gion is a curious clock-work if but one wheel be distempered all may go wrong David in numbring the people omitted that duty Exod. 30.12 13 14 15. aâ—â— thence the plagne Verse 4. Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem That is of the Latine Church and of Rome saith Ribera A partiall fancy of a Ponish Interpreter boldly prâ—pou 〈◊〉 barely proved and therefore as he affirmeth without reason so hâ— may bâ— dismâ—ssed without refutation Uaderstand it rather of the whole church whâ—â—â—soâ—ver in Cities or Countries and observe that neither Judah nor Jeruâ—dâ—m how highly soever honoured or favoured otherwise shall have their oftering accepted in heaven unlesse their hearts be first purified by faith Till then Rom. 12.1 their sacrifices how specious soever are neither living but dead works as the â—uthow to the Hebrews calles it nor holy that is pure and unpolluted 1 Cor. 7.34 unlesse themselves be partakers of the grace of life 1 Pet. 3.7 and can boldly say with David preserve my soule for I am holy or one whom thou favourest Psal 86.2 So Psal 4.3 he makes this the ground of his hope that his prayer shâ—â—ld â—â— heard that the Lord looked upon him as a godly person God regards 〈◊〉 the praye if the man be not right The blood of a sheeep and of a swine are like yea it may be the blood of a swine is better and sweeter then of a sheep yet was â—t not to be offered because of a swine See Heb. 13.16 Philip. 4.18 Joh. 15.16 Psal 147 11. Esay 62.4 Heb. 11.6 Look how light saith Chrysâ—stâ—ne maketh all things pleasing to men so doth faith to God True faith is like tâ—e salt that healed the waters 2 King 2.21 O pray Christ to cast in a cursefulâ—â—â— it into our hearts or else we lose all our services nay we do worse then lose our labour for displeasing service is double dishonour we do but take paines to go to hell See more of this matter in the Notes on chap. 1. verse 9 10. as in the dayes of old as in former years i. e. As the sacrifices of Abel Abraham Aaron c. as the prayers and holy performances of David Eliah Samuel who is thought to be the same with Pethuâ—l loâ— 1.1 which signifieth a I'erswader of God and that he was so called because he could have what he would of God Cornelius Paul c. were very effectuall and available and did wonders even to the opening and shutting of heaven Iob. 41 14. as Eliab to the opening of the doores of Leviathan as Ionah to the delivering even graves of their dead as Heb. 11.35 c. so they shall be still as effectuall as those Ancient Saints we draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodyes washed with pure water Heb. 10.22 See Iam. 5.16 17 18. and Hos 12.4 The Prophet speaking of Jacob his wrestling with God by weeping and his prevailing by praying so that he was knighted for his good service and dubb'd Israel or a Prince of God subjoynes for our comfort God found him in Bethel and there he spake with us So then what encouragement accesse and successe Iacob had at Bethel the same have we provided that we so carry the matter that it may be said of us as Psal 24.6 This is the generation of them that seek him of them that seek thy face this is Jacob Provided that as Jarob wrestled in the night and alone and when God was leaving him and upon one leg so do we amidst all difficulties and discouragements Verse 5. And I will come neer to you to judgement q. d. You conceit mea great way off and put far from you the thoughts of my comming having been so bold as to ask Where is the God of judgement c. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me Not as you desired to avenge you of your enemies but as justice requireth to be avenged of you for your impieties which I have here billed up against you And that ye may not think to escape know that as I am a Judge at hand so a present witnesse test is festinantissimus a most swift witnesse to evict and punish you for your most secret sins So then howsoever the Lord spare long yet he will be at length both a hasty witnesse and a severe Judge against those that abuse his patience he will not alwayes stand them for a sinning-stock but pay them home for the new and the old Ier. 6.6 Mic. 1.3 God owed a revenge to the house of Eli and yet at length by the delation of Doeg takes occasion to pay it It is a vain hope that is raised from the delay of judgement No time can be any prejudice to the Ancient of dayes If his word sleep it shall not dye but after long intermissions breaks forth into those effects which men had forgotten to look for and ceased to fear The sleeping of vengeance causeth the overslow of sin Eccles 8.11 and the overslow of sin