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
them the Spirit of prayer shall shelter from and chace away such feared dangers Prayer is often called the Lifting up of the hands and Hezechiah hath a phrase of lifting up a prayer 2 King 19. 4. Lift up thy Prayer for the remnant that is left Now when in case of danger Gods people can lift up a Prayer then in that very thing doth the Spirit of God lift up a Standard against that danger Therefore we shall see that prayer is made the remedy against all dangers and evill It saves from enemies 2 Sam. 22. 4. I will call on the Lord so shall I bee saved from mine enemies It saves and diverts from oppressours Isa 19. 20. They shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressours and hee shall send them a Saviour and a great one and he shall deliver them It diverts and saves from famine Amos 7. 1 2 3. It is an Antidote against the pestilence 2 Chron. 7. 13. 14. If I send pestilence among my people if my people shall humble themselves and pray I will heale their land Numb 16. 46 47 48. Aaron burnes incense and the plague was stayd this is the perfume that must sweeten the aire and heale a land When the fire of Gods wrath burnes and smoakes it is the smoake of this Incense and the burning of it that must quench the burning of Gods anger Thus the Spirit of the Lord is that which lifts up a standard against the danger of all evils when he enlarges his peoples hearts with a Spirit of prayer And therefore wee shall see that prayer is not onely a meanes but a pledge of mercie and safetie comming when God gives his people a Spirit of prayer it is the harbinger and fore-runner that comes with the good tidings of safetie and deliverance Ier. 3. 19. But I sayd how shall I put thee among the children and give thee a pleasant land c. As if hee had sayd I have thoughts and purposes of mercie and deliverance towards thee It is in mine hand to deliver thee from thy captivitie and to bring thee into thine owne land againe but what course shall I take to effect and bring it about And I sayd Thou shalt call me My Father As if hee had sayd I have bethought my selfe now of a way how to cōpasse it I will powre down a Spirit of Prayer upon thee and thou shalt call upon mee and call me Father I will give thee the Spirit of Adoption by which thou shalt in prayer cry Abba Father and so then I wil put thee among the children and give thee an inheritance and seat you in your own countrey againe The summe of all is that God would give them a Spirit of prayer which should bee not onely the meanes but the pledge and earnest of their deliverance Prayer is the key of the Tower-gate Now when God takes away the spirit of prayer when he doth that which Eliphaz charges Iob withall Iob. 15. 4. Thou restrainest Prayer before God When I say God doth restraine prayer and take that spirit of prayer from him then God takes away the Key of the Tower gate and that is a signe that God doth not mean that such a one shall get into the Tower So on the contrary when God gives a man a spirit of Prayer hee gives him the Key of the Tower gate And the giving of a man that key is a pledge of Gods intentions to him for safety and deliverance from dangers and feared evils God would never give a man a key to open the gate if hee did not intend his entrance into the Tower As then wee desire safetie in a case of feare so get into this tower Hee that would get into this tower must doe two things First hee must runne to it Secondly hee must get the doore or gate opened when hee comes to it If the gate were open and a man runne not to it or if a man did runne to it and the gate not opened there were no safetie to bee had But then there is safetie when a man runnes to it and gets the gate opened so as also he may runne into it The way to doe all these is prayer We runne to it by Prayer Prayer is a running to this tower and prayer is that which opens the gate A man that would enter in at a gate must either knocke at the gate or hee must take the key and unlocke it Prayer is a knocking at the tower-gate and such a knocking as knockes it open Matth. 7. Knocke and it shall be opened unto you which is the same with that Aske and it shall be given unto you Prayer is the turning of the key and the unlocking of the gate It is sayd of the Angell and Peter Acts 12. 10. that when they came to the Iron gate that led into the Citie it opened unto them of its owne accord Looke what the Angell was to Peter that is prayer to a man comming to the gate of the tower the gate of the tower will open of it owne accord to a man that comes with prayer Let a man therefore in his feares betake himselfe to this dutie of seeking God as to a course of safetie Runne to the tower by prayer Knocke at the gate by prayer unlocke the doore and get entrance by prayer Psalm 20. 7 8. Some their Charets and some their horses but wee will remember the Name of the Lord our God They are brought downe and fallen but wee are risen and stand upright There is more safetie in Remembring the Name of the Lord than in Charets and Horses They that put their safety in their Charets and their Horses may come downe and fall low enough but they that remember the name of the Lord they rise and stand upright It is a mans safest course then by farre to Remember the name of the Lord. But what is it to Remember the name of the Lord That is by prayer to runne to the Lord Ion. 2. 