Sermons Volume 4, Sermon on Psalms 2
Sermon II. on Psalm Xc.1.
Lord! thou hast been our Dwelling-place in all Generations.
WE must make use of God daily, owning him in all things that we have. Therefore, whether we have, or want an House, he is still our habitation. How, when we have an House?
1. Whatsoever comfort and safety we have in an outward dwelling, must be owned as the effect of his bounty; who ruleth in all our affairs, and giveth and taketh these things at his own pleasure. So it is said, Exod. 1.21. Because the Midwives feared God, that he made them Houses. It is the Lord's Providence, that we enjoy any thing in this kind; an house, health, peace, and safety therein, Psal. 3.5. I lay'd me down and slept, I awaked, for the Lord sustained me. So Psal. 4.8. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou Lord onelyonly makest me dwell in safety. So that the habitation of our habitation is God himself. Alas! without him, the Noblest Dwellings will be but a comfortless place. All the World are but Tenants at will to God, who is our Great Landlord, and putteth into possession, and turneth out of possession, as he pleaseth. I gave thee thy Master's House, saith God to David, 2 Sam. 12.8. God is called the Possessour of Heaven and Earth, Gen. 14 19 Not onelyonly the Creator, but the Possessor; because he still disposeth of all things here below. We are but his Tenants at will, received by him into those places he seeth convenient for us, and entertained by him during our abode there. He is the Preserver of us and our dwellings, against what evil might otherwise befal us, by Men or Devils, or any kind of accident. He keepeth off the violence of Men. When the Males go up to Worship at Ierusalem, the Enemy shall not desire their Land. He keepeth off Diseases. When dangers are near, a Thousand shall fall at thy side, and Ten thousands at thy right hand, it shall not come nigh thee, Psal. 91.7. and vers. 10. The Plague shall not come nigh thy dwelling. This must be acknowledged then, when we dwell in safety.
2. God must not be displeased or dishonoured in our houses, but glorified, served, and obeyed. A practical acknowledgment giveth God more glory than a verbal acknowledgment: and we destroy our own happiness, and cannot depend upon him with that comfort for the continuance of our Mercies, if we do not honour, and love him, and serve him. We saw before how sin maketh Mens dwellings to spue them out, and cast them out: They will soon grow weary of us, if we do not pay our Great Landlord the constant rent of Duty, Service, and Worship. Surely if we would comfortably enjoy God there, we must walk uprightly, and glorifie God there, Psal. 101.2. I will walk in my house with a perfect heart. There his domestical carriage is described, and how he would purge his house from all impurity, Psal. 30. The Title, A Psalm of David at the Dedication of his house. We should enter upon our houses in a Religious manner, and consecrate our selves and houses to him. It is good to observe the different carriage of Men in their houses. Nebuchadnezzar, when he walked in the Palace of Babylon, Dan. 4.30. Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the House of the Kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Majesty. Pride of heart came upon him. Those Iews that dwelt in Ceiled Houses, were well and at ease, therefore neglected God. Haggai 1.2. This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's House should be built. David, 2 Sam. 7.2. See now I dwell in an house of Cedar, but the Ark of God dwelleth within Curtains. Nebuchadnezar was proud, the Iews careless, David zealous. Say then, What have I done for God, who hath done so much for me? It was a saying of Parisiensis, Qui majores terras possident, minores census tulerunt: Those that possessed great Estates, paid the least Taxes. In many great Houses, how little is God owned! God hath many times more Prayers from a smoaky Cottage, than from Great Mens Houses. The Revenues of Heaven do more arise from a few poor broken-hearted Christians, that have little in the World, than from Great Ones, that have altogether broken the yoak.
