Rule 8. Let him that designs to free himself of distracting fears, he careful io maintain the purity of his conscience, and integrity of his ways, in the whole cou,rse of his conversation in this world.
Uprightness will give us boldness, and purity will yield us peace. Isa. xxxii. 17. " The work of righteousness shall be peace, and " the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever."" Look as fear follows guilt and guile, so peace and quietness follow righteousness and sincerity, Prov. xxviii. 1. The wicked flee when no man pursueth, but the rigldeous are hold as a lion. His confi- dence is great, because his conscience is quiet, the peace of God guards his heart and mind. There are three remarkable steps by which Christians rise to the height of courage in tribulations, Rom. v. 1, 2, 3, 4. First they are justified and acquitted from guilt by faith, ver. 1. Then they are brought into a state of favour and accep- tation with God, ver. 2. Thence they rise one step higher, even
* Thej are rather delights to us than torments. Basil.
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Id a view of heaven and the glory to come, ver. 3. and from thence they take an easy step to glory in tribulations, ver. 4.
I say, it is an easy step ; for let a man once obtain the pardon of sin, the favour of God, and a believing view and prospect of the glory to come ; and it is so easy to triumph in tribulation, in such a station as that is, that it will be found as hard to hinder it, as to hinder a man from laughing when he is tickled.
Christians have always found it a spring of courage and comfort, 2 Cor. i. 12. " For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our con- " sciences, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly " wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversa^ " tion in the world." Their hearts did not reproach them with by-ends in religion: their consciences vritnessed that they made not religion a cloak to cover any fleshly design, but were sincere 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 in pieces, and so will an hypocritical, formal, and mere no- minal Christian : but he that hath such substantial and real princi- ples of courage as these within him, will endure the trial, and be never the worse for the fire.
The very Heathens discovered the advantage of moral inte- grity, and the peace it yielded to their natural consciences in times of trouble.
Nil conscire iibi, nulla pallescere culpa, Hie mui'us ahcueus esto. — *
It was to them as a wall of brass. Much more will godly simpli- city, and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon our consciences secure and encourage our hearts. This atheistical age laughs con- science and purity to scorn ; but let them laugh, this is it which will make thee laugh when they shall cry. Paul exercised himself, or made it his business, " To have always a conscience void of of- " fence, both towards God and towards man," Acts xxiv. 16 f. And it was richly worth his labour, it re-paid him ten thousand fold in the peace, courage, and comfort it gave him in all the trou- bles of his life, which were great and many.
Conscience must be the bearing shoulder on which the burden must lie, beware therefore it be not galled with guilt, or put out
* Nil conscire tjc. Englished thus,
Be this thy brazen bulwark of defence, Still to preserve thy conscious innocence. Nor e'er turn pale with guilt.——
T ACxoi meditor, oj?eram dp.
306 A PRACTICAL TREATISE OF FEAR.
of joint by any fall into sin, it is sad bearing on such a shoulder; instead of bearing your burdens, you will not be able to bear its pain and anguish. To prevent this carefully, observe these rules.
1. Over-awe your hearts every day, and in every place with the eye of God. This walking as before God will keep you upright. Gen. xvii. 1. If you so speak and live as those that know God sees you, such will be your uprightness, that you will not care if all the world see you too. An artist came to Drusius, and of- fered to build him an house, so contrived, that he might do what he would "within doors, and no man see him : Nay, said Drusius, so build it that every one may see.
2. Do no action, undertake no design, that you dare not pre- face with prayer ; this is the rule, Phil. iv. 6. Touch not that you dare not pray for a blessing upon ; if you dare not pray, dare not to engage ; if you cannot spend your prayers before, be confi- dent, shame and guilt will follow after.
3. Be more afraid of grieving God, or wounding conscience, than of displeasing or losing all the friends you have in the world besides; look upon every adventure upon sin to escape danger to be the same thing as if you should sink the ship to avoid one that you take to be a pirate ; or as the fatal mistake of two vials, where- in there is poison and physic.
4. What counsel you would give another, that give yourselves when the case shall be your own ; your judgment is most clear, when interest is least felt. David's judgment was very upright when he judged himself in a remote parable.
5. Be willing to bear the faithful reproofs of your faults from men, as the reproving voice of God ; for they are no less when duly administered. This will be a good help to keep you upright, Psal. cxxxv. 23, 24. " Let the righteous smite me, &c. It is said of Sir Anthony Cope, that he shamed none so much as himself in his family-prayers, and desired the ministers of his acquaintance not to favour his faults ; but tell me, said he, and spare not.
6. Be mmdful daily of your dpng-day, and your great audit-day, and do all with respect to them. Thus keep your integrity and peace, and that will keep out your fears and terrors.
Rule 9. Carefully record the experiences of God'^s care over you, and faitl fulness to you in all your past dangers and distresses, and apply thejii to the cure of your present fears and despondencies.
Recorded experiences are excellent remedies, Exod. xvii. 14. ^' Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears " of Joshua.'' There were two things in that record ; the victory obtained over Amalek, and the way of obtaining it by incessant prayer : and there are two things to be done to secure this mercy for their use and benefit in future fears, it must be recorded
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and rehearsed, preserved from oblivion, and seasonably produced for relief.
There are two special assistances given us against fear by expe- rience.
1. It abates the terror of sufferings.
2. It assists faith in the promises.