An Ark for All Gods Noahs, Text (1 of 5)

An Ark for All Gods Noahs · Text (1 of 5)

p. 1A MATCHLESSE PORTION.

LAMENT. 3.24.

The Lord is my portion, ſaith my ſoul, therefore will I hope in him.

CErtainly, if Ennius could pick out Gold out of a Dunghil, I may, by Divine Aſſiſtance, much better pick out golden matter out of ſuch a golden Myne, as my Text is, to enrich the ſouls of men withall. p. 2The beſt of Painters, Apelles.to draw an exquiſite Venus, had ſet before him an hundred choice and ſelected beauties, to take from one an eye, another a lip, a third a ſmile, a fourth an hand, and from each of them that ſpecial lineament in which ſhe moſt excelled: but I have no need of any other Scripture to be ſet before me, to draw forth the excellency of the Saints portion, than that which I have now pitch't upon; for the beauty, excellency, and glory of an hundred choice Scriptures are epitomized in this one.

The Jewiſh Doctors, and other Writers differ about the time of Jeremiahs penning this Book of the Lamentations; but to be ignorant of the circumſtance of time when this Book was made, is ſuch a crime, as I ſuppoſe will not be charg'd upon any mans account in the great day of our Lord Jeſus.

Doubtleſſe this Book of the Lamentations was compoſed by Jeremiah in the time of the Babylonian p. 3captivity. In this Book the Prophet ſadly laments and bewails the grievous calamities and miſeries that had befallen the Jews, viz. the ruine of their State, the devaſtation of their land, the deſtruction of their glorious City and Temple (which was the great wonder of the world) the prophanation of all his holy things, the contemptible and deplorable condition of all ſorts, ranks, and degrees of men; and then he complains of their ſins, as the procuring cauſes of all thoſe calamities, that God, in his righteouſneſs, had inflicted upon them: He exhorts them alſo to patience under the mighty hand of God, and ſtirs them up to repent, and reform, as they would have their ſins pardoned, judgments removed, divine wrath pacified, their inſulting enemies ſuppreſſed, and former acts and grants of favour and grace reſtored to them.

But to come to the words of my Text.

p. 4The Lord Jehovah, from Havah, He was: this name Jehovah is the moſt proper Name of God, and 'tis never attributed to any, but to God.The three ſyllables contain the notes of all times. Je, the time to come, Ho, the time preſent, Vah, the time paſt.

Firſt, Jehovah ſets out Gods eternity, in that it containeth all times, future, preſent, and paſt.

Secondly, It ſets out alſo Gods Self-exiſtency, coming from Havah, to Be.

Thirdly, When either ſome ſpecial mercy is promiſed, or ſome extraordinary judgment is threatned, then the Name of Jehovah is commonly annexed, to ſhew, that that God, whoſe being is from himſelf, and who gives a being to all his creatures, both in heaven, and on earth, will certainly give a being to his promiſes and threatnings, and not fail to accompliſh the words that are gone out of his mouth.

Fourthly, This name Jehovah conſiſts onelyonly of quieſcent letters, i.e. letters of reſt, (as the Hebrews call them) to ſhew, that there is p. 5no reſt till we come to Jehovah, and that in him we may ſafely and ſecurely reſt, as the Dove did in Noahs Ark.

Is my portion. Chelki, from foreign Chalak; the Hebrew word ſignifies to divide. He alludes, as I take it, to the dividing of the Land of Canaan amongſt the Iſraelites, by lot; The Lord, ſaith he, is my portion, my part, my lot, and with this portion I reſt fully ſatisfied, as the Iſraelites were to do with their parts and portions in that pleaſant Land. 'Tis true, ſaith Jeremiah (in the name of the Church) I am thus and thus afflicted, and ſorely diſtreſſed on all hands, but yet the Lord is my portion, and that ſupports, and bares up my ſpirits from fainting and ſinking in this evil day.

Saith my ſoul, Naphſhi, from foreign Nepheſh; the Hebrew word hath nine ſeveral ſenſes or ſignifications in the Scripture. But let this ſuffice, that by ſoul here in the Text, we are to underſtand the heart, p. 6the minde, the ſpirit, and the underſtanding of a man. Well, ſaith the Prophet, though I am in a ſea of ſorrow, & in a gulf of miſery, yet my heart tells me, that the Lord is my portion, my minde tells me, that the Lord is my portion, my ſpirit tells me, that the Lord is my portion, and my underſtanding tells me, that the Lord is my portion: and therefore I will bare up bravely in the face of all calamities and miſeries.

Therefore will I hope in him: the Hebrew word foreign that is here rendered hope, Gen 8.10. Iſa. 42.4. Pſal. 31.25.Gen 8:10Isa 42:4Ps 31:25is from foreign Jachal that ſignifies both hoping, expecting, and truſting, alſo it ſignifies a patient waiting upon the Lord. The Prophet Jeremiah had not only a witneſſe above him, but alſo a witneſſe within him, that the Lord was his portion; and therefore he reſolves firmly to hope in the Lord, and ſweetly to truſt on the Lord, and quietly and patiently to wait upon the Lord, till God ſhould turn his ſtorm into a calm, p. 7and his ſad Winter into a bleſſed Summer.

In my Text there are three things obſervable.

Firſt, an Aſſertion, or Propoſition, in thoſe words, The Lord is my portion.

Secondly, A proof of it, in thoſe words, Saith my ſoul.

Thirdly, The uſe or inference from the premiſes, in thoſe words, Therefore will I hope in him.

The words being thus opened, the Propoſition that I intend to inſiſt upon, is this, viz.

That the Lord is the Saints portion, doct. the Lord is the believers portion.

I ſhall call in a few Scriptures to witneſſe to the truth of this Propoſition, and then I ſhall further open it to you. Pſal. 16.5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup: thou maintaineſt my lot. Pſal. 73.26. My fleſh and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever. p. 8Pſ. 119.57. Thou art my portion, O Lord, I have ſaid that I would keep thy words. Jer. 10.16. The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things, and Iſrael is the Rod of his inheritance; the Lord of Hoſts is his name.

Now for the further opening and clearing up of this great and glorious, this ſweet and bleſſed truth, I ſhall indeavour to ſhew you.

Firſt, what a portion the Lord is to his Saints, to his gracious ones. And.

Secondly, the reaſons or grounds whereupon the Saints have laid claim to God, as their portion.

For the firſt, What a portion God is. Now the excellency of this portion I ſhall ſhew you, by an induction of particulars thus:

Firſt, God is a preſent portion, he is a portion in hand, he is a portion in poſſeſſion; Pſal. 48.14. Iſa. 25.9.Ps 48:14Isa 25:9all the Scriptures that are c…ted to prove the Doctrine, evidence this to be a truth: p. 9And ſo doth that, Pſal. 46.…. God is a very preſent help in trouble. The Hebrew word Betſaroth is in the plurall number, Maximilian the Emperour was ſo delighted with that ſentence of Paul, Si Deus nobiſcum, If God be with us, who ſhall be againſt us? that he cauſed it to be written upon the Walls in moſt rooms of his Palace.troubles, that is, God is a preſent help in many troubles, in great troubles, and in continued troubles. Betſaroth is from foreign I for, that ſignifies to ſtraiten, and cloſely to beſiege, it notes the extremity of affliction and trouble. When the people of God are in their greateſt extremity, then God will be a preſent help, a preſent portion to them. Iſa. 43.2. When thou paſſeſt through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the Rivens, they ſhall not overflow thee; when thou walkeſt through the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. God will be a preſent help, a preſent relief, a preſent ſupport, a preſent comfort, a preſent portion to his people, in all thoſe great and various trials that they p. 10may be exerciſed under. Pſal. 142.5. I cried unto thee, O Lord; I ſaid, thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. God is a portion in preſent poſſeſſion, and not a portion in reverſion; the Pſalmiſt doth not ſay, Thou mayeſt be my portion in another world, but Thou art my portion in the land of the living: nor he doth not ſay, Thou wilt be my portion in another world, but Thou are my portion in the land of the living. Look, as Elkanah gave Hannah a worthy portion in hand, 1 Sam. 1.5.1 Sam 1:5ſo God gives himſelf to his Saints, as a worthy portion in hand: Many men wait, and wait long for their earthly portions before they enjoy them, yea, their patience is oftentimes wore ſo thread-bare in waiting, that they wiſh their parents in Abrahams boſome, I, and ſometimes in a worſer place, that ſo they may inherit their Honours, Lordſhips, Lands, Treaſures, &c. Look, as a bird in the hand is worth two, I, ten in the buſh; ſo a portion in poſſeſſion p. 11is worth two, I, ten in reverſion. Now God is a portion in preſent poſſeſſion, and that ſpeaks out the excellency of the Saints portion. As he in Piatarch ſaid of the Scythians, that although they had no muſick, nor vines among them, yet (as a better thing) they had gods. So I may ſay, though the Saints have not this, nor that, nor the other earthly portion among them, yet (as a better thing) they have God for their preſent portion: and what can they deſire more? But

