Chap.7. Ofthe , Fear ofGodand its contraries. Ge.n3.to. hfts,i4. í4i Ntim, aa. 23, &c, us neereft , And when other fail , fails not. Examples we have of it in offenders. Adam being naked , and clúthcd only with Fig-leaves , might have been afhanicd yet he walked tip and down Paradife confidently, and his humbling came 1.ut till he heard the voice of the Lord ; and then he was afraid. Felix was a cot- rupt govennour , and made no cónfcicnce of it ; vet hearing Saint Paul'difcourfe of Juftiee end Temperance ; and efpecially of Gods Judgements he fell itttoa trembling. Add this affeEtion isno t only in Mcn,but predominant in Beafts alfo ; and in thofe Beafts which are molt ftupid and bruitifh. Balaam.t Afs fearing the Angel ofthe Lord, notwithftandmg all his. Mailers beating fell down flat , and would not ftir a foot to Jamïa.19. run intodanger.Nav,farther,theDevils which fear nothing clfe;yet in refpeEt of God, St. 7smer tells us; Demones credsnt & contremifrunt, the Devils believe and tremble. And therefore this mutt needs' be aprevalent means ; and that Man is far gone, and in a fearful cafe that fcareth not. But it may be objeâed. That linceGod fpeaketh fo much oflove , why fbould we not be brought to obedienceby love, rather than by fear ? It cannot be dcnycd , but that were a more acceptable way ; but our cafe is fo, that love will not prevail with us : for he that loverh a good thing, mutt have know- ledge air, and that conicsby a tact of it. Now if his tuft becorrupt, as theirs is that are feavourilh, nothingcan pleafe him, but that whichpleafeth the corrupt tafle, wholfomc things are diftaftful to him; yet ( though they love ,not aloft things that aregood for their Difeafe) this reafon will prevail againft their liking , that if theytake itnot, their fit will be (harper, or their life fliorter: fo fear in them worketh mire than love. And fo is it with Men , whore lift tall in fpirirualibua is corrupted. 1f love could caufe us to tall fptritual joys , fear were fuperfluous. But vaindelights in Earthly pleafures , eafe and evil company have fo cloyed and corrupted our taftes, that we are not able to delire that which is truly to be defrred , and that which is hurtful to us we delire. And therefore there is nothing can altet our tafle, but that if we continue in taking thofe earthly pleafures, and not take that which is fpiritual, our fits will be[harper, and our life (hotter t this fear isneccffary to be fer before us. To this may be added; that to this love we are brought by fear, for Odium peceandi , the hate of fin cometh from fear ; for fearcaufeth us to abftain trom fin, this abftinence bringeth a good life, and that a good Confcience , being polka with that , we (hall bewithout fear, and have peace of Confcience , which breed - eth love to God and godlinefs. A timore bona vita, a bona vile bona confcientia, abona tonfcientia amor. And love andfear, in this refpel, arecompared by Saint Auguftine, to a Needle and Thread, theNeedle tarricth nor, but bringeth the Thread after it; firft we muff fear , and that will bring love after it. Difcat timere, qui *on vult timore; difeat ad tempus ef/e folicittu, qui volt effe femper fecurns, let him learn to fear that would not fear; let him be felicitous for a rime, that will be fecure for ever. So we fee that theufe of fear is to retrain us from evil, and to pro. cure love in us. The Common definition of fear is, Expebtatio mali, the expcllation ofevil, upon which may arife adoubt to them that are not well verfed in Divinity, How aMan may be laid to fear God , feting there is no évil in him , forhe being wholly goodnefs it`fell, and the Fountain of all goodnefs , therefore fhould not be Paid tobe feared. But it is loon refolvcd, For God is not to be feared as he is God and goodnefs, and no evil in him, but ab efêítis in refpeft of his Judgements, the effeEts of his Juftice, they ate dril tobe fcared, and God fe- condarily. The reafons why the effcfts of his Juflice are to be feared, are becaufe in Gods Judgements concur all the caufes and motives that can by any means move fear, his Judgement oiGe,y malum formidabile, an objet altogether fearful. And it is inn threefold refpel, for it ir, a. Futurum, to come. 2. Propinquum, veer. 3. Viresexceden,, exceeding our ftrength, a. An
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