A Practical Treatise Of Fear,
PRACTICAL TREATISE
OF F E AR.
Whereinthevarious kinds, uſes, cauſes, effects and remedies thereof are diftinctly opened and preſcribed, for the relief and encouragement of all thoſe that fear
God in theſe doubtful and diſtracting times.
To the Right Worshipful Sir JOHN HARTOP, Knight and Baronet.
SIR, AMONG all thecreaturesGodhath made (devils only excepted) man is the moſt apt and able to be his own tormentor; and of all the ſcourges with which he laſheth and afflicteth both his mind and body, none is found ſo cruel and intolerable as his ownfears. The worſe the times are like to be, the more need the mind hath of fuccour and encouragement, toconfirm and fortifyitfor hard encounters; butfrom the worſt profpect, fear inflicts the deepest and moſt dangerous wounds uponthe mindof man, cutting thevery nerves of its paſſive fortitude andbearing ability.
The griefwe ſuffer from evil felt, wouldbe light, and eaſy, wereitnotincenfed byfear ; reaſonwoulddo much, and religionmore, todemulce and lenify our forrows, did notfearbetraythe fuccours of both. And it is from things to come that thisproſpecting creature raiſeth up tohimself vaſthopes and fears: ifhe havea fair and encouraging proſpect of ſerene and profperous days, from the scheme, and poſition of ſecond cauſes, hope immediately fills his heart with chearfulness, and diſplays the ſignals of it in his very face, anſwerable to that fair, benign aſpect of things : but if the face of things to come, be threatening and inauspicious, fear gains the afcendant over the mind; an unmanly, and unchriſtian faintneſs pervades it, and, among the many other miſchiefs it inflicts, this is not the least, that itbrings the evil of to-morrow
VOL. IV.
( 2 ) upon to-day, and ſo makes the duties of to-daywholly unferviceable to the evils of to-morrow ; which is as much as if a man having an intricate, and difficult buſineſs cut out for the next day, which requires the utmoſt intention, both of his mind andbody, and (haply) might be profperoufly managed, if both were duely prepared, ſhould lie, all the night, reſtleſs and difquietedaboutthe event, torturing and ſpending himself with his own preſaging fears, ſothatwhenthe day iscome, and the buſineſs calls for him, his ſtrength is noway equal to theburdenof it, buthe faints, and fails under it.
There is indeed an excellent uſe thatGod makesofour fears, to ſtimulate our flothful hearts, togreater vigilance and preparation for evils; and there is a miſchievous uſe Satan makes of our fears, to caſt us under deſpondency and unbecoming pufillanimity: and I reckon itone ofthe greatest difficulties of religion, to cut, by a thread, here, and ſo to manage ourſelves underthreatningor doubtful providences, as tobetouched with ſomuch ſenſe of thoſe approaching evils, as may prepare us to bear them; andyet toenjoy that conſtancyand firmneſsofmind, inthe worst times, thatmay anſwer the excellent principles we are profeſſedlygovernedby.
Theſe last times are certainlythe moſt perilous times ; great things are yet tobe acted upon the stage of this world, before itbetakendown; and theſcena antepenultima, latter-end, I fay notthe laſt, willbe atragedy.
There isanultima clades adhuc metuenda, adiſmal ſlaughter ofthe witneſſes ofChriſt yet to be expected: the laſt bite of the cruel beaſt will be deadly, and if we flatternotourſelves, all things ſeem to be diſpoſing themſelves inthe courſe ofprovidence towards it.
4 But, Sir, If our union with Chriſt be ſure in itſelf, and fure tousalſo; iffaithgive us thedaily viſions and praelibations of the world to come, what well-compoſed ſpectators ſhall we be oftheſe tragedies ! Let thingsbe toſſedſuſque, deque, and the mountains caſt into the midst of the fea, yet then
Pfal. xlvi. the aſſured Chriſtian may ſing his fongupon Alamoth, A fong compoſed for God's hidden ones.
This ſo poiſeth and ſteddies the mind, that we may enjoy the comfort andtranquillity of a reſigned will, when others are at their wit's end.
