Prescribing the rules to cure our finful fears, and pre-

Prescribing the rules to cure our finful fears, and pre-

APractical Treatise of Fear.

CHAP.

VI.

Prefcribing the rules to cure ourfinful fears, andprevent these fadandwoful effects of them .

Set. I. WE arenow cometo the moſt difficult part of the work, viz. the cure ofthe ſinful and ſlaviſh fear ofcreatures intimes ofdanger, which ifit might, through the bleffing ofGod, be effected, we mightlive athearts eaſe inthe midst of all our enemies and troubles, and, like the fun in the heavens, keepon our ſteddy course inthe darkeſt and gloomieſt day.

But before I come to the particular rules, it willbe neceffary, for the prevention ofmistakes, to lay down three ufeful cautions about this matter.

I Caution . Understand that none but thoſe that are in Chrift are capable to improve the following rules to their advantage.

The ſecurity ofour fouls is the greatest argument uſedby Chrift toextinguiſh our fears of them that kill the body, Mat. x.

28.

But if the foul muft unavoidably periſh when the body doth, if it must drop into hell before the bodybe laid inthe grave, if he that kills the body doth, by the ſame ſtroke, cut offthefoul from all the means and poſſibilities of mercy and happineſs for ever, whatcan be offered in fuch a cafe, to relieve aman against fear and trembling ?

2 Caution. Expect not a perfect cure of your fears in this life, whilft there are enemies anddangers, there will be fome fearsworking in the beſt hearts: If our faith couldbe perfected, our fears wouldbe perfectly cured; but whilst there is ſo muchweakness in our faith, there willbe too much ſtrength in our fears. And for those who are naturally timorous, who havemore of this paſſion in their conſtitution than other men have, and thoſe inwhom melancholy is arooted andchronical diſeaſe, it will be hard for them totallyto rid themselves of fears and dejections, though in the use ofſuch helps and means as follow, they may be greatly relieved against the tyranny of them, and enabled to poſſeſs their fouls in much more tranquillityand comfort .

3 Caution. Whosoever expects the benefitof the following preſcriptions and rules, muſt not think the reading, or bar remembringofthem willdo thework, but he mustwork them intohis heart by believing and fixed meditation, and live in the daily practice of them.

It is not ouropening of our cafe to a phyſician, nor his prefcriptions and written directions, thatwill

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cureaman, buthe must reſolve to take the bitter and nauſeous potion, how much foever he loath it; to abſtain fromhurtful diet, how well foever he loves it, if ever he expect tobe a foundand healthful man.

So it is in this caſe alſo.

Theſe things premiſed, the i 1Rule. The first rule to relieve us againſt our ſlaviſh fears,

Isferiously toconfider, andmore thoroughly tostudy the covenant of grace, within the bleffed clasp and bondwhereof all believers are. I think the clear underſtanding ofthe nature, extent, and ſtability of the covenant, and of our intereſt therein, would goagreatway inthe cure of our finful and flaviſh fears.

Acovenant is more than a naked promife; inthe covenant, Godhath graciously confulted ourweakneſs, fears, anddoubts, andtherefore proceeds with us inthe highest wayof folemnity, confirminghis promiſes byoath, Heb. vi. 13, 17. andbyhis feals,

Rom. vi . 11.

Putting himself under the moſt folemn ties and engagements that can be, to his people, that from fo firm a ratificationofthe covenant with us, we might have ſtrong conſolation, Heb. vi. 18.

He hathfo ordered it, that it might afford ftrong ſupports, and the moſt reviving cordials to our faint and timorous ſpirits, inall the plunges of trouble both from within, and from without.

In the covenant God makes over himſelftohis people, to be unto them aGod, Jer. xxxi. 33 .

Heb. viii. 10.

Wherein the Lord beſtows himself in all his glorious eſſential properties upon us, tothe end thatwhatsoever his almighty power, infinite wisdom,and incomprehenfible mercycan afford for our protection, ſupport, deliverance, direction, pardon, or refreshment ; we might be aſſured ſhall be faithfully performed to us in allthe ſtraits, fears, and exigencies of our lives.

This God expects we should improve by faith, as the moſt ſovereign antidote against all our fears in this world, Ifa. xliii. 1, 2. " Thus faith the Lord that created thee,

" O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Iſrael; fear not, for I " have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou

" art mine; when thou paſſeſt through the waters, Iwill be " with thee," &c.

Ifa. xli. 10. " Fear not, for I am with thee, " be not diſmayed, for I am thyGod."

And if thou, reader, be within the bonds of the covenant, thou mayeſt ſurely find enough there toquiet thy heart, whateverthe matter or ground ofthy fears be : IfGodbe thy covenant God, he will be with thee in all thy ſtraits, wants, and troubles,he will never leave, nor forſake thee.

From the covenantitwas thatDavidencouragedhimself against all his troubles, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. " Although my houſebe not ſo withGod, yet

A Practical Treatise of Fear.

" hathhe made with me an everlasting covenant,well ordered " in all things and ſure; this is allmy ſalvation, and all my

" defire, though he make itnot to grow." He could fetch all reliefs, all comforts, and ſalvation out ofit, andwhy cannot we? Hedefiredno more forthe ſupport ofhis heart ; this isall

mydefire; and fure ifwe understood and believed it as he did, we could defire no more to quiet and comfort our hearts than what this covenant affords us.

For, 1. Are we afraid what our enemies will do ? We know we arein the midstofpotent, politic,andenragedenemies ; we have heard what they havedone, and ſee what they are preparing to do again. We tremble to think what bloody tragedies are like to beacted over again in the world by their cruel hands : ButO what heroic and noble acts of faith ſhould the covenant of God enable thee to exert amidst all these fears ? IfGod be thy

God,thenthou hast anAlmightyGod onthy fide, and that is enough toextinguiſh all theſe fears, Pfal. cxviii. 6. " The Lord is

" onmy fide, Iwill not fear what man can dounto me." Your fears come in the name ofman, butyour help in the name of the Lord: Let them plot, threaten, yea, and ſmite too ; God is aſhield to all thatfear him, andifGodbe for us, whocanbe againſt us ?

2. Are we afraid what God willdo ? fear it not, yourGod will do nothing against your good; think not that he may forgetyou, it cannot be; foonermayatender mother forget her fucking child, Ifa. xlix. 15. no, no, " Hewithdraweth not his

" eye from the righteous, Job. xxxvi . 7. His eyes are continually upon all the dangers and wants of your fouls and bodies, there is not a danger or an enemy ſtirring against you, but his eye is upon it, 2 Chron . xvi. 9.

Are you afraid he will forſake and caſt you off? It is true, your ſins havedeſerved he ſhould do ſo, but he hath ſecured youfully against that fear inhis covenant, Jer. xxxii. 40. " I will

" not turn away fromthem, to dothem good."

Allyour fears ofGod's forgetting or forſakingyou, ſpring out ofyour ignorance ofthe covenant.

3. Are you afraid what you ſhall do? It is uſual for the peopleofGod to propoſe difficult caſes to themselves, and put ſtartling queſtions totheirown hearts ; and there may be an excellent uſe ofthem to rouze them out ofſecurity, put them upon the ſearch and trial of their conditions and eſtates, and make preparation for the worſt; but Satan usually improves it to a quite contrary end, todeject, affright, and discourage them. O if fiery trials ſhould come, if my liberty and life

A Practical Treatise of Fear.

comeonce tobetouched in earnest, I fear I ſhall never have ſtrength to go on a ſtep farther in the way ofreligion : I am afraid I ſhall faint in the firſtencounter, I ſhall deny the words oftheholy One, make ſhipwreck of faith and a good confcience in the firſt guſt of temptation.

I can hear, and pray, andprofeſs ; but Idoubt Icannot burn, or bleed, or lie in a dungeon for Chriſt.

IfI can ſcarce run with footmeninthe landofpeace, how do I think tocontendwithhorses in theſe fwellings ofJordan ?

Butyet all theſe are but groundless fears, either forged in thy own miſgiving heart, or ſecretly shuffled by Satan into it; for Godhath abundantly ſecured thee againſt fear in this very particular, by that moſt ſweet, ſupporting,and bleſſedpromiſe, annexed to the former, inthe ſame text, Jer.xxxii. 40. " I will putmy fear intotheir hearts, thatthey ſhall notdepart from " me."

Here is another kind offear, than that which ſo ſtartles thee, promiſed tobe putinto thy heart, not a fear to ſhake and undermine thy aſſurance, as this doth, but to guard and maintain it.

Andthis isthefearthat ſhallbeenabledtovanquish andexpel all thy other fears .

4.Or are you afraid what thechurch ſhalldo ? And what will become ofthe arkofGod ? Doyoufee aſtormgathering, winds begintoroar, the waves to ſwell ; and are you afraid what will becomeofthat veſſel the church, in whichyouhave ſogreatan intereſt ?

Itis anargument ofthe publicneſs andexcellency ofthy ſpirit, tobe thus touched with the feeling ſenſe of the church's fufferings, and dangers. Moſt men ſeek their own things, and hot thethings that are Chriſt's, Phil. ii. 21. Butyet. it is your ſin ſo to fear, as to ſink and faint under a ſpiritofdeſpondency, anddiſcouragement,whichyetmanygoodmenare buttoo apt todo.

I remember an excellentpaſſage in aletter of * Luther's toMelancthon upon this very account.

• In private troubles, *faithhe, I am weaker, and thou art ſtronger; thou deſpiſeſt

' thy own life, but feareſt the public cauſe : but for the public I am at reſt, being aſſured that thecauſe isjuſt and true, yea, that it is Chriſt's andGod's cauſe.

Iam wellnigh * a ſecure ſpectator ofthings, andeſteem not any thing theſe * fierceandthreatningPapiſts cando. Ibeſeechthee byChrift,

، neglect not ſo divine promiſs and confolations, where the ſcripture faith, Caſt thy care upon the Lord, wait upon the

VOL . IV.

G *Epift. adMelanct. Anno 1549,

A Practical Treatise of Fear.

6• Lord, be ſtrong, and he ſhallcomfort thy heart." + Andin another epiſtle ! ' I much diflike thoſe anxious cares, which as • thou writeft do almoſt confume thee. It is not the greatneſs

' ofthe danger,but the greatness ofthy unbelief.

John Hufs and others were under greater danger than we; and if it * be great, heis great that orders it.

Whydo you afflict your- * felf? ifthe cauſebe bad,let us renounce it; if it be good, whydowe make him a liar who bids us be ſtill ? as if you were able todo any good by ſuch unprofitable cares. Ibe- * ſeech thee, thou that in other things art valiant, fight a- ' gainſt thyſelf, thine own greateſt enemy, that puts weapons

into Satan's hand.'

You fee how goodmenmaybeeven overwhelmed with publicfears ; but certainly if we did well conſiderthe bond of the covenant that is betwixtGod and his people, we ſhould be morequiet and compoſed.

For byreafon thereof it is, 1. That Godis in the midst ofthem, Plal. xlvi. 1, 2,3, 4. When any great danger threatened the reformed church in its tender beginning, in Luther's time, hewould fay,Comeletusfing the xlvi. Pfalm ; and indeed it is a lovely fong for fuch times; it bears the title ofA Song uponAlamoth, or a fong for the hidden ones, God is withthem tocover them underhis wings. 2.And itisplainmatter of fact, evident to all the world, that no people under the heavens have been ſo long and fo wonderfully preſerved as the church hath been; it hath over-lived manybloody maſſacres, terrible perfecutions, fubtle and cruel enemies ; ſtillGod hath preferved and delivered it, for his promiſes obligehim todo it, amongstwhich thoſe two are ſignal and eminent ones, Jer. xxx.

11. Ifa. xxvii. 3. And it is obvious to all that will confider things, that there are the felf-fame motives inGod, and the felftame grounds and reasons before him, to take careof his church and people, that ever were inhim, or did ever lie before him from the beginningof the world.

For (1.) The relation is ſtill the fame.

What though Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, thoſe renowned believers, be in their graves, and thoſe that fucceedbe far inferior to them in grace and ſpiritual excellency ; yet faith the church, doubtless thou art our Father.

There is the fame tie and bond betwixt the Father and the youngest weakest child in the family, as the eldest and ſtrongest.

(2. ) His pity and mercy is ſtill the fame, for that endures for ever : his bowels yearn as tenderly over his people in their preſent, as ever theydid in any paſt afflictions, or ſtraits.

(3.) The rage †Anno 1530.

APractical Treatise of Fear.

andmalice ofhisandhispeoples enemies is ſtillthe ſame, they will reflect as blafphemouſly anddishonourably uponGod now, ſhouldhe give uphis people, as ever theydid.

Mofes's argu. ment is asgood now as ever itwas, What will the Egyptians fay? andſo is Joſhua's too, What wilt thou do unto thygreat name ? Oh! if theſe things were morethroughly ſtudied and believed, theywould appeaſe many fears.

2. Rule. Work uponyour hearts the confideration of themany mischiefs and miſeries mendraw upon themselves and others, both in this world and that tocome, by their ownfinfulfears.

1. The miſeries and calamities that ſinful fear brings upon meninthis world are unspeakable: this isitthathathplunged the confciences of ſo many poor wretches into ſuch deep diftreffes; this it is thathath put them upon the rack, andmade them roar like men in hell among the damned. Some have been recovered, and others have periſhed intheſe deeps of korror anddeſpair.

