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

Fourthly, Communication to him, and from him.

Fifthly, There is likewise required to acquaintance, a loving compliance. Amongst men Acquaintance implies Affection. And so it is between God and Man. Never any soul was acquainted with God, that did not love God; and such a soul is an enemy to God; therefore very few are acquainted with God; but all that are not acquainted with God, are enemies to God. If we should come to a person that is not acquainted with God, and say, Thou art an enemy to God; this would seem a heavy imputation: but I speak it freely, thou, whosoever thou art, that art not acquainted with God, thou art an enemy to God; for thou art still as thou wert born: but we are all enemies to God according to our corrupt nature, and abide enemies till we come to be acquainted with God. Love to God, and acquaintance with God go together, are heightened by one another. First, God lets into the soul by his Spirit a partial discovery of himself, and ⟨p. 19⟩by this with the working of his Spirit, he incline the heart in love to him. Then on the first working of the soul towards God, he lets in a clear light, whereby he draweth the soul to a further degree of love. A clear place for this, Ephes. 3.17, 18. And that being rooted and grounded in love, ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the length, and breadth, and depth, and height, and to know the love of God which passeth all understanding: that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. The love of God fits the soul to comprehend the glorious discoveries of God; and the discoveries of God, doth heighten our love to God. Acquaintance with God, makes us like unto God, as in Joh. 3.2. We shall see him as he is. And our likeness to God, as it makes us the delight of God, so it makes us delight in God; for the cause of Complacency and Love is a likeness between the Lover and Beloved. God doth not love us with a love of complacency, till we are like him; nor do we love God, till we are made like God. Now our beholding God, and being acquainted with him, is a great way to our being made like to God,