them that feare him The garrison of the tower is pitcht about them How safe was Salomon with that guard Cant. 3. 7 8. Behold his Bed which is Salomons threescore valiant men are about it of the valiant of Israel they all hold swords being expert in warre every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of the feare in the night Such is the securitie of those that live godlily religiously and holily in Gods feare Prov. 14. 26. In the feare of the Lord that is in a righteous obedient holy religious conversation there is strong confidence And his children shall have a place of refuge Gods Name will be a strong tower to him that feares his Name A refuge for him and for his children In cases of feare a mans greatest care is for his children a man that feares God provides for the safetie of himselfe and his children both A man that feares God shall get himselfe and his children both into the tower There is safetie in keeping a mans selfe free from the sinnes of the times and places hee lives in Freedome from common iniquities prepares for freedome from common calamities Wee shall finde a great plague amongst the Israelites upon their sinne of joyning unto Baal-Peor the sword walkes and the plague walkes and lickes up twentie foure thousand Numb 25. 9. Now though the sword and the plague both did hew them downe yet all were not consumed there were abundance that were safe from that judgement that were exalted and set so high as that they were out of the reach and walke both of the sword and pestilence And doe but observe it well who they were that God in his speciall providence protected from those dangers See Deut. 4. 3 4. All that followed Baal-Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed from among you All those men out of the tower and those judgements finding them towerlesse swept them away cut them off and destroyed them But you that did cleave to the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day Marke what it was that kept them safe alive when the rest went to the pot by thousands whē others polluted themselves with Idolatry and whoredome they cleaved to the Lord and therefore when the Sword and plague come they are within this tower and so are Sword-proofe and Plague-proofe those tower-walls were too high for the sword and the plague to scale Those kept themselves free from the common iniquities of their times and God kept them free safe from the cōmon calamities of the times Here is the way then torun to this tower for safety If in times of dāger we would be safe run to the Name of God by repentance manifest we our repentance by turning from all our sins lusts and by walking in all righteousnes obedience feare holines godlines of life and cleaving close to God when others desert and forsake him and in this running lies our safetie by this wee both runne unto and runne into a strong tower of safetie It would make a man sicke againe to see the idle and foolish confidences of most men in their feares well come what will or can come they trust in God and his Name that they shall doe well enough but yet in the mean time no repentance no casting away their sinnes no reformation no righteousnesse obedience no cleaving to the Lord Nay on the contrary nothing but provocation of God by their sinnes Now what a fond thing is it thus to deceive our selves Psalm 20. 1. The Name of the God of Iacob defend thee or set thee on high It is true indeed that it is that Name of his that must defend us that must exalt and set us on an high place but yet consider what little reason thou hast to hope for any safety by that Name Art thou not a swearer and a taker of that Name in vaine and dost thou thinke that that Name shall defend thee which thou prophanest Wilt thou prophane that Name and thinke to bee defended by that Name Shall that Name which thou abusest be thy tower Thou indeed professest that worthy Name Iam. 2. 7. but by thy disobedient sinfull life dishonourest that worthy Name and is it likely that that Name that receives dishonour from thee will bee a defence to thee Thou by thy lust and loose courses causest this name to be blasphemed hopest thou for shelter under this Name Thy lusts thy covetousnesse thy drunkennesse abuse and abase his name and shall that name exalt thee who abasest it The Name of God is an holy Name and shall we thinke that this Righteous and Holy name of the Lord will be a Tower Refuge a Sanctuarie for Adulterers Swearers Drunkards Worldlings and for such as walke not in his name The name of the Lord is a strong tower but to whom What to every loose prophane Godlesse person No such matter The Righteous runne unto it I and so it may bee the unrighteous runne unto it too but the righteous runne into it and the righteous are safe None get into it none are safe by it but the Righteous they be onely godly Religious repenting sinners to whom this name is a strong tower If Rabshakeh had spoken truely hee had spoken strongly and unanswerably Isa 36. 7. But if thou say unto me wee trust in the Lord our God Is it not hee whose High places and whose Altars Hezekiah hath taken away As if he had sayd It is but a folly for Hezechiah to trust in God now he hath provoked God But now in this case men being guilty of abusing dishonouring Gods name we may truly dash their vain confidences You say in fears and dangers we trust in the name of God but is not this he whose name ye pollute with your oathes Is not this hee whose name yee dishonour with your sinfull lives Assuredly for unrighteous persons that lye and live impenitently in their sinnes this name is no Tower but a fire a dreadfull burning devouring fire Isai 31. 27. Behold the Name of the Lord comes from farre burning with his anger and the burthen thereof is heavie his lippes are full of indignation and his tongue as a devouring fire His name is a Tower to the Righteous but a Fire to impenitent sinners so that all unrepenting and unreformed sinners flying to the name of God doe but flye from one danger to another out of one fire into another Ezech. 15. 7. I will set my fire against them they shall goe out from one fire and another fire shall consume them That name of God which shall be a Tower to the righteous shall bee a Terrour unto all ungodly and impenitent sinners 4. This Running comprehends Prayer To Runne to this Tower is by Prayer to have Recourse to God and therein to seeke and sue to him for helpe and succour in time of danger and distresse Prayer is not onely a Going but a Running to the Lord. And it is such a Running upon which
