ƲSE I

This may serve for a Use of Caution to us all. Not to think the worse of the state and condition of any of them who fear God, because of any great Afflicti­on that befals them, either in Life or Death: for a Man may be afflicted in Love, Rev. 3.19. whilst others are let alone in Judgment. The things of this life may be denied to some in mercy, whilst they are granted to others as a curse, Psal. 69.22. Job's friends erred in Judgment on this very ac­count; They concluded, that he who was grievously afflicted must needs be an Hypocrite: and because Job was so afflicted, they were not afraid to draw up their false Indictment against him, and drop their hard Censures, to the grief of his holy Soul. There­fore make no judgment of your Estate for Heaven, by any thing you have,Joh. 3.3. or are denied of Earth; but prove your Title to Heaven, by the truth of your Re­generation and Conversion; your intrest in Christ, by the sincerity of your Faith;Joh. 3.16 the truth of your Love, by the unfeignedness of your Obedience; and that God is your Portion,Joh. 14.23. by your Soul's hearty chu­sing of him,Lam. 3.24. constant dependance on him, and sin­cere resignation to him.

[Page 9] II. The second general Head for the cleering of this Doctrine, is this, (viz.) That the intrest of a be­liever in God, as his portion, is not at all weakned by the greatest affliction.

Affliction may and doth try the Faith of a Belie­ver; but never destroys it in a Child of God. And as a strong Wind shakes the Roots of young and thriving Trees, and opens the Earth about them, to give them the advantage of taking the deeper and faster Root; so Affliction and Temptation may shake a Believer, humble his Heart, and make him take the faster hold of Christ; and make him grow down­ward in humility and self-abasement; and upward in love, trust, and dependance on his God: or it may, as the Frost in the Winter, kill the Weeds of Sin, which naturally sprout up in them; but the good Seed of Grace takes the advantage to grow up with the less interruption. God loves his Children never­theless, tho' he make them even black with smiting them, Job 30.30. 'tis his love to their Souls, that en gageth him to afflict their Bodies; and 'tis his desire of receiving them to the comfortable Embraces of his glorious Arms, that makes him hurry them out of a sinful World in haste, Isai. 57.1, 2. And which way soever he takes to translate his Children from Earth to Heaven, he is faithful and able to make all things to work together for their good, Rom. 8.28. Tho' some are carried (as it were) to Heaven in a fie­ry Chariot, as Elijah, 2 Kings 2.11. and others, with old Jacob, gather up themselves in their Beds and give up the Ghost, Gen. 42.33. Some come to the Har­bor of Heaven with their Sails fully spread; and with [Page 10]good old Simeon say, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Lu. 2.29. whilst others, like weather-beaten Vessels, come to the Harbor with their Sails rent and torn; and from a holy Fear, kindled by the Flames of a jealous Love, are ready to cry out with their dearest Lord, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mat. 27.46. But however it be, there is reason to say to the Righteous, it shall be well with them; but woe to the Wicked, it shall be ill with them; how-ever they live in pleasure, and die secure, their end is, and shall be, miserable, Isai. 3.10. In some, the actions of their rational Soul continue in their strength and vigor, until their Breath is just expiring; in o­thers, the actions of the rational Soul (by violent Di­stempers) cease, and then their Actions cease to be morally good or evil: For tho' neither their Persons nor Actions cease to be under the government of God, as all things are, yet they wanting a capacity for mo­ral Obedience (which can't be performed without Un­derstanding and Will) the Morality of their Actions must by just consequence cease at that time; and are in that respect, no more to be accounted of, than the Actions of a meer Animal void of Reason; and there is nothing of moral goodness or badness in them. But which way soever God takes, either in their Life or Death, his Wisdom will order it for their good; God loves his Children as much when his Hand is heavy on them, as when he dandles them upon the Knee of his smiling Providences; he hath chosen his People in the Furnace of affliction, Isai. 48.10. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints, Psal. 116.15. And if so, then the intrest of a believer in [Page 11]God, as his Portion, is not at all weakned by the greatest Affliction.