" * In the year 1550 there was at Ferrara in " Italyone Faminus, who by reading good books was by the grace ofGod converted tothe knowledge ofthe truth, where- " in he found ſuch ſweetneſs, thatby conſtant reading, medi- " tation, and prayer, he grew ſo expert in the ſcriptures, thathe

" was able to inſtruct others ; and though hedurft not go out " ofthe bounds of his calling to preach openly, yet by confe- " rence and private exhortations hedid good to many.

This " coming to the knowledge of the pope's clients, they appre- "hended and committed him to prifon, where he renounced

" the truth, and was thereupon releaſed: but it was not long " before the Lord met with him for it; fo as falling intohor- " rible torments of confcience, he was near unto utter de- " ſpair; nor couldhe be freed fron thoſe terrors, before he

"had fully refolved to venture his life more faithfully in the " ſervice of Chriſt ."

Dreadful was that voice which poorSpiraſeemed to hear in his own confcience, as foon as ever his finful fears had prevailedupon him to renounce the truth.

"Thou wicked wretch, " thou hast denied me, thou hast renounced the covenant of " thine obedience, thou haftbroken thy vow ; hence, apoſtate,

" bear with thee the fentence of thine eternal damnation."

Preſentlyhe falls into a fwoon, quakingand trembling, and till affirmed to his death, " That from that time he never found

"anyeaſe orpeace in his mind;" but profeſſed," that hewas * Clark's Examp. p. 27.

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" captivated under the revenginghand of the AlmightyGod= " and thathe continually heardthe ſentence of Chriſt, the juſt

" judge against him ; and that he knewhe was utterlyundone, " andcouldneither hope for grace, orthat Chriſt ſhould inter- " cede for him to the Father."

In our dreadful Marian days, Sir John Cheek, who hadbeen tutor to KingEdward VI. was caſt intotheTower, and kept cloſe priſoner, and there put to this miferable choice, eitherto forego bis life, or that which was more precious, his liberty of confcience, neither could his liberty be procured by his great friends at any lower rate than to recant his religion : This he was very unwilling to accept of, 'tillhis hard imprisonment, joinedwith threats of much worſe in caſeof his refuſal, at laft wrought ſo upon him, whilst he conſulted with flesh and blood, as drew from him an abrenunciation of that truth which hehad ſo long profeſſed, and ſtill believed: Upon this he was reſtored to hisliberty, butnever to his comfort; for the ſenſe of his own apoſtacy, and the daily fight of the cruel butcheries exerciſed upon others for their conſtant adherence to the truth, made fuch deep impreſſions uponhis broken ſpirit, as brought him to a ſpeedy end of his life, yet not without ſome comfortable hopes at last .

Our own hiſtories abound with multitudes of ſuch doleful examples.

Somehave been inſuch horror ofconscience, that theyhave choſen ſtrangling rather than life ; they have felt that anguiſh of confcience that hath put them upon deſperate reſolutions, and attempts, against their own lives to rid themselves of it.

This was thecafe ofPeter Moon, who being driven by his own fears todeny the truth, preſently fell into fuch horror ofconfcience, thatfeeinga ſword hanging in hisparlour, wouldhave ſheathed it inhis own bowels.

So Francis Spira, before-mentioned, when hewas near his end, faw aknife on thetable, and running to it, would have miſchiefed himself, had not his friends provented him; thereupon he faid, Oh! that I were above God, for I know that hewillhave no mercy onme. Helay about eightweeks

(faith the hiſtorian) in a continualburning, neither defiring, or receiving any thing but byforce, and that without digestion, till he became as an anatomy; vehemently raging for drink, yet fearful to live long; dreadful of bell, yet coveting death ; ina continual torment, yet his own tormentor ; and thus confuming bimselfwithgriefandhorror, impatienceanddespair, like a living manin hell, he representedan extraordinary example ofGod's ju ſticeandpower, andſo endedhis miferable life.

APractical Treatise of Fear.

Surely it were good to fright ourſelves byſuch dreadful examples out of our finful fears ; is any miſery we can fear from thehands ofman like this ? Oh, reader ! believe it, " it is

" afearful thingtofallintothehands ofan angryGod."

Hadſt thou ever felt the rage and efficacy ofawounded and diſtreſſed confcience, as theſe poor wretches felt it, no fears or threats ofmenſhoulddrive thee into ſuch anhell upon earth as thisis,

2.Andyet, though thisbeadoleful caſe, itisnotthe worſt caſe yourown finful fears will caſt you into, except the Lord over- .. comeand extinguiſhtheminyou bythe fear ofhis name, they will not only bringyou into akind ofhellupon earth, but inte hell itſelfforevermore; forſothe righteousGodhath ſaid in his word of truth, Rev. xxi. 8. " but the fearful and unbelieving,

" &r. ſhall have their part inthe lakewhich burneth with fire " and brimstone, which is the ſeconddeath."

Behold here the martial law ofheaven executed upon cowards and renegadoes, whoſe fears make them revoltfrom Chriſt in the time ofdanger.

Think upon this, you timorous and faint-hearted profeffors : you cannot bearthe thoughts oflying in anaſtydungeon, how will you lie then in the lake of fire and brimſtone ? You are afraidofthe face and frowns ofaman that ſhall die,but how will you live among devils ? Is the wrath ofman like the fury ofGod poured out? Is not the little fingerofGodheavier than the loins of allthe tyrants in the world? remember what Chrift hath ſaid, Matth. x. 33. "But whosoever ſhalldeny me be- " foremen, him willI alſodeny before my Father which is in " heaven."

Reader, the time is coming when he that ſpake theſe words ſhallbreak outofheavenwith a ſhout, accompanied with myriads of angels, and ten thousandsof his faints, the heavens andthe earth ſhallbe in dreadful conflagrations round abouthim; the laſt trump ſhall found, the graves ſhall open, theearth and ſeaſhallgiveupthedead thatare in them.

Thine eyes ſhall ſee him afcend the awful throne of judgment, his faithful ones that feared not to own and appear for him inthe faceofallenemies anddangers, fittingon the bench, as aſſeffors with him ; and then to be diſclaimed and renounced for ever by Jeſus Chriſt, in the face of that great aſſembly, and proclaimedadelinquent, a traitortohim, that deniedſt his name and truths, becauſe of the frowns of a fellow-creature, long fince witheredas the grass. O how wilt thoube able toendure this ! Now putboth theſe together, in thy ferious confideration, think on the terrors ofconfciencehere, and the deſperate horror ofitinhell; this is a par-boiling, that as aroasting in the flames ofGod's infufferable wrath: theſeas ſomeſcaldingdrops ſprink-

A Practical Treatise of Fear. ledbefore-hand upon thy conſcience, that tender and ſenſible part of man; that as the lake burning for ever with fire and brimstone. Oh ! who would fuffer himselftobe drivenintoall this mifery, by the fears oftheſe ſufferings which canbuttouch the flesh; andfor their duration, theyare but for a moment ?

Think, and think again upon thoſe words of Chrift, Mark viii. 35." He that willfave his life, ſhall loſe it."

It may be a ✓prolonging of a miferable life, a life worſe thandeath, even in thine own account; a life without the comfort or joy of life; alife ending in the ſecond death; and allthis for fear ofatrifle, compared with what thou ſhalt afterwards feel in thine own confcience, and leſs than a trifle, nothing, compared with what thou muſt ſuffer fromGod for ever.

Rule 3. He that will overcome his fears ofsufferings, must foresee andprovide before-handfor them.

The fear of caution is a good cure to the fear of distraction ; andthe more ofthat, the leſs of this ; this fearwill cure that, as one fire draws forth another, Heb. xi. 7. " Noahbeingmoved

" with fear, prepared an ark." In which he provided as much for the reſt and quiet of his mind, as he did for the safety of his perſon and family.

That which makes evils ſo frightful as they are, istheir comingbyway of furprize upon us.

Thoſe troubles that find us ſecure,do leave us diſtractedand defperate.

Preſumptionofcontinued tranquillity proves oneofthe greatest aggravations of misery.

Trouble will lie heavy enough when it comes by way of expectation, but it is intolerable when it comesquite contrary to expectation.

It willbe the lot ofBabylon to fufferthe unexpected vials ofGod's wrath, and I wish nonebut she and her children maybe ſo ſurprized.

Rev. xviii.

7. Oh! It were well for us, if, in the midst ofour pleaſantenjoyments, wewould beputting the difficulteſt cafes toourſelves, and mingle afewſuch thoughts as theſe with allour earthly enjoyments and comforts.

Iam now ateaſe inthe midst ofmy habitation, but the time may be at hand when my habitation ſhallbe in apriſon.

I ſee no faces at preſent but thoſe of friends, full of finiles and honours; I may fee none ſhortlybut the faces ofenemies, full of frowns and terrors.

I have now an eſtate to lupplymywants, andprovide for my family; but this mayſhortly fall as apreyto the enemy, they may ſweep away all that Ihave gathered, reap thefruits ofall my labours.-Impius hasfegetes.

Ihaveyet my life given me for a prey; but, oh ! how foon may it fall into cruelandblood-thirſty hands ! I have nobetter ſecurity for theſe things thanthe martyrs had, who fuffered the loss of all theſe

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things for Chrift's fake. Adouble advantage would reſult to usfromfuchmeditations as theſe, viz. the advantage,

1. Ofacquaintance with 2. Of preparation for Troubles.

{ 1. Hereby our thoughts would be better acquainted with theſeevils; andthemore theyare acquainted with, the less they will start and fright at them. We should not think it ſtrange concerningthe fiery trial, as it is 1 Pet. iv. 12.

Itis with our thoughts as it is with young colts; they ſtart at every new thing they meet; but we cure them of it, by bringing them home to that they ſtart at, and making them ſmell to it; better acquaintance cures this ſtartling humour.

The newness of evil*, faitha lategraveand learneddivine, is thecauſe of fear, whenthe mind itſelfhathhadno preceding encounter with it, wherebytojudge ofits ſtrength, nor example ofanotherman's profperous iſſue, toconfirm its hopes inthe like fucceſs: For, as I notedbefore out of the Philoſoper †, experience is inſtead of armour, and is a kind of fortitude, enabling both tojudge, and to bear troubles; for there are some things which are μορ μολυκεια και προσωπεια, ſcare-crows andvizors, which children fear only outof ignorance; as soon as they are knownthey cease to beterrible.

Iknow ourminds naturally reluctate, 'anddecline fuch harſh and unpleasant fubjects: It is hard to bring our thoughts to them in good earneſt, and harder todwell ſo long as is necefſarytothis endupon them. Wehad rather take a pleaſant prof. pect of future felicity and profperity in this world ; of multiplying ourdays asthefand, andat last dying quietly in our neft, as Job ſpeaks.

Our thoughts run nimbly upon ſuch pleaſant fancies, like oiled wheels, and have need of trigging ; but whentheycome into the deep anddirtyways of ſuffering, there they drive heavily, like Pharaoh's chariots diſmounted from their wheels.

But that which is moſt pleasant, is not always moſt useful and neceſſary; our Lord was well acquaintedwith

griefs, tho' our thoughts be fuch great ſtrangers to them; he often thought and ſpake ofhis fufferings, andofthe bloodybaptiſmwith which he was to be baptized, Luke xii. 50. and he notonlyminded his own fufferings before-hand, but, when he perceived the fond imaginations and vain fancies of fome that followed and profeſſedhim, deluding them with expectations ofearthly profperityand reſt, he gave their thoughts aturn to i * Dr. Edward Reynolds.

+Epictetus.

A Practical Treatise of Fear.. this leſs pleaſing, but more needful ſubject, the things they were to fuffer for his name; inſteadof anſwering a foolish and groundleſs queſtion, offitting onhis right and left hand, like earthly grandees, he rebukes the folly of the Queſtioniſt, and aſksa leſs pleaſing queſtion, Mat.xx. 22. " But Jefus anſwered

" and ſaid, Ye know not what ye aſk : are ye able to drink of " the cup that I thall drink of, and tobe baptized with thebap- " tiſm that I shall be baptized with ?" q. d. You do but abuſe yourſelves with ſuch fond and idledreams, there is other employment cut out for you in the purpoſes ofGod; inſtead of fitting upon thrones andtribunals, it would becomeyou to think ofbeing brought before them as priſoners to receiveyourdoom andſentence todiefor myfake; theſe thoughts woulddoyou a greatdeal more ſervice.

2. As fuch meditations would acquaint us better, ſo they would prepare us better, to encounter troubles and difficult thingswhenthey come.

Readineſs and preparationwouldfubdueand baniſh our fears ; we are never much ſcared with that forwhich our mindsare prepared.

There is theſamedifference in this cafe, as there isbetwixt a ſoldier in complete armour, andreadyatevery pointfor his enemy; andone that is alarmed inhisbed,whohath laid his clothes inoneplace, and his arms in another, when his enemy is breaking open his chamber-door uponhim.

