II. The feelings which they have in the contempla- tion of it —
Behold how David expresses,
1. His delight in it —
[All the pious amongst the Israelites would find some reason to be pleased and delighted with the portion that was assigned them. To some their proximity to the sea would be a matter of joy ; to others, their pasturage ; to others, their rocks and fortresses : so that all in their respective places would say, " The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places ; yea, I have a goodly heritage." But how well may they adopt that language who have the Lord for their portion ? Tell me. Believer, what else canst thou want ? What can add any thing unto thee? What is there which thou dost not find in thy God? If thou possessest ever so great a portion of earthly goods, are they not all as dung and di'oss in comparison of this? Or, if thou art destitute even as Lazarus himself, is not all sense of indigence lost in the contemplation of thy better wealth ? What the worldling has, he holds by a very uncertain tenure, and that only for a moment : but what thou hast is secured to thee by the promise and oath of God, and is to be enjoyed by thee with ever-augmenting zest for ever and ever. Say, Dost thou not, in this survey of thine inheritance, pity those who can rest in any earthly portion ? Art thou not ready to weep over those as maniacs, who fancy themselves kings and emperors, whilst they are but little elevated above the beasts, yea, in some respects inferior to them; because they fulfil in a far less degree the true ends of their creation ? Well indeed mayest thou exult when thou surveyest thy por- tion ! When thou beholdest the sun and moon and stars, together with this globe whereon thou standest, and callest to mind, that the Maker of them all is thy friend, thy portion, thine inheritance ; methinks it is almost strange that the con- templation is not too much for frail mortality to bear. To be lost in wonder, and be swallowed up in ecstasy, is no more than what may be expected of thee from day to day.]
2. His thankfulness to God for it —
[David clearly saw that of himself he would never have chosen such a portion as this. His earthly mind would have been as grovelling as that of others, if God himself had not " counselled him," and discovered to him the vanity of all earthly good. Amidst the various trials which he had endured, God had drawn nigh to him ; and in the night-seasons of afilic- tion had instructed him, and had revealed himself to him in all his beauty and excellency and glory. Thus he had enabled David to make a fair estimate of the portion offered him, as
513.1 GtOD HIMSELF HIS PEOPLE'S PORTION. 77
compared with that which the world around him enjoyed. Tn this view of the mercy vouchsafed unto liim, David says, " I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel ; my reins also instruct me in the night-seasons." And is it not thus with every believer ? Do you not know assuredly, that of yourselves you would never have chosen God for your portion ? Are you not well convinced, that you would " not have chosen him if he had not chosen you," nor " loved him, if he had not first loved you ? " Did you not even hold out against his counsels for a long time, till he forced conviction on your mind, and " made you wilhng in the day of his power?" If you have been kept awake in the night-seasons, and " your reins in- structed you," till with a compunction you were " pricked to the heart ;" or, if you have been visited with trials that were necessary to wean you from the things of time and sense, do you not bless him for it, and for " the instruction which he then sealed upon your mindi?" Yes; and with your whole hearts. You see in what a portion you would have rested, if these means had not been used to bring you to a better mind ; and, if they had been a thousand times heavier than they were, you would now account them as unworthy of a thought, in comparison of the blessings, to the possession of which they have introduced you. I hear you adoring God, and saying, " I know that in very faithfulness thou didst afflict me:" for " before I was afflicted I went astray ; but now have I kept thy law." Go on, then, blessing and praising God ; and never forget that " by the grace of God you are what you are."]