causeth the a wakening of vengeance Psal 50.21 so that sometimes he strikes ere he gives any sinther warning as Absalom intending to kill Amnon spake neither good nor evill to him Subito tollitur qui diu toleratur Till the fiery serpents God had ever consolted with Moses and threatened ere he punished Now he strikes and sayes nothing The anger is so much more by how much lesse notified Still revenges are ever most daugerous and deadly when God is not heard before he is felt as in hewing of wood the blow is not heard till the axe be seen to have struck or if he be heard to say as Neh. 1.9 what do ye imagine against the Lord he will make an utter end affliction shall not arise up the second time it s a signe he is implacably hent and meanes to have but one blow The wickeds happinesse will take its end surely and swiftly The end is come is come is come saith Ezechiel chap. 7. The Lord is come near to you to judgement and he will be a speedy witnesse Judge and witnesse both which in mens courts cannot be but God being infinitely both wise and holy may be and will be both witnesse and Judge against the workers of iniquity and when they are as Adonijah's guests were 1 King 1. at the height of their joyes and hopes he confounds all their devices and layes them open to the scorn of the world to the anguish of their own guilty hearts and the dint of his own unsupportable displeasure which is such as none can avert or avoid Ad poenam tardus Deus est ad praemia velox Sed pensare solet vi graviore moram Poena venit grovior quò magè sera venit against the sorcerers Or Juglers Wizzards Negromancers c. See the several sorts forbidden and to be punished Deut. 18.10 By Gods law such might not be suffered to live
unlesse we mend also to bewail our wickednesse but we must embrace better courses Jer. 26 13. Esa 1.16 Mat. 3.8 Rom. 12.9 13 11. Eph. 4.22 God for this cause gives us the light of Nature and Scripture besides other meanes and time enough Had he given us but one Prophet onely and but forty dayes as he dealt by Nineveh we should have done it as they did How much more now that we abound with leisure read Jezebels sin and sentence Rev. 2.21 and have so many Prophets rising up early and speaking to us Iob. 13.4 Turn ye again now every one from his evill way Jer. 25.4 5. what will become of us if we refuse to be reclaimed hate to be healed This one Prophet here fills his mouth with arguments First it is not to a tyrant or a stranger that you are exhorted to turn but to the Lord your God to him that is your head husband father who hates putting away having once betrothed you to himself in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in tender mercies Hos 2.19 Next This Lord our God is for his sweet and patient nature here set forth to be Gratious and will therefore love you freely Hos 14.4 Merciful and will therefore pitty your misery Slow to anger or not apt to snuff but a master of his wrath Nah. 1.2 and one that can bear more then any other whatsoever Mic. 7.17 And Bagnal Chemah of great kindnesse or Much in goodnesse doing good to the evill and unthankful as our Saviour yokes them and repenteth him of the evil A little punishment being enough to a father for a great fault Pro peccato magno paululum supplicâ—i satis esto patri Terent. Where note that Gods repentance is not a change of his will but of his work only and so he repents for his people when he seeth their power is gone Deut. 32.36 when there is dignus vindice nodus an extremity fit for divine power to interpose when the enemies are ready to devour the church or Satan to swallow down Gods child in despair his bowels work he can hold no longer but cries Save my child save my church c Jer. 31.20 then he sends out his Mandamus for deliverance Psal 44.4 then he comes with his Non obstante as Psal 106.8 Isay 57.15 Now who would not return to such a God and what heart can resist such powerfull Rhetorick An heape of words we have here taken for most part out of Exod. 34.6 and all to draw out faith and encourage those that have any mind to look toward God It is no such easie thing to beleeve as fond folk conceit and to comfort a conscience cast down in the sense of sin and fear of wrath is no lesse difficult saith Luther then to raise the dead from the grave If men fear they shall fail of mercy upon their return to God Either they will fall into dedolency or despair But perswade them once of the goodnesse of God and it will lead them to repentance Rom. 2.4 Let them see that in their fathers house is bread enough and they will home immediatly that God will abundantly pardon and he shall have suitors great store Esa 55.7 The sweet and gratious nature of God should be as a perpetuall picture in our hearts and an effectual motive to make men turn unto him Verse 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent c. Hitherto the Prophet had argued from Gods gratious disposition now here from his curteous and bounteous dealing with his converts who knoweth if c. This is not the speech of one that doubteth and is uncertain as was that of Dâ—vid 1 Sam. 12.22 who can tell whether God will have mercy on me that the child may live but of one earnestly affirming and avouching as was that of Mordecai Esth 4.14 And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time as this q. d. 