But 2dly, Afflictions do not drive a Believer from God, but brings him nearer to God; Psal. 119.71. It was good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. Oh! how many can speak the same Language by sweet experience? There's not a Saint in Heaven (that hath had time on Earth to pass through Trouble and Affliction) but is praising God for the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness gained there­by The Winds and Storms of Affliction, that usu­ally blow down the rotten and unstable Professors, makes the sincere Believer look the more green and florishing. Afflictions are the means which God useth to quicken us to our Duty, to call us back to himself, when we go astray from him; Psal, 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word They are God's great Ordinance to bring his People nearer to himself, to put them upon Prayer; Psal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble. Had it not been for Afflictions, Prayer might have been at an end with some of us: But Oh! how good is God, when by them he takes away our Tin and Dross? Isai. 27.9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin. In short, as no Affliction can weaken God's love to his Children, so it cannot, it shall not, move them from their love to him; Rom. 8.35. to the 39th, Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ? Shall tri­bulation, or distress, &c. Nay, in all these things Be­lievers are more then Conquerors, through him that lov­ed them. We are apt to dread Afflictions, not only because of the smart of them (which makes Nature [Page 12]shrink) but because we are insensible of God's graci­ous end in them. But how gracious is God to every Believer? Who, tho' he visit their Transgressions with the Rod, and their Iniquities with Stripes, Psal. 90.33. Nevertheless his loving kindness will he not ut­terly take from them, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail; but will at last crown all their Afflictions with the peaceable fruits of Righteousness: And if so, then the Intrest of a Believer in God, as his Portion, is not at all weakned by the greatest Afflicti­on.

(3.) Affliction hath, and doth, make the People of God more ardently to love him, and more earnestly desire the full enjoyment of him. God by Afflicti­on makes the Creature bitter and himself sweet; the more bitterness he puts in the Creature, the more sweetness do gracious Souls find in himself: the less they have of Creature-enjoyments to trust in, the more they put their trust in God; the more weary they are of this World, the more they long to be in the full enjoyment of God; an Intrest in Heaven hath been so much the more desirable to them, as they have been strip'd of earthly Comforts; they have tasted the sweets of Communion with God, with the greater delight, and the Eye of their Souls have been more strongly fix'd upon Heaven, as their way in this World hath been hedg'd up with Thorns; the more troublesome the World hath been to them, the greater delight they have taken in the contempla­tion of that rest which remains for the People of God. Doth not your experience tell you so Christians? When God by Affliction make; the things of this World bitter to you, how doth the Soul with the [Page 13]greater freedom clap about him, and with more en­tireness give up it self to the Lord? Psal. 73.24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, &c. When was this resignation of himself to God, but after he had understood God's gracious end in the Afflictions of his People, and had a prospect of a future retribution, then his Souls ascends on the wing of holy desires to God? Verse 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon the earth that I desire besides thee. Now if you put these things together, you may see this Truth fully confirmed; That the Intrest of a Belie­ver in God, as his Portion, is not weakned by the greatest Affliction.

Ʋse. 1. From hence we should learn, not so much to fear Suffering, as Sin. Let us make Moses's choice, Heb. 11.25. rather to suffer Affliction with the Peo­ple of God, than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin, that are but for a season. Sin always doth us hurt, but Affliction never does a Child of God any injury; But how many are there, who are not afraid to Sin, that fear the Cross?

Tho' it be an undoubted truth, that all Sorrows, Afflictions, and Deaths in the World, are the fruit and effect of Sin; and that the first Sin of the hu­man Nature, brought Wrath, and a Curse, upon the Inhabitants of this lower World. Yet how easi­ly are we drawn to Sin? How hardly perswaded to Repent? tho' the Groans and Sighs of the whole Creation calls us thereto. But if Sin be pardoned (as it is to every sincere Believer) the Sting of all Afflictions is removed, and they need not fear them.

[Page 14] 2. From hence we should learn, to chuse rather to have Affliction sanctified than removed. An Affli­ction sanctified, is by the Grace and Mercy of God, ordered as a means to work out our good and salvati­on; when an Affliction removed, may be an occasi­on to harden our Hearts, as it did Pharaoh's. But how impatient are we to have them removed? and how little concern'd to have our Souls better'd by them? But dot this savor of a christian Spirit? alass! 'tis far from it. He that is willing to have Afflicti­on sanctified, makes a better choice, than he that would have it removed. It is the Language of a gracious Heart, Lord do by me even as thou wilt, so my soul may be brought nearer to thee thereby.

