he was forty years old now from that Acts 7.23 or being grown a great one and so sufficiently understood himself and knew very well what he did he did little less than make a Foot-ball of Pharaohs Crown witnesse his refusing with an holy scorn and disdain to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter and so to succeed Pharaoh in the Throne And so in that Rev. 12.1 2. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars The Church here is compared to a woman for her weaknesse fruitfulnesse and lovingnesse and it is observable that she is clothed with the Sun that is with Christs own comlinesse and righteousnesse which resembles the Sun in its several properties and effects not now to be insisted on Now this woman the Church is said to have the Moon under her feet by the Moon we are to understand all temporary and transitory things now the Church treads upon all these things as trash and trumpery that were much below her and despised by her Look as the great men of the world do commonly look upon all portions that are below their own with an eye of scorn disdain and contempt Esth 5.9 ult Psa 73 4-13 as Haman did and as those bold daring sinners did Psal 73. So do those that have God for their portion look upon all things below their God with an eye of scorn and disdain I have read of Lazarus that after his resurrection from he dead he was never seen to laugh his thoughts his heart his affections were so fixt upon God and so taken up with God with his portion that he was as a dead man to all the gay and gallant things of the world he saw nothing in them worthy of a smile And so when once Galiacius that famous Italian Marquesse came to understand that God was his portion in the face of the highest offers imaginable of honour favour profit and preferment he cried out Cursed be he that prefers all the glory of the world to one dayes communion with God The old Grecians who had altogether fed on Acorns before Eustath in Homer when bread came in among them they made no reckoning of their mast but reserved it only for their Swine And the Lacedemonians despised their iron and leathern money Seneca de Benefic when gold and silver came in use among them so when a man comes once to experience God to be his portion ah at what a low rate will he value the swelling honours John 4.14 the deceitful riches and the vanishing pleasures of this beggarly world Christians are compared to Eagles Matth. 24.28 now the Eagle is a Kingly a Princely bird 't is a bird of a sharp piercing sight and of a swift and lofty flight it flies high and sets light by things below except it be when necessity compells her and so 't is with those that have God for their portion they fly high and they live high in God and therefore they cannot but set light by the toyes and trifles of the world But Eighthly If God be thy portion then thy God is most precious to thee then thou settest the highest price and value imaginable upon thy God every man sets the highest price upon his portion though a man may set a good price upon his delightful gardens his pleasant walks his delicate fish-ponds his fruitful trees his sweet flowers c. yet 't is no price to that which he sets upon his portion Well sayes a man though here be an hundred things to delight my eye and to please my fancy and to satiate my appetite yet I infinitely value my portion above them all And who but a fool in Folio will value a thousand a year above a few accommodations that are onely for pleasure and delight So though a Christian may set a considerable value upon all his outward comforts and contentments Psa 23.24 25. Psa 4.6 7. yet 't is no value to that he sets upon his God upon his portion this and that is precious to me saith a Christian but my God is infinitely more precious than all A Christian sets up God above his goods Heb. 10.34 and above his lusts Gal. 5.24 and above his relations 1 Sam. 30 1-7 yea and above his very life Rev. 12.11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Psa 63.3 Thy loving kindnesse is better than life the Hebrew is Chaiim lives put many lives together yet there is more excellency and glory in the least beam in the least discovery of divine love than there is in them all A man may be weary of life but never of divine love Histories tell us of many that have been weary of their lives but no Histories can furnish us with an instance of any one that was ever weary of divine love Look as the people prized David above themselves saying 2 Sam. 18.3 Thou art worth ten thousand of us so they that have indeed God for their portion O how do they prize God above themselves and above every thing below themselves and doubtlesse they that in a course do not lift up God above all they have no interest in God at all Whatever a man eyes as his greatest interest that he sets up above all and before all other things in the world Now if a man eyes God as his greatest interest he cannot but set God atop of all I have not faith enough to believe Luk. 14.26 that ever such did truly love God who love any thing more than God or who set up any thing above God Look as Darius set up Daniel over all and as Pharaoh set up Joseph above all so a man that hath God for his portion he sets up God over all and he sets up God above all One set so high a price upon Christ Austin that he hath long since told us that he would willingly goe thorow hell to Christ Bernard and saith another I had rather be in my chimny-corner with Christ than in heaven without him When one of the Martyrs was offered riches and honours if he would recant he made this excellent answer Do but offer me somewhat that is better than my Lord Jesus Christ and you shall see what I will say to you Johannes Mollius And I have read of another that set so high a price upon the Lord Jesus that whensoever he did but mention the name of Jesus his eyes dropt tears were every Star in the Firmament a Sun yet a man that hath God for his portion would prize him above them all Do you ask me Plutarch in Photion where be my Jewels my Jewels are my husband said Phocions wise do you ask me where be my ornaments my ornaments are my two sonnes brought up in vertue and learning
