he will not Death be hired will money do nothing It is reported that Queen Elizabeth could not indure so much as to hear Death named Brasmus hit it when he said Timor mortis pejor quam ipsa mors and Sigusmund the Emperour and Lewis the eleventh King of France straitly charged all their servants that when they saw them sick they should never dare to name that bitter word Death in their ears Vitellius an Emperour of Rome a notorious glutton as you may easily judge by his having at one supper two thousand fishes and seven thousand birds when he could not flie Death he made himself drunk that he might not be sensible of the pangs of Death 'T was a very prudent and Christian speech of Charles the fifth to the Duke of Venice who when he had shewed him the glory of his Princely Palace and earthly Paradise instead of admiring it or him for it he only returned him this grave and serious Memento Haec sunt quae faciunt invitos mori These are the things which make us unwilling to die c. And by daily experience we finde that of all men wealthy men are most unwilling to die O but now God is such a portion as fits and disposes the soul to die yea as makes the soul look long for death and that makes death more desireable than life it self A man that hath God for his portion that hath God in his armes may well sing it out with old Simeon Lord Luk. 2.25 29 30. let thy servant depart in peace according to thy word Phil. 1.23 for mine eyes hath seen thy salvation and with Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ and with the Church Make hast my beloved and be thou like a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountain of spices Cant. 8. ult and Come Lord Jesus come quickly Rev. 22.20 Did Christ die for me that I might live with him I will not therefore desire to live long from him all men go willingly to see him whom they love and shall I be unwilling to die that I may see him whom my soul loves Surely no. Augustine longed to die that he might see that head that was once crowned with thorns The dying words of my young Lord Harrington were these O my God when shall I be with thee Cyprian could receive the cruellest sentence of death with a Deo gratias and holy Andrew saluted the Cross on which he was to be crucified saying Take me from men and restore me to my Master And so Lawrence Saunders when he was come to the stake at which he was to be burnt he kissed it saying Welcome the Crosse of Christ welcome everlasting life But Twelfthly If God be the Saints portion O then let the Saints still think of God and look upon God under this notion A man that hath God for his portion should alwayes have very high noble sweet and precious thoughts of God It becomes not those that have God for their portion to be alwayes looking upon God as an angry God or as a displeased Father or as an incensed Judge or as an inraged enemy or as a bitter friend When God would make known his Name his Nature his Glory to Moses Exod. 34.6 7. he proclaimes himself to be The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercies for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin And certainly to keep up such precious thoughts and notions as these are of God is that work of works that lies upon every mans hand that hath God for his portion O Sirs there is a very great aptnesse and pronenesse even in those that have God for their portion to have black dark hard dismal and dreadful thoughts and apprehensions of God Psal 77. Psa 88. Job 3. Psal 73.11 13 13 14. as you may see in Asaph Heman Job David c. By nature we are as full of hard thoughts of God as hell is full of sinne and where the heart is not mightily over-aw'd by the Spirit of God and over-power'd by the grace of God there all manner of dark and dismal apprehensions of God abounds Besides Satan knows very well that our corrupt natures are made up of sad and hard thoughts of God and therefore he will use all his power and crast to blow up every spark every hard thought of God into a flame especially when outward troubles and inward distresles are upon us what sayes Satan Dost thou think that God loves thee O Christian when he deals thus sharply and severely with thee doth he pretend kindnesse to thee and yet hide his sace from thee and set thee up as a mark to shoot at how can he be thy friend who hath cast thee down at thine enemies feet and given thee up into their pawes and jawes how canst thou think that he hath any pity and compassion towards thee who makes no better provision for thee what vanity is it to believe that he will give thee a crown that denies thee a crust and that he will give thee an house not made with hands and yet suffer thee to be turned out of house and home and that he will do so much for thee in another world who doth so little for thee in this world c. And thus Satan takes his opportunities to provoke corrupt nature to fill the soul with hard thoughts of God And certainly that Christian is a very great stranger to his own heart that is not able to say from experience that it is one of the highest and hardest works in this world to keep up good gracious thoughts of God to keep up honourable and noble thoughts of God in a suffering condition or under dark and dismal dispensations O but now those that have God for their portion they should abandon and abhor all hard thoughts of God yea how severe soever the dealings of God are towards them yet it is their duty and their glory to keep up very sweet precious thoughts of God Psal 73.1 O Sirs the more choice and honourable thoughts you keep up of God in your own souls the more you will love the Lord and the more you will delight in the Lord and the more content and satisfaction you will take in the Lord. Such Christians that take a pleasure to be still a representing of God to themselves in the most hideous terrible and amazing shapes they kill their love and their joy and they create a hell of torments in their own souls Well Christians let me put a cluster of the Grapes of Canaan into your hands at once and that by telling of you that the more glorious blessed thoughts you keep up in your souls of God the more spiritual the more frequent the more fervent the more abundant the more constant and the more unwearied you will be in the work of the Lord and the more all your graces will be
hath cut the threed of their lives and given them their portion among hypocrites Ah how many be there that have died in the time of their earthly projects and designs Luk. 12.15 to 22. before ever they have set about that great work of securing God for their portion and how many thousands be there that God in his just judgment hath given up to insatiable desires of earthly things Phil. 3.18 19. and to a cursed endlesse covetousnesse all their dayes Some write of the Crocodil that it alwayes growes that it hath never done growing and just so 't is with the desires of worldly men they alwayes grow they have never done growing now they are for one thousand then for ten then for twenty then for fourty then for an hundred thousand now they are for this Lordship and then they are for that now they are for this good bargain and then they are for that their hearts grow every day fuller and fuller with new desires of further and greater measures of earthly things they please themselves with golden dreams till they awake with everlasting flames about their ears and then they fall a cursing themselves that they have made gold their confidence and that they have neglected those golden seasons and opportunities wherein they might have secured God for their portion But Thirdly Object 3 Others may object and say we would fain have God for our portion and we would willingly apply our selves to all those wayes and means whereby we might obtain the Lord to be our portion but we are poor unworthy wretches surely the Lord will never bestow himself as a portion upon such miserable unworthy ones as we are we are worthy of death we are worthy of wrath we are worthy of hell we are worthy of damnation but we are no wayes worthy of having God for our portion Did ever the Lord cast an eye of love upon such unlovely and such unworthy sinners Lepers as we are c. Now to this Objection I shall return these answers First Though you have no merits 2 Cor. 4.15 1 Tim. 1.14 1 Pet. 1.3 yet God is rich and abundant in mercy your sins your unworthinesse can but reach as high as heaven but the mercies of God reach above the heavens Psal 103.11 For as the Heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him Psal 108.4 For thy mercy is great above the heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds The highest comparisons which the world will afford are not sufficient to expresse the greatnesse of Gods mercy to poor sinners Though the heavens are exceeding high above the earth yet the mercies of God to his poor people are above the heavens But Secondly I answer that the Lord hath never bestowed himself as a portion upon any yet but unworthy ones David was as unworthy as Saul and Job as Joab and Peter as Judas and Paul as Simon Magus Mat. 21.31 32. and the Publicans and Harlots that entered into the Kingdome of heaven were as unworthy as the Publicans and Harlots that were shut out of the Kingdome of heaven and the thief that went to paradise was as unworthy as the thief that went to hell All the Saints in heaven and all the Saints on earth are ready with one joynt consent to declare that they were as unworthy as the most unworthiest when God first bestowed himself as a portion upon them This Objection I am unworthy is a very unworthy Objection and therefore away with it But Thirdly I answer that God hath no where in all the Scripture required any personal worthinesse to be in the creature before he will bestow himself upon the creature O Sirs it never came into the thoughts of God it never entered into the heart of God to require of men that they should be first worthy of his love before they should enjoy his love and that they should be first worthy of his mercy before they should tast of his mercy and that they should be first worthy of his goodnesse before they should be partakers of his goodnesse and that they should be first worthy of himself before he would bestow himself as a portion upon them If