The Righteous Mans Tower, License
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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly wiſe courſe to be taken in a caſe of feare and danger: namely, that the onelyonly wiſe courſe for a man to provide for himſelfe in ſuch a caſe is to be… take himſelfe to the Name of God, for his Name is a ſtrong Tower, and that the Righteous having the wiſdome thithe… 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 va…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 afterclaps, 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, onelyonly in mens owne con…eits: there is but one way when all is …one, and that is this, The name of the …ord is a ſtrong Tower, &c. For the ſenſe of the words. By the Name of the Lord … meant the Lord himſelfe. Deut. 28. 58. …nd the Power, the Providence, the Mercy & Goodnes of God. Is a ſtrong …ower. It is a metaphoricall ſpeach, look …hat a ſtrong tower is in caſe of dan…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 onelyonly ſanctuary for ſafety in a caſe of feare, and danger. What is the Doctr. onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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, and our ſtrength, a very preſent helpe in Trouble. If a perſon had ſlaine a man at unawarres hee was to flee unto one of the cities of Refuge, and the reaſon is given. Deut. 19. 6. why God would have three of thoſe cities in three ſeveverall parts of the Land, Leaſt the avenger of bloud purſue the ſlayer whileſt his heart is hot, and overtake him becauſe the way is long, and ſlay him. Therefore would God have them in divers places, becauſe a man ſlaying another at unawares might bee neere to one of thoſe cities, and ſo prevent danger by getting into one of them for ſanctuary. Now if once a man were within the walls, or gates of one of thoſe cities of Refuge, then hee was ſafe. Let the Avenger of bloud follow as hard as he would, and let his heart bee as hot as it would, yet if once within the city of Refuge, the man was ſafe. When the Avenger of bloud purſued hotly, a man was in preſent danger, but if he got but the city of Refuge over his head, though the Avenger purſued at his very heeles, yet the city of Refuge was a very preſent helpe, in that time of danger. So ſaith the Pſalme, God is our Refuge, our city of Refuge. Suppoſe troubles and dangers ſhould purſue a man as cloſe at the heeles as the Avenger of bloud did the man ſlayer, it may bee in ſuch a caſe of danger, there was no poſſibility of eſcape, yes that there were, God is our Refuge, and our ſtrength, a very preſent helpe in trouble, let dangers be as preſent as may be, yet hee is a very preſent helpe. There is an All-ſufficiency in God both for defence and offence. There is no danger ſo great or preſent, from which his power is not able to reſcue. No power ſo great, which he is not able to cruſh, and breake.
The ſafety of a ſtrong Tower ſtands in two things. 1. That it is for Defence, ſo as to keepe an enemy off, and to defend a man within it from the danger of enemies without. 2. That it is for offence, ſo as to hurt, and ſpoyle an enemy without. A Tower not onelyonly guards, and keepes a man ſafe, but it hath ordnance and ammunition, with which it keepes off, and beats off, and beates away enemies. A weake perſon from a ſtrong Tower may doe a great deale of miſchiefe to a ſtrong enemy. Abimeleck, and a ſorry woman were an unequall match, what was a weake woman to him? And yet a weake woman having the advantage of a ſtrong Tower, proved too good for him, for a woman from the Tower caſts a piece of a milſtone upon abimelecks head, and brake his ſkul. Iudg. 9, 53. Now ſuch a ſtrong Tower is the Lord. He hath All-ſufficiency of ſtrength to defend, free and protect from all dangers whatſoever, and hee hath Allſufficiency of Power to beate, and batter and ſpoyle all ſuch adverſaries as ſhal aſſault any within this Tower. Hee is a ſtrong Tower, both to keep ſuch ſafe as are within it, and a ſtrong Tower, able to batter with his cannon and ordnance ſuch as ſhall offer to aſſaile and beſiege it. Hee is ſuch a Tower as that, Cant. 4. 