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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	earth_n	sea_n	see_v	4,259	5	3.9841	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66558	The vanity of mans present state proved and applyed in a sermon on Psalm 39.5. With divers sermons of the saints communion with God, and safety under his protection, in order to their future glory, on Psalm 73. 23, 24, 25, 26. By the late able and faithful minister of the Word John Wilson	Wilson, John, minister of the Word.; Golborne, J.	1676 (1676)	Wing W2905; ESTC R218560	137,734	239

to be their portion inasmuch as he hath settled himself upon them in order to their sustentation and happiness First I shall shew what a portion is and Secondly what a portion God is to his people 1. What a portion is To that I answer that a mans portion as you that are but little experienced in the world know is a certain measure or parcel of Money Lands or Goods which is made over to him and settled upon him for his subsistence and livelihood Thus the prodigal Luke 15. 12. saith to his Father give me the portion of goods that falleth to me Now when the Scripture saith that God is the portion of his people we are to understand that he is somewhat bearing resemblance thereunto as that he hath made over himself to his people and settled himself upon them for the subsistence and livelihood both of their bodies and souls Therefore the Priests and Levites should have no inheritance among their brethren because that the Lord was their inheritance Deut. 18. 2. They were not to be sharers in the spoyl taken from the enemy as the other tribes were yet they had this to recompence it that God was their inheritance who did in a peculiar way make provision for their supply 2. VVhat kind of a portion God is And 1. He is a real and substantial portion As for the things of the world they are shadows and dreams void of reality and substance Prov. 22. 5. VVordly wealth is a thing of such a nature that it hath no real existence It is rather an empty shew than any real being so Hos. 12. 1. Ephraim feedeth on wind and followeth after the East wind Frivolous and foolish helps and comforts What bad food is the Wind It may distemper and disorder us but it cannot satisfie and nourish us Yet this is the state of all worldly things that they are of an airy windy nature void of matter and substance But it is not so with God he hath substance in him insomuch that what he seems to be that we shall find him to the full Prov. 8. 21. That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word for substance which signifies that which is really or as a Lapide as others note rem solide vereque subsistentem such a thing as is not a shadow or meer resemblance but hath a solid and true subsistence As for worldly portions they afford an appearance but want substance but now God is such a portion as hath substance durable substance and precious 2. He is a plentiful portion Some have portions but they are not commensurate to what is required to their subsistence but in God there is whatsoever is necessary for our subsistence comfort and happines He is exercised with strange wants whom God is not able to supply Psal. 50. 12. The World is mine and the fulness thereof And besides the world he hath an inexhaustible fulness in himself which would afford sufficient supply though the world should utterly fail Gen. 15. 1. I am thy shield saith God to Abram and thy exceeding great reward It was he that made the world and he can supply his servants without it He can create comforts for his people if he sees needful And sooner than they shall want what is necessary for them he will proceed beyond the ordinary way of his providence and shew a miraculous power in raising supplies They have a God alsufficient whom no difficulty can pose and is able to bring about what is possible to be done and nothing can be necessary to any which is impossible to be Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect 3. He is a satisfying portion Though the portions of persons are never so great yet how few are satisfied therewith Nay commonly the more they have the further they are from satisfaction and contentment Eccl. 5. 10. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase How insatiable are mens desires and how do their plentiful enjoyment sharpen their appetite to more and beget discontented cravings to an endless dissatisfaction and toil for that which dothnot satiate But God doth satisfie the souls of his people Jer. 31. 14. And I will satiate the soul of the Priests with fatness and my people shall be satisfied with goodness saith the Lord. He needs must be very unreasonable whom God will not satisfie 4. He is such a Portion as can make himself a blessing to us Now this is more than any other portion or the donor thereof can do Men may bestow portions but they cannot make them blessings to those who have them A father may leave his child a portion but he cannot command a blessing upon it nor absolutely promise himself that the child shall not turn it into a curse but God hath blessings at command Psal. 133. 3. As the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended from the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore And it is not to be conceived how a man should have him for his portion and not have a blessing in him What have blessedness it self and not have a blessing of him that cannot be immagined 5. He is an everlasting Portion He is such that he can neither be taken from us nor diminished All the arts of men and devils cannot take him from his people Plutarch tells of the Tyrians that they chained up their gods lest their enemies by charms or such like arts should entice them from them And pitiful Gods they were first that might be chained 2. That must be chained least they overrun those who confided in them Our God forsaketh not those that trust in him And as he cannot be taken from his people so after they have lived upon him thousands of years they will find him as full as ever they did before He is fons indeficiens a never failing fountain Nothwithstanding his supplying heaven and earth from the Creation to this day yet he 's as full as ever he was before Though the Sun by its shining and the Sea by its flowing should suffer a diminution the one in its light the other in its water yet God after all his communications will be as full as ever for he is their Portion for ever 3. How became he their portion Answ. It was his own act and deed He did of his own free accord convey himself to us and settle himself upon us Seeing us a poor lost and undone people he did of his own meer grace and compassion bestow himself upon us Ezek. 16. 8. I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness c. Oh what a great act of grace was this If a man of a great Estate seeing a poor distressed child forsaken forlorn should adopt him for his Son and settle all he hath upon him would

