after though he sought the same vvith teares Also the sinne of Saule whoe his sinne beinge but one synne and that onlye of omission in not killinge agag the kynge of Amalech and his cattell as he was willed was vtterlie cast of by God for the same though he were his annointed and chosen seruant before and could not get remission of the same though both he and Samuell the prophet did greatly lament and bewaille the same synne Also I might alleage the example of kinge Dauid whose two synnes albeit vppon his hartie repentar ce God forgaue yet besides all the weepinge fastinge watchinge lyeinge on grownde wearinge of sackeloth and other punishement of bodye that Dauid did vse God punished the same with maruaylous seueritie as with the death of Dauides sonne and other continuall afliction vnto him as longe as he liued And all this to shew his hati ed against synne and thereby to terrifie vs from committinge the same Of this also doe proceede all those harde and bitter speeches in scripture towching sinners which cōming from the mouthe of the holye ghost and therfore beinge most trewe and certaine may iustlye geeue all them greate cause of feare which lyue in synne as where it is saied death bloode contention edge of 〈◊〉 oppression hunger 〈◊〉 and vvhyppes all thes thinges are created forvvicked sinners And againe God shall rayne snares 〈◊〉 vppon sinners brimstone vvith tempestuous vvyndes shal be the portion of their 〈◊〉 Agayne God wil be knowen at the day of iudgement vppon the synner whoe shal be taken in the 〈◊〉 of his owne handes manye whippes belonge vnto a synner let synners be turned into hell God shall scatter all sinners God shall dashe the teeth of synners in their mouthes God shall scoffe at a sinner whē he seethe his daye of destruction cometh on the sworde of sinners shall turne into their owne hartes thow shalt see when sinners shall perishe The armes of sinners shal be crushed and broken sinners shall wither from the earth desire not the glorye and riches of a synner for thow doest not know the subuersion which shall come vpō hym God hath geeuen him riches to deceaue him therwith beholde the daye of our lorde shall come a cruell daye full of indignation wrath and furye to make desolate the earth and to crushe in peeces her synners within her The iust man shall reioyse seinge this reuenge then shall he washe his handes in the blood of sinners These a thowsande suche sentences more of scripture which I omitt vttered by the holye ghost against synners maye instruct vs of their pitifull estate and of the vnspeakable hatred of God against them as long as they perfist in synne Of all these considerations the holy scriptures doe gather one conclusion greatlye to be noted and considered by vs which is miseros facit populos peccatum Synne bringeth men to miserie And againe Qui diligit iniquitatem odit animam suam he vvhich loueth iniquitie 〈◊〉 his ovvne soule Or as the Angel Raphaell vttereth it in other wordes shey vvhich cōmit finne are open enemyes to their ovvne sovvles VVherfore they laye downe to all men this generall seuere and most necessarie cōmaundement vpon all the paines before recited Quasi a facie colubri fuge peccata Flee from siane as from the face of a suake And againe caue ne aliquando peccato consentias Bevvare thovv neuer consent to siane For how soeuer the worlde doeth make litle accounte of this matter of whome as a scripture noteh the sinner is praysed in his lustes and the vvicked man is blessed yet most certaine it is for that the spirite of God auoucheth it qui facit peccatum ex diabolo est He vvhich cōmitteth sinne is of the deuill and therfore is to receaue his portion amonge deuills at the latter daye And is not all this sufficient deare brother to make vs detest sinne and to conceaue some feare in cōmittinge therof nay is not all this strong enough to batter their hartes which liue in state of sinne and doe committ the same daylie with out consideration or scruple what obstinacie and hardnes of harte is this surelye we see the holye ghost prophesied trewlye of them when he sayede sinners alienated from God are possessed vvith a furye like a serpent and like a deafe cocatrise vvhich stoppeth her heares to the enchaunter this furie I saie is the furye or madnesse of willfull synners which stoppe their eares lyke serpentes to all the holy enchauntmentes that God can vse vnto them for their conuersion that is to all his internall motions good inspirations to all remorse of their owne conscicnces to all threatninges of holye scriptures to all admonishmentes of gods seruantes to all the other meanes which God can vse for their saluation Good Lorde whoe would committ a mortall sinne for