makes its possessors miserable O could you but talk with a man that lives in Heaven while he is upon earth and could you but see and here how much he slights that which you adore Give me neither poverty nor riches but Food convenient for me is the highest that he dare pray for He had rather live in a smoaking Cottage and have God for his companion than dwell in the greatest palace and have the Devil for his Neighbour Counsellor Master When a man hath been in Heaven by contemplation though his body be upon the Earth yet the best part of him his affections his love joy and heart is still there Sen. Ep. 41. One that doth converse with God here he is indeed that earthly lump his body is below but could you see his thoughts could you look into his heart and see the inward actings of his soul you should see the man out of the world discoursing with God he sticks close to the company of his Friend He is like the Sun-beams who though they touch the earth yet they still abide there from whence they are sent and are most intensly hot nearest the fountain the Sun So the soul and thoughts of a child of God they may nay they can't but glance upon the world but it 's most vigorous spiteful actings are towards God the heat of its affections are abundantly more remiss and cool when they beat upon earthly objects He that knows what it is to have the company of God is almost ready to wonder how any one can be content with any thing below God and as for himself he takes himself for little better then a prisoner while his soul is pent up in a body which is so unwildly as to all spiritual employments till it be refined by the grave He would not be to dwell here for ever for a world though he might enjoy more content then ever any since the Fall did A Soul acquainted with God is a noble Creature indeed it scorns petty low things it thinks no Estate big enough for it but that which is infinite he looks upon himself as a Citizen of no mean City a Denizen of Zion a Free-man of the New Jerusalem one of the Royal Society over which Christ that King of Glory is the President his inheritance is greater than that which the Sun compasseth in its course O when saith such a one shall I leave these Cities of Cabul and dwell with the King at Jerusalem O when shall my soul be sasely ark'd O when shall I be upon the wing for Heaven O when shall I leave this body there whence it first came When shall I go out of this cell this cage O that I were once safe in Heaven O that I were in the immediate presence of God and might stand for ever before him and have his blessed society for ever ever Neither am I now quite without him but how little O how little is it that now I enjoy O when shall I enter into the possession of that better longer life I stay long for that separating or rather uniting hour which will separate my soul from my body from my dross but perfectly unite me to God Look then O my Soul upon all that thou seest below but as so many Inns and resting places for a Pilgrim to take some little refreshment in and then to be gone That day O my fearful Soul which thou sometimes fearest as my last is the birth-day of eternity O what mean we to love our prisons fetter-burdens What ad we to be so much pleased with our miseries and affraid of our happiness O this unbelief O were Christians but more in the company of God by Faith and Meditation they would look upon God as great the world as a very small thing He that knows God to be great sees every thing below him little It is an infallible argument of a Divine and Excellent Soul and one that hath Acquaintance with God when he can judge all beneath God as low sordid base and utterly unworthy of the respect of his soul 4. Another glorious effect of acquaintance with God is that it will ease us of all sorrows or cure all sorrows As soon as any one hath but a saving knowledge of Christ he is in such a condition as that he need not trouble his head with care nor his heart with fear no more then a rich Heir that hath a tender-hearted loving wise Father need not trouble himself what he shall do for bread and cloathing as long as the great cause of fear is taken away so long he is well enough As for those that are unacquainted with God they either are always afraid or have cause always to be afraid but as for a Child of God that Scripture bears up his Soul under the mightiest waves of fear There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 He that is in Covenant with God may in this world undergo some petty injures some insurrections may be made against him but this is his comfort he is sure never to be quite over-powered never to be finally conquered O the disquietments and fears that strangers and enemies are compassed with or will be And O the joys the security the true security that some have at what a rate do they live and how bravely do they die mark the perfect and behold the upright man for the end of that man is peace This was touched upon before when I opened the nature and qualifications of this friend and therefore I need say the less hear yet it being the great inquiry of the wisest how they may be sheltered from this storm What shall they do to be cured of these heart qualms How they may be freed from fears I shall not altogether pass it over in this place I can't but incourage poor strangers as they value the truest comforts as they would be free from fear and trembling when the Foundations of the Earth shall be shaken when the
with him never attain to an enjoyment of him he becomes more vile then those things whose nature is inferiour if they attain to the perfection of that nature And it is like to fare worse with man if he fall short of the glory of God because he was capable of the glory of God then with beasts which are not capable of it And again in regard of that more nigh capacity wherein we are by Jesus Christ of acquaintance with God if we are not really acquainted with God we shall thereby not only have no addition of excellency but thereby we shall be more vile and miserable and therefore those who through the mercy of God have been in the visible Church and have heard of the good will of God to man through Christ and know that God is ready to entertain them into acquaintance with himself if they shall fall short of this their condernnation will be greater then that of those who never heard of Gods invitation and his grace in Jesus Christ If we therefore shall glory in our capacity of being of the acquaintance of God and neglect to be really acquainted with him we do but as the Jews of old who cried out The temple of the Lord are these Jer. 7.4 And the nigher we are to God if we do not come to a thorow closure with him the nigher we are to the stroak of his wrath as the nigher any is to Musket-shot the greater will the force of it be upon him Distinguish therefore between our capacity of being acquainted with God and our actual acquaintance with him Secondly we must be ware lest in our esteem of our selves we lay the foundation of our glory in our selves There is that in every ones corrupt nature which doth provoke him to it so that I dare boldly say that there is not a man in his corrupt natural state who doth not some way or other lift up himself in his own esteem for somthing of his own And we are apt to make every spiritual excellency to be matter for pride and self-conceitedness We do not sufficiently eye God as the Fountain the Author the Foundation the Rule and Pattern of all our Excellency Such is the way wherein God receiveth man to acquaintance with himself that he might hide pride from his eyes and that no flesh might glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.29 If we therefore lay the foundation of our glory in our selves and please our selves in the sparks that we have kindled we shall glory in our shame and lie down in sorrow This high esteem which we are to have of our selves because of our acquaintance with God it doth not at all contradict that precious grace of humility but they rather help forward one another for the more any esteems of himself because of that relation which he hath to God the less is the esteem of himself because of any thing of his own the more we make God the matter of our glory the less do we glory in our selves The more we apprehend of our Excellency being from God the less account do we make of all other seeming Excellencies When the light of the Sun ariseth then all Star-light disappears First All Dignity we have seems to arise from that relation which we have to God in acquaintance with him Secondly By acquaintance with God we come to have an absolute positive Dignity which is real in our persons yet still depending upon God a As by our union with Christ we come to have a righteousness imputed which is our justification and a righteousness likewise inherent which is our sanctification so by our acquaintance with God we have a dignity as it were imputed by our relation to God and a dignity real which is that excellency whereby we are made absolutely better By acquaintance with God we come to be like God and the Image of God in us is the greatest excellency that we are capable of When Moses had been fourty days in the Mount with God his face did shine with such a brightness that the people could not behold him so those that converse with God they retain a luster which shines in their converse with men The Image or picture of any worthy person is steemed by them that esteem the person and this esteem of it is from a relation which it hath to that person but now the children of any person whom we love being a lively image of their fathers person have another value upon them having not only a relation worthy because of their resemblance in the outward lineament but a real participation of nature and disposition which they receive from their father So there is an excellency in those that are acquainted with God not only as being in Relation to him but as receiving and being partakers of the Divine Nature As Children learn to pronounce their words according to the pronunciation of the Mother or Nurse with whom they converse as every one is apt to be formed unto the manner and disposition of the company wherein they must usually are thus those who converse with God they become in some measure like unto God and this is positive personal excellency which those have which converse with God Thus the Apostle John argueth concerning that perfection of glory and excellency which hereafter is to be upon those that are the Sons of God But it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is In Heaven we shall be like God because we shall see God and on earth those that converse with God shall in some measure be like God according to their measure of acquaintance with him And so Paul argues concerning this present life 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face 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 the Lord. Here we see clearly that beholding the glory of the Lord doth change into the same image of God and likewise that this image of God only is the glory of man for that is meant by From glory to glory that is from one degree of glorious similitude to another degree gf glorious resemblance and likeness to God Thus ye have seen that the excellency of man consisteth in his acquaintance with God and that by the vertue of his relation to God he hath an imputed excellency and an excellency by his propriety in God in whom is all excellency and that by his converse with God and acquaintance with him he becomes really like God which is his inherent excellency Let us then reckon of our selves as those who have their Dignity and Excellency from God and in this let us glory That we know God and are acquainted with God This is the Second Vse of this Proposition USE 3. Thirdly If man ought to be acquainted with God then let us all enquire into
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
God is such a friend who cannot who will not be kept out from his by Walls of Brass or bars of Iron he will find out his friends in the darkest hole and bare them company there in spite of all the powers of Hell O how reviving are his visits What Cordials doth he bring along with him This is that which makes the people of God so very chearful when their enemies make account their condition is such as that it hath no mixture of joy or comfort in it Was that a Prison or Heaven where those Martyrs were singing Hallelujahs Was that a time to be so merry when all the world disowned them when they were loaded with reproaches and irons and chains counted the troublers of the nation mad-men hereticks The case is clear the sight of this friend made them forget their Scorns and think their chains Gold and their prison Liberty It was God that spake it and he hath been found to be as good as his word Isa 43.1 2. Thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and that formed thee O Israel Fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passost thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Who was that which bore the three children company in the fiery furnace who was that which went into the Lions Den to visit Daniel who brought Paul alive to this shore when the ship in which he went was wrak't Was it not this Friend that I am now speaking of I might be large in reciting the miraculous preservations which God hath vouchsased to his which is a manifest token of his presence when none can come near besides he will not be far off In the greatest extremities which none durst own them then God reckons it time for him to shew himself It was not for nothing that the Psalmist could speak so chearfully when others were quaking Psal 64.12 c. What was it that bore up his spirits when there were such dreadful Commotions What refuge hath he to shelter himself under in time of such Calamity In what doth his strength lie that he is so confident Whence doth he expect a supply that he holds it out so bravely when his enemies are so numerous and his Friends so scarce Why David hath his invisible Friends as well as visible enemies Ask him and he will tell you That God is his refuge and strength and he is his confidence and he will come in when he hath the greatest need he will be a very present help in trouble And that is the reason that David will not fear though the storm were far greater then ever yet he was in though the earth were removed and the mountains were cast into the midst of the Sea though the foundations of the earth were shaken though the Sea should roar and threaten the earth with another deluge he can sleep as securely as a person little concerned and this he can speak not only for himself but for the whole city of God God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved The Saint hath a Friend that will bare him company in all places in all dangers and in his company he need not be afraid Let the least child that God hath give but one cry and he will soon awake It can't but be so from the spirituality of his nature the immensity of his being and the infiniteness of his love It was Orthodox Divinity and Doctrine that Ar. Epictetus l. 2. c. 14. preached though but a Heathen when he said That the first lesson that became a wise man to learn was that there was a God and then that nothing in the world could be concealed from him and that he knew not only our outward actions but our most secret workings our closest curtain businesses and not only so but even our thoughts projects and principles which speaks him every where and consequently ready at hand to help his Friends at a dead lift Wherefore saith the same Author Idem l. 3. c. 22. think not that thou art alone when thou art in thy Chamber in thy bed when thy Curtains are drawn when thou art lock'd up in a prison never so dark under ground if thou art good thou shalt have two companions in spight of the malice of all thy enemies a good Conscience and thy God This made that brave Moralist to dare his enemies to do their worst to exclude his Friends from him Can saith he any man be banished out of the world wheresoever you send me there will be the Sun Moon and Stars but if not God is there I am sure with whom I may talk to whom I may pray he will bare me company though all the rest of my Friends be kept from me And as long as you can't banish me from God nor keep him from me I shall reckon my self at liberty and should I be sent out of this world into another even there I should find my Friend and he will scarce complain that is removed from a place where almost all are his enemies to a place where quite all are his Friends One would have thought these poor Heathens had been reading Psal 139. Do you hear O Christians what language those forementioned persons speak and shall these that never had the thousandth part of that advantage for the knowing of God speak and act thus shall Christians have such low thoughts of God because we do not see God shall we therefore not believe that he is present every where he that denies Gods own presence had upon the matter as good deny his being for were it not so how could he Judge the world with Justice How could all things be sustained by his power God takes this as a very high indignity that any should in the least question this glorious attribute Jer. 23.23 24. Am I a God at hand and not a God a far off Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord. And is not this a Friend worth the having who will be sure not to be absent when you have need of him the wicked indeed say how doth God know and can he see through the thick Clouds and therefore they sin with confidence and oppress the Friends of God without any fear they hope God doth not behold they think omniscience knows not I wish there were not something too like this sometimes in the thoughts of Gods people too but let me only leave that one Scripture with the first sort Psal 94.9 c. He that planted the ear shall he not hear He that formed the eye shall he not see He that teacheth men knowledge shall not he know The Lord knoweth c. As for the desponding Christian that begins
