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

USE 3.

Thirdly, If man ought to be acquainted with God; then let us all enquire into our selves, whether we are acquainted with him or no. Let us every one turn into our own bosoms, and ask our selves this question; Thou hast heard, O my soul, that which is thy great Duty, that which is the very end of thy Creation, and thy Redemption, and that the highest perfection of thy noblest faculty consists in knowing God, and being acquainted with him, which contains a nigh union to him, and intimate converse with him, and mutual communion to God, and from ⟨p. 48⟩God, and radicated unmoveable love to God, these are excellent things, O my soul, what is thy case? Art thou one of those precious ones, which conversest oft with God, and talk oft of God, whom he will make up with his Jewels? Or art thou one of those wretched Creatures, who are alienated from the life of God, by reason of the ignorance that is in thee? Or art thou one of those who having been sometimes afar off, art now made nigh to God by the blood of Christ, and so art lead into fellowship and communion with the Father and the Son by the Spirit? Or art thou one of those who looks upon God afar off, and upon whom God looks afar off? I beseech you every one of you, deal seriously and accurately with your selves in this inquiry, for it is most certain, that most men in the world, yea in the visible Church, are not acquainted with God. Thus it hath been in all generations from the beginning of the world, and thus it is at this day: the people of God have been like a little flock of sheep, while the rest are like locusts, covering the whole face of the earth. The people of God have still complained that they are but as the gleaning of the vintage, and as two or three Olive-berries in the top of the utmost branches, when the rest have been gathered. The visible Church of God, in respect of the rest of the world, ••w small a part is it! In the visible Church, how few live up to their Religion, by any considerable profession! How little difference is there between most among us, and Heathens! And of those that profess, and lay claim to something beyond others among whom they live, how many betray their Profession by