Our condition is universally exposed to fears and troubles, and no man
is so stupid but he studies and projects for some fence against them,
some bulwark to break the incursion of evils, and so to bring his mind
to some ease, ridding it of the fear of them. Thus men seek safety in
the greatness, or multitude, or supposed faithfulness of friends; they
seek by any means to be strongly underset this way; to have many, and
powerful, and trust-worthy friends. But wiser men, perceiving the
unsafety and vanity of these and all external things, have cast about
for some higher course. They see a necessity of withdrawing a man from
externals, which do nothing but mock and deceive those most who trust
most to them; but they cannot tell whither to direct him. The best of
them bring him _into himself_, and think to quiet him so; but the
truth is, he finds as little to support him there; there is nothing
truly strong enough within him, to hold out against the many sorrows
and fears which still from without do assault him. So then, though it
is well done, to call off a man from outward things, as moving sands,
that he build not on them, yet, this is not enough; for his own spirit
is as unsettled a piece as is in all the world, and must have some
higher strength than its own, to fortify and fix it. This is the way
that is here taught, _Fear not their fear, but sanctify the Lord your
God in your hearts_; and if you can attain this latter, the former
will follow of itself.