Two Treatises 2, Sermon 2
Acquaintance with God.
Job 22.21.
Acquaint now thy ſelfe with him, and be at peace; thereby ſhall good come unto thee.
IN this Verſe (as Junius looketh upon it) we have a briefe Epitomie and Summary of all the Counſell and Comfort which the wiſe Temanite Eliphaz holdeth forth unto his afflicted friend Job in the latter part of this Chapter. Junii Ann. ad loc.Mine eye at preſent is principally upon the former of theſe, Counſell; which, ſetting aſide the miſtake in the perſonall Application of it, we ſhall finde in it ſelfe wholeſome, and ſoveraign.
Acquaint now thy ſelfe with him] that is, with the Almighty: ſo the 23. verſe maketh it out, with God. Where, before I come to the ſubſtance of the Counſell, let me by the way take notice of that circumſtance, which I meet with in the Particle [Now.]
Acquaint [Now] thy ſelfe.] The word in the originall is (Na)foreign which may bee tranſlated either quaeſe, or nune; either, I pray thee, or now. In the former ſenſe it is uſed often, as a particle of obſervation, intreating, and beſeeching one; So it is tranſlated in the verſe following: And ſo Tremellius (with whom our former Tranſlation agrees) here renders it. Aſſueſce quaeſe. Acquaint thy ſelfe, I pray thee, with him.]
Now, ſhall we ſo look upon it, then it denotes & imports the affection of the ſpeaker; who having before dealt ſomwhat harſhly and rigidly with his friend Job, now he changeth his note, ſpeaking to him in a more milde and gentle language, that ſo his former words might the rather take place with him, and be the better digeſted by him. To which end alſo he here intimates unto him the ſerious and earneſt deſire which he had of his good and welfare, that by hearkning to his advice, he might reap the comfort and benefit of it. [I pray thee.]
With ſuch affection ought Gods Interpreters, Obſerv. his Meſſengers, his Miniſters to ſpeake unto his people. How ever they are not to ſpare their ſins, but to deale plainly with them, Tit. 1.13.rebuking them, and that where need is foreign, cuttingly, ſharpely; ſetting their ſinnes in order before them, thundering out the Judgements of God againſt them in caſe they ſhall perſiſt in them (as Eliphaz here doth in the former part of this chapter) yet withall they are to deale lovingly and affectionately with them, imitating the Phyſician, who wraps his bitter pils in Sugar; or gives his Patient ſome ſweet morſell after a diſtaſteful potion: Thus are they to ſweeten tart Reprehenſions, with milde and affectionate Inſinuations; breathing love into the boſomes of thoſe whom they are inforced to deale harſhly with, making it manifeſt they deſire nothing more then that their advice and counſel may bee accepted of them. To which end (however they may (as Gods Meſſengers in an authoritative way command, yet) they are to become Suitors to them. As Paul ſaith to his Philemon ver. 8, 9. Though I might be much bold in Chriſt, to enjoyne thee that which is convenient; yet for loves ſake I rather beſeech thee.] Thus are the Miniſters of Chriſt to deale with thoſe committed to their charge, intreating, beſeeching, what they might command: I beſeech you Brethren (ſaith Paul to his Romans) chap. 12.1. As if God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be yee reconciled to God, 2 Cor. 5.20. A language fit for a Goſpell Miniſter. But I ſhall not dwell upon it.
2 Others (with whom our preſent Tranſlation goeth along) look upon it as an Adverb of Time, Nunc, Now acquaint thy ſelfe with him.] Take it ſo, it admits of a twofold reference, either to Jobs preſent condition, or to Eliphaz his foregoing Diſcourſe.
1 To Jobs preſent condition, which was an afflicted ſtate, hee then lying under the hand of God, under many ſad and grievous afflictions. In this condition Eliphaz may be conceived here to beſpeak him after this manner: [Now acquaint thy ſelfe with him.]
Time of affliction is a proper time, Obſerv. a fit ſeaſon for poor ſinners to come in unto God.
Converſion and true repentance, which are never out of ſeaſon, are then very ſeaſonable. Come (ſaith the Church) and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heale us: he hath ſmitten and he will bind us up.] Hoſ. 6.1. Not to come in unto God at ſuch a time, is a double iniquity, no ſmall aggravation of a former Rebellion. So the Lord chargeth it upon Iſrael, in that knowne place, Amos 4. where he repeats this as the burden of his complaint, Amos 4. v. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11.no leſs then five ſeveral times. I have done thus, and thus to you; ſmiting you with this judgement, and with that, But yet ye have not returned unto me, ſaith the Lord.
Applic. Taking notice hereof, let Eliphaz his (now) in this ſenſe take place with every of us, who in any degree are brought into Jobs condition.
Is it ſo, that the hand of God is out againſt us in what kinde ſoever it be? Now, now acquaint our ſelves with him, and make peace. A proper time for ſuch a purpoſe. When the wrath and diſpleaſure of God is kindled againſt us, and breok forth upon us, then to ſeek unto God. In their affliction they will ſeek me early (or diligently,) Hoſea 5. ult. To this end, it is that God breaketh forth upon thoſe whom he hath a gracious purpoſe towards. 2 Sam. 14.Even as Abſalom dealt with Joah, when he would not come at him, he ſets his field on fire to bring him to him. Thus dealeth God ſometimes with his own people; when they eſtrange themſelves from him, and other invitations take not place with them, he cauſeth the fire of his wrath to break forth upon them, by that means to bring them home to himſelf. Herein then let God have his end; which if we do, we ſhall have the comfort and benefit of it. Now acquaint thy ſelf with him.
The other reference of this particle (Now) is to Eliphaz his foregoing diſcourſe. In the verſes foregoing Eliphaz had been diſcourſing unto Job, Acts 24.5.(as Paul did once unto Felix) of judgement: Shewing what diſaſters, what miſchiefs had befaln wicked and ungodly men, ſuch as had no regard to have any acquaintance with God, and to walk with him. Haſt thou marked the old way (ſaith he) which wicked men have trodden? Verſ. 15. (the old way, or the way of the old, viz. The old world before the flood, (as ſome expound it) which were cut down before the time, whoſe foundation was overflown with a flood, Verſ. 16. They were ſwept away with that univerſal deluge. Thus dealt God with them: And after the like manner he often dealeth with others, who walk in their ways. [The remnant of them the fire conſumeth (ſaith the words before the Text) Verſ. 20. Such others as they were, God deſtroyeth, if not with water, yet with fire; which he doth ſometimes literally, as he did them of Sodom and Gomorrah; oft times metaphorically, conſuming them by his judgements, his wrath breaking forth upon them like unto fire. Now ſeeing it is ſo, ſeeing this is Gods ordinary dealing with wicked men; Therefore, or Now acquaint thy ſelf with him.
Obſerv. Obſerv. Such uſe ought men to make of the judgements of God executed upon others. Judgements which they ſee, which they hear of, they are therby to be deterred from walking in wicked ways. Poena ad parvos, terror ad omnes. Some are puniſhed, that all may be warned. To this end, God requires that judgement ſhould be executed upon the preſumptuous ſinner in ſo ſevere and exemplary a manner, Deut. 17. That man ſhall die, Verſ. 12. Die without mercy. And wherefore ſo? The reaſon followeth; And all the people ſhall hear, and fear, and do no more preſumptuouſly. And the like uſe ſhould men make of divine judgements executed upon wicked and ungodly men, whom God maketh ſpectacles of his vengeance and wrath. Seeing them, or hearing of them, they ſhould fear to ſin preſumptuouſly, not dare to go on in a courſe of ſin: But breaking off their ſins by repentance, they ſhould come in unto God, betaking themſelves to the working of righteouſneſs. When thy judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteouſneſs, (ſaith the Prophet) Iſai. 26.9. they will learn, that is, they do, or ought to do it.