will prevaile for peace and safety from danger Their earnestnesse vehemency fervency and their teares these must bee the rhetoricke and oratory by which they must prevaile Prayer is running unto God but so Runne that yee may obtaine so pray that ye may prevaile for safety So pray with such instance with such fervency with such earnest contention of spirit as that ye may finde entrance into this tower God was Davids Tower and thus hee used to get into this tower not onely by prayer but by this earnest prayer he prayed as men use to runne in case of danger with all his strength Psal 61. 3. Thou hast beene my strong Tower from the enemy and so I hope thou wilt bee still what course takes hee to get into that tower vers 1. Heare my cry O God vers 2. from the ends of the earth c. Hee runnes to the Tower not onely by prayer but by earnest and crying prayer Psal 119. 145. 146. I cryed with my whole heart I ranne to the Tower with all my might and force I cryed unto thee save me It is crying prayer that is saving prayer Knocke and it shall be opened unto you Matth. 7. A man pursued by an enemy running to a tower if hee finde the gate shut how knockes he Hee knockes as loud as hee can hee knockes with all his might knockes and beates at the doore as if hee would beate the doore open His life lies upon it and therefore he knockes not gently and easily but layes on with all his might Secondly It must be Constant else no safety by it A man pursued by an enemy if hee will bee safe must not onely runne for a while and some little part of the way but he must hold on Running till he comes to the Tower If he runne for some time and then growes weary and out of breath and so stands still or sits him downe an enemy may easily overtake and surprise him before hee can get into the Tower It is not simply running in which a mans safety lies but in running into the Tower And how is hee like to runne into the tower that holds not out running till he come to the Tower Hee that stands still sits downe and ceases his running pace may easily be cut off before hee get into the Tower Our safety lies much upon our constancy in seeking God by prayer So runne that ye may obtaine safety by running that is runne constantly and hold on in prayer without wearinesse or sloathfulnesse Iacob not onely wrestled but hee wrestled all night and would not let the Angel goe till hee blessed him He did not wrestle about or two and then give over but he held out wrestling and so prevayled againsl Esau and was fafe from him It must bee constant as well as Instant prayer by which wee must get into the Tower Knocke and it shall be opened unto you A man that will get into the Tower must knocke at the gate and as he must knocke instantly and earnestly so hee must knocke on and not cease knocking till the doore be opend Hee must knocke as Peter knockt at the doore of Maries house Act. 12. 13. Hee knocked at the doore of the gate and though they doe not presently open yet he gives not over knocking but vers 16. Peter continued knocking and then the doore was opened David ioyned both together in his prayers Instancy and Constancy Psal 55. 17. Evening and Morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud Hee would pray and cry yea and cry aloud Hee was Instant Hee would not doe it once or twice and then set downe and lay it aside but Evevening Morning and at Noone hee would bee assiduous in the duty every day hee would make it his mornings worke his evenings worke and his noones worke to And he would hold out and not faint nor throw up but this course hee would goe on in till the Lord should heare his voice He was constant and why would he hold on this constantly in this duty Because vers 18. Hee hath delivered my soule in peace from the battell that was against me As if hee had said I have heretofore beene in great dangers In those dangers I earnestly and constantly sought God by prayer I ranne unto the Tower of his Name and I was exalted and found safety and therefore I will now doe so againe I will pray and cry aloud I will pray instantly I will pray evening morning and at noone I will pray constantly The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous runnes into it want hath Runne or doth sometimes runne but he Runnes hee is alwayes running hee makes it his constant worke he goes on setledly in that course and so is exalted And so much forth is fourth thing in which this running consists and for the first point also The doing of those duties by which wee may get into this Tower The Second generall point is the manner of doing all these duties which is a speciall requisite for the procuring of safety And that manner of Doing them is implyed in this word Runnes The Righteous walkes not goes not they are but slow motions but he Runnes Running is a motion of speed a motion of hast Ionathan commands his lad saying Run find out now the Arrowes that Ishoot and shooting an arrow beyond him he cryed after the lad Make speed hast stay not 1 Sam. 20. 36. 38. That is to Runne to make speed to haste and not to stay The Righteous man then runnes to the Tower that is he doth not onely use all these forenamed meanes and take those courses for his safety but he sets upon them with speed and makes haste to the use of them He not onely beleeves but hee makes hast to set his faith on worke Hee not onely repents but he speedily and quickely goes about that businesse hee out of hand in the first apprehensions of danger sets upon the humbling of his soule and the reformation of his wayes and walking in obedience to God Hee not onely betakes himselfe to prayer but doth it presently and without delaying sets upon the course that may make for his safety He Runnes hee speedily sets this course on foot for feare of being too late and least the danger should overtake him before hee bee Towerd So that hee that will goe wisely to worke must take these courses speedily As in that case the Apostle speakes 1 Corinthians 9. So Runne that yee may obteyne so in this so Runne that yee may obtaine safety So it is so hastily so speedily so quickely Running is a swift speedy and an accelerated motion of the body So should a man that seekes safety goe to this Tower as Lot went to Zoar Genes 19. 22. Haste thee escape thither Implying that his escape did not onely lie in going out of Sodome nor in going unto Zoar but in his Haste from the one and in his Haste to the other as if no Haste