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
Lord God for there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee according to all that we have heard with our ears and what one nation in the earth is like thy people Look as the excellency of God rises so in a proportion the excellency of the Saints rises and look as there are no gods in all the world that are so excellent as God is so there are no people in all the world that are so excellent as the people of God are Every one that hath God for his portion resembles the child of a King Judg. 8.18 as Zeba Zalmunna said to Gideon of his brethren If you look upon their divine and heavenly original you shall find that they are born of the blood-royal and that they are his sons who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords yea all the Saints that have God for their portion are Kings Rev. 17.14 Rev. 5.10 Dan. 7.27 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Rev. 1.6 And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father They have the power soveraignty and authority of Kings Psal 34.14 Heb. 1 ult Psal 45.13 1 Cor. 1.30 they are priviledged as Kings they are guarded as Kings they are adorned as Kings they are entertained as Kings they feed as Kings they feed high they live upon God and Christ and all the glory of heaven and they are cloathed as Kings they are cloathed with Christs righteousnesse and with the garments of joy and gladness Kings have great alliance and so have the Saints that have God for their portion Kings have a very great influence and so have they that have God for their portion A man in rags that hath God for his portion is a more honourable person than the greatest Monarch on earth that hath only the world for his portion I have read of Alexander the great and of Pompey the great and of Charles the great and of Abner the great and of Herod the great but what were all these great men but Grass-hoppers to the Saints that have God for their portion Men that have had God for their portion As you may see in the 10. and 11. Chap. of the Hebrews have been very famous illustrious and glorious when they have been friendlesse and house-lesse and penniless yea when they have been under the Swords and Sawes and Harrowes of persecution When Maximian the tyrant had pluckt out one of Paphnutius the Confessors eyes that good Emperour Constantine saw such a lustre beauty and glory upon Paphnutius that he fell upon him and kist him and he kist that very hole most wherein one of the Confessors eyes had been as being most ravished and delighted with that hole Prov. 10.7 Psal 112.9 His name that hath God for his portion shall live when the name of the wicked shall rot his name shall be written in golden characters upon Marble when the name of the wicked shall be written in the dust The blind besotted world are sadly out who are ready to set the Crown of Honour and Happiness upon any heads rather than upon theirs that have God for their portion Look 1 Sam. 16 6-12 as Samuel beholding the beauty and stature of Eliab would needs have him anointed and the Crown set upon his head when the Crown was designed for David at the Sheep-fold so vain men are very apt to set the Crown of happinesse upon their heads who have the greatest share in this world when as the Crown of happinesse and blessednesse is onely to be set on their heads that have God for their portion What the Queen of Sheba said of Solomons servants Happy are thy men happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee 1 Kings 10.8 and that hear thy wisdome is here very applicable to the Saints Happy happy yea thrice happy are those precious sons and daughters of Zion that have God for their portion A man that hath God for his portion shall live happily and die happily and after death he shall remain happy to all eternity and therefore we may well cry out Oh the happinesse and blessednesse of that man that hath God for his portion But Fourthly If the Saints have such an excellent such a matchless portion O then let them never set their hearts and affections upon any earthly portions 'T is true O Christian Prov. 23.5 thou mayest lay thy hand upon an earthly portion but thou must never set thy heart upon an earthly portion Psal 62.10 If Riches increase set not thy heart upon them The Hebrews put the heart for the thoughts affections love desire joy hope confidence c. If riches increase O set not thy thoughts upon them If riches increast O set not thy affections upon them If riches increase O set not thy love upon them set not thy desires upon them set not thy joy and delight upon them nor never place thy hope or confidence in them O what a shame and dishonour would it be to see men of great estates to rake in dunghils