THE EXCELLENCY OF HOLY COURAGE IN EVIL TIMES In which besides many other seasonable truths there is shewed 1. That wicked Men in power are very fierce in their wrath 2. That Faith will keep a gracious heart from immoderate fear of Men of Authority and Power 3. Directions in our fear of Authority 4. Directions how to order our selves If Authority enjoyn unlawful things 5. How Faith helpeth against the fear of Man opened in fifteen Particulars 6. Arguments against the fear of Men And wicked men are less to be feared than others 7. Differences between natural boldness and Holy Courage from Faith 8. How far we may lawfully avoid danger by flying Several Cases of conscience concerning flying 9. Objections Answered concerning flying 10. How the heart may be taken off from the fear of Man 11. The Power of Faith to carry Gods people through the most difficult works and services 12. How to know whether Faith wil carry us through difficult works 13. Helps to put on Faith in our undertakings 14. How Faith carries the Soul through the difficult work of forsaking Egypt 15. The wickedness of Sodom and Egypt compared with the wickedness of Antichrist By Jeremiah Burroughs Preacher of the Gospel at Stepney and Criple-Gate London Published by Thomas Goodwin William Greenhil Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye William Bridge John Yates William Adderly London Printed by Peter Cole and Edward Cole Printers and Book-sellers at the Printing-press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1661. A Testimony to the Reader WHAT we have by way of Preface set before the several Books already Published of this Reverend Author Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs may sufficiently serve for all that are come forth So that we only need now give Letters Testimonial to the World that these viz. The Sermons on Hebrews the 11. Chapter 27. verse We avouch likewise to be the painful and profitable Labors of the same Author and Published by the best and most Authentick Copies Thomas Goodwin William Greenhil William Bridge Sydrach Sympson Philip Nye John Yates William Adderley Books Printed by Peter Cole and Edward Cole Printers and Book-sellers of London at the Exchange Mr. Burroughs WORKS viz. on Matth. 11. 1 Christs call to all those that are Weary and Heavy Laden to come to him for Rest 2 Christ the Great Teacher of Souls that come to him 3 Christ the Humble Teacher of those that come to him 4 The only Basic way to Heaven 5 The Excellency of holy Courage 6 Gospel Reconciliation 7 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment 8 Gospel-Worship 9 Gospel-Conversation 10 A Treatise of Earthly Mindedness 11 Exposition of the Prophesie of Hosea 12 The Evil of Evils or the exceeding sinfulness of Sin 13 Precious Faith 14 Of Hope 15 Of Walking by Faith Twenty one several Books of Mr. William Bridge Collected into two Volumes Viz. 1 Scripture Light the most sure Light 2 Christ in Travel 3 A Lifting up for the cast down 4 Sin against the Holy Ghost 5 Sins of Infirmity 6 The fals Apostle tried and discovered 7 The good and means of Establishment 8 The great things Faith can do 9 The great things Faith can suffer 10 The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holyness opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office 11 Satans power to Tempt and Christs Love to and Care of his People under Temptation 12 Thankfulness required in every Condition 13 Grace for Grace 14 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Naturall Impossibilities 15 Evangelical Repentance 16 The Spiritual Life and in being of Christ in al Beleevers 17 The Woman of Canaan 18 The Saints Hiding place c. 19 Christ Coming c. 20 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances 21 Grace and Love beyond Gifts New Books of Mr. Sydrach Simpson VIZ. 1 Of Unbelief or the want of readiness to lay hold on the comfort given by Christ 2 Not goeing to Christ for Life and Salvation is an exceeding great Sin yet Pardonable 3 Of Faith Or That beleeving is receiving Christ And receiving Christ is beleeving 4 Of Coveteousness Mr. Hookers New Books in three Volumes One in Octavo and two in Quarto These Eleven New Books of Mr. Thomas Hoooker made in New Edgland Are arrested in an Epistle by Mr. Thomas Goodwin and Mr. Philip Nye To be written with the Authors own hand None being written by himself before One Volum being a Comment upon Christ's last Prayer on the seventeenth of John Wherein is shewed 1 That the end why the Saints receive all glorious Grace is That they may be one as the Father and Christ are one 2 That God the Father loveth the Faithful as he loveth Jesus Christ 3 That our Saviour desireth to have the Faithful in Heaven with himself 4 That the happiness of our being in Heaven is to see Christs Glory 5 That there is much wanting in the knowledg of Gods Love in the most able Saints 6 That the Lord Christ lends dayly direction according to the dayly need of his Servants 7 That it is the desire and endeavor of our Savior that the dearest of Gods Love which was bestowed on himself should be given to his faithful servants 8 That our Union and Communion with God in Christ is the top of our happiness in Heaven Ten Books of the Application of Redemption by the Effectual Work of the Word and Spirit of Christ for the bringing home of lost sinners to God By Thomas Hooker Dr. Hills WORKS The Kings Tryal at the High Court of Justice Wise Virgin Published by Mr. Thomas Weld of New-England Mr. Rogers on Naaman the Syrian his Disease and Cure Discovering the Leprosie of Sin and Self-love with the Cure viz. Self-denial and Faith A Godly and Fruitful Exposition on the first Epistle of