3. Be not solicitous how or when you shall die, but careful how you may live to please God. Let your Life be pleasing to God, and be sure Death will be your gain; Phil. 1.21. Let us mind to honor God whilst we live, and leave him to dispose of us when we die; let us not be so desirous to live a long Life, as industrious to live an holy Life.

4. Learn from hence, to think well of God under all afflictive Dispensations; and take care of enter­taining hard Thoughts of him. With Job. bless him as well when he is taking from you, as when he is giving to you. God hath a right to you, and all you have; when he takes away the desire of your Eyes, and the joy of your Hearts, doth he take any more than his own? What reason then have Crea­tures to complain? If we did but duly consider, [Page 15]that by Sin we have forfeited our Right to every good thing; and that all we enjoy on this side Hell, is from Mercy: we should bear our Afflictions with greater patience and with the Church, Mich. 7.9. remember that we have sinned against him; and say with the Prophet, Lam. 3.22. It is of the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed. But to conclude this Head; Let no Affliction make you call in questi­on God's Love to you, that fear his Name; but put you upon the search of your own hearts and ways, Lam. 3.40. and say with holy Job, Tho' he slay me, yet will I put my trust in him, Job 13.15. Think not the worse of the ways of God, because Afflictions do attend them; nor the better of the ways of Sin, because some Men meet with worldly Prosperity in them: but think well of God and his ways under all his Dispensations, and be content that he should have the dispose of you and yours; he's faithful who hath promised that all things shall work together for good, to them that love him.

III. The third and last general Head is this (viz.) That God only is a Soul-satisfying Portion to true Be­lievers, both in Life and Death, and for ever, The rock of my heart, and my portion for ever, saith our Text. The great God hath by a most free and gracious grant, made over himself to true Believers, in an everlast­ing Covenant, to be their God, their Portion, and Inheritance for ever, Jer. 31.33. I will be their Goe. Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him; and Psal. 16.5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. The Father of Mercies bestows upon his Children the best of Porti­ons, [Page 16]he gives like himself; and because there is no thing better than himself, he hath not denied to give himself to his People, for their God and eternal Por­tion. Now this is more than if he had given them all the World; yea more than if he had said, I will give you all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them (as the Devil falsly promised our Lord Jesus). For if all the Riches, Honors, Pleasures, and Trea­sures of this World, could be gathered together, and any one Soul of you could say, all this is mine; and that Man were assured of ten thousand Years to live in health and ease to enjoy them, yet this Gist of God himself, is infinitely more than all this: wicked Men have their portion in this Life, Psal. 17.14. but Believers have theirs in God. Now that God only is a Soul-satisfying Portion, be pleased to consi­der,

(1.) That all other Portions perish with the using. Whatever Men have of the things of this Would, they are all perishing Vanities, corruptible Things, uncertain Riches, that a Man may have to day, and be strip'd of tomorrow; 1 Cor. 7.29. But this I say brethren, the time is short. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoyce, as though they rejoyced not; for the fashion of this world passeth away. It is but a little time, when all those things we set our foolish hearts upon, will be no more to us than the dust under our Feet. When sickness comes, it spoils the sweetness and pleasure of all earthly Enjoyments; and the cold dividing Hand of Death, doth at one Stroke, put an irrecoverable [Page 17]distance between us, and all those splendid Atoms, and goodly Nothings, that many ruine their Souls to get and keep. But God is an everlasting, never-fading Portion; and because he is so, our Savior ad­viseth to get a Treasure in Heaven, Luke 12.33. Sell that ye have, and give alms: provide your selves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not.