With deſign topromote this bleſſed frame, in my own and others hearts, in theſe frightful times, I meditated, andnow publiſh this ſmall tract, to which adear friend (from whom I haveoftenhad the fair idea and character ofyour excellent ſpirit) hath occaſioned the prefixing of your worthy name ; Ibeg
APractical Treatise of Fear.
pardonfor fuch anunusual preſumption, as alſoyour charity in cenſuring the faults that will appear in it, when it ſhall come under ſo exact and judicious an eye; it may be useful, tho' it benotelegant; its teaſonableneſs isitsbeſtcommendation, and its aim better than its performance. As for you, Sir, I hope faithhath reallyplacedyour foul in that ferene andhappy ftationwhere Seneca fancied moral virtue tohave placed agood man, Fatendum eft, cacumine Olympi conftitutus, fupra ventes etprocellas, et omnes res humanas: Above the ſtorms and tempeſts ofthis unquiet and diſtracting world. Butthere aremany gracious perſons at this day labouring under their own fears, andwhoſe hearts are ready to fail with lookingfor those things that are coming to try them that dwelluponthe earth; and poſſibly fomewhat of reliefmaybe adminiſtred tomanyfuch,by thisdiſcourſe; ſomebivious and ſtaggering foulsmaybe eſtabliſhed; fomediſcouragedand fainting ſpirits may be revived; fomedoubts maybediſſolved that have longperplexedgracious hearts. Whatever uſe itmaybe of to any, I humbly call in the aid of your prayers tomyown, for aſpecial bleſſing upon it, and remain, Sir, Yours to honour, hve, andferveyou,
JOHN FLAVEL.
** Isa. viii. 12, 13, and part of ver. 14.
Ver. 12. Say ye not, A confederacy to all them to whom this peopleshallsay a confederacy; neither fear ye [theirfear] nor be afraid.
13. Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let himbeyourfear, and let him be your dread;
14. Andhe Shall beforafanctuary.CHAP.
Whereinthetext, and context, are opened, the doctrinespropound. ed, and thegeneralmethodftated.
THe Here isno more diverſityfound in the outward features, thanin the inward tempers and diſpoſitions of men ; fome are as timorous as hares, and ſtart atevery found, or yelp ofadog; others arebold as lions, and can facedangers with A2
A Practical Treatise of Fear. out trembling; ſome fear morethan they ought, andfomebefore they ought, and others when they ought not at all.
The carnalperſon fears man, not God; the ſtrong Chriftian fears God, not man ; the weak Chriſtian fears man too much, and God too little, There is a fear which is the effect offin, ſpringing from guilt, andhurrying the foul into more guilt; and there is a fear which is the effect of grace, ſpringing from our love toGod, and his intereſt, anddriving the foul to God in the way ofduty.
The leſs fear any man hath, the more happiness, except it be ofthat fear which is our happiness, andour excellency.
It cannot be faid of anyman, as it is ſaid ofLeviathan, Job xli. 33. that he is made without fear; thoſe that have moſt fortitude, are not without fome fears ; andwhenthe church is in the ſtorms of perfecution, and almoſt covered with the waves, the ſtouteft paſſengers in it may ſufferas muchfrom this boiſterouspaſſionwithin, asfrom the ſtorm without; and all for want ofthoroughlybelieving, or not ſeaſonably remembering that the Lord high admiral of all the ocean, and commander of all the winds, is on boardthe ſhip, to ſteer, and to preſerve it in the ſtorm.
Apregnant inſtance hereof, is furnished to ourhands, in this context, where you find the beſt men trembling in expectation ofthe worst events both on the church in general, and themſelves in particular. "Their hearts were moved like the trees of " thewood ſhaken with the wind," chap. vii . 2.
And, indeed, iftheir dangers were tobe meaſuredbyſenſe only, their fears were not above the valueofthe cauſe, yea, their danger ſeemed to exceed their fears ; for it was the invaſion ofa foreign, andcruel enemy, even the Aſſyrian, who were to break inuponthem, like a breach ofthe fea, and overflow the Jand of Immanuel. Ver. 7. " The Lord bringeth upupon them
" the waters of the river, ſtrong and many; even the king of " Affyria, and all his glory, andhe ſhallcome up over all his
" channels, and go over all his banks."
And as the 7th verſe reſembles theenemy to waters, which quickly drown the country into which they break, ſo the 8th verſe tells you, how far they ſhould prevail, and hownear it ſhouldcome to ageneral, and total ruin. " He shall pass throughJudah, he ſhall overflow,
" andgo over ; he ſhall reachevento theneck, and the ſtretch- " ing out of his wings ſhall fill the breadth ofthy land, O Im- " manuel."
Allthe body ſhould be under water, except the capital city, which remained above water.
Having thus deſcribed the power, and ſucceſs ofthe invading
APractical Treatise ofFear.
enemy, inthe 9th, and 10th verſes, he derides their plots, and combinations, aſſuring them, that althoughGod, for juſt and holyends, would permit them, for a time, to afflict his people; yet the iſſue of all their councils, and cruelties, ſhould recoil upon themſelves, and end in their own ruin and confufion.
