» Ps. xi. 6, ix. 17 ; Tsa. xxxiii. 14 ; Mat. xxiv. 51 ; 2 Tlie3. i. 7-10; Heb, xii. 22-24. * Eph. ii. 12; Rom. viii. 7 ; Eph. ii. I, 2, iv. 18.
3 Artetin prays, Lord, saitli he, whatever thou hast given, take it all away, only give me thyself.
116 AN ABK FOR ALL GOD'S NOAHS. [LAM. III. 24.
in jewels, but these jewels are not thyself; and therefore give me thyself, and I shall say I have enough. Lord, had I all the world for my por- tion, yet I should be miserable for ever in that other world, except thou bestowest thyself as a portion upon my soul. O Lord, give me but thyself, and take away what thou pleasest. Oh give me but thyself, and take away all, strip me of all, and I shall with Job sit down and bless a taking God as well as a giving God. Oh go to God, and tell him, with an humble boldness, that though he hath given thee many good things, yet all those good things will do thee no good except he bestow himself upon thee as the only good. Oh tell him that he is the first good ; tell him that he is the original of all good ; tell him that he is the greatest good, the noblest good; tell him that he is a superlative good; tell him that he is an universal good ; tell him that he is an unchange- able good ; tell him that he is an eternal good ; and tell him that he is the most soul-suitable and soul-satisfying good. And therefore tell him that thou canst not tell how to live one day without him ; yea, that thou knowest not how to be happy one hour without him. But,
[3.] Thirdly, If you would have God for your portion, then of all precious promises, of all golden promises, plead that most, Zech. xiii. 9, ' They shall call upon my name, and I will hear them ; I will say, It is my people ; and they shall say. The Lord is my God.' O sirs ! as ever you would have the great and glorious God for your portion, plead out this noble promise cordially with God; plead it out affectionately, plead it out fervently, plead it out frequently, plead it out believingly, plead it out resolutely, plead it out incessantly. O sirs ! this choice promise is an hive full of heavenly honey, it is a paradise full of sweet flowers, it is a breast that is full of the milk of consolation ; and therefore be still a- su eking at this breast, be still a-pleading of this promise ; follow God with this promise early and late, follow him with this promise day and night, follow him with this promise as the importunate widow followed the unjust judge, Luke xviii. 1, and give him no rest till he hath made it good to your souls that he is your God, and that he is your portion, and that he is your salvation, and that he is your all in all. Oh tell him that above all things in this world your hearts are set on this, to have God to be your God, to have God to be your portion. Oh tell him that you cannot, tell him that you dare not, tell him that you may not, and tell him that you shall not, be satisfied with anything without God, with anything below God, with anything on this side God, with anything but God ; and therefore humbly entreat him, and earnestly beseech him, to be your God, and to be your portion. But,
[4.] Fourthly, If you would have God for your portion, then you must he willing to he his pmi,ion} God is resolved upon this, that he will be no man's portion that is not willing to be his. You must make a resignation of yourselves to God, if ever you would enjoy an interest in God ; you must be as willing to be his people, as you are willing to have him to be your God ; you must be as much at God's dispose as earthly portions are at your dispose, or else there will be no enjoying of God to be your God. God will engage himself to none that are not willing to engage themselves to him. He that will not give his hand and his heart to God, shall never have any part or portion in God. 0 sirs ! as ' Deut. zzzii. 9 ; Jer. xii. 10 ; Zech. ii. 12.
liAil. III. 24.] AN ARK FOR ALL GOD's NOAHS. 117