dram of saving grace intitles men to the favour of God which is better then life What a difference is there then between the having the least dram of grace and the enjoyment of all the world and what a goodly portion is there here that thou so much rejoycest in certainly thy heart is strait that thou thinkest these things to be so big as in a narrow vessel a thing will appear big but in a mighty wide vessell it appears little so when the Lord by grace shall widen and enlarge thy heart then all the things of the world will be little to thee Indeed if a man be below here he looks upon that which is next to him that hath any bignesse in it as somewhat great but if a man were advanced on high on the top of a pinnacle then that which seemed great appears but little to him so the men of the world that are here lie graveling below and the curse of the serpent is upon them and they think the things of the world great matters but grace lifteth up the heart on high to God and Christ mounts it up to eternity and then we look upon all things here below as mean this was the reason that Luther when he had great gifts sent to him by many of the great men of Saxonie he began to be afraid least the Lord should reward him here in this world and he hath this expression I did vehemently protest God should not put me off so that is his word according to the manner of his language thus he speaks when there came in things of the world and he began to be tickled with honour and great men did respect him O thought he I shall be some body now in the world thus corruption began to work but grace did prevail and he breaks out with this expression I did professe God should not put me off so the Lord shall not put me off with worldly honors and dignities there are other things I look for things that are better and higher these are poor pittances for this soul of mine to be put off with all there are other things I must have from the Lord or else I cannot be satisfied that is the first thing the poor things of the world which is the portion of wicked men Secondly consider the tenure by which they hold it all you have in the world you hold it not by very good tenure it is not held in Capite I confesse this I think not the men of the world to be usurpers for what they lawfully get in the world I think not they shall answer meerely for their using what they do meerely for their right to use what they have but they shall answer for their not right using the same they shall not answer I say for their right to use but for their not right using they have some right but what right is it There is a 3. fold right 1. a right of justice that we may claim to a thing as a due what is not your right you cannot claim 2. there is a right of Creation that God gave to man at first you have lost that right now 3. there is a right of promise God hath promised all good things to his people you have not that right neither you have neither the right of justice to claim nor the right of your Creation nor the right of promise what right then There is a fourth right and that I confesse you have which is a right of donation God is pleased to give to you And thus you hold all your honours and estates that are ungodly men just thus even as a man that is condemned to dye and there being a little reprieving for 2. or 3. dayes before his execution the Prince out of his indulgence gives order to have provision made for him according to his qualitie that if he be a Gentleman he should have such provision if a Knight or a Nobleman he shall have provision according to his qualitie till his execution now no man can say this man usurpes though he hath forfeited all his right to his lands and estates yet if the King will give him this refreshment he is no usurper but it is a poor right he hath it is a right of donation and thus God gives the ungodly men in this world their right to outward comforts you have your portion but you see how you hold it The next thing to be considered is that this portion here as it is poor in regard of the mean things and the Tenure so there is a great deal of mixture there in and the truth is all the good things wicked men enjoy in this world will scarce bear charges that is there is so much trouble they meet withall in this world with their portion that what they have will scarce bear charges if a man goes a voyage we use not to count any thing he spends by the way to be part of his treasury now all we have here in this world is but spending money to bear our charges in religion God knows we shall be at a great deal of charges and afflictions we shall meet with here but besides there is a mixture of Curse in every portion of an ungodly man if any of you think you get such a rich match you get an heire that is a very rich match you get her portion if it be in money there you go fetch away the bags of gold that are her portion but if it should prove that every bag of gold you have of your wives portion had the plague in it it were but a poor portion certainly it is thus with all ungodly ones in the world that all the while they live whatsoever they enjoy continuing wicked men they have a curse of God that goes along with it and makes way unto eternall misery for them as those that are godly have the blessing of God in outward things that makes way for their eternall good so thou hast the curse of the Lord mingled with all thy outward things that makes way for eternall evill unto thee And then consider what portion thou loosest thou hast got one but thou loosest a great deal more if a man had been at the exchange and made a bargain about some petty thing and afterwards when he comes home knows that by not being at home he hath lost a purchase that would have made him and his posterity he hath little cause of rejoycing in that bargain so though thou hast got a portion that may seem to satisfie thee somewhat know thou hast lost a portion of infinite worth and value It is impossible to shew you what this portion is for the devil could shew Christ all the glory of the world in the twinckling of an eye but if I should come to shew you the glory of Heaven I had need have eternity to shew you what the portion of the Saints is but though I cannot shew it