and ever shall bee the hearty prayer of Your Honours servantâ— IER DYKE Imprimatur Tho. Wykes R. P. Episc Lond. Cap. Domest Feb. 13. 1638. THE RIGHTEOVS MANS TOWER Prov. 18. 10. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runnes into it and is safe or is set aloft WHat Salomons drift was in writing this booke of the Proverbs we finde chap. 1. 2. 3. 4. To know wisdome and Instruction and that men might perceive the words of understanding And not onely that they might Perceive the words of understanding but that they might Receive the Instruction of wisdome And to give subtlety to the simple Now that which Salomon speakes of his whole booke may be applyed in speciall manner to this particular proverbe when men are in streights and dangers and their spirits in distractions and perplexities there is nothing they desire more then safety a faire issue and deliverance and are casting about in their thoughts what may be their wisest and safest course And yet such is mens folly and simplicity that amongst the many courses they thinke and resolve upon they cannot hit upon the onely safe course of all Therefore Salomon in this proverbe intends to make men know wisdome and instruction would have men perceive the words of understanding and would teach the simple a piece of holy subtlety and policy and what course is the onely wise course to be taken in a case of feare and danger namely that the onely wise course for a man to provide for himselfe in such a case is to beâ— take himselfe to the Name of God for his Name is a strong Tower and that the Righteous having the wisdome thitheâ— to be take himselfe findes it well worth the while and that it is no labour lost The Righteous runnes into it and is safe is set aloft out of the reach of his feared danger And the truth of this poynt he illustrates by shewing the contrary vaâ—ity of all other carnall shifts and confidences of our owne vers 11. The Rich mans wealth is his strong city and as an high wall in his conceit many build as they suppose strong castles and towers in which they suppose to immure themselves and to be fenced against all after-claps as the Rich man supposes his riches will be his security against any danger but alas this and all other Towers and Castles are but castles and Towers in the ayre onely in mens owne conâ—eits there is but one way when all is â—one and that is this The name of the â—ord is a strong Tower c. For the sense of the words By the Name of the Lord â—â— meant the Lord himselfe Deut. 28. 58. â—nd the Power the Providence the Mercy Goodnes of God Is a strong â—ower It is a metaphoricall speach look â—hat a strong tower is in case of danâ—er such is God such is his Power Providence Mercy and Goodnesse to a man having recourse to him Runnes into it It is the metaphor continued men in danger of a pursuing enemy not by having a tower but by a speedy betaking of themselves and running thither with all haste finde safety so men by a speedy betaking themselves to God find shelter and protection The point then that may be gathered from hence is this What is the onely sanctuary for safety in a case of feare and danger What is the Doctr. onely wise project in such a case for a mans security That the wisest and safest course in such a case is to runne to God The onely sanctuary for safety is the name of God fied and runne unto To this purpose makes that prayer of the church for the king Psal 20. 1. The Name of the God of Jacob defend thee or set thee on an high place A man that in a case of feare and danger will wisely provide for his safety must doe two things First Hee must make choyce and pitch upon a place or person in whom and which there is such a sufficiency that safety and security may bee had As in time of warre when a man is in feare or danger of an enemy he will not trust to his house but he makes choyce of a fort of a castle of a tower And not of any tower or castle neither not of a weake tower of an unfurnished tower but of a strong Tower strongly built strongly mand well munitioned Secondly Hee must betake himselfe and that with speed also to that place or person He must not onely goe but hee must Runne betake himselfe with speed Both those things must be done in a wise provision for safety For if a man doe Runne to a Tower yet if that bee a weake and an insufficient tower without men and munition and a Ruinous shaken Tower or if a man doe make choyce of a Tower a strong sufficient Tower yet if in his danger he betake not himselfe to that Tower but he sit still or if he sit not still yet hee but onely goe and walke on easily towards it hee may well bee met withall and a danger may arrest him surprize him and cut him off before he get the Tower over his head But the man that will be safe as he must choose a strong Tower so hee must goe to nay Runne into that Tower Running will not secure a man unlesse the Tower be strong The strong Tower will not secure a man unlesse hee Runne There must bee strength in the Tower and speed in the pace A weake Tower or a slow pace either of them layes a man open to the danger But when the Tower is strong and a man Runnes then is a man in safety Now thus it is in Running to God in a case of danger it is the surest project for safety for 1. Gods Name is a Tower a strong Tower The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower The Lord saith David is my rocke and my fortresse my strength in whom I will trust and mine high Tower Psal 18. 2. An house of Fortresses Psal 31. 2. The Prophet Nahum speakes of terrible things and of sore times of trouble that were comming in his dayes Neh. 1. 5. 6. And puts the question what a man should doe for his safety at that time who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his Anger What shall a man doe what course shall he take for his safety when his fury is powred out like fire and the rockes are throwne downe The answer to that question is laid downe vers 7. The Lord is Good A strong Hold in the day of trouble The time it may be might bee such a time as Amos 5. 13. It is an evill time The dayes it may be might be such as Paul speakes of Eph. 5. 16. The dayes are evill I but saies the Prophet The Lord is Good The dangers many and exceeding Great I but the Lord is a strong hold in the day of Trouble Excellent is that Psal 46. 1. God is our Refuge
