therâ— with and in nature only fittâ—â— and suited for its service so â— when this Life ends its respâ—ctive service is concluded wiâ— it The men of the world eâ—quire after no more but whâ— shall we eat Mat. 6.31 1 Joh. 2.16 what shall we drinâ— and wherewithall shall we be clâ—thed The lust of the flesh the lâ— of the eyes and the pride of Liâ— fills up the Scene of their lives That 's all they look after the care for no more Now theâ— good being all temporal anâ— wholly so it must needs be bounded with this present Life Sâ— that when their Life ends thâ—â— all their good determines witâ— it CHAP. VII â—f the condition of such men who have all their good in this present Life with respect to the nature of the good things they do here enjoy §. I. THe opening of this subject the Worldy mans good is so â—sefull and the concern thereof â—o general in order to the discoâ—ery of the sin and folly of the â—eceitfull and desperately-wickâ—d heart of man and the awakeâ—ing of it to enquire and look â—ut for a better good that the â—ull improvement of a point of â—his nature cannot be but beneficial if duely considered in the various and distinct respects â—hereof Therefore now in the next place we are to take a view of the condition of such men all whose good is in thiâ— present world and this with 〈◊〉 respect to the nature of the good they do here enjoy which iâ— poor low and mean then accordingly must their condition need be The nature and quality oâ— the good which the person fixes upon does influence the condition of the person so as to render it consentaneous to it self Iâ— the good be true real and lasting then the condition of the person whose good it is is happy joyfull and blessed But if the good be deceitfull perishing and a meer apparent then the condition of the person is wretched miserable and accursed as having nothing to hold by and lean unto but that which is and makes him so And first consider how poor and mean the things are that the men of the World do here enjoy What are their comforts for the most part but imaginary such as tickle and please fancy or sense a while and then â—hey pass away and are gone The things that make such a noise and for which there is â—uch a bustle in the World all the good of them is but such as for a while pleases the imagination or tickles the fancy in the perâ—uit of them and when it should come to be enjoyed and laied â—old on by the embracing and â—etentive faculty of the soul then â—t turns into a Cloud Ixion's Juno and vanishes away The profit about to express Ephraim's vanity upon this account saies That Ephraim feedeth on the wind Hos 12.1 That was but a silly food that Ephraim fed upon light and vain and puffing up like a Witches feast leaving the soul empty and unsatisfied There was no substantial real good in the food that Ephraim fed upon the Objects of his persuit were vain and all his pleasant daintes deceitfull meat It was Isa 29.8 even as when an hungery man dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but 〈◊〉 awaketh and behold he is faint anâ— his soul hath appetite The imaginary good that is in the thing of this Life may puff up the heart and make it swell with pride anâ— vanity but the soul alas thâ— better part cannot relish or feeâ— upon it Thus a man may havâ— his hearts desire but there 's leaness sent into his soul Psal 106.5 And a when a bladder is filled up wiâ— wind it biggens and swells anâ— seems as though it would provâ— some great solid and substantiaâ— thing but one prick with a piâ—â— makes the whole abortive and le ts out all the wind even sâ— the men of the World they fatten swell grow great looâ— big in their own and otherâ— eyes but when the prick oâ— death comes it lets out all their comforts their Sun sets in â— Cloud Then all darkness shall bâ— hid in their secret places and a fire â—ot blown shall consume them Job â—0 26 And then whose shall those â—hings be which they have provided â—uk 12.20 Adrian the Emperor when about to die and the King â—f terrors drew near unto him and â—e was to bid adieu unto all his Worldly Glory and to launch â—ut into the depth of Eternity How dismal was his condition â—nd how poor and mean did all Worldly Good appear in his â—ye Animula vagula blandula Hospes comesque corporis Quae nunc abibis in loca Pallidula rigida nudula Ne ut soles dabis Jocos The wise Solomon in his dissuasive from the immoderate love and persuit of the things of this Life and more particularly that piercing lust of the eyes riches 1 Tim. 6.10 1 John 2.16 useth this argument and tells us â—hey are not he knows not how to praedicate any thing of substance or reality on them Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that whiâ—â— is not saith he Prov. 23.5 is not there is no reality in All the good you fancy to 〈◊〉 therein it is but imaginary it not true nor real and therefoâ— oh doe not set your heart upoâ— it Psal 62.10 it 's not worthy nor wortâ— the while to adulterate your precious souls therewith Wheâ— Agrippa and Bernice came in greâ— Pomp and State to the Assembly as you may read Acts. 25.23 that which we read Pomp it iâ— in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a great fancâ— However they themselves or others might look upon it yet thâ— Holy Ghost tells us That it was bâ— a fancy there was nothing real iâ— it All the Pomp and Jollity iâ— the World is but a fancy Thiâ— is the nature of all Worldly good it is a good but meerly iâ— imagination having no more worth therein than what the fancy puts upon it Thus as the Earth is hang'd upon nothing Job 26.7 So all the Good of the Worldly Man is doubly hang'd on nothing not only in that it is of the earth earthy but hung upon his own conceit which is vanity and less than nothing §. II. Secondly All worldly good it is of a very low nature so far below â—he soul that better and immorâ—al part of man that it cannot â—each it neither can the soul in â—ts excellent motions hold any â—onverse with it There is no Adequate Proportion between â—n Immortal Soul and all or â—ny earthly good whatever The soul is a spiritual substance â—n eternal Being But Worldly Good is caduce and vain The â—rophet speaking of the Egyptiâ—ns Horses saies Isa 31.3 They are flesh â—nd not spirit So it may be said â—f all Worldly Excellency it is as â—esh vain and fading and not â—f a lasting nature as the immorâ—al
part of man The soul is a spiritual Being high and of a noble extract Worldly good is as flesh low and of the earth earthy The soul requires Homogeneous and similar objects to converse withall whereas all Wordly Good it is but a belly-full if so it but fills the belly according to that of the Prophet Psal 17.14 And hence Worldly minded Men do make their Belly their God whose God is thee Belly saith the Apostle Phil. 3.19 But what is that to the Soul Their Body may be fat the eye stand out with fatness Psal 73.7 when the Soul may be in a pooâ— and wretched condition leanesâ— sent into the soul Psal 186.15 Luk. 12.19 Indeed the ricâ— man in the Gospel did say Soâ— take thine ease for thou hast goâ—â— laid up for many years eat drinâ— c. What 's all this to the Soul S. Ambrose hath such a speech upon the place If the Man saâ— he had the Soul of a Swine wâ—â— could be said otherwise If he 〈◊〉 had the Soul of a Swine this 〈◊〉 course had been suitable to him for these things are agreeing to the Soul of a Swine but greatly below the excellency and dignity of the rational and immortal soul of man These are things whose bounds are here below upon the earth and their course is in the Orbs of this present World whilst the true rest of the soul it is above and its regular and proper motion is upwards though by sin now obstructed to the God of the Spirits of all flesh Num 16.22 the Original and Fountain of its Being And therefore no full and perfect close can there be between the Soul of Man and all his Worldâ—y Good the one in its Nature and Original being so high and excellent and the other so mean and low §. III. Thirdly