(2.) A true Believer cannot satisfy himself with­out the enjoyment of God, in any other thing; he is not content with the World, nor any thing in it, if he doth not enjoy Communion with his God. I appeal to your experiences, Christians, and come to the Bar of your Consciences; let me ask you, What is that doth satisfy your Souls? Can Riches do it? Can Possessions or Relations? Are they not empty and unsatisfying, without you enjoy God in the pos­session of them? Are you not uneasy in every place and state, without some well-grounded hope, that the Lord is your God? I am satisfied, that a Soul who hath tasted that the Lord is gracious, cannot be content without a Christ; Psal. 142.5. I cried unto thee, O Lord, I said, thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living; he can say, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none on the earth I desire be­sides thee, Verse 25. his Soul is longing after God, as the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks, Psal. 42. 1, 2, 3. and when deprived of his Ordinances, (those means of Communion with God) cries out, When shall I come and appear before God? His Soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord; his Heart and Flesh crieth out for the living God, Psal. [Page 18]84.2 What can satisfy the Soul, that hath a prin­ciple of divine Life in him, short of the heavenly Manna? Hence it is, that when a Believer goes to the Throne of Grace, falls down on his knees, if God hides his face from him, he comes away asham­ed and confounded, like the Children of the Nobles, Jer. 14.3. When sent to the waters, they came to pits, and found no water, they returned with their vessels empty, they were ashamed, and confounded, and covered their heads. So it is with a Believer, when he comes to God, to wait on him in his Ordinances, if he doth not find the Lord in them.

It is most certain Truth, that there is nothing in the World can give satisfaction to the Soul of any Man; the Earth with all its fulness, cannot reach the Soul's wants, nor satisfy its vast desires: the rest, centre, and happiness of the Soul, is God alone. But here lies the difference, carnal Hearts would fain fill their Bellies with it, & are still seeking for contentment in the fruition of Creatures; and their deceitful Hearts perswades them, that there is somthing in the World, could they come at it, would make them happy Crea­tures, and give them rest and satisfaction; could they attain their desires, to have so much by the Year, and to live in pleasure, free from the ill conveniences they labor under: but all this is a lying Vanity, for if they have their desire, their thirst after more is not quenched, but inflamed, and they still as unsatisfied as before. Solomon would save the Men of the World a great deal of Labor, if they would believe him, when he acquaints us (after the greatest search that ever was made, to find out the sweetness and [Page 19]excellency of Creature-enjoyments) That all is vanity and vexation of spirit, Fccles. 1.2. But Men will not believe him, nor be fully perswaded of this Truth; they will not entertain it in their Hearts, though they carry a Notion of it in their Heads. Sin deceives the Soul, and an evil Heart eagerly pursues sensual Enjoyments: but now a gracious Soul, as he knows his happiness is not in the fruition of any sublunary Enjoyments, so he doth not seek it in them, but calls off his Heart from the pursuit of these things, that it may rest in God alone; Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee, Psal. 116.7.

(3.) A true Believer can be content with the en­joyment of God, tho' the be denied other things; Oh! how sweet is it to a Child of God, when the Light of God's Countenance is lifted upon his Soul? Psal. 63.3. Because thy loving kindness is better than life. Life is the most valuable thing in Nature (the Father of Lyes in this spake a Truth) Skin for skin, and all that a man hath, will he give for his life, Job 2.4. yet a gracious Soul values the enjoyment of God more than Life: a Dinner of Herbs is better with God's presence and favor, than a stalled Ox without him; and Believers prefer the worst of Christ, before the best of the World, Heb. 11.26. and do esteem the lowest place in the House of God, above the highest station in the Tents of Wickedness, Psal. 84.10. How content is a gracious Soul, when God doth feast him with the Bread and Water of Life? when he eats of the hidden Manna, and drinks of the Wa­ter which springs from the Throne of God; this [...] [Page 18] [...] [Page 19] [Page 20]fills him with Joy unspeakable, and full of Glory, 1 Pet. 1.9. What is it that hath made Believers re­joyce in Tribulation, but the sweet Experience of the Love God, shed abroad in their Hearts, Rom. 4 [...], 5. Paul and Silus sang in the Stocks when Christ was present with them, Acts 16.25 Ah! Sirs, did you but taste the sweetness of Communion with God, how would your Souls disrelish the things of this World and esteem them but dung, that you might win Christ, Phil. 3.8

(4.) God only is a Soul-satisfying Portion, because in him there is an all-sufficiency to supply all our wants, and to satisfy all the desires of our Souls, both in life, death, and for ever.

