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

Behold, how good and how pleasant a thing it is for God and the soul to dwell together in unity! This 'tis to have God for a friend. O blessed is the soul that is in such a case; yea, blessed is the soul whose God is the Lord, Psal. 144.15. Psal. 69.15, 16 2 Cor. 1.3. Joh. 14.16. Isa. 51.11, 12, Neh. 8.10. Psal. 30.5. Psal, 43.4. Prov. 14.10. Isa. 29.19. Rom. 14.17, 1 Pet. 1.8. Nay, David when he seemed to be somewhat out of tune, leaves this upon Record as undoubted truth, Psal. 73.1. That God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart; Let the Devil and ⟨p. 77⟩his Instruments say what they will to the contrary, I will never believe them; I have said it before, and I see no reason to reverse my sentence; Truly God is good. Though sometimes he may hide his face for a while, yet he doth that in faithfulness, and love; there is kindness in his very scourges, and love bound up in his rods; he is good to Israel: do but mark it first or last, The true Israelite in whom there is no guile, shall be refreshed by this Saviour. The Israelite that wrestles with tears with God, and values his love above the whole world, that will not be put off without his Fathers blessing, he shall have it with a witness; He shall reap in joy, though he may at present sow in tears. Even to such as are of a clean heart. The false-hearted hypocrite indeed that gives God only his tongue and lip, cap and knee, but reserves his heart and love for sin and the world, that hath much of complement, but nothing of affection and reality; why, let such a one never expect, while in such a state, to taste those reviving comforts that I have been treating of: while he drives such a trade, he must not expect much of Gods company; but of that hereafter. What a charge doth God give to his Ministers to keep up the spirits of his people. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith their God, speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem. It's a gross mistake, to think that God loves to see his, drooping and hanging down their heads; no, no, he counts it his honour to have his servants cheerful. O why then should any of the precious sons and daughters of Zion walk up and down, as if their friends company were not sufficient to solace them, even in the lowest state that a child of