God should put him off with a portion in this world and especially you that have great portions in this life have done God little service you know there are many poor people that live upon almes have done God more service then you you have most cause to fear they that are Rulers and Governours have mighty cause to fear unlesse they have good evidence in their hearts Chrysostome upon the 13. of the Hebrews speaking of those that are Governours saith I wonder that any Governour should be saved he hath such a speech there I will not say so but there is a great deal of hazard Christ tells us that a man that hath a great portion in this world though it is possible he may have more hereafter yet it is doubtfull whether he shall inherit heaven It was the counsell of one to a King saith he I desire but this favour that every day you would think of this Text what profits it a man to gain the whole world and to loose his own soul spend some little time in considering of it every morning when you arise and every night when you lie down what will it advantage me to be great here and miserable hereafter The same councell I give to you daily pray to God to make you understand what there is in this Text that there are a generation of men who have their portion in this world only Secondly if you would not have your portion here labour to take off your hearts from all outward comforts he that will be rich shall fall into many temptations know it is not necessary you should have an estate in this world but it is necessary you should make your peace with God it is necessary I should provide for my soul but how things go with me here is not so much necessarie Thirdly set the glorie of Heaven and eternitie daily before your eyes and be trading for higher things then the world affords many poor people go up and down the streets crying some mean thing and think it well if they get 18 d. in a whole day but a rich Merchant can go out in the morning and make a bargain and perhaps get 500. l. in an houre he trades somewhat like so the men of this world labour for the meat that perisheth but a godly man hath communion with God and in a quarter of an hour gets that he would not loose for thousands It was a speech of Cleopatra to Anthony thou art not to fish for Gudgeons and Trowts but thou art to angle for Castles and Cities so may I say if thou hast an immortall soul with thee thou art not so much to angle for meat and drink and cloaths to make provision for the flesh but for heaven and immortalitie The next thing is this Honour God with thy substance Lay out thy portion here for God O that I could but convince you of one principle of divinitie more and that is this that there is more excellency and good in one vertuous action then there is in all the creatures in heaven and earth besides the blessed Angels and glorious Saints above I say others of the Saints excepting these take all creatures Sun Moon Stars Seas Earth all the Pearls Iewels of the world Pearls put them all together yet this is true divinitie that there is more excellency in one vertuous action then 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 Thou thinkest it a brave thing to have so much coming in by the year do but one good action for God out of an upright principle ANd there is more excellency in that one action then there is in thy great revenue if thou hast 1000. times more added to it Me thinks this should make them that are rich to be rich in good works so saith the Scripture Charge them that are rich in this world that they be rich in good works O there is a richnesse in good works as well as in great revenues O improve lay out thy estate now for God Ambrose saith upon that place of the rich man is it not more honour that so many children shall account you as their Father then that so many pieces of gold shall call you their Lord These pieces of gold do as it were call you Lord there are 2. or 3. children shall call you Father and is it not more excellent to have a couple of poor Orphans while you are alive in this world to call you Father then to have so many bags of gold call you Mr O therefore give a portion to 6. and to 7. Again if you would not be put off with a portion in this world be sure that all the services you perform to God be choice services if you expect choice mercies let your services be choice services be sure all your works be supernaturall works you 'le say how shall I know that if I had time I could make it out clear A supernaturall work is that that hath a supernaturall principle done to a supernaturall end and in a supernaturall manner A supernaturall principle that is grace which makes it suitable to my heart not that I do it out of conviction of conscience only and a supernaturall end that is when I ayme at God and not at my self in any dutie But what is this supernaturall manner of serving God I shall explain it thus Seneca in giving his rule how to know the affections when they are naturall and when not saith you shall know a naturall affection by this if it be kept with in bound it is naturall if it be out of bounds it is not naturall I 'le make use of it in another way when you come to the service of God if you think to limit God in his service this is but a naturall service you 'l go so far and there stop but if it be a supernaturall service you 'l let out your hearts if it were possible infinitely to God you cannot be infinite that is true but you 'l propound no bounds nor limits to your service this is indeed the truth of grace when it hath the impression of gracious infinitenesse upon it infinitenesse is that whereby God is without all limits so when the soul is without all limits and bounds in the way of grace it is desirous to honour God if it were possible in an infinite way these are supernaturall works Lastly would you not have your portion in this world be willing to cast away whatever of your portion you have got sinfully this in the name of God I declare as a speciall thing therefore take it home with you what ever man or woman in this place would not have his portion in this world but would have his portion in the world to come whatsoever of thy portion thou hast got in a sinfull course cast it away presently never sleep with it lye not down one