1. In this life there is enough to satisfy all the wants and desires of our Souls in God. Esau said to Jacob, I have enough, my brother; but Jacob said (as you shall find in the Margents of some of your Bi­bles) I have all, Gen. 33.11. God was his Portion, and so he had all. And it is on the same account, that the Apostle tells the Christians at Corinth, All things are yours, 1 Cor. 3.21. There is in God, Life to quicken our dead Sould, Light to irradiate our dark Minds, and to open our blind Eyes, Grace to soften our hard Hearts, and Power to subdue our stubborn Wills; Love to attract our backward Hearts, Mercy to compassionate us in all our Miseries, to pardon our Sins, and justify our Persons, to heal and sanctify our Natures, and merit in Christ, to ren­der our sincere, tho' imperfect Services, acceptable to God; who hath an Eye to direct us, a Hand to help [Page 21]us, and is all in all to the Believer; and can do more for him, than his narrow Heart can ask or think; and will with-hold no good thing from them that walk uprightly, Psal. 84.11. And if so, then is God only a Soul-satisfying Portion.

2. Again, in death, God is a most desirable Por­tion. Even when all other things fail us, when Ri­ches fail, Friends fail, and all the World can afford us no relief, Oh! then to have God to be our Portion, is enough to give the Soul the highest satisfaction; when we come to look Death in the face, then to be able to say with the Apostle, 2 Tim. 1.12. I know in whom I have believed. when our Hearts witness for us, that we have resigned up our Souls to the Lord for ever, What quiet of Mind and rest of Conscience will this afford? What comfort is Faith in a living Redeemer, to a poor dying Peliever? Job 19.25. This is the best Cordial to revive his fainting Spirits, when he can say with holy Job, I know that my re­deemer liveth. But Horror and Amazement will it be to you, that are impenitent and unbelieving Sin­ners? (Tho' you have great Portions in this lise) when you come upon a dying Bed, to have all your Sins stare you in the face, when Conscience shall be awakned, and bring to your remembrance your past Follies, and tell you how often you have quenched and resisted the Motions of the blessed Spirit, What a sad condition will your Souls be in? What will become of you that have not God for your Portion? when Death comes to arrest you, Who will or can relieve you, or keep your Souls out of everlasting Flames? VVhen our Breath goeth forth, and we [...] [Page 20] [...] [Page 21] [Page 22]return to our Dust, we shall experimentally know, and set our Seal to this Truth, that they are happy, who have the God of Jacob for their help, whose hope is in the Lord their God, Psal. 146 5.

Lastly, VVhen the Souls of Believers ascend to the heavenly Region, unclogg'd of his House of Chay, and they begin to espy the glorious Hoasts a­bove, Oh! VVhat ravishing Joys will fill their Souls? VVhen their Angel-Guardians usher them into the general Assembly, and Church of the First­born in Heaven, then shall they with the heavenly Quire, the Spirits of just Men made persect, sing everlasting Hallelujah's unto God, and continually live in the pure Light of an endless Felicity, behold­ing Christ the Lamb, and be ever with the Lord, 1 Thes. 4.17. Where there shall be no more a scrat­ching Bryar, nor a pricking Thorn; where Sin, Sorrow, Pain, and Sighing, shall have no place; then shall they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, 1 Cor. 13 12. Their Understandings shall rest in the knowledg of the supream Truth, and their Wills be delighted in the fruition of the chiefest Good; and all the Desires of their Souls sil­led and satisfied with divine and rational Pleasures for ever. Oh! this is the Mark at which Believers aim, this is the Prize for which they run, this is the Rest they strive to enter into; here's their Portion, here's their eternal Inheritance, Crown, and King­dom; here's their All, all their Salvation, all their Desire, 2 Sam. 23.5. For this they have labored, prayed, watched, waited, and longed to be in his [Page 23]Presence, Where is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasines for ever more, Psal. 16. ult. And if so, then is God only a Soul satisfying Portion to true Believers, both in life and death, and for ever. Now put these things together, and you may see our first Proposition cleared and con­fimed.

I now proceed, with all convenient Brevity, to apply this Truth.