Applic. And this do we. None of us but have ſeen, or heard of terrible judgements executed upon preſumptuous ſinners; ſuch as have had no regard to walk with God; how the fire of his wrath hath broke forth upon them in temporal plagues and puniſhments; ſo as they have been cut down before the time, taken away by untimely deaths, not living out half their days (as David ſaith of Bloody and deceitful men, Pſal. 55. laſt.) and their foundation hath been overflown with a flood.] God hath ſent ſome ſweeping judgements upon them; beginning and making an end at once (as he threatens againſt the houſe of Ely, 1 Sam. 3.12.) Now let all theſe be as ſo many warning peeces unto us; teaching us to decline thoſe ways which they have trodden, that ſo we may never pledge them in that cup of wrath and vengeance which they have drunk of. Now acquaint thy ſelf with him, &c.]
But I paſs from the circumſtance to the ſubſtance of this counſel; wherein I ſhall take notice of two things.
Firſt, Of what is here implied, then what is expreſſed.
1. That which is implied, is, Obſ. 1 That wicked and ungodly men are eſtranged from God. So much this phraſe imports: To get acquaintance with one, it imports a foregoing ſtrangeneſs. And ſo much Eliphaz here intimates concerning Job, judging him to be ſuch a one, a wicked, and ungodly man, he looketh upon him as a ſtranger to God, one that had no acquaintance with him. And ſuch is the condition of all thoſe who are really ſuch, they are ſtrangers to God. So we finde them called, Joel 3.17. where the Prophet ſpeaking of the New Jeruſalem, the Church under the Goſpel, he ſaith, [She ſhall be holy, and there ſhall no ſtranger paſs thorow her any more;] that is, ſuch ſhall be the purity of the Church, as that there ſhall be no unclean, no profane perſon in it. So the Prophet Iſaiah expounds it, Iſai. 35.8. where holding forth the like prophecy, he ſaith [A high-way ſhall be there, and a way, and it ſhall be called the way of Holineſs; the unclean ſhall not paſs over it.] And Saint John more plainly, (if we ſhall underſtand that prophecy concerning the New Jeruſalem upon Earth, as very fitly we may) Revel. 21. laſt, There ſhall in no wiſe (ſaith he) enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatſoever worketh abomination, &c.] Such ſhall be the purity of the Church in the latter days, through the ſtrict exerciſe of Diſcipline, that no prophane perſon ſhall be admitted into the boſome of it, to have and hold communion with it. Lo, theſe are the ſtrangers which the Prophet Joel there ſpeaketh of; even all wicked and ungodly perſons, who are ſtrangens to God.
Such they are, being firſt, Reaſ. 1 born ſo. The wicked are eſtranged from the womb, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt,) Pſal. 58.3. Being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the blindneſs of their minde (as Saint Paul ſaith of the Gentiles, Eph. 4.18.) Such are all men by nature, before God take acquaintance of them, reveal himſelf unto them; they are little better then (as the ſame Apoſtle faith of them, Chap. 2.12.) foreign, without God in the world; having no acquaintance with him, meer ſtrangers to him.
Which natural ſtrangeneſs (in the ſecond place) is habituated, Reaſ. 2 confirmed, and increaſed more and more, by their continuing and going on in a courſe of actual ſin. Hereby they are daily eſtranged more and more; being (as Paul ſaith of his Coloſſians before their converſion, Col. 1.21.) Alienated, and enemies in their mindes by wicked works. Such is the condition of all wicked, yea, and of all carnal men, before the grace of God meet with them.
Applic. And being ſuch, let none reſt in ſuch a condition. A condition, how ſad? how uncomfortable? how miſerable? So men would account it to be wholly eſtranged from the Sun, the Fountain of light and heat. Such is God to the ſoul, the Fountain of all comfort and happineſs: To be eſtranged from him, did men but rightly apprehend what it is, they ſhould not need to be told that they are miſerable. In this eſtate, let not any ſoul of us ſit down, but ſtir up our ſelves to ſeek after God, to get acquaintance with him.
That is the thing which is here expreſſed. Obſ. 2 What men in this condition are to do, Acquaint themſelves with God. This is the leſſon which Eliphaz here holdeth forth unto Job. Acquaintance with God, the nature of it opened.And I wiſh it may make an impreſſion upon every of our hearts that hear it this day; which that it may the better do, I ſhall firſt by way of Doctrinal Explication open to you the phraſe, and the duty; and ſhew you what it is for a man to acquaint himſelf with God.
Acquaint thy ſelf] Hasken (ſaith the Original,) A word, Explic. which (as our New Annotators well obſerve upon the Text) is to be found in this conjugation (in Hiphil) but onelyonly in two other places, beſides this, in the Scripture. The one is Pſal. 139.3. where David ſpeaking of Gods omniſcience, his all-ſeeing providence, he ſaith, Thou art acquainted with all my ways. (Hiskaneta) Aſſueviſti, foreignthou art accuſtomed, acquainted. Where the word imports the full and perfect knowledge which God had of Davids actions and words: So the next verſe explains it [For there is not a word in my tongue, but thou knoweſt it altogether, Verſ. 4.] The other place is, Numb. 22.30. where Balaams Aſs arguing the caſe with her maſter, and reproving him for ſmiting and threatning her in that manner, for going out of her way, and falling down to ſave his life, ſhe demands of him, [Was I ever wont to do ſo unto thee?] Where the word (being the ſame) importeth a cuſtomary uſe and practice.
Now from theſe two places being put together, we may collect and take up what is the full comprehenſion of this word here in the Text, where Eliphaz adviſeth Job to acquaint himſelf with God. [Acquaint thy ſelf with him.] That is, firſt learn to know him, then accuſtom thy ſelf unto him, walk with him. In theſe two ſtandeth the acquaintance which one friend hath with another: Firſt in knowing, and then converſing each with other. And in theſe two ſtandeth a Chriſtians acquaintance with his God, in knowing of him, and walking with him.
1. The firſt thing wherein this acquaintance conſiſts, is knowledge. A man can never be ſaid to be acquainted with a man whom he knoweth not: And ſo is it with God. That a man may be acquainted with him, he muſt know him; and that with a threefold knowledge; a knowledge of Speculation, Faith, Experience.
1. A knowledge of Speculation, a general knowledge. To know that there is a God, and who that true God is; and what a one he is; what is his Nature, and what is his will. Such a general knowledge one man muſt have of another, before he can be acquainted with him. And ſo is it with God: That a man may acquaint himſelf with him, he muſt have ſome knowledge of him; and that not onelyonly a confuſed, but a diſtinct knowledge. Such is the knowledge which friends and acquaintance have one of another. They do not onelyonly know each other by the face, but (as Iſaac knew his ſons) they know their voice, their demeanour and diſpoſition. And ſuch a knowledge muſt they have of God, who would be acquainted with him: Not onelyonly a confuſed knowledge. Such was the knowledge of the Gentiles, the Heathen, of whom the Apoſtle ſaith, They knew God, Rom. 1.21. This they did naturali jure, non familiari (as Tertullian diſtinguiſheth, Tertul. De ſpectaculis, citat. per H. Grotium ad loc.) onelyonly in a natural way; they knew God by the light of nature, beholding him in his works; but this was not worth the name of knowledge. And therefore the ſame Pen elſewhere without any contradiction affirms the contrary, That they did not know God, 1 Theſ. 4.5. The Gentiles which know not God. Though ſome of them knew him by his works, yet they did not know him, in and from his Word, by the Scriptures. Thus muſt they know God (in ſome meaſure) who would have any true acquaintance with him. They muſt know him to be ſuch a one, as he hath revealed himſelf in his Word; One God, Three Perſons; a Great, a Glorious, a Wiſe, a Gracious, a Juſt, a Merciful, a Pure and Holy God; a God reconciling the world to himſelf, in and through his Son Jeſus Chriſt. Withal, they muſt know ſo much of his will, as may ſerve to regulate them in their duty towards him. Without this there can be no entercourſe, no acquaintance with him. This is requiſit, but not ſufficient.