we should never enjoy God for our portion till we are worthy to enjoy him for our portion we should never enjoy him If a man had as many eyes as Argus to search into the Scripture and as many hands as Briareus to turn over the leaves of Scripture yet he would never be able to find out one Text one line yea one word wherein God requires a personal worthinesse in the creature before he gives away himself to the creature Should God stand upon a personal worthinesse to be in the creature before he would look upon the creature or before he would let out his love to the creature or before he would extend mercy or pity to the creature or before he would in a Covenant of free grace give himself to the creature no sinner could be saved man would be for ever undone and it had been good for him that he had never been born But Fourthly I answer 't is not mens unworthinesse but mens unwillingnesse that hinders them from having God to be their portion though most men pretend their unworthinesse yet there is in them a secret unwillingnesse to have God for their God When they look upon God as a gracious God then they are willing to have him to be their God but when they look upon God as an holy God then their hearts fly back when they look upon God as a merciful God and as a bountiful God O then they wish that he were their God but when they look upon God as a commanding God and as a ruling and an over-ruling God O then their hearts do secretly rise against God there is a real unwillingnesse in the hearts of sinners in all respects to close with God and to have God to be their God Isa 53.1 Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Ch. 65.2 3. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that was not good after their own thoughts A people that provoke me to anger continually to my face How long Prov. 1.22 23 24 25 26. ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in scorning and fools hate knowledge Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded But ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh c. For thus saith the Lord God the holy One of Israel Isa 30.15 in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietnesse and in confidence shall be
Ch. 30.20 Psal 77. Psal 88. Isa 8.17 Lam. 3.18 Such Christians that have experienced what the warm beams of the Sun of Righteousnesse means have likewise experienced what it is to have their Sun set in a Cloud and this truth I might make good by producing of a cloud of witnesses both from among the Martyrs and from among the Saints in all Ages But what do I talk of a cloud of witnesses when the tears that daily drop from many of your eyes and the sad complaints and sighs and groans of many of your souls do sufficiently evidence this sad truth And therefore let no man conclude that God is not his God because he hath lost the sight and sense of his interest and propriety in God let no man say that God is not his portion because he hath lost those evidences at the present by which he hath formerly proved God to be his portion Though a man should lose his Writings and Evidences that he hath to shew for such or such an Estate yet his Writings and Evidences being inrolled in a Court of Record his Estate remains good and his Title is still good in law and therefore there is no reason why such a man should sit down and wring his hands and cry out I am undone I am undone so though a Christian should lose his Writings his Evidences that once he had to shew that once he had to prove God to be his God and portion and that he had a real interest and propriety in God yet his Writings his Evidences being inrolled in the Court of Heaven his title to God his interest in God remains good and therefore there is no reason why such a person should sit down dejected and wring his hands and cry out O I am undone I am for ever undone The fifth Position is this Fifth Position That such that have not for the present God for their portion ought not peremptorily to conclude that they shall never have God for their portion such a person that cannot yet truly say that the Lord is his portion ought not to despair of ever having of God for his portion The time of a mans life is but a day and God may bestow himself as a portion upon man in what hour of that day he pleases In the Parable he bestowed himself as a portion upon some at the first hour Matth. 20 1-17 upon others at the third hour upon others at the sixth hour upon others at the ninth hour and upon others at the eleventh hour God is a free Agent and may bestow himself upon whom he pleases and as he pleases and when he pleases There is no sinner We except such that hath committed the sin against the Holy Ghost no not the greatest sinner living under the Gospel that can infallibly determine that God will never be his God no sinner can conclude that God hath peremptorily and absolutely excluded him from mercy and shut him out among those that he is resolved never to bestow himself upon For 1. God never made any sinner one of his Privy Councel 2. In the Gospel of grace God hath revealed no such thing 3. Secret things belong only to the Lord Deut. 29.29 4. God hath bestowed himself as a portion upon as great sinners as any they are that yet have not God for their portion 5. All the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth cannot tell to the contrary but that God may have thoughts of mercy towards thee and that thy lot may fall within the purpose of his grace and that he may bestow himself as a portion upon thee before thou art cut off from the land of the living Although a sinner may certainly know at the present that God is not his God that God is not his portion yet he doth not certainly know that God will never be his God that God will never be his portion and therefore no sinner may peremptorily conclude that God will never be his God because for the present he cannot he dares not say he is his God God gave himself as a portion to Abraham when he was old Gen. 12.4 when he was a white-headed sinner 2 Chron. 33.1 12 13 14. And Manasseh was old when he was converted and changed and when God bestowed himself upon him And Zacheus and Nicodemus were called and converted in their old age when there were but a few steps between them and the grave between them eternity between them and everlasting burnings then the Lord graciously revealed himself and bestowed himself as a portion upon them And if we believe Tertullian Paul wanted not a prediction of the Holy Ghost in that Prophetick blessing of dying Jacob to his youngest son Gen. 49.27 Adu Marcion l. 5. Benjamin shall ravine as a wolf in the morning he shall devour the prey and at night he shall divide the spoil See my Apples of Gold page 352.353 354. two more famous Stories of such that were converted in their old age Paul was of the Tribe of Benjamin in the morning the fore-part of his age worrying and devouring the flock of Christ persecuting of the Church and in the evening the declension of his life dividing the Word a Doctor of the Nations And Dionysius tells us that Mary Magdalen that was so loose and dissolute in her youth being converted in her old age she sequestred her self from all worldly pleasures and lived a most solitary life in the mountains of Balma where she spent full thirty years in meditation fasting and prayer And old godly Similes said that he had been in the world sixty years but had lived but seven counting his life not from his first birth but from his new birth Soliloq c. 33. And Augustine repented that he had began to seek serve and love God no sooner By all these instances 't is most evident that God may bestow himself as a portion upon sinners upon very great sinners yea upon the greatest of sinners and that at last cast when they are stricken in years and when they are even ready to go out of this world and therefore let no man despair of having of God for his portion though for the present his soul cannot say the Lord is my portion O Sirs Despair is a sin a very hainous sin yea 't is that sin that damns with a witness despairing Judas perished and was damned Acts 2. when as the very murderers of Christ believing on Christ were saved Roger Bishop of Salubury in King Stephens dayes was so troubled that he could not live and durst not die c. Despair thrusts God from his mercy-seat it throws disgrace upon the throne of grace it gives the lye to all the precious promises it casts reproach upon the nature of God it tramples under feet the blood of the Covenant it cuts the throat of faith hope and repentance it renders all the means of grace uselesse and fruitlesse it imbitters all a
to conceive express or set forth the greatnesse and largenesse of a Saints portion Can you tell the stars of heaven or number the sands of the sea or stop the Sun in his course or raise the dead or make a new world then and not till then will you be able to declare what a great what an immense portion God is If eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the great things that God hath laid up in the Gospel for so that 1 Cor. 2.9 is to be understood Oh how much less then are they able to declare the great things that God hath laid up for his people in another world But Thirdly As God is an immense portion a large portion so God is an all-sufficient portion Gen. 17.1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine the Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him I am the almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect I am God almighty or as some carry the words I am God all-sufficient or self-sufficient In quo nihil desiderari possit boni Zanch. de nat Dei l. 4. c. 1. Qu 1 God hath self-sufficiency and all-sufficiency in himself Some derive the word Shaddai that is here rendered almighty or all-sufficient from Shad aduge because God feeds his children with sufficiency of all good things as the tender mother doth the sucking childe Gen. 15.1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision saying Fear not Abram I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward I will be thy buckler to defend thee from all kinde of mischief and miseries and I will be thy exceeding great reward to supply thee with all necessary and desirable mercies and what can a Saint