good will That God that wet the fleece of Gedâ—â—â— with his owne dew Iudg. 6.38 powre downe from heauen the dew of his blessing vpon thy reading and replenish thine heart with such a plentifull measure of his grace that liuing here in righteousnes and true holines may hereafter haue thy part in that glorie and happinesse that shall be reuealed at the comming of our Lord Iesus Norwich Nouember 14. 1613. Thine in Christ Iesus Robert Gallard A SERMON WHEREIN IS OPENED THE MANNER OF Gods decree concerning Election and Reprobation 1. THESS 5.9 For God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath but to the obtaining of saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ IN the three first verses of this Chapter the Apostle continueth in the argument of the last iudgement which hee had propounded in the latter end of the former wherein he signifieth vnto the Thessalonians that the time of the second comming of Christ should bee sudden and vnknowne vnto all especially vnto the wicked whom it shall ouertake vnawares and vnprouided Which thing he declareth by the example of the theefe who vpon the night when men least thinke of it breaketh vp another mans house and of the woman with childe whose trauell comes vpon her vnexpected In the 4. and 5. verses hee comforteth them against the terror of this sudden comming of the Lord intimating vnto them that there was no cause why they should greatly stand in feare of it considering they were not in darknesse and ignorance but enlightened with the knowledge of the truth and therefore were not the children of the darknesse and of the night but of the light and of the day whereupon in the 6.7 and 8. verses hee disswadeth them from securitie and perswadeth them vnto vigilancie and sobrietie And lest the enemie by his subtiltie should at any time circumuent them hee willeth them alwaies to bee in a readines furnished prepared and apparelled with the spirituall armour of Christian souldiers viz faith loue and hope This exhortation that it might take the better place he enforceth it by a reason taken from the end whereunto the Thessalonians in the decree and counsell of God were appointed to wit eternall happinesse the which is propounded in a discreet axiome on this manner God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath c. The words in themselues containe a description of the decree of Gods election First from the Author that is God Secondly from the obiect that is Paul and the elect Thessalolonians Thirdly from the nature that is an appointment or ordaining of them to the obtaining of saluation Fourthly from the principall meanes of execution that is the mediation of Iesus Christ Lastly it is amplified by the contrarie that is the decree of Reprobation which is also described to be the appointment of some vnto wrath Touching the meaning of the words they are very plaine I shall not neede to spend much time in the vnfolding of them For whereas the Apostle saith that God hath not appointed the meaning is God in his eternall and vnchangeable counsell and decree hath not appointed to manifest and declare his wrath for so by a metonimie of the subiect I take it wee are to expound the words in our iust and deserued condemnation but to make knowne the riches of his mercies in our free and gracious saluation and that by the meanes and for the merit of Iesus Christ This is the simple meaning of the words Only one doubt may be here made how the Apostle came to the knowledge of this decree especially touching the Thessalonians but the answer is readie that hee speaketh of them according to the iudgement of charity and not of certainty the reason hereof is plaine because diuers of the Thessalonians afterward fell wholly away from the faith and religion of Christ they did professe so that in the end they ceased to be a Church Now then that we see in some part the order and meaning of the words let vs in the next place come to the vse of doctrine and edification which they doe naturally affoord The first doctrine is generall out of the whole text to wit that there is a difference and disiunction of men in the decree and counsell of God some 〈◊〉 some reprobate some appointed to saluation some vnto wrath this point is cleere and euident out of this text though there were no other scripture to confirme the same where the Apostle sorts all men into two orders or rankes some whereof are appointed vnto wrath out of which number hee exempts himselfe and the elect Thessalonians and some to the attaining of saluation in which number hee rangeth himselfe with them And lest any man should doubt of the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the sense of it in this place let him reade Iohn 15.16 and Acts 13.47 where the same word is vsed in the same signification But for the fuller and more sufficient confirmation of this point compare the 2. Tim. 2.19 with Matth. 