First, In case of persecution, to get out of the hands and reach of cruel men. Thus David desired the wilderness (Psal. 55.3, 4, 5, 6.) Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me; my heart is sore pained within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me, &c. And what followeth? O that I had wings like a dove, for then would I fly away and be at rest; Lo, then would I wander afar off, and remain in the wilderness. It is better to be in the wilderness among savage beasts, than to live among beastly savage men. The Apostle (Heb. 11.38.) tells us the reason why many worthy ones of the Jewish Church (of whom the world was not worthy) inhabited the wilderness; They were stoned and sawn asunder, and were slain with the sword, &c. And what then? then they who remained alive, to avoid those extremities, avoided the society of men, and wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth. In such a hot day we may choose the shadow of a desolate wilderness, rather than a City to dwell in. And thus it is said (Rev. 12.13, 14.) ⟨p. 337⟩When the Dragon (that is, Heathenish Rome) persecuted the woman (that is, the Church) which brought forth the man-child; then to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle (that is, sufficient means, strength and opportunity to make her escape) that she might flee into the wilderness; which as it hath been often verified in a metaphorical sense, Professors then lying close and retired in their several places, so it hath been true in the letter, the Church hath sled into the wilderness for safety, and hath there been preserved from the face of the Serpent.
First, In case of persecution, to get out of the hands and reach of cruel men. Thus David desired the wilderness (Psal. 55.3, 4, 5, 6.) Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me; my heart is sore pained within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me, &c. And what followeth? O that I had wings like a dove, for then would I flie away and be at rest; Lo, then would I wander afar off, and remain in the wilderness. It is better to be in the wilderness among savage beasts, than to live among beastly savage men. The Apostle (Heb. 11.38.) tells us the reason why many worthy ones of the Jewish Church (of whom the world was not worthy) inhabited the wilderness; They were stoned and sawn asunder, and were slain with the sword, &c. And what then? then they who remained alive, to avoid those extremities, avoided the society of men, and wandred in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth. In such a hot day we may chuse the shadow of a desolate wilderne•s, rather than a City to dwell in. And thus it is said (Rev. 12.13, 14.) ⟨p. 337⟩When the Dragon (that is, Heathenish Rome) persecuted the woman (that is, the Church) which brought forth the man-child; then to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle (that is, sufficient means, strength and opportunity to make her escape) that she might flee into the wilderness; which as it hath been often verified in a metaphorical sense, Professors then lying close and retired in their several places, so it hath been true in the letter, the Church hath sled into the wilderness for safety, and hath there been preserved from the face of the Serpent.