3. We must inure the Soul to the thoughts of a change, and live in the midst of the abundance of worldly comforts with greater weanedness and looseness of heart, As remembring, that temporal enjoyments are not our happiness; that here God will exercise us with much uncertainty, and that surely every Man at his best estate is altogether vanity, Psal. 39 5. When we seem most setled, to rest secure upon temporal things, is but to raise a Fabrick, or Structure upon the Ice: God can so…n remove us, not onelyonly by the great remove of death, but by many interveening accidents during life; when we have surest tenures, strongest dwellings, clearest air, best accommodations; how soon can the Lord blast all these things, and break in upon us by his Judgments! There were two Types, Leaven in their Thank-offerings, and Dwelling in Booths at the Feast of Tabernacles, Deut. 16.13, 14. with Levit. 23.42. After they had gathered in their Corn and VVine, and their Houses were full of all the Blessings of the Earth; then they were to dwell in Tents. They that are secure as if above Changes, God will soon shew them the vanity of all earthly enjoyments, Psal. 30.6, 7. In my Prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Lord! by thy favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong, thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled. No Man ever slept well on a carnal Pillow, but his rest was disturbed before his night was spent.
4. Be content with God's allowance. God is our habitation, and doth appoint to us how much, or how little, we shall have of these comforts. He is, as to temporal things, a larger habitation to some than to others. If he be but an hiding-place to us, though not a Palace, we must be contented, Psal. 119.114. Thou art my shield and my hiding-place. David took notice of that as a great Mercy. VVe are not to seek great things for our selves. If we have any tolerable safety, or any tolerable condition of life, and opportunity of service, it is enough. The degree of enjoying these Comforts, must be left to God himself. Promises were not made to suffice Covetousness, but to incourage us in our want, Heb. 13.5. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Purge the Soul from VVorldly desires, and then there will be room and place for the exercise of Faith.
5. If God be our habitation, the heart must not be fixed in the Creature, nor diverted from the everlasting enjoyment of him. For the present, your dwelling is in God himself. Now God is enjoyed three ways; In the Creature, In the Ordinances, and in Heaven. These three ways of enjoying God, must not clash one with another, but be subordinate. To be satisfied in the enjoyment of God, so far as the creature, or outward things can let him out to us, is a sign of a carnal heart. David was otherwise minded; His great thing in this VVorld, was to enjoy God in his Ordinances. See Psal. 27.4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple: that is, to enjoy God in the Ordinances. Now those that desire thus to enjoy God in the Ordinances, will long to see his Face in Heaven: For these are but part of his ways, a taste, to make us long for more. Besides, God is never so much, so truely an house to us, as in Heaven, 2 Cor. 5.1. For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. That house should be mainly desired. Therefore all that we enjoy here, should but quicken our desires after more in Heaven: for if God be our habitation, he is there all in all, Heb. 11.14. For they that say such things, declare plainly, that they seek a Country; and verse 16. Now they desire a better Countrey▪ that is, an Heavenly. There is our Inheritance, which is Immortal, Eternal, and Undefiled; There is our Father, and the best of our Kindred. If the Creature were onelyonly our habitation, then it were good to be here still; but since God is, we must strive to be there where we shall have most of him. And therefore, as to the Creature, and any outward comforts resulting from thence, we must carry our selves as Strangers and Pilgrims. The Life of Faith is Heaven anticipated, and Heaven is but the Life of Faith perfected. Here we must be contented to be Strangers and Pilgrims. So was Abraham, who had the best right, Heb. 11.9. By Faith he sojourned in the Land of Promise, as in a strange Country. So was David, who had most possession, Psal. 39.12. I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. He that had so full a right to an opulent powerful Kingdom; not onelyonly when he was chased like a Flea or Partridge on the Mountains, but in his full glory and prosperity, when he offered many Cart-loads of Gold and Silver, 1 Chron. 29.15. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our Fathers. Iesus Christ, who was Lord Paramount, complains. Psal. 69.8. I am become a stranger to my Brethren, and an Alien to my Mothers Children. He that was Lord of all, had neither house nor home. He telleth us, Iohn 17.16. I am not of this World. He passed through the World to sanctifie it as a place of service; but his heart and constant residence was not here, to fix in it as a place of rest. All that are Christ's, have the Spirit of Christ. foreign saith Chrysostom. We pass through, but do not inhabit this World; Here we are absent from our own Country, yea from our God, who is our house and home, 2 Cor. 5.6. Whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. We are at home there where we may enjoy the full of God. Our hearts should be still homeward, and we should take little and moderate pleasure in the delights that offer themselves in the course of our Pilgrimage; and esteem it an honour, if we may get a little leave and respite to do any piece of service to God, while we are upon our Journey.