melted by the beams of the Sunne then by the scorching of the fire You will say humbled for what There are three things that we have cause to be humbled for upon the consideration of the mercy of God towards us First the sinne of unbelief consider when we were straitned at any time when we heard ill news that our armies fled and came to danger how our spirits were down as if all were gone Let us check our hearts God rebuked us in a kindly manner we might have had a furious rebuke Secondly be humbled for all our murmuring and repining and discontent O we did not think that the wars would have held so long and O what taxations are upon us and all our estates rent away And how manie are there that had rather that all the good that God hath done for his people since these times should never have been done then that they should suffer in their outward estates Be rebuked for all your murmuring and repyning at such difficulties as you have met with in the great cause of God The third thing that this mercy should make us humbled for look back to is that if ever there have risen this thought in any of our hearts that it had been better for me if I had never appeared so much I see how things are like to be the enemie prevails and is like to overrun all had it not been better that I had not ingaged my self so much that I had not appeared so much are they not wiser men that have kept themselves quiet and silent and done as little as they could nothing but what they have been forced to And when the Kings party come if they tax us they can do no more then force us If thou have such a thought pray to God to forgive that thought Let this that God hath done rebuke thee Art thou sorry for what thou hast done thou seest God will do it without thee If thou have been a publick instrument and hast done good and yet if in fear of successe thou hast repented God rebukes thee this day Then labour to love prayer as long as you live as David saith I will call upon God as long as ever live Prayer casts the scals and hath the advantage First the other side they feared not to suffer much if they were overcome they think they have a head and they would be where he was and he would countenance them make good their condition for them but this side if they had been overcome they had been men utterly undone what a mighty advantage was there one way more then another Then the Kings side if he had prevailed he had places of dignitie to bestow if the Parliaments side prevail we are but where we were we do but maintain our own we cannot expect to raise our condition But how many broken Gentry expected to raise their condition on the other side As it is said concerning the Pope and the generall Counsell the Pope prevailed notwithstanding the generall Councell though that were above him why the Pope had Cardinall ships and Deaneries to bestow but the Councell had none they had the advantage that way Again those that appeared on the one side how were they discouraged extraordinarily on the other side they were incouraged to the utmost On the one side how unfaithfull have they been on the other side they have kept to their principles because their principles are suitable to the flesh but there are many on this side that have not gracious principles and had a publick cause therefore they have been unfaithfull We have use of men that have not principles to act by but all the other go according to their own principles The one part acts that they may gratifie mens lusts now the generality of the world love it they know if the one partie prevail they shall have liberty and licensciousness but if the other prevail they shall live under laws Now men would have their lusts therefore when they see on the one side they shall have their lusts and on the other side they shall be more curbed they strive hard for their lusts At the first I wondred that men should be so vile to fight to make themselves slaves but when I considered they shall have slaves under them and have their lusts and the other side be more curbed then I was satisfied and wondered that God should cast the scale the other way they having all the advantages in a carnall way more then the other Only here it is we have people that have prayed and this hath cast the scale Love prayer and praying people and joyn with them be on their side for God is with them and will not suffer them to pray in vain a praying Christian is a usefull Christian in the world Again make this use of all that hath been done Look how far thou thinkest the adversaries would have been hardned if they had prevailed against the cause of God be thou so much the more resolute in the cause of God If they had prevailed how would they have blasphemed and manie thousands of Atheist would have been made more then there was before what a mightie offence and stumbling block would this have been Now since God hath turned it the other way justifie God and his cause settle your hearts in the love of God and his cause and settle your selves more strongly in the reformation in hand Further let us give him reall praise that we may not receive the grace of God in vain By this grace we hope that he hath given us our estates that we were afraid would have been rent from us we have the continuance of our liberties and of the Gospell Let our hearts be ingaged to God to give up our estates this day let us renew our ingagements to God in secret between God and our souls Lord thou mightest have taken away my estate by the spoylers it was near it and thou hast done it to other of my brethren and is mine continued That estate that should have been spent for their lusts I am resolved to spend it in thy service that hast preserved it and I account it a great mercie that I have an estate to honour thy name I feared I should not God expects that ever henceforward you make a more holy use of your estates then before And call your hearts to question what do I do with my estate for God what honour hath God from my estate more then before God expects more or else God may justly say in vain have I preserved this wretched estate there are manie of my servants if I had preserved their estates they would have improved them in the towns and places they lived in and here is a wretch I have preserved his estate and he is more greedy and scrapes up for himself and all his thought is how to repair what he hath lost by taxations c. The Lord may repent of what he hath done
