756 Chap. 41. Expcfetion :upon' the Beek of ] o Verf. 25. their own fafety, and often take the unfafef} way, running them- felves further into danger, while they endeavour to elcape ir. This is a proper and profitable expofition ; and we may note this from ir. Greatfears cattfethgreat dijlraaaions. Every worldly fear bath fomwhat of difhraetion in ir; and in proportion to the fear, is the difiradtion e therefore great fear mull needs caufe great diftra&ion. whenmen in aharmmount up to heaven, and go down again to the depths, 'tis laid (Pfal. 2,6, 27.) their foul is melted becaufe of trouble, they reel to andfro, andflagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits- end ; their wit cannot goa Rep further with them, nor their reafon condu& them any longer. We lay in the margin, All their wifdom isfwal- lowedup. I-le that fears Leviathan will freallovv him up, may foon find his wifdom fwal!owed up. Wife and mighty men may be mightily puzled in great dangers, and utterly difabled to make tale, either of their vvifdomor of their might. Good 7shoJhaphat (2 Chron. 20. i2.) when a great enemy was invading him, cry- ed out, O our God, relit thounot judge them? for we bave no might againJi- them, neither do we knowwhat to do ; we are bereft of counfel. Great dangers even unhinge our reafon, and put it out of place. The Difciples of Chri(+ in-a form (Mat. 8 :25.) were not only like men at their wits end,lcut almoft at their faiths end too, crying out, Lord laveus, we per: (h; if thou help us nor, wears all undone: Andhefail, why are yefearful r O ye of little faith. There is nothing but faith cankeep down the prevailings of fear,in great or prevailing dangers & breakings;and when once weare at our faiths end in a time of extremity, we (hall loon be at our wits end alto, yea, even quite out of our wits. A faithlefs mail, is no match for little fears;& he that bath but a little faith,or äs a ran of little faith, may loon be overmmatcht withgreat-ones. As perfe& love, either the a&ings of our perfe& love to God, or the evidence and apprehenfions of the perfe& love of God to ue, cafeth out fear (r job. 4. 18.) that,is, all that fear which harp torment in it;foallo dothperfea faith inGod,that is,a t Tong, a well-foundation'd, and a well and high-built faith. ° Tis either tar want of faith, or for fame want in faith, that mightymen by reafon of breakings, -are not only afraid, but waderAs "uncertain 'of their way. That's the frfi reading. Second-
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