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

He is a faithful Friend, and none that ever had to do with him can say any thing to the contrary; he never forgot any business that any of his Friends desired him to do for them, he never neglected it, or did it by the halves; where did any of them come to him to reveal some secret loathsome distemper to him, that he reproached them with it? To which of them did he promise a heaven, and put them off with this World: when this Pilot undertakes to steer their course, there their vessel shall never split upon the Rock, run upon the Sands, or spring a Leak, so as to sink in the Seas, to be sure he will see them safe in the harbour. Ar. Epist. l.c. 26. He was no Christian, yet I suppose none will ⟨p. 102⟩deny but he spake good Divinity, who said, If a man will choose God for his Friend, he shall travel securely through a Wilderness that hath many beasts of prey in it, he shall pass safely through this World, for be only is safe that hath God for his guide. Doth he not speak a little like David himself, Psal. 37.26. Who never expected to come to glory, except he were guided by his counsel! Now if a poor Heathen could say thus, and see good reason to trust God, and admire his Faithfulness as he doth frequently; and so doth Seneca, justifying Gods Faithfulness in all his dealings with the best men in all their sufferings, and the prosperity of the wicked; what then shall the heavenly Christian say, who hath experienced so much of Gods faithfulness in answering his Prayers, in fulfilling his promises, and supplying all his exigencies. David will tell you as much, and justify God in his most severe dispensations towards him: In very Faithfulness hast thou afflicted me, Psal. 119.75. In our earthly and bodily affairs, we should never count that Physician faithful that will rather open a vein, or put his Patient to exquisite torture to save his life, then let him dye easily. We believe a Father may whip his stubborn Child with more love then let him alone. To prevent the axe or halter with a rod, is no cruelty. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, Prov. 2.7, 6. It was not for nothing that the Psalmist sticks so close to god, he had a little experience of the unfaithfulness of other friends,