desire more Psal 84.11 For the Lord God is a Sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly The Sun which among all inanimate creatures is the most excellent notes all manner of excellency provision and prosperity and the shield which among all artificial creatures is the chiefest notes all manner of protection whatsoever under the name of grace all spiritual good is wrapt up and under the name of glory all eternal good is wrapt up and under the last clause no good thing will he with-hold is wrapt up all temporal good all put together speaks out God to be an all-sufficient portion Before the world was made before Angels or men had a being God was as blessed and as glorious in himself as now he is God is such an all-sufficient and such an excellent being that nothing can be added to him to make him more excellent Man in his best estate is so great a piece of vanity Psal 39.5 that he stands in need of a thousand thousand things he needs the air to breath in the earth to bare him and fire to warm him and cloathes to cover him and an house to shelter him and food to nourish him and a bed to ease him and friends to comfort him c. But this is the excellency of God that he hath all excellencies in himself and stands in need of nothing Were there as many worlds as there are men in the world and were all those worlds full of blessed Saints yea were there as many Heavens as there are stars in heaven and were all those heavens full of glorious Angels yet all these Saints and Angels together could not adde the least to God for what can drops taken out of the Sea adde unto the Sea what can finite creatures adde to an infinite being though all the men in the world should praise the Sun and say the Sun is a glorious creature yet all this would adde nothing to the light and glory of the Sun so though all the Saints and Angels shall be blessing and praising and admiring and worshipping of God to all eternity yet they shall never be able to adde any thing to God who is blessed for ever O Christians God is an all-sufficient portion his power is all-sufficient to protect you his wisdome is all-sufficient to direct you his mercy is all-sufficient to pardon you his goodnesse is all-sufficient to provide for you his word is all-sufficient to support you and strengthen you and his grace is all-sufficient to adorn you and enrich you and his spirit is all-sufficient to lead you and comfort you and what can you desire more O Sirs God hath within himself all the good of Angels of men and universal nature he hath all glory all dignity all riches all treasures all pleasures God is Omnia super omnia and many of the very heathens counted God Optimum maximum the best and greatest all delights all comforts all contents all joyes all beatitudes in himself All the scattered excellencies and perfections that be in the creatures are eminently transcendently and perfectly in him Look as the worth and value of many pieces of silver are contracted in one piece of gold so all the whole volume of perfections which is spread through heaven and earth are epitomized in God according to that old saying Omne bonum in summo bono all good is in the chiefest good God is one infinite perfection in himself which is eminently and virtually all perfections of the creatures all the good the excellency the beauty and glory that is in all created beings are but parts of that whole that is in God and all the good that is in them is borrowed and derived from God who is the first cause and the universal cause of all that good that is in Angels or men God is a sufficient portion to secure your souls and to supply all your wants and to satisfie all your desires and to answer all your expectations and to suppresse all your enemies and after all to bring you to glory and what can you desire more But now all earthly portions are insufficient portions they can neither prevent afflictions nor support the soul under afflictions nor mitigate afflictions nor yet deliver a man from afflictions They can neither arm the soul against temptations nor comfort the soul under temptations A golden crown cannot cure the head-ach nor a purple robe cannot fray away a burning seaver nor a bed of gold cannot give ease to a distempered body nor the velvet slipper cannot take away the pain of the gout nor lead the soul out of temptations All the creatures in the world are but as so many ciphers without God when God frowns all the creatures in the world are not sufficient to chear the soul when God withdraws all the creatures in the world are not sufficient to sustain the soul when God clouds his face all the creatures in the world are not sufficient to make it day with the soul c. There is not enough in the whole creation to content quiet or satisfie one immortal soul he that hath most of
unparallel'd gemination I will never never never never never import but this I will ever ever ever yea and for ever and ever take care of thee and look after thee and be mindful of thee Though they had changed their glory for contempt their fine raiment for sheep-skins and goat-skins Heb. 11.36 37 38. their silver for brasse their plenty for scarcity their fulnesse for emptinesse their stately houses for holes and caves and dens of the earth yet they are to be contented and satisfied with present things upon this very ground that God will alwayes cleave to them and that he will never turn his back upon them Heb. 10.34 The Hebrews had been stript and plundered of all their goods that were good for any thing and yet they must be contented they must sit down satisfied with their hands upon their mouths though all were gone Though men cannot bring their means to their minds yet they must bring their minds to their means and then they will sit down in silence though they have but a rag on their backs a penny in their purse and a crust in their Cupboords Nature is content with a little as not to starve not to thirst saith Galen c. O Sirs a little will serve nature lesse will serve grace though nothing will serve mens lusts and why then should not Christians be contented with a little Oh friends you have but a short journey to go you have but a little way home and a little will serve to bear your charges till you come to heaven and therefore be contented with a little to have more than will serve to bring a man to his journeys end is but a burthen one staff is helpful to a man in his journey but a bundle is hurtful and this doubtlesse Jacob well understood when he made that proposal in Gen. 28.20 21. If God will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on then shall the Lord be my God Jacob doth not say if God will give me delicates and junkets to eat he shall be my God O no but if he will give me but bread to eat though it be never so course and never so black and never so dry he shall be my God he doth not say If God will give me so many hundreds or so many thousands a year he shall be my God O no but if he will give me bread to eat he shall be my God nor he doth not say If God will give me so many hundred pounds in my purse a comfortable habitation and a thriving trade he shall be my God O no but if he will give me bread to eat he shall be my God nor he doth not say If God will give me costly apparel or rich and royal raiment to put on he shall be my God O no but if God will give me raiment to put on though it be never so mean and poor he shall be my God If Jacob may but have a little bread to feed him and a few cloaths to cover him 't is as much as he looks for Look as a wicked man in the fulnesse of his sufficiency is in straits Job 20.22 as Job speaks so a holy man in the fulnesse of his straits enjoys an all-sufficiency in God as you may see in Jacob. O Christians though you have but little yet you have the highest and the noblest title that can be to that little that you do enjoy for you hold all in capite as the Apostle sheweth in that large Charter of a Christian 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. which the wicked do not Now an hundred a year upon a good title is a better estate than a thousand a year upon a crack't crazy title Saints have the best title under heaven for all they enjoy be it little or be it much but all the titles that sinners have to their earthly enjoyments are but crazy titles yea in comparison of the Saints titles they are no titles Again That little that a Saint hath he hath it from the special love and favour of God he hath it from a reconciled God Now a little from special love is better than a great deal from a general providence Prov. 15.17 a penny from a reconciled God is better than a pound from a bountiful God a shilling from God as a father is a better estate than an hundred from God as a Creator The kisse that a King gave to one in the story was a greater gift than the golden cup that he gave to another Can. 1.2 a little with the kisses of Gods mouth is better than all the gold of Ophir a drop of mercy from special love is better than a Sea of mercy from common bounty Look as one draught of clear sweet Spring-water is more pleasing satisfying and delightful to the pallat than a Sea of brakish Salt-water So one draught out of the fountain of special grace is more pleasing satisfying and delightful to a gracious soul than a whole Sea of mercy from a spring of common grace and therefore do not wonder when you see a Christian sit down contented with a little Again That little that a Christian hath shall be certainly blest and sanctified to him 1 Tim. 4.3 4 5. 1 Tit. 15. Jer. 32.41 c. Though thy mercies O Christian are never so few and never so mean yet they shall assuredly be blest unto thee the Lord hath not only promised that he will blesse thy blessings to thee but he hath also sworne by himself that in blessing he will blesse thee Gen. 22.16 17. and how dar'st thou then O Christian to think that the great and faithful God will be guilty of a lye or that which is worse of perjury Now a little blest is better than a great deal curst Prov. 3.33 Mal. 2.2 3. a little blest is better than a world enjoyed a pound blest is better than a thousand curst a black crust blest is better than a feast curst the gleanings blest are better than the whole Harvest curst a drop of mercy blest is better than a Sea of mercy curst Lazarus crums blest was better than Dives his delicates curst Jacobs little blest unto him Luke 16. was better than Esaus great estate that was curst unto him 'T is alwayes better to have scraps with a blessing than to have Manna and Quails with a curse Psal 78 18-32 a thin Table with a blessng is alwayes better than a full Table with a snare a thread bare coat with a blessing is better than a purple Robe curst a Hole a Cave a Den a Barne a Chimney-corner with a blessing is better than stately Palaces with a curse a woollen cap blest is better than a golden Crown curst and it may be that Emperour understood as much that said of his Crown when he look't on it with tears If you knew the cares that are under this Crown you would never stoop to take it up And therefore
