soldiers should turn their swords and guns towards him, if the general of that army were his friend or father? I have met with an excellent story of a religious young man, who being at sea with many other passengers in a great storm, and they be ing half dead with fear, he only was observed to be very cheerful, as if he had been but little concerned in that danger. One of them demanding a reason of his cheerfulness, oh, said he, it is because the pilot of the ship is my Father. Consider Christ, first as the king and supreme Lord over the providential kingdom, and then as your head, husband and friend; and thou wilt quickly say, return unto thy rest, O my soul. This truth will make you cease trembling, and fall a singing in the midst of dangers, Psal. xxxvii. 7. The Lord is king of all the earth, sing ye praise with understanding, or, as the Hebrew word is, every one that hath understanding, viz. of this heart reviving and establishing doctrine of the dominion of our Father over all the creatures.

3 Rule, Urge upon your hearts the express prohibitions of Christ in this case; and let your hearts stand in awe of the violations of them.

He hath charged you not to fear, Luke

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xxi. 9. When ye shall hear of wars and commotions, see that ye be not terrified, and Phil. i. 28. In nothing be terrified by 'your adversaries: yea, in Mat. x. 26, 28, 31. and within the compass of six verses, our Saviour commands us thrice, not to fear man. Doth every big word of proud dust and ashes make thee afraid? Doth the voice of a man make thee tremble? and shall not the voice of God? If thou art of such a fearful and timerous spirit, how is it that thou fearest not to disobey the flat commands of Jesus Christ? Methinks the command of Christ should have as much power to calm, as the voice of a poor worn to terrify thy heart, Isa. li. 12, 13. I, even I am he that comforteth you; who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the soa of man that shall be made as the grass, and forgettest the Lord thy Maker? We cannot fear creatures sinfully, till we have forgotten God; did we remember what he is, and what he hath said, wę should not be of such feeble spirits. Bring thy heart then to this dilemma in times of danger; if I let into my heart the slavish fear of man, I must let out the reverential awe and fear of God: and dare I cast off the fear of the Almighty, for the frowns of a man? Shall I lift up proud dust above

the great God? Shall I run upon a certain sin, to shun a probable danger? Oh keep thy heart by his consideration.

i 4 Role. Remember how much needless trouble your vain fears have brought upon you formerly, and how you have disquieted yourselves to no purpose.

Ísa. li. 13. And hast feared continually because of the oppressor, as if he were ready to devour; and where is the 'fury of the oppressor? He seemed ready to devour, but yet you are not devoured: I have not brought upon you the things that ye feared; you have wasted your spirits, disordered your souls, aud weakened your hands, and all this to no purpose. You might all this while enjoyed your peace, and possessed your souls in patience. And here I cannot but observe a very deep policy of satan, managing a design against the soul by these vain fears: 1 call them vain, in regard of the frustration of them by providence; but certainly they are not in vain, as to the end satan aims at in raising them; for herein he acts as soldiers use to do in the seige of a garrison, who on purpose to wear out the besieged by constant watchings, and thereby unfit them to make resistance, when they storm it in earnest, do every night give them false alarms, which though they come to no

thing, yet do notably serve this further design of the enemy. O when will you beware of satan's devices !

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Rule. Consider solemnly, that thongh the things you fear should really fall out, yet there is more evil in your own fear, than in the thing feared.

And that not only as the least evil of sin, is worse than the greatest evil of sut fering; but as this sinful fear hath really more torment and trouble in it, than is in that condition you are so much afraid of. Fear is both a multiplying and a tormenting passion; it represents troubles much greater than they are, and so tortures and wrecks the soul much worse than when the suffering itself comes. So it was with Israel at the Red Sea ; they cried out, and were sore afraid till they put foot into the water, and then a passage was opened through these waters, which they thought would have drowned them. Thus it is with us, we looking through the glass of carnal fear upon the waters of troubles, the swellings of Jordan, cry out, oh they are unfordable! We must needs perish in them but when we come to the midst of those floods indeed, we find the promise made good, God will make a way to escape, 1 Cor. x. 13. Thus it was with blessed Biloey, when he would make a trial,

by putting his finger to the candle; and not able to endure that, he cried out, what, cannot I bear the burning of a finger? how then shall I be able to bear the burning of my whole body to morrow? And yet, when that morrow came, he would go cheerfully into the flames, with that scripture in his mouth, Isa. xlii. 1, 2, 3, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; 'I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the " waters, I will be with thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shall not ⚫ be burnt."

6 Rule. Consult the many precious promises which are written for your support and comfort in all danger.

These are your iefuges to which you may flee and be safe, when the arrows of danger fly by night, and destruction wasteth at noonday. There are particular promises suited to particular cases and exigencies, and there are general promises reaching all cases and conditions; such are these, Rom. viii. 28. All things work together for good, &c. And Eccl. xii. 8. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet it shall be well with them that fear the Lord, &c. Could you but believe the promises, your heart should be established, 2 Chron. xx. 29. Could