'T is sure thou art And it is no lesse sure that if men Turn to God he will turn to them Zach. 1.3 and that whithersoever he comes â—e leaves a blessing behind him His favour is no empty favour it is not like the winter-Sun that casts a goodly countenance on the earth but gives little heat and comfort God ever comes with his Cornu-copia in his hand and his steps drop fatnesse Then shall the earth yield her increase and God even our own God shall bless us saith the church Psal 67.6 He will do it the rather saith our Prophet that his people may the more cherefully serve him when they shall have a meat-offering and a drink offering â—alvin et sic maneat in t ger cultus ipsius and so he may have his dayly service duely performed for of this the saints are most solicitous it is their desire that God should be glorified rather then that themselves should be gratified and their own turns served Verse 15. Blâ—w the trumpet in Zion that all may hear and convene those of Jerusalem in the Temple and the rest in their severall Synagogues Lev. 23.31 for that yearly fast was standard to the rest kept upon extraordinary and emergent occasions as here for the preventing of the fore threatened judgment Papists appoint set fasting-dayes as Lent and Friday in every week Eves of hollydayes c. whether the times be clear or cloudy A Lapide in loc A Lapide also the Jesuite keepes a coyle against Luther and the Centurists for decrying their Popish processions and publike Letanies which he thinks to be here and elsewhere authorised A discourse he giveth us here too about the use and original of bells among christians answerable to trumpets amongst the Jewes A Symmist of his Cenalis Bishop of Auranches to prove their Pope-holy Church the true Church maketh no mention at all either of Preaching or Sacraments but produceth bells for a sufficient mark of the Catholke true church we have bells saith he whereby our Assemblies are ordinarily called together but the Lutherans have claps of harquebuzes and pistolets for signes whereby they congregate Act. Mon. fol. 828. betwixt which and bells he maketh a long Antithesis and therehence inferreth that the church of Rome is the true church A proper argument and yet the man pleaseth himself as much in it as the second-Councell of Nice did in their profound proofs for idolatry Prideaux which as One well saith of them were such as that the Images themselves if they were sensible would blush to hear repeated Sanctify a fast See the Note on chap. 1.14 Proclaime a religious abstinence from all kind of sustenance 2 Sam. 12.17 Iohn 3. for a season either from morning till evening as Judg. 20.26 2 Sam. 3.35 or from evening till evening Lev. 23.32 or longer as Esth 4.16 Act. 9.9 as the hand and wrath of God is more or lesse felt or feared But the least time that may be is a whole day there is
some ignorant pesant when he seeth his fowls bathing in his pond should cry out of them as the causes of foul weather Verse 8. The lion hath roared who will not fear the Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesie Who that knoweth the terrour of the Lord can dare to do otherwise when he commandeth it Shall men fear fire water bears lions c. and not the great and terrible God If he roar upon his servants and say as to Jeremy he once did Thou therefore gird up the loynes of thy minde and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them We must roar against mens sinnes and bee instant Jer. 1.17 though they roar against us for so doing and threaten never so much Micaiah will not budge for a Kings authority when once he had seen the Lord in his Majestie nor Paul for an Angels Gal. 1. the rest of the Apostles for the Sanhedrims Acts 4.19 5.25 c. When the Emperour threatned Basil with imprisonment banishment death he answered Let him threaten boyes with such fray-bugs I am resolved neither menaces nor flatteries shall silence me or draw me to betray a good