2. In the ſecond place then, there muſt be a knowledge of Faith Whereby a man apprehends this God to be his God. A man is not ſaid to be acquainted with a man, unleſs he have ſome intereſt in him. Though otherwiſe he know him never ſo well, yet unleſs there be ſome friendſhip betwixt them, he is not ſaid to be acquainted with him: So is it here. A man that is ſaid to be acquainted with God, he muſt apprehend him as his God, a God in Covenant. Such was Abrahams, and Moſes his, and Davids acquaintance with God. They looked upon him as their God. The Lord is my rock, and my fortreſs, and my deliverer; my God, my ſtrength, in whom I will truſt, &c. (ſaith the Pſalmiſt,) Pſal. 18.2. This is the knowledge of Faith. Concerning which, God maketh that promiſe to his Church under the Goſpel, Jer. 31.34. They ſhall all know me from the leaſt of them to the greateſt of them.] They ſhall know me to be their God, a God reconciled to them, a God in Covenant with them. So he explains himſelf in the words following [For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their ſin no more.] Thus muſt they know God, who would be acquainted with him.
3. Yet further, to the compleating and perfecting of this acquaintance, there is required alſo another kinde of knowledge, a knowledge of experience. This is ſometimes called by the name of acquaintance. foreignAs it is ſaid of Chriſt, foreignIſa. 53.3. That he was a man acquainted with ſorrows; Notus agritudine, i.e. Expertus infirmitatem, Montan.that is, one that had an experimental knowledge of humane infirmities. And ſuch a knowledge have they of God, who are ſaid to be acquainted with him; they have an experimental knowledge of him, and of his divine perfections. Such was that knowledge of God, which holy Job ſaith he had attained to, after his afflictions, and Gods manifeſting himſelf unto him in that ſenſible manner, Job 42.5. I have heard of thee (ſaith he) by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye ſeeth thee.] Job had before heard much of God, much of his power, wiſdom, mercy, goodneſs, &c. which he had received from his Anceſtors, having himſelf had the benefit of a religious education; but now his eye ſaw him. God had now given him a ſenſible and experimental knowledge of himſelf, cauſing him to ſee and feel what he was to him. And ſuch a knowledge (in ſome meaſure) is requiſit to the compleating of this acquaintance with God. It is not enough for men to hear of God, what a one he is; nor yet to beleeve, what they hear. But they muſt ſee God, have ſome experimental knowledge of him, ſpecially of his dealing with themſelves; of the exerciſe of his power, wiſdom, goodneſs, mercy for their good; and that ſpecially for the good of their ſouls; in working effectually upon their hearts, by his Word and Spirit; in alluring and drawing them unto himſelf; in letting out himſelf to them; in giving them victory over their corruptions; comforting them with inward and ſpiritual conſolations; hearing and anſwering their prayers, &c. Here is the firſt thing, wherein this acquaintance with God doth conſiſt, in knowing him, with a knowledge of ſpeculation, farth, experience.
The ſecond thing is Communion with him, walking with him. Such acquaintance had Enoch with his God, he walked with him, Gen. 5.22, 24. The like had Noah, of whom it is ſaid, Gen. 6.9. And Noah walked with God.] Thus do they that are of acquaintance, walk together. As David ſaith of his falſe friend, his acquaintance (as he calleth him) We took ſweet counſel together, and walked unto the houſe of God in company, Pſal. 55.13, 14. And by walking and converſing together, they come to increaſe their acquaintance. So is it betwixt God and man. Man acquaints himſelf with God by walking with him; which conſiſts,
1. In apprehending his preſence in all places, taking notice of him as a witneſs to all his actions, words, thoughts. This it is to walk before God; which the Lord requires Abraham to do, Gen. 17.1. And which David reſolved he would do, Pſal. 116.9. I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living.] Liphni Jehovah, foreignad facies Domini, foreignbefore the face of Jehovah, in his preſence, always eying and beholding him. Thus did Moſes walk, of whom it is ſaid, That he ſaw him that was inviſible, Heb. 11.27. Setting God before him; as David ſaith of himſelf, Pſal. 16.8. I have ſet the Lord always before me, becauſe he is on my right hand, &c.] Thus did he walk with God, living continually in his preſence.
2. To walk with God, is to obſerve his ſteps, his goings. Thus did the Iſraelites walk with God, through the Red Sea, and the Wilderneſs. They have ſeen thy goings, O God, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt,) even the goings of my God, my King, in the Sanctuary, Pſal. 68.24. What goings? Why, his goings thorow the Sea, Ainſworth ad loc.(ſo the Chaldee there paraphraſeth it, The houſe of Iſrael have ſeen the going of thy Majeſty upon the Sea,) and his going in the Wilderneſs; ſo the ſeventh verſe of that Pſalm may ſeem to explain it, [When thou wenteſt forth before thy people, when thou didſt march thorow the Wilderneſs.] There did they walk with God, beholding and obſerving him in the ſeveral tokens, and manifeſtations of his preſence among them; and in this way they came to be acquainted with him: And in the like way Chriſtians come by their acquaintance with him, by thus walking with him, by beholding and obſerving his goings, his ſpecial providences, the exerciſes of his power, mercy, and juſtice, upon themſelves and others: Obſerving his works, and diving into them. The works of the Lord are great (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) ſought out of all them that have pleaſure therein, Pſal. 111.2.
3. To walk with God, is to converſe with him. Thus do friends, walking together, they converſe each with other, ſpeaking to, and hearing one another. And thus do Chriſtians acquaint themſelves with God, by having ſuch a converſe and communion with him; often ſpeaking to him, and hearing him ſpeak to them. Speaking to him in prayer and praiſe; hearing him ſpeak to them by his Word and Spirit. Thus have the Saints of God acquainted themſelves with him, often ſpeaking to him. So did Daniel, whoſe conſtant courſe was to make his addreſſes unto God three times a day, Dan. 6.10. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks unto God, as he did aforetime.] And David the like [Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud, &c.] Pſal. 55.17. Such was his ſet and conſtant courſe of devotion; beſides many occaſional addreſſes upon emergent occaſions. Seven times a day will I praiſe thee, (ſaith he,) that is, often, Pſal. 119.164. And thus ſpeaking to him, they were as ready to hear from him. I will hearken and hear what the Lord God will ſpeak, (ſaith the ſame Pſalmiſt,) Pſal. 85.8. And the like are all Chriſtians to do; thus acquaint themſelves with God, by thus converſing with him.
4. And laſtly, walk with God, following him, walking in his ways. Thus do ſervants follow their maſters, walking in their way, the way which they have gone before them: And thus are Chriſtians to acquaint themſelves with God, by thus going along with him, following him, walking in his ways. That is one of the characters of Davids bleſſed man; He is one that walketh in the ways of his God, Pſal. 119.3. that is, in his Law (as the firſt verſe explaineth it.) This Law he receiveth from the mouth of his God. So Eliphaz exhorts Job to do in the verſe after the Text (which Junius looketh upon as exegetical to it) Receive, I pray thee, the Law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.] This doth the true Chriſtian. And having thus received the Law from God, being acquainted with his will, now he yeeldeth a willing and chearful obedience thereunto; ſerving God (as David adviſeth his ſon Solomon to do, 1 Chron. 28.9.) with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde. And thus doth he acquaint himſelf with God.
Now put theſe together, and you have (as I apprehend) the full import of this phraſe; what it is for a man to acquaint himſelf with God. The doctrinal part of which duty being thus opened, I ſhall now come to that which I principally aym at, Application.
Which I ſhall direct onelyonly in that way wherein here I meet with it in the Text, Applic. The practice of the duty perſwadeda way of Exhortation. Acquaint now thy ſelf with God, ſaith Eliphaz to Job. And let me in the Name of God beſpeak every ſoul that heareth me this day, in the very ſame language, Now acquaint you your ſelves with him. A leſſon uſeful and needful for all ſorts of perſons. Amongſt whom we ſhall finde.
