Monthly Archives: November 2020

I die devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Every word of God is tested

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The Words of Agur

Proverbs 30; I die daily devotional.

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle. The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: 2 Surely I am more stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man. 3 Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son’s name? Surely you know! 5 Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. 6 Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

The Word of God is established in Jesus Christ—I AM THAT I AM.

EVERY WORD

What more am I [Nathan] to say other than to encourage and direct the souls of my readers to the Word of God. After reading the commentary to these six verses am found to be in a state of pause …

There are powerful elements of data that emerge to inspire my full attention on God [our Father] because my soul contends with God around whether my heart means to compete with the Word of God …

… “does it?” … (I think to myself).

To experience this contention is very scary (like a child’s fear of parental discipline), which I think to be a very healthy response to the evidence of God [my Father] in me. I’m in a state of full disclosure, ready with authenticity, and a soul completely transparent as an adult son contends with their adult father.

To all my brothers and sisters in Christ…

  • Are seeking to advance yourself in competition with the Word of God?
  • Have you contended with God as your Father?
  • Are you listening to truth?
  • What is your reaction?

RESOURCES

Proverbs 30 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle. The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: 2 Surely I am more stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man. 3 Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son’s name? Surely you know! 5 Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. 6 Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar. 7 Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, 9 That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God. 10 Do not slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty. 11 There is a kind of man who curses his father And does not bless his mother. 12 There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, Yet is not washed from his filthiness. 13 There is a kind—oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance. 14 There is a kind of man whose teeth are like swords And his jaw teeth like knives, To devour the afflicted from the earth And the needy from among men. 15 The leech has two daughters, “Give,” “Give.” There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, “Enough”: 16 Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “Enough.” 17 The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it. 18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,Four which I do not understand: 19 The way of an eagle in the sky, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the middle of the sea, And the way of a man with a maid. 20 This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wrong.” 21 Under three things the earth quakes, And under four, it cannot bear up: 22 Under a slave when he becomes king, And a fool when he is satisfied with food, 23 Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband, And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress. 24 Four things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: 25 The ants are not a strong people, But they prepare their food in the summer; 26 The shephanim are not mighty people, Yet they make their houses in the rocks; 27 The locusts have no king, Yet all of them go out in ranks; 28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands, Yet it is in kings’ palaces. 29 There are three things which are stately in their march, Even four which are stately when they walk: 30 The lion which is mighty among beasts And does not retreat before any, 31 The strutting rooster, the male goat also, And a king when his army is with him. 32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth. 33 For the churning of milk produces butter, And pressing the nose brings forth blood; So the churning of anger produces strife.

Proverbs 30:1-6 (Matthew Henry)
Some make Agur to be not the name of this author, but his character; he was a collector (so it signifies), a gatherer, one that did not compose things himself, but collected the wise sayings and observations of others, made abstracts of the writings of others, which some think is the reason why he says (v. 3), “I have not learned wisdom myself, but have been a scribe, or amanuensis, to other wise and learned men.’ Note, We must not bury our talent, though it be but one, but, as we have received the gift, so minister the same, if it be but to collect what others have written. But we rather suppose it to be his name, which, no doubt, was well known then, though not mentioned elsewhere in scripture. Ithiel and Ucal are mentioned, either,

  • 1. As the names of his pupils, whom he instructed, or who consulted him as an oracle, having a great opinion of his wisdom and goodness. Probably they wrote from him what he dictated, as Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah, and by their means it was preserved, as they were ready to attest it to be his, for it was spoken to them; they were two witnesses of it. Or,
  • 2. As the subject of his discourse. Ithiel signifies God with me, the application of Immanuel, God with us. The word calls him God with us; faith appropriates this, and calls him “God with me, who loved me, and gave himself for me, and into union and communion with whom I am admitted.’ Ucal signifies the Mighty One, for it is upon one that is mighty that help is laid for us. Many good interpreters therefore apply this to the Messiah, for to him all the prophecies bear witness, and why not this then? It is what Agur spoke concerning Ithiel, even concerning Ithiel (that is the name on which the stress is laid) and Ucal—the mighty God (Isa. 9:6) with us, Isa. 7:14.

