God's soveraignty displayed from Job 9. 12. : Behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? &c., or, A discourse shewing, that God doth, and may take away from his creatures what hee pleaseth, as to the matter what, the place where, the time when, the means and manner how, and the reasons thereof : with an application of the whole, to the distressed citizens of London, whose houses and goods were lately consumed by the fire : an excitation of them to look to the procuring causes of this fiery tryal, the ends that God aims at in it, with directions how to behave themselves under their losses / by William Gearing ...

SECT. VII.

[ VII] Another end that God aims at, in taking these outward things from you, is that himself may bee your portion; he is the portion of his people. Thou art my portion O Lord, Psal. 119.57. The Prophet calleth God, the portion of Ja∣cob, Jerem. 10.16. The Vine is the Drunkards portion; Mammon is the Covetous mans portion; Pleasure is the Voluptuous mans portion; Gods wrath is the Wicked mans portion, up∣on the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tem∣pest, this shall bee the portion of their cup, Psal. 11.6. outward sorrows, in∣ward graces, and God himself, are the godly mans portion, and the king∣dome of heaven is his inheritance. True it is! some of Gods people have these outward things also, but they have them not as their portion; and

many times he takes them from those that have them, that they may make God their only portion, Therefore Da∣vid saith, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup, Psal. 16.5. The meaning is, the Lord is to me instead of house and land, of meat and drink, and all necessaries for this pre∣sent life. As the Apostle saith, Heb. 6.13. Because God could swear by no greater, therefore he sware by himself: So it may be said in this case, because God could give no greater portion to people, therefore he gives himself un∣to them. And when they are stript of other things, yet even then they have God to live upon. Wherefore did God keep Israel forty years in the Wilder∣ness, and made them to hunger and thirst, and fed them with Mannah, which neither they nor their Fathers did know? was it not to this end, that he might make them know, that man did not live by bread only, but by eve∣ry word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, doth man live, Deut. 8 3. What doth a great rich heir live upon, but this portion? hee may have many other conveniencies, but hee chiefly makes account of his portion for his

livelyhood. God is an All-sufficient portion; whosoever hath him for his portion, hath enough; there is enough in him to supply all our wants: the creatures at best, can but supply this or that particular want; but my God, saith the Apostle, shall supply all your wants. All other portions are defective, but this sufficeth all: Some things give health, but not comfort; some things give comfort, but not honour; some things give honour, but not satiety. Still the shooe wrings in one place or other, there is something or other wanting to us: but God is an All-sufficient porti∣on to the soul; he is health to the sick, wealth to the poor, honour to the de∣spised, an habitation to the distressed; he is all that we need or can desire, yea, he gives abundantly more than we are able to ask or think. God is of all o∣ther, the most transcendent portion, for communicating, for security, for cer∣tainty: wee may bee robbed of our o∣ther portions, or they may be lessened, diminished, burnt, spent, consumed; but here is an abiding portion; God is my portion for ever, saith Asaph, Psal. 73.26. Hee is an everlasting portion. This God is our God for ever and ever,

he will be our guide even unto death, Psal. 48.14. God is a most sure and certain portion, and many times when Gods Children have least of the things of this world, he giveth most of him∣self to them, in whom is every good and perfect gift, and all things richly to enjoy. Aaron had no lot among his brethren, but God saith to him, I am thy part, and thine inheritance among the children of Israel, Num. 18.20. So it is with all Gods children when they are stript of all, then God is their portion, and their inheritance: hence a beleever may conclude, the Lord is my portion, therefore I shall not want; surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all the daies of my life: hee that hath the Sun, can never want light; he that hath a fountain, can never want water; and he that hath the most high God, the possessour of all things, can never want any thing that is good for him: it is an infinite advantage to bee heir of all that God hath to give, both in heaven and in earth: well may hee say, when I have nothing, yet I want nothing, because I have God who is all things to me: The lines are fallen to

me in pleasant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage, Psal. 16.6.