-: A Difcourfe of the Fear of God, 9 1 9 ilieLuft:-;;;.~vhole days in his Fancy; a~th~he Adultery of~ H eart, but this he doth not regard: But where there is an ingenuous Fear, this Chap. ~· caufeth a Perlon not onely to fly fin, but the Appearance of it, to fly the fmalleftlin ~ as well as the greateft; for as there is the fame reafon of the Roundnefs of a Ball, as there is of a Globe, fo there is the fame reaf<in he fhou ld fly the fmall eft fin as the greateft. Thus an ingenuous Child fears not onely vifible Difobedience, but declines the very Colour of it. A chaft Wifedothnot onely fear to break the Marriage Knot, but flies every lign of DiOoyalty, and will not bringupon her felf the leaft Sufpi· cion of her Chaft1ty; fo that in refpect of the Nature of the Evils declined, there is a vaftDifference. 2. Secondly, In refpect of the manner of their Flight: For that Fear which is de· generate and tervile, although it may withdraw the Soul from the Action, it doth not crucifie the Affe8ion to fin; but noW a gr:icious Spirit doth not onely forbear fin, but abhor it; he doth not only leave it, but 1oth it. In the one the Faculties ar~ bridled up, in the other the Will is healed; the one cloth abjiondere hide his fin, and keeps himfelf from outward Acts; but the other cloth abJiindere, he cuts off fin by the Roor.. 7· Seventhfy, Servile Fear drives a Man from God, but Filial Fear unites a Man to God . He that is a Slave, his great Care is ho\v he may l1ide himfelffi·om God; but he that is a Son his great Care is, that God do not hide him!Cif from him. A Slave is afraid to find God, a Son is afraid left he fhould lofe him. St . .tiujli» cloth admirably explain this by the different Fear the Harlot hath of her Husband, from that which the Wife hath, who is Loyal and Vertuous. The Harlot faith he, Ilia ttmet ne vemat, fhe fears Jell her Husband fhould come Home; but the Vercuous Wife ilia timet ne dejirat, 1be fears left he fhould depart. The Harlot fears left her Husband fhould chaftize her, but the Vertuous Wife left he fhould forfake her, Thus it is here, he that is a Slave all his defign is this, how he may hide himfelf frotn God; but a gracious Soul cloth lcfs fear God's Blows, than his Abfence, he cari better brook his Streaks than the withdrawing of his Countenance. 8. Eigbthly, Servile Fear is an earneft of Hell ; Filia l Fear is the beginning of Hea· ven. Servile Fear is the Fruit of the Covenant of Works, and therefore the begin.. ning of Sorrow. Filial Fear is the Product of the Covenant of Grace; for faith the Lord, M, Fear I will pla•t and put in their hearts, and fo it is the Initials of Gloty: Servile Fear is one of the Black Train of Affections that fhall accompany Sinners to :g~~h~o~~r!~J t~!i:~eri~~~~: P~~~ ~;.~~~~]~a~~~;~~~. ~~~~P~~~v:n~h~~;r~~~,' 6,"Jl accompany them for ever : Bqt now the Fear of God which is Son like and ingenuous, that cloth endure for ever, that fhall be cornpleated in Glory. There are fome Graces in a Saint that are Relat ive Graces, that refpetl th~ prefcnt State~ as Repentance and the Jultifying Faith of a Saint; but the Fear of God, that is the Eternal Homage and Tribute which the Creature muftpay to him, and therefore it ili'all con." tinue for ever. ------------------' -----· --· --------~ A ::la .a a a CHAP
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