Chap. 38. /InExpofitio:s upon theBook of J o a. Verf. 4. _ S:5 with. Thus fpake Abraham (Gen. i4. 2z.) to the King of So- dome , who bid loins take *goods to himfeif : Ihave liftedup my band unto the Lord , the molt high God, rfeffor of heaven and earth : that 1 will not take from a threed even to afloelatchet,&c. As if he had faid, The Lord who is poffeffor of heaven and earth, is my portion, my po f felon ; andhe cangiveme enough oftheearth, yea he will give me heaven alfe ' therefore , Iwill not take any thing of thine , lefl thou Polk& fay , I have made Abraham rich. The Lord, who is poffefror of the earth , can give his peo- ple what earthly portions, or pofl'effions of the earth he pleafeth. And let us remember , what earthly portions foever we have in this world , we have no reafon toboaft ; feeing all is the Lords , and we are but his flewards and tenants at will. And becaufe 'cis the Lords earth which we poffefs , let us alto remember to pay our rent, our quit-rentto him , that is, thanks duly and dai- ly ; left weprovokehim todiftrain uponus , or to take the for- feiture , and turn us out of all. Many hold lands from great Lords to pay only fome fmall rent or fervice , in a wa,J of ac- knowledgement ; O let us remember to pay our rent to our Great Land-Lord , The Lordof the whole earth. They who acknowledge, what they have is his , or that they haveandhold all they have of him; willhonour him with what they have ,even with their fubflance, and with theftrfffruits of all their increafe , (Prov. 3. 1 ) Thirdly , Wemay infer Seing Godfounded the earth , He to alto the Rulerofit. And that the Lord rules the earth,is amercy to all men on the earth. The Lord regns, let the earth rejoyce (Pfal 97. I.) That is , men of the earth have caufe to rejoyce , be- caufe they have God , who is infinitely both wile and good , to rule them. The Lord is King over all the earth ; fing yeprayfes with underflanding ( Pfal, 477,) And furely they whounder- - Rand what a King he is , will praife him. Fourthly, We may be encouraged togo unto God, or applyour felves to God about all things here on earth , feting he bath laid the fou-dations of the earth. The Lord having invited his people to ask him things to come concerning his fons , and concerning the workof his hands, to command him (Ifa. 45. a r,) adds this in the next words , as an encouragement to do fo ; 1 have made the earth, and created man upon it : As if he had faid , Askof not who-
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