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

May not a great many complain as well as Job, That their Brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass ⟨p. 103⟩away, Job 6.15. A friend may forget one, a brother may disown one, father and mother may cast one off, but here's a friend that sticks closer then all. Nay, he is a better friend to his then they are to themselves; when they love themselves so little as to undo themselves, he loved them so well as to save them; when they loved themselves, so as to poison themselves; he loved them, so as to give them a powerful Antidote; when they like children would have the knife, he takes it out of their hands least they should cut their fingers; when they are so careless as to surfeit themselves, he is so faithful as to keep them short, and diet them; and all this I hope they that understand themselves will not call unkindness or infidelity. David had in his time some friends that made no bones of hazarding their lives for him; some of them were willing to quench his thirst though with their blood, and yet for all that in all his life he never met with so faithful a friend as his God, Psal. 89.8. O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong God like unto thee, or to thy faithfulness round about thee? He had rather trust his God then any of them all. God is a real true faithful Friend; he tells us things as they be; he doth not speak of more things then the nature of them doth require; he doth not tell the best, and hide the worst; he doth not speak all of Heaven, and nothing of suffering, but saith plainly, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, they must suffer persecution: and Christ saith, Those that will be his Disciples, must take up their Cross and follow him, and that through many tribulations, they must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. He speaks of sowing in tears, as well as reaping in joy; of ⟨p. 104⟩fliction as well as glory. And when he speaks of the glory of another world, he doth not too highly advance his excellency. When he speaks of his Wrath, or Hell, or Sin, he doth not make them greater evils then they be. The Lord is faithful in all his dealings, and that they which love him, know right well. Whatsoever doth happen in the world, doth happen justly and faithfully; and so if thou wilt but well observe, thou shalt find.