beeing once setled in your hearts considering how excellent a thing it is in the iudgement of the holy Ghost 2 Concerning the blessings which God hath promised to those that feare him they are so great that greater cannot he For what is it brethren that your heartes would or can wish or desire would yee be deliuered from all such enimies at home or abroad as do secke by subtiltie or crueltie to bereaue you of life of libertie of the truth yea and of God himselfe Then Feare the Lord saith the spirite and he will deliuer you out of the hands of your enimies 2. Reg. 17.39 Would yee haue your posteritie that they shall stand vp in your place successiuely to encrease and prosper Feare the Lord saith the holy ghost and it shall go well with you and with your children after you for evermore Deut. 5.29 would yee be strong against all assaultes of our spirituall enimies Feare the Lord and yee shall be so For as Salomon saith In the feare of the Lord is assurednesse of strength Prouerb 14. and the 26. verse Againe would yee be out of doubt which is the right and true waie among so great diuersitie of opinions as are now in the world Feare the Lorde and he vvill teach you in the vvaie that ye shall choose yea the secretes of the Lorde shall be among you if yee feare him and he vvill shevv you his couenant Psal 25.11.13 To conclude will yee be blessed that is to say in a state perfited with a gathering togither of all good thinges Feare God and yee shall be so For as Dauid saith Blessed are they that feare the Lord. Psal 112.1 For all this the greatest part of the world regard not to feare the Lord but haue their hearts filled with contempt of him whereof to consider the causes and remedies is verie needfull that we may take heed and giue obedience to this precept of S. Peter 1 One cause then why men feare not the Lord is the want of teaching and hearing the word of God by which as by an instrument sanctified to that purpose the Lorde distilleth his feare into the heartes of men This may be gathered out of Deut. 31. where Moses giuing charge to Iosua concerning the reading of the Law in the eares of the whole congregation of Israel sheweth also wherefore it was to be done namely that they might learne to feare the Lord their God vers 12.13 If then the publishing of the word be the meanes to learne men the feare of the Lord it must needs be that the want of this blessing is a reason why manie are destitute of the true feare of God For remedie wherof none other way can be found than for the minister diligently to teach and the people as diligently to heare the word of the Lord. 2 A second reason why men feare not the Lord is because their hearts are possessed with a strong imagination that it is in vaine to feare God This cause of mens not fearing the Lord the Prophet Malachie declareth Chapt. 3. for hauing spoken of certaine which feared not the Lord vers 5. he doth afterward shew their reason that perswaded them to set the Lord at naught and to giue out stoure words against him which was because in their corrupt iudgement it was in vaine to serue God and it was no profite to them that they walked humblie before the Lord of hostes vers 14. Against this pestilent perswasion which leadeth manie now adayes to the contempt of God a remedie of soueraigne effect is the consideration of those promises before propounded to them that feare the Lord which will be then more effectuall when we set before our selues in our minds as on a theatre or stage the persons of many that feared the Lord as of Abraham Ieseph Moses Dauid c. enioying part of these promises in this life and now fully possessed of the rest in the kingdome of God 3 A third matter where upon many take occasion to neglect cast away the feare of God is a grosse conceit of the nature of God inducing them to thinke that the Lord seeth not what men do in the earth and that they may do what they will for him After this sort the wicked in Iobs time surmised that God vvas so hidden vvith the darke cloudes that he could not iudge thorough them and therefore they despised him And so the vngodly in the dayes of David spake fiercely and the vvorkers of iniquitie vaunted themselues against God and all was vpon this perswasion That the Lord did not see it the God of Iacob did not marke it Psal 94. Against this enchantment that it may not preuaile in mens hearts to leade them away from the feare of God it helpeth much to consider that nothing is hid from the eyes of God Heb. 4. that he searcheth all heartes and vnderstandeth all the thoughts of the minde 2. Chron. 28.9 that it is a brutish follie to thinke that he vvhich planted the care should not heare and he vvhich formed the eye should not see Psal 94. which consideration if it be deepely imprinted in our minds it will make vs to see that the darke cloudes are no hinderance to the Lord but that he beholdeth all things even the verie purposes of the heart and therefore is the more to be feared 1. King the eight chapter and 39. 