4. Thy necke is like the Tower of David builded for an Armory, wherein there hangs a thouſand bucklers, all ſheilds of mighty men. In Davids Tower there were ſhields and bucklers for defence and protection, and there was Thalpijoth, an Armory, a word that comes of Thalah to hang, and Pijoth, two edged ſwords, all Inſtruments of offence, and weapons of death to doe executions on enemies. ſo that hee that makes choyſe of God for his ſafety, goes wiſely to worke in proviſion for his ſecurity, for he pitches upon a Tower, upon a ſtrong Tower. He is a Tower unqueſtionably ſufficient for ſafety. This is an impregnable fort. Pſal. 20. 1. The Name of the God of Iacob ſet thee on an high place. Therefore Pſal. 46. 1. *Deus noſter Refugiam & virtus. Sunt quaedam refugia ubi non eſt virtus, quo quiſque cum fugerit magis infirmatur quam confirmetur. Confugis ad aliquam inſaeculo magnum, ut facias tibi potente… … micum, Refugiam tibi videtur. Tanta tamen huius ſa…li incerta ſunt … ut cum ad tale Refugium confugeris plus ibi …imere incipi…. Non eſt refugium noſtrum tale, ſed refugium noſtrum virtus eſt. Cum illuc confugeimus, f…r…i erimus. Auguſt in Pſal. 43.God is our Refuge and our ſtrength. Such a refuge in which there is ſtrength. There be Refuges in which no ſtrength, to which when a man betakes himſelfe hee is rather weakned then ſtrengthned. Ahaz makes the king of Aſſyria his Refuge, but hee was not his ſtrength, 2 Chron. 28. 20. The King of Aſſyria came unto him, and diſtreſſed him, but ſtrengthned him not. But God is not ſuch a refuge, he is our Refuge & our ſtrength, the name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower.
2. In Running unto, and into this Tower, in betaking a mans ſelfe unto God, there is ſafety. The Righteous Runs into it, and is exalted, or is ſafe, wee ſhall finde it true in ſome examples. Iehoſhaphat was in great danger, and in great feare. 2 Chron. 20. 1. 2. Then there came ſome that told Iehoſhaphat ſaying. There commeth a great multitude againſt thee, what that multitude was wee ſee verſ. 1. And what doth Iehoſhaphat in this feare and danger? See verſ. 3. 4. Hee ſet himſelfe to ſeeke the Lord, and proclaimed a faſt throughout all Iudah, and Iudah gathered themſelves together, to aske helpe of the Lord, even out of all the cities of Iudah they came to ſeeke the Lord. And verſ. 12. wee know not what to doe; but our eyes are upon thee. Iehoſhaphat and the people in their danger, and their feare, run to this ſtrong tower of the name of the Lord, they betake themſelves to God: and what was the iſſue? ſee it verſ. 22, 23, 24. All the huge hoſt of their enemies proves in heap of dead karcaſes, when they came to the watch-tower in the Wildernes, they then found that the Name of the Lord which they had run unto, proved indeed a Tower of ſafetie. Hezekiah was in a great danger, and feare, Senacherib comes againſt him with an armie of an hundred fourſcore and five thouſand, ſends him railing meſſages, threatning letters: what courſe takes Hezekiah in this danger? Hee runnes to this ſtrong tower, 2 Chron. 32. 20. For this cauſe Hezekiah the King, and the Prophet Iſaiah prayed, and cryed to heaven. See alſo 2 King. 19. 1. 14. 15. All this was running to this tower; and what was the ſpeed, and the ſequell? That we find 2 Chron. 32. 21. 22. 23. Thus the Lord ſaved Hezekiah, and hee was magnified amongſt all nations. So that Hezekiah ran to this Tower, and was not onelyonly ſafe, but was exalted, and magnified. So that the Name of the Lord is not onelyonly a ſtrong Tower; but a ſaving Tower, and a man by betaking himſelfe to it, takes a wiſe courſe for ſafetie and protection.
