henceforth good for nothing The mind of man is his eye by which he is to behold God now if this eye be blind if the light be darkness how great is that darkness The Jews in Ezek. 15.1 are likened to a Vine which if it be barren is good for no use Shall wood be taken thereof for any work It is fit for nothing but to burn So it is in man his great use and excellency is his acquaintance with God now if he fails in this he is good for nothing Verily man is a base vile worthless thing without acquaintance with God None are less esteemed among men than they that want wisdome to converse among men None are less esteemed before God than they that know him not that have not acquaintance with him to converse with him Ye see wherein the excellency and worth of man consisteth and that if there be a deformity where ought to be our chiefest beauty the whole is accounted as a deformed piece It concerns us then to look that we keep our glory unspotted our excellency in its due value that we do not degrade our selves below what God hath placed us in If we are not acquainted with God our souls serve us to little purpose it is a causing the Prince the Soul to go on foot and to serve the body which should be as a servant it is to let the candle of the Lord burn out in waste Thirdly Another enforcement of this duty of Acquaintance with God is this If we refuse acqaintance with God it is a slighting the greatest of all the mercies that God bestowes Favors are to be valued either by their proper excellencies or according to the good will of him that bestowes them both these ways this is to be accounted the greatest of mercies In Gods giving us leave to be acquainted with him he gives out himself to be known to be loved to be conversed with to be enjoyed What greater gift can God give then himself God is the portion of his people he is the greatest portion the surest the most suitable and the only durable portion Thus they that know him esteem of him Psal 73.26 My flesh my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart portion for ever Psal 16.5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance the lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly heritage Blessed are the people that are in such a case yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. No greater mercy can be bestowed upon any people family or person than this for God to dwell among them If we value this mercy according to the excellency and worth of that which is bestowed it is the greatest if we value it acording to the good will of him that gives it it will appear likewise to be the greatest favour The greatness of the good will of God in giving himself to be our acquaintance is evident in the nature of the gift A man may give his estate to them to whom his love is not very large but he never gives himself but upon strong affection God gives abundantly to all the works of his hands he causeth the Sun to shine upon the evil and upon the good and the rain to descend upon the just and the unjust But it cannot be conceived that he should give himself to be a Portion a friend Father Husband but in abundance of Love Whosoever therefore shall refuse acquaintance with God slighted the greatest favour that ever God did bestow upon man Now consider what a high charge this is to abuse such a kindness from God is an act of the greatest vileness David was never so provoked as when the King of Ammon abused his kindness in his Ambassadors after his fathers death And God is highly provoked when his greatest mercies bestowed in the greatest love are rejected and cast away What could God give more and better than himself And how heavy will this imputation be These are those that look upon God as not worth being acquainted with Let us therefore consider how we shall be able to stand to these Accusations Shall we not be speechless when these things shall be charged upon us Shall we not be confounded when we stand to the trial of him to whom we had offered these great indignities How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation so great a mercy Fourthly It concerns us to acquaint our selves with God for without it we are in a necessity of sin and misery 1. The soul unacquainted with God is in a necessity of sinning Ephes 4.14 Having their understanding darkened alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts For want of acquaintance with God every thought and imagination of their heart is evil continually Rom. 30.10 11. There is none righteous no not one There is none that understands there is none that seeketh after God Not understanding nor seeking after God is the necessary cause that there is none doth good The soul of man is an Active being which is continually in motion if it be not in motion to God and in God it will be in motion from God Hence it is that the prayer of the wicked is an abomination that which goes for prayer God abhors because they are not acquainted with him Isa 1.3 The ox knows his owner and the ass his masters crib but Israel doth not know me vers 13 14. To this saith he your incense is abomination unto me their new moons and sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even your solemn meetings Now the reason why there is a necessity of sin without acquaintance with God is because whatsoever is not done with a good heart is not good Luk. 6.45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good fruit and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil fruit for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh As an evil tree cannot bring froth good fruit so an evil heart cannot bring forth a good action Now without knowledg the heart is not good Prov. 19.2 That the soul be without knowledg is not good And there is no knowledg like the knowledg of God And acquaintance with him to make the heart good Hos 4.2 Because there is not truth nor mercy nor knowledg of God in the land therefore by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out c. Thus want of knowledg of God and acquaintance with God we may plainly see is the necessary cause of sin Now there is no greater evil on this side Hell then that of a necessity of sinning 2 Pet. 2.14 Those of which it is said they cannot cease from sinning are called cursed children He that chooseth any sin rather than affliction doth it through the blindness of his mind
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
excellently handled already by so many of our brave Worthies See Mr. Baxters Saints Rest and R. A. his Vindicia Pietatis XII DIRECTION If you would be acquainted with God resolvedly and freely given up your self to him and enter into a most solemn Covenant with him And here I shall make bold with that Reverend Author which R. A. doth mention in his Vindicia Pietatis and present you again with that excellent Form with the preparatories to it which I have lately met with in the forementioned Author After your most serious addresses to God and after a deliberate consideration of the terms of this Covenant and after a thorow search of your own heart whether you either have already or can now freely make such a closure with God in Christ as you have been exhorted to And when you have composed your spirits into the most serious frame possible suitable to a transaction of so high a nature Lay hold upon the Covenant and reply upon his promise of giving grace and strength whereby you may be enabled to perform your promise Resolve in the next place to be faithful having engaged your hearts and opened your mouths and subscribed with your hands to the Lord resolve in his strength never to go back And being thus prepared and some convenient time being set apart for the purpose set upon the work in the most solemn manner possible as if the Lord were visibly present before your eyes fall down on your knees and spreading forth your hands towards Heaven open your hearts to the Lord in these or the like words O most dreadful God for the Passion of thy Son I beseech thee accept of thy poor Prodigal now prostrating himself at thy door I have fallen from thee by mine Iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a thousand fold more the Child of Hell by my Wicked Practise but of thine infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to thee with all my Heart Therefore upon the Call of the Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my Weapons submit my self to thy mercy And because thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at defiance with all thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against thee I here from the bottome of mine Heart renounce them all freely covenanting with thee not to allow my self in any known Sin but conscientiously to use all the means that I know thou hast prescribed for the Death and utter Destruction of all my Corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and Idolatriously let out my Affections upon the World I do here resign my heart to thee that madest it Humbly protesting before thy glorious Majesty that it is the firm Resolution of my Heart and that I do unfeignedly desire grace from thee that when thou shalt call me hereunto I may practice this my Resolution through thy Assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in this World rather than to turn from thee to the ways of sin And that I will watch against all its Temptations whether of Prosperity or Adversity lest they should withdraw my Heart from thee beseeching thee also to help me against the Temptations of Satan to whose suggestions I resolve by thy Grace never to yield my self a Servant And because mine own Righteousness is but menstruous Rags I renounce all Confidence therein and acknowledge that I am of my self a hopeless helpless undone Creature without righteousness or strength And for as much as thou hast of thy bottomless Mercy offered most graciously to me wretched sinner to be again my God through Christ if I would accept of thee I call Heaven and Earth to record this day that I do here solemnly avouch thee for the Lord my God and with all possible Veneration bowing the Neck of my Soul under the Feet of thy most Sacred Majesty I do here take thee the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost for my Portion and chief good and do give up my self Body and Soul for thy Servant promising and vowing to serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of my life And since thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the only means of coming unto thee I do here upon the bended Knees of my Soul accept of him as the only new and living way by which sinners may have access to thee and do here solemnly joyn my self in a Marriage Covenant to him O blessed Jesus I come to thee hungry and hardly bestead poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked a most loathsome polluted wretch a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the feet of the Servants of my Lord much more to be solemnly Married to the King of Glory But since such is thine unparall'd Love