The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of Feare.

MAny causes we haue to feare: first, for want of perseuerance we should* 1.1 leaue our estate in so great a danger, that being swept and garnished,* 1.2 yet the diuell at his comming, should be accepted and make his reen∣ter into vs againe. There is another feare, the feare of offence, least by our halting we should draw others after vs, and so weaken their hands and their knees. The third feare is of comforting our enemies and of* 1.3 grieuing others, that haue beene our defence: I meane the Angels, who* 1.4 as they are comforted in the perseuerance of the iust, so they mourne at the falles of the righteous.

2 True feare hath many properties, as first it breeds in vs a maruellous humilitie, as wee see in Iacob who was much afraid of his brother Esau, & therefore comming towards him,* 1.5 he falles down seuen times. There is a feare humbling, and it is the worke of God to bring vs to himselfe. And surely the Lord takes great delight in it, and what is the reason of it? because the Sonne of God in his humilitie hath done greater things for vs, than euer hee did in his glorie: for being God and vouchsafing to bee humbled euen to a worme, hee hath done vs more good, and more glorious things, than euer hee did whiles hee was a∣mong* 1.6 the Angels. Now the world is full of such proud spirits that nothing can qualifie them. A second qualitie of feare is, that it is very credulous. This againe wee see in Iacob, for when one told him, his brother came against him so well furnished, he feared greatly, yet dispu∣ted not long in the matter. It is the glorie of our age to dispute and gaine say a man, and to say surely though you be of such an opinion, I am not, thinke as you will, I thinke thus. So that our dealings are so full of doubts and so ambiguous, as though there neuer had been world before vs, or as though now it were high midnight in Poperie. The third qualitie in feare is diligence: This also we see in Iacobs example, who was marueilously studious to salute his brother, disposing wisely of his children and cattell in the best order he could, to preuent his brothers furie.

3 It is a kindly thing to feare at Gods threatnings, & therefore when the iudgements of God were denounced, it was noted as a signe of great deadnesse of heart, if the most* 1.7 wretched sinner were not smitten with terrour, & hee that was in the highest degree of re∣probation, as Pharaoh feared, for it is the nature of an iron rod easily to breake an earthen pot: But for promises to bring vs to feare, it is as strange a thing as it is in nature that thin water should breake a bodie, and yet some bodies there be of so weake substance, that any* 1.8 thing wil dissolue them. Such is the nature of them, who seeing and finding in themselues* 1.9 a great vnworthinesse, to inherite such gracious promises of God, are euer readie to melt away, and to breake in sunder, as beaten with an iron rod. Wherefore if wee can thus feare* 1.10 in loue, and loue in feare, we may haue a good testimony to our owne consciences, that we haue a good feare, because tasting how gracious and marueilous the Lord is in all his Saints, we feare least we should lose so good and so gracious a Lord.

4 It is good to be stricken with feare, so that we lie not in it willingly, but being hum∣bled therewith, search our owne corruption, and so to bee moued to enquire further after God and his word.

5 The wicked feare not, before affliction commeth, and then they feare too much: the* 1.11 godly feare before it comes, and then their feare ceaseth. For impietie triumpheth in pro∣speritie, and trembleth in aduersitie: but pietie trembleth in prosperitie, and triumpheth in aduersitie.

6 If Moses and the deare seruants of God were afraid when hee did appeare in mercie to them, what shall the confusion of the wicked be, when hee commeth to iudgement?* 1.12 Wee cannot be prepared to receiue God his mercie, vnlesse wee be striken with a reuerent feare, both because we are his creatures, and also sinfull; God is alwayes God, and is to bee feared.

7 Many men maruell how men bee so smitten with such feares, and so despaire that they cannot beleeue: but these neuer consider the iudgement of God in hardning them; and thus by a carnall admiration are depriued of all profiting by such examples. In all things we should turne our eyes from man and onely behold God, and know that it is hee which maketh our enemies to loue vs, our inferiours to obey vs, our friends to hate vs, our superiours to loth vs. If we had this in our hearts we would surely cast off the feare of man and flatterie, and striue to feare God in all sinceritie, and to knowe that if the feare of God preuaile with vs, we shal preuaile with men, and haue successe in our affaires, or see his loue in our correction, and in exercising our faith.

8 The people of Israel are said to feare God, when hee destroyed their enemies, and spared them: This fruit we must haue in vs of all Gods works, as well as they. They did not* 1.13 onely feare but also beleeue, which sheweth their feare to be godly, for that feare onely is godly which is mingled with faith. Then whatsoeuer feare wee haue, it is nothing, except

it either confirme vs in the loue of the word, or else doe turne vs thereunto, that so we may beleeue.

9 It is the Lord that smiteth the hearts of his enemies, and giueth courage to his chil∣dren as pleaseth him, Ioshua 2. 9. Deut. 2. 25. 28. 18. And if of this we were throughly per∣swaded, then would wee neuer feare in any good cause, then could not the policy nor po∣wer of men dismay vs. Againe, wee would be warie to deale against any of Gods children, least while we striue against them, we resist the hand of the Lord.

10 Ioseph might haue had many excuses when he laid vp the mony in Pharaohs house, as that hee had Gods people to prouide for, hee could not be espied, yet did the feare of God truly grafted in him, stay him from vnfaithfull dealing. It may bee noted then, that the feare of God causeth obedience, and though wee might seeme to haue excuse, and though we could escape the iudgement of men, the law is not giuen to the iust but to the vniust. If then the commandement onely doe keepe vs in obedience, we haue not recei∣ued the spirit of God; if then we will either trust others or be trusted our selues, let vs teach and learne this feare of God. In that Ioseph would not deale vnfaithfully with a tyrant, wee learne to vse iustice toward the wicked, contrarie to the Familie of loue, who because they thinke all things are theirs, therefore it is lawfull to come by them as they can. In that Io∣seph would doe nothing without Pharaohs consent, wee learne to doe nothing without those ordinarie meanes that God hath appointed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1
• * 1.2

  Three kinds or causes of feare.
• * 1.3

  2
• * 1.4

  3
• * 1.5

  Properties of feare.
• * 1.6

  Esay 5. 3.
• * 1.7

  Feare Gods threatnings.
• * 1.8

  Note.
• * 1.9

  1. Pet. 1. 23.
• * 1.10

  Feare Gods promises.
• * 1.11

  Pietie in ad∣uersitie.
• * 1.12

  Note▪
• * 1.13

  Feare mixt with faith.