It ſerves to teach us what to do in caſe Vſe. of fears, & dangers, and what courſe to take for our ſafetie, and good. When men are in temporall feares, and dangers, they are ready to ſay as the Jaylor in his ſpirituall feares, Act. 16. 30. Sirs, what muſt I doe to be ſaved? So in caſes of outward danger, and trouble, men are ready to cry out, Oh good ſirs, what ſhall we do? what courſe ſhall we take? Is there any courſe to bee thought upon, and to bee taken, that may bee conducent unto, and wherein wee may provide for our ſafety? yes, there is a courſe & a way to be taken for ſafetie in the greateſt feares that can befall us. I but what is that courſe? and what may that way bee? This is the courſe, The Name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower, the righteous run unto it, and are ſafe. In fears and dangers then make me unto this tower, get me unto & into it, & we take the right courſe for our ſafety. Davids heart was overwhelmed, full of feares by reaſon of dangers, and hee takes this courſe, Pſal. 61. 2. 3. I will cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed, leade mee to the Rocke that is higher then I, for thou haſt beene aſhelter for mee, and a ſtrong Tower from the enemy. The courſe to be ſafe is to be ſet aloft, to bee placed on high, out of the reach of a danger. The Name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower, the righteous run into it, & is ſet aloft. foreign, that is, he is ſafe, becauſe when a man is ſet aloft out of the reach of a danger then he is ſafe. But how ſhall a man bee ſet aloft? By running into this Tower of Gods Name, Pſal. 46. 7. The God of Iacob is our Refuge, is an high place for us, foreign a place to bee ſet aloft in, the ſame word that is here in the text. So that when a man runnes unto Gods Name he is in an High place, when in an high place hee is aloft, and when he is a loft hee is Safe. It is ſtrange to ſee how full of feares mens hearts are, when they are apprehenſive of dangers, and are ſenſible of approaching evils, and yet in the meane time how little care they take, how little proviſion they make for their ſafety, and ſecurity.
That ſame in the generall was a wiſe courſe of them. Gen. 11. 4. Let us build a city, and a Tower whoſe top may reach to heaven, leaſt we be ſcattered abroad upon the face of the earth. Thus farre they went wiſely to worke, that being in a feare they would provide for their ſafety, that being in a feare they would builde a tower for their defence. It is certainely a good piece of wiſdome when men feare troubles and dangers to fall a building of towers for ſafety. The courſe in the generall was a wiſe courſe, though in particular they plaide the fooles to think that their ſafety did lye in a tower of bricke.
Thus farre let us imitate their wiſdome, as to worke proſpective worke, and to build a Tower into which wee may be take our ſelves, to ſave our ſelves, from the ſurpriſall of evils and dangers, of which at any time we ſtand in feare. Well, but what Tower ſhould we build? Not a Tower of bricke whoſe top may reach to Heaven, but this Tower that Salomon ſpeakes of, A Tower which is in heaven The Name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower. Let us make this our Tower, and make to, and get into this Tower for our ſafety, when ever our hearts are in feare of any dangers, when the men of Thebez were in danger of Abimeleck, ſee what courſe they tooke, and how they provided for their ſafety. Iudg. 9. 50. 51. Then went Abimeleck to Thebez, and encamped againſt Thebez, and tooke it, But there was a ſtrong Tower within the city, and thither fled all the men, and women, and all they of the city and ſhut it to them, and gate them up to the top of the Tower. Marke, there was a ſtrong Tower, thither they all fled, and gate them up to the top of the Tower, and ſo they were ſafe from Abimelecks rage, yea and from that Tower did a woman breake the skull of Abimeleck. There was a great deale of diſparity, and oddes betweene Abimeleck, and a poore weake woman: and yet a woman in a tower may be too good for an Abimeleck. The Tower fenced her from Abimeleck, and ſhe from the tower banes, and braines him, and crownes him with a piece of a milſtone, that was ſo ambitiouſly and bloudily bent upon a kingdome. It is a great deale of Advantage, and ſafety to a weak woman to be within a Tower. Follow we their wiſdome. If at any time we feare dangers, loe here in this text a ſtrong Tower. Thither let us flee, thither let us run, let us ſhut it to us, let us goe to the top of this Tower, the higher the ſafer. And though dangers may come as nigh us, as Abimeleck did to thoſe men of Thebez, hard to the doore of the Tower. Iudg. 9. 52. yet this tower is a place of defence, and of offence. There bee not pieces, but whole milſtones in this tower, that can daſh and cruſh all dangers in the head at the very doore of the Tower.
And that we may the better bee ſtirred up to ſeeke our ſafety when need is in this Tower, conſider theſe three things.
1. That though it be lawfull, and requiſite, to uſe all meanes, and outward helpes for our ſafety, yet there is no ſafety in any meanes, or helpes till this be done. There is a vanity in all meanes, and courſes for ſafety, and they prove but ſhifts, unleſſe a man have firſt betaken himſelfe to this Tower. There is no ſafety in any meanes unleſſe a man ſeek his ſafetie in betaking him to God: we ſhall ſee the truth of it in all thoſe kind of Towers that men in their fears do uſually betake themſelves unto, and put their truſt in for protection.
