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All who are truly the chosen of God should exhibit a fearless courage.

I. THE CONFIDENCE OF THE SAINTS. It is altogether beyond themselves. There is nothing about what is their own, but their confidence is all in God. This confidence is gained by an appropriating faith. "This God is our God." And is greatly sustained by a clear knowledge of God. Pope said, "The proper study of mankind is man." It is a deplorably barren subject. Say, rather, "The proper study of mankind is God." "They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee." All this will be certified to us by our experience. You that know the Lord, can you not say by experience, "God is our refuge"? Look at the little chicks yonder under the hen. See how they bury their little heads in the feathers of her warm bosom! Hear their little chirp of perfect happiness as they nestle beneath the mother's wing! "He shall cover thee with His feathers," etc. We can also say that God has been "our strength," and "a very present help in trouble." We feel something of the mind of Sir Francis Drake who, after he had sailed round the world, was buffeted with a storm in the Thames. "What," said he, "have we sailed round the world safely, and shall we be drowned in a ditch?" So do we say at this day. Helped so long and helped so often! But in order to realize this fearlessness we need an immediate enjoyment of the Divine help. "God is my refuge and strength."

II. THE COURAGE WHICH GROWS OUT OF IT. This courage is very full and complete. "Therefore will not we fear." It does not say, "Therefore will not we run away, or even faint, or swoon in dread," but "we will not fear." And this courage is logically justifiable. The believer's fearlessness is founded upon argument. Hence it says, "Therefore we will not fear." For nothing that happens affects God, the ground of his confidence. Now, this fearlessness is exceedingly profitable. Serenity of spirit, such as was ever in Jesus; no temptation to do wrong. And it brings great glory to God. I knew a youth, near forty years ago, who was staying with relations when a thunderstorm of unusual violence came on at nightfall. A stack was struck by lightning and set on fire within sight of the door. The grown-up people in the house, both men and women, were utterly overcome with fright, the men even more than the women; all sat huddled together: there was a little child up-stairs, and, though anxious about it, the mother had not courage enough to pass the staircase windows to bring the child down. But this youth was quietly happy. The babe cried, and he went up and fetched it down and gave it to its mother. He needed no candle, for the lightning was so continuous that he could clearly see his way. He sat down and read a psalm aloud to his trembling relatives, who looked on the lad with loving wonder. That night he was master of the situation, and all felt there was something in the religion which he had lately professed.

III. THE CONFLICTS TO WHICH THIS FEARLESSNESS WILL BE EXPOSED. It will be tried in ways novel and unusual. "Though the earth be removed." Sometimes mysterious and threatening: "the mountains carried into the midst of the sea." If we saw that we should be at our wits' end to account for it. Some trials also appear to he utterly ungovernable. "Though the waters thereof roar," etc. And sometimes the fear of others affects us. "The mountains shake with," etc. CONCLUSION. If war should come, as it may; or anarchy and a break-up of social order; or trade fail, or persecution come back; or heresy prevail. Fear not. I remember years ago meeting with that blessed servant of God, the late Earl of Shaftesbury. He was at Mentone with a dying daughter, and he happened that day to be very downcast, as, indeed, I have frequently seen him, and as, I am sorry to confess, he has also frequently seen me. That day he was particularly cast down about the general state of society. He thought that the powers of darkness in this country were having it all their own way, and that, before long, the worst elements of society would gain power and trample out all virtue. Looking up into his face, I said to him, "And is God dead? Do you believe that while God lives the devil will conquer Him?" He smiled, and we walked along by the sea, communing together in a far more hopeful tone. In the Book of Revelation tremendous events are foretold, and they will come, but we need not fear.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

WEB: Therefore we won't be afraid, though the earth changes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas;