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

If you would be acquainted with God, you must visit him often, be much at his house, knock at his door many times in a day, and resolve to continue knocking till he open; and if he do not come presently, wait for him; you would do as much for your Prince, and it may be to a meaner person. We can't expect to be acquainted with them that we will not come near. It is to no purpose for that man to speak of acquaintance with God, who never speaks to him, comes at him, or enquires after him. Neither will a slight visit or two in a Transitory complemental manner serve the turn; a man may do this, and yet not be said to be acquainted with God. A stranger may come once to your house that was never there before, and never intends to come again; and I believe you will scarce write such a own down amongst your special friends and intimate acquaintance. So in Spirituals; for acquaintance and converse with God are no such slight things as the world commonly take them to be. If you would make any thing of this great work of getting acquaintance with God, you must not jest in it, you must give God many solemn and set-visits, and carry your self with all the observance and respect to him that you can for your soul. This is that which keeps many thousands of strangers from the life of Grace, and intimate acquaintance with God, because they know not what those more peculiar visits of God mean; they understand not what it is to draw nigh to God in secret; they come not to him with those more spiritual acts of Religion; they ⟨p. 303⟩pray, it may be, in their Families, and it may be that but seldom (but by the way, never let such pretend to the Knowledge of God, who call not upon him in their Families) but what they do, it is but in a poor formal perfunctory manner between sleep and awake; and will you call this acquaintance with God? will you call this an act of Adoration and spiritual Worship? Is it to bow down a while before God, and to read or speak a few words, and there's an end? their work is over, their task is done, and they are glad of it. But now such as these do not come into Gods Chambers; they come to his House, as I may so say, but they regard not whither he be at home, whether they speak to God, and have an answer from God or no: they call indeed, but desire not much to be heard; they knock, but are not very careful to stay till the door be opened.