walk as they may say these people that make conscience of their waies surely they did come for conscience sake Their ways are according to that they profess We have a notable expression of some that came from another country for religion and yet walked so offensively as the name of God suffered much by them that the heathen said These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his land Ezekiel 36.20 we dare not say we are among heathens but when they were among heathens they prophaned my holy name says God and so many Fleeing from their own Country profane the name of God in another Country that give occasion to the people among whom they are Fled to say look here are some that are gone from their own Land that profess themselves to be the people of the Lord and to Flee for religion look what kind of people they are thus Gods name is profaned let us take heed that we give no such occasion to the people with whom we live to say these are the people of the Lord that are Fled for religion 3. We should be careful to behave our selves as those that are Fled for religion as exiled people to be mortified to the things of the world and to be content with any condition that God shal cal us unto shal we repine when we meet with any trouble that were an argument we had too too delicate spirits when we Flee from great danger and yet think we should meet with no trouble at all 4. When we are Fled we should labor to get our spirits into a contented frame and walk in subjection unto God and give God praise as if we were in the greatest prosperity that we could have been in in our own Country we should not have our hearts dulled with any inconveniency but keep up our spirits free in the service of God It is a notable expression we have of David if you compare two Psalms together Psal 57. with the 108. and the 57. Psal was when he Fled from Saul and was in the care but mark how Davids spirit was kept up he was not dulled and stupified as many are that come from delicate houses and are faine to live in Sellars and blind holes their hearts begin to rise Oh! the fresh aire and brave living that once they had David was so and yet his heart was kept up In the shadow of thy wings wil I make my refuge a poor dark hole he was in and he counted that dark hole the shadow of Gods wings againe I wil cry to God most high though I be brought low and meane I have an interest in this high God and wil cry to that high God unto God that performeth al things Had God performed al things for David God promised David the kingdome and David is brought into a poor hole to shift for his life and yet David sayes he wil cry unto God that performeth all things for him He shal send from Heaven and save me though I be in this blind place the God of heaven regards me and shal send from heaven to save me vers 5. Be thou exalted above the heavens let thy glory be above al the earths vers 7. My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise al this was when he was in the Cave if you compare this with Psal 108. which was a Psalm of thanksgiving and rejoycing that he made upon his deliverance and the same expression that David had within the cave the same expressions he had when God had fulfilled his promises and he was Blessing his name for his great deliverance noting thus much look what temper of heart we should have in the enjoyment of the greatest mercies we should labor to have that temper of heart in our submissions unto God when we are Fled from danger 5. Again let it be our care when we are delivered from the danger that we apprehended our selves to be in to keep our selves in the fervency of our hearts and spirits for God and in the fervency of our love unto God and his truth as we had in danger Many when they are in danger of their enemies and afraid of them their hearts are in a great deal of fervency and zeal for God and his truth and if they can get a few together to fast and pray or hear a Sermon repeated how do they rejoyce but when they are in safety their hearts are dead and Flat and if they meet together to pray or to commune about the word their spirits are not so fervent as before the Lord keep this from us 6. Again let us labor to do al the good we can to the place which we are Fled from by our prayers or any other way we can as the people of God when they were from their own country yet they would remember Jerusalem so ought we to do for we are much bound to God for it in regard of the good we have received in it 7. Lastly let us labor to make that hiding place that God provides for us to deliver us from danger to be but a preparing place for greater danger let us not think because we have avoided some danger and are in some safety that al is well but this should be our care that those places that are our hiding places to hide us from some danger should be our preparing places for greater dangers afterwards and thus using these directions we shal honor God in our Fleeing and shal not have cause to repent us And thus we have done with that argument the answering the case of conscience about Fleeing CHAP. 13. How the Heart may be taken off from the fear of man First it is against the solemn charge of God Secondly It is an Idolizing of the Creature Thirdly It becomes not the State and Spirit and profession of a Christian Fourthly It dishonors God and the Cause of God Fifthly It mightily heartens the enemies of Gods people Sixthly It is threatned as a great judgment of God upon a people Seventhly The evil effects of the sinful feare of man 1. It distracts our thoughts 2. Weakens the heart 3. Eates out the true feare of God 4. It indisposeth us to any service 5. Insnares a Christian 6. It causeth other desperate fears 7. Procures the judgment of God in our destruction A VVord of Exhortation How the heart may be taken off from the fear of man There are two things that yet remain in this point namely to labor to take off the heart from the fear of man or any danger by shewing the evil that there is in the sinful fearing of man or of any danger that may befal us Secondly by laying down some means to bring off the heart from creature fear First A Christian must take heed of sinful fear of man and not to fear any creature in an inordinate sinful way for there is much evil in it more than we are aware of 1. In