Itwasnottherefore without themoſt weighty reaſon, that the apoſtlepreſſes us ſoearnestly,Eph. vi. 13, 14. " Take

" untoyou the whole armour ofGod, that ye maybe able to " withſtandinthe evilday, andhaving done allteſtand. Stand

" therefore, having your lions girt aboutwith truth, and having " on thebreaſt plateofrighteouſneſs, andyour feet ſhodwith

" thepreparation ofthe gospelofpeace." Weseethebenefitof ſuchpreviſions andproviſionsfor ſuffering,in thatgreat example ofcourage andconftancy,Acts xxi. 13., " I am ready, (faith

" Paul) not only to be bound,but to die atJeruſalem." And the fame courage and conſtancy remained inhim,whenhe was entring the very lifts, and going to layhis veryneckupon the block, 2 Tim. iv. 6. "I am readyto be offered up, the time

" of mydeparture is at hand."

The word σπένδομαι, properly ſignifies a libation ordrink-offering,whereinfome conceive he alluded to the very kind of hisown death, viz.by the ſword : his heartwas broughttothat frame,thathe could with as much willingneſs pour out his blood for Chriſt, as thepriestsuſedtopour out drink-offerings to the Lord.

It is true, all the meditations and preparations inthe world, madebyus, are not fufficient in themselves tocarry us through fuch difficult ſervices; it is one

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thingtofeedeath as our fancylimns itout at adiſtance, and anotherthingtolookdeath itſelfin the face. Wecanbehold the paintedlionwithout fear, but the living lion makes us tremble : but yet, tho'ourfuffering-ſtrength comes not from ourown preparationsorforethoughtsofdeath,butfromGod's graciousaſſiſtance ; yet uſually that aſſiſtance of his is communicated to us in and by the confcientious and humble use of theſe means ; let us therefore be found waitinguponGodfor ſtrength, patience, and refolutions to fuffer as itbecomes Chriſtians, in thedaily ſerious uſeof thoſe means whereby he is pleaſed to communicate to hispeople.

Rule 4. If ever you will fubdue your own lavish fears, commit yourselves, and allthat isyours, into the hands ofGod by faith.

This rule is fullyconfirmed by that ſcripture, Prov. xvi . 3.

" Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts ſhall be " eſtabliſhed."

The greatest partof our trouble and burden, in times ofdanger, arifes from the unſettledneſs and diſtraction of ourown thoughts; and theway tocalm and quietourthoughts istocommit all toGod.

Thisrule is to be applied for this end and purpoſe, whenwe are going to meetdeath itſelf, and that in all its terrible formalities, and moſt frightful appearances,

1 Pet. iv. 19. " Letthem thatſuffer accordingto the willofGod " committhe keeping oftheir ſouls tohim inwell-doing, as unto

" a faithful Creator." And if this committing act offaith be fo usefulat ſuch atime, when the thoughts must be ſuppoſed to bein the greateſt hurry, and fears in their full ſtrength ; much more will it eſtabliſh the heart, and calm its paſſions in leſſer troubles.

You know whateaſe and reliefit wouldbe toyou, if youhadatrialdependingin law for your eſtates,andyour hearts were overloaded and diſtracted with cares and fears about the iſſue of it : ifonewhomyou know to bevery ſkilful and faithful, ſhould fay to you at ſuch a time, trouble not yourselfany farther about this buſineſs, never break an hour's fleep more for this matter; be you an unconcerned ſpectator, commit it tome, and trust me with the management of it; I will make it myownconcernment, and ſave you harmleſs. Owhat a burden,what anheavy loadwould you feel yourſelves eaſed of, as foon as you had thus transferred andcommitted it to ſuch a hand! thenyou would be able toeat with pleaſure, and fleep inquietneſs : much more eaſe and quietneſs doth yourcommittingthe matter ofyour fears toGod give, even ſo much more as his power, wiſdom, and faithfulness is greater than what is

VOL. IV.;

A Practical Treatise of Fear. tobefoundinmen. But to make this rule practicable, and improvable to peace and quietness ofheart in an evil day, it will be neceffary thatyouwellunderſtand, 1. What the committing act offaithis.

2.What grounds and encouragements believers haveforit.

1. Studywellthe nature of thiscommittingact offaith, and what it ſuppoſes or implies in it; for allmen cannot commit themselves toGod, it is his own people only thatcando it : nor is it everything theycancommit toGod;theycannotcommit themselves tohis care and protection inanywaybut only inhis own ways. Know more particularly, ift, That he, who will commit himself toGod, muſt commithimself tohim inwell doing, as the apoſtle limits it in 1 Pet. iv. 19. and in things agreeable to his will; elſewe would make

Goda patronand protector of our fins : Let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit thekeeping of their fouls to him inwell-doing. We cannot commit our fins, but ourduties, toGod's protection; God is ſo great a friend to truth andrighteouſneſs, that inſuch acaſehe willnot take your part, how dear foeveryou be tohim, if truth be found on your enemies part, and the mistake on yours.

Think not to entitleGod toyour errors and failings, much leſs toany finful deſigns ; you may commit adoubtful cafe to him to be decided, but not a ſinful caſe tobe protected.

It is invain to ſhelter any cauſe of your own under his wings, except you can write upon it, as Daviddid, Pfal. lxxiv. 22. Thineown cause, O Lord, as wellas mine.

Lord, plead thine own cauſe.

2dly, He that commits his all toGod, ſuppoſes and firmly believes that all events and iſſues of things are inGod's hands; that he only can direct, over-rule, and order them all as he pleaſeth. Upon this ſuppoſition the committing acts of faith in all our fears anddiſtreſſes are built : I trusted in thee,

OLord, Ifaid, Thou art myGod, my times are in thyhand, deliwer mefrom the handsofmy enemies, andfrom them that perfecuteme.

His firm affent to this great truth, That his times were in God's hands, was the reasonwhy he committed himself into that hand.

If our times, or lives, or comforts were in our enemies hands, it were to little purpoſe for us tocommit ourſelves intoGod's hands. And here the contrary ſenſes and methods of faith and unbelief are as confpicuous as in any one thing whatsoever : unbeliefperfuades men that their lives, and allthat is dear tothem is in the hands of their enemies, and therefore perfuades them the beſt way they cantake to fecure themſelves, isbycompliancewith the willoftheirenemies, and

APractical Treatise of Fear.

pleaſing them : but faithdetermines quite contrary, it tells us, Weandall thatisours, is inGod's hand, and no enemy can touch us, orours, tillhegive them apermiffion; and therefore it isour dutyand intereft to please him, and commit all to him.

3. The committing ourſelves toGod, implies the reſignation of our wills tothe will ofGod, tobediſpoſed of as ſeems goodinhiseyes: SoDavid commits toGod the event ofthat fad anddoubtful providence, which made him fly for his life, from a ſtrong conſpiracy, 2 Sam. xv. 25. " And the king ſaid

" unto Zadock, Carryback the arkofGod into the city ; if I " ſhall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me

" again, and ſhew meboth itand his habitation: but ifhe thus " ſay, Ihave nodelight inthee, behold, here am I, lethim do

" tome as ſeemeth good to him ; " q. d. Lord, the conſpiracy against my life is ſtrong, thedanger great, the iſſue exceeding doubtful; butIcommit all into thy hand; if David may yet: beuſed in any farther ſervice for his God, I ſhall ſee this city: andthy lovely temple again; but if not, I ly at thy foot, to bediſpoſed either for life or death, for the earthly or the heavenly Jerufalem, as feemeth beſt in thine eyes.

This fubmiffiontoDivinepleaſure isincludedinthe committing act of faith.

Chriſtian, what ſayeſt thou to it?

Is thy will contenttogo back, that thewillofGodmay come on, and take place of it ?

Itmaybe thou canst refer a difficult caſe toGod, provided he will determine and iſſue it according to thy deſires ; but, in truth, that is no fubmiſſion or reſignation at all, but a ſinful limiting of, and preſcribing toGod.

It was an excellent reply thata choice Chriſtian once made to another, when a beloved andonlychild lay in adangerous ſickneſs at the point ofdeath, afriend aſked the mother, What would you now defire ofGod inreference toyour child ? wouldyou beg of him its life or its death, in this extremity that it is now in ? The mother anſwered, I refer that to the willofGod. But, ſaid her friend, ifGod would refer it toyou, what would you chuſe then ?

Why truly, faid she, ifGod would refer it to me, Iwould even refer it toGod again.

This is the true committing of ourſelves and our troubleſome concerns to the Lord.

4. The committing act of faith implies our renouncing and diſclaiming all confidence and trust inthe arm of fleſh, and an expectationof relief fromGod only.

If we commit ourſelves toGod, we must ceaſe from man, Iſa. ii. 22.

To truſt God in part, and the creature in part, is to fet one foot upon a rock, and the otherupon aquickſand. Thoſe acts offaith that H2

A Practical Treatise of Fear. give the entire glory toGod, give real relief and comfortto us.

2. Let us fee whatgrounds and encouragements the people ofGod have to commit themselves and all the matters of their fears toGod, and ſo toenjoythe peace andcomfortof are figned will; and there are two forts ofencouragements before you, let thecafebe as difficult and frightfulas it will, you may find ſufficient encouragements inGod, andſomewhat from yourſelves, viz . your relationtohim, and experiences ofhim.

1. In God there is allthat your hearts can defire toencourage you to truſt him over all, and commit all into his hands.

For, 1. He is able tohelp and relieve you ; let the cafe be never ſo bad, yet " let Ifrael hope inthe Lord, for with the Lord is

" plenteous redemption," Pfal. cxxx. 7, 8. Plenteous redemption, i. e. all the ſtores ofpower, choice ofmethods, plenty of means, abundance of ways to ſave his people, when they can ſee noway out of their troubles: therefore hope, Ifrael, in Jehovah.

2. As his power is almighty, ſo his wisdom is infinite and unſearchable ; " He is aGod ofjudgment, bleſſed are all they

" that wait for him," Ifa. xxx. 18.

When the apostle Peter had related the wonderful preſervation of Noah in the deluge, and of Lot in Sodom, one in ageneraldeſtruction oftheworld by water, and the other in the overthrow ofthoſe cites by fire ; he concludes, and ſoſhould we, " The Lord knoweth how to " deliver the godly out of temptation," 2 Pet. ii. 9.

Some menhave niuch power, but little wisdom to manage it, others arewife and prudent, but want ability; inGod there is an infinite fulneſs ofboth .

3. His love to, and tenderneſs over his people, is tranſcendent andunparalleled: and this fets hiswisdom andpower both at work for their good; hence it is, that his eyes ofprovidence run continually throughout the whole earth, to ſhew himself ſtrong in the behalf ofthem whoſe hearts are perfect, i. e. upright towards him, 2 Chron. xvi. 9.

Thus you ſee how he is every way fitted as a proper object ofyour truft.

2. Conſider with yourſelves, and you ſhall find encouragements to commit all toGod.

For, 1. You are his children, and towhom should childrencommit themſelves indangers and fears, but to their own father ?

Doubtless thou art our Father, faith the diſtreffed church, Ifa.

Ixiii. 15, 16. yea, Chriſtian, Thy Maker is thy busband, Ifa, liv. 5.

Is not that a fufficient ground tocaſt thyselfupon him?

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What! a child not trust its own father ? a wife not commit herſelf to her own huſband ?

2. You have truſted him with a far greater concern already thanyour eſtates, liberties, or lives; you have committedyour fouls to him, and your eternal intereſts, 2 Tim. i. 12.

Shall we commit the jewel, and diſpute the cabinet ; truſt him for heaven, anddoubt him for earth ?

3. You have ever found him faithful in all that you trusted him with, all your experiences are ſo many good grounds of confidence, Pfal. ix. 10.

Well then, reſolve to truſt God over all, and quietly leave the diſpoſal of everything to him : he hathbeen with you in all former ſtraits, wants, and fears, hitherto hehath helped you, and cannot he do ſo again, except you tell him how ? Oh ! truſt in his wisdom, power and love, and lean not to your own underſtandings. The fruit ofrefignationwillbe peace.

Rule 5. If everyou willget rid ofyourfears anddistractions, get your affections mortified to the world, and to the inordinate andimmoderate love ofevery enjoyment in the world.

Themore you are mortified, the leſs you will be terrified; it is not the dead, but the living world, that puts our hearts into fuch fears and tremblings ; if our hearts were once crucified, theywould foon be quieted.

It is the ſtrength ofour affections that puts ſo much ſtrength into our afflictions.

Itwas not therefore without great reaſon that the apostle compares the life ofa Chriſtian to the life of a foldier, who, if he mean tofollow the camp, and acquit himself bravely in fight, muſt not entangle himself with the affairs of this life, 2 Tim. ii. 4 .

Surethere is no following Chriſt's camp, butwith a diſintangled heart from the world; for, proportionable tothe heat of our love, will be the ſtrength and height of our fears about theſe things; more particularly, if everyou will rid yourſelves ofyour uncomfortableand uncomely fears, uſe all God's means to mortifyyour affections to the exorbitant eſteem and love of, 1. Your eſtates.

2. Your liberty.

3. Your lives.

1. Get mortified and cooled hearts to your poffeffions andeſtates in theworld. The poorest age afforded the richest Chriſtians andnobleſt martyrs.

Ships deepeſt laden are not beſt for The believing Hebrews took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven abetter and enduring ſubſtance, Heb. x. 34.

They carried it rather like unconcerned ſpectators, than the true proprietors ; encounters . theyrejoicedwhenrude ſoldiers carried out their goods, as if

A Practical Treatise of Fear. fomanyfriendshadbeenbringing them in. Andwhencewas this, but from an heart fixed upon heaven, and mortified to things uponearth ?