towers and those towers were mand and furnished with stout and resolute Gammadims Gammadims in their Towers But though they had such Towers and Gammadims in their Towers yet because they had not God in their towers because God was not their strong tower therefore their strong Towers and their Gammadims could not keepe out Nebuchadnezzar but he came and brake down her towers Ezek. 26. 4 He shall set engines of war against thy walls and with his axes shall hee breake downe thy Towers It was a great deale of confidence that Niniveh put in her strong holds Nahum 3. 14. Fortifie thy strong holds goe into clay and tread the mortar The Prophet derides all their care and cost in their fortifications It is a bitter sarcasme by which he flouts the vanitie of all the courses they should seeke to secure themselves from the Chaldeans They had not made God their Tower nor had not runne into that Tower and therefore see what all their towers and forts would come to v. 12. All thy strong holds shall be like figtrees with the first ripe figs If they be shaken they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater Ripe figs they drop downe with the least concussion with the least jog of the figtree and fall into the mouth of the eater Just so easily should their forts and holds yeeld to the Chaldeans that longed to be eating and devouring them When God is not mens strong hold he shakes kingdomes as a man would shake a fig tree and hee gives a commandement to destroy strong holds or the strengths of a citty Isay 23. 11. Secondly It is a great deale of confidence that is put in stout men in goodly horses When God is not sought unto and he not trusted in as a man of war to fight our battels so many men but so many women Nah. 3. 13. Behold thy people in the midst of thee are women no more heart no more courage in them then in women And what safety in an Army of women Psal 20. 7. Some trust in charets and some in horses But an horse is a vaine thing for safety Psal 33. 17. The horse indeed is prepared against the day of battell Pro. 21. 31. But safety is of the Lord. The safety is not from the horse for the horse is flesh and not spirit Isa 31. 3. Thirdly it is a great deale of confidence that men put in their wealth and riches Pro. 18. 11. The rich mans wealth is his strong city and as an high wall in his conceit Come what can or will come thinkes many a rich man he hath mony and wealth and mony answers all things Hee conceives himselfe as safe in the middest of his wealth as if hee had a Tower as high as Heaven as if inclosed within walles like Ierichoes as high as heaven He is immured within his silver walles and fortified within his golden towers and hee thinkes himselfe past the reach of all dangers but if a man have not made God his Tower and be not gotten within that tower those golden and silver towers will afford a man no safety at all Riches availe not in the day of wrath Pro. 11. 4. It is true indeed that at some times and in some cases The ransome of a mans life are his riches Proverbs 13. 8. And in some cases mony is a defence or a shadow Eccles 7. 12. But when Gods wrath breakes out in sore judgements then mony in another sense is but a shadow It is poore safety that it will yeeld in such a time Zeph. 1. 18. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath Nay it is that which many times exposes a man to the more danger as many a mans finger is the sooner cut off for his gold ring and many a mans throat the sooner cut for his wealth It is a certaine thing that in the Parisian massacre many that were Papists were murthered as well as Nec tantum Hugonoti occidebantur sed etiaÌ„ opulentiores quâ—dam Pontificii quorum opibus avari mililitâ—s inhi abant easque per nâ—fas rapiebant Osiand epit cent 16 l. 3. c. 69. Protestants not their faith but their wealth made heretickes and Hugonotes of them Their Riches were as dangerous to them as their Religion was to the protestants it was fowle heresie with some of those furies for some men to have money and to be rich Who escaped better in the desolation by Nebuchadnezzar than the poore of the land Ier. 39. 10. Hee left the poore of the people which had nothing in the land and gave them fields and vineyards at the same time There is more safetie at such a time in povertie than in riches Poverty is sometimes a safer tower than Riches and a poore thatcht cottage more safe than a silver tower Fourthly it is a great deale of confidence that men put in getting honours preferments and high places but the safetie is not answerable to the confidence Some set their nests on high Hab. 2. 9. and that upon this ground That they may be delivered from the power of evill But a nest on high will not deliver from evil Some birds build their nests on high but yet if the trees cannot bee climbd they may be cut down That same tree Dan. 4. vers 10 11 12. which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dreame the height therof was great the tree grew and was strong and the height reached unto heaven and the Fowles of the heaven dwelt in the boughes thereof they made their nests in the boughes of that high tree so made their nests on high But yet vers 14. see what the watchman sayd Hew down the tree and cut downe his branches where were those nests then Then those nests on high were laid low enough What safetie in a nest on high when the tree is hewed downe Lastly it is a great confidence that men put in their outward priviledges The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Ier. 7. 4. that was the buckler the Iewes held out to fence off all blowes as if the Temple had been a strong Tower to have saved them from all dangers as if the Temple walles had been Canon-proofe and yet the Lord there tells them that the Temple should be so far from freeing them from wrath that wrath shold fall upon the temple it self They conceived not a litle safetie in the altar They thought Ariel the Lion of God the brasen Altar of sacrifice to be a brasen wall about them But Isa 29. 1. 2. Woe unto Ariel that is to the Altar and to the Temple Ariel shall bee so farre from saving you from distresse that Ariel it selfe shall bee distressed Ioab fled to the Altar in his feare and danger and tooke sanctuary there and yet his doome was Fall upon him there The Prophet bids them not trust in lying words Ier. 7. To trust in priviledges and to place
