IT is the tri­umph of this Theologicall vertue of the Feare of God, that those who have least affinitie with it, yet applaud it, and professe it: And it is my happinesse, that nothing can com­mend a grace, that is not with advantage ex­centred in this. If I should here declare the nobilitie, excellencie, and transcendencie of [Page 2]the feare of God in it selfe; and the utilitie, and absolute indispen­sable necessitie of it in reference to us, I should but fore-stall and pre­vent my selfe. It is sufficient to premise, both to excuse my writing, & to provoke all Chri­stians advisedly, dili­gently, and throughly to read this ensuing discourse: that, though many have briefe es­sayes, yet few, or none, have done this Royall grace the honour, or right to allot unto it a compleat full treatise. And that that may in­vite alleyes & minds [Page 3]hither, is this conside­ration, that when ma­ny other graces are pe­culiarly pertinent to persons, as they are members of a family in the threefold combi­nation therin; between husband and wife, pa­rent and childe, master and servant. Or as they are members of a po­liticke body, ecclesia­sticall or civill. And when other duties re­ceive specification and restriction from cir­cumstances of time & place, this of the feare of God, like a well lim­bed picture, casteth an eye on all that looke [Page 4]on it. It corresponds to all persons, none ex­cluded. It is seasonable at all times, sacred and common; especially when the scourges of God lye upon neigh­bouring Nations, and threaten us. And the thoughts hereof may justly in all places, presse upon us, without being guilty of unman­nerly instruction.

Now, for the me­thodicall contriving of this discourse, I shall (by divine assistance) pursue that order that may most aptly an­swer the subject mat­ter, and may bee most [Page 5]facile and appliable to the mindes and memo­ries of the Readers.

THE first inquiry will be, What the feare of God is. Where the nature and kindes both of feare in gene­rall, and in particular of the feare of God, will opportunely fall in.

Now to penetrate the depth of this Quaere, we must distinguish of feare.

1. As it is a naturall affection indifferent in it selfe; neither moral­ly good, nor evill.

2. As it is a habit or qualitie inherent in the affection.

If we consider feare as it is a naturall affe­ction implanted in the reasonable Soule of man, indifferent in it selfe, neither morally good nor evill: Then

1. The na­ture of feare.For the generall na­ture of it, it

1. Either stands a­loofe, at some distance from its object, admi­ring and reverencing it: Or

2. It is averse from [Page 7]its object. For affecti­ons are of two sorts, Either such as cleave unto, and desire a neere union with their ob­ject, as faith, love, and hope: or such as turne from, and desire a per­petual separation from their object, as hatred, and some kinde of feare.

2 The sub­ject of feare.2. If we looke into the subject, wherein this affection of feare is implanted, it will bee found to reside,

1. In the sensitive ap­petite: for there is a ra­tionall appetite, and that is the will that u­sually followes the di­ctate [Page 8]the guidance of the understanding. And there is an inferior sen­sitive appetite, which containes within its verge, the passions, per­turbations, or affecti­ons, which oft runne afore the understan­ding and the will; be­ing more rash, precipi­tant, and head-strong; and one of these affe­ctions is feare.

2. There is a double facultie in the sensitive appetite; namely, the concupiscible facultie which lookes on the object under the noti­on of good or evill. To which head the af­fections [Page 9]of love, joy, and griefe are refer­red.

The other is called the Irascible facultie, which lookes on the object under the noti­on of difficultie; to which head are to bee reduced, hope, which lookes on a good hard to bee obtained; and feare that lookes on some evill, hard to bee avoyded. This is the subject wherein feare dwels.

3. The object of feare3. For the object of feare, it is

1. Sometimes some­thing good, which we esteem, & feare to lose.

2. Sometimes it is something that is great and potent, which we feare to offend.

3. Sometimes it is something full of Ma­jestie, excellencie, and glory, which wee feare with a reverential feare, with a feare of obser­vance.

4. Sometimes it is something evill: that is, either that which is evill in it selfe; in its owne nature, or that which seemes to us to be evill; or that which may prove perniicous & prejudiciall unto us.

And the evill which we feare is,

1. Future, to come, wee are troubled for those things that may come to passe.Math. 24.6. If an e­vill be present, we feele it, we hate it, we grieve under it: if it bee to come, we feare it.

2. As the obiect of feare is the futurity of evill: so also the pro­pinquitie and immi­nencie of it. We feare that evill most, that hangs over our heads, ready to seize us: that like a mastive lies at the doore,Gen. 4 7. waiting but the opening thereof, that he might flye in our fa­ces. Therefore to af­fright men from envie [Page 12]and malice, Saint Iames sayth, that the Iudge stands afore the doores. Iames 5.9.

3. The obiect of feare is as the nearenesse, so the unavoy dablenesse, the unresistablenesse of evill; evill, that like the travaile of a woman,2 Thes. 5.3 cannot be escaped.

Wee see what the af­fection of feare is.

Next, we must con­sider feare as it is a ha­bit, or qualitie inhe­rent in the affection. And so feare is either morall or spirituall.Morall feate.

Morall feare, is ei­therthat vertue that is opposite to audacious­nesse, where by we feare [Page 13]and shun those things that are contradictory to the principles of morall vertue and re­ctisied reason. Or else it is taken for that feare that wee call Pusillani­mity, that is contrary to fortitude or magna­nimity: when a man is so timorous, that as Sa­lomon speakes of the sluggard, he cries when hee is put upon any a­ction that there is a Li­on in the way: When a man feares more the shew and shadow of e­vill, than the evill it selfe; as children feare more the vizor, than the man: when a man [Page 14]feares that least, that he should feare most; and that most, that hee should feare least. As our brainlesse Duellers feare more the losse of reputation, when it may be they never had any, than they feare the losse of their soules. And therefore wise-men know such single combatants to bee the grossest cowards, be­cause they in such a de­gree, feare a crosse word, or the giving of the lye. And cowards are most cruel, for they will bee sure to kill, if they can, lest their ene­my surviving them, [Page 15]should after be reven­ged upon them. This is morall feare.

Spirituall feare. 2. What spirituall feare is, wee shall per­ceive by two or three profitable distinctions, which doe reflect one upon another; and con tribute mutuall light each to other, and all of them doe illustrate the matter in hand.

The first distinction.The first distinction is, that spirituall feare is five-fold. 1. The feare of a guiltie con­science. 2. The feare of a seave. 3. The feare of a servant. 4. The feare of a son. 5. The feare of a chaste and [Page 16]a loving Wife.

There is a spirituall feare proceeding from a selfe-accusing con­science, that is like the feare of a Felon, either ready to be apprehen­ded, or standing at the barre afore his Iudge: when a man onely feares GOD as his Iudge, or as his execu­tioner. And this feare is ioyned with a hatred of God, and with a se­cret wish, that there were no God to con­demne us. And this feare is lively and gra­phically exprest in ho­ly Scripture. It was in Adam after his defe­ction, [Page 17]He hid him for feare among the Trees of the Garden.Gen. 3.8. It was in Cain after hee had made his brother Abel the first Martyr, and himself the first mur­therer. It shall come to passe, Gen. 4.14. sayth hee, that e­very man that meets me, shall stay me. His guilty feare presented him with troopes of men, when there were none almost besides himselfe in the world; and with a thousand deaths, when he could dye but once.Levit. 26.36. Pro. 28.1. The sound of an Aspen leafe shall chase the disobedient.Geen. 20 4.The wicked flies when no [Page 18]man pursues him. Ier. 20.4. They are a terrour to them­selves, afraid of their owne shadowes. This guilty feare the hea­then used to com­pare to Sisyphus his restlesse rolling of the stone, and to Prome­theus his vulture, which without intermission, gnawd upon his heart.

2. There is a slavish feare; when a man feares God as a Gally­slave feares him that tooke him captive, whom he would kill, or flie from, if he could or durst. When a man counts the comman­dements of God to be [Page 19]bonds & fetters, which they would faine shake off; like those that cri­ed, Let us breake his bonds, Psal. 2.3. and cast his cords from us: When a man hates to bee reformed,Psa. 50.17. like those the Psalmist speaks of. When a man hates God,Psal. 139.21. (and such there are) & yet some­times subjects to Gods command, because hee dares doe no other; As King Abimelech would have taken to himselfe Sarah, Abrahams wife: but that hee durst not, because God told him in a dreame, that if hee did,Gen. 20.3. hee was but a dead man. And Balaam wold [Page 20]faine have cursed the people of God, at King Balaks request, but that hee durst not, though Balak would have gi­ven him his house full of silver & gold.Num. 24.13. Thus the Divell himselfe is Gods slave, & in many things obeyes God, because hee dares not disobey him.Antronius convertit se aliquando ad timoreus, runquain ad san [...]tatem. Or. pro P. Sylla. It may bee sayd of them that thus feare God, as Ci­cero sayd of Antro­nius, they turne them­selves sometimes to feare,Quum quis timorep [...]nae bona agit, in co ipso pe [...] ­cat, quo pe [...] ­care veliet, so inultè po­tuisset. Greg. but not to faith­fulnesse. When the feare onely of punish­ment instigates a man to good; in this he of­fends, [Page 21]because hee would commit that e­vill, which hee doth forbeare, if his Impie­tie might bee with im­punity. This is that feare, which Divines use to call servile feare; and Saint Basil stiles an hostile feare; Hic timor pe [...]candi sa­cultatem disserre po­test, ausorre non potest: & quos sus­pendit a cri­mine avidi­cres reddit ad crimen. Chrys. the feare of an enemy to God. And in this it differs from the feare of an accusing conscience, be­cause that feare reflects upon an evil already committed: this feare prevents the commis­sion of many sinnes. The feare of a selfe accusing conscience, is a slavish feare; but every [Page 22]slavish feare is not the feare of a self-accusing conscience.

3 There is the feare of a servant, which is dif­ferent from what they call servile, or sla­vish feare. For though every slave be a servant, yet every servant is not a slave. And though the feare of a servant be not so good as the feare of a sonne, yet is better than the feare of a slave. The slavish feare is mixt with a hatred of God; but this feare is mixed with some small degree of the love of God. That drives a man from God, [Page 23]this drawes a man to God: Mar. 5.33. as that woman that trembled, yet came to Christ, and fell downe before him. This feare is, when a man having well studied the Law of GOD, and com­pared his heart and life with that perfect rule, sees himselfe fall infi­nitely short of it, and therupō acknowledges himselfe liable to all the curses of God, due to the disobedient; and utterly disclaimes all helpe, or worthinesse of helpe in himselfe; and stands, like a man over a Vault of Gun­powder, the match be­ing [Page 24]ready to bee put to the traine, and sees no safety, but in Gods mercie, and Christs merites, which yet hee is fearefull to apply to himselfe, lest hee should have no inte­rest in them. This feare is, though imperfect, yet allowable, and ne­cessarie.Rom. 8.15. Yee have not (sayes Saint Paul) re­ceived the spirit of bon­dage to feare again: whence note, that they had afore received the spirit of bondage to feare. This feare wee call an initiall feare; and every thing must have a beginning. The [Page 25]Law by stirring up this feare,Gal. 3.24. is a Schoolemaster to lead us to Christ. It is like Iohn the Baptist, who prepared the way of the Lord. Like the Needle, that though of it selfe it sewes not, yet it leads the way to the thread that doth sew. The compunction of this feare delivers up the Soule to the kindly impression of love.Compunct io for midin [...] tra. lit ani­mum com­punctioni dilectio­nis. Greg. Et unus spiritus est, qui fecit duos timo­res. Aug. And through this feare of a servant wee must passe to the feare of sonnes; and it is one and the same Spirit of God, that workes both these feares in us: and the one as [...] prepa­rative [Page 26]to the other.

4. There is a Filiall feare, which though it be joyned with a grea­ter degree of love than is in a servant, yet with a lesse degree of love than is in a loyall wise.