You shall fâ—nd that no man is a whit the better because of outward things these may render the outward condition of one man in the World better thaâ— that of another but they never make the man a jot the better in reference to that excellency from whence truly Good has its denomination Do we account the man the better because of his fine clothes rich aray sumptuous buildings large possessions ample provisions great retinue stately port and garbe and the like magnificence True it is this is a resplendent piece oâ— glory in the eye of the World amusing it by its dazling lustreâ— but for all this the person wherâ— it is is not a whit the better This may render him the greater man and perhaps may pejorate and undoubtedly wherâ— not satisfied will and does corrupt his conditions more buâ— the better man it can never make him Solomon tells us that the heart of the wicked is little worth Prov. 10.20 His estate may be somewhat worth and so may his house and lands too but his heart it is little worth There 's no true excellency nor worth at all in that part out of which the worth of a man cannot lye and therefore miserably worthless is the man for all the possessions glory and good things of this present World by him enjoyed cannot in the least add unto his worth whilst his heart is so little worth The person whose these enjoyments are may meet with high and suitable entertainment in the World but if we search into the grounds of such respect and examine whence it is we shall find â—t given not upon the account of any intrinsick worth whether natural or acquired of his own but it is for his servants sake his rich enjoyments for otherwise in him there is no worth at all It was the speech of Socrates once to one Achilous who had a fine house and many brave things there saith he There are many come to see thy house tâ— view thy Chambers to walk thy Galleries and to delight themselves in those fine Objects there but no body comes to see thee They know there 's a worth iâ— the fine house and in the fine furniture in thy fruitfull Orchards and pleasant Gardens buâ— they see no worth in thee Thâ— good things of the World makâ— no man truly better they neither give grace nor glory theâ— do not truly enoble and enricâ— the mind man's spiritual condition is not bettered by them but in the fulness of such sufficiencies the condition of the possessoâ— is the same it was as to sin oâ— grace though oftentimes in respect of sin a great deal worse §. IV. Fourthly Suppose the good things of the World were a suitable Object for the Soul yâ— what thou hast here is but a very poor pittance a scanty portion a l that thou hast is but a very little piece of the World If thou hadst the Devills offer at thy command Mat. 4.9 All these things will I give thee thou would'st think that to be a matter of some moment yea but if God should make a thousand Worlds more for thee to command all this were but a poor pittance to put off an Immortal Soul withal An Immortal Soul is more precious than in its worth to be answered by the fulness of all terrene enjoyments But the all thou hast and which thou makest thy boast of is but a little Minnim in the World it is less than a point to the whole Circumference The Prophet Isaiah tells us that All Nations are as a drop of a Bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance Isa 40.15 What is thy dust then what is thy Soul and Land and possessions then If the Nations be but as the small dust of the balance before God then surely thy part how great soever in thine eye is as nothing before him and is counted to him less than nothing and vanity ver 17. As Socrates wittily rebuked the pride of Alcibiades who boasted of his Possessions and Mannors and that he had so much Land lay together he brought unto him his Map of the World and saies Pray shew me where your land lies here one prick of a pen would have described it all Search but for your great estates in the Map of the World and you see what a loss you are presently reduced unto they cannot be found You whose thoughts are raised within you upon the account of your Lands and Farmes and Mannors view but a Map of the World and you see what a little spot Great Brittain is unto the World and wherein then are your Farms and Mannors which you reckon so much upon to be accounted off It was Luthers expression concerning the Turkish Empire so vast and large as it is saies he It is but a crum that the Master of the Family casts to dogs Turcicum imperium quantum quantum est mica est quam paterfamilias canibus projicit Luth. in Genes The whole Turkish Empire in his esteem was but as a crum And when the World began a little to smile upon him and the Gospel through Gods mercy found some entertainment so as
this present World but after this Life was over were never to have any more And now I am afraid I am one of them and so there 's an end of my Portion only I must go to my other Portion that will be very dreadfull How can I bear the thoughts Oh I die I perish I am consumed with dying Num. 17.12 13. CHAP. VIII Wherein is endeavoured to mark out who or what manner of persons they are that are like to have all their Good in this present World THe fifth particular proposed in the entrance upon this point and for carrying on the discourse was to endeavour to mark out so far as may be who that man or woman is that in such a condition is like to have all their Good things in this present World For every one is apt to put it off from themselves and to shift the charge whilst in general upon another Every one is ready to go away and say I hope it is not I I hope that God hath a better Portion for me We are unwilling to look upon our selves as the persons in particular to be concerned if the thing spoken of be represented as evil or under the face of danger Fain would we catch at what is good as belonging to us though we have no Title to it and loth are we to apply unto our selves the evil as having nothing to do therewith though the thing it self do immediately concern us And therefore as a narrow impartial search into the state of our hearts and waies is our undoubted duty so help for the carrying on this search and the discovery of our state cannot be but exceeding usefull Now let us endeavour to enquire and search out who that man or woman is that is like to have all his or her Good in this present World that living and dying in such a condition as I am now about to speak of in the present condition wherein he is if there be not a saving change wrought upon him is certainly the man to whom the Lord pronounceth it this day that his Portion is in this present World Now who is he §. I. Answer First That Man to whom God gives nothing in this Life but what meerly belongs to this Life that is the man apparently who is like to have all his Portion here If God give thee an estate and load thee with outward mercies yet if he give thee not somewhat besides thy Estate a Principle that is a seed of Eternal Life in thee here in this World certainly he never intends Good to thee in the World to come If thou hast health and strength of body vigour and ingenuity of the mind with a rare accomplished ripeness of the faculties of the Soul if thou hast Power and Authority in thy hand with an honourable respect from those with whom thou doest converse If a rich and ample confluence of all outward mercies requisite to felicitate the Life of man meet upon thee so as nothing's wanting of all that thy Soul desires yet if by a work of regeneration there be not here a Principle and seed of Eternal Life laid and implanted in thee John 4.14 and a Well of water springing up into everlasting Life but thou livest and dyest in the midst of these enjoyments without the earnest of an Eternal Inheritance upon thy Heart certainly thou art the man who hast all thy good things here and never art to expect any good hereafter For those to whom God intends good hereafter he gives to such an earnest of that Eternal Good here in this World by putting a Principle