the gayninge of ten thowsande worldes yf he considered the infinite dommages hurtes incōueniences miseries which doe come by the committinge of one sinne for first he that sinneth mortallie leeseth the grace of God inherent in his sowle which is the greatest gift that Cod can geeue to a creature in this lyfe consequentlye he leeseth all those thinges which dyd accōpanye that grace as the vertues infused and the seuen giftes of the holy ghost wherby the sowle was bewtyfied in the sight of her spouse and armed against the assaultes of her enemies Secondlie he leesethe the fauour of God and consequentlye his fatherlye protection care and prouidence ouer hym and gayneth hym to be his professed enemie Which how great a losse it is we may esteeme by the state of a worldley courtier which should leese the fauour of an earthlie prince and incurre mortall hatred by the same Thirdly he leeseth all inheritance clayme and title to the kyngdome of heauen whiche is dew onlye by grace as S. Paule noteth and consequentlye depriuethe hym selfe of all dignities cōmoditiesfolowinge the same in this lyfe as the condition and high priueledge of a sonne of God the communion of sainctes the protection of Angels and the lyke Fowerthlye he leeseth the quiet ioye and tranquilitie of a good conscience and all the fauours cherisnmentes consolations and other cūfortes wherwithe the holie ghost is wont to visite the mindes of the Iust. Pyuethlye he leeseth the merit and reward of all his good woorkes done sence he was borne whatsoeuer he doth or shall doe while he standeth in that state Sixthlye he maketh hym selfe guyltie of eternall punishmēt and engrosseth his name in the booke of perdition and consequentlie byndeth hym selfe to all these incōueniences wherto the reprobate are subiect that is to be inheritour of hell fyre to be in the power of the deuill and his Angels to be subiect to all synne and temptation of sinne and his
the time of Noe. The dreadfull consuming of Sodom and Gomorra with the cities about yt by 〈◊〉 and brimston the sending downe quicke to hell of Chore Dathan and Abyron with the slaughter of two hundred and fiftie their adherents for rebellion against Moyses and Aaron The suddain killing of Nadab Abiu sonnes of Aaron and chosen preestes for once offering of other fire on the Aultar than was appointed them The most terrible striking dead of Ananias and Saphira for retaining some parte of their owne goodes by deceit from the Apostles with many mo such examples whiche the scripture dothe recounte And for the greeuousnes of gods iustice heauines of his hād when it lighteth vpon vs thoughe it may appeare sufficientlie by all these examples before alleaged wherin the particular punishementes as you see are moste rigorous yet will I repeat one act of God more owt of the scripture whiche expresseth the same in wounderfull maner It is well knowne that Beniamin among all the twelue sōnes of Iacob was the dearest vnto his father as appeareth in the booke of genesis therfore also greatlie respected by God and his tribe placed in the best part of all the land of promise vpon the diuisiō therof hauing Ierusalem Iericho and other the best cities within it Yet notwithstandinge for one onelie sinne committed by certayne priuate men in the citie of Gabaa vppon the wife of a leuit God punished the whole tribe in this order as the scripture recounteth He caused all the other eleuen tribes to ryse against them and first to come to the house of God in Silo to ask his aduise and folow his direction in this warre against their brethren And thence hauing by gods appointement entered battaile twise with the tribe of Beniamin the third daye God gaue them so greate a victorie as they slew all the liuing creatures within the compasse of that tribe except onelie six hundred men that escaped awaye into the desert the rest were slayne bothe man woman children and infantes together with all the beastes and cattall and all the cities villages and howses burnt with fire And all this for one sinne committed onelie at one time with one woman And who will not then cōfesse with Moy ses that God is a iust God a great God and a terrible God who will not confesse with S. Paul It ys horrible to fall into the handes of the lyuing God VVho will not say with holye Dauid A Iuditiis tuis timui I haue feared at the remembrance of thy iudgementes If God wolde not spare the destroyeing of a whole tribe for one sinne onelie yf he wolde not perdon Chore Dathan and Abiron for once the sonnes of Aaron for once Ananias and Saphira for once if he wold not forgyue Esau though he demaunded it with teares as S. Paul saieth if he wold not remitt the punishemēt of one fault