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
in this common calamity It is from thy self O man it is from thy self this evil is because of our falling from God It is a Righteous thing with God that when man departed from him he should reap the Fruit of his own doings and indeed it is impossible for a creature of our composure and constitution but to feel it self dissatisfied with all worldly material employments and to find trouble and disquiet in it self while it is deprived of its true good If we would have a true account of our disquiet and dissatisfaction this it is God made man of all the works of his hands to be the nearest to himself and hath fitted his principles for a higher life then that which hath the things of this world for its object but man hath made himself like the Beasts that perish We have given our souls into captivity to our bodies or rather we are fallen from our Union with God and are gathered up into our selves and become deprived of a sufficiency in separation from God then it must needs be that we being gone down into a lower state than that which we were made to should find nothing but dissatisfaction and emptiness here we are by nature and hitherto we have brought our selves by forsaking God Now the great inquiry will be what Remedy there is for this our woful condition is there any way whereby we may be delivered from this misery if there be what way is it These words which I have chosen to speak to do contain the Answer to this Inquiry Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee This is the counsel of one of Job's three friends to him in the time of his great affliction You have heard of the affliction of Job and how his three friends came to relieve him with their Counsel but the Devil who had a Commission from God to try his utmost with Job yet sparing his life made use of his friends who are to be a comfort in the hour of adversity to be a great means of his disquiet so that he cries out of them Aliserable comforters are ye all Chap 16.2 And the great way of their troubling him was by mis-applying by making false application of true principles In their Discourses there are many excellent Truths yet by their hard construing ungrounded condemning of him they by God are reproved as not having spoken the thing that was right Chap. 41.7 yet in many things their counsel was suitable and seasonable of which sort the words in the Text may be accounted In this Chapter Eliphaz had been inquiring into the cause of Job's great affliction and holding this for an undeniable Principle that the righteous God being the great disposer of affliction did bring this evil upon him because of his sin he measured the greatness of his sins by the greatness of his afflictions he made account because Gods hand was gone forth in an extraordinary manner against Job therefore there was some extraordinary guilt upon him vers 5. 13. And thou sayest How doth God judge through the dark clouds Thus we have his apprehension of Job as one under great affliction because of his great sins and the Text is Eliphaz his counsel to Job under this character and so is suitable advice to those that are under sickness or great afflictions and that are under the guilt of great sin Acquaint thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee The words are a Doctrine for the soul under a sense of its lost condition with a Promise very comfortable upon the embracing thereof The Doctrine is Acquaint thy self with him and be at peace The Promise Thereby good shall come unto sher These words Be at peace may be referred either to the former as an addition to the Doctrine Be at peace that is keep your selves in a quiet submission to the hand of God or to the latter and so be at peace is as much as peace shall be to thee In the Doctrine we are to consider the Act and Object The Act Aquaint The Object is God DOCTRINE So that the Doctrine is To enter into acquaintance with God This Proposition stands forth to the view of every eye that it is the Duty of man to be acquainted with God Now the first thing that is before us to require after is What this acquaintance with God is Secondly to evidence and clear it to be the Duty of man to acquaint himself with God Acquaintance with God implyes several things 1. It signifies a full and determinate knowledge of this Truth that there is a God and so to know him as to his Nature distinct from all other beings There is a three-fold Knowledge of God 1. A Rational 2. A Natural 3. A Supernatural First there is a Rational knowledge of God which is a clear discovery of an Almighty All-sufficient Cause of all things which is attained by a Reasonable discussing Power of the Soul which argueth from things that are visible and sensible to an invisible and self-principled Cause of all things Man found himself brought into the world furnished with an innumerable variety of Creatures and none of these having power to make it self we see likewise such an accurate order in every particular Creature and in all the Creatures one with another that we cannot but see clearly that there is a Supream Almighty Cause of all things who hath by his power brought forth all things into being who is likewise the most wise Agent who by his unsearchable wisdom hath curiously framed every Creature and by his wonderful counsel hath set them in such an order that they all serve one another till at length they all meet in man as in the common center Secondly there is a Natural knowledg of God which is the inward touch and mental sensation of a Supream Righteous Judge to whose trial we feel our selves under an unavoidable bond in doing good and evil This is that which is commonly called Conscience this a man finds in himself if at any time he have committed any secret sin whatsoever which none in the world knows but himself he feels it to be a pressure upon his spirit as being under the examination of a power superior to himself Now this is nothing else but a secret impression that God hath made of himself upon the minds of Men by which man is bound to stand before the Tribunal of God These two ways of knowing of God were very clear to man in his perfect state but since the fall of man they are much weakened and decayed But Thirdly There is a supernatural way whereby we come to know God which hath repaired our loss by Adams sin and that is by Gods extraordinary Revelation of himself in his holy Scriptures by these we may come to have a more clear distinct knowledge of God both that he is and what he is To these three ways of letting in the knowledge
