your body is on the Rack your hands are weak your leggs tremble your stomach fails your sleep departs from you Where is now your friend call for him speedily come let us now see if he be a friend indeed let us see it can he give you one hours sleep can be help you to one moments rest can he give you no refreshment no help Take him lay him by you on your O its so heavy I cannot endure it lay it in your bosome O I cannot breath for it take it away take it away it will not do why Sir do you know what you say It is your old friend which you valued above God himself it is a bag of gold I know it I know it it presses me down it is so heavy I cannot bear it away with it away with it And is this the friend you prized so very highly Is this all the kindness that he hath for you now Is this all the help he can give you at such a time when a friend should stand one in some stead Were you not told as much long ago how you should be served at last Fifthly He is the most Humble and Condescending Friend he doth not scorn to be acquainted with the meanest the Beggar may be as welcome to him as the Prince The Poor and Rich are all one to Him he takes as much notice of Job on the Dunghill as David on the Throne He knows any of his Friends in Raggs as well as in Silks in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins as well as in Scarlet and fine Linnen Look up poor Creature and see what a Priviledg thou hast God himself the King of Glory is willing to be acquainted with thee what sayest thou to this Doth not thy Heart leap within thee for joy when you consider the Infinite Goodness of God that Reveals these things to Babes which are hid from the Wise and Prudent Even so Father for it hath seem'd good in thy Eyes That 's a strong Expression yet he spoke it that cannot Lie Therefore O you Humble Ones that value the Favour of this Friend Hear and Read it and make the Best of it It 's Yours feed upon it It 's a sweet hit indeed Is 66.1 2. Thus saith the Lord Heaven is my Throne and Earth is my foot stool where is the house that ye will build me and where is the place of my rest for all these 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 spirit and trembleth at my word I shall have occasion hereafter a little to open these words under another Head wherefore I shall now but name it O what encouragement is here for the most despicable Creature in the world that may be as happy in the acquaintance with God as the mightiest Lord in the World Here 's one that will not be ashamed to own thee when others will take little notice of thee Thou thinkest these things strange it may be and so they be indeed but yet not more strange then true In doth not a little engage the affections of the meaner rank if a person of quality do but give them a kind look especially if they may have freedom of access to him O what a priviledg they count it but such a one to undertake the whole managing of a poor mans affairs for him to come to his house and to look into his cupboard and to take care of supplying all his wants and coming frequently to him and supping with him and he with him and to make a great provision for him as if he were a Prince where is such a thing as this heard of but if such a thing were it were a light matter in comparison of what I am speaking Where do we ever read of a great Kings sending Embassador after Embassador to a poor beggar What history doth record such a story at this that a great Monarch should make earnest suit for many years together to a worthless slave that he can hang when he will that hath not a rag to her back to make her his Queen this is rare indeed this is beyond president among men but yet it is that which the great God doth not disdain to do Nay let me tell thee whosoever thou art remaining in a state of Nature that readest these lines that at this very time God is doing no less then all this comes to for thee and I in the name of my great Master do come to expostulate the case with thee that God that gave thee thy breath and can take it away as soon as he pleaseth that God that made heaven and earth to whom all the Nations of the earth are but as the drop of a bucket to the vast Ocean who holdeth the Sea in the hollow of his hands that weigheth the mountains in scales and the hils in a ballance that God that hath no less then a heaven to reward with and a hell and everlasting flames to punish with he it is that doth by me beseech thee to be reconciled unto him he it is that would be your Friend your Acquaintance O unheard of mercy O infinite and unparallel'd condescention I have oft thought there are two great astonishing wonders in the world The one is Gods infinite mercy and condescention to rebellious apostatized man and the other is mans insensibility and ingratitude that there needs such a stir and so many words to perswade him to close with this wonder of kindness and that so very few should be prevailed with See this set forth to the life in Ezek. 16. Isa 1.2 3. Psal 11.3 4 5 6 7 8. The Lord is high above all nations and his glory above the heavens Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and the things that are in the earth he raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifted the needy out of the dunghill that he may sit with Princes c. The Psalmist therefore had no small reason to cry out with admiration Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him What is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man that thou makest account of him Psal 144.3 Job 17.17 18. What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thy heart upon him and that thou shouldest visit him every morning and try him every moment Behold his Majesty and yet how he stoops Nahum 1.4 Psal 18. Job 37 38. an 39 Chapters Isa 40. Psal 138.6 Though the Lord be high yet hath be respect unto the lowly but the proud he knows afar off That which Seneca Epist 17. the Moralist speaks of Wisdom may be said of God Epist 61. It is lawful to come to him without rich attire and great attendance come naked and you
make light of all the Tenders of the Gospel Is Peace Pardon Reconciliation and Acquaintance with God still nothing with you Will you for all this take up with a lifeless Religion and never mind a more Spiritual intimate converse with God As the Lord liveth thou speakest that word against the life of thy Soul But if thou wilt go on and despise God who can help it I have told you and told you again what the end of these things will be Well once more I ask thee in the Name of God wilt thou have God for thy Friend or no That is wilt thou love him above all the World Wilt thou accept him for thy Lord and Husband Wilt thou be ruled absolutely by him Wilt thou lay down thy weapons and turn on Gods side and fight under his Banner Wilt thou have Holiness here and Happiness hereafter One would think this is a question that one need not be long a resolving Come come away for the Lords sake for your precious Souls sake as you would be owned at the day of judgment as you would rejoyce when most of the world shall be filled with unspeakable horror and perplexity as you would not hear that heart-rending word from the mouth of the Judge Depart I know you not come away I beseech you Come away O ye my dear Friends the Cloud hangs over the world and ere long it will fall with a vengeance O come out of Sodom linger not for the Lords sake lest the dint of that storm fall upon you Fire fire fire Awake awake awake The fire is kindled What meanest thou O sinner if thou sleepest a little longer in that Bed of security thou art a dead man thou wilt be awakened with horror when thou shalt know thy danger but not know how to avoid it And do you still say Make hast O make hast your Glass is almost out your time almost spent and death is hastning apace upon you I speak it again make haste come away I can't I can't hold my peace How can I endure to see the ruine of thy Soul and say nothing O follow those Directions which I have given thee out of the Scripture Seek the Lord while he may be found and with all possible speed seriousness and gratitude accept of his kindness while you may Methinks some of your hearts seem to be affected methinks your countenances speaks you to have some thoughts of returning some of you look like persons almost resolved to set upon this great work O that it may not be almost but altogether Speak in such Language as this to your own Souls What meanest thou O my Soul thus to stand Disputing Is this a time for thee to stand still as if thou hadst nothing to do Hark how the King of Glory calls Hear how his Messengers invite you Consider how long they have stood waiting for thee And shall they go away without thee O foolish Heart and unwise wilt thou answer all these Gracious Offers with a flat denial Or that which is little better wilt thou put off all Gods Messengers with some sorry excuses Awake O my Soul and look about thee How can'st thou refuse when Mercy calls How canst thou deny when Kindness it self asks intreats beseecheth thee Awake for shame up and put on thy Wedding Garments O that this mind might be in you always O that thou wert up and ready And then happy were the day wherein thou wert born then happy were the day that ever you heard of a Christ of Acquaintance with God and Reconciliation with your Maker O then how glorious shouldest thou be for ever I rejoyce to see the day of thy Marriage a coming when thy Lord and Husband shall bring thee home in the greatest State and in infinite Glory to his own House where thou shalt sit like a Queen for ever and ever Behold his Harbingers are coming Behold how many Messengers the Lord hath sent to prepare his way Awake O Zion and put on thy beautiful Garments Rise up O Royal Bride and put on thy Princely Robes Cloath thee with the Sun and put the Moon under thy feet Go out and meet the King thy Husband Behold O Jacob the Waggons of Joseph are coming Behold O daughter of Zion the Chariots the Chariots of thy King and Husband are a coming They are a coming O why doth not thy Heart leap within thee O why do not thy spirits even faint for gladness Why dost thou not say It is enough I will go out and meet my Lord before I die When will the Sun be up When will the day break When O when will the shadows fly away I will get me up to the Mountains of Myrrhe to the Hills of Frankincense I am travelling for Zion my face is towards Jerusalem who will ascend the Holy Hill with me Who will bear me company to my Husband's House Let us go up to the Lords House come away the Sun is risen the shadows are flying away thousands are gone already Let Barzillai and Chimham old and young too go along with the King of Jerusalem Come from the High-ways and Hedges come with your Wedding Garments come quickly and he will make you welcome The King hath sent to invite us to a Feast a Feast of fat things of Wines on the Lees well refined Come for the Table is spread all things are ready and his Servants stay for us And will God entertain such Creatures as we are And will the Lord open his Doors to such loathsome Beggars Will the Father receive such Prodigals Return then unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord will deal bountifully with thee Who is that which I see coming in the Field Who is this that comes from the Wilderness That comes to meet us Hark! methinks I hear the Trumpet sounding Hark! what 's the matter How do the Mountains eccho How doth the Air ring again What noise is that which I hear What glorious Train is that which I see Whence do they come and whither do they go It is my Master's Son dear Soul thy Lord and Husband with his Royal Attendants Behold he comes He comes apace Leaping upon the Hills Skipping upon the Mountains He is coming he is coming he is even at the door Ere long thou shalt see the Mountains covered with Chariots and Horses of Fire the Earth will tremble and shake the Heavens and the Earth will be all on a Flaming Fire the King of Glory will come riding upon the Wings of the wind accompanied with Millions of his Saints and Angels He is coming he is at the door Go vail thy face alight and meet thy Husband He will bring thee into his Fathers Palace and thou shalt be his Wife and he will love thee for ever And thou shalt remember thy Widdowhood no more Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen Amen FINIS
