An Ark for All Gods Noahs, Text (4 of 5)

An Ark for All Gods Noahs · Text (4 of 5)

p. 276Look, As the worldling in all his ſtraits, troubles, trials, dangers, p. 277and wants ſtill runs to his bags, I have read of a wretched worldling, who being ſick to death, called for one of his bags of gold, and laid it to his heart, and then cried out, O it will not do, it will not do; and then called for another, and ſtill cried out, Oh, it will not do, it will not do.to his earthly portion for ſuccour, for comfort, for ſupport, for relief, for ſhelter, for protection, Prov. 18.11. Matt. 19.24. 1 Tim. 5.17. So a Chriſtian in all his troubles, trials, and diſtreſſes, ſtill runs to his God for ſhelter, comfort, and ſupport, Pſ. 31.1, 2, 3. In thee, O Lord, do I put my truſt, let me never be aſhamed; deliver me in thy righteouſneſſe: Bow down thine ear to me, deliver me speedily, be thou my ſtrong rock for an houſe of defence to ſave me: For thou art my rock, and my fortreſſe, therefore for thy Names ſake lead me and guide me. Pſal. 61.2, 3. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than I: For thou haſt been a ſhelter for me, and a ſtrong tower from the enemy. Pſal. 94.21, 22. They gather themſelves together againſt the ſoul of the p. 278righteous, and condemn the innocent blood: But the Lord is my defence, and my God is the rock of my refuge. Pſa. 57.2. I will cry unto God moſt high, unto God that performeth all things for me. Iſa. 25.9. And it ſhall be ſaid in that day, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will ſave us: this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoyce in his ſalvation; Micah 7.7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my ſalvation, my God will hear. Thus you ſee that the Saints in all their ſtraits and trials do ſtill run to God; they know that that God that is their portion is an all-ſufficient God, and that he is a Sun and a Shield to them that walk uprightly; and therefore they delight to be ſtill a running under his ſhadow. A man that hath God for his portion may truly ſay in his greateſt diſtreſſes and troubles, Well, though I have no riches to fly to, nor no friends to ſhelter me, nor no relations to ſtand by me, nor no viſible power p. 279on earth to protect me, yet I have a God for my portion that is alwayes willing to ſupply me, and able to ſecure me, Pſal. 18.1, 2. I will love thee, O Lord, my ſtrength (or as the Hebrew hath it, I wil dearly love the Lord, or I will love him with inmoſt bowels of affections, as a tender hearted mother loves her deareſt babe with the inmoſt bowels of affections) The Lord is my rock, and my fortreſſe, and my deliverer, my God, my ſtrength, in whom I will truſt, my buckler, and the horn of my ſalvation, and my high Tower. In this Verſe you have nine ſeveral expreſſions to diſcover what an all-ſufficient refuge God is to his people in their greateſt diſtreſſes. When a Chriſtian is at worſt, yet he hath bread celeſtial, bread to eat that the world knows not of; the grand policy of a Chriſtian to ſecure himſelf againſt all dangers, is to run to God. But

Thirdly, If God be thy portion, 3then thou wilt hold faſt thy portion, p. 280and rather part with any thing, than part with thy portion. Naboth would not upon any terms part with his inheritance, he would rather let all go, yea, his very life go, then let his inheritance go, his portion go, 1 Kings 21.3. And Naboth ſaid to Ahab, the Lord forbid it me, that I ſhould give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee: or as the Hebrew hath it, This be abomination to me from the Lord; that is, the Lord keep me from this as from an abominable thing. Levit. 25.23. Num. 36.7 Fzek. 46.18.Lev 25:23Num 36:7To alter or alienate the property of inheritances was expreſly forbidden by God in his Law; and therefore Naboth looks upon Ahabs offer and motion as a deteſtable and an abominable thing, and reſolves to hold faſt his inheritance whatever it coſt him: ſo a Chriſtian will hold faſt his God whatever comes on it; he will let any thing go rather than let his God go, or his Chriſt go; Cant. 3.4. It was but a little that I paſſed from them, but I found him whom my ſoul loveth; I held him, and would p. 281not let him go, The Motto of a Chriſtian, whilſt he is in the wilderneſſe of this world, is, ſelf-diffidence, and Chriſt-dependence, Cant. 8.5.Song 8:5until I had brought him into my mothers houſe, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. The Hebrew word that is here rendered held, is from Achaz, which ſignifies to hold, as a man would hold his poſſeſſion, his inheritance; the word ſignifies to hold with both hands, to hold with all ones might, and with all ones ſtrength; and thus the Spouſe held the Lord Jeſus, ſhe held him with both hands, ſhe held him with all her might, and with all her ſtrength, ſhe held him with a holy violence, with an holy force; ſhe held him as a man would hold his priſoner that had a mind to eſcape, or as a man would hold his ſword or buckler when his life is in danger: ſo Jacob, Gen. 32.26. And he ſaid, let me go, for the day breaketh: and he ſaid, I will not let thee go, except thou bleſſe me. When Jacob was all alone, and in a dark night, and upon one leg, and when his joynts were out of joynt, and he very much over-match't, yet then he p. 282holds God faſt, Hoſ. 12.4.Hos 12:4he wreſtles and weeps, and weeps and wreſtles, he tugs and ſweats, and ſweats and tugs, and will not let go his hold till like a Prince he had prevailed with God. Ruth. 1.14. to the 19.Ruth 1:14Ruth, you know, was ſo glued to her mother Naomi, that no arguments could prevail with her to leave her mother, ſhe was fully reſolved in this, that whether her mother went ſhe would go, and where her mother lodg'd ſhe would lodge, and that her mothers people ſhould be her people, and her mothers God her God; and that where her mother died, there ſhe would die, and there would ſhe be buried: So a man that hath God for his portion is ſo glued to his God, that nothing can take him off from following of God, and from cleaving to God. When David was in his wilderneſſe-condition, yet then his ſoul followed hard after God, then his ſoul ſtuck cloſe to God; Pſ. 63.1, 2. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee, my ſoul thirſteth for thee, p. 283my fleſh longeth for thee in a dry and thirſty land where no water is: Verſ. 8. my ſoul followeth hard after thee; or as the words may be read, My ſoul cleaveth after thee. Davids enemies did not follow harder after him, than he followed hard after God; the wife in a mans boſome could not cleave ſo cloſe to him, as Davids ſoul did cleave cloſe to God, when he was in a wilderneſs eſtate, when he was in an afflicted condition; 'tis nothing to follow God in a paradiſe, but 'tis rare to follow God in a wilderneſſe; 'tis nothing to follow God when the way is ſtrowed with roſe-buds, but 'tis the glory of a Chriſtian to follow God when the way is ſtrowed with thornes and briars; 'tis nothing to follow God in a crowd (or with the crowd) but 'tis the excellency of a Chriſtian to follow God in a wilderneſſe, where few or none follows after him; 'tis nothing to follow God in the midſt of all incouragements, but 'tis wonderful to follow God in the p. 284midſt of all diſcouragements: O the integrity! O the ingenuity! O the ſtrong intention! O the deep affection! O the noble reſolution of that Chriſtian that hangs upon God in a wilderneſſe, and that cleaves to God in a wilderneſſe, and that follows hard after God in a wilderneſſe! Look, as Shechems ſoul did cleave to Dinah, Gen. 34.3. Chap. 18.29, 30. 1 Sam. 18.1, 3.Gen 34:31 Sam 18:11 Sam 18:3and as Jacobs ſoul did cleave to Rachel, and as Jonathans ſoul did cleave to David in the very face of all hazards, dangers, difficulties, troubles, trials, and diſtreſſes; ſo the very ſoul of a man that hath God for his portion will cleave to God in the very face of all hazards, dangers, difficulties, troubles, trials, and diſtreſſes that he meets withall, Pſa. 44.8. to verſ. 23. 'Tis neither the frowns of men, nor the reproaches of men, nor the ſcorns of men, nor the contempts of men, nor the oppoſitions of men, nor the treacheries of men, nor the combinations of men that will work him to let go his hold of God. A man p. 285that hath God for his portion, knows that whil'ſt he holds his God he holds his life, and that whilſt he holds his God he holds his comfort, his crown, his heaven, his all; and therefore he will rather let all go, than let his God go; and ſo much the ſeveral leave nots that are ſcattered up and down in the bleſſed Scripture doth clearly evidence, as that in 1 Kings 8.57. The Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers, let him not leave us, nor forſake us: and that, Pſal. 27.9. Hide not thy face far from me, put not thy ſervant away in anger; thou haſt been my help, leave me not, neither forſake me, O God of my ſalvation. And ſo Pſ. 119.121. I have done judgment and juſtice, leave me not to mine oppreſſours. And ſo Pſal. 141.8. But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my truſt, leave not my ſoul deſtitute, or leave not my ſoul naked, as the Hebrew word ſignifies: And ſo in that Jer. 14.9. Why ſhouldeſt thou be as a man aſtonied, as a mighty man that cannot ſave? yet p. 286thou, O Lord, art in the midſt of us, and we are called by thy Name, leave us not. Now in theſe five Scriptures you have five leave us nots, and what do they import? certainly nothing leſſe than a marvellous unwillingneſſe in the people of God to part with God, or to let go their hold of God.

