G 0 D AN H I D I N G-P L A c E. Book II. G 0 D AN H I D I N G-P L A C E. 'l'hou art my Hiding-place, thoujhalt preferve me from 'I' rouble, Pfal. xxxii. 7· 'Ihou art my Hiding-place, &c. Pfal. cxix. "4· SECRE'l' Place, as Mr. Ainfworth renders it; a Phrafe alluding to fome Den, Cave, or fecret Chamber, where Men have found, and may find Safety in Times of Dan– ger; according to what is faid, !fa. xxvi. 20. Come, my People, enter thou into thy Cham– bers, and jhut thy Doors about thee; hide thyfelj as it were for a little Moment. The Saints of old hid themfelves in Dens, in Caves, Mountains, and Wilderndfes, from the Rage of Men, Heb. xi. 38. were fometimes lheltered by the Providence of God, when there was a general Combination againft them; therefore called God's hidden Ones Pfal. lxxxiii. 3· becaufe covered by him, when Edam, the Ijhmaelites, Moab, and th~ Hagarens, Gebal, Amman, and Amalek, the Philiftines, with the Inhabitants of'Iyre, rook crafty Counfel, and confulted Mifchief againft them. And in as much as a Hiding-place is a borrowed Speech from a Rock, Mountain, Cave, or Den, fecret Chamber, or Place of Shelter; we may confider the Conveniency of the Metaphor, and bring in a Parallel from God. METAPHOR. PARALLEL I. AN Hiding-place is uiually a I. GOD, the good Man's Hiding-place, is a · ftrongPlace; Men will not ftrong God, as a Rock in Time of Need, adventure themfelves in it, or nay, as the Shelter of a great Rock, as the Se– think themfelves f1fe, without curiry of many Rocks: fits Place of Defencejha!i fome conliderable Strength. be the Mumtton of Rocks, Ifa. xxxm. 6. He IS as a Place bmlt on purpofe for Safety. 'J'he Name of the Lord is a ftrong 'l'ower, the Righteous run into it, and are Jafe, Prov. xviii. 10. He is hence faid tO be the Almighty, the Lord ftrong and mighty ; a ftrong Rock, Pfol, xxxi. 2. Strong Habitation, PJal. lxxi. 3· Strong R efuge, v. 7· Strong Lord, Pfal. lxxxix. 8. Mighty in Power, Ifa. xl. 26. II. An Hiding-place is an inIL God is an invifible Being in ref])eB: of his vilible and obfcure Place, not EJTence: No Man bath Jeen God at any 'lime, John known to every Body, a Place rhat i. 18. v. 37· and vi. 46. No Mml bath beheld his Enemies have much ado to find. Form, or Jeen his Shape, Col. i. 15. I 'l'im. i. 17. He is invifible alfo as h~ is his People's Hiding-place: Pharaoh faw not the Covering Ifrael had, when he faid, I will purfue, I will over– take, my HandJhall dejlroy, Exod. xv. 9· The Enemies of David faw not the Cave, the Rock, his Hiding-place, when they faid, 'l'here is no help for him in his God, Pfal. iii. 2. Raman was unacquaioted with this Covering, when he deligned DeftruB:ion to all Ifrael, Efther iii. 9· The Wicked plot againft the J uft, becaufe they know not where their Safety is, Pfal. xxxvii. 12. In the Lord our God is the Salvation of Iji'ael, ]er. iii. 23· Ill. An Hiding-place is a Co– vering orShelter from many Evils; from the fcorching Heat of the Sun, the blu!teringStorms of Wind and Hail. HI. God is no lefs a Covering to his People, than the be(t of Hiding· places have been, ~>r are unto any People. He fecures from the Hurt of Perfecution, when Men rage, and rife up againft them. He fecures from Satan's Temptations, as well when he appears like a Serpent,~ as when he aB:s like a Lion, or great red Dragon. So that not only David, and the Old Tefta– ment Church, could fay, Had not the Lord been 011 our Side, when Mm rofe up againft us, we had bem Jwallowed up quick. He breaks the Head of Le·viathan, andgives it for Meat to the People inhabiting the Wildernefs, Pfal. cxxiv. 1, 2, 3, 4· But even the Church now may fay, He that is ourGod is aji;re Hiding·place, aGod of Salvation, Pfal. lxviii. 20. IV. AnHidina-place frees from IV. This Advantage is moft eminently enjoyed Fear, and much" abates the Hurby the Godly, who have made God their San<'lu– ries and Difcompofures of the ary and Hiding-place ; they are. freed from the Mind, becaufe Men do imagme Fear that wicked Men are furpnfed wnh ; their themfelves fafe, when they have Hurries and Difcompofures are much abated. As it
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