Two treatises the first of fear, from Isa. 8, v. 12, 13, and part…

2. The Use of Sinful Fear.

This is formally evil and sinful in its own nature, as well as the fruit of sin, and offspring of sinful nature, yet the Lord knows how to over-rule it in his providential Government of the world to his own wise and holy purposes, and he doth so;

First, by making it his scourge to punish his enemies. If men will not fear God, they shall fear men, yea, they shall be made a terror to themselves. And indeed it is a dreadful punishment for God to deliver a man up into the hands of his own fears: I think there is scarce a greater torment to be found in the world, ⟨p. 23⟩than for a man to be his own Tormentor, and his mind made a Rack, an Engine of torture to his Body, we read in 2 Kings 17. 25. that God sent Lyons among the people, but certainly that is not so bad as for God to let loose our own Fears upon us. No Lion is so cruel as this passion, and therefore David esteemed it so great a deliverance to be delivered from all his fears, Psal. 34. 4. It is a dreadful threatening which is recorded in Deut. 28. 65, 66, 67. against the disobedient and rebellious, Thou shalt find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest, but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind, and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee, and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have no assurance of thy life; in the morning thou shalt say, would God it were Even, and at Even thou shalt say would God it were morning, for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. When fear hath once seized the heart, you may see deaths colours displayed in the face. What a dismal life do they live, who have neither any peace by day, nor rest by night, but wearisome days and nights are appointed to them. The days of such men are tiresome days, they wish for the night hoping it may give them a little rest, but their fears go to bed with them, their hearts pant, and meditate terror, and then, O that it were day again.