how to dynamically assign port pins

I have several identical devices which I want to connect to differing port pins. I want to pass to my function, which device, and then have the function perform a switch statement dynamically assigning clock, oe, strobe, data lines to the port pins for that device. For example,
function(int ic)
sbit CLOCK;
sbit DATA_OUT;
sbit OE;
sbit STROBE;

switch(chip){
case 0:
CLOCK = P1^0;
DATA_OUT = P1^2;
OE = P1^7;
STROBE = P3^4;
break;

case 1:
sbit CLOCK = P1^0;
sbit DATA_OUT = P1^2;
sbit OE = P1^7;
sbit STROBE = P3^4; break;
}

but the compiler pukes on this--giving syntax error near each 'sbit' declaration and use. However, if I declare the sbit's fixed at the top of the file, the compiler is happy-- but then I would have to duplicate the function with multiple copies referencing the port pins in question for that device.

Any ideas on how to make this work?

THanks!