The Excellency of Holy Courage in Evil Times, Chapter 13
CHAP. 13.
How the Heart may be taken off from the fear of man. Firſt, it is againſt the ſolemn charge of God. Secondly, It is an Idolizing of the Creature. Thirdly, It becomes not the State and Spirit and profeſſion of a Chriſtian. Fourthly, It diſhonors God, and the Cauſe of God. Fifthly, It mightily heartens the enemies of Gods people. Sixthly, It is threatned as a great judgment of God upon a people, Seventhly, The evil effects of the ſinful feare of man. 1. It diſtracts our thoughts. 2. Weakens the heart. 3. Eates out the true feare of God. 4. It indiſpoſeth us to any ſervice. 5. Inſnares a Chriſtian. 6. It cauſeth other deſperate fears. 7. Procures the judgment of God in our deſtruction.
A VVord of Exhortation, How the heart may be taken off from the fear of man.
There are two things that yet remain in this point, namely, to labor to take off the heart from the fear of man, or any danger, by ſhewing the evil that there is in the ſinful fearing of man, or of any danger that may befal us: Secondly, by laying down ſome means to bring off the heart from creature fear.
Firſt, A Chriſtian muſt take heed of ſinful fear of man, and not to fear any creature in an inordinate ſinful way, for there is much evil in it, more than we are aware of.
1. In the Firſt place, It is that which is againſt ſo many ſolemn charges of God, whereby he charges his people againſt this to take heed of it as a thing that would be exceeding diſpleaſing in his eyes, I ſcarce know any thing in ſcripture that God doth in a more ſolemn way charge his people to take heed of, then this; as that place In Deut. 20.3. Mark what ſeveral words God hath, let not your hearts faint, fear not; do not tremble, neither be terrified, and ſo in Iſa. 41.13.14. Fear not, I wil help thee, fear not thou worme Jacob: though thou thinkeſt thy ſelf a worme fear not, and ſo he goes on in that chapter uſeing many arguments, and giving many cavaets againſt fear. So in Matth. 10. in a few verſes you have two or three ſeveral expreſſions againſt fear, verſ. 26. Fear them not therefore, in verſ. 28. Fear not them that kill the body: and in verſ. 31. Fear ye not therefore: this ſhews our natures are ſubject to ſinful fear, we are dul enough to the true fear of God, but to the feare of man our natures are exceeding prone: now that which is againſt ſo many ſolemn charges of God, that muſt needs be a very great evil.
Secondly, The fear of man, and of the creature, is an Idolizing the creature, giving that to the creature which is due to God; and as we ſet up the creature in the place of God, by loving it, deſiring it, truſting in it, and rejoycing in it, in an inordinate way; ſo by fearing it, yea fearing of it in a ſinful way inordinately, not in ſubordination to God, is an Idolizing the creature in a ſpecial manner, becauſe the affection of fear is a mighty powerful affection, and darws the Heart mightily after it; and therefore God gives great charge that he himſelf ſhould only be feared in Iſaiah, 8.13. Sanctify the Lord of Hoſts himſelf, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. So that to fear the creature ſinfully, is contrary to the ſanctifying of Gods name, and againſt the ſpecial worſhip that God challengeth to himſelfe, and therefore in verſ. 12. He would take off their hearts from the fear of man, and the fear of the creature. Say ye not a confederacy, to al them to whom this people ſhal ſay a confederacy, neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. The fear of God is put for the whole worſhip of God, for one to ſay I fear the Lord, and worſhip the Lord, is all one: They are taught my fear by the precepts of men, they are taught my worſhip: Iſaac was ſayed to fear the name of God becauſe the ſpecial worſhip that Iſaac tendered to God was the fear of his name, and if the fear of Gods name be ſuch a ſpecial part of Gods worſhip, for this to be Given to the creature not in a way of ſubordination to God, that is a great evil.
Thirdly, In the third place it is that which is exceeding unbeſeeming the eſtate, and ſpirit, and profeſſion of a Chriſtian.