and shall not be able Mat. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen And Luke 12.32 Christ saith his flock is a little flock And the Church complains of the fewness of her number in this Language Mic. 7.1 Wo is me for I am as when they have gathered the summer-fruits I might heap up abundance of Scriptures of the same nature all which speak this to us that it is not so common a thing to go to Heaven as most people reckon upon But yet if thou be resolved come what will come not to change your mind if after so many warnings and pleadings you still continue of this judgement I must speak a dreadful word Your blood be upon your own Soul I have blown the Trumpet I have don what in me lies to convince thee of thy dangerous state while thou art a stranger to God and to bring thee to a speedy acquaintance with him but thou hast after many and many a tender given in this answer that as for God thou dost not desire to be acquainted with him as for your marching with his Son it 's that which thou carest not for hearing of except thou mightest have his estate without his Soveraignty thou wilt not have him for thy husband except he will let thee do as thou list and run a whoring from him when thou pleasest Thou wilt not have Heaven except thou mayst have it without holiness and as for the invitations of God thou still makest light of them neither promises nor threatnings signifie much with you Well then when you find by woful experience what you have don know whom you must lay all the blame on I call Heaven and Earth to record and you your selves are witnesses that I have with all the pity and earnestness that I could for my soul told you of these great things but you think the flattering offers that the Devil makes to be more advantagious then those which God makes and his service to be preferred before the service of Christ and the friendship of the world to be esteemed before the friendship of God and the pleasures of sin which are but for a season you value before those rivers of pleasures which are at the right hand of God for evermore Now if you continue in this mind blame not me if you miscarry for ever you must whether you will or no stand to your choice Do not say but you were told of these things this is not the first time by many but it may be the last that you may ever hear for all that I know Remember you were once well offered Do you think that God will always bare with such unworthy abuses shall Gods Justice never be righted yes yes be not deceived flighted kindnesses will cost dear at last What have you yet to say for your self do you think that I mean you any hurt by all this except you count Salvation a wrong and kindness it self an injury But if all this will not do go then and make the best thou canst of all thy Friends let us see how well and how long they will entertain thee ere a few dayes it may be shall be at an end we shall hear how you like your choice when they shall turn you out of doors and tell you plainly they can do nothing for you you must shift as well as you can as for them they can't provide for themselves much less for you And then let 's see who hath made the best choice he that is acquainted with God and chosen him for his Friend or he that hath taken the world for his friend Let 's see who will do most for their friends when a time of trial comes When Heaven and Earth are all in a Flame when the Trumpet is sounding when the Judge and his Attendants Christ and all his holy Angels are coming when the Prisons the Graves are opened and the Prisoners are brought forth then let 's see who will have the chearfullest countenance he that holdeth up his hand at the bar or they that sit upon the bench with the Judge for know you not that the Saints the Friends of the Judge shall sit with him when he judgeth the world We shall know when the storm riseth whose house was best that which was built upon the sand or that which was built upon the rock O that people were now of the same mind that they will be of at the day of Judgement O that they would consider that if they will not now be at leisure to think of these things they shall be at leisure to repent of them hereafter Do not talk of scorns and reproaches and suffering what do you think that Heaven will not make amends for all that which is most to be feared the scorns of God or the scorns of men which will do you must hurt mans contempt or Gods where is the man that will be laughed out of a great estate because a fool saith that a Jewel is not worth the taking up will you therefore never stoop to take it up The truth of it is if you intend to make any thing of your Profession you must be willing to be counted a fool and a mad man but you must remember it is by those that are so themselves O be not affrighted from your duty by the talk of the rabble If the thing be evil let the vice of it scare you but if it be good let not the fear of them which are very incompetent judges in such a case divert you from it Do you think that such poor excuses will be taken at the day of Judgement What do you intend to say to God then Lord I would have laboured to have known thee I would have taken some care of my soul and I would have taken some pains about the things of Eternity but that I saw that almost every one that did with any seriousness look after such matters were scorned laughed at c. When I had had got into the company of those that were godly and I had half a mind to go with them to Heaven then my friends fell a jeering of me and ask'd me whether I meaned to be mad to undo my self to turn Puritane and Phanatick Do you I say believe that such a plea will stop the mouth of the Judge and keep him from pronouncing the sentence against you will this hold the hands of Justice will the thoughts of this quench or cool these dreadful flames Be better advised O be better advised for your souls sake and consider how such creatures will befool themselves Who would upon such a trifle part with Heaven that would be laughed out of Glory and jeered into Hell Is your mind yet altered have you any thoughts or resolutions to look after your soul and acquaintance with God Are there none of you all that ask by this time what shall I do to be acquainted with God are there none of you that begin to think that it is high time
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
come muster up all your jovial Blades together call for your Harps and Viols add what you will to make the consort compleat bring in your richest Wines come lay your heads together and study what may still add to your comfort well is it done Now come away sinner this night thy soul must-appear before God Well now what say you man What doth your courage fail you Now call for your merry Companions and let them chear thy heart Now call for a Cup a Whore never be daunted man shall one of thy courage quail that could make a mock at the threatnings of the Almighty God what so boon and jolly but now and now down in the mouth Here 's a sudden change indeed Where 's thy merry companions I say again all fled Where are thy darling pleasures have all forsaken thee Why shouldest thou be dejected there 's a poor man in rags that 's smiling What art thou quite bereft of all comfort What 's the matter man What 's the matter There 's a question with all my heart to ask a man that must appear before a God to morrow morning Well then it seems your heart misgives you what then did you mean to talk of joy and pleasures are they all come to this Why there stands one that now hath his heart as full of comfort as ever it can hold and the very thoughts of Eternity which do so daunt your soul raise his and would you know the reason he knows he is going to his friend nay his friend bears him company thorow that dirty Lane Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for God and the soul to dwell together in unity This 't is to have God for a friend O blessed is the soul that is in such a case yea blessed is the soul whose God is the Lord Psal 144.15 Psal 69.15 16 2 Cor. 1.3 Joh. 14.16 Isa 51.11 12 Neh. 8.10 Psal 30.5 Psal 43.4 Prov. 14.10 Isa 29.19 Rom. 14.17 1 Pet. 1.8 Nay David when he seem'd to be somewhat out of tune leaves this upon Record as undoubted truth Psal 73.1 That God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart Let the Devil and his Instruments say what they will to the contrary I will never believe them I have said it before and I see no reason to reverse my sentence Truly God is good Though somtimes he may hide his face for a while yet he doth that in faithfulness and love there is kindness in his very scourges and love bound up in his rods he is good to Israel do but mark it first or last The true Israelite in whom there is no guile shall be refreshed by this Saviour The Israelite that wrestles with tears with God and values his love above the whole world that will not be put off without his Fathers blessing he shall have it with a witness He shall reap in joy though he may at present sow in tears Even to such as are of a clean heart The false-hearted hypocrite indeed that gives God only his tongue and lip cap and knee but reserves his heart and love for sin and the world that hath much of complement but nothing of affection and reality why let such a one never expect while in such a state to taste those reviving comforts that I have been treating of while he drives such a trade he must not expect much of Gods company but of that hereafter What a charge doth God give to his Ministers to keep up the spirits of his people Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith their God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem It 's a gross mistake to think that God loves to see his drooping and hanging down their heads no no he counts it his honour to have his servants chearful O why then should any of the precious sons and daughters of Zion walk up and down as if their friends company were not sufficient to solace them even in the lowest state that a child of God can be conceived to be in While you think God is honoured by you you can't imagine what wrong you do him The world stands by and looks upon you the Devil bids them look on still and ask them how they like such a dumpish life and the service of such a Master all whose servants and friends lead such a doleful life Stay hold these Satan that 's a lye and a loud one too there are and have been thousands of Gods Children that have lived as it were in the Suburbs of Heaven while they have been upon Earth many thousands there have been that have spent their days in true solid joy and peace many that have gone from one Heaven of comfort here to another of glory and comfort in that other world As I said before so I say again It is not the company of God but the want of it makes those sad which you see so besides let me tell you tears and joy are no way inconsistent It may be also those tears that sad countenance may be for thy sake when he sees what comfort thou despisest and knows what a God what a Friend thou refusest he can't but weep it 's no rarity for the people of God in the midst of their spiritual enjoyments to pity poor foolish sinners that slight those things which they know to be so refreshing Thus David did when his heart was solaced with the love of God when his soul was ready to be over-burdened over-powered with the abundant incomes of Gods kindness he can't but with grief and pity think of their state who have nothing to live upon but husks whilest he seeds thus high O let my soul be but acquainted with God let me but taste more of those true comforts drink of that river of pleasures that is at his right hand and then I could spare these lower sensual pleasures then I should scarce envy the most merry ranting Blades their comforts I will not say but then I should with sorrow think of their wants It was spoken by Galeacius Caraxiola one that sometimes had none of the least shares of worldly enjoyments and might have had more could he have dispensed with the absence of this friend could he but have been willing to have wanted those spiritual comforts Let him perish that values not one hours communion with God and the comforts of a divine life above all the pleasures and comforts that the earth can afford Give me such comforts such a friend whose smiles may refresh me upon a death-bed whose presence may revive me when nothing else can Naturalists tells us of a Bird call'd Charadius that being brought into the room where any one lieth sick if he look upon the sick person with a fixed eye he recovereth but if he turn away his eyes the person dies It is true I am sure of this friend in whose favour is life and in whose frowns there is death Ar. Epic. l. 3. cap. 24. Can you help me to