I have read of Cynaegirus; an Athenian Captain, who in the Perſian Wars, purſuing his enemies Ship, which was laden with the rich ſpoils of his Countrey, and ready to ſet ſail, how he firſt held it with his right hand, till that was cut off; and then with his left hand, till that was cut off, and then with his ſtumps till his armes were cut off, and then he held it with his teeth, till his head was cut off … as long as he had any life or ſtrength left in him he would not let go his hold; ſo a man that hath God for his portion will rather die at the foot of God, than he will let go his hold of p. 287God, Job 13.15. Though he ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him. But

Fourthly, 4If God be thy portion, then thou liveſt upon God as upon thy portion. Look, as the men of the world do live upon their earthly portions, ſo a man that hath God for his portion lives upon his God, 1 Sam. 30.6 Hab. 3.17, 18. Pſal. 73.26 Rom. 14.7, 8. Gal. 2.20. Phil. 1.21.1 Sam 30:6Hab 3:17Hab 3:18Ps 73:26Rom 14:7Rom 14:8Gal 2:20Phil 1:21as you may plainly ſee by comparing the Scriptures in the margine together. Look, how the poor man lives upon his labours, the covetous man upon his bags, the ambitious man upon his honours, the voluptuous man upon his pleaſures, &c. ſo doth a Chriſtian live upon his God; in all his duties he lives upon God, and in all his mercies he lives upon God, and in all his wants he lives upon God, and in all his ſtraits and trials he lives upon God, and in all his contentments and enjoyments he ſtill lives upon God; he lives upon God for his juſtification, Rom. 8.33. It is God that juſtifieth, and he lives upon God for the perfecting p. 288of his ſanctification; Phil. 1.6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jeſus Chriſt; and he lives upon God for the maintaining and increaſing of his conſolation, 2 Cor. 1.3, 4, 5. When he is under the frowns of the world, then he lives upon the ſmiles of God; when he is under the hatred of the world, then he lives upon the loves of God; and when he is under the reproaches of the world, then he lives upon his credit with God; when he is under the threatnings of the world, then he lives upon the protection of God; and when he is under the deſigns and plottings of the world, then he lives upon the wiſdome and counſel of God; when he is under the ſlightings and neglects of the world, then he lives upon the care of God; and when he is under the croſſes and loſſes of the world, then he lives upon the fulneſſe and goodneſſe of God, &c. Alexander told his ſouldiers, p. 289I wake that ye may ſleep; moſt ſure I am, that he that is the Saints portion never ſlumbers nor ſleeps: Pſa. 121.3, 4Ps 121:3Ps 121:4God is alwayes watchful and wakeful to do his people good, he never wants skill or will to help them, he never wants a purſe, a hand, or a heart to ſupply them, &c.

O Sirs, Every man ſingles out ſomething to live upon; ſome ſingle out one thing ſome another; ſaith the wife, I muſt live upon my husband; ſayes the child, I muſt live upon my father; ſayes the ſervant, I muſt live upon my maſter; ſayes the old, we muſt live upon the labours of the young; ſayes the poor; we muſt live upon the charity of the rich; and why then ſhall not a Chriſtian live upon his God? A Chriſtian that hath God for his portion may ſay when he is at worſt, Well, though I have not this, nor that, nor the other outward comfort to live upon, yet I have the power of a God to live on, and I have the p. 290providence of a God to live on, and I have the promiſe of a God to live on, and I have the oath of a God to live on, and I have the love of a God to live on, and I have the bounty of a God to live on, Pſal. 23.Ps 23and I have the fulneſſe of a God to live on, and I have the care of a God to live on; and what can I deſire more? Surius de vitis. SS.John of Alexandria, ſirnam'd the Almoner, did uſe yearly to make even his Revenues, and when he had diſtributed all to the poor, he thanked God that he had now nothing left him to live upon but his Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt: When all is gone, yet a Chriſtian hath his God to live upon as his portion, and that is enough to anſwer to all other things, and to make up the want of all other things. Look, as he hath nothing that hath not God for his portion, ſo he wants nothing that hath God for his portion. Cajetan.'Twas a weighty ſaying of one, The ſpiritual good of a man conſiſts in this, that a man hath p. 291friendſhip with God, and conſequently that he lives for him, to him, with him, in him; that he lives for him by conſent, to him by converſation, with him by cohabitation, and in him by contentation. 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. A man lives no longer than he lives upon God as his portion: when a man begins to live upon God as his portion, then he begins to live indeed, and not till then. But

Fifthly, If God be thy portion, 5then he carries thy heart from all other things; Pſa. 42.1, 2Ps 42:1Ps 42:2the portion always carries the heart with it, Matth. 6.20, 21. But lay up for your ſelves treaſures in heaven, Bernard well obſerves that a wiſe mans heart is with the Lord.where neither moth nor ruſt doth corrupt, and where theeves do not break through nor ſteal: For where your treaſure is, there will your hearts be alſo. Pſal. 63.1. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee, (or, I will diligently ſeek thee, as Merchants p. 292do precious ſtones that are of greateſt value) my ſoul thirſteth for thee: (he doth not ſay, my ſoul thirſteth for water, but my ſoul thirſteth for thee; nor he doth not ſay, my ſoul thirſteth for the blood of my enemies, but my ſoul thirſteth for thee; nor he doth not ſay, my ſoul thirſteth for deliverance out of this dry and barren wilderneſſe, but my ſoul thirſteth for thee in a dry and thirſty land, where no water is; nor he doth not ſay, my ſoul thirſteth for a Crown, a Kingdome, but my ſoul thirſteth for thee) my fleſh longeth for thee: Theſe words are a notable Metaphor taken from women with child, to note his earneſt, ardent, and ſtrong affections towards God. And ſo Pſal. 84.2. My heart and my fleſh crieth out for the living God. The word that is here rendered crieth, is from Ranan that ſignifies to ſhout ſhrill, or cry out, as ſouldiers do at the beginning of a battel, when they cry out, Fall on, Fall on, Fall on, or when they cry p. 293out after a victory, Victory, Victory, Victory; the Hebrew word notes a ſtrong cry, or to cry as a child cries when 'tis ſadly hungry, for now every whit of the childe cries, hands cry, and face cries, and feet cries; and ſo Pſal. 119.21. My ſoul breaketh for the longings it hath unto thy judgments at all times. Look, as the ſtone will ſtill be rowling towards its center, its place, though it break it ſelf into a thouſand pieces; ſo a ſoul that hath God for his portion cannot reſt till he comes to God, till he comes to his center. 'Tis very obſervable, that when the God of glory appeared to Abraham, Act. 7.1, 2, 3 4, 5. Gen. 12.1.Acts 7:1Acts 7:2Acts 7:3Gen 12:1he made nothing of leaving his fathers houſe, his kindred, and his Countrey; a glimpſe of that glory works him to give up all eaſily, readily, and quietly. A man that can look upon the God of glory to be his portion, he cannot but look upon the greateſt, the neereſt, and the deareſt enjoyments of the world, as nothing; he cannot but p. 294look upon honour as a bubble, and worldly pomp as a fancy, and great men as a lye, and poor men as vanity; he cannot but look upon his neareſt and his deareſt relations, his higheſt and his nobleſt friends, his choiceſt and his ſweeteſt comforts, but as a dream and a ſhadow that ſoon vaniſheth away.

'Tis obſervable in the Courts of Kings and Princes, that children and the ruder ſort of people are much taken with pictures and rich ſhows, and feed their fancies with the ſight of rich hangings and fine gay things; when as ſuch as are great favourites at Court paſſe by all thoſe things as things that are below them, and as things that are not worthy of their notice, who have buſineſſe with the King, and who have the eye, the ear, the hand, and the heart of the King to take pleaſure and delight in: ſo moſt men admire the poor low things of the world, and are much taken with them as things that p. 295have a great deal of worth and excellency in them; but a man that hath God for his portion, the King of Kings for his portion, and all that he hath, he paſſeth by all the gay and gallant things of the world, as things below him, as things not worthy of him; his buſineſs is with his God, and his thoughts, and heart, and affections are taken up with his God.

Naturaliſts tell us, that the loadſtone will not draw in the preſence of the diamond; O Sirs, whil'ſt a man can eye God as his portion, Heb. 11.24, 25, 26, 27, 35.Heb 11:24Heb 11:25Heb 11:26Heb 11:27Heb 11:35all the pride, pomp, bravery, glory, and gallantry in the world will never be able to draw him from God. It is reported, that when the tyrant Tragine commanded Ignatius to be ript up and unbowelled, they found Jeſus Chriſt written upon his heart in characters of gold; here was an heart worth gold indeed, Chriſt carried away his heart from all other things: So if God be thy portion, he will certainly p. 296carry thy heart away from all earthly things: Look, as earthly portions carry away worldly hearts from God; Ezek. 33.31, 32. Luk. 12.16. to the 21.Ezek 33:31Ezek 33:32Luke 12:16ſo when God once comes to be a mans portion, he carries his heart away from the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil. All the world cannot keep a mans intereſt and his heart aſunder: If a man make ſin his intereſt, all the world cannot keep ſinne and his heart aſunder; if a man make the world his intereſt, all the power on earth cannot keep the world and his heart aſunder: And ſo if a man make God his intereſt, all the world cannot keep God and his heart aſunder; no ſword, no priſon, Heb. 11.Heb 11no racks, no flames can keep a mans intereſt and his heart aſunder; a mans heart will be working towards his intereſt, even through the very fire, as you may ſee in the three Children, Dan. 3.17, 18. Look as the Needles point in the Seamans Compaſſe never ſtands ſtill, but quivers and ſhakes till it come right againſt the North p. 297Pole; and as the Wiſe-men of the Eaſt never ſtood ſtill, till they were right againſt the Starre which appeared to them; and as the Star it ſelf never ſtood ſtill till it came right againſt that other Star, which ſhined more brightly in the Manger than the Sun did in the Firmament; and as Noahs Dove could find no reſt for the ſole of her foot all the while ſhe was fluttering over the Flood, till ſhe returned to the Ark with an Olive branch in her mouth; ſo the heart of a Chriſtian that hath God for his portion, can never reſt, can never be at quiet, but in God. But