4 A fourth reason why men regard not the feare of God is because they see themselues others who are with out al true reuerence of the almightie to prosper well enough in the world whilest they that fear the Lord endure and passe through many aduersities troubles This reason of the wickeds contempt of God the prophet Dauid saw acknowledged Psa 73. For why as he saith because the vvicked come not in trouble neither are plauged vvith other men because there are no bandes in their death but they are lusty and strong therefore they glorie in their pride as in a golden chaine they talke presumptuously and they set their mouth against heaven That is to say they speake in defiance of God him selfe In like maner he saith of the vngodlie Psalm 55.19 that Because they have no changes therefore they feare not God To expell which poisoned conceits out of mens hearts there is not anie more conuenient remedie than to marke the vvaie of the vvorld vvherin vvicked men vvhich saie vnto God depart from vs haue vvalked and how they haue ben cut downe before their time vvhose foundation vvas as ariuer that ouerflovved Iob. 22. To consider with Dauid that the Lord hath set such wicked ones in slipperie places that the conceit which they haue of their prosperous estate is no better then the fansie of a dreaming man who in his sleepe imagineth himselfe and other to bee riche and in good case but when he a waketh he findeth it nothing so Psal 73. Briefly to consider that the lesse trouble they sustain here the more torment
A SERMON PREACHED AT HITCHIN IN THE yeare of our Lord 1587 the 17 day of November being the first day of the 29 yeare of the Queenes Maiesties reigne By Edward Harris Master of Arts and Preacher of this word of God Printed at London by Iohn Morris I.B. dwelling in S. Iohns streete 1590. TO THE FAITHFVLL AND BELOVED IN THE Lord his brethren knowne to him in Hertford-shire grace and peace in Christ Iesu THere are novv three yeeres passed since at the request of some I communicated this sermon of mine in vvriting to those vvhich not long after obtained for it allovvance to go abroad in print and novv at the last it having receiued the fruite of that allovvance I offer it vnto as many of you as desire to profite by the remembrance of that vvhich yee once heard before Vse it I beseech you to that end for vvhich I first spake it and novv offer it vnto you that is to your further building vp in the feare of our God and honour of our Soueraigne If you remember any more than is here set dovvne vse that also to the same end and laying a part all vanities of the vvorld set your minds on those things vvhich may profite in the day of the visitation of all flesh The grace of our God be vvith you From my chamber at North Mimmes this 16 of October 1590. E. H. Feare God Honor the King I. Peter 2. THE sweete showers which fel in the forenoone deerely beloued in Christ Iesu might if the ground of your hearts be not brasse or adamant not only cause the seed of the word which ye haue so often receiued to bring forth in you the herbe of an holy profession and fruite of an holy life but moreouer besides that might make way to the better planting of any other good and godly instruction in your minds I doubt not but ye keepe in remembrance the summe of that which hath bene taught namely both who is the author of your deliuerance from all your enimies to wit not the arme of flesh but God himselfe and also by what meanes he hath brought this to passe to wit by the godly and Christian gouernment of our gracious soueraigne the annointed messenger of the Lord in this behalfe and as I doubt not but yee remember these things so I charitablie perswade my selfe that yee make enquirie and demande of your owne soules by what dueties towards God the author and by what reuerence toward the Prince the instrument of this our common safetie and welfare ye may shew your selues thankfull receiuers of so great a benefite Harken therefore what the spirite of God which is in him and onely knoweth the minde and will of God requireth of you by the mouth of saint Peter For his owne selfe he seeketh no more at your hands but that yee feare him For the person of his annointed he exacteth nothing else but that ye honour her For so saith the holy Apostle 1. Epist Chap. 2. Feare God saith he and Honor the king For the first of these two it is no new commandement but an ancient and old precept renewed as being a matter of christian obedience required in both Testaments Moses the lawgiuer of Israel Leuit. 19. 14. saith to the inheritance of the Lord the children which came out of th loynes of Iacob Thoushalt feare saith he the Lord thy God Againe Leuit. 25. 17. he saith Let euerie one feare his God Likewise Deuter. 