The Righteous Mans Tower, Section 3
3. This Running comprehends Repentance.
As Sinne is a Running from God, ſo Repentance is a Running to God. For Iſa. 55. 5. Nations that know thee not ſhall runne unto thee. How ſhould or did they Runne? we ſhall ſee the expoſition, and accompliſhment of that prophecy, Act. 11. 18. Then hath God alſo to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto life. By Repentance therefore did they Runne unto the Lord. And this is ſuch a Running as conduces to ſafety. The Righteous runs, namely by Repentance, and is Safe. Hee humbles himſelfe for his ſinnes, mournes for them, and forſakes them, ſets upon a new courſe in righteouſneſſe, obedience and the feare of God, & ſo findes ſafety and protection, Iob. 22. 23. 25. If thou returne to the Almighty, thou ſhalt put away iniquity farre from thy Tabernacles, then ſhall the Almighty bee thy defence. There bee two ſeverall parts of Repentance, and wee ſhall ſee that there is ſafety in Running to God by them both.
Firſt, there is with a ſorrow for ſinne, a forſaking and caſting of it off. He that will take a right courſe for his ſafety, muſt abandon all his ſinnes, and away with them, or elſe let him runne as hee will, he were as good ſit ſtill, for he ſhall but runne in vaine, hee ſhall not get into this Tower. The way to runne, and to get in for ſafety, is a thorough forſaking of all our ſinnes and luſts. See Iſay. 33. 15. 16. He that deſpiſeth the gaine of oppreſſions, that ſhakes his hands from holding of bribes, that doth by bribes, and all unlawfull gaines, as Paul did by the viper, that ſtops his eares from hearing of bloud, &c. Hee ſhall dwell on High, or in high places, His place of defence ſhall be the munition of Rockes. Thats the way then to dwell on high, to get a defence within the munition of Rockes to purge the heart, and whole man from all our luſts, and pollutions. If a man come with the gain of oppreſſions, with his hands defiled with any iniuſtice, with eares full of cruelty, eyes full of adultery, the tower gate will be ſurely barred, and ſhut againſt ſuch an one. And when ſuch ſhall come to the tower gate, and knocke, and rap, and cry Lord Lord open unto us, the anſwer they will meet withall will be Depart ye workers of Iniquity. This gate will not be opened to workers of iniquity. As the Iron gate that led into the city opened of it owne accord unto Peter, Act. 12. 10. ſo the gate of this tower of it owne accord will ſhut it ſelfe againſt workers of Iniquity. As of the New Ieruſalem it is ſaid, Apoc. 22. 14. 15. Bleſſed are they that may enter in thorough the gates into the city, for without are dogges, ſorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers; &c. So is it true of this Tower. Bleſſed are all they that in a time of danger may enter in thorough the gates into the Tower. It ſhall not bee everyones portion, for dogs, whoremongers, Idolaters, lyars, &c. and all ſuch kinde of perſons muſt make account to bee without, to be ſhut out, and not admitted into the Tower. God will bee no protectour of ſuch perſons: but when men are purged, their hearts and hands, their eares and eyes, their wayes and lives are purged and waſhed from their luſts, then they ſhall dwell on high, and the place of their defence, ſhall bee the munition of Rockes. There is a gracious promiſe of ſafety and protection, Iſa. 4. 5. 6. VponUpon all the glory ſhall bee a defence. And there ſhall bee a Tabernacle for a ſhadow in the day time from the heate, and for a place of Refuge, and for a covert from ſtorme and from rayne. All comes to this, that the Name of the Lord ſhould bee a ſtrong Tower for their ſafety. But yet marke when this ſhould bee. verſ, 4. When the Lord ſhall have waſht away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and ſhall have purged the bloud of Ieruſalem from the middeſt thereof. Then there ſhall be a defence, a ſhadow, a refuge, a covert from the ſtorme, when there ſhall bee a waſhing, and a purging by the ſpirit of Iudgement, and Sublation as Iunius renders it, then will God ſhelter, and mightily protect them from all evils, and dangers.
A man that will be ſafe, muſt doe two things.
Firſt, He muſt Runne to the Tower.
Secondly, Hee muſt enter, and get into the Tower when runne to it. Now without Repentance, a man can doe neither of theſe.