the First place It is that which is against so many solemn charges of God whereby he charges his people against this to take heed of it as a thing that would be exceeding displeasing in his eyes I scarce know any thing in scripture that God doth in a more solemn way charge his people to take heed of then this as that place In Deut. 20.3 Mark what several words God hath let not your hearts faint fear not do not tremble neither be terrified and so in Isa 41.13.14 Fear not I wil help thee fear not thou worme Jacob though thou thinkest thy self a worme fear not and so he goes on in that chapter useing many arguments and giving many cavaets against fear So in Matth. 10. in a few verses you have two or three several expressions against fear vers 26. Fear them not therefore in vers 28. Fear not them that kill the body and in vers 31. Fear ye not therefore this shews our natures are subject to sinful fear we are dul enough to the true fear of God but to the feare of man our natures are exceeding prone now that which is against so many solemn charges of God that must needs be a very great evil Secondly The fear of man and of the creature is an Idolizing the creature giving that to the creature which is due to God and as we set up the creature in the place of God by loving it desiring it trusting in it and rejoycing in it in an inordinate way so by fearing it yea fearing of it in a sinful way inordinately not in subordination to God is an Idolizing the creature in a special manner because the affection of fear is a mighty powerful affection and darws the Heart mightily after it and therefore God gives great charge that he himself should only be feared in Isaiah 8.13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread So that to fear the creature sinfully is contrary to the sanctifying of Gods name and against the special worship that God challengeth to himselfe and therefore in vers 12. He would take off their hearts from the fear of man and the fear of the creature Say ye not a confederacy to al them to whom this people shal say a confederacy neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid The fear of God is put for the whole worship of God for one to say I fear the Lord and worship the Lord is all one They are taught my fear by the precepts of men they are taught my worship Isaac was sayed to fear the name of God because the special worship that Isaac tendered to God was the fear of his name and if the fear of Gods name be such a special part of Gods worship for this to be Given to the creature not in a way of subordination to God that is a great evil Thirdly In the third place it is that which is exceeding unbeseeming the estate and spirit and profession of a Christian 1. It is unbeseeming the Estate of a Christian What is the estate of a Christian It is a raysed estate higher than the estate of the world but this makes their estates low for it subjects them to the Iusts and humors of men we need not fear what man can do when he walketh not by the rule and when he abuseth his power it is his lust and when we fear sinfully we subject our selves to the lusts of men and it is against the raised estate of a Christian to subject himself to the lust of any man in the world we must be subject unto the power of man according to Gods rule but be subject unto the lusts of no man though it were the greatest Monarch in the world The estate of a Christian is a rich and established estate but this fear makes it uncertaine as if he had nothing to rest upon The estate of a Christian hath many priveledges but this makes it seem as if there were no good to make up the least evil The estate of a Christian is such as all the attributes of God work for it the power and wisdom and mercy and truth of God But this sinful fear shews as if we had nothing to help us in our straights and distresses The estate of a Christian is such as must make account of a great deal of trouble in his way but this sinful fear shews as if we promised to our selves nothing but ease and contentment to the flesh The estate of a Christian is such as hath gone through a great many fears before other manner of fears than the Creature can cause the feare of the wrath of God and the stroake of Justice and the Curse of the Law but this sinful feare makes it seem as if we had never been acquainted with such fear It is unbeseeming the spirit of a Christian 2 Tim. 1.7 We have not received the spirit of fear that is unbeseeming a Christian The spirit of a Christian is a raised spirit this is a low spirit The spirit of a Christian is strong this is a weak effeminate spirit The spirit of a Christian is raised upon high principles this is from base principles The spirit of a Christian is an ingenious spirit this is a mean spirit discouraged upon every little danger The spirit of a Christian is ful of love this is ful of Jealousy The spirit of a Christian is a Clean spirit this is a polluted spirit conscious to it self of abundance of evil Thirdly It is unbeseeming the profession of a Christian a Christian doth make profession of special interest that he hath in God and in the Covenant of Grace and the promises of the Gospel and to be daunted with every little fear is quite cross to this And therefore that 's observable of Ezra Ezra 8.22 When he had made profession of Gods being with them he was ashamed to aske of the King a band of Souldiers he was ashamed to do any thing to shew that they feared the enemy and so when a Christian shal profess interest in God yet have such base sinful fear this is mightily against the profession of a true Christian Fourthly A sinful fear is that which much dishonors God and his Cause a great dishonor it is to God to have his people so affraid of every danger it is a dishonor to his power his truth his faithfulness and his care over his people It is a dishonor to God and so in that respect it is contrary to the sanctifying of Gods name and therefore you shal observe where the Lord chargeth his people with sinful fear he charges them also that they did not remember him Isa 57.11 Of whom hast thou been affraid or feared t hat thou hast lyed and hast not remembred me where there is sinful fear it takes off the heart from God as if there were no God in heaven to help a Christian Therefore it was Nehemiah in Nehemiah 6.8 Would not be affraid