delivered They were safe because they ranne to a strong tower But how did they run They trusted sayes the Prophet They trusted they ranne with all their might unto this Tower by faith Psalm 9. 9 10. The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in times of trouble True may some say God is so indeed but all the skill is to get into this place of Refuge how may that bee done See what followes And they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee First a man must know this Name of GOD and know what strength and safetie is in it And then when he knowes it hee must trust in it and put himselfe into it for his safetie Psalm 37. 39 40. There is the Tower of Gods Name and the Righteous mans running to that Tower and his safety by his running to it The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord hee is their strength in the time of trouble there is the Tower The Lord shall helpe them and save them there is the safety Because they trust in him there is the running to the Tower Consider that place Isai 26. 1 2 3 4. There is a strong Citie Wee have a strong Citie Salvation will God appoynt for Walles and Bulwarkes What if a man get into that Citie Hee shall be kept in perfect peace vers 3. But there is no safetie and peace unlesse the gates bee opened and a man doe enter vers 2. How shall a man enter that he may bee within this Citie and Tower that is walled and bulwarked with Salvation vers 5. Trust yee in the Lord for ever for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength The Lord hee is a Rocke faith that puts us into this Rocke and so wee become safe Prov. 30. 26. The Conies are but a feeble folke yet make they their houses in the Rockes Those creatures are feeble and fearfull creatures and yet they subsist in multitudes And how comes that about Because when they are pursued by dogges that are farre too strong for them they have their holds and burrowes in the Rocke and running into their burrowes and into the rocke when in danger of dogges they are thereby kept safe when once they are runne into the rockes the dogges cannot come at them nor meddle with them Psalm 104. 18. The Rockes are a refuge to the Conies The rock and their running to the rock saves them though but a feeble folke It is so in this case Gods people it may be are but a feeble folke and great dangers may bee towards them but now God he is a Rock Psalm 18. 2. The Lord is my Rocke Now their wisedome must be to Runne to this Rocke and to get into it Now faith is that by which wee must runne to and burrow our selves in this Rocke And if we be once burrowed in this rock we are out of the reach of dogs and dangers A Dove is a poore weake silly creature but when shee is pursued by the Hawke if she flyes to the rock and gets but into the holes and clefts of the Rocke then shee is safe from the talons of the Hawke So is it with Gods people they are safe in many times of danger but how come they to be safe See Cant. 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the Rock that is that art hidden kept safe frō the danger of thine enemies by Gods power and providence as safe kept as a Dove is kept from the Hawke that is gotten into the clefts of the Rocke so that a mans safetie lies in Being in and Dwelling in the clefts of this Rocke But how shall a man get into these clefts and come to dwell in them A man must flye into them Now a man cannot flye without wings Faith therefore is the Doves wings by which hee flies to these clefts and holes in the rocke and so is safe It is sayd Exod. 33. 22. by God unto Moses I will put thee into a cleft of a rocke and I will cover thee with mine hand while I passe by So faith in Gods power providence promises doth put a man into the cleft of this rocke and so a man is covered under Gods hand while dangers passe by So that if a man would be safe he must doe in this case as Moab is advised to doe in that Ier. 48. 28. O yee that dwell in Moab leave the Cities and dwell in the Rocke and bee like the Dove that makes her nest in the sides of the holes mouth So heare O you that be in fear of any danger leave all carnall shifts and sharking counsels and projects and dwell in the Rocke of Gods power and providence and be like the Dove that nestles in the holes of the Rocke by faith betake your selves unto God by faith dwell in that Rock and there nestle your selves make your nests of safetie in the clefts of this Rocke Quest But how may we do this thing and what is the way to doe it Answ Doe these three things First set thy faith on worke to make God that unto thee which thy necessitie requires pitch and throw thy selfe upon his power and providence with a resolution of spirit to rest thy selfe upon it for safetie come what will come See an excellent practice of this Psal 91. 1. Hee that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almightie that is hee shall bee safe from all feares and dangers I that is true you will say who makes any doubt of it But how shall a man come to dwell and get into this secret place within this strong Tower see ver 2. I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortresse as if hee had sayd I will not onely say That he is a refuge but he is my refuge I will say to the Lord that is I will set my faith on worke in particular to throw devolve and pitch my selfe upon him for my safetie And see what followes upon this setting faith thus on worke vers 3. 4. Surely hee shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noysome pestilence He shall cover thee with his feathers c. So confident the Psalmist is that upon this course taken safetie shall follow Our safetie lies not simply upon this because God is a Refuge and is an Habitation but Psal 91. 9 10. Because thou hast made the Lord which is my Refuge thine Habitation there shall no evill befall thee c. It is therefore the making of God our habitation upon which our safetie lies and this is the way to make God our habitation thus to pitch and cast our selves by faith upon his power and providence Secondly set thy faith on worke to apply and believe the particular promises of safetie deliverance and protection such as that Hebr. 13. Hee hath sayd I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Such as those Psalm 91. and many the like