cause or conscience If I deal not plainly and faithfully with your souls said Bernard Bern. de tempore 99. Vobis erit damnosum mihi periculosum Timeo itaque damnum vestrum timeo damnationem ineam si tacuero i. e. it will be ill for you and worse for mee The truth is you would be betrayed and I should be damned if I should hold my peace Let me be accounted proud pragmaticall any thing Luth. ep ad Staple rather then found guilty of sinfull silence when the Lord calleth me to speak saith Luther These were men whose hearts were fraught with the reverentiall fear of God and therefore found themselves necessitated to bee faithfull besides the love of Christ constraineth them 2 Cor. 5.14 so that they could do no lesse they could not but speak c. Act. 4.19 Verse 9. Publish in the palaces at Ashdod c. that is in the courts of the Philistin-princes and of the Egyptian kings who are here attested and invited to judge betwixt God and his vineyard to passe an impartiall sentence and to say whether Israels sinnes deserved not all the judgements that God by his Prophets had denounced yea and greater too Holy Ezra acknowledgeth as much chap. 9.13 But because that many were ready to say as those in Jeremy Jer. 2.35 Because I am innocent surely his anger shall turn from me behold I will plead with thee saith the Lord because thou sayest I have not sinned Yea thy sworn-enemies shall give true evidence against thee and judge of the justice of my proceedings with thee that I may be justified and every mouth stopped Assemble your selves upon the mountains of Samaria that there-hence ye may be eye-witnesses and have a full prospect of their leudnesse which will be to you a pleasant spectacle that out of their tragedies you may frame comedies Samaria was a city set upon an hill and as it self so its wickednesse could not be hid Carnall people are very inquisitive into the miscarriages of professours and ready to search more narrowly thereinto then Laban did into Jacobs stuff What a jear made Ammianus Marcellinus of the pride and luxury of some of the primitive Bishops Averroes of the Papists Breaden-god the Turks of the Papists Asinus palmaris the Jews of their clipping the crucifix and weeping over it in the Pulpit as also the swearing that is so common amongst Protestants together with that mad conceit of some that he that cannot swear with a grace Profectò aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici wanteth his tropes and figures befitting a Gentleman This and such like unchristian practises made learned Lineker when he read Christs Sermon in the Mount cry out Certainly either this is not Gospel or we are but bad Gospellers It is a lamentable thing that it should be commonly reported that there be such abominations found in the Church as are hardly heard of among the Heathen 1 Cor. 5.1 pudet haec opprobria nobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli Why should it be told in Gath or published in the palaces of Ashdod 2 Sam. 1.20 why should Egyptians condemn Israelites as the Scythians once did the Greeks and the heathen Indians now do the beastly Spaniards that tyrannize over them Why should there be any successours to those Hereticks mentioned by Bellarmine and called Christianocategori Accusers of Christians because by their unchristian conversation they delivered up Christ and his people to bee buffetted De Eccles triumph l. 2. c. 11. and spitted on by their enemies See the Note on Hos 7.16 This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt and behold the great tumults Or the humming-noises the garboiles the violent irruptions upon the poor oppressed causing them to cry out as those that are crushed or broken in peeces and the oppressed in the middest thereof whether by force or fraud oppressed whether it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord is the avenger of all such 1 Thes 4.6 This the Heathen shall take speciall notice of and say with Calocerius the Conful Verè magnus est Deus Christianorum The Christians God is a righteous God indeed Verse 10. For they know not to do right They have done wrong so long together against knowledge and conscience that now they are given up to a reprobate sense to an injudicious minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. having sinned away that light they had and lost that little knowledge they had learned out of the law of Moses concerning good works this they have wickedly blotted out of their own minds as also those common notions of good and evill that glimmering of divine light left in the naturall man this in a defiled conscience is wholy