shall with Gods leave say you can find out any one in Heaven or in Earth that will be a better friend to you and stand you in more stead if in all the world you bring one that deserves better at your hands and is more worthy of your choicest love and acquaintance if I bid you to your loss why then let me bare the blame of a Cheater for ever And if after trial thorow trial and intimate acquaintance you find your self deceived and that it was not worth the while to give your self so much trouble why then let me be branded to Eternity for the veriest Lyar and Impostor in the world For my part I envy not men their happiness but I wish with all my heart that men would do that which may be most for their interest It was the counsel of Epicbetus none of the weakest men though a Heathen Make choice of that which is really most Excellent and if there be a Friend to be found better then thy God the first thing thou dost get an interest in him But consider whether there be not a contradiction in the tearms Better then the best it 's perfect nonsense I know it 's impossible for any one that hath right apprehensions of God to undervalue him Wherefore it is a grand piece of Religion to have clear apprehensions of God such can't but believe him to be infinitely Lovely Wise and powerful and to be obeyed in all things and all the reason in the world to acquiesce in his will who is so good and so wise such will place happiness in nothing below his favour Wherefore I think Plutarch was not mistaken who affirmed That mans life was given him of God only to get the knowledge of God But I shall be a little more particular in speaking to the excellent qualifications of him whom I would fain get every poor sinner acquainted with First He is the most loving and kind friend Poor ignorant Creatures that are strangers to him they talk at a mad rate concerning him those that know him not will be speaking bad and thinking worse of him but O did they but know what God is to them that are acquainted with him had they bur conversed with him themselves did they but see what entertainement he gives had they but been in his company and experienced what some have experienced had they but beheld how affectionately he imbraces them which come to him they would quickly say that it was a false report and wicked scandal that the Devil and the World which know not God had raised of him they would soon cry out that they would not for a world but that they had been at his house and that they have cause to bless God for the day that ever they knew such and such who brought them acquainted with such a friend they will never while they live for the future believe any thing that is spoken against God or Christ let who will speak it Is this the God they had such hard thoughts of Is the kindness that they did so slight Is this the friend that they were so loath to come to And thus an ingenious soul will even be ashamed that it should ever harbour such low thoughts of him whom now to their comfort they have found beyond apprehension kind Believe it Sirs you can't conceive what a friend you shall have of God would you bus be perswaded to enter into Covenant with him to be his wholly his I tell you mony that did somtimes think and do as you do now this is set light by Christ and hate God and saw no loveliness in him are now quite of another mind they would not for ten thousand worlds quit their interest in him O who dare say that he is a hard master Who that knows him will say he is an unkind friend O what do poor creatures ail that they do entertain such harsh sower thoughts of God What do you think there is nothing in that Scripture Psal 31.19 O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee Doth the Psalmist speak too largely Doth he say more then he and others could prove Ask him and he will tell you in vers 21. that he blesseth God these were things he could speak to from his own personal experience and many thousands as well as he to whom the Lord hath shewed his marvellous kindness and therefore he doth very passionately plead with the people of God to love him and more highly to express their sense of his goodness that the world might be encouraged also to have good thoughts of him What Nation under Heaven can say they have not tasted of his goodness Psal 33.5 All the carth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Read over the hundred forty fifth Psalm and let us hear then what you have to say against God Some indeed may speak of the might of Gods terrible acts some that have despised his love have felt his power and justice as for these we cannot think them competent Judges in this case they will not it may be commend Gods goodness yet even they cannot will not condemn God of injustice but exclaim against themselves for their unspeakable folly in slighting his kindness when it was tendered to them But as for others ask them and they will declare the goodness of God they will abundantly utter the memory of his great goodness and sing of his righteousness Do but try poor sinner do but try come a little nearer and believe your own experience and if after a thorow knowledge of God and a real acquaintance with him you can say that his favour is not to be sought after his love not worth the desiring why then I have done I have no more to say I am sure if God were as the Devil and the world represent him to be in so many thousand of years among so many thousands and millions that have been acquainted with him and entertained by him some of them would have complained before this we should at one time or other have heard somthing against him Now I challenge all the world to produce me but an experienced solid Saint that when he acted like himself and after he had been in the company of God and had been seasted by him could say that he kept a short house especially could we but enquire of those that sit down at his Table and are always in his presence which of them all have a word to say against him but of that more hereafter No no it is in sinners themselves there lies the fault they believe the malicious father of lyes they easily credit the unexperienced ignorant world and how little reason you have to believe so malicious enemies before the Word of Truth I leave your selves to determine O why will you take up a slander against your Creator so easily Why will you receive such great things wherein your eternal welfare is concerned upon trust
