The Excellency of Holy Courage in Evil Times, Chapter 12
CHAP. 12.
Containing the eighth particular, to wit, Anſwering ſome objections made againſt flying. ob. 1. Men may not leave their country. Anſw. in two particulars. ob. 2. Should none ſtay to ſuffer. Anſ. ob. 3. God Alſufficient to help in greateſt dangers. Anſ. ob 4. Fleeing a ceaſing to give teſtimony to the truth of God. Anſ. ob. 5. Many of Gods ſervants had power to fly, and did not. Anſ. ob. 6. What ſhall become of thoſe left behind, if they are forſaken by men of ability. Anſ. ob. 7. If men would maſter their feares, and ſtay a while, the cloud would blow over. Anſ. Ninth parcular. Directions for ordering our ſelves when we do fly. 1. Leave as litle guilt behind in the place as you can. 2. Carry your ſelves ſo that the name of God may not ſuffer in the place to which you flee. 3. Behave your ſelves as exiled people, as men mortified to the things of the world. 4. Get a contented frame of heart. 5. When you are delivered keep your ſelves in the fervency of your ſpirits. 6. Let thoſe from whom you flee have your praiers.
AND now I come to the Eighth particular to anſwer ſome objections that may be made againſt this
Object, 1. It may be ſaid men may not leave their country.
Anſwer, We know a mans country may be left on many occaſions as for merchandiſing, to get eſtates to maintaine their families, ſo Ruth and Abraham and his Sonns did: For learning as the Queen of Sheba did; ſurely then for Religion: It is true if we ſee any opportunity of ſetting up Relgion in our own Countrie, we are bound to ſet it up there rather then any where elſe, but if not we may leave our country, as the Evnuch travelled and left his countrie to come to Jeruſalem for Religions ſake. Beſides;
God hath a great work of providence in ſcattering his people, and had it not been for perſecution it is not like, the word of God ſhould have been ſpread abroad in divers countries.
Objection, 2, But ſhould none ſtay to ſuffer.
Anſwer, For this we are to know that fleeing is a ſuffering; and if it be examined to the bottome, many plead with others to ſtay to ſuffer, and the bottome is becauſe they are loath to ſuffer ſo much preſently, as the departing from their country, and ſhops, and eſtates is. Peter Martyr in a treatiſe of his about fleeing from perſecution, gives a notable anſwer to thoſe people, and hath a pretty expreſſion to ſet out the temper and humour of thoſe people. It is like to many that are diſeaſed, and the diſeaſe is ſuch, as there muſt be the cutting off of a Limbe, or the induring ſome great extremity to cure it, one that is delicate and loath to endure hardſhip; if he can but get any one to plead his cauſe that this is not the way to cure this diſeaſe to put the patient to ſuch pain, it may be cured by more gentle means, and it were better for to venture with more gentle meanes then to cut off a Limb, now ſome through their loathneſs to indure ſome preſent certain paine wil venture to have it cured with more gentle meanes, though at length it coſt them their lives. So ſome becauſe they are loath to indure ſo much certain preſent trouble as to part from their Countries and Eſtates, they rather venture with more gentle meanes, when as many times they grow to deny the truth, and to defile their conſciences with ſuperſtitious things, and ſhamefully to ſubject them unto others.
But why do not they ſtay to ſuffer; may be their time is not come (as Chriſt ſaies in another caſe) if they had ſeen their time come they ſhould have been as willing to ſtay as others,
Againe, if they ſhould ſtay they ſhould ſhew themſelves unthankfull for the providence of God in opening to them a doore, to injoy the ordinances otherwhere.
Againe they dare not ſtay becauſe they ſhould tempt God, and truſt in their own ſtrength: if they ſhould ſtay and have not Gods call, they could not expect Gods ſtrength, and they know their own weakneſs.
Objection, 3. But is not God Alſufficient and able to help in the greateſt dangers.
Anſw. 1. Certainly if it were compared who truſts in Gods power moſt, I beleeve it may be found that thoſe that do fly to avoid danger have more exerciſe of their faith in truſting in Gods power then many that ſtay and plead in that manner, as if ſo be we had not much need of the power of God for to ſupport us and releeve us, and the truſting in Gods power for that, is as much as an ordinary, Yea, a ſtrong faith is able to do.
