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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30579	Gospel-conversation: wherein is shewed, I. How the conversation of believers must be above what could be by the light of nature. II. Beyond those that lived under the law. III. And suitable to what truths the Gospel holds forth. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel to Stepney and Criplegate, London. Being the third book published by Thomas Goodwyn, William Greenhil, Sydrach Simpson, Philip Nye, William Bridge, John Yates, William Adderly.	Burroughs, Jeremiah, 1599-1646.; Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.	1650 (1650)	Wing B6076A; ESTC R213106	221,498	277

dishonor upon him yet this Saul had mighty power over his Spirit he was very meek and a quiet man in the first of Samuel 10. 27. the text saith He held his peace when the Children of Belial said What have we to do with him 4. Though he were quiet in his own cause yet he shewed himself to have an excellent spirit of Government in him in a publick cause he was full of anger when it was for the good of the people that he was a Governor over though quiet in his own in the first of Samuel 11. 6. When he heard of a dishonor done to the people of Israel the Text saith that his anger did rise within him an excellent pattern for all Governors for all in publique places to be very silent and quiet self denying putting up wrongs in their own cause but to be full of zeal for the publick cause to reserve their spirits for a publick good Many there are in publick places that when they are anger'd in their private cause how full of Spirit they are and they spend their Spirit there so much that they have no spirit at all when it comes to a publick cause Saul went beyond them in this 5. Saul was one who was much troubled at the sin of the people against God not only had a spirit to vindicate a publick wrong but when he saw the people sin against God his heart was much troubled at their very sin and seemed to be grieved for it and mighty solicitous and careful about it to prevent sin in the people this you shall have in 1 Sam. 14. 33. they told Saul there That the people had sinned in eating with blood upon that Saul shews himself displeased Come saith he and do not sin against the Lord roul a stone to me hither and so he would see with his own eyes that they did slay the Cattel and they did powr forth the blood that they might not sin against God in eating blood this was his care 6. Saul he was very careful to enquire of God what he should do in businesses of great consequence in the 37. ver of that 14. chap. of the 1 of Samuel there he would not go out till he had first enquired of God Yea more than all this 7. He was a man that had a very reverend esteem of the Prophets of God when Samuel came to him in the 1 of Samuel 15. 13. O thou blessed of the Lord saith Saul to Samuel Yea yet further than this 8. When Samuel shewed unto him what his sin was in the 30. ver of that 15. chap. he comes and confesses it before the people and saith I have sinned I have sinned against the Lord meerly at the conviction of one Prophet Yea yet more than this 9. God seemed to be with Saul very much and to shew great respect unto him to make him an Instrument of much good to Israel He granted unto him as glorious a victory as ever man had in this world for so we may cal it and if there be any outward thing in the world might be gathered as an argument of Gods love then such a remarkable victory as he had over his enemies the victory you shall find in the 1 of Samuel 13. 5. and so reade on afterwards in that Chapter and the next you shall find there that the Philistims were risen up against him and Israel and there were thirty thousand Chariots of his Adversaries of the Philistims and six thousand horsmen and people as the sand of the Sea for multitude besides all this Wel here was a mighty Enemy What had Saul to oppose these You shall find in the 2. verse of that 14. chapter that there were but six hundred men with Saul here was of one side thirty thousand Chariots here was six thousand horsmen here was people as the sand of the Sea without number and Saul had but six hundred with him at this time yea and of those six hundred there was not any one of them that had a sword but only Saul and Jonathan for the Philistims were wise enough to disarm all the Malignants that they accounted so and would not let so much as a Smith be amongst them they would not only take away their Arms but they would look to them to see that they had no arms supplied unto them that was the wisdom of the Philistims yet we find if you reade afterwards in the Scripture that God was so far with Saul that he blessed him and gave him victory over all these Besides all this 10. God blessed Saul with a very gracious Child a godly son of a sweet nature Jonathan which indeed if any outward argument in the world might be an argument of Gods love that might be But now put all these things together and yet here is the man that hath his Portion in this world I now challenge the man especially one I challenge him that hath certain evidence of a mighty work of God upon him in Christ let him shew me greater arguments of Gods love to him than Saul might have done and yet it proved to be Sauls Portion that he should have only his portion in this world God herein shews that His mercy is His own and that He will let out His mercy as He pleaseth It is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom The Father doles out the Portion as He pleaseth unto His Children God will let the Line of His mercy to go thus far to one and there stop and so far to another and there stop and then come in a cross line again unto them God so disposes of his mercy that there are some that shall have Heaven and Earth to be their portion and their portion is blessed indeed There are some that shall have Earth but not Heaven and their portion is poor and mean and sad there are others that shall have Heaven but not earth and their portion is good And there are others that shall neither have Heaven nor Earth and their portion you 'l say is miserable indeed Gods mercy is His own to dispose of as He will We reade that Abraham in Gen. 21. 