when he heard of a dishonour done to the people of Israel the Text saith that his anger did rise within him an excellent pattern for all Governours for all in publick places to be very silent 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 when they are anger'd in their private cause and so full of violence and 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 Further Saul was one who was much troubled at the sin of the people against God he had not onely a spirit to vindicate publick wrongs but when he saw the people sin against God his heart was much troubled thereat and grieved for it and being mighty sollicitous and carefull to prevent sin in the people this you shall have in the first of Samuel 14.33 they told Saul there that the people had sinned in eating with bloud upon that Saul shews himself displeased come saith he and do not sin against the Lord rowle a stone hither he would see with his own eyes that they did slay the cattle and they did powre forth the bloud that they might not sin against God in eating bloud this was his care yea he was very diligent to enquire of God what he should do in businesses of great consequence he would not go out till he had first enquired of God Yea more then all this he was a man that had a very reverend esteem of the Prophets of God when Samuel came to him O thou blessed of the Lord saith Saul to him when Samuel shewed unto him what his sin was he câ—me and confessed it before the people saying I have sinned I have sinned against the Lord meerely at the conviction of one Prophet And God seemed to be with Saul very much shewing great respect to 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 call it and if there be any outward thing in the world might be gather'd as an argument of Gods love such a remarkable victory as he had over his enemies well might the victory you shall find in the first of Samuel 13. where the Philistins were risen up against him and there were 30000 chariots of his adversaries and 6000. horsemen and people as the sand of the Sea for multitude well here was a mighty enemie what had Saul to oppose these you shall find that there were but 600. men with Saul there was of one side 30000. Chariots 6000 horsemen and people as the sand of the Sea without number and Saul had but 600. with him at this time yea and of those 600. there was not any one of them that had a sword but onely Saul and Ionathan for the Philistins 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 onely take away their arms but they would look to them to see that they had no armes supplied unto them that was the wisedome of the Philistins yet we find if you read afterwards in the Scripture that God was so far with Saul and blessed him and gave him victory over all these besides all this God blessed Saul with a very gracious child a Godly Son of a sweet nature Ionathan which indeed if any outward argument in the world might be an argument of Gods love that might be Now put all these things together and yet here is the man that hath his portion in this world I now 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 then Saul might have done and yet it proved to be Sauls condition to have onely his portion in this world God herein shews that his mercy is his own and that he will let out his mercy as he pleases it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom the Father deals out the portion as he pleases unto his children God will let the line of his mercy go thus far to one and there stop and so far to another and there stop and then come in a crosse line again unto him God so disposes of his mercy that there are some that shall have heaven and earth to be their portion there portion is blessed indeed there are some that shall have earth but not heaven and their portion is poor and sad there are others that shall have heaven but not earth and their portion is rich blessed there are others that shall neither have heaven nor earth and their portion you 'l say is miserable indeed Gods mercy is his owne to dispose off as he will we read of Abraham He calleth for Ishmael and Hagar and he gives them a piece of bread a bottle of water and sends them away there is an end of them so Jehoshaphat He gave his other Son saith the Text gifts but the Kingdom he gave to Iehoram 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 Isaacs he keeps the Kingdom for Iehoram Esau he had his portion in this world and such a portion as he thought to be a very good portion too Brother saith he I have enough Most rich men go not so far as Esau they have their portion and yet complain of it Esau had his portion and thought he had enough Christs auditours in the 6. of Luke 24. had their portion in this world woe to you here is your consolation saith Christ unto them O dreadfull speech wo to this man wo to such wretches here is their consolation Dives he had his portion in this world Son remember in thy life time thou hadst thy pleasure in thy life time and thou hadst thy good things they were thy good things those things that were measur'd out for thee thou hadst them in thy life time In the handling of this argument I shall divide what I have to say into these 6. particulars that you may every one of you go the more readily along with me first why it is that God will deal out somewhat to wicked men in this world why they shall have any portion at all Secondly that this their portion it is confined to this life and why so Thirdly some Corollaries that you will see will naturally flow from those two Fourthly we shall consider the condition of these men who are such that have their portion in this world and fifthly we shall endeavour to shew unto you who are those men to cull out of the congregation what that man is which is that woman that is like
