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

6. Another effect of this Acquaintance with God is this, It would put abundance of, life and vigour into the soul; it would, as it were, oil the wheels, and set them a running. There are none in the world that act at so high a rate as those do, which are most acquainted with God. O how undefatigable are they in their pains! with what earnestness and faith do they pray! as if they saw the glorious God before them, and were talking with him: with what reverence, seriousness and delight do they read, meditate and hear the Word, and do all that they do! They know in some measure what it is to present their bodies and souls as a living sacrifice to God through Christ; they understand what it means to be fervent in spirit serving the Lord: they will not serve God with that which cost ⟨p. 220⟩them nothing, kneeling down, and saying a few formal words before God in the evening, repeating the Lords Prayer, and the Creed, and the Ten Commandments between sleeping and waking, doing no body any wrong, and the like, is not enough to serve his turn, his conscience will not be thus put off; but he labours with all his might to stir up his soul to lay hold upon God, he is not content to go off from his knees without his Fathers blessing. This is the Friend and Acquaintance of God, this is the brave Israelite, that spiritual Prince that will not let God go till he hath prevailed with him. He doth not go to his work, as if he caved not whether he worked or no; he is not sick of the service of God, but he rejoiceth and works righteousness; his work is his pleasure, and he goes on merrily with his business. Those that are intimately acquainted with God, are not so cold, faint, and dull in the service of God, as others be. Such a one as knows God very well, and hath been oft made welcome by him; why, he comes with a great deal of confidence, and knocks at Gods door, and, for his part, he will not go away, though the door be not presently opened, but he continues knocking because he is sure that his Friend is within, he knows that he is never from home, and that he can never come unseasonably to him. He comes to Prayer as if he were going to storm Heaven, he gets spiritual things by violence, he comes to Duty as to fight for a Crown, he is ashamed to offer the lame and the blind to God, but he chooseth for the best in his flock;

6. Another effect of this Acquaintance with God is this, It would put abundance of, life and vigour into the soul; it would, as it were, oyl the wheels, and set them a running. There are none in the world that act at so high a rate as those do, which are most acquainted with God. O how undefatigable are they in their pains! with what earnestness and faith do they pray! as if they saw the glorious God before them, and were talking with him: with what reverence, seriousness and delight do they read, meditate and hear the Word, and do all that they do! They know in some measure what it is to present their bodies and souls as a living sacrifice to God through Christ; they understand what it means to be fervent in spirit serving the Lord: they will not serve God with that which cost