Firſt, it is a great deale of confidence that men put in materiall Towers, Caſtles, & ſtrong holds, in time of danger and feare. Thoſe people Gen. 11. made account, that if they built them an high brick tower, they ſhould bee ſafe from diſperſion. And yet that tower ſaved them not from diſperſion; yea, that tower which they thought ſhould ſave them from diſperſion, was the very cauſe of their diſperſion. The men of Penuel, by reaſon of their tower, thought themſelves ſo ſafe, that they durſt flout Gideon, but Iudg. 8. 17. hee brake downe their tower, and ſlew the men of the Citie. The ſtrongeſt towers that men have, are eaſily flatted, and beat downe, when God is not their ſtrong tower. The Citie of Tyrus gloried much in the ſtrength of her towers, Ezek. 27. 11. The Gammadims were in thy towers, they hanged their ſhields upon thy walles, round about. They had 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 ſhallbe 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 etiā opulentiores qu…dam Pontificii, quorum opibus avari mililit…s inhi abant, eaſque per n…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 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 their hearts in pieces, like ſo many wilde horſes. And who then would bee towerleſſe in a time of trouble? Who would bee to ſeeke of a Tower then? Who would have a tower to build then? and who would be out of his tower then?
But now let a man be gotten into this Tower, and with what ſerenitie, calmneſſe, quiet of ſpirit, ſhall a man poſſeſſe his ſoule in patience? He may even laugh at ſword, famine, peſtilence, or any calamitie. It is an incredible thing to worldly men, that a godly man in ſuch times ſhould have his heart without feare, without diſtracting, aſtoniſhing, ſtounding feare. It is a riddle to them. Pſa. 49. 4. I will open my riddle upon the harpe. And what is that riddle? verſe 5. Wherefore ſhould I feare in the dayes of evil? This is therefore a riddle to men of the world, that a godly man ſhould not fear in the dayes of evill. But as very a riddle as they judge it, yet it is a ſure truth: and this is the reaſon, and the ground of it; becauſe they are not found towerleſſe, and fortleſſe in a day of evill, they are gotten within the gates and walles of a ſtrong Tower, and this puts their hearts into ſo ſweet and compoſed a frame. See Pſalme 46. 1, 2, 3. God is our refuge and ſtrength, a very preſent helpe in trouble: Therefore will not we feare, though the earth bee moved, and though the mountaines be carried into the midſt of the ſea; Though the waters thereof roare, and bee troubled, though the mountaines ſhake with the ſwelling thereof. To ſee the earth removed, to ſee mountaines carried into the midſt of the ſea, to heare the waters rore & be troubled, to ſee the mountaines ſhake, theſe are dreadfull things to ſee and heare, things able to move, melt, and ſhake the heart of the ſtouteſt man that lives, with feare, and yet ſayes the Pſalme, We will not feare.
Now whence came this ſtrength, and incredible preſence of ſpirit? From that verſ. 1. God is our refuge. Hence ſuch freedome from conſternation of ſpirit in ſuch prodigious hurly-burlies. Hence ſuch confidence of heart in times of dread. And this was Luthers Pſalme, when hee heard of great troubles and broyles that were up againſt him, Come, come, ſayes he, no matter for them all, let us ſing the 46 Pſalme, and let them doe their worſt: as if he had ſayd, let things goe how they will, let dangers be what they will, why ſhould wee feare ſo long as God is our Refuge, and our Tower? So happy, ſo ſweet, ſo comfortable a condition it is in times of trouble, to bee within the walls of this impregnable Tower. As we would dread to be under the torture of miſerable diſtractions, ſo take heed of being Towerleſſe. As we would bee bleſt with an invincible preſence of ſpirit, ſo runne unto, and run into this Tower.
Queſt. Well then, but how may wee ſo run into this Tower, as that wee may be ſafe? What is this running, and wherein ſtands it?
Anſw. I conceive this Running to comprehend three things.
1. The Doing ſuch Duties hy which we may get into this Tower.
2. The manner of the Doing of them.
3 The Doing of ſuch Duties which are to bee done when entred, and gotten into the Tower.
1. This Running implies the Doing of thoſe duties which muſt bee done to get in, and to enter us within this Tower. And ſo this Running comprehends theſe foure things,
1. Knowledge.
2. Faith.
3. Repentance.
4. Prayer.
Theſe bee the foure feet with which wee muſt Runne into this Tower to finde ſafety there, we muſt Runne upon all theſe foure.