which is according to godliness 2 God upholds his people from desponding and fainting sometimes their tryals and troubles are so great that they know not what in the world to do with themselves so that if he did not interpose they would faint and throw up their Religion and hopes at once Psal. 73. 13. 21. Now to prevent this God comes in with his cordial waters instructs satisfies and comforts them When they were about to pull Paul in pieces Acts 23. 11. It s said the night following the Lord stood by him and said be of good cheer The Lord upholds his people under spiritual disertions that they shall not be utterly and irrecoverably cast down and sunk under the sence of his displeasure and the hiding of his face he presents to them and convinces them of their great weakness in their complaints and shews them the days of the right hand of the most High helps them that sit in darknes to reflect on former experience when they had sunshine and his promise that he will be a light unto them a Sun and a shield and will withhold from them no good thing so Psal. 77. 7. 8 10. Psal. 42. 6. 8. He assures them that he is not gone for evermore that he is not quite gone Though for a small moment he forsake them yet with great mercy will he gather them Isa. 54. 7. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee Under their greatest dejections there is some sprig or other of comfort that they lay hold on and is stretched out unto them that they may be kept from being overwhelmed some twig or other of a promise or experience that may bear them up Though God seems to be departed from them quite yet he doth but hide his face whereby his favour is discovered in more clear features He is nigh to them by his special grace when they think him afar off when they are crying the Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten and are groping for him in the dark he is at their right hand The Lord upholds them from being discouraged and fainting under outward afflictions and therefore shews them how needful and useful they are how much love care and fatherly tenderness and providence there is manifested in them and the design of them how light and short they are compared to the mass of glory that is set before them what the end of the Lord is with his servants who patiently expect the coming of Christ lest they should be weary and faint in their minds Heb. 12. 3 5. 3. God apholds his people from ruine and destruction both temporal and eternal 1. From temporal ruine and so he either upholds them against troubles of the world that they shall not touch them or keeps them from the evils of World though they share in common calamities and though they do not escape yet they shall be enabled to bear afflictions that the tryall of their faith may be found though it be tryed by fire unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Sometimes God preserves them from the eminent judgments he brings upon the world of the ungodly They are separated from the plagues brought on the wicked when their preservation may make eminently for his glory and when they have born remarkable witness against the sins that have brought judgments While Lot lingred Gen. 19. 16. the men laid hold upon his hand the Lord being merciful to him and they brought him forth and set him without the City thus was he delivered from that flaming destruction an èmblem of hell which turned Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes That righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds and filthy conversation 2 Pet. 2. 6. 7 8. The Lord knoweth how and when to deliver the righteous and godly out of temptations and out of judgments and how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished God spared not the old world but saved Noah the eighth person a preacher of righteousness bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly 2 Pet. 2. 5. That God might shew his power and publish his name through all the earth he raised up Pharaoh and destroyed him when he made a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters for Israel that was precious in his sight when they passed through the waters in the red Sea the Lord was with them and when they passed over the river of Jordan it did not overflow so the God in whom the three Worthies in Babylon trusted Dan. 3. 16. 17. was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace that they were not burnt neither did the flame kindle upon them If they cannot promise themselves security from common calamity as ordinarily they cannot yet they pray and it is promised that they shall be delivered from this present evil world The Lord is faithful who shall establish and keep them from evil 2 Thes 3. 3. And our Lord Jesus who knew what was most necessary and proper for his Disciples Joh. 17. 15. Prayeth not that God would take them out of the world in which world chap. 16. 33. He had told that they should have tribulation but that he would keep them from the evil And Christ gave himsef for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world Though they fall into the hands of violent and unreasonable men that neither have faith nor humanity yet they are in the hands of God not forsaken of him and therefore not utterly cast down Though they fall they shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth them with his hand Psal. 37. 24. When trouble is on every side and they seem to be hedg'd in with thorns they are not disstressed so that there is no way can be found for them to escape when they are in the snare of the fowler God breaks the snare and they escape They may be perplexed but not in dispare persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. God will be with them in six troubles and in seven Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of them all Psal. 34. 19. Their fall shall not be irrecoverable and desperate but they shall arise out of their afflictions and their faith shall triumph over the reproaches and malice of the malignant world Matth. 7. 8. VVhen I fall I shall arise A just man falleth seven times and riseth up again Prov. 24. 16. There shall be an end of their troubles their redemption draws on Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed be shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised Jam. 1. 12. It would be madness indeed to cast away their confidence which hath great recompence of reward They

