Perkins - BX9315 P465 1597

5L Theofate of a Chrzfi to all, but particular to fuch as are led with fuch an exceeding af'e&ion, asthefe holy men were, and which haue their hearts fo pearced and kind- ledwithdiuine loue, and fo raurfhed With the fame out ofthemfelues, that they forget all other things yea thernfelues, hawing nothing before their eye: but God, and his gioric. To this I ánfwete, that this affeion iscom- mon toall, though the meafure ofit bee diuers, inTome more, in tome lefle : which appeareth in that our Sauiour Chrill teacheth eucry one inhis prayer which bee made, before bee crane anyother thing, eitherconcerning.GO D, or himfelfe, to pray that Gods name maybe fanciifìed. For by this all Chri- flians are taught that theyare to ouerpaffe all confiderations ofthemfelues, theirowne pleafüreandprofite; their faluation or damnation : andabfolutely vvithanheartieaffee}ion, to feeke after the glorie of GO D in alltheir doings, that às Gods glorie is moll deare veto himfelfe, fo it may appeare alto that itis inoíl deare vntothem. Ifany thinke it flrano that Mofes, Paule, or any other fhould bee content to fall into miferie, to loofe their hues, and tobee eafl intoeternall perdition in hell fire, with reprobate and damned fpirites, ra- ther-than Gods honourfhould bee turned into difhpnour and blafphernie let them confide that wonderfull,is the power oftrue loue , which makes c r, Cor.t? all things eafïe: d«%hick is as .ftrong as thegratre, that ouercomes all, and ver1.7. was neuer yet ouercome : which is as a a i fire that a whole leaofwa- ver.6.7. Cant.8. y 1° ":gJ , . . . ters cannotquench. And the loue which thefemenhad to Goddid fo rauiíh them, thatthey felt no feare ofhellfire. XXXIX. The feare The fecond afle&ion is the feareof God, amoll excellent and wonderfull ofGod, . grace ofGO D. Salomon e matchethit , yea and preferreth it too, before eEccles:. all things in this world, makinait the ende ofall. Without it a mancannot fPro.r4 46 beewife, it is the'firfl Hep to wifedome, in it ii affuredgren w alto it it Aa.9.31. a wel/pring of life to efchewe the flares of death. The Churches of ludxa being in peace, wereedified, and walked in theg feareof CJ OD, andwere aboundantly filledwith the comfort oftheholieGhofl. In this feare ofGOD there bee two partes: Thefirfl isa perfwafion in the heart, that a man is in Godsprcféílcewherefocuer bee is, and whenbee byinfirmitie forgetsGOD, h Pfal.a6.8 a drawing ofhimfelfe into Gods pretence. As it was in Dauid, h 1hate -Gen.s.zz. ( faith hee) fltthe Lord alWaies before me. For bee is at my right hand, therefore I(hall not fide. And this his beingin the pretenceofG0D, bee fettethdownemoll excellently in the 139. Pfaline. i Enoch walkedwith God. k Gen.17.1. k4braharrs is commanded to tt,alk,e. before J odand tobe vpright.The fecond part. ofthe feare ofGod is, in Gods prefenceto Hand inawe ofhim ;'which is whenaman takes-heede iohis wales lefthee offend God. This aduifeDa f Pfa1,44 uìd hies toSautes Counfellers.í Stand in ague and 1/nne not.Pharaocoinman- rnExo.r.i7 dedtheMidwsousofAEi nttokillallthemalechildrenofthelfralitesattheir r. Efa.bd. 3. birth : the .did it nor becaufe m. they i oodin awe of God, fearing todif->leafe him. And hence itis that the heareÇCodsword Withfeare trfblin. XL.

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