1. Some, and that the greateſt part, who have no acquaintance with God at all; they are meer ſtrangers to him. Such are all ignorant perſons, who have no knowledge of God. Such there were ſome amongſt the Corinthians, as Paul telleth them, 1 Cor. 15.34. Some have not the knowledge of God, I ſpeak it to your ſhame.] The ſhame of the perſons guilty of it, and of thoſe that tolerated them amongſt them. And would to God the like might not be too truly ſaid of this, or any other Congregation, that there are ſome amongſt them, who whileſt they bear the names of Chriſtians, yet in reality they are little better then Atheiſts; they have no knowledge of God, no true, ſound, diſtinct knowledge of him. Now as for ſuch, the evidence againſt them is but too clear, that they have no acquaintance with God. They are eſtranged from him through the ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the blindneſs of their mindes, (as Paul ſaith of the Gentiles in the place forenamed, Eph. 4.18.)
And ſuch are all profane and irreligious perſons; of whom we may ſay as the ſame Apoſtle doth of the Heathen, Rom. 1.21. That when they knew God, they did not glorifie him as God. They do not walk according to the light which they have; though they know God with a kinde of ſpeculative knowledge, (it may be) yet they do not walk with him. They ſeldom or never think of him, God is not in all their thoughts (as David ſaith of the wicked man, Pſal. 10.4.) They do not apprehend his preſence with them; they obſerve not his goings; they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, (as the Pſalmiſt ſaith of them, Pſal. 28.5.) They have no converſe with him; they are ſuch as call not upon God, (which the ſame Pſalmiſt maketh a character of a wicked man, Pſal. 53.4.) They have no regard to follow God, to walk after him; they are ſuch as hate inſtruction, and caſt his words behinde them (as you have it, Pſal. 50.17.) Saying unto God, though not with their tongues, yet in their hearts (with thoſe in Job, Chap. 21.14.) Depart from us, we deſire not the knowledge of thy ways.] Now as for ſuch, it well may nay it muſt be concluded againſt them, they are far from having any acquaintance with God at all. And ſo this counſel is very proper for them. Now acquaint ye your ſelves with him.
2. Others (in the ſecond place) they have ſome acquaintance with him; they know ſomewhat of him, and their deſire is to his Name, to walk with him, and approve themſelves unto him; but they are not acquainted with him as they ſhould be, and might be: Their acquaintance with him is but overly, not ſo intimate and familiar as ſome of the Saints of God have attained to, and themſelves might attain, were they not wanting to thoſe means of communion, which God is pleaſed to afford them. And who is there amongſt us, but may, and muſt acknowledge our ſelves to be of this number.
True, there is indeed a generation of men (ſome whereof, and too many are ſaid to be in this Nation at this day) who pretend to extraordinary familiarity and acquaintance with God, as if they did already know him, as they are, or ſhall be known of him. But I preſume there are none of them within the reach of my tongue at preſent: If there be, let me onelyonly tell them, that had they more true acquaintance with God, they would think more meanly of themſelves, then now they do. When Job came to ſee God, then he abhors himſelf, Job 42.5, 6.
For you, looking upon you all in one of the former Claſſes, let me direct the Exhortation to all and every of you, Now, I pray you, acquaint your ſelves with God. You that have yet no acquaintance with him, ſeek it. You that have ſome acquaintance with him, labor to confirm and increaſe it. To theſe two ſorts of perſons, I ſhall ſpeak ſeverally, and apart: Beginning with the firſt.
1. You who have yet no acquaintance with God; you have onelyonly heard of him by the hearing of the ear, but your eye hath not ſeen him; or if it hath, it hath been onelyonly in the glaſs of the creature. Some general knowledge (it may be) you have of God, but no practical acquaintance with him. To you be it ſpoken, and that with the like affection that Eliphaz is here conceived to ſpeak unto Job with; Now, I pray you, acquaint ye your ſelves with him. Do not you ſit down contented in this your eſtrangedneſs; but ſeek acquaintance with God.
Which counſel, that it may take place with you, let me firſt awaken you by giving you to know, that if you be not acquainted with God here, you ſhall never be acquainted with him hereafter. Mark it, (and the Lord ſet it on upon your ſpirits;) If you will not acquaint your ſelves with God here, you ſhall have no acquaintance with him hereafter. Now this latter (I preſume) there is none of you, but would be loth with. Loth would you be to hear that dreadful doom paſs from the mouth of God, when you ſhall come to ſtand before his Tribunal, Depart from me ye curſed, I know you not. None of you but would then be willing and deſirous that God ſhould own you, and take acquaintance of you. And if ſo, then acquaint ye your ſelves with him now. No acquaintance upon earth, no acquaintance in Heaven. There is no room for ſtrangers. What the Prophet Joel in the place forecited, ſaith of the New Jeruſalem upon Earth, is much more true of the New Jeruſalem in Heaven, Joel 3.17.There ſhall no ſtrangers paſs through it, or yet enter into it. None but ſuch as have ſome acquaintance with God.
Being thus awakned, now give way to ſome Arguments to perſwade with you, to ſeek after this acquaintance. For which I ſhall not need to go far. This verſe whereof the Text is part, furniſheth me with two, which may ſerve inſtead of many. In thus acquainting your ſelves with God, you ſhall have peace, and good ſhall thereby come unto you.
1. Argu. 1 Hereby you ſhall have peace. So ſome (and that not amiſs) look upon this paſſage in the Text, as an argument or motive to induce Job to ſeek acquaintance with God. Acquaint now thy ſelf with him, and be at peace.] foreignPacem habete, Have peace, or, ſo ſhalt thou be at peace. This ſhall a man get by this his acquainting himſelf with God; he ſhall have peace. A bleſſing which is not to be found in any other way. As for wicked and ungodly men, who by their ſinful ways and courſes, alienate and eſtrange themſelves from God, there is no peace for them. There is no peace to the wicked, ſaith my God, Iſa. 48.22. & 57.21. Poſſibly they may (as too often they do) ſpeak peace to themſelves (as the falſe Prophets did to the Jews, Jer. 6.14. ſaying, Peace, Peace, when there is no peace. No, being ſtrangers to God, they are ſtrangers to peace. This is a portion which God reſerves for thoſe that are of his acquaintance. The Lord will bleſs his people with peace, Pſal. 29. laſt. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whoſe minde is ſtayed on thee (ſaith the Prophet Iſaiah, Chap. 26.3. In (perfect peace) peace, peace, foreign(ſaith the Original,) that is, foreignall manner of true and found peace. And ſuch peace ſhall they have who thus acquaint themſelves with God; they ſhall have Peace, peace; outward peace, inward peace.
1. Outward peace, outward tranquillity. This is that which Eliphaz elſewhere promiſeth unto Job upon this very condition, of ſeeking unto God, and acquainting himſelf with him. So doing (ſaith he) The Beaſts of the field ſhall be at peace with thee. And thou ſhalt know that thy Tabernacle ſhall be at peace, Job 5.23, 24. This is the next and ſureſt way even to outward peace, to be firſt at peace with God, to be acquainted with him. When a mans ways pleaſe the Lord (ſaith the Wiſeman) he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him, Prov. 16.7. This God can do; and this ſo far forth as ſhall be good for them, he will do for thoſe who acquaint themſelves with him; command peace for them, outward peace.
2. However (in the ſecond place) they ſhall have inward peace; Peace of Conſcience; which is their peculiar portion. As for wicked men, who are eſtranged from God, they may enjoy outward peace, but inward peace they are ſtrangers to it. However their Conſciences being aſleep, they may be for a time at peace, feeling no inward diſquietment, yet when God cometh to awaken them (which ſooner or later he will do) acquainting them with their condition, ſhewing them their eſtrangedneſs from him; now there can be no peace, nothing but horror and terror; a hell in their ſouls. There is no peace (no inward peace) to the wicked. But ſuch peace have they who are acquainted with God; having him to friend; apprehending him as their God, a God reconciled to them in Chriſt. Now being juſtified by faith, they have peace with God, Rom. 5.1. Inward peace, their Conſciences being quieted with the true ſenſe, and apprehenſion of his love and favor to them. Thus they live in peace: And living in peace, they die in peace: Entering into peace (as the Prophet Iſaiah ſaith of the Righteous man; Iſa. 57.2.) departing hence in peace, into peace; with peace in their ſouls, unto eternal peace and reſt with God in the Heavens. Here is the firſt of thoſe advantages and benefits which the Text holdeth forth to thoſe who ſo acquaint themſelves with God. In ſo doing they ſhall have peace.
