The Excellency of Holy Courage in Evil Times, Chapter 7
CHAP. 7.
How Faith helpeth againſt the fear of man; Opened in fifteen particulars.
Firſt, wherein lieth the power of faith to help aaginst the fear of man.
Much hath been ſaid concerning the power of faith to help againſt ſufferings, but now we have divers things to ſay concerning the power of faith in helping againſt the feare of man.
Firſt. Whereſoever faith is, it putts the Beleever into a very ſecure and ſafe condition, making ſure of the ſafety of the Soul, and that the termes between God and it are good, and by that meanes it delivers the ſoul from being tranſported by feare. There is nothing can ſecure the ſoul that the termes between God and it are good, but faith: and that it doth by putting the Soul into the Covenant of Grace, and conveys the good of that everlaſting Covenant that can never be broken, unto the ſoul, and transferreth upon the ſoul the ſure mercies of David: and that muſt needs make the ſoul in a ſecure condition. A man is not troubled with feares, when he knows he is provided for his life: So a beleeving Soul is provided for Eternity, what now can trouble ſuch a ſoul?
The Apoſtle in 1 Pet. 4.19. Would have us in the time of danger commit your ſoul to God in wel doing: when the ſoul is committed unto God in wel doing, there is no further fear. As if ſo be a man were travelling, and he had ſome precious Jewel were worth abundance, and he apprehends himſelf in ſome danger if he can commit his Jewel to ſome ſafe hand he is without fear. And therefore in ſome countries you have your Banks: men that are affraid of their money, commit it to the Bank, and there it is ſure. So a ſoul that can commit it ſelf to God in weldoing, and be ſure of that, it is not troubled with much fear.
Quſt. But ſhould we not take care for our estates, and lives, and liberties?
Anſw. Sayth the Apoſtle, be at a point for them, but be ſure you commit your ſouls to God, and you are wel enough.
As in a time of common fire and burning, If a man have ſome lumber in the fire, he doth not care for them, but if he hath Jewels and treaſury, he commits them to ſome ſafe cuſtody: and ſo a beleever having committed his ſoul to God by faith, and ſo being ſure of the termes between God and it, his ſoul wil not admit of fear.
We read of Noah. Gen. 6.14. When he had made an Ark, he pitched it about the; word that is tranſlated pitched, is the ſame word that is uſed for propitiation or attonement: noting, that pitch was to Noahs Ark, that the attonement of Chriſt apprehended by faith is to the ſoul: whn a ſoul by faith can apprehend the ſure meercies of David in the propitiation of Chriſt, this is to the ſoul in the middeſt of dangers, to keep it from fears, as the pitch was to Noahs Ark in the midſt of the waves, that kept it from the waters. And that is the firſt thing.
Secondly, Faith keepeth from fear, becauſe it hath a ſpeiciall eye to the higheſt firſt being of all things, now that is a rule, No inferior cauſe can worke, but by an influence from the Superior; and therefore when by faith the eye can behold the higheſt ſupream cauſe, ſo as to ſee.
Firſt, There is no Power in any creature but from that.
Secondly, The Acting of that Power is from that.
Thirdly. The Force of that Power, is from that.
Fourthly, The Succeſs of that Power is from that cauſe; and when the ſoul looks up to this higheſt cauſe and ſees all cleare there, it needs not much to look how it is with the inferior cauſes. As if a man had an inſtrument, that hung upon many wheels, though the inferior moves, and it ſeems as if it would break and fall upon him, yet if he hath an eye upon the higheſt wheel that moves all, upon which all depend, and be ſure that holds, he doth not much regard the other. And ſo it is with a ſpiritual eye. A carnal eye looks only at things that are objects of ſence, he looks at the creatures, but a beleever looks at the higheſt ſupreme cauſe, and if that be right, he doth not looke at the loweſt cauſes.
