you haue heard his end the Serpents head was broken Impatiencies swelling bulke was burst and outward afflictions as the Clouds with the Sunnes presence dispersed and he became the master of the field which feared God Though then the conflict be cruell they that feare the Lord may be constant though the battell be continued they may be comforted for they are not forsaken but are deliuered Psal 33.18 and the victory is certaine to be theirs for it conquers victoriously and richly crownes both them and theirs opening a Treasure wherein nothing which may content the eye please the taste delight the smell enrich the soule blesse the estate is wanting Ecclus. 40.27 It is a Garden replenished with variety of Gods mercies to delight the spirituall smell of our apprehension it accompanies vs to the Temple Psal 5.7 which is filled with Gods glorious presence to content the eies of our vnderstanding It pleaseth the pallat of our affections Psal 34.7 8. with the sweet Nectar of his graciousnesse It is a Sunne to warme our benummed will in the practise of goodnesse and a fire to enflame our zeales in contemplation of holinesse It brings with it a comfortable vse of worldly blessings Pro. 12.27 for many hunt after worldly profit but haue it not haue it but it helps not they take great paines and attaine their expectation but put their gaines in broken bags Hab. 2. Eccles 6.2 The couetous man keeps them so safely as he dares not touch them the Prodigall spends them so lauishly Luke 15. that hee comes to want them many possesse them comfortably to their worldly content as the rich man in Saint Luke but doe not blessedly either possesse or vse them only hee that feareth God obtaines them possesseth them spends them spares them vseth them blessedly for nothing is wanting to him Psal 34.9 10. nothing that is good whatsoeuer may hurt his hope or hinder his confidence coole his zeale or freeze his forwardnesse may be wanting but nothing that may further his faith or inflame his obedience shall be missing Psal 128.2 He shall labour and eat the labour of his hands he shall be blessed and it shall be well with him Hee openeth his hand and giueth to him that needeth Psal 112.5 and yet expendeth with iudgement Howsoeuer it goes with the wicked in life or death yet I know saies Salomon Eccle. 8.12 that it shall bee well with them that feare the Lord and doe reuerence before him Psal 33.18 19. For his eyes are on them to deliuer their soule from death and preserue them in the time of dearth And that wee may take notice of the abundance of their wealth the greatnesse of their worth the feare of God is compared to a Well-spring an euer-flowing Fountaine Pro 14.27 so as though the channels decay and be dried vp this euer yeeldeth sufficient supply of knowledge to confirme the mind of direction to conforme the manners of wisdome to informe our contemplations of caution to reforme our actions The waies of God are vnsearchable the mysteries of godlinesse incomprehensible yet to him that feareth God will hee teach the way Psal 25.12 not that which the world followeth the flesh sauoreth Satan affecteth but what himselfe chuseth Naturall reason cannot comprehend carnall knowledge cannot search earthly affections cannot desire these secrets which the Lord reueales vnto them that are possessed of his feare vers 14. Prou. 22.4 Riches attend on it Honour will not be without it Life is the guerdon of it Yet here is not the bounds of this Ocean it brancheth it selfe into euery Channell euery Medow euery Tree the root is not only partaker of this moistnesse the bole onely receiues not benefit by this Riuer but euery branch communicateth of this treasure Esay 33.6 Psal 103.17 for the louing kindnesse of the Lord endureth for euer and euer vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse vpon childrens children Psal 25.13 The soule of the man himselfe shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit the earth Neither is this benefit temporall but spirituall which from this Fountaine is deriued for they shall see the wealth not of an earthly Monarchy so much desired of a worldly Empire so much thirsted after but of Ierusalem 128.5 6. that is the true Church of the euer-liuing all-disposing God not for a little moment or a few moneths but all the daies of their liues yea not themselues alone shall be partakers of it but they may certainly expect to behold their posterity inuested in it euen the constant and continuall peace vpon Israel Pro. 14.26 For in the feare of the Lord is strong confidence Howsoeuer Persecutors may rage and persecution may threaten to ruine all before it yet the children of them that feare God shall haue a place of refuge So as with the Prophet Dauid Psal 31.19 we in admiration may cry out How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee euen before the sonnes of men ver 20. Doth pride seeke to insult ouer them He hides them priuily in his owne presence Doth malice seeke to preuaile against them he keepes them secretly in