of God into the soul three mental Acts of the soul do answer First A Rational Discourse by which we find out God by the Creatures Secondly An inward sensation which feels God as just in good and evil The Third mental Act is Faith which for its Foundation hath the Word of God There is a Fourth way of knowing God which is by experiment which is when God manifests himself to his peculiar ones and le ts out the knowledge of himself to their Souls as when the Sun breaks forth with a bright shining in a cloudy day but this belongeth rather to another head Thus you see the first thing imployed in this acquaintance with God which is the lowest Yet how many are there that have little acquaintance with God in these signs May we not come to many who profess they know God and yet among all their thoughts they have had few or none to satisfie themselves concerning him How gross are the apprehensions of some concerning God Some men resist and stifle that Natural knowledge that they have of God such as those Rom. 1.20 they did not like to retain God in their knowledge and God gave them over to a Repeobate mind or a mind void of judgment as the word signifies Others have lived all their days upon the bounty and goodness of God and yet have not been led by the streams to the Fountain from which all hath flow'd Others can busie themselves all their time in other things and little inquire into the word of God by which they may be led to the knowledge of him But woe to those on whom the fury of the Lord shall be poured out because they know not God Jer. 10.23 Secondly Acquaintance with God implyes frequent access unto God We do not usually reckon our selves acquainted with any person by a bare knowledge that such a person there is and that we are able to give some General Description of him but when we say we are acquainted with any it is understood that we have been in such a ones company we have come to him and been with him such is our acquaintance to be with God Under this Head I shall speak First Of that separation that is of the soul from God Secondly Of the return of the soul to God Thirdly Of the abiding of the soul with God First Of the separation and distance of the soul from God That corrupted estate in which every man comes into the world is a state of separation from God This distance is not to be understood as a Physical Natural Distance for so God is near to every one of us by his Omnipresence by his infinite Power sustaining us in our being and actions Acts 17.27 28. Though he be not far from every one of us for in him we live move and have our being But this is to be understood First Of a moral separation from God There is a great strangeness between our souls and God we reckon our selves to have little to do with him and to be very remotely concerned in him we reckon that God takes very little regard of us we look upon God as far from us we think God looks upon us as at a great distance we love not God and think that God loves not us Secondly This separation may be understood of a Judicial Distance at which God hath set sinful man from himself Man is kept out from God as being unfit to approach to him in his sinfulness and impurities and that is either in this life in which condition every one is till he be made nigh by Christ and set before the Father without sin in him till they are born again of the Spirit justified and sanctified by Christ Ephes 2.13 Ye that sometimes were afar off were made near by the blood of Christ Here this Judicial separation is the execution of that terrible sentence Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Thus ye see the Distance at which man is from God which is not Physical but either Moral or Judicial Secondly When we are thus separated from God if we will be acquainted with him there is required a returning to God Acquaintance doth necessarily imply an Union Now where there was a former separation and distance there is required a motion to compliance and a return either in both parties or in one at least so that before ever we can be acquainted with God there must be a forsaking our former distance the separation must be removed Now God hath done what could be conceived and beyond what could be expected towards the reducing of us to an union with himself whereas he might justly gave thrust us away from him for ever and never have given us liberty to come near him more as being so filthy by sin that his Holiness cannot endure us yet he hath freely set open 2 door of hope for our return he did not come thus nigh to Angels when they fell but they were turned away from him and are bound in chains of darkness to the Judgment of the great day it is impossible for them to return any more And so it would have been for us had not God made it possible by an Act of Free Love and he hath likewise revealed his willingness to receive us if we return yea his earnest desire Turn ye way will ye die Yea his rejoycing in our return as a Father rejoyceth to receive a prodigal Son that hath departed from him But that God should go further to close with us while we retain our impurities and remain at a distance from him it is impossible because of the unchangeableness and simplicity of his Nature and because of the purity and exactness of his Holiness it must therefore necessarily follow that a yielding and return must be on our parts or else there is no possibility of compliance between God and us after that we have forsaken him by sin And this is most righteous and equal for man did forsake God God did not forsake man man made the difference man ran away from God God follows man as far as his Holiness and Unchangable naturn will permit him he calls to us to return he is ready to meet and imbrace us in the arms of his Love and to receive us into acquaintance with himself as the Father in the Parable met his prodigal Son Luke 15.20 He saw him afar off had compassion on him ran and fell upon his neck and kissed him Herein have we shadowed out to us the great readiness of God to receive returning sinful man but as the Prodigal Son must return to his Father so man must return to God Now it is sin that separates between us and God and keeps good things from us Isa 59.2 Your iniquity hath separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you Therefore while we cleave to our sins we are separated from God till we
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
God be not so much taken notice of yet it is the very daring sin of the World It is indeed to be wondered at that ever creatures did cast out the first thoughts of such an attempt Now consider how far mans Pride is from his true Excellency in his Union with God We are therefore to distinguish between that high esteem that man is to have of himself and pride For man to look upon himself as a noble being and of rank above all the natural world it is not Pride for thus he is being a Spiritual understanding Agent in a capacity of being acquainted with God of being united to God and as I may say of exchanging himself with God Secondly Another mistake of most men is concerning their Dignity and Excellency and in the rule and measure of their Excellency Most measure their Dignity by the advantage which they have over others in this world As some in their Power and Authority some in their Friends and Relations some in their Riches and Estates some in their Wisdom and Faculties some in their Strength and power And what more universal evil is there then this for every one in to something or other to lift himself up in his own esteem and in his thoughts to tread upon others as something inferiour to himself But men lie blinded in their own delusions not considering what is the true Excellency of man nor know the right rule by which mans worth is to be judged of The way for us to judge rightly concerning our selves is to see how we stand towards God God is the perfection of excellency and the nigher we are to God the greater is our excellency This is the greatness of a Nation to be nigh to God Deut. 4.7 What nation is there so great which hath God so nigh unto them And Amos 8.7 God is called the Excellency of Jacob. God sweareth not by any thing below himself therefore God is here meant Isa 60.19 God is called the Glory of his people The Lord shall be to thee an everlasting light thy God thy Glory Now God is the glory of those that are acquainted with him First By vertue of the Relation wherein God stands towards them An intimate Relation to those that are persons of Dignity Worth doth communicate Worth and Dignity to those who are so related to them As the son of a mean man is not so highly valued and esteemed as the son of a prince David reckoned it to be a great thing to be Son-in-law to a King 1 Sam. 18.18 Who am I and what is my life or my fathers family in Israel that I should be son in-law to the king Thus are we to reckon it our Dignity and Excellency to be in nigh relation to God to be sons of God to be heirs of God and to be the friends of God what greater honor then this to be in such a nigh relation to the God of Glory Now the Excellency that we have from this Relation ariseth from the excellency of that Act which is the Foundation of this Relation and that is our being born of God as we are Sons Joh. 1.12 13. God marrying us to himself as he is our husband Jer. 3. Turn O back sliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you God takes us into fellowship communion and acquaintance with himself as he makes us his friends and his acqaintance This act of God doth instamp a Worth and Excellency upon man as the impression of the Kings Seal upon Wax and makes it of value Rev. 22.4 It is here spoken as the glory of the servants of God Those that follow the Lamb they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads that is God hath chosen and as it were marked them out for his own and this marking them and owing them it sets a high Dignity upon them such as secures them from the Curse that is to be upon all besides as Revel 9.4 They are commanded to hurt none but those who have not the seal of God on their foreheads This Relation of the soul to God gives the soul an excellency as it doth interest the soul in the glory and excellency of God himself they are Gods and Gods is theirs 2 Cor. 6.16 I will dwell in them and walk with them and I will be their God and they shall be my people vers 17. He argues from the dignity of this relation that they should count themselves too good to convers with the world Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separated saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and be a father to you you shall be my sons daughters saith the Lord. Thus you see the dignity that is upon the soul by its acquaintance with God Our relation to God in our acquaintance with him doth ennoble us lift us above the world make us that we are too good for the company of those that are not acquainted with God It is then no pride in us thus to esteem of our selvs to have high thoughts of our selves because of that acquaintance which our souls are to have with God It is pride for to think too highly of our selves but it is sobriety to think of our selves according to that acquaintance which we have with God Rom. 12.3 I say through the grace of God given to me to every one that is among you not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith Here the Apostle commands them to measure the esteem which they have of themselves by the measure of faith which they have from God because by faith they come to be valued excellent in the eye of God So likewise we are to measure our esteem which we have of our selves by the measure of our acquaintance which we have with God because by acquaintance vvith him vve come to be truly excellent And vvhile vve do thus vve shall not think more highly of our selves then vve ought to think for while we account our selves excellent because of our acqaintance with God we in lifting up our selves magnifie God and while we thus glory we glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1.31 But now herein we are to beware of two things First That we distinguish carefully between our capacity of being acquainted with God and our being actually acquainted with him for our capacity or being so as that we may be acquainted with God is of no worth unless we be actually acquainted with him We are in a remote capacity naturally as men and we are in a more nigh capacity by the mercy and covenant of God but this adds no true worth to the soul without the actual acquaintance of the soul with God Yea man is the worse for this if he be without the other for if man being made fit for enjoyment of God and communion
