The Righteous Mans Tower, Section 2
2. This Running comprehends Faith.
To Runne to this Tower is by faith to goe to God, and by it to make him our Tower for our ſafety. It is by faith to commit our ſelves to him as to a faithfull creator, who is the Saviour of all men, but ſpecially of thoſe that beleeve in him. 1 Tim. 4. 10. to put our ſelves under the feathers of his wings, by an holy incumbency, to reſt wholly upon him for ſafety, by an holy dependance to hang wholly upon his power, and providence, and ſo to ſet our faith on worke upon his promiſes, as to make his power, providence, and ſtrength to bee ours.
There is a great deale of ſafety in Gods Power. Gods Power is a Tower. 2 Samuel 22. 2. 3. The Lord is my Rocke, my fortreſſe, my high Tower. And after repeating the ſame thing againe, verſe 32. 33. Who is, ſaies he, a Rocke ſave our God? God is my ſtrength and power. That which hee ſaid before, God is my Tower, now he ſayes, God is my Power. To teach that Gods Power is our Tower, and duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page that our ſafety lies in the power of God. There is a great deale of ſafetie in the providence of God; therefore it is called, The Secret of the moſt High, Pſalm. 91. 1. It is a ſecret privie Chamber, Iſa: 26. 20. Enter into thy Chambers. It is the ſecret of Gods Tabernacle, Pſal. 27. 5. The ſecret of his pavilion, Pſalm. 31. 20. Now what greater ſafetie than to bee within the ſecret of the moſt high? to be ſhut up within the doores of thoſe ſecret chambers? How ſafe is hee that is in the ſecret of Gods Tabernacle? Into the ſecret of the Tabernacle might none come, but the high Prieſt once a yeare, Levit: 16. 2. If a man had beene there, how ſafe had hee been from the Avenger of blood, or any other that had ſought his life? A man was ſafely lodged, that had been lodged ſo. Such a ſafetie is there under Gods Providence.
There is no queſtion to be made, but there is ſafetie enough in the Name of God, in his power and providence; but all the queſtion is, how wee ſhall get within the verge, and under the ſhelter of this power, and providence. Gods Name indeed is a tower, but how ſhall we runne into this tower? Now that is done by faith in Gods power, and providence: Faith is the legges and feet by which a man goes, yea runnes to God, and runnes into the tower of his power, providence, and protection. Thus did David runne to this tower, Pſalm. 18. 2. not onelyonly, the Lord is a Rocke, a Buckler, a Tower, but the Lord is my Rocke, my Buckler, my high Tower. Hee makes this tower, his tower; this rocke, his rock: But how? My God, my ſtrength, in whom I will truſt. Thus by faith, truſting on God, he made him his tower. Truſting to God, as our tower, is running into this tower: Faith is the legges and feet of the ſoule, by which a man runnes to God, and runnes into the tower of Gods power, providence, and protection. A man cannot runne without legges and feet: He that beleeves in Gods power, and providence, he runnes to the tower, and there is ſafety in ſuch running. Hab. 2. 4. The juſt ſhall live by faith. It is ſpoken in a caſe of hard times, and times of danger, when other men ſhould ſeeke to live by their wits, by their ſhifts, one by this, another by that, and yet ſhould not live neither, the juſt in ſuch times ſhould live, and ſubſiſt: But how? Hee ſhall live by his faith: he ſhall runne to God by faith, by faith he ſhall caſt himſelf, his life, eſtate, and all he hath, upon God; hee ſhall by faith, put himſelfe under Gods wings, caſt and throw himſelfe into Gods armes, and ſo making God his tower, by faith, ſhall finde ſafetie, and ſecurity from dangers, when others with all their ſhiftings and ſharkings, ſhall not ſubſiſt, but ſhall be taken and ſurprized with the dangers of thoſe times. Faith it makes God any thing a man wants; faith doth that in this life, that fruitiō doth in the life to come; there a mā hath the fruition of God, & that fruitiō of God makes him all in all, makes him all that our hearts can deſire: the ſame doth faith in this life. If a man want wealth, it makes God his portion: if he want defence, it makes God his Buckler; if hee want ſafetie and protection, it makes God his Tower: For by faith, relying upon his power and ſtrength, a man makes Gods power & ſtrength to ſupply his exigents, and neceſſities. And hee that hath Gods power and his providence to be his, he is as ſafe as he that is in a ſtrong tower: and therefore it is that ſafetie is ſo frequently attributed unto faith in Scripture, Looke unto mee, and be ſaved, Iſai. 45. 22. and therefore in a caſe of temporall danger much more, run unto mee and bee ſaved. See Pſalm. 22. 4. Our fathers truſted in thee, they truſted in thee, and were 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 onelyonly 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 elſe-where. Conſider what God hath ſayd, and what hee hath promiſed in ſuch caſes, and worke thine heart to believe thoſe ſayings, to believe thoſe promiſes, with a ſpeciall faith, as made, and directed to thy ſelfe. It is a great deale of ſafetie that may be had by this kinde of running to the Name of God.
Gods Name is a tower, the promiſes of God are the out-workes to this Tower: If a man cannot get into the Tower, yet if hee can but get into the out-workes, there is ſafetie. For as out-workes are for the ſafetie of the tower, ſo the tower is the ſafetie of the out-workes. If a man bee but in the out-workes, if they bee aſſaulted, there will be ſuccour and reliefe from the tower. If thou canſt not, as thou thinkeſt, get into God himſelfe, yet get into the out-workes of the promiſes, and there will bee ſafetie from the Tower in the outworkes.