that is a seed of Eternall Life into them There are many men have a great deal in this World they are rich and fat and full and they say they hope God will be mercifull to them in the World to come Now this is a certain truth that man who is a stranger to Spiritual mercies in this World God will deny Eternal Mercy to him in the World to come The one has an Infallible dependance upon the other Where there is not a work of true saving Grace there shall never be a State of Glory Grace must go before or Glory can never follow after It is against that Divine Order that God has fixed in Order to Eternal things to give Glory to Graceless Souls He gives Glory but Grace too The Lord will give Grace and Glory Psal 84.11 first Grace and then Glory This therefore should be thy care doth God encrease my Estate in this World say oh that the Lord would give me a proportionable measure of Grace too else it is nothing It will be nothing to my advantage to have an Estate unless I have Grace also aright to use it Say Lord thou givest me here a great Estate if thou givest me not a proportionable measure of Grace to use it to thy Glory I had better have been without it Is this your care Let me put it to your conscience Are you as solicitous for Grace to use your Estates aright as you are industrious for the gaining of them As your Estates encrease does your care in like manner grow and are you earnest at the Throne of Grace for the like due improvment of them to the Glory of the Donor If this be your course Luk. 10.42 Phil. 1.6 it is a good argument you have chosen the better part for your Portion and that there is a good work begun in you which will be performed untill the day of Christ And that you have laid up in store for your selves a good Foundation against the time to come 1 Tim. 6.19 that you may lay hold on Eternal Life But now if there be no work upon the Soul in Order to the Life to come it is not all a man's Worldly comforts and enjoyments here that can assure him in the least of an interest in Eternal Mercies but undoubtedly he is the man that has hâ— Good things here §. II. Secondly You may examine bâ— the workings of your Hearts about your present Portions Seâ— the frame and temper of yoâ— Hearts about your Worldly Comforts as whether youâ— Hearts terminate in what yoâ— do enjoy A Carnal Heart takeâ— up with its enjoyments Thâ— Creature is its resting-place â— desires no more can look no further than to the things of thiâ— present World Whereas one that is Godly and hath his Portion beyond these things though he enjoy the Good things of this Creation yet he looks beyond it and God alone is the Adequate Object of his Soul it is God alone that gives his Soul satisfaction When he can taste the Love â—f God in the Creature and see â—he goodness of God therein it â—s so far sweet unto him or else â—t is dry and barren and yields â—o more taste nor relish than â—here is as Job saies in the white â—f an egg Job 6.6 Thus the rich man â—akes up in his riches and speaks â—o his Soul take thine ease Luk.
the Price that 's put into your hand and the less they value so much the more do you prize your eternal mercies Let it appear to all the World that your Treasure is in Heaven by directing your hearts thither And that you have something better than your lives in that you value it above your lives We cannot prize that too much which we can never prize enough Now if carnal men do so highly estimate their worldly good which will not long continue much more should gracious hearts prize their heavenly mercies which will endure for ever §. VI. Sixthly You that have some Evidences that God has not put you off with the good things of this World but reserved in store a further and better good for you in the life to come let this teach you to trust God for the Provisions of this present life wait upon God in the use of lawful means for a supply of those things the Lord sees to be needful for you He that has promised Never to leave you Heb. 13.5 nor forsake you will not fail to supply you You give check to those Evidences you have of eternal mercies should your â—houghts be suspended about outward Necessaries Hath God made an Eternal Provision for â—ou through his Son cleared the way and opened the Gate unâ—o Eternal Life Hath he shewed you those blessed Mansions â—hat are in Heaven prepared for â—ou and given you an heart to lose with and embrace them â—s your own Do you proâ—ess to live in expectancy of â—hose Riches that are in reverâ—â—on And yet do you fear the â—ant of outwards This surely â—annot be The Lord that feeds â—he Ravens will take care that â—is Sons and Daughters have â—heir Daily Bread And he â—hose Bounty over-flows to the â—icked will certainly supply â—he Necessities of his Saints â—erhaps you may want some of â—hose Superfluities which the men of the World enjoy buâ— did the Lord see them good foâ— you you should not want them he sees they would turn to sinâ— and therefore you shall noâ— have them He that gives Gracâ— and Glory will withhold no gooâ— thing from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 If the Lord have giveâ— you the upper Springs he will noâ— deny the nether Make use oâ— this as the great Argument tâ— strengthen your Faith in Goâ— for the Provisions of this present lifâ— Say has the Lorâ— brought me thus far and noâ— will he cast me off Hath he given me his Son Himself hiâ— Grace his Kingdom and shalâ— I perish with hunger Hath he opened to me the Treasures of the Everlasting Gospel Ephes 3.8 the unsearchable riches of Christ and shall I be forgotten in this world as a dead man out of mind Psal 31.12 This cannot be Argue as Manoah's Wife did If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have shewed us all these things neither â—ould he have told us such things â—s these Judges 13.23 §. VII Seventhly You that have some Evidences of the good things of â—he life to come as yours do â—ou live like such as God hath â—ot put off with the Portion of â—his World Manifest in your Conversations that you look for higher and better things â—han this present World affords How excellent is it when Christians declare their Country by their carriage as did the Fathers of old Hebr. 11.14 when by their heavenly-mindedness their holy Converse their Self-denial and resignation they manifest themselves to be Citizens of the New Jerusalem and shew themselves to be such as believe the Immortality of the Soul by an holy neglect of the body and who have hope of Eternal Life by the contempt of a temporary Many who profess these things surely they do not really believe them for did they believe that their Souls were immortal and that there were a life to come could they steer such a course as they do so unsuitable to an eternal life and the happiness of an immortal Soul as if they were born merely to live and lust and die and so an end But now you that not onely profess to believe a life to come but have some Evidences of an Interest in that life and that you have a Portion there laid up for you to all eternity Oh what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness 2 Pet. 3.11 How suitably to that Interest you profess your selves to have should you endeavour to lead your lives Phil. 3.20 The Apostle's Conversation was in Heavem and that which did influence upon his Converse to render it so divine and heavenly was that he had a Depositum in Heaven his treasure was there There was his Lord and Saviour from thence he look'd for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ His Portion was laid up there the Lord had it in keeping for him So he tells us 2 Tim. 2.12 I know says he whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day You that have such a blessed Portion it becomes you to live up to your Portion Beware of exposing the Portion you profess an expectancy of to scandal by the unsuitableness of your lives neither do you prostitute your hopes to reproach by a disagreeing converse Undoubtedly the glorious Name and Hopes you