Vse of all. To press us to dwell in God. This is the happiness and honour of the People of God, that they dwell in God, and God dwelleth in them; He holdeth comfortable communion with them by the influences of his grace, and they have free recourse to him upon all occasions. Oh how sweet and comfortable is it, to have a lodging in God's heart, to take up our Mansion-house in his All-sufficiency; and to find there protection, provision, and all manner of consolation! I shall, 1. Press you to it by some Motives, 2. Shew you what it is, and in what manner it is done.
I. To press you to it.
1. Nothing else will be a sure refuge and dwelling place for us, on this side God. (1.) Will you dwell in your own wit? How soon can God turn that into folly, and bring you to such exigences, as you know not what to do nor say. Many skilful Men have perished, Iob 5.13. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. (2. Will you dwell in your own Wealth? 'Tis an usual sin: A Man is known by his trust, his constitution of mind and heart is according to it, Psal. 115.8. So is every one that trusts in them. That this is an usual sin, see Prov. 18.10, 11. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe. The rich Man's wealth is his strong City, and as an high wall in his own conceit. What the Name of the Lord is to the one, that a Man's Wealth is to the other; by it he thinks to repel all evil, and obtain all good. They promise themselves all happiness, they can shift and run from God. This is a great sin, Ephes. 5.3. But fornication, and all uncleanness and covetousness, let it not be once named among you, Mark 10.24. How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God? Yet hardly avoidable. Therefore that caution given, Psal. 62.10. If riches encrease, set not your heart upon them. As soon as we have any thing in the World, we are apt presently to build our hopes upon it, to the wrong of God and our own Souls. But all things on this side God will prove a ruinous habitation, ready to fall on the head of the Inhabitant, 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this World, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches; these pass from hand to hand, and from house to house. Those whom they seem to make happy one day, they leave empty and naked the next. To promise our selves a long enjoyment of them, is to play the fool, Luke 12.19. Thou Fool! this night thy Soul shall be required of thee, then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? Riches profit not in the day of wrath, Prov. 11.4. They will not allay the displeasure of God, nor keep off a noisome Disease; they cannot purchase a Pardon, buy health, or prolong life for one day. (3.) Will you dwell in, or trust in strength of Body, good Constitution, natural Beauty? Psal. 39.5. Verily every Man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Alas! How soon can God arm the Humours of your own Body against you? bring on a noisome Disease, while you are in your prime, and turn this beautiful Body into a loathsome Carkass? (4.) VVill you dwell in honour and greatness? A King confuted his flatterers, that told him what a Mighty Prince he was, what a great Command he had by Sea and Land, by causing his Chair to be set near the VVaves upon the Sand: It will not keep off one VVave, not a Sickness, nor approaches of Death. How soon can God lay your Honour in the dust? Psal. 146.4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish, Psal. 49.20. Man that is in honour and understandeth not, is like the Beasts that perish. A house of Clay soon crumbled into dust. How many may stand on their Fathers Graves, and say, Where is all the glory and honour they once enjoyed? Now what good have their Pleasures and Prosperity done them? when he that dwelleth in God, is on a sure foundation. (5.) Will you dwell in Friends? This is a great blessing; but if it withdraw the heart from God, it is a great snare. Friends, in many cases, can onelyonly do us good by their wishes. God can send noisome Diseases, when Friends and Lovers stand afar off, and our Kindred stand aloof from us, Psal. 38.11. Friends are mutable, 2 Sam. 16.4. Then said the King to Ziba, Behold! thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. A Sentence unworthy so Just a King towards the Son of his dearest Ionathan, to whom he was so strongly ingaged for his true VVorth, incomparable Love, singular Favours, yea by Oath and Covenant, so Solemnly made again and again in the Presence of God. Reason of State and Jealousie are incident to Empire. Men are but Men, they die, 1 Kings 1.21. It shall come to pass, when my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers, that I and my Son Solomon shall be counted offenders. Those that dwell in God have better Protection than the Minions of Princes, Psal. 118.8, 9. It is better to trust in the Lord, then to put confidence in Men. It is better to trust in the Lord, then to put confidence in Princes. In greatest extremities, nothing more frail than an arm of flesh, though now never so rich and powerful. (6.) VVill you dwell in your own Righteousness? None trust in their own Righteousness so much as they that have least cause. Alas, VVhat will this do, if God enter into Judgment with you? Psal. 143.2. Enter not into Iudgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified.