This Childe-like feare,

1. Stands in awe of God for his excellen­cie, and transcendent glory, though it expect no evill from God, but good. It will keepe a wary distance, and not be over-daringly bold. When God hath given Iacob faire promises in his sleepe; yet awaking he was a fraid, and sayd, [Page 27] How dreadfull is this place! Gen. 28.16.17. This is no other than the house of God: This is the gate of Hea­ven. And this is called, a fearing before, Eccles. 8.12. or in the presence of God. As when a man stands a­fore his Prince, his Majestie strikes a trem­bling awe into him; though otherwise hee have no reason to bee afrayd, his conscience bearing him witnesse, that hee hath not any way willingly incur'd his Princes displeasure. This is the feare of re­verence.

2. As this filiall feare is Reverentiall: so it [Page 28]is Carefull, that God our heavenly Father, may no way bee dis­pleased by us, not only because that Gods dis­pleasure may showre downe in punishments upon us; but because he is our Father, whom wee have a tender care to please, he having de­served the flower of our affection, and ser­vice.Psal. 130.4. There is mercie with thee that thou mayst bee feared, sayth Da­vid.

5. And lastly, there is the feare of a loving and loyall wife: when a man feares God, as a kinde wife feares an [Page 29]indulgent husband. And this I make to differ from filiall feare, not in kinde, but in de­gree. This Conjugall feare is matched with an unspeakable mel­ting love, and a con­stant care that no un­kindnesse happen. A sonne may expresse his love, but not in that height as a wife may. And though the wife bee without servile feare, yet shee exceedes the sonne in a fearfull (but loving) Care, that her husband bee not displeased, that affecti­on between them may not grow dull and re­misse; [Page 30]that there may be no cause given, that may occasion so much as a frowne, or a crosse word, much lesse a se­paration. Saint Au­gustine sweetly sets this forth, in comparing servile and filiall feare of God, with a harlots and a good wives feare of their husbands One feares left her husband should come home;Illa timet ne venit, illa ne dis­cedat: illa ne dam [...]et, illa ne d [...] se­rat. the other feares lest her husband should depart from her, though for a small time. The one feares lest her husband should chide or strike her, the other feares lest hee should forsake [Page 31]her. To which I may adde, the one feares lest her husband should be angry with her; the other feares lest hee should be angry at all. The one feares her owne vexation, the o­ther feares her hus­bands disquiet. This is the genuine true bred feare of God; which S. Paul makes a signe of true repentance, 2 Cor. 7.11. ne­ver to bee repented of. What carefulnesse hath it wrought in you? yea, what feare? that is, what care, what feare, that the glory of God may not suffer through you. And so much for the [Page 32]first distinction; where in, under severall re­semblances I have sha­dowed out but two feares in effect, the sla­vish and the filiall feare of God: though they obtaine severall names by reason of their dif­ferent degrees, and ex­tents of their operati­ons.

The se­cond di­stinctionThe second distin­ction is this, that there is a forced feare, and a voluntary feare of God.

1. The forced is the guilty, the slavish feare. For he that is possessed with it, labours to drive it away; to drown [Page 33]it with drinking, mer­riment, joviall compa­ny, vaine discourse, or obscene songs: as the ancient Italians would confound the noyce of thunder with the sound of Bells.

This was Belshazzars feare,Dan. 5.5.6. when God sent a hand to write his doome upon the wall afore his face; hee would faine have con­tinued his mirth, but it would not be: for will he, nill he, his counte­nance was changed, his thoghts troubled him, so that the joynts of his loyns were loosed, and his knees knockt one [Page 34]against the other. Such was the feare of Felix the Romane Governour, when he sent for Paul to speake before him, hee was so farre from thinking, that Paul should terrifie him, that hee thought to terrifie Paul: For when S. Pa l reasoned of Righteous­nesse, Act. 24.24.25. and Temperance, and the Iudgement to come, Felix trembled. And he dismissed Saint Paul, that he might rid himselfe of those fits and qualmes of feare.

2. There is a volun­tary, free, unconstrai­ned feare of God; and such is the filiall feare: [Page 35]A feare that is desired, and prized by him that feares. It is thirsted after:Nehem. 1.11. We desire to feare thy Name, sayth Nehe­miah. It is prayed for: Vnite my heart to feare thy Name, Psa. 86.11. sayth David. It is a feare that a Saint dedicates, and gives up himselfe unto.Psa. 119.38. Thy ser­vant (sayth David) who is devoted to thy feare. It is a feare that by the fearer is esteemed and valued at a high rate. The feare of the Lord is his treasure. Esay 33.6. This is the second distinction.

The thrid distinction is this:The third distinction.

There is a foure­fold [Page 36]feare of GOD.

1. A feare that flowes from the Spirit of God, but is not resident in the heart with the Spirit of God: and this is that initiall feare that paves a path for the Spirit of Adoption, and for the true filiall feare. The Spirit workes ma­ny a common grace in that heart wherein it selfe is not: as it works this feare. As the Sun afore it riseth, darts light into that part of the heaven, and ayre wherein he himselfe is not. This feare is from the Spirit, but not with the Spirit.

2. There is a feare where the Spirit of God is, and yet it flows not from the Spirit: as many things may be done by children, or servants in a house, where the father or master is, and yet they may not be the authors of them. Thus a soule, that is the mansion of the holy spirit of God, may harbour in it car­nall distrustfull feares, and cares, that the Spi­rit of GOD hath no hand in. This was Davids feare, that was joyned with a diffi­dence in Gods many promises made unto [Page 38]him to the contrary. I shall perish one day, 18 am. 27.1. saith he, by the hand of Saul. This feare was with, but not from the Spi­rit.

3. There is a feare, that neither proceedes from, nor is joyned with the Spirit of God. Such is that unsancti­fied slavish feare, that turnes the affection from God, and moves a man to flie from God. It was the fear of those in the Psalmist, that were in feare where no feare was: Psal. 53.3.5. and yet they turned back from God, they were filthy, they devoured Gods people, [Page 39]they called not upon God. This feare is nei­ther with, nor from the Spirit.

4 There is a feare that hath the holy Spirit of God, both for its ori­ginal, and also its com­panion: like that day light that is both with and from the Sunne: this is filiall feare. The Spirit of God is stiled the spirit of this feare;Isai. 11.2. because it is both from the Spirit, and with the Spirit.

These distinctions beeing well weighed, wil cast such beames of light upon the matter in quest, that hee that [Page 40]runnes, may read the full comprehension of the nature of the feare of God.

IF it bee demanded, how GOD, beeing good in himselfe, and good to all, can be feared, seeing wee usually feare onely evill?

Tis answered,

1. That we may feare God with a feare of honour and regard. If I be a father, sayth God, [Page 41]where is my honour? Matth. 1.6. If I be a master, where is my seare? In that text feare and honour are all one.

2. Though God bee good, and wee cannot feare him as euill, yet we may feare a losse of, and a sep [...]ration from our good GOD: the more good any thing is, the more wee feare the cutting off of our inte­rest in it. And in this sense are those wordes of S.Nihil time­mus, nisi, neid juod a­manous, aut adeptum amittamus, aut non adi­piscamur speratum. Aug. Austine to bee ta­ken. We feare good, in fearing lest wee should lose that good wee enjoy, or not obtaine that good wee desire or hope for.

3. We may feare our God, though hee bee good, because hee is a great and a just God, who is able to save and to destroy,I am. 4.12. [...]. Arist. Rhet. l. 2. c. 5. as St. Iames speakes Those things (saith Aristotle) are to be feared, which have an apparent power to inflict great punishments upon us, and to doe us much hurt. And this agrees with that of our Savi­our, Feare him who is able to destroy both body and soule. Math. 10.28. All punishment comes from God, but in that respect punishment is good, because it is a worke of Iustice. Thus [Page 43]wee may feare GOD, though he be good.

Lastly, wee may bee fearfull of offending God, in the ingenuity of our dispositions; be­cause he hath been, and is every way so good a God unto us.Psal 30.4 1 Sam. 12.24. There is mercie with thee, that thou mayst bee feared, saith David. And these two duties are joyned together, Feare the Lord; and, Consider what great things hee hath done for you. Wee feare God, not onely for that evill that hee may do against us, but also for that good that hee hath done for us. [Page 44]Nay, feare of God is? thing so proper, that some deriv [...] [...], the name of God, from [...], which signifies feare.

And why is GOD sayd to bee fearfull in prayses, Exod. 15.11. but because we both feare and prayse him for his greatnesse and his goodnesse? The object both of feare and prayse may be the same. And to this sounds that of the Pro­phet, They shall feare the Lord, Hosea 3.5. and his good­nesse in the latter dayes.

ADAM had the naturall affection of feare in his Soule while he stood, though he had no occasion to bring it into act, till af­ter he fell. As Adam standing, had a power, a facultie in him to bee pittifull, if there had been an object where­upon to exercise his pitty. And there is no question, but in his in­nocent [Page 46]estate, he feared God with the feare of honour, reverence, and observance.

Next, for the An­gels and Saints in hea­ven, though that place will admit of no feare of punishment; because no evill is possibly in­cident to the blessed: for the celestiall para­radise is a mansion of eternall security, wher­in the enioyers are not onely safe, but sure they are safe.Et silvi & securt. But yet it doth not derogate from their happinesse, to say, that those that are in heaven, doe feare God with a feare of [Page 47]honour and reverence, which S^t Austin calles a secure feare. Timor secu­rus. Aug. And Gre­gorie in his Morals, speaking of those words in Iob, the pillars of heaven tremble, sayth,Job. 26.11. The powers in heaven stand in awe in the contempla­tion of God: Virtutes coelestes in Dei con­templatione contremis­cunt. Greg. Non timor paenalis, sed [...]dmtratio­nis. which feare he saith, is not a penall feare, but a feare of ad­miration, extasie, asto­nishment at the tran­scendent immensity of Gods glory. And wee shall offer no violence to that, Psal. 19.9. The feare of God endures for ever; and that Ier. 32.39. I will give them a heart to feare mee for e­ver, [Page 48]if wee fasten this sence upon them.

IT may be questioned next, How the feare of God can consist, and stand with the love of God, and with joy, faith, and hope in God, since it is sayd, that per­fect love casteth out feare: 1 Ioh, 4.18. and feare & ioy, feare and faith; feare & hope, seem to bee plain [Page 49]contraries, and to ex­clude each other.

To resolve which doubts, we must know,

1. For the love of God; that, though no­thing is more opposite, than sincere love, and slavish feare; yet none are more neare & deare companions, than love and the filiall feare of God. Nothing is more fearfull than his love, and nothing is more loving than his feare. Where there is love,Res est solliciti pl [...] timo [...] there is a feare of the wronging of the thing beloved. Love fulfills the Law, sayth S. Paul, And to feare God, and [Page 50]obey him, is the whole duty of man, sayth Salomon.

Love is a grace that unites and knits the heart to God: and feare is an uniting grace,Psal. 86.11. V­nite my heart to feare thy name, sayth David. I will put my feare into their hearts, Jer. 32.40. and they shall not depart from me, sayth God. Feare and love keepe a man e­qually close to God. And the same promises are made to love and feare in the Psalmist.Psal. 145.18.19.

2. The case is as cleare for joy in God; If feare and joy did ex­pell each other, David [Page 51]would never have said, Rejoyce with trembling; Psal. 2.11. neither would he have joyned these two coun­sels together: Feare the Lord, Psal. 112.1 and rejoyce great­ly in his Commande­ments. Hee that feares to offend God, hath most cause of joy.Gaudebit sapious coe­tert lascivi­unt. Aug. de Civit. Dei, l. 14. Mat. 28.8. He that feares God, is tru­ly joyfull, others are but wanton. It is sayd of the two Maries, that they departed with feare and great joy. So that great joy and feare may stand together.