why should not a Christian be contented with a little seeing his little shall be blest unto him Gen. 26.12 Isaac tils the ground and sowes his seed and God blesses him with an hundred fold and Cain tils the ground Ch. 4.12 and sowes his seed but the earth is cursed to him and commanded not to yield to him his strength Oh therefore never let a Christian murmur because he hath but a little but rather let him be still a blessing of that God that hath blest his little and that doth blesse his little and that will blesse his little to him Again that little estate that a righteous man hath is most commonly a more lasting Prov. 15.16 ch 16.8 a more abiding a more permanent and a more induring estate than the great and large estates of the wicked are Psal 37.16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked One old piece of Gold is worth more than a thousand new Counters and one box of pearls is more worth than many loads of pibbles and one hundred pounds a year for ever is better than many hundreds in hand 'T is very observable the Psalmist doth not simply say the estate but the rich estate the riches not of one or a few but of many wicked are not comparable to that little that a righteous man hath From this word Hamon comes the word Mammon Luk. 16.9 the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hamon that is here rendred riches signifies also a multitude or an abundance or store of riches a little that a righteous man hath is better than the multitude of riches or the abundance of riches or the store of riches that many wicked men have and he gives you the reason of this in the 17 v. For the armes of the wicked shall be broken but he upholdeth or under-props the righteous By the armes of the wicked you are to understand their strength their valour their power their wit their wealth their abundance which is all the arms they have to support and bare up themselves in the world with Now these armes shall be broken and when they are broken then even then will God uphold the righteous that is God will be a continual overflowing fountain of good to his righteous ones so that they shall never want though all the springs of the wicked are dried up round about them Oh Sirs there are so many mothes and so many dangers and so many crosses and so many losses and so many curses that daily attends the great estates of wicked men that they are very rarely long-liv'd ah how many in this great City are there that have built their nests on high and that have thought that they had laid up riches for many years and that have said in their hearts that their lands and stocks and trades and houses and pompous estates should abide for ever who are now broken in pieces like a potters vessel ah how often doth the pride the oppression the lying the cheating the over-reaching the swearing the cursing the whoring the covetousnesse the drunkennesse and the wantonnesse of the wicked cut the throat of all their mercies these are the wickednesses that as a fire burnes up all their outward enjoyments and that turnes their earthly paradise into a real hell 't is the wickednesse of the wicked that causeth their prosperity to wither and that provokes God to turn their plenty into scarcity their glory into contempt and their honour into shame 't is very observable that in the holy Scriptures the prosperous estates of the wicked are frequently compared to things of an abrupt existence to a shadow which soon passeth away Job 14.2 Ch. 21.17 18 Isa 29.5 to chaff which a puff a blast of wind easily disperseth and scattereth to grasse 2 Kings 19 26. Job 24.24 Ch. 15.33 ch 20.8 to grasse which quickly withereth before the Sun to tops of corn which in an instant are cut off to the unripe grape which on a sudden drops down yea to a dream in the night and what 's a dream but a quick fancy and a momentary vanity All the riches that the wicked gain either by their trades or by their friends or by their great places or by their high Offices or by their subtil contrivances or by their sinful compliances and all the honour they gain in the Court or in the Camp or in the School is but light and inconstant 't is but like the crackling of thorns under a pot they are fading vanities that commonly die before those that enjoy them are laid in the dust Oh therefore let all Christians be contented with their little seeing that their little shall outlast the large estates of wicked and ungodly men A man that hath God for his portion can truly say that which no wicked man in the world can say viz. Psal 23.6 Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever The Psalmist doth not say that goodnesse and mercy should follow him a day or a few dayes or many dayes but that goodnesse and mercy should follow him all the dayes of his life the Hebrew word Radaph that is here rendered to follow signifies to persecute saith the Psalmist goodnesse and mercy shall follow me as the persecutor follows him he persecutes that is it shall follow me frequently it shall follow me constantly it shall follow me swiftly it shall follow me earnestly it shall follow me unweariedly the word signifies a studious anxious careful diligent following 't is a Metaphor that is taken from beasts birds of prey that follow and flie after their prey with the greatest cagernesse closenesse and unweariednesse imaginable Why thus should mercy and loving kindnesse follow David all the dayes of his life and if in a temptation he should prove so weak and so foolish as to run from goodnesse and mercy yet goodnesse and mercy should follow him like as the Sun going down followeth the passenger that goeth Eastward with his warm beams Oh but now the mercies of the wicked are short-liv'd Psal 37.35 36 37. though the wicked flourish and spread themselves like a green bay-tree one day yet they are cut down the next and there is neither root nor branch to be found tale nor tidings to be heard of them for in a moment they with all their greatnesse state pomp and glory are utterly vanished and banished out of the world And so Psal 34.10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Young lions are lustie strong fierce and active to seek their prey and have it they will if it be to be had and yet for all that they shall lack and suffer hunger By young lions the learned understand First All wicked Rulers Prov. 28.15 Ezek. 32.2 men that are in the highest places
and Authority as the Lion is the King of beasts Secondly By Lions they understand all cruel oppressours that are still oppressing and grinding of the faces of the poor Prov. 30.30 rich cormorants as the Septuagint renders it who live on the spoil of the poor and are never satisfied Thirdly By Lions they understand the Tyrants and the mighty Nimrods of the world which are sometimes called Lions Jer. 2.15 1 Chron. 11.22 Nahum 2.13 And lastly By Lions they understand all the crafty and subtil Politicians of the earth Ezek. 38.13 The Lion lurks very craftily and secretly for his prey The summe of all is this That wicked men that are in the highest authority and that great Oppressors cruel Tyrants and crafty Politicians shall be impoverished and brought to penury beggery and misery And this we have often seen verified before our eyes Oh Christian what though thou hast but a little of this world yet the God of all mercies and all the mercies of God the God of all comforts and all the comforts of God are thine and what wouldest thou have more In God is fulnesse all fulnesse infinite fulnesse and if this with a little of the world will not satisfie thee I know not what will If a God for thy portion will not content thee all the world will never content thee Shall Diogenes a Heathen be more content with his Tub to shelter him and with his dish to drink in than Alexander was with all his conquests and shall not a Christian sit down contented and satisfied in the enjoyment of God for his portion though he hath but a Tub to shelter him Bread to feed him and a dish of water to refresh him I shall conclude this Head with a weighty saying of Cato's Aulus Gellius Si quid est quo utar utor si non scio quis sum mihi vitio vertunt quia multis egeo ego illis quia nequeunt egere I have neither house nor plate nor garments of price in my hands what I have I can use if not I can want it some blame me because I want many things and I blame them because they cannot want Oh let not nature do more than grace Oh let not this Heathen put Christians to a blush But Thirdly If God be the Saints portion the sinners are much mistaken that judge the Saints to be the most unhappy men in the world there are no men under heaven in such a blessed and happy estate as the Saints are Psal 8.4 5. Balaam himself being Judge Num. 23 5-11 A man that hath God for his portion is honourable even in rags he hath some beams Psal 16.3 some rayes of the majesty and glory of God stampt upon his soul and shining upon his face and glittering in his life and he that is so blind as not to behold this is worse than Balaam the witch Though the blind Jews could see no form nor comlinesse nor beauty in Christ Isa 53.2 that they should desire him yet the wise men that came from the East could see his Divinity sparkling in the midst of the straw they could see an heavenly majesty and glory upon him when he lay among the beasts Luke 2.7 Matth. 