Heaven upon earth, or, The best friend in the worst of times.: Delivered in several sermons by James Janeway, Minister of the Gospel.

USE 1.

First, Is there to be an acquaintance between the soul and God? Let us then stand and wonder at the great condescention of God! This may sur∣prise our souls with an extasie of admiration, that God should dwell with man; that the mighty Je∣hovah should have such respect to the work of his hands, Psal. 113.5, 6. Who is like unto the Lord, who dwelleth on high, who humbled himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in earth? The Psalmist admireth God, that he humbled himself to behold things that are in heaven; and how much more then is he to be admired, that he hum∣bled himself to acquaint himself with man? Let us than be filled with admiration, that God should take us so nigh unto himself. As Psal. 8.4. What is man that thou art mindful of him! or the son of man that thou shouldest visit him! And Joh. 7.17, 18. What is man that thou shouldest, magnifie him! and that thou shouldest set thy heart upon him! and that thou shouldest visit him every morning! Man in the pride of his heart seeth no such great matter in it, but an humble soul is filled with astonishment, Isa: 57.15. Thus saith the high and lofty One, which inhahiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place: with him also that is of a contrite & humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the

humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Oh saith the humble soul, will the Lord have re∣spect unto such a vile worm as I am? will the Lord acquaint himself with such a sinful wretch as I am? Will the Lord open his arms, his bosome, his heart to me? shall such a loathsome crea∣ture as I find savour in his eyes? In Ezek. 16.15. We have a relation of the wonderful condescen∣tion of God to man, who is there resembled to a wretched infant cast out in the day of its birth in its bloud, and filthiness, no eye pitying it; such loathsome creatures are we before God, and yet when he passed by, and saw us polluted in our bloud, he said unto us, live. It is doubled, because of the strength of its nature, it was the time of Love, vers. 8. This was love indeed, that God should take a filthy, wretched thing, and spread his skirts over it, and cover its nakedness, and swear unto it, and enter into a covenant with it, and make it his; that is, that he should espouse this loathsome thing to himself, that he would be an husband to it; this is love unfathomable, love unconceivable, self-principled love; this, is the love of God to man; for God is love: Oh the depth of the riches of the bounty and goodness of God! How is his love wonderful, and his grace past finding our! How do you find and feel your hearts affected upon the report of these things? do you not see matter of admiration, and cause of wonder? Are you not, as it were, lanched forth into an Ocean of goodness, where you can see no shoar, nor feel no bottom? Ye may make a Judgement of your selves by the motions and affections that ye feel in your selves at the men∣tion of this. For thus Christ judged of the Faith

of the Centurion, that said unto him, Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, Mat. 8.8. When Jesus heard this, he marvailed, and said to them that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel. If then you feel not your souls mightily affected with this condescention of God; Say thus unto your souls, What aileth thee, O my soul, that thou art no more affected with the goodness of God? Art thou dead, that thou canst not feel? Or art thou blind, that thou canst not see thy self compassed about with astonishing goodness! Behold, the King of glory descending from the habitation of his Majesty, and coming to visit thee; hearest not thou his voice, saying, Open to me my sister: behold, I stand at the door and knock. Lift up your selves, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up ye everla∣sting doors, that the king of glory may come in. Be∣hold, O my soul, how he waits still while thou hast refused to open to him! O the wonder of his good∣ness! O the condescention of his Love! to visit me, to sue unto me, to wait upon me, to be acquainted with me! Thus work up your souls into an asto∣nishment at the condescention of God.