The Excellency of Holy Courage in Evil Times, Chapter 8
CHAP 8.
Arguments againſt the feare of man, taken from the Conſideration of Man, Firſt, as Man in ſix particulars very obſervable, 1. What he is, 2. The vanity of Man. 3. The Dwelling of man. 4. The pomp of man. 5. The foundation of man. 6. The life of man. Secondly, As a wicked man. 1. His baſeneſs, 2. What he is in the greatneſs of his power oppoſing the Godly. 3. How near the enemies of Gods people are to ruine and deſtruction.
FIrſt, We are to conſider what the ſcripture ſays of man as man.
Secondly, What it ſays of man as a wicked man.
There are theſe ſix things that we are to conſider about man.
Firſt, What he is.
Secondly, The Vanity of Man.
Thirdly, The dwelling of Man.
Fourthly, The Pomp of Man.
Fifthly, The foundation of Man.
Sixthly, The life of Man.
In all theſe we have notable expreſſions to ſhew what a poor creature any man is, that we ſhould be affraid of him.
Firſt, What he is,
1. He is Earth, Where the Pſalmiſt ſayth, what is a man that I ſhould be affraid of him, the word ſignifies Earth.
Secondly, It ſignifies poor ſickly ſorry men, will any be affraid of earth or a ſick man.
Thirdly, The Scripture calls him a Worm, Job, 25.6. Wil any be affraid of a Worme.
Fourthly, Man is called Clay. Job, 10.9.
Fifthly, Man in ſcripture is called graſs and the flower of the feild. Iſa. 40.6.
Secondly, Conſider what the Scripture ſaith concerning the vanity of man.
1. A man is like to vanity, Pſalm. 44.4,
2. He walks in a vain ſhadow, Pſalm. 39, 6.
3. Man is vaine himſelf. Job, 11.11.12.
4. Man is vanity it ſelf.
5. Altogether vanity.
6. Every man is vanity.
7. In his beſt eſtate vanity, And al that you have in Pſalm. 39.
8. He is lighter than vanity. Pſalm. 62.9,
And if we could look at man as God looks at him we ſhould not be affraid.
Thirdly, For the dwelling of man.
In al his bravery and ſtrong rich pallaces it is but as the dwelling of a moth, and as a booth in Job, 27.18, and as a houſe of Clay. Job. 4.19.
Fourthly, The pomp of a man.
Put man into the greateſt gallantneſs that can be, that cauſeth ſome feare in the hearts of men that are carnal: Now in Acts ▪ 25.23. when Bernice and Agrippa came to ſit in judgment they came with great pompe as Judges uſe to do to ſtrike feare into their priſoners: now the word ſignifies, they come with much phanſy. Faith makes men to judg of things as the Holy Ghoſt doth, and ſo keeps them from fearing of them.
Fifthly, The foundation of Man.
It is in the duſt, Job. 4.19. and that which hath no foundation but the duſt, it hath no great ſtrength.
Sixthly, The life of man.
Some times compared to a buble and a vapor; a weavers ſhuttle, and the wind in Job, 7.6, 7, he is compared to the Eagle flying in the aire, and to the Ship in the midſt of the Sea, and as the dayes of an Hireling, Job. 7.1. And as a ſhadow. Job, 8.9. He is ſuch a poore creature, that the moth cruſheth him. Job. 4, 19. Now that which can cruſh a man muſt have a great deal of power over him: And his days are but as a hand breadth. Pſal. 39.5. And his breath is in his Noſtrils. Iſa. 2.22. This is to ſhew what little cauſe there is to feare man. Now put all theſe together ſurely he is not a creature much to be feared: and here we ſee what wonderful diſhonor God hath, when man is feared above God▪
But now let us conſider him as a wicked man, and then he is leſs to be feared, and there we wil conſider of him in three reſpects.
Conſider,
1. His baſeneſs.
2. What he is in the greatneſs of his power oppoſing the Godly.
3. How neare thoſe that are wicked and enemies of Gods people are unto deſtruction.
Firſt Conſider the baſeneſs of wicked men, we do not feare things that are baſe.
1. Wicked men let them be never ſo glorious in regard of outward things, they are but as droſs and duſt. Pſal. 119.118.119.