2.11 when he lay in a manger witnesse their tedious journey to find him and witnesse their worshipping of him and witness those rich and royal presents that they brought unto him So though the blind sots of the world can see no lovelinesse nor comlinesse no beauty nor glory in the Saints or upon the Saints that should render them amiable and desireable in their eyes yet God and Christ and Angels and those that are wise in heart and wise to salvation can see a great deal of divine beauty majesty and glory upon all those that have God for their portion There is no happinesse to that of having God for a mans portion Psal 144.15 Happy is that people that is in such a case but give me that word again yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. He that hath not God for his portion can never be happy and he that enjoys God for his portion can never be miserable Augustine speaking of one who passing by a stately house which had fair lands about it and asking another whom be met to whom that house and land belonged he answered to such an one Oh sayes he that 's a happy man indeed No sayes the other not so happy as you think for it is no such happinesse to have that house and land but he is happy indeed that hath the Lord for his God for that is a priviledge that exceeds all things whatsoever for saith he he that hath honours and riches may go to hell for all them but he that hath God to be his God is sure to be everlastingly happy According as a mans portion is so is he now if God be a mans portion who is the spring the fountain the top of all excellency and glory then certainly that man must needs be an excellent man that hath God for his portion Prov. 12.26 A man that hath God for his portion doth as much excell and out-shine such as have only Mammon for their portion as the Sun excells and out-shines the Stars and upon this score 't is that the righteous man is more excellent than his neighbour let the righteous mans neighbour be never so great and never so rich and never so mighty and never so noble yet if he hath not God for his portion the righteous man is more excellent than he and the reason is evident because he hath that God for his portion that is most ominent and excellent Oh Sirs if God be most excellent if God be alone excellent then they must needs be most excellent that have God for their portion 'T is very observable that according to the excellency of God the excellency of the Saints is in some proportion hinted at in Scripture as in that Deut. 33.26 29. There is none like unto the God of Jesurun and presently it follows Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee or Oh the happinesses of thee Oh Israel Oh the multiplied happinesse the heaped up happinesse that attends Israel the Saints that have God for their portion are the worlds Paragons Heb. 11. they are worthies of whom this world is not worthy they are such great such noble such worthy worthies that this world is not worthy to think on them to look on them to wait on them or to enjoy their company one Saint that hath God for his portion is more worth than all the millions of sinners in the world that have not God for their portion God delights to reflect his glory upon his Saints for as there are none like to God so there are none like to the people of God Look as God is a none-such so his people are a none-such and so in that 2 Sam. 7.22 23. Wherefore thou art great O
man glory in his wisdome neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindnesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord Isa 41.16 Thou shalt rejoyce in the Lord and shalt glory in the holy one of Israel and Chap. 45.25 In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Oh how should the Saints that have God for their portion make their boast of their God and rejoyce in their God and glory in their God! Shall the men of the world glory in an earthly portion and shall not a Saint glory in his heavenly portion Shall they glory in a portion that they have onely in hope and shall not a Christian glory in that portion that he hath already in hand Shall they glory in a portion that they have only in reversion and shall not a Saint glory in that portion that he hath in present possession Shall they glory in their hundreds and thousands a year and shall not a Christian glory in that God that fills heaven and earth with his glory In all the Scriptures there is no one duty more prest Compare these Scriptures together Phil. 3.1 Ch. 4 4. Ezek. 10.7 Joel 2.23 Psal 33.1 Psal 79.12 Ps 149.1 2. than this of rejoycing in God and indeed if you consider God as a Saints portion there is every thing in God that may incourage the soul to rejoyce in him and there is nothing in God that may in the least discourage the soul from rejoycing and glorying in him O Christians the joy of the Lord is your strength Neh. 8.10 't is your doing strength and your bearing strength and your suffering strength and your prevailing strength 't is your strength to work for God and 't is your strength to wait on God and 't is your strength to exalt and lift up God and 't is your strength to walk with God 't is your strength to live and your strength to die and therefore be sure to keep up your joy in God 'T is one of the saddest sights in all the world to see a man that hath God for his portion with Cain to walk up and down this world with a dejected countenance 'T was holy joy and cheerfulnesse that made the faces of several Martyrs to shine as if they had been the faces of Angels One observes of Chrispina that she was cheerful when she was apprehended August in Psal 137. and joyful when she was led to the Judge and merry when she was sent to prison and so she was when bound and when lift up in a Cage and when examined and when condemned O Christians how can you number up the several souls that you deject the foul mouths that you open and the bad reports that you bring upon the Lord and his wayes by your sad dejected and uncomfortable walking It is very observable that the Lord takes it so very unkindly at his peoples hands when they go sighing lamenting and mourning up and down when as they should be a rejoycing and a delighting of themselves in him and his goodness that he threatens to pursue them to the death with all manner of calamities and miseries upon that very score Deut. 28.47 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulnesse and with gladnesse of heart for the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall sond against thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakednesse and in want of all things and he shall put a yoke of Iron upon thy neok until he have destroyed thee But Eightly If the Saints have such a great such a large and such an all-sufficient portion as hath been shewed they have then certainly they shall never want any thing that is good for them Psal 23.5 6. David tells you that his cup run over the words are an allusion to the Hebrew Feasts Davids table was richly and nobly spread both in sight and spight of all his enemies In one God is every good and what can he want that enjoyes that God God is a bundle of all goodnesse and sweetnesse And look as God is the best God so he is the greatest and the fullest good he can as easily fill the most capacious souls up to the very brim with all inward and outward excellencies and mercies as Christ did once fill those water-pots of Gallilee up to the very brim with wine John 2. If God hath enough in himself for himself then certainly he hath enough in himself for us that water that can fill the Sea can much more easily fill my cup or my pot Jer. 31.14 My people shall be satisfied with goodnesse saith the Lord And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Ch. 32 40 41. that I will not turn away from them to do them good yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul Phil. 4.19 My God shall supply all your need or my God shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fill-up all your need as he did the widows vessels in that 2 Kings 4.3 4 5 6. Godlinesse hath the promise both of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 he that hath God for his portion shall have all other things cast into his store Mal. 6.25.31 32 33. as paper and packthread is cast into the bargain or as an handful of corn is cast into the corn you buy or as Hucksters cast in an over-cast among the fruit you buy or as an inch of measure is given into an ell of cloth O Sirs how can that man be poor how can that man want that hath the Lord of heaven and earth for his portion Surely he cannot want light that enjoyes the Sun nor he cannot want bread that hath all sorts of grain in his barnes nor he cannot want water that hath the fountain at his door no more can he want any thing that hath God for his portion who is every thing and who will be every thing to every gracious soul O Sirs the thought the tongue the desire the wish the conception all fall short of God and of that great goodness that he hath laid up for them that fear him Psal 31.10 and why then should they be afraid of wants How doth that pretty bird the Robin-red-breast cheerfully sit and sing in the chamber-window Psa 104.10 to Vers 31. and yet knows not where he shall make the next meal and at night must take up his lodging in a bush O what a shame is it that men that have God for their portion should act below this little bird I have read of famous Mr. Dod who is doubtlesse now high