Pilates hand And so Nicodemus he was convinced that Christ was a great prophet of God and much Good might be got by him but he was affraid of the Jews and came to Christ by night afterward he went with Joseph to begg the body of Christ and appeared publickly for Christ and so Paul there was a time when he was let down in a basket for fear and he shifted for his life that way but afterwards what abundance of courage had he And so in after times many of the martyrs sometime what mighty feare was upon them and afterwards what strength and courage had they As Bilney thar blessed Martyr as Latimer speaks of him he was in greivous perplexity that those that came to apply any promises to him did as it were strick daggers to his heart afterwards he suffred a glorious martyrdome and had abundance of Courage as may be read in his story And so Saunders when Doctor Pendleton came to him to strengthen him says he will you that have put your hand to the plow now give in and you that have left Antichrist wil you now follow him Saunders could not but have much fear that he should forsake Christ but so it fell out that Pendleton fell off shamefully and Mr. Saunders suffered and had abundance of Comfort and Courage And so Mr. Glover when he was in prison after he was condemned he had much fear and a spirit of heaviness yea the morning that he was called out to the stake he was troubled with doubtings till he came to the sight of the stake and then he had abundance of courage and Joy These are the examples but now the reasons Reason 1. The first Reason of the Differences of the spirits of Gods Servants is from the different disposition that their hearts are in for their receiving of the truths of God at some time from that they are at othertimes that it is even to admiration sometimes to consider that such a truth that there is but a hint of it Given at one time shal have such power upon their hearts as shal mightily prevail with them they shal easily entertaine it and easily be convinced by it and overpowred with it at another time when there are strong arguments to bring the truth a great deal more powerfully and fully to the heart it vanisheh and comes to little we use to say Whatsoever we receive is received according to the disposition of the receiver what is the reason why people in the time of sickness are ready to heare of any truth and ready to be convinced of it and no wranglings and objections against it If God come in their prosperity and health with the same truthes they are nothing to them but wrangle and object against them and wil not yeild and be convinced The truth is the same but the difference is in the disposition of the receiver And so in regard of the temptation to sin sometime when a temptation to sin is presented the heart presently closes with it without examining at other times through Gods mercy when temptation comes it doth not so easily take but a mans heart wil stand out against it sometimes a mans heart is to the temptation as tinder to the fire every spark wil take hold at other times the heart is as the three children though they walke in firy temptations their hearts have not so much as the favour of them There are three things that do cause the difference in the disposition of heart for receiving a truth of God or receiving a temptation to sin First The abating of the strength of that which is opposite unto any truth or unto any temptation when as a truth comes to a man there is in every mans heart somthing opposite to that truth now if the strength of that which is opposite be abated that it doe not stir the truth prevailes whith a great deale of strength but if that which is opposite to a truth be working and stirring at such a time when they truth comes then though it comes a great deal more strongly it cannot prevaile And so if temptation comes and the principle that is opposite to that temptation be stirring at that time a man can prevaile against it but if a man have some principle of grace and that ly dead when the temptation comes then a great deal less temptation prevailes Secondly That which makes a difference in the dispositions of the spirits of men for receiving a truth or receiving a temptation is the stirring or activeness of those habits that are sutable to a truth or unto a temptation when there comes a truth presented to a man that cals for duties service or suffering if a man have principles sutable to the duty and these principles be now stirring then he can close with that truth and it prevailes powerfully And so for sin if a man have seeds and habits of sin and temptation come when these seeds and habits are stirring then he closeth with it presently Thirdly But the especial thing that makes the disposition of a man to receive a truth or a temptation different at one time from that it is at another is when self is engaged in a business As now take it in person or opinion Suppose there is such a man or woman that I am any way ingaged to and serve my turn in in any thing that is spoken for them or their commendation I am ready to imbrace it but suppose this man or woman do not serve my turn but the ingagement is broke then I beleeve the least evil that is spoken against them when as I would not have beleeved ten times as much before not that there is more in them then before but only the frame and disposition of my heart towards them is otherwise then before And so in opinion If a man hold an opinion upon which there follows some consequents that he did not see before after he hath held this opinon upon which such consequents will follow he seekes with all his might to maintaine it not because the consequents are true but because it is his opinion that he holds Come to a man that is ignorant which holds an opinion and tel him nakedly the consequents that will follow upon that opinion he holds without any reference to that opinion and he is mightily against them but come another time and seeke to draw those consequents from that opinion which he holds and he seek to maintaine them which he would not do but for that ingagement he hath unto that opinion but when a gracious heart finds this that al ingagements to men and the world and selfe are broken and he gives himself to be ingaged wholy in God al that was self before in his credit and liberty and estate and ease and comfort is put upon the name of God the praise of God the furthering the truth of God and his Gospel then any truth of God that comes to the soule at this time