Three things the prophet here aims at:-

  • I. To abase himself. Before he makes confession of his faith he makes confession of his folly and the weakness and deficiency of reason, which make it so necessary that we be guided and governed by faith. Before he speaks concerning the Saviour he speaks of himself as needing a Saviour, and as nothing without him; we must go out of ourselves before we go into Jesus Christ.
    • 1. He speaks of himself as wanting a righteousness, and having done foolishly, very foolishly. When he reflects upon himself he owns, Surely I am more brutish than any man. Every man has become brutish, Jer. 10:14. But he that knows his own heart knows so much more evil of himself than he does of any other that he cries out, “Surely I cannot but think that I am more brutish than any man; surely no man has such a corrupt deceitful heart as I have. I have acted as one that has not the understanding of Adam, as one that is wretchedly degenerated from the knowledge and righteousness in which man was at first created; nay, I have not the common sense and reason of a man, else I should not have done as I have done.’ Agur, when he was applied to by others as wiser than most, acknowledged himself more foolish than any. Whatever high opinion others may have of us, it becomes us to have low thoughts of ourselves.
    • 2. He speaks of himself as wanting a revelation to guide him in the ways of truth and wisdom. He owns (v. 3) “I neither learned wisdom by any power of my own (the depths of it cannot be fathomed by my line and plummet) nor know I the knowledge of the holy ones, the angels, our first parents in innocency, nor of the holy things of God; I can get no insight into them, nor make any judgment of them, further than God is pleased to make them known to me.’ The natural man, the natural powers, perceive not, nay, they receive not, the things of the Spirit of God. Some suppose Agur to be asked, as Apollo’s oracle was of old, Who was the wisest man? The answer is, He that is sensible of his own ignorance, especially in divine things. Hoc tantum scio, me nihil scire–All that I know is that I know nothing.
  • II. To advance Jesus Christ, and the Father in him (v. 4): Who ascended up into heaven, etc.
    • 1. Some understand this of God and of his works, which are both incomparable and unsearchable. He challenges all mankind to give an account of the heavens above, of the winds, the waters, the earth: “Who can pretend to have ascended up to heaven, to take a view of the orbs above, and then to have descended, to give us a description of them? Who can pretend to have had the command of the winds, to have grasped them in his hand and managed them, as God does, or to have bound the waves of the sea with a swaddling band, as God has done? Who has established the ends of the earth, or can describe the strength of its foundations or the extent of its limits? Tell me what is the man’s name who can undertake to vie with God or to be of his cabinet-council, or, if he be dead, what is his name to whom he has bequeathed this great secret.’
    • 2. Others refer it to Christ, to Ithiel and Ucal, the Son of God, for it is the Son’s name, as well as the Father’s, that is here enquired after, and a challenge given to any to vie with him. We must now exalt Christ as one revealed; they then magnified him as one concealed, as one they had heard something of but had very dark and defective ideas of. We have heard the fame of him with our ears, but cannot describe him (Job 28:22); certainly it is God that has gathered the wind in his fists and bound the waters as in a garment; but what is his name? It is, I am that I am (Ex. 3:14), a name to be adored, not to be understood. What is his Son’s name, by whom he does all these things? The Old-Testament saints expected the Messiah to be the Son of the Blessed, and he is here spoken of as a person distinct from the Father, but his name as yet secret. Note, The great Redeemer, in the glories of his providence and grace, can neither be paralleled nor found out to perfection.
      • (1.) The glories of the kingdom of his grace are unsearchable and unparalleled; for who besides has ascended into heaven and descended? Who besides is perfectly acquainted with both worlds, and has himself a free correspondence with both, and is therefore fit to settle a correspondence between them, as Mediator, as Jacob’s ladder? He was in heaven in the Father’s bosom (Jn. 1:1, 18); thence he descended to take our nature upon him; and never was there such condescension. In that nature he again ascended (Eph. 4:9), to receive the promised glories of his exalted state; and who besides has done this? Rom. 10:6.
      • (2.) The glories of the kingdom of his providence are likewise unsearchable and unparalleled. The same that reconciles heaven and earth was the Creator of both and governs and disposes of all. His government of the three lower elements of air, water, and earth, is here particularized.
        • [1.] The motions of the air are of his directing. Satan pretends to be the prince of the power of the air, but even there Christ has all power; he rebuked the winds and they obeyed him.
        • [2.] The bounds of the water are of his appointing: He binds the waters as in a garment; hitherto they shall come, and no further, Job 38:9-11.
        • [3.] The foundations of the earth are of his establishing. He founded it at first; he upholds it still. If Christ had not interposed, the foundations of the earth would have sunk under the load of the curse upon the ground, for man’s sin. Who and what is the mighty He that does all this? We cannot find out God, nor the Son of God, unto perfection. Oh the depth of that knowledge!
  • III. To assure us of the truth of the word of God, and to recommend it to us, v. 5, 6. Agur’s pupils expect to be instructed by him in the things of God. “Alas!’ says he, “I cannot undertake to instruct you; go to the word of God; see what he has there revealed of himself, and of his mind and will; you need know no more than what that will teach you, and that you may rely upon as sure and sufficient. Every word of God is pure; there is not the least mixture of falsehood and corruption in it.’ The words of men are to be heard and read with jealousy and with allowance, but there is not the least ground to suspect any deficiency in the word of God; it is as silver purified seven times (Ps. 12:6), without the least dross or alloy. Thy word is very pure, Ps. 119:140.
    • 1. It is sure, and therefore we must trust to it and venture our souls upon it. God in his word, God in his promise, is a shield, a sure protection, to all those that put themselves under his protection and put their trust in him. The word of God, applied by faith, will make us easy in the midst of the greatest dangers, Ps. 46:1, 2.
    • 2. It is sufficient, and therefore we must not add to it (v. 6): Add thou not unto his words, because they are pure and perfect. This forbids the advancing of any thing, not only in contradiction to the word of God, but in competition with it; though it be under the plausible pretence of explaining it, yet, if it pretend to be of equal authority with it, it is adding to his words, which is not only a reproach to them as insufficient, but opens a door to all manner of errors and corruptions; for, that one absurdity being granted, that the word of any man, or company of men, is to be received with the same faith and veneration as the word of God, a thousand follow. We must be content with what God has thought fit to make known to us of his mind, and not covet to be wise above what is written; for,
      • (1.) God will resent it as a heinous affront: “He will reprove thee, will reckon with thee as a traitor against his crown and dignity, and lay thee under the heavy doom of those that add to his words, or diminish from them,’ Deu. 4:2; 12:32.
      • (2.) We shall run ourselves into endless mistakes: “Thou wilt be found a liar, a corrupter of the word of truth, a broacher of heresies, and guilty of the worst of forgeries, counterfeiting the broad seal of heaven, and pretending a divine mission and inspiration, when it is all a cheat. Men may be thus deceived, but God is not mocked.’
I die devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Broken beyond remedy