acted exercised strengthened and increased yea and the more your evidences for heaven will be cleared your gracious experiences multiplied your communion with God raised your way to glory facilitated and all your sufferings sweetned therefore never let noble precious thoughts of God die in your souls Though he frown upon thee O Christian yet say he is thy portion and though he chides thee yet say he is thy portion and though he corrects thee yet say he is thy portion and though he deserts thee and carries it strangely towards thee yet say he is thy portion and though he snatches many a mercy from thee yet say he is thy portion and though he multiplies thy burthens upon thee yet say he is thy portion and though he writes bitter things against thee yet say he is thy portion yea though he should passe a sentence of death upon thee yet still say he is thy portion O Christians this would still raise an heaven in your hearts if under all dispensations ' you would still look upon God as your portion and live upon God as your portion But Thirteenthly If God be a believers portion then never let a believer be afraid to die or unwilling to die See twenty Arguments in my String of Pearls to move you to be willing to die from pag. 169. to pag. 212. let them be afraid to die that have onely the world for their portion here and hell for their portion hereafter but let not a Saint be afraid of death that hath for his portion the Lord of life A man that hath God for his portion should rather court death than tremble at it he should rather sweetly welcome it than turn his back upon it for death to such an one is but the way to paradise the way to all heavenly delights the way to those everlasting springs of pleasure that are at Gods right hand Psal 16. ult the way to life immortality and glory and the way to a clear full constant and eternal fruition of God Bernard saith that he heard his brother Gorard when just in dying rejoyce and triumphingly say Jam mors mihi non stimulus sed jubilus Angustine upon those words Exod. 33.20 21. Thou canst not see my face and live makes this short but sweet reply Then Lord let me die that I may see thy face Death is a bridge that leads to the paradise of God all the hurt that it can do is to bring a believer to a full enjoyment of his portion When Modestus the Emperours Lieutenant threatned to kill Bazil he answered If that be all I fear not yea your Master cannot more pleasure me than in sending me unto my heavenly Father to whom I now live and to whom I desire to hasten Old Alderman Jordan used to say That Death would be the best friend he had in the world and that he would willingly go forth to meet it or rather say with holy Paul O Death where is thy sting triumphing over it What is a drop of vinegar put into an Ocean of wine what is it for one to have a rainy day who is going to take possession of a Kingdome Acts Mon. 813. A Dutch Martyr feeling the flame to come to his beard Ah said he what a small pain is this to be compared to the glory to come Lactantius boasts of the bravenesse of that spirit that was upon the Martyrs in his time our children and women not to speak of men saith he do in silence overcome their tormenters and the fire cannot so much as fetch a sigh from them John Noyes took up a fagot at the fire and kissed it saying Blessed be the time that ever I was born to come to this preferment Never did Neckarchief become me so well as this chain said Alice Driver when they fastened her to the stake to be burnt Mr. Bradford put off his cap and thanked God when the Keepers Wfie brought him word that he was to be burn't on the morrow Mr. Taylor fetcht a frisk when he was come neer the place where he was to suffer Henry and John two Augustine Monks being the first that were burnt in Germany and Mr. Rogers the first that was burnt in Queen Maries dayes did all sing in the flames and be of good cheer said the woman-martyr to her husband that was to suffer with her for though we have but an ill dinner on earth we shall sup with Christ in heaven and what said Justine Martyr to his murtherers in behalf of himself and his fellow-martyrs You may kill us but you can never hurt us Ah Christians how can you read over these choice instances and not blush and not be ashamed to consider what a readiness what a forwardnesse and what a noble willingness there was in these brave Worthies to die and go to heaven and to be fully possest of their God of their portion whil'st you shrug at the very thoughts of death and frequently put that day farre from you and had rather with Peter fall upon building of Tabernacles Mat. 17.4 Phil. 1.23 then with Paul desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ O Christians how justly may that father be angry with his child that is unwilling to come home and how justly may that husband be displeased with his wife who is unwilling to ride to him in a rainy day or to crosse the Sea to enjoy his company and is not this your case is not this just your case who have God for your portion and yet are unwilling to die that you may come to a full enjoyment of your portion But Fourteenthly and lastly If God be the Saints portion then let all the Saints give all diligence to make this clearly and fully out to their own souls 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. that God is their portion Next to a mans having God for his portion 't is the greattest mercy in this world for a man to know that God is his portion and to be able groundedly to say with the Church The Lord is my portion saith my soul Now this is a work that may be done I suppose there is never a believer on earth but may attain unto this personal evidence and certainty of knowledge that God is his portion Heb. 10.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are two Diminutives in the Greek a little little while to note that God will not in the least delay his coming to his people express promises speaks out such a thing as this is Zech. 13.9 They shall call upon my Name and I will hear them I will say it is my people and they shall say it is my God so Ezek. 34.30 Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them and that they even the house of Israel are my people saith the Lord Psal 9.18 For the patient abiding of the meek shall not be forgotten for ever God will as soon put the faith of reliance and the
2.4 Psal 86.15 1 Pet. 11.3 Psa 103.11 O Sirs God is said to be a God of great mercy and to be rich and plenteous in mercy and to be abundant in mercy and to be transcendent and incomparable in mercy yea all the mercies of God are sure mercies they are royal mercies they are innumerable mercies they are bottomless mercies they are unchangeable mercies and they are everlasting mercies and therefore there is no reason for any man to despair of obtaining of God for his portion But Thirdly Consider that God is a portion-sweetning portion God is such a portion as will sweeten all other portions he is a portion that will make every pleasant portion more pleasant and that will make every bitter portion sweet Poverty is one mans portion and sorrow is another mans portion and crosses and losses are a third mans portion and reproaches and sufferings are a fourth mans portion and sicknesse and diseases are a fifth mans portion c. But now God is a portion that will sweeten all these portions You know the Tree that Moses cast into the bitter waters of Marah made them sweet Exod. 15.23 24 25. now this Tree was a type of Christ who will certainly sweeten all our bitterest potions The Church complained in that Lament 3.15 That God had filled her with bitternesse or as the Hebrew hath it with bitternesses and that he had made her drunken with wormwood and yet this very Consideration That the Lord was her portion v. 24. sweetned all If God be thy portion there is no condition that can make thee miserable if God be not thy portion there is no condition that can make thee happy If God be not thy portion in the midst of thy sufficiency thou wilt be in straits Job 20.22 if God be thy portion in the midst of all thy straits thou shalt enjoy an all-sufficiency in an all-sufficient God Till God be thy portion O sinner thou will never taste any thing but death and bitternesse in all thy comforts and in all thy contentments and in all thy enjoyments But Fourthly Consider that all earthly portions are not of that infinite consequence and concernment to you as this portion is all earthly portions are but the meat that perisheth John 6.27 Matt. 6.19 James 5.3 Eccles 1. they are but moth-eaten and canker-eaten treasures they are full of uncertainty yea they are all over vanity they reach not beyond the line of this mortal life they can neither fuit the soul nor fill the soul nor satisfie the soul nor save the soul they can neither change the heart nor reform the heart nor in the least better the heart they can neither arm a man against temptations nor lead a man out of temptations nor make a man victorious over temptations they can neither direct the conscience when 't is in straits nor relieve the conscience when 't is under distress nor support the conscience when it is under guilt nor heal the conscience when it is under wounds they can neither make our peace with God nor keep our peace with God nor augment our peace with God they can neither bring us to Christ nor unite us to Christ nor keep us with Christ nor transform us into the similitude or likenesse of Christ they can neither bring us to heaven nor fit us for heaven nor assure us of heaven In a word no earthly portion can free us from death nor in the least avail us in the day of wrath By all which it is most evident that all earthly portions are of very little consequence and concernment to the sons of men to the souls of men O but now God is a portion of infinite consequence and concernment to all the sons and souls of men No man can hear as he should nor pray as he should nor live as he should nor die as he should till God be his portion no man is secure from temporal spiritual or eternal judgments till God be his portion no man can be happy in this world or blessed in another world till God be his portion O Sirs it is not absolutely necessary that you should have this or that earthly portion but 't is absolutely necessary that you should have God for your portion for if God be not your portion all the Angels in heaven nor all the men on earth cannot prevent your being miserable to all eternity Fifthly Consider that till a man comes to have God for his portion he never comes to be temptation-proof A man that hath God for his portion is temptation-proof he will say when tempted as Themistocles did Give those bracelets to slaves and as Basil did who when he was offered temporary honour glory and wealth c. answered Give me glory which abides for ever and give me riches which will indure for ever And as he did who being tempted with offers of money to desert his Religion When Phyrrhus tempted Fabricius the first day with an Elephant so huge and monstrous a Beast as before he had not seen and the next day with money and promises of honour he answered I fear not thy force and I am too wise for thy fraud If nature could do this grace can do