I do here with all my power accept thee for my Head and Husband for better for worse for richer for poor for all times and conditions to Love and Honour and Obey thee before all others and this to the Death I embrace thee in all thy Offices I renounce mine own worthiness and do here avow thee to be the Lord my righteousness I renounce mine own wisdom and do here take thee for mine only Guide I renounce mine own will and take the will for my Law And since thou hast told me that I must suffer if I will reign I do here covenant with thee to take my Lot as it falls with thee and by thy Grace assisting to run all hazards with thee verily supposing that neither life nor death shall part between thee and me And because thou hast been pleased to give me thy Holy Law as the rule of my life and the way in which I should walk to thy Kingdom I do here willingly put my Neck under thy Yoke and set my shoulders to thy Burden and subscribing to all thy Laws as Holy Just and Good I solemnly take them as the rule of my Words Thoughts and Actions Promising that though my flesh contradict and rebel yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole life according to thy direction and will not allow my self in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my duty Only because through the frailty of my flesh I am subject to many failings I am bold humbly to protest that unhallowed miscarriages contrary to the setled bent and resolution of my heart shall not make void this Covenant for so thou hast said Now Almighty God searcher of hearts thou knowest that I make this Covenant with thee this day without any known guile or reservation beseeching thee that if thou espiest any flaw or falshood herein thou wouldest discover it to me and help me to do it a right And now glory be to thee O God the Father whom I shall be bold from this day forward to look upon thee as my God and Father That ever thou shouldest
are out of their mouths they know not what these things are So that from hence it appears that God and they were never really acquainted no wonder then that they do forsake God and are forsaken of him The building might look neatly and the house seem to be strong but because it was built upon the sands it need not seem strange if it fall when the winds rise and the waves beat against it but I say it and say it again the house that is built upon a rock will not cannot fall If a man be really united to God in Christ and the work of Grace throughly wrought upon him it is impossible that God should forsake such a one God can't but be true though man be false he can't but value the satisfaction and intercession of his Son he can't forget his own nature Isa 44.15 16. Can a woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before me c. I do not say but that God may suspend the refreshing intimations of his love nay he may quite hide his face and his dearest ones may look upon themselves as free among the dead they may reckon themselves such as have no acquaintance with God and yet for all this be exceeding dear to God this is clear'd by every days experience Nay I may say I believe that there are very few of them which know what Gods presence smiles and love is but know in some measure what it is to have his face hid to walk in the dark and see no light It is no unusual thing of a Child of God to question his state to fear whether all that he ever did were not in hypocrisie and formality have not the best been made sometimes to question especially upon some notable fall whether what they did formerly did not proceed from meer common grace or some less spiritual principle then the life of grace and a divine nature within them Were there ever any of the Sons of Adam whom rich mercy hath plucked as Fire-brands out of the fire to whom the Lord hath shewed his marvellous kindness and love in Christ that hath kept their watch so exactly that have walked so closely with God so as never to have the least frown from him were their ever any that lived all their days under a constant lively sence of their interest in divine everlasting love If there be they have fared better then Job did they enjoyed more then ever Heman or David did A Child of God may oft be in a sad state but yet he is always in a safe state the purpose of God stands firm Though for a small moment he seem to forsake them yet with everlasting mercies will he gather them O Everlasting That 's a sweet word indeed in the Saints ear he would not that one word should have been out of the Bible left out of the promise for a world Isa 54. If thou beest once truly acquainted with God thy state is as safe thy condition as sure as if thou wer 't already in Heaven God may and will chastise his with rods but his loving kindness he will never remove from them his mercy indures for ever All that God gives to his friends and acquaintance that is spiritual is like himself Everlasting God is not like short-spirited man every moment changing one day doating upon an object and the next day hating it as much An earthly Prince may one moment set his Favourite at his Table and the next command that he should be hanged But far be it from the unchangable God that he should do thus As for the great ones of the world it hath been counted by some and those none of the weakest no small piece of policy to keep out of their knowledge their favours are so dearly bought their kindness so uncertain their displeasure so dangerous and yet so easily procured But here it is far otherwise It is God and