his Tabernacle from the strife of tongues Chrysost in serm de Iohan. Bapt. This is that onely whereby our minds are corrected sinnes are shunned innocency preserued and ability to all goodnesse is conferred No euill can visit them euill may surprise but shall neuer seize vpon euill may oppresse but neuer suppresse them that feare the Lord. It is like Cammomile the more it is trod on the more it spreadeth like Spice the more it is pounded the better it smelleth the Chesnut tree the more it is beaten the better fruit it beares Let then the feare of God finde footing in your hearts and for this purpose obserue his workes of Maiesty and might The consideration of Christs Maiesty was the meanes of Pauls conuersion for when hee beheld the glory of the Lord though with a full resolution and resolued purpose he was breathing out persecution against the Saints seeking to terrifie nay to torture the sonnes and daughters of God hee himselfe was strucke with terror Act. 9. Mat. 17.6 Luke 2.9 Doth a bright Cloud ouer-shadow Iesus Moses and Elias and are Peter Iames and Iohn at the sight of the same amazed Doth the glory of the Lord shine round about the Shepheards and are they astonished and shall not feare possesse our hearts in the contemplation of his Maiesty His workes of might in the worlds creation wickeds confusion and godlies preseruation In the worlds creation Dei Dicere was Rerum Esse Gods Word was of such worth and his breathing so binding that his onely saying gaue essence vnto euery Creature Psal 33.7 8 9. for he spake and it was done he commanded and it was created
Two Cherubims prying into that Arke 2. Time when and person to whom moue admiration 3. Two Tables by which and to which all duties to God and man are directed both ayming at Gods glory 3. His. In himselfe abiding yet to man extended and in both respects reflexing vpon his owne praise 4. Manner not ordinary but beyond expectation and common euent Maruellous 4. Aarons rod by which miracles were wrought 5. Place where this Kindnesse was reserued in a strong Citie 5. Pot of Manna 6. The Heart from which thanksgiuing a sacrifice so acceptable to God issued Blessed be the Lord. 6. Censor from which the smell of incense so sweetly ascended Logically the 1. Agent He 2 Act shewed 3. Obiect Kindnesse its Opportunity in the Time when Hath Trāscendency in the person to whom Mee Propriety in the person by whom His. Rarity in the Manner how Maruellous Particularity in the Place where In a strong citie Errata PAg. 4. in marg read 2 Sam. ch 17 18 19. 1 Sam. 30. 1 Sam. 23. pag. 19. in marg adde Amos 6.6 p. 35. l. 12. for but r. to be p. 44. l. 10. after loue r. looking on the Compasse of his mercy p. 46. l. 11. before For r. Freely p. 54. in M. for Vers r. Cha. p. 55. l. 2. r. as God p. ib. l. 3. r. as our God p. 68. l. 20. r. former in that p. 69. l. 6. r. speciall l. 10. for word r. house p. 79. l. 9. r. teares p. 84. l. 15. r. publishing p. 85. l. penult r. did in PSALME 31.21 Blessed be the Lord for he hath shewed mee his maruellous kindnesse in a strong Citie EVery thing hath its turne and time Eccles 3.1 yea time giues to euery thing its 〈◊〉 insomuch as man himselfe neuer continueth in one stay Iob. 14.2 the truth whereof no glasse can better shew than the Psalmes for in them wee may liuely behold the variable and mutable condition of man though neuer so neere in affection or deare in estimation vnto God in them Dauid that anointed of the Lord Psal 107.26 and in him all Gods chosen may be seene in this life as the Ship in the Sea in estate and respect euen now lifted vp to the clouds sayling with a pleasant gale in the calme of prosperity and by and by let downe to the bottome with the impetuous violence of the blast of one or other calamitie in soule and spirit sometimes soaring with the wings of hope aboue the heauens and againe plunged as low as hell with the weight of distrust through some disaster either inflicted or feared Whence proceed such and so sundry varieties of expressing in diuers of them his owne hopes and feares comforts and corasiues solace and sorrowes restraints and deliuerances But in this Psalme he stands as it were in the view of all vpon the worlds Theater and sounds in the eares of all a Diapason whiles warbling vpon his harpe hee toucheth the string of euery passion For he powreth out his praier with instancy in the first and second verses gathereth assured hope in the third and yet as one not fully freed from feare nor dispossest of hope returnes againe to praier and giues the reason of his assurance in the third fourth and fift pleadeth in expresse termes his holy affection and confidence which hee had in the time past in the sixt publisheth his resolute purpose of gladnesse and reioycing in the time to come by reason of the Lords fauour already shewed as one forgetfull and not fearing any present misery in the seuen and eighth Yet on the sudden calling as it seemes to minde the trouble and danger he was then in reneweth his suit which is pressed