1. It is unbeſeeming the Eſtate of a Chriſtian. What is the eſtate of a Chriſtian? It is a rayſed eſtate, higher than the eſtate of the world, but this makes their eſtates low, for it ſubjects them to the Iuſts and humors of men, we need not fear what man can do when he walketh not by the rule, and when he abuſeth his power, it is his luſt, and when we fear ſinfully we ſubject our ſelves to the luſts of men, and it is againſt the raiſed eſtate of a Chriſtian to ſubject himſelf to the luſt of any man in the world, we muſt be ſubject unto the power of man according to Gods rule, but be ſubject unto the luſts of no man though it were the greateſt Monarch in the world. The eſtate of a Chriſtian is a rich and eſtabliſhed eſtate, but this fear makes it uncertaine, as if he had nothing to reſt upon; The eſtate of a Chriſtian hath many priveledges; but this makes it ſeem as if there were no good to make up the leaſt evil. The eſtate of a Chriſtian is ſuch as all the attributes of God work for it, the power, and wiſdom, and mercy, and truth of God: But this ſinful fear ſhews as if we had nothing to help us in our ſtraights and diſtreſſes. The eſtate of a Chriſtian is ſuch as muſt make account of a great deal of trouble in his way, but this ſinful fear ſhews as if we promiſed to our ſelves nothing but eaſe and contentment to the fleſh. The eſtate of a Chriſtian is ſuch as hath gone through a great many fears before, other manner of fears than the Creature can cauſe; the feare of the wrath of God, and the ſtroake of Juſtice, and the Curſe of the Law, but this ſinful feare makes it ſeem as if we had never been acquainted with ſuch fear.
It is unbeſeeming the ſpirit of a Chriſtian 2 Tim. 1.7. We have not received the ſpirit of fear, that is unbeſeeming a Chriſtian. The ſpirit of a Chriſtian is a raiſed ſpirit, this is a low ſpirit, The ſpirit of a Chriſtian is ſtrong, this is a weak effeminate ſpirit; The ſpirit of a Chriſtian is raiſed upon high principles; this is from baſe principles; The ſpirit of a Chriſtian is an ingenious ſpirit, this is a mean ſpirit diſcouraged upon every little danger; The ſpirit of a Chriſtian is ful of love, this is ful of Jealouſy. The ſpirit of a Chriſtian is a Clean ſpirit, this is a polluted ſpirit conſcious to it ſelf of abundance of evil.
Thirdly, It is unbeſeeming the profeſſion of a Chriſtian; a Chriſtian doth make profeſſion of ſpecial intereſt that he hath in God, and in the Covenant of Grace and the promiſes of the Goſpel and to be daunted with every little fear is quite croſs to this. And therefore thats obſervable of Ezra, Ezra, 8.22. When he had made profeſſion of Gods being with them, he was aſhamed to aske of the King a band of Souldiers: he was aſhamed to do any thing to ſhew that they feared the enemy; and ſo when a Chriſtian ſhal profeſs intereſt in God, yet have ſuch baſe ſinful fear, this is mightily againſt the profeſſion of a true Chriſtian.
Fourthly, A ſinful fear is that which much diſhonors God, and his Cauſe, a great diſhonor it is to God to have his people ſo affraid of every danger, it is a diſhonor to his power, his truth, his faithfulneſs, and his care over his people, It is a diſhonor to God, and ſo in that reſpect it is contrary to the ſanctifying of Gods name, and therefore you ſhal obſerve, where the Lord chargeth his people with ſinful fear, he charges them alſo that they did not remember him. Iſa. 57.11. Of whom haſt thou been affraid, or feared t,hat thou haſt lyed and haſt not remembred me, where there is ſinful fear it takes off the heart from God, as if there were no God in heaven to help a Chriſtian. Therefore it was Nehemiah in Nehemiah, 6.8. Would not be affraid when he ſaw others ſought to make him affraid, becauſe it would have been a diſhonor to God, and his cauſe.