3. The feare of God is no more an enemy to faith in God.

Noah beleeved that [Page 52]God would bring an universall deluge upon the world, and yet save him from it: and there­fore beeing moved with feare, hee prepared an Ark. Heb. 11.7. Noah being war­ned of God in faith and feare, built an Arke. Nothing is more com­mon with David, than to put faith and feare together. Taste, sayth he,Psal. 34.8.9. and see how good the Lord is, blessed is the man that trusteth in him: O feare the Lord, all yee his Saints, for there is no want to them that feare him. The promi­ses are made unto feare: if therefore you feare [Page 53]God, you may on that ground beleeve, that God wil make his pro­mises good to you. You shall finde feare, joy, and faith linked to­gether in two verses in the Psalme, All men shall feare God, Psal. 6 [...]. two last verses. the righ­teous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him. Therfore the righ­teous feare God, be­cause they beleeve that God is just, and power­full. And therefore many doe not feare God, because they doe not beleeve. Besides, hee that stedfastly be­leeves that God will save him, wil not there­fore [Page 54]presume, but feare to dishonour so gracious a God.

4. Feare and hope kisse each other also. He that hopes (sayth the A­postle) purifies himself, 1 Ioh. 3.3. that is, he feares to pre­sent his God with an unpurified heart. No man thinkes, that that man hopes to rise, who feares not to vex, crosse and abuse his Prince. A loyall subiect, who feares to moove his Prince, is the man of hopes. And therefore David chaines feare and hope together. The eye of the Lord (sayth hee) is upon them that Psal. 33.18. [Page 55] feare him, upon them that hope in his mercie. And againe,Psal. 147.11. the Lord takes pleasure in those that feare him, in those that hope in his mercie.

If the Soule triumph then in the Chariot of Grace, whereof Love, Ioy, and Hope be three of the wheels, I know not why the feare of God may not be a fourth wheele.

The Soule standing on these foure, is like a foure square stone, which way soever you cast it, it falles right.

THE filiall feare of God may stand,

1. With the feare of reverence, due unto men, as they are subor­dinate unto God, as they are the Deputies of God on earth. God allowes that the sonne should honour his fa­ther, and the servant his master; and on this very ground hee chal­lenges feare and honor to himselfe. If then (sayth hee) I bee a Fa­ther, [Page 57]where is my honor; Mal. 1.6. If I be a Master, where is my feare. This feare of Man Saint Paul im­poseth on us all, Ren­der to all their due, Rom. 13.7 feare to whom feare, honour to whom honour belongs: and his reason is in the fore-going verse. For they are Gods Ministers. Hee cannot feare and reverence God, whom doth not feare and re­verence those that are Gods substitutes. And therfore Salomon knew what he did, when hee put these two duities together, My son, feare thou the Lord, Pro. 24.21. and the King. Feare the Lord [Page 58]first, and most; but yet feare the king too, who is Gods Vicegerent on earth. These two are not like the Arke and Dagon; they will both stand under the roof of one heart. Who feared God more than Da­vid? and yet who feared King Saul more than hee? his heart smot him for cutting off but the skirt of K. Saul. his garment.1 Sam. 24.4.5. Let the Pope, whose religi­on is rebellion,Forme of prayer on Novem. 5. and whose faith is faction, perswade his mis-led fooles, and his sworne slaves, that to feare God, and to kill Kings [Page 59]at his command, are two vertues of one house.Iam. 3.17. They whose religion is from above, pure and peaceable, know, that light and darknesse, heaven and hell; God and the di­vell may as well have fellowship together. The feare of God doth neither make voyd, nor weaken this feare of observance towardes man, but rather con­firme and establish it.

2. Wee may filially feare God, and yet feare man, with a feare of caution: that is, wee may feare the per­secution, and the so­cietie [Page 60]of evill men.

1. Wee may feare their persecutions, our Saviour will justifie us in it. Behold (sayth he) I send you forth as sheepe in the midst of wolves; Mat. 10.16.17.23. Be yee therefore wise as Serpents, and beware of men: for they will deli­ver you up to the Coun­cels, & they wil scourge you in their Synagogues; But when they shall per­secute you in one Citie, flye into another. Moses fled from Pharaoh, Da­vid from Saul, Eliah from Iezebel; Nay, our Saviour himselfe from the Iewes,Luke 4.29.30. when they would have cast him [Page 61]downe a hill. When Athanasius was perse­cuted by the Arrians, hee made this motion to his friends,Secedamus ad tempus nubecula est, quae citò evanescet. Let us step aside for a time, till this tempest bee over­past: it will not bee long afore this little cloud vanishes. And when his persecutors upbrai­ded him with his flight, he returned this answer to them,Si sugere mihi turpe, vobis me persequi turpius. If it be a shame for me to flie, it is a greater shame for you to per­secute me. Thus we may feare persecution.

2. We may feare the societie of bad men, both for the infection, and the danger of it,

1. We have just cause to feare the contagion of ill company.Grex totus magris, u­nius scabie cadit. Iuv. Cum inter homines fui, redeo inbu­manior. Sen. When I have been among men, (sayth Seneca) I returne from them more inhu­mane. Beware (sayth Christ) of false prophets who come to you in sheeps clothing, Mat. 17.15 but within are ravening wolves: Like our sneaking Masse-priests, that pretend a pitty towardes our soules,Haeretici sub specie corsulendi, agunt nego­tium sedu­cendi. Greg. Mot. but their end is to make us seven-fold more the children of the Divell. Heretickes act seducers under the habits of Counsellors. And of such Saint Paul forewarnes us, & gives [Page 63]us their Character, Traytors, heady, 2 Tim. 3.4.5. high-minded, having a forme of godlinesse, but deny­ing the power thereof: From such turne away.

2. We have authori­ty for fearing as the in­fection, so the danger of ill societie, by no lesse than a voyce from heaven, Come out from Babylon my people, Rev. 18.4. lest you bee partakers of her sins, and of her plagues. We read in Ecclesiasti­call history, that S. Iohn the Apostle being in a Bath at Ephesus, wher­in Cerinthus, a grand Hereticke, was bathing himselfe, he leaped out [Page 64]of the Bath, as if he had spied a serpent, and with these words in his mouth; I feare lest the ground should sink under me, whereon such a mor­tall enemy of the truth stands.

So then, the feare of God may stand with; Nay, what if I say, it cannot stand without this kinde of feare of men?

Besides, I must adde, to prevent all mistake, that Gods dearest saints and servants may bee tempted, though not habitually, yet actual­ly to feare Man more than God.

The feare of man mo­ved Abraham to deny his wife Sarah, Gen. 20.2. so that shee might have beene exposed to Abimelechs lust. The feare of K ng Saul moved Samuel to refuse to goe at Gods command,1 Sam. 16.1.2. to annoynt David King. Davids feare of King Achish, 1 Sam. 21.12.23. moved him, to the dis­honour both of reli­gion and manhood, to faine himselfe mad, to scrabble on the dores, and to let fall his spittle on his beard afore king Achish. Ionah the Pro­phet,Iona 1.2.3 his feare of the Ninivites moved him, when hee was sent by [Page 66]God one way, to flye another.Iona 1.2.3. The feare of man moved Peter to deny Christ his master with an oath,Mat. 26.69. and a bitter execration.

And yet when the Saints thus feare men,

1. The Spirit of the feare of God hath resi­dence in them. Those that are in heaven are all spirit, and no flesh: the wicked on earth are all flesh, and no spirit. The saints on earth are partly flesh, and partly spirit: new converts are more flesh, lesse spirit. Ancient standers in the schoole of Grace, are more spirit, lesse flesh. [Page 67]In all the faithfull there is a combate betweene the flesh and the spirit.Gal. 5.17. The flesh and the spirit are contrary to each o­ther, so that we cannot doe the things that we would. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weake. A Christian betweene these two, is like a peece of iron be­tween two load-stones, the one drawes one way, and the other the other way; like a horse under an unskilfull ri­der, that spurres him on, and reines him in Sometimes the spirit hath the better of the flesh; sometimes the [Page 68]flesh hath the upper hand of the spirit: sometimes the carnall feare of man prevailes against the filiall feare of GOD. When the Saints are thus shaken and winnowed by the reliques of sin in them, and by the temptation of Sathan, they are not hereby proved to bee chaffe, though it ap­peares that they are not without chaffe.

2. As this feare of men in good men, is not separated from the true feare of God: so neither from the true love of God. When S. Peter denied Christ, [Page 69]he did not hate Christ,Non odio habendo Christum, s [...]d scipsum nimis a­mando. only he loved himselfe too much, saith Saint Bernard. It is one thing for a man to fall throgh the feare of the world, another thing to fall through the love of the world: for he that loves the world, hates God, if wee beleeve S. Iames: Iam. 4.4. But hee that sometimes over-feares the world, may yet both dearly love, and sincerely feare God.

3. When hee that feares God doth thus over-feare man; hee doth it not with the un­interrupted swing of his affection; but [Page 70]hee resists this carnall feare, and heartily de­sires that it were whol­ly expelled; and that the feare of God in him were perfect, and un­mixed. Thy servants desire to feare thy name, Nehem. 1.11. sayth Nehemiah. The feare of man in them is a tyrant, that forces their subjection, not their King, to whom they freely yeeld their homage.

4. When the filiall fearers of God doe fall thus through the feare of men, they fall not upon premeditation, but suddenly, beeing surprized by temptati­on [Page 71]unawares. The Di­vell takes them at an unexpected advantage. The storme comes a­fore they have leasure to snatch their cloake about them. As a vali­ant man may startle at the sudden discharge of a peece of Ord­nance behind his back; who otherwise having time to collect & sum­mon his spirits, would not feare to stand at the mouth of a charged Canon in a good cause. Saint Peter was chal­lenged by the damosell suddenly, before hee could have respite to reach to his weapon of [Page 72]faith to draw it; where­as had hee had never so little time to have re­collected himselfe, his tongue wold never have so grosly transgressed its bounds.

5. Though a childe of God be thus for the present scared by man, yet let him alone a while, and hee will re­turne to his true tem­per, he will recover his guard againe, and his spirituall will conquer his carnall feare. As if you shake the Com­passe, the Needle may bee turned from the North; but let the Compasse stand still a [Page 73]while, and then the Needle will poynt full toward the North­starre. The most skil­full Pilote may in a storme, be forced from his intended scope, and port, who when the windes are silenced, wil steere a right course again. Put oyle & wa­ter into a glasse toge­ther, & shake the glasse, the water it may bee, may get uppermost, but let the glasse stand a while, and the oyle will, like a triumphant liquor, recover the su­pereminence. Though Saint Peter in the time of temptation, did de­ny [Page 74]his master, yet pre­sently after, when hee came to himselfe, hee wept bitterly for it: and after that hee con­fessed Christ stoutly a fore a Councell, who before denied him a­fore a Damosell: and he sealed his profession with his blood. Ecebo­lius, who in Iulians time, revolted from the truth for the feare of man, did afterward cast himselfe downe in the sight of all, and cri­ed in the hearing of all, Kick me unsavory salt. Calcate me salem insipi­dum. And Archbishop Cranmer, who for feare, had subscribed to many [Page 75]popish Articles, after suffered for the truth; and hee first thrust that hand into the flame, wherewith hee had subscribed. Thus, as it was sayd of Gad, A Troope shall over­come him, Gen. 49.19. but hee shall overcome at the last. So fleshly feare may for a time overcome a feare of God, but he who filially feareth God, shall overcome at the last.

THis doubt wee re­solve negatively:

For first, it is but na­turall to feare that that is contrary to nature. Though Grace bee a­bove Nature, yet it is not contrary to Na­ture.

2. The best Saints have stood in awe o [...] Gods judgements, and their feare is recorded in holy Scripture to their praise.Psal. 119. [...]20. My fles [...] [Page 77]sayth David) trembleth for feare of thee, and I an afraid of thy judge­ments. When I heard (sayth the Prophet) my belly trembled, Hab, 3.16. my lippes quivered, rottennesse en­tred into my benes.

3. There is much good included in the feare of Gods judge­ments:

For first, it softens and melts the heart; the heart of the King of Iudah was tender, 2 Chton. 34.27. when he heard God his threatnings.

2. This feare hum­bles the soule, and layes a man low in his owne eyes.Psal. 9. last. verse. Put the heathen in [Page 78]feare, O Lord (sayth David) that they may know themselves to bee but men. Through the feare of the majesty, and the judgements of God, (sayth the Pro­phet) the losty lookes of man shall bee humbled, Esay 2.10.11. and the haughtinesse of men shal be bowed down.

