SAFETY, FULLNESS, ANDSWEET REFRESHMENT,
TO BE FOUND IN CHRIST
by Jonathan Edwards(1752), minimally edited from Works, 2.929–36
Part 1 of 3

“And a man shall be as an hiding placefrom the wind, and a covert from the tempest;
as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a wearyland.”
(Isaiah 32:2)

In these words we may observe,

(1) The person who is here prophesied of and commended, viz. theLord Jesus Christ, the King spoken of in the preceding verse, who shall reignin righteousness. This King is abundantly prophesied of in the Old Testament,and especially in this prophecy of Isaiah. Glorious predictions were from timeto time uttered by the prophets concerning that great King who was to come.There is no subject which is spoken of in so magnificent and exalted a style bythe prophets of the Old Testament, as the Messiah. They saw His day andrejoiced, and searched diligently, together with the angels, into those things,“Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in themdid signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and theglory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves,but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by themthat have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down fromheaven, which things the angels desire to look into” (1 Pet 1:11–12).

We are told here that “a man shall be as an hiding place fromthe wind,” etc. There is an emphasis in the words, that “a man”should be this. If these things had been said of God, it would not be strangeunder the Old Testament; for God is frequently called a hiding place for Hispeople, a refuge in time of trouble, a strong rock, and a high tower. But whatis so remarkable is, that they are said of “a man.” But this is aprophecy of the Son of God incarnate.

(2) The things here foretold of Him, and the commendations given Him.

“He shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest”:that is, He shall be the safety and defence of His people, to which they shallflee for protection in the time of their danger and trouble. To Him they shallflee, as one who is abroad, and sees a terrible storm arising, makes haste tosome shelter to secure himself. So that however furious is the tempest, yet heis safe within, and the wind and rain, though they beat never so impetuouslyupon the roof and walls, are no annoyance unto him.

He shall be as “rivers of water in a dry place.” This is an allusion to thedeserts of Arabia, which was an exceedingly hot and dry country. One may travelthere many days, and see no sign of a river, brook, or spring, nothing but adry and parched wilderness, so that travellers are ready to be consumed withthirst, as the children of Israel were when they were in this wilderness, whenthey were faint because there was no water. Now when a man finds Jesus Christ,he is like one that has been travelling in those deserts till he is almostconsumed with thirst, and who at last finds a river of cool and clear water.And Christ was typified by the river of water that issued out of the rock forthe children of Israel in this desert: He is compared to a river, because thereis such a plenty and fullness in Him.

He is the “shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” Allusion is still made tothe desert of Arabia. It is not said, as the shadow of a tree, because in someplaces of that country, there is nothing but dry sand and rocks for a vastspace together, not a tree to be seen. The sun beats exceedingly hot upon thesands, and all the shade to be found there, where travellers can rest andshelter themselves from the scorching sun, is under some great rock. They whocome to Christ find such rest and refreshment as the weary traveller in thathot and desolate country finds under the shadow of a great rock.

We propose to speak to three propositions that are explicatory of the severalparts of the text.

I. There is in ChristJesus
abundant foundation of peace and safety
for those who are in fear and danger

The fears and dangers, to which men are subject, are of two kinds: temporal andeternal. Men are frequently in distress from fear of temporal evils. We live inan evil world, where we are liable to an abundance of sorrows and calamities. Agreat part of our lives is spent in sorrowing for present or past evils, and infearing those which are future. What poor, distressed creatures are we, whenGod is pleased to send His judgments among us? If He visits a place with mortaland prevailing sickness, what terror seizes our hearts! If any person is takensick, and trembles for his life, or if our near friends are at the point ofdeath, or in many other dangers, how fearful is our condition! Now there issufficient foundation for peace and safety to those exercised with such fears,and brought into such dangers. But Christ is a refuge in all trouble. There isa foundation for rational support and peace in Him, whatever threatens us. Hewhose heart is fixed, trusting in Christ, need not be afraid of any evil tidings.“As the mountains are round about Jerusalem” (Ps 125:2), so Christ is roundabout them that fear Him.

But it is the other kind of fear and danger to which we have a principalrespect: the fear and danger of God’s wrath. The fears of a terrified conscience,the fearful expectation of the dire fruits of sin, and the resentment of anangry God, these are infinitely the most dreadful. If men are in danger ofthose things, and are not asleep, they will be more terrified than with thefears of any outward evil. Men are in a most deplorable condition, as they areby nature exposed to God’s wrath; and if they are sensible how dismal theircase is, will be in dreadful fears and dismal expectations.

God is pleased to make some sensible of their true condition. He lets them seethe storm that threatens them, how black the clouds are, and how impregnatedwith thunder. [They see] that it is a burning tempest, that they are in dangerof being speedily overtaken by it, that they have nothing to shelter themselvesfrom it, and that they are in danger of being taken away by the fierceness ofHis anger.