We have a notable ſpeech in Iſay. 54.16. Behold I have created the ſmith that bloweth the coales in the fire, and that bringeth forth an inſtrument for his work, and I have created the waſter to deſtroy. Are you affraid of the ſword and the waſters? I have created the ſmith that blows the Coals, and I have created the waſter to deſtroy; If they have any power to do hurt, it is from mee; why do you look upon the inſtrument and not upon the hand? If there be any power in any inſtrument of war, they depend upon God, and he makes them to deſtroy: and therefore faith looks to the higheſt cauſe, and is converſant with that, and carries the affections to that; it is not much affected with under cauſes; it doth not fear the wrath of men, nor the power of any creature, becauſe it looks ſo much at the higheſt cauſe that is above al.
The confidence that carnal hearts have in outward helps, keeps them from fearing God, ſhould not the confidence of the Saints in God, keep them from fearing man?
Thirdly. Faith helps againſt the feare of man, becauſe it helps the ſoul to overcome greater fear than any feare the creature can cauſe.
A beleeving ſoul hath been converſant with other manner of fears than the wrath of a King, namely, the wrath of an infinite God, a beleever knows what the wrath of a Deity means, what the terrour of conſcience, and the curſe of the Law, and the flaſhes of Hell meane, and he hath had ſome experience concerning the feare of theſe, and he hath received ſome thing of the ſpirit of bondage, that hath cauſed him to feare other manner of things than the feare of man, and when faith comes, that hath delivered the ſoul from theſe fears, others muſt needs vaniſh; the power of faith ſoon extinguiſheth them 1 Sam. 17.37. As David when he was delivered from the Mouth of the Lion, and the paw of the Beare, he was not affraid of Goliah: ſo a beleeving ſoul is not affraid of the wrath of man, becauſe it hath been delivered by faith, from the wrath of an infinite Deity, and the terrors of the Law and of Conſcience.
In the 51. of Iſa. 22. Mark how God brings the deliverance of his people from the fear of his wrath, as an argument to ſtrengthen them againſt all other fears. Behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the Cup of my fury. To what end is this ſpoken? In the beginning of the next chapter (for Chapters were not divided by the Prophets, but afterward, and therefore they have an immediate connexion to one another) Awake, awake, put on thy ſtrength O Zion, put on thy beautiful garments. So ſayth faith to a beleeving ſoul, why art thou affraid of the wrath and diſpleaſure of men, be not feareful, for I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling: there was a time wherein there was a cup of trembling in thy hand, and thou wert affraid thou ſhouldeſt drink of that, I have taken that out of thy hand, and therefore awake, put on ſtrength, be not affraid of man, being thou art delivered from ſuch fear.
It is a paſſage in the book of Job. Job, 38.17. when God would bring Job to feare, ſaith God, you ſeem to have ſome boldneſs: but have you ſeen the gates of death? and hath the ſhadow of death been made known to you? that were another matter if you had gone through thoſe fears, and yet were bold; but a beleeving ſoul may ſay, yea Lord the gates of death, and the ſhadow of death hath been in ſome meaſure made known to me, and yet I am bold.
The Prophet ſaith in Jer. 17.17. Be not thou a terror to me, for thou art my hope in the day of evil. Lord let me be delivered from thy terror and all the world ſhall not terrifie me. Thoſe that have been brought up delicately, and know not what any danger means, if they heare of any commotion and danger, they tremble, but thoſe that are uſed to warrs, that continually heate the noiſe of Cannons, and ſee the affrighting objects, and deſperate things that are there, they are not ſo ſoon made affraid, becauſe they have been where terrors have been, and have been delivered from them and ſo a beleeving ſoul hath been acquainted with other manner of terrors than the terrors of men, and faith delivering from them, will deliver from theſe.
Fourthly, Faith helps againſt the feare of men, and all dangers and evils, by implanting the true feare of God in the ſoul. Where faith comes, as it brings all grace with it, ſo it brings the grace of the feare of God and the reaſon of al diſorderly feare in the world, is for want of the true fear of God: I do not meane the fear of his wrath, but that reverence that we owe to God as creatures to the Creator, that fear of God wherein a great part of Gods worſhip conſiſteth: if the ſoul were poſſeſſed with that, other fears would vaniſh.
