them both as to the magnifying of his Grace as also for our own sakes and Interest The Ephesians cryed out Acts xix 28 Great is Diana of the Ephesians and could not tell for what reason but we when we hear of this have known and solid cause to cry out Glorious is the Grace of God which brought such Slaves of Sin into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God Let me say as it is 1 Cor. xii 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away unto these Dumb Idols Do you not And consult Stories and they will tell you of the abominable Blindness and Barbarousness of this our Britain No Nation under Heaven went beyond it in these things And now look upon our Britain as under the Gospel and find ye not Cause to Glorifie God upon the Promise in the Text now accomplisht The Creature it self shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption c Could you but read Tacitus Caesar and others to observe how this Nation lived as Brutes Worshipped Idols Sacrificed sometimes Men and Women went most Naked were Barbarous above the most Barbarous And look upon England now and we have much like Cause of wonder to that Luke viii 35 Where those who found the Man out of whom the Devils were departed clothed and in his Right Mind are said to be afraid How great a Mercy does the Apostle speak in the Words of the Text The Creature it self shall be delivered c. In it we have Night and Day Darkness and Light what the Gentiles were as Gentiles and what as Called Set the Contraries one against another Bondage Liberty Corruption Glory For so it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Liberty of Glory which is not amiss rendred as we do The Glorious Liberty so some do that Ephes. i. 6 To the Praise of his Glorious Grace But it bears a greater Emphasis to take it as the Greek hath it Into the Liberty of the Glory of the Children of God And what is meant by Glory Learn this by the contrary term It is opposed to Corruption as Liberty is to Bondage And therefore as Corruption means Sinfulness so Glory means Holiness And that so it is taken in the Phrase of Scripture the next Discourse will shew IV. The Christian Holiness as well as his Future Happiness stiled GLORY A HOLY Christian hath a Glory here and a Glory hereafter So that may be taken 2 Cor. iii. ult We are changed into the Image of God from Glory to Glory That is from HOLINESS to HAPPINESS In 1 Pet. iv 14 Mention is there made of the Spirit of Glory and of God If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of GLORY and of God resteth on you We need not dispute what this Spirit of Glory is take it for the Spirit of Holiness and it gives it but its right Title Rom. viii 30 Whom he Called them he also Justified and whom he Justified them he also Glorified Where is Sanctified It is included in Glorified Those that he Justified he endued with the Glory of Holiness here and shall reward with Eternal Glory hereafter Lam. iv 2 The precious Sons of Zion comparable to fine Gold how are they esteemed as Earthen Pitchers Jeremiah was one of them He and the rest were now poor and contemptible in this sad Captivity but they carried a precious Glory about them a Value and Shining above the finest Gold Psal. cx 3 Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power in the Beauties of Holiness Some take these Beauties of Holiness to mean the Temple But take it in the Propriety of the Word and 't is a most fit Title for Holiness And observe it is not Beauty only but Beauties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may well be rendred Glories Not one Beauty not one Glory but many joined together or all Beauties are in Holiness and none in any thing else Eph. v. 27 That he might present it to himself a GLORIOUS Church Alas It was a Poor Persecuted Church but this made it a GLORIOUS Church viz. The Glory of Holiness it was decked withal for so it follows That it should be Holy and without Blemish The Jews speak of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cloaths of Glory that God made for Adam and that they descended to the First-Born This is the true Clothing of the Children of God that God makes for them as Jacob did for his Son Joseph that they appear by their GLORY the Sons of God A View and Proof of this Glory let us take by comparing it with all other Glories set before you as the Devil did before Christ Luke iv 5 6. All the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them and then set before you a Child of God in the Glory of Holiness and what say you to the Comparison 1. 'T is a Glory and Beauty that all the World cannot give As Solon said to Craesus in all his Glory that every Peacock was braver Every Lilly of the Field is finer than Solomon in all his Glory But this is a Beauty above Art and Nature when God Decks and Dresseth a Saint and that with his own Divine Image Ephes. iv 24. There you Read of putting on a New Man after God's Image A New Creature Clothed in Righteousness and Holiness after God's own Image 'T is but a poor Glory that Satan can give as that in Luke iv the Kingdoms of the World 'T is but a poor Beauty that Art can give as Jezebel's Face 'T is but a poor Lustre that Nature can give as Skin-deep Beauty That is the Glory that God alone can give that is found no where but in his Treasury Jewels in his Cabinet the Dressings of his VVardrobe 2. 