shall be as kindly entertained as if you did shine in cloth of gold and were besparkled with Diamonds He will not give freer access to the rich then the poor neither doth he value a strong healthful person before a sick and crazie one a beautiful and well-trimm'd gallant before a cankered old deformed creature Thus far Seneca and the Scripture speaks the same language Neither Job's boyls nor Lazarus's sores made God keep ever the further off from them I knew one all of a cleave with the small Pox whom this friend came to visit and in that condition how many kisses had that sweet creature from God O it would do ones heart good to have such a friend And this is the next qualification of this Friend which may commend him to thy acquaintance be thou never so poor never so vile and sinful in thy own eyes such as thy self he hath made welcome and upon his Word wilt thou but come away speedily thou shalt be welcome too Sixthly He is the most Faithful friend Where is the man that can tax him of the least unfaithfulness Which is the man that can say that he ever forsook any of his in their greatest exigency he hath been trusted more then once with more then the world is worth a thousand times over and they which trusted him most never accuseth never thought their choisest Jewels their whole estate could be left in safer hands his promise and his performance have kept touch he never failed his in the least punctilio or circumstance of time Ask Abraham who was one of Gods friends God tells him that his seed shall inherit Canaan and that they shall be strangers in a Land that was not theirs four hundered years and did he not at the expiring of that time though it was at midnight almost bring them out of Egypt God keeps his time with them to a minute Ask Joshua whether he did not live to see this promise made good inquire of David and he will tell you again that no friend is so trusty The unfaithfulness is on mans side there indeed there I say is many an unhandsome thing done and yet for all God doth not as you shall hear hereafter presently break with them if they forget that they are Children he will not forget that he is their Father if God should have done thus by them many thousands of them that are now in Glory had been somewhere else He promiseth indeed great things unto his Friend but do's he not do as he saith if not in the very thing yet in that which is better and who would account himself wronged if one that promised him ten pound in silver should in the stead of it give him ten thousand pound in Gold and Jewels I believe such a one would not be thought to be worse then his word nor the person to whom he made this promise count himself injured And this God doth frequently did men but understand the worth of what God pays them with It may be God doth not cloath them in Silks and Sattins neither do I know that he ever promised to do so but yet he cloaths them with the Righteousness of Christ and bestows those glorious robes upon them in which they look more trim and neat then in cloaths of Gold he hath made him such a Suit that is the handsomer for the much wearing he may eat and drink sleep and work in it and keep it on his back day and night and it shall not he wrinkled it is the better for use He is a faithfull Friend and none that ever had to do with him can say any thing to the contrary he never forgot any business that any of his Friends desired him to do for them he never neglected it or did it by the halves where did any of them come to him to reveal some secret loathsome distemper to him that he reproached them with it To which of them did he promise a heaven and put them off with this World when this Pilot undertakes to steer their course there their vessel shall never split upon the Rock run upon the Sands or spring a Leak so as to sink in the Seas to be sure he will see them safe in the harbour Ar. Epist l.c. 26. He was no Christian yet I suppose none will deny but he spake good Divinity who said If a man will choose God for his Friend he shall travel securely through a Wilderness that hath many beasts of prey in it he shall pass safely through this World for be only is safe that hath God for his guide Doth he not speak a little like David himself Psal 37.26 Who never expected to come to glory except he were guided by his counsel Now if a poor Heathen could say thus and see good reason to trust God and admire his Faithfulness as he doth frequently and so doth Seneca justifying Gods Faithfulness in all his dealings with the best men in all their sufferings and the prosperity of the wicked what then shall the heavenly Christian say who hath experienced so much of Gods faithfulness in answering his Prayers in fulfilling his promises and supplying all his exigencies David will tell you as much and justifie God in his most severe dispensations towards him In very Faithfulness hast thou afflicted me Psal 119.75 In our earthly and bodily affairs we should never count that Physitian faithful that will rather open a vein or put his Patient to exquisite torture to save his life then let him dye easily We believe a Father may whip his stubborn Child with more love then let him alone To prevent the ax or halter with a rod is no cruelty Faithful are the wounds of a friend Prov. 2.7 6. It was not for nothing that the Psalmist sticks so close to god he had a little experience of the unfaithfulness of other friends Psal 38.9 11. His Lovers and his Friends stood aloof from his sore and his Kinsmen stood afar off May not a great many complain as well as Job That their Brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook and as the stream of brooks they pass away Job 6.15 A friend may forget one a brother may disown one father and mother may cast one off but here 's a friend that sticks closer then all Nay he is a better friend to his then they are to themselves when they love themselves so little as to undo themselves he loved them so well as to save them when they loved themselves so as to poison themselves he loved them so as to give them a powerful Antidote when they like children would have the knife he takes it out of their hands least they should cut their fingers when they are so careless as to surfit themselves he is so faithful as to keep them short and diet them and all this I hope they that understand themselves will not call unkindness or infidelity David had in his time some friends that made no bones of hazarding their
whose walls are Jasper and the City is all of pure Gold like unto clear glass and the foundation of the walls of that City are garnished with all manner of precious stones Rev. 21 c. And what think you now where is the Prince upon earth that ever was master of such an estate what are his attendants the the meanest of those that stand in his presence is no less then a King the least of his servants is more rich and glorious then the mightiest Potentate that ever trod upon earthly mold that was a stranger to God This God doth not grudge to give that which is more worth then a thousand Kingdoms to his Darlings I might tell also at what a rate they live who are fed always at his Table and what dainty dishes they feed upon I might speak of their Cloathing and Robes all which speak the riches of that Lord which maintains his servants so highly But what am I doing Can I Grasp the heavens in my arms or take up the Sea in the hollow of my hands Can I measure the heaven of heavens or weigh the mountains in scales or the hills in a ballance Could I do all and a thousand times more yea could not give you an account of the Estate of him who would be your Friend your husband at the best I can but give you a superficial gross relation of it and when I have said all that I can speak of and all the men in the world with all their tongues have spoke what they can too nay let Angels with their heavenly Rhetorick do what they can to set out the glory of his Kingdom I say when all this is done you must remember all falls short of what it is and that since the beginning of the world men have not heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what a God is worth what a friend you may have of him if you will but speedily be acquainted with him His Kingdom hath no bounds and his Dominions reach futher then both the Indies The small love-tokens that he sends now and then to his Beloved into a far country are of infinitely more value then all the Lockets of Diamonds and richest Pearls and Jewels in the world Pro. 8. Behold how merrily Rebeccah looks upon a sorry Jewel or two presented by Eliezer from his Master how soon is her heart conquered and why should we not be more taken with things of far greater worth What is all this as much as nothing with you Methinks your hearts should be all in a fire methinks you should quickly say O that I could but see him who will bring me acquainted with him he shall have my heart my dearest love Methinks should I ask you the same question that they did Rebeccah Wilt thou go a long with me to such a friend you should readily without any further dispute say yea with all my heart and think long to be up and going Why then do you talk of a year a mouth longer O what ail poor Creatures to make us stand waiting so long for an answer Do you ever expect a better offer Do you look to advance your selves somewhere else Can you hope for a better a richer match Go thee and search out among all thy Lovers which make suit to thee which of them can feed thee with such costly viands which of them can cloath you in such Royall Apparel which of then can make you such a Joynture Consider wisely and speedily that I may turn to the right hand or the left What saith thou canst thou amongst them all better thy self Is there any one like him Is there any of the Sons of the mighty comparable to him Are any of the Kings or great ones of the Earth able to make you such an offer or should they can any of them make it good What have you yet resolved upon the point or not What it is you stand for I pray do you question the truth of what I speak Do you make account I speak of the highest and make the best of things Why then let me tell you further I have not I cannot tell you the half of what you will find to be true if you would come to be throughly resolved or of what you will believe hereafter to your sorrow if you still refuse him And I must further add to what I said before that whatever riches God possesses he will joynture you in as soon as you shall in good earnest be willing to accept him for your Friend all that I can speak of and more too you may call your own Ask and it shall be given without prescribing how much more then you can ask or think shall be given you Your Lord and husband is not so niggardly as Ahashuerus who said What is thy request and what is thy petition Queen Esther and it shall be given thee to the half of my Kingdom But God saith what is thy request and what is thy petition poor Soul and it shall be granted to the whole of my Kingdom what is it thou wantest what attendants dost thou lack to wait upon thee to my Court are they Prophets Apostles Ministers Angels they shall be given 1 Cor 3.21 Do but try him he bids you ask and you shall have Let me give you this one memento Ask like one that hath to do with a rick King who hates to do any thing below himself remember it is he that delights to give like a God widen therefore thy desires as large as Heaven be bold and speak a great word and I warrant thee thou shalt not be denied tell God that seeing in his infinite goodness and condescention he hath been pleased to give thee leave to ask without restraint thou dost humbly request his Son for thy Lord and Husband himself for thy Father God and Friend his Kingdom for thy Dowry the Righteousness of his Son for thy Ornament Cloathing and Beauty the comforts of his Spirit and abundance of his grace to bear thy charges handsomly till thou comest to his house This is high indeed but thy great and noble Lord loves dearly to hear such covetous Petitioners who will be put off with nothing but such great things When do any of these go sad from his Court When do any of the seed of Jacob seek his face in vain This this is the generation of thriving ones who seek for life immortality and glory who seek thy face O God of Jacob. And now what do you say will you believe all this Dare you take my word I am perswaded none of you all think I dare tell you a lye and do you any wrong but for all that I do not desire you should take my word nor the word of any man living in a thing that concerns Eternity but take his word who cannot lye Psal 8.18 Riches and honour are with me yea durable riches and righteousness vers 19. My fruits is better then gold
of this thy soul that it may be in good plight when he shall call for it He doth tell thee what is its most natural food and what is not wholsome He tells thee what thou shalt do to have that soul within thee everlastingly happy And is all this of so little consequence as to go in at one ear and out at the other Are these things to be indifferent in If mans soul were like the soul of a beast the case were altered if when his breath went out of his body there were an end of him the matter were the less considerable if he had ever a friend in another world that could do as much for him as God can do I should have little to say in this business But since this is impossible how can I bare to see thee neglect the making sure of such a friend How can a Christian with any patience think that those that he lives with and dearly loves should miss of such a friend without whom their souls must be everlastingly miserable If it were only for your bodies or estates I should scarce use so many words neither I believe need I but when it is for your souls and eternity who can be silent Once more consider what a friend thou mayst have it is a friend for thy soul Alas man it is thy soul thy precious soul that lies at stake that Spirit within thee which is more worth then a world it is that which is in hazard and here is a friend that offers thee to make that soul of thine happy for ever Thy soul hath abundance of enemies Some would debase it others would rob thee of it others would clap up a hasty match between that Noble Creature and a Servant the World I mean and there are very few that have any true kindness for it and thou knowest not the worth of that Jewel thy Soul but here here 's a friend if thou wilt but leave it with him he will take care of it it shall not be marted away for nothing Here 's one will do that for its security honour and happiness that all the world besides can't do If therefore thou hast any love for thy poor soul if thou settest any price upon that precious thing within thee in a word if thou wouldest have thy soul do well in another world O strike in here close with these tenders listen to the counsel of him who offers you the best advice in the world He he it is that now offers thee that thou canst never value enough he it is that will feed cloath and portion that Soul of thine and after that marry thee to his onely Son by which match you will be made for ever O did men and women but know what a Soul is did they imagine what a dreadful miscarriage of a Soul is did they but in any measure understand the things of their peace could they but conceive what God could and would do for their Souls I need to spend but little time in perswading them to commit their Souls to him to be acquainted with him who will be sure to take special care of their Souls that they may do well whatever is neglected O could you but see did you but know what a sad taking they are in that go into the other world with a poor naked Soul and know no body in the world there and have never a friend that doth take any notice of them you would then think I spoke what I do with reason enough and that my words were too short and my expostulations too faint in a matter of such concernment O sinners I tell you nay God tells you soul-matters are the greatest matters in the world I am sure Christ thought so or else he would not have been at so much cost about them those that are in their wits and understand themselves they know as much too and so will you ere a few years it may be hours be past Those that now make but a pish of all this when they have been but one quarter of an hour in another world will say as I do that a Soul-friend is the only Friend and that Soul-concerns are the