Minister and Andrew Huet that were martyrs and were to suffer for their consciences and the story tells us of one D r Cooke a Parson in London that openly admonished the people that they should pray for them no more then they would doe for a dog that charity of theirs that they talk so much of is such towards them that suffer out of conscience as amongst Papists so amongst ungodly men let a man suffer out of conscience they will rather rayle at him and when they are in their sufferings they will rather give them gall and vinegar to drink as they once did Christ upon the Crosse though in other sufferings they will pitty men Fifthly by this that God gives to the wicked the Lord shews what great things he hath reserved for his own children surely if the dogs have so much the Father keeps a good house if the hang-byes may have such doals certainly there is good provision for the children within as by the afflictions of the Saints God doth declare to wicked men and would have them draw such an argument from it that there are fearfull things that are like to befall them if judgement begin at the house of God where shall the wicked and ungodly appears so by the prosperity that wicked men have in this world God doth declare to his children and he would have them argue from thence what then hath he reserved for his beloved ones for his Saints for his Children that are so dear unto him Sixthly God fetches a great deal of glory from hence he fetches about his own ends very much from the portion that wicked men have as sometimes he doth it that they might stumble and harden their hearts and break their necks at it and to ripen their sins hence he lets them go on a long time and have their wills Wee to thee who spoilest and wert not spoiled and dealest treacherously and wert not dealt treacherously with all when thou shalt cease to spoyl thou shalt be spoiled I 'le let thee go on thou shalt spoil as much as thou wilt and when thou hast done spoiling thou shalt be spoiled thy self sometimes God doth it to fetch about this end namely to chastise his own people with the prosperity of the wicked as I have read of one being a Monk was advanced to come into an Episcopall seat and being a lewd wicked man he began to be proud of his advancement whereupon hee heard a voice uttering these words cur superbus O infelix c. why art thou so proud O unhappy man thou art not advanced because thou art worthy of this honour but because this City is so ill that it deserves such a Prelate to be over it in way of judgement to that place God advances some man out of wayes of heavy judgements unto others God gives them such a portion not out of love to them though they are ready to gather the argument but out of his displeasure unto others and then he gives a plentifull portion to many to teach us all to do good unto our enemies not onely humanitati as they say but homini not onely to humane nature but to men to men that are wicked some good must be done unto them And besides the Lord would shew hereby that he would have no argument of love or hatred to be drawn from these outward things and indeed because he would not have them to expect any more it may be many men that are ungodly prospering in this world they gather this argument that therefore God loves them intends mercy to them no you may rather gather an argument quite t'other way because God intendeth no further good unto you hereafter therefore it is you have so much now we use to answer men that come for their doal when they come twice why do you come again you have had your doal already so will God answer to many men when they shall cry to him for mercy at that day why come you to me for more you have had your doal already have you not had already more then your works comes to more then you have done you have had your part and portion already indeed men speak much of Gods mercy and the mercy of God we acknowledge to be very great and glorious well God doth shew himself glorious in mercy that thou being so wicked hast so much as thou hast in this world and therefore though thou shouldst be denyed of eternall mercy hereafter yet thou hast cause to tell divels and damned creatures that shall be thy company that God was very mercifull to thee while thou diddest live in this world But secondly here is all that ever thou art like to have 1. because there are some men whose names are written in the earth whereas the Saints are described to be men that are redeemed from the earth It is their happinesse to be redeemed from the earth and all the happinesse thou hast is that thou art written in the earth 2. here is their portion because they are vile in the eyes of God if you should ask the question why you give bones to the dog and swill to the swine and nothing else why the answer would be because it is a dog that hath it and because it is a swine it is dogs meat certainly God doth speak exceeding contemptibly of all ungodly ones in the world let them be never so great in regard of outwards a vile person shall arise saith Daniel what is this vile person Interpreters generally consent in this that it is meant of Antiochus Epiphanes that was a mighty great Prince such a Prince as when the Samaritans did write to him they writ Antiocho magno Deo to Antiochus the great God and his very name shews him to be a great one Antiochus Epiphanes as much as Antiochus the illustrious and the famous and yet when the holy Ghost speaks of him it is Antiochus a vile person they are vile in the eyes of God if there be any in a family that you care not much for you make no great provision for them doth God take care for Oxen somewhat they have but little doth God take care for ungodly men 3. Here is their portion it is confin'd to this life why they chose it themselves in that they have no wrong they make choice of this portion themselves Moses speaking to the people saith he I set before you life and death so do the Ministers of God in preaching to you they set before you life and death what do you chuse now you chuse the way that goes to death you have but your choice you chuse vanitie to be your portion God does you no wrong to give you vanitie now you that will indent with God for your penny you cannot take it ill if when the end of the day comes God puts you off with your penny You know those in the vineyard that agreed for their penny they began to murmure