If this be so, that God is a Soul-satisfying Portion to his People; Then,

I. Ʋse of Instruction.

(1.) How wonderfully doth God condescend to Men on Earth? If the natural distance, and dispro­portion, between the Creator, and us Creatures, be such, that it is next to Infinite, and exceeds our most raised Apprehensions, insomuch, that David, Psal. 8.3, 4. considering the Glory of God in his Works of Creation and Providence, breaks forth into an holy Admiration, saying, What is man that thou art mindful of him? and the Son of man that thou visitest him? How much more may we admire (when we reflect on the moral distance Sin hath made between God and us fallen Creatures) and that the most High should stoop so low for our Redemp­tion; that God was in Christ, reconciling the World unto himself, 2 Cor. 5.18. That God should set his love on us Enemies, and Rebels against his Crown and Dignity, when there was nothing in us to attract his love, but enough to provoke his loath­ing; [Page 24]being as wretched Infants cast out into the open Field in the Day that we were born, to the abhor­rence of our Persons; and yet this was the time of love, Ezek. 16.5, 6. When God by Covenant made over himself to Abraham, to be his God and Portion. Gen. 17.1, 2, 3. Abraham fell on his face. Oh! How should we with the most profound Humility debase our selves, and in the highest Strains of Thankfulness, adore and admire this wonderful Grace and Love of God to us. Well may the Apostle say, By grace are ye saved, Eph. 2.8. for if you, or I, or any of us, are brought to Heaven, and delivered from Hell, which we have deserved, it is Grace, Grace, self-moving Love in God, to make over himself to us, as our Portion.

2. This sheweth the great difference between the Righteous and the Wicked. Do you see a wicked Man, in the enjoyment of all the VVorld can afford? Alas! he's a poor miserable wretch in the midst of all his Enioyment; you have no cause at all to envy him, his appearing Happi­ness is but like a Dream, which when a Man awaketh, he finds to be nothing but the vagrant wandrings of meer Fancy and Imagination; Psal. 73.20. So, O Lord when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. VVhat advantage had Dives, by all his sumptuous Fare, Honor, and Riches, when in Hell he list up his Eyes, being in Tor­ments? Luke 16.23. What shall it profit a man (saith our Lord Jesus) to gain the whole world, [Page 25]and to lose his own soul? Matth. 16.26. And yet how many poor Creatures do run the hazard of the eternal Damnation of their Souls to gain this VVorld? To gain this VVorld, did I say? Yea, for a Trifle, for Vanity, and that which is worse than Nothing, to gratify a brutal Lust. Do you see the Righteous under Affliction, sitting alone, crying to God for help; of whom it may be said, as the Prophet speaks, Jer. 30.17. This is Sion, whom no man regards. And they as a Beacon on the top of a Mountain? desolate and forsaken! yet these poor Souls are rich in the midst of all their Poverty. Jam. 2.5. Hearken my be­loved brethren; Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? Yea, God doth set a high Value on them; the poorest Be­liever is more valued by the Lord, than the richest. Unbeliever, tho' never so great and exalted in the VVorld.

II. Ʋse of Examination.

(2.) How should this put us all upon a serious Enquiry into our State and Condition; how it is betwixt God and our Souls? Every one should say with himself, Lord, where is my Portion? Is it in this life? Or is God my Portion?

Now if you would know whether God be your Portion, you need not read over many Volumes, but may find a Resolution to this grand Enqui­ry, by searching the Records of your own Breasts; [Page 26]I mean your own Consciences, if thus examined, will inform you, by answering to these few Que­stions.

(1.) If God be your Portion, you have chosen him above all things besides. The Prophet could say, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him. Now what do your Hearts say to this Question? It may be a little of the VVorld is your Portion, which you have chosen; and if your Hearts and Consciences might speak it out, would they not say to many amongst us, Pleasure is our Portion, that we have chosen, Riches, Honors, Preferments, or it may be, Lust and Sins we have chosen, rather than God; the Lord help you to consider what a sad Choice you have made. But can any of you say, you have chosen the Lord, and do value an Inte­rest in Christ above all the VVorld; bless God for his Goodness, who directed you to make such an happy Choice.

(2.) If God be your Portion, you have the highest Esteem and Valuation for God and Christ; Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon the Earth I desire besides thee. Is Jesus Christ to you precious? 1 Pet. 2.7. To you therefore that believe he is precious; he is the chiefest among ten Thousand, and altogether love­ly, Can. 5. ult. If so, then; is God your Portion? But it's to be feared, a great many Persons (if [Page 27]their Hearts speak the truth) must needs say the quite contrary; that they see more Beauty in Earth then Heaven; love the Creatures more than God; and see no from or comliness in Christ and his ways, that they should desire him. The most live, as if they had no relation to God in Heaven, or dependance on Christ; and desire any pleasing perishing Vanity more than God Oh! wretched deluded Souls, to prefer perishing Vanities, before an Interest in an infinite God.