Peter By Mr. John Rogers Minister of the word of God at Dedham in Essex Mr. Rogers his Treatise of Marriage The Wonders of the loadstone By Samuel Ward of Ipswitch An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist St. Matthew By Mr. Ward The Discipline of the Church in New-England By the Churches and Synod there Mr. Brightmen on the Revelation Christians Engagement for the Gospel by John Goodwin Great Church Ordinance of Baptism Mr. Loves Case containing his Petitions Narrative and Speech A Congregational church is a Catholick Visible Church By Samuel Stone in New-England A Treatise of Politick Powers Dr. Sibbs on the Philippians Vox PacifiCa or a Perswasive to Peace Dr. Prestons Saints submission and Satans Overthrow Pious Mans Practice in Parliament time Barriffs Military Discipline The Immortality of mans Soul The Anatomist Anatomized The Bishop of Canterbury's Speech Woodwards Sacred Ballance Dr. Owen against Mr. Baxter Abrahams Offer Gods Offerings Being a Sernion by Mr. Herle before the Lord Major of London Mr. Spurstows Sermon being a Pattern of Repentance Englands Deliverance By Peter Sterry The Way of God with his People in these Nations By Peter Sterry Mr. Sympson's sermon at Westminster Mr. Feaks sermon before the Lord Major The best and
to be his but the glorious strength of God the chief of Gods strength to speak after the manner of men if there be any thing more glorious in the strength of God than other Faith doth fetch in that for the strengthening of the soul in the service of God For that we have two or three notable Scriptures Ephes 1.19 which doth not only speak of the power of God in working of Faith but of the power of God in the sould after Faith is wrought First It is the Power of God Secondly It is the mighty Power of God Thirdly The working of his mighty Power Fourthly The greatness of the working of his mighty Power Fifthly The exceeding greatness of the working of his mighty Power Sixthly The same Power that raised Christ from the dead This is in be getting Faith in the soul Now it is that Power which a Beleever being once a Beleever hath the use of afterwards Another Text which is remarkable for this purpose is Eph. 3.16 That he would grant unto you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man that which the Apostle praies for is that which a Beleever by Faith may fetch in and make his own First There is strength in the inner man and that is more than in the outward Secondly It is strength by the Spirit now Spirit is a word that is used to express strength and that by Gods Spirit Thirdly It is strength by the Spirit with might one would think it were enough if he had said Strengthened by the Spirit of God that doth bring in might but it is with might by the Spirit in the inner man Fourthly This is according to his Glory it is such a strength such a might of Gods Spirit as God is glorious in it it is the glory of the might of the Spirit of God in the inner man And yet there is one higher expression Fifthly It is according to the Riches of his Glory Whose Glory The Riches of the Glory of the Might of the Spirit of God Of what God That God that is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whol Family of Heaven and Earth is named Surely this strength must enable to do mighty things and this strength is a Beleevers own to work for him and assist him in any service What a shameful thing is it for any Christian to complain of the want of strength in the performance of Duty when such a strength as this is made over to him and he by Faith may fetch it in imploy it and make use of it as his own Another place to shew what strength it is that Faith doth bring in it is that in Col. 1.11 Strengthened with all might according to his glorious Power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Now if in your lives you would shew that which is proper to a Christian you must do that which must manifest a glorious power of God Now what is it that you do or have done in all your lives that doth manifest a glorious power of God This shews the glory of a Christian that al that see him may say the power of Nature could not do this the power of Grace could not do this and the power of all Creatures in Heaven and Earth could not do this yea it is more than an ordinary power of God it is a glorious power of God that must enable him to do this But though the power of God be glorious it is not alwaies put forth in enabling men to do duties but it is somtimes put forth in enabling of them with patience to undergo that which is laid upon them as wel as to do great things may be you do not find the glorious power of God for to enable you to do great works God would somtimes have his glorious power work to make you patient therefore you must not only be patient as an ordinary man or woman but be so patient as to shew you have a glorious power of God to make you patient Somtimes you have been crost and have had afflictions upon you that have been sore afflictions and have been long upon you and may be you have been patient but you must be so patient as to manifest the glorious power of God in your patience and therefore though I have been somwhat patient yet have I been so patient as to manifest the glorious power of God in it and have I been so long suffering towards those that have crost me as to manifest the glorious power of God in it Faith doth fetch in strength to enable to do that And that is the second thing that Faith doth to carry through difficult services it doth fetch in the greatest strength Thirdly That which Faith doth in enabling the soul to any difficult work is the assisting of the soul with the highest encouragements that possibly