Of`Godsfeare. I our finnes,God is difpleafed withvs? becaufe we millike floeourcòrruptions, GodPhew- ethhismitliking of'them ; becaufe weeare notangrie with our fettles, God is angrie with vs.Sinne defcruethwrath,and finne muff haue wrath,either at ourhandsor at the Lords hands. If weebe wrathful! with our felues,and take an indignationwithour ownefettles, as a.Cor.7>theLord will remit his wrath ; ifwe will fudgeour fettles, God will not iudge vs. If atany time wee come toiudgeofGods wrath,weeaccomptofitasofan impotent xov ear thing : wrath lothworke, the wrathof the leaf( doth moue,and I would wee fearedthe Godtrorathirs wrath oftheLordas muchas wedoe the wrathof Princes. But wethinkeOModswrath as ofhis mercie,we fearehim as one of finis anger and (mall power,wee thankshim for leis mercies as a niggardly God, andpinchingOut. Whenwee dealein duties to Godward, wecut them,we mincewith him,weemeafure and flint him,as though we would becues with óim : but when it comes toour wickedneffe,weare both largeand bold : we doe as men that thought theLordwaseither blinde and couldnot fee our doing, or asthough his armes werebound vp ina cloute that he couldnot Itrikevs. The weakenes ofGod is fironger than anyItrong thing in man,' .Corinth.[.the very weakenes ofGod is fironget than the ftrength ofinen. Buthow fhall we conceiueof this weakenes ? In a manwee as comps that weakenes,whichhis little fingerhardly can touch. Now then if wee w ill cone (asitwere)to Gods littlefinger, and takebut the confenion ofall the wife men inEgypt, andof their Magitians: and wee Thal! fee,tliat in thofe rare and notableplagues which cameois the land, they faid it was the fingerof theLord, Come to theaffli&ions of lob, wherein heloftgoods,cattel,and children,and the diuell(I fay)makesall that but a touch of his little finger: and yet this fpent all.Thebreath is counted ina nail but aweak thína butcome tothevery breathof theLord,and wefhall fee allthat is inman is angriffe, and the beft things in him as theflower of gralfe,when the fpirit ofthe 'Lord bloweth upon it. Efay.q.o. t7.andPlatt 8.8.ií isfail, Smokewent out ofhrinofirei,, anda confusingfireour of bus mouth : fo that great is thepower ofhisvery noftrels, and 'nightie is the veryweakenes andinfirmitie of hiswrath. Ifthis be theweaknes ofGod,what is his ltrength,his firength (Ifay)whenhe is comparedto a giant,orto a Lyon: to a giant ofall men the.greatefi; toa lyonofall beafls the firongeff ? If hebe fomightie when he toucheth vs butwith his. fin- ger,how terrible is he ifhe ftrike vs withhisarse?NowWhat¡hallwe faywhen he cot. es notonely with ftrength in I:imfelfe,in hisSnger,in his noftrels,& inhis arme;but lie is ar- med,he bath his fwordwhet,& hisbow bent againitvs,as a man prepared for thebattell? Sothat ifwe be ferre off,then hebathhis bow tofetch vs, ifwe beneere,then hebath his fword to ftrike vs. Butwhat fpeake weeofáfword, or ofa bow,when bee bath notonely thefe,but powers Sewhole armiesofhiscreatures againft vs,asoffire,ofhaile,ofthunder- bolts,yea ofthe leali and vileff creatures,as ofliceand flyes,to comeonvs? So that if the fword finde vs not,his thunder-bolt fhall meetevs; when thehayle doth notmakeanend ofvs,the fire will confiimevs, if the firewouldnot burne,themallet wouldbruité vs : fur. ther thanall this,heBathhis chariots andthoufands of chariotsin the whirls-wind, and his pillersof fire to terrificvs : andwhich more is,hehath his thoufands and twentie thou- fandsofAngels tomakea fpoyle. of all at hisbecke.: fógreat is the wrath ofthe Ahnigli- tie,hispower will notfaile,ail his works will aff'lt him,andwhenone bathdone hisdude, anotherwillfollow : fo that we(hall furely be wearie offuffering,before hebewearieof af- fliaing,or weake in punifhing.But topalle over thefpeaking ofhis ftrength: let vs looks toour owneweaknes,wearebutas pottersvenéls,ifweehit but one againfhanother,: cc breake,we fallinto fhards ateuery knocke : and if the Lord lift vp leis rod again([ vs,wee !hall bebrought todoff ; if a littlerodwill not feriae to doe it,hewill take a crowofyron and fling at vs.To be fhort,theLyon cotnmethbeforehim theVnicorne firms him, Be- hemotb is takenwith Isisfword, Leviathancannot Rand before him. And the difference betweene the power ofGod, and the powerof Princes isasgreat: Princes canonly feaze on the bodie,and all their wrath can goeno further than thislife : hurdle Lordattacheth aswell the fouleas the bodie,and Isis anger is as hot and hotterin the life to some,as is is in thislife.. re a our
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