to Moyses Aarō thoughe they asked it with great instance if he wolde not forgyue one prowde cogitation vnto the Angells nor one eatinge of an apple vnto Adam without infinite punishement nor wolde not passe ouer the cuppe of affliction from hys owne sonne though he asked it thrise vpon hysknees with the sweate of bloode and water what reason hast thow to thinke that he will lett passe so many sinnes of thyne vnpunished what cause hast thow to induce the imagination that he will deale extraordinarilie with thee and breake the course of hys iustice for thy sake art thow better thē those whome I haue named hast thow any priuilege from God aboue them If thou woldest consider the greate and straunge effectes of gods iustice whiche we see daylie executed in the world thou shouldest haue litle cause to persuade thy selfe so fauorablie or rather to flatter thy selfe so daugerouslie as thou doest VVe see that notwithstāding godes mercye yea after the deathe and passion of Christ our Sauiour for sauing of the whole world yet so many infinite millions to be damned daylie by the iustice of God so many infideles heathens Iewes and Turkes that remayne in the darkenes of their owne ignorance and among Christians so many hereti ques misbeleuers amonge Catholiques so many euell lyuers as Christ truelie sayde that fewe were they whiche should be saued albeit his deathe was payd for all yf they made not them selues vnworthie therof And before the comming of our Sauyour muche more we see that all the world wēt a-wrye to dānatiō for many thousand yeres together excepting a fewe Iewes whiche were the people of God And yet among them also the greater part perhappes were not saued as may be coniectured by the speeches of the prophetes from tyme to time and speciallie by the sayeings of Christ to the pharisees and other rulers therof Now then yf God for the satisfieing of his iustice could lett so manye milliōs perishe throughe their owne sinnes as he dothe also now daylie permitt without any preiudice or impechement to his mercie whye may not he also damne thee for thy sinnes notwithstanding his mercie seyng thou doest not onelie cōmitt them without feare but also doest confidentlie persist in the same But here perhappes some man may saye yf this be so that God is so seuere in punishement of euerie sinne and that he damnethe so many thousandes for one that he saueth how is it true that the mercies of God are aboue all his other vuoorkes as the scripture saythe and that it passeth and exalteth it selfe aboue his iudgement for yf the number of the damned doe exceede so muche the number of those which are saued it seemeth that the worcke of iustice dothe passe the worcke of mercie To which I answere that touching the small number of those that are saued and infinite quantitie of suche as are damned we maye in no wyse dowte for that beside all other prophetes Christ our Sauiour hathe made the matter certaine owt of question VVe haue to see therfore how notwithstāding all this the mercie of God dothe exceede his other worckes And first his mercie may be sayd to exceede for that all our saluation is of his mercie our damnation from our selues as from the first and principall causes therof according to the sayeing of God by the prophet Perditio tua Israel taniummodo in me auxilium tuum Thy onelie perdition is from thy selfe o Israel thy assistance to doe good is onelie from me So that as we muste acknowlege gods grace and mercie for the author of euerie good thought and acte that we doe and consequenlie ascribe all our saluation vnto hym so none of our euill actes for whiche we are damned doe proceede from hym but onelie from our selues and so he is no cause at all of our damnation and in this dothe his mercie exceede his iustice Secondlie his mercie dothe exceede in that he desireth all men to be saued
mercie is accounted by diuines for the first of the six greuous sinnes against the holie ghoste whiche our Sauioure in the gospell signifieth to be so hardlie perdoned vnto men by his father and the reason whye they call this a sinne against the hoyle ghost is for that it reiecteth willfullye one of the principall meanes left by the ho lye ghost to retyre vs from sinne whiche is the feare and respect of gods iustice vpon sinners VVherfore to conclude this matter of presumption me thinke we may vse the same kynde of argument touching the feare of gods iustice as S. Paul vseth to the Romanes of the feare of gods ministers which are temporall princes woldest thow not feare the power of a temporall prince sayeth he doe well then thow shalt not onelie not feare but also receyue laude and prayse therfore But if thow doe euill then feare For he