can be the encouraging Promises of God and the encouraging Expressions that are in the Word that might put life into the deadest spirit in the world the encouragements that are in the Scripture lay as it were dead to the heart no but that there is life in them but because of the deadness of the heart now Faith comes and puts life into them In this 11. chapter of the Hebrews Faith iâ— commended by raising dead to life here is as great a commendation of Faith when Faith shal raise a dead Promise and dead encouragement and put life into it We read a Promise or an encouragement may be twenty times before but it was as dead but now Faith doth come and put life into it and the soul can come and lay face upon its face and mouth upon its mouth and eyes upon its eyes and it comes to be a mighty quickning thing to enable it to any service Fourthly Faith carries the soul through works that God cals to because faith in it self besides that it brings in is a mighty strong principle it is the most glorious work that ever creature was enabled to do in this world the Angels in Heaven were never able to put forth a more glorious work for the kind of it than a beleeving soul doth put forth in the proper essential work of Faith and if Faith in the proper essential act of it be the most glorious difficult work that ever creature in Heaven or Earth did then surely it must have a mighty deal of power to enable the soul to do the most difficult and glorious Services Quest You wil say What is that proper essential work of faith that is the most glorious difficult work that ever was performed Answ For a Creature that doth apprehend it self by Nature an enemy to God a poor wretched defiled creature by sin standing guilty in the presence of God having the wrath of God incensed against it the Justice of God crying for satisfaction and the Law of God pronouncing an eternal Curse upon it for a soul to
other works and his name suffer some dishonour by it yet he will have a care they shall not faile in the maine work and were we not sure of this that God will have a care that our unbeleeving hearts shall not spoile us in that maine work we have to do about our Eternal estate we could never have comfort know the covenant wil not bear this the covenant will beare that God should let our faith faile in some works but it will not beare this that God should suffer the least degree of faith to faile in that work which concerns the eternal good of the soul Christ is called the mighty counseller and the maine work of Christ is to counsel the soul in those things that concern its eternal estate and notwithstanding all its unworthiness he will counsel it so far as it shall not miscarry in that great business yet Christ doth not alwaies afford his counsel in every particular action As God deales in the way of his counsel so of his power though he may withdraw his strength so as not to assist our faith in some particular actions yet in the maine and great business that concerns our eternal estate we shall not want necessary strength As a Father that is going along with his child may be he goes in such waies as the child is in danger of many a fall to get many a knock and sore bruise the father will say to him have a care take heed but if he come to a way that if the child fall he lose his life the father wil not content himself with saying take heed but he takes hold on him till he be past that place so God in all our ordinary business saies look to your Faith exercise your faith but for all that we get many a fall and many a knock but then may be there comes another work that concerns our eternal estate which if we faile in we are undone for ever god takes hold of the soul there and will not let them miscarry in that which is the infinite mercy of God to us and were we not sure of Gods mercy in that respect being conscious to our selves of our unbeleeving hearts we might fear yea conclude we should faile CHAP. 24. Helps to put on Faith in any undertaking 1. Set before you the example of your great Captain Jesus Christ 2. Make preparation for the work of Faith by Humiliation 3. Renew your Faith in the Covenant of Grace 4. In difficult times set Faith on work to purifie the heart 5. Take heed of shifting waies and dependances 6. Set loose from your own ends 7. Cast your selves upon the word of God 8. Plead the word with God in prayer 9. Refuse no meanes that God puts into your hands 10. Do nothing with a slavish spirit 11. Be not discouraged by miscarriages that are past 12. Take heed of the disturbance of passion in your work 13. Observe the dependances one work hath upon another 14. Lisson not to Temptations 15. Take heed of perverse reasonings 16. Take heed of disorderly working in four cases 17. Vse resolution and Courage 18. Look on your selves as Gods Instruments 19. Be constant though you find nothing come of it 20. Encrease not the difficulty by your Carriage 21. Look most at your Encouragements 22. Vse not the difficulty in the way to reason against the work 23. Labor to harden your selves by faith against all difficulties NOw doth God call you to any service or work that hath any difficulty in it you see what it is that will help David by Faith in Psal 18.29 Says he could break through a troop and leap over a wall and break a bow of Steel and Paul could do all things through Christ that strengthened him As Christ said of Miraculous faith so it may be said of Justifying Faith If you had faith but as a graine of mustard seed you should say unto this mountaine be removed hence to yonder place and unto this Sycamine tree be thou plucked up by the roots and be thou planted in the Sea and they shall obey you in Math. 