The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

1. To flee upon every slight thing, that doth not beseem a Christian, it should be something of weight that should cause him to leave his station: for there is no man or woman in any Station, but God set them in that station, and therefore without the command of God we may not stir: We are all as Soldiers, and God hath put us into our ranks, as a Captain sets his Soldiers in their ranks, now a Soldier dare not presume to Go out of his rank without a commission: whatsoever pretence he hath, though it be to do much good for his country: so we must have a Commission from God, and not flee upon every slight thing.

1. To flee upon every slight thing, that doth not beseem a Christian, it should be somthing of weight that should cause him to leave his station: for there is no man or woman in any Station, but God set them in that station, and therefore without the command of God we may not stir: We are all as Souldiers, and God hath put us into our ranks, as a Captain sets his Souldiers in their ranks, now a Souldier dare not presume to Go out of his rank without a commission: whatsoever pretence he hath, though it be to do much good for his country: so we must have a Commission from God, and not flee upon every slight thing.

2. Many in their fleeing flee much to their spiritual disadvantage: as they will flee for fear of suffering loss in their estates, and outward liberties, and care not whither they flee to further themselves in their spiritual course: though (may be) they might with some loss of their estates have more spiritual advantage then in the place whither they flee, yet they will rather flee then loose some of their estates, this is a miscarriage. Indeed if this be the care of a man when he flees, to flee where he may have most spiritual advantage, not outward trading, but God in his ordinances, he may have comfort in it▪ but if men flee into places where they have no spiritual advantage, but only for trading this is a miscarriage.

2. Many in their fleeing flee much to their spiritual disadvantage: as they wil flee for feare of suffering loss in their estates, and outward liberties, and care not whither they flee to further themselves in their spiritual course: though (may be) they might with some loss of their estates have more spiritual advantage then in the place whither they flee, yet they wil rather flee then loose some of their estates, this is a miscarriage. Indeed if this be the care of a man when he flees, to flee where he may have most spiritual advantage, not outward trading, but God in his ordinances, he may have comfort in it but if men flee into places where they have no spiritual advantage, but onely for trading this is a miscarriage.