case hadst thou been in had God but done by thee as thou hast by him Acquaintance with God! methinks sinful man should stand and wonder at such a word methinks he should be even surprized with an extasie of admiration and say and will God indeed be acquainted with such a Worm such a dead Dog such a Rebel as I Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou shouldest make such an offer to him One would think thou shouldest no more dispute the matter then Esther did when that great Monarch made her his Queen Were it but in sensible things that nothing near such an offer were made which is impossible man would think the very questioning in such a case a strange folly One would think that every one of Gods enemies that have been in open Rebellion against him and are utterly unable to make their part good against him when they hear of such tearms of mercy from their Prince who hath all their lives in their hand should rejoyce at this news and say How beautiful are the feet of them which bring such tidings How did Benhadad look when instead of a Halter he had a Coach When instead of Rebel he heard Brother Whatever we may think of these things David thought it high time for him to bid such a Messenger welcome and to open his heart for the receiving his God Hear what he saith to his own heart and others Psal 24. Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors that tht king of glory may come in And because the door of mens hearts is lock'd and barr'd and bolted and men are in a deep sleep will not hear the knocking that is at the gate though it be loud though it be a King therefore David knocks again Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors Why what haste saith the sinner What haste Why here 's the King at your Gates and that not an ordinary King neither he is a glorious King that will honour you so far if you open quickly as to lodge within to take up his abode in your house to dwell with you but the soul for all this doth not yet open but stands still questioning as if it were an enemy rather then a friend that stood there and ask who is this King of glory Who he answers again It is the Lord of hosts he that if you will not open quickly and thankfully can easily pull your house down about your ears He is the Lord of Hosts that King who hath a mighty Army always at his command who stand ready for their Commission and then you should soon know who it is you might have had for your friend Lift up therefore your heads O ye gates open quickly ye that had rather have God for your friend then for your enemy O why should not the soul of every sinner cry out Lord the Door is locked and thou hast the key I have been trying what I can do but the Wards are so rusty that I cannot possibly turn the Key but Lord throw the Door off the Hinges any thing in the world so thou wilt but come in and dwell here Come O mighty God break through Doors of Iron and Bars of Brass and make way for thy self by thy love and power Come Lord and make thy self welcome all that I have is at thy service O fit my soul to entertain thee But where is the sinner that is in this note How seldom do poor Creatures desire Gods company or bewail his absence Where almost are the men and women to be found that do in good earnest long to be acquainted with God Men are naturally strangers to God and it is a wonderful difficult thing to perswade men to enter into so much as a serious deliberate consideration of these things Though it be so infinitly for their interest though the God that made them out of pity to their souls desires it though he send his Embassadors in his name to beseech them to be reconciled unto God against whom they have been in open arms though in infinite mercy he perswade them to lay down their weapons and promise them Free and General Pardon and to receive them into Favour and to forget and forgive yet where is the sinner almost to be found that with any thankfulness doth close with these tenders Now it being a business of such infinite concernment and it being the very work and business of a Minister of Christ to bring God and man into union to get man acquainted with God I shall in the next place labour to inforce this Exhortation upon the hearts of sinners and do what I can possible to prevail with them that are as yet strangers to get acquainted with God that they may have peace and that thereby good might come unto them EXHORTATION Once more poor sinners That God which can in a moment stop thy breath and send thee into Hell doth offer to be friends with thee If thou wilt come upon his invitation well and good thou art a happy man for ever if not thou wilt rue the day that ever thou wert born yet through mercy the matter is not gone so far but that thou mayest if you will now at last in good earnest humble thy self to him be received into favour Behold a Pardon Mercy and Grace stand astonished O ye Heavens at this infinite condescention wonder O ye Angels and pry into this kindness Was there ever such condescention love and goodness heard of If thou didst but understand O stupid sinner what an offer is made to thee thou couldest not but adore that goodness that can pardon and forget such offences and receive such a Creature into favour thou wouldest also cry out with as great admiration as he did what manner of love you would think it a mercy not to be paralell'd a kindness never to be forgotten a proposal by no means to be refused Now that I may if possible prevail with some that are yet afar off to come near I shall enforce this Exhortation with many powerful Motives the least of which were men but well in their wits as to Spiritual matters were the world not to a wonder fools in the great affairs of their souls and eternity might easily prevail O that I might prevail O that some might be perswaded O that God would put life and power into these words that they might prove effectual to the intended ends O that some poor rebellious sinners might be made to close with the most advantagious offers that ever were or could be made to Creatures in our condition MOTIVES The first Head of Motives that I shall insist upon to inforce this Exhortation shall be taken from the nature of the Person that I would have you acquainted with Consider well what kind of friend you are like to have of him and if after you have well weighed what I
whose walls are Jasper and the City is all of pure Gold like unto clear glass and the foundation of the walls of that City are garnished with all manner of precious stones Rev. 21 c. And what think you now where is the Prince upon earth that ever was master of such an estate what are his attendants the the meanest of those that stand in his presence is no less then a King the least of his servants is more rich and glorious then the mightiest Potentate that ever trod upon earthly mold that was a stranger to God This God doth not grudge to give that which is more worth then a thousand Kingdoms to his Darlings I might tell also at what a rate they live who are fed always at his Table and what dainty dishes they feed upon I might speak of their Cloathing and Robes all which speak the riches of that Lord which maintains his servants so highly But what am I doing Can I Grasp the heavens in my arms or take up the Sea in the hollow of my hands Can I measure the heaven of heavens or weigh the mountains in scales or the hills in a ballance Could I do all and a thousand times more yea could not give you an account of the Estate of him who would be your Friend your husband at the best I can but give you a superficial gross relation of it and when I have said all that I can speak of and all the men in the world with all their tongues have spoke what they can too nay let Angels with their heavenly Rhetorick do what they can to set out the glory of his Kingdom I say when all this is done you must remember all falls short of what it is and that since the beginning of the world men have not heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what a God is worth what a friend you may have of him if you will but speedily be acquainted with him His Kingdom hath no bounds and his Dominions reach futher then both the Indies The small love-tokens that he sends now and then to his Beloved into a far country are of infinitely more value then all the Lockets of Diamonds and richest Pearls and Jewels in the world Pro. 8. Behold how merrily Rebeccah looks upon a sorry Jewel or two presented by Eliezer from his Master how soon is her heart conquered and why should we not be more taken with things of far greater worth What is all this as much as nothing with you Methinks your hearts should be all in a fire methinks you should quickly say O that I could but see him who will bring me acquainted with him he shall have my heart my dearest love Methinks should I ask you the same question that they did Rebeccah Wilt thou go a long with me to such a friend you should readily without any further dispute say yea with all my heart and think long to be up and going Why then do you talk of a year a mouth longer O what ail poor Creatures to make us stand waiting so long for an answer Do you ever expect a better offer Do you look to advance your selves somewhere else Can you hope for a better a richer match Go thee and search out among all thy Lovers which make suit to thee which of them can feed thee with such costly viands which of them can cloath you in such Royall Apparel which of then can make you such a Joynture Consider wisely and speedily that I may turn to the right hand or the left What saith thou canst thou amongst them all better thy self Is there any one like him Is there any of the Sons of the mighty comparable to him Are any of the Kings or great ones of the Earth able to make you such an offer or should they can any of them make it good What have you yet resolved upon the point or not What it is you stand for I pray do you question the truth of what I speak Do you make account I speak of the highest and make the best of things Why then let me tell you further I have not I cannot tell you the half of what you will find to be true if you would come to be throughly resolved or of what you will believe hereafter to your sorrow if you still refuse him And I must further add to what I said before that whatever riches God possesses he will joynture you in as soon as you shall in good earnest be willing to accept him for your Friend all that I can speak of and more too you may call your own Ask and it shall be given without prescribing how much more then you can ask or think shall be given you Your Lord and husband is not so niggardly as Ahashuerus who said What is thy request and what is thy petition Queen Esther and it shall