God alone that is an everlasting Friend in whose presence there is fulness of Joy and Pleasure for ever more O these everlasting things are great things An everlasting friend an everlasting inheritance everlasting glory everlasting joy everlasting life and everlasting death they are matters of weight O why should not our very Souls be over-powred with the very thoughts of such things O this unbelief this unbelief 19. He is one that is willing and desirous to be acquainted with you What I have said before had signified little to us were it not for this It 's a misery and no comfort to hear and know the great things which we must go without But this is that which puts life into all those powerful Motives which I handled before God is the most loving most strong and rich Friend and withall he hath in him a sweet inclination to be acquainted with us The tearms that he offers are the most reasonable in the world This this is the comfort of the poor fallen Sons and Daughters of Adam that though they have run away from God though they have left their Fathers house and turn'd Prodigals yet their tender-hearted compassionate Father is ready to receive them again his arms are open he meets them while they are yet a great way off he runs to them and falls upon their neck and kisses them and expresseth the greatest kindness to them and joy for their return O unparalell'd love O infinite goodness God hath expressed this his willingness to receive poor lost Sinners abundantly throughout all the Scripture If God had not been willing to have been friends again with man what needed he to have given himself the trouble of parting with his dearest Son and sending him into the world to manage this great work of reconciling man to himself why else was that precious blood shed and to what purpose should he send so many Prophets Apostles and Ministers for so many hundreds of years rising up early and sitting up late why are they commanded to cry aloud to use so much earnestness to compel poor wandring strangers to come to his house but that he might be acqainted with them Can any one conceive that he should do all this without the least design of kindness If all that God hath done to the reconciling man to himself doth not speak his willingness to be reconciled to them what can Isa 5.4 Nay so willing is he to receive them notwithstanding all their backslidings that he teacheth them how they may address themselves to him most acceptably he puts words in their mouths which they may use with good success when they come before him Hos 14.1 2 4. Nay that sinners may be the more confirmed in their expectation of his favour he hath most solemnly sworn That he delights not in the death of sinners but had rather that they should return and
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
the Faithfulness of this friend to me be so infinitely ungrateful as to be thus abominably unfaithful to him Shall I that have forfeited my Life and Soul and instead of Hell have received Heaven instead of Damnation Salvation shall I instead of thankfulness again rebell because the Grace of God abounds shall sin abound God forbid To argue from mercy to sin is the Devils logick To argue from mercy to duty is true Christianity One that is acquainted with God can expostulate the case with his own Soul and say What meanest thou O my Soul to stand parlying with Satan hast thou known what that hath cost thee already look back to Eden Who was it that dispossessed thy Grand Father of that brave seat What did Eve get by discoursing with such a Cheater have you not lost enough already but you must be venturing still was it nothing for God of a friend to become a stranger and enemy was it a slight matter to be divested of all that glory that once thou didst shine in but that now again after thou art brought into some favour thou must be tampering with that gamester who had like to have robbed thee of all art thou talking of returning again to Egypt what hast thou so soon forgotten the Iron and the Clay Is this all the thanks that you give the Lord for his unspeakable mercy Doth he that hath done such things for you deserve no better at your hands Is this your kindness to your friend What was it O my soul that that undone Creature said unto thee Did he say it is a little one and thy Soul shall live what did he ask a few merry hours that I should spare my self that I should not be righteous overmuch Did he so a special Friend I Thank you for nothing and why didst thou not answer the Tempter as Solomon did Bathsheba when she ask'd a small thing as she thought for A donijah and why dost thou not ask the Kingdom also and why did not Satan ask thee to part with heaven and thy interest in Christ and those favours as the Lord liveth as small a request as thou thinkst his was that word was spoken against thy life thy Soul A vertuous man or as the Stoick calls him Auton One that hath God for his friend when temptations are presented he remembers who he is and how he stands related to God and how little grateful such an action would be to his Friend And thus he doth resist the Temptation with a great deal of gallantry when he remembers himself Nay sometimes Temptations to sin do make Grace more to abound the water which was intended to cool divine love proves oyl and makes that noble flame to burn more vehemently Cant. 8.6 7. He desires to exercise that Grace which is contrary to the vice which he is tempted to with more then ordinary vigour He stands like a rock in the midst