2. Argu. 2 And (ſecondly) thereby good ſhall come unto them.] Good. This it is that all men deſire; Who will ſhew us any good? (ſay they) Pſal. 4.6. Now this ſhall they attain who thus acquaint themſelves with God. Good. A threefold good. The firſt of Honor; the ſecond of Pleaſure; the third of Profit. Theſe are the three chief goods, which the men of this world ſo earneſtly deſire, ſo eagerly hunt after. And behold all theſe meeting together in a Chriſtians acquaintance with his God. Here is true Honor, Pleaſure, Profit.
Firſt, Here is Honor: Upon this ground, mean men are ſometimes ambitious of getting acquaintance with great perſonages; though they get nothing by it, nay it may be pay dear for it (as ſometimes they do) yet it is a credit, it is an honor to them. Now what an honor is it to be acquainted with the great God of Heaven? This was mans chief honor at the firſt, That he was of Gods acquaintance, having a nearer familiarity and communion with God, then the reſt of the Creatures; then was man in honor, Pſal. 49.12. And this is the higheſt honor that he is now capable of upon Earth, to be reſtored to ſome degree of that acquaintance. This was Abrahams honor, that he was called the Friend of God, Jam. 2.23. And this was Moſes his honor, that the Lord ſpake unto him face to face, as a man ſpeaketh unto his friend, Exod. 33.11. No honor like unto this, for man to know God, jure familiari (as he phraſeth it) in a familiar way, to be acquainted with him. To be acquainted with a Prince, ſo as to have his eye and his ear, to have free acceſs into his preſence upon all occaſions, to ſpeak familiarly to him, to converſe with him, what an honor is it accounted? Such honor (and infinitely greater) have all Gods Saints, who have the like acquaintance with him.
Secondly, Here is Pleaſure. Upon this ground again men ofttimes are willing to embrace acquaintance with others. Their ſociety is pleaſant and delightful. And ſuch is this acquaintance with God; it affordeth ſweet pleaſure and delight unto the foul. So Eliphaz tells Job in the 26 verſe of this Chapter. Then thou ſhalt have thy delight in the Almighty.] Acquainting thy ſelf with him, thou ſhall not onelyonly be ſuſtained by him, but thou ſhalt finde ſpecial delight, and ſingular pleaſure in him. So do the Saints in Heaven, ſtanding continually in the preſence of God, they finde an unſpeakable delight and complacency in him. In thy preſence is fulneſs of joy, at thy right hand there are pleaſures for evermore.] Pſal. 16.11. And the like in their meaſure do the Saints upon earth; in their converſe and communion with God, they finde a ſweet ſoul-complacency. Thence it is that communion with God is called ſometimes a delighting in God. Delight thy ſelf alſo in the Lord, Pſal. 37.4. That is, have communion with him; which who ſo have, they ſhall finde delight in him. So runs the promiſe, which the Lord makes unto thoſe who conſcionably obſerve his Sabbaths, on thoſe days acquainting themſelves with him, Iſa. 58.13, 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleaſure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, (taking delight in the duties and offices of the day,) &c. Then ſhalt thou delight thy ſelf in the Lord;] Thou ſhalt finde in him ſuch abundant matter of delight, as ſhall miniſter a fulneſs of ſatisfaction unto thy ſoul. To the ſame purpoſe is that other promiſe held forth by the ſame Prophet. Iſa. 55.2. Hearken diligently unto me, (ſaith the Lord) and eat ye that which is good, and let your ſoul delight it ſelf in fatneſs.] Not in carnal, but in ſpiritual delights, and pleaſures; which as far excel all ſenſual and earthly delights, as fat meat doth that which is lean. Theſe are the pleaſures wherewith the Lord will ſatisfie thoſe that betake themſelves unto him, making him their refuge, putting their truſt under the ſhadow of his wings; They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thy houſe, and thou ſhalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleaſures, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt,) Pſal. 37.7, 8. Such entertainment will God give to thoſe who acquaint themſelves with him. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chuſeſt (ſaith the ſame Pſalmiſt,) and cauſeſt to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts; we ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſs of thy houſe, even of thy holy temple, Pſal. 65.4. Such pleaſure is there in this acquaintance with God.
3. And (thirdly) there is Profit in it. That is the Queſtion which thoſe wicked ones in the Chapter before the Text (Job 21.25.) propound to themſelves and others. What is the Almighty that we ſhould ſerve him; and what profit ſhould we have, if we pray unto him?] And ſo thoſe Hypocrites in Malachi the like. What profit is it (ſay they) that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hoſts? Mal. 3.14. And thus carnal men are ready to think of this the Chriſtians acquainting himſelf with God, that there is nothing to be got by it, that there is no profit in it. But herein how far are they miſtaken? Never was any man a looſer by his acquaintance with God. Great is the gain, great is the profit hereof. Godlineſs with contentment, is great gain, 1 Tim. 6.6. Godlineſs is profitable for all things, having the promiſe of this life, and that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4.8. Such is the profit of this acquaintance. Great good ſhall come thereby; and that both Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal. Of the former of theſe Eliphaz maketh large promiſes unto Job in the ſequel of this Chapter; where explaining what good ſhould come unto him upon his acquainting himſelf with God, among other things he tells him, Then ſhalt thou lay up gold as duſt, and the gold of Ophir, as the ſtones of the brooks, Verſ. 24. And in the Verſe following, Then ſhalt thou have plenty of ſilver, Verſ. 25. Gold and ſilver, theſe are the Worlds goods, moſt commonly (how properly I will not ſay) called by that name. And theſe he maketh promiſe of, and that in abundance to Job. Which promiſe God will make good, ſo far as ſhall be good for thoſe who perform this condition. Friends do not uſe to deny their intimate acquaintance, any common favor that they can do for them. Such are theſe bleſſings, the bleſſings of Gods left hand, (as Solomon deſcribeth them, Prov. 3.16.) they are but common favors. And being ſuch, God will not withhold them from thoſe that acquaint themſelves with him, ſo far as they may be expedient for them. No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly, Pſal. 84.11. However, he will not be wanting to them in thoſe two other and better kinds of good things, Spiritual and Eternal. The Lord will give grace, and glory, (ſaith the former part of that Verſe.) Grace here, glory hereafter. So true is it, what Eliphaz here tells Job, that acquainting himſelf with God, thereby good ſhould come unto him; as Honor and Pleaſure, ſo Profit.
And Arguments (methinks) I ſhould need to uſe no more, to induce you to hearken to this counſel. Any one of theſe will prevail with men to embrace acquaintance with men. O let all of them prevail with us, to embrace acquaintance with God.
Queſt. Queſt. But will God be acquainted with us, poor, vile, Encouragements to the duty.worthleſs creatures that we are, how ſhall we dare to take acquaintance of the great God?
Anſw. Anſw. In way of anſwer to this, let me propound two or three encouragements, which may ſerve as further induce ments to bring in poor ſinners unto God.
