The Souls Porter to Cast Out Sin, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of thoſe ſignes that diſcover whether we feare God more than man, or man more than God.
THere are ſignes of a third rank, that will make a full diſcovery to us, whether we feare man more than God, or God more than man.
1. They that ſtudy more to pleaſe man than to pleaſe God, they that paſſe not to diſpleaſe God, ſo they humour men, they feare man more than God. If I yet ſeeke to pleaſe men, Gal. 1.10.I am no ſervant of Chriſt. As if he ſhould ſay, I cannot feare Chriſt as a ſervant ſhold feare his maſter; if I ſeeke to pleaſe men. Would any of you judge that a ſervant did feare his maſter more than other men, if his daily care were to pleaſe other men rather than his maſter?Gal. 3.22. It is not for nothing that Saint Paul oppoſeth man pleaſing to fearing of God, implying that light and darkneſſe can as well conſiſt together, as ſycophanticke, ſlaviſh pleaſing of man, can ſtand with the feare of God. Who doubts, but that, at that time, Aaron feared man more than God: when, to condeſcend to the peoples fancie, hee made gods for them to worſhip in Moſes abſence?Exod. 32.22.23.24. Whether did Pilate feare God or man moſt, when to content the people, hee releaſed Barabbas, Mark. 15.15.and delivered Ieſus to bee crucified? When Herod the King vexed the Church of God, and killed Iames with the ſword,Acts 12.1.2 3. and becauſe he ſaw it pleaſed the Ieas, hee proceeded further to take Peter alſo, as it is writ of him; will any man ſay that Herod feared God more than man? On the contrary part, they that feare God more than man, though in all indifferent things hee will pleaſe men, as St. Paul teſtifies of himſelfe,1 Cor. 10. laſt verſe. I (ſayth he) pleaſe all men in all things (that is, in all lawfull things) for the profit of many, that they may be ſaved. 1 Cor 9.20.21.22.VntoUnto the Iewes (ſayth hee) I became as a Iew, that I might gaine the Iewes; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gaine them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, that I might win them: to the weake I became as weake, that I might gain the weake. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all meanes gaine ſome. Yet in thoſe things that are not adiaphorous, indifferent, but either neceſſary, or unlawfull, they will not yeeld a haires bredth, though to pleaſe the greateſt, and their beſt benefactors. And therefore the queſtion of thoſe that feare God, is not, what man, but what God will bee pleaſed with; as it was their queſtion (though with other intention) in the Prophet.Micha. 6.7. Will the Lord be pleaſed with thouſands of Rammes, or with ten thouſand rivers of oyle? 1 Theſſ. 2.4.We ſpeak (ſayth Saint Paul) not as pleaſing man, but God, who trieth our hearts. That preacher, who feares God more than man, will in the pulpit ſpeake his conſcience, with modeſty & good diſcretion, even to the faces of the higheſt Grandees and Magnificoes of the World, though hee knowes it will prove harſh, untuneable, and unwelcome to their eares. When King Ahab ſent for Michaiah to propheſie to him, hee was deſired to ſpeake as the Prophets afore him ſpake, that which was good, and might pleaſe the King: his anſwer was,1 King. 22.13.14. As the Lord lives, what the Lord ſayth unto me, that I will ſpeake. As if he ſhould ſay, Tel not mee what other Prophets have ſayd, what God puts into my mouth, I wil ſpeak, be it good for the king, or not good, whether it pleaſe him, or diſpleaſe him. This was a fearer of God indeed.
2. They feare man more than God, who will rather obey the commandment of man than of God.Rom. 6.16 His ſervants you are (ſayth S. Paul) him you reverence and feare, whom you obey. That ſubject that will diſobey his God, to obey a magiſtrate: that childe who will diſobey his Father in heaven, to obey his earthly father; that ſervant who will diſobey his heavenly maſter,Eph. 6.5. to obey his maſter according to the fleſh: that ſubject, that ſonne, that ſervant fears man more than God.Pſal. 36.1. The tranſgreſsion of the wicked againſt Gods law, teſtifies (ſayth David) that there is no feare of God afore his eyes. Whereas they that feare God more than man, will infinitely preferre obedience to God, afore obſequiouſneſſe to man. None are more obedient to man, than thoſe that feare God, in what is agreeable with, or not contrary to the wil of God. But if God command one thing, and man another, they deſire to bee pardoned, if they take leave to obey the more ſupreme. And therefore when the Councell asked S. Peter, and the other Apoſtles, why they preached in the name of Ieſus, when they had ſtrict command to the contrary, their anſwer was,Acts 5.28.29. Wee ought to obey God rather than men. And when the Councell called them, and commanded them not to preach in Chriſt his name, they returned this anſwer,Acts 4.18.19. Whether it bee right in the ſight of God, to hearken to you, rather than unto God, judge yee?