make a profession of will suffer amongst the men of the World if you live not suitably and up unto them if the frame of your lives be not agreeable to thiâ— nature of your hopes .. Your Portion it is holy heavenly noâ— of this World Oh let youâ— Conversations be holy heavenly and not according to thâ— Course of this World Ephes 2.2 Do not the Sons of Princes anâ— Monarchs and of the greaâ— men of the Earth live suitablâ— to their Enjoyments and Possessions Does not their Porâ— and Granduer make it appear that they are the Great One of the World Shall they live up to their earthly Portion and shall not the Sons of Sion live up to their heavenly Shalâ— earthly Enjoyments raise the heart of man to an higher pitch than the common rate and shall not an Interest in Heaven and a Portion there do it much more Oh shame not your Portion by the baseness of your ways neither reproach your Redeemer by the vassalry oâ— your lives in any evil way As if you were born to sin or redeemed not from but to serve the motions of your flesh or mind Ephes 2.3 Let your Souls enjoy their purchased freedom and your affections work gloriously according to the nature of your Portion You that have the Sun for your clothing and a Crown of twelve Stars upon your beads let the Moon be under your feet How should the holiness and self-denial of your lives evidence to all the World that you are of the number of those whose good things are not of this World but have their Treasure laid up in Heaven You read how it was
it and cheat themselves by misconstructions into ruin Let John come to them in the way of righteousness in the most Austere Abstemious and Severest way of living and they say â—at 11.18 19. 21.32 he hath a Devil Let the Son of Man come eating and drinking and they say Behold a man gluttonous and a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners The Children of this World will neither be Piped into a Dancing Frame Mat. 11.17 nor Mourned into a Lamenting Temper Oh how wayward men are and hard to be won What subtil shifts have they found out and thereby only to Gull their Souls into Eternal ruin Let the Law be expounded and the Sins therein forbidden and Duties Commanded urged home upon thâ— Conscience then you shall have men start aside like broken bows These say they are hard sayings who can hear them Oh say they here 's nothing to be heard but Hell and Damnation and a heavy Yoke and grievous Burdens which to take up and bear there 's neither delight nor pleasure You shall find them to be of the same Temper with those the Prophet mentions for after you have done all you can they will hold fast their deceit refusing to return Jer. 8.5 Let the Gospell in its excellency and beauty be presented to them and the good things of the Kingdom of Heaven never so freely tendred thereby to win them over and gain them to Christ so as the Word seems to stream out Milk and Hony yet they would rather dye in their Sins Joh. 8.24 than believe and be saved So true is that mournfull complaint of our Saviour over a disobedient and gain-saying people Joh. 5.40 Luk. 13.34 Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life for though I would have gathered you together as a Hen doth gather her brood under her wings yet ye would not Hence it may well be said that there can be but small Hopes of doing much good either by speaking or writing What then Shall any who are entrusted with a talent hide it in a Napkin Luk. 19.20 Shall Mortal Man be more wise than God or shall he confront the Wisdom of the Almighty The Lord Commanded Ezekiel Ezek. 37.4 Mat. 3.9 to Prophesie upon dry bones and the same God is able of stones to raise up Children unto Abraham How easie is it for him that made the Heart to new mould it and to take away the stony Heart and to give an Heart of Flesh Ezek. 36.26 Act. 17.26 And since he hath determined the times before appointed which are so ordered by his over-ruling Providence as may be most Conducent to his own Glorious Ends therefore 't is an excellent Piece of Christian Prudence as well as Duty to employ our selves and laâ— out the Talents we are betrusteâ— with on a good design and to acquiesce in his Dispensations leaving the Issue to the Lord his blessing This is according to that of the Prophet to sow beside all Waters Isa 32.20 And as the wiseman directs to cast our bread upon the Waters Eccles 11.1 Let 's not dispute neither curiously enquire What this Man shall do Or what the other How this will take Or how the other What will become of this Or what the other But let us labour to acquaint our selves with the Kingdom of God and sincerely exercise our selves in the Duties of that Kingdom and this will be Peace in the end We have a Word for it Mark the perfect Man and Behold the upright for the end of that Man is Peace Psal 37.37 Briefly Reader from the Naâ—ure of this discourse and plainness â—f its style which I have endeaâ—oured agreeable thereunto thou â—ayest percieve that the design â—hereof is not by a neat Couch of Words either to feed an aiery fanâ—y or to blandish an itching huâ—or but its intent is to do thy â—oul good and really to settle it upâ—n that better Portion the good â—hings whereof are such as shall never be taken away from thee Thine in all Christian Duty and Service Seth Bushell THE Worldly Portion LUKE 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things CHAP. I. Containing the Drift and Scope of the Parable with the Observations from the Words Sect. I. THe Scope and Drift of our Saviour Christ in this Parable begun Verse 19 is to be gaâ—hered not from the precise conâ—â—deration of any particular part â—hereof but from a survey of the Series of the whole in generaâ— in the which yet we find the beâ— thereof chiefly and principalâ— inclining towards and so maâ— be resolved into these six partâ—culars which put together 〈◊〉 summ up the whole First To shew the vanity 〈◊〉 confidence reposed in worldâ— things or the placing our felâ— city in the enjoyment of thâ— things of this present life Whâ—â— more of the good things heâ— below could the rich man haâ—â— desired to have rendred hâ— condition happy what moâ— could he have wished to feliâ—tate his estate who had his beâ—ly filled with the best to an oveâ— flow his body clothed in tâ— richest array his Coffers storâ— with a stock of rich Provisioâ— for the future and a large Râ—venue to perpetuate the feliciâ—â— of his Posterity and so migâ—â— say to his Soul in the languaâ—â— of the world Soul take thiâ— ease And yet we see he wâ— truly miserable in the midst of all for ere long if not that night the fool's Soul was required of him Luke 12.19 20. Secondly It is sometimes the lot of those that fear God to be miserable and afflicted in this present World Though no good thing is wanting to them the which is not supplied some other way yet many of those which are accounted the good things of this life they may seem to stand in need of and their worldly supplies are but mean and low Yet under such despicable outsides there lies a treasure of more worth than all the world And under such their contemptible appearances there is a jewel and grain which God will own as his in the day when he makes up his Jewels Mat. 13.30 Mal. 3.17 and gathers the wheat into his barn Thirdly That such as are in misery and afflicted in this world are not to be contemned but compassionately dealt withal They to whom God haâ— given of the good things of this life to enjoy Phil. 4.14 Isa 58.7 Job 31.17 are to communicate with their afflictions and not tâ— hide themselves from their own flesh They are not to eat their morsel alone but with Job to impart it to the needy For whosâ— hath this world's good and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 1 John 3.17 Fourthly That the Torments of hell are unsufferably grievous extended to the uttermost height and pitch that a creature in Being and without annihilation can undergo They are adequately suited to the uttermost