Secondly, As God is a preſent portion, ſo God is an immenſe portion, he is a vaſt, large portion, he is the greateſt portion of all portions: 1 Tim. 6.15. Which in his times he ſhall ſhew, who is the bleſſed and onelyonly Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Theſe words are a ſtately and lofty deſcription of the greatneſs of God: the Apoſtle heapeth up many words together, to ſhew, that in greatneſſe God excels all, Iſa. 40.15, 16, 17. Behold, p. 12the Nations are as a drop of a bucket, & are counted as the ſmall duſt of the ballance: Behold, he taketh up the Iſles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not ſufficient to burn, nor the beaſts thereof ſufficient for a burnt offering. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him leſſe than nothing, and vanity. Not onelyonly one Nation, but many Nations; yea, not onelyonly many Nations, but all Nations, in compariſon of God, are but as the drop of a bucket; and what's leſſer than a drop? and as the ſmall duſt of a ballance; and what's of lighter weight and leſſer worth than the ſmall duſt or powder of the ballance that hangs on the ſcale, and yet never alters the weight? yea, they are nothing, they are leſſe than nothing. And though Lebanon was a very great ſpacious Forreſt, and had abundance of beaſts in it, yet God was a God of that infinite greatneſſe, that though all the beaſts harbouring in that ſtately Forreſt ſhould be ſlain, and all the wood growing p. 13on it cut down to burn them with it, all would not make up a ſacrifice any wayes anſwerable or proportionable to his greatneſſe with whom they had to do: and ſo in that, Pſal. 147.5. Great is our Lord, and of great power; his underſtanding is infinite, or as the Hebrew hath it, of his underſtanding there is no number. Such is his greatneſs, that he knows not onelyonly all kinds and ſorts of things, but even all particulars, though they exceed all number: Pſal. 145.3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praiſed, and his greatneſs is unſearchable, or as the Hebrew hath it, of his greatneſs there is no ſearch. God is infinitely above all names, all notions, all conceptions, all expreſſions, and all parallels: Pſa. 150.2. Praiſe him for his mighty acts, praiſe him according to his excellent greatneſs, or greatneſſe of greatneſſe, or abundance of greatneſſe, or according to the multitude of his greatneſſe, as the Hebrew and Greek carries it: and ſo in that, Deut. 10.17. For the Lord your God is p. 14God of Gods, In Daniel God is called El Elim, the mighty of mighties.and Lord of Lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not perſons, nor taketh reward. God is the original cauſe of all greatneſs; all that greatneſs that is in any created beings, whether they are Angels, or men, is from God; all their greatneſſe is but a beam of his Sun, a drop out of his Sea, a mite out of his Treaſury. Pſal. 139.Ps 139God is a God of that infinite greatneſſe, that he fills heaven and earth with his preſence, he is every where, and yet circumſcribed to no place, he is in all things, and without all things, and above all things, and this ſpeaks out his immenſity. Job had a very large portion, before God made a breach upon him, Job 1.3.Job 1:3He had ſeven thouſand ſheep, and three thouſand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred ſhe-aſſes, and a very great houſhold; but at laſt God gives him twice as much as he had firſt, Job 42.12.Job 42:12for he had fourteen thouſand ſheep, and ſix thouſand camels, and a thouſand yoke of oxen, and a thouſand ſhe-aſſes. Cattle p. 15are onelyonly inſtanced in, becauſe the wealth of that Countrey conſiſted eſpecially in cattel; but yet doubtleſſe Job had a great many other good things, as goods, lands, poſſeſſions, and ſtately habitations; but what is all this to a Saints portion? certainly, had not Job had God for his portion, he had been but a rich fool, a golden beaſt, notwithſtanding all the great things that God had heaped upon him. And ſo Ahaſuerus had a very large portion, Eſth. 1.1, 2.Esth 1:1Esth 1:2he reigned from India unto Ethiopia over an hundred and ſeven and twenty Provinces, but what were all his Provinces; but as ſo many handfuls of duſt, in compariſon of the Saints portion? The whole Turkiſh Empire, ſaith Luther, is but a cruſt that God throws to a dog: had a man all the world for his portion, it would be but a poor pittance. Nebuchadnezzar had a very great portion, Dan. 5.18, 19. O thou King, the moſt high God gave thy father Nebuchadnezzar a Kingdome, and majeſty, and glory, and honour. p. 16And for the majeſty that he gave him, all people, Nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he ſlew, and whom he would he kept alive, and whom he would he ſet up, and whom he would he put down. And ſo in that, Jer. 27.5, 6, 7, 8. I have made the earth, the man, and the beaſt that are upon the ground, See Jer. 28.14.Jer 28:14by my great power, and by my out-ſtretched arm, and I have given it unto whom it ſeemed me… unto me. And now have I given all theſe lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, my ſervant, and the beaſts of the field have I given him alſo to ſerve him. And all Nations ſhall ſerve him, and his ſon, and his ſons ſon, until the very time of his land come; and then many Nations and great Kings ſhall ſerve themſelves of him. And it ſhall come to paſs, that the Nation and Kingdome which will not ſerve the ſame Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the King of Babylon, that Nation will I puniſh, ſaith the Lord, with the ſword, and with p. 17the famine, and with the peſtilence, until I have conſumed them by his hand. The portion that here God gives to Nebuchadnezzar is a wonderful large portion; and yet all theſe Nations that God gave to him, were but as ſo many molehils, or as ſo many birds neſts, compared with a Saints portion. All Nations are but as a drop of a bucket (that may in a moment be wip't off with a finger) in compariſon of God, nay, they are all nothing; but that word is too high, for they are leſſe than nothing: had a man as many worlds at his command as there be men on earth, or Angels in heaven, yet they would be but as ſo many drops, or as ſo many attomes to a Saints portion.

When Alc biades was proudly boaſting of his lands that lay together, Socrates wittily rebukes his pride, by bringing him a Map of the world, and wiſhing him to ſhew him where his lands did lie; his lands would hardly amount to p. 18more than the prick of a pin; England, Scotland, and Ireland are but three little ſpots, to the vaſt Continents that be in other parts of the world; and what then is thy palace, thy lordſhips, thy mannors, thy farme, thy houſe, thy cottage, but a little minum, but a prick of a pin to God, who is ſo great, ſo vaſt a portion? O Sirs, had you the underſtanding of all the Angels in heaven, and the tongues of all the men on earth, yet you would not be able to conceive, expreſs, or ſet forth the greatneſſe and largeneſſe of a Saints portion; Can you tell the ſtars of heaven, or number the ſands of the ſea, or ſtop the Sun in his courſe, or raiſe the dead, or make a new world? then, and not till then will you be able to declare what a great, what an immenſe portion God is: If eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the great things that God hath laid up in the Goſpel, (for ſo that 1 Cor. 2.9. is to be underſtood) p. 19Oh how much leſs then are they able to declare the great things that God hath laid up for his people in another world? But

Thirdly, 3As God is an immenſe portion, a large portion, ſo God is an all-ſufficient portion, Gen. 17.1. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and ſaid unto him, I am the almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. I am God almighty, or as ſome carry the words, I am God all-ſufficient, or ſelf-ſufficient: In quo nihil deſiderari poſſit boni. Zanch. de nat. Dei l. 4. c. 1. Qu 1God hath ſelf-ſufficiency and all-ſufficiency in himſelf. Some derive the word Shaddai that is here rendered almighty, or all-ſufficient, from Shad aduge, becauſe God feeds his children with ſufficiency of all good things, as the tender mother doth the ſucking childe. Gen. 15.1. After theſe things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a viſion, ſaying, Fear not Abram, I am thy ſhield, and thy exceeding great reward: I will be thy buckler to defend thee from all kinde of miſchief and miſeries, p. 20and I will be thy exceeding great reward to ſupply thee with all neceſſary and deſirable mercies; and what can a Saint deſire more? Pſal. 84.11. For the Lord God is a Sun and ſhield; the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly. The Sun, which among all inanimate creatures is the moſt excellent, notes all manner of excellency, proviſion, and proſperity; and the ſhield, which among all artificial creatures is the chiefeſt, notes all manner of protection whatſoever; under the name of grace all ſpiritual good is wrapt up; and under the name of glory all eternal good is wrapt up; and under the laſt clauſe, no good thing will he with-hold, is wrapt up all temporal good: all put together ſpeaks out God to be an all-ſufficient portion. Before the world was made, before Angels or men had a being, God was as bleſſed and as glorious in himſelf as now he is; God is ſuch an all-ſufficient p. 21and ſuch an excellent being, that nothing can be added to him to make him more excellent: Man in his beſt eſtate is ſo great a piece of vanity, Pſal. 39.5.Ps 39:5that he ſtands in need of a thouſand thouſand things; he needs the air to breath in, the earth to bare him, and fire to warm him, and cloathes to cover him, and an houſe to ſhelter him, and food to nouriſh him, and a bed to eaſe him, and friends to comfort him, &c. But this is the excellency of God, that he hath all excellencies in himſelf, and ſtands in need of nothing. Were there as many worlds as there are men in the world, and were all thoſe worlds full of bleſſed Saints, yea, were there as many Heavens as there are ſtars in heaven, and were all thoſe heavens full of glorious Angels, yet all theſe Saints; and Angels together could not adde the leaſt to God; for what can drops taken out of the Sea adde unto the Sea? what can finite creatures adde to an infinite being? p. 22though all the men in the world ſhould praiſe the Sun, and ſay, the Sun is a glorious creature, yet all this would adde nothing to the light and glory of the Sun; ſo, though all the Saints and Angels ſhall be bleſſing, and praiſing, and admiring, and worſhipping of God to all eternity, yet they ſhall never be able to adde any thing to God, who is bleſſed for ever. O Chriſtians, God is an all-ſufficient portion, his power is all-ſufficient to protect you, his wiſdome is all-ſufficient to direct you, his mercy is all-ſufficient to pardon you, his goodneſſe is all-ſufficient to provide for you, his word is all-ſufficient to ſupport you and ſtrengthen you, and his grace is all-ſufficient to adorn you and enrich you, and his ſpirit is all-ſufficient to lead you and comfort you; and what can you deſire more? O Sirs, God hath within himſelf all the good of Angels, of men and univerſal nature; he hath all glory, all dignity, all riches, all p. 23treaſures, all pleaſures, God is Omnia ſuper omnia, and many of the very heathens counted God Optimum maximum, the beſt and greateſt.all delights, all comforts, all contents, all joyes, all beatitudes in himſelf. All the ſcattered excellencies and perfections that be in the creatures are eminently, tranſcendently, and perfectly in him. Look as the worth and value of many pieces of ſilver are contracted in one piece of gold; ſo all the whole volume of perfections which is ſpread through heaven and earth are epitomized in God, according to that old ſaying, Omne bonum in ſummo bono, all good is in the chiefeſt good. God is one infinite perfection in himſelf, which is eminently and virtually all perfections of the creatures: all the good, the excellency, the beauty, and glory that is in all created beings, are but parts of that whole that is in God; and all the good that is in them is borrowed and derived from God, who is the firſt cauſe, and the univerſal cauſe of all that good that is in Angels or men. God is a ſufficient portion to ſecure p. 24your ſouls, and to ſupply all your wants, and to ſatisfie all your deſires, and to anſwer all your expectations, and to ſuppreſſe all your enemies, and after all to bring you to glory; and what can you deſire more?