beareth not the swoorde without a cause In lyke sort may we saye to those good felowes whiche make god so mercifull as no man ought to feare his iustice VVolde ye not feare my brethren the iustice of god in punishement lyue vertuouslie then and you shall be as voyde of feare as lyons are fayeth the wiseman For that perfect charitie expelleth feare But yf you lyue wickedlie then haue you cause to feare for god called not hym selfe a iust iudge for nothing If the matter had bene so secure as manye men by flatterie doe persuade themselues it is S. Peter wold neuer haue sayde vnto Christianes now baptized VValke you in feare during the time of this your earthelie habitatiō Nor S. Paul to the same men VVoorke your ovvne saluation in feare and tremblyng But here perhappes some men will aske how then doeth the same Apostle in an other place say That God hath not geuen vs the spirite of feare but of vertue loue and sobrietie to which I answere that our spirite is not a spirit of seruile feare that is to lyue in feare onelie for dreade of punishement without loue but a spirite of loue ioyned with the feare of childrē wherby they feare to offend their father not onelye in respect of his punishement but principallie for his goodnes towardes them and benefites bestowed vpon them This S. Paul declareth playnlie to the Romanes putting the differēce betwene seruile feare and the feare of childeren you haue not receyued agayne the spirit of seruitude saythe he in feare but the spirite of adoption of children vvherby vue crye to God Abha father He saythe heere to the Romanes you haue not receyued againe the spirite of seruitude in feare for that their former spirite being gentiles was onelye in seruile feare for that they honoured adored their Idoles not for any loue they beare vnto them being so infinite as they were and suche notable lewdnes reported of the I meane of Iupiter Mars Venus and the lyke but onelie for feare of hurt from them yf they dyd not serue and adore the same Saint Peter also in one sentence expoundeth all this matter For hauing sayde timoreincorum ne timueritis feare not their feare meaning of the seruile feare of wicked men he addeth presentlie Dominū autem Christum sanctificate in cordibus vesiris c cum modestia timore conscientiam habentes bonam That is doe you sanctifie our Lord Iesus Christ in your hartes hauing a good conscience with modestie and feare So that the spirite of seruile feare which is grounded onelie vpon respect of punishemēt is forbidden vs but the louing feare of children is cōmaunded And yet also about this are there two things to be noted The first that albeit the spirite of seruile feare be forbidden vs especiallie when we are now entered into the seruice of God yet is it most profitable for sinners and suche as yet but begynne to serue God for that it moueth them to repentance and to looke aboute them for which cause it is called by the wyseman the begynnyng of vvisdome And therfore bothe Ionas to the Niniuites and S. Iohn Baptist to the lewes and all the prophets to sinners haue vsed to styrre vp this feare by threatning the daungers and punishementes which were imminent to them yf they repented not But yet afterward when men are conuerted to God and doe goe forwarde in his seruice they chaunge euery daye this seruyle feare into loue vntill they arriue at last vnto that state wherof S. Iohn saythe that perfect loue or charitie expelleth feare VVherupon S. Austen sayeth that feare is the seruāt sent before to prepare place in our hartes for his mystres vvhiche is charitie VVho beyng once entered in and perfectlie placed feare goeth owte againe and geueth place vnto the same But where this feare neuer entereth at all there is it impossible for charitie euer to come and dwell fayeth this holye father The second thing to be noted is that albeyt this feare of punishement be not in verie perfect men or at leastwyse is lesse in them than in others as S. Iohn teacheth yet beyng ioyned with loue and reuerence as it ought to be it is moste profitable and necessarie for all common Christianes whose lyfe is not so perfect nor charitie so greate as that perfection wherof S. Iohn speakethe This appeareth by that that Christ persuaded also this feare euen vnto his Apostles sayeing feare you hym vvhiche after he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bodye hath povver 〈◊〉 to send bothe bodye and soule vnto hell fyre this I saye 〈◊〉 you feare hym The same dothe S. Paul to the 〈◊〉 whoe were good Christians layeing downe first the iustice of God and therupon persuading them to feare All we sayeth he must be preseted before the tribunal seat of Christ to receiue eche man his proper desertes