extinct Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge No not they as appeares by what followes they eat up my people as they eat bread Psal 14.4 These Cannibals like pickrels in a pond or sherkes in the sea devoure the poorer as they the lesser fishes And though they cannot but know this to be evill condemned by the light of nature and much more of scripture yet they do it and will do it their eyes being put out with the dust of covetousnesse and their hearts so exercised therewith 2 Pet. 2.14 that they can say as that wretched fellow did We are masters of our consciences we can do what we will for all them and as Balaam resolved at length to curse whatever came of it who store up violence and robbery in their palaces Till the screech-owles of woe cry aloud from the wals and the beames out of the timber make answer Hab. 2.11.12 till their cursed boards of
teeth and fed them with the bread of affliction and water of affliction with prisoners pittance as they call it which will neither keep them alive 1 King 22.27 nor suffer them to die Then shall they cry and whine as hogs when hungry as dogs when tied up from their meate but God will not hear them He will even cast out their prayers with contempt as beeing the prayers of the flesh for ease and not of the spirit for grace They cry unto the Lord aloud but it is only to be rid of his rod they roare when upon the wrack but 't is only to get off they look rufully as the fox doth when taken in a gin but it is only to be set at liberty they chatter out a charme when Gods chastening is upon them yea they may be with child as it were of a prayer and yet bring forth nothing but wind Esa 26.16 17 18. For either God answereth them not at all which was Sauls case curse 1 Sam. 28.15 Moabs Isa 16.12 and Davids enemies Psal 18.41 Or else he gives them bitter answers Ezek. 14.4 Judg. 10.13 14. Or if better it is but for a further mischief that he may curse their blessings and consume them after that he hath done them good Iosh 24.20 Their preservation from one evill is but a reservation to seven worse as we see in Phaoh Senacherih Ahab and others Lo this is the portion of a wicked man with God and the heritage of oppressours which they shall receive of the almighty Iob 27 13 14 15. c. See the place Remedilesse misery shall befall them calamities that shall wring from them clamours but to no purpose or profit See Prov. 1.28 he will even hide his face from them that is withdraw his savour care providence help presence and benefits of all which the face is the symbol that like as they have turned upon God the back and not the face and have been mercilesse to men Esa 58.7 hiding their eyes from their own flesh so shall it be done to them in the day of their distresse God will award them judgement without mercy who shewed no mercy Iam. 2.13 He will set off all hearts from them as he did from wicked Haman See Prov. 21.13 with the Note when the king frowned upon him Lastly he will turn their own consciences loose upon them as once he did upon Iosephs brethren Gen. 42.21 to ring that dolefull knell in their eares Isa 3â— 1. Woe to thee that spoilist c. when thou shalt cease to spoile thou shalt be spoiled c. Talionis lege mulctabere as Adonibezek Phocas Charles 9. c. Verse 5. Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets False prophets who pretended divine authority when as God never sent them but expresly declareth here against them and threateneth them Those prophane Princes had their flesh-flies those court-parasites to sooth and smooth them up in their sins to promise thâ—m peace albeit they walked in the imagination of their own hearts to add drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 28.19 Bucholcer and to live as they listed Mirifica est sympathia inter Magnates parasitos saith One. There is a strange sympathy betwixt Great men and claw-backs nothing so troublesome to such as truth nothing so toothsome as flattery this is the fruit of 〈◊〉 self-love and the end thereof are the wayes of death Prov. 16.25 that make my people to erre That 〈◊〉 them and carry them out of the right way into by paths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20.30 and blind thickets 〈◊〉 â—rrour where they are lost for ever Deut. 13.13 Seducers are said to draw 〈◊〉 violently or to thrust them onward Jeroboam is said to have driven Israel from following the Lord and the false Apostles to drag disciples after them Act. 20. compelling them by their perswasions to embrace those distorted doctrines that cause convulsions of conscience that bite with their teeth The dogs of Congo bite through they bark not saith