308 OfFeare. CHAP. 2$. Of Feare. Anycaufes weehauetofeare, firft for wantofperfeuerancewee fhouid kaueour eftatein fogreata daun er, that bein fwe tand arnilhed eekandr or yet the diuell a hiscomming,lhouldbeaccepted andmakehis reenter eaufesoffeare. into vs againe. There is anotherfeare,the feareofoffence,leaft by our haltingwefhould draw othersafter vs, and (oweaken their handsand 3. 71 their knees. Thethird feare is of comfortingour enemies and of Brie. Juing others,thatbanebin ourdefence: I meane theangels,whoas they are comforted in theperfeueranceofthe iuft,fo they mourne at thefalles of the righteous. a True fearehurls many properties , assfirftitbreedesinvsamerueiloushutnilitie, as aroperties of We fee in Jacobwho was mitch afraid of his brother EÇsu, and thereforecommingcowards fiare. him,he falles downe feauentimes. Thereis a feare humbling,and it is theworke ofGodto bringvs tohimfelfe . And furely the Lord takes great delight init , and what is the in-, fon ofit? becaufethe Sonne ofGod inhis lmmilitie bath donegreaterthingsfor vs thene uer hedid in hisglory :for being Godandvouchfafing to behumbledevenunto a wonne, My. /3. heehath done vsmore good, and moreglorious thinges, theneuer hee did whilesher was among theAngels. Now theworldisfallaffuchproudefpirites that nothirrgcan quails them. A fecond qualitie of Feare is, that it is versecredulous. This againe weefee ni Jacob, for when onetoldhim, his brother-cameagainft him fowell furnifhed , bee feared greatlie, yet difpurednotlong inthe mattcr.It is theglorie of ourage to difpute and gaine.faya man, and to fayfurely though youbeof filchanopinion , Iamnot, thinkeas youwill, I thinke thus. So that ourdealinges are fo full ofdoubts and fo ambiguous, as though thereneuerhadbin worldbefore vs, or asthough now it werehigh midnight in Poperte. The3. qualitie in feare is diligence: This alfo wefee in Jacobs example, whowas maruei- loufly ftudious to falotehis brother, difpofingwifelieof hischildren and cattell in the belt order he could,to preuent his brothers furie. 3 Itisa kindliethingto feareatGods threatnings,and thereforewhen the iudgements of Godwere denounced, it was notedas afigne of great deadnelfe of heart , ifthe molt Feare God, wretchedfinnerwere not finitten withterrour,andhe 3`, wasin thehigh& degreeofrepro- 00`"Og' bation, asPharaoh fcared,for it is thenature of an yron rod eafily to breake an earthen pot:But forpromifestobring vsto feare,it is asftraunge a thing as it is in naturethat thin wore. waterfhouldbreakeabody, andyetfomebodiestherebeoffoweakefubftance ,thatanie thingwilldiffolue them. Suds is the natureof them,whoPeeingand finding in themfelues u.Pers.03. a greatvnworthines,toinherite fuch gracious promifes of God, arc euer readie tomelt a. way,and to breakeinfunder,asbeatenwith anyron rod. Whereforeif wee can thusfeare FeareGods inloue, andloueinfeare,wemayhaueagoodteftimonietoourowneconfeiences ,tharwe promsfees. haue:agoodfeare,becaufetattinghow gracious &marueilons the Lord isin allhisSaints, we feareleatt we fhould loofefo goodand fograciousa Lord. q. It is goodto be ftriken with feare,fothat we henot init willingly, but beinghumbled therewith, fearchourowns corruption,& fo tobe moued to inquirefurther after God and hisword. S Thewicked fearenot,before afflictioncómeth:& then they fearetoomuch the godly Pietae inad- feare,before it come,& then theirfeare ceafeth.For itnpietietriumpheth in profperitie ,and seerfitie. tremblethinaduerfrtiegbutpietietremblethinprofperitie ,andtriumphethinaduerfitie. 6 IfMoyfes &theBeare feruantsof God were afraidwhen bee did appeare inmercie to Note. them,what (hall the conflationofthe wicked be, when hee commeth to mdgement. Wee cannot bepreparedtoreceive God inmercie, vnleffe webeftríken with a reverent feare, both becaufe we be hiscreatures, andalfo finfull 3 God is alwaies God, and is tobe fea- red. 7 Many,
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