according as he hath done good or euill in this lyfe And for that we knowe this we doe persuade the feare of our Lord vnto men Nay that whiche is more S. Paul testifieth that notwithstanding all his fauours receyued from God he retayned yet him selfe this feare of Gods iustice as appeareth by those woordes of his I doe chastyne my bodie and doe bring it into seruitude least porchaunce vvhen I haue preached to other I become a reprobate my selfe Now my freend yf S. Paul stoode in awe of the iustice of God notwitstāding his Apostleshipp and that he was guiltie to hym selfe of no one sinne or offence as he protesteth what oughtest thou to be whose conscience remayneth guyltie of so many misdeedes wickednes This knovve you sayeth S. Paul that no fornicator vncleane persone couetouse man or the lyke can haue inheritance in the kingdome of Christ. And immediatlie after as thoghe this had not bene sufficient he addeth for preuenting the folye of sinners whiche flatter them selues Lett no man deceyue you uvith vayne vvoordes for the vvrathe of God cometh for these thinges vpon the children
woldest thrust him into fyre or flynge hym into a ditche he woold auoide it as muche as he coulde for that he loueth lyfe and 〈◊〉 death Feare thow then and be not more insensible than a beast Feare death feare iudgement feare hell this feare is called the begynninge of wisdome and not shame or sorow for that the spirite of feare is more potent to resist sinne than the spirite of shame or sorow wherfore it is saide remēber the ende and thovv shalt neuer sinne that is remember the finall punishmentes appointed for sinne after this lyfe Thus far S. Bernarde First therfore to speake in generall of the punishmentes reserued for the lyfe to come yf the scriptures did not declare in perticular theire greatnes vnto vs yet are there manie reasons to persuade vs that they are most feuere dolorous intollerable For first as God is a God in all his woorkes that is to saye greate wounderfull terrible so especialie he sheweth the same in his punishmentes beinge called for that cause in scripture deus iustitiae God of iustice as also deus vltionum God of reuenge VVherfore seinge all his other woorkes are maiestical exceedinge our capacities we maye lykewise gather that his hande in punishmēt must be wounderfull also God hym selfe teacheth vs to reason in this maner when he sayethe And vvill ye not then feare me and vvill ye not tremble before my face vvhiche haue putt the sande as a stopp vnto the sea and haue geeuen the vvater a commandement neuer to passe it no not vvhen it is most trovvbled the flooddes most outragious as who would saye yf I am wounderfull doe passe your imaginatiō in these woorkes of the sea and other which you see daylie you haue cause to feare me cōsideringe that my punishmentes are lyke to be correspondent to the same An other coniecture of the great and seuere iustice of God maye be the cōsideration of his infinite and vnspekeable mercie the whiche as it is the verie nature of God without ende or measure as his godhead is so is also his iustice And these two are the two 〈◊〉 as it were of God embracinge kyssnge one the other as the scripture saieth Therfore as in a man of this world yf we had the measure of one arme we might easely cōiecture of the other so seinge the wounderfull exāples dailie of godes infinite mercie towardes them that doe repent we maye imagyne by the same his seuere iustice towardes them whoe he reserueth to punishment in the next lyfe and whome for that cause he calleth in the scriptures Vasa furoris Vessels of his furye or vessels to shew his furye vppon A third reason to perswade vs of the greatnes of these punishmentes maye be the maruailous patiēce and longe sufferinge of God in this lyfe as for example in that he sufferethe diuers men from one sinne to an other from one daye to an other from one yere to an other frō one age to an other to spend all I saye in dishonoure and dispite of his maiestie addinge offence to offence and refusinge all perswasions allurementes good inspirations or other meanes of frindshipp that his mercie can deuise to offer for theire amendment And what man in the world could suffer this or what mortall hart can shew suche patience but now yf all this should not be requited with seueritie of punishmēt in the worlde to come vppon the obstinate it might seeme against the lawe of iustice and equitie and one arme in God might seeme longer than the other S. Paule toucheth this reason in his epistle to the Romans where he saithe doest thovv not knovv that the benignitie of God is used to bringe thee to repentance and thovv by thy harde and impenitent hart doest hoord vpp