2yfí Of COMMUNION with was due to us, fo making peace, hereupon God is faid to be in Chrift, re- conciling the world unto himfelf, 2 Cor. v. s9. being reconciled himfelf, v. 18. he lays down the enmity on his part, and proceeds to what remains, to flay the enmity on our part, that we alfo may be reconciled. And this alfo. [4.1 He cloth ; for Rom. y. Tr. By our Lord Yefrs Chrift wé do receive the attonement, accept of the peace made and tendered, laying down our enmity to God, and fo confirming an agreement betwixt us in his blood. So that thro' him we have an accefs unto the father, Ephef. ii. 18. Now the whole wifdom of this agreement, without which, there is no walking with God, is hid in Chrift, out of himGod on his part is a confirming fire, wve are as fiubbie fully dry, yet fetting our felves in battle array againfl that fire; if we are brought together we are confum'd. All our approachings to him out of Chrift, are but to our detriment, in his blood alone have we this agreement, and let not any of us once fuppofe that we have taken any flop in the paths of God, with him, that any one duty is accepted, that all is not loft as to eternity, if we have not done it, upon the account hereof. [2.] There is required acquaintancealfo to walking together. Two may meet together in the fame way, and have no quarrel between them, no en- mity, but if they are meer ftrangers one to another, they pals by, without the leaft communion together. It loth not fuffice that the enmity betwixt God and us be taken awayawe muff alfo have acquaintancegiven us with him. Our not knowing orhim is a great caufe and a great part of our en- mity. Our underftandings are darkned, and weare alienated f sso the life of God, Ephef. iv. 18. This alfo then muff be added, if we ever come to walk with God, which is wifdom. And this allo is hid in the Lord Chrift, and comes forth from him. It is true, there are fundry other means, as his word, and his works, that God bath given the Ions of men, to make a difcovery of himfelf unto them, and ro give them Tome acquaintance with him, that as the apoffle fpeaks, Ails xvii. 27. They Jimedd feel the Lord, ifhaply they mightfind him; but.yet as that knowledge ofGod, which we have by his works, is but very weak and imperfeft, fo that which we have by the word, the letter of it, by reafon of our blindnefs, is not Pa- ving to us if we have no other help, for rho' that be light as the fun in the firmament, yet if we have no eyes in our heads, what can it avail us ? no faxing acquaintancewith him, that may direft us to walk with him can be obtained. This allo is hid in the Lord Jefus, and comes forth froth him, t roh. v. 20. He bath givenus thisunderflanding, that we Jh'auld know him that is true, all other light whatever without his giving us an under- ftanding, will not do ir. He is the true light, which lighteth every one that is enlightned, jos. i. g. Luke xxiv. ¢ç. he opens our underftandings that we may underfland the Scriptures; none bath known God at any time, but he barb revealed him, a job. xviü. God dwells in that light which no man can approdcb unto, a Tim. vi. 26. None bath ever had any Poch ac- quaintancewith him, as to be faid to have feen him, but by the revelation of Jefus Chrift. 'Hence he tells the pharifees, that notwithltanding all their great knowledgewhich they pretended, indeed they lead neither heard the voice ofGod at any time, nor feen his Jhape, Joh. v. 37. they had no manner of fpiritual acquaintance with God, but he was unto them as a man whom they had never heard, nor feen. There is no acquaintance with God, as love, and full of kindnefs, patience,grace and pardoning mercy, on whichknowledge of leim alone we can walk with him, but only in Chrift; but of this fully before. This then alfo is hid in him. r3.] There
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