7. When my soule faynted within me I remembred the Lord. That course Ionah tooke in the feares and faintnesse of his Spirit to remember the Lord. But what meanes hee by Remembring the Lord that hee shewes in the words following And my prayer came in unto thee into thine holy Temple Prayer then is the Remembring the name of the Lord and Remembring the Name of the Lord is the course of safety Remembring the Name of the Lord is Running to the Tower of Gods Name and hee that Runnes into it he is safe And yet how little is this course thought upon by men in their feares Every thing is done but that which should be done and that is last done if done at all which should be first done The prophet tels them Isay 22. 5. of a sad day that was comming upon them a day of trouble and perplexity of breaking downe the walles and crying to the mountaines And what course take they They looke in that day to the armour of
the house of the Forrest vers 8. They veiw the breaches of the city and breake downe houses to fortifie the wall vers 9. 10. But all this while no looking to God from whom the evill came nor seeking unto him who could defend them from that evill vers 11. Nay in that day God called to fasting and praying vers 12. and in that day they looke to the armour of the house of the forrest so look to that that they look not to God so look to that they give themselves up to their jollities and merriments as if more confidence were to be put in the Armour of the house of the forrest in their ditches and fortifications then in Running by prayer unto the strong Tower of the Name of the Lord. That is the folly and madnesse of men to neglect this course which so much conduces to their safety Looke wee to God what ever wee looke to and looke and seeke to God first before we looke to any meanes though never so lawfull hopeful and helpefull Object Object If there bee such safety to bee found in prayer that is a thing soone done wee can easily goe to God and pray to him if that will serve Answ Answ It is not any kinde of Prayer by which wee must Runne into this Tower and will helpe us to this safety But it must bee in Running unto this Tower in Running for safety as in that running for the crowne 1 Cor. 9. 24. So Runne that yee may obtaine It is not enough to Runne but a mans care must bee So to runne that he may obtaine the price and the crowne Men may Runne and yet not obtaine the crowne because they Runne not So So as they should and must doe that will obtaine the crowne So is it in this running for safety So runne that yee may obtaine A man may runne may pray and yet not obtaine safety It is not enough therefore to Runne to pray unlesse he Runne unlesse he pray So that is So as he must pray that would obtaine safety The prayer therefore that would obtaine safety it must have these two qualifications First it must be Instant earnest fervent prayer Prayer is a running to God In running there is more putting out of a mans selfe and his strength then in the ordinary pace of Going There is more vehemency and earnestnesse required in running then in a walking pace A man should doe in praying as he would doe in running from an enemy to a fort or tower A man in danger of an enemy would not walke an easie pace but would runne and runne with all his might that hee could And so should men pray that would by prayer runne into this Tower It must be prayer in which men must put out themselves to the utmost it must be done with all vehemency and contention of Spirit It is not verball and formall praying will serve the turne that is not so much as going and walking much lesse is it running A mans tongue may runne in prayer but it is no running to God unlesse a mans heart and all his affections are at the work with all their might that the king of Nineveh knew and therefore when hee heares of the danger they were in hee presses his subjects not onely to prayer but to crying prayer He saies not let men pray but let men cry nor that onely but let men cry mightily unto God Ion. 3. 8. Hee saw that if there were any hope of safety by running into this Tower that it must bee by running with all their might if there were any helpe for them by prayer it must bee by earnest instant vehement prayer It is one thing to say a prayer another thing to pray a prayer Iam. 5. 17. Elias prayed in his prayer as the words are rendred in the margine of the New translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is translated he prayed earnestly Then a man prayes earnestly when he prayes in his prayer That may be a prayer materially which formally is no prayer and a man may have a prayer and use a prayer and yet not pray in his prayer When hee prayes onely with his tongue is onely verball and formall hee prayes not in his prayer Formall prayer is not prayer Formally because that which gives forme and being to prayer is that a man pray in his prayer And that is done when prayer is instant earnest fervent And such prayer it is that is effectuall that prevailes much Jam. 1. 16. when a man prayes in his prayer such prayer is such a running as will be effectuall and prevaile much to get a man into and to keepe him safe in this Tower The way to prevaile with men from whom we feare danger is to take a course first to prevaile with God Gen. 32. 28. Thou hast power with God and with men and hast prevayled that is thou hast had power with God and hast prevayled with him thou shalt therefore also have Power with men and prevaile with them But how came he to prevaile with God Iacob wrestled with him as wee see in the story And what was a speciall thing in that wrestling wee shall see Hos 12. 