and amplified with relating by way of complaint sundry miseries and indignities which he doth endure and formerly had vndergone to the fourteenth in which miseries and indignities he reports what was and is his trust and patience in the fourteenth and fifteenth and that againe is seconded with another supplication in the fifteenth and sixteenth as also with an imprecation in the seuenteenth and eighteenth after both which without interruption as the Riuer in a cleare channell into the Ocean he falleth into an admiring exclamation for the greatnesse of Gods goodnesse towards them that feare and trust in him in the nineteenth together with a reason of that his admiration in the twentieth from thence hee comes to giue thanks for a kindnesse whereof the Lord had made him partaker in his owne particular in some extraordinary manner and that in a strong Citie Either Ierusalem which Absolom had surprised 2 Sam. 18.19 and where Achitophels counsell by Hushaies to his preseruation was deluded Iansen Lorinus 2 Sam. 30. as some or Ziglag where the people were in minde to stone him and the spoiles whereof he recouered Arias 1 Sam. 19. as other or Keilah which Saul purposed to haue besieged and to whom the citizens thereof as the Lords Oracle reuealed had deliuered him if there he had staied as the most imagine Howsoeuer or in what citie soeuer Dauid is mindfull of that mercy and thankfull for that benefit in such termes as iustly giues me occasion to thinke vpon Salomon his sonne Salomon the mirror of men 2 Sam. 12.25 the beloued of the Lord not liked as a seruant John 8.35 but beloued as a Sonne that abides in the house for euer built a glorious Temple to the God of Israel and diuided it into three parts The first or outmost was Atrium Populi the court of the people called otherwise the Porch of Salomon the next was Atrium Sacerdotum the place for the Priests the third and inmost was Sanctum Sanctorum the Holy of Holies When I see these words of Dauid I suruey that worke of Salomon and hearing this warbling tune of the Father I behold that worthy Temple of the Sonne For if we looke for that part which concernes all it is here in the Author He who maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and the good Matt. 5.45 and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Would we see what concernes those that are sequestrated to his seruice and linked to him by a neerer bond as are all faithfull who being a royall Priest-hood Pet. 2.9 enioy a rarer priuiledge than others here we find it All haue not the Lords mercy manifested to them as had Dauid or if it be made apparant to them yet are not they made partakers of it as was this anointed of the Lord. He shewed me that is made me partaker of Long you to see that which Titus Vespasian desired Ioseph de bel Iud. l. 6. c. 10. nay commanded to be especially preserued from the fury of the fire the Sanctum Sanctorum into which the High Priest must enter Heb. 9.7 yet not oftner than once in the space of a whole yeere such was the glory of it and that it signified Here is the like maruellous kindnesse in a
non vult saies Saint Augustine To doe what he will paints out Omnipotency to suffer what hee will not points at impotency Take away his iustice and he must suffer the blaspheming of his name the violating of his lawes the contempt of his commands without all remedy An earthly Commander shall reuenge the least offered indignity and Heauens Creator shall not be able to redresse but must endure the highest the most hainous blasphemy Take away his mercy a worldly Monarch shall aduance his Fauorite a meane Lord exalt a well deseruing seruant a poore father gratifie a truly obedient sonne but he by whom Princes reigne shall not conferre dignity on those in whom his soule delighteth nor the Lord of Lords reward his seruants diligence nor the Father of all that is called Father in heauen or earth countenance his Childs obedience Take away iustice hee who fetters the Nobles in linkes of iron and breaks in peeces the Princes of the earth as a Potters vessell shall himselfe be linked in the chaines of impiety because he cannot punish iniquity Take away mercy he who moueth mans heart to pitty openeth mens eares to attend strengtheneth mans hands to aid them who are in misery shall haue his owne heart so benummed that he cannot commiserate his owne eares so shut that he cannot heare and his owne arme so shortned that he cannot reach them who are in calamitie But there is no Lord which liues not vnder his law either obeying what he enioyneth or enduring what he inflicteth There is no honour or dishonour but is receiued from his hand either as a gratious signe of his loue or as the deserued successe of disloyalty which he disposeth as powerfully without resistance as freely without respect Is he then destitute of either Iustice or Mercy far be that conceit from our cogitations for it is the falsifying of his verity both in his promises and in his threatnings His gratious promises are as Sugar sweetning