Doubtless, theyeſteemedand valuedtheir eſtates, as the good providences ofGod for their more comfortable accommodation in this world; but it seems theydid, andoh thatwe could lookuponthem as mercies of the loweſt and meanest rank and nature.

The ſubſtance laid up in heavenwas a better ſubſtance, and as longas that was ſafe, the lofs of this did not afflict them .

They could bleſsGod for theſe things which fora little time didminiſter refreshment to them, but theyknew them to be tranſitory enjoyments, things that would make to themselves wings and flee away, if their enemies hadnot touched them; but the ſubſtance laid up for them in heaven, that was an enduring ſubſtance. So far as thoſe earthly things might further them towards heavenlythings, ſo far they prized and valued them, but if Satan would turn them into ſnares and temptations todeprive them of their better ſubſtance inheaven, theycod easily flight them, andtake the ſpoilingofthem joyfully.

In a ſtreſs of weather, when the ſhip is ready to finkandfounder ina ſtorm, all hands are readily employed to throw the richest goods overboard ; no man faith it is pity to caſt them away,but reaſon dictates to aman in that cafe,Better theſe periſh, than I periſh with andfor them. Theſe be the wares that fome willnot caſt overboard, and therefore they are ſaid to drown men in perdition, I Tim. vi. 9.

Demas would ratherperish, than part with these things, 2 Tim. iv. 10. But, reader, confider ſeriouſly what comforts theycan yield thee, when thou must look upon them as the price for which thou haſt ſold heaven, and allthe hopes of glory; even as much as theprice ofblood yieldedJudas ; and ſo they will enſnarethee, if thy unmortified heart be over-heated with the love of them ashiswas.

2. Be mortified to your liberty, and takeheed ofplacing too greataneſteem upon it, or neceſſity in it.

Liberty is adefirable thing to the very birds inthe air ; accommodate them the beft you can in your cages, feed them with the richeſt fare,

theyhad rather be cold and hungry with their liberty in the woods, than fat and warm in your houſes. But yet, as ſweet as it is, there maybe more comfort and ſweerneſs in parting with it, than inkeeping it, as the caſemay ſtand.

The doors of apriſon may lock you in, but they cannot lock the Comforter out.

Paul and Silas loſt their liberty for Chriſt, but not their comfort with it; they never were ſo truly at liberty, as

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whentheir feet were made faſt in the ſtocks, theynever fared ſodeliciouſfly aswhenthey fed upon priſoners fare. God ſpread atable for them inthe priſon, ſent them ina rich feaſt, yea, and theyhad muſic at their feaſt too, and that at midnight,

Acts xvi. 25.

Patmos was abarren iſland, andaplacedeſigned for banished perſons ; it lay in the Egean fea, not far from the coaftof the Leffer-Afia : itwas inhabitedby none, becauſe of the exceedingbarrenneſs ofit, but ſuchwhowere appointed to it for their punishment; ſothathere John could meet withno more

earthly refreshment than what the barren rocks, or wild and deſperateperſons condemned toliveupon it, could afford. Ay, but there, there it was that Chriſt appeared tohim inunexprefſibleglory ; there itwas that hehad thoſe raviſhingviſions, and ſawthe whole ſcheme ofProvidence in thegovernment of this world; there he saw theNew Jerufalem coming down from God out of heaven, as abride prepared for her husband. This made a Patmos become a Paradise; neverdid any place afford him ſuch comfort as this did. So that Chriſtians may not think there is ſo ſtrict and neceſſary a connexion betwixt liberty and comfort, that he that takes away the firſt, muſt needs deprive them of the other .

Again, Suppoſewe ſhouldbeſofondofour liberty as to exchange truth and agoodconfcience for it; cannotGod ſo imbitter it toyou, yea, hathhenot ſo imbittered it to many, that theywere quickly weary of it, andglad of an opportunity to change it for a prifon. Our own Martyrology furnishes us withmany fad examples of it. Oh, what will you do with your bitter, dear-bought liberty, whenyour peace is taken awayfromthe inward man ? whenGod ſhallclap up your fouls in priſon, and put your confciences into his bonds and fetters, thenwill you ſayas the martyrdid, ' I am in priſon till I be

' inprifon.'

3. Bemortified to the inordinate and fond love of life, as ever you expect relief against the fears of death.

Reafon thyſelf into a lower value of thy life.

Methinks you have arguments enough to cureyour fondneſs in this point. Haveyou found it ſuch apleasant life toyou, for ſo much of itas is paſt?

You know how the apostle repreſents it, 2 Cor. v. 4.

" that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burthened." And 66 We i i isa burthened andagroaning life ſo deſirable ? You know alfo,as he ſpeaks inthenextverſe,that " whilst you are at home

*Rev. i. 9, 10.

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" in thebody, you are abſent from the Lord." And is a ſtate ofabſencefrom Jeſus Chriſt ſo deſirable to a foul thatloveshim ?

Can you find much pleaſure ſo far from home ? You may fancy what you will, but, upon ſerious recollection, you will never beout of the reach of Satan's temptations, never freed from your own indwelling corruptions, theſe conflicts cannot have an end till life be ended.

You alſo ſtand convinced, that till you be dead, your fouls cannot be ſatisfied, nor your defires be at reſt, have what comforts foever from God in the way of faith and courſe of duties, your hearts are ſtill offthe center, andwill ſtill gravitate and gaſp heavenward. You also know that die you must, and the time ofyour departure is at hand; and ofall deaths, ifyou might have your choice,none ismore honourable toGod, or like to be ſo evidential and comfortable toyou, as a violent death for Chriſt ; therein you come to him by conſent and choice, notby neceffity and conſtraint; therein you give a public teftimony for Chriſt, which is the highest uſe that ever ourbloodcan be put to, orhonouredby; and for the painand and torment, as the martyr faid, He that takes awayfrom my torment, takes awayfrom my reward. But even in that point

God can make it easier to you than a natural death would be; he will be with you in your extremity, and adminiſter fuch reviving cordials as other men muſt not look to taſte, at leaſt not ordinarily, they being prepared and referved for fuch, against fuch an hour.

Oh then, work out the inordinate loveoflife,by working in ſuch mortifying confiderations upon your own hearts ; and if onceyou gainbut this point, you will quickly find allyour pains and prayers richly anſwered in the eaſe and reſt of your hearts, inthe moſt ſcaring and frightful times.

Rule 6. Eye the encouraging examples ofthoſe that have trod thepath ofsufferings beforeyou, andftrive to imitatefuch worthy patterns.

Behold the cloud ofwitneſſes encompaſſingyou roundabout ; acloud like that over the Ifraelites to direct you ; yea, a cloud formultitude ofexcellent perſons to animate and encourage you,

Heb. xii.

1. " Oh take them for an enſample in fuffering, " affliction and patience," Jamesv. 10.

Examples ofexcellent perfons that have brokentheice,and beaten the pathbefore us, areofexcellent uſe toſuppreſs our fears, androuze our courage in our own encounters.

コ The firſt ſufferers had the hardest taſk; they that firſtentered the lifts for Chriſt, wanted thoſe helps to fupprefs fear which theyhave leftunto us.

Strange anduntiredtorments are moſt

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terrible, for magnitudinem rerum confuetudo fubducit, trial and acquaintanceabates the formidable greatneſs ofevils; they knew notthe ſtrength of that enemy they were to engage, but we fightwith anenemythat hath been oftenbeaten andtriumphed over by our brethren that went before us.

Certainly we that live inthe last times have the beſt helps that ever any had to ſubdue their fears; we have heard ofthe courageand conftancy ofour brethren, inas tharp trials of their courage as ever we canbe called to; we have read with what Chriſtian gallantry they have triomphed over all forts of fufferings and torments, howtheyhave been ſtrengthened with all might in the inner manuntoallpatience and long-fuffering,withjoyfulness, Col. i.

11. how theyhavegone away fromthe courts that cenſured and puniſhed them, rejoicing that they were honoured to be diſhonoured for Chriſt, as the ſtrict reading ofthat text is, Acts v.

41. * countingthe reproaches ofChriſt greater riches thanthe treaſures of Egypt, Heb. xi. 26, which at that time was the magazine of the world for riches: You read what " trials they

" have had of cruel mockings, yea, moreover ofbouds and " imprisonments ; howthey were stoned,fawnaſunder, tempted,

" lainwith the ſword, wanderedabout in ſheeps ſkins, and " goat ſkins, deſtitute, afflicted, tormented," Heb. xi. 36, 37Inallwhich theyobtained agood report; they came out of the fieldwith triumphant faith and patience; and this was not the effect of an over-heated zeal at the firſt outſet, but the ſame fpirit of courage was found among Chriſtians in after-ages, who haveputofftheir perfecutors with akind ofpleaſant ſcornand contemptoftorments.

So did Bafil, truly firnamedtheGreat, whenValens the emperor in a great rage threatenedhim with banishment, and tortures, as to the firſt, ſaid he, † I little regard it: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulneſs thereof; and as for tortures, what cantheydoupon fuch a poor thinbodyas mine, nothing but ſkinandbone? And atanothertime †,when Eufebius governor ofPontus toldhim inagreatrage,he wouldtear his very liver out ofhis bowels : Truly, faid Bafil, you will do me avery good turn in it, to take out my naughty liver ; which in- : flames and diſeaſeth my whole body.

Their enemies have profeſſed, the Chriſtians put them to ſhame, by ſmiling * Ὅτι κατηξιωθησαν ἀτιμασθῆναι .

+ Socrates, hift . 1. 4. c. 26.

‡ Theod. lib. 4.cap. 19.

VOL. IV.

A Practical Treatise of Fear. at theircruelties and threatnings.

Ignatius's love toChriſt had ſo perfectly overcome all fears of fufferings, thatwhen he was going tobethrown for a prey among the lions and leopards, he profefſed he longed tobe among them, and, faid he, if they

:will not diſpatch me the fooner, I will provoke them, that I may be with my sweet Jeſus. And if we come down to later ages, we shall find as ſtout champions for Chriſt.

The courage andundauntedneſs ofLuther is trumpeted abroad throughout the Chriſtian world, it would ſwell this ſmall tract too much, but tonote the moſt eminent inſtances of his courage for Chrift: the laſt he gave was by his forrow in his laſt ſickneſs, that he must carry his blood tothe grave. The like heroic ſpirit appeared in divers perſons of honour and eminence, who zealoufly eſpouſed the ſame cauſe of reformationwith him.

Remarkable to this purpoſe isthat famous epiſtle witten by UlricusabHutten, aGerman knight, indefenceof Luther's cauſe against the cardinals and biſhops affembled at Worms.

' I will go through (faidhe) with what I have undertaken against you, and will ſtir up men to ſeek their freedom : ſuch as 'yield not to me at firſt, I will overcome with importunity;

• I neither care nor fear what maybefal me,being prepared for • either event; either to ruin you, to the great benefit of my

• country, or myself to fall with agood confcience; therefore ⚫that you may fee with what confidence I contemn your

⚫threats, I do profeſs myself tobe your irreconcilable enemy, • whilft ye perfecute Luther and fuch as he is. No power of yours, no injury of fortune ſhall alter this mind inme; tho you take away my life, yet this well deſerving of mine to- •wards my country's liberty, ſhall not die. I know that my

⚫endeavour to remove ſuch as you are, and to place worthy miniſters inyour room, is acceptable toGod; and in the laft judgment, I trust itwill be ſaferforme tohave offendedyou, than tohavehad your favour."

Itwas alſo a brave heroic ſpirit by which John duke of Saxony was acted todefendthe reformation, who deſpiſing all the favours and offers of the court, and ofRome, and the terrors ofdeath itſelf; appeared, as my author ſpeaks, inits behalf against all the devils, and the pope||, in three public imperial affemblies, ſaying openly totheir faces, I muſt ſerveGod, orthe world: andwhich ofthese twodoye think is the better ? And as foon as Luther's fermons were forbidden, he hafted away, faying, Iwillnot ſtay there, where I cannothave my liberty to ferveGod.

|Spangenberg, adan.1531.

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Andnowreader, thou hast a little tasteof thecourage and zeal of thoſe worthies who are gonebefore thee indefence of that cauſe for which thou fearest to ſuffer.

Moſt men, ſaith Chryfoftom, that read or hear fuch examples, are like the fpectators of the Roman gladiators, who ſtood by and praiſed their courage, but durſt not enter the liſts to do what they did.

If ever thou wilt get like courage for Chriſt, thus improve ſuch famous examples.

1. Make uſe of them toobviate the prejudice of fingularity ; you ſee you have ſtore of good company, the ſame things you are like to fuffer for Chriſt, havebeen accompliſhed in the reſt ofyour brethren in the world, 1 Pet. v. 9.

2. Improve them against the prejudice ofallthat ſhame that attends ſufferings, here you may feethe moſt excellent perſons inthe world reckoning ittheir glory to fuffer the vileſt things for Jeſus Chriſt, Acts v. 31. Heb. xi. 26.

3. Improve them against the conceit of the inſupportableneſs ofſufferings. Lo here, poor weak creatures which have been carried hononrably and comfortably through the crueleſt and difficulteſt ſufferings for Chriſt.