3. 4. By his strength hee had Power with God That was one way by which hee had power with God By his strength by the strength of his faith But there was another way vers 4. Yea he had Power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him He prevailed by prayer but it was not perfunctory and formall prayer but it was wrestling and weeping prayer instant and earnest prayer Hee wept and made supplication Some in their dangers and feares can weepe their feares wring teares from them but it is not teares will prevaile without prayers And some may pray and make supplication but it is not prayers without teares will prevaile Prayers and Teares weeping prayers weeping supplications are the prevayling prayers for safety wrestling prayers are preuayling prayers with God and prevayling with God is the way to prevaile with men So did Iacob runne into this tower and was safe These prayers and teares so prevayled that Esau insteed of killing falles to kissing of Iacob The king that is not able with his ten thousands to meet with him that comes against him with twenty thousands whilest his Adversary is yet a great way off sends an Ambassage and desires conditions of Peace Luke 14. 31 32. Now in cases of feares and danger our prayers to God are Ambassadours for peace and safety Now as these Ambassadours act their cause such is our speede If these Agents doe their businesse coldly and onely for forme there is little peace and safety to be hoped for by their Ambassage But if wee would have peace and safety by their Embassy they must goe to worke as those Isa 33. 7. Behold their messengers shall cry without the ambassadours of peace shall weepe bitterly The messengers must cry the Ambassadours weepe and weepe bitterly that
securitie in them against Gods Anger is to trust in a lye And of trusting in outward priviledges it may be said as Mic. 1. 14. The houses of Achzib shall be Achzab that is a lye to the Kings of Israel Thus there is a vanitie in all other courses and confidences besides this and all the Towers besides this to which men betake themselves are but paper Towers paper Castles and such as will prove but towers of Babel towers of confusion 2 That the betaking of our selves to the strong tower of Gods Name is that which puts strength unto all meanes we use and courses wee take and makes them successefull This Tower strengthens all other towers this makes them to bee strong towers this makes them that they wil beare a brunt and a shock this makes strong holds hold out David was faine often to betake himselfe to holds and forts for his safety as 1 Sam. 22. 4. and 23. And David aboad in the wildernesse in strong holds verse 29. And David went up from thence and dwelt in strong holds at En-Gedi And wee see that Saul could not get him hee was safe in his holds and fortresses And how so because as David dwelt in and betooke himselfe to those holds so hee made God his hold and the house of his fortresses Psalme 31. 3. David tooke forts and holds for his safety but yet he made God his tower strength and not his holds and so his safety was from God and not from his holds 1 Sa. 23. 14. and David abode in strong holds Saul sought him every day but God delivered him not into his hands The text sayes not but his holds kept him out of Sauls hands but God kept him out of Sauls hāds So that David making God his hold hee was the strength of his hold See how David speaks Ps 18. 2. Thou art mine hold and mine high Tower he doth not say En-Gedi is my strōg hold or the wildernes of Ziph is my strong hold but Thou art mine hold And this was it that made the wildernes of Ziph and the holds of En-Gedi such strong holds because he had made God his hold and his strong tower The cave in which David was hid and into which Saul came was a Cave in the wildernesse of En-Gedi in that cave he found shadow and shelter from Saul yet see how he speaks Psal 57. 1. My soule trusts in thee yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge c. wee see by the title of the psalm upon what occasion it was made when he fled from Saul in the cave he saies not I trust in my Cave in the shadow of the cave wil I make my refuge but my soul trusts in thee In the shadow of thy wings wil I make my refuge he made God his cave his hiding place therupon his cave became a shadow and a shelter to him It is lawfull for us and it is that wee ought to doe to use all good meanes for our safety in cases of danger but yet the first thing to bee done is to make God our strong Tower and this is it which will make them meanes of safety mark that place 2 Ch. 14. 7. let us build these cities and make about them walls and towers gates bars First they made God their Tower as appeares in the words following because we have sought the Lord our God and in the words before verse 4. He commanded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their fathers and when they had made God their tower and wall of defence then they said let us build and make Towers And when they took this course then they went to work to the purpose So they built prospered saies the end of the vers This is the way to make all our counsels projects courses for safety to prosper do wel So they built prospered that is when they had sought God had made him their strong tower first First make God our tower then build and prosper then project and prosper 3. Consider what a miserable perplexity confusion and distraction of spirit it will bee in a time of trouble to bee fort-lesse and Tower-lesse Looke in what a case the Canaanites were Iosh 2. 