(3.) Let your Consciences speak for you, Where are your Hearts, Thoughts, and Desires? Are they not after the World, and Lusts thereof? How few are there, that can say, their Hearts are in Heaven? Our dear Lord saith, where your trea­sure is, there will your hearts be also, Luke 12.34. If you can say your Heart is with God, and Af­fections set on things above, then bless God for his goodness, and give him the Glory; God is thy Portion and thou hast a Treasure more valuable than all the World.

(4.) What is it that you trust in, and depend upon? Is God the Rock of your Heart, and Por­tion that you trust in, and depend on? Do you live upon him, and in all distresses and straits trust in him? Can you rely on his Promises, trust in his Truth and Faithfulness? They that have large Portions of this World, live on them, 'tis what they trust and depend on, for supply on all occa­sions; [Page 28]a rich Man's Wealth, in his own conceit, is his strong City, Prov. 10.15. Now if your Con­sciences can speak for you in these things, then is God the Rock of your Heart, and Portion for ever.

III. Ʋse of Exhortation.

I shall close this Discourse with a Use of Ex­hortation, and shall Address my self to the Young.

1. Should not the present Providence affect your Hearts, and lead you to consider the uncer­tainty of your time in this World? You have followed a young Damsel to her long Home this Evening, who, a few Days past, was as likely to live as any of you; yet Death, that spares no Age, no Sex, hath her Body under its Arrest: and it may be any of your Lot next, to be under the same fatal Stroke: your Bodies may be turn'd into the Dust, from whence you came, and your Souls summon'd to appear before the Judg of all the World, before the return of another Week or Day, You that have all things the World can afford you, and are ready to sing a Requiem to your selves, and with the rich Fool in the Gospel, say, Luke 12.19. Soul take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry, for thou hast much goods laid up for many years; may see the Hand-writing against the Wall, to make your Joynts smite one against ano­ther; and God may say, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, &c. Pray think with [Page 29]your selves, were you in the place and stead of the young Virgin, that you have now followed to her Grave, How would it be with your Souls? In what preparedness are you to appear before God? What have many of you been doing, but to undoe your Souls for ever? Oh! Sirs, there's nothing can secure you from the Stroke of Death for one Days time, nor be a comfort to you in that Hour, but an Intrest in God (through Jesus Christ) as your Portion. Therefore

2. Take the best Advice, that ever was given from the best Friend, and only Savior of Souls, Matth. 6.33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righ­teousness; and remember your Creator in the Days of your Youth, Eccles. 12.1. Consider how reaso­nable it is, that he which made you, and is your bountiful Benefactor, should first be sought unto by you; and that since you derive from him your Be­ing, and the whole duration of it, 'tis but just, that what we receive from his Bounty, should be offered up to his Glory. Remember that the time of your Youth, is the time which God calls for, to be employ­ed in his Service, to which he hath made a gracious Promise, Prov. 8.17. They that seek me ea [...]ly, shall find me. O Labor therefore, to make it your first and chiefest Business, to give your Hearts and Souls to the Lord, in all holy Obedience; strive to enter in at the strait Gate, and labor after an early conver­sion to God, before Sin hath hardned your Hearts, and the Spirit of God cease to strive with you. With what comfort and confidence may those go to the Throne of Grace, who have devoted to God, the [...] [Page 28] [...] [Page 29] [Page 30]first and best of their time? And with what satis­faction may they in the Hour of Death, resign up their departing Souls into the Hands of God, who have offered to him the early Dew of their Youth.

3. Choose God for your Portion, Jesus Christ for your only Lord and Redeemer, the Holy Spirit for your Guide, the VVord of God for your Rule, and make his Glory the end of your Living and Dying. Choose Mary's better part, which shall never be taken from you; this was the Choice of the Damsel you have now followed to her Grave, and her greatest Comfort on her dying Bed: For being asked whether she loved the Lord Jesus Christ, she answered; Yes, he is the chiefest Good; and that with Mary. she had chosen the better part, that should never be taken away from her. Oh! what a comfort will it be to you, when you come to lie upon a sick and dying Bed, when Death stares you in the Face, and all the World can give you no relief or comfort, to be able to say, I have chosen God for my Portion, Christ for my Lord and Redeemer, the Holy Spirit for my Guide, the Word of God for my Rule, and his Glory the great end of my Living! With what a holy Tri­umph will such a Soul be able to say with the Apostle, 1 Cor. 15.55. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Come Sirs, young Men, young Women, will you be perswaded to make this happy Choice? And to press you hereto, be pleased to con­sider,

(1) What a miserable condition you are in, whilst out of Christ. Children of Wrath by Nature, and [Page 31]of Disobedience by Practice, Heirs of Hell and Damnation; and if God take you away in your Im­penitency and Unbelief, miserable for ever will your condition be. Wo, and alas! that ever you were born, better you had never known a Day, than to go out of the World without an Intrest in Jesus Christ.