But now all earthly portions are inſufficient portions, they can neither prevent afflictions, nor ſupport the ſoul under afflictions, nor mitigate afflictions, nor yet deliver a man from afflictions: They can neither arm the ſoul againſt temptations, nor comfort the ſoul under temptations, A golden crown cannot cure the head-ach, nor a purple robe cannot fray away a burning ſeaver, nor a bed of gold cannot give eaſe to a diſtempered body, nor the velvet ſlipper cannot take away the pain of the gout.nor lead the ſoul out of temptations. All the creatures in the world are but as ſo many ciphers without God; when God frowns, all the creatures in the world are not ſufficient to chear the ſoul, when God withdraws, all the creatures in the world are not ſufficient to ſuſtain the ſoul; when God clouds p. 25his face, all the creatures in the world are not ſufficient to make it day with the ſoul, &c. There is not enough in the whole creation to content, quiet, or ſatisfie one immortal ſoul; he that hath moſt of the world would have more, and he that hath leaſt of the world hath enough, if his ſoul can but groundedly ſay, The Lord is my portion. 4But

Fourthly, As the Lord is an all-ſufficient portion, ſo the Lord is a moſt abſolute, needful, and neceſſary portion; the want of an earthly portion may trouble me, but the want of God for my portion will damn me; 'tis not abſolutely neceſſary that I ſhould have a portion in gold, or ſilver, or jewels, or goods, or lands; but 'tis abſolutely neceſſary that I ſhould have God for my portion. I may have union and communion with God, Act. 3.6.Acts 3:6though with the Apoſtles I have neither gold nor ſilver in my purſe; I may be holy and happy, Luk 16.20, 21.Luke 16:20Luke 16:21though with Lazarus I have never p. 26a rag to hang on my back, nor never a dry cruſt to put into my belly; I may to heaven at laſt, and I may be glorious in another world, Job 1, &c.Job 1though with Job I ſhould be ſtript of all my worldly glory, and ſet upon a dunghil in this world; but I can never be happy here, nor bleſſed hereafter, except God be my portion. Though I could truly ſay, that all the world were mine, yet if I could not truly ſay, that the Lord is my portion, I ſhould be but miſerable under all my worldly enjoyments. To have God for my portion is abſolutely neceſſary, for without it I am for ever and ever undone: Ephe. 2.12. In this verſe you have ſeveral withouts; and 'tis very obſervable that they that were without God in the world, they were without Chriſt, without the Church, without the Covenant, without the Promiſe, and without hope in the world; and therefore ſuch perſons muſt needs be in a moſt ſad and deplorable condition, &c.

p. 27Firſt, in relation to the ſoul, 1and in relation to ſalvation, God is the moſt abſolute neceſſary portion; if God be not my portion, my ſoul can never enjoy communion with him in this world; if God be not my portion, my ſoul can never be ſaved by him in the other world. But

Secondly, 2When ſinners are under terrours and horrours of conſcience, when their conſciences are awakened and convinced of the vileneſſe of their natures, Ʋna gutt… la malae conſcientiae totum more mundam gaudil abſorbet. Luther.of the unſpeakable evil that is in ſin, yea in the leaſt ſin, and of their loſt, undone, and miſerable eſtate out of Chriſt; O then, what would they not give to have God for their portion? O then they would give all the gold and ſilver they have in the world to have God for their portion; O then they would give thouſands of Rams, Mic. 6.6, 7Mic 6:6Mic 6:7and ten thouſands of Rivers of oil; yea, they would give their firſt-born, they would give the very fruit of their bodies, that they might have God to be the p. 28portion of their ſouls; O then they would ſay as Mephiboſheth ſaid unto the King, 2 Sam. 19.29, 30.2 Sam 19:292 Sam 19:30Let Ziba take all, foraſmuch as my Lord the King is come again in peace unto his own houſe. Under diſtreſſe of conſcience poor ſinners will cry out, O! let who will take all our honours, and all our mannors, and all our treaſures, and all our ſtores, and all our lands, and all our lordſhips, and all our bags, ſo we may have God for our portion: O let us but have God for our portion, and we care not a ſtraw who takes all. Now what doth this ſpeak out but that of all portions God is the moſt abſolute neceſſary portion. But

Thirdly, 3Upon a dying bed, an awakened ſinner ſets the higheſt price, value, and eſteem upon ſuch as have God for their portion: Now he eſteems a Saint in rags that hath God for his portion above a wicked Emperour in his royal Robes, who hath onelyonly the world for his portion: What p. 29though wicked men, Lament. 2.14, 15. Zeph. 2.8, 9, 10, &c.Lam 2:14Lam 2:15Zeph 2:8Zeph 2:9Zeph 2:10when they are in the height of their worldly proſperity, felicity, and glory, do ſlight the Saints, and revile, and ſcorn the Saints, and contemn and undervalue the Saints; yet when death knocks at their doors, and when their conſciences are ſtartled, and when hell-fire flaſhes in their faces, and when the worm within begins to gnaw: O now, if all the world were a lump of gold, and in their hands to diſpoſe of, they would give it all, ſo they might have that honour and happineſſe to change conditions with thoſe who have God for their portion: Num. 23.10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his. Though men who have their portion in this life do not love to live the life of the righteous, yet when they come to die, they are often deſirous that they might die the death of the righteous: And this many hundred Miniſters and Chriſtians can witneſſe from their own experience. p. 30Lazarus having God for his portion, when he died he went to heaven without a rag on his back, or a peny in his purſe, whereas Dives who had not God for his portion, when he died, went tumbling down to hell in all his riches, bravery, and glory. O 'tis infinitely better to go to heaven a begger, than to go to hell an Emperour; and this the ſinner underſtands, when his conſcience comes to be enlightened upon a dying bed, and therefore he cries out, O ſend for ſuch a Miniſter, and ſend for ſuch and ſuch a Chriſtian, and let them pray with me, and counſel me, and if it be poſſible, give out ſome drops of comfort to me; See Wiſdom 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. All theſe verſes are worth their weight in gold.Wis 5:1Wis 5:2Wis 5:3Wis 5:4Wis 5:5Wis 5:6Wis 5:7Wis 5:8O that I had never derided nor reviled them, O that I had never oppoſed and perſecuted them, O that I had lived at ſuch a rate of holineſſe and exactneſſe as they have done, O that I had walk't with God as they have walk't, O that I had laid out my time, my ſtrength, my treaſure, my parts, p. 31my all, for God, as they have done, O that my eſtate was as good, as ſafe, and as happy as theirs is, O that I could as truly ſay, that the Lord is my portion, as they can ſay that the Lord is their portion: And what doth all this ſpeak out but that high eſteem and value that they ſet upon thoſe that have God for their portion: So that upon this threefold account, we may ſafely conclude, that God is a moſt abſolute, needful, and neceſſary portion. But

Fifthly, 5As the Lord is a moſt abſolute, needful, and neceſſary portion, ſo the Lord is a pure and unmixed portion, God is an unmixed good, he hath nothing in him but goodneſſe; he is an Ocean of ſweetneſſe, without one drop of bitterneſſe; Deut. 32.4. Hab. 1.13.Deut 32:4Hab 1:13he is a perfect beauty, without the leaſt ſpot or ſhadow of deformity. All other portions are a bitter ſweet; but God is a Roſe without prickles, he is a good, in which there is not p. 32the leaſt evil. 1 Joh. 1.5. God is light, and in him is no darkneſſe at all. There are no mixtures in God, God is a moſt clear bright ſhining light, yea, he is all light, and in him is no darkneſſe at all. God is all light, and all love, all ſweetneſſe, and all goodneſſe, all kindneſſe and all graciouſneſſe, and there is no uncomlineſs, no unlovelineſſe, no bitterneſſe nor no darkneſs at all in God. The Moon when it ſhines brighteſt hath her dark ſpots and ſpecks; but God is a light that ſhines moſt gloriouſly without the leaſt ſpot or ſpeck; God is a moſt pure, clear, ſplendid light. 'Tis very obſervable, that the Apoſtle, to illuſtrate the perfect purity of God, adds a Negative to his Affirmative, in him is no darkneſſe at all; that is, God is ſo pure, that not the leaſt ſpot, the ſmalleſt ſpeck of vanity or folly can cleave to him: God is a pure, a moſt pure act, without the leaſt potentiality, defectability, or mutability, and therefore in the p. 33higheſt ſenſe he is light, and in him is no darkneſſe at all. By this Metaphorical deſcription of God the Apoſtle would not have us think, that the nature of God is changed into the nature of light; but by this ſimilitude the Apoſtle would repreſent ſomething of the purity and excellency of God to us. The Sun is light, the Moon is light, and the Stars are light; but it would be blaſphemy for us to imagine, that the eſſence of God is the ſame with this of the creatures: but this Sirs you muſt remember, that there are many excellent properties of light, for which God is often in the Scripture reſembled to light. As

Firſt, light is pure, 1and ſo is God, Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity. There are four things that God cannot do.

1. He cannot lie.

2. He cannot die.

3. He cannot deny himſelf, nor

4. He cannot look with a favourable p. 34eye upon iniquity: he is a God of that infinite purity, that he can't look upon iniquity, but with an hateful eye, an angry eye, a revengeful eye, and with a vindictive eye.

Secondly, 2All things are conſpicuous to the light, and ſo they are to God: Pſal. 41.12. 1 Sam. 2.1, 3 Pſal. 16.8. Pſ. 119.168. God is totus oculus, all eye. Athenodorus an heathen could ſay, that God was every where, and beheld all that was done.Ps 41:121 Sam 2:11 Sam 2:3Ps 16:8Ps 119:168Heb. 4.13. Neither is there any creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe. The Greek word foreign, is a Metaphor, ſay ſome, that is taken from the Prieſts under the Law, who when they killed the beaſts for ſacrifice, all things that were within the beaſts were laid naked and bare before the Prieſt, that ſo he might ſee what was ſound, and what was corrupted. Others ſay, the Apoſtle alludes to the anatomizing of ſuch creatures, wherein men are very cautious and curious to finde out every little vein or muſcle, though they lie never ſo cloſe: p. 35others ſay, that 'tis a Metaphor taken from thoſe that lie with their faces upwards, that all paſſengers may ſee who they are. All agree in this, that all mens in ſides and out-ſides are anatomized, diſſected, quartered, and laid naked to the eye of God, Job 34.21, 22. For his eyes are upon the wayes of man, and he ſeeth all his goings: There is no darkneſſe, nor ſhadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themſelves. If thou canſt not bide thy ſelf from the Sun, which is Gods Miniſter of light, how impoſſible will it be to hide thy ſelf from him whoſe eyes are ten thouſand times brighter than the Sun, ſaith Ambroſe. But