2. You will not be refused lodging, nor thrust out when you come to him, seriously, humbly, and penitently, whatsoever your condition be. Iure venit cultos ad sibi quisque Deos. All come for relief to their Gods. Jonah 1.6. Arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not, Ruth 2.12. A full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. There is no exception against you, because of your outward condition. Psal. 91.1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High ▪ &c. It is spoken indefinitely, whosoever he be, high or low, rich or poor, young or old; For God is no accepter of Persons, but is rich to all that call upon him. Among Men it falleth out otherwise, the poor who most need protection and cherishing, have least share of it; Men are obnoxious to many wants and weaknesses, therefore Barter with their kindnesses; and give Harbour and Entertainment, where they may receive it again. But this is a general and common promise that excludeth no sort of Men: Here is no distinction of high or low, Prince or Subject, Nobles or Common People; whoso cometh to seek a hiding in God, is welcome, if he cometh in Faith. The bosom of Providence is open, to receive persons of all Ages, Sexes, Degrees and State of Life. It is the fashion of the World to respect great ones. If a rich or Noble Man should invite himself to our Houses, we take it for a great favour, we strain our selves to give him suitable entertainment; the more free they are with us, the more we give them thanks; If they eat heartily of the provisions we have made for them, we take our selves to be obliged by a new benefit: which boldness if a poor Man should take, we look upon it as a saucy intrusion, and we rate him away with a frown. They are the Rich that are respected, the Rich are entertained, their Causes, and Suits are dispatched; when the Poor can hardly get access and audience. As all Floods run to the Sea, so doth the respect of the World to the Rich and Mighty; Where they expect a return, there they bestow their courtesies: But God respecteth all: for he needeth none, he is present with all, provideth for all, supplyeth all, protecteth all that flie unto him in their tribulation, Psal. 34.6. This Poor Man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. Prayers in Cottages are as acceptable to him, as Prayers in Palaces.
3. When once you are received and admitted into this Habitation, you need not fear any calamity in the World; because none can endamage your Spiritual interest, nor frustrate your great hopes. Whatever become of the Man, the Christian is safe. So that you may keep up, not only patience and constancy of Mind, but joy of Heart, Rom. 8.38. Neither heighth nor depth, nor any other Creature shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Iesus my Lord. Nothing shall be able to drive you out of your hiding place: You lie fairer for temporal safety than others do, and are more likely to have it: and if any thing fall out otherwise than well, it shall be sanctified. You have a God that is fully inclined to do you good; and he hath alsufficient power, and hath ingaged it by his infallible Truth, to set it a work for you, so far as it shall be for his Glory and your Good. Why then should you be afraid? take up your Habitation in God; And you are safe, especially as to your main interest.