be given thee to the half of my Kingdom But God saith what is thy request and what is thy petition poor Soul and it shall be granted to the whole of my Kingdom what is it thou wantest what attendants dost thou lack to wait upon thee to my Court are they Prophets Apostles Ministers Angels they shall be given 1 Cor 3.21 Do but try him he bids you ask and you shall have Let me give you this one memento Ask like one that hath to do with a rick King who hates to do any thing below himself remember it is he that delights to give like a God widen therefore thy desires as large as Heaven be bold and speak a great word and I warrant thee thou shalt not be denied tell God that seeing in his infinite goodness and condescention he hath been pleased to give thee leave to ask without restraint thou dost humbly request his Son for thy Lord and Husband himself for thy Father God and Friend his Kingdom for thy Dowry the Righteousness of his Son for thy Ornament Cloathing and Beauty the comforts of his Spirit and abundance of his grace to bear thy charges handsomly till thou comest to his house This is high indeed but thy great and noble Lord loves dearly to hear such covetous Petitioners who will be put off with nothing but such great things When do any of these go sad from his Court When do any of the seed of Jacob seek his face in vain This this is the generation of thriving ones who seek for life immortality and glory who seek thy face O God of Jacob. And now what do you say will you believe all this Dare you take my word I am perswaded none of you all think I dare tell you a lye and do you any wrong but for all that I do not desire you should take my word nor the word of any man living in a thing that concerns Eternity but take his word who cannot lye Psal 8.18 Riches and honour are with me yea durable riches and righteousness vers 19. My fruits is better then gold
it How do many undervalue their lives and make nothing to hazard their blood for a little of that men call Honour some prize it above riches and wealth and care not almost at what rate they purchase it and yet in the meanwhile they are furthest from that which they so grâ—â—dily desire and they run away from that which they seem to pursue Poor ignorant man is fearfully mistaken he calls that his honour which degrades him and takes that for his glory which is his shame How is he pleased with that which when he hath he neither sees nor feels aâ—d scarce knows what it is Epict. What is it O man that thou loosest thy sleep for what is it that thou art at so much charge to buy that rather then you will want it Estate Blood Life and Soul and all must go for it Knight Lord Earl c. Worshipful Right-worshipful Honourable Excellent Gracious are big words and make a great noise but is this the true honour will these words without the thing do a man so much good a man I said and so doth God say too and death will make the biggest of them all know as much ere it be long for all those big words what if his breath stinks that speaks these words and his that hears them be not much sweeter Antoninus Is it such an honour to have a company of fools to call him wise that it may be is like themselves is it worth a Soul to have it said when I am in hell there lived a brave Gentleman that kept a Noble house and brave Table his Cellar was always open one might come when one would and drink as long as one could stand and never hear why do you so and be always welcome that is in plain English where a man might be incouraged to damn his Soul There lived a Noble gallant Person who bid defiance to the Almighty that had courage enough to go to hell merrily and had a desire to carry as many along with him as might be damning swearing cursing was their Language eating drinking sleeping whoring and persecuting the people of God their business And are these your honourable Persons Nay Go higher to bustle up and down in Cloth of Gold with a vast retinue to have men on this side and that side bowing and cringing and is this such a business Is it worth the while to keep such a stir about that which a wise man may want and a fool have Anton. Will those Names that Grandeur and state those high Titles render you more acceptable to God will they procure you a freer access into the presence of that great King will those great words scare death will he say when he comes to your house this is a person of quality I must not be so bold as to come near him will your honour procure you a protection from the arrests of this Serjeant Where is the Honourable Personage the Gentleman Knight Lord King or Monarch that hath lived a thousand years Lucian Are the worms affraid to gnaw thy heart Will thy flesh never putrisie Will your Servants or your Master either honour you in Hell And is this all that you keep so much a stir for that can do you no good in the grave or in another world Can that be better worth then Heaven then God O that we might but know what it is that great thing is which is preferred before Christ and everlasting glory Again I ask what is it that the Grandees of the world do so much idolize Is it to be called Wise Great and Noble But what if the wise God call such a one a fool Epict. What if he know neither himself nor his God nor his interest Hath he much greater reason to boast then a feather that some body will say it is heavy or dung that the Swine saith it is sweet Juven What profit is it for a man to be made great for betraying his Country and flattering a Tyrant who yesterday was the son of a Stage-Player and to morrow shall be shorter by the head What good will it do a beggar that is ready to be starved to be told that he is a Prince a brave fellow worth some thousands by the year But would yon know which is the ready way to true honour I tell you it consists not in the favor of them that must die like themselves and before that few years be over must stand but upon even ground with the meanest it consists not in the sorry acclamations of them which measure a mans worth by his estate and their dependance upon him it consists not in the praise of them whose commendations some wise men have counted a discredit But he hath shewed thee O man what is truly honourable to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Micah 6.8 To bare relation to God as a Father and to carry themselves as his Children to be a Servant and Friend of God this this is honourable truly honourable this is the heighth the top of the Creatures preferment To converse with and delight in his Maker To love admire and rejoyce in God and to love God to take complacency in the soul this is something indeed this is honour a wise man would not grutch to venture his Estate his Blood his All for this And how few of the Gallants of the world understand the nature of this honour How do most of them account that which is the only true badge of Nobility a term of disgrace and that which speaks a person highly honourable and to have brave blood running in his veins to be low sorbid and much beneath them as if it were below a Creature to serve his Maker and a pitiful preferment to be advanced to glory O that men of parts and learning that persons of Quality should be so mistaken O what 's become of their Reason Is it an honour a preferment for a man to become a brute We are ready to pity mad men and to laugh at fools but whether there be not more reason to bemoan the condition of most of the honourable persons in the world I leave Christ and Christians to judge Well then will you be informed after all this by him who hath all preferments and honours in his gift I mean the great King and he will tell you that Glory and honour are in his presence 1 Chron. 16.27 Mans onely honour and true dignity lies in his nearness and acquaintance with God A practical knowledge of his Maker is the Creatures groatest preferment David was of the mind that it was none of the lowest honours to be Gods servant Psal 84. It is upon the account of Israels near Relation to God that Moses reckons them the happiest the most honourable people in the world Because God had avouched them to be his peculiar people therefore they might well be said to be high above all the Nations which God had made in praise in name and
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
his Son a Kingdom a Crown behold the Father meets he makes hast to meet his returning prodigal behold the King hath sent to invite thee to the feast nay he will give thee his only Son in marriage the wedding garment is made ready the Bridegroom is coming the wheels of his Chariot run-apace the friends of the Bridegroom are come to bid you make ready up deck your self put on your glorious Apparel make hast make hast ye Virgins your companions are ready all stay for you the Bridegroom is at the door Behold he is at the door and will you still let him knock What! Father Husband a Kingdom What words are these Wilt thou O mighty Jehovah be my Father Wilt thou O blessed Jesus be my Husband shall I have a Kingdom What me a Child a Spouse for the King of glory an Heir of glory Grace Grace Amen Hallelujah Be it to thy servants according to thy word but who are we and what is our fathers house that thou hast brought us hitherto and now O Lord God what shall thy servants say unto thee for we are silenced with wonder and must sit down with astonishment for we cannot utter the least tittle of thy praises What meaneth the highth of this strange love O that the God of heaven and earth should condescend to enter into Covenant with his dust and to take into his bosom the viperous brood that have often spit their venome in his face We are not worthy to be as the hand-maids to wash the feet of the servants of our Lord How much less to be thy Sons and Heirs and to be made partakers of all those blessed Liberties and Priviledges which thou hast setled upon us but for thy goodness sake and according to thy own heart hast thou done all these great things Even so Father because so it seemed good in thy fight Wherefore thou art great O God for there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee what nation on earth is like thy people whom God went to redeem for a people to himself to make him a name to do for them great things and terrible for thou hast confirmed them to thy self to be a people unto thee for ever and thou Lord art become their God Wonder O Heavens and be moved O Earth at this great thing For behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God Be astonished and ravished with wonder for the infinite breach is made up the offender is received and God and man are reconciled and a Covenant of peace entred and Heaven and Earth are agreed upon the tearms and have struck their hands and sealed the Indentures O happy conclusion O blessed conjunction Shall the Stars dwell with the dust Or the wide distant Poles be brought to mutual embraces and cohabitation But here the distance of the tearms is infinitely greater Rejoyce O Angels shout O Seraphims O all the friends of the Bridegroom and Bride prepare an Epithalamium be ready with the marriage Song Lo here is the wonder of wonders for Jehovah hath betrothed himself for ever to his hopeless Captives and owns the marriage before all the world and is become one with us we with him he hath bequeathed to us the precious things of the earth beneath with the fulness thereof and hath kept back nothing from us And now O Lord thou art that God and thy words be true and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servants and hast left us nothing to ask at thy hands but what thou hast already freely granted Only the word which thou hast spoken concerning thy servants establish it for ever and do as thou hast said and let thy Name be magnified for ever saying The Lord of Host he is the God of Israel Amen Hallelujah And how do you like this musick O ye the lost Sons and Daughters of Adam how do you relish these Dainties what do you