Book Summary
Jeremiah Burroughs' "The Excellency of Holy Courage in Evil Times" (1643) stands as a powerful Puritan exposition on maintaining spiritual fortitude during periods of societal upheaval and moral decline. This work provides deep theological insight and practical guidance for Christians facing opposition to their faith.
The work begins by establishing the distinction between worldly courage and holy courage. Burroughs argues that holy courage is grounded in faith and knowledge of God's character, making it fundamentally different from natural bravery or mere stoicism. He emphasizes that this spiritual courage enables believers to stand firm when everything around them seems to be crumbling.
Drawing extensively from Scripture, Burroughs examines the nature and necessity of holy courage through various biblical examples, particularly focusing on Moses and other figures who demonstrated unwavering faith in adverse circumstances. He uses these examples to show how holy courage manifests in different situations and what sustains it.
The treatise delves deeply into the sources of holy courage, arguing that it springs from a clear vision of God's sovereignty, a firm grasp of His promises, and a deep understanding of one's position in Christ. Burroughs emphasizes that this courage is not a natural attribute but a spiritual grace that God develops in His people.
A significant portion of the work addresses practical applications, showing how holy courage should manifest in daily life, especially during times of persecution or moral decline. Burroughs provides specific guidance for maintaining spiritual integrity when facing opposition, dealing with fear, and encouraging others in their faith.
Throughout the text, Burroughs maintains his characteristic pastoral tone seen in other books like The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, combining profound theological insight with practical wisdom. He addresses both the internal dynamics of courage (such as dealing with doubt and fear) and its external expressions (such as standing firm in the face of opposition).
The work concludes by exploring the "excellency" of holy courage - its beauty, power, and necessity in the Christian life. Burroughs argues that this virtue particularly glorifies God and serves as a powerful testimony to unbelievers.
The Excellency of Holy Courage
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By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King, for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. - Hebrews 11:27
Having finished discussing Moses' choice, specifically what he chose, the greatness of his spirit in making such a choice, and the faith that enabled him to do so, from this chapter, verses 25 and 26, I now move on to talk about another excellent result of the faith of this servant of the Lord, as described in verse 27.
Here, we need to observe two things:
- The action of his faith.
- The reason that made it stronger to act
First, in the action, we need to notice two things:
- That remarkable action of his leaving Egypt despite the king's anger.
- His consistency: he persevered in everything he did.
Secondly, the reason his faith was strengthened was because he saw the invisible God.
Explaining the words and the different doctrines in the text.
By faith, he left Egypt. By leaving Egypt, Moses showed a lot of faith. Taking on the task of leading thousands of people out of Egypt into a wilderness, without knowing what would happen to them, unable to fight their enemies, and not knowing what supplies they would have, was a huge act of faith.
Not fearing the king's anger. Moses knew he was in danger from Pharaoh and that Pharaoh's army might chase after them. Even though Pharaoh finally seemed willing to let them go, Moses understood Pharaoh's nature and knew he might quickly change his mind and come after them with all his might, which is exactly what happened. However, Moses wasn't afraid of this. He continued on his path because he stayed strong, as if he could see the one who is invisible (Heb. 11:27).
Objection: But it seems like Moses left Egypt because he was afraid of the king's anger.
Answer: It's true that there was a time when Moses was afraid of the king's anger when he left Egypt. In Exodus 2:14, it says that Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and asked the one in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?" The man replied, "Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses became afraid and fled because of this (Exod. 2:14).
If we understand the text about Moses leaving Egypt for the first time, we can reconcile the Apostle's words with that situation. First, Moses fled not because he was afraid of the king, but because he didn't want to offend God. If he had stayed and faced the danger without escaping, he would have been testing God by being presumptuous. This is how Osiander explains it.
In other words, he didn't run away out of fear for himself, but because he was worried that staying might interfere with his mission: so says Simler.
But these words are better understood as referring to his second leaving of Egypt. The first time he left Egypt because he was afraid; but the second time he left Egypt because of his faith, and he wasn't afraid. After he killed the Egyptian, he was scared, but when he came to take all the people of Israel with him, he left Egypt and wasn't afraid of the king's anger.
From this, we can make these observations.