Fifthly, Beſides ſinful fear is that which doth mightily hearten the enemies of Gods people and diſhear tens Gods people, it makes the enemies of Gods people ſo much the more bold; the fear of anenemy heartens an Enemy, as Gideon when he came to the Hoſt of his enemies, and heard their communication that they were affraid of Gideon, then he was ſo much the more heartned; and ſo the ſpies that went to the land of Canaan, when they heard that the fear of them was amongſt the people this heartened them, and ſo when one knows his adverſary is affraid of him, he will be heartned; a dog will follow another, that runs from him. And this diſcourages the people of God when they ſee others afraid in the cauſe of God.
Sixthly, It is a great evil, becauſe it is that which is threatned as a great judgment of God upon a people, it is not only a ſin but a puniſhment for ſome former ſin, in Deut. 28.65.66. This is Gods judgment againſt wickedneſs, and therefore a ſore, and great evil that Chriſtians ſhould count to be upon them, if the ſpirit of fear be upon them.
Seventhly, The evil of it appears in the evil effects that proceed of it upon ourſelves: as.
1. The diſtraction of our thoughts and therefore the word that is tranſlated Raſh, in Iſa. 32.4. It ſignifies Fear, becauſe it doth diſtract the thoughts of people, and makes them do they know not what, It is reported as an excellency that was in Alexander and Caeſar, and other valorous ſpirits, that they were in the time of danger able to command their thoughts, and to conſult and mannage any buſineſs, for uſually fear diſtracts ones thoughts.
2. Again it weakens the heart exceedingly, though a ſudden fear may cauſe ſome ſtrength, and the putting forth of the ſpirit, yet uſually it doth weaken the ſpirit; In 1 Cor. 2.3. Weaknes and Fear go together, & in Deut. 20.3. Fainting of ſpirit and Fear go together.
3. Fear of man is that which doth exceedingly eate out the true fear of God, as love of the creature eats out the love of God, and joy in ſinful things eates out the true joy in God, So fear of the creature eates out the fear of God. In Iſa. 57.11. Of whom haſt thou been affraid, or feared that thou haſt lyed, and haſt not remembred me, as if God ſhould ſay my fear and the fear of the creature cannot ſtand together.
4. Sinful fear makes one altogether unfit for any ſervice, to be uſed in any employment for God▪ in Judg, 7.3. God gives a command to the people by whom he would do great things, that all that were of a fearful heart ſhould return back again, as If God ſhould ſay they are not fit for me.
5. The fear of man is a great ſnare, 29. Prov. 25. It brings a man to many ſinful courſes, and ſhifting ways and to commit ſin againſt God in Iſa. 57.11. Of whom haſt thou been afraid, or feared, that thou haſt lyed: many ſervants when they have done any thing that they are affraid of the diſpleaſure of their Maſters or Miſtreſſes, they are afraid and lie: and ſo in other caſes, when as people are poſſeſſed with the fear of man, they wil take any ſinful courſes, and lie to avoid danger you know what the Pſalmiſt ſays in Pſalm, 19. The fear of the Lord is clean, but the fear of man is very impure, the fear of God purgeth the heart; but the fear of man defileth the heart and exceedingly polluteth it I was affraid ſays Saul of the people and I obeyed their voice: In 1. Sam. 15.24. And ſo many in Scripture were convinced that it was Chriſt, but they were affraid and did not confeſs him▪ in John, 12.42.
