with him never attain to an enjoyment of him he becomes more vile then those things whose nature is inferiour if they attain to the perfection of that nature And it is like to fare worse with man if he fall short of the glory of God because he was capable of the glory of God then with beasts which are not capable of it And again in regard of that more nigh capacity wherein we are by Jesus Christ of acquaintance with God if we are not really acquainted with God we shall thereby not only have no addition of excellency but thereby we shall be more vile and miserable and therefore those who through the mercy of God have been in the visible Church and have heard of the good will of God to man through Christ and know that God is ready to entertain them into acquaintance with himself if they shall fall short of this their condernnation will be greater then that of those who never heard of Gods invitation and his grace in Jesus Christ If we therefore shall glory in our capacity of being of the acquaintance of God and neglect to be really acquainted with him we do but as the Jews of old who cried out The temple of the Lord are these Jer. 7.4 And the nigher we are to God if we do not come to a thorow closure with him the nigher we are to the stroak of his wrath as the nigher any is to Musket-shot the greater will the force of it be upon him Distinguish therefore between our capacity of being acquainted with God and our actual acquaintance with him Secondly we must be ware lest in our esteem of our selves we lay the foundation of our glory in our selves There is that in every ones corrupt nature which doth provoke him to it so that I dare boldly say that there is not a man in his corrupt natural state who doth not some way or other lift up himself in his own esteem for somthing of his own And we are apt to make every spiritual excellency to be matter for pride and self-conceitedness We do not sufficiently eye God as the Fountain the Author the Foundation the Rule and Pattern of all our Excellency Such is the way wherein God receiveth man to acquaintance with himself that he might hide pride from his eyes and that no flesh might glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.29 If we therefore lay the foundation of our glory in our selves and please our selves in the sparks that we have kindled we shall glory in our shame and lie down in sorrow This high esteem which we are to have of our selves because of our acquaintance with God it doth not at all contradict that precious grace of humility but they rather help forward one another for the more any esteems of himself because of that relation which he hath to God the less is the esteem of himself because of any thing of his own the more we make God the matter of our glory the less do we glory in our selves The more we apprehend of our Excellency being from God the less account do we make of all other seeming Excellencies When the light of the Sun ariseth then all Star-light disappears First All Dignity we have seems to arise from that relation which we have to God in acquaintance with him Secondly By acquaintance with God we come to have an absolute positive Dignity which is real in our persons yet still depending upon God a As by our union with Christ we come to have a righteousness imputed which is our justification and a righteousness likewise inherent which is our sanctification so by our acquaintance with God we have a dignity as it were imputed by our relation to God and a dignity real which is that excellency whereby we are made absolutely better By acquaintance with God we come to be like God and the Image of God in us is the greatest excellency that we are capable of When Moses had been fourty days in the Mount with God his face did shine with such a brightness that the people could not behold him so those that converse with God they retain a luster which shines in their converse with men The Image or picture of any worthy person is steemed by them that esteem the person and this esteem of it is from a relation which it hath to that person but now the children of any person whom we love being a lively image of their fathers person have another value upon them having not only a relation worthy because of their resemblance in the outward lineament but a real participation of nature and disposition which they receive from their father So there is an excellency in those that are acquainted with God not only as being in Relation to him but as receiving and being partakers of the Divine Nature As Children learn to pronounce their words according to the pronunciation of the Mother or Nurse with whom they converse as every one is apt to be formed unto the manner and disposition of the company wherein they must usually are thus those who converse with God they become in some measure like unto God and this is positive personal excellency which those have which converse with God Thus the Apostle John argueth concerning that perfection of glory and excellency which hereafter is to be upon those that are the Sons of God But it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is In Heaven we shall be like God because we shall see God and on earth those that converse with God shall in some measure be like God according to their measure of acquaintance with him And so Paul argues concerning this present life 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit the Lord. Here we see clearly that beholding the glory of the Lord doth change into the same image of God and likewise that this image of God only is the glory of man for that is meant by From glory to glory that is from one degree of glorious similitude to another degree gf glorious resemblance and likeness to God Thus ye have seen that the excellency of man consisteth in his acquaintance with God and that by the vertue of his relation to God he hath an imputed excellency and an excellency by his propriety in God in whom is all excellency and that by his converse with God and acquaintance with him he becomes really like God which is his inherent excellency Let us then reckon of our selves as those who have their Dignity and Excellency from God and in this let us glory That we know God and are acquainted with God This is the Second Vse of this Proposition USE 3. Thirdly If man ought to be acquainted with God then let us all enquire into
