The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

First, A Christian must take heed of sinful fear of man, and not to fear any creature in an inordinate sinful way, for there is much evil in it, more than we are aware of.

1. In the First place, It is that which is against so many solemn charges of God, whereby he charges his people against this to take heed of it as a thing that would be exceeding displeasing in his eyes, I scarce know any thing in scripture that God doth in a more solemn way charge his people to take heed of, then this; as ⟨p. 79⟩that place In Deut. 20.3. Mark what several words God hath, let not your hearts faint, fear not; do not tremble, neither be terrified, and so in Isa. 41.13.14. Fear not, I will help thee, fear not thou worm Jacob: though thou thinkest thy self a worm fear not, and so he goes on in that chapter using many arguments, and giving many caveats against fear. So in Matth. 10. in a few verses you have two or three several expressions against fear, vers. 26. Fear them not therefore, in vers. 28. Fear not them that kill the body: and in vers. 31. Fear ye not therefore: this shows our natures are subject to sinful fear, we are dull enough to the true fear of God, but to the fear of man our natures are exceeding prone: now that which is against so many solemn charges of God, that must needs be a very great evil.

1. In the First place, It is that which is against so many solemn charges of God, whereby he charges his people against this to take heed of it as a thing that would be exceeding displeasing in his eyes, I scarce know any thing in scripture that God doth in a more solemn way charge his people to take heed of, then this; as ⟨p. 79⟩