(2.) Consider, there is an absolute necessity of Conversion or Regeneration, or you are certainly damned; the Judg of all the World hath irreversably pronounc'd it, Joh. 3.3. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. See Matth. 18.3. Lude 13.3. without Rege­neration, there is no Salvation.

3. If you have seriously thought of these things, why may not this be the time? that there may be a blessed Marriage-union between Christ and your Souls. For the spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth, say, Come. And let him that is athirst, come; And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely, Rev. 22.17. Oh! what encou­ragement have you, young Men, and young Wo men; yea, all of you, to come and embrace Jesus Christ? Shall all that Christ hath done and suffer­ed for Sinners Salvation, be always slighted by you? Shall the Antient of Days, whose Hairs are white and woolly with Eternity, come down in our assumed Nature, and become an Infant in time; and he that rear'd up the VVorld by the VVord of his Power, redeem it by the Blood of his Cross; and the blessed one be made a Curse, and make his own precious Blood a Fountain to wash poor [Page 32]Sinners from all their Uncleaness, be any longer slighted and rejected by you? Shall he stand at the Door and knock, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled, Cant. 5.2. And yet your Hearts be still shut against him? Shall he come down by Entreaties, and with a wooeing and beseeching Goodness, pray you to be reconciled to God, 2 Corinth. 5.19. 20. And will you yet continue in open Rebellion against him? and rather hearken to the foolish Delusi­ons of your own evil Hearts, the Temptations of Satan, and the Enticements of a sinful VVorld, than to the sweet Invitations of a dear Redeem­er; and choose rather the Slavery of Sin, than by Christ to be made the free Denizens of Hea­ven? Have you not contracted Guilt enough al­ready to sink you down to Hell, unless the Lord be very gracious to you? Have you not deferred the VVork of God, and your Souls Salvation, too long already? Pray consider, what Fruit have you had in those things, whereof you have now cause to be ashamed? Have not your guilty Consciences, many times rebuked your carnal Con­fidence, and filled you with Fears of Death and Judgment? Oh! then say, the time past of your Life is enough, and more than enough; that you have wrought the VVill of the Flesh, followed a vain VVorld, and enslaved your Eo­dies and Souls to gratify the worst of Enemies; and take the Advice the Holy Ghost gives, Heb. 3.7. To day, whilst it is called to day, hear his Voice, and not harden your Hearts. Goe home, sall on your Knees, and earnestly beg of God to [Page 33]reveal Jesus Christ savingly to your Souls, and to enable you with full purpose of Heart, to cleave to the Lord.

Now a Word to those, who have this Evening, followed a near and dear Relation to her long Home. What shall I say to the Mother, whose Loss is great, and Griefs are many? This only, I would say; Sor­row not, as one without Hope; for bles­sed be God, that hath given you Conso­lation, and Ground of Hope, concerning your Daughter: What though the Loss be yours? Is not the Gain hers? Is she not gone to a better Place, and to better Company? From a company of dying Mortals on Earth, to Jesus, whom her Soul loved. Therefore patiently submit to the Will of God, who orders all things well, and hath an absolute Right to dispose of us and ours.

And to the Children, what you saw good in your dear and deceased Sister, imitate; follow her in her Love to Jesus, and lovely Tenderness and Obedience to her Mother; and live in the Fear of God, and in Love one [Page 34]to another, and the God of Love and Peace will dwell among you. Finally, let us all Labor to make sure of God for our Portion, and entirely give up our selves to the Conduct of his Counsel here, that afterward we may be received to his Glory. That we may be able (in great Assurance) to say with the Psalmist, Though our Heart and Flesh fail, yet God is the strength of our Heart, and our Portion for ever.