Doctrine #1: First, wicked people (especially when they have power) become very angry and out of control when something goes against them. Certainly, Moses understood that Pharaoh's anger was intense, because the Holy Spirit highlights it as a significant result of his faith that he did not fear the king's wrath. Pharaoh's anger seemed great because of the power he used against them, and if not for Moses' faith, he would have been afraid.
Doctrine #2: Secondly, faith will prevent a good-hearted person from being overly afraid of anyone in the world, no matter how important or powerful they are.
Doctrine #3: Thirdly, there is a big difference in the attitudes of God's people at different times. There was a time when Moses was scared, but now he continues on and is not scared anymore.
Doctrine #4: Fourthly, faith will help a person get through very tough tasks and challenging work that God asks them to do.
Doctrine #5: Fifthly, it is an honor for God's people to continue following God's ways, despite all the difficulties they encounter.
Doctrine #6: Sixthly, seeing an invisible God is a powerful way to keep someone going in God's path, despite all the challenges and difficulties they face.
These are the teachings we find in verse 27.
Handling the First Doctrine
Doctrine #1: The anger of evil people, especially when they have power, is usually very intense and wild.
To prove this point, we must admit that sometimes God does hold it back, but usually, it's like this: Everyone has a lot of uncontrolled anger that comes out when the opportunity arises and when temptation hits, leading to terrible and frightening actions and results. "A furious man," says the Holy Spirit in Proverbs 29:22, "abounds in transgression." Those with hearts filled with passion, anger, and wrath are the ones who commit many sins. When they are in the heat of their passion and anger, they don't care much about what they say or do, and they break all of God's commands.
We read about Moses in Exodus 32:19. When he came down from the mountain and saw the people sinning, he got angry and broke both stone tablets. But his anger was justified because, even though the tablets were broken, he didn't break any of the Commandments. However, most of the time, our anger isn't good, and in our rage, we end up breaking all the Commandments on both tablets.
The Hebrew word for "transgress" also means "anger," because people often break rules when they are angry. Someone once said that if there were two main sources of everything (as some pagans believe), one source for all good and another for all evil, then anger would be the source of all evil, and God would be the source of all good. A lot of bad and scary things happen when anger gets out of control.
First: Because it greatly blinds people's judgment. Anger prevents the mind from seeing what is true. That's why in Job 5:13, it says, "The counsel of the froward is carried headlong."
There's an interesting story about a poor woman who had her case heard by Philip, King of Macedon. He made a decision while he was angry, and she felt she was treated unfairly. She said, "I appeal." He smiled, since he was the king, and asked, "To whom will you appeal?" She replied, "I appeal from you when you are angry, to you when you are not angry," pointing out that anger clouds judgment.
Secondly: Anger and rage are compared to fire. Fire is active and can quickly spread beyond its limits, becoming uncontrollable and causing much harm. The same is true with anger.
Thirdly: A lot of harm comes from uncontrolled anger because it's like a fever that burns away your natural warmth. Just like a fever in the body consumes your true natural warmth, anger can take away any natural goodness or kindness in a person. So, even if someone is naturally kind and warm, when they get angry, that natural warmth and goodness is consumed, and they are completely driven by this unhealthy heat.
Fourthly: Anger heats up all the sinful desires in the heart and makes them active, whereas before they were cold and inactive, like snakes that don't move when they're cold. But when they get warm, they start to crawl around and sting. Similarly, many sinful tendencies lie dormant in the hearts of men and women, frozen and inactive like cold snakes. But when the heat of anger comes, it warms up all those sinful tendencies, causing them to come out and create trouble.
In all people, there is a troubled anger, and if it's not controlled, it can lead to terrible outcomes. But when power is combined with anger, it becomes truly dangerous. We see this with Pharaoh, who was extremely angry with Moses. The Holy Spirit praises Moses for not being afraid of Pharaoh's anger, which was backed by power. Similarly, Saul's anger became violent once he had power. He seemed to be a calm person when he was in a private life and even at the beginning of his reign (1 Sam. 10). But once he was settled on the throne and had more power, his anger became outrageous. In 1 Samuel 22:18-19, he ordered Doeg to kill eighty-five priests of the Lord and to destroy Nob with the sword, all because David, whom he saw as an enemy, had been there. Doeg told him that Ahimelech the priest had asked the Lord for guidance for David.
You can see here how extreme people can be in their anger when it's about themselves, while at the same time, they can stay calm when it's about God's cause.