great concerns things of weight and moment indeed and that it would have quitted the cost to have taken some pains to have look'd out for such a one that could have stood the Soul in some stead in that other world and that above all it would have been no folly nor madness to have accepted of the kindness of one that desired earnestly to be acquainted with them and to do their Soul a good turn O that they had but been so considerate as to have embraced such a motion when it was offered And this brings me to the next Qualification of this Friend 16. He is a necessary Friend There is an absolute necessity of being acquainted with him It 's possible for a man that hath very few friends upon earth to live as happily as he that hath many Multitude of acquaintance such as they are may contribute much to a mans care and sorrow And as for most friends such as are commonly so called it is better to have their room than their company A man may live without the acquaintance of Nobles he may be as free chearful and rich without the knowledge of such as them One may live holily and die joyfully and may be happy for ever though he never saw the face of a Prince though he was never at Court though he lived and died a stranger to all worldly friends One may be disowned by his Father hatred by his Mother slighted by all his Relation and have never a friend under the Snn that will own him and yet for all that be in a state of truer felicity then those that are daily attended with troops of visitors whose gates are seldom shut whose houses are never empty but amongst all that comes God never comes to them as for his company they are strangers to it this man I may write miserable for all his great and many friends And him that hath the company of God in acquaintance with his Redeemer I 'le call happy though he have never a friend in the world besides Multitude of friends seldom add much to our comforts but always to our cares A man may go to Hell for all his great acquaintance with men but it 's impossible if we are greatly acquainted with God to miss of Heaven When men are unkind if God be kind it 's well ballanced but if God frown whose smiles can comfort I may be happy though I am very little in mans favour but it 's impossible to be happy without Gods favour To be a stranger to God is to be a stranger to peace joy Heaven O it 's sad being without God! If I should declare the Judgement of most in the world at least if their practice may speak for them they see very little need of acquaintance with God They do not write Must
everlasting burnings do you not think it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God and if you do not let me tell you you are worse than mad if you do believe all this why then let me ask you again whether you conceive it unnecessary to use the utmost care and diligence to get acquainted with him who can deliver you from the wrath to come O friends I call you so and I believe most of you love me dearly O that you would do me one kindness I should count it the greatest kindness that you can do me why what is that you say why it is but to pity your own Souls and to mind that one thing necessary and to pitty them that are mourning for your dry eyes and hard hearts What say you to all this if you have any thing to say against the necessity of these things I am ready to plead the case with you c. Well if it be not necessary to know God and Christ and lay in provision for eternity what then is necessary If it be not necessary to serve love and delight in him who can deliver from everlasting death and reward with everlasting life what then is Once more for your Souls sakes consider what you do when you vigorously pursue worldly things and look upon the favour and displeasure of God as small things O write not these things down amongst the superfluous things which are to be minded by the by Remember this that it is very possible for a man to be exceeding holy and yet to be altogether unknown to the world but it is altogether impossible to be truly happy and yet unacquainted with God 17. He is a tryed Friend Thousands and Millions can from their own experience say all this which I have said of him and much more but I shall pass this over at present having hinted it already and because it may be I may touch upon something of the same Nature hereafter 18. He is an everlasting Friend I shall be but brief in speaking to this head because what might have been spoken of this fell under that of his immorality Yet because it is possible to conceive God immortal in himself and yet by reason of mans default his kindness to him to be finite so it was in respect of the Angels that fell from him But now Blessed be free Grace man stands upon surer ground then ever he did the children of God have a firmer bottom by far then Adam had when he was in Paradice his state is more secure being once united to God in Christ then that of the Angels of Heaven in their first Creation For that their State was mutable is de facto proved but now blessed be rich goodness if we can but make sure of reconciliation with God again it is impossible for us to miscarry God hath sworn and he will perform it that the heirs of glory might have the more strong consolation Isa 54 9 10. For this is as the waters of Noah for I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Gods children need not fear dis-inheriting his gifts and callings are without repentence If God loved us while we were enemies how much more being reconciled will he continue his love to us once a Child of God and a Child of God for ever once in favour and never out of it again Rom. 8.35 39. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Who can pluck us our of the Arms of the Almighty Who or what is that which can alienate our Fathers affections from us If the promise of God which saith I will never never never never never leave nor forsake you be valid if his oath bind him if the blood of Christ continue always to be satisfactory if his mediation can prevail if the nature of God be unchangeable we are well enough we are safe if this be but clear that we are really reconciled to God if we be acquainted with him We are kept by the mighty power of God through Faith unto Salvation If they had been of us saith the Apostle no doubt they would have continued with us It is possible indeed yea common for men to pretend love to God and to seem to have a true friendship for him and yet not to be truly so To have a name to live and to live are two things It is not unsual to bare God company as I may say abroad and yet at home to have some body that they have a greater kindness for It is common to go along with God if I may so call it in the external actions of Religion and yet to desert him at last Isa 58.1 2 3. Mat. 7.21 There are many that seem to bid fair for Heaven and if cap and knee will do God shall have that they will give him the husk and shell that they may keep the kernel for one that they love better Thousands there are of such persons in the world and these profess abundance of kindness for God they come oft to his house and sit down there and make as if they were his friends and his acquaintance and some of Gods servants by a mistake may bid them welcome but yet for all this they may be strangers only they have heard of God and can talk of him and it may be have given him many transient visits but yet they want the real properties of friends they never knew what it was to be brought nigh to the Father by the Son to have a fence of their lost state and estrangement from God and under a fence of this to make earnest inquiry after him they never knew what it was to converse with God to have an intimate acquaintance with him to be sending out the breathings of their Souls after him and to be unsatisfied without him they took up a trade of lifeless duties and that was all As for the life and power of Religion they never understood it communion with God they heard oft of but never understood what it meant they never savoured and rellished the things of God nor with any suitableness or complacency ingaged in his service And as for those more secret actings of Religion to take up the interest of God to design his glory to be deeply concerned for his honour observing their affections and the workings of their hearts in duty to take notice of answers of prayers or to look after their petitions when they
live Wherefore else is it that we are so straightly commanded as we will answer the neglect upon our peril before God at that terrible day that we preach the World in season and out of season To what purpose should Paul expose himself to so many hazards both by Sea and Land Why should he teach this Doctrine of Reconciliation night and day with tears Doth he not tell you that he did all this by Divine Dispensation and that it was as much as his Soul was worth to wave this work And doth not all this speak his willingness to be friends again with man Could not God have sent Legions of Angels with flaming swords in their hands when he sent his Son and thousands of Prophets Apostles Ministers and Teachers might he not have proclaimed war against them for ever when he followed them with the Embassadors of peace If he had had no thoughts of Agreement with them could he not have spoken to them in thunder and lightning with fire and brimstone as well as in the still voyce of the Gospel He could if he had pleased have made them to have known the breach of his Covenant by giving them up to the will of their cruel enemies God could as easily have cut off a whole world of us as we can crush a moth and easier too But he is willing to shew forth the riches of his patience and goodness that thereby sinners might be brought to Repentance How doth God further express his willingness to receive returning sinners by engaging them by many temporal favours Who preserved that tender creature in the Womb and brought it out of those dark Chambers into light Who kept that helpless infant after it was in the world Whose flax and wool do we wear upon our backs To whom is it that we are beholding for every crumb we eat and every drop we drink Who spreads our table for us and makes our cups to overflow Who brought us from the brink of the grave when we had received the sentence from our Doctor and our Disease And what is the Language of all these mercies but return O back-sliding Sinner for in me is thy help found Love delight in and be acquainted with him from whom thou hast received so many kindnesses If thou wouldest accept of him for thy Lord Husband and Friend who hath sent thee these tokens thou shalt have other favours then these be Is not this the meaning of all the common mercies that we daily receive from him Why was not thy breath stopt with an Oath in thy mouth Why is it that so many thousands that were born since thy self are gone to their eternal state when thou art still standing What hast thou done to engage God more then others that Worms should not be feeding on thee when thou art feeding upon the fat and sweet What is the English of all this what are all these droves of mercies which God sends to thee but to cool thy enmity against him and to make thee who art marching out in thy warlike furniture to meet him with tears of joy and friendly embraces Is not Love the Giver written upon all his tokens What means his frequent visiting of thee but desire of acquaintance with thee Had he had no desire at all to know you and to be known of you do you think he would have call'd so oft and so kindly at your door would he have stood knocking with so much patience and have spoke to you so lovingly if he desired still to be a stranger to you Is this like one that desires your ruine Did God never plead with thee by his Ministers and urge the same Argument that I do now Did you never hear such kind of expostulations as these Why wilt thou go on to despise thy God and to refuse his love what reason hast thou to harbour such hard thoughts of him doth he deserve such unkindness at your hands How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity why will ye make light of that you can't possibly overvalue the favour of God and acquaintance with thy maker How oft have you grieved his Spirit by your unworthy contempts how many times have you given him cause to complain of your unhandsome usage when he in very pity and compassion came to visit you He hath reason to say now as well as of old Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth for I have nourished and brought up Children and they have Rebelled against me Isa 1.2 Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise is not he thy Father that bought thee hath he not made thee and established thee Deut. 32.6 O that they were wise And be instructed O Jerusalem least my Soul depart from thee Jer. 6.8 Is not this the voyce of mercy have not these been Expostulations of the mighty God with his Rebellious Creatures and yet how do they stand it out all this while as if God were like to get so much by their acquaintance Return O foolish Sinner if thou makest any thing of Salvation and Damnation if thou valuest everlasting glory if thou thinkest the commands threatnings and promises of the Almighty to be minded come away and make no delay O why wilt thou go on thus madly to undo thy self come away poor Soul for all this it is not yet quite too late thy glass is not yet quite run thy Soul is not yet fully fixed in its unchangeable state Once more I make such an offer to thee as I am sure none but a mad man will refuse such an offer as none of the Kings and Lords of the world can make The great and mighty Monarch of Heaven tenders thee an Alliance with himself he sees how far thou art spent how poor and low thou hast brought thy self by a dangerous and long war against thy maker he foresees what a condition thou wilt be in after a few more merry hours except thou repent and turn Wherefore in compassion to thy precious soul he hath commanded us to follow thee and not to let thee be at quiet till thou hast given us a promise that thou wilt return and humble thy self to thy God and what shall we still lose our labour shall all this come to nothing O prodigy of unkindness O wonder of patience thou hast slighted the friendship of thy God thou hast set light by Christ and undervalued Heaven and Eternity for ten twenty thirty years already and yet the Lord send us once more in his name to ask you whether you are willing to have God for your Friend God hath not yet said Cut him down bind him hand and soot and cast him into that lake that burns for ever Bring those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them and slay them before my face God hath not yet spake that dreadful word Depart O what is it thou stayest for What is it that makes this business to hang so long What Lover is it
