2. Many who are already converted are hereby hindered from growth in holiness, as they deprive themselves of many opportunities (which they greatly need) to strengthen and edify themselves in God; for this fear makes them avoid the conversation of those who are most able to build them up in the faith, and run into many other sins against the dictates of their own conscience. Again, as a free and ready confession of the truth, highly advances a man in faith and love; so the denying or hiding it, keeps him quite down, and hinders him from attaining the power of the spirit. Many know not what the reason is, why they advance so slowly in spiritual growth. It is plainly this, the fear of man lurking within, eats ♦out the vigour and activity of the life of grace. God, ’tis certain, does infinitely abound in mercy, and would willingly every day pour out new blessings upon us. But a fearful man is not receptive of them. He doth not act in singleness of heart. He dares not trust God, and God therefore cannot fill him with the fulness of his graces. ♦ inserted word “out” per Errata 3. When ministers in particular, are unable to overcome the fear of man, they grow dejected and heartless in the discharge of their function, and scarce know themselves what or how they ought to speak. They become listless in all their performances: so that the most excellent gifts which God has bestowed upon them, become altogether fruitless; and what good might have been done is either never attempted, or left unfinished. Indeed it cannot be expected that any one enslaved to this fear, should ever, by his cold endeavours, throughly reform any abuse of long continuance. The fear of man is always for maintaining old customs: and while every one is afraid of innovation, abuses are authorized more and more, and all things proceed from bad to worse. And though there were two or more such ministers in the same place, they will perform nothing worthy of their calling; nay the one hindereth the other from the faithful discharge of his pastoral duty: yea, it would be better for many to have for their fellow-labourer, one that was openly wicked, who might perhaps, by his enormities, more readily force the truth from them, than a timorous _Nicodemus_, who by shunning it himself, teaches them to shun the light. And such as the minister is, such are commonly the hearers. If he therefore be afraid, how will his hearers be ever excited to a true chearfulness of faith? And those of them, who, by the grace of God, are freed from this base bondage, can never have any confidence in their teacher, till he is disengaged from that servile spirit. Many ministers wonder why the true children of God have so little confidence in them: not considering this plain reason of it, that their flock never saw in them the least proof of a good shepherd, who readily exposes himself to any sufferings, yea, _lays down his life for his sheep_.