Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. Of Feare.
MAny causes we hauehave to feare: first, for want of perseuerance we should1 leaue our estate in so great a danger, that being swept and garnished,Three kinds or causes of feare. yet the diuell at his comming, should be accepted and make his reenter into vsus againe. There is another feare, the feare of offence, least by our halting we should draw others after vsus, and so weaken their hands and their knees. The third feare is of comforting our enemies and of2 grieuing others, that hauehave beene our defence: I meane the Angels, who3 as they are comforted in the perseuerance of the iust, so they mourne at the falles of the righteous.
2 True feare hath many properties, as first it breeds in vsus a maruellous humilitie, as wee see in Iacob who was much afraid of his brother Esau, & therefore comming towards him,Properties of feare. he falles down seuen times. There is a feare humbling, and it is the worke of God to bring vsus to himselfe. And surely the Lord takes great delight in it, and what is the reason of it? because the Sonne of God in his humilitie hath done greater things for vsus, than euer hee did in his glorie: for being God and vouchsafing to bee humbled euen to a worme, hee hath done vsus more good, and more glorious things, than euer hee did whiles hee was amongEsay 5. 3. the Angels. Now the world is full of such proud spirits that nothing can qualifie them. A second qualitie of feare is, that it is very credulous. This againe wee see in Iacob, for when one told him, his brother came against him so well furnished, he feared greatly, yet disputed not long in the matter. It is the glorie of our age to dispute and gaine say a man, and to say surely though you be of such an opinion, I am not, thinke as you will, I thinke thus. So that our dealings are so full of doubts and so ambiguous, as though there neuer had been world before vsus, or as though now it were high midnight in Poperie. The third qualitie in feare is diligence: This also we see in Iacobs example, who was marueilously studious to salute his brother, disposing wisely of his children and cattell in the best order he could, to preuent his brothers furie.
3 It is a kindly thing to feare at Gods threatnings, & therefore when the iudgements of God were denounced, it was noted as a signe of great deadnesse of heart, if the mostFeare Gods threatnings. wretched sinner were not smitten with terrour, & hee that was in the highest degree of reprobation, as Pharaoh feared, for it is the nature of an iron rod easily to breake an earthen pot: But for promises to bring vsus to feare, it is as strange a thing as it is in nature that thin water should breake a bodie, and yet some bodies there be of so weake substance, that anyNote. thing wil dissolue them. Such is the nature of them, who seeing and finding in themselues1. Pet. 1. 23. a great vnworthinesse, to inherite such gracious promises of God, are euer readie to melt away, and to breake in sunder, as beaten with an iron rod. Wherefore if wee can thus feareFeare Gods promises. in louelove, and louelove in feare, we may hauehave a good testimony to our owne consciences, that we hauehave a good feare, because tasting how gracious and marueilous the Lord is in all his Saints, we feare least we should lose so good and so gracious a Lord.
4 It is good to be stricken with feare, so that we lie not in it willingly, but being humbled therewith, search our owne corruption, and so to bee moued to enquire further after God and his word.
5 The wicked feare not, before affliction commeth, and then they feare too much: thePietie in aduersitie. godly feare before it comes, and then their feare ceaseth. For impietie triumpheth in prosperitie, and trembleth in aduersitie: but pietie trembleth in prosperitie, and triumpheth in aduersitie.
6 If Moses and the deare seruants of God were afraid when hee did appeare in merciemercy to them, what shall the confusion of the wicked be, when hee commeth to iudgement?Note▪ Wee cannot be prepared to receiue God his merciemercy, vnlesse wee be striken with a reuerent feare, both because we are his creatures, and also sinfull; God is alwayes God, and is to bee feared.
7 Many men maruell how men bee so smitten with such feares, and so despaire that they cannot beleeue: but these neuer consider the iudgement of God in hardning them; and thus by a carnall admiration are depriued of all profiting by such examples. In all things we should turne our eyes from man and onelyonly behold God, and know that it is hee which maketh our enemies to louelove vsus, our inferiours to obey vsus, our friends to hate vsus, our superiours to loth vsus. If we had this in our hearts we would surely cast off the feare of man and flatterie, and striue to feare God in all sinceritie, and to knowe that if the feare of God preuaile with vsus, we shal preuaile with men, and hauehave successe in our affaires, or see his louelove in our correction, and in exercising our faith.
8 The people of Israel are said to feare God, when hee destroyed their enemies, and spared them: This fruit we must hauehave in vsus of all Gods works, as well as they. They did notFeare mixt with faith. onelyonly feare but also beleeue, which sheweth their feare to be godly, for that feare onelyonly is godly which is mingled with faith. Then whatsoeuer feare wee hauehave, it is nothing, except it either confirme vsus in the louelove of the word, or else doe turne vsus thereunto, that so we may beleeue.
9 It is the Lord that smiteth the hearts of his enemies, and giueth courage to his children as pleaseth him, Ioshua 2. 9. Deut. 2. 25. 28. 18. And if of this we were throughly perswaded, then would wee neuer feare in any good cause, then could not the policy nor power of men dismay vsus. Againe, wee would be warie to deale against any of Gods children, least while we striue against them, we resist the hand of the Lord.
10 Ioseph might hauehave had many excuses when he laid vp the mony in Pharaohs house, as that hee had Gods people to prouide for, hee could not be espied, yet did the feare of God truly grafted in him, stay him from vnfaithfull dealing. It may bee noted then, that the feare of God causeth obedience, and though wee might seeme to hauehave excuse, and though we could escape the iudgement of men, the law is not giuen to the iust but to the vniust. If then the commandement onelyonly doe keepe vsus in obedience, we hauehave not receiued the spirit of God; if then we will either trust others or be trusted our selues, let vsus teach and learne this feare of God. In that Ioseph would not deale vnfaithfully with a tyrant, wee learne to vse iustice toward the wicked, contrarie to the Familie of louelove, who because they thinke all things are theirs, therefore it is lawfull to come by them as they can. In that Ioseph would doe nothing without Pharaohs consent, wee learne to doe nothing without those ordinarie meanes that God hath appointed.