48-6 Ofgodsfe4re. coda feare Our knowledge muff endein feare : that ignorance is bold it isplaine: but diatexperi. Gdaudeh ence fhould tremble at things either Imminent or prelent,that is it which Mofesthought feare. fo orange a thing,thathee durft conclude, Pfahoo. that :fweefearenot,wee areignorant. No marueile,it pleaèth the holyChou toioyne feare, and thewifedome ofGod alwaies toge. ther,eytier as the begintier,oras the tinifher of it. That it is thebeginningof wifedome it is plaine Prouerb. t. that it isthe endofwifedome it is manifeft Eccleuaftes s z; fo that it is notpoffble to haletruewífedoine without this beginning , neyther can wee amine to tbeperfe5hon of it witbout this ending. Now the catifes why weedoe not feare arevuele, eyther for that weare wifein our owneconceit,or els weebeftonie hearted, both whiche. utisare cured in vs by feare: The fireis proued, Prouerb. z r. where it is laid : Blefed is the man thatfearethi huthe that hardneth hisheartJim !, fall intomill, where is aplaineoppofition betweene the feare ofGod and hardnesofheart. Thefecond is to be fliewed Prouerb3.y. Be notwife in thine Daneeyes,but feare theLord: wherewe feethefeare ofGod correE%eth this conceit ofourfelues in vs. This wee faythen,that lice thatfearer) not, bath eyther pride or Lo:aew::hwu hardnes;andifthefe two thennowifedome,andconfequentlyheisconuincednottohaue feare- knowledge. Feare and wifedomemakesa man a man: itisthe conclufionalfo,andfhuttinbg vp ofallloue;the reafon is, louegroweth fecure withoutfeare, and beeingfecure it loofèth her 1poufe, as wee fee in theFongof Salmon: where the Churchbewailes the lolfeof her Lcue,whileft thefell a licepe: wherefore I fay,asin the beginning,we snailbane afeareof wrath ; lb in the endwesnuff isauea feare of loling. InHebrew. z a. when tiseApolilebe-. forehad fpokenof Loue, leanthat wee fhould fecurelylofe it, heends all witha trembling Shinebreed, fentence,and fisutteth it vp with a fineclaufe, God isaconfumingfire. Itis given toall lince feare,andbow Adam, after weeliane finned tofeare, and to hide ourfelues, in regard whereof thetheefe much. tremblesat thefight of the Iodge, & the veriedead tree (hikes a feareinto the confcience ofthefuperftitious woríhipper. Nay Imay lay the diuell trembleth,and euery (innerMa- kingofffeare, after hee bath finned, inuifieth thediuell himfelfe in this-refpebt, and fo in fhuf flingoff theforewarningofGods iudgement,he paffeth all in wickednes,either in the Church or without the Church, or inbell.Neyther aloftwe fimplie feare, but basica cer- taine meafureoffeare:we may fay asAbraham laid inGenefis, ifthere beno feareof God, then there is fureheno place left for the Churchof God. Thorough the mercieofGodwe cannot yet "fayfo: forthough thechurch at thisday benotfo ialtifableas it fhould be-nay it is condemnablein refpect ofthat which it ought tobe : yet wecannotfay bat Abraham batha place with vs:wickednes is not yet come to fttch apttch,that there is nofeare ofGod withvs. Howbeit iserein wee bedefeasue, in thatourknowiedgcandfeareof God is-not proportionable toourteachmg,and the iufticeof God : Forletting our continuall teach- ing with our dilcontinoed profitinlearning,andfeeingthemarkesofGodsiudgmentsare let in the bowelsof the Nations round about vs, this thing rightly weyed,our{careis no- thing,our knowledgeis,little,theLordmay liauehisaétion againuvs,becaufe thoughwee haueform thinnefeare, yet it is nothingproportionable. Whereforeasit is notfuf icient thatour ieditations in the lawbemeditations, but that in urengthand comfort they ex- ceede allour thoughtsof the world; and asGod requirethnot only anhearing, but fuck attention in hearing,as we hiearenothingsnore lseedeiyand carefuhhie: lower muff frate and that accordingly, and thisaccording is that whichwill condemnevs, becaule (Ifay) our affeetions arenot according to their obieît. But beholda greater culli, foras weelet not ouraffeétionshigh enough ingood things, fo wee racke them too farre in euillthings. We fearenot Godenough;we fearethe world too much; thelone theword too fcantly;we loue ourprofits tooexcefiiuelie. Sothere is a iarre in both, our fearein fpirituall thinges is defe&íue,in worldly things exceffme.And fureliethough wecouldnot doe it in filchInca- -furcabout thebelt things,becauk weecannotreach fohigh in letter things (whichthing if we could doe,it werea greatpart of an Apologie forvs) yet for that-wee fearefomuch in lelferthings,and feareto little ingreater,this will indeede accufe vs. Againe,that our franc isnotaccording to Godswrath, it is knowneby cakingthat fmafl meafure and fcantling cf it, which weeare wont todoe; for whereas theword pathmadethe feare ofGod tobe ourmeafure for the feare and forfaking of finne Iob t. wee by making ourfeare of God light,
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