euery suffering as hony delighting euery Sinne-distempered taste as Triacle driuing corruption from the soule as Goats bloud softning an Adamantine heart his gratious promises giue a Supersedeas against the band of Law proclaime a writ of priuiledge from the Arrest of death and sue out a Writ of Error to reuerse the doome of condemnation passed against sin in the court of conscience Yet let this be granted that God is only iust and not mercifull the minde cannot but conceiue the vnderstanding must needs assume and reason will necessarily conclude that all his faire promises are but bare pretences Sinne and Despaire sitting at the helme Contrarily threatnings are the terror of the Soule the trouble of the thoughts the awakening of the drowsie threatnings turne Sendall into Sackloth cast crownes of gold downe among the dust and aduance dust as a more golden ornament for the head Threatnings as bitter potions purge the superfluous humors of impietie and as fire the wax prepareth the heart to receiue the impression of Gods spirit yet if God bee wholly mercifull and not iust will not the soule surmise them to bee clouds without raine Scorpions without stings and lesse to be feared than a thunderclap in another horizon security and presumption hoising the sayles But now though heauen and earth shall passe though the glorious Fabricke of the worlds Globe shall be wrapped together as a Scrole yet not one tittle of his word shall faile what hee promised in mercy shall be performed in clemency and what hee threatned in iustice shall bee executed in seueritie the freenesse of his will the greatnesse of his power the certainty of his truth his libertie omnipotency verity all and euery of them iointly and seuerally doe conuince that the Lord as well holds out the blacke Ensigne of war as the White colours of peace Or else to come to his office how should he bee Iudge of all the world There are three properties in a Iudge which should be as inseparable to him as heat is to the fire moisture to the aire drinesse to the earth coldnesse to the water that he Heare indifferently Examine diligently determine vnpartially which proper duties cannot be performed if either seuerity be swallowed vp of clemency or clemency choaked with seuerity Now howsoeuer God seeing the hearts and reines discerning the secretest thoughts and intentions to whom all things are naked needes not to listen listening to labour by due sifting to winnow out the truth yet in passing sentence he is to deale vnpartially Shall the Iudge of the world not doe right and yet when the Sheepe and Goats Wolues and Lambes the Children of light and imps of darknesse those who beare on their soules his owne stampe and those on whose hearts Satan may see the writing of his owne hand shall stand before him to heare their seuerall doomes being all mercy hee must absolue the wicked and beâ—ng all Iustice he cannot saue the godly and so he must necessarily passe a partiall and vnrighteous iudgement who is holy in all his waies and righteous in all his workes Iust when hee speaketh and pure when he iudgeth whom neither malice can iustly maligne nor Error shall euer bee able to blemish with absurdity neither in regard of his office or his attributes wherewith Satan would inueigle vs by blinding our minde with this misconceit that the Lord is either onely mercifull to cause presumption or only Iust to enforce despaire But if he were only iust and not mercifull the first Adam had either not sinned or hauing sinned had continued in vanity if only mercifull and not iust the second Adam had either not died or died in vaine If hee were not a God of anger feare were vnnecessarie If not a God of fauour faith a fancy our tribulations should be endlesse if he only frowning our sufferings fruitlesse if not fauourable What wipes our teares from our eies puts them in his bottle registers them in his booke not his mercy What heares the sighes of the soule the groaning of the spirit and the crying of the heart not his mercy What preserues our hands from acting our eies from beholding our feet from following vanitie not his mercy Mercy is the marke whereat our mourning aimeth Mercy is the limit where our sorrow boundeth Mercy is that Ocean where our misery endeth To no purpose should we grieue if the Lord were not good to no end should we sorrow if he were not gracious On the contrarie what is that in him which heareth our impieties the eares of his iustice What is that in him which espieth our vanities the eyes of his iustice What is that in him which punisheth our iniquities the hand of his iustice To no effect should we feare spirituall death if he be not righteous in vaine should wee flye from eternall danger if he be not rigorous If he were not both iust and mercifull mercifull and iust caution to preuent sinne were a needlesse care care to perfect sanctity an vnnecessary corasiue either of