happy and upon meer Worldly accounts call them blessed Certainly God speaks exceeding contemptibly of all ungodly ones in the World though they be never so great in regard of outwards and admired in the eyes of men yet if they be ungodly they are contemptible in his eyes In the 11th of Daniel 21 verse it is said A vile person shall stand up who is this vile person Interpreters generally consent in this that it is meant of Antiochus Epiphanes that was a mighty great Prince such a Prince as when the Samaritans did write unto him they writ Antiocho Magno Deo So the Persian Emperours usurped Religious Worship vid. Brison de Regno Pers. l. 1. p. 8. 14. The like Insolence we find in the Babylonish Monarchs Isa 14.14 47.7 8. to Antiochus the great God and his very name shews him to be a great one it is as much as Antiochus the illustrious or the famous and yet when the Holy Ghost speaks of him it is Antiochus a vile person The wicked are vile in God's eyes notwithstanding all their greatness in the eyes of the World and though there is an honourable respect due to be payed unto them according to the power and place wherein providence has set them in this World which upon that account they may claim yet if they are not gracious they want the Principal ground of true honour the Honour that comes down from Heaven and which will endure for ever But now canst thou look upon even those that are poor and mean in this world that have the least Portion here yet as most happy creatures because the Lord gives them the Grace of his Spirit And think thus well 't is true I have a greater Estate than such a poor man that is my neighbour or than such a poor man But God knows he far outstrips me in inward excellencies I have more of outward riches than he which only serve the body but he has more of the true inward riches which only serve the soul Luk. 16.11 He does God more service than I do he prayes more and more heartily in one day than I doe in a whole year Oh the Lord hath other manner of prayers and sighs come from his poor cottage than ever he had from my brave building it was never so perfumed with praises as his poor cottage is The Churcâ— of God is the better for his prayers Oh I count him happy he lives by Faith he 'll believe in the fire and water Psal 66.12 whereas cannot believe on my bed oâ— down Though he is poor iâ— the World yet he is rich iâ— Faith and God hath more Honour from him than he has from me In my family perhaps there is cursing James 2.5 and blaspheming the name of God wâ—ereas in his cottage there 's blâ—ssing Now consider for what it is thou lookest upon a man as the mosâ— happy in the World §. IX Ninthly Consider the services thou performest to God what they are From the nature of the services that a man offers up the nature of the Portion that will fall to his share and lot may be guessed his services point at his Portion Are your services slight and perfunctory done â—ith eye-service only as men pleasers Col. 3.22 Eph. 6.6 1 Thes 2.4 Isa 28.13 and not in singleness of Heart Is â—ot the will of God done in your services from the Heart Do you â—raw near to God with your lips â—ut your Hearts are removed far â—rom him And think to put off God with the slight services This argues your Portion to be of God's slight mercies If your services are from a Spirit of Bondage and not done with good will Eph. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apost hath it w th a good and ready mind so as the will be engaged in the work but your services are Ishmaell-like of the bond-woman Hagar forced and strained as it were from you having no other rise nor principle but meer compulsion and the bond of natural conscience forcing thereunto so as there is no agreeableness nor inward suitableness between the frame of your Heart and holy things no workings of the Spirit of Adoption no establishment whâ— God's free Spirit Psal 51.12 but bondagâ— all along Then it s more thâ—â— probable a servants Portion is 〈◊〉 you are like to have and not â— childs It will fare with such â— man and his services as it diâ— with Hagar and her Son Câ— out the bond-woman and her son Gal. 4.30 foâ— the son of the bond-woman shall 〈◊〉 be Heir with the Son of the freeâ— woman Genes 21.14 Hager has a loaf of breaâ— given her and a bottle of water these are put upon her shoulder 〈◊〉 may take them for her share and so she is sent away Gen. 21.14 So if thy services be but as of Hagar the work of a meer servant thou shalt not abide for ever Foâ— the servant abideth not in the housâ— for ever Joh. 8.35 but the son abideth evâ—â— Joh. 8.35 Thou mayest go anâ— wander in the Wilderness liâ— Hagar and take thy Portion 〈◊〉 thy shoulder all thou art like tâ— have is but what suits back anâ— belly some clothes for thy bacâ— and bread and a bottel of water for thy belly Hos 10.2 Hos 7.16 and there 's thine all Or if thou art Hypocritical in thy services or commest before God with a divided heart an heart and an heart an heart that seems to be intended and bent towards God but aimes aâ—other way like a deceitfull Bow â—hat shoots the Arrow aside from â—he mark it seems to aime at Hos 7.16 And so seekest the â—raise of men more then the praise â—f God the honour from men Joh. 12.43 1 Thes 2.6 Joh. 5.44 more â—hen the honour that cometh from God onely If this be thy case in â—hy services that the great Prinâ—iple in them is Hypocrisie it 〈◊〉 a sign thou art the man that â—ere shalt have all thy reward We know what our Saviour saies â—oncerning the Hypocrites who â—d all their works to be seen of men â—ey gave Almes but it was beâ—e men to be seen of them Mat. 23.5 Mat. 6.1 Mat. 6.5 They â—ayed but it was standing in the â—nagogues and in the corners of â—e Streets Note by the way â—at their posture as standing in prayer either as arguing the stoutness and unbrokenness of their hearts or else their desire of vain glory and so the more to be taken notice of is expresly by our Saviour pointed at and in them taxed because the frame of their hearts was not right for the praysed standing and it was to be seen of men So they fasted but then they disfigured their faces Mat. 6.16 that they mighâ— appear unto men to fast Noâ— what follows hereupon Vti volunt Deo ut fruantur mundo Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 15. c. 7. what'â— their Portion what is' t thaâ— falls to
their share why Ouâ— Saviour tells us plainly Verily â— say unto you saies he they havâ— their reward They have it theâ— have it in this World they havâ— it now What they look for anâ— what falls to their share thâ— have it in hand present paâ— down right and without delaâ— They look for reverence respeâ— and applause amongst men aâ— they have it They would bâ— called of men Rabbi Rabbi 〈◊〉 men call them so They would be fat and shine according to that of the Prophet Jer. 5.28 and have their cup with the good things of this life to overflow and they have their desire This is the reward they look for and they have it Verily I say unto you they have their reward And here is all that ever they are like to have Thus Hypocritical services sometimes meet with Temporal good things here but they never reach Eternal §. X. Tenthly Let me ask the question hast thou been heretofore forward in the profession of Religion having had some works of Conviction and Illumination passed over thy conscience and so hast tasted the good word of God and the powers of the World to come hast thou formerly heard the word preached and with joy received it Heb. 6.5 Luk. 8.13 Isa 58.2 Si quis Christo temporalia praeponat non est in eo fundamentum Christus Aug. de Civit Dei lib. 21. cap. 26. hast thou taken delight in approaching unto God and to know his waies and now art turned back to the old Vomit and hast forsaken the waies of God so as those Ordinances which sometimes were sweet to thee are as unsavoury laid aside and have lost their wonted relish in thy account oh this is a fearfull sign that the World and Lusts thereof have gotten a strong hold in thy heart and sway the Scepter there and that thou art one of those who shall have all their good things here There is â— dreadfull Scripture for this iâ— Jerem. 