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
be men of a deeper reach and a larger understanding then others because they made it their business to get acquainted with God and thus to make their interest as large as Heaven and their peace and prosperity as sure as the oath of a God could make it Do you think that all these men were mistaken did their wisdom lie only in a prudent management of their worldly affairs to their best advantage what then did they mean some of them to leave all that they had so chearfully upon the command of God dare you say that they prized the favour of God at too high a rate as for their parts they thought they could never value such a friend as God too much What else was the meaning of their longing panting and breathing after him Why else are they so glad of his company his presence How loath were they to do any thing that might be in the least displeasing to him What bitter moans did they make if he did but withdraw a while if he did but a little absent himself from them how wonderful desirous were they of enjoying communion with him how earnest to live in his house for ever Dare you say that there were all fools and mad men for refusing the embraces of this present world for slghting its smiles and undervaluing its greatest kindnesses and choosing that favour of God though with the scorns and reproaches of the world rather then to hazard his anger whose wrath burns to the bottom of Hell Behold what a glorious company of these stand upon mount Zion with Harps in their hands with those hundred and forty and four thousand and the Lamb with an innumerable multitude of all Nations People and Languages Why all these were of the Friends and Acquaintance of God or else they had never had those Crowns Robes and Palms in their hands Now why should not our souls be as dear to us as theirs were to them Will not Heaven be as good for us as them is it not as needful for us to get a friend of God as them Will not God do as much for us as them if we will but do as they did walk with him The truth of it is the number of them which are saved is but few in comparison of the multitudes of them which know not God and go the broad way yet for all that take them absolutely they are abundance so many that the Scripture saith they are innumerable Do but read over the History of some of their Lives turn over the holy Records look sometimes into those Sacred Chronicles and behold how chearfully they served God how actively they followed the Lamb wheresoever he goes through thick and thin Hear what their language is now they are got home fafe now Christ hath brought them to glory and they are at their Friends house What do they talk of what is their discourse about do they complain what a sad journey they had of it through a howling wilderness after they had passed the Red Sea through a thousand sorrows and trials do they say that now they are at their journeys end they are weary and wish they had never taken so long and tedious a journey do they not rather speak the quite contrary and that if it were to go again they would do it with far more speed and chearfulness then they did Lissen hark methinks I hear them from the walls of the New Jerusalem crying out Come away come away fall on bravely follow your business gallantly but a little while longer and the City is your own fetch your scaling ladders run up apace mount the rampiers fear nothing though the Devil play his Artillery upon them yet it is but powder he shall never give you a mortal would resist him and he will flee and the field is yours the Spoil the Crown the Honour will pay for your pains bloud and danger Fall on brave souls fall on the valianter you be the more safe you are Methinks I hear those noble Saints encouraging of you to get acquaintance with God and saying to you that are yet afar off come near Come away poor souls come away what do you mean thus to delay O little do you think what a friend we now find of God it was but a little a very little that was told us of the excellency of Christ and the glories of this place to what we experience It was no false report that we heard when we was upon earth of the happiness of Heaven O here 's a prize worth the running for a Kingdom a Crown worth the fighting for an Estate worth the looking after We have not now our stint we are not dieted with those Spiritual Dainties we have not now and then a sip a draught a bit in a corner but we are at the fountain we are daily feasted with infinite pleasures our hearts are full brim full they run over we swim in an ocean of spiritual enjoyments these things are beyond your capacity now to understand Were we to live upon earth again and did we know what we do now know we should ever pine with our earnest longing for God the living God to be in his immediate presence and to be at that angelical work of praising serving and loving him for ever Wherefore brethren let us encourage one another Come let us go up to the house of the Lord his dwelling is in Salem his palace is upon mount Zion Why should not we go on as merrily in the paths of Wisdom as the wicked in the road of Hell How do the Devils Champions encourage and hearten one another up How do they laugh sing and roar as if their life were the only life for shame let 's tell them they lye in their teeth Who hath the best company they or we the Patriarchs and Prophets the Apostles and thousands of Martyrs are gone finging before some of our dear Relations Fathers Brethren and Sisters are newly welcomed by Christ to his Fathers house and they are blessing that rich mercy that hath conducted them to such a place to such a friend we have many thousands of Saints Militant that are going along with us as fast as they can and God himself will bear us company and why do we yet linger O that we were upon the wing O that our souls were like the Chariots of Aminadab O that the Lord would strengthen poor short-winded Creatures O that we could run and not be weary and walk and not faint O that we might have now and then a hearty meal and that in the strength of them we could travel to the mount of God! O that that acquaintance might now be happily begun which may never have an end O that God would visit us oft and get into our hearts O that he that gave those Worthies in former times so much grace would pour out of the same grace in abundance upon our souls O that he would shed abroad his love in our hearts O
