But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
— Acts 20:24
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
— Romans 8:35-37
I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
— 1 Corinthians 15:31
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
— 2 Corinthians 4:10-17
Christian Fortitude in Order to Sufferings is Evinced, by John Flavel. The following contains Chapter Nine of his work, “Preparations for Sufferings, Or, The Best Work in the Worst Times, Wherein the Necessity, Excellency, and Means of our Readiness for Sufferings are Evinced and Prescribed; Our Call to Suffering Cleared, and the Great Unreadiness of Many Professors Bewailed.”
Acts 21:13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Wherein the necessity and usefulness of Christian fortitude in order to sufferings is evinced, with a brief account of its nature and the means of attaining it.
The next grace which occurs to the completing of our actual readiness for sufferings, is Christian fortitude, or holy courage; which must say in thy heart in a time of danger, as Elijah once did,”As the Lord lives I will shew myself.” This also is a choice part of your preparation-work. In this grace our apostle was eminent: when he was told,”Bonds and afflictions waited for him;” he could say, That “none of these things moved him,” Acts 20:24. Yea, when he was to appear before the lion Nero, and not a man would own or stand by him, yet he stands his ground, resolving rather to die on the place, than dishonourably to recede from his principles and profession, 2 Tim. 4:16, 17. He set the world, with all its threats and terrors lower than it set him. O how conspicuous was this grace in all those heroes that have past on before us: And if ever you hope to stand in the evil day, and be fetched off the field with honour, you must rouse up and awaken your courage for God: And the necessity thereof will appear upon these four considerations.
1. Because the success and prevalence of Satan’s temptations in the hour of persecution depends upon the fainting and overthrow of this grace. Wherefore doth he raise persecutions in the world, but because such terrible things are fitted to work upon the passion of carnal fear, which rises with those dangers, and makes the soul as a tumultuous sea. This is it he aims at, Neh. 6:13. This is a multiplying passion that represents dangers more and greater than they are, and so drives the soul into the very net and snare laid by the devil to take it. Prov. 29:25. “The fear of man brings a snare;” which was sadly exemplified in Abraham, Gen. 12:12 and divers others of the saints. If he can but subdue this grace, he will quickly bring you to capitulate for life and liberty, upon the basest and most dishonourable terms; therefore the preparation of this grace is so exceedingly necessary.
2. Because this is the grace that honours Jesus Christ abundantly, when you are brought upon the stage for him.
There is a great solemnity at the suffering and trial of a saint: heaven, earth, and hell, are spectators, observing the issue, and how the saints will acquit themselves in that hour. We are made a spectacle, saith the apostle. The word is Θεατρον εγενηθημεν, we are as set upon a theatre in public view, 1 Cor. 4:9. God, angels, and saints wait to see the glorious triumphs of their faith and courage, reflecting honour upon the name and cause of Christ. Devils and wicked men gape for an advantage by their cowardice. Certainly very much lies now upon the Christian’s hands. Should he faint and give ground, how will it furnish the triumphs of hell, and make Christ’s enemies vaunt over him, as if his love ran so low in the hearts of his people, that they durst not adventure any thing for him? Or, as if, notwithstanding their brave words and glorious profession, they durst not trust their own principles when it comes to the trial: But if now they play the men, and discover an holy gallantry of spirit and resolution for Christ, how will it daunt the enemies, and make them say as Marcus, bishop of Aretheusa made one of Julian’s nobles, present at his torments, to say concerning him, We are ashamed, O emperor, the Christians laugh at thy cruelty! And how will God himself rejoice and glory over them, as he once did over Job when he fetched him with honour off that first field! Job 2:3. “Still he holdeth fast his integrity.”
3. Your own peace is wrapt up in it, as well as God’s glory. Is it nothing, think you, to be freed from those vultures and harpies that feed upon the hearts of men at such times? Surely God reckons, that he promiseth a very great mercy to his people when he promiseth it. Prov. 1 ult. Psal. 112:7. When Borromæus was told of some that lay in wait to take away his life, it troubled him not, but he said, An Deus est in mundo pro nihilo? What, is God in the world for nought? And like to this was the answer of Silentiarius in the like case; Si Deus mei curam non habet, quid vivo? If God take not care for me, how do I live; Oh this is it that brings you to an holy quietude of spirit in times of confusion and distraction, which is a choice mercy.