Ourwomen and children, not to ſpeak of men, (faith Tertullian) overcome their tormentors, andthe fire cannot fetch ſo much as a ſigh from them.

4. Improvethem againſt thineown unbelief, and ſtaggerings at the faithfulness ofGod in that promiſe, Iſa. xliii. 2. " When

" thou paſſeſt through the fire, I will be with thee," &c.

Lo here you have the recorded and faithful teftimonies of ſuch as have tried it, with one voice witneſſing forGod, Thy word is truth, thy word is truth.

5. Improve them against the ſenſible weakness ofyour own graces ; are you afraid your faith, love, and patience are too weak tocarry you through great trials ? Why doubtless fo were manyof them too, they were men oflike fears, troubled with a bad heart, and abusydevil as well as you, they alſo had their clouds and damps as you have; yet the almighty power ofGod ſupported them; and out ofweakness they were made ſtrong: deſpond not therefore, but get a judgment ſatisfied,

Plal. xliv. 22. a confcience ſprinkled, 2Tim. i. 7. and a call cleared, Dan. vi . 10.

Exerciſe faith alſo with reſpect todivine aſſiſtances, and everlasting rewards as theydid: anddoubt not but the ſameGod that enabled them to finiſh their courſe with joy, will be as good to you as he was to them.

Confider, Chriſt hath done as much for you as he did for any of them, anddeserves asmuch from you as from any of them ; andhath

APractical Treatise of Fear, preparedthe ſame glory foryou, that heprepared for them =

Othat fuchconfiderations mightprovokeyou toſhew as muchcourage and love to Chriſt, as any ofthem ever did.

Rule 7. Ifeveryou willgetabove thepower ofyour ownfears. inafufferingday make hafte to clearyour interest in Chrift, and yourpardon inhis bloodbefore that evilday come.

The clearer this is, thebolderyou willbe ; an aſſuredChriſtianwas never known tobe a coward inſufferings : it is impoffibletobe clearof fears, tillyou areclearedofthe doubts about intereſt in, and pardon by Chriſt.

Nothing is found more ſtrengthning to our fears,thanthat whichcloudsour evidences : andnothing more to quiet and cureour fears, than that which clears ourevidences.

The ſheddingabroadofGod's love in our hearts, will quickly fillthem withaſpiritofglorying intribulati-. ons, Rom. v. 5. When the believing Hebrews once came to know in themſelves that they had an enduring ſubſtance in heaven, theyquickly found in themselves an unconcerned heart forthe loss oftheir comforts onearth, Heb. x. 34. and ſo ſhould we too.

For, 1. Aſſurance ſatisfies amanthathis treaſureand truehappiness is fecured to him, and laid out of the reach ofallhis enemies; and ſo long as that is safehehath allthe reaſon in the world to be quiet, and chearful, " I know (faith Paul) whom I have be- " lieved, and am perfuadedthat he is able tokeep that which I "have committed to him against that day," 2 Tim. i. 12. And he gives this as his reason why he was not ashamed of Chriſt's fufferings.

2. The aſſured Chriſtian knows that if death itſelf come, (which is the worſtmencan inflict) he ſhallbe no loſer by the exchange; nay he ſhall make thebeſtbargainthat ever he made fince he firſt parted with all his afflictions, to follow Chriſt.

There are two rich bargains a Chriſtian makes; one is, when he exchanges the world for Chriſt in his first choice at his converſion, in point of love and eſtimation : the other is, when he actually parts with the world for Chriſt at his diſſolution : both theſe arerich bargains, and upon thisground it was the a poſtle faid, "To me to live is Chriſt and todie is gain," Phil, i. 21. The death ofabeliever in Chriſt, isgainunspeakable, but ifa manwould makethe utmoſt gainby dying, he ſhall findit indying for Chriſt, aswell as inChriſt: and to ſhew you wherein thegain ofſuch adeath lies,let a few particulars be weighed, wherein the gain will be caſt upin both; he that is affured he dies in Chriſt, knows,

I. That his living time is his labouring time, but his dying

APractical Treatise of Fear.

timeishis harvest time, whilſt we live we areplowing andfowinginall theduties ofreligion, butwhenwe die, then we reap thefruitand comfort of all our labours and duties, Gal. vi..

&9.As much therefore as the reapingtime is better than the fowingand plowing time, ſomuch better is thedeath than the life ofa believer.

2. A believer's living time is his fighting time, buthis dying timeishis conquering and triumphing time, 1 Cor. xv. 55, 56.

The conflict is ſharp, but the triumph is ſweet ; and asmuchas victory and triumph are better than fighting, ſo much isdeath better than life to himthatdieth in Jetus.

3. Abeliever's livingtime ishistireſome and weary time, but hisdyingtime ishis reſting and fleeping time.

Iſal lvii. 2.Here we ſpend and faint, there we reſt in our beds, and as much as refreshingreſt inſleep isbetterthantiring andfainting, ſomuch is a believer's death better than his life .

4.Abeliever'slivingtime is his waiting andlonging time,but histimeofdying isthetimeofenjoyingwhathe hath longwiſhed andwaited for, Phil. i.23. here wegroan and figh for Chrift, there we behold and enjoy Chriſt, and ſo much as viſion and fruition are better and ſweeter thanhoping andwaiting for it; ſomuch is a believer'sdeath better thanhis life.

2.As theadvantage a believer makes ofdeath is great tohim bydying only in Chrift; ſo it is muchgreater, and the richest improvement that can be made ofDeath to die for Chriſt, as well as in Chriſt : for comparethem ina few particulars andyou you ſhall find, 1. That though anatural death hath leſs horror, yet a violentdeath for Chriſt hath more honour in it.

Tohim that dies united with Chriſt, the grave is a bed of reft ; but tohimthat dies as amartyr for Chriſt, thegrave is a bedofhonour. " Το you (faith the apoſtle) it isgiven in thebehalfof Chrift, not " only to believe, but also to ſuffer for his fake," Phil. i. 29.

To you it is granted as a great honour and favour to fuffer for Chriſt; all that live in Chriſt have notthe honour to laydown their lives for Chriſt.

It was the great trouble of Ludovicus Marſacus , aknight ofFrance, to be exempted becauſe of his dignity, fromwearinghis chain for Chriſt, as theother prifoners did; and he reſented it, as agreat injury, "Give me (faith he

" to his keeper) my chain as well as they, and create mea " knight of that noble order."

* Curmenon quoque torque donas, et illuftris illius ordinis militem non creas?

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2. By a natural death we only ſubmit ourſelves to theunavoidable conſequence of fin, but in dying aviolent death for Chrift, we give our teſtimony against the evil of fin, and for the precious truths ofJesus Chriſt.

The firſt is the paymentof adebt ofjusticeduebythe fallofAdam; the ſecond isthepayment of adebt of thankfulness and obedience due toChriſt, who redeemed us with his own blood.

Thus we become witneſſes forGod, as well as fufferers upon the account of fin: in the firſt, ſin witneſſeth againſt us, in thiswe witneſs againſt it ; and indeed it is agreat teſtimony against theevil of ſin : we declare to all the world that there is not ſo much evil in a dungeon, inabloody ax, or confuming flames, as there is in ſin: that it is far better to loſe our carnal friends, eſtates, liberties, and lives, than part with Chriſt's truths and agood confcience, as * Zuinglius ſaid, " What fort of death ſhould not a Chriftian

" chuſe, what punishment ſhould he not rather undergo; yea, " intowhatvault of hell ſhould he not ratherchuſe tobe caſt,

" than to witneſs against truth and confcience."

3.Anatural death in Chriſt may be as ſafe to ourſelves, but a violentdeath for Chriſt, willbe more beneficial to others ; by the formerwe ſhall come to heaven ourſelves, but by the latter we maybring many fouls thither.

The blood of the martyrs is truly called the ſeed of the church, Many waxed confident by Paul's bonds, his fufferings fell out to the futheranceof the goſpel, and ſo mayours: in this caſe a Chriſtian, like Sampſon, doth greater ſervice againſt Satan and his cauſe, by his death, than by his life.

If we onlydie a naturaldeath in ourbeds, we die in poſſeſfion of the truths of Chriſt ourſelves : but if we die martyrs for Chriſt, we fecure that precious inheritance to the generations to come, and thoſe that are yet unborn ſhall bleſsGod, not only for his truths, but for our courage, zeal, and conſtancy, bywhich itwas preferved for them, and tranfmitted tothem.

By all this you fee thatdeath to abeliever is great gain, it is great gain ifheonlydie in Chriſt, it is all that, and a great deal more added, ifhe alſo die for Chrift : and he that is aſſured of fuch advantages by death either way, muſt needs feel his fears of death ſhrink away before fuch aſſurances ; yea, he will ratherhave life inpatience, and death indeſire ; he will not only ſubmit quietly, but rejoice exceedingly to be uſed byGod

* Quas non oportet mortes praceligere, quodnonfupplicium potiusferre, imo in quam profundam inferni abyſſum non intrare, quam contra confcientiam atteſtari?

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inſuchhonourable enjoyment *.

Aſſurance will calla bloody deathafafe paſſage toCanaan through the redſea.

It willcall Satanthat inſtigates theſe his inſtruments, and all that are employed in fuch bloody work by him, ſo many Balaams brought tocurſe, but theydo indeed bleſs the people ofGod, andnot curſethem.

The aſſured Chriſtian looks upon hisdeath as his wedding-day, Rev. xix. 7. And therefore itdoth not much differ, whether the horſe ſent tofetch him to Chriſt be pale or red, fo he may be with Chriſt, his love, as Ignatius called him.

He looks upondeath as hisday of enlargement out of prifon, 2 Cor v. 8. and it is not much odds what hand opens the door, or whether a friend or enemycloſe his eyes, ſohe havehis liberty, andmay be with Chriſt.

O then give the Lord no reſt, till your hearts be at reſt by the afſurance ofhis love, and the pardon ofyour fins ; when you canboldly ſay, the Lord isyour help, you will quickly fay what immediately follows, I will not fear what man cando unto me, Heb. xiii. 6. And why, ifthy heart be upright,mayſt thou not attain it ? Full afſurance is poſſible, elſe it had not been put into the command, 2 Pet. i. 10. The fealing graces are inyou, the fealing Spirit is ready to do it for you, the fealingpromiſes belong to you; but wegive not alldiligence, and thereforego without the comfort ofit. Would we pray more, and ſtrive more, would we keepour hearts with a ſtricterwatch,. mortify ſin more thoroughly, and walk beforeGod more accurately; how foon may we attain this bleſſed afſurance, and in it an excellentcure for our distracting and flaviſh fears.

Rule 8. Let him that designs tofree himselfofdistractingfears, be careful to maintain the purity ofhis confcience, and integrity ofhis ways, in the whole course of his conversation inthis world.

Uprightness will give us boldness, and purity will yield us peace.

Ifa. xxxii. 17. "The work of righteouſneſs ſhall be peace, and the effect ofrighteouſneſs, quietneſs and affurance for ever."

Look as fear follows guilt and guile, ſo peace and quietness follow righteouſneſs and fincerity, Prov.

Xxviii. 1. The wickedfleewhen no man purfueth, but the righteous are boldas a lion.

His confidence is great,becauſe his confcience is quiet, thepeace ofGod guards his heart and mind.

There are three remarkable ſtepsby which Chriſtians riſe to the height of courage in tribulations, Rom. v. 1, 2, 3, 4. Firſt they are juſtifiedand acquitted from guilt by faith, ver. 1. Then they

*Theyare ratherdelights to us than torments.

Bafil.

APractical Treatise of Fear. are brought into a ſtate of favour and acceptationwith God, ver. 2. Thencetheyriſe one ſtep higher,even toa view ofheaven, and theglory tocome, ver. 3. andfromthence they take an eaſy ſtep toglorying in tribulations, ver. 4.

I ſay, it is an eaſy ſtep; for let aman onceobtain thepardon of fin, the favour ofGod, and abelieving view and profpect of the glory to come ; and it isſo eaſy to triumph in tribulation, in ſuch a ſtation as that is, that itwillbe found as hard to hinder it, as to hinder a man from laughing when he is tickled.

Chriſtians have always found it a ſpring ofcourage and comfort, 2 Cor. i. 12. " For our rejoicing isthis, the teſtimony of 66 our confcience, that in ſimplicity, and godly fincerity, not " with fleſhly wisdom, but by the grace ofGod, we have had

" our converſation inthe world."

Their heartsdid not reproach them with by-ends in religion; their confciences witneſſed that they made not religion a cloak to cover any fleſhly deſign, but were fincere in what they profeſſed; and this enabled them to rejoice in the midst of sufferings. An earthen veſſel ſet empty on the fire will crack and fly inpieces, and fo will anhypocritical, formal, andmerenominal Chriſtian ; buthe thathath ſuch ſubſtantial and real principles ofcourage as theſe within him, will endure the trial, and be never the worſe for the fire.

The very Heathens diſcovered the advantage ofmoral integrity, and the peace it yielded to their natural confciences in times of trouble.

Nil confcire tibi, nulla pallefcere culpa .

Hicmurus aheneus esto.-* Itwas to them as a wall ofbraſs. Much more will godly fimplicity, and the sprinkling ofthe blood of Chriſt upon our conIciences, fecureand encourageour hearts.

