on the i19. Pf Itne. Get Thus he flieweth howbee was a conquerour, and that heeperfeuered in the feareofGod, without touchofhisenemies. For(laith he)though thefeareofmy mighticaducrfarics was great;yet,becaufe the feareof theehad feafonedmineheart, and had left fuch a deepe im- prellion in me,I Rill was afraid leaft that by infidelitie I fhould miltrult thee,orby difobe- . . dienteI fhoulddifcredit thee. Whereforethe fpirituall feareof thee ouercaine all corp.. !tote: tall feare ofthem. The remediethen againR corporali feare,whichfo muchdaunteth thehearr,is to craue a greater feare of Gods Maietìie, the tirength whereof may ouermatch the Icffe feare. When the Kingsof Alfyria had confpired againR the people ofGod, the Prophetof God faid vetothem,Efay.8.t s.Sayrenor,Acenfederacieto allthem,towhom thispeoplefaith a con. f edcraci , neitherfeare)etheirfeare,norbeafraidof them. i3.Sanclofie the Lordofholler, and lethint beyourfeare, and lethim be yourdread. And leaft wee fhould thinke that this apper- taineth not as well to allChriRians as to the levees, let vs heare what the ApoltlePeter faith,r.Pet.3.14.Bleffedareye,if refuferforrighteoufnesfake :rea,fearenot theirfeare,neither betroubled. 15. But fanflifte the Lord tnyour )hearts.: and bereadie abraies togine an anfwere toemery man thataskethyon a rearms ofthehope that is inyon. Where the bleffld Apoff lefhew- eth,that wee arenot readie to make confeRionof our hopc,vntill tvee put away this feare, and fanaifie theLord in our hearts, glorifyinghis truth in proni ling, and hisr ghteouf- aies inperforming. Andto applie this to ourfclues : if theMagitrate Mould bring vsCo the Rackor torture,to betray thegoodcaufe of God,or innocencie ofourbrethren,let vs rather(care to difpleafeGod forhis threatnings,than man forhis puniflunent. And inparticularexampleto applie this dolrine,weheare (lere.r. r 7.) what theLord faith tothe Prophet : Saynor,Jam achild,dc.Be notafraidoftheirfaces :for Jamwith thee to deliuer thee.faith the Lord. Here the Lord addeth,verf, t 7. Thou therefore truffeop thy loynes, and arifeandfpeakeontoall that Jcommand thee :4enot afraid oftheirfaces,/call Jdetirov thee' before them.in whichplace theLord Jetted) downe a piomifeto affift him,and a threatsicg topun i(h him : both whichdid topreuaile, that lice durf (peakeboldly,and prouoke the King towrath. Aas5.we reade,that when the Prielts and Sadducesbeing full of indigna- tion,laidhands on theApoRles andput then' in chicommon prifon,Peter and the rclt of theApoRles anfwered : We ought ratherto obey God thanmen. Menacevs(lay they)as ninth asye wiil,we care not forit,wefeare to difcreditthe ble(fwlpromil"e,and lightly to pallè o- vertheheauie threatnings ofourGod,and wefeare you nor. Aóaine,this fearewas writ- ten in the heart ofPaul, s.Cor .9.I6. ThoughJpreach'the Gofpell, Jbanenothing toreioyceof: for necefoirie it laid 'uponme,and woe isontome if!preach not the Gofpell,dre. Howfoeuerwee thinke thiseafie to bee learned, it is doubdehlè molt hard to beepraaifed. For,thouglr Princesdoe not their duties, yet weemutt not therefore rebellagainR them : and though, we beperfecuted of rulerswithout a caufe,yet weemutt ttand in awe ofGods word : and our Saucour Chrilh hathpronounced, thatwhafoenerflriketh with thefrord,fhallperifhwith thefword. If then eitherour Princes flail bevngodly,ortheir vnder-officers vnfaithfull, weemuff not thereupon grudge topay tribute,toglue taske,and toyeeld f ub fidie : but we mutt doe them evenwith confcience,astothe ordinanceappointed ofGod,knowingandacknow- ledging, thatthe hardofGods wrath in their corrupt gouerr..imnt, is iuftly laidvponvs for tome finne. Wherefore theholy Gholh faith, Ecclef. r o.so. Curfe notthe King, no not in thy thought : neither cetrfethe richin thy bed-chamber :for thefocaleoftheheanets/hallcarriethe .oyce, andthat whichhachwingsAd! declare the matter. If then our Princes fhould vfe all' their tribute tofenlualitie, or take vp all their taxes for pleafirre, without either (careof God,orloue oftheir Common-wealth; yetcurie not the King, faith theWifeman,no,noe in thybed-chamber. Sothat ifliefh and blood fhouldmouevs to murmure,that we fhould tt be roadie tothinke euill of them that are in authoritie, the hohe Gliolt here warneth vs thatwe ere no lochs Ipeeches, andpat away fuch tisoughts, becauie both our ipercises and Note. thoughtsRand at the controllingofGodhis iudgements : but wemuff humblie afcribe it .s toour finne, that lice withdraweth his grace from them, and pullet) his wrath vponvs. a Wherefore if wetiinke,as many worldly men doe,that thoughtsarc frec,ard arcnot cal- L11 led
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