is a Tower and faith is a Tower and how so because it is faith that brings us to God that puts us within the walles and gates of this Tower and is that which helpes us to that safetie within this Tower God is called our Shield Psa 84. 11. 91. 4. and Faith is called our Shield Eph. 6. 16. Above all things take the Shield of Faith God is our Shield and Buckler because by his power hee shelters and defends us Faith is our Shield because it makes God our Shield As when a man runs to a Castle and escapes a danger we may say that his castle and his legges were his safetie God is not a Tower to such as are not towerd in their faith hee is not a shield to those that want the shield of faith The way to have God our Tower and our Shield is to get the Tower and Shield of Faith And as wee would have safetie by Faith and trusting in God our care must be not onely to get faith but our endevour must bee to increase and strengthen our faith so much as possibly wee can Every day bee exercising and setting it on worke be advancing and improving it The more faith the more securitie the more securitie the more confidence and presence of spirit in a case of danger Dwell deepe O inhabitant of Dedan Ier. 49. 8. Our endevour should bee not onely to dwell in this Rocke but to dwell deepe get such a measure of faith as that wee may get a great depth within this Rocke make our trenches deepe and get our selves deeply entrencht by faith It is sayd of the men of Thebez Iudg. 9. 51. that they not onely fled into that strong Tower but that they got them up to the top of the Tower So let us not onely run into this Tower but get me up to the top of this Tower This is done when wee so exercise and set our faith on worke as that we come to have confidence and assurance of Gods goodnesse to us in times of feare and danger Faith growing strong and dayly set on worke on the promises is getting up to the top of the tower Tower up on high into God by the growth and increase of thy faith The higher the safer And thus we see how by faith wee runne to this Tower and what safety there is to bee had by such running 3. This Running comprehends Repentance As Sinne is a Running from God so Repentance is a Running to God For Isa 55. 5. Nations that know thee not shall runne unto thee How should or did they Runne we shall see the exposition and accomplishment of that prophecy Act. 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto life By Repentance therefore did they Runne unto the Lord. And this is such a Running as conduces to safety The Righteous runs namely by Repentance and is Safe Hee humbles himselfe for his sinnes mournes for them and forsakes them sets upon a new course in righteousnesse obedience and the feare of God so findes safety and protection Iob. 22. 23. 25. If thou returne to the Almighty thou shalt put away iniquity farre from thy Tabernacles then shall the Almighty bee thy defence There bee two severall parts of Repentance and wee shall see that there is safety in Running to God by them both First there is with a sorrow for sinne a forsaking and casting of it off He that will take a right course for his safety must abandon all his sinnes and away with them or else let him runne as hee will he were as good sit still for he shall but runne in vaine hee shall not get into this Tower The way to runne and to get in for safety is a thorough forsaking of all our sinnes and lusts See Isay 33. 15. 16. He that despiseth the gaine of oppressions that shakes his hands from holding of bribes that doth by bribes and all unlawfull gaines as Paul did by the viper that stops his eares from hearing of bloud c. Hee shall dwell on High or in high places His place of defence shall be the munition of Rockes That 's the way then to dwell on high to get a defence within the munition of Rockes to purge the heart and whole man from all our lusts and pollutions If a man come with the gain of oppressions with his hands defiled with any iniustice with eares full of cruelty eyes full of adultery the tower gate will be surely barred and shut against such an one And when such shall come to the tower gate and knocke and rap and cry Lord Lord open unto us the answer they will meet withall will be Depart ye workers of Iniquity This gate will not be opened to workers of iniquity As the Iron gate that led into the city opened of it owne accord unto Peter Act. 12. 10. so the gate of this tower of it owne accord will shut it selfe against workers of Iniquity As of the New Ierusalem it is said Apoc. 22. 14. 15. Blessed are they that may enter in thorough the gates into the city for without are dogges sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers c. So is it true of this Tower Blessed are all they that in a time of danger may enter in thorough the gates into the Tower It shall not bee everyones portion for dogs whoremongers Idolaters lyars c. and all such kinde of persons must make account to bee without to be shut out and not admitted into the Tower God will bee no protectour of such persons but when men are purged their hearts and hands their eares and eyes their wayes and lives are purged and washed from their lusts then they shall dwell on high and the place of their defence shall bee the munition of Rockes There is a gracious promise of safety and protection Isa 4. 5. 6. Vpon all the glory shall bee a defence And there shall bee a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heate and for a place of Refuge and for a covert from storme and from rayne All comes to this that the Name of the Lord should bee a strong Tower for their safety But yet marke when this should bee vers 4. When the Lord shall have washt away the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall have purged the bloud of Ierusalem from the middest thereof Then there shall be a defence a shadow a refuge a covert from the storme when there shall bee a washing and a purging by the spirit of Iudgement and Sublation as Iunius renders it then will God shelter and mightily protect them from all evils and dangers A man that will be safe must doe two things First He must Runne to the Tower Secondly Hee must enter and get into the Tower when runne to it Now without Repentance a man can doe neither of these First He cannot Runne to the Tower for safety without Repentance It is in our running to this Tower for safety as it is