It is a fearful condition when one is smitten with a sense of the dreadfulnessof God’s wrath: when he has his heart impressed with the conviction that thegreat God is not reconciled to him, that He holds him guilty of these and thosesins, and that He is angry enough with him to condemn him forever. It isdreadful to lie down and rise up, it is dreadful to eat and drink, and to walkabout, in God’s anger from day to day. One, in such a case, is ready to beafraid of everything. He is afraid of meeting God’s wrath wherever he goes. Hehas no peace of mind, but there is a dreadful sound in his ears. His mind isafflicted and tossed with tempest, and not comforted, and courage is ready tofail, and the spirit ready to sink with fear. For how can a poor worm bear thewrath of the great God, and what would not he give for peace of conscience,what would not he give if he could find safety! When such fears exist to agreat degree, or are continued a long time, they greatly enfeeble the heart,and bring it to a trembling posture and disposition.

Now for such as these there is abundant foundation for peace and safety inJesus Christ, and this will appear from the following things:

Christ has Undertaken to Save

First, Christ has undertaken to save all such from what they fear,if they come to Him. It is His professional business: the work in which Heengaged before the foundation of the world. It is what He always had in Histhoughts and intentions. He undertook from everlasting to be the refuge ofthose that are afraid of God’s wrath. His wisdom is such, that He would neverundertake a work for which He is not sufficient. If there were some in sodreadful a case that He was not able to defend them, or so guilty that it wasnot fit that He should save them, then He never would have undertaken for them.Those who are in trouble and distressing fear, if they come to Jesus Christ,have this to ease them of their fears: that Christ has promised them that Hewill protect them, that they come upon His invitation, that Christ has plightedHis faith for their security if they will close with Him, and that He isengaged by covenant to God the Father that He will save those afflicted and distressedsouls that come to Him.

Christ, by His own free act, has made Himself the surety of such; He hasvoluntarily put Himself in their stead. If justice has anything against them,He has undertaken to answer for them. By His own act, He has engaged to beresponsible for them, so that if they have exposed themselves to God’s wrath,and to the stroke of justice, it is not their concern, but His, how to answeror satisfy for what they have done. Let there be never so much wrath that theyhave deserved. They are as safe as if they never had deserved any, because Hehas undertaken to stand for them, let it be more or less. If they are in ChristJesus, the storm does of course light on Him, and not on them. As when we areunder a good shelter, the storm, that would otherwise come upon our heads,lights upon the shelter.

Christ was Appointed to Save

Second, He is chosen and appointed of the Father to this work.There needs be no fear nor jealousy, whether the Father will approve of thisundertaking of Christ Jesus, whether He will accept of Him as a surety, orwhether He will be willing that His wrath should be poured upon His own dearSon, instead of us miserable sinners. For there was an agreement with Himconcerning it before the world was. It was a thing much upon God’s heart, thatHis Son Jesus Christ should undertake this work, and it was the Father thatsent Him into the world. It is as much the act of God the Father as it is ofthe Son. Therefore, when Christ was near the time of His death, He tells the Fatherthat He had finished the work which He gave Him to do. Christ is often calledGod’s elect, or His chosen, because He was chosen by the Father for this work.[He is called] God’s anointed, for the words Messiah and Christ signify anointed,because He is by God appointed and fitted for this work.

Christ Fulfilled the Demands of the Law

Third, if we are in Christ Jesus, justice and the law have theircourse with respect to our sins, without our hurt. The foundation of thesinner’s fear and distress is the justice and the law of God. They are againstHim, and they are unalterable: they must have their course. Every jot andtittle of the law must be fulfilled; heaven and earth shall be destroyed ratherthan justice should not take place. There is no possibility of sin’s escapingjustice.

But yet if the distressed trembling soul who is afraid of justice, would fly toChrist, He would be a safe hiding place. Justice and the threatening of the lawwill have their course as fully, while He is safe and untouched, as if He wereto be eternally destroyed. Christ bears the stroke of justice, and the curse ofthe law falls fully upon Him. Christ bears all that vengeance that belongs tothe sin that has been committed by him, and there is no need of its being bornetwice over. His temporal sufferings, by reason of the infinite dignity of Hisperson, are fully equivalent to the eternal sufferings of a mere creature. Andthen His sufferings answer for him who flees to Him as well as if they were Hisown, for indeed they are His own by virtue of the union between Christ and him.Christ has made Himself one with them. He is the head, and they are themembers. Therefore, if Christ suffers for the believer, there is no need of hissuffering, and [of] what needs he to be afraid? His safety is not onlyconsistent with absolute justice, but it is consistent with the tenor of thelaw. The law leaves fair room for such a thing as the answering of a surety. Ifthe end of punishment in maintaining the authority of the law and the majestyof the government is fully secured by the sufferings of Christ as his surety,then the law of God, according to the true and fair interpretation of it, hasits course as much in the sufferings of Christ, as it would have in His ownsufferings. The threatening, “thou shalt surely die,” is properly fulfilled inthe death of Christ, as it is fairly to be understood. Therefore if those whoare afraid will go to Jesus Christ, they need to fear nothing from thethreatening of the law. The threatening of the law has nothing to do with them.