When God commanded Saul to kill Agag and the Amalekites, along with all their cattle, Saul was reluctant to be so extreme. Out of compassion, he spared some for sacrifice. But when it was about his own interests, he was willing to kill everyone—priests, men, women, babies, oxen, and sheep. In the same way, many people are willing to overlook and ignore many things when it comes to God's cause (1 Sam. 15:3, 9).
Many people who have authority in families, like parents or masters, can overlook it when their children or servants sin against God. But if their children or servants offend them personally, they become extremely angry in a frightening way. This shows how violent and fierce anger can be when it has power.
And so Rehoboam, when he had power, answered the people harshly, saying, "My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions" (1 Kings 12:14).
You also know the example of Jeroboam, who had power in his hands. When the prophet came from God and spoke against the altar, Jeroboam said, "Grab him," as it says in (1 Kings 13:4). Similarly, Jehoiakim, when the scroll was read, told them to cut it with a penknife and throw it into the fire (Jer. 36:23). Even good people, when they have power and are angry, can do many wrong things. For example, King Asa, a good man, hit the preacher when he got angry with him (2 Chron. 16:10). But where there is no grace, the actions can be extremely outrageous. Like Xerxes, a great leader, who, in his anger, took it out on the water by cutting a great river and making it flow a different way.
The reasons why wrath and anger become so extreme when combined with power are these:
First, because power makes the heart proud, and pride leads to anger. The more someone is quick to anger, the less they have overcome their pride. Just as one person might be more prone to anger because of their natural temperament, some might also be more prone to pride for the same reason. Power and strength often make people proud, and that's why in Psalm 90:10, it says, "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow" (Ps. 90:10). The word translated as strength can also mean pride, because people tend to think that their strength and power are due to some special quality they have that others don't. However, it might actually be that God raises them above others not because He values them more, but because He intends to use them as a tool to discipline others.
Anastatius Arenus tells us about a monk who was promoted to be a bishop over a very bad place. He started to become proud because he was given more honor than others. A voice was heard saying, "Not because you are worthy, but because they deserve such a bad man." In the same way, God sometimes raises people to positions of honor, not because they are excellent, but because He is displeased with others.
Secondly, people with power get extremely angry because when something goes against their wishes, it surprises them a lot. They can't imagine anyone would dare oppose them. That's why when the three young men refused to do what Nebuchadnezzar commanded, he was filled with rage, and his face changed: "How dare you resist me? Do you know who I am?" (Dan. 3:19).
There is a story about a king named Canutus who, filled with flattery, believed that all creatures had to obey him. To prove this, he had his chair placed by the sea and commanded the waves not to come near his seat, saying, "You and the earth I sit upon are mine." Similarly, people in power often think everything belongs to them, so when something doesn't go their way, they are caught off guard and become very angry.
Thirdly, people naturally have a vengeful spirit, and when they have power, they often pursue revenge, thinking it's their only way to achieve glory. While it is God's glory to be merciful, people often believe that seeking revenge is their glory.
Fourthly, when people have power, they see every offense as a big deal because of their own importance. God can rightfully see every sin against Him as very serious because He views it through His own greatness. Similarly, people with power tend to act like God. Those who have any level of greatness above others are quick to view all offenses against them through their own importance, and therefore, they find it intolerable.
Fifthly, besides, people who are in higher positions often see those below them as insignificant and worthless, as if it would be better for those below to be discarded like dirt and waste rather than for the higher-ups to be inconvenienced. They value their own satisfaction more than the lives and well-being of those beneath them.
Sixthly, furthermore, those who are in higher positions than others have nothing to hold back their anger. Unlike ordinary people, whose anger might be restrained by those in authority, when there is nothing to hold it back, it will go beyond limits.
Seventhly, they also have many flatterers who provoke their anger and add fuel to the fire, just like the young men did with Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:10-11).
Eighthly, they believe the only way to keep their authority is through anger, but nothing harms a governor's authority more than uncontrolled emotion. Nothing reduces the respect that governors should have more than passion.
Ninthly, they believe that having more anger and displeasure than others suits their greatness. Seneca has a notable expression: "It is not the greatness of the mind that causes wrathful anger, but the swelling of the mind." A leg with gout is bigger than the other, but that is not a compliment to the leg; it's just swelling. Similarly, Antiochus Epiphanes was called "Deifical Epiphanes" by some, yet the Holy Spirit calls him a vile person (Dan. 11:21). Rehoboam's counselors might have told him that his actions suited his great spirit, but the Scripture calls him a child (2 Chron. 13:7).
