by Richard Greenham
Many causes we have to fear: first, for want of perseverance, we should leave our estate in so great danger that, being swept and garnished, yet the devil, at his coming, should be accepted and make his reentry into us again. There is another fear, the fear of offense, lest by our halting, we should draw others after us and weaken their hands and their knees. The third fear is of comforting our enemies and grieving others who have been our defense. I mean the Angels, who, as they are comforted in the perseverance of the just, so they mourn at the falls of the righteous.
True fear has many properties. First, it breeds in us a marvelous humility, as we see in Jacob, who was much afraid of his brother Esau, and therefore, coming towards him, he falls down seven times. There is a fear that humbles, and it is the work of God to bring us to Himself. Surely, the Lord takes great delight in it, and what is the reason for it? Because the Son of God, in His humility, has done greater things for us than ever He did in His glory. Being God and vouchsafing to be humbled even to a worm, He has done us more good and more glorious things than ever He did while He was among the Angels. Now the world is full of such proud spirits that nothing can humble them. A second quality of fear is that it is very credulous. We see this again in Jacob, for when someone told him that his brother was coming against him well-furnished, he feared greatly, yet did not dispute long in the matter. It is the glory of our age to dispute and gainsay a man, and to say, "Surely, though you are of such an opinion, I am not. Think as you will; I think thus." So our dealings are so full of doubts and so ambiguous as though there had never been a world before us, or as though it were now high midnight in Popery. The third quality in fear is diligence. We also see this in Jacob's example, who was remarkably studious to prepare for his brother, wisely disposing of his children and cattle in the best order he could to prevent his brother's fury.
It is a natural thing to fear at God's threatenings. Therefore, when the judgments of God were pronounced, it was considered a sign of great hardness of heart if the most wretched sinner was not struck with terror. Even those who were in the highest degree of reprobation, like Pharaoh, feared, for it is the nature of an iron rod to easily break an earthen pot. But for promises to bring us to fear, it is as unusual as it is in nature for thin water to break a body, and yet there are some bodies of such weak substance that anything will dissolve them. Such is the nature of those who, seeing and finding in themselves great unworthiness to inherit such gracious promises of God, are always ready to melt away and break asunder as if struck with an iron rod. Therefore, if we can fear in love and love in fear, we may have a good testimony to our consciences that we possess a good fear. By tasting how gracious and marvelous the Lord is in all His saints, we fear lest we should lose so good and gracious a Lord.
It is good to be stricken with fear, but not to willingly dwell in it. Instead, we should be humbled by it, search our own corruption, and let it move us to inquire further about God and His Word.
The wicked do not fear until affliction comes, and then they fear too much. The godly fear before it arrives, and then their fear ceases. Impiety triumphs in prosperity and trembles in adversity, but piety trembles in prosperity and triumphs in adversity.
If Moses and the beloved servants of God were afraid when He appeared in mercy to them, what shall be the confusion of the wicked when He comes to judgment? We cannot be prepared to receive God's mercy unless we are stricken with reverent fear because we are His creatures and sinful. God is always God and is to be feared.
Many people wonder why others are so stricken with fear and despair that they cannot believe. But they do not consider God's judgment in hardening their hearts, and thus, through carnal admiration, they are deprived of all profit from such examples. In all things, we should turn our eyes away from humanity and only behold God. We must understand that it is He who makes our enemies love us, our inferiors obey us, our friends hate us, and our superiors loathe us. If we had this understanding in our hearts, we would surely cast off the fear of man and flattery and strive to fear God sincerely. We would know that if the fear of God prevails in us, we shall prevail with men and have success in our affairs, or see His love in our correction and in the exercise of our faith.
The people of Israel are said to fear God when He destroyed their enemies and spared them. We must have this fruit in us from all of God's works, just as they did. They not only feared but also believed, which shows their fear to be godly, for only fear mixed with faith is godly. Therefore, whatever fear we have is nothing unless it either confirms us in the love of the Word or turns us towards it so that we may believe.
It is the Lord who strikes the hearts of His enemies and gives courage to His children as He pleases. If we were thoroughly convinced of this, we would never fear in any good cause, and the cunning or power of men could not dismay us. Furthermore, we would be cautious about opposing any of God's children, lest in our struggle against them, we resist the hand of the Lord.
Joseph might have had many excuses when he stored up money in Pharaoh's house. He could have argued that he had to provide for God's people, that he would not be caught, and more. Yet, the fear of God truly rooted in him prevented him from being unfaithful. It is worth noting that the fear of God leads to obedience. Even when we might have excuses and could escape human judgment, the law is given not to the just but to the unjust. Therefore, if only the commandment keeps us in obedience, we have not received the spirit of God. If we want to trust others or be trusted ourselves, we must teach and learn the fear of God. In Joseph's refusal to act unfaithfully with a tyrant, we learn to use justice even toward the wicked, which is contrary to the beliefs of certain groups like the Family of Love, who think everything belongs to them and, therefore, believe it is lawful to obtain things in any way they can. In Joseph's unwillingness to act without Pharaoh's consent, we learn not to act without the ordinary means that God has appointed.