Through Christ’s Propitiation, God’sForgiveness of us
Debases not His Honour

Fourth, those who come to Christ, need not be afraid of God’s wrathfor their sins. For God’s honour will not suffer by their escaping punishmentand being made happy. The wounded soul is sensible that he has affronted themajesty of God, and looks upon God as a vindicator of his honour, as a jealousGod that will not be mocked, an infinitely great God that will not bear to beaffronted, [a God] that will not suffer His authority and majesty to betrampled on, and that will not bear that His kindness should be abused. A viewof God in this light terrifies awakened souls. They think how exceedingly theyhave sinned, how they have sinned against light, against frequent andlong-continued calls and warnings, and how they have slighted mercy and beenguilty of turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, taking encouragementfrom God’s mercy to go on in sin against Him. They fear that God is so affrontedat the contempt and slight which they have cast upon Him, that He, beingcareful of His honour, will never forgive them, but will punish them. But ifthey go to Christ, the honour of God’s majesty and authority will not be in theleast hurt by their being freed and made happy. For what Christ has done hasrepaired God’s honour to the full. It is a greater honour to God’s authorityand majesty, that rather than it should be wronged, so glorious a person wouldsuffer what the law required. It is surely a wonderful display of the honour ofGod’s majesty, to see an infinite and eternal person dying for its beingwronged. And then Christ by His obedience, by that obedience which He undertookfor our sakes, has honoured God abundantly more than the sins of any of us havedishonoured Him, how many soever, and how great soever. How great an honour isit to God’s law that so great a person is willing to submit to it, and to obeyit! God hates our sins, but not more than He delights in Christ’s obediencewhich He performed on our account. This is a sweet savour to Him, a savour ofrest. God is abundantly compensated, He desires no more. Christ’s righteousnessis of infinite worthiness and merit.

We are Beloved of the Father in Christ

Fifth, Christ is a person so dear to the Father, that those who arein Christ need not be at all jealous of being accepted upon His account. IfChrist is accepted they must of consequence be accepted, for they are inChrist, as members, as parts, as the same. They are the body of Christ, Hisflesh and His bones. They that are in Christ Jesus, are one spirit. Therefore,if God loves Christ Jesus, He must of necessity accept of those that are inHim, and that are of Him. But Christ is a person exceedingly dear to theFather: the Father’s love to the Son is really infinite. God necessarily lovesthe Son. God could as soon cease to be, as cease to love the Son. He is God’select, in whom his soul delighteth. He is His beloved Son, in whom He is wellpleased. He loved Him before the foundation of the world, and had infinitedelight in Him from all eternity.

A terrified conscience, therefore, may have rest here, and abundantsatisfaction that he is safe in Christ, and that there is not the least dangerbut that he shall be accepted, and that God will be at peace with him inChrist.

Christ’s Suffering was Sufficient

Sixth, God has given an open testimony that Christ has done andsuffered enough, and that He is satisfied with it, by His raising Him from thedead. Christ, when He was in His passion, was in the hands of justice, He wasGod’s prisoner for believers. It pleased God to bruise Him, and put Him togrief and to bring Him into a low state. When He raised Him from the dead, Heset Him at liberty, whereby He declared that it was enough. If God was notsatisfied, why did He set Christ at liberty so soon? He was in the hands ofjustice, why did not God pour out more wrath upon Him, and hold Him in thechains of darkness longer? God raised Him up and opened the prison doors toHim, because He desired no more. And now surely there is free admittance forall sinners into God’s favour through this risen Saviour. There is enough done,and God is satisfied, as He has declared and sealed to it by the resurrectionof Christ, who is alive, and lives for evermore, and is making intercession forpoor, distressed souls that come unto Him.

All Power has been given unto Christ

Seventh, Christ has the dispensation of safety and deliverance inHis own hands, so that we need not fear but that if we are united to Him, wemay be safe. God has given Him all power in heaven and in earth, to giveeternal life to whomsoever comes to Him. He is made head over all things to thechurch, and the work of salvation is left with Himself. He may save whom Hepleases, and defend those that are in Him by His own power. What greater groundof confidence could God have given us than that the Mediator, who died for us,and intercedes for us, should have committed to Him the dispensation of thevery thing which He died to purchase and for which He intercedes?

