ly we feared; and fo the things that cannot reach that, can be easily despised.

Seek to have the Lord in your hearts, and fanctify him there, he fhall make them ftrong, and carry them through all dangers; Though I walk, fays David, through the valley of the Shadow of death, I will fear no ill, for thou art with me, Pfal. xxiii. fo Pfal. xxvii. I. What is it that makes the Church fo firm and ftout, though the fea roar, and the mountains be caft into the midst of the sea, yet we will not fear? It is this, God is in the midst of her, he shall not be moved, Pfal. xlvi. 2, 3. 5. No wonder, he is immovable, and therefore doth establish all where he refides. If the world be in the middle of the heart, it will be often fhaken; for all there is continual motion and change, but God in it keeps it ftable. Labour, therefore, to get God into your hearts, refiding in the midst of them, and then, in the midst of all conditions, they shall not move.

Our condition is univerfally expofed to fears and troubles, and no man is fo ftupid but he ftudies and projects for fome fence against them; fome bulwark to break the incurfion of evils, and fo bring his mind to fome ease, ridding it of the fear of them. Thus the most vulgar fpirits in their way, for even the brutes, from whom fuch do not much differ in their actings and courfe of life too, are inftructed by nature to provide themselves and their young ones of fhelters, the birds their nefts, and the beasts their holes and dens. Thus, men gape and pant after gain, with a confufed ill-examined fancy of quiet and fafety in it, defiring once to reach fuch a day, as to fay with the rich fool in the gofpel, Soul, take thine eafe, thou haft much goods laid up for many years, &c. Luke xii. 19. though warned by his fhort ease, and by many watch-words, yea, by daily experience, that days may come, yea, one day will, where fear and trouble fhall rufh in, and break over the highest tower of riches, that there is a day, called the day of VOL. II.

D

wrath,

wrath, wherein they profit not at all, Prov. xi. 4. Thus men seek safety in the greatness, or multitude, or fuppofed faithfulness, of friends; they seek by any means to be strongly underfet this way, to have many, and powerful, and conftant friends. But wifer men, perceiving the unfafety and vanity of these, and all external things, have caft about for fome higher course. They see a neceflity of withdrawing a man from externals, that do nothing but mock and deceive those most that truft moft to them, but cannot tell whither to direct him. The beft of them bring him into himself, and think to quiet him fo; but the truth is, he finds as little reft and fupport there. Nothing truly ftrong enough within him, to hold out against the many forrows and fears that fill from without do affault him. So then, though it is well done to call off a man from outward things, as moving fands, that he build not on them, yet it is not enough; for his own fpirit is as unfettled a piece as is in all the world, and muft have fome higher ftrength than its own to fortify and fix it. This is the way that is here taught, Fear not their fear, but fanctify the Lord your God in your hearts; and if you can attain this latter, the former will follow of itfelf.

In the general, God taking the place formerly poffeffed by things full of motion and unquietnefs, ftrengthens and establishes the heart; but we may more particularly confider, 1. Fear of him. 2. Faith in him.

ft, This fear of God turns other fears out of doors; there is no room for them where this great fear is, and being greater than they all, yet it disturbs not as they do, yea, it brings as great quiet as they brought trouble. It is an eafe to have but one thing for the heart to deal withal, for many times the multitude of carnal fears is more troublesome than their weight, as flies that vex moft by their number.

Again,

Again, This fear is not a terrible apprehenfion of God as an enemy, but a fweet compofed reverence of God as our King, yea, as our Father; as very great, but no lefs good than great; fo highly efteeming of his favour, as fearing most of all things to offend him in any kind; efpecially if the foul have been formerly either under the lafh of his apprehended displeafure, or, on the other fide, have had fome fenfible taftes of his love, and have been entertained in his banquetting boufe, where his banner over it was love, Cant. ii. 4. Faith carries the foul above all doubts, with affurance that if sufferings, or fickness, or death come, nothing can separate it from him, this fuffices; yea, what though he may hide his face for a time, though that is the hardest of all, yet there is no feparation. His children fear him for his goodness; are afraid to lofe fight of that, or deprive themselves of any of its influences. They defire to live in his favour, and then for other things they are not very thoughtful.