Tenthly, once more, they have nothing else to satisfy them or to make up for anything that goes against them. So, when things don't go their way, they become extremely angry.
Application #1
From this, we learn that it is a serious judgment for any group of people to be under the control of those who are evil and quick-tempered. Their anger can become extreme, leading to terrible, sorrowful, and painful consequences.
Application #2
From this, we can understand that those who are under the authority of others who are easily angered should pray to God for them, asking Him to calm and control their anger. In Psalm 76:10, it says, "Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt" (Ps. 76:10). Therefore, based on this scripture, seek God on behalf of those in positions of authority, asking Him to help moderate their anger.
Application #3
From this, we can see why we should admire God's goodness to His Church in preserving it, even though there are so many who have power over it and strongly oppose the ways of God's people. It is not destroyed by them. It is the Lord who says to the proud waves, "This far you shall go and no further" (Job 38:11). And that verse in Psalm 76:10 is also important for this reason: "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee." It is God who turns the anger of man into His praise, and He not only preserves His Church despite it but also makes it work for the good of His Church.
Application #4
Here we have good guidance for those who have authority over others, like parents and leaders, to be careful not to misuse this power. So, think about this for yourselves:
1. Who has given me this power? Isn't it the Lord?
2. Again, think about how I have provoked God's anger against myself, and yet God does not use His power against me. Those who have authority over others and are prone to anger should consider how God is provoked and opposed. If I think that because I am opposed, I should use all my power against those who oppose me, then why is God so patient and not using His power against me? Even though I have authority over others, I am still under God, and God could justly use all His power to execute His wrath against me. When I, with my limited power, am opposed, I use all my power against them.
3. Think about the power you have over others. When it is the power of authority, it is a very honorable thing because it reflects part of God's image. Will you now take your authority and power and use it for your own desires, turning it into a tool for the Devil, even though it is part of God's image? That must be a great wrong, and the more authority and power someone has, the worse it is to use it for the Devil's purposes. Joseph's words to his brothers in Genesis 50:19 are very noteworthy. When they were afraid he might finally take revenge on them, he said, "Fear not, for am I in the place of God?" (Gen. 50:19). There are many interpretations of this, but it can mean that the power he has is from God and under God, putting him in God's place, so he dares not misuse it for revenge. The Lord should receive the glory, as the Psalmist says. Has God given you strength and power over others? Let God have the glory of your strength and do not misuse it.
Many people believe it's beneath them to give in to others when they disagree, but they don't realize how easily they give in to the Devil. The Scripture says, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil" (Eph. 4:26-27). It's better to give way to any person than to the Devil. If someone opposes you and you let your anger continue against them, you're actually giving in to the Devil. It's better to yield to any person.
4. Again, it is a very harmful force that cannot be resisted: the more important a person is compared to others, the less anger they should have.
5. Again, think about how God might give you power more as a sign of His anger than His mercy. A wise person once said that you need to tell the difference between what God gives out of kindness and what He gives when He's upset. Whatever we receive from God, whether it's given in favor or anger, if God gives me something in love, I should use it carefully so that God is honored by it. And if God gives it to me in His anger, I must be careful not to misuse it to my own destruction.
Many times God allows some people to have authority over others not only as a punishment to those under them but also as a punishment to those in power, so that they might fall and ruin themselves. Therefore, those who have authority over others need to be careful not to misuse it. Think about it: Have you used your authority for God's purposes? When you had the opportunity to act for God, you were willing to hold back, and now will you use your power to support your own desires?
Application #5
From this, we learn that since those in power can have angry and unstable emotions, we should be careful not to oppose those above us. Many people are under the authority of others but have more pride than those in charge. It's not wise to provoke a lion; if we don't have a good reason to do so, we won't find much comfort in any suffering we endure. Let's continue in God's path, and we will face enough false accusations that will provoke those in authority, even if we do nothing to provoke them justly.
Application #6
The last application I will mention from this is: The more common it is for those with power to be angry, the more honorable it is for them to control their anger and emotions. It is a blessed thing for a man or woman in power to realize that it is more glorious to use their power to control their emotions than to use it to take revenge on those who oppose them. You might think it's impressive if you can make others submit to you, but those of you with power should understand that it is a greater honor to use your power to control your own emotions than to use it to make others submit to them.