Christ is Loving and Compassionate

Eighth, Christ’s love, and compassion, and gracious disposition,are such that we may be sure He is inclined to receive all who come to Him. IfHe should not do it, He would fail of His own undertaking, and also of Hispromise to the Father and to us, and His wisdom and faithfulness will not allowof that. But He is so full of love and kindness that He is disposed to nothingbut to receive and defend us, if we come to Him. Christ is exceedingly ready topity us. His arms are open to receive us, and He delights to receive distressedsouls that come to Him, and to protect them. He would gather them as a hengathereth her chickens under her wings (Mt 23:37). It is a work that Heexceedingly rejoices in, because He delights in acts of love, and pity, andmercy.

Conclusion (Part 1)

I shall take occasion from what now has been said, to invite those who areafraid of God’s wrath, to come to Christ Jesus. You are indeed in a dreadfulcondition. It is dismal to have God’s wrath impending over our heads, and notto know how soon it will fall upon us. And you are in some measure sensiblethat it is a dreadful condition, you are full of fear and trouble, and you knownot where to flee for help. Your mind is, as it were, tossed with a tempest.But how lamentable is it, that you should spend your life in such a condition,when Christ would shelter you, as a hen shelters her chickens under her wings,if you were but willing, and that you should live such a fearful, distressedlife, when there is so much provision made for your safety in Christ Jesus!

How happy would you be if your hearts were but persuaded to close with JesusChrist! Then you would be out of all danger. Whatever storms and tempests werewithout, you might rest securely within. You might hear the rushing of thewind, and the thunder roar abroad, while you are safe in this hiding place. Obe persuaded to hide yourself in Christ Jesus! What greater assurance of safetycan you desire? He has undertaken to defend and save you, if you will come toHim. He looks upon it as His work, He engaged in it before the world was, andHe has given His faithful promise which He will not break. If you will but makeyour flight there, His life shall be for yours, and He will answer for you. Youshall have nothing to do but rest quietly in Him. You may stand still and seewhat the Lord will do for you. If there be anything to suffer, the suffering isChrist’s, you will have nothing to suffer. If there be anything to be done, thedoing of it is Christ’s, you will have nothing to do but to stand still andbehold it.

You will certainly be accepted of the Father if your soul lays hold of JesusChrist. Christ is chosen and anointed of the Father, and sent forth for thisvery end, to save those that are in danger and fear. He is greatly beloved ofGod, even infinitely, and He will accept of those that are in Him. Justice andthe law will not be against you. If you are in Christ, that threatening, “inthe day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die” (Gen 2:17), in the propersense of it will not touch you. The majesty and honour of God are not againstyou. You need not be afraid but that you shall be justified if you come to Him.There is an act of justification already past and declared for all who come toChrist by the resurrection of Christ, and as soon as ever you come, you are bythat declared free. If you come to Christ it will be a sure sign that Christloved you from all eternity, and that He died for you. You may be sure if Hedied for you, He will not lose the end of His death, for the dispensation oflife is committed unto Him.

You need not, therefore, continue in so dangerous a condition. There is helpfor you. You need not stand out in the storm so long, as there is so good ashelter near you, whose doors are open to receive you. O make haste, therefore,unto that man who is a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from thetempest!

Let this truth also cause believers more to prize the Lord Jesus Christ. Considerthat it is He, and He only, who defends you from wrath, and that He is a safedefence. Your defence is a high tower, and your city of refuge is impregnable.There is no rock like your rock. There is none like Christ, “the God ofJeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on thesky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms”(Deut 33:26–27). He in whom you trust is a buckler to all that trust in Him. Oprize that Saviour, who keeps your soul in safety, while thousands of othersare carried away by the fury of God’s anger, and are tossed with raging andburning tempests in hell! O, how much better is your case than theirs! And towhom is it owing but to the Lord Jesus Christ? Remember what was once yourcase, and what it is now, and prize Jesus Christ.

And let those Christians who are in doubts and fears concerning theircondition, renewedly fly to Jesus Christ, who is a hiding place from the wind,and a covert from the tempest. Most Christians are at times afraid whether theyshall not miscarry at last. Such doubtings are always through some want of theexercise of faith, and the best remedy for them is a renewed resort of the soulto this hiding place. The same act, which at first gave comfort and peace, willgive peace again. They that clearly see the sufficiency of Christ, and thesafety of committing themselves to Him to save them from what they fear, willrest in it that Christ will defend them. Be directed therefore at such times todo as the psalmist, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I willpraise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can dounto me” (Ps 56:3–4).

Part 2 of 3