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Warnings and Instructions

Proverbs 29; I die daily devotional.

1 A man who hardens his neck after much reproof Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy.

The immediate reaction to this verse is… “TO ARMS!“ right, because naturally our internal defenses go up in preparation for war. Who enjoys being told that they’re being stubborn, especially when they already know it? If we do enjoy it, then I would say that we might be beyond broken, and are in need of the spiritual hands of a Surgeon. How do we react to the thought of God using His holy Word to expose what we need to repent of?

BEYOND REMEDY

If I’m honest, the sin that is present with me is alerted by forces of evil that invade my thoughts, whispering dark ideas of narcissism: “Close the hearing of my ears.” “Ignore the egotism that so desperately desires my subjection and allegiance.” “The intent is my humiliation once conceded; don’t give in, don’t back up, head up, back straight.” “I’m right, God is wrong.” “I’m justified” “‘But God is goo‘—” “That’s a lie”. The enemy is hard at work to keep me from the truth about being reconciled to God. Our spiritual war is real whether the world has convinced itself of the lie or not. (Let me ask you, reader. Do you sense any stubbornness by me [Nathan] in this post? ).

It is okay to acknowledge the potential of unaware elements to stubborness in our conversations even if our intent is not at all to be stubborn, or to harden our necks even if our motive is not to win the arguments. Ask someone that knows you—and knows you well (or even not well)—whether you’re being stubborn about something (anything), and just listen. They might even have fun with it; attempting to get a rise out of you, but let them try; practice balancing your emotions to accept the spiritual reproof—that’s the key—because it’s not about the person reproving you, it’s about tuning into the Holy Spirit of God at work in you. I’m not saying not to be truthful about how you will feel during this exercise, quite the opposite actually, be honest about what you’re feeling; be willing to accept time to revisit the necessary conflict for more practice at psychological development, but more importantly, resolution for a more intimate connection with God. Remember this verse when in conflict:

Ephesians 4:26 BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.

  • Is God good?
  • Is God your heavenly Father?
  • Is God love?
  • Does God love you?