14. He cals for Ishmael and Hagar and he gives them a piece of bread a bottle of water and sends them away there 's an end of them So Jehoshaphat in the 2 of Chron. 21. 3. He gave his other son saith the text gifts but the Kingdom he gave to Jehoram So God hath people to whom he gives pieces of bread bottles of water yea some to whom he gives great gifts in this world but he keeps his inheritance for his Isaac He keeps the Kingdom for Jehoram Esau he had his portion in this world and such a portion as he thought to be a very good portion in Gen. 33. 9. Brother saith he I have enough Most rich men are complaining they go not so far as Esau they have their portion and yet complain of it Esau hath his portion and

they do differ in their judgments yet if they can keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace I say it 's a great honor to the Gospel than if they were all of the same mind You know the Turks they are al of one mind but I cannot say so of the Papists yet they have a chain to keep them together We read of the Egyptians that when it was darkness among them they sat still and kept close together but when it came to be light every man went about his own business so when light doth begin to break forth and there 's liberty given to search into truths we cannot imagin that at the very first men should be of the same judgment except they will give up their consciences and sacrifice their reason one to another but though they be not of one judgement yet there may be kept a blessed unity of affection there may be a golden girdle clapsed about their loins yea and of practice so far as men can with peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost so as not to sin against conscience and light Unity of affection and practice should be endeavored to the utmost and it is a most Christian thing so to do and certainly this should be studied and endeavored by us as much as lieth in us Me thinks when I reade over the Epistles of Paul or any part of the new Testament I see nothing more pressed than this next to beleeving in Jesus Christ and therefore it should be the care of Christians And as it ought to be the care of Christians to study unity and peace so I beseech you that small differences may not be abused and heightned so far as because some do differ from others that therefore presently if they be the least part especially all the odium should be cast upon them though they can appeal to God that they do endeavour to know the mind of God and to keep unity so far as they can without sin And we shall see that the Scripture doth never lay the sin of devision upon any except those that do lay it upon them are able to say that those make division from some corrupt end or other of their own and then it charges them deeply as that place is most famous that you have in Rom. 16. 17 18. and I verily perswade my self that there is many of your that hear this text very much abused Now I beseech you brethren mark those which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them This is the great place against that sin which we call schism for schism is nothing but a rending asunder That cause division schism contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Now you know the sin of schism was cast by the Popish Bishops heretofore upon all that would not be of their minds in any ceremonies and will-worship and because many would not come up to the Rails and submit to receive the Lords Supper by kneeling in that way that it was then admistred by our Prelatical Priests therefore they were termed schismaticks And so at this day many cry out of others if so be they cannot swallow Camels with them if so be they differ in some things wherein they cannot joyn with them because it would be sin and a snare to them they presently say they are guilty of schism and faction There is a great deal of taking Gods Name in vain in this thing yet they do not tell you what the true nature of schism is but if any persons joyn not with the greater part which is usually least conscientious that 's schism in an high degree this is not that that becomes the Gospel presently to judg all that differ from us But mark the next words and there the Apostle tells what schism is First it must be contrary to sound doctrine for saith he They that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple The Apostle could take it upon his conscience by seeing the behaviour of these men that the cause why they differed from others it was not out of tenderness of conscience and desire to know the mind of God but by their behavior he saw enough to satisfie his conscience their Conversation gave their profession the lye and therefore saith he