SERMON LXIV.
Tliou art my 'portion, 0 Lord : I have said that I looidd keep thy icords. — Yer. 57.
David doth in this place make out his right and title, ' Thou art my portion, 0 Lord,' &c. Here is —
1. David's protestation, thou art my portion, 0 Lord.
2. David's resolution, L have said that Liuoidd keep thy ivords.
In the first of these, in David's protestation, you may take notice of his claim, and of the sincerity of it.
1. Of his claim to God, 'Thou art my portion.' Apart or portion, in the original use of the word, signifies a less quantity taken from a greater ; a part is used in opposition to the whole. But with respect to the matter in hand, it is not used in such a sense, but for our lot and happiness ; not sensu mathematico, not with reference to a whole, but politico et/orensi, with respect to choice, interest, and possession ; and the allusion is taken either from the distribution of the land of Canaan, where every one had his portion appointed to him by lot, antl measured to him by rod and lines : therefore it is said, ' The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage ;' or else it is an allusion to the partage of an ordinary estate, where every child hath his portion assigned him to live upon. Thus he lays claim to God himself.
2. The sincerity of this claim may be gathered, because he speaks by way of address to God. He doth not say barely, ' He is my por- tion,' but challengeth God to his face, ' Lord, thou art my portion.' Elsewhere it is said, Lam. iii. 24, ' The Lord is my portion, saith my soul.' There he doth not speak it by way of address to God, but he adds. My soul saith. But here to God himself, who knows the secrets of the heart. To speak thus of God to God argues our sincerity, when to God's face we avow our trust and choice ; as Peter, John xxi. 17, * Lord, thou knowest all things ; thou knowest that I love thee ;' he appeals to God's omnisciency ; such an appeal is there to God for the truth of this assertion ; as in that other place, when the believing soul lays claim to God, the integrity of that claim is also asserted, not only by the lips or mouth, but also the soul. There is oratio mentalis, vocalis, vitalis: there is the speech of the heart, in the real inclina-
106 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LXIV.
tion of it ; and the speech of the tongue, in outward profession ; and the speech of the life, hy answerable practice. All three must be joined together ; what the tongue utters, the heart and life must consent to. All will say, God is their portion ; but it is not what the tongue says, but what the heart saith ; and what the heart saith will appear in the course of your actions ; there is the real proof and evi- dence of it. Thus much for David's protestation, ' Thou art my portion, 0 Lord ;' he speaks to God himself.
Secondly, Take notice of David's resolution, ' I have said that I would keep thy word.' It is good to see what kind of inference the saints draw from this principle, that God is their portion. Sometimes they infer thence dependence upon God, sometimes subjection and obedience to him ; for this principle doth not only establish our com- fort, but our duty. Sometimes to establish dependence : Lam. iii. 24, ' The Lord is my portion, saith my soul ; therefore will I hope in him.' I will look for all from him, live upon him as a man doth upon his portion. But here David infers duty and obedience : ' I have said that I would keep thy words.'
In this resolution we may observe —
1. The formality or manner of making, I have said : it is by way of practical decree.
2. The matter of it, / icill heep thy words.
1. For the formality or manner of it, ' I have said,' I decreed within myself, I have fully concluded ; here was not a hght or inconsiderate purpose, but such as was deliberate, fixed, a practical decree upon a debate. Whoever would enter upon a strict course displeasing to flesh and blood, must seriously consider and then fixedly determine : deliberation and determination are both necessary. There must be consultation or deliberation, that he may sit down and count the charges ; otherwise, if profession of godliness be lightly taken up, it will be as lightly left. Then there must be determination, or binding the heart by firm purpose ; and if we join the next verse, supplication or begging God's strength, then all is done. Now this firm purpose I have said will help against inconstancy, or against backwardness or unreadiness of heart. Against inconstancy : Many good motions we start, but they die away for want of coming to a resolution, or issuing forth a practical decree for God : James i. 8, ' A double- minded man is unstable in all his ways.' But David, when he had considered all things, then ' I have said tliat I will keep thy words ;' he was fully resolved. Then it will help against laziness, listlessness, and backwardness of heart. David, when he was grown shy of God, and his heart hung ofi" from him, some great distemper was upon his soul, and he was -loath to look God in the face, what course did he take then ? He issues forth a practical decree : Ps. xxxii. 5, ' I said, I will confess my sins unto the Lord.' He thrusts himself forward, and charges himself to go to God : I am resolved I will break off silence, and open my case to God. Thus we must excite ourselves by renewing a decree in the soul ; determine, I will do thus and thus for God, whatever comes of it.