think of this march Some you see have been so wise as with the greatest gratitude they can for their souls to close with those happy offers of grace You hear how bravely such and such have bestowed themselves and now they are made for ever And what do you say to the same proposals have they so much reason to bless the day that ever such a motion was made have they cause to rejoyce for ever for those blessed overtures or are they all to be slighted by you will Christ be worse to you then them is Heaven and happiness less necessary for you then them will the loss of a Soul be more inconsiderable to you then it would have been to them Will not Heaven Christ an Glory be as well worth your acceptance as theirs What are you willing to be shut out when the Bridegroom comes to fetch his Spouse home Can you bare it to see such as you thought your inferiours advanced and your self despised What shall I say what words shall I use what shall I do to prevail O that I could pity you a thousand times more than I do O that my eyes might weep in secret for thy folly O that you also might do as some have done before you though indeed they be but few that be so wise O that you would also bestow your heart upon Christ give him your heart-love or he will have your heart-bloody Do not make your self miserable to please any living do not slight Christ because must do so go not with them to Hell for company But that if it be possible I might perswade you I shall add some more motives to prevail with you to get acquainted with God which I am certain will either work that blessed effect or rise up against you to the aggravation of your confusion in that great and terrible day II. HEAD OF MOTIVES The next Head of Motives which I shall insist upon for the inforcing of this Duty of acquainting your selves with God I shall take from the glorious effect of this acquaintance with God 1. The first effect of this acquaintance with God is it makes the soul humble and consequently fits the soul for greater communications from God still and to do God the greater service but of that particular afterwards Acquaintance with God it makes the Soul humble When God comes into the Soul he brings such a glorious light along with him that he makes the Soul to see not only his beauty but it s own deformity Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy word giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple Before the Soul was acquainted with the word of God and by that had some discoveries of God made to it out of the Word why it was in the dark and saw nothing at all of its own vileness it took no notice of that Sink that Hell that was within it consider not its own Treason against the Lord of Heaven
still is carrying on is the honour of God He will undertake nothing of importance before he consult with and hath the advice and direction of his Friend Whatsoever he hath that is worth any thing he sends it to this Friend he presents him with his first fruits he sacrificeth his male the best of his flock desires that his Friend may be always at his house and that he may have the best entertainment that he can possibly give and he is ashamed at the best that he can make him no more welcome whom he so highly honours he is grieved that his entertainment is no better he would fain give God his first and last thoughts his warmest affections he would gladly have the strength and vigour of body and soul spent in his service he studies how to improve all mercies and enjoyments for God to take hold of all opportunities that he can possibly and to make the best of them for the promoting that grand Design which he hath on foot his Honour He thinks not wife and children houses and lands body soul and all that he can make in the world too good for him Whatever temptations he conquers whatsoever sin he slayes whatsover piece of gallantry or prowess he hath done in his inrods upon Satans Kingdom he gives the honour of all to the valour conduct and assistance of this his noble Ally and Friend He sets the Crown of the King of Ammon like Joab upon the head of this King David He hath such a high esteem for God that he thinks nothing well done but when it is done exactly as he would have it he thinks every thing then best when it is done according to Gods will and he counts it no small weakness to be unwilling that infinite Wisdom rather then folly should have the managing of all the affairs of the world He desires to maintain a quick and lively sense of the Divine Majesty upon his Soul and that he may here and hereafter give him as he hath infinite cause all honour glory and praise 6. Another effect of this Acquaintance with God is this It would put abundance of life and vigour into the soul it would as it were oyl the wheels and set them a running There are none in the world that act at so high a rate as those do which are most acquainted with God O how undefatigable are they in their pains with what earnestness and faith do they pray as if they saw the glorious God before them and were talking with him with what reverence seriousness and delight do they read meditate and hear the Word and do all that they do They know in some measure what it is to present their bodies and souls as a living sacrifice to God through Christ they understand what it means to be fervent in spirit serving the Lord they will not serve God with that which cost them nothing kneeling down and saying a few formal words before God in the evening repeating the Lords Prayer and the Creed and the Ten Commandments between sleeping and waking doing no body any wrong and the like is not enough to serve his turn his conscience will not be thus put off but he labours with all his might to stir up his soul to lay hold upon God he is not content to go off from his knees without his Fathers blessing This is the Friend and Acquaintance of God this is the brave Israelite that spiritual Prince that will not let God go till he hath prevailed with him He doth not go to his work as if he caved not whether he work'd or no he is not sick of the service of God but he rejoyceth and works righteousness his work is his pleasure and he goes on merrily with his business Those that are intimately acquainted with God are not so cold faint and dull in the service of God as others be Such a one as knows God very well and hath been oft made welcome by him why he comes with a great deal of confidence and knocks at Gods door and for his part he will not go away though the door be not presently opened but he continues knocking because he is sure that his Friend is within he knows that he is never from home and that he can never come unseasonably to him He comes to Prayer as if he were going to storm Heaven he gets spiritual things by violence he comes to Duty as to fight for a Crown he is ashamed to offer the lame and the blind to God but he chooseth for the best in his flock he desires to improve his interest in God to the height this favourite of Heaven comes frequently to the King to beg some great thing or other and he is sure that his Friend will deny him nothing that it is not a greater kindness to deny then give he knows that his King hath a large purse and as large a heart and he is not willing to lose such excellent things that are to be had for the asking for he is not ignorant that Spiritual things are worth the seeking for and therefore he will seek and seek earnestly he hath tried more then once and he remembers to his joy that wonderful things are to be had if we will but take pains for them and prefer our Petitions or rather get them preferr'd by that great Master of Request the Lord Jesus Christ and follow our business close that it can't possibly miscarry let it be what it will the comfort in enjoying will abundantly pay all the charges we can be at in seeking therefore he layes about him as one that is in good earnest the confidence that he hath in the good will of God it puts life into all his petitions A poor Creature that very rarely injoys any communion with God that is very little or not at all acquainted with him is ready to take up with a few formal complemental performances he is weary of his work before he hath well begun it he is quickly out of breath but now one that is very well acquainted with God is not so soon weary of his company it may be he may be somewhat cold when he sets out but by that time he hath gon a few turns with his Friend his blood grows warm he is sometimes so taken up with God in duty that he can scare tell when to have don O he thinks it 's good being there O it was a sweet season These are the actings and experiences some Noble Soule I have heard some Christians say that had not God made it their duty to follow their callings they could be glad with all their hearts to do nothing else day nor night but hear the mysteries of Gods love in Christ opened Read Pray Meditate and be immediately engaged in the service of God Sure something is the matter with these persons more then ordinary that their Palate should be so Spiritualised as that it is their Food their Wine their Dainties to be actually
happiness Can you willingly see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and a great many from all the quarters of the world to sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven and your selves cast out how do you like to have those which you scorned to look upon to be set at the Table at the Feast and your self shut out wich the Dogs would you not be glad to have a word of comfort spoke to you when your soul is just a taking its leave of your body would you not be glad then to be be conveyed by the blessed Angels into the presence of God and to be crowned with an immortal and glorious Crown would it do you any harm to be perfect in holiness and happiness when you die would you not be glad to be saved when others shall be damned In a word do you not desire to be rejoycing and praising of God in endless pleasures when others shall be weeping cursing of God in endless torments why then do not you live the lives of the righteous if you would die their deaths and have your latter end like theirs if you would be glorious and happy for ever why do you not endeavour to be holy and spiritual in time if you would have God your Friend in another world what do you mean that you labour no more to be acquainted with him in this world Quest 9. How would you take it at any mans hands to be served as you serve God Suppose you should take up a poor Child that came to your door to beg that had scarce a rag to cover his nakedness nor a morsel of bread to put into his mouth and no where to hide his head Suppose you should strip this poor begger of his rags and cloath him in very good apparel and take him into your own house and take as much care of him as if he were your own child suppose after this you should bid him do you some small piece of service and he in stead of it should say Comand your man and do your work your self and in stead of answering your kindness should offer you the greatest abuse in the world and afterwards conspire with a company of Rogues to rob murther you how would you like this should you think that such a fellow as this did not deserve a halter rather then your favour But now if after this you should send after this ungrateful wretch and tell him that you are willing to forget all that is past and to receive him into the greatest favour and never to cast his former wickedness in his teeth how would you take it at his hands if he should stand I know not how long disputing whether he should accept of your kindness or no whether he should choose the Gaol and Gallows or your House but if after all this you should send messenger after messenger and offer to give him all that you have in the World and to bestow your only Daughter upon him and to settle presently a great Estate upon him with her how would you take it if this vile ungrateful beggar