Heaven upon earth, or, The best friend in the worst of times. Delivered in…

First, That we distinguish carefully between our capacity of being acquainted with God, and our being actually acquainted with him: for our capacity, or being so as that we may be acquainted with God, is of no worth, unless we be actually acquainted with him. We are in a remote capacity naturally as men, and we are in a more nigh capacity by the mercy and covenant of God; but this adds no true worth to the soul without the actual acquaintance of the soul with God. Yea, man is the worse for this, if he be without the other; for if man being made fit for enjoyment of God, and communion with him, never attain to an enjoyment of him, he becomes more vile then those things whose nature is inferior, 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 ⟨p. 44⟩short of this, their condemnation 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 thorough closure with him, the nigher we are to the stroke 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.

First, That we distinguish carefully between our capacity of being acquainted with God, and our being actually acquainted with him: for our capacity, or being so as that we may be acquainted with God, is of no worth, unless we be actually acquainted with him. We are in a remote capacity naturally as men, and we are in a more nigh capacity by the mercy and covenant of God; but this adds no true worth to the soul without the actual acquaintance of the soul with God. Yea, man is the worse for this, if he be without the other; for if man being made fit for enjoyment of God, and communion 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