in honour Deut. 26.18 19. And upon this account might a wise man have his choice whether he will wear a Crown and he a stranger to God or rags and be one of his nearest servants he will not stand long before he determine the case he will soon answer with him That he had rather be a door-keeper in the house of God then dwell in tabernacles of wickedness If mens actions may speak their Judgements most of the Gallants of the world are of a far different opinion But O let me dwell for ever in his house and stand always in his presence happy are they that see his face happy are they that behold his beauty This this mans Crown this is his highest honour and dignity for God to be mindful of man and for his Maker to visit him this sets him but little below the Angels this Crowns him with Glory and Honour Psal 8.45 This is that which puts a true personal worth upon any one and therefore the Psalmist thinks those the excellent persons in whom is his delight Upon this account the Scripture saith The righteous man who is in covenant with God is more excellent then his neighbour The pur-blind World they judge altogether by the outward garb they see the face the rich apparel they see the estate but they see not that inward excellency and beauty that may be under but mean habit they are ready to despise the Noble Worthies of the World such as can look upon Kingdoms as small things in comparison of what they have an interest in who can call God Father and Christ Brother Have you never heard of a King in mean apparel of a Prince without his Robes upon his back or his Crown upon his head and will you say that therefore he was but a common person But those heavenly Creatures that have a more spiritual resined sense that understands something of things and Persons are quite of another mind they can look upon great ones in the midst of their gallantry without a friend in Heaven as mean persons that have no interest to speak of and many of them for all their greatness to be in a far worse condition then Dogs and Toads They can also look upon a poor despised Saint a contemned Christian though as to a carnal eye he should look as if he could scarce speak sense to be a favourite of Heaven a person of quality such a one as this he values as the Son of a King a Citizen of Zion one of the Royal Race one of that glorious Retinue that stand always in the presence of God to serve him the least of which are Kings and Priests to their great Lord Rev. 1.6 By faith he sees their Crown and looks upon that Royal Diadem which shall ere long be put upon their princely heads This was the great preferment they sought this was the honour they most desired as for the world and all its glory they can well spare it for those that shall never be advanced to any higher dignity to any better preferment As for the Saint as contemptible as he looks he hath higher designs nobler things greater honours in his eye and if that which the world so admires were the highest glory that a rational creature were capable of the top of mans preferment why then he could look upon brutes themselves as his equals except in this that their pleasures are more certain and their miseries less understood It is storied of Constantine and Valentinian two Roman Emperours that they subscribed themselves Vassellos Christi the vassels of Christ and that Numa Pompilius esteemed it a higher honour to be a Friend of God then a Lord of Men. Consider poor sinner consider what honours you slight what preserments you refuse what dignity you undervalue when you make light of acquaintance with God Had that brave Stoick Epictetus I mean known God in Christ he would much more have wondered at the inconsiderateness of them which make nothing of being related to God as a Father he would much more have pitty'd them which cleave to their lower meaner kindred beast who had rather be like Swine then God and rather be companions to their servants then their Maker Seems it to you but a light matter to be a Kings Son is it but a small matter think you to call God Father is it nothing to be born to a Crown Immortal that sadeth not away This is honour this is preferment worth the having worth the looking after worth the venturing ones life for This is true Nobility to stand thus nearly related to him before whom the Angels do vail their glorious Faces and at whose feet the four and twenty Elders lay their Crowns The Queen of Sheba thought Solomons Servants happy who stood always in his presence and heard this wisdom but what would she have said had she but known the Honour and Glory of his Prince O blessed are those that stand always in thy presence O God blessed are thy servants blessed are those which see thy Glory and hear thy wisdom blessed are they that may have free access to thee O let me have this preferment though I live like Job at his lowest and dye like Lazarus Let others sue for the favour of Princes let them make the best of what the world can give let them desire that which hath been dangerous to more then Haman I hope I should never envy them might I but have more frequent and intimate converse with God may I be but acquainted with him O may I have but a heart more to admire love and delight in him and serve him with the strength and inrensenss of my Soul while I am here and stand for ever in his presence and behold his glorious Face with joy hereafter O my Soul what meanest thou that thou still speakest so faintly and coldly of such infinitely glorious things Why doth not a new life animate thee at the very mention of these things Hast thou not far more cause to raise up thy desponding Spirits with chearfulness then old Lacob when his Son Joseph who was Lord of that Land sent for him into Egypt Thy Father O my Soul thy Brother is Lord not of Egypt nor of Goshen but of Eden of Zion he is the King of that glorious City the new Jerusalem Heaven is his Throne and Earth is his Foot-stool and yet behold the waggons that he hath sent for thee behold the provision that he hath sent to maintain thee comfortably in thy journey from Egypt to Canaan is not this enough O my Soul awake up and see him before thou dyest behold he is coming the Bridegroome is coming Joseph is coming to meet thee with a gallant Train in a glorious Equipage It is but yet a little while and thy husband will come and fetch thee in Royal State attended with a numberless retinue of Saints and Angels O hadst thou but an eye to behold their Chariots and Horsmen coming upon the mountains