to vs as a burden Looke we vpon the Lords Table with contempt as though some homely fare were offered neglect wee prayers meditate we neuer wee haue no testimony of our loue to God for our care and reuerence and respect to the meanes are the emblemes of our affections to and the demonstrations of our delight in his Maiesty who presents himselfe in his ordinances True loue begetting a desire of communion which is alwaies seconded with a likenes of affection at the least hating whatsoeuer he abhorreth and louing that in whatsoeuer he delighteth Now he to instance in three things especially loueth First the honour of his name Secondly the obedience of his will and thirdly the prosperity of his Church and on the contrary holds in detestation those that derogate from his glory disobey his statutes and hinder either the flourishing of his Church or the furthering of his Saints in their temporall or eternall good As for the first his name and the honour of it how hee doth prise it better cannot I decipher than from his owne mouth who when he would preserue it as his owne peculiar proclaimes it as in the eares of all That he will giue his glory to no other and lest any might encroach vpon his right the better to detaine it and the more to deter them from attempting it Exod. 20. hee affirmeth That he is a iealous God which word is though but one word yet as forcible as all the Arguments Inuention can afford if it be duely weighed and more perswasiue than all the flourishes Rhetorike can yeeld if it bee truly viewed to proue and paint out his delight in his glory and loue to his name for all griefes are either to be appeased with sensible perswasions or to be cured with wholsome counsell or to be releeued with bountiful gifts or by tract of time to be worne out Iealousie only excepted In that then he alledgeth his Iealousie he intimates that Prayers cannot preuaile against his displeasure sacrifices shall not expiate that sinne time will not wipe out that blot cast vpon his glory Hee therefore that loueth the Lord will be grieued at the soule to see and heare the name of God dishonoured his worship despised his truth reuiled his religion scorned and the profession of his Gospell neglected He who willingly endureth his friends reproach is a liplouer He who patiently putteth vp the disgrace of his captaine is either a bufaint or a debosht souldier He who carelesly passeth by the contempt of his Creator is through Satans cunning an hellish and deformed creature Moses in his owne matters is the mirrour of meekenesse Numb 12.3 but if the people in his absence practise idolatry oh how doth vexation enuiron his brest wrath weaken his memory and anger confound all the faculties of his soule What though the Tables of stone were written with the Lords owne finger his hands cannot hold them Cunning workmanship is not weighed Charity is not regarded if pietie suffer disparagement Their Idoll God shall be because a Calfe consumed in the fire grinded to powder Exod. 32.19 throwne into the water and the idolaters pallates be seasoned their bowels relisht with that sweetnesse which ashescorrupted water can afford Doth Rabshakeh blaspheme the liuing Lord How will Eliakin and Shebnah expresse the loue to their God 1 King 18.48 their loathing of that disloyaltie their bodies shall not continue couered when his name is cloathed with dishonour their garments shall not remaine vntattered when his glory was rent with so great disgrace Psal 119.136 Dauids eies in consideration of the great dishonour cast vpon Gods name through common iniquity gushed out riuers of waters To expresse the greatnesse of his griefe it is said they gushed out To manifest the multitude of his sorrowes they are called riuers of teares and all was because men kept not his law Hereby demonstrating his loue vnto God by that griefe which he had for the dishonouring of his name And truly for they that are sealed to saluation doe mourne and cry for all the abhominations that bee done in the midst of the places where they liue Ezech. 9.4 Is there such a mist drawne ouer our eies that we set not such a thicke cloud ouer our vnderstanding we marke not such a caule ouer our consciences wee feele not either in ourselues or others the abhominable blasphemies of his name the horrible contempts of his honour wherein he is so much delighted how can we loue him Loue begetting a likenesse of affection not only to his name but his Will also the obeying whereof is the badge of our true affection whence it is that the Prophet Dauid cals vpon all that are Saints to this duty Yee that loue the Lord Psal 97.10 hate the thing that is euill seeing he detests it ye may not desire it and our Sauiour Christ who can best describe his owne disciple though he gaue often loue as his liuerie yet he will not haue them ignorant of the infallible signe whereby the truth of the liuery is discerned Iohn 14.15 If ye loue me keepe my commandements Oh that we had hearts so enflamed that with him who was a man after Gods owne heart in the feeling of our defects euery one would crie out Psal 129. Oh that my waies were so directed that I