vengeance vnto thy selfe in the daye of vvrath and appearance of Gods iust iudgementes vvhich shall restore to euerie man accordinge to his vvorkes he vseth heere the wordes of hoordinge vpp of vengeance to signifie that euen as the couetous man doth hoorde vp monie to monie dailie to make his heape greate so the vnrepentant synner dothe hoorde vp sinne to sinne and God on the contrary side hoordeth vpp vengeance to vengeance vntill his measure be full to restore in the end measure against measure as the prophet saith and to paye vs home accordinge to the multitude of our ovvne obhominations This God meant when he sayde to Abraham that the iniquities of the Amorrheans vvere not yet full vpp Also in the reuelations vnto S. Iohn Euangelist when he vsed this cōclusion of that booke He that doth euill let hym doe yet more euill and he that lyeth in filth let hym yet become more filthie for beholde I come quicklye and my revvarde is vvith me to render to euerye man accordinge to his deedes By which wordes God signifieth that his bearinge tolleratinge with sinners in this lyfe is an argument of his greater serueritie in the lyfe to come which the prophet Dauid also declareth when talkinge of a careles sinner he saieth Dominus irridebit eum quoniam 〈◊〉 quòd veniet dies eius Our God shall scoff at hym foreseinge that his daye shall come This daye no dout is to be vnderstoode the daye of accounte and punishement after this lyfe for soo dothe God more at large declare hym selfe in an other place in these wordes And thow sonne of man this saieth thy lord God the end is come now I saye the end is come vppon the. And I will shew in the my furye and will iudge the acoordinge to thy waies I will laye against the all thy abominations and my eye shall not spare the nor will I take anye mercie vppon the but I will put thyne owne wayes vppon the and thow shalt know that I am the lord Behold affliction commeth on the end is come the end I saye is come it hath watched against the and beholde it is come crusshinge is now come vppon the the tyme is come the daye of slaughter is at hand Shortlie will I poure owt my wrathe vppon the and I will fill my furye in the and I will iudge the accordinge to thy waies and I will laye all thy vvickednes vppon the my eye shall not pitie the nor vvil I take any compassion vppon the but I will laye thy vvaies vppon the and thy abhominations in the 〈◊〉 of the and thovv shalt knovv that I am the lorde that striketh Hytherto is the speeche of God hym selfe Seinge then now we vnderstāde in generall that the punishmentes of Cod in the lyfe to come are moste certaine to be greate seuere to all suche as fall into them for whiche cause S. Paule saithe Horrendum est incidere in manus dei viuentis it is is a 〈◊〉 thinge to fall into the handes of our lyuinge God Let vs consider some what in particular
as S. Paul teacheth and hym selfe protesteth when he sayeth I vvill not the deathe of a sinner but rather that he turne from hys uvickednes and lyue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he coÌ„playneth greeuouslie that men vvill not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your uvicked vvayes saythe he vvhye uvill ye dye you hovvse of Isreal By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to all but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were constrained therunto hy our obstinate behauioure This Christ signifieth more plainlie when he sayth to Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem whiche kyllest the prophetes and stonest them to deathe that are sent vnto thee how often wolde I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickyns vndernethe her wynges but thou woldest not beholde thy howse for this cause shal be made desert and left withoute children Heere you see thee mercie of God ofteÌ„ offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction desolatioÌ„ vpon them which he fullsilled within fortie or fiftie yeeres after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie discomfaited the citie of IerusaleÌ„ whole nation of Iewes whome we see dispersed ouer the world at this daye in bondage bothe of bodie soule VVhiche worke of gods Iustice thoghe it be moste terrible yet was his mercie greater to them as appeareth by Christs woordes yf they had not reiected the sonne Thirdlie his mercie exceedeth his Iustice euen towardes the damned them selues in that he vsed many meanes to saue them in this lyfe by geuing them freewill and assisting the same with his grace to doe good by mouing them inwardlie with infinite good inspirations by alluringe them owtwardlie with exhortatioÌ„s promisses exaÌ„ples of other as also by sickenes aduersities other