Heaven Upon Earth, Title page – To the reader
Heaven upon Earth: OR, THE BEST FRIEND IN THE WORST of TIMES. Delivered in ſeveral Sermons, By JAMES JANEWAY Miniſter of the GOSPEL.
The Third Edition much Corrected and Enlarged.
JOHN 15. ver. 15.
Henceforth I call you no more Servants, — but Friends.
LONDON, Printed by T. Milbourn, for D. Newman, at the Kings-Armes in the Poultry, the Corner of Grocers-Alley, MDCLXXI.
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
WHen I conſider what a noble thing the Soul of Man is, the High end for which he was Made, and the great Account he is ſhortly to make to Him that made him, I cannot but wonder, That he who was made little lower than the Angels, ſhould make himſelf little better than the Beaſts.
The great and dreadful God hath taken much pains to reduce the Inhabitants of London, and indeed all the Nation to the Obedience of his Son. He hath been pleading with poor England of late in ſuch a manner, as is ſcarce to be parallel'd in fore-going Ages; he hath left the print of his Fingers behind him, and written divine diſpleaſure in Black Letters.
The Righteous Judge began his Circuit in London, and in that one City, above one Hundred Thouſand received the Sentence of Death from his Juſt Tribunal.
That was not quite Remov'd before another Amazing Judgment was ſent to ſucceed it. The Voyce of the Lord was not heard, the Language of the Plague was not underſtood; wherefore the dreadful Jehovah ſpake Louder, and Louder, as he did once from Mount Sinai, in Fire, Flame, and Smoak; he rode upon the Wings of the Wind, he rode in a Chariot of Flaming Fire, whilſt the Bells did Ring their own Knells, as they were Tumbling; and it's to be feared, were more melted at the Anger of the Mighty God, than Thouſands of Hard harted Men and Women were. The Leads of the Churches were Diſſolved into ſhowers more eaſily far than ſtupid Profeſſors, that were wont to ſit under them. That was a Black Cloud indeed which no Wind could blow over, till it fell in ſuch Scalding Drops.
Theſe things Conſidered, I hope it will not be unwelcome, nor unſeaſonable, if I put you upon looking out for ſuch a Friend as will provide ſufficiently for his under all theſe Straits, and prove the Beſt in the Worſt of Times. He knows Job upon the Dunghil, as well as David upon the Throne; he will be moſt Kind when others are moſt Unkind; he will Viſite you, when others will ſcarce Look upon you. In his Houſe you ſhall be as welcome as ever. There are many Manſions, if it were not ſo, he would have told you. In this City there is Room enough, and you ſhall have Entertainment, &c. be more Welcome than if you had ſtayed away: His Doors will be open to them who have no Houſes to hide their Heads in. Come to him ye Harberleſs ones, he Invites you Earneſtly and Heartily, &c. He will give you Shelter, you that have no Friends, or but ſorry ones. Come to him now in your Straits, and he will never caſt your Poverty, or his Kindneſs in your Teeth; except your Carriage be Proud, and unbecoming your State. God hath lately read us a Lecture of the Vanity of all Creature Enjoyments, And will you after this refuſe Acquaintance with Him, who will be better to you than a thouſand of the beſt friends that ever man had upon Earth?
I have in the following Book given you Directions how you may come to be Acquainted with Him.
As God appointed Cities of Refuge, ſo he gave expreſs Command, that the way to them ſhould be made Plain, Fit, and Broad: And therefore the Meſſengers work every Year was to Remove all Stumbling-Blocks, and Offences. They ſuffered not any Hill or Dale to be in the way, and at the partition of wayes, they ſet up in writing, Refuge, Refuge, That the Purſued might have notice what way to take upon every turn, Deut. 19.2, 3.
The like I haved endeavoured in this enſuing Diſcourſe, to make the Way to this Bleſſed Friend Plain and Familiar. Pray for a Bleſſing upon it, which coſt the Author ſome Pains, Prayers, Tears, and Groans; That what was here written might be the Tranſcript of his own Experience, and might be ſome way ſubſervient to the Glory of God in the Converſion and Comfort of Souls. If you find any good in the uſe of this Book, give God the Praiſe, and labour to keep a conſtant warm ſence of the Excellency of ſuch a Friend upon your Spirits, and commend this Friend to all your Relations and Acquaintance; that none of them after great Loſſes, may loſe God, Heaven, and themſelves too. O that will be a Dreadful Loſs indeed! I again beſeech you; forget not to Pray for one of the moſt unworthy inſtruments that ever Infinite Goodneſs made uſe of in ſo glorious a Work:
James Janeway. July 20. 1669.