10. 11. For wee have heard how the Lord dryed up the waters of the red sea for you and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites c. And as soone as wee heard those things our hearts did melt neither did there remaine any more courage in any man because of you Looke in what a case the Iewes were Isa 7. 2. And it was told the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim and his heart was moved and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are moved with the winde How sad is that passage Ier. 30. 5. 6. 7. Wee have heard a voyce of trembling of feare and not of peace aske now and see whether a man doth travell with childe wherfore doe I see every man with his hands on his loynes as a woman with childe and all faces turned into palenesse Alas for that day is great c. This is the miserable and disconsolate condition of many men in the times of their trouble Now what ayles them what brings them into such distresses of spirit Poore men they are Towerlesse they have no tower to betake them to they are not runne into this Tower of Gods Name and therefore their feares doe racke and torture them doe even mad them and make them out of their wits What are they better Isa 8. 21 22. They are hard bestead fret themselves and curse their King and their God they looke upward and they looke downward and which way soever they looke they behold trouble and darknesse It would make a man pitty Moab to see him toyled and turmoyled with his own distractions Isa 16. 12. Hee shall in his feares and perplexities of spirit try all conclusions for his safetie He shall goe to his high place and pray there and shall weary himselfe with trying what may bee done there and shall goe from thence with his heart as full of feares as before His feares shall gaster him as much as before he went to his high place From his high place hee shall goe to his sanctuary and he shall pray there also If the high place and prayer there will not ease his heart yet haply he hopes hee may doe somewhat for his ease at the Sanctuary and therefore thither he will goe And when he hath tryed his sanctuarie how cheeres hee then Alas still in as bad a case as before but hee shall not prevaile neither his high place nor his sanctuarie nor all his prayers nor devotions can give his heart any ease of his feares So unconceiveably miserable is the distraction of those mens spirits in time of trouble that are not gotten into this Tower Their feares and terrours racke and rend
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
all vvhich passage vve see how many strong reasons our Saviour brings to assure us that God vvill grant our desires and they are grounded upon this that vve are the friends of God This is therefore the great priviledge and benefit of being Gods friends that they shall be sure to speed with God when they seeke to him Indeed many times in cases of necessity a man shall finde but poore helpe from his friends Prov. 19. 7. All the brethren of the poore doe hate him how much more doe his friends goe farre from him hee pursues them with words yet they are wanting unto him But it is not so with God he ownes and agnizes his friends in their necessities he vvill not be wanting to his friends Doe but see vvhat Christ hath done for his friends Iohn 15. 13. greater love hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends Did not Christ make dainty of his blood of his life for his friends and shall vve thinke that he will be straight handed or streight hearted to them in smaller matters That friend that vvill lay downe his life for his friends will he deny his friends his purse vvill he deny them three loaves no such matter They shall be vvelcome though they come at midnight So happy a thing it is to have God for a friend It is an happy thing vvhen a man hath a faithfull friend to whom he may breake his minde when his heart is troubled It is an ease to disburdon ones mind into the bosome of a friend though he cannot helpe us and give us remedy against our griefe How much more then is it an happinesse to have God for our friend into whose bosome we may disburdē our minds in prayer when he is such a friend as will make good the prayers of his people and helpe them in their needs How many prayers doe many make to God how many petitions put they up and yet speed not How many begge three loaves and yet get not one and what 's the reason they have not God their friend they are none of Gods friends and therefore their speed is suitable The fourth benefit the godly have by having God for their friend is defence and protection in all cases of wrong injury and oppression at least pitty and compassion and a fellow-feeling with them in their troubles yea such a pitty and compassion as will stirre up God to stand to them and by them in all their afflictions so it is with friends amongst men If a man see his friend in misery and trouble his heart earnes towards him and his soule bleeds within him and all his thoughts and wits Adversas vero res ferre difficile esset sine eo qui illas graviùs etiā quam tu ferret Cicer. in Lelio are vvorking to take a course for his help and reliefe See how Iob speakes Iob 19. 21. Have pitty vpon me have pity upon me O ye my freinds But vvhy should he call upon his friends to pitty him see the reason Iob 6. 