there follows safety Psal 18. 2. The Lord is my high Tower But how will he get into that high Tower He will Run into it But how will he runne into it vers 2. I will call upon the Lord. So will he Runne into it And what shall he bee the better for running into it So shall I be saved from mine enemies and so from all dangers All which comes to this The name of the Lord is an high and strong Tower I will by prayer runne into it and shall be safe And David tells us of it as of an experimented truth Psalm 34. 4 6. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my feares This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles David was in feares and was delivered from all his feares Hee was delivered by running into this tower and he ranne into this tower by prayer There be terrible times threatned Ioel 3. 15 16. The Sunne and the Moone shall bee darkned c. The Lord shall roare out of Sion c. and the hearers shall shake the hearing of such sad things was enough to make their hearts shake Alas when such blacke dayes should come what would become of Gods people how should they doe at such a time Well enough But the Lord will bee the hope of his people or the place of Repaire or the Harbour of his people and the strength of the children of Israel Herein should they be happy that in such a time they had the name of God for their Tower of safetie But how should they get or runne into that tower so as they might be safe That wee may see by the like passage Ioel 2. 31 32. The Sunne shall bee turned into darknesse c. And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be delivered So that as the name of the Lord is a tower so that tower must bee runne into and the way to runne into that tower of the name of God is to call upon that name And hee that runnes so runnes not in vaine it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shal be delivered When Davids heart was over-whelmed with troublesome thoughts and feares he betakes himselfe to God Psalm 61. 3 4. Thou hast been a shelter or a refuge for mee and a strong tower from the enemy and I will make my refuge in the covert of thy wings And what course takes he to doe it vers 1 2. Heare my cry attend unto my prayer c. So that by prayer hee runnes to the strong tower and to the place of Refuge Lead me sayes vers 2. to the Rocke that is higher than I that rocke is none other but that strong tower verse 3. Both the Name of the Lord. That tower is an high tower Psalm 18. 2. and that Rock is here an high Rocke the Rocke higher than I and yet there is a way to get into the highest Towers by scaling Ladders a man may get over the high walls of towers This tower and rock too high for David himselfe to get into and therefore hee sets to the scaling Ladder Lead mee into the Rocke and into the tower that is higher than I. Heare my cry attend unto my prayer So hee makes prayer the scaling Ladder to get upon that rocke and into that tower that otherwise had been too high for him he gets that safetie and deliverance which otherwise but by prayer unto God had been impossible to have been obtained When David was in danger of Saul see what resolution he takes up Psal 57. 1. In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge untill these calamities be over-past We shall see in the title of the Psalme that David was then in the cave It is sayd 1 Sam. 23. 29. that David went and dwelt in the strong holds at En-gedi and this cave that now David was in was amongst those strong holds as appeares 1 Sam. 24. So that David in the cave was in a strong hold and yet David thought there was little safetie in that strong hold unlesse God himselfe were his refuge and therefore sayes he In the shadow of thy wings wil I make my refuge till these calamities be overpast As if he had sayd Lord I am already in the cave and the holds and in the shadow of it but yet for all that I thinke not my selfe safe indeed till I have made my refuge in the shadow of thy wings that is therefore the course I resolve and build upon It was wisely done of him and marke what course he takes to do it vers 2. I will cry unto God most high I will by prayer put my selfe under the shadow of Gods wings and marke what successe should follow vers 3. He shall send from heaven and save mee from the reproach of him that would swallow me up God shall send forth his mercie and his truth When wee send prayers up to heaven God hee will send helpe down from heaven when we send forth our prayers and supplications God will send forth his mercy and his truth his power and will set all his attributes on work for the effecting of our safety and deliverance Indeed it is trusting and so thrusting our selves under the covert of Gods wings in which our safety lies as before we saw and so David takes that course vers 1. But yet David prayes to God as well as he trusts in God And unlesse we pray as well as trust our trust will faile us for wee must trust to God for that we pray for That same is an excellent passage Isai 5â— 1â— When the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him that is shall both defend from his violence and shall also put him to flight Now that which is there spoken of an enemy is true of any danger when Pestilence Famine c. shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against them Now what is that Spirit of the Lord I know it is meant properly of Gods power and might as Zech. 4. 6. Not by might not by my power that is not by the might and power of man but by my Spirit sayth the Lord that is by my might and my power So here the Spirit that is the power of the Lord shal lift up a standard against him But yet if it bee not meant also of prayer which is stirred up in the hearts of the faithfull by the Spirit who is therefore called the Spirit of Prayer yet may we allude at least unto it and say that when an enemie or pestilence or famine shall come in like a flood shall come and overspread it selfe like a flood and shall like a flood come unresistably the Spirit of the Lord stirring up prayer in his peoples heart shall lift up a standard against