to the soul Ambrose hath such a speech upon the place if the man had had the soul of a swine what could he have said otherwise for indeed these things were suitable 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 hears of the wicked is little worth saith Solomon And would not you think that to be a great evill that when you go up and down abroad you should certainly know that there is no man gives you any entertainment or any respect but it is for your servants sake that tends upon you would not that trouble you indeed you come to such a mans house he seems to make you wellcome and you have entertainment I but you come to know afterwards that it was not for your sake but for your servants sake that he loved you would not this discourage you the truth is so all that you have in this world it is for your servants sake for your goods your house and lands it is not for any worth that is in you It was aspeech that Socrates spake once to one when he had a fine house and a many brave things what 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 a man And further suppose it were for thy soul what thou hast here is but a very poor pittance thou hast not all the world neither though thou hast thy portion in this world if thou hadst the whole world at command yea if God should make a 1000. worlds more for thee to command that were all but a poor pittance to put off an immortall soul with all but what thou hast is but a little minuin in the world All the nations of the earth are but as the dust of the ballance and a 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 the map of the world to him and saith he pray shew me where your land â—ies here one prick of a pen would make a description of all England Ireland and Scotland are but 3. little spots unto the world and what are your farmes and your mannours 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 is not enough I say for to live like a man in the world to live like one that hath an immortall soul like one that hath the image of God upon him and was sent hither into the world to do so great services as every one of you were sent hither to do and therefore it is but a mean thing little cause you have to rejoyce in it It is true they that are godly account themselves unworthy of the least thing they have here in the world but I 'le tell you a mistery of religion now a practicall maxime of religion that is a great mistery to the world which 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 satisfy 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 had such an unsatisfying heart as he would not be satisfied with heaven and earth except God gives him himself too therefore certainly thy portion it is a but a very little portion Besides those things thou hast are things that will vanish and quickly come to nothing it is said of the whole world that it hangs upon nothing so all the things of the earth do therefore it is said of Abraham 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 uncertain riches Christian thou art made for an eternall condition these things are fading when thou comest to enter in upon thy eternall estate if thou shouldst then ask what shall I have now I have now thus much and thus much in my whole life but what shall I have now I come to enter in upon my eternall estate truly nothing at all If a man were to go a great voyage to the Indies and all the provision he makes is this he gets a vessell that can make shift to carry him as far as Gravesend that he will do and what need he hath of provision to Gravesend or perhaps to the Downs he provides for he goes on should go on now from the Downs and begins his voyage to go to the Indies and is gotten into the Ocean alas his vessell is a rotten vessell were not this an unwise man truly this is the condition of thousands in the world man woman thou art made for an eternall condition God intendeth eternity for every mothers child that is here this day and God expects that thy life should be spent in making provision for this eternall estate of thine and thou thinkest of nothing but that thou mayst provide for a few years here live in some fashion and be some body in the world O when thou comest to enter upon the Ocean of eternitie thou wilt give a dreadfull shrik cry out I am undone I am undone I have nothing provided for eternall life Again consider whatever thou hast in this world it is no other but what may stand with the eternall hatred of an infinite God towards thee it may be the portion of a reprobate and will this serve thy turn will this satisfie thee will that satisfie thy soul that may be the portion of a reprobate there are many that are now sweltring under the wrath of the infinite God that have had 20. times as much as any of you have that are here before the Lord this day they have had greater estates then you and lived merrier lives then you yet are now under the wrath of God will a reprobates portion serve thy turn therefore consider that to enjoy the dominion of all the world may stand with Gods eternall hatred but to have the least
