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himself, and it is liis hcappiness to enjoy himself, there needs no more; there is enough in God to satisfy. If our desires run out after other things, they are desires not to be satisfied, but to be mortified. If we hunger after other contentments, they are like feverish desires, not to be satisfied, but to be abated in the soul ; for he that fills all things hath enough to fill up our hearts.
[6.] Complacency and delight. That which a man would take pleasure in, there where he may have abundant matter of rejoicing and delight, this a man would choose for his portion. Now in God he hath the truest and sincerest delight. This is matter of rejoicing ; as David saith, Ps. xvi. 5, 6, ' The Lord is my portion.' Wliat then ? ' I have a goodly heritage.' Here is that which will revive and refresh my heart enough. There is no rejoicing that is sincere but this. As the discomforts of the new creature are more real than all other dis- comforts, and pierce deeper — ' a wounded spirit who can bear ? ' — so the joys of the new creature, none go so deep : Ps. iv. 6, ' Thou hast put more gladness into my heart,' &c. Others do but tickle the senses, a little refresh the outward man, please the more brutish part, but this the heart. And this is such a joy as can be better felt than uttered : 2 Peter i. 8, it is ' unspeakable,' and none can know the strength and sweetness of it till it be felt : 'a stranger ' cannot con- ceive it, ' doth not intermeddle with his joy,' Prov. xiv. 10. One drop of this is more than an ocean of carnal pleasure. When we have other things without God, we can never be serious. Take the merriest blades in the world, and dig them to the bottom ; still there is something of sadness and remorse that doth sour all their content : conscience is secretly repining, and ready to embitter their joy. Though men strive to bear it down, yet it is ever returning upon them ; therefore they cannot be truly cheerful. The most jolly sinners have their pangs that take off the edge of their bravery. Carnal rejoicing makes a great noise, like thorns under a pot, but it is but a blaze and gone. But this is a solid joy and comfort, wherewith a man may look death in the face with cheerfulness, and think of the world to come and not be sad. Alas ! a little thing puts tlie merriest sinner into the stocks of conscience. He that makes it Lis business to add one pleasure to another, and spend his days in vanity, how soon is his mirth removed ! Therefore, if a man would choose a portion to have joy at the highest rate, he should choose God for his portion.
Secondly, How comes a godly man to look upon God under this notion, that no less will content him but God himself? Why, he hath another ai)prehension, and another manner of heart to close with him, than carnal men ; his understanding is enlightened, and his heart in- clined by grace.
1. He sees more into the worth of spiritual and heavenly things. He hath faith, which is the evidence of tilings not seen, of things that do not lie under the judgment of sense and present reason ; he can spy things under a veil, and his eyes are opened to see ' what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,' Eph. i. 17, 18 ; and there- fore he is convinced of the fulness and sufficiency that is in God, and the emptiness and straitness that is in the creature ; God hath given him counsel, his reins instruct him, Ps. xvi. 7. All by nature are
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blind, ignorant, apt to dote upon the creature ; but by grace their eyes are opened, that they have another manner of discerning, that they do not see things only by discourse, but their hearts are affected. Others may discourse, but they have not this divine light and spiritual under- standing, by which spiritual things may be discerned ; as matters of opinion they may, but not as matters of choice. A carnal man may argue out with reason the worth and excellency of God, but he hath not a refined apprehension and persuasive counsel, which is in God's people.
2. Their hearts are inclined to choose him for their portion. They do not only see an alluring worth in the object, but there is an attract- ing virtue, by which the heart is drawn unto God: John vi. 44, ' No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him.' The great article of the covenant of grace is to take God for our God. Now all the articles of the new covenant are not only pre- cepts but promises. The conditions of the covenant are conditions i% the covenant ; God gives what he requires. And therefore, as the great article of the covenant is to take God for our God, so the great blessing of the covenant is to have a new heart, or a new placing of our desires and affections. Sin lieth in a conversion from God to the creature ; grace, in turning us to God again. The change is mainly seen in fixing our chiefest good and our last end. God gives his people a heart to close with him, and accept of him as theh portion, to fix upon him as their chiefest good and their last end.