Thirdly, 3Without light nothing can be ſeen; ſo without the beams of heavenly light no heavenly things can be ſeen: a man cannot ſee God, but in that light that comes down from above; a man cannot ſee Chriſt without he be firſt inlightened by Chriſt; Jam. 1.17.Jas 1:17a man cannot ſee heaven, but in that p. 36light that comes from heaven, 1 Cor. 2.10, 12, 14, 15, 16. Were it not for the Sun it would be perpetual night in the world, notwithſtanding all the Torches that could be lighted, yea, notwithſtanding all the light of the Moon and Stars: ſo it would be perpetual night with poor ſouls, notwithſtanding all the torch-light of natural parts, and creature-comforts, and notwithſtanding all the Star-light of civil honeſty and common gifts, and notwithſtanding all the Moon-light of temporary faith and formal profeſſion, did not the Sun of righteouſneſſe ariſe and ſhine upon them. But

Fourthly, 4There is nothing more pleaſant than the light, Eccleſ. 11.7. Truly the light is ſweet, and 'tis a very pleaſant thing to behold the Sun. A Philoſopher being ask't whether it were not a pleaſant thing to behold the Sun? anſwered, that that was a blind mans queſtion, becauſe life without light is but a life-leſſe life. Now as p. 37there is nothing more pleaſant and delightful to the eye than light, ſo there is nothing more pleaſant and delightful to the ſoul than God. The poor Northern Nations in Strabo that want the light of the Sun for ſome moneths together, when the term of his return approaches, they climb up into the higheſt mountains to ſpie it, and he that ſpies it firſt was accounted the beſt and moſt beloved of God, they choſe him King almoſt as the Tyrians did Strato. Now the return of the Sun is not more pleaſant and delightful to thoſe poor Northern Nations, than God is pleaſant and delightful to all gracious ſouls. But

Fifthly, 5The light ſhines and ſcatters its rays over all the world, over Eaſt, Weſt, North, and South; and ſo doth the preſence and goodneſſe of God, Pſal. 139. But.

Sixthly, 6The light is a creature of a moſt reſplendent beauty, luſtre, and glory, it dazles the eyes p. 38of the beholders; and ſo God is a God of that tranſcendent beauty, majeſty, and glory, that the very eyes of the Angels are dazled, as not being able to behold the brightneſs of his glory, Iſa. 6.2. God dwells in that light, which no man can approach unto. But

Seventhly, 7and laſtly, the light of all bodies is the moſt incompound light, it will never mix with darkneſſe; no more will God, 2 Cor. 6.14. What communion hath light with darkneſſe? the nature of God is void of all compoſition, light expells darkneſs, it never mixes nor mingles with it. By what hath been ſaid, you ſee that God is a pure, and an unmixed light, and that in him there is no darkneſs at all.

But now all worldly portions are mixt with many troubles, ſorrows, cares, fears, hazards, dangers, vexations, oppoſitions, croſſes, loſſes, and often times with many gripes of conſcience too. p. 39All earthly portions are mixt portions, All earthly riches are true gardens of Adonis, where we can gather nothing but trivial flowers ſurrounded with many briars and thornes.the goodneſſe of all creatures is a mixt goodneſs, our wine is mixt with water, our ſilver with tin, our gold with droſs, our wheat with chaffe, and our honey with gall, &c. every Bee hath his ſting, and every roſe hath his prickles; and this mixture ſpeaks out all earthly portions to be vanity and vexation of ſpirit, 1 Eccleſ. 1.13. That great Prince Exerxes was wont to ſay, You look upon my Crown, and my purple robes; but did you know how they were lin'd with thorns, you would not ſtoop to take them up. And who is there in this our Engliſh Iſrael, that cannot with both hands ſubſcribe to this? The Emblem of King Henry the ſeventh in all his buildings (in the windows) was ſtill a Crown in a buſh of thorns; B. Hall.wherefore, or with what hiſtorical alluſion he did ſo is uncertain; but ſurely it was to imply thus much, that great places are not free from great cares, that no man p. 40knows the weight of a Scepter, but he that ſwayes it: This made Saul to hide himſelf amongſt the ſtuff, when he ſhould have been made King; many a ſleepleſſe night, many a reſtleſſe day, many a ſad temptation, and many a buſie ſhift will their ambition coſt them that affect ſuch places of eminency. Beſides, high places are commonly very ſlippery, he that ſtands in them may ſuddenly fall, and wound his conſcience, or eaſily fall and break his neck. But

Sixthly, 6As God is a pure and unmixed portion, ſo he is a glorious, a happy, and a bleſſed portion, Pſal. 16.5, 6.Ps 16:5Ps 16:6he is ſo in himſelf, and he makes them ſo too who enjoy him for their portion, Pſal. 33.12. Bleſſed is the nation whoſe God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath choſen for his own inheritance. All the happineſſe and bleſſedneſſe of the people of God ſtands in this that God is their God, and that he is their portion, and that they are p. 41his inheritance. The Hebrew word Aſhre. (that is here rendered bleſſed) is, O the bleſſedneſſel or, O the heaped up happineſs of thoſe whoſe God is the Lord! the happineſs of ſuch is ſo great, and ſo glorious, as cannot be conceived, as cannot be uttered: the words are a joyful acclamation for their felicity that have God for their portion. Pſ. 144.15. Happy is that people that is in ſuch a caſe, yea happy is that people whoſe God is the Lord. David having prayed for many temporal bleſſings in the behalf of the people, from ver. 12. to ver. 15. at laſt concludes, Bleſſed are the people that are in ſuch a caſe; but preſently he checks and corrects himſelf, and eats (as it were) his own words, but rather happy is that people whoſe God is the Lord: The Syriack rendereth it queſtion-wiſe, Is not the people that is in ſuch a caſe? P ſal. 146.5the anſwer is No, except they have God to boot. Nothing can make that man truly miſerable that hath God for his portion, nor nothing p. 42can make that man truly happy that wants God for his portion. God is the Author of all true happineſs, he is the donor of all true happineſs, he is the maintainer of all true happineſs, and he is the center of all true happineſs and bleſſedneſs; and therefore he that hath him for his God, for his portion, is the onelyonly happy man in the world.

But now all earthly portions cannot make a man truly happy and bleſſed; a Crown, a Kingdome cannot, If a man ſhould make a critical enquiry after true happineſſe, from the higheſt Angel in heaven to the loweſt worm on earth, the joynt voice of all the creatures would be, that happineſſe is not in them.for Saul and other Princes have found it ſo; Honours cannot, for Haman and others have found it ſo; A high and noble birth cannot, for Abſalom, Ammon, and others have found it ſo; Riches cannot, for the rich fool in the Goſpel and many thouſand others have found it ſo; Large Dominions, and great commands cannot, for Ahaſuerus, p. 43Nebuchadnezzar, Belſhazzar, and others have found it ſo; Policy cannot, for Achitophel and other great Counſellors have found it ſo; Glorious apparel and delicate fare cannot, for Dives and others have found it ſo; Applauſe and credit among the people cannot, for Herod and others have found it ſo; Learning and great gifts cannot, for the Scribes, Phariſes, and many others have found it ſo: no earthly thing nor earthly creature can give happineſs and bleſſedneſs to man; Non dat quod non habet, Nothing can give what it hath not. If the Conduit hath no water, it can give no water; if the Sun hath no light, it can give no light; if the Phyſician hath no remedy, he can give no remedy, &c.

But now 'tis a very true obſervation, though it be a very ſad Obſervation, viz. That every wicked mans portion is curſt unto him.

Do but compare the Scriptures in the margine together, Deut. 28.17, 18, 19, 20.Deut 28:17Deut 28:18Deut 28:19Deut 28:20and then p. 44let conſcience judge. Job 20.22, 23, 26, 28, 29. and chap. 24.18 Prov. 3.33 Mal. 2.2, &c.Job 20:22Job 20:23Job 20:26Job 20:28Job 20:29Prov 3:33Mal 2:2All a wicked mans relations are curſt to him, and all a wicked mans contentments and enjoyments are curſt to him, all his mercies without doors are curſt to him, and all his mercies within doores are curſt to him, &c. What though a man ſhould match with one that hath many thouſand bags of gold for her portion, yet if the plague ſhould be in every bag, would you count him happy in his match? ſurely no. Verily this is the caſe of every man that hath not God for his portion. But

Sevently, 7As God is a glorious portion, ſo he is a peculiar portion, he is a portion peculiar to his people. Pſal. 16.5. Pſal. 142.5, 6. Jer. 10.16.Ps 16:5Ps 142:5Ps 142:6Jer 10:16This is evident in the Text, and in all the Scriptures cited to prove the Point, and ſo in that, Pſal. 67.6. Then ſhall the earth yield her increaſe, and God, even our own God ſhall bleſſe us: and ſo Pſal. 68.20. He that is our God is the God of ſalvation, or God of ſalvations, as 'tis in the p. 45Hebrew. God is a God of all manner of ſalvations, he hath all ſorts and wayes of ſalvations, he is not only powerful, but alſo skilful to ſave his people from ten thouſand deaths and dangers. Joh. 20.28. Job 19.25. Luke 1.47.John 20:28Job 19:25Luke 1:47Faith is an appropriating grace, it is much in appropriating of God to its ſelf, my Lord, and my God, and my Redeemer, and my Saviour, and my portion, Pſal. 73.26. My fleſh and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength of my heart and my portion for ever. Judg. 7.Judg 7In Gideons Camp every Souldier had his own pitcher; 1 Chron. 26.30. Mat. 25.4.1 Chr 26:30Matt 25:4amongſt Solomons men of valour every man wore his own ſword; and the five wiſe Virgins had every one oil in her own lamp. Luther was wont to ſay, that there lay a great deal of Divinity couched up in pronouns, as in meum, tuum, ſuum, mine, thine, his: and ſo faiths appropriating of God to the ſoul, as its own portion, is all in all. God is a portion peculiar to the Saints, he is the hidden Manna, the new Name, the white p. 46Stone, the bread to eat that others know not of: There is never a hardned Pharaoh in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never a murdering Saul in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never a painted bloody Jezabel in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never a cunning Achitophel in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never a proud Haman in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never a tyrannical Nebuchadnezzar in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never a crafty Herod in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never a rich Dives in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never a treacherous Judas in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never an hypocritical Simon Magus in the world that can truly p. 47ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never an Apoſtatizing Demas in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion; nor there is never a perſecuting Scribe or Phariſee in the world that can truly ſay, The Lord is my portion: 'tis only the Saint that can truly ſay, The Lord is his portion, for God is peculiarly his, he is only his.

