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

to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God, Micah. 6.8. To bare relation to God as a Father, and to carry themselves as his Children, to be a Servant, and Friend of God, this, this is honourable, truly honourable, this is the height, the top of the Creatures preferment. To ⟨p. 126⟩converse with, and delight in his Maker. To love, admire, and rejoice in God, and to love God, to take complacency in the soul; this is something indeed, this is honour, a wise man would not grutch to venture his Estate, his Blood, his All for this. And how few of the Gallants of the world understand the nature of this honour? How do most of them account that which is the only true badge of Nobility, a term of disgrace; and that which speaks a person highly honourable, and to have brave blood running in his veins, to be low, sordid, and much beneath them; as if it were below a Creature to serve his Maker, and a pitiful preferment to be advanced to glory. O that men of parts and learning, that persons of Quality should be so mistaken! O what's become of their Reason? Is it an honour, a preferment for a man to become a brute? We are ready to pity mad men, and to laugh at fools; but whether there be not more reason to bemoan the condition of most of the honourable persons in the world, I leave Christ and Christians to judge. Well then, will you be informed after all this by him, who hath all preferments and honours in his gift, I mean the great King, and he will tell you that Glory and honour are in his presence, 1 Chron. 16.27. Mans only honour and true dignity lies in his nearness, and acquaintance with God. A practical knowledge of his Maker is the Creatures groatest preferment. David was of the mind, that it was none of the lowest honours to be Gods servant, Psal. 84. It is upon the account of Israels near Relation to God that Moses reckons them the happiest, the most honourable people ⟨p. 127⟩in the world. Because God had avouched them to be his peculiar people, therefore they might well be said to be high above all the Nations which God had made, in praise, in name, and in honour,