avoid such So I confess if men can take it upon their consciences as they would answer to Jesus Christ I see such and such men to differ thus but I can appeal to Christ in it that upon these and these grounds I am perswaded it is not out of tenderness of conscience and I am verily perswaded that there is no willingness in them to know the mind of Christ but it is to serve their own carnal ends and purposes I confess if we can take this upon our consciences as we will answer it to Jesus Christ that there are such and such grounds upon which we beleeve Christ wil so account that such men do not differ through their tenderness but from their own carnal ends these men may be accounted schismaticks This is the sin of schism when through want of love and to serve their own by-ends men shall rend one from another But now is it possible to think that the holy Ghost should lay so great a load as to command the Saints to avoid such persons upon men whose consciences are upright with God sure when a man shall be able to appeal to God and say Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that it is the desire of my soul to know thy will and I search for it and pray for it and it is the affliction of my soul that I differ in any thing from my brethren that I see to be godly and if I knew thy mind thou knowest I would quickly close with them and account it the greatest happiness that can befall me in this life to shake hands with them in such and such particulars But thou hast laid this charge upon me that I must do what I do out of faith and I should sin against that rule of thine if I should yeeld to that that I see no footing for out of thy Word Now if a soul should make this moan to Jesus Christ do you think that Christ would account this man a schismatick and that he must be avoided and persecuted 〈◊〉 a schismatick no certainly there 's a great mistake in this and this is meerly for want of charity and that which the holy Ghost is so bitter against is when men for want of love to their brethren and for to serve their own base ends make breaches and rents in the Church judge such now to be guilty of the sin of schism and no other for that is to break unity to judge others guilty of schism meerly because they differ from you and cannot reade by your spectacles these

's the meaning of the Original Like as a man that scorns and derides another snivles in the nose that 's the propriety of the word that is here translated derided Oh! a worldly heart is hardest brought unto the Kingdom of Christ therefore bless God so much the more that hath brought thy soul to understand the mysteries of Christs Scepter that hath translated thee into another Kingdom 11. Vse If the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world then they are rebuked that do seek to make the Kingdom of Christ a worldly Kingdom I might name very many sorts of men that do this I will speak but of Three or Four The first is the Papists those that are Popishly affected all their way is under the name of honoring of Christ to raise up a worldly Kingdom and therefore they make the Pope to be as an Emperor of all the world as the King of Kings and their Cardinals and many of their Bishops to be Princes and all in a worldly pomp and they carry it on and maintain it by a worldly policy and by worldly means and worldly weapons and therfore stir up the Kings of the earth to root out all those that are against them these understand not the Kingdom of Christ Secondly Such as would conform the Government of the Church meerly to worldly Government that because worldly men may by their prudence order things as they please in Common-wealths so as shall be most sutable to them therefore they falsly think that the Kingdom of Christ must be so too that it must be suted to every Country whereas the truth is there is but one way of the Government of Christ in all the world The great Argument of the Prelates was Indeed say they in some places there may be another Government where there is an Aristocracy in the Civil Government but where there is Monarchy there must be a Bishop Now certainly that's not the way of Christ to sute himself in his Government to the Government of the world But the Government that was in the primitive times must be still Thirdly Such kind of men as think that the success of the Gospel and the Ordinances do depend upon worldly things as now upon outward pomp except there be some outward pomp go along with the Gospel As now Great preferments of those that are the Preachers of the Gospel they think the Gospel will be contemn'd else and except the Ordinances be carried on in an outward pomp They conceive that all will be despised except there be Magnificent Temples built and beautified and except brave Gold and Silver Chalises the Sacrament would be despised and except they have their Altars and Rails about them with all their heathenish vanities Christ is not worshiped But this is to look upon the Kingdom of Christ as the Kingdoms of the world but Oh no! the kingdom of Christ prevails where there is but little of the world with it I remember I have read of one Boniface a Martyr that being asked whether it were lawful to give the Wine in the Sacrament in a wooden Challis saith he There was a time indeed when the Church had wooden Challises and golden Priests but now the Church hath golden Challises and wooden Priests No question in the primitive times they had very mean things in the Lords Supper and all