Proverbs 29 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org
1 A man who hardens his neck after much reproof Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy. 2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan. 3 A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad, But he who keeps company with harlots wastes his wealth. 4 The king gives stability to the land by justice, But a man who takes bribes overthrows it. 5 A man who flatters his neighbor Is spreading a net for his steps. 6 By transgression an evil man is ensnared, But the righteous sings and rejoices. 7 The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor, The wicked does not understand such concern. 8  Scorners set a city aflame, But wise men turn away anger. 9 When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man, The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest. 10 Men of bloodshed hate the blameless, But the upright are concerned for his life. 11 A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back. 12 If a ruler pays attention to falsehood, All his ministers become wicked. 13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives light to the eyes of both. 14 If a king judges the poor with truth, His throne will be established forever. 15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother. 16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases; But the righteous will see their fall. 17 Correct your son, and he will give you comfort; He will also delight your soul. 18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law. 19 A slave will not be instructed by words alone; For though he understands, there will be no response. 20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 21 He who pampers his slave from childhood Will in the end find him to be a son. 22 An angry man stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression. 23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor. 24 He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He hears the oath but tells nothing. 25 The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, But justice for man comes from the LORD. 27 An unjust man is abominable to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is abominable to the wicked.

  • Here, (Prov 1—Matthew Henry)
    1. The obstinacy of many wicked people in a wicked way is to be greatly lamented. They are often reproved by parents and friends, by magistrates and ministers, by the providence of God and by their own consciences, have had their sins set in order before them and fair warning given them of the consequences of them, but all in vain; they harden their necks. Perhaps they fling away, and will not so much as give the reproof a patient hearing; or, if they do, yet they go on in the sins for which they are reproved; they will not bow their necks to the yoke, but are children of Belial; they refuse reproof (ch. 10:17), despise it (ch. 5:12), hate it, ch. 12:1.
  • 2. The issue of this obstinacy is to be greatly dreaded: Those that go on in sin, in spite of admonition, shall be destroyed; those that will not be reformed must expect to be ruined; if the rods answer not the end, expect the axes. They shall be suddenly destroyed, in the midst of their security, and without remedy; they have sinned against the preventing remedy, and therefore let them not expect any recovering remedy. Hell is remediless destruction. They shall be destroyed, and no healing, so the word is. If God wounds, who can heal?
I die devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Bold as a lion

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Warnings and Instructions

Proverbs 28; I die daily devotional.

1 The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, But the righteous are bold as a lion.

After reading the commentary for this verse provided in our resource, I appreciated the connection between the wicked flee when no one is pursuing, and guilt.

"Guilt in the conscience makes men a terror to themselves, so that they are ready to flee when none pursues; like one that absconds for debt, who thinks every one he meets a bailiff."—Matthew Henry

As I meditate on this verse and commentary, think to myself, “how does it apply to me.” In my head this exercise works, but now, how to articulate it into writing where it makes sense? That’s quite the psychological exercise because it’s no longer about me, but the relationships between: God, the author to this proverb, Matthew Henry (17th/18th century biblical commentator), myself, and you. However, I’ve already hinted at the focus, “How does this apply to us?” And a deluded paranoia comes over me by the thought that I’ve done something so terribly wrong that it’s impossible for me to be forgiven and reconciled to a holy God.

“Why is that—” I ask myself, and then remember my guilt. I remember how I was sexually abused. I remember how I was physically abused; psychologically abused; spiritually abused. But then I also remember how all that abuse—much like a virus invading cells—invaded to reprogram my psyche, and a lot of what happened to me convinced me of a different identity. I’d become the virus. I’m guilty! So now that the virus has successfully reprogrammed me, I flee. I make excuse after excuse to avoid the truth because the truth is pursuing me. … Is it?