3. This feare preven­teth the commission of many a sinne. Laban would have mischie­ved Iacob, but hee durst not.Gen. 31.29. Balaam wold have cursed the people of God,Numb. 22.33.34. if he had dared to have adventured: for the Angell of the Lord met him with a drawne [Page 79]sword, and intercepted his purpose. Thus the feare of judgement is a softner, a hum­bler, a preventer of sinne. It softens the heart, as fire dissolves the solidest, hardest metall. It humbles the heart, as thunder layes prostrate the tallest, stoutest Cedars. It pre­vents much mischiefe, and so it is like a hedge of thornes in a mans way,Hosea 2.6. to keep him from breaking his bounds.

Therefore this feare is not evill in it selfe, but good, and necessa­ry. For if rulers are to be feared, because they [Page 80]are ministers to execute vengeance upon evill doers;Rom. 13.4 then GOD is much more to bee fea­red for his vengeance, according to that of the Apostle, Serve God with feare: Heb. 12.28.29. for our God is a consuming fire: Where the feare of God, even upon this ground is warran­ted.

THese signes are ma­ny. Give me leave to present the Reader with the picture in great, of him who feares God; and yet I shall bee compelled, through the variety and fulnesse of this sub­ject, to doe as they that draw Mappes of the [Page 82]world, who set downe a line for a river, and a spot for a whole coun­trey.

1. They that feare God, have a high reve­rend, awfull, respective estimation both of God, and of his Ordi­nances.

That thou mayest feare this glorious and fearful Name, Deut. 28.58. GODS Name. THE LORD THY GOD, sayth Moses. That is for reve­rence toward the name of God.

With feare you recei­ved Titus; that is, with respect and reverence,2 Cor. 7.15. Gods Mi­nisters. (sayth Saint Paul) There is reverence [Page 83]toward the Ministers of God.

When Iacob awaked out of his sleepe, Gen. 28.16.17. The place of Gods worship. in the place where God spake to him in a dreame; he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not a­ware of it: and hee was afrayd, and sayd, How dreadfull is this place! this is no other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven. That is for reverence in the place, wherein God shall be pleased to ma­nifest himselfe to us: and more specially the Church, the congrega­tion of the Saints.

He that feares God, [Page 84]will not be rash to utter any thing afore God, because he sees, and ac­knowledges such a vast distance between God and him; God being in heaven, and hee on the earth: as Salomon sayth in his booke of his Re­tractations, Hee that feares God, Eccles. 5.2. feares afore God, tis Salomons ex­pression, Eccles. 8.13.13. that is, in the presence of God, which is most manifest, and constant in his holy Temple. The Lord is in his holy Temple, Psal. 11.4. sayth David; though his Throne bee in heaven, the temple is his house, his court,Psal. 84.1.24. as David [Page 85]stiles it. This was Da­vids feare;Psal. 5.7. I will come (sayth hee) into thy house, and in thy feare will I worship toward thy holy Temple. This was the feare of Levi, saith God of him,Mal. 2.5. He was a­fraid afore my Name, that is, he was reverent in my worship. And therefore these two are joyned together in St. Iohn, Feare God, Rev. 14.7. and glorifie and worship him. To glorifie God in a reverent worshipping of him, is to feare God. It is the song of the Saints in heaven, Who shall not feare thee, Rev. 15.4. O Lord, and glorifie thy [Page 86]Name: For all Nations shall come and worship before thee.

Summe up all, it a­mounts to this, He that feares God, reverences the name of God, ho­hours the messengers of God, hee behaves himselfe reverently in the place of Gods wor­ship: in the parts of Gods worship, in pray­er, in preaching, in hea­ring; in administring and participating the holy Sacrament. On the other side, hee that can blasphemously, tosse and teare the aw­full name of God, by hellish swearing, and [Page 87]divellish cursing; hee that can take the sacred name of God into his mouth, when there is little or no thought of it in his heart:Esa. 29.13. hee that disesteemes, underva­lues, despises, scornes, mocks the messengers of God; hee that puts no difference betweene Gods house & his owne;1 Cor. 11.22. between the sacramen­tall Bread and Wine, cōsecrated to configure such mysteries,1 Cor. 11.29. & com­mon bread & wine; he that can willingly sleep or otherwise regardles­ly, oscitantly demeane himselfe in the service of his God; he hath no [Page 88]feare of God afore his eyes.

2. Hee that feares God, will thirst to bee fully acquainted with the whole will of God, that so through igno­rance, or mistake, hee may neither neglect what God commands, nor doe what hee for­bids, nor misdoe, nor over-doe any thing. This is called proving, or searching what is the good and acceptable will of God,Rom. 12.2. what hee accepts, what hee mis­likes. It was King Da­vids prayer,Psa. 86.11. Teach mee thy way, O Lord: unite my heart to feare thy [Page 89]name. He manifests his desire to feare God, by desiring that GOD would teach him his way. This he requests more than once in one Psalme;Psal. 119.12 26.33. teach mee thy statutes: teach mee the way of thy statutes. As that sonne that feares his father, will punctu­ally inquire into his fa­thers disposition and wil, what he likes, what displeases him. But he that takes no care to build up himself in the knowledge of the will of God, but contents himselfe with igno­rance; nay, it may bee, winks against the light, [Page 90]the beames whereof would otherwise dart into, and irradiate up on his soule: on pur­pose that hee might sin more freely, without check of conscience,Gravis mile con­s ientiae lux est [...] en. Epist. 123. which being enlighte­ned; would doe its of­fice in accusing: That man doth not feare God. Of this stampe were those, whereof Iob speakes,Iob. 21.14 that sayd unto God, We desire not the knowledge of thy wayes: and that say to the Seers, See not, and to the Prophets,Isa. 30.10. Pro­phesie not unto us right things, speake smooth things. As if they shold [Page 91]say, Doe you looke for thankes of us for prea­ching freely and fre­quently? wee would you wold preach lesse, you would give us bet­ter content. There is (sayth David) no feare of God afore the wicked mans eyes. Psal. 36.1.2. How doth that appeare? By this: He flatters himself, and hee desires to be flatte­red. Hee would not willingly know the plain truth: he loves to drinke in troubled wa­ters, that hee might not see his own deformitie, nor understand his du­tie.

3. Hee that feares [Page 92]God, hath a soft, mel­ting, yeelding, pliable heart to all good im­pressions. I am afrayd of God. sayth Iob [...] for he maketh my heart soft. Iob. 23.1 [...] 6 Isa [...] 48.4. Ier. 3 3. But hee that hath a brow of brasse, a whoores fore-head, an iron sinew, an adaman­tine heart, a perverse thwart, crosse will, that neither threats nor pro­mises; neither mercies nor judgements, can dissolve, or mollifie: that man owns not the feare of God. There­fore it is, that the feare of God, and hardnesse of heart are opposed one to another, by Sa­lomon. [Page 93]Blessed is he that feareth alwayes, Prov. 28.14. but he that hardens his heart, shall fall into mischiefe. Our hearts are hardened from thy feare, sayth the Prophet, Esa. 63.17.

4. Hee that feares God, will tremble at Gods comminations in his word. This is poverty, and contrite­nesse of spirit to trem­ble at Gods word, Isa. 66.2. as it is in the Prophet. When I heard (sayth Habakkuk) my belly trembled, my lips quivered, Hab. 3.16. [...] rottennesse entred into my bones. When Micha prophe­sied of the destruction of Ierusalem, King Hezekiah [Page 94]feared the Lord, Ier. 26.18.19. and besought him to avert the evill. When Baruch read the booke of Gods threatnings in the eares of the Prin­ces, the text sayth,Ier. 36.15.16. they were afrayd both one and other.

But hee that hearing the words of this Book of GOD,Deut. 29.19. 1 Thes. 5.3 Amos 6.3. blesseth himselfe in his heart, and promises himselfe peace and safety, and puts from him the evill day: Hee that thinkes pulpit threats to be but Bug-beares, and Scar­crowes to affright chil­dren with, and is no more mooved with [Page 95]them, than the seat hee sits on: That man hath no feare of God afore his eyes.

5. He that truly feares God, is in love with the feare of God, hee re­joyces in it, hee cheri­shes it; he wisheth the increase of it. The Saints desire to feare thy name, Nehem. 1.11. sayth Nehemiah. Thy servant is devoted to thy feare, Psal. 119.38. sayth the sweet singer of Israel. But he that resolves to lead a merry life, to take nothing to heart, to sing care away, and to stop the mouth of conscience when it chi­deth; hee knowes not [Page 96]experimentally, what the feare of GOD meanes.

6. Hee that feares God, when he concei­veth he hath provoked God to anger, he never ceaseth praying, intrea­ting the prayers of o­thers, interposing the merits of Christ be­tween every word of his prayer, his heart is in unconstant rest, till his peace be made with God, till he finde God reconciled to him. Thus did David lively expresse his feare of God. According to the multitude of thy ten­der mercies, Psal. 51.1.28▪6.11.12. blot out all [Page 97]my transgressions, wash me throughly from my iniquitie, and cleanse me from my sinne. Cast me not from thy pre­sence. Make mee to heare the voyse of ioy, that the bones that thou hast broken may reioyce. Restore to me the ioy of thy salvation. How long wilt thou hide thy face? Psal. 89.46.49. for ever? And shall thy wrath burne like fire? Lord, where are thy for­mer loving kindnesses?

But he, that, because sentence against sinne is not speedily execu­ted,Eccles. 8.11, 12. sets his heart to do evill, and thinkes that God hath forgotten; [Page 98]and so runnes on the score, and never thinks of agreeing with his maker, and making up the breach; hee is a stranger to the feare of God.

7. Hee that feares God, doth at all times, and in all places, set himselfe as in the pre­sence of God. As Da­vid set God alwayes afore his eyes.Psal. 16.8. Psal. 139.2.4 7.8.9. Thou knowest sayth hee) my thoughts afarre off; there is not a word of my tongue, but thou knowest it altogether. Whither shall I flye from thy pre­sence? Feare quickens the memory: Nothing [Page 99]more dwelles in our thoughts than that per­son or thing that wee most love or feare. He that fears God alwayes, sees him who is invisi­ble. He conceives that God is alwayes present;Heb. 11.29 [...]. Sic semper deum pre­sentem in­telligit, ac si in sua essen­tra viderat. Ber. form. bon. vit.. Acts 10.33 Psal. 10.4. as if he saw his very es­sence. He sayes, espe­cially in solemne con­ventions, and actions, as Cornelius did. Wee are all present afore God. But hee in whose thoughts God is non­resident, hee is as farre from the feare of God, as the thought of God.

8. Hee that feares God hath a quicke eye [Page 100]to discerne when God is displeased, and he is grieved at heart when Gods honour is im peached either by him­selfe, or others. Hee grieves for his owne sinnes, and Ephraim bemoaned himselfe. Af­ter I was instructed, Ier. 31.18, 19. I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yea even confounded. And as David cried out in the bitternesse of his heart, Against thee, against thee onely have I sinned. Psal. 51.4. Hee had sinned against Vriah, against Bathshe­ba, against Israel: but he is most sensible of his offending of God.

Againe, he that feares God, grieves when o­thers are injurious to Gods glory.Psal. 119.136. & vers. 53. Rivers of waters (sayth David) runne down mine eyes, because men keep not thy lawes. Horror hath taken hold upon mee, because the wicked have forsa­ken thy lawes. Hee that feares God, will trem­ble to heare another ly, and sweare, and curse, and provoke God. But he that is neither mo­ved with his owne, nor with other mens sins; but makes the one his pride, and the o­ther his mirth, how can the feare of God [Page 102]dwell in that man?