As in other afflictions. True ſpiritual joy will overcome carnal joy, and the beſt way to cure carnal joy, is to have the heart poſſeſſed with ſpiritual joy: many take content in the fleſh, but they never come to have their carnal joy mortified, till their ſouls be filled with ſpiritual joy. And therefore though in the time of ſickneſs. They cry out againſt their carnal joy, it is not mortified, but they returne to it again, becauſe they had only the conviction of conſcience that their carnal joy was naught, but had not a contrary ſtream to fil their hearts.
And ſo for ſorrow, There is no way to mortifie carnal ſorrow, as to ſorrow for ſin; and ſo for deſires: no way to mortifie ſinful, creature deſires, as to have deſires Sanctified for God. As in other afflictions, ſo in that of fear: no ſuch way to mortifie carnal, ſinful fear, as to have the true fear of God planted in the heart.
As Moſes, when the rod was turned into a Serpent, the Magicians turned their rods into ſerpents, but the text ſaith, in Exod. 7.12. that Moſes Serpent did devour the Magicians Serpents. So there is enough in the true feare of God to take up al the ſoul, that it hath no ſpace for the fear of Man; As when God is truly worſhipped, there he is only worſhipped: ſo when God is truly feared there he is only feared, and all other fears are in ſubordination to that. Where God is truly feared nothing elſe is feared, and indeed nothing elſe need be feared: As where God is not feared, no creature can help us: ſo where God is feared no creature can hurt us, in Hoſea. 10.3. Becauſe we feared not the Lord, What then ſhould a King do to us? ſo on the contrary, becauſe we feare the Lord, what then can a King, what can all the power in the world do againſt us?
Fiftly, Faith doth diſcover unto the ſoul, that it hath more with it than againſt it. You know the Prophets man was affraid, when he ſaw their enemies about them ready to apprehend them: the Prophet prayed to the Lord to open his eyes, and to let him ſee in 2. Kings, 6.16.17. There were more with him than againſt him.
So till a mans eyes are opened by faith, he may ſee many enemies againſt him to cauſe fear; but when God doth open the eyes of his Soul to ſee more with him than againſt him all fears are gone. It ſees al the Attributes of God, all the waies of Gods Providence, all Angels, all creatures working for the good of it; and ſo it ſees more with it then againſt it.
If a child or man, be alone in danger he is affraid, but when he comes into the company of his freinds, that hath more with him than againſt him, he is not affraid. So by the eye of faith we ſee more with us than againſt us, and that frees from feare.
Sixthly, Faith keeps from feare by bringing in the ſpirit of Jeſus Chriſt into the Soul, and makes the Soul partaker of the ſpirit of Chriſt: Now Chriſt is called the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, Revel. 5.5. He was full of courage, and did not feare any thing which oppoſed him in his way: now every Chriſtian doth partake of the Lion-like ſpirit of Chriſt, and hath ſomething of it in him, and that puts ſtrength & courage into him.
In Iſa. 11.2. We read of the ſpirit of Chriſt that he was anointed withal, the ſpirit of wiſdom and underſtanding, ſpirit of counſel, and might, the ſpirit of knowledg, and the fear of the Lord. Whereſoever the ſpirit of Chriſt is, there is a ſpirit of might and ſtrength, that will not eaſily yeeld to feare It is a ſign of a poor low ſpirit, to ly down and feare every thing that is never ſo little feareful: but a ſpirit that is magnanimous, and a raiſed ſpirit wil not eaſily feare. The ſpirit of Chriſt is a magnanimous glorious ſpirit, he hath the ſame ſpirit with his Father, and ſo thoſe that are Chriſts come to have the ſame ſpirit of the Son and of the Father with them. And therefore ſaith Saint Paul in 2 Tim. 1.7. We have not received the Spirit of fear, but of power. The Spirit of Chriſt hath a great deal of power and ſtrength in it, and when faith brings in the ſpirit of Chriſt it muſt needs help againſt fear.