and to sweep Chanels and to carry Tankards of water and to cry Trifles up and down the streets and is it not a greater shame a greater dishonour to see those that have the great God for their portion to set their hearts and affections upon a little white and yellow clay 'T was a generous speech of that Heathen Themistocles who seeing something glister like a pearl in the dark scorned to stoop for it himself but bid another stoop saying Stoop thou for thou art not Themistocles O 't is below a generous Christian a gracious Christian a noble Christian that hath God for his portion to stoop to the things of this world a true bred Christian will set his feet upon those very things that the men of the world set their hearts Rev. 12.1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and upon her head a Crown of twelve stars The Church is compared to a woman for her weaknesse for her lovingnesse for her comlinesse and for her fruitfulness and being cloathed with the Sun of righteousness she hath the Moon that is the World under her feet the Church treads under her feet all temporary and transltory things which are as changeable as the Moon she treads upon all worldly and carnal enjoyments and contentments as things below her as things not worthy of her What vanity is it for a great man to set his heart on birds-nests and paper-kites that boyes make fly in the air and as great yea a greater vanity 't is for the Saints that have God for their portion to set their hearts upon the poor little low things of this world 'T is not for you to be a fishing for Gudgeons but for Towns Forts and Castles said Cleopater to Mark Anthony so say I 't is not for you that have God for your portion to be a fishing for the Honours
faith of assurance to a blush as he will put the faith of expectance to a blush Psal 22.26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied they shall praise the Lord that seek him your heart shall live for ever First or last such as seek him shall have such an answer of their prayers as shall turn their prayers into praises and their petitions into thanksgivings Psal 84.11 The Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly God will be an universal all-sufficient and satisfactory good to them that walk uprightly the Lord is as full of goodness as the Sun is full of light and he will as freely and as fully and as impartially communicate his goodnesse to them that walk uprightly Matth. 5.45 as the Sun doth her light both to the just and the unjust As under the name of no good thing will he with-hold all temporal good things are to be understood so under the name of grace all spiritual good things are to be understood and under the name of glory all eternal good things are to be understood And now if God will give all spiritual and all eternal good things to his people how can he then but sooner or later give a cleer and satisfactory evidence into his peoples bosomes that he is their portion And not onely express promises but also the graces of the Spirit and the testimony of the Spirit confirms the same thing the language of every saving grace is this The Lord is thy portion O thou believing soul and the language and testimony of the Spirit is the same Rom. 8.15 Ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Vers 16. The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God Shall an instinct in nature teach young ones to know their Damms and shall not the Spirit of God by a divine instinct teach the Saints to know God to be their God and to be their portion also Surely yes though this or that particular Christian may go to his grave without a satisfactory evidence in his own bosome that God is his portion yet in an ordinary course at first or last God doth give his people some assurance that he is their portion yea rather than they shall always live or die without assurance of their salvation and that he is their portion he will work a miracle to assure them of his love I have both heard and read of a rare story of Mrs. Honywood a famous professor of the Gospel and one that for many years together lay under the burthen of a wounded spirit and was much troubled in mind for want of assurance that God was her portion and that she should be saved from wrath to come at length there came a godly Minister to her who indeavoured to settle her faith and hope in Christ and pressing many Gospel-promises upon her she took it with a kinde of indignation and anger that he should offer to present any promises to her to whom as she thought they did not belong and having a Venice-glasse in her hand she held it up and said Speak no more to me of salvation for I shall as surely be damn'd as this poor brittle glasse shall be broke against the wall throwing it with all her force to break it but it so pleased God that by a miraculous providence the glasse was preserved whole the Minister beholding the miracle took up the glasse and said unto her Behold God must work a miracle for you before you will believe and for ever after that day she had very strong assurance of her salvation and that God was her portion and so lived and died in a sweet and comfortable sense of the love and favour of God Now to provoke you to labour with all your might to attain to a clear personal satisfactory evidence in your own bosomes that God is your portion do but seriously consider and lay to heart the rare and singular advantages that will redound to your souls by this meanes I shall