Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
Psalm 73:25
“A Christian in his saddest condition can enjoy God as his portion. You, who have chosen the world for your portion, have you not read what a perishing portion it is? I offer you today a portion worthy of your choicest affection, a portion that, if you accept it, the richest emperor in the world would be a beggar to you. It is a portion that contains more wealth than heaven and earth. If a man would offer you a bag of gold or a bag of brass tokens, a bag of pearls or a bag of sand, which would you choose? Surely you know! Will you fail to choose him for your portion? Would you choose a little honour before the exceeding and eternal weight of glory? This is to choose broken cisterns before a fountain of living water, dirt before diamonds, drops before the ocean, and nothing before all things. Man, where is your reason? Why set your heart on earthly treasures when you have the desire of all nations to set your heart upon? If you knew the blessed God, and who it is that is offered to you–the sweetest love, the richest mercy, the surest friend, the fullest happiness and the highest honour–then you would leave the merchants of this world who load themselves with dirt, and turn your interests to the other world. You would more willingly leave these frothy joys and drossy delights for the enjoyment of God; yes, more than a prisoner would leave his fetters and the misery of jail, for the liberty, pleasures, and preferments of a court. O reader, if you could see the vastness, suitableness, and fullness of God as your portion, I am confident, though you used to esteem the world with all of its delights, you would leave these to the men of this world who prefer their own country, and would fetch your riches from afar.” 1
1 – George Swinnock (1627-1673), Works, IV:27-28, Richard Rushing, Voices From The Past: Puritan Devotional Readings, Volume 1 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2009/2017), 256.
Nathan's Bookshelf 