and ask her what is her beloved more then another beloved what there is in God and Christ more then in the world and she will almost wonder that any one that is rational should ask so foolish a question she thinks you might with as much judgment and reason have ask'd what there is in Heaven more desireable then in Hell What is there is in ease more then in torments in Gold and Jewels more then in dross in a living healthful beautiful Creature more then in a stinking rotten carcase Did you but see his face you would soon think there were something in him more then in another could you but see his eye your heart would be in a flame did you but understand what it is to be brought into his banquetting-house you would say that they are neither fools nor mad-men that can find in their hearts to scorn the beauties and glories of this world in comparison of one look or smile from God and believe that his love was better then wine to be preferred infinitely before the greatest worldly pleasures and think that the Virgins had reason enough to love him Cant. 1.4 How high doth the Church run in his commendations How doth she endeavour to set him out to the life that every one may admire his excellencies and be taken with his beauties as well as her self neither doth she fear to lose him by this nor indeed is unwilling that others should fall in love with him as well as she Cant. 5.9 10. c. She begins first with his face it is white and ruddy the most exact beauty so that she must be blind that is not taken with him and so she goes on as well as she can to set him out but he is so infinitely above her commendations that she wants words to express her self therefore she speaks one great one He is altogether lovely and if you will not believe come and see Do but look upon him by Faith and meditation contemplate his beauties and then if you have any thing yet to object if after you have had a true sight of him and have well weighed all you do not find that there is in him infinitely more then I can tell you why then let me bear the blame for ever Well now let us gather up all these things together and if a multitude of arguments and if weight and reason if vehemency and earnestness may prevail I should have some good hopes that I should not want success in this work nor you of the acquaintance with God and everlasting glory Therefore I say again if kindness and love be taking who so sweet and obliging as he If comfort joy and pleasure be desireable who is there when the Soul is surrounded with a multitude of perplexities that can so much delight refresh and raise it If Power Glory and Majesty if ability to defend from injuries and revenge wrongs might signifie any thing with poor shiftless Creatures who is there that ever yet prevailed against him Who ever contended with God and prospered If vigour activity and care in all the affairs of his friends can intice the dull helpless sinner to receive him who will take more care for and do more for them then he If his humility may engage us if freedom of access notwithstanding that infinite distance that is between us and him signifie any thing as to the commending of him to our acquaintance where can a poor beggar be more welcome then at the house of this mighty Prince Can Faithfulness in the greatest streight raise the esteem of a friend who ever yet trusted him that was deceived Are riches and wealth taking Who is there that can give a Kingdome for a portion a love-token and give everlasting glory and Heaven for a joynture but God Doth pitty in misery simpathy in suffering compassion in distress indear and commend a friend who is more tender-hearted then he Are Honours and preferments such great things Who is that which will make all his favourites Kings and Priests and set them upon Thrones and reward and commend them before the whole World is suitableness a considerable qualification to make up this match who so suitable for the Soul a Spirit as God a Spirit Who can satisfie it's vast and infinite desires but infinity it self Have poor simple Creatures that have quite undone themselves by their folly and indiscretion need of a wise Counsellor to wind them out of their sad intricacies who is there among the profound Polititians and grave Sages of the world to be compared unto him Doth a dying man that hath a never-dying Soul that is to pass speedily into an eternal state lack an ever-dying immortal friend that may stand him in some stead when immortal Are not friends sometimes furthest off from one when one hath most need of them Is not he then a friend highly to be prized who can who will never be absent Doth not God fill heaven and earth What think you of a Soul-friend Is not such a one worth the looking after who takes care that your Soul to be sure shall not miscarry Who ever did more for Souls then Christ Will it not be true prudence to make sure of such a friend as we must have for our friend or we are miserable for ever and where is such a one to be found but he that hath the keys of heaven an hell which is most considerable Time or Eternity and whom shall I most value him that promiseth present pleasures that are lost as soon as felt or him that will bestow everlasting favours and are there not at Gods right hand pleasures for evermore If the trial and experience of so many millions may speak his commendation will not all that ever knew God say truly God is good to Israel Will Gods willingness desire and earnestness prevail with you to come to him What is the substance of the whole Bible doth not almost every Chapter speak the desire that God hath to be reconciled to man if the perfection of all excellencies meeting in one can render him amiable how can he be slighted who is altogether lovely And what say you now are you resolved or are you not Shall the infinite Majesty of Heaven condescend to offer himself to be loved and imbraced by sinful dust shall God say I will be thy Father and shall not the sinner say I would be thy Child Why should not the heart of every Apostate rebellious Traytor that hath forfeited Estate Life and Soul leap at such good news and say will God for all this lay aside the controversy and conclude a peace Will he receive the rebell to mercy will he open his doors to his prodigal and is there yet any hope Is it possible that such sins as mine should be forgiven Can it be conceived that such a Creature as I should be imbraced what look upon me will God indeed take me into favour Yes thee behold he calls thee he offers thee
his Son a Kingdom a Crown behold the Father meets he makes hast to meet his returning prodigal behold the King hath sent to invite thee to the feast nay he will give thee his only Son in marriage the wedding garment is made ready the Bridegroom is coming the wheels of his Chariot run-apace the friends of the Bridegroom are come to bid you make ready up deck your self put on your glorious Apparel make hast make hast ye Virgins your companions are ready all stay for you the Bridegroom is at the door Behold he is at the door and will you still let him knock What! Father Husband a Kingdom What words are these Wilt thou O mighty Jehovah be my Father Wilt thou O blessed Jesus be my Husband shall I have a Kingdom What me a Child a Spouse for the King of glory an Heir of glory Grace Grace Amen Hallelujah Be it to thy servants according to thy word but who are we and what is our fathers house that thou hast brought us hitherto and now O Lord God what shall thy servants say unto thee for we are silenced with wonder and must sit down with astonishment for we cannot utter the least tittle of thy praises What meaneth the highth of this strange love O that the God of heaven and earth should condescend to enter into Covenant with his dust and to take into his bosom the viperous brood that have often spit their venome in his face We are not worthy to be as the hand-maids to wash the feet of the servants of our Lord How much less to be thy Sons and Heirs and to be made partakers of all those blessed Liberties and Priviledges which thou hast setled upon us but for thy goodness sake and according to thy own heart hast thou done all these great things Even so Father because so it seemed good in thy fight Wherefore thou art great O God for there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee what nation on earth is like thy people whom God went to redeem for a people to himself to make him a name to do for them great things and terrible for thou hast confirmed them to thy self to be a people unto thee for ever and thou Lord art become their God Wonder O Heavens and be moved O Earth at this great thing For behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God Be astonished and ravished with wonder for the infinite breach is made up the offender is received and God and man are reconciled and a Covenant of peace entred and Heaven and Earth are agreed upon the tearms and have struck their hands and sealed the Indentures O happy conclusion O blessed conjunction Shall the Stars dwell with the dust Or the wide distant Poles be brought to mutual embraces and cohabitation But here the distance of the tearms is infinitely greater Rejoyce O Angels shout O Seraphims O all the friends of the Bridegroom and Bride prepare an Epithalamium be ready with the marriage Song Lo here is the wonder of wonders for Jehovah hath betrothed himself for ever to his hopeless Captives and owns the marriage before all the world and is become one with us we with him he hath bequeathed to us the precious things of the earth beneath with the fulness thereof and hath kept back nothing from us And now O Lord thou art that God and thy words be true and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servants and hast left us nothing to ask at thy hands but what thou hast already freely granted Only the word which thou hast spoken concerning thy servants establish it for ever and do as thou hast said and let thy Name be magnified for ever saying The Lord of Host he is the God of Israel Amen Hallelujah And how do you like this musick O ye the lost Sons and Daughters of Adam how do you relish these Dainties what do you think of this march Some you see have been so wise as with the greatest gratitude they can for their souls to close with those happy offers of grace You hear how bravely such and such have bestowed themselves and now they are made for ever And what do you say to the same proposals have they so much reason to bless the day that ever such a motion was made have they cause to rejoyce for ever for those blessed overtures or are they all to be slighted by you will Christ be worse to you then them is Heaven and happiness less necessary for you then them will the loss of a Soul be more inconsiderable to you then it would have been to them Will not Heaven Christ an Glory be as well worth your acceptance as theirs What are you willing to be shut out when the Bridegroom comes to fetch his Spouse home Can you bare it to see such as you thought your inferiours advanced and your self despised What shall I say what words shall I use what shall I do to prevail O that I could pity you a thousand times more than I do O that my eyes might weep in secret for thy folly O that you also might do as some have done before you though indeed they be but few that be so wise O that you would also bestow your heart upon Christ give him your heart-love or he will have your heart-bloody Do not make your self miserable to please any living do not slight Christ because must do so go not with them to Hell for company But that if it be possible I might perswade you I shall add some more motives to prevail with you to get acquainted with God which I am certain will either work that blessed effect or rise up against you to the aggravation of your confusion in that great and terrible day II. HEAD OF MOTIVES The next Head of Motives which I shall insist upon for the inforcing of this Duty of acquainting your selves with God I shall take from the glorious effect of this acquaintance with God 1. The first effect of this acquaintance with God is it makes the soul humble and consequently fits the soul for greater communications from God still and to do God the greater service but of that particular afterwards Acquaintance with God it makes the Soul humble When God comes into the Soul he brings such a glorious light along with him that he makes the Soul to see not only his beauty but it s own deformity Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy word giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple Before the Soul was acquainted with the word of God and by that had some discoveries of God made to it out of the Word why it was in the dark and saw nothing at all of its own vileness it took no notice of that Sink that Hell that was within it consider not its own Treason against the Lord of Heaven
Mountains shall tremble and melt at the presence of God the mighty God of Jacob when the Heavens shall be rouled together as a Scroul and be all of a flame Make sure of this Friend it is impossible that one that hath such a one for his friend should much be daunted when he hears of Wars and Rumors of Wars when the Pestilence rages when there are dreadful Earthquakes in sundry places and such distress of Nations and perplexities that the stoutest heart shall sink that hath not this to support Then a Child of God may lift up his head with comfort because his redemption draweth near There is a vast difference between a godly man and a wicked as to their affections fears joys desires hope The godly thinks long for that which the wicked wishes withal his heart might never be the Day of Judgment The righteous man is even delighted with the fore-thoughts of that the thoughts of which doth put a damp upon all the comforts of the ungodly he rejoyceth in that which makes his Neighbour to tremble As for death a gracious heart that hath kept his watch and maintained a sweet constant correspondency with God and hath had his heart in heaven and can look upon the great Jehovah as his friend can't be very much affrighted at his approach He is not much appaled when he looks out at the window sees this messenger making hast to his house and when he knocks at his door he dares let him in and can heartily bid him welcome he understands whence he comes and what his errand is though he look somwhat grimly yet as long as he comes to conduct him to his friends house he can dispence with that he hath more reason to speake it then he which did Plotinus Let me make haste away to my Country there are my excellent Ancestors there dwell my noble Relations there is the constant residence of my dearest Friends Tull. O happy will that day be when I shall come into that glorious assembly when I shall have better company then Homer Orpheus Socrat. Cato when I shall sit down with Abraham Isaac Jacob in the Palace of their Friend and mine O happy day when I shall come to my Fathers house to that general Assembly the Church of the First born to an innumerable company of Angels to Jesus the Mediator of the New-Covenant and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect A mans knowledg of other things may add to his fears and make his miseries greater But the more knowledg we have of God the less our fears and sorrows must needs be and when our knowledg of God is perfect all our fears and sorrow shall be for ever blown over I can't omit a brave speech of that noble Stoick which comes to my mind Ar. Epist l. 1. c. 7. If the acquaintance and favour of Caesar can keep you as you are made to believe from some fears how much rather to have God for your Father and Friend how little cause have such to be afraid at any time of any thing Death it self is not evil to a friend of God he may say come let us go quickly to our Fathers house our Father calls us And doth this seem a small matter to you believe it when you come to dye you will be of another mind then you will think that 's a cordial worth any mony that wil raise your spirits at such a time make you with a smiling countenance to passe into an everlasting state It is but a folly to expect that any thing in the world should do this for us but the knowledg of our interest in God It 's possible indeed to get some stupifying intoxicating stuff that makes a man to dye like a beast without any great horror the Devils shop will furnish poor dying Creatures with enough of that Nay he is glad if he can keep men a sleep till death awaken them but miserable is that man who is beholding to the Devil for his Cordials miserable is he who hath nothing to keep him from a Hell upon Earth but his own ignorance and the Devils word