A New Years Gift, Section 21
SECT. XXI.
A Devout Meditation upon Pſalm 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? And there is none upon Earth, that I deſire beſides Thee.
WHAT is there in Heaven or Earth, O Lord! but thy Preſence to be valued, loved, deſired, choſen, ſought, or delighted in? There is nothing in either World, deſirable without Thee, nothing certainly above Thee; nothing in Compariſon with Thee. In Thee alone I truſt, on Thee I depend; in Thee I repoſe my Confidence and Hope; from Thee I expect all my Felicity and Salvation. Whatever I can loſe, yet with the Continuance of thy Favour, which is my Life; I have ſtill Enough. With that I am Rieh, without it I am Poor and Miſerable. And if I want the Love of God, all that Heaven and Earth can give beſides, will not make me happy. In Thee, therefore, I would terminate all my Affections, all my Devotions! There is nothing of Heaven to be had on Earth, but in thy Favour, Image and Love; and the reviving Senſe of it. And all the Heaven I expect hereafter, 'tis in the more full and immediate Communications of theſe, in thy bleſſed Preſence. I can deſire nothing upon Earth; I can injoy nothing in Heaven, but Thee! both here and there, thou art, and ſhalt ever be my All-ſufficient, Satisfactory Portion, my Everlaſting All! None elſe can be the Portion of my Soul. Nothing elſe can fill up all its Wants, anſwer all its Cravings, be ſuited to all its Capacities, appeaſe and charm all its reſtleſs Motions, and give Complacence to all its Deſires, and be the proper Object of all its Affections.
What is there elſe can juſtly claim my Love, or pretend to my Supreme Affection in compariſon with God? Thou art alone the proper Center of it. Thine Infinite and Incomparable Excellencies, (who art Love it ſelf) deſerve my choiceſt Love; and thy numberleſs Mercies and Benefits, challenge it as a juſt Debt as a piece of Homage due from all, and of ſpecial Gratitude alſo from me. Oh, that I could love Thee above all things! who alone art worthy of all my Love! O that Divine Love might be the ruling Principle within me! to inſpire all my Thoughts, to regulate all my Deſires, to ſet all the Powers of my Soul on Work! O that it might take the full Poſſeſſion of my Heart, and ſo animate and order all my Actions to pleaſe him, whom my Soul loveth! If as yet I cannot ſay with thine Apoſtle? Lord! thou that knoweſt all things, thou knoweſt that I love thee. Yet I can ſay, Lord, thou knoweſt that I would love thee! Thou haſt provided for our Happineſs, by that firſt and great Command of loving thee with all our Hearts, and Souls and Strength. But alas! how backward is my ſluggiſh, carnal Heart, to this Delightful Exerciſe? Tho' I have ſo oft been told, that God is Love, and that He that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. O ſhed abroad thy Love into my Soul! that I may feel the Vital Power and Influence of it, and live continually in the Love of God, and that nothing may ever be able to ſeparate me from it.
Whom have I in Heaven or Earth, to Hope in, but Thee? I expect more from Creatures, than they can, or will perform; but God can do for me more abundantly than I can ask or think; exceed my largeſt Thoughts, out ſtrip my higheſt Expectations. And no Man was ever diſappointed, who made Thee his Hope. When I meet with Croſſes and Wrongs, Unfaithfulneſs, Contempt, Hatred and Perſecution from Men, I need not wonder; I was never told by God, it would be otherwiſe here. Did I look for leſs from Creatures, and expect more from God; Did I reckon this World to be a State of Trial, and not a Place of Reſt and Satisfaction; my Faith and my Deſires would be ſtronger, with reſpect to God and Heaven; and Temporal Calamities and Diſappointment leſs afflictive and Vexatious.
And what is there, O Lord! in Heaven, or in Earth, my Soul can deſire beſides Thee? Is there any thing deſireable, but as it is thine, of thee, and from thee? And bears ſome Impreſſion of thine Excellence, or brings ſome Intimation of thy Love? And what can I reaſonably deſire; what that is worth deſiring, or having, but thou art able to be, and do, and give?
In whom, or what, ſhall I Rejoyce, but in Thee, O Lord! ſhall I ſolace my ſelf in Tranſitory Goods, that ſlip between my Fingers, and periſh in the Uſing? or reliſh Carnal Joys, which pollute and debaſe the Soul? When I may and ought to Rejoyce in Thee at all Times, as the only Source of Perfect, Everlaſting Joy. Let me then ſtir up my Drooping, Deſponding, Unbelieving Heart, to rejoyce in God; who takes Pleaſure in the chearful Service and Obedience of his Children; who delighteth in thoſe, who delight in him. Is not *Vid. Mr. How, Of delighting in God.Delighting in God a moſt Eſſential, Vital Part of Religion? Should it not be my Conſtant Frame? Hath not God ſufficiently provided, that it may be ſo? Can I ſay and believe, that God is the Portion of my Soul; that he is my God. and I hope to live with him for ever, and not Rejoyce? Or can I conſider the Grace of the new Covenant, the matchleſs Love of Chriſt, and the precious Promiſes of the Goſpel; and not ſee reaſon to Rejoyce? Yea, doth my Soul love God, and endeavour to pleaſe him; and is not the very Act and Exerciſe of holy Love, mixt with unſpeakable ſweetneſs?
Whom is there in Heaven, or in Earth, or Hell, that I ought to Fear, but Thee? Who haſt a Negative Voice in all the Deſigns of Men and Devils; an Hook in their Noſtrils, a Bridle in their Mouths, to make them fulfil thy Pleaſure; and in every thing accompliſh thy Sovereign Decree.
Is there any other, in whom I may repoſe my Truſt, but in Thee, O Lord! the Rock of Ages? The might of thy Power, the Unſearchableſs of thy Wiſdom, the Righteouſneſs of thy Nature, the Stability of thy Truth, the Riches of thy Grace, and the Immutability of thy Promiſes, are a ſure Foundation, for my Soul to truſt to, and relye upon. Thy word ſtands firm for ever, and the Truth of thine Ability, and Readineſs to help, in every Time of Need, Endures the ſame throughout all Generations. At all Times, and in all Places, my Soul may truſt in Thee, and find Relief. And they who know thy Name will do ſo; for in the Lord Jehovah, is Everlaſting Kindneſs and Strength. To anſwer all my Doubts, to ſupply all my Wants, and fulfil all my Deſires. May not God take it unkindly, that I truſt him no more? And is it not a criminal Unkindneſs, that I give him not the Glory of all theſe excellent Attributes, which are the grounds of Truſt; by a conſtant, ſteady, intire Dependance on him for all that I need?
I have none in Heaven but Thee, O Lord! as the Object of my Invocation and Worſhip. Let other Chriſtians have Recourſe to New Mediators, and call upon other Gods: I will make mention of thy Name, and of thy Righteouſneſs only. And ask of Thee whatſoever I need, for the ſake of thy Chriſt, my only Adorable Mediator. Him thou heareſt alway, with him thou art always well pleaſed. I honour the Holy Angels as Glorious Attendants about thy Throne; and bleſs thee for them, as Miniſtring Spirits, for the Good of thy Servants; but I dare not invoke or worſhip 'em, becauſe they are Fellow Servants. On the ſame Account, I honour the Memory of Departed Saints, but neither invoke them, or pay them Religious Worſhip. That Glory, thou wilt not give unto another. I have no Precept in Holy Scripture to direct, no Promiſe to encourage, no Example to authorize, the Invocation of any other but Thee; In whom I believe and truſt, Rom. 10.14.
Having ſuch a God in Heaven, what can I need on Earth? His Eyes behold me, his Wing is over me, his Hand can ſupply me, his Grace provide for me. I can want nothing that is Good; unleſs I ſhould need ſomewhat, which God, the infinitely Bleſſed and All-ſufficient Good, cannot beſtow. If thou art the Portion of my Soul, all my Enemies cannot make me miſerable; unleſs they can void Heaven of the Preſence of God, hinder his Care, bind up his Hand, or obſtruct his Love. But tho' my Enemies cannot, I fear my Sins may. They alone can ſeparate between God and my Soul. And conſidering the multitude and aggravations of them, and thine unſpotted Holineſs and Juſtice; I ſhould have too much reaſon to fear and tremble, yea, and utterly deſpair, If I had none in Heaven but thee. But thy word aſſures me, that I have a Mediator there; a faithful and a compaſſionate High-Prieſt, Jeſus Chriſt the Righteous; whom thou haſt exalted to be a Prince, and a Saviour, to give Repentance and Remiſſion of Sins. Who liveth for ever in Heaven, to make Interceſſion, till he hath brought me there, to behold his Glory, and partake of it.
That Glory, O Lord! thou haſt reſerved for Heaven; in this World we only deſire, believe, and hope to enjoy it. Whom have I in Heaven? That is the Place of Fruition. What can I deſire upon Earth? This World is the Place of Deſires, as the other of full Enjoyment. Moſt of that which Men call Enjoyment in this Life, conſiſts but in Deſire. Deſire or Luſt, is all that is in the wicked World, 1 John 2. c. 13. the Riches of a Covetous Worldling makes him deſire more; and the Great Myſtery of Intemperance, is to create and increaſe Deſires; and Deſires of another kind, are the Portion of Good Men in this World.
Oh! that I could breath after a State of perfect Fruition in Heaven, with more importunate Deſires! Who will give me, to be in Heaven with thee? On Earth I deſire nothing. duplicate page duplicate page So one Verſion. Let me, O my Soul! think of Heaven, as ſuch a Place, or State of Bleſſed Enjoyment! ſpeak of it, ſeek it, long for it, prepare for it, as ſuch. And let Jeſus Chriſt, who is the Deſire of all Nations, (through whom all Divine Communications are made to fallen Sinners) be the Great Object of my preſent Deſires and Love! Let me deſire nothing but as in Him, and for Him; that believing his Word, obeying his Law, adoring his Perſon, imitating his Example, truſting his Promiſe, conſtrained by his Love, partaking of his Image, filled with his Grace, and comforted by his Spirit; my Meditations of him may be ſweeter, and my Love ſtronger, and I may have nothing more left to deſire for my Self, but that God who hath raiſed and exalted Him, would keep alive my Faith, and Hope, and Holy Deſires, till he hath made me meet to be with Him; and after having guided me by his Grace, and Spirit, and Counſels, here on Earth, would receive me to his moſt Bleſſed and Glorious Preſence in Heaven. Amen, Amen.