I. We are to confider, What this fcripture phrafe of "Acquainting ourfelves with God," implies, and wherein the duty recommended by it particularly confifts. The phrase itself occurs, I think, no where else in Holy Writ; however, the true meaning of it is very obvious and eafy.

We are prone by nature to engage ourselves in too close and strict an acquaintance with the things of this world, which immediately and ftrongly ftrike our fenfes; with the bufinefs, the pleafures, and the amufements of it; we give ourfelves up too greedily to the purfuit, and immerfe ourselves too deeply in the enjoyment of them; and contract at last such an intimacy and familiarity with them, as makes it difficult and irkfome for us to call off our minds to a better employment, and think intenfely on any thing befides them. To check and correct this ill tendency, it is requifite that we should acquaint ourselves with God, that we should frequently difengage our hearts from earthly pursuits, and fix them on divine things; that we fhould apply ourfelves to study the bleffed nature and perfections of God, and to procure lively and vigorous impreffions of his perpetual prefence with us, and infpection over us ; that we fhould contemplate earnestly and reverently the works of nature and grace, by which he manifefts himself to us; the infcrutable ways of his providence, and all the wonderful methods of his dealing with the fons of men: That we fhould inure ourfelves to fuch thoughts, till they have worked up our fouls into that filial awe and love of Him, that humble and implicit depend

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ence upon Him, which is root and principle of all manner of goodnefs; till we have made our duty in this refpect, our pleafure, and can addreis ourselves to Him, on all occafions, with readiness and delight; imparting all our wants, and expreffing all our fears, and opening all our griefs to Him, with that holy freedom and confidence to which the faints and true fervants of God are entitled, having "received the Spirit of "adoption, whereby they cry, Abba, Father!" In this fenfe ought we to acquaint our e ves with God, to fet Him always before us, as the fcripture elsewhere speaks; "to draw near to him, and to "delight in approaching him."

But this is only a general account of what our acquaintance with God implies: It may be ufeful to mention fome particulars alfo, wherein it chiefly confifts; and to fay fomewhat diftinctly upon each of them.

In order to begin, and improve human friendfhips, Five things are principally requifite; knowledge, accefs, a fimilitude of manners, an entire confidence and love: and by these alfo the divine friendship, of which we are treating, must be cemented and upheld.

The firft ftep towards an acquaintance with God, is, a due knowledge of him: I mean not a fpeculative knowledge, built on abftracted reafonings about his nature and effence; fuch as philofophical minds often bufy themfelves in, without reaping from thence any advantage towards regulating their paffions, or improving their manners: But I mean a practical knowledge of thofe attri butes of his, which invite us nearly to approach

him, and clofely to unite ourselves to him; a thorough fenfe, and vital experience of his paternal care over us, and concern for us; of his unfpotted holiness, his inflexible juftice, his unerring wifdom, and his diffufive goodness; a repreprefentation of him to ourselves, under thofe affecting characters of a Creator and a Redeemer, an Obferver and a Pattern, a Law-giver and a Judge; which are apteft to incline our wills, and to raise our affections toward him, and either to awe or allure us into a ftricter performance of every branch of our duty. These, and the like moral and relative perfections of the Deity, are moft neceffary and most easy to be understood by us; upon the least reflexion and enquiry we cannot mifs of them; tho' the oftner and more. attentively we confider them, the better and more perfectly ftill fhall we know them.

The acquaintance, thus begun, cannot continue, without frequent accefs to him; without Jeeking his face continually (as the good Pfalmift's phrafe is) in all the methods of spiritual address: in contemplation and prayer; in his word, and in his ordinances; in the public fervice of the fanctuary, and in the private devotions of the clofet; and chiefly in the latter of these, which are, on feveral accounts, most use towards promoting this holy correfpondence. By these means, and in thefe duties, is he to be approached, and found; and, notwithstanding our infinite diftance, will" draw near to them who thus draw 86 near to Him," and fhew himself to be a God. that" is at hand, and not afar off."

But in vain fhall we approach him, unless we. endeavour

endeavour to be like him: A fimilitude of nature and manners (in fuch a degree as we are capable of) must tie the holy knot, and rivet the friendfhip between us. Whomfoever we desire to approve, we labour alfo to conform ourselves to; to be "not only almoft, but altogether fuch as they are," if it be poffible; that fo they, feeing themselves in us, may like us, for the fake of themselves, and go out (as it were) to meet and embrace their own image and refemblance. Would we then be admitted into an acquaintance with God? let us ftudy to refemble him; we must be "partakers of a divine nature," in order to partake of this high privilege and alliance! "For what fellowship hath righteoufnefs with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness ?"

Yet further, one effential ingredient in all true friendship, is, a firm unfhaken reliance on him who is our friend. Have we fuch towards God? Do we entirely truft in him? Do our fouls lean on him, as a child that is weaned of his mother? Do we refign ourselves, and our affairs, abfolutely to be difpofed of by him? and think all our concerns fafer in his hands, than in our own? and refolve to believe every thing to be beft and fittest for us, which he fees beft fhould befal us! Are we still under his rod, without a murmur? without de fpondency of mind, and without charging God foolishly? Do we unbofom all our fecrets to him, and neither endeavour nor pretend to hide any thing that paffeth in the depth of our hearts from him? Do we enquire of him for his advice and and affistance in every thing? and hearken to

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what our Lord God shall say to us, either by the inward whispers of our confciences, or the out ward miniftry of his word or the awakening calls of his providence? and give heed diligently to fulfil all the leaft intimations of his good pleafure, that are any ways made known to us? Then have we entered deep into, and advanced far in, that holy intimacy which the text recommend: O well it is with us! Happy are we, and shall we be !

However, "yet one thing more we lack" to be perfect; Love, which is the fulfilling of this law of friendship, the fureft teft, and most exalted -improvement of it.

Let us confider therefore, whether we do indeed "love the Lord our God, with all our "heart, and with all our foul, and with all our

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mind, and with all our ftrength:" Whether Our approaches to Him are always fweet and refrefhing; and we are uneafy and impatient under any long difcontinuance of our converfation with Him; and retire into our closet from the crowd, in order to meet Him whom our foul loveth, with a pleasure far exceeding theirs, who "Chant "to the found of the viol," and are "joyful in "the strength of new wine:" whether our hearts burn within us, at the perufal of his holy word; and the relish and favour of it upon our minds be fuch, as that, in comparison of it, all the most exquifite human compofures feem low and mean, flat and infipid to us? whether we have an even and ever-burning zeal for his honour and service; and are always contriving fomewhat, and doing fomewhat, to promote his intereft, without any immediate regard to our own? Whether we de