(3.) He is most able to give us contentment, for he is sufficient to himself. Conscience cannot take contentment in the world, though the heart may be besotted with the world. The conscience is a sore place, and all the world cannot give us a plaster for it. Worldly things, the more we enjoy them, the more vm see the vanity of them ; but the more we enjoy God, the more we see the worth of God, and the more will the heart be ravished with him. You see what a sufficient durable good God is ; but ' what hope hath the hyi^ocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul ? ' Job. xxvii. 8. The error of wicked men will be seen in death ; when their portion is taken away from thein, their grief will surpass the joy they took in it. What do wicked men think of their portion in hell when their good things are past ? Are they more angry with it, or with themselves for choosing it? the folly of their choice is a part of their torment : Luke xvi. 25, 'Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things.' All their happiness in the world doth but yield matter for the worm to gnaw upon, that worm of conscience that shall never die. What would they give for one day of God's patience ! But there they bewail themselves for "choosing so unfit a portion for their souls. But then a godly man hath his portion at the full, whereas he hath but the beginnings here. There was a great deal of difierence between Dives and Lazarus in this world, and there is much more in the other world.
[2.] As God is only fit, so there is none more willing to be taken for our portion. The Lord is not only goodness itself^ but a communica- tive goodness ; he communicates himself to us in Christ : Isa. Iv. 2, ' W-'herefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread ? and your labour for that which satisfieth not ? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.' Before we come to take God for our portion, we taste his common goodness ; he beginneth with us with common bounty. Many hunt after the world, and miss it ; but who ever failed that resolved to take God for his portion ? He complains that men would not take him for their God : Ps. Ixxxi. 11, ' My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me.' He ofiereth himself to the world, but the world refuseth him.
VeR. 16,] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 351
[3.] Ill having God for our portion we have all things else, so far as it conduceth to our happiness. We have the worldly man's portion, and that upon better terms. When God gave Solomon liberty to ask what he would, he asked not riches and honours, but wisdom, and he had other things too : 1 Kings iii. 13, ' I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour, so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.' It is accept- able to God, when we pass by other things and choose himself ; and when we choose him, we have other things with a blessing : Mat. vi. 33. ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added to you.' God doth not promise outward tilings so as to make against om- spiritual good ; he promiseth them with himself and with his Christ, not against himself and against Christ. You would not have them to hinder you from your main por- tion, but so far as they are blessings you shall have them.
2. It presseth us to make it sure that God is our portion. Tiiis is our greatest business in the world, yet we take least pains to get it, and evidence it. Tolle meum et tolle JDeum. If we cannot say that God is ours, it will be our torment, as it is the devils, to think of God. Let us not be quiet till we can say, God is my God. Many say God is their God, but they are not his ; he doth not own them for his people ; therefore we must have some evidences, something to show for it: John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power,' e^ovariav , this privilege, ' to be called the sons of God.' We must have a grant and evidence to show for it, that God is our God. And if we have God for our portion, and do not know it, it is a great weaken- ing of our comfort.
Quest. But how shall we know whether God be our God ?
1. Did you ever enter into contract and covenant with him ? Upon what terms and considerations did you enter into covenant with God ? None but God has a right by conquest ; God has a right and title to us every way ; but when he comes to convert a sinner, he has another title ; then he has a title by conquest. Was your spirit ever subdued to yield to him ? Do you remember when you were bond-slaves of Satan, that God broke in upon you with a mighty and powerful work of grace, subduing your heart, and causing you to yield, to give the hand to him, to come and lie at his feet, and lay down the weapons of defiance ? Didst thou ever come as a guilty creature, willing to take laws from God, and cry, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do ? Though it be God's condescension to capitulate with us, yet we do not capitulate with him as equals, but as a subdued creature, who is taken captive and ready to be destroyed every moment, and is therefore will- ing to yield and cry quarter.