might keepe thy Statutes and the palpable perceiuing our failing in not doing the things we should nay those we would cause vs cry out with him who was a chosen vessell Wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Neh. 13.14 and iustly plead with Nehemiah and Hezechiah our goodnesse and integritie Esay 38.3 then might our soules repose themselues in the sweet bed of peace assured of our vnfained loue to God But is the polluted puddle of iniquitie our bathes the actions of vngodlinesse our recreations the assemblies of the wicked our choisest company Is sinne our surest stay wicked counsells our best guides hellish drugs our wholesomest Physicke Sathans delights our sweetest potions Are we so farre from hating that we delight in couetousnesse pride malice profanation Is that most respected which God least regardeth or that contemned which he commendeth or that disobeyed which he enioyneth that heart and loue towards God is in a dangerous consumption Poore loue is that will forsake nothing at Gods prohibiting nor reforme any thing at his perswading nor performe any thing at his enioyning Can a woman prostitute her body to a varlet and yet truly say she loueth her husband or a childe pleade his loue to his Parents while he is vndutifull or any call himselfe a friend a member a sonne or daughter of the Lord disobeying his will and acting the workes of the deuill May the heart of a Saint neuer conceit it for true loue begets a likenesse of affection to his name and will yet if there it stoppeth it were like a
strange affectioned wife or friend who can bee well content the one to maintaine her husbands credit the other his friends estimation and both embrace his profitable counsels and performe his pleasure because either their owne dignity and good is continued or distaste and disquiet preuented but can least endure that childe in whom appeares most the fathers image or that friend who is most respected and therefore that soule whose loue is wholly fixed vpon the Lord will loue his Church which is his vineyard planted by his owne right hand garded by his Angels guided by his wisdome the flourishing whereof he greatly affecteth and they who loue him are delighted in it whether ioyntly or seuerally considered In euery particular member of it loue wee the graces that appeare in them loue we them for the graces which are signes and testimonies of Gods fauour towards them We can haue no better testimony no better token of our loue to God no surer marke of our saluation for if we loue him who by his eternall spirit did beget them to be heires of glory 1 John 3.14 we cannot but loue them who are begotten and are children of grace a signe not to bee neglected for hereby wee know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren 5.13 Is thy affection rather lessened then encreased to a Christian because he is a Christian Matth. 10. Doth his loue to the word his delight in good workes his distaste of wickednesse imbitter thy minde against him Can he loue the father who loathes the dutifulnesse of the sonne or honour the Soueraigne who harbours dislike of the subiects loyaltie Christ will proclaime against them howsoeuer they soothe now themselues at that great day in that they loued not his little ones Mat. 10.42 they had no delight in him For the Church ioyntly is it ioy to thy soule to heare improue the prosperity of it to perceiue and procure the propagation of the Gospell in it And dost thou with Paul in the midst of thy bonds and imprisonments for ioy forget the sorrowes of thy afflictions at the report of Christ and his Gospels proceeding then art thou with the Lord alike affectioned Contrarily art thou with Nehemiah for thy outward state without all cause of sorrowing liuing in soft rayment and faring deliciously in Artaxerxes Court yet art in countenance sad art thou not sicke yet weepes and mournes when thou hearest of the distresse of Ierusalem or with Vriah wilt thou lodge with the kings seruants and not goe downe to thine owne house because the Arke of the Lord is in hazard Art thou strooke as the wife of Phinees with sorrow with a deadly sorrow hearing the glory to bee departed from Israel Dost thou in a word Preferre Ierusalem to thy chiefest ioy The Lord will not forget thy loue when he will neglect those who are so glued to the profits and pleasures of this life that so they may haue the flesh-pots of Aegypt and the plenty of Sodome care not which way Religion goeth harken lesse to the well-fare of the Church then to those things which are done in a strange Land They solemnise the feasts of Bacchus as the greatest godhead present their offrings and enrich the Altar of Aesculapius as a Diety They honour Pluto as a diuine power and so they may liue in any aire can turne to any Religion neither meditating on Gods mercy which would moue a desire in them to delight in and be affected with what he loueth nor pondering his Iustice which would beget a feare of his Maiesty as it did the Prophet Dauid as of himselfe he