Seventhly. Faith helps againſt feare, by taking off the heart from the creature, and from all the comforts that are in it. Why doth a man feare? but becauſe he thinks the creature wil take away ſome comfort from him: now if the heart be taken off from the creature, and the comforts of it, and ſo from creature evils, neither eſteeming the one, nor accounting much of the other, there is not much cauſe why he ſhould feare, now faith takes off the heart from the creature. In Revel. 12.11. It is ſpoken of thoſe that overcome Antichriſt, that they loved not their lives: and if they were taken off from the love of life, then by conſequence they were taken of from the love of any creature.
It is a notable ſpeech that Chriſostome hath concerning a worldly man. None more miſerable, and more feareful than a man that is faſtned to earthly things, for ſaith he, he doth continually live the life of care, and of trembling: but when faith comes, it takes off the heart from being faſtned to the creature, and ſo ſuch a one comes no longer to live the life of care, he doth not tremble any more. And ſuitable to his expreſſion ſo was his life; ſpeaking of Eudoxia the Empres: ſaies he, what wil ſhe do? wil ſhee banniſh me? the earth is the Lords and the fulneſs thereof. Wil ſhe cut me aſunder? ſo was Iſaiah. Wil ſhe drown me? John was caſt into the Sea. Will ſhe ſtone me? So was Steven. Will ſhe behead me? ſo was Paul; Will ſhe take away my ſubſtance? my heart is taken a way from that already.
It is reported of Illaria meeting with theeves, ſay they are you not affraid? no ſaith he I have nothing to looſe: but We will Kill thee; ſaith he, I am prepared to die And to a Heart ſeeing it hath nothing to looſe, and it is prepared to die, it doth not fear; it values no evil in the creature, nor any good in it, and therefore it is not affraid: Now it is faith that glorious and mighty grace, takes the heart off from all creature Evil, and creature good: and by this you may know the work of Faith in your Souls; When you feel a principle within you taking you from the creature, and lifting you aboue creature comforts, and creature evils, that is the glorious work of Faith. And that is the Seventh thing.
Eightly, Faith doth intereſt God in the cauſe of a Beleever. Whatſoever cauſe a beleever doth undertake, wherein he doth exerciſe faith, his Faith doth intereſt God in it, ſo that it hath not only the countenance, command, and faithfulneſs of God to help it, but the Name of God, and God himſelf. As in England if a man hath a debt, and knows not how to get it, he will turne it over to the King, and if he can intereſt the King in the debt, He thinks that will be a way to help himſelf. So here when a beleever is in a ſtraight, and he knows not what to do, he looks this way and that way, and ſees nothing but fears and Terrours and knows not how to help himſelf, yet if he can but turne over the cauſe to God, and intereſt him in the cauſe, he is quiet.
Ninthly, Faith hath a notable work to help againſt fear, in that it fils the heart with ſpirituall good: and the true boldneſs that is in any heart comes from the fulneſs of ſpirituall good that is in their Souls. As the Naturaliſts obſerve the reaſon why the Lyon hath that courage and boldneſs, Is, becauſe he hath a heart compacted and filled with ſtrong ſpirits. Many things when they are empty are weake, but when they are filled ful of that which is ſutable to them, it makes them ſtrong: So when a Soul hath a fulneſs of ſpiritual good in it, it is very ſtrong,
Look what is the reaſon of the boldneſs and courage and impudence of wicked men in their ſin, the contrary is the reaſon of the boldneſs and courage of Gods people in the way of God.
The ſpeciall reaſon of the courage and boldneſs of the wicked in a way of evill, is the fullneſs of wickedneſs that is in their ſouls; And therefore in that fact of Ananias and Saphira Acts. 5.3. ſaith the Apoſtle; Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the holy Ghoſt: If Satan had not filled your hearts, you could not have been thus bold to have lied to the holy Ghoſt. And ſo it is a notable paſſage we have in Eſther. 7.5. ſpeaking concerning Haman, ſaith the King, Who is he? and where is he that durſt preſume in his heart to do ſo? In the Hebrew it is who hath filled his heart to do this? who hath a heart ſo ful as to venture upon ſuch an evill as this;
As the filling of the heart with evill makes it bold and couragious in that which is evill, ſo the filling of the heart with ſpirituall good makes it forward in that which is good. As it is obſerved concerning Steven; after Steven was filled with the Holy Ghoſt how bold was he? he could look upon the face of his perſecuters with boldneſs: in Acts 6.15. and the Councell looked upon him, and ſaw his face, as it had been the face of an Angel, becauſe his heart was filled with the Holy Ghoſt. And ſo the Apoſtles were very feareful before the Holy Ghoſt came down upon them, but when they were filled with the Holy Ghoſt they had no more feare.