14. To him that is afflicted pity should bee shewed from his friend It is a friends part and duty to be compassionate to his friend in his extremity and when friends doe not so it is a signe that they forsake the feare of the Almighty as there Iob speakes We see when Iobs three friends heard of all the evill that was come upon him they come every one from his owne place for they had made an appointment together to come to mourne with him and to comfort him Iob 2. 11. That was a friendly part so should friends doe and so will friends doe Prov. 18. 24. There is a friend that stickes closer than a brother And therefore well might Iob complaine of it as a strange case Iob 19. 19. All mine inward friends abhor me and Iob 16. 20. my friends are my scorners Your friend will not only have compassion but if it be in his power he will stand to and by his friend to maintaine his cause and his right against all such as would wrong and abuse him A mans blood rises when hee heares or sees his friend wronged and many a man loses his life in his friends quarrell Marke how David speakes to Abiathar 1 Sam. 22 23. Abide thou with mee feare not hee that takes thy life shall take my life also as some Translations have it And thus is it with the people of God being his friends God will have compassion upon them in all their afflictions his friendly heart will have a fellowfeeling with them in all their miseries Isay 63. 10. Hee was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them but before that hee vvas their friend till by their sinnes they made him their enemy And vvhen he was their friend then it was otherwise ver 9. in all their affliction he was afflicted God as a friend sympathized with them in their sorrowes yea and hee will friendly stand to them by them in all their vvrongs he is a friend that sticks closer then a brother When Paul vvas imprisoned Acts 23. 11. The Lord stood by him and said feare not The Lord as a friend came to him in prison as a friend encouraged him and animated him therein making good Salomons proverb Prov. 27. 17. Iron sharpens Iron so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend When a man is dejected disconsolate and sad of countenance if his friend come to him and comfort and cheere him with words of consolation it refreshes his spirit and puts such life into him as makes his countenance lightsome Thus the Lord as a good friend comes to Paul in prison and cheares his spirit and sharpens his countenance It was no friendly part of those 2 Tim. 4. 16. At my first answere no man stood Paravit animum adversus vinculalaturum opem Cum primum crepuerit catena discedet Senec. ep 9. with me but all men forsooke me Those that profest themselves Pauls great friends durst not owne him when he was convented before Nero there his friends failed him but yet vers 17. The Lord stood with me and strengthned me God shewed himselfe a faithfull friend to Paul hee did goe to the barre with Paul and stood with him there and strengthened him there And to this purpose is that worth the noting that when our Saviour was to hearten and encourage his Disciples against the feare of persecutions he calls them by the name of friends Luke 12. 4. And I say unto you my friends bee not afraid of them that kill the body c. As if he should have said you shall meete with a great deale of hard measure in the world you shall be persecuted to the very death but yet be not afraid of these persecutors And why not afrayd I say unto you my friends be not afraid You are my friends and therefore I will not be wanting unto you I will stand by you either to deliver you or
desires another mans friendship must bee often in his company must have converse with him and frequent conference with him It was a neere bond of love and friendship that was betweene David and Ionathan 1 Sam. 18. 1. The soule of Ionathan was knit with the soule of David and Ionathan loved him as his owne soule But how and upon what grew this friendship how came Ionathan so to affect David see the beginning of the verse And it came to passe that as David had made an end of speaking unto Saul Hee was in Davids company he heares him speake and sees a sweet spirit in him and thereupon hee is wonderfully taken with him If David had not beene in Ionathans presence and company if Ionathan had not seene him and heard him speake hee had never been so taken with him as to make him his choyce and deare friend but now when hee is in Ionathans company and there speakes in his audience it came to passe that as hee had made an end of speaking that the soule of Ionathan was knit unto the soule of David In that converse that Ionathan had with David was his heart knit to him It is so here in prayer a man converses with God hath conferences and soliloquies with him and so by the often frequenting of Gods company and conversing with him he growes into acquaintance with him See how Christ speakes to his Church Cant. 2. 