I promise you 't is none of the joyfullest spectacles to an inlightned Soul to look upon one that lived wickedly and died peaceably You would think that a poor man that is going to Execution had little cause to smile though he should Ride to the Gallows upon an easie going Horse or in a Coach The Swine is usually very still when the Butcher is scraping away the hair of his Throat in order to the Sticking of him It 's no unusual thing for a vile unsanctified sinner to leap with a mad confidence into eternity but he alone hath a soild peace who hath God for his friend This is the only man hath just cause to sing for joy when his soul is going into another world It was none of the worst counsel which he gave whosoever he was who said that it doth highly concern us seriously to think of terrible things which we must most certainly see ere long and to lay in such provision as may make us fit to grapple with them when they come O for that which will keeps us from crying out hereafter what shall I do wo is me I am undon were it so that there were such rare extraction to be made which would certainly prolong our lives as long as we would and make us always cheerful what striving would there be to get such a receipt O how would the great ones bring out their bags to purchase it at any rate How willingly would they mortgage all their Lands part with their richest Jewels to buy it yet how little will they exspend for that which if they had would prove far more effectual O would men and women but understand themselves and mind their business what sweet lives might they lead what a calm might there be constantly upon their Spirits How cheerfully might they live and how joyfully might they dye Tully saith that he and many others had been gathering the most powerful herbs that they could find to cure all fears but saith he I know not what is the matter the disease is still stronger then the remedy And dost thou not know O Tully what 's the matter why then I will tell thee One principal Ingredient was left out viz Faith in the Bloud of Christ and Union with God by vertue of that bloud He that is by Christ brought acquainted with God need not much fear griefs sorrows and such things Christ was acquainted with for him he hath unsting'd Death and sweetened the Grave all his troubles are now but as Physick the Poyson of them is corrected though the Pill be bitter yet it 's of his Friends composing and therefore you may take it without any turning away of your head Shew me a man said old Epictetus that is happy truly in his life and happy in his death happy in his health in his sickness
happy when poor scorned tormented and banished in a word happy in all conditions O that I could but talk with such a man O that I could see such a spectacle such a one as my eyes never yet beheld Why I will tell thee the reason of it O Epictetus It is because thou never sawest a Christian one that was acquainted with God for let me tell the world Through Grace I have seen such a sight and do believe it to be the most lovely sight on this side Heaven I have seen one smiling when his Jaws have been falling and eye-strings breaking rejoycing when most about him were weeping and accounting it a high act of patience to be willing to live and how do you like such a condition Is it better to lie quivering shaking and groaning or rejoycing and praysing and admiring of free grace and setting forth the riches of Gods love and goodnesse which of these would you chuse I can easily believe that few are so bad but that they could be contented as well as Balaam to dye the death of the righteous and to have their latter end like his But would you dye joyfully why then you must live holily get acquainted with God and then this may be your state I remember Seneca speaks of one Pacuvius who when he was drunk cry'd out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have been alive very merrily But had he well understood himself he would have thought be bad had much better reason to have cryed out I am dead I am dead But however what he said ungroundly and wickedly a child of God may easily and thankfully say when he is going to his last sleep he may with joy and cheerfulness say I have lived and through grace I have kept a fair correspondency with my God my Friend whom I am now going to dwell with for ever Do not think therefore that I come to take away your comforts and joys when I come to perswade you to get acquaintance with God no such matter I would have you learn to rejoyce but yet I would that that joy should be born from above that the foundation of it should be the knowledg of your interest in Gods love Other joys may make you have a smiling countenance but they do not raise and fill the Soul for I must tell you I am far from thinking that every one that laughs is joyful and without fears Give me a man that knows that God is his portion and Heaven his inheritance that knows with what Friend and in what a happy state he shall live in after death this this is the cheerful man such one as this is can overlook momentany sorrows he understands full well that the case will be quickly altered with him and the thoughts of Eternal happiness do swallow up his temporal miseries Tell one of Gods acquaintance of poverty he values is not as long as he knows he hath a brave estate that can't be confiscated riches that none can take from him a treasure that thieves can't break through to and steal As for all worldly things he knows that before a few years are over he must part with them however he is of that mans mind who having a considerable sum of money and precious Jewels hid in his saddle and a little odd mony in his pocket was set upon by thieves who readily went to his pocket and took what was there and look't no further Now the man scaping clear with his main treasure is so joyful that he takes no notice of what was stole from him Thus a child of God if he lose his estate his liberty and all his outward injoyments he counts all these but inconsiderable as long as his Soul is fafe his great treasure is out of their reach Tell him of torments racks flames or what the policy of Hell can invent he is not ignorant of this that the more he suffers for Christs sake the greater cause he hath to rejoyce to be exceeding glad for great shall be his reward in heaven and while they add to his sufferings they add to his glory and though against their will while they would injure him they do him the greatest kindness this light affliction works for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory As long as his torments want that dreadful Epithite Eternal he doth not much pass the thoughts of Gods love makes mans hatred inconsiderable O how sweet are the thoughts of his Friend when his enemies are most bitter Blessed be God as for those intolerable torments he knows it 's beyond mans power and far from Gods will to inflict them upon him and so long he cares not much All other tortures are but a Flea-bite to the pains of Hell and an enraged Conscience he can almost dare the world the devil to do their worst as being confident of this that as long as he is dear to God his Soul is out of their reach Threaten him with banishment he remembers that he hath a friend that will find him out and bear him company wheresoever he is Tell him of the barbarous unkindness and treachery of former Friends he reads that his betters have been worse handled by their pretended Friends above all this cheers him to think that all his Friends will not serve him so he hath one Friend that will never forsake him never be unfaithful to him Now bring a wicked man upon Earth that is without his sorrows I know there is none no not one there is none of them all but if he were within the sight of those devouring flames would tremble Those that have wickedness enough to dare God will not have courage enough to look him in the face when he shall appear in flaming fire to execute vengeance upon the ungodly he that will not now be troubled at the doing of wickedness will be troubled hereafter at the suffering for it Let sinners say what they will I am sure they can't be long without fears to behold Christ and his dear Servants coming together in the Clouds with Millions of mighty Angels to judge the world I am confident it will be such an amazing sight as can't choose but cool their courage and make the stoutest heart of them all to ake I am sure that as light as they make of Damnation and Gods displeasure that the day is coming when they will believe it was no such cowardise to be afraid of an angry God to flye from the wath to come and to run away from so formidable an enemy as sin So that it 's clear that a wicked man will first or last be a fearfull man a Magor missakib Fear on every side shall be his name But now he that doth exceedingly fear to offend God need not exceedingly to fear any thing else and he that fears no God hath cause enough to fear every thing O Sirs it 's a brave thing to be able to take death cheerfully by the hand and to walk with him
of his maker when he is well studied in this point is the stiffest Conformist he sticks close to the righteous Cannons of the holy God and will not by his good will turn to the right hand or to the left He that was sometimes very unlike God when he is brought nigh unto him his countenance is changed his features are altered and the lineaments of Gods image appear very lively in his face and the more he is in Gods company and the older he grows the more he grows like him O how doth such a one shine what a Majesty Glory and Beauty is there in is face the oftner he comes to God the more he is taken with his Excellency the more he labours to imitate him He studies what God is and as far as his nature is capable of it in this life he desires to be like him If God be true and faithful he dare not be salse but he will hate the way of lying if God be free and bountiful he thinks it very ill becomes one of his children to hide his face from his own flesh to shut up his bowels to be void of natural affection If purity be so eminent in God he knows that impurity would not be commendable in himself In a word he desires in every thing to carry himself as one whose highest ambition is to speak act and think as one that would be like God It was bravely spoken of him Sen. 3.73 especially if we consider what the man was who told his Friend that call'd him to Heaven in compendium To get as much happines as this place this soul while in this body is capable of that is to get God for his Friend to be like him This is a short cut so glory a Soul carried to Heaven or Heaven brought down to the Soul A full and perfect conformity and likeness to God is the very Glory of Glory and a partial conformity to him upon earth is his unspeakable honour in this life O were men and women better acquainted with God they would sparkle and shine in their Generation so that their enemies should be forced to say that a Saint is another kind of Creature then a sensual sinner O why stand you then so far off from God! come nearer him and the rays of his glorious Image will reflect from your lives Be acquainted with him and you shall be like him keep much in his company by Faith secret Prayer and Meditation and you will be more Holy Divine Spiritual 12. The last effect of this acquaintance with God which I shall name is this it will make a man better far more Excellent in all states and relations all his Friends will have the better life with him the whole Family it may be where he dwells will fare the better for him If he be a Child he is more dutiful to his Parent then he was while he was unacquainted with God If he be a Servant he is more diligent and Faithful then before he serves not with eye service but doth what he doth with singleness of heart as unto the Lord If he be a master it makes him more exemplary and makes him to take care that his Houshold should serve the Lord he had rather his servants should make bold with him then God he is concerned for the honour of God in his Family as much as his own if he be a Father he is careful to bring up his children for God he is more Spiritual in his affections to them and desirous to leave them God for their Father Friend Portion as he is a neighbour he follows peace with all men and holiness because he hath seen God How sweet and amiable doth acquaintance with God make a man how ready to heal divisions how full of goodness and charity how ready to do good unto all but especially to those that be of the Houshold of Faith how compassionate and tender-hearted how ready to provoke others also to love and good works so that the whole Parish lives the quieter all the poor fare the better all the neighbourhood some way or other is beholding to him one that knows God himself doth what he can to get others acquainted with God too how sweetly doth he commend the way of wisdom with what earnestness and pitty doth he plead with sinners and labour to teach transgressors the paths of God that sinners may be converted unto him How doth he set before them the necessity of a change the danger of their present state and the excellent qualities of this Friend that he would bring them acquainted with telling them that time was that he also was as they are and thought his condition as safe as they do their's but that it pleased the Lord by his word to open his eyes and to reveal to him the need that he had of Christ and to inable him to accept of him and to prize him above the whole world In all conditions and relations he commends Religion and shews that godliness where it is in the power and life of it is a brave thing which makes so great an alteration in a man for the better If he be sick he rejoyceth and thinks cheerfully of death the grave and Eternity and in this state demeans himself so that standers-by can't but be convinced of the reality of invisibles and to think sure there is something more then ordinary in acquaintance with God which makes men so undaunted and with so much gallantry to meet death sure their condition is better then ours or else they could never be so joyful at such a time as this is Then he tells of the use of a Christ the benefit of a Redeemer in a dying hour and how infinitely it is for their interest in Time to provide for Eternity if he be well he desires to improve his health for God and to serve his Maker with the strength of Body and Soul If he be poor he shews a pattern of Patience Meekness Thankfulness and lets the world understand that godliness with content is great gain if he be rich he desires to be rich in good works also and to trade with such trifles as Gold and Silver for rich commodities as Grace Peace and Glory with the things of this world for the things of another To lay up for himself Treasure which neither Moth can corrupt nor Thieves break through and steal and to make to himself a Friend of the unrighteous Mammon to be a Faithful steward of those Talents that his great Lord and Master hath committed to his trust he shows how great a good it is to be great and good too This is the man which doth adorn the Gospel this is the Christian which doth credit his profession this t is to be intimately acquainted with God! O how useful might men and women be in their generations were they but more in Gods company O what a savour would there be of their Graces in the place where they live How