3. They feare man more than God, that would not abſtaine from ſinne, but onelyonly for the feare of man. Herod would have put Iohn Baptiſt to death,Mat. 14.5. but that hee feared the multitude. And the chiefe Prieſts and Phariſies would have layd hands on Chriſt, but that they feared the people, Math. 21. laſt verſe.who took Chriſt for a Prophet. The Captaine and the officers brought the Apoſtles gently, and without violence,Acts 5.26. becauſe (ſayth the Text) they feared the people, leſt they ſhould have ſtoned them. Among us many feare ſtealing and murdering, becauſe they feare hanging. Many feare neglect of comming to Church, and to the Communion, becauſe they feare preſenting. Many feare adultery an fornication, becauſe they feare diſcovery, the loſſe of their good name, and temporall mulcts.Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae. And what is all this, but to feare man more than God? On the other part, they that feare God more than man, will feare to commit thoſe ſinnes on which the law of man takes no hold. As Iob made a conſcience of looking upon a mayd to luſt after her.Iob. 31.1.1 A fault not liable humane cenſure.
4. They feare man more than God, that will omit their duty, or commit any ſinne for the threats of men.Iſa. 57.11. Of whom haſt thou been afraid, that thou haſt lied, ſayth God? Not of God, but of man. King Saul by his owne confeſſion, tranſgreſſed the commandment of the Lord,1 Sam. 15.24. becauſe hee feared the people. Pope Marcelline, in the time of heatheniſh perſecution, for feare of death, offredincenſe to divels; as he after confeſt with griefe: as many Papiſts in their writings make mention.
On the contrary part, they that feare God more than man, wil not betray a tittle of truth to ſave their lives. They will dye afore they wil yeeld ſo much as a knee in an idolatrous way: or withhold any part of Gods worſhip from him; or in any kinde make ſhipwracke of a good conſcience. You finde two famous examples hereof in the propheſie of Daniel: The one was this, Nebucl adnezzar threatned the three children, Shadrach, Meſhech, and Abednego, that if at the ſounding of the muſicke they did not fall downe, and worſhip the golden Image that hee had ſet up, they ſhould be caſt in the houre of their refuſall, into the midſt of a fiery furnace. But what anſwer did they returne? This:Dan. 3.15.16.17.18. O Nebuchadnezzar, wee are not carefull to anſwere thee in this matter. Our God whom wee ſerve, is able to deliver us out of thy hand, O King. But if not; be it knowne unto thee, O King, that wee will not worſhip the golden image that thou haſt ſet up. An heroical reſolution. The other example is this, K. Darius ſealed a decree,Dan. 6.7.8, 9, 10. that whoſoever ſhould aske a petition of any God or man, for thirty dayes, hee ſhould bee caſt into the den of Lions. Yet, for all this, Daniel knowing of the ſigning of this decree, went into his houſe, opened his window toward Ieruſalem, and kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed to God. Hee would not onelyonly, not omit to pray, but hee would not forbeare the uſuall ceremonies in praying, of bowing the knee, of opening his window toward Ieruſalem. So little the feare of man ſwayed him. Theodoret and Nazianzen relate of S. Baſil, Nullam ſyllabam ds vinarum ſcr… pturarum in diſcrimen venire patiuntur &c.that hee would ſay, That thoſe that feed upon Gods word, will not ſuffer the leaſt ſillable of it to come into hazard.Nos c…teris humiliores ſumus omnibus, ubiverò de ſide agitur minimè timidi apparemus. And againe, that hee would ſay, we are in all other things modeſt & yeelding; but when matters of faith and religion are in controverſie, we are not timorous then, but as bold as Lions. And againe, that hee would ſay to Modeſtus, a potent man, Vſe all your power againſt me,Poteſtate tua contra me utare, nunquam perſuadebis. you ſhall never perſwade mee to ſubſcribe to your Arrian hereſie. Theſe