[2.] It is of use to us when we have an house ; God is still to be owned as our habitation. A christian should always make use of God, and look beyond the creature, whatever hi^ condition be. There are two notions — of a refuge and of an habitation : Ps. xci. 9, * Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation.' A refuge is the place of our retreat in a time of danger ; an habitation is the place of our residence in a time of jieace. Most men make use of God in their straits and the time of adversity, when they are beaten to him, and have no other place of retreat. God is their refuge, but he is not their habitation. They are frightened into a little religiousness when they are in trouble, and their life and tem- poral comforts are in hazard. They use God as men in a city do a porch or penthouse, or as men in a journey do a broad and well-spread tree ; they run to it in a storm, but do not fix their residence there. The psalmist speaketh of dwelling and abiding: Ps. xci. 1, 'He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' He doth not say, he that hopeth or trustetb in the Most High ; but ' he that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High.' We must not run to God's help, as we run to a tree or pent- house, to use it only for a time, or for a turn, and by compulsion, against our wills. Many seem to beg God's help in prayer, but are not protected by him ; they seek it only in a storm, and when all other means and refuges fail them. But a christian must maintain constant communion with God ; must dwell in God, not run to him now and then. It is an everlasting truth, ' Thoil art our habitation.' In this respect a snail may be an emblem of a christian ; they carry their houses about with them ; and though they wander here and there, yet still they are at
SERMONS UPON PSALM XC. 1. 181
home. God is not to be used for a turn, but for every good thing his people need, and he is to be acknowledged in all things which we have ; not for one day only, but there must be a constant recourse to him : Ps. Ixxi. 3, * Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continu- ally resort.'
SERMON II.
Lord, ihou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. — Ps. xc. 1.
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. i. 21, 'Because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.' It is the Lord's providence that we enjoy anything in this kind, an house, health, peace, and safety therein : Ps. iii. 5, ' I laid me down and slept ; I awaked, for the Lord sustained me.' So Ps. iv. 8, ' I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.' So that the habitation of our habitation is God himself. Alas ! without him the noblest dwelling 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. xii. 8. God is called ' the possessor of heaven and earth,' Gen. xiv. 19. Not only 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 befall 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 Jerusalem, 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,' Ps. xci. 7, and ver. 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 con- tinuance of our mercies, if we do not honour, and love him, and serve him. We saw before how sin maketh men's dwellings to spew thera out and cast them out ; they will soon grow weary of us if we do not pay our great landlord the constant iciit of duty, service, and worship. Surely if we would comfortably enjoy God there, we nuist walk up- rightly and glorily God there : Ps. ci. 2, ' I will walk in my house with