9. Hee that feares God will bee carefull for the future, to avoyd whatsoever may prove offensive to God. And therefore David puts these together, Stand in awe, Psal. 4.4. and sinne not And therefore he saith, That the feare of God is cleane, Psal. 19.9. because it keeps mens hearts and hands cleane. The feare of the Lord is to hate evill: Pro. 8.13. Pro. 16.6. and by the feare of the Lord men depart from evill, sayth Salomon. He that feares God, feares sin. Tis part of the descrip­tion of a good man in Ecclesiastes, Eccles. 9.2. that hee [Page 103] feares an oath: And so I may say of other sins. Nay, hee feares sinne, when time, place, and opportunity do wooe him to it. As Ieseph would not yeeld to his mistresses lust, though there was no feare of discovery: All his ar­gument was, How can I doe this great wicked­nes, Gen. 39.9. and sin against God? But hee that passe not how much God bee displeased, so hee may please, humour, and sa­tisfie his owne lust, his heart is not possess with the feare of God.

10. Hee that feares GOD will study in [Page 104]all things to please God; Hee will obey God conscionably and constantly. And there­fore to feare God, and to keepe his comman­dements,Eccles. 12.13. are put toge­ther by the wise man. Tis sayd of the Cen­turion, that hee feared God; Acts. 10.2 Psal. 2.11. and it is added; he was a devout man, he gave almes; hee prayed. Serve the Lord with feare, sayth David. He that serves God, feares him; and he that feares him, will serve him: they cannot bee dis­joyned.

If thou makest no conscience of diligent [Page 105]serving of God, both in thy general and par­ticular calling; and of serving him in that manner, that he desires to bee served in, never say that thou fearest God.

Lastly, he that feares God, will not willingly wrong his neighbour, neither in word or deed. Doe this (sayth Ioseph to his brethren) and live: Gen 42.18 for I feare God, that is, I will keepe my promise with you, if you performe the con­dition, for I feare God, and therefore dare bee no promise-breaker. The Hebrew mid-wives [Page 106]would not kil the male-children at the Kings command, because, sayth the text,Exod. 1.17. they fea­red God. And the law of God runnes thus; Thou shalt not curse the deafe, Leuit. 19 14. nor put a stum­bling blocke afore the blinde, but thou shalt feare God. As if GOD should say, If thou feare me, thou wilt not offer injury to thy neighbour; No, not though thou couldest escape unknowne; thou wilt not curse him that cannot heare thee, nor offend him that cannot see thee to call thee to account for it. My pre­decessors [Page 107](sayth Nehe­miah) opprest the people Nehem. 5.15. so do not I, because I feare God.

But he that makes no scruple of prejudicing, and injuring superiour, equall, inferiour, any that may fall with in his reach, he may call him­selfe a servant of God, and a Christian; but as yet the feare of God hath no place in his heart.

These are more simple, and absolute signes of the feare of God con­siderable in it selfe.

THE slavish, and thes on-like kind­ly feare of God, differ

1. In their severall grounds and princi­ples,

1. The slavish feare is awaked onely by threatnings denounced by God against diso­bedience. This moved King Abimelech to re­store Sara to Abraham; God in a dreame signi­fied [Page 109]to him, that if hee restored her not,Gen. 20.7 8. hee and all his should dye for it. When Ionas had cryed,Ionas 3.4.5. Fourty dayes and Niniveh should bee destroyed: then they were amazed, and fa­sted and prayed. On the otherside, the filiall feare of God will be a­waked by the meere commandment of God, though there were no commination annexed thereunto. This Salo­mon calles,Pro. 13.13 fearing the commandement; that is, fearing not to do what is commanded, meere­ly because it is com­manded; and fearing to [Page 110]doe what is forbidden, because it is forbidden, though the command­ment were not backed, nor seconded with any sanction either of pro­mise or threatning.

2. The slavish feare is stirred up onely by judgements inflicted on mens selves, or on others. Thou O God, (sayth Asaph) didst cause judgement to bee heard from heaven, Psal. 76.8. then the earth feared: whereas filiall feare is excited by the mercy, and lo­ving kindnesse of God. There is mercy with thee that thou mayest bee feared. Psal. 130.4. Hosea 3.5 They shall feare [Page 111]the Lord and his good­nesse, sayth the Pro­phet. God will not af­flict (sayth Iob) there­fore doe men feare him. Iob. 37.23.24 What men? Certainly not slaves, but loving and loyall sonnes.

2. Slavish, and filiall feare differ in their ob­jects. For,

1. The object of sla­vish feare is not sinne, but punishment. As children feare a Cole onely when it burnes; but otherwise be it ne­ver so blacke, they will delight to handle it. Thus Balaam did not feare to curse Gods people, but hee feared [Page 112]the Angell that met him in the way with a drawne sword.Numb. 22.31.32

But the object of filiall feare is sin, though there were no plagues in store here, nor no hell hereafter for the offender. A righteous man feares an oath, sayth Salomon, Eccles. 9.2 That is, he doth so much feare the curse of the flying booke that shall enter into the house of the swearer, as he feares the oath it selfe. He feares more to sweare, than that God shold sweare in his wrath against him.Psal. 95.11 Hee more feares to curse then to be cur­sed. [Page 113]To hate than to be hated: to injure than to be injured. Hee feares more active, than pas­sive evill. Like that woman in the Hiero­glyphicke, that having a fire-brand in one hand, and a pot of wa­ter in the other, is pre­sented, wishing that with that fire-brand shee could dry up the waters of Paradise; and with that water quench the flames of hell, that shee might serve God, neither for hopes of heaven, nor for feare of hell.

2. If the object of sla­vish feare be sinne; yet [Page 114]it is onely sinne of the grosser size, of a scarlet dye.Mat. 23.24. As the Pharisees feared to swallow Ca­mels, but gnats would downe well enough. And among Christi­ans, many feare the more horrid oathes; but the lesser breake no squares with them. Ma­ny feare to kill a man, who feare not to spleen, hate, back-bite, or curse him, which is murder in a degree, as our Sa­viour reckons it in his Sermon on the mount.Mat 5.21.22.

But on the other side, they that filially feafe God, feare those sinnes that seeme least, as idle [Page 115]words, & vain thoghts. David feared the cut­ting of the lap of Sauls garment.1 Sam. 24.4.5. Iob. 31.1. Iob feared to look upon a mayd lust­fully. Saint Austin fea­red the stealing of a few apples. Iohn Hus feared lest hee should spend too much time at Chesse-play. The truely fearfull are jea­lous over themselves in the use of indifferences, lest in tasting of the ho­ny of them, they should like a flye, sticke in the slime.

Let every man apply this triall to himselfe.

3. Slavish and filiall feare differ in their [Page 116]consequents, and ef­fects. For,

1. Slavish feare dulles and deadens a mans heart, so that hee is fit for no good thing. It made Nabal his heart dye within him;1 Sam. 25.37. so that hee became as a stone. When God (sayth Da­vid) rebuked, and spoi­led the wicked, they fell into a feare, so that none of them found their hands, Psal. 76.5.6.8. but they were cast into a dead sleepe. As when there was an earth-quake at Christ his rising, and the An­gels countenance was as lightning,Mat. 28.4. the kee­pers for feare shooke, [Page 117]and became as dead men.

But filiall feare makes such as are indued with it lively, and active in their duty. Thus Noah being moved with feare, Heb. 11.7. did not sit still, but prepared an Arke. And indeed this is Gods command. What (sayth Moses) doth the Lord re­quire, but to feare him, Deut. 10.12. & to walk in his wayes? Filiall feare makes not a man lame in his duty, but sets him upon his legges.

2 If slavish feare move a man to doe any good, it will be but just so much as the fearer [Page 118]thinkes will serve him, and no more. He will give God but gold-weight; very hard measure. But filial feare will make a man to strive after perfection, to presse hard forward to the mark of the high calling. And therefore Saint Pauls exhortati­ons runs thus. Perfect holinesse in the feare of God. 2 Cor. 7.1 I hil 2.12. Work out your sal­vation with feare and trembling. If you feare God, you wil not work by halves; but worke out your salvation. Not that merit or justifica­tion by workes, is ad­mitted by us; the word [Page 119] feare and trembling ex­cludes that. To feare, and to bee selfe-confi­dent, are asustaticall, they cannot stand to­gether.

3. Slavish feare, and curbe sin, it may make a damme against it; it may prune or lop it, but it doth not mortifie sinne in the power and love of it. This feare is but like the quaking of a rotten quagmire. The wolfe may feare to come to the flocke, yet he loves the blood of sheepe never a whit the lesse. But he that fi­lially feares God, doth not onely avoyd, but [Page 120]also hate sin. The feare of the Lord (sayth Sa­lomon) is to hate evill. Pro. 8.13. In imprevis formidai [...] supplicto franatur sa­cultas, in probis sana­tur volun­tar. Aug. In the worst of men, through the feare of punishment, the facul­ties indeed may bee bridled: but in those that filially feare God, the will is healed.

4. Slavish feare filles the heart with distra­ction, and distrust. It made Lot fearfull that he should be consumed betweene Sodome and the mountaine,Gen. 19.19 though God had promised him his life if he hastned. It made the people deny to go up to Canaan, be­cause of the multitude [Page 121]and strength of the in­habitants,Numb. 13.2.31. though God had promised them conquest over the Ca­naanites, and the posses­sion of the land. It spurred Cain and Iudas to despaire.Non duxit ad domi­num, sed traxit ad la [...]ucum. Greg. It did not lead Iudas to the Lord, but it drew him to the halter. But the filiall feare of God is never without faith in God, as hath been afore pro­ved.Psal. 23.4. Though I walke (sayth David) through the valley of the shadow of death, I will feare no evill, for thou art with me. Psal. 64.9.10. And againe (sayth he) they that feare God, will trust in him. The [Page 122]kindly feare of God doth not dis-joynt, but consolidate, settle, and ballasse the heart a­midst all inward and outward stormes and tempests.

5. The slavish feare of God is usually ioy­ned with hatred of God in some degree. It was the speech of a tyrant:Oderint dum timeant: Let the people hate me, so they feare me. This feare wishes there were no God: or that he could not see, or not be able to punish sinne. But the filiall feare of God is never dis-joyned from the fervent unfai­ned love of God. They [Page 123]that feare God, and they that love God,Psal. 145.19, 20. are put into the same de­scription by the Psal­mist, and they are in­terressed in the same promises, that their prayers shall be heard, their desires fulfilled: they shall be preserved and saved.Deut. 10.12. And God in the Law requires feare and love united together. They that feare God, love God, because they are belo­ved of God. For David calles the fearers of God, Gods beloved. And we love God,Psal. 60.4.5. be­cause he loves us first, sayth Saint Iohn. 1 Ioh. 4.19.

6. Slavish feare drives men from God: we see it in our grand-father Adam, he confesses that beeing afrayd, Gen. 3.8.10. hee hid himselfe among the trees of the garden.Esay 2.19. They shall goe (sayth the Prophet) into the holes of the rockes, and into the caves of the earth, for the feare of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majesty, when he arises to shake terribly the earth. Apoc. 6.16 They shall say, (sayth Saint Iohn the Divine) to the moun­taines, and rockes, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sit­teth on the throne. This [Page 125]feare cares not how farre God and it bee a­sunder. Like that f [...]are of the Egyptians,Psal. 105 38. Egypt was glad of the Israelites departure: for they were afrayd of them. But the filiall feare of God unites the heart to God: it drives him who is possest of it, unto God. When David was in a great streight, hee cries,2 Sam. 24.14. Let us fall into the hands of God And it is Gods promise,Ier. 32.40. I will put my feare into their hearts, and they shall never de­part from me. The feare of a slave provokes him to runne from his [Page 126]master; the feare of a loving childe prompts him to apply himselfe the closer to his father. In these sixe effects, these two feares are differenced.

4. And lastly, they differ in regard of time and duration. To wind them up together, Sla­vish feare dreads not GOD in prosperity, when all things smile, and succeed according to expectation & wish. Because the wicked have no changes, Psal. 55.19. sayth the Psalmist, therefore they feare not God.