'T is a Glory and Beauty that all the VVorld cannot take away A Treasure that neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt nor Thieves break through and Steal The pitiful Bravery of the World that is blasted in a Moment either fading by its own Nature and Frailty or by Thieves or Fire or some other Occurrence or by an immediate Hand of God Ah! Glorious Holiness that nothing can undo Luke x. 42 Mary hath chosen that good part that shall not be taken away from her This is a Treasure that all the Devils in Hell cannot Plunder from the Owner He could Plunder indeed Job's Estate but he could not his Holiness It is Gold that the Fire of Persecution cannot Consume but Refine A Shining of the Beauty and Image of God in the Soul that cannot be defaced An everlasting Glory that never changeth but to a greater Glory 3. 'T is a Beauty and Glory that God himself is in Love withal Ezek. xvi There Judah is said to be Lovely not in the Eyes of Man but of God Holiness is a Dress that only pleaseth God V. An Elucidation of Heb. x. 26 27. If we Sin wilfully after we have received the Knowledge of the Truth there remaineth
Dragon waits till the Soul be delivered out of the Body and as soon as it is delivered he grasps it and seizes on it for God hath forsaken it and utterly cast away all Care of it God hath forsaken it Persecute and take it for there is none to deliver Consider seriously of these two Things I. That Sinful Souls departed are never under preserving Providence more II. That they are given up to the Power of Satan I. They are removed from under God's Preserving Providence True they are kept in Being that they may be kept in Punishment but this is Avenging Justice rather than Preserving Providence Mat. ix 49 For every one shall be Salted with Fire Every such Soul shall be Salted with Fire The very Fire of its Torment shall be as Salt to keep it from Consuming It shall be kept in Being that it may be kept in Fire But first God hath cast away all Care of it and secondly exerciseth nothing of preserving Providence towards it 1 Sam. xxv 29 But the Soul of my Lord shall be bound in the Bundle of Life with the Lord thy God and the Souls of thine Enemies them shall be sling out as out of the middle of a Sling VVhere she intimates that a David a Good Man his Soul is bound up in the Bundle of Life with the Lord But Evil Men their Souls be slung out as out of a Sling God casts them flings them away from him Fly where they will Light where they will Sink or Swim he looks no more after them VVhile VVicked Men were here Providence Preserved them Fed them Clothed them Strove with them with Patience and kept the Soul and Body that the Devil did not run away with the Man Bodily But when the Cursed Soul is departed out of the Body Patience no more Care no more Restraint of the Devil no more but take him Devil and do thy worst VVhich is the Second thing to be considered II. That VVicked Souls are given up to Satan's Absolute Power You read of giving up notorious Sinners to Satan here that if possibly they might be amended 1 Cor. v. 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the Destruction of the Flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus 1 Tim. i. ult Whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to Blaspheme But when a Soul is now past all Amending all hopes of Amending conceive with Fear and Trembling how God gives up that Soul to the Roaring Lion to tear and spare not And here is one dreadful Symptom and Evidence of the Fiery Indignation that God in Anger gives up the Soul to Satan And this is a Second degree of its Misery that as it hath lost the use of the Creature so also it hath lost the Care and Preserving Providence of the Creator VVe have an Emblem of both in the Egyptians sitting in Darkness which conceive of by reading two Places Exod x. 21 23. It was Darkness that might be felt They saw not one another neither rose any from his Place And Psal. lxxviii 49 where when the Holy Ghost should mention the Plague of Darkness in its order he Characters it in these terms He cast upon them the fierceness of his Anger Wrath and Indignation by sending Evil Angels among them Moses saith that he sent Darkness the Psalmist saith Evil Angels or Devils And both most true Darkness and Devils Devils in the Darkness Moses saith They saw not one another The Psalmist intimates that they saw Devils and yet could not stir from the place where they sate to run from the Sight of them Chains of Darkness that tyed them fast that they could not stir So that the Devil may Roar and Rage and Terrifie and the VVretches not able to stir an Inch from under his Power and Terror The Fearful Estate of Damned Souls in Scripture is called Darkness utter Darkness Chains of Darkness I need not to cite Places And why Darkness Because the Sun Moon and Stars shine not there as they do here Because no Candle there The other World hath nothing to do with such Bodily Lights as these These are Lights for Bodily Creatures not for Souls and Spirits The Holy Ghost tells you that in Heaven where there is all Light yet there is nothing to do with such Lights as these Rev. xxii 5 And there shall be no Night there and they need no Candle neither Light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them