This atheiſtical age laughs confcience and purity to ſcorn; but let them laugh, this is it which will makethee laugh when they ſhall cry.

Paul exerciſedhimself, or made ithis buſineſs, "To have always acon- " ſcience void ofoffence, both towardsGod, andtowards man,"

Acts xxiv. 16. †.

And it was richly worth his labour, it re- * Nil confcire, &c. Engliſhed thus, Be this thy brazen bulwark of defence, Still to preferve thy conſcious innocence,

Nor e'er turn pale with guilt.-- †`Ασκω meditor, operam do,

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paidhimtenthouſand-fold in thepeace, courage, and comfort it gavehim in allthe troubles of his life, which were great and many.

Conſcience must be thebearing ſhoulder on which the burden muſtly, beware therefore it be not galled with guilt, or put out ofjoint by any fall into fin, itis ſad bearing onſuch aſhoulder ; instead ofbearing yourburdens,you willnotbeable to bear its painandanguiſh.

To prevent this carefully obſerve theſe rules.

1. Over-awe your hearts everyday, and in every place with theeye of God.

This walking as before God will keep you upright, Gen xvii. 1.

If you ſo ſpeak and live as thoſe that knowGod feesyou, ſuch will be your uprightness, that you will not care ifallthe world ſee you too. An artiſt came to Drufius, and offered tobuild him anhouſe, ſocontrived, that hemight dowhat he would withindoors, and noman ſee him : Nay faid

Drufius, fo build it that every one mayfee.

2. Do no action, undertake no deſign, that you dare not prefacewith prayer; this is your rule, Phil. iv. 6.

Touch not thatyou dare not pray for a bleſſing upon; ifyoudarenot pray,dare not to engage; ifyou cannot ſend your prayers before, be confident, ſhame and guilt will follow after.

3. Be more afraid of grievingGod, orwounding confcience, than of diſpleaſing or lofing all the friends you have in the world besides; look upon every adventure upon fin toeſcape danger to be the ſame thing as ifyou ſhould fink the ſhip to avoid one that you take to be a pirate ; or as the fatal miſtake oftwo vials, whereinthere ispoiſon andphyſic.

4. What counſel you would give another, that give yourſelveswhen the caſe ſhall beyour own ; your judgment is moſt clear, when intereſt is leaſt felt.

David's judgment was very upright, when hejudged himselfin a remote parable.

5. Bewilling tobear the faithful reproofs ofyour faults from men, as the reproving voice ofGod; for they areno leſs when duly adminiſtred.

This willbe a good help to keep you upright, Pfal. cxxxv. 23, 24. " Let the righteous ſmite me," &c.

It is ſaid of Sir AnthonyCope, that he ſhamed none ſo much as himſelfin his family-prayers, and defired the miniſters of his acquaintance not to favour his faults; buttell me, ſaidhe, and ſparenot.

6. Be mindful daily ofyour dying-day, and your great audit-day, anddo all with reſpect to them. Thus keep your integrityand peace, and that will keep out your fears andterrors.

: VOL . IV.

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Rule 9. Carefully record the experience ofGod's careoveryou, andfaithfulness toyou in allyour pastdangers anddiſtreſſes, and applythem to the cureofyour preſentfearsand defpondencies.

Recorded experiences are excellent remedies, Exod. xvii. 14.

" Writethis for a memorial in abook, and rehearse it inthe ears " of Joshua."

There were two things in thatrecord; the victory obtained over Amalek, and the way ofobtaining itby inceffantprayer: and there are two things tobedone to ſecure this mercy for their uſe and benefit in future fears, it must be recorded and rehearſed, prefervedfrom oblivion, andſeaſonably produced for relief.

There are two ſpecial aſſiſtancesgivenus againſt fear by ex perience.

1. It abates the terror offufferings.

2. It aſſiſts faith inthe promises.

1. Experience greatly abates the terror of fufferings, and makes them leſs formidable and ſcaring than otherwise they wouldbe.

Fear faith, they are deep waters, and will drown us; experience faith, they are much ſhallower than we think, andare fafely fordable; others have, andwe may paſs through theRed-fea, and not be overwhelmed. Fear faith, the pains ofdeath are unconceivable, ſharp and bitter, the living little know what the dying feel; andto lye in a ſtinking prifon in continual expectation of a cruel death, is an unsupportable evil : Experience contradicts all theſe falſe reports which make ourhearts faint, as the ſecond ſpies did thedaunting ſtories of the firſt; and affures us prifons and death are not, when we come home to them for Chriſt, what they feem and appear tobe at adiſtance. Owhat a goodreporthave thoſe faithful men given, who have ſearched andtried theſethings ! whohave gonedownthemſelves into the valley ofthe ſhadowofdeath,and feenwhat there is ina prifon, and indeath itſelf, ſo long as they were in fight andhearing, ableby words or figns tocontradict our falſe notions of it.

Oh what a fweet account did Pomponius Algerius give of his linking priſon at Lyons in France! datingall his letters whilft he was there, From the detectable orchard ofthe Leonine prison; and when carried to Venice, ina letter from the priſon there, he writes thus to his

Chriſtian friend ; Ishallutter that whichſcarce any will believe, Ihavefounda nest ofhoney in the entrails of a lion, a paradife ofpleasure in a deep darkdungeon, in a place offorrow and death, tranquillity ofhope and life. Oh! here itis that theSpirit ofGod and of glory reſts uponus.

So bleffedMr. Philpot, our own martyr, in one ofhis ſweet F

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encouraging letters :

O how my heart leaps (faith he) that I am ſo near toeternal bliſs !God forgive memy unthankfulness

' andunworthineſsof ſogreatglory.

I have ſo much joy ofthe ' reward prepared for me, themoſt wretched ſinner, thatthough

' Ibe in the placeofdarkneſs andmourning, yet I cannot lament, ' butam night andday ſo joyfulas though Iwere undernocroſs

' at all; in all the days of my life I was never ſojoyful, the name of the Lord be praiſed.'

Others have given the ſignals agreed uponbetwixt them and their friends inthe midst of the flames, thereby, to the laſt, confirming this truth, that Godmakes the inſide of ſufferings quite another thing to what the appearance and outſide of them is to ſenſe.

Thus the experience of others abates the terrors offufferings to you; and all this is fully confirmedby theperſonal experience you yourſelves have had of the ſupports and comforts ofGod, wherein foeveryou have confcientioufly fuffered for his fake...

2. And this cannot butbe a fingular aſſiſtance to your faith ; yourown and others experiences, juſt likeAaron andHur, ſtay up the hands of faith onthe one fide andthe other, that they hangnotdown, whilſt your fears, like thoſe Amalekites, fallbeforeyou. For whatis experience, but thebringingdown of the divine promiles tothe test of ſenſe and feeling ? It is our duty tobelieve the promiſes without trial and experiments, but it is eafier todo it after ſo many trials ; ſo that yourown and others experiences, carefully recorded and ſeaſonably applied, would befood toyour faith, andacure tomanyofyour fears in a fufferingday.

Rule 10. Youcan never freeyourselffrom finful fears, 'till you throughly believe and confider Christ's providential kingdom overallthe creatures andaffairs in this lower world.

Poortimorous fouls! is there not a King, a fupreme Lord under whom devils and men are ? hath not Chrift the reins of government in his hands? Mat. xxviii. 18. Phil. ii. 9, 10, 11, 12.

John xvii. 2. Werethisdominion of Chriſt, anddependence ofallcreatures on him, well Audied andbelieved, itwould cut offboth our truft in men, and our fear of men; we shouldfoon difcern they have nopower either to help us or tohurt us, but whatthey receive from above.

Our enemies are apt to over-rate their own power, in their pride, and we areas apt to over-rate ittooin our fears.

Knowest thou not(faith Pilate to Chrift) that Ihavepower to crucify thee, and Ihave power to release thes ?

1. d. Refuſeſt thou to answer me ? doſt thou not know who K2

A Practical Treatise of Fear. andwhat I am ? Yes, yes, faith Chriſt, Iknow theewell enough to be a poor impotent creature, who haſt no power at allbut what is given thee from above; Iknow thee, and therefore donot fear thee.

But we are apt to take their own boafts for truth, and believe their power tobe ſuch as they vainly vogue it to be; whereas in truth all our enemies are ſuſtained by Chriſt, Col. i . 17. theyare bounded and limited by Chriſt, Rev, ii. 10. Providencehath its influencesupontheir hearts and wills immediately, Jer. xv. 11.

Pfal. cvi. 46. So that they cannot do whatever they would do, but their wills as well as their hands are ordered byGod.

Jacob was in Laban's and in Efau's hands ; both hated him, but neither could hurt him.

David was in Saul's hand, whohunted for him as a prey, yetis forced to diſmiſs him quietly, bleſſing instead of ſlaying him.

Melancthon and Pomeron both fell into the hands of CharlesV. than whom Chriſtendom had not a more prudent prince, nor the church of Chriſt a fiercer en enemy; yet he treats theſe great and active reformers gently, diſmiſſeth them freely, not once forbidding them to preach or print the doctrine which he ſa muchoppoſed and hated.

Oh Chriſtian ! if ever thou wilt get above thy fears, fettle theſe things upon thyheart by faith, 1. That the reins ofgovernment are in Chriſt's hands; ene mies, like wild horſes, may prance and tramp up anddown the world, as though they would treaddown all that are in their way; but the bridle of providence is in their mouths, and upontheir proud necks, 2Kings xix. 28. and that bridle hath a ſtrong curb..

2. The care of the faints properly pertains to Chriſt ; he is theheadofthe body, Eph. i. 22, 23. our conſulting head; and it were a reproach and diſhonour to Chriſt, to fill our heads with diſtracting cares and fears, when we have ſo wiſe anhead to confult and contrive for us.

3. You have lived allyour days upon the care of Chriſt hitherto; no truth is more manifeſt than this, that therehath been awiſdom beyond your own, that hath guided your ways, Jer. x. 23. a power above your own, that hath ſupported your burdens, Pfal. Ixxiii. 26. a ſpring of relief out of yourſelves that hath ſupplied all your wants, Luke xxii. 35. He hath performedall things for you.

4. Jeſus Chriſt hath ſecured his people bymany promiſes to take care of them, how dangerous ſoever the times ſhall be,

Ecclef. viii. 12. Pfal. lxxvi. 10. Amos ix. 8, 9. Rom. viii. 28.

Oh! iftheſe things were throughlybelieved andwellimproved,

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fears could no more diſtract or afflict our hearts, than ſtorms or clouds could trouble the upperregion: but we forget his providences andpromiſes,andare ſojuſtly left in the hands ofour own fears tobe afflicted for it .

Rule 11. Subjectyour carnal reasonings tofaith, and keep your thoughts more under the government offaith, ifeveryou expect a composedand quiet heart in diſtracting eviltimes.

He that layeth aſide the rules offaith, andmeaſures all things by the rule of his own ſhallow reaſon, will be his own bugbear; ifreaſonmaybe permitted tojudge all things, and tomake its own inferences and concluſions from the aſpects and appearan ces of ſecond cauſes, your hearts ſhall have no reſt day nor night; this alone willkeep you in continual alarms .

Andyethow apt are the beſt men tomeaſure things by this rule, and tojudgeof allGod's deſigns and mysterious providencesby it! Inother things it is thejudge and arbiter, and therefore we would make it ſo here too; and what it concludes and dictates we are prone to believe, becauſe its dictates are backed and befriendedby ſenſe, whence it gathers its intelligence and information. O quamfapiens argumentatrix fibi videtur ratio bumana?Howwife and ſtrongdo its arguments and concluſions ſeemtous ! faith Luther. This carnalreaſon is the thing that puts us intofuch confufions of mind and thoughts.

It is this that, 1. Quarrels with the promises, ſhakes their credit, and our confidence in them, Exod. v. 22, 23 .

2. It is this that boldly limits thedivine power, and aſſigns itboundariesofits own fixing, Pfal. lxxviii. 20, 41 .

3. It is carnal reaſon that draws deſperate concluſions fromprovidential appearances and aſpects, I Sam. xxvii. 1. and prognoſticates our ruin from them.

4. It is this carnal reaſonthat putsus upon finful ſhifts and indirect courſes to deliver and ſave ourſelves from danger, whichdobut the more perplex and entangle us, Ifa. xxx. 15,

16.

5. It ismostly from our arrogant reaſonings thatour thoughts arediſcompoſed and divided; from this fountain it is that they flow intoour hearts in multitudes whendangers are near, Pfal. xciv. 16. Pfal. xlii. 1 .

All theſe miſchiefs owe themselves to the exorbitant actings and intrufions of our carnal reaſons; but theſe things ought not tobe ſo, this isbeſide rule.

For, 1. Though there be nothing inthe matters offaith orprovidence contraryto right reaſon, yet there are many things in

APractical Treatise of Fear.. both, quite above the reach, and beyond the ken of reaſon,

Iſa. Iv. 8.

And, 2. The confident dictates ofreason are frequently confuted by experience all the world over; it is every day made a liar, and the frights it putsus into, proved to bevain and groundleſs, Iſa. li. 13.

Nothing can be better for us, than to reſign up our reafon to faith, to fee all things through the promiſes, and trust God over all events.

Rule 12. To conclude, exalt the fear of God in yourhearts, andlet itgain the afcendant over allyour otherfears.