Sixthly, If God be thy portion, 6then thou wilt own thy God, and ſtand up couragiouſly and reſolutely for thy God. Hiſtories abound with inſtances of this natureEvery man will owne his portion, and ſtand up ſtoutly and reſolutely for his portion; and ſo will every Chriſtian do for his God, Pſal. 119.46. I will ſpeak of thy teſtimonies before Kings, and will not be aſhamed. David was p. 298reſolved upon a noble & reſolute owning of God and his teſtimonies before the greateſt and the higheſt of men; and this he would do and not bluſh, A man of no reſolution, or of a weak reſolution, will be won with a nut, and loſt with an apple; but a man of a noble reſolution will own God in the face of the greateſt majeſty on earth.this he would do and not be aſhamed, this he would do and not be daunted: It was neither the majeſty or authority of Princes, 'twas neither the power or dread of Princes that could hinder David from giving in his teſtimony on Gods ſide, or on Truths ſide: Joſh. 24.18. We will ſerve the Lord, for he is our God: ver. 21, 22. And the people ſaid unto Joſhua, nay, but we will ſerve the Lord; and Joſhua ſaid unto the people, ye are witneſſes againſt your ſelves, that ye have choſen you the Lord to ſerve him: & they ſaid, we are witneſſes. Ver. 24. And the people ſaid unto Joſhua, The Lord our God will we ſerve, and his voice will we obey. They had choſen God to be their God (as God had choſen them to be his peculiar people above all the Nations of the earth) and therefore notwithſtanding all that Joſhua had p. 299objected, they were fully reſolved to own the Lord, and to cleave to the Lord, and to obey the Lord, and wholly to devote themſelves to the ſervice of the Lord: having taken the Lord to be their God, they were firmly reſolved to own the Lord really, and to own him fully, and to own him primarily, and to own him only, and to own him everlaſtingly. And ſo Deut. 26.17. Thou haſt avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his wayes, and to keep his Statutes, and his Commandments, and his Judgments, and to hearken unto his voice. They had avouched God to be their God, and therefore they were reſolved upon all thoſe holy wayes and means whereby they might evidence to the world their owning of God to be their God. And ſo in that 2 Chron. 30.8. They yield themſelves unto the Lord, or as the Hebrew hath it, They give the hand unto the Lord: You know when men make Covenants or Agreements to own one another, p. 300or to ſtand by one another, they commonly ſtrike hands, or take one another by the hand: Certainly all thoſe that have the Lord for their portion, have given their hands to the Lord, that they will own him, and ſtand by him, and cleave to him, as Jonathan did to David, or as Ruth did to Naomi. Dan. 3.17.18.Dan 3:17Dan 3:18How ſtoutly and couragiouſly did the three Children own the Lord, and ſtand by the Lord in the face of the fiery Furnace? Ch. 6.and Daniel will upon choice be rather caſt into the Den of Lions, then that the honour of God ſhould in the leaſt be clouded, or his glory darkned by any neglects or omiſſions of his. Hab. 11.34. - ult.And ſo did all thoſe Worthies, of whom this world was not worthy: O how did they own God, and ſtand up for God, notwithſtanding the edge of the ſword, the violence of fire, the cruel mockings and ſcourgings, the bonds and impriſonments, the ſtoning and ſawing aſunder, the temptings, and wandrings about in p. 301Sheep-skins and Goat-skins, and all other trials and torments that did attend them. Baſil affirms that the primitive Chriſtians did ſo couragiouſly and reſolutely own God, and ſtand up for God in the face of the moſt dreadful ſufferings, that many of the Heathens ſeeing their heroick zeal, courage, magnanimity, and conſtancy, turned Chriſtians. Domitian raiſed the ſecond perſecution againſt the Chriſtians, becauſe they would not give the title of Lord to any but Chriſt, nor worſhip any but God alone. Among the many thouſand inſtances that might be given, let me onelyonly give you a few of a later date, whereby you may ſee how couragiouſly and reſolutely the Saints have ſtood up for God, and owned God in the face of the greateſt dangers that hath attended them.

Luther owned God, and ſtood up reſolutely for God againſt the world: Acts & Mon. 776.And when the Emperour p. 302ſent for him to Wormes, and his friends diſſwaded him from going, as ſometimes Pauls did him; Co, (ſaid he) I will ſurely go (ſince I am ſent for) in the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; yea, though I knew that there were as many Devils in Wormes to reſiſt me, as there be tiles to cover the houſes, yet I would go: and when he and his aſſociates were threatened with many dangers from oppoſers on all hands, he lets fall this heroick and magnanimous ſpeech, Come, let us ſing the ſix and fortieth Pſalm, and then let them do their worſt. And indeed 'twas a brave couragious ſpeech of the ſame Author, who when one demanded, where he would be, when the Emperour ſhould with all his forces fall upon the Elector of Saxony, (who was the chief Protector of the Proteſtants) anſwered, Aut in coelo, aut ſub coelo, either in heaven, or under heaven.

William Flower (the Martyr) ſaid, that the Heavens ſhould as ſoon p. 303fall, as he would forſake his profeſſion, or budge in the leaſt degree from it.

Apollonius (as Philoſtratus reports) being asked, if he did not tremble at the ſight of the tyrant, made this anſwer, God which hath given him a terrible countenance, hath given alſo unto me an undaunted heart.

When the perſecutors by their dreadful threatnings did labour to terrifie one of the Martyrs, he replied, that there was nothing of things viſible, nor nothing of things inviſible that he was afraid of: I will (ſaith he) ſtand to my profeſſion of the Name of Chriſt, and contend earneſtly for the faith once delivered to the Saints.

When Biſhop Gardiner asked Rowland Tailor, if he did not know him, &c. he anſwered, yea, I know you, and all your greatneſſe, yet you are but a mortal man: and if I ſhould be afraid of your Lordly looks, why fear you not God, the Lord of us all?

p. 304The Executioner kindling the fire behind Jerome of Prague, he bad him kindle it before his face, for (ſaid he) if I had been afraid of it, I had not come to this place, having had ſo many opportunities offered me to eſcape it; and at the giving up of the ghoſt, he ſaid, This ſoul of mine in flames of fire, O Chriſt, I offer thee.

The German Knight in his Apologetical Letter for Luther againſt the Pontifical Clergy, ſaith, I will go through what I have undertaken againſt you, and will ſtir up men to ſeek their freedome; I neither care nor fear what may befall me, being prepared for either event, either to ruine you, to the great benefit of my Countrey, or elſe to fall with a good conſcience.

When Dionyſius was given up to the Executioner to be beheaded, he remained reſolute, couragious, and conſtant, ſaying, Come life, come death, I will worſhip none but the God of heaven and earth.

p. 305Thus you ſee (by theſe inſtances) that men that have God for their portion will couragiouſly owne God, and bravely and reſolutely ſtand up for God, what ever comes on it.

The blood that hath been ſhed in moſt Nations under heaven doth clearly evidence this, that men will own their earthly portions, and that they will ſtand up ſtoutly, reſolutely, and couragiouſly in the defence of them; and ſo certainly will all thoſe own God, and ſtand up in the defence of God, his glory, and truth, who have God for their portion. Take a true bred Chriſtian, when he is himſelf, take a Chriſtian in his ordinary courſe, and he cannot but own his God, and ſtand up ſtoutly and couragiouſly for his God in the face of all difficulties and dangers. But

Seventhly, 7If God be thy portion, then thou wilt look upon all things below thy God, as poor, Pſ. 73.24, 25Ps 73:24Ps 73:25low, mean, and contemptible p. 306things: a worldly man looks upon all things below his earthly portion as contemptible; and ſo doth a Chriſtian look upon all things below his God, as contemptible; Phil. 3.7, 8. But what things were gain to me, thoſe I counted loſſe for Chriſt: Yea, doubtleſſe, and I count all things but loſſe for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus, my Lord, for whom I have ſuffered the loſſe of all things, and do count them but dung, (the Greek word foreign, Dogs dung ſome interpret the word.properly ſignifies ſuch ſordid, courſe and contemptible things which are either caſt forth by dogs, or caſt before dogs) that I may win Chriſt. And 'tis very obſervable, that after this great Apoſtle had been in the third heaven, 2 Cor. 12.1, 2, 3.2 Cor 12:12 Cor 12:22 Cor 12:3and had been bleſt with a glorious ſight of God, he look't upon the world as a poor, mean, low, contemptible thing; Gal. 6.14. God forb'd that I ſhould glory, ſave in the Croſſe of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Paul ſcorned, deſpiſed, and rejected the p. 307world, and the world ſcorned, deſpiſed, and rejected him; Paul caſt off the world, and the world caſt off him; he diſregarded the world, and the world diſregarded him; he was dead to the world, and the world was dead to him; the world and Paul were well agreed; the world car'd not a pin for Paul, and Paul cared not a ſtraw for the world. Heb. 11.24. to 27.Heb 11:24–27And ſo when Moſes had ſeen him that was inviſible, when he had taken a full proſpect of that other world, and when he had beheld God as his portion, Oh how doth he ſlight, ſcorn, and trample upon all the honours, preferments, profits, pleaſures, delights, and contentments of Egypt, as things below him, and as things that in no reſpects were worthy of him! It is a Rabbinical conceit, Joh, … tavit, …lorileg. Rabbin…cum.that Moſes being a child had Pharaohs Crown given him to play withall, and he made no better than a Foot-ball of it, and caſt it down to the ground, and kick't it about, as if it were a ſign p. 308of his future vilifying and contemning of temporal things. I ſhall not much trouble my head about what Moſes did when he was a child; but of this I am ſure, having the word of a God for it, Heb. 11.24.Heb 11:24That when he was come to years, (or as the Greek hath it, foreign, being grown big, Some conclude he was forty years old now from that, Acts 7.23.Acts 7:23or 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 p. 309and 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.Esth 5:9Ps 73:4–13as 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 p. 310to 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.John 4:14the deceitful riches, and the vaniſhing pleaſures of this beggarly world. Chriſtians are compared to Eagles; Matth. 24.28.Matt 24:28now the p. 311Eagle is a Kingly, a Princely bird, 'tis 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 'tis 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, 8then 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 fiſhponds, his fruitful trees, his ſweet flowers, &c. yet 'tis 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, p. 312yet 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 onelyonly 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.Ps 23:24Ps 23:25Ps 4:6Ps 4:7yet 'tis 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 p. 313them 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. 18.3.2 Sam 18:3Thou 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. 14.26Luke 14:26that 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 p. 314as 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, Auſtinthat he hath long ſince told us, that he would willingly goe thorow hell to Chriſt; Bernardand, 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, p. 315ſaid Phocions wiſe; do you ask me, where be my ornaments? my ornaments are my two ſonnes brought up in vertue and learning, ſaid the mother of the Graccht: do you ask me, where be my treaſures? my treaſures are my friends, ſaid Conſtantius, the father of Conſtantine; So if you ask a Chriſtian that hath God for his portion, where his jewels, his ornaments, his treaſures, his comforts, and the delights of his ſoul are, he will anſwer you, that they are all in God, he will tell you that God is his portion, and that God is his great all, and that he enjoys all in God, and God in all; and therefore he cannot but prize God above all. But to prevent miſtakes in this weighty caſe, let me give you a few brief hints; As