2. What it is, and in what manner this is done.
1. There must be a solemn reconciliation with God in Christ. For we enter into God as an habitation, to seek our comfort, and safety, and happiness in him, only by Christ. For till sin be pardoned, and God reconciled to the Soul, what blessing or comfort can we expect from him, whose nature ingageth him to loath us, and justice to punish us? Man by sin is become an odious Creature to the holy God, Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold Evil, and canst not look on Iniquity. And being an unthankful Rebel, is liable to the process of his revenging justice and severe punishment. Therefore when wrath maketh inquisition for sinners, there is no hiding place, till found in Christ. Phil. 3.9. And be found in him, not having my own Righteousness. There must be an Atonement, not only made, but applied; before we can delight in God, and have comfortable communion with him, or have any right to the blessings of his Providence, Rom. 5.11. We joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ, by whom also we have received the Atonement. It is applied on Gods part by the Spirit. And 1 Iohn 4.13. Hereby know we that we are in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And on our part by broken-hearted, penitent, believing addresses to him; or by breaking off our sins, and giving up our selves to him in an everlasting Covenant not to be forgotten. This must be renewed as often as there is a breach on our part, for all occasions of breach must be removed; Or when God is executing judgment on his part, for then he seemeth to put the Bond in suit which we must deprecate, by flying humbly to the Throne of Grace, Psal. 57.1. In the shadow of thy Wings will I make my refuge, Psal. 61.4. I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever, I will trust in the covert of thy Wings. He joineth the Wings of God with the Tabernacle, Psal. 36.7, 8. How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! therefore the Children of Men put their trust under the shadow of thy Wings, they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy House. He speaketh of the goodness of God in his House.
2. There must be an actual dependence upon God, and trust in him for what he hath provided, and we stand in need of; or a firm adherence unto him according to his promise. It is dependance breedeth observance. The Soul that doth not trust in God, cannot be true to him. Faith and Faithfulness are not so near akin in sound, as they are in Nature. Nothing is more ingaging than the great bond and tye of our obedience, Psal. 123.2. Behold as the Eyes of Servants look unto the Hand of their Masters, and as the Eyes of a Maiden unto the Hand of her Mistress; so our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us, Phil. 2 12, 13. Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his own good pleasure. Therefore is trust so often called for, Psal. 62.8. Trust in him at all times, ye people. Psal. 86.2. Save thy Servant that trusteth in thee. Isa. 26.3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee. We are without distraction of Mind and Thoughts, when we refer all to the All-sufficient God; as being persuaded that he will cast things for the best. See the application David maketh of that great truth, Psal. 91.1, 2. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty: I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge, and my Fortress, my God, in him will I trust. You must keep up the thoughts of his Goodness and All-sufficiency.
3. There must be supplication and earnest fervent prayer for his powerful and gracious protection. This is the acting of our trust; and God will have all blessings sought out this way, that we may take them immediately out of his Hands, Ier. 29.11. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. Ezek. 36.37. Yet for this will I be enquired of by the House of Israel, to do it for them. There Faith is exercised, Hope is declared, desires are expressed in a solemn manner, Psal. 62.8. Trust in him at all times, ye people, pour out your Hearts before him; God is a refuge for us, Selah. It is a means to ease us of our cares and fears; and of laying down our burden at Gods Feet, and it reviveth the sense of our obligations.
4. Holy walking is necessary; because none can make a comfortable claim to this priviledge, but those that are sincerely God's people. He is their Habitation. Others, whatever indulgence they have by God's common Providence; can have no certain hope, or comfortable claim, Psal. 84.11. For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield, the Lord will give Grace and Glory: no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly, those that fear him, love him, chuse him for their portion. Others build Castles in the Air; They do not dwell in the secret place of God, that live in their sins, and yet lean upon the Lord. By sin, you run out of your dwelling-place and weaken your trust, 1 Iohn 3.21. Beloved! if our Heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.
5. Constant communion with God, Iob 22.21. Acquaint now thy self with him, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee. We must not run to God, as we run to a Shelter, with a mind to depart thence as soon as the Storm ceaseth. Our Habitation is a place of constant residence. So we must make use of God, not when we are in streights only, to serve our turn, but abide and dwell in him as our habitation.