should put you off a great while together with some poor excuse or other how would you like it if he should make light of all your offers and tell you he thanks you for nothing and should undervalue your kindness Would you not soon resolve not to trouble your self any longer with such an unthankful monster would you not let him take his course and not much pity him if he afterwards see the difference serence between a Fathers house and a Gaol between Liberty and a Prison between Riches Glory and Pleasure and Poverty Dishonour and Sorrows would you not bid him never expect kindness more at your hands but seeing he would not be ruled to take what follows What do you say would you not do thus I am perswaded you would But should I unriddle this Parable who do you think would be condemned your own mouth would accuse you and you would be your own Judg. Thou art that man that hast dealt thus disingeniously with God thou art that beggar to whom the Lord hath shewed much kindness and offered more he hath sent messenger after messenger and at last he hath sent his Son to invite thee to his own house and he offers to make you as happy as Heaven Glory and happiness it self can make you and you stand still demurring and add one delay to another and are far from that grateful and seedy compliance which the nature of the thing doth require and in stead of coming at Gods call and a thankful owning of his marvellous kindness how basely dost thou prefer thy company thy lust before him and offer the most intollerable affronts to his Majesty and make nothing of his unparal'd goodness and continuest in open rebellion against him What then hast thou to say for thy self why God should not with a just abhorrency cast thee off for ever But now that God should still offer thee as high as ever in stead of doing as I have said and as you your self would have done in case of a less contempt still follow you with such a gracious proposal as this is that I now make unto you is it not a miracle of mercy a prodigy of kindness Quest 10. And now what will you do Will you still for all this go on in your contempt of God Will you still refuse to know him and never mind acquaintance with him Will you still be indifferent whether you have God for your Friend or your enemy Now you have been tendred such a match will you make another choice will you bestow your heart somewhere else And when you have don that dare you stand to your choice and say that you have don very wisely in refusing God and in imbracing this present world Will you maintain it at the day of judgement that you have don well to refuse acquaintance with himself and to run the hazard of his displeasure But you will not you say trouble your head with such melancholly fancies as these are they are enough to put a man besides his wits you hope to do as well as others and so long you care not Well then it seems you are resolved though let me tell you if you are contented to fare as most shall fare at last you must be contented to be damned for the Scripture is exceeding clear in this that the number of those that go to Heaven is a very small number and if you will not take my word for it for indeed I would not that you should take my word nor any mans breathing without warrant from Gods word in things of so high a nature look into the Scripture and at your leisure ponder a while upon these following Texts Luke 13.23 24. Then said one unto him Lord are there few that shall be saved And he said unto them Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in
Keeper inquire further and you shall be informed if their experience be not too big for to be clothed in words How oft have some of Christ favourites after they have Dined with their Lord been led forth into the Garden to walk and oh the delightful shades that they have sat under At another time Christ not Satan hath carried them as it were in his Arms and Bosome and set them upon the Pinacle of the Temple not to make them giddy and hazard their fall but to let them understand how much he hath preferred them before others and as long as they are upon that great Corner-Stone no Storms can shake in Christs Arms no fear of falling At another time the Soul hath been carried into the Mount of God and there it hath seen Christ Transfigured and beheld so much Brightness Glory and Majesty in him that hath reflected a Glory upon it self and even Transfigured the Soul that its scarce like it self and there it could say its good being here and then Christ hath bid the Soul lift up its Eyes and look up to the Heavens look round from one side to the other and look beyond the visible Heavens by Faith to the Seat of the Blessed well all this is thine to thee will I give it I purchased it I have paid for it and 't is thine and live like one that is worth more than a world live up to your Estate expect that shortly I should set you in the Possession of all And as for the World look down upon that if it be worth thy accepting so much of it as is good for thee thou shalt have also O did weak Christians but know what strength joy and comfort this Ordinance doth afford I believe they would not be so hardly perswaded to come when they are invited Did they but understand how sweet how wholsome how dainty the Dishes are which Wisdom prepares could they but conceive what satisfaction and fulness there is for the empty what joy and sollace for the Mourning and Disconsolate what strength and quickning for the Weak I am ready to think that they would scarce be so long absent from the Lords Table but think not that every one that sits down is made so welcome nor that Christ gives his dainties to strangers or enemies many may come and receive and yet only feed upon a piece of Bread and Drink two or three spoonfuls of Wine and and really if this were all the Provision that a Saint were to have it were scarce worth so solemn an Invitation It 's possible to come thither to eat and drink your own Damnation and instead of an affectionate Treatment to be dismissed with a Friend how comest thou hither not having on the Wedding Garment Yet the sensible Hungry burthened Souls notwithstanding all their fears may come nay they must and its little less than giving ascent to Sathans callumnies which he raiseth against Christ and his wayes to forbear it s too ungrateful a Contempt of one of the excellent Cordials which the great Physician hath provided for the recovering and strengthning of his poor swooning Patients and in a word it s too like a foolish being fond of our Sin and Sorrow when we refuse the comfor-fortable Appointment which the Goodness and and Wisdom of a Father the Love and Tenderness of a Husband and the Sweetness of the Holy Spirit doth so freely offer perswade command the Spirit saith come and the Bridegroom saith come and why should not he that is a thirst come thankfully humbly speedily Well now poor weary Soul what hast thou to say against the excellency of rest Poor sick Soul what Fault canst thou find with Ease Health and Strength Poor guilty Soul that looks upon thy self as next to condemned What harm would a Pardon and the publique sealing of it do thee Who would think that man hungry that had rather eat Ashes than Bread who would judge that person thirsty that had rather drink Gall Tears and Wormwood than the clear refreshing Streams that come from that Rock the Lord Christ Will you never believe that Christ invites you look into the Note that he hath sent out his servants wish whose Name do I read there Who are the persons that are invited of what Rank and Quality Are they the Great ones of the World Are they the Learned Are they the Proud and Self-conceited Pharises Why I find none of these in the Writing Who are they then that may come with Confidence to draw water out of these Wells of Consolation The Poor in Spirit the Hungry the Sick the Wounded the Lost these are Pools of Bethesdah where the Angel of the Covenant doth oft descend and move the Waters and where is it fitter for the Impotent to lye than there where they can not miss of a Doctor a visit or Cure What do you think of this poor Heart are they but flourishes do I speak or doth Christ and if he say it who can dissanul it will he can he be worse than his word I know he is usually better but never short of his Promise will you Credit the Experiences of Christians have they not seen have they not known have they not felt yea have not all your Spiritual sences been exercised and refreshed at that time when the King hath been at his Table One is ready to say if ever I could have left the World at a minnutes warning and have stept immediately into Eternity it was then when mine eyes beheld the King in his beauty when he held out his Golden Scepter unto me and took me into his Imbraces Yea when the Ministers of Christ presented me with the Jewels and Bracelets and ask't me whither I would go with them to Christ my Soul made a speedy and thankful reply my Heart and Love is his and his will I be for ever O that I were once safe in his Armes O that I might live with him and never part O when shall it be Come Lord Jesus come quickly I remember I have heard it reported of that Reverend and Holy man of God Master Allen who lived at as high a rate as most on this side Perfection and Glory that he was before he died in a very rare seraphique raptures of Joy and Love so that he could not chuse but burst out into unusual Expressions of Praise such as these Ten thousand praises to the King of Saints for the freeness and riches of his Grace to any poor Soul let every corner of Heaven ring with Hallelujahs let all the Angels help me to praise thy incomparable lovely and glorious Jesus O the Joys that he feasts my Soul with I who would not be Christs Servant never did I feel such transcendent pure Divine Joys except at the Lords Table and then indeed I have been oft so raised in Spirit that my Nature except sustained by a Miracle could scarce bear a greater weight of Comfort O the unspeakable vast satisfying Pleasures that Christ
say it again set your self as in the very immediate presence of God and when you hear a word that you are very nearly concerned in put up such a short Ejaculation as this Now Lord strike this hard heart of mine now Lord come in I beseech thee O that this word might be the key which might open my heart for the King of Glory to come in O command thy loving kindness this day to break into my soul O that this might be the day in which Salvation might come unto my house O that this might be the man that might be my Spiritual Father that this might be the Messenger one among a thousand that may bring me good tidings O that this might be the sentence that this might be the hour of Love O that this might be the day that I may have in everlasting remembrance O that I might presently without any more delay set out for Canaan Cry out with as much earnestness as that poor man did who brought his possessed child before Christ O Lord I have brought my unbeliving heart before thee to cure it exposes me a thousand times to unspeakable hazards but Lord if thou wilt but speak the word it shall be dispossessed I would believe Lord help my unbelief I have brought my hard heart before thee Lord soften it and let me not go from time to time with these dreadful diseases hanging about me to infect and undoe my self and others O melt me O Lord melt me and let me have such a look from thee as Peter once had which made him to go out and weep bitterly But I shall speak a little more of this nature under another Direction VI. DIRECTION If you would be acquainted with God you must get acquainted with some of his Friends and they will do all they can and be glad of it too to help you to be acquainted with him they will not spare to give you their utmost assistance in this great business And when they shall hear you asking what you shall do to know God they are glad at their Heart and will not