But whoso hearkeneth unto me
To Wisdom, or Christ; to the cry and call above; to the voice of
his Gospel, not only externally, but internally; so as
spiritually and experimentally to understand it, to distinguish
it from the voice of a stranger; so as to approve of it, and
receive it in the love of it, and to delight and take pleasure in
it; so as to feet the power of it, and believe it; not only give
an assent unto it, but by faith receive it, and appropriate the
things of it to a man's self: and also to the voice of his
precepts, his ordinances; so as to yield a cheerful obedience to
them, from a principle of love, with a view to his glory, and
without trusting to and depending upon it. Such shall dwell
safely;
as they must indeed, since they dwell in God; in his heart, "the
secret place of the most High"; and in his everlasting and
unchangeable love, wherefore they are not consumed; and in the
covenant of his grace, which is firm, and sure, and immovable;
and in his power, by and in which they are kept, as in a
garrison, fortress, or strong hold: and they dwell in Christ the
Rock of ages, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail, and
on which their souls are built; and so remain safe amidst the
floods, storms, and tempests, that beat upon them; the refuge to
which they flee, the strong hold to which they turn, and whither
they run and are safe; the ark in which they ride safely, amidst
all the waves and billows of affliction and tribulation; their
place of defence, where they are safe from Satan; and are in his
hands out of which none can pluck them, the Lord their
righteousness, by whom Judah is saved, and under whom Israel
dwells safely; being by his righteousness secure from divine
justice, from the curse of the law, and from wrath to come:
besides, such have the Spirit dwelling in them, who is greater
the he that is in the world; who when he, the enemy, comes in
upon them as a flood, the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard
against him; angels are their guardians, encamp about them; and
they are the inhabitants of a strong city, which has salvation
for walls and bulwarks; and especially they will dwell safely in
the other world, in those mansions and everlasting habitations in
Christ's Father's house he is preparing for them; which are sure
dwellings, as well as quiet resting places, as follows; and
shall be quiet from fear of evil;
as they may be in the present life, under a comfortable sense of
the blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ: which, when
applied and laid hold on by faith, speak peace to the conscience,
and yield quietness of mind; so that such have no reason to be
afraid of the evil one, Satan, who cannot devour and destroy
them; nor of the evil of sin; for, though they may and should be
afraid to commit it, yet not of being conquered by it, and coming
under the dominion of it, nor of being brought by it into a state
of condemnation; nor of the evil of judgments upon a wicked
world; nor of death and a future judgment; nor of hell, and
everlasting damnation: and hereafter such will enter into peace,
and be free from all evils, natural, moral, or spiritual; and
from the fear of them, being out of the reach of them all. The
safety and protection of those that hearken to Christ, and
believe in him, here promised, had a remarkable accomplishment in
the believing Jews; who, a little before the destruction of
Jerusalem, were warned to go out from thence to a place called
Pella, beyond Jordan F12 as they did, and where they were
safe.