7.23 where it is affirmed of some The Lord knowes who are his which is the seale of their Election and of others our Sauiour Christ shall pronounce at the day of iudgement I neuer knew you that is acknowledged you for mine Rom. 9.22 there are vessels of mercie prepared vnto glorie and vessels of wrath fitted to destruction 2. Tim. 2.20 there bee vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour Examples also heereof are propounded in Iacob and Esan Rom. 9.13 Iacob haue I loued that is purposed to loue with an eternall loue but Esau haue I hated that is purposed to hate with an eternall hatred But against this cleere and receiued exposition many exceptions are made First it is alleaged that by Iacob and Esau wee are not to vnderstand their particular persons but their posteritie viz. two natioÌ„s which descended from them of the Israelites and Idumeans for so the diuine oracle answereth Rebecca Genesis 25.33 Two nations are in thy wombe and the elder shall serue the younger which thing was neuer accomplished in the daies of Iacob and Esau but rather of the twaine Iacob was in feare and subiection to Esau then contrariwise But the text will not tolerate this exposition for it is absurd to say that two nations were conceiued at once and did striue together in the wombe of Rebecca vnlesse we consider them as they were comprehended vnder their heads to wit the persons of Iacob and Esau And whereas it is replied that Esau in person was neuer seruant vnto Iacob the answere is easie that Iacobs preeminence and priuiledges were not so much in temporall as in spirituall things and therefore proportionally Esau was debased to the condition of a seruant in respect of his younger brother not so much in his outward estate as in regard of the couenant made with his ancestors from which hee was iustlie for his prophanenes and vnthankfulnes debarred Againe though it were granted that by Iacob and Esau
vnsearchable and vnconceiueable iudgements of God Augustine also had well taken out this lesson who considering of this great and high mysterie and the strangenes of it why God draweth some and not othersome why hee giueth perseuerance to some and not to others why hee chuseth some and refuseth others hee doth not reason the matter but admireth and saith O Altitudo And this sobrietie of iudgment haue all Gods children practised in all ages neither may we carpe and cauill at that which for the depth and profoundnes of it wee are neuer able to conceiue Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of the generall doctrine and of the vse thereof now let vs descend to a more particular handling and examining of the text And to speake of the words as they lie in the text whereas the Apostle saith God hath not appointed vs c. it is manifest that there is a number of men in the decree of God appointed to wrath or there is a decree of Reprobation the which that wee may the better vnderstand may bee thus described Reprobation is the decree of God by which vpon his owne will he hath purposed to refuse certaine men for the manifestation of his iustice For the cleering of this description these foure points offer themselues to bee considered First the obiect or matter of this decree Secondly the order of it Thirdly the impulsiue cause Fourthly the end Touching the first The thing decreed is the reiection of certaine men neither may this seeme strange or hard to any for God is a most absolute and soueraigne Lord and may doe with his owne what he will and therefore may open the gates of heauen and admit into his kingdome whom hee will and therefore may barre the gates and shut out whom he will and who can controle him or iustly reprehend him Is any mans eye euill because he is good or doth God vse partialitie or acceptation of any mans person Nothing lesse for vnto the one as Augustine saith * Tom. 2. epist 105. he giueth indebitam gratiam and to the other debitam poenam The Scripture also is pregnant in this point Prouerbs 16.4 God hath made all things for himselfe yea the wicked man to the day of euill Rom. 9.22 There are vessels of wrath fitted or framed to destruction in this place some are appointed vnto wrath Iude verse 4. there is mention of certaine false teachers that were of old ordained vnto condemnation neither are they ordained to the end alone but to the meanes also 1. Pet. 2.8 Christ is a stone to stumble at and a rock of offence to certaine men which stumbled at the word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were euer ordained Why should we then be squemish or afraid to speake with the Scripture that God hath reiected some men and purposed to glorifie his name