Gospel-conversation

3. Suppose it were for the soul, What thou hast here, is but a very poor pittance, a scanty portion, thou hast not all the world neither, thou hast thy portion in this world; If thou hadst the whole world at command, yea if God should make a thousand worlds more for thee to command, this were all but a poor pittance to put off an immortal soul withal: but now, that thou hast is but a little minim in the world: All Nations of the Earth are but as the dust of the balance, and drop of the bucket to God; What is thy dust then? what is thy house, and land then? As Socrates wittily rebuked the pride of Alcibiades, when he was very proud, that he had so much Land lay together; He brought his Map of the world to him, and saith he, Pray show me where your land lies here, one prick of a pen would have described it all. Should we take a rich man here that hath a great deal of land, and bring a Map of the world to him, all England, Ireland, and Scotland, are but three little spots unto the world; And what are your Farms, and your Manors you have? you have but a little portion, if you had all, it were no great matter: the truth is, All you have in this world cannot be enough to make you live in fashion in the world, like a man; it's not enough (I say) for to live like a man in the world, to live like one that hath an immortal soul, like one that hath the Image of God upon him, and was sent hither into the world to do some great service as every one of you was sent hither to do; therefore it is but a mean thing, little cause you have for to rejoice in it; ⟨p. 332⟩It's true, they that are godly, account themselves unworthy of the least thing they have here in this world, but I'll tell you a Mystery of Religion now, a practical Maxim of Religion, that is a great Mystery to the world, and that is this, That a gracious heart, though he thinks himself unworthy of the least crumb of bread, yet all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth will not serve him to be his portion, will not satisfy him; though he hath a heart that will be satisfied with any thing, as counting himself unworthy of the meanest condition in this world, as a present gift of God, but if God should give him Heaven and Earth, he hath such an unsatisfying heart, as he would not be satisfied with Heaven and Earth, except God gives him Himself: therefore certainly thy portion is but a very little portion.

3. Suppose it were for the soul, What thou hast here, is but a very poor pittance, a scantie portion, thou hast not all the world neither, thou hast thy portion in this world; If thou hadst the whol world at command, yea if God should make a thousand worlds more for thee to command, this were all but a poor pittance to put off an immortal soul withal: but now, that thou hast is but a little minnim in the world: All Nations of the Earth are but as the dust of the ballance, and drop of the bucket to God; What is thy dust then? what is thy house, and land then? As Socrates wittily rebuked the pride of Alcibiades, when he was very proud, that he had so much Land lay together; He brought his Map of the world to him, and saith he, Pray shew me where your land lies here, one prick of a pen would have described it all. Should we take a rich man here that hath a great deal of land, and bring a Map of the world to him, all England, Ireland, and Scotland, are but three little spots unto the world; And what are your Farms, and your Mannours you have? you have but a little portion, if you had all, it were no great matter: the truth is, All you have in this world cannot be enough to make you live in fashion in the world, like a man; it's not enough (I say) for to live like a man in the world, to live like one that hath an immortal soul, like one that hath the Image of God upon him, and was sent hither into the world to do some great service as every one of you was sent hither to do; therefore it is but a mean thing, little cause you have for to rejoyce in it;