Firſt, He cannot Runne to the Tower for ſafety without Repentance. It is in our running to this Tower for ſafety, as it is in the running of our chriſtian Race. Now how we muſt runne our chriſtian Race, ſee Heb. 12. 1. Let us runne the Race that is ſet before us. But marke what courſe muſt be firſt taken, let us lay aſide every weight, and the ſinne which doth ſo eaſily beſet us. If a man will runne, it is no carrying of weights on his backe: a man that will runne had not need bee hampered, and entangled with any thing. A man that runnes ſo, will never get the prize, ſo in this caſe. A man that will get into this Tower muſt runne, running is a ſwift, and ſpeedy motion. It is not a ſnayles pace will ſerve. It is impoſſible to bee ſafe unleſſe wee runne, and impoſſible to runne unleſſe wee repent, for it is impoſſible to runne if wee have weights on our backes, burthens on our ſhoulders, hamperments about our heeles, ſpecially if fetters about our legs. A fettered man will runne but ill favouredly, it is more then he can doe to goe well. Now all luſts and ſinnes are ſo many weights, burthens, ſo many chaines and fetters that cumber a man, and hinder him from running, let us caſt off every weight ſaies the Apoſtle. So here, if yee will be ſafe ye muſt runne: if yee will runne ye muſt caſt of every weight, that is, every ſinne, every luſt that fetters and clogs you. Now repentance is the caſting thoſe off. So that if no repentance no caſting off weights, if no caſting off weights no running, if no running no ſafety. A man that would ſave himſelfe in this tower muſt ſo runne to it as men in a feare, and purſuite of the enemy, uſe to runne to caſtles and forts. Men in ſuch caſes throw away all burthens and carriages, they throw away their very Armes, & their Garments, that they may bee light and expedite to run. Wee ſee when the Sirians were in feare of a danger, though a falſe feare, they ſought their ſafety by their flight and running away, and wee ſee. 2 King 7. 15. All the way was full of Garments, and veſſels which the Syrians had caſt away in their haſte. Becauſe they would be ſure to runne faſt enough, veſſels and garments, and all were flung away. If a man in the purſuite of an enemy would needs bee ſo fooliſh, as to carry a packe or a loade on his backe, and ſay with himſelfe, oh it is pitty to leave ſuch a thing behind, who would part with ſo good a thing, &c. before he could reach the fort, the enemy would overtake him, and and cut him off. His luggage world hinder his running and make him fall ſhort. So a man that will ſave himſelfe in this Tower muſt throw away all his luggage, and his baggage, muſt caſt away all his luſts, and ſinnes, which are ſo many burthens and weights to clog a man that hee cannot runne faſt enough, and ſoone enough to this tower for ſafety. Theſe burthens, and this baggage of our ſinnes and luſts, will inevitably expoſe us to danger. Let every one that Names the Name of Chriſt, depart from iniquity, 2 Tim. 2. 19. and let every one that runs to the Name of God, and hopes to have the Name of the God of Iacob to ſet him on an high place, let him depart from Iniquity, let every one that will Runne to the Name of God, let him firſt Run from Iniquity.
2. He cannot get into the tower without repentance. There is no ſafety till a man get into the tower. A man that lies, and lives in any ſinne or luſt, cannot get into the Tower, though he doe come to the Tower. The righteous man not only runnes unto it, but into it, and is ſafe. So that a mans ſafety is to get into the tower. There is no getting into it ſo long as we are in our ſinnes, we muſt firſt get out of our ſinnes before we can get into the Tower. It is with getting into this, as into materiall towers and forts in time of warre. In times of warre and danger, when men betake themſelves to forts, & holds, there is no man ſuffered to come into them that hath a plague ſore, or any ſuch dangerous infection. By no meanes is ſuch an one admitted to come In, or if he doe thruſt In at unawares, he is ſure to bee quickly turned out againe. So here, if a man come to the Lord for protection, if hee flye to this tower of his Name for ſafetie, and come in his luſts, and his ſinnes, and have not firſt by repentance put them away, looke how many ſinnes, and how many reigning luſts hee brings, ſo many Carbuncles, and plagueſores he brings upon him. One plagueſore will keepe a man out, how much more will that man bee kept out, whoſe ſoule is as full of plague-ſores, as Iobs body was full of boyles? If therefore wee would get into the tower, and ſo runne as to bee ſafe, firſt get wee our plague-ſores cured, and get we all our peſtilent tumors healed.