17.13 O Lord the hoâ—â— of Israel all that forsake thee shaâ— be ashamed and they that deparâ— from me shall be written in thâ— Earth because they have forsakeâ— the Lord the fountain of liviâ—â— waters All that depart froâ— God shall be written in the Earth An heavy Doom is this for all those that have profeâ—â—â—â— the knowledge of God and his wayes and yet turn from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them Oh 2 Pet. 2.21 it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to turn aside To depart from God after there has been a turning to him is so evil in it's nature Multi amissa charitate propterea non exeunt foras quia secularibus emolumentis tenentur sua quaerentes non quae Jesu Christi non a Christi unitate sed a suis commodis nolunt recedere Aug. de Bapt. Contr. Donat lib. 4. cap. 10. that it is a grievous provocation As in all sin there is a departing from God so this is attended with an extraordinary aggravation Hence the Lord expostulates the case with Israel about this sin in an upbraiding manner Jer. 2.5 Thus saith the Lord what iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone farr from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain And threatens them ver 9. Wherefore I will yet plead with you saith the Lord and with your Childrens Children will I plead I will not only plead with you but with your Childrens Children I will remember this your sin to suceeding generations And here they that depart from God and forsake his waies shall be written in the Earth The names of true believers are written in Heaven Luk. 10.20 they are enrolled there in those everlasting records ne'er to be razed nor blotted out They have an everlasting name that shall not be cut off Isa 56.5 But those that depart from the Lord have their names written in the Earth they may take their Portion there their name and substance is lodged in the Earth and after a while shall rot and perish Sad is the sentence of having the name written in the Earth which when it is sought for is blotted out and cannot bâ— found yet thus it will be with all those that depart from God they shall have their names written in the Earth Psal 109.13 He loved the Earth saith God of the worldling and let him take it he had rather have had a great name in the Earth to call his Lands after his own name Psal 49.11 than to have his name written in the Book of Life and so he forsook my waies therefore his name shall be written in the Earth and let him take his good things there But when my People come up in remembrance before me and the Book of remembrance shall be opened Mal. 3.16 to give them Eternal Mercies the memory of this man whose name is written in the Earth shall perish Therefore if thou hast been forward heretofore and now when thou commest to be more antient thou art remiss and dull and careless in the way and work of the Lord here 's a text for thee go home and tremble least thou be the man or woman whose name is written in the Earth and so art never to enjoy the good things of Heaven §. XI In the Eleventh place consider whether God at present do not curse thy blessings so as thou findest that the more thou hast the worse thou growest Thou art not bettter but worse from time to time by the good things of the WorId that are heaped upon thee The outward Portion thou enjoyest it worketh not for the better but for the worse unto thee True it is thou art better as to thy body thine eyes may stand out with fatness Psal 73.7 8. Job 20.6 Job 21.7.12 13. and collops of fat are upon thy flanks as Job has it chap. 15.27 thy head it reacheth unto the Clouds and thy tongue it walketh through the Earth Psal 73.9 thou art mighty in power and thy House is safe from fear thou spendest thy daies in wealth rejoycing at the sound of the Organ Thus thou hast got a belly-full of the good things of this World but how fares it with thy soul all the while Alas it 's poor and lean and thin and bare thy body 's in good likeing but there 's leaness sent into thy soul Psal 106.15 It 's worse with thee now than it was formerly Since thy brests are fashioned and thine hair is grown Ezek. 16.7 't is worse with the than when thou wast naked and bare In former daies thou wast more humble and holy and self-denying more pitifull and compassionate to the needy more upright and conscientious in thy dealings Job 20.23 But now in the fulness of thy sufficiency pride compasseth thee about as a chain and violence covereth thee as a garment Psal 73.7 The more thou hast the worse thou art grown This is a sign that together with thy
you may lose the opportunity and yeâ— time be still Opportunity Head is bald behind post est occasio calva and so if you let it slâ—â— by you cannot lay hold on 't to pull it back again Meet opportunity as it comes and take it bâ— the fore-lock if you intend thâ— advantage of it Now you havâ— the offer of mercy and Goâ— calls upon you Now he staâ—â— at the door Revel 3.20 Cant. 5.2 and knocks and 〈◊〉 Head is filled with dew and 〈◊〉 Locks with the drops of the night You know not how long Mercâ— at this wonderfull rate may waâ— upon you and therefore pâ—â— on The Scripture speaks of â— time of Visitation a time of Salvâ—tion a time whilst God may 〈◊〉 found A time when he hold out the Golden Scepter a timâ— wherein the Fountain runneth anâ— the Spirit proclaimeth Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to thâ— waters Luk. 19.44 2 Cor. 6. â—â— Psal 32.6 Est 5.2 Revel 22.17 Isa 55.1 Thus Jerusaleâ— had her time and all the severall Churches in Asia had their time and now we have our time And if we misimprove this time and walk unworthy of this Grace and Gospell of Christ this time will have an â—â—d and this Sun will go down at noon and set upon your heads and so set as to arise no more That dreadfull Oath Sworn by the Angel with such Solemn Circumstance will be clapt upon our heads that there shall be time â—o longer Revel 10.6 A time of Grace no longer a time wherein Gods Patience and Longsufferance shall wait upon us no longer a time wherein the Mercies of the Everlasting Gospell shall be tendred to us no longer This day if you will hear my voice harden not your Hearts said God to Israel but they hardned their Hearts and therefore God sware to them in his Wrath Psal 95.8.11 that they should never enter into his rest If it be so with us as it was with Israel in the Wilderness we do not know but this very day thâ— Lord may clap an Oath upon our Heads that we shall never enter into his rest Therefore take the time now and learn of the Ant Prov. 6.8 Prov. 10.5 that provideth her meâ— in Summer and gathereth her foâ— in Harvest Be as the Wise Soâ— of whom Solomon speaks thaâ— gathereth in Summer Consider the time of Mercy hastes away and we cannot with Joshua bid this Sun stand still There is nâ— Market nor Fair day that lasteth alwaies if the country wâ—â— not come in the Trades-maâ— will at last put up his wares Sâ— the Lords standing may be open and his shop free for sucâ— and such a time but if Soul will not come in and buy without money and without price hâ— will at last put up his wares aâ— his Jewells of Grace and theâ— be gone Oh then do not sleâ—â— in Harvest to the shame and confusion of your Souls but say thiâ— is our time and therefore what we will do for our Souls we will do it now Surely better it is now to accept of the best Mercies offered than in pain and torments to wish for Mercy when the least of Mercies will not be granted even one drop of water to cool the Tongue Luk. 16.24 §. VI. Sixthly Consider the assistance that is now offered you in order to the enjoyment of a Blessed Portion and this will be a great encouragment for you to put on You have assistance offered and such as if you close with will not fail to help you forwards to the obtainment of what 's desired Though the end designed be never so Glorious yet if difficulty