in their deserued condemnation The order of this decree followeth wherein we are to consider first of all that God for his part as he doth conceiue all things at once and not successiuely one thing after another but past present to come at once with one eternall and immutable act of vnderstanding so hee doth decree all things at once and not successiuely the reason is plaine because all things are present vnto him wherefore we are not greatly to contend about the order there being no difference of it in God in whom there is neither prius nor posterius Yet for the helping of our weakenes in this high mysterie we may distinguish the counsell of God in this point into two acts or degrees the which that we doe not in any wise misconceiue this ground must be laid That whatsoeuer God hath decreed hee hath done it most wisely now wisedome requireth that a man should thinke first of the end then of the meanes and therefore determine first touching the end and then after touching the meanes now the end which God propoundeth vnto himselfe in the decree of Reprobation is partly the manifestation of his wrath expressed in this text and partly of his power and iustice Rom. 9.22 The first act therefore of this decree may not as I take it be vnfitly thus conceiued It is the decree of God wherein hee hath purposed to passe by some men that in them hee might manifest his wrath and iustice This act is called by schoolemen the priuatiue or negatiue reprobation because God in it denieth to giue grace and by some later Diuines the decree of preterition And it hath not any cause out of God in the creature The second act is the ordaining of the creature vnto iust punishment which is termed in Schooles the positiue or affirmatiue reprobation Againe this act in regard of the obiect hath a double consideration the one is simple as it respecteth this or that particular man as Pharaoh Saul Iudas comparatiue as it respecteth this man and not that as Pharach and not Moses Saul and not Dauid Iudas and not Peter The impulsiue cause of the priuatiue or negatiue reprobation is no other then the will of God as it may appeare Romans 9.22 What if God would c. and in the same chapter verse 18. no other reason is rendred why God hardneth the hearts of men that is hauing offered thē means of mollifying their hearts and hauing put into their mindes good motions doth suffer them notwithstanding to abuse them to their greater hardening and hereupon in his iust iudgement doth deliuer them vp to Satan and their owne concupiscences as vnto tormētors that they become more obdurate and obstinate in sinne and so worke their owne woe and in fine make vp the measure of their owne damnation saue onely the will of God whom hee will hee hardeneth neither is there any other reason rendred of the hatred of Esau then of the loue of Iacob Likewise our Sauiour Christ Matth. 11.25.26 yeeldeth no reason of the reuelation of the Gospell to some and the hyding from others saue the good pleasure of God Euen so O Father because it pleased thee But this seemeth hard vnto many to ascribe vnto God whom the scriptures euery where describe to bee full of bountie and mercie and slow to wrath such a decree and that vpon his owne will let vs therefore consider their reasons First they hold it to be a matter of crueltie and rigour for God thus to purpose the reprobation of man Answere Shall it bee no crueltie in man who is but a pettie Lord or rather a Tenant at will hauing all his interest and title vnto the creatures by grant and concession from God to kill an oxe or a sheepe for his vse to hunt or to kill the Hare or the Partridge for his pleasure and shall God who is a most absolute and soueraigne Lord ouer all creatures be accused and arraigned of crueltie and seuere dealing if vpon his will he do refuse and forsake his creature for his glorie Further it is obiected That he that ordaineth to the
it how much lesse contemned it many also liuing out of the bosome of the Church haue not so much as heard of the Gospell Besides Paul Gal. 5.20 numbreth vp many other causes of damnation besides infidelitie viz. all the workes of the flesh which make men as subiect to the wrath of God and euerlasting condemnation as the other and in the Lords prayer wee are taught to aske not the pardon of one sinne onely as of infidelitie but plurallie of many trespasses Yea though there were no contempt of the Gospell nor any positiue infidelitie the originall corruption of mans nature were sufficient to condemne all men Lastly the admitation wherinto Paul breaketh Rom. 9.20 O man what art thou that takest part to dispute against God! doth plainlie shew that the decree of God in reiecting some men hath an vnsearchable cause and doth not depend of any foreseene contempt of grace for