Of the Fear of God, and its ëo it,nd *s, ? 408 t Anevil páft is not the objectof fear , but an evil to come, and the greater it is, Matz .G:. the greater the fear is; and therefore after our Saviour had, reckoned up tohis Difci- 4 plcs, many calamities that amulet happen,he addeth; but the end is not yet, thegreat elf i§ behind; thoughwe fuffermany things in this Worlds yet there null fomewhat befall usafter, woríe than chore. 2, It is propinquäçm, bccaufe the Armies of God are everround about us, where- &ever we are, God is prefent, and in themidit of his Heft ; and all things are naked and open unto the Eyes of himwith whomwe have todo. And therefore if wedo Heb,4. t; ill, i : is ready and near to fee it , and his Armies ready to execute vengeance upon them that rho evil., Pfalä,rq¢.7. a. It is vires exceden, It muff be a great Spatter of difficulty that mutt exceed our power sod firength, but this Both; and filcha thing takes a deep impreflions it ter- rines Us., when we can make no refinance. And this the Pfalmift by a dueftion makes to appear plainly, If thou; O Lord; fhouldeft he extreme to mark what is done Pfal.t o anits, who may abide it? that is, none can. And therefore St. Paul faith, Do we Cok.tó. is ptovoh'e the Lord to jcáloufie, are we ftronger than he? No; our flrength to hintjob,, is but sa Stubble, not as the fircngth of Stones, nor is our Flefh of Brats, as fob fpeak- pt h. This makes it rralúmn ardaaum, hard and difficult, which is aggravated by there ivur degrees. Vidl, it is a pun;ltment esalurnpees. , and there is a Bar erefìed; and an Indite- :trtent frätu. ^d. yVe muff all appaar ( as the Apoftle tells us ) before the Judgement a or:f.so $eat c Ghrii, Vic. 2. This pun.ihnicnt will be fearful andOrange, ìirfolitum, without example ; fiery lieb. to.a7. indignation , Herreoclun eft incidere in mantis Dei vivenüa it is afearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. ;. It will be malum fubitum b repentinurrt, rudder: and unexpeEted, Sudden de,- ilreClion, as travail upon a Woman with Child; efpcciálly, upon fuch as harden them- r TheGg.;i felvcs. He thatbeing often reproved hardeneth his neck,fhall fuddenly besleftroyied,Ptov.29.t: and that without remedy ; which is the laft. No redemption till the utmoft FarthingMats.aó, J be paid, that is never after this life : for as God (hews the uttermoft ofhis power in providing rewards for hisServants; Co he Will {hew his infinite power in punifh. merits for thofe that will not fear: Befides all this we fay in Philofophy, Timettzri% gssimaltsm to r fijerc he is to be feared that evil upon us. Now that poi f g P God is able; appears by three things confiderablein aparty to be feared. t The firít is Authority- Though ä child be a King, or a Woman bear rule over us, Makfir.6: 9 ..7 Who in refpeEì of themfelvesare but weak, yet in regard of their Authority, they be-zac r4.é Fomt terrible tous. And the Lord is King over all theEarth, let all the Earth there- Pialm,3 Ls; fore fear him, faith the Pfalmift. And why? An Earthly Kings wrath is as Meffgngers Prov tts; fo- Death, and as the roaringof aLyon, thenwhat is the wrathof the King of Kings? And betides by heft right, he may challenge this fear; for beingKingof Kings; his Authority is higeft , and above all others. And he is not only a King, butfuch a King,as to whom all the Celeftial Powers, and Principalities, lay down. theirCrowns,; and fall ou their faces before him. And therefore it was the Song of them that over- Revdt g.y. carne the Ec lt, Who (hall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name 2, a. The fecond is Power. A Man ifhe have a mighty Adverfary,though he have no Authority, yet he is to be feared. Might is tube feared ; and therefore weare coun- felled to be at peace , andhave good corrcfpondcnce; and in no cafe to (hive witha Eec¡itat; mighty Man Ií the mightyMen upon Earth are to be fcared,howmuch more the :nigh. ty Gsod, whole poweras it exceedeth all other powers, fo it hathcompelled çhe pthat were mighty on Earth to fear him. Neiirarbadnezz.ar when he perceived the,powet ofDaa,3,s.; God workingbeyond the courfe of Nature,that three Men fhould walk in a ggyVii, nace without hurt either to their Bodies or Garments, was fo terrified a , ftontg k: that he repealed his former decree and publifhed another; and thata fltarp:o4fç ,gamic. them that thould blafpheme God's Name. The like did Dariusuponthe fitpernatural and powerful .prefervatiori of pahiel in the Lyons Den.And fo.we read that thepcgple aA Cl were afloniedat the mighty works ofour Saviour. Power breeds terreurAlaçi,,-n The lad is Oinnilriencc. No In ghac 'a commit, but he takesnotjcofm, pfy,ó9,8; My fins ( faith King David) are hid from thee. When slofes law no,>ttrt byglîxpd s,as: lie was bold to kill the eYLgyptiän. But when he perceived that fume werepriwivit, Q? ho
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