Qucftions and Anfwers i. Command. feare, dreautng punifhment : another ioyned with loue Of Gó41', called a fonne like feare, and this is meant here. Quell. How may wee knowewhetherrht:true feare of God be in vs or no? Anfw. Trudy as VCe knowc there is fier by the linoake, and that a man liucth by his breathing, fo weemay khowe by the effe&s that the feare of God dootk bring forth in them in whom it is, whether it be in vs or no. Qiefl. why ?what be the (fefái? Anf. As the banke dooth kcepcthe water from ouriflowing, fo doJ the fcare of God in tìan or woman keepe our finne that it fpread not as otherwiCe it would. Wee fee itinpra&ifepaned before our eyes. For when Pharao King ofvAgypr, commaunded them to kill may male Childe that was borne of the Ifraelits women, Pxod ty* what kept out this crudl murther both from hand and heart, but this banke, the feare and awe ofGod,more than man, for fo faith the tcxt,the Midwiues feared God, and therefore did not as the King cotttnsaunded their. The like may we fee in 46, who Iob.r ;sz. fayeth Gods punifhment was fearefutl to him,therefbre hee oppreffed not the father - Get. ;q, Idle. In Iofeph alto very notably whole heart nor. body filthie adultery with his Miilres could Plaint, becaufe this banke of the feare ofGod was fo Chong and good in him. Latlly,theScriptureprouethitplainclytovs,wheninfcuerallplacesitioy- neth to, the feare of God a departing from euill as as inteparable effe& thereof. For lohn4 L moll affuredly it is fo. If wee nothing depart fromour olde finnes, and yet fay, wee feare God,we lie, and there is no truth In vs. , Quell. If then in this view of the effeCtesofit, wefinde that either it is not in vsyet at all,or at theme butvcry hule, hew may we obtain ir,or increafe it ? Howthe Ant. Firfl, avery good way to breed or increafe this reuerent awe and feare of feare ofGod God in our fclues, is an often and earnef'c medLtti9u olGods power, how he is abk is gotten. to deale with vs,topunifh vs and-plague vs,ifwec do feare him,and this we learne by thefewordesofChrifl t Fere nOt thorn that can hifi rist bad, and then can dat no mere: Math. to. ló. burfearehimthatrantailbodyandfou leintoetertealtftre. For they found vntomeeas rfChrifi faidthus, marke how farce Gods power exceedeeh mans power, andhow much more fearefully he is able to punifh you Aran man can, and let this great power of the Lordeuer body and foule to call them boll, into hell for tuer, make you feare the fame God aboue all,and (land in awe ofhis Maicflie. Andaffuredly if wee had grace to thinke of his power indeede effeâually, it would marucloufly profite our foules to this end. Secondly,another good way and mcanes is, a due meditation of the great mercies ofG O D proued by the Pfalmc with thee there:: mercy, therefore 14,1,¡ u. float: thou bee feared. And laf'lyby diligent learning theworde ofGod preached or read veto vs. For fowe read in the Lawe, Gather thy people together, men, women and children,andthefiran erthatitwithsnthygates, thattheymayheareand learnetofearethe Lord. See how hee faith, by hearing men learne this fearcofGod, and breed it or increafe it. Quell. when it thefeare of Godte be learned? Auf. At all times, but efpecially when oportunity either of teaching orlearning loth (crue vs. For that wee ought to take oportunityofteaching, our Sauiour Chrifk himfcifeaffiirmeth Paying, Tee a little, and thelight sewitbyou ,walkewhiteyou home the tight. And that wee fhould then learne when wee our (clues are able & apt to learne , Wadst.l. the wife map thewethinthefewordes: Remember thy Creator in the dales of thy youth, before thy end dales come and thyyeares approach, wherein thou/halt fay,' bane no pleafure inthem. Alío the often and fodaisac bite ofhcariug and fccing by fundry occafions doth vehemently admónifhvsto taketittte while time is, and learn to feare God While we may. For to day wecan read peraduenture our felues, and if not, yet at leaf+ heare others, but to morrow who isfure he (hall either haue eyes to fee to read hitnfelfe,or fettle of hearing to heare ethers ? Therefore againe take time whenwe may: Quell. what is contrarie to the feare of God ? 4nf. To much to (land in feare of men and cht;csts/o that by them wee are driuea to
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