14. Let mee see thy countenance let me heare thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance comely A praying countenance is comely in Christs eye and a praying voyce is sweet in his eare And as he desires to see that countenance Let mee see thy countenance and as hee desires to heare that voyce Let mee heare thy voyce so when he doth heare that sweet voyce and see that comely countenance hee is wonderfully taken with it falles exceedingly in love with it Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast ravished mine heart my sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes Thou hast wounded mine heart or thou hast taken my heart out of me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeke hath it Thou hast unhearted me as a friends heart lives Bene quidam dixit de amico suo dimidium animae meae Nam ego sensi animam meam animam illius unam fuisse animam in duobus corporibus ideo mihi horrori erat vita quia nolebam dimidius vivere ideo forte mori metuebam ne totus ille morreretur quē multum amaveram August Confess lib. 4. cap. 6. in his friends bosome it is gone from himselfe unto his friend Thou hast taken away mine heart from mee with one of thine eyes If one eye did it what would both have done All serves to shew how Christs heart is wonne in prayer that looke as soone as David had made an end of speaking Ionathans heart went out of himselfe and his soule was knit with the soule of David so after a faithfull soule hath done speaking in prayer Christs soule is knit to his soule and such converse makes Christ love a man as his owne soule Nothing more knits and rivets the heart of Christ and a Christian together in a league of sweet acquaintance then conversing with him in the duty of prayer In this duty God and his people take acquaintance one of another and grow into a familiarity each with other See Zech. 13. 9. I will say it is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God I will take acquaintance with them and they shall take acquaintance with mee I will owne them and they shall owne me and there shall be a mutuall stipulation of friendship and familiarity betweene us Well but when shall this be done marke the words immediately going before They shall call upon my Name and I will say c. This entercourse of kindnesse and familiarity shall bee in and upon the duety of prayer In and upon that shall there bee these mutuall friendly passages and owning each of other Yea if at any time we doe that which may cause God to fall out with us and to looke strange upon us yet prayer is a speciall meanes to worke us in with God againe and a godly man prayes himselfe friends with God The Apostle Peter hee advises married couples to love each other and to live together in conjugall friendship that their prayers may not bee interrupted 1 Pet. 3. 7. And so a man may wish them to pray together that their loves bee not interrupted As love will keepe prayers from interruption so prayers will keepe love from interruption As it is true keepe friends that you may pray love that you may pray so it is true pray that you may keepe friends pray that you may love Prayer is that which will keepe them friends But sometimes it may be there may be some breach betweene man and wife It is possible there may be some interruption of their love there may bee a rupture in conjugall friendship What is to be done then let both goe together to God in prayer and hee will set all in joynt and send them from him better friends then ever Prayer will make up such rupture againe So is it in this case Prayer will prevent an interruption of our friendship with God or if we do that which may cause a rupture yet if we doe but goe to the Lord in prayer and seeke earnestly to him in that duty hee will at last bee friends with us againe and send us better friends from him then before Prayer will pervert and will heale ruptures in this blessed friendship Thus now wee see how we may come to get this honour and happinesse of being Gods friends and therefore now let us seriously set upon this course and make triall of these conclusions I pray thee saies Eliphaz acquaint thy selfe with him and be at peace with him thereby shall good come to thee Iob 22. 21. All this good of communing with God of boldnesse with him of speeding in the petitions of defence and assistance in time of troubles of peace and friendship with the creatures all this good shall come to thee upon friendship with God So much good how ambitious should it make us of this honour of being Gods friends How many waste their very estates out of a desire to have the friendship and favour of the great ones of the earth and yet hardly get or more hardly keepe it when they have done Many a man is undone with the friendship of great ones and loose by it and many times bring their houses to ruine by it but this friendship is for good there is gaine by it never did or shall any man loose by it by having God for his friend There be three times in speciall that a man shall finde it to stand him in stead to have God for his friend and to be in the number of his friends First at the Time of the
it turne to the North-point and rest there So if once a man had his heart toucht with Christ though a man may have troubles and distractions by reason of secular imployments yet the heart would quickly bee upon heaven againe and not be at rest till it were pitcht that way againe Get therefore a sanctified frame of heart and then thou wilt bee thinking of heaven minding of heaven talking of heaven trading for heaven yet that will make thee use thine earthly calling with an heavenly mind that what ever thine imployments be yet thy minde shall be running on heaven and so thy conversation shall be in heaven There is a great deale of difference betweene heavenly thoughts that may bee cast into a mans heart and heavenly thoughts that breed in rise and spring out of a mans heart A man may have heavenly thoughts cast in his heart and yet not have his conversation in heaven Many a worldly man may have thoughts and mindings of heaven thrown or cast into his heart God may cast such thoughts sometimes into his heart