obstruct in the way and the helps to carry on the design be slender or none at all this will wonderfully check the undertaking and render the attempter despondent in his hopes What can he do with whom there 's no power and who has no helps as to the effecting matters high and arduous Will not his Spirit fail as the body does succumb and crouch down under a burthen But now if assistance and help comes in and such as may raise the hopes upon account of probability to attain what 's aimed at this revives the man and stirs up strength these hopes and helps do reinforce and give encouragment to put on Thus it is with mortal men in order to the enjoyment of this Eternal Portion When they reflect upon their own weakness and consider the difficulties in the way when the height and dignity of the prize is objected and the lowness of their present state considered their Hearts may well sink down in a despairing despondence and they desist as men out of Heart and Hope But now when â—ssistance and help is offered and â—uch as will undoubtedly if well â—ccepted in the end effectually â—ring forth how will this reâ—ew the strength and engage â—he Heart to more and fresh atâ—emps You need not want help â—hough never so weak in your â—elves to carry on the most Gloâ—ious design for the Eternal Good of your Immortal Souls God himself offers to come in to â—elp The Lord is your helper Psal 72.12 Nehem. 9.20 He offers you his Spirit He â—â—ve his good Spirit unto Israel to â—â—struct them and withheld not his Manna from their mouth The Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son is offered â—ou to guide you into all truth Joh. 16.13 Psal 19.105 Psal 119.130 â—nd to shew you things to come You have the Word of God to be a Lamp unto your Feet and a Light unto your Fathâ—â— though you are ignorant yet this word is an enlightning help the entrance of thy word giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple saith the Psalmist The veâ— Angels are Ministring Spirits seâ— forth to Minister for them Heb. 1.14 who shâ— be Heirs of Salvation Psal 91.12 And thâ— shall bear you up in their hands lest you dash your Foot against stone The Messengers and Mâ—nisters of the Gospell they aâ—â— for your help and you may râ—ckon of them as yours Whethâ— Paul 1 Cor. 3.22 2 Cor. 1.24 1 Thes 2.7 11. Col. 1.28 or Apollo or Cephas thâ— are all yours and are helpers 〈◊〉 your joy they Cherish you as Nurse does her Children they eâ—hort and comfort you as a Fathâ— doth his Children Their endeâ—vours are to present every mâ— perfect in Christ Jesus Eph. 4.12 Eph. 6.11 They aâ— the gifts of Christ unto hâ— Church for the perfecting of 〈◊〉 Saints for the work of the Miâ—stery for the edifying of the beâ— of Christ You have the whoâ— Armor of God which you mâ— put on to fence you against tâ— fiercest Assaults and Encounteâ— of your Spiritual Foes in yoâ— travail towards your Heavenly Canaan This is offered you and it is Armour of proof compleat for the whole man wherein you may defie the Devil and all his Instruments Eph. 6.13 14. and be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked
Consult the Apostle about this Spiritual Armour â—nd the encouragment given by him thereupon and see whether â—his will not put you on You â—ave moreover your Viaticum â—aid in for the way and still in â—eadiness upon occasion the Lord will make you to lye down in â—een pastures Psal 23.2 3 5. and will lead you â—side the still waters he will preâ—are a table before you and your â—p shall overflow If your Souls â—e a fainting by the way he is â—ill ready to restore you he reâ—oreth my Soul saith the Psalâ—st You shall not want the â—st and sweetest of Soul refreshâ—g comforts in your journey toâ—ards your Heavenly Sion Isa 43.2 the â—rd himself will be with you and your Companion Isa 63.9 Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death I will fear no Evill for thou art with me thy Rod and thy Staff they comfort me Surely goodness and mercy shall follow 〈◊〉 all the dayes of my Life and I wiâ— dwell in the House of the Lord foâ— ever Psal 23.5 6. Oh therefore since you have so manâ— helps offered in order to youâ— enjoyment of an Eternal Good let these encourage you witâ— confidence to put on Why dâ— you thus loyter and loose timâ— in the way Oh suffer not theâ— helps any longer in vain to waâ— upon you whilst you triffle aâ— way your own Salvation §. VII Seventhly Consider an interest â—n this Eternal Portion will aâ—undantly make up and answer whatsoever of want and perplexâ—ent your Spirits may meet â—ith or labour under in this preâ—ent World and therefore put â—n for the enjoyment of it â—here cannot any cross nor afâ—ction here befall you but an â—nterest in this Eternal Good â—ill bear up your Hearts This â—ill keep your Heads above waâ—er and still secure you from â—rowning amidst the cross Seas â—nd contrary surges of the trouâ—lesome Ocean of this World â—ou shall not sink whilst you â—ave the Plank of an everlasting â—ood to ride upon And thereâ—ore put on for it Though you â—e troubled on every side yet you â—hall not be distressed though you â—e perplexed yet you shall not be 〈◊〉 despair though you be persecuted yet you shall not be forsaken â— though you be cast down yet you shall not be destroyed Whence is all this Because you have an interest in this Eternal Treasure 2 Cor. 4 7. 8. Nay such is thâ— vertue thereof that it will noâ— only supply the want but it wâ— do more through Christ yoâ— shall not only Conquer but bâ— more than Conquerours sayes thâ— Apostle Rom. 8.37 Whâ— would not be Ambitious of sucâ— a Soveraign remedy still at hanâ— against all distempers of such â— strengthning Cordial against aâ— discouragments and such a sâ— supply against every want â— The Philippians were not onlâ— exposed to wants but probablâ— exercised under many Noâ— the Apostle opens unto them â— Fountain of full supply whereâ— they might have free recoursâ— and by Faith be interested in My God saith he shall supply aâ— your need according to his richâ— in glory by Christ Jesus Phil. â— 19. From hence it was that the Apostle had that excellent Lesson of contentment insculpt upon his Heart in every condition Phil. 4.11 He that hath â—an interest in this Eternal Porâ—ion is the only happy man how miserable soever he appear in â—he World he is the truly rich man how poor and indigent soever as to his outward condition he may seem to be He has â—hat Philosophers stone that turns all to Gold He sleeps as quietâ—y when he has but a stone for â—his Pillow as Old Jacob did Gen. 28.11 when he was on his way to his Uncle Laban His mind is not only brought down to his condition and equalled with his estate wherein the quintessence of contentment lies but his Heart is raised above these things to converse about his Eternal Portion by Divine contemplation and seeing his interest there this gives him satisfaction Jam. 2.5 Thus the poor of this World are said to be rich iâ— Faith being Heirs of the Kingdom which God hath promised tâ— them that love him Oh then puâ— on for an interest in this Inheritance which will be as a Panpharmacon for all your grievances as wherewith you maâ— check your Worldly Fears remove Carnal Doubts and quiâ— your minds under Earthly diâ—contentments from hence yoâ— may fetch a supply adequate tâ— all your wants a Plaister abroad as any of your sores and this you may effectually oppose to the All that may seem tâ— be against you in this World The want of an interest here oâ— of the actual knowledge and application of it is that which destroys Persons and so they cry out as miserable undone creatures when they fall under oâ— are to encounter with any crosâ— Providences in this World §. VIII Lastly Consider if you miss of an Eternal Portion though you have never so much of Outwards you are undone for ever What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Mar. 8.36 says our Saviour Many think they have well provided for themselves their Families and Posterity having got a large