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

The next Head of Motives to enforce this Exhortation, might be taken from the danger of not being acquainted with God. If you could live securely without God, and be in a safe condition, though you still remained a stranger to him, the business then were not so very considerable; if you could find any in Heaven that could do as ⟨p. 239⟩much for you as God can, I should not be so earnest with you to get an interest in his favour; if you could by any means possible be everlastingly happy any other way, if without this Friend get to Heaven, and without his Alliance avoid utter ruin, I should have had the less reason to use so much importunity; I might then possibly have spared my self the trouble of speaking these things, and you the trouble of hearing of them. But when I see and know that it is as much as their life and soul is worth, to slight and undervalue the Motions that I am now a making to you in Christs stead, how can I with any faithfulness and love to your souls hold my peace? How can I stand looking upon men and women that are about to murder their own souls, and forbear crying out? How can I endure to see poor Creatures running with all the speed they can to that dismal place, from whence there is no Redemption, and not endeavour to stop them? Would you have me so cruel to your souls; as not to tell that which doth infinitely concern their well-being? for, let me tell you, God will not stand neuter, he will be either for you, or against you; he is the Lord of Hosts, and he will fight on one side or other. Now see to your matters, as the nature of them doth require. What do you think of having a God against you? if God be against you, who will be for you? There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. The safest conditions you can be in, while God is your enemy, is sadly hazardous; such a one hangs by a twined thread over everlasting flames; he stands upon the brink of that bottomless pit, and one shove, one slip, sends him going