But now all earthly portions are common portions, Eccleſ. 9.1, 2, 3.Eccl 9:1Eccl 9:2Eccl 9:3they are all common to good and bad, to the righteous and to the wicked, to the clean and to the unclean, to him that ſacrificeth, and to him that ſacrificeth not, to him that ſweareth, and to him that feareth an oath. Was Abraham rich? ſo was Dives to; was David a King? ſo was Saul to; was Daniel a great favourite at Court? ſo was Haman to, &c. And indeed uſually the baſeſt and the worſt of men have the largeſt ſhare in earthly portions: which made Luther ſay, that the whole Turkiſh Empire p. 48was but a cruſt that God caſt to a dog. Gen. 25.5, 6.Gen 25:5Gen 25:6Abraham gave unto his ſons of the Concubines gilts, and ſent them away, but unto Iſaac he gave all that he had: So all earthly portions which are giftleſſe gifts God gives them to the worſt and vildeſt of men; Dan. 4.17. This matter is by the Decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know, that the moſt High ruleth in the Kingdome of men, and giveth it to whomſoever he will, and ſetteth up over it the baſeſt of men: and ſo in that, Dan. 11.21. And in his eſtate ſhall ſtand up a vile perſon, to whom they ſhall not give the honour of the Kingdome, but he ſhall come in peaceably, and obtain the Kingdome by flatteries. Interpreters do generally agree, that by this vile perſon in the Text is meant Antiochus Epiphanes, that was ſo great and mighty a Prince, that when the Samaritans did write to him, they write Antiocho magno Deo, to Antiochus the great God. And indeed his very name p. 49ſpeaks him out to be ſome great and glorious perſon, for Antiochus Epiphanes is Antiochus the illuſtrious, the famous; and yet you ſee that the Holy Ghoſt ſpeaking of him, calls him a vile perſon. Ah, how vile in the eyes of God are the greateſt men in the world who have not God for their portion! Auguſtus in his ſolemn Feaſts gave trifles to ſome, but gold to others; God gives the trifling portions of this world to the vileſt and worſt of men, but his gold, his Chriſt, himſelf, he gives onelyonly to his Saints, Gal. 2.20. And the life which I now live in the fleſh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himſelf for me. Hawes that are for hogs grow upon every hedge, but roſes that are for men they onelyonly grow in pleaſant gardens; you know how to apply it: Though many have counterfeit jewels, yet there are but a few that have the true Diamond; though many have their earthly portions, yet there are but a few p. 50that have God for their portion. But

Eightly, 8As God is a peculiar portion, ſo he is a univerſal portion; he is a portion that includes all other portions: Rom. 8.32. God is the honum in qua omnia bona.Rom 8:32God hath in himſelf the good, the ſweet, the profit, the pleaſure, the delight, the comfort, &c. of all portions; there is no good in wife, child, father, friend, husband, health, wealth, wit, wiſdome, learning, honour, &c. but is all found in God, Rev. 21.7. He that overcometh ſhall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he ſhall be my ſon; or as the Greek hath it, foreign, He that is overcoming; though he hath not yet overcome, yet if he be ſtriving for the conqueſt, and will rather die than he will give up the Bucklers, Qui habet hoc unum, habet unum univerſale.he ſhall inherit all things, that is, he ſhall inherit God in all, and all in God, Gen. 33.9. And Eſau ſaid, I have enough, my brother, keep that thou haſt unto thy ſelf; or as the Hebrew hath it, Li Rab, I have much my brother: and indeed 'twas p. 51very much that an Eſau ſhould ſay he had much; 'tis more than many of the Eſaus of theſe times will ſay: but Jacob ſpeaks at a far higher rate in ver. 11. Take, I pray thee, my bleſſing that is brought to thee, becauſe God hath dealt graciouſly with me, and becauſe I have enough; or rather as the Hebrew hath it, Li chol, I have all; Eſau had much, but Jacob had all, becauſe he had all in God, and God in all; Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia, He hath all that hath the haver of all; 2 Cor. 6.10. As having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things. There is in God an immenſe fulneſſe, an Ocean of goodneſſe, and an overplus of all that graciouſneſſe, ſweetneſſe, and kindneſſe that is to be found in all other things or creatures. As Noah had a copy of every kind of creature in that famous Library of the Ark, out of which all were re-printed to the world; ſo he that hath God for his portion hath the original copy of all bleſſings, out of which all p. 52may eaſily be renewed; all the goodlineſſes and all the glories of all the creatures are eminently and perfectly to be enjoyed in God; God is an univerſal excellency; Epheſ. 1.3.Eph 1:3all the particular excellencies that are ſcattered up and down among Angels, When Paulinus Nolanus a great man, had his City taken away, from him by the Barbarians, he prayed thus; Lord, let me not be troubled at the loſſe of my Gold, Silver, Honour, &c. for thou art all, and much more than all theſe to me.men, and all other creatures are virtually & tranſcedently in him; he hath them all in his own being. All creatures in heaven and earth have but their particular excellencies, but God hath in himſelf the very quinteſcence of all excellencies; the creatures have but drops of that Sea, that Ocean that is in God, they have but their parts of that power, wiſdome, goodneſſe, righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, faithfulneſſe, lovelineſſe, deſireableneſſe, ſweetneſſe, graciouſneſſe, beauty, and glory that is in God; one hath this part, and another hath that, p. 53one hath this particular excellency, and another hath that; but the whole of all theſe parts and excellencies are to be found only in God. There is none but that God that is an univerſal good, that can truly ſay, all power, all wiſdome, all ſtrength, all knowledge, all goodneſs, all ſweetneſs, all beauty, all glory, all excellency, &c. dwells in me; he that can truly ſay this, is a God, and he that cannot is no God. There is no Angel in heaven nor Saint on earth that hath the whole of any one of thoſe excellencies that are in God; nay, all the Angels in heaven, and all the Saints on earth have not among them the whole of any one of all thoſe glorious excellencies and perfections that be in God. All the excellencies that are ſcattered up and down in the creatures are united into one excellency in God; but there is not one excellency in God that is …ully ſcattered up and down among all the creatures: There is p. 54a glorious union of all excellencies in God, and onelyonly in God.

Now this God that is ſuch an univerſal good, and that hath all excellencies dwelling in himſelf, he ſayes to the believer, as the King of Iſrael ſaid to the King of Aſſyria, 1 Kings 20.4. Jer 32.38, 42.1 Kgs 20:4Jer 32:38Jer 32:42I am thine, and all that I have: our propriety reacheth to all that God is, and to all that God hath. God is not parted, nor divided, nor diſtributed among his people, as earthly portions are divided among children in the family; ſo as one believer hath one part of God, and another believer another part of God, and a third another part of God; O no, but every believer hath whole God wholly, he hath all of God for his portion. God is not a believers portion in a limited ſenſe, nor in a comparative ſenſe, but in an abſolute ſenſe; God himſelf is theirs, he is wholly theirs, he is only theirs, he is alwayes theirs. As Chriſt looks upon the Father, and p. 55ſaith, All thine is mine, Joh 17.10. 1 Cor. 3 ult.John 17:101 Cor 3and mine is thine, that may a Saint ſay, looking upon God as his portion, he may truly ſay, O Lord thou art mine, and all that thou haſt, and I am thine, and all that I have: A Saint may look upon God, and ſay, O Lord, not only thy gifts and thy graces are mine to adorn me and enrich me, and not only thy mercies and thy good things are mine to comfort me and encourage me, but alſo thou thy ſelf art mine; and this is my joy and crown of rejoycing: to be able to ſay that God is mine, is more than if I were able to ſay, that ten thouſand worlds, yea, and as maheavens are mine: for 'tis God alone that is the ſparkling Diamond in the Ring of glory. Heaven would be but a low thing without God, ſaith Auguſtine; and Bernard had rather enjoy Chriſt in a Chimney-corner, than to be in Heaven without him; and Luther had rather be in Hell with Chriſt, than in Heaven without p. 56him: 'tis God alone that makes heaven to be heaven.

Now God is ſo every particular believers portion, as that he is every believers portion; 1 Cor. 1.1, 2. Paul called to be an Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt, through the will of God, and Soſthenes our brother, unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are ſanctified in Chriſt Jeſus, called to be Saints, with all that in every place call upon the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, both theirs and ours. As the Sun is every mans Sun to ſee by, to walk by, to work by; and as the Sea is every mans Sea to trade by, &c. ſo God is every believers portion; he is a poor Saints portion, as well as a rich Saints portion; he is the deſpiſed believers portion, as well as the exalted believers portion; he is the weak believers portion, as well as the ſtrong believers portion; he was as much his portion who miſcall'd his faith, and who in the behalf of his ſon cried out with p. 57tears, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief, Mar. 9.24.Mark 9:24as he was Abrahams portion, Geneſ. 2….Gen 2who in the ſtrength of his faith offered up his only ſon; he was as much Jobs portion ſitting on a dunghil, as he was Davids portion ſitting on a royal Throne; he was as much Lazarus his portion that had never a penny in his purſe as he was Solomons portion, 2 Chron. 1.15.2 Chr 1:15who made gold and ſilver as plenteous in Jeruſalem as the ſtones of the ſtreets. God is not my portion alone, but he is every Saints portion in heaven, and he is every Saints portion on earth: The Father is every childs portion, and though they may wrangle, and quarrel, and fall out one with another, yet he is all their portions; and ſo 'tis here: and O what a ſpring of joy and comfort ſhould this be to all the Saints. Riches are not every believers portion, but God is every believers portion; honour and preferment in the world is not every believers portion, but God is every believers portion; p. 58Liberty and freedome is not every believers portion, but God is every believers portion; credit and applauſe in the world is not every believers portion, but God is every believers portion; proſperity and ſucceſſe is not every believers portion, but God is every believers portion, &c.