testifieth My flesh trembleth for feare of thee Psal 119.120 and I am afraid of thy iudgements Doth Dauid deepely interested in the Lords euerlalasting loue by Couenant neuer to bee cancelled tremble and are we loded with sinne lulled in the Cradle of stupidity Is he a man after Gods owne heart afraid of his iudgements and are not we branded with impiety abashed at the contemplation and sight of his Iustice Oh feare the Lord all yee his Saints for your soules obseruing Iustice become the banquetting house of the blessed Trinity Get the feare of the Lord it is a faithfull Porter Your soules are either already sicke or subiect to diseases seeke for the feare of the Lord it is a skilfull Physician Your soules are as Ships in danger to be tossed in tempestuous seas be fastned to the feare of the Lord it is an assured Anchor Haue you entertained disloyall thoughts or attempted any rebellious enterprise and are afraid to approach the Throne of grace to pleade your pardon Call for the feare of God it is a powerfull Aduocate Are you trauelling in the Wildernesse of this world replenished with many by-paths doubtfull which way to take Take for your companion the feare of the Lord it is a faithfull Counsellour Are you enuironed in the midst of many enemies guard you with the feare of the Lord it is a carefull Centinell Haue you entred the danger of the battell fight vnder the banner of the feare of the Lord it is a couragious Captaine It is a faithfull Porter not admitting any rebellious suggestion nor though entertaining vnawares suffring to abide any heauen-distasting motion in the soule the Lords Palace for if Ioseph be tempted this either diuerts the attempt repels the assault and makes him cry out How can I do this and offend my God Gen. 33.9 or else subuerts the plot and expels the act rather leauing the loosenesse of the thoughts then loading the conscience with the weight of sinne rather enduring the losse of a ragged motion then to defile the mansion of a heauenly mind yet sets open wide open the doore of the heart to euery guest wherein the Lord delighteth kindly entertaining euery grace which hee affecteth cheerefully welcomming euery good thing the presence whereof he desireth Is mercy and compassion more pleasing then sacrifice Hos 6.6 Neb. 5.1.5 Iob. 6.14 The feare of the Lord first inuites it 2. Chron. 19.9 Is singlenesse of heart the delight of God the desire of man The feare of God admits it Psal 187.11 Is waiting vpon the Lords mercy and depending on his pleasure expected by him respected of him The feare of the Lord brings it in his hand to the banquet By him who feareth the Lord Col. 3.22 Obedience is as readily saluted as the sun-shine day after showers in the time of Haruest Repentance as louingly embraced as the prodigall Sonne by the commiserating father Pro. 1.7 Psal 112.1 Instructions as ioyfully receiued as Christ by Zacheus Thus is it a faithfull Porter It is no lesse a skilfull Physician Eeclus 1.26 either purging corrupt humors and restoring health or preuenting sicknesse and preseruing life It purgeth corruption not suffring sinne to nestle it selfe in the soule or iniquity to lodge as a guest in the heart but speaking to it as the Lord
we feele or continueth to shake his Rod which we feare will fall vpon vs yet by our patience may we know we feare him Psal 115.11 depending vpon his power bearing of the punishment ready to embrace his pleasure either in accepting of our desires or afflicting our deserts for the feare of God which neuer exalteth Prou. 3.7 euer submitteth it selfe being opposite to presumption Deut. 17.13 banisheth carnal security Zeph. 3.7 the feare of God receiueth instruction and becommeth patient to behold the Lords end in deferring the manifestation of his mercy in the continuing his childrens misery and in his threatning their future calamity conceiting not daring to misconceit any thing of the Lord that it is either for the prouing of their faith and constancy the purging of their filth and impurity the preuenting of their sinne and iniquity and the prouiding for the continuance of their piety vnto which the feare of God is alwaies glued As when Iosuah had called to the remembrance of the Israelites the Lords both iustice and mercy Jos 4.14 iustice vpon their enemies mercy towards them hee exhorts them to feare the Lord but withall aduiseth that it want not the true companion vpright seruing of him and the Prophet Dauid when he had affirmed that man blessed who feareth the Lord Psal 112.1 hee instantly addeth and delighteth onely in his Commandements as if there could be no true reuerencing of the Lord without due regarding of his lawes no standing in awe of his wrath without obseruing of his will no fearing of his name if failing in his worship Thence is it that the Lord himselfe giues it as a charge and laies it downe as a statute neuer to be repealed or appealed from Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him Deut. 6.13 Gen. 22.12 And testifieth with and to Abraham that