First, For the nature of this trouble. It consisteth — (1.) In a fear of danger ; (2.) Sorrow for some disappointment in the creature ; (3.) A fretting dislike of God's dispensations.
1. Fear is vanquished by faith. That appeareth by that opposition : Prov. xxix, 25, ' The fear of men bringeth a snare, but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord, shall be safe ; ' or, as it is in the Hebrew, ' shall be set on high.' There is no conquering either the allectives or terrors of sense, till faith represent something greater to be feared and loved : 1 John V. 4, ' This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.' It much outweighs all temptations. What is a prison to hell, a fiery furnace to everlasting burnings, the creature to God, or the threatenings of men to the Lord's promises ? Do but shut the eye of sense and open that of faith, and you will see that God is only worthy to be feared and trusted, and then the creature will be nothing to you ; Ave shall comfortably do our duty, and not fear what man can do unto us. We have more encouragement to be faithful to Christ than the world can present allurements or afifrightments to the contrary. If man be our enemy, and God be our help and second, what need we fear ? Ps. xvi. 8, ' I have set the Lord always before me ; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. God is set before us either in a way of reverence or in a way of dependence ; either for seeing him in all our ways, making him our witness, approver, and judge, so it is an act of
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holy fear ; or cas loolving up to him as our helper and deliverer, so it is an act of faith and confidence. And he that thus often looketh to God is carried through all his fears and cares, and may easily despise all the frightful things in the world. Therefore why should your hearts be troubled ? believe in God, and believe in Jesus Christ. It is a fault in christians to be immoderately fearful in times of trouble and danger. Faith puts itself under God's special protection upon a twofold persuasion of God's power and presence.
[1.] His power : God is greater than the creature, and all the terrors which sense can present to us from the creature : Dan. iii. 17, 18, ' If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, 0 king ; but if not, be it known to thee, 0 king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.' If men bind, God can loose ; if they threaten to kill, God can save.
[2.] His presence: Heb. xiii. 5, 6, ' Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have : for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee : so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.' The Lord will stand by his people, and deliver them, when it shall be for his glory. Now, till we come to this courage and con- stancy of mind, and fearlessness of men, we never have the generosity of christians.
2. Sorrow is vanquished by faith.
[1.] As it diverteth the heart from present things to future, and maketh things absent present, and recompenseth losses and disappoint- ments in the world with the hope of greater things in the world to come. Faith showeth better things to be enjoyed : Heb. x. 34, ' Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.' Spoiling of your goods is either by violence or by fire^and confiscation. It goeth near to the hearts of worldlings to part with their necessary and convenient earthly comforts ; but to a believer it is more easy, for heaven is infinitely better and more precious than all the wealth of the world. If the world be our darling, or any created comfort be overvalued, it will fill our hearts with sorrow to be deprived of it. A christian, that hath heaven in hope and reversion, cannot be poor ; he is richer than all worldly men, though God's providence hath given him little, or left him little.
[2.] The sting of present evils is removed by the pardon of sins and the sense of God's love. You are secured from death and wrath, and God in Christ is your father : Kom. v. 1-3, ' Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God ; and not only so, but we glory in tribulations also.' If his love be shed abroad in the heart, it is no great mattei- what we feel in the body. The venom of the afiliction is the curse due for sin ; that is gone when we have first made sure of our personal reconciliation with God and accei)tance with him in Christ.