but those that are acquainted with God know these things and upon the mention of them their hearts leap within them As face answereth to face in a glass so experience answereth these things When this string is struck their hearts do harmonize as when a Lute-string is struck the other strings of nighest concord with it move also But these things are a mystery to the world and they say as those of Christs word We know not what he saith And it is no wonder for they are the actings of a Divine life to which all are naturally dead till they are raised to newness of life by the quickning of the spirit of God But I proceed to shew what is meant by this acquaintance with God Fourthly To this Acquaintance with God there is required a mutual Communication Where there is acquaintance between man and man there hath been a mutual Interchange of conference and discourse Thus when the soul is acquainted with God there is an Interchange of conference between God and the soul The soul openeth its wants breaths out its complaints spreadeth its necessities before God God openeth the treasures of his love in his Son the rich Mynes of his precious Promises and the secrets of his good Will to the soul Thus Psal 25.15 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Gen. 18.17 The Lord saith shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do Those that are friends and acquaintance they will let out their thoughts and purposes one to another they gave out themselves mutually into communion one with another Thus Christs knocks at the door of the soul Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in and sup with him and he with me Here is Christ offering himself to the soul the soul is to entertain him at another time the soul goes to God and God entertains it God hath promised that he will open Mat. 7.28 Knock and it shall be opened unto you and to him that knocks it shall be opened There are frequent actions among those that are acquainted And by these are expressed to us the acquaintance of the soul with God Now the Communications that are between the soul and God are exceeding transcending all communications that are between mens acquaintance Men may communicate their thoughts their estates their assistance to one another but they cannot communicate their life nor their nature nor their likeness but such communications there are between God and the soul that is acquainted with him All being is a communication from God the first being nay the several degrees of being have several communications from God some greater and some lesser spiritual beings have a higher communication then natural but Gods highest communications have been to man in that mystical Union of the Divine Nature to the Humane Nature in Christ and next in the mystical Union of the Sons of God to Christ and in him to the Father Thus Christ is said to live in us Colos 2.20 I live saith Paul yet not I but Christ liveth in me Thus Christ prays the Father for his Children that they may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they be one in us Joh. 4.17 21. Joh. 1.15 16. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God 2 Pet. 1.4 We are said to be partakers of the Divine Nature This expression implyes high communication of God to man Again there are high acts of communication from man to God for though God receives not from man yet man is to act as giving out himself to God such as to give up the will to Gods will As that of Eli It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And that of David 2 Sam. 15.16 If he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do with me as seemeth good unto him Another act of high Communication of a mans self to God is parting with present enjoyments for future hopes in confidence of Gods promise Thus the Spirit of God works in the children of God a readiness to forsake Father or Mother and Brethren and Sister and life it self for the cause of God Thus John Baptist was willing to become Nothing that Christ might become All to be cast down that Christ might be lifted up Joh. 3.13 He must increase but I must decrease Thus Abraham gives his Isaack to dye when God calls for him Thus Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.26 Paul counted not his life dear for Christ Acts 20.24 These have been the actings of the souls of those that have been acquainted with God and such workings as these are the feeling of a child of God I have shewed you four things which are requisite to acquaintance with God First Knowledg of God Secondly access to him Thirdly Converse with him Fourthly Communication to him and from him Fifthly There is likewise required to acquaintance a loving compliance Amongst men Acquaintance implyes Affection And so it is between God and Man Never any soul was acquainted with God that did not love God and such a soul is an enemy to God therefore very few are acquainted with God but all that are not acquainted with God are enemies to God If we should come to a person that is not acquainted with God and say Thou art an enemy to God this would seem a heavy imputation but I speak it freely thou whosoever thou art that art not acquainted with God thou art an enemy to God for thou art still as thou we'rt born but we are all enemies to God according to our corrupt nature and abide enemies till we come to be acquainted with God Love to God and acquaintance with God go together are heightned by one another First God lets into the soul by his Spirit a partial discovery of himself and by this with the working of his Spirit he incline the heart in love to him Then on the first working of the soul towards God he lets in a clear light whereby he draweth the soul to a further degree of love A clear place for this Ephes 3.17 18. And that being rooted and grounded in love ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the length and breadth and depth and heighth and to know the love of God which passeth all understanding that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God The love of God fits the soul to comprehend the glorious discoveries of God and the discoveries of God doth heighten our love to God Acquaintance with God makes us like unto God as in Joh. 3.2 We shall see him as he is And our likeness to God as it makes us the delight of God so it makes us delight in God