men feared God more that man. And we will not wonder that grace infuſes ſuch a courage into the fearers of God, when we ſhall heare the anſweres of Elvidius Priſcus, a heathen, ito Veſpaſian the Emperour. The Emperour commanded him not to come on ſuch a day to the Senate, or if hee came, to ſpeake as hee would have him. Hee anſwered, that hee was a Senator, and therefore it was fit, that hee ſhould be at the Senate. And if being there, hee were required by the reſt, to render his opinion, hee muſt ſpeake freely, and according to his conſcience. The Emperour threatned him, that he ſhould dye then. He replyed, that hee knew hee was not im mortall: and hee added, Doe what you will, I will doe what I ought. It is in your power to kill me, but it is in my power to dye conſtantly. Think but on this heathen, and then you will beleeve, that grace can make the faithfull much more ſpirited; they building upon better grounds than any heathen could. Princes (ſayth David) did ſit and ſpeak againſt me, Pſal. 119.23.109.110.161.yet I meditated in thy ſtatutes. And again, My life is continually in my hand, yet I forget not thy law. The wicked have laid a ſnare for me, yet I erre not from thy precepts. Princes have perſecuted mee, but my heart ſtands in awe oſ thy word, As if hee ſhould ſay, I feare thee more than any perſecution.
5. They feare man more than God, that in trouble feare man, and diſtruſt God; and upon the ſurprizall of any evill, thinke not on God, but of fortifying themſelves by leagues with men. Such were they in the propheſie,Eſa. 22.8.9.10.11. that looked after armour, and walles; rampiers, and fortifications, but they had not reſpect to God. They feared the enemy, but they dreamed not of him whom they had provoked by their ſins. But they that feare God more than man, will bee ſure to make God ſure, and for the reſt they are fearleſſe. What time (ſayth David) I am afrayd, Pſal. 56.3.4…I will trust in thee, I will not feare what man can doe unto me. And againe, Though an hoſt ſhould encampe againſt me, my heart ſhall not feare; though warre ſhould riſe againſt me, Pſal. 27.3.in this ſhall I be confident.
6. And laſtly, they feare man more than God, that forbeare open ſinnes that are obvious to humane eyes, but make no conſcience of ſecret ſins, of ſins in the heart; of ſins in darkneſſe, or in retired places. Such, whoſe maxime is, if not chaſtly yet cautelouſly:Si non caſlè, tamen cautè. No matter for keeping ſin uncommitted, ſo you keepe it unknowne. This was the infirmity of Iacob, My father, Gen. 27.12.(ſaith he) peraduenture will feele mee, and I ſhall ſeeme to him a deceiuer. His feare was not ſo much to be, as to ſeeme a deceiver. But it is ordinary with wicked men. The murderer kils betime, while men are in bed.Iob 24.14, 15, 16. The adulterer waites for the twy-light, and diſguiſes his face. The thiefe digges through houſes in the darke. The time was (ſaith Paule) that they that were dunk were drunke in the night. 1 Theſ. 5.7.Though now theſe monſters outface the ſun Seeſt thou (ſaith God to the prophet) what the ancients of the houſe of Iſrael do in the darke, Ezek. 8.12eueryevery man in the chambers of his imagery. And if every man had a window in his breaſt, or his thoughts were writ in his fore-head (as Cicero wisht of every Roman) what monſtrous counſels ſhal wee bee ſpectators of. On the contrary, they that feare God more then man; will with Ioſeph refuſe uncleanneſſe, though they have opportunity, and ſecreſie. They will not curſe a deafe man, that cannot heare them, nor caſt a blocke afore a blinde man, that cannot diſcover them. They will not curſe their rulers, not in their bed-chamber,Eccleſ. 10.20. not in their thoughts. This was Iob his temper, I have not (ſaith hee) covered my tranſgreſsion. Did I feare a multitude; or did the contempt of families terriſie me? Iob. 31.33.34.No; hee feared God more then man. Let us all try our ſelves by this unerring rule.