17.20 And in Luke 17.6 And so Faith if it come to a sin that is rooted it will be able to pluck it up by the roots and to remove mountains There is nothing more weake and unuseful then on ordinary conceited faith that is but a bare opinion and groundless hope but nothing more strong and usefull then true Faith it hath the quintessence of all graces as the root of the herb hath the vertue and quintessence of all the fruite and branches in it so faith hath the quintessence of all grace and therfore it will do great things As it was said of Luther that had much faith he could do whatsoever he would So it may be said of Faith and the Scripture saith so of it Faith can do what it will it was the speech of Christ to the woman O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee as thou wilt In Math. 15.28 Those whose faith is great it shall be to them as they will but know it must be exercised it is not enough to have it in the habit but the activity and exercise of it wherefore for the putting on of your Faith 1. Let us set before us the example of our great Captaine the Lord Jesus Christ you know what difficult works Christ undertooke for the salvation of man such difficult works as all the Angells in heaven and creatures in the world would have sunke under But Christ went through them and there was a work of Faith in Christ that carried him through though it was not such a work of faith as ours Justifying Faith yet he had a Faith his trust in his father that did help to carry him through great and difficult works In 2 Heb. 12.13 Christ is propounded as an example unto us Saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee Christ in his own person did praise God and he sung praises in the hearts of his people so that by the way take this as a comfortable note to encourage us to publique duties while we are praysing of God Christ is praysing of God while we are singing of psalms to God in a gracious manner Christ is praysing of God the father And again I will put my trust in him it is a speech of Christ unto the Father Christ put his trust in the Father and the example of the work of Faith in Christ to carry him through all the works he had to do is brought as an incouragement unto Christians to cast their relyance on God the Father to carry them through all the hard works they have to do And as Christ did not only praise God in his own person but in the Church so Christ did not only in his own person trust in the Father and so was carried through the difficult works he had to do but he trusted
some notes to shew you who those are that are delivered from this Egypt by Faith And who those are that seem to be delivered upon other grounds 1. Those that are delivered by Faith are those that are wel grounded in the Doctrinal and maine points of Religion Faith can never work off the soul from the Government and Ceremonies of Antichrist unless it be well grounded in the doctrine and principles of Religion if I see men crie out of Antichrist and of the Government of Antichrist and it appears that they have not a competent measure of knowledg in the grounds of Religion and Principles of Faith they are to be suspected As many come and examine them about Church Government and they wil tell you a great deale not but that Christians should labor to have knowledg in that but come to examine them the Principles of Religion and there they are silly and ignorant if they be not grounded in them it appears it is not a work of Faith 2. If it be a work of Faith it is a work of much Humiliation and Prayer was there a time you were under the power and bondage of Antichrist how came you from under it did God shew you the evil of it and you sought God in much Humiliation and prayer for the taking off your hearts from it and shewing you his good way and did you find your hearts comming off was by that meanes that is a good argument it was of Faith but many their Consciences tell them it was not a work of Humiliation and Prayer that brought off their hearts they are to be feared 3. If it be a work of Faith it alwaies le ts in light as in the point of the government of Christ many cry out against Antichristian government and come and examine them about it and they have no more light no other arguments nor further understanding then before but only a bitterness of spirit against it If a man grow bitter against those things which before he yeilded too he had need have more light but if they grow exceeding bitter against them and have no further light and understanding then before it is an argument it is a distemper of heart rather then any thing else And therefore casting off all at once is very suspitious where it is of Faith God lets in light by degrees It s said of Luther in his reformation First he saw the evil of one thing and then the evil of another and so by degrees saw the evil of all And so those that forsake the bondage of Antichrist By Faith first God makes them suspect their way surely this is not the right way there is some better way and then they fall a praying and humbling of themselves and they fall examining and so they come to see the evil of one thing and then they examine another and so light comes in by degrees and then their hearts rise against them and if according to the measure of Light that you have your hearts do come off that is a good signe 4. If you break from Antichrist by Faith it will make you a Separate from the world aswel as Separate from them Many are Separates from any thing that hath but the least dependancy upon Antichristian government but they conform themselves to the world that there appears no difference between them and the world in their loose courses