Mr. Purchas Pilgr of Religion Christs Polititian by Tho. Scot. there are a sort of cuâ—-dogs saith Another that suck a mans blood only with licking Seducers are such Beware of false Prophets for they come to you in sheeps cloâ—thing but inwardly they are ravening wolves And in this sense Hierome and Theodoret take this text they devoure those they make prize of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostles word signifieth Colos 2.8 Others think their covetousnesse and gormandise is noted O Monachi Vestri stomachi sunt amphora Bacchi Vos estis Decis est testis certissima pestis As hungry dogs they snap at a crust and make cleane work such is their voracity and unsatisfiablenesse Ingluvies tempestas barathrumque macelii And cry Peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All shall be as well as heart can wish or need require Let these Cerberusses but be morselled and you shall heare no worse of them Like they are to the ravens of Arabia that full gorged have a tuneable sweet record but empty screech horribly Si ventri benè si lateri as Epicurus saith in Horace Let their bellyes be filled and their backs fitted and they will prophecy all good to you as those false Prophets nourished by Iezebel did to Ahab as the Pharisees cryed up the Centurion who had built them a synagogue Luk. 7. as the Popish Clergy canonize their benefactours and extoll them to the skies Wvlsin Bishop of Sherborn displaced secular Priests and put in Monks Hence the Monkish writers make him a very holy man and report of him that when he lay a dying he cryed out suddenly I see the heavens open Godw. Cataloc 335. and Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God and so died Yea they had a trick to make their Images speak their minds this way As the rode of grace here in England had a man within it inclosed with an hundred wires to make the image goggle with the eyes nod with the head hang the lip move and shake his lawes according as the value was of the gift that was offered If it were a small peece of silver he would hang a frowning lip if a peece of gold then should his jawes go merrily This idolatrous forgery was at last by Cromwels meanes disclosed Act. Mon. fol. 1034. and the image with all his engines shewed openly at Pauls crosse and there torn in peeces by the people who had been so seduced and he that putteth not into their mouthes they even prepare warr against him Heb. sanctifie a warr id est excomunicatis aquâ igni interdicunt Gualth crucem adversus eos praedicant c. they thunder against them and throw them out of the Church publish their Croysades as they did against the Waldenses in France the Hussites in Bohemia and Luther in Germany whom the pope excommunicated the Emperour proscribed diverse divines wrot against the reason whereof when Erasmus was asked by
would never be drawn to fear or stand in awe of For Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes but he that in a desperate boldnesse or Cyclopicall contempt of the divine Justice hardneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe q Prov 28 13 yea shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy r Prov. 29.1 In executing of which dreadfull sentence though the Lord be slow yet he is sure his forbearance is no quittance But although a sinner in high contempt of Gods heavy displeasure do evill an hundred times and his dayes through Gods infinite patience be prolonged yet surely I know saith Solomon that it shall be well with them that feare that Lord which fear before him Å¿ Eccles 8.12 That is that fear him in his ministers and deputies trembling at his judgments while they hang in the threatnings t Isa 66.2 melting as Josich u 2 Chr. 34 27 at the terrour of his menaces nay by the kindnesse of his mercyes which dissolves their good hearts as weake water doth some thin substances or as the hot â—un doth the hard ice An instance hereof ye have in that solemne meeting at Mizpeh where Israel which had found the misery of Gods absence is now resolv'd into teares of contrion and thankfulnesse when he was once returned and settled in Kiriath-jearim Then they mett together at Mizpeh and drew water and poured it out before the Lord w 1 Sam. 7 6. In signum expiationis iniquitatum juâ—ta Iob 11.15 R. Sâ—lomon dicit quod hâ—c feâ—erunt in signum humiliationis q d sicut aqua effusa ad nihi 'um valet ultra siâ—in conspectu tuo nihil sumus aut videmur 2 â—sal 86.11 Whether 't were teares out of their eyes or water out of their vessels as a ceremony or pledge of their hearty humiliation the difference is little Sure it was to testify the tendernesse of their hearts which having hang'd loose a long time from the Lord began now to unite again unto his fear* It is certaine that the mercies of God draw more teares from his children then his judgments do from his enemies who as in prosperity bec use they have no changes therefore they fear not God y Psal 55.19 so in adversity their hearts are the more hâ—rdâ—ed thereby from his fear z Is 63.