BOLD AS A LION

It’s time to face the virus. I won’t forget my wife Laura in agreement to the encouragement of our friends, “go to this ‘re:generation‘ program” that my church provides, which is basically like going to A.A. meetings, but on steroids—so I thought. Okay maybe not steroids, but I think you get the point. I also won’t forget how Laura decided to go along with me as though she didn’t need it, and well—I’ll let her tell you that story—because that woman was dead wrong up-in-dis-house. As soon as we arrived at our first meeting, we’re separated (women with women and men with men), it felt sketchy the first couple of sessions, but it was a safe place. After I’d “graduated” the first six weeks, I was given a dedicated group of other adult men with issues all across the spectrum. It came about after 5 months in, all that testosterone was like a bomb going off and we all killed each other! I’m ghostwriting you right now… Are you paying attention? These guys dumped all their heavy weight of sin on the floor to watch it burn—because nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

“Romans 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

To continue in our guilt is to continue in our very … insecurely … wicked behavior, that virus of sin—that does separate us from God. This is why the Word of God is preached and the gospel available to believe because it’s a miracle. You are a miracle! Yes, you could give me reasons to prove against that fact; it only makes sense, when we feel convicted by whatever sin separates us from God. And you might say to me, “But Nathan, you don’t understand what I’ve done! You don’t know the skeletons in my closet!” and you’d be right, but I can tell you this! Nor-do-you-mine! And if I’m here preaching a victory over my sin to you, do you dare challenge the validity of the Lion in me? Because shoot… bear with me another mile, and let me tell about this gospel!

It wasn’t a Lion that conquered the sin in you, but a Lamb. The Lamb of God—given as the sacrifice to atone for not only the “virus” of your enemies if their faith reveal it so, but for you, your sin. And if God were to have it be that your enemies be turned back to Him even after the injustice done against you, who are you oh man to talk back to the Lion of God—Jesus Christ. Is it not righteous to hope for those guilty of injustice to experience remorse, a conscience convicted, and forgiveness extended being reconciled to God? Is that not what it means to be as bold as a lion?

Don’t be afraid or a coward to confess the nature of what is hidden deep within you. If you believe in God through Jesus Christ then you have a Lion inside you, willing to help clean up all your mess. Find someone you know in the Lord, someone you can trust with all your soul, and let them pray over you—be healed.

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Resources

Proverbs 28 (NASB)—blueletterbible
1 The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, But the righteous are bold as a lion. 2 By the transgression of a land many are its princes, But by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures. 3 A poor man who oppresses the lowly Is like a driving rain which leaves no food. 4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, But those who keep the law strive with them. 5 Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the LORD understand all things. 6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than he who is crooked though he be rich. 7 He who keeps the law is a discerning son, But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father. 8 He who increases his wealth by interest and usury Gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor. 9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination. 10 He who leads the upright astray in an evil way Will himself fall into his own pit, But the blameless will inherit good. 11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding sees through him. 12 When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, But when the wicked rise, men hide themselves. 13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. 14 How blessed is the man who fears always, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity. 15 Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people. 16 A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding, But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days. 17 A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood Will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him. 18 He who walks blamelessly will be delivered, But he who is crooked will fall all at once. 19 He who tills his land will have plenty of food, But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty. 20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished. 21 To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. 22 A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth And does not know that want will come upon him. 23 He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor Than he who flatters with the tongue. 24 He who robs his father or his mother And says, “It is not a transgression,” Is the companion of a man who destroys. 25 An arrogant man stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will prosper. 26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered. 27 He who gives to the poor will never want, But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses. 28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; But when they perish, the righteous increase.

See here, (28:1—Matthew Henry Commentary)
1. What continual frights those are subject to that go on in wicked ways. Guilt in the conscience makes men a terror to themselves, so that they are ready to flee when none pursues; like one that absconds for debt, who thinks every one he meets a bailiff. Though they pretend to be easy, there are secret fears which haunt them wherever they go, so that they fear where no present or imminent danger is, Ps. 53:5. Those that have made God their enemy, and know it, cannot but see the whole creation at war with them, and therefore can have no true enjoyment of themselves, no confidence, no courage, but a fearful looking for of judgment. Sin makes men cowards.

Degeneres animos timor arguit-
Fear argues a degenerate soul.—Virgil

Quos diri conscia facti mens habet attonitos-
The consciousness of atrocious crimes astonishes and confounds.—Juvenal

If they flee when none pursues, what will they do when they shall see God himself pursuing them with his armies? Job 20:24; 15:24. See Deu. 28:25; Lev. 26:36.

2. What a holy security and serenity of mind those enjoy who keep conscience void of offence and so keep themselves in the love of God: The righteous are bold as a lion, as a young lion; in the greatest dangers they have a God of almighty power to trust to. Therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed. Whatever difficulties they meet with in the way of their duty, they are not daunted by them. None of those things move me.

Hie murus aheneus esto, nil conscire sibi-
Be this thy brazen bulwark of defence,
Still to preserve thy conscious innocence.—Hor.

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