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

But alas, alas, such as these can't tell what it is to enjoy communion with God. They have got, it may be, into some course of external performances, by reason of the Example of their Superiors, Education, or by being under the sound of the Gospel, and from some force that natural conscience doth put upon them, which will not be content except something be done. But such as these may not be said to visit God in that manner that I would persuade them to, which would be acquainted with God; for all this they stand a great way off from God, and may be termed strangers and foreigners. How seldom are they upon their knees in secret? How rare a thing is it for them with Isaac, to go into the field to meditate? They visit their Farms, they visit their Flocks, they visit their Swine, they go often to ⟨p. 304⟩visit their sottish drunken Companions, whilst God and Christ, their Bible, their Closet▪ their Hearts are forgotten, and seldom or never visited. And is this true kindness to ones self? Is it any wisdom to slight such a Friend as God would be to us, and to make so much of such sorry Companions? O stupid and dull souls! O what do we mean so strangely to forget our selves! For who is like to get by it, God or we, when we come and feed at his Table, and spend upon his cost? O little do people think what they might enjoy, would they purposely set themselves to meet with God, and go to his house with a strong resolution, not to come away from him till they have seen him, or heard from him. Now the great duties in which the soul may be said to visit God in, and in which God doth many times give out much of himself to to the soul, are these: 1. Solemn Meditation. 2. Secret Prayer. 3. Fasting. 4. Community of Experiences, and Communion with the Saints. 5. The Lord's Supper.

But alas, alas, such as these can't tell what it is to enjoy communion with God. They have got, it may be, into some course of external performances, by reason of the Example of their Superiours, Education, or by being under the sound of the Gospel, and from some force that natural conscience doth put upon them, which will not be content except something be done. But such as these may not be said to visit God in that manner that I would perswade them to, which would be acquainted with God; for all this they stand a great way off from God, and may be termed strangers and forraigners. How seldom are they upon their knees in secret? How rare a thing is it for them with Isaac, to go into the field to meditate? They visit their Farms, they visit their Flocks, they visit their Swine, they go often to