Firſt, If God be truly precious to thee, then all of God is precious to thee, his Name is precious to thee, his Honour is precious to thee, his Ordinances are precious to p. 316thee, his Sabbaths are precious to thee, his promiſes are precious to thee, his precepts are precious to thee, his threatnings are precious to thee, his rebukes are precious to thee, his people are precious to thee, and all his concernments are precious to thee. Look, as every ſparkling ſtone that is ſet round about a rich Diamond is precious in the eyes of the Jeweller, ſo is every ſparkling excellency in God precious in his eyes that ſets an high value upon God. It was an harlot that would have the child divided. 1 Kings 3.25, 26.1 Kgs 3:251 Kgs 3:26Look, as all of the new-born babe is precious in the eyes of the tender mother, as head, face, hands, arms, body, feet, &c. ſo all of God is very precious in his eyes that hath any tender regard of God; and look, as all of an husband is precious in the eyes of a loving wife, viz. his perſon, name, credit, honour, eſtate, liberty, life, &c. ſo all of God is very precious in his eyes that loves God with a real love, with a ſuperlative love. But

p. 317Secondly, 2If God be moſt precious to thee, then all the diſhonours that are done to God, his truth, his worſhip, his wayes, his ordinances, his inſtitutions, his government, his people, are moſt grievous and burthenſome to thee. Pſal. 69.9. Pſ. 119.158.Ps 69:9Ps 119:158The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. I beheld the tranſgreſſours, and was grieved, becauſe they kept not thy word; the word that is here tranſlated grieved is from Katat, that ſignifies to loath, abhor, and contend; I beheld the tranſgreſſours, and I loathed them; I beheld the tranſgreſſours, and I abhorred them; I beheld the tranſgreſſours, and I contended with them; but not ſo much becauſe they were mine enemies, as becauſe they were thine. Tis juſt between God and all thoſe that have a precious eſteem of him, as 'tis between two Luteſtrings that are tuned one to another; no ſooner one is ſtruck, but the other trembles. Jer. 9.1, 2, 3, 4.Jer 9:1Jer 9:2Jer 9:3Jer 9:4A Saint cannot ſee God ſtruck, but his heart p. 318will tremble. A Father lying upon his death-bed, called three children to him, which he kept, and told them that one onelyonly of them was his natural ſon, Mr. Perkins Government of the Tongue.and that the other two were onelyonly brought up by him, therefore unto him onelyonly he gave all his goods; but which of thoſe three was his own ſon, he would not in any wiſe declare: when he was dead, every one pleaded his birth-right, and the matter being brought to trial, the Judge for the making (if poſſible) a true diſcovery, took this courſe; He cauſed the dead Corps of the Father to be ſet up againſt a tree, and commanded the three ſons to take bows and arrowes, to ſhoot at their. Father, to ſee who could come neereſt to his heart; the firſt and ſecond did ſhoot and hit him, but the third was very much angry, and diſpleaſed with them both, and through the natural affection of a child to a father, threw away his bow and arrows, and would not ſhoot at all; this p. 319being done, the Judge gave this ſentence, viz. That the two firſt that ſhot (at their ſuppoſed fathers heart) were no ſons, but that the third ſon that would not ſhoot at all, and that was very much diſpleaſed with thoſe that did ſhoot was the true ſon, and that he ſhould have the goods. O Sirs, every bitter word is an arrow ſhot at the heart of God, and every bloody oath is an arrow ſhot at the heart of God, and every heavy curſe is an arrow ſhot at the beart of God, and every ſuperſtitious cuſtome is an arrow ſhot at the heart of God, and every ſnare that is laid for the righteous is an arrow ſhot at the heart of God, and every yoke that is laid upon the people of God is an arrow ſhot at the heart of God, and every affront that by debauched perſons is given to God, is an arrow ſhot at the heart of God, &c. And what true bred ſons, what ingenious ſons can ſee ſuch arrows every hour in the day ſhot at the heart of God p. 320(and hear of ſuch arrows that are ſhot a thouſand, thouſand times in a day at the heart of God) and not grieve and mourn, and not be afflicted, troubled, diſpleaſed, and aſtoniſhed, to ſee men and to hear of men that were once made in the Image of God to be turned into ſuch incarnate Devils, as thus to deal with God, yea, with ſuch a God as can ſpeak them into hell at his pleaſure. But

Thirdly, If God be moſt precious to you, then you will part with any thing for God, Phil. 3.7, 8, Mat. 13.46.Phil 3:7Phil 3:8Matt 13:46then you will let go any thing that you may hold your God, and enjoy your God, Gen. 22. Chap. 43.Gen 22then your Iſaac ſhall be made a ſacrifice, if God will have it ſo; and your Benjamin ſhall be ſent into Egypt, if God will have it ſo; Jonah 1.Jonah 1then your Jonah ſhall be caſt over-board, if God will have it ſo, then out goes the right eye, and off goes the right hand upon a divine command; then you will never cry out, O this mercy is too p. 321neer to me to part with for God, and that comfort is too dear to me to part with for God, &c. O no, but then you will ſay, as the King of Sodome ſaid to Abraham, Gen. 14.21.Gen 14:21Give me the perſons, and take the goods to thy ſelf: So you will ſay, Give us God, O give us God, and let who will take the goods, let who will take the honours, and the profits, and the pleaſures of the world; 'tis enough that Joſeph is alive, 'tis enough if we may but enjoy our God. A Prince will part with any thing rather than he will part with his Crown-Jewels; and ſo will a Chriſtian rather part with any thing, than (upon choice to part) with his God, whom he values above all the Crown-Jewels in the world. But

Fourthly, 4If God be moſt precious to thee, then thou canſt never have enough of God, thou canſt never have enough of communion with God, thou canſt never have enough of the preſence of God, p. 322thou canſt never have enough of the Spirit of God, Pſa. 27.4. Pſal. 84. Pſa. 42.1, 2. Pſal. 63.1, 2, 3. Cant. 8.14. Rev. 22.20Ps 27:4Ps 84Ps 42:1Ps 42:2Ps 63:1Ps 63:2Ps 63:3Song 8:14Rev 22:20thou canſt never have enough of the diſcoveries of God, thou canſt never have enough of the aſſiſtance of God, thou canſt never have enough of the ſecret influences and incomes of God, thou canſt never have enough of the comforts and ſtrong conſolations of God, &c. The grave, the barren womb, the Mammoniſt, the Pope, the Turk, the Devil and hell will be as ſoon ſatisfied, as thou canſt be ſatisfied without clearer, further, and fuller enjoyments of God. Exo. 33.20Exod 33:20No man (ſaith God to Moſes) can ſee my face, and live; upon which words Auſtine makes this ſhort, but ſweet reply, Then Lord let me die, that I may ſee thy face. 'Tis impoſſible that ever a mans heart ſhould reſt ſatisfied, till he comes to a full and perfect enjoyment of that which he hath ſet up as his grand intereſt, as his great all. But

Fifthly and laſtly, 5If God be p. 323moſt precious to thee, then thou wilt give up thy ſelf wholly to God, without any reſervation. Whatever a man ſets up as his great intereſt, to that he devotes himſelf, to the ſervice of that he wholly gives up himſelf: So when a man eyes God as his moſt precious intereſt, and ſets up God, as his moſt precious intereſt, he cannot but devote himſelf wholly to God, Cant. 2.16. Acts 7.2, 3, 4. Acts 13.22. Luke 1.5, 6, 7.Song 2:16Acts 7:2Acts 7:3Acts 7:4Acts 13:22Luke 1:5Luke 1:6Luke 1:7he cannot but give up himſelf wholly to God; Pſal. 119.94. I am thine, ſave me, I am not my owne, nor ſinnes, nor Satans, nor the worlds, nor friends nor relations, but I am thine; I am really thine, I am wholly thine, I am onelyonly thine, I am alwayes thine, I am thine to be ſanctified, and I am thine to be ſaved, I am thine to be commanded, and I am thine to be ruled; Lord, I am thine own, and therefore do with thine own as thou pleaſeſt, and diſpoſe of thine own as thou pleaſeſt, I am at thy foot, willing in ſome meaſure to be any thing or nothing, as ſhall p. 324ſeem beſt in thine own eyes. When the keys of the whole houſe, and of every room in the houſe are given up to the King to be at his diſpoſe, at his ſervice, then he is entertained as a King, and honoured as a King, and valued and prized as a King: And ſo when all the keyes of the ſoul, and every room in the ſoul, and every faculty of the ſoul are given up to God to be at his diſpoſe, at his ſervice, then God is entertained as a God, and honoured as a God, and valued and prized as a God, but not till then. And by theſe five hints (if you will not put a cheat upon your own ſouls) you may know whether God ſits in the uppermoſt room of your hearts, or no; and whether God be ſet up in your hearts above all, and whether he be indeed your great all, or your all in all. But

