CHAPTER IV. _Of the excuses that are usually made for the fear of man._ AS soon as we begin with true humility to acknowledge the fear of man as a great and most heinous evil, and accordingly to watch and pray, and strive against it, there is hope we may overcome: but there are very few who will acknowledge it; the very most, when charged therewith, labour to hide it with various excuses; some of which are so specious, that they blind the eyes of many, so that they approve their conduct, and praise their saying. 1. “Should I act thus, I should soon be called to an account for it?” Well, but should this hinder a faithful servant from executing his master’s orders with all sincerity? “But I shall be put to charges and trouble, nay perhaps be turned out of my livelihood?” Perhaps not; God is well able to protect thee. But if trouble do overtake thee, still have faith in God, and thou shalt be no loser for his sake. God is a faithful Lord and Master. Be it only thy care to be a faithful servant. Whatever thou losest in his cause, he will restore it to thee an hundred fold. Happy art thou when thou sufferest for conscience sake. Though man cast thee off, God will take thee up. But if thou art unwilling to lose thy place for the sake of a good conscience, it is plain thou servest thy belly, and not God. 2. “But I have a wife and children to take care of.” Hear then what thy Lord saith unto thee, “He that loveth father or mother, son or daughter, more than me, is not worthy of me.” True it is, that he who provideth not for his own house, hath denied the faith, and is worse than an Infidel. But God’s honour must not suffer one jot under pretence of providing for thy family. Thou mayest not, on that pretence, go out of the way of the commandment, to the right hand or to the left. Thou must neither do less or more, than if thou hadst none, only learn what that meaneth, _Seek ye the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you_. *3. “But we must not pull down sufferings upon our own heads, or wilfully run into them:” Neither must thou be afraid of suffering: as long as this flinching from the cross is in thee, thy faith is not right. When a good thing cannot be done without suffering, thou art absolutely bound to take it up. ’Tis better to suffer all things, than to have an evil conscience. Trouble not thyself, but do thou heartily the will of God. He will not lay upon thee more than thou art able to bear. Thou representest things to thyself worse than indeed they are. Thou art afraid of men: but glorify the Lord God in thy heart, and they will be afraid of thee.