6. The fear of the creature hath abundance of evil in it, in that it brings moſt deſperate fears; if you give way to the fear of any creature, to fear any danger and ſo to avoid it in a ſinful way, you bring your ſelves by this means to moſt deſperate fears: As it was the deſperate condition of Francis Spira when he was affraid of thoſe that had power over him and ſo denyed Chriſt againſt his conſcience, Oh the dreadful horrors of conſcience that he was ſunke into; and ſo it is uſual, for men that wil balke the waies of God againſt conſcience, when their conſciences are enlightned, their hearts are Burdened with ſuch fears, as they cannot ſtand under them, other manner of fears then the fear of man, in Jer, 1.17. God ſays unto Jeremiah be not diſmayed at their faces leaſt I confound thee before them: it is the ſame word that is tranſlated before, diſmayed; do not fear leaſt I fear thee; be not diſmayed leaſt I diſmay thee, and to reconcile both tranſlations the meaning may be, do not fear leaſt I ſo fear thee as to confound thee with fear ſo that you ſee this note is clear. By fearing the creature, fearing danger, we come to plunge our ſelves into the moſt deſperate fears of al: And let this be a warning from God to us all, be not diſmayed and affraid in any way of God, leaſt God fear you in another manner, take heed you be not terrifyed leaſt God terrifie you, many dreadful examples we have how many upon their ſick beds, and death beds, have had dreadful fears, that they have done things againſt conſcience out of fear.
7. And the laſt evil that wil come upon us in ſinful fear, is the judgment of God in our deſtruction in Revela, 21.8. Amongſt thoſe that ſhal be caſt out into the lake of fire and brimſtone are the feareful, and therefore we had need take heed of ſinful fear and make God to be our only fear.
But now that we may conclude this argument in a word of Exhortation, as ſinful fear is a moſt dreadful evil, ſo the trrue fear of God is a moſt precious Jewel in Iſa. 33.6. The fear of the Lord is called the treaſure of Gods people, ſinful feare hath a treaſure of evil, and therefore to be avoided; Oh then let us take heed of ſinful fear of the creature, as the Lord by the prophet Iſa. 55.4. Say to them that are of a fearful heart be not affraid, do not plead and ſay I am of a fearful nature ſays God, ſay to them that are of a fearful heart be not affraid: ſo ſay I to you that are the people of God, in the way of God though you be by nature fearful, you that are of a fearful nature be not affraid whatſoever your natures have been, yet if your hearts have been brought under the power of the Goſpel, now there is a ſpirit of magnanimity put into you; Give me ſays Lactantius, (ſpeaking of the power of Chriſtian religion upon the hearts of men) a man fearful of pain of death & if once Chriſtian Religion prevails in his heart, he ſhal preſently contemn crucifying fyre, yea that cruel torture of Phalaris his Bull in which that cruel tyrant delighted to hear men roare being put into it when it was made burning hot. In the Epiſtle of Saint Peter. you have the the holy Ghoſt directing his exhortation to women who are naturally feareful 1 Peter, 3.6. Whoſe daughters you are as long as ye do well and are not affraid with any amazement: it ſeems very ſtrange at firſt view, how the Apoſtle brings in this to women. It is brought in thus: Firſt if you conſider Sarah and as the wife of Abraham; Abraham was to go out of his own country and was like to meet with many dangers and difficulties and to ſuffer hard things; and this is the Commendation of Sarah and ſhee is ſet before al Chriſtian women as an example, that though ſhee was a woman, and ſo by nature Fearful, yet ſhee was not an hinderance to him, ſhe was not affraid with amazement, ſhee overcome the natural Fear of her ſexe by her Faith and it is a notable note For Women, when God cals their husbands to go out of their country, may be they would go but their wives are affraid of the Sea and of difficulties and they are hinderances to them: but if you would be daughters of Sarah, you muſt be daughters in this, not to be affraid with amazement, you ſhould be true yoke-fellows to help them in that worke, & not to hinder them with paſſionate fear. Further whoſe daughters you are this is ſpoken to Chriſtian women, now then many had Infidels to their husbands, now the Apoſtle would have them imitate this example of Sarah and by faith to go beyond their ſexe, may be their husbands would threaten them; if you do thus and thus, you ſhal live ſuch and ſuch an uncomfortable life with me, this might diſcourage many, and hinder them in their way, how ſhall I be able to live with ſuch a one that ſhal always be croſſing and vexing of me becauſe of ſuch and ſuch waies that I take; therefore the Apoſtles inſtance