4. Your magnanimity is of special use to other saints, who are following you in the same path of sufferings. If you faint, it is like the fainting of a standard-bearer in an army: you bring thereby an evil report upon the cross of Christ, as the first spies did upon the land of Canaan. And a like influence with that it is like to have on your brethren; so that there is a necessity of improving this grace also before you can say with Paul you are ready.
2. But what is this Christian fortitude, and wherein doth it consist.
I answer briefly, It is an holy boldness in the performance of difficult duties, flowing from faith in the call of God, and his promise to us in the discharge of them.
And so you have the nature of it in these four particulars.
1. It is an holy boldness, not a natural or sinful boldness, arising either from the natural constitution, or evil disposition of the mind.
2. It is expressed about duties for truth, not error, Jer. 9:3 for the interest of Christ, not of the flesh.
3. The season in which it appears is, when duties are surrounded and beset with difficulties and dangers, Dan. 3:16. 6:10.
4. The fountain whence it flows is faith, and that as it respects the command and call of God to duty, Acts 16:10. And his promise to us in the discharge thereof, Josh. 1:5, 6.
And his grace stands opposed both to the fear of man in the cause of God, Heb. 11:27 and to apostasy from the truth for fear of suffering. Thus briefly of the nature of it.
3. In the last place I shall lay down some rules for the promoting and improvement of it, and so finish this chapter.
Now there are ten rules heedfully to be observed for the breeding of holy courage in the breast of a saint in evil times.
Rules
1. Rule. And the first rule is this, Get a weaned heart from all earthly enjoyments. If the heart be inordinately fixed upon any one thing that you possess in the world, that inordinate estimation of, and affection for it, will strangely effeminate, soften, and cowardize your spirit when your trial comes, 2 Tim. 2:4 You meet not with a man of courage for God, but had his heart dead to earthly things; so it was with Paul, Phil. 3:8. Since the apostles, we scarce meet with a greater example of magnanimity than Luther; and if you read his story, you will find few men ever set a lower rate on the world than he. All the Turkish empire in his eye was but a crumb cast to the dogs. Germana est haec bestia pecunium non curat. Money could not tempt him.
2. Rule. Suffer not guilt to lie upon your consciences: it is a fountain of fears, and you can never attain boldness for God till it be removed, Rom. 5:1, 2, 3. The spirit of a sound mind is opposed to the spirit of fear, 2 Tim. 1:7. Now that sound mind is a mind or spirit that is not wounded, and made sick and infirm by guilt. O what black fogs and mists arise out of guilt, which becloud our evidences, and fill us with fear and discouragements! Gen. 42:21, 22.
3. Rule. Clear your call to difficult services, be well satisfied that you are in that way and posture God expects to find you in. O what courage this will give! Josh. 1:9. Then a man may promise himself God’s presence and protection, 2 Chron. 15:2. But whilst a man is dubious here, and cannot tell whether it be his duty or not that he is engaging in, how can he have courage to hazard any thing for it? For thinks he, I may suffer much from men, and yet have no thanks of God for it, 1 Pet. 2:9. And further, till a man be clear in this, he cannot commit his cause to God. And it is a sad thing to be cut off from so choice a relief as that is, 1 Pet. 4:19.
4. Rule. Get right notions and apprehensions of your enemies. We are apt to magnify the creature, as if he could do more than he can, and thereby disable ourselves from doing what we should. Possess your souls with the belief of these five things concerning them. (1.) That they are poor weak enemies, Isa. 40:15, 17, 22. But as a swarm of gnats in the air. See how God describes them, Isa. 51:13, 14.