2dly, Faith fets the foul in God, and where is safety if it be not there? It refts on thofe perfuafions it hath concerning him, and that intereft it hath in him. Faith believes that he fits and rules the affairs of the world, with an all-feeing eye and all-moving hand: The greatest affairs furcharge him not, and the very fmalleft efcape him not. He orders the march of all armies, and the events of battles, and yet thou and thy particular condition flips not out of his view. The very hairs of thy head are numbered, Matth. x. 30. Are not all thy fteps, and the hazards of them, known to him, and all thy defires before him? Doth be not number thy wanderings, every weary step thou art driven to, and put thy tears in his bottle? Pfal. Ivii. 8. Thou mayeft affure thyfelf, that however thy matters feem to go, all is contrived to fubferve thy good, especially thy chief and higheft good. There is a regular motion in them, though the wheels do feem to run crofs. All thofe things are against me,

faid

faid old Jacob, Gen. xlii. 36. and yet they were all

for him.

In all eftates, I know no heart's ease, but to believe; to fanctify and honour thy God, in refting on his word. If thou art perfuaded of his love, fure that will carry thee above all diftrufting fears. If thou art not clear in that point, yet depend and refolve to stay by him, yea, to stay on him, till he shew himself unto thee. Thou haft fome fear of him, thou canft not deny it without grofs injury to him and thyfelf; thou would't willingly walk in all well-pleafing unto him: Well then, who is among you that feareth the Lord, though he fee no prefent light, yet let him, truft in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God, Ifa. 1. 10. Prefs this upon thy foul, for there is not fuch another charm for all its fears and unquiet; therefore, repeat it ftill with David: Sing this ftill, till it be filled; chide thy distrustful heart into believing, Why art thou caft down, O my foul? why art thou difquieted within me? Hope in God, for I ball yet praife him, Pfal. xliii. 5. Though I am all out of tune for the prefent, never a right string in my soul, yet he will put to his hand and redress all: And I fball yet once again praise; and therefore, even now, will hope.

I

It is true, will the humble foul reply, God is a fafe fhelter and refuge, but he is holy, and holy men may find admittance and protection; but can fo vile a finner as I look to be protected and taken in under his fafeguard? Go try. Knock at his door, and (take it not on our word, but on his own) it fhall be opened to thee, Matth. vii. 7. ; and if that be once done, thou fhalt have a happy life on it in the worst times. Faith hath this privilege, never to be ashamed; it takes fanctuary in God, and fits and fings under the badow of his wings, as David fpeaks, Pfal. Ixiii. 7.

Whence the unfettledness of mens minds in trouble, or when it is near, but because they are far off from God? The heart is fhaken as the leaves of the

tree

tree with the wind, Ifa. vii. 2. there is no stability of fpirit; God is not fanctified in it, and no wonder, for he is not known. Strange! the ignorance of God, and the precious promises of his word! the most living and dying strangers to him! When trouble comes they have not him a known refuge, but are to begin to feek after him, and to inquire the way to him; they cannot go to him as acquainted, and engaged by his own covenant with them. Others have empty knowledge, and can difcourfe of fcripture, and fermons, and fpiritual comforts, and yet have none of that fear and truft that quiets the foul: Notions of God in their heads, but God not fanctified in their hearts.

If you will be advised, this is the way to have a high and strong spirit indeed, and to be above troubles and fears. Seek for a more lively and divine knowledge of God than most as yet have, and reft not till you bring him into your hearts, and then you fhall reft indeed in him.

Sanctify him by fearing him; Let him be your fear and your dread, Ifa. viii. 13. ; fear not only outward grofs offences, do not only fear an oath, and the profanation of the Lord's holy day, but fear all irregular earthly defires: Fear the diftempered affecting any thing, entertaining any thing in the fecret of your hearts that may give distaste to your Beloved. Take heed, refpect the great Perfon you have in your company, who lodges within you, the Holy Spirit. Grieve him not, for it will turn to your own grief if you do; for all your comfort is in his hand, and flows from him. If you be but in heart dallying with fin, it will unfit you for fuffering outward troubles, and make your spirit low and bafe in the day of trial: Yea, it will fill you with inward trouble, and disturb that peace, which, I am fure, you that know it, esteem more than all the peace and flourishing of this world. Outward troubles do not moleft nor ftir inward peace, but an unholy unfanctified affection doth. All the