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.7 as in Pharaoh and Ahaz till at last by long trading with the devil in the wayes of sin they come to lose with him all passive power also of being wrought upon and arrive at that that height of incurable hardnesse that neither ministry nor misery nor miracle nor mercy can possibly mollify Which is the greatest plague that can befall a man out of hell and the very next step into it But the second extreame standing in as full opposition to that fear of God we are treating of is that slavish and hellish fear and terrour that evill spirits and men conceive of God whom they look upon only as an implacable sin revenging judge or tyrant rather ready to teare the very kell of their hearts in suder a Hos 13 6. Quem metunnt Oderunt Ennius Odium timerem spirat Tert and to send them packing to their place in hell Hereupon follows an exulcerate hatred of God according to that of the Poet whom men fear they hate a desperate â—unning away from God with Cam Saul Ahrzath b 2 King 1.2 Quem quisque odit pernsse expetit Ennius c. A secret rising up against God and an inward desire that there were no such thing as God that so they might never be called to an Audit and account of their wicked wayes and sinfull courses as they are sure to be in that dreadfull day This the Devill and his impes beleeve and therefore tremble c Iam. 2.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greek word seemes to imply such an excesse of fear as causeth gnashing of teeth like the clashing of armour or horrible yellings like the roaring of the sea * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est maris agnatio Hom Iâ—â—ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide Eustach in locum Nullum maleficium sine formidine quia nec sine conscientia sai Tert. They have no rest day nor night Apoc. 14.11 The reason of which outrage is rendred by Terâ—uâ—iam No sinner saith he escapes fear of Gods wrath and all because he can never possibly shake off Conscience which being Mans spie and Gods overseer if it be not desperately feared or sealed up securely with a spirit of slumber against the day of slaughâ—â—r doth sting the evill-doer betwixâ— whiles d Rom. 2.15 with unquestionable conviction and horrour And thus it fares ordinarily with a wicked person But now t is otherwise with the godly when they are out of temptation for then you must know it is ego non sum ego with them they are not themselves neither can any right judgment as then be made of them But usually their hearts being purisied from an evill conscience e Heb. 10.22 through the blood of sprinkling f 1 Pet. 1.2 cast upon them by the hyssop bunch of faith g Rom 5 1 they have peace with god their reconciled father in Jesus Christ Whom therefore they love in fear and fear in love wishing nothing more then his being Let he Lord live h Psal 18.44 saith David as the principle of their well-being for it is good for me to draw neer to Jehovah i Psal 73.28 Into whose presence they therefore flee as the doves unto their windowes k Esay 69 8 I will come into thine house in the mulutude of thy mercies there 's his reverence l Psal 5.7 Loe this is the guise of a godly person whiles himself He feares and loves feares and hopes feares and prayes feares and feasts m Iude 12. feares and workes yea workes out his whole salvation with fear and trembling and all because he knowes that 't is not of himself but of God a most free agent that gives both to will and to worke and all of his own good pleasure n Philip 2.12.13 as the Apostle there enforceth it SECT III. Objections and Queries touching the Fear of God cleared and answered IF any object here that of Saint John Object Perfect love casleth out fear o 1 Joh. 4.18 That is Sol. Duo sunt timores Dei servilis amicalis Bedain Prov. 1 say we for abswer servile and base fear which love is perpetually purging upon For as for filiall and friendly fear it is never cast out no not in the state of perfection neither for the very angels cover their faces and feet before God p Esay 6.2 as knowing their distance But is the fear of Gods children here purely filiall without all mixture of that which is servile Quest No Ans nor need it be For first servile fear I