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

If the inanimate creature, such as the sinner, resolveth as a strong man to run his race; how active then must the maker of that sinner be, if he command him not to deal with a slack hand, surely he himself will not deal with a slack hand, should you behold this friend of yours riding upon the wings of the Wind, and making the clouds his Chariot, would you not say, O how swift, O how active is this glorious friend of mine! the feet of this beloved One are as Hinds feet, for the good of his friends. Yea, his very eyes run too and fro through the whole world; for their good he keeps constant watch and ward about them, and he that can injure any of his our of his sight shall go unpunished, Esa. 27.3.

The Lord speaks this under the Metaphor of a Vine-Yard, and doth this great Husbandman neglect his Vineyard? doth he not Dig, Manure, and stone it, and keep out the wild Boar, and Foxes? Doth he not prune it, and tender it charily? I the Lord do keep it night and day, none shall come into it to gather the Fruit of it without lay leave. I will water it every moment: So that you see what pains God takes for his. Do you believe, this friend sits in Heaven, and looks down upon the Earth for nothing? Be not deceived ⟨p. 83⟩O sinner, that wilt not be persuaded to get reconciliation with this Great and Holy Majesty. The Lord is not slack concerning his coming, as some account slackness: Let his stay be never so long, when he comes to judg the world, it will be before the sinner looks for him. Indeed there is nothing that a wicked man more pleaseth himself with, than the thoughts that it will be a long time before God and he meet, but he little considers that a Thousand years are but as One day compared to the days of Eternity. Now, by faith, these things are made real to the considerate Christian; and as for the supplying of his wants, he knows if he comes at midnight to borrow bread of him, he will not put you off with this excuse, that he is a Bed and cannot rise from his Children, but will presently help, making their necessity his own opportunity to give them what shall be convenient for them, as knowing, that let the wind sit in what corner it will, it shall fit their Sails, and bring them nearer the Harbour.