Ninthly, 9If God be thy portion, then there is no loſſe in all the world that lies ſo hard and ſo p. 325heavy upon thee, as the loſſe of thy God; there is no loſſe under heaven that doth ſo affect and afflict a man that hath God for his portion, as the loſſe of his God. David met with many a loſs, but no loſs made ſo ſad and ſo great a breach upon his ſpirit, as the loſſe of the face of God, the loſſe of the favour of God, Pſal. 30.6, 7. In my proſperity I ſaid, I ſhall never be moved; Lord, by thy favour thou haſt made my mountain to ſtand ſtrong; thou didſt hide thy face, and I was troubled: The Hebrew word Bahal ſignifies, And ſo this Hebrew word Bahal you have again in that Dan. 5.9. to expreſſe the greatneſſe of Belſhazzars trouble and terrour, when he ſaw the handwriting upon the wall, & when none of his wiſe men could read the writing, &c.Dan 5:9to be greatly troubled, to be ſorely terrified, as you may ſee in that 1 Sam. 28.21. And the woman came unto Saul, and ſaw that he was ſore troubled: Here is the ſame Hebrew word Bahal. Saul was ſo terrified, affrighted, and diſ-animated with that dreadful news that the Devil in Samuels likeneſſe told him, that p. 326his very vital ſpirits ſo failed him, that he fell into a fainting deadly ſwoon: And it was even ſo with David upon Gods hiding of his face; David was like a withered flower that had loſt all its ſap, life, and vigour, when God had wrapt up himſelf in a cloud. The life of ſome creatures lieth in the light and warmth of the Sun; and ſo doth the life of the Saints lie in the light and warmth of Gods countenance: And as in an Eclipſe of the Sun there is a drooping in the whole frame of Nature; ſo when God hides his face, gracious ſouls cannot but droop and languiſh, & bow down themſelves before him. Many inſenſible creatures (ſome by opening and ſhutting, as Marigolds and Tulips, others by bowing and inclining the head, as the Solſequy and Mallow-flowers) are ſo ſenſible of the preſence and abſence of the Sun, that there ſeems to be ſuch a ſimpathy between the Sun and them, that if the Sun be gone or p. 327clouded, they wrap up themſelves, or hang down their heads, as being unwilling to be ſeen by any eye but his that fills them; and juſt thus it was with David, when God had hid his face in a cloud. And it is very obſervable, that Job did bear up very ſweetly, bravely, patiently, and nobly under all his great loſſes of children, eſtate, &c. but when the arrows of the Almighty were got within him, then he complains, Job. 6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.Job 6:1Job 6:2Job 6:3Job 6:4Job 6:5that his grief was heavier than the ſands of the ſea: and when the face of God was hidden from him, how ſadly doth he lament and bewail the withdrawings of God; Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, Ch. 23.8, 9.but I cannot perceive him; on the left hand where he doth work, but I cannot behold him; he hideth himſelf on the right hand, that I cannot ſee him. You know there is no pain more grievous and tormenting, than that of breaking the bones: Now David again and again pitches upon this, to hint unto you that dreadful p. 328ſmart and pain that his ſoul was under, Pſal. 38.8. Pſa. 51.8.Ps 38:8Ps 51:8when he had loſt his communion with God, and when his God was withdrawn from him, and had hid his face from him. And ſo the Church ſadly laments the loſſe of her beloved in that Solomons ſong 5.6. I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himſelf, and was gone; my ſoul failed when he ſpake; or he was gone, he was gone. Now this paſſionate duplication ſpeaks out her very great grief and trouble: Like a ſad widdow ſhe ſits down and wrings her hands, and cries out, he is gone, he is gone. My ſoul failed me, or as the Hebrew hath it, Naphſhi Jatſa, My ſoul went out of me, I was even as an aſtoniſhed creature, I was even as a dead creature, to note how greatly and how deeply ſhe was troubled and perplexed upon the account of his withdrawing from her. O the fear, the terrour the horrour, the dread, the grief, the ſorrow that fell upon the Spouſes heart, when her beloved had turned p. 329his back upon her. And ſo it was with Mary, John 20.11, 12, 13. But Mary ſtood without at the Sepulchre weeping, and as ſhe wept ſhe ſtooped down and looked into the Sepulchre, and ſeeth two Angels in white, ſitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jeſus had lain: and they ſaid unto her, Woman, why weepeſt thou? ſhe ſaith unto them, Becauſe they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. Of all loſſes Mary was leaſt able to bear the loſs of her Lord, that loſſe was ſo great, and ſo heavy a loſſe, that ſhe was not able to ſtand under it with dry eyes: Mary's mourning for the loſſe of her Lord was like that of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddon. Zech. 12.11.Zech 12:11There is no loſs that comes ſo neer to a Chriſtians heart, as the loſſe of his Lord: A Chriſtian can a thouſand times better bear the loſſe of his name (which next to his ſoul and his grace is the beſt Jewel that he hath in all the world) the loſſe of his eſtate, the p. 330loſſe of his liberty, the loſſe of his neereſt and deareſt relations, yea, the very loſſe of his life, than he can bear the loſſe of his God.

You ſee how ſadly Micah takes on for the loſſe of his wooden gods, in that Judg. 18.23, 24. And they cried unto the children of Dan, and they turned their faces, and ſaid unto Micah, what aileth thee, that thou comest with ſuch a company? And he ſaid, ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the Prieſt and ye are gone away, and what have I more? and what is this that ye ſay unto me, what aileth thee? Now if Micah was ſo affected and afflicted upon the loſs of his Idol gods, his wooden gods, what cauſe then have Chriſtians to be deeply affected and afflicted, when they come to loſe their God, which is the true God, the living God, the onelyonly God, and the God of Gods. You know, that when Sampſons locks were cut off, Judg. 16.19, 20, 21.Judg 16:19Judg 16:20Judg 16:21his ſtrength was gone; and therefore though he thought to go out, and p. 331do as great things as he had formerly done, yet he found by woful experience that he could not; for now he was become as another man: and it is juſt ſo with the choiceſt Saints, when their God is gone, their locks are cut, and their ſtrength is gone, their doing ſtrength, and their ſuffering ſtrength, & their bearing ſtrength, and their wreſtling ſtrength, and their prevailing ſtrength, &c. is gone, when their God is gone; yea, when God goes, all goes: when the King removes, all his train followes; when God goes, Qui te non habet Domine Deus, totum perdidit. Bern.comforts go; vvhen God goes, joyes go; vvhen God goes, peace goes; vvhen God goes, proſperity goes; vvhen God goes, friends go; vvhen God goes, all content and ſatisfaction goes; and therefore it is no vvonder to ſee a Chriſtian better bear any loſſe than the loſſe of his God, for in loſing of him he loſes all at a clap. A Chriſtian counts it his only happineſſe to enjoy his God, and his onelyonly unhappineſſe p. 332to be deprived of him: the conſtant language of a Chriſtian is, None but God, none but God, as it vvas once the language of the Martyr, None but Chriſt, None but Chriſt.

Outvvard loſſes to ſome men have been unſufferably afflictive: one being turned out of his eſtate runs out of his vvits, another hangs himſelf vvith the ſame hands vvith vvhichwhich he had formerly told his portion. Menipus of Phenicia having loſt his goods, ſtrangled himſelf. Dinarcus Phidon at a certain great loſſe cut his ovvn throat, to ſave the charge of a cord. When Henry the ſecond had heard that his City Menze was taken, he let fall this blaſphemous ſpeech, I ſhall never (ſaid he) love God any more, that hath ſuffered a City ſo dear to me to be taken away from me. Suotenius.And Auguſtus Caeſar (in whoſe time Chriſt was born) was ſo troubled and aſtoniſhed at the loſſe and overthrow p. 333that Varus gave him, that for certain moneths together he let the hair of his head and beard grow without cutting, and ſometimes he would run his head againſt the very doors, and cry out, Quintilius Varus, deliver up my Legions again, Quintilius Varus, deliver up my Legions again, &c. I might give you many ſad inſtances neerer home, but that I love not to harp upon ſo ſad a ſtring. But certainly no outward loſſes can lie ſo heavy upon the ſpirit of a worldling, Compare the 77. and the 88. Pſalms together.as the loſſe of God lies upon the ſpirit of a Saint. I have read of a religious woman, that having brought forth nine children, profeſſed, that ſhe had rather indure all the pains of thoſe nine Travails at once, than indure the miſery of the loſſe of Gods preſence. A man can better bear any loſſe than the loſſe of his box of Jewels, and than the loſſe of his Writings and Evidences that he hath to ſhew for his eſtate; and therefore when his houſe is on fire, he p. 334doth not cry out, O ſave that bed, or that cheſt, or that diſh, or that ſtool, &c. but he cries out, O ſave my box of Jewels, O ſave my Writings, I care not though all be conſumed, ſo my box of Jewels, and my Evidences be but ſaved. Now God is a Chriſtians box of Jewels, he is a Chriſtians grand evidence that he hath to ſhew for another world; and therefore his greateſt fear is of loſing his God, and his greateſt care is of keeping his God; If his box of Jewels be ſafe, then all is ſafe; but if they are loſt, all is loſt; and how then is it poſſible for a Chriſtian to bear up bravely under the loſſe of all? A man may bear up bravely under the loſſe of his Lumber, and and under the loſſe of his houſhold-goods, ſo long as his Jewels are ſafe, and his Writings are ſafe; but if his box of Jewels ſhould be loſt, and his Writings ſhould be burnit, why then he wrings his hands, and cries out, O I am undone, I am undone, I am undone: p. 335So a Chriſtian can bear up bravely under this worldly loſſe, and that worldly loſs, and the other worldly loſſe ſo long as he enjoyes his God, but when he hath loſt his God, O then he cannot but wring his hands, and cry out, I am undone, I am undone, I am undone, I have loſt my God, and in loſing of him I have loſt my life, I have loſt my love, I have loſt my joy, I have loſt my Crown, I have loſt my heaven, I have loſt my happineſſe, I have loſt my all. O Chriſtians, if God be your portion, it will be thus with you upon the loſs of your God. But