so there might easily be rendred a reason of the decree of God Secondly if God hath appointed to reiect and passe ouer some men it is the dutie of euery one to labour to be assured that he is exempted out of the number of that companie 2. Tim. 2.21 Whosoeuer purgeth himselfe from these that is errors in iudgement and vncleannes in life may assure himselfe that he is a vessel of honour sanctified vnto the Lord and prepared to euery good worke And contrariwise to bee in the number of the elect obeying the counsell of Peter 2. Ephes chap. 1. vers 10. in vsing al diligence to make sure his election by the practise of a holie life The Disciples of our Sauiour Christ so soone as they heard this voyce vttered Matth. 26. One of you shall betray me presently began to equire among thēselues and to demaund of Christ whether it it were they or no carrying a holie suspition of their traiterous hearts so likewise hearing this voyce dailie sounding in the Church that there is a number of men in the counsell of God reiected which shal perish euerlastingly wee are to examine our estates and to make question whether it be we or not rather then curiously to search the reason of that which we cannot conceiue And if we shal finde his mercie to bee extended toward vs in preparing vs vnto glorie let vs acknowledge it with thankfull hearts make speciall account of it and magnifie the riches of his grace vnto vs. The last point followeth that is the end of this decree which is the manifestation of the glorie of his power and iustice Rom. 9.22 This also confuteth another error of the Lutherans that imagining God made all of mercie hold and teach that the end of all his counsels and decrees is to communicate his goodnesse and mercie in eternall happinesse to all his creatures But they are greatly deceiued for the nature of God is to be as iust as mercifull and therefore his decree must be answerable for it may not in any wise contrarie his nature Againe God is as good in his iustice the execution thereof as in his mercie Though therefore the Lord being goodnesse it selfe intend the communication of it vnto all his creatures yet not in like sort but after a diuers manner vnto some in mercy vnto others in iustice FINIS A SERMON WHICH SHEWETH HOW THE CHILDE OF God is neither subiect to the dominion of sinne nor total defection from grace 1. IOHN 3.9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede rentaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God IT is the purpose and intent of the Apostle in this whole Epistle to confirme the faithful to whō he writ in the doctrine of the Gospell and the practise thereof specially in the maine and principall point of Christian and brotherly loue to the end they might bee well furnished with spiritual ioy and assured of their fellowship communion with God whereupon hee propoundeth vnto them these two points of faith and loue handling thē confusedly and by course passing from the one to the other Further he amplifieth both these by their contraries disswading them both from seducers and Idols and also from the loue of the world the hatred of their brethren hauing therefore made entrance in the two former chapters into this doctrine now hee proceedes in the same argument exhorting the faithfull in this third chapter to the studie of holines in generall and more specially to the loue of their brethren And in the first verse hee setteth downe the dignitie and excellencie of the children of God noting it to be a matter of singular preferment preeminence for a man to be called the sonne of God which sentence he further amplifieth by a Prolepsis wherein hee meeteth with the peruerse iudgement both of the world and also of the faithful seruants and children of God As for the iudgement of the world he insinuateth that it is to bee contemned because it ariseth of the ignorance of God in the end of the first verse As for the faithfull lest they should bee too much daunted and discouraged through the manifold afflictions and crosses whereunto they are subiect in this life he opposeth vnto their present miserable estate the future glorie and felicitie which certainly abideth them after this life which felicitie he defineth to cōsist in a similitude with God and in a perfect seeing of him face to face that is in immediate fellowship and coniunction with God verse 2. Now from the hope of this glorie and happinesse hee exhorteth vnto the studie of holinesse vrging the same by the example of God himselfe vers 3. which exhortation he illustrateth by the contrarie dehorting from sinne which is flat opposite vnto holinesse and that by diuers arguments First from the nature of it which is an anomie or transgression of the law vers 4. Secondly from the end of Christ his first comming into the world which was to take away sinne and to dissolue the workes of the diuell vers 5. and the latter end of the 8. Thirdly from their communion and fellowship with Christ in whom there was no sinne vers 6. Fourthly from the author of sinne who is the diuell whose societie is by all meanes to bee auoided vers 8. Fifthly from the efficient cause of holinesse that is regeneration vers 9. wherein are laid downe these two points First the description of the state and condition of a man regenerate by two arguments the first whereof is taken from his nature which is to be borne of God which is as naturall vnto him as it is naturall vnto a man to bee borne of his naturall parents the second is taken from the denied effect he sinneth not Secondly a reason for his seed c. In the latter end of the verse there is an inuerse repetition of the former branch with an amplification from the cause And this is the coherence and disposition of these words now let vs come to a more particular examination of them
Great is the carelesnes of the world in this point all men that liue and are borne in the Church haue this benefit vouchsafed them in the beginning of their daies to bee brought into the Church by baptisme and to be acknowledged as true members thereof but few there are that labour for the inward baptisme represented and sealed by the outward to wit to become the liuelie mēbers of that mystical body whereof Christ is the head I will therefore vse some reasons as motiues to induce and perswade vs to become members of Christ the first whereof is this God of his infinite mercy and loue in Iesus Christ hath vouchsafed vs this honour in the beginning of our daies when we were no members of Christ actually but children of wrath and heires of damnation to call vs by his owne name setting as it were the stampe and seale of baptisme vpon vs thereby as by a badge cognizance not onely acknowledging vs for his but distinguishing vs from the pagan infidell and prophane companie of men in the world thereby also solemnely admitting vs into the Church and endowing vs with all the priuiledges thereof if wee will not therefore bee wilfull contemners and despisers of so great grace and on our parts as much as in vs lieth make frustrate the holy ordinance of God and preiudice that good which he meant and offered vnto vs in baptisme let vs labour to be set and ingrafted into Christ Secondly as it is no small priuiledge for a man to be acknowledged for a member of this Church and of Christ before hee bee so is it a farre greater prerogatiue truly to bee implanted into him Why so because by this meanes thou hast fellowship and communion with Christ not only as he is man but as he is God and the second person in Trinitie and by reason of him with the Father and the holy Ghost Now what a preferment and preheminence is this for a man being but dust and ashes yea a worme creeping and groueling vpon the earth to haue communion with the most great and glorious God who is King and Lord of heauen and earth Thirdly this incorporation is the ground and foundation of all those benefits we haue in Christ for hence it is that whole Christ is made ours both in iustification sanctification 1. Cor. 1.30 He of God is made vnto vs wisedome c. Fourthly hence it is that wee haue title and interest vnto eternal life and are heires and fellow-heires with Christ of his kingdome and shall as Kings reigne with him in glorie for euer after this life Lastly the very consideration of our miserable estate by nature ought to prick vs forward and euen to constraine vs hereunto which is this The image of God is defaced and almost raced out in vs and wee are vile and deformed creatures in the sight of God more loathsome and odious vnto him then the dogge or toade is or can be to vs in our mindes full of ignorance and error in our wils of contumacie and rebellion in our affections of disorder being alwaies prone to euill neuer to that which is good in our consciences of guiltines and in our memories of forgetfulnes in our words and deeds of manifold offences in the whole man wee are fearfully thrall and in bondage to sinne and Satan and vnto these corruptions and sinnes the punishment is answerable for in our mindes wee are subiect to frenzies and madnesse in our consciences to horrours and strange feares in our bodies to aches innumerable diseases and infirmities in our goods to losses in our names to ignominie and contempt in the end of this life to death and in the life to come to the second death which is a separation of the whole man from the presence of God If then this be the state of euery man till he be in Christ how doth it stand vs vpon to labour in this point aboue al things that we may be true members of Christ And that we may be incorporate