of the Sea unshaken he is steadfast and unmovable like a pillar in the Temple of his God He is much of the same mind in that point with that brave Heathen who spake thus to himself when Temptation was strong Ar. Epist 1.2 c. 18. Deliberate man yield not rashly t is a great work that lies upon thy hands t is a divine work 't is for a Kingdom the Kingdom of God Now remember thy God let 's see what thy love to thy God is remember his presence he beholds how thou standest deliberating whether thou shouldest fight for him or against him for shame shew not thy self so basely disingenious Remember what thy God thy Friend did for thee at such and such a time Remember how kindly you were entertained by him the last time you were at his house Whose Sword is that you wear by your side who gave you it did not God give it you to fight against his enemies and will you draw it against himself Remember from whence you had all that you do enjoy and can you find in your heart to take Gods mercies Gold Silver and Food and bestow them all upon that which he hates will you quarter keep in pay with Gods coyn his greatest enemy And if you feel your heart still staggering and scarce able to keep it's ground then remember God stands by Christ looks on and sees how gallantly any Champion of his will demean themselves on his quarrel that there is not a more lovely sight upon the Earth then to behold one of his Friends rather venturing their lives then they will bare that the least indignity or affront should be put upon their God! O happy are they that can always act as in the sight of God! and if the Soul can have but a constant fresh sence of it's relation to God and his eye it is impossible but that it should hate sin which is so directly opposite to him happy are those who by the thoughts of God are inraged against sin Is it not enough saith that heavenly Soul that is acquainted with God that I have done such and such things against God when I knew him not but that I should again ingage against him after I have been obliged by a thousand mercies after I have tasted and seen how good the Lord is is it a light matter that I did so long fight against him then and shall I now renew my rebellions when I have had so much experience of the folly madness of such a war where I shall be as surely conquered as I draw my sword and hath God kept me by a miracle of mercy out of Hell and after I had run out so wretchedly and undon my self set me up again after I had plaid the prodigal received me again into favour and shall I after all deal thus basely by him No I 'le die a thousand deaths before I will willingly yield to any thing that may be in the least offensive to him whom my Soul hath such an infinite reason to love above the whole world The knowledg of Gods service and Satans too makes a Soul to distinguish he that knows what it is to be made free by Christ abhors his old Master he remembers full well the great hardship that he then underwent when he had nothing to live upon but Husks he calls to mind the Clay and Morter he can't forget the cruel vassalage that he served under Garlick and Onions were his dainties and truly he can't desire to leave his Manna for such kind of Food he is not in love with the Whip and Scourge he doth not dote upon the fetters the Iron which went into his Soul but he is glad with all his heart to be free from those Task-masters which made him to serve with rigour he hath no mind to return to his old Work My meaning in all this is he that was a servant and a drudg of Satans and a slave to his lust when he once comes to taste the sweetness of Spiritual liberty to â—â—â—â—de free by Christ he
before God and to complement him much and to sit oft at his Table and yet not to be any of his peculiar Friends and special Acquaintance now it ever you would make any thing of Religion and be made highly to praise Gods favour to be really acquainted with him you must labour to understand your distance from him and the unconceivable hazard that you run while you are in a state of Separation from God that there is but one step between you and the state of the Damned for what would become of you if God should say to you this night thy Soul shall be required of you How easily can God in a moment stop your breath and send your Soul and Body into that lake that burns for ever ever is it not then time for you to look about you O this ignorance of our selves how doth it expose us Ar. Epict. l. i. c. 26. He was not a whit mistaken who said That the not knowing of our selves was one of the chiefest causes of our sin and misery and that the consideration of the state of the Soul and the through understanding it's depravedness was the beginning of Wisdom for it's weakness being well known a man will not afterwards trust it in the determination of the greatest things but man will be desirous to consult that great Oracle the will of his Maker and finding his old guide is blind and hath oft misled him thereupon he is the readier to be acquainted with such a one who may direct him in the way to true happiness If you would therefore be acquainted with God you must get well acquainted with your selves you will upon the knowledg of your self be afraid of your self He was none of the weakest men who said That a true sense of folly is no small sign of some proficiency in wisdom Look into thy self O man search every corner behold what abundance of Armour there is in such and such a dark Celler but is this Armour strong enough to encounter a God withal