things were carried in a very low way to a worldly eye but saith he though their Challises were wooden the Priests were golden and so the Gospel did prevail Oh! it 's the spiritualness of things that makes the kingdom of Christ to prevail many think that the Gospel cannot prevail except it hath abundance of gingles of mens wit and tongues and such kind of school-boy-vanities as these are but the Gospel never prevails by such things but that which the world calls foolishness that is made the power of God and the wisdom of God to Salvation They have carnal hearts that think that the outward pomp and glory of the world should be such a furtherance to the Gospel as if it should not thrive without it Lastly Those that think that the Gospel and the promoting of Christs kingdom depends wholly upon humane policy and strength these do make the kingdom of Christ to be but as a worldly kingdom The last Vse is this If Christs Kingdom be not of this world then it teaches us all for to labor to further a kingdom of Christ as distinct from the world it is a great Point that I am speaking of about furthering the Kingdom of Christ as distinct from the kingdoms of the world Christ himself professes that he came into the world to witness to this truth and therefore certainly we should do so likewise It is in the very next words to my text when Christ had said his Kingdom was not of this world Pilate said to Him Art thou a King then Jesus answered Thou saiest I am a King To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the Truth Truth Pilate asked Him what the Truth was but he said not for an answer but certainly the Truth that Christ means here is the Truth of His Kingdom Oh my brethren it is a matter of so great consequence that it is a special end why Christ came into the world why He was born that he should witness to this Truth Then certainly we should account it a great end of our lives to set to our seal to this Truth of the Kingdom of Christ as distinct from the world let this be a great engagement on our spirits to further the preaching of the kingdom further it as many waies as you can improve your Estates improve your Credits your Esteem your Places for the kingdom of Christ and then Oh how comfortable will your death be though you should not live here to enjoy all the priviledges that the Saints in other ages shall have in the kingdom of Christ yet when you die your death shall be but a passage of you into the glorious Kingdom of Jesus Christ for there 's a Kingdom of Christ beyond this world though Christ will rule Spiritually while this world lasts but when men are taken off from this world yet they do but go into the Kingdom of Christ In 2 Peter 1. 5 6. c. with which I will conclude and besides this giving all diligence Ad to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledg ad to knowledg temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity for if these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ And so he goes on further in his exhortation and in the 10. verse Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things you shall never fall for so an

why so many Magistrates are like to Galio in Acts 18. 17. Carring for none of those things they were to him but matters of words and yet they were about the great fundamental Points of Religio● Whether Christ were the true Messias and whether He were God or no but to Gallio these things were but matter of words And so the great things of God and Religion to carnal hearts they are things that are of no great consequence at all yea when as Sosthenes that was the Ruler of the Synagogue for countenancing of Paul had the rude multitude of the City rise up in a rude manner to apprehend him and to lay violent hands upon him Gallio cared for none of these things but so far he did not go Gallio went not to stir up a rude multitude to lay violent hands upon a Ruler of a Synagogue or a City but he cared for none of those things saith the text What did he care for rectifying any thing that was amiss in Religion Oh let us say they that have their portion here what ever becomes of things let us make peace say they that we may go on and be quiet in our houses enjoy that we have quietly and peacably and they look no further Their portion is here and as for Truth how do they reject it contemn it It is a speech as is credibly reported hath come even from a Citizen here in cursing of the Truth so as had he lived among the Jews he would certainly have been stoned to death Let us have Peace and a Pox of Truth I say such a speech as this among the Jews would have caused him to have been stoned to death being such horrible blasphemy But how many are ready to say with Pilat in the 18. of John 38. when as Christ was before Pilat and talked to Pilat of Truth Truth saith Pilat What is Truth You shall observe it at the 38. ver What is Truth Saith Pilat as if Pilat should have said What a strange man is this the man is in danger of his life and he talks of Truth when he is in danger of his life What is Truth saith Pilat turns it back upon him presently Just thus are the hearts of many What should we look at Truth or at any thing now but to preserve our lives and estates and outward comforts in the world What is Truth They are a company of mad-brain'd fellows that are factious and seditious they talk of Truth and know not what they say Come let us have peace though it be upon any terms Who is there in this place that desires not Peace