may repeat in your ears I heard such a day there were a generation of men that have their portion in this world and now I am afraid I am one of them and there is an end of my portion onely I must go to my other portion that will be very dreadfull I but who have you spoke too all this while who is the man that hath his portion in this world it is a poor portion as you have set out to us but every one will go away and say I hope it is not I I hope God hath a better portion for me then this therefore give me leave to speak in the name of God to you and out of his word to point out the man and woman that is like to have their portion here living and dying in such a condition First that man to whom God gives in this life nothing but what belongs to this life that is the man apparently if God give thee thy estate and if he gives thee not somewhat besides thy estate that is a principle that is a seed of eternall life in thee certainly he never intends good to thee in the world to come There are many men have a great deal in this world they say they hope God will be mercifull to them in the world to come Now this is a certain truth that man to whom God denies spirituall mercy in this world God will deny eternall mercy to him in the world to come this therefore should be thy care doth God increase my estate in this world O that the Lord would give a proportionable measure of grace or else it is nothing Lord thou givest me here a great estate if thou givest not to me together with it a proportionable measure of grace to use it to thy name I had better have been without this Is this thy care I put it to thy conscience as thy estate encreases art thou solicitous at the Throne of grace that the Lord would give thee a proportionable measure of grace to manage thy estate for his glory then peace be to thee thou art not the man You may further examine it by the workings of your hearts about your present portions As. 1 whether you enjoy what you have for it self and whether your hearts be terminated in what you do enjoy one that is godly hath his portion beyond these things he enjoyes the creatures I but it is God that he enjoyes in them that is sweet to me that I can see and taste the love of God in I but a Carnall heart enjoyes the creatures and runs away and is terminated there looks much at the creature but at little in God as divers of your hospitall children here look more at the men that were their friends to bring them into the hospitall when they were Fatherlesse and Motherlesse and shiftlesse then they look at the founders of the Hospitall they little think of them to thank God for them but if they meet with him that was the next cause to bring them in they will thank him for his kindnesse so it is with most men they look at outward means and secondary causes but a godly heart looks at the root of all things I remember one that came into the Treasurehouse of Venice where he saw Tables of gold and silver and he pointed down looking at the bottom of the Table whereupon one asked him why is your eye so at the bottom O saith he I am looking at the root of all this Alas it is a small matter for a man that hath a great trade to have a great stock A godly man though he hath but a little yet he looks at the root at the love of God and the Covenant of grace which is the spring of all and the chief thing that satisfies his heart it is the goodnesse of God that satisfies a gracious heart and not the bare creature Therefore examine how your hearts are set upon these things of the world whether your hearts go out with full strength to them if you make your bellies to be your God then your end will be destruction That man that hath his heart swallowed up in the world like Corah Dathan and Abiram that were swallowed in the earth if the things of the earth be a gulfe to swallow thy heart up there is another gulfe to swallow thee up hereafter Consider how do the losse of the things of the world take thy heart dost not thou account thy self an undone man when thou had lost some comforts dost thou not come home to thy wife and children I say I am an undone man why what is the matter I have lost some part of my estate O carnall heart one that is Gods child may have some crosses but no losses at all because he enjoyes all in God and hath God still The truth is if thou wert truly Godly whatever afflictions thou meetest with all as we say a man may put all his gain in his eye so you may if you be godly put all your crosses in your eyes you are so far from being undone Examine then whether these things of the world be not the onely suitable things to your hearts whether you blesse not your selves in these as in your happinesse the Ivie will claspe about a rotten tree and cannot be taken off it without tearing and so the heart of a worldling will clasp about these rotten comforts as the onely agreable things You may hear them sometimes tell with joy that we were in such a place and were so merry had the bravest meeting and what was there there was singing and drinking and blaspheming of the name of God yet it was the bravest meeting that could be When did you ever come from an ordinance of God and say O it was a brave day to me the Lord hath spoken to my heart this day did you never go from the word with as merry a heart and rejoyce of it amongst your friends as you did from a merry meeting you may fear you are the man that have your portion here If I were to give but one evidence whether a man hath grace or no I would give this assoon as any one Suppose thou hast got some estate in the word I put this to thee what dost thou account to be the chiefest good of thy estate more then thou didst before A man that hath got an estate more then he had before thinks with himself now I may live at a better fashion then I could now I may have more freedom then before now I may have more credit in the world then I had now I may have my own mind and satisfie my lust more then I did or then another man can do is not this the thing thou most rejoycest in nay is not this a truth that some of your hearts if your hearts were ripped up this would be the language of them most rejoyce in because hereby you have most fewel for your lusts a
