Chap.8. Of the Fear of God, aridits 'contrariès. Cöm.í<. 1rzk taiatual affection of the mind and heart ; for if the heart love not , the mind will not long believe ; and if the mind believe nut, the heart will not lovelong. Fattb inward of the aftus ciicitus (afent) ïs an a of the mind: but in rerpeí. Addition ii.. ofthe aCtus imperati ( as the Schools fpe;k.) which flow from affent, and belief, as love_ of the feat d fear, obedience &c. So it is in theheart, and whole Man, fo thatthe dutyof a Chrifian Faith. fn+f becalled the workof Faith , becaufe it is commandedandproduced by Faith , though belief be theformal and only proper immediate all ofit. Now the heart is the teat of the affections; and the affections ate about fuchob.. j efts as are partly agreeable to our Nature,and fuch as we with forand imbrace ; and partly fuch as we delire not, but turn from. Of the former fort ate love, hopes joy; and of the other are fear,grief,hate. And God hath ordainedboth of them to adouble ufe, as thofe of the fecund fort to rettrain us from evil, or after wehave committed evil to torment and punifh'us. Soof the former,either' they are provocations togood, or after we have done well, to chedfh and comfort no for fodoing, . Itis the Work and effrceofFaith to ftir upthefe affections inus; the firft of which is fear towards God ; and the reafonis..,;becaufe the word of God being the objet of Faith , whether we take it in whole,or in grofs , the five Books of Motet, or the four Gofpels, in all we find punilhments.threarned w fuch asfhould tranfgrefs, which threathings_ bring apprehended by Faith,muft needs work fear to offend, and fo they reftrain from fin , or tear ofthe punifhmcntin thofe that have offended ; andfo they flit up to Repentance : for in the very beginning we fee, Faith had a word of threat ring to apprehend. la what day foever Adam should eat ofthe Fruit ofthe Tree; heGen.s.07. fhould dye; and this was before the promífe , that The Seed of the Woman fhouid 3 <ü' bmile the Serpents Head. Now Faith apprehended Goda Juftice , which withhis other Attribut.s made it feemmore fearful; and the Conteience telling thatanoffence was committed by eating, fearmuft needs arifeout ofthe confideration of it. . And this is it which was remembrcd before in our Saviours fpeech to the sews. john;E; If ye had bd,eved Afofes , ye would glib have believed me. Firft Motes was tobe . believed, then Christ, hilt the Law then the.Gofpcl. The firft is a Faith in Gods Juftice. There is amanifelt Example of this in the Ni. jonah,;.ç; nevites, Crtdiderunt Deo, & rimuerunt, they believed God and feared ; which is 1vfof s fear, a Faith in Gods Justice. Among many motives to fear given by Writers, the chief isnot;tialegis, the know- ledge of the Law ; and this works contritionetn, agrinding to powder by fear ofthat which the Law brings into their hearts. Andof this the Pfalmift fpeaks, telling usPfafr19.i2.o. what is the trueobject of fear, My flefh trcmbleth for fear of thee, and I amafraid of thy Judgements. This is the effect of Faith upon theknowledge ofGods Juftice. The reafon why it pleafed God to fet Juftice and fear in the firft place is, becaufe before any thingcan be effedled, the impediment , and that which hindereth mutt be taken away. We cannot poflero God ,and the reafon is, becaufe as the Prophet rellsgr,y,çg.z, us, there is a feparation between him and us, our fins do fcparate betweenGod anu ph.s.14. us: a partition wall, as the .lpoftle calls it. Now feting there is a necetlity to have: God, and That this partition wall keeps us afunder, in the h, ft place we muftnot build thiswall higher, but we molt ceafe to build finupon fio , ano look for Chrift to beat down that which is already built. That which caufeth us ro ceafe from fin is the fear of God, Expulforpeccati timor,Domini, faith the Wife-man , we muff not Jay, fhall Prov.s. ri, we continue in fin that grace may abound ? God forbid , faith the Apoftle: Andltoa'.6.i, this is the reafon why God commandeth fear, becaufe it niaketh us to leave fin. Betides fear there are twoother affections which eaule Men to livewell, though it pleated God here to make choice of tear: as, 1. Shame. 2. Pain andgrief:- Makhpod.s ;.r6,, their faces afhamed , O Lord ( faith the Pfalmift ) that they may feek thy Name.:.ot:_723,19; and for the other, Yexatio dal intelleli nf, affliction brings underf;anding, if a Man fmart for any thing , experience will give him underftanding.. But .w.d fee that in the multitude of offenders there is no place for fhame; and for pain: we have terrenas confolatiunculas poor worldly comforts , at leafs if not to drive it away, yet to feafon it; and therefore God forefaw that neither of thefe would ftrike fo deep as fear. But fear ( which it pleafeth. God to fet before us, and to require at our hands) is that affection which toueheth Q uS
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