(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 only 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,' Ps. xxxviii. 11. Friends are mutable : 2 Sam. xvi. 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 Jonathan, to whom he was so strongly engaged for his true worth, incomparable love, singular favours, yea, by oath and covenant, so solemnly made again and again in the presence of God. Reason of state and jealousy are incident to empire. Men are but men ; they die : 1 Kings i. 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 : Ps. cxviii. 8, 9, ' It is better to trust in the
■ Lord than to put confidence in men : it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.' In greatest extremities, nothing more frail than an arm of flesh, though now never so rich and powerful. (6.) Will you dwell in your own righteousness ? None trust in their own righteousness so much as they that have least cause. Alas ! what will this do, if God enter into judgment with you ? Ps. cxliii. 2, 'Enter not into judgment 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. Jure venit cultos ad sihi quisque deos — All come for relief to
^iheir gods : Jonah i. 6, ' Arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not ; ' Ruth ii. 12, ' A full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art
186 SERMONS UPON PSALM XC. 1.
come to trust.' There is no exception against you because of your outward condition : Ps. xci. 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 other- wise ; the poor, who most need protection and cherishing, have least share of it. Men are obnoxious to many wants and weaknesses, there- fore barter with their kindnesses, and give harbour and entertainment where they may receive it again. But this is a general and common promise, that exclude th 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 ourselves 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 ourselves 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, supplieth all, protecteth all that fly unto him in their tribulation : Ps. xxxiv. 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 endam- age 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. viii. 38, ' Neither height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus 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 anything fall out otherwise than well, it shall be sanctified. You have a God that is fully inclined to do you good ; and he hath all-sufficient power, and hath engag,ed 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.