Tenthly, 10If God be thy portion, then thou wilt ſet the higheſt price, value, Pſal. 16.3. Pro. 12.26. & ch. 28.6.Ps 16:3Prov 12:26& eſteem upon thoſe that have God for their portion. A man that hath God for his portion never values men by their arts; parts, gifts, gay cloaths, gold chains, no nor by their birth, breeding, high offices, or great places, no nor by their outward dignities, p. 336honours, or riches, &c. but by their intereſt and propriety in God. A man that hath God for his portion prizes a poor ragged Lazarus that hath God for his portion before a rich Dives that hath onelyonly gold for his portion. If thou haſt God for thy portion, then there is no man in Court, City, or Countrey to that man that hath God for his portion, then there is no man in a Pariſh, a County, a Kingdome to him that hath God for his portion; a man that hath God for his portion hath an higher eſteem and a greater reſpect for a Job, though ſtript of all, and ſitting upon a dunghil, than he hath for a wicked Ahab, though ſitting on his royal Throne. Paul ſet an higher price upon Oneſimus, Phil. 10.12, 17. 2 Tim. 4.172 Tim 4:17though but a ſervant, a ſlave, becauſe he had God for his portion, than he did upon Nero, though he was a great and mighty Emperor. And King Ingo valued poor ragged Chriſtians that had God for their portion, above all his glittering p. 337Pagan Nobles that had onelyonly the world for their portion, ſaying, that when all his Pagan Nobles ſhould in all their pomp and glory be turned into hell, thoſe poor Chriſtians that had God for their portion ſhould be his Conſorts and fellow-Princes in heaven. Look, as men that have their portion in this world do value men according to their worldly portions; ſo that they that have moſt gold and ſilver, and they that have moſt Lordſhips and Lands, they are the beſt men, the happieſt men, the only men in their eyes: So a Chriſtian that hath God for his portion, he ſets the higheſt value upon thoſe that have God for their portion, and there are no men in all the world that are ſo high in his books as they are. A man that hath an intereſt in God loves none, nor likes none, nor honours none, nor delights in none, nor exalts none, nor values none to thoſe that have God for their portion; though the men, the p. 338great men of this world may ſit in the uppermoſt ſeats at his table, yet they that have God for their portion ſit in the uppermoſt rooms of his heart. The Jews ſay, that thoſe ſeventy ſouls that went with Jacob into Egypt, were as much worth as all the ſeventy Nations in the world: And I may ſay, that one ſoul that hath God for his portion is more worth than all the ſouls in the world that have only the world for their portion. A man that hath God for his portion, cannot but ſet a very high value upon all thoſe that have God for their portion, though in diſputable things they may differ from him. A man that hath God for his portion had rather live with thoſe that have God for their portion in a priſon, in a dungeon, than live with thoſe that have only the world for their portion in a royal Palace. As Algerius an Italian Martyr was wont to ſay, that he had rather live in priſon with Cato, than with Caeſar in the p. 339Senate-houſe. And Doctor Taylor the Martyr rejoyced exceedingly that ever he came into priſon, becauſe he came there to have acquaintance with that Angel of God John Bradford, as he calls him. Pſa. 105.22Ps 105:22When Joſeph was in Egypt the Scripture ſaith (according to the Hebrew phraſe) That he tied the Princes of Pharaohs Court about his heart; ſo a man that hath God for his portion, he doth as it were tie thoſe that have God for their portion about his heart; O he is alwayes beſt when they are moſt in his eye, and neereſt to his heart; 'tis his happineſſe on this ſide happineſſe to enjoy communion with them, and 'tis the greateſt unhappineſſe in this world to be ſeparated from them. Pſa. 120.5, 6, 7.Ps 120:5Ps 120:6Ps 120:7A man that hath God for his portion values the company of ſuch that have God for their portion above all other company in the world, and he values the favour of ſuch above all other mens favour in the world, and he values the prayers of ſuch p. 340above all other mens prayers in the world, and he values the counſel of ſuch above all other mens counſel in the world, and he values the experiences of ſuch above all other mens experiences in the world, and he values the intereſt of ſuch above all other mens intereſt in the world, and he values the hopes and expectations of ſuch above all other mens hopes and expectations in the world, and he values the examples of ſuch above the examples of all other men in the world, and he values the diſpleaſure and anger of ſuch above all other mens diſpleaſure and anger in the world. But

Eleventhly, 11If God be your portion, then you are his portion; if you have an intereſt in God, then God hath an intereſt in you; if you have a propriety in God; then God hath a propriety in you; if God be truly yours, then you are really his, Cant. 2.16. My beloved is mine, and I am his; Pſal. 119.94. p. 341I am thine, ſave me; There are none that have that large intereſt and propriety in the Saints that God hath, Zech. 2.12 And the Lord ſhall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and ſhall chuſe Jeruſalem again.Zech 2:12I am not mine own, I am not ſins, I am not Satans, I am not the worlds, I am not friends, I am not relations, but I am thine, ſave me, I am really thine, I am totally thine, I am ſolely thine, I am everlaſtingly thine, ſave me; Ezek. 16.8. I entered into covenant with thee, and thou becameſt mine; Deut. 32.9. For the Lords portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance: though Gods people are deſpiſed of the world, yet they are dear to God, for they are his portion. In thoſe words, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance, he alludes to the diviſion of the land of Canaan, as if the ſons of Jacob had fallen to him by lot. The Lords people are as dear to God, and as neer to God, and in as great account with God, as earthly portions and inheritances are or can be among the ſons of men; Jer. 12.10. p. 342Many Paſtors have deſtroyed my Vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleaſant portion (or as the Hebrew hath it, my portion of deſire, or of delight) a deſolate wilderneſſe. Gods people are not onelyonly his portion, but they are his pleaſant portion, yea, they are his deſireable portion, his delightful portion. If the Lord be your portion, then you are his inheritance, Iſa. 19.25. and his peculiar treaſure, Exo. 19.5. and his glory, Iſa. 46.13. and his ornament, Ezek. 7.20. and his throne, Jer. 4.21. and his Diadem, Iſa. 62.…. and his jewels, Mal. 3.17. Theſe Scriptures ſpeaks out plainly and clearly that great propriety and intereſt that God hath in all thoſe that have a propriety and intereſt in him. O Sirs, look that as in all God hath you have an intereſt, ſo in all that you have God hath an intereſt; and look as what God is, he is for you, ſo what you are, you are for God; and look, as God is ſincerely for you, ſo you p. 343are ſincerely for God; and as God is wholly for you, ſo you are wholly for God; and as God is onelyonly for you, ſo you are onelyonly for God; and as God is in all things for you, ſo you are in all things for God; and as God is at all times for you, ſo you are at all times for God. O Sirs, there are none under heaven that have that intereſt in you as God hath, if indeed he be your poron. Look what intereſt the head hath in the members, the husband in the wife, the father in the child, the Lord in his ſervant, the General in his ſouldier, and the Prince in his ſubject, that, all that, and more than that hath God in all thoſe that have an intereſt in him. There is no man in the world that hath ſuch an intereſt in himſelf, as God hath in him, if indeed God be his portion. Sinne cannot ſay to a man that hath God for his portion, Thou art mine; nor Satan cannot ſay to a man that hath God for his portion, Thou art mine; nor the World cannot p. 344ſay to a man that hath God for his portion, Thou art mine; nor the Creature cannot ſay to a man that hath God for his portion, Thou art mine; it is onelyonly God that can ſay to ſuch a man, Thou art mine. As in marriage, none can ſay, This woman is mine, but the husband; ſo none can ſay to a man that hath God for his portion, Thou art mine, but God alone. Look, as no man can truly ſay, That God is my Lord, and my God, and my father, and my friend, and my wiſdome, and my counſel, and my righteouſneſſe, and my conſolation, and my ſalvation, and my portion, and my light, and my life, and my love, and my rock, Pſa. 8.1, 2.Ps 8:1Ps 8:2and my fortreſſe, and my deliverer, & my ſtrength, and my buckler, and my high tower, and my help, and my happineſs, and my bleſſedneſs, and my all in all, but he that hath God for his portion; ſo none but God can look upon a gracious perſon, and ſay, This gracious perſon is mine, p. 345he is my bride, my child, my friend, my favourite, my beloved, my darling, my joy, my crown; his heart is ſet upon me, and his love is inflamed towards me, and his truſt and confidence is fixed on me, and his deſires and longings are running out after me, and all his joyes and delights are terminated in me. But

Twelfthly, 12If God be your portion, then certainly the leaſt of God is very dear and precious to you: O then the leaſt truth of God will be very precious to you, and the leaſt command of God will be very precious to you, and the leaſt child of God will be very precious to you, and the leaſt concernment of God will be very precious to you. Look, as the leaſt beam of light is precious, and as the leaſt drop of honey is precious, and as the leaſt duſt of gold is precious, and as the leaſt degree of health and ſtrength is precious, and as the leaſt meaſure of liberty is p. 346precious; ſo the very leaſt of God is very precious to that man that hath God for his portion. Look, as every little piece and parcel of a worldly mans portion is very dear and precious to him; ſo every little piece and parcel of God (if I may ſo ſpeak) is very dear and precious to him that hath God for his portion. The leaſt glimpſe and manifeſtations of the love and favour of God, the leaſt taſte of the mercies of God, the leaſt anointings of the Spirit of God, the leaſt cōmunications of the grace of God, & the leaſt drops of the conſolations of God, are exceeding ſweet & precious to him that hath God for his portion: The leaſt good look that a man hath from God, and the leaſt good word that a man hears from God, and the leaſt love-letter and love-token that a man receives from God, is exceeding precious to that man that hath God for his portion: Pſal. 84.10.Ps 84:10One day in thy Courts is better than a thouſand elſewhere: he doth not ſay, one year p. 347in thy Courts is better than a thouſand elſewhere, but one day in thy Courts is better than a thouſand elſwhere; nor he doth not ſay, one quarter of a year in thy Courts is better than a thouſand elſewhere, but one day in thy Courts is better than a thouſand elſewhere; nor he doth not ſay, one monethmonth in thy Courts is better than a thouſand elſewhere, but one day in thy Courts is better than a thouſand elſewhere; to ſhew, that the very leaſt of God is exceeding precious to a gracious ſoul that hath God for his portion.

