5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night. Night is when our fears turn the sweet season of repose into one of
dread, and though angels are abroad and fill our chambers, we dream of demons
and dire visitants from hell. Blessed is that communion with God which renders
us impervious to midnight frights, and horrors born of darkness. Not to be
afraid is in itself an unspeakable blessing, since for every suffering which we
endure from real injury we are tormented by a thousand griefs which arise from
fear only. The shadow of the Almighty removes all gloom from the shadow of
night. Nor for the arrow that flieth by day. That arrow is not made
which can destroy the righteous, for the Lord has said, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” In times of great danger those who have made the Lord their refuge,
and therefore have refused to use the carnal weapon, have been singularly
preserved; the annals of the Quakers bear good evidence to this; yet probably
the main thought is that from the cowardly attacks of crafty malice those who
walk by faith will be protected, from cunning heresies they will be preserved,
and in sudden temptations they will be secured from harm. Day has its perils as
well as night, and we shall be their victims unless we find both shield and
buckler in our God.
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