more gave this excellent answer Let not any think that he will imbrace other mens goods to forsake Christ who hath forsaken his own proper goods to follow Christ And as that Martyr did who when he had riches and honours offered him if he would recant answered Do but offer me somewhat that is better than my Lord Jesus Christ and you shall see what I will say to you And as Hormisda a noble man in the King of Persia's Court did who because he would not deny Christ he was put into ragged clothes deprived of his honours and set to keep the camels after a long time the King seeing him in that base condition and remembring his former Fortunes he pitied him and caused him to be brought into the Palace and to be cloathed again like a noble man and then perswades and tempts him afresh to deny Christ whereupon this noble Spirit presently rended his Silken Clothes saying If for these you think to have me deny my Faith take them again and so he was cast out with scorn the second time And what was that that made the Apostles temptation-proof and that made those Worthies temptation-proof Heb. 11. and that made the primitive Christians temptation-proof and that made the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes temptation-proof Certainly nothing more than this very Consideration that God was their portion Ah sinners sinners you will certainly fall you will readily fall you will easily fall you will frequently fall you will dreadfully fall before temptations til you come to enjoy God for your portion Every blast every wind of temptation will overset overturn that man that hath not God for his portion Such a man may pray a thousand times over and over Lord lead me not into temptation
he did more wickedly than the very heathen whom the Lord abhorred in all his actings he seemed to be the first-born of Satans strength and yet the Lord freely bestowed himself as a portion upon him and so Ezek. 16.6 8. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was a time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse yea I swore unto thee and entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine And so Isa 46.12 13. Hearken unto me ye stout-hearted that are far from righteousnesse I bring neer my righteousnesse it shall not be far off and my salvation shall not tarry and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory Solomon Mary Magdalen Mathew Zacheus the Gaoler and the murderers of Christ were all very great and grievous sinners and yet the Lord bestowed himself as a portion upon them and so God bestowed himself as a portion upon those monstrous and prodigious sinners that are mentioned in 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. whose souls were red with guilt and as black as hell with filth God hath been very good to those that have been very bad and therefore do not despair O sinner though thy sins are very great I have read a Story concerning a great Rebel that had made a great party against one of the Roman Emperours Joh. Bodin Com. weal. and Proclamation being sent abroad that whoever could bring in the Rebel dead or alive he should have a great summe of money for his reward the Rebel hearing of it comes and presenting himself before the Emperour demands the sum of money proposed the Emperour bethinking himself concludes that if he should put him to death all the world would be ready to say that he did it to save his money and so he freely pardoned the Rebel and gave him the money Here now was light in a dark Lanthorn here was rare mercy and pity in a very Heathen And shall an Heathen do thus and shall not the great God who is made up of all loves of all mercies of all compassions of all goodnesses and of all sweetnesses do much more certainly he will If the greatest Rebels if the greatest sinners will but come in whilst the white Flag of grace and mercy is held forth they shall finde a marvcilous readinesse and forwardnesse in God not onely to pardon them but also to bestow not onely money but himself as a portion upon them The greatest sinners should do well to make that great Scripture their greatest companion Psal 68.18 Thou hast ascended on high speaking of Christ thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also but to what purpose hath Christ received gifts spiritual gifts gracious gifts glorious gifts for men for the rebellious why 't is that the Lord God may dwell amongst them But Thirdly I answer that God hath given out an expresse promise that he will make such to be his people which were not his people Hos 2.23 I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy and I will say to them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God In this precious promise God hath ingaged himself to have a most sweet harmony and a most intimate conjunction and communion with such a people as were not his people But Fourthly I answer that God gains the greatest glory by bestowing of himself as a portion upon the greatest sinners There is nothing that makes so much for the glory of free grace and for the exaltation of rich mercy and for the praise of divine goodnesse and for the honour of infinite fulnsse as Gods bestowing of himself upon the greatest of sinners O Sirs grace appears never so rich nor never so excellent nor never so glorious as when it triumphs over the greatest sins and when it falls upon the greatest sinners Grace never shines nor never sparkles nor never becomes so exceeding glorious as it doth when it lights upon the hearts of the greatest sinners The greatest sinnes do most and best set off the freenesse and the riches of Gods grace there is nothing that makes heaven and earth to ring and to sound out his praises so much as the fixing of his love upon those that are most unlovely and uncomely and as the bestowing of himself upon them that have given away themselves from him And 't is further observable that the greatest sinners when once they are converted do commonly prove the choicest Saints and the rarest Instruments of promoting the honour and glory of God in the world The Canaanites were a wicked and a cursed generation They were of the race of cursed Cain they were given over to all whoredome witchcraft and cruelty they offered their sons and daughters to Devils they were the very worst of sinners they were without God and without the Covenant and counted dogs among the Israelites and such an one was the Canaanite woman that you read of in that Matth. 15 21-29 till the Lord made it the day of his power upon her soul but when the Lord had brought her in to himself ah what a rare Christian did she prove for wisdome zeal humility self-denial love courage patience faith c. And so Mary Magdalen was a notorious Strumpet a common whore among all the harlots none to Mary Magdalen Mark 16 9 and she was one out of whom Christ cast seven Devils and yet when she was changed and converted Luke 7. O with what an inflamed love did she love the Lord Jesus Christ and with what a burning zeal did she follow after the Lord Jesus and how abundant was she in her lamenting and mourning after the Lord Jesus Christ Joh. 20. Some report that after our Saviours resurrection she spent thirty years in weeping for her sins in Galba And Paul you know was a very grievous sinner but after his conversion O what a rare what an eminent what a glorious instrument was he in bringing of souls to Christ and in building up of souls in Christ 2 Cor. 11. O what a noble drudge was he for Christ O how frequent O how fervent O how abundant was he in the work of the Lord c. And indeed in all ages the greatest sinners when once they have been converted they have commonly proved the choicest Saints and the rarest Instruments in the hand of God for the advancement of his glory and the carrying on of his work in the world I might instance in Luther and divers others but that I hasten to a Close And therefore Fifthly I answer that of all sinners the greatest sinners do undoubtedly stand in the greatest need of having of God for their
portion Look as they that are most wounded stand in most need of a Surgeon and as they that are most sick stand in most need of a Physician and as they that are in most danger of robbing stand in most need of assistance and as they that are in most peril of drowning stand in most need of a boat and as they that are most impoverished stand in most need of relief so they that are the greatest sinners stand in most need of having of God for their portion for no tongue can expresse 2 Thess 1 7 8 9 10. nor no heart can conceive the greatnesse of that wrath of that indignation of that desolation of that destruction and of that damnation that attends and waits upon those great sinners that have not God for their portion and therefore the greater sinner thou art the greater obligation lies upon thee to get God to be thy God and portion for till that be done all thy sins in their full number weight guilt and aggravating circumstances will abide upon thy soul But Sixthly and lastly I answer that God is a great God and he loves to do like himself Now there are no works no actions that are so suitable to God and so pleasing to God and so delightful to God as those that are great and what greater work what greater action can the great God do than to bestow himself as a portion upon the greatest of sinners It was a great work for God to create the world and it is a great work for God to govern the World and it will be a great work for God to dissolve the world and to raise the dead and yet doubtlesse it is a greater work for the great God freely to bestow himself upon the greatest sinners The love of God is a great love and the mercies of God are great mercies and the compassions of God are great compassions and accordingly God loves to act and therefore there is ground for the greatest sinners to hope that the Lord may bestow himself as a portion upon them But Secondly Object 2 Others may object and say hereafter we will look after this portion for the present we are for living in the world we are for a portion in hand we are for laying up portions for our selves and providing portions for our posterity we are first for laying up of earthly treasures and when we have done that work to purpose then we will do what we can to obtain this excellent and glorious portion that you have been so long a discoursing on c. Now to this Objection I shall thus answer First Thus to act is to run counter-crosse to Christs express commands Mat. 6.33 But seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a casting in as an overplus as some over-weight measure or number And so ver 19 20. Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where theeves break through and steal But lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeves do not break through nor steal And so in that Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat which endureth to everlasting life O Sirs to act or run crosse to Gods expresse command though under pretence of Revelation from God is as much as a mans life is worth as you may see in that sad story 1 Kings 13.24 O Sirs 't is a dangerous thing to neglect one of his commands who by another is able to command your bodies into the grave and your souls into hell at his pleasure Shall the wife make conscience of obeying the commands of her husband and shall the child make conscience of obeying the commands of his father and shall the servant make conscience of obeying the commands of his Lord and shall the souldier make conscience of obeying the commands of his General and shall the subject make conscience of obeying the commands of his Prince though he be none of his Council and will not you make conscience of obeying his commands that is the Prince of the Kings of the earth 1 Rev. 5. But Secondly Who but children mad men and fools in Folio will pitch upon a lesse good when a greater good is offered to them what madnesse and folly is it for men to pitch upon bags of counters Children mad men and fools will part with a pearl for a pippin when bags of gold are laid before them or for men to chuse an hundred pounds per annum for life when rich inheritances and great Lordships are freely offered to be made over to them for ever What were this but Esau-like to prefer a messe of pottage before the birth-right and yet this is the present case of these Objectors God is that rich that great that glorious and that matchlesse portion that is held out and freely offered and tendered in the Gospel to poor sinners and they neglect slight and reject this blessed offer and fix their choice their love their hearts their affections upon the perishing vanities of this world O the folly of such that at a Feast feed upon kickshawes and never taste of those substantial dishes that are for nourishment O the madnesse of such that prefer the flesh-pots of Egypt before the dainties of Canaan Would not such a Merchant such a Tradesman be pointed at as he goes along the streets for a fool or a mad man that should neglect such a season such an opportunity such an advantage wherein he may be made for ever as to the world and all because he is resolved first to secure such a bargain of rags or such a bargain of old shooes which will turn but little to his advantage when he hath bought them Surely yes now this is the very case of the Objectors for they neglect the present seasons the present opportunities of grace and mercy and of being made happy for ever by enjoying of God for their portion and all because they are resolved first to secure the Treasures the Rags of this World Certainly in the great day of account these will be found the greatest fools that have fool'd away such golden opportunities that were more worth than all the world and all to secure the rags of the world But Thirdly and lastly How many thousands are now in hell Matth. 7.22 26 27. how many thousands have now their part and their portion in that burning lake which burnes with fire and brimstone for ever and ever Rev. 21.8 who thought when they were on earth that after they had laid up goods for many years with the fool in the Gospel that then they would look after heavenly treasures and secure God for their portion but before they could find time or hearts to set about so noble work divine vengeance hath overtaken them and justice
your strength and ye would not O Sirs Matth. 23 37. Luk. 13.34 men shall be damn'd at last not for cannots but for will nots no man shall be damned because he could not do better but because he would not do better if there were no will John 40. there would be no hell At last sinners will finde this to be their greatest hell that they have wilfully destroyed themselves this is that which will damn with a witnesse and this will be that never dying worm I might have had Christ and grace but I would not I might have been sanctified and saved but I would not I might have been holy and happy but I would not Deut. 30.15 19. life and death hath been often set before me and I have chosen death rather than life heaven and hell hath been often set before me and I have chosen hell rather than heaven glory and misery hath been often set before me and I have chosen misery rather than glory and therefore 't is but just that I should be miserable to all eternity No man no Devil can undo thee O sinner without thy self no man can be undone in both worlds but by himself No man shall be damned for his unworthinesse but for his unwillingnesse and therefore never plead this Objection more But Fifthly and lastly I answer that if you will not seek after the Lord to be your portion till you are worthy to enjoy him as your portion then you will never seek after him then you will never enjoy him for your God and portion personal worthinesse is no flower that growes in Natures garden no man is born with a worthinesse in his heart as he is born with a tongue in his mouth 't is not the full but the empty 't is not the rich but the poor in spirit 't is not the righteous but the sinner 't is not the worthy but the unworthy soul that is the proper object of mercy and pity The poor Publican that cried out Lord be merciful to me a sinner Luk. 18 10-15 went home justified when the thank-God Pharisee returned as proud as he came The Centurion when he came to Christ sped well Matth. 8. notwithstanding his personal unworthiness And the prodigal son sped well when he returned to his Father Luk. 15.11 ult notwithstanding his personal unworthiness for he was readily accepted greatly pitied sweetly imbraced courteously received very joyfully and nobly entertained witnesse the best robe that was put upon his back and the gold ring that was put on his finger and the shoes that were put on his feet and the fatted calfe that was killed to make the company merry O Sirs if in the face of all your unworthinesse you will go to God and tell him that you are sinners that you are vile sinners that you are wretched sinners that you are very great sinners yea that you are the greatest of sinners and that you have deserved a thousand deaths a thousand hells a thousand destructions and a thousand damnations and earnestly beseech him to look upon you and to bestow himself on you though not for your worthinesse sake yet for his Names sake for his mercies sake for his promise sake for his Covenants sake for his Oath sake and for his Sons sake Certainly if you shall thus plead with God all the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth cannot tell to the contrary but that you may speed as well as ever the Centurion or the Prodigal did I have taken the more pains to answer this Objection that so it may never have a resurrection more in any of your hearts into whose hands this Treatise may fall I know other Objections might be raised but because I have spoken largely to such in my former writings I shall pass on to the last thing proposed and that is to lay down some Positions that may by the blessing of God be of singular use to the Christian Reader As first That 't is one thing for a man to have God for his portion First Position Moses his face did shine and yet he did not see it and 't is another thing for a man to have an assurance in his own soul that God is his portion there are many that have God for their portion who yetare full of fears and doubts that God is not their portion Thus it was with Asaph in that 77 Psalm thus it was with Heman in that 88 Psalm and thus it is with very many Christians in these dayes Sometimes God exercises his children with such changeable and such terrible dispensations as raises many fears and doubts in them about their interest and propriety in God and sometimes their secret indulging of some bosome Idol their entertainment of some predominant lust raises strange fears and jealousies in their souls about their interest in God and sometimes their not closing with the Lord so closely so fully so faithfully so universally and so sincerely as they should without any secret reservation raises many doubts and questions in them whether God be their portion or no. The graces of many Christians are so weak and their corruptions are so strong and Satan is so busie with them and their duties and performances are so weak so flat so dull so saplesse so livelesse so fruitlesse and so inconstant that they are ready at every turn to say if God be our God why is it thus with us if God be our portion why are our hearts in no better a frame why have our duties no more spirit life and fire in them Look as the Sun may shine and yet I not see it and as the husband may be in the house and yet the wife not know it and as the child may have a very great portion a very fair estate setled upon him and yet he not understand it so a Christian may have God for his portion and yet for the present he may not see it nor know it nor understand it 1 John 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God These precious souls had God and Christ for their portion and they did believe and they had eternal life in the seeds and beginnings of it and in the promise and in Christ their Head Ephe. 2.6 who as a publick person had taken possession of it in their steads and yet they had not the assurance of these things in their own souls Look as the babe that hath past the pangs of the first birth doth not presently cry out my father my father so the babe of grace the new-born Christian doth not presently cry out my God my God 't is one mercy for God to be my God and 't is another mercy for God to tell me that he is my God 't is one act of grace for God to be