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

this is rare indeed, this is beyond president among men; but yet it is that which the great God doth not disdain to do; Nay, let me tell thee whosoever thou art remaining in a state of Nature, that readest these lines, that at this very time God is doing no less then all this comes to for thee; and I in the name of my great Master do come to expostulate the case with thee; that God that gave thee thy breath, and can take it away as soon as he pleaseth; that God that made heaven and earth, to whom all the Nations of the earth are but as the drop of a bucket to the vast Ocean, who holdeth the Sea in the hollow of his hands, that weigheth the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance: that God that hath no less then a heaven to reward with, and a hell and everlasting flames to punish with, he it is, that doth by me beseech thee to be reconciled unto him, he it is that would be your Friend, your Acquaintance. O unheard of mercy! O infinite and unparalleled condescension! I have oft thought there are two great astonishing wonders in the world, The one is Gods infinite mercy and condescension to rebellious apostatized man; and the other is mans insensibility and ingratitude; that there needs such a stir, and so many words to persuade him to close with this wonder of kindness, and that so very few should be prevailed with. See this set forth to the life in Ezek. 16. Isa. 1.2, 3. Psal. 11.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth ⟨p. 99⟩himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and the things that are in the earth: he raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifted the needy out of the dunghill, that he may sit with Princes, &c. The Psalmist therefore had no small reason to cry out with admiration, Psal. 8.4. What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man, that thou visitest him? What is man that thou takest knowledge of him, or the son of man, that thou makest account of him? Psal. 144.3. Job 17.17, 18. What is man that thou shouldest magnify him, and that thou shouldest set thy heart upon him, and that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? Behold his Majesty, and yet how he stoops?