would poor Creatures that receive good by their holy counsels and suitable lives bless God for the day that ever they were born and adore that goodness which brought them near such and such a one by whose means God hath brought them out of the Vassalage and Captivity of Satan and by whose help they have got acquainted with a Friend that is more worth to them then a world for one that hath God for his Friend can't but desire that others also should have an interest in him they know how ill it will go with them that know not God and this makes them to do what they can to bring God and man acquainted they would make those that are good better and them that are bad good if those that he converseth with or stands related to were enemies he lets them know that a Christian can love him dearly whose sin he hates entirely and that a child of God can pitty them that have no pitty at all for him I might add how oft are a great many wicked ones spared from temporal judgements for the sakes of the righteous that are amongst them III. HEAD OF MOTIVES The next Head of Motives to enforce this Exhortation might be taken from the danger of not being acquainted with God If you could live securely without God and be in a safe condition though you still remained a stranger to him the business then were not so very considerable if you could find any in Heaven that could do as much for you as God can I should not be so earnest with you to get an interest in his favour if you could by any means possible be everlastingly happy any other way if without this Friend get to Heaven and without his Alliance avoid utter ruine I should have had the less reason to use so much importunity I might then possibly have spared my self the trouble of speaking these things and you the trouble of hearing of them But when I see and know that it is as much as their life and soule is worth to slight and undervalue the Motions that I am now a making to you in Christs stead how can I with any faithfulness and love to your souls hold my peace How can I stand looking upon men and women that are about to murder their own souls and forbear crying out How can I endure to see poor Creatures running with all the speed they can to that dismal place from whence there is no Redemption and not endeavour to stop them Would you have me so cruel to your souls as not to tell that which doth infinitely concern their well-being for let me tell you God will not stand neuter he will be either for you or against you he is the Lord of Hosts and he will fight on one side or other Now see to your matters as the nature of them doth require What do you think of having a God a gainst you if God be against you who will be for you There is no peace saith my God to the wicked The safest conditions you can be in while God is your enemy is sadly hazzardous such a one hangs by a twined thread over everlasting flames he stands upon the brink of that bottomless pit and one shove one slip sends him going for ever he stands upon a pinacle which one little blast may blow him off and then where is the man to all Eternity if he fall thence there is no rising again if he once go into that other world there is no recovery of him if one would give a world to bring him back again I say it again if God be not your Friend he will be your Enemy and what do you think of such an Enemy It is but a word a look and they fall Let me tell you that except you speedily humble your selves you shall find that we do not make the danger greater then it is according to his fear so is his wrath you may know soon enough to your cost what the displeasure of a God is how dreadful his arrows how sharp his sword Not a man of them shall scape that will not accept of peace upon his tearms and that quickly too O that will be a sad day when God shall say Bring them out and slay them before my face If God be your enemy who do you think will be your friend To which of the Saints or Angels will you fly where will you go for shelter against the storm of that terrible one what armour will defend you from the dint of his weapons what in the world can stand that man in any stead that hath such an Adversary especially when he comes to give his definitivesentence against him for high Treason Dives may say Father and Abraham Son but what comfort for all that had the miserable Child from his holy Father doth he not in stead of cooling his tongue with a drop of water lay more burning coals upon it if it be possible make the heat of it greater son remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things Thus Abraham by putting him in mind what his condition was makes him with the greater sorrow to feel what it is The memory of former joys under present sorrows make them sting the more Well then if you would not hereafter reflect with an aking heart upon your lost enjoyments think with a serious and thankful heart of the present offers that you may in Eternity reflect with joy upon your short sorrows in time If you will not be acquainted with God you shall be acquainted with the Devil and know whose company is best by woful experience If you will not believe his Word you shall feel his Sword If his kindness and goodness will not melt you his power and justice shall break you for be that now is so patient will ere long roar like a Lyon and tear in pieces and there shall be none to deliver he will break his stubborn enemies with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potters vessel Those that will not know his love shall know something else I will not say what for it is inexpressible But only this remember It is such a God that you will have to deal with before whom the mountains quake and the hills remove out of their places before whom the great Tyrants of the world have fallen and shall you stand Where are all those Giants Where are the inhabitants of the old World What is become of Nimrod that mighty hunter and all his fellows Where are all those daring sinners that scorned to accept of a pardon mercy and peace and which had the courage to grapple with omnipotency it self who got the day who had the worst of it at last and art thou stronger then they is thy power greater thy understanding deeper thy Allyes more considerable then theirs A fly may be too hard for Pharaoh but Pharaoh can never be too hard for God Because judgement is not speedily executed
for their profit I would desire no more of them than this O that they would but try what a gainful Trade Religion in it's power is 〈◊〉 The greatest Merchants that ever walked the Exchange if they be not acquainted with God and have not Christ for their Factor are but Pedlars to the Saint One that is acquainted with God gets more in one Hour in one Prayer at one Sermon in one Meditation then all the rich men of the world are worth put all their estates together One receives his peace the other his pounds the one hath by way of return a great deal of troublesome Lumber the other his Box of precious Pearls and a Jewel of an infinite value O little doth the laborious worldling think what poor and small gains his are when he gets most to what this Spiritual Merchant gets he would not fell what he gets sometimes in one morning for all the riches of both the Indies He trades in such Commodities which will not suffer dammage upon the Sea his Vessel is light and strong the Master of it never made a loosing voyage All his wares are unvaluable and though his ship be in many a dreadful storm though sometimes she be becalm'd though it be long before she return yet as long as she hath such Provisions within such a Pilot such Anchors she can't miscarry she will come into the Harbour Richly Laden The world will not believe this but I am sure there is never a man breathing but will sooner say that no gain is like the gain of Christ and Glory One return from Heaven one answer of Prayer one smile from God one look of love the head of one Goliah the death of one Sin one Soul brought home to Christ one drooping soul comforted is a greater mercy for all the ignorant world make nothing of such things as these than to be invested with the greatest Honours than to be possessed of all the Riches than to enjoy all the Pleasures that the whole world can afford But O were mens eyes opened were men within sight of those devouring Flames then they would believe that a Christ were worth the having Grace a Pearl that cannot be overvalued and that no Trade was comparable to a Spiritual Merchant no Art like that by which one may turn every thing into Gold But if it be the good of pleasure you look more after can there be greater pleasures than those which are in the presence of God Can there be any greater pleasures than to rejoyce in God and to be made welcome by him than to drink Flagons of that excellent Liquour which is better than wine Can there be better Musick than to hear so many Millions of sweet Voyces singing Halelujahs O there 's a Confort There 's Melody indeed If you desire that other good the good of Honesty a rare accomplishment perfection of Grace purity of Soul wherewithal shall a young man choose his ways but by taking heed thereto according to his word Well then lay all these Motives together and let 's see whether they will any whit prevail If the nature of the person with whom I would fain have you acquainted if all these admirable qualities that are in him if I may so call them may signifie any thing if all those glorious effects of acquaintance with God weigh any thing with you one would think by this time you should be well resolved If the danger of not being acquainted with God may make you afraid of standing it out if good or evil if peace or war if life or death If all this be as much as nothing what then is something If the frequent pleading of mercy if the blood of Christ have any voice if the expostulations of his Embassadors may be heard Why should you not then be perswaded If all this will not move you what can we say more If we could shew you Heaven and the glories of another world could we let you see the Face of Christ could we any way in the world reach you hearts and perswade you by any means to mind the things of Eternal peace we would do it with all our hearts If we were sure to get you with us and to bring you acquainted with God we could willingly come begging on our bare knees to you and beseech you to be reconciled to God We see that dismal day a coming and are grieved to think what a sad taking you will be in then we know the case will then be altered with them which will not be perswaded to be reconciled to God O what a woful condition will they be in which have heard or read these Sermons and yet for all that would not mind the looking after acquaintance with God! How will such wish that they had never been born or that they had their being in some of the dark savage corners of the world where they might never have heard of the Doctrine of Reconciliation being acquainted with God and union with Christ peace with their offended Maker rather than having heard of these things to make light of them O to hear of such a friend and to have him for an enemy to hear of Peace and to choose War to hear of Heaven and go to Hell this is sad indeed It would have been far better for such that they had never known the ways of God than after they have known them to go in the ways of Folly O that men and women had but such serious thoughts of these things as they will have ere long O that they would but believe Heaven and Hell and Eternity to be such Realities as shortly they will O that mens hearts were but affected with things as they will be when their souls are just a going or a little after they are in another world But O the miserable condition of the world O the lamentable state of Professors that make no more of the favour of displeasure of God! Nay may I not say O the folly of the Children of God themselves that are no more in Gods Company when they know they may be so welcome when they have rasted so oft of his kindness when they were made so much of the last time that they gave him a visit Are not men in a deep sleep that they do not hear Are they not blind that they do not see Are they not ignorant foolish and mad that they do not understand their interest any better It is not without good reason that the Spirit of God doth so oft cry out upon sinners for their folly the Scripture saith not in vain That there is none that hath understanding no not one No wonder that they which have but half a cure see men like trees that those which never hall a through work do not prize Christ O but that those which have been brought nigh by Grace who were sometimes afar off that such should be so much strangers for those that have met with such kind entertainment at his
no need of repentance that mans condition is sase enough already and that he may do well enough though he be never reconciled to God Do you think that we take delight in vexing men and women Do you conceive that it pleaseth us to displease you and to get your hatred Do you not believe that a great many of us if it might consist with Gods honour and your welfare had not far rather be excused Can any man imagine that so many thousands of Prophets Apostles and Ministers in such distant ages and in such distant places should all agree in this to impose a falsity upon the world Would any man be so mad as to invent such things as these which are so contrary to mens dispositions if he had not abundant warrant from God himself Is it possible that men should make such complaint and shed so many tears and be in such agonies about these things if there were nothing at all in them Are all the experiences of so many thousands of Saints but meer fancies Speak Christian speak What do you say to this Are all thy joys thy answers of Prayers those sweet dishes that thou hast sometimes fed upon but dreams Doth not thy very blood stir in thee at the very putting such a question to thee Canst thou not say that thou hast seen that thou hast felt and that thou hast known undoubtedly that Spiritual things are realities the greatest realities in the world and that thou hast been as much affected with them as ever thou wert with the things of sense Let me the meanest of ten thousand tell the stiffest Athiest in the world that I have seen these things so realized that I shall sooner believe that I am turned to a stone or am dead then believe that Spirituals are nullities and fancies I am confident if there be any credit to be given to both eyes and ears then these things are true and had you seen but what I have seen in dying Saints and heard what I have heard you would easily have been convinced that there is something in communion with God something in spiritual Joys I am sure if there be any truth in the Scriptures if the word of God be true if Christ and the Apostles were not all mistaken then these things are true If I should tell you a business that did concern your House or your Children or Body or any worldly thing whatever upon my own personal knowledg would you not readily assent to what I say I am perswaded you would be far from suspecting the truth of what I affirmed I am ready to think that there is none of you all that think that I dare tell you that which is false O then Why will you not believe me in a business of sar greater consequence And if you ask me to what purpose do I spend so much time for nothing What need I speak at this rate What will I make Infidels of you all What do I think that you are such Atheists as not to believe that the word of God is true Well then you your selves are witnesses that the word of God is true and that you do believe all that is contained in it and by rational inferences deduced from it I shall therefore take it for granted that you give your assent to these things if you be Christians in profession your very Name speaks as much Now my next Question shall be this Quest 2. Are these things of weight and importance or are they not You hear that they are matters that concern your eternal life or death Soul affairs and are not these matters of the greatest consequence If acquaintance with God the