The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

7. And the last evil that will come upon us in sinful fear, is the judgment of God in our destruction in Revela, 21.8. Amongst those that shall be cast out into the lake of fire and brimstone are the fearful, and therefore we had need take heed of sinful fear and make God to be our only fear.

7. And the last evil that wil come upon us in sinful fear, is the judgment of God in our destruction in Revela, 21.8. Amongst those that shal be cast out into the lake of fire and brimstone are the feareful, and therefore we had need take heed of sinful fear and make God to be our only fear.

But now that we may conclude this argument in a word of Exhortation, as sinful fear is a most dreadful evil, so the true fear of God is a most precious Jewel in Isa. 33.6. The fear of the Lord is called the treasure ⟨p. 91⟩of Gods people, sinful fear hath a treasure of evil, and therefore to be avoided; Oh then let us take heed of sinful fear of the creature, as the Lord by the prophet Isa. 55.4. Say to them that are of a fearful heart be not afraid, do not plead and say I am of a fearful nature says God, say to them that are of a fearful heart be not afraid: so say I to you that are the people of God, in the way of God though you be by nature fearful, you that are of a fearful nature be not afraid whatsoever your natures have been, yet if your hearts have been brought under the power of the Gospel, now there is a spirit of magnanimity put into you; Give me says Lactantius, (speaking of the power of Christian religion upon the hearts of men) a man fearful of pain of death & if once Christian Religion prevails in his heart, he shall presently contemn crucifying fire, yea that cruel torture of Phalaris his Bull in which that cruel tyrant delighted to hear men roar being put into it when it was made burning hot. In the Epistle of Saint Peter. you have the the holy Ghost directing his exhortation to women who are naturally fearful