into the bodie of Christ three things must be practised First wee must acknowledge our selues to bee no members of Christ but limmes of the Diuell vassals and bondslaues of Satan firebrands of hell and members of the kingdome of darknesse alienates and strangers from the Couenant and Church of God In the third of Matthew none were baptized of Iohn but such as confessed their sinnes We must in the next place be humbled that is bee heartily grieued and displeased with our selues for our sinnes purposing and resoluing by Gods grace neuer to returne to the practise of them but hence forward to liue in newnesse of life For this cause Iohns baptisme Mark 1.4 is called the baptisme of repentance because of the parties baptized being men of yeares was required a testification of their repentance and their baptisme was a solemne profession thereof Thirdly we must with humble and contrite hearts come vnto Christ first beginning to cōsider of the promises of the Gospell then to hunger and thirst after them and last of all by faith to embrace and lay hold of them Matth. 11.28 But how may we come to Christ only by faith for so beleeuing and comming vnto Christ are put one for another Ioh. 6.35 For faith is the foote which carrieth and bringeth vs vnto Christ and being come to him it is the hand whereby we receiue Christ the bond wherewee are coupled vnto him and made one with him Obiection If faith bee required to our ingrafting into Christ to what vse serueth baptisme to Infants who wanting actuall faith cannot be implanted into Christ and therefore this Sacrament can bee no seale vnto them of their incorporation Solution Infants borne in the Church are of two sort some reprobate some elect The former howsoeuer they haue the outward element conferred vnto thē and are charitablie reputed of the Church to appertaine vnto the Couenant it leauing secret iudgements vnto God yet before God they are not in the Couenant and therefore baptisme though in it selfe it bee the sacrament of incorporation by reason of the institution of Christ yet to them it is not but becomes altogether vnprofitable and turneth to their greater iudgement and condemnâtion by reason of their abuse prophanation of the holy ordinance of God Elect Infants are also of two sorts some die in their infancie some liue till they come to the yeares of discretion as for the former they are ingrafted into Christ not by any faith which they haue not neither indeede can haue by reason of their age but by a secret and vnspeakable working of the holy Ghost vniting and coupling them vnto Christ and applying vnto them the perfect obedience of Christ for their iustification from original sinne and inwardly renewing them in the inward man and repairing the image of God in them in holinesse and righteousnesse for the latter wherof there is the greater question Baptisme hath this present vse in them it is
so wee by the vertue of the same should rise out of sinne vnto righteousnesse and holinesse of life Our dutie is therefore to labour for spirituall regeneration for so baptisme is termed by the Apostle Titus 3.5 the lauer of the new birth and renewing of the holy Ghost Hereunto Paul exhorteth Ephes 4.22.24 and Phil. 3.9.10 alluding vnto baptisme Thirdly Christ is put on in his example when hee is made a paterne of all morall duties wherein hee hath gone before vs for imitation Our dutie is here to denie our selues to take vp our crosse and follow Christ in his patience in his meeknes in his humilitie in his loue in his obedience And vnto this putting on of Christ the Apostle exhorteth Colloss 3.12.13.14 Now vnto this putting on of Christ in that manner which I haue said diuers and sundrie reasons and inducements may bee brought the first is this Christ is here compared to a garment which argueth that our nakednesse and filthinesse is apparent in the sight of God before it bee couered therewith and wee also exposed to all the plagues and iudgements of God If wee would therefore haue assurance of our iustification before God and our acceptation of him vnto fauour and mercie and our freedome deliuerance from the wrath and anger of God let vs labour to put on Christ Secondly in the knitting of these two together our insition into Christ with our putting on of Christ we see that all that are truly ingrasted into Christ they are iustified sanctified and walke in obedience vnto God If therefore we would haue any testimonie or argument to perswade vs that wee are in Christ wee must necessarily put on Christ for here these twaine are inseparably coupled to gether by the Apostle Thirdly if wee shall not thus put on Christ wee are not in him and consequently baptisme is vnto vs a nullitie and becommeth of none effect for it is but as a seale set to a blanke Rom. 