be at quiet till they have got thee home with them to their Fathers House they watch for your Soul and no greater Joy than to help forward such a work as this then to be imployed any way in the service of your Souls They are glad when they hear any saying let us go to the house of the Lord and asking the way to Zion with their faces thither-ward O! Christians society good company is of exceeding use one good servant in a house the whole Family may fare the better for him Laban and Potiphar though ignorant enough in Spirituals could not but observe this that the Lord blessed their Families for the sake of one godly Servant I do not speak this only with respect to Temporals because of that Diligence and Faithfulness in their places that Religion will put them upon but with respect to Spirituals they will be dropping something that may tend to the awakening and convincing of their sleepy unbelieving ignorant companions they have an inward principle which puts them upon communicating what Grace they have received they know the more they impart to others the more they shall have themselves they have a Compassion for Souls and would fain have as many as they can along with them to Heaven they will be teaching little Children to Pray and Instilling something that the very Babes may set forth Gods Praises and they will be pleading with God for them But this only by the by Now if those that are gracious endeavour what they can to bring in those that are open enemies how much more will they be ready to give all the help they can to you that earnestly desire it Now when any one comes to this pass that he sees a difference between the godly and the wicked and to say that the righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour and to have an earnest desire to associate themselves with them it is a very great sign that God hath an intention to do such a Soul good Wherefore if you would be brought to the knowledge of God go speedily to them that know him well and they will tell you great things of him and how they came first acquainted with him and how this acquaintance hath been kept they will tell you where they first met him they will give you to understand that at such and such a time when they little thought of God they were strangely brought acquainted with him When they came out of Fashion or curiosity or to laugh at him that taught them or it may be to pick some Quarrel with him to hear such a man they were made to see what they never took any great notice of before that they were in an undone condition by Nature and that except Christ would pitty them there was no remedy but to Hell they must go whereas before they thought themselves as safe as could be But then they saw that it was no light matter to be out of Christ and Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel After this they were made to understand something of Christs undertaking for poor lost sinners and they heard of his exceeding willingness to receive the chiefest of sinners and that then they began to see an excellency in his love and goodness and to be somewhat more taken with the kindness of Christ than ever they were before and they felt some longings after the precious Jesus O that they had but a Christ for their Souls and that after this they were by the Spirit of God in some measure enabled to cast themselves at the feet of Christ for mercy and that upon his own terms knowing that if mercy came not that way to them they must sink for ever and that upon this act of recumbency after they had for some time waited upon God in the way of his ordinances they began to taste and relish the things of God and at last they met him whom their Souls loved Inquire of them I say and they will talk thus to you and tell you also that there was a time wherein they were foolish disobedient and unto every good Work Reprobate and miserably neglectful of their Souls that they did not at all mind their Eternal welfare but made light of Christ made a mock of sin and made nothing of Eternal Damnation And they will direct and encourage you also Let me tell you they have an interest in God and their prayers for you may be more advantagious than you are aware of Yet I would not that you should make Christs of the Saints nor forget what is the work of the Mediator alone Saints are to be valued but Christ is to be valued infinitely more Get acquainted with some warm rare experienced Christian and make him your bosom Friend and observe him and you shall see much of the beauty of Religion shining in him and you shall see how chearfully and comfortably
he walks now ask him what his practice is and go you and do likewise have a care of harbouring ill thoughts of the people of God or for the sake of one Hypocrite of censuring a thousand sincere Ones Judg you whether this be just and equal doing How would you like it if one that bears some Relation to you should do some vile abominable thing and bring himself to an untimely end and people should say all the whole Family is like him though it may be you are grieved to the very heart that such a thing should be done by any in the world much more by any that bears any kind of Relation to your self I tell you as contemptibly as the world speak of the godly they are not such odious Creatures as they are represented to be The Saints they are not Troublers but Peace-makers they love to make peace between man and man and what in them lies also between God and man Your converse with such as fear the Lord will make you like them at least they will endeavour as much Ar. Epict. l. 3. c. 16. He spoke no untruth who said That company is of an assimulating Nature A living coal laid to a heap of dead ones may kindle them all but they are more like except it be blown up to put the live one quite out therefore saith the said Author You must be very cautions of your company It is stored of Socrates that he had a rare Art of making his familiar Friends of his mind Some active Christians take as much pains to make their familiars of Christs mind Prov. 13.20 He that walketh with the wise shall yet be wiser but a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed Prov. 10.10 21 33. The tongue of the just is as choice Silver but the heart of the wicked is little worth The lips of the Righteous feed many but Fools die for want of wisdom The lips of the Righteous know what is acceptable but the mouth of the wicked speaketh froward things Such as these will do what they can to make you our of love with sin and in love with God Such as these will from their own experience be setting forth the goodness of God and tell you that which may stand you instead as long as you live it may be they may tell you that when God began first to work upon their Soul he was pleased to make use of the particular Application and the spiritual conversation of such a Christian Relation and when God came in with comfort and spake peace such a one lead them to such a promise which was like a Cordial to their fainting Soul When they were abroad they will tell you and were necessitated to the company of them which were strangers to the life of Religion and were at such a time troubled with horrible Temptations that they were in a wilderness condition and thought that never any that walked Heaven-ward could be in the like state but now when they got acquainted with the people of God they found that as Face answered Face in a Glass so their experience and the experience of many of the dear Children of God was exactly alike and that that which they thought none in the world could parallel they find that most of the Christians that they meet with know as well as themselves and at the first hearing are able to go on with the story before them so that they have sometimes wondred how any one living should know their Hearts and Thoughts so well to whom they did not communicate them I think it not altogether impertinent here to insert an observation of mine own I remember when I was once speaking concerning the duty of Christians in Relation to their Unconverted Friends and urging them upon doing what they could for God and Souls in the places where God had set them in speaking to this subject I said that there was not the meanest Christian but might be an instrument of the Conversion of a Soul Upon this I rehearsed a couple of Experiences that I had of two persons strangers one to the other who gave this account of their Conversion they were upon the matter both alike and therefore I shall tell but one of them which take as followes There was a Poor Civil yet very Carnal Creature a Servant in a Religious Family who did from his Soul abhor the Spiritual Conversation of those in the Family insomuch that he was resolved to run away from his Service he was so weary of such doings But one Night hearing a strange sound somewhere he arose out of his Bed and went to listen what was the matter upon which he heard one distinctly praying on the other side of the wall he still hearkning heard one praying very earnestly for him who did not know but he might be asleep and opening the condition of his Soul so particularly and with so much Tenderness that he was wonderfully awakened to think that one that he hated should so much love him and pitty his Soul and to consider how it was possible any one in the world should know his Thoughts so well as that person did who prayed for him upon this he began to be very much startled to think of his condition concluding thus surely I am in a lamentable state and they see it or else they would never do as they do they are praying for me when I am asleep they love me when I hate them upon this the man was very much troubled and his trouble daily increased till he was forced to open his condition to the person who had been praying for him which was a poor Maid-servant upon which the work of Regeneration was carryed on very sweetly and the man became an excellent Christian whereas the Instrument that God used in this great work was but a poor servant Now when I rehearsed this thing which was the condition of two as I said before a third person stood by whom I never saw in my life before who fell a sweating for trouble that any of his Friends should tell such a thing of him to me and thought I had meant himself in all the particulars though I heard not a word of the man before in my life This by the by I could not but hint this for the encouragement of parents to get their children into Families that are really Religious and to encourage all to associate themselves to such as fear the Lord. You see by what hath been spoken that acquaintance with the people of God may be of great use for the bringing the Soul acquainted with God VII DIRECTION If you would be acquainted with God entertain all the Messengers that he sends to you kindly When God calls answer and when he sends any of his servants to you bid them welcome let the feet of those which bring glad tidings be beautiful in your eye do not think much if they deal plainly and roundly with you know that it is out of love to your
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