happiness or misery of a Soul your making or undoing for ever be inconsiderable things What then are great things Is it a matter of greater importance to lose the sight of a lascivious Play Is it an affair of greater weight to have the frowns of a wanton mistriss or the frown of a God You said even now that the word of God was true if you will stand to that I desire no more How is it written Read a verse or two turn to Matthew 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And John 3.3 Except a man be born agian he cannot see the Kingdom of God And God will pour out his wrath upon the Heathen and upon the Families that call not upon his Name Doth not the Scripture say that is the one thing necessary Are not these things called by the Lord Christ the weightier things Mat. 23.23 I hope you will not say that God is mistaken and that the Scripture speaks more of these matters than needs What are you gone from your word so soon did you not say that the word of God was true and are you now of another mind because you find that it requires more strictness you are willing to submit to But are you ashamed of that and are you convinced of this also that the Doctrine of Reconciliation Acquaintance and Peace with God are affairs of the highest importance in the world And do you indeed believe this and will you stand to it well then my next Question shall be this Quest 3. What do you mean then to mind such things as you acknowledge to be most unquestionably true and of the greatest consequence with so much indifferency and coldness what reason have you then for your strange neglect in your prosecuting of them what say they are the greatest things in the world and will you say they are least to be looked after Is it any Prudence and Wisdom to be very serious about trifles and to triflle about the most serious things Are Heaven the love of God and the like by your own confession the most weighty and will you make light of them O folly and Hyprocrisie Out of thy own mouth thou shalt be condemned Dost know that Heaven and Hell are before you dost thou know that the one is unspeakably glorious and the other unspeakably dreadful and yet for all this dost thou stand demurring which of these thou shouldest choose and darest thou for all this venture on in a way which leads to the region of Eternal Darkness and though those that know the way better then you and see you ride on so hastily and merrily call after you with earnestness yet dost thou still turn thy back upon them Consider whether you act in these affairs like one that is well in his wits Is God the best friend in the world and yet his kindness least to be regarded Man what hast thou to say for thy self O What bruits and how irrational are men in their spiritual matters how do they contradict themselves how do they say one thing and do the quite contrary O let me in a word or two renew my Expostulation with them which are loath to be accounted fools What reason hast thou to
stirring up of the Soul and awakening all it's strength to wrestle with God to lay hold upon God and to prevail with the Almighty and where are such as these to be found who is this that engages his heart in the service of God It is one thing to engage the tongue and another thing to engage the heart Men come to pray with a common Spirit and are many times weary of the work before they have well begun it what they do they do it lifelessly They can follow their worldly Imployments with life and delight They have Male in their flock but that 's too good for God a lame blind starved weak thing must serve his turn And is this the way to have the blessing Are such as these like to have any thanks for their kindness Let them try how any of their Friends would take such a present Now would you have the Blessing of Acquaintance with God you must wrestle for it and not let God go without it You must be Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord you must fight the good fight of Faith and lay hold on Eternal Life You must grasp about Christ as a man that is a drowning would grasp any thing that were thrown out to save him You must use all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure You must work out your Salvation with fear and trembling You must seek for Wisdom as for Silver and search for her as for hid Treasure Then shall you understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God What excellent thing is there that is got without pains Whoever came to be an Exquisite curious Artist in any skil whatever that never served an Apprentiship to it nor at the least gave his mind to it where is there a famous Physitian that never studied in his life Who gets a Victory by sleeping and carelesseness Who expects to have riches drop into his mouth when he goes all the ways that can be to make himself a beggar Doth the Husbandman look for a good Crop without plowing or sowing Why then should we expect such great things as Heaven Eternal happiness and the favour of God without out looking after them Whatsoever the lazy formal professor may say the Kingdom of Heaven is not obtained thus there must be running watching fighting conquering holding fast holding out and all little enough it requires all the strength of thy soul to engage in this great work it requires some resolution to do such a work as every Christian must do or else his Religion signifies little Further it calls for some time too it is not a thing to be minded now and then by the by between sleep and wake when the Devil and the World have had as much service as they call for Were it for your bodies that I were now pleading were you like to get any great matter in the world by following of my directions could you be shew'd a way how to get a great estate honours and long life I am verily perswaded a few words might prevail much Why if you will believe the word of God I am telling you of other kind of things then these be greater matters by far and yet how little are Men and Women affected As if we spoke but in jest always when we spoke about things that did concern Souls How little time do men spend in their inquiry into these things Ask Epictetus Ench. c. 63. And he will tell you that it is a sign of a low Soul to bestow much time upon thy body and the thoughts of it and little upon the Soul to be long eating and long drinking and long a dressing and short in prayer short in the thoughts of the Soul and short in the service of God and that it is a sign of a base degenerate Spirit to be very curious about toys and inconsiderable trifles and to be negligent about matters of the greatest importance to slubber over the great works of Religion with the greatest slightness Remember O man thy great work it is to take care of thy Soul to look after a Companion a Friend for thy Soul to get food and cloathing for thy Soul that that famish not with hunger and cold To be indifferent in all externals is the greatest prudence but to be indifferent about Spirituals and Eternals is the greatest madness We are all Soudiers and must fight in such a War wherein we must never lay down our Arms. The favour of God is worth the striving for it is as much as Heaven and Glory is worth If your estate or life lay at stake would you not be willing to use all the interest you could to make the Judg your friend would you go up and down laughing as if you had nothing to do would you eat and drink as merrily as ever and say it is but dying it is but being a beggar it is but the undoing of my wife and children would you not look upon a man that should argue at this rate to be little better than frantick and I pray which is most considerable the death of the body or the death of the soul the loss of a temporal or the loss of an eternal inheritance Most mens diligence in Temporals will condemn their negligence in Spiritnals Christ said Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven the righteousness thereof but most men say I will seek first the Earth and the glory thereof and if God will give me Heaven and happiness after I have served the Devil and the world as long as I can I shall be contented to have it No such matter never expect it God must sooner cease to be than to gratifie you in this Wherefore do you think did David follow his work so close Why did all those Noble Worthies in the Church of old take so much pains Why should they not much stick to venture estates and lives too Will you condemn them all as guilty of too much curiosity and unnecessary preciseness Do you think that their labour was in vain Are all those disappointed who willingly parted with present things for future things I must tell you if you expect to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven you must do as they did Heaven will not be obtained now upon any lower Term than then Your Souls are as precious as their's and Heaven will be as well worth your minding as theirs and God will look upon you as well as upon them if you will value his favour as they did Never look to have God give you that which you will not thank him for What do you say after all this will you sit down before your work is done open thine eyes and consider what thou hast to do and then tell me if it be not the greatest folly imaginable to be slight in these Affairs O how can'st thou eat or drink or sleep whilst thou hast such a great work to do which is undone O give
find out such a way for the recovery of undone sinners Glory be to thee O God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my sins in thine own Blood and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer Glory he to thee O God the Holy Ghost who by the finger of thine Almighty power hast turned about my Heart from sin to God O dreadful Jehovah the Lord God Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Ghost thou art now become my Covenant-Friend and I through thine infinite Grace am become thy Covenant-Servant Amen So be it And the Covenant which I have made on Earth let it be ratified in Heaven The Conclusion AND now my Work is done I must leave you and whether I shall ever speak to you or see you or write to you again while the world stands I know not My body is frail and I am a poor dying man and before it be long my mouth will be more stopped than it is and yours too And therefore it 's high time for us to look about us As for my part I have with all the seriousness that I could for my soul spoke to you about the great and weighty affairs of your Souls and Eternity I again call Heaven and Earth to witness that I have set Life and Death before you I have in the Name of my great Master been woing of you to accept of his Son for your Lord and Husband himself for your God Father and Friend I have told you what the Lord doth require of them that would be in Covenant with him I have given you a rude Description of him whom I would have you acquainted with I have told you of some of the glorious effects of acquaintance with God I have told you of the danger of being a stranger to God I have told you how thankfully some have closed with these offers and how well they like their choice I have further show'd you what a peaceable state you shall be in immediately upon your Spiritual Alliance with this Great and Noble friend I have told you also of some further benefit and good that will come unto you upon your acquaintance with God I have given you to understand how desirous the Lord is notwithstanding all that is past to forget and forgive and to receive you into favour if you will in good earnest return to him with speed I have again and again propounded this match to you and told you as much as I could well do in so short a time I have stayed a great while for an answer I have put the business forward all that possibly I could because I see how foolishly and madly you make light of those advantageous offers that are made to you I have again and again pleaded with you as if I were ready to starve and begging an alms of you nay if it had been for my very life I could not have spoke with more earnestness I have expostulated the Case with you and asked you several weighty Questions and you have not you cannot answer any one of them but you must condemn your self and by your own confession you have nothing in the world to say against the excellency of this friend And therefore you must either speedily come in upon the invitation and close with those gracious overtures that are made to you or you must without any reason in the world your self being Judg cast your self away And in hopes that all that have heard me will not be so mad as to make light of these things but be asking with some seriousness that great question How shall I do to get acquainted with God How shall I do to get a Friend for my Soul What shall I do to be saved I have laid down some Directions for those that are unfeignedly desirous to be reconciled to God I have told them that they must labour to be thorowly acquainted with that strangeness and enmity that is in their hearts against God and of the unspeakable danger of their being strangers to God I have further directed them that would be acquainted with God to labour to get humble hearts I have advised that they visit him often if they would be intimately acquainted with him that not in a transitory way but to make a Solemn set visit of it and to be sure that they do not forget to get Christ along with them I counselled them also to be much in those places where he is wont to walk and to get intimately acquainted with some of them that know him very well and will do their best to get them to be acquainted with him I have told you that if you would be acquainted with God you must kindly entertain and make much of any Messengers that come from him to you and if men would make sure work I desired them as they loved their Souls that they would follow this great Business with the greatest earnestness and seriousness in the world and that what they do they would do speedily I informed you what arguments the Scripture puts into our mouths which we may urge at the Throne of Grace I intreated you for your Souls sake to take heed of those things which kept God and man unacquainted as namely all sin in general but more particularly Pride Worldly-mindedness Hypocrisie delight in wicked company Unbelief and Sensuality Lastly I direct all such as would be at peace with God to give up themselves to him resolvedly and freely in a Solemn Covenant And have I been beating the Air all this while What will you do after all this What shall become of all these Sermons Dare any of you all still be contented to be Unacquainted with God Can you be very well satisfied after you have heard of such a Friend to be a stranger to him Can any of you look upon your state as safe while God is your enemy O how shall I leave you with Hearts full of Enmity against your Maker Alas alas poor Hearts You look very merrily as bad a condition as you are in but did you but know how neer you are to everlasting Burnings I believe it would put a damp upon your Spirits and spoil your Mirth O how shall I leave that poor sinner that stands as a person altogether unconcerned Whereas death stands ready for his Commission to fetch him away before God and where are you then O where are you then if you come before God as a Stranger O what shall I do for thee What shall I say to thee to prevail with thee O what arguments will perswade thee O how shall we part Brethren my hearts desire is that you may all be saved O that you may all know in this your day the things of your peace O that I could mingle all my words with tears O pitty pitty for the Lords sake pitty your precious Souls O come not here to ask Counsel of God and then go away and take the Counsel of the Devil And what will you yet