116 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LXIV.
made to live in dependence. Now, of all portions in the world, there is none worth the having but God himself ; nothing else can make you completely blessed, and satisfy all the necessities and all the capacities of soul and body. When you have outward things, what have you for your conscience ? If these things could fill up your affections, they bear no proportion with conscience ; your sore will run upon you, and your inward griefs will not be cured. But this is such a portion, that besides internal grace, there shall be a competent measure of outward things. God will provide for you: Ps. xxiii. 1, 'The Lord is my shepherd.' What then? ' I shall not want.' This interest will give you temporal things and the comforts of this life, so that you have the fountain of all other mercies. While others do but drink of the streams, and of streams where they are muddy, where they partake of the soil through which they run, you go to the clear fountain. Alas ! others do but pluck the leaves and flowers, but you have the fruits and very root itself, the perpetual fountain and well-spring of comfort, and root of all the blessedness the heart can wish for. Again, all other com- forts grow upon this interest, and when all other things are lost, this can supply you again. All worldly things, when we have them, yet they have not a root ; but you have the root, so that when other things fail, this will yield you all manner of supplies. Yea, this is that which seasons and makes all other things comfortable, when we have them and the love of God with them. This man of God had a king- dom and a great deal of wealth ; he was a victorious king, as we may see by his offering, 1 Chron. xxix., what cart-loads of gold and silver he offers to God : yet in the midst of all this fulness he saith, ' Thou art my portion.' Other portions may turn to a man's hurt, as they are occasions of sin, as they expose to envy and danger. Many a man is undone both here and hereafter by making the creature his portion ; but never any man was undone by making God his portion. It was the end of our creation. God, passing by all other creatures, set his heart upon man. He made all things for man, and man for himself. All other things were either subject to our dominion, or created for our use ; but man was made immediately for God, for the enjoyment of God ; made for himself, and for none else besides himself We should have no rest in ourselves until we come to the enjoyment of God. God was not refreshed from his work, he rested not until he made man ; therefore man should not rest until he comes to God. God takes us for his portion, and therefore you should take God for your portion : Deut. xxxii. 9, ' For the Lord's portion is his people ;' Zech. ii. 12, * And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.^ If God shall choose a company of men to be his portion, certainly it becomes them again to choose him. God is willing to communicate his goodness, therefore why should we be satis- fied with other things ? He reasons with us, is angry that we will run to other things. Why will you lay out your time and strength in that which will not satisfy you ? Isa. Iv. 2. He doth invite you to come and choose him. He complains, and takes it grievously when he c-flfers himself in the gospel : Ps. Ixxxi. 11, ' Israel would none of me.' Oh ! shall the God that made us thus passionately offer himself to us, and shall he be refused? Let this persuade you to choose God for your portion.
A-^ER. 57.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 117
Use 3. For trial. Have you chosen God for your portion ? This will be seen —
1. By your endeavours to get anything of God into your hearts, ITo man seeketh after God ; there is the great complaint. If you did choose God, you would pursue all ways and means that you might gain him, and count all things but dung for Christ, as the apostle doth; then nothing would detain you from him, you would not be satisfied : Oh ! I must have God ; and God would be followed after : Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ? '
2. By your prayers. What do you pray for ? When you come to God, what do your hearts run upon ? what do you seek for from God? Is it God himself ? To seek to God and not for God is but a carnal design upon God: Hosea vii. 14, ' They howl upon their beds for corn, and wine, and oil.' They are but brutish desires, that terminate in other things, that are carried out more after them than God's favour and grace ; therefore his favour must be sought in the first place.