who were very good Friends once to be bitter enemies this hath made the breach infinite the feud everlasting the wound incurable And this made the first Quarrel between God and man When man thinks himself too good to be but a man he must be a God he quickly is too had to be a man he is but one remove from the Devil To be a favourite of his Prince is not enough except he may step into the Throne it 's therefore high time for his Prince to remove such from his presence to a Prison from the Court to a Dungeon It was Pride that cast Adam out of Paradise and do you think that that sin is less hateful to God and less dangerous to man than it was five thousand years ago Did it then spend all it's poyson And can it now do no harm Do you believe that God will take that into his bosome now that formerly he abhorred to look upon Now sin hath increased it's strength and deformity and heightened it's enmity against the infinite Majesty of the holy Jehovah shall his hatred against it decrease will he be more willing to accompany proud aspiring Rebells now than then no such matter God is still as holy as ever and hates all sin especially pride as much as ever Do you think that it is for nothing that the word of God speaks so much against this sin Can it be that the Holy-ghost would say Prov. 11. That every one that is proud is an abomination to the Lord except God did indeed hate them Why should God threaten such so much if he took any pleasure in their Society though hand joyn in hand yet the proud shall not go unpunished Now we call the proud happy but shall we call him so when the day of the Lord shall burn as fire and all the proud shall be as stubble And the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord and it shall leave them neither root nor branch When the Lord shall tread down the wicked and they shall be like Ashes under his feet Mal. 3.15 4.1 3. There is not one proud man in Heaven I am sure Nor a proud man upon the Earth that shall have much of Gods acquaintance And let me say he that sets himself above God for that 's the Pride I mean whilest he stands in that state must never expect that God should look upon him with any kindness Heaven and Hell will as soon be agreed as God and such a one shall be united The proud now overlook others that are their betters and scorn their Maker but shortly they shall be paid in their own coyn they shall be scorned too If all the proud Nimrods Pharaohs and Belshazzars in the world should enter into a League and combine against the Almighty and say they will cast away his Cords from them and that they will never debase their noble Spirits so low as to stoop to his commands yet none of them all shall go unpunished They shall be like stubble before the devouring flames and like Chasse before a mighty whirlwind God is not afraid of their big looks Prov. 21.4 Prov. 6.17 Prov. 15.25 Isa 2.12 Luke 1.51 Jam. 4.6 God will cloath himself with vengeance and the mighty Jehovah will gird his weapon upon his thigh and march out in fury and Indignation and draw his glittering Sword and resist the proud and teach them what it is to bid defiance to the Lord of Host We shall soon see who shall be uppermost God or they And when the proud sinner lies conquered at his feet how doth he with infinite scorn look upon him and say behold the man is become like one of us This 't is for man to attempt the dethroning of the Almighty But it may be most may think themselves little concerned in that which I now speak wherefore I must add this one word Be it known unto thee O man whosoever thou art that think'st thou hast no pride I am sure thou art one of those that are in that black Roll which have proclaimed War against Heaven thou art the man that shall never be acquainted with God whilst thou art in that mind It may be thou maist speak Peace to thy self for all this and flatter thy self as if God and you were Friends but let me tell thee I come with heavy tydings in my mouth to thee If thou turn not he will whet his Sword he hath bent his Bow and made it ready he hath prepared for thee the Instruments of death the day of thy Calamity is near The dreadful Jehovah is upon his march and if you ask me whether there be not Peace for thee I answer as Jehu did to Jchoram what peace O haughty sinner so long as the pride of thy heart is so great and thy Rebellions against thy Maker so many There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Wherefore as you value your Soul as you tender your everlasting Salvation and desire to be owned by the Lord in the day of your distress take heed of pride Go quickly and humble your self and make sure your Friend labour to pull down every high Thought and every proud Imagination and let your Arrogant Spirit how before the mighty God there is no way will do but this as ye have already heard You must set the Crown upon the Lords head you must lay your selves at his feet and lick the very dust Your betters have done so before you and have thought it their honor to lye at the feet of Christ this they look'd upon as with good reason too as the first step to preferment If therefore you would be acquainted with God take heed of pride Secondly Take heed of a worldly mind What concord is there between Earth and Heaven What agreement between God and the World What delight can his Holiness take in him who had rather be wallowing in the Mud and treading of Clay then bathing himself in Divine contemplation that thinks it higher preferment to sit by his bags of Gold then to stand in the presence of his God a greater happiness to be rich than to be holy that had much rather be in a Fair Marker or Exchange getting money than with his God getting Pardon Grace and Heaven How pregnant is the Scripture of proofs for the evidencing of this truth to name one or two of a hundred Rom. 8.7 To be carnally minded is enmity against God For it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can it be What do you say to this Scripture Those which walk with God live in the world and yet they live above the world they all look for a City that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God It was not for nothing that the Apostle John layes so strict a charge upon those which he wrote to That they should not love the world nor the things of the world For if any love the world the love fo the Father is not
find out such a way for the recovery of undone sinners Glory be to thee O God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my sins in thine own Blood and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer Glory he to thee O God the Holy Ghost who by the finger of thine Almighty power hast turned about my Heart from sin to God O dreadful Jehovah the Lord God Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Ghost thou art now become my Covenant-Friend and I through thine infinite Grace am become thy Covenant-Servant Amen So be it And the Covenant which I have made on Earth let it be ratified in Heaven The Conclusion AND now my Work is done I must leave you and whether I shall ever speak to you or see you or write to you again while the world stands I know not My body is frail and I am a poor dying man and before it be long my mouth will be more stopped than it is and yours too And therefore it 's high time for us to look about us As for my part I have with all the seriousness that I could for my soul spoke to you about the great and weighty affairs of your Souls and Eternity I again call Heaven and Earth to witness that I have set Life and Death before you I have in the Name of my great Master been woing of you to accept of his Son for your Lord and Husband himself for your God Father and Friend I have told you what the Lord doth require of them that would be in Covenant with him I have given you a rude Description of him whom I would have you acquainted with I have told you of some of the glorious effects of acquaintance with God I have told you of the danger of being a stranger to God I have told you how thankfully some have closed with these offers and how well they like their choice I have further show'd you what a peaceable state you shall be in immediately upon your Spiritual Alliance with this Great and Noble friend I have told you also of some further benefit and good that will come unto you upon your acquaintance with God I have given you to understand how desirous the Lord is notwithstanding all that is past to forget and forgive and to receive you into favour if you will in good earnest return to him with speed I have again and again propounded this match to you and told you as much as I could well do in so short a time I have stayed a great while for an answer I have put the business forward all that possibly I could because I see how foolishly and madly you make light of those advantageous offers that are made to you I have again and again pleaded with you as if I were ready to starve and begging an alms of you nay if it had been for my very life I could not have spoke with more earnestness I have expostulated the Case with you and asked you several weighty Questions and you have not you cannot answer any one of them but you must condemn your self and by your own confession you have nothing in the world to say against the excellency of this friend And therefore you must either speedily come in upon the invitation and close with those gracious overtures that are made to you or you must without any reason in the world your self being Judg cast your self away And in hopes that all that have heard me will not be so mad as to make light of these things but be asking with some seriousness that great question How shall I do to get acquainted with God How shall I do to get a Friend for my Soul What shall I do to be saved I have laid down some Directions for those that are unfeignedly desirous to be reconciled to God I have told them that they must labour to be thorowly acquainted with that strangeness and enmity that is in their hearts against God and of the unspeakable danger of their being strangers to God I have further directed them that would be acquainted with God to labour to get humble hearts I have advised that they visit him often if they would be intimately acquainted with him that not in a transitory way but to make a Solemn set visit of it and to be sure that they do not forget to get Christ along with them I counselled them also to be much in those places where he is wont to walk and to get intimately acquainted with some of them that know him very well and will do their best to get them to be acquainted with him I have told you that if you would be acquainted with God you must kindly entertain and make much of any Messengers that come from him to you and if men would make sure work I desired them as they loved their Souls that they would follow this great Business with the greatest earnestness and seriousness in the world and that what they do they would do speedily I informed you what arguments the Scripture puts into our mouths which we may urge at the Throne of Grace I intreated you for your Souls sake to take heed of those things which kept God and man unacquainted as namely all sin in general but more particularly Pride Worldly-mindedness Hypocrisie delight in wicked company Unbelief and Sensuality Lastly I direct all such as would be at peace with God to give up themselves to him resolvedly and freely in a Solemn Covenant And have I been beating the Air all this while What will you do after all this What shall become of all these Sermons Dare any of you all still be contented to be Unacquainted with God Can you be very well satisfied after you have heard of such a Friend to be a stranger to him Can any of you look upon your state as safe while God is your enemy O how shall I leave you with Hearts full of Enmity against your Maker Alas alas poor Hearts You look very merrily as bad a condition as you are in but did you but know how neer you are to everlasting Burnings I believe it would put a damp upon your Spirits and spoil your Mirth O how shall I leave that poor sinner that stands as a person altogether unconcerned Whereas death stands ready for his Commission to fetch him away before God and where are you then O where are you then if you come before God as a Stranger O what shall I do for thee What shall I say to thee to prevail with thee O what arguments will perswade thee O how shall we part Brethren my hearts desire is that you may all be saved O that you may all know in this your day the things of your peace O that I could mingle all my words with tears O pitty pitty for the Lords sake pitty your precious Souls O come not here to ask Counsel of God and then go away and take the Counsel of the Devil And what will you yet