1. Conſider, that he diſdaineth not the acquaintance of the leaſt of men, or of the greateſt of ſinners. This Princes and great men for the moſt part do. Job ſpeaking of ſome, who had him in deriſion in his adverſity, he ſaith they were ſuch, as whoſe fathers he would have diſdained to have ſet with the dogs of his flock, Job 30.1. So low they were in condition, and ſo far beneath him in the time of his proſperity, that he would have diſdained to have had any thing to do with them, to employ them in the meaneſt office about him. But it is otherwiſe with the God of Heaven; whoſe Majeſty, though it be ſo great, that it is a kinde of humbling to him to behold the things that are in Heaven, and in the Earth (as the Pſalmiſt phraſeth it, Pſal. 113.6.) Yet he vouchſafeth graciouſly to acquaint himſelf with the meaneſt of thoſe that ſhall ſeek acquaintance with him. Such was the condeſcenſion of the Divine Nature, that it diſdained not that near acquaintance with the humane; to take the nature of man into a perſonal union with it ſelf. And ſuch was the condeſcenſion of our bleſſed Saviour upon earth, that he diſdained not the acquaintance of thoſe, who upon a vulgar account were the vileſt of men, even of Publicans and Sinners, Matth. 9.11. And ſuch is the gracious condeſcenſion of the moſt high God; that he diſdaineth not acquaintance with any of thoſe who deſire acquaintance with him.
2. Nay (ſecondly) he offers and tenders this acquaintance to them. This do not great perſonages ordinarily to their inferiors. Their acquaintance muſt be ſought, and it may be bought; they do not uſe to offer it. But this doth the Lord our God. He offers his acquaintance to poor ſinners; he puts forth the hand to them, (as Abſalom is ſaid to have done to thoſe who came nigh to tender their duty, and do him obeyſance, 2 Sam. 15.5.) he inviteth them to come in, that they may have acquaintance with him. This he doth in the offers and tenders of grace held forth in the Goſpel, which he ſends forth his Miniſters to declare and publiſh. Even as that great Feastmaker in the Goſpel, who ſent forth his ſervants into the high ways, to invite and compel thoſe whom they found, to come in to his Supper, to eat and drink with him, Luke 14.23. So doth God ſend forth his Miniſters with the like commiſſion, to invite and compel, by Goſpel promiſes, and legal threatnings, all ſorts of poor ſinners to come in, that they may have communion with him.
3. And this he doth (in the third place) out of his meer grace and favor, onelyonly for their good, their benefit; not for any gain or advantage to himſelf. Upon that account it was that Abſalom offered himſelf in that over-familiar manner, to thoſe that came nigh him. His deſign was to make advantage of their acquaintance. But this cannot God expect from man. Can a man be profitable unto God? (ſaith Eliphaz in the beginning of this Chapter, Verſe 2.) No, God is not, cannot be a gainer by our acquaintance. That he offers it, ſeeketh it, it is for our good, our benefit; that we may be made happy and bleſſed in it, and by it. O then let not this grace of God be in vain to any of us, but accept we this ſo gracious an offer; acquainting our ſelves with him.
And this do we forthwith. Now acquaint thy ſelf with him (ſaith Eliphaz to Job here.) And let me in this ſenſe ſay the ſame words to every ſoul among you, that is yet eſtranged from God. Now acquaint thou thy ſelf with God. Now, now, whileſt God is pleaſed to offer and tender this acquaintance; which how long he will do, who knoweth? He that offers it to day, it may be will refuſe it to morrow. If the door of grace be once ſhut, then they who ſtand without may knock, as it were taking acquaintance of God, ſaying, Lord, Lord, open to us, but they ſhall receive no other anſwer, then that which there followeth, Luk. 13.25. I know not whence you are. And therefore, As the Holy Ghoſt ſaith, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, (Heb. 3.7, 8.) Now, whileſt the day of grace laſteth, now come in. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of ſalvation, (2 Cor. 6.2.) Now, whileſt the golden ſcepter is held forth; whileſt the Goſpel is preached unto you. And therefore eſtrange your ſelves from God no longer; but now come in, and acquaint your ſelves with him. Do it forthwith.
Knowing, that acquaintance is not ordinarily got of a ſudden. The word in the Text (as I ſhewed you) it imports a cuſtomary practiſe. And ſuch is acquaintance, it is not commonly attained but in continuance of time, by renewed and repeated acts of commerce. And ſo is it with this acquaintance with God. True it is, ſometimes God cometh in, in extraordinary ways appearing unto men, after a ſort, as he did to Moſes in the Buſh, (Exod. 3.4.) throughly acquainting himſelf with them at the firſt meeting, as he did with Paul, Acts 9. But this is not his ordinary courſe. Acquaintance, as with men, ſo with God, in an ordinary way, is not the work of an hour, or a day. And therefore forthwith ſet upon it.
Queſt. Quest. But how ſhall we go about it? In what way ſhall we come to obtain this bleſſed acquaintance?
Anſw. Anſw. Now, would to God that all that are here before the Lord this day, Directions for getting acquaintance with God.were but come thus far, thus to ſeek after God, how they might acquaint themſelves with him? As for you who are unfeignedly deſirous of it, take theſe few, and plain directions.
1. In order hereunto (as I told you in opening the nature of the duty) the firſt thing to be done, is to know him. And thou Solomon, my ſon, know thou the God of thy Fathers, and ſerve him, 1 Chron. 28.9. No knowledge, no acquaintance. And therefore, that you may have acquaintance with God, let it be your care firſt to know him. To which end, conſult not onelyonly the Book of the Creature, but alſo of the Scripture: That you may know him not onelyonly by his works, but by his word. Know him to be ſuch a one as he hath there revealed himſelf to be. What he is in himſelf, what he is in his Son, what are his properties, what his will. This is the key that muſt let you into this acquaintance, The key of knowledge.
2. Then (ſecondly) lay aſide ſuch things as may obſtruct and hinder this acquaintance. What thoſe are, the Lord himſelf will tell you, Iſa. 1.16. Waſh ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, &c. Then come and reaſon with me.] Mark it; there is no parlying, no reaſoning with God, no acquaintance to be had with him, unleſs all known ſins be laid aſide. A rebel that would have any acquaintance with his Prince, muſt firſt throw down his arms, lay aſide the weapons of his rebellion. And ſo muſt they who would have any acquaintance with God, they muſt put away ſin, all ſin. Sin being Gods enemy, ſo long as we hold a correſpondency and acquaintance with it, we can have no acquaintance with God. This is that which Joſhua tells the people, Joſh. 24.19. Ye cannot ſerve the Lord, for he is an holy God, he is a jealous God, &c.] A jealous husband cannot endure a corrival in his love, that his wife ſhould communicate her ſelf, between him and a ſtranger. No more can God, that thoſe who pretend to love him, and to deſire intimate acquaintance with him, ſhould embrace the boſom of any ſinful, inordinate luſt. And therefore either reſolve to break off acquaintance with the one, or never ſeek acquaintance with the other. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer (ſaith David,) Pſal. 66.18. He will not own me, he will have no acquaintance with me. No, God is of purer eyes then to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity; ſo the Prophet Habakkuk deſcribeth him, Hab. 1.13. And therefore, you that deſire to acquaint your ſelves with him, give a Bill of Divorce to all ſinful luſts, putting them away out of your hearts and lives, reſolving never more to have any acquaintance with them, to give any entertainment to them.
3. Then (in the third place) being thus prepared for this acquaintance, now make uſe of a Mediator. This courſe do men take, who deſire to acquaint themſelves with the Prince, or ſome great perſonage, being themſelves ſtrangers, much more if they have been enemies to him; they make uſe of ſome ſpecial favorite to make way for them, to procure acceſs into his preſence, and to ingratiate them with him, that ſo they may get acquaintance with him. Now ſuch is the condition of all men by nature, in reference to God; they are not onelyonly ſtrangers to him, but enemies; (Alienated, and enemies in your mindes by wicked works, ſaith Paul of his Coloſſians before converſion, Col. 1.21.) And being ſuch, that they may get acquaintance with God, their onelyonly way is, to make uſe of a Mediator. What Mediator? Why, as there is but one God, ſo there is but one Mediator betwixt God and Man, the Man Chriſt Jeſus, 1 Tim. 2.5. He is the great favorit of Heaven, of intimate acquaintance with God the Father, having lyen in his boſom from all eternity. Make uſe of him then; by Faith, laying hold upon him, and ſo come unto God by him, preſenting your ſelves unto God in his Name, through his Merit, and Mediation, craving acceptance in, and thorow him.