He that filially feares God, feares him at all [Page 127]times; you may ima­gine it to be a misery, a bondage, to be alwaies in feare: but the con­trary is true of this feare. Happy is that man that feareth alwayes, Pro. 28.14 (sayth Salomon.) The righteous man feares not God by fits and starts. Hee feares most when hee is most pros­perous. He thinkes that the greatest calmes are but fatall, and immedi­ate fore-runners of the lowdest tempests. When the Churches had rest and comfort in the holy Ghost,Acts 9.31. e­ven then they wal­ked in the feare of [Page 128]the Lord. They think with St. Bernard, Tum magis irascitur, cum non irascitur. Bern. when they are spared too long, that then God is most angry, when hee seemes least angry. When they sinne un­punished, they cry with Saint Austin, N [...]le [...]re in s [...] er­diam Aug. Lord let mee have none of this mercie, lest it prove but a reservation of mee to greater misery.

In a word, hee that feares God slavishly, feares little longer than the rod is on his backe. It was the guise of K. Pharaoh, 1 King. 21. three last re [...]ses. and K. Ahab, when the pang was off, they stil hardened their hearts, and ran their [Page 129]old Bias.1 King. 12.18.19. We finde A­hab fasting and hum­bling himselfe in one Chapter; and the next newes we heare of him in the next Chapter is, he is quarrelling with the Prophet for telling the truth. Nay, this feare turnes into a grea­ter security, as the an­vill is harder for bea­ting; as hot water coo­ling, growes colder than ever it was a­fore.

But the filiall feare of God is a lasting feare; it endures for ever, saith David. Psal. 19.9. the spirit of the feare of the Lord is not flitting,Esay 11.2. it rests on him, [Page 130]on whom it pitches. Let us all try our faces at this glasse, it is no flat­tering one, it will tell you truely, whether your feare bee of the right stampe, whe­ther stampe, whe­ther it will stand you in stead, or no.

THere are signes of a third rank, that will make a full discovery to us, whether we feare man more than God, or God more than man.

1. They that study more to please man than to please God, they that passe not to displease God, so they humour men, they feare man more than God. [Page 132] If I yet seeke to please men, Gal. 1.10. I am no servant of Christ. As if he should say, I cannot feare Christ as a servant shold feare his master; if I seeke to please men. Would a­ny of you judge that a servant did feare his master more than other men, if his daily care were to please other men rather than his master?Gal. 3.22. It is not for nothing that Saint Paul opposeth man pleasing to fearing of God, im­plying that light and darknesse can as well consist together, as sycophanticke, slavish pleasing of man, can [Page 133]stand with the feare of God. Who doubts, but that, at that time, Aaron feared man more than God: when, to condescend to the peo­ples fancie, hee made gods for them to worship in Moses ab­sence?Exod. 32.22.23.24. Whether did Pilate feare God or man most, when to content the people, hee released Barabbas, Mark. 15.15. and delivered Iesus to bee crucified? When He­rod the King vexed the Church of God, and killed Iames with the sword,Acts 12.1.2 3. and because he saw it pleased the Ieas, hee proceeded further [Page 134]to take Peter also, as it is writ of him; will any man say that Herod fea­red God more than man? On the contra­ry part, they that feare God more than man, though in all indiffe­rent things hee will please men, as St. Paul testifies of himselfe,1 Cor. 10. last verse. I (sayth he) please all men in all things (that is, in all lawfull things) for the profit of many, that they may be saved. 1 Cor 9.20.21.22. Vnto the Iewes (sayth hee) I became as a Iew, that I might gaine the Iewes; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gaine [Page 135]them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, that I might win them: to the weake I be­came as weake, that I might gain the weake. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all meanes gaine some. Yet in those things that are not adiaphorous, indif­ferent, but either ne­cessary, or unlawfull, they will not yeeld a haires bredth, though to please the greatest, and their best benefa­ctors. And therefore the question of those that feare God, is not, what man, but what [Page 136]God will bee pleased with; as it was their question (though with other intention) in the Prophet.Micha. 6.7. Will the Lord be pleased with thou­sands of Rammes, or with ten thousand ri­vers of oyle? 1 Thess. 2.4. We speak (sayth Saint Paul) not as pleasing man, but God, who trieth our hearts. That preacher, who feares God more than man, will in the pulpit speake his conscience, with modesty & good discretion, even to the faces of the highest Grandees and Magnifi­coes of the World, though hee knowes it [Page 137]will prove harsh, un­tuneable, and unwel­come to their eares. When King Ahab sent for Michaiah to pro­phesie to him, hee was desired to speake as the Prophets afore him spake, that which was good, and might please the King: his answer was,1 King. 22.13.14. As the Lord lives, what the Lord sayth un­to me, that I will speake. As if he should say, Tel not mee what other Prophets have sayd, what God puts into my mouth, I wil speak, be it good for the king, or not good, whether it please him, or dis­please [Page 138]him. This was a fearer of God indeed.

2. They feare man more than God, who will rather obey the commandment of man than of God.Rom. 6.16 His ser­vants you are (sayth S. Paul) him you reve­rence and feare, whom you obey. That subject that will disobey his God, to obey a magi­strate: that childe who will disobey his Father in heaven, to obey his earthly father; that ser­vant who will disobey his heavenly master,Eph. 6.5. to obey his master accor­ding to the flesh: that subject, that sonne, that [Page 139]servant fears man more than God.Psal. 36.1. The trans­gression of the wicked against Gods law, testi­fies (sayth David) that there is no feare of God afore his eyes. Whereas they that feare God more than man, will in­finitely preferre obedi­ence to God, afore ob­sequiousnesse to man. None are more obedi­ent to man, than those that feare God, in what is agreeable with, or not contrary to the wil of God. But if God command one thing, and man another, they desire to bee pardoned, if they take leave to o­bey [Page 140]the more supreme. And therefore when the Councell asked S. Peter, and the other A­postles, why they prea­ched in the name of Ie­sus, when they had strict command to the contrary, their answer was,Acts 5.28.29. Wee ought to obey God rather than men. And when the Coun­cell called them, and commanded them not to preach in Christ his name, they returned this answer,Acts 4.18.19. Whether it bee right in the sight of God, to hearken to you, rather than unto God, judge yee?

3. They feare man [Page 141]more than God, that would not abstaine from sinne, but onely for the feare of man. Herod would have put Iohn Baptist to death,Mat. 14.5. but that hee feared the multitude. And the chiefe Priests and Pha­risies would have layd hands on Christ, but that they feared the people, Math. 21. last verse. who took Christ for a Prophet. The Captaine and the offi­cers brought the Apo­stles gently, and with­out violence,Acts 5.26. because (sayth the Text) they feared the people, lest they should have stoned them. Among us many [Page 142]feare stealing and mur­dering, because they feare hanging. Many feare neglect of com­ming to Church, and to the Communion, because they feare pre­senting. Many feare adultery an fornica­tion, because they feare discovery, the losse of their good name, and temporall mulcts.Oderunt peccare ma­li formidine poenae. And what is all this, but to feare man more than God? On the other part, they that feare God more than man, will feare to commit those sinnes on which the law of man takes no hold. As Iob made a [Page 143]conscience of looking upon a mayd to lust af­ter her.Iob. 31.1.1 A fault not lia­ble humane censure.

4. They feare man more than God, that will omit their duty, or commit any sinne for the threats of men.Isa. 57.11. Of whom hast thou been a­fraid, that thou hast lied, sayth God? Not of God, but of man. King Saul by his owne con­fession, transgressed the commandment of the Lord,1 Sam. 15.24. because hee fea­red the people. Pope Marcelline, in the time of heathenish persecu­tion, for feare of death, offredincense to divels; [Page 144]as he after confest with griefe: as many Papists in their writings make mention.

On the contrary part, they that feare God more than man, wil not betray a tittle of truth to save their lives. They will dye afore they wil yeeld so much as a knee in an idola­trous way: or with­hold any part of Gods worship from him; or in any kinde make ship­wracke of a good con­science. You finde two famous examples here­of in the prophesie of Daniel: The one was this, Nebucl adnezzar [Page 145]threatned the three children, Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, that if at the sounding of the musicke they did not fall downe, and worship the golden Image that hee had set up, they should be cast in the houre of their refusall, into the midst of a fiery furnace. But what answer did they returne? This:Dan. 3.15.16.17.18. O Ne­buchadnezzar, wee are not carefull to answere thee in this matter. Our God whom wee serve, is able to deliver us out of thy hand, O King. But if not; be it knowne unto thee, O King, that wee [Page 146]will not worship the gol­den image that thou hast set up. An heroical reso­lution. The other ex­ample is this, K. Dari­us sealed a decree,Dan. 6.7.8, 9, 10. that whosoever should aske a petition of any God or man, for thirty dayes, hee should bee cast into the den of Li­ons. Yet, for all this, Daniel knowing of the signing of this decree, went into his house, opened his window to­ward Ierusalem, and kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed to God. Hee would not onely, not omit to pray, but hee [Page 147]would not forbeare the usuall ceremonies in praying, of bowing the knee, of opening his window toward Ierusalem. So little the feare of man swayed him. Theodoret and Nazianzen relate of S. Basil, Nullam syl­labam ds vi­narum scr [...] ­pturarum in discrimen venire pati­untur &c. that hee would say, That those that feed upon Gods word, will not suffer the least sillable of it to come into hazard.Nos c [...]teris humiliores sumus om­nibus, ubiverò de side agitur mini­mè timidi apparemus. And a­gaine, that hee would say, we are in all other things modest & yeel­ding; but when mat­ters of faith and reli­gion are in controver­sie, we are not timorous [Page 148]then, but as bold as Li­ons. And againe, that hee would say to Mo­destus, a potent man, Vse all your power a­gainst me,Potestate tua contra me utare, nunquam persuadebis. you shall ne­ver perswade mee to subscribe to your Ar­rian heresie. These men feared God more that man. And we will not wonder that grace in­fuses such a courage into the fearers of God, when we shall heare the answeres of Elvidius Priscus, a heathen, ito Vespasian the Empe­rour. The Emperour commanded him not to come on such a day to the Senate, or if hee [Page 149]came, to speake as hee would have him. Hee answered, that hee was a Senator, and there­fore it was fit, that hee should be at the Senate. And if being there, hee were required by the rest, to render his opi­nion, hee must speake freely, and according to his conscience. The Emperour threatned him, that he should dye then. He replyed, that hee knew hee was not im mortall: and hee ad­ded, Doe what you will, I will doe what I ought. It is in your po­wer to kill me, but it is in my power to dye [Page 150]constantly. Think but on this heathen, and then you will beleeve, that grace can make the faithfull much more spirited; they building upon better grounds than any heathen could. Princes (sayth David) did sit and speak against me, Psal. 119.23.109.110.161. yet I meditated in thy statutes. And again, My life is continually in my hand, yet I forget not thy law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I erre not from thy precepts. Princes have persecuted mee, but my heart stands in awe os thy word, As if hee should say, I feare thee more [Page 151]than any persecution.

5. They feare man more than God, that in trouble feare man, and distrust God; and upon the surprizall of any e­vill, thinke not on God, but of fortifying themselves by leagues with men. Such were they in the prophesie,Esa. 22.8.9.10.11. that looked after ar­mour, and walles; ram­piers, and fortificati­ons, but they had not respect to God. They feared the enemy, but they dreamed not of him whom they had provoked by their sins. But they that feare God more than man, [Page 152]will bee sure to make God sure, and for the rest they are fearlesse. What time (sayth Da­vid) I am afrayd, Psal. 56.3.4 [...] I will trust in thee, I will not feare what man can doe unto me. And againe, Though an host should encampe against me, my heart shall not feare; though warre should rise against me, Psal. 27.3. in this shall I be confident.