regard when he goes to his sport he may have a mean house to lodge in for a while but his pallace where he shews his Majestie and honour that is more glorious So the people of God and the Church is called the house of Gods honour it is not a mean house but a house of honour Further it is that house that he means to dwell in for ever he loves it so well This is my house I will dwell in it for ever I am so well pleased with it I will rest in it for ever Surely we have cause to rest our hearts in Gods people when God finds rest there and for ever It may be some of you are sometimes acquainted with the people of God at the first delight in them but your hearts being carnall you soon grow weary of them It is not so with God he delights in his people and rests there and rests there for ever But you will say how is God present with his Saints more then in other places why is God said to dwell among his people his Saints I answer in two regards God is said to dwell among his people in a speciall manner First because he makes himself known to his people more then to all the world besides There are none that know the counsell and mind of God so as his Saints do God is known in Iudah Psal 29.9 There God opens himself In his Temple every man speaks of his glory Secondly because God communicates himself most among his people God is said to be in heaven Why but because there he manifests his glory more then in other places therefore heaven is his habitation If that be his habitation where he manifests himself more then his people are his habitation because he manifests himself most there Secondly heaven is the place of Gods residence because he communicates himself most there then also Gods people are his residence he communicates himself there And he communicates himself to them in a speciall manner in four regards 1. He communicates to his people more choise mercies 2. He communicates mercies more fully 3. He communicates mercies more powerfully 4. More universally then to others 1. He communicates goodnesse among his people and Saints more choisely more choise mercies of God There is a remarkable place in the Psalmes The Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee out of Zion Psalm 143. ult He saith not the Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee either out of heaven or earth but out of Zion as nothing that the choise mercies that God hath to communicate are out of Zion among his people joyned together in the way of worship Would you desire that God should blesse you with the chief mercies that he hath look upon God as blessing out of Zion out of Zion God communicates his choisest mercies therefore it concerns all to be in Zion that they may have God to blesse them out of Zion there runs the sweetest of Gods mercies indeed in Zion Again God communicates his mercies more fully among his people then any other way Psalm 36.7 8. How excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures They shall be abundantly satisfied how not with the creatures but with the fatnesse of thy house Neither with thy communication to them alone God hath abundance of mercies for his Saints alone but when they are among the Saints jointly together then they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of his house and he shaâ—l make them drink of his rivers of pleasures While they are alone in corners they may have many sweet drops of pleasure from God but when they are joyned with the Saints there are rivers of pleasure and delight that come to their hearts therefore there is great delight to be had in the Saints of God when they are joyned together Thirdly he communicates them more powerfully mark in Psal 133.3 As the dew of Hermon and the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded a blessing even life for ever more There was blessing the Lord commanded it there went a powerfull work of Gods grace upon the hearts of people there when they were joyned together in Zion there God commanded the blessing If you would have God speaking powerfully to command a blessing on your souls you must be among his people you must joyn in a holy fellowship with his people there God commands it In the last place more universally all the goodnesse of God is communicated among his people therefore the Church is called the perfection of beauty Psam 50. that some translate the universality of excellency and beauty There is a universality of all among the Church and people of God And in another place All my springs are in thee Psam 87. speaking of joyning with the people of God that is all my springs of truth that are revealed to me all the springs of comfort that I have communicated to my soul all the springs of grace that I have to quicken me they are all in thee in the joynt society and communion with Gods people I find all Thus we see the presence of God among his people in regard of the communication of himself to them and therefore what a great deal of cause there is to joy and delight in the Saints jointly together Again further there is abundance of cause to delight in them joyned together in regard of their admirable priviledges as they are joyned together They have priviledges as they are alone but as they are joyned they have committed to them the oracles of God Rom. 3.2 all the ordinances by which God conveyes himself To them are committed the seal of the covenant you cannot singly have the seal of the covenant but joyned with the people of God closing with them To them is committed the very power of Iesus Christ saith the Apostle When ye are together with the power of Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 5.4 a glorious priviledge Yea further take this one thing they are inheritours to all the promises that ever God made to the Church from the beginning of the world There is no society of Saints that joyn in Christian fellowship but they are so See a remarkable place for that in Isa 54.17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me saith the LORD That promise that God made to the Churches before this is their heritage And conceive of this one now that is of great use that all that is said in Scripture concerning Gods delight to be among his people and in Zion all were but to type out the excellent