The Pfalmist, as one of the people of God, is here directing himself to him, asserting his interest in him, and this in a manner that speaks his esteem of him beyond whatever could be named in either world, as standing in competition with him. Whom bave I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I defire befides thee. Whatever there may be defireable in either world, earth or heaven, holy fouls are carried to God, as in whom alone they can find fatisfaction. This is a truth felt by the generation of them that feek him. God in providences, God in ordinances; communion with him upon earth, and the enjoyment of him above, is what their hearts are set upon. Here I shall endeavour to shew; I. How God is to be confidered, when the faints thus fpeak of him. II. Enquire, what a gracious soul may have in view in this or the other world, defireable or engaging, with which yet it cannot take up. III. Whence it is that these cannot fatisfy without God, or be instead of him. IV. What a gracious foul may be conceived to mean in looking above, and beyond all things else, and faying of God, and to him, I have none in heaven but thee, or on earth that I defire besides thee; and whence such a temper proceeds. Lastly, The ufe. I. How God is to be confidered when his people thus speak of him; every one for himfelf? I have none in heaven but thee. (1.) Not abfolutely, or as, in himself, clothed with majesty, armed with justice, of purer eyes than than to behold iniquity, inclined to punish it, and by almighty irresistible power able, in the most terrible manner, to do fo. For thus confidered, he may well be faid to be a confuming fire ; and convinced finners cannot thus think of him without being troubled. The display of his glorious perfections, strikes terror into their fouls, apprehending him their enemy: And how can their hearts endure, or their hands be strong, in the day that he shall deal with them? Ezek. xxii. 14.-" "Tis a fearful thing to fall into the "hands of the living God;" for who knoweth "the power of his anger? according to his fear " so is his wrath." This wrath, upon the account of fin, we are by nature liable to; and should he deal with us according to the rigour of a broken law, we could no way escape." If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord "who shall stand? Pfalm cxxx. 3. This therefore the Pfalmist deprecates, Pfalm cxliii. 2. "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, " for in thy fight shall no man living be jufti"fied." The confideration of an absolute God, is what his own children cannot bear. "Tis not, therefore, under this notion that one of this number speaks of him with fo much fatisfaction, Whom have I in heaven but thee. But, 2. As God in Christ; as having fet forth his Son to be a propitiation for our fins, and, thro' him, manifested the greatest love to us, or a rea-diness to bestow the greatest bleffings upon us. "God so loved the world, that he gave his on"ly begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in "him should not perish, but have everlasting "life." John iii. 16. Thus, God commend"eth his love to us, in that while we were yet " finners Christ died for us." Rom. v. 8. And He " that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also, " freely give us all things? ch. viii. 32. How amiable, attracting, and endearing, is the discovery made of God in Christ? How full of compaffion is he for lost sinners? unwilling they should perish, and earnestly defirous of their happiness in the method taken to bring it about? Fury is not in him: there is plenteous redemption with him: he is ready to have mercy, and abundantly pardon: he is the Father of mercies; the God of all grace and comfort, 2 Cor. i. 3. His name and nature is Love, 1 John iv. 3. His throne is a throne of grace, encompassed with a rain-bow, the emblem of peace. Our way to him is open; the ground of our fears removed; his thunder laid by, that his terrors might, no more, make us afraid. Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kiffed each other." God as the Father of our Lord Jejus Chrift, appears with a smile upon his face, good-will in his heart; the richest, or most defirable blessings, in his hand. And thus under the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ, the believer is led to say with the Pfalmist in the text, Whom have I in heaven but thee, &c. Thus they joy in God through Jefus Christ our Lord, by whom we have now received the atonement, Rom. V. II, II. We are to enquire, what a gracious foul may have in view, in this or the other world, de defirable or engaging, with which yet it cannot take up. to us. 1. To begin with the World that is nearest There is none upon earth that I defire befides thee: No person, no thing; not deliverance from present evil, or enjoyment of temporal good; nor, added to these, the ordinances and means of grace, the external privileges of God's house, How defireable foever these are in themselves, how little could they fignify without God? 1. Deliverance from present evils, as ficknesses, pains, losses, disappointments, &c. How defireable in itself would be a freedom from these? But how poor a thing to a faint is all this, to be exchanged for the prefence and favour of God? How far would it be from giving fatisfaction to fuch an one, who much rather would chuse af fliction with the people of God, that have God near to them, than live in other respects in the greatest ease in the world, disquieted with the thought of being without God? 2. Another thing defirable in itself, is the enjoyment of temporal good; riches, honours, money, friends, and all requifite accommodations for pleasure and delight. This is what the world admires and earnestly purfues. And, in some sense, the Pfalmist pronounces them happy, in regard to these outward privileges, Pfalm cxliv. 15. "Happy is the people that is in such a cafe." But if the account stops there, he seems to correct himself, and presently adds, "Happy is the " people whose God is the Lord." There be many, fays the Pfalmist, that say, "Who will VOL. III. thew |