God is a univerſal portion, all things receive their being, eſſence, and exiſtence from him, for the fulneſſe of all things is in him really and eminently. The Heathen Philoſophers of old called God foreign, i. e. all or every thing, and in that Oracle great Pan is dead, of which Plutarch makes mention: Chriſt is called the great Pan, becauſe, ſay ſome, he is the Lord of all, and containeth all things in himſelf, Exod. 33.19. I will make all my goodneſſe paſſe before thee, to wit, becauſe in God are all good things; God is all things, God is every thing; the cream, the good, the ſweet, the beauty, and the glory of every p. 59creature, and of every thing centers in God. But

Ninthly, 9As God is an univerſal portion, ſo God is a ſafe portion, a ſecure portion, he is a portion that none can rob or wrong you of, he is a portion that none can touch or take from you, Theſe things I have formerly handled more largely, and therefore a touch here muſt ſuffice, &c.he is a portion that none can cheat or ſpoil you of; God is ſuch a portion, that no friend, no foe, no man, no enemy, no Devil can ever rob a Chriſtian of. O Chriſtians, God is ſo yours in Chriſt, and ſo yours by Covenant, and ſo yours by promiſe, and ſo yours by purchaſe, and ſo yours by conqueſt, and ſo yours by donation, and ſo yours by marriage-union and communion, and ſo yours by the earneſt of the Spirit, and ſo yours by the ſealings and witneſſings of the Spirit, that no power or policy on earth can ever finger your portion, or cheat, or rob you of your portion, Pſal. 48.14. For this God is our God for ever and ever, and he will be our guide even unto death: he is p. 60not only our God for the preſent, nor he will not be only our God for a ſhort time longer: O no; but he will be our God for ever and ever; If God be once thy portion, he will be for ever thy portion. It muſt be a power that muſt over-match the power of God, and a ſtrength that muſt be above the ſtrength of God that muſt rob or ſpoil a Chriſtian of his portion; but who is there that is ſtronger than God? Is the clay ſtronger than the potter, or the ſtubble than the flame, Rom. 9.Rom 9or weakneſs than ſtrength? 1 Cor. 1.25. & ch. 10.221 Cor 1:25yea, is not the very weakneſſe of God ſtronger than man? and who then ſhall ever be able to take away a Chriſtians portion from him?

But now a man may be eaſily deprived of his earthly portion; how many have been deprived of their earthly portions by ſtorms at Sea, and others by force and violence, and others by fraud and deceit, and others by hideous lying p. 61and helliſh ſwearing? many have loſt their earthly portions by treachery, knavery, perjury, ſubtilty, robbery, &c. Some play away their earthly portions, and others with Eſau fool away their earthly portions, and not a few, Luke 15.Luke 15with the prodigal, ſin away their earthly portions. 1 Kings 21.1-5.1 Kgs 21:1–5Ahabs fingers itch't to be a fingering of Naboths Vineyard; a man can no ſooner come to enjoy an earthly portion, but other mens fingers itch to be a fingering of his portion, as daily experience doth ſufficiently evidence. But God is a portion that the fire cannot burn, nor the floods cannot drown, nor the thief cannot ſteal, nor the enemy cannot ſequeſter, nor the ſouldier cannot plunder a Chriſtian of; a man may take away my gold from me, but he cannot take away my God from me. Job 1.Job 1The Chaldeans and the Sabeans could take away Jobs eſtate from him, but they could not take away Jobs God from him. And the Amalekites burnt Ziklag, and p. 62robb'd David of his ſubſtance, 1 Sam. 30.1 Sam 30and of his wives, but they could not rob him of his God: And thoſe perſecuters in the 10. and 11. Chapters of the Hebrews plundered the Saints of their goods, but they could not plunder them of their God: Till weakneſſe can make a breach upon ſtrength, impotency upon omnipotency, the pitcher upon the potter, and the crawling worm upon the Lord of Hoſts, a Saints portion is ſafe and ſecure. 'Tis true, ſickneſſes and diſeaſes may take away my health and my ſtrength from me, and death may take away my friends and my relations from me, and enemies may take away my eſtate, my liberty, my life from me, but none of all theſe can take away my God from me. I have read of the men of Tyrus, how that they chained and nailed their God Apollo to a poſt, that ſo they might be ſure of him, ſuppoſing that all their ſafety lay in the enjoyment of him. Certainly God is ſo p. 63chained, and ſo linked, and ſo nailed to his people by his everlaſting love, and by his everlaſting Covenant, and by the blood of his Son, and by his Oath, and by that law of relation that is between him and them, that no created power ſhall ever be able to deprive them of him. But

Tenthly, 10As God is a ſafe portion, a ſecure portion, ſo he is a ſuitable portion; Pſal. 4.6, 7.Ps 4:6Ps 4:7no object is ſo ſuitable and adequate to the heart as he is; he is a portion that punctually, exactly, and directly ſuits the condition of the ſoul, that ſuits the deſires of the ſoul, the neceſſities of the ſoul, the wants of the ſoul, the longings of the ſoul, and the prayers of the ſoul: the ſoul can crave nothing, nor wiſh for nothing, but what is to be found in this portion; here is light to inlighten the ſoul, and wiſdom to counſel the ſoul, and power to ſupport the ſoul, and goodneſs to ſupply the ſoul; and mercy to pardon p. 64the ſoul, and beauty to delight the ſoul, and glory to raviſh the ſoul, and fulneſſe to fill the ſoul, &c. Health is not more ſuitable to the ſick man, nor wealth to the poor man, nor bread to the hungry man, nor drink to the thirſty man, nor cloathes to the naked man, nor balme to the wounded man, nor eaſe to the tormented man, nor health to the diſeaſed man, nor a pardon to the condemned man, nor a guide to the blind man, &c. then this portion is ſuitable to all the neceſſities of man; and this ſpeaks out the excellency of this portion above all other portions. Now there is no earthly portion that can ſuit an immortal ſoul; he is a fool upon record that ſaid, Soul, thou haſt goods laid up for many years, Luke 12.18, 19, 20.Luke 12:18Luke 12:19Luke 12:20take thine eaſe, eat, drink, and be merry. If the man, ſaith Ambroſe upon the words, had had the ſoul of a Swine, what could he have ſaid more? for thoſe things were more ſuitable to Swine than they p. 65were to an immortal ſoul: mans ſoul is a ſpiritual and immortal ſubſtance, 'tis capable of union and communion with God, 'tis capable of a choice enjoyment of God here, and of an eternal fruition of God hereafter. A great ſhooe will not fit a little foot, nor a great Sail a little Ship, nor a great Ring a little finger, no more will any earthly portion ſuit an immortal ſoul. The ſoul is the breath of God, the beauty of man, the wonder of Angels, and the envy of Devils, 'tis of an Angelical nature, 'tis an heavenly ſpark, a celeſtial plant, and of a divine off-ſpring; ſo that nothing can ſuit the ſoul below God, nor nothing can ſatisfie the ſoul without God: the ſoul is ſo high and ſo noble a piece that all the riches of the Eaſt and Weſt Indies, nor Rocks of Diamonds, nor mountains of gold can fill it, or ſatisfie it, or ſuit it.

When a man is in priſon, and condemned to die, if one ſhould p. 66come to him, and tell him, that there is ſuch a friend or ſuch a relation that hath left him a very fair eſtate, a brave Seat, &c. yet all this would not pleaſe him, nor joy him, becauſe it doth not ſuit his preſent condition; O but now let a man bring him his pardon ſealed under his Princes hand, O how will this delight him and joy him? and all becauſe it ſuits him. And ſo tell a man that is ready to ſtarve, that ſuch and ſuch loves him, and that ſuch and ſuch intends well towards him, &c. yet all this doth not take him, it doth not ſatisfie him, and all becauſe it doth not ſuit him; O but now do but bring him food to eat, and this will joy him and delight him, and all becauſe it ſuits him, that is the higheſt good that is the moſt ſuitable good to the ſoul, and ſuch a good is God; that is the moſt excellent portion that is the moſt ſuitable portion to the ſoul, and ſuch a portion is God. But

p. 67Eleventhly, As God is a ſuitable portion, ſo he is an incomprehenſible portion; no created underſtanding can comprehend what a portion God is: 'tis true God is not incomprehenſible, Pſal. 147.5. Job 26.14.Ps 147:5Job 26:14in regard of his own underſtanding, for he perfectly underſtands himſelf, and comprehends himſelf, elſe he could not be God; but God is incomprehenſible, in regard of us, and the Angels, Ariſtotle that great Secretary of Nature being not able to comprehend the reaſon of the Seas ebbing and flowing, caſt himſelf into it; O how much leſſe able was he to comprehend God bleſſed for ever.who are no wayes able to comprehend infiniteneſs, 1 Kings 8.27. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much leſſe this houſe that I have builded? God is an infinite being, and therefore he cannot be contained in any place, nor comprehended by any created being; ſuch multiplied phraſes and Hebraiſms as are here, as heaven, and the heaven of heavens, do very emphatically p. 68ſet out the immenſity and incomprehenſibleneſſe of God, Job 37.23. Touching the Almighty we cannot finde him out; we are as well able to comprehend the Sea in a Cockle-ſhell, as we are able to comprehend God; God is above all name, all notion, and all comprehenſion. God is ſo incomprehenſible, that you ſhall as ſoon tell the ſtars of heaven, and number the ſand of the Sea, and ſtop the Sun in his courſe, Pſal. 145.3. His greatneſs is unſearchablePs 145:3and raiſe the dead, and make a world, as you ſhall be able to comprehend the infiniteneſſe of Gods eſſence. The moſt perfect knowledge that we can have of God is, that we cannot perfectly know him, becauſe we do know him to be infinitely and incomprehenſibly perfect, Rom. 11.33. O the depth both of the wiſdome and knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his judgments, and his wayes paſt finding out! when men and Angels do ſearch fartheſt into Gods perfection, they do then moſt of all diſcover their own imperfection; p. 69for 'tis utterly impoſſible for Angels or men by their moſt accurate diſquiſition to finde out the Almighty to perfection, Job 11.6, 7.Job 11:6Job 11:71 Tim. 6.16. Who onelyonly hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee; here is a denial both of the fact, and the poſſibility. 'Tis a good obſervation of Chryſoſtome on the words, Diligentiae Pauli attende, non dicit lucem incomprehenſibilem, &c. Obſerve the diligence of Paul, If one man had all the reaſon, gifts, graces, and excellencies that are in Angels and men, yet would he never be able to comprehend an incomprehenſible God.he doth not ſay a light incomprehenſible, but a light inacceſſible, which is much more; for that which being ſought and ſearched for, cannot be comprehended, we ſay is incomprehenſible; but that which ſuffereth not by any means the labour of ſearching after, and which no one can come neer, that is inacceſſible. There is infinitely more in God than the tongues of men or Angels can expreſs: there is much in God beyond the apprehenſion and comprehenſion of all created beings; p. 70the ſumme of all that Philoſophers and School-men have attained to concerning this great Principle, amounts to no more than this, viz. That men and Angels can never comprehend that perfection which dwells in God: for the perfection of God is infinite, and therefore incomprehenſible. God (ſaith Dionyſius) is a ſuper-ſubſtantial ſubſtance, an underſtanding not to be underſtood, a word never to be ſpoken.

When one was ask't, what God was? he anſwered, that he muſt be God himſelf, before he could know God fully.

When the Tyrant (Hiero) asked the Poet (Simonides) what God was? Simonides apud Ciceronem, Lib. 1. de Nat. Deorum.he craved a day to ſtudy an anſwer; but the more he ſought into the nature of God, the more difficult he found it to expreſſe; the next day after being queſtioned, he asked two dayes, and the third time he craved four, and ſo went on, doubling the number; and being ask't, why he did ſo? he p. 71anſwered, that the more he ſtudied the nature of God, the leſſe he was able to define what. God was, he being ſo incomprehenſible in his nature; the more this poor Heathen inquired, the more he admired, and the leſſe he underſtood.

'Twas a notable Obſervation of Chryſoſtome, who being very buſie and ſtudious in ſearching into the nature of God, ſaith, I am like a man digging in a deep ſpring; I ſtand here, and the water riſeth upon me, and I ſtand there, and ſtill the water riſeth upon me. Indeed this is a knowledge that paſſeth knowledge, Epheſ. 3.19.

The Turks build their Moſchies or Churches without any roof, becauſe they hold (as we do) that God is incomprehenſible: God is a circle whoſe center is every where, and whoſe circumference is no where, all which ſpeaks out his infiniteneſſe and incomprehenſibleneſſe.

p. 72But now all earthly portions are eaſily apprehended and comprehended. A portion in money, or plate, or goods, or lands, or jewels, is eaſily caſt up, and ſo many hundreds or thouſands a year are quickly told; there are few except it be children and fools but can readily give an account of all earthly portions: the childs portion, and the wives portion, and the fervants portion, and the ſouldiers portion, and the poor mans portion, and the rich mans portion are talk't on all the City over, and all the Town over, and all the Countrey over, but God is ſuch an incomprehenſible portion, that there is not a man in Town, City, or Countrey that is able to comprehend him, Prov. 3.15. But

Twelfthly, 12As God is an incomprehenſible portion, ſo God is an inexhauſtible portion, a portion that can never be ſpent, that can never be exhauſted, a fountain that ſtill overflows, a rich Myne that p. 73hath no bottome, a Spring that can never be drawn dry, but continues alwayes full without augmentation or diminution: Joh. 4.14. But whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him ſhall never thirſt; but the water that I ſhall give him ſhall be in him a well of water ſpringing up unto everlaſting life. If grace in the ſoul be ſuch a perpetual flowing fountain, that it ſhall never be exhauſted till grace be ſwallowed up in glory; then certainly the God of grace is much more an inexhauſtible Fountaine that can never be drawn dry. Angels, Saints, Col. 1.16, 17Col 1:16Col 1:17and ſinners have lived upon this portion almoſt this ſix thouſand years, and it is not in the leaſt diminiſhed. God hath his City-houſe, and his Countreyhouſe, where millions have been kept at his table, and lived upon his purſe, his charge, even dayes without number, and yet God is not one penny the poorer for all this. This portion is like the meal in the Barrel, and the oil in p. 74the Cruſe, which never failed: 1 Kings 17.14, 16. For thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, the barrel of meal ſhall not waſte, neither ſhall the Cruſe of oil fail, until the day that the Lord ſendeth rain upon the Earth: And the Barrel of meal waſted not, neither did the Cruſe of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord which he spake by Elijah. God is ſuch a portion as cannot be waſted nor diminiſhed; he is ſuch a portion as can never fail: Should all Chriſtians now live to the age of the Patriarchs, who lived many hundred years, and ſhould they all live freely, and keep open houſe every day in the year, yet at the end, not a dram, not a penny, no not a farthing of this portion will be expended or diminiſhed.

Though men have never ſo great a ſtock, yet if they ſtill ſpend upon it they wil certainly conſume it; O but God is ſuch a ſtock as can never be ſpent, as can never be conſumed. If a ſparrow ſhould but fetch a drop of water out of the p. 75Sea once a day, yea, once in a thouſand years, yet in time it would be exhauſted; O but God is ſuch a Sea, ſuch an Ocean, that if every Angel in heaven, and every Saint and ſinner on earth ſhould drink whole Rivers at a draught, yet not one drop could be diminiſhed: If a child ſhould but take a cockle-ſhell of water out of the Sea every day, the Sea would be really the leſſe, though not viſibly the leſſe, and in time it would be exhauſted, and drawn dry; but let all created beings be every day a drawing from God, yet they ſhall never leſſen him, they ſhall never draw him dry. The mothers breaſts are often drawn dry, but the more you draw at the breaſts of God, the more the milk of grace and comfort will flow in upon you: Iſa. 66.10, 11. Rejoyce ye with Jeruſalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her; rejoyce for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: That ye may ſuck and be ſatisfied with the breaſts of her conſolation, that you p. 76may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. God keeps open houſe for all commers and goers, Pſal. 104.24.Ps 104:24for all created creatures both in heaven and earth; and though they are perpetually a ſucking at his breaſts, yet the more they draw the more the heavenly milk of divine joy, content, and ſatisfaction flows in abundantly upon them: All creatures, both high and low, rich and poor, honourable and baſe, noble and ignoble, bond and free, Jews and Gentiles, are all maintained upon Gods own coſt and charge, they are all fed at his Table, and maintained by what comes out of his Treaſury, his purſe; and yet God is not a pin the poorer for all this: It would break and beggar all the Princes on earth to keep but one day the leaſt part of that innumerable company that God feeds, and cloaths, and cheriſhes, and maintains every day upon the account of his own Revenue, which is never the poorer for all the vaſt expences that he p. 77is daily at. There is ſtill in God a fulneſſe of abundance, and a ſulneſſe of redundance, notwithſtanding the vaſt ſummes that he hath and daily doth expend. It were blaſphemy to think that God ſhould be a penny the poorer by all that he hath laid out for the maintenance of thoſe millions of Angels and men that have had their dependance upon him, from their firſt creation to this very day. Look, as the Sun hath never the leſſe light for filling the Stars with light, and as the Fountain hath never the leſſe water for filling the leſſer Veſſels with water that are about it; ſo though God fills all the Veſſels both of grace and glory with his own fulneſſe, yet he is never the leſſe full himſelf; there is ſtill in God (plenitudo fontis) the fulneſſe of a Fountain. Look, as the overflowing Fountain pours out water abundantly, and yet after all it remains full; ſo though the Lord be ſuch an overflowing Fountain as that he fills all, yet p. 78ſtill he retains all fulneſſe in himſelf.

I have read of a Spaniſh Ambaſſadour, that coming to ſee the Treaſury of Saint Mark in Venice that is ſo much cried up in the world, he fell a groping at the bottome of the Cheſts and Trunks to ſee whether they had any bottom; and being asked the reaſon, why he did ſo? anſwered in this among other things, My Maſters Treaſure differs from yours, and excells yours, in that his hath no bottome as yours have, alluding to the Mynes in Mexico, Peru, and other parts of the Weſtern India. All mens Mints, Bags, Purſes, and Coffers may be quickly exhauſted and drawn dry, but God is ſuch an inexhauſtible portion that he can never be drawn dry: all Gods Treaſures are bottomleſſe, and all his Mints are bottomleſſe, and all his Bags are bottomleſſe; millions of thouſands in heaven and earth ſeed every day upon him, and yet he ſeels it not, he is ſtill a p. 79giving, and yet his purſe is never empty; he is ſtill a filling all the Court of heaven, and all the creatures on earth, and yet he is a Fountain that ſtill overflowes. There be them that ſay, that 'tis moſt certainly true of the Oil at Rhemes, that though it be continually ſpent in the inauguration of their Kings of France, yet it never waſts; but whatever truth is in this ſtory, of this I am moſt ſure, that though all the creatures in both worlds live and ſpend continually on Chriſts ſtock, yet it never waſteth.

But now all earthly portions are frequently exhauſted and drawn dry; Luke 15.Luke 15the prodigal quickly ſpent his patrimony upon his harlots; and how many Drunkards, Prov. 23.20, 21.Prov 23:20Prov 23:21and Gluttons, and Wantons, and Gameſters, and Royſters, &c. do daily bring a Noble to nine pence. Haſt thou entered into the Treaſures of the ſnow, Vide Job 38.22.Job 38:22(ſaith God to Job:) Now, ſaith Gregory, the p. 80treaſures of the ſnow are worldly riches which men rake together, even as children do ſnow, which the next ſhowr waſheth away, and leaves nothing in the room of it but dirt. And ah how many Merchants, and Shop-keepers, and others in theſe breaking times, have found all their riches and earthly portions to melt away as ſnow before the Sun? how many of late have been very rich one week, and ſtript of all the next, and ſet with Job upon the dunghil? All earthly portions are like water in a Ciſtern that may eaſily and quickly be drawn dry; but God is an inexhauſtible portion that can never be drawn dry; and this diſcovers the excellency of this portion above all other portions. But