(2.) That little power they have is limited by your God who hath the bounding and ordering of it, John 19:11. Psal. 74:10. (3.) They carry guilt upon them, which makes them more timorous than you, Isa. 8:12. Their fear is a strange fear. (4.) They only use carnal weapons against you, which cannot touch your souls. If they were praying enemies that could engage God against you, they would be formidable enemies indeed; but this they cannot do. The largest commission that any of them ever had from God, extended but to the bodies and bodily concernment of the saints, Luke 11:4, 5. They cannot thunder with an arm like God, nor blot your name out of the book of life, nor take your part out of the New Jerusalem; therefore fear not man. (5.) Your enemies are God’s enemies; and God hath espoused your cause and quarrel. The more cruel they are, the kinder he will be to you, John 9:34, 35.
5. Rule. Labour to engage the presence of God with you in all places and conditions. Whilst you enjoy this, your spirits will be invincible and undaunted, Josh. 1:9. Psal. 118:6. A weak creature assisted and encouraged by the presence of a great God will be able to do and suffer great things. Poor flesh in the hand of an almighty Spirit acts above itself. A little dog, if his master be by, and animates him, will seize upon a greater beast than himself, though he would run from him were his master absent. Our courage ebbs and flows as the manifestations of the divine presence do. Oh get thyself once within the line of that promise, Is. 43:1, 2 and thou art invincible.
6. Rule. Get an high estimation of Jesus Christ, and all his concernments. They that value him highest, will adventure for him farthest. Magnanimous Luther, how inestimable a value did he set upon the truths of Christ! Ruat cælum, &c. Let heaven rush rather than a crumb of truth should perish. Thou wilt never be a man of zeal and courage for Christ’s interest, until that interest of Christ have swallowed up all thine own interests. No sooner is the soul acquainted, with, and interested in Christ, but he heartily wishes well to all his affairs and concernments, Psal. 45:3, 4. This is that which puts metal and resolution for Christ into the soul.
7. Rule. Beware you be not cheated with maxims of carnal policy, mistaken for Christian prudence. Many are so: and they prove destructive to all true zeal and courage for Christ. Never was religion professed with greater plainness and simplicity, than by the primitive Christians; and never was there an higher spring tide of courage and zeal for God, than in those days. We are apt to call it prodigality, and are grown wiser to husband our lives and comforts, better than than they did. But indeed our prudentials have even swallowed up our religion. It is true, there is such a thing as Christian prudence; but this doth not teach men to shun all costly and difficult duties, and prostitute conscience to save the skin,”A man of understanding walketh uprightly,” Prov. 15:21.
8. Rule. Look upon the inside of troubles for Christ, as well as upon the outside of them. If you view them by an eye of sense, there appeareth nothing but matter of discouragement. To look on the outside of a prison, banishment or death, is affrighting and horrible: but then if you look into the inside of these things by faith, and see what God hath made them to his people, and how joyful and comfortable they have been in these conditions; what honey they have found in the carcase of a lion, what songs in the stocks and dungeons, what glorying in tribulation, and hundred-fold reward even in their sufferings: O then! that which looked like a serpent at a distance, will appear but as a rod in hand. How many have found themselves quite mistaken in their apprehensions of sufferings; and been more loth to come out of a prison, than they were to go in! If you did but see your supports and the comforts that souls ordinarily meet with in their troubles for Christ, you would not look on them as such formidable things.
9. Rule. View the issue and reward of sufferings by an eye of faith: this also will strongly abate the horror and dread of them, Heb. 10:34. Upon this account it is the saints have so slighted and contemned them, Rom. 8:18. 2 Cor. 4:16, 17. But then see that you act your faith, (1.) Upon the certainty of it: look at it as a most real and substantial thing, Heb. 11:1. (2.) View it as a great and glorious reward; And, (3.) As near at hand: And then say to thy soul, come on my soul, come on; seest thou the joy set before thee! the crown of glory ready to be set on thy head by the hand of a righteous God. Oh, what comparison is there betwixt those sufferings, and that glory!
10. Rule. Propound to yourselves the best patterns and examples. Keep your eye upon the cloud of witnesses; these are of special use to beget holy courage, Heb. 12:1. James 5:10. Who would be afraid to enter the lists, and grapple with that enemy that he hath seen so often foiled, and that by a poor weak Christian? See how the enemy with whom you are to grapple, hath been beaten hand to hand, and triumphed over by poor women and children; they had as great infirmities, and you have as gracious assistances as those that are gone before you.
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