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spirtual prince, hath the spirit of the
best prince, as having that princely pri
:vilege of a double guard, of the angels
without & a good conscience within, the
peace whereof, as the Apostle speaks,
is instead of a guard against adversar
power. Shall now a prince so guarded
regard the enmity of any? fear threaten
:ings of any, tho' never so mighty? No
He fears none but God; neither him
slavishly. God hath not given us the
spirit of fear, but the power & love, & of
of a sound mind, 2 {Timothy} 1:7 opposing the
spirit of fear to the spirt of soundness
& sincerity. And indeed as there is no
thing more bold than a sound conscience
so nothing more base, or sooner abash
than an unsound conscience, destitute
of this sincerity. Elijah & David instan
ces of the one, & Peter in his being dashd
even by a silly maid, & put upon even
denying his master & that with aggrava
an instance of the other. The hypocrite
in peace & security, may seem strong
& valorous, but let God by some affliction
dragg him out as it were by the ears from
his lurking hole, & convent him before
his tribunal, & thou shalt not see any
thing more abject or heartless: but since
:rity causes us to lift up the head with joy
when others are at their wits end for fear.
EN