Light Is there Darkness in Hell and utter Darkness where is so much Fire and such Flames Luke xvi 24 There Dives speaks of his being tormented in Flames Fire and Flames and yet Darkness It is the Fire of that Indignation mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrews that consumes them and that very Fire brings that Darkness with it Darkness for there is not one Spark of God's Favour appearing there nothing but Indignation Indignation And not one Beam of Favour appearing thro' any Chink there Everlasting Burning and no Intermission The VVorm never dies and never but gnawing and the Fire never quenched and never but scorching And it is Darkness because there is no common preserving Providence shining or appearing there God's shews not himself in the least Glimpse of his Care or Tenderness or Preservation there Their State is call'd Outer Darkness Mat. xxv 30 not Utter Darkness only as we say Utter Extremity c. but Outer Darkness The Phrase is very considerable It may be understood Darkness that is without that is Darkness that is out of Heaven As the Heathen are said to be without that is were out of the Church but there the Expression is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that are OUT But this Expression is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Darkness that is OUTER as if he should say that Darkness that is beyond the other Darkness And we may very well interpret it the Indignation of God against the Wicked in Hell beyond the Indignation of God against them here his casting them off and casting off his Care of them in Hell beyond his casting them off and casting off his Care of them here His Wrath and his casting them off here is very black and dark but there it is Outer Darkness a Darkness beyond this Darkness And now think with your selves how fearful a Surprizal that Soul is surprized withal When it is just departed out of the Body it is as it were midwived into the other World by the Devil and the first thing it sees there is that it sees it self in the Paws of the Devil It makes me remember the Story in Saligniacus A Company of Travellers that went to visit the Holy Land would needs for Religion-sake forsooth bathe themselves in Jordan there where John Baptized And as they were refreshing sporting and delighting themselves in the Water and swimming suddenly there comes a Crocodile a dreadful Dragon of the Waters and lays hold of a Frenchman by Profession
Communion III. This Communion is twofold Doctrinal and Spiritual 1. Doctrinal As they do communicate in one and the same Faith or Profession of one and the same Religion So all Protestant Churches hold Communion in one and the same Doctrine of Faith and in regard of that Disunion with the Church of Rome Holland and We tho' so disunited in regard of civil Converse yet we are at Communion as Christians in the Profession of the same Religion But this is not the Communion the Article means It speaks of Communion of Saints Now every prophane carnal Protestant may hold such Communion in outward Profession of the same Religion Thousands of prophane Persons in England hold Communion thus even with the preciousest Saints viz. That they acknowledge the same Articles of Religion and yet are far from the Communion of Saints here spoken of Therefore the Communion of Saints is II. Spiritual A hidden Manna a Communion that the World knows not a Spiritual Interest and Communicating which they only partake of and which they only are sensible of Which we may discern the better by observing these things 1. That there is one and the same Spirit in every true Saint of God in the World 1 Cor. xii 4 There are Diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit True there are Diversities of Degrees of Grace and of Operations but one and the same Spirit that worketh all in all As Kinsmen have Communion in Kindred because the same Blood runs in all their Veins so Saints have Spiritual Communion because the same Spirit dwells in them all As in that Comparison that they are Members of the same Body because the same Spirit of Life is in every one of the Members It was the Custom with the Jews to enter into Communion by eating of the same Bread To which the Apostle alludes 1 Cor. x. 17 For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread And hereupon they might not eat with those with whom they might not have Communion So Christ feasts all his with the same Spirit 1 Cor. xii 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit That it is that that gives their Souls Life and Growth because they are all fed with the same Spirit This is the Hunger and Thirst of a Child of God to be filled and refresh'd with his Spirit And this is the feeding and refreshing God affords them John vi 55 63. For my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life And John vii 37 39. If any Man thirst let him come unto me and drink But this spake he of the SPIRIT which they that believe on him should receive This was David's Hunger and Thirst when his Soul was almost starved by his great Fall Psal. li. 11 12. Cast me not away from thy Presence and take not thine Holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit And this is a Trial whether a Soul be alive and healthy and whether a Person be a Saint or no by his longing and hungring for the Spirit of God Examine your Stomach what craves it Lord give me Corn and Cattel After these things the Gentiles seek not the Saints of God But Lord give me thy Spirit fill me with thy Grace support my fainting Soul with the Spirit of Grace This is a blessed hungring and thirsting which shall be blessedly satisfied Matth. v. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Thus in the first place Saints have all Communion in the same Spirit of Christ drink of the same Fountain eat and feed upon the same Manna 2. Thus all communicating of the same Spirit of God they have by that Spirit Communion with God himself 1 John i. 3 And truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. A high Saying blessed Apostle Fellowship with God and Christ Let Haman brag of his great Friendship with Ahashuerosh Let Men bâ—â—st of their accompanying with this and that great Man their Friendship and Acquaintance with this or that noble Person it is enough if I can say I am acquainted with God I have Friendship and Fellowship with God and his Son Jesus Christ. Acquainted with God Communion with Christ Brave Company That Man can never be alone never want excellent Company Ah! poor Paul how dost thou do for Company in a dark lonely Prison Daniel how solitary art thou in a Den of Lions when thou hast no Company but those cruel Creatures Oh! nunquam minus solus quam cum solus I have God and Christ with me they keep me Company and I can have no better And so God himself hath promised When thou goest thro' the Waters I will be with thee Observe that Promise Matth. xxviii ult I will be with you always even unto the end of the World Alas we shall be in Prisons in Stocks Ay but then ye shall not be alone for I will be with you to the end of the World What mean such Expressions but that God is present near to his own People in an extraordinary manner different from common Providence That Expression Walking with God doth hint special Intercourse and Converse 'twixt God and the Saint as 'twixt two Friends walking together Observe a feeling Exposition of it Psal. lxxiii 23 24 c. Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by thy Right Hand Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterward receive me to Glory Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth I desire besides thee Here let us stay and we may stand amazed that poor sinful Men may have the Honour and Happiness of Communion with God Will God dwell upon Earth It was Solomon's Wonder So may we wonder at this that God should Converse be in Fellowship and in Familiarity with Men. If God should take Advantage of that Be not unequally yoked how far may this speak contrary to such Communion For what infinite Inequality is thâ—â—e 'twixt God and Man Creator and Creature Dust and Glory An Expression of this Communion you have Rev. iii. 20 If any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me And another Es. lxvi 1 2. Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool Where is the House that ye build unto me And where is the Place of my Rest For all those things hath mine Hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord. But to this Man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite
Heart and trembleth at my Word I will look to such have a friendly Regard and Respect to him Nay I will come and converse and sup and dwell with him This was David's Desire Psal. ci 2 Oh when wilt thou come unto me I will walk in my House with a perfect Heart I will walk in my House when wilt thou come and walk and dwell with me Now this Communion 'twixt God and Saints we may consider in the Rise of it the Nature of it and the Means and Manner of it I. The Rise of it It ariseth from the Union that is 'twixt God and the Saint We can never have Fellowship with God unless we be at one with God Abraham was the Friend of God and so he and God conversed There is no Communion 'twixt Enemies Es. lix 1 2. Behold the Lord's Hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his Ear heavy that it cannot hear But your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his Face from you that he will not hear Why is God such a Stranger to you You are his Enemies But turn to me saith the Lord and I will turn unto you Es. i. 16 17 18. Wash ye make you clean put away the Evil of your Doings from before mine Eyes cease to do Evil learn to do well seek Judgment relieve the oppressed judge the Fatherless plead for the Widow Come now and let us reason together II. The Nature of this Communion is that God imparts himself to the Saint and the Saint to God I your God you my People There is no Strangeness 'twixt them They do freely give up Hearts one to another as they that are in Friendship and tell their Minds one to another III. The Means of this Communion is by God's Ordinances and by his Spirit 1. It is impossible to have Communion with God but by way of his Ordinances the Word Prayer Sacraments and Meditation upon all Communion is more than Union A Man in walking holily walks in Union with God but to come in Communion or converse with God is something more Two Friends apart are at one but their Converse together is by Letter or Conference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set-Festivals signifie Meetings also People meeting in Communion with themselves