Can'st thou with these Fig-leaves defend thy self against the arrowes of the Almighty behold what a condition thou art in if thou stirrest a step further Yield speedily and throw down thine Arms or you are a dead man Do you know this do you really believe this Is it possible what believe that your Treason is found out and that you are within a little of Execution and yet not tremble yet not seek nor desire pardon When a man throughly understands how things stand between him God and how unable he is to carry on a War against him he will speedily cast a bout how he may conclude a Peace upon any terms As soon as Benhadad knew what a condition his Army was in when he saw the Crowns of his thirty Kings shaken and his warlike Captains cut in pieces or to tremble be like women when instead of a mighty Army of gallant Warriors in martial order behaving themselves bravely in the field he saw their karkases upon heaps their garments rouled in blood the Shields of his mighty Ones cast away and himself wosully deserted how speedily doth he send away his Servants with Ropes about their Necks to beg Peace upon any Terms When the Gibeonites heard what dangerous fighting it was against Joshuah they were not long before they made means to make a Covenant with him So the Soul when it doth seriously consider what a sad Condition it is in while it continues in Rebellion against God it 's impossibility to stand it out long and utter inability to conquer him When it perceives the designs of Satan who first caused this difference between the Soul and God and hath still instigated and stirred it up to persecute with all the violence that might be I say when the Soul sees this before it is quite too late O how doth it bewail it's condition how doth it cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me O what will become of me if I make War still against God And as for flying whether shall I fly from his presence and where shall I Hide my self out of his sight And how shall I look him in the face whom I have thus desperately and ungratefully opposed Can such a Traytor as I possibly expect any mercy if the Lord should look upon me and not immediately cast me into Hell it would be a miracle of Patience And thus the man that begins a little to understand himself speaks to himself and after that he with Ephraim sinites upon his thigh and bemoans his condition exceedingly O that he should ever take up Arms against his gracious Prince O what shall become of him Well I have heard that the God of Heaven is a merciful King I will go and cast my self at his feet if I perish I perish If I continue in this rebellion there is no hopes if I fly there is no escaping and if I yield I can but perish O sad sad is my condition Woe and alas what shall I do in these dreadful perplexities But why do I stay here The avenger of blood followes after me apace well I will go to my God through Christ and I have heard that this is the only way and that there is not the least hope in the world any other way to get a pardon to escape the Wrath to come O that the precious and merciful Jesus would pitty me and stand my Frind now if ever O that he would speak a good word for me Have mercy upon me Jesus thou Son of David have mercy me O make peace for me by thy blood if thou wilt thou canst do more with a word speaking then all the Saints and Angels in the world if ever any poor Creature in the world had need of mercy then have I. O mercy mercy mercy for thy bloods sake But because I shall speak to this under another Direction I shall be the briefer Now when a man is at this pass he is in a fair way for peace but now as long as a man is ignorant of all this he is quite in another note he will never buckle and therefore he shall be broken Therefore consider well your condition observe the actings of your own Soul if you be one of the Friends and Acquaintance of God what means your breaking and hating of his Spiritual Laws What 's the reason if you love God that you can take no delight at all in his company no pleasure in his Sabbaths If you are a Friend of God how hap you come no oftner to his house when he dwells so near you Why do you knock no oftner at his door Why are you so rare in your visits Is this your kindness Is this like a Friend How comes it to pass that there are so many Arms found hid in your house What are they all for What is the meaning of all those Meetings that you give to Gods Enemies What do all those whisperings plots and
not sleep to thine eyes or slumber to thine eye-lids but deliver thy self from the hand of the hunter and as a bird from the hand of the fowler Go to the Ant thou sluggard Consider her ways and be wise which having no guide over-seer or ruler provideth her meat in the Summer and gathereth her meat in the Harvest How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth and thy want as an armed man and will you now labour to get acquaintance with God as you would to get food for your body will you endeavour as much to make sure of his love as you would do to make sure of a pardon in case of the forfeiture of your life If so we have some hopes the work may have some considerable issue IX DIRECTION If you would be acquainted with God be much in expostulating the case with God and in urging those arguments which the Scripture doth afford you in such a case Take with you words and come unto the Lord and spread your requests before him and say O Lord thou hast sent thy servant the Ministers and hast invited me to come unto thee