Now by theſe twelve particulars you may all know whether God be your portion or no, except you are reſolved before-hand to put a cheat upon your own immortal ſouls, and ſo to make your ſelves miſerable in both worlds. And let thus much ſuffice for this uſe of trial and examination.

Now if upon trial and examination any of you ſhall come to ſome comfortable ſatisfaction in p. 348your own ſpirits, that God is your portion, and that you have an undoubted intereſt and propriety in God, O then I would upon the knee of my ſoul intreat, and beſeech you, (I might ſay, charge and command you) to evidence and declare to all the world your intereſt and propriety in God.

But you will ſay, how ſhould we evidence and declare to the world our intereſt and propriety in God? we are willing to do it, if we did but know how we ſhould do it. Why then thus:

Firſt, 1Evidence and declare your intereſt and propriety in God, Num. 11.29 John 1.39-49. Ch. 4.28, 29, 30. Acts 10.24, 25, 27.Num 11:29John 1:39–49Acts 10:24Acts 10:25Acts 10:27by your labouring and indeavouring with all your might to draw on others to get an intereſt and propriety in God. O Sirs, have you been convinced of the neceſſity and excellency of intereſt and propriety in God? have you experienced the profit, the ſweet, the comfort, and the happineſſe of p. 349propriety and intereſt in God? and how then can you but ſtrive, as for life, to perſwade others to look after their intereſt and propriety in Chriſt, as the one thing neceſſary? Judg. 14.8, 9.Judg 14:8Judg 14:9When Sampſon had taſted honey, he gave his father and mother ſome with him. O my brethren, propriety and intereſt in God is ſo ſweet a morſel, that I cannot ſee how it is poſſible for a man to taſt of it, and not to commend it to others; they that have taſted, that the Lord is gracious, cannot but cry out with the Pſalmiſt, O taſt and ſee that the Lord is good. Pſal. 34.8.Ps 34:8Propriety and intereſt in God will never make a man a churle, it will never work a man to make a monopoly of ſo rare a jewel as that is. O the ſervent prayers! O the burning deſires! O the vehement wiſhes! O the ſtrong indeavours of ſuch that have an intereſt and propriety in God, to draw on others to ſeek after an intereſt and propriety in God! All true propriety and intereſt in God is of a diffuſive nature, p. 350it is like light that will ſpread it ſelf over all, it is like leaven that will run through all, it is like Maries box of ſweet ointment that filled all the houſe with the ſweet ſcent thereof. If thou art a Miniſter, Act. 26.29Acts 26:29evidence thy propriety in God, in doing all thou canſt to provoke thoſe that are under thy charge to ſecure their propriety in God; other things cannot be ſecured, but propriety in God may be ſecured. If thou art a Magiſtrate that haſt a propriety in God, Joſh. 24.15Josh 24:15evidence it by doing all thou canſt by thy commands, and by thy counſel, and by thy example, and by thy prayers, to perſwade, and win others over to be reſtleſſe, till they have ſecured their intereſt and propriety in God. If thou art a father that haſt intereſt and propriety in God, O then let thy ſoul be ſtill in travail for thy children, till Chriſt be formed in them, till they are new-born, and till they have experienced the power and ſweet of propriety and intereſt p. 351in God. But

Secondly, 2Evidence your propriety and intereſt in God, by keeping far off from all ſuch ſinful courſes, practiſes, and compliances that may any ways put your ſelves or others to queſtion the truth of your propriety and intereſt in God. Thus did thoſe worthies, of whom this world was not worthy, in that Heb. 11. Num. 4.5. to 13.Num 4:5–13It is very obſervable that when the holy things belonging to the Sanctuary were to be removed, God commanded Aaron and his ſons, that there ſhould be a ſpecial care had to cover them all over, leſt in journeying duſt ſhould any wayes ſoil them. O beloved, it highly concerns you that have an intereſt and propriety in God, to look narrowly to your hearts, words, works, and wayes, and to ſee that there be ſuch a covering of grace and holineſſe, ſuch a covering of care, fear, wiſdome, watchfulneſſe, and circumſpection over your whole man, that no ſcandalous ſins, pollutions, or defilements p. 352be found upon you, Rev. 14.3, 4, 5. Chap. 3.4.Rev 14:3Rev 14:4Rev 14:5according to that exhortation of the Apoſtle, in that Phil. 2.15. That ye may be blameleſſe, and harmleſſe, the ſons of God, without rebuke, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe nation, among whom ye ſhine (or ſhine ye) as lights in the world. I have read of the Dove, that there is ſuch a native dread of the Hawk implanted in her, that ſhe is afraid of every feather that hath grown upon a Hawk, and that ſhe ſo deteſts and abhors the very ſight of any ſuch feather, that ſhe will fly from it, and keep at the greateſt diſtance imaginable from it: And ſhall not that divine fear, O Chriſtians, that is planted by the hand of the Spirit in your hearts, be of as great a force and prevalency to keep your ſouls from all thoſe enormities and wicked compliances that may in the leaſt occaſion you or others to queſtion your propriety and intereſt? remember Francis Spira, and tremble. You know a Scrivener may by one great blot at laſt ſpoil all p. 353that he hath done for many dayes before upon a large Pattent or Leaſe; ſo a man may by one foul blot, by one enormous crime, by one wretched act of compliance, daſh and obliterate the faireſt copy of a vertuous life, and raze out all the viſible golden characters of divine graces, that once ſeemed to be printed upon the ſoul. Look, as one drop of ink coloureth a whole glaſſe of clear water; ſo one groſs ſin, one ſhameful action, one hours compliance with any thing of Antichriſt will colour and ſtain all the great things that ever you have ſuffered, and all the good things that ever you have performed; it will ſtain and colour all the good prayers that ever you have made, and all the good Sermons that ever you have heard, and all the good books that ever you have read, and all the good words that ever you have ſpoke, and all the good works that ever you have done: And therefore whatever you do, keep off from ſinne, and p. 354keep off from all ſinful compliances, as you would keep off from hell it ſelt. But

Thirdly, 3Declare and evidence your propriety and intereſt in God by maintaining and keeping up the ſenſe of your intereſt and propriety in God, in oppoſition to all other intereſt whatſoever; maintain your intereſt in God, in oppoſition to ſins intereſt, and in oppoſition to Satans intereſt, Pſal. 63.1. Rev. 14.1, 2, 3, 4.Ps 63:1Rev 14:1Rev 14:2Rev 14:3Rev 14:4and in oppoſition to the worlds intereſt, and in oppoſition to Antichriſts intereſt, and in oppoſition to all carnal and ſuperſtitious intereſts; as Moſes did, Num. 14.Num 14and as Joſhuah and Caleb did, and as Mordecai and Nehemiah did, and as Daniel and the three Children did, and as the Apoſtles and the primitive Chriſtians did. Certainly the heart of a gracious man cannot but riſe, Pſal. 69.9. Pſa. 15.5.Ps 69:9Ps 15:5and his anger and indignation cannot but ſwell againſt every thing and every intereſt that threatens to make a breach upon his intereſt and propriety p. 355in God. A man that hath an intereſt and propriety in God, in the midſt of all oppoſitions is like a man made up all of fire, walking in ſtubble and ſtraw, he overcomes and conſumes all oppoſitions, and all difficulties are but whetſtones to his fortitude; he incourages his ſoul in the face of all oppoſitions and dangers, as Hezekiah once did his ſouldiers in that 2 Chron. 32.7, 8. Be ſtrong and couragious, be not diſmayed for the King of Aſſyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him; for there be more with us, than with him: With him is an arm of fleſh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and to fight our battels. And the people reſted themſelves upon the words of Hezekiah, King of Judah. He is a fool, we ſay, that will be laughed out of his Coat; but certainly he is a fool in Folio that will be laughed out of his skin, nay, out of his ſoul, out of his profeſſion, out of his eternal ſalvation; but doubtleſſe ſuch fools as theſe have never experienced p. 356the ſweet of propriety and intereſt in God. Without all peradventure there were many broad jeſts and many bitter ſcoffs broken upon Noah, whil'ſt he was a building of his Ark; the people laugh't at him, and derided him, and thought the poor old man doted and dreamed, not as we ſay of a dry Summer, but of a wet Winter: but yet Noahs propriety and intereſt in God being clear, Noah begins his work, and goes on his work, and never ceaſes till he had finiſhed that work that God had ſet him about.