it prevailes mightily because the heart is ingaged in God and his truth and indeed if so be we did understand aright we should see more of our own good to consist in God then in our selves and this is the ground and principle of self denial when as the soule shall come to see my good is more in God then in my selfe and therefore I will deny my good and comfort so far as it is in my selfe and I will seeke my good and comfort in God and indeed no men in the world seek themselves more then the Godly only the one seeks himself in himself and the other seeks himself in God the one is engaged to his self-ends and self-praise and the other makes himself only ingaged in God and when a man comes to be thus engaged in God then any truth prevails with a mighty strength more then before And this is the first reason which is a principal one that causeth the heart to be at a different condition at one time from that it is at another Reason 2. The second Reason is in regard of the differences of their presentations of a truth though when we are indisposed let the truths come never so powerfully it is all one but if the heart be fit in any reasonable manner to receive a truth there may be a great deal of difference in the manner of the representation of a truth somtimes the truth comes more cleerly and with more evidences more particularly more powerfully Somtimes it comes with greater evidence of the spirit of God then at other times there is not only a little gloss of a truth of God but the shine of it that a man cannot shut his eyes against it somtime the truth comes more particularly to the heart God doth not only present a truth in the general to him that this is a duty Christians must do but it shal come to the particular frame of the heart and shal meet with every objection and he shall find the secrets of his thoughts to be discovered and answered so that the truth shal come like a key that is fitted to a lock if you bring a key to the lock though it may be like the right key and as strong a key as the right is yet if it be not indeed the right if it miss but in one ward of the lock never so little you may spoil both the lock and the key but you cannot open the lock though you have never so much strength but come with a key suted to that lock and do but turn it and it opens presently So when it pleaseth God to come with his truth to our souls we were backward and we heard many truths but they did not meet with all our objections and therefore it was stopped with some one or other but afterward it pleased God so to dispose of things and to bring the truth so fully to the heart as it meets with every objection and then the heart quietly yeilds and therefore it is said God opened Lydias heart Paul preached to others and had much wringing with them and could not prevail but Saint Paul came to Lydia and he prevailed presently because God did so dispose of Lydias heart as it was fitted to the truth Saint Paul spoke of as many when they come to hear the word cannot but say the truth of God hath met with me in every particular and I have no secret object on in my heart but it is answered somtimes the truth comes more powerfully then at other times as in Isaiah 8.11 For the Lord spake thus to me with a Strong hand instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people God did not only tell the prophet his duty but he spake with a strong hand so when God comes sometimes he tels you what you ought to do but he doth not alwaies come with a strong hand as sometimes he doth Job 36.10 He openeth also their Eares to discipline and commandeth that they returne from iniquity does not God command men at al times to returne from their iniquities doth not god command men in prosperity to return from their Iniquities yes but in the time of affliction ordinarily the truth comes with more commanding power then he sealeth instruction as in Job 33.16 when people came to hear the word they heard instructions to do such and such duties but those instructions did not come with command they were not sealed but in affliction God seals them if a man see a writing and see the hands of others to it it is somthing to perswade him to see others are of that opinion but when he sees the broad Seal to it then it comes with authority and so when men come and hear the word of God they think it is but our opinion and cast it off but in affliction those truths come with authority and have the seal of Heaven upon them and then they prevail you have other manner of thoughts of them then before that which Saint Paul spoke it was in power to the hearts of the people and they could not resist the spirit wherewith Stephen spake because he was ful of faith and power So sometimes God speaks with so much power as they cannot stand out we may see the different spirits of men by the different representation of a truth in our selves or in others somtime when God pleaseth to convince us and work upon us we admire it our selves did we not hear these things before what was it that kept me from being convinced I never was stirred before and now methinks there is such mighty power in them as I cannot stand against them what was the matter and so in others let there be two men that shal go upon the same principles and their ends shal be the same and both their hearts shal be upright and yet they cannot yeild to the same thing because the same thing is presented to the one one way and he sees it cleerly and the same thing is presented to another another way and he cannot see it And therefore it should teach us to have patience when we have to deal with such as do not see a thing clear As when we come to a lock that we have not the right key and we try and it wil not open we do not presently throw it away but we think it may be there is some dust in it we pick that out and try again if it do not open then we think may be we did not put in the key right too far or not far enough and if it do not open then we think may be we did not turn the right way we try again if it do not open then we think we did not turn strong enough we try again if it do not open then we think may be we have not the right key if I choose another key that would open it Then we try again if it do not open it we are loath to loose