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and come to him by him.' And then you may have "access with boldness and confidence"." We have "boldness to enter into the holiest by his blood, by the new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. And having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." The sight of Christ by faith should banish immoderate fear. "Be of good cheer, it is I, be not

afraid P."

Direct. 111. Understand the tenor of the Gospel, and the freeness of the covenant of grace,' and then you will there find abundant encouragement against the matter of inordinate fears.

Direct. iv. Employ yourselves as much as possible in love and praise for love expelleth tormenting fear; there is no fear in love.'

Direct. v. Remember God's particular mercies to yourselves' for those will persuade you that he will use you kindly, when you find that he hath done so already. As when Manoah said, "We shall surely die because we have seen God; his wife answered, "If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received an offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things"." Direct. vi. Labour to clear up your title to the promises and special interest in Christ.' Otherwise the doubts of that will be still feeding and justifying your fears.

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Direct. VII. Consider what a horrible injury it is to God, to think of him as you do of the devil, as an enemy to humble, willing souls, and a destroyer of them, and an adversary to them that diligently seek him;' of whom he is a lover and rewarder. And so think of God as evil, and fear him upon such misapprehensions.

Direct. VIII. Observe the sinfulness of your fear in the effects; how it driveth you from God, and hindereth faith, and love, and thankfulness, and discourageth you from prayer, and sacraments, and all duty.' And therefore it must needs be pleasing to the devil, and displeasing to God, and no way to be pleaded for or justified.

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Direct. IX.

Ephes. iii. 12.

91 John iv. 18.

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Mark how you contradict the endeavours

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of God, in his Word, and by his ministers.' Do you find God driving any from him, and frighting away souls that would fain be his? Or doth he not prepare the way himself and reconcile the world to himself in Christ, and then send his ambassadors in his name and stead to beseech them to be reconciled unto God, and to tell them that all things are ready, and compel them to come in "?

Direct. x. Consider how thou wrongest others and keepest them from coming home to God.' When they see thee terrified in the way of piety, they will fly from it, as if some enemies or robbers were in the way. If you tread fearfully, others will fear there is some quicksand. If you tremble when you enter the ship with Christ, others will think he is an unfaithful pilot, or that it is a leaking vessel. Your fear discourageth them.

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Direct. XI. Remember how remediless, as to

fort, you leave yourselves, while you inordinately fear him, who alone must comfort you against all your other fears.' If you fear your remedy, what shall cure the fear of your disease? If you fear your meat, what shall cure your fear of hunger? If you fear him that is most good and faithful, and the friend of every upright soul, what shall ease you of the fear of the wicked and the enemies of holy souls? If you fear your Father, who shall comfort you against your foes? You cast away all peace, when you make God your terror.

Direct. XII. Yet take heed lest under this pretence you cast away the necessary fear of God; even such as belongeth to men in your condition, to drive them out of their sin and security unto Christ, and such as the truth of his threatenings require. For a senseless presumption and contempt of God, are a sin of a far greater danger.'

Directions against sinful Fear of the Devil.

Direct. 1.

Remember that the devil is chained up, and wholly at the will and beck of God.' He could not touch Job, nor an ox, nor an ass of his, till he had permission from God: he cannot appear to thee nor hurt thee unless God give him leave.

$ 2 Cor. v. 19. Luke xiv. 17. Matt. xxii. 8.

Direct. 11. Labour therefore to make sure of the love of God, and then thou art safe:' then thou hast God, his love and promise always to set against the devil.

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Direct. 111. Remember that Christ hath conquered the devil in his temptations, on the cross, by his resurrection and ascension." He "destroyed through death him that had the power of death, even the devil, that he might deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." The prince of this world is conquered and cast out by him, and wilt thou fear a conquered foe?

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Direct. iv. Remember that thou art already delivered from his power and dominion, if thou be renewed by the Spirit of God.' And therefore let his own be afraid of him, that are under his power, and not the free men and redeemed ones of Christ. God hath delivered thee in the day that he converted thee, from a thousandfold greater calamity, than the seeing of the devil would be: and having been saved from his greatest malice, you should not overfear the less.

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Direct. v. Remember what an injury it is to God, and to Christ that conquered him, to fear the devil, while God is your Protector,' (any otherwise than as the instrument of God's displeasure :) It seemeth as much to say, I fear lest the devil be too hard for God: or lest God cannot deliver me from him.