2. Again we muſt take heed of ſtretching Gods power to work according to our minds, God hath power enough for the releife of his people, and he will put it forth for the defence of his people, but if we wil think to bring Gods power, to work for our wills, it is not beleeving but preſumption: if God will put forth his power in the upholding that way that he is in: Who art thou man or Woman, to think God ſhould put forth his power in the upholding thy way?
Beſides God will put forth his power in the uſe of meanes.
Object. 4. But then we leave to give Teſtimony to the truth, and is not the giving Teſtimony to the truth of God more worth than our eſtates?
Anſw. 1. Fleeing is giving witneſs, and thoſe that plead againſt it are loath to give ſo much witneſs, for a man to leave his eſtate and Country for a truth is not that witneſs?
2. Beſides being abſent they may by their writing, or by their practice give witneſs, & they may be reſerved to give witneſs further.
Object. 5. But many of Gods deare ſervants (as the Martyrs) had power to flie, and they would not.
Anſw. 1. To that I anſwer firſt, may be there were many engagements upon them, God did not looſe al the tyes they had.
2. Beſides, ſecondly, much doth depend on circumſtances which a Chriſtian that is faithful by compareing one thing with another may ſee in which moſt of Gods glory is.
3. It may be they felt ſome extraordinary work of Gods ſpirit in them, in away of aſſiſtance, and comfort, and emboldning of them, ſo as their example cannot be drawn into a general rule.
Object, 6. But what ſhal become of thoſe that are left behind, if others that have abilities forſake them?
Anſw. 1. To that I anſwer firſt by the example of thoſe that fly, what to do if God open a door, But if it be ſaid they cannot Flee, To thoſe I anſwer.
2. Secondly, though they cannot Fly they may be confirmed in a truth by others, that do depart and are willing to ſuffer ſo much for the truth in their departures, and that more perhaps than they would have been by many exhortations.
3. And Laſtly, I anſwer, if God ſhut the door againſt them that they cannot flie, and open the doors to others though their parts and graces be weak; if they be faithful they may comfortably expect, that God wil provide for them and come in with more bleſſings and more aſſiſtance, than thoſe that have ſtrong parts and ſtrong graces could have expected, if they had not taken the way that God opened for them.
Object. 7. But if men would ſtay a while the clouds may blow over, but they are fearful and cannot ſtay.
Anſw. To that I anſwer, we ſhould be glad of that, that thoſe that abide may enjoy ſo much as we do, and bleſs God for it, and ſhall not enjoy them at all, but though this ſhould be, yet it is not enjoyed for the preſent. And if it be the enjoyment of the ordinances one year we ſhould account it more than ſhould countervail the loſs of our eſtates all our lives. And thus we have finiſhed the eight particular in anſwering this caſe of conſcience, but that we may further direct chriſtians in this, there are divers notes for the ordering of our ſelves when we do Fly. When we are put into fear by man, and cauſed to Flie, we muſt ſhew it as a work of faith; and therefore let us learne ſo to order our ſelves in our Fleeing, and when we are Fled from danger as it may appeare it was a work of Faith: as,
2. When any are put to Flee danger, let them be careful they leave as little guilt behind them in that place they Flee from as poſſibly they can, let them labor to purge out the guilt they brought on that place as much as they can, for there are none, that have not only brought guilt upon their own conſciences, but upon the place where they lived, and conſider whether that were your care to remove the guilt from the place, and if it were not our care, now we are gone, let us mourn for our ſins, ſo as they may not bring judgment upon the place.
Again, in the place into which we are Fled let us labor ſo to carry our ſelves as the name of God may not ſuffer among us, that they ſhould have occaſion to ſay, theſe are the men that Flee for religion, do they live as ſuch? but let us labor ſo to walk as they may ſay, theſe people that make conſcience of their waies, ſurely they did come for conſcience ſake; Their ways are according to that they profeſs. We have a notable expreſſion of ſome that came from another country for religion, and yet walked ſo offenſively, as the name of God ſuffered much by them that the heathen ſaid, Theſe are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his land, Ezekiel. 36.20. we dare not ſay we are among heathens, but when they were among heathens they prophaned my holy name ſays God: and ſo many Fleeing from their own Country, profane the name of God in another Country, that give occaſion to the people among whom they are Fled to ſay, look here are ſome that are gone from their own Land, that profeſs themſelves to be the people of the Lord, and to Flee for religion, look what kind of people they are; thus Gods name is profaned, let us take heed that we give no ſuch occaſion to the people with whom we live to ſay, theſe are the people of the Lord that are Fled for religion.