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
before I leave you for ever I hope I should be contented to be trod in the dirt O that my heart may not deceive me O that my compassion to your souls were greater a thousand times greater O that I could never speak to you of such things as these without tears I must again and again profess I am ashamed of my heart that it is no more sensible of these weighty affairs But O mighty and glorious God if thou pleasest thou canst out of the mouth of a Babe and Suckling ordain strength O that thou wouldest make the worm Jacob to thresh Mountains O that thou wouldest make me of the most unworthy and weakest instrument in that bonourable Service of bringing home some Souls to thy self O if but any one Soul if but one Soul that was estranged from God might by these lines be brought acquainted with him if I might prevail with any other stubborn Enemy to lay down his weapons and be Friends with him I should think my pains well bestowed though if that will make you to regard it ever the more this work hath cost me many an hours study and it hath been interrupted with many bodily distempers groans and sorrows fears and sighs Yet if after all my travel I may hear of any Children born of God if I may meet but one soul the better for it by it brought to Glory I shall have abundant cause to blesse my God and to rejoyce that my labour hath not been in vain in the Lord. But if I might have more I should have more cause to adore infinite Goodness and rich Grace O my dear Friends O precious and immortal Souls What shall I say to you What shall I do for you O did you but know how hardly I fetch my breath at this time did you but see what a crazy Creature he is that writes to you did you but know how faint he hath been sometimes in speaking to you you would go nigh to pitty him O pitty your selves O pitty your own Souls that ere long must be turned naked out of your Bodies and hear the expostulations of a dying man that would gladly live with you in everlasting glory and meet you all among the Friends of the Bridegroom that I may see you among the Sons of God in your great meeting when the Father shall send his Servants the Angels to fetch all his children home to his own house O pitty your Souls let not all my pains be lost trample not under your feet the blood of the Covenant neither count it a common thing remember that the slighting of Christ is a dangerous thing the loss of his favour and the loss of your soul must go together O how shall I leave you How shall I part with you shall I go before my work is done What shall I say more What arguments shall I further make use of O that I knew what to say that I might prevail And are you still resolved to put me off with frivolous excuses Can you put off your consciences thus Are you still contented to be Aliens and Strangers If you are know this that I must leave these lines to bear witness against you Remember this that you were told of these things again and again Those that can forget Sermons here shall remember them hereafter if you be not the better for this discourse you will curse the day that ever you heard it it will be a cutting reflection when another day you shall say to your own Soul at such a time such a one did beseech me in Christs stead to be reconciled to God and I would not Cursed man that I was I made nothing of all the offers of Grace and Mercy I made little account of these intollerable Torments which now make me to gnash my teeth Hear O unhappy Creature that art yet alive Be not ye past hope O that thou mayest see thy sad state before it be quite past remedy O let me take up a lamentation for thee as one whose condition is beyond expression deplorable O that I could speak as affectionately to you as one did lately who spent his strength and life amongst you all viz. That I can neither eat nor drink nor sleep quietly whilst I think of the danger that precious Souls run every moment while they are unacquainted with God! O that mine eyes were waters and my head a fountain of Tears that I might weep day and night for poor Christ-less Creatures that laugh and are as cheerful as if no danger were near them whereas that dismal day approaches apace wherein they must bid an everlasting farewel to all their pleasures and lie down for ever under the scalding wrath of an angry God! O stand astonished O Heavens and wonder O Earth Here 's a man that had rather be a Beast than a man a Devil than a Saint that prefers Hell before Heaven that loves Death and hates Life Here 's a man that makes nothing of going to Hell Damnation is a thing that he jests with 't is but damning he saith But damning Is that so light a thing a thing to be laughed at Well if that damning be nothing never complain of it when you feel it If it be nothing never groan nor bite your tongue nor gnash your teeth for it If Heaven and your Soul the favour of God eternal happiness be such small matters never complain for the loss of them Well then belike you are pleased very well with your choice and you do choose rather to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a moment than the pleasures of Holiness which last for ever There stands a sinner that hears all this and frets and foameth at the hearing of it it 's a torture to his Soul to be within the sound of such Truths Why act like one in his wits If the hearing of Hell and damnation be so troublesome what will the feeling of it be thinkest thou But that I may if possible prevail I shall leave a few serious questions with you which I charge you in the presence of God seriously to consider of and to give a wise answer to these following Questions Quest 1. Are those things which you have heard true or are they not Doth not the Scriptures speak the same things which I do Dare you say that the word of Truth is False Do but open the Bible dip where you will what is that you read there Is it not something that hath a tendency to what I have been teaching of O that you would but give your selves the trouble of searching the Scriptures to see whether these things are so To what purpose do you think should we spend our breath To what purpose should we follow you with such exhortations if we had not some grounds for what we say If there be no such thing in the word of God why then do you not say so Why do you not shew us it if there be such a place that saith there is