246 The ninth Sign PART III, but flies to Chrift. A littleChild is apt to be ful'picious of Evil in Places of Danger, afraid in the Dark, afraid when left alone, cr far from Home : So is a Saint apt to be fenfible of his fpiritual Dangers, jealous of himfelf, full ofFear when lx: can't fee his Way plain be fore him, afraid to be left alone, and to be at a Diftance from God ; Prov. 28. 14. Hoppy is the Van thatfeareth alway ; but he that hard neth hiÌeart fnallfall into Mifihief. A littleChild is apt to be afraid ofSuperiours, and to dread their Anger, and tremble at their Frowns and Threatnings : So is a true Saint with Refpea to God ; Pfal. t Iq. 120. My Flefh tremblethfor Fear of thee, and I am afraidof thy fudg- ments. Hai. 66. 2. this Man will I look, even to him that is poor, and trembleth at my chord. Verfe 5. Hear ye the Wordof the Lord, ye that tremble at his Word. Ezra 9. 4. Then were ambled unto me, every one that trembled at the [Yards of the God ofIfrael. Chap. 10 . 3. According to the Counfel ofmy Lord, and of thofe that tremble at the Com- mandment of our God. A little Child approaches Superiours with Awe : So do the Saints approach God with holy Awe and Reverence. Job 13. I I . Shall mot his Excellency makeyou afraid, and his Dread fall uponyou. Holy Fear is fo much the Nature of true Godlinefs, that it is called in Scripture by no other Name more frequently, than the Fear of God. Hence gracious Affeaions don't tend to make Men bold, forward, :toffy and boifterous ; but rather to fpeak trembling ; (Hof. 13. I. When Ephraim fpake trembling, he exalted himfelf in Ifrael ; but when he offended in Baal,he died. ) and to cloath with a Kind of holy Fear in all their Behaviour towards God and Man ; agreable to Pfal. 2. 1 I. i Pet 3. 15. 2 COY. 7. 15. Eph. 6. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 2. Rom. II. 20. But here fome may object and fay, Is there no fuch Thing as a r holy Boldnefs in Prayer, and the Duties of divine Worfhip ? I an Ewer, There is doubtlefs fuch a Thing ; and it is chiefly to be found in eminent Saints, Perfons of great Degrees of Vaith and Love. But this holy Boldnefs is not in the leaft oppofite to Reverence ; tho' it be to Difunion and Servility. 'It abolifhes or leffens that Difpofition which arifes frommofal Dance or fllienation ; and alto Dance of Relation, as that of a Slave : But not at all, that which becomes the natural Dance, whereby we are infinitely inferiour. No Boldnefs in poor finful Worms of the Duff, that have a right Sight of God and themfelves, will prompt 'em to approach to God with lefs Fear and Reverence, than fpotlefs and glorious Angels in Heaven ; who cover their Faces before his Throne ; Ifai. 6. at the Beginning. Rebecca, ( who in her Marriage with Ifaac, in almoft all it's Circumftances, was n;anifeftly a great Type of the Church, the Spoufe of Chrift ) when the meets Ifaac,° lights off from her Camel, and takes a Veil, and covers herfelf; althq' the was brought tp him as his Bride, to be with
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