The fourteenth Duty that is incumbent upon them that §14have been burnt up, is to make God their habitation, to make 1God their dwelling-place, Psal. 90. 1. Lord thou hast been our dwelling place (or place of retreat) in all generations: or in generation, and generation as the Hebrew runs, it is an Hebraism, setting forth God to be the dwelling place of his people in all generations before the flood and after the flood. The Israel of God in all their troubles and travels in their wilderness condition, were not houseless nor harbourless: God was both their hiding place and their dwelling place. He that dwelleth in God, cannot be unhoused, because God is stronger than all. 'Tis brave for a Christian to take up in God as in his Mansion-house. It was a witty saying of that learned man Picus Mirandula, viz. That God created ⟨p. 227⟩the earth for Beasts ro inhabit, the Sea for Fishes, the Air for Fowls, the Heavens for Angels and Stars; and therefore man hath no place to dwell and abide in, but God alone. Now the great God has burnt up your dwelling places, make him your dwelling place, your habitation, your shelter, your place of retreat, your City of refuge. Certainly they dwell most safely, most securely, most nobly, most contentedly, most delightfully and most happily, who dwell in God, who live under the wing of God, and whose constant abode, is under the shadow of the Almighty. Let the loss of your habitations lead you by the hand, to make choice of God for your habitation. There is no security against temporal, spiritual and eternal judgements, but by making God your dwelling place. How deplorable is the condition of that man that hath neither a house to dwell in, nor a God to dwell in? that can neither say, this house is mine, nor this God is mine? that hath neither a house made with hands, nor yet 2one eternal in the Heavens. 'Tis a very great mercy for God to dwell with us, but it is a far greater mercy, for God to dwell in us, and for we to dwell in God. For God to dwell with us, argues much happiness, but for we to dwell in God, this argues more happiness, yea, the top of happiness. There is no study, no care, no wisdom, no prudence, no understanding, to that which works men to make God their habitation. No storms, no tempests, no afflictions, no sufferings, no Judgements can reach that man, or hurt that man, who has made God his dwelling place.
The fourteenth Duty that is incumbent upon them that §14have been burnt up, is to make God their habitation, to make 1God their dwelling-place, Psal. 90. 1. Lord thou hast been our dwelling place (or place of retreat) in all generations: or in generation, and generation as the Hebrew runs, it is an Hebraisme, setting forth God to be the dwelling place of his people in all generations before the flood and after the flood. The Israel of God in all their troubles and travels in their wilderness condition, were not houseless nor harbou•less: God was both their hiding place and their dwelling place. He that dwelleth in God, cannot be unhoused, because God is stronger than all. 'Tis brave for a Christian to take up in God as in his Mansion-house. It was a witty saying of that learned man Picus Mirandula, viz. That God created ⟨p. 227⟩the earth for Beasts ro inhabit, the Sea for Fishes, the Air for Fowls, the Heavens for Angels and Stars; and therefore man hath no place to dwell and abide in, but God alone. Now the great God has burnt up your dwelling places, make him your dwelling place, your habitation, your shelter, your place of retreat, your City of refuge. Certainly they dwell most safely, most securely, most nobly, most contentedly, most delightfully and most happily, who dwell in God, who live under the wing of God, and whose constant abode, is under the shadow of the Almighty. Let the loss of your habitations lead you by the hand, to make choice of God for your habitation. There is no security against temporal, spiritual and eternal judgements, but by making God your dwelling place. How deplorable is the condition of that man that hath neither a house to dwell in, nor a God to dwell in? that can naither say, this house is mine, nor this God is mine? that hath neither a house made with hands, nor yet 2one eternal in the Heavens. 'Tis a very great mercy for God to dwell with us, but it is a far greater mercy, for God to dwell in us, and for we to dwell in God. For God to dwell with us, argues much happiness, but for we to dwell in God, this argues more happiness, yea, the top of happiness. There is no study, no care, no wisdom, no prudence, no understanding, to that which works men to make God their habitation. No storms, no tempests, no afflictions, no sufferings, no Judgements can reach that man, or hurt that man, who has made God his dwelling place.
- 1Ponder seriously on these Scriptures. Psal. 91. 2, 9, 10. Psal. 71. 3. Psal. 57. 1. 2 Cor. 6. 8, 9, 10. Ezek. 11. 16.
- 22 Cor. 5. 1, 2. 1 John 4. 13. Chap. 3. 24.
