GOD A STRO N G TOW E :!t Book II. To open this Metaphor, we fhall fhew, 1. What is meant by the Name of God. 2 . Run the Peral/el. 3· In what Reif>ects his Name may be called a Strong 'Tower; with fame fhort Application. r. By the Name of God we are to underfrand thofe apt 'l'itles, (as God, I mn that I am, Elohim, Jehovah, &c.) by which God calls himfelf, to fignify or fet forth the Excellency of IllS Nature and Attributes; as his Mercy, Goodnejs, 'Truth, Faitb– fulnefs, Omnipotence, O;nnifcience, &c. Exod. xxxiii. 19. with xxxiv. 6, 7· Pfal. xliv. 5 • 0 nd liv. 1. 1 Sam. xv11. 45• 2. It is put for Aid and Help. 3· It is put for Rmown or Glory, Gen. vi. 4· Mm of Name, t:ll!l Nomen, that is, famous Men. Eccl. vii. 1. Prov. xxii. 1. Phi!. ii. 9· ' So vile Perfons are called, Job xxx. 8. Mm of no Name, - Sine nomine 'l'urba, id eft, ig>1obilis 'l'ttrba. So particularly for the Honor of God, Pfal. lxxvi. I . his Virtue and Power, Matt. vii. 22. his Will concerning Salvation, John xvii. 6. 4· For the Wor!hip and Service of God, r Kings viii. r6. 2 Chron. vii. r6. Jcr. vii. I2. L ev. xx. 3· See more in Wilfon's Dictionary, and lllyric. in Clav. Script. 11poo the \Vord Name, &c. METAPHOR. I. A Strong Tower is fmnifhed with a Magazine of Arms and Ammunition, to fupply the Soldiers with Armor and Weapons defenfive and offenfive. PARALLEL I. GOD is the Chrifrian's M aga::ine and fpiritual Armory, from thence he ts furm!hed with Weapons to combat his Soul's Adverfaries, as the Girdie of 'Truth, the Breafl·plate of Righteoujnefs, Shoes ofthe Preparation of the Gofpel of Peace, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, the Sword of the Spirit , &c. reckoned up in Eph. vi. 10, I 1, 12, 13, 14, &c. II. A thong Tower or Garrifon II. .God the fpiritual Tower is Fulnefs itfelf: is furnifhed l'ith plenty of ProviGHe fati.ifies and fi/!J the hungry Soul: His Fulnefs on, to fupply the Soldiers when fills all in all, Pfal. cvii. 9· Eph. i. 23. The be– befieged. lieving hungry Soul has his abfolute Promife, L uke vi. 2 I. re jha/l be filled. And it is mofl ~ertain, that he can and will make it good. The militant Chrifban can want nothing, but it is there ready for him. Ill. A flrong Tower is furni!h– ed with a refolute couragious Com– mander, and well difciplined Sol– diers, whom the Captain animates :md arms, receiving his flying }"riends into Prmecbon. Ill. The Lord Jefus Chrifr is commiflioned as chief Officer in this heavenly Tower, whofe Re– folution no Force can fhake, whofe Courage no Enemy can daunt, and whofe Skill in training and difciplining his Soldiers no military Profeffor can .equal. He is the Captain of our Salvation ; by him, (and only him) all difrrelfed Sinners are,ad– mitted into the Shelter and Protection of this Tower. He oniy !huts and opens: None can come unto the Father but by him, John xvii. 22. Rom. ix. 5· and x. I 2. John xiv. 6. Heb. ii. ro. Rev. iii. 7. Without him we can do nothing, John xv. 5· He dif– tributes his Graces, and fits for an Encounter.-H e gives his Saints Power to tread upon Serpents and Scorpions, and over all the Power of the Enemy, &c. Luke x. I9· IV. A flrong Tower, with reIV. This heavenly Tower is the Rock of Ages fpect to Situation, is ufually built itfelf, Deut. xxxii. 4· 2 Sam. xxiii. 3· All the tlpon a rocky or mofr firm FaunPowers of Hell and Earth are not able to fhake dation, to prevent Undermining. it, nor all their Art to undermine it. V. A flrong Tower is environed V. The Lord is a Wall of Fire, Zech. ii. 5· round with thick and lofty Walls, to about his People, fuch as no Battery can make a withfrand the Batteries of the EneBreach in, nor Ladder fcale. There is no fight– my, and overtop their Scalinging againfl God, Afis v. 39· and xxiii. 9· for he Ladders. It alfo gives a fair and is too hard a Match for the proudeil: Mortal. It full ProfpcCl: of T hings below, is a defperate and fooli!h Enterprife to attack this difcoverina the Motions and ApFort, for it is impregnable. It gives thofe within preaches of the Enemy. a clear Profpect of the Things of this World, which the Dwellers below cannot difcover.-They fee
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