6. And lastly, they feare man more than God, that forbeare o­pen sinnes that are ob­vious to humane eyes, but make no conscience of secret sins, of sins in the heart; of sins in [Page 153]darknesse, or in retired places. Such, whose maxime is, if not chast­ly yet cautelously:Si non ca­slè, tamen cautè. No matter for keeping sin uncommitted, so you keepe it unknowne. This was the infirmity of Iacob, My father, Gen. 27.12. (saith he) peraduenture will feele mee, and I shall seeme to him a deceiuer. His feare was not so much to be, as to seeme a deceiver. But it is or­dinary with wicked men. The murderer kils betime, while men are in bed.Iob 24.14, 15, 16. The adul­terer waites for the twy-light, and disgui­ses his face. The thiefe [Page 154]digges through houses in the darke. The time was (saith Paule) that they that were dunk were drunke in the night. 1 Thes. 5.7. Though now these monsters outface the sun Seest thou (saith God to the prophet) what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the darke, Ezek. 8.12 euery man in the cham­bers of his imagery. And if every man had a win­dow in his breast, or his thoughts were writ in his fore-head (as Cicero wisht of every Roman) what monstrous coun­sels shal wee bee specta­tors of. On the contra­ry, they that feare God [Page 155]more then man; will with Ioseph refuse un­cleannesse, though they have opportunity, and secresie. They will not curse a deafe man, that cannot heare them, nor cast a blocke afore a blinde man, that can­not discover them. They will not curse their rulers, not in their bed-chamber,Eccles. 10.20. not in their thoughts. This was Iob his temper, I have not (saith hee) covered my transgressi­on. Did I feare a multi­tude; or did the contempt of families terrisie me? Iob. 31.33.34. No; hee feared God more then man. Let us [Page 156]all try our selves by this unerring rule.

THat part of this treatise that is past is more doctrinal, what follows shall bee more applicatory: and that either Dehortatory, or Exhortatory.

The Dehortatory part forbids all those [Page 157]siins that are contrary to the feare of God. And they are diverse: some whereof are contrary to it in excesse, & some in defect. I shall handle them in order.

1. One vice contrary to the feare of God, is carnall security; a wrtechlesse carelesnes; when men are moved neither with the threat­nings of God in his word; nor with the ex­ecution of Gods iudge­ments in the world, nor with the beginnings of GODS wrath upon themselves. These are the three heads of this Hydra.

1. When men are not touched with the de­nounciation of the comminations of God in his word: such are they That when they heare the words of Gods curse,Deut. 29.19.20. blesse themselves in their hearts, and say they shall have peace, al­though they walke ac­cording to the stub­bornnesse of their own hearts, adding drun­kennesse to thirst; sinne to sinne; running round in the divells circle. Such as make a coveant with death,Isay. 28.18. and agree­ment with hell, as if they should not seaze them.

Such as cry, the vision is for many dayes to come;Ezek. 12.27. and the prophe­sie of the times that are afarre off; the evill shall not fall in their dayes. Those that put away farre from them the evil day, as in Amos. Amos 6.3. Those that say in their hearts, the Lord will doe neither good, nor evill, as in Zephany. Zeph. 1.12 And are not most of our age of this guize? Doe not wee say in our hearts? Come, God will bee better then his word: Hee that hath made all will save all. Give the preachers leave to thunder, and [Page 160]lighten; wee hope the best still, no man shall put us out of heart. If wee were not lulled a­sleepe in the cradle of security how durst wee touch that forbidden fruit, that is guarded with Angels (preachers I mean, for Angell fig­nifies a Messenger) when they have a fla­ming sword in their mouths, thretning ru­ine to us? How durst wee teare the sacred name of God, when he hath threatned, that hee will not huld him guiltlesse, that taketh his name in vaine? How durst wee distrust Gods [Page 161]word, feare to defend a good cause, commit a­dultery, or lye, when God hath menaced, that all fearefull, unbe­leeving, abhominable,Revel. 21.8. murderers, adulterers, and all lyers, shall have their part in the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstome? No, no, our transgression sayth to all the world, that there is no feare of God before our eyes,Psal 36.1. as David argues.

2. It is carnall secu­rity not to bee afrayd, when God hath puni­shed others for the same sinnes, whereof wee are deeply guilty, [Page 132]When our neighbours house is on fire, not to feare our owne. Such were the men of Laish, they dwelt carelesly, and securely,Iudg. 18.7. as it is re­corded of them. And this is our crime. Gods heavie Rod hath rid circuit about other na­tions, and our Halcyon dayes of peace make us secure and carelesse. When a heathen can tell us, When you are highest in iollity, Vhi maxi­mè gaude­ [...]is, maximè metues. Sen. de Tr. l. 2. c. 31. feare most. Evill is not confined to one peo­ple, it may goe forth from nation to nation, as God sayth. The prophesies are bigge [Page 133]with these expressions. It is sayd in Ezechiel, Ier. 25.32. Ezek. 32.10. I will make many people horribly afrayd for thee, when I shall brandish my sword afore them: they shall tremble every mo­ment, every man for his owne life, in the day of thy fall. And yet wee tremble not, though God hath long bran­disht his sword afore our eyes in neighbou­ring kingdomes. God may complaine of us, as hee did of them in Zephany, I have cut off the nations about them, Zeph. 3.6.9. and made their Cities waste: and I sayd, sure­ly thou wilt feare mee, [Page 164]thou wilt receive instru­ction, that thy dwelling also should not bee cut off, but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings. This is our case: the Lord helpe us, and awaken us. As if wee were better than our neighbours, or more able to oppose our e­nemies, if God should let them in. I may take up that question to England, that God as­ked Nineveh; Art thou better than populous No, Nahum 3.8, 9, 10. situate among the Ri­vers, whose rampart was the sea? Ethiopia and E­gypt were her strength, yet shee went into capti­vitie. [Page 165]So may I say, O England, art thou bet­ter than Germany, which now lies blee­ding under desolation? If thou art not better, why art thou secure, when shee is ruined?

3 It is carnall secu­rity, not to bee terrified with the beginnings of Gods wrath. And it may bee sayd of us, as Salvian speakes of his times,Nos non [...]icinos no­stros tan­tùm ardere vidimus, sed ipsi etiam arsimus, arsi­mus, arsi­mus, tamen flammas non time­mus. Lib. 6. Wee have not onely seene our neigh­bours burning, but we our selves also have been scorched more than once, more than one way, and yet wee feare not the flame. [Page 136]God hath begun with us, by sending the Moth spoken of in Ho­sea; Hos. 5.12. which moth in­sensibly eates out the heart of trading in England, Hos, 5.12. so that it was never at so dead an ebb. The time was (as it is in the Prophet) when Ephraim spake, Hos. 13.1. there was trembling; so when England spake, there was trembling: but now other Nations slight us. Wee may say (as David did) God goes not forth with our Ar­mies. Psal. 60.10. All this wise men see and know, and wee are daily minded of it, together with the [Page 137]plagues, agues, famines droughts, and unseaso­nable seasons, that wee have felt: And yet what man among us abates one drunken cuppe for all this? Wee are as jol­ly, as thoughtlesse, as secure, as if wee were in the third heaven. Wee verifie that that Antoni­us Pius spake of the Christians, that when earth-quakes came, they were securest. This lethargy is too sure our disease. I can runne no better course to rouze us out of this leaden slumber, this dead sleepe, then to prove; that wee are not [Page 168]the more, but the lesse safe for our security: And when our mis­cheife arrives, it wil bee the more unsufferable the more unexpected it is. Will wee beleeve God affirming it? Hee that when hec heares this curse blesses himselfe and promises to himselfe peace, Deut. 29.19.20. the Lord will not spare him, his anger shal smoak against him, & all the curses written in this book shall: fall upon him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heauen. Amos. 6.3.7. They that put far from them the evill day shall goe captiue with the first that goe captiue. [Page 169]The rich man in the Gospell sayd to his soule, Soule, soule, Luke 12.19.20. thou hast goods layd vp for many yeares, take thine ease, eate, drink, and bee merry. But there came a fearfull message from heavē to him, Thou fool this night shall thy soule be taken from thee, and then whose shall all these things bee that thou hast provided? It was the old worlds case in the dayes of Noah, they were eating and drin­king, marrying and gi­ving in marriage, till the day that Noah en­tred into the Arke,Mat 24.38.39. and they knew not, till the [Page 170]flood came, and tooke them all away. And such shall Christs se­cond comming bee, like a snare it shall fall upon the world, when they least thinke of it, when they are drownd in security. When men cry peace and safety, sud­den destruction shall come upon them, 1 Thes. 5.3 as tra­vell upon a woman with childe, sayth the Apo­stle. And it is a pro­phesie of these latter dayes, wee may sleepe and snort in our sinnes, but our damnation slum­bers not, 2 Pet. 2.3. sayth Saint Pe­ter. This is the voyce of the Scripture: and [Page 171]the Fathers speake the same language; they were as cocks to awake these drowsie times. Security (sayth one) is the fore-runner of cer­taine ruine. Certae rui­nae praevia est incuria. Qui sibt pa­cem promit­tit, securus invaduur. Aug. in Psal. 130. Ablatus à peccatoribus timor, ne posset esse cautela. Salv. Hee that promises himselfe peace in an unlawfull course of life, shall bee invaded when he least suspects it, sayth Saint Austin. Feare is taken from the wicked, that they might not be aware when judge­ment seazeth them, saith Salvian. Nay, the glim­mering light of the Heathen, discovered this truth to them.Solent su­prema face­re securos mala. Oe­dip. 2.2. Men use to bee most secure, when the greatest evils [Page 172]hang over their heads, sayth Seneca the Tra­gedian.Vbi tran­quilla tibi omnia vi­dentur, ibi nocitura non desunt, sed quies­cunt. Sen. de Ira, l. 2. c. 31. When all things seeme quiet, that which is noxious, is not absent, though it be silent, sayth Seneca the Philoso­pher.

Nature will teach us, that the ayre is alwayes calme afore an earth­quake; And there is u­sually a lightning afore death.

Little thought Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, when they rebelled a­gainst Moses, that the earth would swallow them quick;Numb. 16.31.32. they were gazing at the doores of their tents.

Little thought Zim­ri and Cosbi to be both thrust throgh the belly in the act of adultery.Num. 25.8. Little thought Agag the King of the Amalekites to be hewen in peeces by Samuel his sword when he came in deli­cately,1 Sam. 15.32.33. and said, surely the bitternesse of death is past.

Little dreampt Anani­as, and Saphira, Acts 5.5.10. when they lied to the Apo­stles, that they should fall downe dead at the Apostles feet.

When we like Adam are cast into a deepe sleepe; a thousand to one, but wee lose a rib [Page 174]for it. Let me adde that this security makes us worse then beasts. Hee that wants shame is like a beast; but hee that wants feare is worse then a beast.Oneramus asinum, non curat, quia asinus est: at si in ignem impellere, si in fontem praecipitare velis, cavet quantum potest, quia mortem ti­met. Bern. Load an asse (saith Bernard) hee cares not, because hee was borne to bear; but if you would force him upon the fire, or into a pit; hee gives backe with all his might, be­cause hee feares death. What a shame is it for men then to cast them selves without feare in­to the jawes of destru­ction? When Balaam his Asse saw the An­gell with a drawne [Page 175]sword in the way, hee turned aside, his ma­ster could not force him on:Numb. 22.23. Wee shall shew our selves more brutish than that Asse, if wee precipitate our selves into those wayes wherein God stands with a drawne sword, eternally to destroy us.

Nay (to drive this to a head, and to lay the Axe to the Roote of the Tree) if wee bee secure and feare­lesse, wee shall prove ourselves in our kinde, to bee worse than the Divell himselfe: For Saint Iames sayth of [Page 176]them, that they beleeve and tremble. Iames 2.19. They be­leeve Gods threates, and tremble at his wrath.

In a word, as it is a miserie, that Death should be to a man the first symptome of his sicknesse; so that man is to bee bewayled with teares of blood, that awakes not, till hee bee in hell, when it is too late.

All these conside­rations layd together, and well weighed, cannot eradicate this poysonous roote of carnall securitie, that is so diametrically, and [Page 177]so unreconcileably op­posite to the feare of GOD. We will not (like the Israelites) sit down to eate and drink, Exod. 33.6 and rise up to play. But feare and care will be a more frequent guest in our breasts.

