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

By faith he sees their Crown, and looks upon that Royal Diadem, which shall ere long be put upon their princely heads. This was the great preferment they sought, this was the honour they most desired; as for the world and all its glory, they can well spare it for those that shall never be advanced to any higher dignity, to any better preferment. As for the Saint, as contemptible as he looks, he hath higher designs, nobler things, greater honours in his eye; and if that which the world so admires were the highest glory that a rational creature were capable of, the top of mans preferment, why then he could look upon brutes ⟨p. 129⟩themselves as his equals, except in this, that their pleasures are more certain, and their miseries less understood.

It is storied of Constantine and Valentinian two Roman Emperors, that they subscribed themselves Vassellos Christi, the vassels of Christ; and that Numa Pompilius esteemed it a higher honour to be a Friend of God, then a Lord of Men. Consider poor sinner, consider what honours you slight, what preferments you refuse, what dignity you undervalue, when you make light of acquaintance with God. Had that brave Stoic, Epictetus I mean, known God in Christ, he would much more have wondered at the inconsiderateness of them which make nothing of being related to God as a Father, he would much more have pitied them which cleave to their lower, meaner kindred, beast, who had rather be like Swine then God, and rather be companions to their servants then their Maker. Seems it to you but a light matter to be a Kings Son? is it but a small matter, think you, to call God Father? is it nothing to be born to a Crown Immortal, that sadeth not away? This is honour, this is preferment worth the having, worth the looking after, worth the venturing ones life for. This is true Nobility to stand thus nearly related to him, before whom the Angels do veil their glorious Faces, and at whose feet the four and twenty Elders lay their Crowns. The Queen of Sheba thought Solomons Servants, happy, who stood always in his presence, and heard this wisdom; but what would she have said, had she but known the Honour and Glory of his Prince! O blessed are those that stand always in thy presence