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Use one. Above all things, let us get this great charter confirmed, that God is our God. God is not comfortable—unless he is ours. Let us labour to get sound evidences that God is our God. We cannot call health, liberty, estate, ours; but let us be able to call God ours, and say as the church, "God, even our own God, shall bless us!" Psalm 67:6. Let every soul labour to pronounce this Shibboleth, "My God!" That we may endeavour to have God for our God, consider the misery of such as have not God for their God—in how sad a condition are they, when the hour of distress comes! This was Saul's case when he said "I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me." 1 Sam 28:15. A wicked man in time of trouble, is like a vessel tossed on the sea without an anchor, which strikes on rocks or sands.
A sinner who has not God to be his God, may make a shift while health and estate last—but when these crutches on which he leaned are broken—his heart must sink. It is with him as it was with the old world when the flood came. The waters at first came to the valleys—but then the people would get to the hills and mountains; but when the waters came to the mountains, then there might be some trees on the high hills, and they would climb up to them; ay—but the waters rose above the tops of the trees; and then their hearts failed them, and all hopes of being saved were gone. So it is with a man who has not God to be his God. If one comfort is taken away, he has another; if he loses a child, he has an estate; but when the waters rise higher, death comes and takes away all, and he has nothing to help himself with—no God to go to, he must needs die in despair. How great a privilege it is to have God for our God! "Happy is that people whose God is the Lord." Psalm 144:15. "Man's happiness is God himself." Augustine. That you may see the privilege of this charter:
(1) If God is our God, then though we may feel the stroke of evil—yet not the sting. He must needs be happy who is in such a condition, that nothing can hurt him. If he lose his name, it is written in the book of life; if he lose his liberty, his conscience is free; if he lose his estate, he is possessed of the pearl of price; if he meets with storms, he knows where to put in for harbour; God is his God, and heaven is his heaven.
(2) If God is our God, our soul is safe. The soul is the jewel, it is a blossom of eternity. "I was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body;" in the Chaldee, it is "in the midst of my sheath." Dan 7:15. The body is but the sheath; the soul is the princely part of man, which sways the scepter of reason. It is "a celestial spark," as Damascene calls it. If God is our God, the soul is safe, as in a garrison. Death can do no more hurt to a virtuous heaven-born soul, than David did to Saul, when he cut off the skirt of his garment. The soul is safe, being hidden in the promises; hidden in the wounds of Christ; hidden in God's decree. The soul is the pearl, and heaven is the cabinet where God will lock it up safely forever
(3) If God is our God, then all that is in God is ours. The Lord says to a saint in covenant, as the king of Israel to the king of Syria, "I am yours—and all that I have." 1 Kings 20:4. So says God, "I am yours!" How happy is he who not only inherits the gift of God—but inherits God himself! All that I have, shall be yours! My wisdom shall be your to teach you! My power shall be yours to support you! My mercy shall be yours to save you. God is an infinite ocean of blessedness, and there is enough in him to fill us: as if a thousand buckets were thrown into the sea, there is enough in the sea to fill them.
(4) If God is our God, he will entirely love us. Property is the ground of love. God may give men kingdoms, and not love them; but he cannot be our God, and not love us. He calls his covenanted saints, Jediduth Naphshi, "The dearly beloved of my soul." Jer 12:7. He rejoices over them with joy, and rests in his love. Zeph 3:17. They are his refined silver (Zech 13:9); his jewels (Mal 3:17); his royal diadem (Isa 62:3). He gives them the cream and flower of his love. He not only opens his hand and fills them—but opens his heart and fills them. Psalm 145:16.
(5) If God is our God, he will do more for us than all the world besides can. What is that?
[1] He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, he will make music within. The world can create trouble in peace—but God can create peace in trouble. He will send the Comforter, who, as a dove, brings an olive-branch of peace in his mouth. John 14:16.
[2] God will give us a crown of immortality. The world can give a crown of gold—but that crown has thorns in it and death in it! But God will give you a crown of glory—which never fades away. 1 Pet. 5:4. The garland made of the flowers of paradise never withers!
(6) If God is our God, he will bear with many infirmities. He may respite sinners a while—but long forbearance is no acquaintance; he will throw them to hell for their sins! But if he is our God, he will not destroy us for every failing; he bears with his spouse as with the weaker vessel. He may chastise. Psalm 89:32. He may use the rod and the pruning-knife—but not the bloody axe. "He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob." Numb 23:21. He will not see sin in his people so as to destroy them—but their sins so as to pity them. He sees them as a physician sees a disease in his patient—to heal him. "I have seen his ways—and will heal him." Isa 57:18. Every failing does not break the marriage-bond asunder. The disciples had great failings, they all forsook Christ and fled; but this did not break off their saving interest in God; therefore, says Christ, at his ascension, "Tell my disciples, I go to my God and to their God."
(7) If God is once our God, he is so forever. "This God is our God forever and ever!" Psalm 48:14. Whatever worldly comforts we have—they are but for a season, and we must part with all. Heb 11:25. As Paul's friends accompanied him to the ship, and there left him (Acts 20:38), so all our earthly comforts will but go with us to the grave, and there leave us. You cannot say that you have health, and shall have it forever. You cannot say that you have a child, and shall have it forever. But if God is your God—you shall have him forever! "This God is our God forever and ever." If God is our God, he will be a God to us as long as he is a God. "You have taken away my gods," said Micah. Judges 18:14. But it cannot be said to a believer, that his God is taken away. He may lose everything else—but cannot lose his God. God is ours from everlasting in election—and to everlasting in glory.
(8) If God is our God, we shall enjoy all our godly relations with him in heaven. The great felicity on earth is to enjoy relations. A father sees his own picture in a child; and a wife sees herself in her husband. We plant the flower of love among our relations, and the loss of them is like the pulling off a limb from the body. But if God is ours, with the enjoyment of God we shall enjoy all our pious relations in glory. The gracious child shall see his godly father, the virtuous wife shall see her pious husband in Christ's arms; and then there will be a dearer love to relations than there ever was before, though in a far different manner; then relations shall meet and never part. "And so shall we ever be with the Lord."
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