Effect 3. Slavish fears of the creature exceedingly strengthen our temptations in times of danger, and make them very efficaci- ous and prevalent upon us, Prov. xxix. 25. The f ear of man brings a snare. Satan spreads the net, but we are not within its reach, till our own fears drive us unto it ; the recoiling of our spirits from some imminent dangers may cause the pulse of a true Christian to intermit and faulter, how regular soever it beats at other times : this will cause great trepidation and timidity in men that are sincere and upright, and that is it that brings the snare over their, souls. Aaron was a good man, and idolatry he knew to be a great sin, yet fear prevailed with that good man to give too much way to that great evil, Exod. xxxii. 22. Thou knowest the people that they are set upon mischiefs saith he, in his own excuse in the matter of the golden calf, q. d. Lord, I durst do no otherwise at that time, the people were violently and passionately set upon it ; had I resisted them, it might have cost me dear.
It was fear that prevailed with Origen to yield so far as he did in offering incense to the idol^ the consideration of which fact brake his heart to pieces. It was nothing but fear that made David play the fool, and act so dishonourably as he did, 1 Sam. xxi. 12. Fear is a snare in which Satan hath caught as many souls as in any other of his stratagems and snares whatsoever.
It were easy to give instances, so many and so sad, as would en- large this head even to tediousness, but I chuse rather to come to the particulars, wherein the danger of this snare of the devil con- sists. And
1. Herein lies the ensnaring danger of sinful fear, that it drives men out of their proper station, out of their place and duty, beside which there is none to be found, but what is Satan's ground. The subtle enemy of our salvation is aware that we are out of gun- shot, beyond his reach, whilst we abide with God in the way of our duty, that the Lord is with us whilst we are with him, and there is no attempting our ruin under ^he wings of his protection. If ever, therefore, he meaneth to do any thing upon us, he must get us off that ground, and from under those wings ; and there is nothing like fear to do this : then we are as the birds that are wandering
A PRACTICAL TREATISE OF FEAR. 275
from their nests, Prov. xxvii. 8. or like Shimei out of his
2. Fear is usually the first passion in the soul that beats a parley with the enemy, and treats with the tempter about terms of surren- der ; and, as the French proverb is, Tke castle that parleys is half •zcon. It is fear that consults with flesh and blood, whilst faith is engaged with God for the supply of strength to endure the siege. We have a sad and doleful instance of this in Spira ; he tells us how his own fers betrayed him by parleying with the tempter : for thus Mr. Bacon, in the history of his life, records the occasion of his fall. ' Whilst Spira was tossing upon the restless waves of
* doubts, without guide to trust to, or haven to flee for succour, on < a sudden, God's Spirit assisting, he felt a calm, and began to dis-
* course with himself in this manner C " Why wanderest thou thus ^* in uncertainties ? Unhappy man I cast away fear, put on thy " shield of faith ; where is thy wonted courage, thy goodness, thy *' constancy ? Remember that Christ's glory lies at the stake, suffer *' then without fear, and he will defend thee, he will tell thee what " thou shalt answer ; he can beat down all danger, bring thee out of " prison, raise thee from the dead ; consider Peter in the dungeon, " the martyrs in the fire," &c.
' Now was Spira in reasonable quiet, being resolved to yield to
* those weighty reasons ; yet holding it wisdom to examine all
* things, he consults also with flesh and blood : thus the battle re-
* news, and the flesh begins in this manner \ " Be well advised, *' fond man, consider reasons on both sides, and then judge: how " canst thou thus overween thine own sufficiency, as thou neither *' regardest the examples of thy progenitors, nor the judgment of " the whole church ? Dost thou not consider what misery this day's " rashness will bring thee unto ? Thou shalt lose all thy substance " gotten with so much care and travail, thou shalt undergo the " most exquisite torments that malice itself can devise, thou shalt *' be counted an heretic of all, and to close up all, thou shalt die " shamefully. What thinkest thou of the loathsome, stinking dun- " geon, the bloody ax, the burning faggot? Are they delightful?" &c. Thus through fear he first parleyed with the tempter, con- sulted with flesh and blood, and at last fainted and yielded.
3. It is fear that makes men impatient of waiting God's time and method of deliverance, and so precipitates the soul, and drives it into the snare of the next temptation, Isa. li. 14. " The captive exile *' hasteth to be delivered out of the pit," Any way or means of escape that comes next to hand, saith fear, is better than to lie here in the pit ; and when the soul is thus prepared by its ov/n fears, it becomes an easy prey to the next temptation ; by all which you see the mischief that comes by fear in times of danger.
276 A rilACTICAL TllEATISE OF FEARi
Effect 4. Fear naturally producetli pusillanimity and cowardliness in men, a poor, low spirit, that presently faints and yields upon every slight assault. It extinguisheth all Christian courage and magnanimity wherever it prevails : and therefore you find it joined frequently in the scriptures with discouragement, Deut. i. 91. *' Fear not, neither be discouraged ; with fainting and trembling." Deut. XX. 3. " Let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not " tremble ;*" with dismay edness, Deut. xxxi. 6. and faint-hearted- ness, Isa. vii. 4. these are the effects and consequents of sinful fear. And how dangerous a thing it is to have our courage extinguished, and faintness of heart prevail upon us in a time when w^e have the greatest need and use of courage, and our perseverance, peace, and eternal happiness rely and depend so much upon it, let all serious Christians judge. It is sad to us, and dishonourable to re- ligion, to have the hearts of women, as it is said of Egypt, Isa. xix. 16. when we should play the men, as the apostle exhorts us, 1 Cor. xvi. 13. We find, in all ages, those that have manifested most courage for Christ in time of trial, have been those whose faith hath surmounted fear, and whose hearts were above all discouragements from this world.
Such a man was Basil, as appears by his answer to Valens the emperor : who tempting him with offers of preferment, received this answer, offer these things, said he, to cMldreii : and when he threatened liim with grievous sufferings, he replied ; Threaten these tilings to your jjur pie gallants, that give themselves to pleasure, and are afraid to die.