4. And thus coming unto God, then (in the fourth place) in humble-wiſe take acquaintance of him. Now in all humility challenge thy relations, calling him thy God, and thy Father. Now look upon him as a God reconciled to thee, in and thorow Jeſus Chriſt, and welpleaſed in him. This is my welbeloved Son, in whom I am welpleaſed, (ſaith the voice from Heaven, Matth. 3.17.) foreign. Wel-pleaſed with him, and with all whom he beholdeth in him. Here is now the Chriſtians entrance into this bleſſed acquaintance.
Which being thus happily begun, (now to ſpeak to the ſecond ſort of perſons) labor to confirm and increaſe it. Had Eliphaz here looked upon Job, as in truth he was, as a man that had ſome acquaintance with God already, yet might he have ſaid unto him what here he doth, acquaint thy ſelf with him; do it more and more. And the like let me ſay unto you, who have already thorow grace obtained ſome acquaintance with God, Acquaint you your ſelves with him. Still labor for a further degree of acquaintance: Alar, as for that acquaintance, which as yet you have, it is comparatively but flender and overly; labor for a more intimate, a more familiar acquaintance with your God.
Queſt. But how, Queſt. or in what way ſhall that be attained?
Anſw. A uſeful Queſtion. Anſw. Take the anſwer to it in theſe four or five directions.Directions for increaſing this acquaintance
Firſt, By a further enquiry after him.
Secondly, A ſerious and frequent meditation of him.
Thirdly, A diligent obſervation of him.
Fourthly, A frequent intercourſe with him.
Fiftly, A cloſe and conſtant walking before him.
Theſe are the cheif ſteps of this Ladder, by which a Chriſtian may aſcend to an intimate acquaintance with God. Herein let me deſire you to go along with me; as with your attentions now, ſo with your practice hereafter.
1. The firſt ſtep is, A further inquiry after God. Then ſhall we know (ſaith the Prophet) if we follow on to know the Lord, Hoſ. 6.3. Alas, Chriſtians! that which the beſt of us know of God already, is but the leaſt part of what we are ignorant of, foreign. We know but in part (ſaith Paul of his Corinthians, and of himſelf,) 1 Cor. 13.9, 12. Such is the knowledge of God, which the moſt illuminate Saints here attain unto. It is but defective, and imperfect. As for thoſe who think they know any thing (are moſt highly opinionated of their own knowledge.) Paul will tell them, They know nothing yet as they ought to know, 1 Cor. 8.2. And therefore let it be our endeavor to follow on to know the Lord; Still enquiring further after him; after his Nature, Attributes, Will. This is that which Paul beggeth in the behalf of his Coloſſians, that they might increaſe in the knowledge of God, Col. 1.10. And this let every of us labor after. In thus following on to know the Lord, we ſhall know, we ſhall come to have more acquaintance with him.
Secondly, Thus enquiring after him, be ſerious and frequent in our meditation of him. In this way David came by his acquaintance with God; by being ſtill with him. When I awake (ſaith he) I am ſtill with thee, Pſal. 139.18. Still with him, by way of Meditation and Contemplation of him, thinking of him. Thus was he with God at his lying down, in the night ſeaſon. He remembred him upon his bed, and meditated on him in the night watches (as himſelf ſpeaketh,) Pſal. 63.6. And thus was he with him at his riſing up. As in the night, ſo in the morning. Still he was with God. And ſo let it be with us, as many as deſire acquaintance with God. Be we ſtill with him. Meditating of his Attributes, his Works, his Word, his Teſtimonies, his Law. It is one of the characters which David giveth of his bleſſed man; His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and therein doth he meditate day and night, Pſal. 1.2. In this way a man cometh to be acquainted with a thing; by often looking upon it, often thinking of it. In this way acquaint we our ſelves with God.
Thirdly, Thus contemplating of him, be we alſo diligent in obſerving him; Eying and obſerving his goings, his providences; ſpecially his ſpecial providences; the out-breakings of his power, wiſdom, juſtice, mercy, goodneſs; and that as upon others, ſo eſpecially upon our ſelves. Obſerve what God is to us; how good, how gracious; how he preventeth us with his mercies; how he ſteppeth into us in our ſtraits; how he comforteth us in our tribulations; how he maketh his goodneſs to paſs before us. And here, make we ſpecial obſervation of his ſecret and ſpiritual in-comes to our ſouls; how he meeteth us in our approaches unto him; what anſwers he returns to our prayers; what entertainment he affordeth us in his houſe; how he ſatisfieth our ſouls with marrow and fatneſs (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, Pſal. 63.5.) How he kiſſeth us with the kiſſes of his mouth, (as the Spouſe phraſeth it, Cant. 1.1.) What intimations of his peculiar love he affords us; how he worketh upon our hearts by his Word and Spirit. Theſe are the goings of the Lord, in, and upon the hearts of his people; which thoſe, who would have intimate acquaintance with him, muſt make diligent obſervation of.
Fourthly, In the fourth place, thus obſerving of him, have frequent intercourſe with him. In this way men come to be acquainted, by having frequent interviews, often meeting together, to ſee one another, to diſcourſe and converſe each with other. And in this way acquaint we our ſelves with God: Often coming into his preſence; often meeting with him. Meeting him in publick, in his Ordinances, in his publick worſhip. Here it was that David got much of his acquaintance with God, by meeting him in his ſanctuary. I have ſeen thee, O God, in the ſanctuary, Pſal. 63.2. And here meet we with him; converſing with him by ſpeaking to him, and hearing and receiving from him. Speaking to him by Prayer; hearing from him in his Word; receiving from him the pledges of his love in the Sacraments. And thus meeting him in publick, do the like in private. Publick interviews without private entercourſe, will never breed intimate acquaintance. And therefore as we meet God in his houſe, ſo meet him in our own houſes; as we meet him in the Church, ſo meet him in the Cloſet; keeping conſtant courſe of private devotion; going unto God at ſet times, ſo upon all emergent occaſions, to make ſuit for mercies we want; to return praiſes for mercies received. No better way to get acquaintance with God, then thus frequently to pour forth the heart before him, (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh,) Pſal. 62.8. to pour it out by way of Confeſſion, Petition, Thanksgiving.
Fifthly, To theſe adde in the laſt place, a cloſe and conſtant walking with, and before him. A conſtant adhering, and cloſe cleaving unto him. This is that which Moſes preſſeth upon the people, Deut. 10.20. & 13.4. You ſhall ſerve him, and cleave unto him. And this do we; Cleaving to him in affection, and converſation. In affection, fearing him, loving him, truſting in him, depending upon him. In converſation, walking before him as in his preſence, endeavoring to approve our ſelves unto him in our whole courſe, not willingly doing ought that might offend him, that might cauſe him to turn away his face, and eſtrange himſelf from us; but ſerving him without fear, in holineſs and righteouſneſs before him, all the days of our lives. Thus walking with God, we ſhall daily grow up in our acquaintance with him.
Which that it may not be inordinate, Caution. for the regulating of us herein, take but this one Caveat. In acquainting our ſelves with God, ſee that we keep our diſtance. This do inferiors uſe to do, who acquaint themſelves with ſuperiors; ſuch as are far above them in place and eſtate, they keep their diſtance, not being too familiar with them. The like obſerve we in this our acquainting ourſelves with God. He being in Heaven, we upon Earth; he an infinite Majeſty inhabiting that foreign, that unapproachable, unacceſſible light, (as the Apoſtle deſcribeth him, and it, 1 Tim. 6, 16.) And we poor worms, creeping upon this Molehil of Earth, in acquainting our ſelves with him, keep our diſtance; be not too familiar with him; whether it be in our enquiring after him, or obſerving of him, or converſing with him, or walking before him.
