Heaven Upon Earth, Sermon · Direction 6 – Direction 7
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 Souls (God is their witneſs) they ſee that your condition requires it, & that a man in your ſtate is not to be jeſted with. The Lord knows that they take little pleaſure in grieving of people; they do it that you may rejoyce for ever; they watch for your Souls, and therefore you muſt account them worthy of double Honour. But of all the Meſſengers that God ſends, have the greateſt care of dealing unkindly with, and grieving his ſpirit; when you have any motions upon your Soul by the Spirit, labour to cheriſh them with all the care and tenderneſs that you can: Turn not Convictions away with, I am not at leiſure; or I will hear you of theſe things when I have a more convenient ſeaſon: but as ſoon as you find your heart begin to relent, cry out unto the Lord, and ſay, O Lord I beſeech thee, carry on thy work effectually upon my Soul! O that I may have through work! O let not theſe convictions wear off from my Soul, till they end in a real Converſion! O let me not prove but a Half-Chriſtian! Any thing in the world, Lord, ſo that I may but be made a Chriſtian in good earneſt! O let me not return with the Dog to his Vomit, and with the Sow that is waſhed, to her Wallowing in the Mire! Deliver me, O God, from ſinning away theſe things, and getting into a cold World, and from ſhaking off all, leaſt I prove worſe than eyer, and my latter end be more miſerable than my beginning. Labour to be very curious in the taking notice of Gods abſence or preſence; and when you find your Soul raiſed in any duty, and your Heart ſomewhat drawn out after God, then be ſure to own Gods goodneſs, and bleſs the Lord for it; Record his kindneſs, forget not his mercy, paſs not over ſuch great things in ſilence, Little do men think what a hazard they run, when they quench the Motions of God's Spirit, You may read in the 5. Cant. how dearly the Spouſe had like to have paid for ſuch an unkindneſs? What, ſhall God ſend his ſpirit to viſit you? Shall the infinite Majeſty ſo far condeſend as to knock at your Door, and will not you open? why then, you may thank your ſelves if he never knock more. But if you will now open to him, he will come into you, and ſup with you, and you ſhall ſup with him.