4. Or are you afraid what the church shall do ? And what will become of the ark of God ? Do you see a storm gathering, winds begin to roar, the waves to swell ; and are you afraid what will become of that vessel the church, in which you have so great an interest ?
It is an argument of the pubhcness and excellency of thy spirit, to be thus touched with the feeling sense of the church*'s sufferings and dangers. Most men seek their own things, and not the things that are Christ's, Phil. ii. 21. But yet it is your sin so to fear, as to sink and faint under a spirit of despondency and discouragement, which yet many good men are but too apt to do. I remember an excellent passage in a letter of * Luther's to Melancthon upon this very account. ' In private troubles, saith he, 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
* the cause is just and true, yea, that it is Christ's and God's cause. ' I am well nigh a secure spectator of things, and esteem not
* any thing these fierce and threatening Papists can do. I beseech
* thee by Christ, neglect not so Divine promises and consolations, ' where the scripture saith. Cast thy care upon the Lord, wait ' upon the Lord, be strong, and he shall comfort thy heart.' -f And in another epistle ! ' I much dislike those anxious cares, which, ' as thou writest, do almost consume thee. It is not the greatness ^ of the danger, but the greatness of thy unbelief. John Huss and ' others were under greater danger than we ; and if it be great, he ' is great that orders it. Why do you afflict yourself.? if the ' cause be bad, let us renounce it ; if it be good, why do we make ' him a har who bids us be still H as if you were able to do any ' good by such unprofitable cares. I beseech thee, thou that in ' other things art valiant, fight against thyself, thine own greatest ^ enemy, that puts weapons into Satan's hand.'
You see how good men may be even overwhelmed with public fears ; but certainly if we did well consider the bond of the cove- vant that is betwixt God and his people, we should be more quiet and composed. For by reason thereof it is, 1. That God is in the midst of them, Psal. xlvi. 1, 2, 3, 4. When any great danger threa- tened the reformed church in its tender beginning, in Luther's time, he would say. Come let us sing- the xlvi. Psalm ; and indeed it is a lovely song for such times : it bears the title of A song upon Jlor- mothy or a song for the hidden ones ; God is with them to cover
* Epist. ad Melanct. Jnno 1549. t -^nno 1530.
A rHACTICAL TREATISE OF FEAR. 285
them under his wings. 2. And it is plain matter of fact, evident to all the world, that no people under the heavens have been so long and so wonderfully preserved as the church hath been ; it hath over-lived many bloody massacres, terrible persecutions, subtle and cruel enemies ; still God hath preserved and delivered it, for his promises obliged him to do it, amongst which those two are sig- nal and eminent ones, Jer. xxx. 11. Isa. xxvii. 3. And it is ob- vious to all that will consider things, that there are the self-same motives in God, and the self-same grounds and reasons before him, to take care of his church and people, that ever were in him, or did ever lie before him from the beginning of the world. For (1.) The relation is still the same. What though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, those renowned believers, be in their graves, and those that succeed be far inferior to them in grace and spiritual excel- lency ; yet saith the church, doubtless thou art our Father. There is the same tie and bond betwixt the Father and the youngest weak- est child in the family, as the eldest and strongest. (2.) His pity and mercy is still the same, for that endures for ever : his bowels yearn as tenderly over his people in their present, as ever they did in any past afflictions or straits. (3.) The rage and malice of his and his people's enemies is still the same, they will reflect as blas- phemously and dishonourably upon God now, should he give up his people, as ever they did. Moses' argument is as good now as ever it was, What will the EgyiJtians say ? and so is Joshua's too, What wilt thou do unto thy great name ? Oh ! if these things were more thoroughly studied and believed, they would appease many fears.
2. Rule. WorJc upon yotir hearts the consideration of the many mischiefs and miseries men draw upon themselves and others, both in this world and that to come, by their own sinful fears.
1. The miseries and calamities that sinful fear brings upon men in this world are unspeakable : this is it that hath plunged the consciences of so many poor wretches into such deep distresses : this it is that hath put them upon the rack, and made them roar like men in hell among the damned. Some have been recovered, and others have perished in these deeps of horror and despair. '■' * In " the year 1550 there was at Ferrara in Italy one Faninus, who " by reading good books was by the grace of God converted to the " knowledge of the truth, wherein he found such sweetness, that " by constant reading, meditation, and prayer, he grew so expert " in the scriptures, that he was able to instruct others ; and though " he durst not go out of the bounds of his caUing to preach open-
* Clark's Exam. p. 47.
286 A PilACTICL TREATISE OF FEAR.
" ly, yet by conference and private exhortations he did good to " many. This coming to the knowledge of the pope's clients, " they apprehended and committed him to prison, where he re- " nounced the truth, and was thereupon released : but it was not " long before the Lord met with him for it ; so as falling into hor- " rible torments of conscience, he was near unto utter despair ; " nor could he be freed from those terrors before he had fully re- *' solved to venture his life more faithfully in the service of " Christ.''
Dreadful was that voice which poor Spira seempd to hear in his own conscience, as soon as ever his sinful fears had prevailed upon him to renounce the truth. " Thou wicked wretch thou hast de- " nied me, thou hast renounced the covenant of thine obedience, '' thou hast broken thy vow ; hence, apostate, bear with thee the " sentence of thine eternal damnation." Presently he falls into a swoon, quaking and trembhng, and still affirmed to his death, ^^ That from that time he never found any ease or peace in his " mind :" but professed, " that he was captivated under the re- " venging hand of the Almighty God : and that he continually "heard the sentence of Christ, the just Judge against him ; and " that he knew he was utterly undone, and could neither hope for «' grace, or that Christ should intercede for him to the Father.''