gentle corrections by geuinge them space to repent with occasions opportunities and excitations vnto the same by threatning them eternall deathe yf they repented not All whiche thinges beinge effectes of mercie and goodnes towarde them they must needes confesse amyddest theyr greatest furie and tormentes that his iudgementes are true iustified in them selues and no wayes to be compared with the greatnes of his mercies By this then we see that to be true which the prophet sayeth Misericordiam veritatem diligit dominus God loueth mercie and trueth And againe Mercie and trueth haue mett together Iustice and peace haâ—…e kyssed them selues VVe see the reason why the same prophet protesteth of hym selfe I vvill sing vnto thee mercie iudgemeÌ„t o Lord not mercie alone nor iudgement alone but mercie and iudgement together that is I will not so presume of thy mercie as I will not feare thy iudgement nor will I so feare of thy iudgement as I will euer despayre of thy mercie The feare of Gods iudgement is alwayes to be ioyned with our confidence in gods mercie yea in verye saintes them selues as Dauid sayeth But what feare that feare trulie whiche the scripture describeth when it sayeth the feare of our Lord expelleth sinne the feare of God hateth all euill he that feareth God neglecteth nothing he that feareth God will turne and looke into his owne hart he that feareth God will doe good woorkes They whiche feare God will not be incredulous to that whiche he saye 〈◊〉 but will keepe his wayes and seeke owt the things that are pleasant vnto hym They will prepare theyr 〈◊〉 and sanctifie their sowles in his sight This is the description of the true feare of God sett downe by the scripture This is the descriptioÌ„ of that feare which is so much commended and coÌ„maunded in euerye part and parcell of gods woorde Of that feare I saye which is called 〈◊〉 vitae radix prudentiae corona plenitudo sapientia gloria gloriatio beatum donum That is the fountaine of lyfe the roote of prudeÌ„ce the crowne fulnes of wisedome the glorie gloriation of a Christian man a happie gyft Of hym that hathe this feare the scripture saythe happie is the man vuhiche feareth our Lorde for he vvill place his mynde vpon his coÌ„maundementes And againe the man that feareth god shal be happie at the last ende and shal be blessed at the daye of hys deathe Finallie of suche as haue this feare the scripture saythe that God is theyr foundation God hath prepared great multitude of sweetnes for them God hathe purchased them an inheritance God is as mercyfull to them as the father is mercifull vnto his children And to conclude Voluntatem timeÌ„tium se faciet God will doe the will of those that feare him with this feare This holie feare had good Iob wheÌ„ he sayd to god I feared all my vvorkes And he yealdeth the reason therof For that I knevve that thovv sparest not hym that offendeth thee This feare backed the other of whome the prophet sayeth The sinner hathe exaspered God by sayeing that god will not take accoÌ„pte of his doeings in the multitude of wrathe Thy iudgementes o Lord are remoued from his sight And againe wherfore hathe the wicked man styrred vp god against hym selfe by sayeing god will not take account of my doeyngs yt is a great wickednes no dowt and a greate exasperation of God against vs to take the one halfe of gods nature from hym whiche is to make hym mercifull without iustice and to lyue so as though God wolde take no accouÌ„t of our lyfe wheras he hath protested most earnestlie the contrarie sayeing that he is a hard and eouetous man whiche will not be coÌ„teÌ„t to receyue his owne againe but also will haue vsurie that he will haue a reckening of all hys goodes lent vs that he will haue fruite for all his labours bestowed vppon vs finallie that he will haue account for euery woorde that we haue spoken Christ in the three score eight psalme which in sundrye places of the gospell he interpreteth to be writen of him selfe amonge other dreadfull curses whiche he setteth downe against the reprobate he hath these lett theyr eyes be daseled in suche sorte as they may not see powre owte thy wrathe my father vpon them lett the furie of thy vengeaÌ„ce take hand fast on them add inquitie vpon their iniquitie and lett hym not enter into thy iustice Lett them be blotted owt of the booke of lyfe and lett them not be inrolled together with the iust Heer loe we see that the greatest curse which God can laye vpon vs next before our blotting owt of the booke of lyfe is to suffer vs to be so blinded as to adde iniquitie vpon iniquitie and not to enter into consideration of hys iustice For whiche cause also this coÌ„fident kynde of sinning vpon hope of gods