and it may bee a good sermon may so farre worke upon him as to put some thoughts of heaven into him but all this while this is no conversation in heaven these are but thoughts in their hearts but not thoughts of their hearts But now when such thoughts are thoughts of the heart they are bred in the heart and the heart it selfe raises them and brings them forth then in such thoughts a man hath his conversation in heaven Now then onely doth the heart breed and raise such thoughts of it selfe when the frame of it is sanctified when there is a principle of grace in it The fire that is come downe from heaven burning in it causes heavenly thoughts to ascend like pillars of smoke Fire doth not more naturally cause smoke to arise and ascend upwards towards heaven then grace in a sanctified heart causes the thoughts of it to make ascensions into heaven When a man hath a sanctified frame of heart what ever hee is doing what ever his employments what ever his discourses are still hee is minding heaven That looke as it is with a man that hath a worldly frame of heart so soone as he wakes in the morning presently before his eyes be well open he is thinking of the world when hee eates and drinkes still the world is in his mind when hee walkes rides upon the way still his mind is upon his penny upon his profit yea when hee sleepes hee dreames of the world and of his gaine let him bee at his prayers yet in prayer his heart is upon his shop his customers his market his barnes and his sackes let him be at a sermon where hee seemes to sit very attentively and yet then his heart goes after covetousnesse Eze. 33. 31. Let him come to the Lords Table yet there the world and his heart cannot sunder Now what is the reason that this man so truely hath his conversation in the world hath his thoughts thus continually upon the world Because he hath a worldly frame of heart and the frame of it being earthly these earthly vapours breed out of it and it is restlesly raising these earthly muddy thoughts So now in this case if a man once have a sanctified frame of heart that would thus breed heavenly thoughts that what ever he were about yet his thoughts would be upon and in heaven When he awakes in the morning he would awake as David did Psal 139. 18. When I awake I am still with thee so soone as mine eyes are open mine heart is in heaven with thee God and heaven are first in my thoughts so soone as I awake Davids thoughts lookt up to heaven and to God next his heart When he sits at table to eate and drinke he hath some such thought as that Luke 14. 15. Blessed is he that shall eate bread in the Kingdome of God When he lies in his bed and it were time he were at his rest He prayes in his bed Psal 6. 6. He meditates of heaven in his bed Psal 16. 7. he conferres in his bed Deut. 6. 7. he sings in his bed Psal 149 5. When hee is in the workes of his calling in the employments of the world even when at the hottest yet his heart hath its lookes to heaven he hath an eye still to heaven Psal 123. 1 2. Vnto thee I lift up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens behold as the eyes of servants looke unto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a mayden unto the hands of her mistresse c. I know the text hath another sence I do onely allude to it Ye shall see Ladies Wayting-gentlewomen and mayds they waite on their Ladies with their worke in their hands they are following their worke but yet ever and anon they are casting their eyes to their Ladies and still as they are working have an eye to them so it is with a man that hath a sanctified gracious frame of heart hee is following his earthly and worldly businesse but yet ever and anon hee is lifting up his eyes and his heart to God in the heavens still his heart is looking that way as Daniel in Babylon opened his window and looked towards Ierusalem And as an earthly man in an heavenly businesse of prayer hearing and receiving the Sacrament will have an earthly so he in an earthly businesse in his shop in his field at his plow will have an heavenly heart and so converses in heaven in the very heat and middest of secular imployments Such a man as he rides by the way as hee walkes with company will have conference and discourse that shall evidence an heart in heaven Yea an heart sanctified hath such a bent towards heaven that his heart is in heaven in his very sleepe that hee often hath sweet dreames of heaven and things belonging to heaven Thus if a man get once such a sanctified frame of heart he shall be sure to have his conversation in heaven Secondly this serves to condemne two sorts of persons and convinces them to be Vse 2 no true Christians indeed First It shoales out all prophane irreligious unholy persons from being true Christians We have a great many that live like heathens prophane swearers neglecters and contemners of holinesse and all holy duties of obedience drunkards uncleane persons and the like and yet these would thinke themselves much wronged if a man should call the truth of their Christianity in question Well then put it upon this tryall try them by a Christians conversation Hee that is a Christian is of a Christians conversation He that is of a Christians conversation hath his conversation in heaven Now I appeale to such mens consciences whether their conversation be in heaven or not whether they live with such holinesse obedience for the kind of it as the Saints in heaven do Thou hast a swearing an uncleane an adulterous conversation a drunken