Portion of outward good things so as their Cup is full when in the mean while they know not neither much matter it how or what claim they can lay to the things of Eternal Moment wherein yet if you fail all your Externals will yield ye no advantage but you are undone for ever When you are at the point to die and then shall perceive that you have vainly trifled away Eternity for some transient Pleasures or temporary Good Things which now you must utterly part withall you 'l then say of all your worly good as Esau sometimes did of his Birth-right though he from a prophane discontented Spirit and you from deep conviction Behold I am at the point to die and what profit shall the good things of this life do to me Then there is no hope in them nor help from them nor staying by them they all become blasted withered dead and dry The Bud yeilds no Meal Hos 8.7 You shall then find that you have all your life-long but Sowen the wind and now must reap the Whirlwind And 't is Solomon's question what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind Eccles 5.16 Oh therefore lose not the Substance whilst you catch at Shadows neither exchange an Eternal Portion offered and brought to hand for a worldly good flying from you whilst you do pursue it And if it chance you overtake and so be answered in the desires of your hearts yet missing of the true good you shall find your Gain to be your loss and your loss such as is irreparable by all your gain The loss it will be of your Souls and what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul Now these Considerations duly weighed Mar. 8.37 methinks should rouze up and awaken the dull and supine Spirits
a natural affection by this if it be kept within bounds it is natural if it be out of bounds it is not natural I 'le make use of it in another way when you come to the Service of God if you think to limit God in his Service you will go so far as may be consistent perhaps with ease or profit or credit and there stop this is but a natural Service But if the Service be Supernatural you will let out your Hearts if it were possible Infinitly to God You will propound no bounds no limits to your Service And this is indeed the truth of Grace when it hath the impression of Gods Infinitness upon it that the Soul sets no limits nor bounds in the way of Grace but desires to answer God if it were possible by an infinite way as he is without all bounds and limits so the Soul would set no bounds nor limits to Grace in Service This is a Choice Service in a Supernatural way §. IX Ninthly If you would not have your Portion in this world then be willing to part with and freely cast away from you whatever of your Portion you have sinfully gotten Let not the riches of iniquity abide with you neither what you have sinfully gotten load conscience any longer You bear about with you a secret and inward witness which is privy to all your ways and takes Cognizance of all your dealings The Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lorâ— says the wise man searching all the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20.27 Now if you are conscious to your selves of any unjust or unrighteous dealing or that you have wrongfully gained by oppression cousnage extortion or fraud or by any other unjust or unwarrantable way and means sleep not with it lye not down one night with the wages of iniquity in your bosom do not any longer maintain a War with conscience about it neither take part with Carnal Reasonings to stop the course of good Convictions but yield and deliver up your selves in obedience to the revealed will of God Know that all such sweet Morsells which you have delightfully swallowed down and now perforce withhold they must up again And therefore be rather willing to part with them now Resolve upon it whatsoever thou hast gotten wrongfully never to keep â—t against thy will but do it willingly else thou canst have no comfort in thy present Portion nor an interest in the blessed Portion of the World that is to come If there be any true Divinity in the World this is â—rue and yet it is hard to convince any covetous Worldly minded men who have gotten much this way It 's an old rule but a true that all the Repentance you have in this World Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum August all your fasting and sorrow for your sin will never obtain Pardon without restitution if you be able Unless you do what you are able to restore you can never quit your conscience take comfort nor have the pardon of that sin Consider the Doctrine of our Saviour Christ Mat. 5.23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy gift The Sacrifice of Repentance or of a sorrowfull Heart which yet is but Hypocriticall where there is not Restitution will not come up with acceptance upon Gods Altar if you do not first what you are able to restore and so sincerely to be reconciled to your Brother Notable for this is the example of Zacheus the truth of whose Repentance was fully evidenced and that he was one of those whose treasure was laid up in the good things of Eternity when he does ingeniously profess saying Lord if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold Luk. 19.8 Zacheus was freely to part with and cast away from him whatever of his Portion he had sinfully gotten he was willing to make Restitution for the wrong he had done Behold here a true Son of Abraham a man to whose house Salvation was come And Jesus said unto him this day is Salvation come to this house for so much as he also is the Son of Araham §. X. Tenthly If you would have your Portion in the good things of Eternity then keep the eye of your Soul fixed upon the good things of the Life to come A stedfast fixing of the eye upon an Object will greatly influence upon the Soul to change Fugiendum est ad clarissimam patriam ibi pater ibi omnia Aug. de Civit. Dei assimilate or conform it to the nature of that Object fixed upon so as the Soul shall become united with it interested in it or shall embrace it as its interest A man that is Worldly minded and whose converse is with terrene Objects to these he looks and in these he lives This Soul-converse with the things of this World will so work upon him as to assimilate and conforme him to the nature of the World his Heart shall be worldly his affections Worldly his Meditations and Reasonings Worldly nay he looks upon his interest as embarqued in the things of this World Thus shall he be blinded as to his choice concerns and this from a keeping the eye of his Soul as 't were fixed upon things below So it is with a Gracious Heart in its motions according to its temper by fixing its eye upon Spiritual and Eternal Objects and conversing there it becomes assimilated conformed and as it were changed into the Nature of such Objects and so becomes Heavenly in its Affections Reasonings and Meditations and apprehends its interest to lye in these things so Divinely raised and spiritualized shall the due fixing the eye upon Eternal Mercies render the Heart to be The ignorance or want of Practice of this Piece of Divinity renders Christians to the shame of their Professiion so terrene and earthly in their courses so mean and low in their Performances so deficient and deceived as to the fixing their proper interest so impatient under Afflictions unsteady in their motions and their conversations so below the Gospel of Christ that there appears little or no difference betwixt them and the mere Morall Heathen unless in their falling short of him in walking up to the Principles of true Morality which is matter of great Lamentation The Apostle expresly sets down the Influence and Efficacy that such an open fixing the eye will have upon the Soul in 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all saies he with open face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. The beholding Gods glory in the Glass of the Gospell is Influential by the Spirit of the Lord upon the beholder so fixing his eye to change him into the