The Excellency of Holy Courage in Evil Times, Chapter 9
CHAP. 9.
How Audatiouſneſs and boldneſs of ſpirit differ from Faith. 1. Audatiouſneſs make us bold to ſin. 2 It appeares in Cauſes that concerns our ſelves, then thoſe which concern God. 3. Boldneſs the curing of one paſion with another, Faith the curing of paſſion by Grace. 4. Natural boldneſs makes men raſh, and henders conſultation. 5. The cauſe of immodiſty 6. It is ſuden and violent. 7. It proſeeds and lives upon outward encouragements. 8. The iſhew of ignorance. 9. Or deſpair. 10. More Outward then Inward.
FAITH helps againſt feare, but it muſt be granted that men may be much helped againſt feare by a meer audaciouſneſs of ſpirit.
Queſt. But how ſhall we know the difference.
Anſw. Audaciouſneſs of Spirit, though when it proves to be in Gods cauſe, it ſeems to be faith, yet there are many differences.
Firſt, Where it is Audaciouſneſs of ſpirit, when occaſion ſerves, they wil be bold in Sin againſt God, as well as bold in that which is good for God: but now where faith is, though it doth make the ſoul to be bold and fearleſs for God in the way of God, yet there are none ſo affraid of ſin: they tremble at the appearance, or occaſion of ſin: many that are mightily bold in ſin are mightily affraid when they are in danger, others that are fearleſs in the way of God, thay have no boldneſs in the way of ſin. Wicked men that have had the baſeſt ſpirits of all, have been bold in ſin; As Manaſſeh, how audacious was he in ſin? and when he came into danger how feared he? It is ſaid he was found among the thorns, 2 Cor. 33.11.
And ſo Ahaz, what a bold ſpirit had he in ſin? when he came into danger what a baſe ſpirit had he? he was affraid and ſhook like an aſpine leafe. And ſo it is reported of Caligula, in Iſa. 7.2. That was a bold wretch in ſin, yet when he heard it thunder, he would run into a bench hole.
And ſome may go ſo far, as not only to be bold in ſin but to be bold in ſome danger too, and it may fal out to be in the cauſe of God, but know, if there be any boldneſs in ſin, and if you do not fear every ſin, al your boldneſs and fearleſneſs in any thing elſe never comes from faith.
Secondly, Where there is natural audaciouſneſs, then men are eſpecially bold in cauſes that concern themſelves more than in cauſes that concerne God. When any buſineſs concerns themſelves in which they are oppoſed, they care not for any one that have more power then them ſelves, but they are not ſo in the cauſe of God: but others that are truly gracious, that are feareleſs from their faith, they are very yeildable and ſhamefaced in their own cauſe, in things that concern themſelves, but in …hings that concern God, there doth appear another ſpirit, they have a new ſpirit.
Thirdly, Where the boldneſs is meerly natural, there is a curing of one paſſion with another; but the boldneſs that comes from faith is the curing of paſſion with the contrary grace. As thus, where the boldneſs comes from natural audaciouſneſs, there is the curing of the paſſion of fear with the paſſion of wrath and anger, they are never fearleſs and bold, but when their paſſion of anger is ſtirred up: where faith cures the paſſion of fear, it cures it not by ſtirring up another paſſion, but by Sanctifying of this, and bringing in the true fear of God into the ſoul, it doth not put out one evil with another, but puts out an evil with a ſtream of the contrary good.
Fourthly, Where men are naturally audacious, and bold, uſually their boldneſs hinders their conſultation, they have not command over their ſpirits, they are carried on raſhly and headily in their boldneſs: therefore in Iſa. 35.4. The word that is tranſlated feareful, it ſignifies a raſh heart, it is the ſame word you have in Iſa. 32.4. The heart of the raſh ſhal underſtand knowledg: to ſhew that fearfulneſs doth cauſe raſhneſs where it is immoderate; but where feare is moderate, and guided right, it makes men to have power to conſult of things and adviſe of things, and examine of things: but your bold, impudent people care not, nor conſider not what they ſay, but where fear is rightly ordered by ſaith, the heart is able to conſider and adviſe beſt.
Fifthly, Again, Audaciouſneſs when it is natural makes men to forget the diſtance that is between one man and another, makes them immodeſt, care not what they ſay to ſuperiors that are above them: but when men are feareleſs by faith though they wil not be hindred in their way by feare of them, yet they know how to give due reſpect to them that are in Superior place, which a natural Audacious ſpirit doth not.
Sixthly, Again, Natural Audaciouſneſs is ſudden, and violent, but a man that is feareleſs by faith, doth not preſently, get up to this boldneſs of ſpirit; but it comes by degrees and ſeveral ſteps, firſt, more fearful, and then leſs, and ſo by degrees he gets power over that ſpirit of his which before he found feareful, but the other is violently up, and doth not come by degrees.
Seaventhly, Natural Boldneſs it is according to outward encouragements, but the fearleſneſs that is from faith is by the breathings of Gods ſpirit upon his heart; & according to the ſeveral breathings of Gods ſpirit upon their hearts, ſo they are more or leſs feareful: the other boldneſs being natural it works always alike, if they have but the ſame outward encouragements: but Gods people though they have the ſame outward encouragements yet they are more fearleſs at ſome times then at other times becauſe they have not the Spirit of God breathing upon them alwaies alike.
Eightly, Natural boldneſs comes from ignorance, and inſenſibleneſs, becauſe people do not know or are not ſenſible of the danger they are in: but faith diſcovers the danger, and makes men ſenſible of the danger, and then it helps; it is nothing to be bold when one is not ſenſible, and doth not underſtand the danger; but a gracious heart conceives aright of the danger, and is ſenſible of it and then faith lifts above ſence, and above reaſon.
Ninthly, Men that are naturally bold, it is through deſperateneſs, becauſe they have nothing to looſe, and care not what become of themſelves: but by faith men are not fearleſs becauſe they are deſperate, but they ſee help in God, and in Chriſt and his mercy, the more they hope, the leſs they fear, but the other are deſperate and therefore they do not feare.
Tenthly, Where audaciouſneſs is but natural, it appears more outward then it is inward, but by faith men are leſs feareful inwardly then it appears outwardly: faith doth more cure fear within, then it is able to expreſs courage, and boldneſs without: but your natural audacious people know, though they ſpeak great words and make proud braggs, yet within their hearts do tremble; but it is not ſo where there is true faith: There is an aſperſion caſt upon Gods people, becauſe they are forward in Gods cauſe. They are bold impudent fellows: and thoſe that are bold and impudent they go away as the men that have the only courage: now the ſcope of that I ſay is to ſhew that Gods people are not impudently bold, but hold by the grace of God that comes from his ſpirit, and is maintained by faith, and others though they be bold in many things, yet they are far from this excellent ſpirit that Gods people have.