he truly feared him because he withheld not his sonne his only sonne And Salomon when hee would describe true feare his description though plaine is pithy though short yet sententious paints it out to this purpose and makes the hating of euill to bee the badge of it Pro. 8.13 Iob. 1.1 Act. 10.2 which Iob did weare and Cornelius was not without And lastly whosoeuer receiueth from the Lords hand good or euill sorrow or solace gladnesse or griefe how euer his prayers may seeme to bee reiected his patience neglected his piety not regarded yet he giues praise or else hee feareth not Feare opens the eyes and lets him see the Lords mercy Psal 118.4 which deales with him so mildly his wisdome disposing all things so warily his prouidence attending all things so watchfully himselfe so vnworthy the Lord so wise himselfe vndutifull the Lord for all that so many waies bountifull himselfe so disobedient the Lord so prouident for him himselfe carelesse of the Lords honour the Lord still following him with his fauour that he cannot but both in minde and mouth praise his name by whose power hee is thus preserued knowing that in this he doth put on no other Liuery than hee is enioyned nor take any other companion to true feare than is required by the Prophet Dauid Psal 22.23 Praise yee the Lord that feare him And for our selues then may we be sure that the feare of God swaies in our soules when our minds are enlightned with prudence our prudence seconded with prouidence our prouidence attended with hope our hope assisted with power our power made apparant by preuailing and preuailing continued in stability either concerning what may tend to Gods glory and our good or threaten his dishonour and our eternall hatred For to whom soeuer the feare of the Lord is as it is in it selfe a treasure he drawes thence Es 33.6 Geneu transl as from an Armory Knowledge Wisdome Saluation Strength and Stability as is not obscurely declared by that Euangelicall Prophet who speaking to the heart of Zion comforting her in the destruction of them that spoiled her assureth her of double felicity the one is liberty through deliuerance and the other stability in her freedome which stability is branched out in the meanes whereby it is preserued the roote from whence it is deriued the meanes whereby it is preserued are strength for preuailing safety in resisting wisdome in prouiding knowledge in discerning The Roote out of which euery one of these branches buddeth and the foundation whereupon hee builds this bulwarke of their consolation is the feare of the Lord. Now seeing by what meanes any thing is preserued by the same meanes often it is obtained we may take the Prophets gradation in the Retrograde and then we finde the feare of God to be the fountaine out of which the rest as little riuers doe issue though in their different neerenesse or remotenesse Howsoeuer as by the colours the souldiers discerne their Captaine as by following the streame we come to the spring as by tracing the Conduit pipes we finde the head of the riuer so we may see where this grace resteth if wee can espy her hand-maids waiting The first and neerest whereof is Prudence with which the feare of God enlightneth the soule as a candle the darkest house and driueth away the mists of ignorance and error as the Sunne rising disperseth any clouds or vapours For it informeth the reason perswadeth the will tutereth the affections and directeth the actions presenteth to the minde both heauens mysteries and hellish mischiefes openeth to the vnderstanding the records of celestiall secrets and infernall subtleties layeth before the will the Lords Maiestie and his Childrens felicitie Satans malice and the damneds misery offereth to the affections virtues dignitie and vices deformity and tendereth to euery action as the proper end glory or ignominy Psal 111.10 paine or pleasure Whence Dauid the worthiest father and Solomon the wisest sonne affirme Prou. 1.7 that it is the beginning of Wisdome and the Lord assureth him in whom his feare remaineth that hee will bee his teacher Psal 25.12 euen hee who is wisdome knowledge and truth So as Prudence to discerne is one of the notes whereby the feare of God is knowne But because where the enemy knoweth wisdome wanteth hee the rather attempteth in that the heart is surprised with a greater feare in the approach of danger and the soule tortured with a more grieuous torment in the apprehension of safety perceiuing both yet not conceiuing which way either to preuent the one or be partaker of the other the feare of God leauing not his harbourer either deceiued or vnfurnished nor the enemy vnaffrighted or vnpreuented hangeth forth another flag and that is prouidence Greg. in moral Timere Deum est nulla quae facienda sunt praeterire bona wisely preparing euery thing which Prudence suggested as pertinent or expedient and neglecting nothing which wisdome hath reuealed as requisite for preuention What was it which moued Noah that preacher of righteousnesse to prepare the Arke