“Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good comfort, it is I, be not afraid.” The natural man that cannot understand the power of God, would have desired some other present comfort in so great a danger; as, either to have had the heavens opened, to show unto them such light in that darkness, that Christ might have been fully known by his own face; or else, that the winds and raging waves of the seas suddenly should have ceased; or some other miracle which had been subject to all their senses, whereby they might have perfectly known that they were delivered from all danger. And truly, it had been the same to Christ Jesus to have done any of these, or any greater work, as to have said, “It is I, be not afraid:” but willing to teach us the dignity and effectual power of his most holy word, he uses no other instrument to pacify the great and horrible fear of his disciples but his comfortable word, and lively voice. And this is not done only at one time, but whensoever his church is in such a strait and perplexity, that nothing appears but extreme calamity, desolation, and ruin; then the first comfort that ever it receives, is by the means of his word and promise; as may appear in the troubles and temptations of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Paul. To Abraham was given no other defence, after he had discomfited four kings, whose posterity and lineage, no doubt, he, being a stranger, greatly feared, but only this promise of God made to him by his holy word, “Fear not, Abraham, I am thy buckler;” that is, thy protection and defence. The same we find of Isaac, who flying from the place of his accustomed habitation, compelled thereto by hunger, got no other comfort nor conduct but this promise only, “I will be with thee.” In all the journeys and temptations of Jacob the same is to be espied; as when he fled from his father’s house for fear of his brother Esau; when he returned from Laban; and when he feared the inhabitants of the region of the Canaanites and Perizzites for the slaughter of the Shechemites committed by his sons; he received no other defence, but only God’s word and promise. And this is most evident in Moses, and in the afflicted church under him when Moses himself was in such despair, that he was bold to chide with God, saying, “Why hast thou sent me? For since that time I have come to Pharaoh, to speak in thy name, he hath oppressed this people; neither yet hast thou delivered thy people.”