onely touch upon some by which your selves may guesse at others First By this means your hearts will come to be fixed setled and established A mans soul never comes to be fixed and setled by knowing in the general that God is the Saints portion but by a personal evidence and certainty of knowledge that he is his particular portions whil'st a mans particular propriety is unsetled all is unsetled in his soul but when a mans particular propriety is setled when he can say Psa 57.7 Ps 108 1. Psal 112.7 this God is my God and the Lord is my portion then all is setled then all is at peace in the soul A man that hath God for his portion if he do not know it will still be like a Ship at sea in the midst of a storm tost here and there and now rowling on one side and then on the other and never quiet never lying still but a man that hath God for his portion and knows it he is like a Ship in a good Harbour that lies quiet and still yea he is like Mount Zion that cannot be removed But Secondly A clear personal evidence that God is a mans portion will rid his soul of all sinful doubts O Christians Luke 24.14 15. now your hearts are as full of doubts as hell is full of darknesse one day you doubt whether your graces are true and another day you doubt whether your comforts are true now you doubt of your Saintship and anon of your Sonship and then of your Heirship sometimes you doubt of your communion with God sometimes you doubt of your acquaintance with God and sometimes you doubt of your acceptance with God one hour you doubt of the favour of God and the next hour you doubt of your accesse to God And as it is thus with you so it will be thus with you till you come to have some clear satisfaction in your own spirits that God is your portion O Christians had you but once a personal evidence in your own bosomes that God is your portion all those doubts that are bred and fed by ignorance and unbelief and that rob the soul of all joy comfort and content and that render men Babes in Christianity and that cast reproach upon God Christ and the Promises c. and that do most gratifie and advantage Satan to tempt and try your souls would vanish and disperse as the Clouds do before the Sun when it shines in its brightnesse till a Christians eyes be opened to see God to be his portion his heart will be full of doubts and perplexities John 20.13 14 15 16. Though Mary Magdalen was very neer to Christ yet she stands sighing mourning and complaining That they had stollen away her Lord. A Christian may have God for his portion yet till he comes to see God to be his portion he will spend his dayes in sighing
mourning and complaining O Christians till you come to see God to be your portion your doubts will lie down with you and rise with you they will talk with you and walk with you till they make your lives a very hell 'T was an excellent expression of Luther The whole Scripture saith he doth principally aim at this thing That we should not doubt but that we should hope trust and believe that God is a merciful bountiful and gracious God to his people And what will bring a mans heart over to answer to this blessed aime of the Scripture certainly nothing below an assurance that God is his portion It was a noble resolution of blessed Bradford who in one of his Epistles saith thus O Lord sometimes methinks I feel it so with me as if there were no difference between my heart and the hearts of the wicked my mind is as blind as theirs and my will as stout stubborn and rebellious as theirs and my affections as much disordered as theirs and my conscience as much benummed and stupified as theirs and my heart as hard and flintie as theirs c. shall I therefore conclude that thou art not my father nay I will rather reason otherwise saith he I do believe thou art my Father I will come unto thee that thou mayest enlighten this blind mind of mine and bend and bow this stout and stubborn will of mine and that thou mayest put order into these disordered affections of mine and that thou mayest put life and quicknesse into this stupified and benummed conscience of mine and that thou mayest put softnesse and tendernesse into this hard and slitie heart of mine And thus he nobly reasoned himself and believed himself out of all his fears and doubts There is no such way for a man to be rid of all his doubts as to live in the sight and faith of this truth that God is his portion Plutarch reports of one who would not be resolved of his doubts because he would not lose the pleasure in seeking for resolution like to him that would not have his Physician to quench the thirst he felt in his Ague because he would not lose the pleasure of drinking and like those that would not be freed from their sins because they would not lose the pleasure of sinning But I hope better things of all those that have God for their portion than to find them in love with their doubts or to be unwilling to be rid of their doubts Next to a mans going to hell it is one of the greatest afflictions in the world for a man alwayes to live in doubts about his going to heaven Next to damnation it is one of the greatest troubles that can attend a Christian to be alwayes exercised and perplexed with doubts about his salvation Next to being damn'd 't is the hell of hells to live in continual fears of damnation Now the onely way to prevent all this is to know that God is your portion But Thirdly A clear personal evidence that God is a mans portion will exceedingly