This is the preſcription in my text for the cure of all our naviſh fears, and indeed all the formentioned rules for the cure of finful fears run into this, and are reducible to it.

For, 1. Doth the knowledge and application of the covenant of grace cure our fears ? The fear ofGod is both a part of that covenant, and an evidence of our intereſt in it, Jer. xxxii. 40.

2. Doth ſinful fearplungemeninto ſuch diſtreſſes of conſcience ? Why, the fearofGod will preſerve your ways clean and pure, Pfal. xix. 9. and ſo thoſe miſchiefs will be prevented.

3. Doth forefight and proviſion for evil days prevent diftracting fears when they come ?

Nothing like the fear ofGod enables us to fuch a previſion and proviſion for them, Heb. xi. 7.

4. Dowe relieve ourſelves against fearbycommitting all to God? Surely it isthe fear ofGod that drives us to him as our only afylum and fure refuge, Mal. iii. 16. TheyfearedGod, and thought upon his name, (i. e.)theymeditated on his name, which was their refuge, his attributes their chambers of reſt.

5. Muft our affections to the world be mortified before our fears can be fubdued ? This is the inſtrument of mortification, Neh. v. 15.

6. Do theworthy examples ofthoſe that aregone before us, tend tothe cure of our cowardice and fears ? Why the fear of Godwill provoke inyou an holy ſelf-jealousy, left you fail of the grace they manifeſted, and come ſhort of thoſe excellent patterns, Heb. xii. 15.

7. Is the afſurance of intereſt in God, and the pardon of fin ſuchan excellent antidote againſt ſlaviſh fear ? Why, he thatwalks in the fear ofGod, ſmallwalk in the comforts ofthe

Holy Ghoſt alſo, Acts ix. 31 .

: 8. Is integrity of heart and way ſuch a fountain of courage ineviltimes? Know, reader, nograce promotes this integrity

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anduprightneſs morethan the fear ofGoddoth, Prov. xvi. 6.

Prov. xxiii. 17.

9. Dothe reviving of paſt experiences fappreſs ſinful fears ?

Nodoubtthis was the ſubject which the fear ofGod put them upon, for mutual encouragement, Mal. iii. 16.

10. Are the providences ofGod in this world fuch cordials against fear ? The fear ofGod is the very character and mark of thoſe perſons over whom his providence ſhall watch in the difficulteſt times, Ecclef. viii. 12.

11. Doth our truſting in our own reaſon, and making it' our rule and meaſure, breed ſo many fears ?

Why, the fear ofGodwill takemenoff from fuch ſelfconfidence, and bring them totruſt the faithfulGod with all doubtfuliſſues, andevents, as the very ſcope of my text fully manifeſts.

Fear not their fear : their fear, moving by the direction of carnal reafon, drove them not to God, but to the Affyrian for help.

Follow not you their example in this. But how ſhall they help it ? Why,fanctify the Lord of Hosts, andmake him your fear.

CHAP.

VII.

Answeringthemost materialpleasforflavish fears,and diffolving thecommon objections against courageand constancy ofmind in times ofdanger.

THE pleas and excuſes for our cowardly faintneſs inthe day of trouble are endless, and fo would his taſk be that ſhould undertake particularly to answer them all.

It isbut the cutting off an Hydra's head, when one is gone, ten more ſtart up; what is moſt material I will here take into confideration.

When good men (for with fuch I am dealing in this chapter) fee a formidable face and appearance of ſharp and bloc'y times approaching them, they begin to tremble, theirhearts faint, and their hands hangdown with unbecoming defpondency, andpuſilanimity ; theirthoughts are ſodiſtracted, their reaſon and faith focloudedby their fears, that their temptations are thereby exceedingly ſtrengthened upon them, and theirprinciples and profeffions brought under thederifion and contemptoftheirenemies; andif their brethren, to whomGod hathgivenmore courage and conftancy, andwho difcern the miſchief like to enſue from their uncomely carriage, admoniſh

A Practical Treatise of Fear. and adviſethem of it : they have abundance of pleas anddefences for their fears, yea, when they reaſon the point of fuffering in their own thoughts, and the matter isdebated (as in ſuch times it is common) betwixt faith and fear, O what endleſs work do their fears put upon their faith, to folve allthe buts and ifs which their fears will object or ſuppoſe.

Some of the principal of themI think it worth while here to conſider, and endeavour to fatisfy, that, if poſſible, I mayprevail with all gracious perſons tobe moremagnanimous. And firſt, ofall, Plea 1. Sufferings for Chriſt are ſtrange things tothe Chriſtians of this age, wehave had the happy lot to fall into milder times than the primitive Chriſtians did, or thoſe that ſtruggled in our own land in thebeginning ofreformation; and there-, fore we may be excused for our fears, by reaſon ofour own unacquaintedneſswith fufferings in ourtimes.

Answer 1. Onefault is buta bad excuſefor another, why are fufferings ſuch ſtrangers to you ? Why did you not caſt upon them inthedaysofpeace, andreckonthatfuchdays muſt come ?

Did you not covenant with Chriſt to follow him whitherſoever he ſhouldgo, to take up your creſs, and follow him ? Anddid not the word plainly tell you, that " All that will live godly in " Chriſt Jeſus, muſt ſuffer perfecution," 2Tim. iii. 12. "And " that we must through much tribulation enter intothe king- " dom ofGod," Acts xiv. 22. Did we fall aſleep in quiet and profperousdays, anddreamofhalcyondays allour timeonearth?

That the mountain of our proſperity ſtood ſtrong, and we ſhould never be moved ? That we should die in our neſt, and multiply ourdays as the fand ; Babylon's childrenindeed dream ſo, Rev. xviii. 7. but the children of Sion ſhould be better inſtructed.

Alas ! how foon may the brighteſt day be overcaſt ?

The weather is not ſo variable, as the ſtate of the church in this world is ; now a calm,Acts ix. 31. and then a storm, Acts xii. 1 , 2.

You could not butknow what contingent and variable things all things on earth are ; why then did you delude yourſelves with ſuch fond dreams ? But as a learned man * rightly obſerves, Mundus fenescens patitur phantafias.

The older the world grows, the more drowzy and doting it ſtill grows, and theſe are the days in which the wife as wellas the foolish virgins lumber.

Sure it is but a bad plea, after ſo manywarnings from the word, and from the rodto ſay, Idid not think of ſuch times, I dreamed not of them.

*Gerfon.

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8t 2. Or ifyou ſay, though you have converſed with death and fufferings by ſpeculation, yetyou livednot inſuch timeswhere inyoumight fee(as other fufferers did) the encouraging faith, patienceand zeal ofothers fet before your eyes in a lively pattern and example.

Sufferings were not only familiarized to them by frequency, but facilitated alfo by the daily examples ofthoſe that wentbefore them.

But think you indeed that nothing but encouragement and advantage to followers, aroſe from the trials of thoſe that went before ? Alas, there were ſometimes the greateſtdamps anddif-

couragements imaginable; the zeal of thoſe that followedhave oftenbeeninflamedby the faintings of thoſe that were tried beforethem.

In theſeventh perſecution underDecius, anno 250,, therewere ſtanding before the tribunal, certain ofthewarriors or knights, viz. Ammon, Zenon, Ptolemeus, Ingennus, and a certain aged man called Theophilus, who all ſtanding by as ſpectators when a certain Chriſtian was examined, and there ſeeing him for fear, ready to decline, and fall away, did almoſt burst for forrow within themselves: they made ſigns to himwith their hands, and all geſtures of the body to be conſtant; this being noted by all the ſtanders by, they were ready tolayhold uponthem; but theypreventing the matter, preſſed upof their own accord, before the bench of thejudge, profeffing themselves to be Chriſtians, inſomuch that both the prefident and the benchers were all aftoniſhed, and the Chriſtians which were judged, the more encouraged. Such damping ſpectacles the Chriſtians offormer ageshadfrequently ſet before them.

And it was no ſmall trial toſome ofthem, to hear the faint. ings and abnegation ofthoſethat went before them, pleadedagainst theirconſtancy; as in the time of Valens, itwas urged bythe perfecutors ; thoſe that came to their trial before you, haveacknowleged their errors, begged our pardon, andreturnedtous: andwhy will you stand it out ſoobſtinately ? But the Chriſtians aufwered, Nos hac potiffimum ratione viriliterftabimus, For this very reafon we willstand to it themore manfully, to repair theirſcandal, byour greater couragefor Chrift. Theſe were the helps and advantages they often had inthoſedays, therefore lay not so much ſtreſs upon that; their courage undoubtedly flowed from an higher ſpring and better principle, thanthecompany they ſufferedwith.

3. And if precedents and experiences ofothers to break the icebefore you, be ſogreat an advantage, ſurely we that live in VOL. IV.

APractical Treatise of Fear. theſelatter times have the moſt and best helps of that nature thateverany people in the world had. You have all their ex amples recorded foryour encouragement, and therefore think it notstrange concerning thefiery trial, as tho fomestrange thing badhappenedtoyou, as the apoſtle ſpeaks,

Pet. iv. 12.

This plea is weighed, and no great weight found in it.

Plea 2. But my nature is ſoft and tender, myconftitution moreweak and fubject to the impreſſions of fear than others: fomethat have robuſt bodies, and hardy ſtout minds, maybettergrapplewith ſuch difficulties than I can, who by conftitution andeducation, am altogether unfit to grapple with thoſe torments, that I have not patience enough to hear related; myheart faints and dies within me, if Ido but read, or hear of the barbarous uſages of the martyrs, and therefore I may wellbe excused for my fears and faint-heartedneſs, when the cafe is like tobe my own.

Answer 1. It isagreat miſtake tothink thatthe mere ſtrength of natural conſtitution, can carry any one through ſuch fufferings for Chriſt, or that natural tenderness andweakness di vinely affifted, cannot bear the heaviest burdenthateverGod laidupon the ſhoulders of anyfufferer for Chriſt. Our fuffering and bearing abilities are notfrom nature, but fromgrace.

We find men of ſtrong bodies and reſolutedaringminds, have fainted in the time of trial.

Dr. Pendleton, in our own ftory, was aman of arobust and maſſy body, and a reſolute daring mind; yetwhen he came tothe trial, he utterly fainted and felloff. Onthe other ſide, what poor feeble bodies have fuf. tainedthegreatest torments, and out of weaknefs been made ftrong! Heb. xi. 34. The virgin Eulalia of Emerita inPortugal, wasyoungandtender, but twelveyears old, andwithmuch indulgence and tendernessbrought upinan honourable family, being aperson of confiderable quality; yet how courageously did ſhe ſuſtain the most cruel torments for Chriſt ! When the judge fawnedupon her with this tempting language, " Why

" wiltthou kill thyself, ſoyoung aflower, and ſo near thoſe " honourable marriages and greatdowries thou mighteſt en- " joy? "

Instead of returning a retracting or double anſwer, Eulalia threw down the idol, and ſpurned abroad with her feet the heap of incenſe prepared for the centers ; and when the executioner came to her, ſhe entertained him with this language: *"Go to, thou hangman, burn, cut, mangle thou

"theſe earthlymembers; it isan eaſymatter tobreak a briule Acts and Mon. V. 1. p. 120,

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*fübſtance,bút theinward mindthou ſhaltnothurt."Andwhen onejointwas pulled from another, ſhe ſaid, " Behold what a "pleaſure it is for them, oh Chriſt! that remember thy tri

" umphant victories, to attainunto thoſe high dignities."

So thatour conftitutional ſtrength is notto bemade the meaſure ofour paffive fortitude: Godcan make the feebleſt and ten dereſt perfons ſtand, when ſtrong bodies, andbluſtering, reſolute, anddaring minds faintandfall.

2. Areour bodies ſo weak, and hearts ſo tender, that we canbear no fufferings for Chriſt ?

Thenwe are noway fit to behis followers.

Chriſtianity is awarfare, and Chriſtians muſt endurehardſhips, 2Tim. ii. 3.

Delicacy and tenderneſs is as oddafight in aChriſtian, as it is ina foldier; andwe cannot beChrift's diſciples, except wedeliberate the terms, and having confidered well what it is like to coſt us, do refolve, in the ſtrength ofGod, to run the hazard of allwith him and for him.

It is invain to talk of areligion thatwe think notworthy the ſuffering andenduringany great matter for.

3.And if indeed, reader, thy conflitutionbe ſo delicate and tender, thatthou artnot able tobear the thoughts oftorments for Chrift, how is itthat thou art notmore terrified with the torments ofhell, which all theythat deny Chriſt on earthmust feel and bear eternally ? Oh, what is the wrath of man, in comparisonwith the wrath ofGod! but as the bite of a flea totherendings of alion.

This isthe confideration propoundedbyChrift in Matth. x. 28. " Fear not them who kill the " body, but are not able to killthe foul; but rather fear him

" who is able todestroyboth foulandbodyin hell." The infinite and unſupportable wrath of the great and terribleGod, ſhouldmake our fouls ſhrink and ſhake at the thoughts of it, rather than the ſufferings of the leſh, which are but foramoment.

4. Know that the wisdom and tenderness ofthyFather, will proportion the burden thou must bear to thy back that muft bear it; hewilldebate inmeaſure, and notoverloadthy feeble ſhoulders: thou shalt find thoſethings eaty intrial, that now ſeem inſupportable in the terribleproſpect; away of eſcape or ſupportwill certainly be opened, that thou mayeſtbe able to bear it.