that follow the Court. It is the priviledge of the godly that they are set at the Counsell table where the very secret mysteries of the kingdome are disclosed It is something which is spoken Psal 45. 15. They shall enter into the Kings Palace It is somwhat to be Courtiers to bee outwardly members of the Church but yet this is not all the priviledge of the faithfull there is a further matter Cant. 1. 4. The King hath brought me into his Chambers they come not onely into the King Palace but into the Kings Chambers The Kings chamber is the place of greatest secresie 2 King 6. 12. Elisha the Prophet that is in Israel telles the King of Israel the words thou speakest in thy bed-chamber The King hath brought mee into his Chambers he hath revealed and imparted unto me the secrets of his heart made them knowne to mee in his privie chamber So that the priviledge of the godly is that they are not onely of the Court but of the Counsell they doe not onely know the Kings face but the Kings heart and the secrets in his breast Nay the godly are not onely of the Court and the Counsell but they are the choyce and peculiar friends and favourites of God It is sayd of Zabud that he was principal officer and the Kings friend 1 King 4. 5. Hee was Solomons favourite and a favourite is more than a Counsellour and is acquainted with those secrets that every ordinary Counsellour knowes not even with Cabinet secrets All Gods people are Zabuds Gods friends and favourites and therefore God communicates his secrets to them Abraham is here called Gods friend and see how God speakes of him Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will doe As if he had sayd Abraham is my friend and therefore I may not conceale my minde from him It will not stand with the lawes of friendship to hide my purpose from him Ioh. 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knowes not what his Lord doth but I have called you Friends and so I will use you as friends But how In entertaining communion with you and communicating my secrets unto you For all things that I have heard of my Father I have made knowne unto you See what a priviledge followes being the friends of Christ When friends doe conceale secrets each from other and communicate onely some trifling common things one to another it is a signe of a crazed and a loosened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ubi supra friendship not of a true entire love but only of an artificiall personated complementall kinde of love onely for fashion sake to hold ends together but true friendship makes a man communicative of his greatest and choycest secrets It had some strength in it which Delilah spake to Samson Iudg. 16. 15. How canst thou say I love thee when thine heart is not with mee that is when thou wilt not disclose the secrets of thine heart to mee as appeares vers 17 18. shee therefore concludes his hart was not with her because he told her not all his heart But now Gods people being his friends the Lords heart is with them and therefore hee telles them all his heart the very deepe secrets of his heart 1. Cor. 2. 7. 12. Eph. 1. 7-9 When once men have God for their friend hee will not bee daintie of his secrets but will communicate them unto them And the more inward and entire the friendship is the greater secrets he wil communicate unto them All his Disciples were his friends and therfore Iohn 15. 15. he made known unto them all things he had heard of his Father But yet there was one Disciple which was the Disciple whom Iesus loved Ioh 13. 23. and he leaned on Iesus bosome Iohn was that Disciple that was his speciall beloved bosome-friend and therefore when Peter desired to know that secret which of them it was that should betray him he beckned to Iohn that hee should aske who it should be of whom he spake Ioh 13. 24. Peter knew he was his bosome-friend and therefore the likelier upon asking to come acquainted with that secret and upon his asking it is revealed to him vers 25. 26. Nay Iohn being the bosome friend of Christ hee did not onely when on earth use him as a friend in communicating speciall secrets to him that not to the rest but after hee was ascended into heaven did still use him as his bosome friend in revealing to him greater secrets and mysteries than to any of the rest To him he revealed all those mysteries and secrets which are comprehended in the booke of the Revelation The Revelation of Iesus Christ c. And hee sent and signified it by his Angell unto his servant Iohn Apoc. 1. 1. But why unto Iohn Why not unto Peter Why not unto some of the rest Because Iohn was the Disciple whom hee loved Iohn had lien in his bosome and therefore being his bosome friend hee should have the honour and the favour to have these bosome secrets imparted unto him Speciall secrets revealed to Iohn because Iohn a speciall friend and favourite yea when men are speciall friends indeed God will whisper in their eares and discover such secrets to them as not to others It is said 1. Sam. 9. 15. That God told Samuel in his eare of Sauls comming a day before hee came A man will whisper in his friends eare and tell him a secret that other shall not know so doth the Lord deale with his friends hee hath his secret whisperings with his Saints and tells them secretly in their eares that which every one shall not know So Christ dealt with Iohn in discovering Iudas to be the traytour he spake it not out but secretly whispered that in his eare which he speakes to him Ioh. 13. 26 The rest of the Disciples heard it not as appears vers 28 29 If Christ had spoken that in the hearing of all the Disciples that he spake to Iohn they might easily have understood our Saviours meaning in his speech to Iudas And so still doth God deale with the godly which were his friends hee secretly reveales that in their eares which neither eye hath seen nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. Indeed men of the world they beleeve not that a godly man hath any such priviledge as to be acquainted with Gods secrets more than themselves they measure a godly man by themselves and therefore say in this case as Eliphaz spake to Iob in that case Iob. 15. 8 9 11. Hast thou heard the secret of God What knowest thou that we know not What understandest thou that is not in us Is there any secret thing with thee But yet a godly man doth know that a worldly man knowes not he doth understand something that is not in him there is some secret thing with