in this particular, if God have revealed his way and truth to you, whatſoever difficulties you are like to meet withal be not affraid with amazement. Again they living in thoſe times, whether they had good Husbands or bad, they were like to ſuffer perſecution: and now might they ſay how ſhall ſuch poor women as we; that are weaker uſually then men, be able to lie in priſon or Burn in the fire? this would bring down the ſpirit of the ſtrongeſt man. The Apoſtle therefore directs this to women, be not affraid with amazement, you have a ſtrong God to be with you in whatſoever you are called to ſuffer. There are many Gracious promiſes that we find in Scripture that there is a time Coming when God will deliver his people from the fear of man that wil be a bleſſed time, for much evil doth come to the people of God by the ſinful fear of man, and we ſhould labor to fulfil Gods promiſes what we can. In Iſa. 54.11. God promiſes. O thou afflicted, toſſed with tempeſts and not comforted, behold I will lay thy ſtones with fayr colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires; where was this promiſe ever fulfilled? the condition of the Church ſhal be very Glorious, that God wil lay the foundations with Saphirs, and the ſtones with fair colours; we uſe to lay the foundation with rubiſh, and ordinary ſtone, but God wil lay it with Saphirs, verſ. 14. In righteouſneſs ſhalt thou be eſtabliſhed, thou ſhalt be far from oppreſſion, for thou ſhalt not fear; and from terrour, for it ſhal not come neer thee: So in Jeremiah 23.4. I will ſet up Shepheards over them which ſhal feed them, and they ſhal fear no more, nor be diſmayed: many people have Shepheards over them but they are affraid they ſhould be taken away, but then they ſhal have Shepheards and ſhal not fear, in Jer. 30.10.11. and verſ. 46, Chap, 27. There is a bleſſed condition of Gods people, and the more it is fulfilled to us, the more Glorious ſhal our condition be. And this is an obſervable note, that I have met withal that ſome have concerning that place in Cant. 8.4. I charge you O Daughters of Jeruſalem that ye ſtir not up nor awake my Love till He pleaſe: In the former part of the Book in Cant. 2.7. And in Cant. 3.5. The Church charges after another manner, I charge you O ye daughters of Jeruſalem by the Roes & Hindes of the field, that you ſtir not up nor awake my Love until he pleaſe: But in Cant. 8.4. The Roes and Hindes of the Field, are left out, only ſhe charges them, Not to ſtir up her Love til he pleaſe; What is meant by ſtirring up her beloved? And what is meant by the Roes and the Hindes? Stir not up my beloved till he pleaſe, that is when the Church is brought into any comfortable condition, there is a charge that they do nothing to alter that condition, to make it more uncomfortable, not, to ſtir up Chriſt ſo ſtir up Chriſt ſo as to diſpleaſe him. But ſhe charges by the Roes and the Hindes. The Roes and Hindes are fearful ſhy creatures, that wil run away from every little motion, ſo ſome eſtates of the Church are ſuch, that many would come to joyne, but if they ſaw the leaſt danger, or commotion they would preſently run a way, and then the charge runs thus, you that are the Church of God, when God hath granted any proſperity and peace, take heed you do not take ſuch a courſe as to looſe your proſperity, becauſe many are looking at you and would joyne to you that are of fearful hearts and are not ſo eſtabliſhed as to venture upon dangers, and troubles and therefore if you cauſe diſturbances, and Chriſt be ſtirred up before he pleaſe, thoſe that ſtand by that are of fearful natures, will be afraid, and they will Reaſon, we thought to have joyned with them, but we ſee what troubles are like to be among them, and theſe are the Roes, and Hindes that retreate: but now afterward the Church came to be in a more eſtabliſhed condition, and thoſe that God intends to bring into his people ſhould not be of ſuch fearful natures, and therefore in Cant. 8, he leaves out the Roes, and the Hinds and ſays take heed what you do: indeed now there is no ſuch danger of fearful natures, thoſe that God wil bring in they ſhal come through danger, and through trouble, they wil reaſon there hath been troubles amongſt Gods people ever ſince the beginning of the world, and they wil not go back becauſe of them, yet take heed of troubles and diſturbances:
Now there are many eſpeciall means to help againſt theſe fears, as
1. Labor to take off your love from the creature and you will not have much fear, Says an ancient he that hath nothing in the world that he loves, he hath nothing in the world that he feares, for the foundation of all fear is love: According to the degree we love any thing ſo we fear the contrary, let us but mortify our love to the creature and we ſhal mortify the fear of the creature,