Alciat obſerves in one of his Emblems, that a dog then barketh moſt, when the Moon is at fulleſt; (but whether it be by ſome ſpecial influence that it then worketh in the dog; or whether it be occaſioned by the ſpots in the Moon repreſented unto him in the forme and ſhape of another dog, I ſhall not conclude:) but yet let the dog bark never ſo much, the Moon will run her courſe, ſhe will walk her ſtation ſecurely through the p. 357Heavens, though all the dogs in the Town bark never ſo fiercely at her; ſo a man that hath an intereſt and propriety in God (and knows it) he is like the Moon, he will hold on his courſe heaven-wards, and holineſſe-wards, though all the lewd and debauched wicked wretches in City and Countrey ſhould bark at him, and deride him, and oppoſe him, and ſpeak all manner of evil againſt him. Propriety and intereſt in God will make a man ſet light by all ſuch paper-ſhot, yea, it will carry him through the pikes, not onelyonly of evil tongues, but it will alſo carry him through the moſt fierce and eager oppoſition that either Satan himſelf, or any of his inſtruments can poſſibly raiſe againſt him. But

Fourthly, 4Declare and evidence your propriety and intereſt in God by your ſweet and noble carriage and deportment towards thoſe that have an intereſt and propriety p. 358in God. Look, as a child carries it in a different way to his Father to what he doth to others, ſo you muſt carry it in a different way towards thoſe that have an intereſt and propriety in God, to what you do towards thoſe that have no intereſt nor propriety at all in God. Though a wife be very kind and courteous to all comers and goers, yet ſhe carries it in a very different way to her husband from what ſhe doth to all others, ſhe carries it with a great deal more kindneſſe, and ſweetneſſe, and tenderneſſe, and familiarneſſe, and nobleneſſe, &c. towards her husband, than ſhe doth towards others, whether they be friends or ſtrangers: And juſt thus ſhould you carry it towards thoſe that have a propriety and intereſt in God. I have not faith enough to believe that ſuch men have any intereſt and propriety in God, who carry it very ſtrangely and proudly, and churliſhly, and ſcornfully, and deridingly, and tyrannically, p. 359and diſdainfully, and enviouſly, and maliciouſly, and rigorouſly, and ſowrly, and bitterly, &c. towards thoſe that have an intereſt and propriety in God, and yet carry it at the ſame time very fairly, and ſweetly, and courteouſly, &c. towards ſuch wretches that have no intereſt or propriety in God at all, yea, to ſuch that blaſpheme his Name, and that prophane his Sabbaths, and that pollute his Ordinances, and that trample upon his mercies, and that deſpiſe his warnings, and that are given up to their own hearts luſts, and that live as if there were neither God, nor heaven, nor hell. But

Fifthly, 5Evidence your intereſt and propriety in God, by doing ſuch things for God, which ſuch as have no intereſt in God cannot do, nor will not do, nor have no heart nor minde to do; evidence your intereſt in God, Matth. 5.44, 45, 46, 47, 48.Matt 5:44Matt 5:45Matt 5:46Matt 5:47Matt 5:48by doing ſingular things for God, by doing ſuch things for God that are above p. 360their reach that have no intereſt nor propriety in God at all; As by denying your ſelves, your ſinful ſelves, your natural ſelves, and your religious ſelves; and by keeping a ſingular guard upon your owne hearts, words, and wayes; and by ſtepping over the Worlds Crown to take up Chriſts Croſſe, Heb. 11.Heb 11as Moſes did; and by leſſening your ſelves to greaten Chriſt, as John did; Joh. 3.30, 31, 32.John 3:30John 3:31John 3:32and by lifting up of Chriſt above your luſts, above your ſelves, above the world, above outward priviledges, above your performances, above your arts, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9.Phil 3:7Phil 3:8Phil 3:9parts, and gifts, as Paul did; and by bleſſing a taking God as well as a giving God, Job 1.Job 1as Job did; and by rejoycing and glorying in all the afflictions and ſufferings that befalls you for Chriſts ſake and the Goſpels ſake, as the Apoſtles and primitive Chriſtians did; and by chuſing to ſuffer rather than to ſin, Heb. 11.Heb 11as thoſe Worthies did of whom this world was not worthy; and by keeping of your p. 361ſelves from the defilements, pollutions, and abominations of the times, as ſome in Sardis did; Rev. 3.4.Rev 3:4and by following of the Lamb whereſoever he goes, as thoſe hundred fourty and four thouſand did, who had their fathers name written in their foreheads. O Sirs, Chap. 14.1, 2, 3. 4, 5.it is infinitely better not to challenge any intereſt or propriety in God at all, then to pretend high as to intereſt and propriety in God, and yet to do no more for God (nay it may be not ſo much) than they that have no intereſt nor propriety in God at all. But

Sixthly and laſtly, 6Evidence your intereſt and propriety in God, by falling roundly in with the intereſt of God, in oppoſition to all carnal intereſts in the world. O Sirs, the intereſt of God will by degrees eat out and ſwallow up all other intereſts in the world. Look as Pharaohs lean kine eat up the ſat, Gen. 41.4. Exod. 7.11, 12.Gen 41:4Exod 7:11Exod 7:12and as Aarons rod ſwallowed up the Egyptians rods, ſo the intereſt p. 362of God will in time eat up and ſwallow up all that ſuperſtitious carnal worldly Antichriſtian and Satanical intereſt that men labour now to uphold with all their might; Iſa. 8 9, 10.Isa 8:9Isa 8:10Dan. 2.35. Then was the iron, the clay, the braſſe, the ſilver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the Summer threſhing-floors, and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them; and the ſtone that ſmote the Image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. Verſe 44. And in the dayes of theſe Kings ſhall the God of heaven ſet up a Kingdom, which ſhall never be deſtroyed; and the Kingdome ſhall not be left to other people, but it ſhall break in pieces, and conſume all theſe Kingdomes, and it ſhall ſtand for ever. And ſo, Chap. 7.27. And the Kingdom & dominion, & the greatneſs of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven ſhall be given to the people of the Saints of the moſt High, whoſe Kingdom is an ever laſting Kingdome, and all Dominions ſhall ſerve and obey him. Rev. 17.12, 13, 14. And the ten hornes which p. 363thou ſaweſt, are ten Kings, which have received no Kingdome as yet; but receive power as Kings one hour with the beaſt: theſe have one mind, and ſhall give their power and ſtrength unto the beaſt: theſe ſhall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb ſhall overcome them; for he is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and they that are with him, are called, and choſen, and faithful. If theſe Scriptures do not clearly evidence, that the intereſt of Chriſt ſhall ſwallow up all other intereſts, I underſtand nothing. Now mark, the people of God are the intereſt of God, and the Goſpel of God is the intereſt of God, and the Ordinances of God are the intereſt of God, and the inſtitutions and pure worſhip of God are the intereſt of God, &c. And therefore all you that have an intereſt and propriety in God, evidence it by your ready and reſolute falling in with the intereſt of God. Believe it, they that fall in with the intereſt of God, fall in with the ſtrongeſt ſide, and will be p. 364ſure to carry it againſt ten thouſand worlds: What is the ſtubble to the flames? what is weakneſſe to ſtrength? what is impotency to omnipotency? what is folly to wiſdome? what is emptineſſe to fulneſſe? no more are all the carnal intereſts in the world to the intereſt of God; and therefore thrice happy is that man that falls timely and cordially in with the intereſt of God.

But now, if upon trial and examination any of you ſhall finde that yet the Lord is not your portion, (and this I believe will be the caſe of many of you) I would exhort all ſuch perſons to labour with all their might, yea, to labour as for life, to get the Lord to be their portion. O Sirs, this is the one thing neceſſary, this is the Sun among the ſtars, this is the work of works that lies upon your hands; when this is done all is done, till this be done there is nothing done that will do you good p. 365in another world. O Sirs, your lives lies upon it, your ſouls lie upon it, eternity lies upon it, your all lies upon it, and therefore you had need be reſtleſſe, till you have gained the Lord to be your portion.

Now that I may the more effectually provoke you, and ſtir you up to this great and glorious, this neceſſary and weighty work, give me leave to propoſe theſe following Conſiderations.

Firſt, Conſider, 1that thy preſent portion, thy preſent condition is but miſerable and curſed: Levit. 26. Deut. 28.Lev 26Deut 28All the earth was curſt upon mans fall, and till fallen man comes to be intereſted in God, all his earthly enjoyments are curſt unto him, his honours are curſt, and his riches are curſt, and his preferments are curſt, and his pleaſures are curſt; the whole portion of his cup is nothing but a little curſed vanity, Job 20.23, 24, 25, 28, 29. When he is about to fill his belly, God ſhall eaſt the p. 366fury of his wrath upon him, and ſhall rain it upon him while he is eating. He ſhall flee from the iron weapon, and the bowe of ſteel ſhall ſtrike him through. It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the gliſtering ſword cometh out of his gall; terrours are upon him. The increaſe of his houſe ſhall depart, and his goods ſhall flow away in the day of his wrath. This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God. And ſo Chap. 24.18. He is ſwift as the waters, their portion is curſed in the earth; he beholdeth not the way of the Vineyards. Prov. 3.33. The curſe of the Lord is in the houſe of the wicked. Mal. 2.2. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my Name, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, I will even ſend a curſe upon you, and I will curſe your bleſſings, yea, I have curſed them already, becauſe ye do not lay it to heart. There is a real curſe, and a ſecret curſe, an inviſible curſe, and an inſenſible curſe that lies upon all their ſouls that have not God for their portion; Gal. 3.10. Curſed is p. 367every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them. And as there is a curſe upon all their ſouls, ſo there is a curſe upon all their comforts, contentments, and enjoyments, that enjoy not God for their portion; till a man comes to enjoy God for his portion, all his earthly portions are curſt unto him, but when a man comes to enjoy God for his portion, then all his earthly portions are bleſt unto him. O Sirs, there is no mitigating of the curſe, there is no reverſing of the curſe, there is no altering of the curſe, nor there is no taking of the curſe from off your ſouls, nor from off your earthly portions, but by gaining God to be your portion O Sirs you will live accurſed, and you will die accurſed, and you will appear before God accurſed, and you will be judged and ſentenced by God accurſed, and you will be ſent to hell accurſed, and you will remain to all eternity accurſed, if God be p. 368not your portion: and therefore, O how ſhould this Conſideration awaken every ſinner to give God no reſt till he hath given himſelf as a portion to him! But