And ſo Eliſha, how full of courage was he when the three Kings came to him, ſaith he, Had it not been for Jehoſaphat I had not ſeen thy face: What was the reaſon? he had the Spirit of Elijah double upon him, and therefore he was bold. As there is a Plerophorie of evil that cauſeth boldneſs, ſo there is a Plerophorie of good that filleth the heart with boldneſs, and nothing doth ſo fil the heart as faith: that fetcheth of the fulneſs of Chriſt, and of his fulneſs we are full.
In the Tenth place; Faith hath a great deale of power to cauſe boldneſs and take off the heart from the feare of Man; becauſe Faith doth acquaint a beleever with the waies of God towards his people, and therefore he doth not fear: A beleever comes to have skill in the paſſages of Gods Providence, and his dealings towards his people, and thereby he comes to know that it is Gods ordinary way to ſuffer the enemies of his people to rage againſt them and prevail againſt them, and to have much power over them, and yet they are his people. And it is no argument that God hath forſaken them becauſe of their affliction: And therefore you know, the Scripture ſpeaks oftentimes of Gods leading his people through the Fire and the Water, and that God will be with them there, Iſa. 43.2. It is the way of God to chooſe his people, and ſet his heart upon them in the Fiery Furnace; when he intends the greateſt good to his people, He brings them through Fire and Water, and ſetteth them in wealthy places: Pſal. 66.12. And if one be acquainted with Gods way he doth not fear.
If a ſouldier be not acquainted with the way of his General, when he ſeeth him undertake great things, and brings them into danger he is affraid: but one that is acquainted with the way of his General, how he will lay his ſtratagems, and knows that it is his way to go through ſuch dangers, he is not affraid: And ſo it is true; carnal Hearts aſſoon as they ſee any danger, they are affraid, becauſe they have not the skil to underſtand the mind and will of God in his way towards his people, when as the people of God know, that it is the ordinary way of God to work good out of Evil.
As Luther ſaies, He doth kill that he may quicken, and caſt down, that he may raiſe up, And the like; and ſo he goes on in three or four lines together: but ſaith he, For to know this, this is the art of arts, and the Knowledg of Knowledges, very few do know and underſtand this way of God. It is a ſecret that God doth diſcover only to thoſe that fear him; Faith doth not make one like a Child to know nothing, but doth Doctrinate the Soul in the waies of God, and ſo doth enable it to overcome fears.
In the Eleuenth place. Faith helps againſt feare: becauſe it doth put the ſoul into a high and glorious condition, as into ſafety, ſo into a wonderful high condition. A man that is great in the world is not affraid as others are: Now faith makes the place of Gods people to bee very high and glorious In the 43 Iſa. 4.5. Since thou waſt precious in my ſight thou haſt been honourable and I have loved thee Therefore wil I giuegive men for thee and people for thy life feare not for I am with thee.
If a King ſhould come to a poore ſubject and ſay feare not, you are honourable in mine eyes, I prize your life more than the lives of thouſands, would not this keep him from being affraid; God ſayth ſo to every gracious ſoul, and faith cloſeth with it, and this keepes the ſoul from feare. Mat. 10.31. Feare not ſayth Chriſt, you are more worth than many ſparrowes: Gods providence is over ſparrowes but you are more worth than they. So precious are Gods people to him, that he numbers every haire Mat. 10.30. and tels all their ſteps, and bottles up all their tears. Pſal. 56.8. Surely he values every drop of blood, and much more their lives, Pſ. 116.15. and their ſpirituall priviledges. They are in a high and excellent condition aboue others.