The Lord knows it is the desires of those that are accused most for want of desires in this thing yea so as we dare challenge any of you with this Challenge Those who have been most at the Throne of Grace begging unto God for peace for England let them carry the day those that have put forth most prayrs for Peace before the Throne of Grace we are willing they shall have the day We reade that amongst al the Tribes that came up in a war-like way to help the people of God against oppression in the 5. of Judges 18. and so in that Chapter that of all Naphtali was the only Tribe that joyned w th Zebulun that jeoparded their lives in the Cause of God that would take up Arms to defend themselves and the people against oppression Surely these two Tribes by the others that would not venture themselves were at that time accounted very factious and very seditious What they only Zebulun and Naphtali Yet it is observable though there were none joyned with Zebulun but only Naphtali there is no Tribe of which it is so much spoken to be a Tribe full of Courtesie and Civility of a peacable and quiet disposition as Naphtali was you shall find it if you reade in the 49. of Genesis 21. and afterwards in another text there are these two things said of Naphtali only these two first That he was a Hinde let loose and give goodly words But they may be but words of Complement not reality Nay when Moses comes with the blessing you shall find these two places one in Genesis and the other in Deuteronomy when Moses comes with the blessing again upon Naphtali Naphtali filled with favour and with the blessing of the Lord. What is the meaning Naphtali was a Tribe that had most courtesie and civility of all compar'd to a goodly Hinde of a quiet disposition and one that gave courteous language to all not meer words but reality it was such a one that was fill'd with favour that had the favour of God and the favour of Men he had such a courteous carriage and he had the blessing of God upon him and yet this Naphtali was the Tribe that would jeobard their lives and take up Arms in defence of the people of God against oppression in those times above all And Phinebas ye know was so zealous and would make use of the sword so as he did yet in the 25. of Num. 12 13. God saith there He would make a Covenant of Peace with him Beloved Phinehas that is such a fiery hot man yet a Covenaut of peace must be made with him by God Himself for he did indeed by that way procure peace to Israel for so the Text saith there in that place of Num. That because Phinehas was so zealous it was that I might not consume them in my jealousie Now it 's observable the word in the Original is Because he was zealous therefore it was that I might not consume them in my Zeal It s translated in your books Because he was thus zealous that I might not consume them in my Jealousie the words are different in the English but in the Hebrew they are the same and so be turn'd thus Because he was so zealous it was that I might not consume them in my Zeal as if he should have said If there had not been some among them that had been zealous and as they account fiery I would have been zealous my Self and fiery my Self and consumed them and it was wel they had such amongst them and one day those that cry out of them may come to see cause to bless God for them that would not have the world put off and gul'd with the fair name of peace we know the Devil hath made much use of it in former times and would fain make use of it now As if those that desired Truth most were not greatest friends unto peace God forbid but it should be so Though it's true we think not we have our portion here and therefore we would not have peace upon any terms indeed we confess our portion lies higher and that wherein our portion doth consist we would have upon any terms and therefore Saint Paul saith in Philippoans 3. if by any means I may attain to the Resurrection of the dead If by any means upon any

to make way for that First Consider what poor things they are that they make such a stir about Secondly Consider the Tenure upon which they hold whatsoever they do enjoy Thirdly Consider the mixture of Evil that there is in that they do enjoy Fourthly The blessed Portion that they lose that they might enjoy Lastly The dreadful end that there will be to such men that have their portion here 1. The poor things that men have here in this world What are they Their Comforts for the most part are but imaginary In Hosea 12. 1. Ephraim feeds upon the wind And when a bladder is ful of wind one prick lets it quite out and so when Death comes it lets out all their Comforts even as the wind goes all out at one prick in a bladder so all the comforts of the men of the world go out by the prick of death In Prov. 23. 