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Direct. vi. Remember how you honour the devil by fearing him, and please him by thus honouring him.' And will not you abhor to honour and please such an enemy of God and you? This is it that he would have, to be feared instead of God: he glorieth in it as part of his dominion: as tyrants rejoice to see men fear them, as those that can destroy them when they will, so the devil triumpheth in your fears as his honour. When God reprehendeth the idolatry of the Israelites, it is as they feared their idols of wood and stone. To fear them, shewed that they took them for their gods.

Direct. VII. Consider that it is a folly to be inordinately fearful of that which never did befal thee, and never befalleth one of many hundred thousand men:' I mean any

Heb. ii. 14, 15.

terrible appearance of the devil. Thou never sawest him: nor hearest credibly of but very few in an age that see him (beside witches): This fear therefore is irrational, the danger being utterly improbable.

Direct. VIII. Consider that if the devil should appear to thee, yea, and carry thee to the top of a mountain, or the pinnacle of the temple, and talk to thee with blasphemous temptations, it would be no other than what thy Lord himself submitted to; who was still the dearly beloved of the Father". One sin is more terrible than this.

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Direct. 1x. Remember that if God should permit him to appear to thee, it might turn to thy very great advantage: by killing all thy unbelief or doubts, of angels, and spirits, and the unseen world.' It would sensibly prove to thee that there is indeed an unhappy race of spirits, who envy man and seek his ruin; and so would more convince thee of the evil of sin, the danger of souls, the need of godliness, and the truth of Christianity. And it is like this is one cause why the devil no more appeareth in the world, not only because it is contrary to the ordinary government of God, who will have us live by faith and not by sight; but also because the devil knoweth how much it would do to destroy his kingdom, by destroying infidelity, atheism, and security, and awakening men to faith, and fear, and godliness. The fowler or the angler must not come in sight, lest he spoil his game by frighting it away.

Direct. x. If it be the spiritual temptations and molestations only of satan which you fear, remember that you have more cause to fear yourselves, for he can but tempt you; and if you do not more against yourselves, than all the devils in hell can do, you will never perish.' And if you are willing to accept and yield to Christ, you need not inordinately fear either satan or yourselves. For it is in the name and strength of Christ, and under his conduct and protection, that you are to begin and finish your warfare. And the Spirit that is in us, is greater and stronger than the spirit that is in the world, and that molesteth us. And the "Father that giveth us to Christ is greater than all, and none can pluck us out of his hands." And the "God of peace will tread down satan under our feet"." If it were in

u Matt. iv.

* 1 John iv. 4.

y John x. 29.

z Rom. xvi. 20.

his power he would molest us daily, and we had never escaped so far as we have done: our daily experience telleth us that we have a protector.

Directions against the sinful Fear of Men, and sufferings by them.

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Direct: 1. Bottom thy soul and hopes on Christ, and lay up thy treasure in heaven; be not a worldling that liveth in hope of happiness in the creature; and then thou art so far above the fear of men, as knowing that thy treasure is above their reach, and thy foundation and fortress safe from their assaults a.' It is a base, hypocritical, worldly heart that maketh you immoderately afraid of men! Are you afraid lest they should storm and plunder heaven? Or lest they cast you into hell? or lest they turn God against you? or lest they bribe or overawe your judge? No, no! these are none of your fears! No, you are not so much as afraid lest they hinder one of your prayers from prevailing with God; nor lest their prison walls and chains should keep out God and his Spirit from you, and force you from your communion with him! You are not afraid lest they forcibly rob you of one degree of grace, or heavenlymindedness, or hopes of the life to come! (If it be lest they hinder you from these by tempting or affrighting you into sin, (which is all the hurt they can do your souls,) then you are the more engaged to cast away the fears of their hurting your bodies, because that is their very temptation to hurt your souls.) No, it is their hurting of your flesh, the diminishing your estates, the depriving you of your liberty or worldly accommodations, or of your lives, which is the thing you fear. And doth not this shew how much your hearts are yet on earth? and how much unmortified worldliness and fleshliness is still within you? and how much yet your hearts are false to God and heaven? O how the discovery should humble you! to find that you are yet no more dead to the things of the world,

• Omnia Christe tui superant tormenta ferendo. Tollere quæ nequeunt, hæc tolerare queunt. His vita caruisse frui est: posuisse potiri. Et superâsse pati est : et superesse mori.

Ad tribunal æternum judicis justi provocatio salva est: solet is perperam judicata rescindere. Petrarch. Dial. 66. lib. 2.

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