Andthereupon Iſaiah is commanded toencourage the feeble, andtrembling hearts ofſuch as feared God, in thoſe diſtracted, andfrightful times, Ver. 11 , 12, 13. " The Lordſpakeuntome
" with a ſtrong hand,and inſtructed me that I ſhould not walk " intheway of this people, ſaying, Sayye not a confederacy," c.
Godſpeaking tothe prophet by a ſtrong hand, imports, the ſtrong, and mighty impreſſionthatwasmade upon his heart, by the ſpirit of prophecy; wherein the Lord did, as it were, lay his hand uponhim, as amandoth upon one to whom he is about to impart ſome ſpecial ſecret in a familiar way, q. d.
Come hither, Iſaiah, (drawing him to him at the ſame inſtant, witha friendly hand) take deep notice of what I am now to givethee in charge, both with respect to thyſelf, and my elect peoplethat followthee ; " Saynotyou aconfederacy toall them
" towhom this people ſhall ſay a confederacy," (i. e.) let not theſefrightfultidingsworkupon you as theydouponAhaz, and the common multitude with him, who are ſo terrified, and ſcared, with the approaching dangers, that all their councils, thoughts, and ſtudies, are taken up inpreventing it, bymaking aconfederacy, or league, with the Affyrian ; Hof. v. 13. or if thatcannot be, then with ſome foreign power, that may ſecure them against the Aſſyrian: but their eyes are not at all to me for protection and deliverance ; theyexpect more from Egypt, than from heaven; from a broken reed, than from the rock ofages.
Fear notyou their fear; their fear drives them from God to the creature; it firſt diſtracts them, andthen enſnares them.
But, onthecontrary, ſee thatthou, and all the faithful inthe land with thee, do ſanctify me in your hearts, and makeme yourfear, and yourdread, (i. e.) relyupon me, byfaith, in this day oftrouble, and fee that yougive me the gloryofmywisdom, power, and faithfulness, byrelying intirely uponthoſe my attributesengaged for you in ſo many tried promises; and do not betakeyourſelves to ſuch finful, and vain ſhifts, as thoſe do, thathaveno intereſt in me, nor experience ofme. Thisisthe general ſcope, and deſign ofthe text, wherein, moreparticularly, youhave, :
A Practical Treatise of Fear.
1. An evil practice prohibited.
2. An effectual remedy preſcribed.
3. A fingular encouragement to apply that remedy.
1. An evil practice prohibited, " Fear not their fear, neither " be afraid."
This is that ſinful principle, whichwas but too apt to incline them todo as others did, to wit, to ſaya confederacy.
Sinful fears are apt todrive thebeſt men into finful compliances, and indirect ſhifts tohelp themselves.
Their fear may be understood two ways ; 1. Subjectively.
2. Effectively.
1. Subjectively, for the ſelf-fame fear wherewith the carnal, andunbelievingJews feared; afear that enſlaved them inbondage of ſpirit, a fear that is the fruit of fio, a ſin initsown nature, thecauſe of much ſin tothem, andajuſt punishment ofGoduponthem for their other fins.
2. Effectively, Let not your fear produce in you fuch mifchievous effects, as their fear doth ; to make you forgetGod, magnify the creature, prefer your own wits, and policies, to the Almighty Power, and never failing faithfulness ofGod: if you fay, but how ſhall we help it?
2. Why, inthe next place, you havean effectual remedypreferibed; butfanctify the Lord ofhosts himself, and let himbeyour fear, andyourdread The fear ofGodwill swallowupthe fear ofman, a reverential awe, and dreadofGodwill extinguiſh the flaviſh fear of the creature, as the fun ſhine puts out fire, or as one fire fetches out another; ſo will this fear fetch out that.
Byfanctifying the Lord ofhosts himself, is meant adue afcrip. tionoftheglory of his fovereign power, wisdom, and faithfulneſs, notonly inverbal, and profeſſedacknowledgments thereof, but eſpecially in thoſe internal acts ofaffiance, reſignation, and intiredependance on him, which as they are the choiceſt refpects ofthecreaturetowards itsGod, andgivehimthe greatest glory, ſo they are certainly the moſt beneficial, andcomfortable actswecanperform, for ourown peace, andfafety, in timesof danger.
Ifamando really look toGod in aday of trouble, and fear, astotheLordofhosts, (i. e)one thatgoverns all the creatures, andalltheir actions ; atwhoſebeck, and command, all the armies ofheaven, and earth are, and thencanrelyupon the care, and
loveof this God, as a child in danger oftrouble repoſes on, and commits himself, with greater confidence,tothe care, and protectionofhis father : O what peace,what reſt, must neceſſarily follow, upon this ! Who would be afraid topaſs through the