20. he chargeth them saying Follow the Lord your God and feare ye him Our Sauiour Christ Luk. 12. teacheth men to feare him who after he hath killed the bodie can cast the soule into hell fire that is God And besides this place of saint Peter saint Iohn also Reuelations the fourteenth and the seuenth hauing seene and Angell flying thorough the midst of heauen which had an euerlasting Gospel to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth euen to euery nation and kinred and tongue and people testifieth howe this Angel cried with a lowd voice saying Feare God and giue glorie to him Wherefore sith wee are compassed with such a cloud of most glorious and faithfull witnesses make your reckoning how ye heare not me but Moses Christ Peter Iohn and the Angels of heauen crying vnto you Feare God Some will say peraduenture all this needeth not there is none here we hope but feare God truely Well brethren to the lavv and to the testimonie let that be our iudge our owne consciences witnesses whether the true feare of God which is here commanded by the holy ghost be in the greatest part of men now adayes To know then whether we be endewed with this true and earnest feare of God or no there are among other three especiall wayes whereby ye shal certainly know the same The first way is the birth of it For if the feare of God that is in you come out of that spring and be bred in that sort as true feare is then haue you cause to reioice The second is by the naturall and liuely effectes of the same feare For doubtlesse euerie thing especially the motions of Gods spirite working not counterfaitly but according to it owne nature it must needs be a false and bastardly feare of God which vttereth not it selfe in conuenient measure by the proper effects of true feare The third way is by such things as vnseparably follow and accompanie the true feare of God which S. Peter speaketh of For the first way yee must obserue know that the earnest feare of God springeth and proceedeth of a right and reuerend knowledge and meditation of the surpassing power bottomlesse wise dome infallible prouidence vndefiled iustice incomparable goodnes and other such heauenly attributes of Gods nature as the scripture giueth vnto it For when the consideration of mans mind is truely fixed and set vpon the inward view beholding of these things the glorie of them is such that it doth strike possesse the heart with an vnfained reuerence of that person who is of such a nature as by so glorious names employing so great and wonderfull effects is rather pointed at than fullie defined This that I say is manifest by the tenth chapter of the Prophet Ieremie For considering how none was like to the Lord in power how he was great and incomparablie wiser then all the prudent men of the nations and how none was like to him in all the kingdomes of the world to shew what this meditation bredde in him and what it worketh in all the children of God he bursteth forth into these words Who shall not feare thee O king of nations As if he should say that whosoeuer did rightly meditate and studie vpon these things could not but hereby grow into a true feare of God or at the least that the vnfained and true feare of God springeth hereupon Prouided alwayes that we take this view by the word of God onely and not by the fancie or imagination
that they make it a principle of their religion how wee must feare and not be bolde of Gods fauor This detecteth their feare of God not to be the true holy feare commanded by Saint Peter in this place For the true feare of God is accompanied and joyned with a trust cōfidence in him as may be proued cuidentlie in the hundreth and fifteenth Psalm the 1. verse Esa 50.10 Besides the manifolde examples of Gods scruants endued with a right feare of him who albeit wrestling with the multitude of their sinnes seemed to shut the doore of their harts against assured trust in the Lorde for a season yet euermore gaue it intertainment in the end By these things then my brethren ludge of your lelues if yee feare God so that yee hate him or cannot abide him that ye wil not be persuaded to haue boldnes and assured trust in him to saluation because your consciences tel you how many how grieuous your sinnes are then haue yee not that feare which Saint Peter speaketh of abiding in you but if your feare of God bee ioyned with an heartie loue of him and ye so feare his punishing iustice that notwithstanding ye trust in his forgiuing mercie then is the feare of God in you an holie plant which I beseech him for Christs sake to raine vppon more and more with the sweet dew of the word and to blovv vpon with the quickning breath of his spirite that it may florish and bring foorth fruite in you to the end Thus yee see brethren by vvhat meanes yee may haue vnderstanding vvhether ye ansvvere to this commandement of Saint Peter that is to saie whether ye feare God truelie or no hereby also ye may knovv vvhat it is to feare God trulie and aright namely not to be a fearde of the fansies of our