2. And then their Root (that which ſhould uphold them, and be their power) is rotten. Iſa. 5, 24.
3. They are as Straw trodden down for the dunghil. Iſa. 25.10.
4. They are compared to the Froth and Fome of the Sea. Hoſ. 10.7,
5. His baſeneſs is expreſſed by being compared to Briars and Thornes. Ezek. 2.6.
Why ſhould wicked men be feared that are compared to ſuch baſe things? Thus God judgeth of them, and thoſe that have Faith ſhould judge ſo of them. But they have a great deale of power and much ſtrength.
Secondly, Let us therefore conſider what God ſpeaks concerning the power of wicked men.
1. It is all but a Noiſe Jer. 46.17. Egypt was a great Kingdom, and the King of Egypt with all his power is but a noiſe.
2. All their power is but a litle ſmall duſt Iſa. 29.5.
3. In all their power, they are but as a company of beaſts, or little children that have reeds in their hands. Pſal. 68.30. Rebuke the company of Spearmen, the multitude of the beaſts. The word tranſlated Spearmen is rather to be tranſlated Children that carry Reeds inſtead of Speares.
4. Their power is Curſed. Pſal. 119.21. Thou haſt rebuked the proud that are curſed. When they are in the top of their pride and rage, and they look upon the Servants of God with ſcorne and contempt, then they are curſed in their pride, and ſtrength; and that which hath the curſe of God upon it, muſt needs come to nothing.
5. All their power is as nothing. Iſa. 41.11 And if their power be as nothing, there is no cauſe to feare their power.
6. They are Leſs than nothing. Iſa. 40.17. Now what can be ſaid more, for the power of all Nations to be leſs than nothing. If we have the ſame Judgment that the Holy Ghoſt hath cocerning Man, there is no cauſe of feare of man.
Thirdly, and laſtly: Conſider what the Scripture ſaies of wicked men, in regard of their nearneſs to deſtruction. They are ready to periſh.
1. They are compared to Tow. Iſa 1.31. A litle ſpark of fire doth preſently blaze up tow.
2. They are like the Crackling of thornes under the Pott. Eccleſ. 7.6.
3. They are like to Smoake. as Pſal. 68.2. Smoake the ſooner it aſcends the ſooner it vaniſheth: ſo the greater men are in their power, the ſooner they periſh.
4. They are compared To wax that melteth before the fire, and as the chaffe before the wind, and as ſtubble. as Job. 21.18.
5. And al Their light is but as a Candle; Solomon ſaith, The candle of the wicked ſhall be put out. Prov. 24.20.
6. And they are likewiſe compared to The tops of the eares of Corne, that one can nip off with his finger. Job. 24.24.
7. The Pſalmiſt ſaith, God cutteth off the ſpirit of Princes. Pſal. 76.12. The word ſignifies ſuch a cutting off as one with a knife would cut off a bunch of Grapes.
8. Againe they are like The blaſted Corne: and not only as graſſe, but As Graſſe on the Houſe top. Iſa. 37.27. Wicked men are going to deſtruction as a thing rouling before the wind. It is ſaid they are ſet in Slippery places, and the Angell of the Lord perſecutes them. Pſal. 35.6. If one be ſet upon the Ice, and another come to perſecute him, he cannot ſtand long.
9. And they are as a Garment that the moth hath eaten. Job. 13.28.
10. And they are compared To the fat of Lambs before the fire. Pſal. 37.20. And as Snow melting before the Sun.
Firſt conſider what man is in himſelf; and wicked man in his baſeneſs and power, and how neer they are to deſtruction, and this is a mighty meanes to help againſt feare. Oh! Let us be aſhamed, that profeſs our ſelves to have Faith, and yet when we ſee how the Scripture doth judg of men, that we ſhould be ſo conſcious to our ſelves of ſo much fear of wicked men, how they will Cruſh us, and we ſhall never goe on in quiet before them, and they are ready to put us out of our way.
And thus we ſee wherein the power of Faith lyeth to help againſt fear.
There are two things yet behind for the explication of the point.
To ſhew the difference between that boldneſs of ſpirit, and audaciouſneſs that men have that have no Faith, and that Feareleſneſs that comes by Faith.
As alſo to ſhew how farr we may lawfully avoid danger, without feare of men.