sweeten all the crosses losses and changes that shall attend him in this world Habakkuk knew that God was the God of his salvation and that he was his poâ—tion and therefore he rejoyces though the Fig-tree did not blossome Hab. 3.17 18. and though there were no fruit in the vines and though the labour of the olive did fail and the fields did yield no meat and the stocks were cut off from the fold and there were no herd in the stalls And the same noble temper was upon those Worthies in Heb. 10.34 They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an induring substance they took joyfully the spoiling of their earthly portions being well assured in their own souls that they should enjoy an heavenly portion 1 Cor. 5.6 to her 2. an everlasting portion And so the Apostles knew that they had an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens and this carried them bravely thorow honour and dishonour thorow evil report and good report and thorow all weaknesses sicknesses distresses wants dangers and death and this made their heavy afflictions light 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. and their long afflictions short and their bitter afflictions sweet this was that tree which being cast in the waters of Marah made them sweet Exod. 15.23 24 25. and this was that that did unsting all their crosses losses and reproaches and that made them rejoyce and sing under those very burthens and trials that would have broke the necks backs Acts 5. Ch. 16. and hearts of others When a man hath a clear personal evidence that God is his portion then no outward changes will make any considerable change in him Gen. 31.7 Though Laban had changed Jacobs wages ten times yet Jacob was Jacob still let times change and meâ— change and Powers change and Nations change yet a man that hath God for his portion and knows it will never change his countenance nor change his Master nor change his service nor change his work nor change his way under all changes he will still be semper idem alwayes the same Many great and dreadful changes past upon Joseph Gen. 49.23 24. but yet under all Josephs bowe abode in strength When a man knows that God is his portion whatever changes may passe upon him yet his bowe will still abide in strength Marcellus the Pope would not change his name according to the custome of other Popes to shew his immutability and that he was no changeling but how many are there in these dayes who were look't upon as better men who have changed their names their notes their coats their principles their practises and all for worldly advantages these changelings that change from better to worse and from naught to be very naught yea stark naught are the worst and naughtiest of men and deserve to be hang'd in chains and certainly when the wrath of God breaks forth Mal. 4.1 Heb. 10.38 these changelings shall be as stubble before it God abhors none as he doth those who run from him to serve other lords and who gad about to change their way Jer. 2.36 37. Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt as thou wast ashamed of Assyria yea thou shalt go forth from him and thine hands upon thine head for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences and thou shalt not prosper in them There is nothing that will keep a man from apostacy and from making a defection from God his wayes his worship his glory c. like a blessed perswasion that God is his portion 2 Pet. 1 5-11 But Fourthly A clear personal evidence that God is a mans portion will exceedingly raise and advance the comfort and joy of a mans heart 't is not meerly my having of God for my portion but 't is my seeing 't is my
knowing 't is my fruition of God as my portion that is the true spring of all delight comfort and consolation When a mans interest in God is clear then all the precious promises will be full wells of salvation and full breasts of consolation solation to him 2 Pet. 1.4 Isa 12.3 Ch. 66.11 Without delight the soul cannot live take away all delight the soul dies saith Augustine but till then they will be but as dry breasts as barren Heaths as a fruitlesse Wildernesse and as empty Wells whil'st a man is doubtful whether God be his God 't is certain that the spring of joy and comfort will run low in his soul whil'st a man lives in fear that his title and interest is not good how can he rejoyce When a mans interest in God is clear then his heaven of joy begins a man that hath God for his portion and knows it cannot but live in a paradise of joy and walk in a paradise of joy and work in a paradise of joy and eat in a paradise of joy and recreate himself in a paradise of joy and rest in a paradise of joy he cannot but have an heaven of joy within him and an heaven of joy about him and an heaven of joy over him all his looks will speak out joy within and all his words will speak out joy within and all his works will speak out joy within and all his wayes will speak out joy within I remember a notable saying of one August in his Confessions How sweet was it to me of a sudden to be without these sweet vanities and these things which I was afraid to lose with joy I let go for thou who art the true and only sweetness didst cast out those from me and instead of them didst enter in thy self who art more delightful than all pleasure and more clear than all light When a mans interest in God is clear Joh. 16.24 his joy will be full when a man is happy and knows it he cannot but rejoyce when a