2. Let us get and keep our intereſt in God, and that wil keep us from the fear of the creature.
3. Let us labor to ſee clearly that the cauſe we are in is Gods Cauſe.
4. Look to the call of that cauſe, though the cauſe be good if we have not as all to that cauſe, we cannot be helpt againſt Fear.
5. Labor to bring your Hearts to count it Honor, and Riches, and pleaſure enough to be employed in Gods ſervice any way, whatſoever comes of it, if I ſhould endure ſuch and ſuch troubles in it, yet the wil of God be done, God cals for my eſtate, and liberty, and comfort to be employed this way, and that is enough that any thing I have may be employed in Gods way, and if it be loſt in Gods ſervice, it is well loſt, if the Heart be brought to this diſpoſition, it wil not fear the loſs of any thing.
6. Keep the conſcience upright in Gods way, Job, 11.14.15, If iniquity be in thy hand put it far from thee and let not wickedneſs dwel in thy tabernacle, for then ſhalt thou lift up thy face without ſpot; yea thou ſhalt be ſteadfaſt and not fear: When the Heart begins to decline in the leaſt degree, then it is filled with Fear.
7. Keep a cloſe and ful and comfortable communion one with another, let there be no fear with one another, as that is a notable place 1 Cor. 16.10. Concerning the care of Saint Paul over Timothy, becauſe he was young, and ſo weak, That he might be with the Church without fears. As a means to help Timothy in his way againſt whatſoever troubles he met abroad, ſo whatſoever dangers there be abroad in the world you will find this a notable means to ſtrengthen your hearts to be without fear of all the world, to keep cloſe one with another.
8. If you will needs fear, fear proſperity rather then trouble: and indeed there is more cauſe to fear our eaſe and our proſperity, then to fear any trouble in the world, there is more cauſe to fear the favors of men, then their threatnings, there is more cauſe to fear the world when it comes like a Fox, then when it comes like a Lyon, the joys of this preſent world are to be feared by a Chriſtian: now Chriſtians fear altogether preſent adverſity, but you ſhould labor to fear proſperity.
9. Laſtly, conſider how little good, fear of any creature will do, it will never a whit free you from the evil you fear. But rather bring it ſooner, as when Peter was affraid of the waves, and affraid of ſinking, did it help him? No, it rather brought the waves upon him, and ſo in trouble your fear cannot help you, and deliver you but bring trouble ſooner upon you. And therefore that is an obſervable note, the difference between John and the other diſciples, when Chriſt was apprehended all the diſciples fled, except John, and John ſtood when he was in the Prieſts Hall, and when he was upon the Croſs, he ſaid to him behold thy Mother, ſo that he was not affraid of his life, now their was not one of all the Diſciples that fled for there lives, but dyed violent Deaths, and their lives were taken away, and John that did not flee, lived fourſcore years after Chriſt, and continued in his miniſtry. So that you ſee God many times will preſerve ſuch as are leaſt affraid, and let ſuch as are affraid, fal into the trouble that they are affraid of, at that time they are affraid or afterwards; And thus we have finiſhed the ſecond Doctrinal concluſion from theſe words, that faith cures ſinful Fear.