2.35 the Apostle saith Circumcision verily prafiteth c. But if thou be a transgressour of the law thy circumcision is made vncircumcision so baptisme loseth his grace in them that are not regenerate Lastly the consideration of our vow and promise so solemnely made in baptisme touching the renouncing of the Diuell the world the flesh and the embracing and following of Christ and his truth ought to moue vs hereunto vnlesse wee will become truce-breakers with God and contemners of the couenant vnto which wee are intitled in the beginning of our daies Neither may wee please our selues in an outward profession that wee haue giuen vp our names vnto God in baptisme and are acknowledged to be his and liue in the Church comming to heare Sermons and to receiue the Sacraments at times appointed but wee must proceede further to answere in truth and in deede vnto our profession made in baptisme for it is not the washing of the filth of the flesh by the materiall element of water that doth commend vs vnto God but the stipulation of a good conscience sanctified and purged by the blood of Christ FINIS A SERMON WHEREIN IS DEclared the nature of the feare of God PROV 1.7 The feare of Iehouah is the beginning of wisedome TO omit the coherence of these words with the former because it maketh not much for the further vnderstanding or opening of this place the words in themselues containe a briefe or summe of all that doctrine and the ground of all those exhortations which are propounded in the 9. first Chapters of this booke which is this that the reuerence of Iehouah is the chiefe wisedome and the gate or entrance to all wisedome according to which whosoeuer doth order and frame his life may be iustly called a wise man In the words is contained a description of the feare of God by a double argument The first is taken from the subiect to wit Iehouah for about his Maiestie is this feare conuersant The second taken from the nature of it to wit it is the principall wisedom or the very fountaine and headspring of all true wisedome For the better vnderstanding of the words wee must remember that there is a three-fold feare mentioned in Scripture The first is a naturall feare which is occupied about some imminent euill and danger which may either destroy or grieue and annoy the creature so our Sauiour Christ feared death The second is a distrustfull feare euery where discommended in Scripture and disallowed as 1. Ioh. 4. perfect loue casteth out this feare of incredulitie The third is a feare proceeding from faith as a fruite of it in which sense we are to speake of it in this place being that which here is commended vnto vs this is called the feate of Iehonah But here it will be demanded how God can be the obiect of feare considering that feare is occupied about some future euill and that not farre off but imminent and neere at hand and no small euill but so great as that a man is not able by his power either to resist or to sustaine and ouercome it Now God is goodnesse it selfe yea the chiefest good to bee desired and earnestly sought after of all and therefore to be feared of none Answera The proper and direct obiect of feare is some euill yet indirectly and in the second place it respecteth the partie or person from whence the euill commeth as hope first of all respecteth the good thing hoped for and next the person of whom this good thing is to be receiued so the most direct and proper obiect of this feare is the displeasure of God which is the onely euill to be feared and auoided of all men and more indirectly and in the second place it is referred to God himself and called the feare of Iehouah This feare proceeding from faith is said to be the chiefest wisedom both because from hence us from a pure fountaine proceedeth all true wisedome and herein also consisteth the greatest part of spirituall and diuine wisedome to reuerence the true God Touching this feare that we may with fruite consider and entreare of it foure things are to be learned first what it is secondly by what markes and notes it is knowne and discerned thirdly by what meanes it is obtained and kept fourthly by what arguments wee are to be induced to seeke after it and practise it For the first to begin with the acception and vse of the word which in Scripture is manifold First it is put for God himselfe Genes 31.53 Iaakob sware by the feare of his father Izhak Secondly for his word and doctrine Psal 19.9 The feare of the Lord is cleare c. Thirdly generally for the whole worship of God Psalm 34.9 Ionah 1.9 Fourthly it is put for a speciall part of Gods worship and signifieth this chast filiall feare that feare whereby the wife feareth the husband and the childe the father which may bee thus described It is a peculiar gift of the holie Ghost in the