God hath not given us the spirit of cowardice.' Now, of course, courage or timidity are very largely matters of temperament. But then, you know, the very purpose of the gospel is to mend temperaments, to restrain, and to stimulate, so as that natural defects may become excellences, and excellences may never run to seed and become defects. So whilst we have to admit that religion is not meant to obliterate natural distinctions in character, we must also remember that we insufficiently grasp the intention of the gospel which we say we believe unless we realise that it is meant to deal with the most deeply rooted defects in character, to make the crooked things straight, and the rough places plain.
So I venture to say that any man who lives in the realisation of the truths which the gospel reveals, and in the use of the gifts which the gospel communicates, will (whatever his natural disposition of apprehensiveness) be stiffened into a fearless man; and be no longer a reed shaken with the wind, but a brazen pillar, and an iron wall, amidst all dangers and enemies.
One sometimes feels as if nothing but clear-sightedness were needed to drive men into insanity. When you think of the possibilities of every life, and of the certainties of every life, of what may come to any of us, any time, and of what must come to all of us one time, the wonder is that men live without a perpetual tremor of heart, and do so largely manage to ignore the evils that ring them round. Think of our relation to God, think of what must be the result of the collision of the perfectly righteous will of His with our wayward rebellions; of what must be the consequence--if there be a God at all, and if there be such a thing as retributive acts on His part--when He sets us down to drink of the brewst that we have brewed, and to reap the harvest that we have sown. Surely, be troubled, ye careless ones,' is His exhortation of wisdom to men.
And then if we bring in all the other possibilities which to many of us have become in some measure past experiences, but still hang threatening on our horizon, like the half-emptied clouds of a thunderstorm, that is sure to come back again, dread seems to be wisdom. For what have we that we shall not have to part withy What do we that will not disappoint in the fruit? What dangers are there possible to humanity, concerning which you and I can say we know that when the overflowing scourge passes by it will not reach us'? None! none!
You may remember having seen a gymnast that used to roll a ball up a spiral with the motion of his feet. That is how we are set to roll the ball of our fortunes and prosperities up the twisting ascent, and at every moment there is the possibility of its hurtling down in ruin, and one day it certainly will So is there anything more empty and foolish than to say to a man whose relations with God are not right, whose command of the world is so uncertain, as it surely is. and who has frowning before him the grim certainties of loss and sorrow and broken ties, and empty houses and empty hearts, and disappointments, and pillow stuffed with thorns, and souls wounded to the very quick, and, last of all, a death which has a dim some- thing behind it that touches all consciences--to say to such a man Don't be afraid'? If he is not a fool he ought to be.
But then Paul comes in and says, God hath not given us the spirit of cowardice.' No, because He has given us the only thing that can exorcise that demon. He has given us the good news of Himself, whereby His name becomes our dearest hope instead of our ghastliest doubt. He has given us the assurance of forgiveness and acceptance and hallowing in Jesus Christ, whereby all the things whereof our consciences --which do make cowards of us all'--are afraid, are rectified, and some of them swept out of existence. He has given us truths which only need to be grappled and laid upon our hearts and minds to make us brave. He has assured us that all things work together for good,' that He Himself will never leave us. And the Master who spoke on earth so often, and in so many connections, His meek and sovereign encouragement,'Fear not!' speaks it from the heavens to all that trust Him. He laid His hand upon me, and said, "Fear not!"I am the first and the last,' from whom all changes originate, by whom all events are directed, unto whom all things tend. Therefore, whosoever is wedded to Him need fear no evil, for nothing that does not hurt Christ can harm Him.