There is in repentance, as a forſaking and caſting away a mans ſinnes, and luſts, ſo there is a reformation, a righteous life, an obedient life, a converſation in the feare of God, a care to keepe a mans ſelfe free from the common and reigning iniquities of the times hee lives in. This part of repentance is a running to God alſo, and ſuch a running, as wherein there is a great deale of ſafetie: and therefore wee ſhall finde ſafetie given to theſe in Scripture. There is ſafetie in Righteouſneſſe: the Righteous runnes, ſayes the text, and he is ſafe. Hee muſt bee a Righteous man that runnes, and a righteous man that will looke for ſafetie. This tower wil be no ſanctuarie for unrighteous ones, but ſuch as have ſo forſaken their ſinnes, as to lead a godly life, and to walke in righteouſneſſe, they ſhall finde ſafetie in this tower, Pro. 11. 4. Righteouſnes delivers from death, and in the day of wrath, which riches cannot doe. The gates of that citie whoſe walles and bulwarkes are ſalvation, they are to be opened, that the righteous nation may enter, Iſai. 26. 1, 2. David calles God his rocke, and his high Tower, Pſal. 18. 2. and he doth it with the more confidence, becauſe hee could ſpeake that, verſ. 23. I was alſo upright before him, and I kept my ſelfe from mine iniquitie. They that can ſay ſo, may with ſome confidence call GOD their high Tower. There is ſafetie in obedience to God, Prov. 1. 33. Who ſo bearkneth unto mee, ſhall dwell ſafely, and ſhall bee quiet from feare of evill. Obedience is a walking in Gods Name, Mic. 4. 5. We will walke in the Name of the Lord our God. And obedience is a Running in the wayes of Gods commandements, Pſalm. 119. 32. I will runne the wayes of thy Commandements; Who may runne more to God, than they who runne in his commandements? Who ſhall bee ſafer in the tower of his Name, than they who walke in his Name? There is ſafetie in the feare of God, Pſal. 34. 7. The Angell of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him. The garriſon of the tower is pitcht about them. How ſafe was Salomon with that guard, Cant. 3. 7, 8. Behold his Bed, which is Salomons, threeſcore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Iſrael, they all hold ſwords, being expert in warre, every man hath his ſword upon his thigh, becauſe of the feare in the night. Such is the ſecuritie of thoſe that live godlily, religiouſly and holily in Gods feare, Prov. 14. 26. In the feare of the Lord, that is, in a righteous, obedient, holy, religious converſation, there is ſtrong confidence. And his children ſhall have a place of refuge. Gods Name will be a ſtrong tower to him that feares his Name. A refuge for him and for his children. In caſes of feare, a mans greateſt care is for his children: a man that feares God, provides for the ſafetie of himſelfe, and his children both. A man that feares God, ſhall get himſelfe, and his children both into the tower. There is ſafetie in keeping a mans ſelfe free from the ſinnes of the times, and places hee lives in: Freedome from common iniquities, prepares for freedome from common calamities. Wee ſhall finde a great plague amongſt the Iſraelites upon their ſinne of joyning unto Baal-Peor, the ſword walkes, and the plague walkes, and lickes up twentie foure thouſand, Numb. 25. 9. Now though the ſword and the plague both did hew them downe, yet all were not conſumed, there were abundance that were ſafe from that judgement, that were exalted, and ſet ſo high, as that they were out of the reach and walke both of the ſword, and peſtilence. And doe but obſerve it well who they were that God in his ſpeciall providence protected from thoſe dangers. See Deut. 4. 