5. Wilt thou set thy heart upon that which is not it is not it hath no reality in it And in Acts 25. when Bernice and Agrippa came in great pomp and state to the Assembly that which you have in your books translated great Pomp it is in the Greek with great Fancie all the pomp and jollity in the world it is but a fancy this is their portion 2. That which they have it is of a very low nature this would be an argument we might phylosophize in if it were fit or if we had time but I 'le quickly pass over these things it 's of a very low nature it not much concerns the soul all the portion they have Therefore saith the Text here Thou fillest their belly it 's but a belly full what is that to the soul Indeed the rich man in the Gospel could say Soul take thy ease for thou hast goods laid up for many yeers eat drink c. Wilt thou say Soul take thy ease because thou hast goods laid up and because you may eat and drink What is all this to the soul Ambrose hath such a speech upon the place If the man had the soul of a swine what could be said otherwise for indeed these things were sutable to the soul of a swine you shall find that a man is not the better because of outward things not a whit the heart of the wicked is little worth his estate may be somewhat worth his house may be somewhat worth his lands may be somewhat worth But the heart of the wicked is little worth Prov. 10. And would not you think it to be a great evil if so be that when you go up and down abroad you should certainly know that there is no man doth give you any entertainment or any respect but it is for your servants sake that tends upon you would not that discourage you and trouble you Indeed you come to such a mans house and he seems to make you welcome and you have entertainment I but you come to know afterwards that it was not for your sake but for your servants sake that be loved would you think you had a good entertainment there the truth is so all the respect you have in this world it is for your servants sake for your goods house and lands it is not for any worth that is in you It was a speech that Socrates spake once to one Achilous when he had a fine house and a many brave things there saith he There are many come to see thy house and thy fine things there but no body comes to see thee they know there is a worth in thy fine house and in thy fine furniture but they see no worth in thee Indeed all these things are not souls meat it is not mans meat they feed upon it is but ashes it is nothing to the soul of man Further 3. Suppose it were for the soul What thou hast here is but a very poor pittance a scantie portion thou hast not all the world neither thou hast thy portion in this world If thou hadst the whol world at command yea if God should make a thousand worlds more for thee to command this were all but a poor pittance to put off an immortal soul withal but now that thou hast is but a little minnim in the world All Nations of the Earth are but as the dust of the ballance and drop of the bucket to God What is thy dust then what is thy house and land then As Socrates wittily rebuked the pride of Alcibiades when he was very proud that he had so much Land lay together He brought his Map of the world to him and saith he Pray shew me where your land lies here one prick of a pen would have described it all Should we take a rich man here that hath a great deal of land and bring a Map of the world to him all England Ireland and Scotland are but three little spots unto the world And what are your Farms and your Mannours you have you have but a little portion if you had all it were no great matter the truth is All you have in this world cannot be enough to make you live in fashion in the world like a man it 's not enough I say for to live like a man in the world to live like one that hath an immortal soul like one that hath the Image of God upon him and was sent hither into the world to do some great service as every one of you was sent hither to do therefore it is but a mean thing little cause you have for to rejoyce in it It 's true they that are godly account themselves unworthy of the least thing they have here in this world but I 'le tell you a Mystery of Religion now a practical Maxime of Religion that is a great Mystery to the world and that is this That a gracious heart though he thinks himself unworthy of the least crum of bread yet all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth will not serve him to be his portion will not satisfie him though he hath a heart that will be satisfied with any thing as counting himself unworthy of the meanest condition in this world as a present gift of God but if God should give him Heaven and Earth he hath such an unsatisfying heart as he would not be satisfied with Heaven and Earth except God gives him Himself therefore certainly thy portion is but a very little portion 4. Those things that thou hast are things that will vanish and quickly come to nothing It is said of the whol world in Job 26. 7. The whol earth hangs upon nothing and so all things of the Earth do and therefore it is said of Abraham in Hebrews 11. That he sought a City that had foundations All other things are as things that have no foundation at all There is a worm in every creature that will consume it in time and the Scripture calls all our riches Vncertain riches and Christian thou art made for an eternal condition these things