A Second sinne that is contrary to the feare of God, is pre­sumptuous audacious­nesse, or an audacious presumption in sin­ning. It differs from security onely in de­gree: for securitie is onely a privation of feare; but presumpti­on is joyned with an accession of boldnesse. Indeed it is securitie strained to the highest pegge, and dipped in a [Page 179]scarlet dye.Cyclopica audacia. Alia (que) con­ges os [...]ru­ [...]ss [...] ad, de­ra montes. Eulia pro­pago, con­temptrix Superûm. The Hea­then use to call it a boldnesse like that of the Gyants spoken off by Ovid; A generation that despised God, and heaped mountaine up­on mountaine, Pelion upon Ossa, and Olym­pus upon Pelion, as if they would dethrone God himself. Such are all those that harbour blasphemous thoghts, or such as belch out blasphemous words, that reflect upon God either directly, or by consequence: and those that in their actions passe the bounds of all modesty, like that un­just [Page 180]Iudge, that neither feared God, Luke 18.2 nor regarded man.

1. There is an au­dacious presumption in the thoughts.Psal. 14.1. The foole hath sayd in his heart there is no God. Thou thoughtest (sayth God to the wicked) that I was such a one as thy selfe: Psal. 50.21. As if hee should say, thou imagi­nest that I am a favou­rer of theevery, adulte­ry, and slandering. And the spectator of all hearts knowes, that our breasts are a daily stithy, an anvill where­in are forged, whereon are framed many hor­rid [Page 181]thoughts of God, his worship, his ser­vants: such thoughts as wee dare not utter. So that we had need to pray, that the thoughts of our hearts may bee forgiven us, as Saint Peter counselled Simon Magus. Acts 8.22. But in this we must leave men to stand or fall to their owne masters.

2. There is an au­dacious presumption in words, when the poy­son of Aspes is under mens lips:Rom. 3.13 when men bid God battell, and stand in defiance a­gainst him. And that is done,

1. By that which we strictly call blas­phemy, when mens tongues doe not onely walk throgh the earth, but they also set their mouthes against the heavens,Psal. 73.9. as David speakes. Such was La­mech, Gen. 4.23.24. sayth hee to his wives in a bravery, I will slay a young man in my wounding: If Cain be avenged seven fold, Lamech shall be seventie times seven fold: As if he should say, I wil slay the best man that shall but never so little of­fend me. And if God punishes Cain seven times, I will be reven­ged [Page 183]seventy seven times upon him that but ra­zes my skin. He would be more severe than an enraged God. Such was Pharaoh (as his words report him) Who is the Lord that I should they him to let Israel goe I know not the Lord, Exod. 5.2. nei­ther will I let Israel goe; As if hee should say, I know no Lord greater than my selfe. Such was Senaccherib, the Assyrian King, who sent this message to good King Hezekiah, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest, 2 Kin. 19.10.11. deceive thee, telling thee that Ie­rusalem shall not bee de­livered [Page 184]into my hand. Which words Heze­kiah calleth, A reproa­ching of the living God. Such were those that in Iob, say unto God, De­part from us, wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes: Iob. 21.14 15. What is the Al­mighty, that wee should serve him? And those that sayd, With our tongues we wil prevaile, Psal. 12.4. our lips are our own, who is Lord over us? Your words (sayth God) have beene stout against mee; Mat. 3.13.14. yee have sayd, It is in vaine to serve God. And I have read of a king, who having received a strange blow from hea­ven, [Page 185]vowed hee would be revenged upon God; and therfore gave strict commandement, that for ten yeares, no man should speake to God, or of God. And many of the Popes and Papalins have not fallen much short of those monsters of men, if some of their own authours say true. The time would fayle me, should I rec­kon to you their nume­rous blasphemies, that no truly Christian eare can brooke. Leo the tenth, called the Gos­pella fable of Christ. And one of his slaves sayd, that without the [Page 186]the testimony of the Church the Scriptures are no more authenti­call than A [...]sops fables Another sayes, that if the Pope should carry troopes of soules with him to Hell, no man should dare to say to him,Domine cur ita sa­cis? Sir, why doe you so? Another sayes, that there is well-neare as much vertue in the mothers milke, as in the sonnes blood. Ano­ther in the Counsell of Trent, called the cup in the Lords supper, a cup of poyson. What is this, but to afront, to out-face, to dare God, to challenge him? And [Page 187]there are but too many loose Protestanes, that give their tongues strange liberty to invey against GOD, and all godlines. Black months, tongues set on fire of hell: such as dare say, Religion is but a devise to keepe men in awe. Preaching is but pra­ting: A religious life is but a male contented life. He that useth plain dealing, shall dye a beg­gar. A young Saint, an old Divell. The hea­vens blush to see such foame to come forth from Christian mens mouthes.

2. There is a pre­sumption [Page 188]in words, that displayes it selfe in justifying and defen­ding of sinne, calling evill good,Isay 5.20. and good e­vill light darknesse, and darknesse light: sweete bitter, and bitter sweet, as the Prophet speakes.Aequo cer­tamine c [...]r­tat cum Deo, qui quod Deus odit, d [...]sen­dit. Hee enters the lists, and sights with God hand to hand, who defends what God hates. Here­in Ionah much forgot himselfe, when GOD sayd to him, Doest thou well to be angry? Iona. 4.9. Hee answered, I dowel to be angry even to death. This is to provoke the holy one of Israel to an­ger, Isay, 1.4. as Esay speakes.

3. It is the highest degree of presumption to boast of sinne. None but brazen browes can doe that.Isay 48.4. Hee that is shamelesse is fearlesse. It is wrong enough to God to worship an I­dol: But (sayth David) confounded bee all they that boast themselves of Idols. Psal. 97.7. If a man may vaunt of his sins, then let the prisoner glory in his fetters: the dogge in his vomit, and the infe­fected person in his plague-sore.

This is presumption in language.

3. There is presump­tion in action,

1. When a man dis­honoureth God in that place, wherein GOD uses, and ought to bee worshipped; namely, the Temple. This is to abuse God to his face, and in his own house.Hos. 7.2.

2. When a man wil­fully dishonours God in a time of generall hu­miliation, when others are be way ling their sins afore God.

3. When a man sets himselfe, as in the pre­sence of God, and yet then dissembles with his lips. As those (that with Saint Augustine before his conversion) pray against lust [...], and [Page 191]yet secretly wish, that God would not heare their prayer. And all that with spleenfull spi­rits come to the Com­munion, professing be­fore God, that they are reconciled unto their brethren, when they intend no such thing. And those preachers that willingly deliver unsound doctrine to the people, onely to corrupt them, using the Name of God to poy­son their hearers, doing what in them lies, to make God a lyer. In a word, knights of the Post, with their hackny consciences, that dare [Page 192]in a false oath cal down God to testifie to an untruth; which is so horrid a crime, that I am perswaded, that many a man now dam­ned in hel, would have been ashamed to bee guilty of.

4. When a man therfore breaks a com­mandment, merely be­cause it is a command. As St. Augustine con­fessed, that in his youth he robbed an orchard, not because hee want­ed apples,Gens [...]uma­naruit in v [...]titum re­sat. for hee had as good, or better at home; but only be­cause he coveted what was forbidden.

5. When therefore a man abuses GOD more, because God is patient and long suffe­ring. Which sordid­nesse of humane dis­position Salomon takes notice of, and brands. Because (saith hee) sen­tence against an evill worke is not executed speedily, Eccle. 8.11. therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe mischiefe. This is to sight against God with his own weapon. To turne his grace into wantonnesse.

6. When man runs into a knowne grosse sin, that Gods watch­men [Page 194]his ministers have newly warned him of, or then when the Holy spirit of God suggests motions to him to the contrary. This is to quench the Spirit, and to despise prophesying; 1 Thes. 5.19.20. Acts 7.51. 1 Thes. 4.8. to resist the holy Ghost and his instruments.

Lastly, when a man the more revolts from God, the more hee is smitten,Isay 1.5. as they in Isay. Like Pharoh, whose heart was the more hardned, the more, & the sorer plagues God inflicted on him. Like the Thracians, that then shoot their arrowes a­gainst heaven, when it [Page 195]thunders; and lightens. Like Augustus, who having beene tempest tost at Sea; defied Nep­tune the Sea-God, and in the middest of his Circean sports, hee cau­sed his im ge to be pul­led downe, to bee re­venged of him. Like Xerxes, whoscourged the sea, and wrote a bill of defiance against the hill Athos, because they intercepted him in his expedition.

Me thinkes the very naming of these things, should move us to ab horre them. But to win more upon our af­fectio is, let us consider

1. That this audaci­ous presumption is a despising of God. He that feares not GOD,Quod non metuitur contemnitur Lactant. Pial. 10, 13 contemnes him. Where­fore doe the wicked de­spise God? (sayth Da­vid.) For a superiour to despise his inferiour, is no wonder; but for a peasant to despise his Prince: for a peece of clay, for a worme, to slight his maker, is in­tolerable. Hee that de­spiseth me, 1 Sam. 2.30. shall be light­ly esteemed, (sayth God.)

Saint Paul was grie­ved at heart, that by sinnes of infirmity hee offended his God. The [Page 197]evill (sayth hee) that I would not, I do. Rom. 7.19.24. O wret­ched man that I am, who shall deliver mee from this body of sinne? Shall hee groane under infir­mities, and shall wee make no conscience of presumptions? God forbid.

3. What doest thou meane, fond man, to wrest Thunder-bolts out of the hand of God, that would de­light to powre bles­sings upon thee? Who hath hardened himselfe against God, Iob. 9.4. and prospe­red, sayth Iob? 2 Kings 19 Senna­cherib slighted GOD, and the fruit of it was, [Page 198]an Angell in one ni [...]ht slew his army, consist­ing of one hundred eighty and five thou­sand men; and he him­selfe returning home, was slaine by his owne sonnes, in the temple of his God.

Libanius a Philoso­pher at Antioch, de­manding of a good Christian in scorne, How the Carpenters son (meaning Christ) busied himselfe? He an­swered him, that he was making a Coffin for him; and indeed, hee presently after dyed.

In the yeare of our Lord 510. one Olym­pius, [Page 199]an Arrian Bishop, in a B [...]th at Carthage, blasphemed openly the holy Trinity: and the words were scarce out of his mouth, but lightning descended thrice from heaven,Paul D [...]. and at length consumed him.

Iulian, the uncle of the Emperour Iulian, comming into a Chri­stian Church, pissed in despight, upon the Communion Table, and struck Euzoius for reproving him for it. But shortly after, his entrails rotted; and he voyded his excrements at his mouth, and dyed. [Page 200]And Foelix, Iulian his Treasurer, that jeered at Christ, under the name of Maries sonne, hee vomited blood night and day,Theodoret till hee died. You will say, wee hope none of us shall ever runne into these extremities. But yet let us know, that e­very presumptuous sin against God, binds us over to as great mis­chiefes, as any I have named. Will wee be­leeve Saint Paul? If (sayth hee) wee sin wil­fully, Heb. 10.26.27. after we have re­ceived the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sin, [Page 201]but a fearfull ezpectati­on of judgement, 2 Pet. 2.9.10. and fie­ry indignation. The presumptuous are re­served unto the day of judgement, sayth Saint Peter. The arrowes thou shootest against heaven, shall fall back upon thine owne head againe. Woe to him (saith the Prophet) that striveth with his Ma­ker; Isay 45.9. let the pot-sheards strive with the pot-sheards of the earth. What gaine the waves by striking against a rocke? they stirre not that, but dash them­selves in peeces. It is hard for thee to kick a­gainst [Page 202]the prickes, sayth our Saviour to Saul. Acts 9.5. If you walk contrary to me, Lev. 26.23.24. (sayth God) I wil walk contrary to you. Oh then let that of David bee our prayer,Psal. 19.13 Keepe back thy servant from pre­sumptuous from pre­sumptuous sinnes, let them not have dominion over mee: then shall I be upright, and innocent from the great trans­gression.

This presumption is a second vice con­trary to the feare of GOD. And there­fore Salomon opposes hardning of the necke unto feare.Pro. 28.14. And A­ristotle sayth, that those [Page 203]that are fearlesse, they slight God and man: they are audacious and presumptuous. This is the Goliah that biddeth defiance to God.