An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

And what greater argument of valour than that? Fear, ¹the abstract is here put for the concrete; he laughs at fear, that is, at those things which are most to be feared, or which carry the greatest command of fear in them. It is usual in Scripture, to express things greatly to be feared, by fear. As things greatly ly hoped for are called our hope, and things rejoiced in greatly are called our joy, so things greatly to be feared are called our fear; and in that sense, above all, God is called the fear of his people; he is so much the object of fear, that the Scripture calls him fear. Jacob in his treating and contract with his Uncle Laban (Gen. 31.53.) Sware by the fear of his father Isaac, that is, he sware by God, who alone hath this high honour to be sworn by in a sacred way. To swear, is a great part of divine worship, and is sometime put for the whole of worship. Jacob sware by the fear of Isaac, that is, by God, who his father Isaac feared, and in whose fear he walked all his days. Thus spake the Prophet (Isa. 8.12, 13.) Sanctify the Lord of Hosts in your hearts, and let him ⟨p. 446⟩be your fear, which is quoted by the Apostle (1 Pet. 3.15.) Now as God himself is called fear, because he is so exceedingly to be feared; so those things which carry in them much fear, or which are much f•ared, in Scripture sense and eloquence, are called fear; He scorneth or mocketh at fear. Those things which make others tremble, he, as it were, makes a sport at and plays with them. So the words are an exposition of what was spoken at the close of the 21th ver. He goeth on to meet the armies, or the armed men, who are much to be feared and dreaded.

And what greater argument of valour than that? Fear, ¹the abstract is here put for the concrete; he laughs at fear, that is, at those things which are most to be feared, or which carry the greatest command of fear in them. It is usual in Scripture, to express things greatly to be feared, by fear. As things greatly ly hoped for are called our hope, and things rejoyced in greatly are called our joy, so things greatly to be feared are called our fear; and in that sence, above all, God is called the fear of his people; he is so much the object of fear, that the Scripture calls him fear. Jacob in his treating and contract with his Uncle Laban (