1. In our enquiring after him, keep our diſtance. This is the charge which the Lord willeth Moſes to give unto the people, when himſelf was to appear upon Mount Sina, Exod. 19.12. Thou ſhalt ſet bounds unto the people round about, ſaying, Take heed unto your ſelves, that ye go not up into the Mount, or touch the border thereof. And again, Verſ. 21. Go down, charge the people, leſt they break thorow unto the Lord to gaze, &c. And this charge let us obſerve. Take we heed of coming too near unto God in our enquiries after him; of being too familiar with him. This I look upon, as a weakneſs in Moſes himſelf. God having been familiar with him, Speaking unto him face to face, as a man ſpeaketh to his friend, (as it is expreſſed, Exod. 33.11.) that is, more plainly and familiarly then with others; hereupon Moſes takes the boldneſs to deſire to ſee his face, his glory; And he ſaid, I beſeech thee ſhew me thy glory, Verſ. 18. i. e. A full manifeſtation of his Majeſty, which, as the Lord there tells him, was more then he, or any other mortal Creature was capable of, [Thou canſt not ſee my face; for there ſhall no man ſee me, and live, Verſ. 20.] Take we heed of the like preſumption. Is it ſo, that God hath acquainted himſelf in a more familiar way with us, then with others: take heed of being over-bold with him; of advancing too far in our enquiries concerning him, concerning his Nature, Counſels, Will, Works. For his Nature, let it be enough that God maketh his goodneſs to paſs before us, and that he giveth us a ſight of his back-parts. For his Counſels, dive we not too far into them; but ſtanding afar off, admire and adore what we cannot comprehend, crying out with the Apoſtle, foreign, O the depth! Rom. 11.33. For his Will, content we our ſelves with that part of it which is revealed: Remembring, that ſecret things belong unto the Lord, but revealed things to us, and to our children, Deut. 29. laſt. Let us not dare to look into Gods Ark, to pry into the Cabinet of his ſecret Counſel. Here remember we that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 12.3. foreign, Not to be wiſe above that we ought to be wiſe; but to be wiſe unto ſobriety. And for his works, be not too inquiſitive after a reaſon of them. Let it be enough to us, The Lord hath done it, in whom there can be no improvidence or unrighteouſneſs. Thus keep our diſtance, come not too near unto God, in enquiring too far after him.
2. And ſo (ſecondly) in our obſerving of him, keep our diſtance, come not too near. It is no good manners for a ſervant to follow his maſter ſo cloſe, as to tread upon his heels. Thus do they follow God, who pretending to a more then ordinary acquaintance with him, will take upon them to make a ſudden and peremptory conſtruction, and interpretation of all his Providences, of his proceedings and dealings with themſelves, and others. Collecting and concluding (that which the Preacher ſaith, No man can know, Eccleſ. 9.1.) Love or hatred, from that which is before them Concluding Gods love to themſelves, from his bleſſing and proſpering of them in outward things; his hatred of others, from his correcting and afflicting of them. This the Pſalmiſt, however by many croſs-providences he was tempted to it, yet upon ſecond and ſerious thoughts he durſt not do it, as he tells us, Pſal. 73.15. If I ſay I will ſpeak thus, (ſaith he) behold I ſhould offend againſt the generation of thy children.] Should he judge of men by Gods outward diſpenſations, and dealings with them, he might eaſily wrong both him and them, in cenſuring godly men to be Hypocrites, becauſe it may be they are moſt acquainted with affliction. That was the miſtake (as of the reſt of Jobs friends, ſo) of Eliphaz here, who looked upon Job, as a man that had no acquaintance with God, becauſe the hand of God lay ſo heavy upon him. Take we heed of making the like conſtructions of Gods providential diſpenſations. This is to be too familiar with God, to follow him too cloſe.
And ſo is it, when men ſhall make Providence their guide to follow, their Compaſs to ſtear by, their Rule to walk by; not expecting any further manifeſtation of Gods will and pleaſure from his Word.
3. Keep our diſtance in converſing with him. Thus do inferiors in the civil intercourſe, which they have with their ſuperiors; though acquainted with them, yet they obſerve their diſtance, not being too familiar with them; but ſhewing ſuch reſpects to them in their language and deportment, as their eminency requireth. And the like do we in our ſpiritual entercourſe and communion with God; in ſpeaking to him, in hearing or receiving from him, take heed of being too familiar with him. So was that proud Phariſee; when he came into the Temple in that bold and conſident way; inſtead of confeſſing his ſins, preſenting unto God a catalogue of his good works, [God I thank thee, I am not as other men, &c. I faſt twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I poſſeſs,] Luke 18.11, 12. Thus doth he (as it were) take and challenge acquaintance with God, upon the account of his own demerits. Far be the like preſumption from every of us. Coming unto God, be it in publick, or in private, come we with all humility and reverence. So cometh the poor Publican there in the verſe following. He obſerves his diſtance, he ſtandeth afar off (in ſome remote part of the firſt Court of the Temple,) not ſo much as lifting up his eyes to Heaven (ſo taking unto himſelf ſhame and confuſion of face,) but ſmiting upon his breſt, (in token of true and hearty contrition) he ſaith, God be merciful to me a ſinner.] And ſo coming, the ſequel tells us, that he went away juſtified, rather then the other,] Acquitted and accepted. Do we deſire to finde the like reſpects from God; let all our addreſſes unto him be in the like manner, with an humble and awful reverence of his Majeſty. Here take heed of being too familiar with him. That is the caveat which the Preacher giveth to thoſe who make any publick addreſs unto God, Eccleſ. 5.1. Keep thy foot, when thou goeſt into the houſe of God; alluding (as ſome conceived) to that of God to Moſes, when appearing to him in the buſh, he bids him, Put off thy ſhooes from thy feet, Exod. 3.5. in token of reverence; or (as others) to that ordinary cuſtom of the Prieſts, who were to waſh their feet, when they came to officiate before the Lord, Exod. 30.19, 21. Thus he requireth all who come before the Lord to offer up any ſpiritual ſacrifice unto him, to take heed to their feet, as to their outward geſtures, ſo ſpecially to their inward affections. Keep thy foot, when thou goeſt into the houſe of God, and be more ready to hear, then to offer the ſacrifice of fools. Be not raſh with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be haſty to utter any thing before God; for God is in Heaven, and thou art upon Earth, therefore let thy words be few. Thus come we before God in publick; reverencing his ſanctuary, (as the Lord requires, Levit. 19.30. & 26.2.) And thus come we to him in private; with all due reverence and obeiſance: Remembring that they who would ſerve God acceptably, muſt ſerve him with reverence and godly fear, Heb. 12.28. In both, ſo take acquaintance of God, as yet obſerving and keeping our diſtance.
4. And laſtly, In our walking before him; See that we ſo walk before him, as that yet we walk after him. So Moſes requires the people to do, Deut. 13.4. Ye ſhall walk after the Lord your God.] So do ſervants walk after their maſters, and mean perſonages after their ſuperiors. And ſo do we after our God. Not running before him. So did thoſe falſe Prophets of old, of whom the Lord complains, that they ran before they were ſent, Jere. 23.21. And ſo do they, who thruſt themſelves into any publick ſervices and employments, which God hath not called them to. They herein go before God. For us, herein know we, and keep we our diſtance, following after him. If the Lord be God, follow him, (ſaith Eliah to the people,) 1 King. 18.21. Deſire to ſee God go before us in all our ways, taking our directions from him. Not, preſenting unto him ſuch ſervices as we think ſitting; but ſuch as himſelf requireth. Withal, walking humbly with him. He hath ſhewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require from thee, but to do juſtly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (ſaith the Prophet, Micah 6.8.) Thus walk we with him, humbly; humbling our ſelves to walk with him (as the Hebrew hath it.) So walking with him here, we ſhall live with him hereafter; enjoying a bleſſed communion with him unto all eternity. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Brinsley, Two Treatises 2 (1654)