God, hee himſelfe is the Tower, and the Rocke, but the promiſes they are the Clefts of the Rocke. If a Dove flye to a rocke from the Hawke, yet if when ſhe come there, there bee no clefts, nor holes in the rocke, alas for the poore Dove, ſhee lies at the merciemercy of the Hawke. But the Dove is before hand acquainted with the clefts, and holes of the rocke, and can goe readily to them in time of danger. God is a Rocke, but now if there bee no In-lets into this rocke, if no Clefts into it, if this rock bee not opend unto us for ſafetie, we are never the neerer. This rocke therefore is opend unto us by the promiſes: the promiſes are the in-lets into it, they are the clefts, & the holds of the rock; there is no getting into this rocke, but by the clefts. Hee therefore that would get into this rocke, muſt bee acquainted with the promiſes, and by thoſe promiſes, and by a particular faith in them, ſo get himſelfe into God. As the rocke by the holes opens it ſelfe unto the Conies, and by the clefts opens it ſelfe to the Doves for ſafety: ſo God by his promiſes of protection and deliverance, opens himſelfe to us for entrance, and ſafetie. By a cleft the Dove gets into the rocke, by a promiſe believed with a ſpeciall faith, doth a man get into the rocke of Gods protection. It is good therefore for us before-hand to bee acquainted with the rocke, and to know the clefts and in-lets thereof, by which it may be entred, and againſt, or at a time of danger, to enter them by a particular faith. The promiſes are the Doves lockers, particular faith in thoſe promiſes, is the making of the neſt in thoſe lockers, in the holes by the ſides of the rocke. If no rocke, no ſafetie; God hee is a Rocke. If no clefts in the rocke, no ſafetie; Gods promiſes are the clefts of the rock. If no flying unto the rocke, and neſtling in the clefts, no ſafetie; faith is the running, the flying unto, and the neſtling in the clefts of the rocke. By faith therefore burrow thy ſelfe in theſe holes, and neſtle thy ſelfe in theſe clefts of the rocke, and then expect ſafetie.
The Chickin in feare of the Kite, provides for her ſafety, by running, and flying to the Hen, and by getting under her wings, and when ſhee is there, ſhee is ſafe from the Kites clawes. The promiſes of ſafetie and protection, are as the Lords wings: the way of ſafetie is in caſe of danger, to runne to the promiſes, as under Gods wings, Pſalm. 91. 4. Hee ſhall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings ſhalt thou truſt. How under his wings? and what is it to truſt under his wings? That appeares by the words following, And his truth ſhall bee thy Shield and Buckler: Not onelyonly his Strength, and his Power, but his Truth ſhall bee thy Buckler. How his truth? Namely, his truth in his promiſes. Thou by faith ſhalt truſt in the truth of his promiſes, and ſo his wings and feathers ſhall cover thee; and that truth of his in his promiſes truſted in, ſhall ſafeguard thee as a ſhield, and as a buckler. Faith in the promiſes, puts a man under Gods wings, and feathers: Faith in the promiſes, puts a man under that covert, and ſhelter of ſafetie. See the truth of this, in that of David, Pſalm. 119. 114. Thou art mine hiding place, and my ſhield, I hope in thy word. How doth David make God his hiding place, and a Shield? By hoping in his word. In what word? The word of promiſe, in which God had promiſed to bee an hiding place, and a ſhield unto him. And ſo David by faith getting under the covert of a promiſe, makes God his hiding place, and his ſhield.
Thirdly, get thy ſelfe by faith into Chriſt. There is no going to, nor getting into this tower, for ſafetie, but by him. Gods providence, power, merciemercy, and promiſes, are theirs, who are in Chriſts. All things are yours, and you are Chriſts, 1. Cor. 3. 22, 23. All things, that is, not onelyonly Cephas, Paul, &c. but God himſelfe, and Gods attributes, his Providence is yours to defend you; his Power is yours to ſave you; his MercieMercy yours to deliver you: All yours, when Chriſt yours: wee cannot get into the Tower of Gods Providence and protection, till we firſt get into Chriſt. A man that will runne to a Tower for ſafetie, muſt runne, 1. The right way, 2. To the doore of the Tower, or elſe it will bee impoſſible to get in. If a man runne, and runne a wrong way, it is impoſſible he ſhould ever come into the Tower, or if a man runne, and runne not to the doore, he cannot breake in through the Tower walles. Now therefore by faith get into Chriſt: I am the way, Ioh. 14. and that in this ſence; for no acceſſe to God, but by Chriſt. And I am the doore, Ioh. 10. and that in this ſence alſo, there being no entrance to God, but by Chriſt: ſo that by faith in Chriſt, wee runne the right way; and by faith in Chriſt, wee come to the right doore, and to have the doore opened unto us, that we may get in. Herein lies ſafetie, Mic. 5. 5. This man ſhall be the peace, when the Aſſyrian ſhal come into the land. Iſa. 32. 1, 2. Chriſt ſhall be an Hiding place from the winde, a covert from the tempeſt, as a ſhadow of a great Rock in a wearie▪land; we muſt ſeek our ſafetie in the promiſes, and all the promiſes of God are Yea, and Amen in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 1.
And thus by faith thus uſed, wee run to this tower; and thus by this running, wee finde ſafetie. And therefore hence it is, that the ſame thing that is ſayd of God for our ſafetie, is alſo ſayd of faith. As here, and elſewhere God is called a Tower; ſo alſo is faith compared to a Tower, Cant. 4. 4. Thy necke is like the Tower of David. By her necke is meant faith. The necke joynes the head and the body together; and ſo faith joynes Chriſt and the Church. Now this faith is like the Tower of David. God 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly fled into that ſtrong Tower, but that they got them up to the top of the Tower. So let us not onelyonly 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.