man hath God for his portion and knows it all the world cannot hinder the strong consolations of God from rising high in his soul Why have the Saints in heaven more joy and delight than the Saints on earth but because they have a clearer and a fuller knowledge of their interest and propriety in God than the others have The knowledge of a mans propriety in God is the comfort of comforts propriety makes every comfort a pleasureable comfort a delightful comfort When a man walks in a fair Meadow and can write Mine upon it and into a pleasant Garden and can write Mine upon it and into a fruitful Corn-field and can write Mine upon it and into a stately Habitation and can write Mine upon it and into a rich Myne and can write Mine upon it O how doth it please him how doth it delight him how doth it joy and rejoyce him Of all words this word Meum is the sweetest and the comfortablest Ah when a man can look upon God and write Meum when he can look upon God and say This God is my God for ever and ever when he can look upon God and say this God is my portion when he can look upon God and say with Thomas John 20. My Lord and my God how will all the springs of joy rise in his soul O who can but joy to be owner of that God that fills heaven and earth with his fulnesse who can but rejoyce to have him for his portion in having of whom he hath all things in having of whom he can want nothing The serious thoughts of our propriety in God will add much sweet to all our sweets yea it will make every bitter sweet when a man seriously thinks it is my God that cheares me with his presence it is my God that supports me with his power it is my God that guides me by his counsel it is my God that supplies me with his goodnesse and it is my God that blesses all my blessings to me it is my God that afflicts me in love it is my God that hath broken me in my estate and in my credit it is my God that hath sorely visited such a child it is my God that hath past a sentence of death upon such a friend it is my God that hath thus straitned me in my liberty and it is my God that hath thus cast me down at my enemies feet c. how doth these thoughts cheer up the spirit of a man and make every bitter sweet and every burthen light unto him A beautiful face is at all times pleasing to the eye but then especially when there is joy manifested in the countenance joy in the face puts a new beauty upon a person and makes that which before was beautiful to be exceeding beautiful it puts a lustre upon beauty and so doth holy joy put a divine beauty and lustre upon all the wayes of God and upon all the people of God and therefore it highly concerns all Christians as they would have an heavenly beauty lustre and glory upon them to rejoyce and that they may rejoyce it doth as highly concern them to know their interest and propriety in God But Fifthly A clear personal evidence that God is a mans portion will very much raise him in his communion with God and exceedingly sweeten his fellowship with God 1 John 1.1 2 3 4. 2 Cor. 13.14 Mans summum bonum stands in his communion with God as Scripture and experience evidences Psal 144.15 My God and I am good company said famous Dr. Sibs there are to Christians on earth that have such high such choice such free such full such sweet and such uninterrupted communion with God as those that have a clear sight of their interest and propriety in God The Spouse in that Book of Solomons Song again and again and again sings and sounds out her propriety and interest in Christ Cant. 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 6.3 I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Cant. 7.10 I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me Now mark how doth the sense of this her propriety in Christ work why it works very highly very strongly very inflamingly very affectionately Cant. 1.2 3 4. Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better than wine Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy Name is as ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee Draw me we will run after thee the King hath brought me into his chambers we will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy love more than wine the upright love thee Vers 13. A bundle of myrrhe is my beloved unto me he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts Chap. 2.3 4 5 6. As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sons I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his
and yet every day fall before the least temptation as common experience doth abundantly evidence whereas a man that hath God for his portion will stand fast like a rock in all storms yea in the face of all temptations he will be like Mount Zion that cannot be removed Luther in Gen. Luther counsels every Christian to answer all temptations with this short saying Christianus sum I am a Christian and I would counsel every Christian to answer all temptations with this short saying The Lord is my portion O Christian when Satan or the world shall tempt thee with honours answer The Lord is my portion when they shall tempt thee with riches answer The Lord is my portion when they shall tempt thee with preferments answer The Lord is my portion and when they shall tempt thee with the favours of great ones answer The Lord is my portion yea and when this persecuting world shall threaten thee with the losse of thy estate answer The Lord is my portion and when they shall threaten thee with the