424 Chap. 19. AnExpofition upon the Book of J fß]5. Vert 29. prized with feare is leffe thenhe was in all his abilities, and feldome bath the ufe ofanybut of thofe, which difcover his wealneffe. But fpirituall feare or feare fpiritualiz'd, maketh a manmore then he was, and better then he was, he is,enlarged to God, and only ftraitned towards evill. Secondly, This feare of threatnings and judgements will not caufe us to run fromGod, whole the word of threatning or the works of judgement are, but it brings and keeps us nearer to God. As holy feare is a bridle to reftraine us from fin, fo it is a bond to holdus to duty. (7er. 3 2.40.) I will past my feare i your hearts, and ( what will this feare doe? will it caufe you to withdraw fromme? No ;) you Thall never departfromme ; the more you feare me, you fhall keep the ciofer to me ; None live fo neareGod as they that feare him ; As the fearing ofGod and the efchewing of evill are joyned together in Scripture, fo are our fearing God and itri&eft obedience to him. Thirdly, It is fuch a feare as proceeds from high thoughts ofGod, not from hard thoughts of God. 'Some when they bore of judgement, or ofthe fword ofGod, they have hard thoughtsofGod, he is fevere ( fay they) wrathful!, terrible, and therefore they tremble and are afraid ofhim. But the feare intendedhath a better fpring, it flowes from pure reverential! thoughtsofGod in his greatneffe and unparalel'd excellency. (7erem, i o. 6, 7.) For as much as there is nonelike thee, O Lord, thou art great, and thy name is great in might. who wouldnotfear thee OKing of7 otions ?for to thee Both it appertaine(or it liketh thee) for as much as among all the wife men ofthe 7gations, and in all theirKingdomes, there is none like unto thee. Here are high thoughts of God indeed, There is none like unto thee, thou art great, and thy Name isgreat, andamong all the 31Tations there is one like thee : The wifeft are not like thee in wifdome,the grea teft are not like thee in greatnes, the holieft arenot like thee in holineffe, therefore, who wouldnotfeare thee ? Tobe afraid of the judgements of God from high thoughts ofhis juftice, righ- teoufneffe, holines, andpuritie, moving him to doe loch things, is not a flavifh argument as force havePaid, but that which may worke upon the tnoft ingenious, and gracious fpirit; And not only fo, but (which may be a third note from there words, Be afraidofthe fword. It is
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