that man that is a conformist to the world is not a Non-Conformist to Antichrist by Faith 5. If Faith take you off from the bondage under Antichrist it wil take you off from the bondage under any lust That man that hath not the power of Faith to take him off from any Lust That man is not by Faith taken off from the bondage of Antichrist If Faith delivere from the bondage under Antichrist it will deliver from the bondage under Sin and Sathan and therefore though men do crie out of the bondage of Antichrist never so much and yet they go on under the bondage of any Lust it is not of Faith 6. That Soul that is taken from under the power of Antichrist by Faith is subject to the power and goverment of Christ and the Word If Faith takes from the one it puts under the other nothing but the Word can be the ground of Faith and if Faith takes a Soul from under the bondage of Antichrist Such a Soul finds the Word comes with divine power and majesty upon the heart and it laies a trembling heart under the power and majesty of the Word and it dares not goe from it no not in no other thing You plead for the Word in such and such things but there are other things you do not yield to the power of the Word in this is very suspitious Those that by Faith are brought from the power of Antichrist their hearts are put mightily under the power of the Word and they ly with trembling spirits before the majesty and Authority of the word 7. If it be Faith that takes off the Heart such a one is not content that he is taken from under the Antichristian government unless he meetes with Christ in the Ordinances he does not content it self with the bare huskes and to make all his Religion to consist meerly in Church discipline and Church constitution and to think therefore he hath Religion enough because he hath the Ordinances and yet never finds any panting of Heart after union and communion with Christ Jesus in this way of Church Government but goes on from year to year mearly in the outward performances of Religion I do not speak against the thing it self but to shew it is not of Faith if men do not pant after union with Christ if they be not sensible of the want of it and do not labor for the enjoyment of it 8. If it be Faith that brings thee from this way certainly thou wilt grow more Spirituall As thy heart will pant after Christ so there wil be a Spiritualness of thy Soul in the waies of Christ because thou comest neerer to the rule And this is the difference between Actions of Religion and civil Actions civil Actions that are done by civil rule have not alwaies success but a Spirituall Action that is done by the rule that hath a Spirituall success though not an outward success it does make the heart ever more Spirituall But for people though they be come from the yoake of Antichrist yet to be as dead as ever no more Spiritualness in their way then before no more savour of Godliness in their society and company then before those that knew them before can say I knew them a great deale more spirituall and savoury in that which is good then they are now This is a dangerous thing 9. Againe If it be out of Faith such a one will give all the glory unto God for his deliverance and he wil walk humbly in his own eyes and think I was disobedient and wretched and should have gone on in that way but God by his grace and power hath come and hath taken off my heart and it does magnifie the grace of God It doth not perke up it self and contemne others to think I have got more wisdom and understanding then others and so attribute it to his wit and understanding but it gives the glory to God and instead of censuring others he prays for them and saies it is not all the arguments under Heaven can convince them for I had arguments enough but they were all as nothing til it pleased God by his Grace to set them upon my heart and so though they may see arguments as wel as I they will not do Therefore he pitties others and prays for them and he hath a reverent respect to the Grace of others though they be not in the same way that he is in he doth not presently cast them off saying surely there is no Grace and Godliness in them this is a signe of a proud spirit there are none that are gracious but know there was a time when they went on in that way and yet they did not goe against their light but were willing to understand Gods mind and yet til God came in their hearts were not taken off and therefore they learn to have good thoughts of those that are godly though in other waies But especially if it were out of Faith that you were brought from this Antichristian Bondage it will not leave in thee the Spirit of Antichrist many are far from being under Antichristian bondage and yet have an Antichristian Spirit a Spirit of pride a domineering Spirit a Crooked Perverse Spirit and this is a great evil that in the way of Christ there should be manifested an Antichristian Spirit this should be lamented with tears of blood Now so much as an Antichristian spirit does rule in any though they be from under his Goverment so much it is to be suspected it was not the work of Faith but somwhat else that took them off We should have the spirit of Christ the spirit of Love and Humillity and gentleness and peace and as we would make it appear we are taken off from the yoak of Antichrist by Faith let us shew the Spirit of Christ as Faith hath taken us off from Antichristian power so we should exercise Faith to go on in the waies of Christ as beseems those that are delivered from Antichristian power FINIS Eorum certitudo A. Mont. Interliâ—
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 that 's 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