losse of thy liberty answer The Lord is my portion and when they shall threaten thee with the losse of friends answer The Lord is my portion and when they shall threaten thee with the losse of life answer The Lord is my portion O Sirs if Satan should come to you with an apple as once he did to Eve tell him that The Lord is your portion or with a grape as once he did to Noah tell him that The Lord is your portion or with a change of raiment as once he did to Gehezi tell him that The Lord is your portion or with a wedge of gold as once he did to Achan tell him that The Lord is your portion or with a bag of money as once he did to Judas tell him that The Lord is your portion or with a Crown a Kingdome as once he did to Moses tell him that The Lord is your portion But Sixthly and lastly If God be not your portion you will be miserable to all eternity Psal 11.6 Psal 9.17 Isa 33.14 Mat. 24. ult 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 10. Heb. 12.22 23 24. if God be not your portion wrath must be your portion hell must be your portion everlasting burnings must be your portion a devouring fire must be your portion and a separation for ever from the glorious presence of God Christ Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect must be your portion as you may clearly see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margin together If God be not your portion in this life you shall never have him for your portion in another life if God be not your portion here he will never be your portion hereafter O Sirs if death should surprize you before God is your portion you will as certainly go to hell as God is in heaven and therefore it infinitely concerns you to get God for your portion There is no way in the world to make the King of terrours to be a King of desires to thy soul O man but by gaining God for thy portion Or all terribles death will be most terrible and formidable to that man that hath not God for his portion If thou shouldest live and die O man without having God for thy portion it had been good for thee that thou hadst never been born and if the day of thy birth had been the day of thy death thy hell would not have been so hot as now thou wilt certainly find it But now methinks I hear some crying out O Sir what shall we do that we may have God for our portion O had we as many worlds at our dispose as there be stars in heaven we would give them all that we might have God for our portion O we now see that we can never be happy except God be our portion yea we now see that we shall be miserable to all eternity except God be our portion and therefore what shall we do that we may have God for our portion Well then if you would indeed have God for your portion let me thus advise you First Labour to be very sensible that by nature you are without God yea at enmity with God and alienated from the life and love of God Ephe. 2.12 Rom. 8.7 Ephe. 2 â—â— ch 4.18 and that by nature you are children of wrath and disobedience and in actual armes and rebellion against the great God O Sirs never talk of having of God for your portion till you come to see your selves without God and till you come to judge your selves unworthy of God Acts 2.39 Every man in his natural estate is afar off from God three manner of wayes First In point of opinion and apprehension Secondly In point of fellowship and communion Thirdly In point of grace and conversion And till a man comes to be sensible of this he will never desire God to be his portion But Secondly If you would have God for your portion then you must trample upon all other portions in comparison of God Austin prayes Lord saith he whatever thou hast given take it all away only give me thy self Luther protested that God should not put him off with the poor things of this world O go to God and say Lord thou hast given me a portion in money but this money is not thy self thou hast given me a portion in lands but these lands are not thy self thou hast given me a portion in goods but these goods are not thy self thou hast given me a portion in jewels but these jewels are not thy self and therefore give me thy self and I shall say I have enough Lord had I all the world for my portion yet I should be miserable for ever in that other world except thou bestowest thy self as a portion upon my soul O Lord give me but thy self and take away what thou pleasest O give me but thy self and take away all strip me of all and I shall with Job sit down and blesse a taking God as well as a giving God O go to God and tell him with an humble boldnesse that though he hath given thee many good things yet all those good things will do thee no good except he bestow himself upon thee as the only good O tell him that he is the first good tell him that he is the original of all good tell him that he is the greatest good the noblest good tell him that he is a superlative good tell him that he is an universal good tell him that he is an unchangeable good tell him that he is an eternal good and tell him that he is the most soul-suitable and soul-satisfying good and therefore tell him that thou canst not tell how to live one day without him yea that thou knowest not how to be happy one hour without him But Thirdly If you would have God for your portion then of all precious promises of all golden promises plead that most Zech. 13.9 They shall
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
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