Plea 3. But others plead the ſad experiences they have had of their own feebleness and weakness in former trials and exercifes of an inferior nature, in which their faith and patience hathfailedthem: andhow canthey imagine they ſhall ever be

APractical Treatise of Fear. able to ſtand in the fierceſt and moſt fiery trial ?

If we have runwith the footmen, andthey have wearied us in the land of peace, how ſhall we thencontendwith horses in the ſwellings of Jordan, Jer. xii. 5.

Answer 1. We are ſtrong orweak inall our trials, be they great or ſmall, according to the aſſiſting gracewe receive from above ; if he leave us inacommon and light trial to our own ſtrength, it will be our over-match, and if he aſſiſt us ingreat andextraordinary trials, we shallbe morethanconquerors. At one timeAbraham couldoffer up his only fon toGod with his own hand; at anothertime he is ſo afraid ofhis life, that he acts very unſuitablyto thecharacter ofabeliever, andwas ſhamefully rebuked for it by Abimelech.

At one time David could fay, Though an host encamp against me, I will notfear ; at another time he feigns himself mad, and acted beneath himself, both as a man, and as a man enrichedwith ſo much faith and experience.

At one time Peter is afraid to be interrogatedby amaid; at another time he could boldly confront thewhole council, and own Chriſt and his truths to their faces.

In extraordinary trials we may warrantably expect extraordinary afſiſtances, andby themwe shall be carried through thegreatest, how oftenfoever we have failed in ſmaller trials.

2. Thedeſign and end ofGod'sgiving us experience of our ownweakneſs in leſſer troubles, is not to diſcourage and daunt us againſt we come to greater, (which is the uſeSatan here makes of it) , but to take us off from felf-confidence and felfe dependence; tomake us fee our own weakness, thatwe may moreheartly andhumblybetake ourſelves to him in theway of faith and fervent fupplication.

Plea 4. But ſome will object that they cannot help their fears and tremblings when any danger appears; becauſe fear is the diſeaſe, at least the ſad effect and ſymptom ofdiſeaſe, with whichGod hath wounded them; a deep and fixed melancholy hathſo far prevailed, that the leaft trouble overcomes them; if any ſad afflictive providence befal, or but threatenthem, their fears preſentlyriſe, and their hearts ſink, ſleepdeparts, thoughts tumultuate, theblood boils, and the whole frame of nature is put into diſorder.

If therefore the Lord ſhould permit ſuch greatand dreadful trials tobefal them,they canthinkofnothing

•leſs thandyingby the hand of their own fears, before the hand ofany enemytouch them ; or, which is a thousand times worſe, bedrivenby their own fears into the net oftemptation, even to deny the Lord that bought them.

Anfwer. This Iknow is the fad cafe ofmany gracious per

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fons, andI have reaſon to pity thoſe that are thus exerciſed:

O it is a heavy ſtroke, adiſmal ſtate, a deep wound indeed: butyetthe wisdom ofGodhath ordered this affliction uponhis people for gracious ends and uſes; hereby they are made the moretenderandwatchful, circumſpectandcareful in theirways, thatthey may ſhun and eſcape as many occaſions of trouble as theycan,being ſounable to grapple with them.

I ſay notbut there arehigher and noblermotives that make them circumſpect andtender, butyet the preſervation ofourownquietneſs is uſefulin its place, and it is a mercy if that or any thing elfebe fanctified to prevent fin, and promote care of duty.

This is your clog tokeep youfrom ſtraying.

2. Andwhen you ſhallbe called forth togreater trials, that whichyounow callyour ſnare, maybe your advantage, and that indivers reſpects.

1. Theſe verydiſtempers ofbody and mind ſerveto imbitter thecomfortsand pleaſures of thisworld to you, and make life itſelfleſs defirable toyou thanit is toothers; theymuch wean yourhearts from, and make life more burdenſome to you than it is to others, whoenjoymore ofthe pleaſure and ſweetness of itthanyoucando. Ihave oftenthought this tobe onedeſign and end of providence, inpermitting ſuch diſtempers to ſeize ſomanygraciousperſons as labour under them, and providence knows how to makeuse of this effect to fingular purpoſe and advantage toyou, when acallto fuffering ſhallcome ; this may have itsplace and uſe, underhigher and more ſpiritual confiderations, to facilitatedeath, and make your ſeparation from this worldthe more eaſy to you *; for though itbe amore noble and raiſedact offaith andſelf-denial to offer up toGod our lives, whenthey are mademoſt pleasant anddefirable to usuponnatural accounts, yet it is not ſo eaſy to part with them as it is whenGod hath firſt imbittered them to us.

Your lives are of littlevalue toyou now, becauſe of this burdenſome clog you muſt draw after you,but ifyou should increaſe your burden by ſo horrid an addition of guilt, as the denying Chriſt, or his known truthswould do, you would not know what to dowith ſuch a life ; it would certainly lieuponyourhands as a burthen.

Godknowshowto use theſethings intheway ofhis providence toyour great advantage.

2. Art thou a poor melancholy andtimorous perſon ? Cer- * Itwas common with the marytrs, to ſweetendeath tothemfelves, by reckoningwhat infirmities itwould cure them of, oneof bisblindness, another ofhis lameneſs, &c.

Practical Treatise of Fear. tainly ifthou be gracious as well as timorous, this willdrive thee nearer toGod; and the greater thy dangers are, the more frequentand fervent willthy addreſſes tohim be : thou feeleſt the need ofeverlastingarms underneath theetobear theeupunder, and tocarry thee thro' finaller troubles, thatother perfons make nothing of, much more in ſuch deep trials, that put the ſtrongest Chriſtians to the utmoſt oftheir faith andpatience.

And, 3dly, What if the Lordwill make anadvantage out of yourweakness, diſplay more evidently hisown power in your fupport? you know what the apostle faith, 1 Cor. xii. 9, 10.

"Andhe ſaidunto me, mygrace is ſufficient for thee; for my " ftrength is made perfect inweakness: moſt gladly therefore

" will Iglory in my infirmities, that the power ofChriſt may " reſtuponme forwhen I am weakthenam I ſtrong."

Ifhis infirmities might ſerve as afoil to fet offthe grace ofGod with amorebright and ſparkling luftre, he would rejoice in his in. firmities, andſo ſhouldyou: Wellthen, let not thisdiſcourage you, the infirmity ofnature you complain of maymake death the leſs terrible; it ſerved tothatpurpoſe tobleffed Bafil, (as you heard before) when his enemy threatened to tear outhis liver, he thought it akindness tohave that liver torn out, that hadgivenhimſo much trouble.

It may drive thee nearer to Godandminifter a fit opportunity for thediſplay ofhis gracein the time of need.

Plea 5.Butwhat ifGodſhouldhide hisface from my foul inthedayofmy ſtraits and troubles,and notonly ſo, but per. mit Satan tobuffet me with his horrid temptations and injecti ons, andſo I ſhould fail like the ſhip inwhich Paul failed,betwixt theſe two boiſterous ſeas; whatcan I ſuſpect leſs than 2 thipwreck ofmy foul, body, andallthecomforts ofboth, in this world, and inthat tocome?

Answer 1. Sofar as the fears ofſuch amiſeryawakenyou to prayfor theprevention ofit, itmaybeſerviceable toyour fouls, butwhen itonly works diſtraction anddeſpondency ofmind, it isyour fin andSatan's ſnare.

The prophetJeremymadeagood ufeoffuch a ſuppoſedevilbyway ofdeprecation, Jer. xvii. 17.

"Be not a terror unto me, thou art myhope intheday ofevil." q.d. in the evil dayIhave no placeofretreator refuge, butthy loveand favour; Lord, that is all I have to depend on, andrelieve myselfby : I comfort myselfagainst troublewith this confidence, thatifmenbe cruel,yetthou wiltbekind; ifthey frown, thon wilt ſmile; ifthe world caſtme out, thou wilttake me in; but ifthou ſhouldeſtbe aterror tome inſteadofa comforter, if

APractical Treatise of Fear.

they afflict my body, and thou affright my foul with thy frown's too; whatadeplorable condition ſhall Ibeinthen ! Improve itto ſuchan end ashedid, toſecurethefavour ofGod,and itwilldo younoharm.

2. Itis notufual forGod toeſtrange himself fromhis people introuble, nor tofrown upon themwhenmendo.

The common evidence of believers ſtands readyto atteſt and ſeal this truth, that Chriſtians never find more kindness fromGod, than when they feel moſt crueltyfrom men for his fake; confult the whole cloud ofwitneſſes, andyou willfind theyhave ſtillfound the undoubted verity ofthattriedword, in 1 Pet. iv. 14. That,

" the Spiritofglory,andofGod,reſteth uponfufferers." The expreffion feems to allude tothe dove thatNoah fent forth out ofthe ark, which flew overthewatry world,butcould not reſt herſelfanywheretill ſhereturned tothe ark. So the Spiritof

Godis calledhere the ſpirit ofglory, fromhis effects andfruits, viz.his chearing, ſealing, and reviving influences whichmake mengloryandtriumph in the moſt afflicted ſtate.

The Spirit ofGod ſeems, like that dove, tohover up anddown, to flee hither and thither, over this perſon and that, but reſteth not fo longuponany, as thoſe that fuffer for righteouſneſs ſake; there he commonlytakesuphis abode and refidence.

3.Andwhat if itſhould fallout infome reſpect accordingto your fears, that heaven andearth ſhould bebothcloudedtoge. ther ? Yet it willnotbe longbefore the pleaſant lightwill ſpring up toyou again, Plal. cxii. 4. " Unto the upright there arifeth

" light in thedarkneſs." You ſhallhavehis ſupporting preſence 'till the Comforterdo come. When Mr. Glover came within fight of the ſtake,he ſuddenly criesout,OhAustin! he iscome! beiscome!

Plea6. Oh! but what ifmy trial ſhouldbe long, and the fiegeof temptations tedious ? Then I am perfuadedI am loſt;

Iam nowayable tocontinue.long inapriſon, or in tortures for Chriſt, I have no ſtrengthtoendurealong fiege, my patience is tooſhort tohold outfrom month to month, and from year toyear as many have done. Oh! Idread the thoughts oflongcontinued trials,I tremble to thinkwhat must be the ifſſue.

Answer 1. Cannot you diftrust your own ſtrength, and ability, butyou muſt alſo limitGod's ? What ifyou have but a ſmallſtock of patience ? Cannot the Lord ſtrengthen you with allmight in the inner-man, untoallpatience and long-fuffering withjoyfulness, according tohis glorious power, Col. i. 11. And is itnot his promife toconfirmyou tothe end ? I Cor. i. 3.

A Practical Treatise of Fear.

You neither know how much, nor how long you canbear and fuffer.

It is not inherent, but aſſiſting grace, by which your ſuffering abilities are tobe meaſured. Godcan make that little ſtock of patience you have to hold out as the poor widow's cruiſe of oil did, 'till deliverance come; he can enable your patienceunto its perfect work, (i.e.) to work as extenſively to allthekinds and forts oftrials, as intenfively to the highest degree of trial, and as protenſively tothe longest duration and continuance ofyour trials, as he would have it: if this be a marvellous thing inyour eyes, muſt itbe ſo in God's eyes alfo?

2. The Lord knows the proper ſeaſon tocome in to the relief of your fliding and fainting patience, and will aſſuredly come in accordingly in that ſeaſon; for ſo run the promiſes,

" The Lord ſhall judge his people, and repent himſelf for his " ſervants, whenhe ſeeth that their power is gone, and that " there is none ſhut up or left," Deut. xxxii. 36. Cum duplicantur lateres venit Mofes ; in the mount ofdifficulties and extremities it ſhall be ſeen.

"The rod of the wicked ſhall not " reſtupon the lotofthe righteous, leſt the righteous put forth

" theirhands unto iniquity," Pfal. cxxv. 3. Ubi definit humanum, ibi incipit divinum auxilium; God's power watches the opportunity ofyour weakneſs.

Plea 7. Butwhat if I shouldbe put to cruel andexquifite tortures, ſuppoſe to the rack, to the fire, or ſuch moſt dreadful fufferings as other Chriſtians have been ? What ſhall I do ?

Do I think I am able to bear it? Is my ſtrength the ſtrength of ſtone, or are mybones braſs, that ever I ſhould endure ſuchbarbarous cruelties ? Alas ! Death inthe mildeſt form is terrible to me : how terrible then muſt ſuch a death be ?

Answer. Who enabled thoſe Chriſtians you mention toendure theſe things ? They loved their lives, and ſenſed their pains as well as you, they had the fame thoughts and fears, many ofthem, thatyou now have; yetGod carried them thro all, and ſohe can you. Didnot he make the devouring flames a bed of roses to ſome ofthem ? Was he not within the fires ?

Did he not abate the extremity of the torment, and enable weak and tender perfons to endure them patiently and chearfully? Some ſinging in the midst of flames, others clapping their hands triumphantly, and tothe last fight that could behad of them in this world, nothing appeared but figns and demonſtrations ofjoy unspeakable. Ah friends! we judge of fufferings by the out-fide and appearance, which is terrible ; but we know not the infide of ſufferings, which is exceeding com

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