Philip the Second, King of Spain, was busy writing an important letter to the Pope and needed to finish quickly. He stayed up all night to complete it. His secretary, who was half asleep, was asked to sprinkle sand on the letter to dry the ink, but instead, he accidentally poured ink on it. Even though the King was inconvenienced, he simply put the letter away and didn't make a fuss about it. How shameful is it then for Christians to be so vengeful? When someone named Cradon spoke badly of Philip, others suggested he take revenge. Instead, Philip sent Cradon many gifts and spoke kindly of him. Later, when he asked what Cradon said about him, they replied that no one spoke better of him. Philip then said, "I am a better physician than you." This is an honorable trait in anyone.
The first point is that the anger of wicked people, when they have power, is very intense and out of control.
Addressing the Second Doctrine
Doctrine #2: Faith helps us overcome excessive fear of people in positions of authority or any creature.
First: Those who are godly should have and show proper and respectful regard for all those in authority. Even though they are not afraid of the king's displeasure or anyone in authority when it comes to God's cause, truly gracious and godly people still show due respect to them, both in their person and in their authority and power. While they are not cowardly afraid like others might be, to go against God or conscience, as much as they can, no people in the world show as much respectful regard for authority as God's people do.
Secondly: No one submits to authority on such good grounds as they do, because they do it for the sake of their conscience. They submit to authority more than others do, and they do not dare to have any negative thoughts against authority in their minds. They submit because they see the image of God in those in authority, not just to protect themselves.
Thirdly, no one respects authority in such a good way; they do it willingly and cheerfully, not because they are forced, but because it is God's will for them to do so. It aligns with the nature of their souls to do it. Naturally, no one wants to be under someone else, but grace makes it agreeable to be so, and therefore, if you think about it, there are no better subjects than those who are godly.
Throughout history, people have often accused religion of disrespecting authority and not showing the proper respect it deserves. For example, Pharaoh accused them of planning to rebel against him, and similar accusations were made during Nehemiah's time. Early Christian writers like Justin Martyr and Tertullian had to defend Christians against these claims, proving that no one was more obedient to authority than they were.
Tertullian has a notable expression in his apology. Why do you not consider us obedient to authority? Is it because we refuse to worship idols and pray to idols for your governors? Yet, we pray to the True God for your governors. Similarly, people today think that because they won't compromise their consciences to authority and seek its honor in an unlawful way, they are not subject to it. However, no one is more truly subject to others than those who are obedient to God.
In this story about Constantius, he wanted to find out who his true subjects were. He announced that anyone who refused to worship idols would have to leave the court, while those who agreed to worship could stay. Some people, not wanting to leave the court, chose to sacrifice to idols. Others chose to leave the court instead. Constantius decided to keep those who left the court and banished the ones who stayed. He said, "If you are not faithful to God, you will not be faithful to me."
Can anyone truly submit to a justice of the peace if they won't submit to the king? If someone submits to a lower authority, they will submit to a higher one. Similarly, those who submit to authority for the right reasons do so because they are subject to God's authority. In fact, only those who are godly can truly be trusted to be faithful to authority. Consider the example of Homizda, a prominent figure in the King of Persia's court. The king tried to persuade him to abandon Christianity and sacrifice to idols using all sorts of flattering arguments. Homizda replied, "O king, do not be so eloquent to your own destruction: who shall think him to be faithful to man, that is not faithful unto God? If we do not obey God's authority, how can we be obedient to you?" Therefore, godly people give due and respectful regard to authority. While they do not fear any authority when it comes to God's cause, they do fear and respect authority as far as God requires.
Before I get to the main point of how faith helps us overcome the fear of people, I want to offer some guidance on how to properly respect the authority of people. While we shouldn't fear it in a way that goes against God, we should still have a certain respect for it. Faith will teach us not to fear it in one way, but it will also teach us to respect it in another. As the Apostle says in Romans 13:7, "Give fear to whom fear belongs." It is a Christian's duty to show respect where it is due. Luther, speaking about obedience to authority, said, "I had rather obey than work miracles." There's also a noteworthy passage in the Epistle of Peter, where the Apostle talks about those whom God will judge, and among them are those who despise authority. This shows us that God doesn't want us to look down on or disregard government.