It is a notable expreſſion that Chriſoſtome hath of the Preiſt Azariah, becauſe he reſiſted King Vzziah when he would have offered ſacrifice; ſayth he, Every one that commits ſin, is a ſervant to ſin, and therefore baſe though he hath a thouſand of crowns upon his head: but he that keepeth righteouſneſs is more a King than any King, he is in a higher condition than any in the world, But a moſt excellent expreſſion is that of Tertullian concerning this Why ſhould I fear when the Saints ſhall be raiſed to judg the world? why ſhould that man fear, that ought to be feared by Angels, for he ſhal judge them, and ought to be feared by Devils, he ſhal have power over them, and ought to be feared by al the world, he ſhal judge al the world. Doth a judg fear the priſoner that is before him. This is the condition of a Saint of God, and faith makes uſe of this, and knows what it is that God hath revealed of the high condition of his people, and therefore they do not feare.
Twelfthly. Faith helps againſt fear, becauſe faith doth much ſtrengthen a good conſcience; whereſoever faith is, and according to the degree of it ſo a good conſcience is ſtrengthened; they go together faith and a good conſcience. Therefore the Scripture ſpeaking of ſome, In 1 Tim. 1.19. That they had made Shipwrack of faith, they had put away a good conſcience too. The one cannot ſtand without the other Now we know what a great power there is in a good conſcience to make one without feare: to know nothing ill concerning our ſelves, is a wal of braſs; the the breaſtplate of righteouſneſs helps againſt any dart that comes; and a good conſcience holds forth the breaſtplate of righteouſneſs: and ſaith a good conſcience, they accuſe, but I will excuſe, they condemn, but I wil juſtifie: I wil be with thee in death, and before the Lord, and plead for thee.
If a man come to be made a terror to himſelf, then no marvail if he be affraid of every thing elſe; but if a man be not a terrour to himſelf, if he be able to behold God in righteouſneſs, and his conſcience be right and good, he may look with boldneſs upon any thing. Job. 11.14.15. If iniquity be in thy hand, put it farr away, and let not wickedneſs dwel in thy Tabernacles: For then ſhalt thou lift up thy face without ſpot, yea thou ſhalt be ſtedfaſt, and ſhalt not feare before men, no nor before the Lord himſelf.
Againe, Faith helps mightily againſt fear, by bringing in, and making uſe of all the gracious promiſes to help againſt fear. I wil name but two promiſes, and you ſhall ſee what a great deal of power is in thoſe to help the ſoul againſt fear. Deut. 31.8. He it is that goeth before thee, he wil be with thee, he wil not fail thee nor forſake thee, fear not, neither be diſmayed. Mark how God heapeth up expreſſions. Before he bids Moſes bid Joſhua be ſtrong in the 7 verſe, Firſt he goeth before thee, Secondly, He wil be with thee. Thirdly, He wil not fail thee. See Iſa. 41.10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee, be not diſmayed, for I am thy God, I wil ſtrengthen thee, yea, I wil help thee yea I wil uphold thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſs, Thus God heaps up expreſſions to help againſt feare. Faith makes the encouragements of the word real to the ſoul, faith brings the divine power and efficacy of them to the ſoul.
Againe, Faith helps againſt fear by making uſe of al experiences of Gods dealing with his people in former times, In Habb. 3. throughout he makes uſe of the waies of God, and ſhews what God had done for his heretofore. Pſal. 87.4. I will make mention of Rahab and Babilon, I wil make mention of What God hath done in Rahab and in Babilon.
Laſtly. Faith helps againſt the fear of man, becauſe it cauſeth a Chriſtian to judge of men as God himſelf judgeth of them, and look at men as God looketh at them, and to have the ſame thoughts of men, as God hath and this is a mighty help againſt fear.
Now we muſt ſee how God hath revealed himſelf concerning man, and what little cauſe there is to fear men eſpecially wicked men, and the enemies of Gods people. I wil no fear ſaith the Pſalmiſt, in Pſal. 56.11. what can man do unto me? And I wil not feare what fleſh can do unto me. In this ſame Pſalm. 56.4.