and with God in these Appointments Thou meetest him c. Es. lxiv. 5 As it is impossible to have Union with God but in virtue of his Covenant so to have Communion but in the Administrations of the Covenant Exod. xxiv 11 And upon the Nobles of the Children of Israel he laid not his Hand Also they saw God and did eat and drink By virtue of the Covenant spoken of just before they were at Peace with God so that he laid not his Hand on them and by the Administration of the Covenant they were in Communion They eat and drank with him There is a further striving in Attendance upon Ordinances than meerly to do Work to hear to patter out some Prayers and the like but to taste and feel God in his Word to send up the Heart to God and to lay hold on him Do you not do it here and in your Closet in Prayer and in Reading This is not to draw near to God and hold Communion with him How heartily doth a true Saint pour out his Heart tell his Mind to God his Failings his Wants as one Friend to another This is the reason why we should pray tho' God knows our Wants Your Heavenly Father knows that ye have need of these things Why then have we need to tell him That we may shew our Communion with God and that we trust him with our Hearts and Estates How doth a true Saint lay hold on every Word of God as Benhadad's Servants by Ahab's Oh! this Instruction this Reproof this Exhortation is God's Mind to me This is as a Letter or Message sent to me for my Good He owns God as in Love and Friendship imputing his Mind to him This is Communion with God in Ordinances to tell God all our Soul in Prayer to taste the Mind of God to us-ward in hearing and Attendance upon Sermons But 2. Communion with God is by his Spirit 2 Cor. xiii 14 The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all What does the Apostle wish for in these Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communion of the Spirit That they always may have the Fellowship of the Spirit and also by Communion of the Spirit Fellowship with God Take one Example Rom. viii 26 The Spirit it self maketh Intercession Where is this Spirit In Heaven No the Spirit of God in the Soul stirring up and enlarging the Heart The Spirit of Grace and Supplication Zach. xii 10 Here is the double Communion of the Spirit spoken of the Spirit always with the Saint and the Spirit helping him to converse with God in Prayer bringing the Heart and God together The Spirit maketh Intercession Oh! how comfortable are the Prayers of a Saint He hath a twofold Intercessor Viz. The Spirit in his Heart enabling him to pray and Christ in Heaven praying or interceding for him So for Communion in other Ordinances The Eucharist is called the Communion not only of Receivers among themselves but of the true Receiver with God and Christ. God in it holds out the Benefits of Christ. The Holy Receiver by the Spirit and Grace of God thanks him for those Befits takes hold of them and receives them at the Hand of God and tastes the Sweetness of God's Gifts in them So in Hearing the Heart owns God speaking counselling comforting Oh! this is the Voice of my Beloved And the Heart all along gives up it self to God's Counsel Correction and Administration This is Spiritual Communion with God in his Ordinances Besides what I have already said upon this Argument consider but two Expressions whereby Scripture sets forth the Union of a Saint with God and then judge of the Communion I. Under the Notion of Marriage 'twixt the Soul and God Es. liv 5 For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his Name Hos. ii 19 I will betroth thee to my self for ever Oh! what Tydings are these to a poor Soul The Lord espouse it be an Husband to it Awake up put on thine Ornaments O my Soul Behold thy Bridegroom coming go forth to meet him Ah! dull dirty Souls of ours why do we sit among the Pots and marry our selves to Earth and Dunghills when a Soul may have the Lord for an Husband and be espoused to him for ever Now Experience tells what Communion there is 'twixt Wife and Husband as well as Scripture tells us what Union Communion of Heart of Estates of Affections neither is their own but one another's Such is the Communion 'twixt a Holy Soul and God They are married together their Hearts as I may say are interchanged and intirely each others Hos.
iii. 3 Thou shalt be for me and not another and I will be for thee saith the Lord. Observe that Expression 1 Cor. vi 17 He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit Here is Union and Communion Joined to the Lord Beza renders it Agglutinatus There is Union And Communion One Spirit He takes some Comparison before from a married Couple But this is nearer there must be an Union betwixt Man and Wife nay there is betwixt Man and Whore Know ye not that he which is joined to an Harlot is one Body For two saith he shall be one Flesh. But it may be no Communion of Hearts and Affections But he that is joined to God is one Spirit II. Observe this Communion by the Expression of the Members of his Body Which the Apostle follows in 1 Cor. xii especially see ver 27. Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular Ye are the Body in gross and every particular Christian a particular Member Now the Body and Members relate to the Head which is Christ. Eph. iv 15 That ye may grow into him in all things which is the Head even Christ. From whom the whole Body fitly joined together And Col. i. 18 He is the Head of the Body the Church So that here you may first see the Union 'twixt Christ and his Members and then the Communion The Union as the Head to the Body the Communion as betwixt Head and Members So what nearer Union or Communion can be in the World And this asserts what I said that Communion with God and Christ is founded in Union with God No Member if not in Union with the Head and if a Member so in Union it cannot but have Communion Members cannot but derive Virtue from the Head and cannot again but be serviceable all they can to it Such a Communion is there 'twixt a Saint and God And what the particular Nature or Virtue of it is learn by observing how it comes and how a Saint comes by it For the Discovery of which we will take up this Question to speak to Quest. How should I do to come in Communion with God I know it is good and happy but how shall I come by it Ans. Learn this from civil Converse 'twixt Friend and Friend Abraham was the Friend of God and he came into that Nearness after the manner as Friend doth with Friend Observe two Expressions in Scripture Knowing of God 1 Chro. xxviii 9 Thou Solomon my Son know the God of thy Father And Acquainting one's self with God Job xxii 21 Acquaint now thy self with him So is the Case with two that come to converse as Friends I know such a Person and I make my self acquainted with him I. So that the first Step to Communion with God is to know him But under what Notion or what Knowledge 1. Not a distant Knowledge As wicked Men know there is a God This is far from bringing into Acquaintance Every one of us know there is a Turk and Pope but this is far from being in Converse with them Nay nearer we all know the King is our Soveraign and own him so yet this is far from conversing with him It is said God beholds the Wicked afar off So they tho' they knew him they knew but afar off As he that was newly cured of his Blindness in the Gospel saw Men walk but they seemed to him like Trees As Balaam saith of his seeing of God Num. xxiv 17 I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh 2. Nor is it barely to know God in his Attributes That he is terrible glorious just The Devils know all this but as far from Communion with God as Hell is from Heaven 3. But so to know God is to love and desire him and his Communion He that would be acquainted with one looks not on him barely as one he knows nor barely as one worthy to be acquainted with but as by whose Acquaintance to have Comfort Benefit and Delight and which he cannot comfortably be without Such is that Knowledge of God that begins Communion with God To make it our Work to know God as without Knowledge of whom and acquaintance with whom we are undone To desire his Knowledge and Acquaintance above all things in the World and to account nothing in the World worth our Study Knowledge and Acquaintance but himself So the Apostle professeth over and over 1 Cor. ii 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified For nothing else in comparison of him is worth the Study and Labour to know And Phil. iii. 8 Yea doubtless without any dispute and I count all things but Loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord. This is that that makes me justly to move the Question Do you seriously ask how I may come in Communion with God Because that requires the Preparative of the most affectionate Desires to come into Communion with him Such a Desire breathes the Heart of a true Saint Esai xxvi 8 9. The Desire of our Souls is to thy Name and to the Remembrance of thee With my Soul have I desired thee in the Night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early II. The second Means to come into Communion with God is to be acquainted with him Now to make your selves acquainted with God be not strange to him The Wicked are estranged from the Womb. Not only not knowing God but not making himself known to God The Word in Job xxii 21 which we translate Acquaint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accustom thy self to God The Word is used elsewhere Num. xxii 30 The Ass said unto Balaam Am not I thine Ass upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this Day Was I ever wont or accustomed to do so unto thee So that the Word signifies Accustoming Frequenting A Saint acquaints himself with God by frequent coming to his Presence in Prayer and hearing and attending on him As Acts iii. 10 All knew the poor Creeple which sat for Alms at the beautiful Gate of the Temple because there he constantly sat so God knows the Face of a Saint he is ever and anon in the Presence of God Oh! I know thee by Name thou art always at my Footstool thou art always in my School I know thee Moses by Name saith God And very good Reason for it he was always in his Presence Ps. lxxxiii 23 I am continually with thee Was it possible then but that God should know him God at the Judgment will say to the Wicked I know you not And no wonder for he never saw their Faces in his Family You are none of my Children I never saw you owning your Dependance upon me knowing me as the Father None of my Servants I never saw you doing my Work None of my Scholars I never saw you in my School studious and taking out your Lesson Your Faces