3, 4. All that followed Baal-Peor, the Lord thy God hath deſtroyed from among you. All thoſe men out of the tower, and thoſe judgements finding them towerleſſe, ſwept them away, cut them off, and deſtroyed them. But you that did cleave to the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day. Marke what it was that kept them ſafe, & alive, when the reſt went to the pot by thouſands: whē others polluted themſelves with Idolatry and whoredome, they cleaved to the Lord; and therefore when the Sword, and plague come, they are within this tower, and ſo are Sword-proofe, and Plague-proofe; thoſe tower-walls were too high for the ſword, and the plague to ſcale. Thoſe kept themſelves free from the common iniquities of their times, and God kept them free & ſafe from the cōmon calamities of the times. Here is the way then torun to this tower for ſafety. If in times of dāger we would be ſafe, run to the Name of God by repentance, & manifeſt we our repentance by turning from all our ſins, & luſts, and by walking in all righteouſnes, obedience, feare, holines, godlines of life, and cleaving cloſe to God, when others deſert and forſake him: and in this running lies our ſafetie; by this wee both runne unto, and runne into a ſtrong tower of ſafetie: It would make a man ſicke againe to ſee the idle and fooliſh confidences of moſt men in their feares; well, come what will, or can come, they truſt in God, and his Name, that they ſhall doe well enough, but yet in the mean time no repentance, no duplicate page duplicate page caſting away their ſinnes, no reformation, no righteouſneſſe, obedience, no cleaving to the Lord; Nay, on the contrary, nothing but provocation of God by their ſinnes. Now what a fond thing is it thus to deceive our ſelves? Pſalm. 20. 1. The Name of the God of Iacob defend thee, or ſet thee on high. It is true indeed, that it is that Name of his, that muſt defend us, that muſt exalt, and ſet us on an high place; but yet conſider what little reaſon thou haſt to hope for any ſafety by that Name: Art thou not a ſwearer, and a taker of that Name in vaine? and doſt thou thinke that that Name ſhall defend thee, which thou prophaneſt? Wilt thou prophane that Name, and thinke to bee defended by that Name? Shall that Name which thou abuſeſt, be thy tower? Thou indeed profeſſeſt that worthy Name, Iam. 2. 7. but by thy diſobedient ſinfull life, diſhonoureſt that worthy Name, and is it likely, that that Name that receives diſhonour from thee, will bee a defence to thee? Thou by thy luſt, and looſe courſes, cauſeſt this name to be blaſphemed, & hopeſt thou for ſhelter under this Name? Thy luſts, thy covetouſneſſe, thy drunkenneſſe abuſe and abaſe his name, and ſhall that name exalt thee who abaſeſt it? The Name of God is an holy Name, and ſhall we thinke that this Righteous, and Holy name of the Lord, will be a Tower, Refuge, a Sanctuarie, for Adulterers, Swearers, Drunkards, Worldlings, and for ſuch as walke not in his name? The name of the Lord is a ſtrong tower; but to whom? What? to every looſe, prophane Godleſſe perſon? No ſuch matter. The Righteous runne unto it. I, and ſo it may bee, the unrighteous runne unto it too, but the righteous runne into it, and the righteous are ſafe. None get into it, none are ſafe by it but the Righteous: they be onelyonly godly, Religious, repenting ſinners, to whom this name is a ſtrong tower. If Rabſhakeh had ſpoken truely, hee had ſpoken ſtrongly, and unanſwerably, Iſa. 36. 7. But if thou ſay unto me, wee truſt in the Lord our God: Is it not hee whoſe High places, and whoſe Altars Hezekiah hath taken away? As if he had ſayd, It is but a folly for Hezechiah to truſt in God, now he hath provoked God. But now in this caſe, men being guilty of abuſing, & diſhonouring Gods name, we may truly daſh their vain confidences. You ſay, in fears, and dangers, we truſt in the name of God; but is not this he, whoſe name ye pollute with your oathes? Is not this hee, whoſe name yee diſhonour with your ſinfull lives? Aſſuredly, for unrighteous perſons, that lye and live impenitently in their ſinnes, this name is no Tower, but a fire, a dreadfull burning, devouring fire, Iſai. 31. 27. Behold, the Name of the Lord comes from farre, burning with his anger, and the burthen thereof is heavie, his lippes are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire. His name is a Tower to the Righteous, but a Fire to impenitent ſinners: ſo that all unrepenting, and unreformed ſinners flying to the name of God, doe but flye from one danger to another, out of one fire into another, Ezech. 15. 7. I will ſet my fire againſt them, they ſhall goe out from one fire, and another fire ſhall conſume them. That name of God which ſhall be a Tower to the righteous, ſhall bee a Terrour unto all ungodly and impenitent ſinners.