Chap. 5. AnExpofition, upon the Booke ofJ O B. Verf, 21 3559 withfeare prepared an Ark to the Paving of hit houfe ; He fears deJtruetionfavtngly, whefe fear moves him to prepare due means offafety. Such preparatory fears, are holy fears, and well become the Saints, when deflru' ion cometh. ( Exod. g. 2o. ) He that heard of the defiruEion coming, and feared the word of the Lord, made his fervants and cattle flee into the houfes ; God would not have his people, when they hear a deflruEtion is corn- ing, hand at the doore in a daring manner to meet it, and la themfelves open to it no, he would have them flee into the houfy and enter into tke chamber, andPhut the doors about them, hidi e, shemfelves,as it werefor a littlemoment,until the in dignationbe ng over-paft,I fa. 26. 20. T he fear which God promifeth his people proteaion from, is unbelei ving feare, or fear which is the daughter ofdefpair : Such as that, Ifa. 7. 2,where, when a report came of deflru lion corn- ming, it is laid ; That the heart of theKing, and the heart of his people was moved as the trees ofthe woodare moved with the wind. They were fo afraid,lo unfetled and diforder'd within,that they knew not how to fettle and order their affaires without. Such a feare the, Prophet Jeremiah threatens upon Pafhur,, Jer 20.3. The Lordbath not called thyname Palbur, but Magor-mif abib , For thusfaith the Lord, behold Iwill make theta terror to thyfelfe, and to all thyfriends; Fear round about, and fear within, this fear God promifeth to deliverhis people from, in times ofdanger. Obferve hence, Thepower andprefence of Godis able to uphold his people in the . face ofdangers, and in the prefenceof deftrnelion. They fhall not be afraid of defirufion, when it cometh Suppofe God doth not keepe the defiruGtion off from them, yet he w ill keepe finking feares of from thetn. How terribly foevcr men look upon them, they (hall not be a terrour to them- felves, neither will God be a- terrour to them. Many a man is his own Bugg-bear. And there is nothing can be fo terrible to us, ( except an angry God ) as we may be to our felves, But he, to whomGod is not a terrour,and to whom,himlelf is not a terrour, will not be afraid of the KingofTerrours. So long as we are at peace withGod and our (elves, deft uGtioncannot come fo fail as confolation will. And deffruution cannot carry that away, where- in confolation lies. The, befi part ofthe Saints eflate, is out ofthe reachofdet}royers.Theye n defiroy houfes and goods:They can cu-i
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