and thou offeredst peace and reconciliation and to be acquainted with me O God I desire from my soul to come upon thy call and would fain be acquainted with thee I see myself in an undone state while I am a stranger to thee but O Lord I have a cursed base heart that keeps me back from thee and I can't tell what in the world to do O Lord I beseech thee help thy poor Creature to come unto thee lead me by the hand let thy goodness and love constrain me conquer me by thy kindness come Lord into my soul and let me see thy face look upon thee till I am in love with thee O why art thou as a stranger to me wilt thou forsake me for ever shall I be one of those thine enemies which shall be slain before thy face shall I be one of those that shall dwell with everlasting burnings O Lord pity pity pity for Christ his sake a poor creature that would fain love thee be acquainted with thee I am convinced that I must be damned without thee come to thee of my self I cannot O draw me O carry me O compel me constrain me make me willing in the day of thy power I cannot get loose my heart is too hard for me my lasts are too strong for me my temptations are too many for me to conquer of my self O Lord help me Turn me and I shall be turned Pluck my feet out of the snare or I shall be utterly destroyed for ever Forgive mine iniquity make me a clean heart make me thy servant Tell God that thou hast heard of his goodness and mercy and that the King of Israel is a merciful King and that it is his nature to pitty Say to him O I am a poor undone creature and wilt thou send me away without mercy will the God of Grace send me away without Grace hast thou not called me O God thy servants tell me so O Lord speak and give me ears to hear O Lord I am come in upon thy merciful Proclamation and I desire to lay my self at thy feet mercy Lord mercy upon what terms thou pleasest Didst thou not say in thy Word Ho every one that thirsteth come and buy Wine and Milk without Money and without price Have not thy servants pleaded with me to come and hast thou not sent for me O! a blessing a blessing for me even for me O my father Hast thou not a blessing for me shall I be sent away as I came O Lord I come at thy word Do not say unto me Be gone out of my sight I cannot go I will not go whither shall I go from thee For thou hast the words of Eternal Life Though I cannot say Be just to me a Saint yet I will say Be merciful to me a sinner You may read more in R. A. his first part of his Vindiciae Pietatis pag. 232. the whole Treatise is excellent Plead the blood of Christ you may safely say that if there be not enough in Christ to save you you do not desire Salvation for in him there is all fulness You may plead your own absolute necessity Tell God that if ever poor creature in the world had need of mercy you have tell him that you are resolved not to be content without his love You may plead his promise in which he hath said That he will take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh that he will put his fear in our hearts write his laws in our inward parts You may plead also the power of God whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself and many such like arguments you may find in many places in the Scripture But because I have touched upon this before I shall pass this by X. DIRECTION If you would be acquainted with God look after it speedily defer not a moment your enemy is marching on apace you may be surprized your soul is hasting upon it's Eternal state your glass is almost run there are but a few sands behind therefore seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Ere long it will be too late wherefore what thou dost do quickly What is the voyce both of Scripture and Providence Doth not the Word of God say Now and commend the present time above all Acquaint now thy self with him Remember now thy Creatour Turn now unto the Lord. Let a poor Heathen Epict. En. c. 75. shame you into greater speed in this necessary work I shall translate his words into English How long saith he will you defer the looking after the best things How long will you abuse your reason Have you not heard such Precepts which you ought to agree to and you seemed very well to like of What kind of Teacher is it that you stay for For whose coming do you defer before you will mend and turn You are come now to years of discretion if I should say you were not you would be angry if you will neglect and delay and add one delay to another if you will add one put off to another and make one resolution and purpose after another and set one day after another in which you will think of these things consider that all this will do you no good for all your resolutions and promises for all that I see you are like to die a common man therefore now live as a perfect growing man and follow that which is most excellent unalterably If any thing of difficulty intervene remember that now is the time for you to shew what respect you have for your God and your soul Remember the goal is not
