The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

I will set up Shepherds over them which shall feed them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed: many people have Shepherds over them but they are afraid they should be taken away, but then they shall have Shepherds and shall not fear, in Jer. 30.10.11. and vers. 46, Chap, 27. There is a blessed condition of Gods people, and the more it is fulfilled to us, the more Glorious shall our condition be. And this is an observable note, that I have met withal that some have concerning that place in Cant. 8.4. I charge you O Daughters of Jerusalem that ye stir not up nor awake my Love till He please: In the former part of the Book in Cant. 2.7. And in Cant. 3.5. The Church charges after another manner, I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes & Hinds of the field, that you stir not up nor awake my Love until he please: But in Cant. 8.4. The Roes and Hinds of the Field, are left out, only she charges them, Not to stir up her Love till he please; What is meant by stirring up her beloved? And what is meant by the Roes and the Hinds? Stir not up my beloved till he please, that is when the Church is brought into any comfortable condition, there is a charge that they do nothing to alter that condition, to make it more uncomfortable, not, to stir up Christ so stir up Christ so as to displease him. But she charges by the Roes and the Hinds. The Roes and Hinds are fearful shy creatures, that will run away from every little motion, so some estates of the Church are such, that many would come to join, but if they saw the least danger, or commotion they would presently run a way, and then the charge runs thus, you that are the Church of God, when God hath granted any prosperity and peace, take heed you do not take such a course as to ⟨p. 94⟩loose your prosperity, because many are looking at you and would join to you that are of fearful hearts and are not so established as to venture upon dangers, and troubles and therefore if you cause disturbances, and Christ be stirred up before he please, those that stand by that are of fearful natures, will be afraid, and they will Reason, we thought to have joined with them, but we see what troubles are like to be among them, and these are the Roes, and Hinds that retreat: