David faced the lion and the bear, and inspired all Israel by
battling with and killing Goliath.
The prophets were men of the highest courage, who fearlessly
rebuked kings, and at the risk of life, and often at the cost of
life, denounced popular sins, and called the people back to
righteousness and the faithful service of God. These men feared
God, and so lost the fear of man. They believed God, and so
obeyed Him, and found His favour, and were entrusted with His
high missions and everlasting employments.
"Fear thou not, for I am with thee," saith the Lord; and this
Paul believed, and so says, "We were bold in our God." God was
his high tower, his strength and unfailing defence, and so he was
not afraid.
His boldness toward man was a fruit of his boldness toward God,
and that, in turn, was a fruit of his faith in Jesus as his High
Priest, who had been touched with the feeling of his infirmities,
and through whom he could "come boldly to the Throne of Grace,
and obtain mercy, and find grace to help in every time of need."
It is the timidity and delicacy with which men attempt God's work
that often accounts for their failure. Let them speak out boldly
like men, as ambassadors of Heaven, who are not afraid to
represent their King, and they will command attention and
respect, and reach the hearts and consciences of men.
I have read that quaint old Bishop Latimer, who was afterwards
burned at the stake, "having preached a sermon before King Henry
VIII, which greatly displeased the monarch, was ordered to preach
again on the next Sunday, and make apology for the offence given.
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