ovvne braine for then fooles and mad men should feare God truelie not to tremble onelie at his judgementes for then the verie vnsensible mountaines and hils should feare God truelie because they are readie to tremble at the angrie presence of the Lord. Psal 18.7 not to haue a minde desperatlie tormented and grieued with the horrour of his ovvne sinnes for then Iudas and manie of the reprobate shoulde haue feared God truelie not to stande in avve so of Gods vengeance onelie that there vpon vve dare not follovve those abhominations vvhich othervvise our hearts are vvell pleased vvith for then the hypocrites should feare God truelie but vpon a due and deep consideration of Gods povver vvisdome prouidence iustice c to stande in such godlie avve of him that by meanes therof we are brought from the liking and following of vngodlines to deale faithfullie in all things to dehort other from those corruptions vvhich our selues haue forsaken and in all this to be so affectioned that vvee delight in the Lord and loue him at no time vtterlie despairing though vve fulfill not our duties so fullie as wee ought but yeelding to that comfort of Gods spirite vvhereby we are put in hope that God vvil accept our endeuors though ioyned vvith manie imperfections as the indeuours not of slaues but of his faithfull and obedient children This is now the true feare of God whereof Saint Peter speaketh these are some meanes whereby yee may know and discerne whether the same bee in your selues or other And foras much as there is nothing more to bee desired at the hands of almightie God then that all men may atraine to this feare retaine it also cuen to the end it is needfull for vs to consider what those things are which may serue as the ordinatie meanes to draw men vnto and continue men in this true feare of God There are then two especial things which are of great force both to make men feare God trulie and also to keep and preserue in them that grace and gift of God wherof the first is the excellencie and peerelesse dignitie and worthinesse of this grace The second is the incomparable blessings of God which foolowe the same and art promised to as manie as abide in the it The worthines of this feare of God the Scripture fetteth foorth in that it spoiling the men of this worlde of those gracious titles wherein they make all true honour and commendation to stand and consist it attributeth them notwithstanding to those that feare the Lord. It is a thing which men most desire of all other things to be truly wise insomuch that for the bare name therof infinite persons of all ages and degrees haue thought neither any cost il bestowed nor anie labour ill taken so they might be reputed of the worlde for wise men naithles the world could neuer attaine to this in deed For when the iudgment is brough to the throne of God they are all condemed of folly as Saint Paul declareth 1. Corinth 1. wher he saith hovv the vvisdome of this vvorld is foolishnes vvith God In the meane season such as feare God truly are by the holy Ghost himselfe pronounced to be rightly and truly wise For the patient Iob saieth The feare of the Lord is wisedome in deede chap. 28 Whereunto agreeth Salomon who Prouerbs 1. auoucheth the feare of the Lord to be Reshith dagnath the beginning of knovvledge or rather as vvee saie in our common speech the chiefe point of knovvledge or head knovvledge and again in his fifteenth chapter he saith The feare of the Lord is the instruction of vvisedome Whereby we may perceiue howe they onelie are wise in deede which feare the Lorde al other the children of follie and madnesse so excellent and surpassing a thing is the feare of God Besides that the Scripture calling vpon men to sanctifie the Lord that is to worship him with such a kinde of worship as wherby he may be declared and knowen to be holie doth require this true feare of God for performance thereof For so the Prophet Esaie chapter 8 commandeth men to sanctfre the Lorde of hostes and to shew how that should be done he addeth immediatlie by wale of exposition Let him bee your feare by that meanes adorning the true feare of God with that most honorable name and title of sanctifying the Lorde of hosts Adde hereunto that the prophet Esay chap. 33.6 maketh account how The feare of God is a treasure to the godly enriching them aboundantly which haue it in the sight of God whereuppon it must needes ensue that they which are destitute of this grace are starke beggers before God howsoeuer they flow swimme in outward wealth and prosperitie Thus ye see of what great dignitie the true feare of God is which ought to rauish you with a desire both to subject your selues to this commandement of S. Peter that the holy Ghost mare worke this true feare in your heartes and also to take heed that the manifolde entisementes of the worlde and flesh which are laid as baites to beguile sillie soules eueric where bereaue you not of it