from all appearance of evil 5. There are no Laws comparable to the Laws of God in respect of comfort and sweetness If a man be distressed or exercised with trouble of mind with inward horrors what is there in all this world that can give him comfort that can afford relief but the word of God Psal. 119. 50. This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me Nothing but this word can afford relief vers 92. Unless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine affliction As the word contains precepts of Piety and virtue so it affords notable consolations to encourage us there●nto What condition can a man be in but he may receive comfort therefrom If I lȳe on my sick bed and can lay hold on a promise how reviving must it be what a cordial to raise me up This word is a rich Mine of comforts for all times and conditions 6. There are no Laws like Gods in duration They are eternal and are not to give place to any succeeding Laws As for humane Laws they expire and are disanulled every day but the Laws of God endure for ever 1 Pet. 1. 24 25. The grass withereth the flower thereof falleth away but the word of the Lord endureth for ever 3. There is none like God in his works which are such as none ever did or could perform Psal. 86. 8. Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works And it was requisite that God who is above others should perform such works as none else can do His works are like himself of a transcendent nature exceeding the works of all creatures whatsoever Now his works are 1. That of Creation which was so great and stupendious that the very Angels gave forth a shout upon the view of it Job 38. 7. When the morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy As upon the building of the Temple the people shouted Ezra 3. 11. When they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid Zech. 4. 7. He shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shouting crying Grace Grace unto it No marvel that the Angels wonder at Gods work For with what strange and wonderful art hath he formed every thing As for the heavens what vast bodies are they How rapid and orderly are they in their motions And with what variety of curious lights are they decked and adorned And for the Earth likewise what a vast body is it How strangely doth it hang in the midst of Heaven To build Castles in the Air for men to attempt is a proverbial vanity God hath built this vast body of the Earth with all the burden upon it in the Air hanging on nothing but his word With what variety of creatures doth the Earth abound And for the Sea what a vast body likewise is it How doth it rowl and tumble it self in its pride and greatness And what rarities and wonders doth it afford But alass I need not to speak of these for what Creature is there which do's not express so much of the Creators widom and skill as is enough to fill us with admiration 2. There 's his work of Redemption or the reconciling of the world to himself by the death of his Son which doubtless is the noblest act that ever the world was witness of and such as will be admired as long as eternity it self shall endure Upon the Creation the Angels shout but when they come to this they find it so full of mysteries that they are astonished 1 Pet. 1. 12. Which things the Angels desire to look into Oh Sirs that the Word should be made flesh and dwell amongst us and perform what he did was a work so sublime and high that it was not for any but God so much as to think of it 3. There is his work of Providence He hath his eye upon all his Creatures takes care of them and provides for them so that they all have convenient and seasonable sustenance Psal. 145. 15. The eyes of all things wait on thee and thou givest them their meat in due season He feedeth the young Lions he hath taught all creatures whither to look to cry to him when they lack he gives places of shelter to them he gives conveniency for rest and as he provides for them so he rules them and maintaines them in that order wherein they are keeping one from devouring another He keeps Devils from devouring men and men from destroying each other He likewise keeps the beasts of the field from offering violence to us which otherwise would make a prey of us He likewise restrains the Elements and keeps them in order which otherwise would turn the world into a Tophet of horror and confusion If he let loose the fire and water a little upon each other with what terrible thundrings and lightnings do they fill the world enough to make the inhabitants thereof creep under the mountains for protection and defence If he let the Air a little into the bowels of the earth what dismal convulsions and tremblings do's it occasion It makes it stagger and reel like a drunken man For him to keep as he do's the several Elements in such harmony and order is a great work And he likewise restrains the sea from overflowing the earth This he insists on to Job as an argument of his transcendent power and greatness Job 38. 11. Hitherto shalt thou come but no farther and here shall thy proud waves be staied God sets doors and bars to the waters Hereunto I might add his notable delivering his people and destroying their enemies whereby God hath made his name great and terrible in the world and hath shewed a tender regard of his servants not sparing Kingdoms for their sakes bringing down the mighty making the worm Jacob to thresh the Mountains But 2. For what uses or purposes there is none like him 2. None like God to be advised with in straits and troubles We cannot be in such straits but he can put us into a way whereby we may escape 1 Cor. 10. 13. He will with the temptation also make a way to escape that they may be able to bear it What a strait was Asaph in about the prosperity of the wicked and the adversity of the Godly but he adviseth with God in this matter who was faithful and resolved him and quieted him He could get no satisfaction till he went to him and when he came to him he was satisfied And all that I shall add is that he is hard to be satisfied whom God cannot satisfie 2. None like to God to be invocated or called upon For as he is able to help so he is willing to do it Such is his addictedness to hear prayer that it is become one of his standing titles Psal. 65. 2. O thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all flesh come No

him Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you If he command then that we should draw nigh unto him maintain communion with him it is the duty of every man so to do God hath made man and set him in a Sphere higher than that of beasts given him a reasonable soul and faculties that are rational for this end that he might dwell with him 2. He is the best company that men can possibly be with Man is animale sociale a creature addicted to society and of all company Gods is the best There is no company either in heaven or in earth comparable to his Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Look upon the earth how many godly and choice men are in it How many excellent persons for converse and holy entertainment were in the Land of Judah But if these men of parts heavenly qualifications would not satisfie him might he not have mended himself in Heaven No whom have I in heaven but thee Not the blessed triumphant Saints are company good enough without God Not the glorious Angels that never had speck of pollution upon them will suffice without God Thus the Psalmist still fixes upon God Hosea 2. 7. I will return to my first husband for then was it better with me than now Israel had wandred from God and betaken her self to Idols at last comparing things with things she resolves to return and go to her first Husband Like the Prodigal if we go and ramble up and down the world in the end we shall have cause to say we will return to God having bought our experience of the insufficiency of all other comforts and company at a dear rate the loss of Gods presence or the withholding of his comforts Joh. 6. 86. To whom should we go saith Peter in the name of all the Disciples thou hast the words of eternal life To leave Christ for other company were a great madness to forsake the fountain in the time of great drought and take to the broken cistern Do we desire safety he is the best company Where can we possibly be safe if not with God Psal. 37. 39. The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord he will help and deliver them because they trust in him So Isay 43. 11. I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour If a man therefore would study his own safety he could find no society but in God Do we desire honour This must be had with God If you be in company with a great man walk and talk familiarly with him you account it a great honour What then is it to talk with God to walk with him to be called and admitted to freedom as the friend of God This honour have the Saints 1 Sam. 2. 30. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Would we have comfort The society of God yields sweet contentment and satisfaction Thus saith God to Moses Exod. 33. 14. My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest Oh the ravishing quietness that is to be had in God! They saith David shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures In Gods house there is very good entertainment there is the fat and sweet to eat and rivers of pleasure whereof to drink Revel 7. 17. The Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them into living fountains of water See the abundance of comfort and refreshment there is water fountains of water living fountains of water and these attended with satisfaction and delight they shall eat and drink with merry hearts hearts all tears shall be wiped away from their eyes It was the saying of Galeatius a Marquess when he was solicited to renounce Christ and closewith Antichrist let them and their money perish that do look upon or esteem all the gold in the world more than one daies company with God A King seeing Plato and some other Philosophers together oh saith he yonder is life and happiness making account that they in their society and discourse were more happy than he in all his princely enjoyments Well then upon our seeing men conversing with God we may cry out happy are the people that are in such a case thrice happy are they whose God is the Lord. 3. There are many special advantages they reap and therefore holy men have and hold communion with God Of these I shall give you an account in divers particulars which will evince that it is a point of great prudence to be with God 1. They hereby come to be better acquainted with God his nature properties counsels secrets Those that are much together know much of one anothers minds and good men being much with God they come to know more of God than others Gen. 18. 17. And the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do Is there that thing which I to intend do wherein Abraham is concerned and that may be for the instruction of his family and shall I hide it from him from Abraham that hath lived with me From Abraham my Friend No I have confidence in him that he will command his children and houshold after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him To those that live and more intimately converse with him he tells his secrets These know strange things before they come to pass by beholding and viewing the face of God by holding communion with him they have these things imparted andr evealed to them which others are strangers to They are not only his servants but his friends a servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but it is made known to these holy ones that God hath loved them with an everlasting love what his will is that they should do and what unspeakable things are laid up for them 2. They hereby come to have holy boldness in them While a man is a stranger to a great person he is afraid but when acquainted with him he becomes more emboldned so when the pious soul is in●red to the presence of God makes frequent visits and hath reception the dreadfulness of the divine Majesty is taken away and it made confident Eph. 3. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Through the satisfaction of Jesus Christ and through his intercession we come with boldness and confidence to the throne of Grace 3. It actuates and excites their graces Good men being together do heat and inflame one another how was Dr. Taylor ravished with the company of that excellent man Mr. Bradford And if poor sinful men have such power to stir up our graces what then may be expected from