3. We ſhould be careful to behave our ſelves, as thoſe that are Fled for religion, as exiled people, to be mortified to the things of the world, and to be content with any condition that God ſhal cal us unto, ſhal we repine when we meet with any trouble? that were an argument we had too too delicate ſpirits when we Flee from great danger and yet think we ſhould meet with no trouble at all.
4. When we are Fled, we ſhould labor to get our ſpirits into a contented frame, and walk in ſubjection unto God, and give God praiſe, as if we were in the greateſt proſperity that we could have been in, in our own Country; we ſhould not have our hearts dulled with any inconveniency but keep up our ſpirits free in the ſervice of God; It is a notable expreſſion we have of David if you compare two Pſalms together, Pſal. 57. with the 108. and the 57. Pſal. was when he Fled from Saul, and was in the care, but mark how Davids ſpirit was kept up, he was not dulled and ſtupified as many are, that come from delicate houſes and are faine to live in Sellars and blind holes, their hearts begin to riſe, Oh! the freſh aire, and brave living that once they had: David was ſo, and yet his heart was kept up; In the ſhadow of thy wings wil I make my refuge, a poor dark hole he was in, and he counted that dark hole the ſhadow of Gods wings, againe I wil cry to God moſt high, though I be brought low and meane I have an intereſt in this high God, and wil cry to that high God, unto God that performeth al things. Had God performed al things for David? God promiſed David the kingdome, and David is brought into a poor hole to ſhift for his life, and yet David ſayes he wil cry unto God that performeth all things for him: He ſhal ſend from Heaven, and ſave me, though I be in this blind place, the God of heaven regards me, and ſhal ſend from heaven to ſave me, verſ, 5. Be thou exalted above the heavens, let thy glory be above al the earths, verſ. 7. My heart is fixed O God, my heart is fixed, I will ſing and give praiſe: al this was when he was in the Cave, if you compare this with Pſal. 108. which was a Pſalm of thanksgiving, and rejoycing that he made upon his deliverance, and the ſame expreſſion that David had within the cave, the ſame expreſſions he had when God had fulfilled his promiſes, and he was Bleſſing his name for his great deliverance: noting thus much, look what temper of heart we ſhould have in the enjoyment of the greateſt mercies, we ſhould labor to have that temper of heart in our ſubmiſſions unto God when we are Fled from danger.
5. Again, let it be our care when we are delivered from the danger that we apprehended our ſelves to be in, to keep our ſelves in the fervency of our hearts, and ſpirits for God, and in the fervency of our love unto God and his truth as we had in danger. Many when they are in danger of their enemies and afraid of them, their hearts are in a great deal of fervency, and zeal for God, and his truth; and if they can get a few together to faſt and pray or hear a Sermon repeated, how do they rejoyce; but when they are in ſafety their hearts are dead and Flat, and if they meet together to pray or to commune about the word, their ſpirits are not ſo fervent as before, the Lord keep this from us.
6. Again, let us labor to do al the good we can to the place which we are Fled from, by our prayers, or any other way we can; as the people of God, when they were from their own country; yet they would remember Jeruſalem: ſo ought we to do, for we are much bound to God for it, in regard of the good we have received in it.
7. Laſtly, let us labor to make that hiding place that God provides for us to deliver us from danger, to be but a preparing place for greater danger: let us not think becauſe we have avoided ſome danger and are in ſome ſafety, that al is well, but this ſhould be our care that thoſe places that are our hiding places to hide us from ſome danger, ſhould be our preparing places for greater dangers afterwards, and thus uſing theſe directions we ſhal honor God in our Fleeing, and ſhal not have cauſe to repent us. And thus we have done with that argument, the anſwering the caſe of conſcience about Fleeing.