in them 1 John 2.15 Whence is it that so few great ones go to Heaven and that it is next to impossible for such to be saved Is it not because they have chosen Mammon for their Friend rather than God He hath their heart their Love their Time their Service and they have little to spare for God therefore God hath but a little happiness a little heaven a short glory for them they shall have but a little of his sweet company little Acquaintance with him Why doth James speak so terribly to the rich men bid them go and weep and howl was it not because their riches were like to undoe them Did the wealthy man in the Parable live ever the longer for his riches or fare ever the better for his greatness when he came into another world There is no question but he might have more flatterers there is no doubt but he hath more worldly Friends but bring me a man upon the Earth that lets his heart without controle fly upon the world cleaves to it and takes it to be his best friend that knows God that 's acquainted with his Maker that prizeth his Redeemer It was a wise man who said that it 's absolutely impossible to mind externals and internals this world and another with earnestness at the same time but it was wisdom it self who said That no Servant can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other he cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 5.24 c. 3. Take heed of Hypocrisie Who are the persons that God doth denounce his dreadful threatnings against Are they not such as honour him with their Lips when their Hearts is far from him With what Abhorrency doth he look upon such and all that they do Isa 1. They never bring their heart to visit God with and therefore they have little reason to expect that he should bring his Dainties to entertain them with 4. If you would be acquainted with God take heed of being acquainted with wicked company We read that many wicked men have fared the better for the company of the godly but we scarce ever heard that any godly man ever fared the better for being in the company of the wicked except they went on Gods Errand amongst them This is clear in the case of Lot who first lost his goods and was made a Captive by being in Sodom and though they were restored to him again for a while one would have thought that should have been a fair warning how he came again into such company yet because that would not do a while after you may read how dear Lot paid for dwelling in Sodom Poor man he lost all that he had and was fain to fly away without either Flocks or Herds and little more than his cloathes on his back and that which was more sad to leave some of his own dear Relations behind him roasting in those dismal flames Whereas had he never come to Sodom or upon the sight of their wickedness speedily left them it had been much better with him in many respects Jehosaphat fared never the better for joyning in affinity with his wicked Neighbours it had like to have cost him his life But were it only loss of Temporals that a man hazarded by such society the danger were not so considerable but the peril is greater than so for by it they make God stand at a distance they must never look to have such company and Gods company both together I mean when they do unnecessarily or delightfully converse with God If therefore you intend to be acquainted with God you must not have them always in your company whom he hates and which hate him and will labour all they can to cool your affections towards him Wherefore be ye not unequally yoaked with unbelievers For what Fellowship hath Righteousness with unrighteousness And what communion hath light with darkness And what concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols For ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6.14 to the end But I would not here be mistaken as if I would commend an ungodly proud separation from all that are not just of our mind or as if a man ought to have nothing at all to do with wicked men no no Every one ought to do what he can in his place for the good of Souls O that Christians would thus converse more with their poor ignorant carnal Christless neighbours O that they would thus be more acquainted with the wicked and then they should have never the less of Gods company but the more but it is an unnecessary delightful associating of our selves with them that I mean especially such of them which will stifle every spiritual discourse and divert you from any thing that tends to the promoting of the interest of Religion and such as have frequently expressed their detestation of the way of Holiness and make but a mock at your serious Counsels stop their ears so who some Advice or make some undecent reflections upon the strict prosession of godliness such as labour to make you believe that all Religion but that which will consist with their wickedness is but a Fansie As for such as those abhor their company fly from them as those that have the plague the marks of death are upon them and you may write Lord have mercy upon us upon their doors but go not in lest you be Infected 5. If you would be acquainted with God take heed of unbelief Unbelief will make your soul depart from God and God quite to depart from your soul This This is one of those dreadful and God-estranging sins which leads on whole Legions against the Almighty This is that bold daring sin which gives Truth it self the lye and saith That the Word of God is false his Promises airy his Threatnings but a Wind But know this O sinner such a wind they be that will rise to a dreadful storm and turn your strong confidence up by the roots and blow them into Hell if you make no more of them than you do 6. If you would be acquainted with God beware of sensuality To be sensual and devillish are near akin To be lovers of pleasures and haters of God are usually concomitants in a word to fare deliciously every day and to be despised of God are no strange things But I wave the further prosecution of these things because they are so largely and