Thirteenthly, 13As God is an inexhauſtable portion, ſo God is a ſoul-ſatisfying portion, he is a portion that gives the ſoul full ſatiſfaction and content, Pſal. 17.15.Ps 17:15Pſal. 16.5, 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, p. 81and of my cup: thou maintaineſt my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleaſant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage. 'Twas as well with him as his heart could wiſh. And ſo in that Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee; or as ſome render it, Vide Jerome, Calvin, Cajetan, Marlorat, Mollerius, &c.I would I were in heaven with thee; or as others read the words, I have ſought none in heaven or earth beſides thee; or as others, I deſire none in heaven or earth but thee; or, I affect none in heaven, nor none on earth like thee; I love none in heaven, nor none on earth in compariſon of thee; I eſteem thee instead of all other treaſure, and above all other treaſures that are in heaven, or that are on earth. The holy Prophet had ſpiritual and ſweet communion with Chriſt to comfort and ſtrengthen him, he had a guard of glorious Angels to protect him and ſecure him, and he had aſſurance of heaven in his boſome to joy and rejoyce him; and yet 'twas none of theſe, nay, 'twas not all theſe together that p. 82could ſatisfie him; 'twas only an infinite good, an infinite God that could ſatisfie him; he very well knew that the ſubſtantials of all true happineſſe and bleſſedneſſe did lie in God, and his enjoyment of God: 'Twas not his high dignities nor honours that could ſatiſfie him, 'twas not the ſtrength, riches, ſecurity, proſperity, and outward glory of his Kingdome that could ſatisfie him, 'twas not his delightful muſick, nor his noble attendance, nor his well-furniſhed tables, nor his great victories, nor his ſtately palaces, nor his pleaſant gardens, nor his beautiful wiſe, nor his lovely children that could ſatisfie him; all theſe without God could never ſatisfie him, but God without all theſe was enough to quiet him, and ſatisfie him. Joh. 14.8. Philip ſaid unto him, Lord, ſhew us the Father, and it ſufficeth us: a ſight of God will ſatiſfie a gracious ſoul more than all worldly contentments and enjoyments; yea, one ſight of God p. 83will ſatisfie a Saint more than all the glory of heaven will do: God is the glory of all the glory of heaven; heaven alone is not ſufficient to content a gracious ſoul, but God alone is ſufficient to content and ſatisfie a gracious ſoul: God only is that ſatisfying good that is able to fill, quiet, content, and ſatisfie an immortal ſoul. Certainly, if there be enough in God to ſatisfie the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, Heb. 12.23, 24, 25.Heb 12:23Heb 12:24Heb 12:25whoſe capacities are far greater than ours; and if there be enough in God to ſatisfie the Angels, whoſe capacities are far above theirs; if there be enough in God to ſatisfie Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe capacity is unconceivable and unexpreſſible; yea, if there be enough in God to ſatisfie himſelf, then certainly there muſt needs be in God enough to ſatisfie the ſouls of his people. If all fulneſſe, and all goodneſſe and infiniteneſſe will ſatisfie the ſoul, then God will: there is nothing beyond God imaginable, nor nothing p. 84beyond God deſirable, Epheſ. 3.2.Eph 3:2nor nothing beyond God delectable; and therefore the ſoul that enjoys him cannot but be ſatisfied with him. God is a portion beyond all imagination, all expectation, all apprehenſion, and all compariſon; and therefore he that hath him cannot but ſit down and ſay, I have enough, Gen. 33.11.Gen 33:11Pſal. 63.5, 6. My ſoul ſhall be ſatisfied, as with **Cheleb vade ſhen, Fat and ſat: So the Hebrew hath it; & hereby is meant ſatiety of pleaſures, &c.marrow and fatneſſe, and my mouth ſhall praiſe thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee on my bid, and meditate on thee in the night-watches. Marrow and fatneſſe cannot ſo ſatisfie the appetite, as God can ſatisfie a gracious ſoul; yea, one ſmile from God, one glance of his countenance, one good word from heaven, one report of love and grace will infinitely more ſatisfie an immortal ſoul, than all the fat, and all the marrow, and all the dainties and delicates of this world can ſatisfie the appetite of any mortal man: My ſoul ſhall be ſatisfied with fatneſſe and fatneſſe; ſo the Hebrew hath p. 85it, that is, my ſoul ſhall be top-full of comfort, it ſhall be filled up to the brim with pleaſure and delight in the remembrance and enjoyment of God upon my bed, or upon my beds, in the plural, as the Hebrew hath it: David had many a hard bed, and many a hard lodging, whilſt he was in his wilderneſſe-condition; it oftentimes ſo fell out that he had nothing but the bare ground for his bed, and the ſtones for his pillows, and the hedges for his curtains, and the heavens for his canopy; yet in this condition God was ſweeter than marrow and fatneſſe to him; though his bed was never ſo hard, yet in God he had full ſatisfaction and content: Jer. 31.14. My people ſhall be ſatisfied with goodneſs, ſaith the Lord. And my God ſhall ſupply all your need, Phil. 4.10.Phil 4:10according to his riches in glory, by Chriſt Jeſus, ſaith Paul that great Apoſtle of the Gentiles: the Greek word foreign ſignifies to fill up, 2 Kings 4.4.2 Kgs 4:4even as he did the Widdows Veſſels, till they did p. 86overflow. God will fill up all, he will make up all, he will ſupply all the wants and neceſſities of his people. That water that can fill the Sea, can much more fill a cup; and that Sun which can fill the world with light, can much more fill my houſe with light: So that God that fills heaven and earth with his glory, can much more fill my ſoul with his glory. To ſhew what a ſatisfying portion God is, he is ſet forth by all thoſe things that may ſatisfie the heart of man, as by Bread, Water, Wine, Milk, Honours, Riches, Raiment, Houſes, Lands, Friends, Father, Mother, Siſter, Brother, Health, Wealth, Light, Life, &c. And if theſe things will not ſatisfie, what will? Gen. 45.28.Gen 45:28'Tis enough, ſayes old Jacob, that Joſeph is alive; ſo ſayes a gracious ſoul, 'Tis enough that God is my portion. A pardon cannot more ſatisfie a condemned man, nor bread an hungry man, nor drink a thirſty man, nor cloathes a naked man, nor health p. 87a ſick man, &c. than God doth ſatisfie a gracious man. But

Now worldly portions can never ſatisfie the ſouls of men. Eccleſ. 5.10. Some read the words thus. He that loveth ſilver ſhall not be ſatisfied with ſilver, and he that loveth it in the multitude of it, ſhall not have fruit.He that loveth ſilver ſhall not be ſatisfied with ſilver, nor he that loveth abundance, with increaſe; this is alſo vanity. All the world cannot fill the ſoul, nor all the creatures in the world cannot ſtock the ſoul with compleat ſatisfaction. As nothing can be the perfection of the ſoul, but he that made it; ſo nothing can be the ſatisfaction of the ſoul, but he that made it: If a man be hungry, ſilver cannot feed him; if naked, it cannot cloath him; if cold, it cannot warm him; if ſick, it cannot recover him; if wounded, it cannot heal him; if weak, it cannot ſtrengthen him; if fallen, it cannot raiſe him; if wandering, it cannot reduce him; O how much leſſe able is it then to ſatisfie him! He that out of love to ſilver ſeeketh after ſilver, ſhall love ſtill to ſeek it, but ſhall never p. 88be ſatisfied with it. A man ſhall as ſoon ſatisfie the grave, and ſatisfie hell, and ſatisfie the ſtomack with wind, as he ſhall be able to ſatisfie his ſoul with any earthly portion. All earthly portions are diſ-ſatisfying portions, they do but vex and fret, gaul and grieve, tear and torment the fouls of men. The world is a circle, and the heart of man is a triangle, and no triangle can fill a circle: Some good or other will be always wanting to that man that hath onelyonly outward good to live upon. Abſalons beauty could not ſatisfie him, If the whole world were changed into a globe of gold, it could not ſill one heart, it could not ſatisfie one immortal ſoul.not Hamans honour could not ſatisfie him, nor Ahabs Kingdome could not ſatisfie him, nor Balaams gold could not ſatisfie him, nor Ahitophels policy could not ſatisfie him, nor the Scribes and Phariſees learning could not ſatisfie them, nor Dives riches could not ſatisfie him, nor Alexanders conqueſts could not ſatisfie him; for when (as he thought) he had conquered one world, he ſits down and wiſhes p. 89for another world to conquer; and Cyrus the Perſian King was wont to ſay, Did men but know the cares which he ſuſtained under his Imperial Crown, he thought no man would ſtoop to take it up. Gilimex, King of the Vandals, when he was led in triumph by Belliſarius, cried out, Vanity of vanity, all is vanity. Charles the fifth, Emperour of Germany (whom of all men the world judged moſt happy) cried out with deteſtation to all his Honours, Riches, Pleaſures, Trophies, Abite hinc, abite longe, Get you hence, let me hear no more of you: And it hath been long ſince ſaid of our King Henry the ſecond,

He whom, alive, the world could ſcarce ſuffice,

When dead in eight foot earth contented lies.

By all theſe Inſtances, 'tis moſt evident, that no earthly portions can ſatisfie the ſouls of men: Can p. 90a man fill up his cheſt with air? or can he fill up the huge Ocean with a drop of water? or can a few drops of beer quench the thirſt of a man in a burning feaver? or can the ſmell of meat, or the reaking fume of a Ladle, or dreaming of a banquet ſatisfie an hungry ſtomack? No: no more can any earthly portions fill or ſatisfie the heart of man. If emptineſſe can fill the ſoul, if vanity can ſatisfie the ſoul, or if vexation can give content to the ſoul, then may earthly portions ſatisfie the ſoul, but not till then; when a man can gather grapes of thornes, and figs of thiſtles, and turn day into night, and winter into ſummer, then ſhall he find ſatisfaction in the creatures, but not before: All earthly portions are weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary, and they are found to be lighter than the duſt of the ballance; and this will rather inflame the thirſt, than quench it.

p. 91A man that hath onelyonly the world for his portion is like to Noahs Dove out of the Ark that was in continual motion, but could find no reſting place; but a man that hath God for his portion is like the Dove returning and reſting in the Ark; the ſoul can never be at reſt, till it comes to reſt and center in God: God himſelf is the ſouls only home; no good but the chiefeſt good can ſuffice an immortal ſoul. Look, as God never reſted till he had made man, ſo man can never reſt till he comes to enjoy God; the ſoul of man is of a very vaſt capacity, and nothing can fill it to the brim, but he that is fulneſſe it ſelf: 'tis the breaſt, and not the Baby nor the Rattle that will ſatisfie the hungry child; and 'tis God, and not this or that creature that can ſatisfie the ſoul of man. But

Fourteenthly, 14As God is a ſoul-ſatisfying portion, ſo God is a permanent portion, an indeficient p. 92portion, a never failing portion, a laſting, yea, an everlaſting portion, Pſal. 73.26. My fleſh and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength (or the rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. God is a Fountain which the hotteſt Summer dries not, a bottomleſſe treaſure that can never be expended: God ever was, and ever will be; he cannot borrow his being from any thing who gives being and well-being to all things. Rev. 1.8.Rev 1:8God is Alpha and Omega, the firſt and the laſt, he is yeſterday, and to day, and the ſame for ever. God is the Almighty, which is, and which was, and which is to come. Omnia tempora conjuncti de Deo dicta aeternitatem connotant.All the differences of time are united by ſome to con-note the eternity of God, in that Exod. 3.14. And God ſaid unto Moſes, I am that I am: and he ſaid, thus ſhalt thou ſay unto the children of Iſrael, I am hath ſent me unto you: Some tranſlate this Text, according to the full ſcope of the Future amongſt the Hebrews, I am that I am, that I was, and that I will be; for the Future p. 93amongſt the Hebrews, points at all differences of time, paſt, preſent, and to come; but others obſerving the ſtrict and proper ſignification of the Future, tranſlate it thus, I will be that I will be. This Name of God imports two of Gods incommunicable Attributes;