a little portion here yet there is as fair a way for you to have the God of Heaven and Earth to be your Portion to have whatsoever Jesus Christ hath purchased by His blood to be your Portion to have Heaven and Eternity and Immortallity to be your Portion I say there is as fair a way for it as for the greatesest Prince in the Earth you may come to have a Portion Here indeed many a poor Apprentise may say My Father is dead and hath left me no Portion I but you that are poor Apprentises and others and the poor Hospital Boys that live upon Charity It 's possible some poor wretches there may have their portion in God and Christ and Immortallity aswel as the greatest and richest of all therefore raise up your hearts here you that are the poorest and meanest and know you are born for high things If I should come and tell one that is a poor Boy in a blew Coat Whatsoever you are now there is such a rich man will adopt you to be his Child and make you his Heir that would raise up his heart Well how meanly soever you live now you may be a glorious Creature hereafter if so be you have an heart to put upon it and to seek after it for your portion Then you 'l say Lord what should we do that our portion should be an higher portion than in this world The First thing I would put you upon is this 1. Let the whole Course of your life be steered as it were with the fear of God lest that this should be all that you have as it was a sign before so now I may make use of it as a means I say let your course of life be steer'd as it were with the fear of God lest that God with this should put you off hold forth this in every action that any one may see by your Conversation surely this man this woman hath some fears lest God should put them off with a portion in this world And especially you that have great portions in this life and you know you have done God little service you know there are many poor people that live upon Alms have done God more service than you you have most cause to fear They that are Rulers and Governours have most cause to fear unless they have mighty good evidence in their hearts Chrysostom upon the 13. of the Hebrews speaking of those that are Governours I wonder that any Governour should be saved he hath such a speech there we will not say so but he saith so there is a great deal of hazard Christ tels us too that a man that hath a great portion in this world though it 's possible he may have more hereafter yet it is doubtful It is the Counsel of one to a King of Portingal saith he I desire you to grant me this favor that every day you would but think of this Text What profits it a man If he should gain the whol world and lose his own soul Spend some little time every day to think of this Text and pray to God that he would give you the true understanding and sense of this Text and let it be the conclusion of al your prayers that God would shew you what there is in this Text what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul The same counsel I give to you Daily pray to God to make you understand what there is in this Text that there are men that have their portion in this world 2. Labor to take off your hearts from all these outward comforts that are here take off your spirits He that will be rich shall fall into many temptations Know it is not necessary so you should conclude every one in your own hearts it is not necessary I should have estate in this world but it is necessary I should make my peace up with God it is necessary I should provide for my soul but how things are with me here there is no great necessity And then 3. Set you the glory of Heaven and Eternity daily before your eyes and be trading for higher things than these are you that are great Merchants you are trading for thousands when as many poor people now that go up and down in the streets and cry some mean thing they think well if they can get eighteen pence in a whole day carrying things upon their heads and crying in the streets but a rich Merchant can go out in the morning and make a bargain and perhaps get five hundred pound in an hour he is trading for somewhat like So the men of this world are like the poor women that go with things about upon their heads and get eighteen pence in a day but a godly man hath communion with God and in a quarter of an hour gets that he would not lose for hundreds nor for thousands It was a speech of Cleopatra to Anthony Why Anthony thou art not to fish for Gudgeons and Trouts but thou art to angle for Castles and Towers and Forts and Cities thou art to fish for them so may I say If thou hast an immortal soul within thee thou art not so much to angle for to make provision for the flesh for meat and drink and cloathes c. but for Heaven and Immortality set that continually before thine eyes And the next thing is this 4. Honor God with thy substance here lay out thy portion here for God and Oh that I could but convince you of one Principle of Divinity more and that is this That there is more excellency and good in one vertuous Action than there is in all the creatures in Heaven and Earth besides the works of Angels and others of the Saints excepting them Take all Creatures Sun Moon Stars Seas Earth all the riches in the world Pearls put all together this is the true Divinity I say that there is more excellencie in one vertuous Action than there is if thou hadst all these things to be thy possession If men were convinced of this they would be abundant in good works then Thou thinkest it a brave thing thou hast so much coming in by the yeer do but one good action for God out of an upright principle and there is more excellency in that one action than there is in thy estate if thou hadst ten thousand times more added to it Certainly this will make them that are rich to be rich in good works so the Scripture saith Charge them that are rich in this world that they be rich in good works There is a richness in good works as well as in an estate Oh! improve lay out thy estate for God Ambrose I remember upon that place his Sermons upon the rich man saith he Is it not more honor that so many children shall ask of you as their father than that so many pieces of gold shall call you their lord These pieces of gold they do